VII. holy Mary Mother, all the good which I have in the world I BOOK have here in Valencia; with hard labor I won the city, and hold it for my heritage, and for nothing less than death will I leave it. My daughters and my wife shall see me fight, . . they shall see with their own eyes our manner of living in this land, and how we get our bread. We will go out. against the Moors and give them battle, and God who hath thus far shown favor unto us will still continue to be our Chr. del Cid. cap. helper. When they heard this they cried out with one ac-18. cord that they would do his bidding, and go out with him Chr. Gen. and fight under his banner, for certain they were that by his Poema del good fortune the Moors would be overthrown. ff. 277. Cid. v. J627. 1651. by How the Cid took up his wife the tower, the Moors XVIII. On the morrow the Cid took Doña Ximena the hand, and her daughters with her, and made them go upon the highest tower of the Alcazar, and they looked ward the sea and saw the great power of the Moors, how that they' they came on and drew nigh, and began to pitch their tents might see round about Valencia, beating their tambours and with great land. uproar. And Ximena's heart failed her, and she asked the Cid if peradventure God would deliver him from these enemies. Fear not, honored woman, said he; you are but lately arrived, and they come to bring you a present, which shall help marry your daughters. Fear not, for you shall see me fight by the help of God and holy Mary Mother; my heart kindles because you are here! The more Moors the more gain! The tambours sounded now with a great alarum, and the sun was shining . . . Cheer Cheer up, said my Cid; . . this is a glorious day. But Ximena was seized with such fear as if her heart would have broken; she and her daughters had never been in such fear since the day that they were born. Then the good Cid Campeador stroked his beard and said, Fear not, all this is for your good. Before fifteen days are over, if it please God, those tambours shall be laid before 1 A mas Moros, mas ganancia. Berganza. The words past into a proverb. VII. BOOK you, and shall be sounded for your pleasure, and then they shall be given to the Bishop Don Hieronymo, that he may hang them up in the Church of St. Mary, Mother of God. This vow the Cid Campeador made. Now the Moors began to enter the gardens which were round about the town, and the watchman saw them and struck the bell. My Cid looked back and saw Alvar Salvadores beside him, and he said, Go now, take two hundred horse, and sally upon yonder Moors who are entering the gardens: let Doña Ximena and her daughters see the good will you have to serve them. Down went Alvar Salvadores in great haste, and ordered a bell to be rung which was a signal for two hundred knights to make ready; for the history saith, that the Cid, by reason that he was alway in war, had appointed such signals for his people, that they knew when one hundred were called for, and when two, and so forth. Presently they were ready at the place of meeting, and the gate was opened which was nearest the gardens where the Moors had entered, without order; and they fell fiercely upon them, smiting and slaying. Great was the pleasure of the Cid at seeing how well they behaved themselves. And Doña Ximena and her daughters stood trembling, like women who had never seen such things before and when the Cid saw it he made them seat themselves, so as no longer to behold it. Great liking had the Bishop Don Hieronymo to see how bravely they fought. Alvar Salvadores and his companions bestirred themselves so well that they drove the enemy to their tents, making great mortality among them, and then they turned back, whereat my Cid was well pleased; but Alvar Salvadores went on, hacking and hewing all before him, for he thought the ladies were looking on, and he prest forward so far, that being without succor he was taken. The others returned to the city, falling back in brave order till they were out of reach of the enemy and they had done no little in that exploit, for they slew above two hundred and fifty Moors. When my Cid saw that they who eat his bread were returned, he Chr. del Cid. cap. 218. 219. : VII. Chr. Gen. went down from the tower, and received them right well, BOOK and praised them for what they had done like good knights: howbeit he was full sorrowful for Alvar Salvadores that he ff. 277. should be in the hands of the Moors, but he trusted in God that he should deliver him on the morrow. Poema del Cid. 1652. 1692. counsel and of the and which was taken, after day, what manner they and should at tack the and Moors. XIX. And the Cid assembled his chief captains knights and people, and said unto them, Kinsmen friends and vassals, hear me: to-day has been a good and to-morrow shall be a better. Be you all armed ready in the dark of the morning; mass shall be said, the Bishop Don Hieronymo will give us absolution, and then we will to horse, and out and smite them in the name of the Creator and of the Apostle Santiago. It is fitter that we should live than that they should gather in the fruits of this land. But let us take counsel in what manner we may go forth, so as to receive least hurt, for they are a mighty power, and we can only defeat them by great mastery in war. When Alvar Fañez Minaya heard this he answered and said, Praised be God and your good fortune, you have achieved greater things than this, and I trust in God's mercy that you will achieve this also. Give me three hundred horse, and we will go out when the first cock crows, and put ourselves in ambush in the valley of Albuhera; and when you have joined battle we will issue out and fall upon them on the other side, and on one side or the other God will help us. Well was the Cid pleased with this counsel, and he said that it should be so; and he bade them feed their horses in time and sup early, and as soon as it was cock-crow come to the Church of St. Pedro, and hear mass, Cid. cap. and shrive themselves, and communicate, and then take Gen. ff. horse in the name of the Trinity, that the soul of him who del Cid. should die in the business might go without let to God. Chr. del 218. Chr. 278. Poema 1693. 1706. Of the great victory which the Cid won XX. Day is gone, and night is come. At cock-crow they all assembled together in the Church of St. Pedro, and the Bishop Don Hieronymo sung mass, and they were shriven over King and assoyled, and howselled. Great was the absolution. Yucef. VII. BOOK which the Bishop gave them: He who shall die, said he, fighting face forward, I will take his sins, and God shall have his soul. Then said he, A boon, Cid Don Rodrigo; I have sung mass to you this morning: let me have the giving the first wounds in this battle! and the Cid granted him this boon in the name of God. Then being all ready they went out through the gate which is called the Gate of the Snake, for the greatest power of the Moors was on that side, leaving good men to guard the gates. Alvar Fañez and his company were already gone forth, and had laid their ambush. Four thousand, lacking thirty, were they who went out with my Cid, with a good will, to attack fifty thousand. They went through all the narrow places, and bad passes, and leaving the ambush on the left, struck to the right hand, so as to get the Moors between them and the town. And the Cid put his battles in good array, and bade Pero Bermudez bear his banner. When the Moors saw this they were greatly amazed; and they harnessed themselves in great haste, and came out of their tents. Then the Cid bade his banner move on, and the Bishop Don Hieronymo pricked forward with his company, and laid on with such guise, that the hosts were soon mingled together. Then might you have seen many a horse running about the field with the saddle under his belly, and many a horseman in evil plight upon the ground. Great was the smiting and slaying in short time; but by reason that the Moors were so great a number, they bore hard upon the Christians, and were in the hour of overcoming them. And the Cid began to encourage them with a loud voice, shouting God and Santiago! And Alvar Fañez at this time issued out from ambush, and fell upon them, on the side which was nearest the sea; and the Moors thought that a great power had arrived to the Cid's succor, and they were dismayed, and began to fly. And the Cid and his people pursued, punishing them in a bad way. If we should wish to tell you how every one behaved himself in this battle, it is a thing which could not be done, : for all did so well that no man can relate their feats. And BOOK VII. the Cid Ruydiez did so well, and made such mortality among the Moors, that the blood ran from his wrist to his elbow! Great pleasure had he in his horse Bavieca that day, to find himself so well mounted. And in the pursuit he came up to King Yucef, and smote him three times but the King escaped from under the sword, for the horse of the Cid passed on in his course, and when he turned, the King being on a fleet horse, was far off, so that he might not be overtaken; and he got into a Castle called Guyera, for so far did the Christians pursue them, smiting and slaying, and giving Cid. cap. them no respite, so that hardly fifteen thousand escaped of fifty that they were. They who were in the ships, when del Cid, they saw this great overthrow, fled to Denia. Chr. del 220. Chr. Gen. ff. 278. Poema 1707. 1737. Cid entered how he in gave in marriage of his wife ena. XXI. Then the Cid and his people returned to the field How the and began to plunder the tents. And the spoil was so the city, and great that there was no end to the riches, in gold and silver, and in horses and arms, so that men knew not what the damsels to leave and what to take. And they found one tent which Doña Ximhad been King Yucef's; never man saw so noble a thing as that tent was; and there were great riches therein, and there also did they find Alvar Salvadores, who had been made prisoner the yesterday, as ye have heard. Greatly did the Cid rejoice when he saw him alive and sound, and he ordered his chains to be taken off; and then he left Alvar Fañez to look to the spoil, and went into Valencia with a hundred knights. His wrinkled brow was seen, for he had taken off his helmet, and in this manner he entered, upon Bavieca, sword in hand. Great joy had Doña Ximena and her daughters, who were awaiting him, when they saw him come riding in; and he stopt when he came to them, and said, Great honor have I won for you, while you kept Valencia this day! God and the Saints have sent us goodly gain, upon your coming. Look, with a bloody sword and a horse all sweat, this is the way that we conquer the Moors! Pray God that I may live yet awhile for your |