KING RODERICK, LAST KING OF THE GOTHS  

Spain being in this condition, Roderick excluding the sons of Witiza, ascended the throne of the Goths, by choice, as is believed of the nobles. The kingdom was full of distractions, by reason of the several interests, the people were grown effeminate, giving themselves up to feasting, drink, and lewdness; the military disci- pline was quite lost, and the kingdom of the Goths was now running headlong to destruction. The new king had good natural parts, and seemed to be well inclined. He was hardy, resolute,  bountiful, and had excellent ways of gaining of men. Such he was before his accession to the crown, but no sooner put into possession of it, than he sullied all these virtues with no less vices. Above all, he was implacable when offended, wholly given up to lust, and had no discretion in his undertakings; and in fine, was more like to Witiza, than to his father, or grandfather. There are pieces of money of his to be seen, with his name, and effigies armed, and with a stern countenance, on the reverse, these words, Igeditania Pius, a motto he merited not; but was given to flatter him. King Roderick enlarged, and beautified the palace built by his father near Cordova, which the Moors afterwards, called Roderick’s palace. He called home his cousin Pelayus, and made him Captain of the Guards, the greatest trust at court. Witiza's sons he treated so ill, that they, for fear of worse consequences, fled into that part of Barbary that was subject to the Goths, called Mauritania Tingitana. At that time, Count Requila governed that province as lieutenant, I believe, to Count Julian, a man in such power, that besides it, he had the government of that part of Spain about the Straight of Gibraltar, whence, is a short cut into Africa. Besides all this, he held a great estate of his own, about Consuegra, inferior to none in the kingdom. Hence sprung all the mischiefs that ensued, for Witiza's sons before they went over into Africa, had sowed the seeds of a rebellion, and were assisted by Oppas the Bishop, who was of the blood royal, and very powerful. These beginnings, which ought to have been suppressed, were heightened by another accident. It was the custom of Spain, for the sons of the nobility to be bred up at Court, and attend upon the King, and their daughters upon the Queen. Among the latter, was a daughter of Count Julian, called Cava, of singular beauty. As she played with her equals, it fell out she discovered some part of her body, which the King from a window perceiving, was so taken with her, he could think of nothing else. The continual sight of her, blew the coals, and having used all possible means to gain her consent without any success, at last he ravished her; and by that act, cast himself, and his kingdom, headlong into destruction, as a dissolute man, and one wholly abandoned by God. Count Julian was at that time in Africa, his daughter in a rage, wrote to him, lamenting her misfortune, and stirring him up to revenge, The Count having received this news, resolved to hasten the execution of the treason he had till then been hatching. Therefore putting an end to his affairs in Africa, he came over into Spain, being well skilled in the art of dissimulation. Being come to Court, both in regard of his good service, and for the sake of his daughter, he was highly honoured and intrusted. The better to carry on his design, he persuaded the King, since Spain was at peace, to send all the forces he had towards the frontiers, to oppose the Moors and French, who committed some hostilities on the borders, by this means to leave the kingdom naked and defenseless. This done, he gave the King to understand, that his wife being sick in

Africa, nothing could be so great a comfort to her as the sight of her dear daughter. The request was so reasonable, and he urged it so, that the King could not deny it. At Malaga there is a gate called De la Cava, at which, there is a tradition, she went out to take shipping for Africa. At the same time, the King is said to have committed another great error, which was, that he caused to be broke open an old castle at Toledo, said to be enchanted, locked up with many locks and bolts, it being a received opinion, that whensoever it was opened the ruin of Spain was at hand. This the King imagined, was only a report spread abroad, to conceal some treasures hid there, but being within found none, only a chest, and in it a picture, on which were drawn men of strange faces and habit, with a Latin inscription to this effect, By these people Spain shall soon be destroyed. The countenances and habit were like the Moors, whence it was inferred all the mischief would come from Africa. The King too late repented his rashness. Some look upon this as a mere fiction, I will give no judgment upon it, the reader has his liberty to believe, or disbelieve. I would not totally omit it, because grave authors relate it, tho' not all in the same manner.

-John Stevens

 Selection from An Anthology of Spanish Literature in English Translation. Vol. I.  Eds. Seymour Resnick and Jeanne Pasmantier. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1958. 166-169.