Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/114

90 90 WAR OF GRANADA. PART I. Conflagra- tion of the Christian camp. not been for the infantry, which, composed of the rabble population of the city, was easily thrown into confusion, and hurried the horse along with it. The rout now became general. The Span- ish cavaliers, whose blood was up, pursued to the very gates of Granada, " and not a lance," says Bernaldez, " that day, but was dyed in the blood of the infidel." Two thousand of the enemy were slain and taken in the engagement, which lasted only a short time ; and the slaughter was stopped only by the escape of the fugitives within the walls of the city." About the middle of July, an accident occurred in the camp, which had like to have been attended with fatal consequences. The queen was lodged in a superb pavilion, belonging to the marquis of Cadiz, and always used by him in the Moorish war. By the carelessness of one of her attendants, a lamp was placed in such a situation, that during the night, perhaps owing to a gust of wind, it set fire to the drapery or loose hangings of the pavilion, which was instantly in a blaze. The flame com- municated with fearful rapidity to the neighbouring tents, made of light, combustible materials, and the camp was menaced with general conflagration. This occurred at the dead of night, when all but 11 Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap. 101. — Conde, Domina- cion de los Arabes, torn. iii. cap. 42. — Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., lib. 4, epist. 90. — Pulsar, Reyes Catolicos, cap. 133. — Zurita, Ana- es, torn. iv. cap. 88. Isabella afterwards caused a Franciscan monastery to be built in commemoration of this event at Zubia, where, according to Mr. Irving, the house from which she witnessed the action is to be seen at the present day. See Conquest of Granada, chap. 90, note.