chronicle of the conquest of granada-第54章

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During　one　of　the　movements　of　the　Christian　army　near　the　walls　of　Granada　a　battalion　of　fifteen　hundred　cavalry　and　a　large　force　of　foot　had　sallied　from　the　city；　and　posted　themselves　near　some　gardens；　which　were　surrounded　by　a　canal　and　traversed　by　ditches　for　the　purpose　of　irrigation。

The　Moors　beheld　the　duke　del　Infantado　pass　by　with　his　two　splendid　battalionsone　of　men…at…arms；　the　other　of　light　cavalry　armed　〃a　la　gineta。〃　　In　company　with　him；　but　following　as　a　rear…　guard；　was　Don　Garcia　Osorio；　the　belligerent　bishop　of　Jaen；　attended　by　Francisco　Bovadillo；　the　corregidor　of　his　city；　and　followed　by　two　squadrons　of　men…at…arms　from　Jaen；　Anduxar；　Ubeda；　and　Baeza。*　　The　success　of　last　year's　campaign　had　given　the　good　bishop　an　inclination　for　warlike　affairs；　and　he　had　once　more　buckled　on　his　cuirass。

*Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　62。


The　Moors　were　much　given　to　stratagem　in　warfare。　　They　looked　wistfully　at　the　magnificent　squadrons　of　the　duke　del　Infantado；　but　their　martial　discipline　precluded　all　attack：　the　good　bishop　promised　to　be　a　more　easy　prey。　　Suffering　the　duke　and　his　troops　to　pass　unmolested；　they　approached　the　squadrons　of　the　bishop；　and　making　a　pretended　attack；　skirmished　slightly　and　fled　in　apparent　confusion。　　The　bishop　considered　the　day　his　own；　and；　seconded　by　his　corregidor　Bovadillo；　followed　with　valorous　precipitation。　　The　Moors　fled　into　the　〃Huerta　del　Rey；〃　or　Orchard　of　the　King；　the　troops　of　the　bishop　followed　hotly　after　them。

When　the　Moors　perceived　their　pursuers　fairly　embarrassed　among　the　intricacies　of　the　garden；　they　turned　fiercely　upon　them；　while　some　of　their　number　threw　open　the　sluices　of　the　Xenil。　　In　an　instant　the　canal　which　encircled　and　the　ditches　which　traversed　the　garden　were　filled　with　water；　and　the　valiant　bishop　and　his　followers　found　themselves　overwhelmed　by　a　deluge。*　　A　scene　of　great　confusion　succeeded。　　Some　of　the　men　of　Jaen；　stoutest　of　heart　and　hand；　fought　with　the　Moors　in　the　garden；　while　others　struggled　with　the　water；　endeavoring　to　escape　across　the　canal；　in　which　attempt　many　horses　were　drowned。

*Pulgar。


Fortunately；　the　duke　del　Infantado　perceived　the　snare　into　which　his　companions　had　fallen；　and　despatched　his　light　cavalry　to　their　assistance。　　The　Moors　were　compelled　to　flight；　and　driven　along　the　road　of　Elvira　up　to　the　gates　of　Granada。*　　Several　Christian　cavaliers　perished　in　this　affray；　the　bishop　himself　escaped　with　difficulty；　having　slipped　from　his　saddle　in　crossing　the　canal；　but　saving　himself　by　holding　on　to　the　tail　of　his　charger。　　This　perilous　achievement　seems　to　have　satisfied　the　good　bishop's　belligerent　propensities。　　He　retired　on　his　laurels　（says　Agapida）　to　his　city　of　Jaen；　where；　in　the　fruition　of　all　good　things；　he　gradually　waxed　too　corpulent　for　his　corselet；　which　was　hung　up　in　the　hall　of　his　episcopal　palace；　and　we　hear　no　more　of　his　military　deeds　throughout　the　residue　of　the　holy　war　of　Granada。**

*Pulgar。

**〃Don　Luis　Osorio　fue　obispo　de　Jaen　desde　el　ano　de　1483；　y　　presidio　in　esta。　　Iglesia　hasta　el　de　1496　in　que　murio　en　Flandes；　　a　donde　fue　acompanando　a　la　princesa　Dona　Juana；　esposa　del　　archiduque　Don　Felipe。〃〃Espana　Sagrada；〃　por　Fr。　M。　Risco；　tom。　　41；　trat。　77；　cap。　4。


King　Ferdinand；　having　completed　his　ravage　of　the　Vega　and　kept　El　Zagal　shut　up　in　his　capital；　conducted　his　army　back　through　the　Pass　of　Lope　to　rejoin　Queen　Isabella　at　Moclin。

The　fortresses　lately　taken　being　well　garrisoned　and　supplied；　he　gave　the　command　of　the　frontier　to　his　cousin；　Don　Fadrique　de　Toledo；　afterward　so　famous　in　the　Netherlands　as　the　duke　of　Alva。　The　campaign　being　thus　completely　crowned　with　success；　the　sovereigns　returned　in　triumph　to　the　city　of　Cordova。



CHAPTER　XLV。

ATTEMPT　OF　EL　ZAGAL　UPON　THE　LIFE　OF　BOABDIL；　AND　HOW　THE　　　　　LATTER　WAS　ROUSED　TO　ACTION。


No　sooner　did　the　last　squadron　of　Christian　cavalry　disappear　behind　the　mountains　of　Elvira　and　the　note　of　its　trumpets　die　away　upon　the　ear　than　the　long…suppressed　wrath　of　Muley　el　Zagal　burst　forth。　　He　determined　no　longer　to　be　half　a　king；　reigning　over　a　divided　kingdom　in　a　divided　capital；　but　to　exterminate　by　any　means；　fair　or　foul；　his　nephew　Boabdil　and　his　faction。　　He　turned　furiously　upon　those　whose　factious　conduct　had　deterred　him　from　sallying　upon　the　foe：　some　he　punished　by　confiscations；　others　by　banishment；　others　by　death。　　Once　undisputed　monarch　of　the　entire　kingdom；　he　trusted　to　his　military　skill　to　retrieve　his　fortunes　and　drive　the　Christians　over　the　frontier。

Boabdil；　however；　had　again　retired　to　Velez　el　Blanco；　on　the　confines　of　Murcia；　where　he　could　avail　himself；　in　case　of　emergency；　of　any　assistance　or　protection　afforded　him　by　the　policy　of　Ferdinand。　　His　defeat　had　blighted　his　reviving　fortunes；　for　the　people　considered　him　as　inevitably　doomed　to　misfortune。　Still；　while　he　lived　El　Zagal　knew　he　would　be　a　rallying…point　for　faction；　and　liable　at　any　moment　to　be　elevated　into　power　by　the　capricious　multitude。　　He　had　recourse；　therefore；　to　the　most　perfidious　means　to　compass　his　destruction。　　He　sent　ambassadors　to　him　representing　the　necessity　of　concord　for　the　salvation　of　the　kingdom；　and　even　offering　to　resign　the　title　of　king　and　to　become　subject　to　his　sway　on　receiving　some　estate　on　which　he　could　live　in　tranquil　retirement。　　But　while　the　ambassadors　bore　these　words　of　peace　they　were　furnished　with　poisoned　herbs；　which　they　were　to　administer　secretly　to　Boabdil；　and　if　they　failed　in　this　attempt　they　had　pledged　themselves　to　despatch　him　openly　while　engaged　in　conversation。　　They　were　instigated　to　this　treason　by　promises　of　great　reward；　and　by　assurances　from　the　alfaquis　that　Boabdil　was　an　apostate　whose　death　would　be　acceptable　to　Heaven。

The　young　monarch　was　secretly　apprised　of　the　concerted　treason；　and　refused　an　audience　to　the　ambassadors。　　He　denounced　his　uncle　as　the　murderer　of　his　father　and　his　kindred　and　the　usurper　of　his　throne；　and　vowed　never　to　relent　in　hostility　to　him　until　he　should　place　his　head　on　the　walls　of　the　Alhambra。

Open　war　again　broke　out　between　the　two　monarchs；　though　feebly　carried　on　in　consequence　of　their　mutual　embarrassments。　　Ferdinand　again　extended　his　assistance　to　Boabdil；　ordering　the　commanders　of　his　fortresses　to　aid　him　in　all　enterprises　against　his　uncle；　and　against　such　places　as　refused　to　acknowledge　him　as　king；　and　Don　Juan　de　Bonavides；　who　commanded　in　Lorca；　even　made　inroads　in　his　name　into　the　territories　of　Almeria；　Baza；　and　Guadix；　which　owned　allegiance　to　El　Zagal。

The　unfortunate　Boabdil　had　three　great　evils　to　contend　with　the　inconstancy　of　his　subjects；　the　hostility　of　his　uncle；　and　the　friendship　of　Ferdinand。　　The　last　was　by　far　the　most　baneful：　his　fortunes　withered　under　it。　　He　was　looked　upon　as　the　enemy　of　his　faith　and　of　his　country。　　The　cities　shut　their　gates　against　him；　the　people　cursed　him；　even　the　scanty　band　of　cavaliers　who　had　hitherto　followed　his　ill…starred　banner　began　to　desert　him；　for　he　had　not　wherewithal　to　reward　nor　even　to　support　them。　　His　spirits　sank　with　his　fortune；　and　he　feared　that　in　a　little　time　he　should　not　have　a　spot　of　earth　whereon　to　plant　his　standard　nor　an　adherent　to　rally　under　it。

In　the　midst　of　his　despondency　he　received　a　message　from　his　lion…hearted　mother；　the　sultana　Ayxa　la　Horra。　　It　was　brought　by　the　steadfast　adherent　to　their　fortunes；　Aben　Comixa。　　〃For　shame；''　said　she；　〃to　linger　timorously　about　the　borders　of　your　kingdom　when　a　usurper　is　seated　in　your　capital！　　Why　look　abroad　for　perfidious　aid　when　you　have　loyal　hearts　beating　true　to　you　in　Granada？　　The　Albaycin　is　ready　to　throw　open　its　gates　to　receive　you。　　Strike　home　vigorouslya　sudden　blow　may　mend　all　or　make　an　end。　　A　throne　or　a　grave！for　a　king　there　is　no　honorable　medium。〃

Boabdil　was　of　an　undecided　character；　but　there　are　circumstances　which　bring　the　most　wavering　to　a　decision；　and　when　once　resolved　they　are　apt　to　act　with　a　daring　impulse　unknown　to　steadier　judgments。　　The　message