The Washington herald., 1914-09-20

the twenty-ninth day after he had seer
the vision the Cid assembled his people
and spoke to them as follows:
I'VE know that King Bucar viii present
ly be here to besiege this city. with seven
ana thirty kings whom he bringeth with
him, and with a mighty power Of Moors.
Now, therefore. the first thing which ye
do after / am departed, wash my body
with rose water many times and well.
And when Il has been well washed and
made clean. ye shall dry II well, and
anoint II with myrrh and balsam, from
these golden caskets, from head to foot.
so that every part shall be anolnted, till
none be left And you. Dona Ximena (the
Cid's bride). and your women, see that
ye utter no cries. neither make any
Ilamentation for me. that the Moors may
not know Of my death. And when the
day shall come in which King Bucar ar
rives, order all the people OF Valencia to
| go upon the walls, and sound your trunI-
pets and tambours. and make the greatest
| rejoictngs that ye can. And when ye
would set out for Castillo let all the pGU-
pie known In secret that they make them
| selves ready. and take with them all that
| they have. so that none Of the Moors in
the suburb may know thereof for certes
We cannot keep the city. neither abide
| therein after my death. Then
saddle ye my horse Bavieca. and arm
him we'll: and We shall apparel my body
and place me upon the horse. and fasten
and tie me thereon so IL cannot fall: and
| fasten my sword Tizona in my hand.
And let the Bishop Don Hieronymo go on
one side of me. and my trusty Gil DiaZ on
| the other. and he shall lead my horse.
You, Pero Bermudez shall bear my ban
ner, as you were wont to bear II: and
you. AIvar Fanez. my cousin. gather your
company together. and put your host in
nHAA a
| forth and fight with King Bucar for be
ye certain and doubt not that ye shall
\ win this battle: God hath granted me
this"
Died on Twenty-nInth Day.
the Cid. having ordained what should
be done after his death. made his tesla
ment on the morning OF the thirtieth
day. and. receiving the sacrament.
yielded up his soul. which was pure
and without spot, to God. on that Sun
day which is called Quinquagesirna. be-
ing the twenty and ninth OF May, in the
year Of our Lord one thousand and nine
~ and nine. and in the seventy and
third year Of his life"
King Bucar and his countless Moorish
host arrived and encamped l5,OOO tents
about Valencia three days after the death
OF the Cid. While the Moors were pre-
pairing for the attack on the city, the
Christians went about carrying out the
instructions OF the Cid. Gil Diaz em-
balmed the body and placed it in u
frame upon the saddle.
Twelve days after the death OF the
Cid, the Christians took ;he body OF the
Cid, fastened 10 the saddle on his horse.
BavieCa, and the body sat so upright
NJ Ia ha
and his shield was hung ~ound his neck.
and they placed the sword Tizona in his
hand, and they raised mis- arm, and
fastened il up so subtilely that IL was q
marvel to see how upright he held his
sword"
After this preparation. the Christians
went out from Valencia at midnight
through the gate Roseros, leading to Cas-
tile. Carrying out the instructions OF the
Cid, Pero Bermudez went first with the
banner. guarded by 500 knights. Then
came the baggage; then the body OF the
Cid, with 100 knights, chosen men. and
behind them Dona Ximena. with all her
company, and 500 knights in the rear.
II was daylight when this procession !
quilted the city. According to the
Chronicle, All these went out so silently (
and with such a measured pace that il |
seemed as II there were only a score !
set the host in order and attacked the I!
tents which lay nearest the city. and !
this onset was so sudden that they killed |
fully $50 Moors before they had time to |
take arms - and so great was the |
uproar and confusion that few there were
who took arms. but instead thereof
turned their backs and fed to the sea
And when King Bucar and his kings
saw this they were astonished. And Il
seemed to them that there came against
them on the part Of the Christians fully
20 400 knights, all as white as snow: and
before them a knight OF great stature.
upon a white horse with a bloody cross.
who bore in one hand a white banner and ,
In the other sword which seemed to be
OF FIRE, and he made a great mortality
among the Moors. who were flying
Noors Driven Into Sea.
King Bucar was evidently very much
surprised at the sudden onslaught OF the
Christians. for the Chronicle goes on to
relate that he and the other kings never
checked their reins until they had ridden
into the sea. And in telling OF the close
OF the battle, the story goes on to say
that the company OF the Cid rode after
them. shifting and Staying and giving no
respite; and they smote down so many
that it was marvellous. for the Moors did
not turn their heads to defend them
selves. And when they came to the sea.
so great was the press among them to get
to the ships that more than 10000 died
In the water. And OF the six and thirty
kings twenty and two were slain. And
King Bucar and those who escaped with
him hoisted sails and went their way.
and never more turned their heads. And
30 great was the spoil OF that day that
the poorest man among the Christians
became rich. And when they were all
met together they took the road to Cas-
tile" And that is the end which shows
the fulillment OF the prophecy, Thou
being dead shalt win"
So that is the story Of the only warrior
who led his troops into battle after his
death. The horse upon which the Cid
rode Al that time was his favorite
charger. Bavieca, and 1t survived his
master two and a half years, during
which time no one was allowed to mount
him. When the noble animal died he was
buried before the gate OF the monastery
at Valencia, and two elms were planted
10 mark the site.
1t is interesting to know Why this
famous horse was called Bavieca. which
IN Spanish means "a simpleton." When
in his youth was given the
choice of all the horses on his fathers
vast estate, the lad passed by the most
and blooded horses, and choose
/ rough colt. Because Of this his grand
,ather said the boy had no wits and
forthwith called him "bavieca-" Roderigo
christened his horse by that
name, and every horse he ever rode was