BOOK Chr. del Cid. cap. 270. Chr. Gen. ff. 301. Of the presents which a full honorable man, with letters of great love. When this kinsman reached the port of Valencia, he sent word to the Cid that he was arrived there with a message from the Great Soldan of Persia, who had sent a present by him; and when the Cid knew this, he was well pleased. And in the morning the Cid took horse, and went out with all his company, all nobly attired, and his knights rode before him with their lances erect. And when they had gone about a league, they met the messenger of the Soldan coming to Valencia: and when he beheld them, in what order they came, he understood what a noble man the Cid Campeador was. And when he drew nigh, the Cid stopt his horse Bavieca, and waited to receive him. And when the messenger came before the Cid and beheld him, all his flesh began to tremble, and he mar velled greatly that his flesh should tremble thus; and his voice failed him, so that he could not bring forth a word. And the Cid said that he was welcome, and went towards him to embrace him; but the Moor made him no reply, being amazed. And when he had somewhat recovered and could speak, he would have kissed the Cid's hand, but the Cid would not give it him: and he thought this was done for haughtiness, but they made him understand that it was to do him honor; then was he greatly rejoiced, and he said, I humble myself before thee, O Cid, who art the most fortunate, the best Christian, and the most honorable that hath girded on sword or bestrode horse these thousand years. The Great Soldan of Persia, my Lord, hearing of thy great fame and renown, and of the great virtue which is in thee, hath sent me to salute thee and receive thee as his friend, even as his best friend, the one whom he loveth and prizeth best. And he hath sent a present by me who am of his lineage, and beseecheth thee to receive it as from a friend. And the Cid made answer that he thanked him greatly. X. Then the Cid bade his people make way that the the Soldan sumpter beasts which carried the present might pass, and sent. X. also the strange animals which the Soldan had sent, the like BOOK whereof were not in that land. And when they were passed he and his company returned towards the town, and the messenger with him. And whensoever the messenger spake to the Cid, it came into his mind how his voice had failed and his flesh trembled when he beheld him; and he marvelled thereat, and would fain have asked the Cid why it should be. And when they entered Valencia, great was the crowd which assembled to see the sumpter beasts, and the strange animals, for they had never seen such before, and they marvelled at them. And the Cid gave order that the beasts should be taken care of, and he went to the Alcazar and took the Moor with him; and when they came to Doña Ximena the Moor humbled himself before her and her daughters, and would have kissed her hand, but she would not give it him. Then he commanded that the camels and other beasts of burthen should be unloaded in their presence, and he began to open the packages and display the noble things which were contained therein. And he laid before them great store of gold and of money, which came in leathern bags, each having its lock; and wrought silver in dishes and trenchers and basons, and pots for preparing food; all these of fine silver and full cunningly wrought, the weight whereof was ten thousand marks. Then he brought out five cups of gold, in each of which were ten marks of gold, with many precious stones set therein, and three silver barrels, which were full of pearls and of precious stones. Moreover he presented unto him many pieces of cloth of gold, and of silk, of those which are made in Tartary, and in the land of Calabria. And moreover, a pound of myrrh and of balsam, in little caskets of gold: this was a precious thing, for with this ointment they were wont to anoint the bodies of the Kings when they departed, to the end that they might not corrupt, neither the earth consume them: and with this was the body of the Cid embalmed after his death. Moreover he presented unto him BOOK Chr. del Cid. cap. 271. Chr. Gen. ff.301. Of what past be of the Sol Cid. a chess board, which was one of the noble ones in the world; it was of ivory riveted with gold, and with many precious stones round about it; and the men were of gold and silver, and the squares also were richly wrought with stones of many virtues.' This was a full rich, and great and noble present, so that no man could tell the price thereof. one. XI. When the Moor had produced all these things between the fore the Cid, he said unto him, All this, Sir, with the animals messenger which thou hast seen, my Lord the Soldan of Persia hath dan and the sent unto thee, because of the great fame which he hath heard of thy goodness and loyalty; and, Sir, he beseecheth thee to accept it for the love of him. And the Cid thanked him, taking great pleasure therein, and said that he would fain do him greater honor than he had ever yet done to any And then he embraced him in the name of the Soldan, and said, that if he were a Christian he would give him the kiss of peace; and he asked whether among those things there was aught which had belonged to the person of the Soldan, that if so he might kiss it in his honor, and in token that if he were there present, he would kiss him on the shoulder, according to the custom of the Moors, for he knew that his Lord was one of the noblest men in all Pagandom. When the kinsman of the Soldan heard this he was greatly rejoiced because of the great courtesy with which the Cid had spoken, and he perceived how noble a man he was. And he said unto him, Sir Cid, if you were present before my Lord the Soldan, he would do you full great honor, and would give you the head of his horse to eat, according to the custom of our country; but seeing that this is not the custom of this country, I give you my living horse, which is one of the best horses of Syria; and do you give order that he be .... 'This is the description in the Chronica del Cid. The Chronica General only says that this chess-board (arcidriche. Berganza notices the singular word) is at this day, i. e. about 1250, in the Monastery at Cardeña. It had disappeared in Berganza's time. X. taken in honor of my Lord the Soldan, and he will be better BOOK than his head would be boiled. And I kiss your hand, Sir Ruydiez, and hold myself more honored and a happier man than ever I have been heretofore. And the Cid accepted the horse, and gave consent to the Moor that he should kiss his hand. And then he called for his Almoxarife, and bade him take with him this kinsman of the Soldan, and lodge Cid. cap. him in the Garden of Villa Nueva, and do him even such 271. honor and service as he would to himself. Chr. del Chr. Gen. ff. 301. XII. Great was the honor which the Almoxarife of the Of the reason why the Cid Ruydiez did unto the kinsman of the Soldan, and he Soldan sent this great served him even as he would have served his Lord the Cid. present. And when they had disported and taken solace together, the kinsman of the Soldan asked him concerning the Cid, what manner of man he was. And the Almoxarife answered that he was the man in the world who had the bravest heart, and the best knight at arms, and the man who best maintained his law; and in the word which he hath promised he never fails ; and he is the man in the world who is the best friend to his friend, and to his enemy he is the mortallest foe among all Christians; and to the vanquished he is full of mercy and compassion; and full thoughtful and wise in whatsoever thing he doeth; and his countenance is such that no man seeth him for the first time without conceiving great fear. And this, said the Almoxarife, I have many times. witnessed, for when any messengers of the Moors come before him, they are so abashed that they know not where they are. When the messenger of the Soldan heard this he called to mind how it had been with him, and he said unto the Almoxarife, that as they were both of one law he besought him to keep secret what he should say, and he would tell him what had befallen him himself. And the Almoxarife said that he would do as he desired. And with that he began to say, that he marvelled greatly at what he had heard, for even as he had now told him that it happened unto other messengers, even so had he himself found it the first time BOOK a chess board, which was one of the noble ones in the world; it was of ivory riveted with gold, and with many precious stones round about it; and the men were of gold and silver, and the squares also were richly wrought with stones of many virtues.' This was a full rich, and great and noble present, Gen. ff.301. So that no man could tell the price thereof. Chr. del Cid. cap. 271. Chr. Of what past be of the Sol Cid. one. XI. When the Moor had produced all these things between the fore the Cid, he said unto him, All this, Sir, with the animals messenger which thou hast seen, my Lord the Soldan of Persia hath dan and the sent unto thee, because of the great fame which he hath heard of thy goodness and loyalty; and, Sir, he beseecheth thee to accept it for the love of him. And the Cid thanked him, taking great pleasure therein, and said that he would fain do him greater honor than he had ever yet done to any And then he embraced him in the name of the Soldan, and said, that if he were a Christian he would give him the kiss of peace; and he asked whether among those things there was aught which had belonged to the person of the Soldan, that if so he might kiss it in his honor, and in token that if he were there present, he would kiss him on the shoulder, according to the custom of the Moors, for he knew that his Lord was one of the noblest men in all Pagandom. When the kinsman of the Soldan heard this he was greatly rejoiced because of the great courtesy with which the Cid had spoken, and he perceived how noble a man he was. And he said unto him, Sir Cid, if you were present before my Lord the Soldan, he would do you full great honor, and would give you the head of his horse to eat, according to the custom of our country; but seeing that this is not the custom of this country, I give you my living horse, which is one of the best horses of Syria; and do you give order that he be 'This is the description in the Chronica del Cid. The Chronica General only says that this chess-board (arcidriche. ... Berganza notices the singular word) is at this day, i. e. about 1250, in the Monastery at Cardeña. It had disappeared in Berganza's time. |