Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/182

156 156 ITALIAN WARS. II. France. PART But Gonsalvo had occupation enough on his hands in settling the disordered state of Naples. King Ferdinand, his sovereign, notwithstanding the ambition of universal conquest absurdly imputed to him by the French writers, had no design to extend his acquisitions beyond what he could permanently maintain. His treasury, never overflowing, was too deeply drained by the late heavy demands on it, for him so soon to embark on another perilous enter- prise, that must rouse anew the swarms of enemies, who seemed willing to rest in quiet after their long and exhausting struggle ; nor is there any reason to suppose he sincerely contemplated such a movement for a moment. ^^ Treaty with The appreheusion of it, however, answered Fer- dinand's purpose, by preparing the French monarch to arrange his differences w^ith his rival, as the lat- ter now earnestly desired, by negotiation. Indeed, two Spanish ministers had resided during the great- er part of the war at the French court, with the view of improving the first opening that should occur for accomplishing this object ; and by their agency a treaty was concluded, to continue for three years, which guarantied to Aragon the undisturbed possession of her conquests during that period. The chief articles provided for the immediate ces- sation of hostilities between the belligerents, and 24 Zurita, Anales, torn. v. lib. 5, charge cnotifrh for the conquest of cap. 66. a kinpdoiii ; and made still liphter The campaign apninst Louis XTI. to the Spaniards by one fifth of the had cost the S[>auisli crown 331 wliole beinfr drawn from Naples cucn/os or millions of rnaravcdics, itself. See Abarca, Reyes de Ara- equivalent to 9,208,000 dollars gon, torn. ii. fol. 35'J. of the present time. A moderate I