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I Am Cid th’ honour of Spaine,
If that any more could bee
In my workes thou shalt see.
On the other side stoode another braue knight armed in like maner, the sight of his beuer lifted vp with these words also aboue his head.
Hernand Gonçales of Castile I am
In number the first Earle, and endlesse praise,
The Spanish Scepters honor, since the same
With my braue deedes so highly I did raise,
My valour and my manhood golden Fame
Can tell, that sa we it, wherefore she displaies
My high deedes in eternall memorie,
As tels you the Castilian historie.
Next to him stoode another knight of great force and courage, as by his face they might well iudge, armed in bright siluer, which was sowen full of Lyons and castles, who shewed by his countenance a kinde of fiercenes, making them (almost) afraide that looked on him; and that which was written aboue him was this.
Bernard of Carpio I am,
The Pagans terror, and their smart:
An honour to the Christian name,
Since that my handes aduaunc’t the same
By valour of my stoutest hart:
Fame, iust it is not thou conceale
My matchlesse deedes from tender yeeres,
But nothing if thou wilt reueale,
To Ronçes-Vales I appeale,
That sometimes was of the twelue Peeres.
On the other side stoode a valiant captaine in gilded armour, with sixe bendes gueles in the middes of his shielde, and on the other side on him many enfolded Auncients, and a captiue king in a chaine, whose superscription said thus.
My greatest valours they shall see,
Which knewe them not, whereby againe
I onely haue deseru’d to bee
Surnamed (The great Capitaine)
And in strangelandes, and in our owne
I purchased so great a fame,
That my exploites are held and knowne
To be far greater then my name.
Next to this stout captaine stoode a knight all in siluer armour, sowen full of starres, and of the other side on him a king with three Fleure de Lyses Or in his shielde Azure, before whom he tare certaine papers; the superscription aboue him was this.
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