Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/63

37 RESOLUTION OF THE SPANIARDS, 37 comprDfnise ; and a personal conference between chapter the respective commanders-in-chief led to no better ' — - arrangement, than that each should retain his pres- ent acquisitions, till explicit instructions could be received from their respective courts. But neither of the two monarchs had further in- TheFreiKi. begin hostili- structions to give ; and the Catholic king contented "''^" himself with admonishing his general to postpone an open rupture as long as possible, that the govern- ment might have time to provide more effectually for his support, and strengthen itself by alliance with other European powers. But, however pacific may have been the disposition of the generals, they had no power to control the passions of their sol- diers, who, thus brought into immediate contact, glared on each other with the ferocity of blood- hounds, ready to slip the leash which held them in temporary check. Hostilities soon broke out along the lines of the two armies, the blame of which each nation charged on its opponent. There seems good ground, however, for imputing it to the French ; since they were altogether better prepared for war than the Spaniards, and entered into it so heartily as not only to assail places in the debatable ground, but in Apulia, w^hich had been unequivocally as- signed to their rivals.^ ^ D'Auton, Hist, de Louys XII., Captain, finding his conference with part. 2, chap. 3-7. — Zurita, Hist, the French general ineffectual, pro- del Rey Hernando, torn. i. lib. 4, posed to the latter to decide the cap. 60, 62, 64, 65. — Giovio, Vi- quarrel between their respective tai lUust. Virorum, torn. i. p. 236. nations by single combat. (Reyes, — Gi-annone, Istoria di Napoli, lib. Catolicos, MS., cap. 167.) We 29, cap. 4. should require some other authori- Bernaldez states, that the Great ty, however, than that of the good