chronicle of the conquest of granada-第61节

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*Pietro　Martyr；　Epist。　62。


Ruy　Lopez　de　Toledo；　treasurer　to　the　queen；　and　Juan　de　Belalcazar；　a　sturdy　friar；　who　were　present；　grappled　and　struggled　with　the　desperado；　and　immediately　the　guards　who　had　conducted　him　from　the　marques　de　Cadiz　fell　upon　him　and　cut　him　to　pieces。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios


The　king　and　queen；　brought　out　of　their　tents　by　the　noise；　were　filled　with　horror　when　they　learned　the　imminent　peril　from　which　they　had　escaped。　　The　mangled　body　of　the　Moor　was　taken　by　the　people　to　the　camp　and　thrown　into　the　city　from　a　catapult。　　The　Gomeres　gathered　up　the　body　with　deep　reverence　as　the　remains　of　a　saint；　they　washed　and　perfumed　it　and　buried　it　with　great　honor　and　loud　lamentations。　　In　revenge　of　his　death　they　slew　one　of　their　principal　Christian　captives；　and；　having　tied　his　body　upon　an　ass；　they　drove　the　animal　forth　into　the　camp。

From　this　time　there　was　appointed　an　additional　guard　around　the　tents　of　the　king　and　queen；　composed　of　four　hundred　cavaliers　of　rank　of　the　kingdoms　of　Castile　and　Aragon。　　No　person　was　admitted　to　the　royal　presence　armed；　no　Moor　was　allowed　to　enter　the　camp　without　a　previous　knowledge　of　his　character　and　business；　and　on　no　account　was　any　Moor　to　be　introduced　into　the　presence　of　the　sovereigns。

An　act　of　treachery　of　such　ferocious　nature　gave　rise　to　a　train　of　gloomy　apprehensions。　　There　were　many　cabins　and　sheds　about　the　camp　constructed　of　branches　of　trees　which　had　become　dry　and　combustible；　and　fears　were　entertained　that　they　might　be　set　on　fire　by　the　mudexares；　or　Moorish　vassals；　who　visited　the　army。　　Some　even　dreaded　that　attempts　might　be　made　to　poison　the　wells　and　fountains。　　To　quiet　these　dismal　alarms　all　mudexares　were　ordered　to　leave　the　camp；　and　all　loose；　idle　loiterers　who　could　not　give　a　good　account　of　themselves　were　taken　into　custody。



CHAPTER　LX。

HOW　HAMET　EL　ZEGRI　WAS　HARDENED　IN　HIS　OBSTINACY　BY　THE　　　　　ARTS　OF　A　MOORISH　ASTROLOGER。


Among　those　followers　of　the　santon　that　had　effected　their　entrance　into　the　city　was　a　dark　African　of　the　tribe　of　the　Gomeres；　who　was　likewise　a　hermit　or　dervise　and　passed　among　the　Moors　for　a　holy　and　inspired　man。　　No　sooner　were　the　mangled　remains　of　his　predecessor　buried　with　the　honors　of　martyrdom　than　this　dervise　elevated　himself　in　his　place　and　professed　to　be　gifted　with　the　spirit　of　prophecy。　　He　displayed　a　white　banner；　which　he　assured　the　Moors　was　sacred；　that　he　had　retained　it　for　twenty　years　for　some　signal　purpose；　and　that　Allah　had　revealed　to　him　that　under　that　banner　the　inhabitants　of　Malaga　should　sally　forth　upon　the　camp　of　the　unbelievers；　put　it　to　utter　rout；　and　banquet　upon　the　provisions　in　which　it　abounded。*　　The　hungry　and　credulous　Moors　were　elated　at　this　prediction；　and　cried　out　to　be　led　forth　at　once　to　the　attack；　but　the　dervise　told　them　the　time　was　not　yet　arrived；　for　every　event　had　its　allotted　day　in　the　decrees　of　fate：　they　must　wait　patiently；　therefore；　until　the　appointed　time　should　be　revealed　to　him　by　Heaven。　　Hamet　el　Zegri　listened　to　the　dervise　with　profound　reverence；　and　his　example　had　great　effect　in　increasing　the　awe　and　deference　of　his　followers。　　He　took　the　holy　man　up　into　his　stronghold　of　Gibralfaro；　consulted　him　on　all　occasions；　and　hung　out　his　white　banner　on　the　loftiest　tower　as　a　signal　of　encouragement　to　the　people　of　the　city。

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　84。


In　the　mean　time；　the　prime　chivalry　of　Spain　was　gradually　assembling　before　the　walls　of　Malaga。　　The　army　which　had　commenced　the　siege　had　been　worn　out　by　extreme　hardships；　having　had　to　construct　immense　works；　to　dig　trenches　and　mines；　to　mount　guard　by　sea　and　land；　to　patrol　the　mountains；　and　to　sustain　incessant　conflicts。　The　sovereigns　were　obliged；　therefore；　to　call　upon　various　distant　cities　for　reinforcements　of　horse　and　foot。　　Many　nobles　also　assembled　their　vassals　and　repaired　of　their　own　accord　to　the　royal　camp。

Every　little　while　some　stately　galley　or　gallant　caravel　would　stand　into　the　harbor；　displaying　the　well…known　banner　of　some　Spanish　cavalier　and　thundering　from　its　artillery　a　salutation　to　the　sovereigns　and　a　defiance　to　the　Moors。　　On　the　land　side　also　reinforcements　would　be　seen　winding　down　from　the　mountains　to　the　sound　of　drum　and　trumpet；　and　marching　into　the　camp　with　glistening　arms　as　yet　unsullied　by　the　toils　of　war。

One　morning　the　whole　sea　was　whitened　by　the　sails　and　vexed　by　the　oars　of　ships　and　galleys　bearing　toward　the　port。　　One　hundred　vessels　of　various　kinds　and　sizes　arrived；　some　armed　for　warlike　service；　others　deep　freighted　with　provisions。　　At　the　same　time　the　clangor　of　drum　and　trumpet　bespoke　the　arrival　of　a　powerful　force　by　land；　which　came　pouring　in　lengthening　columns　into　the　camp。　This　mighty　reinforcement　was　furnished　by　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia；　who　reigned　like　a　petty　monarch　over　his　vast　possessions。　He　came　with　this　princely　force　a　volunteer　to　the　royal　standard；　not　having　been　summoned　by　the　sovereigns；　and　he　brought；　moreover；　a　loan　of　twenty　thousand　doblas　of　gold。

When　the　camp　was　thus　powerfully　reinforced　Isabella　advised　that　new　offers　of　an　indulgent　kind　should　be　made　to　the　inhabitants；　for　she　was　anxious　to　prevent　the　miseries　of　a　protracted　siege　or　the　effusion　of　blood　that　must　attend　a　general　attack。　　A　fresh　summons　was　therefore　sent　for　the　city　to　surrender；　with　a　promise　of　life；　liberty；　and　property　in　case　of　immediate　compliance；　but　denouncing　all　the　horrors　of　war　if　the　defence　were　obstinately　continued。

Hamet　again　rejected　the　offer　with　scorn。　　His　main　fortifications　as　yet　were　but　little　impaired；　and　were　capable　of　holding　out　much　longer；　he　trusted　to　the　thousand　evils　and　accidents　that　beset　a　besieging　army　and　to　the　inclemencies　of　the　approaching　season；　and　it　is　said　that　he；　as　well　as　his　followers；　had　an　infatuated　belief　in　the　predictions　of　the　dervise。

The　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　does　not　scruple　to　affirm　that　the　pretended　prophet　of　the　city　was　an　arch　nigromancer；　or　Moorish　magician；　〃of　which　there　be　countless　many；〃　says　he；　〃in　the　filthy　sect　of　Mahomet；〃　and　that　he　was　leagued　with　the　prince　of　the　powers　of　the　air　to　endeavor　to　work　the　confusion　and　defeat　of　the　Christian　army。　　The　worthy　father　asserts　also　that　Hamet　employed　him　in　a　high　tower　of　the　Gibralfaro；　which　commanded　a　wide　view　over　sea　and　land；　where　he　wrought　spells　and　incantations　with　astrolabes　and　other　diabolical　instruments　to　defeat　the　Christian　ships　and　forces　whenever　they　were　engaged　with　the　Moors。

To　the　potent　spells　of　this　sorcerer　he　ascribes　the　perils　and　losses　sustained　by　a　party　of　cavaliers　of　the　royal　household　in　a　desperate　combat　to　gain　two　towers　of　the　suburb　near　the　gate　of　the　city　called　la　Puerto　de　Granada。　　The　Christians；　led　on　by　Ruy　Lopez　de　Toledo；　the　valiant　treasurer　of　the　queen；　took　and　lost　and　retook　the　towers；　which　were　finally　set　on　fire　by　the　Moors　and　abandoned　to　the　flames　by　both　parties。　　To　the　same　malignant　influence　he　attributes　the　damage　done　to　the　Christian　fleet；　which　was　so　vigorously　assailed　by　the　albatozas；　or　floating　batteries；　of　the　Moors　that　one　ship；　belonging　to　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia；　was　sunk　and　the　rest　were　obliged　to　retire。

〃Hamet　el　Zegri；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃stood　on　the　top　of　the　high　tower　of　Gibralfaro　and　beheld　this　injury　wrought　upon　the　Christian　force；　and　his　proud　heart　was　puffed　up。　　And　the　Moorish　nigromancer　stood　beside　him。　　And　he　pointed　out　to　him　the　Christian　host　below；　encamped　on　every　eminence　around　the　city　and　covering　its　fertile　valley；　and　the　many　ships　floating　upon　the　tranquil　sea；　and　he　bade　him　be　strong　of　heart；　for　that　in　a　few　days　all　this　mighty　fleet　would　be　scattered　by　the　winds　of　heaven；　and　that　he　should　sally　forth　under　the　guidance　of　the　sacred　banner　and　attack　this　host；　and　utterly　defeat　it；　and　make　spoil　of　those　sumptuous　tents；　and　Malaga　should　be　triumphantly　revenged　upon　her　assailants。　　So　the　heart　of　Hamet　was　hardened　like　that　of　Pharaoh；　and　he　persisted　in　setting　at　defiance　the　Catholic　sovereigns　and　their　army　of　saintly　warriors。〃



CHAPTER　LXI。

SIEGE　OF　MALAGA　CONTINUED。DESTRUCTION　OF　A　TOWER　BY　　　　　FRANCISCO　RAMIREZ　DE　MADRID。


Seeing　the　infatuated　obstinacy　of　the　besieged；　the　Christians　now　approached　their　works　to　the　walls；　gaining　one　position　after　another　preparatory　to　a　general　assault。　　Near　the　barrier　of　the　city　was　a　bridge　with　four　arches；　defended　at　each　end　by　a　strong　and　lofty　tower；　by　which　a　part　of　the　army　would　have　to　pass　in　making　an　attack。　　The　commander…in…chief　of　the　artillery；　Francisco　Ramirez　de　Madrid；　was　ordered　to　take　possession　of　this　bridge。　The　approach　to　it　was　perilous　in　the　extreme；　from　the　exposed　situation　of　the　assailants　and　the　number　of　Moors　that　garrisoned　the　towers。　　Francisco　Ramirez　therefore　secretly　excavated　a　mine　leading　beneath　the　first　tower；　and　placed　a　piece　of　ordnance　with　its　mouth　upward　immediately　under　the