Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/253

227 HE RESIGNS TO PHILIP. 227 helm for more than thirty years, for the capricious chapter XVII. guidance of Philip and his favorites.^^ '■ — An end was at length put to this scandalous ex- ^'e^Yjew ~ 1 with Philip. hibition, and Manuel, whether from increased con- fidence in his own resources, or the fear of bringing public odium on himself, consented to trust his roy- al charge to the peril of an interview. The place selected was an open plain near Puebla de Sena- bria, on the borders of Leon and Galicia. But June as even then, the precautions taken were of a kind truly ludicrous, considering the forlorn condition of King Ferdinand. The whole military apparatus of the archduke was put in motion, as if he expected to win the crown by battle. First came the well- appointed German spearmen, all in fighting order. Then, the shining squadrons of the noble Castilian chivalry, and their armed retainers. Next followed the archduke, seated on his war-horse and encom- passed by his body-guard ; while the rear was closed by the long files of archers and light cavalry of the country.^^ Ferdinand, on the other hand, came into the field attended by about two hundred nobles and gen- tlemen, chiefly Aragonese and Italians, riding on mules, and simply attired in the short black cloak and bonnet of the country, with no other weapon 42 Peter Mart3T, Opus Epist., pomp of war was the rumor, that epist. 306,^ 311. — Robles, Vida de the king was levying a considera- Ximenez, p. 143. — Mariana, Hist, ble force, and the duke of Alva de Espafia, torn. ii. lib. 28, cap. 19. mustering his followers in Leon ; — Lanuza, Historias, tom. i. lib. — rumors willingly circulated, no 1, cap. 19. — Sandoval, Hist, del doubt, if not a sheer device of the Emp. Carlos V., tom. i. p. 10. enemy. Zurita, Anales, lib. 7, 43 The only pretext for all this cap. 2.