Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/484

338 WAR OF GRANADA. PART After the ceremony of purification, the three prin- '. cipal mosques of the city were consecrated by the cardinal of Spain, as temples of Christian worship. Bells, crosses, a sumptuous service of plate, and other sacred utensils, were liberally furnished by the queen ; and the principal church of Santa Maria de la Encarnacion long exhibited a covering of the altar, richly embroidered by her own hands. Isa- bella lost no opportunity of manifesting, that she had entered into the war, less from motives of am- bition, than of zeal for the exaltation of the true faith. After the completion of these ceremonies, Ferdinand, having strengthened the garrison with new recruits under the command of Portocarrero, lord of Palma, and victualled it with three months' provisions, prepared for a foray into the vega of Granada. This he executed in the true spirit of that merciless warfare, so repugnant to the more civilized usage of later times, not only by sweeping away the green, unripened crops, but by cutting down the trees, and eradicating the vines ; and then, without so much as having broken a lance in the expedition, returned in triumph to Cordova. ^^ 19 Oviedo, Quinouagenas, MS., walls of the city in the night, and bat. 1, quinc. 1, dial. 28. — Ber- had nearly reached the gates with naldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap. the intention of throwing them 54, 55. — Lebrija, Rerum Gesta- open to their countrymen, when rum Decades, lib. 1, cap. 6. — tiiey were overpowered, after a Conde, Dominacion dc los Arabcs, desperate resistance, by the Chris- cap. 34. — Salazar de Meiidoza, tians, who acquired a rich booty, Cron. del Gran Cardcnal, pp. 180, as many of them were persons of 181. — Marmol, Rebelion de Mo- rank. There is considerable vari- riscos, lib. 1, cap. 12. ation in the authorities, in regard During this second siege, a body to the date of Ferdinand's occupa- of Moorish knights to the number lion of Alhama. I have been guid- of forty, succeeded in scaling the ed, as before, by Bernaldez. I