Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/114

88 88 INSANITY OF JOANNA. PART appeared, dishonorable part played by him in the transaction, that he was thrown into a severe ill- ness, Avhich confined him to his bed lor several days.^ Without delay, he wrote to the Spanish court in terms of bitter expostulation, urging the immediate ratification of the treaty made pursuant to its orders, and an indemnification to France for its subsequent violation. Such is the account given by the French historians. The Spanish writers, on the other hand, say, that, before the news of Gonsalvo's successes reached Spain, King Ferdinand refused to confirm the treaty sent him by his son-in-law, until it had undergone certain material modifications. If the Spanish mon- arch hesitated to approve the treaty in the doubtful posture of his affairs, he was little likely to do so, when he had the game entirely in his own hands.^ He postponed an answer to Philip's application, willing probably to gain time for the Great Captain to strengthen himself firmly in his recent acquisi- tions. At length, after a considerable interval, he despatched an embassy to France, announcing his final determination never to ratify a treaty made in contempt of his orders, and so clearly detrimental to his interests. He endeavoured, however, to gain further time by spinning out the negotiation, hold- Rejected by Ferdinand. 1 St. Gelais seems willing to ac- cept Philip's statement, and to con- sider the whole atliiir of the nego- tiation as " one of Ferdinand's old tricks," "I'ancienne canlcie de celuy qui en s^avoit bien faire d'aulres." Ilisl. de Louys XII., p. 172. 2 Idem, ubi supra. — Gamier, Hist, de France, torn. v. p. 410. — Gaillard, RivaliU-, tom. iv. pp. 238, 239. — Zurita, Anales, tom. v. lib. 5, cap. 23. — Garibay, Compendio, tom. ii. lib. 19, cap. 15. — Ferre- ras. Hist. d'Espagne, tom. viii. p. 233.