The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-02-28
From tie Knicksr6Oeker;..
PEL.AYlD.
AND THE MERCHANTS DAUGHTER
IBy tie author Of the skecth book


Spanish historograPhers, that, tor an
obscure and melancholy space Of time
Immediately succeeding the conquest Of
their country by the Moslems, its hiSto-
~ is a mere wilderness Of dubious facts,
groundless fables, and rash exaggera-
tons. Learned men, in cells and clois-
tsrs. have worn out their lives 10 vainly
endeavouring to connect incongruous
events, and 10 account for startling i'm
probabiIities, recorded Of this period.
The worthy Jesuit, Padre Abarca, de.
cIares. thai for mors than forty Years,
during which he had been employed in
the theological controversies, he had
never found any so obscure and mex
pl,cabe as those which rise out Of this
portion Of the Spanish history, and that
the only ftui. Of an iudefatigable, Prolix,
and even prodigious study Of tne subject
was melancholy and even notifying
state Of indecision.
S During this apocryphal period flourish
ed PELAYo, the deliverer OF Spain,
whose name, like that Of William Wal
lace, will ever be linked with The glory
of his country, but linked, in like man-
ner, by a bond 10 which fact and fiction
arc inextricably interviewer.
The quaint old Chronicle Of the Moor
Rasls, which, though wild and tanciful
in the extreme, is frequently drawn upon
for early facts by Spanish historians,
Processes to give the birth, parentage,
and whole course Of fortune Of Pelayo,
without the least hesitation. Il makes
HE son Of The Dake of Cantabria, and
descended, both by father and mothers
side, from the Gothic Kings Of Spain.
shall pass over the romantic story Of
his childhood, and shall content myself
with scene of his youth, which was
passed in castle among the Pyrenees.
under the eye of his widowed and noble
minded mother, who caused him to be
instructed in every thing beiitting a
cavalier of gentle birth. While the sons
Of the nobility were revelling amid the
pleasures Of licenlious court, and sunk
IN that Vicious effeminale indulgence
which led 10 the perdition Of unhappy
Spain, the youthful Pelayo, IN his rug
ged mountain school, wac stseled 10 all
kinds Of hardy exercises. A great part
Of bis time was spent in hunting the
bears: the wild boars, and the wolves,
with which thePryeneea abounded: and
SO purely aud chasteIy was be brough
up, by his good lady mother that, if the
ancient chronicle from whichl draw
my facts, may be relied on, he had at
tanned his one>tweDtieth year, without
having once sighed Tor womsnl
Nor were his hardy contests confined
to the wild beasts Of the forest. Occa-
sonBlly he had to contend with adver-
sarles of a formidable character. The
skirts aud defles of these border moun-
.ains were often infested by marauders
from the Gallo plains Of Gascons, says
an old Chronicle, were people who
used smooth words when expedient, but
force when they had power, and were
ready to Icy their hands on every thing
they met. Though poor, they were
proud; for there was not one who did not
pride himself on being o hijodalgo, or
the son oil somebody.
At the head of band Of these needy
hJodslgos of Gascony, vas one Arnaud,
a broken down cavalier. He and four
of his followers were we'll armed and
mounted; the rest Of scamper-grounde
on foot. furnished with darts and javs-
llns. They we're the terror ofthe bor-
der; here to-day and gone tomorrow;
sometimes in one pass, sometimes IN
suotheL They would make sudden in
roads into Spain, scour the roads, plun-
der the county, and wers over the
mountains and far away, before force
could be collected to pursue them.
Now it happened ono day, that a
wealthy burgher Of Bordeaux, who was
a merchant, trading with Biscey, Sc,
out on a journey for that province.As he
intended 70 soiouro there for a season,
he took with his wife, who was goodly
dame, and daughter, gentle damsel,
of marriageabe age, and exceeding fair
10 look upou.-He was attended by a
trusiy clerk from bis compton, and man
servant while another servant led
hackney, laden with bags of money,
with which he intended to purchase mer-
Chandize.
When the Goscons heard Of this
wealthy merchant and his convoy pas
sing through the mountains, they than
ked their stars, for they considered all
peaceful men oftraffic as lawful spoil,
cent by Providease for the benefit of
h,jOlalgos like themselves, Of valor and
gentle blood, who live by the sword.-
Placing themselves in ambush, in lone.
cI. H., ,,h;oh ~ 4, IL A.