CID. 



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into a soft poultice, form an excellent application for 

 painful sores and ulcers ; and the same leaves, dried 

 and rubbed fine, make, when mixed with cerate or 

 lard, a capital ointment for irritable sores, with which 

 a poultice does not agree. 



CID. Don Rodrigo (Ruy) Diaz,, count of Bivar, 

 surnamed the Cid, born in 1026, the model of the 

 heroic virtues of his age, and the flower of Spanish 

 chivalry, styled by his enemies (the ambassadors of 

 the Moorish kings) el mio Cid (my lord), and by his 

 king and countrymen Campeador (hero without an 

 equal), continues to live in the poetry of his country. 

 We were made acquainted with the history of his life 

 by the play of the great Corneille. Rodrigo loved 

 and was beloved by Ximene, daughter of Lozano, 

 count of Gormaz, who, with Diego, the father of 

 Rodrigo, excelled all the knights at the court of 

 Ferdinand I. of Castile. The envy of Gormaz at 

 Diego's superior estimation at court produced a dis- 

 pute between the two, which led to a duel. Gormaz 

 vanquished the old Diego, and, insult being added to 

 this disgrace, Diego demanded from his son the blood 

 of the offender. In the contest between honour and 

 love, the former prevailed in the breast of the youth, 

 and Gormaz fell. Ximene, unfortunate as a daughter 

 and a mistress, could no longer listen to the voice of 

 love : it became necessary for her to demand ven- 

 geance on the object of her affections, and Rodrigo 

 would willingly have rushed to the combat, if by so 

 doing he could have alleviated the torments of a la- 

 cerated heart. But no champion was found to meet 

 the young hero ; and nothing but the discharge of 

 the important duties which devolved upon him could 

 preserve him from sulking under his despair. Five 

 Moorish kings appeared in Castile : devastation and 

 death accompanied their progress. Rodrigo, who 

 was not yet twenty years of age, threw himself upon 

 his noble horse Babieca, and, at the head of his 

 vassals, went to meet the enemy, who soon ceased to 

 be the terror of the country. The young hero sent 

 the five captive kings to Ferdinand, who, as a reward 

 for his bravery, gave him Ximene, and united those 

 whom the decrees of fete seemed to have separated 

 forever. They were married in Valencia. Ferdinand 

 afterwards added Galicia, Leon and Oviedo to Cas- 

 tile, and posterity calls him the Great ; but it was 

 Rodrigo who gained him the name. A quarrel hav- 

 ing arisen between Ferdinand and king Ramiro of 

 Arragon concerning the possession of Calahorra, the 

 latter challenged him to a single combat, and ap- 

 pointed for his substitute the knight Martin Gonzalez. 

 Ferdinand chose the Cid for his champion, and, by 

 his means, obtained Calahorra. Ferdinand, in his 

 will, divided his dominions among his sons : to 

 Sancho he gave Castile, to Alfonso he gave Leon 

 and Oviedo, and to Garcia, Galicia, together with 

 the conquered part of Portugal. This division 

 caused a war between the brothers, in which 

 Sancho was victorious : this success was owing to 

 the Cid, to whom he had given the command of 

 his forces. Alfonso was taken prisoner, Garcia 

 brought ruin upon himself by his own imprudence, 

 ind it remained only to overcome the obstinate re- 

 sistance of Zamora, where Sancho's sister Urraca 

 ruled. Before the walls of this city Sancho was assas- 

 sinated, and Alfonso, who, eight months before, was 

 vanquished by the Cid, was called to the throne. It 

 is related, in the ballads, that the Cid read the oath 

 of purification, in the name of the states of Cas- 

 tile, before the new king, on account of the murder 

 of Sancho, with such impressive solemnity, that Al- 

 fonso shuddered, but was also offended. It is cer- 

 tain that he spared nothing to gain over the Cid. 



The story of this warrior requires a critical exami- 

 nation, especially what relates to his marriage. 



According to history, Alfonso married him to 

 donna Ximene, his niece (in 1074) ; and consequently 

 it seems we must consider him twice married. John 

 von Muller, the German historian, supposes that the 

 daughter of the proud Gormaz may have been his 

 first Ximene. However that may be, it is certain 

 that the Cid, notwithstanding the important services 

 which he rendered to his king, often experienced the 

 inconstancy of royal favour. A man like him, of 

 strict integrity and virtue, of an inflexible and lofty 

 spirit, who despised an effeminate life, was not fitted 

 for courts. His true friend and brother in arms, 

 Alvaro Hanez Minaya, his wife and child, were his 

 world. The gravity of his countenance excited re- 

 spect and reverence ; his retired life afforded room 

 for the slanders of the courtiers ; and he was exposed 

 to frequent reproaches. But, in times of necessity, 

 his assistance was again sought, and he was too ge- 

 nerous to remember past offences. The king finally 

 took from' him all that he had given him, wife and 

 treasures; but, from shame or fear, he afterwards 

 restored Ximene. Disgraced, plundered, forced to 

 depend on himself alone, Rodrigo was now happier 

 and greater than before. Ever true to his country 

 and his religion, he raised an army by the reputation 

 of his name alone, to subdue the Moors in Valencia 

 In the midst of his career of conquest, he hastened to 

 the assistance of his king, who was hard pressed by 

 Joseph, the founder of Morocco ; but the only re- 

 turn of his generosity was new ingratitude. He 

 therefore departed by night, with his most trusty 

 followers, and, forsaken and ill provided, fled from 

 the king. He, however, remained true to himself, 

 and fortune to him. His magnanimity again over- 

 came the king. Permission was given to all to join 

 the forces of the Cid, who still maintained the cause 

 of Spain, and always with distinguished success. Al- 

 fonso declared aloud, in the presence of the envious 

 courtiers, " This Cid serves me much better thau 

 you," and could no longer be prevented from visit- 

 ing him. From this time, he was never estranged 

 from him, although he unintentionally promoted the 

 machinations of his enemies. Two brothers, counts 

 of Carrion, had resolved by a marriage with the 

 daughters of the Cid, to obtain possession of^is 

 wealth. The king himself promoted their suit, and 

 the Cid yielded to his wishes. With donna Elvira 

 and donna Sol, they received likewise the great 

 treasures which the arms of the Cid had won. But 

 scarcely had they dismissed their attendants, when,, 

 in a wild, mountainous desert, they stripped the gar- 

 ments from the persons of the ladies, bound and beat 

 them till pain choked their cries, and departed with 

 the money. A trusty servant, whom the Cid had 

 sent after them, delivered the ladies from their 

 wretched situation, and the vile deed was brought to 

 light. The Cid demanded justice. Alfonso sum- 

 moned all the vassals of Leon and Castile to a 

 high court of justice at the city of Toledo. The 

 Cid demanded the restoration of his treasures, and 

 opportunity to take vengeance for the insult, by a com- 

 bat between the counts of Carrion and the champions 

 whom he should name. They sought to avoid the 

 combat, but the king insisted on it. With ill-con- 

 cealed fear, they rode to the lists ; the knights of the 

 Cid overcame both them and their uncle ; their dis- 

 honoured lives were spared. The last exploit of 

 the Cid was the capture of Saguntum (Murviedro), 

 after which he died at Valencia, in the seventy fourth 

 year of his age (1099). What this hero won, and for 

 many years defended, the united power of Leon and 

 Castile was scarcely able to preserve against the en- 

 croachments of the infidels. His widow, therefore, 

 went with the dead body of the hero to Castile. He 

 was buried at the convent of St Peter of Gardena, in 



