Ya no es para mi.
God of my native land,
O, once more set me free!
For here, on England’s soil,
There is no place for me.
It was probably written by some homesick follower of Philip II.
[194] Salvá (Catalogue, London, 1826, 8vo, No. 60) reckons nine Cancioneros Generales, the principal of which will be noticed hereafter.
[195] Those on Gayferos begin, “Estabase la Condessa,” “Vamonos, dixo mi tio,” and “Assentado esta Gayferos.” The two long ones on the Marquis of Mantua and the Conde d’ Irlos begin, “De Mantua salió el Marqués,” and “Estabase el Conde d’ Irlos.”
[196] Compare the story of the angels in disguise, who made the miraculous cross for Alfonso, A. D. 794, as told in the ballad, “Reynando el Rey Alfonso,” in the Romancero of 1550, with the same story as told in the “Crónica General” (1604, Parte III. f. 29);—and compare the ballad, “Apretada està Valencia,” (Romancero, 1550,) with the “Crónica del Cid,” 1593, c. 183, p. 154.
[197] It begins, “Retrayida està la Infanta,” (Romancero, 1550,) and is one of the most tender and beautiful ballads in any language. There are translations of it by Bowring (p. 51) and by Lockhart (Spanish Ballads, London, 1823, 4to, p. 202). It has been at least four times brought into a dramatic form;—viz., by Lope de Vega, in his “Fuerza Lastimosa”; by Guillen de Castro; by Mira de Mescua; and by José J. Milanes, a poet of Havana, whose works were printed there in 1846 (3 vols. 8vo);—the three last giving their dramas simply the name of the ballad,—“Conde Alarcos.” The best of them all is, I think, that of Mira de Mescua, which is found in Vol. V. of the “Comedias Escogidas” (1653, 4to); but that of Milanes contains passages of very passionate poetry.