that every day he prest him more and more, he sent to Abenalfange who
was King of Denia and Tortosa, saying, that if he would come and help
him, he would make him Lord of Xativa and of all his other Castles, and
would be at his mercy; and this he did to escape from the hands of
Yahia. When Abenalfange heard this it pleased him well, and he sent one
of his Alcaydes, who was called the Left-handed, to enter the Alcazar,
and help to defend it till he could collect a company of Christians who
might deal with Alvar Fanez. So that Left-handed one entered the
Alcazar with his company, and the Lord of the Castle which was called
Almenar, was already there to help Abenmazot, and encourage him that he
should not submit. Then Abenalfange gathered together all his host and
his cavalry, and brought with him Giralte the Roman, with a company of
French knights, and came towards Xativa, as a hungry lion goes against
a sheep, or like the coming of a flood in its hour; so that Vahia was
dismayed at the tidings of his approach, and fled as fast as he could
to the Isle of Xucar, and though that Isle was so near, he thought he
had done a great thing; and from thence he went to Valencia, holding
himself greatly dishonoured. Then Abenalfange had Xativa and all its
Castles, so that it was all one kingdom as far as Denia. And he took
Abenmazot with all his women and his household and all that he had, to
Denia, and gave him possessions there, and did him much honour. And
when it was seen that King Yahia was thus dishonoured, and that Alvar
Fanez had not helped him as had been looked for, they who held the
Castles lost all fear of him, so that their hearts were changed towards
him, as well they of Valencia as of the other Castles, and they said
that they would rather belong to Abenalfange than to him, because the
town could not bear the charge of the Christians, nor the oppressions
which they suffered because of them.

X. Abenalfange abode some days in Xativa, and then moved on towards