your loyalty, see to the obeyment of my command.
VI. When the honourable Moors heard this they were dismayed; verily
they knew that he spake truth touching the death of the King, but it
troubled them that he departed from the promise which he had made; and
they made answer that they would take counsel concerning what he had
said, and then reply. Then five of the best and most honourable among
them withdrew, and went to Abdalla Adiz, and said unto him, Areed us
thy reed now the best and truest that thou canst, for thou art of our
law, and oughtest to do this; and the reason why we ask counsel of thee
is this. The Cid promised us many things, and now behold he says
nothing to us of what he said before, but moveth other new reasons, at
which great dismay hath seized us. And because thou better knowest his
ways, tell us now what is his pleasure, for albeit we might wish to do
otherwise, this is not a time wherein anything but what he shall
command can be done. When the Almoxarife heard this he made answer,
Good men, it is easy to understand what he would have, and to do what
should be done. We all know the great treason which Abeniaf committed
against we all in killing your Lord the King: for albeit, at that time
ye felt the burden of the Christians, yet it was nothing so great as
after he had killed him, neither did ye suffer such misery. And since
God hath brought him who was the cause to this state, see now by all
means how ye may deliver him into the hands of the Cid. And fear not,
neither take thought for the rest; for though the Cid may do his
pleasure in some things, better is it to have him for Lord, than this
traitor who hath brought so much evil upon ye. Moreover the things of
this world soon pass away, and my heart tells me that we shall ere long
come out of the bondage of the Cid, and of the Christians, for the Cid
is well nigh at the full of his days, and we who remain alive after his
death, shall then be masters of our city. When the good men heard what
he said, they thanked him much, and held themselves to be well advised,
and said that they would do willingly what he bade them: and they
returned forthwith to the Cid, and said unto him that they would fulfil
his commandment. Incontinently did the good men dispeed themselves of
the Cid, and they went into the city, and gathered together a great
posse of armed men, and went to the place where Abeniaf dwelt; and they
assaulted the house and brake the doors, and entered in and laid hands
on him, and his son, and all his company, and carried them before the
Cid. And the Cid ordered Abeniaf to be cast into prison, and all those
who had taken counsel with him for the death of King Yahia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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