dged myself to
fight in defence of my faith, my city, and my sovereign until slain
or made prisoner; and, depend upon it, had I had men to stand by me, I
should have died fighting, instead of thus tamely surrendering myself
without a weapon in my hand."

"Such," says the pious Fray Antonio Agapida, "was the diabolical hatred
and stiff-necked opposition of this infidel to our holy cause. But he
was justly served by our most Catholic and high-minded sovereign for his
pertinacious defence of the city, for Ferdinand ordered that he should
be loaded with chains and thrown into a dungeon." He was subsequently
retained in rigorous confinement at Carmona.*

* Pulgar, part 3, cap. 93; Pietro Martyr, lib. 1, cap. 69; Alcantara,
Hist. Granada, vol. 4, c. 18.

CHAPTER LXVI.

HOW THE CASTILIAN SOVEREIGNS TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CITY OF MALAGA, AND
HOW KING FERDINAND SIGNALIZED HIMSELF BY HIS SKILL IN BARGAINING WITH
THE INHABITANTS FOR THEIR RANSOM.

One of the first cares of the conquerors on entering Malaga was to
search for Christian captives. Nearly sixteen hundred men and women were
found, and among them were persons of distinction. Some of them had been
ten, fifteen, and twenty years in captivity. Many had been servants to
the Moors or laborers on public works, and some had passed their time
in chains and dungeons. Preparations were made to celebrate their
deliverance as a Christian triumph. A tent was erected not far from the
city, and furnished with an altar and all the solemn decorations of
a chapel. Here the king and queen waited to receive the Christian
captives. They were assembled in the city and marshalled forth in
piteous procession. Many of them had still the chains and shackles
on their legs; they were wasted with famine, their hair and beards
overgrown and matted, and their faces pale and haggard from long
confinement. When they found themselves restored to liberty and
surrounded by their countrymen, some stared wildly about as if in a
dream, others gave way to frantic transports, but most of them wept for
joy. All present were moved to tears by so touching a spectacle. When
the procession arrived at what is called the Gate of Granada, it was met
by a great concourse from the camp with crosses and pennons, who turned
and followed the captives, singing hymns of praise and thanksgiving.
When they came in presence of the king and queen, they threw themselves
on their knees, and would have kissed thei