
A more fatal inilance o f love is recorded in tlie chroni-
cles of Jaen, which the Spaniih bards have made a perpetual
theme of their ditties, lamenting the fate o f that unfortunate
lover Macias the poet, one of the efquires o f
Don Henrique de Villena, grand mailer o f the order of
Calatrava(o). It feerns Don Henrique had a beautiful
handmaid who had given great encouragement to Macias,
who on his fide had improved every opportunity
from the fair objefi o f his love, and although the grand
mailer had difpofed of her in marriage to a principal gentleman
of Porcuna in the kingdom of Jaen, it had little
effeft on their mutual affe&ion, which being reported by
the huiband to Don Henrique de Villena, he, finding all
admonition vain, call Macias into prifon at Arjonilla, a
town belonging to the knights of his order, five leagues
from the city of Jaen, where the diflraded enamorato
had no other alleviation than writing letters to his
miftrefs, and compofing love fongs in her praife, replete
with the moll tender expreffions, as well as the
hardfhip of his fate, which reaching the jealous ears
o f her hufband, he mounted a fleet courfer, and armed
with his lance, rode up to the windows of the prifon,
where fired with refentment on hearing the name of his
wife, he darted his lance at him with fury, and pierced
bim through the heart, then clapping fpurs to his horfe,
(a) Don Henrique de Yillena died in 1434.
fled
fled into Grenada. The unfortunate Macias was honourably
interred in the chapel o f St. Catharine belonging to
the caille of Arjonilla, and the -bloody lance was fuf-
pended over his tomb, with the following infcription.
A q u e f i a L a n z a f i n f a l l a
A y c o y t a d o !
N o n m e l a d i e r o n
D e l n r a r o ,
N i n l a p r i f e y o e n b a t a l l a
M a i p e c a d o !
M a s v i n i e n d o a t i f e g u r o ,
A m o r f a l f o y p e r j u r o ,
M e f i r i o , e f i n t a r d a n z a ,
E f u e t a l l a m i a n d a n z a
S i n v e n t u r o !
Sf 2 L E T T E R