VII. BOOK paid for all. The night is gone, morning is come, mass is said, and they go to horse. They left Medina and past the river Salon, and pricked up Arbuxuelo, and they crost the plain of Torancio. That good Christian the Bishop Don Hieronymo, night and day he guarded the ladies; on a goodly horse he rode, and they went between him and Alvar Fañez. They came to Molina and there were lodged in a good and rich house, and Abencaño the Moor waited on them. Nothing did they want which they could wish to have; he even had all their beasts new shod, and for Minaya and the ladies, Lord! how he honored them! On the morrow they left Molina, and the Moor went with them. When they were within three leagues of Valencia, news of their coming was brought to the Cid. Glad was the Cid, never was he more joyful, never had he such joy, for tidings were come to him of what he loved best. Two hundred knights did he order out to meet them, others he bade to keep the Alcazar, and the other high towers, and all the gates and entrances. And he commanded that they should bring him Bavieca.' It was but a short time since he had won this horse; my Cid, he who girt on sword in a happy hour, did not yet know if he was a good goer, and if he stopt well. The Bishop Don Hieronymo, he pricked forward and entered the city. This is the first mention of this famous horse in the Poem: an old history to which Berganza often refers as beginning with King Fruela, says, Bavieca was won in the battle with the King of Seville, which may well agree with the Poem. The Chronica del Cid absurdly makes it the first horse that ever Rodrigo rode to battle. When he was growing towards years of strength, he asked his godfather to give him a foal from one of his mares: and the Priest, who had many mares, with many good foals, bade him choose for himself, and take the best. When it was time to choose, he went into the yard, and let many good mares go out with good foals, till last of all there went out one with a foal which was a full ugly one, and a scurvy, and he said to his godfather, I will have this. The godfather thereat was angered and said angrily, Bavieca, which signifyeth booby, thou hast chosen ill! Rodrigo answered, He will be a good horse, and Bavieca shall be his name; and the horse proved afterwards a VII. He left his horse and went to the Church, and collected all BOOK the clergy; they put on their surplices, and with crosses of. silver went out to meet the ladies, and that good one Minaya. He who was born in happy hour made no tarriance; they saddled him Bavieca and threw his trappings on. My Cid wore light armor,' and his surcoat over it: long was his beard. He went out upon this horse, and ran a career with him; Bavieca was the name of the horse, and when he was running all marvelled at him: from that day Bavieca was famous all over Spain. At the end of the course my Cid alighted and went towards his wife and his daughters. Who can tell the joy that was made at their meeting? They fell at his feet, and their joy was such that they could not speak. And he raised them up and embraced them, and kissed them many times, weeping for joy that he saw them alive. Hear what he said who was born in happy hour! You dear and honored wife, and ye my daughters, my heart and my soul; enter with me into Valencia; this is the inheritance good one and right fortunate, and upon this horse did my Cid conquer in many a pitched battle. Chronica del Cid. Cap. 2. Bavieca is an old and obsolete word of contempt; lubber would perhaps represent it. Bien me ten por babieca si yo te lo consciento. D. Gonzalo de Berceo. p. 128. M. Lusitana. 2. 7. 28. According to tradition, he was foaled in the vale of Mondego. 1 Armas de fuste tomaba. Poema del Cid. 1594. "Fuste is any frame made of slight wood to bulke out, being commonly covered over with painted cloths, as castles for a shew, and such like. The officers of them in Valencia are called Fusteros, and with such cudgels which support such frames they use to beat galley slaves, and thereof comes fustar, fustigar, and hostigar, to cudgel." Minsheu. He had forgotten the Latin etymon. I have rendered the passage vaguely, least by aiming at accuracy I should become incorrect. It seems to have been a suit of mock armor for shew; . . such perhaps as Ghosts walk in, upon the stage. Sancha has left the phrase unexplained. VII. BOOK which I have won for you. While they were thus rejoicing the Bishop Don Hieronymo came with the procession. Doña Ximena brought good relics and other sacred things, which she gave to ennoble the new Church of Valencia. In this guise they entered the city. Who can tell the rejoicings that were made that day, throwing at the board, and killing bulls! My Cid led them to the Alcazar, and took them up upon the highest tower thereof, and there they looked around and beheld Valencia, how it lay before them, and the great Garden with its thick shade, and the sea on the other side; and they lifted up their hands to thank God. Great honor did the Cid do to Abencaño the Lord of Molina, for all the service which he had done to Doña Ximena. Then said Abencaño, This, Sir, I was bound to do, for since I have been your vassal I have alway been respected and defended from all my enemies, and maintained in good estate; how Poema del then should I do otherwise than serve you? If I did not, I Cid. v. should lack understanding. And the Cid thanked him for Chr. del what he had done, and what he had said, and promised also to show favor unto him. And Abencaño took his leave and returned to Molina. 1461. 1626. Cid. cap. 217. Chr. Gen. ff. 276. How tid ings came that the Miramamolin was coming lencia. XVII. The winter is past, and March is coming in. Three months Doña Ximena had been in Valencia, when tidings came to the Cid from beyond sea, that King Yucef, against Va. the son of the Miramamolin, who dwelt in Morocco, was coming to lay siege unto Valencia with fifty thousand men. When the Cid heard this he gave command to store all his Castles, and had them well repaired. And he had the walls. of the city prepared, and stored it well with food and with all things needful for war, and gathered together a great power of Christians and of the Moors of his seignory. Hardly had he done this before he heard that Yucef was near at hand, and coming as fast as he could come: Then the Cid assembled together the Christians in the Alcazar, and when they were assembled, he rose upon his feet and said, Friends and kinsmen and vassals, praised be God and VII. holy Mary Mother, all the good which I have in the world I BOOK have here in Valencia; with hard labor I won the city, and hold it for my heritage, and for nothing less than death will I leave it. My daughters and my wife shall see me fight, . . they shall see with their own eyes our manner of living in this land, and how we get our bread. We will go out against the Moors and give them battle, and God who hath thus far shown favor unto us will still continue to be our Chr. del Cid. cap. helper. When they heard this they cried out with one ac218. cord that they would do his bidding, and go out with him Chr. Gen. and fight under his banner, for certain they were that by his Poema del good fortune the Moors would be overthrown. ff. 277. Cid. v. 1627. 1651. by How the Cid took to the tower, that they the Moors XVIII. On the morrow the Cid took Doña Ximena the hand, and her daughters with her, and made them go upon the highest tower of the Alcazar, and they looked ward the sea and saw the great power of the Moors, how they came on and drew nigh, and began to pitch their tents might see round about Valencia, beating their tambours and with great land. uproar. And Ximena's heart failed her, and she asked the Cid if peradventure God would deliver him from these enemies. Fear not, honored woman, said he; you are but lately arrived, and they come to bring you a present, which shall help marry your daughters. Fear not, for you shall see me fight by the help of God and holy Mary Mother; my heart kindles because you are here! The more Moors the more gain! The tambours sounded now with a great alarum, and the sun was shining... Cheer up, said my Cid; . . this is a glorious day. But Ximena was seized with such fear as if her heart would have broken; she and her daughters had never been in such fear since the day that they were born. Then the good Cid Campeador stroked his beard and said, Fear not, all this is for your good. Before fifteen days are over, if it please God, those tambours shall be laid before. 1 A mas Moros, mas ganancia. Berganza. The words past into a proverb. VII. BOOK you, and shall be sounded for your pleasure, and then they shall be given to the Bishop Don Hieronymo, that he may hang them up in the Church of St. Mary, Mother of God. This vow the Cid Campeador made. Now the Moors began to enter the gardens which were round about the town, and the watchman saw them and struck the bell. My Cid looked back and saw Alvar Salvadores beside him, and he said, Go now, take two hundred horse, and sally upon yonder Moors who are entering the gardens: let Doña Ximena and her daughters see the good will you have to serve them. Down went Alvar Salvadores in great haste, and ordered a bell to be rung which was a signal for two hundred knights to make ready; for the history saith, that the Cid, by reason that he was alway in war, had appointed such signals for his people, that they knew when one hundred were called for, and when two, and so forth. Presently they were ready at the place of meeting, and the gate was opened which was nearest the gardens where the Moors had entered, without order; and they fell fiercely upon them, smiting and slaying. Great was the pleasure of the Cid at seeing how well they behaved themselves. And Doña Ximena and her daughters stood trembling, like women who had never seen such things before and when the Cid saw it he made them seat themselves, so as no longer to behold it. Great liking had the Bishop Don Hieronymo to see how bravely they fought. Alvar Salvadores and his companions bestirred themselves so well that they drove the enemy to their tents, making great mortality among them, and then they turned back, whereat my Cid was well pleased; but Alvar Salvadores went on, hacking and hewing all before him, for he thought the ladies were looking on, and he prest forward so far, that being without succor he was taken. The others returned to the city, falling back in brave order till they were out of reach of the enemy: and they had done no little in that exploit, for they slew above two hundred and fifty Moors. When my Cid saw that they who eat his bread were returned, he Chr. del Cid. cap. 218. 219. : |