ty mounting the walls sword in hand. Wheeling about, they
galloped for the gate: the marques of Cadiz and Luis Fernandez Puerto
Carrero rushed forth at the same time with their ambuscade, and
endeavored to cut them off, but the Moors succeeded in throwing
themselves within the walls.

While Puerto Carrero stormed at the gate the marques put spurs to his
horse and galloped to the support of Ortega de Prado and his scaling
party. He arrived at a moment of imminent peril, when the party was
assailed by fifty Moors armed with cuirasses and lances, who were on
the point of thrusting them from the walls. The marques sprang from
his horse, mounted a ladder sword in hand, followed by a number of
his troops, and made a vigorous attack upon the enemy.* They were soon
driven from the walls, and the gates and towers remained in possession
of the Christians. The Moors defended themselves for a short time in
the streets, but at length took refuge in the castle, the walls of which
were strong and capable of holding out until relief should arrive. The
marques had no desire to carry on a siege, and he had not provisions
sufficient for many prisoners; he granted them, therefore, favorable
terms. They were permitted, on leaving their arms behind them, to
march out with as much of their effects as they could carry, and it was
stipulated that they should pass over to Barbary. The marques remained
in the place until both town and castle were put in a perfect state of
defence and strongly garrisoned.

* Cura de los Palacios, c. 68.

Thus did Zahara return once more in possession of the Christians, to the
great confusion of old Muley Abul Hassan, who, having paid the penalty
of his ill-timed violence, was now deprived of its vaunted fruits.
The Castilian sovereigns were so gratified by this achievement of the
valiant Ponce de Leon that they authorized him thenceforth to entitle
himself duke of Cadiz and marques of Zahara. The warrior, however, was
so proud of the original title under which he had so often signalized
himself that he gave it the precedence, and always signed himself
marques, duke of Cadiz. As the reader may have acquired the same
predilection, we shall continue to call him by his ancient title.

CHAPTER XXVI.

OF THE FORTRESS OF ALHAMA, AND HOW WISELY IT WAS GOVERNED BY THE COUNT
DE TENDILLA.

In this part of his chronicle the worthy father Fray Antonio Agapida
indulges in triumphant exultation over the dow