receiv'd them as well as they could wish and had them lodg'd and treated with all their Train and all the Souldiers they had brought along with them Tariff in a few days after his arrival had a long audience of Almanzor in which after having given him an account of all he had done for his service he promis'd him That if he would do him the honour to send him back into Spain and rely upon him for the Conquest of so great a Country he would subdue it in a little time to his Obedience The Confidence with which this great Captain spoke had so mnch power over Almanzor's mind that he immediately caus'd his Council to assemble with it still more particularly to examine all the Difficulties that might be met with in so great an Enterprize and all the means he propos'd to bring it about Whereupon this affair having been agitated with mature deliberation and accordingly reported to the Emperour and debated anew again in his presence At last the Conquest of Spain was resolv'd on and the rumour of the Declaration of War against the King Don Rodrigo spread immediately throughout the whole extent of the Caliph's Empire Tariff who had already exerted his Valour as well as his Conduct in other occasions wherein he had acquir'd Almanzor's esteem and that of all the Arabians knowing the Country better than any man and having entred into strict Engagements with Count Julian it would have been both injustice and imprudence to have taken from him the Command of the Army For which reason he was at the same time nominated General and these are the Letters Patents that were issued out to that intent Letters Patents Praise be to God alone Amen THe Great and Warlike Valid Almanzor of the high Lineage of Motaleb Vicar of God and the Defender of his Law Son of the most High and most Noble Caliph and potent Ruler of all the Arabick Nation Abdulmeleck to all those who shall these present Letters see Greeting We for certain confiderations and just causes us thereunto moving having Ordered as We Order by these presents the Conquest of the Western Kingdoms that are possess'd by the King Don Rodrigo a Christian by Profession our Capital Enemy by reason of the great profit which will redound thence to our Subjects and the augmentation which will thence accrue to our Empire We have resolved to nominate and chuse as We chuse and nominate by these presents for Governour and Captain General in all those Countrys the Noble the Virtuous Honoured and Renowned Captain our Vassal and Faithful Servant Tariff Abenriet whom for this purpose We empower to go with the Troops We shall cause to be given him into the Territories of Spain and there execute the Orders that we shall cause to be expedited to him and do all that to him shall seem fitting for the accomplishment of our Will without his needing to stay for new Orders from Vs on that acconnt We enjoyn all Governours of Places Officers and Souldiers as well those he shall lead into his Army as those of all our Realms that they obey him and execute his Commands as well by Sea as by Land as if they were issued out immediately from us and Sealed with our own Seal and Sign'd by our own Hand Giving him for this purpose Power and Authority sufficient to give them and expedite them under the penalties he shall please to establish and which he may cause to be Executed as Soveraign Judge upon the Persons and Estates of those as shall Countervene them and shall be Rebels to our Commands which We have encharg'd him to accomplish and execute in the entire Confidence we have in him For such is our Pleasure Given in our High Presence in our Palace Royal of Carval in Arabia Foelix in the 22 of the Moon Dulchisa in the year 92. Almanzor had still another Captain a Greek and Renegado called Hiza Humani in whose Valour he had much Confidence He gave him the Command of the Troops he caused to be rais'd in the East of which he quickly made a Body of thirty thousand good Men and well Armed At the same time he fitted out a great number of Ships wherein he put not only all sorts of Ammunition but a great abundance of Arms Tools and Instruments of War And as soon as this Fleet was ready he Shipp'd all the Forces and caus'd it to depart on the thirteenth of the Moon of Inmod and the second day of the year 93. This Prince not content with these great preparations imagin'd that as it was a War of Religion he was going to undertake it was convenient to assemble all the Mahometan Forces For which reason he dispatch'd a Man away on purpose to the King of Thunis his Ally to impart to him his Design and represent to him the great advantages he might derive from the Conquest of Spain conjuring him to come and joyn him and succour him as soon as possible with what Foot and Horse he could assemble This Envoy having put himself into a Felucca was not long on his Voyage and met with a most welcome Reception from the King of Thunis who express'd much Joy to see by Avilgalit's Letter and by his Envoys discourse that he would make use of him in this occasion He caus'd the Drum immediately to be beat throughout all his Kingdom and in a short space levied an Army of thirty thousand Foot and three thousand Horse the Command of which he would needs give to Prince Mahomet-Gilhair his second Son What troubled him most was the few Ships he had in a readiness to put to Sea as not being prepar'd for so great an Embarkment For which reason he was oblig'd to cause all these Troops to wait in a Body till the arrival of Merchant Ships wherein he caus'd them to embark and at last weigh'd Anchor on the 2 of the Moon of Sanguel in the same year 93. These two great Armies being arriv'd on the Coast of Africa Muca who waited for them there after having held a Council of War with all the General Officers found they needed some days refreshment after the fatigue of the Sea For which reason all the Troops were brought on shoar and that the time they might spend in refreshing themselves might not be lost Tariff and Count Julian were sent before with a small Body to make a Descent into Spain and enquire into the state things were in since their Departure thence and what Forces the King D. Rodrigo might have on foot The Troops they chose for this Expedition were to the number of six thousand Foot as well Moors as Julianist Christians and about three hundred Horse With these they cross'd the Streight of Gilbralter and having found a Mountain by the Sea-side fitting to Encamp the few Troops they had Tariff gave it his own Name as being the first place where he began to establish himself Since the first entrance of the Moors Rodrigo
Africa that was known at that time and whose Generals having reduc'd Spain in subjection to him could hardly curb themselves from passing the Pyrenees and undertaking the Conquest of France before they had received orders from their Master for that purpose Yet do not our Historians so much as agree upon this mighty Princes Name of the time when he Reigned nor of the Year when the Moors pass'd the Streight But the Principal cause of our little acquaintance with this and other the Histories of the Eastern Princes is the Ignorance of the Arabick Persian Turkish and Mauritanick Languages which hinders us from being so Critical as to know the good from bad Books written in those Tongues and the difficulty there is not only in understanding them aright but in reading them also aright insomuch that after many Years Study few People but do at length desist VVherefore we must needs own our selves the more indebted to Michael de Luna for having taken the pains to Translate Abulcacim's VVorks into Spanish since this single History may stand in Competition with all those of the Greeks and Romans And indeed the Circumstances of the Conquest of Spain by the Moors in the Year 712 of our Lord are so curious and the Life of the Caliph Almanzor under whom this great Event happen'd so fine that Abulcacim Abentari who accompany'd Tariff and Muca throughout that whole Expedition may be said to Challenge more Credit than Arrian who only writ after the Memoires of Ptolomy and Aristobulus who attended Alexander in his and that he has all the Qualifications necessary to merit the Character of the most perfect of Historians Now to shew the Authentickness of the Arabick Original and the Spanish Version many of the most Eminent Spanish Authors as Pedrasa Rodrigo Caro Bleda and others Quote and Commend Abulcacim Tariff as an Author the most worthy of Credit they knew And as for Michael de Luna his Translator as he was a Citizen of Grenada whence the Moors had not been long driven he could know by Tradition many things that had relation to this History And in all probability having been chosen by Philip the Second to be Interpreter of the Arabick Tongue and having doubtless had a great part in the Scrutiny made after Arabick Books that compos'd the greatest part of the Escurial Library he must have seen and examin'd all those that speak of the same subject and that he would not have chosen it to have given it to the Publick if he had not judg'd it more worthy of it than all the rest VVe shall not descend to justifie this History particularly referring that to the Dissertation in the second Volume wherein it is compar'd and put to the Test with the most Authentick Oriental Manuscripts Besides we have been but too rude already in detaining thee so long when the Entrance is so alluring History is the Mistress of all Mankind a Mistress that Refines and Diverts the Ingenious new Polishes the gross and uncouth and has Reformed me and so out of Gratitude my Darling But through an over-great Publick Spirit I could no longer deny the English VVorld the Possession of so Ravishing a Mistress and so have ground to hope that this piece of Generosity will meet with such a due Acceptance as may quicken me to hasten out the next and indeed more entertaining Volume And so Farewel A TABLE Of the Chapters contained in the First Part. PART I. Containing the Life of Don Rodrigo King of Spain The Conquest of that Kingdom under the Caliph Valid Almanzor And the Wars which his Death occasion'd in Africa in Europe and Asia between his Children and his Generals Chap. 1. A Nagilda King Acosta's Widdow withdraws with the Prince her Son to Cordoua Rodrigo invites her to bring him back to Court to assist at a Festival She goes thither and departs thence forthwith pag. 1 Chap. 2. Rodrigo causes the Prince Don Sancho to be taken into Custody His Mother frees him out of Prison and goes with him into Africa 7 The Letter of Queen Anagilda the Prince Don Sancho's Mother to the King D. Rodrigo 11 Chap. 3. Rodrigo causes most of the Fortresses of his Kingdom to be dismantled and commits several Violences that make him incur the anger of God 19 Chap. 4. Rodrigo falls in love with Florinda call'd La Caux by the Arabs She signifies to Count Julian her Father then in Africa the violence done her by this Prince 25 Florinda's Letter to Count Julian her Father 27 Chap. 5. Count Julian being throughly inform'd of the outrage done to his Danghter resolv'd to be Reveng'd and to deliver Spain to the Moors 30 Muca's Letter to Valid Almanzor 32 Almanzor's Letter to Muca 35 Chap. 6. Rodrigo enters a Cave that was at the Gates of Toledo and thinking to find Treasures therein finds only Presages of the loss of Spain 38 Chap. 7. Muca sends Tariff and Count Julian into Arabia to give an account to Almanzor of the success of the Voyage they had made into Spain 46 Almanzor's Letters Patents 49 A Prediction made by a Religious 55 Chap. 8. Great Preparations for War made by Rodrigo in all the parts of his Dominions 59 Chap. 9. Muca passes into Spain and joins with Tariff Rodrigo puts himself at the head of his Army gives them Battel and loses it 64 Chap. 10. General Tariff causes search to be made through all the Country for D. Rodrigo and promises great rewards to whom ever shall deliver him dead or alive into his hands 72 Chap. 11. The Amours of Mahomet Gilhair with the Queen who induces him to turn Christian and then Marries him 76 Chap. 12. Tariff makes himself master of the Province of Grenada and of the Snowy Mountains call'd by the Spaniards of the Sun and of the Air. 84 Chap. 13. The Conquests of Muca and his return to Cordoua 91 Chap. 14. The Conjunction of the two Generals and their entrance into Castile 103 Chap. 15. The March of the two Generals towards Valentia and Murtia and their Return to Cordoua 109 Chap. 16. The Order that Tariff left in Spain before his Departure thence 113 A Letter from King Pelage to General Tariff Abenziet 120 A Letter from Tariff Abenziet to Caliph Valid Almanzor Emperour of the Moors 122 Chap. 17. Pelage takes the City of Gixa from the Moors and burns it 125 Chap. 18. The Vnhappy end of Count Julian of the Countess his Wife and of Florinda his Daughter 131 Chap. 19. Muca being vex'd that Almanzor did not send for him as well as Tariff dispatches his Brother to him with the description of all Spain 136 A Letter from Muca Vice-roy of Africa to Caliph Almanzor Emperour of the Arabians 138 A Letter from Valid Almanzor to the King of Thunis 145 The King of Thunis's Answer 147 Chap. 20. Adilbar goes to invest the City of Hispalis with his Army but is constrain'd to raise the Siege and return to Cordoua 149 Chap. 21. Adilbar makes
Dust again and that when after thy Death thou shalt appear before his Tribunal thou wilt only carry along with thee thither the Good and Evil thou hast done in this Life I Challenge thee in his Name and summons thee to restore the Crown to whom it belongs and to rest satisfy'd with thy Condition If thou dost not do it assure thy self that though I am a Woman and weak by Consequence Truth shall strengthen me and make me triumph with the help of God over all thy Artifices that will all vanish into smoak The Innocence of my Son as well as my own will be Chains of Iron which all thy efforts can never break and the Calumny and Treason wherein thou wouldst involve us will last no longer than threds of rotten Flax whereas the justice of my Cause being firm and stable as Marble will appear in the Eyes of all the World as clear and as pure as Cristal It is easie for thee to judge of the little reason thou hast by the little help Heaven gives thee Thou sendest to take an Innocent with a Troop of Guards as if he had been a Malefactor God has broke those bonds and if thou doubtst it thou needest only to see the Nose and Ears of him to whom thou gavest thy Commission for that purpose who will inform thee whether thou or we have the best Right I will put an end to my Letter but take this along That I am not at all resolv'd to put an end to either my Cares or my Endeavours against thee from which on the contrary I will never desist till such time as that I am fully Reveng'd From the Algesires on the 23 day of January in the year 750 of the aera of Caesar The Superscription of the Pacquet was to D. Rodrigo the Tyrant and Vsurper of D. Sancho his Nephews Kingdom Rodrigo in the mean while thinking he had taken his measures aright flatter'd himself with the hopes of suddenly seeing that Prisoner arrive whom he had so great a longing to rid himself of but strangely was he surpriz'd when he saw his dear Astolpho come all disfigur'd as he was disclaiming against and cursing his ill fortune He was much more so when having ask'd him Who had put him into that condition He acquainted him how that having taken Don Sancho and bringing him along towards Toledo the Queen his Mother issued out of Cordoua with abundance of Horse and Foot and had us'd such expedition that she had overtaken him on the way had cut all his Party to pieces whatever resistance he had been able to make to endeavour to hinder her from rescuing his Prisoner from him and that she would doubtless have put him to Death as well as the rest had she not thought fit to reserve him to carry him this Letter which he did not expect would be over welcome The King after having taken it ask'd what was become of Anagilda and her Son And he having reply'd That they had taken Shipping for Africa he was so sorely griev'd that his Affliction had like to have made him run mad He went and shut himself up in his Closet that he might so with the more freedom give a loose to the vexation he had for the unhappy event of his Enterprize He could not then forbear opening the Queens Letter and as Truth has great force he felt in that moment some Repentance for what he had done But Ambition being the ruling Passion of his Soul the remorse of his Conscience did not trouble him so much as the fear he had lest Anagilda should go demand succours of the Moors against him This made him send in all haste for Count Julian to whom belong'd the Castle of the Algesires where she had resided for some time before she went into Africa that he might by him discover the intention of her Journey into those parts This Count being come to Court and having assured the King that she went away with a Resolution to prevail with the Moors to wage War upon him he resolv'd to send this Count into Africa to endeavour to divert this Storm and to procure the better welcom for his Letters to Muca who was then Vice-roy for the Caliph Valid-Almanzor he accompany'd them with a world of Presents and made him the offer of entring into a Treaty of Alliance with his Master Anagilda in the mean while falling sick through Grief rather than fatigue was oblig'd to stay for for some time at a City of Africa call'd Tangier by which means Count Julian had seen the Vice-roy and presented him with the Jewels sent him by Rodrigo before he had heard talk of her Muca receiv'd him with much Honour and after having treated him several times in a House he had caus'd to be prepar'd for that purpose he made him answer That he could not of his own head resolve upon any thing of what Rodrigo required but that if he would stay some time he would write to the Caliph Almanzor who would undoubtedly receive in due manner the advances of so great a King and would do all that should be most fitting and most suitable for both During these Transactions Rodrigo receiv'd Tydings that Anagilda and D. Sancho were both dead at Tangier which inspir'd him with mighty Joy seeing himself at the point he had so long wish'd to be at and believing he had now nothing more at all to fear He nevertheless imagin'd that the Amity of the Moors might be of some use to him For which reason he wrote to Count Julian that notwithstanding the Prince's Death he should nevertheless remain in Africa to wait the event of his Embassy After having taken these Precautions for abroad his thoughts were now only bent how to secure all things at home where were still some Princes that might dispute the Crown with him He caus'd the States to be held at Toledo where D. Sancho's Death being made known he caus'd an Oath of Allegiance to be taken to him by all the Grandees there assembled as Don Sancho's Lawful Successor to the Crown He had likewise his Coronation perform'd in great Ceremony and with all the rejoycing that is wont to be us'd in such like solemnities But in the midst of all this Joy could not he refrain from labouring under some Disquiet and to free himself wholly from it and to put himself into a posture that he should not need to dread any thing from any of the Grandees or any of his Subjects the only People he imagin'd he needed to fear having learnt the good success of the African Negotiation he bethought himself of expedients whereof mention shall be made in the following Chapter CHAP. III. Rodrigo causes most of the Fortresses of his Kingdom to be dismantled and commits several Violences that make him incur the anger of God IT is very true and Men have daily but too much Experience of it that having once believ'd Fortune propitious we ought not to