274 FERDINAND'S RETURN AND REGENCY. PART how far they usually outstripped his performance, '- — - and who felt, on the other hand, that their true in- terests were connected with those of a prince, whose superior talents and personal relations all concurred to recommend him to the seat, which he had once so honorably occupied. The great mass of the common people, too, notwithstanding the temporary alienation of their feelings from the Catholic king by his recent marriage, were driven by the evils they actually suffered, and the vague apprehension of greater, to participate in the same sentiments ; so that, in less than eight months from Philip's death, the whole nation may be said to have returned to its allegiance to its ancient sove- reign. The only considerable exceptions were Don Juan Manuel and the duke of Najara. The for- mer had gone too far to recede, and the latter pos- sessed too chivalrous, or too stubborn, a temper to do so. ^ rie leaves At length, thc Catholic monarch, having com- pleted his arrangements at Naples, and waited until the affairs of Castile were fully ripe for his return, set sail from his Italian capital, June 4th, 1 507. He proposed to touch at the Genoese port of Savona, where an interview had been arranged between him and Louis the Twelfth. During his residence in Naples, he had assiduously devoted himself to 8 Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., ciardini, Istoria, torn. iv. p. 76, ed. epist. 351. — L. Marineo, Cosas Milano, 1803. — Robles, Vida de Memorablcs, fol. 187. — Lanuza, Ximenez, cap. 17. — Sandoval, Historias, loin. i. lib. 1, cap. 21. Hist, del Emp. Carlos V., torn. i. — Zurita, Aiialcs, torn. vi. lib. 7, p. 12. cap. 19, 22, 25, 30, 39. — Guic-
