the　Guadalete；　where　they　divided　the　spoil。　　Among　this　were　found　many　rich　corselets；　helmets；　and　weapons；　the　Moorish　trophies　of　the　defeat　in　the　mountains　of　Malaga。　　Several　were　claimed　by　their　owners；　others　were　known　to　have　belonged　to　noble　cavaliers　who　had　been　slain　or　taken　prisoners。　　There　were　several　horses　also；　richly　caparisoned；　which　had　pranced　proudly　with　the　unfortunate　warriors　as　they　sallied　out　of　Antiquera　upon　that　fatal　expedition。　　Thus　the　exultation　of　the　victors　was　dashed　with　melancholy；　and　many　a　knight　was　seen　lamenting　over　the　helmet　or　corselet　of　some　loved　companion…in…arms。
  NOTE。〃En　el　despojo　de　la　Batalla　se　vieron　muchas　ricas　corazas　　e　capacetes；　e　barberas　de　las　que　se　habian　perdido　en　el　Axarquia；　　e　otras　muchas　armas；　e　algunes　fueron　conocidas　de　sus　duenos　que　　las　habian　dejado　por　fuir；　e　otras　fueron　conocidas；　que　eran　mui　　senaladas　de　hombres　principales　que　habian　quedado　muertos　e　　cautivos；　i　fueron　tornados　muchos　de　los　mismos　Caballos　con　sus　　ricas　sillas；　de　los　que　quedaron　en　la　Axerquia；　e　fueron　concidos　　cuios　eran。〃〃Cura　de　los　Palacios；〃　cap。　67。
  CHAPTER　XXIII。
  RETREAT　OF　HAMET　EL　ZEGRI；　ALCAYDE　OF　RONDA。
  The　bold　alcayde　of　Ronda；　Hamet　el　Zegri；　had　careered　wide　over　the　Campina　of　Utrera；　encompassing　the　flocks　and　herds；　when　he　heard　the　burst　of　war　at　a　distance。　　There　were　with　him　but　a　handful　of　his　Gomeres。　　He　saw　the　scamper　and　pursuit　afar　off；　and　beheld　the　Christian　horsemen　spurring　madly　toward　the　ambuscade　on　the　banks　of　the　Lopera。　　Hamet　tossed　his　hand　triumphantly　aloft　for　his　men　to　follow　him。　　〃The　Christian　dogs　are　ours！〃　said　he　as　he　put　spurs　to　his　horse　to　take　the　enemy　in　rear。
  The　little　band　which　followed　Hamet　scarcely　amounted　to　thirty　horsemen。　　They　spurred　across　the　plain；　and　reached　a　rising　ground　just　as　the　force　of　Puerto　Carrero　had　charged；　with　sound　of　trumpet；　upon　the　flank　of　the　party　in　ambush。　　Hamet　beheld　the　headlong　rout　of　the　army　with　rage　and　consternation。　He　found　the　country　was　pouring　forth　its　legions　from　every　quarter；　and　perceived　that　there　was　no　safety　but　in　precipitate　flight。
  But　which　way　to　fly？　　An　army　was　between　him　and　the　mountain…　pass；　all　the　forces　of　the　neighborhood　were　rushing　to　the　borders；　the　whole　route　by　which　he　had　come　was　by　this　time　occupied　by　the　foe。　　He　checked　his　steed；　rose　in　the　stirrups；　and　rolled　a　stern　and　thoughtful　eye　over　the　country；　then；　sinking　into　his　saddle；　he　seemed　to　commune　a　moment　with　himself。　　Turning　quickly　to　his　troop；　he　singled　out　a　renegado　Christian；　a　traitor　to　his　religion　and　his　king。　　〃Come　hither；〃　said　Hamet。　　〃Thou　knowest　all　the　secret　passes　of　the　country？〃〃I　do；〃　replied　the　renegado。　〃Dost　thou　know　any　circuitous　route；　solitary　and　untravelled；　by　which　we　can　pass　wide　within　these　troops　and　reach　the　Serrania？〃　The　renegado　paused：　〃Such　a　route　I　know；　but　it　is　full　of　peril；　for　it　leads　through　the　heart　of　the　Christian　land。〃〃'Tis　well；〃　said　Hamet；　〃the　more　dangerous　in　appearance；　the　less　it　will　be　suspected。　　Now　hearken　to　me。　　Ride　by　my　side。　Thou　seest　this　purse　of　gold　and　this　scimetar。　　Take　us；　by　the　route　thou　hast　mentioned；　safe　to　the　pass　of　the　Serrania；　and　this　purse　shall　be　thy　reward；　betray　us；　and　this　scimetar　shall　cleave　thee　to　the　saddle…bow。〃*
  *Cura　de　los　Palacios；　ubi　sup。
  The　renegado　obeyed；　trembling。　　They　turned　off　from　the　direct　road　to　the　mountains　and　struck　southward　toward　Lebrixa；　passing　by　the　most　solitary　roads　and　along　those　deep　ramblas　and　ravines　by　which　the　country　is　intersected。　　It　was　indeed　a　daring　course。　Every　now　and　then　they　heard　the　distant　sound　of　trumpets　and　the　alarm…bells　of　towns　and　villages；　and　found　that　the　war　was　still　hurrying　to　the　borders。　　They　hid　themselves　in　thickets　and　in　dry　beds　of　rivers　until　the　danger　had　passed　by；　and　then　resumed　their　course。　　Hamet　el　Zegri　rode　on　in　silence；　his　hand　upon　his　scimetar　and　his　eye　upon　the　renegado　guide；　prepared　to　sacrifice　him　on　the　least　sign　of　treachery；　while　his　band　followed；　gnawing　their　lips　with　rage　at　having　thus　to　skulk　through　a　country　they　had　come　to　ravage。
  When　night　fell　they　struck　into　more　practicable　roads；　always　keeping　wide　of　the　villages　and　hamlets；　lest　the　watch…dogs　should　betray　them。　　In　this　way　they　passed　in　deep　midnight　by　Arcos；　crossed　the　Guadalete；　and　effected　their　retreat　to　the　mountains。　The　day　dawned　as　they　made　their　way　up　the　savage　defiles。　　Their　comrades　had　been　hunted　up　these　very　glens　by　the　enemy。　　Every　now　and　then　they　came　to　where　there　had　been　a　partial　fight　or　a　slaughter　of　the　fugitives；　and　the　rocks　were　red　with　blood　and　strewed　with　mangled　bodies。　　The　alcayde　of　Ronda　was　almost　frantic　with　rage　at　seeing　many　of　his　bravest　warriors　lying　stiff　and　stark；　a　prey　to　the　hawks　and　vultures　of　the　mountains。　　Now　and　then　some　wretched　Moor　would　crawl　out　of　a　cave　or　glen；　whither　he　had　fled　for　refuge；　for　in　the　retreat　many　of　the　horsemen　had　abandoned　their　steeds；　thrown　away　their　armor；　and　clambered　up　the　cliffs；　where　they　could　not　be　pursued　by　the　Christian　cavalry。
  The　Moorish　army　had　sallied　forth　from　Ronda　amidst　shouts　and　acclamations；　but　wailings　were　heard　within　its　walls　as　the　alcayde　and　his　broken　band　returned　without　banner　or　trumpet　and　haggard　with　famine　and　fatigue。　　The　tidings　of　their　disaster　had　preceded　them；　borne　by　the　fugitives　of　the　army。　　No　one　ventured　to　speak　to　the　stern　Hamet　as　he　entered　the　city；　for　they　saw　a　dark　cloud　upon　his　brow。
  It　seemed　（says　the　pious　Antonio　Agapida）　as　if　Heaven　meted　out　this　defeat　in　exact　retribution　for　the　ills　inflicted　upon　the　Christian　warriors　in　the　heights　of　Malaga。　　It　was　equally　signal　and　disastrous。　　Of　the　brilliant　array　of　Moorish　chivalry　which　had　descended　so　confidently　into　Andalusia；　not　more　than　two　hundred　escaped。　　The　choicest　troops　of　the　frontier　were　either　taken　or　destroyed；　the　Moorish　garrisons　enfeebled；　and　many　alcaydes　and　cavaliers　of　noble　lineage　carried　into　captivity；　who　were　afterward　obliged　to　redeem　themselves　with　heavy　ransoms。
  This　was　called　the　battle　of　Lopera；　and　was　fought　on　the　17th　of　September；　1483。　　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　were　at　Vittoria　in　Old　Castile　when　they　received　news　of　the　victory　and　the　standards　taken　from　the　enemy。　　They　celebrated　the　event　with　processions；　illuminations；　and　other　festivities。　　Ferdinand　sent　to　the　marques　of　Cadiz　the　royal　raiment　which　he　had　worn　on　that　day；　and　conferred　on　him　and　all　those　who　should　inherit　his　title　the　privilege　of　wearing　royal　robes　on　our　Lady's　Day　in　September　in　commemoration　of　this　victory。*
  *Mariana；　Abarca；　Zurita；　Pulgar；　etc。
  Queen　Isabella　was　equally　mindful　of　the　great　services　of　Don　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero。　　Besides　many　encomiums　and　favors；　she　sent　to　his　wife　the　royal　vestments　and　robe　of　brocade　which　she　had　worn　on　the　same　day；　to　be　worn　by　her　during　her　life　on　the　anniversary　of　that　battle。*
  CHAPTER　XXIV。
  OF　THE　RECEPTION　AT　COURT　OF　THE　COUNT　DE　CABRA　AND　THE　　　　　ALCAYDE　DE　LOS　DONCELES。
  In　the　midst　of　the　bustle　of　warlike　affairs　the　worthy　chronicler　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　pauses　to　note；　with　curious　accuracy；　the　distinguished　reception　given　to　the　count　de　Cabra　and　his　nephew；　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles；　at　the　stately　and　ceremonious　court　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　in　reward　for　the　capture　of　the　Moorish　king　Boabdil。　　The　court　（he　observes）　was　held　at　the　time　in　the　ancient　Moorish　palace　of　the　city　of　Cordova；　and　the　ceremonials　were　arranged　by　that　venerable　prelate　Don　Pedro　Gonzales　de　Mendoza；　bishop　of　Toledo　and　grand　cardinal　of　Spain。
  It　was　on　Wednesday；　the　14th　of　October　（continues　the　precise　Antonio　Agapida）；　that　the　good　count　de　Cabra；　according　to　arrangement；　appeared　at　the　gate　of　Cordova。　　Here　he　was　met　by　the　grand　cardinal　and　the　duke　of　Villahermosa；　illegitimate　brother　of　the　king；　together　with　many　of　the　first　grandees　and　prelates　of　the　kingdom。　　By　this　august　train　was　he　attended　to　the　palace　amidst　strains　of　martial　music　and　the　shouts　of　a　prodigious　multitude。
  When　the　count　arrived　in　the　presence　of　the　sovereigns；　who　were　seated　in　state　on　a　dais　or　raised　part　of　the　hall　of　audience；　they　both　arose。　　The　king　advanced　exactly　five　steps　toward　the　count；　who　knelt　and　kissed　his　royal　hand；　however；　the　king　would　not　receive　him　as　a　mere　vassal；　but　embraced　him　with　affectionate　cordiality。　　The　queen　also　advanced　two　steps；　and　received　the　count　with　a　countenance　full　of　sweetness　and　benignity：　after　he　had　kissed　her　hand　the　king　and　queen　returned　to　their　thrones；　and；　cushions　being　brought；　they　ordered　the　count　de　Cabra　to　be　seated　in　their　presence。　　This　last　circumstance　is　written　in　large　letters　and　followed　by　several　notes　of　admiration　in　the　manuscript　of　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　who　considers　the　extraordinary　privilege　of　sitting　in　presence　of　the　Catholic　sovereigns　an　honor　well　worth　fi