Nay；　the　holy　men　of　the　Church　did　not　scruple；　at　times；　to　buckle　on　the　cuirass　over　the　cassock；　to　exchange　the　crosier　for　the　lance；　and　thus　with　corporal　hands　and　temporal　weapons　to　fight　the　good　fight　of　the　faith。
  But　to　return　from　this　rhapsody　of　the　worthy　friar。　　The　count　de　Cabra；　being　instructed　in　the　complicated　arrangements　of　the　king；　marched　forth　at　midnight　to　execute　them　punctually。　　He　led　his　troops　by　the　little　river　that　winds　below　Vaena；　and　so　up　to　the　wild　defiles　of　the　mountains；　marching　all　night；　and　stopping　only　in　the　heat　of　the　following　day　to　repose　under　the　shadowy　cliffs　of　a　deep　barranca；　calculating　to　arrive　at　Moclin　exactly　in　time　to　co…operate　with　the　other　forces。
  The　troops　had　scarcely　stretched　themselves　on　the　earth　to　take　repose；　when　a　scout　arrived　bringing　word　that　El　Zagal　had　suddenly　sallied　out　of　Granada　with　a　strong　force；　and　had　encamped　in　the　vicinity　of　Moclin。　　It　was　plain　that　the　wary　Moor　had　received　information　of　the　intended　attack。　　This；　however；　was　not　the　idea　that　presented　itself　to　the　mind　of　the　count　de　Cabra。　　He　had　captured　one　king；　here　was　a　fair　opportunity　to　secure　another。　　What　a　prisoner　to　deliver　into　the　hands　of　his　royal　mistress！　　Fired　with　the　thoughts；　the　good　count　forgot　all　the　arrangements　of　the　king；　or　rather；　blinded　by　former　success；　he　trusted　everything　to　courage　and　fortune；　and　thought　that　by　one　bold　swoop　he　might　again　bear　off　the　royal　prize　and　wear　his　laurels　without　competition。*　　His　only　fear　was　that　the　master　of　Calatrava　and　the　belligerent　bishop　might　come　up　in　time　to　share　the　glory　of　the　victory；　so；　ordering　every　one　to　horse；　this　hot…spirited　cavalier　pushed　on　for　Moclin　without　allowing　his　troops　the　necessary　time　for　repose。
  *Mariana；　lib。　25；　c。　17；　Abarca；　Zurita；　etc。
  The　evening　closed　as　the　count　arrived　in　the　neighborhood　of　Moclin。　　It　was　the　full　of　the　moon　and　a　bright　and　cloudless　night。　　The　count　was　marching　through　one　of　those　deep　valleys　or　ravines　worn　in　the　Spanish　mountains　by　the　brief　but　tremendous　torrents　which　prevail　during　the　autumnal　rains。　　It　was　walled　on　each　side　by　lofty　and　almost　perpendicular　cliffs；　but　great　masses　of　moonlight　were　thrown　into　the　bottom　of　the　glen；　glittering　on　the　armor　of　the　shining　squadrons　as　they　silently　passed　through　it。　　Suddenly　the　war…cry　of　the　Moors　rose　in　various　parts　of　the　valley。　　〃El　Zagal！　El　Zagal！〃　was　shouted　from　every　cliff；　accompanied　by　showers　of　missiles　that　struck　down　several　of　the　Christian　warriors。　　The　count　lifted　up　his　eyes；　and　beheld；　by　the　light　of　the　moon；　every　cliff　glistening　with　Moorish　soldiery。　　The　deadly　shower　fell　thickly　round　him；　and　the　shining　armor　of　his　followers　made　them　fair　objects　for　the　aim　of　the　enemy。　　The　count　saw　his　brother　Gonzalo　struck　dead　by　his　side；　his　own　horse　sank　under　him；　pierced　by　four　Moorish　lances；　and　he　received　a　wound　in　the　hand　from　an　arquebuse。　　He　remembered　the　horrible　massacre　of　the　mountains　of　Malaga；　and　feared　a　similar　catastrophe。　　There　was　no　time　to　pause。　　His　brother's　horse；　freed　from　his　slaughtered　rider；　was　running　at　large：　seizing　the　reins；　he　sprang　into　the　saddle；　called　upon　his　men　to　follow　him；　and；　wheeling　round；　retreated　out　of　the　fatal　valley。
  The　Moors；　rushing　down　from　the　heights；　pursued　the　retreating　Christians。　The　chase　endured　for　a　league；　but　it　was　a　league　of　rough　and　broken　road；　where　the　Christians　had　to　turn　and　fight　at　almost　every　step。　　In　these　short　but　fierce　combats　the　enemy　lost　many　cavaliers　of　note；　but　the　loss　of　the　Christians　was　infinitely　more　grievous；　comprising　numbers　of　the　noblest　warriors　of　Vaena　and　its　vicinity。　　Many　of　the　Christians；　disabled　by　wounds　or　exhausted　by　fatigue；　turned　aside　and　endeavored　to　conceal　themselves　among　rocks　and　thickets；　but　never　more　rejoined　their　companions；　being　slain　or　captured　by　the　Moors　or　perishing　in　their　wretched　retreats。
  The　arrival　of　the　troops　led　by　the　master　of　Calatrava　and　the　bishop　of　Jaen　put　an　end　to　the　rout。　　El　Zagal　contented　himself　with　the　laurels　he　had　gained；　and；　ordering　the　trumpets　to　call　off　his　men　from　the　pursuit；　returned　in　great　triumph　to　Moclin。*
  *Zurita；　lib。　20；　c。　4；　Pulgar；　Cronica。
  Queen　Isabella　was　at　Vaena；　awaiting　with　great　anxiety　the　result　of　the　expedition。　　She　was　in　a　stately　apartment　of　the　castle　looking　toward　the　road　that　winds　through　the　mountains　from　Moclin；　and　regarding　the　watch…towers　on　the　neighboring　heights　in　hopes　of　favorable　signals。　　The　prince　and　princess；　her　children；　were　with　her；　and　her　venerable　counsellor；　the　grand　cardinal。　　All　shared　in　the　anxiety　of　the　moment。　　At　length　couriers　were　seen　riding　toward　the　town。　　They　entered　its　gates；　but　before　they　reached　the　castle　the　nature　of　their　tidings　was　known　to　the　queen　by　the　shrieks　and　wailings　from　the　streets　below。　　The　messengers　were　soon　followed　by　wounded　fugitives　hastening　home　to　be　relieved　or　to　die　among　their　friends　and　families。　　The　whole　town　resounded　with　lamentations；　for　it　had　lost　the　flower　of　its　youth　and　its　bravest　warriors。　　Isabella　was　a　woman　of　courageous　soul；　but　her　feelings　were　overpowered　by　spectacles　of　woe　on　every　side：　her　maternal　heart　mourned　over　the　death　of　so　many　loyal　subjects；　who　shortly　before　had　rallied　round　her　with　devoted　affection；　and；　losing　her　usual　self…command；　she　sank　into　deep　despondency。
  In　this　gloomy　state　of　mind　a　thousand　apprehensions　crowded　upon　her。　　She　dreaded　the　confidence　which　this　success　would　impart　to　the　Moors；　she　feared　also　for　the　important　fortress　of　Alhama；　the　garrison　of　which　had　not　been　reinforced　since　its　foraging　party　had　been　cut　off　by　this　same　El　Zagal。　　On　every　side　she　saw　danger　and　disaster；　and　feared　that　a　general　reverse　was　about　to　attend　the　Castilian　arms。
  The　grand　cardinal　comforted　her　with　both　spiritual　and　worldly　counsel。　　He　told　her　to　recollect　that　no　country　was　ever　conquered　without　occasional　reverses　to　the　conquerors；　that　the　Moors　were　a　warlike　people；　fortified　in　a　rough　and　mountainous　country；　where　they　never　could　be　conquered　by　her　ancestors；　and　that；　in　fact；　her　armies　had　already；　in　three　years；　taken　more　cities　than　those　of　any　of　her　predecessors　had　been　able　to　do　in　twelve。　　He　concluded　by　offering　to　take　the　field　himself　with　three　thousand　cavalry；　his　own　retainers；　paid　and　maintained　by　himself；　and　either　hasten　to　the　relief　of　Alhama　or　undertake　any　other　expedition　Her　Majesty　might　command。　　The　discreet　words　of　the　cardinal　soothed　the　spirit　of　the　queen；　who　always　looked　to　him　for　consolation；　and　she　soon　recovered　her　usual　equanimity。
  Some　of　the　counsellors　of　Isabella；　of　that　politic　class　who　seek　to　rise　by　the　faults　of　others；　were　loud　in　their　censures　of　the　rashness　of　the　count。　　The　queen　defended　him　with　prompt　generosity。　　〃The　enterprise；〃　said　she；　〃was　rash；　but　not　more　rash　than　that　of　Lucena；　which　was　crowned　with　success；　and　which　we　have　all　applauded　as　the　height　of　heroism。　　Had　the　count　de　Cabra　succeeded　in　capturing　the　uncle；　as　he　did　the　nephew；　who　is　there　that　would　not　have　praised　him　to　the　skies？〃
  The　magnanimous　words　of　the　queen　put　a　stop　to　all　invidious　remarks　in　her　presence；　but　certain　of　the　courtiers；　who　had　envied　the　count　the　glory　gained　by　his　former　achievements；　continued　to　magnify；　among　themselves　his　present　imprudence；　and　we　are　told　by　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　that　they　sneeringly　gave　the　worthy　cavalier　the　appellation　of　count　de　Cabra　the　king…catcher。
  Ferdinand　had　reached　the　place　on　the　frontier　called　the　Fountain　of　the　King；　within　three　leagues　of　Moclin；　when　he　heard　of　the　late　disaster。　　He　greatly　lamented　the　precipitation　of　the　count；　but　forbore　to　express　himself　with　severity；　for　he　knew　the　value　of　that　loyal　and　valiant　cavalier。*　　He　held　a　council　of　war　to　determine　what　course　was　to　be　pursued。　　Some　of　his　cavaliers　advised　him　to　abandon　the　attempt　upon　Moclin；　the　place　being　strongly　reinforced　and　the　enemy　inspirited　by　his　recent　victory。　Certain　old　Spanish　hidalgos　reminded　him　that　he　had　but　few　Castilian　troops　in　his　army；　without　which　stanch　soldiery　his　predecessors　never　presumed　to　enter　the　Moorish　territory；　while　others　remonstrated　that　it　would　be　beneath　the　dignity　of　the　king　to　retire　from　an　enterprise　on　account　of　the　defeat　of　a　single　cavalier　and　his　retainers。　　In　this　way　the　king　was　distracted　by　a　multitude　of　counsellors；　when；　fortunately；　a　letter　from　the　queen　put　an　end　to　his　perplexities。　　Proceed　we　in　the　next　chapter　to　relate　what　was　the　purport　of　that　letter。
  *Abarca；　Anales　de　Aragon。
  CHAPTER　XXXIII。
  EXPEDITION　AGAINST　THE　CASTLES　OF　CAMBIL　AND　ALBAHAR。
  〃Happy　are　those　princes；〃　exclaims　the　worthy　padre　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃who　have　women　and　priests　to　advise　them；　for　in　these
  dwelleth　the　spirit　of　counsel。〃　　While　Ferdinand　and　his　captains　were　confounding　each　other　in　their　deliberations