historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)
prince； enlarging the wound twice； and torturing him seemingly on mere
guesses。 〃I believe；〃 says Olivarez； 〃that all was done well： but as I
have said； in wounds in the head there are strange labyrinths。〃 So on the
7th they stand round the bed in despair。 Don Garcia de Toledo； the
prince’s faithful governor； is sitting by him； worn out with sleepless nights；
and trying to supply to the poor boy that mother’s tenderness which he has
never known。 Alva； too； is there； stern； self…pressed； most terrible； and
yet most beautiful。 He has a God on earth； and that is Philip his master；
and though he has borne much from Don Carlos already； and will have to
bear more； yet the wretched lad is to him as a son of God； a second deity；
who will by right divine succeed to the inheritance of the first； and he
watches this lesser deity struggling between life and death with an
73
… Page 74…
Historical Lectures and Essays
intensity of which we； in these less loyal days； can form no notion。 One
would be glad to have a glimpse of what passed through that mind； so
subtle and so ruthless； so disciplined and so loyal withal： but Alva was
a man who was not given to speak his mind； but to act it。
One would wish； too； for a glimpse of what was passing through the
mind of another man； who has been daily in that sick chamber； according
to Olivarez’s statement； since the first of the month： but he is one who has
had； for some years past； even more reason than Alva for not speaking his
mind。 What he looked like we know well； for Titian has painted him
from the lifea tall； bold； well… dressed man； with a noble brain； square
and yet lofty； short curling locks and beard； an eye which looks as though
it feared neither man nor fiendand it has had good reason to fear both
and features which would be exceeding handsome； but for the defiant
snub…nose。 That is Andreas Vesalius； of Brussels； dreaded and hated by the
doctors of the old schoolsuspect； moreover； it would seem to inquisitors
and theologians； possibly to Alva himself； for he has dared to dissect
human bodies； he has insulted the mediaevalists at Paris； Padua； Bologna；
Pisa； Venice； in open theatre； he has turned the heads of all the young
surgeons in Italy and France； he has written a great book； with prints in it；
designed； some say； by Titianthey were actually done by another
Netherlander； John of Calcar； near Clevesin which he has dared to prove
that Galen’s anatomy was at fault throughout； and that he had been
describing a monkey’s inside when he had pretended to be describing a
man’s； and thus； by impudence and quackery； he has wormed himselfthis
Netherlander； a heretic at heart； as all Netherlanders are； to God as well as
to Galeninto the confidence of the late Emperor Charles V。； and gone
campaigning with him as one of his physicians； anatomising human bodies
even on the battle…field； and defacing the likeness of Deity； and worse than
that； the most religious King Philip is deceived by him likewise； and keeps
him in Madrid in wealth and honour； and now； in the prince’s extreme
danger； the king has actually sent for him； and bidden him try his skilla
man who knows nothing save about bones and muscles and the outside of
74
… Page 75…
Historical Lectures and Essays
the body； and is unworthy the name of a true physician。
One can conceive the rage of the old Spanish pedants at the
Netherlander’s appearance； and still more at what followed； if we are to
believe Hugo Bloet of Delft； his countryman and contemporary。 ｛10｝
Vesalius； he says； saw that the surgeons had bound up the wound so tight
that an abscess had formed outside the skull； which could not break： he
asserted that the only hope lay in opening it； and did so； Philip having
given leave； 〃by two cross…cuts。 Then the lad returned to himself； as if
awakened from a profound sleep； affirming that he owed his restoration to
life to the German doctor。〃
Dionysius Daza； who was there with the other physicians and surgeons；
tells a different story： 〃The most learned； famous； and rare Baron
Vesalius；〃 he says； advised that the skull should be trepanned； but his
advice was not followed。
Olivarez’s account agrees with that of Daza。 They had opened the
wounds； he says； down to the skull before Vesalius came。 Vesalius
insisted that the injury lay inside the skull； and wished to pierce it。
Olivarez spends much labour in proving that Vesalius had 〃no great
foundation for his opinion：〃 but confesses that he never changed that
opinion to the last； though all the Spanish doctors were against him。
Then on the 6th； he says； the Bachelor Torres came from Madrid； and
advised that the skull should be laid bare once more； and on the 7th； there
being still doubt whether the skull was not injured； the operation was
performedby whom it is not saidbut without any good result； or；
according to Olivarez； any discovery； save that Vesalius was wrong； and
the skull uninjured。
Whether this second operation of the 7th of May was performed by
Vesalius； and whether it was that of which Bloet speaks； is an open
question。 Olivarez’s whole relation is apologetic； written to justify
himself and his seven Spanish colleagues； and to prove Vesalius in the
wrong。 Public opinion； he confesses； had been very fierce against him。
The credit of Spanish medicine was at stake： and we are not bound to
75
… Page 76…
Historical Lectures and Essays
believe implicitly a paper drawn up under such circumstances for Philip’s
eye。 This； at least； we gather： that Don Carlos was never trepanned； as is
monly said； and this； also； that whichever of the two stories is true；
equally puts Vesalius into direct； and most unpleasant； antagonism to the
Spanish doctors。 ｛11｝
But Don Carlos still lay senseless； and yielding to popular clamour； the
doctors called in the aid of a certain Moorish doctor； from Valencia； named
Priotarete； whose unguents； it was reported； had achieved many
miraculous cures。 The unguent； however； to the horror of the doctors；
burned the skull till the bone was as black as the colour of ink； and
Olivarez declares he believes it to have been a preparation of pure caustic。
On the morning of the 9th of May； the Moor and his unguents were sent
away； 〃and went to Madrid； to send to heaven Hernando de Vega； while
the prince went back to our method of cure。〃
Considering what happened on the morning of the 10th of May； we
should now presume that the second opening of the abscess； whether by
Vesalius or someone else； relieved the pressure on the brain； that a critical
period of exhaustion followed； probably prolonged by the Moor’s
premature caustic； which stopped the suppuration： but that God’s good
handiwork； called nature； triumphed at last； and that therefore it came to
pass that the prince was out of danger within three days of the operation。
But he was taught； it seems； to attribute his recovery to a very different
source from that of a German knife。 For on the morning of the 9th； when
the Moor was gone； and Don Carlos lay seemingly lifeless； there
descended into his chamber a Deus e machina； or rather a whole pantheon
of greater or lesser deities； who were to effect that which medical skill
seemed not to have effected。 Philip sent into the prince’s chamber
several of the precious relics which he usually ca