IV. And then holding it better to die like good men in the field, BOOK than shut up like bad ones, we went out against them, and fought with them in the open field, and smote them and put them to flight; and both the Moorish Kings were sorely wounded, and many of the Moors were slain, and many were taken prisoners, and great was the spoil which we won in the field, both of captives and of horses and arms, gold and silver and pearls, so that all who are with him are rich men. And of his fifth of the horses which were taken that day, my Cid hath sent you these, as to his natural Lord, whose favor he desireth. I beseech you, as God shall help you, show favor unto him. Then King Don Alfonso answered, This is betimes in the morning for a banished man to ask favor of his Lord; nor is it befitting a King, for no Lord ought to be wroth for so short a time. Nevertheless, because the horses were won from the Moors, I will take them, and rejoice that my Cid hath sped so well. And I pardon you, Minaya, and give again unto you all the lands which you have ever held of me, and you have my favor to go when you will, and come when you will. Of the Cid Campeador, I shall say nothing now, save only that all who choose to follow him may freely go, and their bodies and goods and heritages are safe. And Minaya said, God grant you many and happy years for his service. Now I beseech you, this which you have done for me, do who are in my Cid's company, and show favor unto them Poema del also, that their possessions may be restored unto them. And 904. the King gave order that it should be so. Then Minaya Cid. cap. kissed the King's hand and said, Sir, you have done this Chr. Gen. now, and will do the rest hereafter. you XII. My Cid remained awhile in Alcocer, and the Moors How the Cid departof the border waited to see what he would do. And in this ed from time King Fariz got well of his wound, and my Cid sent to him and to the Moors, saying, that if they would give him three thousand marks of silver, he would leave Alcocer and go elsewhere. And King Fariz and the Moors of Techa, also to all those Cid. 879. 103. ff. 229. Alcocer. BOOK IV. well bestowed upon you; but Minaya thanked him, and said, that he would take nothing more than his share. And the Cid said unto him, I will send King Don Alfonso a present from my part of the spoils. You shall go into Castille, and take with you thirty horses, the best which were taken from the Moors, all bridled and saddled, and each having a sword hanging from the saddle-bow; and you shall give them to the King, and kiss his hand for me, and tell him that we know how to make our way among the Moors. And And you shall take also this bag of gold and silver, and purchase for me a thousand masses in St. Mary's at Burgos, and hang up there these banners of the Moorish Kings whom we have overcome. Go then to St. Pedro's at Cardeña, and salute my wife Doña Ximena, and my daughters, and tell them how well I go on, and that if I live I will make them rich women. And salute for me the Abbot Don Sisebuto, and give him fifty marks of silver; and the rest of the money, whatever shall be left, give Poema del to my wife, and bid them all pray for me. Moreover the Cid said unto him, This country is all spoiled, and we have to help ourselves with sword and spear. You are going to gentle Castille; if when return you you should not find us 228. here, you will hear where we are. Cid. 818. 843. How Alvar Fanez pre XI. Alvar Fañez went his way to Castille, and he found sented the the King in Valladolid, and he presented to him the thirty the King. horses, with all their trappings, and swords mounted with horses to silver hanging from the saddle-bows. And when the King saw them, before Alvar Fañez could deliver his bidding, he said unto him, Minaya, who sends me this goodly present; and Minaya answered, My Cid Ruydiez, the Campeador, sends it, and kisses by me your hands. For since you were wroth against him, and banished him from the land, he being a man disherited, hath helped himself with his own hands, and hath won from the Moors the Castle of Alcocer. And the King of Valencia sent two Kings to besiege him there, with all his power, and they begirt him round about, and cut off the water and bread from us so that we could not subsist. And then holding it better to die like good men in the field, than shut up like bad ones, we went out against them, and fought with them in the open field, and smote them and put them to flight; and both the Moorish Kings were sorely wounded, and many of the Moors were slain, and many were taken prisoners, and great was the spoil which we won in the field, both of captives and of horses and arms, gold and silver and pearls, so that all who are with him are rich men. And of his fifth of the horses which were taken that day, my Cid hath sent you these, as to his natural Lord, whose favor he desireth. I beseech you, as God shall help you, show favor unto him. Then King Don Alfonso answered, This is betimes in the morning for a banished man to ask favor of his Lord; nor is it befitting a King, for no Lord ought to be wroth for so short a time. Nevertheless, because the horses were won from the Moors, I will take them, and rejoice that my Cid hath sped so well. And I pardon you, Minaya, and give again unto you all the lands which you have ever held of me, and you have my favor to go when you will, and come when you will. Of the Cid Campeador, I shall say nothing now, save only that all who choose to follow him may freely go, and their bodies and goods and heritages are safe. And Minaya said, God grant you many and happy years for his service. Now I beseech you, this which you have done for me, do also to all those BOOK IV. Cid. 879. Then Minaya Cid. cap. 103. who are in my Cid's company, and show favor unto them Poema del also, that their possessions may be restored unto them. And 904. the King gave order that it should be so. kissed the King's hand and said, Sir, you have done this Chr. now, and will do the rest hereafter. you XII. My Cid remained awhile in Alcocer, and the Moors How the Cid departof the border waited to see what he would do. And in this ed from Alcocer. time King Fariz got well of his wound, and my Cid sent to him and to the Moors, saying, that if they would give him three thousand marks of silver, he would leave Alcocer and go elsewhere. And King Fariz and the Moors of Techa, IV. BOOK and of Teruel, and of Calatayud, were right glad of this, and the covenant was put in writing, and they sent him the three thousand marks. And my Cid divided it among his company, and he made them all rich, both knights and esquires and footmen, so that they said to one another, He who serves a good Lord, happy man is his dole. But the Moors of Alcocer were full sorry to see him depart, because he had been to them a kind master and a bountiful; and they said unto him, Wherever you go, Cid, our prayers will go before you and they wept both men and women when my Cid went his way. So the Campeador raised his banner and departed, and he went down the Salon, and crossed it; and as he crossed the river they saw good birds, and signs of good fortune. And they of Za and of Calatayud were well pleased, because he went from them. My Cid rode on till he came to the knoll above Monte-Real; it is a high hill and strong, and there he pitched his tents, being safe on all sides. And from thence he did much harm to the Moors of Medina and of the country round about; and he made Poema del Daroca pay tribute, and Molina also, which is on the other side, and Teruel also, and Celfa de Canal, and all the country along the river Martin. And the news went to the King of Zaragoza, and it neither pleased the King nor Cid. v. 845.878. Chr. del Cid. cap. 102. Chr. Gen. ff. 229. his people. How the Cid was XIII. Ever after was that knoll called the Knoll of the received at Cid. And when the perfect one had waited a long time for Zaragoza. Minaya and saw that he did not come, he removed by night, and passed by Teruel and pitched his camp in the pine-forest of Tebar. And from thence he infested the Moors of Zaragoza, insomuch that they held it best to give him gold and silver and pay him tribute. And when this covenant had been made, Almudafar, the King of Zaragoza, became greatly his friend, and received him full honorably into the town. In three weeks time after this came Alvar Fañez from Castille. Two hundred men of lineage came with him, every one of whom wore sword girt to his side, and IV. + the foot-soldiers in their company were out of number. BOOK When my Cid saw Minaya he rode up to him, and embraced him without speaking, and kissed his mouth and the eyes in his head. And Minaya told him all that he had done. And the face of the Campeador brightened, and he gave thanks to God and said, It will go well with me, Minaya, as long as you live! God, how joyful was that whole host because Alvar Fañez was returned! for he brought them greetings from their kinswomen and their brethren, and the fair comrades whom they had left behind. God, how joyful was my Cid with the fleecy beard, that Minaya had pur-9. chased the thousand masses, and had brought him the bid- 941. dings of his wife and daughters! God, what a joyful man Cid. cap. was he! Poema del Chr. del 104. Chr. Gen.ff. 230. XIV. Now it came to pass that while my Cid was in How the Cid spoiled Zaragoza the days of King Almudafar were fulfilled: and the country. he left his two sons Zulema and Abenalfange, and they divided his dominions between them; and Zulema had the kingdom of Zaragoza, and Abenalfange the kingdom of Denia. And Zulema put his kingdom under my Cid's protection, and bade all his people obey him even as they would himself. Now there began to be great enmity between the two brethren, and they made war upon each other. And King Don Pedro of Aragon, and the Count Don Ramon Berenguer of Barcelona, helped Abenalfange, and they were enemies to the Cid because he defended Zulema. And my Cid chose out two hundred horsemen and went out by night, and fell upon the lands of Alcañiz; and he remained out three days in this inroad, and brought away great booty. Great was the talk thereof among the Moors; and they of Monzon and of Huesca were troubled, but they of Zaragoza rejoiced, because they paid tribute to the Cid, and were safe. And when my Cid returned to Zaragoza he divided the spoil among his companions, and said to them, Ye know, my friends, that for all who live by their arms, as we do, it is not good to remain long in one place. Let us be off again to |