ver　high　honor　and　consideration　in　his　court。　　He　had　long　and　frequent　conversations　with　them　about　the　Holy　Land；　the　state　of　the　Christian　Church　in　the　dominions　of　the　grand　soldan；　and　of　the　policy　and　conduct　of　that　arch…infidel　toward　it。　　The　portly　prior　of　the　Franciscan　convent　was　full　and　round　and　oratorical　in　his　replies；　and　the　king　expressed　himself　much　pleased　with　the　eloquence　of　his　periods；　but　the　politic　monarch　was　observed　to　lend　a　close　and　attentive　ear　to　the　whispering　voice　of　the　lowly　companion；　〃whose　discourse；〃　adds　Agapida；　〃though　modest　and　low；　was　clear　and　fluent　and　full　of　subtle　wisdom。〃　　These　holy　friars　had　visited　Rome　in　their　journeying；　where　they　had　delivered　the　letter　of　the　soldan　to　the　sovereign　pontiff。　　His　Holiness　had　written　by　them　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　requesting　to　know　what　reply　they　had　to　offer　to　this　demand　of　the　Oriental　potentate。
  The　king　of　Naples　also　wrote　to　them　on　the　subject；　but　in　wary　terms。　　He　inquired　into　the　cause　of　this　war　with　the　Moors　of　Granada；　and　expressed　great　marvel　at　its　events；　as　if　（says　Agapida）　both　were　not　notorious　throughout　all　the　Christian　world。　〃Nay；〃　adds　the　worthy　friar　with　becoming　indignation；　〃he　uttered　opinions　savoring　of　little　better　than　damnable　heresy；　for　he　observed　that；　although　the　Moors　were　of　a　different　sect；　they　ought　not　to　be　maltreated　without　just　cause；　and　hinted　that　if　the　Castilian　sovereigns　did　not　suffer　any　crying　injury　from　the　Moors；　it　would　be　improper　to　do　anything　which　might　draw　great　damage　upon　the　Christiansas　if；　when　once　the　sword　of　the　faith　was　drawn；　it　ought　ever　to　be　sheathed　until　this　scum　of　heathendom　were　utterly　destroyed　or　driven　from　the　land。　　But　this　monarch；〃　he　continues；　〃was　more　kindly　disposed　toward　the　infidels　than　was　honest　and　lawful　in　a　Christian　prince；　and　was　at　that　very　time　in　league　with　the　soldan　against　their　common　enemy　the　Grand　Turk。〃
  These　pious　sentiments　of　the　truly　Catholic　Agapida　are　echoed　by　Padre　Mariana　in　his　history；*　but　the　worthy　chronicler　Pedro　Abarca　attributes　the　interference　of　the　king　of　Naples　not　to　lack　of　orthodoxy　in　religion；　but　to　an　excess　of　worldly　policy；　he　being　apprehensive　that　should　Ferdinand　conquer　the　Moors　of　Granada　he　might　have　time　and　means　to　assert　a　claim　of　the　house　of　Aragon　to　the　crown　of　Naples。
  *Mariana；　lib。　25；　cap。　15。
  〃King　Ferdinand；〃　continues　the　worthy　father　Pedro　Abarca；　〃was　no　less　master　of　dissimulation　than　his　cousin　of　Naples；　so　he　replied　to　him　with　the　utmost　suavity　of　manner；　going　into　a　minute　and　patient　vindication　of　the　war；　and　taking　great　apparent　pains　to　inform　him　of　those　things　which　all　the　world　knew；　but　of　which　the　other　pretended　to　be　ignorant。〃*　　At　the　same　time　he　soothed　his　solicitude　about　the　fate　of　the　Christians　in　the　empire　of　the　grand　soldan；　assuring　him　that　the　great　revenue　extorted　from　them　in　rents　and　tributes　would　be　a　certain　protection　against　the　threatened　violence。
  *Abarca；　Anales　de　Aragon；　Rey　xxx。　cap。　3。
  To　the　pope　he　made　the　usual　vindication　of　the　warthat　it　was　for　the　recovery　of　ancient　territory　usurped　by　the　Moors；　for　the　punishment　of　wars　and　violences　inflicted　upon　the　Christians；　and；　finally；　that　it　was　a　holy　crusade　for　the　glory　and　advancement　of　the　Church。
  〃It　was　a　truly　edifying　sight；〃　says　Agapida；　〃to　behold　these　friars；　after　they　had　had　their　audience　of　the　king；　moving　about　the　camp　always　surrounded　by　nobles　and　cavaliers　of　high　and　martial　renown。　　These　were　insatiable　in　their　questions　about　the　Holy　Land；　the　state　of　the　sepulchre　of　our　Lord；　and　the　sufferings　of　the　devoted　brethren　who　guarded　it　and　the　pious　pilgrims　who　resorted　there　to　pay　their　vows。　　The　portly　prior　of　the　convent　would　stand　with　lofty　and　shining　countenance　in　the　midst　of　these　iron　warriors　and　declaim　with　resounding　eloquence　on　the　history　of　the　sepulchre；　but　the　humbler　brother　would　ever　and　anon　sigh　deeply；　and　in　low　tones　utter　some　tale　of　suffering　and　outrage；　at　which　his　steel…clad　hearers　would　grasp　the　hilts　of　their　swords　and　mutter　between　their　clenched　teeth　prayers　for　another　crusade。〃
  The　pious　friars；　having　finished　their　mission　to　the　king　and　been　treated　with　all　due　distinction；　took　their　leave；　and　wended　their　way　to　Jaen；　to　visit　the　most　Catholic　of　queens。　　Isabella；　whose　heart　was　the　seat　of　piety；　received　them　as　sacred　men　invested　with　more　than　human　dignity。　　During　their　residence　at　Jaen　they　were　continually　in　the　royal　presence：　the　respectable　prior　of　the　convent　moved　and　melted　the　ladies　of　the　court　by　his　florid　rhetoric；　but　his　lowly　companion　was　observed　to　have　continual　access　to　the　royal　ear。　　That　saintly　and　soft…spoken　messenger　（says　Agapida）　received　the　reward　of　his　humility；　for　the　queen；　moved　by　his　frequent　representations；　made　in　all　modesty　and　lowliness　of　spirit；　granted　a　yearly　sum　in　perpetuity　of　one　thousand　ducats　in　gold　for　the　support　of　the　monks　of　the　Convent　of　the　Holy　Sepulchre。*
  *〃La　Reyna　dio　a　los　Frayles　mil　ducados　de　renta　cado　ano　para　　el　sustento　de　los　religiosos　del　santo　sepulcro；　que　es　la　mejor　　limosna　y　sustento　que　hasta　nuestros　dias　ha　quedado　a　estos　　religiosos　de　Gerusalem：　para　donde　les　dio　la　Reyna　un　velo　　labrado　por　sus　manos；　para　poner　encima　de　la　santa　sepultura　　del　Senor。〃Garibay；　〃Compend　Hist。；〃　lib。　18；　cap。　36。
  Moreover；　on　the　departure　of　these　holy　ambassadors；　the　excellent　and　most　Catholic　queen　delivered　to　them　a　veil　devoutly　embroidered　with　her　own　royal　hands；　to　he　placed　over　the　Holy　Sepulchre；a　precious　and　inestimable　present；　which　called　forth　a　most　eloquent　tribute　of　thanks　from　the　portly　prior；　but　which　brought　tears　into　the　eyes　of　his　lowly　companion。*
  *It　is　proper　to　mention　the　result　of　this　mission　of　the　two　friars；　　and　which　the　worthy　Agapida　has　neglected　to　record。　　At　a　　subsequent　period　the　Catholic　sovereigns　sent　the　distinguished　　historian；　Pietro　Martyr　of　Angleria；　as　ambassador　to　the　grand　　soldan。　　That　able　man　made　such　representations　as　were　perfectly　　satisfactory　to　the　Oriental　potentate。　　He　also　obtained　from　him　　the　remission　of　many　exactions　and　extortions　heretofore　practised　　upon　Christian　pilgrims　visiting　the　Holy　Sepulchre；　which；　it　is　　presumed；　had　been　gently　but　cogently　detailed　to　the　monarch　　by　the　lowly　friar。　　Pietro　Martyr　wrote　an　account　of　his　embassy　　to　the　grand　soldana　work　greatly　esteemed　by　the　learned　and　　containing　much　curious　information。　　It　is　entitled　〃De　Legatione　　Babylonica。〃
  CHAPTER　LXXVII。
  HOW　QUEEN　ISABELLA　DEVISED　MEANS　TO　SUPPLY　THE　ARMY　　　　　WITH　PROVISIONS。
  It　has　been　the　custom　to　laud　the　conduct　and　address　of　King　Ferdinand　in　this　most　arduous　and　protracted　war；　but　the　sage　Agapida　is　more　disposed　to　give　credit　to　the　counsels　and　measures　of　the　queen；　who；　he　observes；　though　less　ostensible　in　action；　was　in　truth　the　very　soul；　the　vital　principle；　of　this　great　enterprise。　　While　King　Ferdinand　was　bustling　in　his　camp　and　making　a　glittering　display　with　his　gallant　chivalry；　she；　surrounded　by　her　saintly　counsellors　in　the　episcopal　palace　of　Jaen；　was　devising　ways　and　means　to　keep　the　king　and　his　army　in　existence。　She　had　pledged　herself　to　keep　up　a　supply　of　men　and　money　and　provisions　until　the　city　should　be　taken。　　The　hardships　of　the　siege　caused　a　fearful　waste　of　life；　but　the　supply　of　men　was　the　least　difficult　part　of　her　undertaking。　　So　beloved　was　the　queen　by　the　chivalry　of　Spain　that　on　her　calling　on　them　for　assistance　not　a　grandee　or　cavalier　that　yet　lingered　at　home　but　either　repaired　in　person　or　sent　forces　to　the　camp；　the　ancient　and　warlike　families　vied　with　each　other　in　marshalling　forth　their　vassals；　and　thus　the　besieged　Moors　beheld　each　day　fresh　troops　arriving　before　their　city；　and　new　ensigns　and　pennons　displayed　emblazoned　with　arms　well　known　to　the　veteran　warriors。
  But　the　most　arduous　task　was　to　keep　up　a　regular　supply　of　provisions。　　It　was　not　the　army　alone　that　had　to　be　supported；　but　also　the　captured　towns　and　their　garrisons；　for　the　whole　country　around　them　had　been　ravaged；　and　the　conquerors　were　in　danger　of　starving　in　the　midst　of　the　land　they　had　desolated。　　To　transport　the　daily　supplies　for　such　immense　numbers　was　a　gigantic　undertaking　in　a　country　where　there　was　neither　water　conveyance　nor　roads　for　carriages。　　Everything　had　to　be　borne　by　beasts　of　burden　over　rugged　and　broken　paths　of　mountains　and　through　dangerous　defiles　exposed　to　the　attacks　and　plunderings　of　the　Moors。
  The　wary　and　calculating　merchants　accustomed　to　supply　the　army　shrank　from　engaging　at　their　own　risk　in　so　hazardous　an　undertaking。　　The　queen　therefore　hired　fourteen　thousand　beasts　of　burden；　and　ordered　all　the　wheat　and　barley　to　be　brought　up　in　Andalusia　and　in　the　domains　of　the　knights　of　Santiago　and　Calatrava。　　She　entrusted　the　administration　of　these　supplies　to　able　and　confidential　persons。　　Some　were　employed　to　collect　the　grain；　others　to　ta