a great reverse.  After this they ran nine courses without encountering, but in the nineteenth Estuniga met Fabla in the plastron, and his lance slipped off on to his helmet, but did not break, although it pierced the plastron and the iron remained sticking in it.  By this time it had grown so dark that the judges could not distinguish the good from the bad encounters, and for this reason they decided that the combat was finished the same as though three lances had been broken.  Estuniga invited Fabla to sup with Quinones, “and at table there were many knights, and after supper they danced.”

That same day there arrived at the Pass nine knights from Aragon, who swore that they were gentlemen without reproach.  Their spurs were taken from them, according to the established custom, and hung up in the judges’ stand until they should enter the lists.

The succeeding combats were but repetitions, with trifling variations, of those just described.  From dawn, when the trumpet sounded for battle, until the evening grew so dark that the judges could not distinguish the combatants, the defenders maintained the Pass against all comers with bravery and honor.

The third day there passed near Orbigo two ladies, and the judges sent the king-at-arms and the herald to ascertain whether they were of noble birth and provided with knights to represent them in the lists and win them a passage through Orbigo, and also to request them to give up their right-hand gloves.  The ladies answered that they were noble and were on a pilgrimage to Santiago; their names were Leonora and Guiomar de la Vega; the former was married and accompanied by her husband; the latter was a widow.  The king-at-arms then requested their gloves to be kept as a pledge until some knight should ransom them.  Frances Davio, an Aragonese knight, immediately offered to do combat for the ladies.  The husband of Dona Leonora said that he had not heard of this adventure, and was unprepared to attempt it then, but if the ladies were allowed to retain their gloves, as soon as he had accomplished his pilgrimage he would return and enter the lists for them.  The gloves, however, were retained and hung in the judges’ stand.  The matter caused some discussion, and finally the judges decided that the gloves should not be kept, for fear it should seem that the defenders of the Pass were interfering with pilgrims, and also on account of Juan de la Vega’s chivalrous response.  So the gloves were sent on to Astorga to be delivered to their owners, and Juan de la Vega was absolved from all obligation to ransom them, “and there was strife among many knights as to who should do battle for the sisters.”