erta de Visagra. The gate referred to here is the
_Puerta Visagra Antigua_, an ancient Arab gate of the ninth century,
a little to the west of the _Puerta Visagra Actual_, which latter
was not built until 1550. The old _Puerta Visagra_ is now blocked
up. It was through this gateway that Alfonso VI entered Toledo. "The
work is entirely Moorish, of the first period, heavy and simple,
with the triple arches so delightfully curved in horseshoe shape,
and the upper crenelated apertures." H. Lynch, _Toledo_, London,
1903, p. 297. Its name is probably from the Arabic, either from _Bab
Shaqra_ (red gate) or _Bab Shara_ (field-gate).]

[Footnote 5: la del Cambron. The Puerta del Cambron is one of the
three open gateways in the outer walls of Toledo to-day. "Entering
the city by the Bridge of San Martin, you front the gate of the
Cambron, so called from the brambles that grew about that small,
charming, pinnacled edifice, which was built upon the spot of
Wamba's old gate in Alfonso VI's time, and was then completely
Moorish in style. In 1576 it was restored and took on its present
half renaissance, half classical aspect." Ib., p. 295.]

[Footnote 6: Puente de San Martin. "The imposing _Puente de San
Martin_, which spans the Tagus to the west of the town, was built in
1212 and renewed in 1390. It consists of five arches, that in the
center being about 100 ft. in height Each end is guarded by a
gate-tower.... The gorge of the Tagus here is very imposing."
Baedeker, _Spain and Portugal_ (1901), p. 150.]

El tiempo que faltaba para emprender el camino de la frontera y
concluir de ordenar las huestes reales, discurria en medio de fiestas
publicas, lujosos convites y lucidos torneos, hasta que, llegada al
fin la vispera del dia senalado de antemano por S.A.[1] para la salida
del ejercito, se dispuso un postrer sarao, con el que debieran
terminar los regocijos.

[Footnote 1: S. A. Abbreviation for Su Alteza, 'His Highness,' a
title given to the kings of Spain down to the Austrian dynasty, and
now applied to princes and regents.]

La noche del sarao, el alcazar[1] de los reyes ofrecia un aspecto
singular. En los anchurosos patios, alrededor de inmensas hogueras, y
diseminados sin orden ni concierto, se veia una abigarrada multitud de
pajes, soldados, ballesteros y gente menuda, quienes, estos aderezando
sus corceles y sus armas y disponiendolos para el combate; aquellos
saludando