natural Lord, at whose service he is, and from whom he expecteth much
bounty and good. You banished him from the land; but though in
another's country, he hath only done you service. Five pitched battles
hath he won since that time, some with Moors and some with bad
Christians; and he hath taken Xerica, and Ondra, and Almenar, and
Monviedro which is a bigger place, and Cebola also, and Castrejon, and
Pena Cadiella which is a strong eminence, and with all the right noble
city of Valencia, for the honour of the faith of Jesus Christ, and of
you our Lord and King; and he hath made it a Bishopric, and made the
Honourable Don Hieronymo Bishop thereof with his own hand. And behold
here are a hundred horses of the spoils which he hath won; they are
great and swift, and are all bridled and saddled, and he kisseth your
hand and beseecheth you as his natural Lord to receive them. When the
King heard this he was greatly astonished, and he lifted up his right
hand and blessed himself, and said, As St. Isidro shall keep me, I
rejoice in the good fortune of the Cid, and receive his gift full
willingly. But though this pleased the King it did not please Garci
Ordonez, and he said, It seemeth there is not a man left in the land of
the Moors, that the Cid can thus do his pleasure! And the King said
unto him, Hold thy peace, for in all things he serves me better than
thou.

Then Alvar Fanez kissed the King's hand again, and said, Sir, the Cid
beseecheth you of your bounty that he may have his wife Dona Ximena and
his two daughters, that they may go to Valencia unto him, from the
Monastery where he left them, for it is many days since he saw them,
and if it please you this would rejoice him. And the King made answer,
It pleases me well, and I will give them a guard throughout my
dominions, that they may be conducted honourably to the border: when
they have past it, the Campeador himself will look to them. And he