COnsidering the great Obligation that lies vp­on me, in that God hath put vpon my shoulders the administration and gouernment of so many Kingdomes and Dominions, with the name and stile of Catholike King; where­unto appertaineth an ardent zeale and de­sire of the publike good: And that the things which augment these Obligations, are the examples of Christian piety, which did shine so gloriously in the King, my Lord and Father (who is now in glory:) as likewise that notable care and diligence in gouernment, together with the seuere discipline of the King my Father, and my Grandfather: I am resolued to settle a kind of censure for the rooting out of [Page 2] vices, abuses, and all sorts of bribery and corruption in these my Kingdomes. And to this end, I ordaine and command you, our President, that you firme and order a Junta, or Committee, of these persons fol­lowing: of whose vertue and zeale I haue a particular trust and confidence.

• 1. Maestro Fray Antonio de Soto Mayor, my Confessor.
• 2. Don Francisco de Contreras, of my Councell.
• 3. Don Pedro Porto Carrero, Conde of Medelin, of all other the ancientest, Mayor-domo, or Chamberlaine of my Lord the King.
• 4. Don Francisco de Riuera, Marquesse of Malpica, a Gentleman of the Chamber of my Father and Grandfather.
• 5. Don Diego de Corral, of my Councell.
• 6. Don Francisco de Seiada, of my Councell.
• 7. Father Hieronymo de Florentia, my Preacher, or Chaplaine, and Confessor of the most Illustrious Infanta's my bre­thren.
• 8. Frier Juan de Peralta, Prior of Saint [Page 3] Lorenzo, and Lord Elect of Tuy.
• 9. Doctor Aluaro de Ʋillegas, Gouer­nour of the Arch-bishopricke of Toledo.
• 10. And for Secretary, Pedro de Con­treras.

And this Iunta or meeting, is to be made in your presence, when your great im­ployments shall not hinder you; and your Sessions shall be euery Sunday, for so holy a day ought not to bee a hinderance to so holy a worke and Christian action. And if you shall thinke it fit, you may appoint some other day in the weeke: And the first Session shall be the first Thursday after Easter: And you shall giue entrance to this worke with a Benediction or thankes­giuing to God, desiring him (by the inter­cession of his blessed Mother) to indue me with his grace, and to giue supply to my tender yeeres, that I may hit the marke aright, and gouerne my selfe according to his holy Law, and to the generall bene­fit, and publike good of all my Kingdoms and Dominions. And that this beginning, being giuen to so diuine a Seruice, may the better proceed in ordering the busi­nesse [Page 4] of State, of Warre, of my Treasurie, which requires such a deale of care and vigilancy.

As for any instructions to be giuen to this Junta, or Session of yours, it seemeth to me that it cannot be committed to any better then the Committee it selfe: And therefore your first Session shall be to this effect:

To frame your Instructions in the best manner you can deuise, and to send the same vnto me, that I may peruse them, and that I may send you them backe againe.

SInce I wrote by the last Post, another Historie may bee made of the changes and alterations of this Court: From the late Kings Confessor they haue taken all his Offices, and quit­ted him of his rent, which was a good re­uenue, amounting to more then 30000. Ducats: Being, besides, commanded to leaue the Court, and to retire himselfe to a Monastery of his owne Order, some 20. leagues distant from the Court. As soone as he was gone out of Madrid, they seized vpon all that he had; And iourneying vp­on the way, there were certain Officers set of purpose to register what hee carried with him, and to strip him of all saue his apparell and what was needfull for his [Page 6] iourney. The selfe-same day they bani­shed the Duke of Ʋzeda, and laid hands on his Secretarie, and likewise quitted all his seruants and officers from the Palace, which had been placed there by the Duke of Lerma.

Moreouer, his Maiestie published a Decree or Schedule, giuing commission to Don Fernando Carillo, and other Iudges, for examining of all those Mercedes or Fa­uours, which the deceased King had con­ferred on the Duke of Lerma, his sonnes and seruants, to see if there were iust cause, and reason sufficient for the be­stowing the said fauours, and in case that they should not find it to bee so, then to proceed according to Iustice.

Touching the businesse of the Duke of Ossuna, there is no good blood in it, it is all very foule; for they haue laid to his charge the vildest and most enormous things that euer were heard of, and they haue clapt him vp in prison, with a very strong gard vpon him, and his businesse (as all the rest of the like nature) is to bee weighed in the ballance of Iustice: for the [Page 7] King hath a purpose to repaire the repu­tation of this Monarchy, which was rea­dy to run to ruine, for want of executing Iustice (which is the prop of estates.) Cal­deron had beene once more put to the tor­ment, if hee had not freely confessed all, which they were willing to worke out of him; Hee himselfe wrote his owne con­fession, containing seuen sheetes of pa­per. It is thought, ere it be long, that they will make a riddance of all those that were the Dukes followers, and more particu­larly, of those that were his houshold ser­uants (eodem pane & aqua viuentes) that had eaten of his bread, and dranke of his drinke: to so bad a passe is the promotion of the Duke of Lerma now come, that it is great pitie to see how deiectedly they walke vp and downe, like men that are troden vnder foot, neuer to rise againe. His Maiestie hath nominated a Committee, for the reforming of all the disorders and euill customes of the Court, and once a weeke they meete for the ordering of what is requisite in this kind: and that businesse is so farre ad­uanced, that they are come to a repartiti­on, [Page 8] or diuiding of all the streets in Ma­drid, betweene the Alcaldes, who goe from house to house, to know what people lodge therein, and what their businesse is.

Father Florentia is of this Junta or Com­mittee, and carries a great hand, not onely in this, but in all things else, and the King is well pleased with his counsell and aduice: It is now well knowne that he is Confessor to the two Infanta's, Charles and Ferdinand.

The people are generally well conten­ted with the new King, and the spirit and mettle which he shewes, and hee leaneth very much to holy and exemplary per­sons, in the conferring of Offices, remoo­uing those from them which are other­wise inclined: He hath quitted the abuse of the Palace, and of the whole Court, of rising at twelue at noone, and dining at three; rising himselfe at sixe, and giuing audience very early; dining at twelue, and supping at eight. It is a thing to be won­dered at, to see how conuersant hee is in businesse, as likewise to consider the wise and discreet answeres that come from him.

[Page 9] On Tuesday last the Kings Funerals were solemnized in the Monasterie of S. Jeronymo, whither he had withdrawne him­selfe since the decease of his Father. Padre Florentia (as his manner is) made a most excellent Sermon: The Tombe was won­derfull sumptuous, and cost many Ducats, and there were 3000. lights and torches: At the Masse, there assisted aboue twentie Bishops, and many other Grandes were in that solemnitie, very worthy and seeming, and too long the recounting.