Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/443

417 PERSECUTIONS IN GRANADA. 417 signal for insurrection. The inhabitants of the dis- chapter r. .VI. trict ran to arms, got possession of the gates, barn- caded the streets, and in a few hours the whole Albaycin was in rebellion. ^^ In the course of the following night, a large ximenes be. o o ' a sieged in hw number of the enraged populace made their way ^'"^" into the city to the quarters of Ximenes, with the purpose of taking summary vengeance on his head for all his persecutions. Fortunately, his palace was strong, and defended by numerous resolute and well-armed attendants. The latter, at the approach of the rioters, implored their master to make his escape, if possible, to the fortress of the Alhambra, where the count of Tendilla was established. But the intrepid prelate, who held life too cheap to be a coward, exclaimed, " God forbid I should think of my own safety, when so many of the faithful are perilling theirs ! No, I will stand to my post and wait there, if Heaven wills it, the crown of martyr- dom." ^° It must be confessed he well deserved it. The building, however, proved too strong for the utmost efforts of the mob ; and, at length, after some hours of awful suspense and agitation to the beleaguered inmates, the count of Tendilla arrived in person at the head of his guards, and succeed- ed in dispersing the insurgents, and driving them back to their own quarters. But no exertions could of information, is worth them all. 3" Robles, Vida deXimenez,cap. 29 Suma de la Vida de Cisneros, 14. — Mariana, Hist, de Espaiia, MS. — Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, tom. ii. lib. 27, cap. 5. — Quinta- lib. 2, fol. 31. — Marmol, Rebe- nilla, Archetypo, p. 56. — Peter lion de Moriscos, lib. 1, cap. 26. Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 212. VOL. II. 53