chronicle of the conquest of granada-第65章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tulating　or　should　hold　any　communication　with　the　Christians　should　be　put　to　death。　　The　Gomeres；　like　true　men　of　the　sword；　acted　upon　the　menace　of　their　chieftain　as　upon　a　written　law；　and；　having　detected　several　of　the　inhabitants　in　secret　correspondence　with　the　enemy；　set　upon　and　slew　them　and　confiscated　their　effects。　　This　struck　such　terror　into　the　citizens　that　those　who　had　been　loudest　in　their　murmurs　became　suddenly　mute；　and　were　remarked　as　evincing　the　greatest　bustle　and　alacrity　in　the　defence　of　the　city。

When　the　messenger　returned　to　the　camp　and　reported　the　contemptuous　reception　of　the　royal　message；　King　Ferdinand　was　exceedingly　indignant。　　Finding　the　cessation　of　firing　on　the　queen's　arrival　had　encouraged　a　belief　among　the　enemy　that　there　was　a　scarcity　of　powder　in　the　camp；　he　ordered　a　general　discharge　from　all　the　batteries。　　The　sudden　burst　of　war　from　every　quarter　soon　convinced　the　Moors　of　their　error　and　completed　the　confusion　of　the　citizens；　who　knew　not　which　most　to　dread；　their　assailants　or　their　defenders；　the　Christians　or　the　Gomeres。

That　evening　the　sovereigns　visited　the　encampment　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　which　commanded　a　view　over　a　great　part　of　the　city；　the　camp；　and　the　sea　with　its　flotillas。　　The　tent　of　the　marques　was　of　great　magnitude；　furnished　with　hangings　of　rich　brocade　and　French　cloth　of　the　rarest　texture。　　It　was　in　the　Oriental　style；　and；　as　it　crowned　the　height；　with　the　surrounding　tents　of　other　cavaliers；　all　sumptuously　furnished；　presented　a　gay　and　silken　contrast　to　the　opposite　towers　of　Gibralfaro。　　Here　a　splendid　collation　was　served　up　to　the　sovereigns；　and　the　courtly　revel　that　prevailed　in　this　chivalrous　encampment；　the　glitter　of　pageantry；　and　the　bursts　of　festive　music　made　more　striking　the　gloom　and　silence　that　reigned　over　the　Moorish　castle。

The　marques　of　Cadiz　while　it　was　yet　light　conducted　his　royal　visitors　to　every　point　that　commanded　a　view　of　the　warlike　scene　below。　　He　caused　the　heavy　lombards　also　to　be　discharged；　that　the　queen　and　ladies　of　the　court　might　witness　the　effect　of　those　tremendous　engines。　　The　fair　dames　were　filled　with　awe　and　admiration　as　the　mountain　shook　beneath　their　feet　with　the　thunder　of　the　artillery　and　they　beheld　great　fragments　of　the　Moorish　walls　tumbling　down　the　rocks　and　precipices。

While　the　good　marques　was　displaying　these　things　to　his　royal　guests　he　lifted　up　his　eyes；　and　to　his　astonishment　beheld　his　own　banner　hanging　out　from　the　nearest　tower　of　Gibralfaro。　　The　blood　mantled　in　his　cheek；　for　it　was　a　banner　which　he　had　lost　at　the　time　of　the　memorable　massacre　of　the　heights　of　Malaga。*　　To　make　this　taunt　more　evident；　several　of　the　Gomeres　displayed　themselves　upon　the　battlements　arrayed　in　the　helmets　and　cuirasses　of　some　of　the　cavaliers　slain　or　captured　on　that　occasion。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　restrained　his　indignation　and　held　his　peace；　but　several　of；　his　cavaliers　vowed　loudly　to　revenge　this　cruel　bravado　on　the　ferocious　garrison　of　Gibralfaro。

*Diego　de　Valera；　Cronica；　MS。



CHAPTER　LVI。

ATTACK　OF　THE　MARQUES　OF　CADIZ　UPON　GIBRALFARO。


The　marques　of　Cadiz　was　not　a　cavalier　that　readily　forgave　an　injury　or　an　insult。　　On　the　morning　after　the　royal　banquet　his　batteries　opened　a　tremendous　fire　upon　Gibralfaro。　　All　day　the　encampment　was　wrapped　in　wreaths　of　smoke；　nor　did　the　assault　cease　with　the　day；　but　throughout　the　night　there　was　an　incessant　flashing　and　thundering　of　the　lombards；　and　the　following　morning　the　assault　rather　increased　than　slackened　in　fury。　　The　Moorish　bulwarks　were　no　proof　against　those　formidable　engines。　　　In　a　few　days　the　lofty　tower　on　which　the　taunting　banner　had　been　displayed　was　shattered；　a　smaller　tower　in　its　vicinity　reduced　to　ruins；　and　a　great　breach　made　in　the　intervening　walls。

Several　of　the　hot…spirited　cavaliers　were　eager　for　storming　the　breach　sword　in　hand；　others；　more　cool　and　wary；　pointed　out　the　rashness　of　such　an　attempt；　for　the　Moors　had　worked　indefatigably　in　the　night；　they　had　digged　a　deep　ditch　within　the　breach；　and　had　fortified　it　with　palisadoes　and　a　high　breastwork。　　All；　however；　agreed　that　the　camp　might　safely　be　advanced　near　to　the　ruined　walls；　and　that　it　ought　to　be　done　in　return　for　the　insolent　defiance　of　the　enemy。

The　marques　of　Cadiz　felt　the　temerity　of　the　measure；　but　was　unwilling　to　dampen　the　zeal　of　these　high…spirited　cavaliers；　and；　having　chosen　the　post　of　danger　in　the　camp；　it　did　not　become　him　to　decline　any　service　merely　because　it　might　appear　perilous。　　He　ordered　his　outposts；　therefore；　to　be　advanced　within　a　stone's…　throw　of　the　breach；　but　exhorted　the　soldiers　to　maintain　the　utmost　vigilance。

The　thunder　of　the　batteries　had　ceased；　the　troops；　exhausted　by　two　nights'　fatigue　and　watchfulness；　and　apprehending　no　danger　from　the　dismantled　walls；　were　half　of　them　asleep；　the　rest　were　scattered　about　in　negligent　security。　　On　a　sudden　upward　of　two　thousand　Moors　sallied　forth　from　the　castle；　led　on　by　Ibrahim　Zenete；　the　principal　captain　under　Hamet。　They　fell　with　fearful　havoc　upon　the　advanced　guard；　slaying　many　of　them　in　their　sleep　and　putting　the　rest　to　headlong　flight。

The　marques　was　in　his　tent；　about　a　bow…shot　distant；　when　he　heard　the　tumult　of　the　onset　and　beheld　his　men　dying　in　confusion。　He　rushed　forth；　followed　by　his　standard…bearer。　　〃Turn　again；　cavaliers！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃I　am　here；　Ponce　de　Leon！　　To　the　foe！　to　the　foe！〃　　The　flying　troops　stopped　at　hearing　his　well…known　voice；　rallied　under　his　banner；　and　turned　upon　the　enemy。　　The　encampment　by　this　time　was　roused；　several　cavaliers　from　the　adjoining　stations　had　hastened　to　the　scene　of　action；　with　a　number　of　Galicians　and　soldiers　of　the　Holy　Brotherhood。　　An　obstinate　and　bloody　contest　ensued；　the　ruggedness　of　the　place；　the　rocks；　chasms；　and　declivities　broke　it　into　numerous　combats：　Christian　and　Moor　fought　hand　to　hand　with　swords　and　daggers；　and　often；　grappling　and　struggling；　rolled　together　down　the　precipices。

The　banner　of　the　marques　was　in　danger　of　being　taken：　he　hastened　to　its　rescue；　followed　by　some　of　his　bravest　cavaliers。　　They　were　surrounded　by　the　enemy；　and　several　of　them　cut　down。　　Don　Diego　Ponce　de　Leon；　brother　to　the　marques；　was　wounded　by　an　arrow；　and　his　son…in…law；　Luis　Ponce；　was　likewise　wounded：　they　succeeded；　however；　in　rescuing　the　banner　and　bearing　it　off　in　safety。　　The　battle　lasted　for　an　hour；　the　height　was　covered　with　killed　and　wounded　and　the　blood　flowed　in　streams　down　the　rocks；　at　length；　Ibrahim　Zenete　being　disabled　by　the　thrust　of　a　lance；　the　Moors　gave　way　and　retreated　to　the　castle。

They　now　opened　a　galling　fire　from　their　battlements　and　towers；　approaching　the　breaches　so　as　to　discharge　their　crossbows　and　arquebuses　into　the　advanced　guard　of　the　encampment。　　The　marques　was　singled　out：　the　shot　fell　thick　about　him；　and　one　passed　through　his　buckler　and　struck　upon　his　cuirass；　but　without　doing　him　any　injury。　　Every　one　now　saw　the　danger　and　inutility　of　approaching　the　camp　thus　near　to　the　castle；　and　those　who　had　counselled　it　were　now　urgent　that　it　should　be　withdrawn。　　It　was　accordingly　removed　back　to　its　original　ground；　from　which　the　marques　had　most　reluctantly　advanced　it。　　Nothing　but　his　valor　and　timely　aid　had　prevented　this　attack　on　his　outpost　from　ending　in　a　total　rout　of　all　that　part　of　the　army。

Many　cavaliers　of　distinction　fell　in　this　contest；　but　the　loss　of　none　was　felt　more　deeply　than　that　of　Ortega　del　Prado；　captain　of　escaladors。　　He　was　one　of　the　bravest　men　in　the　service；　the　same　who　had　devised　the　first　successful　blow　of　the　war；　the　storming　of　Alhama；　where　he　was　the　first　to　plant　and　mount　the　scaling…　ladders。　　He　had　always　been　high　in　the　favor　and　confidence　of　the　noble　Ponce　de　Leon；　who　knew　how　to　appreciate　and　avail　himself　of　the　merits　of　all　able　and　valiant　men。*

*Zurita；　Mariana；　Abarca。



CHAPTER　LVII。

SIEGE　OF　MALAGIA　CONTINUED。STRATAGEMS　OF　VARIOUS　KINDS。


Great　were　the　exertions　now　made；　both　by　the