my wife and tell her what she is to do during my absence. Ì BOOK shall be with you in good time. And back he went to Burgos, and my Cid and his company pricked on. The cocks were crowing amain, and the day began to break, when the good Campeador reached St. Pedro's. The Abbot Don Sisebuto 14 was saying matins, and Doña Ximena and five of her ladies of good lineage were with him, praying to God and St. Peter to help my Cid. And when he called at the gate and they knew his voice, God, what a joyful man was the Abbot Don Sisebuto! Out into the court yard they went with torches and with tapers, and the Abbot gave thanks to God that he now beheld the face of my Cid. And the Cid told him all that had befallen him, and how he was a banished man ; and he gave him fifty marks for himself, and a hundred for Doña Ximena and her children. Abbot, said he, I leave two little girls behind me, whom I commend to your care. Take you care of them and of my wife and of her ladies: when this money be gone, if it be not enough, supply them abundantly; for every mark which you expend upon them I will give the Monastery four. And the Abbot promised to do this with a right good will. Then Doña Ximena came up and her daughters with her, each of them borne in arms, and she knelt down on both her knees before her husband, weeping bitterly, and she would have kissed his hand; and she said to him, Lo now you are banished from the land by mischief-making men, and here am I with your daughters, who are little ones and of tender years, and we and you must be parted, even in your life time. "On the unquestionable authority of Berganza I restore his true name to the Abbot, who is called in the Chronicle and in the Poem, Sancho ;-Acaso, he says by a fortunate conjecture, por aver encontrado en la Historia Latina Sanctus, y despues traduxeron Sancho. 5. 15. § 201. III. BOOK For the love of St. Mary tell me now what we shall do. And the Cid took the children in his arms, and held them to his heart and wept, for he dearly loved them. Please God and St. Mary, said he, I shall yet live to give these my daughters in marriage Poema del with my own hands, and to do you service yet, my honoured wife, whom I have ever loved, even as my own soul. Cid. v. 202. 285. How the Cid took leave of daughters. XXIV. A great feast did they make that day in the Monashis wife and tery for the good Campeador, and the bells of St. Pedro's rung merrily. Meantime the tidings had gone through Castille how my Cid was banished from the land, and great was the sorrow of the people. Some left their houses to follow him, others forsook their honourable offices which they held. And that day a hundred and fifteen knights assembled at the bridge of Arlanzon, all in quest of my Cid; and there Martin Antolinez joined them, and they rode on together to St. Pedro's. And when he of Bivar knew what a goodly company were coming to join him, he rejoiced in his own strength, and rode out to meet them and greeted them full courteously; and they kissed his hand, and he said to them, I pray to God that I may one day requite ye well, because ye have forsaken your houses and your heritages for my sake, and I trust that I shall pay ye two fold. Six days of the term allotted were now gone, and three only remained: if after that time he should be found within the King's dominions, neither for gold nor for silver could he then escape. That day they feasted together, and when it was evening the Cid distributed among them all that he had, giving to each man according to what he was; and he told them that they must meet at mass after matins, and depart at that early hour. Before the cock crew they mass of the Holy Trinity, church and went to horse. na and his daughters, and blest them; and the parting between were ready, and the Abbot said the and when it was done they left the And my Cid embraced Doña Xime III. them was like separating the nail from the quick flesh and BOOK he wept and continued to look round after them. Then Alvar Fañez came up to him and said, Where is your courage, my Cid? In a good hour were you born of woman. Think of our road now; these sorrows will yet be turned into joy. And the Cid spake again to the Abbot, commending his family to his care;-well did the Abbot know that he should one day receive good guerdon. And as he took leave of the Cid, Alvar Fañez said to him, Abbot, if you see any who come to follow us, tell them what route we take, and bid them make speed, for they may reach us either in the waste or in the peopled country. And then they loosed the reins and pricked Poema del forward. XXV. That night my Cid lay at Spinar de Can, and people flocked to him from all parts, and early on the morrow he set out; Santestevan lay on his left hand, which is a good city, and Ahilon on the right, which belongs to the Moors, and he passed by Alcobiella, which is the boundary of Castille. And he went by the Calzada de Quinea, and crost the Douro upon rafts 15. That night, being the eighth, they rested at Figeruela, and more adventurers came to join him. And when my Cid was fast asleep, the Angel Gabriel appeared to him in a vision, and said, Go on boldly and fear nothing; for every thing shall go well with thee as long as thou livest, and all the things which thou beginnest, thou shalt bring to good end, and thou shalt be Cid. v. 284. 394. How the Cid dom of King left the king Don Alfonse. 1 Sobre navas de palos al Duero va paser V. 404. In the Chronica General, this is made the name of a place-Nava de Palos. The Chronica del Cid says, barca de Palos, agreeing with the Poem, which is better authority than either. Р BOOK rich and honourable. And the Cid awoke and blest himself; III. and he crost his forehead and rose from his bed, and knelt down and gave thanks to God for the mercy which he had vouch safed him, being right joyful because of the vision. Early on the morrow they set forth; now this was the last day of the nine. And they went on towards the Sierra de Miedes. Before sunset the Cid halted and took account of his company; there were three hundred lances, all with streamers, beside foot soldiers. And he said unto them, Now take and eat, for we must pass Cid. v 995. this great and wild Sierra, that we may quit the land of King Alfonso this night. To-morrow he who seeks us may find us. So they passed the Sierra that night, Poema del 428. Chr.del.Cid. cap. 93. Chron. Gen. ff. 225. HERE BEGINNETH THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE CHRONICLE OF THE CID. IV. How the Cid won the I. Now hath my Cid left the kingdom of King Don Alfonso, BOOK and entered the country of the Moors. And at day-break they were near the brow of the Sierra, and they halted there upon the top of the mountains, and gave barley to their horses, and remained there until evening. And they set forward when the evening had closed, that none might see them, and continued their way all night, and before dawn they came near to Castrejon, which is upon the Henares. And Alvar Fañez said unto the Cid, that he would take with him two hundred horsemen, and scour the country as far as Fita and Guadalajara and Alcala, and lay hands on whatever he could find, without fear either of King Alfonso or of the Moors. And he counselled him to remain in ambush where he was, and surprize the castle of Castrejon and it seemed good unto my Cid. Away went Alvar Fañez, and Alvar Alvarez with him, and Alvar Salvadores, and Galin Garcia, and the two hundred horsemen; and the Cid |