needed them. Dona Urraca then said to the Cid, that he might speak his
bidding safely. Then said my Cid, The King your brother sends to greet
you, and beseeches you to give him this town of Zamora, either for a
price or in exchange; and he will give to you Medina de Rio-seco, with
the whole Infantazgo, from Villalpando to Valladolid, and the good
castle of Tiedra, and he will swear unto you, with twelve knights his
vassals, never to do you hurt or harm; but if you will not give him the
town, he will take it against your will.

XXV. When Dona Urraca heard this she was sorely grieved, and in her
great sorrow she lamented aloud, saying, Wretch that I am, many are the
evil messages which I have heard since my father's death! He hath
disherited my brother King Don Garcia of his kingdom, and taken him,
and now holds him in irons as if he were a thief or a Moor; and he hath
taken his lands from my brother King Don Alfonso, and forced him to go
among the Moors, and live there exiled, as if he had been a traitor;
and would let none go with him except Don Peransures and his brethren,
whom I sent; and he hath taken her lands from my sister Dona Elvira
against her will, and now would he take Zamora from me also! Now then
let the earth open and swallow me, that I may not see so many troubles!
And with that, in her strong anger against her brother King Don Sancho,
she said, I am a woman, and well know that I cannot strive with him in
battle; but I will have him slain either secretly or openly. Then Don
Arias Gonzalo stood up and said, Lady Dona Urraca, in thus complaining
and making lamentation you do inconsiderately; for in time of trouble
it befits us to take thought of what best is to be done, and so must we
do. Now then, Lady, give order that all the men of Zamora assemble in
St. Salvador's and know of them whether they will hold with you, seeing
that your father gave them to you to be your vassals. And if they will
hold with you, then give not you up the town, neither for a price, nor