Note 439 — BOOK THE EIGHTH. (continued 2)

Ferdinand re-entered Naples on the 7th of July, 1495. The story of his recovery of his capital is thus told by Mr. Prescott:—“King Ferdinand, having gained new confidence from his experience of the favourable dispositions existing towards him in Calabria, and relying on a similar feeling of loyalty in his capital, determined to hazard a bold stroke for its recovery. He accordingly embarked at Messina, with a handful of troops only, on board the fleet of the Spanish admiral, Requesens. It amounted in all to eighty vessels, most of them of inconsiderable size. With this armament, which, notwithstanding its formidable show, carried little effective force for land operations, the adventurous young monarch appeared off the harbour of Naples before the end of June, 1495. The Duke of Montpensier at that time garrisoned Naples with 6000 French troops. On the appearance of the Spanish navy, he marched out to prevent Ferdinand’s landing, leaving a few only of his soldiers to keep the city in awe. But he had scarcely quitted it before the inhabitants, who had waited with impatience an opportunity for throwing off the yoke, sounded the tocsin, and rising in arms through every part of the city, and massacring the feeble remains of the garrison, shut the gates against him; while Ferdinand, who had succeeded in drawing off the French commander in another direction, no sooner presented himself before the walls, than he was received with transports of joy by the enthusiastic people.

“The French, however, though excluded from the city, by making a circuit effected an entrance into the fortresses which commanded it. From these posts Montpensier sorely annoyed the town, making frequent attacks on it, day and night, at the head of his gendarmerie, until they were at length checked in every direction by barricades, which the citizens hastily constructed with waggons, casks of stones, bags of sand, and whatever came most readily to hand. At the same time the windows, balconies, and house-tops were crowded with combatants, who poured down such a deadly shower of missiles on the heads of the French as finally compelled them to take shelter in their defences. Montpensier was now closely besieged, till at length reduced by famine, he was compelled to capitulate. Before the time prescribed for his surrender had arrived, however, he effected his escape at night, by water, to Salerno, at the head of twenty-five hundred men. The remaining garrison, with the fortresses, submitted to the victorious Ferdinand, at the beginning of the following year.”—History of Ferdinand and Isabella, vol. ii. pp. 288-290.