Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/399

371 August. DEATH AND CHARACTER OF FERDINAND. 371 incurred a heavy debt, in order to appear in the chapter field in a style becoming the chivalry of Spain. ^^^^' Ferdinand's former distrust of his general was The king's ^ distrust. now augmented tenfold by this evidence of his un- bounded popularity. He saw in imagination much more danger to Naples from such a subject, than from any enemy, however formidable. He had re- ceived intelligence, moreover, that the French were in full retreat towards the north. He hesitated no longer, but sent instructions to the Great Captain is 12. at Cordova, to disband his levies, as the expedition would be postponed till after the present winter ; at the same time inviting such as chose to enlist in the service of Navarre. ^ These tidings were received with indignant feel- ings by the whole army. The officers refused, nearly to a man, to engage in the proposed ser- vice. Gonsalvo, who understood the motives of this change in the royal purpose, was deeply sensi- ble to what he regarded as a personal affiont. He, however, enjoined on his troops implicit obedience to the king's commands. Before dismissing them, as he knew that many had been drawn into expen- sive preparations far beyond their means, he dis- tributed largesses among them, amounting to the immense sum, if we may credit his biographers, of one hundred thousand ducats. " Never stint your hand," said he to his steward, who remonstrated on the magnitude of the donative ; " there is no mode 5 Giovio, Vita Magni Gonsalvi, Vita di Carlo V., fol. 38. — Peter lib. 3, p. 289. — Chronica del Gran Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 498.— Capital), lib. 3, cap. 7, 8. — Ulloa, Pulgar, Sumario, p. 201.