XXIV. In the winter of 1509 an arrangement was made CHAPTER with the emperor, through the mediation of Louis the Twelfth, by which he finally relinquished his pretensions to the regency of Castile, in consideration of the aid of three hundred lances, and the transfer to him of the fifty thousand ducats, which Ferdinand was to receive from Pisa.1 No bribe was too paltry for a prince, whose means were as narrow, as his projects were vast and chimerical. Even after this pacification, the Austrian party contrived to disquiet the king, by maintaining the archduke Charles's pretensions to the government in the name of his unfortunate mother; until at length, the Spanish monarch came to entertain not merely distrust, but positive aversion for his grandson; while the latter, as he advanced in years, was taught to regard Ferdinand as one, who excluded him from his rightful inheritance by a most flagrant act of usurpation.2 Ferdinand's suspicious temper found other grounds for uneasiness, where there was less warrant for it, in his jealousy of his illustrious subject Gonsalvo de Cordova. This was particularly the case, when circumstances had disclosed the full extent of that general's popularity. After the defeat of Ravenna, the pope and the other allies of Ferdinand urged him in the most earnest manner to send the Great Captain into Italy, as the only man capable of checking the French arms, and restoring the for 1 Mariana, Hist. de España, tom. ii. lib. 29, cap. 21.- Zurita, Anales, tom. vi. lib. 8, cap. 45, 47. VOL. III. 47 2 Zurita, Anales, tom. vi. lib. 10, cap. 55, 69.-Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 531. Gonsalvo or dered to Italy. PART II. 1512. May. General enthusiasm. tunes of the league. The king, trembling for the immediate safety of his own dominions, gave a reluctant assent, and ordered Gonsalvo to hold himself in readiness to take command of an army to be instantly raised for Italy." These tidings were received with enthusiasm by the Castilians. Men of every rank pressed forward to serve under a chief, whose service was itself sufficient passport to fame. "It actually seemed," says Martyr," as if Spain were to be drained of all her noble and generous blood. Nothing appeared impossible, or even difficult under such a leader. Hardly a cavalier in the land, but would have thought it a reproach to remain behind. Truly marvellous," he adds, "is the authority which he has acquired over all orders of men! "4 Such was the zeal with which men enlisted under his banner, that great difficulty was found in completing the necessary levies for Navarre, then menaced by the French. The king, alarmed at this, and relieved from apprehensions of immediate danger to Naples, by subsequent advices from that country, sent orders greatly reducing the number of forces to be raised. But this had little effect, since every man, who had the means, preferred acting as a volunteer under the Great Captain to any other service, however gainful; and many a poor cavalier was there, who expended his little all, or 3 Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., Chrónica del Gran Giovio, Vita Magni Gonsalvi, lib. 288. 3, Opus Epist., epist. 487.-Pulgar, Sumario, p. 201. incurred a heavy debt, in order to appear in the CHAPTER field in a style becoming the chivalry of Spain. XXIV. distrust. Ferdinand's former distrust of his general was The king's now augmented tenfold by this evidence of his unbounded popularity. He saw in imagination much more danger to Naples from such a subject, than from any enemy, however formidable. He had received intelligence, moreover, that the French were in full retreat towards the north. He hesitated no longer, but sent instructions to the Great Captain 1512. at Cordova, to disband his levies, as the expedition would be postponed till after the present winter; at the same time inviting such as chose to enlist in the service of Navarre. 5 These tidings were received with indignant feelings by the whole army. The officers refused, nearly to a man, to engage in the proposed service. Gonsalvo, who understood the motives of this change in the royal purpose, was deeply sensible to what he regarded as a personal affront. He, however, enjoined on his troops implicit obedience to the king's commands. Before dismissing them, as he knew that many had been drawn into expensive preparations far beyond their means, he distributed largesses among them, amounting to the immense sum, if we may credit his biographers, of one hundred thousand ducats. "Never stint your hand," said he to his steward, who remonstrated on the magnitude of the donative; "there is no mode 5 Giovio, Vita Magni Gonsalvi, lib. 3, p. 289.-Chrónica del Gran Capitan, lib. 3, cap. 7, 8.- Ulloa, Vita di Carlo V., fol. 38.-Peter August. PART II. Gonsalvo goes into retirement. The king's desire for children. of enjoying one's property, like giving it away." He then wrote a letter to the king, in which he gave free vent to his indignation, bitterly complaining of the ungenerous requital of his services, and asking leave to retire to his duchy of Terranova in Naples, since he could be no longer useful in Spain. This request was not calculated to lull Ferdinand's suspicions. He answered, however, "in the soft and pleasant style, which he knew so well how to assume," says Zurita; and, after specifying his motives for relinquishing, however reluctantly, the expedition, he recommended Gonsalvo's return to Loja, at least until some more definite arrangement could be made respecting the affairs of Italy. Thus condemned to his former seclusion, the Great Captain resumed his late habits of life, freely opening his mansion to persons of merit, interesting himself in plans for ameliorating the condition of his tenantry and neighbours, and in this quiet way winning a more unquestionable title to human gratitude than when piling up the blood-stained trophies of victory. Alas for humanity, that it should have deemed otherwise! 6 Another circumstance, which disquieted the Catholic king, was the failure of issue by his present wife. The natural desire of offspring was further stimulated by hatred of the house of Austria, which made him eager to abridge the ample inheritance 6 Mariana, Hist. de España, tom. ii. lib. 30, cap. 14.-Giovio, Vita Illust. Virorum, pp. 290, 291.Chrónica del Gran Capitan, lib. 3, cap. 7, 8, 9.-Zurita, Anales, tom. vi. lib. 10, cap. 28. Quintana, Españoles Célebres, tom. i. pp. 328-332. Abarca, Reyes de Aragon, tom. i. rey 30, cap. 20.Pulgar, Sumario, pp. 201-208. XXIV. about to descend on his grandson Charles. It must CHAPTER be confessed, that it reflects little credit on his heart or his understanding, that he should have been so ready to sacrifice to personal resentment those noble plans for the consolidation of the monarchy, which had so worthily occupied the attention both of himself and of Isabella, in his early life. His wishes had nearly been realized. Queen Germaine was delivered of a son, March 3d, 1509. Providence, however, as if unwilling to defeat the glorious consummation of the union of the Spanish kingdoms, so long desired and nearly achieved, permitted the infant to live only a few hours." 8 his health. 1513. March. Ferdinand repined at the blessing denied him, Decline of now more than ever. In order to invigorate his constitution, he resorted to artificial means. The medicines which he took had the opposite effect. At least from this time, the spring of 1513, he was afflicted with infirmities before unknown to him. Instead of his habitual equanimity and cheerfulness, he became impatient, irritable, and frequently a prey to morbid melancholy. He lost all relish for business, and even for amusements, except field sports, to which he devoted the greater part of his time. The fever which consumed him made him impatient of long residence in any one place, and during these last years of his life the court was in 7 Carbajal, Anales, MS., año 1509. Zurita, Anales, tom. vi. lib. 10, cap. 55. 8 They are detailed with such curious precision by Martyr,-who |