Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/341

317 CAMPAIGNS OF GONSALVO. 317 of recrossing the Alps he seemed to have shut out Italy from his thoughts. He was equally insensible to the supplications of the few Italians at his court, and the remonstrances of his French nobles, many of whom, although opposed to the first expedition, would willingly have undertaken a second to sup- port their brave comrades, whom the heedless young monarch now abandoned to their fate.^^ At length Montpensier, finding no prospect of relief from home, and straitened by the want of provisions, determined to draw off from the neigh- bourhood of Benevento, where the two armies lay encamped, and retreat to the fruitful province of Apulia, whose principal places were still garrisoned by the French. He broke up his camp secretly at dead of night, and gained a day's march on his enemy, before the latter began his pursuit. This Ferdinand pushed with such vigor, however, that he overtook the retreating army at the town of Atella, and completely intercepted its further pro- gress. This town, which, as already noticed, is situated on the western skirts of the Basilicate, lies in a broad valley encompassed by a lofty amphi- theatre of hills, through which flows a little river. 24 Guicciardini, Istoria, lib. 3, etoientincapablesde discipline. Au pp. 140, 157, 158. — Comines, M6- contraire des Suisses, ils 6toient moires, liv. 8, chap. 23, 24. — Peter sans obeissance pour leur chefs, et Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 183. sans amitie pours leurscamarades." Du Bos discriminates between the (Ligue de Cambray, torn. i. dis- character of the German levies or sert. prelim, p. 66.) Comines con- landsknechts and the Swiss, in the firms the distinction with a high following terms. " Les lansquenets tribute to the loyalty of the Swiss, etoient meme de beaucoup mieux which has continued their hon- faits, generalement parlant, et de orable characteristic to the present bien meilleure mine sous les armes, day. Memoires, Jiv. 8, chap. 21. que les fantassins Suisses ; mais ils CHAnr.R II.