Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/221

MARRIAGE OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. 77 method of negotiation. He consented to an inter- chapter view with the confederates, in which he was in- . duced, by the plausible arguments of the marquis of Villena, to comply with most of their demands. He delivered his brother Alfonso into their hands, to be recognised as the lawful heir to the crown, on condition of his subsequent union with Joanna ; and he agreed to nominate, in conjunction with his opponents, a commission of five, who should delib- erate on the state of the kingdom, and provide an effectual reform of abuses. ^^ The result of this deliberation, however, proved so prejudicial to the royal authority, that the feeble monarch was easily persuaded to disavow the proceedings of the com- missioners, on the ground of their secret collusion with his enemies, and even to attempt the seizure of their persons. The confederates, disgusted with this breach of faith, and in pursuance, perhaps, of their original design, instantly decided on the exe- cution of that bold measure, which some writers denounce as a flagrant act of rebellion, and others vindicate as a just and constitutional proceeding. In an open plain, not far from the city of Avila, Deposition /• 1 1 1 r- nr- of Heury at they caused a scaffold to be erected, of sufficient ^v'la. elevation to be easily seen from the surrounding country. A chair of state was placed on it, and in this was seated an effigy of King Henry, clad in sable robes and adorned with all the insignia of royalty, a sword at its side, a sceptre in its hand, 16 See copies from the original iii. part. 2, Ap. 6, 8. — Castillo, instruments, which are still pre- Cronica, cap. 66, 67. — Alonso de served in the archives of the house Palencia, Coronica, MS , part. 1, of Villena, in Marina, Teoria, torn. cap. 57.