BOOK XVI. After this the Cid abode in Valencia, and he labored a full year in settling all the castles of the Moors who Alcalde of were subject unto him in peace, and in settling the Moors of X. How the Valencia was bap tized. Valencia well with the Christians; and this he did so that their tribute was well paid from this time till his death. And all the land from Tortosa to Origuela was under his command. And from this time he abode in peace in Valencia; and labored alway to serve God and to increase the Catholic faith, and to make amends for the faults he had committed towards God, for he weened that his days now would be but few. And it came to pass one day, the Cid having risen from sleep and being in his Alcazar, there came before him an Alfaqui whom he had made Alcalde of the Moors; his name was Alfaraxi, and he it was who made the lamentation for Valencia, as is recorded in this history. This Alfaqui had served the Cid well in his office of Alcalde over the Moors of Valencia: for he kept them in peace, and made them pay their tribute well, being a discreet man and of great prudence, so that for this and for his speech he might have been taken for a Christian: and for this reason the Cid loved him and put great trust in him. And when the Cid saw him he asked him what he would have; and he like a prudent man bent his knees before him, and began to kiss his hand, and said, Sir Cid Ruydiez, blessed be the name of Jesus Christ who hath brought you to this state that you are Lord of Valencia, one of the best and noblest cities in Spain. What I would have is this. Sir, my forefathers were of this city, and I am a native hereof; and when I was a little lad the Christians took me captive, and I learnt their tongue among them, and then my will was to be a Christian, and to abide there in the land of the Christians; but my father and mother, being rich persons, released me. And God showed me such favor, and gave me such understanding and so subtle, that I learnt all the learning of the Moors, and was one of the most honorable and best Alfaquis that ever was in Valencia till this time, and of the richest, as you X. know, Sir; and you in your bounty made me Alcalde, and BOOK gave me your authority over the Moors, of which peradventure I was not worthy. And now, Sir, thinking in my heart concerning the law in which I have lived, I find that I have led a life of great error, and that all which Mahommed the great deceiver gave to the Moors for their law, is deceit ; and therefore, Sir, I turn me to the faith of Jesus Christ, and will be a Christian and believe in the Catholic faith. And I beseech you of your bounty give order that I may be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, and give me what name you will. And from this time forward I will live the life of a Christian, and fulfil what is written in the Gospel, and forsake wife and children and kin, and all that there is in the world, and serve God, and believe in his faith and holy law, as far as the weakness of my body can bear. When the Cid Ruydiez heard this he began to smile for very pleasure; and he rose up and took Alfaraxi with him to Doña Ximena, and said, Here is our Alcalde, who will be a Christian, and our brother in the faith of Jesus Christ. I beseech you therefore give order to provide all things that may be needful. When Doña Ximena heard this she rejoiced greatly, and gave order that all things should be full nobly prepared. And on the morrow the Bishop Don Hieronymo baptized him, and they gave him the name of Gil Diaz: and his godfathers were Don Alvar Fañez, and Pero Bermudez, and Martin Antolinez of Burgos; and Doña Ximena, with other honorable dames, were his godmothers. And from that time forward Gil Diaz was in such favor with the Cid, that he trusted all his affairs to his hands, and he Chr.delcid. knew so well how to demean himself, both towards him and 277. all those of his company, that they all heartily loved him. 44 Chr. Gen. ff. 304. HERE BEGINNETH THE ELEVENTH BOOK OF THE CHRONICLE OF THE CID. BOOK XI. I. IT is written in the history which Abenalfarax, the nephew of Gil Diaz, composed in Valencia, that for five years the Cid Ruydiez remained Lord thereof in peace, and that King in all that time he sought to do nothing but to serve God, How tidings came Bucar was coming and to keep the Moors quiet who were under his dominion; against Valencia. so that Moors and Christians dwelt together in such accord, that it seemed as if they had alway been united; and they all loved and served the Cid with such good will that it was marvellous. And when these five years were over, tidings were spread far and near, which reached Valencia, that King Bucar the Miramamolin of Morocco, holding himself disgraced because the Cid Campeador had conquered him in the field of Quarto near unto Valencia, where he had slain or made prisoners all his people, and driven him into the sea, and made spoil of all the treasures which he had brought with him; .. King Bucar calling these things to mind, had gone himself and stirred up the whole Paganism of Barbary, even as far as Montes Claros, to cross the sea again, and avenge himself if he could; and he had assembled so great a power, that no man could devise their numbers. When XI. the Cid heard these tidings he was troubled at heart; how- BOOK beit he dissembled this, so that no person knew what he was minded to do; and thus the matter remained for some days. And when he saw that the news came thicker and faster, and that it was altogether certain that King Bucar was coming over sea against him, he sent and bade all the Moors of Valencia assemble together in his presence, and when they were all assembled he said unto them, Good men of the Aljama, ye well know that from the day wherein I became Lord of Valencia, ye have alway been protected and defended, and have past your time well and peaceably in your houses and heritages, none troubling you nor doing you wrong; neither have I who am your Lord ever done aught unto you that was against right. And now true tidings are come to me that King Bucar of Morocco is arrived from beyond sea, with a mighty power of Moors, and that he is coming against me to take from me this city which I won with so great labor. Now therefore, seeing it is so, I hold it good and command that ye quit the town, both ye and your sons, and your women, and go into the suburb of Alcudia, and the other suburbs, to dwell there with the other Moors, till we shall see the end of this business between me and King Bucar. Then the Moors, albeit they were loth, Chr. del obeyed his command; and when they were all gone out of 278. the city, so that none remained, he held himself safer than 305. he had done before. Cid. cap. Chr. Gen. ff. Peter apthe Cid. II. Now after the Moors were all gone out of the city, How St. it came to pass in the middle of the night that the Cid was peared unto lying in his bed, devising how he might withstand this coming of King Bucar, for Abenalfarax saith that when he was alone in his palace his thoughts were of nothing else. And when it was midnight there came a great light into the palace, and a great odor, marvellous sweet. And as he was marvelling what it might be, there appeared before him a man as white as snow; he was in the likeness of an old man with grey hair and crisp, and he carried certain keys in XI. BOOK his hand; and before the Cid could speak to him he said, Sleepest thou, Rodrigo, or what art thou doing? And the Cid made answer, What man art thou who askest me? And he said, I am St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, who come unto thee with more urgent tidings than those for which thou art taking thought concerning King Bucar, and it is, that thou art to leave this world, and go to that which hath no end; and this will be in thirty days. But God will show favor unto thee, so that thy people shall discomfit King Bucar, and thou, being dead, shalt win this battle for the honor of thy body: this will be with the help of Santiago, whom God will send to the business: but do thou strive to make atonement for thy sins, and so thou shalt be saved. All this Jesus Christ vouchsafeth thee for the love of me, and for the reverence which thou hast alway shown to my Church in the Monastery of Cardeña. When the Cid Campeador heard this he had great pleasure at heart, and he let himself fall out of bed upon the earth, that he might kiss the feet of the Apostle St. Peter; but the Apostle said, Strive not to do this, for thou canst not touch me; but be sure that all this which I have told thee will come to pass. And when the blessed Apostle had said this, he disappeared, and the palace remained full of a sweeter and more delightful odor than heart of man can conceive. And the Cid Ruydiez remained greatly comforted by what St. Peter had said to him, and as certain that all this would come to pass, as if it were already over. Chr. del Cid. cap. 279. How the to his peo ple. III. Early on the morrow he sent to call all his honorCid spake able men to the Alcazar; and when they were all assembled before him, he began to say unto them, weeping the while, Friends and kinsmen and true vassals and honorable men, many of ye must well remember when King Don Alfonso our Lord twice banished me from his land, and most of ye, for the love which ye bore me followed me into banishment, and have guarded me ever since. And God hath shown such mercy to you and to me, that we have won many bat |