11. BOOK given this counsel to my sister because you were bred up with her. And my Cid answered and said, Faithfully have I discharged your bidding, and as a true vassal. Howbeit, O King, I will not bear arms against the Infanta your sister, nor against Zamora, because of the days which are past; '— and I beseech you do not persist in doing this wrong. But then King Don Sancho was more greatly incensed, and he said unto him, If it were not that my father left you commended to me, I would order you this instant to be hanged. But for this which you have said I command you to quit my kingdom within nine days. And the Cid went to his tent in anger, and called for his kinsmen and his friends, and bade them make ready on the instant to depart with him. And he set forth with all the knights and esquires of his table, and with all their retainers horse and foot, twelve hundred persons, all men of approved worth, a goodly company;-and they took the road to Toledo, meaning to join the King Don Alfonso among the Moors. And that night they slept at Castro Nuño. But when the Counts and Ricos-omes, and the other good men of the host saw this, they understood the great evil and disservice which might arise to the King, and to the land, from the departure of the Cid, who went away in wrath. And they went to the King and said unto him, Sir, wherefore would you lose so good a vassal, who has done you such great service? If he should go unto your brother Don Alfonso among the Moors, he would not let you besiege this city thus in peace. And the King perceived that they spake rightly, and he called for Don Diego Ordoñez, the son of Count Don Bermudo, who was the son of the 1 I have ventured to insert in this place the declaration of the Cid that he would not bear arms against Zamora, which is nowhere to be found, neither in the Chronicles nor Ballads, though referred to by some, and implied in all. This seemed the fittest place, as it would account for the violence of King Sancho's resentment, which would hardly have been so excited by the failure of his embassy, or a mere suspicion that the Cid had not faithfully discharged it. II. Infante Don Ordoño of Leon, and bade him follow the Cid, BOOK and beseech him in his name to return; and whatever covenant he should make it should be confirmed unto him; and of this he ordered his letters of credence to be made out. And Don Diego Ordoñez went to horse, and rode after the Cid, and overtook him between Castro Nuño and Medina del Campo. And when it was told unto the Cid that Don Diego Ordoñez was coming, he turned to meet him, and greeted him well, and asked him wherefore he was come. And he delivered the King's bidding, and showed unto him his letters of credence, and said unto him that the King besought him not to bear in mind the words which he had spoken unto him, being in anger. Then the Cid called together his kinsmen and friends, and asked them what they should do. And they counselled him that he should return to the King, for it was better to remain in his land and serve God, than to go among the Moors. And he held their counsel good, and called for Don Diego, and said unto him that he would do the will of the King: and Don Diego sent to the King to tell him how he had sped. And when the Cid drew nigh unto the host, the King went out with five hundred knights to meet him, and received him gladly, and did him great honor. And the Cid kissed his hand and asked him if he confirmed what Don Diego had said; and the King confirmed it before all the knights who were there present, promising to give him great possessions. And when they came to the army great was the joy because of the Cid's return, and great were the rejoicings which were made: but as great was the sorrow in Zamora, for they who were in the town held that the siege was broken up by his departure. Sandoval. Nevertheless my Cid would not bear arms against the Infanta, nor against the town of Zamora, because of the days 2, del which were past. XXVII. And the King ordered proclamation to be made How Doña throughout the host that the people should make ready to at- solved to tack the town. And they fought against it three days and ff. 33. Cid.cap.57. Urraca re yield the town. II. Then the King ordered them BOOK three nights so bravely that all the ditches were filled up, and the barbicans thrown down, and they who were within fought sword in hand with those without, and the waters of the Douro, as they past below the town, were all discolored with blood. And when Count Don Garcia de Cabra saw the great loss which they were suffering, it grieved him; and he went unto the King and told him that many men were slain, and advised him to call off the host that they should no longer fight against the town, but hold it besieged, for by famine it might soon be taken. to draw back, and he sent to each camp to know how many men had died in the attack, and the number was found to be a thousand and thirty. And when the King knew this he was greatly troubled for the great loss which he had received, and he ordered the town to be beleagered round about, and in this manner he begirt it, that none could enter into it, neither go out therefrom; and there was a great famine within the town. And when Don Arias Gonzalo saw the misery, and the hunger, and the mortality which were there, he said to the Infanta Doña Urraca, You see, Lady, the great wretchedness which the people of Zamora have suffered, and do every day suffer to maintain their loyalty; now then call together the Council, and thank them truly for what they have done for you, and bid them give up the town within nine days to the King your brother. And we, Lady, will go to Toledo to your brother King Don Alfonso, for we cannot defend Zamora; King Don Sancho is of so great heart and so resolute, that he will never break up the siege, and I do not hold it good that you should abide here longer. And Doña Urraca gave orders that the good men of Zamora should meet together in Council; and she said unto them, Friends, ye well see the resoluteness of King Don Sancho my brother; and already have ye suffered much evil and much wretchedness for doing right and loyally, losing kinsmen and friends in my service. Ye have done enough, and I do not hold it good that ye should perish; I command ye II. Chr. del 58. 59. ff. 214. do Dolfos the town. therefore give up the town to him within nine days, and I BOOK will go to Toledo to my brother King Don Alfonso. The men of Zamora when they heard this had great sorrow, because they had endured the siege so long, and must now Cid. cap. give up the town at last; and they determined all to go with Chr. Gen. the Infanta, and not remain in the town. XXVIII. When Vellido Dolfos' heard this, he went to How Velli. Doña Urraca and said, Lady, I came here to Zamora to do fled out of you service with thirty knights, all well accoutred, as you know; and I have served you long time, and never have I had from you guerdon for my service, though I have demanded it: but now if you will grant my demand I will relieve Zamora, and make King Don Sancho break up the siege. Then said Doña Urraca, Vellido, I shall repeat to thee the saying of the wise man, A man bargains well with the slothful and with him who is in need; and thus you would deal with me. I do not bid thee commit any evil thing, if such thou hast in thy thought; but I say unto you, that there is not a man in the world to whom if he should relieve Zamora, and make the King my brother raise the siege, I would not grant whatsoever he might require. And when Vellido heard this he kissed her hand, and went to a porter who kept one of the gates of the town, and spake with him, saying, that he should open the gate unto him when he saw him flying toward it, and he gave him his cloak. Then went he to his lodging and armed himself, and mounted his horse, and rode to the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, and cried with a loud voice, We all know the reason, Don Arias Gonzalo, why you will not let Doña Urraca exchange Zamora with her brother; it is because you deal with her as with a harlot, like an old traitor. When Arias Gonzalo heard this, it grieved him to the heart, and he said, In an evil day was I born, that so shameful a falsehood as this Dolfos is the corrupted patronymic of Ataulpho, the Adolphus of modern Germany. BOOK should be said to me in mine old age, and there should be II. none to revenge me! Then his sons arose and armed themselves hastily, and went after Vellido, who fled before them toward the gate of the town. The porter when he saw him coming opened the gate, and he rode out and galloped into the camp of the King Don Sancho, and the others followed him till they were nigh the camp, but farther they did not venture. And Vellido went to the King and kissed his hand, and said unto him these false words with a lying tongue Sir, because I said to the Council of Zamora that they should yield the town unto you, the sons of Arias Gonzalo would have slain me, even as you have seen. And therefore come I to you, Sir, and will be your vassal, if I may find favor at your hands. And I will shew you how in a few days you may have Zamora, if God pleases; and if I do not as I have said, then let me be slain. And the King believed all that he said, and received him for his vassal, and did him great honor. And all that night they talked together of his secrets, and he made the King believe that he Cid.cap 60. knew a postern by means of which he would put Zamora into his hands. Chr. del Chr. Gen. ff. 215. How the men of Za mora warn XXIX. On the morrow in the morning, one of the knights who were in the town went upon the wall, and cried out with a loud voice, so that the greater part of the of the trea- host heard him, King Don Sancho, give ear to what I say; ed King Don Sancho son which ed. if was design- I am a knight and hidalgo, a native of the land of Santiago; and they from whom I spring were true men and delighted in their loyalty, and I also will live and die in my truth. Give ear, for I would undeceive you, and tell you the truth, you will believe me. I say unto you, that from this town of Zamora there is gone forth a traitor to kill you; his name is Vellido Dolfos; he is the son of Adolfo, who.slew Don Nuño like a traitor, and the grandson of Laino, another traitor, who killed his gossip and threw him into the river; and this is as great a traitor as the rest of his race; look to yourself therefore and take heed of him. I say this to you, |