III. BOOK went through the camp, and they sat down to eat in the tent of the King, which was a large one. And while they were at meat King Don Alfonso gave order in secret that five hundred knights should arm themselves and surround the tent. And when the King of Toledo saw these armed knights, and that the tent was surrounded, he was in great fear, and he asked of King Don Alfonso what it should be; and the King bade him eat, and said, that afterwards they would tell him. And after they had eaten, King Don Alfonso said to Alimaymon, You made me swear and promise when you had me in Toledo in your power, and no evil should ever come against you on my part: now since I have you in my power I will that you release me from this oath. and covenant. And the King of Toledo consented to release him, and besought him to do him no other wrong, and he acquitted him from the promise three times. And when he had done this King Don Alfonso called for the book of the Gospels, and said unto him, Now then that you are in my power, I swear and promise unto you, never to go against you, nor against your son, and to aid you against all other men in the world. And I make this oath unto you because there was reason why I should have broken that other one, seeing that it was made when I was in your hands; but against this I must not go, for I make it when you are in mine, and I could do with you even whatever pleased me; and he laid his hands upon the book, and swore even as he had said. Right joyful was the King of Toledo at this which King Don Alfonso had done, for the loyalty which he had shown towards him. And they remained that night together; and on the morrow Alimaymon returned to his city full gladly, and King Don Alfonso made his host move on towards Cordova, and Alimaymon went with him; and they overran the land, and burnt towns and villages, and destroyed castles, and plundered whatever they could find; and they returned each into his own country with great spoils. And from thencefor84. 85. ward the King of Cordova durst no more attack the King of Chr. del Chr. Gen. ff. 223. Toledo. III. How my many bat XVI. In the following years nothing is found to be BOOK related, save that my Cid did battle by command of the King, with a knight called Ximen Garcia de Tiogelos, who Cid won was one of the best of Navarre: they fought for the castle tles. of Pazluengas, and for two other castles, and my Cid conquered him, and the King Don Alfonso had the castles. And after this my Cid did battle in Medina Celi, with a Moor called Faras, who was a good knight in arms, and he defeated and slew him and another also. And in the fifth year of the reign of King Don Alfonso, the King sent the Cid to the Kings of Seville and of Cordova, for the tribute which they were bound to pay him. Now there was at this time war between Almocanis King of Seville, and Almundafar King of Granada, and with Almundafar were these men of Castille, the Count Don Garcia Ordoñez, and Fortun Sanchez, the son-in-law of King Don Garcia of Navarre, and Lope Sanchez his brother, and Diego Perez, one of the best men of Castille; and they aided him all that they could, and went against the King of Seville. And when my Cid knew this it troubled him, and he sent unto them requiring them not to go against the King of Seville, nor to destroy his country, because he was King Don Alfonso's vassal; otherwise the King must defend him. And the King of Granada and the Ricos-omes who were with him, cared nothing for his letters, but entered boldly into the land of Seville, and advanced as far as Cabra, burning and laying waste before them. When the Cid saw this, he gathered together what Christians he could, and went against them. And the King of Granada and the Christians who were with him, sent to tell him that they would not go out of the country for him. And the wrath of the Cid was kindled, and he went against them, and fought with them in the field, and the battle lasted from the hour of tierce even until the hour of sexts; and many died upon the part of the King of Granada, and at length my Cid overcame them, and made them take to flight. And Count Garcia Ordoñez was taken III. BOOK went through the camp, and they sat down to eat in the tent of the King, which was a large one. And while they were at meat King Don Alfonso gave order in secret that five hundred knights should arm themselves and surround the tent. And when the King of Toledo saw these armed knights, and that the tent was surrounded, he was in great fear, and he asked of King Don Alfonso what it should be; and the King bade him eat, and said, that afterwards they would tell him. And after they had eaten, King Don Alfonso said to Alimaymon, You made me swear and promise when you had me in Toledo in your power, and no evil should ever come against you on my part: now since I have you in my power I will that you release me from this oath and covenant. And the King of Toledo consented to release him, and besought him to do him no other wrong, and he acquitted him from the promise three times. And when he had done this King Don Alfonso called for the book of the Gospels, and said unto him, Now then that you are in my power, I swear and promise unto you, never to go against you, nor against your son, and to aid you against all other men in the world. And I make this oath unto you because there was reason why I should have broken that other one, seeing that it was made when I was in your hands; but against this I must not go, for I make it when you are in mine, and I could do with you even whatever pleased me; and he laid his hands upon the book, and swore even as he had said. Right joyful was the King of Toledo at this which King Don Alfonso had done, for the loyalty which he had shown towards him. And they remained that night together; and on the morrow Alimaymon returned to his city full gladly, and King Don Alfonso made his host move on towards Cordova, and Alimaymon went with him; and they overran the land, and burnt towns and villages, and destroyed castles, and plundered whatever they could find; and they returned each into his own country with great spoils. And from thencefor84. 85. ward the King of Cordova durst no more attack the King of Chr. del Cid. cap. Chr. Gen. ff. 223. Toledo. III. How my XVI. In the following years nothing is found to be BOOK related, save that my Cid did battle by command of the King, with a knight called Ximen Garcia de Tiogelos, who Cid won was one of the best of Navarre: they fought for the castle many batof Pazluengas, and for two other castles, and my Cid conquered him, and the King Don Alfonso had the castles. And after this my Cid did battle in Medina Celi, with a Moor called Faras, who was a good knight in arms, and he defeated and slew him and another also. And in the fifth year of the reign of King Don Alfonso, the King sent the Cid to the Kings of Seville and of Cordova, for the tribute which they were bound to pay him. Now there was at this time war between Almocanis King of Seville, and Almundafar King of Granada, and with Almundafar were these men of Castille, the Count Don Garcia Ordoñez, and Fortun Sanchez, the son-in-law of King Don Garcia of Navarre, and Lope Sanchez his brother, and Diego Perez, one of the best men of Castille; and they aided him all that they could, and went against the King of Seville. And when my Cid knew this it troubled him, and he sent unto them requiring them not to go against the King of Seville, nor to destroy his country, because he was King Don Alfonso's vassal; otherwise the King must defend him. And the King of Granada and the Ricos-omes who were with him, cared nothing for his letters, but entered boldly into the land of Seville, and advanced as far as Cabra, burning and laying waste before them. When the Cid saw this, he gathered together what Christians he could, and went against them. And the King of Granada and the Christians who were with him, sent to tell him that they would not go out of the country for him. And the wrath of the Cid was kindled, and he went against them, and fought with them in the field, and the battle lasted from the hour of tierce even until the hour of sexts; and many died upon the part of the King of Granada, and at length my Cid overcame them, and made them take to flight. And Count Garcia Ordoñez was taken III. BOOK prisoner, and Lope Sanchez, and Diego Perez, and many other knights, and of other men so many that they were out of number; and the dead were so many that no man could count them; and the spoils of the field were very great. And the Cid held these good men prisoners three days,' and then set them free, and he returned with great honor and great riches to Seville. And King Almocanis received him full honorably, and gave him great gifts for himself, and paid him the full tribute for the King; and he returned rich to Castille, and with great honor. And King Don Alfonso was well pleased with the good fortune of the Cid in all his feats; but there were many who wished ill to him, and sought to set the King against him. Chr. del Cid. cap. 86. 87. How King so was made wroth with the Cid. XVII. After this King Don Alfonso assembled together all his power and went against the Moors. And the Cid should have gone with him, but he fell sick and perforce therefore abode at home. And while the King was going through Andalusia, having the land at his mercy, a great power of the Moors assembled together on the other side, and entered the land, and besieged the castle of Gormaz, and did much evil. At this time the Cid was gathering strength; and when he heard that the Moors were in the country, laying waste before them, he gathered together It was a custom that the victor should remain three days upon the field of battle, in proof of his victory and this seems to have been the Cid's reason for detaining his prisoners thus long. A disgraceful instance of this custom will be found in the history of Affonso V. of Portugal, who remained three days upon the field at Alfarrobeira, after he had slain the Infante Don Pedro, his uncle, guardian, and father in law, the best and ablest man that ever Portugal produced. * In recompense for these services, Alfonso granted a privilege to the Cid, confirming to him all his possessions, and declaring them free from all imposts the town of Bivar is especially mentioned. This privilege bears date July 28, 1075; it is preserved at Bivar, and in reverence for the Cid's memory has been confirmed by all the subsequent kings of Castille, down to Philip V. and is probably continued to this day. Berganza 5. 14. § 196. |