Medina del Campo

That night the Cid spake with Alvar Fanez and with Pero Bermudez, and all them who were of his council, and they resolved in what manner they would live among the Moors.

And on the morrow the honourable Moors of Valencia assembled together in the Alcazar as they had been commanded to do, and the Cid took his seat upon the estrado, and all the honourable men round about him, and he spake unto them after this manner: Good men of the Aljama of Valencia, ye know how I served and defended King Yahia your Lord, and ye also, until his death.

And I had great sorrow for him, and strove to revenge him, as ye know, and endured great hardships in winning Valencia.

And since God hath thought it good that I should be Lord thereof, I will have it for myself, and for those who have holpen me to win it, saving the sovereignty of King Don Alfonso of Castille, my Lord, whom God preserve for his service long and happy years.

Ye are all now in my power, to do with ye whatever I will, both with your persons and your riches, and your wives and your children; but I will not do thus.

And I hold it good that the honourable men among ye who have always been loyal, remain in the city in their dwellings and with all their family; and that none among ye keep more than one beast, which shall be a mule, and that ye do not use arms, neither have them in your possession, except when it is needful and I shall give command.

And all the rest of the people shall go out of the town and dwell in the suburb of Alcudia, where I was wont to be.

Ye shall have two Mosques, one in the city and one in the suburb; and ye shall have your Alfaquis and follow your own law; and ye shall have your Cadis, and your Guazil, as I have appointed; and ye shall have your inheritances, and pay me the tenth of the fruits thereof as your service; and the power of justice shall be mine, and I will order such money to be coined as I shall think good.

Do ye therefore who are minded to abide with me in the land, abide: and let those who are not, go, in God's name, and good luck with them, but they shall take only their own persons, and I will give command to see them escorted in safety.

When the Moors of Valencia heard this they were full sorrowful; howbeit it was now a time when they could do no otherwise than as he commanded.

And incontinently they began to go out of the city with their wives and children, all except those whom the Cid had commanded.

abide there; and as the Moors went out the Christians who dwelt in Alcudia entered in.

And the history saith, that so great was the multitude which departed, that they were two whole days in going out.

Great was the joy of the Cid and his people that day, and from thenceforward he was called My Cid the Campeador, Lord of Valencia.