f Ferdinand were quickened by the letters of his
spies. He saw in the hunting campaigns and royal progresses of
the ex-king a mode of keeping up a military spirit and a concerted
intelligence among the Moors of the Alpuxarras that might prepare them
for future rebellion. By degrees the very residence of Boabdil within
the kingdom became incompatible with Ferdinand's ideas of security. He
gave his agents, therefore, secret instructions to work upon the mind
of the deposed monarch, and induce him, like El Zagal, to relinquish
his Spanish estates for valuable considerations and retire to Africa.
Boabdil, however, was not to be persuaded: to the urgent suggestions of
these perfidious counsellors he replied that he had given up a kingdom
to live in peace, and had no idea of going to a foreign land to
encounter new troubles and to be under the control of alarabes.*

* Letter of Hernando de Zafra to the sovereigns, Dec. 9, 1493.

Ferdinand persisted in his endeavors, and found means more effectual of
operating on the mind of Boabdil and gradually disposing him to enter
into negotiations. It would appear that Aben Comixa was secretly active
in this matter in the interests of the Spanish monarch, and was with him
at Barcelona as the vizier and agent of Boabdil. The latter, however,
finding that his residence in the Alpuxarras was a cause of suspicion
and uneasiness to Ferdinand, determined to go himself to Barcelona, have
a conference with the sovereigns, and conduct all his negotiations with
them in person. Zafra, the secretary of Ferdinand, who was ever on
the alert, wrote a letter from Granada apprising the king of Boabdil's
intention, and that he was making preparations for the journey. He
received a letter in reply, charging him by subtle management to
prevent, or at least delay, the coming of Boabdil to court.* The crafty
monarch trusted to effect through Aben Comixa as vizier and agent of
Boabdil an arrangement which it might be impossible to obtain from
Boabdil himself. The politic plan was carried into effect. Boabdil
was detained at Andarax by the management of Zafra. In the mean time a
scandalous bargain was made on the 17th March, 1493, between Ferdinand
and Aben Comixa, in which the latter, as vizier and agent of Boabdil,
though without any license or authority from him, made a sale of his
territory and the patrimonial property of the princesses for eighty
thousand ducats of gold, and engaged that he should