Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/169

143 con- tested THE FRENCH DRIVEN FROM NAPLES. 143 difficulty from their hands by a desperate charge of chapter his friend Sandricourt.^ — 1— — The Spaniards, shaken by the violence of the jiouy assault, seemed for a moment to hesitate ; but Gon salvo had now time to bring up his men-at-arms, who sustained the faltering columns, and renewed the combat on more equal terms. He himself was in the hottest of the melee ; and at one time was exposed to imminent hazard by his horse's losing his footing on the slippery soil, and coming with him to the ground. The general fortunately expe- rienced no injury, and, quickly recovering himself, continued to animate his followers by his voice and intrepid bearing, as before. The fight had now lasted two hours. The Spaniards, although still in excellent heart, were faint with fatigue and want of food, having trav- elled six leagues, without breaking their fast since the preceding evening. It was, therefore, with no little anxiety, that Gonsalvo looked for the coming up of his rear-guard, left, as the reader will remem- ber, under Andrada at the lower bridge, to decide the fortune of the day. The welcome spectacle at length presented it- Amvaior self. The dark columns of the Spaniards were ^ar. seen, at first faint in the distance, by degrees grow- ing more and more distinct to the eye. Andrada 6 Guicciardini, Istoria, lib. 6, mirato, Istorie Florentine, torn. iii. pp. 330, 331. — Gamier, Hist, de lib. 28, p.273. — Summonte,Hist. France, torn. v. pp. 449-451. — di Napoli, torn. iii. p. 555. — Buo- Chronica del Gran Capitan, ubi naccorsi, Diario, pp. 84, 85. — supra. — Varillas, Hist, de Louis Giovio, Vitae Magni Gonsalvi, fol. Xn., torn. i. pp. 416-418. — Am- 268.