to know the mystery of this Tower, and sought to find out the manner
with much care; but when they opened the gate, such a tremendous
noise arose in the Cave that it appeared as if the earth was
bursting; many of those present sickened with fear, and others lost
their lives. In order to prevent such great perils (as they
supposed a dangerous enchantment was contained within), they secured
the gate with new locks, concluding, that though a king was destined
to open it, the fated time was not yet arrived. At last King Don
Rodrigo, led on by his evil fortune and unlucky destiny, opened the
Tower; and some bold attendants whom he had brought with him
entered, although agitated with fear. Having proceeded a good way,
they fled back to the entrance, terrified with a frightful vision
which they had beheld. The King was greatly moved, and ordered many
torches, so contrived that the tempest in the cave could not
extinguish them, to be lighted. Then the King entered, not without
fear, before all the others. He discovered, by degrees, a splendid
hall, apparently built in a very sumptuous manner; in the middle
stood a Bronze Statue of very ferocious appearance, which held a
battle-axe in its hands. With this he struck the floor violently,
giving it such heavy blows that the noise in the Cave was occasioned
by the motion of the air. The King, greatly affrighted and
astonished, began to conjure this terrible vision, promising that he
would return without doing any injury in the Cave, after he had
obtained sight of what was contained in it. The Statue ceased to
strike the floor, and the King, with his followers, somewhat
assured, and recovering their courage, proceeded into the hall; and
on the left of the Statue they found this inscription on the wall:
Unfortunate King, thou hast entered here in an evil hour. On the
right side of the wall the words were inscribed: By strange Nations
thou shalt be dispossessed, and thy subjects foully degraded. On