PHILIPPO II OF SPAIN. Letter signed "Yo el rey", in Spanish, countersigned by Gonzalo Pérez as Secretary of State, addressed to the Duke of Parma, Ottavio Farnese. Aranjuez, 20 October 1559. In-folio, address on the back, trace of red wax seal on the back, wetness, right margin slightly frayed and restored with damage to some letters. "La carta que me scrivistes al ultimo de setiembre, me dio el comendador Ardinghelo, y me dixo lo que tenia a cargo de vuestra parte y de los cardenales vuestros hermanos. He holgado mucho de entender lo que passa y el zelo que teneis a lo que toca a mi servicio, que es conforme a lo que deveis a mi voluntad y el amor que os tengo. Yo he mirado mucho sobre todo, y scrivo al embaxador Francisco de Vargas de mi consejo d'Estado lo que conviene, de manera que no ay para que dezir lo en esta, mas de certificaros lo que ya otras diversas vezes deveis aver entendido, que de lo que os tocare a vos y al bien de vuestra casa he de tener siempre muy particular cuydado..." Translation: "The letter you wrote to me on the last day of September was given to me by your agent Ardinghelo [the Florentine Giuliano Ardinghello, in the service of the Farnese], and he told me what he was charged with on your behalf and that of the cardinals your brothers [Alessandro and Ranuccio Farnese]. I was very pleased to see what was happening and the zeal you put into what concerns my service, which is in keeping with what you owe to my will and to the love I bear you. I have been well informed about everything, and I am writing what is appropriate to Ambassador Francisco de Vargas [then stationed in Rome with the Pope], of my Council of State, so that I have nothing in this letter to say more than to assure you what you must have understood on various other occasions that I am endeavoring to always keep a very particular thought of what affects you and the good of your house..." DUC OF PARMA AND PLEASURE, OCTAVE FARNESE (1524-1586) had married Margaret of Austria, daughter of Charles V and thus sister of Philip II. Caught up in the Italian wars, he made an alliance with France for a time before turning around and placing himself under the protection of Spain in 1556. THE GREATEST COMMISSIONER OF THE SPANISH STATE OF HIS TIME, GONZALO PEREZ (1500-1566) was first in the service of Charles V, who ennobled him, and then, from 1541 onwards, was employed as personal secretary to Prince Philip (the future Philip II) in the kingdom of Aragon. Finally, in 1556, he was appointed Secretary of State, in charge of War and Spanish affairs in Italy. A great scholar, he was also famous for his translation of the Odyssey into verse.
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