orces
were not sufficient, he sent word to Luis de Cerda, duke of Medina Celi,
to send a part of his people to their assistance.

The feudal pride of the duke was roused at this demand. "Tell my lord
the king," said the haughty grandee, "that I have come to succor him
with my household troops: if my people are ordered to any place, I am to
go with them; but if I am to remain in the camp, my people must remain
with me. For the troops cannot serve without their commander, nor their
commander without his troops."

The reply of the high-spirited grandee perplexed the cautious Ferdinand,
who knew the jealous pride of his powerful nobles. In the mean time, the
people of the camp, having made all preparations for the assault, were
impatient to be led forward. Upon this Pero Ruyz de Alarcon put himself
at their head, and, seizing their mantas or portable bulwarks, and their
other defences, they made a gallant assault and fought their way in at
the breach. The Moors were so overcome by the fury of their assault
that they retreated, fighting, to the square of the town. Pero Ruyz
de Alarcon thought the place was carried, when suddenly Hamet and his
Gomeres came scouring through the streets with wild war-cries, and fell
furiously upon the Christians. The latter were in their turn beaten
back, and, while attacked in front by the Gomeres, were assailed by the
inhabitants with all kinds of missiles from their roofs and windows.
They at length gave way and retreated through the breach. Pero Ruyz de
Alarcon still maintained his ground in one of the principal streets: the
few cavaliers that stood by him urged him to fly: "No," said he; "I
came here to fight, and not to fly." He was presently surrounded by the
Gomeres; his companions fled for their lives: the last they saw of him
he was covered with wounds, but still fighting desperately for the fame
of a good cavalier.*

* Pulgar, part 3, cap. 42.

The resistance of the inhabitants, though aided by the valor of the
Gomeres, was of no avail. The battering artillery of the Christians
demolished their walls; combustibles thrown into their town set it on
fire in various places; and they were at length compelled to capitulate.
They were permitted to depart with their effects, and the Gomeres with
their arms. Hamet el Zegri and his African band rode proudly through the
Christian camp, nor could the Spanish cavaliers refrain from regarding
with admiration that haughty warrior and h