Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/109

83 VICTORY OF CERIGNOLA. 83 orated with appropriate emblems and devices, and chapter XII wreathed with banners emblazoned with the united — ^^ — arms of Aragon and Naples. As he passed along, the city rung with the acclamations of countless multitudes who thronged the streets ; while every window and housetop was filled with spectators, eager to behold the man, who, with scarcely any other resources than those of his own genius, had so long defied, and at length completely foiled the power of France. On the following day a deputation of the nobil- ity and people waited on the Great Captain at his quarters, and tendered him the usual oaths of alle- giance for his master. King Ferdinand, whose ac- cession finally closed the series of revolutions which had so long agitated this unhappy country. ^^ The citv of Naples was commanded by two Fortresses •^ ', -^ . of Naples. Strong fortresses still held by the French, which, being well victualled and supplied with ammunition, showed no disposition to surrender. The Great Captain determined, therefore, to reserve a small corps for their reduction, while he sent forward the main body of his army to besiege Gaeta. But the Spanish infantry refused to march until the heavy arrears, suffered to accumulate through the negli- gence of the government, were discharged; and Gonsalvo, afraid of awakening the mutinous spirit which he had once found it so difficult to quell, was 28 Guicciardini, Istoria, torn. i. iii. pp. 552, 553. — Muratori, An- p. 304. — Giannone, Istoria di Na- nali d'ltalia, torn. xiv. p. 40. — poli, lib. 29, cap. 4. — Ferreras, Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 81. Hist. d'Espagne, torn. viii. p. 250. — Ulloa, Vita di Carlo V., fol. 18. — Summonte, Hist, di Napoli, torn.