Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, El Cid
That night the Cid advised with Alvar Fanez, who never left his side, and with the others of his council concerning what should be done. For now that all his people were rich, he feared that they would wish to return to their own country, since he had no way of preventing them, as they were free men. Then Alvar advised that a proclamation should be made through the city, that no man should depart without the permission of the Cid, and that if anyone went without his permission and having kissed his hand, he should be pursued and overtaken, and should lose all that he had and be fastened to a stake. And in order to make certain that no one should depart without his knowledge, the Cid said he would take a census of his men. Then Pero Bermudez and Martin Antolinez made the roll; and there were found a thousand knights of good families, and five hundred and fifty horsemen, and four thousand foot-soldiers, beside boys and others. When he found he had so many people the Cid rejoiced, smiling and saying, “We had a smaller company when we left Bivar.”
Calvin Dill Wilson, The Story of the Cid: For Young People (Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1901), 181–82.
Short Stories on Honor, Chivalry, and the World of Nobility—no. 855
