The Cid’s second most trusted knight, after Alvar Fanez. Nephew and standard bearer of the Cid. His name is listed as a government authority in a historical document, but there is no independent evidence of his service with the Cid.
God! what a good joy was theirs that morning! My Cid's vassals laid on without mercy;-in one hour, and in a little space, three hundred Moors were slain, and the Cid and Alvar Fanez had good horses, and got between them and the Castle, and stood in the gateway sword in hand, and there was a great mortality among the Moors; and my Cid won the place, and Pero Bermudez planted his banner upon the highest point of the Castle.
And on the morrow at sunrise the Cid gave his banner to Pero Bermudez, and bade him bear it boldly like a good man as he was, but he charged him not to thrust forward with it without his bidding.
And Pero Bermudez kissed his hand, being well pleased.
Pero Bermudez could not bear this, but holding the banner in his hand, he cried, God help you, Cid Campeador; I shall put your banner in the middle of that main body; and you who are bound to stand by it-I shall see how you will succour it.
And the Campeador called unto him to stop as he loved him, but Pero Bermudez replied he would stop for nothing, and away he spurred and carried his banner into the middle of the great body of Moors.
And my Cid and his company succoured Pero Bermudez, and they rode through the host of the Moors, slaying as they went, and they rode back again in like manner; thirteen hundred did they kill in this guise.
And Don Alvar Fanez, and Pero Bermudez, and other precious knights, ate in another part, at high tables, full honourably, and none other knights whatsoever dared take their seats with them, unless they were such as deserved to be there; and the others who were not so approved in arms ate upon estrados, at tables with cushions.
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 that they might be more certain, he said unto Minaya that he would take account of all the people who were with him, both horsemen and foot, and Pero Bermudez and Martin Antolinez made the roll; and there were found a thousand knights of lineage, and five hundred and fifty other horsemen, and of foot soldiers four thousand, besides boys and others; thus many were the people of my Cid, he of Bivar.
And he called for Muno Gustios, and Pero Bermudez, and the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and bade them take a hundred knights lest there should be need to fight, and go to Molina, to Abencano, who was his friend and vassal, and bid him take another hundred knights, and go with them to Medina Celi as fast as they could go.
They made no tarriance in doing this, for they had it at heart; one tarried with them, and the other returned, and said it was the host of the Campeador with Pero Bermudez, and Muno Gustios, and the Bishop Hieronymo, and the Alcayaz Abencano.
And the Cid put his battles in good array, and bade Pero Bermudez bear his banner.
Then the Cid sent Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez with a present to King Alfonso his Lord.
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 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 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 the King sent for Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez, and went apart with them, and praised the Cid, and thanked him for the good will which he had to do him service, and said that he had great desire to see him.
When Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez heard this, they answered the King, and said, Certain we are, Sir, that neither in this, nor in anything else will the Cid do aught but what you, Sir, shall command or advise.
Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and Martin Munoz, and Martin Antolinez that worthy Burgalese, and the Bishop Don Hieronymo that good one with the shaven crown, and Alvar Alvarez, and Alvar Salvadores, and Muno Gustios that knight of prowess, and Galind Garcia of Aragon; all these and all the others made ready to go with the Cid.
My Cid went his way towards Valencia, and he appointed Pero Bermudez and Muno Gustios, than whom there were no better two in all his household, to keep company with the Infantes of Carrion and be their guard, and he bade them spy out what their conditions were; and this they soon found out.
The van he gave to Alvar Fanez Minaya, and to Pero Bermudez who bore his banner; and he gave them five hundred horsemen, and a thousand and five hundred men a-foot.
In the meantime Felez Munoz proceeded on his journey, and it came to pass that he met Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez on the way, going to the King with a present which the Cid had sent him; and the present was this,...two hundred horses, from those which he had won in the battle of Quarto from King Bucar, and a hundred Moorish prisoners, and many good swords, and many rich saddles.
And as Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez rode on in talk, they thought that it was he, and marvelled greatly; and he when he drew nigh began to tear his hair, and make great lamentation, so that they were greatly amazed.
Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez held on their way, and came to the King, whom they found in Valladolid.
And King Don Alfonso made answer and said, that he took the present of the Cid with a right good will, as of the truest and most honourable vassal that ever Lord had: and he gave order to his people to receive it, and bade Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez seat themselves at his feet.
Glad were Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez of this reply, and they kissed his hand, and dispeeded themselves.
Then Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez went their way, and Pero Sanchez and his company departed with them.
Then Pero Bermudez went on to Valencia, and Alvar Fanez and the rest of his company abode with the dames in Molina.
And when Pero Bermudez arrived he found the Cid Ruydiez just risen with his chivalry from dinner, and when the Cid saw him he welcomed him right well; howbeit he could not refrain from weeping; for before this Felez Munoz had told him all.
And he took Pero Bermudez by the hand and led him to Dona Ximena, who wept greatly at seeing him, and said, Ah, Pero Bermudez, what tidings bringest thou of my daughters? And he comforted her and said, Weep not, Lady, for I left them alive and well at Molina, and Alvar Fanez with them; by God's blessing you shall have good vengeance for them! Then the Cid seated himself near his wife, and Pero Bermudez took his seat before them, and told them all that he had done, and how the King had summoned them to the Cortes at Toledo.
And the Cid answered and said, Chafe not thyself, Pero Bermudez, for the man who thinketh by chafing to expedite his business, leaveth off worse than he began.
Pero Bermudez returned the next day to Molina, where Abengalvon had done great honour to the dames, and to Alvar Fanez, and all that were with him.
And the Cid departed from Valencia, and with him went Alvar Fanez Minaya with two hundred knights, and Pero Bermudez with one hundred, and Martin Antolinez with fifty, and Martin Ferrandez with other fifty, and Felez Ferruz and Benito Sanchez with fifty each;...these were five hundred knights.
Now the Cid had performed his vigil in the Church of St. Servans, matins and primes were said, and mass performed; and then he made ready to go to the Cortes, and with him went Alvar Fanez Minaya, whom he called his right arm, and Pero Bermudez, and Muno Gustios, and Martin Antolinez that doughty Burgalese, and Alvar Alvarez, and Alvar Salvadorez, and Martin Munoz, and Felez Munoz the Cid's nephew, and Malanda who was a learned man, and Galin Garciez the good one of Aragon: these and others made ready to go with him, being a hundred of the best of his company.
And he bade Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez assemble their companions, and when he saw them he said, If the Infantes of Carrion should seek a quarrel, where I have a hundred such as these I may be well without fear! And he said, Let us mount now and go to the Cortes.
And Pero Bermudez rose and made the same demand for the sword Tizona, and the Cid gave it him in like manner.
When the Cid saw that none of his people made answer he turned to Pero Bermudez and said, Speak, Pero Mudo, what art thou silent for? He called him Mudo, which is to say, Dumb-ee, because he snaffled and stuttered when he began to speak; and Pero Bermudez was wroth that he should be so called before all that assembly.
And Pero Bermudez rose and said to Count Garcia, Foul mouth, in which God hath put no truth, thou hast dared let thy tongue loose to speak of the Cid's beard.
Then Pero Bermudez rose up and went to the Cid and said, A boon, Sir! I beseech you let me be one of those who shall do battle on your part, for such a one do I hold myself to be, and this which they have done is so foul a thing, that I trust in God to take vengeance for it.
And the Cid made answer that he was well pleased it should be so, and that he should do battle with Ferrando Gonzalez the eldest; and upon that Pero Bermudez kissed his hand.
Now when the Cid had taken leave of the King, and of the other honourable men and Counts, and Ricos-omes who were with him, Pero Bermudez and Martin Antolinez and Muno Gustioz went on yet awhile with him: and he counselled them all how to demean themselves so as to clear him of the shame which had been done him, and to be held for good knights themselves, and to take vengeance for King Don Alfonso, and for him, and for themselves, that he might receive good tidings from them in Valencia.
And he took with him the Counts whom he had appointed Alcaldes, and Pero Bermudez and Martin Antolinez and Muno Gustioz went with the Count Don Remond, to whose charge the King had given them.
Pero Bermudez and Ferrando Gonzalez encountered, and the shield of Pero Bermudez was pierced, but the spear past through on one side, and hurt him not, and brake in two places; and he sat firm in his seat.
Howbeit Ferrando Gonzalez rose, and the blood began to run out of his mouth, and Pero Bermudez drew his sword and went against him; but when he saw the sword Tizona over him, before he received a blow from it, he cried out that he confessed himself conquered, and that what Pero Bermudez had said against him was true.
And when Pero Bermudez heard this he stood still, and the twelve true-men came up and heard his confession, and pronounced him vanquished.
And he took with him Martin Antolinez and Pero Bermudez and Muno Gustioz, and went to Dona Ximena and her daughters, and said to them, Blessed be the name of God, now are you and your daughters avenged! and he made the knights recount the whole unto them, even as it had come to pass.
And on the morrow the Bishop Don Hieronymo baptized him, and they gave him the name of Gil Diaz: and his godfathers were Don Alvar Fanez, and Pero Bermudez, and Martin Antolinez of Burgos; and Dona Ximena, with other honourable dames, were his godmothers.
How this is be done, and what ye all have to do, I will leave in the hands of the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Alvar Fanez, and Pero Bermudez.
On the twenty-ninth day, being the day before he departed, he called for Dona Ximena, and for the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Don Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and his trusty Gil Diaz; and when they were all five before him, he began to direct them what they should do after his death; and he said to them, Ye know that King Bucar will presently be here to besiege this city, with seven and thirty Kings whom he bringeth with him, and with a mighty power of Moors.
You, Pero Bermudez, shall bear my banner, as you were wont to bear it; and you, Alvar Fanez, my cousin, gather your company together, and put the host in order as you are wont to do.
Early on the morrow the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Alvar Fanez, and Pero Bermudez, and Martin Antolinez, came to the Cid.
And he left it in charge to the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Dona Ximena his wife, and Don Alvar Fanez, and Pero Bermudez, and Felez Munoz, his nephews, that they should see all this fulfilled.
And he commanded Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez, when they had conquered King Bucar, to proceed forthwith into Castille and fulfil all that he had enjoined.
Pero Bermudez went first with the banner of the Cid, and with him five hundred knights who guarded it, all well appointed.
And the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, remained there also till they had fulfilled all that the Cid Ruydiez had commanded in his testament to be done.