Asturian came with a convoy of laden beasts, carrying provisions to the
host of the Cid; and as he passed near the town the Moors sallied out
in great numbers against him; but he, though he had few with him,
defended the convoy right well, and did great hurt to the Moors,
slaying many of them, and drove them into the town. This Martin Pelaez
who is here spoken of, did the Cid make a right good knight, of a
coward, as ye shall hear. When the Cid first began to lay siege to the
city of Valencia, this Martin Pelaez came unto him; he was a knight, a
native of Santillana in Asturias, a hidalgo, great of body and strong
of limb, a well made man and of goodly semblance, but withal a right
coward at heart, which he had shown in many places when he was among
feats of arms. And the Cid was sorry when he came unto him, though he
would not let him perceive this; for he knew he was not fit to be of
his company. Howbeit he thought that since he was come he would make
him brave whether he would or not. And when the Cid began to war upon
the town, and sent parties against it twice and thrice a day, as ye
have heard, for the Cid was alway upon the alert, there was fighting
and tourneying every day. One day it fell out that the Cid and his
kinsmen and friends and vassals were engaged in a great encounter, and
this Martin Pelaez was well armed; and when he saw that the Moors and
Christians were at it, he fled and betook himself to his lodging, and
there hid himself till the Cid returned to dinner. And the Cid saw what
Martin Pelaez did, and when he had conquered the Moors he returned to
his lodging to dinner. Now it was the custom of the Cid to eat at a
high table, seated on his bench, at the head. 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. This was the order in the house of the Cid, and