The Works of John Hookham Frere In Verse and Prose ::

Alvar Fanez and Martin Antolinez, having taken leave of the King, go to the monastery of St. Pedro de Cardena, where Dona Ximena and her daughters were, and bring them to within three leagues of Valencia, where they are met by the Cid on his famous horse Babieca. He runs a career with him, and at the end of the course, alighting, goes towards his wife and daughters. Donna Ximena kneels to receive him; he conducts them into Valencia, where they are received with great rejoicings. In the spring, Yusef, King of Morocco, sends an army against Valencia. The Cid shows his wife and daughters the Moors landing, and entering the gardens round the city. Alvar Salvadores makes a sally, and drives the Moors back to their tents, but is himself taken prisoner. Next day, after early mass by the Bishop Don Jerom, who obtained the boon of being first in the battle, the Cid attacks the Moors, who are utterly routed, and wounds King Yusef, who escapes him. On his return to the city, the Cid declares his intention of giving the ladies attendant on his wife and daughters in marriage to his vassals, with a dowry out of the plunder of two hundred marks of silver to each of them. The King of Morocco's tent he reserves for the King Don Alphonso, and, in addition to his share of the booty, gives a tithe of his own fifth to the Bishop Don Jerom.

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From line 1603 to 1809.

She knelt before the Cid there in the people's sight:
“Cid, in a lucky hour were you girded as a knight;
“Full often have you rescued me from injury and wrong:
“And now, sir, with Heaven's blessing, here I have brought along,
“To glad you with their presence, your own dear daughters both,
“Reared in noble nurture and of good health and growth.”
The Cid embraced them all with pleasure and surprize;
The tears for very joy were streaming from their eyes.
Then spake the noble Cid the words that you shall hear:
“Beloved and honoured woman, and you, my children dear,
“The pride and solace of my heart, my darlings, welcome here;
“Come hither to Valencia, the mansion and the land

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“That I have purchased for you!” They knelt and kissed his hand.
He took them to the palace in triumph through the town,
He showed them from the tower the prospect looking down,
The city spread below, the cultivated plain,
The garden of Valencia, the paradise of Spain,
Stretching beyond the sight, the mountains and the main
Encompassing it round; they lift their hands and eyes,
To Heaven that had bestowed so fair and rich a prize.
There were pastimes fair enow at the entrance of the town,
Of tourneying and riding and riving targets down,
And hurling darts and snapping spears that it was joy to see,
With songs and instruments among, and mirth and minstrelsy;
The Cid with his companions has kept a noble court,
The while the winter lasted, in solace and disport.

The winter is departed, for March is coming in:
And I must tell you tidings, the tidings that begin
To reach us day by day from parts beyond the sea,
From Africa and Morocco; King Yusef there is he,
Ruling the mighty realm with strength and chivalry.
And the report has reached his ears of all the Cid has done,
Of towns and castles taken and battles fought and won:
The kingdom of Valencia he detains it as his own,
And owns no Lord on earth, but holds from Christ alone.

This Emperor of Morocco has assembled all his host:
And fifty thousand warriors are encamped upon the coast;
They put themselves on shipboard and shortly cross the main,
They disembark in haste along the coast of Spain,
They move towards Valencia, and encamp upon the plain.

The Cid has seen and heard it:—“I thank the Lord above!
“All upon earth that I possess, with all the things I love,
“Are here assembled round me, my children and my wife,
“And this my goodly conquest atchieved with toil and strife,
“I never mean to leave it while I retain my life.”—
—“But sure this Emp'ror, like a courteous gentle knight,
“Has sent us out a pageant for our pastime and delight,
“That I may bear a part in, in my wife and daughters' sight,
“And attire myself for battle and enter in the fight;
“That they may see with their own eyes the life we long have led,
“In daily combat with the Moors, earning our daily bread.”
He took the ladies up on high to the tower of the Alcazar,

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They saw the Moorish camp in all the pride of war,
The banners and pavilions stretching wide and far.
“Cid,—for mercy's sake! what upon earth is this?”
—“Nothing at all, my worthy dame—nothing that comes amiss.
“The Moors are arrived to greet you, their courtesy to pay,
“With a present for your daughters against their wedding-day:
“Remain, then, in the palace, or here in the Alcazar,
“And never feel alarm'd if you see me join the war,
“By the blessing of the Lord and of St. Mary bright
“We shall prosper once again and conquer in the fight,
“And with your presence here, and, combatting in your sight,
“My heart feels larger than before—joyous, alert, and light.”

Now from the Moorish host, with the first dawn of day,
Their heavy drums began to thunder and to bray:
The Cid was joyous at the sounds—“there comes a noble day!”
The ladies all are trembling with terror and dismay:
The Cid looked smiling on them with his hand upon his beard,
“Courage, noble ladies, there is nothing to be fear'd;
“The drums there that are making the noises that are heard,
“You shall have them brought before you, within a fortnight space,
“To view their shape and make here in this very place:
“We shall dispose them afterwards as the bishop may desire,
“To remain for a memorial in the cathedral quire;
“It is a vow recorded—a vow the Cid has made,
“To present them for an offering, and it must needs be paid:”
Thus has he cheer'd the ladies, they felt no more afraid.

The Moorish cavaliers are advancing without fear,
They enter in the Huerta and approach the city near:
The watchman in the barbican has smitten on the bell,
The Christians are assembled, armed and accoutred well,
They sally forth in order with an eager fierce attack—
The Moors are broken with the shock, routed and driven back.
In the charge and the pursuit five hundred Moors were slain,
The Christians follow them in haste to the tents upon the plain,
But by their own mischance, ere they returned again,
Alvar Salvador was left a prisoner to remain;
The rest are all return'd that dine at the Cid's board.
The adventures of the day they report them to their Lord:
The Cid has seen and heard it—he spake a merry word:
“Gentlemen, for this day's work our chance has not been ill,
“To-morrow with God's blessing we shall do better still;

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“Our Bishop, good Don Jerom, an early mass shall say
“And give us absolution before the dawn of day.
“Then we shall sally forth and assault them in the names
“Of the Lord and his Apostle our worthy good St. James.”
There was an answer all at once, one answer from the whole:
“With all our hearts,” the knights replied, “with all our hearts and soul.
Minaya was in haste, and thus he spake his mind:
“Cid, since you so determine, leave six more men behind;
“Go forward with the rest, and let the battle join,
“And God will send us succour on your side or on mine.
“Let it be so!” the Cid replied. The night was coming on.
The Christians all were armed betimes, accoutred every one.
At the second cock-crow, before the dawn of day,
The Bishop Don Jeronimo was ready mass to say.
He sang the mass full solemnly in the cathedral quire,
And gave them absolution, perfect and entire.
“He that falls in battle, his face against the foe,
“I make him clean of all his sins his soul to heaven shall go.
“And now, right worthy Cid, for the mass that has been chanted,
“I shall require a boon and it must needs be granted.
—“The foremost place in battle and the first stroke of the fight.”
“Let it be yours,” the Cid replied, “it is a claim of right.”
They sally forth, arm'd and equipp'd, beyond the city wall:
The Cid is there amongst them, to arrange and order all:
Babieca, his good courser, bearing him gallantly
Arm'd and attired for battle, a goodly sight to see!
A guard is left to keep the gates, men of high trust and worth:
And now beyond the gates the banner is borne forth;
Thirty less four thousand was the number at the most
To encounter fifty thousand, such was the Moorish host.
They rush upon them all at once, without a thought of fear:
Minaya chose his time to charge the flank and rear.
The Moors with sudden onset, such was the will of Heaven,
Were broken and confused, and wide asunder driven:
The Cid with his spear in hand and sword so sharp and good,
From the elbow to the point dripping down with blood,
The number that he slew was never understood.
He singled out King Yusef; the King durst not abide
So fearful an assault, but fast away 'gan ride
To the castle of Guyera, a palace fortified:

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There was he safely lodged; but till he reach'd the place,
The Cid was foremost in pursuit, nor ever left the chace.
Now with his followers he returns, rejoiced and satisfied:—
He has gain'd a mighty booty, he has check'd the Moorish pride;
And his courser, Babieca, has been fully proved and tried.
The plunder of the camp was plentiful and great—
Coin of gold and silver, and gold and silver plate,
And other riches more than they could estimate.
The Cid has left Minaya to take a just account,
Returning to Valencia before he would dismount;
An hundred knights were with him, he rode an easy pace,
Armed as he was before, all but his head and face.
There might his countenance be seen furrow'd with a frown—
Sword-in-hand, upon his steed he enter'd in the town.
He has rein'd him up before the porch, there, where the ladies stood
Ready to receive him. He spoke in merry mood:
“Welcome, welcome, ladies! we have purchased great renown—
“I have conquer'd in the field—and you have kept the town.
“It shows the will of Heaven, that it hath pleased to bless
“Your first arrival here with victory and success.
“You see my courser reeking, my sword with slaughter red—
“Such is the fashion among knights when Moors are slain and fled.
“Pray God to spare my life for two years or for three,
“Then gentlemen and knights shall salute you on their knee.”
These words the Cid has spoken before he lighted down—
His daughters with their ladies, his dame of high renown,
Bent the knee before him and kiss'd his hand with tears—
“We live, sir, in your favour,—may you live these many years!”
Then passing onward from the porch, to the rich hall he goes,
Sitting amongst them, for a while, in silence and repose—
“Hoh! Donna Ximena, my wife, it is a scheme of mine—
“You never mention'd it yourself, but this is my design—
“The ladies, your attendants, that have been brought to stay,
“I mean to marry them forthwith to the vassals in my pay,
“And to give each two hundred marks upon their wedding-day.
“They have served a noble lady, folks in Castille will say—
—“The marriage of our daughters for the present we delay.”
They rose and kiss'd his hand; so, from the first report,
Till the Cid's promise was fulfill'd, great was the mirth and sport,

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The gladness and rejoicing in the camp and in the court.
Minaya still was in the camp, busied all the day,
Reckoning and writing, and assorting all the prey,
And dealing with the shares of plunder and of pay.
The whole amount of wealth was more than I can say:
The tents and the pavilions, armour and rich array,
And horses without number running wide astray;
Many became a prize to the native peasants round,
Yet, for the fifth part of the whole, there were fifteen hundred found
(The Cid's own proper portion) horses strong and sound.
The rest with their allotments were joyous and content,
From many a proud pavilion and many a costly tent,
Enriched with silken hangings and golden ornament.
The great imperial tent, that in the centre stood,
It rested on two pillars of gold and sandal wood;
It is ordered to be left untouch'd, perfect and entire.
“I mean it as a present for our own Lord and sire;
“When the King receives it no courtier will refuse
“To credit our successes or cavil at the news.”
Now to Valencia they return with a store of wealth in hold.
The Bishop Don Jeronimo, like a worthy priest and bold,
Was fairly wearied out and glutted with delight,
With a sword in either hand striking to left and right,
No man could reckon up or guess the numbers he had slain;
For his own portion he received the largest share of gain.
The Cid from his own fifth presented him the tithe—
Thus all were joyous in the town confident and blythe.

University of Virginia Library

IV.

ARGUMENT.