Then Diego his brother arose and said, "You know, sir, what perfect men we are in our lineage, and it did not befit us to be married to the daughters of Rodrigo." When he had said this, he sat down. Then Don Garcia arose, and said: "Come away, Infantes, and let us leave the Cid sitting like a bridegroom in his ivory chair. He lets his beard grow, thinking to frighten us with it." The Cid put up his hand to his beard and said: "What have you to do, Count, with my beard? It is long because it is kept for my pleasure. Never a son of woman hath taken me by it. Never son of Moor or Christian has plucked it, as I did yours in your castle of Cabra, when I took your castle and took you by the beard. There was not a boy in the army but had a pull at it. What I plucked then is not grown yet."

Then the Count cried out: "Come away, Infantes, and leave him. Let him go back to Rio, to his own country, and set up his mills, and take toll as he used to do. He is not your equal that you should quarrel with him." At this the knights of the Cid looked at each other with fierce eyes; but none of them dared speak till the Cid bade them, because of the command which he had given them.

When the Cid saw that none of his people answered, he turned to Pero Bermudez and said, "Speak, Pero Mudo, what are you silent for?" He called him Mudo, which is to say, "Dumb-ee," because he stuttered; and Pero was angry that he should be called so before all that assembly, and he said, "I tell you what, Cid, you always call me Dumb-ee in court, and you know I cannot help my words; but when anything is to be done, it shall not fail for me." And in his anger he forgot what the Cid had said to him and to the others to make no quarrel before the king. And he gathered up his cloak under his arm and went up to the eleven counts who were against the Cid, to Count Garcia, and when he was near him he clenched his fist and gave him a blow that brought him to the ground.

Then was the whole Cortes in an uproar, and many swords were drawn, and on one side the cry was "Cabra and Granon," and on the other it was "Valencia and Bivar "; but the strife was such that in a short time the counts left the palace. The king meanwhile cried out aloud, forbidding them to fight before him, and charging them to look to his honor. The Cid then tried to quiet his people, saying to the king, "Sir, you saw that I could bear it no longer, being thus insulted in your presence; if it had not been for you I would have punished him well." Then the king sent to call those counts who had been driven out, and they came again into the palace, though they would have preferred to stay outside, complaining of the dishonor they had received.

The king said to them that they should defend themselves with courtesy and reason, and not revile the Cid, who was not a man to be insulted; and he said he would defend as far as possible the rights of both parties.

Pero Bermudez rose and said to Count Garcia: "Foul mouth in which God has put no truth, you have dared to let loose your tongue to speak of the Cid's beard, an honorable beard, one that has never been shamed nor overcome. And if you please you may remember when he fought against you in Cabra, hundred to hundred, he threw you from your horse, and took you by the beard and carried you away prisoner across a pack-saddle. His knights pulled your beard for you, and I had a good handful of it. How, then, shall a beard that has been dishonored speak against one that has never been shamed? If you deny this, I will fight you upon this quarrel before the king."

Then Count Suero Gonzales rose in haste, and said: "Nephews, go away and leave these rascals. If they are for fighting, we will give them their fill of that, if the king should think good. We will fight, though they are not our peers." Then Alvar Fanez stood up, and said: "Hold your peace, Count Gonzales, you have been to breakfast before you said your prayers, and your words are more like a drunkard's than one who is in his senses. You say your kinsmen are equal to those of the Cid; if it were not for reverence for the king, I would teach you never to talk in that way again." When the king saw that their words were going from bad to worse, and that they were not to the point, he commanded them to be silent, and said, "I will determine this business of the challenge with the judges as shall be found right; and I will not have these disputes carried on before me."

Then the king went apart with the judges into a chamber, and the Cid and the others remained in the hall. When the king and judges had counselled together what was right in this matter, they came out of the chamber and took their seats, and commanded all to be silent. Then the king said, "I have taken counsel with these judges in this case, and this is the sentence that I give, that both the Infantes and Count Suero Gonzales their uncle, inasmuch as he was the adviser in the dishonor of the Cid's daughters, shall do battle with such three of the Cid's people as he may appoint, and thereby acquit themselves if they can."

When the king had given this sentence, the Cid rose and kissed his hand, saying: "May God give you long and happy years, seeing you have judged justly as a just and righteous king. I receive your sentence, and I shall ever be at your service." Then Pero Bermudez rose up and went to the Cid, saying, "I ask a boon, sir; I beseech you let me be one of those who shall do battle on your part, for I trust in God to be able to take vengeance for this foul deed." And the Cid answered that he was well pleased it should be so, and that he should do battle with Ferrando the eldest; and then Pero kissed his hand. Then Martin Antolinez rose and besought the Cid that he might be another, and the Cid granted his desire, and said that he should do battle with the younger one, Diego. Then Muno Gustioz besought that he might be the third, and the Cid granted it and appointed him to do battle with Count Suero Gonzales the uncle.

When the Cid had appointed his champions, the king gave command that the combat should be performed on the next day; but the Infantes said they were not ready to fight so soon, and asked that they might go to Carrion to prepare for the battle. But the king would not allow them the time they asked; however, the king's sons-in-law begged the king to grant the Infantes three weeks, and the king granted this, with the consent of the Cid.

When all these arrangements had been made, and while the court was still in session, there came messengers from the kings of Aragon and of Navarre, with letters to King Alfonso and to the Cid, in which these kings asked the king for the daughters of the Cid in marriage, the one for Don Sancho the son of the king of Aragon, the other for Garcia Ramirez the son of the king of Navarre. When they came before the king, they bent their knees and gave him the letters and delivered their message. They also did the same to the Cid. Much were the king and the Cid pleased with this news, and the king said to the Cid, "What do you say to this?" And the Cid answered, "I and my daughters are at your disposal; do with us as you shall think good." Then the king said, "I hold it good that they wed with the kings' sons, and that from henceforward they be queens; and that for the dishonor they before received they now receive this honor." And the Cid rose and kissed the hands of the king and all his knights did the same.

The king and the Cid ordered that letters of consent to these marriages be given to the messengers; the one who came from Aragon was named Ynigo Ximenez, and the one from Navarre Ochoa Perez. These knights arranged that in three months from that day the princes or Infantes of Aragon and Navarre should come to Valencia to be married to the daughters of the Cid. Great was the joy of the comrades of the Cid that these marriages were to be, for they increased their honor; and great was the sorrow of the Infantes of Carrion and their friends, for this was to their confusion. Then Alfonso said aloud to the Cid before them all, "Praised be the name of God, because it has pleased him that the dishonor that was done to me and to you and to your daughters should thus be turned into honor; for they were the wives of the sons of counts, and now shall they be the wives of the sons of kings, and shall be queens hereafter." Great was the pleasure of the Cid and his company at these words of the king. The Infantes went away from the palace very sorrowful, and made ready to go to Carrion to prepare for the combat which was to take place in three weeks.

Then the Cid said to the king: "Sir, I have appointed those who are to do battle for my honor; and as there is nothing more for me to do here, I will leave them in your hand, knowing that you will defend their right. If it please you, I will return to Valencia; for I would not that the Moors rise up in my absence. Moreover, I have to make ready for these marriages." The king bade him go when he pleased and good fortune go with him, and said he would protect his knights and his right in all things. The king called for Don Remond his son-in-law and gave the knights of the Cid into his charge and bade them not depart from him, and then the king arose and returned to the Alcazar.

Then the Cid took off his coif and he loosed his beard and took it out of the cord that bound it. All who were there could not be satisfied with looking at it. The Counts Don Anrrich and Don Remond came up to him and he embraced and thanked them and the men who had been judges in his matter for upholding his right; and he promised to do for them whatever they would ask, and he offered them part of his treasure. They thanked him for this offer, but said it was not fitting that they should accept these; yet he sent great presents to each of them, and some accepted them and some did not. Before the Cid departed he forgave the king the two hundred marks which should have been paid on the account of the Infantes; for the Cid had not been so anxious for the money as to compel those men to lose what he had given them. He also gave to the knights who had come from Aragon and Navarre concerning the marriages many horses and money in gold, and he sent them with great honor into their own country.

On the next day the Cid went to take leave of the king, and the king went some way out of the town with him with many of his chief men. When he was about to part from the king they brought him his horse Bavieca, and he turned to the king and said: "Sir, it does not become me to take away so good a horse as Bavieca; I will leave him for you, for such a horse as this is fit for you and for no other master. And that you may see what he is, I will do before you what I have not done for a long time except in battle." Then he mounted his horse and gave him the spur, and all were astonished at his speed. As the Cid was riding his career, the horse broke one of his reins, yet he came and stopped before the king as easily as if both the reins had been whole, at which all wondered greatly. And the Cid urged the king that he would be pleased to take this horse, but he said: "Rather would I give you a better one if I had one, for he is better in your hands than in mine or those of any other man; upon that horse you have done honor to yourself and to us and to all Christians. Let him go as mine, and I will take him when I please." Then the Cid kissed the king's hand, and the king embraced him and returned to Toledo.

When the king had taken leave, Pero and Martin Antolinez and Muno rode on with the Cid for a time, and he advised them as to the manner in which they should conduct themselves in the combat with the Infantes and their uncle. And they took his counsel well, as was afterward shown. Then he bade them return to the king, praying to God to have them in his keeping and assist them, as he knew their cause was right.