he might be gone. And the King wrote an answer and said, that this aid
which they besought of him he could not give till he had sent to ask
help of King Don Alfonso of Castille, for he could not else venture to
do battle with the Cid. And he exhorted them to defend themselves the
best they could while he procured horsemen from King Don Alfonso to
help them, and that they should from time to time send him word how
they went on. So the messenger returned in great sorrow that he had
sped no better, and that nothing had been given him as Abeniaf had
promised: and all this which the King of Zaragoza said was only delay,
and meant nothing. And the famine now waxed so great, that there was no
food to sell, and many died of hunger. And many for great misery went
out to the Christians, recking not whether they should be made captive,
or slain, for they thought it better to be slain than to perish for
lack of food. And Abeniaf searched all the houses in the town for food,
and where he found any store, he left only what would suffice for a
fortnight, and took the rest, saying that in that time the King of
Zaragoza would come and relieve them, for that he only tarried to
collect great store of food, that he might bring it with him. This he
said to keep the people quiet, and to encourage them. And of the food
which he carried away he took the most part for himself and for his
guards, and the rest he ordered to be sold in such manner that none
should buy more than would suffice him for the day. And what he took he
did not pay for, and when the people demanded payment he put them off
till another day; and he bade them not complain, for they would be
relieved from this misery, and then he would pay them well. And they
who had any food left buried it for fear, and for this reason there was
none to be bought, neither dear nor cheap. And they who had nothing
else, ate herbs, and leather, and electuaries from the apothecaries
which they bought at a great price, and the poor ate the dead bodies.