a swoop; his steed obeyed his
rider with matchless quickness; at every attack of the infidel it seemed
as if the Christian knight must sink beneath his flashing scimetar. But
if Garcilasso was inferior to him in power, he was superior in agility:
many of his blows he parried; others he received upon his Flemish
shield, which was proof against the Damascus blade. The blood streamed
from numerous wounds received by either warrior. The Moor, seeing
his antagonist exhausted, availed himself of his superior force, and,
grappling, endeavored to wrest him from his saddle. They both fell to
earth: the Moor placed his knee upon the breast of his victim, and,
brandishing his dagger, aimed a blow at his throat. A cry of despair was
uttered by the Christian warriors, when suddenly they beheld the Moor
rolling lifeless in the dust. Garcilasso had shortened his sword, and as
his adversary raised his arm to strike had pierced him to the heart. "It
was a singular and miraculous victory," says Fray Antonio Agapida; "but
the Christian knight was armed by the sacred nature of his cause, and
the Holy Virgin gave him strength, like another David, to slay this
gigantic champion of the Gentiles."

The laws of chivalry were observed throughout the combat--no one
interfered on either side. Garcilasso now despoiled his adversary;
then, rescuing the holy inscription of "AVE MARIA" from its degrading
situation, he elevated it on the point of his sword, and bore it on as a
signal of triumph amid the rapturous shouts of the Christian army.*

* The above incident has been commemorated in old Spanish ballads,
and made the subject of a scene in an old Spanish drama ascribed by some
to Lope de Vega.

The sun had now reached the meridian, and the hot blood of the Moors was
inflamed by its rays and by the sight of the defeat of their champion.
Muza ordered two pieces of ordnance to open a fire upon the Christians.
A confusion was produced in one part of their ranks: Muza called to the
chiefs of the army, "Let us waste no more time in empty challenges--let
us charge upon the enemy: he who assaults has always an advantage in the
combat." So saying, he rushed forward, followed by a large body of
horse and foot, and charged so furiously upon the advance guard of the
Christians that he drove it in upon the battalion of the marques of
Cadiz.

The gallant marques now considered himself absolved from all further
obedience to the queen's commands. He