The Affront of Corpes CXLVII

Between those two the parley has come unto an end.Now did Ansuór Gonzálvez into the palace wend.Was an ermine cloak about him, and his tunic trailed behind.His countenance was ruddy, for but lately had he dined.In what he had to utter small discretion did he show:CXLVIII."How now ye noble gentlemen, was ever such a woe?With Bivár's lord Cid such honor who would have thought to find?On the Ovirna water his millstones let him grind,And take his wonted toll-corn. Would any man have thoughtThat with the Heirs of Carrión alliances he sought?"CXLIX.And then did Muño Gustióz rise to his feet forthright:"Thou wretch, do thou keep silent! Thou wicked traitor wight!Before to prayers thou goest, certain thou art to dine.Whoe'er in peace thou kissest, sickens at that belch of thine.Whether to friend or master thou speakest perjury,False unto all, and falsest to the God who fashioned thee!And never in thy friendship will I have any part,And I will make thee say it that what I say thou art."

Said now the King Alfonso: "Let the suit quiet lie.Who have challenged shall do battle, so help me the Most High."

Soon as the suit was finished to the court two horsemen came,And Inigo Ximénez and Ojárra men them name;For Navarra's Heir-apparent, proxy-suitor was the one,The other was the suitor for the Heir of Aragon.And there the twain together have kissed Alfonso's hand,The Cid Campeador his daughters in marriage they demand,Of the realms Navarre and Aragon the lady-queens to be.May he send them with his blessing and with all courtesy.Thereat the whole court listened, and stillness fell them o'er.Upon his feet rose straightway my lord Cid Campeador:"A boon, Oh King Alfonso, my sovran lord thou art.For this to the Creator very thankful is my heart,Since both Navarre and Aragon have made request so high.Thou didst give to wed my daughters before. It was not I.Here then behold my daughters, the twain are in thine hand.With them I will do nothing, except at thy command."The King rose up. For silence in the court the word he gave:"I beg it of thee, Campeador, the true Cid and the brave,That hereto thou yield agreement. I will grant the thing this day:And it shall be consented in open court straightway,For so will grow thy glory and shine honor and thy lands."Now is the Cid arisen. He kissed Alfonso's hands:"To whatever thing shall please thee, I give consent, my lord."Then said the King: "God grant thee an excellent reward!To Inigo Ximénez and Ojárra, to you two,I yield my full permission for this marriage unto you,That Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, who the Cid's daughters are,Wed, one the Heir of Aragon, and the other of Navarre.May he yield his girls with blessings in an honorable way."

Then Inigo Ximénez and Ojárra, up rose they,And the hands of Don Alfonso in that hour kissed again.The hands of the Cid Campeador thereafter kissed the twain,And there their faith they plighted, and solemn oaths they swore,That they would fulfill entirely what they promised or yet more.Because of this were many in the court exceeding glad;But the two Heirs of Carrión, therein no joy they had.

Minaya Alvar Fañez upon his feet rose he:"As from my King and Master I beg a boon of thee,And let it not be grievous to the Cid Campeador.I have through these assizes kept my peace heretofore,But now to utter somewhat for mine own part fain am I."Said the King: "Now all my spirit, it is well pleased thereby.Say on! Say on, Minaya, what to thy heart is dear."

"You in the court, I beg you to my word to lend an ear.'Gainst Carrión's Heirs needs must I now a charge most mightybring:I gave to them my cousins by Alfonso's hand, the King.With blessings and with honor they took them in their care.The Cid Campeador he gave them most rich possessions there.They cast away those ladies, for all that we were loth.For wicked men and traitors I make challenge of you both.From the great sons of Gomez does your lineage come down,Whence many counts have issued of valor and renown,But this day all to certainly their cunning do we learn.For this to the Creator, now thanks do I return,That of Navarre and Aragon the Heirs in marriage sueFor Dame Sol and Elvíra that are my cousins two.Erst for true wives ye had them, who now their hands shall kissAnd call them Dame, though sorely ye take the thing amiss.Praise to our God in Heaven and our lord the King therefor.So greatly grows the honor of the Cid my Campeador.In every way soever ye are even as I say.Is there any in the presence to reply or say me nay?Lo! I am Alvar Fañez, against the most of might!"

And thereupon did Gomez Peláez stand upright:"Say of what worth, Minaya, is this ye speak so free?For here in the assizes are men enough for thee.Who otherwise would have it, it would ruin him indeed.If it be perchance God's pleasure that our quarrel well shouldspeed,Then well shalt thou see whether or right or wrong ye were."Said the King: "The suit is over. No further charge prefer.Tomorrow is the combat; at the rising of the sunBy the three who challenged with thee in the court it shall bedone."

Thereon the Heirs of Carrión have spoken presently:"Lord King, a season grant us for tomorn it cannot be.We have given to the Campeador our arms and many a steed,First to our land of Carrión to go we have sore need."And then the King had spoken to the Campeador again:"Where thou shalt bid, this combat, let it be underta'en."My lord, I will not do it," my lord the Cid said he,"More than the lands of Carrión Valencia liketh me."

To him the King gave answer:"Yea, Cid! Without a doubt.Give unto me your cavaliers all duly armed about.Let them go in my keeping. Their safety I assureAs a lord to a good vassal; I make thee here secureThat they take no harm from any count or lesser baronet.Here now in the assizes, a term for them I set,That in the fields of Carrión at the end of three weeks' spaceThere duly in my presence the combat shall take place.Who at the set time comes not, his suit is lost thereby,From that time he is vanquished; for a traitor let him fly."The two heirs of Carrión, by that decree they stand.And thereupon my lord the Cid has kissed the King his hand;

"To thy hand are they delivered my cavaliers all three;As to my King and Master I commend them unto thee.They are ready now their duty to the full to undertake.With honor to Valencia send them me for God his sake.""So it be God's desire," answered the King and said.The Cid the Campeador did off the helmet from his head,Likewise the cap of linen as white as is the sun.He freed his beard, the cord thereof he has forthwith undone.Those in the court upon him, their full they could not gaze.To the Counts Remónd and Henry forthwith he went his way.And them closely he embraces and doth heartily requireTo take of his possession all that suits with their desire.These twain and many others who were persons of good willHe earnestly requested to take unto their fillSome took his gifts, but others would not accept a thing.The two hundred marks, he gave them once more unto the King.Whatever was his pleasure he has taken of the rest:"King, for love of the Creator one thing let me request.Sire, with thy will I kiss thine hand. Since so these deeds aredone,And would fain unto Valencia which with great pain I won."

CL.The Cid then put spur to the charger and made him gallopso fast that all were astonished at the career he ran.

The King with hand uplifted signed the cross upon his face."By San Isidro of León, I swear it by his graceIs no nobleman so mighty our whole country o'er."My lord Cid on the charger came then the King before,And of his lord Alfonso there has he kissed the hand."To start fleet Baviéca thou gavest me command.Today no Moor nor Christian has a horse so strong and swift.Sire, unto thee I give him. Say thou wilt accept the gift."Then said the King:"No pleasure would I have therein indeed.If I took him, then less glorious were the master of the steed.But a horse like this befitteth too well a man like thee,Swift to chase the Moors ye routed in the battle, when they flee.Who that war-horse taketh from thee, God succor not again,For by thee and by the charger to great honor we attain."Their leave then have they taken. He left the Court forthright.

The Campeador most wisely counselled them who were to fight:"Ha, Martin Antolínez! Per Vermudóz thou, too,So likewise Muño Gustióz, my tried man and true.Be resolute in combat like the gentlemen ye be.See that of you good tidings in Valencia come to me."Said Martin Antolínez: "Oh sire, what sayest thou?For we must bear the burden we accepted even now.Thou shalt hear naught of the vanquished, though haply of theslain."He who in happy hour was born, thereof was glad and fain.Of all his leave he taketh that for his friends are known.Went my lord Cid to Valencia, and the King to Carrión.But now the three weeks' respite of the term is past and o'er.Lo! at the time appointed, they who serve the Campeador,The debt their lord laid on them they were very fain to pay.In safe-keeping of Alfonso, King of León, were they.There for the Heirs of Carrión for two days' space they stayed.With horses and caparisons, came the Heirs there well arrayed.And in close compact with them have agreed their kinsmen all,On the Campeador his henchmen, if in secret they might fall,To slay them in the meadows, because their lords were silent.They did not undertake it, though foul was their intent,For of Alfonso of León they stood in mighty dread.

At last has night passed over, and breaketh now the dawn,And many worthy nobles there to the place have drawn,For to behold that combat, wherefore their mirth was high.Moreover King Alfonso above all men is by,Since he desireth justice and that no wrong should be done.The men of the good Campeador, they get their armour on.All three are in agreement for one lord's men are they.The Heirs of Carrión elsewhere have armed them for the fray.The Count García Ordoñez sate with them in counsel there.What suit they planned unto the King Alfonso they declare,That neither should Coláda nor Tizón share in that war,That in fight they might not wield them, who served the CampeadorThat the brands were given over, they deemed a bitter ill;Unto the King they told it. He would not do their will:

"When we held the court exception unto no sword did ye take;But if ye have good weapons, your fortune they will make.For them who serve the Campeador the swords e'en so will do.Up, Carrión's Heirs, to battle now get you forth, ye two!Like noblemen this combat, ye ought duly to achieve,For the Campeador his henchmen naught undone therein will leave.If forth, ye come victorious, then great shall be your fame;But if that ye are vanquished, impute to us no blame.All know ye sought it."Carrión's Heirs were filled with grief each one.And greatly they repented the thing that they had done.Were it undone fain were they to give all Carrión's fee.

The henchmen of the Campeador are fully armed all three.Now was the King Alfonso come forth to view them o'er.Then spake to him the henchmen that served the Campeador:"We kiss thy hands as vassals to their lord and master may,'Twixt our party and their party thou shalt be judge this day.For our succor unto justice but not to evil stand.Here Carrión's Heirs of henchmen have gathered them a band.What, or what not, we know not, that in secret they intend;But our lord in thine hand left us our safety to defend.For the love of the Creator justly maintain our part."Said then the King in answer: "With all my soul and heart."They brought for them the chargers of splendid strength and speed.They signed the cross upon the selles. They leaped upon the steed.The bucklers with fair bosses about their necks are cast.And the keen pointed lances, in the hand they grip them fast.Each lance for each man of the three doth its own pennon bear.And many worthy nobles have gathered round them there.To the field where were the boundaries, accordingly they went.The three men of the Campeador were all of one intent,That mightily his foeman to smite each one should ride.Lo! were the Heirs of Carrión upon the other side,With stores of men, for many of their kin were with the two.The King has given them judges, justice and naught else to do,That yea or nay they should not any disputation make.To them where in the field they sate the King Alfonso spake:"Hearken, ye Heirs of Carrión, what thing to you I say:In Toledo ye contrived it, but ye did not wish this fray.Of my lord Cid the Campeador I brought these knights all threeTo Carrión's land, that under my safe-conduct they might be.Wait justice. Unto evil no wise turn your intent.Whoso desireth evil with force will I prevent;Such a thing throughout my kingdom he shall bitterly bemoan."How downcast were the spirits of the Heirs of Carrión!

Now with the King the judges have marked the boundaries out.They have cleared all the meadow of people roundabout.And unto the six champions the boundaries have they shown--Whoever went beyond them should be held for overthrown.The folk that round were gathered now all the space left clear;To approach they were forbiddden within six lengths of a spear.'Gainst the sun no man they stationed, but by lot gave each hisplace.Forth between them came the judges, and the foes are face to face.Of my lord Cid the henchmen toward the Heirs of Carrión bore,And Carrión's Heirs against them who served the Campeador.The glance of every champion fixes on his man forthright;Before their breasts the bucklers with their hands have theygripped tight,The lances with the pennons now have they pointed low,And each bends down his countenance over the saddlebow;Thereon the battle-chargers with the sharp spurs smote they,And fain the earth had shaken where the steeds sprang away.The glance of every champion fixes on his man forthright.Three against three together now have they joined the fight.Whoso stood round for certain deemed that they dead would fall.Per Vermudóz the challenge who delivered first of all,Against Ferránd Gonzálvez there face to face he sped.They smote each other's bucklers withouten any dread.There has Ferránd Gonzálvez pierced don Pero's target through.Well his lance-shaft in two places he shattered it in two.Unto the flesh it came not, for there glanced off the steel.Per Vermudóz sat firmly, therefore he did not reel.For every stroke was dealt him, the buffet back he gave,He broke the boss of the buckler, the shield aside he drave.He clove through guard and armour, naught availed the man hisgear.Nigh the heart into the bosom he thrust the battle-spear.Three mail-folds had Ferrándo, and the third was of avail.Two were burst through, yet firmly held the third fold of mail.Ferrándo's shirt and tunic, with the unpierced iron mesh,A handsbreadth by Per Vermudóz were thrust into the flesh.And forth from his mouth straightway a stream of blood did spout.His saddle-girths were broken; not one of them held out.O'er the tail of the charger he hurled him to the ground.That his death stroke he had gotten thought all the folk around.He left the war-spear in him, set hand his sword unto.When Ferránd Gonzálvez saw it, then well Tizón he knew.He shouted, "I am vanquished," rather than the buffet bear.Per Vermudóz, the judges so decreeing, left him there.