Kings, so he had brought all the Moors of all Pagandom, for with the
mercy of God in which I trust, I should think to conquer them all. Bear
this answer to your Lord, and come here no more with messages, neither
on this account nor on any other. When Ximen de Algezira, the Moorish
messenger, heard this, he left Valencia, and went unto his Lord and
told him before the twenty and nine Kings all that the Cid had said.
And they were astonished at the brave words of the Cid, for they did
not think that he would have resisted, so great was their power,
neither did they ween that he would so soon come out to battle. And
they began to give order to set their siege round about Valencia, as
the history, and as Gilbert also relateth. This King Bucar and his
brother King Yucef were kinsmen of Alimaymon, who had been King of
Toledo and Valencia, and this was the reason why Bucar said that
Valencia had belonged to his forefathers.

VII. No sooner had Ximen, the messenger of King Bucar, left the city,
than the Cid ordered the bell to be struck, at the sound of which all
the men at arms in Valencia were to gather together. Incontinently they
all assembled before the Cid, and he told them all to be ready full
early on the morrow to go out and give battle to the Moors. And they
made answer with one accord that they were well pleased to do this, for
they trusted in God and in his good fortune that they should overcome
them. On the morrow therefore at the first cock-crow, they confessed
and communicated, as was their custom, and before the morning brake
they went forth from Valencia. And when they had got through the narrow
passes among the gardens, the Cid set his army in array. The van he
gave to Alvar Fanez Minaya, and to Pero Bermudez who bore his banner;
and he gave them five hundred horsemen, and a thousand and five hundred
men a-foot. In the right wing was that honourable one with the shaven
crown, Don Hieronymo the Bishop, with the like number both of horse and