g that
they had not the means of purchasing necessaries from the people of the
town. In this dilemma what does this most sagacious commander? He
takes me a number of little morsels of paper, on the which he inscribes
various sums, large and small, according to the nature of the case,
and signs me them with his own hand and name. These did he give to the
soldiery in earnest of their pay. 'How!' you will say, 'are soldiers to
be paid with scraps of paper?' Even so, I answer, and well paid too, as
I will presently make manifest, for the good count issued a proclamation
ordering the inhabitants of Alhama to take these morsels of paper for
the full amount thereon inscribed, promising to redeem them at a future
time with silver and gold, and threatening severe punishment to all
who should refuse. The people, having full confidence in his word, and
trusting that he would be as willing to perform the one promise as he
certainly was able to perform the other, took those curious morsels of
paper without hesitation or demur. Thus by a subtle and most miraculous
kind of alchymy did this Catholic cavalier turn worthless paper into
precious gold, and make his late impoverished garrison abound in money!"

It is but just to add that the count de Tendilla redeemed his promises
like a loyal knight; and this miracle, as it appeared in the eyes of
Fray Antonio Agapida, is the first instance on record of paper money,
which has since inundated the civilized world with unbounded opulence.

CHAPTER XXVII.

FORAY OF CHRISTIAN KNIGHTS INTO THE TERRITORY OF THE MOORS.

The Spanish cavaliers who had survived the memorable massacre among the
mountains of Malaga, although they had repeatedly avenged the deaths of
their companions, could not forget the horror and humiliation of their
defeat. Nothing would satisfy them but a second expedition of the
kind to carry fire and sword throughout a wide part of the Moorish
territories, and leave the region which had triumphed in their disaster
a black and burning monument of their vengeance. Their wishes accorded
with the policy of the king to destroy the resources of the enemy; every
assistance was therefore given to their enterprise.

In the spring of 1484 the ancient city of Antiquera again resounded with
arms; numbers of the same cavaliers who had assembled there so gayly
the preceding year came wheeling into the gates with their steeled and
shining warriors, but with a more dark and solemn brow