repair this disaster, the Cardinal ordered Antonio Fonseca, commander-inchief of the forces in Castile, to assemble an army and proceed to Segovia with all the appliances for a regular siege. But the cannon he needed were at Medina del Campo, the inhabitants of which refused to deliver them up to be used against their compatriots. Fonseca, foiled in an attempt to seize them by force, set fire to some houses, in the hope of compelling the citizens to abandon the defences; but he was again repulsed with great loss, while the flames, spreading rapidly, reduced almost the whole town to ashes. Exasperated by an act so wanton and cruel, all the other chief towns of Castile, including Valladolid itself, which Adrian had made the seat of his government, formed themselves into a confederation, and held a general convention at Avila, at which deputies presented themselves from nearly all the places entitled to send representatives to the Cortes. Binding themselves by solemn oath to live and die in the service of the King the usual phraseology on such occasions-and in the defence King-the of the privileges of their order, they assumed the name of the Santa Junta, and proceeded to deliberate on the measures to be taken for the redress of their common grievances. Their first act was to decree the deposition of the Cardinal Adrian, as a foreigner. Their next was to remove their sittings to Tordesillas, where Padilla had seized the person of the crazy Queen, and to carry on their deliberations and issue orders in her name. Charles, now sensible of his imprudence in disregarding the clamours of his subjects, issued circular letters to all the cities of Castile, offering pardon to the rebels on condition of their laying down their arms, promising not to exact the subsidy voted by the late Cortes, and engaging that no office for the future should be conferred on any but natives of the country. At the same time, he summoned the nobles, who had hitherto remained inactive, to the defence of the throne, and gave as coadjutors to Cardinal Adrian, two Spaniards-Don Fadrique Henriquez, the High Admiral, and Don Iñigo de Velasco, Constable of Castile.

But these concessions to the Commons came too late. The Junta answered by a fresh remonstrance, setting forth their numerous grievances, some of which doubtless were well founded, and concluding with a long list of demands dictated in great part by a selfish regard to the interests of their class, and by the revolutionary spirit then rife. The nobles, with the instinct of their order, now actively embraced the cause of the King, whom hitherto, from dislike of the Flemings, they had neglected to support. Adrian and his Spanish coadjutors assembled all their troops at Rio Seco, a considerable body of veteran infantry having

DEFEAT OF THE COMUNEROS—1522.

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been drawn out of Navarre, and gave the command to the Conde de Haro, son of Velasco. This able officer at once marched on Tordesillas, took it by surprise, and captured the poor Queen with several of the Junta.

Valladolid was now the headquarters of the insurgents, and Padilla took the chief command. Their army grew stronger every day, but money was wanted to pay the troops. From this difficulty they were extricated by the audacity and address of Doña Maria Pacheco, the wife of Padilla. This extraordinary woman proposed to strip the altars in the cathedral of Toledo of their richest ornaments; but not to shock the piety of the people, she proceeded with her retinue to the church in penitential habits, and there, falling on their knees and beating their breasts, they implored the forgiveness of God and His saints for the sacrilege which dire necessity compelled them to commit. Meanwhile, continual overtures were made by the Regents to the Junta, but without success; and Padilla's soldiers, wearied with delays, having laden themselves with plunder, deserted from him in great numbers. He was attempting a retreat, when De Haro overtook him near Villalar, obliged him to fight, and put his forces, which consisted mostly of raw recruits, entirely to the rout. Padilla himself, after vainly seeking death amongst the ranks of the enemy, was taken prisoner, and beheaded the next day. His end was as heroic as his short career; calm and patient, he met his fate like one who was conscious that he fell without disgrace.

When one of the two companions who went to execution with him, gave vent to his indignation at hearing himself proclaimed a traitor, Padilla rebuked him with a gentle dignity: "Señor Juan Bravo," he said, "yesterday it was our part to fight like gentlemen: to-day we have to die like Christians."

Thus ended the war of the Commons, and with it the last hope of the partisans of the ancient liberties of Spain. Toledo indeed still held out, at the instigation of Padilla's widow. She levied soldiers, and paid them by an impost on the clergy of the town, while she left no means untried to stimulate the passions and sustain the energies of the people. She ordered crucifixes to be used instead of standards, and went through the streets of Toledo with her young son seated on a mule, clad like herself in deep mourning, and bearing a banner with a device representing how his father. had died a martyr for the liberties of his country; and even when the French, whom she summoned from Navarre, had failed her, she maintained. her attitude of defiance, and in several sallies beat off the royal troops. But at last she was driven from the city, and retired into the citadel,

B

which she continued to defend for four months longer; then, reduced to the last extremity, she made her escape in disguise, and fled into Portugal.

Meanwhile, tranquillity had been re-established throughout Castile, and the only result of this determined struggle for freedom was to consolidate the power of the crown and aristocracy, which it had been the object of the Commons to diminish and restrain.

IN

N Navarre, events had meanwhile been passing which were to reverse the interests and future career of Ignatius. By the treaty of Noyon (August 13, 1516), Charles V. had engaged to examine into the claims of Jean d'Albret and his heirs to the kingdom of Navarre; and, on his failing to do them justice, the King of France was to be at liberty to assist them with all his forces. Of this engagement, Charles had eluded the performance on frivolous pretexts; and Francis seized the opportunity offered by the Spanish troubles to assist Henri d'Albret to recover his dominions. However, to avoid being brought into direct collision with the Emperor, he had ordered the troops to be levied, not in his own name, but in that of the dispossessed family. Their leader, André de Foix de l'Esparre, who had been entrusted with the command by Francis, in order to gratify the young man's sister, the beautiful Countess de Châteaubriand, proved unequal to the position; and, having imprudently crossed the frontiers of Castile, in compliance with an invitation from the Comuneros, then in insurrection at Toledo, was defeated and taken prisoner with the principal officers of his army. For a time, however, as there were no forces in the field to oppose him, he was successful. Aided by the French party in Navarre, and favoured by the bulk of the population, his troops speedily overran the country, and advanced without hindrance up to the very walls of Pamplona. Here it was that Ignatius was stationed; not that he was actually in command, but it would seem that he had received

a special charge from the Duke of Najera to see to the defence of the place, while he himself went to obtain reinforcements. The fortifications begun by Ximenes were still uncompleted; the garrison was weak, artillery and ammunition insufficient; the townspeople regarded the French as their friends, and were urgent for granting them immediate entrance. The magistrates, desirous of obtaining favourable terms, were willing to yield to their demands; and the more so because they believed that the Spaniards would never be able to retrieve their losses and retain possession of the country. Ignatius was of another opinion; he urged resistance, and said, "I do not think even Æneas worthy of admiration, when I see him escaping from the flames that consumed his city; for to shun the common peril is the nature of cowards; to perish in the universal ruin is the mischance of brave men. I should deem him worthy of immortal glory if he had died a holocaust of his fidelity."

Knowing how important it was that the capital should hold out until the Viceroy had time to return to its succour, he would have defended the place at all hazards. But in this resolution he was seconded by none; not even by his brother officers, who, seeing the disposition of the inhabitants and the superior numbers of the enemy, considered the case to be desperate. They accordingly proceeded to evacuate the town; but Ignatius, denouncing their cowardice, turned from them with disdain, and retired alone into the citadel, where he prevailed on its commandant to prolong his resistance.

On the retreat of the Spaniards, the French marched into Pamplona, and instantly summoned the garrison of the citadel to surrender; at the same time they prepared for a vigorous assault. The commandant now decided on negotiating; and for this purpose repaired to the headquarters of the French, accompanied by three others, of whom Ignatius was one. The French, aware that it would be impossible for the besieged to hold out long, proposed hard and humiliating conditions, which the Spaniards, in their state of hopelessness, might have accepted, had not Ignatius made such energetic remonstrances that the interview was abruptly terminated, and the commandant and his companions retired. The assault commenced at once.

Ignatius, seeing himself and those around him in immediate danger of death, prepared to meet it as devout Catholics have often done when not priest was near, by making his confession to a comrade in arms, a gentleman, with whom, he said, he had often fought. Then he addressed the officers and men; he represented to them how much better was an honourable death than a cowardly capitulation; he reminded them of the duties of a loyal soldier, and the glory that crowns an heroic sacrifice. The attack on the fortress and its defence were equally obstinate. The French, endeavouring to effect