276 FERDINAND'S RETURN AND REGENCY. PART the public moneys. The general simplj asked leave '■ — to produce his own accounts in his defence. The first item, which he read aloud, was two hundred thousand seven hundred and thirty-six ducats, given in alms to the monasteries and the poor, to secure their prayers for the success of the king's enter- prise. The second was seven hundred thousand four hundred and ninety-four ducats to the spies employed in his service. Other charges equally preposterous followed ; while some of the audience stared incredulous, others laughed, and the king himself, ashamed of the paltry part he was playing, dismissed the whole affair as a jest. The common saying of cuentas del Gran Capitan, at this day, attests at least the popular faith in the anecdote. ^° From this moment, Ferdinand continued to show Gonsalvo unbounded marks of confidence ; advis- ing with him on all important matters, and making him the only channel of royal favor. He again re- newed, in the most emphatic manner, his promise to resign the grand mastership of St. Jago in his favor, on their return to Spain, and made formal applica- tion to the pope to confirm it.'* In addition to the princely honors already conferred on the Great 10 Giovio, Vitae Illust. Virorum, verso di lui, (onto piu ne insospet- p. 102. — Chronica del Gran Capi- tiscc la brigata, peiisando die il Re tan, lib. 3. abbi fatto per assicurarlo, c per po- ll Machiavelli expresses his as- terne meglio disporre solto qiies- tonishineiit, that Gonsalvo should ta sicuriA." (Lepazione Seconda have been the dupe of promises, a Roma, let. 23, Oct. 6.) But the very magnitude of which made wiiat alternative had he, unless them suspicious. " Ho sentito ra- indeed that of open rebellion, for gionare di questo acconio fra Con- which he seems to have had no rel- salvo e il Ro, c maravinljarsi cias- ish .' And, if he had, it was too cuno che Consalvo se ne fidi ; e late after Ferdinand was in Naples. tpuinto quel Re e stato piu liberalc
