themselves from their dangerous situation, and returned in triumph to
their accustomed anchorage. This was the fatal blow that dismembered
Seville from Triana, and insured the downfall of the city.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XIX.
Investment of Triana.—Garci Perez and the Infanzon.
On the day after the breaking of the bridge, the king, the Prince
Alfonso, the Prince Enrique, the various masters of the orders, and
a great part of the army, crossed the Guadalquivir and commenced an
attack on Triana, while the bold Admiral Bonifaz approached with his
ships and assaulted the place from the water. But the Christian army
was unprovided with ladders or machines for the attack, and fought to
great disadvantage. The Moors, from the safe shelter of their walls
and towers, rained a shower of missiles of all kinds. As they were
so high above the Christians, their arrows, darts, and lances came
with the greater force. They were skillful with the cross-bow, and
had engines of such force that the darts which they discharged would
sometimes pass through a cavalier all armed, and bury themselves in
the earth.[93]
[93] _Cronica General_, pt. 4, 341.
The very women combated from the walls, and hurled down stones that
crushed the warriors beneath.
While the army was closely investing Triana, and fierce encounters
were daily taking place between Moor and Christian, there arrived at
the camp a youthful Infanzon, or noble, of proud lineage. He brought
with him a shining train of vassals, all newly armed and appointed,
and his own armor, all fresh and lustrous, showed none of the dents
and bruises and abuses of the war. As this gay and gorgeous cavalier
was patrolling the camp, with several cavaliers, he beheld Garci
Perez pass by, in armor and accoutrements all worn and soiled by the
hard service he had performed, and he saw a similar device to his
own, of white waves, emblazoned on the scutcheon of this unknown
warrior. Then the nobleman was highly ruffled and incensed, and he
exclaimed, “How is this? who is this sorry cavalier that dares to
bear these devices? By my faith, he must either give them up or show
his reasons for usurping them.” The other cavaliers exclaimed, “Be
cautious how you speak; this is Garci Perez; a braver cavalier wears
not sword in Spain. For all he goes thus modestly and quietly about,
he is a very lion in the field, nor does he assume anything that he
cannot well maintain. Should he hear this which you have said, trust
us he would not rest quiet until he had terrible satisfaction.”
Now so it happened that certain mischief-makers carried word to Garci
Perez of what the nobleman had said, expecting to see him burst into
fierce indignation, and defy the other to the field. But Garci Perez
remained tranquil, and said not a word.
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