"'Lo! my daughters have been outrag'd! For thine own, thy kingdom's sake, Look, Alfonso, to mine honor! Vengeance thou or I must take.'" _Ancient Spanish Ballads_ (Lockhart's tr.). The king, who had by this time learned to value the Cid's services, was very angry when he heard how the Infantes of Carrion had insulted their wives, and immediately summoned them to appear before the Cortes, the Spanish assembly, at Toledo, and justify themselves, if it were possible. The Cid was also summoned to the same assembly, where he began by claiming the two precious blades Tizona and Colada, and the large dowry he had given with his daughters. Then he challenged the young cowards to fight. When questioned, they tried to excuse themselves by declaring that the Cid's daughters, being of inferior birth, were not fit to mate with them. [Sidenote: Embassy from Navarre.] The falseness of this excuse was shown, however, by an embassy from Navarre, asking the hands of the Cid's daughters for the Infantes of that kingdom, who were far superior in rank to the Infantes of Carrion. The Cid consented to this new alliance, and after a combat had been appointed between three champions of his selection and the Infantes of Carrion and their uncle, he prepared to return home. As proof of his loyalty, however, he offered to give to Alfonso his favorite steed Babieça, an offer which the king wisely refused, telling him that the best of warriors alone deserved that peerless war horse. "''Tis the noble Babieça that is fam'd for speed and force, Among the Christians nor the Moors there is not such another one, My Sovereign, Lord, and Sire, he is fit for you alone; Give orders to your people, and take him for your own.' The King replied, 'It cannot be; Cid, you shall keep your horse; He must not leave his master, nor change him for a worse; Our kingdom has been honor'd by you and by your steed-- The man that would take him from you, evil may he speed. A courser such as he is fit for such a knight, To beat down Moors in battle, and follow them in flight.'" _Chronicles of the Cid_ (Southey's tr.). Shortly after, in the presence of the king, the Cid, and the assembled Cortes, the appointed battle took place. The Infantes of Carrion and their uncle were defeated and banished, and the Cid returned in triumph to Valencia. Here his daughters' second marriage took place, and here he received an embassy bringing him rich gifts from the Sultan of Persia, who had heard of his fame.