Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/403

Rh take command of the papal army in Italy; others, to join himself with the archduke Charles, and in- troduce him, if possible, into Castile. Ferdinand, clinging to power more tenaciously as it was ready to slip of itself from his grasp, had little doubt that the latter was his purpose. He sent orders therefore to the south, to prevent the meditated embarkation, and, if necessary, to seize Gonsalvo's person. But the latter was soon to embark on a voyage, where no earthly arm could arrest him. illness and

In the autumn of 1515 he was attacked by a quartan fever. Its approaches at first were mild. death. His constitution, naturally good, had been invigor- ated by the severe training of a military life; and he had been so fortunate, that, notwithstanding the free exposure of his person to danger, he had never received a wound. But, although little alarm was occasioned at first by his illness, he found it impos- sible to throw it off; and he removed to his resi- dence in Granada, in hopes of deriving benefit from its salubrious climate. Every effort to rally the de- clining powers of nature proved unavailing; and on the 2d of December, 1515,

he expired in his own palace at Granada, in the arms of his wife, and his beloved daughter Elvira.

The death of this illustrious man diffused universal sorrow throughout the nation. All envy and