I sailed from Hamburg port one mom

Upon a bonny caravel.

'T was neither war nor peace at sea,

When pirate Moors upon us fell.

They took me as a slave to sell,

Unto their country of Salee,

But neither Moor nor Mussulman

Would give a silver groat for me.

'T was only a false Jewish dog,

Who wished to have me for his slave,

He made my life a bitter pain,

And beat me like a scurvy knave.

All day I wove esparto grass,

At night I turned the hard corn mill,

A wooden gag between my jaws

Lest of the meal I'd steal my fill.

But fortune brought me a kind dame,

Who pitied the sad life I led,

She sent me from her table rich

Fresh meat and wine and good white bread.

She gave me all things that I asked,

And something I asked not, as well,

Within Jewessa's arms I wept,

But not for her the salt tears fell.

"Christian, you need not weep," she said,

"I know your grief ere it is told."

"But how can I my home regain

Without a single piece of gold?"

"H't is to buy a horse you need,

I 'll give to you my pretty mare,

You need not wait to find a ship,

But take the shallop anchored there."

"Fair dame, 't is not a horse will serve,

For far is Ceuta and Castille,

To take a ship and run away,

Would be your father's slave to steal."

"Oh, take this purse of yellow silk,

My mother dying gave to me,

The golden pieces it contains

Will richly pay your ransom fee.

"And when at home returned again,

To Christian maidens you can say

How Jewish hearts can sacrifice

And show a deeper love than they."

As thus she spoke, the master came.

"Oh, master," said I, "God be praised,

Good news has come across the sea,

My friends the ransom price have raised."

"Ah, Christian, what is that you say,

Many cruzadoes it will need.

Who gives you enough of gold

To pay the heavy ransom's meed?"

"My sisters twain have sent me part,

The other I had kept in store.

An angel has brought me the gold,

An angel bright from heaven's door."

"Hearken, Christian, change your faith, '

And you shall wed my daughter dear,

My goods and wealth shall all be thine,

And joy and peace surround you here."

"I will not be a cursed Jew,

Nor heathen Turk of grace denied,

Nor will I change for all your wealth

The faith of Jesus crucified."

"Why are you pale, Rachael, my girl,

Beloved child, tell me the truth;

Have you been brought to shameful harm

By this accursed Christian youth?"

"Oh, let the Christian youth go free,

For his amend I have no claim,

If my flower of love he's had,

I gave it, and he 's not to blame."

He shut her in a dungeon tower,

Which he with heavy stone blocks made,

That the base Moors might never know

That shame had touched a Jewish maid.

Oh, mandolin, my mandolin,

Rest silent hung upon the wall,

My longing love across the sea

Is borne away beyond recall.

The Faithful Paladin has a more tragical ending for the captive. The ballad had its origin in the province of Algarve, but there are several variants in Portuguese as well as similar ballads in Spanish. Calderon has made the theme the subject of a drama under the title of The Constant Prince, relating to the captivity and sufferings of Don Fernando, heir to the throne of Portugal, who was captured by the Moors in 1438,