ewels。　　They　were　finely　formed；　excessively　fair；　graceful　in　their　manners；　and　fascinating　in　their　conversation；　when　they　smiled；　says　Al　Kattib；　they　displayed　teeth　of　dazzling　whiteness；　and　their　breath　was　as　the　perfume　of　flowers。
  The　Moorish　cavaliers；　when　not　in　armor；　delighted　in　dressing　themselves　in　Persian　style；　in　garments　of　wool；　of　silk；　or　cotton　of　the　finest　texture；　beautifully　wrought　with　stripes　of　various　colors。　In　winter　they　wore；　as　an　outer　garment；　the　African　cloak　or　Tunisian　albornoz；　but　in　the　heat　of　summer　they　arrayed　themselves　in　linen　of　spotless　whiteness。　　The　same　luxury　prevailed　in　their　military　equipments。　Their　armor　was　inlaid　and　chased　with　gold　and　silver。　　The　sheaths　of　their　scimetars　were　richly　labored　and　enamelled；　the　blades　were　of　Damascus　bearing　texts　from　the　Koran　or　martial　and　amorous　mottoes；　the　belts　were　of　golden　filigree　studded　with　gems；　their　poniards　of　Fez　were　wrought　in　the　arabesque　fashion；　their　lances　bore　gay　bandaroles；　their　horses　were　sumptuously　caparisoned　with　housings　of　green　and　crimson　velvet；　wrought　with　silk　and　enamelled　with　gold　and　silver。　All　this　warlike　luxury　of　the　youthful　chivalry　was　encouraged　by　the　Moorish　kings；　who　ordained　that　no　tax　should　be　imposed　on　the　gold　and　silver　employed　in　these　embellishments；　and　the　same　　exxfxception　was　extended　to　the　bracelets　and　other　ornaments　worn　by　the　fair　dames　of　Granada。
  Of　the　chivalrous　gallantry　which　prevailed　between　the　sexes　in　this　romantic　period　of　Moorish　history　we　have　traces　in　the　thousand　ballads　which　have　come　down　to　our　day；　and　which　have　given　a　tone　and　coloring　to　Spanish　amatory　literature　and　to　everything　in　Spain　connected　with　the　tender　passion。
  War　was　the　normal　state　of　Granada　and　its　inhabitants；　the　common　people　were　subject　at　any　moment　to　be　summoned　to　the　field；　and　all　the　upper　class　was　a　brilliant　chivalry。　　The　Christian　princes；　so　successful　in　regaining　the　rest　of　the　Peninsula；　found　their　triumphs　checked　at　the　mountain…boundaries　of　this　kingdom。　　Every　peak　had　its　atalaya；　or　watch…tower；　ready　to　make　its　fire　by　night　or　to　send　up　its　column　of　smoke　by　day；　a　signal　of　invasion　at　which　the　whole　country　was　on　the　alert。　　To　penetrate　the　defiles　of　this　perilous　country；　to　surprise　a　frontier　fortress；　or　to　make　a　foray　into　the　Vega　and　a　hasty　ravage　within　sight　of　the　very　capital　were　among　the　most　favorite　and　daring　exploits　of　the　Castilian　chivalry。　　But　they　never　pretended　to　hold　the　region　thus　ravaged；　it　was　sack；　burn；　plunder；　and　away；　and　these　desolating　inroads　were　retaliated　in　kind　by　the　Moorish　cavaliers；　whose　greatest　delight　was　a　〃tala；〃　or　predatory　incursion；　into　the　Christian　territories　beyond　the　mountains。
  A　partisan　warfare　of　this　kind　had　long　existed　between　Granada　and　its　most　formidable　antagonists；　the　kingdoms　of　Castile　and　Leon。　It　was　one　which　called　out　the　keen　yet　generous　rivalry　of　Christian　and　Moslem　cavaliers；　and　gave　rise　to　individual　acts　of　chivalrous　gallantry　and　daring　prowess；　but　it　was　one　which　was　gradually　exhausting　the　resources　and　sapping　the　strength　of　Granada。　　One　of　the　latest　of　its　kings；　therefore；　Aben　Ismael　by　name；　disheartened　by　a　foray　which　had　laid　waste　the　Vega；　and　conscious　that　the　balance　of　warfare　was　against　his　kingdom；　made　a　truce　in　1457　with　Henry　IV。；　king　of　Castile　and　Leon；　stipulating　to　pay　him　an　annual　tribute　of　twelve　thousand　doblas　or　pistoles　of　gold；　and　to　liberate　annually　six　hundred　Christian　captives；　or　in　default　of　captives　to　give　an　equal　number　of　Moors　as　hostages；all　to　be　delivered　at　the　city　of　Cordova。*
  *Garibay；　Compend。；　1。17；　c。　3。
  The　truce；　however；　was　of　a　partial　nature；　with　singular　reservations。　　It　did　not　include　the　Moorish　frontier　toward　Jaen；　which　was　to　remain　open　for　the　warlike　enterprises　of　either　nation；　neither　did　it　prohibit　sudden　attacks　upon　towns　and　castles；　provided　they　were　mere　forays；　conducted　furtively；　without　sound　of　trumpet　or　display　of　banners　or　pitching　of　camps　or　regular　investment；　and　that　they　did　not　last　above　three　days。*
  *Zurita；　Anales　de　Aragon；　1。　20；　c。　42；　Mariana；　Hist。　de　Espana　1。　　25；　c。　1；　Bleda；　Coron。　de　los　Moros；　l。　5；　c。　3。
  Aben　Ismael　was　faithful　in　observing　the　conditions　of　the　truce；　but　they　were　regarded　with　impatience　by　his　eldest　son；　Muley　Abul　Hassan；　a　prince　of　a　fiery　and　belligerent　spirit；　and　fond　of　casing　himself　in　armor　and　mounting　his　war…horse。　　He　had　been　present　at　Cordova　at　one　of　the　payments　of　tribute；　and　had　witnessed　the　scoffs　and　taunts　of　the　Christians；　and　his　blood　boiled　whenever　he　recalled　the　humiliating　scene。　　When　he　came　to　the　throne　in　1465；　on　the　death　of　his　father；　he　ceased　the　payment　of　the　tribute　altogether；　and　it　was　sufficient　to　put　him　into　a　tempest　of　rage　only　to　mention　it。
  〃He　was　a　fierce　and　warlike　infidel；〃　says　the　pious　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃his　bitterness　against　the　holy　Christian　faith　had　been　signalized　in　battle　during　the　lifetime　of　his　father；　and　the　same　diabolical　spirit　of　hostility　was　apparent　in　his　ceasing　to　pay　this　most　righteous　tribute。〃
  CHAPTER　II。
  OF　THE　EMBASSY　OF　DON　JUAN　DE　VERA　TO　DEMAND　ARREARS　　　　　OF　TRIBUTE　FROM　THE　MOORISH　MONARCH。
  The　flagrant　want　of　faith　of　Muley　Abul　Hassan　in　fulfilling　treaty　stipulations　passed　unresented　during　the　residue　of　the　reign　of　Henry　the　Impotent；　and　the　truce　was　tacitly　continued　without　the　enforcement　of　tribute　during　the　first　three　years　of　the　reign　of　his　successors；　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　of　glorious　and　happy　memory；　who　were　too　much　engrossed　by　civil　commotions　in　their　own　dominions；　and　by　a　war　of　succession　waged　with　them　by　the　king　of　Portugal；　to　risk　an　additional　conflict　with　the　Moorish　sovereign。　When；　however；　at　the　expiration　of　the　term　of　truce；　Muley　Abul　Hassan　sought　a　renewal　of　it；　the　pride　and　piety　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns　were　awakened　to　the　flagrant　defalcation　of　the　infidel　king；　and　they　felt　themselves　called　upon；　by　their　dignity　as　monarchs　and　their　religious　obligations　as　champions　of　the　faith；　to　make　a　formal　demand　for　the　payment　of　arrearages。
  In　the　year　of　grace　1478；　therefore；　Don　Juan　de　Vera；　a　zealous　and　devout　knight；　full　of　ardor　for　the　faith　and　loyalty　to　the　Crown；　was　sent　as　ambassador　for　the　purpose。　　He　was　armed　at　all　points；　gallantly　mounted；　and　followed　by　a　moderate　but　well…appointed　retinue：　in　this　way　he　crossed　the　Moorish　frontier；　and　passed　slowly　through　the　country；　looking　round　him　with　the　eyes　of　a　practised　warrior　and　carefully　noting　its　military　points　and　capabilities。　　He　saw　that　the　Moor　was　well　prepared　for　possible　hostilities。　　Every　town　was　strongly　fortified。　　The　Vega　was　studded　with　towers　of　refuge　for　the　peasantry：　every　pass　of　the　mountain　had　its　castle　of　defence；　every　lofty　height　its　watch…tower。　　As　the　Christian　cavaliers　passed　under　the　walls　of　the　fortresses；　lances　and　scimetars　flashed　from　their　battlements；　and　the　Moorish　sentinels　darted　from　their　dark　eyes　glances　of　hatred　and　defiance。　　It　was　evident　that　a　war　with　this　kingdom　must　be　a　war　of　posts；　full　of　doughty　peril　and　valiant　enterprise；　where　every　step　must　be　gained　by　toil　and　bloodshed；　and　maintained　with　the　utmost　difficulty。　　The　warrior　spirit　of　the　cavaliers　kindled　at　the　thoughts；　and　they　were　impatient　for　hostilities；　〃not；〃　says　Antonio　Agapida；　〃from　any　thirst　for　rapine　and　revenge；　but　from　that　pure　and　holy　indignation　which　every　Spanish　knight　entertained　at　beholding　this　beautiful　dominion　of　his　ancestors　defiled　by　the　footsteps　of　infidel　usurpers。　　It　was　impossible；〃　he　adds；　〃to　contemplate　this　delicious　country；　and　not　long　to　see　it　restored　to　the　dominion　of　the　true　faith　and　the　sway　of　the　Christian　monarchs。〃
  Arrived　at　the　gates　of　Granada；　Don　Juan　de　Vera　and　his　companions　saw　the　same　vigilant　preparations　on　the　part　of　the　Moorish　king。　His　walls　and　towers　were　of　vast　strength；　in　complete　repair；　and　mounted　with　lombards　and　other　heavy　ordnance。　　His　magazines　were　well　stored　with　the　munitions　of　war；　he　had　a　mighty　host　of　foot…soldiers；　together　with　squadrons　of　cavalry；　ready　to　scour　the　country　and　carry　on　either　defensive　or　predatory　warfare。　　The　Christian　warriors　noted　these　things　without　dismay；　their　hearts　rather　glowed　with　emulation　at　the　thoughts　of　encountering　so　worthy　a　foe。　　As　they　slowly　pranced　through　the　streets　of　Granada　they　looked　round　with　eagerness　on　the　stately　palaces　and　sumptuous　mosques；　on　its　alcayceria　or　bazar；　crowded　with　silks　and　cloth　of　silver　and　gold；　with　jewels　and　precious　stones；　and　other　rich　merchandise；　the　luxuries　of　every　clime；　and　they　longed　for　the　time　when　all　this　wealth　should　be　the　spoil　of　the　soldiers　of　the　faith；　and　when　each　tramp　of　their　steeds　might　be　fetlock　deep　in　the　blood　and　carnage　of　the　infidels。
  The　Moorish　inhabitants　looked　jealously　at　this　small　but　proud　array　of　Spanish　chivalry；　as　it　paraded；　with　that　stateliness　possessed　only