e it
has pleased God to give me the city of Valencia, I will not that there
be any other lord here than me. Therefore I say unto you and command
you, if you would be well with me, and would that I should show favor
unto you, that ye see how to deliver that traitor Abeniaf into my
hands. Ye all know the great treason which he committed upon King
Yahia, his lord and yours, how he slew him, and the misery which he
brought upon you in the siege; and since it is not fitting that a
traitor who hath slain his lord should live among you, and that his
treason should be confounded with your loyalty, see to the obeyment of
my command."

When the honorable Moors heard this, they were dismayed; verily
they knew that he spake truth touching the death of the King, but it
troubled them that he departed form the promise which he had made; and
they made answer that they would take counsel concerning what he had
said, and then reply. Then five of the best and most honorable among
them withdrew, and went to Abdalla Adiz, and said unto him, "Give us
thy counsel now the best and truest that thou canst, for thou art of
our law, and oughtest to do this: and the reason why we ask counsel of
thee is this. The Cid promised us many things, and now behold he says
nothing to us of what he said before, but moveth other new reasons, at
which great dismay hath seized us. And because thou better knowest his
ways, tell us now what is his pleasure, for albeit we might wish to
do otherwise, this is not a time wherein anything but what he shall
command can be done." When the Almoxarife heard this he made answer,
"Good men, it is easy to understand what he would have, and to do what
should be done. We all know the great treason which Abeniaf committed
against ye all in killing your lord the King; for albeit at that time
ye felt the burden of the Christians, yet was it nothing so great as
after he had killed him, neither did ye suffer such misery. And since
God hath brought him who was the cause to this state, see now by all
means how ye may deliver him into the hands of the Cid; and fear
not, neither take thought for the rest; for though the Cid may do his
pleasure in some things, better is it to have him for lord than this
traitor who hath brought so much evil upon ye. Moreover the things
of this world soon pass away, and my heart tells me that we shall ere
long come out of the bondage of the Cid, and of the Christians; for
the Cid is well-nigh at the full