Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 07 (of 15), SpanishMorris, Charles
History
Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 07 (of 15), Spanish
Morris, Charles
Spain -- History
The latter was ready for fighting in any form, so that he could fight with
honor. But there was doubt in his mind if service under Alfonso was
consistent with the honor of a knight. King Sancho had been assassinated
while hunting, and it was whispered that Alfonso had some share in the
murder. The high-minded Cid would not draw sword for him unless he swore
that he had no lot or part in his brother’s death. Twice the Cid gave him
the oath, whereupon, says the chronicle, "My Cid repeated the oath to him
a third time, and the king and the knights said ’Amen.’ But the wrath of
the king was exceeding great; and he said to the Cid, ’Ruy Diaz, why dost
thou press me so, man?’ From that day forward there was no love towards My
Cid in the heart of the king."
But the king had sworn, and the Cid entered his service and soon conquered
Castile, so that Alfonso became monarch of Castile, Leon, Galicia, and
Portugal, and took the title of Emperor of Spain. As adelantado, or lord
of the marches, Ruy Diaz now occupied himself with the Moors,—fighting
where hostility reigned, taking tribute for the king from Seville and
other cities, and settling with the sword the disputes of the chiefs, or
aiding them in their quarrels. Thus he took part with Seville in a war
with Cordova, and was rewarded with so rich a present by the grateful king
that Alfonso, inspired by his secret hatred for the Cid, grew jealous and
envious.
During these events years passed on, and the Cid’s two fair daughters grew
to womanhood and were married, at the command of the king, to the two
counts of Carrion. The Cid liked not his sons-in-law, and good reason he
had, for they were a pair of base hounds despite their lordly title. The
brides were shamefully treated by them, being stripped and beaten nearly
to death on their wedding-journey.
When word of this outrage came to the Cid his wrath overflowed. Stalking
with little reverence into the king’s hall, he sternly demanded redress
for the brutal act. He could not appeal to the law. The husband in those
days was supreme lord and master of his wife. But there was an unwritten
law, that of the sword, and the incensed father demanded that the brutal
youths should appear in the lists and prove their honor, if they could,
against his champion.
They dared not refuse. In those days, when the sword was the measure of
honor and justice, to refuse would have been to be disgraced. They came
into the lists, where they were beaten like the hounds that they had shown
themselves, and the noble girls were set free from their bonds. Better
husbands soon sought the Cid’s daughters, and they were happily married in
the end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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