II. How King went XXIII. Then King Don Sancho went to Burgos, be- BOOK cause it was not the season for besieging a town, being winter. And he sent his letters through all the land, calling Don Sancho upon his vassals to assemble together, upon the first day against of March, in Sahagun, upon pain of forfeiting his favor. Zamora. Now though the King was yet but a young man, whose beard was but just coming, he was of so great courage that the people feared him, and dared not do otherwise than as he commanded. And they assembled together in Sahagun on the day appointed; and when the King heard in what readiness they were, it gladdened him, and he lifted up his hands to God and said, Blessed be thy name, O Lord, because thou hast given me all the kingdoms of my father. And when he had said this, he ordered proclamation to be made through the streets of Burgos, that all should go forth to protect the host and the body of the King their Lord. And the day in which they left Burgos, they took up their lodging at Fromesta; and the next day they came to Carrion, but the King would not lodge there, and he went on to Sahagun, where the army awaited him, and took up his lodging without the town; and on the following morning he bade the host advance, and they made such speed that in three days they arrived before Zamora, and pitched their tents upon the banks of the Douro; and he ordered proclamation to be made throughout the host that no harm should be done until he had commanded it. And he mounted on horseback with his hidalgos, and rode round the town, and beheld how strongly it was situated upon a rock, with strong walls, and many and strong towers, and the river Douro running at the foot thereof; and he said unto his knights, Ye Chr. Gen. see how strong it is, neither Moor nor Christian can prevail ff. 212. against it; if I could have it from my sister either for money Cid. cap. or exchange, I should be Lord of Spain. Chr. del 53. 54. Of the mes XXIV. Then the King returned to his tents, and incon- sage which the King tinently he sent for the Cid, and said unto him, Cid, you sent to well know how manifoldly you are bound unto me, both by raca. Doña Ur II. BOOK nature, and by reason of the breeding which the King my father gave you; and when he died he commended you to me, and I have ever shown favor unto you, and you have ever served me as the loyalest vassal that ever did service to his Lord; and I have for your good deserts given unto you more than there is in a great county, and have made you the chief of all my household. Now therefore I beseech you as my friend and true vassal, that you go to Zamora to my sister Doña Urraca, and say unto her again, that I beseech her to give me the town either for a price, or in exchange, and I will give to her Medina de Rio-seco, with the whole Infantazgo, from Villalpando to Valladolid, and Tiedra also, which is a good Castle; and I will swear unto her, with twelve knights of my vassals, never to break this covenant between us; but if she refuseth to do this I will take away the town from her by force. And my Cid kissed the hand of the King and said unto him, This bidding, Sir, should be for other messenger, for it is a heavy thing for me to deliver it; for I was brought up in Zamora by your father's command, in the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, with Doña Urraca and with his sons, and it is not fitting that I should be the bearer of such bidding. And the King persisted in requiring of him that he should go, insomuch that he was constrained to obey his will. And he took with him fifteen of his knights and rode towards Zamora, and when he drew nigh he called unto those who kept guard in the towers not to shoot their arrows at him, for he was Ruydiez of Bivar, who came to Doña Urraca with the bidding of her brother King Don Sancho. With that there came down a Knight who was nephew to Arias Gonzalo, and had the keeping of the gate, and he bade the Cid enter, saying that he would order him to be well lodged while he went to Doña Urraca to know if she would be pleased to see him. So the Cid went in, and the knight went to the Infanta, and told her that Ruydiez of Bivar was come with a message from King Don Sancho; and it pleased her well II. that he should be the messenger, and she bade him come BOOK before her that she might know what was his bidding; and she sent Arias Gonzalo and the other knights of her party to meet him and accompany him. And when the Cid entered the palace Doña Urraca advanced to meet him, and greeted him full well, and they seated themselves both upon the Estrado. And Doña Urraca said unto him, Cid, you well know that you were brought up with me here in Zamora, in the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, and when my father was at the point of death he charged you that you should alway counsel his sons the best you could. Now therefore tell me I beseech you what is it which my brother goes about to do, now that he has called up all Spain in arms, and to what lands he thinks to go, whether against Moors or Christians. Then the Cid answered and said, Lady, to messenger and a letter no wrong should be done; give me safe assurance and I will tell unto you that which the King your brother hath sent me to say. And she said she would do as Don Arias Gonzalo should advise her. And Don Arias answered that it was well to hear what the King her brother had sent to say: Peradventure, said he, he goeth against the Moors, and requires aid of you, which it would be right to give; and for such service I and my sons would go with him, and I would give fifteen of my people well mounted and armed, and supply them with food for ten years, if he needed them. Doña Urraca then said to the Cid, that he might speak his bidding safely. Then said my Cid, the King your brother sends to greet you, and beseeches you to give him this town of Zamora, either for a price or in exchange; and he will give to you Medina de Rio-seco, with the whole Infantazgo, from Villalpando to Valladolid, and the good castle of Tiedra, and he will swear unto you, with twelve Chr. Gen. knights his vassals, never to do you hurt or harm; but ff. 213. Chr. del if you will not give him the town, he will take it against Cid.cap.55. your will. BOOK Of the council Urraca XXV. When Doña Urraca heard this she was sorely grieved, and in her great sorrow she lamented aloud, saying, Wretch that I am, many are the evil messages which I which D. have heard since my father's death! He hath disherited held, and my brother King Don Garcia of his kingdom, and taken him, the answer which she and now holds him in irons as if he were a thief or a Moor: gave. and he hath taken his lands from my brother King Don Alfonso, and forced him to go among the Moors, and live there exiled, as if he had been a traitor; and would let none go with him except Don Peransures and his brethren, whom I sent and he hath taken her lands from my sister Doña Elvira against her will, and now would he take Zamora from me also! Now then let the earth open and swallow me, that I may not see so many troubles! And with that, in her strong anger against her brother King Don Sancho, she said, I am a woman, and well know that I cannet strive with him in battle; but I will have him slain either secretly or openly. Then Don Arias Gonzalo stood up and said, Lady Doña Urraca, in thus complaining and making lamentation you do inconsiderately; for in time of trouble it befits us to take thought of what best is to be done, and so must we do. Now then, Lady, give order that all the men of Zamora assemble in St. Salvador's and know of them whether they will hold with you, seeing that your father gave them to you to be your vassals. And if they will hold with you, then give not you up the town, neither for a price, nor in exchange; but if they will not, let us then go to Toledo among the Moors, where your brother King Don Alfonso abideth. And she did as her foster-father had advised, and it was proclaimed through the streets that the men of Zamora should meet in council at St. Salvador's. And when they were all assembled, Doña Urraca arose and said, Friends and vassals, ye have seen how my brother King Don Sancho hath disherited all his brethren, against the oath which he made to the King my father, and now he would disherit me also. He hath sent to bid me give him BOOK Zamora, either for a price or in exchange. Now concern ing this I would know whereunto ye advise and if you me, II. will hold with me as good vassals and true, for he saith that he will take it from me whether I will or no; but if ye will keep my career I think to defend it by God's mercy and with your help. Then by command of the council there rose up a knight who was called Don Nuño, a man of worth, aged, and of fair speech; and he said, God reward you, Lady, this favor which you have shown us in thinking good to come to our council, for we are your vassals, and should do what you command. And we beseech you give not up Zamora, neither for price nor for exchange, for he who besieges you upon the rock would soon drive you from the plain. The council of Zamora will do your bidding, and will not desert you neither for trouble nor for danger which may befall them, even unto death. Sooner, Lady, will we expend all our possessions, and eat our mules and horses, yea sooner feed upon our children and our wives, than give up Zamora, unless by your command. And they all with one accord confirmed what Don Nuño had said. When the Infanta Doña Urraca heard this she was well pleased, and praised them greatly; and she turned to the Cid and said unto him, You were bred up with me in this town of Zamora, where Don Arias Gonzalo fostered you by command of the King my father, and through your help it was that the King my father gave it unto me to be my inheritance. I beseech you help me now against my brother, and intreat him that he will not seek to disherit me; but if he will go on with what he hath begun, say to him that I will rather die with the men of Zamora, and they with me, than give him up the town, either for price or ex- Chr. Gen. change. And with this answer did the Cid return the King. XXVI. When King Don Sancho heard what the said, his anger kindled against him, and he said, You ff. 213. unto Chr. del Cid.cap.56. Cid How the have wroth with King was the Cid. |