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then　he　must　know　for　certain　that　they　would　be　compelled　to　turn　against　him　and　forthwith　join　the　Ydallcao；　for　whom　they　would　speedily　recover　that　which　he　had　now　lost。　The　King；　seeing　what　was　contained　in　the　letters；　answered　them　in　the　following　manner　by　one　single　letter　to　them　all；　　〃Honoured　Madremalluco；　and　Zemelluco；　Descar；　and　Veride；　and　all　others　of　the　kingdom　of　Daquym；　I　have　seen　your　letters；　and　thank　you　much　for　what　you　have　sent　to　say。　As　regards　the　Ydallcao；　what　I　have　done　to　him　and　taken　from　him　he　has　richly　deserved；　as　regards　returning　it　to　him　that　does　not　seem　to　me　reasonable；　nor　am　I　going　to　do　it；　and　as　for　your　further　statement　that　ye　will　all　turn　against　me　in　aid　of　him　if　I　do　not　do　as　ye　ask；　I　pray　you　do　not　take　the　trouble　to　come　hither；　for　I　will　myself　go　to　seek　ye　if　ye　dare　to　await　me　in　your　lands；　　and　this　I　send　you　for　answer。〃　And　he　commanded　to　give　many　gifts　to　the　messengers；　and　giving　his　letter　to　them　sent　them　away。


CHAPTER　13


How　a　number　of　people　left　the　city；　and　the　King　did　much　kindness　to　them。

Many　people　left　the　city；　and　to　many　who　had　nothing　wherewith　to　depart　the　king　commanded　to　give　all　that　was　required　for　their　journey。　Here　the　King　stayed　some　days；　after　having　made　all　the　arrangements　that　were　necessary　for　the　government　of　the　city；　and　after　repairing　the　walls　he　left　behind　him　sufficient　troops　to　guard　the　place；　and　took　the　road　to　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　where　he　was　received　with　great　triumphs；　and　great　feasts　were　made　and　he　bestowed　bountiful　rewards　on　his　troops。

As　soon　as　the　festivals　were　ended　he　went　to　the　new　city；　and；　being　there；　they　told　him　how　there　was　entered　an　ambassador　of　the　Ydallcao。　Already　he　knew　that　an　ambassador　had　come　but　he　pretended　that　he　did　not　know；　since　it　is　not　customary　for　the　King　to　send　out　to　receive　any　ambassador　（on　his　arrival）。　Since　this　ambassador　was　in　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　knowing　that　the　King　was　in　the　new　city；　which　is　two　leagues　from　Bisnaga；　he　betook　himself　thither；　and　close　to　the　city　bade　the　people　pitch　his　tent；　which　was　the　best　and　most　beautiful　and　rich　that　up　to　that　time　had　ever　been　seen　in　those　parts。　This　ambassador　was　called　Matucotam；　he　brought　with　him　one　hundred　and　fifty　horse　and　much　people　to　serve　him　and　many　pack　animals；　among　which　were　certain　camels。　He　brought　also　two　of　the　scribes　of　the　chamber　of　the　Ydallcao；　so　that　indeed　you　would　believe　that　he　had　brought　all　the　power　of　the　Ydallcao　〃pera　segumdo　elle　ficou　desbaratado。〃＇566＇

As　soon　as　he　had　thus　settled　himself　the　ambassador　sent　to　inform　the　King　of　his　arrival；　and　begged　that　His　Highness　would　grant　him　an　audience　and　despatch　him　without　delay。　The　King　replied　that　he　would　see　him；＇567＇　but　told　him　that　he　should　not　be　impatient　since　he　himself　had　but　now　arrived；　and　that　he　would　give　him　leave　to　depart　as　soon　as　the　time　had　arrived。　And　with　this　the　ambassador　stayed　there　a　month　without　the　King　having　sought　to　see　him；　nor　having　asked　to　know　why　he　had　come；　he　went　every　day　to　the　palace；　and　seeing　the　way　in　which　the　King　acted　towards　him　he　determined　to　speak　no　more　but　to　wait　till　the　King　summoned　him。　Still　he　never　ceased　to　go　every　day　to　the　palace　and　to　speak　with　the　nobles。　One　day　the　King　sent　to　tell　the　ambassador　that　the　following　day　was　an　auspicious　day；　and　that　he　wished　to　hear　him　and　learn　wherefore　he　had　come；　and　the　ambassador　made　ready　as　it　behoved　him　to　present　himself　before　so　great　a　lord。　As　was　fitting；　considering　his　mission　and　the　request　he　had　to　make；　he　was　accompanied　by　many　Moors　whom　the　city　contained；　and　had　with　him　all　his　people　with　their　trumpets　and　drums　as　was　customary；　and　so　he　went　to　the　palace；　where　he　was　received　very　honourably　by　the　nobles　and　officers　of　the　household。　They　seated　themselves　inside　the　first　gate；　awaiting　there　a　message　from　the　King　giving　permission　to　enter　where　he　was；　and　there　was　no　long　delay　before　the　command　to　admit　him　was　given。　His　obeisance　to　the　King　having　been　made　according　to　his　mode　and　custom；　the　men　of　the　council　standing　by　the　King's　side；　he　was　bidden　to　announce　the　terms　of　his　embassy；　the　King　being　ready　graciously　to　listen；　and　the　ambassador；　seeing　that　the　King　so　commanded；　delivered　himself　of　his　message　in　manner　following；　with　the　awed　demeanour　assumed　by　such　envoys　when　they　find　themselves　in　presence　of　such　great　kings。


CHAPTER　14


How　the　Captain　acquitted　himself　of　his　embassy　before　the　King。

〃Sire！　the　Ydallcao；　my　master；　sends　me　to　thee；　and　by　my　mouth　he　begs　thee　that　thou　wouldest　be　pleased　to　do　justice。　He　bids　me　say　that　he　bears　very　good　will　towards　thee＇568＇　as　towards　the　most　true　and　powerful　prince　in　all　the　world；　and　one　possessed；　of　most　justice　and　truth；　that　thou　without　reason　hast　broken　the　friendship　and　peace　which　thou　hast　had　towards　him；　and　not　only　so　but　a　peace　which　was　made　so　many　years　ago　and　maintained　by　all　the　kings　so　truthfully；　that　he　does　not　know　why　thou　hast　left　thy　kingdom　and　made　such　war　on　him；　that　he　was　without　suspicion　when　they　brought　him　the　news　how　thou　hadst　besieged　the　city　of　Rachol；　and　hadst　robbed　and　destroyed　the　country　round　about；　which　news　caused　him　to　move　and　come　to　its　rescue；　that　then　all　the　members　of　his　court　were　slain　by　thee；　and　his　camp　all　plundered　and　destroyed；　thou　thyself　being　good　witness　of　what　was　done；　and　that　he　begs　thee　to　make　amends　therefor；　and　to　send　back　to　him　his　artillery　and　tents；　his　horses　and　elephants；　with　the　rest　that　was　taken　from　him；　and　also　to　restore　his　city　of　Rachol；　that　if　thou　wilt　give　him　the　satisfaction　for　which　he　prays　as　to　this　property　and　all　other　things　thou　wilt　have　him　always　for　a　loyal　friend；　but　if　not；　thy　action　will　be　evil；　even　though　pleasing　to　thyself。〃　Thus　he　ended；　without　saying　more。　The　King　said　that　he　might　retire　and　repose；　and　that　next　day　he　would　give　him　leave　to　depart；　and　the　King　gave　him　a　robe　of　silk　and　the　cloths　that　are　customary。


CHAPTER　15


How　the　King　sent　to　call　the　ambassador；　and　of　the　answer　which　he　gave　to　him。

Next　day　the　King　sent　to　call　the　ambassador；　and　after　other　things　had　been　spoken　of　between＇569＇　them；　the　King　said　that　he　would　be　content　to　restore　everything　to　the　Ydallcao　according　to　his　wish；　and　would　be　pleased　at　once　to　release　Satabetacao；　provided　the　Ydallcao　would　come　and　kiss　his　foot。　When　the　ambassador　heard　the　King's　answer　he　took　leave　of　him　and　went　to　his　tent；　and　he　wrote　to　the　Ydallcao　and　told　him　what　had　passed；　sending　to　him　one　of　the　scribes　that　had　come　with　him。　And　much　time　had　not　passed　when　the　Ydallcao　sent　him　a　reply；　saying：　How　could　it　be　possible　for　him　to　meet　the　King；　seeing　that　he　could　not　go　to　Bisnaga？　and　yet　that　he　was　of　full　mind　joyfully　to　do　that　which　the　King　wished。　With　this　answer　the　ambassador　went　to　the　King；　and　since　the　King　would　have　set　higher　value　on　the　Ydallcao's　coming　to　kiss　his　feet　than　on　all　that　he　had　taken　from　him；　he　said　to　the　ambassador；　〃Do　thou　cause　the　Ydallcao　to　come　to　the　confines　of　my　kingdom；　for　I　shall　be；　soon　there。〃　Agreeing　to　this；　the　ambassador　departed；　so　as　to　persuade　the　Ydallcao　to　come　to　the　boundary。　The　King　on　his　part　went　forthwith　to　a　city　called　Mudugal＇570＇　which　is　close　to　the　boundary；　and　there　he　waited　until　they　told　him　that　the　Ydallcao　was　coming　and　was　already　near　at　hand。　Forthwith　the　King　set　out　to　meet　him；　and　entered　the　kingdom　of　Daquem；　so　desirous　was　he　to　meet　the　Ydallcao；　but　the　Ydallcao；　after　all；　dared　not　meet　the　King。　And　the　King　journeyed　so　far；　whilst　they　kept　saying　to　him；　〃Lo！　he　is　here　close　at　hand；〃　that　he　even　went　as　far　as　Bizapor；＇571＇　which　is　the　best　city　in　all　the　kingdom　of　Daquem。　It　has　numbers　of　beautiful　houses　built　according　to　our　own　fashion；　with　many　gardens　and　bowers　made　of　grape…vines；　and　pomegranates；　and　oranges　and　lemons；　and　all　other　kinds　of　garden　produce。

Hither　went　the　King；　for　it　seemed　well　for　him　to　await　the　coming　of　the　Ydallcao　in　so　goodly　a　city；　and　he　formed　the　determination　that　if　he　got　him　here　he　would　seize　him　or　command　him　to　be　put　to　death；　to　avenge　the　affront　that　had　been　put　upon　him；　and　seeing　that　his　enemy　did　not　dare　to　come　he　remained　in　the　city　several　days。　Then　he　turned　away　because　water　failed　him；　for　since　this　city　lies　in　a　plain　and　has　no　water　save　that　which　it　receives　from　rainfall　into　two　lakes；　of　which　there　are　two　large　ones；　the　Moors　had　opened　these　in　order　to　drain　them；　so　that　the　King　should　not　be　able　to　stay　in　their　country。　For　this　reason　it　behoved　the　King　to　depart。　But　the　city　was　left　almost　in　ruins　　not　that　the　King　had　commanded　it　to　be　destroyed；　but　that　his　troops；　in　order　to　make　fires　for　cooking；　had　torn　down　so　many　houses　that　it　was　a　great　grief　to　see　　and　this　was　occasioned　by　there　being　in　the　country　a　dearth　of　firewood；　which　comes　to　them