VII. bounty and good. You banished him from the land; but BOOK though in another's country, he hath only done you service. Five pitched battles hath he won since that time, some with Moors and some with bad Christians; and he hath taken Xerica, and Ondra, and Almenar, and Monviedro which is a bigger place, and Cebola also, and Castrejon, and Peña Cadiella which is a strong eminence, and with all the right noble city of Valencia, for the honor of the faith of Jesus Christ, and of you our Lord and King; and he hath made it a Bishopric, and made the honorable Don Hieronymo Bishop thereof with his own hand. And behold here are a hundred horses of the spoils which he hath won; they are great and swift, and all are bridled and saddled, and he kisseth your hand and beseecheth you as his natural Lord to receive them. When the King heard this he was greatly astonished, and he lifted up his right hand and blest himself, and said, As St. Isidro shall keep me, I rejoice in the good fortune of the Cid, and receive his gift full willingly. But though this pleased the King it did not please Garci Ordoñez, and he said, It seemeth there is not a man left in the land of the Moors, that the Cid can thus do his pleasure! And the King said unto him, Hold thy peace, for in all things he serves me better than thou. Then Alvar Fañez kissed the King's hand again, and said, Sir, the Cid beseecheth you of your bounty that he may have his wife Doña Ximena and his two daughters, that they may go to Valencia unto him, from the Monastery where he left them, for it is many days since he saw them, and if it please you this would rejoice him. And the King made answer, It pleases me well, and I will give them a guard throughout my dominions, that they may be conducted honorably to the border: when they have past it, the Campeador himself will look to them. And he said, Hear me! all those whom I have disseized of their inheritances for following the Campeador, I restore again to the possession thereof, and all those who desire to serve him I freely license: let them go in the grace of God. Moreover VII. BOOK the King said, I grant him Valencia and all that he hath won and shall win hereafter, that he be called Lord thereof, and that he hold it of no other Lordship save of me, who am his liege Lord. Alvar Fañez and Martin Antolinez kissed his hand for this in the Cid's name. And the King called a porter, who should go with them, bearing a writing from the King, that all things needful should be given unto them so long as they were in his lands. Then Alvar Fañez and Poema del Martin Antolinez dispeeded themselves of the King, and took 1315. 1379. their way towards Burgos. Chr. del Cid. cap. 215. Chr. Gen. ff. 275. Cid. v. How they came to Burgos, and how ena and her left the Mo go with them to XV. When they reached Burgos they sent for Rachel and for Vidas, and demanded from them the chests, and paid Doña Xim- unto them the three hundred marks of gold and the three daughters hundred of silver as the Cid had commanded, and they benastery to sought them to forgive the Cid the deceit of the chests, for it was done because of his great necessity.' And they said Valencia. they heartily forgave him, and held themselves well paid; and they prayed God to grant him long life and good health, and to give him power to advance Christendom, and put down Pagandom. And when it was known through the city of Burgos the goodness and the gentleness which the Cid had shown to these merchants, in redeeming from them the chests full of sand and earth and stones, the people held it for a great wonder, and there was not a place in all Burgos where they did not talk of the gentleness and loyalty of the Cid; and they besought blessings upon him, and prayed that he and his people might be advanced in 1 I am afraid it is not quite so certain that the Cid redeemed these chests, as that he pledged them. The Poem, which gives the minutest account of the pledging, says nothing of the repayment. On the contrary, when Alvar Fañez and the ladies are about to set off for Valencia, it says, "Behold Rachel and Vidas fell at his feet. . . mercy, Minaya, good knight, the Cid has undone us, if he do not help us. We will give up the interest, if he will pay us the capital." "I will see about it with the Cid if God shall let me reach him; you will find good help from him for what you have done." Rachel and Vidas said, "God grant it; if not we will leave Burgos and go seek him." 1439. 1446. VII. honor. When they had done this, they went to the Monas- BOOK tery of St. Pedro de Cardeña, and the porter of the King went with them, and gave order every where that every thing which they wanted should be given them. If they were well received, and if there was great joy in St. Pedro de Cardeña over them, it is not a thing to ask, for Doña Ximena and her daughters were like people beside themselves with the great joy which they had, and they came running out on foot to meet them, weeping plenteously for great joy. And Alvar Fañez and Martin Antolinez, when they saw them coming, leapt off their horses and went to them, and Minaya embraced Doña Ximena and both his cousins, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol, and so great was the rejoicing which they made together that no man can tell it you. And when this great joy was somewhat abated, Doña Ximena asked how the Cid fared, for since he had parted from her, she had heard no news of him. And Alvar Fañez said he had left him safe and sound in Valencia; and he bade her and her daughters thank God for the great favor that he had shown him, for he had won sundry castles from the Moors, and the noble city of Valencia, whither he was now come to carry her and her daughters, for the Cid had sent for them, and when he should see them his heart's desire would be accomplished. When Doña Ximena and her daughters heard this, they set their knees to the ground, and lifted up their hands and thanked God for the favor he had shown to the Cid, and to them with him, in giving him the Lordship of Valencia. While they were preparing for the journey, Alvar Fañez sent three knights to the Cid, to tell him how they had sped with the King, and of the great favor which they had found at his hands, and how he only tarried now to equip Doña Ximena, that she might come full honorably. That good one Minaya then began to deck them out for the journey with the best trappings which could be found in Burgos: right noble garments did he provide for them, and a great company of damsels, and VII. BOOK good palfreys, and great mules, which were not bad ones. And he gave the Abbot the thousand marks of silver which the Cid had sent for the Monastery, with which to discharge all the debt that Doña Ximena and his daughters had contracted. Great was the stir throughout all that land, of the honor of the Cid, and of the license which the King gave to as many as should choose to join him; and for this reason full sixty knights came to St. Pedro de Cardeña and a great number of squires on foot. Don Alvar Fañez was well pleased to see them, and he promised them that he would obtain the Cid's grace for them, and would befriend them all he could. Great dole did the Abbot make when they departed; and he said, As God shall help you, Minaya, kiss the hand of the Campeador for me. This Monastery will never forget him, to pray for him every day in the year. The Cid will alway prosper more and more. Minaya promised to do this, and dispeeded himself, and they went their way. Five days they travelled, and then they came to Medina Celi; and alway the porter of the King was with them, and made all that they wanted be given unto them, even as the King had Chr. del Cid. cap. 216. Chr. Gen. ff. 276. Cid.v.1400. 1450. How Doña Ximena and her daughters came to Valencia. commanded. XVI. Now the three knights whom Alvar Fañez had sent, came to the Cid and delivered their message. When my Cid heard it his heart rejoiced and he was glad, and he spake with his mouth and said, He who sends good messengers looks for good tidings. Blessed be the name of God, since King Don Alfonso rejoices in my good fortune. And he called for Muño Gustios, and Pero Bermudez, and the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and bade them take a hundred knights least there should be need to fight, and go to Molina, to Abencano, who was his friend and vassal, and bid him take another hundred knights, and go with them to Medina Celi as fast as they could go. There, said he, ye will find Alvar Fañez and my wife and daughters; bring them to me with great honor: I will remain here in Valencia which has cost me so much; great folly would it be if I were to leave VII. it I will remain in it, for I hold it for my heritage. And BOOK they did as he commanded them. And when they came to Molina, Abencaño received them right well, and did them great honor; and though the Cid had bidden him take only one hundred horse, he took two. On the morrow they went to horse they crossed the mountains which are great and wild, and they passed Mata de Toranz without fear, and they thought to come through the valley of Arbuxedo. There was good look out kept in Medina, and Alvar Fañez sent two knights to know who they were. They made no tarriance in doing this, for they had it at heart; one tarried with them, and the other returned, and said it was the host of the Campeador with Pero Bermudez, and Muño Gustios, and the Bishop Hieronymo, and the Alcayaz Abencaño. This instant, said Minaya, let us to horse; incontinently this was done, for they would make no delay. And they rode upon goodly horses with bells at their poitrals and trappings of sandall silk, and they had their shields round their necks, and lances with streamers in their hands. Oh, how Alvar Fañez went out from Castille with these ladies! They who pricked forward, couched their spears and then raised them, and great joy was there by Salon where they met. The others humbled themselves to Minaya: when Abencaño came up he kissed him on the shoulder, for such was his custom. In a good day, Minaya, said he, do you bring these ladies, the wife and daughters of the Cid, whom we all honor. Whatever ill we may wish him we can do him none; .. in peace or in war he will have our wealth, and he must be a fool who does not acknowledge this truth. Alvar Fañez smiled and told him he should lose nothing by this service which he had done the Cid; and now, said he, let us go rest, for the supper is ready. Abencaño said he was well pleased to partake it, and that within three days he would return him the entertainment two-fold. Then they entered Medina, and Minaya served them; all were full glad of the service which they had undertaken, and the King's porter |