with a true good will. And he besought him as his Lord to let him
remain in Xativa, and he would give him the rents thereof; but if it
was his pleasure to appoint some other in his stead, he besought that
he would then give him something for himself and his company to subsist
upon, seeing that he desired nothing but the King's favour to be well
with him. Then the King took counsel with Aboeza the Guazil, and the
Guazil advised him to do unto Abenmazot even as he had requested, and
let him keep Xativa; and to send away Alvar Fanez because of the great
charge it was to maintain him, and to live in peace, and put his
kingdom in order; in all which he advised him like a good counsellor
and a true. But the King would not give heed to him; instead thereof he
communicated his counsel to the two sons of Abdalla Azis who had
submitted unto him, and whom he had taken into his favour, and they
told him that Aboeza had advised him ill, and that it behoved him to
lead out his host and bring Abenmazot to obedience. And the King
believed them and went out and besieged Xativa. And the first day he
entered the lower part of the town, but Abenmazot retired to the
Alcazar and the fortresses, and defended the upper part; and the King
besieged him there for four months, attacking him every day, till food
began to fail both in the army of the King and in the town. And they of
Valencia could not supply what was to be paid to Alvar Fanez and his
company, much less what the King wanted. Then the King understood that
he had been ill advised, and for this reason he condemned one of the
sons of Abdalla Azis to pay Alvar Fanez for thirty days; and he seized
a Jew who was one of his Almoxarifes in Valencia, that is to say, one
who collected the taxes, and took from him all that he had, because he
had advised him ill, and while this lasted the people of Valencia had
some respite.

IX. When Abenmazot saw that the King was bent upon destroying him, and