III. duel or not. And in this manner the thing was left undecided. BOOK Nevertheless, though no sentence was given, there remained no infamy upon the people of Zamora. But better had it been for Don Arias Gonzalo if he had given up Vellido to the Castillians, that he might have died the death of a traitor; he would not then have lost these three sons, who died like good men, in their duty. Now what was the end of Vellido the history sayeth not, through the default of the Chroniclers; but it is to be believed, that because the impeachment was not made within three days, Don Arias Gonzalo thrust him out of the town as Doña Urraca had requested, and that he fled into other lands, peradventure among the Moors. And though it may be that he escaped punishment in this world, yet certes he 220. could not escape it in hell, where he is tormented with Dathan and Abiram, and with Judas the Traitor, for ever and ever. Chr. Gen. Sandoval, #37 Chr.del Cid. cap. 74. All the Chronicles, Histories, and Ballads, are silent as to the fate of Vellido Dolfos. An account however, which is manifestly fabulous, is to be found in the interpolations made by an anonymous writer in the Sumario de los Reyes de España por el Despensero* Mayor de la Reyna Doña Leonor. This fable states that Vellido exacted from Doña Urraca a promise to lie with him;-accordingly, after he had committed the treason, she had him bound hand and foot, put into a sack, tied in it, and laid in her bed, where she herself lay down in her clothes and past the night beside him. As soon as it was day-break he was by her orders fastened to four wild horses, and so torn in pieces. This anonymous interpolator wished to make the Sumario of the Despensero pass for his own, and altered it for that purpose. Many of his additions are as fabulous as the one which is here related; and they have been singularly mischievous, having misled such truly able men and excellent historians as Zurita, Mariana, Garibay, and Gil Gonzalez Davila. * His name is said by the Marques de Mondejar to have been Juan Rodriguez de Cuenca. BOOK How King departed IX. In the meantime the Infanta Doña Urraca wrote let III. ters secretly and sent messengers with them to Toledo to Don Alfonso King Don Alfonso, telling him that King Don Sancho his brofrom Toledo, ther was dead, and had left no heir, and that he should come as speedily as he could to receive the kingdoms. And she bade her messengers deliver these privately that the Moors might not discover what had taken place, lest they should seize upon King Don Alfonso, whom she dearly loved. Moreover the Castillians assembled together and found that as King Don Sancho had left no son to succeed him they were bound by right to receive King Don Alfonso as their Lord; and they also sent unto him in secret. Howbeit, certain of those spies who discover to the Moors whatever the Christians design to do, when they knew the death of King Don Sancho, went presently to acquaint the Moors therewith. Now Don Peransures, as he was a man of great understanding and understood the Arabick tongue, when he knew the death of King Don Sancho, and while he was devising how to get his Lord away from Toledo, rode out every day, as if to solace himself, on the way towards Castille, to see whom he might meet, and to learn tidings. And it fell out one day that he met a man who told him he was going with news to King Alimaymon, that King Don Sancho was dead; and Don Peransures took him aside from the road as if to speak to him, and cut off his head. And Peransures returned into the road and met another man coming with the same tidings to the King, and he slew him in like manner. Nevertheless the tidings reached King Alimaymon. Now Peransures and his brethren feared that if the Moor knew this he would not let their Lord depart, but would seize him and make hard terms for his deliverance; and on the other hand, they thought that if he should learn it from any other than themselves, it would be yet worse. And while they were in III. doubt what they should do, King Don Alfonso, trusting in God's BOOK mercy, said unto them, When I came hither unto this Moor, he received me with great honour, and gave to me abundantly all things of which I stood in need, even as if I had been his son; how then should I conceal from him this favour which it hath pleased God to show me? I will go and tell it unto him. But Don Peransures besought him not to tell him of his brother's death. And he went to King Alimaymon and said. unto him, that he would fain go into his own country, if it pleased him, to help his vassals, who stood greatly, in need of him, and he besought him that he would give him men. The death of King Don Sancho he did not make known. And King Alimaymon answered that he should not do this, because he feared that King Don Sancho his brother would take him. And King Don Alfonso said, that he knew the ways and customs of his brother, and did not fear him, if it pleased the King to give him some Moors to help him. Now Alimaymon had heard of the death of King Don Sancho, and he had sent to occupy the roads and the passes, that King Don Alfonso might be stopt if he should attempt to depart without his knowledge. Howbeit he did not fully believe the tidings, seeing that King Don Alfonso did not speak of it; and he rejoiced in his heart at what the King said, and he said unto him, I thank God, Alfonso, that thou hast told me of thy wish to go into thine own country; for in this thou hast dealt loyally by me, and saved me from that which might else have happened, to which the Moors have alway importuned me. And hadst thou departed privily thou couldest not have escaped being slain or taken. Now then go and take thy kingdom; and I will give thee whatever thou hast need of to give to thine own people and win their hearts that they may serve thee. And he then besought him to renew the oath which he had taken, never to III. BOOK come against him nor his sons, but alway to befriend them; and this same oath did the King of Toledo make unto him. Now Alimaymon had a grandson whom he dearly loved, who was not named in the oath, and King Don Alfonso therefore was not bound to keep it towards him. And King Don Alfonso made ready for his departure, and Alimaymon and the chief persons of the court went out from the city with him and rode Chr.del Cid. with him as far as the Sierra del Dragon, which is now called Val сар. 67. Chr. Gen. #217.218. tome; and he gave him great gifts, and there they took leave 1. 6. c. 20. of each other with great love. Rod. Tol. How the Cid would not kiss the King's hand. X. As soon as King Don Alfonso arrived at Zamora, he pitched his tents in the field of Santiago, and took counsel with his sister. And the Infanta Doña Urraca, who was a right prudent lady and a wise, sent letters throughout the land, that a Cortes should assemble and receive him for their Lord. And when the Leonese and the Gallegos knew that their Lord King Don Alfonso was come, they were full joyful, and they came to Zamora and received him for their Lord and King. And afterwards the Castillians arrived, and they of Navarre, and they also received The Chronicle of the Cid relates this differently that Alimaymon, after giving him leave to depart, detained him day after day upon various pretexts, and that at last Alfonso and his followers let themselves down from the castle by ropes, and escaped in the night. In the morning Alimaymon asked his favourites if they knew why Alfonso was in such haste to depart, and they said they thought his brother was dead; upon which he sent to seize him, meaning to detain him prisoner. I have preferred the Archbishop Rodrigo's account, because, if the previous narrative be authentic, Alfonso knew that the roads were guarded to prevent his flight, and because, by the after transactions between him and Alimaymon, it is evident that they parted in friendship. The people of Rioja are meant. III. him for their Lord and King, but upon this condition, that he BOOK should swear that he had not taken counsel for the death of his brother King Don Sancho. Howbeit they did not come forward to receive the oath, and they kissed his hands in homage, all, save only Ruydiez, my Cid. And when King Don Alfonso saw that the Cid did not do homage and kiss his hand, as all the other chief persons and prelates and Councils had done, he said, Since now ye have all received me for your Lord, and given me authority over ye, I would know of the Cid Ruydiez why he will not kiss my hand and acknowledge me; for I would do something for him, as I promised unto my father King Don Ferrando, when he commended him to me and to my brethren. And the Cid arose and said, Sir, all whom you see here present, suspect that by your counsel the King Don Sancho your brother came to his death; and therefore, I say unto you that, unless you clear yourself of this, as by right you should do, I will never kiss your hand, nor receive you for my Lord. Then said the King, Cid, what you say pleases me well; and here I swear to God and to St. Mary, that I never slew him, nor took counsel for his death, neither did it please me, though he had taken my kingdom from me. And I beseech ye therefore all, as friends and true vassals, that ye tell me how I may clear myself. And the chiefs who were present said, that he and twelve of the knights who came with him from Toledo, should make this oath in the church at St. Gadea at Burgos, and that so he should be cap. 75.76. cleared. Chr.delCid. Chr. Gen. ff. 220. • There were in these times, says Garibay, and for many ages after, particular churches in the chief places of these kingdoms, where the sacraments of the oath were wont to be taken, for the greater awe and terror, when any one had to purge himself by oath from some great and atrocious crime whereof he was accused. Such a church, under the advocation of St. Mary Magdalene, there is, he adds, in |