Corduente © Mark Wade

Then the Cid sent Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez with a present to King Alfonso his Lord.

And the present which he sent was two hundred horses saddled and bridled, with each a sword hanging from the saddle-bow: and also the noble tent which he had won from King Yucef of Morocco.

This present he gave, because the King had sent him his wife and daughters when he asked for them, and because of the honour which he had done them, and that the King might not speak ill of him who commanded in Valencia.

Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez went their way towards Castille, over sierras and mountains and waters; and they asked where the King was, and it was told them that he was at Valladolid, and thither they went.

And when they drew nigh unto the city, they sent to let him know of their coming, and to ask of him whether he thought it good for them to come into the city unto him, or if he would come out to them, for they were a great company, and the present a full great one, which he would see better without, than in the town.

And the King thought this best, and he went to horse, and bade all the hidalgos who were with him do the like.

Now the Infantes of Carrion were there, Diego Gonzalez and Ferrando Gonzalez, the sons of Count Don Gonzalo.

And they found the company of the Cid about half a league from the town, and when the King saw how many they were, he blest himself, for they seemed like a host.

And Minaya and Pero Bermudez pricked on when they saw him, and came before him, and alighted, and knelt down, and kissed the ground and kissed both his feet: and he bade them rise and mount their horses, and would not hear them till they had mounted, and taken their places one at his right hand, and the other at his left.

And they said, Sir, the Cid commends himself to your grace as his liege Lord, and thanks you greatly for having sent him with such honour his wife and daughters.

And know, Sir, that since they arrived, he hath achieved a great victory over the Moors, and their King Yucef of Morocco, the Miramamolin, who besieged him in Valencia with fifty thousand men.

And he went out against them, and smote them, and hath sent you these two hundred horses from his fifth.

Then Alvar Fanez gave order that the horses should be led forward.

And this was the manner in which they came.

The two hundred horses came first, and every one was led by a child, and every one had a sword hanging from the saddle, on the left side; and after them came the pages of all the knights in company, carrying their spears, and then the company, and after them a hundred couple with spears in rest.

And when they had all past by, the King blest himself again, and he laughed and said that never had so goodly a present been sent before to King of Spain by his vassal.

And Alvar Fanez said moreover, Sir, he hath sent you a tent, the noblest that ever man saw, which he won in this battle: and the King gave order that the tent should be spread, and he alighted and went into it, he and all his people, and he was greatly pleased; and they all said that they had never seen so noble a tent as this: and the King said he had won many from the Moors, but never such as this.

But albeit that all the others were well pleased, Count Don Garcia was not so; and he and ten of his lineage talked apart, and said that this which the Cid had done was to their shame, for they hated the Cid in their hearts.

And King Don Alfonso said, Thanks be to God and to Sir Saint Isidro of Leon, these horses may do me good service; and he gave three of them to Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and bade them chuse, and he ordered food and clothing to be given them while they remained, and said that he would give them compleat armour when they returned, such as was fit for them to appear in before my Cid.

And they were lodged, and all things that were needful provided for them and their people.