Tendrán los Hijos de la fuerte Espanna,
Hijos de tal padres herederos.
Hallò sola en Numancia todo quanto
Debe con justo titulo cantarse
Y lo que puede dar materia al canto.”
Cervantes, Numancia.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
| Alvar Gonzalez, Governor of Valencia. |
| Alphonso, Carlos, his Sons. |
| Hernandez, a Priest. |
| Abdullah, a Moorish Prince, Chief of the Army besieging Valencia. |
| Garcias, a Spanish Knight. |
| Elmina, Wife to Gonzalez. |
| Ximena, her Daughter. |
| Theresa, an attendant. |
| Citizens, Soldiers, Attendants, &c. |
[270] Advertisement by the Author.—The history of Spain records two instances of the severe and self-devoting heroism which forms the subject of the following dramatic poem. The first of these occurred at the siege of Tarifa, which was defended, in 1294, for Sancho King of Castile, during the rebellion of his brother Don Juan, by Guzman surnamed the Good.[271] The second is related of Alonso Lopez de Texeda, who, until his garrison had been utterly disabled by pestilence, maintained the city of Zamora for the children of Don Pedro the Cruel, against the forces of Henrique of Trastamara.[272]
Impressive as were the circumstances which distinguished both these memorable sieges, it appeared to the author of the following pages that a deeper interest, as well as a stronger colour of nationality, might be imparted to the scenes in which she has feebly attempted “to describe high passions and high actions,” by connecting a religious feeling with the patriotism and high-minded loyalty which had thus been proved “faithful unto death,” and by surrounding her ideal dramatis personæ with recollections derived from the heroic legends of Spanish chivalry. She has, for this reason, employed the agency of imaginary characters, and fixed upon Valencia del Cid as the scene to give them