Christ of Monterrey © Mark Wade

When the King entered the city, he bade his seneschal, Benito Perez, make ready the Palaces of Galiana for the next day, when the Cortes should begin; and he fitted the great Palace after this manner.

He placed estrados with carpets upon the ground, and hung the walls with cloth of gold.

And in the highest place he placed the royal chair in which the King should sit; it was a right noble chair and a rich, which he had won in Toledo, and which had belonged to the Kings thereof; and round about it right noble estrados were placed for the Counts and honourable men who were come to the Cortes.

Now the Cid knew how they were fitting up the Palaces of Galiana, and he called for a squire, who was a young man, one whom he had brought up and in whom he had great trust; he was an hidalgo, and hight Ferran Alfonso: and the Cid bade him take his ivory seat which he had won in Valencia, and which had belonged to the Kings thereof, and place it in the Palace, in the best place, near the seat of the King; and that none might hurt or do dishonour unto it, he gave him a hundred squires, all hidalgos, to go with him, and ordered them not to leave it till he should come there the next day.

So when they had dined, they made the seat be taken up, and went with it to the Palaces of Galiana, and placed it near the seat of the King, as the Cid had commanded; and all that day and night they remained there guarding the ivory seat, till the Cid should come and take his place thereon; every one having his sword hung from his neck.

This was a right noble seat, and of subtle work, so that whoso beheld it would say it was the seat of a good man, and that it became such a one as the Cid.

It was covered with cloth of gold, underneath which was a cushion.