he was retiring he beheld
his faithful chamberlain Soler defending himself valiantly against six
Moors. The marques turned and rushed to his rescue; he killed two of the
enemy with his own hand and put the rest to flight. One of the Moors,
however, in retreating, rose in his stirrups, and, hurling his lance at
the marques, wounded him in the right arm and crippled him for life.*

* In consequence of this wound the marques was ever after obliged
to write his signature with his left hand, though capable of managing
his lance with his right. The queen one day demanded of him why he
had adventured his life for that of a domestic? "Does not Your Majesty
think," replied he, "that I ought to risk one life for him who would
have adventured three for me had he possessed them?" The queen was
charmed with the magnanimity of the reply, and often quoted the marques
as setting an heroic example to the chivalry of the age.--Mariana, lib.
25, c. 15.

Such was one of the many ambuscadoes concerted by Muza; nor did he
hesitate at times to present a bold front to the Christian forces and
defy them in the open field. Ferdinand soon perceived, however, that
the Moors seldom provoked a battle without having the advantage of the
ground, and that, though the Christians generally appeared to have the
victory, they suffered the greatest loss; for retreating was a part
of the Moorish system by which they would draw their pursuers into
confusion, and then turn upon them with a more violent and fatal attack.
He commanded his captains, therefore, to decline all challenges to
skirmish, and pursue a secure system of destruction, ravaging the
country and doing all possible injury to the enemy with slight risk to
themselves.

CHAPTER LXXXV.

THE FATE OF THE CASTLE OF ROMA.

About two leagues from Granada, on an eminence commanding an extensive
view of the Vega, stood the strong Moorish castle of Roma. Hither the
neighboring peasantry drove their flocks and herds and hurried with
their most precious effects on the irruption of a Christian force, and
any foraging or skirmishing party from Granada, on being intercepted in
their return, threw themselves into Roma, manned its embattled towers,
and set the enemy at defiance. The garrison were accustomed to have
parties of Moors clattering up to their gates so hotly pursued that
there was barely time to throw open the portal, receive them within, and
shut out their pursuers; while the Chri