XI. BOOK more turned their heads. Then Alvar Fañez and his people, when they had discomfited the Moors, spoiled the field, and the spoil thereof was so great that they could not carry it away. And they loaded camels and horses with the noblest things which they found, and went after the Bishop Don Hieronymo and Gil Diaz, who, with the body of the Cid, and Doña Ximena, and the baggage, had gone on till they were clear of the host, and then waited for those who were gone against the Moors. And so great was the spoil of that day, that there was no end to it: and they took up gold, and silver, and other precious things as they rode through the camp, so that the poorest man among the Christians, horseman or on foot, became rich with what he won that day. And when they were all met together, they took the road toward Castille; and they halted that night in a village which is called Siete Aguas, that is to say, the Seven Waters, which is nine leagues from Valencia. Chr.del Cid. cap. 284. Chr. Gen. f. 308. How the Moors went X. Abenalfarax, he who wrote this history in Arabic, saith, into the city. that the day when the company of the Cid went out from Valencia, and discomfited King Bucar and the six and thirty Kings who were with him, the Moors of Alcudia and of the suburbs thought that he went out alive, because they saw him on horseback, sword in hand; but when they saw that he went towards Castille, and that none of his company returned into the town, they were astonished. And all that day And all that day they remained in such amaze, that they neither dared go into the tents which King Bucar's host had left, nor enter into the town, thinking that the Cid did this for some device; and all night they remained in the same doubt, so that they dared not go out from the suburbs. When it was morning they looked towards the town, and heard no noise there; and Abenalfarax then took horse, and taking a man with him, went toward the town, and found all the gates thereof shut, till he came to that through which the company of XI. the Cid had gone forth; and he went into the city and traversed BOOK the greater part thereof, and found no man therein, and he was greatly amazed. Then he went out and called aloud to the Moors of the suburbs, and told them that the city was deserted by the Christians; and they were more amazed than before : nevertheless they did not yet dare either to go out to the camp or to enter into the town, and in this doubt they remained till it was mid-day. And when they saw that no person appeared on any side, Abenalfarax returned again into the town, and there went with him a great company of the best Moors; and they went into the Alcazar, and looked through all the halls and chambers, and they found neither man nor living thing; but they saw written upon a wall in Arabic characters by Gil Diaz, how the Cid Ruydiez was dead, and that they had carried him away in that manner to conquer King Bucar, and also to the end that none might oppose their going. And when the Moors saw this they rejoiced and were exceeding glad, and they opened the gates of the town, and sent to tell these tidings to those in the suburbs. And they came with their wives and children into the town, each to the house which had been his before the Cid won it. And from that day Valencia remained in the power of the Moors till it was won by King Don Jayme of Aragon, he who is called the Conqueror, which was an hundred and seventy years. But though King Don Jayme won it, it is alway called Valencia del Cid. On the morrow they went into the tents of King Bucar, and found there many arms; but the tents were deserted, save only that they found certain women who had hid themselves, and who told them of the defeat of King Bucar And the dead were so many that they could scarcely make way among them. And they went on through this great mortality to the port, and there they saw no ships, but so many Moors lying dead that tongue of man cannot tell their numbers; and they XI. BOOK began to gather up the spoils of the field, which were tents, and horses, and camels, and buffaloes, and flocks, and gold and silver, and garments, and store of provisions, out of all number, so that they had wherewith to suffice the city of Valencia for two years, and to sell to their neighbours also; and they were full rich from that time. Chr. del Cid. cap. 285. Chr. Gen. ff. 309. How the sons in-law came to meet the body. And XI. When the company of the Cid departed from the Siete of the Cid Aguas, they held their way by short journies to Salvacañete. And the Cid went alway upon his horse Bavieca, as they had brought him out from Valencia, save only that he wore no arms, but was clad in right noble garments; and all who saw him upon the way would have thought that he was alive, if they had not heard the truth. And whenever they halted they took the body off, fastened to the saddle as it was, and set it upon that frame which Gil Diaz had made, and when they went forward again, they placed it in like manner upon the horse Bavieca. when they reached Salvacañete, the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Doña Ximena, and Alvar Fañez, and the other honourable men, sent their letters to all the kinsmen and friends of the Cid Ruydiez, bidding them come and do honour to his funeral; and they sent letters also to his sons-in-law, the Infantes of Aragon and Navarre, and to King Don Alfonso. And they moved on from Salvacañete and came to Osma, and then Alvar Fañez asked of Doña Ximena if they should not put the body of the Cid into a coffin covered with purple and with nails of gold; but she would not, for she said that while his countenance remained so fresh and comely, and his eyes so fair, his body should never be placed in a coffin, and that her children should see the face of their father; and they thought that she said well, so the body was left as it was. And at the end of fifteen days the Infante of Aragon arrived, with Doña Sol his wife, and they brought with them an hundred armed knights, all having their shields reversed XI. hanging from the saddle bow, and all in grey cloaks, with the BOOK hoods rent. And Doña Sol came clad in linsey-woolsey, she and all her women, for they thought that mourning was to be made for the Cid. But when they came within half a league of Osma, they saw the banner of the Cid coming on, and all his company full featly apparelled. And when they drew nigh they perceived that they were weeping, but they made no wailing; and when they saw him upon his horse Bavieca, according as ye have heard, they were greatly amazed. But so great was the sorrow of the Infante that he and all his company began to lament aloud. And Doña Sol, when she beheld her father, took off her tire, and threw it upon the ground and began to tear her hair, which was like threads of gold. But Doña Ximena held her hand and said, Daughter, you do ill, in that you break the command of your father, who laid his curse upon all who should make lamentation for him. Then Doña Sol kissed the hand of the Cid and of her mother, and put on her tire again, saying, Lady mother, I have committed no fault in this, forasmuch as I knew not the command of my father. And then they turned back to Osma, and great was the multitude whom they found there assembled from all parts to see the Cid, having heard in what manner he was brought, for they held it to be a strange thing; and in truth it was, for in no history do we find that with the body of a dead man hath there been done a thing so noble and strange as this. Then they moved on from Osma, and came to Santesteban de Gormaz. And there after few days the King of Navarre came with the Queen Doña Elvira his wife; and they brought with them two hundred knights; howbeit their shields were not reversed, for they had heard that no mourning was to be made for the Cid. And when they were within half a league of Santesteban, the company of the Cid went out to meet them, as they had the Infante of Aragon; and they made no other la BOOK mentation, save that they wept with Doña Elvira; and when she XI. came up to the body of her father she kissed his hand, and the Chr. del Cid. eap. 286. Chr. Gen. f. 310. How King Don Alfonso honour to the Cid. hand of Doña Ximena her mother. And greatly did they marvel when they saw the body of the Cid Ruydiez how fair it was, for he seemed rather alive than dead. And they moved on from Santesteban, towards San Pedro de Cardeña. Great was the concourse of people to see the Cid Ruydiez coming in that guise. They came from Rioja, and from all Castille, and from all the country round about, and when they saw him their wonder was the greater, and hardly could they be persuaded that he was dead. XII. At this time King Don Alfonso abode in Toledo, and came to do when the letters came unto him saying how the Cid Campeador was departed, and after what manner he had discomfited King Bucar, and how they brought him in this goodly manner upon his horse Bavieca, he set out from Toledo, taking long journies till he came to San Pedro de Cardeña, to do honour to the Cid at his funeral. The day when he drew nigh the Infante of Aragon and the King of Navarre went out to meet him, and they took the body of the Cid with them on horseback, as far as the Monastery of San Christoval de Ybeas, which is a league from Cardeña; and they went, the King of Navarre on one side of the body, and the Infante of Aragon on the other. And when King Don Alfonso saw so great a company and in such goodly array, and the Cid Ruydiez so nobly clad and upon his horse Bavieca, he was greatly astonished. Then Alvar Fañez and the other good men kissed his hand in the name of the Cid. And the King beheld his countenance, and seeing it so fresh and comely, and his eyes so bright and fair, and so even and open that he seemed alive, he marvelled greatly. But when they told him that for seven days he had drank of the myrrh and balsam, and had neither ate nor drank of aught else, and |