ng　him　to　capitulate。
  Muza　alone　rose　in　opposition。　　〃It　is　yet　too　early；〃　said　he；　〃to　talk　of　surrender。　　Our　means　are　not　exhausted；　we　have　yet　one　source　of　strength　remaining；　terrible　in　its　effects；　and　which　often　has　achieved　the　most　signal　victoriesit　is　our　despair。　　Let　us　rouse　the　mass　of　the　peoplelet　us　put　weapons　in　their　hands　let　us　fight　the　enemy　to　the　very　utmost　until　we　rush　upon　the　points　of　their　lances。　　I　am　ready　to　lead　the　way　into　the　thickest　of　their　squadrons；　and　much　rather　would　I　be　numbered　among　those　who　fell　in　the　defence　of　Granada　than　of　those　who　survived　to　capitulate　for　her　surrender。〃
  The　words　of　Muza　were　without　effect；　for　they　were　addressed　to　broken…spirited　and　heartless　men；　or　men；　perhaps；　to　whom　sad　experience　had　taught　discretion。　　They　were　arrived　at　that　state　of　public　depression　when　heroes　and　heroism　are　no　longer　regarded；　and　when　old　men　and　their　counsels　rise　into　importance。　　Boabdil　el　Chico　yielded　to　the　general　voice：　it　was　determined　to　capitulate　with　the　Christian　sovereigns；　and　the　venerable　Abul　Casim　was　sent　forth　to　the　camp　empowered　to　treat　for　terms。
  CHAPTER　XCVII。
  CAPITULATION　OF　GRANADA。
  The　old　governor　Abul　Casim　was　received　with　great　courtesy　by　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　who；　being　informed　of　the　purport　of　his　embassy；　granted　the　besieged　a　truce　of　sixty　days　from　the　5th　of　October；　and　appointed　Gonsalvo　of　Cordova　and　Hernando　de　Zafra；　the　secretary　of　the　king；　to　treat　about　the　terms　of　surrender　with　such　commissioners　as　might　be　named　by　Boabdil。　　The　latter　on　his　part　named　Abul　Casim；　Aben　Comixa　the　vizier；　and　the　grand　cadi。　　As　a　pledge　of　good　faith　Boabdil　gave　his　son　in　hostage；　who　was　taken　to　Moclin；　where　he　was　treated　with　the　greatest　respect　and　attention　by　the　good　count　de　Tendilla　as　general　of　the　frontier。
  The　commissioners　on　both　parts　held　repeated　conferences　in　secret　in　the　dead　of　the　night　at　the　village　of　Churriana；　those　who　first　arrived　at　the　place　of　meeting　giving　notice　to　the　others　by　signal…　fires　or　by　means　of　spies。　　　After　many　debates　and　much　difficulty　the　capitulation　was　signed　on　the　25th　of　November。　　　According　to　this；　the　city　was　to　be　delivered　up；　with　all　its　gates；　towers　and　fortresses；　within　sixty　days。
  All　Christian　captives　should　be　liberated　without　ransom。
  Boabdil　and　his　principal　cavaliers　should　perform　the　act　of　homage　and　take　an　oath　of　fealty　to　the　Castilian　Crown。
  The　Moors　of　Granada　should　become　subjects　of　the　Spanish　sovereigns；　retaining　their　possessions；　their　arms　and　horses；　and　yielding　up　nothing　but　their　artillery。　　They　should　be　protected　in　the　exercise　of　their　religion；　and　governed　by　their　own　laws；　administered　by　cadis　of　their　own　faith　under　governors　appointed　by　the　sovereigns。　　They　should　be　exempted　from　tribute　for　three　years；　after　which　term　they　should　pay　the　same　that　they　had　been　accustomed　to　render　to　their　native　monarchs。
  Those　who　chose　to　depart　for　Africa　within　three　years　should　be　provided　with　a　passage　for　themselves　and　their　effects；　free　of　charge；　from　whatever　port　they　should　prefer。
  For　the　fulfilment　of　these　articles　five　hundred　hostages　from　the　principal　families　were　required　previous　to　the　surrender；　who　should　be　treated　with　great　respect　and　distinction　by　the　Christians；　and　subsequently　restored。　　The　son　of　the　king　of　Granada　and　all　other　hostages　in　possession　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns　were　to　be　restored　at　the　same　time。
  Such　are　the　main　articles　affecting　the　public　weal　which　were　agreed　upon；　after　much　discussion；　by　the　mixed　commission。　　There　were　other　articles；　however；　secretly　arranged；　which　concerned　the　royal　family。　　These　secured　to　Boabdil；　to　his　wife　Morayma；　his　mother　Ayza；　his　brothers；　and　to　Zoraya；　the　widow　of　Muley　Abul　Hassan；　all　the　landed　possessions；　houses；　mills；　baths；　and　other　hereditaments　which　formed　the　royal　patrimony；　with　the　power　of　selling　them；　personally　or　by　agent；　at　any　and　all　times。　　To　Boabdil　was　secured；　moreover；　his　wealthy　estates　both　in　and　out　of　Granada；　and　to　him　and　his　descendants　in　perpetuity　the　lordships　of　various　town　and　lands　and　fertile　valleys　in　the　Alpuxarras；　forming　a　petty　sovereignty。　　In　addition　to　all　which　it　was　stipulated　that　on　the　day　of　surrender　he　should　receive　thirty　thousand　castelanos　of　gold。*
  *Alcantara；　t。　4；　c。　18。
  The　conditions　of　surrender　being　finally　agreed　upon　by　the　commissioners；　Abul　Casim　proceeded　to　the　royal　camp　at　Santa　Fe；　where　they　were　signed　by　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　he　then　returned　to　Granada；　accompanied　by　Hernando　de　Zafra；　the　royal　secretary；　to　have　the　same　ratified　also　by　the　Moorish　king。　Boabdil　assembled　his　council；　and　with　a　dejected　countenance　laid　before　it　the　articles　of　capitulation　as　the　best　that　could　be　obtained　from　the　besieging　foe。
  When　the　members　of　the　council　found　the　awful　moment　arrived　when　they　were　to　sign　and　seal　the　perdition　of　their　empire　and　blot　themselves　out　as　a　nation；　all　firmness　deserted　them；　and　many　gave　way　to　tears。　　Muza　alone　retained　an　unaltered　mien。　〃Leave；　seniors；〃　cried　he；　〃this　idle　lamentation　to　helpless　women　and　children：　we　are　menwe　have　hearts；　not　to　shed　tender　tears；　but　drops　of　blood。　　I　see　the　spirit　of　the　people　so　cast　down　that　it　is　impossible　to　save　the　kingdom。　　Yet　there　still　remains　an　alternative　for　noble　mindsa　glorious　death！　　Let　us　die　defending　our　liberty　and　avenging　the　woes　of　Granada。　　Our　mother　earth　will　receive　her　children　into　her　bosom；　safe　from　the　chains　and　oppressions　of　the　conqueror；　or；　should　any　fail　a　sepulchre　to　hide　his　remains；　he　will　not　want　a　sky　to　cover　him。　　Allah　forbid　it　should　be　said　the　nobles　of　Granada　feared　to　die　in　her　defence！〃
  Muza　ceased　to　speak；　and　a　dead　silence　reigned　in　the　assembly。　Boabdil　looked　anxiously　round　and　scanned　every　face；　but　he　read　in　all　the　anxiety　of　careworn　men；　in　whose　hearts　enthusiasm　was　dead　and　who　had　grown　callous　to　every　chivalrous　appeal。　　〃Allah　Akbar！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃there　is　no　God　but　God；　and　Mahomet　is　his　prophet！　　We　have　no　longer　forces　in　the　city　and　the　kingdom　to　resist　our　powerful　enemies。　　It　is　in　vain　to　struggle　against　the　will　of　Heaven。　　Too　surely　was　it　written　in　the　book　of　fate　that　I　should　be　unfortunate　and　the　kingdom　expire　under　my　rule。〃
  〃Allah　Akbar！〃　echoed　the　viziers　and　alfaquis；　〃the　will　of　God　be　done！〃　　So　they　all　agreed　with　the　king　that　these　evils　were　preordained；　that　it　was　hopeless　to　contend　with　them；　and　that　the　terms　offered　by　the　Castilian　monarchs　were　as　favorable　as　could　be　expected。
  When　Muza　heard　them　assent　to　the　treaty　of　surrender　he　rose　in　violent　indignation。　　〃Do　not　deceive　yourselves；〃　cried　he；　〃nor　think　the　Christians　will　be　faithful　to　their　promises；　or　their　king　as　magnanimous　in　conquest　as　he　has　been　victorious　in　war。　Death　is　the　least　we　have　to　fear。　　It　is　the　plundering　and　sacking　of　our　city；　the　profanation　of　our　mosques；　the　ruin　of　our　homes；　the　violation　of　our　wives　and　daughters；　cruel　oppression；　bigoted　intolerance；　whips　and　chains；　the　dungeon；　the　fagot；　and　the　stake：　such　are　the　miseries　and　indignities　we　shall　see　and　suffer；　at　least　those　grovelling　souls　will　see　and　suffer　them　who　now　shrink　from　an　honorable　death。　　For　my　part；　by　Allah；　I　will　never　witness　them！〃
  With　these　words　he　left　the　council…chamber；　and　passed　gloomily　through　the　Court　of　Lions　and　the　outer　halls　of　the　Alhambra　without　deigning　to　speak　to　the　obsequious　courtiers　who　attended　in　them。　　He　repaired　to　his　dwelling；　armed　himself　at　all　points；　mounted　his　favorite　warhorse；　and；　issuing　from　the　city　by　the　gate　of　Elvira；　was　never　seen　or　heard　of　more。*
  *Conde；　part　4。
  CHAPTER　XCVIII。
  COMMOTIONS　IN　GRANADA。
  The　capitulation　for　the　surrender　of　Granada　was　signed　on　the　25th　of　November；　1481；　and　produced　a　sudden　cessation　of　those　hostilities　which　had　raged　for　so　many　years。　　Christian　and　Moor　might　now　be　seen　mingling　courteously　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil　and　the　Darro；　where　to　have　met　a　few　days　previous　would　have　produced　a　scene　of　sanguinary　contest。　　Still；　as　the　Moors　might　be　suddenly　roused　to　the　defence　if　within　the　allotted　term　of　sixty　days　succors　should　arrive　from　abroad；　and　as　they　were　at　all　times　a　rash；　inflammable　people；　the　wary　Ferdinand　maintained　a　vigilant　watch　upon　the　city　and　permitted　no　supplies　of　any　kind　to　enter。　His　garrisons　in　the　seaports　and　his　cruisers　in　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar　were　ordered　likewise　to　guard　against　any　relief　from　the　grand　soldan　of　Egypt　or　the　princes　of　Barbary。　　There　was　no　need　of　such　precautions。　　Those　powers　were　either　too　much　engrossed　by　their　own　wars　or　too　much　daunted　by　the　success　of　the　Spanish　arms　to　interfere　in　a　desperate　cause；　and　the　unfortunate　Moors　of　Granada　were　abandoned　to　their　fate。
  The　month　of　December　had　nearly　passed　away：　the　famine　became　extreme；　and　there　was　no　hope　of　any　favorable　event　within　the　term　specified　in　the　capitu