FERDINAND VISITS NAPLES. 259 That prelate, foreseeing the anarchy likely to arise on Philip's death, assembled the nobility pres- ent at the court, in his own palace, the day before this event took place. It was there agreed to name a provisional council, or regency, who should carry on the government, and provide for the tranquillity of the kingdom. It consisted of seven members, with the archbishop of Toledo at its head, the duke of Infantado, the grand constable and the admiral of Castile, both connected with the royal family, the duke of Najara, a principal leader of the oppo- site faction, and two Flemish lords. No mention was made of Manuel. ^"^ The nobles, in a subsequent convention on the 1st of October, ratified these proceedings, and bound themselves not to carry on private war, or attempt to possess themselves of the queen's person, and to employ all their authority in supporting the provisional government, whose term was limited to the end of December. ^^ A meeting of cortes was wanting to give validity to their acts, as well as to express the popular will in reference to a permanent settlement of the gov- Provisional governmeiil. 2* Zurita, Anales, torn. vi. lib. 7, cap. 15. — Mariana, Hist, de Espafia, torn. ii. lib. 29, cap. 1. — Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 317.— Ziifiiga, Annales de Seviila, aHo 1506. — Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. 67. ^5 Zurita, Anales, torn. vi. lib. 7, cap. 16. ] find no authority for the state- ment made by Alvaro Gomez (De Rebus Gestis, fol. 68.), and failh- fullv echoed by Robles (Vida de Ximenez, cap. 17.), and Quintanilla (Archetypo, lib. 3, cap. 14.), that Ximenes filled the oflice of sole re- gent at this juncture. It is not warranted by Martyr, (Opus Epist., epist. 317,) and is contradicted by tiie words of the original instru- ment cited as usual by Zurita, (ubi supra.) The archbishop's biogra- phers, one and all, claim as many merits and services for their hero, as if, like Quintanilla, they were work- ing expressly for his beatification.
