XI. BOOK for his soul, and appointed many vigils, and gave great alms for the soul of the Cid and of his family. And this was the life which she led, doing good wherever it was needful for the love of God; and she was alway by the body of the Cid, save only at meal times and at night, for then they would not permit her to tarry there, save only when vigils were kept in honor of him. Moreover Gil Diaz took great delight in tending the horse Bavieca, so that there were few days in which he did not lead him to water, and bring him back with his own hand. And from the day in which the dead body of the Cid was taken off his back, never man was suffered to bestride that horse, but he was alway led when they took him to water, and when they brought him.back. And Gil Diaz thought it fitting that the race of that good horse should be continued, and he bought two mares for him, the goodliest that could be found, and when they were with foal, he saw that they were well taken care of, and they brought forth the one a male colt and the other a female; and from these the race of this good horse was kept up in Castille, so that there were afterwards many good and precious horses of his race, and peradventure are at this day. And this good horse lived two years and a half after the death of his master the Cid, and then he died also, having lived, according to the history, full forty years. And Gil Diaz buried him before the gate of the Monastery, in the public place, on the right hand; and he planted two elms upon the grave, the one at his head and the other at his feet, and these elms grew and became great trees, and are yet to be seen before the gate of the Monastery. Chr. Gen. And Gil Diaz gave order that when he died they should bury him by that good horse Bavieca, whom he had loved so well. ff. 311. Chr. del Cid. cap. 289. Of the death of XVI. Four years after the Cid had departed that noble Doña Xim- lady Doña Ximena departed also, she who had been the wife of that noble baron the Cid Ruydiez, the Campeador. At that time Don Garcia Tellez was Abbot of the Monas ena. XI. tery, a right noble monk, and a great hidalgo. And the BOOK Abbot and Gil Diaz sent for the daughters of the Cid and Doña Ximena to come and honor their mother at her funeral, and to inherit what she had left. Doña Sol, who was the younger, came first, because Aragon is nearer than Navarre, and also because she was a widow; for the Infante Don Sancho, her husband, had departed three years after the death of the Cid, and had left no child. King Don Ramiro soon arrived with the other dame, Queen Doña Elvira his wife, and he brought with him a great company, in honor of his wife's mother, and also the Bishop of Pamplona, to do honor to her funeral; and the Infante Don Garcia Ramirez, their son, came with them, being a child of four years old. Moreover there came friends and kinsmen from all parts. And when they were all assembled they buried the body of Doña Ximena at the feet of the ivory chair on which the Cid was seated; and the Bishop of Pamplona said mass, and the Abbot Don Garcia Tellez officiated. And they tarried there seven days, singing many masses, and doing much good for her soul's sake. And in that time the Bishop Don Hieronymo arrived, who abode with King Don Alfonso, and he came to do honor to the body of Doña Ximena ; for so soon as he heard that she was departed, he set off, taking long journeys every day. And when the seven days were over, King Don Ramiro and Queen Doña Elvira his wife, and her sister Doña Sol, set apart rents for the soul of Doña Ximena, and they appointed that Gil Diaz should have them for his life, and that then they should go to the Monastery for ever and they ordained certain anniversaries for the souls of the Cid and of Doña Ximena. After this was done they divided between them what Doña Ximena had left, which was a great treasure in gold and in silver, and in costly garments; . . the one half Queen Doña Elvira took, and Doña Sol the other. And when they had thus divided it, Doña Sol said that all which she had in the world should be for her nephew the Infante Don Garcia Ramirez, and XI. BOOK with the good will of Queen Elvira his mother, she adopted him then to be her son, and she took him with her to Aragon, to the lands which had been given her in dower, and bred him up till he became a young man; and after the death of his father he was made King of Navarre, as may be seen in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Spain. And when all these things were done they departed each to his own home, and Gil Diaz remained, serving and doing honor to the bodies of his master the Cid and Doña Ximena his mistress. Chr.delCid. cap. 290. Chr. Gen. ff. 312. Of what happened to a Jew who would XVII. Now Don Garcia Tellez the Abbot, and the trusty Gil Diaz, were wont every year to make a great feshave taken tival on the day of the Cid's departure, and on that anniverthe Cid by the beard. sary they gave food and clothing to the poor, who came from all parts round about. And it came to pass when they made the seventh anniversary, that a great multitude assembled as they were wont to do, and many Moors and Jews came to see the strange manner of the Cid's body. And it was the custom of the Abbot Don Garcia Tellez, when they made that anniversary, to make a right noble sermon to the people and because the multitude which had assembled was so great that the Church could not hold them, they went out into the open place before the Monastery, and he preached unto them there. And while he was preaching there remained a Jew in the Church, who stopt before the body of the Cid, looking at him to see how nobly he was there seated, having his countenance so fair and comely, and his long beard in such goodly order, and his sword Tizona in its scabbard in his left hand, and the strings of his mantle in his right, even in such manner as King Don Alfonso had left him, save only that the garments had been changed, it being now seven years since the body had remained there in that ivory chair. Now there was not a man in the Church save this Jew, for all the others were hearing the preachment which the Abbot made. And when this Jew perceived that he was alone, he began to think within himself and say, BOOK XI. This is the body of that Ruydiez the Cid, whom they say no man in the world ever took by the beard while he lived .. I will take him by the beard now, and see what he can do to me. And with that he put forth his hand to pull the beard of the Cid; . . but before his hand could reach it, God, who would not suffer this thing to be done, sent his spirit into the body, and the Cid let the strings of his mantle go from his right hand, and laid hand on his sword Tizona, and drew it a full palm's length out of the scabbard. And when the Jew saw this, he fell upon his back for great fear, and began to cry out so loudly, that all they who were without the Church heard him, and the Abbot broke off his preachment and went into the Church to see what it might be. And when they came they found this Jew lying upon his back before the ivory chair, like one dead, for he had ceased to cry out, and had swooned away. And then the Abbot Don Garcia Tellez looked at the body of the Cid, and saw that his right hand was upon the hilt of the sword, and that he had drawn it out a full palm's length; and he was greatly amazed. And he called for holy water, and threw it in the face of the Jew, and with that the Jew came to himself. Then the Abbot asked him what all this had been, and he told him the whole truth; and he knelt down upon his knees before the Abbot, and besought him of his mercy that he would make a Christian of him, because of this great miracle which he had seen, and baptize him in the name of Jesus Christ, for he would live and die in his faith, holding all other to be but error. And the Abbot baptized him in the name of the Holy Trinity, and gave him to name Diego Gil. And all who were there present were greatly amazed, and they made a great outcry and great rejoicings to God for this miracle, and for the power which he had shown through the body of the Cid in this manner; for it was plain that what the Jew said was verily and indeed true, because the Chr. del posture of the Cid was changed. And from that day for- 291. 292. ward Diego Gil remained in the Monastery as long as he f. 313. lived, doing service to the body of the Cid. Cid. cap. Chr. Gen. BOOK How the body of the Cid was interred. XVIII. After that day the body of the Cid remained in the same posture, for they never took his hand off the sword, nor changed his garments more, and thus it remained three years longer, till it had been there ten years in all. And then the nose began to change color. And when the Abbot Don Garcia Tellez and Gil Diaz saw this, they weened that it was no longer fitting for the body to remain in that manAnd three Bishops from the neighboring provinces met there, and with many masses and vigils, and great honor, they interred the body after this manner. They dug a vault before the altar, beside the grave of Doña Ximena, and vaulted it over with a high arch, and there they placed the body of the Cid seated as it was in the ivory chair, and in his garments, and with the sword in his hand, and they 5. 33. § 384. hung up his shield and his banner upon the walls. Chr. del Cid. cap. 291. Chr. Gen. ff. 313. Berganza. Of the death of ner. XIX. After the body of the noble Cid Campeador had Gil Diaz. been thus honorably interred, Gil Diaz his trusty servant abode still in the Monastery of St. Pedro de Cardeña, doing service to the graves of the Cid and Doña Ximena, and making their anniversaries, and celebrating masses, and giving great alms to the poor both in food and clothing, for the good of their souls; and in this manner he lived while Don Garcia Tellez was Abbot, and two others after him, and then he died. And his deportment had alway been such in that Monastery, that all there were his friends, and lamented greatly at his death, because he had led so devout and good a life, and served so trustily at the graves of his master and mistress. And at the time of his death he gave order that they should lay his body beside the good horse Bavieca whom he had loved so well, in the grave which he had made there for himself while he was living. And Diego Gil remained in his place, doing the same service Chr. Gen. which he had done, till he departed also. And the history saith that though Gil Diaz was good, Diego Gil was even ff 313. Chr. del 292. better. |