CXXXVI.

He dismounted, and I rose to greet him; then he sat down, he, Don Pedro Fernandez, Don Atorella and Laceit Abu Ceit⁽¹⁾ [who was with me at the time]. He said he wished to speak with me alone. I made all go away, except himself, and he then said, "Well, my lord, what do you want of me ? " I said, "I will tell you; Don Blasco, you are my majordomo (steward of my household), a man whom I have loved well and done good to, and you hold lands of me. God, as you have sent to tell me, has given you Morella; now the place is so strong and renowned, that though you deserve all the good that can befall you, it is unfit for any one in the world to hold but a king; wherefore I pray you by your natural obedience to me, by the benefits I have conferred on you, and by the high office you fill in my household, to give up that castle, so that I may do great things for you and yours; and that people may say hereafter that I gave you good [233] guerdon for the service you did me." He said, "My lord, do you not remember the words of the letters patent you gave me?" I answered, "Yes, I remember them very well; I will tell you what the letters said: that if you ever conquered anything from the Moors, it should be yours." He said, "My lord, exactly so it is." And I replied: "Don Blasco, you must know well that a conquest of this kind is no province of yours, for this castle, with its surrounding territory, is as good as a countship; but this is what it is proper for you to do, that since God has given you so good a place, you should deliver it to me at once. I will do such things for you that men shall know how great a service you have rendered me, and that I will do with the greatest good will." He said, "My lord, I will consider the matter, and answer you."

CXXXVII.

And Don Blasco went aside with four of the knights he had with him, and came to me after he had had counsel with them, saying, "My lord, do you wish altogether to have Morella?" I said, "Don Blasco, you must know well that I wish very much to have Morella and its castle; it is proper that I should have it, and it is proper for you to take my offer." He said, "Since I now see that it is your wish to have Morella, and you [234] make me such promises, I will do as you wish; I will give it up to you, though on one condition. I beg that since you will have Morella, that you show me love in this, that I may hold it for you; good reason is there, since I surrender it to you, that I should hold it for you, rather than any other man in the kingdom." I answered him that I agreed to that, and then said: "Since that is settled, let us go to Don Pedro Fernandez, Don Atorella, Aceit Abuceit, and the other knights, and let them know that from this hour you hold Morella for us." He assented, and we all went to them. Then Don Blasco said: "My lord, it is for you to speak first." And I replied, "No, Don Blasco, it is for you to speak." Then he said, "My lord, you granted me by charter that if I took any place from the Moors it should be mine; but you have already done, and promise to do such great things for me, that it is reason that I should do you any service I can; it is my will, since you desire that this castle should be your own, that it be so. I do consent to it, but I pray of you that I may hold it of you, since there is more reason that I should hold it than any other man in your kingdom." I told him that I thanked him for it, and would reward him for the service he had done me. Thereon he bent his knees before me, and did me homage by hands and mouth, that from [235] that hour he held the castle of Morella⁽²⁾ for me, the King of Aragon. I stayed that day there; on the next I left, and went to Ares, of which I also took possession, giving to the footmen, who had taken it from the Saracens, so much of the spoil that they were quite satisfied and content.

CXXXVIII.

At that time there lived Don Sancho, King of Navarre, son of another King Sancho; the best king there ever was in Navarre.⁽³⁾ The King of Castille caused Don Lope Diez, Lord of Biscay, to make war on him, so that he took two or three of his castles. The King of Navarre then sent me [236] word that if I would make a treaty with him, he would sign a deed showing me such favour and love that no king ever showed greater to another. I therefore resolved to go to see him at Tudela; for full twenty-five years he had not left town or travelled anywhere. I told Don Blasco [Maça], Don Rodrigo Liçana, and Don Atho de Foces to accompany me to the interview, and they all went. When I got to Navarre, Don Sancho could not come down to me to the town of Tudela, so immeasurably and marvellously fat was he; he was ashamed to let people see him if indeed it were not in private;⁽⁴⁾ wherefore I had to go up to him to the castle. Next day, at vespers, I ascended; he received me well and with what courtesy he could, for he came out to a place which he had not visited for ten years, and embraced me (he was as big as myself);⁽⁵⁾ that he did very joyfully and laughing. We went hand in hand up some steps, and found seats set in a cloister of his chapel. He said to me that my coming pleased him much; he had never been so glad in his life that he remembered. I replied that I was very glad too for two reasons, for seeing him, and because I had greatly wished to make his acquaintance. When we had been some time in conversation, I said: "You [237] have sent me word that you wished to see me for our common profit and honour; that I do sincerely believe, since you have sent to me to say so. And since the words of the message are so pleasant and sweet to me, will you speak to me on this night, or will you wait till to-morrow. It is now (I said) the hour of vespers; to-morrow I will come here, and you can say to me what things you please." He replied that he would next day propose the best thing that any man had ever proposed to me. I gave him great thanks, and thereupon parted company for that night.

CXXXIX.

In the morning I heard mass, and then went up to see him in the castle. He began thus: "King, I believe you know, or should know, what great love and kindred there is between you and me; there is no one in the world so nearly related to me as you, except perhaps the son of the Countess of Champagne, who is my own nephew; notwithstanding which I hold that you are more to me than he is, for I love you more. The love I bestowed on him was badly placed; while I did him favour and love, he behaved very ill to me, for he parleyed and treated with my own subjects of Navarre to drive me from my kingdom, and make himself king; wherefore I sent for you, [238] for I would rather you had the kingdom than he, or any other man in the world. And I wish to tell you this with my own mouth, rather than that these people should act as intermediate between you and me. But let it be in this way, that men may not say hereafter that there was any secret agreement between us two. I will adopt you, and you shall adopt me;⁽⁶⁾ it is like that I shall die before you, for I am full seventy-eight years old, whilst you are not yet twenty-five. This I will do for the sake of my people, that they may not hold me as a man who acted lightly."

CXL.

When I heard Don Sancho's discourse it pleased me much. I said, "I give you great thanks; your love for me is quite plain; but it must not displease you if I wish to consult the nobles who have come here with me; I will see you again at vespers and give you an answer." Deliberation (I said) was needed for this reason. I had by Queen Leonor, the daughter of King Alfonso of Castille, a son, and I had made all the nobles and knights and cities of Aragon, and the city of Lerida, swear allegiance to him.

After discussing this matter with my councillors, [239] Don Blasco Dalagon,⁽⁷⁾ Don Atho de Foces, Don Rodrigo Liçana, and others, I sent them to King Sancho with the following message: "The king sends us to you; we desire to say things for him that he himself does not wish to say face to face to you. The King of Aragon, our master, has a son by his wife Leonor, but he is separated from her by command of the Pope. He has, therefore, ordered Aragon and Lerida⁽⁸⁾ to take the oaths to that son. The death of men is in the hands of God, and young men die as well as old. This is the greatest difficulty our master has; he cannot take away his son's right as long as he lives. Were it not for that, know well that he would desire what you propose, and it would please him much, for he knows how great love you show him."

CXLI.

Don Sancho then said he would deliberate on what my messengers had told him. He took into council Don Sancho Ferrandez de Montagut, En Guillen Baldoni, who was then the most powerful man in Tudela, the chief magistrate of that town (Justicia), and others whose names I do not remember. And this was his reply early in the morning of the [240] second day: that it was a great thing for him, who was so old, to stake himself against two persons such as I and my son were; but for the great love he had for me, and that I might help him against the King of Castille, who did him wrong and deprived him of his inheritance, he would agree to it, and would put my son and myself together as one conjoint person; so that if he died before me, his kingdom and all his land should remain to me, and if that happened to us both, meaning me and my son Don Alfonso, then in that case my kingdom and my lands should remain to him (King Sancho). He would make his men swear to me, and I should make mine swear to him, that such agreement and the charters relating thereto should be observed. Our nobles then came straight to me and told me how the matter had been settled between them.⁽⁹⁾

CXLII.

When I heard this I and those who were with me rejoiced much; and although I from that [241] moment became bound to go to war with the King of Castile, nevertheless the agreement was a good thing for me for three reasons: one, because the wrong the King of Castile did Don Sancho at the time was very great; another, because, as he was seventy-eight years old and set himself against us two, my son and myself, each of whom could live as long or longer than himself according to right and nature, there was good reason indeed for my taking that venture against him; the other, that since the King of Castile wrongfully did him hurt, and he made us his sons and heirs of all he had, I might well take the engagement of going to war and defending the lands of my father, since he had affiliated me and my son.

CXLIII.

Thereon I went up to Don Sancho and found with him two or three of his own barons, who had newly arrived. I thanked him greatly for the honour and love he had done me, and said that in that wise, as the nobles had treated with him, I would accept and act. I would assist him against the King of Castile and against every one who might wrongfully do him hurt: and thereon a day was appointed in three weeks' time, on which Don Sancho should bring together all the nobles of Navarre, the knights, and from each city ten men, [242] with consent of all the rest that what they did the others would grant, confirm, and approve; and from all the large towns likewise four men from each, with the authority of all the rest that they would grant whatever they might agree to. I would do as much on my side: I would send for those of Aragon, for the barons (richs homens), bishops, and for all the others, as he himself sent for the Navarrese; and when his people had done oath and homage of lordship and fealty to me, mine would do in that manner to him.

CXLIV.

On the appointed day I went to Tarazona and entered Tudela, as he (Don Sancho) could not leave it with my nobles and the men of the cities, and I took homage and the oath of loyalty and fealty from all the above said, that I, or the infante Don Alfonso, my son, should be king of Navarre, and our descendants for ever after him. In that way I made the nobles and the deputies from the cities, ten men from each, go into Tudela, also those of my own realm, who were to make oath and homage to him, as the Navarrese had done to me; moreover I appointed a man to go through Navarre and take the oath and homage of those from whom I had not got it; he in like manner did the same thing in my lands. [243]

CXLV.

Those things done, I and he held council together as to how we should deal with the business of the King of Castile: there were four or five nobles on his behalf and as many on ours, and there were besides citizens of Saragossa on his behalf and on mine. All swore, their hands on the Holy Gospels, that they would keep the matter secret, and that each should give his opinion as to what had better be done. The Council, however, was adjourned till next morning, for it got near night: great business is better discussed in the morning, when it can be, than at any other time. After mass, early next morning, all they who had been in secret council came to the King of Navarre and to me to say what they had thought on the business that night. For Solomon says in his Proverbs that night bears counsel; and that they might the better think over it all that night I gave them till the morning.

CXLVI.

When morning came I told the King of Navarre to speak first, for he was older and knew more of the matter than I did. He began his discourse thus: "King, of the affairs of Spain I have great knowledge, for this, that I have seen and taken [244] part in the great things done in my time. There was war once between the King of Castile and my father, and by the mercy of God, whenever our men met theirs, the Navarrese got good esteem; but the odds were great, for they are many and we are few; that did us hurt, though by the grace of God, if we only have you for help, I am equal to them. And let us do thus: I will help you right well and with all my heart, and do you help me as a son should do, for I hold you to be my son; if we help one another well, we will, with the aid of God, overcome them, for we are right and they are wrong." With that Don Sancho ended his speech, and told me to speak next. I said that his nobles knew more of the border than I and my barons did; and so the word came to Don Garcia Almoravit, for all the Navarrese said he should speak first, and he said: "King of Aragon, the state of this land I will tell to you; they of Navarre who are here know it as well or better than I do, as to the hurt that Don Lope Diez of Biscay does the king, for the hurt that he does the kingdom he does to the king; he does it with his own forces, which are very great, and the King of Castile has ordered his men to help him, if he need them. But since our Lord God has done us so great a good as to bring you and the King of Navarre so close together, we have hope in God that you two will bring it all to [245] an end, and will do honour to the king and to you in such wise as will please all the world, seeing the great wrong done him." And they told Don Sancho Fernandez de Montagut to speak, and he: "My lord king, what would you more ? that which we hoped from the favour of God we have it now; if you two together will undertake that work, the thing will come to a good end; what can man say more? Since you guide well your enterprise, the king and you will bring the work to a good end." Then I told the nobles and them of the Town Councils, of whom there are many, to speak; and they said with one voice: "What is said, we confirm it all. Don Garcia and Don Sancho have said that if you two together will take this affair in hand, the work will end to your honour; we will serve you as best we can." The King of Navarre said, "You wished our nobles to speak, now let yours speak." And Don Atho de Foces said, "This we will say on behalf of the King of Aragon. Put before us what we are to serve you both in, and I will risk in it all you have given me; I will do what will keep my lands in pawn for five years. Since we put our bodies in it, it were ill to lament for our goods." And Don Blasco de Alagon said: "My lord, the nobles of Navarre say well, that if you two together strive to carry on the work well and stoutly, we all, you and we, will be of more account; [246] and since God has brought together your love the king's, you together can do much if you will." And thereon Don Rodrigo Liçana said: "Take counsel, you and the King of Navarre; you have to consider those who serve you in this enterprise, for it is by the help of your good vassals (homens de valor) that you and he have to win what we have spoken of, and to bring it to a happy ending." The King of Navarre said: "Speak you, King of Aragon." And I said: "That I will do."

CXLVII.

"Well do you know, king, that when the hour of death comes we kings take from this world nothing but a shroud apiece, which is indeed of better cloth than those of other people; but this only remains to us from the great power we once had, that we can serve God with it, and leave behind a good name for the good deeds we did. If in this world we do not do them, there will come no other time in which we can. If you please, I will show you how you can conquer in this war, it will be in this wise: It is true that I have three or four times more people than you, but you have more money than I have, and more bread, and more of other things good in war. I propose to you that I should have two thousand knights, and [247] that you should have one thousand. In your land you can raise them, between knights and men of birth, who know well how to manage horse and armour. And do you send to your cousin, "the Count of Champagne, to come to you, and ask him to help you with a thousand more knights; he can well find them. And if peradventure the Count of Champagne, when he hears of the treaty between us,⁽¹⁰⁾ is unwilling to help you, do you alone raise two thousand knights, for by God's grace you have wherewith to pay them; money is no good to any man if it be not used; and in what can you use it so well as in revenging the affronts the King of Castile has done to your father and yourself ? For that deed you will be honoured and will die honoured, whenever you and I shall die. And I will tell you how it will go. If we have four thousand knights by birth, and go into Castile, the Castilians are proud and presumptuous people, and will fight us; nothing will prevent a battle. By God's help we will gain it, for we are in the right and they are in the wrong; and when we have beaten them in the field, as the villages of Castile are all without ditch and wall, we will get into them as into an open place; we will sack them, and our men will gain so much, that they who are not with us will come for the gain we get, and will be with us." [248]

CXLVIII.

Thereupon King Sancho answered me very fiercely and very angrily, and told me to manage my affairs in my own way, and he would manage his in his way. When I heard his answer it grieved me much. I told him that he ought to have taken well all I had said to him, for I had advised him to nothing but for his honour, and that he might recover what he had lost. His people, however, dared not say anything to him or contradict him in anything, so that I addressed myself to Don Sancho Fernandez, and said: "Don Sancho Fernandez, you do ill in not speaking the truth to your lord." And he replied: "It is for you to do what you have here offered to the king, and if God pleases it will turn to your honour and profit." As the agreement was between me and King Sancho, I did not wish to contradict Don Sancho, and so put off my reply till the next day, saying: "To-morrow morning I shall speak about that;" and so I left King Sancho, as I saw he was vexed.

CXLIX.

Next day I saw King Sancho again, and asked him to lend me a hundred thousand sous. He said he would do it if I gave him security. So it was [249] agreed between him and me that I should deliver him Ferrera, Ferreylo, Penaredona, and La Faxina, and that he would make the loan. I said it pleased me well; and it was agreed that I should furnish at Easter a thousand knights, and before Michaelmas another thousand, and that he would so behave towards me that I should thank him for it,⁽¹¹⁾ and that he would besides furnish the other thousand; and we separated on that understanding. So Easter came, when I was to meet him. Other affairs came on me, so that I had to cross at that time to Mallorca; and to put off seeing him for two months that I could not go to meet him. When I did come he was minded to throw blame on me. Before I met him there came to me a knight, who had been full twenty-one years with him, and who was also a friend of mine, named Pedro Xemeniz de Valterre, who said: "Now, look what you will do, for the King of Navarre throws on you the blame of your not coming at the time you undertook to do." I said to Don Pedro Xemeniz: "I thank you much for letting me know that;" and next day we met, I said to the king: "I have come to see you; and I pray you not to take it ill that I did not come on the day fixed, because I had to do things for the good of this very business of ours and that I [250] might help you better." He said: "That may be; but why did you not keep to the appointment and the day?" I said to him: It is better as it is, both for you and for me; you should not regret it."

CL.

"Now show me," said he, "how it is better, and I shall understand." And I said to him: "By this delay I have gained two hundred knights, whom you will have to help you. But now tell me, have you yourself made ready your thousand knights? I do not find in all Navarre more than three hundred knights equipped and ready, whilst I have with me a thousand. And if you, whose concern it is, have not got ready, nor given anything towards it, how can you blame me who have actually got the thousand knights under arms? for if you want them, there they are at your service; we will at once declare war on the King of Castile if you will only furnish the other thousand." Thereupon the King of Navarre said that he would consider of it, and I went away. As I was going down from the castle of Tudela, I met a retainer of Don Garcia Almoravit, who was taking a message from his lord and from Juan Perez de Basca,⁽¹²⁾ on the borders of Castile, to the king. "My lord," said he to me, "I came here with a [251]

message to the King of Navarre, and I have now been here good four days without being able to see him." I said to him: "What message do you bring?" He said: "So God help me, my lord I will tell you; you stand so well with the king that I will not keep it from you. The nobles send to tell the king that if he would only send them two hundred knights, they would beat Don Lope Diez of Biscay, and conquer in this war; there is no doubt of that." I told the man that I myself would deliver the message to the king; I could not do it then, as I had just left the castle, but would willingly tell him so at vespers.

CLI.

I accordingly returned in the evening to the king, and said to him: "King, why do you act so? There is a knight at the gate who comes from Don Garcia Almoravit and from those of your household who are on the border; he says that for four or five days he has been unable to see you. I will tell you his message; he brings good news." He said: "What news does he bring?" I said: "In good sooth I will tell you; but do not say that I disclosed it. He says that with two hundred knights, whom you can find and send to the border, they would conquer Don Lope Diez; and if Don Lope Diez were [252] but conquered, your war would be at an end. Make the man himself come in to see you and explain." He said: "Let me tell you. Do not know what that is? All the nobles deal falsely with me, and wish only to extract money from me." I said: "They do not ask for money, all they ask is two hundred knights, and do you send them those. What will you lose, while you can gain great honour? Peradventure you will never have such a chance as now you have. I would willingly go myself with sixty knights I have here with me, but that I have not yet declared war on the King of Castile; but I will find some way of evading that. Do you proclaim a summons to arms in the town, and I will order my men to follow those you name as chiefs, and will give hem rations for eight days, and they will do what you order." And he said: "It is not your business."⁽¹³⁾ And when I saw that he had no concern about his own business I was silent, and said to myself, "I have done all I could do."

CLII.

When I saw that he did nothing more in the matter, I went to my house and said to my barons: "See you how it is with us?" and I then told them what had been said. Don Blasco said to me:

[253] "My lord, since the king has no care for his affairs, why should you have more than he? Do you to-morrow take leave of him, and tell him that when he requires you he will find you in readiness, if only he will perform what he has undertaken towards you." I and all the rest said: "Don Blasco says well, and so will I do." When morning came I went up to the castle, and told the king that on his performing what he had promised he would find me in readiness with the two thousand knights, according to agreement; that it lay with him, and not with me. I remained one day there, and then went away.

CLIII.

And when I was out of Tudela and had got to Tahuste, I determined, since the king did nothing well for himself or for me, to go into the Moors' country and take Burriana. I fixed a day for my people to meet me at Teruel in the beginning of May, that is the barons (richs homens), the Master of the Temple, the Master of the Hospital, and such of the knights of Uclés and Calatrava who happened to be in my dominions.⁽¹⁴⁾ But not one of these came on the day appointed for them to Teruel. But there came, however, the Bishop of Zaragoza, named [254] En Berenguer de Montagut, Don Pedro Ferrandes de Açagra, and men of my own household, with Don Ximen Perez Darenós, also of our household. I thus made up a hundred and twenty knights, besides the townsmen⁽¹⁵⁾ of Teruel. On the third day after leaving Teruel, I was about to take up my quarters at Exerica, when from seven to eight hundred Moors came out of the town. I dared not quarter my army in the plain where the castle stands, for the Moors hindered our approach and defended themselves with crossbows and lances, in the fields close to us. Thereon that same night I resolved to lay waste the country beyond the castle, towards Viver, leaving behind me thirty horse in armour, besides all those who remained in the tents, fully a thousand men, and with the rest of my force lay waste the surrounding country; and so I did. The Moors perceiving the horse in armour, would not venture out. Next day I lay waste below the town as I had done above it, leaving the horse in armour at the tents.

CLIV.

As I came in from the foray there came to me En Ramon Camenla, knight commander of Aliaga, [255] and another knight of the Temple, also a commander, whose name I do not recollect at this moment. Both entered the camp on horseback, lightly armed,⁽¹⁶⁾ but lance in hand, and came to me. I sent for the bishop, the nobles, the townsmen of Teruel, and others of my train, and they spoke thus: "My lord, the Masters of the Temple and of the Hospital, the commander of Alcaniç, who is here with all the townsmen of Alcaniç and Montalbá, salute you; they say that they have got as far as the hill of Pascuas, two miles on this side of Murviedro, and have been there for two days according to orders, and have harried the valley of Segon. Now they are sending you a message and pray you to go to them quickly, else they will be unable to stay there, for they are few, and the power of Valencia, which is great, is coming down upon them." I answered, "I will consider it;" and they left the tent saying plainly, that unless I went to the assistance of my people, they would all come away.

CLV.

I then held a council, and all those present said, "It were well to succour them and go there." With that answer the messengers went away. Then I said to my councillors: "What then is to be done with these fine wheat-fields before us? [256] Are we not to lay them waste? And are the Saracens to keep us from them by force of arms? Let us send message to the knights to beg them to wait a day for us; next day we will be with them; I will tell you how we can in the meantime destroy these corn-fields." "So help us, God!" said all with one voice, "it were well not to go hence before destroying the fields, but how can that be done?" "I will tell you," said I; "I was never before on this frontier, but it seems to me as if these Saracens understood arms and were masters in them. Now there is a certain way of using arms which becomes a custom; and with whatever skill one may attack, if the enemy knows well how to abide it he will surely be beaten. This shall be our way; we carry only lances, and the Saracens have lances and crossbows; yet we are faster than they. I will tell you how to destroy their fields without their being able to help it. Let us put twenty horse in armour in the upper road, and twenty more in the road below; we will give the shields to the esquires; the crossbowmen shall go behind the esquires, and the men who are to cut down the wheat will be just behind the crossbowmen." It was done as I proposed. Next day the crops were destroyed, for the Moors knowing that if they came to fight in their defence, the meeting would be to our advantage and to their loss, dared not [257] stir, and in this manner we wasted the whole of two districts. Next day early we took up quarters at Torres Torres, where we laid the country waste, after which a message was sent to the masters and to the others to say that we were coming.

CLVI.

Next day after mass we started for the valley of Segon, where we met the masters of the Temple and of the Hospital, the commanders of Alcaniç, and of Montalbá, and all together we went to lay siege to Burriana. The siege of Burriana began in the middle of May, when we made a "fonevol" and a "manganel" to batter its walls with. The Saracens in the place sallied out sometimes to skirmish. When they saw that we had sheep and cattle near their town, they came out - sometimes a hundred footmen and sometimes seven horsemen - which was all the force they had inside. Before the sally, they generally posted crossbowmen to shoot at our men if they should approach the gate. At times they were successful, got some of the cattle, and took it in; at other times our people got possession of theirs. I, therefore, forbade the men to pasture cattle and sheep between the camp and the town. One day, however, seven of our mules and pack-horses (atzèmbles), though I do not remember to what company of the army they [258] belonged, happened to be grazing in front of the town. The Moors of Burriana saw them, and the seven horsemen came out of the gate on the Valencia side to try and get at them. At that time a knight, named Guillen Dasin,⁽¹⁷⁾ of the train of Don Blasco de Alagon, was guarding the pasture with his men, in his pourpoint, with his horse and an esquire who had his arms. When he saw the Moors come out he armed himself, put on his iron cap and went against the Moors, who were actually driving away the beasts. Had he been willing to attack the enemy and recover the mules he might easily have done so, for the army was coming up to help him; but his heart was not stout enough for him to set on the Moors, so they got four of the beasts into the town, and the other two (sic) returned to the camp.

CLVII.

Now I will name the nobles who were with the army; first there was my uncle Don Fernando, the Bishop of Lerida, En Berenguer de Aril of Tortosa,⁽¹⁸⁾ the Master of the Temple, the Master of the Hospital. There were also Don Blasco de Alago, and En G. de Cervera, lord that was of Juneda, En. G. de Cardona, the brother of En R. Folch; and there were Don Rodrigo Liçana, Don [259] Pedro Fernandez de Acagra, Lord of Albarracin, Don Exemen de Urrea, Don Blasco Maça, Don Pedro Corneyl, En Berenguer Guillem, father of the present lord and an uncle of mine; the Prior of Santa Christina, the commanders of Alcanic and Montalbá, the townsmen of Daroca and of Teruel. Those of Zaragoza were on their way, but Burriana was taken before they arrived. There came also to me a master workman of Albanguena, named Nicoloso, who made our "trebuchet" at Mallorca,⁽¹⁹⁾ and he said: "Micer, you need not stay long here to take this place if you do not wish; you can have it if you like in a fortnight." I asked in what way? He said, "Give me timber; there is plenty here of the lote tree,⁽²⁰⁾ and other kinds; and in eight days I will build for you a castle of wood, and I will make it move on wheels up to the place, as you know I made the 'trebuchets' move up at Mallorca." I told him that he spoke well; but that I must first hold council on it with my barons.

CLVIII.

I, therefore, sent for Don Fernando, the bishops and the barons to come to me, and said: "Here [260] is a master-workman, who was with us at the siege of Mallorca, and made our 'trebuchet' there. He says that he can make a castle of wood in eight days, with which we can take Burriana." I then told them, that I had already seen such a thing, and knew for certain that if it were made, the town would soon be taken. They asked, how could that be made? I said, "That I know well; but let us send for the man, and he himself will explain." While the man was coming, I described to them the way it was made, as I had seen at Mallorca: "the wooden castle (said I) will have two supports on each side, which will make four, besides two more in front of each (at the back and in front), to steady the other four.⁽²¹⁾ There will be two platforms, one half way up the castle and the other on the top. The upper platform will hold a number of men, one-half crossbowmen, the other half slingers, to fling stones at the Saracens manning the wall. The wall-towers will thus be thrown down, and the Christians then will scale them. The Moors will not be able to defend them owing to the crossbows and stones from the wooden castle. In this manner shall the town be taken." [261]

CLIX.

Then the master workman himself came, and told it to them in the same way I had told it. All said that he must make the castle, and that I should see that he made it and was provided with all he wanted. Workmen were hired in the camp; timber was cut down and brought to the place, and the castle was built. All that time the "fonevol" did not cease throwing big stones into the town. On the other hand, two very powerful "algarradas," which the besieged had, were shooting at the "fonevol"; but this was well covered with hurdles, and stood lower than the "algarradas," besides, when the "fonevol" began to throw, the "algarradas" left off throwing, from fear of it. When the wooden castle was made, we had full a hundred⁽²²⁾ sleepers for ways ready, well greased and prepared. The master-workman fixed two anchors in the ground under cover of a mantlet of hurdles pushed forward, and fixed near the side of the ditch by men with shields and in armour. The points of the anchors were next driven into the ground by mallets; through the ring of each anchor large stakes and irons were driven in by mallets; to these we fastened the ways on [262] which the wooden castle should move. The master told us to have men to draw it next morning, that he would show how it should go.

CLX.

At sunrise I mounted and rode to that part of the camp occupied by the people of Daroca and Teruel, to ask them to send me each two hundred men. They sent them immediately, and I said, "Master, are you ready?" He said he would be ready immediately; he had to fix the ropes for working the ways. I said, "Master, by my advice you would delay moving the castle for two whole days." He said, "Why, Micer?" "For this reason," said I. "The enemy has two 'algarradas;' if they work them against the wooden castle, it has no screen, and theyaresure to hit it as they would a board." He said, "Please you let it go; if there were ten 'algarradas,' the castle would not care more for them than for a piece of cheese." Yet I said, "If you like, could very well in the course of to-day put up defences to it; I could send many carriers to the sea to bring the warps and cables of the ships; thirty of them would be enough; I could easily put beams of timber on the top of the wooden castle, standing out a fathom; I then would tie the ropes to these and let them hang down, and [263] they would most efficiently parry the blows of the 'algarradas.' " He said, "Miçer, it is unnecessary; this is not a time for such niceties." I said, "You know best of this matter; I will not oppose you in what you think right."

CLXI.

I then set to work, ordering men to pull at the ropes; I called out "Ayós," as sailors do, when they launch a ship, or haul her in; and I thus moved the castle. But when it had gone some way in that manner, it stopped, for the supports (wheels) could not move; arrows came down on us, and wounded four of our people at the very beginning. I had on my pourpoint and my "gonyo" at the time; my iron helmet on my head, and a shield with which I covered myself; there were besides full twenty men with shields shielding those who were pulling at the ropes. I kept them so close together that I did not allow the wounded even to leave the ropes, but made them sit down under cover, and then had their wounds looked to secretly. Eight or ten of them were wounded, for I could not cover them so as to prevent arrows passing between the shields the men were holding. When the wooden castle had moved half the distance it had to go, the master-workman said to me: "Send these men away, for they are no good at all, and they do [264] great harm; I will manage so that (?) in the morning all will be set right.⁽²³⁾ If you will give me picked soldiers, experienced men, who will obey my orders quietly, matters will be mended." I told him that he was right, and so left him. No one ever drank so much in a day as I then did; I swallowed two great cups of wine and water before dinner, and then dined.

CLXII.

And in that business no one helped or offered to help me. No sooner did I go to my dinner than the "fonevol" left off working, and then the Saracens set to work the best of their "algarradas " and struck [the castle] ten times before I had done eating. That grieved me so much that had one struck me ten blows in the side he would not have hurt me so much as did each blow aimed at the wooden castle while I was eating my dinner. I sent for the master-workman to come to me as soon as he had done his dinner, and when he came, said to him: "Would it not have been [265] better to do what I told you, and follow my advice? Now it is too late." I could not at that hour get men to go and draw it back to a place where it might be repaired; so I left it exposed all that night; and the "algarradas" did not cease throwing stones at the castle, hitting it more than a hundred times.

CLXIII.

When day came I saw very plainly that the castle would be completely destroyed if it remained where it was; so I sent word to the master-workman before dawn to have ropes put into the rings so that we might in the early morning draw it back. All my own retainers were armed, and at morning, before the sun was up, I had the castle drawn back towards the camp, and so far off that the "algarradas" of the enemy could no longer reach it. I and the rest of my people plainly saw that the castle could be of no use, for the blows of the "algarradas" had greatly injured it, and so it was given up; and thereafter we would not employ again that device of a castle. Then I, the bishops and the barons, resolved that our "fonevol" should batter, and that mines should be made, and that there should be no change from that; so the "fonevol" and the "manganel" battered, and we had mines made. [266]

CLXIV.

And at that time there came on that coast two galleys from Tarragona, one of Bernard of Santa Eugenia, the other of Pedro Martell. I myself had no galley at the time, and I was much afraid that the King of Valencia might fit out two or three of his galleys, and stop the provisions that came from Tarragona and Tortosa; sailors and others well acquainted with sea affairs advised me to keep those two Tarragona galleys, and not on any account let them go. I therefore went to the tent of the Master of the temple, sent for the owners of the galleys, and entreated them in every wise, since the galleys were on the coast, to keep them where they were, and that I would willingly give what it had cost to fit them out, and yet much more. They said the galleys had cost them a great deal, and begged me to let them go and not lose what they had spent on them. I said to the masters: "En Bernard, "you are a man of such repute, and you, En Pedro Martell, a man of such consideration in your own town, that you should regard in every way my honour; why then should you wish me leave this place and not take it? to say nothing of the shame and hurt that I and all my army would endure. I have fought and destroyed in Aragon and Catalonia all those who rose against me; I [267] have conquered the county of Urgell and the kingdom of Mallorca; this is the first town in that of Valencia I have besieged; and raise the siege I certainly will not. I would have to raise it if I could not get food; therefore I pray you for God's sake, and as you are my born subjects, not to do me so great harm and so great dishonour."

CLXV.

They said they would consider of it, and while they were deliberating messengers went backwards and forwards between me and them; and it came to this, that it would cost me sixty thousand sols to be paid to them on the other side. I told them that I would willingly give them the sixty thousand sols, but if they asked me to pay them there it could not be done. I could not at that time have paid down one thousand sols unless some one did lend them to me, or unless I put in pawn horses or other things. That was not the time to do that, and therefore I offered to find securities. They replied that for nothing in the world would they accept security unless that of the Masters of the Temple and of the Hospital were given, and I accordingly asked them to become such securities. The Master of the Hospital at once said: "Guarantee me, and I will go into it." But the Master of the Temple, named R. Patot, said that he was not in the habit of [268] becoming surety for a king or for any one else; so we parted for the time. The Master of the Hospital then said: "I will speak to the Master of the Temple and see what I can do." And he said to him, "Why do we not do this? give that security for the King , and let him give us a confirmation of all the charters and privileges we hold from his predecessors, and that will be better for us than if he gave us a hundred thousand sols." The Master of the Temple said he would consult with his brethren; the brethren advised him to do it, and then he said he would. The Master of the Hospital then came to me and said: "Would you thank the man who got this business done?" "Yes," said I. "It can be done in this way," said the Master, "that you make a fresh charter comfirming all those privileges we hold from your predecessors, and then we will do what you want." I said, "Know, Master, that we will not do that; you ask for too great a concession." "What the Devil," said the Master, "you are a strange man, to say, Yes, I will, and then not do it." And I said, "Since you put it in that way I will do it, but it would be well to hear a third person in this business; I am a King, and you are the Master of the Order of the Hospital." He replied, "If you bring another person into it all will be in vain; you and I are quite enough. If the Master of the Temple and his brethren knew, they would withdraw from the [269] agreement and do nothing.." Then I said, "So be it; but remember if it ever comes elsewhere what agreement I made with you."⁽²⁴⁾

CLXVI.

Thus was the matter arranged. I sent for En Bernard de Santa Eugenia and En Pedro Martell, and gave them the security of the said Masters. I kept the galleys in my service, and supplies reached us by sea so fast and continuously, since it was known that I had galleys, that there was plenty of food in the camp. Then my uncle Don Fernando sent me word that he and some of the nobles wished next morning to confer with me; I assented, and next morning he came to my tent. There were besides him Don Blasco de Alagon, Don Exemen de Urrea, Don Rodrigo Liçana, and Don Blasco Maça; they all kept from the bishops and from the nobles of Catalonia what they were going to say. Only Don Exemen Perez of Tarazona and the Justicia of Aragon claimed to be present, for they were of my household. They empowered Don Blasco de Alagon to speak for them, and he began [270] thus: - "My lord, Don Fernando and I came here to serve you in this siege you have laid to Burriana; it is a fact that kings often undertake and attempt many things, as you have undertaken to besiege this place; but kings cannot perform as they would wish all they undertake, for if all that you kings wish were done all the lands in the world would be yours. Now we see great difficulty in this enterprise of Burriana; you cannot keep together the men of the towns, as they want to go home and get in their crops, and the nobles besides have no food. We should not like to have to tell you that there is no food in the camp, and that we shall be obliged to go away one after another and leave you here almost alone, so that you would come to grief and shame. If it please you, we can so manage matters that you get great gain; and thus another time, when you have made better arrangements, you will be able to take the place, if God be pleased. We will help you now so that Zeit give you so much treasure from what he has that you may amply repay yourself and your barons of the expense you have been at in coming and staying here."

CLXVII.

And I asked Don Fernando: "Don Fernando, and you other barons who are here, do you think I should act thus?" Don Fernando said, "On my [271] faith, my lord, it so seems to us, owing to the difficulty under which Don Blasco has said that you and all of us are; we would not that you should come to shame, because certainly men will be obliged to leave you for want of food." I immediately answered him, that it did not seem to me as if I should give heed to such a counsel as that; and I said to him this: "We answer you in this wise; the Lord has done to me much good and much grace in my youth, and by His favour everything I have undertaken has been brought to a successful end. In my youth I conquered a kingdom across the sea; I am now in the kingdom of Valencia for the first time; and now that I have laid siege to such a petty place as this, not bigger than a farmyard, you wish me to give it up! Do not believe I will do such a thing. Rather I pray you and command you, by my sovereign rights over you, to help me to take it and give me no such counsel; I would never return to Aragon and Catalonia with such great shame upon me as there would be if I did not take such a town as this."

CLXVIII.

After vespers I went outside the camp, and sent for Don Exemen Perez de Tarazona and for the Justicia of Aragon; they were brothers, and the Justicia was the elder. The other was the more prudent, and more to be relied upon for firmness and [272] for everything else, only that the Justicia of Aragon knew more of the laws of that kingdom, for he often, nay, constantly, gave judgments according to them. I said to them, "I sent for you for this reason, because my father and I made you what you are, and for my misfortune and the misfortune of my subjects I, cannot disclose myself to any one in the army as I shall to you two. This morning Don Fernando and the nobles of Aragon called me to a council, and they came before me, and before you, Don Exemen Perez, who heard their words; they said to me many things to discourage me from taking this place of Burriana; they offered me treasure in quantity, which, they said, the King of Valencia, he who is called Zeit, would willingly give if I would raise the siege of Burriana. I believe that they were to have a good share of the treasure, as much perhaps as they offered to me. When I heard those words, I said they were very hard and unfit for me to listen to; I ordered them not to say them, for it was what I would not for anything in the world do, on account of the great affront it would be for me to raise this siege." Nor could I refrain from weeping for the great harm they were trying to bring on me, since they preferred the King of Valencia's treasure to saving my honour and the fidelity they owed me. And when they saw me weep, they likewise began to weep. [273]

CLXIX.

The Justicia replied, "What then, my lord, will you do with such men as these, who, when you least think of it, will leave you here alone; and what will you do in return for those who will not desert you till death?" And Don Exemen Perez said, "My lord and master, you must reflect that you are surrounded by unloyal and false people; I wish I were dead, confessed, and absolved, rather than see the evil things your men do to you. I have here fifteen mounted retainers with me, and I believe that I can keep more than a hundred of them in the camp who will not desert you; do you consider what to do. Our Lord will help you to take this town of Burriana." The Justicia then added, "Don Exemen Perez, you are my brother, and you speak right well; but the king cannot be fitly accompanied by a hundred nor by two hundred knights, having penetrated so far in the kingdom of Valencia as he has." Thereupon I told them: "Do you wish me to speak the truth?" Believe me, I would rather be hit by an arrow, so it was not to death, and justify myself towards my people, than that they might say that I only raised the siege for the wound I had; but I will tell you what I will do. I will send in the morning for the bishops and for the barons who are here of Catalonia, and for Don Bernard Guillem, who will [274] certainly do what I command him, and for the good men of the towns who are here, and will beseech them as earnestly as I know, and am able to do, to stay with me till God give me Burriana, and I believe that they will grant me that. And when the rest shall know that I am aware of the false advice they gave me, and that these nobles offer to stay with me, they will not dare go away; and thus will I take Burriana in despite of the Devil and of the bad men who give me such bad advice."

CLXX.

Then I did this. I sent for the barons and told them what my idea was. When they had heard me, the bishops first, and then the barons afterwards, said that the advice was unfit, and that those who gave it counselled ill; since I had come so far, they would willingly help me with all their might to take Burriana from the Saracens. They would act in such wise that I should know that nothing was wanting in them to support the burthens of the war, and help us with good will. When that was done, there came to me Don Bernard Guillem, and said, "My lord, you now see that the advice to raise this siege was not a good one to follow; I pray you grant me this, that the militia of the towns make three hundred hurdles, which I with my retainers will place near the moat; do you give orders to your [275] men to succour as if the Moors made a sally, "for certainly we should be badly succoured by the others. I will be there night and day, and will not leave the spot until God give us Burriana and I myself can dine within the castle; and besides that, do you order your men to come at night in turns to help and succour me."

CLXXI.

I answered, that I gave him great thanks, and understood well that he would again do me service. I then sent for Don Exemen Perez de Tarazona, and told him what En Bernard Guillem de Entença had proposed and asked. He said it was the offer of a good vassal, clearly showing that he was my faithful born subject. Don Exemen then prayed me to allow him to make part of the relieving force, and asked as a grace that Don Bernard Guillem himself should lead the undertaking. And when they of the camp, that is those who wished me to raise the siege, knew of this, it grieved them much, as I heard those say who had occasion to talk to them. As soon as Don Bernard Guillem had his hurdles ready, he made his knights and esquires in armour carry them to the place where they were to stand, near the moat. And when he had got ready the mantlets which a master workman made for him [276] he put them on the hurdles, and did not leave them by day or night; indeed he ate his meals there, and would not go into the camp. Nor did Don Exemen Perez with his men leave him by day or night, but each set of men took up the work by turns, at different hours, so as best to bear the burthen amongst them.

CLXXII.

One night, between the first sleep and midnight, the Saracens, carrying fire-torches in their hands, sallied out against the mantlet of En Bernard Guillem de Entença, where the hurdles stood. There were fully two hundred of the enemy, and others were on the walls with two-footed crossbows ready to shoot at those who came to protect the hurdles. The cry arose in the camp, "To arms! to arms! the Saracens have made a sally against En Bernard Guillem's hurdles." I heard the noise, and they who lay beside me in my tent asked if they should saddle the horses. I said, "Not by any means, but let each of you go to the spot on foot as fast as he can." Meantime, I at once put on my quilted coat (perpunte) over my shirt - I did not wait to put on the "gonella" - and with some ten who lay beside me, with shields on our arms, and iron caps on our heads, ran to the hurdles where Don Bernard Guillem [277] was. I asked on my arrival, "What is the matter, Don Bernard Guillem? and how goes it with you?" He said, "My lord, well and fairly; lo! the Moors here tried to set fire to the hurdles, but by the grace of God we have defended them well."

CLXXIII.

Then one of the esquires said to me, "My lord, Don Bernard Guillem is wounded by an arrow in the leg." I said, "Let us get lint from the camp, draw out the arrow and dress the wound." I myself took lint, dipped it in water, and put it to the wound; I then bound it up with a piece of the shirt of an esquire who was there. And when the wound was bound up I asked Don Bernard to go to the camp, for I myself would remain and take care of the hurdles till he was better. And he said, "My lord, I will not do that, I shall get on here as well as, or better than in the camp." No baron but me would assist Don Bernard; I saw that, and said to him, "Courage, Don Bernard! bear it like a man."

CLXXIV.

Meantime I set up some of the hurdles that had been made in the camp. On the left, where Don Bernard Guillem de Entença was stationed, [278] I had two mantlets made, and every night knights and esquires on foot came to watch the "fonevol." I placed the mantlets there that they might be nearer to Don Bernard Guillem. One Friday, after dinner, my men sent me word that the mantlets had been left without guards, and that I ought to send a company to guard them. I immediately put on a quilted coat (perpunte), and an iron cap, and sword in hand, with eight knights equipped in the same fashion, went to the hurdles. I had previously sent there a mattress and a bolster. As I lay thus with my quilted coat (perpunte) unlaced, the Saracens saw that the camp was asleep; they knew that my pennon was there, and that I myself must be in my tent. They therefore made a sally, with fully forty men with shields, and up to a hundred and seventy more in all. On the wall and on the barbican the Saracens had crossbows ready, and the others brought fire with them. There were two esquires at two of the hurdles on the look-out against the town, and when they saw the enemy they said, "To arms! to arms! lo! here are the Saracens!" All got up instantly and put on their iron caps; I myself had brought a sword from Monzon called Tizo,⁽²⁵⁾ which was a very good one and lucky to those who handled it. I would rather use it than a lance, and [279] therefore gave mine to an esquire who attended me. When my people in the camp heard the noise, all went out accoutred as I was; the Saracens left two torches fully burning near the hurdles a little in front of us. We drove them before us; they turned their backs and fled till in the direction of the barbican into which we actually drove them. We saw that we could not reach them, for they were quicker than we, for they did not carry either breast-plates (gonios), or quilted coats (perpuntes); they had only shields and lances, and so they got into the barbican, the other Saracens defending them by throwing stones from the wall. Seeing that we could not do them harm, and that we might receive it ourselves, we returned to the camp protecting ourselves by our shields. And believe me, reader, when I say this to be truth, that twice did I uncover my whole body that the Saracens might wound me, so that, if I had to raise the siege, I could say that it was my wound that made me raise it. But our Lord Jesus Christ knows how things should be and should be done. He makes those to whom He wishes well, act for the best. He took such care of me that I received no wound, and took the town as will be told afterwards.⁽²⁶⁾

1. Zeit Abu Zeit, (Arabic letters in book). This Moslem prince, of the house of the Almohade sovereigns of Morocco, had been expelled from Valencia, of which he was "king," by his subjects, suspicious of his dealings with King James, with whom he took refuge. There was an agreement between them, that what Zeit might recover of his former state in Valencia he should hold as a vassal of Aragon, and that he should besides surrender six strong places to the king, of which Morella was one - Zurita, Anales, lib. iii. c. 2.

2. The Spanish translators introduce the word feud to describe the terms on which Don Blasco de Alagon received Morella from the king: but the text uses only the word tener, to hold, "quil tenga per vos."

3. Brother of Berenguela, Queen of Richard I. of England; he reigned from 1194 to 1234. It will show the strange confusion of the times, to tell that in the opening of his reign his alliances with the Moors were such as to draw from Pope Celestine III. In 1196 a Bull denouncing them, and calling on him to unite rather with the Christian kings of the Peninsula in conquests from the Mahometans. Next year, 1197, he left his kingdom, went to Morocco, and remained there serving the Sultan for three years; it was said, in love with the Sultan's daughter; such is the explanation of his conduct the English chronicler Hovedan had heard. During his absence, Alfonso VIII. of Castille stripped him of considerable territories in the Basque provinces. However, when the Sultan Mohammad Annásir made the great campaign of 1212 against the Spanish Christians, he joined Alfonso VIII. with his army, and had a share in the great victory of Navas de Tolosa, in memory of which Navarre bears in her shield the chains with which the Sultan's tent is said to have been fenced.

4. Si donchs no era en lochs amagat.

5. As tall, not as stout, it is to be presumed. King James was a giant.

6. Nos volem afillarvos aytot que afillets a nos: "take you to son."

7. This Don Blasco was Don Blasco Maça [d'Alagó], as shown by Zurita, Anales, lib. iii. c. II.

8. Lerida is here taken for the Cortes of Catalonia, there held.

9. The document itself, printed by Zurita, Anales, lib. iii. c. II, and in the Archivo de Aragon, t. vi. p. 102, does not reserve the rights of Prince Alfonso under this treaty of adoption or affiliation. It was solemnly confirmed, a few weeks afterwards, by many of the leading nobles of Aragon and Navarre, and by six deputies (procuradores) of towns of each country, in the name of all the others, and in that of the kingdom of Aragon. I cannot find that the estates of Catalonia were bound by, or entered into, this arrangement, which, therefore, in the case of the King of Navarre's 1 surviving James and his son, might have severed it from Aragon.

10. Disinheriting him.

11. The meaning seems to be, that the King of Navarre was to treat the 2,000 Aragonese knights so as to please their king.

12. Another copy, Basta.

13. "Nous ha de veer."

14. That is, the knights in King James's territories of the Castilian Orders of Calatrava and Santiago. Uclés was the seat of the last named. That of Montesa, which was purely Aragonese, was not founded till 1317.

15. Conseyl, in Spanish Concejo, properly speaking the Municipality; but in the present and other instances the word is meant to designate the militia or force furnished by the towns of Castile (milicia concejil) in the war against the Moors.

16. Alforrats - without armour (?).

17. G. Dasi, or Dafin.

18. An error probably; the edition of 1515 adds, the Master of Tortosa.

19. Some men from Marseilles were named as making a trebuchet at Mallorca: "Nicoloso" addresses the king with the French word "Micer!" Can Albanguena, elsewhere written Dalbenguena, be meant for Auvergne?

20. Lladoner: the nettle or lote tree: Celtis australis.

21. The original reads thus: "Lo castell de fust havra ii vases de cada una part, e seran iiii menys de ii altres quen havra en la frontera da cada una part denant e detras, e aquels fermaran los vases." I cannot say that I have understood the passage and translated it right. The Spanish version is about the same.

22. A word seems wanting in the original; indeed, the whole passage is a very confused explanation of the mechanism employed, and my version may be wrong on some points.

23. This expresses what must be the sense: the words of the edition of 1557 are "E yo aguisar los he en tal manya ques guardaran abreada denant sil trobaran"; those of the edition of 1515 are "e yo aguiar lo he en tal manera que esguardaran abreada denant siltrobaran;" both editions, though made upon the same MS., have "abreada," a word of unknown, or no, meaning at all. The modern one gives "e jo aguisar lo he en tal manera que quan se guardaran al alba denant si lo trobaran," which is in part more intelligible.

24. This passage is obscure; all editions agree in giving the concluding paragraph as follows: "mas membreus que si venia en altre loch, queus membras que aço avia feyt ab vos." The Spanish translators think this means "wherever we may be, you should remember that it was only you that helped us in such a business." I cannot guess why the Master of the Hospital preferred, and thought the Templars would likewise prefer, an oral bargain between the king and him to a formal document, at that time at least: but so it seems.

25. Tizó, probably from Tizona, which was the name of a celebrated sword belonging to the Cid.

26. The preceding three pages vary considerably from the Spanish translation.