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did　many　liberal　and　good　actions；　I　recommended　numberless

persons　of　merit　in　distress　to　the　king's　notice；　most　of　whom

were　provided　for。　　Indeed；　had　I　sufficiently　known　my　blessed

situation　at　this　time；　I　should　have　grieved　at　nothing　more

than　the　death　of　Alphonso；　by　which　the　burden　of　government

devolved　upon　me；　but；　so　blindly　fond　is　ambition；　and　such

charms　doth　it　fancy　in　the　power　and　pomp　and　splendor　of　a

crown；　that；　though　I　vehemently　loved　that　king；　and　had　the

greatest　obligations　to　him；　the　thoughts　of　succeeding　him

obliterated　my　regret　at　his　loss；　and　the　wish　for　my

approaching　coronation　dried　my　eyes　at　his　funeral。



〃But　my　fondness　for　the　name　of　king　did　not　make　me　forgetful

of　those　over　whom　I　was　to　reign。　　I　considered　them　in　the

light　in　which　a　tender　father　regards　his　children；　as　persons

whose　wellbeing　God　had　intrusted　to　my　care；　and　again；　in　that

in　which　a　prudent　lord　respects　his　tenants；　as　those　on　whose

wealth　and　grandeur　he　is　to　build　his　own。　　Both　these

considerations　inspired　me　with　the　greatest　care　for　their

welfare；　and　their　good　was　my　first　and　ultimate　concern。



〃The　usurper　Mauregas　had　impiously　obliged　himself　and　his

successors　to　pay　to　the　Moors　every　year　an　infamous　tribute　of

an　hundred　young　virgins：　　from　this　cruel　and　scandalous

imposition　I　resolved　to　relieve　my　country。　　Accordingly；　when

their　emperor　Abderames　the　second　had　the　audaciousness　to　make

this　demand　of　me；　instead　of　complying　with　it　I　ordered　his

ambassadors　to　be　driven　away　with　all　imaginable　ignominy；　and

would　have　condemned　them　to　death；　could　I　have　done　it　without

a　manifest　violation　of　the　law　of　nations。



〃I　now　raised　an　immense　army；　at　the　levying　of　which　I　made　a

speech　from　my　throne；　acquainting　my　subjects　with　the　necessity

and　the　reasons　of　the　war　in　which　I　was　going　to　engage：　　which

I　convinced　them　I　had　undertaken　for　their　ease　and　safety；　and

not　for　satisfying　any　wanton　ambition；　or　revenging　any　private

pique　of　my　own。　　They　all　declared　unanimously　that　they　would

venture　their　lives　and　everything　dear　to　them　in　my　defense；

and　in　the　support　of　the　honor　of　my　crown。　　Accordingly；　my

levies　were　instantly　complete；　sufficient　numbers　being　only

left　to　till　the　land；　churchmen；　even　bishops　themselves；

enlisting　themselves　under　my　banners。　　



〃The　armies　met　at　Alvelda；　where　we　were　discomfited　with

immense　loss；　and　nothing　but　the　lucky　intervention　of　the　night

could　have　saved　our　whole　army。



〃I　retreated　to　the　summit　of　a　hill；　where　I　abandoned　myself　to

the　highest　agonies　of　grief；　not　so　much　for　the　danger　in　which

I　then　saw　my　crown；　as　for　the　loss　of　those　miserable　wretches

who　had　exposed　their　lives　at　my　command。　　I　could　not　then

avoid　this　reflectionthat；　if　the　deaths　of　these　people　in　a

war　undertaken　absolutely　for　their　protection　could　give　me　such

concern；　what　horror　must　I　have　felt　if；　like　princes　greedy　of

dominion；　I　had　sacrificed　such　numbers　to　my　own　pride；　vanity；

and　ridiculous　lust　of　power。



〃After　having　vented　my　sorrows　for　some　time　in　this　manner；　I

began　to　consider　by　what　means　I　might　possibly　endeavor　to

retrieve　this　misfortune；　when；　reflecting　on　the　great　number　of

priests　I　had　in　my　army；　and　on　the　prodigious　force　of

superstition；　a　thought　luckily　suggested　itself　to　me；　to

counterfeit　that　St。　James　had　appeared　to　me　in　a　vision；　and

had　promised　me　the　victory。　　While　I　was　ruminating　on　this　the

bishop　of　Najara　came　opportunely　to　me。　　As　I　did　not　intend　to

communicate　the　secret　to　him；　I　took　another　method；　and；

instead　of　answering　anything　the　bishop　said　to　me；　I　pretended

to　talk　to　St。　James；　as　if　he　had　been　really　present；　till　at

length；　after　having　spoke　those　things　which　I　thought

sufficient；　and　thanked　the　saint　aloud　for　his　promise　of　the

victory；　I　turned　about　to　the　bishop；　and；　embracing　him　with　a

pleased　countenance；　protested　I　did　not　know　he　was　present；　and

then；　informing　him　of　this　supposed　vision；　I　asked　him　if　he

had　not　himself　seen　the　saint？　　He　answered　me　he　had；　and

afterwards　proceeded　to　assure　me　that　this　appearance　of　St。

James　was　entirely　owing　to　his　prayers；　for　that　he　was　his

tutelar　saint。　　He　added　he　had　a　vision　of　him　a　few　hours

before；　when　he　promised　him　a　victory　over　the　infidels；　and

acquainted　him　at　the　same　time　of　the　vacancy　of　the　see　of

Toledo。　　Now；　this　news　being　really　true；　though　it　had　happened

so　lately　that　I　had　not　heard　of　it　（nor；　indeed；　was　it　well

possible　I　should；　considering　the　great　distance　of　the　way）；

when　I　was　afterwards　acquainted　with　it；　a　little　staggered　me；

though　far　from　being　superstitious；　till　being　informed　that　the

bishop　had　lost　three　horses　on　a　late　expedition；　I　was

satisfied。



〃The　next　morning；　the　bishop；　at　my　desire；　mounted　the　rostrum；

and　trumpeted　forth　this　vision　so　effectually；　which　he　said　he

had　that　evening　twice　seen　with　his　own　eyes；　that　a　spirit

began　to　be　infused　through　the　whole　army　which　rendered　them

superior　to　almost　any　force：　　the　bishop　insisted　that　the　least

doubt　of　success　was　giving　the　lie　to　the　saint；　and　a　damnable

sin；　and　he　took　upon　him　in　his　name　to　promise　them　victory。



〃The　army　being　drawn　out；　I　soon　experienced　the　effect　of

enthusiasm；　for；　having　contrived　another　stratagem＇9＇　to

strengthen　what　the　bishop　had　said；　the　soldiers　fought　more

like　furies　than　men。　　My　stratagem　was　this：　　I　had　about　me　a

dexterous　fellow；　who　had　been　formerly　a　pimp　in　my　amours。　　Him

I　dressed　up　in　a　strange　antic　dress；　with　a　pair　of　white

colors　in　his　right　hand；　a　red　cross　in　his　left；　and　having

disguised　him　so　that　no　one　could　know　him；　I　placed　him　on　a

white　horse；　and　ordered　him　to　ride　to　the　head　of　the　army；　and

cry　out；　'Follow　St。　James！'　　These　words　were　reiterated　by　all

the　troops；　who　attacked　the　enemy　with　such　intrepidity；　that；

notwithstanding　our　inferiority　of　numbers；　we　soon　obtained　a

complete　victory。



＇9＇　This　silly　story　is　told　as　a　solemn　truth　（i。e。；　that　St。　

James　really　appeared　in　the　manner　this　fellow　is　described）　by

Mariana；　1。7；　Section　78。





〃The　bishop　was　come　up　by　the　time　that　the　enemy　was　routed；

and；　acquainting　us　that　he　had　met　St。　James　by　the　way；　and

that　he　had　informed　him　of　what　had　passed；　he　added　that　he　had

express　orders　from　the　saint　to　receive　a　considerable　sum　for

his　use；　and　that　a　certain　tax　on　corn　and　wine　should　be

settled　on　his　church　for　ever；　and　lastly；　that　a　horseman's　pay

should　be　allowed　for　the　future　to　the　saint　himself；　of　which

he　and　his　successors　were　appointed　receivers。　　The　army

received　these　demands　with　such　acclamations　that　I　was　obliged

to　comply　with　them；　as　I　could　by　no　means　discover　the

imposition；　nor　do　I　believe　I　should　have　gained　any　credit　if　I

had。



〃I　had　now　done　with　the　saint；　but　the　bishop　had　not；　for　about

a　week　afterwards　lights　were　seen　in　a　wood　near　where　the

battle　was　fought；　and　in　a　short　time　afterwards　they　discovered

his　tomb　at　the　same　place。　　Upon　this　the　bishop　made　me　a

visit；　and　forced　me　to　go　thither；　to　build　a　church　to　him；　and

largely　endow　it。　　In　a　word；　the　good　man　so　plagued　me　with

miracle　after　miracle；　that　I　was　forced　to　make　interest　with

the　pope　to　convey　him　to　Toledo；　to　get　rid　of　him。



〃But　to　proceed　to　other　matters。There　was　an　inferior　officer；

who　had　behaved　very　bravely　in　the　battle　against　the　Moors；　and

had　received　several　wounds；　who　solicited　me　for　preferment；

which　I　was　about　to　confer　on　him；　when　one　of　my　ministers　came

to　me　in　a　fright；　and　told　me　that　he　had　promised　the　post　I

designed　for　this　man　to　the　son　of　count　Alderedo；　and　that　the

count；　who　was　a　powerful　person；　would　be　greatly　disobliged　at

the　refusal；　as　he　had　sent　for　his　son　from　school　to　take

possession　of　it。　　I　was　obliged　to　agree　with　my　minister's

reasons；　and　at　the　same　time　recommended　the　wounded　soldier　to

be　preferred　by　him；　which　he　faithfully　promised　he　would；　but　I

met　the　poor　wretch　since　in　Elysium；　who　informed　me　he　was

afterwards　starved　to　death。



〃None　who　hath　not　been　himself　a　prince；　nor　any　prince　till　his

death；　can　conceive　the　impositions　daily　put　on　them　by　their

favorites　and　ministers；　so　that　princes　are　often　blamed　for　the

faults　of　others。　　The　count　of　Saldagne　had　been　long　confined

in　prison；　when　his　son；　D。　Bernard　del　Carpio；　who　had

performed　the　greatest　actions　against　the　Moors；　entreated　me；

as　a　reward　for　his　service；　to　grant　him　his　father's　liberty。　

The　old　man's　punishment　had　been　so　tedious；　and　the　services　of

the　young　one　so　singularly　eminent；　that　I　was　very　inclinable

to　grant　the　request；　but　my　ministers　strongly　opposed　it；　they

told　me　my　glory　demanded　revenge　for　the　dishonor　offered　to　my

family；　that　so　positive　a　demand　carried　with　it　rather　the　air

of　menace　than　entreaty；　that　the　vain　detail　of　his　services；

and　the　recompense　due　to　them；　was　an　injurious　reproach；　that

to　grant　what　had　been　so　haughtily　demanded　would　argue　in　the

monarch　both　weakness　and　timidity；　in　a　word；　that　to　remit　the

punishment　inflicted　by　my　predecessors　would　be　to　condemn　their

judgment。　　Lastly；　one　told　me　in　a　whisper；　'His　whole　family

are　enemies　to　your　house。'　　By　these　means　the　ministers

prevailed。　　The　young　lord　took　the　refusal　so　ill；　that　he

retired　from　court；　and　abandoned　himself　to　despair；　whilst　the

old　one　languished　in　prison。　　By　which　means；　as　I　have　since

discovered；　I　lost　the　use　of　two　of　my　best　subjects。



〃To　confess　the　truth；　I　had；　by　means　of　my　ministers；　conceived

a　very　unjust　opinion　of　my　whole　people；　whom　I　fancied　to　be

daily　con