than his rider. In one of these ballads,
the Cid is giving directions about his funeral; he desires that they
shall place his body "in full armour upon Bavieca," and so conduct him
to the church of San Pedro de Cardena. This was done accordingly; and,
says another ballad--

Truxeron pues a Babieca;
Y en mirandole se puso
Tan triste como si fuera
Mas rasonable que bruto.

In the Cid's last will, mention is also made of this noble charger.
"When ye bury Bavieca, dig deep," says Ruy Diaz; "for shameful thing
were it, that he should be eat by curs, who hath trampled down so much
currish flesh of Moors."

I.
The King looked on him kindly, as on a vassal true;
Then to the King Ruy Diaz spake after reverence due,--
"O King, the thing is shameful, that any man beside
The liege lord of Castile himself should Bavieca ride:

II.
"For neither Spain nor Araby could another charger bring
So good as he, and certes, the best befits my King.
But that you may behold him, and know him to the core,
I'll make him go as he was wont when his nostrils smelt the Moor."--

III.
With that, the Cid, clad as he was in mantle furred and wide,
On Bavieca vaulting, put the rowel in his side;
And up and down, and round and round, so fierce was his career,
Streamed like a pennon on the wind Ruy Diaz' minivere.

IV.
And all that saw them praised them--they lauded man and horse,
As matched well, and rivalless for gallantry and force;
Ne'er had they looked on horseman might to this knight come near,
Nor on other charger worthy of such a cavalier.

V.
Thus, to and fro a-rushing the fierce and furious steed,
He snapt in twain his hither rein:--"God pity now the Cid."
"God pity Diaz," cried the Lords,--but when they looked again,
They saw Ruy Diaz ruling him, with the fragment of his rein;
They saw him proudly ruling with gesture firm and calm,
Like a true lord commanding--and obeyed as by a lamb.

VI.
And so he led him foaming and panting to the King,
But "No," said Don Alphonso, "it were a shameful thing
That peerless Bavieca should ever be bestrid
By any mortal but Bivar--Mount, mount again, my Cid."

THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE CID.

The last specimen I shall give of the Cid-ballad, is one the subject of
which is evidently of the most apocryphal cast. It is, however, so far
as I recollect, the only one of all that immense collection that is
quoted or alluded to in Don Quixote. "Sancho," cried Don Quixote, "I am