Barcience © Mark Wade

Now the Cid bethought him of Dona Ximena his wife, and of his daughters Dona Elvira and Dona Sol, whom he had left in the Monastery of St. Pedro de Cardena; and he called for Alvar Fanez and Martin Antolinez of Burgos, and spake with them, and besought them that they would go to Castille, to King Don Alfonso his Lord, and take him a present from the riches which God-had given them; and the present should be a hundred horses, saddled and bridled; and that they would kiss the King's hand for him, and beseech him to send him his wife Dona Ximena, and his daughters, and that they would tell the King all the mercy which God had shown him, and how he was at his service with Valencia and with all that he had.

Moreover he bade them take a thousand marks of silver to the Monastery of St. Pedro de Cardena, and give them to the Abbot, and thirty marks of gold for his wife and daughters, that they might prepare themselves and come in honourable guise.

And he ordered three hundred marks of gold to be given them, and three hundred marks of silver, to redeem the chests full of sand which he had pledged in Burgos to the Jews; and he bade them ask Rachel and Vidas to forgive him the deceit of the sand, for he had done it because of his great need: and he said, You, Martin Antolinez, were aiding and abetting herein, but praised be the name of the Lord for ever, he hath let me quit myself truly; tell them that they shall have more profit than they asked.

And he bade them each take with him his whole company, that they might be better advised and accompanied, and that Dona Ximena might come with the greater honour: and the company was this: two hundred knights who were of Don Alvar Fanez, and fifty of Martin Antolinez: and he ordered money to be given them for their disbursement, and for all things needful, in abundance.