Sept. RETIREMENT OF GONSALVO. 289 the counsel, and hastened to Toledo, to throw chapter himself at the king's feet. The indignant monarch, " however, would not admit him into his presence, but ordered him to deliver up his fortresses, and to remove to the distance of five leagues from the court. The Great Captain soon after sent the king an inventory of his nephew's castles and estates, at the same time deprecating his wrath, in considera- tion of the youth and inexperience of the offender. Ferdinand, however, without heeding this, went on with his preparations, and having completed them, advanced rapidly to the south. When arrived at Cordova, he ordered the imprisonment of the 1508. marquis. A formal process was then instituted against him before the royal council, on the charge of high treason. He made no defence, but threw himself on the mercy of his sovereign. The court declared, that he had incurred the penalty of death, but that the king, in consideration of his submis- sion, was graciously pleased to commute this for a fine of twenty millions of maravedies, perpetual banishment from Cordova and its district, and the delivery of his fortresses into the royal keeping, with the entire demolition of the offending castle of Montilla. This last, famous as the birth-place of the Great Captain, was one of the strongest and most beautiful buildings in all Andalusia. ^^ Sen- 29 " Montiliana," writes Peter Montilla, for he had been preceptor Martyr, "ilia atria, quee vidisli ali- to their young master, who was a quando,multoauro,multoqueebore favorite pupil, to judge from the compta ornataque, proh dolor ! fun- hitter wailings of the kind-hearted ditus dirui sunt jussa." (Opus pedagogue over his fate. See Epist., epist. 405.) He was well epist. 404, 405. acquainted with the lordly halls of VOL. Ill 37
