Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/370

344 344 WARS AND POLITICS OF ITALY. PART France, hy effecting a truce between him and Ven- '- — ice.^' The French, now menaced and pressed on every side, began their retreat under the brave La Palice, and, to such an impotent state were they reduced, that, in less than three months after the June 28. fatal victory, they were at the foot of the Alps, hav- ing abandoned not only their recent, but all their conquests in the north of Italy. ^* Venice dis- Xhc sainc rcsults now took place as in the late justed. i- war against Venice. The confederates quarrelled over the division of the spoil. The republic, with the largest claims, obtained the least concessions. She felt that she was to be made to descend to an inferior rank in the scale of nations. Ferdinand earnestly remonstrated with the pope, and subse- quently, by means of his Venetian minister, with Maximilian, on this mistaken policy. ^^ But the indifference of the one, and the cupidity of the other, were closed against argument. The result was precisely what the prudent monarch foresaw. Venice was driven into the arms of her perfidious 15 1.3. ancient ally, and on the 23d of March, 1513, a de- finitive treaty was arranged with France for their mutual defence. ^° Thus the most efficient member was alienated from the confederacy. All the recent advantages of the allies were compromised. New 27 Guicciardini, Istoria, torn. v. 29 Zurita, Anales, torn. vi. lib. lib. 10, p. 320. 10, cap. 44 - 48. — Guicciardini, 28 Memoires de Bayard, chap. Istoria, lom. vi. lib. II, p. 52. 55. — Fleurange, Mtmoires, chap. Martyr reports a conversation 31. — Ferreras, Hist. d'Espagne, that he had with the Venetian min- tom. viii. pp. 380, 381. — Guicciar- ister in Spain, touching this busi- dini, Istoria, torn. v. lib. 10, pp. ness. Opus Epist., epist. 520. 335, 336. — Zurita, Anales, torn. ^o Dumont, ( orps Diplomatique, vi. lib. 10, cap. 20. torn. iv. part. l,no. 86.