22 The last King of Granada was Mahomed Boabdil, dethroned
     in 1493.  The title may have been assumed, however, by the
     leader of an insurrection.—­D.

23 As Ferdinand and Isabella had no son, the reference must be to their daughter’s husband, Philip the Fair of Austria, son of the Emperor Maximilian I. and father of Charles V.—­ B. J.

     24 Frederick of Toledo, Marquis of Coria and Duke of Alba,
     generally called the old Duke of Alba to distinguish him
     from his son.—­B.  J.

Coming now to the point of my story, I have to relate how his overboldness was proved by his death.  The Moors had made a show of offering battle, and finding the Christian army very numerous had feigned a retreat.  The Spaniards started in pursuit, but the old Constable and the Duke of Alba, who suspected the trickery of the Moors, restrained the Prince of Spain against his will from crossing the river.  The Count of Aranda, however, and the Duke of Cardona crossed, although it was forbidden; and when the Moors saw that they were pursued by only a few men they faced about again.  The Duke of Cardona was struck down and killed with a blow of a scimitar, and the Count of Aranda was so grievously wounded that he was left for dead.  Thereupon Amadour came up filled with rage and fury, and bursting through the throng, caused the two bodies to be taken up and carried to the camp of the Prince, who mourned for them as for his own brothers.  On examining their wounds the Count of Aranda was found to be still alive, and was sent in a litter to his home, where he lay ill for a long time.  On the other hand, the Duke’s body was sent back to Cardona.

Meanwhile Amadour, having made this effort to rescue the two bodies, had thought so little of his own safety that he found himself surrounded by a large number of Moors.  Not desiring his person to be captured any more than he had captured that of his mistress, nor to break his faith with God as he had broken faith with her—­for he knew that, if he were taken to the King of Granada, he must either die a cruel death or renounce Christianity—­he resolved to withhold from his enemies the glory either of his death or capture.  So kissing the cross of his sword and commending his body and soul to God, he dealt himself such a thrust as to be past all help.

Thus died the unhappy Amadour, lamented as deeply as his virtues deserved.  The news spread through the whole of Spain; and the rumour of it came to Florida, who was at Barcelona, where her husband had formerly commanded that he should be buried.  She gave him an honourable funeral, (25) and then, without saying anything to her mother or mother-in-law, she became a nun in the Convent of Jesus, taking for husband and lover Him who had delivered her from such a violent love as that of Amadour’s, and from such great affliction as she had endured in the company of her husband.  Thus were all her affections directed to the perfect loving of God; and, after living for a long time as a nun, she yielded up her soul with gladness, like that of the bride when she goes forth to meet the bridegroom.