Chronicle of the Cid

by Unknown

XIX. Then the men of Valencia made Abeniaf their Adelantado, and promised to abide by his counsel; howbeit this could not lightly be done, for many of the people held with the others. And when Abeniaf saw that they would have him for their chief, he said that they should make a writing, and the chief persons of the town confirm it with their names; and the people accorded that it should be so, and it was done accordingly. Then he made offers to the Cid that they should pay him tribute, and took counsel with him how to put the sons of Aboegib, and those who held with them, out of the town; and their counsel was, that the Cid should draw nigh to the walls, and speak unto the men of the town, saying, that so long as they followed after the ways of the sons of Aboegib, he would never grant them his love; and that all the evil which he did unto them was because of them, and because they were guided by them and by their evil counsel. And if they desired to speed well they should send away the sons of Aboegib, and take Abeniaf to be their chief, and give ear unto him. And the Cid came nigh unto the walls and said these things, and moreover that he had great ruth for them, for he loved them well; and if they would do according to his words he would help them and protect them, as he had been wont to do in the days of King Yahia; and he bade them look well to what they were doing, and not suffer themselves to be brought to destruction. And Abeniaf also said these things to those of his household and to all those who talked with him, and asked of them why they would let themselves be brought to destruction by the counsel of foolish men and unwise. And this he said so often that they thought it was truth, and they besought him that as he was their Adelantado now, he would devise means for their deliverance, and how they might live in peace; and he made answer that they were not to think he had forgotten this, for he had laboured greatly with the Cid to obtain his love for them, but the Cid had sworn that they should never have his love till they had put the sons of Aboegib out of the town; when they had done that, he would do whatsoever they should think good, but till they had done it there should be no covenant between him and them. But when the men of the town heard this they murmured greatly, and said that he demanded a hard thing, and that it were better they should all die than do this; and they talked concerning this matter three days, being in doubt what they should do. And when Abeniaf saw that the people were thus at a stand, he took counsel privily with the Cid, and with the knights, and the good men who were on his side, how he might take them. And one of the chief persons of Abeniaf's household went out with a great company of horse and foot to seize the sons of Aboegib; and they when they knew this, took shelter in the house of an Alfaqui, that is to say, one learned in the law, who was held in much honour by the Moors; and in this house, which was surrounded with an embattled wall, they thought with the little company that they had with them, to defend themselves, till the cry could go forth through the city, and their friends come to their succour. And they who went to take them set fire to the outer gates, and many of the baser sort gathered together to see what the stir was. And they ascended the roof and threw down tiles upon the assailants till they made them take shelter under the eaves, and then the house was forced, and they plundered all that they could find, and laid hands on the sons of Aboegib and carried them to prison. All this was done before the cry could go forth through the town; and all the kinsmen of the sons of Aboegib were taken also: they were kept that day in prison, and when it was night they were taken to the Cid, to his lodging in Alcudia, and delivered into his hands.

XX. On the morrow there was a great stir among the men of the town, and they were greatly troubled at this foul thing which Abeniaf had done. But Abeniaf thinking that he should now have his desire, and that all was done, took horse and rode forth with all his company to the Bridge-end, to see Ruydiez the Cid. And the Bishop, as he was called, of Albarrazin, came to meet him with a great company of knights, being the chiefs of the company of the Cid, and they did great honour unto him, thinking that he would give them something. And they brought him to the lodging of the Cid, which was in the Garden of the New Town; and the Cid came out to meet him at the garden gate, and embraced him, and made much of him. And the first thing which he said, was, to ask him why he had not put on kingly garments, for King he was: and he bade him take off the coif which he wore, for it was not what beseemed him now, and made semblance as if he would have held his stirrups. And they stood talking awhile. Now the Cid thought that Abeniaf would not come to him with empty hands, and looked that he should give him of the treasures and jewels that he had taken from King Yahia whom he had slain; but when he saw that he brought nothing, then began the Cid to talk of terms, and said unto him that if he desired to have his love, and that there should be peace between them, he must divide with him the rents of the town, as well what was collected within as without, and that he would have his own Almoxarife to see to this and collect his share. And Abeniaf made answer that it should be so. And the Cid demanded of him his son as hostage, that he might keep him in Juballa, for otherwise he said he could not be secure. And Abeniaf agreed to this also; so they parted for that day, having appointed that they should meet on the morrow, and confirm this covenant by writings so that it should be good. Then Abeniaf returned into the city, full sorrowful and taking great thought; and then he saw the foolishness that he had done in sending away the Almoravides out of the land, and in putting his trust in men of another law. And on the morrow the Cid sent for him that he should come out and confirm the covenant; but Abeniaf sent him word that he would not give him his son, even though he knew he should lose his head for refusing. And the Cid sent him a letter with great threats, saying, that since he had thus deceived him, there should never more be love between them, nor would he ever believe aught which he should say. And then the hatred between them waxed very great. And the Cid sent unto that Moor who had taken the sons of Aboegib and bade him leave the town, and go unto the Castle which was called Alcala; and he obeyed and went thither, for he dared not do otherwise than as the Cid commanded. And he did great honours to the sons of Aboegib and to their kinsmen, and gave orders that they should be provided with all things which they needed, and gave them garments, and promised that he would be their great friend. At this time three good men of Valencia died, who were the most honourable of the town and of the most discretion, and Abeniaf was left as Chief, for there was none to gainsay him.

XXI. And the Cid made war afresh upon the city as cruelly as he could, and the price of bread was now three times as great as it had been at the beginning; the load of wheat was worth an hundred maravedís of silver, and the pound of flesh was a maravedí. And the Cid drew nigh unto the walls, so as to fight hand to hand with the townsmen. And Abeniaf waxed proud and despised the people, and when any went to make complaint before him, and ask justice at his hands, he dishonoured them, and they were evil entreated by him. And he was like a King, retired apart, and trobadors and gleemen and masters disported before him which could do the best, and he took his pleasure. And they of the town were in great misery, from the Christians who warred upon them from without, and the famine whereof they died within. Moreover Abeniaf oppressed them greatly, and he took unto himself all the goods of those who died, and he made all persons equal, the good and the bad, and took from all all that he could; and those who gave him nothing he ordered to be tormented with stripes, and cast into rigorous prisons, till he could get something from them. And he had no respect neither for kinsman nor friend. There was but one measure for all, and men cared nothing now for their possessions, so that the sellers were many and the buyers none. And with all these miseries the price of food became exceeding great, for the cafiz of wheat was priced at ninety maravedis, and that of barley at eighty, and that of painick eighty and five, and that of all pulse sixty, and the arroba of figs seven, and of honey twenty, and of cheese eighteen, and of carobs sixteen, and of onions twelve, and the measure of oil twenty: flesh there was none, neither of beast nor of anything else; but if a beast died, the pound was worth three maravedis. And they were so weak with hunger that the Christians came to the walls and threw stones in with the hand, and there was none who had strength to drive them back.

XXII. And the Cid having it at heart to take the town, let make an engine, and placed it at one of the gates, and it did great hurt both to the walls and within the town; and the Moors made other engines, with the which they brake that of the Cid. And the Cid in his anger let make three engines, and placed them at the three gates of the town, and they did marvellous great hurt. And food waxed dearer every day, till at last dear nor cheap it was not to be had, and there was a great mortality for famine; and they eat dogs and cats and mice. And they opened the vaults and privies and sewers of the town, and took out the stones of the grapes which they had eaten, and washed them, and ate them. And they who had horses fed upon them. And many men, and many women, and many children watched when the gates were open, and went out and gave themselves into the hands of the Christians, who slew some, and took others, and sold them to the Moors in Alcudia; and the price of a Moor was a loaf and a pitcher of wine: and when they gave them food, and they took their fill, they died. Them that were stronger they sold to merchants who came there by sea from all parts. And the Moors of Alcudia, and of the town which the Cid had made there, had plenty of all things, and as great as was their abundance, even so great was the misery of those in the town: and they spake the verse which sayeth, If I go to the right the water will destroy me, and if I go to the left the lion will kill me, and if I turn back there is the fire.

XXIII. Now the Moors of Valencia being in this great misery because of the siege which the Cid laid unto the town, Abeniaf bethought him that he would send a messenger to the King of Zaragoza, and beseech him to come to his succour, even as he had succoured the grandson of Alimaymon, when the Lord of Denia and Tortosa came against him. And the good men of the town took counsel whether they should say in these letters, To you the King, or whether they should humble themselves before him and call him Lord; and they debated upon this for three days, and agreed that they would call him Lord, that he might have the more compassion upon them. And though Abeniaf was troubled at heart at this determination, nevertheless he said in the letter as they had appointed. And he called a Moor who spake the mixed language, and instructed him how to get out of the city by night, so that the Christians might not see him, and told him that when he had given that letter to the King of Zaragoza, the King would give him garments, and a horse, and a mule to ride on, and that he himself would show favour unto him as long as he lived. So the messenger departed with the letter. And the famine in the town waxed greater, and food was not now bought by the cafiz, neither by the fanega, but by ounces, or at most by the pound. And the pound of wheat cost a maravedí and a half, and that of barley a maravedi, and that of painick a maravedi and a quarter, and of pulse a maravedi, and of flax-seed three parts of a maravedi, and of cheese three dineros, and of honey three, and of figs one; and the panilla of oil was eight dineros, and the pound of colewort five, and the ounce of carobs three parts of a dinero, and the ounce of onions the same, and the head of garlick the same; and a pound of beast's flesh was six maravedis, and grape-stones were half a dinero the pound, and the skins of kine and of beasts five dineros; the dinero was silver, for there was no money current save silver and gold.

XXIV. When the King of Zaragoza saw the letter which Abeniaf and the men of Valencia had sent him, he gave no heed to it, neither cared he for the messenger, neither did he give him even a draught of water for his reward. And the messenger waited for his answer from day to day for three weeks, and he dared not depart without it for fear least Abeniaf should slay him; and he thought also that some of the King's people would come out after him and slay him upon the way; and he was urgent for his answer, and began at last to cry aloud at the gate of the King's house, so that the King asked of what that messenger was making his complaint. Then they told the King that he wanted his answer that he might be gone. And the King wrote an answer and said, that this aid which they besought of him he could not give till he had sent to ask help of King Don Alfonso of Castille, for he could not else venture to do battle with the Cid. And he exhorted them to defend themselves the best they could while he procured horsemen from King Don Alfonso to help them, and that they should from time to time send him word how they went on. So the messenger returned in great sorrow that he had sped no better, and that nothing had been given him as Abeniaf had promised: and all this which the King of Zaragoza said was only delay, and meant nothing. And the famine now waxed so great, that there was no food to sell, and many died of hunger. And many for great misery went out to the Christians, recking not whether they should be made captive, or slain, for they thought it better to be slain than to perish for lack of food. And Abeniaf searched all the houses in the town for food, and where he found any store, he left only what would suffice for a fortnight, and took the rest, saying that in that time the King of Zaragoza would come and relieve them, for that he only tarried to collect great store of food, that he might bring it with him. This he said to keep the people quiet, and to encourage them. And of the food which he carried away he took the most part for himself and for his guards, and the rest he ordered to be sold in such manner that none should buy more than would suffice him for the day. And what he took he did not pay for, and when the people demanded payment he put them off till another day; and he bade them not complain, for they would be relieved from this misery, and then he would pay them well. And they who had any food left buried it for fear, and for this reason there was none to be bought, neither dear nor cheap. And they who had nothing else, ate herbs, and leather, and electuaries from the apothecaries which they bought at a great price, and the poor ate the dead bodies.

XXV. Now Abeniaf had no hope of succour save only from the King of Zaragoza, who had sent to bid him hold out; and he sent to him every night to tell him of the great misery which there was in Valencia, and the King of Zaragoza returned for answer that King Don Alfonso had sent him a great body of horsemen with Garcia Ordoñez, and would come himself after them; and he sent in this letter another letter written with his own hand, and which was to be shown to the good men of the town, privily; and he said therein, with great oaths to confirm it, that he would without fail come and deliver them, for it was a great grief to him to think what they endured, and that this was as great sorrow to him, as theirs could be. And certain of the King's favourites wrote to Abeniaf also after the same manner, telling him that he would surely come; howbeit one of his favourites who had compassion upon the men of Valencia sent a covert message to warn them, saying, That the King of Zaragoza would build a tower in Alcudia de Tudela; the meaning of this was, that all the King said, was only to put them off. Abeniaf did not understand it, and sent to ask him what it was that he had said; but the other made him no reply. Then the King of Zaragoza sent two messengers to the Cid with jewels and rich presents, and besought him that he would not distress the men of Valencia so greatly, and also that he would let his messengers enter the town that they might speak with Abeniaf. This the Cid would not permit; howbeit they found means to send in a letter, saying, Wit ye that I send to entreat the Cid that he will not do so great evil unto you, and I give him jewels and rich presents that he may do my will in this, and I believe that he will do it. But if he should not, I will gather together a great host, and drive him out of the land. Howbeit these were but dissembling words, for the King of Zaragoza and the Cid were friends and were of one accord, that the Cid should take Valencia and give it the King, who should give him great treasures in return.

XXVI. Then the Cid began to treat with a great Moor of the town, named Abenmoxiz that he should rise up against Abeniaf, and kill him or deliver him into his hands, and that he would make him Lord over Valencia, and the country as far as Denia. And Abenmoxiz took counsel with his friends, and they advised him that he should do this: but Abeniaf knew of their counsel, and took them, and put them in prison, and gave them in charge to two of his household in whom he had great trust. And Abenmoxiz talked with his keepers, and told them all that he proposed to do, and promised them, if they would release him, to reward them greatly when he had succeeded, saying, that he undertook this with the consent and advice of the King of Zaragoza: so they were persuaded and promised to join with him. And when it was night Abenmoxiz and his friends and the two keepers agreed to seize the Alcazar, which was the place wherein they were imprisoned, and to beat the alarm, and raise a cry for the King of Zaragoza; and they thought the men of the town would join with them, and then they would go to the house of Abeniaf and lay hands on him. And they did accordingly, and beat a drum, and sent a cryer upon the tower of the Mosque to bid all the people assemble at the Alcazar. And when the people heard that drum and that cryer they were in great fear, and knew not what to think: and they assembled some to guard their own houses, other some to guard the tower, till they knew what it was. And when Abeniaf heard it, he was greatly dismayed, and he asked of all whom he found at his gates, what the uproar was, and what this thing might be. In short time all they who were on his side, both horse and foot, assembled together, and then they knew what it was; and he bade them go to the Alcazar and take Abenmoxiz, and all that held with him. Abenmoxiz this while was at the gate of the Alcazar with his little company, thinking that the whole town would join him; and behold Abeniaf's company came up and charged him; and he thought to defend himself with the few that were with him, but the most part fled, and he with four others were taken; and they led them with great shame to the house of Abeniaf, who sent him to prison, and gave orders to smite off the heads of the others. And Abeniaf sent to lay hands on all whom he suspected, and took from them all that they had. And he sent messengers to the King of Zaragoza, to tell him what had chanced, and they took with them Abenmoxiz prisoner, and they were charged to remain at Zaragoza, and send him true tidings from thence.

XXVII. Now there was no food to be bought in the city, and the people were in the waves of death: and men were seen to drop and die in the streets, and the Place of the Alcazar round about the walls thereof was full of graves, and there was no grave which had fewer than ten bodies in it. As many as could fled out of the town, and delivered themselves up to the Christians to be made prisoners. The Cid thought that they who were the Chiefs within the walls, thrust out the poor and feeble, that they might be able to hold out longer; and it troubled him, for he thought to take the town by starving it, and he feared the coming of the Almoravides. Sometimes it troubled him, and at other times he seemed pleased that the Moors should come out and give themselves prisoners to his people. Now it befel that once, at such time as it seemed to please him, some of the chief men of the town came out in this manner, and counselled him that he should attack it, for they said the men at arms were few, and weak for hunger, and that he might presently win it: and the Cid took thought upon this matter, and resolved to do as they said; and he gathered together his host and advanced against the gate which is called Belfanhanes, that is to say, the Gate of the Snake, and they drew nigh unto the wall. And all the people of the town assembled, even all the force which was therein, and threw down stones from the gate and from the wall, and shot their arrows, so that neither stone nor arrow fell in vain; and the Cid and they who had advanced with him went into a bath which was near the wall, to be under cover from the arrows. And Abeniaf's company opened the gate and sallied out, seeing that the stones and arrows from the wall had hurt many, and made the Christians draw back; and the Cid and they who were with him remained in the bath, being shut up there, for they could not go out by the door where at they had entered, and they broke through the wall on the other side, and the Cid escaped that way, being thus put to rout. Then he thought himself ill advised in having attacked the town, and in putting himself into a place from whence he had escaped with such great danger; and he held that the worst war which he could make upon the men of Valencia was to let them die of hunger. So he ordered proclamation to be made so loud that all the Moors upon the walls could hear, bidding all who had come out from the town to return into it, or he would burn as many as he should find; and saying also that he would slay all who came out from that time forth. Nevertheless they continued to let themselves down from the walls, and the Christians took them without his knowledge. But as many as he found he burnt alive before the walls, so that the Moors could see them; in one day he burnt eighteen, and cast others alive to the dogs, who tore them in pieces. They who could hide any sent them away by sea and by land to be sold; the most whom they sent were young men and girls, for others they would not take; and many virgins they kept for themselves. And if they knew that any who came out, had left kinsmen or friends in the town who would give any thing for them, they tortured them before the walls, or hung them from the towers of the Mosques which were without the city, and stoned them; and when they in the town saw this they gave ransom for them, that they might be permitted to dwell in Alcudia with the Moors who were in peace with the Cid. This continued for two months, till there were only four beasts left in the town, and one was a mule of Abeniaf's, and another was a horse of his son's; and the people were so wasted that there were but few who had strength to mount the wall.

XXVIII. The company of Abeniaf and of his kinsmen despaired now of holding out, and of the help of the King of Zaragoza, or of the Almoravides, and they desired rather to die than endure this misery. And the good men of the city, as many as were left, went to an Alfaqui, who was a good man, and one who was held in great esteem, and besought him to give them counsel, for he saw their great distress, and how they were out of all hope of succour; and they besought him that he would go to Abeniaf, and know of him what he thought to do, or what hope he had, that he let them all perish thus. The Alfaqui gave ear to them, and said that if they would all hold together, and be of one heart, and show great anger at having been brought to this misery, he would do all he could to relieve them; and they promised to do whatever he should advise. Now Abeniaf knew of the talk which the good men of the town had had with the Alfaqui, and understood that it was because of the great misery which they endured; and he thought in his heart that he would humble himself, and do whatever his people should think good. And the Alfaqui thought that happy man was his dole now that the people had committed themselves to his guidage, and he went to Abeniaf and communed with him, and their accord was to give up all hope of succour. And Abeniaf put himself in the hands of the Alfaqui, that he should go between him and the Cid and the people of Valencia, and make the best terms for them that he could, seeing that they could no longer hold out, and maintain the town.