Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/125

INVASION OF SPAIN. 99 Languedoc. With this numerous array the French chapter marshal entered Roussillon without opposition, — '- — '- — and sat down before Salsas on the 16th of Sep- tember, 1503. The old castle of Salsas, which had been carried f'^ee or ' Salsas without much difficulty by the French in the pre- ceding war, had been put in a defensible condition at the commencement of the present, under the superintendence of Pedro Navarro, although the repairs were not yet wholly completed. Ferdi- nand, on the approach of the enemy, had thrown a thousand picked men into the place, which was well victualled and provided for a siege ; while a corps of six thousand was placed under his cousin, Don Frederic de Toledo, duke of Alva, with orders to take up a position in the neighbourhood, where he might watch the movements of the enemy, and annoy him as far as possible by cutting off his supplies. ^° Ferdinand, in the mean while, lost no time in isabe'ia's ' ' exertions. enforcing levies throughout the kingdom, with which he might advance to the relief of the be- leaguered fortress. While thus occupied, he re- ceived such accounts of the queen's indisposition as induced him to quit Aragon, where he then was, and hasten by rapid journeys to Castile. The ac- counts were probably exaggerated ; he found no cause for immediate alarm on his arrival, and Isa- 20 Gonzalo Ayora, Capitan de la Hist, de France, torn. v. p. 407. — Guardia Real, Cartas al Rey, Don Zurita, Anales, torn. v. lib. 5, cap. Fernando, (Madrid, 1794,) carta 9. 51. — Abarca, Reyes de Aragon, — Aleson, Annales de Navarra, torn. ii. rey 30, cap. 13, sec. 11. torn. V. pp. 112, 113. — Gamier,