V. On the morrow, after the King had heard mass, he went into the Palace of Galiana, where the Cortes was to assemble, and the Infantes of Carrion and the other Counts and Ricos-omes with him, save the Cid who was not yet come; and when they who did not love the Cid beheld his ivory seat, they began to make mock of it. And Count Garcia said to the King, I beseech your Grace, tell me, for whom that couch is spread beside your seat: for what dame is it made ready; will she come drest in the _almexia_ ... or with white _alquinales_ on her head, or after what fashion will she be apparelled? Sir, a seat like that is fit for none but your Grace: give order to take it for yourself, or that it be removed. When Ferran Alfonso, who was there to guard the ivory seat heard this, he answered and said, Count, you talk full foolishly, and speak ill of one against whom it behoves you not to talk. He who is to sit upon this seat is better than you, or than all your lineage; and he hath ever appeared a man to all his enemies, not like a woman as you say. If you deny this I will lay hands upon you, and make you acknowledge it before my Lord the King Don Alfonso, who is here present. And I am of such a race that you cannot acquit yourself by saying I am not your peer, and the vantage of half your arms I give you! At these words was the King greatly troubled, and the Counts also, and all the honourable men who were there present. And Count García who was an angry man, wrapt his mantle under his arm, and would have struck Ferran Alfonso, saying, Let me get at the boy who dares me! And Ferran Alfonso laid hand upon his sword and came forward to meet him, saying, that if it were not for the King, he would punish him thereright for the folly which he had uttered. But the King seeing that these words went on from bad to worse, put them asunder that farther evil might not happen, and he said, None of ye have reason to speak thus of the seat of the Cid; he won it like a good knight and a valiant, as he is. There is not a King in the world who deserves this seat better than my vassal the Cid, and the better and more honourable he is, the more am I honoured through him. This seat he won in Valencia, where it had belonged to the Kings thereof; and much gold and silver, and many precious stones hath he won; and many a battle hath he won both against Christians and Moors: and of all the spoil which he hath won, he hath alway sent me part, and great presents and full rich, such as never other vassal sent to his Lord; and this he hath done in acknowledgment that I am his Lord. Ye who are talking here against him, which of ye hath ever sent me such gifts as he? If any one be envious, let him atchieve such feats as he hath done, and I will seat him with myself to do him honour.