lightning　from　its　columns。　　King　Ferdinand　pitched　his　tents　in　the　valley　beyond　the　green　labyrinth　of　gardens。　　He　sent　his　heralds　to　summon　the　city　to　surrender；　promising　the　most　favorable　terms　in　case　of　immediate　compliance；　and　avowing　in　the　most　solemn　terms　his　resolution　never　to　abandon　the　siege　until　he　had　possession　of　the　place。
  Upon　receiving　this　summons　the　Moorish　commanders　held　a　council　of　war。　　The　prince　Cid　Hiaya；　indignant　at　the　menaces　of　the　king；　was　for　retorting　by　a　declaration　that　the　garrison　never　would　surrender；　but　would　fight　until　buried　under　the　ruins　of　the　walls。　〃Of　what　avail；〃　said　the　veteran　Mohammed；　〃is　a　declaration　of　the　kind；　which　we　may　falsify　by　our　deeds？　　Let　us　threaten　what　we　know　we　can　perform；　and　let　us　endeavor　to　perform　more　than　we　threaten。〃
  In　conformity　to　his　advice；　therefore；　a　laconic　reply　was　sent　to　the　Christian　monarch；　thanking　him　for　his　offer　of　favorable　terms；　but　informing　him　that　they　were　placed　in　the　city　to　defend；　not　to　surrender　it。
  CHAPTER　LXXI。
  THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　GARDENS　BEFORE　BAZA。
  When　the　reply　of　the　Moorish　commanders　was　brought　to　King　Ferdinand；　he　prepared　to　press　the　siege　with　the　utmost　vigor。　Finding　the　camp　too　far　from　the　city；　and　that　the　intervening　orchards　afforded　shelter　for　the　sallies　of　the　Moors；　he　determined　to　advance　it　beyond　the　gardens；　in　the　space　between　them　and　the　suburbs；　where　his　batteries　would　have　full　play　upon　the　city　walls。　　A　detachment　was　sent　in　advance　to　take　possession　of　the　gardens　and　keep　a　check　upon　the　suburbs；　opposing　any　sally　while　the　encampment　should　be　formed　and　fortified。　　The　various　commanders　entered　the　orchards　at　different　points。　　The　young　cavaliers　marched　fearlessly　forward；　but　the　experienced　veterans　foresaw　infinite　peril　in　the　mazes　of　this　verdant　labyrinth。　　The　master　of　St。　Jago；　as　he　led　his　troops　into　the　centre　of　the　gardens；　exhorted　them　to　keep　by　one　another；　and　to　press　forward　in　defiance　of　all　difficulty　or　danger；　assuring　them　that　God　would　give　them　the　victory　if　they　attacked　hardily　and　persisted　resolutely。
  Scarce　had　they　entered　the　verge　of　the　orchards　when　a　din　of　drums　and　trumpets；　mingled　with　war…cries；　was　heard　from　the　suburbs；　and　a　legion　of　Moorish　warriors　on　foot　poured　forth。　　They　were　led　on　by　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya。　　He　saw　the　imminent　danger　of　the　city　should　the　Christians　gain　possession　of　the　orchards。　〃Soldiers；〃　he　cried；　〃we　fight　for　life　and　liberty；　for　our　families；　our　country；　our　religion；*　nothing　is　left　for　us　to　depend　upon　but　the　strength　of　our　hands；　the　courage　of　our　hearts；　and　the　almighty　protection　of　Allah。〃　　The　Moors　answered　him　with　shouts　of　war　and　rushed　to　the　encounter。　　The　two　hosts　met　in　the　midst　of　the　gardens。　　A　chance…medley　combat　ensued　with　lances；　arquebuses；　crossbows；　and　scimetars；　the　perplexed　nature　of　the　ground；　cut　up　and　intersected　by　canals　and　streams；　the　closeness　of　the　trees；　the　multiplicity　of　towers　and　petty　edifices；　gave　greater　advantages　to　the　Moors；　who　were　on　foot；　than　to　the　Christians；　who　were　on　horseback。　　The　Moors；　too；　knew　the　ground；　with　all　its　alleys　and　passes；　and　were　thus　enabled　to　lurk；　to　sally　forth；　attack；　and　retreat　almost　without　injury。
  *〃Illi　（Mauri）　pro　fortunis；　pro　libertate；　pro　laribus　patriis；　pro　　vita　denique　certabant。〃Pietro　Martyr；　〃Epist。　70。〃
  The　Christian　commanders；　seeing　this；　ordered　many　of　the　horsemen　to　dismount　and　fight　on　foot。　　The　battle　then　became　fierce　and　deadly；　each　disregarding　his　own　life；　provided　he　could　slay　his　enemy。　　It　was　not　so　much　a　general　battle　as　a　multitude　of　petty　actions；　for　every　orchard　and　garden　had　its　distinct　contest。　　No　one　could　see　farther　than　the　little　scene　of　fury　and　bloodshed　around　him；　nor　know　how　the　general　battle　fared。　　In　vain　the　captains　exerted　their　voices；　in　vain　the　trumpets　brayed　forth　signals　and　commands：　all　was　confounded　and　unheard　in　the　universal　din　and　uproar。　　No　one　kept　to　his　standard；　but　fought　as　his　own　fury　or　fear　dictated。　　In　some　places　the　Christians　had　the　advantage；　in　others　the　Moors；　often　a　victorious　party；　pursuing　the　vanquished；　came　upon　a　superior　and　triumphant　force　of　the　enemy；　and　the　fugitives　turned　back　upon　them　in　an　overwhelming　wave。　　Some　broken　remnants；　in　their　terror　and　confusion；　fled　from　their　own　countrymen　and　sought　refuge　among　their　enemies；　not　knowing　friend　from　foe　in　the　obscurity　of　the　groves。　　The　Moors　were　more　adroit　in　these　wild　skirmishings　from　their　flexibility；　lightness；　and　agility；　and　the　rapidity　with　which　they　would　disperse；　rally；　and　return　again　to　the　charge。*
  *Mariana；　lib。　25；　cap。　13。
  The　hardest　fighting　was　about　the　small　garden…towers　and　pavilions；　which　served　as　so　many　petty　fortresses。　　Each　party　by　turns　gained　them；　defended　them　fiercely；　and　were　driven　out；　many　of　the　towers　were　set　on　fire；　and　increased　the　horrors　of　the　fight　by　the　wreaths　of　smoke　and　flame　in　which　they　wrapped　the　groves　and　by　the　shrieks　of　those　who　were　burning。
  Several　of　the　Christian　cavaliers；　bewildered　by　the　uproar　and　confusion　and　shocked　at　the　carnage　which　prevailed；　would　have　led　their　men　out　of　the　action；　but　they　were　entangled　in　a　labyrinth　and　knew　not　which　way　to　retreat。　　While　in　this　perplexity　Juan　Perea；　the　standard…bearer　of　one　of　the　squadrons　of　the　grand　cardinal；　had　his　arm　carried　off　by　a　cannon…ball；　the　standard　was　wellnigh　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　when　Rodrigo　de　Mendoza；　an　intrepid　youth；　natural　son　of　the　grand　cardinal；　rushed　to　its　rescue　through　a　shower　of　balls；　lances；　and　arrows；　and；　bearing　it　aloft；　dashed　forward　with　it　into　the　hottest　of　the　combat；　followed　by　his　shouting　soldiery。
  King　Ferdinand；　who　remained　in　the　skirts　of　the　orchard；　was　in　extreme　anxiety。　　It　was　impossible　to　see　much　of　the　action　for　the　multiplicity　of　trees　and　towers　and　the　wreaths　of　smoke；　and　those　who　were　driven　out　defeated　or　came　out　wounded　and　exhausted　gave　different　accounts；　according　to　the　fate　of　the　partial　conflicts　in　which　they　had　been　engaged。　　Ferdinand　exerted　himself　to　the　utmost　to　animate　and　encourage　his　troops　to　this　blind　encounter；　sending　reinforcements　of　horse　and　foot　to　those　points　where　the　battle　was　most　sanguinary　and　doubtful。
  Among　those　who　were　brought　forth　mortally　wounded　was　Don　Juan　de　Luna；　a　youth　of　uncommon　merit；　greatly　prized　by　the　king；　beloved　by　the　army；　and　recently　married　to　Dona　Catalina　de　Urrea；　a　young　lady　of　distinguished　beauty。*　　They　laid　him　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　and　endeavored　to　stanch　and　bind　up　his　wounds　with　a　scarf　which　his　bride　had　wrought　for　him；　but　his　life…blood　flowed　too　profusely；　and　while　a　holy　friar　was　yet　administering　to　him　the　last　sacred　offices　of　the　Church；　he　expired；　almost　at　the　feet　of　his　sovereign。
  *Mariana；　P。　Martyr；　Zurita。
  On　the　other　hand；　the　veteran　alcayde　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan；　surrounded　by　a　little　band　of　chieftains；　kept　an　anxious　eye　upon　the　scene　of　combat　from　the　walls　of　the　city。　　For　nearly　twelve　hours　the　battle　raged　without　intermission。　　The　thickness　of　the　foliage　hid　all　the　particulars　from　their　sight；　but　they　could　see　the　flash　of　swords　and　glance　of　helmets　among　the　trees。　　Columns　of　smoke　rose　in　every　direction；　while　the　clash　of　arms；　the　thundering　of　ribadoquines　and　arquebuses；　the　shouts　and　cries　of　the　combatants；　and　the　groans　and　supplications　of　the　wounded　bespoke　the　deadly　conflict　waging　in　the　bosom　of　the　groves。　　They　were　harassed；　too；　by　the　shrieks　and　lamentations　of　the　Moorish　women　and　children　as　their　wounded　relatives　were　brought　bleeding　from　the　scene　of　action；　and　were　stunned　by　a　general　outcry　of　woe　on　the　part　of　the　inhabitants　as　the　body　of　Reduan　Zafarjal；　a　renegado　Christian　and　one　of　the　bravest　of　their　generals；　was　borne　breathless　into　the　city。
  At　length　the　din　of　battle　approached　nearer　to　the　skirts　of　the　orchards。　　They　beheld　their　warriors　driven　out　from　among　the　groves　by　fresh　squadrons　of　the　enemy；　and；　after　disputing　the　ground　inch　by　inch；　obliged　to　retire　to　a　place　between　the　orchards　and　the　suburbs　which　was　fortified　with　palisadoes。
  The　Christians　immediately　planted　opposing　palisadoes；　and　established　strong　outposts　near　to　the　retreat　of　the　Moors；　while　at　the　same　time　King　Ferdinand　ordered　that　his　encampment　should　be　pitched　within　the　hard…won　orchards。
  Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan　sallied　forth　to　the　aid　of　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya；　and　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　dislodge　the　enemy　from　this　formidable　position；　but　the　night　had　closed；　and　the　darkness　rendered　it　impossible　to　make　any　impression。　　The　Moors；　however；　kept　up　constant　assaults　and　alarms　throughout　the　night；　and　the　weary　Christians；　exhausted　by　the　toils　and　sufferings　of　the　day；　were　not　allowed　a　moment　of　repose。*
  *Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　106；　107；　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　92；　　Zurita；　lib。　20；　cap　31。
  CHAPTER　LXXII。
  SIEGE　OF　BAZA。EMBARRASSMENTS　OF　THE　ARMY。