[224] In the great contest between the two liturgies, the Roman and the Gothic, which disturbed the Church of Spain for so long a period, Alfonso VI. determined to throw a copy of each into a fire duly kindled and blessed for the purpose, and give the supremacy to the one that should come out unconsumed. The Gothic MS. was successful; but the king broke his word, and tossed it back into the flames, thus giving rise, it is said, to the proverb, “Alla van leyes adonde quieren reyes”; or, freely translated, “Laws obey kings.” (Sarmiento, § 411.) A similar historical origin is given to the proverb, “Ni quito rey, ni pongo rey”; which is traced to the personal quarrel of Peter the Cruel and his brother and successor, Don Enrique. Clemencin, ed. Don Quixote, Tom. VI., 1839, p. 225. [225] Dissertation of Cortés in Mayans y Siscar, Orígenes, Tom. II. p. 211. [226] Chrónica General, 1604, Parte III. f. 61, and Don Quixote, Parte I. c. 7. [227] For example: “Ayudad vos, y Dios ayudarvos ha,”--“Help yourself and God will help you,”--near the end; and “El Bien nunca muere,”--“Good never dies,”--which is in the first tale. [228] “Quien en l’arenal sembra, non trilla pegujares,”--“He that sows on the sea-beach reaps little for himself.” Stanza 160. _Pegujares_, a singular word, which occurs once in Don Quixote, is said by Clemencin (Tom. IV. p. 34) to come from _peculio_. See, also, Partida IV. Título xvii. Ley 7. Thus far, however, we have only separate and isolated sayings, evidently belonging to the old Spanish race, and always used as if quite familiar and notorious. But in the reign of John the Second, and at his request, the Marquis of Santillana collected a hundred in rhyme, which we have already noticed, besides above six hundred, he says, such as the old women were wont to repeat in their chimney-corners. From this period, therefore, or rather from 1508, when this collection was published, the old and wise proverbs of the language may be regarded as having obtained a settled place in its didactic literature.[229] [229] Reprinted in Mayans, Orígenes, Tom. II. pp. 179-210. See also, the Proverbs from Seneca by Pero Diaz, mentioned in note 33 to Period I. chap. 19, and pp. 376, 377, of Vol. I.