Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/309

285 Charles VIII. EXPEDITION OF CHARLES VIII. 285 had been going forward during the summer, in the ciiapte,^ ports of Galicia and Guipuscoa. A considerable '- armament was made ready for sea by the latter part of December, at Alicant, and placed under the command of Galceran de Requesens, count of Tre- vento. The land forces were intrusted to Gonsal- vo de Cordova, better known in history as the Great Captain. Instructions were at the same time sent to the viceroy of Sicily, to provide for the security of that island, and to hold himself in read- iness to act in concert with the Spanish fleet. ^° Ferdinand, however, determined to send one second mis- sion to more embassy to Charles the Eighth, before coming to an open rupture with him. He selected for this mission Juan de Albion and Antonio de Fonseca, brother of the bishop of that name, whom we have already noticed as superintendent of the Indian de- partment. The two envoys reached Rome, Janua- ry 28th, 1495, the same day on which Charles set out on his march for Naples. They followed the army, and on arriving at Veletri, about twenty miles from the capital, were admitted to an audience by the monarch, who received them in the presence of his officers. The ambassadors freely enumerated the various causes of complaint entertained by their master against the French king ; the insult offered to him in the person of his minister Alonsc de Sil- va ; the contumelious treatment of the pope, and forcible occupation of the fortresses and estates of English writers by the correspond- ^ Carbajal, Anales, MS., aiio ing term of " Catholic kings." 1495.