The writer of these pages will venture to add the result of his personal researches respecting the far famed cavern in question. Rambling about Toledo in the year 1826, in company with a small knot of antiquity hunters, among whom was an eminent British painter[29], and an English nobleman[30], who has since distinguished himself in Spanish historical research, we directed our steps to the church of San Gines, and inquired for the portal of the secret cavern. The sacristan was a voluble and communicative man, and one not likely to be niggard of his tongue about any thing he knew, or slow to boast of any marvel pertaining to his church; but he professed utter ignorance of the existence of any such portal. He remembered to have heard, however, that immediately under the entrance to the church there was an arch of mason work, apparently the upper part of some subterranean portal; but that all had been covered up, and a pavement laid down thereon; so that whether it led to the magic cave or the necromantic tower remains a mystery, and so must remain until some monarch or archbishop shall again have courage and authority to break the spell. FOOTNOTES [1] Many of the facts in this legend are taken from an old chronicle, written in quaint and antiquated Spanish, and professing to be a translation from the Arabian chronicle of the Moor Rasis, by Mohammed, a Moslem writer, and Gil Parez, a Spanish priest. It is supposed to be a piece of literary mosaic work, made up from both Spanish and Arabian chronicles: yet from this work most of the Spanish historians have drawn their particulars relative to the fortunes of Don Roderick. [2] Florian de Ocampo, lib. iii. c. 12. Justin Abrev. Trog. Pomp. lib. xliv. Bleda. Cronica, lib. ii. c. 3. [3] Chron. de Luitprando, 709. Abarca Anales de Aragon (el Mahometismo, fol. 5.) [4] Mariana, Hist. Esp. lib. vi. c. 21. [5] Perdida de España por Abulcacim Tarif Abentarique, lib. i. [6] Lope de Vega. [7] By some she is called Zara. [8] “Como esta Infanta era muy hermosa, y el Rey [Don Rodrigo] dispuesta y gentil hombre, entro por medio el amor y aficion, y junto con el regalo con que la avia mandado hospedar y servir ful causa que el rey persuadio esta Infanta, que si se tornava a su ley de Christiano la tomaria por muger, y que la haria señora de sus Reynos. Con esta persuasion ella fue contenta, y aviendose vuelto Christiana, se caso con ella, y se celebraron sus bodas con muchas fiestas y regozijos, como era razon.”—_Abulcasim_, _Conq’st de Espan_, cap. 3. [9] Condes Espatorios; so called from the drawn swords of ample size and breadth, with which they kept guard in the antechambers of the Gothic kings. Comes Spathariorum, custodum corporis Regis Profectus. Hunc et Propospatharium appellatum existimo.—_Patr. Pant. de Offic. Goth._ [10] Perdida de España por Abulcasim Tarif Abentarique, lib. i. c. 6. Cronica del Rey Don Rodrigo por el moro Rasis, lib. i. c. 1. Bleda, Cron. cap. vii.