Lorvam, upon his blessing he charged them so to do, because he had
found the brethren better than all the other Monks in his dominions.

XVIII. Then King Don Ferrando knighted Rodrigo of Bivar in the great
mosque of Coimbra, which he dedicated to St. Mary. And the ceremony was
after this manner: the King girded on his sword, and gave him the kiss,
but not the blow. To do him more honour the Queen gave him his horse,
and the Infanta Dona Urraca fastened on his spurs; and from that day
forth he was called Ruydiez. Then the King commanded him to knight nine
noble squires with his own hand; and he took his sword before the
altar, and knighted them. The King then gave Coimbra to the keeping of
Don Sisnando, Bishop of Iria, a man, who having more hardihood than
religion, had by reason of his misdeeds gone over to the Moors, and
sorely infested the Christians in Portugal. But during the siege he had
come to the King's service, and bestirred himself well against the
Moors; and therefore the King took him into his favour, and gave him
the city to keep, which he kept, and did much evil to the Moors till
the day of his death. And the King departed and went to Compostella to
return thanks to Santiago.

XIX. But then Benalfagi, who was the Lord of many lands in Estremadura,
gathered together a great power of the Moors and built up the walls of
Montemor, and from thence waged war against Coimbra, so that they of
Coimbra called upon the King for help. And the King came up against the
town, and fought against it, and took it. Great honour did Ruydiez win
at that siege; for having to protect the foragers, the enemy came out
upon him, and thrice in one day was he beset by them; but he, though
sorely prest by them, and in great peril, nevertheless would not send
to the camp for succour, but put forth his manhood and defeated them.
And from that day the King gave more power into his hands, and made him