第118章

How the King entered the city,and of the feast that was made for him,and of the regulations and arrangements he made there.

As soon as the next day dawned,the King,after he had performed both his customary prayers and others which it is their wont to offer after victories,giving thanks to God (for indeed the principal thing they pray for is a conquest such as this),rode in company with the other great lords and his captains,and with his guard took the way to the city.There the citizens were standing awaiting his arrival,with more cheerful countenances than their real feelings warranted,yet striving to take courage,and they followed him with much loud shouting;crying,--"God be praised who has sent to save us after so many years!"and with these and other such words they begged him to spare them and have pity on them.So he proceeded till he arrived close to the citadel,when he sent to call the most honoured men in the city,and to these the King said that he would spare all their property,that they might freely act as they wished regarding both that and their persons,and those who wished to stay in the city might remain in their old state as before;and as for those who wished to depart they might do so at once with all that they possessed.They all raised their hands to Heaven,and threw themselves on the ground in thankfulness for such gentle treatment.While the King was thus engaged there came men to tell him that his troops were robbing the city,and he at once tool;measures to prevent this,and everything was returned to its owner;but as in such cases as these the conquered are content merely with their own liberty,laying little store by anything they may get back,great robberies took place;and some of these afterwards came to the ears of the King,and those who had done it were soundly chastised.

In a short time the defeat of the Ydallcao was known all over India,and also in other regions of the interior,he being a great lord in these parts;and as soon as the news was carried to Zemelluco and Madremalluco and Destuy and Virido,and also to other lords who were like slaves to the king Daquym,[564]although in some measure they rejoiced since they wished him ill,yet on the other hand they began to be fearful for their own safety.[565]So they all took measures to send their envoys,and these found the King still inside the city of Rachol.Astonished though they were to see that the King had captured so strong a city,they were much more surprised to see how great was his power and how numerous his troops.Having arrived where he was they gave him the letters they had brought,and these were forthwith read.In these the chiefs told the King that he ought to content himself with having defeated the Ydallcao as he had done,and ought not to wage further war;they begged him of his goodness to return to the Ydallcao that which he had so taken from him,and that if he did so they would always obey whatever he commanded;but if he was not of a mind to this,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.