Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/365

339 April 11. WARS AND POLITICS OF ITALY. 339 place bj storm. After a few weeks' dissipation chapter of the carnival, he again put himself in motion, '— and, descending on Ravenna, succeeded in bringing the allied army to a decisive action under its walls. Ferdinand, well understanding the peculiar charac- ters of the French and of the Spanish soldier, had cautioned his general to adopt the Fabian policy of Gonsalvo, and avoid a close encounter as long as possible." This battle, fought with the greatest numbers, BatueofRa- was also the most murderous, which had stained 1512. the fair soil of Italy for a century. No less than eighteen or twenty thousand, according to authentic accounts, fell in it, comprehending the best blood of France and Italy. ^° The viceroy Cardona went off somewhat too early for his reputation. But the Spanish infantry, under the count Pedro Navarro, behaved in a style worthy of the school of Gonsalvo. During the early part of the day, they lay on the ground, in a position which sheltered them from the deadly artillery of Este, then the best mounted and best served of any in Europe. When at length, as the tide of battle was going against them, they were brought into the field, Navarro led them at once against a deep column of landsknechts, who, armed with the long German pike, were bearing 19 Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, rout of Ravenna among the visions MS., cap. 230, 231. — Guicciar- of Melissa ; in vrhich the courtly dini, Istoria, torn. v. lib. 10, prophetess (or rather poet) pre- pp. 260-272. — Giovio, Vita Leo- diets the glories of the house of nis X., apud Vitas lUust. Virorum, Este. lib. 2, pp. 37, 38. — M^moires de " Nuoteranno i destrier fino alia panda Bayard, chap. 48. — Fleurange, NeJ sangue uman per tutta la campagna ; ■•If,-' . i5 na no Ch' a seppellire il popol verfi manco Memoires, chap, ^b - ^S. Tedesco, Ispano, Greco, Italo, e Franco." ^ AriostO introduces the bloody Orlando Furioso, canto 3, St. 55.