for whatever good speed King Don Sancho had had in his doings was all by means of my Cid. And the King said unto them, I beseech all ye who are here present, Counts and Ricos-omes, and all my other vassals, that if my brother King Don Alfonso should come from the land of the Moors, ye beseech him to show favour unto you, my Cid, and that he always be bountiful unto you, and receive you to be his vassal; and if he alway doth this and listen unto you, he will not be badly advised. Then the Cid arose and kissed his Wand, and all the chief persons who were there present did the like. And after this the King said unto them, I beseech ye intreat my brother King Don Alfonso to forgive me whatever wrong I have done him, and to pray to God to have mercy upon my soul. And when he had said this he asked for the candle, and presently his soul departed. And all who were there present made great lamentation for the King. BOOK III. I. Now when the King was dead, the townsmen who were in the camp forsook their tents and fled, and much did they lose in their flight; but the noble Castillians, thinking rather of what they were bound to do as men who had always preserved their loyalty, like their ancestors before them, would not depart from Zamora, nor break up the siege thereof, but remained bravely before it, though they had lost their Lord. And they summoned all the Bishops, and took the body of the King and sent it full honourably to the Monastery of Oña, and buried him there as beseemed a King: and while one part of the chief men of the host accompanied the body, the rest remained in the camp before Zamora. And when the prelates and good men had returned to the army, they took counsel together how they should proceed against the men of Zamora for this great treason which had been committed. Then Count Don García de Cabra arose and said, Friends, ye see that we have lost our Lord the King Don Sancho; the traitor, Vellido, being his vassal, slew him, and they of Zamora have received and harboured him within their walls; and therefore as we think, and as has been said unto us, he did this treason by their counsel. Now then if there be one here who will impeach them for this thing, we will do whatever may be needful that he may come off with honour, and the impeachment be carried through. Then Don Diego Ordoñez arose, the son of Count Don Ordono, a man of royal lineage and great hardihood; and he said unto them, If ye will all assent to this which ye have heard, I will impeach the men of Zamora, for the death of the King our Lord: and they all assented, promising to fulfil what had been said. Now my Cid did not make this impeachment against the people of Zamora, because of the oath which he had sworn.