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magnificence, and Gibraltar was a mere sort of outlying post.
Ferdinand the Fourth of Spain besieged Algeciras for years, and
could not take it; but a part of his army attacked Gibraltar, and
captured it. The African Moors came over to help their friends, and
Ferdinand had to fall back; but the Spaniards still held
Gibraltar--a chap named Vasco Paez de Meira being in command.

"In 1333 Abomelique, son of the Emperor of Fez, came across with an
army and besieged Gibraltar. Vasco held out for five months, and
was then starved into surrender, just as Alonzo the Eleventh was
approaching to his assistance. He arrived before the town, five
days after it surrendered, and attacked the castle; but the Moors
encamped on the neutral ground in his rear, and cut him off from
his supplies; and he was obliged at last to negotiate, and was
permitted to retire. He was not long away. Next time he attacked
Algeciras; which, after a long siege, he took in 1343.

"In 1349 there were several wars in Africa, and he took advantage
of this to besiege Gibraltar. He was some months over the business,
and the garrison were nearly starved out; when pestilence broke out
in the Spanish camp, by which the king and many of his soldiers
died, and the rest retired.

"It was not until sixty years afterwards, in 1410, that there were
fresh troubles; and then they were what might be called family
squabbles. The Africans of Fez had held the place, till then; but
the Moorish king of Grenada suddenly advanced upon it, and took it.
A short time afterwards, the inhabitants rose against the Spanish
Moors, and turned them out, and the Emperor of Morocco sent over an
army to help them; but the Moors of Grenada besieged the place, and
took it by famine.

"In 1435 the Christians had another slap at it; but Henry de
Guzman, who attacked by sea, was defeated and killed. In 1462 the
greater part of the garrison of Gibraltar was withdrawn to take
part in some civil shindy, that was going on at Grenada; and in
their absence the place was taken by John de Guzman, duke of
Medina-Sidonia, and son of the Henry that was killed. In 1540
Gibraltar was surprised and pillaged by one of Barossa's captains;
but as he was leaving some Christian galleys met him, and the
corsairs were all killed or taken.

"This was really the only affair worth speaking of between 1462,
when it fell into the hands of the Spaniards, and 1704, when it was
captured by us. Sir George Rooke, who