Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/304

160 160 ACCESSION OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. PART A council of war was then called, to decide on '- the expediency of an immediate assault. It was objected, that the strong position of Toro would ef- fectually cover the retreat of the Portuguese in case of their discomfiture ; that they would speedily be reinforced by fresh recruits from that city, which would make them more than a match for Ferdi- nand's army, exhausted by a toilsome march, as well as by its long fast, which it had not broken since the morning ; and that the celerity, with which it had moved, had compelled it, not only to abandon its artillery, but to leave a considerable portion of the heavy-armed infantry in the rear. Notwithstanding the weight of these objections, such were the high spirit of the troops and their eagerness to come to action, sharpened by the view of the quarry, which after a wearisome chase seem- ed ready to fall into their hands, that they were thought more than sufficient to counterbalance every physical disadvantage ; and the question of battle was decided in the affirmative. Battle of As thc Castiliau army emerged from the defile Toro. ^ _ . into a wide and open plain, they found that the enemy had halted, and was already forming in or- der of battle. The king of Portugal led the centre, with the archbishop of Toledo on his right wing, its extremity resting on the Douro ; while the left, comprehending the arquebusiers and the strength of the cavalry, was placed under the command of his son. Prince John. The numerical force of the 404, 405. — Bernaldez, Reyes Ca- Pina, Chr6n. d'el Key Alfonso V. t61icos, MS., cap. 23. — Ruy de cap. 190.