At length, weary of a protracted leaguer, and hopeless of reducing Bernardo, the barons, who followed Alfonso, persuaded him to offer to Bernardo the only terms of surrender to which he would listen. Alfonso agreed to deliver up Don Sancho; and Bernardo, relying upon his solemn pledge, surrendered his castle of El Carpio. But the false King, while he kept his promise to the ear, broke it to the sense. Some accounts say that he caused Don Sancho's eyes to be put out before his release, and the effusion of blood caused the immediate death of the unfortunate Count. By others, the catastrophe is differently related.

The latter story runs, that Bernardo repaired to Salamanca, where it was arranged he should meet his father; and he and the King rode out from the city together to receive the Count. They descried a company in the distance, the old knight being in the midst, mounted on horseback, and clothed in rich apparel, with all the dignity and attendance befitting his rank; and as he approached,—'O God,' cried Bernardo, 'is this the noble Count of Saldaña? It is he,' replied the King; 'go now and greet him, whom you have so long desired to behold.'-Bernardo joyfully advanced, and took his father's hand to kiss it; but the fingers were stiff and stark, and looking up into the face of Don Sancho, he found he gazed on a livid corpse. The cruel King had caused the Count to be murdered in his prison, taking this unnatural method to gratify

his despite against Bernardo. The emotions, which this dreadful disappointment of his cherished hopes awakened, are displayed at the funeral of the Count.

Al pie de un tumulo negro.

The choir of Jesu's temple in,
Kneeling upon his bended knee,
Beside his father's sepulchre,

El Carpio's brave Bernardo see.—

Backed by his vassals and his friends,
Hidalgos, cavaliers, and all,
For duty or in sign of love

Shrouded in sorrow's sable pall,—

Bernardo comes to celebrate

The Count Don Sancho's obsequies,
While sobs convulse his stalwart frame,
And tears of grief bedew his eyes.

Covered with mournful black, he kneels
In agony of heaving breast,

Though bold and strong as when he rides
To battle field, his lance in rest.

Somewhile, betwixt his grinded teeth

With half heard curses muttering :-
Somewhile, he loudly calls to heaven

For vengeance on the traitor King,

Who swore to set Don Sancho free,
But basely slew him in his jail.
'If sceptered kings,' he cries, ' are false,
'In meaner men shall truth prevail?

'Good name, Alfonso, thy misdeeds
'Have for thy erring sister won ;

'Good title for thy nephew's house,
'Good pay for knightly service done.
'Thank God, my honor not depends

'On thee, nor dreads a bastard's name :
'Despite of all, my trenchant sword

'Shall carve me out a road to fame.'

And turning to Don Sancho's corse,
With choler in his burning eye,
And deeds of vengeance in his looks,
Careless if friend or foe be by,-

Careless if in the house of God

Or in his castle hall he stood,—

He places one hand on his beard,
And flinging back his mourning hood,

Grasps in the other his good sword,
Furious with overmastering ire:
And these the words Bernardo spoke
Or to his King or to his sire.

'Doubt not, my noble sire,' he cried,
'That vengeance shall be duly paid
'For all the wrongs that thou hast borne,
'While I possess this faithful blade.

'I am but one, sir King, I know;
'I am but one poor castellain;

'But I am he, who vanquished France,
'And broke the power of Charlemagne.

'And this the hand that Roland slew,
'And gave to Leon victory ;-
'And while Bernardo lives, he lives
'For vengeance, father, and for thee.'

It is the peculiar and characteristic feature of Bernardo's life, that a pure and exalted filial piety

pervades and animates all his actions. In him, there is no selfish pursuit of distinction or power for his own sake; nor, as in the ordinary enterprises of chivalry, is it a common-place passion for the female sex, which inspires him to do and dare, in the tented field as in the court of princes. The romance, which describes the closing scene of his adventures, is among the best in the language.

Con solo diez de los suyos.

With only ten of his picked men,
With hat in hand, with gentle word,—
In guise of seeming reverence.

Bernardo stands before his Lord.

The rest, some good three hundred more,
Divided two by two with care,
That none their purpose may suspect,
Straight to the palace court repair.

'Falco wrotck,' the angry King exclaims,
'Thy presence here we welcome not,
'Base offspring of a traitor sire,
'In fraud and perfidy begot.

'Ye held El Carpio's battlements
Against the banner of your lord;
'But trust me, I'll repay the deed;
'I swear it by my knightly word.'

Bernardo, who impatient stood

Fiercely responded to the King:
"They who inform Alfonso thus,
'False tidings to his hearing bring.

'I dare avouch with sword and lance,
'My father's old ancestral line

'Could gain, whate'er thy royal boast,
'No added purity from thine,-

'The name of traitor to my sire
'Whoe'er in thought or word applies,
'Prince or hidalgo, whatsoe'er

'His rank, I say the villain lies.

'My service you reward right well, 'Branding me with insulting terms :— 'Ungrateful lord, unworthy king,

'Who thus his plighted faith confirms.

'Bethink thee how, at Romeral,

'Thy horse was slain, thyself wast down, 'And I rushed in to save thy life,

'At deadly peril of my own.

'I dragged thee senseless from the press,
'I held the Saracens at bay,
'I placed thee on my charger's back :-
'And this the traitor's part I play.

'For which I had thy solemn pledge,
'With words of constancy full store;
'Thou wouldst in all good faith, my sire
'To freedom and to fame restore.

'Nobly, Lord King, thy royal word, "Thy knightly pledge, thou hast fulfilled 'Since in the prison where he lay 'My father thou hast basely killed,

'And, here stand I, Don Sancho's son,
'Defiance at thy beard to fling ;-

'Here mid thy vassals, in thy hall,
'I swear to be avenged, Lord King.'

Seize on the frantic wretch, my knights,
'Seize him,' Alfonso cries;