III. Chr. del Cid. Chr. Gen. ff. 223. won many this which King Don Alfonso had done, for the loyalty which he BOOK had shown towards him. And they remained that night together; and on the morrow Alimaymon returned to his city full gladly, and King Don Alfonso made his host move on towards Cordova and Alimaymon went with him; and they overran the land, and burnt towns and villages, and destroyed castles, and plundered whatever they could find; and they returned each into his own country with great spoils. And from thenceforward the King cap. 84. 85. of Cordova durst no more attack the King of Toledo. XVI. In the following years nothing is found to be related, How my Cid save that my Cid did battle by command of the King with a battles. knight called Ximen Garcia de Tiogelos, who was one of the best of Navarre: they fought for the castle of Pazluengas, and for two other castles, and my Cid conquered him, and King Don Alfonso had the castles. And after this my Cid did battle in Medina Celi, with a Moor called Faras, who was a good knight in arms, and he defeated and slew him and another also. And in the fifth year of the reign of King Don Alfonso, the King sent the Cid to the Kings of Seville and of Cordova, for the tribute which they were bound to pay him. Now there was at this time war between Almocanis King of Seville, and Almundafar King of Granada, and with Almundafar were these men of Castille, the Count Don Garcia Ordoñez, and Fortun Sanchez, the son-in-law of King Don Garcia of Navarre, and Lope Sanchez his brother, and Diego Perez,, one of the best men of Castille; and they aided him all that they could, and went against the King of Seville. And when my Cid knew this it troubled him, and he sent unto them requiring them not to go against the King of Seville, nor to destroy his country, because he was King Don Alfonso's vassal; otherwise the King must defend him. And the King of Granada and the Ricos-omes who were with him cared nothing for his letters, but entered III. BOOK boldly into the land of Seville, and advanced as far as Cabra, burning and laying waste before them. When the Cid saw this he gathered together what Christians he could and went against them. And the King of Granada and the Christians who were with him, sent to tell him that they would not go out of the country for him. And the wrath of the Cid was kindled, and he went against them, and fought with them in the field, and the battle lasted from the hour of tierce even until the hour of sexts; and many died upon the part of the King of Granada, and at length my Cid overcame them and made them take to flight. And Count Garcia Ordoñez was taken prisoner, and Lope Sanchez, and Diego Perez, and many other knights, and of other men so many that they were out of number ; and the dead were so many that no man could count them; and the spoils of the field were very great. And the Cid held these good men prisoners three days and then set them free, and he returned with great honour and great riches to Seville. And King Almocanis received him full honourably, and gave him great gifts for himself, and paid him the full tribute for the cap. 86. 87. King; and he returned rich to Castille, and with great honour. And King Don Alfonso was well pleased with the good for Chr.del Cid. Chr. Gen. f. 223. It was a custom that the victor should remain three days upon the field of battle, in proof of his victory: and this seems to have been the Cid's reason for detaining his prisoners thus long. A disgraceful instance of this custom will be found in the history of Affonso V. of Portugal, who remained three days upon the field at Alfarrobeira after he had slain the Infante Don Pedro, his uncle, guardian, and father in law, the best and ablest man that ever -Portugal produced. In recompence for these services Alfonso granted a privilege to the Cid, confirming to him all his possessions, and declaring them free from all imposts: the town of Bivar is especially mentioned. This privilege bears date July 28, 1075; tune of the Cid in all his feats; but there were many who wish- BOOK ed ill to him, and sought to set the King against him. Don Alfons was made wroth with XVII. After this King Don Alfonso assembled together all How King his power and went against the Moors. And the Cid should have gone with him, but he fell sick and perforce therefore abode the Cid. at home. And while the King was going through Andalusia, having the land at his mercy, a great power of the Moors assembled together on the other side, and entered the land, and besieged the castle of Gormaz, and did much evil. At this time the Cid was gathering strength; and when he heard that the Moors were in the country, laying waste before them, he gathered together what force he could, and went after them; and the Moors, when they heard this, dared not abide his coming, but began to fly. And the Cid followed them to Atienza, and to Ciguenza, and Fita, and Guadalajara, and through the whole land of St. Esteban, as far as Toledo, slaying and burning, and plundering and destroying, and laying hands on all whom he found, so that he brought back seven thousand prisoners, men and women; and he and all his people returned rich and with great honour. But when the King of Toledo heard of the hurt which he had received at the hands of the Cid, he sent to King Don Alfonso to complain thereof, and the King was greatly troubled. And then the Ricos-omes who wished ill to the Cid, had the way open to do him evil with the King, and they said to the King, Sir, Ruydiez hath broken your faith, and the oath and promise which you made to the King of Toledo: and he hath done this for no other reason but that the Moors of Toledo may it is preserved at Bivar, and in reverence for the Cid's memory has been confirmed by all the subsequent kings of Castille down to Philip V. and is probably continued to this day. Berganza 5. 14. §. 196. BOOK fall upon us here, and slay both you and us. III. And the King believed what they said, and was wroth against the Cid, having no love towards him because of the oath which he had pressed upon him at Burgos concerning the death of King Don Sancho cap. 88. 89. his brother. And he went with all speed to Burgos, and sent from thence to bid the Cid come unto him. Chr. del Cid. Chr. Gen. f. 224. How the Cid was wrong ed. XVIII. Now my Cid knew the evil disposition of the King fully banish- towards him, and when he received his bidding, he made answer that he would meet him between Burgos and Bivar. And the King went out from Burgos and came nigh unto Bivar; and the Cid came up to him and would have kissed his hand, but the King withheld it, and said angrily unto him, Ruydiez, quit my land. Then the Cid clapt spurs to the mule upon which he rode, and vaulted into a piece of ground which was his own inheritance, and answered, Sir, I am not in your land, but in my own. And the King replied full wrathfully, Go out of my kingdoms without any delay. And the Cid made answer, Give me then thirty days time, as is the right of the hidalgos; and the King said he would not, but that if he were not gone in nine days time he would come and look for him. The Counts were well pleased at this; but all the people of the land were sorrowful. And then the King and the Cid parted. And the Cid sent for all his friends and his kinsmen and vassals, and told them how King Don Alfonso had banished him from the land, and asked of them who would follow him into banishment, and who would remain at home. Then Alvar Fañez, who was his cousin-german, came forward and said, Cid, we will all go with you, through desert and through peopled country, and never fail you. In your service will we spend our mules and horses, our wealth and our garments, and ever while we live be unto you loyal Chr. del Cid. friends and vassals. And they all confirmed what Alvar Fañez had said; and the Cid thanked them for their love, and said cap. 89. 90. Chr. Gen. ff. 224. that there might come a time in which he should guerdon BOOK them. III. departed house, being man. XIX. And as he was about to depart he looked back upon How the Cid his own home, and when he saw his hall deserted, the house- from his own hold chests unfastened, the doors open, no cloaks hanging up, a banished no seats in the porch, no hawks upon the perches, the tears came into his eyes, and he said, My enemies have done this.. God be praised for all things. And he turned toward the East, and knelt and said, Holy Mary Mother, and all Saints, pray to God for me, that he may give me strength to destroy all the Pagans, and to win enough from them to requite my friends therewith, and all those who follow and help me. Then he called for Alvar Fañez and said unto him, Cousin, the poor have no part in the wrong which the King hath done us; see now that no wrong be done unto them along our road: and he called for his horse. And then an old woman who was standing at her door said, Go in a lucky minute, and make spoil of whatever you wish. And with this proverb he rode on, saying, Friends, by God's good pleasure we shall return to Castille with great honour and great gain. And as they went out from Bivar Chr.delCid. they had a crow on their right hand, and when they came to Poema del Burgos they had a crow on the left. cap. 91. Cid. v. 1 12. Burgalese receive him. XX. My Cid Ruydiez entered Burgos, having sixty stream- How the ers in his company. And men and women went forth to see dared not him, and the men of Burgos and the women of Burgos were at their windows, weeping, so great was their sorrow; and they said with one accord, God, how good a vassal if he had but a good Lord! and willingly would each have bade him come in, but no one dared so to do. For King Don Alfonso in his anger had sent letters to Burgos, saying that no man should give the Cid a lodging; and that whosoever disobeyed should lose all that he had, and moreover the eyes in his head. Great |