his rents increased, so that he had plenty to give. And he sent to them
who held the Castles, bidding them provide him with cross-bow men, and
foot-soldiers, to fight against the city; and there was none who dared
disobey his bidding, and they sent him cross-bow men and foot-men in
great numbers, with their arms and provisions. Thus was Valencia left
desolate, and forsaken by all the Moorish people; and it was attacked
every day, and none could enter in, neither could any come out; and
they were sore distressed, and the waves of death compassed them round
about.

XVII. Then was there a Moor in the city who was a learned man and a
wise, and he went upon the highest tower, and made a lamentation, and
the words with which he lamented he put in writing, and it was rendered
afterwards from the Arabic into the Castillian tongue, and the
lamentation which he made was this:

Valencia! Valencia! trouble is come upon thee, and thou art in the hour
of death; and if peradventure thou shouldst escape, it will be a wonder
to all that shall behold thee.

But if ever God hath shown mercy to any place, let him be pleased to
show mercy unto thee; for thy name was joy, and all Moors delighted in
thee and took their pleasure in thee.

And if it should please God utterly to destroy thee now, it will be for
thy great sins, and for the great presumption which thou hadst in thy
pride.

The four corner stones whereon thou art founded would meet together and
lament for thee, if they could!