Mercedes of Castile: or, The voyage to Cathay

University of California • Berkeley

M E R CEDES

OF CASTILE:

OR,

THE VOYAGE TO CATHAY.

BY THE AUTHOR OF

"THE BRAVO," "THE HEADSMAN," "THE LAST
OF THE MOHICANS," Sec.

I fill this cup, to one made up of loveliness alone,

A woman, of her gentle sex the seeming paragon ;

To whom the better elements and kindly stars have given

A form so fair, that, like the air, 'tis less of earth than heaven.

Pl.NKNEY.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.

PHILADELPHIA:

LEA AND B L A N C I-I A R D .
1810.

Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1840, by
J. FENIMORE COOPER,

in the clerk's office of the district court of the United States, in
and for the northern district of New-York.

J. FAGA.N, 8TEREOTYPER.

I. ASHMEAD^ANP CO., PRINTERS.

(2)

PREFACE.

80 much has been written of late years, touching
the discovery of America, that it would not be at
all surprising should there exist a disposition in a
certain class of readers to deny the accuracy of
all the statements in this work. Some may refer
to history, with a view to prove that there never
were such persons as our hero and heroine, and fancy
that by establishing these facts, they completely de
stroy the authenticity of the wrhole book. In answer
to this anticipated objection, we will state, that after
carefully perusing several of the Spanish writers,
from Cervantes to the translator of the journal of
Columbus, the Alpha and Omega of peninsular litera
ture, and after having read both Irving and Prescott
from beginning to end, wo do not find a syllable in
either of them, that we understand to be conclusive
evidence, or indeed to be any evidence at all, on the
portions of our subject that are likely to be disputed.
Until some solid affirmative proof, therefore, can bo
produced against us, we shall hold our case to be
made out, and rest our claims to be believed on the
authorit of our own statements, Nor do we think

X PREFACE.

there is any thing either unreasonable or unusual in
this course, as perhaps the greater portion of that
•which is daily and hourly offered to the credence
of the American public, rests on the same species
of testimony, — with the trifling difference that we state
truths, with a profession of fiction, while the great
moral caterers of the age state fiction with the pro
fession of truth. If any advantage can be fairly
obtained over us, in consequence of this trifling dis
crepancy, we must submit.

There is one point, notwithstanding, concerning
which it may be well to be frank at once. The
narrative of the "Voyage to Cathay," has been writ
ten with the journal of the Admiral before us; or,
rather with all of that journal, that has been given
to the world through the agency of a very incom
petent and meagre editor. Nothing is plainer than
the general fact that this person did not always un
derstand his author, and in one particular circum
stance he has written so obscurely, as not a' little to
embarrass even a novelist, whose functions naturally
include an entire familiarity with the thoughts, emo
tions, characters, and, occasionally, with the unknown
fates of the subjects of his pen. The nautical day
formerly commenced at meridian, and with all our
native ingenuity and high professional prerogatives
we have not been able to discover whether the editor
of the journal has adopted that mode of counting
time, or whether hn has condescended to use the

PREFACE. XI

more vulgar and irrational practice of landsmen.
It is our opinion, however, that in the spirit of
impartiality which becomes an historian, he has
adopted both. This little peculiarity might possibly
embarrass a superficial critic; but accurate critics
being so very common, we feel no concern on this
head, well knowing that they will be much more apt
to wink at these minor inconsistencies, than to pass
over an error of the press, or a comma with a bro
ken tail. As we wish to live on good terms with
this useful class of our fellow-creatures, we have
directed the printers to mis-spell some eight or ten
words for their convenience, and to save them from
head-aches, have honestly stated this principal diffi
culty ourselves.

Should the publicity which is now given to the
consequences of commencing a day in the middle,
have the effect to induce the government to order
that it shall, in future, with all American seamen,
commence at one of its ends, something will be gained
in the way of simplicity, and the writing of novels
will, in-so-much, be rendered easier and more agree
able.

As respects the minor characters of this work,
very little need be said. Every one knows that Co
lumbus had seamen in his vessels, and that he brought
some of the natives of the islands he had discovered,
back with him to Spain. The reader is now made
much more intimately acquainted with certain of

Xli PREFACE.

these individuals, we will venture to say, that he can
be possibly by the perusal of any work previously
written. As for the subordinate incidents connected
with the more familiar events of the age, it is hoped
they will be found so completely to fill up this branch
of the subject, as to render future investigations un^
necessary.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

CHAPTER I.

"There was knocking that shook the marble floor,

And a voice at the gate, which said —
"That the Cid Ruy Diez, the Campeador,

Was there in his arms array'd.1 "

MRS. HEMANS.

WHETHER we take the pictures of the inimitable Cer
vantes, or of that scarcely less meritorious author from
whom Le Sage has borrowed his immortal tale, for our
guides ; whether we confide in the graver legends of his
tory, or put our trust in the accounts of modern travellers,
the time has scarcely ever existed when the inns of Spain
were good, or the roads safe. These are two of the bless
ings of civilization which the people of the peninsula would
really seem destined never to attain ; for, in all ages, we
hear, or have heard, of wrongs done the traveller equally by
the robber and the host. If such are the facts to-day, such
also were the facts in the middle of the fifteenth century,
the period to which we desire to carry back the reader in
imagination.

At the commencement of the month of October, in the
year of our Lord 1469, John of Trastamara reigned in
Aragon, holding his court at a place called Zaragosa, a
town lying on the Ebro, the name of which is supposed to
be a corruption of Caesar Augustus, and a city that has
become celebrated in our own times, under the more Angli
cised term of Sarag «ssa, for its deeds in arms. John of

VOL. I. — 2 W

14 3IEH(JEDES OF CASTILE.

Trastamara, or, as it was more usual to style him, agree
ably to the nomenclature of kings, John II., was one of the
most sagacious monarchs of his age ; but he had become
impoverished by many conflicts with the turlwJent, or, as it
may be more courtly to say, the liberty-loving Cat^lonians ;
had frequently enough to do 'to maintain his seat on the
throne; possessed a party-coloured empire that included
within its sway, besides his native Aragon, with its depend
encies of Valencia and Catalonia, Sicily and the Balearic
Islands, with some very questionable rights in Navarre.
By the will of his elder brother and predecessor, the crown
of Naples had descended to an illegitimate son of the latter,
else would that kingdom have been added to the list. The
King of Aragon had seen a long and troubled reign, and,
at this very moment, his treasury was nearly exhausted, by
his efforts to subdue the truculent Catalans, though he was
nearer a triumph than he could (hen foresee, his competitor,
the Duke of Lorraine, dying suddenly, only two short
months after the precise period chosen for the commence
ment of our tale. But it is denied to man to look into the
future, and on the 9th of the month just mentioned, the in
genuity of the royal treasurer was most sorely taxed, there
having arisen an unexpected demand for a considerable
sum of money, at the very moment that the army was
about to disband itself for the want of pay, and the public
coffers contained only the very moderate sum of three hun
dred Enriques, or Henrys ; a gold coin named after a pre
vious monarch, and which had a value not far from that of
the modern ducat, or our own quarter eagle. .The maiter,
however, was too pressing to be deferred, and even the
objects of the war were considered as secondary to those
connected with this suddenly-conceived, and more private
enterprise. Councils were held, money-dealers were ca
joled or frightened, and the confidants of the court were
very manifestly in a state of great and earnest excitement.
At length, the time of preparation appeared to be passed,
and the instant of action arrived. Curiosity was relieved,
and the citizens of Saragossa were permitted to know that
their sovereign was about to send a solemn embassy, on
matters of high moment, to his neighbour, kinsman, and
ally, the monarch of Castile. In 1469, Henry, also of

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 15

Trastamara, sat upon the throne of the adjoining kingdom,
under the title of Henry IV. He was the grandson, in the
male line, of the brother of John II. 's father, and conse*
quently, a first-cousin, once removed, of the monarch of
Aragon. Notwithstanding this affinity, and the strong
family interests that might he supposed to unite them, it re
quired many friendly embassies to preserve the peace be
tween the two monarchs ; and the announcement of that
which was about to depart, produced more satisfaction
than wonder in the streets of the town.

Henry of Castile, though he reigned over broader and
richer peninsular territories, than his relative of Aragon,
had his cares and troubles, also. He had been twice mar
ried, having repudiated his first consort, Blanche of Ara
gon, to wed Joanna of Portugal, a princess of a levity of
character so marked, as not only to bring great scandal
on the court generally, but to throw so much distrust on
the birth of her only child, a daughter, as to push discon
tent to disaffection, and eventually to deprive the infant
itself of the rights of royalty. Henry's father, like him
self, had been twice married, and the issue of the second
union was a son and a daughter, Alfonso and Isabella ; the
latter becoming subsequently illustrious, under the double
titles of the Queen of Castile, and of the Catholic. The
luxurious impotency of Henry, as a monarch, had driven
a portion of his subjects into open rebellion. Three years
preceding that selected for our opening, his brother Alfonso
had been proclaimed king in his stead, and a civil war had
raged throughout his provinces. This war had been re
cently terminated by the death of Alfonso, when the peace
of the kingdom was temporarily restored by a treaty, in
which Henry consented to the sefting aside of his own
daughter — or rather of the daughter oi\ Joanna of Portugal
— and to the recognition of his half-sister Isabella, as the
rightful heiress of the throne. The last concession was the
result of dire necessity, and, as might have been expected,
it led to many secret and violent measures, with a view to
defeat its objects. Among the other expedients adopted by
the king, or it might be better to say, by his favourites, the
inaction and indolence of the self-indulgent but kind-
hearted prince being proverbial, with a view to counteract

16 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

the ^robable consequences of the expected accession of Isa
bella, were various schemes to control her will, and guide
her policy, by giving her hand, first to a subject, with a
view to reduce her power, and subsequently to various
foreign princes, who were thought to be more or less suited
to the furtherance of such schemes. Just at this moment,
indeed, the marriage of the princess was one of the greatest
objects of Spanish prudence. The son of the King of Ara-
gon was one of the suitors for the hand of Isabella, and
most of those who heard of the intended departure of the
embassy, naturally enough believed that the mission had
some connection with that great stroke of Aragonese policy.

Isabella had the reputation of learning, modesty, discre
tion, piety and beauty, besides being the acknowledged
heiress of so enviable a crown ; and there were many com
petitors for her hand. Among them were to be ranked
French, English and Portuguese princes, besides him of
Aragon to whom we have already alluded. Different fa
vourites supported different pretenders, struggling to effect
their several purposes by the usual intrigues of courtiers
and partisans ; while the royal maiden, herself, who was
the object of so much competition and rivalry, observed a
discreet and womanly decorum, even while firmly bent on
indulging her most womanly and dearest sentiments. Her
brother, the king, was in the south, pursuing his pleasures,
and, long accustomed to dwell in comparative solitude, the
princess was earnestly occupied in arranging her own
affairs, in a way that she believed would most conduce to
her own happiness. After several attempts to entrap her
person, from which she had only escaped by the prompt
succour of the forces of her friends, she had taken refuge
in Leon, in the capital of which province, or kingdom as it
was sometimes called, Valladolid, she temporarily took up
her abode. As Henry, however, still remained in the vi
cinity of Granada, it is in that direction we must look for
the route taken by the embassy.

The cortege left Saragossa, by one of the southern gates,
early in the morning of a glorious autumnal day. There
was the usual escort of lances, for this the troubled state
of the country demanded ; bearded nobles well mailed, for
ftw, who offered an inducement to the plunderer, ventured

MEHCEDES OF CASTILE. 17

on the highway without this precaution ; a long train of
sumpter mules, and a host of those who, by their guise,
were half menials and half soldiers. The gallant display
drew crowds after the horses' heels, and, together with
some prayers for success, a vast deal of crude and shallow
conjecture, as is still the practice with the uninstructed and
gossiping, was lavished on the probable objects and results
of the journey. But curiosity has its limits, and even the
gossip occasionally grows weary ; and by the time the sun
was setting, most of the multitude had already forgotten to
think and speak of the parade of* the morning. As the
night drew on, however, the late pageant was still the sub
ject of discourse between two soldiers, who belonged to the
guard of the western gate, or that which opened, on the
road to the province of Burgos. These worthies were loi
tering away the hours, in the listless manner common to
men on watch, and the spirit of discussion and of critical
censure had survived the thoughts and bustle of the day.

" If Don Alonso de Carbajal thmketh to ride far in that
guise," observed the elder of the two idlers, " he would do
well to look sharp to his followers, for the army of Aragon
never sent forth a more scurvily-ippointed guard than that
he hath this day led through the southern gate, notwith
standing the glitter of housings, and the clangour of trum
pets. 'We cou?d have furnished lances from Valencia more
befitting a king's embassy, I tell thee, Diego j ay, and wor
thier knights to lead them, than tlftse of Aragon. But if
the king is content, it ill becomes soldiers, like thee and
me, to be dissatisfied."

" There arc many who think, Roderique, that it had been
better to spare the money lavished in this courtly letter-
writing, to pay the brave men who so freely shed their
blood in order to subdue the rebellious Barcelans."

" This is always the way, boy, between debtor and cre
ditor. Don John owes you a few maravedis, and you grudge
him every Enriques he spends on his necessities. I am an
older soldier, and have learned the art of paying myself,
when the treasury is too poor to save me the trouble."

"That might do in a foreign war, when one is battling
against the Moor, for instance; but, after all, these Cata
lans arc as good Christians as we are ourselves ; some of
2*

18 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

them are as good subjects ; and it is not as easy to plunder
a countryman as to plunder an Infidel."

" Easier, by twenty fold ; for the one expects it, and, like
all in that unhappy condition, seldom has any thing worth
taking, while the other opens his stores to you as freely as
he does his heart — but who are these, setting forth on the
highway, at this late hour ?"

" Fellows that pretend to wealth, by affecting to conceal
it. I '11 warrant you, now, Roderique, that there is not
money enough among all those varlets to pay the laquais
that shall serve them their boiled eggs, to-night."

" By St. lago, my blessed patron !" whispered one of the
leaders of a small cavalcade, who, with a single companion,
rode a little in advance of the others, as if not particularly
anxious to be too familiar with the rest, and laughing lightly
as he spoke : " Yonder vagabond is nearer the truth than
is comfortable ! We may have sufficient among us all to
pay for an olla-podrvda and its service, but I much doubt
whether there will be a dobla left, when the journey shall
be once ended."

A low, but grave rebuke, checked this inconsiderate
mirth ; and the party, which consisted of merchants, or
traders, mounted on mules, as was evident by their appear
ance, for in that age the different classes were easily recog
nized by their attire, halted at the gate, *The permission to
quit the town was regular, and the drowsy and conse
quently surly gate-keeper slowly undid his bars, in order
that the travellers might pass.

While these necessary movements were going on, the
two soldiers stood a little on one side, coolly scanning the
group, though Spanish gravity prevented them from in
dulging openly in an expression of the scorn that they ac
tually felt for two or three Jews who were among the
traders. The merchants, moreover, were of a better class,
as was evident by a follower or two, who rode in their
train, in the garbs of menials, and who kept at a respectful
distance while their masters paid the light fee that it was
customary to give on passing the gates after night-fall.
One of these menials, capitally mounted on a tall, spirited
mule, happened to place himself so near Diego, during this

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 19

little ceremony, that the latter, who was talkative by na
ture, could not refrain from having his say.

" Prithee, Pepe," commenced the soldier, «* how many
hundred doblas a year do they pay, in that service of thine,
and how often do they renew that fine leathern doublet?"

The varlet, or follower of the merchant, who was still a
youth, though his vigorous frame and embrowned cheek
denoted equally severe exercise and rude exposure, started
and reddened at this free inquiry; which was enforced by a
hand slapped familiarly on his knee, and such a squeeze of
the leg as denoted the freedom of the camp. The laugh
cf Diego probably suppressed a sudden outbreak of anger,
for the soldier was one whose manner indicated too much
good-humour easily to excite resentment.

" Thy gripe is friendly, but somewhat close, comrade,"
the young domestic mildly observed ; " and if thou wilt take
a friend's counsel, it will be, never to indulge in too great
familiarity, lest some day it lead to a broken pate."

" By holy San Pedro ! — I should relish" —

It was too late, however ; for his masters having pro
ceeded, the youth pushed a powerful rowel into the flank of
his mule, and the vigorous animal dashed ahead, nearly
upsetting Diego, who was pressing hard on the pommel of
the saddle, by the movement.

" There is mettle in that boy," exclaimed the good-na
tured soldier, as he recovered his feet. " I thought, for
one moment, he was about to favour me with a visitation
of his hand."

" Thou art wrong — and too much accustomed to be heed
less, Diego," answered his comrade ; " and it had been no
wonder fold that youth struck thee to the earth, for the in
dignity thou putt'st upon him."

" Ha ! a hireliiag follower of some cringing Hebrew ! —
He dare to strike a bk>w at a soldier of the king ! "

" He may have been q. soldier of the king, himself, in
his day. These are times when most of his frame and
muscle are called on to go in harness. I think I have seen
that face before ; ay, and that, too, where none of craven
hearts would be apt to go."

" The fellow is a mere varlet, and a younker that has
just escaped from the hands of the women."

20 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" I '11 answer for it, that he hath faced both the Catalan
and the Moor, in his time, young as he may seem. Thou
knowest that the nobles are wont to carry their sons, as
children, early into the fight, that they may learn the deeds
of chivalry betimes."

" The nobles !" repeated Diego, laughing. " In the name
of all the devils, Roderique, of what art thou thinking, that
thou likenest this knave to a young noble? Dost fancy
him a Guzman, or a Mendoza, in disguise, that thou speak-
est thus of chivalry ?"

" True — it doth, indeed, seem silly — and yet have I be
fore met that frown in battle, and heard that sharp, quick
voice, in a rally. By St. lago de Compostello! I have it!
Harkee, Diego ! — a word in thy ear."

The veteran now led his more youthful comrade aside,
although there was no one near to listen to what he said ;
and looking carefully round, to make certain that his words
would not be overheard, he whispered, for a moment, in
Diego's ear.

" Holy Mother of God !" exclaimed the latter, recoiling
quite three paces, in surprise and awe. " Thou canst not
be right, Roderique !"

" I will place my soul's welfare on it," returned the
other, positively. " Have I not often seen him with his
visor up, and followed him, time and again, to the charge?"

" And he setting forth as a trader's varlet ! — Nay, I know-
not, but as the servitor of a Jew !"

" Our business, Diego, is to strike Avithout looking into
the quarrel ; to look without seeing, and to listen without
hearing. Although his coffers are low, Don John is a good
master, and our anointed king ; and so we will prove our
selves discreet soldiers."

" But he will never forgive me that gripe of the knee,
and my foolish tongue. I shall never dare meet him again."

" Humph ! — It is not probable thou ever wilt meet him at
the table of the king, and, as for the field, as he is wont to
go first, there will not be much temptation for him to turn
back in order to look at thee."

" Thou thinkest, then, he will not be apt to know me,
again ?"

" If it should prove so, boy, thou need'st not take it in

MtJRGEDES OF CASTILE. 21

ill part ; as such as he have more demands OM their memo
ries than they can always meet."

" The Blessed Maria make thee a true prophet! — else
would I never dare again to appear in the ranks. Were it
a favour I had conferred, I might hope it would be forgot
ten ; but an indignity sticks long in the memory."

Here the two soldiers moved away, continuing the dis
course from time to time, although the elder frequently ad
monished his loquacious companion of the virtue of discretion.

In the mean time, the travellers pursued their way, with
a diligence that denoted great distrust of the roads, and as
great a desire to get on. They journeyed throughout the
night, nor did there occuf any relaxation in their speed,
until the return of the sun exposed them, again, to the ob
servations of the curious, among whom were thought to be
many emissaries of Henry of Castile, whose agents were
known to be particularly on the alert, along all the roads
that communicated between the capital of Aragon, and Val-
ladolid, the city in which his royal sister had then, quite
recently, taken refuge. Nothing remarkable occurred, how
ever, to distinguish this journey from any other of the pe
riod. There was nothing about the appearance of the tra
vellers, who soon entered the territory of Soria, a province
of Old Castile, where armed parties of the monarch were
active in watching the passes, to attract the attention of
Henry's soldiers ; and, as for the more vulgar robber, he
was temporarily driven from the highways by the presence
of those who acted in the name of the prince. As respects
the youth who had given rise to the discourse between the
two soldiers, he rode diligently in the rear of his master, so
long as it pleased the latter to remain in the saddle ; and
during the few and brief pauses that occurred in the tra
velling, ho busied himself, like the other menials, in the du
ties of his proper vocation. On the evening of the second
day, however, about an howr after the party had left a hos-
telrie, where it had solaced itself with an olla-podrida and
some sour wine, the merry young man who has already
been mentioned, and who still kept his place by the side of
his graver and more aged companion in the van, suddenly
burst into a fit of loud laughter, and, reining in his mule,
he allowed the whole train to pass him, until he found him-

22 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

self by the side of the young menial already so particu
larly named. The latter cast a severe and rebuking glance
at his reputed master, as he dropped in by his side, and
said, with a sternness that ill comported with their apparent
relations to each other —

" How now, Master Nunez ! what hath called thee from
thy position in the van, to this unseemly familiarity with
the varlets in the rear ?"

" I crave ten thousand pardons, honest Juan," returned
the master, still laughing, though he evidently struggled to
repress his mirth, out of respect to the other ; " but here
is a calamity befallen us, that outdoes those of the fables
and legends of necromancy and knight-errantry. The
worthy Master Ferreras, yonder, who is so skilful in hand
ling gold, having passed his whole lite in buying and sell
ing barley and oats, hath actually mislaid the purse, which
it would seem he hath forgotten at the inn we have quitted,
in payment of some very stale bread and rancid oil. I doubt
if there are twenty reals left in the whole party !"

"And is it a matter of jest, Master Nunez," returned the
servant, though a slight smile struggled about his mouth,
as if ready to join in his companion's merriment ; " that
we are penniless ? Thank Heaven ! the Burgo of Osma
cannot be very distant ; and we may have less occasion for
gold. And now, master of mine, let me command thee to
keep thy proper place in this cavalcade, and not to forget
thyself by such undue familiarity with thy inferiors. I
have no farther need of thee, and therefore hasten back to
Master Ferreras and acquaint him with my sympathy and
grief."

The young man smiled, though the eye of the pretended
servant was averted, as if he cared to respect his own ad
monitions ; while the other evidently sought a look of re
cognition and favour. In another minute, the usual order
of the journey was resumed.

As the night advanced, and the hour arrived when man
and beast usually betray fatigue, these travellers pushed
their mules the hardest ; and about midnight, by dint of
hard pricking, they came under the principal gate of a
small walled town, called Osma, that stood not far from
the .boundary of the province of Burgos, though still in that

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 23

of Soria. No sooner was his mule near enough to the
gate to allow of the freedom, than the young merchant
in advance, dealt sundry blows on it, with his staff, effectu
ally apprising those within of his presence. It required no
strong pull of the reins to stop the mules of those behind ;
but the pretended varlet now pushed ahead, and was about
to assume his place among the principal personages near
the gate, when a heavy stone, hurled from the battlements,
passed so close to his head, as vividly to remind him how
near he might be to making a hasty journey to another
world. A cry arose in the whole party, at this narrow
escape ; nor were loud imprecations on the hand that had
cast the missile spared. The youth, himself, seemed the
least disturbed of them all; and though his voice was
sharp and authoritative, as he raised it in remonstrance,
it was neither angry nor alarmed.

" How now !" he said ; ** is this the way you treat peace
ful travellers ; merchants, who come to ask hospitality and
a ^eht's repose at your hands ?"

" Mt*cnants and travellers !" growled a voice from above
— " say, r^her, spies and agents of King Henry. Who
are ye? Speak promptly, or ye may expect something
sharper than stones, at the next visit.0

" Tell me," answered the youth, as if disdaining to be
questioned himself—" who holds this borough ? Is it not
the noble Count of Trevino 7"

" The very same, Senor," answered he above, with a
mollified tone : " but what can a set of travelling traders
know of His Excellency ? and who art thou, that speakest
up as sharply and as proudly as if thoou wert a grandee ?"

" I am Ferdinand of Trastamara — the Prince of Aragon
— the King of Sicily. Go ! bid thy master hasten to the
gate."

This sudden announcement, which was made in the lofty
manner of one accustomed to implicit obedience, produced
a marked change in the state of affairs. The party at the
gate so far altered their several positions, that the two su
perior nobles who had ridden in front, gave place to the
youthful king ; while the group of knights made such ar
rangements as showed that disguise was dropped, and each
man was now expected to appear in his proper character.

24 MJBRCEDES OF CASTILE.

It might have amused a close and philosophical observer,
to note the promptitude with which the young cavaliers, in
particular, rose in their saddles, as if casting aside the
lounging mien of grovelling traders, in order to appear
what they really were, men accustomed to the tourney and
the field. On the ramparts the change was equally sudden
and great. All appearance of drowsiness vanished ; the
soldiers spoke to each other in suppressed but hurried
voices ; and the distant tramp of feet announced that mes
sengers were dispatched in various directions. Some ten
minutes elapsed in this manner, during which an inferior
officer showed himself on the ramparts, and apologized for
a delay that arose altogether from the force of discipline,
and on no account from any want of respect. At length a
bustle on the wall, with the light of many lanterns, betrayed
the approach of the governor of the town ; and the impa
tience of the young men below, that had begun to manifest
itself in half-uttered execrations, was put under a more df»
cent restraint for the occasion.

"Are the joyful tidings that my people bring IT*> true?''
cried one from the battlements ; while a lan^n was low
ered from the wall, as if to make a closer inspection of the
party at the gate: "Am I really so honoured, as to receive
a summons from Don Ferdinand of Aragon, at this un
usual hour?"

" Cause thy fellow to turn his lantern more closely on
my countenance," answered the king, " that thou may'st
make thyself sure. I will cheerfully overlook the disre
spect, Count of Trevifio, for the advantage of a more
speedy admission."

" T is he !" exclaimed the noble : " I know those royal
features, which bear the lineaments of a long race of kings ;
and that voice have I heard, often, rallying the squadrons
of Aragon, in their onsets against the Moors. Let the
trumpets speak up, and proclaim this happy arrival ; and
open wide our gates, without delay."

This order was promptly obeyed, and the youthful king
entered Osma, by sound of trumpet, encircled by a strong
party of men-at-arms, and with half of the awakened an4
astonished population at his heels.

"It is lucky, my Lord King," said Don Andres de Ca-

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 25

farera, the young noble already mentioned, as he rode fa
miliarly at the side of Don Ferdinand, " that we have found
these good lodgings without cost; it being a meUuicuoiy
truth, that Master Ferreras hath, negligently enough, mislaid
the only purse there was among us. In such a strait, it
would not have been easy to keep up the character of
thrifty traders, much longer ; for, while the knaves higgle
at the price of every thing, they are fond of letting their
gold be seen."

" Now that we are in thine own Castile, Don Andres," rs»
turned the king, smiling, " we shall throw ourselves gladly
on thy hospitality, well knowing that thou hast two most
beautiful diamonds always at thy command."

" I, Sir King ! Your Highness is pleased to be merry at
my expense, although I believe it is, just now, the only gra
tification I can pay for. My attachment for the Princess
Isabella hath driven me from my lands ; and even the hum
blest cavalier in the Aragonese army, is not, just now,
poorer than I. What diamonds, therefore, can I com
mand?"

" Report speaketh favourably of the two brilliants that
are set in the face of the Dona Beatriz de Bobadilla ; and
I hear they are altogether at thy disposal ; or, as much so,
as a noble maiden's inclinations can leave them with o
loyal knight."

" Ah ! my Lord King ! if indeed this adventure end as
happily as it commenceth, I may, indeed, look to your royal
favour, for some aid in that matter."

The king smiled, in his own sedate manner ; but the
Count de Trevino pressing nearer to his side, at that mo
ment, the discourse was changed. That night, Ferdinand
of Aragon slept soundly ; but with the dawn, he and his
followers were again in the saddle. The party quitted
Osma, however, in a manner very different from that in
which it had approached its gate. Ferdinand now appeared
as a knight, mounted on a noble Andalusian charger ; and
all his followers had still more openly assumed their proper
characters. A strong body of lancers, led by the Count
of Trevino, in person, composed the escort ; and on the 9th
of the month, the whole cavalcade reached Duenas, in
Loon, a place quite near to Valladolid. The disaffected no-

VOL. I. 3

26 3IERCEDES OP CASTIHE.

bles crowded about the prince to pay their court, and he was
received as became his high rank and still higher destinies.
Here the more luxurious Castilians had an opportunity
of observing the severe personal discipline by which Don
Ferdinand, at the immature years of eighteen, for he was
scarcely older, had succeeded in hardening his body, and
in stringing his nerves, so as to be equal to any deeds in
arms. His delight was found in the rudest military exer
cises ; and no knight of Aragon could better direct his
steed in the tourney, or in the field. Like most, of the royal
races of that period, and indeed of this, in despite of the
burning sun under which he dwelt, his native complexion
was brilliant, though it had already become embrowned by
exposure in the chase, and in the martial occupations of his
boyhood. Temperate as a Mussulman, his active and well-
proportioned frame seemed to be early indurating, as if
Providence held him in reserve, for some of its own dis
pensations that called for great bodily vigour, as well as for
deep forethought and a vigilant sagacity. During the four
or five days that followed, the noble Castilians who listened
to his discourse, knew not of which most to approve, his
fluent eloquence, or a wariness of thought and expression,
which, while they might have been deemed prematurely
worldly and cold-blooded, were believed to be particular
merits in one destined to control the jarring passions, deep
deceptions, and selfish devices, of men.

. CHAPTER II.

" Leave to the nightingale her shady wood ;

A privacy of glorious light is thine ;
Whence thou dost pour upon the world a flood

Of harmony, with rapture more divine ;
Type of the wise, who soar, but never roam ;
True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home."

WORDSWORTH.

WHILE John of Aragon had recourse to such means to
enable his son to escape the vigilant and vindictive em-is-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 27

saries of the King of Castile, there were anxious hearts in
Valladolid, awaiting the result with the impatience and
doubt that ever attend the execution of hazardous enter
prises. Among others who felt this deep interest in the
movements of Ferdinand of Aragon and his companions,
were a few, whom it has now become necessary to intro
duce to the reader.

Although Valladolid had not then reached the magnifi
cence it subsequently acquired as the capital of Charles V.,
it was an ancient, and, for the age, a magnificent and
luxurious town, possessing its palaces, as well as its more
inferior abodes. To the principal of the former, the resi
dence of John de Vivero, a distinguished noble of the king
dom, we must repair in imagination ; where companions
more agreeable than those we have just quitted, await us,
and who were then themselves awaiting, with deep anxiety,
the arrival of a messenger with tidings from Duena. The
particular apartment that it will be necessary to imagine,
had much of the rude splendour of the period, united to
that air of comfort and fitness that woman seldom fails to
impart to the portion of any edifice that comes directly un--
der her control. In the year 1469, Spain was fast ap
proaching the termination of that great struggle which had
already endured seven centuries, and in which the Chris
tian and the Mussulman contended for the mastery of the
peninsula. The latter had long held sway in the southern
parts of Leon, and had left behind him, in the palaces of
this town, some of the traces of his barbaric magnificence.
The lofty and fretted ceilings were not as glorious as those
to be found further south, it is true ; still the Moor had been
here, and the name of Veled Vlid, since changed to Valla
dolid, denotes its Arabic connection. In the room just men
tioned, and in the principal palace of this ancient town,
that of John de Vivero, were two females, in earnest and
engrossing discourse. Both were young, and, though in
very different styles, both would have been deemed beau
tiful in any age or region of the earth. One, indeed, was
surpassingly lovely. She had just reached her nineteenth
year, an age when the female form has received its full de-
velopement in that generous climate ; and the most' ima-
gi native poet of Spain, a country so renowned for beauty

28 MERCEDEi OF CASTILE.

«* form in the sex, could not have conceived of a person
more symmetrical. The hands, feet, bust, and all the out
lines, were those of feminine loveliness ; while the stature,
without rising to a height to suggest the idea of any thing
ma.sc uline, was sufficient to ennoble an air of quiet dignity.
The beholder, at first, was a little at a loss to know whe
ther the influence to which he submitted, proceeded most
from the perfection of the body itself, or from the expres
sion that the soul within imparted to the almost faultless
exterior. The face was, in all respects, worthy of the form.
Although born beneath the sun of Spain, her lineage car
ried her back, through a long line of kings, to the Gothic
sovereigns ; and its frequent intermarriages with foreign
princesses, had produced in her countenance, that inter
mixture of the brilliancy of the north, with the witchery
of the south, that probably is nearest to the perfection
of feminine loveliness.

Her complexion was fair, and her rich locks had that
tint of the auburn which approaches as near as possible to
the more marked colour that gives it warmth, without at
taining any of the latter's distinctive hue. " Her mild blue
eyes," says an eminent historan, " beamed with intelligence
and sensibility." In these indexes to the soul, indeed, were
io be found her highest claims to loveliness, for they be
spoke no less the beauty within, than the beauty without ;
imparting to features of exquisite delicacy and symmetry,
a serene expression ot dignity and moral excellence,
; hat was remarkably softened by a modesty that seemed as
y.iuch allied to the sensibilities of a woman, as to the purity
«. £ an angel. To add to all these charms, though of royal
fc,.ood, and educated in a court, an earnest but meek sin
cerity presided over every look and thought, as thought was
oetrayed in the countenance, adding the illumination of
truth to the lustre of youth and beauty.

The attire of this princess was simple, for happily the taste
of the age enabled those who worked for the toilet to con
sult the proportions of nature ; though the materials were
rich, and such as became her high rank. A single cross
of diamonds sparkled on a neck of snow, to which it was
attached by a short string of pearls; and a few rings,
decked with stones of price, rather cumbered than adorned

MEHCEDES 01 CASTILE. 29

hands that needed no ornaments to rivet the gaze. Such
was Isabella of Castile, in her days of maiden retirement
and maiden pride — while waiting the issue of those
changes that were about to put their seal on her own future
fortunes, as well as on those of posterity even to our own
times.

Her companion was Beatriz de Bobadilla, the friend of
her childhood and infancy, and who continued, to the last,
the friend of her prime, and of her death-bed. This lady,
a little older than the princess, was of more decided Span
ish mien, for, though of an ancient and illustrious house,
policy and necessity had not caused so many foreign inter
marriages in her race, as had been required in that of her
royal mistress. Her eyes were black and sparkling, be
speaking a generous soul, and a resolution so high that
some commentators have termed it valour ; while her hair
was dark as the raven's wing. Like that of her royal mis
tress, her form exhibited the grace and loveliness of young
womanhood, developed by the generous warmth of Spain ;
though her stature was, in a slight degree, less noble, and
the outlines of her figure, in about an equal proportion,
less perfect. In short, nature had drawn some such dis
tinction between the exceeding grace and high moral
charms that encircled the beauty of the princess, and those
which belonged to her noble friend, as the notions of men
had established between their respective conditions ; though,
considered singly, as women, either would have been
deemed pre-eminently winning and attractive.

At the moment we have selected for the opening of the
scene that is to follow, Isabella, fresh from the morning
toilet, was seated in a chair, leaning lightly on one of its
arms, in an attitude that interest in the subject she was dis
cussing, and confidence in her companion, had naturally
produced ; while Beatriz de Bobadilla occupied a low stool
at her feet, bending her body in respectful affection so far
forward, as to allow the fairer hair of the princess to min
gle with her own dark curls, while the face of the latter
appeared to repose on the head of her friend. As no
one else was present, the reader will at once infer, from the
entire absence of Castilian etiquette and Spanish reserve,
that the dialogue they held, was strictly confidential, and
3*

30 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

that it was governed more by the feelings of nature, than
by the artificial rules that usually regulate the intercourse
of courts.

*' I have prayed, Beatriz, that God would direct my judg
ment in this weighty concern," said the princess, in con
tinuation of some previous observation ; " and I hope I
have as much kept in view the happiness of my future sub
jects, in the choice I have made, as my own."

" None shall presume to question it," said Beatriz de Bo-
badilla ; " for had it pleased you to wed the Grand Turk,
the Castilians would not gainsay your wish, such is their
love !"

** Say, rather, such is thy love for me, my good Beatriz,
that thou fanciest this," returned Isabella, smiling, and rais
ing her face from the other's head : " Our Castilians might
overlook such a sin, but I could not pardon myself for for
getting that I am a Christian. Beatriz, I have been sorely
tried, in this matter !"

" But the hour of trial is nearly passed. Holy Ma
ria ! what lightness of reflection, and vanity, and misjudg
ing of self, must exist in man, to embolden some who have
dared to aspire to become your husband ! You were yet a
child when they betrothed you to Don Carlos, a prince old
enough to be your father ; and, then, as if that were not
sufficient to warm Castilian blood, they chose the King of
Portugal for you, and he might well have passed for a
generation still more remote ! Much as I love you, Dona
Isabella, and my own soul is scarce dearer to me than your
person and mind, for nought do I respect you more, than
for the noble and princely resolution, child as you then
were, with which you denied the king, in his wicked wish
to make you Queen of Portugal."

" Don Enriquez is my brother, Beatriz ; and thine and
my royal master."

" Ah ! bravely did you tell them all," continued Beatriz
de Bobadilla, with sparkling eyes, and a feeling of exulta
tion that caused her to overlook the quiet rebuke of her
mistress ; " and worthy was it of a princess of the royal
house of Castile ! * The Infantas of Castile,' you said,
* could not be disposed of, in marriage, without the consent

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 31

of the nobles of the realm ;' and with that fit reply they
were glad to be content."

"And yet, Beatriz, am I about to dispose of an Infanta
of Castile, without even consulting its nobles."

" Say not that, my excellent mistress. There is not a
loyal and gallant cavalier between the Pyrenees and the
sea, who will not, in his heart, approve of your choice.
The character, and age, and other qualities of the suitor,
make a sensible difference in these concerns. But unfit as
Don Alfonso of Portugal was, and is, to be the wedded
husband of Dona Isabella of Castile, what shall we say to
the next suitor who appeared as a pretender to your royal
hand — Don Pedro Giron, the Master of Calatrava? truly
a most worthy lord for a maiden of the royal house ! Out
upon him ! A Pacheco might think himself full honour
ably mated, could he have found a damsel of Bobadilla to
elevate his race !"

"That ill-assorted union was imposed upon my brother
by unworthy favourites ; and God, in his holy providence,
saw fit to defeat their wishes, by hurrying their intended
bridegroom to an unexpected grave !"

"Ay! had it not pleased his blessed will, so to dispose
of Don Pedro, other means would not have been wanting !"

" This little hand of thine, Beatriz," returned the prin
cess, gravely, though she smiled affectionately on her friend
as she took the hand in question, " was not made for the
deed its owner menaced."

" That which its owner menaced," replied Beatriz, with
eyes flashing fire, " this hand would have executed, before
Isabella of Castile should be the doomed bride of the Grand
Master of Calatrava. What ! wo* the purest, loveliest,
virgin of Castile, and she of royal birth— nay, the rightful
heiress of the crown— to be .sacrificed to a lawless libertine,
because it had pleased Don Henry to forget his station and
duties, and make a favourite of a craven miscreant !"

" Thou always fbrgettest, Beatriz, that Don Enriquez is
our Lord the King, and my royal brother."

" I do not forget, Senora, that you are the royal sister of
our Lord the King, and that Pedro de Giron, or Pachecho,
whichever it might suit the ancient Portuguese page to style
him, was altogether unworthy to sit in your presence, much

32 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

less to become your wedded husband. Oh ! what days of
anguish were those, my gracious lady, when your knees
ached with bending in prayer, that this might not be ! But
God would not permit it — neither would I ! That dagger
should have pierced his heart, before ear of his should
have heard the vows of Isabella of Castile !"

" Speak no more of this, good Beatriz, I pray thee," said
the princess, shuddering, and crossing herself : " they were,
in sooth, days of anguish ; but what were they in com
parison with the passion, of the Son of God, who gave him
self a sacrifice for our sins! Name it not, then; it was
good for my soul to be thus tried ; and thou knowest that
the evil was turned from rne — more, I doubt not, by the
efficacy of our prayers, than by that of thy dagger. If
thou wilt speak of my suitors, surely there are others better
worthy of the trouble."

A light gleamed about the dark ^ye of Beatriz, and a
smile struggled towards her pretty mouth ; for well did she
understand that the royal, but bashful maiden, would
gladly hear something of him on whom her choice had
finally fallen. Although ever disposed to do that which
was grateful to her mistress, with a woman's coquetry, Bea
triz determined to approach the more1 pleasing part of the
subject coyly, and by a regular gradation of events, in the
order in which they had actually occurred.

"Then, there was Monsieur do Guienne, the brother of
King Louis of Prance," she resumed, affecting contempt in
her manner; "he would fain become the husband of the
future Queen of Castile ! But even our most unworthy
Castilmns soon saw the un fitness of that union. Their
pride was unwilling to run the chance of becoming a fief
of France."

« That misfortune could never have befallen our beloved
Castile," interrupted Isabella with dignity: " Had I espoused
the King of France himself, he would have learned to re
spect me as the Queen Proprietor of this ancient realm, and
not have looked upon me as a subject,"

" Then, Senora," continued Beatriz, looking up into Isa
bella s face, and laughing — « was your own. royal kins
man, Don Ricardo of Gloucester ; he that they say was
born with teeth, and who carries already a burthen so

MERCED£8 OF CASTILE. 3*

heavy on his back, that he may well thank his patron saint
that he is not also to be loaded with the affairs of Castile." *

44 Thy tongue runneth riot, Beatriz. They tell me that
Don Ricardo is a noble and aspiring prince, and that he is,
one day, likely to wed some princess, whose merit may
well console him for his failure in Castile. But what more
hast thou to oifer concerning my suitors ?"

44 Nay, what more can I say, my beloved mistress ? We
have now reached Don Fernando, literally the first, as he
proveth to be the last, and, as we know him to be, the best
of them all."

44 1 think I have been guided by the motives that become
my birth and future hopes, in choosing Don Ferdinand,"
said Isabella, meekly, though she was uneasy in spite of
her royal views of matrimony; — 44 since nothing can so
much tend to the peace of our dear kingdom, and to the
success of the great cause of Christianity, as to unite Cas
tile and Aragon under one crown."

44 By uniting their sovereigns in holy wedlock," returned
Beatriz, with respectful gravity, though a smile again strug
gled around her pouting lips. 44 What if Don Fernando is
the most youthful, the handsomest, the most valiant and
the most agreeable prince in Christendom, it is no fault of
yours, since you did not make him, but have only accepted
him for a husband !"

44 Nay, this exceedeth discretion and respect, my good
Beatriz," returned Isabella, affecting to frown, even while
she blushed deeply at her own emotions, and looked gratified
at the praises of her betrothed. " Thou knowest that I
have never beheld my cousin, the King of Sicily."

44 Very true, Senora ; but Father Alonso de Coca hath —
and a surer eye, or truer tongue than his, do not exist in
Castile."

44 Beatriz, I pardon thy license, however unjust and un
seemly, because I know thou lovest me, and lookest rather
at mine own happiness, than at that of my people," said

* NOTE. — The authorities differ as to which of the English princes
was the suitor of Isabella ; Edward IV. himself, Clarence, or Richard.
Isabella was the grand-daughter of Catherine of Lancaster, who was
a daughter of John of Gaunt.

34 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

the princess, the effect of whose gravity now was not di
minished by any betrayal of natural feminine weakness —
for she felt slightly offended. " Thou knowest, or ought'st
to know, that a maiden of royal birth is bound principally
to consult the interests of the state, in bestowing her hand,
and that the idle fancies of village girls have little in com
mon with her duties. Nay, what virgin of noble extraction
like thyself, even, would dream of aught else than of sub
mitting to the counsel of her family, in taking a husband ?
If I have selected Don Fernando of Aragon, from among
many princes, it is doubtless because the alliance is more
suited to the interests of Castile, than any other that hath
offered. Thou seest, Beatriz, that the Castilians and the
Aragonese spring from the same source, and have the same
habits and prejudices. They speak the same language" —

" Nay, dearest lady, do not confound the pure Castilian
with the dialect of the mountains !"

" Well, have thy fling, wayward one, if thou wilt ; but
we can easier teach the nobles of Aragon our purer Span
ish, than we can teach it to the Gaul. Then, Don Fer
nando is of my own race ; the House of Trastamara com-
eth of Castile and her monarchs, and we may at least hope
that the King of Sicily will be able to make himself under
stood."

" If he could not, he were no true knight ! The man
whose tongue should fail him, when the stake was a royal
maiden of a beauty surpassing that of the dawn — of an
excellence that already touches on heaven — of a crown" —

" Girl — girl — thy tongue is getting the mastery of thee
— such discourse ill befitteth thee and me."

" And yet, Dona Ysabel, my tongue is close bound to my
heart."

" I do believe thee, my good Beatriz ; but we should be
think us both, of our last shrivings, and of the ghostly coun
sel that we then received. Such flattering discourse seemeth
light, when we remember our 'manifold transgressions,
and our many occasions for forgiveness. As for this mar
riage, I would have thee think that it has been contracted
on my part, with the considerations and motives of a prin
cess, and not through any light indulgence of my fancies.

MEIICEDES OF CASTILE. 35

Thou kiioxvcst that I have never beheld Don Fernando, and
that lie hath never even looked upon me."

"Assuredly, dearest lady and honoured mistress, all (his
I know, and see, and believe ; and I also agree that it were
unseemly, and little befitting her birth, for even a noble
maiden to contract the all-important obligations of mar
riage, with no better motive than the light impulses of a
country wench. Nothing is more just than that we are
alike bound to consult our own dignity, and the wishes of
kinsmen and friends; and that our duty, and the habits oi"
piety and submission in which we have been reared, are
better pledges for our connubial affection, than any caprices
of a girlish imagination. Still, my honoured lady, it is most
fortunate that your high obligations point to one as youth
ful, brave, noble and chivalrous, as is the King of Sicily,
as we well know, by Father Alonso's representations, to be
the fact ; and that all my friends unite in saying that Don
Andres de Cabrera, madcap and silly as he is, will make an
exceedingly excellent husband for Beatriz de Bobadilla !"

Isabella, habitually dignified and reserved as she was,
had her confidants and her moments for unbending ; and
Beatriz was the principal among the former, while the pre
sent instant was one of the latter. She smiled, therefore,
at this sally ; and parting, with her own fair hand, the dark
locks on the brow of her friend, she regarded her much as
the mother regards her child, when sudden passages of ten
derness come over the heart.

" If madcap should wed madcap, thy friends, at least,
have judged rightly," answered the princess. Then, paus
ing an instant, as if in deep thought, she continued, in a
graver manner, though modesty shone in her tell-tale com
plexion, and the sensibility that beamed in her eyes be
trayed that she now felt more as a woman than as a future
queen bent only on the happiness of her people: "As this
interview draweth near, I suffer an embarrassment I had
not thought it easy to inflict on an Infanta of Castile. To
thee, my faithful Beatriz, I will acknowledge, that were the
King of Sicily as old as Don Alfonso of Portugal, or were
he as effeminate and unmanly as Monsieur of Guienne ;
were he, in sooth, loss engaging and young. I should foel

36 MERCEDES OF CASTILE,

less embarrassment in meeting him, than I now expe

rience."

" This is passing strange, Senora ! Now, I will confess
that I would not willingly abate in Don Andres, one hour
of his life, which has been sufficiently long as it is ; one
grace of his person, if indeed the honest cavalier hath
any to boast of; or one single perfection of either body or
mind."

"Thy case is not mine, Beatrix. Thou knowest the
Marquis of Moya ; hast listened to his discourse, and art
accustomed to his praises and his admiration."

" Holy St. lago of Spain ! Do not distrust any thing,
Seiiora, on account of unfamiliarity with such matters —
for, of all learning, it is easiest to learn to relish praise and
admiration !"

" True, daughter"— (for so Isabella often termed her
friend, though her junior: in later life, and after the prin
cess had become a queen, this, indeed, was her usual term
of endearment) — " true, daughter, when praise and admira
tion are freely given and fairly merited. But I distrust,
myself, my claims to be thus viewed, and the feelings with
which Don Fernando may first behold me. I know — nay,
I feel him to be graceful, and noble, and valiant, and gene
rous, and good ; comely to the eye, and strict of duty to
our holy religion ; as illustrious in qualities, as in birth ;
and I tremble to think of my own unsuitableness to be his
bride and queen."

" God's Justice ! — I should like to meet the impudent
Aragonese noble, that would dare to hint as much as this !
If Don Fernando is noble, are you not nobler, Senora, as
coming of the senior branch of the same house ; if he is
young, are you not equally so ; if he is \vise, are you not
wiser ; if he is comely, are you not more of an angel than
a woman ; if he is valiant, are you not virtuous ; if he is
graceful, are you not grace itself; if he is generous, are
you not good, and, what is more, are you not the very soul
of generosity ; if he is strict of duty in matters of our holy
religion, are you not an angel ?"

" Good sooth — good sooth — Beatriz, thou art a com
forter! I could reprove thee for this idle tongue, but »
know thee honest,"

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 37

" This is no more than that deep modesty, honoured mis
tress, which ever maketh you quicker to see the merits of
others, than to perceive your own. Let Don Fernando
look to it ! Though he come in all the pomp and glory of
his many crowns, I warrant you we find him a royal
maiden in Castile, who shall abash him and rebuke his
vanity, even while she appears before him in the sweet
guise of her own meek nature !"

" I have said naught of Don Fernando's vanity, Beatriz
— nor do I esteem him in the least inclined to so weak a
feeling ; and as for pomp, we well know that gold no more
abounds at Zaragosa than at Valladolid, albeit he hath
many crowns, in possession, and in reserve. Notwithstand
ing all thy foolish but friendly tongue hath uttered, I dis
trust myself, and not the King of Sicily. Methinks I could
meet /iny other prince in Christendom with indifference —
or, at least, as becometh my rank and sex ; but I confess,
I tremble at the thought of encountering the eyes and
opinions of my noble cousin."

Beatriz listened with interest ; and when her royal mis
tress ceased speaking, she kissed her hand affectionately,
and then pressed it to her heart.

" Let Don Fernando tremble, rather, Senora, at encoun
tering yours," she answered.

" Nay, Beatriz, we know that he hath nothing to dread,
for report speaketh but too favourably of him. But, why
linger here in doubt and apprehension, when the staff on
which it is rny duty to lean, is ready to receive its burthen :
Father Alonso doubtless waiteth for us, and we will now
join him."

The princess and her friend now repaired to the chapel
of the palace, where her confessor celebrated the daily
mass. The self-distrust which disturbed the feelings of the
modest Isabella was appeased by the holy rites, or rather
it took refuge on that Rock where she was accustomed to
place all her troubles, with her sins. As the little assem
blage left the chapel, one, hot with haste, arrived with the
expected, but still doubted tidings, that the King of Sicily
had reached Duenas in safety, and that, as he was now in
the very centre of his supporters, there could no longer be

VOL. I. 4

38 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

any reasonable distrust of the speedy celebration of the
contemplated marriage.

Isabella was much overcome with this news, and re
quired more than usual of the care of Beatriz de Bobadilla,
to restore her to that sweet serenity of mind and air, which
ordinarily rendered her presence as attractive as it was
commanding. An hour or two spent in meditation and
prayer, however, finally produced a gentle calm in her feel
ings, and these two friends were again alone, in the very
apartment where we first introduced them to the reader.

" Hast thou seen Don Andres de Cabrera ?" demanded
the princess, taking a hand from a brow which had been
often pressed in a sort of bewildered recollection.

Beatriz de Bobadilla blushed — and then she laughed out
right, with a freedom that the long-established affection of
her mistress did not rebuke.

"For a youth of thirty, and a cavalier well hacked in
the wars of the Moors, Don Andres hath a nimble foot,"
she answered. " He brought hither the tidings of the ar
rival ; and with it he brought his own delightful person, to
show it was no lie. For one so experienced, he hath a
strong propensity to talk ; and so, in sooth, whilst you, my
honoured mistress, would be in your closet alone, I could
but listen to all the marvels of the journey. It seems, Se-
nora, that they did not reach Dueiias any too soon ; for the
only purse among them was mislaid, or blown away by the
wind on account of its lightness."

" I trust this accident hath been repaired. Few of the
house of Trastamara have much gold at this trying mo
ment, and yet none are wont to be entirely without it."

" Don Andres is neither beggar nor miser. He is now
in our Castile, where I doubt riot he is familiar with the
Jews and money-lenders; as these last must know the
full value of his lands, the King of Sicily will not want.
I hear, too, that the Count of Trevino hath conducted no
bly with him."

" It shall be well for the Count of Trevino that he hath
had this liberality. But, Beatriz, bring forth the writing
materials ; it is meet that I, at once, acquaint Don Enriquez
with this event, and with my purpose of marriage."

" Nay, dearest mistress, this is out of all rule. When a

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 39

maiden, gentle or simple, intendeth marriage against her
kinsmen's wishes, it is the way to wed first, and to write
the letter and ask the blessing when the evil is done."

" Go to, light-of-speech ! Thou hast spoken ; now bring
the pens and paper. The king is not only my lord and
sovereign, but he is my nearest of kin, and should be my
father."

"And Dona Joanna of Portugal, his royal consort, and
our illustrious queen, should be your mother ; and a fitting
guide would she be to any modest virgin! No — no —
my beloved mistress ; your royal mother was the Dona
Isabella of Portugal — and a very different princess was
she from this, her wanton niece."

" Thou givest thyself too much license, Dona Beatriz,
and forgettest my request. I desire to write to my brother
the king."

It was so seldom that Isabella spoke sternly, that her
friend started, and the tears rushed to her eyes at this re
buke ; but she procured the writing materials, before she
presumed to look into Isabella's face, in order to ascertain
if she were really angered. There all was beautiful se
renity again ; and the Lady of Bobadilla, perceiving that
her mistress's mind was altogether occupied with the matter
before her, and that she had already forgotten her displea
sure, chose to make no further allusion to the subject.

Isabella now wrote her celebrated letter, in which she
appeared to forget all her natural timidity, and to speak
solely as a princess. By the treaty of Toros de Guisando,
in which, setting aside the claims of Joanna of Portugal's
daughter, she had been recognized as the heiress of the
throne, it had been stipulated that she should not marry
without the king's consent ; and she now apologized for the
step she was about to take, on the substantial plea that her
enemies had disregarded the solemn compact entered into
not to urge her into any union that was unsuitable or dis
agreeable to herself. She then alluded to the political ad
vantages that would follow the union of the crowns of
Castite and Aragon, and solicited the king's approbation
of the step she was about to take. This letter, after having
been submitted to John de Vivero, and others of her coun
cil, was dispatched by a special messenger — after which

40 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

act the arrangements necessary as preliminaries to a meet
ing between the betrothed were entered into. Castilian eti
quette was proverbial, even in that age ; and the discussion
led to a proposal that Isabella rejected with her usual mo
desty and discretion.

" It seemeth to me," said John de Vivero, " that this alli
ance should not take place without some admission, on the
part of Don Fernando, of the inferiority of Aragon to our
own Castile. The House of the latter kingdom is but a
junior branch of the reigning House of Castile, and the
former territory of old was admitted to have a dependency
on the latter."

This proposition was much applauded, until the beautiful
and natural sentiments of the princess, herself, interposed
to expose its weakness and its deformities.

" It is doubtless true," she said, " that Don Juan of Ara
gon is the son of the younger brother of my royal grand
father ; but he is none the less a king. Nay, besides his
crown of Aragon, a country, if thou wilt, which is inferior
to Castile, he hath those of Naples and Sicily; not to
speak of Navarre, over which he ruleth, although it may
not be with too much right. Don Fernando even weareth
the crown of Sicily, by the renunciation of Don Juan ; and
shall he, a crowned sovereign, make concessions to one
who is barely a princess, and whom it may never please
God to conduct to a throne? Moreover, Don John of Vi
vero, I beseech thee to remember the errand that bringeth
the King of Sicily to Valladolid. Both he and I have two
parts to perform, and two characters to maintain — those of
prince and princess, and those of Christians wedded and
bound by holy marriage ties. It would ill become one that
is about to take on herself the duties and obligations of a
wife, to begin the intercourse with exactions that should be
humiliating to the pride and self-respect of her lord. Ara
gon may truly be an inferior realm to Castile — but Fer
dinand of Aragon is even now every way the equal of
Isabella of Castile ; and when he shall receive my vows,
and, with them, my duty and my affections" — Isabella's
colour deepened, and her mild eye lighted with a sort of
holy enthusiasm — " as befitteth a woman, though an in
fidel, he would become, in some particulars, my superior.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 41

Lot me, then, hear no more of this ; for it could not nearly
as much pain Don Fernando to make the concessions ye
require, as it paincth me to hear of them."

CHAPTER III.

" Nice customs curt'sy to great kings. Dear Kale, you and I can*
not be confined within the weak list of a country's fashion. We are
the makers of manners ; and the liberty that follows our places, stops
the mouths of all fault-finders." — Henry V.

"NOTWITHSTANDING her high resolution, habitual firm
ness, and a serenity of mind, that seemed to pervade the
moral system of Isabella, like a deep, quiet current of en
thusiasm, but which it were truer to assign to the high and
fixed principles that guided all her actions, her heart beat
tumultuously, and her native reserve, which almost
amounted to shyness, troubled her sorely, as the hour ar
rived when she was first to behold the prince she had ac
cepted for a husband. Ca.stilian etiquette, no less than the
magnitude of the political interests involved in the intended
union, had drawn out the preliminary negotiations several
days ; the bridegroom being left, all that time, to curb his
impatience to behold the princess, as best he might.

On the evening of the 15th of October, 1469, however,
every obstacle being at length removed, Don Fernando
threw himself into the saddle, and, accompanied by only
four attendants, among whom was Andres de Cabrera, he
quietly took his way, without any of the usual accompani
ments of his high rank, towards the palace of John of
Vivero, in the city of Valladolid. The Archbishop of To
ledo was of the faction of the princess, and this prelate, a
warlike and active partisan, was in readiness to receive the
accepted suitor, and to conduct him to the presence of his
mistress.

Isabella, attended only by Bealriz de Bobadilla, was in
waiting for the interview, in the apartment already men-
4*

42 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

tioned ; and by one of those mighty efforts that even the
most retiring of the sex can make, on great occasions, she
received her future husband with quite as much of the dig
nity of a princess as of the timidity of a woman. Fer
dinand of Aragon had been prepared to meet one of sin
gular grace and beauty ; but the mixture of angelic modesty
with a loveliness that almost surpassed that of her sex,
produced a picture approaching so much nearer to heaven
than to earth, that, though one of circumspect behaviour,
and much accustomed to suppress emotion, he actually
started, and his feet were momentarily riveted to the floor,
when the glorious vision first met his eye. Then, recover
ing himself, he advanced eagerly, and taking the little hand
which neither met nor repulsed the attempt, he pressed it
to his lips with a warmth that seldom accompanies the first
interviews of those whose passions are usually so facti
tious.

" This happy moment hath at length arrived, my illus
trious and beautiful cousin !" he said, with a truth of feel
ing that went directly to the pure and tender heart of Isa
bella ; for no skill in courtly phrases can ever give to the
accents of deceit, the point and emphasis that belong to
sincerity. "I have thought it would never arrive; but
this blessed moment — thanks to our own St. lago, whom
I have not ceased to implore with intercessions — more than
rewards me for all anxieties."

" I thank my Lord the Prince, and bid him right wel
come," modestly returned Isabella. " The difficulties that
have been overcome, in order to effect this meeting, are but
types of the difficulties we shall have to conquer as we
advance through life."

Then followed a few courteous expressions concerning
the hopes of the princess that her cousin had wanted for
nothing, since his arrival in Castile, with suitable answers •,
when Don Ferdinand led her to an armed-chair, assuming
himself the stool on which Beatrix de Bobadilla was wont
to be seated, in her familiar intercourse with her royal mis
tress. Isabella, however, sensitively alive to the preten
sions of the Castilians, who were fond of asserting the su
periority of their own country over that of Aragon, would
not quietly submit to this arrangement, but declined to be

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 43

seated, unless her suitor would take the chair prepared for
him also, saying —

" It ill befitteth one who hath little more than some roy
alty of blood, and her dependence on God, to be thus
placed, while the King of Sicily is so unworthily be
stowed."

" Let me entreat that it may be so," returned the king.
" All considerations of earthly rank vanish in this presence ;
view me as a knight, ready and desirous of proving his
fealty in any court or field of Christendom, and treat me as
such."

Isabella, who had that high tact which teaches the precise
point where breeding becomes neuter and airs commence,
blushed and smiled, but no longer declined to be seated. It
was not so much the mere words of her cousin that went
to her heart, as the undisguised admiration of his looks,
the animation of his eye, and the frank sincerity of his man
ner. With a woman's instinct she perceived that the im
pression she had made was favourable, and, with a woman's
sensibility, her heart was ready, under the circumstances,
to dissolve in tenderness at the discovery. This mutual
satisfaction soon opened the way to a freer conversation —
and, ere half an hour was passed, the archbishop, who,
though officially ignorant of the language arid wishes of
loven,, was practically sufficiently familiar with both, con
trived to draw the two or three courtiers who were present,
into an adjoining room, where, though the door continued
open, he placed them with so much discretion that neither
eye nor ear could be any restraint on what was passing.
As for Beatriz de Bobadilla, whom female etiquette required
should remain in the same room with her royal mistress,
she was so much engaged with Andres de Cabrera, that
half a dozen thrones might have been disposed of between
the royal pair, and she none the wiser.

Although Isabella did not lose that mild reserve and
feminine modesty that threw so winning a grace around
her person, even to the day of her death, she gradually
grew more calm as the discourse proceeded ; and falling
back on her self-respect, womanly dignity, and, not a little,
on those stores of knowledge that she had been diligently
collecting, while others similarly situated had wasted their

44 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

time in the vanities of courts, she was quickly at her ease,
if not wholly in that tranquil state of mind to which she
had been accustomed.

" I trust there can now be no longer any delay to the
celebration of our union, by holy church," observed the
king, in continuation of the subject. "All that can be re
quired of us both, as those entrusted with the cares and
interests of realms, hath been observed, and I may have a
claim to look to my own happiness. We are not strangers
to each other, Dona Isabella ; for our grandfathers were
brothers — and from infancy up, have I been taught to
reverence thy virtues, and to strive to emulate thy holy
duty to God."

" I have not betrothed myself lightly, Don Fernando,"
returned the princess, blushing even while she assumed the
majesty of a queen ; " and with the subject so fully dis
cussed, the wisdom of the union so fully established, and
the necessity of promptness so apparent, no idle delays
shall proceed from me. I had thought that the ceremony
might be had on the fourth day from this, which will give
us both time to prepare for an occasion so solemn, by
suitable attention to the offices of the church."

" It must be as thou wiliest," said the king, respectfully
bowing ; " and now there remaineth but a few preparations,
and we shall have no reproaches of forgetfulness. Thou
knowest, Dona Isabella, how sorely my father is beset by
his enemies, and I need scarce tell thee that his coffers are
empty. In good sooth, my fair cousin, nothing but my
earnest desire to possess myself, at as early a day as pos
sible, of the precious boon that Providence and thy good
ness" —

" Mingle not, Don Fernando, any of the acts of God
and his providence, with the wisdom and petty expedients
of his creatures," said Isabella, earnestly.

" To seize upon the precious boon, then, that Providence
appeared willing to bestow," rejoined the king, crossing
himself, while he bowed his head, as much, perhaps, in
deference to the pious feelings of his affianced Avife, as in
deference to a higher Power — " would riot admit of delay,
and we quitted Zaragosa better provided with hearts loyal
towards the treasures we were to find in Valladolid, than

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 45

with gold. Even that we had, by a mischance, hath gone
to enrich some lucky varlet in an inn."

" Dona Beatriz de Bobadilla hath acquainted me with the
mishap," said Isabella, smiling ; " and truly we shall com
mence our married lives with but few of the goods of the
world in present possession. I have little more to offer
thee, Fernando, than a true heart, and a spirit that I think
may be trusted for its fidelity."

" In obtaining thee, my excellent cousin, I obtain suffi
cient to satisfy the desires of any reasonable man. Still,
something is due to our rank and future prospects, and
it shall not be said that thy nuptials passed like those of a
common subject."

" Under ordinary circumstances it might not appear
seemly for one of my sex to furnish the means for her
own bridal," answered the princess, the blood stealing to
her face until it crimsoned even her brow and temples ;
maintaining, otherwise, that beautiful tranquillity of mien
which marked her ordinary manner — " but the well-being
of two states depending on our union, vain emotions must
be suppressed. I am not without jewels, and Valladolid
hath many Hebrews : thou wilt permit me to part with the
baubles for such an object."

" So that thou preservest for me the jewel in which that
pure mind is encased," said the King of Sicily, gallantly,
" I care not if I never see another. But there will not be
this need ; for our friends, who have more generous souls
than well-filled coffers too, can give such warranty to the
lenders as will procure the means. I charge myself with
this duty, for henceforth, my cousin — may I not say my
betrothed ?"—

" The term is even dearer than any that belongeth to
blood, Fernando," answered the princess, with a simple
sincerity of manner that set at nought the ordinary affecta
tions and artificial feelings of her sex, while it left the
deepest reverence for her modesty — " and we might be ex
cused for using it. I trust God will bless our union, not
only to our own happiness, but to that of our people."

" Then, my betrothed, henceforth we have but a common
fortune, and thou wilt trust in me for the provision for thy
wants."

46 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Nay, Fernando," answered Isabella, smiling, " imagine
what we will, we cannot imagine ourselves the children of
two hidalgos about to set forth in the world with humble
dowries. Thou art a king, even now ; and by the treaty
of Toros de Guisando, I am solemnly recognized as the
heiress of Castile. We must, therefore, have our separate
means, as well as our separate duties, though I trust hardly
our separate interests."

" Thou wilt never find me failing in that respect which
is due to thy rank, or in that duty which it bentteth me to
render thee, as the head of our ancient House, next to thy
royal brother, the king."

" Thou hast well considered, Don Fernando, the treaty
of marriage, and accepted cheerfully, 1 trust, all of its
several conditions ?"

"As becometh the importance of the measures, and; the
magnitude of the benefit I was to receive."

" I would have them acceptable to thee, as well as expe
dient ; for, though so soon to become thy wife, I can never
cease to remember that I shall be Queen of this country."

" Thou mayest be assured, my beautiful betrothed, that
Ferdinand of Aragon will be the last to deem thee aught
else."

" I look on my duties as coming from God, and on my
self as one rigidly accountable to him for their faithful dis
charge. Sceptres may not be treated as toys, Fernando,
to be trifled with ; for man beareth no heavier burthen,
than when he beareth a crown."

" The maxims of our House have not been forgotten in
Aragon, my betrothed — and I rejoice to find that they are
the same in both kingdoms."

" We are not to think principally of ourselves in enter
ing upon this engagement," continued Isabella, earnestly —
" for that would be supplanting the duties of princes by the
feelings of the lover. Thou hast frequently perused, and
sufficiently conned the marriage articles, I trust 1"

" There hath been sufficient leisure for that, my cousin,
as they have now l>een signed these nine months."

" If I may have seemed to thee exacting in some parti
culars," continued Isabella, with the same earnest and
beautiful simplicity as usually marked her deportment in

MERCEDES OF CA8TILH. 47

all the relations of life — " it is because the duties ot a sove
reign may not be overlooked. Thou knowest, moreover,
Fernando, the influence that the husband is wont to acquire
over the wife, and wilt feel the necessity of my protecting
my Castilians, in the fullest manner, against my own weak
nesses."

" If thy Castilians do not suffer until they suffer from
that cause, Dona Isabella, their lot will indeed be blessed."

" These are words of gallantry, and I must reprove their
use on an occasion so serious, Fernando. I am a few
months thy senior, and shall assume an elder sister's rights,
until they are lost in the obligations of a wife. Thou hast
seen in those articles, how anxiously I would protect my
Castilians against any supremacy of the stranger. Thou
knowest that many of the greatest of this realm are op
posed to our union, through apprehension of Aragonese
s-vay, and wilt observe how studiously we have striven to
appease their jealousies."

" Thy motives, Dona Isabella, have been understood, and
\hy wishes in this and all other particulars shall be re
spited."

" i vyould be thy faithful and submissive wife," returned
the prihcess, with an earnest but gentle look at her be
trothed ; " but I would also that Castile should preserve her
rights and hor independence. What will be thy influence,
the maiden ttont freely bestoweth her hand, need hardly
say ; but we most preserve the appearance of separate

" Confide in me, my cousin. They who live fifty years
hence will say that Bon Fernando knew how to respect his
obligations and to discharge his duty-"

" There is the stipulation, \oo, to war upon the Moor. I
shall never feel that the Christians of Spain have been true
to the faith, while a follower c>f the arch^impostor of Mecca
remaineth in the Peninsula."

"Thou and thy archbishop could not have imposed a
more agreeable duty, than to place my lance in rest against
the Infidels. My spurs have been gained m those wars,
already; and no sooner shall we be crowned, than thou
wilt see my perfect willingness to aid in driving back the
miscreants to their original sands."

48 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" There rcmaineth but one thing more upon my mind,
gentle cousin/ Thou knowest the evil influence that besets
my brother, and that it hath disaffected a large portion of
his nobles as well as of his cities. We shall both be sorely
tempted to wage war upon him, and to assume the sceptre
before it pleaseth God to accord it to us, in the course of
nature. I would have thee respect Don Enriquez, not only
as the head of our royal house, but as my brother and
anointed master. Should evil counsellors press him to at
tempt aught against our persons or rights, it will be lawful
to resist ; but I pray thee, Fernando, on no excuse seek to
raise thy hand in rebellion against my rightful sovereign."

" Let Don Enriquez, then, be chary of his Beltraneja !"
answered the prince, with warmth. " By St. Peter ! I have
rights of mine own that come before those of that ill -be
gotten mongrel ! The whole House of Trastamara hath
an interest in stifling that spurious scion which hath bee^i
so fraudulently engrafted on its princely stock !"

" Thou art warm, Don Fernando, and even the eye of
Beatriz de Bobadilla reproveth thy heat. The unfortunate
Joanna never can impair our rights to the throne, for tb^rc
are few nobles in Castile so unworthy as to wish to see the
crown bestowed where it is believed the blood of relay o
doth not flow."

" Don Enriquez hath not kept faith with ttee, Isabella,
since the treaty of Toros de Guisando !"

" My brother is surrounded by wickedx:ounsellors— and
then, Fernando"— the princess" blush*! crimson as she
spoke—" neither have we been abl? rigidly to adhere to
that convention, since one of its .conditions was that my
hand should not be bestowed vtfhout the consent of the
king."

" He hath driven us into .this measure, and hath only to
reproach himself with our failure on this point."

" I evdeavour so to view it, though many have been my
prayers for forgiveness of this seeming breach of faith. I
am not superstitions, Fernando, else might I think God
would frown on a union that is contracted in the face of
pledges like these. But, it is well to distinguish between
motives, and we have a right to believe that He who read-
eth the heart, will not judge the well-intentioned severely.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 49

Had not Don Enriquez attempted to seize my person, with
the plain purpose of forcing me to a marriage against my
will, this decisive step could not have been necessary, and
would not have been taken."

" I have reason to thank my patron saint, beautiful cou
sin, that thy will was less compliant than thy tyrants had
believed."

" I could not plight my troth to the King of Portugal, or
to Monsieur de Guienne, or to any that they proposed to
me, for my future lord," answered Isabella, ingenuously.
" It ill ben'tteth royal or noble maidens to set up their own
inexperienced caprices in opposition to the wisdom of their
friends, and the task is not difficult for a virtuous wife to
learn to love her husband, when nature and opinion are not
too openly violated in the choice ; but I have had too much
thought for my soul to wish to expose it to so severe a trial,
in contracting the marriage duties."

" I feel that I am only too unworthy of thee, Isabella—
but thou must train me to be that thou wouldest wish : I
can only promise thee a most willing and attentive scholar."

The discourse now became more general, Isabella in
dulging her natural curiosity and affectionate nature, by
making many inquiries concerning her different relatives in
Aragon. After the interview had lasted two hours or more,
the King of Sicily returned to Duenas, with the same pri
vacy as he had observed in entering the town. The royal
pair parted with feelings of increased esteem and respect,
Isabella indulging in those gentle anticipations of domestic
happiness that more properly belong to the tender nature of
woman.

The marriage took place, with suitable pomp, on the
morning of the 19th October, 1469, in the chapel of John
de Vivero's palace ; no less than two thousand persons,
principally of condition, witnessing the ceremony. Just as
the officiating priest was about to commence the offices, the
eye of Isabella betrayed uneasiness, and turning to the
Archbishop of Toledo, she said, —

" Your grace hath promised that there should be nothing
wanting to the consent of the church on this solemn occa
sion. It is known that Don Fernando of Aragori and I
stand within the prohibited degrees."

VOL. I. 5

50 MBRCEOES OF CASTItB.

'•' Most true, my lady Isabella," returned the prelate, with
a composed mien and a paternal smile. " Happily, our
Holy Father Pius hath removed this impediment, and the
church smileth on this blessed union in every particular."

The archbishop then took out of his pocket a dispensa
tion, which he read in a clear, sonorous, steady voice ;
when every shade disappeared from the serene brow of
Isabella, and the ceremony proceeded. Years elapsed be
fore this pious and submissive Christian princess discovered
that she had been imposed on, the bull that was then read
having been an invention of the old King of Aragon and
the prelate, not without suspicions of a connivance on the
part of the bridegroom. This deception had been practised
from a perfect conviction that the sovereign pontiff was too
much under the influence of the King of Castile, to consent
to bestow the boon in opposition to that monarch's wishes.
It was several years before Sixtus IV. repaired this wrong,
by granting a more genuine authority.

Nevertheless, Ferdinand and Isabella became man and
wife. What followed in the next twenty years must be
rather glanced at than related. Henry IV. resented the
step, and vain attempts were made to substitute his suppo
sititious child, La Beltraneja, in the place of his sister, as
successor to the throne. A civil war ensued, during which
Isabella steadily refused to assume the crown, though often
entreated : limiting her efforts to the maintenance of her
rights as heiress presumptive. In 1474, or five years after
her marriage, Don Henry died, and she then became Queen
of Castile, though her spurious niece was also proclaimed
by a small party among her subjects. The war of the suc
cession, as it was called, lasted five years longer, when
Joanna, or La Beltraneja, assumed the veil, and the rights
of Isabella were generally acknowledged. About the same
time, died Don John II., when Ferdinand mounted the
throne of Aragon. These events virtually reduced the sove
reignties of the Peninsula, which had so long been cut up
into petty states, to four, viz., the possessions of Ferdinand
and Isabella, which included Castile, Leon, Aragon, Va
lencia, and many other of the finest provinces of Spain ;
Navarre, an insignificant kingdom in the Pyrenees ; Portu-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 51

gal, much as it exists to-day ; and Granada, the last abiding
place of the Moor, north of the strait of Gibraltar.

Neither Ferdinand, nor his royal consort, was forgetful
of that clause in their marriage contract, which bound the
former to undertake a war for the destruction of the Moor
ish power. The course of events, however, caused a delay
of many years, in putting this long-projected plan in exe
cution ; but when the time finally arrived, that Providence
which seemed disposed to conduct the pious Isabella, through
a train of important incidents, from the reduced condition
in which we have just'described her to have been, to the
summit of human power, did not desert its favourite. Suc
cess succeeded success — and victory, victory ; until the
Moor had lost fortress after fortress, town after town, and
was finally besieged in his very capital, his last hold in the
peninsula. As the reduction of Granada was anx event
that, in Christian eyes, was to be ranked second only to
the rescuing of the holy sepulchre from the hands of
the Infidels, so was it distinguished by some features of
singularity, that have probably never before marked the
course of a siege. The place submitted on the 25th No
vember, 1491, twenty-two years after the date of the mar
riage just mentioned, and, it may not be amiss to observe,
on the very day of the year, that has become memorable
in the annals of this country, as that on which the English,
four centuries later, reluctantly yielded their last foothold
on the coast of the republic.

In the course of the preceding summer, while the Span
ish forces lay before the town, and Isabella, with her chil
dren, were anxious witnesses of the progress of events,
asi accident occurred that had well-nigh proved fatal
to the royal family, and brought destruction on the Chris
tian arms. The pavilion of the queen took fire, and was
consumed, placing the whole encampment in the utmost
jeopardy. Many of the tents oT the nobles were also de
stroyed, and much treasure, in the shape of jewelry and
plate, was lost, though the injury went no farther. In order
to guard against the recurrence of such an accident, and
probably viewing the subjection of Granada as the great
act of their mutual reign — for, as yet, Time threw his veil
around the future, and but one human eye foresaw the great-

52 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

est of all the events of the period, which was still in reserve—
the sovereigns resolved on attempting a work that, of itself,
would render this siege memorable. The plan of a regular
town was made, and labourers set about the construction
of good substantial edifices, in which to lodge the army ;
thus converting the warfare into that of something like city
against city. In three months this stupendous work was
completed, with its avenues, streets and squares, and re
ceived the name of Santa Fe, or Holy Faith, an appellation
quite as well suited to the zeal which could achieve such a
work, in the heat of a campaign, as to that general reliance
on the providence of God which animated the Christians in
carrying on the war. The construction of this place struck
-terror into the hearts of the Moors, for they considered it
a proof that their enemies intended to give up the conflict
only with their lives ; and it is highly probable that it had
a direct and immediate influence on the submission of Bo-
abdil, the King of Granada, who yielded the Alhambra, a
few weeks after the Spaniards had taken possession of their
new abodes.

Santa Fe still exists, and is visited by the traveller as a
place of curious origin ; while it is rendered remarkable by
the fact — real or assumed — that it is the only town of any
size in Spain, that has never been under Moorish sway.

The main incidents of our tale will now transport us to
this era, and to this scene ; all that has been related, as
yet, being merely introductory matter, to prepare the reader
for the events that are to follow.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 53

CHAPTER IV.

What thing a right line is, the learned know;

But how avajles that him, who in the right
Of life and manners doth desire to grow ?

What then are all these humane arts, and lights,
But seas of errors ? In whose depths who sound,
Of truth finde only shadowes, and no ground."

HUMAN LEARNING.

THE morning of the 2d of January, 1492, was ushered
in with a solemnity and pomp that were unusual even in a
court and camp as much addicted to religious observances
and royal magnificence, as that of Ferdinand and Isabella.
The sun had scarce appeared, when all in the extraordinary
little city of Santa Fe were afoot, and elate with triumph.
The negotiations for the surrender of Granada, which had
been going on secretly for weeks, were terminated ; the army
and nation had been formally apprised of their results, and
this was the day set for the entry of the conquerors.

The court had been in mourning for Don Alonso of Por
tugal, the husband of the Princess Royal of Castile, who
had died a bridegroom ; but on this joyous occasion the
trappings of woe were cast aside, and all appeared in their
gayest and most magnificent apparel. At an hour that was
still early, the Grand Cardinal moved forward, ascending
what is called the Hill of Martyrs, at the head of a strong
body of troops, with a view to take possession. While
making the ascent, a party of Moorish cavaliers was met ;
and at their head rode one in whom, by the dignity of his
mien and the anguish of his countenance, it was easy to
recognize the mental suffering of Boabdil, or Abdullah, the
deposed monarch. The cardinal pointed out the position
occupied by Ferdinand, who, with that admixture of piety
and worldly policy which were so closely interwoven in his
character, had refused to enter within the walls of the con
quered city, until the symbol of Christ had superseded the

54 MERCEDES OF CASTILE*

banners of Mahomet ; and who had taken his station at
some distance from the gates, with a purpose and display
of humility that were suited to the particular fanaticism
of the period. As the interview that occurred has often
been related, and twice quite recently by distinguished
writers of our own country, it is unnecessary to dwell on
it here. Abdallah next sought the presence of the purer-
minded and gentle Isabella, where his reception, with less
affectation of the character, had more of the real charity
and compassion of the Christian ; when he went his way
towards that pass in the mountains that has ever since been
celebrated as the point where he took his last view of the
palaces and towers of his fathers, from which it has ob
tained the poetical and touching name of El Ultimo Suspiro
Del Moro.

Although the passage of the last King of Granada, from
his palace to the hills, was in no manner delayed, as it
was grave and conducted with dignity, it consequently oc
cupied some time. These were hours in which the multi
tude covered the highways, and the adjacent fields were
garnished with a living throng, all of whom kept their eyes
riveted on the towers of the Alhambra, where the signs of
possession were anxiously looked for by every good Ca
tholic who witnessed the triumph of his religion.

Isabella, who had made this conquest a condition in the
articles of marriage — whose victory in truth it was — ab
stained, with her native modesty, from pressing forward on
this occasion. She had placed herself at some distance in
the rear of the position of Ferdinand. Still, unless indeed
we except the long-coveted towers of the Alhambra, she
was the centre of attraction. She appeared in royal mag
nificence, as due to the glory of the occasion ; her beauty
always rendered her an object of admiration ; her mildness,
inflexible justice, and unyielding truth, had won all hearts;
and she was really the person who was most to profit by
the victc -y, Granada being attached to her own crown of
Castile, and not to that of Aragon. a country that possessed
little or no contiguous territory.

Previously to the appearance of Abdallah, the crowd
moved freely, in all directions ; multitudes of civilians
having flocked to the camp to witness the entry. Among

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 55

others were many friars, priests and monks, the war, in
deed, having the character of a crusade. The throng of
the curious was densest near the person of the queen,
where, in truth, the magnificence of the court was the most
imposing. Around this spot, in particular, congregated most
of the religious, for they felt that the pious mind of Isabella
created a sort of moral atmosphere in and near her pre
sence, that was peculiarly suited to their habits, and favour
able to their consideration. Among others, was a friar of
prepossessing mien, and, in fact, of noble birth, who had
been respectfully addressed as Father Pedro, by several
grandees, as he made his way from the immediate presence
of the queen, to a spot where the circulation was easier.
He was accompanied by a youth of an air so much
superior to that of most of those who did not appear that
day in the saddle, that he attracted general attention.
Although not more than twenty, it was evident, from his
muscular frame, and embrowned but florid cheeks, that he
was acquainted with exposure ; and by his bearing, many
thought, notwithstanding he did not appear in armour on an
occasion so peculiarly military, that both his mien and his
frame had been improved by familiarity with war. His
attire was simple, as if he rather avoided than sought ob
servation, but it was, nevertheless, such as was worn by
none but the noble. Several of those who watched this youth,
as he reached the less confined portions of the crowd, had
seen him received graciously by Isabella, whose hand he
had even been permitted to kiss, a favour that the formal
and fastidious court of Castile seldom bestowed except on
the worthy, or, on those, at least, who were unusually
illustrious from their birth. Some whispered that he was a
Guzman, a family that was almost royal ; while others
thought that he might be a Ponce, a name that had got to be
one"' of the first in Spain, through the deeds of the renowned
Marquis-Duke of Cadiz, in this very war ; while others,
again, affected to discern in his lofty brow, firm step, and
animated eye, the port and countenance of a Mendoza.

It was evident that the subject of all these commentaries
was unconscious of the notice that was attracted by his
vigorous form, handsome face, and elastic, lofty tread ; for,
like one accustomed to be observed by inferiors, his ntten-

56 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

tion was confined to such objects as amused his eye, or
pleased his fancy, while he lent a willing ear to the remarks
that, from time to time, fell from the lips of his reverend
companion.

" This is a most blessed and glorious day for Christian
ity !" observed the friar, after a pause a little longer than
common. "An impious reign of seven hundred years hath
expired, and the Moor is at length lowered from his pride ;
while the cross is elevated above the banners of the false
prophet. Thou hast had ancestors, my son, who might
almost arise from their tombs, and walk the earth in ex
ultation, if the tidings of these changes were permitted to
reach the souls of Christians long since departed."

" The Blessed Maria intercede for them, father, that they
may not be disturbed, even to see the Moor unhoused ; for
I doubt much, agreeable as the Infidel hath made it, if they
find Granada as pleasant as Paradise."

" Son Don Luis, thou hast got much levity of speech, in
thy late journey ings ; and I doubt if thou art as mindful of
thy paters and confessions, as when under the care of thy
excellent mother, of sainted memory !"

This was not only said reprovingly, but with a warmth
that amounted nearly to anger.

" Chide me not so warmly, father, for a lightness of
speech that cometh of youthful levity, rather than of dis
respect for holy church. — Nay, thou rebukest warmly, and
then, as I come like a penitent to lay my transgressions be
fore thee, and to seek absolution, thou fastenest thine eye on
vacancy, and gazest as if one of the spirits of which thou
so lately spokest actually had arisen and come to see the
Moor crack his heart-strings at quitting his beloved Al-
hambra !"

"Dost see that man, Luis?" demanded the friar, still
gazing in a fixed direction, though he made no gesture to
indicate to which particular individual of the many who
were passing in all directions, he especially alluded.

" By my veracity, I see a thousand, father, though not
one to fasten the eye as if he were fresh from Paradise.
Would it be exceeding discretion to ask who, or what, hath
thus riveted thy gaze?"

" Dost see yonder person of high and commanding sta-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 57

ture, and in whom gravity and dignity are so singularly
mingled with an air of poverty ; or, if not absolutely of
poverty — for he is better clad, and seemingly in more pros
perity now, than I remember ever to have seen him — still,
evidently not of the rich and noble ; while his bearing and
carriage would seem to bespeak him at least a monarch ?"

" I think I now perceive him thou meanest, father ; a
man of very grave and reverend appearance, though of
simple deportment. I see nothing extravagant, or ill placed,
either in his attire, or in his bearing."

" I mean not that ; — but there is a loftiness in his dig
nified countenance that one is not accustomed to meet in
those who are unused to power."

" To me he hath the air and dress of a superior navi
gator, or pilot — of a man accustomed to the seas — ay, he
hath sundry symbols about him that bespeak such a pur
suit."

" Thou art right, Don Luis, for such is his calling. He
cometh of Genoa, and his name is Christoval Colon -*- or,
as they term it in Italy — Christoforo Colombo."

" I remember to have heard of an admiral of that name,
who did good service in the wars of the south, and who
formerly led a fleet into the far east."

" This is not he, but one of humbler habits, though pos
sibly of the same blood, seeing that both are derived from
the identical place. This is no admiral, though he would
fain become one — ay, even a king !"

" The man is then either of a weak mind, or of a light
ambition."

" He is neither. In mind, he hath outdone many of our
most learned churchmen ; and it is due to his piety to say
that a more devout Christian doth not exist in Spain. It is
plain, son, that thou hast been much abroad, and little at
court, or thou would'st have known the history of this ex
traordinary being, at the mention of his name, which has
been the seurce of merriment for the frivolous and gay,
this many a year, and which has thrown the thoughtful and
prudent into more doubts than many a fierce and baneful
heresy."

" Thou stirrest my curiosity, father, by such language.
Who and what is the man ?"

58 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

"An enigma that neither prayers to the Virgin, the learn
ing of the cloisters, nor a zealous wish to reach the truth,
hath enabled me to read. Come hither, Luis, to this bit of
rock where we can be seated, and I will relate to thee the
opi^ons that render this being so extraordinary. Thou
must know, son, it is now seven years since this man first
appeared among us. He sought employment as a disco
verer, pretending that by steering out into the ocean, on a
western course, for a great and unheard-of distance, he could
reach the farther Indies, with the rich island of Cipango,
and the kingdom of Cathay, of which one Marco Polo hath
left us some most extraordinary legends."

" By St. James of blessed memory ! the man must be
short of his wits !" interrupted Don Luis, laughing. " In
what way could this thing be, unless the earth were round
— the Indies lying east, and not west of us ?"

" That hath been often objected to his notions ; but the
man hath ready answers to much weightier arguments."

" What weightier than this can be found ? Our own eyes
tell us that the earth is flat."

" Therein he differeth from most men — and to own the
truth, son Luis, not without some show of reason. He is
a navigator, as thou wilt understand, and he replies that,
on the oceEln, when a ship is seen from afar, her upper sails
are first perceived, and that as she draweth nearer, her
lower sails, and finally her hull cometh into view. But,
thou hast been over sea, and may have observed something
of this?"

" Truly have I, father. While mounting the English sea,
we met a gallant cruiser of the king's, and, as thou said'st,
we first perceived her upper sail, a white speck upon the
water — then followed sail after sail, until we came nigh
and saw her gigantic hull, with a very goodly show of
bombards and cannon — some twenty at least, in all."

" Then thou agreest with this Colon, and thinkest the
earth round ?"

" By St. George of England ! not I. I have seen too
much of the world, to traduce its fair surface in so heedless
a manner. England, France, Burgundy, Germany, and
all those distant countries of the north, are just as level
and flat as our own Castile."

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 59

" Why then didst thou see the upper sails of the English
man first?"

" Why, father — why — because they were first visible.
Yes, because they came first into view."

" Do the English put the largest of their sails uppermost
on the masts 1"

" They would be fools if they did. Though no great
navigators — our neighbours the Portuguese, and the people
of Genoa, exceeding all others in that craft — though no
great navigators, the English are not so surpassingly
stupid. Thou wilt remember the force of the winds, and
understand that the larger the sail the lower should be its
position."

" Then how happened it that thou sawest the smaller
object before the larger ?"

" Truly, excellent Fray Pedro, thou hast not conversed
with this Christoforo for nothing ! A question is not a rea
son."

" Socrates was fond of questions, son ; but he expected

wers."

'Peste f as they say at. the court of King Louis. I am
not Socrates, my good father, but thy old pupil and kins
man, Luis de Bobadilla, the truant nephew of the queen's
favourite, the Marchioness of Moya, and as well-born a
cavalier as there is in Spain — though somewhat given to
roving, if my enemies are to be believed."

t" Neither thy pedigree, thy character, nor thy vagaries,
need be given to me, Don Luis de Bobadilla ; since I have
known thee and thy career from childhood. Thou hast one
merit that none will deny thee, and that is, a respect for
truth; and nover hast thou more completely vindicated thy
character, in this particular, than when thou saidst thou
wert not Socrates."

The worthy friar's good-natured smile, as he made this
sally, took off some of its edge; and the young man
laughed, as if too conscious of his own youthful follies to
resent what he heard.

" But, dear Fray Pedro, lay aside thy government, for
once, and stoop to a rational discourse with me on this ex
traordinary subject. Thou, surely, wilt not pretend that
the earth is round ?"

60 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" I do not go as far as some, on this point, Luis, for I see
difficulties with Holy Writ, by the admission. Still, this
matter of the sails much puzzleth me, and I have often felt
a desire to go from one port to another, by sea, in order to
witness it. Were it not for the exceeding nausea that I
ever feel in a boat, I might attempt the experiment."

" That would be a worthy consummation of all thy wis
dom !" exclaimed the young man, laughing. " Fray Pedro
de Carrascal turned rover, like his old pupil, and that, too,
astride a vagary ! But set thy heart at rest, my honoured
kinsman and excellent instructor, for I can save thee the
trouble. In all my journeyings, by sea and by land — and
thou knowest that, for my years, they have been many —
I have ever found the earth flat, and the ocean the flattest
portion of it, always excepting a few turbulent and uneasy
waves."

" No doubt it so seemeth to the eye ; but, this Colon, who
hath voyaged far more than thou, thinketh otherwise. He
contendeth that the earth is a sphere, and that, by sailing
west, he can reach points that have been already attained
by journeying east."

" By San Lorenzo ! but the idea is a bold one ! Doth
the man really propose to venture out into the broad
Atlantic, and even to cross it to some distant and unknown
land?"

" That is his very idea ; and for seven weary years hath
he solicited the court to furnish him with the means. N^y,
as I hear, he hath passed much more time — other seven
years, perhaps — in urging his suit in different lands."

" If the earth be round," continued Don Luis, with a
musing air, " what preventeth all the water from flowing to
the lower parts of it ? How is it, that we have any seas
at all ? and if, as thou hast hinted, he deemeth the Indies
on the other side, how is it that their people stand erect ?
— it cannot be done without placing the feet uppermost."

"That difficulty hath been presented to Colon, but he
treateth it lightly. Indeed, most of our churchmen are getting
to believe that there is no up, or down, except as it relateth
to the surface of the earth ; so that no great obstacle ex-
isteth in that point."

" Thou would'st not have me understand, father, that a

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 61

man can walk on his head — and that, too, with the noble
member in the air ? By San Francisco ! thy men of Cathay
must have talons like a cat, or they would be falling, quickly !"

"Whither, Luis?"

"Whither, Fray Pedro? — to Tophet, or the bottomless
pit. It can never be that men walk on their heads, heels
uppermost, with no better foundation than the atmosphere.
The caravels, too, must sail on their masts — and that would
be rare navigation ! What would prevent the sea from
tumbling out of its bed, and falling on the Devil's fires and
extinguishing them ?"

" Son Luis," interrupted the monk, gravely, " thy light
ness of speech is carried too far. But, if thou so much
deridest the opinion of this Colon, what are thine own notions
of the formation of this earth, that God hath so honoured
with his spirit and his presence?"

" That it is as flat as the buckler of the Moor I slew in
the last sortie, which is as flat as steel can hammer iron."

"Dost thou think it hath limits?"

"That do I — and please Heaven, and Doiia Mercedes
de Valverde, I will see them before I die !"

" Then thou fanciest there is an edge, or precipice, at the
four sides of the world, which men may reach, and where
they can stand and look off, as from an exceeding high
platform ?"

" The picture doth not lose, father, for the touch of thy
pencil ! I have Jiever bethought me of this before ; and
yet some such spot there must be, one would think. By
San Fernando, himself! that would be a place to try the
metal of even Don Alonso de Ojeda,xwho might stand on
the margin of the earth, put his foot on a cloud, and cast
an orange to the moon !"

" Thou hast bethought thee little, of any thing serious, I
fear, Luis ; but to me, this opinion and this project of Colon
are not without merit. I see but two serious objections to
them, one of which is, the difficulty connected with Holy
Writ — and the other, the vast and incomprehensible, nay,
useless, extent of the ocean that must necessarily separate
us from Cathay ; else should we long since have heard
from that quarter of the world."

" Do the learned favour the man's notions ?"

VOL. I. 6

62 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" The matter hath been seriously argued before a council
held at Salamanca, where men were much divided upon it.
One serious obstacle is the apprehension that should the
world prove to be round, and could a ship even succeed in
getting to Cathay by the west, there would be great diffi
culty in her ever returning, since there must be, in some
manner, an ascent and a descent. I must say that most
men deride this Colon ; and I fear he will never reach his
island of Cipango, as he doth not seem in the way even to
set forth on the journey. I marvel that he should now be
here, it having been said he had taken his final departure for
Portugal."

" Dost thou say, father, that the man hath long been in
Spain?" demanded Don Luis> gravely, with his eye riveted
on the dignified form of Columbus, who stood calmly re
garding the gorgeous spectacle of the triumph, at no great
distance from the rock where the two had taken their seats.

" Seven weary years hath he been soliciting the rich and
the great to furnish him with the means of undertaking his
favourite voyage."

" Hath he the gold to prefer so long a suit ?"

" By his appearance, I should think him poor — nay, I
know that he hath toiled for bread, at the occupation of a
map-maker. One hour he hath passed in arguing with phi
losophers and in soliciting princes, while the next hath been
occupied in labouring for the food that he hath taken for
sustenance."

" Thy description, father, hath whetted curiosity to so
keen an edge, that I would fain speak with this Colon. I
see he remaineth yonder, in the crowd, and will go and tell
him that I, too, am somewhat of a navigator, and will ex
tract from him a few of his peculiar ideas."

"And in what manner wilt thou open the acquaintance,
son ?"

" By telling him that I am Don Luis do Bobadilla, the
nephew of the Dona Beatriz of Moya, and a noble of one
of the best houses of Castile."

"And this thou thinkest will suffice for thy purpose,
Luis !" returned the friar, smiling. " No — no — my son ;
this may do with most map-sellers, but it will not effect thy
wishes with yonder Christoval Colon. That man is so

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 63

filled with the vastness of his purposes ; is so much raised
up with the magnitude of the results that his mind intently
contemplnteth, day and night ; seemeth so conscious of his
own powers, that even kings and princes can, in no man
ner, lesson his dignity. That which thou proposest, Don
Fernando, our honoured master, might scarcely attempt,
and hope to escape without some rebuke of manner, if not
of tongue."

" By all the blessed saints ! Fray Pedro, thou givest an
extraordinary account of this man, and only increasest the
desire to know him. Wilt thou charge thyself with the
introduction 1"

" Most willingly, for I wish to inquire what hath brought
him back to court, whence, I had understood, he lately
went, with the intent to go elsewhere with his projects.
Leave the mode in my hands, son Luis, and we will see
what can be accomplished."

The friar and his mercurial young companion now arose
from their scats on the rock, and threaded the throng,
taking the direction necessary to approach the man who
had been the subject of their discourse, and still remained
that of their thoughts. When near enough to speak, Fray
Pedro stopped, and stood patiently waiting for a moment
when he might catch the navigator's eye. This did not
occur for several minutes, the looks of Colon being riveted
on the towers of the Alhambra, where, at each instant, the
signal of possession was expected to appear ; and Luis de
Bobadilla, who, truant, and errant, and volatile, and difficult
to curb, as he had proved himself to be, never forgot his
illustrious birth and the conventional distinctions attached
to personal rank, began to manifest his impatience at being
kept so long dancing attendance on a mere map-seller and
a pilot. He in vain urged his companion to advance, how
ever ; but one of his own hurried movements at length
drew aside the look of Columbus, when the eyes of the
latter and of the friar met, and being old acquaintances,
they saluted in the courteous manner of the age.

" I felicitate you, Senor Colon, on the glorious termina
tion of this siege, and rejoice that you are here to witness
it, as I had heard affairs of magnitude had called you to
another country."

64 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" The hand of God, father, is to be traced in all things.
You perceive in this success the victory of the cross ; but
to me it conveyeth a lesson of perseverance, and sayeth,
as plainly as events can speak, that what God hath de
creed, must come to pass."

" I like your application, Senor ; as, indeed, I do most
of your thoughts on our holy religion. Perseverance is
truly necessary to salvation ; and I doubt not that a fitting
symbol to the same may be found in the manner in which
our pious sovereigns have conducted this war, as well as in
its glorious termination."

" True, father ; and also doth it furnish a symbol to the
fortunes of all enterprises that have the glory of God and
the welfare of the church in view," answered Colon, or
Columbus, as the name has been Latinized ; his eye kin
dling with that latent fire which seems so deeply seated in the
visionary and the enthusiast. " It may seem out of reason
to you, to make such applications of these great events ;
but the triumph of their Highnesses this day, marvellously
encourageth me to persevere, and not to faint, in my own
weary pilgrimage, both leading to triumphs of the cross."

" Since you are pleased to speak of your own schemes,
Senor Colon," returned the friar, ingeniously, " I am not
sorry that the matter hath come up between us ; for here is
a youthful kinsman of mine, who hath been somewhat of a
rover, himself, in the indulgence of a youthful fancy, that
neither friends nor yet love could restrain ; and having
heard of your noble projects, he is burning with the desire
to learn more of them from your own mouth, should it suit
your condescension so to indulge him."

" I am always happy to yield to the praiseworthy wishes
of the young and adventurous, and shall cheerfully com
municate to your young friend all he may desire to know,"
answered Columbus, with a simplicity arid dignity that at
once put to flight all the notions of superiority and affability
with which Don Luis had intended to carry on the con
versation, and which had the immediate effect to satisfy the
young man that he was to be the obliged and honoured
party, in the intercourse that was to follow. ". But, Senor,
you have forgotten to give me the name of the cavalier."

"It is Don Luis de Bobadilln, a youth whoso host claims

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 65

to your notice, perhaps, are, a most adventurous and roving
spirit, and the fact that he may call your honoured friend
the Marchioness of Moya, his aunt."

" Either would be sufficient, father. I love the spirit of
adventure in the youthful ; for it is implanted, no doubt, by
God, in order that they may serve his all-wise and benefi
cent designs ; and it is of such as these that my own chief
worldly stay and support must be found. Then, next to
Father Juan Perez de Marchena and Senor Alonzo de
Quintanilla, do I esteem Dona Beatriz, among my fastest
friends ; her kinsman, therefore, will be certain of my esteem
and respect."

All this sounded extraordinary to Don Luis ; for though
the dress and appearance of this unknown stranger, who
even spoke the Castilian with a foreign accent, were re
spectable, he had been told he was merely a pilot, or
navigator, who earned his bread by toil ; and it was not
usual for the noblest of Castile to be thus regarded, as it
might be, with a condescending favour, by any inferior to
those who could claim the blood and lineage of princes.
At first he was disposed to resent the words of the stranger;
then to laugh in his face ; but observing that the friar
treated him with great deference, and secretly awed by the
air of the reputed projector, he was not only successful in
maintaining a suitable deportment, but he made a proper
and courteous reply, such as became his name and breed
ing. The three then retired together, a little aloof from the
thickest of the throng, and found seats also, on one of the
rocks, of which so many were scattered about the place.

" Don Luis hath visited foreign lands, you say, father,"
said Columbus, who did not fail to lead the discourse, like
one entitled to it by rank, or personal claims, " and hath a
craving for the wonders and dangers of the ocean ?"

" Such hath been either his merit, or his fault, Senor ;
had he listened to the wishes of Dona Beatriz, or to my
advice, he would not have thrown aside his knightly career
for one so little in unison with his training and birth."

" Nay, father, you treat the youth with unmerited se
verity ; he who passeth a life on the ocean, cannot be
said to pass it in either an ignoble or a useless manner.
God separated different countries by vast bodies of water,

66 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

not with any intent to render their people strangers to each
other, but doubtless that they might meet amid the wonders
with which he hath adorned the ocean, and glorify his
name and power so much the more. We all have our mo
ments of thoughtlessness in youth, a period when we yield
to our impulses rather than to our reason ; and as I confess
to mine, I am little disposed to bear too hard on Seiior Don
Luis, that he hath had his."

" You have probably battled with the Infidel, by sea,
Senor Colon," observed the young man, not a little embar
rassed as to the manner in which he should introduce the
subject he most desired.

" Ay, and by land, too, son" — the familiarity startled the
young noble, though he could not take offence at it — " and
by land, too. The time hath been, when I had a pleasure
in relating my perils and escapes, which have been nume
rous, both from war and tempests ; but since the power of
God hath awakened my spirit to mightier things, that his
will may be done, and- his word spread throughout the
whole earth, my memory ceaseth to dwell on them." Fray
Pedro crossed himself, and Don Luis smiled and shrugged
his shoulders, as one is apt to do when he listens to any
thing extravagant ; but the navigator proceeded in the
earnest grave manner that appeared to belong to his char
acter. " It is now very many years, since I was engaged
in that remarkable combat between the forces of my kins
man and namesake, the younger Colombo, as he was called,
to distinguish him from his uncle, the ancient admiral of
the same name, which took place not far north from Cape
St. Vincent. On that bloody day, we contended with the
foe, Venetians richly laden, from morn till even, and yet
the Lord carried me through the hot contest unharmed.
On another occasion, the galley in which I fought was con
sumed by fire, and I had to find my way to land, no trifling
distance, by the aid of an oar. To me it seemeth that the
hand of God was in this, and that he would not have taken
so signal and tender a care of one of his insignificant crea
tures, unless to use him largely for his own honour and
glory."

Although the eye of the navigator grew brighter as he
uttered this, and his cheek flushed with a species of holy

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 67

enthusiasm, it was impossible to confound one so grave, so
dignified, so measured even in his exaggerations — if such
they were — with the idle and light-minded who mistake
momentary impulses for indelible impressions, and passing
vanities for the convictions that temper character. Fray
Pedro, instead of smiling, or in any manner betraying that
he regarded the other's opinions lightly, devoutly crossed
himself again, and showed by the sympathy expressed in
his countenance, how much he entered into the profound
religious faith of the speaker.

" The ways of God are often mysteries to his creatures,"
said the friar ; " but we are taught that they all lead to the
exaltation of his name, and to the glory of his attributes."

" It is so that I consider it, father ; and with such views
have I always regarded my own humble efforts to honour
him. We are but instruments, and useless instruments,
too, when we look at how little proceedeth from our own
spirits and power."

" There cometh the blessed symbol that is our salvation
and guide !" exclaimed the friar, holding out both arms
eagerly, as if to embrace some distant object in the hea
vens, immediately falling to his knees, and bowing his
shaven and naked head, in deep humility, to the earth.

Columbus turned his eyes in the direction indicated by
his companion's gestures, and he beheld the large silver
cross that the sovereigns had carried with them throughout
the late war, as a pledge of its objects, glittering on the
principal tower of the Alhambra. At the next instant, the
banners of Castile and of St. James were unfolded from
other elevated places. Then came the song of triumph,
mingled with the chants of the church. Te Deum was
sung, and the choirs of the royal chapel chanted in the
open fields the praises of the Lord of Hosts. A scene of
magnificent religious pomp, mingled with martial array,
followed, that belongs rather to general history than to the
particular and private incidents of our tale.

68 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

CHAPTER V.

"Who hath not proved how feebly words essay
To fix one spark of beauty's heavenly ray ?
Who doth not feel, until his failing sight
Faints into dimness with its own delight,
His changing cheek, his sinking heart confess
The might — the majesty of loveliness!"

BYRON.

THAT night 'be court of Castile and Aragon slept in
the palace of the Alhambra. As soon as the religious cere
mony alluded to in the last chapter had terminated, the
crowd rushed into the place, and the princes followed, with a
dignity and state better suited to their high character. The
young Christian nobles, accompanied by their wives and
sisters — for the presence of Isabella, and the delay that
attended the surrender, had drawn together a vast many of
the gentler sex, in addition to those whose duty it was to
accompany their royal mistress — hurried eagerly through
the celebrated courts and fretted apartments of this remark
able residence; nor was curiosity appeased even when
night came to place a temporary stay to its indulgence.
The Court of the Lions, in particular, a place still renowned
throughout Christendom for its remains of oriental beauty,
had been left by Boabdil in the best condition ; and, although
it was mid-winter, by the aid of human art it was even then
gay with flowers ; while the adjacent halls, those of the Two
Sisters, and of Abencerrages, were brilliant with light, and
alive with warriors and courtiers, dignified priests and lux
uriant beauty.

Although no Spanish eye could be otherwise than familiar
with the light peculiar graces of Moorish architecture, these
of the Alhambra so much surpassed those of any other pa
lace which had been erected by the Mussulman dynasties
of that part of the world, that their glories struck the be
holders with the freshness of novelty, as well as with the

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 69

magnificence of royalty. The rich conceits in stucco, an
art of eastern origin, then little understood in Christendom ;
the graceful and fanciful Arabesques — which, improved on
by the fancies of some of the greatest geniuses the world
ever saw, have descended to our own times, and got to be
so familiar in Europe, though little known on this side of
the Atlantic — decorated the walls, while brilliant fountains
cast their waters into the air, and fell in glittering spray,
resembling diamonds.

Among the throng that moved through this scene of
almost magical beauty, was Beatriz de Bobadilla, who had
long been the wife of Don Andres de Cabrera, and was now
generally known as the Marchioness of Moya; the con
stant, near, and confidential friend of the queen, a char
acter she retained until her royal mistress was numbered
with the dead. On her arm leaned lightly, a youthful
female, of an appearance so remarkable, that few strangers
would have passed her without turning to take a second
look at features and a countenance that were seldom seeti
and forgotten. This was Dona Mercedes de Valverde, one
of the noblest and richest heiresses of Castile; the relative,
ward, and adopted daughter of the queen's friend ; favour
ite being hardly the term one would apply to the relation
in which Doiia Beatriz stood towards Isabella. It was not
the particular beauty of Dona Mercedes, however, that ren
dered her appearance so remarkable and attractive ; for,
though feminine, graceful, of exquisite form, and even of
pleasing features, there were many in that brilliant court
who would generally be deemed fairer. But no other
maiden of Castile had a countenance so illuminated by the
soul within, or no other female face habitually wore so deep
an impression of sentiment and sensibility ; and the pro
fessed physiognomist would have delighted to trace the evi
dences of a deeply-seated, earnest, but unobtrusive enthu
siasm, which even cast a shade of melancholy over a face
that fortune and the heart had equally intended should be
sunny and serene. Serene it was, notwithstanding; the
shadow that rested on it seeming to soften and render in
teresting its exprcfialour-*«i*fecr than to disturb its tran
quillity or to cloud its loveliness.

Qn the other side of the noble matron walked Luis de

70 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

Bobadilla, keeping a little in advance of his aunt, in a way
to permit his own dark flashing looks to meet, whenever
feeling and modesty would allow it, the fine, expressive,
blue eyes of Mercedes. The three conversed freely, for
the royal personages had retired to their private apart
ments, and each group of passengers was so much en
tranced with the novelty of its situation and its own con
versation, as to disregard the remarks of others.

" This is a marvel, Luis," observed Dona Beatriz, in
continuation of a subject that evidently much interested
them all, " that thou, a truant and a rover thyself, should
now have heard for the first time of this Colon ! It is
many years since he has been soliciting their Highnesses
for their royal aid in effecting his purposes. The matter
of his schemes was solemnly debated before a council at
Salamanca ; and he hath not been without believers at the
Court, itself."

"Among whom is to be classed Doiia Beatriz de Ca
brera," said Mercedes, with that melancholy smile that had
the effect to bring out glimpses of all the deep but latent
feeling that lay concealed beneath the surface : " I have
often heard Her Highness declare that Colon hath no truer
friend in Castile."

" Her Highness is seldom mistaken, child — and never in
my heart. I do uphold the man ; for to me he seemeth
one fitted for some great and honourable undertaking ; and
surely none greater hath ever been proposed or imagined
by human mind, than this he urgeth. Think of our be
coming acquainted with the nations of the other side of the
earth, and of finding easy and direct means of communi
cating with them, and of imparting to them the consola
tions of Holy Church !"

" Ay, Senora my aunt," cried Luis, laughing, " and of
walking in their delightful company with all our heels in
the air, and our heads downwards ! I hope this Colon hath
not neglected to practise a little in the art, for it will need
some time to gain a sure foot, in such circumstances. He
might commence on the sides of these mountains, by way
of a horn-book, throwing the head boldly off at. a right -
angle; after which, the walls and towers of this Allvnnbrn

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 71

would make a very pretty grammar, or stepping-stone to
new progress."

Mercedes had unconsciously but fervently pressed the
arm of her guardian, as Dona Beatriz admitted her interest
in the success of the great project ; but at this sally of Don
Luis, she looked serious, and threw a glance at him, that
he himself felt to be reproachful. To win the love of his
aunt's ward was the young man's most ardent wish ; and a
look of dissatisfaction could at any moment repress that
exuberance of spirits which often led him into an appear
ance of levity that did injustice to the really sterling quali
ties of both his heart and mind. Under the influence of
that look, then, he was not slow to repair the wrong he had
done himself, by adding almost as soon as he had ceased to
speak —

" The Dona Mercedes is of the discovering party, too,
I see ; this Colon appeareth to have had more success with
the dames of Castile than with her nobles" —

" Is it extraordinary, Don Luis," interrupted the pensive-
looking girl, " that women should have more confidence in
merit, more generous impulses, more zeal for God, than
men ?"

" It must be even so, since you and my aunt, Dofia Bea
triz, side with the navigator. But I am not always to be
understood in the light I express myself;" — Mercedes now
smiled, but this time it was archly — " I have never stu
died with the minstrels, nor, sooth to say, deeply with the
churchmen. To be honest with you, I have been much
struck with this noble idea ; and if Senor Colon doth, in
reality, sail in quest of Cathay and the Indies, I shall pray
their Highnesses to let me be of the party, for, now that
the Moor is subdued, there remaineth little for a noble to
do in Spain."

" If tiiou should'st really go on this expedition," said
Dona Beatriz, with grave irony, " there will, at least, be
one human being topsy-turvy, in the event of thy reaching
Cathay. But yonder is an attendant of the court ; I doubt
if Her Highness doth not desire my presence."

The Lady of Moya was right — the messenger coming to
announce to her that the queen required her attendance.
The manners of the day and country rendered it unseemly

72 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

that Dona Mercedes should continue her promenade accom
panied onty by Don Luis, and the marchioness led the way
to her own apartments, where a saloon suitable to her rank
and to her favour with the queen, had been selected for her
from among the numberless gorgeous rooms of the Moorish
kings. Even here, the marchioness paused a moment, in
thought, before she would leave her errant nephew alone
with her ward.

" Though a rover, he is no troubadour, and cannot charm
thy ear with false rhymes. It were better, perhaps, that I
sent him beneath thy balcony, with his guitar ; but know-
ing so well his dulness, I will confide in it, and leave him
with thee, for the few minutes that I shall be absent. A
cavalier who hath so strong a dislike to reversing the order
of nature, will not surely condescend to go on his knees,
even though it be to Avin a smile from the sweetest maiden
in all Castile."

Don Luis laughed ; Dona Beatriz smiled, as she kissed
her ward, and left the room ; while Dona Mercedes blushed,
and riveted her gaze on the floor. Luis de Bobadilla was
the declared suitor and sworn knight of Mercedes de Val-
verde; but, though so much favoured by birth, fortune,
affinity, and figure, there existed some serious impediments
to his success. In all that was connected with the consi
derations that usually decide such things, the union was
desirable; but there existed, nevertheless, a strong influ
ence to overcome, in the scruples of Dona Beatriz, herself.
High-principled, accustomed to the just-minded views of
her royal mistress, and too proud to do an unworthy act,
the very advantages that a marriage with her ward offered
to her nephew, had caused the marchioness to hesitate.
Don Luis had little of the Castilian gravity of character —
and, by many, his animal spirits were mistaken for light
ness of disposition and levity of thought. His mother was
a woman of a very illustrious French family ; and national
pride had induced most observers to fancy that the son in
herited a constitutional disposition to frivolity, that was to
be traced to the besetting weakness of a whole people. A
consciousness of his being so viewed at home, had, indeed,
driven the youth abroad ; and as, like all observant tra
vellers, he was made doubly sensible of the defects of his

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 73

own state of society, on his return, a species of estrange
ment had grown up between him and his natural associates,
that had urged the young man, again and again, to wander
into foreign lands. Nothing, indeed, but his early and con
stantly increasing passion for Mercedes had induced him to
return; a step that, fortunately for himself, he had last
taken in time to assist in the reduction of Granada. Not
withstanding these traits, which, in a country like Castile,
might be properly enough termed peculiarities, Don Luis
de Bobadilla was a knight worthy of his lineage and name.
His prowess in the field and in the tourney, indeed, was so
very marked as to give him a high military character, in
despite of what were deemed his failings ; and he passed
rather as an inconsiderate and unsafe young man, than as
one who was either debased or wicked. Martial qualities,
in that age in particular, redeemed a thousand faults ; and
Don Luis had even been known to unhorse, in the tourney,
Alonzo de Ojeda, then the most expert lance in Spain.
Such a man could not be despised, though he might be dis
trusted. But the feeling which governed his aunt, referred
quite as much to her own character as to his. Deeply con
scientious, while she understood her nephew's real qualities
much better than mere superficial observers, she had her
doubts about the propriety of giving the rich heiress who
was entrusted to her care, to so near a relative, when all
could not applaud the act. She feared, too, that her own
partiality might deceive her, and that Luis might in truth
be the light and frivolous being he sometimes appeared to
be in Castilian eyes, and that the happiness of her ward
would prove the sacrifice 'of the indiscretion. With these
doubts, then, while she secretly desired the union, she had
in public looked coldly on her nephew's suit; and, though
unable, without a harshness that circumstances would not
warrant, to prevent all intercourse, she had not only taken
frequent occasions to let Mercedes understand her distrust,
but she had observed the precaution not to leave so hand
some a suitor, notwithstanding he was often domiciliated in
her own house, much alone with her ward.

The state of Mercedes' feelings was known only to her
self. She was beautiful, of an honourable family, and an
heiress; and, as human infirmities were as besetting be-

VOL. I. 7

74 MERCEDES OF CJASTILE.

neath the stately mien of the fifteenth century, as they are
to-day, she had often heard the supposed faults of Don
Luis's character sneered at, by those who felt distrustful of
his good looks and his opportunities. Few young females
would have had the courage to betray _any marked prefer
ence under such circumstances, until prepared to avow their
choice, and to take sides with its subject against the world ;
and the quiet but deep enthusiasm that prevailed in the
moral system of the fair young Castilian, was tempered by
a prudence that prevented her from running into most of its
lighter excesses. The forms and observances that usually
surround young women of rank, came in aid of this native
prudence ; and even Don Luis, himself, though he had
watched the countenance and emotions of her to whom he
had so long urged his suit, with a lover's jealousy and a
lover's instincts, was greatly in doubt whether he had suc
ceeded in the least, in touching her heart. By one of those
unlooked-for concurrences of circumstances that so often
decide the fortunes of men, whether as lovers or in more
worldly-minded pursuits, these doubts were now about to be
unexpectedly and suddenly removed.

The triumph of the Christian arms, the novelty of her
situation, and the excitement of the whole scene, had
aroused the feelings of Mercedes from that coy conceal
ment in which they usually lay smothered beneath the co
vering of maiden diffidence; and throughout the evening
her smile had been more open, her eye brighter, and her
cheeks more deeply flushed, than was usual even with one
whose smiles were always sweet, whose eyes were never
dull, and whose cheeks answered so sensitively to the vary
ing impulses within.

As his aunt quitted the room, leaving him alone with Mer
cedes for the first time since his return from his last ramble,
Don Luis eagerly threw himself on a stool that stood near
the feet of his adored, who placed herself on a sumptuous
couch, that, twenty-four hours before, had held the person
of a princess of Abdallah's family.

" Much as I honour and reverence Her Highness," the
young man hurriedly commenced, " my respect and venera
tion are now increased ten-fold ! Would that she might
send for mv beloved aunt thrice where sho now wants her

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. T5

services only once ! and may her presence become so ne
cessary to her sovereign (hat the affairs of Castile cannot
go on without her counsel, if so blessed an opportunity as
this, to tell you all I feel, Dona Mercedes, is to follow her
obedience !"

" It is not they who are most fluent of speech, or the
most vehement, who always feel the deepest, Don Luis de
Bobadilla."

" Nor do they feel the least. Mercedes, thou canst not
doubt my love ! It hath grown with my growth— increased
with each increase of my ideas — until it hath got to be so
interwoven with my mind itself, that I can scarce use a
faculty that thy dear image doth not mingle with it. In all
that is beautiful, I behold thee ; if I listen to the song .of a
bird, it is thy carol- to the lute ; or if I feel the gentle south
wind from the fragrant isles fanning my cheek, I would
fain think it thy sigh."

" You have dwelt so much among the light conceits of
the French court, Don Luis, you appear to have forgotten
that the heart of a Castilian girl is too true, -and too sin
cere, to meet such rhapsodies with favour."

Had Don Luis been older, or more experienced in the
sex, he would have been flattered by this rebuke — for he
would have detected in the speaker's manner, both feeling
of a gentler nature than her words expressed, and a tender
regret.

" If thou ascribes! to me rhapsodies, thou dost me great
injustice. I may not do credit to my own thoughts and
feelings ; but never hath my tongue uttered aught to thee,
Mercedes, that the heart hath not honestly urged. Have I
not loved thee since thou and I were children ? Did I ever
fail to show my preference for thee when we were boy and
girl, in all the sports and light-hearted enjoyments of that
guileless period ?"

" Guileless, truly," answered Mercedes, her look bright
ening as it might be with agreeable fancies and a flood of
pleasant recollections — doing more, in a single instant, to
break down the barriers of her reserve, than years of
schooling had effected towards building them up. " Thou
wert then, at least, sincere, Luis, and I placed full faith in
thy friendship, and in thy desire to please."

76 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Bless thee, bless thee, for these precious words, Mer
cedes ! for the first time in two years, hast thou spoken to
me as thou wert wont to do, and called me Luis, without
that courtly, accursed, Don."

"A noble Castilian should never regard his honours
lightly, and he oweth it to his rank to see that others re-
spect them, too ;" answered our heroine, looking down, as
if she already half repented of the familiarity. " You are
quick to remind me of my forgetfulness, Don Luis de Bo-
badilla."

" This unlucky tongue of mine can never follow the path
that its owner wisheth ! Hast thou not seen in all my looks
— all my acts — all my motives — a desire to please thee,
and .thee alone, lovely Mercedes? When Her Highness
gave her royal approbation of my success, in the last
tourney, did I not seek thine eye, in order to ask if thou
noted'st it 1 Hast thou ever expressed a wish, that I have
not proved an eager desire to. see it accomplished?"

" Nay, now, Luis, thou emboldenest me to remind thee
that I expressed a wish that thou Avould'st not go on thy
last voyage to the north, and yet thou didst depart ! I felt
that it would displease Dona Beatriz ; thy truant dispo
sition having made her uneasy lest thou should'st get alto
gether into the habits of a rover, and into disfavour with
the queen."

"It was for this that thou mad'st the request, and it
wounded my pride to think that Mercedes de Valverde
should so little understand my character, as to believe it
possible a noble of my name and lineage could so far for
get his duties as to sink into the mere associate of pilots
and adventurers."

" Thou didst not know that I believed this of thee."

" Hadst thou asked of me, Mercedes, to remain for thy
sake — nay, hadst thou imposed the heaviest services on
me, as thy knight, or, as one who enjoyed the smallest de
gree of thy favour — I would have parted with life sooner than
I would have parted from Castile. But not even a look of
kindness could I obtain, in reward for all the pain I had
felt on thy account" —

"Pain, Luis!"

"Is it not pain to love to the degree that one might kiss

MERCEDES OF CASTILE* 77

the earth that received the foot-print of its object — and yet
to meet with no encouragement from fair words, no friendly
glance of the eye, nor any sign or symbol to betoken that
the being one hath enshrined in his heart's core, ever think-
eth of her suitor except as a reckless rover and a hare
brained adventurer?"

" Luis de Bobadilla, no one that really knoweth thy
character, can ever truly think thus of thee."

" A million of thanks for these few words, beloved girl,
and ten millions for the gentle smile that hath accompanied
them ! Thou might'st mould me to all thy wishes" —

" My wishes, Don Luis !"

" To all thy severe opinions of sobriety and dignity of
conduct, would'st thou but feel sufficient interest in me to let
me know that my acts can give thee either pain or plea
sure."

" Can it be otherwise ? Could'st thou, Luis, see with in
difference the proceedings of one thou hast known from
childhood, and esteemed as a friend ?"

" Esteem ! Blessed Mercedes ! dost thou own even that
little in my favour?"

" It is not little, Luis, to esteem — but much. They who
prize virtue never esteem the unworthy ; and it is not pos
sible to know thy excellent heart and manly nature, with
out esteeming thee. Surely I have never concealed my
esteem from thee, or from any one else."

" Hast thou concealed aught ? Ah ! Mercedes, complete
this heavenly condescension, and admit that one — as lightly
as thou wilt — but, that one soft sentiment hath, at times,
mingled with this esteem."

Mercedes blushed brightly, but she Would not make the
often-solicited acknowledgment. It was some little time
before she answered at all. When she did speak, it was
hesitatingly, and with frequent pauses, as if she distrusted
the propriety or the discretion of that which she was about
to utter.

"Thou hast travelled much and far, Luis," she said,
" and hast lost some favour on account of thy roving pro
pensities ; why not regain the confidence of thy aunt by
the very means through which it has been lost?"
7*

78 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" I do not comprehend thee. This is singular counsel to
come from one like thee, who art prudence itself ! "

" The prudent and discreet think well of their acts and
words, and are the more to be confided in. Thou seemest
to have been struck with these bold opinions of the Senor
Colon ; and while thou hast derided them, I can see that
they have great weight on thy mind."

"I shall, henceforth, regard thee with tenfold respect,
Mercedes ; for thou hast penetrated deeper than my foolish
affectation of contempt, and all my light language, and dis
covered the real feeling that lieth underneath. Ever since I
have heard of this vast project, it hath indeed haunted my
imagination ; and the image of the Genoese hath con
stantly stood beside thine, dearest girl, before my eyes, if
not in my heart. I doubt if there be not some truth in his
opinions ; so noble an idea can not be wholly false !"

The fine, full eye of Mercedes was fastened intently on
the countenance of Don Luis ; and its brilliancy increased,
as some of that latent enthusiasm which dwelt within, kin
dled and began to glow at this outlet of the feelings of the
soul.

" There is," she answered, solemnly — " there must be
truth in it ! The Genoese hath been inspired of Heaven,
with his sublime thoughts, and he will live, sooner or later,
to prove their truth. Imagine this earth fairly encircled by
a ship ; the farthest east, the land of the heathen, brought
in close communion with ourselves, and the cross casting
its shadows under the burning sun of Cathay ! These are
glorious, heavenly, anticipations, Luis ; and would it not be
an imperishable renown, to share in the honour of having
aided in bringing about so great a discovery ?"

" By Heaven ! I will see the Genoese as soon as the
morrow's sun shall appear, and offer to make one in his
enterprise. He shall not need for gold, if that be his only
want."

" Thou speakest like a generous, noble-minded, fearless
young Castilian, as thou art !" said Mercedes, with an en
thusiasm that set at naught the usual guards of her discre
tion and her habits, "and as becometh Luis de Boba-
dilla. But gold is not plenty with any of us at this mo
ment, and it will surpass the power of an ordinary subject

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 79

to furnish that which will be necessary. Nor is it meet
that any but sovereigns should send forth such an expedi
tion, as there may be vast territories to govern and dispose
of, should Colon succeed. My powerful kinsman, the Duke
of Medina Celi, hath had this matter in close deliberation,
and he viewed it favourably, as is shown by his letters to
Her Highness ; but even he conceived it a matter too
weighty to be attempted by aught but a crowned head, and
he hath used much influence with our mistress, to gain her
over to the opinion of the Genoese's sagacity. It is idle to
think, therefore, of aiding effectually in this noble enter
prise, unless it be through their Highnesses."

" Thou knowest, Mercedes, that I can do nought for
Colon, with the court. The king is the enemy of all who
are not as wary, cold, and as much given to artifice as him
self"—

" Luis ! thou art in his palace — beneath his roof, enjoy
ing his hospitality and protection, at this very moment !"

" Not I," answered the young man, with warmth — " this
is the abode of my royal mistress, Doiia Isabella ; Granada
being a conquest of Castile, and not of Aragon. Touch
ing the queen, Mercedes, thou shalt never hear disrespectful
word from me, for, like thyself, she is all that is virtuous,
gentle, and kind in woman ; but the king hath many of the
faults of us corrupt and mercenary men. Thou canst not
tell me of a young, generous, warm-blooded cavalier, even
among his own Aragonese, who truly arid confidingly
loveth Don Fernando ; whilst all of Castile adore the Dona
Isabella."

" This may be true, in part, Luis, but it is altogether im
prudent. Don Fernando is a king, and I fear me, from the
little I have seen while dwelling in a court, that they who
manage the affairs of mortals must make large concessions
to their failings, or human depravity will thwart the wisest
measures that can be devised. Moreover, can one truly
love the wife and not esteem the husband ? To me it seem-
eth that the tie is so near and dear as to leave the virtues
and the characters of a common identity."

" Surely, thou dost not mean to compare the modest
piety, the holy truth, the sincere virtue, of our royal mis-

80 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

tress, with the cautious, wily, policy of our scheming
master ! "

" I desire not to make comparisons between them, Luis.
We are bound to honour and obey both ; and if Dona Isa
bella hath more of the confiding truth and pure-heartedness
of her sex, than His Highness, is it not ever so as between
man and woman ?"

" If I could really think, that thou likenest me, in any
way, with that managing and false-faced King of Aragon,
much as I love thee, Mercedes, I would withdraw, for ever,
in pure shame."

" No one will liken thee, Luis, to the false-tongued or the
double-faced ; for it is thy failing to speak truth when it might
be better to say nothing, as witness the present discourse,
and to look at those who displease thee, as if ever ready to
point thy lance, and spur thy charger in their very teeth."

" My looks have been most unfortunate, fair Mercedes,
if they have left such memories in thee !" answered the
youth, reproachfully.

" I speak not, in any manner, touching myself, for to
me, Luis, thou hast ever been gentle and kind," interrupted
the young Castilian girl, with a haste and earnestness that
hurried the blood to her cheeks a moment afterwards ; " but,
solely, that thou may'st be more guarded in thy remarks
on the king."

" Thou began'st by saying that I was a rover"—

" Nay, I haVe used no such term of reproach, Don Luis ;
thy aunt may have said this ; but it could have been with
no intent to wound. I said that thou hadst travelled far
and much."

" Well — well- — I merit the title, and shall not complain
of my honours. Thou saidst that I had travelled far and
much, and thou spokest, approvingly, of the project of this
Genoese. Am I to understand, Mercedes, it is thy wish
that I should make one of the adventurers?"

" Such was my meaning, Luis, for I have thought it an
emprise fitting thy daring mind and willing sword ; and the
glory of success would atone for a thousand trifling errors
committed under the heat and in consideration of youth."

Don Luis regarded the flushed cheek and brightened eyes
of the beautiful enthusiast nearly a minute, in silent but

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 81

intense observation ; for the tooth of doubt and jealousy
had fastened on him, and, with the self-distrust of true affec
tion, he questioned how far he was worthy to interest so
fair a being, and had misgivings concerning the motive that
induced her to wish him to depart.

" I wish I could read thy heart, Dona Mercedes," he at
length resumed ; " for, while the witching modesty and coy
reserve of thy sex, serve but to bind us so much the closer
in thy chains, they puzzle the understanding of men more
accustomed to rude encounters in the field than to the mazes
of their ingenuity. Dost thou desire me to embark in an
adventure that most men, the wise and prudent Don Fer
nando at their head — he whom thou so much esteemest,
too — look upon as the project of a visionary, and as lead
ing to certain destruction ? Did I think this, I would depart
to-morrow, if it were only that my hated presence should
never more disturb thy happiness."

"Don Luis, you have no justification for this cruel sus
picion," said Mercedes, endeavouring to punish her lover's
distrust by an affectation of resentment, though the tears
struggled through her pride, and fell from her reproachful
eyes. " You know that no one, here or elsewhere, hateth
you ; you know that you are a general favourite, though
Castilian prudence and Castilian reserve may not always
view your wandering life with the same applause as they
give to the more attentive courtier and rigidly observant
knight."

" Pardon me, dearest, most beloved Mercedes ; thy cold
ness and aversion sometime madden me."

" Coldness ! aversion ! Luis de Bobadilla ! When hath
Mercedes de Valverde ever shown either, to thee ?"

" I fear that Doila Mercedes de Valverde is, even now,
putting me to some such proof."

" Then thou little knowest her motives, and ill appreci-
atest her heart. No, Luis, I am not averse, and would not
appear cold, to thee. If thy wayward feelings get so much
the mastery, and pain thee thus, I will strive to be more
plain. Yes ! rather than thou should 'st carry away with
thee the false notion, and perhaps plunge, again, into some
unthinking sea-adventure, I will subdue my maiden pride,
and forget the reserve and caution that best become my sex

82 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

and rank, to relieve thy mind. In advising tiiee to attach
thyself to this Colon, and to enter freely into his noble
schemes, I had thine own happiness in view, as thou hast,
time and again, sworn to me, thy happiness could only be
secured" —

" Mercedes ! what mean'st thou 1 My happiness can
only be secured by a union with thee !"

"And thy union with me can only be secured, by thy en
nobling that besetting propensity to roving, by some act
of worthy renown, that shall justify Dona Beatriz in be
stowing her ward on a truant nephew, and gain the favour
of Dona Isabella."

"And thou ! — would this adventure win thee, too, to view
me with kindness?"

" Luis, if thou wilt -know all, I am won already — nay —
restrain this impetuosity, and hear all I have to say.
Even while I confess so much more than is seemly in a
maiden, thou art not to suppose I can farther forget myself.
Without the cheerful consent of my guardian, and the gra
cious approbation of Her Highness, I will wed no man —
no, not even thee, Luis de Bobadilla, dear as I acknowledge
thee to be to my heart" — the ungovernable emotions of
female tenderness caused the words to be nearly smothered
in tears — " would I wed, without the smiles and congratu
lations of all who have a right to smile, or weep, for any
of the house of Valverde. Thou and I cannot marry like
a village hind and village girl ; it is suitable that we
stand before a prelate, with a large circle of approving
friends to grace our union. Ah ! Luis, thou hast reproached
me with coldness and indifference to thee" — sobs nearly
stifled the generous girl — "but others have not been so
blind — nay, speak not, but suffer me, now that my heart is
overflowing, to unburthen myself to thee, entirely, for I
(ear that shame and regret will come soon enough to cause
repentance for what I now confess — but all have not been
blind as thou. Our gracious queen well understandeth the
female heart, and that, thou hast been so slow to discover,
she hath long seen ; and her quickness of eye and thought
hath alone prevented me from saying to thee, earlier, a part
at least of that which I now reluctantly confess" —

" How ! Is Dona Isabella, too, my enemy ? Have I Her

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 63

Highness's scruples to overcome, as well as those of my
cold-hearted and prudish aunt?"

" Luis, thy intemperance causeth thee to be unjust.
Dona Beatriz of Moya is neither cold-hearted nor prudish,
but all that is the reverse. A more generous or truer spirit
never sacrificed self to friendship, and her very nature is
frankness and simplicity. Much of that I so love in thee,
cometh of her family, and thou should'st not reproach her
for it. As for Her Highness, certes, it is not needed that I
should proclaim her qualities. Thou knowest that she is
deemed the mother of her people ; that she regardeth the
interests of all equally, or so far as her knowledge will
allow ; and that what she doth for any, is ever done with
true affection, and a prudence that I have heard the cardinal
say, seemeth to be inspired by infinite wisdom."

" Ay, it is not difficult, Mercedes, to seem prudent, and
benevolent, and inspired, with Castile for a throne, and
Leon, with other rich provinces, for a footstool !"

" Don Luis, if you would retain my esteem," answered
the single-minded girl, with a gravity that had none of her
sex's weakness in it, though much of her sex's truth —
" speak not Tightly of my royal mistress. Whatever she
may have done in this matter, hath been done with a mo
ther's feelings and a mother's kindness — thy injustice
maketh me almost to apprehend, \vith a "mother's wisdom."

" Forgive me, adored, beloved Mercedes ! a thousand
times more adored and loved than ever, now that thou hast
been so generous and confiding. But, I cannot rest in
peace until I know what the queen hath said and done, in
any thing that toucheth thee and me."

" Thou knowest how kind and gracious the queen hath
ever been to me, Luis, and how much I have reason to be
grateful for her many condescensions and favours. I know
not how it is, but, while thy aunt hath never seemed to de
tect my feelings, and all those related to me by blood have
appeared to be in the same darkness, the royal eye hath
penetrated a mystery that, at the moment, I do think, was
even concealed from myself. Thou rememberest the tour
ney that took place just before thou left us on thy last mad
expedition?"

" Do I not ? Was it not thy coldness after my success

84 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

in that tourney, and when I even wore thy favours, that
not only drove me out of Spain, but almost drove me out
of the world?"

" If the world could impute thy acts to such a cause, all
obstacles would at once be removed, and we might be happy
without further efforts. But," and Mercedes smiled archly,
though with great tenderness in her voice and looks, as she
added, " I fear thou art much addicted to these fits of mad
ness, and that thou wilt never cease to wish to be driven to
the uttermost limits of the world, if not fairly out of it."

" It is in thy power to make me as stationary as the
towers of this Alhambra. One such smile, daily, would
chain me like a captive Moor at thy feet, and take away
all desire to look at other objects than thy beauty. But Her
Highness — thou hast forgotten to add what Her Highness
hath said and done."

" In that tourney thou wert conqueror, Luis ! The whole
chivalry of Castile was in the saddle, that glorious day, and
yet none could cope with thee ! Even Alonzo de Ojeda
was unhorsed by thy lance, and all mouths were filled with
thy praises ; all memories — perhaps it would be better to
say that ail memories but one, forgot thy failings."

" And that one was thine, cruel Mercedes !"

" Thou knowest better, unkind Luis ! That day I re
membered nothing but thy noble, generous heart, manly
bearing in the tilt-yard, and excellent qualities. The more
mindful memory was the queen's, who sent for me, to her
closet, when the festivities were over, and caused me to
pass an hour with her, in gentle, affectionate, discourse,
before she touched at all, on the real object of her com
mand. She spoke to me, Luis, of our duties as Christians,
of our duties as females, and, most of all, of the solemn
obligations that we contract in wedlock, and of the many
pains that, at best, attend that honoured condition. When
she had melted me to tears, by an affection that equalled a
mother's love, she made me promise — and I confirmed it
with a respectful vow — that I would never appear at the
altar, while she lived, without her being present to approve
of my nuptials ; or, if prevented by disease or duty, at
least not without a consent given under her royal signa
ture."

MERCJEDEH OF CASTILE. 85

i

" By St. Denis of Paris ! Her Highness endeavoured to
influence thy generous and pure mind against me !"

" Thy name was not even mentioned, Luis, nor would it
have been in any way concerned in the discourse, had not
my unbidden thoughts turned anxiously towards thee.
What Her Highness meditated, I do not even now know ;
but it was the manner in which my own sensitive feelings
brought up thy image, that hath made me, perhaps idly,
fancy the effect might be to prevent me from wedding
thee, without Dona Isabella's consent. But, knowing, as I
well do, her maternal heart and gentle affections, how can
I doubt that she will yield to my wishes, when she knoweth
that my choice is not really unworthy, though it may seem
to the severely prudent in some measure indiscreet."

" But thou thinkest — thou feelest, Mercedes, that it was
in fear of me that Her Highness extorted the vow ?"

" I apprehended it, as I have confessed with more readi
ness than became a maiden's pride, because thou wert up
permost in my mind. Then thy triumphs throughout the
day, and the manner in which thy name was in all men's
mouths, might well tempt the thoughts to dwell on thy
person."

" Mercedes, thou canst not deny that thou believest Her
Highness extorted that vow in dread of me !"

" I wish to deny nothing that is true, Don Luis ; and you
are early teaching me to repent of the indiscreet avowal I
have made. That it was in dread of you that Her High
ness spoke, I do deny ; for I cannot think she has any
such feelings towards you. She was full of maternal affec
tion for me, and I think, for I will conceal naught that I
truly believe, that apprehension of thy powers to please,
Luis, may have induced her to apprehend that an orphan
girl, like myself, might possibly consult her fancy more
than her prudence, and wed one who seemed to love the
uttermost limits of the earth so much better than his own
noble castles and his proper home."

"And thou meanest to respect this vow?"

" Luis ! thou scarce reflectest on thy words, or a ques
tion so sinful would not be put to me ! What Christian
maiden ever forgets her vows, whether of pilgrimage, peni
tence, or performance — and why should I be the first to

VOL. I. 8

86 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

incur this disgraceful guilt? Besides, had I not vowed, the
simple wish of the queen, expressed in her own royal per
son, would have been enough to deter me from wedding
any. She is my sovereign, mistress, and, I might almost
say, mother ; Dona Beatriz herself scarce manifesting
greater interest in my welfare. Now, Luis, thou must listen
to my suit, although I see thou art ready to exclaim, and
protest, and invoke ; but I have heard thee patiently some
years, and it is now my turn to speak and thine to listen.
I do think the queen had thee in her mind on the occasion
of that vow, which was offered freely by me, rather than
extorted, as thou seemest to think, by Her Highness. I do
then believe that Dona Isabella supposed there might be a
danger of my yielding to thy suit, and that she had appre
hensions that one so much given to roving, might not bring,
or keep, happiness in the bosom of a family. But, Luis,
if Her Highness hath not done thy noble, generous heart,
justice; if she hath been deceived by appearances, like
most of those around her ; if she hath not known thee,* in
short, is it not thine own fault ? Hast thou not been a fre
quent truant from Castile, and, even when present, hast
thou been as attentive and assiduous in thy duties at Court,
as becometh thy high birth and admitted claims ? It is true,
Her Highness, and all others who were present, witnessed
thy skill in the tourney, and in these wars thy name hath
had frequent and honourable mention for prowess against
the Moor ; but while the female imagination yields ready
homage to this manliness, the female heart yearneth for
other, and gentler, and steadier virtues, at the fireside and
in the circle within. This, Dona Isabella hath seen, and
felt, and knoweth, happy as hath been her own marriage with
the King of Aragon ; and is it surprising that she hath felt
this concern for me ? No, Luis ; feeling hath made thee
unjust to our royal mistress, whom it is now manifestly thy
interest to propitiate, if thou art sincere in thy avowed
desire to obtain my hand."

"And how is this to be done, Mercedes? The Moor is
conquered, and I know not that any knight would meet me
to do battle for thy favour."

" The queen wisheth nothing of this sort — neither do I.
We both know thee as an accomplished Christian knight,

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 87

already, and, as thou hast just said, there is no one to meet
thy lance, for no one hath met with the encouragement to
justify the folly. It is through this Colon that thou art to
win the royal consent."

" I believe I have, in part, conceived thy meaning ; but
would fain hear thee speak more plainly."

" Then I will tell thee in words as distinct as my tongue
can utter them," rejoined the ardent girl, the tint of tender
ness gradually deepening on her cheek to the flush of a
holy enthusiasm, as she proceeded : " Thou knowest
already the general opinions of the Sefior Colon, and the
mode in which he proposeth to effect his ends. I was still
a child when he first appeared in Castile, to urge the Court
to embark in this great enterprise, and I can see that Her
Highness hath often been disposed to yield her aid, when
the coldness of Don Fernando, or the narrowness of her
ministers, hath diverted her mind from the object. I think
she yet regardeth the scheme with favour ; for it is quite
lately that Colon, who had taken leave of us all, with
the intent to quit Spain and seek elsewhere for means,
was summoned to return, through the influence of Fray
Juan Perez, the ancient confessor of Her Highness. He is
now here, as thou hast seen, waiting impatiently for an
audience, and it needeth only to quicken the queen's me
mory, to obtain for him that favour. Should he get the
caravels he asketh, no doubt many of the nobles will feel a
desire to share in an enterprise that will confer lasting
honour on all concerned, if successful ; and thou might'st
make one."

" I know not how to regard this solicitude, Mercedes, for
it seemeth strange to wish to urge those we affect to value,
to enter on an expedition whence they may never return."

" God will protect thee !" answered the girl, her face
glowing with pious ardour : " the enterprise will be under
taken for his glory, and his powerful hand will guide and
shield the caravels."

Don Luis de Bobadilla smiled, having far less religious
faith and more knowledge of physical obstacles than his
mistress. He did full justice to her motives, notwithstand
ing his hastily expressed doubts ; and the adventure was
of a nature to arouse his constitutional love of roving, and

88 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

his desire for encountering dangers. Both he and Mercedes
well knew that he had fairly earned no small part of that
distrust of his character, which alone thwarted their wishes ;
and, quick of intellect, he well understood the means and
manner by which he was to gain Dona Isabella's consent.
The few doubts that he really entertained were revealed by
the question that succeeded.

" If Her Highness is disposed to favour this Colon," he
asked, " why hath the measure been so long delayed?"

" This Moorish war, an empty treasury, and the wary
coldness of the king, have prevented it."

" Might not Her Highness look upon all the followers of
the man, as so many vain schemers, should we return with
out success, as will most likely be the case — if, indeed,
we ever return ?"

" Such is not Dona Isabella's character. She will enter
into this project, in honour of God, if she entereth into it at
all ; and she will regard all who accompany Colon volun
tarily, as so many crusaders, well entitled to her esteem.
Thou wilt not return unsuccessful, Luis; but with such
credit as will cause thy wife to glory in her choice, and to
be proud of thy name."

" Thou art a most dear enthusiast, beloved girl ! If I
could take thee with me, I would embark in the adventure,
with no other companion."

A fitting reply was made to this gallant, and, at the mo
ment certainly, sincere speech, after which the matter was
discussed between the two, with greater calmness and far
more intelligibly. Don Luis succeeded in restraining his
impatience ; and the generous confidence with which Mer
cedes gradually got to betray her interest in him, and the
sweet, holy earnestness with which she urged the proba
bility of success, brought him at length to view the enter
prise as one of lofty objects, rather than as a scheme which
flattered his love of adventure.

Dona Beatriz left the lovers alone for quite two hours,
the queen requiring her presence all that time ; and soon
after she returned, her reckless, roving, indiscreet, but
noble-hearted and manly nephew, took his leave. Mer
cedes and her guardian, however, did not retire until mid
night ; the former laying open her whole heart to the mar-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 89

chioness, and explaining all her hopes as they were con
nected with the enterprise of Colon. Dona Beatriz was
both gratified and pained by this confession, while she
smiled at the ingenuity of love, in coupling the great de
signs of the Genoese with the gratification of its own
wishes. Still she was not displeased. Luis de Bobadilla
was the son of an only and much-beloved brother, and she
had transferred to her nephew most of the affection she had
felt for the father. All who knew him, indeed, were fond
of the handsome and gallant young cavalier, though the
prudent felt compelled to frown on his indiscretions ; and
he might have chosen a wife, at will, from among the fair
and high-born of Castile, with the few occasional excep
tions that denote the circumspection and reserve of higher
principles than common, and a forethought that extends
beyond the usual considerations of marriage. The mar
chioness, therefore, was not an unwilling listener to her
ward ; and ere they separated for the night, the ingenuous
but modest confessions, the earnest eloquence, and the ten
der ingenuity, of Mercedes, had almost made a convert of
Dona Beatriz.

CHAPTER VI.

"Looke back, who list, unto the former ages,

And call to count, what is of them become :
Where be those learned wits and antique sages,
Which of all wisdom knew the perfect somme ?
Where those great warriors which did overcome
The world with conquest of their might and maine,
And made one meare of th* earth and of their raigne."

Ruins of Time.

Two or three days had passed before the Christians be
gan to feel at home in^the ancient seat of Mahommedan
power. By that time, however, the Alhambra and the
town got to be more regulated than they were during the

90 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

hurry, delight, and grief, of taking possession and depart-
ing ; and as the politic and far from ill-disposed Ferdinand
had issued strict orders that the Moors should not "only be
treated with kindness, but with delicacy, the place gradu
ally settled down into tranquillity, and men began to fall
into their ancient habits and to interest themselves in their
customary pursuits.

Don Fernando was much occupied with new cares, as a
matter of course ; but his illustrious consort, who" reserved
herself for great occasions, exercising her ordinary powers
in the quiet, gentle manner that became her sex and native
disposition; her truth and piety, had already withdrawn,
as far as her high rank and substantial authority would
allow, from the pageantry and martial scenes of a war
like court, and was seeking, with her wonted readiness,
the haunts of private affection, and that intercourse which
is most congenial to the softer affections of a woman. Her
surviving children were with her, and they occupied much
of her maternal care ; but she had also many hours for
friendship, and for the indulgence of an affection that ap
peared to include all her subjects within the ties of family.

On the morning of the third day that succeeded the even
ing of the interview related in the preceding chapter, Dona
Isabella had collected about her person a few of those privi
leged individuals who might be said to have the entree to her
more private hours ; for while that of Castile was renowned
among Christian courts for etiquette, habits that it had pro
bably derived from the stately oriental usages of its Ma-
homedan neighbours, the affectionate nature of the queen
had cast a halo around her own private circle, that at once
rendered it graceful as well as delightful to all who enjoyed
the high honour of entering it. At that day, church
men enjoyed a species of exclusive favour, mingling with
all the concerns of life, and not unfrequently controlling
them. While we are quick to detect blemishes of this sort
among foreign nations, and are particularly prone to point
out the evils that have flowed from the meddling of the
Romish divines, we verify the truth of the venerable axiom
that teaches us how much easier it is to see the faults of
others than to discover our own ; for no people afford
stronger evidences of the existence of this control, than

MERCEDES Of CASTILE. 91

the people of the United States, more especially that por
tion of them who dwell in places that were originally set
tled by religionists, and which still continue under the in
fluence of the particular sects that first prevailed ; and
perhaps the strongest national trait that exists among us at
this moment, that of a disposition to extend the control of
society beyond the limits set by the institutions and the
laws, under the taking and plausible appellation of Public
Opinion, has its origin in the polity of churches of a demo
cratic character, that have aspired to be an imperium in
imperio, confirmed and strengthened by their modes of
government and by provincial habits. Be the fact as it
may among ourselves, there is no question of the ascend
ency of the Catholic priesthood throughout Christendom,
previously to the reformation ; and Isabella was too sin-
cere4y devout, too unostentatiously pious, not to allow them
every indulgence that comported with her own sense of
right, and among others, that of a free access to her pre
sence, and an influence on all her measures.

On the occasion just named, among others who were
present was Fernando de Talavera, a prelate of high sta
tion, who had just been named to the new dignity of Arch
bishop of Granada, and the Fray Pedro de Carrascal, the
former teacher of Luis de Bobadilla, an unbeneficed divine,
who owed his favour to great simplicity of character, aided
by his high birth. Isabella, herself, was seated at a little
table, where she was employed with her needle, the subject
of her toil being a task as homely as a shirt for the king,
it being a part of her womanly propensities to acquit her
self of this humble duty, as scrupulously as if she had
been the wife of a common tradesman of her own capital.
This was one of the habits of the age, however, if not a part
r>f the policy of princes ; for most travellers have seen the
celebrated saddle of the Queen of Burgundy, with a place
arranged for the distaff, that, when its owner rode forth, she
might set an example of thrift to her admiring subjects ;
and with our own eyes, in these luxurious times, when few
private ladies even condescend to touch any thing as useful
as the garment that occupied the needle of Isabella of Cas
tile, we have seen a queen, seated amid her royal daughters,
as diligently employed with the needle as if her livelihood

92 MERCEOES OF CASTILE.

depended on her industry. But Dona Isabella had no
affectations. In feelings, speech, nature, and acts, she was
truth itself; and matrimonial tenderness gave her a deeply
felt pleasure in thus being occupied for a husband whom
she tenderly loved as a man, while it was impossible she
could entirely conceal from herself all his faults as a mon
arch. Near her sate the companion of her girlish days,
the long-tried and devoted Beatrix de Cabrera. Mercedes oc
cupied a stool, at the feet of the Infanta Isabella, while one
or two other ladies of the household were placed at hand,
with such slight distinctions of rank as denoted the pre
sence of royalty, but with a domestic freedom that made
these observances graceful without rendering them fatiguing.
The king himself was writing at a table, in a distant corner
of the vast apartment ; and no one, the newly-created arch
bishop not excepted, presumed to approach that side of the
room. The discourse was conducted in a tone a little lower
than common, even the queen, whose voice was always
melody, modulating its tones in a way not to interfere
with the train of thought into which her illustrious consort
appeared to be profoundly plunged. But, at the precise
moment that we now desire to present to the reader, Isa
bella had been deeply lost in reflection for some time, and a
general silence prevailed in the female circle around the
little work-tables.

" Daughter-Marchioness" — for so the queen usually ad
dressed her friend — " Daughter-Marchioness," said Isabella,
arousing herself from "the long silence, " hath aught been
seen or heard of late of the Senor Colon, the pilot who
hath so long urged us on the subject of this western
voyage ?"

The quick, hurried glance of intelligence and gratifica
tion, -tfiat passed between Mercedes and her guardian, be
trayed the interest they felt in this question, while the latter
answered, as became her duty and her respect for her mis
tress —

" You remember, Sefiora, that he was written for, by
Fray Juan Perez, your Highness's ancient confessor, who
journeyed all the way'from his convent of Santa Maria de
Rabida, in Andalusia, to intercede in his behalf, that his
great designs might not be lost to Castile."

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 93

" Thou thinkest his designs, then, great, Daughter-Mar
chioness ?"

" Can any think them otherwise, Senora ? They seem rea
sonable and natural, and if just, is it not a great and lauda
ble undertaking to extend the bounds of the church, and to
confer honour and wealth on one's own country 1 My en
thusiastic ward, Mercedes de Valverde, is so zealous in
behalf of this navigator's great project, that next to her
duty to her God, and her duty to her sovereigns, it seemeth
to make the great concern of her life."

The queen turned a smiling face towards the blushing
girl who was the subject of this remark, and she gazed at
her, for an instant, with the expression of affection that
was so wont to illumine her lovely countenance when
dwelling on the features of her own daughters.

"Dost thou acknowledge this, Dona Mercedes," she
said ; " hath Colon so convinced thee, that thou art thus
zealous in his behalf?"

Mercedes arose, respectfully, when addressed by the
queen, and she advanced a step or two nearer to the royal
person before she made any reply.

" It becometh me to speak modestly, in this presence,"
said the beautiful girl ; " but I shall, not deny that I feel
deep concern for the success of the Senor Colon. The
thought is so noble, Senora, that it were a pity it should
not be just !"

"This is the reasoning of the young and generous-
minded ; and I confess myself, Beatriz, almost as childish
as any, on this matter, at times — Colon, out of question, is
still here?"

" Indeed he is, Senora," answered Mercedes, eagerly,
and with a haste she immediately repented, for the inquiry
was not made directly to herself; "I know of one who
hath seen him as lately as the day the troops took posses
sion of the town."

" Who is that person ?" asked the queen, steadily, but
not severely, her eye having turned again to the face of the
girl, with an interest that continued to increase as she
gazed.

Mercedes now bitterly regretted her indiscretion, and, in
spite of a mighty effort to repress her feelings, the tell-tale

94 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

blood mounted to her temples, ere she could find resolution
to reply.

"Don Luis de Bobadilla, Senora, the nephew of my
guardian, Dona Beatriz," she at length answered ; for the
love of truth was stronger in this pure-hearted young crea
ture, even, than the dread of shame.

" Thou art particular, Senorita," Isabella observed calmly,
severity seldom entering into her communications with
the just-minded and good ; " Don Luis cometh of too illus
trious a house to need a herald to proclaim his alliances. It
is only the obscure that the world doth not trouble itself
about. Daughter-Marchioness," relieving Mercedes from
a state scarcely less painful than the rack, by turning her
eyes towards her friend, " this nephew of thine is a con
firmed rover — but I doubt if he could be prevailed on to
undertake an expedition like this of Colon's, that hath in
view the glory of God and the benefit of the realm."

" Indeed, Senora" — Mercedes repressed her zeal by a
sudden and triumphant effort.

" Thou wert about to speak, Dona Mercedes," gravely
observed the queen.

" I crave Your Highness's forgiveness. It was impro
perly, as your own words were not addressed to me."

" This is not the Court of the Queen of Castile, daugh
ter, but the private room of Isabella de Trastamara," said
the queen, willing to lessen the effect of what had already
passed. " Thou hast the blood of the Admiral of Castile
in thy veins, and art even akin to our Lord the King.
Speak freely, then."

" I know your gracious goodness to me, Senora, and had
nearly forgotten myself, under its influence. All I had to
say was, that Don Luis de Bobadilla desireth exceedingly
that the Senor Colon might get the caravels he seeketh, and
that he himself might obtain the royal permission to make
one among the adventurers."

" Can this be so, Beatriz ?"

" Luis is a truant, Senora, beyond a question, but it is
not with ignoble motives. I have heard him ardently ex
press his desire to be one of Colon's followers, should that
person be sent by Your Highness in search of the land of
Cathay."

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 95

Isabella made no reply, but she laid her homely work in
her lap, and sat musing, in pensive silence, for several
minutes. During this interval, none near her presumed to
speak, and Mercedes retired, stealthily, to her stool, at the
feet of the Infanta. At length the queen arose, and cross
ing the room, she approached the table where Don Fer
nando was still busily engaged with the pen. Here she
paused a moment, as if unwilling to disturb him ; but soon
laying a hand kindly on his shoulder, she drew his atten
tion to herself. The king, as if conscious whence such
familiarity could alone proceed, looked around immediately,
and rising from his chair, he was the first to speak.

" These Moriscoes need looking to," he said, betraying
the direction that his thoughts had so early taken towards
the increase of his power — «* I find we have left Abdal-
lah many strong-holds in the Apulxarras, that may make
him a troublesome neighbour, unless we can push him
across the Mediterranean" —

" Of this, Fernando, we will converse on some other op
portunity," interrupted the queen, whose pure mind disliked
every thing that had even an approach to a breach of faith.
" It is hard enough for those who control the affairs of men
always to obey God and their own consciences, without
seeking occasions to violate their faith. I have come to
thee, on another matter. The hurry of the times, and the
magnitude of our affairs* have caused us to overlook the
promise given to Colon, the navigator" —

" Still busied with thy needle, Isabella, and for my com
fort," observed the king, playing with the shirt that his
royal consort had unconsciously brought in her hand ;
" few subjects have wives as considerate and kind as thou !"

" Thy comfort and happiness stand next to my duty to
God and the care of my people," returned Isabella, gratified
at the notice the KingofAragon had taken of this little
homage of her sex, even while she suspected that it came
from a wish to parry the subject that was then uppermost
in her thoughts. " I would do nought in this important
concern, without thy fullest approbation, if that may be
had ; and I think it toucheth our royal words to delay no
longer. Seven years are a most cruel probation, and unless
we are active, we shall have some of the hot-blooded young

96 MERCEDES OF CA8TILK.

nobles of the kingdom undertaking the matter, as their
holiday sports."

" Thou say'st true, Sefiora, and we will refer the subject,
at once, to Fernando de Talavera, yonder, who is of ap
proved discretion, and one to be relied on." As the king
spoke, he beckoned to the individual named, who immedi
ately approached the royal pair. "Archbishop of Gra
nada," continued the wily king, who had as many politic
arts as a modern patriot intently bent on his own ad
vancement — " Archbishop of Granada, our royal consort
hath a desire that this affair of Colon should be immedi
ately inquired into, and reported on to ourselves. It is our
joint command that you, and others, take the matter, before
the next twenty-four hours shall pass, into mature consi
deration and inquiry, and that you lay the result before
ourselves. The names of your associates shall be given to
you in the course of the day."

While the tongue of Ferdinand was thus instructing the
prelate, the latter read in the expression of the monarch's
eye, and in the coldness of his countenance, a meaning
that his quick and practised wits were not slow in interpret
ing. He signified his dutiful assent, however ; received the
names of his associates in the commission, of whom Isa
bella pointed out one or two, and then waited to join in the
discourse.

" This project of Colon's is worthy of being more seri
ously inquired into," resumed the king, when these prelimi
naries were settled, " and it shall be our care to see that he
hath all consideration. They tell me the honest navigator
is a good Christian."

" I think him devoutly so, Don Fernando. He hath a
purpose, should God prosper his present undertaking, to
join in a new effort to regain the holy sepulchre."

" Umph ! Such designs may be meritorious, but ours is
the true way to advance the faith ; this conquest of our
own. We have raised the cross, my wife, where the en
signs of infidelity were lately seen, and Granada is so near
Castile that it will not be difficult to maintain our altars.
Such, at least, are the opinions of a layman, holy prelate,
on these matters."

"And most just and wise opinions are they, Senor,"

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 97

returned the archbishop. " That which can be retained it
is wisest to seek, for we lose our labours in gaining things
that Providence hath placed so far beyond our control that
they do not seem designed for our purposes."

" There are those, my Lord Archbishop," observed the
queen, " who might argue against all attempts to recover
the holy sepulchre, hearing opinions like these, from so
high authority ! "

" Then, Senora, they would misconceive that authority,"
the politic prelate hurriedly replied. " It is well for all
Christendom, to drive the Infidels from the Holy Land ; but
for Castile it is better to dispossess them of Granada. The
distinction is a very plain one, as every sound casuist must
admit."

" This truth is as evident to our reason," added Fer
dinand, casting a look of calm exultation out at a window,
" as that yonder towers were once Abdallah's, and that they
are now our own ! "

" Better for Castile !" repeated Isabella, in the tones of
one who mused. " For her worldly power better, perhaps,
but not better for the souls of those who achieve the deed —
surely, not better, for the glory of God ! "

" My much-honoured wife, and beloved consort" — said
the king.

" Senora" — added the prelate.

But Isabella walked slowly away, pondering on princi
ples, while the eyes of the two worldlings she left behind
her, met, with the sort of free-masonry that is in much re
quest among those who are too apt to substitute the expe
dient for the right. The queen did not return to her seat,
but she walked up and down that part of the room which
the archbishop had left vacant when he approached herself
and her husband. Here she remained alone for several
minutes, ^even Ferdinand holding her in too much reverence
to presume to disturb her meditations, uninvited. The queen
several times cast glances at Mercedes, and, at length, she
commanded her to draw near.

"Daughter," said Isabella, who frequently addressed
those she loved by this endearing term, " thou hast not for
gotten thy freely-offered vow ?"
VOL. I. 9

98 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Next to my duly to God, Senora, I most consider my
duty to my sovereign."

Mercedes spoke firmly, and in those tones that seldom
deceive. Isabella riveted her eyes on the pale features of
the beautiful girl, and when the words just quoted were
uttered, a tender mother could not have regarded a beloved
child with stronger proofs of affection.

" Thy duty to God overshadoweth all other feelings,
daughter, as is just," answered the queen ; " thy duty to
me is secondary and inferior. Still, thou and all others,
owe a solemn duty to your sovereign, and I should be unfit
for the high trust that I have received from Providence, did
I permit any of these obligations to lessen. It is not I that
reign in Castile, but Providence, through its humble and
unworthy instrument. My people are rny children, and I
often pray that I may have heart enough to hold them all.
If princes are sometimes obliged to frown on the unworthy,
it is but in humble and distant imitation of that Power
which cannot smile on evil."

" I hope, Senora," said the girl, timidly, observing that
the queen paused, " I have not been so unfortunate as to
displease you ; a frown from Your Highness would indeed
be a calamity !"

"Thou? No, daughter ; I would that all the maidens
of Castile, noble and simple, were of thy truth and mo
desty, and obedience. But we cannot permit thee to be
come the victim of the senses. Thou art too well taught,
Doiia Mercedes, not to distinguish between that which is
brilliant and that which is truly virtuous" —

" Senora!" cried Mercedes, eagerly — then checking her
self, immediately, for she felt it was a disrespect to inter
rupt her sovereign.

"I listen to what thou would'st say, daughter," Isabella
answered, after pausing for the frightened girl to continue.
" Speak freely ; thou addressest a parent."

" I was about to say, Senora, that if all that is brilliant
is not virtuous, neither is all that is unpleasant to the sight,
or what prudence might condemn, actually vicious."

" I understand thee, Senorita, and the remark hath truth
in it. Now, let us speak of other things. Thou appearest
to be friendly to the designs of this navigator, Colon ?"

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 99

" The opinion of one, untaught and youthful as I, can
have little weight with the Queen of Castile, who can ask
counsel of prelates and learned churchmen, besides con
sulting her own wisdom ;" Mercedes modestly answered.

" But thou thinkest well of his project ; or have I mis
taken thy meaning?"

" No, Seilora, I do think well of Colon's scheme ; for to
me it seemeth of that nobleness and grandeur that Provi
dence would favour, for the good of man and the advance
ment of the church."

"And thou believest that nobles and cavaliers can be
found willing to embark with this obscure Genoese, in his
bold undertaking?"

The queen felt the hand that she affectionately held in
both her own, tremble, and when she looked at her com
panion she perceived that her face was crimsoned and her
eyes lowered. But the generous girl thought the moment
critical for the fortunes of her lover, and she rallied all her
energies in order to serve his interests.

" Senora, I do," she answered, with a steadiness that
both surprised and pleased the queen, who entered into and
appreciated all her feelings ; " I think Don Luis de Boba-
dilla will embark with him ; since his aunt hath con
versed freely with him on the nature and magnitude of the
enterprise, his min:l dwelleth on little else. Fie would be
willing to furnish gold for the occasion, could his guardians
be made to consent."

" Which any guardian would be very wrong to do. We
may deal freely with our own, but it is forbidden to jeopard
the goods of another. If Don Luis de Bobadilla persevere
in this intention, and act up to his professions, I shall think
more favourably of his character than circumstances have
hitherto led me to do."

" Sefiora !"

" Hear me, daughter ; we cannot now converse longer
on this point, the council waiting my presence, and the king
having already left us. Thy guardian and I will confer
together, and thou shalt not be kept, in undue suspense ; but
Mercedes de Valverde" —

" My Lady the Queen" —

100 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Remember thy vow, daughter. It was freely given, and
must not be hastily forgotten."

Isabella now kissed the pale cheek of the girl, and with
drew, followed by all the ladies ; leaving the half-pleased
and yet half- terrified Mercedes standing in the centre of
the vast apartment, resembling a beautiful statue of Doubt.

CHAPTER VII.

•** He that of such a height hath built his mind,
And reared the dwelling of his thoughts so strong
As neither fear nor hope .can shake the frame
Of his resolved powers.1'

DANIEL.

THE following day the Alhambra was crowded with
courtiers as usual ; applicants for favours, those who sought
their own, and those who solicited the redress of imaginary
wrongs. The antechambers were thr.onged, and the dif
ferent individuals in waiting jealously eyed each other, as
if to inquire how far their neighbours would be likely to
thwart their several views or to advance their wishes. Men
bowed, in general, coldly and with distrust ; and the few
that did directly pass their greetings, met with the elabo
rated civility that commonly characterizes the intercourse
of palaces.

While curiosity was active in guessing at the business
of the different individuals present, and whispers, nods,
shrugs of the shoulders, and meaning glances, passed
among the old stagers, as they communicated to each other
the little they knew, or thought they knew, on different
subjects, there stood in the corner of the principal apart
ment, one, in particular, who might be distinguished from
all around him, by his stature, the gravity and dignity of
his air, and the peculiar sort of notice that he attracted.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 101

Few approached him, and they that did, as they turned
their backs, cast those glances of self-sufficiency and ridi
cule about them, that characterize the vulgar-minded when
they fancy that they are deriding or sneering in consonance
with popular opinion. This was Columbus, who was very
generally regarded by the multitude as a visionary schemer,
and who necessarily shared in that sort of contemptuous
obloquy that attaches itself to the character. But even the
wit and jokes of the crowd had been expended upon this
subject, and the patience of those who danced attendance
was getting to be exhausted, when a little stir at the door
announced the approach of some new courtier. The man
ner in which the throng quickly gave way, denoted the pre
sence of some one of high rank, and 'presently Don Luis
de Bobadilla stood in the centre of the room.

"It is the nephew of Her Highness's favourite," whis
pered one.

"A noble of one of the most illustrious families of Cas
tile," said another ; "but a fitting associate of this Colon, as
neither the authority of his guardians, the wishes of the
queen, nor his high station, can keep him from the life of
a vagabond."

" One of the best lances in Spain, if he had the prudence
and wisdom to turn his skill to profit," observed a third.

" That is the youthful knight who hath so well deported
himself in this last campaign," growled an inferior officer
of the infantry, "and who unhorsed Don Alonso de Ojeda
in the tourney ; but his lance is as unsteady in its aim, as
it is good in the rest. They tell me he is a rover,"

As if purposely to justify this character, Luis looked
about him anxiously a moment, and then ' made his way
directly to the* side of Colon. The smiles, nods, shrugs,
and half-suppressed whispers that followed, betrayed the
common feeling ; but a door on the side' of the closet open
ing, all eyes were immediately bent in that direction, and
the little interruption just mentioned was as soon forgotten.

" I greet you, Senor," said Luis, bowing respectfully to
Columbus. " Since our discourse of last evening I have
thought of little besides its subject, and have come hither
to renew it."

That Columbus was pleased by this homage, appeared in
9*

102 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

his eye, his smile, and the manner in which he raised his
body, as if full of the grandeur of his own designs ; but
he was compelled to defer the pleasure that it always gave
him to dilate on his enterprise.

" I am commanded hither, noble Senor," he answered,
cordially, " by the holy Archbishop of Granada, who, it
seemeth, hath it in charge from their Highnesses, to bring
my affair to a speedy issue, and who hath named this very
morning for that purpose. We touch upon the verge of
great events : the day is not distant, when this conquest of
Granada will be forgotten, in the greater importance of the
mighty things that God hath held in reserve !"

" By San Pedro, my new patron ! I do believe you, Se
nor. Cathay must lie at or near the spot you have named,
and your own eyes shall not see it, and its gorgeous stores
of wealth, sooner than mine. Remember Pedro de Munos,
I pray you, Senor Colon."

" He shall not be forgotten, I promise you, young lord ;
and all the great deeds of your ancestors will be eclipsed
by the glory achieved by their son. But I hear my name
called ; we will talk of this anon."

" El Senor Christoval Colon !" was called by one of the
pages, in a loud authoritative voice, and the navigator hur
ried forward, buoyed up with hope and joy.

The manner in which one so generally regarded with in
difference, if not with contempt, had been selected from all
that crowd of courtiers, excited some surprise ; but as the
ordinary business of the antechamber went on, and the
subordinates of office soon appeared in the rooms, to hear
solicitations and answer questions, the affair was quickly
forgotten. Luis withdrew disappointed, for he had hoped
to enjoy another long discourse with Columb'us, on a sub
ject which, as it was connected with his dearest hopes, now
occupied most of his thoughts. We shall leave him, how
ever, and all in the antechambers, to follow the great navi
gator farther into the depths of the palace.

Fernando de Talavera had not been unmindful of his
orders. Instead, however, of associating with this prelate,
men known to be well disposed to listen to the propositions
of Columbus, the king and queen had made the mistake of
choosing some six or eight of their courtiers, persons of

MLKCEDES Of CASTILE. 103

probity and of good general characters, but who were too
little accustomed to learned research, properly to appreciate
the magnitude of the proposed discoveries. Into the pre
sence of these distinguished nobles and churchmen was
Columbus now ushered, and among them is the reader to
suppose him seated. We pass over the customary ceremo
nies of the introduction, and proceed at once to the material
part of the narrative. The Archbishop of Granada was
the principal speaker on the part of the commissioners.

" We understand, Senor Colon," continued the prelate,
" should you be favoured by their Highnesses' power and
authority, that you propose to undertake a voyage into the
unknown Atlantic, in quest of the land of Cathay and the
celebrated island of Cipango?"

"That is my design, holy and illustrious prelate. The
matter hath been so often up between the agents of the two
sovereigns and myself, that there is little occasion to en
large on my views."

" These were fully discussed at Salamanca, of a verity,
where many learned churchmen were of your way of
thinking, Senor, though more were against it. Our Lord
the King, and our Lady the Queen, however, are disposed
to view the matter favourably, and this commission hath
been commanded that we might arrange all previous prin
ciples, and determine the rights of the respective parties.
What force in vessels and equipments do you demand, in
order to achieve the great objects you expect, under the
blessing of God, to accomplish ?"

" You have well spoken, Lord Archbishop ; it will be by
the blessing of God, and under his especial care, that all
will be done, for his glory and worship are involved in the
success. With so good an ally of my side, little worldly
means will be necessary. Two caravels of light burthen
are all I ask, with the flag of the sovereigns, and a suffi
ciency of mariners."

The commissioners turned towards each other in sur
prise, and while some saw in the moderate request the en
thusiastic heedlessness of a visionary, others detected the
steady reliance of faith.

" That is not asking much, truly," observed the prelate,
who was among the first ; " and, though these wars have

104 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

left us of Castile with an exhausted treasury, we could
compass that little without the aid of a miracle. The ca
ravels might be found, and the mariners levied, but there
are weighty points to determine before we reach that con
cession. You expect, Senor, to be intrusted with the com
mand of the expedition, in your own person?"

" Without that confidence I could not be answerable for
success. I ask the full and complete authority of an ad
miral, or a sea-commander, of their Highnesses. The force
employed will be trifling in appearance, but the risks will
be great, and the power of the two crowns must completely
sustain that of him on whose shoulders will rest the entire
weight of the responsibility."

" This is but just, and none will gainsay it. But, Senor,
have you thought maturely on the advantages that are to
accrue to the sovereigns, should they sustain you in this
undertaking?"

" Lord Archbishop, for eighteen years hath this subject
occupied my thoughts, and employed my studies, both by
day and by night. In the whole of that long period have
I done little that hath not had a direct bearing on the suc
cess of this mighty enterprise. The advantages to all
concerned, that will flow from it, have, therefore, scarce
been forgotten."

" Name them, Senor."

"First, then, as is due to his all-seeing and omnipotent
protection, glory will be given to the Almighty, by the
spreading of his church and the increase of his worship
pers." Fernando de Talavera and all the churchmen pre
sent piously crossed themselves, an act in which Columbus
himself joined. " Their Highnesses, as is meet, will reap
the next advantages, in the extension of their empire and
in the increase of their subjects. Wealth will flow in upon
Castile and Aragon, in a rapid stream, His Holiness freely
granting to Christian monarchs the thrones and territo
ries of all infidel princes whose possessions may be dis
covered, or people converted to the faith, through their
means."

" This is plausible, Senor," returned the prelate, " and
founded on just principles. His Holiness certainly is in
trusted with that power, and hath been known to use it, for

MERCEDES OF (JASTILE. 105

the glory of God. You doubtless know, Senor Colon, that
Don John of Portugal hath paid great attention to these
matters already, and that he and his predecessors have
probably pushed discovery to the verge of its final limits.
His enterprise hath also obtained from Rome certain pri
vileges that may not be meddled with."

" I am not ignorant of the Portuguese enterprise, holy
prelate, nor of the spirit with which Don John hath exer
cised his power. His vessels voyage along the western
shore of Africa, and in a direction altogether different from
that I propose to take. My purpose is to launch forth, at
once, into the broad Atlantic, and by following the sun to-
\vards his place of evening retirement, reach the eastern
bounds of the Indies, by a road that will lessen the journey
many months."

Although the archbishop, and most of his coadjutors,
belonged to the numerous class of those who regarded Co
lumbus as a brain-heated visionary, the earnest, but lofty
dignity, with which he thus simply touched upon his pro
jects ; the manner in which he quietly smoothed down his
white locks, when he had spoken ; and the enthusiasm that
never failed to kindle in his eye, as he dwelt on his noble
designs, produced a deep impression on all present, and
there was a moment when the general feeling was to aid
him to the extent of the common means. It was a singular
and peculiar proof of the existence of this transient feeling
that one of the commissioners immediately inquired —

" Do you propose, Senor Colon, to seek the court of
Prestor John?"

" I know not, noble Senor, that such a potentate hath
even an existence," answered Columbus, whose notions had
got the fixed and philosophical bias that is derived from
science, and who entered little into the popular fallacies of
the day, though necessarily subject to much of the igno
rance of the age ; " I find nothing to establish the truth of
there being such a monarch at all, or such territories."

This admission did not help the navigator's cause ; for
to affirm that the earth was a sphere, and that Prestor John
was a creature of the imagination, was abandoning the
marvellous to fall back on demonstration and probabilities ;

106 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

a course that the human mind, in its uncultivated condition,
is not fond of taking.

"There are men who will be willing to put faith in the
truth of Prestor John's power and territories," interrupted
one of the commissioners, who was indebted to his present
situation purely to King Ferdinand's policy, " who will
flatly deny that the earth is round ; since we all know that
there are kings, and territories, and Christians, while we
all see that the earth and the ocean are plains."

This opinion was received with an assenting smile by
most present, though Fernando de Talavera had doubts of
its justice.

" Senor," answered Columbus, mildly, " if all, in this
world, was in truth what it seemeth, confessions would be
little needed, and penance would be much lighter."

" I esteem you a good Christian, Senor Colon," observed
the archbishop, sharply.

"I am such as the grace of God, and a weak nature
have made me, Lord Archbishop ; though I humbly trust
that when I shall have achieved this great end, that I may
be deemed more worthy of the divine protection, as well as
of the divine favour."

" It hath been said that thou deemest thyself especially
set apart by Providence for this work."

"I feel that within me, holy prelate, that encourageth
such a hope; but I build nought on mysteries that exceed
my comprehension."

It would be difficult to say whether Columbus lost or
gained in the opinions of his auditors, by this~answer. The
religious feeling of the age was in perfect consonance with
the sentiment ; but to the churchmen present it seemed ar
rogant in a humble and unknown layman, even to believe
it possible that he could be the chosen vessel, when sO many
who appeared to havo- higher claims were rejected. Still,
no expression of this feeling was permitted, for it was then
as it is now, he who seemed to rely on the power of God
carrying with him a weight and an influence that ordinarily
checked rebukes.

" You propose to endeavour to reach Cathay, by means
of sailing forth into the broad Atlantic," resumed the arch-
bishop, " and yet you deny the existence of Prestor John !"

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 107

" Your pardon, holy prelate — I do propose to reach Ca
thay and Cipango in the mode you mention, but I do not
absolutely deny the existence of the monarch you have
named. For the probability of the success of my enter
prise, I have already produced my proofs a,id reasons,
which have satisfied many learned churchmen ; but evi
dence is wanting to establish the last."

"And yet Giovanni di Montecorvino, a pious bishop of
our holy church, is said to have converted such a prince to
the true faith, nearly two centuries since."

" The power of God can do any thing, Lord Archbishop,
and I am not one to question the merits of his chosen
ministers. All I can answer to this point, is, to say that I
find no scientific or plausible reasons to justify me in pur
suing what may prove to be as deceptive as the light which
recedes before the hand that would touch it. As for Cathay
and its position and its wonders, we have the better estab
lished evidence of the renowned Venetians, Marco and
Nicolo Polo, who not only travelled in those territories, but
sojourned years at the court of their monarch. But, noble
gentlemen, whether there is a Prestor John, or a Cathay,
there is certainly a limit to the western side of the Atlantic,
and that limit I am ready to seek."

The archbishop betrayed his incredulity, in the upward
turn of his eyes ; but having his commands from those
who were accustomed to be obeyed, and knowing that
the theory of Columbus had been gravely heard and re
ported on, years before, at Salamanca, he determined pru
dently to keep within his proper sphere, and to proceed at
once to that into which it was his duty to inquire.

" You have set forth the advantages that you think may
be derived to the sovereigns, should your project succeed,
Senor," he said, " and truly they are not light, if all your
brilliant hopes may be realized ; but it now remaineth to
know what conditions you reserve for yourself, as the re
ward of all your risks and many years of anxious labour."

"All that hath been duly considered, illustrious arch
bishop, and you will find the substance of my wishes set
forth in this paper, though many of the smaller provisions
will remain to be enumerated."

As Columbus spoke, he handed the paper in question to

108 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

Ferdinand of Talavera. The prelate ran his eyes over it
hastily at first, but a second time with more deliberation,
and it would be difficult to say whether ridicule, or indig
nation, was most strongly expressed in his countenance, as
he deridingiy threw the document on a table. When this
act of contempt was performed, he turned towards Colum
bus, as if to satisfy himself that the navigator was not mad.

"Art thou serious in demanding these terms, Seiior?" he
asked sternly, and with a look that would have caused
most men, in the humble station of the applicant, to swerve
from their purpose.

" Lord Archbishop," answered Columbus, with a dignity
that was not easily disturbed, " this matter hath now occu
pied my mind quite eighteen years. During the whole of
this long period I have thought seriously of little else, and
it may be said to have engaged my mind sleeping and
waking. I saw the truth early and intensely, but every
day seems to bring it brighter and brighter before my eyes.
I feel a reliance on success, that cometh from dependence
on God. I think myself an agent chosen for the accom
plishment of great ends, and ends that will not be decided
by the success of this one enterprise. There is more be
yond, and I must retain the dignity and the means neces
sary to accomplish it. I cannot abate, in the smallest
degree, the nature or the amount of these conditions."

Although the manner in which these words were uttered
lent them weight, the prelate fancied that the mind of the
navigator had got to be unsettled by his long contemplation
of a single subject. The only things that left any doubt
concerning the accuracy of this opinion, were the method
and science with which he had often maintained, even in
his own presence, the reasonableness of his geographical
suppositions ; arguments which, though they had failed to
convince one bent on believing the projector a visionary,
had nevertheless greatly puzzled the listener. Still, the de
mands he had just read, seemed so extravagant, that, for a
single instant, a sentiment of pity repressed the burst of
indignation to which he felt disposed to give vent.

" How like ye, noble lords," he cried, sarcastically, turn
ing to two or three of his fellow-commissioners who had
eagerly seized the paper and were endeavouring to read it,

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 109

all at the same moment, " the moderate and modest de
mands of the Senor Christoval Colon, the celebrated navi
gator who confounded the Council of Salamanca ! Are
they not such as it becometh their Highnesses to accept on
bended knees, and with many thanks ?"

" Read them, Lord Archbishop," exclaimed several in a
breath ; " let us first know their nature."

" There are many minor conditions that might be granted
as unworthy of discussion," resumed the prelate, taking the
paper ; " but here are two that must give the sovereigns
infinite satisfaction. The Senor Colon actually satisfieth
himself with the rank of1" Admiral and Viceroy over all the
countries he may discover ; and as for gains, one-tenth —
the church's share, my reverend brethren — yea, even one-
tenth, one humble tenth of the proceeds and customs will
content him !"

The general murmur that passed among the commis
sioners, denoted a common dissatisfaction, and at that in
stant Columbus had not a true supporter in the room.

" Nor is this all, illustrious nobles, and holy priests,"
continued the archbishop, following up his advantage as
soon as he believed his auditors ready to hear him — " nor
is this all; lest these high dignities should weary their
Highnesses' shoulders, and those of their royal progeny,
the liberal Genoese actually consenteth to transmit them to
his own posterity, in all time to come ; converting the king
dom of Cathay into a realm for the uses of the house of
Colon, to maintain the dignity of which, the tenth of all the
benefits are to be consigned to its especial care !"

There would have been an open laugh at this sally, had
not the noble bearing of Columbus checked its indulgence ;
and even Ferdinand of Talavera, under the stern rebuke
of an eye and mien that carried with them a grave au
thority, began to think he had gone too far.

" Your pardon, Senor Colon," he immediately and more
courteously added ; " but your conditions sounded so lofty
that they have quite taken me by surprise. You cannot
seriously mean to maintain them ?"

" Not one jot will I abate, Lord Priest : that much will
be my due, and he that consenteth to less than he deserveth,
becometh an instrument of his own humiliation. I shall

VOL. I. 10

112 MERCEDES OF CASTILE-

being a term too lofty for such a craving. Reflect, Seiiora,
on the full nature of these demands. This Colon requireth to
be established, for ever, in the high state of a substitute for
a king, not only for his own person, but for those of his
descendants throughout all time, with the title and authority
of Admiral over all adjacent seas, should he discover any
of the lands he so much exalts, before he will consent to
enter into the command of certain of Your Highnesses' ves
sels, a station of itself only top honourable for one of so
little note! Should his most extravagant pretensions be
realized — and the probabilities are that they will entirely
fail — his demands would exceed his services ; whereas, in
the case of failure, the Castilian and Aragonese names
would be covered with ridicule, and a sore disrespect would
befal the royal dignity for having been thus duped by an
adventurer. Much of the glory of this late conquest would
be tarnished, by a mistake so unfortunate."

" Daughter-Marchioness," observed the queen, turning
towards the faithful and long-tried friend who was occupied
with her needle near her own side — " these conditions of
Colon do, truly, seem to exceed the bounds of reason."

" The enterprise also exceedeth all the usual bounds of
risks and adventures, Seiiora," was the steady reply of
Dona Beatriz, as she glanced towards the countenance of
Mercedes. " Noble efforts deserve noble rewards."

The eye of Isabella followed the glance of her friend,
and it remained fixed for some time on the pale anxious
features of her favourite's ward. The beautiful girl her
self was unconscious of the attention she excited ; but one
who knew her secret might easily detect the intense feeling
with which she awaited the" issue. The opinions of her
confessor had seemed so reasonable, that Isabella was on
the point of assenting to the report of the commissioners,
and of abandoning altogether the secret hopes and expecta
tions she had begun to couple with the success of the navi
gator's schemes, when a gentler feeling, one that belonged
peculiarly to her own feminine heart, interposed to give the
mariner another chance. It is seldom that woman is dead
to the sympathies connected with the affections, and the
wishes that sprang from the love of Mercedes de Valverde

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 113

were the active cause of the decision that the Queen of
Castile came to at that critical moment.

" We must be neither harsh nor hasty with this Genoese,
Lord Archbishop," she said, turning again to the prelate.
" He hath the virtues of devoutness and fair-dealing, and
these are qualities that sovereigns learn to prize. His de
mands no doubt have become somewhat exaggerated by
long brooding, in his thoughts, on a favourite and great
scheme ; but kind words and reason may yet lead him to
more moderation. Let him, then, be tried with propositions
of our own, and doubtless his necessities, if not a sense of
justice, will cause him to accept them. The viceroyalty
doth, indeed, exceed the usual policy of princes, and, as
you say, holy prelate, the tenth is the church's share ; but
the admiral's rank may be fairly claimed. Meet him, then,
with these moderated proposals, and substitute a fifteenth
for a tenth ; let him be a viceroy in his own person,
during the pleasure of Don Fernando and myself, but let
him relinquish the claim for his posterity."

Fernando de Talavera thought even these concessions
too considerable, but, while he exercised his sacred office
with a high authority, he too well knew the character of
Isabella to presume to dispute an order she had once issued,
although it was in her own mild and feminine manner.
After receiving a few more instructions, therefore, and ob
taining the counsel of the king, who was at work in an
adjoining cabinet, the prelate went to execute this new com
mission.

Two or three days now passed before the subject was
finally disposed of, and Isabella was again seated in the
domestic circle, when admission was once more demanded
in behalf of her confessor. The archbishop entered with
a flushed face, and his whole appearance was so disturbed
that it must have been observed by the most indifferent
person.

"How now, holy archbishop," — demanded Isabella —
u doth thy new flock vex thy spirit, and is it so very hard
to deal with an infidel ?"

" 'T is nought of that, Senora — 't is nought relating to
my new people. I find even the followers of the false pro
phet more reasonable than some whb exult in Christ's name
10*

HO MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

give te the sovereigns an empire that will far exceed in
value all their other possessions, and I claim my reward. I
tell you, moreover, reverend prelate, that there is much in
reserve, and that these conditions will be needed to fulfil
the future."

" These are truly modest proposals for a nameless Ge
noese !" exclaimed one of the courtiers, who had been gra
dually swelling with disgust and contempt. " The Senor
Colon will be certain of commanding in the service of their
Highnesses, and if nothing is done he will have that high
honour without cost ; whereas, should this most improbable
scheme lead to any benefits, he will become a vice-king,
humbly contenting himself with the church's revenue !"

. This remark appeared to determine the wavering, and
the commissioners rose, in a body, as if the matter were
thought to be unworthy of further discussion. With the
view to preserve at least the appearance of impartiality and
discretion, however, the archbishop turned once more to
ward Columbus, and now, certain of obtaining his ends, he
spoke to him in milder tones.

"For the last time, Senor," he said, " I ask if you still
insist on these unheard-of terms?"

" On them and on no other," said Columbus, firmly. " I
know the magnitude of the services 1 shall perform, and
will not degrade them, will in no manner lessen their dig
nity, by accepting aught else. But, Lord Archbishop, and
you, too, noble Senor, that treatetb my claims so lightly, I
am ready to add to the risk of person, life and name, that
of gold. I will furnish one-eighth of the needful sums, if
ye will increase my benefits in that proportion."

"Enough — enough," returned the prelate, preparing to
quit the room ; " we will make our report to the sovereigns,
this instant, and thou shalt speedily know their pleasure."

Thus terminated the conference. The courtiers left the
room, conversing earnestly among themselves, like men
who did not care to repress their indignation; while Co
lumbus, filled \vith the noble character of his own designs,
disappeared in another direction, with the bearing of one
whose self-respect was not to be lessened by clamour, and
who appreciated ignorance and narrowness of views too
justly to suffer them to change his own high purposes.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. Ill

Ferdinand of Talavera was as good as his word. He
was the queen's confessor, and, in virtue of that holy office,
had at all times access to her presence. Full of the subject
of the late interview, he took his way directly to the private
apartments of the queen, and, as a matter of course, was
at once admitted. Isabella heard his representations with
mortification and regret, for she had begun to set her heart
on the sailing of this extraordinary expedition. But the
influence of the archbishop was very great, for his royal
penitent knew the sincerity and devotedness of his heart.

" This carrieth presumption to insolence, Senora," con
tinued the irritated churchman : " have we not here a men
dicant adventurer demanding honours and authority that
belong only to God and his anointed, the princes of the
earth? Who is this Colon? — a nameless Genoese, without
rank, services, or modesty, and yet doth he carry his pre
tensions to a height that might cause even a Guzman to
hesitate."

" He is a good Christian, holy prelate," Isabella meekly
answered, " and seemeth to delight in the service and glory
of God, and to wish to favour the extension of his visible
and Catholic church."

" True, Senora, and yet may there be deceit in this" —

" Nay, Lord Archbishop, I do not think that deceit is the
man's failing, for franker speech and more manly bearing
it is not usual to see, even in the most powerful. He hath
solicited us for years, and yet no act of meanness may be
fairly laid to his charge."

" I shall not judge the heart of this man harshly, Dona
Isabella, but we may judge of his actions and his preten
sions, and how far they may be suitable to the dignity of
the two crowns, freely and without censure. I confess him
grave, and plausible, and light of neither discourse nor
manner, virtues certainly as the world moveth in courts"
— Isabella smiled, but she said nothing, for her ghostly
counsellor was wont to rebuke with freedom, and she to
listen with humility — "where the age is not exhibiting its
purest models of sobriety of thought and devotion, but even
these may exist without the spirit that shall be fitted for
heaven. But what are gravity and decorum, if sustained
by an inflated pride, and inordinate rapacity ? ambition

114 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

and favour. This Colon is a madman, and better fitted to
become a saint in Mussulmans*- eyes, than even a pilot in
Your Highness's service."

At this burst of indignation, the queen, the Marchioness
of Moya, and Dona Mercedes de Valverde, simultaneously
dropped their needle-work, and sate looking at the prelate,
with a common concern. They had all hoped that the dif
ficulties which stood in the way of a favourable termination
to the negotiation would be removed, and that the time was
at hand, when the being who, in spite of the boldness and
unusual character of his projects, had succeeded in so sig
nally commanding their respect, and in interesting their
feelings, was about to depart, and to furnish a practical so
lution to problems that had as much puzzled their reasons
as they had excited their curiosity. But here was some
thing like a sudden and unlooked-for termination to all their
expectations ; and while Mercedes felt something like des
pair chilling her heart, the queen and Dona Beatriz were
both displeased.

"Didst thou duly explain to the Senor Colon, the nature
of our proposals, Lord Archbishop ?" the former asked,
with more severity of manner than she was accustomed to
betray ; " and doth he still insist on the pretensions to a
vice-regal power, and on the offensive condition in behalf
of his posterity ?"

"Even so, Your Highness; were it Isabella of Cas
tile treating with Henry of England or Louis of France,
the starving Genoese could not hold higher terms or more
inflexible conditions. He abateth nothing. The man
deemeth himself chosen of God, to answer certain ends,
and his language and conditions are such as one who felt a
holy impulse to his course, could scarcely feel warranted in
assuming."

" This, constancy hath its merit," observed the queen;
" but there is a limit to concession. I shall urge no more
in the navigator's favour, but leave him to the fortune that
naturally followeth self-exaltation and all extravagance of
demand."

This speech apparently sealed the fate of Columbus in
Castile. The archbishop was appeased, and, first holding
a short private conference with his royal penitent, he

I

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 115

left the room. Shortly after, Christoval Colon, as he
was called by the Spaniards — Columbus, as he styled him
self in later life — received, for a definite answer, the in
formation that his conditions were rejected, and that the
negotiation for the projected voyage to the Indies was
finally at an end.

CHAPTER VIII.

"Oh! ever thus, from childhood's hour
I 've seen my fondest hopes decay ;
I never loved a tree or flower,
But 't was the first to fade away,."

Lalla Rookh.

THE season had now advanced to the first days of Fe
bruary, and, in that low latitude, the weather was becoming
genial and spring-like. On the morning succeeding that
of the interview just related, some six or eight individuals,
attracted by the loveliness of the day, and induced morally
by a higher motive, were assembled before the door of one
of those low dwellings of Santa Fe that had been erected
for the accommodation of the conquering army. Most of
these persons were grave Spaniards of a certain age, though
young Luis de Bobadilla was also there, and the tall, dig
nified form of Columbus was conspicuous in the group.
The latter was equipped for the road, and a stout, service
able Andalusian mule stood ready to receive its burthen,
near at hand. A charger was by the side of the mule,
showing that the rider of the last was about to have com
pany. Among the Spaniards were Alonzo de Quintanilla,
the accountant-general of Castile, a firm friend of the navi
gator, and Luis de St. Angel, the receiver of the eccle
siastical revenues of Aragon, who was one of the firmest
converts that Columbus had made to the philosophical ac-

116 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

curacy of his opinions and to the truth of his vast concep
tions.

The two last had been in earnest discourse with the na
vigator, but the discussion had closed, and Seiior de St.
Angel, a man of generous feelings and ardent imagination,
was jilst expressing himself warmly, in the following
words —

" By the lustre of the two crowns !" he cried, " this ought
not to come to pass. But, adieu, Senor Colon — God have
you in his holy keeping, and send you wiser and less preju
diced judges, hereafter. The past can only cause us shame
and grief, while the future is in the womb of time."

The whole party, with the exception of Luis de Boba-
dilla, then took their leave. As soon as the place was clear,
Columbus mounted, and passed through the thronged
streets, attended by the young noble on his charger. Not
a syllable was uttered by either, until they were fairly on
the plain, though Columbus often sighed, like a man op
pressed with grief. Still his mien was calm, his bearing
dignified, and his eye lighted with that unquenchable fire
which finds its fuel in the soul within.

When fairly without the gates, Columbus turned cour
teously to his young companion and thanked him for his
escort ; but, with a consideration for the other, that was
creditable to his heart, he added —

" While I am so grateful for this honour, coming from
one so noble and full of hopes, I must not forget your own
character. Didst thou not remark, friend Luis, as we passed
through the streets, that divers Spaniards pointed at me,
as the object of scorn ?"

" I did, Senor," answered Luis, his cheek glowing with
indignation, " and had it not been that I dreaded your dis
pleasure, I would have trodden the vagabonds beneath my
horse's feet, failing of a lance to spit them on !"

" Thou hast acted most wisely in showing forbearance.
But these are men, and their common judgment maketh
public opinion ; not do I perceive that the birth, or the op
portunities, causeth material distinctions between them,
though the manner of expression vary. There are vulgar
among the noble, and noble among the lowly. This very

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 117

act of kindness of thine, will find its deriders and con-
temners in the court of the two sovereigns."

" Let him look to it, who presumeth to speak lightly of
you, Sefior, to Luis de Bobadilla ! We are not a patient
race, and Castilian blood is apt to be hot blood."

" I should be sorry that any man but myself should draw
in my quarrel. But, if we take ofTence at all who think
and speak folly, we may pass our days in harness. Let
the young nobles have their jest, if it give them pleasure —
but do not let me regret my friendship for thee."

Luis promised fairly, and then, as if his truant thoughts
would revert to the subject unbidden, he hastily resumed —

" You speak of the noble as of a class different from
your own — surely, Senor Colon, thou art noble?"

" Would it make aught different in thy opinions and
feelings, young man, were I to answer no ?"

The cheek of Don Luis flushed, and, for an instant, he
repented of his remark ; but falling back on his own frank
and generous nature, he answered immediately, without
reservation or duplicity —

" By San Pedro, my new patron ! I could wish you were
noble, Sefior. if it were merely for the honour of the class.
There are so many among us who do no credit to their
spurs, that we might gladly receive such an acquisition."

" This world is made up of changes, young Sefior," re
turned Columbus, smiling. " The seasons undergo their
changes ; night follows day ; comets come and go ; mon-
archs become subjects, and subjects monarchs ,• nobles lose
the knowledge of their descent, and plebeians rise to the
rank of nobles. There is a tradition among us, that we
were formerly of the privileged class ; but time and our
unlucky fortune have brought us down to humble employ
ments. Am I to lose the honour of Don Luis de Boba-
dilla's company in the great voyage, should I be more for
tunate in France than I have been in Castile, because his
commander happeneth to have lost the evidences of his
nobility?"

u That would be a most unworthy motive, Senor, and I
hasten to correct your mistake. As we are now about to
part for some time, I ask permission to lay bare my whole

118 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

soul to you. I confess that when first I heard of this voy
age, it struck me as a madman's scheme" —

" Ah ! friend Luis," interrupted Columbus, with a melan
choly shake of the head, " this is the opinion of hut too
many ! I fear Don Ferdinand of Aragon, as well as that
stern prelate, his namesake, who hath lately disposed of
the question, thinketh in the same manner."

" 1 crave your pardon, Senor Colon, if I have uttered
aught to give you pain ; but if I have once done you injus
tice, I am ready enough to expiate the wrong, as you will
quickly see. Thinking thus, I entered into discourse with
you, -with a view to amuse myself with fancied ravings;
but, though no immediate change of opinion followed as to
the truth of the theory, I soon perceived that a great philo
sopher and profound reasoner had the matter in hand.
Here my judgment might have rested, and my opinion been
satisfied, but for a circumstance of deep moment to my
self. You must know, Senior, though come of the oldest
blood of Spain, and not without fair possessions, that I may
not always have answered the hopes of those who have
been charged with the care of my youth" —

" This is unnecessary, noble sir" —

" Nay, by St. Luke ! it shall be said. Now, I have two
great and engrossing passions, that sometimes interfere
with each other. The one is a love for rambling — a burn
ing desire to see foreign lands, and this, too, in a free and
roving fashion — with a disposition for the sea and the
doings of havens ; and the other is a love for Mercedes de
Valverde, the fairest, gentlest, most affectionate, warmest-
hearted, and truest maiden of Castile !"

" Noble, withal," put in Columbus, smiling.

" Senor," answered Luis, gravely, " I jest not concern
ing my guardian angel. She is not only noble, and every
way fitted to honour my name, but she hath the blood of
the Guzmans, themselves, in her veins. But I have lost
favour with others, if not with my lovely mistress, in yield
ing to this rambling inclination ; and even my own aunt,
who is her guardian, hath not looked smilingly on my smt.
Doria Isabella, whose word is law among all the noble vir
gins of the court, hath also her prejudices, and it hath be
come necessary to regain her good opinion, to win the Dona

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 119

Mercedes. It struck me" — Luis was too manly to betray
his mistress by confessing that the thought was hers — " it
struck me, that if my rambling tastes took the direction of
some noble enterprise, like this you urge, that what hath
been a demerit might be deemed a merit in the royal eyes,
which would be certain soon to draw all other eyes after
them. With this hope, then, I first entered into the present
intercourse, until the force of your arguments hath com
pleted my conversion, and now no churchman hath more
faith in the head of his religion, than I have that the shortest
road to Cathay is athwart the broad Atlantic ; or no Lom
bard is more persuaded that his Lombardy is flat, than I
feel convinced that this good earth of ours is a sphere."

" Speak reverently of the ministers of the altar, young
Senor," said Columbus, crossing himself, " for no levity
should be used in connection with their holy office. It
seemeth, then," he added, smiling, " I owe my disciple to
the two potent agents of love and reason ; the former, as
most potent, overcoming the first obstacles, and the latter
getting uppermost at the close of the affair, as is wont to
happen — love, generally, triumphing in the onset, and rea
son, last."

" I '11 not deny the potency of the power, Senor, for I feel
it too deeply to rebel against it. You now know my secret,
and when I have made you acquainted with my intentions,
all will be laid bare. I here solemnly vow" — Don Luis
lifted his cap and looked to heaven, as he spoke — " to join
you in this voyage, on due notice, sail from whence you
may, in whatever bark you shall choose, and whenever you
please. In doing this, I trust, first to serve God and his
church ; secondly, to visit Cathay and those distant and
wonderful lands ; and lastly, to win Dona Mercedes de Val-
verde."

" I accept the pledge, young sir," rejoined Columbus,
struck by his earnestness, and pleased with his sincerity —
" though it might have been a more faithful representation
of your thoughts, had the order of the motives been re
versed."

" In a few months I shall be master of my own means,"
continued the youth, too intent on his own purposes to heed
what the navigator had said — " and then, nothing but the

120 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

solemn command of Dona Isabella, herself, shall prevent
our having one caravel, at least ; and the coffers of Boba-
dilla must have been foully dealt by, during their master's
childhood, if they do not afford two. I am no subject of
Don Fernando's, but a servant of the elder branch of the
House of Trastamara ; and the cold judgment of the king,
even, shall not prevent it."

" This soundeth generously, and thy sentiments are such
as become a youthful and enterprising noble ; but the offer
cannot be accepted. It would not become Columbus to use
gold that came from so confiding a spirit and so inexpe
rienced a head ; and there are still greater obstacles than
this. My enterprise must rest on the support of some pow
erful prince. Even the Guzman hath not deemed himself
of sufficient authority to uphold a scheme so large. Did
we make the discoveries without that sanction, we should
be toiling for others, v/ithout security for ourselves, since the
Portuguese or some other monarch would wrong us of our
reward. That I am destined to effect this great work, I
feel, and it must be done in a manner suited to the majesty
of the thought and to the magnitude of the subject. And,
here, Don Luis, we must part. Should my suit be success
ful at the court of France, thou shalt hear from me, for I
ask no better than to be sustained by hearts and hands like
thine. Still, thou must not mar thy fortunes unheedingly,
and I am now a fallen man in Castile. It may not serve
thee a good turn, to be known to frequent my company any
longer — and I again say, here we must part."

Luis de Bobadilla protested his indifference to what
others might think ; but the more experienced Columbus,
who rose so high above popular clamour in matters that
affected himself, felt a generous reluctance to permit this
confiding youth to sacrifice his hopes, to any friendly im
pressions in his own favour. The leave-taking was warm,
and the navigator felt a glow at his heart, as he witnessed
the sincere and honest emotions that the young man could
not repress at parting. They separated, however, about
half a league from the town, and each bent his way in his
own direction ; Don Luis de Bobadilla's heart swelling with
indignation at the unworthy treatment that there was, in

MERCEDES OF CASTILE, 121

sooth, so much reason for thinking his new friend had
received.

Columbus journeyed on, with very different emotions.
Seven weary years had he been soliciting the monarchs
and nobles of Spain to aid him in his enterprise. In that
long period, how much of poverty, contempt, ridicule, and
even odium, had he not patiently encountered, rather than
abandon the slight hold that he had obtained on a few of
the more liberal and enlightened minds of the nation ! He
had toiled for bread while soliciting the great to aid them
selves in becoming still more powerful ; and each ray of
hope, however feeble, had been eagerly caught at with joy,
each disappointment borne with a constancy that none but
the most exalted spirit could sustain. But he was now re
quired to endure the most grievous of all his pains. The
recal of Isabella had awakened within him a confidence to
which he had long been a stranger ; and he awaited the
termination of the siege, with the calm dignity that became
his purpose, no less than his lofty philosophy. The
hour of leisure had come, and it produced a fatal destruc
tion to all his buoyant hopes. He had thought his motives
understood, his character appreciated, and his high objects
felt; but he now found himself still regarded as a visionary
projector, his intentions distrusted, and his promised ser
vices despised. In a word, the bright expectations that had
cheered his toil for years, had vanished in a day, and
the disappointment was alt the greater for the brief but de
lusive hopes produced by his recent favour.

It is not surprising, therefore, that, when left alone on
the highway, even the spirit of this extraordinary man
grew faint within him, and he had to look to the highest
power for succour. His head dropped upon his breast, and
one of those bitter moments occurred, in which the past and
the future crowd the mind, painfully as to sufferings en
dured, cheerlessly as to hope. The time wasted in Spain
seemed a blot in his existence, and then came the proba
bility of another long and exhausting probation, that, like
this, might lead to nothing. He had already reached the
lustrum that would fill his threescore years, and life seemed
slipping from beneath him, while its great object remained
unachieved. Still the high resolution of the man sustained

VOL. I, 11

122 , MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

him. Not once did he think of a compromise of what he
felt to be his rights — not once did he doubt of the practi
cability of accomplishing the great enterprise that others
derided. His heart was full of courage even while his bo
som was full of grief. "There is a wise, a merciful, and
omnipotent God !" he exclaimed, raising his eyes to heaven.
" He knoweth what is meet for his own glory, and in him
do I put my trust." There was a pause, and the eyes kin
dled while a scarcely perceptible smile lighted the grave
face, and then were murmured the words — " Yea, he taketh
his time, but the infidel shall be enlightened, arid the blessed
sepulchre redeemed !"

After this burst of feeling, that grave-looking man, whose
hairs had already become whitened to the colour of snow,
by cares, and toils, and exposures, pursued his way, with
the quiet dignity of one who believed that he was not cre
ated for nought, and who trusted in God for the fulfilment
of his destiny. If quivering sighs occasionally broke out
of his breast, they did not disturb the placidity of his vene
rable countenance ; if grief and disappointment still lay
heavy on his heart, they rested on a base that was able to
support them. Leaving Columbus to follow the common
mule-track across the Vega, we will now return to Santa
Fe, where Ferdinand arid Isabella had re-established their
court, after the few first days that succeeded the taking
possession of their new conquest.

Luis de St. Angel was a man of ardent feelings and gene
rous impulses. He was one of those few spirits who live
in advance of their age, and who permitted his reason to
be enlightened and cheered by his imagination, though it
was never dazaled by it. As he and his friend Alonzo de
Quintanilla, after quitting Columbus, as already related,
walked towards the royal pavilion, they conversed freely
together concerning the man, his vast conceptions, the
treatment he had received, and the shame that would alight
on Spain in consequence, were he suffered thus to depart,
for ever. Blunt of speech, the receiver of the ecclesiastical
revenues did not measure his terms, every syllable of which
found an echo in the heart of the accountant-general, who
was an old and fast friend of the navigator. In short, by
the time they reached the pavilion, they had come to the

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 123

resolution to make one manly effort to induce the queen to
yield to Columbus's terms and to recal him to her presence.

Isabella was always easy of access to such of her ser
vants as she knew to be honest and zealous. The age was
one of formality, and, in many respects, of exaggeration,
while the court was renowned for ceremony ; but the pure
spirit of the queen threw a truth and a natural grace around
all that depended on her, which rendered mere forms, except
as they were connected with delicacy and propriety, use
less, and indeed impracticable. Both the applicants for the
interview, enjoyed her favour, and the request was granted
with that simple directness that this estimable woman loved
to manifest, whenever she thought she was about to oblige
any whom she esteemed.

The queen was surrounded by the few ladies among
whom she lived in private, as Luis de St. Angel and Alonzo
de Quintanilla entered. Among them, of course, were the
Marchioness of Moya and Dona Mercedes de Valverde.
The king, on this occasion, was in an adjoining closet, at
work, as usual, with his calculations and orders. Official
labour was Ferdinand's relaxation, and he seldom mani
fested more happiness than when clearing off a press of
affairs that most men would have found to the last degree
burthensome. He was a hero in the saddle, a warrior at
the head of armies, a sage in council, and respectable, if
not great, in all things, but motives.

" What has brought the Senor St. Angel and the Senor
Quintanilla, as suitors, so early to my presence?" asked
Isabella, smiling in a way to assure both that the boon
would be asked of a partial mistress. " Ye are not wont
to be beggars, and the hour is somewhat unusual."

"All hours are suitable, gracious lady, when one cometh
to confer and not to seek favour," returned Luis de St.
Angel, bluntly. "We are not here to solicit for ourselves,
but to show Your Highness the manner in which the crown
of Castile may be garnished with brighter jewels than any
it now possesseth."

Isabella looked surprised, both at the words of the
speaker, and at his hurried earnestness as well as his free
dom of speech. Accustomed, however, to something of

124 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

the last, her own calm manner was not disturbed, nor did
she even seem displeased.

" Hath the Moor another kingdom of which to be de
spoiled," she asked, " or would the receiver of the church's
revenues have us war upon the Holy See ?"

"I would have Your Highness accept the boons that
come from God, with alacrity and gratitude, and not reject
them unthankfully," returned de St. Angel, kissing the
queen's offered hand with a respect and affection that neu
tralized the freedom of his words. " Do you know, my
gracious mistress, that the Senor Christoval Colon, he, from
whose high projects we Spaniards have hoped so much,
hath actually taken mule and quitted Santa Fe ?"

" I expected as much, Senor, though I was not apprized
that it had actually come to pass. The king and I put the
matter into the hands of the Archbishop of Granada, with
other trusty counsellors, and they have found the terms of
the Genoese arrogant ; so full of exceeding and unreason
able extravagance, that it ill befitted our dignity, and our
duty to ourselves to grant them. One who hath a scheme
of such doubtful results, ought to manifest moderation in
his preliminaries. Many even believe the man a visionary."

" It is unlike an unworthy pretender, Senora, to abandon
his hopes before he will yield his dignity. This Colon
feeleth that he is treating for empires, and he negotiates like
one full of the importance of his subject."

" He that lightly valueth himself, in matters of gravity,
hath need to expect that he will not stand high in the esti
mation of others," put in Alonzo de Quintanilla.

"And, moreover, my gracious and beloved mistress,"
added de St. Angel, without permitting Isabella even to an
swer, " the character of the man, and the value of his
intentions, may be appreciated by the price he setteth on
his own services. If he succeed, will not the discovery
eclipse all others that have been made since the creation «f
the world ? Is it nothing to circle the earth, to prove the
wisdom of God by actual experiment, to follow the sun in
its daily track, and imitate the motions of that glorious
moving mass? And then the benefits that will flow on
Castile and Aragon™ are they not incalculable? I marvel
that a princess who hath shown so high and rare a spirit

MEfeCEDES OF CASTILE. 125

on all other occasions, should shrink from so grand an en
terprise as this !"

" Thou art earnest, my good de St. Angel," returned
Isabella, with a smile that betrayed no anger, " and when
there is much earnestness there is sometimes much forget-
fulness. If there were honour and profit in success, what
would there be in failure? Should the king and myself
send out this Colon, with a commission to be our viceroy,
for ever, over undiscovered lands, and no lands be disco
vered, the wisdom of our councils might be called in ques
tion, and the dignity of the two crowns would be fruitlessly
and yet deeply committed."

" The hand of the Lord Archbishop is in this ! This
prelate hath never been a believer in the justice of the na
vigator's theories, and it is easy to raise objections when
the feelings lean against an enterprise. No glory is ob
tained without risk. Look, Your Highness, at our neigh
bours, the Portuguese — how much have discoveries done
for that kingdom, and how much more may it do for us !
We know, my honoured mistress, that the earth is round" —

" Are we quite certain of that important fact, Senor ?"
asked the king, who, attracted by the animated and unusual
tones of the speaker, had left his closet, and approached
unseen. " Is that truth established ? Our doctors at Sala
manca were divided on that great question, and, by St.
James ! I do not see that it is so very clear."

" If not round, my Lord the King," answered de St. An
gel, turning quickly to face this new opponent, like a well-
drilled corps wheeling into a new front, " of what form can
it be 1 Will any doctor, come he of Salamanca, or come
he from elsewhere, pretend that the earth is a plain, and
that it hath limits, and that one may stand on these limits
and jump down upon the sun as he passeth beneath at night
— is this reasonable, honoured Senor, or is it in conformity
with scripture ?"

" Will any one, doctor of Salamanca, or elsewhere," re
joined the king, gravely, though it was evident his feelings
were little interested in the discussion, " allege that there
are nations who for ever walk with their heads downwards,
where the rain falleth upwards, and where the sea re-
11*

126 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

maincth in its bed, though its support cometh from above,
and is not placed beneath ?"

" It is to explain these great mysteries, Senor Don Fer
nando, my gracious master, that I would have this Colon
at once go forth. We may see, nay, we have demonstra
tion, that the earth is a sphere, and yet we do not see that
the waters fall from its surface anywhere. The hull of a
ship is larger than her top-masts, and yet the last are first
visible on the ocean, which proveth that the body of the
vessel is concealed by the form of the water. This being
so, and all who have voyaged on the ocean know it to be
thus, why doth not the water flow into a level, here, on our
own shores ? If the earth be round, there must be means
to encircle it by water, as well as by land — to complete the
entire journey, as well as to perform a part. Colon pro-
poseth to open the way to this exploit, and the monarch
that shall furnish the means will live in the memories of
our descendants, as one far greater than a conqueror. Re
member, illustrious Sefior, that all the east is peopled with
Infidels, and that the head of the church freely bestoweth
their lands on any Christian monarch that may drag them
from their benighted condition, into the light of God's
favour. Believe me, Dona Isabella, should another sove
reign grant the terms Colon requireth, and reap the advan
tages that are likely to flow from such discoveries, the ene
mies of Spain would make the world ring with their songs
of triumph, while the whole peninsula would mourn over
this unhappy decision."

" Whither hath the Senor Colon sped ?" demanded the
king, quickly ; all his political jealousies being momentarily
aroused by the remarks of his receiver-general : " He hath
not gone again to Dom Joao of Portugal ?"

" No, Senor, my master, but to King Louis of France,
a sovereign whose love for Aragon amounteth to a pro
verb."

The king muttered a few words between his t&eth, and
he paced the apartment, to and fro, with a disturbed man
ner ; for, while no man living cared less to hazard his
means, without the prospect of a certain return, the idea of
another's reaping an. advantage that had been neglected by
himself, brought him at once under the control of those

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 127

feelings that always influenced his cold and calculating
policy. With Isabella the case was different. Her pious
wishes had ever leaned towards the accomplishment of
Columbus's great project, and her generous nature had
sympathized deeply with the noble conception, vast moral
results, and the glory of the enterprise. Nothing but the
manner in which her mind, as well as her religious aspira
tions, had been occupied by the war in Granada, had pre
vented her from entering earlier into a full examination of
the navigator's views ; and she had yielded to the counsel
of her confessor, in denying the terms demanded by Co
lumbus, with a reluctance it had not been easy to over
come. Then the gentler feelings of her sex had their in
fluence, for, while she too reflected on what had just been
urged, her eye glanced around the room and rested on
the beautiful face of Mercedes, who sate silent from diffi
dence, but whose pale eloquent countenance betrayed all
the pleadings of the pure enthusiastic love of woman.

" Daughter-Marchioness," asked the queen, turning as
usual to her tried friend, in her doubts, " what thinkest thou
of this weighty matter ? Ought we so to humble ourselves
as to recal this haughty Genoese ?"

"Say not haughty, Senora, for to me he seemeth much
superior to any such feeling ; but rather regard him as one
that hath a just appreciation of that he hath in view. I
agree fully with the receiver-general, in thinking that Cas
tile will be much discredited, if, in sooth, a new world
should be discovered, and they who favoured the enterprise
could point to this court, and remind it that the glory of the
event was in its grasp, and that it threw it away, heed
lessly"—

"And this, too, on a mere point of dignity, Senora," put
rn St. Angel — " on a question of parchment and of sound."

" Nay, nay" — retorted the queen — " there are those who
think the honours claimed by Colon would far exceed the
service, even should the latter equal all the representations
of the Genoese, himself."

" Then, my honoured mistress, they know not at what
the Genoese aims. Reflect, Senora, that it will not be an
every-day deed to prove that this earth is a sphere, by ac
tual measurement, whatever we may know in theories.

128 MEItCEDES OF CASTILK.

Then cometh the wealth and benefits of those eastern pos
sessions, a quarter of the world whence all riches flow —
spices, pearls, silks, and the most precious metals. After
these, again, cometh the great glcry of God, which crowneth
and exceedeth all !"

Isabella crossed herself, her cheek flushed, her eye kin
dled, and her matronly but fine form seemed to tower with
the majesty of the feelings that these pictures created.

" I do fear, Don Fernando," she said, " that our advisers
have been precipitate, and that the magnitude of this pro
ject may justify more than common conditions i"

But the king entered little into the generous emotions of
his royal consort ; feeling far more keenly the stings of
political jealousy, than any promptings of a liberal zeal far
either the church or science. He was generally esteemed
a wise prince, a title that would seem to infer neither a
generous nor a very just one. He smiled at the kindling
enthusiasm of his wife, but continued to peruse a paper
that had just been handed to him by a secretary.

" Your Highness feels as Dona Isabella of Castile ought
to feel when the glory of God and the honour of her crown
are in question," added Beatriz de Cabrera, using that free
dom of speech that her royal mistress much encouraged in
their more private intercourse. " I would rather hear you
utter the words of recal to this Colon, than again listen to
the shouts of our late triumph over the Moor."

" I know that thou lovest me, Beatriz !" exclaimed the
queen : " if there is not a true heart in that breast of thine,
the fallen condition of man does not suffer the gem to
exist !"

" We all love and reverence Your Highness," continued
de St. Angel, " and we wish nought but your glory. Fancy,
Senora, the page of history open, and this great exploit of
the reduction of the Moor, succeeded by the still greater
deed of a discovery of an easy and swift communication
with the Indies, the spread of the church, and the flow of
inexhaustible wealth into Spain ! This Colon cannot be
supported by the colder and more selfish calculations of
man, but his very enterprise seeks the more generous sup
port of her who can risk much for God's glory and the
good of the church."

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 129

" Nay, Sen or de St. Angel, thou flatterest and ofFendest
in the same bieath."

" It is an honest nature pouring out its disappointment,
my beloved mistress, and a tongue that hath become bold
through much zeal for Your Highnesses' fame. Alas !
alas ! should King Louis grant the terms we have declined,
poor Spain will never lift her head again for very shame !"

"Art certain, St. Angel, that the Genoese hath gone for
France ?" suddenly demanded the king, in his sharp autho
ritative voice.

" I have it, Your Highness, from his own mouth. Yes,
yes, he is at this moment striving to forget our Castilian
dialect, and endeavouring to suit his tongue to the language
of the Frenchman. They are bigots and unreflecting disci
ples of musty prejudices, Sefiora, that deny the theories of
Colon. The old philosophers have reasoned in the same
manner ; and though it may seem to the timid an audacious
and even a heedless adventure to sail out into the broad
Atlantic, had not the Portuguese done it he would never
have found his islands. God's truth ! it maketh my blood
boil, when I bethink me of what these Lusitanians have
done, while we of Aragon and Castile have been tilting
with the Infidels for a few valleys and mountains, and con
tending for a capital !"

" Senor, you are forgetful of the honour of the sove
reigns, as well as of the service of God," interrupted the
Marchioness of Moya, who had the tact to perceive that
the receiver-general was losing sight of his discretion, in
the magnitude of his zeal. " This conquest is one of the
victories of the church, and will add lustre to the , two
crowns, in all future ages. The head of the church, him
self, hath so recognized it, and all good Christians should
acknowledge its character."

" It is not that I undervalue this success, but that I con
sider the conquest that Colon is likely to achieve over so
many millions, that I have thus spoken, Doiia Beatriz."

The marchioness, whose spirit was as marked as her
love for the queen, made a sharp reply, and, for a few
minutes, she and Luis de St. Angel, with Alonzo de Quin-
tanilla, maintained the discussion, by themselves, while
Isabella conversed apart, with her husband, no one pre-

130 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

suming to meddle with their private conference. The queen
was earnest and evidently much excited, but Ferdinand
maintained his customary coolness and caution, though his
manner was marked with that profound respect which the
character of Isabella had early inspired, and which she
succeeded in maintaining throughout her married life. This
was a picture familiar to the courtiers, one of the sove
reigns being as remarkable for his wily prudence, as was
the other for her generous and sincere ardour, whenever
impelled by a good motive. This divided discourse lasted
half an hour, the queen occasionally pausing to listen to
what was passing in the other group, and then recurring to
her own arguments with her husband.

At length, Isabella left the side of Ferdinand, who coldty
resumed the perusal of a paper, and she moved slowly to
wards the excited party, that was now unanimous and rather
loud in the expression of its regrets — loud, for even the in
dulgence of so gentle a mistress. Her intention to repress
this ardour by her own presence, however, was momenta
rily diverted from its object, by a glimpse of the face of
Mercedes, who sate alone, her work lying neglected in her
lap, listening anxiously to the opinions that had drawn all
her companions to the general circle.

" Thou takest no part in this warm discussion, child,"
observed the queen, stopping before the chair of our he
roine, and gazing an instant into her eloquently expressive
face. " Hast thou lost all interest in Colon ?"

" I speak riot, Senora, because it becometh youth and
ignorance to be modest ; but though silent, I feel none the
less."

"And what are thy feelings, daughter? Dost thou, too,
think the services of the Genoese cannot be bought at too
high a price ?"

" Since Your Highness doth me this honour," answered
the lovely girl, the blood' gradually flushing her pale face,
as she warmed with the subject—" I will not hesitate to
speak. I do believe this great enterprise hath been offered
to the sovereigns, as a reward for all that they have done
and endured for religion and the church. I do think Colon
hath been guided to this court by a divine hand, and, by a
divine hand hath he been kept here, enduring the long servi-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 131

tude of seven years, rather than abandon his object ; and
I do think that this late appeal in his favour cometh of a
power and spirit that should prevail."

" Thou art an enthusiast, daughter, more especially in
this cause," returned the queen, smiling kindly on the
blushing Mercedes. " I am greatly moved by thy wishes
to aid in this enterprise !"

Thus spoke Isabella, at a moment when she had neither
the leisure nor the thought to analyze her own feelings,
which were influenced by a variety of motives, rather than
by any single consideration. Even this passing touch of
woman's affections, however, contributed to give her mind
a new bias, and she joined the group, which respectfully
opened as she advanced, greatly disposed to yield to de St.
Angel's well-meant though somewhat intemperate entreaties.
Still she hesitated, for her wary husband had just been re
minding her of the exhausted state of the two treasuries,
and the impoverished condition in which both crowns had
been left by the late war.

" Daughter-Marchioness," said Isabella, slightly answer
ing the reverences of the circle, " dost thou still think this
Colon expressly called of God, for the high purposes to
which he pretendeth ?"

" Senora, I say not exactly that, though I believe the
Genoese hath some such opinion of himself. But this much
I do think — that Heaven beareth in mind its faithful servi
tors, and when there is need of important actions, suitable
agents are chosen for the work. Now, we do know that
the church, at some day, is to prevail throughout the whole
world ; and why may not this be the allotted time, as well
as another ? God ordereth mysteriously, and the very ad
venture that so many of the learned have scoffed at, may
be intended to hasten the victory of the church. We should
remember, Your Highness, the humility with which this
church commenced ; how few of the seemingly wise lent it
their aid; and the high pass of glory to which it hath
reached. This conquest of the Moor savoureth of a fulfil
ment of time, and his reign of seven centuries terminated,
may merely be an opening for a more glorious future."

Isabella smiled upon her friend, for this was reasoning
after h«r own secret thoughts; but her greater acquire-

132 MERCEDES OF CASTILK.

ments rendered her more discriminating in her zeal, than
was the case with the warm-hearted and ardent Mar
chioness.

" It is not safe to affix the seal of Providence to this or
that enterprise, Daughter-Marchioness" — she answered —
" and the church alone may say what are intended for
miracles, and what is left for human agencies. What sum
doth Colon need, Senor de St. A*hgel, to carry on the ad
venture in a manner that will content him?"

" He asketh but two light caravels, my honoured mis
tress, and three thousand crowns — a sum that many a
young spendthrift would waste on his pleasures, in a few
short weeks."

"It is not much, truly," observed Isabella, who had been
gradually kindling with the thoughts of the nobleness of
the adventure ; " but, small as it is, my Lord the King
doubteth if our joint coffers can, at this moment, well bear
the drain."

" Oh ! it were a pity that such an occasion to serve God,
such an opportunity to increase the Christian sway, and to
add to the glory of Spain, should be lost for this trifle of
gold !" exclaimed Dona Beatriz.

" It would be, truly," rejoined the queen, whose cheek
now glowed with an enthusiasm little less obvious than that
which shone so brightly in the countenance of the ardent
Mercedes. " Senor de St. Angel, the king cannot be pre
vailed on to enter into this affair, in behalf of Aragon ; but
I take it on myself, as Queen of Castile, and, so far as it
may property advance human interests, for the benefit of
my own much-beloved people. If the royal treasury be
drained, my private jewels should suffice for that small
sum, and I will freely pledge them as surety for the gold,
rather than let this Colon depart without putting the truth
of his theories to the proof. The result, truly, is of too
great magnitude, to admit of further discussion."

An exclamation of admiration and delight escaped those
present, for it was not a usual thing for a princess to de
prive herself of personal ornaments in order to advance
either the interests of the church or those of her subjects.
The receiver-general, however, soon removed all difficul
ties on the score of money, by saying that his coffers

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 133

could advance the required sum, on the guarantee of the
crown of Castile, and that the jewels so freely offered,
might remain in the keeping of their royal owner.

"And now to recal Colon," observed the queen, as soon
as these preliminaries had been discussed. " He hath
already departed, you say, and no time should be lost in
acquainting him with this new resolution."

" Your Highness hath here a willing courier, and one
already equipped for the road, in the person of Don Luis
de Bobadilla," cried Alonzo de Quintanilla, whose eye had
been drawn to a window by the trampling of a horse's
foot; "and the man who will more joyfully bear these
tidings to the Genoese, cannot be found in Santa Fe."

" 'T is scarce a service suited to one of his high station,"
answered Isabella, doubtingly ; " and yet we should con
sider every moment of delay a wrong to Colon" —

" Nay, Senora, spare not my nephew," eagerly inter
posed Dona Beatriz ; " he is only too happy at being em
ployed in doing Your Highness's pleasure."

" Let him, then, be summoned to our presence, without
another instant's delay. I scarce seem to have decided,
while the principal personage of the great adventure is
journeying from the court."

A page was immediately dispatched in quest of the young
noble, and in a few minutes the footsteps of the latter were
heard in the antechamber. Luis entered the presence,
fi-jshed, excited, and with feelings not a little angered, at
the compelled departure of his new friend. He did not fail
4>o impute the blame of this occurrence to those who had
the power to prevent it; and when his dark expressive eye
met vhe countenance of his sovereign, had it been in her
power to read its meaning, she would have understood that
he viewed Yv»r as a person who had thwarted his hopes on
more than one occasion. Nevertheless, the influence of Doiia
Isabella's pure character and gentle manners was seldom
forgotten by any who were permitted to approach her per
son ; and his address wa« respectful, if not warm.

" It is Your Highness's pleasure to command my pre
sence," said the young man, as soon as he made his reve
rences to the queen.

" I thank you for this promptitude, Don Luis, having
VOL. I. 12

134 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

some need of your services. Can you tell us what hath
befel the Senor Christoval Colon, the Genoese navigator,
with whom, they inform me, you have some intimacy ?"

" Forgive me, Senora, if aught unbecoming escape me ;
but a full heart must be opened lest it break. The Genoese
is about to shake the dust of Spain from his shoes, and, at
this moment, is on his journey to another court, to proffer
those services that this should never have rejected."

" It is plain, Don Luis, that all thy leisure time hath not
been passed in courts," returned the queen, smiling ; " but
we have now service for thy roving propensities. Mount
thy steed, and pursue the Senor Colon, with the tidings that
his conditions will be granted, and a request that he will
forthwith return. I pledge my royal word, to send him
forth on this enterprise, with as little delay as the necessary
preparations and a suitable prudence will allow."

" Senora ! — Dona Isabella ! — My gracious queen ! — Do I
hear aright ?"

"As a sign of the fidelity of thy senses, Don Luis,
here is the pledge of my hand."

This was said kindly, and the gracious manner in which
the hand was offered, brought a gleam of hope to the mind
of the lover, which it had not felt since he had been apprized
that the queen's good opinion was necessary to secure his
happiness. Kneeling respectfully, he kissed the hand of
his sovereign, after which, without changing his attitude,
he desired to know if he should that instant depart on the
duty she had named.

" Rise, Don Luis, and lose riot a moment to relieve the
loaded heart of the Gevoese — I might almost say, to relieve
ours, also ; for, Daughter-Marchioness, since this holyxin-
terprise hath broken on my mind with a sudden anct/*fmost
miraculous light, it seemeth that a mountain must -He on^rny
breast until the Senor Christoval shall Jearn tl*5 truth !"

Luis de Bobadilla did not wait a second Jxdding, but hur
ried from the presence, as fast as etiqueX would allow, and
the next minute he was in the saddK At his appearance,
Mercedes had shrunk into the r^ess of a window, where
she now, luckily, commanded view of the court. As her
lover gained his seat, he caught a glimpse of her lorm ;
and though the spurs were already in his charger's flanks,

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 135

the rein tightened, and the snorting steed was thrown sud
denly on liis haunches. So elastic are the feelings of
youth, so deceptive and flattering the hopes of those who
love, that the glances which were exchanged were those
of mutual delight. Neither thought of all the desperate
chances of the contemplated voyage ; of the prohability of
its want of success : or of the many motives which might
still induce the queen to withhold her consent. Mercedes
awoke first from the short trance that succeeded, for, taking
the alarm at Luis's indiscreet delay, she motioned him hur
riedly to proceed. Again the rowels were buried in the
flanks of the noble animal ; fire flashed beneath his armed
heels, and, "at the next minute, Don Luis de Bobadilla had
disappeared.

In the mean time, Columbus had pursued his melancholy
journey across the Vega. He travelled slowly, and several
times, even after his companion had left him, did he check
his mule, and sit, with his head dropped upon his breast,
lost in thought, the very picture of woe. The nobie re
signation that he manifested in public, nearly gave way in
private, and he felt, indeed, how hard his disappointments
were to be borne. In this desultory manner of travelling
he had reached the celebrated pass of the bridge of Piiios,
the scene of many a sanguinary combat, when the sound
of a horse's hoofs first overtook his ear. Turning his head,
he recognized Luis de Bobadilla in hot pursuit, with the
flanks of his horse dyed in blood, and his breast white with
foam.

" Joy ! joy ! a thousand times, joy, Senor Colon !"
shouted the eager youth, even before he was near enough
to be distinctly heard. " Blessed Maria be praised ! Joy !
Senor, joy ! and nought but joy !"

" This is unexpected, Don Luis," exclaimed the navi
gator. " What meancth thy return ?"

Luis now attempted to explain his errand, but eagerness
and the want of breath rendered his ideas confused and his
utterance broken and imperfect.

"And why should I return to a hesitating, cold, and un
decided court?" demanded Columbus. "Have I not wasted
years in striving to urge it to its own good ? Look at these
hairs, young Senor, and remember that I have lost a time

136 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

that nearly equals all thy days, in striving uselessly to con
vince the rulers of this peninsula that my project is founded
on truth."

"At length you have succeeded. Isabella, the true-
hearted and never-deceiving Queen of Castile, herself, hath
awoke to the importance of thy scheme, and pledges her
royal word to favour it." •

" Is this true ? Can this be true, Don Luis?"

" I am sent to you express, Senor, to urge your imme
diate return."

" By whom, young Lord ?"

" By Dona Isabella, my gracious mistress, through her
own personal commands."

" I cannot forego a single condition already offered."

" It is not expected, Senor. Our excellent and generous
mistress granteth all you ask, and hath nobly offered, as I
learn, to pledge her private jewels, rather than that the en
terprise fail."

Columbus was deeply touched with this information, and
removing his cap, he concealed his face with it, for a mo
ment, as if ashamed to betray the weakness that came over
him. When he uncovered his face it was radiant with
happiness, and every doubt appeared to have vanished.
Years of suffering were forgotten in that moment of joy,
and he immediately signified his readiness to accompany
the youth back to Santa Fe.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 137

CHAPTER IX.

"How beautiful is genius when combined
With holiness ! Oh ! how divinely sweet
The tones of earthly harp, whose chords are touch'd
By the soft hand of Piety, and hung
Upon Religion's shrine, there vibrating
With solemn music in the ear of God!"

JOHN WILSON.

COLUMBUS was received by his friends Luis de St. Angel
and Alonzo de Quintanilla, with a gratification they found
it difficult to express. They were loud in their eulogiums
,on Isabella, and added to the assurances of Don Luis, such
proofs of the seriousness of the queen's intentions, as to
remove all doubts from the mind of the navigator. He was
then, without further delay, conducted to the presence.

" Senor Colon," said Isabella, as the Genoese advanced
and knelt at her feet, " you are welcome back, again. All
our misunderstandings are finally removed, and henceforth,
I trust that we shall act cheerfully and unitedly to produce
the same great end. Rise, Senor, and receive this as a
gage of my support and friendship."

Columbus saluted the offered hand, arid arose from his
knees. At that instant, there was probably no one present
whose feelings were not raised to the buoyancy of hope;
for it was a peculiarity connected with the origin and exe
cution of this great enterprise, that after having been urged
for so long a period, amid sneers, and doubts, and ridicule,
it was at first adopted with something very like enthusiasm.

"Senora," returned. Columbus, whose grave aspect and
noble mien contributed not a little to the advancement of
his views — " Senora, my heart thanks you for this kind
ness — so welcome because so little hoped for, this morning
— and God will reward it. We have great things in re
serve, and I devoutly wish we may be all found equal to
12*

138 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

our several duties. I hope my Lord the King will not with
hold from my undertaking the light of his gracious
countenance."

" You are a servitor of Castile. Seiior Colon, though
little is attempted for even this kingdom, without the appro
bation and consent of the King of Aragon. Don Fernando
hath been gained over to our side, though his greater caution
and superior wisdom have not as easily fallen into the mea
sure, as woman's faith and woman's hopes."

" I ask no higher wisdom, no truer faith, than those of
Isabella's," said the navigator, with a grave dignity that ren
dered, the compliment so much the more acceptable, by
giving it every appearance of sincerity. " Her known pru
dence shall turn from me the derision of the light-minded
and idle, and on her royal word I place all my hopes.
Henceforth, and I trust for ever, I am Your Highness's
subject and servant."

The queen was deeply impressed with the air of lofty
truth that elevated the thoughts and manners of the speaker.
Hitherto, she had seen but little of the navigator, and never,
before, under circumstances that enabled her so thoroughly
to feel the influence of his air and deportment. Columbus
had not the finish of manner that it is fancied courts only
can bestow, and which it would be more just to refer to lives
devoted to habits of pleasing ; but the character of the man
shone through the exterior, and, in his case, all that artificial
training could supply fell short of the noble aspect of na
ture, sustained by 'high aspirations. To a commanding
person, and a gravity that was heightened by the loftiness
of his purposes, Columbus added the sober earnestness of a
deeply seated and an all-pervading enthusiasm, which threw
the grace of truth and probity on what he said and did.
No quality of his mind was more apparent than its sense
of right, as right was then considered in connection with
the opinions of the age ; and it is a singular circumstance
that the greatest adventure of modern times was thus con
fided by Providence, as it might be with especial objects, to
the care of a sovereign and to the hands of an executive
leader, who were equally distinguished by the possession
of so rare a characteristic.

" I thank you, Senor, for this proof of confidence," re-

I

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 139

turned the queen, both surprised and gratified ; " and so
long as God giveth me power to direct, and knowledge to
decide, your interests, as well as those of this long-cher
ished scheme, shall be looked to. But we are not to exclude
the king from our confederacy, since he hath been finally
gained to our opinions, and no doubt now as anxiously
fooketh forward to success as we do ourselves."

Columbus bowed his acquiescence, and the conjugal
affection of Isabella was satisfied with this concession to
her husband's character and motives ; for, while it was im
possible that one so pure and ardent in the cause of virtue,
and as disinterested as the queen, should not detect some
of the selfishness of Ferdinand's cautious policy, the feel
ings of a wife so far prevailed in her breast, over the saga
city of the sovereign, as to leave her blind to faults that the
enemies of Aragon were fond of dwelling on. All admitted
the truth of Isabella, but Ferdinand had far less credit with
his contemporaries, either on the score of faith or on that
of motives. Still he might have been ranked among the
most upright of the reigning princes of Europe, his faults
being rendered the more conspicuous, perhaps, from being
necessarily placed in such close connection with, and in
such vivid contrast to, the truer virtues of the queen. In
short, these two sovereigns,^ so intimately united by per
sonal and political interests, merely exhibited on their
thrones a picture that may be seen, at any moment, in all
the inferior gradations of the social scale, in which the
worldly views and meretricious motives of man, serve .is
foils to the truer heart, sincerer character, and more chas
tened conduct of woman.

Don Fernando now appeared, and he joined in the dis
course in a manner to show that he considered himself fully
committed to redeem the pledges given by his wife. The
historians have told us that he had been won over by the
intercessions of a favourite, though the better opinion would
seem to be that deference for Isabella, whose pure earnest
ness in the cause of virtue often led him from his more
selfish policy, lay at the bottom of his compliance. What
ever may have been the motive, however, it is certain that
the king never entered into tho undertaking with the ardent,

140 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

zealous, endeavours to insure success, which, from that
moment, distinguished the conduct of his royal consort.

" We have recovered our truant," said Isabella, as her
husband approached, her eyes lighting and her cheeks
flushed with a pious enthusiasm, like those of Mercedes de
Valverde, who was an entranced witness of all -that was
passing. " We have recovered our truant, and there is not
a moment of unnecessary delay to be permitted, until he
shall be sent forth on this great voyage. Should he truly
attain Cathay and the Indies, it will be a triumph to the
church even exceeding this conquest of the territories of
the Moor."

" I am pleased to see Seilor Colon at Santa Fe, again,"
courteously returned the king, " and if he but do the half of
that thou seemest to expect, we shall have reason to rejoice
that our countenance hath not been withheld. He may not
render the crown of Castile still more powerful, but he may
so far enrich himself that, as a subject, he will have diffi
culty in finding the proper uses for his gold."

" There will always be a use for the gold of a Chris
tian," answered the navigator, " while the Infidel rcmaineth
the master of the Holy Sepulchre."

" How is this !" exclaimed Ferdinand, in his quick, sharp
voice : " dost thou think, Senor, of a crusade, as well as
of discovering new regions ?"

" Such, Your Highness, it hath long been my hope, would
be the first appropriation of the wealth that will, out of
question, flow from the discovery of a new and near route
to the Indies. Is it not a blot on Christendom that the
Mussulman should be permitted to raise his profane altars
on the spot that Christ visited on earth; where, indeed, he
was born, and where his holy remains lay until his glo
rious resurrection ? This foul disgrace, there are hearts and
swords enough ready to wipe out ; all that is wanted is
gold. If the first desire of my heart be, to become the
instrument of leading the way to the East, by a western
and direct passage, the second is, to see the riches that will
certainly follow such a discovery, devoted to the service of
God, by rearing anew -his altars, and reviving his worship,
in the land where he endured his agony and gave up the
ghost for the sins of men."

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 141

Isabella smiled at the navigator's enthusiasm, though,
sooth to say, the sentiment found something of an echo in
her pious bosom ; albeit the age of crusades appeared to
have gone by. Not so exactly with Ferdinand. He smiled
also, but no answering sentiment of holy zeal was awakened
within him. He felt, on the contrary, a strong distrust of
the wisdom of committing the care of even two insignificant
caravels, and the fate of a sum as small as three thousand
crowns, to a visionary, who had scarcely made a com
mencement in one extremely equivocal enterprise, before
his thoughts were running on the execution of another,
that had baffled the united efforts and pious constancy of
all Europe. To him, the discovery of a western passage
to the Indies, and the repossession of the holy sepulchre,
were results that were equally problematical, and it would
have been quite sufficient to incur his distrust, to believe in
the practicability of either. Here, however, was a man
who was about to embark in an attempt to execute the first,
holding in reserve the last, as a consequence of success in
the undertaking in which he was already engaged.

There were a few minutes, during which Ferdinand se
riously contemplated the defeat 'of the Genoese's schemes,
and had the discourse terminated here, it is uncertain how
far his cool and calculating policy might have prevailed
over the good faith, sincere integrity, and newly awakened
enthusiasm of his wife. Fortunately, the conversation had
gone on while he was meditating on this subject, and when
he rejoined the circle he found the queen and the navigator
pursuing the subject with an earnestness that had entirely
overlooked his momentary absence.

" I shall show Your Highness all that she demandeth,"
continued Columbus, in answer to a question of the queen's.
" It is my expectation to reach the territories of the Great
Khan, the descendant of the monarch who was visited by
the Polos, a century since ; at which time a strong desire
to embrace the religion of Christ was manifested by many
in that gorgeous court, the sovereign included. We are
told in the sacred books of .prophecy, that the day is to
arrive when the whole earth will worship the true and
living God ; and that time, it would seem, from many signs
and tokens that are visible to those who seek them, draweth

142 MEKCEDES OF CASTILE.

near, and is full of hope to such as honour God and seek
his glory. To bring all those vast regions in subjection to
the church, needeth but a constant faith, sustained by the
delegated agencies of the priesthood, and the protecting
hands of princes."

"This hath a seeming probability," observed the queen,
" and Providence so guide us in this mighty undertaking,
that it may come to pass ! Were those Polos pious mis
sionaries, Senor?"

" They were but travellers ; men who sought their own
advantage, while they were not altogether unmindful of the
duties of religion. It may be well, Senora, first to plant
the cross in the islands, and thence to spread the truth over
the main land. Cipango, in particular, is a promising re
gion for the commencement of the glorious work, which,
no doubt, will proceed with all the swiftness of a miracle."

" Is this Cipango known to produce spices, or aught that
may serve to uphold a sinking treasury, and repay us for
so much cost and risk ?" asked the king, a little inoppor
tunely for the zeal of the two other interlocutors.

Isabella looked pained, the prevailing trait in Ferdi
nand's character often causing her to feel as affectionate
wives are wont to feel when their husbands forget to think,
act, or speak up to the level of their own warm-hearted
and virtuous propensities ; but she suffered no other sign
of the passing emotion to escape her.

"According to the accounts of Marco Polo, Your High
ness," answered Columbus, " earth hath no richer island.
It aboundeth especially in gold ; nor are pearls and pre
cious stones at all rare. But all that region is a quarter
of infinite wealth and benighted infidelity. Providence
seemeth to have united the first with the last, as a reward
to the Christian monarch who shall use his power to extend
the sway of the church. The sea, thereabouts, is covered
with smaller islands, Marco telling us that no less than
seven thousand four hundred and forty have been enume
rated, not one of all which doth not produce some odorife
rous tree, or plant of delicious perfume. It is then, thither,
gracious Lord and Lady, my honoured sovereigns, that I
propose to proceed at once, leaving all meaner objects, to
exalt the two kingdoms and to serve the church. Should

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 143

we reach Cipango in safety, as, by the blessing of God,
acting on a zeal and faith that are not easily shaken, I trust
we shall be able to do, in the course of two months' diligent
navigation, it will be my next purpose to pass over to the
continent, and seek the Khan himself, in his kingdom of
Cathay. The day that my foot touches the Jctnd of Asia
will be a glorious day for Spain, and for all who have had
a part in the accomplishment of so great an enterprise !"

Ferdinand's keen eyes were riveted on the navigator, as
he thus betrayed his hopes with the quiet but earnest man-
ner of deep enthusiasm, and he might have been at a loss,
himself, just at that moment, to have analyzed his own
feelings. The picture of wealth that Columbus had con-
jured to his imagination, was as enticing, as his cold and
calculating habits of distrust and caution rendered it ques
tionable. Isabella heard only, or thought only of the pious
lono-ing-5 of her pure spirit for the conversion and salvation
of the Infidels, and thus each of the two sovereigns had a
favourite impulse to bind him, or her, to the prosecution of
the voyage.

After this, the conversation entered more into details, and
the heads of the terms demanded by Columbus were gone
over again, and approved of by those who were most in
terested in the matter. All thought of the archbishop and
his objections was momentarily lost, and had the Genoese
been a monarch, treating with monarchs, he could not have
had more reason to be satisfied with the respectful manner
in which his terms were heard. Even his proposal to
receive one-eighth of the profits of this, and all future ex
peditions to the places he might discover, on condition of
his advancing an equal proportion of the outfits, was cheer
fully acceded to ; making him, at once, a partner with the
crown, in the risks and benefits of the many undertakings
that it was hoped would follow from the success of this.

Luis de St. Angel and Alonzo de Quintanilla quitted the
royal presence, in company with Columbus. They saw
him to his lodgings, and left him with a respect and cor
diality of manner, that cheered a heart which had lately
been so bruised and disappointed. As they walked away,
in company, the former, who, notwithstanding the liberality
of his views and his strong support of the navigator, was

144 MKllCEDES OF CASTILE.

not apt to suppress his thoughts, opened a dialogue in the
following manner.

" By all the saints ! friend Alonzo," he exclaimed, " but
this Colon carrieth it with a high hand among us, and in a
way, sometimes, to make me doubt the prudence of our in
terference. He hath treated with the two sovereigns like a
monarch, arid like a monarch hath he carried his point !"

" Who hath aided him more than thyself, friend Luis ?"
returned Alonzo de Quintanilla ; " for, without thy bold
assault on Doiia Isabella's patience, the matter had been
decided against this voyage, and the Genoese would still be
on his way to the court of King Louis."

" I regret it not ; the chance of keeping the Frenchman
within modest bounds being worth a. harder effort. Her
Highness — Heaven and all the saints unite to bless her for
her upright intentions and generous thoughts — will never
regret the trifling cost, even though bootless, with so crreat
an aim in view. But now the thing is done, I marvel, iny.
self, that a Queen of Castile and a King of Aragon should
grant such conditions to an unknown and nameless sea
farer ; one that hath neither services, family, nor gold, to
recommend him !"

" Hath he not had Luis de St. Angel of his side?"

"That hath he," returned the receiver-general, "and
that right stoutly, too ; and for good and sufficient cause.
I only marvel at our success, and at the manner in which
this Colon hath borne himself in the affair. I much feared
that the high price he set upon his services might ruin all
our hopes."

"And yet thou didst reason with the queen, as if thou
thought's! it insignificant, compared with the good that
would come of the voyage."

"Is there aught wonderful in this, my worthy friend?
We consume our means in efforts to obtain our ends, and,
while suffering under the exhaustion, begin first to see the
other side of the question. I am chiefly surprised at mine
own success ! As for this Genoese, he is, truly, a most
wonderful man, and, in my heart, I think him right in de
manding such high conditions. If he succeed, who so great
as he? and, if he fail, the conditions will do him no good,
and Castile little harm."

MKRCEDES OF CASTILE. 145

" I have remarked, Seiior de St. Angel, that when grave
men set a light value on themselves, the world is apt to
take them at their word, though willing enough to laugh at
the pretensions of triflers. After all, the high demands of
Colon may have done him much service, since their High
nesses could not but feel that they were negotiating with
one who had faith in his own projects."

" It is much as thou sayest, Alonzo ; men often prizing
us as we seem to prize ourselves, so long as we act at
all up to the level of our pretensions. But there is sterling
merit in this Colon, to sustain him in all that he sayeth and
doth ; wisdom of speech, dignity and gravity of mien, and
nobleness of feeling and sentiment. Truly, I have listened
to the man when he hath seemed inspired !"

"Well, he hath now good occasion to manifest whether
this inspiration be of the true quality or not," returned the
other. " Of a verity, I often distrust the wisdom of our
own conclusions."

In this manner, did even these two zealous friends of
Columbus discuss his character and chances of success ;
for, while they were among the most decided of his sup
porters, and had discovered the utmost readiness to uphold
him, when his cause seemed hopeless, now that the means
were likely to be' afforded to allow him to demonstrate the
justice of his opinions, doubts and misgivings beset their
minds. Such is human nature. Opposition awakens our
zeal, quickens our apprehension, stimulates our reason and
emboldens our opinions ; while, thrown back upon our
selves for the proofs of what we have been long stoutly
maintaining under the pressure of resistance, we begin to
distrust the truth of our own theories and to dread the de
monstrations of a failure. Even the first disciples of the
Son of God faltered most in their faith as his predictions
were being realized ; and most reformers are never so dog
matical and certain as when battling for their principles, or
so timid and wavering as when they are about to put their
own long-cherished plans in execution. In all this, we might
see a wise provision of Providence, which gives us zeal to
overcome difficulties, and prudence when caution and mo
deration become virtues rather than faults.

VOL. I. 13

146 MEHCKDES OF CASTILE.

Although Luis de St. Angel and his friend conversed thus
freely together, however, they did not the less continue true
to their original feelings. Their doubts were transient and
of little account ; and it was remarked of them, whenever
they were in the presence of Columbus, himself, that the
calm, steady, but deeply seated enthusiasm of that extra
ordinary man, did not fail to carry with him, the opinions
not only of these steady supporters, but those of most
other listeners.

CHAPTER X.

— " Song is on thy hills :
Oh, sweet and mournful melodies of Spain,
That lull'd my boyhood, how your memory thrills
The exile's heart with sudden-wakening pain."

The Forest Sanctuary.

FROM the moment that Isabella pledged her royal word
to support Columbus in his great design, all reasonable
doubts of the sailing of the expedition ceased, though few
anticipated any results of importance. Of so much greater
magnitude, indeed, did the conquest of the kingdom of
Granada appear, at that instant, than any probable conse
quences which could follow from this novel enterprise, that
the latter was almost overlooked in the all-absorbing in-
terest that was connected with the former.

There was one youthful and generous heart, however,
all of whose hopes were concentrated in the success of the
great voyage. It is scarcely necessary to add, we mean
that of Mercedes de Valverde. She had watched the recent
events as they occurred, with an intensity of expectation
that perhaps none but the youthful, fervent, inexperienced,
and uncorrupted, can feel; and now that all her hopes
were about to be realized, a tender and generous joy dif-

MEKCEDES OF CASTILE. 147

fused itself over her whole moral system, in a way to ren
der her happiness, for the time, even blissful. Although
she loved so truly and with so much feminine devotedness,
nature had endowed this warm-hearted young creature with
a sagacity and readiness of apprehension, which, when
quickened by the sentiments that are so apt to concentrate
all the energies of her sex, showed her the propriety of the
distrust of the queen and her guardian, and fully justified
their hesitation in her eyes, which were rather charmed
than blinded by the ascendency of her passion. She knew
too well what was due to her virgin fame, her high ex
pectations, her great name, and her elevated position near
the person, and in the immediate confidence, of Isabella,
even to wish her hand unworthily bestowed ; and while she
deferred, with the dignity and discretion of birth and female
decorum, to all that opinion and prudence could have a
right to ask of a noble maiden, she confided in her lover's
power to justify her choice, with the boundless confidence
of a woman. Her aunt had taught her to believe that this
voyage of the Genoese was likely to lead to great events,
and her religious enthusiasm, like that of the queen's, led
her to expect most of that which she so fervently wished.

During the time it was known to those near the person
of Isabella, that the conditions between the sovereigns and
the navigator were being reduced to writing and were re
ceiving the necessary forms, Luis neither sought an inter
view with his mistress, nor was accidentally favoured in
that way ; but, no sooner was it understood Columbus
had effected all that he deemed necessary in this particular,
and had quitted the court for the coast, than the young man
threw himself, at once, on the generosity of his aunt, be
seeching her to favour his views now that he was about to
leave Spain on an adventure that most regarded as despe
rate. All he asked was a pledge of being well received by
his mistress and her friends, on his return successful.

" 1 see that thou hast taken a lesson from this new mas
ter of thine," answered the high-souled but kind-hearted
Beatriz, smiling — " and would fain have thy terms also.
But thou knowcst, Luis, that Mercedes de Valverde is no
peasant's child to be lightly cared for, but that she cometh
of the noblest blood of Spain, having had a Guzman for a

148 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

mother, and Mcndozas out of number among her kinsmen.
She is, moreover, one of the richest heiresses of Castile ;
and it would ill become her guardian to forget her watch
fulness, under such circumstances, in behalf of one of the
idle wanderers of Christendom, simply because he hap-
pencth to be her own beloved brother's son."

"And if the Dona Mercedes be all thou sayest, Senora
— and thou hast not even touched upon her highest claims
to merit, her heart, her beauty, her truth and her thousand
virtues — but if she be all that thou sayest, Dona Beatriz,
is a Bobadilla unworthy of her?"

" How ! if she be, moreover, all tliov, sayest too, Don
Luis ! The heart, the truth, and the thousand virtues !
Methinks a shorter catalogue might content one who is
himself so great a rover, lest some of these qualities be
lost, in his many journeys !"

Luis laughed, in spite of himself, at the affected serious
ness of his aunt ; and then successfully endeavouring to
repress a little resentment that her language awakened, he
answered in a way to do no discredit to a well-established
reputation for good -nature.

" I cannot call thee * Daughter-Marchioness,' in imitation
of Her Highness," he answered, with a coaxing smile, so
like that her deceased brother was wont to use when dis
posed to wheedle her out of some concession, that it fairly
caused Dona Beatriz to slart — " but I can say with more
truth, ' Aunt-Marchionessf' — and a very dear aunt, too —
wilt thou visit a little youthful indiscretion so severely?
I had hoped, now Colon was about to set forth, that all
was forgotten in the noble and common end we have in
view."

" Luis," returned the aunt, regarding her nephew with
the severe resolution that was so often exhibited in her
acts, as well as in her words, " dost think that a mere dis
play of courage will prove sufficient to win Mercedes from
me ? to put. to sleep the vigilance of her friends ? to gain the
approbation of her guardian? Learn, too confident boy,
that Mercedes de Guzman was the companion of my child
hood ; my warmest, dearest friend, next to Her Highness ;
and that she put all fntih in my disposition to do full justice
by her child. She died by slow degrees, and the fate of

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 149

the orphan was often discussed between us. That she
could ever become the wife of any but a Christian noble,
neither of us imagined possible; but there are so many
different characters under the same outward professions,
that names deceived us not. I do believe that poor woman
bethought her more of her child's future worldly fortunes,
than of her own sins, and that she prayed oftener for the
happy conclusion of the first, than for the pardon of the
last ! Thou knowest little of the strength of a mother's
love, Luis, and canst not understand all the doubts that
beset the heart, when the parent is compelled to leave a
tender plant, like Mercedes, to the cold nursing of a selfish
and unfeeling world."

" I can readily fancy the mother of my love fitted for
heaven without the usual interpositions of masses and pa
ters, Dona Beatriz ; but have aunts no consideration for
nephews, as well as mothers for children?"

" The tie is close and strong, my child, and yet is it not
parental ; nor art thou a sensitive, true-hearted, enthusiastic
girl, filled with the confidence of thy purity, and overflowing
with the affections thaf, in th~ end, make mothers what
they are."

" By San lago f and am I not the very youth to render
such a creature happy? J, too, am sensitive — too much
so, in sooth, for my own peace : I, too, am true-hearted,
as is seen by my having had but this one love, when I
might have had fifty ; and if I am not exactly overflowing
with the confidence of purity, I have the confidence of
youJh, health, strength and courage, which is quite as use
ful for a cavalier ; and I have abundance of the affection
that makes good fathers, which is all that can reasonably
be asked of a man."

" Thou, then, thinkest thyself, truant, every way worthy
to be the husband of Mercedes de Valverde ?"

" Nay, aunt of mine, thou hast a searching way with
thy questions ! Who is, or can be, exactly worthy of so
much excellence ! I may not be altogether deserving of
her, but, then again, I am not altogether undeserving of
her. I am quite as noble, nearly as well endowed with
estates, of suitable years, of fitting address as a knight,
and love her better than I love my own soul. Methinks the
13*

150 MEHCEDES OF CASTILE.

last should count for something, since he that loveth de
votedly, will surely strive to render its object happy."

"Thou art a silly, inexperienced boy, with a most excel
lent heart, a happy careless disposition, and a head that
was made to hold better thoughts than commonly reside
there !" exclaimed the aunt, giving way to an impulse of
natural feeling, ever while she frowned on her nephew's
folly. " But, hear me, and for once think gravely, and
reflect on what I say. I have told thee of the mother of
Mercedes, of her dying doubts, her anxiety, and of her
confidence in me. Her Highness and I were alone with
her, the morning of the day that her spirit took its flight
to heaven ; and then she poured out all her feelings, in a
way that has left on us both, an impression that can never
cease while aught can be done by either for the security of
the daughter's happiness. Thou hast thought the queen
unkind. I know not but, in thy intemperate speech, thou
hast dared to charge Her Highness with carrying her care
for her subjects' well-being beyond a sovereign's rights" —

"Nay, Dona Beatriz,". hastily interrupted Luis, "herein
thou dost me great injustice, I may have felt — no doubt I
have keenly, bitterly, felt the consequences of Dona Isa
bella's distrust of my constancy; but never has rebel
thought of mine even presumed to doubt her right to com
mand all our services, as well as all our lives. This is due
to her sacred authority from all ; but we, who so well
know the heart and motives of the queen, also know that
she doth nought from caprice or a desire to rule ; while she
doth so much from affection to her people."

As Don Luis uttered this with an earnest look, and fea
tures flushed with sincerity, it was impossible not to see
that he meant as much as he said.^ylf men considered the
consequences that often attend their lightest words, less
levity of speech would be used) and the office of tale
bearer, the meanest station in the whole catalogue of so
cial rank, would become extinct for want of occupation.
Few cared less, or thought less, about the consequences of
what they uttered, than Luis de Bobadilla ; and yet this
hasty but sincere reply did him good service with more
than one of those who exercised a material influence over
his fortunes. The honest praise of the queen went directly

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 151

to the heart of the Marchioness, who rather idolized than
loved her royal mistress, the long and close intimacy that
had existed between them having made her thoroughly ac
quainted with the pure and almost holy character of Isa
bella ; and when she repeated the words of her nephew to
the ]atter, her own well-established reputation for truth
caused them to be implicitly believed. Whatever may be
the correctness of our views in general, one of the most
certain ways to the feelings is the assurance of being re
spected and esteemed ; while, of all the divine mandates,
the most difficult to find obedience is that which tells us to
" love those who hate" us. Isabella, notwithstanding her
high destiny and lofty qualities, was thoroughly a woman ;
and when she discovered that in spite of her own coldness
to the youth, he really entertained so much profound de
ference for her character, and appreciated her feelings and
motives in a way that conscience told her she merited, she
was much better disposed to look at his peculiar faults with
indulgence, and to ascribe that to mere animal spirits, which,
under less favourable auspices, might possibly have been
mistaken for ignoble propensities.

But this is a little anticipating- events. The first conse
quence of Luis's speech was a milder expression in the
countenance of his aunt, and a disposition to consider his
entreaties to be admitted to a private interview with Mer
cedes, with more indulgence.

" I may have done thee injustice in this, Luis," resumed
Doua Beatriz, betraying in her manner the sudden change
of feeling mentioned ; " for I do think thee conscious of
thy duty to Her Highness, and of the almost heavenly
sense of justice that reigneth in her heart, and through that
heart, in Castile. Thou hast not lost in my esteem by ihus
exhibiting thy respect and love for the queen, for it is im
possible to have any regard for female virtue, and not to
manifest it to its best representative."

" Do I not, also, dear aunt, in my attachment to thy
ward ? Is not my very choice, in some sort, a pledge of
the truth and justice of my feelings in these particulars ?"

" Ah ! Luis de Bobadilla, it is not difficult to teach the
heart to lean towards the richest and the noblest, when she
happeneth also to be the fairest, maiden of Spain !"

152 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" And am I a hypocrite, Marchioness ? Dost thou accuse
the son of thy brother of being a feigner of that which he
doth not feel ? — one influenced by so mean a passion as the
love of gold and of lands ?"

"Foreign lands, heedless boy," returned the aunt,
smiling, " but not of others' lands. No, Luis, none that
know thee will accuse thee of hypocrisy. We believe in
the truth and ardour of thy attachment, and it is for that
very cause that we most distrust thy passion."

" How ! Are feigned feelings of more repute with the
queen and thyself, than real feelings? A spurious and fan
cied love, than the honest, downright, manly passion T'

" It is this genuine feeling, this honest, downright, manly
passion, as thou termest it, which is most apt to awaken
sympathy in the tender bosom of a young girl. There is
no truer touch-stone, by which to try the faithfulness of
feelings, than the heart, when the head is not turned by
vanity ; and the more unquestionable the passion, the easier
is it for its subject to make the discovery. Two drops of
water do not glide together more naturally than two hearts,
nephew, when there is a strong affinity between them.
Didst thou not really love Mercedes, as my near and dear
relative, thou might'st laugh and sing in her company at
all times that should be suitable for the dignity of a maiden,
and if would not cause me an uneasy moment."

"I am thy near and dear relative, aunt of mine, with a
miracle ! and yet it is more difficult for me to get a sight
of thy ward" —

" Who is the especial care of the Queen of Castile."

" Well, be it so ; and why should a Bobadilla be pro
scribed by even a Queen of Castile ?"

Luis then had recourse to his most persuasive powers,
and, improving the little advantage he had gained, by dint
of coaxing and teasing he so far prevailed on Dona Beatriz
as to obtain a promise that she would apply to the queen
for permission to grant him one private interview with Mer
cedes. We say the queen, since Isabella, distrusting the
influence of blood, had cautioned the Marchioness on this
subject ; and the prudence of letting the young people see
each other as little as possible, had been fully settled
between them. It was in redeeming this promise, that the

MERCEDES OF CASTllE. 153

aunt related the substance of the conversation that has just
been given, and mentioned to her royal mistress the state
of her nephew's feelings as respected herself. The effect
of such information was necessarily favourable to the
young man's views, and one of its first fruits was the de
sired permission to have the interview he sought.

" They are not sovereigns," remarked the queen, with a
smile that the favourite could see was melancholy, though
it surpassed her means of penetration to say whether it
proceeded from a really saddened feeling, or whether it
were merely the manner in which the mind is apt to glance
backward at emotions that it is known can never be again
awakened in our bosoms; — " they are not sovereigns,
Daughter-Marchioness, to woo by proxy, and wed as
strangers. It may not be wise to , suffer the intercourse
to become too common, but it were cruel to deny the youth,
as he is about to depart on an , enterprise of so doubtful
issue, one opportunity to declare his passion and to make
his protestations of constancy. If thy ward hath, in truth,
any tenderness for him, the recollection of this interview
will soothe many a weary hour while Don Luis is away."

" And add fuel to the flame," returned Dona Beatriz,
pointedly.

" We know not that, my good Beatriz, since, the heart
being softened by the power of God to a sense of its reli
gious duties, may not the same kind hand direct it and
shield it in the indulgence of its more worldly feelings ?
Mercedes will never forget her duty, and, the imagination
feeding itself, it may not be the wisest course to leave that
of an enthusiast like our young charge, so entirely to
its own pictures. Realities are often less hazardous than
the creatures of the fancy. Then, thy nephew will not. be
a loser by the occasion, for, by keeping constantly in view
the object he now seemeth to pursue so earnestly, he will
the more endeavour to deserve success."

" I much fear, Sefiora, that the best conclusions are not
to be depended on in an aiFair that touches the wayward
ness of 'the feelings."

" Perhaps not, Beatriz ; and yet I do not see that we can
well *deny this interview, now that Don Luis is so near
departure. Tell him I accord him that which he so

154 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

desireth, and let him bear in mind that a grandee should
never quit Castile without presenting himself before his
sovereign."

" I fear, Your Highness," returned the marchioness,
laughing, " that Don Luis will feel this last command, how
ever gracious and kind in fact, as a strong rebuke, since he
hath more than once done this already, without even pre
senting himself before his own aunt !"

" On those occasions he went idly, and without consi
deration ; but he is now engaged in an honourable and
noble enterprise, and we will make it apparent to him that
all feel the difference."

The conversation now changed, it being understood that
the request of the young man was to be granted. Isabella
had, in this instance, departed from a law she had laid down
for her own government, under the influence of her wo
manly feelings, which often caused her to forget that she
was a queen, when no very grave duties existed to keep
alive the recollection ; for it would have been difficult to
decide in which light this pure-minded and excellent female
most merited the esteem of mankind — in her high char
acter as a just and conscientious sovereign, or when she
acted more directly under the gentler impulses of her sex.
As for her friend, she was perhaps more tenacious of doing
what she conceived to be her duty, by her ward, than the
queen herself; since, with a greater responsibility, she was
exposed to the suspicion of acting with a design to increase
the wealth and to strengthen the connections of her own
family. Still, the wishes of Isabella were laws to the Mar
chioness of Moya, and she sought an early opportunity to
acquaint her ward with her intention to allow Don Luis, for
once, to plead his own cause with his mistress, before he
departed on his perilous and mysterious enterprise.

Our heroine received this intelligence with the mingled
sensations of apprehension, delight, misgivings, and joy,
that are so apt to beset the female heart, in the fresh
ness of its affections, when once brought in subjection to
the master-passion. She had never thought it possible Luis
would sail on an expedition like that in which he was en
gaged, without endeavouring to see her alone ; but? now
she was assured that both the queen and her guardian ac-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 155

quiesced in his being admitted, she almost regretted their
compliance. These contradictory emotions, however, soon
subsided in the tender melancholy that gradually drew
around her manner, as the hour for the departure ap
proached. Nor were her feelings on the subject of Luis's
ready enlistment in the expedition, more consistent. At times
she exulted in her lover's resolution, and in his manly de
votion to glory and the good of the church ; remembering
with pride that, of all the high nobility of Castile, he alone
ventured life and credit with the Genoese ; and then, again,
tormenting doubts came over her, as she feared that the
love of roving, and of adventure, was quite as active in
his heart, as love of herself. But, in all this there was
nothing new. The more pure and ingenuous the feelings
of those who truly submit to the influence of this passion,
the more keenly alive are their distrusts apt to be, and the
more tormenting their misgivings of themselves.

Her mind made up, Dona Beatriz acted fairly by the
young people. As soon as Luis was admitted to her own
presence, on the appointed morning, she told him that he
was expected by Mercedes, who was waiting his appear
ance in the usual reception-room. Scarce giving himself
time to kiss the hand of his aunt, and to make those other
demonstrations of respect that the customs of the age re
quired from the young to their seniors — more especially
when there existed between them a tie of blood as close as
that which united the Marchioness of Moya with the Conde
de Llera — the young man bounded away, and was soon
in the presence of his mistress. As Mercedes was prepared
for the interview, she betrayed the feeling of the moment
merely by a heightened colour, and the greater lustre of
eyes that were always bright, though often so soft and
melancholy.

11 Luis !" escaped from her, and then, as if ashamed of
the emotion betrayed in the very tones of her voice, she
withdrew the foot that had involuntarily advanced to meet
him, even while she kept a hand extended in friendly con
fidence.

" Mercedes !"' and the hand was withdrawn to put a stop
to the kisses with which it was covered. " Thou art harder
to be seen, of late, than it will be to discover this Cathay

156 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

of the Genoese ; for, between the Dona Isabella and Dofia
Beatriz, never was paradise watched more closely by
guardian angels, than thy person is watched by thy pro
tectors."

"And can it be necessary, Luis, when thou art the danger
apprehended ?"

" Do they think I shall carry thee off, like some Moorish
girl borne away on the crupper of a Christian knight's sad
dle, and place thee in the caravel of Colon, that we may
go in search of Prestor John and the Great Khan, in com
pany ?"

" They may think thee capable of this act of madness,
dear Luis, but they will hardly suspect me."

" No, thou art truly a model of prudence in all matters
that require feeling for thy lover."

" Luis !" exclaimed the girl, again ; and this time un
bidden tears started to her eyes.

" Forgive me, Mercedes — dearest, dearest Mercedes ; but
this delay and all these coldly cruel precautions make me
forget myself. Am I a needy and unknown adventurer,
that they treat me thus, instead of being a noble Castilian
knight !"

" Thou forgettest, Luis, that noble Castilian maidens are
not wont to see even noble Castilian cavaliers alone, and,
but for the gracious condescension of Her Highness, and
the indulgence of my guardian, who happeneth to be thy
aunt, this interview could not take place."

"Alone! — And dost thou call this being alone, or any
excessive favour on the part of Her Highness, when thou
seest that we are watched by the eye, if not by the ear ? I
fear to speak above my breath, lest the sounds should dis
turb that venerable lady's meditations !"

As Luis de Bobadilla uttered this, he glanced his eye at
the f gure of the duena of his mistress, whose person was
visible through an open door, in an adjoining room, where
the good woman sate, intently occupied in reading certain
homilies.

"Dost mean my poor Pepita," answered Mercedes,
laughing ; for the presence of her attendant, to whom she
had been accustomed from infancy, was no more restraint
on her own innocent thoughts and words, than would have

MEKCEDES OF CASTILE. 157

proved a reduplication of herself, had such a thing been
possible. " Many have been her protestations against this
meeting, which she insists is contrary to all rule among
noble ladies, and which, she says, would never have been
accorded by my poor, sainted, mother, were she still
living."

"Ay, she hath a look that is sufficient of itself to set
every generous mind a-tilting with her. One can see envy
of thy beauty and youth, in every wrinkle of her unami-
able face."

" Then little dost thou know my excellent Pepita, who
envieth nothing, and who hath but one marked weakness,
and that is, too much affection, and too much indulgence,
for myself."

" I detest a duena ; ay, as I detest an Infidel !"

" Senor," said Pepita, whose vigilant ears, notwithstand
ing her book and the homilies, heard all that passed, " this
is a common feeling among youthful cavaliers, I fear ; but
they tell me that the very duena who is so displeasing to
the lover, getteth to be a grateful object, in time, with the
husband. As my features and wrinkles, however, are so
disagreeable to you, and no doubt cause you pain, by
closing this door the sight will be shut out, as, indeed, will
be the sound of my unpleasant cough, and of your own
protestations of love, Senor Knight."

This was said in much better language than was com
monly used by women of the duena's class, and with a
good-nature that seemed indomitable, it being completely
undisturbed by Luis's petulant remarks.

" Thou shalt not close the door, Pepita," cried Mercedes,
blushing rosy red, and springing forward to interpose her
own hand against the act. " What is there that the Conde
de Llera can have to say to one like me, that thou mayest
not. hear ?"

" Nay, dear child, the noble cavalier is about to talk of
love !"

"And is it thou, with whom the language of affection is
so uncommon, that it frighteneth thee ! Hath thy discourse
been of aught but love, since thou hast known and cared
forme?"

VOL. I 14

158 MEBCEDES OF CASTILE.

" It augureth badly for thy suit, Senor," said Pepita,
smiling, while she suspended the movement of the hand
that was about to close the door, " if Dona Mercedes
thinketh of your love as she thinketh of mine. Surely,
child, thou dost not fancy me a gay, gallant young noble,
come to pour out his soul at thy feet, and mistakest my
simple words of affection for such as will be likely to flow
from the honeyed tongue of a Bobadilla, bent on gaining
his suit with the fairest maiden of Castile V

Mercedes shrunk back, for, though innocent as purity
itself, her heart taught her the difference between the lan
guage of her lover and the language of her nurse, even
when each most expressed affection. Her hand released its
hold of the wood, and unconsciously was laid, with its
pretty fellow, on her crimsoned face. Pepita profited by
her advantage, and closed the door. A smile of triumph
gleamed on the handsome features of Luis, and, after he had
forced his mistress, by a gentle compulsion, to resume the
seat from which she had risen to meet him, he threw him
self on a stool at her feet, and stretching out his well-turned
limbs in an easy attitude, so as to allow himself to gaze
into the beautiful face that he had set up, like an idol,
before him, he renewed the discourse.

" This is a paragon of duenas," he cried, " and I might
have known that none of the ill-tempered, unreasonable
school of such beings, would be tolerated near thy person.
This Pepita is a jewel, and she may consider herself estab
lished in her office for life, if, by the cunning of this Ge
noese, mine own resolution, the queen's repentance, and
thy gentle favour, I ever prove so lucky as to become thy
husband."

" Thou forgettest, Luis," answered Mercedes, trembling
even while she laughed at her own conceit, " that if the
husband esteemeth the duena the lover could not endure,
that the lover may esteem the duena that the husband may
be unwilling to abide."

"Peste! these are crooked matters, and ill-suited to the
straight-forward philosophy of Luis de Bobadilla. There
is one thing only, which 1 can, or do, pretend to know, out
of any controversy, and that I am ready to maintain in the

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 159

face of all the doctors of Salamanca, or all the chivalry
of Christendom, that of the Infidel included ; which is,
that thou art the fairest, sweetest, best, most virtuous, and
in all things the most winning maiden of Spain, and that
no other living knight so loveth and honoureth his mistress
as I love and honour thee !"

The language of admiration is ever soothing to female
ears, and Mercedes, giving to the words of the youth an
impression of sincerity that his manner fully warranted,
forgot the duena and her little interruption, in the delight
of listening to declarations that were so grateful to her
affections. Still, the coyness of her sex, and the recent date
of their mutual confidence, rendered her answer less open
than it might otherwise have been.

" I am told," she said, " that you young cavaliers, who
pant for occasions to show your skill and courage with
the lance, and in the tourney, are ever making some such
protestations in favour of this or that noble maiden, in
order to provoke others like themselves to make counter
assertions, that they may show their prowess as knights,
and gain high names for gallantry."

" This cometh of being so much shut up in Dona Bea-
triz's private rooms, lest some bold Spanish eyes should
look profanely on thy beauty, Mercedes. We are not in
the age of the errants and the troubadours, when men
committed a thousand follies that they might be thought
weaker even than nature had made them. In that age,
your knights discoursed largely of love, but in our own
they feel it. In sooth, I think this savoureth of some of the
profound morality of Pepita !"

" Say nought against Pepita, Luis, who hath much be
friended thee to-day, else would thy tongue, and thine eyes
too, be under the restraint of her presence. But that which
thou termest the morality of the good duena, is, in truth,
the morality of the excellent and most noble Dona Bea-
triz de Cabrera, Marchioness of Moya, who was born a
lady of the House of Bobadilla, I believe."

" Well, well, I dare to say there is no great difference
between the lessons of a duchess and the lessons of a du
ena, in the privacy of the closet, when there is one like
thee, beautiful, and rich, and virtuous, to guard. They say

160 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

you young maidens are told that we cavaliers are so many
ogres, and that the only way to reach paradise is to think
nought of us but evil, and then, when some suitable mar
riage hath been decided on, the poor young creature is sud
denly alarmed by an order to come forth and be wedded to
one of these very monsters."

" And, in this mode, hast thou been treated ! It would
seem that much pains are taken to make the young of the
two sexes think ill of each other. But, Luis, this is pure
idleness, and we waste in it most precious moments ; mo
ments that may never return. How go matters with Colon
— and when is he like to quit the court ?"

" He hath already departed ; for having obtained all he
hath sought of the queen, he quitted Santa Fe, with the
royal authority to sustain him in the fullest manner. If
thou hearest aught of one Pedro de Munos, or Pero Gu
tierrez, at the court of Cathay, thou wilt know on whose
shoulders to lay his follies."

" I would rather that thou should'st undertake this voy
age in thine own name, Luis, than under a feigned appella
tion. Concealments of this nature are seldom wise, and
surely thou dost not undertake the enterprise" — the tell-tale
blood stole to the cheeks of Mercedes as she proceeded —
" with a motive that need bring shame."

" 'T is the wish of my aunt ; as for myself, I would put
thy favour in my casque, thy emblem on my shield, and let
it be known, far and near, that Luis of Llera sought the
court of Cathay with the intent to defy its chivalry to
produce as fair or as virtuous a maiden as thyself."

" We are not in the age of errants, sir knight, but in
one of reason and truth," returned Mercedes, laughing,
though every syllable that proved the earnest and entire
devotion of the young man went directly to her heart,
strengthening his hold on it, and increasing the flame that
burnt within, by adding the fuel that was most adapted to
that purpose — " we are not in the age of knights-errant,
Don Luis de Bobadilla, as thou thyself hast just affirmed ;
but one in which even the lover is reflecting, and as apt to
discover the faults of his lady-love, as to dwell upon her
perfections. I look for better things from thee, than to hear
that thou hast ridden through the highways of Cathay,

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 161

defying to combat, and seeking giants, in order to exalt my
beauty, and tempting others to decry it, if it were only out
of pure opposition to thy idle boastings. j\h ! Luis, thou
art now engaged in a most truly noble enterprise, one that
will join thy name to those of the applauded of men, and
which will form thy pride and exultation in after-life, when
the eyes of us both shall be dimmed by age, and we shall
look back with longings to discover aught of which to be
proud."

It was thrice pleasant to the youth to hear his mistress,
in the innocence of her heart, and in the fulness of her
feelings, thus uniting his fate with her own ; and when she
ceased speaking, all unconscious how much might be indi
rectly implied from her words, he still listened intently, as
if he would fain hear the sounds after they had died on
his ear.

" What enterprise can be nobler, more worthy to awaken
all my resolution, than to win thy hand !" he exclaimed,
after a short pause. " I follow Colon with no other ob
ject ; share his chances, to remove the objections of Dona
Isabella ; and will accompany him to the earth's end,
rather than that thy choice should be dishonoured. Thou
art my Great Khan, beloved Mercedes, and thy smiles and
affection are the only Cathay I seek."

" Say not so, dear Luis, for thou knowest not the no
bility of thine own soul, nor the generosity of thine own
intentions. This is a stupendous project of Colon's, and
much as I rejoice that he hath had the imagination to con
ceive it, and the heart to undertake it in his own person, on
account of the good it must produce to the heathen, and
the manner in which it will necessarily redound to the glory
of God, still I fear that I am equally gladdened with the
recollection that thy name will be for ever associated with
the great achievement, and thy detractors put to shame
with the resolution and spirit with which so noble an end
will have been attained."

" This is nothing but truth, Mercedes, should we reach
the Indies ; but, should the saints desert us, and our project
fail, I fear that even thou would'st be ashamed to confess
an interest in an unfortunate adventurer who hath returned
without success, and thereby made himself the subject of
14*

162 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

sneers and derision, instead of wearing the honourable dis
tinction that thou seemest so confidently to expect."

" Then, Luis de Bobadilla, thou knowest me not," an
swered Mercedes, hastily, and speaking with a tender
earnestness that brought the blood into her cheeks, gradu
ally brightening the brilliancy of her eyes, until they shone
with a lustre that seemed almost supernatural — " then, Luis
de Bobadilla, thou knowest me not. I wish thee to share
in the glory of this enterprise, because calumny and cen
sure have not been altogether idle with thy youth, and
because I feel that Her Highness's favour is most easily
obtained by it ; but, if thou believest that the spirit to en
gage with Colon was necessary to incline me to think
kindly of my guardian's nephew, thou neither understandest
the sentiments that draw me towards thee, nor hast a just
appreciation of the hours of sorrow I have suffered on thy
account."

" Dearest, most generous, noble-hearted girl, I am un
worthy of thy truth, of thy pure sincerity, and of all thy
devoted feelings ! Drive me from thee, at once, that I may
ne'er again cause thee a moment's grief."

" Nay, Luis, thy remedy, I fear me, would prove worse
than the disease that thou would'st cure," returned the beau
tiful girl, smiling and blushing as she spoke, and turning
her eloquent eyes on the youth in a way to avow volumes
of tenderness. " With thee must I be happy, or unhappy,
as Providence may will it ; or miserable without thee."

The conversation now took that unconnected, and yet com
prehensive cast, which is apt to characterize the discourse
of those who feel as much as they reason, and it covered
more interests, sentiments, and events, than our limits will
allow us to record. As usual, Luis was inconsistent, jea
lous, repentant, full of passion and protestations, fancying
a thousand evils at one instant, and figuring in his imagina
tion a terrestrial paradise at the next ; while Mercedes was
enthusiastic, generous, devoted, and yet high-principled,
self-denying, and womanly ; meeting her ardent suitor's
vows with a tenderness that seemed to lose all other consi
derations in her love, and repelling with maiden coyness,
and with the dignity of her sex, his rhapsodies, whenever
they touched upon the exaggerated and indiscreet,

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 163

The interview lasted an hour, and it is scarce necessary
to say that vows of constancy, and pledges never to marry
another, were given, again and again. As the time for
separating approached, Mercedes opened a small casket
that contained her jewels, and drew forth one which she
offered to her lover as a gage of her truth.

" I will not give thee a glove to wear in thy casque at
tourneys, Luis," she said, " but I offer this holy symbol,
which may remind thee, at the same moment, of the great
pursuit thou hast before thee, and of her who will wait its
issue with doubts and fears little less active than those of
Colon himself. Thou need'st no other crucifix to say thy
paters before, and these stones are sapphires, which thou
knowest are the tokens of fidelity — a feeling that thou
may'st encourage as respects thy lasting welfare, and
which it would not grieve me to know thou kept'st ever
active in thy bosom when thinking of the unworthy giver
of the trifle."

This was said half in melancholy, and half in lightness
of heart, for Mercedes felt at parting, both a weight of sor
row that was hard to be borne, and a buoyancy of the very
feeling to which she had just alluded, that much disposed
her to smile ; arid it was said with those winning accents
with which the youthful and tender avow their emotions,
when the heart is subdued by the thoughts of absence and
dangers. The gift was a small cross, formed of the stones
she had named, and of great intrinsic value, as well as
precious from the motives and character of her who
offered it.

" Thou hast had a care of my soul, in this, Mercedes,"
said Luis, smiling, when he had kissed the jewelled cross
again and again — " arid art resolved if the sovereign of
Cathay should refuse to be converted to our faith, that we
shall not be converted to his. I fear that my offering will
appear tame and valueless in thine eyes, after so precious
a boon."

" One lock of thy hair, Luis, is all I desire. Thou
knowest that I have no need of jewels."

" If I thought the sight of my bushy head would give
thee pleasure, every hair should quit it, and I would sail
from Spain with a poll as naked as a priest's, or even an

164 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

Infidel's ; but the Bobadillas have their jewels, and a Bo-
badilla's bride shall wear them : this necklace was my
mother's, Mercedes ; it is said to have once been the pro
perty of a queen, though none have ever worn it who will
so honour it as thou."

" I take it, Luis, for it is thy offering and may not be
refused ; and yet I take it tremblingly, for I see signs of
our different natures in these gifts. Thou hast chosen the
gorgeous and the brilliant, which pall in time, and seldom
lead to contentment ; while my woman's heart hath led me
to constancy. I fear some brilliant beauty of the East
would better gain thy lasting admiration than a poor Cas-
tilian maid who hath little but her faith and love to recom
mend her !"

Protestations on the part of the young man followed, and
Mercedes permitted one fond and long embrace ere they
separated. She wept on the bosom of Don Luis, and at
the final moment of parting, as ever happens with woman,
feeling got the better of form, and her whole soul con
fessed its weakness. At length Luis tore himself away
from her presence, and that night he was on his way to
the coast, under an assumed name, and in simple guise ;
whither Columbus had already preceded him.

CHAPTER XI.

"But where is Harold? Shall I then forget
To urge the gloomy wanderer o'er the wave?
Little reck'd he of all that men regret ;
No loved-one now in feign'd lament could rave ;
No friend the parting hand extended gave
Ere the cold stranger pass'd to other climes."

BYRON.

THE reader is not to suppose that the eyes of Europe
were on our adventurers. Truth and falsehood, inseparable
companions, it would seem, throughout all time, were not

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 165

then diffused over the land by means of newspapers,
with mercenary diligence ; and it was only the favoured
few who got early intelligence of enterprises like that in
which Columbus was engaged. Luis de Bobadilla had,
therefore, stolen from court unnoticed, and they who carne
in time to miss his presence, either supposed him to be on
a visit to one of his castles, or to have gone forth on an
other of those wandering tours which were supposed to be
blemishes on his chivalry and unworthy of his birth. As
for the Genoese himself, his absence was scarcely heeded,
though it was understood among the courtiers generally,
that Isabella had entered into some arrangement with him,
which gave the adventurer higher rank and greater advan
tages than his future services would probably ever justify.
The other principal adventurers were too insignificant to
attract much attention, and they had severally departed for
the coast without the knowledge of their movements ex
tending far beyond the narrow circles of their own ac
quaintances. Neither was this expedition, so bold in its
conception and so momentous in its consequences, destined
to sail from one of the more important ports of Spain ; but
orders to furnish the necessary means had been sent to a
haven of altogether inferior rank, and which would seem
to have possessed no other recommendations for this par
ticular service, than hardy mariners, and a position without
the pass of Gibraltar, which was sometimes rendered haz
ardous by the rovers of Africa. The order, however, is
said to have been issued to the place selected, in conse
quence of its having incurred some legal penalty, by which
it had been condemned to serve the crown for a twelve
month with two armed caravels. Such punishments, it
would seem, were part of the policy of an age in which
navies were little more than levies on sea-ports, and when
fleets were usually manned by soldiers from the land.

Palos de Moguer, the place ordered to pay this tribute
for its transgression, was a town of little importance, even at
the close of the fifteenth century, and it has since dwindled
to an insignificant fishing village. Like most places that
are little favoured by nature, its population was hardy and
adventurous, as adventure was then limited by ignorance.
It possessed no stately caracks, its business and want of

166 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

opulence confining all its efforts to the lighter caravel and
the still more diminutive felucca. All the succour, indeed,
that Columbus had been able to procure from the two
crowns, by his protracted solicitations, was the order for
the equipment of the two caravels mentioned, with the
additional officers and men that always accompanied a
royal expedition. The reader, however, is not to infer from
this fact any niggardliness of spirit, or any want of faith,
on the part of Isabella. It was partly owing to the ex
hausted condition of her treasury, a consequence of the
late war with the Moor, and more, perhaps, to the expe
rience and discretion of the great navigator himself, who
well understood that, for the purposes of discovery, vessels
of this size would be more useful and secure than those
that were larger.

On a rocky promontory, at a distance of less than a
league from the village of Palos, stood the convent of La
Rabida, since rendered so celebrated by its hospitality to
Columbus. At the gate of this building, seven years be
fore, the navigator, leading his youthful son by the hand,
had presented himself, a solicitor for food in behalf of the
wearied boy. The story is too well known to need repeti
tion here, and we will merely add that his long residence
in this convent, and the firm friends he had made of
the holy Franciscans who occupied it, as well as among
others in their vicinity, were also probably motives that
influenced him in directing the choice of the crown to this
particular place. Columbus had not only circulated his
opinions with the monks, but with the more intelligent
of the neighbourhood, and the first converts he made in
Spain were at this place.

Notwithstanding all the circumstances named, the order
of the crown to prepare the caravels in question, spread
consternation among the mariners of Palos. In that age,
it was thought a wonderful achievement to follow the land,
along the coast of Africa, and to approach the equator.
The vaguest notions existed in the popular mind, concerning
those unknown regions, and many even believed that by
journeying south it was possible to reach a portion of the
earth where animal and vegetable life must cease on ac
count of the intense heat of the sun. The revolutions of

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 167

the planets, the diurnal motion of the earth, and the causes
of the changes in the seasons, were then profound myste
ries even to the learned ; or, if glimmerings of the truth
did exist, they existed as the first rays of the dawn dimly
and hesitatingly announce the approach of day. It is not
surprising, therefore, that the simple-minded and unlettered
mariners of Palos viewed the order of the crown as a sen
tence of destruction on all who might be fated to obey it.
The ocean, when certain limits were passed, was thought
to be, like the firmament, a sort of chaotic void ; and the
imaginations of the ignorant had conjured up currents and
whirlpools that were believed to lead to fiery climates and
frightful scenes of natural destruction. Some even fancied
it possible to reach the uttermost boundaries of the earth,
and to slide off into vacuum, by means of swift but im
perceptible currents.

Such was the state of things, in the middle of the month
of July. Columbus was still in the convent of Rabida,
in the company of his constant friend and adherent, Fray
Juan Perez, when a lay brother came to announce that a
stranger had arrived at the gate, asking earnestly for the
Senor Christoval Colon.

" Hath he the aspect of a messenger from the court ?"
demanded the navigator ; " for, since the failure of the
mission of Juan de Penalosa, there is need of further or
ders from their Highnesses to enforce their gracious inten
tions."

" I think not, Senor," answered the lay brother ; " these
hard-riding couriers of the queen generally appearing with
their steeds in a foam, and with hurried air and blus
tering voices ; whereas this young cavalier behaveth mo
destly, and rideth a stout Andalusian mule."

" Did he give thee his name, good Sancho ?"

" He gave me two, Senor, styling himself Pedro de Mu-
nos, or Pero Gutierrez, without the Don."

"This is well," exclaimed Columbus, turning a little
quickly towards the door, but otherwise maintaining a per
fect self-command ; " I expect the youth, and he is right
welcome. Let him come in at once, good Sancho, and
that without any useless ceremony."

168 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" An acquaintance of the court, Sefior ?" observed the
prior, in the way one indirectly asks a question.

"A youth that hath the spirit, father, to adventure life
and character for the glory of God, through the advance
ment of his church, by embarking in our enterprise. He
cometh of a reputable lineage, and is not without the gifts
of fortune. But for the care of guardians, and his own
youth, gold would not have been wanting in our need. As
it is, he ventureth his own person, if one can be said to risk
aught in an expedition that seemeth truly to set even the
orders of their Highnesses at defiance."

As Columbus ceased speaking, the door opened and Luis
de Bobadilla entered. The young grandee had laid aside
all the outward evidences of his high rank, and now ap
peared in the modest guise of a traveller belonging to a
class more likely to furnish a recruit for the voyage, than
one of the rank he really was. Saluting Columbus with
cordial and sincere respect, and the Franciscan with hum
ble deference, the first at once perceived that this gallant
and reckless spirit had truly engaged in the enterprise
with a determination to use all the means that would enable
him to go through with it.

" Thou art welcome, Pedro," Columbus observed, as
soon as Luis had made his salutations ; " thou hast reached
the coast at a moment when thy presence and support may
be exceedingly useful. The first order of Her Highness,
by which I should have received the services of the two
caravels to which the state is entitled, hath been utterly
disregarded; and a second mandate, empowering me to
seize upon any vessel that may suit our necessities, hath
fared but little better, notwithstanding the Sefior de Pena-
losa was sent directly from court to enforce its conditions,
under a penalty, to the port, of paying a daily tax of two
hundred maravedis, until the order should be fulfilled. The
idiots have conjured all sorts of ills with which to terrify
themselves and their neighbours, and I seem to be as far
from the completion of my hopes as I was before I pro-
cured the friendship of this holy friar and the royal pro.
tection of Dona Isabella. It is a weary thing, my good
Pedro, to waste a life in hopes defeated, with such an

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 169

object in view as the spread of knowledge and the exten
sion of the church !"

" I am the bearer of good tidings, Sefior," answered the
young noble. " In coming hither from the town of Moguer,
I journeyed with one Martin Alonzo Pinzon, a mariner
with whom I have formerly voyaged, and we have had
much discourse concerning your commission and difficul
ties. He tells me that he is known to you, Senor Colon,
and I should judge from his discourse that he thinketh
favourably of the chances."

" He doth — he doth, indeed, good Pedro, and hath often
listened to my reasoning like a discreet and skilful navi
gator, as, I make no question, he really is. But didst thou
say that thou wast known to him ?"

" Senor, I did. We have voyaged together as far as
Cyprus, on one occasion, and, again, to the island of the
English. In such long voyages, men get to some know
ledge of each other's temperament and disposition, and, of
a sooth, I think well of both, in this Senor Pinzon."

" Thou art young to pass an opinion on a mariner of
Martin Alonzo's years and experience, son," put in the
friar; "a man of much repute in this vicinity, and of no
little wealth. Nevertheless, I am rejoiced to hear that he
continueth of the same mind as formerly, in relation to the
great voyage ; for, of late, I did think even he had begun
to Waver."

Don Luis had expressed himself of the great man of the
vicinity, more like a Bobadilla than became his assumed
name of Munoa, and a glance from the eye of Columbus
told him to forget nk rank and to remember the disguise he
had assumed.

"This is truly encour^ing," observed the navigator,
" and openeth a brighter vieV^f Cathay. Thou wast jour
neying between Moguer and K^os, I think thou saidst,
when this discourse was had with our acquaintance, the
good Martin Alonzo?"

" I was, Senor, and it was he who sent me hither in quest
of the admiral. He gave you the title that the queen's
favour hath bestowed, and I consider that no small sign of
friendship, as most others with whom I have conversed in
this vicinity seem disposed to call you by any other name."

VOL. I. 15

170 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" None need embark in this enterprise," returned the
navigator, gravely, as if he would admonish the youth that
this was an occasion on which he might withdraw from the
adventure, if he saw fit, " who feel disposed to act differ
ently, or who distrust my knowledge."

" By San Pedro, my patron ! they tell another tale at
Palos, and at Moguer, Senor Amirale," returned Luis,
laughing ; " at which places, I hear, that no man whose
skin hath been a little warmed by the sun of the ocean,
dare show himself in the highways, lest he be sent to Ca
thay by a road that no one ever yet travelled, except in
fancy ! There is, notwithstanding, one free and willing
volunteer, Senor Colon, who is disposed to follow you to
the edge of the earth, if it.be flat, and to follow you quite
round it, should it prove to be a sphere ; and that is one
Pedro de Munos, who engageth with you from no sordid
love of gold, or love of aught else that men usually prize ;
but from the pure love of adventure, somewhat excited and
magnified, perhaps, by love of the purest and fairest maid
of Castile."

Fray Juan Perez gazed at the speaker, whose free man
ner and open speech a good deal surprised him ; for Co
lumbus had succeeded in awakening so much respect that
few presumed to use any levity in his presence, even before
he was dignified by the high rank so recently conferred by
the commission of Isabella. Little did the good monk sus
pect that one of a still higher personal rank, chough en
tirely without official station, stood before him. "i the guise
of Pedro de Munos ; and he could not refrain from again
expressing the little relish he felt for such freedom of speech
and deportment towards those whopi he himself habitually
regarded with so much respect.

" It would seem, Senor P«xfno de Munos," he said, " if
that be thy name — though Duke, or Marquis, or Count,
would be a title better becoming thy bearing — that thou
treatest His Excellency the Admiral with quite as much
freedom of thought, at least, as thou treatest the worthy
Martin Alonzo of our own neighbourhood : a follower
should be more humble, and not pass his jokes on the
opinions of his leader, in this loose style of expression."

" 1 crave your pardon, holy father, and that of the ad-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 171

rniral, too, who better understandeth me I trust, if there be
any just grounds of offence. All I wish to express is, that
I know this Martin Alonzo of your neighbourhood, as an
old fellow-voyager ; that we have ridden some leagues in
company this very day, and that, after close discourse, he
hath manifested a friendly desire to put his shoulder to the
wheel, in order to lift the expedition, if not from a slough
of mud, at least from the sands of the river ; and that he
hath promised to come also to this good convent of La Ra-
bida, for that same purpose and no other. As for myself,
I can only add, that here I am, ready to follow wheresoever
the honourable Senor Colon may see fit to lead."

" 'T is well, good Pedro — 't is well," rejoined the admiral.
" I give thee full credit for sincerity and spirit, and that
must content thee until an opportunity offereth to convince
others. I like these tidings concerning Martin Alonzo,
father, since he might truly do us much service, and his
zeal had assuredly begun to flag."

" That might he, and that will he, if he engageth se
riously in the affair. Martin is the greatest navigator on
all this coast, for, though I did not know that he had ever
been even to Cyprus, as would appear by the account of
this youth, I was well aware that he had frequently sailed
as far north as France and as far south as the Canaries.
Dost think Cathay much more remote than Cyprus, Senor
Almirante?"

Columbus smiled at this question, and shook his head in
the manner of cne who would prepare a friend for some
sore disappointment.

"Although Cyprus be not distant from the Holy Land,
and the seat of the Infidel's power," he answered, " Cathay
must lie much more remote. I flatter not myself, nor those
who are disposed to follow me, with the hope of reaching
the Indies short of a voyage that shall extend to some
eight hundred or a thousand leagues."

"'Tis a fearful and a weary distance !" exclaimed the
Franciscan ; while Luis stood in smiling unconcern, equally
indifferent whether he had to traverse one thousand or ten
thousand leagues of ocean, so that the journey led to Mer
cedes and was productive of adventure. " A fearful and
weary distance, and yet I doubt not, Senor Almirante, that

172 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

you are the very man designed by Providence to overcome
it, and to open the way for those who will succeed you,
bearing on high the cross of Christ and the promises of
his redemption !"

" Let us hope this," returned Columbus, reverently
making the usual sign of the sacred emblem to which his
friend alluded ; " as a proof that we have some worldly
foundation for the expectation, here cometh the Senor Pin-
zon himself, apparently hot with haste to see us."

Martin Alonzo Pinzon, whose name is so familiar to the
reader, as one who greatly aided the Genoese in his vast
undertaking, now entered the room, seemingly earnest and
bent on some fixed purpose, as Columbue'e obocrvant eye
had instantly detected. Fray Juan Perez was not a little
surprised to see that the first salutation of Martin Alonzo,
the great man of the neighbourhood, was directed to Pedro,
the second to the admiral, and the third to himself. There
was not time, however, for the worthy Franciscan, who
was a little apt to rebuke any dereliction of decency on
the spot, to express what he felt on this occasion, ere Mar
tin Alonzo opened his errand with an eagerness that showed
he had not come on a mere visit of friendship, or of cere
mony.

" I am sorely vexed, Seiior Almirante," he commenced,
" at learning the obstinacy, and the disobedience to the
orders of the queen, that have been shown among our
mariners of Palos. Although a dweller of the port itself,
and one who hath always viewed your opinions of this
western voyage with respect, if not with absolute faith, I
did not know the full extent of this insubordination until I
met, by accident, an old acquaintance on the high-way, in
the person of Don Pedro — I ought to say the Senor Pedro
de Munos, here, who, coming from a distance, as he doth,
hath discovered more of our backslidings than I had
learned myself, on the spot. But, Senor, you are not now
to hear, for the first time, of what sort of stuff men are
made. They are reasoning beings, we are told ; notwith
standing which undeniable truth, as there is not one in a
hundred who is at the trouble to do his own thinking,
means may be found to change the opinions of a sufficient

* MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 173

number for all your wants, without their even suspect
ing it."

" This is very true, neighbour Martin Alonzo," put in
the friar — " so true, that it might go into a homily and do
no disservice to religion. Man is a rational animal, and an
accountable animal, but it is not meet that he should be a
thinking animal. In matters of the church, now, its inte
rests being entrusted to a ministry, what have the unlearned
and ignorant to say of its affairs ? In matters of naviga
tion, it doth, indeed, seem as if one steersman were better
than a hundred ! Although man be a reasoning animal,
there are quite as many occasions when he is bound to
obey without reasoning, and few when he should be per
mitted to reason without obeying."

"All true, holy friar and most excellent neighbour; so
true that you will find no one in Palos to deny that, at least.
And now we are on the subject, I may as well add that it
is the church that hath thrown more obstacles in the,way
of the Senor Almirante's success, than any other cause. All
the old women of the port declare that the notion of the
earth's being round is a heresy, and contrary to the Bible ;
and, if the truth must be said, there are not a few under
lings of this Very convent, who uphold them in the opinion.
It doth appear unnatural to tell one who hath never quitted
the land, and who seeth himself much oftener in a valley
than on an eminence, that the globe is round, and, though
I have had many occasions to see the ocean, it would not
easily find credit with me, were it not for the fact that we
see the upper and smaller sails of a ship first, when ap
proaching her, as well as the vanes and crosses of towns,
nlbeii they are the smaller objects about vessels and
chorchos. We mariners have one way to inspirit our fol-
lowei-a, and you churchmen have another ; and, now that T
intend to use my means to put wiser thoughts into the heads
of the seamen of Palos, reverend friar, I look to you to set
the church's ongWs at work, so as to silence the women,
and to quell the douU^ of the most zealous among your
own brotherhood."

"Am I to understand by this, Senor Pinzon," demanded
Columbus, "that you intend to take a direct and more
15*

174 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

earnest interest than before in the success of my enter
prise?"

" Sefior, you may* That is my intention, if we can
come to as favourable an understanding about the terms,
as your worship would seem to have entered into with our
most honoured mistress Dona Isabella de Trastamara. I have
had some discourse with Senor Don-^— I would say with
the Senor Pedro de Munos, here, — odd's folly, an excess
of courtesy is getting to be a vice with me of late— but as
he is a youth of prudence, and manifests a desire to em
bark with you, it hath stirred my fancy so far, that I would
gladly be of the party. Senor de Munos and I have voyaged
so much together, that I would fain see his worthy counte
nance once more upon the ocean."

" These are cheerful tidings, Martin Alonzo" — eagerly
put in the friar, " and thy soul, and the souls of all who
belong to you, will reap the benefits of this manly and pious
resolution. It is one thing, Senor Almirante, to have their
Highnesses of your side, in a place like Palos, and another
to have our worthy neighbour Pinzon, here ; for, if they are
sovereigns in law, he is an emperor in opinion* I doubt
not that the caravels will now be speedily forthcoming."

" Since thou seemest to have truly resolved to enter into
our enterprise, Senor Martin Alonzo," added Columbus,
with his dignified gravity, " out of doubt, thou hast well
bethought thce of the conditions, and art come prepared to
let them be known. Do they savour of the terms that have
already been in discussion between us ?"

" Senor Admiral, they do ; though gold is not, just now,
as abundant in our purses, as when we last discoursed on
this subject. On that head, some obstacles may cxisK hut
on all others, I doubt not, a brief explanation between «s,
will leave the matter free from doubt."

"As to the eighth, for which I stand committed w*lh their
Highnesses, Senor Pinzon, there will be le-ss reason, now,
to raise that point between us, than wien we last met, as
other means may offer to redeem thst pledge" — as Colum-
bus spoke, his eyes involuntarilj turned towards the pre
tended Pero, whither those of Martin Alonzo Pinzon signifi
cantly followed ; " but there will be many difficulties to
overcome with these terrified and silly mariners, which

MEilCEDES OF CASTILE. 175

y yield to thy influence. If thou wilt come with me
into this chamber, we will at once discuss the heads of our
treaty, leaving this youth, the while, to the hospitality of
our reverend friend."

The prior raising no objection to this proposition, it-
was immediately put in execution, Columbus and Pinzon
withdrawing to a more private apartment, leaving Fray
Juan Perez alone with our hero.

" Then thou thinkest seriously, son, of making one in
this great enterprise of the admiral's," said the Franciscan,
as soon as the door was closed on those who had just left
them, eyeing Luis, for the first time, with a more strict
scrutiny than hitherto he had leisure to exercise. " Thou
earnest thyself much like the young lords of the court,
and wilt have occasion to acquire a less towering air in the
narrow limits of one of ot«' Palos caravels."

" I am no stranger to Nao, Carraca, Fusta, Pinaza, Ca-
rabelon, or Felucca, holy prior, and shall carry myself
with the admirp-S as I should carry myself before Don
Fernando of iragon, wore he my fellow-voyager, or in the
presence oi Boabdil of Grenada, were that unhappy mon
arch a^ain seated on the throne from which he hath been
so lately hurk*I» urging his chivalry to charge the knights
ot* Christian Spain."

"These are fine words, son, ay, and uttered witlra tilt-
ins: air, if truth must be said ; but they will avail thee no
thing with this Genoese, who hath that in him, that would
leave him unabashed even in the presence of our gracious
lady. Doiia Isabella, herself."

"Thou knowcst the queen, holy monk?" inquired Luis,
forgetting his assumed character, in the freedom of his ad
dress.

" I ought to know her inmost heart, son, for often have
I listened to her pure and meek spirit, in the secrets of the
confessional. Much as she is beloved by us Castilians, no
one can know the true, spiritual elevation of that pious
princess, and most excellent woman, but they who have
had occasion to shrive her."

Don Luis hemmed, played with the handle of his rapier,

and then gave utterance to the uppermost thought, as usual.

" Didst thou, by any chance of thy priestly office, father,

176 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

ever find it necessary to confess a maiden of the court, who
is much esteemed by the queen?" he inquired, "and whose
spirit, I '11 answer for it, is as pure as that of Dona Isabella's
itself."

" Son, thy question denoteth greater necessity for repair
ing to Salamanca, in order to be instructed in the history,
and practices, and faith of the church, than to be entering
into an enterprise, even as commendable as this of Colon's !
Dost thou not know that we churchmen are not permitted
to betray the secrets of the confessional, or to draw com
parisons between penitents ? and, moreover, that we do not
take even Dona Isabella, the blessed Maria keep her ever
in mind, as the standard of holiness to which all Christians
are expected to aim ? The maiden of whom thou speakest
may be virtuous, according to worldly notions, and yet a
grievous sinner in the eyes of mother church."

" I should like, before I quit Sp£J'nj to hear a Mendoza,
or a Guzman, who hath not a shaven crown, venture to
hint as much, most reverend prior !"

" Thou art hot and restive, and talkest idi^, SOn ; what
would one like thee find to say to a Gunman, oraMendoza,
or a Bobadilla, even, did he affirm what thou wishesi. But'
who is the maid, in whom thy feelings seem to take so de^
although I question if it be not an unrequited, interest!"

" Nay, I did but speak in idleness. Our stations have
made such a chasm between us, that it is little likely we
should ever come to speech ; nor is my merit such as would
be apt to cause her to forget her high advantages."

"Still, she hath a name?"

" She hath, truly, prior, and a right noble one it is. I
had the Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Valverde in my
thoughts, when the light remark found utterance. Haply,
thou mayest know that illustrious heiress ?"

Fray Juan Perez, a truly guileless priest, started at the
name ; then he gazed intently, and with a sort of pity, at
the youth ; after which he bent his head towards the tiles
beneath his feet, smiled, and shook his head like one whose
thoughts were very active.

" I do, indeed, know the lady," he said, " and even
when last at court, on this errand of Colon's, their own
confessor being ill, I shrived her, as well as my royal mis-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 177

tress. That she is worthy of Dona Isabella's esteem is
true ; but thy admiration for this noble maiden, which must
be something like the distant reverence we feel for the
clouds that sail above our heads, can scarce be founded on
any rational hopes."

" Thou canst not know that, father. If this expedition
end as we trust, all who engage in it will be honoured and
advanced ; and why not I, as well as another?"

" In this, thou may'st utter truth, but as for the Doiia — "
The Franciscan checked himself, for he was about to be
tray the secret of the confessional. He had, in truth, lis
tened to the contrition of Mercedes, of which her passion
for Luis was the principal cause ; and it was he, who, with
a species of pious fraud of which he was himself uncon
scious, had first pointed out the means by which the
truant noble might be made to turn his propensity to rove
to the profit of his love ; and his mind was full of her beau
tiful exhibition of purity and natural feeling, nearly even
to overflowing. But habit and duty interfered in time, and
he did not utter the name that had been trembling on his
lips. Still, his thoughts continued in this current, and his
tongue gave utterance to that portion of them which he be
lieved to be harmless. " Thou hast been much about the
world, it would seem, by Master Alonzo's greeting," he
continued, after a short pause ; " didst ever meet, son,
with a certain cavalier of Castile, named Don Luis de Bo-
badilla — a grandee, who also bears the title of Conde
deLlera?"

" I know little of his hopes, and care less for his titles,"
returned Luis, calmly, who thought he would manifest a
magnanimous indifference to the Franciscan's opinions, —
" but I have seen the cavalier, and a roving, mad-brained,
graceless youth it is, of whom no good can be expected."

" I fear this is but too true", rejoined Fray Juan Perez,
shaking his head in a melancholy manner — " and yet they
say he is a gallant knight, and the very best lance in all
Spain."

" Ay, he may be that," answered Luis, hemming a little
louder than was decorous, for his throat began to grow
husky — " Ay, he may be that ; but of what avail is a good

178 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

lance without a good character. I hear little commendable,
of this young Conde de Llera."

" I trust he is not the man he generally passeth for/'- .
answered the simple-hearted monk, without in the least sus
pecting his companion's disguise ; " and I do know that
there are some who think well of him — nay, whose exist
ence, I might say whose very souls, are wrapped up in
him !"

" Holy Franciscan ! — why wilt thou not mention the
names of one or two of these?" demanded Luis, with an
impetuosity that caused the prior to start.

" And why should I give this information to thee, young
man, more than to another?"

" Why, father — why, for several most excellent and un
answerable reasons. In the first place, I am a youth my
self, as thou seest ; and example, they say, is better than
precept. Then, too, / am somewhat given to roving, and
it may profit me to know how others of the same propen
sity have sped. Moreover, it would gladden my inmost
heart to hear that — but two sufficient reasons are better
than three, and thou hast the first number already."

Fray Juan Perez, a devout Christian, a learned church
man, and a liberal scholar, was as simple as a child in mat
ters that related to the world and its passions. Neverthe
less, he was not so dull as to overlook the strange deport
ment and stranger language of his companion. A direction
had been given to his thoughts by the mention of the name
of our heroine ; and, as he himself had devised the very
course taken by our hero, the truth began to dawn on his
imagination.

" Young cavalier," he exclaimed, " thou art Don Luis
de Bobadilla !"

" I shall never deny the prophetic knowledge of a church
man, worthy father, after this detection ! I am he thou
sayest, entered on this expedition to win the love of Mer
cedes de Valverde."

" Tis as I thought — and yet, Seiior, you might have
taken our poor convent less at an advantage. Suffer that
I command the lay brothers to place refreshments before
you !"

"Thy pardon, excellent prior — Pedro de Munos, or even

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 179

Pero Gutierrez, hath no need of food ; — but, now that
thou ^newest me, there can be less reason for not convers
ing of the Dona Mercedes ?"

" Now, that I know thee, Senor Conde, there is greater
reason for silence on that head," returned Fray Juan Perez,
smiling. " Thine aunt, the most esteemed and virtuous
lady of Moya, can give thee all occasion to urge thy suit
with this charming maiden, and it would ill become a
churchman to temper her prudence by any indiscreet inter-
ference."

This explanation was the commencement of a long and
confidential dialogue, i» "illch the worthy prior, now that
he was on his gu»rif, succeeded in preserving his main se
cret, though ftc much encouraged the young man in the
leading ft°Pe °f ms existence, as well as in his project to
ad^re" to the fortunes of Columbus. In the mean while,
tfie great navigator himself continued closeted with his new
counsellor ; and when the two re-appeared, it was announced
to those without, that the latter had engaged in the enter
prise with so much zeal, that he actually entertained the
intention of embarking on board of one of the caravels in
person.

CHAPTER XII.

"Yet he to whom each danger hath become
A dark delight, and every wild a home,
Still urges onward — undismayed to tread
Where life's fond lovers would recoil with dread."

The Abenccrrage.

THE intelligence that Martin Alonzo Pinion was to make
one of the followers of Colon, spread through the village of
Palos like wild-fire. Volunteers were no longer wanting ;
the example of one known and respected in the vicinity,
operating far more efficiently on the minds of the mariners,

180 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

than the orders of the queen, or the philosophy of Colum
bus. Martin Alonzo they knew ; they were accustomed to
submit to his influence ; they could follow in his footsteps,
and had confidence in his judgment ; whereas the naked
orders of an unseen sovereign, however much beloved, had
more of the character of a severe judgment than of a gene
rous enterprise ; and, as for Columbus, though most men
were awed by his dignified appearance and grave manner,
when out of sight, he was as much regarded as an adven
turer at Palos, as he had been at Santa Fe.

The Pinzons set about their *vJre of the expedition after
the manner of those who were more *w.ustomed to execute,
than to plan. Several of the family enioicd cordially into
the work ; and a brother of Martin Alonzo s, ^Kose name
was Vicente Yaiiez, also a mariner by profession, joiwi the
adventurers as commander of one of the vessels, while an
other took service as a pilot. In short, the month that suc
ceeded the incidents just mentioned, was actively employed,
and more was done, in that short space of time, towards
bringing about a solution of the great problem of Columbus,
than had been accomplished, in a practical way, during the
seventeen long years that the subject had occupied his time,
and engrossed his thoughts.

Notwithstanding the local influence of the Pinzons, a
vigorous opposition to the project, still existed in the heart
of the little community that had been chosen for the place
of equipment of the different vessels required. This family
had its enemies, as well as its friends, nnd, as is usual with
most human undertaking?, two parties sprang up, one of
which was quite as busily occupied in thwarting the plans
of the navigator, as the other was engaged in promoting
them. One vessel had been seized for the service, under
the order of the court, and her owners became leaders of
the dissatisfied faction. Many seamen, according to the
usage of that day, had been impressed for duty on this ex
traordinary and mysterious voyage ; and, as a matter of
course, they and their friends were not slow to join the
ranks of the disaffected. Much of the necessary work was
found to be imperfectly done ; and when the mechanics were
called on to repair these omissions, they absconded in a
body. As the time for sailing approached, the contention

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 181

grew more and more violent, and even the Pinzons had the
mortification of discovering that many of those who had
volunteered to follow their fortunes, began to Waver, and
that some had unequivocally deserted.

Such was the state of things, towards the close of the
month of July, when Martin Alonzo Pinzon again repaired
to the convent of Santa Maria de Rabida, where Columbus
continued to pass most of the time that was not given to a
direct personal superintendence of the preparations, and
where Luis de Bobadilla, who was altogether useless in the
actual condition of affairs, also passed -many a weary hour,
chafing for active duty, and musing on the loveliness, truth
and virtues of Mercedes de Valverde. Fray Juan Perez
was earnest in his endeavours to facilitate the execution of
the objects of his friends, and he had actually succeeded,
if not in absolutely suppressing the expression of all injuri
ous opinions on the part of the less enlightened of the bro
therhood, at least in rendering the promulgation of them
more cautious and private.

When Columbus and the prior were told that fhe Seiior
Pinzon sought an interview, neither was slow in granting
the favour. As the hour of departure drew nigh, the im
portance of this man's exertions became more and more
apparent, and both well knew that the royal protection of
Isabella herself, just at that moment and in that place, was
of less account than that of this active mariner. The
Senor Pinzon, therefore, had not long to wait for his audi
ence, having been ushered into the room that was common
ly occupied by the zealous Franciscan, almost as soon as
his request was preferred.

" Thou art right welcome, worthy Martin Alonzo !" ex
claimed the prior, the moment he caught a glimpse of the
features of his old acquaintance — " How get on matters at
Palos, and when shall we have this holy undertaking in a
fair direction for success ?"

" By San Francisco, reverend prior, that is more than it
will be safe for any man to answer. I have thought we
were in a fair way to make sail, a score of times, when
some unforeseen difficulty hath arisen. The Santa Maria,
on board which the admiral and the Senor Gutierrez, or de
Munos, if he will have it so, will embark, is already fitted.

VOL. I. 16

182 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

She may be set down as a tight craft, and somewhat ex-
ceedeth a hundred tons in burthen, so that I trust his excel
lency, and' all the gallant cavaliers who may accompany
him, will be as comfortable as the holy monks of Ra-
bida, — more especially as the good caravel hath a deck."

" These are, truly, glad tidings," returned the prior, rub
bing his hands with delight — " and the excellent craft hath
really a deck ! Senor Almirante, thou may'st not be in a
vessel that is altogether worthy of thy high aim, but, on
the whole, thou wilt be both safe and comfortable, keeping
in view, in particular-, this convenient and sheltering deck."

" Neither my safety nor my convenience is a considera
tion to be mentioned, friend Juan Perez, when there is
question of so much graver matters. I rejoice that
thou hast come to the convent this morning, Senor Martin
Alonzo, as being about to address letters to the court, by
means of an especial courier, I desire to know the actual
condition of things. Thou thinkest the Santa Maria will
be in a state for service by the end of the month ?"

" Senor, 1 do. The ship hath been prepared with due
diligence, and will conveniently hold some three score,
should the panic that hath seized on so many of the besot
ted fools of Pal os, leave us that number, who may still be
disposed to embark. I trust that the saints look upon our
many efforts, and will remember our zeal when we shall
come to a joint division of the benefits of this undertaking,
which hath had no equal in the history of navigation !"

" The benefits, honest Martin Alonzo, will be found in
the spread of the church's dominion, and the increased
glory of God !" put in the prior, significantly.

" Out of all question, holy Fray Juan Perez — this is the
common aim; though I trust it is permitted to a pains
taking mariner to bethink him of his wife and children, in
discreet subordination to those greater ends. I have much
mistaken the Seiior Colon, if he do not look for some little
advantage, in the way of gold, from this visit to Cathay."

" Thou hast not mistaken me, honest Martin Alonzo,"
returned Columbus, gravely. " I do, indeed, expect to see
the wealth of the Indies pouring into the coffers of Castile,
in consequence of this voyage. In sooth, excellent prior,
in my view, the recovery of the holy sepulchre is depend-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 183

ent mainly on the success of our present undertaking, in the
way of a substantial worldly success."

" This is well, Senor Admiral," put in Martin Alonzo, a
little hastily, "and ought to gain us great favour in the eyes
of all good christians — more especially with the monks of
la Rabida. But it is hard enough to persuade the mariners
of the port to obey the queen, in this matter, and to fulfil
their engagements with ourselves, without preaching a cru
sade, as the best means of throwing away the few marave-
dis they may happen to gain by their hardships and courage.
The worthy pilots, Francisco Martin Pinzon, mine own bro
ther, Sancho Ruiz, Pedro Alonzo Nino, and Bartolemeo
Roldan, are all now firmly tied to us by the ropes of the
law ; but should they happen to find a crusade at their end,
all the saints in the calendar would scarce have influence to
make them hesitate about loosening themselves from the
agreement."

" I hold no one but myself bound to this object," returned
Columbus, calmly. " Each man, friend Martin Alonzo,
will be judged by his own deeds, and called on to fulfil his
own vows. Of those who pledge nought, nought will be
exacted, and nought given at the great final account of the
human race. But what are the tidings of the Pinta, thine
own vessel ? Hath she been finally put into a condition to
buffet the Atlantic ?"

" As ever huppeneth with a vessel pressed into the royal
service, Senor, work hath gone on heavily, and things in
general have not borne that merry activity which accompa-
nieth the labour of those who toil of a free will, and for
their own benefit."

" The silly mariners have toiled in their own behalf,
without knowing it,"- observed Columbus. " It is the duty
of the ignorant to submit to be led by the more enlightened,
and to be grateful for the advantages they derive from a
borrowed knowledge, albeit it is obtained contrary to their
own wishes."

" That is it, truly," added the prior ; " else would the
office of us churchmen be reduced to very narrow limits.
Faith — faith in the church — is the Christian's earliest and
latest duty."

" Tin's seemeth reasonable, excellent sirs," returned

184 MEKCEDES OF CASTILE.

Master Alonzo, " though the ignorant find it difficult to
comprehend matters that they do not understand. When
a man fancieth himself condemned to an unheard-of death,
he is little apt to see the benefit that lieth beyond the grave.
Nevertheless, the Pinta is more nearly ready for the voy
age, than any other of our craft, and hath her crew en
gaged to a man, and that under contracts that will not
permit much dispute before a notary."

" There remaineth only the Nina, then," added Colum
bus ; " with her prepared, and our religious duties observed,
we may hope finally to commence the enterprise !"

" Senor, you may. My brother, Vicente Yanez, hath
finally consented to take charge of this little craft ; and
that which a Pinzon promiseth, a Pinzon performeth. She
will be ready to depart with the Santa Maria and the Pinta,
and Cathay must be distant, indeed, if we do not reach it
with one or the other of our vessels."

" This is right encouraging, neighbour Martin Alonzo,"
returned the friar, rubbing his hands with delight, " and I
make no question all will come round in the end. What
say the crones and loose talkers of Moguer, and of the
other ports, touching the shape of the earth, and the chances
of the admiral's reaching the Indies, now-a-clays 1"

" They discourse much as they did, Fray Juan Perez,
idly and without knowledge. Although there is not a
mariner in any of the havens who doth" not admit that the
upper sails, though so much the smallest, are the first seen
on the ocean, yet do they deny that this cometh of the
shape of the earth, but, as they affirm, of the movements
of the waters."

** Have none of them ever observed the shadows cast by
the earth, in the eclipses of the moon ?" asked Columbus,
in his calm manner, though he smiled, even in putting the
question, as one smiles who, having dipped deeply into a
natural problem himself, carelessly lays one of its more
popular proofs before those who are less disposed to go be
neath the surface. " Do they not see that these shadows
are round, and do they not know that a shadow which is
round can only be cast by a body that is round ?"

"This is conclusive, good Martin Alonzo," put in the
prior, " and it ought to remove the doubts of the silliest

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 185

gossip on the coast. Tell them to encircle their dwellings,
beginning to the right, and see if, by following the walls,
they do not return to the spot from which they started,
coming in from the left."

" Ay, reverend prior, if we could bring our distant voy
age down to these familiar examples, there is not a crone
in Mogu'er, or a courtier at Seville, that might not be made
to comprehend the mystery. But it is one thing to state a
problem fairly, and another to find those who can under
stand it. Now, I did give some such reasoning to the
Alguiazil, in Palos here, and the worthy Senor asked me if
I expected to return from this voyage by the way of the
lately captured town of Granada. I fancy that the easiest
method of persuading these good people to believe that
Cathay can be reached by the western voyage, will be by
going there and returning."

" Which we \\ill shortly do, Master Martin Alonzo," ob
served Columbus, cheerfully — " But the time of our depar
ture draweth near, and it is meet that none of us neglect
the duties of religion. I commend thee to thy confessor,
Senor Pinzon, and expect that all who sail with me, in this
great enterprise, will receive the holy communion in my
company, before we quit the haven. This excellent prior
will shrive Pedro de Munos and myself, and let each man
seek such other holy counsellor and monitor as hath been
his practice."

With this intimation of his intention to pay a due regard
to the rites of the church before he departed — rites that
were seldom neglected in that day — the conversation turned,
for the moment, on the details of the preparations. After
this the parties separated, and a few more days passed
away in active exertions.

On the morning of Thursday, August the second, 1492,
Columbus entered the private apartment of Fray Juan Perez,
habited like a penitent, and with an air so devout, and yet
so calm, that it was evident his thoughts were altogether
bent on his own transgressions and on the goodness of God.
The zealous priest was in waiting, and the great navigator
knelt at the feet of him, before whom Isabella had often
knelt, in the fulfilment of the same solemnity. The reli
gion of this extraordinary man was coloured by the habits
16*

186 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

and opinions of his age, as indeed, in a greater or less de
gree, must be the religion of every man ; his confession,
consequently, had that admixture of deep piety with incon
sistent error, that so often meets the moralist in his investi
gations into the philosophy of the human mind. The truth
of this peculiarity will be seen, by adverting to one or two
of the admissions of the great navigator, as he laid before
his ghostly counsellor the catalogue of his sins.

ft Then, I fear, holy father," Columbus continued, after
having made most of the usual confessions touching the
more familiar weaknesses of the human race, " that my
mind hath become too much exalted in this matter of the
voyage, and that I may have thought myself more directly
set apart by God, for some good end, than it might please
his infinite knowledge and wisdom to grant."

" That would be a dangerous error, my son, and I care
fully admonish thee against the evils of self-righteousness.
That God selecteth his agents, is beyond dispute ; but it is
a fearful error to mistake the impulses of self-love, for the
movements of his Divine Spirit ! It is hardly safe for any
who have not received the church's ordination, to deem
themselves chosen vessels."

" I endeavour so to consider it, holy friar," answered
Columbus, meekly ; " and, yet, there is that within, which
constantly urgeth to this belief, be it a delusion, or come it
directly from heaven. I strive, father, to keep the feeling
in subjection, and most of all do I endeavour to see that it
taketh a direction that may glorify the name of God and
serve the interests of his visible church."

"This is well, and yet do I feel it a duty to admonish
thee against too much credence in these inward impulses.
So long as they tend, solely, to increase thy love for the
Supreme Father of all, to magnify his holiness and glorify
his nature, thou mayest be certain it is the offspring of
good ; but when self-exaltation seemeth to be its aim, be
ware the impulse, as thou would eschew the dictation of
the great father of evil."

"I so consider it ; and now having truly and sincerely
disburthened my conscience, father, so far as in me lieth,
may I hope for the church's consolation, with its absolu
tion?"

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 187

" Canst thou think of nought else, son, that should not
lie hid from before the keeper of all consciences ?"

" My sins are many, holy prior, and cannot be too often
or too keenly- rebuked ; but I do think that they may be
fairly included in the general heads that I have endea
voured to recal."

" Hast thou nothing to charge thyself with, in connection
with that sex that the devil as often useth as his tempters
to evil, as the angels would fain employ them as the minis
ters of grace?"

" I have erred as a man, father ; but do not my confes
sions already meet those sins ?"

" Hast thou bethought thee of Dona Beatriz Enriquez ?
of thy son Fernando, who tarrieth, at this moment, in our
convent of La Rabida ?"

Columbus bowed his head in submission, and the heavy
sigh, amounting almost to a groan, that broke out of his
bosom, betrayed the weight of his momentary contrition.

" Thou sayest true, father ; that is an offence which
should never be forgotten, though so often shrived since its
commission. Heap on me the penance that I feel is due,
and thou shalt see how a Christian can bend and kiss the
rod that he is conscious of having merited."

" The spirit thus to do, is all that the church requireth ;
and thou art now bent on a service loo important to her in
terests, to be drawn aside from thy great intentions, for any
minor considerations. Still may not a minister of th altar
overlook the offence. Thou wilt say a pater, daily, on ac
count of this great sin, for the next twenty days, all of
which will be fcr the good of thy soul ; after which the
church releaseth thee from this especial duty, as thou wilt,
then, be drawing near to the land of Cathay, and may have
occasion for all thy thoughts and efforts to effect thy
object."

The worthy prior then proceeded to prescribe several
light penances, most of which were confined to moderate
increases of the daily duties of religion ; after which he
shrived the navigator. The turn of Luis came next, and
more than once the prior smiled involuntarily, as he lis
tened to this hot-blooded and impetuous youth, whose lan
guage irresistibly carried back his thoughts to the more

188 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

meek, natural, and the more gentle admissions of the
pure-minded Mercedes. The penance prescribed to Luis
was not entirely free from severity, though, on the whole,
the young man, who was not much addicted to the duties
of the confessional, fancied himself well quit of the affair,
considering the length of the account he was obliged to
render, and the weight of the balance against him.

These duties performed in the persons of the two prin
cipal adventurers, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, and the ruder
mariners of the expedition, appeared before different priests
and gave in the usual reckoning of their sins. After this,
came a scene that was strictly characteristic of the age,
and which would be impressive and proper, in all times and
seasons, for men about to embark in an undertaking of a
result so questionable.

High mass was said in the chapel of the convent, and
Columbus received the consecrated bread from the hands
of Fray Juan Perez, in humble reliance on the all-seeing
providence of God, and with a devout dependence on his
fostering protection. All who were about to embark with
the admiral imitated his example, communing in his com
pany ; for that was a period when the wire-drawn conclu
sions of man had not yet begun so far to supplant the faith
and practices of the earlier church as to consider its rites
as the end of religion, but he was still content, to regard
them as its means. Many a rude sailor, whose ordinary
life might not have been either saintly or even free from
severe censure, knelt that day at the altar, in devout de
pendence on God, with feelings, for the moment, that at
least placed him on the high-way to grace ; and it would be
presumptuous to suppose that the omniscient Being to whom
his offerings were made, did not regard his ignorance with
commiseration and even look upon his superstition with
pity. We scoff at the prayers of those who are in danger,
without reflecting that they are a homage to the power of
God, and are apt to fancy that these passages in devotion
are mere mockery, because the daily mind and the or
dinary life are not always elevated to the same standard
of godliness and purity. It would be more humble to
remember the genera/ infirmities of the race ; to recol
lect, that as none are perfect, the question is reduced

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 189

to one of degree ; and to bear in mind, that the Being who
reads the heart, may accept of any devout petitions, even
though they come from those who are not disposed ha
bitually to walk in his laws. These passing but pious emo
tions are the workings of the Spirit, since good can come
from no other source ; and it is as unreasonable as it is irre
verent to imagine that the Deity will disregard, altogether,
the effects of his own grace, however humble.

Whatever may have been the general disposition of most
of the communicants on this occasion, there is little doubt
that there knelt at the altar of La Rabida, that day, one in
the person of the great navigator himself, who, as far as
the eye could perceive, lived habitually in profound defer
ence to the dogmas of religion, and who paid an undevi-
ating respect to all its rites. Columbus was not strictly a
devotee ; but a quiet, deeply seated enthusiasm, which had
taken the direction of Christianity, pervaded his moral sys
tem, and at all times disposed him to look up to the pro
tecting hand of the Deity and to expect its aid. The high
aims that he entertained for the future have already been
mentioned, and there is little doubt of his having persuaded
himself that he had been set apart by Providence as the in
strument it designed to employ in making the great dis
covery on which his mind was so intently engaged, as well
as in accomplishing other and ulterior purposes. If, indeed,
an overruling Power directs all the events of this world,
who will presume to say that this conviction of Columbus
was erroneous, now that it has been justified by the result ?
That he felt this sentiment, sustaining his courage and
constantly urging him onward, is so much additional evi
dence in favour of his impression, since, under such cir
cumstances, nothing is more probable than that an earnest
belief in his destiny would be one of the means most likely
to be employed by a supernatural power in inducing its
human agent to accomplish the work for which he had
actually been selected.

Let this be as it might, there is no doubt that Colon ob
served the rites of the church, on the occasion named, with
a most devout reliance on the truth of his mission, and
with the brightest hopes as to its successful termination.
Not so, however, with all of his intended followers. Their

190 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

minds had wavered, from time to time, as the preparations
advanced ; and the last month had seen them eager to de
part, and dejected with misgivings and doubts. Although
there were days of hope and brightness, despondency
perhaps prevailed, and this so much the more because the
apprehensions of mothers, wives, and of those who felt an
equally tender interest in the mariners, though less inclined
to avow it openly, were thrown into the scale by the side
of their own distrust. Gold, unquestionably, was the great
aim of their wishes, and there were moments when visions
of inexhaustible mines and of oriental treasures floated be
fore their imaginations ; at which times none could be more
eager to engage in the mysterious undertaking, or more
ready to risk their lives and hopes on its success. But
these were fleeting impressions, and, as has just been said,
despondency was the prevalent feeling among those who
were about to embark. It heightened the devotion of the
communicants, and threw a gloom over the chastened so
briety of the altar, that weighed heavily on the hearts of
most assembled there.

" Our people seem none of the most cheerful, Senor Almi-
rante," said Luis, as they left the convent-chapel in com
pany, " and, if truth must be spoken, one could wish to set
forth on an expedition of this magnitude, better sustained
by merry hearts and smiling countenances."

" Dost thou imagine, young count, that he hath the firm
est mind, who weareth the most smiling visage, or that the
heart is weak because the countenance is sobered ? These
honest mariners bethink them of their sins, and no doubt
are desirous that so holy an enterprise be not tainted by the
corruption of their own hearts, but rather purified and ren
dered fitting, by their longings to obey the will of God. I
trust Luis" — intercourse had given Columbus a sort of
paternal interest in the welfare of the young grandee, that
lessened the distance made by rank between them — "I
trust, Luis, thou art not, altogether, without these pious
longings in thine own person."

" By San Pedro, my new patron ! Senor Almirante, I
think more of Mercedes de Valverde, than of aught else, in
this great affair. She is my polar star, my religion, my
Cathay. Go on, in Heaven's name, and discover what thou

MERCEDES OP CASTILE. 191

wilt, whether it be Cipango or the farthest Indies ; beard the
great Khan on his throne, and I will follow in thy train,
with a poor lance and an indifferent sword, swearing that
the maid of Castile hath no equal, and ransacking the east,
merely to prove in the face of the universe, that she is peer
less, let her rivals come from what part of the earth they
may."

Although Columbus permitted his grave countenance
slightly to relax at this rhapsody, he did not the less deem
it prudent to rebuke the spirit in which it was uttered.

" I grieve, my young friend," he said, " to find that thou
hast not the feelings proper for one who is engaged, as it
might be, in a work of Heaven's own ordering. Canst thou
not foresee the long train of mighty and wonderful events
that are likely to follow from this voyage — the spread of
religion, through the holy church ; the conquest of distant
empires, with their submission to the sway of Castile ; the
settling of disputed points in science and philosophy, and
the attainment of inexhaustible wealth ; with the last and
most honourable consequence of all, the recovery of the
sepulchre of the Son of God, from the hands of the Infi
dels !"

"No doubt, Senor Colon — no doubt, I see them all, but
I see the Donas Mercedes at their end. What care I for
gold, who already possess — or shall so soon possess — more
than I need ; — what is the extension of the. sway of Castile
to me, who can never be its king ; and as for the Holy
Sepulchre, give me but Mercedes, and, like my ancestors
that are gone, I am ready to break a lance with the stoutest
Infidel who ever wore a turban, be it in that, or in any
other quarrel. In short, Senor Almirante, lead on ; aind
though we go forth with different objects and different hopes>
doubt not that they will lead us to the same goal. I feel that
you ought to be supported in this great and noble design,
and it matters not what may bring me in your train."

" Thou art a mad-brained youth, Luis, and must be hu
moured, if it were only for the sake of the sweet and pious
young maiden who seemeth to engross all thy thoughts."

" You have seen her, Senor, and can say whether she be
not worthy to occupy the minds of all the youth of Spain?"

" She is fair, and virtuous, and noble, and a zealous

192 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

friend of the voyage. These are all rare merits, and thou
may'st be pardoned for thy enthusiasm in her behalf. But,
forget not, that, to win her, thou must first win a sight of
Cathay."

" In the reality, you must mean, Senor Almirante ; for,
with the mind's eye, I see it keenly, constantly, and see
little else, with Mercedes standing on its shores, smiling a
welcome, and, by St. Paul ! sometimes beckoning me on,
with that smile that fires the soul with its witchery, even
while it subdues the temper with its modesty. The blessed
Maria send us a wind, right speedily, that we may quit this
irksome river, and wearying convent !"

Columbus made no answer ; for, while he had all con
sideration for a lover's impatience, his thoughts turned to
subjects too grave, to be long amused even by a lover's
follies.

CHAPTER XIII.

"Nor Zayda weepa him only,
But all that dwell between
The great Alhambra's palace walls
And springs of Albaiein."

Bryan? s Translations.

THE instant of departure at length arrived. The mo-
ment so long desired by the Genoese was at hand, and
years of poverty, neglect, and of procrastination, were all
forgotten at that blessed hour; or, if they returned in any
manner to the constant memory, it was no longer with the
bitterness of hope deferred. The navigator, at last, saw
himself in the possession of the means of achieving the
first great object for which he had lived the last fifteen
years, with the hope, in perspective, of making the success
of his present adventure the stepping-stone towards effect
ing the conquest of the Holy Sepulchre. While those

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 193

around him were looking with astonishment at the limited
means with which ends so great were to be attained, or
were struck aghast at the apparent temerity of an under
taking that seemed to defy the laws of nature, and to set at
nought the rules of Providence, he had grown more tran
quil as the time for sailing drew nearer, and his mind was
oppressed merely by a feeling of intense, but of sobered,
delight. Fray Juan Perez whispered to Luis, that he could
best liken the joy of the admiral to the chastened rapture
of a Christian who was about to quit a world of woe, to
enter on the untasted, but certain, fruition of blessed im
mortality.

This, however, was far from being the state of mind of
all in Palos. The embarkation took place in the course of
the afternoon of the 2d of August, it being the intention of
the pilots to carry the vessels that day to a point, off the
town of Huelvas, where the position was more favourable
to making sail, than when anchored in front of Palos.
The distance was trifling, but it was the commencement of
the voyage, and, to many, it was like snapping the cords
of life, to make even this brief movement. Columbus,
himself, was one of the last to embark, having a letter to
send to the court, and other important duties to discharge.
At length he quitted the convent, and, accompanied by Luis
and the prior, he, too, took his way to the beach. The
short journey was silent, for each of the party was deeply
plunged in meditation. Never before this hour, did the en
terprise seem so perilous and uncertain to the excellent
Franciscan. Columbus was carefully recalling the details
of his preparations, while Luis was thinking of the maid
of Castile, as he was wont to term Mercedes, and of the
many weary days that must elapse before he could hope to
see her again.

The party stopped on the shore, in waiting for a boat to
arrive, at a place where they were removed from any
houses. There Fray Juan Perez took his leave of the two
adventurers. The long silence that all three had maintained,
was more impressive than any ordinary discourse could
have been ; but it was now necessary to break it. The
prior was deeply affected, and it was some little time before
he could even trust his voice to speak,

VOL. I, 17

194 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Senor Christoval," he at length commenced, " it is now
many years since thou first appeared at the gate of Santa
Maria de Rabida — years of friendship and pleasure have
they proved to me."

" It is full seven, Fray Juan Perez," returned Columbus,
— " seven weary years have they proved to me, as a soli
citor for employment; — years of satisfaction, father, in all
that concerneth thee. Think not that I can ever forget the
hour, when leading Diego, houseless, impoverished, wan
derers, journeying on foot, I stopped to tax the convent's
charity for refreshment ! The future is in the hands of
God, but the past is imprinted here," — laying his hand on
his heart — " and can never be forgotten. Thou hast been
my constant friend, holy prior, and that, too, when it was
no credit to favour the nameless Genoese. Should my es
timation ever change in men's opinions — "

"Nay, Senor Almirante, it hath changed already," —
eagerly interrupted the prior. " Hast thou not the com
mission of the queen — the support of Don Fernando — the
presence of this young noble, though still as an incognito
— the wishes of all the learned 1 Dost thou not go forth, on
this great voyage, carrying with thee more of our hopes
than of our fears?"

" So far as thou art concerned, dear Juan Perez, this may
be so. I feel that I have all thy best wishes for success ; I
know that I shall have thy prayers. Few in Spain, not
withstanding, will think of Colon, with respect, or hope,
while we are wandering on the great desert of the ocean,
beyond a very narrow circle. I fear me, that, even at this
moment, when the means of learning the truth of our theo
ries is in actual possession, when we stand, as it might be,
on the very threshold of the great portal which opens upon
the Indies, that few believe in our chances of success."

" Thou hast Dona Isabella of thy side, Senor !"

" And Dona Mercedes !" put in Luis, " not to speak of
my decided and true-hearted aunt !"

" I ask but a few brief months, Senores," returned Colum
bus, his face turned to heaven with uncovered head, his
grey hair floating in the wind, and his eye kindling with
the light of enthusiasm, — " a few short months, that will
pass away untold with the happy — that even the miserable

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 195

may find supportable, but which to us will seem ages, must
now dispose of this question. Prior, I have often quitted
the shore feeling that 1 carried my life in my hand, con
scious of all the dangers of the ocean, and as much expect
ing death as a happy return ; but, at this glorious moment
no doubts beset me ; as for life, I know it is in the keeping
of God's care; as for success, I feel it is in God's wisdom !"

" These are comfortable sentiments, at so serious a mo
ment, Sefior, and I devoutly hope the end will justify them.
But, yonder is thy boat, and we must now part. Sefior,
my son, thou knowest that my spirit will be with thee in
this mighty undertaking."

"Holy prior, remember me in thy prayers. I am weak,
and have need of this support. I trust much to the efficacy
of thy intercessions, aided by those of thy pious brother
hood. Thou wilt bestow on us a few masses ?"

" Doubt us not, my friend ; all that La Rabida can do with
the blessed Virgin, or the saints, shall be exercised, without
ceasing, in thy behalf. It is not given to man to foresee
the events that are controlled by Providence; and, though
we deem this enterprise of thine so certain, and so reason
able, it may nevertheless fail."

" It may not fail, father ; God hath thus far directed it,
and he will not permit it to fail."

" We know not, Sefior Colon ; our wisdom is but as
a grain of mustard seed, among the sands of this shore, as
compared with his inscrutable designs. I was about to say,
as it is possible thou may'st return a disappointed, a de
feated man, that thou wilt still find the gate of Santa Ma
ria open to thee ; since, in our eyes, it is- as meritorious to
attempt nobly, as it is often, in the eyes of others, to achieve
successfully."

" I understand thee, holy prior ; and the cup and the
morsel bestowed on the young Diego, were not more grate
ful than this proof of thy friendship ! I would not depart
without thy blessing."

" Kneel, then, Sefior ; for, in this act it will not be Juan
Perez de Marchena that will speak, and pronounce, but the
minister of God and the church. Even these sands will be
no unworthy spot to receive such an advantage."

The eyes of both Columbus and the prior were suffused

196 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

with tears, for at that moment the heart of each was touched
with the emotions natural to a moment so solemn. The
first loved the last, because he had proved himself a friend,
when friends were few and timid ; and the worthy monk
had some such attachment for the great navigator as men
are apt to feel for those they have cherished. Each, also,
respected and appreciated the other's motives, and there
was a bond of union in their common reverence for the
Christian religion. Columbus kneeled on the sands, and
received the benediction of his friend, with the meek sub
mission of faith, and with some such feelings of reverence
as those with which a pious son would have listened to a
blessing pronounced by a natural father.

" And thou, young lord," resumed Fray Juan Perez, with
a husky voice — " Thou, too, wilt be none the worse for the
prayers of an aged churchman."

Like most of that age, Luis, in the midst of his impetuous
feelings, and youthful propensities, had enshrined in his
heart an image c f the Son of God, and entertained an ha
bitual respect fo>. holy things. He knelt without hesitation,
and listened to the trembling words of the priest with thank
fulness and respect.

" Adieu, holy prior," said Columbus, squeezing his friend's
hand. " Thou hast befriended me when others held aloof;
but I trust in God that the day is not now distant, when
those who have ever shown confidence in my predictions,
will cease to feel uneasiness at the mention of my name.
Forget us in all things but thy prayers, for a few short
months, and then expect tidings that, of a verity, shall exalt
Castile to a point of renown which will render this Conquest
of Granada but an incident of passing interest amid the
glory of the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella !"

This was not said boastfully, but with the quiet earnest
ness of one who saw a truth, that was concealed from most
eyes, and this with an intensity so great, that the effect on
his moral vision produced a confidence equalling that
which is the fruit of the evidence of the senses in ordinary
men. The prior understood him, and the assurance thus
given cheered the mind of the worthy Franciscan long after
the departure of his friend. They embraced and separated.

MJERCEDES OF CASTILE. 197

By this time, the boat of Columbus had reached the
shore. As the navigator moved slowly towards it, a
youthful female rushed wildly past him and Luis, and re
gardless of their presence, she threw her arms around a
young mariner who had quitted the boat to meet her, and
sobbed for a minute on his bosom, in uncontrollable agony,
or as women weep in the first outbreak of their emotions.

" Come, then, Pepe," the young wife at length said, hur
riedly, and with low earnestness, as one speaks who would
fain persuade herself that denial was impossible—" come,
Pepe; thy boy hath wept for thee, and thou hast pushed
this matter, already, much too far."

" Nay, Monica," returned the husband, glancing his eye
at Columbus, who was already near enough to hear his
words — " thou knowest it is by no wish of mine that I am
to sail on this unknown voyage. Gladly would I abandon
it, but the orders of the queen are too strong for a poor
mariner like me, and they must be obeyed."

"This is foolish, Pepe," returned the woman, pulling at
her husband's doublet to drag him from the water-side — "I
have had enough of this ; sufficient to break my heart.
Come, then, and look again upon thy boy."

"Thou dost not see that the admiral is near, Monica,
and we are showing him disrespect."

The habitual deference that was paid by the low to the
high, induced the woman, for a moment, to pause. She
looked imploringly at Columbus, her fine dark eyes became
eloquent with the feelings of a wife and mother, and then
she addressed the great navigator, himself.

" Serlor," she said, eagerly, " you can have no further
need of Pepe. He hath helped to carry your vessels to
Huelva, and now his wife and boy call for him at home."

Columbus was touched with the manner of the woman,
which was not entirely without a show of that wavering of
reason which is apt to accompany excessive grief, and he
answered her less strongly, than, at a moment so critical,
he might otherwise have been disposed to do to one who
was inciting to disobedience.

" Thy husband is honoured in being chosen to be my
companion in the great voyage," he said. " Instead of be-
17*

193 MERCEDES OF CASTILE*

wailing his fate, thou would'st act more like a brave mari
ner's wife, in exulting in his good fortune."

" Believe him not, Pepe. He speaketh under the Evil
One's advice to tempt thee to destruction. He hath talked
blasphemy, and belied the word of God, by saying that the
world is round, and that one may sail east by steering west,
that he might ruin thee and others, by tempting ye all to
follow him !"

"And why should I do this, good woman?" demanded
the admiral. " What have I to gain, by the destruction of
thy husband, or by the destruction of any of his com
rades?"

" I know not — I care not — Pepe is all to me, and he
shall not go with you, on this mad and wicked voyage. No
good can come of a journey that is begun by belying the
truths of God !"

"And what particular evil dost thou dread, in this, more
than in another voyage, that thou thus hang'st upon thy
husband, and usest such discourse to one who beareth their
Highnesses' authority for that he doeth. Thou kriewest he
was a mariner when thou wert wedded, and yet thou
would'st fain prevent him from serving the queen, as be-
cometh his station and duty."

" He may go against the Moor, or the Portuguese, or the
people of Inglileterra, but I would not that he voyage in
the service of the Prince of Darkness. Why tell us that
the earth is round, Sefior, when our eyes show that it is
flat ? And if round, how can a vessel that hath descended
the side of the earth for days, ever return ? The sea doth
not flow upward, neither can a caravel mount the water
fall. And when thou hast wandered about for months in
the vacant ocean, in what manner wilt thou, and those with
thee, ever discover the direction that must be taken, to re
turn whence ye all sailed ? Oh ! Senor, Palos is but a little
town, and once lost sight of, in such a confusion of ideas,
it will never be regained."

" Idle and childish, as this may seem," observed Colum
bus, turning quietly to Luis, " it is as reasonable as much
that I have been doomed to hear from the learned, during
the last sixteen years. When the night of ignorance ob
scures the mind, the thoughts conjure arguments a thousand

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 199

times more vain and frivolous than the phenomena of na
ture that it fancies so unreasonable. I will try the effect
of religion on this woman, converting her present feelings
on that head, from an enemy into an ally. — Monica," call
ing her kindly and familiarly by name, " art thou a Chris
tian?"

"Blessed Maria! Senor Almirante, what else should I
be ? Dost think Pepe would have married a Moorish girl? "

" Listen, then, to me, and learn how unlike a believer
thou conductest. The Moor is not the only infidel > but this
earth groaneth with the burthen of their numbers, and of
their sins. The sands on this shore are not as numerous
as the unbelievers in the single kingdom of Cathay ; for,
as yet, God hath allotted but a small portion of the earth to
those who have faith in the mediation of his Son. Even
the sepulchre of Christ is yet retained by infidel hands."

" This have I heard, Senor ; and 'tis a thousand pities
the faith is so weak in those who have vowed to obey
the law, that so crying an evil hath never been cured !"

" Hast thou not been told that such is to be the fate of
the world, for a time, but that light will dawn when the
word shall pass, like the sound of trumpets, into the ears
of infidels, and when the earth, itself, shall be but one vast
temple, filled with the praises of God, the love of his name,
and obedience to his will?"

" Senor, the good fathers of La Rabida, and our own
parish priests, often comfort us with these hopes."

" And hast thoft seen nought of late to encourage that
hope — to cause thee to think that God is mindful of his peo
ple, and that new light is beginning to burst on the dark
ness of Spain ?"

, " Pepe, his excellency must mean the late miracle at the
convent, where they say that real tears were seen to fall
from the eyes of the image of the holy Maria, as she gazed
at the child that lay on her bosom."

" I mean not that," interrupted Columbus, a little sternly,
though he crossed himself, even while he betrayed dissatis
faction at the allusion to a miracle that was much too
vulgar for his manly understanding — " I mean no such ques
tionable wonder, which it is permitted us to believe, or not,
a« it may be supported by the church's authority. Can thy

200 M£HCEDEs oi CASTILE;

faith and zeal point to no success of the two sovereigns, irt
which the power of God, as exercised to the advancement
of the faith, hath been made signally apparent to be
lievers?"

"He meaneth the expulsion of the Moor, Pepe !" the
woman exclaimed, glancing quickly towards her husband,
with a look of pleasure, " that hath happened of late, they
say, by conquering the city of Granada ; into which place,
they tell me, Dona Isabella hath marched in triumph."

" In that conquest, thou seest the commencement of the
great acts of our time. Granada hath now its churches ;
arid the distant land of Cathay will shortly follow her ex
ample. These are the doings of the Lord, foolish woman ;
and in holding back thy husband from this great undertake
ing, thou hinderest him from purchasing a signal reward in
heaven, and may unwittingly be the instrument of casting
a curse, instead of a blessing, on that very boy, whose
image now filleth thy thoughts more than that of his Maker
and Redeemer."

The woman appeared bewildered, first looking at the ad
miral, and then at her husband, after which she bowed her
head low, and devoutly crossed herself. Recovering from
this self-abasement, she again turned towards Columbus,
demanding earnestly —

" And you, Sefior — do you sail with the wish and hope
of serving God ?"

" Such is my principal aim, good woman. I call on
Heaven itself, to witness the truth of what I say. May my
voyage prosper, only, as I tell thee nought but truth !"•

"And you, too, Senor?" turning quickly to Luis de
Bobadilla ; " is it to serve God that you also go on this un
usual voyage ?"

"If riot at the orders of God, himself, my good woman,
it is, at least, at the bidding of an angel !"

" Dost thou think it is so, Pepe ? Have we been thus
deceived, and has so much evil been said of the admiral
and his motives, wrongfully?"

"What hath been said?" quietly demanded Columbus.
" Speak freely ; thou hast nought to dread from my dis
pleasure."

" Senor, you have your enemies, as well as another, and

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 201

the wives, and mothers, and the betrothed of Palos, have
not been slow to give vent to their feelings. In the first
place, they say that you are poor."

" That is so true and manifest, good woman, it would be
idle to deny it. Is poverty a crime at Palos ?"

" The poor are little respected, Senor, in all this region.
I know not why, for to me we seem to be as the rest, but
few respect us. Then they say, Senor, that you are not a
Castilian, but a Genoese."

" This is also true ; is that, too, a crime among the
mariners of Moguer, who ought to prize a people as much
renowned for their deeds on the sea, as those of the superb
republic?"

" I know not, Senor ; but many hold it to be a disadvan
tage not to belong to Spain, and particularly to Castile,
which is the country of Dona Isabella, herself; ar>d how
can it be as honourable to be a Genoese as to be a Spaniard?
I should like it better were Pepe to sail with one who is a
Spaniard, and that, too, of Palos or Moguer."

" Thy argument is ingenious, if not conclusive," returned
Columbus, smiling, the only outward exhibition of feeling
he betrayed — " but cannot one who is both poor and a
Genoese serve God ?"

" No doubt, Senor ; and I think better of this voyage
since I know your motive, and since I have seen you and
spoken with you. Still, it is a great sacrifice for a young
wife to let her husband sail on an expedition so distrusted,
and he the father of her only boy !"

" Here is a young noble, an only son, a lover, and that
too of impetuous feelings, an only child withal, rich,
honoured, and able to go whither he will, who not only
embarketh with me, but embarketh by the consent — nay, I
had better say, by the orders of his mistress !"

" Is this so, Senor ?" the wife asked, eagerly.

" So true, my good woman, that my greatest hopes de
pend on this voyage. Did I not tell thee that I went at the
bidding of an angel ?"

" Ah ! these young lords have seductive tongues ! But,
Senor Almirante, since such is your quality, they say,
moreover, that to you this voyage can only bring honours
and good, while it may bring misery and death on your

202 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

followers. Poor and unknown, it maketh you a high officer
of the queen ; and some think that the Venetian galleys
will be none the more heavily freighted, should you meet
them on the high seas."

" And in what can all this harm thy husband ? I go
whithersoever he goeth, share his dangers, and expose life
for life with him. If there is gold gained by the adventure,
he will not be forgotten ; and if heaven is made any nearer
to us, by our dangers and hardships, Pepe will not be a
loser. At the last great reckoning, woman, we shall not
be asked who is poor, or who is a Genoese."

" This is true, Seiior ; and yet it is hard for a young
wife to part from her husband. Dost thou wish, in truth,
to sail with the admiral, Pepe?"

" It matters little with me, Monica : I am commanded to
serve the queen, and. we mariners have no right to question
her authority. Now I have heard his excellency's dis
course, I think less of the affair than before."

" If God is really to be served in this voyage," contin
ued the woman, with dignity, " thou should'st not be back
ward, more than another, my husband. Seiior, will you
suffer Pepe to pass the night with his family, on condition
that he goeth on board the Santa Maria in the morning?"

" What certainty have I that this condition will be re
spected ?"

" Senor, we are both Christians, and serve the same God
— have been redeemed by the same Saviour."

" This is true, and I will confide in it. Pepe, thou canst
remain until the morning, when I shall expect thee at thy
station. There will be oarsmen enough, without thee."

The woman looked her thanks, and Columbus thought
he read an assurance of good faith in her noble Spanish
manner, and lofty look. As some trifling preparations
were to be made before the boat could quit the shore, the
admiral and Luis paced the sands the while, engaged in
deep discourse.

" This hath been a specimen of what I have had to over
come and endure, in order to obtain even yonder humble
means for effecting the good designs of Providence," observed
Columbus, mournfully, though he spoke without acrimony.
" It is a crime to be poor — to be a Genoese — to be aught

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 203

else than the very thing that one's judges and masters fan
cy themselves to be ! The day will come, Conde de Llera,
when Genoa shall think herself in no manner disgraced,
in having given birth to Christofero Colombo, and when your
proud Castile will be willing to share with her in the dis
honour ! Thou little know'st, young lord, how far thou
art on the road to renown, and towards high deeds, in
having been born noble, and the master of large posses
sions. Thou seest me, here, a man already stricken in
years, with a head whitened by time and sufferings, and
yet am I only on the threshold of the undertaking that is
to give my name a place amongst those of the men who
have served God, and advanced the welfare of their fellow-
creatures."

" Is not this the course of things, Senor, throughout the
earth ? — Do not those who find themselves placed beneath
the level of their merits, struggle to rise to the condition to
which nature intended them to belong, while those whom
fortune hath favoured through their ancestors, are too often
content to live on honours that they have not themselves
won? I see nought in this but the nature of man, and the
course of the world."

" Thou art right, Luis, but philosophy and fact are dif
ferent matters. We may reason calmly on principles,
when their application in practice causeth much pain.
Thou hast a frank and manly nature, young man ; one
that dreadeth neither the gibe of the Christian, nor the lance
of the Moor, and wilt answer to any, in fearlessness and
truth. A Castilian thyself, dost thou, too, really think one
of thy kingdom better than one of Genoa ?"

" Not when he of Genoa is Christoval Colon, Senor, and
he of Castile is only Luis de Bobadilla," answered the
young man, laughing.

" Nay, I will not be denied — hast thou any such notion
as this, which the wife of Pepe hath so plainly avowed ?"

"What will you, Senor Christoval? — Man is the same
in Spain, that he is among the Italians, or the English. Is
it not his besetting sin to think good of himself, and evil of
his neighbour?"

"A plain question, that is loyally put, may not be an-
swered with a truism, Luis."

204 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Nor a civil, honest reply confounded with one that is*
evasive. We of Castile are humble and most devout Chris
tians, by the same reason that we think ourselves faultless,
and the rest of mankind notable sinners. By San lago, of
blessed faith and holy memory ! it is enough to make a
people vain, to have produced such a queen as Dona Isa
bella, and such a maiden as Mercedes de Valverde !"

" This is double loyalty, for it is being true to the queen
and to thy mistress. With this must I satisfy myself, even
though it be no answer. But, Castilian though I am not,
even the Guzmans have not ventured on the voyage to
Cathay, and the House of Trastamara may yet be glad to
acknowledge its indebtedness to a Genoese. God hath no
respect to worldly condition, or worldly boundaries, in
choosing his agents, for most of the saints were despised
Hebrews, while Jesus, himself, came of Nazareth. We
shall see, we shall see, young lord, what three months will
reveal to the admiration of mankind."

" Senor Almirante, I hope and pray it may be the island
of Cipango, and the realms of the Great Khan ; should it
not be so, we are men who can not only bear our toils,
but who can bear our disappointments."

" Of disappointments in this matter, Don Luis, I look for
none, — now that. I have the royal faith of Isabella, and
these good caravels to back me ; the drudge who saileth
from Madeira to Lisbon is not more certain of gaining his
port, than I am certain of gaining Cathay."

" No doubt, Senor Colon, that what any navigator can
do, you can do and will perform ; nevertheless, disappoint
ment would seem to be the lot of man, and it might be well
for all of us to be prepared to meet it."

" The sun that is just sinking beyond yon hill, Luis, is
not plainer before my eyes than this route to the Indies. —
I have seen it, these seventeen years, distinct as the vessels
in the river, bright as the polar star, and, I make little doubt,
as faithfully. It is well to talk of disappointments, since
they are the lot of man ; and who can know this better
than one that hath been led on by false hopes during all the
better years of his life ; now encouraged by princes, states
men, and churchmen ; and now derided and scoffed at, as

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 205

a vain projector, that hath neither reason nor fact to sus
tain him !"

" By my new patron, San Pedro ! Seiior Almirante, but
you have led a most grievous life, for this last age, or so.
The next three months will, indeed, be months of moment
to you."

" Thou little knowest the calmness of conviction and con
fidence, Luis," returned Columbus, " if thou fanciest any
doubts beset me as the hour of trial approacheth. This day
is the happiest I have known, for many a weary year ; for,
though the preparations are not great, and our barks are
but slight and of trifling bulk, yonder lie the means through
which a light, that hath long been hid, is about to break
upon the world, and to raise Castile to an elevation surpass
ing that of any other Christian nation."

" Thou must regret, Senor Colon, that it hath not been
Genoa, thy native land, that is now about to receive this
great boon, after having merited it by generous and free
gifts, in behalf of this great voyage."

" This hath not been the least of my sorrows, Luis. It
is hard to desert one's own country, and to seek new con
nections, as life draweth to a close, though we mariners, per
haps, feel the tie less than those who never quit the land.
But Genoa would have none of me ; and if the child is
bound to love and honour the parent, so is the parent
equally bound to protect and foster the child. When the
last forgets its duty, the first is not to be blamed if it seek
support wherever it may be found. There are limits to
every human duty ; those we owe to God alone, never ceas
ing to require their fulfilment, and our unceasing attention.
Genoa hath proved but a stern mother to me ; and though
nought could induce me to raise a hand against her, she
hath no longer any claims on my service. Besides, when
the object in view is the service of God, it mattereth little
with which of his creatures we league as instruments.
One cannot easily hate the land of his birth, but injustice
may lead him to cease to love it. The tie is mutual, and
when the country ceaseth to protect person, character, pro
perty, or rights, the subject is liberated from all his duties.
If allegiance goeth with protection, so should protection go
with allegiance. Dona Isabella is now my mistress, and,
VOL. I. 18

206 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

next to God, her will 1 serve, and serve only. Castile is
henceforth my country."

At this moment it was announced that the pinnace waited,
and the two adventurers immediately embarked.

It must have required all the deep and fixed convictions
of an ardent temperament, to induce Columbus to rejoice
that he had, at length, obtained the means of satisfying his
longings for discovery, when he came coolly to consider
what those means were. The names of his vessels, the
Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina, have already been
mentioned, and some allusions have been made to their size
and construction. Still, it may aid the reader in forming
his opinions of the character of this great enterprise, if we
give a short sketch of the vessels, more especially that in
which Columbus and Luis de Bobadilla were now received.
She was, of course, the Santa Maria, a ship of nearly twice
the burthen of the craft next her in size. This vessel had
been prepared with more care than the others, and some
attention had been paid to the dignity and comfort of the
Admiral she was destined to carry. Not only was she
decked in, but a poop, or round-house, was constructed on
her quarter-deck, in which he had his berth. No proper
notion can be obtained of the appearance of the Santa Ma
ria, from the taunt-rigged, symmetrical, and low-sterned
ships of the present time ; for, though the Santa Maria had
both a poop and top-gallant-forecastle, as they would be
termed to-day, neither was constructed in the snug and un
obtrusive manner that is now used. The poop, or round
house, was called a castle, to which it had some fancied re
semblance, while the top-gallant-forecastle, in which most of
the people lived, was out of proportion large, rose like a
separate structure on the bows of the vessel, and occupied
about a third of the deck, from forward aft. To those who
never saw the shipping that was used throughout Europe,
a century since, it will not be very obvious how vessels so
small could rise so far above the water, in safety ; but this
difficulty may be explained; many very old ships, that had
some of the peculiarities of this construction, existing within
the memory of man, and a few having fallen under our own
immediate inspection. The bearings of these vessels were
at the loaded water-lines, or very little above them, and they

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 207

tumbled-home, in a way to reduce their beams on their poop
decks nearly if not quite a fourth. By these precautions,
their great height out of the water was less dangerous than
might otherwise have been the case ; and as they were uni
formly short ships, possessing the advantages of lifting
easily forward, and were, moreover, low-waisted, they
might be considered safe in a sea, rather than the reverse.
Being so short, loo, they had great beam for their tonnage,
which, if not an element of speed, was at least one of secu
rity. Although termed ships, these vessels were not rigged
in the manner of the ships of the present day, their standing-
spars being relatively longer than those now in use, while
their upper, or shifting spars, were much less numerous,
and much less important than those which now point up
wards, like needles, towards the clouds. Neither had a
ship necessarily the same number of spars, in the fifteenth
century, as belong to a ship in the nineteenth. The term
itself, as it was used in all the southern countries of Europe,
being directly derived from the Latin word navis, was ap
plied rather as a generic than as a distinctive term, and by
no means inferred any particular construction, or particular
rig. The caravel was a ship, in this sense, though not
strictly so, perhaps, when we descend to the more rninute
classification of seamen.

Much stress has been justly laid on the fact, that two of
the vessels in Jhis extraordinary enterprise were undecked.
In that day, when most sea voyages were made in a direc
tion parallel to the main coasts, and when even those that
extended to the islands occupied but a very few days, ves
sels were seldom far from the land ; and it was the custom
of the mariners, a practice that has extended to our own
times, in the southern seas of Europe, to seek a port at the
approach of bad weather. Under such circumstances,
decks were by no means as essential, cither for the security
of the craft, the protection of the cargo, or the comfort of
the people, as in those cases in which the full fury of the
elements must be encountered. Nevertheless, the reader
is not to suppose a vessel entirely without any upper cover
ing, because she was not classed among those that were
decked ; even such caravels, when used on the high seas,
usually possessing quarter-decks and forecastles, with con-

208 MEP.CEDES OF CASTILE.

necting gangways ; depending on larpaulings, and other
similar preventives, to exclude the wash of the sea from
injuring their cargoes.

After all these explanations, however, it must be con
ceded, that the preparations for the great undertaking of
Columbus, while the imaginations of landsmen probably
aggravate their incompleteness, strike the experienced sea
man as altogether inadequate to its magnitude and risks.
That the mariners of the day deemed them positively insuf
ficient is improbable, for men as accustomed to the ocean
as the Pinzons, would not have volunteered to risk their
vessel, their money, and their persons, in an expedition that
did not possess the ordinary means of security.

CHAPTER XIV.

" O'er the glad waters of the dark blue sea,
Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free,
Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam,
Survey our empire, and behold our home."

BYRON.

As Columbus sought his apartment, soon after he reached
the deck of the Holy Maria, Luis had no farther oppor
tunity to converse with him that night. He occupied a
part of the same room, it is true, under the assumed appel
lation of the admiral's secretary ; but the great navigator
was so much engaged with duties necessary to be discharged
previously to sailing, that he could not be interrupted, and
the young man paced the narrow limits of the deck until
near midnight, thinking, as usual, of Mercedes, and of his
return, when, socking his mattress, he found Columbus
already buried in a deep sleep.

The following day was Friday ; and it is worthy of re
mark, that the greatest and most successful voyage that has
ever occurred on this e;lobe, was commenced on a day of
the week that seamen have long deemed to be so inaus-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 209

picious to nautical enterprises, that they have often deferred
sailing, in order to avoid the unknown, but dreaded con
sequences. Luis was among the first who appeared again
on deck, and casting his eyes upward, he perceived that
the admiral was already afoot, and in possession of the
summit of the high poop, or castle, whose narrow limits,
indeed, were deemed sacred to the uses of the privileged,
answering, in. this particular, to the more extended prome
nade of the modern quarter-deck. Here it was that he,
who directed the movements of a squadron, overlooked its
evolutions, threw out his signals, made his astronomical
observations, and sought his recreation in the open air.
The whole space on board the Santa Maria might have
been some fifteen feet in one direction, and not quite as
much in the other, making a convenient look-out, more
from its exclusion and retirement, than from its dimensions.
As soon as the admiral — or Don Christoval, as he was
now termed by the Spaniards, since his appointment to his
present high rank, which gave him the rights and condition
of a noble — as soon as Don Christoval caught a glance of
Luis's eye, he made a sign for the young man to ascend,
and take a position at his side. Although the expedition
was so insignificant in numbers and force, not equalling, in
the latter particular, the power of a single modern sloop of
war, the authority of the queen, the gravity and mien of
Columbus himself, and, most of oil, its own mysterious
and unwonted object, had, from the first, thrown around it
a dignity that was disproportioned to its visible means. Ac
customed to control the passions of" turbulent men, and
aware of the great importance of impressing his followers
with a sense of his high station and influence with the
court, Columbus had kept much aloof from familiar inter
course with his subordinates, acting principally through the
Pinzons and the other commanders, lest he might lose some
portion of that respect which he foresaw would be neces
sary to his objects. It needed not his long experience to
warn him that men crowded together in so small a space,
could only be kept in their social or professional stations,
by the most rigid observance of forms and decorum, and
he had observed a due attention to these great requisites, in
prescribing the manner in which his dwn personal service
18*

210 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

should be attended to, and his personal dignity supported.
This is one of the great secrets of the discipline of a ship,
for they who are incapable of reasoning, can be made to
feel, and no man is apt to despise him who is well en
trenched behind the usages of deference and reserve. We
see, daily, the influence of an appellation, or a commission,
even the turbulent submitting to its authprity, when they
might resist the same lawful commands, issuing from an
apparently less elevated source.

" Thou wilt keep much near my person, Serlor Gutier
rez," said the admiral, using the feigned name, which Luis
affected to conceal under that of Pedro de Munos, as he
knew a ship was never safe from eaves-droppers, and was
willing that the young noble should pass as the gentleman
of the king's bedchamber; "this is our station, and here
we must remain, much of our time* until God, in his holy
and wise providence, shall have opened the way for us to
Cathay, and brought us near the throne of the Great Khan.
Here is our course, and along this track of pathless ocean
it is my intention to steer."

As Columbus spoke, he pointed to a chart that lay spread
before him on an arm-chest, passing a finger calmly along
the line he intended to pursue. The coast of Europe, in
its general outlines, was laid down on this chart, with as
much accuracy as the geographical knowledge of the day
would furnish, and a range of land extended southward as
far as Guinea, all beyond which region was terra incognito,
to the learned world at that time. The Canaries and the
Azores, which had been discovered some generations earlier,
occupied their proper places, while the western side of the
Atlantic was bounded by a fancied delineation of the eastern
coast of India, or of Cathay, buttressed by the island of
Cipango, or Japan, and an Archipelago, that had been re
presented principally after the accounts of Marco Polo and
his relatives. By a fortunate misconception, Cipango had
been placed in a longitude that corresponded very nearly
with that of Washington, or some two thousand leagues
east of the position in which it is actually to be found.
This error of Columbus, in relation to the extent of the
circumference of the globe, in the end, most probably saved
his hardy enterprise from becoming a failure.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 211

Luis, for the first time since he had been engaged in the
expedition, cast his eyes over this chart, with some curios
ity, and he felt a noble desire to solve the great problem
rising within him, as he thus saw, at a glance, all the vast
results, as well as the interesting natural phenomena, that
were dependent on the issue.

" By San Gennaro of Napoli !" he exclaimed — The only
affectation the young noble had, was a habit of invoking
the saints of the different countries he had visited, and of
using the little oaths and exclamations of distant lands, a
summary mode of both letting the world know how far
he had journeyed, as well as a portion of the improvement
he had derived from his travels — "By San Gennaro, Sefior
Don Christoval, but this voyage will be. one of exceeding
merit, if we ever find our way across this great belt of wa
ter; and greater still, should we ever manage to return!"

" The last difficulty is the one, at this moment, upper
most in the minds of most in this vessel," answered Colum
bus. " Dost thou not perceive, Don Luis, the grave and
dejected countenances of the mariners, and hearest thou the
wailings that are rising from the shore?"

This remark caused the young man to raise his eyes
from the chart, and to take a survey of the scene around
him. The Nina, a light felucca in fact, was already under
way, and brushing past them under a latino foresail, her
sides thronged with boats filled with people, no small por
tion of whom were females and children, and most of whom
were wringing their hands and raising piteous cries of des
pair. The Pinta was in the act of being cast ; and, al-
thouo-h the authority of Martin Alonzo Pinzon had the ef
fect To render their grief less clamorous, her sides were sur
rounded by a similar crowd, while numberless boats plied
around the Santa Maria herself; the authority and dignity
cC the admiral alone keeping them at a distance. It was
evident that most of those who remained, fancied that they
now saw their departing relations for the last time, while no
small portion of those who were on the eve of sailing, be
lieved they were on the point of quitting Spain forever.

" Hast looked for Pepc, this morning, among our peo
ple?" demanded Columbus, the incident of the young sailor
recurring to his thoughts, for the first time that morning;

212 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" if he prove false to his word, we may regard it as an evil
omen, and have an eye on all our followers, while there is
a chance of escape."

" If his absence would be an omen of evil, Seiior Almi-
rante, his presence ought to be received as an omen of good.
The noble fellow is on this yard, above our heads, loosen
ing the sail."

Columbus turned his eyes upwards, and there, indeed,
was the young mariner in question, poised on the extreme
and attenuated end of the latino yard, that ships even
then carried on their after-masts, swinging in the wind,
while he loosened the gasket that kept the canvass in
its folds. Occasionally he looked beneath him, anxious to
discover if his return had been noted ; and, once or twice,
his hands, usually so nimble, lingered in their employment,
as he cast glances over the stern of the vessel, as if one
also drew his attention in that quarter. Columbus made a
sign of recognition to the gratified young mariner, who in
stantly permitted the canvass to fall ; and then he walked to
the taffrail, accompanied by Luis, in order to ascertain if any
boat was near the ship. There, indeed, close to the vessel,
lay a skiff, rowed by Monica alone, and which had been
permitted to approach so near on account of the sex of its
occupant. The moment the wife of Pepc observed the form
of the admiral, she arose from her seat, and clasped her
hands towards him, desirous, but afraid, to speak. Perceiv
ing that the woman was awed by the bustle, the crowd of
persons, and the appearance of the ship, which she was al
most near enough to touch with her K^nd, Columbus ad
dressed her. He spoke mildly, and his looks, usually so
grave, and sometimes even stern, were softei*?.d to an ex
pression of gentleness that Luis had never before witnessed.
" I see that thy husband bath been true to his promise,
good woman," he said, " and I doubt not that thou hast told
him it is wiser and better manfully to serve the queen, than
to live under the disgrace of a runaway."

" Senor, I have. I give Dofia Isabella my husband, with
out a murmur, if not cheerfully, now I know that you go
forth to serve God. I see the wickedness of my repinings,
and shall pray that he may be foremost, on all occasions,

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 213

until the ears of the Infidel shall be opened to the words of,
the true faith."

" This is said like a Spanish wife, and a Christian wo
man ! Our lives are in the care of Providence, and doubt
not of seeing Pepe, in health and saibty, after he hath visited
Cathay, and done his share in its discovery."

"Ah! Senor-— when V exclaimed the wife, unable, in
spite of her assumed fortitude, and the strong feelings of
religious duty, to suppress the impulses of a woman.

"In God's time, my good how art thou named?"

" Monica, Senor Almirante, and my husband is called
Pepe; and the boy, the poor fatherless child, hath been
christened Juan. We have no Moorish blood, but are pure
Spaniards, and I pray your Excellency to remember it, on
such occasions as may call for more dangerous duty than
common."

" Thou may'st depend on my care of the father of Juan,"
returned the Admiral, smiling, though a tear glistened in
his eye. " I. too, leave behind those that are dear to
me as my own soul, and among others a motherless son.
Should aught serious befal our vessel, Diego would be an
orphan ; whereas thy Juan would at least enjoy the care
and affection of her who brought him into the world."

" Senor, a thousand pardons !" said the woman, much
touched by the feeling that was betrayed by the Admiral in
his voice. " We are selfish, and forget that others have
sorrows, when we feel our own too keenly. Go forth, in
God's name, and do his holy will — take my husband with
you ; I only wish that little Juan was old enough to be his
companion."

Monica could utter no more, but dashing the tears from
her eyes, she resumed the oars, and pulled the little skiff
slowly, as if the inanimate machine felt the reluctance of
the hands that propelled it, towards the land. The short
dialogue just related, had been carried on in voices so loud
as to be heard by all near the speakers ; and when Colum
bus turned from the boat, he saw that many of his crew
had been hanging suspended in the rigging, or on the yards,
eagerly listening to what had been said. At this precise
instant the anchor of the Santa Maria was raised from the
bottom, and the ship's head began to incline from the direc-

214 MEKCEDES OF CASTILE.

tion of the wind. At the next moment, the flap of the large
square foresail that crafts of her rig then carried, was heard,
and in the course of the next five minutes, the three vessels
were standing slowly hut steadily down the current of the
Odiel, in one of the arms of which river they had heen an
chored, holding their course towards a bar near its mouth.
The sun had not yet risen, or rather it rose over the
hills of Spain, a fiery ball, just as the sails were set, gild
ing with a melancholy glory, a coast that not a few in
the different vessels apprehended they were looking upon
for the last time. Many of the boats clung to the two
smaller craft until they reached the bar of Saltes, an hour
or two later, and some still persevered until they began to
toss in the long waves of the breathing ocean, when, the
wind being fresh at the west, they reluctantly cast off, one
by one, amid sighs and groans. The liberated 'ships, in the
mean while, moved steadily into the blue waters of the
shoreless Atlantic, like human beings silently impelled by
their destinies towards fates that they can neither foresee,
control", nor avoid.

The day was line, and the wind both brisk and fair.
Thus far the omens were propitious ; but the unknown fu
ture threw a cloud over ihe feelings of a large portion of
those who were thus quitting, in gloomy uncertainty, all
that was most dear to them. It was known that the ad
miral intended making the best of his way towards the
Canaries, thence to enter on the unknown arid hitherto un
trodden paths of the desert ocean that lay beyond. Those
who doubted, therefore, fixed upon those islands as the
points where their real dangers were to commence, and
already looked forward to their appearance in the horizon,
with feelings akin to those with which the guilty regard the
day of trial, the condemned the morning of execution, or
the sinner the bed of death. Many, however, were supe
rior to this weakness, having steeled their nerves and pre
pared their minds for any hazards, though the feelings of
nearly all fluctuated ; there being hours when hope, and
anticipations of success, seemed to cheer the entire crews ;
and then, moments would occur, in which the disposition
was to common doubts, and a despondency that was nearly
general,

XEHCEDES OF CASTILE. 215

A voyage to the Canaries, or the Azores, in that age,
was most probably to be classed among the hardiest ex
ploits of seamen. The distance was not as great, cer
tainly, as many of their more ordinary excursions, for
vessels frequently went, even in the same direction, as far
as the Cape de Verdes ; but all the other European passages
lay along the land, and in the Mediterranean the seaman
felt that he was navigating within known limits, and was
apt to consider himself as embayed within the boundaries
of human knowledge. On the contrary, while sailing on
the broad Atlantic, he was, in some respects, placed in a
situation resembling that of the aeronaut, who, while float
ing in the higher currents of the atmosphere, sees beneath
him the earth as his only alighting place, the blue void of
untra veiled space stretching in all other directions about
him.

The Canary Isles were known to the ancients. Juba,
the king of Mauritania, who was a contemporary of Cae
sar, is said to have described them with tolerable accuracy,
under the general name of the Fortunate Isles. The work
itself has been lost, but the- fact is known through the evi
dence of other writers ; and by the same means it is known
that they possessed, even in that remote age, a population
that had made sonic respectable advances towards civiliza
tion. But in the process of time, and during the dark
period that succeeded the brightness of the Roman sway,
even the position o/* those islands was lost to the Europeans ;
nor was it aga/n ascertained until the first half of the four
teenth century, when they were discovered by certain fugi
tive Spaniards who were hard pressed by the Moors. After
this, the Portuguese, then the most hardy navigators of the
k/iown world, got possession of one or two of them, and
made them the starting points for their voyages of dis
covery along the coast of Guinea. As the Spaniards re
duced the power of the Mussulmans, and regained their
ancient sway in the peninsula, they once more turned their
attention in this direction, conquering the natives of several
of the other islands, the group belonging equally to those
two Christian nations, at the time of our narrative.

Luis de Bobadilla, who had navigated extensively in the
more northern seas, and who had passed and repassed the

216 MERCEDES OF CASTILE,

Mediterranean, in various directions, knew nothing of these
islands except by report ; and as they stood on the poop,
Columbus pointed out to him their position, and explained
their different characters ; relating his intentions in con
nection with them, dwelling on the supplies they afforded,
and on their facilities as a point of departure.

"The Portuguese have profited much by their use of
these islands," said Columbus, " as a place for victualling,
and wooding, and watering, and I see no reason why Cas
tile may not, now, imitate their example, and receive her
share of the benefits. Thou seest how far south our neigh
bours have penetrated, and what a trade, and how much
riches, are flowing into Lisbon, through these noble enter
prises, which, notwithstanding, are but as a bucket of water
in the ocean, when compared with the wealth of Cathay
and all the mighty consequences that are to follow from
this western voyage of ours."

" Dost thou expect to reach the territories of the Great
Khan, Don Christoval," demanded Luis, " within a distance
as small as that to which the Portuguese hath gone south
wardly r

The navigator looked warily around, to ascertain who
might hear his words, and finding that no one was within
reach of the sound of his voice while he used a proper
caution, he lowered its tones, and answered in a manner
which greatly flattered his young companion, as it proved
that the admiral was disposed to treat him with the frank-
ness and confidence of a friend.

"Thou know'st, Don Luis" — the navigator resumed

" the nature of the spirits with whom we have to deal. I
shall not even be certain of their services, so long as we
continue near the coast of Europe ; for nought is easier
than for one of yonder craft to abandon me in the night,
and to seek a haven on some known coast, seeking his jus
tification in some fancied necessity."

" Martin Alonzo is not a man to do that ignoble and un
worthy act !" interrupted Luis.

" He is not, my young friend, for a motive as base as
fear," returned Columbus, with a sort of thoughtful smile,
which showed how truly and early he had dived into
the real characters of those with whom he was asso-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

elated. " Martin Alonzo is u bold and intelligent navigator,
and we may look for good service at his hands, in all that
toucheth resolution and perseverance. But the eyes of the
Pinzons cannot be always open, and the knowledge of all
the philosophers of the earth could make no resistance
against the headlong impetuosity of a crew of alarmed
mutineers. I do not feel certain of our own people, while
there is a hope of easy return ; much less of men who are
not directly under my own eye and command. The ques
tion thou hast asked, Luis, may not, therefore, be publicly
answered, since the distance that we are about to sail over
would frighten our easily alarmed mariners. Thou art a
cavalier ; a knight of known courage, and may be de
pended on ; and I may tell thee, without fear of arousing
any unworthy feelings, that the voyage on which we are
now fairl}r embarked hath never had a precedent on this
earth, for its length, or for the loneliness of its way."

" And yet, Senor, thou enterest on it with the confidence
of a man certain of reaching his huven ?"

" Luis, thou hast well judged my feelings. As to all
those common dreads of descents, and ascents, of the dif
ficulties of a return, and of reaching the margin of the
world, whence we may glide oft' into space, neither thou,
nor I, shall be much subjected."

" By San lago i Senor Don Christoval, I have no very
settled notions about these things. I have never known of
any one who hath slidden off the earth into the air, it is
true, nor do I much think that such a slide is likely to befal
us and our good ships ; but, on the other hand, we have as
yet only doctrine to prove that the earth is round, and that
it is possible to journey east, by sailing west. On these
subjects, then, I hold myself neuter ; while, at the same
time, thou may'st steer direct for the moon, and Luis de
Bobadilla will be found at thy side."

"Thou makest thyself less expert in science, mad-
brained young noble, than is either true or necessary ; but
we will say no more of this, at present. There will be
sufficient leisure to make thee familiar with all my intricate
reasons and familiar motives. And is not this, JDen Luis,
a most heavenly sight? Here am I in the open ocean,
honoured by the two sovereigns with the dignity of their

VOL. I. 19

218 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

viceroy and admiral; with a fleet that is commissioned by
their Highnesses to carry the knowledge of their power
and authority to the uttermost parts of the earth ; and,
most of all, to raise the cross of our blessed Redeemer
before the eyes of Infidels, who have never yet even heard
his name, or, if they have, reverence it as little as a Chris
tian would reverence the idols of the heathens !"

This was said with the calm but deep enthusiasm that
coloured the entire character of the great navigator, ren
dering him, at times, equally the subject of distrust and of
profound respect. On Luis, as indeed on most others who
lived in sufficient familiarity with the man to enable them
to appreciate his motives, and to judge correctly of the up
rightness of his views, the effect, however, was always
favourable, and probably would have been so, had Mer
cedes never existed. The young man himself, was not
entirely without a tinge of enthusiasm, and, as is ever the
case with the single-minded and generous, he best knew
how to regard the impulses of those who were influenced
by similar qualities. This answer was consequently in
accordance with the feelings of the admiral, and they re
mained on the poop several hours, discoursing of the future,
with the ardour of those who hoped for every thing, but in
a manner too discursive and general to render a record of
the dialogue easy or necessary.

It was eight o'clock in the morning when the vessels
passed the bar of Saltes, and the day had far advanced
before the navigators had lost sight of the familiar emi
nences that lay around Palos, and the other well-known
land-marks of the coast. The course was due south, and,
as the vessels of that day were lightly sparred, and spread
comparatively very little canvass, when considered in con
nection with the more dashing navigation of our own times,
the rate of sailing was slow, and far from promising a
speedy termination to a voyage that all knew must be long
without a precedent, and which so many feared could never
have an end. Two marine leagues, of three English miles,
an hour, was good progress for a vessel at that day, even
with a fresh and favourable wind ; though there are a few
memorable days' works set down by Columbus himself,
which approach to a hundred and sixty miles in the twen-

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 219

ty-four hours, and which are evidently noted as a speed of
which a mariner might well be proud. In these days of
locomotion and travelling, it is scarcely necessary to tell
the intelligent reader this is but a little more than half the
distance that is sailed over by a fast ship, under similar
circumstances, and in our own time.

Thus the sun set upon the adventurers, in this celebrated
voyage, when they had sailed with a strong breeze, to use
the words of Columbus's own record, some eleven hours,
after quitting the bar. By this time, they had made good
less than fifty miles, in a due south course from the place
of their departure. The land in the neighbourhood of
Palos had entirely sunk behind the watery margin of the
ocean, in that direction, and the coast trending eastward,
it was only here and there that the misty summits of a few
of the mountains of Seville could just be discovered by the
experienced eyes of the older mariners, as the glowing ball
of the sun sunk into the watery bed of the western horizon,
and disappeared from view. At this precise moment, Co
lumbus and Luis were again on the poop, watching, with
melancholy interest, the last shadows cast by Spanish land,
while two seamen were at work near them, splicing a rope
that had been chafed asunder. The latter were seated on
the deck, and as, out of respect to the admiral, they had
taken their places a little on one side, their presence was
not at first noted.

" There setteth the sun beneath the waves of the wide
Atlantic, Senor Gutierrez," observed the admiral, who was
ever cautious to use one or the other of Luis's feigned ap
pellations, whenever any person was near. " There the
sun quitteth us, Pero, and in his daily course I see a proof
of the globular form of the earth ; and of the truth of a
theory which teacheth us that Cathay may be reached by
the western voyage."

" I am ever ready to admit the wisdom of all your
plans, expectations, and thoughts, Senor Don Christoval,"
returned the young man, punctiliously observant of respect,
both in speech and manner ; " but I confess I cannot see
what the daily course of the sun has to do with the position
of Cathay, or with the road that leads to it. We know
that the groat luminary travelleth the heavens without

220 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

ceasing, that it cometh up out of the sea in the morning,
and goeth down to its watery bed at night ; but this it doth
on the coast of Castile, as well as on that of Cathay ; and,
therefore, to me it doth appear, that no particular inference,
for or against our success, is to be drawn from the circum
stance."

As this was said, the two sailors ceased working, looking
curiously up into the face of the admiral, anxious to hear
his reply. By this movement Luis perceived that one was
Pepe, to whom he gave a nod of recognition, while the
other was a stranger. The last had every appearance of a
thorough-bred seaman of that period, or of being, what
would have been termed in English, and the more northern
languages of Europe, a regular " sea-dog ;" a term that
expresses the idea of a man so completely identified with
the ocean by habit, as to have had his exterior, his thoughts,
his language, and even his morality, coloured by the asso
ciation. This sailor was approaching fifty, was short,
square, athletic, and still active, but there was a mixture of
the animal with the intellectual creature about his coarse,
heavy features, that is very usual in the countenances of
men of native humour and strong sense, whose habits have
been course and sensual. That he was a prime seaman,
Columbus knew at a glance, not only from his general ap
pearance, but from his occupation, which was such as only
fell to the lot of the most skilful men of every crew.

" I reason after this fashion, Sefior," answered the ad
miral, as soon as his eye turned from the glance that he,
too, had thrown upon the men ; " the sun is not made to
journey thus around the earth without a sufficient iuotive,
the providence of God being ruled by infinite wisdom. It
is not probable that a luminary so generous and useful
should be intended to waste any of its benefits ; and we are
certain already that day and night journey westward over
this earth as far as it is known to us, whence I infer that
the system is harmonious, and the benefits of the great orb
are unceasingly bestowed on man, reaching one spot on
the earth as it quits another. The sun that hath just left
us is still visible in the Azores, and will be seen again at
Smyrna, and among the Grecian Islands, an hour, or more,
before it again meets our eyes. Nature hath designed

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 221

nought for uselessness ; and I believe that Cathay will be
enlightened by that bail which hath just left us, while we
shall be in the deepest hour of the night, to return by its
eastern path, across the great continent of Asia, and to
greet us again in the morning. In a word, friend Pedro,
that which Sol is now doing with such nimble speed in the
heavens, we are more humbly imitating in our own caravels :
give us sufficient time, and we, too, might traverse the
earth, coming in from our journey by the land of the Tar
tars and the Persians."

" From all which you infer that the world is round,
wherein we are to find the certainty of our success?"

" This is so true, Senor de Munos, that I should be sorry
to think any man who now saileth under my command
did not admit it. Here are two seamen who have been lis
tening to our discourse, and we will question them, that we
may know the opinions of men accustomed to the ocean. —
Thou art the husband with whom I held discourse on the
sands, the past evening, and thy name is Pepe ?"

" Senor Almirante, your excellency's memory doth me
too much honour, in not forgetting a face that is altogether
unworthy of being noticed and remembered."

" It is an honest face, friend, and no doubt speaketh for
a true heart. I shall count on thee as a sure support, let
things go as they may."

" His excellency hath not only a right to command me,
as her Highness's admiral, but he hath now the good-will
of Monica, and that is much the same as having gained her
husband."

" I thank thee, honest Pepe, and shall count on thee, with
certainty, in future," answered Columbus, turning towards
the other seaman — " And thou, shipmate, — thou hast the
air of one that the sight of troubled water will not alarm —
thou hast a name?"

" That I have, noble admiral," returned the fellow, look
ing up with a freedom that denoted one used to have his
say ; " though it hath neither a Don, nor a Senor, to take
it in tow. My intimates commonly call out Sancho, when
pressed for time, and when civility gets the better of haste,
they add Mundo, making Sancho Mundo for the whole
name of a very poor man."
19*

222 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" Mundo is a large name for so small a person," said the
admiral, smiling, for he foresaw the expediency of having
friends among his crew, and knew men sufficiently to un
derstand that, while undue familiarity undermined respect,
a Tittle unbending had a tendency to win hearts. " I won
der that thou shouldst venture te wear a sound so lofty !"

" I tell my fellows, your excellency, that Mundo is my
title, and not my name ; and that I am greater than kings,
even, who are content to take their titles from a part of that,
of which I bear all."

"And were thy father and thy mother called Mundo,
also? Or, is this name taken in order to give thee an oc
casion to show thy smartness, when questioned by thy
officers?"

"As for the good people you deign to mention, Sefior
Don Almirante, I shall leave them to answer for themselves,
and that for the simple reason that I do not know how they
were called, or whether they had any names at all. They
tell me I was found, when a few hours old, under a worn-
out basket at the ship-yard gate of old "

"Never mind the precise spot, friend Sancho, — thou wert
found with a basket for a cradle, and that maketh a volume
in thy history, at once."

" Nay, Excellency, I would not leave the spot a place of
dispute hereafter — but it shall be as you please. They say
no one here knoweth exactly where we are going, and it
will be more suitable that the like ignorance should rest
over the places whence we came. But having the world
before me, they that christened me gave me as much of it
as was to be got by a name."

" Thou hast been long a mariner, Sancho Mundo, — if
Mundo thou wilt be."

" So long, Senor, that it sickeneth me, and taketh away
the appetite to walk on solid ground. Being so near the
gate, it was no great matter to put me into the ship-yard,
and I was launched one day in a caravel, and got to sea in
her, no one knows how. From that time I have submitted
to fate, and go out again, as soon as possible, after I come
into port."

"And by what lucky chance have I obtained thy ser
vices, good Sancho, in this great expedition ?"

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 223

" The authorities of Moguer took me under the queen's
order, your Excellency, thinking that this voyage would be
more to my mind than another, as it was likely never to
have an end."

"Art thou a compelled adventurer, on this service?"

" Not I, Senor Don Almirante, although they who sent
me here fancy as much. It is natural Tor a man to wish
to see his estates, once in his life, and I am told that we
are bound on a voyage to the other side of the world. God
forbid that. I should hold aloof, on such an occasion."

" Thou art a Christian, Sancho, and hast a desire to aid
in carrying the cross among the heathen ?"

*' Senor, your Excellency, Don Almirante, it matters lit
tle to Sancho with what the barque is laden, so that she do
not need much pumping, and that the garlic is good. If I
am not a very devout Christian, it is the fault of them that
found me near the ship-yard gate, since the church and the
font are both within call from that very spot. I know that
Pepe, here, is a Christian, Senor, for I saw him in the arms of
the priest, and I doubt not that there are old men at Moguer
who can testify to as much in my behalf. At all hazards,
noble Admiral, I will take on myself to say that I am nei
ther Jew, nor Mussulman."

" Sancho, thou hast that about thee, that bespeakest a
skilful and bold mariner."

" For both of these qualities, Sailor Don Colon, let others
speak. When the gale cometh, )*our own eyes may judge
of the first ; and when the caravc4 shall reach the edge of
the earth, whither some think it is bound, there will be a
good occasion to see who can, and who cannot, look off
without trembling."

" It is enough : I count both thee and Pepe as among
my truest followers," — as Columbus said this, he walk
ed away, resuming the dignified gravity that usually was
seated in his countenance, and which so much aided his
authority, by impressing the minds of others with respect.
In a few minutes he and Luis descended to their cabin.

" I marvel, Sancho," said Pepe, as soon as he and his
messmate were left alone on the poop, " that thou wilt ven
ture to use thy tongue so freely, even in the presence of

224 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

one that beai'eth about with him the queen's authority !
Dost thou not fear to offend the admiral ?"

" So much for having a wife and a child ! Canst thou
not make any difference between them that have had an
cestors and who have descendants, and one that hath no
other tie in the world than his name ? The Senor Don
Almirante is either an exceeding great man, and chosen by
Providence to open the way into the unknown seas of which
he speaketh, or he is but a hungry Genoese that is leading
us he knoweth not whither, that he may eat and drink and
sleep, in honour, while we are toiling at his heus, like pa-
tient mules dragging the load that the horse despiseth. In
the one case, he is too great and exalted to heed idle words ;
and in the other, what is there too bad for a Castilian to
tell him?"

"Ay, thou art fond of calling thyself a Castilian, in
spite of the ship-yard and the basket, and notwithstanding
Moguer is in Seville."

" Harkee, Pepe ; is not the queen of Castile our mis
tress ? And are not subjects — true and lawful subjects,
I mean, like thee and me,— are not such subjects worthy
of being their queen's countrymen? Never disparage thy
self, good Pepe, for thou wilt ever find the world ready
enough to do that favour for thee. As to this Genoese, he
shall be either friend or enemy to Sancho ; if the first, I
expect much consolation from it ; if the last, let him hunt
for his Cathay till doomsday, he shall be never the wiser."

" Well, Sancho, if words can mar a voyage, or make a
voyage, thou art a ready mariner; none know how to dis
course better than thou."

Here the men both rose, having completed their work,
and they left the poop, descending among the rest of the
crew. Columbus had not miscalculated his aim, his words
and condescension having produced a most favourable effect
on the_mind of Sancho Mundo, for so the man was actually
called ; and in gaining one of as ready a wit and loose a
tongue for a frierxi, he obtained an ally who was not to be
despised. Of .such materials, and with the support of such
instruments as this, is success too often composed, it being
possible for the discovery of a world, even, to depend on the

food word of one less qualified to influence opinions than
ancho Mundo.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 225

CHAPTER XV.

" While you here do snoring lie,
Open-ey'd conspiracy
His time doth take :
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware :

• Awake! Awake!"

Ariel

THE wind continuing fair, the three vessels made good
progress in the direction of the Canaries ; Sunday, in par
ticular, proving a propitious day, the expedition making
more than one hundred and twenty miles in the course of
the twenty-four hours. The wind still continued favoura
ble, and on the morning of Monday the 6th of August, Co
lumbus was cheerfully conversing with Luis, and one or two
other companions, who were standing near him on the
poop, when the Pin fa was seen suddenly to take in her for
ward sails, and to come up briskly, not to say awkwardly,
to the wind. This manoeuvre denoted some accident, and
the Santa Maria, fortunately having the advantage of the
wind, immediately edged away to speak her consort.

" How now, Senor Martin Alonzo," hailed the Admiral,
as the two caravels carne near enough together to speak
each other. "For what reason hast thou so suddenly
paused in thy course?"

" Fortune would have it so, Senor Don Christoval, seeing
that the rudder of the good caravel hath broken loose, and
we must fain secure it, ere we may again trust ourselves to
the breeze."

A severe frown came over the grave countenance of the
great navigator, and after bidding Martin Alonzo do his
best to repair the damage, he paced the deck, greatly dis
turbed, for several minutes. Observing how much the Ad
miral took this accident to heart, the rest descended to the
deck below, leaving Columbus alone with the pretended
groom of the king's chamber.

" I trust, Senior, this is no serious injury, or one in any

226 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

way likely to retard our advance," said Luis, after mani
festing that respect which all near him felt for the admiral,
by a pause. " I know honest Martin Alonzo to be a ready
seaman, and should think his expedients might easily serve
to get us as far as the Canaries, where greater damages can
meet with their remedies."

" Thou say'st true, Luis, and we will hope for the best.
I feel regret the sea is so high that we can offer no
assistance to the Pinta, but Martin Alonzo is, indeed, an
expert mariner, and on his ingenuity we must rely. My
concern, however, hath another and a deeper source than
the unloosing of this rudder, serious as such an injury ever
is to a vessel at sea. Thou know'st. that the Pinta hath
been furnished to the service of the queen, under the order
claiming the forfeited duty from the delinquents of Palos,
and sorely against the will of the caravel's owners hath the
vessel been taken. Now these persons, Gomez Rascon and
Christoval Quintero, are on board her, and I question not
have designed this accident. Their artifices were practised
long, to our delay, before quitting the haven, and it would
seem are to be continued to our prejudice here on the open
ocean."

" By the allegiance I owe the Dona Isabella ! Senor Don
Christoval, but I would find a speedy cure for such a trea
son, if the office of punishment rested with me. Let me
jump into the 'skiff and repair to the Pinta, where I will tell
these Masters Rascon and Quintero, that should their rudder
ever dare to break loose again, or should any other similar
and untoward accident chance to arrive, the first shall be
hanged at the yard of his own caravel, and the last be cast
into the sea to examine into the state of her bottom, the
rudder included."

" We may not practise such high authority without great
occasion, and perfect certainty of guilt. I hold it to be
wiser to seek another caravel at the Canaries, for, by this
accident, I well see we shall not be rid of the artifices of
the two owners, until we are rid of their vessel. It will be
hazardous to launch the skiff in this sea, or I would pro
ceed to the Pinta myself; but, as it is, let us have confi
dence in Martin Alonzo and his skill."

Columbus thus encouraged the people of the Pinta to

MEIICEDES OF CASTILE. 227

exert themselves, and in about an hour or two, the
three vessels were again making the best of their way
towards the Canaries. Notwithstanding the delay, nearly
ninety miles were made good in the course of the day and
night. But, the following morning, the rudder again broke
loose, and, as the damage was more serious than in the
former instance, it was still more difficult to repair. These
repeated accidents gave the admiral great concern, for he
took them to be so many indications of the disaffection of
his followers. He fully determined, in consequence, to get
rid of the Pinta, if it were possible to find another suitable
vessel among the islands. As the progress of the vessels
was much retarded by the accident, although the wind con
tinued favourable, the expedition only got some sixty miles,
this day, nearer to its place of destination.

On the following morning, the three vessels came within
hail of each other ; and a comparison of the nautical skill
of the different navigators, or pilots, as it was then the cus
tom to style them, took place, each offering his opinion as
to the position of the vessels.

It was not the least of the merits of Columbus, that he
succeeded in his great experiment with the imperfect aid
of the instruments then in use. The mariner's compass,
it is true, had been in common service quite a century, if
not longer, though its variations, a knowledge of which is
scarcely less important in long voyages than a knowledge
of the instrument itself, were then unknown to seamen,
who seldom ventured far enough from the land to note
these mysteries of nature, and who, as a class, still relied
almost as much on the ordinary position of the heavenly
bodies to ascertain their routes, as on the nicer results of
calculation. Columbus, however, was a striking exception
to this little-instructed class, having made himself thoroughly
acquainted with all the learning of the period that could be
applied in his profession, or which might aid him in effect
ing the great purpose for which alone he now seemed to
live.

As might be expected, the comparison resulted altogether
in the admiral's favour, the pilots in general being soon
convinced that he alone knew the true position of the ves
sels, a fact that was soon unanswerably determined by the

228 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

appearance of the summits of the Canaries, which hove up
out of the ocean, in a south-easterly direction, resembling
well-defined dark clouds clustering in the horizon. As ob
jects like these are seen at a great distance at sea, more
especially in a transparent atmosphere, and the wind became
light and variable, the vessels, notwithstanding, were unable
to reach Grand Canary, until Thursday, the 8th of August,
or nearly a week after they had left Palos. There they all
ran in, and anchored in the usual haven. Columbus im
mediately set about making an inquiry for another caravel,
but proving unsuccessful, he sailed for Gomera, where he
believed it might be easier to obtain the craft he wanted.
While the admiral was thus employed with the Santa Maria
and the Nina, Martin Alonzo remained in port, being unable
to keep company in the crippled condition of the Pinta.
But no suitable vessel being found, Columbus reluctantly
returned to Grand Canary, and after repairing the Pinta,
which vessel was badly caulked, among the other devices
that had been adopted to get her freed from the service,
he sailed again for Gomera, from which island he was to
take his final departure.

During these several changes, a brooding discontent be
gan to increase among most of the common mariners,
while some even of a higher class, were not altogether free
from the most melancholy apprehensions for the future.
While passing from Grand Canary to Gomera, with all his
vessels, Columbus was again at his post, with Luis and his
usual companions neai; him, when the admiral's attention
was drawn to a conversation that took place between a
group of the men, who had collected near the main-mast.
It was night, and there being little wind, the voices of the
excited disputants reached farther than they themselves
were aware.

lt I tell thee, Pepe," said the most vociferous and most
earnest of the speakers, " that the night is not darker than
the future of this crew. Look to the west, and what dost
see there? Who hath ever heard of land, after he hath
quitted the Azores, and who is so ignorant as not to know
that Providence hath placed water around all the continents,
with a few islands as stopping-places for mariners, and
spread the broad ocean beyond, with an intention to rebuke

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 229

an over-eager curiosity to pry into matters that savour
more of miracles than of common worldly things?"

" This is well, Pero," answered Pepe, " but I know that
Monica thinks the admiral is sent of (jod, and that .we may
look forward to great discoveries, through his means ; and
most especially to the spreading of religion among the
heathen."

" Ay, thy Monica should have been in Dona Isabella's
seat, so learned and positive is she in all matters, whether
touching her own woman's duties, or thine own. She is
thy quean, Pepe, as all in Moguer will swear ; and there
are some who say she would gladly govern the port, as she
governeth thee."

" Say nought against the mother of my child, Pero,"
interrupted Pepe, angrily. " I can bear thy idle words
against myself, but he that speaketh ill of Monica will have
a dangerous enemy."

" Thou art bold of speech, Pero, when away a hundred
leagues from thine own better nine-tenths," put in a voice
that Columbus and Luis both knew, on the instant, to be
long to Sancho Mundo, " and art bold enough to jeer Pepe
touching Monica, when we all well know who comrnandeth
in a certain cabin, where thou art as meek as a hooked dol
phin, whatever thou may'st be here. But, enough of thy
folly about women ; let us reason upon our knowledge as
mariners* if thou wilt ; instead of asking questions of one
like Pepe, who is too young to have had much experience,
I offer myself as thy catechist."

" What hast thou, then, to say about this unknown land
that lieth beyond the great ocean, where man hath never
been, or is at all likely to go, with followers such as
these?"

" I have this to say, silly and idle-tongued Pero, — that
the time was when even the Canaries were unknown ; when
mariners did not dare to pass the straits, and when the
Portuguese knew nothing of their mines and Guinea, lands
that I myself have visited, and where the noble Don Chris-
toval hath also been, as I know on the testimony of mine
own eyes."

" And what hath Guinea, or what have the mines of the
Portuguese to do with this western voyage? All know

VOL. I. 30

230 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

that there is a country called Africa ; and what is there
surprising that mariners should reach a land that is known
to exist : but who knoweth that the ocean hath other con
tinents, any more than that the heavens have other earths?"

"This is well, Pero," observed an attentive by-stander;
" and Sancho will have to drain his wits to answer it."

" It is well for those who wag their tongues, like women,
without thought of what they say," coolly returned Sancho,
" but will have little weight with Dona Isabella, or Don Al-
mirante. Harkee, Pero~, thou art like one that hath trodden
the path between Palos and Moguer so often, that thou fan
ciest there is no road to Seville or Granada. There must
be a beginning to all things ; and this voyage is, out of
doubt, the beginning of voyages to Cathay. We go west,
instead of east, because it is the shorter way ; and because,
moreover, it is the only way for a caravel. Now, answer
rne, messmates ; is it possible for a craft, let her size or rig
be what it may, to pass over the hills and valleys of a con
tinent — I mean under her canvass, and by fair sailing ?"

Sancho waited for a reply, and received a common and
complete admission of the impossibility of the thing.

" Then cast your eyes at the admiral's chart, in the
morning, as he keepeth it spread before him on the poop,
yonder, and you will see that there is land from one pole
to the other, on each side of the Atlantic, thereby render
ing navigation impossible, in any other direction than this
we are now taking. The notion of Pero, therefore, runs in
the teeth of nature."

" This is so true, Pero," exclaimed another, the rest as
senting, " that thy mouth ought to be shut."

But Pero had a mouth that was not very easily closed ;
and it is probable that his answer would have been to the
full as acute and irrefutable as that of Sancho, had not
a common exclamation of alarm and horror burst from all
around him. The night was sufficiently clear to permit
the gloomy outlines of the Peak of Teneriffe to be distinctly
visible, even at some distance ; and, just at that moment,
flashes of flame shot upwards from its pointed summit, illu
minating, at instants, the huge pile, and then leaving it
in shadowy darkness, an object of mystery and terror.
Many of the seamen dropped on their knees and began to

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 231

tell their beads, while all, as it might be instinctively, crossed
themselves. Next arose a general murmur ; and in a few
minutes, the men who slept were awoke, and appeared
among their fellows, awe-struck and astounded spectators
of the phenomenon. It was soon settled that the attention
of the admiral should be drawn to this strange event, and
Pero was selected for the spokesman.

All this time, Columbus and his companions remained on
the poop, and, as might have been expected, this unlooked-for
change in the appearance of the Peak had not escaped their
attention. Too enlightened to be alarmed by it, they were
watching the workings of the mountain, when Pero, ac
companied by nearly every sailor in the vessel, appeared
on the quarter-deck. Silence having been obtained, Pero
opened the subject of his mission with a zeal that was not
a little stimulated by his fears.

" Senor Almirante," he commenced, " we have come to
pray your Excellency to look at the summit of the Island
of Teneriffe, where we all think we see a solemn warning
against persevering in sailing into the unknown Atlantic.
It is truly time for men to remember their weakness, and
how much they owe to the goodness of God, when even the
mountains vomit flames and smoke !"

" Have any here ever navigated the Mediterranean, or
visited the island of which Don Ferdinand, the honoured
consort of our lady the queen, is master ?" demanded Co
lumbus, calmly.

" Senor Don Almirante," hastily answered Sancho, " I
have done so, unworthy as I may seem to have enjoyed
that advantage. And I have seen Cyprus, and Alexandria,
and even Stamboul, the residence of the Great Turk."

" Well, then, thou may'st have also seen ^Etna, another
mountain which continueth to throw up those flames, in the
midst of a nature and a scene on which Providence would
seem to have smiled with unusual benignity, instead of an
grily frowning, as ye seem to imagine."

Columbus then proceeded to give his people an explana
tion of the causes of volcanoes, referring to the gentlemen
around him to corroborate the fidelity of his statements.
He told them that he looked upon this little eruption as
merely a natural occurrence; or, if he saw any omen at all

232 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

in the event, it was propitious rather than otherwise ; Provi
dence seeming disposed to light them on their way. Luis
and the rest next descended among the crew, where they
used their reasoning powers in quieting an alarm that, at
first, had threatened to be serious. For the moment they
were successful, or perhaps it would be better to say that
they succeeded completely, so far as the phenomenon of the
volcano was concerned, and this less by the arguments of
the more intelligent of the officers, than by means of the
testimony of Sancho, and one or two others of the common
men, who had seen similar scenes elsewhere. With diffi
culties like these, had the great navigator to contend, even
after he had passed years in solicitations to obtain the limited
means which had been finally granted, in order to effect
one of the sublimest achievements that had yet crowned the
enterprise of man !

The vessels reached Gomera on the 2d of September,
where they remained several days, in order to complete
their repairs, and to finish taking in their supplies, ere they
finally left the civilized abodes of man, and what might then
be deemed the limits of the known earth. The arrival of
such an expedition, in an age when the means of commu
nication were so few that events were generally their own
announcers, had produced a strong sensation among the
inhabitants of the different islands visited by the adventur
ers. Columbus was held in high honour among them, not
only on account of the commission he had received from
the two sovereigns, hut on account of the magnitude and
the romantic character of his undertaking.

There existed a common belief among all the adjacent
islands, including Madeira, the Azores and the Canaries,
that land lay to the westward ; their inhabitants living
under a singular delusion in this particular, which the ad
miral had an occasion to detect, during his second visit to
Gomera. Among the most distinguished persons who were
then on the island, was Dona Inez Peraza, the mother of
the Count of Gomera. She was attended by a crowd of
persons, not only belonging to her own, but who had come
from other islands to do her honour. She entertained the
admiral in a manner suited to his high rank, admitting to
her society such of the adventurers as Columbus saw fit to

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 233

point out as worthy of the honour. Of course the pretended
Pedro de Munos, or Pero Gutierrez, as he was now indif
ferently termed, was of the number ; as, indeed, were most
of those who might be deemed any way suited to so high
and polished a society.

" I rejoice* Don Christopher," said Dona Inez Peraza, on
this occasion, " that their Highnesses have at length yielded
to your desire to solve this great problem, not only on ac
count of our Holy Church, which, as you say, hath so deep
an interest in your success, and the honour of the two sove
reigns, and the welfare of Spain, and all the other great
considerations that we have so freely touched upon in our
discourse already, but on account of the worthy inhabitants
of the Fortunate Islands, who have not only many traditions
touching land in the west, but most of whom believe that
they have more than once seen it, in that quarter, in the
course of their lives."

" I have heard of this, noble lady, and would be grateful
to have the account from the mouths of eye-witnesses, now
we are here, together, conversing freely concerning that
which is of so much interest to us all."

" Then, Senor, I will entreat this worthy cavalier, who
is every way capable of doing the subject justice, to be
spokesman for us, and to let you know what we all believe
in these islands, and what so many of us fancy we have
seen. Acquaint the admiral, Senor Dama, I pray thee, of
the singular yearly view that we get of unknown land,
lying afar off, in the Atlantic."

" Most readily, Dona Inez, and all the more so at your
gracious bidding," returned the person addressed, who dis
posed himself to tell the story, with a readiness that the
lovers of the wonderful are apt to betray when a fitting
opportunity offers to indulge a favourite propensity. " The
illustrious admiral hath probably heard of the island of
St. Brandan, that lieth some eighty or a hundred leagues to
the westward of Ferro, and which hath been so often seen,
but which no navigator hath yet been able to reach, in our
days at least ?"

" I have often heard of this fabled spot, Senor," the ad
miral gravely replied ; " but, pardon me if I say that the
20*

234 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

land never yet existed which a mariner hath seen and yet
a mariner hath not reached."

" Nay, noble admiral," interrupted a dozen eager voices,
among which that of the lady, herself, was very distinctly
audible, " that it hath been seen, most here know ; and that
it hath never been reached, is a fact to which more than
one disappointed pilot can testify."

" That which we have seen, we know ; and that which
we know, we can describe," returned Columbus, steadily.
" Let any man tell me in what meridian, or on what pa
rallel this St. Brandnn, or St. Barandon, lieth, and a week
shall make me also certain of its existence."

"I know little of meridians or parallels, Don Christo
pher," said the Senior Dama, " but I have some ideas of
visible things. This island have I often seen, more or less
plainly at different times ; and that, too, under the serenest
skies, and at occasions when it was not possible greatly to
mistake either its form or its dimensions. Once I remember
to have seen the sun set behind one of its heights."

" This is plain evidence, and such as a navigator should
respect ; and yet do I take what you imagine yourself to
have seen, Senior, to be some illusion of the atmosphere."

"Impossible! — impossible!" was said, or echoed, by a
dozen voices. " Hundreds yearly witness the appearance
of St. Brandan, and its equally sudden and mysterious dis
appearance."

" Therein, noble lady and generous cavalier, lieth the
error into which ye have fallen. Ye see the Peak the
year round ; and he who will cruise a hundred miles, north
or south, east or west, of it, will continue to see it, the year
round, except on such days as the state of the atmosphere
may forbid. The land which God hath created stationary,
will be certain to remain stationary, until disturbed by some
great convulsion that cometh equally of his providence and
his laws."

"All this may be true, Senor ; doubtless it is true j but
every rule hath its exceptions. You will not deny that God
ruleth the world mysteriously, and that his ends are not
always visible to human eyes. Else, why hath the Moor
so long been permitted to rule in Spain? why hath the In
fidel, at this moment, possession of the Holy Sepulchre?

MBRCBDJ2S OF CASTILE* 235

why have the sovereigns been so long deaf to your own
well-grounded wishes and entreaties to be permitted to carry
their banners, in company with the cross, to the Cathay,
whither you are now bound? Who knoweth that these
appearances of St. Brandan may not be given as signs to
encourage one like yourself, bent on still greater ends than
even reaching its shores ?"

Columbus was an enthusiast; but his was an enthusiasm
that was seated in his reverence for the acknowledged
mysteries of religion, which sought no other support from
things incomprehensible, than might reasonably be thought
to belong to the exercise of infallible wisdom, and which
manifested a proper reverence for a Divine Power. Like
most of that period, he believed in modern miracles; and his
dependence on the direct worldly efficacy of votive offer
ings, penances and prayers, was such as marked the age
in general, and his calling in particular. Still, his mascu
line understanding rejected the belief of vulgar prodigies ;
and while he implicitly thought himself set apart and se
lected for the great work before him, he was not disposed
to credit that an airy exhibition of an island was placed in
the west to tempt mariners to follow its shadowy outline to
the more distant regions of Cathay.

" That I feel the assurance of the Providence of God
having selected me as the humble instrument of connecting
Europe with Asia, by means of a direct voyage by sea, is
certain," returned the navigator, gravely, though his eye
lighted with its latent enthusiasm; "but I, am far from
indulging in the weakness of thinking, that direct, miracu
lous, agencies are to be used to guide me on my way. It
is more in conformity to the practice of divine wisdom, and
certainly more grateful to my own self-love, that the means
employed are such as a discreet pilot, and the most expe
rienced philosophers, might feel proud in finding themselves
selected to display. My thoughts have first been turned to
the contemplation of this subject ; then hath my reason
been enlightened by a due course of study and reflection,
and science hath aided in producing the conviction neces
sary to impel myself to proceed, and to enable me to induce
others, to join in this enterprise."

do all your followers, noble admiral, act under the

236 MJ3RCEDES OF CASTILfc.

same guidance ?" demanded the Dona Inez, glancing at
Luis, whose manly graces, and martial aspect, had found
favour in the eyes of most of the ladies of the island. " Is
the Senor Gutierrez equally enlightened in this manner]
and hath he, too, devoted his nights to study, in order that
the cross may be carried to the heathen, and Castile and
Cathay may be more closely united?"

" The Senor Gutierrez is a willing adventurer, Senora ;
but he must be the expounder of his own motives."

" Then will we call on the cavalier himself, for an an
swer. These ladies feel a desire to know what may have
impelled one who would be certain to succeed at the court
of Dona Isabella, and in the Moorish wars, to join in such
an expedition."

" The Moorish wars are ended, Senora," replied Luis,
smiling ; " and Dofia Isabella, and all the ladies of her
court, most favour the youths who show a manly disposi
tion to serve the interests, and to advance the honour of
Castile. I know very little of philosophy, and have still
smaller pretensions to the learning of churchmen ; but I
think I see Cathay before me, shining like a brilliant star in
the heavens, and am willing to adventure body and soul in
its search."

Many pretty exclamations of admiration broke from the
circle of fair listeners ; it being most easy for spirit to gain
applause, when it is recommended by high personal advan
tages, and comes from the young and favoured. That Co
lumbus, a weather-worn veteran of the ocean, should see
fit to risk a life that was already drawing near its close,
in a rash attempt to pry into the mysteries of the Atlantic,
seemed neither so commendable, nor so daring, but many dis
cover high qualities in the character of one who was just
entering on his career, and that under auspices apparently
so flattering, and who threw all his hopes on the uncertain
chances of'success in a scheme so unusual. Luis was hu
man, and he was in the full enjoyment of the admiration
his enterprise had evidently awakened among so many sen
sitive young creatures, when Dona Inez most inopportunely
interposed to interrupt his happiness, and to wound his self-
esteem.

" This is having more honourable views than my letters

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 237

from Seville attribute to one youth, who belongeth to the
proudest of our Castilian houses, and whose titles alone
should invite him to add new lustre to a name that hath so
long been the Spanish boast," resumed the Senora Peraza.
" The reports speak of his desire to rove, but in a man
ner unworthy of his rank ; and that, too, in a way to serve
neither the sovereigns, his country, nor himself."

" And who may this misguided youth be, Senora ?"
eagerly inquired Luis, too much elated by the admiration
he had just excited to anticipate the answer. " A cavalier
thus spoken of, needeth to be warned of his reputation, that
he may be stimulated to attempt better things."

" His name is no secret, since the court speaketh openly
of his singular and ill-judged career ; and it is said that
even his love hath been thwarted in consequence. I mean
a cavalier of no less lineage and name than Don Luis de
Bobadilla, the count of Llera."

It is said that listeners seldom hear good of themselves,
and Luis was now fated to verify the truth of the axiom.
He felt the blood rushing to his face, and it required a
strong effort at self-command to prevent him from breaking
out in exclamations, that would probably have contained
invocations of half the patron saints he had ever heard of,
had he not happily succeeded in controlling the sudden im
pulse. Gulping the words h? had been on the point of
uttering, he looked round, with an air of defiance, as if
seeking the countenance of some man who might dare even
to smile at what had been said. Luckily, at that moment,
Columbus had drawn all of the males present around him
self, in warm discussion of the probable existence of the
island of St. Brandan ; and Luis nowhere met a smile,
with which he could conveniently quarrel, that had a set
ting of beard to render it hostile. Fortunately, the gentle
impulses that are apt to influence a youthful female, in
duced one of Dona Inez's fair companions to speak, and
that in a way greatly to relieve the feelings of our hero.

" True, Senora," rejoined the pretty young advocate, the
first tones of whose voice had an effect to calm the tem
pest that was rising in the bosom of the young man ;
"true, Senora, it is said that Don Luis is a wanderer, and
one of unsettled tastes and habits, but it is also said he

238 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

hath a most excellent heart, is generous as the dews of
heaven themselves, and carrieth the very best lance of Cas
tile, as he is also like to carry off the fairest maiden."

" It is vain, Senor de Munos, for churchmen to preach,
and parents to frown," said Dona Inez, smiling, " while
the beautiful and young will prize courage, and deeds in
arms, and an open hand, before the more homely virtues
commended by our holy religion, and so zealously incul
cated by its servants. The unhorsing of a knight or two
in the tourneys, and the rallying a broken squadron under
a charge of the Infidel, counteth far more than years of
sobriety, and weeks of penance and prayer."

" How know we that the cavalier you mention, Senora,
may not have his weeks of penance and his hours of prayer?"
answered Luis, who had now found his voice. " Should
he be so fortunate as to enjoy a conscientious religious ad
viser, he can scarce escape both, prayer being so often
ordered in the way of penance. He seemeth, indeed, to be a
miserable dog, and I wonder not that his mistress holdeth
him cheap. Is the name of the lady, also, given in your
letter?"

" It is. She is the Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Val-
verde, nearly allied to the Guzmans and the other great
houses, and one of the fairest maidens of Spain."

" That is she !" exclaimed Luis, " and one of the most
virtuous, as well as fair, and wise as virtuous !"

" How now, Senor, is it possible that you can have suffi
cient knowledge of one so situated, as to speak thus posi
tively of her qualities, as well as of her appearance?"

" Her beauty I have seen, and of her excellencies one
may speak by report. But doth your correspondent, Se-
fiora, say aught of what hath become of the graceless
lover?"

" It is rumoured that he hath again quitted Spain, and,
as is supposed, under the grave displeasure of the sove
reigns ; since it hath been remarked that the queen now
never nameth him. None know the road he hath taken,
but there is little doubt that he is again roaming the seas,
as usual, in quest of low adventures among the ports of the
en st."

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 239

The conversation now changed, and soon after the admi
ral and his attendants repaired to their different vessels.

" Of a verity, Senor Don Christoval," said Luis, as he
walked alone with the great navigator towards the shore,
" one little knoweth when he is acquiring fame, and when
not. Though but an indifferent mariner, and no pilot, I
find my exploits on the ocean are well bruited abroad ! If
your Excellency but gain half the reputation I already
enjoy, by this present expedition, you will have reason to
believe that your name will not be forgotten by posterity."

" It is a tribute the great pay for their elevation, Luis,"
returned the admiral, " that all their acts are commented
on, and that they can do little that may be concealed from
observation, or escape remarks."

" It would be as well, Senor Almirante, to throw into the
scales, at once, calumnies, and lies, and uncharitableness,
for all these are to be added to the list. Is it not wonder
ful, that a young man cannot visit a few foreign lands, in
order to increase his knowledge and improve his parts, but
all the gossips of Castile should fill their letters to the gos
sips of the Canaries, with passages touching his move
ments and demerits ! By the Martyrs of the East ! if I
were Queen of Castile, there should be a law against writ
ing of others' movements, and I do not know, but a law
against women's writing letters at all !"

" In which case, Senor de Munos, thou wouldst never
possess the satisfaction of receiving a missive from the
fairest hand in Castile."

" I mean a woman's writing to a woman, Don Christo
pher. As to letters from noble maidens intended to cheer
the hearts and animate the deeds of cavaliers who adore
them, they are useful, out of doubt, and the saints be deaf
to the miscreant who would forbid, or intercept them ! No,
Senor, I trust that travelling hath at least made me liberal,
by raising me above the narrow prejudices of provinces
and cities, and I am far from wishing to put an end to let
ters from mistresses to their knights, or from parents to
their children, or even from wives to their husbands ; but,
as for the letters of a gossip to a gossip, by your leave,
Senor Almirante, I detest them just as much as the Father
of Sin detests this expedition of ours !"

240 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

" An expedition, certainly, that he hath no great reason
to love," answered Columbus, smiling, " since it will be
followed by the light of revelation and the triumph of the
cross. But what is thy will, friend, that thou seemest in
waiting for me, to disburthen thyself of something? Thy
name is Sancho Mundo, if I remember thy countenance?"

"Senor.Don Almirante, your memory hath not mis
taken," returned the person addressed — " I am Sancho
Mundo, as your Excellency saith, sometimes called Sancho
of the Ship- Yard Gate. I desire to say a few words, con
cerning the fate of our voyage, whenever it shall suit you,
noble Sefior, to hear me where there are no ears present
that you distrust."

" Thou may'st speak freely, now ; this cavalier being my
confidant and secretary."

" It is not necessary that I should tell a great pilot, like
your Excellency, who is King of Portugal, or what the
mariners of Lisbon have been about these many years,
since you know all that better than myself. Therefore I
will just add, that they are discovering all the unknown
lands they can, for themselves, and preventing others, as
much as in them lies, from doing the same thing."

"Don John of Portugal is an enlightened prince, fellow,
and thou would'st do well to respect his character and rank.
His Highness is a liberal sovereign, and hath sent many
noble expeditions forth from his harbour."

" That he hath, Sefior, and this last is not the least in its
designs and intentions," answered Sancho, turning a look
of irony towards the admiral, that showed the fellow had
more in reserve than he cared to divulge without some
wheedling. " No one doubts Don John's willingness to
send forth expeditions."

" Thou hast heard some intelligence, Sancho, that it is
proper I should know ! Speak freely, and rely on my re
paying any service of this sort, to the full extent of its de-
servings."

" If your Excellency will have patience to hear me, I will
give the whole story, with all minuteness and particularity,
and that in a way to leave no part untold, and all parts to
be as easily understood as heart can wish, or a priest in the
confessional could desire."

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 241

" Speak ; no one will interrupt thee. As thou art frank,
so will be thy reward."

" Well, then, Senor Don Almirante, you must know that
about eleven years since, I made a voyage from Palos to
Sicily, in a caravel belonging to the Pinzons, here ; not to
Martin Alonzo, who commandeth the Pinta, under your
Excellency's orders, but to a kinsman of his late father's,
who caused better craft to be constructed than we are apt
to get in these days of hurry, and rotten cordage, and care
less caulking, to say nothing of the manner in which the
canvass is — "

" Nay, good Sancho," interrupted the impatient Luis,
who was yet smarting under the remarks of Dona Inez's
correspondent — " thou forgettest night is near, and that the
boat is waiting for the admiral."

" How should I forget that, Sefior, when I can see the
sun just dipping into the water, and I belong to the boat
myself, having left it in order to tell the noble admiral what
I have to say ?"

" Permit the man to relate his story in his own manner,
Senor Pedro, I pray thee," put in Columbus. " Nought is
gained by putting a seaman out in his reckoning."

" No, your Excellency, or in kicking with a mule. And
so, as I was saying, I went that voyage to Sicily, and had
for a messmate one Jose Gordo, a Portuguese by birth, but
a man who liked the wines of Spain better than the puck
ering liquors of his own country, and so sailed much in
Spanish craft. I never well knew, notwithstanding, whe
ther Jose was, in heart, most of a Portuguese, or a Spaniard,
though he was certainly but an indifferent Christian."

" It is to be hoped that his character hath improved,"
said Columbus, calmly. " As I foresee that something is
to follow on the testimony of this Jose, you will let me say,
that an indifferent Christian is but an indifferent witness.
Tell me, at once, therefore, what he hath communicated,
that I may judge for myself of the value of his words."

" Now, he that doubteth your Excellency will not dis
cover Cathay is a heretic, seeing that you have discover
ed my secret without having heard it ! Jose has just ar
rived, in the felucca that is riding near the Santa .Maria,
and hearing that we were an expedition that had one San-

VOL. I. 21

242 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

cho Mundo engaged in it, he came speedily on board of us
to see his old shipmate."

" All that is so plain, that I wonder thou thinkest it
worthy of relating, Sancho ; but, now we have him safe on
board the good ship, we can come at once to the subject of
his communication."

" That may we, Senor ; and so, without any unnecessary
delay, I will state, that the subject was touching Don John
of Portugal, Don Ferdinand of Aragon, Dona Isabella of
Castile, your Excellency, Senor Don Almirante, the Senor
de Munos here, and myself."

" This is a strange company !" exclaimed Luis, laughing,
while he slipped a piece of eight into the hand of the sailor ;
" perhaps that may aid thee in shortening the story of the
singular conjunction."

" Another, Senor, would bring the tale to an end at once.
To own the truth, Jose is behind that wall, and as he told
me he thought his news worth a dobla, he will be greatly
displeased at finding I have received my half of it, while
his half still remaineth unpaid."

" This, then, will set his mind at rest," said Columbus,
placing an entire dobla in the hand of the cunning fellow,
for the admiral perceived by his manner that Sancho had
really something of importance to communicate. . " Thou
canst summon Jose to thy aid, and deliver thyself, at once,
of thy burthen."

Sancho did as directed, and in a minute Jose had appear
ed, had received the dobla, weighed it deliberately on his
finger, pocketed it, and commenced Jiis tale. Unlike the
artful Sancho, he told his story at once, beginning at the
right end, and ceasing to speak as soon as he had no more
to communicate. The substance of the tale is soon related.
Jose had come from Ferro, and had seen three armed
caravels, wearing the flag of Portugal, cruising among the
islands, under circumstances that left little doubt their ob
ject was to intercept the Castilian expedition. As the man
referred to a passenger or two, who had landed within the
hour, to corroborate his statement, Columbus and Luis im
mediately sought the lodgings of these persons, in order to
hear their report of the matter. The result proved that
the sailor had stated nothing but what was true.

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 243

" Of all our difficulties and embarrassments, Luis," re
sumed the admiral, as the two finally proceeded to the
shore, " this is much the most serious ! We may be de
tained altogether by these treacherous Portuguese, or we
may be followed in our voyage, and have our fair laurels
seized upon by others, and all the benefits so justly due for
our toil and risk usurped, or at least disputed, by men who
had not the enterprise and knowledge to accept the boon,
when fairly offered to them."

"Don John of Portugal must have sent far better knights
than the Moors of Granada to do the feat," answered Luis,
who had a Spaniard's distaste for his peninsular neighbours ;
" he is a bold and learned prince, they say, but the com
mission and ensigns of the sovereign of Castile are not to
be disregarded, and that, too, in the midst of her own
islands, here."

" We have no force fit to contend with that which hath
most probably been sent against us. The number and size
of our vessels are known, and the Portuguese, questionless,
have resorted to the means necessary to effect their pur
poses, whatever those purposes may bo. Alas ! Luis, my
lot hath been hard, though I humbly trust that the end
will repay me for all ! Years did I sue the Portuguese to
enter fairly into this voyage, and to endeavour to do that,
in all honour, which our gracious mistress, Dona Isabella,
hath now so creditably commenced ; he listened to my
reasons and entreaties with cold ears — nay, repelled them,
with ridicule and disdain ; and, yet, here am I scarce
fairly embarked in the execution of schemes that they have
so often derided, than they endeavour to defeat me by
violence and treachery."

" Noble Don Christoval, we will die to a Castilian, ere
this shall come to pass !"

" Our only hope is in speedy departure. Thanks to the
industry and zeal of Martin Alonzo, the Pinta is ready, and
we may quit Gomera with the morning's sun. I doubt if
they wiH have the hardihood to follow us into the trackless
and unknown Atlantic, without any other guides than their
own feeble knowledge ; and we will depart with the return
of the sun. All now dependeth on- quitting the Canaries
unseen."

244 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

As this was said, they reached the boat, and were quickly
pulled on board the Santa Maria. By this time the peaks
of the islands were towering like gloomy shadows in the
atmosphere, and, soon after, the caravels resembled dark,
shapeless specks, on the unquiet element that washed their
hulls.

CHAPTER XVI.

" They little thought how pure a light,
With years, should gather round that day ;
How love should keep their memories bright —
How wide a realm their sons should sway."

BRYANT.

THE night that succeeded, was one of very varied feel
ings among the adventurers. As soon as Sancho secured
the reward, he had no further scruples about communica
ting all he knew, to any who were disposed to listen ; and
long ere Columbus returned on board the vessel, the intelli
gence had spread from mouth to mouth, until all in the little
squadron were apprised of the intentions of the Portuguese.
Many hoped that it was true, and that their pursuers might
be successful ; any fate being preferable, in their eyes, to
that which the voyage promised ; but, such is the effect of
strife, much the larger portion of the crew were impatient
to lift the anchors and to make sail, if it were only to get
the mastery in the race. Columbus, himself, experienced
the deepest concern, for it really seemed as if a hard for
tune was about to snatch the cup from his lips, just as it
had been raised there, after all his cruel sufferings and de
lays. He consequently passed a night of deep anxiety, and
was the first to rise in the morning.

Every one was .on the alert with the dawn ; and as the
preparations had been completed ihe previous night, by the
time the sun had risen, the three vessels were under way,
the Pinta leading, as usual. The wind was light, and the

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 245

squadron could barely gather steerage way ; but as every
moment was deemed precious, the vessels' heads were kept to
the westward. When a short time out, a caravel came flap
ping past them, after having been several hours in sight, and
the admiral spoke her. She proved to be from Ferro, the most
southern and western island of the group, and had come
nearly on the route the expedition intended to steer, until
they quitted the known seas.

"Dost thou bring any tidings from Ferro?" inquired
Columbus, as the strange ship drifted slowly past the Santa
Maria ; the progress of each vessel being little more than
a mile in the hour. " Is there aught of interest in that
quarter?"

" Did I know whether, or not, I am speaking to D.on
Christopher Columbus, the Genoese that their Highnesses
have honoured with so important a commission, I should
feel more warranty to answer what I have both heard and
seen, Senor," was the reply.

" I am Don Christopher himself, their Highnesses' admi
ral and viceroy, for all seas and lands that we may dis
cover, and, as thou hast said, a Genoese in birth, though a
Castilian by duty, and in love to the queen."

"Then, noble Admiral, I may tell you that the Portu
guese are active, three of their caravels being off Ferro,
at this moment, with the hope of intercepting your expedi
tion."

"How is this known, friend, and what reasons have I
for supposing that the Portuguese will dare to send forth
caravels, with orders to molest those who sail as the offi
cers of Isabella the Catholic ? They must know that the
Holy Father hath lately conferred this title on the two sove
reigns, in acknowledgment of their great services in expel
ling the Moor from Christendom."

" Senor, there hath been a rumour of that among the
islands, but little will the Portuguese care for aught of that
nature, when he deemeth his gold in danger. As I quitted
Ferro, I spoke the caravels, and have good reason to think
that rumour doth them no injustice."

" Did they seem warlike, and made they any pretensions
to a right to interrupt our voyage?"

" To us they said nought of this sort, except to inquire,
21*

246 MKRCJSDES Of CASTILE.

tauntingly, if the illustrious Don Christoval Colon, the great
viceroy of the east, sailed on board us. As for prepara
tions, Senor, they had many lombardas. and a multitude of
men in breast-plates and casques. I doubt if soldiers are
as numerous at the Azores, as when they sailed."

" Keep they close in with the island, or stretch they off
to sea-ward ?"

" Mostly the latter, Senor, standing far towards the west
in the morning, and beating up towards the land, as the
day closeth. Take the word of an old pilot, Don Christo
pher, the mongrels are there for no good."

This was barely audible, for, by this time, the caravels
had drifted past each other, and were soon altogether be
yond the reach of the voice.

" Do you believe that the Castilian name standelh so low,
Don Christopher," demanded Luis, " that these dogs of
Portuguese dare do this wrong to the flag of the queen !"

" I dread nought from force> beyond detention and frauds,
certainly ; but these, to me, at this moment, would be little
less painful than death. Most do I apprehend that these
caravels, under the pretence of protecting the rights of Don
John, are directed to follow us to Cathay, in which case
we should have a disputed discovery, and divided honours.
We must avoid the Portuguese, if possible ; to effect which
purpose I intend to pass to the westward, without nearing
the island of Ferro, any closer than may be rendered ab
solutely indispensable."

Notwithstanding a burning impatience now beset the ad
miral, and most with him, the elements seemed opposed to
his passage from among the Canaries, into the open ocean.
The wind gradually failed, until it became so calm that the
sails were hauled up, and the three vessels lay, now laving
their sides with the brine, and now rising to the summit of
the ground-swell, resembling huge animals that were lazily
reposing, under the heats of summer, in drowsy indo
lence.

Many was the secret pater or ave, that was mumbled by
the mariners, and not a few vows of future prayers were
made, in the hope of obtaining a breeze. Occasionally it
seemed as if Providence listened to these petitions, for the
air would fan the cheek, and the sails would fall, in the

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 247

vain expectation of getting ahead ; but disappointment as
often followed, until all on board felt that they were fated
to linger under the visitations of a calm. Just at night
fall, however, a light air arose, and, for a few hours, the
wash of the parted waters was audible under the bows of
the vessels, though their way was barely sufficient to keep
them under the command of their helms. About midnight,
however, even this scarcely perceptible motion was lost,
and the craft were again lazily wallowing in the ground-
swells that the gales had sent in from the vast expanse of
the Western Ocean.

When the light reappeared, the admiral found himself
between Gomera and Teneriffe, the lofty peak of the latter
casting its pointed shadow, like that thrown by a planet,
far upon the water, until its sharp apex was renewed, in
faint mimicry, along the glassy surface of the ocean. Co
lumbus was now fearful that the Portuguese might employ
their boats, or impel some light felucca by her sweeps, in
order to find out his position ; and he wisely directed the
sails to be furled, in order to conceal his vessels, as far as
possible, from any prying eyes. The season had advanced
to the 7th of September, and such was the situation of this
renowned expedition, exactly five weeks after it had left
Spain ; for this inauspicious calm occurred on a Friday, or
on that day of the week on which it had originally sailed.

All practice shows that .there is no refuge from a calm
at sea, except in patience. Columbus was much too expe
rienced a navigator, not to feel this truth, and, after using
the precaution mentioned, he, and the pilots under him,
turned their attention to the arrangements required to ren
der the future voyage safe and certain. The few mathe
matical instruments known to the age, were got up, cor-
reeled, and exhibited, with the double intention of ascer
taining their state, and of making a display before the
common men, that would heighten their respect for their
leaders, by adding to their confidence in their .skill. The
admiral, himself, had already obtained a high reputation as
a navigator, among his followers, in consequence of his
reckonings having proved so much more accurate than those
of the pilots, in approaching the Canaries ; and as he now
exhibited the instruments then used as a quadrant, and ex-

248 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

amined his compasses, every movement he made was
watched by the seamen, with either secret admiration, or
jealous vigilance ; some openly expressing their confidence
in his ability to proceed wherever he wished to go, and
others covertly betraying just that degree of critical know
ledge which ordinarily accompanies prejudice, ignorance,
and malice.

Luis had never been able to comprehend the mysteries
of navigation, his noble head appearing to repudiate learn
ing, as a species of accomplishment but little in accordance
with its wants or its tastes. Still, he was intelligent; and
within the range of knowledge that it was usual for laymen
of his rank to attain, few of his age did themselves more
credit in the circles of the court. Fortunately, he had the
most perfect reliance on the means of the admiral ; and
being almost totally without personal apprehensions, Co
lumbus had not a more submissive or blind follower, than
the young grandee, under his command.

Mon, with all his boasted philosophy, intelligence, and
reason, exists the dupe of his own imagination and blind
ness, as much as of the artifices and designs of others.
Even while he fancies himself the most vigilant and cau
tious, he is as often misled by appearances as governed by
facts and judgment; and perhaps half of those who were
spectators of this calculated care in Columbus, believed
that they felt, in their renewed confidence, the assurances
of science and logical deductions, when in truth their senses
were impressed, without, in tho slightest degree, enlighten-
ing their understandings.

_ Thus passed the day of the ?ih September, the night ar
riving and still finding the little squadron, ou fleet as it was
termed in the lofty language of the day, floating helplessly
between TenerifFe and Gomera. Nor did the ensuing morn
ing bring a change, for a burning sun beat, unrelieved by a
breath of air, on the surface of a sea that was glittering like
molten silver. When the admiral was certain, however,
by having sent men aloft to examine the horizon, that the
Portuguese were not in sight, he felt infinitely relieved, little
doubting that his pursuers etill lay, as inactive as himself,
to the westward of Ferro.

" By the seamen's hopes ! Senor Don Christopher," said

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 249

Luis, as he reached the poop, where Columbus had kept an
untiring watch for hours, he himself having just risen from
a siesta, " the fiends seem to be leagued against us ! Here
are we in the third day of our calm, with the Peak of Tene-
riffe as stationary as if it were a mile-stone, set to tell the
porpoises and dolphins the rate at which they swim. If
one believed in omens, he might fancy that the saints were
unwilling to see us depart, even though it be on their own
errand."

" We may not believe in omens, when they are no more
than the fruits of natural laws," gravely returned the ad
miral. " There will shortly be an end of this calm, for a
haze is gathering in the atmosphere that promises air from
the east, and the motion of the ship will tell thee, that the
winds have been busy far to the westward. Master Pilot,"
addressing the officer of that title, who had charge of the
deck at the moment, " thou wilt do well to unfurl thy can
vass, and prepare for a favouring breeze, as we shall soon
be overtaken by wind from the north-east."

This prediction was verified about an hour later, when
all three of the vessels began, again, to part the waters with
their stems. But the breeze, if any thing, proved more
tantalizing to the impatient mariners, than the calm itself
had been ; for a strong head sea had got up, and the air
proving light, the different craft struggled with difficulty
towards the west.

All this time, a most anxious look-out was kept for the
Portuguese caravels, the appearance of wliich, however,
was less dreaded than it had been, as they were now sup
posed to be a considerable distance to leeward. Columbus,
and his skilful assistants, Martin Alonzo find Vicente Yanez,
or the brothers Pinzon, who commanded the Pinta and the
Nina, practised all the means that their experience could
suggest to get ahead. Their progress, however, was not
only slow but painful, as every fresh impulse given by the
breeze, served to plunge the bows of the vessels into the
sea with a violence that threatened injuries to the spars
and rigging. So trifling, indeed, was their rate of sailing,
that it required all the judgment of Columbus to note the
nearly imperceptible manner in which the tall, cone-like
summit of the Peak of Teneriffe lowered, as it might be,

250 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

inch by inch. The superstitious feelings of the common
men being more active than usual even, some among them
began to whisper that the elements were admonishing them
against proceeding, and that tardy as it might seem, the
admiral would do well to attend to omens and signs that
nature seldom gave without sufficient reason. These opin
ions, however, were cautiously uttered, the grave earnest
manner of Columbus having created so much respect, as to
suppress them in his presence ; and the mariners of the
other vessels still followed the movements of their admiral
with that species of blind dependence which marks the sub
mission of the inferior to the superior, under such circum
stances.

When Columbus retired to his cabin for the night, Luis
observed that his countenance was unusually grave, as he
ended his calculations of the day's work.

" I trust all goes to your wishes, Don Christopher," the
young man gaily observed. " We are now fairly on our
journey, and, to my eyes, Cathay is already in sight."

"Thou hast that within thee, Don Luis," returned the ad
miral, " which rendereth what thou wishest to see distinct, and
maketh all colours gay. With me it is a duty to see things
as they are, and, although Cathay lieth plainly before the
vision of my mind — thou, Lord, who hast implanted, for
thine own great ends, the desire to reacli that distant land,
only knowest how plainly ! — although Cathay is thus plain
to my moral view, I am bound to heed the physical obstacles
that may exist to our reaching it."

"And are these obstacles getting to be more serious than
we could hope, Senor ?"

" My trust is still in God — look here, young lord," lay
ing his finger on the chart ; «' at this point were we in the
morning, and to this point have we advanced by means of
all the toil of the day, down to this portion of the night.
Thou seost that a line of paper marketh the whole of our
progress ; and, here again, thou seest that we have to cross
this vast desert of ocean, ere we may even hope to draw
near the end of our journey. By my calculation, with all
our exertions, and at this critical moment — critical not only
as regardeth the Portuguese, but critical as regardeth our
.own people — we have made but nine leagues, which are a

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 251

small portion of the thousand that lie before us. At this
rate we may dread a failure of our provisions and water."

" I have all confidence in your resources, Don Christo
pher, and in your knowledge and experience."

" And I have all confidence in the protection of God ;
trusting that he will not desert his servant in the moment
that he most needeth his support."

Here Columbus prepared himself to catch a few hours'
sleep, though it was in his clothes, the interest he felt in the
position of his vessels forbidding him to undress. This
celebrated man lived in an age when a spurious philosophy,
and a pretending but insufficient exercise of reason, placed
few, even in appearance, above the frank admission of their
constant reliance on a divine power. We say in appear
ance, as no man, whatever may be the extent of his de
lusions on this subject, really believes that he is altogether
sufficient for his own protection. This absolute self-reliance
is forbidden by a law of nature, each carrying in his own
breast a monitor to teach him his real insignificance,
demonstrating daily, hourly, at each minute even, that he
is but a diminutive agent used by a superior power in carry
ing out its own great and mysterious ends, for the sublime
and beneficent purposes for which the world and all it con
tains has been created. In compliance with the usage of
the times, Columbus knelt, and prayed fervently, ere he
slept ; nor did Luis de Bobadilla hesitate about imitating an
example that few, in that day, thought beneath their intel
ligence or their manhood. If religion had the taint of
superstition in the fifteenth century, and men confided too
much in the efficacy of momentary and transient impulses,
it is certain that it" also possessed <*n exterior of graceful
meekness and submission to God, in losing which, it may
be well questioned, if th» world has been the gainer.

The first appearance of light brought the admiral and
Luis to the d»cfc. They both knelt again on the poop, and
repeated their paters; and then, yielding to the feelings
natural to their situation, they arose, eager to watch for
what might be revealed by the lifting of the curtain of day.
The approach of dawn, and the rising of the sun at sea,
have been so often described, that the repetition here might
be superfluous ; but we shall state that Luis watched the

252 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

play of colours that adorned the eastern sky, with a lover's
refinement of feeling, fancying that he traced a resemblance
to the passage of emotions across the tell-tale countenance
of Mercedes, in the soft and transient hues that are known
to precede a fine morning in September, more especially in
a low latitude. As for the admiral, his more practical gaze
was turned in the direction in which the island of Ferro
lay, awaiting the increase of the light in order to ascertain
what changes had been wrought during the hours he had
slept. Several minutes passed in profound attention, when
the navigator beckoned Luis to his side.

"Seest thou that dark, gloomy pile, which is heaving up
out of the darkness, here at the south and west of us ?" he
said, — " it gaineth form and distinctness at each instant,
though distant some eight or ten leagues ; that is Ferro, and
the Portuguese are there, without question, anxiously ex
pecting our appearance. In this calm, neither can ap
proach the other, and thus far we are safe. It is now ne
cessary to ascertain if the pursuing caravels are between us
and the land, or not; after which, should it prove otherwise,
we shall be reasonably safe, if we approach no nearer to
the island, and we can maintain, as yesterday, the advan
tage of the wind. Seest thou any sail, Luis, in that quar
ter of the ocean ?"

" None, Senor ; and tho light is already of sufficient
strength to expose the white canvass of a vessel, were any
there."

Columbus made an ejaculation of thankfulness, and im
mediately ordered the look-outs aloft to examine the entire
horizon. The report was favourable ; the dreaded Portu
guese caravels being nov/here visible. As the sun arose,
however, a breeze sprung up «t the southward and west
ward, bringing Ferro, and consequently any vessels that
might be cruising in that quarter, directly to windward of
the fleet. Sail was made without the loss of a moment ;
and the admiral stood to the northward and westward, trust
ing that his- pursuers were looking out for him on the south
side of the island, which was the ground where those who
did not thoroughly understand his aim, would be most
likely to expect him. By this time the westerly swell had,
in a great measure, gone down ; and though the progress

MEKCEDES OF CASTILE. 253

of the vessels was far from rapid, it was steady, and seemed
likely to last. The hours went slowly by, and as the day
advanced, objects became less and less distinct on the sides
of Ferro. Its entire surface next took the hazy appearance
of a dim and ill-defined cloud; and then it began slowly to
sink into the water. Its summit was still visible, as the ad
miral, with the more privileged of his companions, assem
bled on the poop, to take a survey of the ocean and of the
weather. The most indifferent observer might now have
noted the marked difference in the state of feeling which
existed among the adventurers on board the Santa Maria.
On the poop, all was cheerfulness and hope, the present
escape having induced even the distrustful, momentarily, to
forget the uncertain future ; the pilots, as usual, were occu
pied and sustained by a species of marine stoicism, while a
melancholy had settled on the crew that was as apparent
as if they were crowding around the dead. Nearly every
man in the shi»p was in some one of the groups that had
assembled on deck ; and every eye seemed riveted, as it
might be by enchantment, on the fading and falling heights
of Ferro. While things were in this state, Columbus ap
proached Luis, and aroused him from a sort of trance, by
laying a finger lightly on his shoulder.

" It can not be that the Senor de Munos is affected by
the feelings of the common men," observed the admiral,
with a slight mixture of surprise and reproach ; " this, too,
at a moment that all of an intelligence sufficient to foresee
the glorious consequences, are rejoicing that a heaven-sent
breeze is carrying us to a safe distance from the pursuing
and envious caravels ! Why dost thou thus regard the peo
ple beneath thee, with a steady eye and unwavering look ?
Is it that thou repentest embarking, or dost thou merely
muse on the charms of thy mistress ?"

" By San lago ! Don Christopher, this time your saga
city is at fault. I neither repent, nor muse as you would
imply ; but I gaze at yonder poor fellows with pity for their
apprehensions.'*

" Ignorance is a hard master, Senor Pedro, and one that
is now exercising his power over the imaginations of the
seamen, with the ruthlessness of a tyrant. They dread
the worst, merely because they have not the knowledge to

VOT, I. 22

254 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

foresee the best. Fear is a stronger passion than hope,
and is ever the near ally of ignorance* In vulgar eyes,
that which hath not yet been, — nay, which hath not, in
some measure, become familiar by use, — is deemed impos
sible ; men reasoning in a circle that is abridged by their
information. Those fellows are gazing at the island, as it
disappears, like men taking a last look at the things of life.
Indeed, this concern exceedeth even what I could have an
ticipated."

" It lieth deep, Sefior, and yet it riseth to the eyes ; for
I have seen tears on cheeks that I could never have sup
posed wetted in any manner but by the spray of the ocean !"

" There are our two acquaintances, Sancho and Pepe,
neither of whom seemeth particularly distressed, though
the last hath a cast of melancholy in his face. As for the
first, the knave showeth the indifference of a true mariner ;
one who is never so happy as when farthest from the dan
gers of rocks and shoals : to such a man, the disappear
ance of one island, and the appearance of another, are
alike matters of indifference. He seeth but the visible hori
zon around him, and considereth the rest of the world,
temporarily, as a blank. I look for loyal service, in that
Sancho, in despite of his knavery, and count upon him as
one of the truest of my followers."

Here the admiral was interrupted by a cry from the deck
beneath him, and looking round, his practised and quick
eye was not slow in discovering that the horizon to the
southward presented the usual watery blank of the open
ocean. Ferro had, in fact, altogether disappeared, some
of the most sanguine of the seamen having fancied that
they beheld it, even after it had finally sunk behind the
barrier of waves. As the circumstance became more and
more certain, the lamentations among the people grew less
and less equivocal and louder, tears flowed without shame
or concealment, hands were wrung in a sort of senseless
despair, and a scene of such clamour ensued, as threatened
some serious danger to the expedition from this new quar
ter. Under such circumstances, Columbus had all the peo
ple collected beneath the break of the poop, and standing
on the latter, where he could examine every countenance
for himself, he addressed them on the subject of their grief,

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 255

On this occasion the manner of the great navigator was
earnest and sincere, leaving no doubt that he fully believed
in the truth of his own arguments, and that he uttered no
thing with the hope to delude or to mislead.

" When Don Ferdinand and Dona Isabella, our respect
ed and beloved sovereigns, honoured me with the commis
sion of admiral and viceroy, in those secret seas towards
which we are now steering," he said, " I considered it as
the most glorious and joyful event of my life, as I now
consider this moment, that seemeth to some among you so
painful, as second to it in hope and cause for felicitation.
In the disappearance of Ferro, I see also the disappearance
of the Portuguese ; for, now that we are in the open ocean,
without the limits of any known land, I trust that Provi
dence hath placed us beyond the reach and machinations
of all our enemies. While we prove true to ourselves,
and to the great objects that are before us, there is no longer
cause for fear. If any person among you hath a mind to
disburthen himself, in this matter, let him speak freely ; we
being much too strong in argument to wish to silence doubts
by authority."

"Then, Senor Don Almirante," put in Sancho, whose
tongue was ever ready to wag, as occasions offered, " it is
just that which maketh your Excellency so joyfi)! that
maketh these honest people so sad. Could they Always
keep the island of Ferro in sight, or any other knowri land,
they would follow you to Cathay with as gentle a pull as
the launch followeth the caravel in a light breeze and
smooth water; but it is this leaving all behind, as itimight
be, earth as well as wives and children, that sadden^ their
hearts, and uncorks their tears."

" And thou, Sancho, an old mariner that wast born at
sea—"

"Nay, your Excellency, illustrious Senor Don Almi
rante," interrupted Sancho, looking up with pretended sim
plicity, " not exactly at sea, though within the scent of its
odour ; since, having been found at the shipwright's gate,
it is not probable they would have made a haven just to
land so small a part of the freight."

" Well, born near the sea, if thou wilt — but from thee I

256 MERCEDES OP CASTILE.

expect better things than unmanly lamentations because an
island hath sunk below the horizon."

" Excellency, you may ; it mattereth little to Sancho, if
half the islands in the sea were sunk a good deal lower.
There are the Cape de Verdes, now, which I never wish to
look upon again, and Lampidosa, besides Stromboli and
others in that quarter, would be better out of the way, than
where they are, as for any good they do us seamen. But,
if your Excellency will condescend to tell these honest peo
ple whither it is that we are bound, and what you expect to
find in port, and, more especially, when we are to come
back, it would comfort them in an unspeakable degree."

" As I hold it to be the proper office of men in authority
to let their motives be known, when no evil followeth the
disclosure, this will I most cheerfully do, requiring the at
tention of all near me, and chiefly of those who are most
uneasy concerning our present position and future move
ments. The end of our voyage is Cathay, a country that
is known to lie in the uttermost eastern extremity of Asia,
whither it hath been more than once reached by Christian
travellers ; and its difference from all other voyages, or
journeys, that may have been attempted in order to reach
the same country, is in the circumstance that we go west,
while former travellers have proceeded east. But this is
effectirg our purposes by means that belong only to stout-
hearteJ mariners, since none but those who are familiar
with the ocean, skilful pilots and obedient and ready sea
men, can traverse the waters, without better guides than the
knowledge of the stars, currents, winds, and other pheno
mena of the Atlantic, and such aids as may be gleaned from
sciencs. The reason on which I act, is a conviction that
the earth is round, whence it followeth that the Atlantic,
which we know to possess an eastern boundary of land,
must also have a western ; and from certain calculations
that leave it almost certain, that this continent, which I hold
will prove to be India, cannot lie more than some twenty-
five or thirty days' sailing, if as many, from our own Eu
rope. Having thus told when and where I expect to find
the country we seek, I will now touch a little on the advan
tages that we may all expect to derive from the discovery.
According to the accounts of a certain Marco Polo, and his

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 257

relatives, gentlemen of Venice, and men of fair credit and
good reputations, the kingdom of Cathay is not only one of
the most extensive known, but one that most aboundeth in
gold and silver, together with the other metals of value, and
precious stones. Of the advantages of the discovery of
such a land to yourselves, ye may judge by its advantages
to me. Their Highnesses have dignified me with the rank
of admiral and viceroy, in anticipation of our success, and,
persevering to a successful termination of your efforts, the
humblest man among ye may look with confidence to some
signal mark of their favour. Rewards will doubtless be
rendered in proportion to your merits ; he that deserveth
much, receiving more than he who hath deserved less. Still
will there be sufficient for all. Marco Polo and his relatives
dwelt seventeen years in the court of the Great Khan, and
were every way qualified to give a true account of the riches
and resources of those regions ; and well were they, simple
Venetian gentlemen, without any other means than could
be transported on the backs of beasts of burthen, rewarded
for their toils and courage. The jewels alone, with which
they returned, served long to enrich their race, renovating
a decayed but honourable family, while they did their en
terprise and veracity credit in the eyes of men.

" As the ocean, for a long distance this side of the con
tinent of Asia and the kingdom of Cathay, is known to
abound with islands, we may expect first to meet with them,
where, it would be doing nature herself injustice, did we
not anticipate fragrant freights of balmy spices, and other
valuable commodities with which that favoured quarter of
the earth, it is certain, is enriched. Indeed, it is scarce
possible for the imagination to conceive of the magnitude
of the results that await our success, while nought but
ridicule and contempt could attend a hasty and inconsider
ate return. Going not as invaders, but as Christians and
friends, we have no reason to expect other than the most
friendly reception ; and, no doubt, the presents and gifts,
alone, that will naturally be offered to strangers who have
come so far, and by a road that hath hitherto been un-
travelledr will forty-fold repay you for all your toils and
troubles.

" I say nothing of the honour of being among those who
22*

258 MERCEDES OF CASTILE.

have first carried the cross to the heathen world," continued
the admiral, uncovering himself, and looking around him
with solemn gravity ; " though our fathers believed it to be
no little distinction to have been one in the armies that con
tended for the possession of the sepulchre. But, neither
the church, nor its great master, forgetteth the servitor that
advanceth its interests, and we may all look for blessings,
both here and hereafter."

As he concluded, Columbus devoutly crossed himself,
and withdrew from the sight of his people among those
who were on the poop. The effect of this address was, for
the moment, very salutary, and the men saw the clouds
that hung over the land disappear, like the land itself, with
less feeling than they had previously manifested. Never
theless, they remained distrustful and sad, some dreaming
that night of the pictures that Columbus had drawn of the
glories of the East, and others fancying in their sleep, that
demons were luring them into unknown seas, where they
were doomed to wander for ever, as a punishment for their
sins ; conscience asserting its power, in all situations, and
most vividly in those of distrust and uncertainty.

Shortly before sunset, the admiral caused the three ves
sels to heave-to, and the two Pinzons to repair on board his
own ship. Here he laid before these persons his orders
and plans for their government, in the event of a separation.

" Thus you will understand me, Senores," he concluded,
after having explained at length his views : " Your first
and gravest duty will be to keep near the admiral, in all
weather, and under every circumstance, so long as it may
be possible ; but, failing of the possibility, you will make
your way due westward, on this parallel of latitude, until
you have gone seven hundred leagues from the Canaries ;
after which, you are to lie-to at night, as, by that time, it is
probable you will be among the islands of Asia ; and it
will be both prudent and necessary to our objects, to be
more on the alert for discoveries, from that moment. Still,
you will proceed westward, relying on seeing me at the
court of the Great Khan, should Providence deny us an
earlier meeting."

'* This is well, Senor Almirante," returned Martin Alonzo
raising his eyes, which had long been riveted on the chart j

MERCEDES OF CASTILE. 259

"but it will be far better for all to keep together, and
chiefly so to us, who are little used to the habits of princes,
if we await your excellency's protection before we rush un-
heedingly into the presence of a sovereign as potent as the
Grand Khan."

" Thou showest thy usual prudence, good Martin Alonzo,
and I much commend thee for it. It were, indeed, better
that thou shouldst wait my arrival, since that eastern po
tentate may conceive himself better treated by receiving the
first visit from the viceroy of the sovereigns, who is the
bearer of letters directly from his own royal master and
mistress, than by receiving it from one of inferior rank.
Look thou well to the islands and their products, Seiior
Pinzon, shouldst thou first gain those seas, and await my
appearance, before thou proceedest to aught else. How
stand thy people affected on taking leave of the land ?"

" III enough, Seiior ; so much so, indeed, as to put me
in fear of a mutiny. There are those in the Pinta who
need to stand in wholesome dread of the anger of their
Highnesses, to prevent their making a sudden and violent
return to Palos."

" Thou would'st do well to look sharply to this spirit, that
it may be kept under. Deal kindly and gently with these
disaffected spirits as long as may be, encouraging them by
all fair and reasonable promises ; but beware that the dis
temper get not the mastery of thy authority. And now,
Senores, as the night approacheth, take boat and return to
your vessels, that we may profit by the breeze."

When Columbus was again alone with Luis, he sate in
his little cabin, with a hand supporting his head, musing
like one lost in reflection.

" Thou hast long known this Martin Alonzo, Don Luis
de Bobadilla ?" he at length asked, betraying the current
of his thoughts, by the nature of the question.

" Long, Seiior, as youths count time ; though it would
seem but a day in the calculations of aged men."

" Much dependeth on him ; I hope he may prove honest ;
as yet he hath shown himself liberal, enterprising, and
manly."

" He is human, Don Christopher, and therefore liable to
err. Yet as men go, I esteem Martin Alonzo far from be-

260 MERCEDES OP

ing among the worst of his race. He hath not ejntibarked
in this enterprise under knightly vows, nor with any church
man's zeal ; but give him the chance of a fair return for
his risks, and you will find him as true as interest ever
leaveth a man, when there is any occasion to try his selfish
ness."

" Then thou, only, will I trust with my secret. Look at
this paper, Luis. Here thou seest that I have been calcu
lating our progress since morning, and I find that we have
come full nineteen leagues, though it be not in a direct
westerly line. Should I let the people know how far we
may have truly come, at the end of some great distance,
there being no land visible, fear will get the mastery over
them, and no man can foresee the consequences. I shall
write down publicly, therefore, but fifteen leagues, keeping
the true reckoning sacred for thine eye and mine. God
will forgive me this deception, in consideration that it is
practised in the interest of his own church. By making
these small deductions daily, it will enable us to advance a
thousand leagues, without awakening alarm sufficient for
more than seven or eight hundred."

" This is reducing courage to a scale I little dreamt of,
Senor," returned Luis, laughing. " By San Luis, my true
patron ! we should think ill of the knight who found it
necessary to uphold his heart by a measurement of leagues.*9

" All unknown evils are dreaded evils. Distance hath
its terrors for the ignorant, and it may justly have its ter
rors for the wise, young noble, when it is measured on a
trackless ocean ; and there ariseth another question touch
ing those great staples of life, food and water."

With this slight reproof of the levity of his young fnencb
the admiral prepared himself for his hammock by kneeun^
and repeating the prayers of the hour.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.