Chronicle Of The Cid by Various
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Various >> Chronicle Of The Cid
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BOOK XI.
I. It is written in the history which Abenalfarax, the nephew of Gil
Diaz, composed in Valencia, that for five years the Cid Ruydiez
remained Lord thereof in peace, and in all that time he sought to do
nothing but to serve God, and to keep the Moors quiet who were under
his dominion; so that Moors and Christians dwelt together in such
accord, that it seemed as if they had alway been united; and they all
loved and served the Cid with such goodwill that it was marvellous. And
when these five years were over tidings were spread far and near, which
reached Valencia, that King Bucar the Miramamolin of Morocco, holding
himself disgraced because the Cid Campeador had conquered him in the
field of Quarto near unto Valencia, where he had slain or made
prisoners all his people, and driven him into the sea, and made spoil
of all the treasures which he had brought with him; ... King Bucar
calling these things to mind, had gone himself and stirred up the whole
Paganism of Barbary, even as far as Montes Claros, to cross the sea
again, and avenge himself if he could; and he had assembled so great a
power that no man could devise their numbers. When the Cid heard these
tidings he was troubled at heart; how beit he dissembled this, so that
no person knew what he was minded to do; and thus the matter remained
for some days. And when he saw that the news came thicker and faster,
and that it was altogether certain that King Bucar was coming over sea
against him, he sent and bade all the Moors of Valencia assemble
together in his presence, and when they were all assembled he said unto
them, Good men of the Aljama, ye well know that from the day wherein I
became Lord of Valencia, ye have alway been protected and defended, and
have past your time well and peaceably in your houses and heritages,
none troubling you nor doing you wrong; neither have I who am your Lord
ever done aught unto you that was against right. And now true tidings
are come to me that King Bucar of Morocco is arrived from beyond sea,
with a mighty power of Moors, and that he is coming against me to take
from me this city which I won with so great labour. Now therefore,
seeing it is so, I hold it good and command that ye quit the town, both
ye and your sons and your women, and go into the suburb of Alcudia and
the other suburbs, to dwell there with the other Moors, till we shall
see the end of this business between me and King Bucar. Then the Moors,
albeit they were loth, obeyed his command; and when they were all gone
out of the city, so that none remained, he held himself safer than he
had done before.
II. Now after the Moors were all gone out of the city, it came to pass
in the middle of the night that the Cid was lying in his bed, devising
how he might withstand this coming of King Bucar, for Abenalfarax saith
that when he was alone in his palace his thoughts were of nothing else.
And when it was midnight there came a great light into the palace, and
a great odour, marvellous sweet. And as he was marvelling what it might
be, there appeared before him a man as white as snow; he was in the
likeness of an old man, with grey hair and crisp, and he carried
certain keys in his hand; and before the Cid could speak to him he
said, Sleepest thou, Rodrigo, or what are thou doing? And the Cid made
answer, What man art thou who askest me? And he said, I am St. Peter,
the Prince of the Apostles, who come unto thee with more urgent tidings
than those for which thou art taking thought concerning King Bucar, and
it is, that thou art to leave this world, and go to that which hath no
end; and this will be in thirty days. But God will show favour unto
thee, so that thy people shall discomfit King Bucar, and thou, being
dead, shalt win this battle for the honour of thy body: this will be
with the help of Santiago, whom God will send to the business: but do
thou strive to make atonement for thy sins, and so thou shall he saved.
All this Jesus Christ vouchsafest thee for the love of me, and for the
reverence which thou hast alway shown to my Church in the Monastery of
Cárdena. When the Cid Campeador heard this he had great pleasure at
heart, and he let himself fall out of bed upon the earth, that he might
kiss the feet of the Apostle St. Peter; but the Apostle said, Strive
not to do this, for thou canst not touch me; but be sure that all this
which I have told thee will come to pass.
And when the blessed Apostle had said this he disappeared, and the
palace remained full of a sweeter and more delightful odour than heart
of man can conceive. And the Cid Ruydiez remained greatly comforted by
what St. Peter had said to him, and as certain that all this would come
to pass, as if it were already over.
III. Early on the morrow he sent to call all his honourable men to the
Alcazar; and when they were all assembled before him, he began to say
unto them, weeping the while, Friends and kinsmen and true vassals and
honourable men, many of ye must well remember when King Don Alfonso our
Lord twice banished me from his land, and most of ye for the love which
ye bore me followed me into banishment, and have guarded me ever since.
And God hath shown such mercy to you and to me, that we have won many
battles against Moors and Christians; those which were against
Christians, God knows, were more through their fault than my will, for
they strove to set themselves against the good fortune which God had
given me, and to oppose his service, helping the enemies of the faith.
Moreover we won this city in which we dwell, which is not under the
dominion of any man in the world, save only of my Lord the King Don
Alfonso, and that rather by reason of our natural allegiance than of
anything else. And now I would have ye know the state in which this
body of mine now is; for be ye certain that I am in the latter days of
my life, and that thirty days hence will be my last. Of this I am well
assured; for for these seven nights past I have seen visions. I have
seen my father Diego Laynez, and Diego Rodríguez my son; and every time
they say to me, You have tarried long here, let us go now among the
people who endure for ever. Now notwithstanding man ought not to put
his trust in these things, nor in such visions, I know this by other
means to be certain, for Sir St. Peter hath appeared to me this night,
when I was awake and not sleeping, and he told me that when these
thirty days were over, I should pass away from this world. Now ye know
for certain that King Bucar is coming against us, and they say that
thirty and six Moorish Kings are coming with him; and since he bringeth
so great a power of Moors, and I have to depart so soon, how can ye
defend Valencia! But be ye certain, that by the mercy of God I shall
counsel ye so, that ye shall conquer King Bucar in the field, and win
great praise and honour from him, and Doņa Ximena. and ye and all that
ye have, go hence in safety; how ye are to do all this I will tell ye
hereafter, before I depart.
IV. After the Cid had said this he sickened of the malady of which he
died. And the day before his weakness waxed great, he ordered the gates
of the town to be shut, and went to the Church of St. Peter; and there
the Bishop Don Hieronymo being present, and all the clergy who were in
Valencia, and the knights and honourable men and honourable dames, as
many as the Church could hold, the Cid Ruydiez stood up, and made a
full noble preaching, showing that no man whatsoever, however
honourable or fortunate they may be in this world, can escape death; to
which, said he, I am now full near; and since ye know that this body of
mine hath never yet been conquered, nor put to shame, I beseech ye let
not this befall it at the end, for the good fortune of man is only
accomplished at his end. How this is to be done, and what ye all have
to do, I will leave in the hands of the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Alvar
Faņez, and Pero Bermudez. And when he had said this he placed himself
at the feet of the Bishop, and there before all the people made a
general confession of all his sins, and all the faults which he had
committed against our Lord Jesus Christ. And the Bishop appointed him
his penance, and assoyled him of his sins. Then he arose and took leave
of the people, weeping plenteously, and returned to the Alcazar, and
betook himself to his bed, and never rose from it again; and every day
he waxed weaker and weaker, till seven days only remained of the time
appointed. Then he called for the caskets of gold in which was the
balsam and the myrrh which the Soldan of Persia had sent him; and when
these were put before him he bade them bring him the golden cup, of
which he was wont to drink; and he took of that balsam and of that
myrrh as much as a little spoon-full, and mingled it in the cup with
rose-water, and drank of it; and for the seven days which he lived he
neither ate nor drank aught else than a little of that myrrh and balsam
mingled with water. And every day after he did this, his body and his
countenance appeared fairer and fresher than before, and his voice
clearer, though he waxed weaker and weaker daily, so that he could not
move in his bed.
V. On the twenty-ninth day, being the day before he departed, he called
for Doņa Ximena, and for the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Don Alvar Faņez
Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and his trusty Gil Diaz; and when they were
all five before him, he began to direct them what they should do after
his death; and he said to them. Ye know that King Bucar will presently
be here to besiege this city, with seven and thirty Kings whom he
bringeth with him, and with a mighty power of Moors. Now therefore the
first thing which ye do after I have departed, wash my body with
rose-water many times and well, as blessed be the name of God it is
washed within and made pure of all uncleanness to receive his holy body
to-morrow, which will be my last day. And when it has been well washed
and made clean, ye shall dry it well, and anoint it with this myrrh and
balsam, from these golden caskets, from head to foot, so that every
part shall be anointed, till none be left. And you my Sister Doņa
Ximena, and your women, see that ye utter no cries, neither make any
lamentation for me, that the Moors may not know of my death. And when
the day shall come in which King Bucar arrives, order all the people of
Valencia to go upon the walls, and sound your trumpets and tambours,
and make the greatest rejoicings that ye can. And when ye would set out
for Castille, let all the people know in secret, that they make
themselves ready, and take with them all that they have, so that none
of the Moors in the suburb may know thereof; for certes ye cannot keep
the city, neither abide therein after my death. And see ye that sumpter
beasts be laden with all that there is in Valencia, so that nothing
which can profit may be left. And this I leave especially to your
charge, Gil Diaz. Then saddle ye my horse Bavieca, and arm him well;
and ye shall apparel my body full seemlily, and place me upon the
horse, and fasten and tie me thereon so that it cannot fall: and fasten
my sword Tizona in my hand. And let the Bishop Don Hieronymo go on one
side of me, and my trusty Gil Diaz on the other, and he shall lead my
horse. You, Pero Bermudez, shall bear my banner, as you were wont to
bear it; and you, Alvar Faņez, my cousin, gather your company together,
and put the host in order as you are wont to do. And go ye forth and
fight with King Bucar: for be ye certain and doubt not that ye shall
win this battle; God hath granted me this. And when ye have won the
fight, and the Moors are discomfited, ye may spoil the field at
pleasure. Ye will find great riches. What ye are afterwards to do I
will tell ye to-morrow, when I make my testament.
VI. Early on the morrow the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Alvar Faņez, and
Pero Bermudez, and Martin Antolinez, came to the Cid. Gil Diaz and Doņa
Ximena were alway with him; and the Cid began to make his testament.
And the first thing which he directed, after commending his soul to
God, was, that his body should be buried in the Church of St. Pedro de
Cardeņa, where it now lies; and he bequeathed unto that Monastery many
good inheritances, so that that place is at this day the richer and
more honourable. Then he left to all his company and household
according to the desert of every one. To all the knights who had served
him since he went out of his own country, he gave great wealth in
abundance. And to the other knights who had not served him so long, to
some a thousand marks of silver, to others two, and some there were to
whom lie bequeathed three, according who they were. Moreover, to the
squires who were hidalgos, to some five hundred, and others there were
who had a thousand and five hundred. And he bade them, when they
arrived at St. Pedro de Cardena, give clothing to four thousand poor,
to each a skirt of _escanforte_ and a mantle. And he bequeathed to Doņa
Ximeņa all that he had in the world, that she might live honourably for
the remainder of her days in the Monastery of St. Pedro de Cardena; and
he commanded Cil Diaz to remain with her and serve her well all the
days of her life. And he left it in charge to the Bishop Don Hieronymo,
and Doņa Ximena his wife, and Don Alvar Faņez, and Pero Bermudez, and
Felez Muņoz, his nephews, that they should see all this fulfilled. And
he commanded Alvar Faņez and Pero Bermudez, when they had conquered
King Bucar, to proceed forthwith into Castille and fulfil all that he
had enjoined. This was at the hour of sexts. Then the Cid Ruydiez, the
Campeador of Bivar, bade the Bishop Don Hieronymo give him the body of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and he received it with great
devotion, on his knees, and weeping before them all. Then he sate up in
his bed and called upon God and St. Peter, and began to pray, saying,
Lord Jesus Christ, thine is the power and the kingdom, and thou art
above all Kings and all nations, and all Kings are at thy command, I
beseech thee therefore pardon me my sins, and let my soul enter into
the light which hath no end. And when the Cid Ruydiez had said this,
this noble Baron yielded up his soul, which was pure and without spot,
to God, on that Sunday which is called Quinquagesima, being the twenty
and ninth of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand and ninety and
nine, and in the seventy and third year of his life. After he had thus
made his end they washed his body twice with warm water, and a third
time with rose water, and then they anointed and embalmed it as he had
commanded. And then all the honourable men, and all the clergy who were
in Valencia, assembled and carried it to the Church of St. Mary of the
Virtues, which is near the Alcazar, and there they kept their vigil,
and said prayer and performed masses, as was meet for so honourable a
man.
VII. Three days after the Cid had departed King Bucar came into the
port of Valencia, and landed with all his power, which was so great
that there is not a man in the world who could give account of the
Moors whom he brought. And there came with him thirty and six Kings,
and one Moorish Queen, who was a negress, and she brought with her two
hundred horsewomen, all negresses like herself, all having their hair
shorn save a tuft on the top, and this was in token that they came as
if upon a pilgrimage, and to obtain the remission of their sins; and
they were all armed in coats of mail and with Turkish bows. King Bucar
ordered his tents to be pitched round about Valencia, and Abenalfarax
who wrote this history in Arabic, saith, that there were full fifteen
thousand tents; and he bade that Moorish negress with her archers to
take their station near the city. And on the morrow they began to
attack the city, and they fought against it three days strenuously; and
the Moors received great loss, for they came blindly up to the walls
and were slain there. And the Christians defended themselves right
well, and every time that they went upon the walls, they sounded
trumpets and tambours, and made great rejoicings, as the Cid had
commanded. This continued for eight days or nine, till the companions
of the Cid had made ready every thing for their departure, as he had
commanded. And King Bucar and his people thought that the Cid dared not
come out against them, and they were the more encouraged, and began to
think of making bastilles and engines wherewith to combat the city, for
certes they weened that the Cid Ruydiez dared not come out against
them, seeing that he tarried so long.
VIII. All this while the company of the Cid were preparing all things
to go into Castille, as he had commanded before his death; and his
trusty Gil Diaz did nothing else but labour at this. And the body of
the Cid was prepared after this manner: first it was embalmed and
anointed as the history hath already recounted, and the virtue of the
balsam and myrrh was such that the flesh remained firm and fair, having
its natural colour, and his countenance as it was wont to be, and the
eyes open, and his long beard in order, so that there was not a man who
would have thought him dead if he had seen him and not known it. And on
the second day after he had departed, Gil Díaz placed the body upon a
right noble saddle, and this saddle with the body upon it he put upon a
frame; and he dressed the body in a _gambax_ of fine sendal, next the
skin. And he took two boards and fitted them to the body, one to the
breast and the other to the shoulders; these were so hollowed out and
fitted that they met at the sides and under the arms, and the hind one
came up to the pole, and the other up to the beard; and these boards
were fastened into the saddle, so that the body could not move. All
this was done by the morning of the twelfth day; and all that day the
people of the Cid were busied in making ready their arms, and in
loading beasts with all that they had, so that they left nothing of any
price in the whole city of Valencia, save only the empty houses. When
it was midnight they took the body of the Cid, fastened to the saddle
as it was, and placed it upon his horse Bavieca, and fastened the
saddle well: and the body sate so upright and well that it seemed as if
he was alive. And it had on painted hose of black and white, so
cunningly painted that no man who saw them would have thought but that
they were grieves and cuishes, unless he had laid his hand upon them;
and they put on it a surcoat of green sendal, having his arms blazoned,
thereon, and a helmet of parchment, which was cunningly painted that
every one might have believed it to be iron: and his shield was hung
round his neck, and they placed the sword Tizona in his hand; and they
raised his arm, and fastened it up so subtilly that it was a marvel to
see how upright he held the sword. And the Bishop Don Hieronymo went on
one side of him, and the trusty Gil Diaz on the other, and he led the
horse Bavieca, as the Cid had commanded him. And when all this had been
made ready, they went out from Valencia at midnight, through the gate
of Roseros, which is towards Castille. Pero Bermudez went first with
the banner of the Cid, and with him five hundred knights who guarded
it, all well appointed. And after these came all the baggage. Then came
the body of the Cid with an hundred knights, all chosen men, and behind
them Doņa Ximena with all her company, and six hundred knights in the
rear. All these went out so silently, and with such a measured pace,
that it seemed as if there were only a score. And by the time that they
had all gone out it was broad day.
IX. Now Alvar Faņez Minaya had set the host in order, and while the
Bishop Don Hieronymo and Gil Diaz led away the body of the Cid, and
Doņa Ximena, and the baggage, he fell upon the Moors. First he attacked
the tents of that Moorish Queen the Negress, who lay nearest to the
city; and this onset was so sudden, that they killed full a hundred and
fifty Moors before they had time to take arms or go to horse. But that
Moorish Negress was so skilful in drawing the Turkish bow, that it was
held for a marvel, and it is said that they called her in Arabic
_Nugueymat Turya_, which is to say, the Star of the Archers. And she
was the first that got on horseback, and with some fifty that were with
her, did some hurt to the company of the Cid; but in fine they slew
her, and her people fled to the camp. And so great was the uproar and
confusion, that few there were who took arms, but instead thereof they
turned their backs and fled toward the sea. And when King Bucar and his
Kings saw this they were astonished. And it seemed to them that there
came against them on the part of the Christians full seventy thousand
knights, all as white as snow: and before them a knight of great
stature upon a white horse with a bloody cross, who bore in one hand a
white banner, and in the other a sword which seemed to be of fire, and
he made a great mortality among the Moors who were flying. And King
Bucar and the other Kings were so greatly dismayed that they never
checked the reins till they had ridden into the sea; and the company of
the Cid rode after them, smiting and slaying and giving them no
respite; and they smote down so many that it was marvellous, for the
Moors did not turn their heads to defend themselves. And when they came
to the sea, so great was the press among them to get to the ships, that
more than ten thousand died in the water. And of the six and thirty
Kings, twenty and two were slain. And King Bucar and they who escaped
with him hoisted sails and went their way, and never more turned their
heads. Then Alvar Faņez 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 Doņa 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.
X. Abenalfarax, he who wrote this history in Arabic, saith, 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 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
Abenaltarax 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 the Cid had gone forth; and he went into
the city and traversed 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 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.
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