gos, and met the King at last;
When they came near his nobles, a whisper through them ran,--
"He rides amidst the gentry that slew the Count Lozan."--

IV.
With very haughty gesture Rodrigo reined his horse,
Right scornfully he shouted, when he heard them so discourse,--
"If any of his kinsmen or vassals dare appear,
The man to give them answer, on horse or foot, is here."--

V.
"The devil ask the question!" thus muttered all the band;--
With that they all alighted, to kiss the good King's hand,--
All but the proud Rodrigo, he in his saddle stayed,--
Then turned to him his father (you may hear the words he said).

VI.
"Now, light, my son, I pray thee, and kiss the good King's hand,
He is our lord, Rodrigo; we hold of him our land."--
But when Rodrigo heard him, he looked in sulky sort,--
I wot the words he answered they were both cold and short.

VII.
"Had any other said it, his pains had well been paid,
But thou, sir, art my father, thy word must be obeyed."--
With that he sprung down lightly, before the King to kneel,
But as the knee was bending, out leapt his blade of steel.

VIII.
The King drew back in terror, when he saw the sword was bare;
"Stand back, stand back, Rodrigo, in the devil's name beware,
Your looks bespeak a creature of father Adam's mould,
But in your wild behaviour you're like some lion bold."

IX.
When Rodrigo heard him say so, he leapt into his seat,
And thence he made his answer, with visage nothing sweet,--
"I'd think it little honour to kiss a kingly palm,
And if my fathers kissed it, thereof ashamed I am."--

X.
When he these words had uttered, he turned him from the gate,
His true three hundred gentles behind him followed straight;
If with good gowns they came that day, with better arms they went;
And if their mules behind did stay, with horses they're content.

XIMENA DEMANDS VENGEANCE.

This ballad, the sixth in Escobar, represents Ximena Gomez as, in
person, demanding of the King vengeance for the death of her father,
whom the young Rodrigo de Bivar had fought and slain.

I.
Within the court at Burgos a clamour doth arise,
Of arms on armour clashing, and screams, and shouts, and cries;
The good men of the King, that sit his hall around,
All suddenly upspring, astonished at the sound.

II.
The King leans from his chamber, from the balcony on high--
"What means this furious clamour my palace-porch so nigh?"
But when he looked below him, there