fect of enthusiasm,
for, having contrived another stratagem [9] to strengthen what the
bishop had said, the soldiers fought more like furies than men. My
stratagem was this: I had about me a dexterous fellow, who had been
formerly a pimp in my amours. Him I dressed up in a strange antic dress,
with a pair of white colors in his right hand, a red cross in his left,
and having disguised him so that no one could know him, I placed him on
a white horse, and ordered him to ride to the head of the army, and cry
out, 'Follow St. James!' These words were reiterated by all the troops,
who attacked the enemy with such intrepidity, that, notwithstanding our
inferiority of numbers, we soon obtained a complete victory.

"The bishop was come up by the time that the enemy was routed, and,
acquainting us that he had met St. James by the way, and that he had
informed him of what had passed, he added that he had express orders
from the saint to receive a considerable sum for his use, and that a
certain tax on corn and wine should be settled on his church for ever;
and lastly, that a horseman's pay should be allowed for the future
to the saint himself, of which he and his successors were appointed
receivers. The army received these demands with such acclamations that
I was obliged to comply with them, as I could by no means discover the
imposition, nor do I believe I should have gained any credit if I had.

"I had now done with the saint, but the bishop had not; for about a week
afterwards lights were seen in a wood near where the battle was fought;
and in a short time afterwards they discovered his tomb at the same
place. Upon this the bishop made me a visit, and forced me to go
thither, to build a church to him, and largely endow it. In a word, the
good man so plagued me with miracle after miracle, that I was forced to
make interest with the pope to convey him to Toledo, to get rid of him.

"But to proceed to other matters.--There was an inferior officer,
who had behaved very bravely in the battle against the Moors, and had
received several wounds, who solicited me for preferment; which I was
about to confer on him, when one of my ministers came to me in a fright,
and told me that he had promised the post I designed for this man to the
son of count Alderedo; and that the count, who was a powerful person,
would be greatly disobliged at the refusal, as he had sent for his son
from school to take possession of it. I was obliged to agree w