twenty for Castille and twenty for Leon, as vouchers that BOOK this which they covenanted should be faithfully fulfilled on both sides. II. How King sent to ask brother Alfonso. VI. Then King Don Sancho gathered together a great f. 208. host, Castilians and Leonese, and they of Navarre and Biscay, Asturians, and men of Aragon and of the border. Don Garcia And he sent Alvar Fañez, the cousin of the Cid, to King aid from his Don Garcia, to bid him yield up his kingdom, and if he King Don refused to do this, to defy him on his part. Alvar Fañez, albeit unwillingly, was bound to obey the bidding of his Lord, and he went to King Don Garcia and delivered his bidding. When King Don Garcia heard it he was greatly troubled, and he cried out in his trouble and said, Lord Jesus Christ, thou rememberest the oath which we made to our father! for my sins I have been the first to break it, and have disherited my sister. And he said to Alvar Fañez, Say to my brother that I beseech him not to break the oath which he made to our father; but if he will persist to do this thing, I must defend myself as I can. And with this answer Alvar Fañez returned. Then King Don Garcia called unto him a knight of Asturias, whose name was Ruy Ximenez, and bade him go to his brother King Don Alfonso, and tell him what had passed, and how King Don Sancho would take away his kingdom from him; and to beseech him as a brother that he would not let him pass through his dominions. And King Don Alfonso replied, Say to my brother that I will neither help King Don Sancho, nor oppose him : and tell him that if he can defend himself I shall be well pleased. And with this answer Ruy Ximenez returned, and bade the King look to himself for defence, for he would find Cid.cap 37. no help in his brother. Chr. del Chr. Gen. ff. 208. Frojaz slew VII. Now Don Garcia was not beloved in his kingdom How Don of Galicia, neither in Portugal, for as much as he showed Rodrigo little favor to the hidalgos, both Galegos and Portuguese, Verna. and vexed the people with tributes, which he had newly II. BOOK imposed. The cause of all this was a favorite,' by name Verna, to whom the King gave so much authority, that he displeased all the chief persons in his dominions, and hearkened unto him in all things; and by his advice it was that he had despoiled his sister Doña Urraca of her lands, and his sister Doña Elvira also, and had done other things, whereby Portugal and Galicia were now in danger to be lost. And the knights and hidalgos took counsel together, how they might remedy these evils, and they agreed that the King should in the name of them all be advised how ill he was served, and entreated to put away his favorite. Don Rodrigo Frojaz was the one named to speak unto the King; for being a man of approved valor, and the lord of many lands, it was thought that the King would listen more to him than to any other. But it fell out otherwise than they had devised, for Verna had such power over the mind of the King, that the remonstrance was ill received, and Don Rodrigo and the other hidalgos were contumeliously treated in public by the King. Don Rodrigo would not bear this, being a right loyal and valiant man; and he went one day into the palace, and finding Verna busied in affairs of state, he drew forth his sword and slew him; then leaving the palace, for none cared to lay hands on him, he left Portugal, and took the road towards France; many of his Nobiliario, del Conde vassals and kinsmen and friends following him, to seek Don Pedro, their fortunes in a country where valor would be esteemed, Cid.cap.38. for they were weary of the bad government of King Don ff. 208. Garcia. p. 45. Chr. del Chron.Gen. Of the bat tle at Agoa VIII. But when King Don Garcia knew of the league de Mayas. which his brethren had made to divide his kingdom between them, it was a greater trouble to him than the death of Verna, and he called his chief captains together and consulted with 1 Garibay says a female favorite; in this he differs from all other authorities, otherwise the manners of the age would not render his account improbable. The story of Iñez de Castro is well known. II. them; and they advised him that he should send to recall BOOK Don Rodrigo Frojaz, for having him the realm would be secure, and without him it was in danger to be lost. So two hidalgos were sent after him, and they found him in Navarre, on the eve of passing into France. But when he saw the King's letters, and knew the peril in which he then stood, setting aside the remembrance of his own wrongs, like a good and true Portugueze, he turned back, and went to the King at Coimbra. In good time did he arrive, for the captains of King Don Sancho had now gained many lands in Galicia and in the province of Beira, finding none to resist them, and the Count Don Nuño de Lara, and the Count of Monzon, and Don Garcia de Cabra, were drawing nigh unto Coimbra. When Don Rodrigo heard this and knew that the Castilians where approaching, and who they were, he promised the King either to maintain his cause, or die for it; and he besought him not to go into the battle himself, having so many vassals and so good; for it was not fitting that he should expose himself when there was no king coming against him. And it came to pass that when the scouts gave notice that the Castilians were at hand, he ordered the trumpets to be sounded, and the Portugueze sallied, and a little below the city, at the place which is now called Agoa de Mayas, the two squadrons met. Then was the saying of Arias Gonzalo fulfilled, that kinsmen should kill kinsmen, and brother fall by his brother's hand. But the Portugueze fought so well, and especially Don Rodrigo, and his brothers Don Pedro and Don Vermui Frojaz, that at length they discomfited the Castilians, killing of them five hundred and forty, of whom three hundred were knights, and winning their pennons and banners. Howbeit this victory was not obtained without great loss to themselves; for two hundred and twenty of their people were left upon the field, Nobiliario, and many were sorely wounded, among whom, even to the 211. great peril of his life, was Don Rodrigo Frojaz, being wound- cap. 30. ed with many and grievous wounds. In this battle was . 203. p. 46. Do. Chr.delCid. Chron. Gen. BOOK slain the Count Don Fafes Sarracem de Lanhoso, with many II. How King Don Garcia fled to the of his vassals, he from whom the Godinos are descended: he was a right good knight. IX. A sorrowful defeat was that for King Don Sancho, Moors. more for the quality of the slain than for their number; and he put himself at the head of his army, and hastened through the midst of Portugal, to go against his brother. And King Don Garcia hearing of his approach, called together his knights and hidalgos, and said unto them, Friends, we have no land whereunto to fly from the King Don Sancho my brother, let us therefore meet him in battle, and either conquer him, or die; for it is better to die an honorable death than to suffer this spoiling in our country. And to the Portugeze he said, Friends, ye are right noble and haughty knights, and it is your custom to have among you few lords and good ones; now therefore make me a good one, which will be to your own great honor and profit; and if I come out of this struggle well, I shall guerdon ye well, so that ye shall understand the will I have to do good towards ye. And they made answer and said that they would stand by him to the last, and that he should not be put down by their default. Then spake he to the Galegos and said, Friends, ye are right good and true knights, and never was it yet said that lord was forsaken by you in the field. I put myself in your hands, being assured that ye will well and loyally advise me, and help me to the utmost of your power. Ye see how King Don Sancho my brother presses upon us, and we have nothing left us but to die or to conquer; but if ye know any other counsel, I beseech ye tell it me. And the Galegos answered, that they would serve and defend him loyally, and that they held it best to fight. Nevertheless they were too few in number to stand against the King Don Sancho: so they retired before him. And Don Garcia took with him three hundred horsemen, and went to the Moors, and besought them to lend him aid. against his brother, saying that he would give them the him kingdom of Leon. And the Moors made answer, O King, BOOK thou canst not defend thyself; how then canst thou give unto us the kingdom of Leon? Howbeit they did honor and gave him great gifts, and he returned to people and recovered many of the castles which he lost. Chr. del Cid. Cap. his 40 Chr. had Rod. Tol. Gen. ff. 209 1. 6. c. 18. Don Garcia from Santa tle. X. Then King Don Sancho came against his brother, to How King besiege him in Santarem. And the Portugueze and Gale- went out gos took counsel together what they should do; for some rem to batwere of advice that it was better to defend the cities and fortresses which they held, and so lengthen out the war; others that they should harass the army of the Castilians with frequent skirmishes and assaults, and never give them battle power to power, thinking that in this manner they might baffle them till the winter came on. Don Rodrigo Frojaz was at this time recovering of the wounds which he had received at Agoa de Mayas, and he said unto the King that it behoved him above all things to put his kingdom upon the hazard of a battle; for his brother being a greater lord of lands than he, and richer in money and more powerful in vassals, could maintain the war longer than he could do, who peradventure would find it difficult another year to gather together so good an army as he had now ready. For this cause he advised him to put his trust in God first, and then in the hidalgos who were with him, and without fear give battle to the King his brother, over whom God and his good cause would give him glorious victory. And to show his own good will to the King, he besought of him the leading of the van for himself and the Counts Don Pedro and Don Vermui Frojaz his brethren, and his two nephews. Greatly was the King Don Garcia encouraged by his gallant cheer, and he bade his host make ready to give battle to King Don Sancho, as soon as he should arrive; and he marched out from the city, and took his stand near unto it in a field where afterwards were the vineyards of the town. And when the banners of the Castilians were |