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
Army Tariff who hitherto had not found any obstacle in his Conquests no not even in the City of Grenada where he expected to have met with some resistance confided in his wonted success and the Resolution of his Souldiers and imagin'd that this little corner of Earth being only defended by Bumpkins would not hold out longer than the other Places where he had pass'd But when he was at a great Ravine making a Torrent that falls into a River which the Christians call Auzeva being oblig'd to stop there about midnight the Peasants came and attack'd his Camp with so much fury that he was forced to abandon it after having there lost four thousand Foot and some Horse On the morrow being enrag'd to have been thus beaten by Bumpkins he resolved to be Reveng'd on 'em and to attack 'em as he did in the same place But the Christians defended themselves with as much vigour as the day before and without losing hardly one of their side they kill'd fifteen hundred more of his Men. What enrag'd him most was the difficulty of the Country where the Cavalry wherein consisted his greatest strength could not penetrate whereas these Peasants from the advantageous Posts they possess'd made a great slaughter of his Men without his being able to come at them Whereupon he was upon the point of desisting from his Enterprize where he only lost time and Souldiers and to carry his Arms elsewhere when that one of those Mountainers call'd Fandino to secure a little Estate he had in that Canton came and shew'd him a place by which he might come and enter with the Horse into the heart of the Country and easily subdue it The General was overjoy'd and having ask'd this Peasant a thousand Questions to which he made pertinent answers by his advice he drew off his Troops four miles from the place where they lay and having given order to his Fleet to draw near that Coast he detach'd one of his most Valiant Captains call'd Abraham Abuxarra with ten thousand Foot and four hundred Horse to a place call'd Xat by the Arabs where he Shipp'd him with all his Men and Fandino whom he sent along to serve him for his Guide Abraham was not long before he arriv'd at a Town upon the Eastern Coast of Spain by the Christians call'd Adrada and in good order entred the heart of the Country pillaging and laying all waste The Christians had no Cavalry and expected no succours seeing themselves shut up on all sides Abuxarra attacking them behind while Tariff beat them before yet made not any movement by which we could perceive the Extremity they were reduc'd to But after being assembled to see what course was best for them to take they resolv'd to send to demand a Truce for fifteen days of Tariff that so they mighr have time to concert with him the Conditions on which they were willing to surrender Tariff having immediately accepted the offers they made him and having given a safe Conduct for such as they were minded to send as Deputies to him they chose the Bishop of that Country call'd Otoger with some other Persons of Credence whom they sent into the Camp with the necessary Powers He was a man of Wit and Learning and very Expert and knowing in affairs He was very kindly receiv'd by Tariff who immediately struck up with him in the following Conditions That the Christians should remain in that Country if so minded and should not be molested either in their Persons or Estates or their Consciences That they should not pay any other Imposts than the Tribute they were wont to pay to Christian Kings That if any among them were not willing to stay there they should be suffer'd to sell their whole Estate and and go into whatever Country inhabited by Christians they should best like This Capitulation being sign'd by Tariff in the name of the Great Almanzor his Master in whose name he promis'd to observe it very exactly Abraham Abuxarra was left there as Governour And as he was the first that entred the Country and had been its first Governour this little Province was from this time call'd by his name This General having now totally reduc'd those parts that fell to his lot re-assembled all his Forces to return to Cordoua by the same way he came with a Design to rejoin Muca after that to enter both together and without any longer delay into the Province of Castile CHAP. XIII The Conquests of Muca and his return to Cordoua AT the same time that General Tariff began his march to lead his Army towards the East and South into the Province of Grenada as we have said the Vice-roy Muca went to lead his towards the West into the Province which the Natives of the Country call Andalousia from the name of certain People that formerly inhabited it call'd Vandals He march'd at first against Carmona a small Town indeed but well fortify'd where several Christians had taken refuge from all the Burroughs and all the Villages of that Country which they had forsaken at Muca's Approach and where they had stor'd themselves with all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions that so they might defend themselves as long as possible they could The Vice-roy having block'd it up on all sides the Besieged resolv'd to make a Sally out of the strongest of their Gates and with the best men they had to see if there was any possibility of defeating their Enemies before they had better fortified themselves Wherefore on the morrow at break of day having taken Arms and encouraged one another to do well they attack'd the Moors Camp with so much Bravery and in such good order that they kill'd three hundred of them before they could know and put themselves in a posture of Defence and return'd into the Town having lost but five and twenty on their side This success having puft up their Hearts they would needs see the day following if Fortune would be as favourable to them But having found the Moors upon their Guard they were received a little more smartly than the day before and constrained to return into the Town faster than they came thence The Moors pursu'd them so closely that the Governour of Carmona fearing that by opening the Gates to receive them the Enemies would enter pell-mell with them and so make themselves masters of the Place he found it more expedient to let the few Christians that were without to be lost than to lose the Town in endeavouring to save them and forbid the opening to them the Gate he fear'd it would be no longer in his power to shut The Christians seeing the Resolution their Governour had taken all on the sudden took a very generous one for having all engag'd rather to dye like Men of Courage than be made slaves they fac'd about upon those that pursued them and fighting like Desperate People kill'd eight hundred of them and push'd on into
Traytor to his King and Country For which reason Wise and Vertuous Men ought to have a care of those sort of People that are ever cover'd with Infamy and that were never seen to come to a good end but like to that of this Count and of all his Adherents CHAP. XIX 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 MVca was very much vex'd that he had not been sent for to Court as well as Tariff and would willingly have been present at the Relation that Captain was to make to Almanzor of the particulars of all that War and of the state he had left all things in in Spain fearing that in giving the Account all alone he would attribute the whole Glory to himself He fancy'd he had done him some ill Office in the Letter he had written to their Monarch since he did him not the Honour to desire to see him no more than if he had not had the least share in the Conquest they had made together wherein Muca was very much deceiv'd for Tariff spoke of him as his Friend as well in his absence as his presence and he since found it plainly by the Letter whose Tenour I am going to insert He fancy'd he had render'd as great Services as Tariff and that he had not only had all the Principal Direction but that he had served in his own Person and expos'd his Life to a thousand Dangers Nevertheless he plainly saw that it might befall him what commonly befalls those that are distanc'd from the Court and that instead of receiving a Recompence proportionable to his Services he might perchance be put out of his Masters favour Labouring under this anxiety he knew not what course to take for to leave his Government and repair to Court without Permission that could not be to stay and not go thither was a hazarding his Fortune and an exposing himself to all the lashes of Envy and Jealousie At length hauing unbosom'd his Heart to some of his Friends they found a medium betwixt these two Parties which was to send his Brother Ismael to Court under colour of carrying the Caliph a Description of the Land they had subdu'd and a state of all things that concern'd the War But indeed there to value and improve his Services and fathom if the Emperor did him Justice Now these are the terms of his Letter in form of Relation A Letter from Muca Vice-roy of Africa to Caliph Almanzor Emperour of the Arabians PRaise be first given to God the Soveraign Creator of all things Amen and then to the most high and most Illustrious Caliph the Buckler of God the Defender of his Law and Emperour of the Arabians the Emir Mumenin Almanzor to whom God give a long and happy Life and a flourishing and quiet Reign as is wish'd him by the least but the most Faithful of his Subjects Muca Vice-roy of his Realms of Africa Who makes known to You as he is thereunto oblig'd that most of those that inhabit them are happyer than ever they were being return'd Rich with the Spoils they have brought from Spain as must doubtless have been told you by one of your most Valiant Captains and Loyal Subjects Tariff Abenziet who Expos'd his Life a Thousand times for the augmentation of your Crown in this Conquest This I can better testify than any Body having been in most Actions with him as I thought it my Duty I did not content my self with providing the two Armies by Land and Sea with what was necessary for them to take all the trouble of them and be at all the Charges the zeal I have ever for your Service made me pass over thither with a third Army And since I entred into that Country which is a Peninsula in respect of us I have carefully observ'd all I have seen and took a very exact Information as well of the Christians as the Renegadoes of that Country of its Scituation and of the manner of living of its Inhabitants I thought you would pardon me the freedom of sending a Relation of it a little long but true The Relation THis Island is Scituated under the Elevation of the Artique Pole from the Thirtieth to the Fiftieth Degree on the North of those Kingdoms of Africa that are under my Government and which are severed from it partly by the Mediterranean Sea and partly by the great Ocean All this Country that we have Conquer'd contains about Eighteen Hundred Miles in Circumference and stretches out into a Length representing the Figure of an Animal The Climate is exempt from bad Vapours the Air is there ever Serene and refresh'd by the Winds which occasions the People to be long Liv'd and very Healthful the Plains are water'd with an Infinity of Springs that fall from the Rocks whose Water is very subtile and well tasted All these Waters collected from space to space from Noble Rivers the most of which have their Course towards the West and so go and disembogue themselves into the Ocean tho there are some that fall into the Mediterranean Sea and all of them furnish the People with a World of Fish of a very good Taste and not Unhealthful We see no Serpents there nor any Wild Beasts there are no Leopards nor Lyons Ounces or Griffins And when any of those Creatures have been sometimes brought thither from other Countries they could not live This occasions the Country to be very Populous and that there are neither Lands nor Mountains altogether uninhabited Besides this there are all sorts of Fruits as well in Winter as Summer there being so many Trees in the Gardens that they seem to be Forrests and such Delicious Places as seem to be a Terrestial Paradice In Summer there is a vast abundance of all sort of Meat by means of the great abundance of Pasturages where an infinity of Cattel is ever found and a great quantity of all sorts of Wild and Tame Birds that even come to Winter there from several Countries as one more Temperate The People as well Men as Women are of a middle stature and the Cities observe an Excellent Policy The Inhabitants are all Cloath'd in very Fine Woollen are naturally Wise and being addicted to War they are curious of Horses and have such as are very Vigorous The Soyl produces good Bread and excellent Wine and so great a quantity of Oyl that there is rather too much than too little There grows all sorts of Herbs and Pulse and particularly all Simples as are needful in Physick They gather there Silk and Linnen in abundance of which they make very fine Stuffs There are Mines of Silver of Copper of Lead of Iron and Quick-silver For as for Gold I have not heard there was any As there are many different Nations there are also several sorts of Tongues that have not any Relation with ours This Peninsula
having well examin'd the difficulty there was in forcing such narrow and steep Passages he found his continuing any longer in that Country would be only the losing of time and men and resolv'd to put off this Enterprize till another time when as he might find an entrance more easie to force than that from whence he had been newly repuls'd Wherefore without staying there much longer he return'd into Andalousia where he dismiss'd his Army and set his thoughts wholly upon Regulating and Policying that Kingdom while Pelage and his People bless'd God for so favourable a success and were confirm'd in their opinion of those Mountains being made in due manner for the putting a stop to the Conquests of the Moors and serve for an Azylam and Retreat to the Christians wherefore they us'd their utmost endeavours to fortify them to the best advantage CHAP. XXVII Of the Death of the King of Thunis and of the great Wars Aboulvalid was oblig'd to make to render himself Master of that Kingdom THE joy King Aboulvalid had for the victory he had gain'd over his Brother Abraham was quickly ruffled by the news he receiv'd in a little space after of the Death of his Father-in-law Mahomet Gilhair He left no other Children save Queen Omhalair wherefore he resolv'd to send out of hand to take possession of so fine an Inheritance for fear that if he deferr'd any longer some change might happen as commonly does in such occasions for so solemn an Embassy he chose one of his favourites call'd Abulcacim Aben Marchan who departed in great haste with all his Train and was very kindly receiv'd by all the Grandees of that Court and Lodg'd in the Deceased Kings Palace Having forthwith conven'd all the Members of the Council of that Kingdom and having let them peruse the Powers he had from Aboulvalid in his Name to take Possession of that State they examin'd them and having found them in the form they ought to be King Aboulvalid was acknowledg'd and declar'd King of that great Kingdom and Abulcacim Aben Marchan Vice-roy in his absence But as in all times and all Countries People there are Transported with a desire of Ruling one of the Principal Governours was there of this who flattering himself with the thought that being Mahomet Gilhairs near Relation the Kingdom ought rather to appertain to him than to his Daughter began under-hand to sollicit all the Leading men and Governours each in his turn to assist him with his Forces He represented to them That being born in the Country and with them brought up and the late Kings nearest Relation the Crown belong'd to him rather than to a Foreigner and had the knack so to coaks them with fine promises that they at last resolv'd among themselves for the most part to throw off Aboulvalid's Yoak and to place him in his stead upon the Throne Hacan so was this Captain call'd wanting not courage for so noble an enterprize having assembled all the heads of his Party entred by main force into the Palace where Aben Marchan had his residence This Vice-King distrusted nothing but as soon as he had notice of so very treacherous a design having put himself upon his defence with what happen'd to be about him he chose rather to dye in defending himself generously than to fall alive into the hands of the Revolted Thus though they only really desir'd to take him Prisoner they kill'd him with all those that were about him without so much as one escaping The rumour of this rising being immediately spread all those of Hacan's Party proclaim'd him King after the wonted manner taking withal an Oath of Allegiance to him And this new King fail'd not at his accession to the Crown to bestow favours upon all his Partizans and to give as all Usurpers do all the orders necessary for the acquiring of reputation At that same time one Wednesday evening a very great Comet appear'd upon the Horison about whose angle it took up towards the East It was accompany'd with very thick Clouds extraordinary Winds and pernicious Exhalations and appear'd for forty whole days together This very much affrighting the new King he caus'd the Mathematicians and Astrologers of the Country to meet who after having very exactly examin'd the Elevation and Nature of this Comet and the sign in which it rise said that it threatned the Kingdom with great Wars and the Kings Person with an imminent Death While they were still making their Observations a great Earthquake was felt and being repeated to the eighth or ninth time and there arose so furious a storm at Sea by the great Eastern Winds that all the people of this Country thought that the end of the World was coming nay they said they had heard by night strange howlings in the Mountains that seem'd to be roaring Lyons But what most amaz'd and was most strange was a Cloud that coming from the West burst upon their heads and rain'd a water of the colour of blood The Earthquakes I have newly mention'd had topsy-turvyed some Houses and over-whelm'd whole Families uuder their ruines insomuch that not only the people but the King himself was in a Consternation These surprizing signs of Heavens anger were follow'd with a great scarcity of Corn that famish'd to death several persons as also with certain Contagious Sores that taking them in the Groyn and behind the Ears knock'd off a very great number Aboulvalid whom Hacan's Rebellion had very much inrag'd seeing the people weary'd and ruin'd by all the late Wars was not in a very good posture to undertake so great an one as this that fell upon his hands He conven'd the Estates where having expos'd the necessity he was under to go reduce under his obedience a Kingdom that so lawfully belong'd to him on the account of the Queen his Wife and having demanded of them succours in Money they answer'd him that they should not fail him in his need but that it was requisite first to know in what state the Kingdom of Thunis was and whether the Pestilence that had already lasted two months was ceas'd the resolution was taken that enquiry should be made and the persons sent thither brought word back That a world of people was there dead of it but that the contagion began to diminish This occasion'd the hastening the preparations for that War insomuch that a great number of stout Ships were fitted out for the taking on Board so great an Army as was that then preparing to be embark'd in it in the Spring in the Year following CHAP. XXVIII Aboulvalid makes Muca Generalissimo of his Armies and after having reduc'd the Kingdom of Thunis under his Obedience returns into Arabia MVca had serv'd Aboulvalid usefully in the War he had with his Brother he was his Father Almanzor's most Trusty Servant and had had a great share in the honour of the Conquest of Spain All these reasons made this Prince cast his eyes upon him to
himself very much offended by an outrage done him by the King of Spain D. Rodrigo who is the nearest Neighbour you have in the North and I have found him true and upright in all he told me insomuch that you may have credence in him and I believe that if you would grant him the succours he requires there will be no great danger nor great trouble to try if all he says be true on the contrary with the help of God this may produce a great good and contribute to the encrease of your Kingdoms as we all desire that are your faithful Servants From the Palace of Morocco the 3 of the month Dulhises in the year 91 of the Hegira Count Julian going on board a Felucca he had caus'd to be fitted out on purpose and in a short time being arriv'd in Arabia where Valid had then his Residence he presented himself to him and gave him Muca's Letter of Credence This Prince caus'd his Council to assemble to examine a Proposal of such great consequence The Count was there heard with great attention He had a thousand Difficulties put to him which as he was a shrewd man and understood War as well as any Captain of his time he found it no hard matter to answer He had a thousand Questions ask'd him all which he neatly solv'd Insomuch that Almanzor being very much satisfy'd it was resolv'd on in his Council That Orders should be sent to Muca to favour the Count in all he should desire and for that purpose he was dispatcht away back with all Expedition with this Letter for the Vice-roy of Africa A LETTER Praised be God our Soveraign Lord. The Supreme Ruler of the Arabs Vicar of God and Defender of his Law Valid Almanzor To the Noble Accomplish'd Virtuous and Trusty Knight Muca Governour of our Kingdoms of Africa Greeting THe Answer that is made to the Letter of Credence brought by the Count D. Julian is That his Proposal has been kindly receiv'd and that he has given very pertinent Reasons for it Wherefore it is convenient to attempt this Enterprize and to commit the Conduct of it to some good Captain who with a sufficient number of Horse and Foot should go to view the Country Then you shall give us a succinct account of the event of his Voyage and what you shall think convenient to be done that we may give orders accordingly In the mean while God take you into his keeping From our Palace of Carval in Arabia foelix on the 2 of the Moon of Sabben in the 92 year of the Hegira The Count D. Julian having brought this Letter from Almanzor to Muca it gave him great satisfaction And in pursuance of the Emperours Orders he made a small Body of six thousand Foot and some few Horse which he put under the command of a very brave man call'd Tariff Abenriet of the City of Damus whom he enjoyn'd with Count Julian to pass the Streight which the Spaniards call of Hercules and which after this was call'd by this great Captain Jubulfath They had no sooner landed and chosen a place fit for the Encampment of their Troops according as they came ashore but that Count Julian's Relations and Friends came to join them with a great number of their Vassals whom they had caused to Revolt Tariff sent immediately to view the Country His men entred very far into it without meeting with any Resistance and after having kill'd all those they met pillag'd and ravag'd not only the open Country but also the Burroughs and Towns they return'd loaded with Booty Tariff seeing things still more easie than he had imagin'd them gave an immediate account accordingly to the Vice-roy who signify'd to him not to stay the longer for that in this Country but to return speedily again into Africa with all his Troops He obey'd his Orders though with some reluctancy and went back into Africa with great Riches and an infinite number of Slaves carrying along with him all those that having declared themselves for Count Julian durst not stay any longer in Spain but expected to return thither in a short time with greater Forces ws we shall see in the sequel of this History they fail'd not of doing CHAP. VI. 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 THe King Rodrigo having had notice of the descent of the Moors into Spain with Captain Tariff and Count Julian his Enemy and that after having over-run all Andalousia they were return'd with many Slaves was not so anxious for what they had newly done as for the apprehension of the long and dangerous War with which he saw himself threatned it being easie to judge that Tariff had not made that tryal to stop there He knew Count Julian to be a Man of Wit and Execution of Courage and a through knowledge of War a Natural Spaniard that knew the state of his Affairs knew the Country had there many Adherents nay and Places wherein he could enter and go out as often as he pleas'd He easily perceiv'd but too late the fault he had committed in losing for a moments Pleasure a man of such importance and in giving him to his Enemies He made reflexion upon the bad posture of his Kingdom since he had disarm'd his Subjects and caus'd all the strong Places to be demolisht He considered that the long Peace which Spain had enjoy'd was the occasion that he had no Disciplin'd Troops and that when he had assembled an Army they would be only raw men All this plung'd him into surious Disquiets He ask'd Counsel of all People and found none good At length having consulted and Arch-bishop a Relation of his call'd Torrife and having told him the little Money he had to raise and keep forces on foot this Arch-bishop persuaded him to break open a Place called the Enchanted Tower where there was said to be a Treasure And as this is a thing very extraordinary I am willing to insert here at length what the same Torrife told me who shortly after quitted that Kings Party to come to Count Julian in our Camp and who could give the best account of it as having been present when D. Rodrigo caus'd it to be open'd Now this is what he then told me About a mile from Toledo between steep Rocks that lye East of that great City there was formerly a Tower of a very ancient and very magnificent structure tho a little endamag'd by Time that consumes all Under whose foundation was a very deep Cave separated into four different Vaults across a very narrow Entrance cut in the Rock where a great Iron Door had been made up with a thousand Locks and as many Bolts Upon this Door there was Greek Characters that seem'd rather Cyphers than Letters and might be diversely interpreted but whose meaning were as those pretended who thought they knew them best that the
as that which Prince Mahomet Gilhair had brought from Tunis But as they came by little and little and separately it could not otherwise be but that there must be some Disorder Tariff to prevent the being surpriz'd in the hurry of Landing and to draw his Troops up in Battel array accordingly as they descended from their Ships resolv'd to take more ground and a little farther in the Country to choose a place sufficiently spacious for the Encampment of his whole Army and in security wait the coming of D. Rodrigo Wherefore he advanc'd as far as the River which the Arabs call Guidalete at the same time that the Archbishop D. Oppas came thither and sent to propose to him a Truce for eight days to give the two Armies time to recover themselves after the fatigues of the March The Archbishop who doubtless was not inform'd of the state of the Enemies Army imagin'd this Truce would turn to his advantage by giving his own time to encrease But in the mean while all those Troops that Tariff had caus'd to file off according as they landed being come they made up Sixty Thousand Foot and Ten Thousand Horse at the review he made of them after the Truce was expir'd Oppas perceiving the fault he had committed and fearing that the King would reproach him with having given the Enemies time to join all their Forces and fortify their Camp he resolv'd to give them Battel without any farther delay The reinforcement he had receiv'd join'd with what he had before made not up above Forty Thousand Men Yet was he not wanting with these to push the Moors so vigorously that Tariff was constrain'd to retire after having lost Three Thousand Foot and about Five Hundred Horse Whereas the Christians lost no more in this action than Two Thousand Foot and Two Hundred Horse The Night having parted them Oppas also retreated into his own Camp to let his Souldiers take Breath before he renew'd the Conflict The number of the Wounded being very great on both sides Oppas sent to propose a Truce to Tariff for three days which was forthwith concluded on between the two Generals Things being in this estate the following Night a Traytor for so he may well be call'd since he sold his own Countrey stole out of the Christians Camp into that of the Arabs This Man being the Companion of Oppas and call'd Sisebert went to tell Tariff that the King D. Rodrigo's General had only demanded this Truce that he might surprize him that Night and put him by that means the more easily to rout Tariff affording Credence to this notice upon the account of the eminent Quality of the person that brought it tho it was an imposture as was afterwards verify'd thought it became him to prevent his Enemy and without waiting till he had put himself in a posture to execute his evil intentions he made his Souldiers stand immediately to their Arms and caus'd them to march directly to the Christians Camp where they fell on with so much impetuosity that they forc'd it put the whole Army to rout took General Oppas with the Principal Officers Prisoners and got an inestimable Booty and an infinity of Slaves After this Victory Tariff made great presents to Sisebert and retreated near to the Guadalette into the Quarters he had before and which he had found very convenient for the Subsistance of his Army CHAP. IX Muca passes into Spain and joins with Tariff Rodrigo puts himself at the head of his Army gives them Battel and loses it MVca hearing daily of Tariffs great Victories began no longer to doubt of the Conquest of Spain whether he incessantly sent reinforcements of Souldiers and Amunitions and Provisions But not being with this contented he resolv'd to pass the Sea in person in the head of a fourth Army so to share in the honour of so fine a Conquest Wherefore he left to a Brother of his call'd Ishmael the Government of Africa in his absence and having with all possible diligence got together twenty thousand Foot and six thousand Horse brave Men and well appointed he went to join Tariff who was very joyful at the thing When it came to be known that the Vice-roy had himself pass'd the Streights there pass'd so great a number of Moors being invited by the hopes of pillage that in the review they made of all their Troops they were found to be a hundred and fourscore thousand Foot and forty thousand Horse besides an infinite number of useless people that are wont to accompany Armies Rodrigo who then exerted all the Duties of a great King seeing the number of the Moors daily to augment thought it in no wise convenient to give them time to fortifie themselves more And having assembled his Council to see what Resolution it became him to take in so great an exigency they unanimously agreed That he could do nothing better than go himself in the head of his Army give them Battel rather sooner than later and that all the Nobility Gentry and People of Service in Spain would not fail to attend him This Resolution being taken the King having nominated for Generalissimo of all his Troops his Favourite Almerique a man very brave and resolute a General review was held near Cordoua in a Plain the Arabs shortly after nam'd Fahe Alguidah where was found twenty three thousand Horse and a hundred and thirty thousand Foot This Prince having caus'd the General Officers to come thither and the most considerable of the Captains gave them to understand the danger their Country was in that not only their Honour and their Estates but their Life and Liberty depended on the good or ill success of the Battel he was going to fight that after this Action there was no more succours to be expected from their Country that was exhausted by the late Defeats that they had no longer any hopes but in their own Valour that they had only to consider whether they should not rather chuse to dye generously in fighting for their Country than to fall themselves their Families and Children into a perpetual Slavery and be a Prey to foreign Nations and so different from them in Manners and Religion that he said not this to them to expose them alone to the peril with a design to shelter himself from it that he should be the first to shew them the way and example and that he did not believe there to be any man that made a difficulty of going with his King when they should see him resolv'd to dye with them and for them The Souldiers being encourag'd by this discourse and resolv'd to dye for their King and Country having had order to march against the Enemies there happen'd a remarkable thing and and of an ill augure which was that D. Ramiro Alfier Major of King Rodrigo being mounted on Horseback his Horse gave him so terrible a fall that he dy'd of it and the Launce broke in two to which the
four hundred men But Muca having been oblig'd to cause the Retreat to be sounded by reason of the night the next morning he sent a Trumpeter to the Governour to signifie to him That he had made an Oath and sworn by the most high God that if the Beleaguer'd delay'd Surrendring any longer they should after this all to no purpose implore his Mercy Salaru having straitways assembled the principal men of the Town gave them in a little time a very exact account of the state of the place and after having made them apprehend the necessity they were in of all things and the little likelihood he saw of being Reliev'd they all agreed to Surrender but upon the most advantageous Conditions they could get Insomuch that they made him answer That they would willingly put the Place into his hands provided he would suffer them they their Wives and Children with their Arms and Baggage to go to whatever City of the Christians they should please that all those that were minded to stay should not receive any ill treatment nor be constrain'd to quit their Religion Muca agreeing to all these Articles and having been induc'd to Sign 'em and swear in the Name of the Caliph his Master never to act to the contrary conceiv'd such an esteem of the Bravery and Fidelity of this Governour and of his ability to take his Precautions that he took a Scimitar of great value he had at his Girdle and himself put it on his side saying That the Valour with which he had sav'd his People from so great a Danger merited a thousand times more Honour than he did him Salaru having given him the Keys of the Town where the Riff-raff only staid he took all those along with him that were minded to follow him with whom he went on Shipboard to waft o're to the nearest Islands of that Coast that he might not see the Ruine of his Country and so shelter himself from the servitude of the Arabians under which he foresaw that all Spain was going to be reduc'd The Vice-roy of Africa was overjoy'd at the taking of this great City but could not stay there long for that there was no subsistance to be got out of the Country that had been forsaken by the People who had all taken refuge in the Province call'd in the Spanish Tongue Castile and had left this Country desert For which reason after having put a Garrison into the Place he caus'd all his Troops to march towards Hispalis They were not gone far when that his Scouts came to give him notice that the world of People that had taken refuge there had occasion'd such a Contagion that the mortality was general This News put a full stop to his Career that way and the fear he was in of causing his Army to perish made him return to Cordoua to rejoin Tariff who had signify'd to him he was already on his way from Grenada thither CHAP. XIV The Conjunction of the two Generals and their entrance into Castile THese two Generals being return'd from their Expedition after having each on his side acquir'd much Honour did for a long while hold Council what course to take for the finishing the absolute Conquest of Spain for which they had receiv'd precise orders from Almanzor During that time the Souldiers being put into good Quarters recover'd themselves of the Hardships of that War The Officers repair'd their Equipages which so long a march had ruin'd and the Commissioners not only receiv'd all the new Provisions that were come to them from Africa but had also gather'd up on all sides all that was necessary for the Invasion of Castile according to the resolution they had taken At last the two Armies that now made but one Body being decamp'd in the best order imaginable march'd small days journeys along a great River which having its course towards the Setting Sun crosses that Province and after having wash'd the Walls of Cordoua at a great distance lower falls into the Ocean Thus still on their Right leaving this River which the Christians call Betis and the Arabs Alguidalquibir the first Town they found in their Left was Vbeda whose Inhabitants brought them their Keys as not being in a posture of making a Defence Tariff having on pain of Death forbidden any entrance into the Town without Express order or in any wise the injuring of People that had thrown themselves into his Arms did there only leave one Captain Abencorbas with some Souldiers and leisurely march'd to another Town not three miles thence call'd Balle The Citizens seeing that if they paus'd at following the Example of Vbeda they should but Exasperate the Moors and incur their inevitable ruine without any profit they sent immediately to beseech this General to hinder any mischief from being done them by his Souldiers and in consideration of that they would not only surrender to him but likewise present him with all sorts of Victuals and Refreshments for his Troops Tariff very joyfully accepted their offers and to manifest his Clemency to them and the Discipline he caus'd his Army to observe having forbidden any one soever to enter therein without his order he himself one after the other nominated all those he was willing should accompany him thither to the number of five hundred with whom alighting he took a turn round the Town visited all the Fortifications and left there a Natural African call'd Mahomet Abencorba with a pretty strong Garrison for its Preservation He staid no longer there than he had done at Vbeda and pursu'd his way Northwards across a vast pile of Mountains that separate Andalousia from Castile and stretch from the Mediterranean Sea to the Ocean Thus having travers'd twenty miles or thereabouts they are in breadth he descended into the Plains de la Manche which the Arabs call the Dry Fields where having gone near sixty miles without meeting with any body all the People having quitted and being retired into the heart of the Country he at last discover'd a Town which seem'd very beautiful to him and much stronger than all those he had yet seen and was told that it was Toledo the Metropolis of Castile where the Christian Kings had in all times made their abode Along this City passes the famous River of Tage which also disembogues into the Western Sea And here it was King Rodrigo had caus'd the Enchanted Tower to be open'd whereof I have made mention in the beginning of this History Tariff having Encamp'd all his Troops in the Neighbourhood with intention to Besiege it the Christians sent to tell him That they had no thoughts of holding out and that provided he would suffer them to enjoy peaceably what they had and permit all those that were so minded to go where they pleas'd with their Families and all their Baggage they would pay him all sort of Obedience and would be as faithful to him as they had thitherto been to their King This General
having expected to have met with some opposition in this Place was overjoy'd it did not oblige him to any stop and swore solemnly in the Name of the Caliph Almanzor his Master for ever to observe the Conditions on which they would put the Keys of so great a Town into his hands He would needs also for the maintaining it in the ancient Prerogative it had of being the Capital City of so great a Kingdom leave there as Governour one of his principal Officers call'd Mahomet Abenbamin of the City of Damas with the Quality of Vice-roy and a Garrison he judg'd convenient It is a thing somewhat astonishing to be remark'd that in near a hundred and forty miles march made by these two Generals still skirting the Sea of the Levant and drawing Northwards they found not one living Soul till they came to a Province call'd Arragon in the midst of which there is a City call'd Saragoza where several Christians had taken refuge as well as in the Mountains next adjoyning to shelter themselves from the fury of the Moors This City would needs stand out an Assault that was bloody after which it Surrendred upon very advantageous terms Thus they staid there only the time requisite for the settling as Governour of all that Province a Captain of great Reputation born in Arabia call'd Ismael Abenhut and resolved to push their Arms further and even beyond the Mountains the Christians call the Pyrenees which separate the Kingdom of Spain from that of France They are very rugged and high and the Christians were said to be retired thither with a resolution of making a stout Defence Nevertheless they advanced there about twenty miles without meeting with any Resistance insomuch that the Generals having made reflexion that their Master having only given them order to Conquer Spain and France being a great Kingdom wholly different and wholly separate it would be exceeding their Power to push on their Invasion upon it And seeing their Troops wearied with so long a March and much diminish'd by all the Garrisons they had been oblig'd to leave in the Towns they had taken they resolv'd to go no further and remitting the Conquest of France till another time they thought it more convenient to return into Castile to give the necessary orders for the conservation of what they had taken and the reduction of what they had still left to take CHAP. XV. The March of the two Generals towards Valentia and Murtia and their Return to Cordoua THE two Generals taking the Field again with their Forces upon their departure from Arragon bent their march towards the East and continued it without any stay to a great Plain in the midst of which is a great City enclos'd with good Walls whence you have a Prospect of the Mediterranean Sea that is but but four small Leagues distant All the Country adjacent is full of very delightful Gardens Groves and a world of Springs which form the finest Landskip imaginable Tariff before he would begin the Siege thought fitting to send to summon the Inhabitants to Surrender as all the other Cities of Spain had done in consideration of which he promis'd to suffer 'em to live in Peace according to their Law and to hinder any injury from benig done them But the Trumpeter coming near the City-gate the Centinel that was upon the Wall without hearkning to what he said aloud or imparting it to the Governour let fly a Bullet from a Stone-Bow at him by which the Trumpeter perceiving himself wounded without staying any longer came flying to the Camp Tariff being provok'd at the little regard they had for a man that came from him took this affair not only for a want of respect to him but for an infraction of all the Laws of War and the Right of Nations and gave order for the Attacking the Town on all sides The next day the Governour call'd Agros having been inform'd of what the Centinel had done was very much surpriz'd at this misunderstanding and thought convenient to send to make his excuse to Tariff and propose to him at the same time a Truce for three days during which they wou'd see to contrive the means of making their Capitulation The Envoy of Valence was kindly receiv'd by the General The Truce was granted and the Hostages having been agreed on he went out of the Town with full power to treat on the behalf of the Besieged and came to Tariff's Camp with whom he agreed to deliver him the Town on Condition that all the Christians that were minded to go thence might have the freedom so to do with their Wives and Children and all their Goods to whatever place they should please to choose As also that all those that would stay there might do it without being injur'd in the least Tariff made no difficulty of granting them all they demanded and of promising to observe what he granted in the name of Almanzor his Master In consideration of which he made his entrance into that Town and there left as Governour one of his Captains a Native of Arabia Foelix nam'd Abubaxar Xandalg whom he plac'd there with a numerous Garrison to curb not only that Town but the whole Province depending on it After having thus settled matters at Valence Tariff and Muca having bent their march a little more towards the South entred the Province by the Spaniards call'd Murtia where having met with no resistance they render'd themselves Masters of the Capital City that goes by the same name Finding it forsaken by the Inhabitants and the Country very good they resolv'd upon settling there a part of the Souldiers of their Army for the re-peopling it and therein to put as Governour Abraham Alexandri by Nation an African These two Armies being by these means reduc'd to a very scanty number and by leaving so many upon the way both for Guarding and Populating all the Towns where they had pass'd they return'd to Cordoua to recreate themselves after the fatigues of this War CHAP. XVI The Order that Tariff left in Spain before his Departure thence THE Governour of Cordoua Abulxacim by name knowing the coming of the two Generals went out to meet them four Leagues from that Town with all the Foot and Horse in Arms he had and accompany'd them in the Triumphant Entrance they made into that Place During the abode they had occasion to make there to recover themselves after the Hardships of so long and painful a War they apply'd themselves carefully to regulate the form of Government of the Countries they had Conquer'd But above all things they judg'd it in no wise safe for them to suffer the Christians to remain Masters of so considerable a Town as Hispalis I have noted in the beginning of this History that the Siege of this Town had not been undertaken for fear of bringing the Pestilence into the Army Wherefore a trusty man was sent on purpose into those parts to see how matters
stood who having brought word back That the Contagion was there more rife than ever and that an infinite number of Persons dy'd of it it was judg'd requisite to leave it still alone and that it would be sufficiently destroy'd by this Scourge of Heaven without there being any need to infect it likewise with that of War One thing on which they found themselves oblig'd to think preferable to all others was to recompence Count Julian for the great Services he had done to Valid They had promis'd him to cause his Castle of Algesirees to be Rebuilt and to Repair and Re-establish his other Lands and Lordships that had been ruin'd by the passage he had given through them to all the Forces that came out of Africa into Spain Insomuch that they caus'd great summs of Money to be given him and granted great Franchizes and Priviledges to all his Relations and Followers Whereupon he took his leave of them to repair home to set all things again to Rights and injoy if he could the Sweets of the Revenge he had taken of D. Rodrigo After this they fell in good earnest to consider of regulating and policying their new Kingdom and of re-populating that great Country that was become a Desert by the flight of all the Inhabitants Wherefore seeing that the Moors they had left in Garrison in the Cities and Burroughs where they had pass'd had no Wives tho they were all very Young and that it was impossible to furnish them with enough from Africa whence their Fathers and Mothers would never consent to suffer them to depart they caus'd Proclamation to be made by sound of Trumpet throughout all Spain That all the Christian Women and Maidens as well of the ancient Inhabitants as of whatever Nation they were that were willing to be Converted and Marry themselves to the Conquerours should enjoy the same Priviledges and Prerogatives which they enjoy'd before They caus'd at the same time another Declaration to be Published in favour of the Gentlemen to whom they offer'd the Dividend of the Conquer'd Lands This Publication in a short time either out of fear or interest caus'd an infinite number of Christians to change their Religion and the Women and Maidens to resolve upon matching themselves with the Moors At that time was it that the Arch-bishop of Oppas who had been General of Rodrigo's Army that Tariff had beaten and taken Prisoner in the second Battel that had been fought near the River Guadalete as I have said and the Arch-bishop Toriso a very near Relation of that Unhappy King abjur'd their Faith to comply with Tariff and Muca These two new Moors to manifest their Zeal and acquire still more credit than they had with the Generals represented to them that to hinder the Christians from revolting for the future or retrieving Courage with time it was expedient throughly to clear all the Mountains on the Left Hand of Arragon in Spanish call'd Biscaye and the Asturies where they gave them notice that several Persons of great Quality had made their Retreat with a great number of Souldiers nay and that there was at the head of them such Persons as were Princes of the Blood of Spain and D. Rodrigo's near Relations without which their Conquest would never be secure This advice jump'd wholly with Tariff's sence who gave immediate order to a Tartar a very good Officer Abraham le Sujari by name to take six thousand men of the Forces he had by him and likewise to draw as many as he should need out of the Garrisons of Castile and to march with the two Renegado-Arch-bishops into the afore-mention'd Mountains At that time a Young Prince a Kinsman of the K. D. Rodrigo call'd Pelage was retir'd thither with a good number of resolute men that were willing to follow his Fortune and as he was brave and pretended to the Crown all the Christians that had taking refuge in the Mountains had elected him King and certainly he made himself appear to be very worthy of that Supream Dignity General Abraham being come near the Austuries and encamp'd in a place call'd Cangas by the Christians and which the Moors since nam'd the Term of War thought convenient to send the two Arch-bishops to him having brought them along with him that so being his Relations and Friends they might the more easily perswade him to desist from the Temerity of his Enterprize with orders to offer him such Presents and propose such advantages to him as they should judge convenient as well as to all the Christians that should be with him Whereupon these Arch-bishops being come into the Country and offering to make this Proposal to Pelage he was so provok'd at them that he had them seiz'd on and both thrown from off the top of a Rock into a River that was at the bottom And as he had first been inform'd by them of the Scituation of Abraham's Camp and the number of his Forces he assembled what men he had and went to attack them that very same Night And after having defeated the greatest part of the Moors he return'd into the heart of the Mountains without any loss Abraham not expecting this at all and not seeing the return of the two Renegadoes he had brought along with him fancy'd they had betray'd him and with the few men he had left without making any longer stay he return'd with all expedition to Toledo where he dy'd of Grief Tariff was very much troubled at this bad event but having not then Troops sufficient in one Body to go force the Asturies he contented himself with leading upon the frontier the most men he could that so he might hinder the Christians of the Mountains from coming to make Inroads upon the Moors Then he resolv'd upon sending to Almanzor his Master a very exact Relation of all he had thitherto done with the state of all things in Spain and to ask what was his Pleasure to have further done for his Service As he was finishing his Dispatches he had a Letter brought him from Pelage which Translated out of Spanish into Arabick is as follows A LETTER King Pelage to General Tariff Abenziet THE King D. Pelage Lawful Heir Successour in a Right Line of the Kingdom of Spain by the death of the King D. Rodrigo whose sins may God pardon they being doubtless the cause of his ruine and my misfortune to the Valiant and Renowned Captain Tariff Abenziet Cherish'd and Esteem'd by the Caliph Almanzor his Master Greeting Tho I am as great a sinner as any other and that I have nothing good but the confidence I put in the mercy of God I am willing to make known to thee that in thy name came two Envoys who being my Relations ought not to have come to me since they were Traytors to their Country I thought my self oblig'd to punish them as I have done and was content to signifie to thee at the same time that tho thou hast very
all Africa in the name of the Emperour their Master That all those that were minded to pass into Spain there to inhabit needed only to repair thither and that they should have Lands given them to cultivate Houses to dwell in with all the conveniences necessary to Life and great Priviledges and Exemptions These Promises and the rumour of the Beauty of the Country caus'd a world of People to pass the Sea not only Natural Moors but Jews of the Hebrew Nation who pass'd it with their Wives and Children and all the Goods they had to the number of fifty thousand Families according to the Register taken of 'em by Adilbar This Vice-roy by an express order he had receiv'd from Almanzor of re-populating that great Kingdom which he had confided to his Conduct distributed with an admirable oeconomy throughout the Kingdom of Spain these new Spaniards according as they landed The Governours and Subordinate Commanders gave afterwards in the Provinces and Cities to each of those Families Conquer'd Lands proportionably as they were convenient for 'em to live in whereof he made particular Estates And they had all so great an application to this matter and kept such good order that this great extent of Land became in a short space more populous and more cultivated than it had ever been before and the new comers were so well accustomed with the Natives of the Country that there seem'd not to be any difference among 'em nor as if any change had there happen'd Adilbar seeing so numerous a People under his sway and all the particular Governours so obedient to his will thought himself in a posture to make some attempt for the service of his Master He remembred that they had not dared to attack Hispalis by reason of the Pestilence that raged there when the Generals went away and had informations that the Christians flocked thither from all patts since its ceasing For which reason having assembled the greatest number he could of Infantry and Cavalry and made a Body of twelve thousand Foot and two thousand Horse he departed from Cordoua after having given all the Directions requisite and march'd directly to Hispalis in the head of this Army small indeed but very brave and provided with all things necessary He straightways sent a Trumpeter to Summons the Inhabitants to Surrender promising them all sort of good usage as Generals of Armies are wont to do in such occasions The Inhabitants without listening to his Promises or being concern'd at his Threats made no other answer but that they were resolv'd to defend the goodness of their Cause to the last and to be cut all in pieces rather than fall under Slavery After such an Answer Adilbar thought there was no farther parlying On the morrow morning he caus'd a most furious Assault to be made But as the Besieged were well inform'd of the manner with which the Moors had perform'd the Sieges of all the other Towns of Spain they had made Provision of a world of Posts of several fashions which they fill'd with boyling Oyl Juniper and Turpentine and threw them upon the Besiegers which burnt them alive and incapacitated them from fighting by reason of the violence of the pain they suffer'd Adilbar confus'd and vex'd at the damage his men had receiv'd from the Beleaguer'd without its being in his Power to do them any caus'd the Rerreat to be sounded and his Troops put into Quarters to see what he had to do He had lost four hundred men in this first Assault and plainly perceiv'd that as often as he employ'd force there would be nothing to be got Wherefore he imagin'd that being Master of the Field and having Victuals abundance in his Army whose subsistance he could furnish to as long as he pleas'd in the Neighbourhood of that Town he could so well block up the Avenues that it should be constrain'd to Surrender without his so much as losing one man he resolv'd not to decamp thence till he had famish'd it The Beleaguer'd guessing that the Moors had taken this course since they had remained five and twenty days together without continuing their attacks they resolv'd to Sally out upon them when as they least expected it For this purpose without making any Bustle as could make the Besiegers suspect their Design they assembled all their resolute men And one Night Sallying out of one of their Gates they fell with much vigour upon Adilbar's Camp The Moors defended themselves with great Resolution but believing the number of their Enemies still greater than it was in the darkness that hinder'd them from viewing one another they betook themselves to flight and the Christians made a great slaughter of them To avoid the inconveniences that commonly happen in Engagements that are perform'd by Night the Governour had order'd all those that were commanded out upon that Sally to cease fighting and retire into the Town as soon as he should cause a Horn to be sounded whose sound he had caus'd them to observe Thus fearing they might engage too far on the pursuit of the Moors who might cut them off he caus'd it to be sounded when he judg'd it convenient The Christians had much ado to resolve upon quitting the Engagement being very much flesh'd by the Moors who gave way before them on all sides and were pursu'd by them with the Sword in their Reins But at the long run retiring by little and little in the order that had been prescrib'd them they re-entred the Town where they were receiv'd with great Applauses by the Beleaguer'd who caus'd a world of Musical Instruments to be sounded in token of Joy for so great a Victory The Day being come the slaughter the Christians had made appear'd to Adilbar much greater than he had believ'd it And perceiving the strength of this Town and the Valour of those that defended it he found it more convenient to raise the Siege than to persist any longer obstinately in an Enterprize which was more difficult than he had imagin'd Whereupon he took his march back to Cordoua and having found his Army diminish'd in two thousand Foot and two hundred Horse he had lost in this Siege he separated it and put it into good Quarters in the Country that it might recover it self CHAP. XXI Adilbar makes a second Attempt upon Hispalis and is as Successless as before ADilbar was disconsolate at the bad event of the first Enterprize he had made for the Valid's Service He was asham'd that the only Town the Christians held in Spain had resisted him after Tariff with so little pains had taken all the rest He imagin'd all the Moors murmur'd at it and himself found that Almanzor could not effectually call himself absolute Master of that Country as long as that Town was not under his Obedience Wherefore having sent for all the Governours of those Provinces and conferred with them about the necessity and the means for the reducing it he began
made from the Western Gate of their Town to a great River that passing very near their Walls falls afterwards into the Sea By the means of these Canals they went into the River with great Boats and these Canals being Fortify'd all along with good Trenches insomuch that the Cavalry could not do them any mischief there came to them from time to time Victuals from the Mountains of a certain Country call'd Biscaya These Canals were a very great help to the Besieged for besides their having by this means all things brought them the Water of the River serv'd them for a thousand conveniences Adilbar having not then any Ships to hinder the Christians from having every moment all necessaries was very much at a loss and was loath to resolve upon raising the Siege once again When news was brought him of the revolt of the Governour of Valence call'd Abubaher el Handali and of the Inroads he made into the Neighbouring Provinces of that Kingdom So urgent an evil and which he saw himself indispensably oblig'd forthwith to remedy made him presently raise the Siege and march long days journeys to Cordoua which the Christians of Hispalis were very glad of CHAP. XXII Adilbar goes to Valence defeats the Governour of that Province and has him Beheaded THe great Siege wherein Abubaher el Handali Governour of Valence saw Adilbar engag'd in had made him hope that he might in that time render himself absolute Master of that fine Province In this Design having gain'd all the Governours of the smaller Cities and all the Martial Men under his Authority he would needs cast off the Valid's Oath and having brought a small Army on Foot he began to make Incursions into the Neighbourhood that he might by force oblige all the People thereabouts to obey him as their Soveraign Lord. Adilbar being inform'd of these Transactions as I said in the foregoing Chapter caus'd a new Army to assemble of ten thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse and with these Forces crossing the high Mountains that are on the South he arriv'd at the City of Murcia to whose foot extends the Government of Valence Abraham Escaladari was then Governour of the Place who being inform'd of Adilbar's march against Abubaher had got ready a Magazine of Provisions to distribute them as he did among his Souldiers And having join'd him with all the men he had they two march'd together toward Valence The Rebel seeing so great an Army coming against him and having no place of safety whether to Retire thought it much better to try the fortune of a Battel and win it or dye like a Man of Courage than go basely yield himself up Having inspired the same resolution into the minds of his Adherents and dispos'd them into the best order he could as soon as Adilbar had set footing in his Government he went to meet him and in that Battel did all that could be done by a good General and good Souldier but being at last taken and all his men defeated Adilbar caus'd his Head to be struck off and had it set on the top of a Lance on the Gate of that Town which he gave for Plunder to his Souldiers He made a strict scrutiny after all those that had had a hand in this Rebellion that he might of them accordingly make an Exemplary Punishment And indeed many Commanders and Captains had the same Fate with their Leader and after having reduc'd that Country to its Obedience and there establish'd one of his Captains call'd Mahomet Abenbucar he return'd to Cordoua and dismissed his Troops CHAP. XXIII Almanzor gives Tariff a place in his Council and chooses him for his Ambassadour Extraordinary for the Conclusion of the Prince his Sons Match with the King of Thunis's Daughter ALmanzor making reflection on the great Services render'd him by General Tariff on all occasions and particularly in the Conquest of the Kingdom of Spain for the discharging himself of the Obligation he had to him of so great an augmentation of Empire and of such vast Riches he had thence deriv'd had not a more Glorious Recompence to give him than a place among those of his Council and who share in the administration of all his Kingdoms for which account he put him into that number and nominated him Ambassadour Extraordinary to go conclude the Princes Match and fetch away the Princess of Thunis He caus'd a Fleet of forty Ships to be fitted out for that purpose with all the Magnificence requisite for so solemn an Embassy and which was undertaken for so agreeable an end Tariff being embark'd with a world of Courtiers and a good number of Souldiers arriv'd safe at Thunis where he was receiv'd and entertain'd with all his People as well as heart could wish and after having made a very short abode there he went on Board his Ships again with the Princess Omalahaire and all her Train and return'd into the Levant with a very fair wind The Infanta being arriv'd in Arabia the Nuptials were Celebrated with great Pomp and there were Turnaments Tilting and all the other merriments that are wont to attend those sort of Festivals Almanzor seeing his Son Marry'd and finding him at an age to govern his State himself thought it to be now time to Execute a design he had long meditated of discharging himself of that heavy burden he had for so many years born upon his Head finding also that his Old Age caus'd him by little and little to sink under the weight of it For which reason seeing himself worn out and attack'd with many Infirmities he resolv'd upon devolving it upon that of his Son that so he might retire into a House of Pleasure he had caus'd to be built in a Mountain where he had very pleasant Gardens very thick Woods and excellent Waters Whereupon having caus'd the States to assemble where it was his Pleasure to have all the Governours of the Provinces present he imparted to them the Dimission he meant to make of the Empire in favour of his Son and at the same time caus'd the following Letters Patents to be expedited Letters Patents Of Almanzor's Demission in favour of his Son Praise and Glory be given to that Great God the Creator of all things Amen THE most High the most Noble the most Dread Lord and Emperour of the Arabs Valid Almanzor Vicar of God and Protector of his Law Son of the most Noble and most Honour'd Lord and Martial Warriour Caliph and Emperour of the Arabs Father of the Servants of God and exalter of his Law Abdulmelech Son of Victory Considering the Necessity we are reduc'd to by the Infirmities with which it hath pleased God our Soveraign Lord to visit us and the decrepit Age wherewith Nature is wont to over-whelm all men in the order of times which occasions our being not strong enough to govern so great an Empire as we have done in time past for the settlement of our Crown the Peace and Tranquillity
their Rights being at the point of their Swords they would that day decide which of the two had the best giving the Kingdom to him that should gain the Victory Having in this manner sent back Aboulvalid's mediator and having threatned to have him hang'd if he came again to importune him with such like harrangues The Caliph with grief saw himself oblig'd to give Battel but at last having marshall'd all his Army in Battalia it began with some squadrons of Horse of both sides who were a long while mingled with one another before any judgment could be pass'd which of the two had the advantage And this Skirmish that lasted above half the day without any great loss on either side plainly shew'd the Cavalry to be compos'd only of good men that knew admirably well both to attack and defend On the morrow the twelfth of the Moon Dulquehala in the Year 96 the Battel was renew'd and prov'd still more bloody for both Parties for it lasted from Morning till Noon without ones being able to judge on which side the Victory lean'd But at length Aboulvalid's people beginning to buckle and those of Abraham to break in upon them on all sides Aboulvalid fearing to fall into his Brothers hands made his escape out of the hottest of the Engagement upon a very fleet Horse after having made a sign to some of his people to follow him The Kings Retreat utterly dishearten'd all his men who were immediately after easily put to flight The Prince pursu'd them at their heels and after having kill'd a very great number of them he return'd to give the necessary orders for all Occurrences and then return against Abenbukar while that Aboulvalid was withdrawn into the Kingdom of Thunis where he was kindly receiv'd by his Father-in-Law who knowing the misfortune that was befallen him through the perfidy and wickedness of his Brother comforted him the best he could and promis'd to assist him in his revenge CHAP. XXIV Abraham Amcary goes to fight Abenbukar defeats him and has him beheaded ABraham being puft up with the winning of this Battel and overjoy'd to see that all the paces he made conducted him upon the Throne without any stop he march'd directly to Court where having conven'd the Estates to confirm the Government he meant to establish he caus'd them there to take a new Oath of Allegiance to him by which all that he had not been able to get approv'd of but by some before his going to fight his Brother was confirm'd and ratify'd by all the rest And thus was he own'd and declar'd by a common consent Emperour of all Almanzor's Realms as his Lawful Heir Then having made such Regalations as he pleas'd and bestow'd great Bounties on all his Creatures without losing time he took the Field with fifteen thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse to go to Damascus Abenbukar being fully inform'd of all these Transactions came to meet him with an Army of twenty thousand Foot and two thousand Horse insomuch that they were not long without coming to blows Abraham would needs before he gave the Signal for Battel do as lawful Kings do to Rebels and sent to tell him That as he had not any Right to the Crown he could not believe he would persist in his bad designs or that he would be wanting in his Allegiance to his Prince wherefore he offer'd to Pardon him all that had pass'd if he would but return to his Duty Abenbukar having caus'd the Princes Envoy to come into his presence would not go about to excuse himself with sorry reasons as do all Traytors that can never have any that are good but answer'd him sharply and like a gallant man That between two Traytors and two Disloyalists as they both were he had only the hand of him but that Abraham had committed a much greater infidelity in dispossessing his Brother Aboulvalid who was his Lawful King according to the disposition of his Father and that of Nature than he in withdrawing himself from his obedience with all the Province of which he was Governour seeing all his people oppress'd with impositions and very severely us'd by King Aboulvalid That he had learnt that to state things aright Nature caus'd no body to be born upon a Throne that all the Kings of the Earth were Tyrants that the Scepter belong'd to him to whom God had given the strength to bear it and the Soveraign Authority to him that had Wisdom and Ability sufficient to govern the people and that as all Created things had their beginning and their end Monarchies were not exempt from this general vicissitude that thus there was no need of reasoning any farther Abraham being extremely provok'd at so haughty and so insolent an Answer would no longer defer giving Battel contrary to the advice of most of his Officers who counsell'd him to stay the Conjunction of all his Forces that were not yet arriv'd Abubenkar's Army being much stronger than his and all his Troops appearing much more sprightful but they could not prevail with him to change the resolution he had taken Some of the Cavalry that were detach'd on both sides having began the Skirmish they quickly engag'd in a general Battel that was very obstinately fought and very bloody Abenbukar being skill'd in all the stratagems of War had plac'd his best Officer in Ambuscade behind a Hill with five hundred chosen Horse that had order not to appear till the Battel was far engag'd and then to attack the Princes men in the Rear and this occasion'd Abenbukar's winning the Battel For this Captain bolting just in the nick from his Ambuscade put all Abraham's Forces into such great disorder that this Prince seeing himself penn'd up on all sides threw himself from off his Horse and so fled o're the Mountains that he might get again into Arabia Abenbukar being Master of the Field of Battel return'd to Damascus loaded with Honour and the Spoils of Abraham's Camp he had plunder'd and expecting to have suddenly another Army upon his back he did not dismiss his but put it only into good Quarters in that Country Abraham at his return having met with a very cool reception from the Arabians it spighted him extremely and gave him great confusion Wherefore having again conven'd the Governours and Commanders that were under his sway he gave them to understand that he was resolv'd not to suffer Abenbukar to glory long in his Victory and commanded them to make ready to take the Field in fifty days space with all the Forces they had under their charge They so very punctually executed this order that at the day appointed he found himself at the head of an Army of forty thousand Foot and five thousand Horse with which he march'd again for Syria Abenbukar had not slept on his side and knowing the great preparations that were making against him caus'd Proclamation to be made throughout all the neighbouring Countries of large pay and great Rewards for all those
that would come into his service and bring him Troops By this means he fram'd a body of thirty thousand Foot and three thousand Horse and with these Forces staid Prince Abraham's coming up who without entring into any parleys as he had done the time before as soon as he came in fight of Abenbukar's Army he march'd directly upon him to engage him in the Battel that was very bloody on both sides But at last Abenbukar's Troops being defeated he was taken generously fighting and brought to Abraham who without saying a word to him in the rage he was in and without giving him time to speak or the Executioner to come he cut his Throat with his own hands striking him so furious a blow with his Scimitar upon the nape of his Neck that he cut off his Head which he caus'd to be put on the top of a Pike on the Gate of Damascus He was not satisfy'd with having himself perform'd the Execution for having caus'd him to be fleed he commanded the placing upon that same Gate that Wretches Skin which he had caus'd to be fill'd with straw and the like usage did all those meet with that had had a hand in this Rebellion At length being grown weary of putting people to Death and believing that Province absolutely reduc'd and sufficiently chastiz'd he left there as Governour a Captain in whom he had great confidence call'd Abencirix and return'd to recreate himself at Court where he was receiv'd by his Partizans with great Huzzahs and mighty Exultation CHAP. XXV King Aboulvalid assembles a great Army in Africa and marches against his Brother Abraham gives him Battel wherein his Brother is kill'd KING Aboulvalid being retir'd to Thunis as I have before observ'd labour'd under great anxiety to see himself drove out of his Kingdom by his own Brother and employ'd his thoughts wholly upon the means of being reveng'd Mahomet Gilhair was no less concern'd than this Unhappy Prince considering him not barely as his Son-in-law but as his own Son Wherefore having resolv'd on assisting him with all his might he made great Levies thoughout the whole extent of his Kingdom gave Commissions to all the principal Persons of his Court and Country and fitted out a great Naval Army which he had stor'd with all the Provisions necessary for a great Embarkment Aboulvalid did not forget himself on his side and well perceiving there was no man that could assist him more strongly in his occasions than Muca Vice-roy of Morocco and of all the African Provinces he sent a man on purpose to him in a Felucca with this Letter King Aboulvalid's Letter to Muca Vice-roy of Morocco and Africa Praise be to God Amen THE Great and Warlike Emperour of the Arabs of the high Lineage of Motaleb Vicar of God and Defender of his Law Aboulvalid Abenacer Son of the most High and most Dread Caliph and Emperour of the Arabs Valid Almanzor To the Valiant Captain Virtuous and Accomplish'd Knight Trusty and Loyal Servant of our Royal Crown Muca our Vice-roy in Africa Greeting Abenbukar Governour of Damascus meaning to withdraw himself from his Allegiance to Vs and we having taken the Field with an Army to chastize him Prince Abraham our Brother taking that occasion to execute the design he long had had of troubling the State and having had the boldness to take up Arms against Vs to the great dammage of our Subjects and to the great contempt of the Obedience to Vs owning for which according to all Laws of Justice he merits Death as well as Abenbukar and for the procuring his punishment and preventing the misfortunes that his Rebellion may produce you are order'd That as soon as you shall have receiv'd this Letter to cause to assemble with all possible diligence the greatest number of Troops possible in the extent of our Kingdom of Africa and that you cause them to embark with all the Provisions necessary nay and with all the Gold and Silver that is found in Our Treasury of Morocco all which to be sent Vs to Thunis where we are at present further conjuring You if You have any one in whom You have sufficient confidence as to trust with him the care of your Government to come your self in Person at the head of your Army to serve Vs in so urgent an occasion and to provide for all things according to your wonted prudence wherein We have an entire confidence From Thunis the 14th of the Moon of Mahatran the Year 97. Muca having with great respect receiv'd the King his Masters Letter in a short time assembled an Army of thirty thousand Foot and having got together all sorts of Ammunition and fitted out a mighty Fleet he embark'd in it himself with the Royal Treasure he had in his keeping finding that it could not be better employ'd than for so good an occasion for which it was undoubtedly reserv'd Nay he thought himself oblig'd to quit all things to signalize his Zeal and Fidelity in his Masters service and contribute thereto not only with his Cares but with his Person In his room in Africa he left a very brave Man and in whom he had great Confidence call'd Alicunicy a Native of Stony Arabia and arriv'd safe at Thunis with all his Army at the end of the Moon of Rabeh on the 2 of that same year 97 of the Hegira There he found King Aboulvalid employ'd in Shipping the Troops he had got together in those parts who embrac'd him very affectionately and caress'd him to a high degree This Prince had already nominated Tariff Abenziet who had atchiev'd the Conquest of the Kingdom of Spain in his Fathers Life-time Generalissimo of all his Forces and had cast his Eyes upon him as upon the greatest and most lucky Captain of those times These two great Armies having been a long while in embarking the King put at length to Sea and with as fair a Wind as he could wish in a few days time he arriv'd in Arabia where having made a Review of all his Troops his Army was found to be sixty five thousand Foot and five thousand Horse which gave him a great deal of Joy All the People of that Coast seeing so numerous and so flourishing an Army far from opposing his Descent declar'd themselves immediately for him In the mean while Prince Abraham knowing all his Brothers Preparations did not sleep on his side He had assembled all the Chiefs of the Arabians and after having given 'em notice of the storm wherewith they were threatned and having made them apprehend that they were to expect little less than to be strangled if Aboulvalid ever re-mounted upon the Throne and that it was much better to dye in the Bed of Honour than upon a Scaffold as he was resolv'd to do to shew 'em the way They were all so sensibly perswaded by his Arguments that in their own Defence they made up a very considerable Army that was found to be sixty thousand men got
who leaves to one of his Kinsmen call'd Mahomet Amcari the Regency of his State during his Sons Minority ABoulvalid was much joy'd to see all his great Kingdoms in Peace and all the Wars and Dissentions he had been oblig'd to undergo absolutely stifled But as the Wheel of Fortune turns continually and there is no man upon Earth that has a continued and an accomplish'd happiness all Great and all Mighty as he was he try'd it like other men For he fell into so obstinate and so violent a Feaver that whatever care the greatest and ablest Physicians in the World took that were at that time they could not bring any Remedy to it Wherefore this Prince seeing that all that was given him did him more hurt than good resolv'd upon taking nothing at all And one day in their presence and in that of the Principal Persons of his Court he said That he plainly perceiv'd it to be the Will of God that he should dye of that illness that thus he thank'd them for all the pains they had thitherto taken and that he had no longer any need of them Then he dismiss'd them as well as all those that were about his Bed and sent for Mahomet Algaseli the Morabite to confer with him upon all things and to provide the best he could for the Government of the State after his Death which was what put him most in pain For he plainly saw his Son was as yet too Young to be able to contain so many Nations in their Duty and that it was absolutely requisite to give the Regency of the State to some one during his Minority He was much at a loss how to determine on whom to pitch but he and Algaseli at last concluded that there was not a man of more Ability nor in whom more Confidence could be put than in Mahomet Amcari his very near Relation insomuch that having had him call'd to him to tell him the choice he had made of his Person and Amcari having made him a thousand Protestations of Acknowledgment and Fidelity he nam'd him in his last Will and Testament the Regent and Lieutenant-General of the Empire till that his Son Almanzor was at Age to Govern He liv'd but a very few days after having declar'd his Will in this manner And as he had govern'd with much Lenity and Justice his Funeral that was perform'd with great state was accompany'd with a real Mourning by all the People and with such tears as departed from a down-right Affliction Mahomet Amcari having immediately taken upon him the management of Affairs the Queen Mother resolv'd to live retired as being well becoming a Widow and that she might have the more care of her Son and keep him in the greater security withdrew to a Country House whither the Caliph Almanzor her Father-in-law formerly retired and where there was all sorts of Conveniences Wherefore being gone thither to shut her self up with all her Family and that of the King her Son Amcari seeing himself absolute Master of the State and obey'd by all the Governours of all the Realms that compose this great Empire began to be sensible of the movements of Ambition and the desire of Reigning that glides by little and little like an Earth-worm into the Hearts of all men who from the nothing wherein they were see themselves rais'd up to Authority For after having began to prick him on by little bites they came at length to gnaw him all over Having his mind possess'd with this thought and only thinking of the means to bring it about he thought it expedient to begin with gaining over the Principal men of the Council and Army and the Governours of the Towns and Provinces as those that had all the Forces of the State in their hands Wherefore he let not any occasion slip of making them Presents and of obliging them When any of them dy'd he only put in their place such people as of whom he was well assured and whom he thought would not fail him on occasion and did this with so much dissimulation that as he spoke to no body of his design nor did any body perceive it At length having dispos'd all things to his fancy having reduc'd them to the point he judg'd proper for the Executing of his Treason he would needs communicate his mind to one of his principal friends whom he had made head of the Council of War call'd Aben Culeyman who told him frankly That since he ask'd him his advice he found great inconveniences in undertaking a thing of that nature as long as the Prince Jacob Almanzor his Master was alive For as he was beloved by all his Fathers Creatures there would be doubtless many Governours that would declare for him that this enterprize would seem very strange to the Arabians and that it would meet with great difficulties in the Provinces where in imitation of himself there would not be a Governour but would make himself King in the extent of his Government That thus whereas all he intended to do was only to augment his Authority and be absolute and independant he would find himself abyss'd in the stormy Sea of Wars which such an over-turning would occasion and that after he had thus Rioted the people it would be no longer in his power to calm them These reasons seem'd very pertinent to Mahomet Amcari and as he had ever sped in following the other Councils given him by Aben Culeyman he plainly saw that this he then gave him departed from a man consummated in the experience of State Affairs Wherefore he bethought himself of an indubitable expedient which was to rid himself of Prince Almanzor He was resolv'd not to communicate this thought to any other than the same Aben Culeyman but that Wise Councellour still endeavoured to divert him gently and by the best reasons he could bethink himself of from so wicked a design being in no wise able to approve of so horrible a cruelty and so base and black an action Nevertheless perceiving he could not root this intention out of his mind he was furiously vex'd and having at last resolv'd upon applying a fitting remedy he thought it to be time to discover the secret of this Treason to the Captain-General as to his best friend and to the Prince his Masters most Faithful Servant Muca being much surpriz'd at such an infidelity having confirm'd his friend in the design he already had of preventing so great a mischief after having concerted together what they had to do and promis'd one another the strictest secresie they resolv'd that Aben Culeyman should continue to put the Regent upon this matter of which he made him the confident and that he should endeavour to discover by what byass he pretended to bring about his design that so they might by the same means break all his measures This being their result Aben Culeyman happening to be with Amcari alone did not fail to put him upon that Chapter and the Regent
since he express'd so much desire to serve his Country to return to the Moors Camp to tell Abenramin that it was not yet time for him to advance Pelage not being yet arriv'd in the Town with all his Forces The Renegado having accepted this Commission made that forged answer to Abenramin who was very glad at it and sent him forthwith back to Gixa to stay till the Prince was there arriv'd and to bring him immediate word But instead of going thither he went to the Christians Camp Pelage not losing time march'd all the night and being acquainted with the Country he arriv'd at the Camp of the Moors without they having the least inckling of him and attack'd them with so much vigour that he kill'd a very great number of them and put all the rest to flight obliging General Abenramin to Retreat in great disorder In this Attack the Moors lost two thousand men and the Christians about eight hundred But Pelage fearing to ingage too far in the Battel with Abenramin who had double the number of his men and who after having rally'd his Souldiers that had been taken unprovided might surround him he made a hasty retreat to the Town of Gixa where as soon as he was entred he caus'd the Traytor Manuzes to be hang'd and his Body burnt Then for fear the Moors might take that Town again after having turn'd out all its Inhabitants he set fire to 't and Retreated into the Mountains to defend their entrance against the Moors by whom he was under fear of being pursu'd And indeed Abenramin follow'd Pelage at the heels so as that he arriv'd at Gixa before the fire was quite extinguished Whereupon having cross'd it without making any stay that he might endeavour to overtake Pelage he found him posted at the same Place where General Abraham was defeated He found this Post too difficult to force that he durst not undertake it for fear of not succeeding and contenting himself with garnishing well that frontier he bent his march back to Toledo with all his Army being asham'd at his having perform'd so little in this Expedition He signify'd to Tariff all that had pass'd while he expected his orders which he desired he would send him and this General signify'd to him to separate his Troops and remain in his Government till farther order This caus'd Abenramin to dismiss his Army and seek to recreate himself after the fatigues of this War CHAP. XVIII The Vnhappy end of Count Julian of the Countess his Wife and of Florinda his Daughter COunt Julian having taken leave of the Moorish Generals as has been said in the former Chapter assembled all his Adherents as well Relations as those that had follow'd his Fortune and seeing the bad condition the Algesires and his other Lands were in he went to settle himself in a very pleasant place that is upon the back of the Mediterranean Sea call'd by the Spaniards Villa Vitiosa from whence he could give the orders necessary for the reparation of all his Houses and the administration of the vast Estate he had As soon as he was there arriv'd he sent to his Wife and Daughter to come to him They had ever made their abode at Tangier waiting the event of this War but seeing it terminated they fail'd not to repair immediately to him The Count and Countess were overjoy'd to see one another again after so long a separation only Florinda continu'd still melancholly whatever Caresses were made her by her Father and Mother and whatever care they both took for her Diversion She had ever before her Eyes the ruine of her Country the destruction of the Christians the Death Servitude or at least the Misery of so many Millions of men and when she call'd to mind that she was the occasion of so many evils she was not capable of any joy Above all what gave her most anxiety was to see her self dishonour'd and without hopes of ever seeing her self in the Rank and Establishment she might have expected according to her condition All this so Topsy-turvy'd her mind that at the long-run either through the instigation of the Devil or through a black vapour that offuscated her Brain she mounted to the top of a Tower where shutting the Door after her for fear of being hinder'd from Executing what she had resolv'd on she entreated a Governant to go seek her Father and Mother with whom she had a mind to speak And as soon as they were come she began to speak to them from the top of the Tower as a Person that had absolutely lost her senses telling them that so unfortunate a Maid as she did not deserve to live principally being the cause of so great a Desolation as that of all Spain and continuing such like Discourses My Father and Mother cry'd she to them Henceforward in memory of my misfortune let not this City any longer be call'd Villa Vitiosa but Malaca for now the worst Person that ever was is going to dye No sooner had she utter'd these last words but that without hearing or Father or Mother or any of those that were there and without yielding to the Remonstrances they made her she threw herself from off the top of that Tower and having batter'd her self in falling she only liv'd three days Her Mother swoon'd away at this Spectacle and Count Julian laid so to heart the misfortune of a Maiden for whom he had had so much kindness that his imagination remaining wounded thereby he thought it to be a Punishment of God And perhaps it was so and that this befell him for his sins For the Leaf of the Tree makes not any motion in the Air and the Ant takes not a step upon the Earth but by his order Thus this Imagination made him lose his senses and become mad to that degree that he himself Stabb'd a Ponyard into his own Breast In a little time also after his Death the Countess his Wife fell sick of a Cancer and after having undergone inconceivable pains she dy'd at last of a Natural but a very grievous Death As they left no Legitimate Children Almanzor took Possession of his Lordships and Re-united them to the Crown of Spain This Death prov'd a great scandal both among the Christians and Moors and that Town is call'd Malaca on occasion of the last words Florinda utter'd at her dying when she threw her self off from the top of the Tower The Spaniands say Malaga in lieu of Malaca and this word is made of the two she was heard to utter at her Death for she said Let this Town be no longer call'd by its ancient name but let it be call'd Malaca said she that is to say Wicked because in it this Day dyes the most Wicked Creature in the World The Arabs call this Florinda as also la Cava which signifies Wicked and certain it is that tho this Count had serv'd Almanzor with great Fidelity yet was he a