chronicle of the conquest of granada-第110章

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　Here　the　duchess　made　great　lamentation　over　the　body　of　her　lord；　in　which　she　was　joined　by　her　train　of　damsels　and　attendants；　as　well　as　by　the　pages　and　esquires　and　innumerable　vassals。

In　the　close　of　the　evening；　just　before　the　Ave　Maria；　the　funeral　train　issued　from　the　palace。　　Ten　banners　were　borne　around　the　bier；　the　particular　trophies　of　the　marques　won　from　the　Moors　by　his　valor　in　individual　enterprises　before　King　Ferdinand　had　commenced　the　war　of　Granada。　　The　procession　was　swelled　by　an　immense　train　of　bishops；　priests；　and　friars　of　different　orders；　together　with　the　civil　and　military　authorities　and　all　the　chivalry　of　Seville；　headed　by　the　count　of　Cifuentes；　at　that　time　intendente　or　commander　of　the　city。　　It　moved　slowly　and　solemnly　through　the　streets；　stopping　occasionally　and　chanting　litanies　and　responses。　Two　hundred　and　forty　waxen　tapers　shed　a　light　like　the　day　about　the　bier。　　The　balconies　and　windows　were　crowded　with　ladies；　who　shed　tears　as　the　funeral　train　passed　by；　while　the　women　of　the　lower　classes　were　loud　in　their　lamentations；　as　if　bewailing　the　loss　of　a　father　or　a　brother。　　On　approaching　the　convent　of　St。　Augustine　the　monks　came　forth　with　the　cross　and　tapers　and　eight　censers　and　conducted　the　body　into　the　church；　where　it　lay　in　state　until　all　the　vigils　were　performed　by　the　different　orders；　after　which　it　was　deposited　in　the　family　tomb　of　the　Ponces　in　the　same　church；　and　the　ten　banners　were　suspended　over　the　sepulchre。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。104。


The　tomb　of　the　valiant　Roderigo　Ponce　de　Leon；　with　his　banners　mouldering　above　it；　remained　for　ages　an　object　of　veneration　with　all　who　had　read　or　heard　of　his　virtues　and　achievements。　　In　the　year　1810；　however；　the　chapel　was　sacked　by　the　French；　its　altars　were　overturned；　and　the　sepulchres　of　the　family　of　the　Ponces　shattered　to　pieces。　　The　present　duchess　of　Benevente；　the　worthy　descendant　of　this　illustrious　and　heroic　line；　has　since　piously　collected　the　ashes　of　her　ancestors；　restored　the　altar；　and　repaired　the　chapel。　　The　sepulchres；　however；　were　utterly　destroyed：　an　inscription　in　gold　letters　on　the　wall　of　the　chapel　to　the　right　of　the　altar　is　all　that　denotes　the　place　of　sepulture　of　the　brave　Ponce　de　Leon。


THE　LEGEND　OF　THE　DEATH　OF　DON　ALONSO　DE　AGUILAR。

To　such　as　feel　an　interest　in　the　fortune　of　the　valiant　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar；　the　chosen　friend　and　companion…in…arms　of　Ponce　de　Leon；　marques　of　Cadiz；　and　one　of　the　most　distinguished　heroes　of　the　war　of　Granada；　a　few　particulars　of　his　remarkable　fate　will　not　be　unacceptable。

For　several　years　after　the　conquest　of　Granada　the　country　remained　feverish　and　unquiet。　　The　zealous　efforts　of　the　Catholic　clergy　to　effect　the　conversion　of　the　infidels；　and　the　coercion　used　for　that　purpose　by　government；　exasperated　the　stubborn　Moors　of　the　mountains。　　Several　missionaries　were　maltreated；　and　in　the　town　of　Dayrin　two　of　them　were　seized　and　exhorted；　with　many　menaces；　to　embrace　the　Moslem　faith；　on　their　resolutely　refusing　they　were　killed　with　staves　and　stones　by　the　Moorish　women　and　children；　and　their　bodies　burnt　to　ashes。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　165。


Upon　this　event　a　body　of　Christian　cavaliers　assembled　in　Andalusia　to　the　number　of　eight　hundred；　and；　without　waiting　for　orders　from　the　king；　revenged　the　death　of　these　martyrs　by　plundering　and　laying　waste　the　Moorish　towns　and　villages。　　The　Moors　fled　to　the　mountains；　and　their　cause　was　espoused　by　many　of　their　nation　who　inhabited　those　rugged　regions。　　The　storm　of　rebellion　began　to　gather　and　mutter　its　thunders　in　the　Alpuxarras。　　They　were　echoed　from　the　Serrania　of　Ronda；　ever　ready　for　rebellion；　but　the　strongest　hold　of　the　insurgents　was　in　the　Sierra＇12＇Bermeja；　or　chain　of　Red　Mountains；　which　lie　near　the　sea；　the　savage　rocks　and　precipices　of　which　may　be　seen　from　Gibraltar。

When　King　Ferdinand　heard　of　these　tumults　he　issued　a　proclamation　ordering　all　the　Moors　of　the　insurgent　regions　to　leave　them　within　ten　days　and　repair　to　Castile；　giving　secret　instructions；　however；　that　those　who　should　voluntarily　embrace　the　Christian　faith　might　be　permitted　to　remain。　　At　the　same　time　he　ordered　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　and　the　counts　of　Urena　and　Cifuentes　to　march　against　the　rebels。

Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　was　at　Cordova　when　he　received　the　commands　of　the　king。　　〃What　force　is　allotted　us　for　this　expedition？〃　said　he。　On　being　told；　he　perceived　that　the　number　of　troops　was　far　from　adequate。　　〃When　a　man　is　dead；〃　said　he；　〃we　send　four　men　into　his　house　to　bring　forth　the　body。　　We　are　now　sent　to　chastise　these　Moors；　who　are　alive；　vigorous；　in　open　rebellion；　and　ensconced　in　their　castles；　yet　they　do　not　give　us　man　to　man。〃　　These　words　of　the　brave　Alonso　de　Aguilar　were　afterward　frequently　repeated；　but；　though　he　saw　the　desperate　nature　of　the　enterprise；　he　did　not　hesitate　to　undertake　it。

Don　Alonso　was　at　that　time　in　the　fifty…first　year　of　his　age　a　warrior　in　whom　the　fire　of　youth　was　yet　unquenched；　though　tempered　by　experience。　　The　greater　part　of　his　life　had　been　spent　in　camp　and　field　until　danger　was　as　his　habitual　element。　　His　muscular　frame　had　acquired　the　firmness　of　iron　without　the　rigidity　of　age。　　His　armor　and　weapons　seemed　to　have　become　a　part　of　his　nature；　and　he　sat　like　a　man　of　steel　on　his　powerful　war…horse。

He　took　with　him　on　this　expedition　his　son；　Don　Pedro　de　Cordova；　a　youth　of　bold　and　generous　spirit；　in　the　freshness　of　his　days；　and　armed　and　arrayed　with　the　bravery　of　a　young　Spanish　cavalier。　　When　the　populace　of　Cordova　beheld　the　veteran　father；　the　warrior　of　a　thousand　battles；　leading　forth　his　son　to　the　field；　they　bethought　themselves　of　the　family　appellation。　　〃Behold；〃　cried　they；　〃the　eagle　teaching　his　young　to　fly！　　Long　live　the　valiant　line　of　Aguilar！〃*

*〃Aguilar；〃　the　Spanish　for　eagle。


The　prowess　of　Don　Alonso　and　of　his　companions…in…arms　was　renowned　throughout　the　Moorish　towns。　　At　their　approach；　therefore；　numbers　of　the　Moors　submitted；　and　hastened　to　Ronda　to　embrace　Christianity。　　Among　the　mountaineers；　however；　were　many　of　the　Gandules；　a　tribe　from　Africa；　too　proud　of　spirit　to　bend　their　necks　to　the　yoke。　　At　their　head　was　a　Moor　named　El　Feri　of　Ben　Estepar；　renowned　for　strength　and　courage。　　At　his　instigation　his　followers　gathered　together　their　families　and　most　precious　effects；　placed　them　on　mules；　and；　driving　before　them　their　flocks　and　herds；　abandoned　their　valleys　and　retired　up　the　craggy　passes　of　the　Sierra＇13＇Bermeja。　　On　the　summit　was　a　fertile　plain　surrounded　by　rocks　and　precipices；　which　formed　a　natural　fortress。　　Here　El　Feri　placed　all　the　women　and　children　and　all　the　property。　　By　his　orders　his　followers　piled　great　stones　on　the　rocks　and　cliffs　which　commanded　the　defiles　and　the　steep　sides　of　the　mountain；　and　prepared　to　defend　every　pass　that　led　to　his　place　of　refuge。

The　Christian　commanders　arrived；　and　pitched　their　camp　before　the　town　of　Monarda；　a　strong　place；　curiously　fortified；　and　situated　at　the　foot　of　the　highest　part　of　the　Sierra　＇14＇Bermeja。　　Here　they　remained　for　several　days；　unable　to　compel　a　surrender。　They　were　separated　from　the　skirt　of　the　mountain　by　a　deep　barranca；　or　ravine；　at　the　bottom　of　which　flowed　a　small　stream。　　The　Moors　commanded　by　El　Feri　drew　down　from　their　mountain…height；　and　remained　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　brook　to　defend　a　pass　which　led　up　to　their　stronghold。

One　afternoon　a　number　of　Christian　soldiers　in　mere　bravado　seized　a　banner；　crossed　the　brook；　and；　scrambling　up　the　opposite　bank；　attacked　the　Moors。　　They　were　followed　by　numbers　of　their　companions；　some　in　aid；　some　in　emulation；　but　most　in　hope　of　booty。　　A　sharp　action　ensued　on　the　mountain…side。　　The　Moors　were　greatly　superior　in　number；　and　had　the　vantage…ground。　When　the　counts　of　Urena　and　Cifuentes　beheld　the　skirmish；　they　asked　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　his　opinion。　　〃My　opinion；〃　said　he；　〃was　given　at　Cordova；　and　remains　the　same：　this　is　a　desperate　enterprise。　However；　the　Moors　are