IV. When the King entered the city, he bade his seneschal, Benito Perez, make ready the Palaces of Galiana for the next day, when the Cortes should begin; and he fitted the great Palace after this manner. He placed estrados with carpets upon the ground, and hung the walls with cloth of gold. And in the highest place he placed the royal chair in which the King should sit; it was a right noble chair and a rich, which he had won in Toledo, and which had belonged to the Kings thereof; and round about it right noble estrados were placed for the Counts and honourable men who were come to the Cortes. Now the Cid knew how they were fitting up the Palaces of Galiana, and he called for a squire, who was a young man, one whom he had brought up and in whom he had great trust; he was an hidalgo, and hight Ferran Alfonso; and the Cid bade him take his ivory seat which he had won in Valencia, and which had belonged to the Kings thereof, and place it in the Palace, in the best place, near the seat of the King; and that none might hurt or do dishonour unto it, he gave him a hundred squires, all hidalgos, to go with him, and ordered them not to leave it till he should come there the next day. So when they had dined, they made the seat be taken up, and went with it to the Palaces of Galiana, and placed it near the seat of the King, as the Cid had commanded; and all that day and night they remained there guarding the ivory seat, till the Cid should come and take his place thereon; every one having his sword hung from his neck. This was a right noble seat, and of subtle work, so that whoso beheld it would say it was the seat of a good man, and that it became such a one as the Cid. It was covered with cloth of gold, underneath which was a cushion.
V. On the morrow, after the King had heard mass, he went into the Palace of Galiana, where the Cortes was to assemble, and the Infantes of Carrion and the other Counts and Ricos-omes with him, save the Cid who was not yet come; and when they who did not love the Cid beheld his ivory seat, they began to make mock of it. And Count Garcia said to the King, I beseech your Grace, tell me, for whom that couch is spread beside your seat: for what dame is it made ready; will she come drest in the almexia … or with white alquinales on her head, or after what fashion will she be apparelled? Sir, a seat like that is fit for none but your Grace: give order to take it for yourself, or that it be removed. When Ferran Alfonso, who was there to guard the ivory seat heard this, he answered and said, Count, you talk full foolishly, and speak ill of one against whom it behoves you not to talk. He who is to sit upon this seat is better than you, or than all your lineage; and he hath ever appeared a man to all his enemies, not like a woman as you say. If you deny this I will lay hands upon you, and make you acknowledge it before my Lord the King Don Alfonso, who is here present. And I am of such a race that you cannot acquit yourself by saying I am not your peer, and the vantage of half your arms I give you! At these words was the King greatly troubled, and the Counts also, and all the honourable men who were there present. And Count García who was an angry man, wrapt his mantle under his arm, and would have struck Ferran Alfonso, saying, Let me get at the boy who dares me! And Ferran Alfonso laid hand upon his sword and came forward to meet him, saying, that if it were not for the King, he would punish him thereright for the folly which he had uttered. But the King seeing that these words went on from bad to worse, put them asunder that farther evil might not happen, and he said, None of ye have reason to speak thus of the seat of the Cid; he won it like a good knight and a valiant, as he is. There is not a King in the world who deserves this seat better than my vassal the Cid, and the better and more honourable he is, the more am I honoured through him. This seat he won in Valencia, where it had belonged to the Kings thereof; and much gold and silver, and many precious stones hath he won; and many a battle hath he won both against Christians and Moors: and of all the spoil which he hath won, he hath alway sent me part, and great presents and full rich, such as never other vassal sent to his Lord; and this he hath done in acknowledgment that I am his Lord. Ye who are talking here against him, which of ye hath ever sent me such gifts as he? If any one be envious, let him atchieve such feats as he hath done, and I will seat him with myself to do him honour.
VI. Now the Cid had performed his vigil in the Church of St. Servan, matins and primes were said, and mass performed; and then he made ready to go to the Cortes, and with him went Alvar Fañez Minaya, whom he called his right arm, and Pero Bermudez, and Muño Gustios, and Martin Antolinez that doughty Burgalese, and Alvar Alvarez, and Alvar Salvadorez, and Martin Muñoz, and Felez Muñoz the Cid’s nephew, and Malanda who was a learned man, and Galin Garciez the good one of Aragon: these and others made ready to go with him, being an hundred of the best of his company. They wore velmezes under their harness, that they might be able to bear it, and then their mail, which was as bright as the sun: over this they had ermine or other skins, laced tight that the armour might not be seen, and under their cloaks, their swords which were sweet and sharp. He who was born in happy hour made no tarriance; he drew on his legs hose of fine cloth, and put on over them shoes which were richly worked. A shirt of ranzal he wore, which was as white as the sun; all the fastenings were wrought with gold and silver: over this a brial of gold tissue; and over this a red skin with points of gold. My Cid the Campeador alway wore it. On his head he had a coif of scarlet wrought with gold, which was made that none might clip the hair of the good Cid. His was a long beard, and he bound it with a cord. And he bade Alvar Fañez and Pero Bermudez assemble their companions, and when he saw them he said, If the Infantes of Carrion should seek a quarrel, where I have a hundred such as these I may be well without fear! And he said, Let us mount now and go to the Cortes. We go to make one defiance, and peradventure it may be two or three, through the folly of those who may stir against us. Ye will be ready to aid me, saying and doing as I shall call upon ye, always saving the honour and authority of King Don Alfonso our Lord; see now that none of ye say or do ought amiss, for it would be unseemly. Then called he for his horse, and bestrode it, and rode to the Cortes.
VII. My Cid and his company alighted at the gate of the Palaces of Galiana, and he and his people went in gravely, he in the midst and his hundred knights round about him. When he who was born in happy hour entered, the good King Don Alfonso rose up, and the Counts Don Anrrich and Don Remond did the like, and so did all the others, save the curly-headed one of Granon, and they who were on the side of the Infantes of Carrion. All the others received him with great honour. And he said unto the King, Sir, where do you bid me sit with these my kinsmen and friends who are come with me? And the King made answer, Cid, you are such a one, and have past your time so well to this day, that if you would listen to me and be commanded by me, I should hold it good that you took your seat with me; for he who hath conquered Kings, ought to be seated with Kings. But the Cid answered, That, Sir, would not please God, but I will be at your feet for by the favour of the King your father Don Ferrando was I made, his creature and the creature of your brother King Don Sancho am I, and it behoveth not that he who receiveth bounty should sit with him who dispenseth it. And the King answered, Since you will not sit with me, sit on your ivory seat, for you won it like a good man; and from this day I order that none except King or Prelate sit with you, for you have conquered so many high-born men, and so many Kings, both Christians and Moors, that for this reason there is none who is your peer, or ought to be seated with you. Sit therefore like a King and Lord upon your ivory seat. Then the Cid kissed the King’s hand, and thanked him for what he had said, and for the honour which he had done him; and he took his seat, and his hundred knights seated themselves round about him. All who were in the Cortes sate looking at my Cid and at his long beard which he had bound with a cord; but the Infantes of Carrion could not look upon him for shame.
VIII. When they were all seated the King gave command that they should be silent; and when the Cid saw that they were all still, he rose and spake after this manner. Sir King Don Alfonso, I beseech you of your mercy that you would hear me, and give command that I should be heard, and that you would suffer none to interrupt me, for I am not
a man of speech, neither know I how to set forth my words, and if they interrupt me I shall be worse. Moreover, Sir, give command that none be bold enough to utter unseemly words, nor be insolent towards me, least we should come to strife in your presence. Then King Don Alfonso rose and said, Hear me, as God shall help you! Since I have been King I have held only two Cortes, one in Burgos, and one in Carrion. This third I have assembled here in Toledo for the love of the Cid, that he may demand justice against the Infantes of Carrion for the wrongs which we all know. The Counts Don Anrrich and Don Remoud shall be Alcaldes in this cause; and these other Counts who are not on either side, give ye all good heed, for ye are to take cognizance that the right may be decreed. And I give order, and forbid any one, to speak without my command, or to utter aught insolent against the Cid; and I swear by St. Isidro, that whosoever shall disturb the Cortes shall lose my love and be banished from the kingdom. I am on the side of him who shall be found to have the right. Then those Counts who were appointed Alcaldes were sworn upon the Holy Gospels, that they would judge between the Cid and the Infantes of Carrion, rightly and truly, according to the law of Castille and Leon.
IX. When this was done the King bade the Cid make his demand; and the Cid rose and said, Sir, there is no reason for making long speeches here, which would detain the Cortes. I demand of the Infantes of Carrion, before you, two swords which I gave into their keeping; the one is Colada and the other Tizona. I won them like a man, and gave them to the keeping of the Infantes that they might honour my daughters with them, and serve you. When they left my daughters in the Oak-forest of Corpes they chose to have nothing to do with me, and renounced my love; let them therefore give me back the swords, seeing that they are no longer my sons-in-law. Then the King commanded the Alcaldes to judge upon this demand according as they should find the right; and they took counsel and judged, that the swords should be restored unto the Cid. And Count Don Garcia said they would talk concerning it; and the Infantes of Carrion talked apart with those who were on their side, and they thought that they were well off; for that the Cid would demand nothing more of them, but would leave the Cortes when he had recovered the swords. So they brought the swords Colada and Tizona, and delivered them to the King. The King drew the swords, and the whole Court shone with their brightness: their hilts were of solid gold; all the good men of the Cortes marvelled at them. And the Cid rose and received them, and kissed the King’s hand, and went back to his ivory seat; and he took the swords in his hand and looked at them; they could not change them, for the Cid knew them well, and his whole frame rejoiced, and he smiled from his heart. And he laid them upon his lap and said, Ah, my swords, Colada and Tizona, truly may I say of you, that you are the best swords in Spain; and I won you, for I did not get you either by buying or by barter. I gave ye in keeping to the Infantes of Carrion that they might do honour to my daughters with ye. But ye were not for them! they kept ye hungry, and did not feed ye with flesh as ye were wont to be fed. Well is it for you that ye have escaped that thraldom and are come again to my hands, and happy man am I to recover you. Then Alvar Fañez rose and kissed the hand of the Cid, and said, I beseech you give Colada into my keeping while this Cortes shall last, that I may defend you therewith: and the Cid gave it him and said. Take it, it hath changed its master for the better. And Pero Bermudez rose and made the same demand for the sword Tizona, and the Cid gave it him in like manner. Then the Cid laid hand upon his beard as he was wont to do, and the Infantes of Carrion and they who were of their side thought that he meant to disturb the Cortes, and they were greatly afraid; but he sate still like a man of good understanding, for he was not one who did things lightly.
X. Then the Cid rose and said, Thanks be to God and to you, Sir King, I have recovered my swords Colada and Tizona, I have now another demand against the Infantes of Carrion, King Don Alfonso, you well know that it was your pleasure to bid me meet you at Requeña, and I went there in obedience to your command. And you asked of me my daughters in marriage for the Infantes, and I did not refuse, in that I would not disobey your command; and you bade me deliver them to my kinsman here Don Alvar Fañez, and he gave them to the Infantes to be their wives, and the blessing was given them in the church of St. Mary, according to the law of Rome. You, Sir, gave them in marriage, not I; and you did it for good, not for evil; but what they did was after another wise. And though they are of great blood and honourable, yet would I not have given my daughters to them, unless in obedience to your command; and this, Sir, you well know, for so I said unto you. I gave them, when they took my daughters from Valencia, horses and mules, and cups and vessels of fine gold, and much wrought silver, and many noble garments, and other gifts, three thousand marks of silver in all, thinking that I gave it to my daughters whom I loved. Now, Sir, since they have cast my daughters off, and hold themselves to have been dishonoured in marrying them, give command that they restore unto me this which is my own, or that they show cause why they should not. Then might you have seen the Infantes of Carrion in great chafing. And Count Don Remond called upon them to speak; and they said, We gave his swords to the Cid Campeador, that he might ask nothing more of us, if it please the King. But the King said that they must answer to the demand. And they asked to consult together concerning it; and the King bade them take counsel and make answer incontinently. So they went apart, and with them eleven Counts and Ricos-omes who were on their side, but no right or reason could they find for opposing this demand which the Cid had made. Howbeit Count Don Garcia spake for them and said, Sir, this which the Cid demands back from them, it is true that he gave it, but they have expended it in your service; we hold therefore that they are not bound to make restitution of it, seeing how it hath been expended. Nevertheless if you hold it to be lawful that they should restore this money, give order that time be given them to make the payment, and they will go to Carrion, their inheritance, and there discharge the demand as you shall decree. When the Count had thus said he sate down. And the Cid arose and said, Sir, if the Infantes of Carrion have expended aught in your service, it toucheth not me. You and the Alcaldes whom you have appointed have heard them admit that I gave them this treasure, and this excuse which they set up; I pray you let judgment be given whether they are bound to pay it or not. Then King Don Alfonso answered and said, If the Infantes of Carrion have expended aught in my service, I am bound to repay it, for the Cid must not lose what is his own; and he bade the Alcaldes consult together and judge according to what they should find right. And the Alcaldes having taken counsel gave judgment, that seeing the Infantes acknowledged the Cid had given them this treasure with his daughters, and they had abandoned them, they must needs make restitution in the Cortes of the King there right: and the King confirmed this sentence, and the Cid rose and kissed the King’s hand. Greatly were the Infantes of Carrion troubled at this sentence, and they besought the King that he would obtain time for them from the Cid, in which to make their payment; and the King besought him to grant them fifteen days, after this manner, that they should not depart from the Court till they had made the payment, and that they should plight homage for the observance of this. And the Cid granted what the King desired, and they plighted homage accordingly in the hands of the King, Then made they their account with the King, and it was found that what they had expended for his service was two hundred marks of silver, and the King said that he would repay this, so that there remained for them two thousand and eight hundred to pay. Who can tell the trouble in which the Infantes were, to pay this treasure to the Cid, they and all their kindred and friends, for it was full hard for them to accomplish, And they took up upon trust horses and mules and wrought silver, and other precious things, and as they could get them, delivered them over to the Cid. Then might you have seen many a good-going horse brought there, and many a good mule, and many a good palfrey, and many a good sword with its mountings. And they sent to Carrion to their father and mother to help them, for they were in great trouble; and they raised for them all they could, so that th
ey made up the sum within the time appointed. And then they thought that the matter was at an end, and that nothing more would be demanded from them.
XI. After this payment had been made the Cortes assembled again, and the King and all the honourable men being each in his place, the Cid rose from his ivory seat, and said, Sir, praise be to God and your favour, I have recovered my swords, and my treasure; now then I pray you let this other demand be heard which I have to make against the Infantes. Full hard it is for me to make it, though I have it rooted in my heart! I say then, let them make answer before you, and tell why it was that they besought you to marry them with my daughters, and why they took them away from me from Valencia, when they had it in heart to dishonour me, and to strike them, and leave them as they were left, in the Oak-forest of Corpes? Look, Sir, what dishonour they did them! they stript them of the garments which they had not given them, as if they had been bad women, and the children of a bad father. With less than mortal defiance I shall not let them go!… How had I deserved this, Infantes, at your hands? I gave you my daughters to take with you from Valencia; with great honour and great treasures gave I them unto you;… Dogs and Traitors,… ye took them from Valencia when ye did not love them, and with your bridles ye smote and with your spurs ye spurned and wounded them, and ye left them alone in the Oak-forest, to the wild beasts, and to the birds of the mountain! King Don Alfonso, they neither remembered God, nor you, nor me, nor their own good fortune! And here was fulfilled the saying of the wise man, that harder it is for those who have no understanding to bear with good than with evil. Praise be to God and to your grace, such a one am I, and such favour hath God shown me, from the day when I first had horse and arms, until now, that not only the Infantes of Carrion, but saving yourself, Sir, there is not a King in Christendom who might not think himself honoured in marrying with either of my daughters,… how much more then these traitors!… I beseech you give me justice upon them for the evil and dishonour which they have done me! And if you and your Cortes will not right me, through the mercy of God and my own good cause, I will take it myself, for the offence which they have committed against God and the faith, and the truth which they promised and vowed to their wives. I will pull them down from the honour in which they now are; better men than they have I conquered and made prisoners ere now! and with your license, Sir, to Carrion will I follow them, even to their inheritance, and there will I besiege them, and take them by the throat, and carry them prisoners to Valencia to my daughters, and there make them do penance for the crime which they have committed, and feed them with the food which they deserve. If I do not perform this, call me a flat traitor. When the King heard this he rose up and said, that it might be seen how he was offended in this thing. Certes, Cid Ruydiez Campeador, I asked your daughters of you for the Infantes of Carrion, because, as they well know, they besought me to do so, I never having thought thereof. It well seemeth now that they were not pleased with this marriage which I made at their request, and great part of the dishonour which they have done you, toucheth me. But seeing ye are here in my presence, it is not fitting that you make your demand in any other manner than through my Cortes; do you therefore accuse them, and let them acquit themselves if they can before my Alcaldes, who will pass sentence according to what is right. And the Cid kissed the King’s hand, and returned to his place upon the ivory seat.
Complete Poetical Works of Robert Southey Page 268