HERE BEGINNETH THE NINTH BOOK OF THE CHRONICLE OF THE CID. BOOK I. My Cid the Campeador made ready to appear at the Cortes in Toledo, and he left the Bishop Don Hieronymo, Cid depart- and Martin Pelaez the Asturian, to command in Valencia, Cortes. and five hundred knights with them, all hidalgos. And he How the ed for the spake with his daughters, and commanded and besought them to tell him the whole truth, how this matter had been, and not say the thing which was false; and they did accordingly, and related unto him all, even as it had befallen them. And the Cid departed from Valencia, and with him went Alvar Fañez Minaya with two hundred knights, and Pero Bermu dez with one hundred, and Martin Antolinez with fifty, and Martin Fernandez with other fifty, and Felez Ferruz and Benito Sanchez with fifty each; . . these were five hundred knights. And there went fifty with Martin Garcia and Martin Salvadorez, and fifty with Pero Gonzalvez and Martin Muñoz, and Diego Sanchez of Arlanza went with fifty, and Don Nuño he who colonized Cubiella, and Alvar Bermudez he who colonized Osma, went with forty, and Gonzalo Muñoz of Orbaneja, and Muño Ravia, and Yvañez Cornejo with sixty, and Muño Fernandez the Lord of Monteforte, and Gomez Fernandez he who colonized Pampliega IX. with sixty; and Don Garcia de Roa and Serrazin his brother, BOOK Lord of Aza, with ninety; and Antolin Sanchez of Soria took with him forty knights who were his children or his kin: . . nine' hundred knights were they in all. And there went with them five hundred esquires on foot, all hidalgos, beside those who were bred in his household, and beside other footmen, who were many in number. All these went well Cid. cap. clad in right good garments, and with good horses, to serve Chr. Gen. the Cid both in the Cortes and in war. Chr. del 247. ff. 291. Infantes have been cused. II. King Don Alfonso made no delay, but sent out his How the letters through Leon and Santiago, to the Portugueze and would fain the Galicians, and they of Carrion, and the Castilians, that held exhe would hold a Cortes in Toledo at the end of seven weeks, and that they who did not appear should no longer be accounted his vassals. At this greatly were the Infantes of Carrion troubled, for they feared the coming of my Cid the Campeador. And they took counsel with their kin and prayed the King that he would hold them excused from that Cortes; and the King made answer, that nothing but God should excuse them from it, for the Campeador was coming to demand justice against them, and he, quoth the King, who will not appear, shall quit my kingdoms. So when they saw that they must needs appear, they took counsel with the Count Don Garcia, the enemy of my Cid, who alway wished him ill, and they went with the greatest company that they Poema del could assemble, thinking to dismay my Cid the Campeador. 3024. And they arrived before him. Cid. 2987. Cid and the III. When my Cid drew nigh unto Toledo, he sent Al- of the meeting bevar Fañez forward to kiss the King's hand, and let him wit tween the that he should be there that night. When the King heard King. this it rejoiced his heart, and he took horse and went out with a great company to meet him who was born in happy hour; and there went with him his sons-in-law, the Count 1 The number is not accurate, and the Chronica General, which differs in the detail, is also erroneous in the sum total. BOOK Don Anrrich, and the Count Don Remond; this one was IX. the father of the good Emperor.' When they came in sight, the Cid dismounted and fell to the ground, and would have abased himself to honor his Lord, but the King cried out to him and said, By St. Isidro this must not be to-day ! Mount, Cid, or I shall not be well pleased! I welcome you with heart and soul; . . and my heart is grieved for your grief. God send that the court be honored by you! Amen, said my Cid the Campeador, and he kissed his hand, and afterwards saluted him. And the Cid said, I thank God that I see you, Sir; and he humbled himself to Count Don Anrrich, and Count Don Remond, and the others, and said, God save all our friends, and chiefly you, Sir! my wife Doña Ximena kisses your hand, and my daughters also, that this thing which hath befallen us, may be found displeasing unto you. And the King said, That will it be, unless God prevent. So they rode toward Toledo. And the King said unto him, I have ordered you to be lodged in my Palaces of Galiana, that you may be near me. And the Cid answered, Gramercy, Sir! God grant you long life and happy, but in your Palaces there is none who should be lodged save you. When you hold your Cortes let it be in those Palaces of Galiana, for there is better room there than in the Alcazar. I will not cross the Tagus to-night, but will pass the night in St. Servans on this side, and hold a vigil there. To-morrow I will enter the city, and be in the court before dinner. The King. Cid. 3026. said that it pleased him well, and he returned into Toledo. Chr. del And the Cid went into the Church of St. Servans, and or Poema del 3064. Cid. cap. 247. dered candles to be placed upon the altar, for he would keep a vigil there; and there he remained with Minaya and the Chr. Gen. ff. 292. This line looks as if the 'Good Emperor' were reigning when it was written. IX. other good ones, praying to the Lord, and talking in private. BOOK The tents of his company were pitched upon the hills round about. Any one who beheld them might well have said, that it looked like a great host. seat to be the Palace IV. When the King entered the city, he bade his senes- How the Cid sent chal Benito Perez, make ready the Palaces of Galiana for his ivory the next day, when the Cortes should begin; and he fitted placed in the great Palace after this manner. He placed estrados with carpets upon the ground, and hung the walls with cloth of gold. And in the highest place he placed the royal chair in which the King should sit; it was a right noble chair and a rich, which he had won in Toledo, and which had belonged to the Kings thereof; and round about it right noble estrados were placed for the Counts and honorable men who were come to the Cortes. Now the Cid knew how they were fitting up the Palaces of Galiana, and he called for a squire, who was a young man, one whom he had brought up and in whom he had great trust; he was an hidalgo, and hight Ferran Alfonso: and the Cid bade him take his ivory seat which he had won in Valencia, and which had belonged to the Kings thereof, and place it in the Palace, in the best place, near the seat of the King; and that none might hurt or do dishonor unto it, he gave him a hundred squires, all hidalgos, to go with him, and ordered them not to leave it till he should come there the next day. So when they had dined, they made the seat be taken up, and went with it to the Palaces of Galiana, and placed it near the seat of the King, as the Cid had commanded; and all that day and night they remained there guarding the ivory seat, till the Cid should come and take his place thereon; every one having his sword hung from his neck. This was a right noble seat, and of subtle work, so that whoso beheld it would say it was the seat of a good man, and that it became such Cid. cap. a one as the Cid. It was covered with cloth of gold, under- Chr. Gen. neath which was a cushion.' 1 Cobierto de un tartari muy noble. This I am unable to explain. It Chr. del 248. ff. 292. BOOK Of the strife about to rise concerning the ivory seat. V. On the morrow, after the King had heard mass, he went into the Palace of Galiana, where the Cortes was to which was assemble, and the Infantes of Carrion and the other Counts and Ricos-omes with him, save the Cid who was not yet come; and when they who did not love the Cid beheld his ivory seat, they began to make mock of it. And Count Garcia said to the King, I beseech your grace, tell me, for whom that couch is spread beside your seat: for what dame is it made ready; will she come drest in the almexia. . or with white alquinales on her head, or after what fashion will she be apparelled? Sir, a seat like that is fit for none but your Grace give order to take it for yourself, or that it be removed. When Ferran Alfonso, who was there to guard the ivory seat heard this, he answered and said, Count, you talk full foolishly, and speak ill of one against whom it behoves you not to talk. He who is to sit upon this seat is better than you, or than all your lineage; and he hath ever appeared a man to all his enemies, not like a woman as you say. If you deny this, I will lay hands upon you, and make you acknowledge it before my Lord the King Don Alfonso, who is here present. And I am of such a race that you cannot acquit yourself by saying I am not your peer, and the vantage of half your arms I give you! At these words was the King greatly troubled, and the Counts also, and all the honorable men who were there present. And Count Garcia who was an angry man, wrapt his mantle under his arm, and would have struck Ferran Alfonso, saying, Let me get at the boy who dares me! And Ferran Alfonso laid hand upon his sword and came forward to meet him, saying, that if it were not for the King, he would punish him thereright for the folly which he had uttered. But the King seeing that these words went on from bad to worse, put them asunder that farther evil might not happen, may have been the name of some skin or leather, called from the country from whence it came, as we speak of Morocco and Russia. |