chronicle of the conquest of granada-第101章

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ake　care　of　my　wife　and　daughters。〃

Gonsalvo　accepted　the　devoted　offer；　mounted　the　horse；　and　had　made　but　few　paces　when　a　lamentable　cry　caused　him　to　turn　his　head；　and　he　beheld　the　faithful　Mendoza　transfixed　by　Moorish　lances。　The　four　principal　cavaliers　already　named；　with　several　of　their　followers；　effected　their　retreat　and　reached　the　camp　in　safety；　but　this　nocturnal　reverse　obscured　the　morning's　triumph。　　Gonsalvo　remembered　the　last　words　of　the　devoted　Mendoza；　and　bestowed　a　pension　on　his　widow　and　marriage　portions　on　his　daughters。*

*The　account　of　this　nocturnal　affair　is　from　Peter　Martyr；　lib。　4；　　Epist。　90；　and　Pulgar；　Hazanas　del　Gran　Capitan；　page　188；　as　　cited　by　Alcantara；　Hist。　Granada；　tom。　4；　cap。　18。


To　commemorate　the　victory　of　which　she　had　been　an　eye…witness；　Queen　Isabella　afterward　erected　a　monastery　in　the　village　of　Zubia　dedicated　to　St。　Francisco；　which　still　exists；　and　in　its　garden　is　a　laurel　planted　by　her　hands。*

*The　house　whence　the　king　and　queen　contemplated　the　battle　is　　likewise　to　be　seen　at　the　present　day。　　It　is　in　the　first　street　to　　the　right　on　entering　the　village　from　the　Vega；　and　the　royal　arms　　are　painted　on　the　ceilings。　　It　is　inhabited　by　a　worthy　farmer；　　Francisco　Garcia；　who　in　showing　the　house　to　the　writer　refused　　all　compensation　with　true　Spanish　pride；　offering；　on　the　contrary；　　the　hospitalities　of　his　mansion。　　His　children　are　versed　in　the　old　　Spanish　ballads　about　the　exploits　of　Hernan　Perez　del　Pulgar　and　　Garcilasso　de　la　Vega。



CHAPTER　XCIV。

THE　LAST　RAVAGE　BEFORE　GRANADA。


The　ravages　of　war　had　as　yet　spared　a　little　portion　of　the　Vega　of　Granada。　　A　green　belt　of　gardens　and　orchards　still　flourished　round　the　city；　extending　along　the　banks　of　the　Xenil　and　the　Darro。　　They　had　been　the　solace　and　delight　of　the　inhabitants　in　their　happier　days；　and　contributed　to　their　sustenance　in　this　time　of　scarcity。　Ferdinand　determined　to　make　a　final　and　exterminating　ravage　to　the　very　walls　of　the　city；　so　that　there　should　not　remain　a　single　green　thing　for　the　sustenance　of　man　or　beast。　　The　eighth　of　July　was　the　day　appointed　for　this　act　of　desolation。　　Boabdil　was　informed　by　his　spies　of　the　intention　of　the　Christian　king；　and　prepared　to　make　a　desperate　defence。　　Hernando　de　Baeza；　a　Christian　who　resided　with　the　royal　family　in　the　Alhambra　as　interpreter；　gives　in　a　manuscript　memoir　an　account　of　the　parting　of　Boabdil　from　his　family　as　he　went　forth　to　battle。　　At　an　early　hour　on　the　appointed　day；　the　eighth　of　July；　he　bathed　and　perfumed　himself；　as　the　Moors　of　high　rank　were　accustomed　to　do　when　they　went　forth　to　peril　their　lives。　　Arrayed　in　complete　armor；　he　took　leave　of　his　mother；　his　wife；　and　his　sister　in　the　antechamber　of　the　Tower　of　Comares。　　Ayxa　la　Horra；　with　her　usual　dignity；　bestowed　on　him　her　benediction　and　gave　him　her　hand　to　kiss。　　It　was　a　harder　parting　with　his　son　and　his　daughter；　who　hung　round　him　with　sobs　and　tears：　the　duenas　and　doncellas　too　of　the　royal　household　made　the　halls　of　the　Alhambra　resound　with　their　lamentations。　　He　then　mounted　his　horse　and　put　himself　in　front　of　his　squadrons。*

*Hernando　de　Baeza；　as　cited　by　Alcantara；　Hist。　Gran。；　t。　4；　c。　18。


The　Christian　army　approached　close　to　the　city；　and　were　laying　waste　the　gardens　and　orchards　when　Boabdil　sallied　forth；　surrounded　by　all　that　was　left　of　the　flower　and　chivalry　of　Granada。　　There　is　one　place　where　even　the　coward　becomes　bravethat　sacred　spot　called　home。　　What；　then；　must　have　been　the　valor　of　the　Moors；　a　people　always　of　chivalrous　spirit；　when　the　war　was　thus　brought　to　their　thresholds！　　They　fought　among　the　scenes　of　their　loves　and　pleasures；　the　scenes　of　their　infancy；　and　the　haunts　of　their　domestic　life。　　They　fought　under　the　eyes　of　their　wives　and　children；　their　old　men　and　their　maidensof　all　that　was　helpless　and　all　that　was　dear　to　them；　for　all　Granada；　crowded　on　tower　and　battlement；　watched　with　trembling　heart　the　fate　of　this　eventful　day。

There　was　not　so　much　one　battle　as　a　variety　of　battles：　every　garden　and　orchard　became　a　scene　of　deadly　contest；　every　inch　of　ground　was　disputed　with　an　agony　of　grief　and　valor　by　the　Moors；　every　inch　of　ground　that　the　Christians　advanced　they　valiantly　maintained；　but　never　did　they　advance　with　severer　fighting　or　greater　loss　of　blood。

The　cavalry　of　Muza　was　in　every　part　of　the　field；　wherever　it　came　it　gave　fresh　ardor　to　the　fight。　　The　Moorish　soldier；　fainting　with　heat；　fatigue；　and　wounds；　was　roused　to　new　life　at　the　approach　of　Muza；　and　even　he　who　lay　gasping　in　the　agonies　of　death　turned　his　face　toward　him　and　faintly　uttered　cheers　and　blessings　as　he　passed。

The　Christians　had　by　this　time　gained　possession　of　various　towers　near　the　city；　whence　they　had　been　annoyed　by　crossbows　and　arquebuses。　　The　Moors；　scattered　in　various　actions；　were　severely　pressed。　　Boabdil；　at　the　head　of　the　cavaliers　of　his　guard；　mingling　in　the　fight　in　various　parts　of　the　field；　endeavored　to　inspirit　the　foot…soldiers　to　the　combat。　　But　the　Moorish　infantry　was　never　to　be　depended　upon。　　In　the　heat　of　the　action　a　panic　seized　upon　them；　they　fled；　leaving　their　sovereign　exposed　with　his　handful　of　cavaliers　to　an　overwhelming　force。　　Boabdil　was　on　the　point　of　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　Christians；　when；　wheeling　round；　he　and　his　followers　threw　the　reins　on　the　necks　of　their　steeds　and　took　refuge　by　dint　of　hoof　within　the　walls　of　the　city。*

*Zurita；　lib。　20；　c。　88。


Muza　endeavored　to　retrieve　the　fortune　of　the　field。　　He　threw　himself　before　the　retreating　infantry；　calling　upon　them　to　turn　and　fight　for　their　homes；　their　families；　for　everything　sacred　and　dear　to　them。　　All　in　vain：　totally　broken　and　dismayed；　they　fled　tumultuously　for　the　gates。　　Muza　would　fain　have　kept　the　field　with　his　cavalry；　but　this　devoted　band；　having　stood　the　brunt　of　war　throughout　this　desperate　campaign；　was　fearfully　reduced　in　numbers；　and　many　of　the　survivors　were　crippled　and　enfeebled　by　their　wounds。　　Slowly　and　reluctantly；　therefore；　he　retreated　to　the　city；　his　bosom　swelling　with　indignation　and　despair。　　Entering　the　gates；　he　ordered　them　to　be　closed　and　secured　with　bolts　and　bars；　for　he　refused　to　place　any　further　confidence　in　the　archers　and　arquebusiers　stationed　to　defend　them；　and　vowed　never　more　to　sally　with　foot…soldiers　to　the　field。

In　the　mean　time；　the　artillery　thundered　from　the　walls　and　checked　all　further　advance　of　the　Christians。　　King　Ferdinand　therefore　called　off　his　troops；　and　returned　in　triumph　to　his　camp；　leaving　the　beautiful　city　of　Granada　wrapped　in　the　smoke　of　her　fields　and　gardens　and　surrounded　by　the　bodies　of　her　slaughtered　children。

Such　was　the　last　sally　of　the　Moors　in　defence　of　their　favorite　city。　　The　French　ambassador；　who　witnessed　it；　was　filled　with　wonder　at　the　prowess；　the　dexterity；　and　the　daring　of　the　Moslems。

In　truth；　this　whole　war　was　an　instance；　memorable　in　history；　of　the　most　persevering　resolution。　　For　nearly　ten　years　had　the　war　enduredan　almost　uninterrupted　series　of　disasters　to　the　Moorish　arms。　　Their　towns　had　been　taken；　one　after　another；　and　their　brethren　slain　or　led　into　captivity。　　Yet　they　disputed　every　city　and　town　and　fortress　and　castle；　nay；　every　rock　itself；　as　if　they　had　been　inspirited　by　victories。　　Wherever　they　could　plant　foot　to　fight；　or　find　wall　or　cliff　whence　to　launch　an　arrow；　they　disputed　their　beloved　country；　and　now；　when　their　capital　was　cut　off　from　all　relief　and　a　whole　nation　thundered　at　its　gates；　they　still　maintained　defence；　as　if　they　hoped　some　miracle　to　interpose　in　their　behalf。　　Their　obstinate　resistance　（says　an　ancient　chronicler）　shows　the　grief　with　which　they　yielded　up　the　Vega；　which　was　to　them　a　paradise　and　heaven。　　Exerting　all　the　strength　of　their　arms；　they　embraced；　as　it　were；　that　most　beloved　soil；　from　which　neither　wounds　nor　defeats；　nor　death　itself；　could　part　them。　　They　stood　firm；　battling　for　it　with　the　united　force　of　love　and　grief；　never　drawing　back　the　foot　while