Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/337

313 capital. CAMPAIGNS OF GONSALVO. 313 The French, however, though excluded from the cuapter city, by making a circuit effected an entrance into ■ '- the fortresses which commanded it. From these re"overs"his posts, Montpensier sorely annoyed the town, making frequent attacks on it, day and night, at the head of his gendarmerie, until they were at length checked in every direction by barricades which the citizens hastily constructed with wagons, casks of stones, bags of sand, and whatever came most readily to hand. At the same time, the windows, balconies, and house-tops were crowded with com- batants, who poured down such a deadly shower of missiles on the heads of the French as finally compelled them to take shelter in their defences. Montpensier was now closely besieged, till at length, reduced by famine, he was compelled to capitulate. Before the term prescribed for his sur- render had arrived, however, he effected his escape at night, by water, to Salerno, at the head of twenty-five hundred men. The remaining garrison, with the fortresses, submitted to the victorious Fer- dinand, the beginning of the following year. And thus, by one of those sudden turns which belong to the game of war, the exiled prince, whose fortunes a few weeks before appeared perfectly desperate, was again established in the palace of his ances- tors.^* Montpensier did not long remain in his new quarters. He saw the necessity of immediate ac- 21 Giovio, Hist, sui Temporis, -117. — Summonte, Hist, di Na- lib. 3, pp. 88-90, 114-119.— poll, torn. vi. pp. 520, 521. Guicciardini, Istoria, lib. 2, pp. 114 VOL. II. 40