CHAP. XΧΧΙΙ.

ROBERT I.

503

A. D. 1330.

While at Sluys, Douglas learnt that Alphonso XI. king of Castile and Leon, waged war with Osmyn, the Moorish king or commander of Granada. By mistake, Froissart says Alphonso V. king of Arragon*. But Mariana expressly asserts that the king of Arragon, though joined in alliance against the Moors with the king of Castile, did not bring his troops into the field on the present occasion t.

As there was no expedition then on foot for a crusade into Palestine, Douglas eagerly availed himself of the opportunity which now occurred of bearing arms against the enemies of the Christian faith in Spain. In the estimation of the times, this was a holy warfare; \ and it seemed in some measure to correspond with the purposes of the expedition which he had undertaken. He therefore resolved to visit Spain, and to combat the Saracens in that country; after which he proposed to resume the originally intended pilgrimage to

Jerusalem.

During the voyage from Sluys to Seville, through the British channel and bay of Biscay, Douglas encountered very tempestuous wea

A. D. 1330. Aug

ther; but he landed safely at Seville, where he was honourably entertained. Soon after landing, king Alphonso sent for Douglas, and received him with great courtesy, offering him abundance of treasure, horses, and armour; but, as he had enough of every thing along with him, he declined the munificent offer, saying, that he came on a pilgrimage against the enemies of God for the good of his soul, and hearing that King Alphonso was at war with the Saracens, he had come to offer his best services †.

There were then in Spain many knights from distant countries, and among them I some from England, all of whom honourably greeted the arrival of Douglas, whose fame was well known. Among the stranger knights was one of great renown, whose face was all over disfigured with the scars of wounds which he had received in battle. This person, on meeting with Douglas, expressed his astonishment that a knight of such fame, and who had been in so long and hard service, should have no marks of wounds on his face. Douglas answered mildly, " I thank Heaven that I had always hands to protect my face" †.

Barb. XX. 327-334. † Id. XX. 338-349. Barb.
XX. 363-379.

Soon after the landing of Douglas in Spain, the Christian army came in view of the enemy near Tebas de Hardales, a strong town or castle on the frontiers of Andalusia, towards the Moorish kingdom of Granada *. On this occasion, Barbour says that the king of Castile divided his army into three parts; giving the van to the command of Douglas, with whom all the strangers were joined; while the main body was placed under the command of the Great Master of the order of Saint Jago, and the reserve was under the king in person †.

A. D. 1330.

Aug.

Osmyn, the Moorish commander, whom Barbour calls King of Balmeryne, perhaps 25. Aug. from his palace or residence at Almeria †, ordered a chosen body of three thousand cavalry to make a feigned attack on the Spaniards, while he took a circuit with the main body of his army, intending to fall unexpectedly on the rear of the Spanish camp. Having received accurate intelligence of the intentions of the Moors, Alphonso opposed a sufficient body of troops to resist the Moorish cavalry, and stood prepared in his camp

Mariana, XV. x.

† Barb. XX. 397--405- ‡ Id.
XX. 393.

to encounter the main army of the enemy *. The Christian troops, which had been appointed to oppose the attack of the Moorish horse, fought with advantage, and the Moors fled; perhaps with the intention of drawing off the Spaniards from the main attack on the rear of the camp. Douglas is said to have led the van of the Christians on this occasion, and was probably supported by the Grand Master of St Jago. Not having been thoroughly made acquainted with the orders of Alphonso, that this Moorish detachment was not to be pursued far, lest the Spanish army should be divided, Douglas and his companions eagerly pursued the fugitive Moors. Taking the casket from his neck, which contained the heart of Bruce, Douglas threw it before him among the thickest of the enemy, saying, "Now pass thou onward before us, as thou wert wont, and I will follow thee or die." Perceiving the small number of their pursuers, the Moors rallied and renewed the fight. At this time Douglas had not ten of his followers along with him, and was preparing to retreat; but observing Sir William Sinclair environed by a throng of Moors, and in great jeopardy,

1

A: D.

1330

he valiantly determined to rescue him. Accordingly, he and his small number of com- 25. Aug. panions made a furious charge for this purpose: But they were environed and overwhelmed by vastly superior force and numbers of their enemies, who were near twenty to one, and Douglas was slain. Along with him fell Sir William Sinclair, and Sir Robert and Sir Walter Logan *.

A small number of the surviving companions of Douglas found his body in the field of battle, together with the casket containing the embalmed heart of Bruce, and reverendly conveyed both into Scotland under the charge of Sir William Keith; who, having had his arm broken some days before, was detained from being present in this battle †.

The heart of the King was buried at Melrose Abbey by the Earl of Moray: And the remains of the valiant Douglas were interred in the sepulchre of his ancestors in the church of Douglas; where his natural son, Archibald, erected an alabaster or marble monument to his memory †. "But his countrymen have more effectually perpetuated his name, by