Sandoval

1.6.

by the help of money he effected his escape, and open war fol

lowed: Garcia invited the Moors to his assistance, and entered Castille. The armies met about four leagues from Burgos, near Atapuerca. St. Iñigo, the Abbot of Оña, endeavoured to persuade Garcia to peace; the good old man was revered by him, and though his persuasions were vain, still continued in the camp, hoping he might yet succeed in his mediation. An old knight called Fortun Sanchez tried also to reconcile the brethren; he was Garcia's foster-father, and had loved them both from infancy. When he found that his advice and entreaties were of no avail, knowing the danger of Garcia, and that he could not prevent it, the old man threw off his defensive armour, and with only his sword and spear, went foremost among the enemy to die, that he might not behold the overthrow and destruction of his foster-child. Before the battle began, two knights whom Garcia had unjustly stript of their possessions came to him, and demanded that he would redress their wrongs, and for the future respect their privileges. demand was just, but Garcia gave no ear to it, perhaps provoked that it should be made like a menace in his hour of need. They then renounced their allegiance, and went over to the Castillian army. The other knights who had joined with them in their remonstrance, did not indeed desert the King, but they served him without good will, and without exertion. There was a band of Leonese, who directed their efforts against him to revenge Bermudo; the two knights whom Garcia had wronged, fought in their company, and one of them thrust him through with a lance. The wound was mortal. He died upon the field with his head between the Abbot's knees, the pious old man holding it, and praying and weeping over him as he expired. A great stone was set up as a monument, by the brook side where he

The

was slain. In consequence of this victory Fernando became the most powerful of all the Kings of Spain, Moor or Christian. It was in his days that the Cid began to distinguish himself.

HERE BEGINNETH THE FIRST BOOK

OF THE

CHRONICLE OF THE CID.

I.

Ferrando

reigned in

I. King Don Ferrando succeeded to the states of Castille BOOK after the death of his father King Don Sancho el Mayor, in the era 1072, which was the year of the Incarnation 1034, and How king from the coming of the Patriarch Tubal to settle in Spain 3197, and from the general deluge 3339, and from the creation of the world 4995, according to the computation of the Hebrews, and from the beginning of the false sect of the Moors 413. And in the year 1037 Ferrando slew Bermudo the King of Leon in battle, who was his wife's brother, and conquered his kingdom, and succeeded to it in right of his wife Doña Sancha. So he was the first person who united the states of Castille and Leon, and the first who was called King of Castille; for till this time the lords of that country had been called Counts. He was a good king, and one who judged justly and feared God, and was bold in all his doings. Before he reigned he had by Doña Sancha his wife the Infanta Doña Urraca, his eldest daghter, who was a right excellent lady, of good customs and bounty

B

I.

BOOK and beauty; and after her he had the Infante Don Sancho, his eldest son and heir; and then the Infanta Doña Elvira, whom after the death of the King her father, her brother King Don Alfonso married to the Count Don Garci de Cabra. And after he became King he had the Infante Don Alfonso, and the Infante Don Garcia, who was the youngest of all. And he put his sons to read, that they might be of the better understanding, and he made them take arms, and be shown how to demean themselves Chronica del in battle, and to be huntsmen. And he ordered that his daughChron Gen. ters should be brought up in the studies besceming dames, so that they might be of good customs, and instructed in devotion and in all things which it behoved them to know.

Cid. cap. 1.

f. 193.

Garibay.

lib.11.cap.1. Rod. Tol. lib.6.cap. 9. Of the lineage of Rodri

II. In those days arose Rodrigo of Bivar 1, who was a youth go of Bivar. strong in arms and of good customs; and the people rejoiced in him, for he bestirred himself to protect the land from the Moors. Now it behoves that ye should know whence he came, and from what men he was descended, because we have to proceed with his history. Ye are to know therefore, that after the treason which King Don Ordoño the Second committed upon the Counts of Castille, that country remained without a chief: the people therefore chose two judges, of whom the one was called Nuño Rasuera, and the other Layn Calvo, who married Nuño's daughter, Elvira Nuñez. From Nuño Rasuera King Don Ferrando descended, and from Layn Calvo, Diego Laynez, who took to wife Doña Teresa Rodriguez, the daughter of Don

'He was lord of the town of that name, now a small place about two leagues North of Burgos. Berganza conjectures that he was called from it to distinguish him from his cousin Rodrigo Diaz, son of Count Don Diego de Asturias.

2

The Chr. del Cid calls her Doña Teresa Nuñez, and her father Count Nuño Alvarez de Amaya. Berganza (5. 10. § 117.) quotes two ancient MSS. to