HERE BEGINNETH THE FIRST BOOK

OF THE

CHRONICLE OF THE CID.

I.

How King

reigned in

I. KING Don Ferrando succeeded to the states of Castille BOOK after the death of his father King Don Sancho el Mayor, in the era 1072, which was the year of the Incarnation 1034, Ferrando and from the coming of the Patriarch Tubal to settle in Castille. Spain 3197, and from the general deluge 3339, and from the creation of the world 4995, according to the computation of the Hebrews, and from the beginning of the false sect of the Moors 413. And in the year 1037 Ferrando slew Bermudo the King of Leon in battle, who was his wife's brother, and conquered his kingdom, and succeeded to it in right of his wife Doña Sancha. So he was the first person who united the states of Castille and Leon, and the first who was called King of Castille; for till this time the lords of that country had been called Counts. He was a good king, and one who judged justly and feared God, and was bold in all his doings. Before he reigned he had by Doña Sancha his wife the Infanta Doña Urraca, his eldest daughter, who was a right excellent lady, of good customs and bounty and beauty; and after her he had the Infante Don Sancho, his eldest son and heir; and then the Infanta Doña Elvira, whom after the death of the King her father,

I.

BOOK her brother King Don Alfonso married to the Count Don Garci de Cabra. And after he became King he had the Infante Don Alfonso, and the Infante Don Garcia, who was the youngest of all. And he put his sons to read, that they might be of the better understanding, and he made them take arms, and be shown how to demean themselves in battle, and to be huntsmen. And he ordered that his daughters should be brought up in the studies beseeming dames, so that they might be of good customs, and inlib. 11. cap. structed in devotion and in all things which it behoved them

Chronica del Cid. cap. 1.

Chron. Gen.

ff. 193. Garibay,

1. Rod. Tol.

lib. 6. cap. to know.

9.

Of the

Bivar.

II. In those days arose Rodrigo of Bivar,' who was a lineage of youth strong in arms and of good customs; and the people Rodrigo of rejoiced in him, for he bestirred himself to protect the land from the Moors. Now it behoves that ye should know whence he came, and from what men he was descended, because we have to proceed with his history. Ye are to know therefore, that after the treason which King Don Ordoño the Second committed upon the Counts of Castille, that country remained without a chief: the people therefore chose two judges, of whom the one was called Nuño Rasuera, and the other Layn Calvo, who married Nuño's daughter, Elvira Nuñez. From Nuño Rasuera King Don Ferrando descended, and from Layn Calvo, Diego Laynez, who took to wife Doña Teresa Rodriguez, the daughter of Don Rodrigo Alvarez, Count and Governor of Asturias, and

2

1 He was lord of the town of that name, now a small place about two leagues North of Burgos. Berganza conjectures that he was called from it to distinguish him from his cousin Rodrigo Diaz, son of Count Don Diego de Asturias.

2

The Chr. del Cid calls her Doña Teresa Nuñez, and her father Count Nuño Alvarez de Amaya. Berganza (5. 10. § 117.) quotes two ancient MSS. to prove that her name was Teresa Rodriguez; and the Cid's own name, Rodrigo, must be admitted as some presumption in their favor. One of these authorities states that Diego Laynez and his wife were buried at S. Pedro de Cardeña.

I.

had by her this Rodrigo. In the year of the Incarnation BOOK 1026 was Rodrigo born, of this noble lineage, in the city of. Burgos, and in the street of St. Martin, hard by the palace. of the Counts of Castille, where Diego Laynez had his1 dwelling. In the church of St. Martin was he baptized, a good priest of Burgos, whose name was Don Pedro de Pernegas, being his godfather: and to this church Rodrigo Chr. del was always greatly affectionate, and he built the belfry 2. Bergantower thereof.

2

and

Cid. cap. 1.

za,

1. 5. c. 10. § 129.

Of the strife between

in- Count Go

mez and

man Diego Lay

nez, and

go slew

III. At this time it came to pass that there was strife between Count Don Gomez the Lord of Gormaz, Diego Laynez the father of Rodrigo; and the Count sulted Diego and gave him a blow. Now Diego was a in years, and his strength had passed from him, so that he how Rodricould not take vengeance, and he retired to his home to him. dwell there in solitude and lament over his dishonor. And he took no pleasure in his food, neither could he sleep by night, nor would he lift up his eyes from the ground, nor stir out of his house, nor commune with his friends, but turned from them in silence, as if the breath of his shame would taint them. Rodrigo was yet but a youth, and the Count was a mighty man in arms, one who gave his voice first in the Cortes, and was held to be the best in the war, and so powerful that he had a thousand friends among the mountains. Howbeit all these things appeared as nothing to Rodrigo when he thought of the wrong done to his father, the first which had ever been offered to the blood of

1 In Berganza's days the Casas del Cid were shown at Burgos, and probably are so at this day. The Monastery of Cardeña, to which he had given them, granted them to the city upon a low rent, and on condition that the arms of Rodrigo should always be preserved over the gateway, in token of respect to him who was so great an honor to the city, and by them the arms of the Monastery, in memory that it had been his inheritor. Berganza, 5. 10. § 129.

For this Berganza quotes the Historia de Burgos of P. Fray Melchior Prieto.

I.

BOOK Layn Calvo. He asked nothing but justice of Heaven, and of man he asked only a fair field; and his father seeing of how good heart he was, gave him his sword and his blessing. The sword had been the sword of Mudarra in former times, and when Rodrigo held its cross in his hand, he thought within himself that his arm was not weaker than Mudarra's. And he went out and defied the Count and slew him, and smote off his head and carried it home to his father. The old man was sitting at table, the food lying before him untasted, when Rodrigo returned, and pointing to the head which hung from the horse's collar, dropping blood, he bade him look up, for there was the herb which would restore to him his appetite; the tongue, quoth he, which insulted you, is no longer a tongue, and the hand which wronged you is no longer a hand. And the old man arose and embraced his son, and placed him above him at the table, saying, that he who had brought home that head should be the head of the house of Layn' Calvo.

Escobar, Rom. 1, 2, 3, 4.

How Rodrigo took the five Moorish

kings.

IV. After this Diego being full of years fell asleep and was gathered to his fathers. And the Moors entered Castille, in great power, for there came with them five Kings, and they passed above Burgos, and crossed the mountains of Oca, and plundered Carrion, and Vilforado, and Saint Domingo de la Calzada, and Logroño, and Najara, and all that land; and they carried away many captives both male and female, and brood mares, and flocks of all kinds. But as they were returning with all speed, Rodrigo of Bivar raised the country, and came up with them in the mountains of Oca, and fell upon them and discomfited them, and won back all their booty, and took all the five Kings prisoners.

'The death of Count Gomez is mentioned by the Chronicles, Garibay, and Mariana, but not the cause of the quarrel. This, with the circumstances which follow it, is given from the first four Ballads in Escobar's collection.

I.

Then he went back to his mother, taking the Kings BOOK with him, and there he divided the whole spoil with the hidalgos and his other companions, both the Moorish captives and all the spoil of whatever kind, so that they departed right joyfully, being well pleased with what he had done. And he gave thanks to God for the grace which had been vouchsafed to him, and said to his mother, that he did not think it good to keep the Kings in captivity, but to let them go freely; and he set them at liberty and bade them depart. So they returned each to his own country, blessing him for their deliverance, and magnifying his great bounty; and forthwith they sent him tribute and acknow- Cid. cap. 2. ledged themselves to be his vassals.

Chr. del

Cron. Gen. ff. 194.

How Xim

asked Ro

V. King Don Ferrando was going through Leon, putting the Kingdom in order, when tidings reached him of Gomez the good speed which Rodrigo had had against the Moors, drigo of the King in And at the same time there came before him Ximena Go- marriage. mez, the daughter of the Count, who fell on her knees before him and said, Sir, I am the daughter of Count Don Gomez of Gormaz, and Rodrigo of Bivar has slain the Count my father, and of three daughters whom he has left I am the youngest. And Sir, I come to crave of you a boon, that you will give me Rodrigo of Bivar to be my husband, with whom I shall hold myself well married, and greatly honored; for certain I am that his possessions will one day be greater than those of any man in your dominions. Certes Sir, it behoves you to do this, because it is for God's service and because I may pardon Rodrigo with a good will. The King held it good to accomplish her desire; and forthwith ordered letters to be drawn up to Rodrigo of Bivar, wherein he enjoined and commanded him that he should come incontinently to Palencia, for he had much Chr. del to communicate to him, upon an affair which was greatly to God's service, and his own welfare and great honor. VI. When Rodrigo saw the letters of his Lord the King drigo ache greatly rejoiced in them, and said to the messengers that cepted her

Cid. cap. 3. Chr. Gen. ff. 194.

How Ro

for his wife.