VI.

those houses which were nearest unto the walls, so that BOOK every thing was carried away and nothing but the timbers.

:

left and then the Christians took that to build them lodgments in the camp; and when the Moors saw this they came out, and carried away what timber they could into the city. And the Christians pulled down all the houses, save only such as could be defended with arrows, and these which they dared not pull down they set fire to by night. And when all the houses had been levelled they began to dig in the foundations, and they found great wealth there, and store of garments, and hoards of wheat; and when the Cid saw this he ordered them to dig every where, so that nothing might be lost. And when all had been dug up the Cid drew nearer to the city, and girt it round about, and there was fighting every day at the barriers, for the Moors came out and fought hand to hand, and many a sword-stroke was given and many a push with the spear. While the Moors were thus beleagered came letters from the Captain of the Almoravides, saying that he had not turned back to Algezira de Xucar for fear, nor for cowardice, neither as one who fled, but for lack of food, and also by reason of the waters; and that it was his set purpose at all events to succor them and deliver them from the oppression which they endured, and he was preparing to do this with all diligence. And he bade them take courage, and maintain the city. And when the Moors of Valencia heard these letters they took heart, and joined with the sons of Aboegib, and their resolve was that they would be firm and maintain the city. And they said that Abeniaf had made the Almoravides retreat, because he had told them that there was discord in the town. And Abeniaf kept great watch, having a great guard to secure him, least the people should attempt aught Chr. del against him. And the price of all things in Valencia was 180. 181. doubled.

XVI. Then the Cid drew nearer to the walls, so that no man could either enter in or issue out, but whosoever at

Cid. cap.

Chr. Gen.

ff. 261.

BOOK tempted it was either slain or taken.

VI.

How the Almoravides re

turned into

their own country.

And he gave orders to

till all the lands which lay round about Alcudia, for this was now become a great place, even like a city, and the Moors who dwelt there were safe; and tents and shops were made there for all kinds of merchandize, and merchants came there safely from all parts to buy and to sell, so that they who dwelt there were greatly enriched. And justice was administered to all full righteously, so that there was none who could complain of the Cid nor of his Almoxarife, nor of any . of his people; and the Moors were judged by their own law, and were not vexed, and he took from them only a tenth. Now came true tidings from Denia that the Almoravides had returned into their own country, and that there was no hope of succor at their hands. And when they of Valencia heard this they were greatly troubled. And they who held the Castles round about came humbly to the Cid, to place their love upon him, and besought him that he would accept tribute from them, and have them under his protection; and he gave orders that they might travel the roads in peace and in this manner his rents increased, so that he had plenty to give. And he sent to them who held the Castles, bidding them provide him with cross-bow men, and foot soldiers, to fight against the city; and there was none who dared disobey his bidding, and they sent him cross-bow men and foot-men in great numbers, with their arms and provisions. Thus was Valencia left desolate, and forsaken by all the Moorish people; and it was attacked every day, and none could enter in, neither could any come and they were sore distressed, and the waves of death ff. 261. compassed them round about.

Chr. del

Cid. cap.

182.

Chr. Gen.

Of the lamentation

made for

out;

XVII. Then was there a Moor in the city who was a which was learned man and a wise, and he went upon the highest Valencia. tower, and made a lamentation, and the words with which he lamented he put in writing, and it was rendered afterwards from the Arabic into the Castilian tongue, and the lamentation which he made was this:

VI.

Valencia Valencia! trouble is come upon thee, and BOOK thou art in the hour of death; and if peradventure thou shouldst escape, it will be a wonder to all that shall behold thee.

But if ever God hath shown mercy to any place, let him be pleased to show mercy unto thee; for thy name was joy, and all Moors delighted in thee and took their pleasure in thee.

And if it should please God utterly to destroy thee now, it will be for thy great sins, and for the great presumption which thou hadst in thy pride.

The four corner stones whereon thou art founded would. meet together and lament for thee, if they could!

Thy strong wall which is founded upon these four stones trembles, and is about to fall, and hath lost all its strength. Thy lofty and fair towers, which were seen from far, and rejoiced the hearts of the people, little by little they are falling.

Thy white battlements which glittered afar off, have lost their truth, with which they shone like the sunbeams.

Thy noble river Guadalaver, with all the other waters with which thou hast been served so well, have left their channel, and now they run where they should not.

Thy water courses, which were so clear and of such great profit to so many, for lack of cleansing are choked with mud.

Thy pleasant gardens which were round about thee; . . the ravenous wolf hath gnawn at the roots, and the trees can yield thee no fruit.

Thy goodly fields, with so many and such fair flowers, wherein thy people were wont to take their pastime, are all dried up.

Thy noble harbor, which was so great honor to thee, is deprived of all the nobleness which was wont to come into it for thy sake.

The fire hath laid waste the lands of which thou wert

BOOK called the Mistress, and the great smoke thereof reacheth

VI.

Chr. Gen. ff. 262.

How they

of Valencia put their

in Abeniaf.

thee:

There is no medicine for thy sore infirmity, and the physicians despair of healing thee.

Valencia! Valencia! from a broken heart have I uttered all these things which I have said of thee.

And this grief would I keep unto myself, that none should know it, if it were not needful that it should be known to all.1

XVIII.

Now all the trouble and distress which the men of Valencia endured, pleased Abeniaf well, because they trust again had forsaken him, and followed the sons of Aboegib; and he said that it did not behove a man to give advice unto those who would not listen to it, and that if the people had hearkened to him, they would not have been brought to this misery; and what evil they endured was because of the sons of Aboegib, who lacked wit to be well with any one, or to do any thing. These things Abeniaf said daily to all who came to visit him; so that the people great as well as little began to talk thereof, saying that Abeniaf spake truly. And the Christians fought against them every day, and prest them close, and the price of food increased daily and they withdrew themselves from the love of the sons of Aboegib, and thought that they had been ill advised to follow their counsel, and that because of them all this evil was come upon them, and they held them for fools. And the people

The Chronica del Cid contains only four verses of this lamentation; . . which is I think, beyond a doubt, Arabic. In the Chronica General, which gives the whole, a long gloss follows allegorizing away all its beauty and all its passion; in which one of the corner stones is made the King, a second his son, a third the King of Zaragoza, and so on, for more than two pages, in the same insipid style.

Berganza, in a sneer at the Chronica General, praises the Chronicler of the Cid for not having inserted this curious poem. 'El Recopilador de la Coronica del Cid no fue tan aficionado a llenar su historia de successos celebrados por poetas.'

VI.

cried out upon Abeniaf that he should forgive them for hav- BOOK ing forsaken him, and that he should protect them, and devise means for their deliverance from this great trouble. And Abeniaf said that he would have nothing to do with them more than as one of them; for if they were in trouble, so was he and what they stood in fear of, that did he fear also; and that he could not give counsel to men who were divided among themselves; and he said unto them that they must agree among themselves, and be all of one mind to do one of these two things; . . either to forsake the sons of Aboegib and their counsel, or to stand by it. And when he should see that they no longer opposed him with their evil counsels, and the bad way in which they were going on, that he would then take counsel for them in such guise that they should be at peace; for they knew how they had.sped so long as they let him direct them, and he trusted in God so to speed as that they should have no war with the Cid, neither with any other. And they made answer with one accord, that they would trust in him, Chr. del Cid. cap. and obey him, and do all which he should command, for it 183. had alway been well with them when they followed his ff. 263. advice.

Chr. Gen.

ered them to the Cid.

XIX. Then the men of Valencia made Abeniaf their How Abeniaf took Adelantado, and promised to abide by his counsel; howbeit the sons of Aboegib this could not lightly be done, for many of the people held and delivwith the others. And when Abeniaf saw that they would have him for their chief, he said that they should make a writing, and the chief persons of the town confirm it with their names; and the people accorded that it should be so, and it was done accordingly. Then he made offers to the Cid that they should pay him tribute, and took counsel with him how to put the sons of Aboegib, and those who held with them, out of the town; and their counsel was, that the Cid should draw nigh to the walls, and speak unto the men of the town, saying, that so long as they followed after the ways of the sons of Aboegib, he would never grant them