The Churching of Jimena

To St Isidore's of León,
Lady Jimena Gómez,
wife of the Campeador,
goes out to be churched.

Two plaques set with skill
around her neck she wears,
of St Lazarus and St Peter,
the saints she most reveres.

So lovely is Jimena,
the sun in middle course
halts and stays suspended
to see her all the more.

At the entrance of the church
she meets with King Fernando
who takes her by the hand
to lead her through the porch.

Lady Jimena, he says,
as your fortunate spouse,
the Cid Campeador,
best among my vassals,

has gone off to the wars
and is not at church today;
for his arm that you miss,
let my arm be your stay.

 

Jimena's Connubial Lament

To you, my Lord King,
good and most fortunate,
your handmaid Jimena,
Count Lozano's daughter:

What law of God lays down
that you should have the right
to unwed the wedded
for the long wars you fight?

What right reason agrees
that you should have the power
to free my lawful spouse
to me but once a year?

And even when released,
he comes stained with gore,
both man and his mount;
their very sight strikes fear.

And he's scarcely in my arms
when he falls asleep;
in dreams he groans and twists
as a man in battle yet.

And dawn has scarcely come
when his watches and his men
prod him from his sleep
to take the field again.

 

Jimena's Plight

At the palace in Burgos
where the magnates are,
suddenly there's an outbreak
of cries and clank of arms.

All rush to encounter
Jimena Gómez, who wails
for the Count her father;
her hair is disarrayed.

'Good King, I must have justice,
that treason be repaired;
and me, O ruthless killer,
a woman, do not spare.'

The proud youth was seen
to show an angry face,
aware of Lady Jimena
and the clamour that she raised.

Jimena waits in vain
for Rodrigo's response;
instead he grasps the reins
and climbs on his horse.

She surveys all present
and would have them sworn;
she sees that they don't follow,
and shouts: 'Vengeance, my Lords!'

 

Jimena's Plea

The good King is in Burgos
seated at his meal
when famed Jimena Gómez
enters with a plea.

Clad in mourning dress,
veiled in black gauze,
upon the ground she kneels
beginning her discourse.

'Good King, do me justice,
withhold it not from me;
a king who doesn't sentence
has no right to reign.'

'My court would rise against me
if the Cid be checked or killed;
and to God I must answer
if I lack fair will.'

'Let me guide you, King,
on what resolve to set:
the man who killed my father
grant that I now wed.'

'I see now that it's true
what I knew by hearsay:
the way that women reason
is not a natural way.'

 

The Wedding

Jimena and Rodrigo
the King, by word and hand,
bonded both together
in Lain Calvo's land.

All old enmities
by love are driven out
for where love is supreme,
grievances are not.

A dazzling Gerineldos,
the famed Cid treads the yard
where king, bishop, courtiers
waiting ready stand.

Next Jimena enters,
a wimple she wears;
her gown is embroidered
of fine London cloth.

They arrive together,
they clasp and embrace;
the bride is still, her Cid gazes,
in discomfiture he says:

'Jimena, I killed your father,
but it was no offence;
man-to-man I slew him
that a wrong be avenged.'

 

Notes on The Jimena Ballads

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