The Lay of the Cid

by Unknown

And then outspake Minaya, for nothing tarried he:
"Since thou wishest this, give orders of another sort to me.
For the sore need of battle grant me six score horse and ten;
From the far flank, when thou charges will I fall on them then.
On one side or the other the Lord will stand our stead."
"With right good will," unto him answered the Cid and said.

XCIV.
And now broke forth the morning, and now drew back the night.
Those bands of Christ delayed not to get ready for the fight.
At the middle cocks ere morning, mass for them Jerome did chant,
And mass said, absolution in full to them did grant:

"Who face to face shall perish this day the fight within,
May Christ receive his spirit, on my soul I take his sin.
Cid, don Rodrigo, in good hour thou girdedst brand; to thee
I sang the mass this morning. Grant then my boon to me:
Give me to strike the foremost the first stroke of the war."
"The thing to thee is granted," answered the Campeador.

XCV.
Out through the Quarter Towers full armed away they went.
The lord Cid and his henchmen did counsel and consent.
Levies they left behind them, the gates to watch and keep.
On the steed Baviéca sprang the lord Cid with a leap.
Fair trappings and caparisons girded that steed about.
With the standard from Valencia forthwith they sallied out.
Were with the Cid four thousand less but a score and ten,
They came gladly to a battle against fifty thousand men.
Alvar Alvarez and Minaya on the other side did smite.
It seemed good to the Creator, and they threw them into flight.
With the lance the Cid did battle, hand he set to sword as well.
So many Moors he slaughtered that their numbers none might tell.
Down from his elbow streaming the blood of battle came.
Even against King Yússuf three buffets did he aim.
He 'scaped from underneath the sword for his steed could run
apace,
And bore him to Culléra, an exceeding mighty place.
Even so far he of Bivár pursued them as they fled,
With a host of gallant vassals in his company that sped.
He who in happy hour was born from that pursuit turned back;
He was gladdened of the booty they had taken inthe attack.
Good to him seemed Baviéca from head to tail that day.
In his hands remained the booty of that battle for a prey.
Of the twoscore and ten thousand, when they were counted o'er,
There 'scaped out of that battle but an hundred men and four.
My lord the Cid his henchmen have sacked the field around;
Of the gold and of the silver three thousand marks they found,
And of the other booty was no measure to be had.
My lord Cid and his vassals were all exceeding glad,
For in winning of the battle God's grace to them was shown,
When the king of Morocco in this guise was overthrown.
The Cid left Alvar Fañez to count the spoil and slain.
With fivescore horse he entered Valencia once again.
Helmless he rode. Upon his brow the coif was disarrayed.
Through the town on Baviéca he galloped, hand on blade.
And the ladies gave him welcome, on his coming that did wait.
My lord Cid stopped before them, reining in the charger great:
"Ladies, I bow before you. Groweth apace my fame.
While you have held Valencia in the field I overcame.
This was our God's desire and all his Saints likewise,
Since at your coming hither He gave us such a prize.
Look on the bloody sword-blade and the steed with sweat a-foam.
With such are the Moriscos in the battle overcome.
Pray now to God that I may yet live some few years from this;
You shall enter to great honor and men your hands shall kiss."

So he spake as he dismounted. When on the ground stood he
When the dames and his daughters and his wife of high degree
Saw him get off, they kneeled them down before the Campeador:
"Thy will be done, and mayst thou live through many a long year
more."

The Cid unto the palace returning then they brought;
They rested them on benches most exquisitely wrought:
"Ha! Dame Xiména, wife of mine, didst thou beg this of me?
These dames thou hast brought hither so well that wait on thee,
In marriage to my vassals I am fain to give them o'er,
And unto every lady for her dower marks ten score.
Men shall know of their good service, in the kingdom of Castile.
With my maids' affairs hereafter at our leisure we shall deal."
All there rose up together, and kissed his fingers straight,
The rejoicing in the palace it was exceeding great.
As my lord Cid commanded so they brought the thing about.

Minaya Alvar Fañez tarried on the field without,
With his men to write and reckon. Arms, tents and rich array
In great store they discovered. It was a sovran prey.
The richest of the treasure I am fain now to recite:
The tale of all the horses they could not take aright;
They wandered all caparisoned. Was none to take a steed.
The Moors out of their provinces had gathered wealth indeed.
Though this were so, were given to the gallant Campeador
Of the best of all the horses for his share fifty score.
When the Cid had so many the rest content might bide.
What store of rich pavilions and carven poles beside
To the lord Cid and his vassals by the chance of war did fall,
And the King's tent of Morocco was the richest of them all,
All gold wrought are the tent-poles that pavilion that sustain.
My lord Cid the great Campeador did at that time ordain
That it stand pitched; to move it let not a Christian dare.
"Since hither from Morocco is come a tent so fair,
To Alfonso the Castilian I am fain to send it now;
That the Cid hath captured somewhat then lightly will be trow."

Laden with mighty riches to Valencia came they home.
That very noble cleric, the Bishop don Jerome,
When a surfeit of the fighting he had had of his hands twain,
Was at a loss to number the Moors that he had slain.
What fell to him of booty was sovran great of worth.
My lord Cid don Rodrigo (in a good time was his birth,)
Of all his fifth share of the spoil has sent him the tenth part.

XCVI.
The Christians in Valencia were all right glad of heart,
For now excelling riches, horses and arms they had.
Xiména and her daughters all three were passing glad,
And the other dames; as wedded upon themselves looked they.
And my lord Cid the noble in no wise would delay.
"Where art thou brave Minaya? Come hither to me now.
For thy great share of booty, no gratitude hast thou?
Of this my fifth of all the prey, I tell thee clear and plain,
Take unto thy good pleasure, but let the rest remain.
And tomorrow in the morning thou shalt certainly ride out
With the horses of my portion that I captured in the rout,
With the saddles and the bridles and the swords that them behove,
For the sake of my lady and for my daughters love.
Since Alfonso sent the ladies whither they were content,
These same two hundred horses to him thou shalt present,
That of him who rules Valencia the King no ill may say."

He bade go with Minaya Per Vermudóz straightway.
The next day in the morning they departed with all speed,
And a full two hundred henchmen along with them they lead,
With greetings from the Cid who fain would kiss his hands aright.
Even out of the battle where my lord Cid won the fight,
For a gift he sent Alfonso of horses good ten score:
"While I have breath within me, I will serve him evermore."