Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/313

169 WAR OF THE SUCCESSION. 1 69 should solace himself, as he had hoped, in the arms chapter of his youthful bride ; since the pliant pontiff, Sixtus '- — the Fourth, was ultimately persuaded by the court of Castile to issue a new bull overruling the dis- pensation formerly conceded, on the ground that it had been obtained by a misrepresentation of facts. Prince John, whether influenced by filial piety, or prudence, resigned the crown of Portugal to his father, soon after his return ; ^^ and the old monarch was no sooner reinstated in his authority, than, burning with a thirst for vengeance, which made him insensible to every remonstrance, he again prepared to throw his country into combustion by reviving his enterprise against Castile. ^° While these hostile movements were in progress, prance'"^'* Ferdinand, leaving his consort in possession of a 1478. sufficient force for the protection of the frontiers, made a journey into Biscay for the purpose of an interview with his father, the king of Aragon, to concert measures for the pacification of Navarre, which still continued to be rent with those san- guinary feuds, that were bequeathed like a precious ^ According to Faria y Sousa, pered to the duke of Braganza, " I John was walking along the shores will take good care that that stone of the Tagus, with the duke of does not rebound on me." Soon Braganza, and the cardinal, arch- after, he left Portugal for Rome, bishop of Lisbon, when he received where he fixed his residence. The the unexpected tidings of his fa- duke lost his life on the scaffold ther's return to Portugal. On his for imputed treason, soon after inquiring of his attendants, how he John's accession. — Europa Portu- should receive him, " How but as guesa, tom. ii. p. 416. your king and father ! " was the ^o Comines, M6moires, liv. 5, reply ; at which John, knitting his chap. 7. — Faria y Sousa, Europa brows together, skimmed a stone, Portuguesa, tom. ii. p. 116. — Zu- which he held in his hand, with rita, Anales, lib. 20, cap. 25. — much violence across the water. Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., The cardinal, observing this, whis- cap. 27. VOL. I. 22