Ordonez Aide

Now had King Don Alfonso for many years cut down the bread and the wine and the fruits in all the country round about Toledo, and he made ready to go against the city.

The tidings of this great enterprise spread far and wide, and adventurers came from all parts to be present, not only they of Castille and Leon, Asturias and Nagera, Galicia and Portugal, but King Sancho Ramirez of Aragon came also, with the flower of Aragon and Navarre and Catalonia, and Franks and Germans and Italians, and men of other countries, to bear their part in so great and catholic a war.

And the King entertained them well, being full bountiful, insomuch that he was called He of the Open Hand.

Never had so goodly a force of Christians been assembled in Spain, nor so great an enterprise attempted, since the coming of the Moors.

And of this army was my Cid the leader.

So soon as the winter was over they began their march.

And when they came to a ford of the Tagus, behold the river was swoln, and the best horsemen feared to try the passage.

Now there was a holy man in the camp, by name Lesmes, who was a monk of St. Benedict's; and he being mounted upon an ass rode first into the ford, and passed safely through the flood; and all who beheld him held it for a great miracle.