Pagina 809 di 1118

Don Gonzalo, who was descended from the great captain whose name

he bore, had already made war in Flanders; and as he was desirous

beyond measure to direct one in Italy, he made the greatest

efforts to promote it. By interpreting the intentions, and by

going beyond the orders of the minister, he had, in the mean

time, concluded with the Duke of Savoy a treaty for the invasion

and division of Montferrat; and easily obtained the ratification

of it, by the count duke, by persuading him that the acquisition

of Casale, which was the point the best defended, of the portion

granted to the King of Spain, was extremely easy. However, he

still continued to protest, in the name of his sovereign, that he

desired to occupy the country only as a trust, until the decision

of the emperor should be declared.