chronicle of the conquest of granada-第32章

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　he　had　fled　for　refuge；　for　in　the　retreat　many　of　the　horsemen　had　abandoned　their　steeds；　thrown　away　their　armor；　and　clambered　up　the　cliffs；　where　they　could　not　be　pursued　by　the　Christian　cavalry。

The　Moorish　army　had　sallied　forth　from　Ronda　amidst　shouts　and　acclamations；　but　wailings　were　heard　within　its　walls　as　the　alcayde　and　his　broken　band　returned　without　banner　or　trumpet　and　haggard　with　famine　and　fatigue。　　The　tidings　of　their　disaster　had　preceded　them；　borne　by　the　fugitives　of　the　army。　　No　one　ventured　to　speak　to　the　stern　Hamet　as　he　entered　the　city；　for　they　saw　a　dark　cloud　upon　his　brow。

It　seemed　（says　the　pious　Antonio　Agapida）　as　if　Heaven　meted　out　this　defeat　in　exact　retribution　for　the　ills　inflicted　upon　the　Christian　warriors　in　the　heights　of　Malaga。　　It　was　equally　signal　and　disastrous。　　Of　the　brilliant　array　of　Moorish　chivalry　which　had　descended　so　confidently　into　Andalusia；　not　more　than　two　hundred　escaped。　　The　choicest　troops　of　the　frontier　were　either　taken　or　destroyed；　the　Moorish　garrisons　enfeebled；　and　many　alcaydes　and　cavaliers　of　noble　lineage　carried　into　captivity；　who　were　afterward　obliged　to　redeem　themselves　with　heavy　ransoms。

This　was　called　the　battle　of　Lopera；　and　was　fought　on　the　17th　of　September；　1483。　　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　were　at　Vittoria　in　Old　Castile　when　they　received　news　of　the　victory　and　the　standards　taken　from　the　enemy。　　They　celebrated　the　event　with　processions；　illuminations；　and　other　festivities。　　Ferdinand　sent　to　the　marques　of　Cadiz　the　royal　raiment　which　he　had　worn　on　that　day；　and　conferred　on　him　and　all　those　who　should　inherit　his　title　the　privilege　of　wearing　royal　robes　on　our　Lady's　Day　in　September　in　commemoration　of　this　victory。*

*Mariana；　Abarca；　Zurita；　Pulgar；　etc。


Queen　Isabella　was　equally　mindful　of　the　great　services　of　Don　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero。　　Besides　many　encomiums　and　favors；　she　sent　to　his　wife　the　royal　vestments　and　robe　of　brocade　which　she　had　worn　on　the　same　day；　to　be　worn　by　her　during　her　life　on　the　anniversary　of　that　battle。*



CHAPTER　XXIV。

OF　THE　RECEPTION　AT　COURT　OF　THE　COUNT　DE　CABRA　AND　THE　　　　　ALCAYDE　DE　LOS　DONCELES。


In　the　midst　of　the　bustle　of　warlike　affairs　the　worthy　chronicler　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　pauses　to　note；　with　curious　accuracy；　the　distinguished　reception　given　to　the　count　de　Cabra　and　his　nephew；　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles；　at　the　stately　and　ceremonious　court　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　in　reward　for　the　capture　of　the　Moorish　king　Boabdil。　　The　court　（he　observes）　was　held　at　the　time　in　the　ancient　Moorish　palace　of　the　city　of　Cordova；　and　the　ceremonials　were　arranged　by　that　venerable　prelate　Don　Pedro　Gonzales　de　Mendoza；　bishop　of　Toledo　and　grand　cardinal　of　Spain。

It　was　on　Wednesday；　the　14th　of　October　（continues　the　precise　Antonio　Agapida）；　that　the　good　count　de　Cabra；　according　to　arrangement；　appeared　at　the　gate　of　Cordova。　　Here　he　was　met　by　the　grand　cardinal　and　the　duke　of　Villahermosa；　illegitimate　brother　of　the　king；　together　with　many　of　the　first　grandees　and　prelates　of　the　kingdom。　　By　this　august　train　was　he　attended　to　the　palace　amidst　strains　of　martial　music　and　the　shouts　of　a　prodigious　multitude。

When　the　count　arrived　in　the　presence　of　the　sovereigns；　who　were　seated　in　state　on　a　dais　or　raised　part　of　the　hall　of　audience；　they　both　arose。　　The　king　advanced　exactly　five　steps　toward　the　count；　who　knelt　and　kissed　his　royal　hand；　however；　the　king　would　not　receive　him　as　a　mere　vassal；　but　embraced　him　with　affectionate　cordiality。　　The　queen　also　advanced　two　steps；　and　received　the　count　with　a　countenance　full　of　sweetness　and　benignity：　after　he　had　kissed　her　hand　the　king　and　queen　returned　to　their　thrones；　and；　cushions　being　brought；　they　ordered　the　count　de　Cabra　to　be　seated　in　their　presence。　　This　last　circumstance　is　written　in　large　letters　and　followed　by　several　notes　of　admiration　in　the　manuscript　of　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　who　considers　the　extraordinary　privilege　of　sitting　in　presence　of　the　Catholic　sovereigns　an　honor　well　worth　fighting　for。

The　good　count　took　his　seat　at　a　short　distance　from　the　king；　and　near　him　was　seated　the　duke　of　Najera；　then　the　bishop　of　Palencia；　then　the　count　of　Aguilar；　the　count　Luna；　and　Don　Gutierre　de　Cardenas；　senior　commander　of　Leon。

On　the　side　of　the　queen　were　seated　the　grand　cardinal　of　Spain；　the　duke　of　Villahermosa；　the　count　of　Monte　Rey；　and　the　bishops　of　Jaen　and　Cuenca；　each　in　the　order　in　which　they　are　named。　　The　infanta　Isabella　was　prevented　by　indisposition　from　attending　the　ceremony。

And　now　festive　music　resounded　through　the　hall；　and　twenty　ladies　of　the　queen's　retinue　entered；　magnificently　attired；　upon　which　twenty　youthful　cavaliers；　very　gay　and　galliard　in　their　array；　stepped　forth；　and；　each　seeking　his　fair　partner；　they　commenced　a　stately　dance。　　The　court　in　the　mean　time　（observes　Fray　Antonio　Agapida）　looked　on　with　lofty　and　becoming　gravity。

When　the　dance　was　concluded　the　king　and　queen　rose　to　retire　to　supper；　and　dismissed　the　count　with　many　gracious　expressions。　　He　was　then　attended　by　all　the　grandees　present　to　the　palace　of　the　grand　cardinal；　where　they　partook　of　a　sumptuous　banquet。

On　the　following　Saturday　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　was　received　likewise　with　great　honors；　but　the　ceremonies　were　so　arranged　as　to　be　a　degree　less　in　dignity　than　those　shown　to　his　uncle；　the　latter　being　considered　the　principal　actor　in　this　great　achievement。　　Thus　the　grand　cardinal　and　the　duke　of　Villahermosa　did　not　meet　him　at　the　gate　of　the　city；　but　received　him　in　the　palace　and　entertained　him　in　conversation　until　summoned　to　the　sovereigns。　#　When　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　entered　the　presence…chamber　the　king　and　queen　rose　from　their　chairs；　but　without　advancing。　　They　greeted　him　graciously；　and　commanded　him　to　be　seated　next　to　the　count　de　Cabra。

The　infanta　Isabella　came　forth　to　this　reception；　and　took　her　seat　beside　the　queen。　　When　the　court　were　all　seated　the　music　again　sounded　through　the　hall；　and　the　twenty　ladies　came　forth　as　on　the　preceding　occasion；　richly　attired；　but　in　different　raiment。　　They　danced　as　before；　and　the　infanta　Isabella；　taking　a　young　Portuguese　damsel　for　a　partner；　joined　in　the　dance。　　When　this　was　concluded　the　king　and　queen　dismissed　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　with　great　courtesy；　and　the　court　broke　up。

The　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　here　indulges　in　a　long　eulogy　on　the　scrupulous　discrimination　of　the　Castilian　court　in　the　distribution　of　its　honors　and　rewards；　by　which　means　every　smile　and　gesture　and　word　of　the　sovereigns　had　its　certain　value　and　conveyed　its　equivalent　of　joy　to　the　heart　of　the　subjecta　matter　well　worthy　the　study　（says　he）　of　all　monarchs；　who　are　too　apt　to　distribute　honors　with　a　heedless　caprice　that　renders　them　of　no　avail。

On　the　following　Sunday　both　the　count　de　Cabra　and　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　were　invited　to　sup　with　the　sovereigns。　　The　court　that　evening　was　attended　by　the　highest　nobility；　arrayed　with　that　cost　and　splendor　for　which　the　Spanish　nobility　of　those　days　were　renowned。

Before　supper　there　was　a　stately　and　ceremonious　dance；　befitting　the　dignity　of　so　august　a　court。　　The　king　led　forth　the　queen　in　grave　and　graceful　measure；　the　count　de　Cabra　was　honored　with　the　hand　of　the　infanta　Isabella；　and　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　danced　with　a　daughter　of　the　marques　de　Astorga。

The　dance　being　concluded；　the　royal　party　repaired　to　the　supper…table；　which　was　placed　on　an　elevated　part　of　the　saloon。　Here；　in　full　view　of　the　court；　the　count　de　Cabra　and　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　supped　at　the　same　table　with　the　king；　the　queen；　and　the　infanta。　　The　royal　family　were　served　by　the　marques　of　Villena。　　The　cup…bearer　to　the　king　was　his　nephew；　Fadrigue　de　Toledo；　son　to　the　duke　of　Alva。　　Don　Alexis　de　Estaniga　had　the　honor　of　fulfilling　that　office　for　the　queen；　and　Tello　de　Aguilar　for　the　infanta。　　Other　cavaliers　of　rank　and　distinction　waited　on　the　count　and　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles。　　At