[189] The whole ballad, with a different reading of the passage here translated, is in the Cancionero de Romances, Saragossa, 1550, 12mo, Parte II. f. 188, beginning “Media noche era por hilo.” Often, however, as the adventures of the Count Claros are alluded to in the old Spanish poetry, there is no trace of them in the old chronicles. The fragment in the text begins thus, in the Cancionero General (1535, f. 106. a):-- Pesame de vos, el Conde, Porque assi os quieren matar; Porque el yerro que hezistes No fue mucho de culpar; Que los yerros por amores Dignos son de perdonar. Suplique por vos al Rey, Cos mandasse de librar; Mas el Rey, con gran enojo, No me quisiera escuchar, etc. The beginning of this ballad in the complete copy from the Saragossa Romancero shows that it was composed before clocks were known. The next is also a fragment, and relates, with great simplicity, an incident which belongs to the state of society that existed in Spain between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, when the two races were much mingled together and always in conflict. I was the Moorish maid, Morayma, I was that maiden dark and fair,-- A Christian came, he seemed in sorrow, Full of falsehood came he there. Moorish he spoke,--he spoke it well,-- “Open the door, thou Moorish maid, So shalt thou be by Allah blessed, So shall I save my forfeit head.” “But how can I, alone and weak, Unbar, and know not who is there?” “But I’m the Moor, the Moor Mazote, The brother of thy mother dear. A Christian fell beneath my hand, The Alcalde comes, he comes apace, And if thou open not thy door, I perish here before thy face.” I rose in haste, I rose in fear, I seized my cloak, I missed my vest, And, rushing to the fatal door, I threw it wide at his behest.[190] [190] The forced alliteration of the first lines, and the phraseology of the whole, indicate the rudeness of the very early Castilian:-- Yo mera mora Morayma, Morilla d’un bel catar; Christiano vino a mi puerta, Cuytada, por me enganar. Hablome en algaravia, Como aquel que la bien sabe: “Abras me las puertas, Mora, Si Ala te guarde de mal!” “Como te abrire, mezquina, Que no se quien tu seras?” “Yo soy el Moro Maçote, Hermano de la tu madre, Que un Christiano dejo muerto; Tras mi venia el alcalde. Sino me abres tu, mi vida, Aqui me veras matar.” Quando esto oy, cuytada, Comenceme a levantar; Vistierame vn almexia, No hallando mi brial; Fuerame para la puerta, Y abrila de par en par. Cancionero General, 1535, f. 111. a.