The Lay of the Cid Part 4

He crossed himself, and unto G.o.d his soul commended then, he was glad of the vision that had come into his ken The next day at morning they began anew to wend.

Be it known their term of sufferance at the last has made an end.

In the mountains of Miedes the Cid encamped that night, With the towers of Atienza where the Moors reign on the right.

XXI.

'Twas not yet come to sunset, and lingered still the day.

My lord the Cid gave orders his henchmen to array.

Apart from the footsoldiers, and valiant men of war, There were three hundred lances that each a pennon bore.

XXII.

"Feed all the horses early, so may our G.o.d you speed.

Let him eat who will; who will not, let him get upon the steed.

We shall pa.s.s the mountain ranges rough and of dreadful height.

The land of King Alfonso we can leave behind tonight.

And whosoe'er will seek us shall find us ready then."

By night the mountain ranges he traversed with his men.

Morn came. From the hills downward they were about to fare.

In a marvelous great forest the Cid bade halt them there, And to feed the horses early; and he told them all aright In what way he was desirous that they should march by night.

They all were faithful va.s.sals and gave a.s.sent thereto; The behests of their great captain it behooved them all to do.

Ere night, was every man of them unto the riding fit.

So did the Cid that no man might perchance get wind of it.

They marched all through the night-tide and rested not at all.

Near Henares a town standeth that Castejon men call.

There the Cid went into ambush with the men of his array.

XXIII.

He couched there in the ambush till the breaking of the day.

This Minaya Alvar Fanez had counselled and had planned:

"Ha, Cid, in happy hour thou girdedst on the brand.

Thou with an hundred henchmen shalt abide to hold the rear.

Till we have drawn forth Castejon unto the bushment here.

But give me now two hundred men on a harrying raid to ride.

We shall win much if thy fortune and our G.o.d be on our side.

"Well didst thou speak, Minaya," the Campeador he said, "Do thou with the two hundred ride on a harrying raid.

With Alvar Salvadorez, Alvar Alvarez shall advance, likewise Galind Garciaz, who is a gallant lance.

Let them ride beside Minaya, each valiant cavalier.

Let them ride unfearing forward and turn from naught for fear.

Out unto Guadalajara, from Hita far and wide, To Alcala the city forth let the harriers ride.

That they bring all the booty let them be very sure, Let them leave naught behind them for terror of the Moor.

Here with an hundred lances in the rear will I remain, And capture Castejon good store of provender to gain.

If thou come in any danger as thou ridest on the raid, Send swiftly hither, and all Spain shall say how I gave aid."

Now all the men were chosen who on the raid should ride, And those who in the rearguard with the lord Cid should abide.

And now the dawn was breaking and morning coming on, And the sun rising. Very G.o.d! how beautifully it shone!

All men arose in Castejon, and wide they threw the gates; And forth they went to oversee their farmlands and estates.

All were gone forth, and the gates stand open as they were thrown, And but a little remnant were left in Castejon.

Round the city were the people scattered the whole country o'er.

Then forth out of the ambush issued the Campeador.

And without fail round Castejon he rushed along his way.

The Moors, both men and women, he took them for a prey, And of their flocks as many as thereabouts there strayed.

My lord Cid don Rodrigo straight for the gateway made, And they that held it, when they saw that swift attack begin, Fled in great fear, and through the gates Roy Diaz entered in With the sword naked in his hand; and fifteen Moors he slew Whom he ran down. In Castejon much gold, and silver too, He captured. Then unto him his knights the booty brought.

To my lord Cid they bore it. The spoil they valued naught.

Lo! the two hundred men and three to plunder that rode out, Sped fearlessly, and ravaged the country roundabout.

For the banner of Minaya unto Alcala did gleam.

Then they bore home the booty up the Henares stream Past Guadalajara. Booty exceeding great they bore Of sheep and kine and vesture and of other wealth good store.

Straightway returned Minaya. None dared the rear attack.

With the treasure they had taken his company turned back.

Lo, they wore come to Castejon, where the Campeador abode.

He left the hold well guarded. Out from the place he rode.

With all his men about him to meet them did he come, And with arms wide asunder welcomed Minaya home:

"Thou art come, Alvar Fanez, good lance thou art indeed.

Whereso I send thee, in such wise I well may hope to speed.

Put straightway al] together the spoil both shine and mine; The fifth part of all, Minaya, an thou so desire, is thine."

XXIV.

"Much do I thank thee for it, ill.u.s.trious Campeador.

With what thou giv'st me, the fifth part of all our spoils of war, The King Alfonso of Castile full well content would be.

I renounce it in thy favor; and without a claim to thee.

But I swear to G.o.d who dwelleth in the high firmament, That till upon my charger I gallop in content Against the Moors, and till I wield both spear and brand again, And till unto my elbow from the blade the blood doth drain Before the Cid ill.u.s.trious, howe'er so small it be, I will not take the value of a copper groat from thee.

When through me some mighty treasure thou hast at thy command.

I will take thy gift; till such a time, all else is in thine hand."

XXV.

They heaped the spoil together. Pondered the Cid my lord, He who in happy hour had girded on the sword, How tidings of his raiding to the King would come ere long, And Alfonso soon would seek him with his host to do him wrong.

He bade his spoil-dividers make a division fair, And furthermore in writing give to each man his share.

The fortune of each cavalier had sped exceeding well, One hundred marks of silver to each of them there fell, And each of the foot soldiers the half of that obtained.

A round fifth of the treasure for my lord the Cid remained But here he could not sell it, nor in gifts give it away.

No captives, men or women, he desired in his array.

And with the men of Castejon he spoke to this intent To Hita and Guadalajara amba.s.sadors he sent To find how high the ransom of the fifth part they would rate.

Even as they a.s.sessed it, his profit would be great.

Three thousand marks of silver the Moors agreed to pay.

The Cid was pleased. And duly was it paid on the third day.

My lord the Cid determined with all his men of war That there within the castle they would abide no more, And that they would have held it, but that water sore it lacked:

"Ye Moors are friendly to the King; even so runs the pact, With his host will he pursue us. And I desire to flee From Castejon; Minaya and my men, so hark to me;

XXVI.

"Nor take it ill, mine utterance. For here we cannot stay.

The king will come to seek us, for he is not far away; But to destroy the castle seems in no way good to me.

An hundred Moorish women in that place I will set free And of the Moors an hundred. Since there, as it befell, I captured them. Hereafter shall they all speak of me well.

Ye all are paid; among you is no man yet to pay.

Let us on the morrow morning prepare to ride away, For against my lord AIfonso the strife I would not stir."