Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/286

142 142 ACCESSION OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. I. PART Spanish jennet whose bridle was held bj two of the civic functionaries, while an officer of her court preceded her on horseback, bearing aloft a naked sword, the symbol of sovereignty. On arriving at the square she alighted from her palfrey, and, ascending the platform, seated herself on a throne which had been prepared for her. A herald with a loud voice proclaimed, " Castile, Castile for the king Don Ferdinand and his consort Dona Isabella, queen proprietor (reina proprietarid) of these king- doms ! " The royal standards were then unfurled, while the peal of bells and the discharge of ord- nance from the castle publicly announced the acces- sion of the new sovereign. Isabella, after receiving the homage of her subjects, and swearing to main- tain inviolate the liberties of the realm, descended from the platform, and, attended by the same cor- tege, moved slowly towards the cathedral church ; where, after Te Deum had been chanted, she pros- trated herself before the principal altar, and, re- turning thanks to the Almighty for the protection hitherto vouchsafed her, implored him to enlighten her future counsels, so that she might discharge the high trust reposed in her, with equity and wisdom. Such were the simple forms, that attended the coronation of the monarchs of Castile, previously to the sixteenth century.^ The cities favorable to Isabella's cause, compre- 6 Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, — L. Marineo, Cosas Memorables, MS., cap. 10. — Carbajal, Anales, fol. 155. — Oviedo, Quincuagenas, MS., ailo 75. — Alonso de Palen- MS., bat. 1, quinc. 2, dial. 3. cia, Cor6nica, MS., part. 2, cap. 93,