ella era, y tan desventurada, no merecia vivir en el mundo con tanta deshonra, mayormente aviendo sido causa de tanto mal y destruicion. Y luego les dixo, Padres, en memoria de mi desdicha, de aqui adelante no se llame esta ciudad, Villavicioso, sino Malaca; Oy se acaba en ella la mas mala muger que huvo en el mundo. Y acabadas estas palabras, sin mas oir á sus padres, ni á nadie de los que estavan presentes, por muchos ruegos que la hizieron, y amonestaciones que no se echasse abaxo, se dexó caer en el suelo; y llevada medio muerta, vivió como tres dias, y luego murió. Fue causa este desastre y desesperacion de mucho escandalo, y notable memoria, entre los Moros y Christianos: y desde alle adelante se llamo aquella ciudad Malaga corruptamente por los Christianos; de los Arabes fue llamada Malaca, en memoria de aquellas palabras que dixo quando se echó de la torre, no se llame Villaviciosa, sino Malaca, porque ca, en lenguaje Español quiere dezir porque; y porque dixo, ca, oy se acaba en ella la mas mala muger que huvo en el mundo, se compuso este nombre de Mala y ca." Cap. xviii. pp. 81, 83. y Bleda, who has incorporated Miguel de Luna's story in his "Cronica de los Moros de España," pp. 193, 194, has the following curious passage concerning La Caba: "Fue la hermosura desta dama no menos dañosa á España, que la de Elena á Troya. Llamaronla los Moros por mal nombre La Cava; y nota el Padre Fray Estevan de Salazar, Cartuxo, en los discursos doctissimos sobre el Credo, que esto no fue sin mysterio: porque el nombre de nuestra primera madre en el Hebreo no se pronuncia Eva, sino Cavah: de suerte que tuvieron un mesmo nombre dos mugeres que fueron ruyna de los hombres, la una en todo el mundo, y la otra en España." - Bleda, p. 146. Morales supposes that the gate at Malaga derived its name, not from the death of La Caba, but from her having passed through it on her way to Africa. "En Malaga he visto la puerta en el muro, que llaman de La Cava, y dicen le quedó aquel nombre, habiendo salido esta vez por ella embarcarse. Y la gran desventura que luego sucedió, dexó tristemente notable aquel lugar.” — Morales, 1. xii. cap. lxvii. § 4. The very different view which I have taken of this subject, when treating it upon a great scale, renders it proper to substitute for Julian in this earlier production the name of Illan, for which the "Cronica de España" affords authority, and to call his daughter as she is named in that spirited ode by P. Luis de Leon, of which a good translation may be found in Russell's poems. FATHER! Count Illan! here—what here I say, Aloft look up!— ay, father, here I stand, Safe of my purpose now! The way is barred: Thou need'st not hasten hither! Ho! Count Illan, I tell thee I have barred the battlements; I tell thee that no human power can curb A desperate will. The poison and the knife, These thou couldst wrest from me; but here I stand Beyond thy thrall, free mistress of myself. Though thou hadst wings, thou couldst not overtake My purpose. I command my destiny. Would I stand dallying on Death's threshold here, If it were possible that hand of man Could pluck me back? Why didst thou bring me here To set my foot, reluctant as I was, On this most injured and unhappy land? I might have lingered out my wretched life, In Spain, in my own country, night and morn Here, here, in desolated Spain, whose fields [sons My victims: said I mine? Nay, nay, Count Illan, O my dear country! O my mother Spain ! Still, still I am thy child, and love thee still. The veriest wretch that ever yet betrayed Upon the name, and children in their songs This is thy work, father! Nay, tell me not my shame is washed away, That all this ruin and this misery Is vengeance for my wrongs. my wrongs. I asked not this; I called for open, manly, Gothic vengeance. Thou wert a vassal, and thy villain lord Most falsely and most foully broke his faith; By force abused thy child! Thou hadst a sword : Shame on thee to call in the cimeter To do thy work! Thou wert a Goth, a Christian, Son of an old and honorable house: It was my boast, my proudest happiness, To think I was the daughter of Count Illan. Fool that I am to call this African By that good name! Oh, do not spread thy hands BRISTOL, 1802. THE AMATORY POEMS OF ABEL SHUFFLEBOTTOM. SONNET I. DELIA AT PLAY. SHE held a Cup and Ball of ivory white, Her taper fingers twirled the giddy ball, Now tossed it, following still with EAGLE sight, ᎻᎬᎪᎡᎢ ; (Alas! that sport like that should be her pride!) And the keen point which steadfast still she eyed Wherewith to pierce it, that was CUPID's dart: Shall I not, then, the cruel fair condemn Who on that dart IMPALES my BOSOM'S GEM? |