IV. BOOK remained in ambush with the rest of his company. And as soon as it was morning, the Moors of Castrejon, knowing nothing of these who were so near them, opened the castle gates, and went out to their work as they were wont to do. And the Cid rose from ambush and fell upon them, and took all their flocks, and made straight for the gates, pursuing them. And there was a cry within the castle that the Christians were upon them, and they who were within ran to the gates to defend them, but my Poema del Cid came up sword in hand; eleven Moors did he slay with his own hand, and they forsook the gate and fled before him to hide themselves within, so that he won the castle presently, and took gold and silver, and whatever else he would. Cid.v.428 479. Chr.del Cid. cap. 94. Chr. Gen. f. 225. How the Cid sold his Moors. II. Alvar Fañez meantime scoured the country along the spoil to the Henares as far as Alcala, and he returned driving flocks and herds before him, with great stores of wearing apparel, and of other plunder. He came with the banner of Minaya, and there were none who dared fall upon his rear. And when the Cid knew that he was nigh at hand he went out to meet him, and praised him greatly for what he had done, and gave thanks to God. And he gave order that all the spoils should be heaped together, both what Alvar Fañez had brought, and what had been taken in the castle; and he said to him, Brother, of all this which God hath given us, take you the fifth, for you well deserve it; but Minaya would not, saying, You have need of it for our support. And the Cid divided the spoil among the knights and foot-soldiers, to each his due portion; to every horseman a hundred marks of silver, and half as much to the foot-soldiers: and because he could find none to whom to sell his fifth, he spake to the Moors of Castrejon, and sent to those of Fita and Guadalajara, telling them that they might come safely to purchase the spoil, and the prisoners also whom he had taken, both menprisoners and women, for he would have none with him. And IV. Cid.v.484 531. Chr. del Cid. Chr. Gen. ff.225. went against they came, and valued the spoil and the prisoners, and gave for BOOK them three thousand marks of silver, which they paid within three days; they bought also much of the spoil which had been divided, making great gain, so that all who were in my Cid's Poema del company were full rich. And the heart of my Cid was joyous, and he sent to King Don Alfonso, telling him that he and his cap. 94. companions would yet do him service upon the Moors. III. Then my Cid assembled together his good men and How the Cid said unto them, Friends, we cannot take up our abode in this Alcocer, Castle, for there is no water in it, and moreover the King is at peace with these Moors, and I know that the treaty between them hath been written; so that if we should abide here he would come against us with all his power, and with all the power of the Moors, and we could not stand against him. If therefore it seem good unto you, let us leave the rest of our prisoners here, for it does not beseem us to take any with us, but to be as free from all encumbrance as may be, like men who are to live by war, and to help ourselves with our arms. And it pleased them well that it should be so. And he said to them, Ye have all had your shares, neither is there any thing owing to any one among ye. Now then let us be ready to take horse betimes on the morrow, for I would not fight against my Lord the King. So on the morrow they went to horse and departed, being rich with the spoils which they had won: and they left the Castle to the Moors, who remained blessing them for this bounty which they had received at their hands. Then my Cid and his company went up the Henares as fast as they could go, and they passed by the Alcarias 1, and by the caves of Anquita, Alcaria signifies a cottage. The word however is used in the Poem as the name of a place, as we should speak of a few dwelling houses standing together in an open country. BOOK and through the waters,, and they entered the plain of Torancio, IV. and halted between Fariza and Cetina: great were the spoils which they collected as they went along. And on the morrow they passed Alfama, and leaving the Gorge below them they passed Bobierca, and Teca which is beyond it, and came against Alcocer. There my Cid pitched his tents upon a round hill, which was a great hill and a strong; and the river Salon ran near them, so that the water could not be cut off. My Cid Poema del thought to take Alcocer: so he pitched his tents securely, having the Sierra on one side, and the river on the other, and he made all his people dig a trench, that they might not be alarmed, neither by day nor by night. Cid.v.532 571. ff. 226. Of the taking of Alcocer. And And my Cid saw that the IV. When my Cid had thus encamped, he went to look at the Alcazar, and see if he could by any means enter it. And the Moors offered tribute to him if he would leave them in peace; but this he would not do, and he lay before the town. And news went through all the land that the Cid was come among them, and they of Calatayud were in fear. lay before Alcocer fifteen weeks; and when he town did not surrender, he ordered his people to break up their camp, as if they were flying, and they left one of their tents behind them, and took their way along the Salon, with their banners spread. And when the Moors saw this they rejoiced greatly, and there was a great stir among them, and they praised themselves for what they had done in withstanding him, and said, that the Cid's bread and barley had failed him, and he had fled away, and left one of his tents behind him. And they said among themselves, Let us pursue them and spoil them, for if they of Teruel should be before us the honour and the profit will be theirs, and we shall have nothing. And they went out after him, great and little, leaving the gates open and shouting as they went; and there was not left in the town a man who IV. could bear arms. And when my Cid saw them coming he BOOK gave orders to quicken their speed, as if he was in fear, and would not let his people turn till the Moors were far enough from the town. But when he saw that there was a good distance between them and the gates, then he bade his banner turn, and spurred towards them, crying, Lay on, knights, by God's mercy the spoil is our own. God! what a good joy was theirs that morning! My Cid's vassals laid on without mercy;-in one hour, and in a little space, three hundred Moors were slain, and the Cid and Alvar Fañez had good horses, and got between them and the Castle, and stood in the gateway sword in hand, and there was a great mortality among the Moors; and my Cid won the place, and Pero Bermudez planted his banner upon the highest point of the Castle. And the Cid said, Blessed be God and all his Saints, we have bettered our quarters both for horses and men. And he said to Alvar Fañez and all his knights, Hear me, we shall get nothing by killing these Moors ;-let us take them and they shall show us their treasures which they have hidden in their houses, and we will dwell here and they shall In this manner did my Cid win Alcocer, and take up cap. 96. his abode therein, serve us. did sent V. Much did this trouble the Moors of Teca, and it not please those of Teruel, nor of Calatayud. And they to the King of Valencia to tell him that one who was called Ruydiez the Cid, whom King Don Alfonso had banished, was come into their country, and had taken Alcocer; and if a stop were not put to him, the King might look upon Teca and Teruel and Calatayud as lost, for nothing could stand against him, and he had plundered the whole country, along the Salon on the one side, and the Siloca on the other. When the King of Valencia, whose name was Alcamin heard this, he was greatly troubled. And incontinently he spake unto two Moorish Kings Poema del 632. Chr. Gen. ff. 226. BOOK who were his vassals, bidding them take three thousand horse Poema del IV. men, and all the men of the border, and bring the Cid to him Cid.v.633- alive, that he might make atonement to him for having entered Chr.del Cid. his land. 650. cap. 97. Chr. Gen. ff. 227. was besieged in Alcocer VI. Fariz and Galve were the names of these two Moorish How the Cid Kings, and they set out with the companies of King Alcamin from Valencia, and halted the first night in Segorve, and the second night at Celfa de Canal. And they sent their messengers through the land to all the Councils thereof, ordering all men at arms, as well horsemen as footmen, to join them, and the third night they halted at Calatayud, and great numbers. joined them; and they came up against Alcocer, and pitched their tents round about the Castle. Every day their host increased, for their people were many in number, and their watchmen kept watch day and night; and my Cid had no succour to look for except the mercy of God, in which he put his trust. And the Moors beset them so close that they cut off their water, and albeit the Castillians would have sallied against them, my Cid forbade this. In this guise were my Cid and his people besieged. for three weeks, and when the fourth week began, he called for Alvar Fañez, and for his company, and said unto them, Ye see that the Moors have cut off our water, and we have but little bread; they gather numbers day by day, and we become weak, and they are in their own country. If we would depart they would not let us, and we cannot go out by night because they have beset us round about Poema del on all sides, and we cannot pass on high through the air, neither through the earth which is underneath. Now then if it please let us go you let us out and fight with them, though they are many in number, and either defeat them or die an honourable death, How the Cid VII. Then Minaya answered and said, We have left the gentle land of Castille, and are come hither as banished men, Cid.v.651 678. Chr.del.Cid. сар. 98. Chr. Gen. f. 227. went out to give them buttle. |