MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE;

PERPETUAL SECRETARY OF THE ACADEMY OF MORAL AND
POLITICAL SCIENCES, ETC.

TRANSLATED,

WITH THE APPROBATION OF THE AUTHOR,

BY

C. COCKS, B.L.

PROFESSOR OF THE LIVING LANGUAGES IN THE ROYAL COLLEGES
OF FRANCE,

TRANSLATOR OF MICHELET'S "PRIESTS, WOMEN, AND
FAMILIES," ETC. ETC. ETC.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS,

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

1205.

LONDON:

Printed by A. SPOTTISWOode,

New-Street-Square.

ADVERTISEMENT.

IN laying before the reader a faithful copy of this learned and interesting work, the translator avails himself of this opportunity to express his gratitude to M. Mignet, for his extreme kindness in honouring the present undertaking with his approbation.

PREFACE.

THIS volume is an extract from the Journal des Savants, and consists of the articles I have published, in that grave periodical, respecting Antonio Perez and Philip II. It contains, at once, the explanation and the account of their tragical contests. The adventurous career of Perez presents a picture of vicissitudes well calculated, in my opinion, to interest and instruct. His early youth witnessed the reign and court of Charles V., whom his father, Gonzalo Perez, served as Secretary of State. He himself, though still very young, became minister to Philip II., who at one moment showered on him his entire favour, and whose policy he subserved even so far as to rid him, by murder, of the secretary and confidant of his brother, Don Juan* of Austria. He afterwards incurred the fatal displeasure of his formidable master by having dared to become the rival of his amours. Cast into a fortress, brought before the

* Juan, Jehan, Giovanni, or John. To be consistent with present usage, I have preserved his Spanish name, though he is called Don John in English history. — C. C.