Barbara Blombergh was then over fifty, and she preserved traces of her great beauty, which she tried to enhance with cosmetics6 and fine clothes, unsuited to her age or situation. She, however, lacked that inborn7 distinction and dignity which then, even more than now, characterised ladies of noble lineage; because education, which to-day refines, polishes and levels manners to a certain extent, belonged then exclusively to dames8 of high degree. Barbara Blombergh certainly did not belong to this privileged class, although several historians have asserted it, in order to exalt9 D. John's maternal10 descent. She was simply a girl of the middle class, daughter of a citizen of Ratisbon of moderate fortune. Three years after the birth of D. John she married Jerome Kegel, who was not a noble gentleman either, but a poor "hére," as Gachard calls him, who for a humble11 position at the Court of Queen Mary, the Regent of Flanders, compromised himself by giving her his name and sheltering her dishonour12.
Madam Blombergh, as from this time she began to call herself, was left a widow in June, 1569, and then it was that her cold, shallow, hard, extravagant13 and ungenerous character began to show itself freely. "As vapid14 as obstinate," said the Duque de Alba. But what is really surprising about her is the indifference that she always showed for her son D. John, who by the greatness of his name would have seemed called to be her glory and pride, and by his love, respect and solicitude15 for her, her delight and good fortune. In the Alba archives there is a letter from D. John to his mother, the only one known, which begins in this way: "Lady, it is many days since I had news of you, which worries me, having written and begged, last from Messina, that you should always remember to advise me about your health and of what is your pleasure, as besides the obligation I am under to procure16 it for you as your son, I also much wish to give it to you, being certain that I owe it to the good mother and lady you are to me." Compare this letter with another from D. John to Do?a Magdalena de Ulloa, and it will be plainly seen that if Barbara Blombergh was in fact his mother, the one who responded to his filial affections was the illustrious widow of Luis Quijada: "Lady, I kiss your hands for the trouble you take in always answering my letters, but principally because what I wish is to hear continually of your health and welfare."
When Kegel died D. John begged Philip II to come to his mother's assistance, and the King sent the Duque de Alba, then Governor of the Low Countries, to visit Madam Blombergh, and to suggest to her that, having such a son as hers in Spain, she should make her residence there. Madam Blombergh replied that although, doubtless, she would much like to see her son, it was of no use talking to her about going to Spain, for she well knew the way women were shut up there, and wild horses would not make her go to such a country. Philip II then gave her an income of 4944 florins, with which she installed herself with a luxury and parade it was impossible to support on these means. Her household consisted of a duenna and six waiting-maids, a steward17, two pages, a chaplain, a butler, four servants, and a coach with all its paraphernalia18 of grooms19 and horses. She then began the gay, but not very decorous, life of festivities and banquets which caused the warnings and complaints of the Duque de Alba, and first the admonitions and later the violent measures of Philip II, which, however, on account of the political disturbances20, could not be carried out until the arrival of D. John in Flanders. This made Barbara Blombergh's departure more than ever necessary, so as not to compromise the authority of D. John at this difficult moment by her frivolities and imprudences. But as neither by prayers nor by wise persuasion21 could he overcome his mother's invincible22 obstinacy23 about going to Spain, he resolved to use the stratagem24 he had devised long ago with his brother Philip II.
He told her that his sister Donna Margarita of Austria much wished to know her, and had invited her to spend a few months at the palace of Aquila in the Abruzzi. This invitation from such a personage as the Duchess of Parma gratified Madam Blombergh immensely, and she accepted at once, only bargaining to settle afterwards to live where she wished. D. John agreed, and Madam Blombergh set out for Italy with all her household the middle of March, 1577. As extra steward D. John sent a confidential25 person called Pero Sánchez, who was used to travelling, and who carried secret instructions. On arriving at Genoa they found a luxurious26 galley27 which Pero Sánchez said was ready to carry them to Naples, and thence they could journey overland to the Abruzzi. Without any mistrust the embarkation28 was made, and after a disagreeable voyage of some days' duration they sighted the grey mountains of Vizcaya, so different from the blue Neapolitan coast, where they thought to arrive. The galley had gone to Spain and was at Laredo.
AUTOGRAPH OF BARBARA BLOMBERGH
From a photograph by Lacoste
Barbara Blombergh was met at this port by Do?a Magdalena de Ulloa, who had been warned of her advent29 by D. John, and at San Cebrian de Mazote she was awaited by Do?a Magdalena's brother and sister-in-law, the Marqueses de la Mota, who wished to help the illustrious widow of Luis Quijada over this difficult meeting. In truth it needed all Do?a Magdalena's tact30, patience, and love for D. John to tame the furious wild beast who was disembarked at Laredo on the 3rd of May in the form of Barbara Blombergh. Do?a Magdalena took her at once to the castle of San Cebrian de Mazote, where the Marqués de la Mota and his wife received her very kindly31, and entertained her splendidly, and such pains did the good and discreet32 Do?a Magdalena take, that in the three and a half months Madam Blombergh was with her, the angry, wild animal was changed into a gentle lamb, and when the hour of farewell came she herself asked to retire to the Dominican convent of Santa Maria la Real, in the village of San Cebrian, where Do?a Magdalena had prepared for her a comfortable, separate apartment, so that she could go in and out.
From the 3rd of May, 1577, when she disembarked at Laredo, until the end of July, 1579, when, after D. John's death, Philip II gave her an income of 3000 ducats, all the expenses of Barbara Blombergh were borne by Do?a Magdalena de Ulloa. This is shown, without any shadow of doubt, by the paper presented by this lady in the testamentary accounts of D. John of Austria, which exists in the Alba archives, signed and with this label:
"That which I, Do?a Magdalena de Ulloa, have paid in virtue33 of two letters from the Very Serene34 D. John of Austria, God rest his soul, one dated from Louvain the 23rd of April, 1577, the other from Brussels the 4th of July of the same year, about the expenses of Madam Blombergh his mother, also arranging her apartment and her ordinary expenses, and her extraordinary personal ones, servants and wages and clothes and other things, some furniture indispensable and necessary for her use, the which I gave over to her servants, and that which I gave for this is the following."
A detailed35 account of the money made over to Madam Blombergh and her stewards36 follows, divided into thirty-six items; then comes the reimbursement37 by the same Do?a Magdalena in three items by the hand of Melchor de Camago, Juan de Escovedo, and Antonio Pérez, and this curious document concludes by making the following balance and protest: "So what I have paid by order of His Highness, according to the said letters relating to the building of the house and other things belonging to it, and providing for the said house and servants of the said Madam his mother, comes to one million three hundred and forty thousand one hundred and ninety-two maravedis, which as I have said in the items by God and my conscience I gave over to Madam and her servants, and what I have received on account of this amounts to nine hundred and seventeen thousand and eighty-eight maravedis: so that it is more than the goods of the said Lord D. John by four hundred and twenty-two thousand and five hundred and four maravedis; and I certify38 that the account and items, of the receipt as of the fact, by my conscience are certain and true, and that the said amount is due to me, and I have not received it, nor has anything been given to me on account, and this being true, I sign this with my hand and with my name, this date at Valladolid, fourteenth of July, one thousand five hundred and eighty-two."
"Do?a Magdalena de Ulloa."
Thus it is proved that D. John, helped by Do?a Magdalena, provided everything necessary for his mother until his last hour; and when he was dying he commended her to his brother D. Philip through his confessor P. Dorante, for which reason Philip II granted her an income of 3000 ducats for her life. No sooner was D. John dead, however, than Madam Blombergh presented a memorial to the King, claiming D. John's estate as sole and lawful39 heiress. This was granted to her without hesitation40, as D. John had no private property, and his debts amounted to much more than the value of the jewels and furniture he possessed41.
Barbara Blombergh lived peaceably at the convent of Santa Maria la Real for several years; but as regularity42 and quietness were not her strong point, she became bored, and begged Philip II to move her to some other place. As the house of the unfortunate Escovedo at Colindres was at Philip's disposal at that time, she retired43 there, and there died the same year as Philip (1598), leaving directions that she was to be buried at the Franciscan convent in the town of Escalante.
By her marriage with Jerome Kegel Barbara Blombergh had two sons. The younger drowned himself in a cistern44 in his own house, eight days after his father's death; the elder, who was named Conrad, took the name of Pyramus, which his father bore, joined to that of Kegel. He began to study for the Church, well supplied with funds by D. John, at whose death he abandoned these studies, owing to his love of arms. He joined the army, being helped by Alexander Farnese, and became a colonel. He married the Baroness45 de St. Martin, and died before his mother, during whose lifetime his widow came to Spain, and died there; but where or when we do not know.
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1
embitter
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| v.使苦；激怒 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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austere
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| adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的 | |
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cosmetics
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| n.化妆品 | |
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inborn
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| adj.天生的，生来的，先天的 | |
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8
dames
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| n.（在英国）夫人（一种封号），夫人（爵士妻子的称号）( dame的名词复数 )；女人 | |
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exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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13
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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vapid
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| adj.无味的；无生气的 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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disturbances
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| n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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27
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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embarkation
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| n. 乘船, 搭机, 开船 | |
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29
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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reimbursement
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| n.偿还，退还 | |
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certify
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| vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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42
regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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44
cistern
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| n.贮水池 | |
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baroness
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| n.男爵夫人，女男爵 | |
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