that he should depart from the city, for he would not have the son of
a traitor dwell therein. And he commanded them that they should stone
Abeniaf and all them who had taken counsel with him for the death of
the King, according as they had given sentence. Then the honourable
Moors rose and kissed his feet and his hands for the mercy which he had
shown to the son of Abeniaf; and they took out Abeniaf to stone him,
and other twenty and two with him. And the Cid bade them come again to
him on the morrow, and he would appoint what should be the manner of
his dwelling among them.
IX. That night the Cid spake with Alvar Fañez and with Pero Bermudez,
and all them who were of his council, and they resolved in what manner
they would live among the Moors. And on the morrow the honourable Moors
of Valencia assembled together in the Alcazar as they had been
commanded to do, and the Cid took his seat upon the _estrado_, and all
the honourable men round about him, and he spake unto them after this
manner: Good men of the Aljama of Valencia, ye know how I served and
defended King Yahia your Lord, and ye also, until his death. And I had
great sorrow for him, and strove to revenge him, as ye know, and
endured great hardships in winning Valencia.
And since God hath thought it good that I should be Lord thereof, I
will have it for myself, and for those who have helpen me to win it,
saving the sovereignty of King Don Alfonso of Castille, my Lord, whom
God preserve for his service long and happy years. Ye are all now in my
power, to do with ye whatever I will, both with your persons and your
riches, and your wives and your children; but I will not do thus. And I
hold it good that the honourable men among ye who have alway been
loyal, remain in the city in their dwellings and with all their family;
and that none among ye keep more than one beast, which shall be a mule,
and that ye do not use arms, neither have them in your possession,
except when it is needful and I shall give command. And all the rest of
the people shall go out of the town and dwell in the suburb of Alcudia,
where I was wont to be. Ye shall have two Mosques, one in the city and
one in the suburb; and ye shall have your Alfaquis and follow your own
law; and ye shall have your Cadis, and your Guazil, as I have
appointed; and ye shall have your inheritances, and pay me the tenth of
the fruits thereof as your service; and the power of justice shall be
mine, and I will order such money to be coined as I shall think good.
Do ye therefore who are minded to abide with me in the land, abide: and
let those who are not, go, in God's name, and good luck with them, but
they shall take only their own persons, and I will give command to see
them escorted in safety. When the Moors of Valencia heard this they
were full sorrowful; howbeit it was now a time when they could do no
otherwise than as he commanded. And incontinently they began to go out
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account