Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/198

172 ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ISABELLA. II. PART illness was exasperated by anxiety for her husband, and she refused to credit the favorable reports of his physicians, while he was detained from her presence. His vigorous constitution, however, threw off the malady, while hers gradually failed imder it. Her tender heart was more keenly sen- sible than his to the unhappy condition of their child, and to the gloomy prospects, which awaited her beloved Castile.^ Her faithful follower. Martyr, was with the court at this time in Medina del Campo. In a letter to the count of Tendilla, dated October 7th, he states, that the most serious apprehensions were enter- tained by the physicians for the queen's fate. " Her whole system," he says, " is pervaded by a consuming fever. She loathes food of every kind, and is tormented with incessant thirst, while the disorder has all the appearance* of terminating in a dropsy." ^ Retainsher Li thc mcau whllc, Isabclla lost nothing of her solicitude for the welfare of her people, and the great concerns of government. While reclining, as she was obliged to do great part of the day, on her couch, she listened to the recital or reading of what- ever occurred of interest, at home or abroad. She gave audience to distinguished foreigners, especially such Italians as could acquaint her with particulars of the late war, and above all in regard to Gonsalvo de Cordova, in whose fortunes she had always taken 3 Gomez, Dc Rchiis Ccstis, fol. ^ Ojnis Epist., cpist. 274. 46, 47. — Peter IMartyr, Opus Epist.., epist. 273. — Carbajal, Anales, MS., afio 150L energies.