[215] The marquis of Los Velez was afterwards summoned to Madrid, where he long continued to occupy an important place in the council of state, apparently without any diminution of the royal favour.
For the preceding pages consult Marmol, Rebelion de Granada, tom. ii. pp. 229-232; Mendoza, Guerra de Granada, pp. 257-260; Herrera, Hist. General, tom. i, pp. 777, 778; Bleda, Cronica, pp. 733, 734.
[216] The punning attractions of the name were too strong to be resisted by the ballad-makers of the day. See in particular the romance (one of the best, it may be added—and no great praise—in Hita's second volume) beginning—
| "Mastredages marineros |
| de Huescar y otro lugar |
| han armado una Galera |
| que no la hay tal en la mar. |
| No tiene velas, ni remos, |
| y navegar, y hace mal,"— |
and so on, for more stanzas than the reader will care to see.—Guerras de Granada, tom. ii. p. 469.
[217] "Las tenian los Moros barreadas de cincuenta en cincuenta pasos, y hechos muchos traveses de una parte y de otro en las puertas y paredes de las casas, para herir á su salvo á los que fuesen pasando."—Marmol, Rebelion de Granada, tom. ii. p. 234.
The best and by far the most minute account of the topography of Galera is given by this author.
[218] Ibid. p. 233 et seq.—Vanderhammen, Don Juan de Austria, fol. 112, 113.—Hita, Guerras de Granada, tom. ii. p. 377 et seq.
Hita tells us he was not present at the siege of Galera; but he had in his possession the diary of a Murcian officer named Tomás Perez de Hevia, who served through the siege, and of whom Hita speaks as a person well known for his military science. He says he has conformed implicitly to Hevia's journal which he commends for its scrupulous veracity. According to the judgment of some critics, the Murcian officer, if he merits this encomium, may be thought to have the advantage of Hita himself.
[219] "Para que los soldados se animasen al trabajo, iba delante de todos á pie, y traía su haz acuestas como cada uno, hasta ponerlo en la trinchea."—Marmol, Rebelion de Granada, tom. ii. p. 237.