II. Nobiliario, the Castilians, and let us not lose it this day. And about BOOK four hundred knights gathered about him. And while they stood there they saw the Cid Ruydiez coming up with three hundred knights, for he had not been in the battle, and they knew his green pennon. And when King Don Sancho beheld it his heart rejoiced, and he said, Now let us descend into the plain, for he of good fortune cometh: and he said, Be of good heart, for it is the will of God that I should recover my kingdom, for I have escaped from captivity, and seen the death of Don Rodrigo Frojaz who took me, and Ruydiez the fortunate one cometh. And the King went down to him and welcomed him right joyfully, saying, In happy time are you come, my fortunate Cid; never vassal succored his Lord in such season as you now succor me, for the King my brother had overcome me. And the Cid an- Chr. del Cid.cap.41. swered, Sir, be sure that you shall recover the day, or I will Chr. Gen. die; for wheresoever you go, either you shall be victorious ff. 209. or I will meet my death. XIV. By this time King Don Garcia returned from the How King pursuit, singing as he came full joyfully, for he thought that was taken. the King his brother was a prisoner, and his great power overthrown. But there came one and told him that Don Sancho was rescued and in the field again, ready to give him battle a second time. Bravely was that second battle fought on both sides; and if it had not been for the great prowess of the Cid, the end would not have been as it was: in the end the Galegos and Portugueze were discomfited, and the King Don Garcia taken in his turn. And in that battle the two brethren of Don Rodrigo Frojaz, Don Pedro and Don Vermui, were slain, and the two sons of Don Pedro, so that five of that family died that day. And the King Don Sancho put his brother in better ward than his brother Cid.cap.42. three hours before had put him, for he put him in chains and Lus. P. 2. sent him to the strong castle of Luna.' 1 The history of Garcia's captivity is defective. His epitaph says that he was taken by stratagem. The Castle of Luna was in Alfonso's do 49. Don Garcia Chr. Gen. ff. 210. Chr. del Brito. Mon. 7. 29. Sandoval, ff. 27. BOOK went II. brother Alfonso. XV. When King Don Sancho had done this he took unto himself the kingdom of Galicia and of Portugal, and without delay sent to his brother King Don Alfonso, comHow King Don Sancho manding him to yield up to him the kingdom of Leon, for it against his was his by right. At this was the King of Leon troubled at heart; howbeit he answered that he would not yield up his kingdom, but do his utmost to defend it. Then King Don Sancho entered Leon, slaying and laying waste before him, as an army of infidels would have done; and King Don Alfonso sent to him to bid him cease from this, for it was inhuman work to kill and plunder the innocent: and he defied him to a pitched battle, saying that to whichsover God should give the victory, to him also would he give the kingdom of Leon and the King of Castille accepted the defiance, and a day was fixed for the battle, and the place was to be Lantada, which is near unto Carrion. The chief counsellor of King Don Alfonso was Don Pero Ansures, a notable and valiant knight, of the old and famous stock of minions, and from hence Sandoval infers that he aided Sancho. Berganza adduces two early MSS. to prove that Sancho set him free, and that he was afterwards taken by Alfonzo; and it should be remarked in corroboration of his opinion, that the Archbishop Rodrigo makes the defeat and flight of Alfonso anterior to Garcia's capture: but whether or not Alfonso assisted one brother in ruining the other, he profited by the crime. Seventeen years after his own succession he suffered Garcia to remain a prisoner and in chains. At the end of that time Garcia fell sick and desired to be bled. The King then either felt or affected compassion, and ordered his brother's irons to be taken off. But Garcia would not submit to this tardy and unavailing humanity; he knew that his sickness was mortal, and said that as he had worn those irons so long, he would die in them, and all that he requested of his brother now, was that he might be buried in them. This was not refused, and he was buried in his chains beside the King his father, in the church of St. Isidro, at Leon. Chronica General, ff. 234. His monument represents him in these fetters. This is the epitaph: H. R. Dmnus Garcia Rex Portugalæ et Galicia, filius Regis Magni Ferdinandi: hic ingenio captus a fratre suo, in vinculis obiit. Era M.C.XXVIII. X1 Kal. Aprilis. Sandoval, ff. 27. II. the Ansures, Lords of Monzon, which is nigh unto Palencia; BOOK the same who in process of time was Count of Carrion and of Saldaña and Liebana, and Lord of Valladolid, a city which was by him greatly increased. This good knight commanded the army of his King Don Alfonso, and on the part of King Don Sancho came Ruydiez the Cid. Both Kings were in the field that day, and full hardily was the battle contested, and great was the mortality on either side, for the hatred which used to be between Moors and Christians was then between brethren. And that day also was the saying of Arias Gonzalo fulfilled. But in the end the Chr. del skill and courage of my Cid prevailed, and King Don Al- Cid.cap.43. fonso was fain to avail himself of his horse's feet to save himself. Chr. Gen. Of the bat tle at Vul XVI. Nevertheless the power of King Don Alfonso was not yet destroyed, and he would not yield up his kingdom; pegera. and he sent to his brother a second time to bid him battle, saying that whosoever conquered should then certainly remain King of Leon; and the place appointed was at Vulpegera, beside the river Carrion. And the two armies met and joined battle, and they of Leon had the victory, for my Cid was not in the field. And King Don Alfonso had pity upon the Castilians because they were Christians, and gave orders not to slay them; and his brother King Don Sancho fled. Now as he was flying, my Cid came up with his green pennon; and when he saw that the King his Lord had been conquered, it grieved him sorely; howbeit he encouraged him saying, This is nothing, Sir! to fail or to prosper is as God pleases. But do you gather together your people who are discomfited, and bid them take heart. The Leonese and Galegos are with the King your brother, secure as they think themselves in their lodging, and taking no thought of you; for it is their custom to extol themselves when their fortune is fair, and to mock at others, and in this boastfulness will they spend the night, so that we shall find them sleeping at break of day, and will fall upon BOOK them. And it came to pass as he had said. The Leonese II. lodged themselves in Vulpegera, taking no thought of their enemies, and setting no watch; and Ruydiez arose betimes in the morning and fell upon them, and subdued them before they could take their arms. King Don Alfonso fled to the town of Carrion, which was three leagues distant, and would have fortified himself there in the Church of St. Mary, but he was surrounded and constrained to yield. Chr. del Cid. cap. 44. 45. Chr. Gen. ff. 210. Sandoval. ff. 29. How the Cid deliv Don San cho. XVII. Now the knights of Leon gathered together in ered King their flight, and when they could not find their King they were greatly ashamed, and they turned back and smote the Castilians; and as it befell, they encountered King Don Sancho and took him prisoner, not having those in his company whom he should have had, for his people considered the victory as their own, and all was in confusion. And thirteen knights took him in their ward, and were leading him away, but my Cid beheld them, and galloped after them he was alone, and had no lance, having broken his in the battle. And he came up to them and said, Knights, give me my Lord, and I will give unto you yours. They knew him by his arms, and they made answer, Ruydiez, return in peace and seek not to contend with us, otherwise we will carry you away prisoner with him. And he waxed wroth and said, Give me but a lance and I will, single as I am, rescue my Lord from all of ye: by God's help I will do it. And they held him as nothing, because he was but one, and gave him a lance. But he attacked them there Chr. del with so bravely, that he slew eleven of the thirteen, leaving two only alive, on whom he had mercy; and thus did he rescue the King. And the Castilians rejoiced greatly at the Chr. Gen. King's deliverance and King Don Sancho went to Burgos, A. D. 1072, and took with him his brother prisoner. Cid.cap.45. ff. 210. How King : XVIII. Great was the love which the Infanta Doña fonso fled Urraca bore to her brother King Don Alfonso, and when Don Al to the Moors. she heard that he was made prisoner, she feared lest he II. should be put to death and she took with her the Count BOOK Peransures, and went to Burgos. And they spake with the Cid, and besought him that he would join with them, and intercede with the King that he should release his brother from prison, and let him become a monk at Sahagun. Full willing was the Cid to serve in anything the Infanta Doña Urraca, and he went with her before the King. And she knelt down before the King her brother, and besought mercy for Don Alfonso, his brother and hers. And the King took her by the hand, and raised her from her knees, and made her sit beside him, and said unto her, Now then, my sister, say what you would have. And she besought him that he would let their brother Don Alfonso take the habit of St. Benedict, in the royal Monastery of Sahagun, and my Cid, and Count Peransures and the other chief persons who were there present, besought him in like manner. And the King took my Cid aside, and asked counsel of him what he should do; and the Cid said, that if Don Alfonso were willing to become a Monk, he would do well to set him free upon that condition, and he besought him so to do. Then King Don Sancho, at my Cid's request, granted to Doña Urraca what she had asked. And he released King Don Alfonso from prison, and Don Alfonso became a Monk in the Monastery at Sahagun, more by force than of free will. And being in the Monastery, he spake with Don Peransures, and took counsel with him, and fled away by night from the Monks, and went among the Moors to King Alimaymon of Toledo. And the Moorish King welcomed him with a good will, and did great honor to him, and gave him great posses- Cid.cap.42. sions and many gifts. Chr. del Chr. Gen. ff. 211. King of the friendship good which Alicoun- shewed to Pero Alfonso. King Don XIX. When Doña Urraca knew that her brother Don Alfonso had fled to Toledo, she sent to him three men of the kingdom of Leon, that they should be his sellors, for she loved him well. These, were Don Ansures, and Don Ferran Ansures, and Don Gonzalo Ansures, all three brethren: and they went with King Don maymon |