The oaken cross which Pelayo bore in battle is said to have been preserved at Oviedo in the Camara Santa in company with that which the angels made for Alfonso the Great, concerning which Morales delivers a careful opinion, how much of it was made by the angels, and how much has been human workmanship. The people of Cangas, not willing that Pelayo’s cross should be in any thing inferior to his successors’, insist that it fell from Heaven. Morales however says, it is more certain that the king had it made to go out with it to battle at Covadonga. It was covered with gold and enamel in the year 908; when Morales wrote, it was in fine preservation, and doubtless so continued till the present generation. Upon the top branch of the cross there was this inscription: _Susceptum placide maneat hoc in honore Dei, quod offerunt famuli Christi Adefonsus Princeps et Scemena Regina._ On the right arm, _Quisquis auferre hæc donaria nostra presumpserit, fulmine divino intereat ipse._ On the left, _Hoc opus perfectum est, concessum est Sancto Salvatori Ovetensis Sedis. Hoc signo tuetur pius, hoc signo vincitur inimicus._ On the foot, _Et operatum est in Castello Gauzon anno Regni nostri XVII discurrente Era DCCCCXLVI._ “There is no other testimony,” says Morales, “that this is the cross of King Don Pelayo, than tradition handed down from one age to another. I wish the king had stated that it was so in his inscription, and I even think he would not have been silent upon this point, unless he had wished to imitate Alonso el Casto, who, in like manner, says nothing concerning the Angels upon his cross.” This passage is very characteristic of good old Ambrosio. * * * * * _Like a mirror sparkling to the sun._—XXV. p. 247. The Damascus blades are so highly polished, that when any one wants to arrange his turban, he uses his scymetar for a looking-glass.—_Le Brocquière_, p. 138. * * * * * _Oh who could tell what deeds were wrought that day, Or who endure to hear._—XXV. p. 248. I have nowhere seen a more curious description of a battle between Christians and Saracens than in Barret’s manuscript: The forlorn Christian troops Moon’d troops encharge, The Mooned troops requite them with the like; Whilst Grecian lance cracks (thundering) Parthian targe, Parth’s flame-flash arrow Grecian through doth prick: And whilst that Median scymetar unlimbs The Christian knight, doth Christian curtle-axe, Unhead the Median horsemen; whilst here dims The Pagan’s goggling-eyes by Greekish axe, The Greek unhorsed lies by Persian push, And both all rageful grapple on the ground. And whilst the Saracen with furious rush The Syrian shocks, the Syrian as round Down shouldreth Saracen: whilst Babel blade Sends soul Byzantine to the starred cell, Byzantine pike with like-employed trade, Packs Babel’s spirit posting down to hell. * * * * *