The Lay of the Cid Part 14

"My lady in the palace in the citadel remain.

When thou seest me in battle, fear not at all for me.

By Saint Mary Mother's mercy, by G.o.d His charity, That thou art here before me, my heart grows great within.

With G.o.d His help, this battle I certainly shall win."

XCI.

Now pitched are the pavilions. Apace the morning comes.

And furiously the heathen beat loud upon the drums.

"'Tis a great day," with a glad heart so now the lord Cid spake.

But his lady was sore frighted, her heart was like to break; The ladies and his daughters were likewise all forlorn.

Never had they heard such a din since the day when they were born.

Therewith the great Cid Campeador with his hand he plucked his beard.

"This shall all be to your vantage. Therefore be not afeard.

Ere fifteen days are over, if so G.o.d's will it be, We shall take those drums and show them you. What they are then shall you see.

And then unto the Bishop don Jerome they shall be given; They will hang them in Saint Mary's, Mother of the Lord in Heaven."

It was a vow most solemn that my lord the Cid had made.

Now merry were the ladies and not so much afraid.

Those Moors out of Morocco in mighty haste they sped, And on into the gardens they entered without dread.

XCII.

That thing beheld the outpost. He let the tocsin sound.

Of the Cid Roy Diaz ready were the companies around.

They sallied from the city with their arms appointed well.

When they came on the Moriscos upon them swift they fell.

They drove them from the gardens in exceeding sorry plight; Of the Moors a full five hundred they slaughtered in that fight.

XCIII.

Even to the pavilions the pursuers would not slack; They had done much and n.o.bly when they thought of turning back.

There Alvar Salvadorez a prisoner did remain.

Then those that ate his bread returned to the lord Cid again.

With his own eyes he beheld it, to his face they spake thereon; My lord the Cid was gladdened of the deeds that they had done.

"My knights we cannot other. Then harken unto me: 'Tis a n.o.ble day, yet n.o.bler will tomorrow's battle be.

Arm you ere dawn. The Bishop don Jerome our souls will shrive, Saying ma.s.s for us ere at them we are ready to let drive.

It shall be in no other fas.h.i.+on, we will go smite the foe, In G.o.d's name and his Apostle's the good Saint James also.

For better fight than let them in the land devour our bread."

"With a good will and gladly," in reply to him they said

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 c.o.c.ks ere morning, ma.s.s for them Jerome did chant, And ma.s.s 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 ma.s.s 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 Bavieca 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 Yussuf three buffets did he aim.

He 'scaped from underneath the sword for his steed could run apace, And bore him to Cullera, an exceeding mighty place.

Even so far he of Bivar pursued them as they fled, With a host of gallant va.s.sals 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 Bavieca 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 va.s.sals were all exceeding glad, For in winning of the battle G.o.d's grace to them was shown, When the king of Morocco in this guise was overthrown.

The Cid left Alvar Fanez 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 Bavieca 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 G.o.d's desire and all his Saints likewise, Since at your coming hither He gave us such a prize.

Look on the b.l.o.o.d.y sword-blade and the steed with sweat a-foam.

With such are the Moriscos in the battle overcome.

Pray now to G.o.d 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 Ximena, 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 va.s.sals 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 Fanez 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.