the five he shall be held a true man, but if either of the five conquer
him, the Council is held acquitted and he a liar. When Don Diego heard
this it troubled him; howbeit he dissembled this right well, and said
unto Don Arias Gonzalo, I will bring twelve Castillians, and do you
bring twelve men of Zamora, and they shall swear upon the Holy Gospel
to judge justly between us, and if they find that I am bound to do
battle with five, I will perform it. And Don Arias made answer that he
said well, and it should be so. And truce was made for three times nine
days, till this should have been determined and the combat fought.

III. Then when the truce was made, Don Arias Gonzalo went out from the
town into the host of the Castillians, and his sons with him, and many
of the knights of the town; and all the Ricos-omes and knights who were
in the host assembled together with them, and consulted what was to be
done in this impeachment. And they chose out twelve alcades on the one
part, and twelve on the other, who should decide in what manner he was
bound to perform combat who impeached a Council. And the four and
twenty alcades accorded concerning what was the law in this case; and
two of them who were held the most learned in these things arose, the
one being a Castillian and the other of Zamora, and said that they had
found the law as it was written to be this: That whosoever impeacheth
the Council of a town which was a bishop's seat, must do battle with
five in the field, one after another; and that after every combat there
should be given unto him fresh arms and horse, and three sops of bread,
and a draught either of wine or of water, as he chose. And in this
sentence which the twain pronounced, the other twenty and two accorded.

IV. On the morrow before the hour of tierce, the four and twenty
alcades marked out the lists upon the sand beside the river, at the
place which is called Santiago, and in the middle of the lists they