ORIGINAL PREFACE.

THE history of the Wisi-Goths for some years before their overthrow is very imperfectly known. It is, however, apparent, that the enmity between the royal families of Chindasuintho and Wamba was one main cause of the destruction of the kingdom, the latter party having assisted in betraying their country to the Moors for the gratification of their own revenge. Theodofred and Favila were younger sons of King Chindasuintho ; King Witiza, who was of Wamba's family, put out the eyes of Theodofred, and murdered Favila, at the instigation of that Chieftain's wife, with whom he lived in adultery. Pelayo, the son of Favila, and afterwards the founder of the Spanish monarchy, was driven into exile. Roderick, the son of Theodofred, recovered the throne, and put out Witiza's eyes in vengeance for his father; but he spared Orpas, the brother of the tyrant, as being a Priest, and Ebba and Sisibert, the two sons of Witiza, by Pelayo's

mother. It may be convenient thus briefly to premise these circumstances of an obscure portion of history, with which few readers can be supposed to be familiar; and a list of the principal persons who are introduced, or spoken of, may as properly be prefixed to a Poem as to a Play.

FAVILA,.....

...

son of King Chindasuintho, blinded by King

his brother; put to death by Witiza.

The Wife of Favila, Witiza's adulterous mistress.

(These four persons are dead before the action of the poem

PELAYO,...... the founder of the Spanish Monarchy:

son of Favila.

widow of Theodofred, and mother of Ro

}powerful Lords of Cantabria.

Count Pedro's son, afterwards King.
Archbishop of Toledo.

a Monk of the Caulian Schools, near

the Moorish Governor of Spain.
formerly the wife of Roderick, now of

Moorish Chiefs.

xxiv

brother to Witiza, and formerly Arch

bishop of Seville, now a renegade.

ORPAS,.

SISIBERT, .

EBBA,.

NUMACIAN,.

...a renegade, governor of Gegio.

COUNT JULIAN,. a powerful Lord among the Wisi-Goths,

...

The four latter persons are imaginary. are mentioned in history.

All the others

ought, however, to observe, that Romano is a creature of monkish legends; that the name of Pelayo's sister has not been preserved; and that that of Roderick's mother, Ruscilo, has been altered to Rusilla, for the sake of euphony.

RODERICK,

THE LAST OF THE GOTHS.

I.

RODERICK AND ROMANO.

LONG had the crimes of Spain cried out to Heaven;
At length the measure of offence was full.
Count Julian call'd the invaders; not because
Inhuman priests with unoffending blood

Had stain❜d their country; not because a yoke
Of iron servitude oppress'd and gall'd
The children of the soil; a private wrong
Roused the remorseless Baron. Mad to wreak
His vengeance for his violated child

On Roderick's head, in evil hour for Spain,
For that unhappy daughter and himself,
Desperate apostate . . on the Moors he call'd;
And like a cloud of locusts, whom the South
Wafts from the plains of wasted Africa,
The Musselmen upon Iberia's shore
Descend. A countless multitude they came;
Syrian, Moor, Saracen, Greek renegade,