Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/351

327 CAMPAIGNS OF GONSALVO. 327 match for the subtile and unscrupulous politicians chapter of the age. '. — His first act was a general amnesty to the disaf- fected Neapolitans, who felt such confidence in his good faith, that they returned, with scarcely an exception, to their allegiance. His next measure was to request the aid of Gon salvo de Cordova in suppressing the hostile movements made by the French during his absence from Calabria. At the name of the Great Captain, the Italians flocked from all quarters, to serve without pay under a banner, which was sure to lead them to victory. Tower and town, as he advanced, went down be- fore him ; and the French general, D'Aubigny, soon xotai expm- ' . O ^ ' sion of the saw himself reduced to the necessity of making the F'^«^"<=''- best terms he could with his conqueror, and evacu- ating the province altogether. The submission of Calabria was speedily followed by that of the few remaining cities in other quarters, still garrisoned by the French ; comprehending the last rood of territory possessed by Charles the Eighth in the kingdom of Naples. ^^ 35 Giovio, Hist, sui Temporis, — Guicciardini, Istoria, lib. 3, p. lib. 4, p. 139. — Zurita, Hist, del 160. — Giannone, Istoria dlNapoli, Rey Hernando, lib. 2, cap. 30, 33. torn. iii. lib. 29, cap. 3. Our narrative now leads us on the who enjoy the rank of classics, beaten track of Italian history. I not only in their own country, but have endeavoured to make the throughout Europe, and have fur- reader acquainted with the peculiar nished the earliest models among character and pretensions of the the moderns of historic composi- principal Spanish authorities, on tion. Fortunately, two of the Remarks on whom I have relied in the progress most eminent of them, Guicciardini Guicciardini of the work. This would be su- and Paolo Giovio, lived at the pe- ^""^ Giovio. perfluous in regard to the Italian, riod of our narrative, and have