Thewoodenturretsofassaultwererolledforwardstothefootoftherampart；butthedefenceofMeridawasobstinateandlong；
andthecastleofthemartyrswasaperpetualtestimonyofthelossesoftheMoslems。Theconstancyofthebesiegedwasatlengthsubduedbyfamineanddespair；andtheprudentvictordisguisedhisimpatienceunderthenamesofclemencyandesteem。
Thealternativeofexileortributewasallowed；thechurchesweredividedbetweenthetworeligions；andthewealthofthosewhohadfalleninthesiege，orretiredtoGallicia，wasconfiscatedastherewardofthefaithful。InthemidwaybetweenMeridaandToledo，thelieutenantofMusasalutedthevicegerentofthecaliph，andconductedhimtothepalaceoftheGothickings。Theirfirstinterviewwascoldandformal:arigidaccountwasexactedofthetreasuresofSpain:thecharacterofTarikwasexposedtosuspicionandobloquy；andtheherowasimprisoned，reviled，andignominiouslyscourgedbythehand，orthecommand，ofMusa。Yetsostrictwasthediscipline，sopurethezeal，orsotamethespirit，oftheprimitiveMoslems，that，afterthispublicindignity，TarikcouldserveandbetrustedinthereductionoftheTarragonestprovince。AmoschwaserectedatSaragossa，bytheliberalityoftheKoreish:theportofBarcelonawasopenedtothevesselsofSyria；andtheGothswerepursuedbeyondthePyrenaeanmountainsintotheirGallicprovinceofSeptimaniaorLanguedoc。^184InthechurchofSt。MaryatCarcassone，Musafound，butitisimprobablethatheleft，sevenequestrianstatuesofmassysilver；andfromhistermorcolumnofNarbonne，hereturnedonhisfootstepstotheGallicianandLusitanianshoresoftheocean。Duringtheabsenceofthefather，hissonAbdelazizchastisedtheinsurgentsofSeville，andreduced，fromMalagatoValentia，thesea—coastoftheMediterranean:hisoriginaltreatywiththediscreetandvaliantTheodemir^185willrepresentthemannersandpolicyofthetimes。\"TheconditionsofpeaceagreedandswornbetweenAbdelaziz，thesonofMusa，thesonofNassir，andTheodemirprinceoftheGoths。InthenameofthemostmercifulGod，Abdelazizmakespeaceontheseconditions:thatTheodemirshallnotbedisturbedinhisprincipality；noranyinjurybeofferedtothelifeorproperty，thewivesandchildren，thereligionandtemples，oftheChristians:thatTheodemirshallfreelydeliverhissevencities，Orihuela，Valentola，AlicantiMola，Vacasora，Bigerra，nowBejar，Ora，orOpta，andLorca:thatheshallnotassistorentertaintheenemiesofthecaliph，butshallfaithfullycommunicatehisknowledgeoftheirhostiledesigns:thathimself，andeachoftheGothicnobles，shallannuallypayonepieceofgold，fourmeasuresofwheat，asmanyofbarley，withacertainproportionofhoney，oil，andvinegar；
andthateachoftheirvassalsshallbetaxedatonemoietyofthesaidimposition。GiventhefourthofRegeb，intheyearoftheHegiraninety—four，andsubscribedwiththenamesoffourMussulmanwitnesses。\"^186Theodemirandhissubjectsweretreatedwithuncommonlenity；buttherateoftributeappearstohavefluctuatedfromatenthtoafifth，accordingtothesubmissionorobstinacyoftheChristians。^187Inthisrevolution，manypartialcalamitieswereinflictedbythecarnalorreligiouspassionsoftheenthusiasts:somechurcheswereprofanedbythenewworship:somerelicsorimageswereconfoundedwithidols:therebelswereputtothesword；andonetownanobscureplacebetweenCordovaandSevillewasrazedtoitsfoundations。YetifwecomparetheinvasionofSpainbytheGoths，oritsrecoverybythekingsofCastileandArragon，wemustapplaudthemoderationanddisciplineoftheArabianconquerors。
[Footnote183:ThehonorablerelicsoftheCantabrianwarDionCassius，l。liiip。720wereplantedinthismetropolisofLusitania，perhapsofSpain，submittitcuitotasuosHispaniafasces。NoniusHispania，c。31，p。106—110enumeratestheancientstructures，butconcludeswithasigh:Urbshaecolimnobilissimaadmagnamincolaruminfrequentiamdelapsaest，etpraeterpriscaeclaritatisruinasnihilostendit。]