chronicle of the conquest of granada-第41章

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cious　opening　of　the　reign　of　their　new　monarch；　for　several　days　the　name　of　Muley　Abul　Hassan　and　Boabdil　el　Chico　were　never　mentioned　but　with　contempt；　and　the　whole　city　resounded　with　the　praises　of　El　Zagal；　or　the　Valiant。



CHAPTER　XXXII。

HOW　THE　COUNT　DE　CABRA　ATTEMPTED　TO　CAPTURE　ANOTHER　　　　　KING；　AND　HOW　HE　FARED　IN　HIS　ATTEMPT。


The　elevation　of　a　bold　and　active　veteran　to　the　throne　of　Granada　in　place　of　its　late　bedridden　king　made　an　important　difference　in　the　aspect　of　the　war；　and　called　for　some　blow　that　should　dash　the　confidence　of　the　Moors　in　their　new　monarch　and　animate　the　Christians　to　fresh　exertions。

Don　Diego　de　Cordova；　the　brave　count　de　Cabra；　was　at　this　time　in　his　castle　of　Vaena；　where　he　kept　a　wary　eye　upon　the　frontier。　It　was　now　the　latter　part　of　August；　and　he　grieved　that　the　summer　should　pass　away　without　an　inroad　into　the　country　of　the　foe。　　He　sent　out　his　scouts　on　the　prowl；　and　they　brought　him　word　that　the　important　post　of　Moclin　was　but　weakly　garrisoned。　　This　was　a　castellated　town；　strongly　situated　upon　a　high　mountain；　partly　surrounded　by　thick　forests　and　partly　girdled　by　a　river。　　It　defended　one　of　the　rugged　and　solitary　passes　by　which　the　Christians　were　wont　to　make　their　inroads；　insomuch　that　the　Moors；　in　their　figurative　way；　denominated　it　the　shield　of　Granada。

The　count　de　Cabra　sent　word　to　the　monarchs　of　the　feeble　state　of　the　garrison；　and　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　by　a　secret　and　rapid　expedition　the　place　might　be　surprised。　　King　Ferdinand　asked　the　advice　of　his　councillors。　　Some　cautioned　him　against　the　sanguine　temperament　of　the　count　and　his　heedlessness　of　danger：　Moclin；　they　observed；　was　near　to　Granada　and　might　be　promptly　reinforced。　The　opinion　of　the　count；　however；　prevailed；　the　king　considering　him　almost　infallible　in　matters　of　border　warfare　since　his　capture　of　Boabdil　el　Chico。

The　king　departed；　therefore；　from　Cordova；　and　took　post　at　Alcala　la　Real；　for　the　purpose　of　being　near　to　Moclin。　　The　queen　also　proceeded　to　Vaena；　accompanied　by　her　children；　Prince　Juan　and　the　princess　Isabella；　and　her　great　counsellor　in　all　matters；　public　and　private；　spiritual　and　temporal；　the　venerable　grand　cardinal　of　Spain。

Nothing　could　exceed　the　pride　and　satisfaction　of　the　loyal　count　de　Cabra　when　he　saw　the　stately　train　winding　along　the　dreary　mountain…roads　and　entering　the　gates　of　Vaena。　　He　received　his　royal　guests　with　all　due　ceremony；　and　lodged　them　in　the　best　apartments　that　the　warrior　castle　afforded。

King　Ferdinand　had　concerted　a　wary　plan　to　ensure　the　success　of　the　enterprise。　　The　count　de　Cabra　and　Don　Martin　Alonso　de　Montemayor　were　to　set　forth　with　their　troops　so　as　to　reach　Moclin　by　a　certain　hour；　and　to　intercept　all　who　should　attempt　to　enter　or　should　sally　from　the　town。　　The　master　of　Calatrava；　the　troops　of　the　grand　cardinal；　commanded　by　the　count　of　Buendia；　and　the　forces　of　the　bishop　of　Jaen；　led　by　that　belligerent　prelate；　amounting　in　all　to　four　thousand　horse　and　six　thousand　foot；　were　to　set　off　in　time　to　co…operate　with　the　count　de　Cabra；　so　as　to　surround　the　town。　　The　king　was　to　follow　with　his　whole　force　and　encamp　before　the　place。

And　here　the　worthy　padre　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　breaks　forth　into　a　triumphant　eulogy　of　the　pious　prelates　who　thus　mingled　personally　in　these　scenes　of　warfare。　　As　this　was　a　holy　crusade　（says　he）；　undertaken　for　the　advancement　of　the　faith　and　the　glory　of　the　Church；　so　was　it　always　countenanced　and　upheld　by　saintly　men；　for　the　victories　of　their　most　Catholic　majesties　were　not　followed；　like　those　of　mere　worldly　sovereigns；　by　erecting　castles　and　towers　and　appointing　alcaydes　and　garrisons；　but　by　the　founding　of　convents　and　cathedrals　and　the　establishment　of　wealthy　bishoprics。　　Wherefore　their　majesties　were　always　surrounded　in　court　or　camp；　in　the　cabinet　or　in　the　field；　by　a　crowd　of　ghostly　advisers　inspiriting　them　to　the　prosecution　of　this　most　righteous　war。　　Nay；　the　holy　men　of　the　Church　did　not　scruple；　at　times；　to　buckle　on　the　cuirass　over　the　cassock；　to　exchange　the　crosier　for　the　lance；　and　thus　with　corporal　hands　and　temporal　weapons　to　fight　the　good　fight　of　the　faith。

But　to　return　from　this　rhapsody　of　the　worthy　friar。　　The　count　de　Cabra；　being　instructed　in　the　complicated　arrangements　of　the　king；　marched　forth　at　midnight　to　execute　them　punctually。　　He　led　his　troops　by　the　little　river　that　winds　below　Vaena；　and　so　up　to　the　wild　defiles　of　the　mountains；　marching　all　night；　and　stopping　only　in　the　heat　of　the　following　day　to　repose　under　the　shadowy　cliffs　of　a　deep　barranca；　calculating　to　arrive　at　Moclin　exactly　in　time　to　co…operate　with　the　other　forces。

The　troops　had　scarcely　stretched　themselves　on　the　earth　to　take　repose；　when　a　scout　arrived　bringing　word　that　El　Zagal　had　suddenly　sallied　out　of　Granada　with　a　strong　force；　and　had　encamped　in　the　vicinity　of　Moclin。　　It　was　plain　that　the　wary　Moor　had　received　information　of　the　intended　attack。　　This；　however；　was　not　the　idea　that　presented　itself　to　the　mind　of　the　count　de　Cabra。　　He　had　captured　one　king；　here　was　a　fair　opportunity　to　secure　another。　　What　a　prisoner　to　deliver　into　the　hands　of　his　royal　mistress！　　Fired　with　the　thoughts；　the　good　count　forgot　all　the　arrangements　of　the　king；　or　rather；　blinded　by　former　success；　he　trusted　everything　to　courage　and　fortune；　and　thought　that　by　one　bold　swoop　he　might　again　bear　off　the　royal　prize　and　wear　his　laurels　without　competition。*　　His　only　fear　was　that　the　master　of　Calatrava　and　the　belligerent　bishop　might　come　up　in　time　to　share　the　glory　of　the　victory；　so；　ordering　every　one　to　horse；　this　hot…spirited　cavalier　pushed　on　for　Moclin　without　allowing　his　troops　the　necessary　time　for　repose。

*Mariana；　lib。　25；　c。　17；　Abarca；　Zurita；　etc。


The　evening　closed　as　the　count　arrived　in　the　neighborhood　of　Moclin。　　It　was　the　full　of　the　moon　and　a　bright　and　cloudless　night。　　The　count　was　marching　through　one　of　those　deep　valleys　or　ravines　worn　in　the　Spanish　mountains　by　the　brief　but　tremendous　torrents　which　prevail　during　the　autumnal　rains。　　It　was　walled　on　each　side　by　lofty　and　almost　perpendicular　cliffs；　but　great　masses　of　moonlight　were　thrown　into　the　bottom　of　the　glen；　glittering　on　the　armor　of　the　shining　squadrons　as　they　silently　passed　through　it。　　Suddenly　the　war…cry　of　the　Moors　rose　in　various　parts　of　the　valley。　　〃El　Zagal！　El　Zagal！〃　was　shouted　from　every　cliff；　accompanied　by　showers　of　missiles　that　struck　down　several　of　the　Christian　warriors。　　The　count　lifted　up　his　eyes；　and　beheld；　by　the　light　of　the　moon；　every　cliff　glistening　with　Moorish　soldiery。　　The　deadly　shower　fell　thickly　round　him；　and　the　shining　armor　of　his　followers　made　them　fair　objects　for　the　aim　of　the　enemy。　　The　count　saw　his　brother　Gonzalo　struck　dead　by　his　side；　his　own　horse　sank　under　him；　pierced　by　four　Moorish　lances；　and　he　received　a　wound　in　the　hand　from　an　arquebuse。　　He　remembered　the　horrible　massacre　of　the　mountains　of　Malaga；　and　feared　a　similar　catastrophe。　　There　was　no　time　to　pause。　　His　brother's　horse；　freed　from　his　slaughtered　rider；　was　running　at　large：　seizing　the　reins；　he　sprang　into　the　saddle；　called　upon　his　men　to　follow　him；　and；　wheeling　round；　retreated　out　of　the　fatal　valley。

The　Moors；　rushing　down　from　the　heights；　pursued　the　retreating　Christians。　The　chase　endured　for　a　league；　but　it　was　a　league　of　rough　and　broken　road；　where　the　Christians　had　to　turn　and　fight　at　almost　every　step。　　In　these　short　but　fierce　combats　the　enemy　lost　many　cavaliers　of　note；　but　the　loss　of　the　Christians　was　infinitely　more　grievous；　comprising　numbers　of　the　noblest　warriors　of　Vaena　and　its　vicinity。　　Many　of　the　Christians；　disabled　by　wounds　or　exhausted　by　fatigue；　turned　aside　and　endeavored　to　conceal　themselves　among　rocks　and　thickets；　but　never　more　rejoined　their　companions；　being　slain　or　captured　by　the　Moors　or　perishing　in　their　wretched　retreats。

The　arrival　of　the　troops　led　by　the　master　of　Calatrava　and　the　bishop　of　Jaen　put　an　end