Stirrops my breech extremely gall'd my parts neerer my priuities full of paine as if so many needles had beene stucke in my Groyne my body was all out of ioynt but of all other parts my belly for pure hunger did most pitifully complaine Now when my Companion had ordered his beasts of burthen and had eased them of their carriages and had done all things fitting for one of his profession my turne was next to be serued and therefore said vnto him How now my Camerade what thinke you of the motion Is it not high-time thinke you to go to Supper He answered It was the motion he told me was very good and that it was high time indeed for he meant to bee stirring very early the next morning and to reach betimes to Caçalla and so to lade and away We ask't our Host if he had any thing in the house for our supper He answered He had adding withal that we should fare very daintily He was a burly-kind of man yet of a stirring metall nimble-witted cheerfull both in his speech and countenance an eternall talker but aboue all a most excellent Villaine His promising person I confesse did deceiue mee for seeing so good a presence and not hauing knowne him before the Spot at first sight made show of a good Card. And hearing him say that he could feast vs brauely my very heart and soule did leape for ioy within mee Oh they were comfortable words Whereupon I began with my selfe to giue thankes vnto God reuerencing his holy Name for that after our troubles he giues vs ease after sicknesse health after a storme a calme after sorrow ioy and a good Supper after a bad dinner I know not whether I may well tell you or no of a toung-errour but a witty one which came from a plaine country-fellow whom I knew in Olias being a certaine Village belonging to Tolâ—…do yet I shall make bold to tell it you as well for that the thing in it selfe is not scandalous as also for that it proceeded from the sincere heart of an old Christian. There were certaine good fellowes playing at Primera and the third hauing discarded the second cride I am Prime God be thanked yet at last that I haue got one game since I playd said hee that had the Prime The other Country-fellow that was in the interim drawing his Cards when he had puld them found them to be all of one linage and being glad that he had got the hand of him suddenly brake soorth at that very instant and sayd Not so much God be thanked neither as you thinke for for I am Flush If such a disparate or idle toy as this being not purposely spoken with either due measure or to any certain end but by meere chance as it were may be brought vpon the Stage this is its proper place and the Scene well layd here considering what befell vs. It s very well said my Companion to mine Host Now and thou beest a good fellow tell me I pray thee what dainty morsell hast thou prouided for vs This Socarron this dissembling Rascall that was all for his commodity cared not so as he might get by him whom he coozened told him Yesterday I kill'd a very delicate fine young Calfe which because the Damme thereof was very weake and by reason through the drinesse of the yeere that he wanted feeding he caused this Calfe to be kill'd after it was some eight dayes old The offals and the intrailes are ready drest take what you please After this crying out Presto bee gone lifting vp his legges and fetching a friscall or two he flyes away in the ayre in a trice clapping his heeles with his hands as he runnes along With this my heart began to be somewhat lighter then it was before and it did reioyce me much to heare him say that he had the Calues intrailes the very naming whereof did make my Bowels to moue within me And now taking leaue of my former wearinesse looking cheerily vpon him I said vnto him Mine Host bring vs what you thinke good Thereupon the Cloth was laid in the turning of an hand our Linnen was cleane and our bread was not so bad as before but our wine was passing good we had also a fresh Sallad set vpon the Board in a faire Plate but for such washie Tripes as mine then were I held it no good meate And had it beene spared by me either for any of the intrailes or any one foot of a Calfe it would neuer haue grieu'd me But these premises might deceiue any discreet iudgement whatsoeuer making the taste of an hungry appetite drunken with the very conceit of his promised fare The Italian by way of aduice giues vs this good lesson That in the promises of Women Mariners and Inne-keepers we should place small confidence for they that are giuen to commend themselues and their owne things as all these vsually do they do all guessing the whole by the greater part generally lye After he had set downe the Sallad he brings vs in two little Plates in each of which lay a little of this same Calues-plucke I say a little for he was afraid to giue vs too much lest through too much plenty hunger being satisfied and the belly glutted we might more easily come to the knowledge of this deceit of his Leading vs thus ley surely along we follow the sent we first ran vpon and it seemed to our taste that we still did eate according to that conceit which wee had intertained of this our supposed tender Veale and the more wee thought thereon the greater edge was set vpon our appetite and as wee had a longing desire thereunto so by degrees wee were still calling for the same hand againe For my Companion there was no care to be taken for him all meates were alike to him for he was borne amongst Sauage people and bred vp by brutish Parents whose palate was seasoned from the cradle with a cloue of Garlicke and your rude rusticall Clownes as a thing not belonging to their either goodnesse or cleanlinesse in matter of taste can seldome distinguish ill from good To most of them there is a want of perfection in their Senses and albeit they see yet do they not see that which they ought to see and though they heare yet do they not heare that which they ought to heare and so in the rest but more particularly in the tongue which was not giuen them to murmure against any man much lesse against those that are gentle and noble as well in their disposition as their descent But these kindes of vn-nurtured people are like vnto Dogs who snatch and snap at euery thing swallowing all that comes in the compasse of their chaps without chewing or like vnto the Ostrich that will deuoure a horse-shoo though it bee neuer so red hot And if a double-soled shoo which had done seruice three Winters in Madrid treading thorow thicke and thinne lodo
he was silent and spake not a word nor shew'd any signe of sadnesse in his lookes but with a smiling kinde of countenance beheld them all as he passed along They made now and then certaine stops to see if they could exhort him to confesse himselfe labouring all they could to perswade him that hee would not lose body and Soule both at once But hee answered them not a word but held his peace all the while The people continuing thus in this confusion and the Citie wayting on this sad spectacle Don Luys came making the people giue way pressing through the throng to hinder the Execution The a Alguazils thought it was a resistance of Iustice and out of very feare which they had of Don Luys for that he was a stout and valiant Gentleman and dared to oppose himselfe to any danger they forsooke Ozmin who was vnder their guard and with a great hurry and clamour they ranne to giue account of what had past to the Magistrates whose authority they thought it more neerly touched Whereupon they came to know what might be the cause of so great disrespect done vnto them He put his hand in his pocket and taking out the Kings Order he deliuered it vnto them which was by them to their great contentments most willingly obeyed And so they brought Ozmin being accompanied with all the Gentlemen of that Citie and the common ioy of the people to Don Luys his house Where that night hee was intertained with a gallant Maske setting vp many Torches and Cressets in the streetes and windowes for to giue the more generall content And in token of their great ioy they would haue celebrated those dayes hee stayed there with publike feasts for now they knew who he was But Don Luys would not giue vvay thereunto but tying himselfe to his Instructions carried him as his prisoner along with him the next morning being kindely vsed and well intertained vpon the way according to the greatnesse of his ranke and quality Being now arriued at Granada hee kept him secretly with him some few dayes vntill such time as he had order from their Maiesties to bring him to Court Who when he was come before them they ioyed much in the sight of him and whilest he was standing thus in their presence they commanded Daraxa to be called forth Now when these two Louers thus suddenly met in such a place as that was so vnexpectedly and so farre beyond their hopes euery man may make his owne heart iudge of the wonderfull ioy which they receiued in this happy but vnlooked for incounter and imagine with himselfe what each of them did thinke and conceiue thereof When each others eyes had fed their fill the Queene made towards them and told them that both their fathers were become Christians howbeit Daraxa knew so much before She desired them to doe the like which shee should receiue as a singular fauour from them but that no other loue nor feare should inforce them thereunto saue onely that of God and their owne saluation But howsoeuer whether they did so or no for she would not compell the conscience her pleasure was that they should now instantly inioy their liberty and dispose of their Estates and Persons according to their owne will and pleasure Ozmin would faine haue answered the Queene with all the ioynts and sinnewes of his body making them so many tongues to render thankes to her Maiesty for this so great a benefit signifying that he was very willing to be baptized and them addressing himselfe to Daraxa in the presence of their Maiesties he intreated her to doe the like Daraxa whose eye was neuer off from her dearest Ozmin so hungry was she in beholding him shedding a few sweet teares from her Rosie cheekes directing her lookes speech vnto their Maiesties she told them That since it was Gods will to inlighten their vnderstanding and by many tribulations to bring them to the knowledge of his truth she was disposed and that vnfeignedly and with a true heart humbly to submit her selfe thereunto and to the obedience of their Maiesties vnder whose protection and princely hands she reposed both her selfe and all that she had So anon after they were christened with a great deale of Ceremonie naming the one Ferdinand and the other Isabell according to that of their Maiesties who as God-father and God-mother gaue them their names at the Font. Within some few dayes after their Nuptials were celebrated with a great deale of glory and ostentation many Presents and other courtesies being conferred vpon them in that City where they liued all their life-time and left behinde them an illustrious and noble off-spring which continueth yet to this day in much honour and reputation in their Country We went hearkening to this Story with a great deale of Silence being led on attentiuely with it till we came within sight of Caçalla so that it seemed to haue been measured iust out for that iourney so truely did the one iumpe with the other Howbeit it was somewhat more inlarged by the Author flourished ouer with finer phrases and a different Soule to that which I haue deliuered vnto you Our honest Carrier who remained mute from the beginning to the ending which was no more then all of vs did began now to finde a tongue and was the first that opened his mouth Alight my masters quoth hee For heere I must leaue you my way lyes along by this path And with that hee cals vnto me Come hither my yong Gallant let vs make vp our reckoning before we part When I heard this I was almost ready to hang my selfe it was the bitterest draught that ere went downe my throat Is it e'ne so said I to my selfe Well let it goe for I did verily beleeue that all that past betweene vs had been in the way of friendship Well I dis-mounted and got not vp so lightly before as I now came downe heauily for I knew not in the world what answer to make him saue onely to aske him how much I was to pay him for the riding of nine Leagues See what these Gentlemen giue so must you For your lodging and your dyet you are to pay me three Royals more The Vmbles of the Mule I now found to be deare meat vnto me and that they stucke a little also in his stomake but that which grieu'd me most was That I had not money to pay for it And therefore I came vnto him and told him My friend â—…o heere is your money for the reckning so much you say is my part of the shot but for my horse-hyre I owe you nothing for you your selfe without any intreatie of mine desired me to get vp inuiting me thereunto of your owne accord What a Diuell quoth he meane you by this Marry gupp with a murraine you are a fine Gentleman indeed doe you thinke to ride a cock-horse on free cost you are a pretty Youth indeed I replyde vpon him we fall to scuffling
suffered so to doe I would so cunningly haue imployd my wits in that kinde that I would in a short time haue beene able to set vp a Chandlers shop But if I did make benefit of mine owne Torch or filch now and then from my fellowes some of theirs that was all that I did But they were so base and so crafty withall that I neuer saw them busie themselues about any other thing being more desirous to lose their meat then that for victuals are consumed in the belly and can not afterwards be sold to profit and yet for these things too they had a thousand shifts and rogueries For I saw one of them once take a Hony-combe from the table and presently wrapt it in his Handkerchiefe and clapt it into his Pocket But because he waited at the table and for that he could not carry it so speedily as he would haue done to the Hauen of Safety nor land it in so good a place as he desired it hapned that the heat of the weather and the warmth of his pocket melted the Honey which in great haste came trickling downe his Breeches and dropt out at his knees My Lord spide it as he sate at Table who could scarce forbeare laughing at last to make himselfe merry he call'd him vnto him and commanded him to put downe his Hose The Page did so And when his hands came to touch vpon the Honey it clung fast to his fingers ends whereat they fell a laughing and he went away ashamed But he had sowre sauce to his sweet meat for besides that he neuer tasted of the Honey hee was so soundly lasht that his breech dropt Waxe as fast as the Combe did Honey Which misfortune should neuer haue befalne me for I was perfect in all kind of roguerie and would neuer haue beene to seeke of some slight or other for cleanely conueyance And that my sword might not rust in my scabberd but that I might still keepe my hand in vre I was euermore a practising vpon some toyes and trifles petty things not worth the talking onely to set my fellowes wits aworke and to giue them a bone to gnaw vpon The Diuell I thinke brought Fooles and Block-heads to the Court who let euery good morsell slip besides their mouthes a troublesome and wearisome kinde of people to treat withall vnfit for the managing of businesse insupportable in their carriage and tedious in their conuersation A man should be like to a good Horse or a good Greyhound vpon all occasions to take his carreere and to make his course and moreouer hee must carry himselfe in a coole and quiet manner There were Pages good store but I must tell you that the most of them nay I will inlarge my speech a little more and say That they were all Chips of one and the same blocke a company of beetle-heads dull-spirited fellowes that had no wherry in them not onely when they were in their Lords presence but likewise when they were out of his sight They were as slow in executing his will as they were lazie in getting vp from their beds they were idle retchlesse carelesse all set vpon loytering exercising neither their bodies nor their braines which made mee the more willing to play the Wagge with them and for my better pastime to put one pretty tricke or other vpon them I did store my selfe with Stockins Garters Bands Hats Handkerchiefes Poynts Cuffes Shooes and whatsoeuer I could rape or wring from them which I hid betweene the Straw of one of my fellowes beds because if any search were made they should not finde them in mine I altered the propertie of these things in an instant they neuer lay long by me I would chop them for old iron rather then bee troubled with the keeping of them It behooued them to looke vvell about them and to see that they had all safe and sure vnder locke and key for if they should carelessely leaue any thing abroad those eyes that found it gone did neuer see it returne againe Many of these waggish parts I plaid which were but tricks of youth and nothing else But I fell afterwards into a fault which I would haue sworne of all others so farre was it from my thought I should neuer haue offended in It was a licorish sinne euen the sinne of Gluttony Which I doe not know whether it proceeded from my eating by measure as being stinted or whether that my longing did prouoke and stirre vp my appetite or whether it were now muing time with mee and that I was to change my old feathers and get me new for they say that men while they liue heere in this world doe at certaine times and seasons as other creatures shead their haires and recouer new coats change and alter their manners and conditions I was now growne so licorish and so sharpe-set vpon sweet meats for the pleasant taste they had while they passed downe my throat that neuer any blind man was halfe so forward to goe repeating his Letanies and other his set prayers from doore to doore to get an Almes as I was to please my palate And looke whatsoeuer came within the reach of mine eyes were it as farre as they could ken and safe inough as it might be supposed from catching yet could it not escape my Eagles-talons And as the Hart with his breathing drawes your Snakes out of the bowels of the earth So I if I could but once come to set mine eyes vpon such or such a dainty it was sure mine owne they rendred themselues at first into my hands my hands they turn'd them ouer to my mouth and my mouth committed them close prisoners to my belly where these sweets remained till they were no longer sweet My Lord Cardinall had a great Chest which kinde of Chests are much vsed in Italy of white Pine and I haue likewise seene good store of them in Spaine which they vsually bring from thence stuft with Merchandize but especially with glasses and earthen cups and dishes the better to keepe them from breaking This Chest stood in a with-drawing Chamber for to regalar and cheere himselfe withall being full of diuers sorts of Conserues there I say were your dry Suckets delicately candied your Bergamota Peare of Aranxues your Genoa Cherry your Melon of Granada your Seuillian Cytrons your Oranges and Pome-Citrons of Plasencia your Lemons of Murçia your pretty little Cucumbers of Ualençia your budds of the Ilands your Berengenas of Toledo your Orejones of Aragon your Potatas of Malaga your Pippens Parsneps Carrets Pompeons besides a thousand seuerall sorts of Comfits and an infinit number more of sundry different kinds of Sweet-meats which did disquiet my spirit within me not suffering my soule to take any rest As often as he made any Colation or did eate any of these things he gaue me the Key himselfe standing by while I tooke them out neuer trusting mee with them alone by
in mine owne little durty Lane for besides that I should not haue there receiued so much harme the disgrace would not haue beene so publike and I should haue met with a remedie for this mischiefe neerer at hand Well I got me vp as well as I could on my legs but all bemyr'd and berayd with durt being hooted at by the people and affronted by all the women and children in Rome my face being all besmeared with durt and my cloathes from top to toe all playstered ouer with myre that I seemed to haue beene throwne out of the belly of some Whale The people from out their doores and windowes shouted out so loud and the boyes did so flocke about me that as one that was out of his wits and depriued of iudgement I sought where I might best hide my selfe At last I spyde out a house hard by where I thought I should finde some good entertainment I entred there-into and made fast the doore and so barrocadoed my selfe vp close against all that company that were desirous to see me But it did not fall out so well with me as I could haue wisht For it is not fit that any thing should succeed well with the wicked It is a punishment of his fault and so it fell out with me by that bad entertainment which I there receiued as you shall heare more at full in the chapter following CHAPTER VI. Guzman de Alfarache recounteth how in the house where-into hee had withdrawne himselfe to make himselfe cleane another disgrace befell him and many other misfortunes And that which passed afterwards betweene him and his Lord the Embassadour with whom hee discoursed of politicke and graue matters THe night was now darke but much more my heart Euery house was full of lights but my sad soule was fuller of darkenesse I did not weigh and consider with my selfe that it was now late nor that the Master of the house was not willing that I should stay there but reuiling me with odious tearmes sought to driue me out with euill language thinking euery houre a yeere till he had thrust me out of doores For he was iealous of me and began to suspect that this was but some tricke or stratagem of mine owne plotting hauing taken hold on that occasion to get into his house and to bring my purpose more easily to passe Nor was this my honest Gentleman much out of the way For the Gentle-woman his wife wore the Breeches she was Master of the house a friend to her owne will and pleasure very head-strong and not sure of foot So that it was no wonder that her husband should see Visions and dreame of strange apparitions taking euery shadow to be some fearefull ghost and conceiuing out of his iealous humour that all the world went about to coozen him So that euery the least apprehension though of neuer so farre-fetcht a supposition made him presently to take the Allarme Whereupon he no sooner saw me within his doores but he called all his people about him and leauing me all alone in the outward Porch to the great Gate would not suffer his seruants to doe me so much kindenesse as to afford me a bucket of water to wash my selfe withall So that I poore man with my cloathes all to be-myrd my hands all to be-durted and my face so fouly besmear'd that there was not one white spot to be seene I went intertaining my going forth with a great deale of feare lest some might chance to be still waiting at the gate to looke vpon this my new Liuery which might better beare the name of Leprosie And for that they who beheld this my misfortune were not a few the company increasing and standing in a round thicke together they related it afresh to them that were newly come into their companie and for that they had a generall dislike of me they detained all that past by relating vnto them the disgrace that had befalne me whereat they all laughed out aloud making great signes and tokens of ioy And it may be that most of them had reason so to do and by this their reioycing did reuenge them-selues of those wrongs which they had heretofore receiued from me There might you see that verified of me which is commonly sung vp and downe the streets Mas enemigos que amigos tienen Su cuerpo cercado Dizen vnos que lo entierren Y otros que no sea enterrado The street was full of men and boyes which did persecute mee with shrill shoutes and lowd cryes calling in a sharpe and high key Thrust him out Thrust him out Why doe yee let this foule beast abide vvith you put out this same pickled pigge amongst vs. O these base Raskals how had they almost made mee to lose my patience and my iudgement There were some honest folke amongst them that tooke part with mee and all those that were such as I was shew'd themselues on my side These sought to defend me from their fury labouring to pacifie that rude rabble with threats and menaces for they were growne so shamelesse and so impudent that they began to throw stones against the gate being very desirous to haue me come forth amongst them But I neither blame them nor excuse my selfe For I would haue done the like my selfe vpon the same occasion against mine owne father For those things of curiositie which doe not like Shroue-tide come once a yeere I doe not hold it any great excesse to bee desirous to see them And I assure thee nor doe I speake this to make the matter seeme more then it is that if for to make profit I would haue suffered my selfe to bee seene I might by this meanes haue got a good summe of money For I was nothing all ouer but a meere lumpe of durt hauing like your Negro's no more white about mee to be seene saue onely my eyes and teeth this mis-fortune befalling me in the most liquid kennell and rottennest mixen that was in all the street True it is that with the knife that belonged to my Sword I scrap't away as much of it as I could but all was but as a thing of nothing being either little or nothing the better for the myre by reason of its liquidnesse had soked it selfe quite thorow my cloathes so that they remained as wet about me as if they had beene steeped in some bath And I held it some happinesse vnto me in this my misery that I did not goe dropping through the streets like a basket of Buck-cloathes when they are taken from the washing-Bole and carried forth to be dryed in the Sunne In this pittifull manner it being now late and all the people gone I sneaked out in that lamentable pickle as I would haue wisht them to haue beene in who tooke most pleasure therein If there bee happinesse in vnhappinesse in regard of the comfort which we receiue from thence this day it should seeme that
which he vttered and sometimes when the storme was greatest and the danger most while others were a confessing their sinnes he would cry out in a loud voyce I am Guzman de Alfaraches ghost I am that ghost of his which goes thus wandring vp and downe the world whereat he made me often both laugh and feare But though he should haue vented some thing vnhappily they all saw that he was mad and so regarded not what he said Yet for all this he would not leaue his talking but by flashes would fall a ripping vp of my life and bolte out by fits all that which I had formerly recounted vnto him concerning the courses I had taken composing a thousand extrauagancies And if by chance he heard any man talke of promising to performe a pilgrimage to Monserrate thither would he leade me telling at what stations and weddings he had beene there with me He did dresse me like a French Cooke a thousand seuerall wayes But that which was most to be laughed at though it much pittied mee to see him in that state and wherein I tooke most pleasure was That he spake all these things of himselfe as if he had beene true Guzman indeed In briefe we being all shrewdly beaten and growne extreame weary with our late storme the night following we went in a good houre to take our rest to see if we could recouer that old debt of our former lost sleepe We were all of vs so weary and so drowsie and our Galley so batterd and torne about the poope that Sayavedra rising vp in his franticke fit lept at that open place where our rudder was split from vs into the Sea on whom we could neuer after set eye though the Mariner that kept watch as soone as he heard the flownce of the fall presently cryde out Hombre a la mar There is some bodie fallen into the water Whereupon we began presently to coniecture that it must needs be he and vpon inquiry finding him wanting we sought to recouer him but it would not be And so poore Sayavedra was buried in the Sea all of them much lamenting his misfortune and seeking all that they could to comfort me I made show as if I had beene exceeding sorry for him but God he knowes how true it was The next day I got me vp betimes in the morning which I wholly spent in receiuing the condolings which they made vnto me which were done in that dolefull fashion as if he had beene a brother a kinsman or the neerest and dearest friend that I had in the world bewayling the great losse that I had sustained in him or as if when he threw himselfe into the Sea he had carryed away my trunkes likewise with him God blesse me from that mischance said I to my selfe as for any other misfortune I doubt not but I shall very easily ouer-passe it They knew not how more then this to comfort me nor what they should ente taine me withall to diuert my griefe for they did verily beleeue that I was wonderfull sorry for him because I had put on a seeming heauinesse And the more they sought to bring me out of it the more I feigned to be in it at last they called to one that had beene condemned to the Galleys who was very studious and a great louer of curiosities that he should come where I was and bring a certaine booke along with him which he had written with his owne hand which the Captaine taking from him and turning ouer the leafes in a carelesse kinde of fashion he lighted by chance vpon a notable storie which hapned in Sevill and returning backe the booke to the owner he will'd him to reade it vnto me He thereupon required their attention which being granted vnto him he began to reade as followeth recommending it first vnto them as well for its strangenesse as its truth There was in Sevill the famousest Citie in all Spaine and the Metropolis of Andaluzia a Merchant that was a stranger well borne rich and honest whose name was Miçer Iacobo He had two sons and one daughter by a noble Gentlewoman of that Citie They being carefully trayned vp in vertue in good manners and in all kinde of learning appertayning to the liberall Arts And shee bred vp to her needle wherein for curious workmanship shee did excell all the Gentlewomen in those parts being meere bunglers vnto her And there was some reason why shee should be so exquisite and singular the ein for that from her childhood shee had beene bred vp in a Monasterie of Nunnes by reason that her mother dyde in child-bed when shee was borne Now in regard that the goods of fortune are mutable and vncertaine and more in Merchants then other men who carry their wealth in other mens purses and commit their estates to the disposition of the winde and the weather there being not halfe a foot difference betwixt their making and their marring their inriching or vndoing It so fell out that his two sonnes returning home from the Indies and bringing along with them good store of gold and siluer when they were now come within sight of the barre of San Lucar and thinking them selues as safe as if they had beene as they say within the doores of thâ—…i owne house there arises a huge storme on the sodaine and the Sea inraged with the boysterous blustrings of the windes begins to swell and loâ—…ke big vpon them with its billowes insomuch that this poore vnfortunate ship set vpon by two such fierce and cruell enemies was miserably tossed to and fro and so violently carryed out of its course that at last vnable any longer to resist the rage of this terrible tempest shee desperately ranne her selfe vpon a rocke the terriblenesse of which blow did not only open her wombe and cleaue it cleane in the midst but did split all the ribs of her in a thousand peeces so that both men and goods were all cast away and vtterly lost and neuer after either seene or heard of When the heauy newes of so great a losse whose nimblenesse lyes onely in its wing came flying to the fathers care such a deepe melancholy sodainely seazed on all his vitall parts that with the griefe thereof within a few dayes after he also dyed His daughter that remained in the Couent hauing lost all her wealth her father her mother both her brothers remaining thus abandoned and left to shift for her selfe was wonderfully sensible of this her wofull estate which might likewise haue much troubled any man whatsoeuer though neuer so wise when she saw that in so short a time which might in a manner runne in the reckoning as it were of one day shee had lost so many reall comforts and with them that hope of remedie to allay her miseries for shee much desired to become a Nunne shee wept so bitterly and tooke on so pittifully that it would haue grieued any mans heart to see the sorrowfull lamentation that
to forgoe so fayre an offer I accepted it very willingly For I saw that by this meanes my businesse was in a good forwardnesse and would finde legges to goe well on with it For there is not any thing that doth sooner deceiue a iust and an honest-minded man then the simulated sanctitie of a wicked and counterfet Rogue CHAPTER VII Guzman de Alfarache being preferr'd to a Gentlewomans seruice robs her Vpon this theft hee is apprehended and condemned to the Gallies during life SO great is the force of Custome as well in the roughnesse of troubles and afflictions as in the smooth waters of happinesse and prosperitie that some ease in the miserable doth lighten the loade and doth in some sort helpe to make them seeme more facill in their sufferance but the greater burthen lights vpon those that haue liu'd well and happily there is no griefe to this comfort hardly takes hold on them Fortune cannot doe a man more harme then when she hath inuested him with a habit of Happinesse to dis-robe him thereof and that disgracefully for this vn-expected priuation makes it the more insupportable This Custome is that vncontrouled Lord that prescribes and proscribes Lawes at his pleasure infirming some and confirming others ratifying this and dis-annulling that He like a powerfull Prince prohibits heere and establisheth there and consequently to that side where-vnto he leanes he carries all after him as well in the pursuit of Vice as in the practice of Vertue So that if he apply himselfe to goodnesse he easily runneth the danger of losing it and adhering to that which is euill it will hardly afterwards be rooted out There is no force that can subdue it but hath power command ouer all humane actions Some haue called Custome a second Nature but experience teacheth vs that its power is greater then that of Nature For Custome will ouerthrow Nature with her little finger She is no body in her hands if she affect sowre and bitter things with such artifice doth shee conserue and sweeten them that as if they were not bitter at all she makes them to become sweet and pleasant But if she clap in close with Truth and linke her selfe in League with her she is then the mightiest Monarch that is and her Fort is inexpugnable Who but she makes the poore Shepheard to liue alone by himselfe in the solitarie fields in the depth of the low Vallies and on the tops of high Mountaines amidst Bushes and Thornes Woods and Rocks opposing himselfe against the vnmercifulnesse cruelty of a sharp and rigorous Winter suffering terrible Stormes continuall Raines bitter Windes and piercing Ayres And in the Summer a parching and scorching Sunne which doth as it were rost and sindge the Trees burne Stones and melt Metals And its force being so great that it tameth the fiercest and wildest beasts and those that are most venemous bridling their fury and allaying their poison Time at last ouercommeth Custome it is he and none but he that works vpon it and to him onely it is subiect For comparing Custome with Time her long and strong prescriptions are but as Spiders webs made to catch an Elephant For if Custome be powerfull Time is prudent and wife And as Wit goes beyond Strength so Time subdueth Custome After night comes day after light darknesse They tread one vpon the heeles of another and the shadow that followes after the body and growing greater and greater contests with him for superioritie The fire wageth warre with the Ayre the Earth with the Water and all the Elements goe together by the eares and are at a perpetuall enmitie one with another The Sunne generates the Gold it giues it its essence and its life In like manner Time pursues prosecutes and fortifies Custome It makes and it marres working wisely with silence according to the selfe-same order as she is wont by continued drops to hollow the hardest stone Custome is of others not ours but Time is our owne It is hee that discouereth the thread manifesting what is most secret and by the fire of occasion maketh an essay and tryall of his Art By experience hee teacheth vs the quilates and aloy of that gold sheweth vs the end where-vnto his pretensions tend And declar'd himselfe at last to bee one that neuer tooke any pitie of me For in a very short space he made that publike which I had laboured with all diligence to keepe hid and secret All that which hath been said was verified truely of my selfe in its proper termes and cases O how often treating of my businesses trading of my wares putting money out to vse framing nets to catch fooles by raising of my prices selling my commodities farre dearer to him that went vpon trust then him that paid ready money carrying alway my Beads in my hand my countenance compos'd and still the same with a Truely and a Verily in my mouth from whence neuer any truth yet came I did openly according to my old Custome coozen and steale from as many as I had to doe withall but Time did discouer all my rogueries How often and by how many haue I beene heard to say I promise you Sir that it stood me in more I cannot affoord it you at that price I vow and protest vnto you that I get not a Royall by you in all this whole parcell of Wares that you haue bought of me I may goe shut vp my shop if I make many such markets And if I haue let you haue it better cheape then I could affoord it it is because I am to make some payment of moneys and if it were not for that you should not haue them at this rate And the same course I tooke in a thousand other things of the like nature not hauing any other vse then for moneys more then from their hands to mine to gaine a hundred in a hundred How often likewise when I was in my prosperitie during this my good fortune and studying dayly to grow greater and greater onely that I might get my selfe a good opinion in the world meerely for vaine-glory and not for the loue of God for I did not so much as dreame vpon him nor thinke vpon any thing else saue onely to be well thought of and to haue the peoples eyes vpon me who taking me to be a charitable minded man and a giuer of almes would gather there-vpon that I was a man of a good Conscience and that I had a care of my soules health and therefore might the better trust me did I cause a great number of poore morning after morning to come to my doore and keeping them there two or three houres that there might be good notice taken of them and seene ouer and ouer by those that past along by my house did I afterwards send away with God hee knowes a poore slender almes whilest with that no nada that thing of nothing which they receiued from me I did gaine my selfe a
â—…abatur 〈◊〉 in belio vâ—… properâ—…nt ad hospitium Dicitur autem Buleta quasi Bula pequeâ—…na à 〈◊〉 Buletâ—… Et â—…rat Scriptura breuis mandatoâ—…a qualis est bulla 〈◊〉 â—…uzmans cunning whâ—… hee seru'd the Captaine b The chiâ—…e Câ—… in Cataluâ—…na founded 230. yâ—…res before the 〈◊〉 of Câ—…st It was first called Barzino of a great â—…age that builded 〈◊〉 â—…f wâ—… descended the great Aâ—…lcar I resently vpon that 〈◊〉 And now Barçelona The â—…omanes afterwards called it Fauentia But came in time to recouer it's old name Vid. Aâ—…r Hort. Vâ—…rb Barcino Ant. Augustin Dialogo 70. de nummis antiquis Guzman comes to Barçelona a Agnus Dei Is Christ our Redâ—…emer called a Lambe not proprietate sed similitudine As in many places he is called a Vine a Rocke a Doore a Shepbeard a Lyon c. â—…t in regard of his meeknesse vnspottednesse chastitie innocence and obedience as also for that he was sacrificed vp to his heauenly Father for the sinnes of mankinde with a great deale of proprietie hee is called the Lambe And the Romane Church in the Sacrifice of the Masse before the holy Communion was instituted did say or sing this Prayer Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi c. And Iohn Baptist did signe it with this name Ecce Agnus Dei c. Agnus Dei is likewise a holy reâ—…cke which the Pope blesses and consecrates the first yeere of his Papacie and so afterwards from seuen yeeres to sâ—… yeeres It belongetâ—… to the Sexton and the Chaplaine to order and dispose the Waxe where-into they put Los cirios Pascuales the yeere before And with great curiositie neatnesse and reuerence and in different Moldes they take forth these Agnos of different bignesse and diuers Figures both on the one and the other side they haue the Lambe whence this reâ—…cke takes 〈◊〉 name And being presented to his Holinesse he blesses them in the Chappell and consecrates them with great Ceremonie 〈◊〉 them into Vessels of Holy-water which he hath blessed powring vpon them Balme and the Crisme or holy Oyle saying many Prayers ouer them It is said that Pope Vâ—…ban the fift sent an Agnus Dei to the Emperour of Greece with certaine 〈◊〉 Verses wherein he declareth the excellencie of this holy Relicke as that it is good against tempest Fire Lightning Thunder and Pestilence and against the assaults of the Deuill and therefore ought to â—…ee had in great reuerence Vide Couarâ—…as Verb. Agnus Dei * A fine tricke put by Guzman vpon a Gold-smith in Barçelona that was a great 〈◊〉 a The Spanish phrase is haziendole el juego Manna That is when one goes deferring the conclusion of a businesse because he knowes it will goe against him for that his cause is not good Couarruuias Verb. Manna Amo proditiorem proditorem odi The nature of 〈◊〉 The Poore mans Epithâ—… and his wretched condition The rich mans Epitâ—…ices and his condition a The Spanish 〈◊〉 Cubâ—… 〈◊〉 vâ—…o 〈◊〉 de â—…las de Maâ—…ra del gadâ—… que se çinne conarâ—… y cercos y communemente se 〈◊〉 las cubâ—…s parâ—… echaâ—… en ellas el Vâ—…no Couarruuiaâ—… A man without money is a body without lifâ—… a The Spanish phrase is Que de atras le viene al garbanço el pico Which is rendred as I haue here set it downe Vide Couarruuias Verb Garbanço b The eâ—…ymologie of this word Godo or Gothe is diuers and comes of Gathia a Prouince so called Got also signifies a Father which is a phrase properly belonging vnto God If from bence we deriue the name of Gothes they must be men of esteeme as Heroes or good men Goet is as much as Good from Got qua voce Deum vocamus quia bonum à Deo descendit ad Deum deducit It is not aâ—…isse to thinke that Godo in it's Language signifies Good Some would haue it come of the Hebrew word Goi which is by interpretation Gens or Natio But fetch it whence you will I am sure of this that the Gothes were Lords of innumerable Prouinces and particularly of Spaine where they ruled a long time till the vnfortunate raigne of Don Rodrigo and of the Reliques of those which had retyred themselues into the Mountaines the Nobilitie of Spaine began anew to lift vp their heads which contiâ—…th to this day and is still in such estimation amongst them that when they will set forth the presumption of some vaineglâ—…us fellow they will aske him Si deciende de la casta de los Godos Whether he bee â—…ineally descended of the race of the Gothes a Couarruu The Spanish word is Marrano i. Porcus vnâ—…s anni Et Iudaeus recenter conuerâ—…s ad Christianismum cum Hispanis vocatâ—…r Marrano A notable pleasant trick put vpon Guzman by a Genoes a Arambal is a Moorish word and is a 〈◊〉 sort of Hangings A grande offerta grande pensamiento a Your Spanish Colchones are like our finer sort of English Matresses quilted with Wooll or Flaxe for in your 〈◊〉 Countries they vse no feather-beds a Tomar las calças de Villa diego Vale huyr mas que de passo This Prouerbe is in Celestine but it 's originall vnknowne But it should seeme Villa Diego was driuen to his shifts and not hauing time to put on his breeches was forced to flye away with them in his hand Couarr verb. Calças Guzman leaues Genoa and goes for Rome Anger and it's effects a Ronçes valles is a Monasterie built by King Don Sancho de Nauarra which he indowed with great Rents it is a Couent of Canâ—…s Regular who beare in their brests an Azure Crosse hauing the forme of a shepheards Crooke or Crosier staffe Heere was a great battell fought The said King lies buried in this Monasterie his body being brought from Tudela where he died b Vexigas are certaine Blisters which rise vpon the flesh through heate or some other accident and commonly grow on the feet of men or beasts with ouer much trauaile Couarruuias Bexiga c Necessitie and it's effects d Two sorts of Necessitie e Necessitie that inuites it selfe and the miserie thereof f Necessitie that comes not before shee bee inuited and the greatnesse thereof g Necessitie not necessited and the commendation thereof h â—…iuion 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 fellow that will not workeâ—… but goe from Towne to Towne from house to house to begge a piece of bread and a Dish of drinke It is a French word Bribeur Mendicus Briber Mendicare Couarruuias Italie a charitable Countrie Conoâ—…ia desde el Papa hasta el que estaua sin capa Prouerb * The Spanish word is Tenian la bola en cl embogue a Qui coquit facit turrones Turron Copta Crustulum A Bisket made with Honey Almonds small Nuts Waâ—…uts Kernels of Pine-Apples c. b Alfaxor is a Moorish word And is a kinde of Conserue made of Hony Spices and crummes of bread Couarr
more he should be the more rewarded It hath been and still is a common and generall custome amongst men when you intreat them to recite what they know in this or that other thing or to report what they haue heard or seene or to tell you the truth and substance of a businesse to prepare colours to slicke it ouer and to paint and disguize it that you can no more know the face of it then the countenance of an old Hagge that is plaisterd ouer with painting Euery one giues his shadowings after his owne fancie one while amplifying another while mouing passion sometimes disannulling and sometimes diuerting as the humour takes him Now he stretcheth it with his teeth that he may make the Leather retch By and by againe he fileth and polisheth it till he haue made it fit for his purpose that he may cut and graue therein what he list putting it an Ace or a Sice higher if it please him so to do Making like another Count Palatine a Foole a Wise man a filthy-fac'd fellow a beautifull person and a Cowardly Villaine a valiant Hercules They set the Caract and worth vpon things as they please to value them not remembring that they may paint a Horse well inough though they leaue him bare-ridged and without his furniture and report a thing true inough to the life without commenting vpon it Iust so hath it fared with my father of whom to speake the truth things are so falsified that nothing is now said of him which was so indeed They haue with Celestine of tres made treze of three thirteene and of thirteene three hundred For euery one thinkes it fit to adde somewhat so that Mole-hils are growne to be Mountaines and such a confused Chaos and rapsodie of things huddled one on the necke of another that there is no bottome of them nor can there any ground for them be found euery one incouraging himselfe by the additions of others one growing still vpon another And that wrong which euery particular person in himselfe was not able to doe by a generall helping hand and common consent of all men is become more grieuous There are some deceitfull and false tongues which like sharpe-headed Artowes and hot burning Coales haue gone about to wound the honour and consume to ashes the good name of my Parents whence both to them and my selfe diuers notable affrents doe dayly redound It is to bee imagined and you may very well beleeue mee that if it lay in our hands to make our owne choise but beggers must be no choosers out of that masse of Adam and first lumpe of flesh I would haue scrambled hard for one of the best morsels though I had been forced to goe to Cuffes for it But there is no helpe for that Euery man must bee content with that which fals to his lot we may not be our owne Caruers But since he that hath shared these things amongst vs keepes them in his owne hands and knowes when and where to bestow them and what is fittest for euery man let vs praise his holy Name For though I had God be thanked for it my haltings though I had naturall defects though I were not without my spots and blemishes yet was I so fauoured by Fortune that I was nobly borne and that they lighted vpon a man innobled in his blood both by father and mother La sangue se hereda y el vicio se apega Blood is by inheritance but Vice is aduentitious yet cleaueth closer then the other when it once takes hold of vs. He that shall be what he ought to be shall be accordingly rewarded but shall not purge away the faults of his Parents First of all then I shall giue you to vnderstand That my father and his Kindred were a certaine kind of vpstart Gentlemen that came out of the Leuant who hauing no certaine abiding came at length to reside and settle in Genoa where they were ingrafted into the Nobilitie and had many large and goodly Priuiledges granted vnto them And although they were not Naturals of that place yet we shall here put them vnder that stile as if they had beene borne there His Trafficke and income whereby he maintained himselfe was according to the common custome of that Country the which for our sinnes sake is growne now into ours which infection of late hath spred it selfe thorow the world to wit Vsury Money-bankes and profitable Exchange of gold and siluer Euen for this was he persecuted and reuiled defaming him with that foule name of Vsurer Many times hee himselfe heard that reprochfull word as hee past along the streets it could not escape his eare yet he was of that good nature and gentle condition that hee tooke no notice of it but slightly past it ouer For which they had no reason so to do since that Vse-money the more the pittie hath beene and is still permitted thorowout the world I will not commend it and God forbid that I should defend it to belawfull which some do allow to take money for money vpon pawnes of gold or siluer for some limited time or to take the day being broken the Forfeiture thereof nor other close trickes and conueyances nor that which they call by the name of Cambio seco a dry kind of Exchange Nor that money should runne from Faire to Faire where there was neuer any intercourse of men or trading for those doe but beare about them the voice of Iacob and the hands of Esau kind shewes and rough deeds And at the shooting of Ionathans flight or some warning-piece or other that is giuen the deceit is discouered But such things as these though they laid them to his charge I my selfe saw them not and therefore cannot giue you any inckling of them But that which is absolutely vnderstood to be Cambio an Exchange or turning and winding of moneys is a thing indifferent which may as it is vsed be either good or ill And for such though perhaps vniustly I doe not wonder that being it ought to be esteemed ill it is not reproued But that which is euidently good being without any shadow of euill that men should murmure at this and speake against it this is that which doth astonish me and strikes me into a strange amazement To say when I see a religious person enter at midnight thorow a window into a suspected place with his sword in his hand and his buckler at his girdle that he is going to minister the Sacrament were a meere madnesse for neither God will haue it so nor doth his Church permit that I should be such an errant Asse as to thinke that to be good which is euidently euill When a man shall pray frequent vertuous exercises heare diuine Seruice confesse his sinnes and often communicate for men to say that such a one is an Hypocrite I can by no meanes indure it and as there is nothing more scandalous to a good
remained no whit in his debt for kinde words So that in the end there was a great League of friendship professed and confirmed betweene them in publike but a stricter tye in secret betwixt my Father and his Mistresse for the good pawnes and pledges of Loue that had lately past between them But there is a difference betweene Loue Friendship and Good-will Good-will is that which I may beare to one that I neuer saw in all my life nor had any other knowledge of him then that I haue heard of his vertues or of his noble disposition or some other worthy parts in him which makes me to wish him well and drawes my affection by a violent kind of motion as it were to follow after him Friendship we call that which is commonly concluded betwixt man and man or one friend with another vpon some long Treaty or Communication Similiancie in condition or some other pledges of loue and reall courtesies that haue passed betweene them so that Good-will is said to bee betweene those that are absent and Friendship betweene those that are present But Loue runnes by another kind of course it steeres by another Compasse That must of force be reciprocall a commutation of hearts a copy or counterpane of interchangeable kindnesse a translation of two soules where each striues with other with all their might and maine to assist there more where it loues then where it liues And this takes its perfection from its obiect the perfecter the obiect the perfecter the Loue but the truest Loue of all is diuine Loue. And therefore we are to loue God aboue all things with all our heart with all our strength and with all our soule seeing that he so much loueth vs. Next vnto that is your Amor coniugalis that Loue which is betweene a man and his wife and then that which is betwixt neighbour and neighbour or one friend towards another For lewd Loue and that which is dishonest whose ground growes not from Vertue is not worthy of this name of Loue as being of a bastard-brood But hap what may hap come what will come fall backe or fall edge wheresoeuer this lewd loue raigneth there are all your Witchcrafts as no where in the world more there your inchantments there your Sorceries This lewd loue is that which like another Circes alters the conditions of men aduentureth thorow all difficulties and makes them easie it is that alone which tameth the strongest and fiercest Lyons For to say that there are Philtra amorous potions poysons of loue and the like baits and trickes to force affection it is all false for this alone is sufficient of it selfe to turne a mans braines to peruert his iudgement to take away his life to confound his memory to draw on diseases and to occasion sundry shrewd fits either of melancholy or of madnesse Loue ought to be free and to haue the libertie and power to consigne deliuer ouer al the faculties of the soule to the thing beloued For the Alcayde or Gouernour of a Castle cannot be sayd to giue vp the Castle when as by force it is taken from him so hee that shall make loue by indirect and euill meanes it cannot be truly said that hee loueth but that he is forced contrary to his better will and violently carried away with that eager passion of lust and sensualitie which like a head-strong beast beares a man on headlong to his destruction The conuersation went forward Cards are call'd for and to play they go Their game was Primera at three hands my mother she got the money for my father was willing to lose to her and it beginning now to waxe night they gaue off play and went out into the garden to take the ayre In the meane while the Cloth was layd and their supper brought in and set on the boord they sit downe they eate and haue sup't And hauing giuen order against after supper that a Barge should be made ready for them and tricked vp with fresh Flagges and greene Boughs when they came to the water side they tooke Boat and were no sooner lanched foorth into the channell but they might heare from other Vessels which went to and fro vpon the riuer sundry Consorts of all sorts of Musicke which made a most melodious sound being an vsuall and ordinary thing with them in such a place and such a time as that was being in that season of the yeere that was fittest for it In this manner they were brought along till at last they landed and being now come into the city they tooke their leaues euery one betaking himselfe to his owne home and his owne bed saue onely my fathers contemplatiue pate whose rouing head was so full of fancies that it could take no rest My mother too like another Melisendra full of musing and thoughtfull loue slept with her bedfellow her old Consort her body beeing prisoner in Sansuenna and her soule a slaue in Paris her corps in one place and her mind in another From that day forwards such a strong knot of friendship was there knit betweene them and continued with so much discretion and good cunning considering their ouer-venturousnesse and the danger they might run into as could possibly be presumed from the quaint wit and close conueyance of an Easterling dyed into a Genouese and dipt in the Vat of Vsury who knew well inough how to put out his money to the best profit who could cleare you any account could liquidate and diuide you to an haire how much losse there was in measure from the wastings that arose from the winnowing and cleansing of corne how many graines lost in the refining of such a proportion or quantity of Metall nay she could tell you to a crumme how much losse there was in an hundred doozen betweene the bread that was broken with the hand and that which was cut with the knife As likewise from a woman of that good talent and those gifts and conditions which I haue heretofore acquainted you withall it is inough if I say no more that she was an Andaluz borne in the towne of Seuill and bred vp in that good schoole where she prooued so good a proficient that shee ranne thorow the whole course of her Art and did all her Exercise for her Degree of a Whore which she had laudably taken by making her appointments betweene the two Quires and the Naves or Isles of the old Church Now my mother had her fits and flings before this time this was not her first flying out insomuch that not hauing any thing of her owne in her owne hands that was woorth the keeping that very day that she compounded with this old Knight for her company and had driuen her bargaine with him she swore vnto me that she put ouer in trust aboue 3000. Ducats onely in Iewels of gold and Plate besides the moueables of her house and her change of apparell for the setting foorth of
and hauing left that behinde them by by-pathes and secret passages they came to Loja Where being neere vnto the Citie it was their hard fortune to meet with a Captaine of the field who went gathering vp of men which had fled from the Army and forsaken their colours Now as soone as he spied these two he tooke hold of them The Moore feigned hee had a Pasport seeking for it one while in his bosome another while in his pocket and other parts about him But because he could not finde it and for that the Captaine perceiued he had beene out of the rode way which made him shrewdly to suspect them he tooke them along with him to bring them backe againe to the Campe. But Ozmin not dismayed herewith nor suffering any alteration of countenance with great boldnes and free laâ—…age making benefit of the Noble-mans name in whose power his Spouse was feigned himselfe to be his sonne stiling himselfe by the name of Don Rodrigo de Padilla and that he came with a message to their Catholicke Maiesties from his father touching Daraxa and that his health failing him which was witnessed by his wanne lookes hee was making home with all the conuenient haste hee could Other-whiles hee affirmed he had lost both his Pasport and his way and that to returne againe thereinto he had betaken himselfe to that path But this would not serue his turne for hee still insisted to haue them goe backe whilest they either did not or would not then vnderstand that he did not care a button whether they returned or no His pretension onely was that a Gentleman of that ranke and quality as hee pretended himselfe to be should haue blinded his eyes with some few Dubblons for there is no Generals hand that can equall the seale-Royall which is of so much the more power with vs by how much wee finde it firmed and instamped with that more noble metall For your poore Shag-rags and silly snakes that steale from the Armie to returne home for these I say they haue teeth and sharpe ones too and on such poor soules as these doe they onely exercise their power executing those orders which are made against such kind of fugitiues But not on them from whom they haue hope of profit and may make good gaine for this is that they seeke for Ozmin suspecting whither these brauings of his did tend and finding on which foot he began to halt followed him close and began thus to speake vnto him Misconster me not Noble Captaine nor thinke that it shall grieue me a whit to returne once more backe againe nor were it ten times one after another should it trouble me to reiterate the steps that I haue troden nay I would willingly repeate the same way againe and againe if my health as you see were not wanting vnto mee but since the necessitie of my returne is made euident and plaine vnto you let me intreat you Sir not to put me to that trouble seeing it is as much as my life is worth considering the weakenesse wherein I now am And with that taking a rich ring from off his finger he put it into his hand which was as if he should haue throwne Vinegar vpon fire for he streight grew coole vpon it and kindely said vnto him Sir God be your good speed for I well perceiue that you are as you seeme to bee a man of principall note that does not serue the King for pay nor would out of your noblenesse and point of honour forsake the field but vpon so great an occasion as this I shall waight vpon you to Loja where I will giue order that you passe forward with the more safety And so he did remaining both good friends and when they had reposed themselues a while they tooke their leaue Attended with these and other the like misfortunes they arriued at length at Seuill vvhere by the information that he had gotten he came to know the street and house vvhere his Daraxa dwelt hee vvalked many a faire turne thereabout at different howers and on diuers dayes but it was neuer his good hap to see her for in regard shee walked not abroad nor vvent to Church she spent her vvhole time in her needle and in recreating her selfe with her friend Donna Elvira Now Ozmin perceiuing the difficulty to compasse his desire and the suspicion vvhich he might giue as ordinarily all strangers do in vvhat-soeuer place they come for all mens eyes are vpon them desiring to know vvho they are vvhence they come vvhat they seeke and how they liue especially if they frequent one street more then another and cast a carefull eye either vpon the vvindowes or the doores of some particular house Hence ariseth enuie hence a muttering and murmuring of the multitude and hence though none be interessed in the businesse an hatred vvithout a cause And some vvhisperings vvere already begun vvhereupon he vvas inforced for the auoyding of scandall to forbeare for some few dayes vvhilest his seruant in the meane while performed that office as being a person of lesse esteeme and therefore the lesse obserued But hee making no discouery did onely comfort himselfe in walking that way in the night at extraordinary howers and in imbracing the wals kissing the doores and thresholds of that house In this forlorne kind of hope he liued some time till at length that fell out vvhich sorted with his desire For his seruant taking the care vpon him to round the house three or foure times aday found out in the end that Don Luys was a making vp of a certaine Wall that vvas falne downe Then did he take Occasion by the fore-top aduising his Master to put on a poore canuasse Frocke or the like base garment and to thrust himselfe in amongst the rest as a Labourer in that Worke. He liked vvell of the inuention put it in execution leauing his seruant to looke to his horse and the vvealth and Iewels that vvere in his Lodging that he might helpe himselfe there-withall if need were And so he vvent foorth to this worke vvhither when he came he demanded if they had any vvorke for a stranger they told him they had For his vvages it is to be supposed that he for his part vvas vvilling to bee hired at any rate rather then to sit out So he now sets himself roundly to his vvorke striuing to out-worke them all and albeit through his many crosses and discontents he had not yet recouered his perfect health yet as the phrase is he drew strength out of vveaknesse for it is the heart that commands the flesh He vvas the first still that came to worke and the last that left off and vvhen all the rest were vvilling to take their ease and refresh themselues hee vvas still seeking out something vvherein he might busie himselfe insomuch that being found fault vvithall for it by his fellow-Labourers for euen in misfortunes Enuy likewise hath a hand he made them answer That he knew not
to vnderstand that I am a Gentleman my natiue Soyle Saragoça in Aragon my name Iayme Uiues which I borrowed from my father for so likewise vvas he called It is not many yeres since that following an occasion it being the nature of young-men to bee in action I fell into the Moores hands and was made a slaue by a subtill kind of trechery and false play of certaine fained friends which whether it were occasioned through their enuy or my misfortune is too large a tale to tell you It shall suffice that I deliuer vnto you that being in their power they sold me to a Renegado one that had renounced his Christianity who how he did vse me it is inough to haue nam'd his condition He led me along with him till he had brought me to Granada where a Gentleman bought mee called Zegri one of the principallest persons in that City This man had a sonne of the same yeeres with my selfe vvhose name was Ozmin who because he was the very picture of my selfe as well in age as in stature feature fauour condition and all things else whatsoeuer for that I did so truly resemble him he was the more desirous to buy me and to vse me the better that it might breed the greater fastnesse and friendship betweene vs. I taught him all I could or knew according as my selfe had learned of my friends at home in mine owne Country which was the more perfected in mee by the frequent practice of such like exercises being of that common vse with vs as nothing more From whence I reaped no small benefit for by conuersing with my Masters sonne my knowledge was thereby increased which otherwise I might haply haue forgot and experience teacheth vs That men by teaching come to learne Hence grew to be refined both in the sonne and father that affection which they bore vnto me trusting me with their persons and wealth so much did they rely vpon my truth and honesty This young Gentleman was a Suitour to Daraxa daughter to the Alcalde de Baça my Mistresse whom you so much adore the marriage was treated of and vpon the point to take effect for the Articles of agreement were already drawne and no doubt the match ere this had beene concluded had not the warres hindred it and the present siege that was then layd vnto it wherby they were forced to deferre it till some fitter time Baça was shortly after yeelded vp by occasion whereof this intended Marriage hung in suspence And because I was then Dominus Fac-totum and the onely man in fauour and trust with them I went and came with presents and other inter-changeable kindnesses from the one City to the other it being my good fortune to be in Baça at that time when it was rendred vp and so I recouered my liberty together with many other Captiues I would faine haue returned home to mine owne Countrey but I wanted money In the end I had notice that a Kinsman of mine was abiding in this City Two things did concurre to draw me hither the desire I had to see this place being so noble and magnificent a City and the supplying of my wants the better to performe my Iourney I continued here a great while without finding him that I sought for for hearing no newes of him but such as were vncertaine it turned to my vtter vn-doing by finding that which I did not seeke for as in such cases it commonly falleth out I vvent wandring vp and downe the City and hauing little money and much care it was my happe to meete with a rare piece of Nature an admirable Beauty at least in my eye howsoeuer in other it might be otherwise but that 's all one beeing that is onely faire which most pleaseth To her I deliuered vp all my faculties leauing to my selfe not one of them to liue with me I made now no more any reckoning of my selfe nor possessed any thing which was not hers This faire workmanship is Donna Elvira sister to Don Rodrigo and daughter to Don Luys de Padilla my old Master And because counsell as the saying is springeth from necessity seeing my selfe so wholly lost in her loue and not finding any meanes to manifest my affection together with the quality of my person I held it my best course to write Letters vnto my father of the recouery of my liberty and that I was indebted in a thousand double Ducats and that he would be pleased to supply me with so much moneys for my reliefe Which businesse succeeded well for hauing sent me the whole Summe and a seruant with a horse for my iourney I put my selfe into good Cloathes and fitted my selfe with all things necessary according to mine owne mind The two or three first dayes I began to make that street my walke giuing many a turne at all howers of the day but could neuer haue the happinesse to see her Now from my continuall walking that way I began by some suspicious people to be obserued who seemed to haue a watchfull eye ouer me wherefore for the auoyding of Spyes I with-drew my selfe from my wonted walke and betooke my selfe to a more retired course of life My seruant to whom I imparted my Loue-businesses thinking vpon some course for me aduised me as beeing elder and better experienced then my selfe finding a certaine piece of Worke going forward in my Lords house to suite my selfe like a day-Labourer and to change my name that I might not be knowne and so ranke my selfe amongst the rest that are hired to digge and carry away the rubbish from the Masons worke I began to consider with my selfe what might happen thereupon but because Loue ouer comes all difficulties and Death is too weake an aduersary to withstand its force all feare was layd aside euery thing seemed easie vnto me I put on a resolution to entertaine his aduice and so I did accordingly At that time there befell mee an vn-expected accident vvhich was this When the Worke was finished they receiu'd me into the house to be their Gardiner Then neuer till then was that happy day that I long looked for my Moone was now come to her Full and I was now climing to the height of my good fortune for the very first day that I supplyde that place and had but newly set foot within the garden I luckily met with Daraxa she wondred to see me there and I no lesse to behold her We gaue an account each to other of our liues relating our mutuall misfortunes she recounting hers and I mine not sticking to tell her how farre I was in loue with her friend and in what fast Fetters she held my heart intreating her withall that since shee had such cleare knowledge both of my parents and selfe and how nobly I was descended she would bee pleased to fauour my pretension and to worke so with her by her good intercession that I might come by the holy Rite of Marriage to enioy the fruit of
whatsoeuer hath beene talked of there is brought to our eares For there likewise are held your open Courts and publike Assemblies where all questions and doubts are winowed and sifted to the full nothing escapes their search and inquirie There they limit the Turks power reforme Councels and taxe your Ministers of State In a word there all things are made knowne there all things are treated of and they are the Law-giuers that prescribe rules to all for they speake all out of Bacchus his owne mouth hauing Ceres for their Ascendent conuersing with a full belly and a free heart and if the Wine bee new the Vessell will runne ouer it must needs worke and can no longer hold With that then which we haue learned from others wee come afterwards to sit and determine of euery particular passage euery man according to his seuerall opinion setting downe his seuerall censure One while we resolue that these Companies are to march towards Italy and that went for good and past the more currant amongst vs because their Banners were aduanced towards Mancha and were now farre entred into that Countrie passing from Almodouar and Argamafilla along the skirts of the Kingdome of Toledo till they had got to Alcala do Henares and Guadalajara compassing all the way as they went the Mediterranean Sea Me thought this was a very good occasion for me to take hold on for the executing of my former desires which with earnest longings did mightily spurre me on to vndergoe this Voyage that I might know mine owne blood and whence I was descended how I was alli'd and of what qualitie my Parents and Kindred were But I was so totter'd and torne and so vtterly vnprouided of all things for this my intended iourney that the bridle of Reason made me stop vpon my course and held me backe from going farther forward it seeming vnto me vpon better deliberation a thing impossible to be effected But notwithstanding my minde ranne still on nothing else This was still in my head and I could not beate it out In the day time it was my studie and in the night I dream'd still on that and nothing but that And if that Romane Prouerbe taketh place Si quieres ser Papa estampalo en la testa if thou mindest to bee Pope thou must haue him writ in thy forehead it was truly verified in mee For as I was beating my braines about this businesse tossing them a thousand times to and fro full of this solicitous care I sate me dovvne on the one side of the Place neere vnto one of the Shops vvhere my selfe and this my other Associate vvere vvont to make our Rendeuoâ—…s And leaning my cheeke in a melancholy manner vpon my hand being fully resolued to goe though it vvere but in the place of a stragler to vvaite vpon the Soldiers and to carry their luggage for them thinking this vvould be place good enough for me if I could not light on a better Whilest I was deuising this with my selfe on the sodaine I heard a voice which said Guzman Guzmanillo I lookt about and turned my face towards the place from whence the voice came And I perceiu'd at last it was a Grocer that stood vnder the walking place vnderset with Pillars that cal'd me vnto him neere adioyning to the Butcher-row I held vp my hand and made a signe vnto him that I would hasten thither I got me vp and came to see what he would with me He spake vnto me and bid me open my Basket I did so That no sooner done but he throwes me into it about some two thousand fiue hundred Royals in Siluer and Gold and in some few Quartes I ask'd him To what Brasier I should carry this Copper Copper you rogue Coâ—…e vp and away with it for I must goe pay it to a Merchant a stranger that hath sold me some Wares at my shop He said one thing and I thought another which was to shew him a tricke at the next turning And beleeue me the ioyfull newes of a desired birth did neuer come more welcome to the eares of a louing Father Nor the Mariner beaten by tempest did with more ioy discouer on the sodaine the Harbour that he sought to put into Nor any rendred Towne to that famous Captaine that besieg'd it gaue so much content nor had so sweet a sound with it or afforded so pleasing an Accent as I conceiued then in my soule hearing that sweet and melodious voice of my Grocer when he said Open thy Basket Me thought it was a braue word they were letters of Gold ingrauen in my heart leauing it full of ioy but much more when they had qualifi'd themselues by actually putting me into a quiet and peaceable possession of that which I was perswaded would be my best remedie Vpon this luckie incounter I began alreadie to dispose of this money and to change my course of life I laded my shoulders with it faining that it did weigh very heauie but my heauines was the more that there was no more of it My honest Grocer he good man goes afore and I follow after but with a wondrous desire to meet with some throng or presse of people in some street or other or to slip aside into some house where I might effect my purpose Fortune as good lucke was had in the very nicke fitted me with one iust according to the measure of my desire For if I would haue wisht for an opportunitie I could not haue desired a fairer For as I was entring into the principall Gate I got me away some three streets from thence by a blinde Posterne doore and fetching boords from one corner to another with somewhat a quicke but not discomposed pace that I might the better auoid all suspition I went away gallantly winding this way and turning that way till I had got to Puerta la Rega where I eased my selfe of my load and made downe to the Riuer From thence I crost ouer to Casa del Caâ—…po and being holpen by the night I walkt through a little thicket of Alder trees Poplars and other well-growne bushes of thorne a League farther in the thickest part whereof I cast Ankor and had now pitcht my Standard that I might with mature counsell thinke vpon things to come and what fruit and benefit I might make of my late purchase For it is not enough to begin well nor to goe on well but to end well For to little vse serue good beginnings and better proceedings vnlesse they be crowned with prosperous endings What good would this theft haue done me if I had beene taken with it but to lose that and with it perhaps my eares if not to haue beene hang'd for my labour if I had beene of yeeres There I entred into consultation with my selfe what I were best to doe I made triall where the water was deepest and there where the bushes were thickest I made a deepe hole
sence and seekes to ouerthrow his well-deserued reputation laying Nets to intrap him that he may be the only Commander ioyning with his enemies and falling crosse with his friends that he may bring the dance before his owne doore and raise himselfe by the others ruine proposing to himselfe by this preposterous dealing to put himselfe into a better fortune And to effect this his vnruly desire he will seeke out a thousand fetches and as many winding Pipes will he lay before hand to bring the water to his owne Conduict He would make himselfe like vnto the highest and place his throne in the North and suffer no man to sit by him or to be his equall Such men as these exercise their voice only in the seruice of the King not sticking to crie out This and this will make much for his Maiesties seruice but their workes and their actions are directed to their owne good Like vnto that day-labourer who lifts vp his armes to heauen but strikes his Mattocke into the ground These make warres at their pleasure breake Leagues when they list failing in their Obligation ruining the Common-wealth robbing men of their Estates and in the end damning their owne soules How many errors haue beene committed How many braue Commanders lost how many Armies vtterly ouerthrowne the fault whereof is laid vpon him that doth least deserue the blame And the sole cause of this is because these men will forsooth haue it so that this ill shall make for their good For if things should succeed well why then it should goe ill with them This is the common course now adaies and this makes all out of ioynt and causes such confusion in the world Will you see Sir to what poore passe our ill fortune hath brought vs that those braue cloathes gallant Feathers and glorious colours things that put life and spirit into a Soldiers heart to make him venture couragiously vpon all difficulties to hew out his way with his Sword and to vndertake any braue and noble enterprize in seeing vs thus adorned we are disgraced in Spaine our Habit scorned and our selues flouted at Thinking for sooth that we must walke the streets in blacke like a companie of Soliciters or like some Seruitour or poore Scholler that waites vpon another and hath not a Gowne to his backe to hide his pittifull raggs or to couer our totterd cloathes as your Students vse to doe with blacke foot-cloathes that the old rotten Saddle vnderneath may not be seene Now are we quite downe the winde and neuer so much as now For those that should most honour vs doe least fauour vs. The only bare name of a Spaniard which heretofore did affright the enemie with the reputation of that one word made the whole world to tremble now for our sinnes-sake the glorie of that is in a manner lost and gone And we are so falne off from what we were that we are not able to doe that now with our swords which before we might haue carried with our words Yet such as wee haue beene we are and shall be still It is God that must make vs to acknowledge these our errours and that must worke amendment in those that are the cause thereof going in that course wherein now they runne against their King against the Lawes of the Land against their Countrie and against themselues I need not Sennor Don Iuan to produce any other witnesse then the present times for the truth of what I haue spoken and to proue vnto you that the maine cause of all your great mischiefes in a State is a Fauorites inwardnesse with his King suffring no man to Priuar or to be able to doe any thing but himselfe led on with the greedinesse of his owne priuate gaine From this his ill-imployd Greatnesse groweth hatred from hatred enuie from enuie dissention and from dissention euill order from whence you may inferre those other inconueniences that may follow thereupon Let it not trouble you Sir that we are now to march hence In Italie you shall finde another kinde of world and here I passe my word vnto you that I will make you an Ancient Which albeit it be a meaner place then your merits may challenge yet it may serue as a step to aduance you higher I gaue him many thankes for this his friendly offer We tooke our leaues hee was very desirous to goe home alone I earnestly intreated him that I might waite vpon him to his Lodging but he would by no meanes consent thereunto The next day following the Companie marched away without any stay till they came neere vnto the Sea-coast the Captaine spending liberally vpon my Purse We staid waiting there for the comming of the Gallies but three moneths were almost spent before we could haue any newes of them In which time and that which was already past my Purse had spit his venome and my rents began to faile me My continuance at play did likewise put a helping hand to my speedier dispatch so that I was now quite out of Cash and all my money was gone not all in one day but all at all these seuerall times I was as your old prattling Gossips vse to say reduced backe againe to my former state and might walke as I did before with a white Cudgell vnder mine arme How much did I then risent my former follies How angrie was I growne with my selfe What amendment did I propose vnto my selfe now that I had not so much as one single pennie left me in my Purse How many shifts did I vse to conserue my selfe when I did not know against what tree to leane Who forced me to fall in loue without discretion Who made me turne Gallant without moderation Who taught me to spend without gouernment To what end was I so free in my play so franke in my Lodging and so prodigall with my Captaine Quanto se halla trasero quien ensilla muy delantero How often is he cast behinde that is first in the Saddle What a shame is it for a man to follow his delights What a basenesse to be captiuated by his pleasures I was readie to run besides my selfe and was almost out of my little wits that when I had put my selfe in so good a Predicament I could not hold me there and keepe my selfe well while it was well with me Now in regard as well of my youth as these my youthfull vanities I was no more esteemed or respected of any The friends that I had in my prosperitie the free table that I kept with the Captaine the Alferez place and the ensigne that he told me he would bestow vpon me it seemed that they were all strooken with a sudden lightening which had burnt and consum'd them They past as an arrow that makes his quick-feathered-flight thorow the aire like a Thunder-bolt that strikes to death before it be discerned or to the twinkling of the eye which opens and shuts in an instant When my moneyes fell
short all fell-away from me as long as I had that I had them That gone they shooke hands with me and bid me farewell Thus by little and little piece after piece all my ornaments were taken off and poore Don Iuan de Guzman was degraded I was like that Obispillo de San Nicholas that prettie little Bishop St. Nicholas respected only for his Holy-day and so I while I had money in my Purse and no longer Those that heretofore did me honour did visit me did entertaine me came to feast and banquet with me the heart-strings of my Purse being broken they forsooke me as being no man of this world Not a man that would talke with me or conderse with me And not only so but they would not so much as vouchsafe to looke vpon me or once suffer me to come in their company The perfume that did once smell sweet doth now stinke in their noses They that knew not before how to be vnkinde doe now take all things in snuffe And I that honoured them am requited by them with dishonour and all because I am become poore And as if pouertie had beene a great and heynous offence I was consigned ouer to the Secular power My dealing and conuersation was wholly now with the straggling Boyes about the Campe such as carried Wallets and Knap-sacks for the Soldiers and on this had I now set vp my rest And it is good Iustice Que quien tal haze que assi â—…o pague As a man Brewes so let him bake CHAPTER X. Guzman de Alfarache declareth the mis-fortunes and the wants of one that is decayed in his fortunes And how hee followed a Captaine till he came into Italy Exercising himselfe in all kinde of thefts great and small for the reliefe and helpe of his Master HOw bitter vvas it vnto me to beginne how troublesome to goe on how grieuous to indure this new dis-aduenture But I had been vvell acquainted heretofore vvith these kinde of mis-fortunes and had learned them long since to my great cost And because these things were not new vnto me I presently fell to my vvorke and liuely bestir'd my selfe about my businesse And I can assure you it is a great happinesse for a man to sute himselfe to all occasions and to know how to turne his hand to all kinde of labour not relying on these transitory goods of the world which like Buckets in a Well are now full and then empty and no sooner vp but they are downe againe But this one thing was my chiefe comfort That in the time of my Prosperitie I gained credit against the day of Aduersitie And I did not count it my least riches seeing I was to become poore that I had left a stampe impression in all mens minds that I vvas of a noble and free disposition by those my former actions vvhich were able to speake themselues though my selfe should be silent My Captaine made some reckoning of me acknowledging the courtesies that I had vsed towards him vvas more vvilling then able to help me For poore man he had scarce inough to serue his owne turne But he conseru'd me at least in that buen punto and good esteeme which he had at his first knowledge of me anon after that we vvere acquainted bearing a kinde of respect to the house whereof I came and to those my supposed Parents I vvas inforced to stripp my selfe and laying aside all my gallantry I began to cloath my selfe againe in a meaner and poorer fashion and to put on that rich though vn-regarded Roabe of Humilitie which I did not thinke on in my brauery and scorned as a thing of nought vvhen I vvas flush and full of money Considering vvith my selfe that Vanitie and Necessitie could not vvell sute together And that one Chaire was not able to hold them both For the rich man if he braue it he is to be borne withall for he hath where-withall But that a poore man should be so vaine is to be but like the Cameleon who whatsoeuer he drawes and sucks into him is but ayre without substance And therefore as the rich man that is vaine ought to be abhorred So the poore man that is proud is not to be indured It is insupportable in the one and scandalous in the other I saw that I was not able to liue of my selfe and therefore got to serue my Captaine making him now my Master vvho but a little before vvas my Companion And I waited on him with that care as I did on the Cooke Howbeit he commanded me with a kinde of respect as considering who I vvas and that my excesses my childishnesse and ill-gouerned Youth had brought me to this low ebbe that I vvas driuen to serue him And hee did thus farre assure himselfe of me that I vvould not doe any thing vnworthy a Gentleman and vn-beseeming my birth and Parentage for any interest in the world He held me to be as faithfull and as secret as I was patient Hee made me Treasurer of all his secrets for which affiance I alwayes shew'd my selfe thankefull vnto him Hee manifested his necessities and made knowne his vvants vnto me and what he had spent in his pretensions besides the prolixe time and the excessiue trauell and paines whereby hee at last obtained them as by intreating bribing flattering seruing attending crouching creeping making of legges bowing the head to the ground with cap in hand and a quicke and nimble pace trotting vp and downe the streets from morning to night early and late without intermission I remember he told me That going out of the Palace with the Kings Fauourite because he put on his Hat whilest he was entring into his Coach he lookt vpon him as if he would haue eaten him and shortly after gaue him to vnderstand as much by delaying his dispatch making him daunce attendance at Court many a faire day till he thought hee had sufficiently punished both his Purse his Patience It shall euer be in my Letany Good Lord deliuer vs when Power and Malice meet It is a miserable thing and much to be pittied that such an Idoll as one of these should affect particular adoration not considering that he is but a man a representant a poore kinde of Comedian that acts his part vpon the Stage of this World and comes forth with this or that Office thus and thus attended or at least resembling such a person and that when the play is done which can not be long he must presently enter into the Tyring-house of the graue and be turned to dust and ashes as one of the sonnes of the Earth which is the common Mother of vs all Behold brother and see the Enterlude of our life is ended our disguizes laid aside and thou art as I I as thou and all of vs as one another Some doe so strut and stretch out their bodies and are swolne so bigge vvith the puffing winde of pride as if they
quo one for another Qui moccat moccabitur Harme watch harme catch This sir is call'd The beating of the Fencer out of his Schoole You see for all your cunning you may take a knocke as well as another man It is but blow for blow you haue giuen me one Venew and I haue giuen you another And so let vs shake hands and be friends Well to be briefe the iest ended in this that they were faine to get a paire of Sizars and goe cutting hayre after hayre which was worke enough for two of his seruants and yet were forced in the end to vnrip his Breeches that they might come the better to clip away the hayres This Iest tooke better then the former because it was a little tarter then the other and stucke closer vnto him By vertue of this I receiued the confirmation of my Knauerie and was taken euer after for the same man I was So that all did seeke to flye from my iests as they would flye from the Plague Two moneths of my banishment were now past and gone After which expiration of time I returned againe to my former Office but with the same little Modestie and feare of doing euill as before You may haply haue heard tell of that tale when Modestie the Ayre and the Water tooke leaue one of another Who at their parting asking where they should meet againe and see each other the Ayre said that they should finde her on the tops of Hills The Water that they should be sure of her in the bowels of the Earth But Modesty that she being once gone from them it was impossible to meet with her any more I haue lost her she is quite gone from me and without any hope of euer returning But it makes no matter A quien le falta la Villa es suya Where she is away the Towne is ours Who would not haue beene feared with those former proceedings and fully resolued with himselfe neuer to doe the like againe But what my amendment was I shall deliuer vnto you and what hapned vnto me therevpon I had certaine sweet guts in my belly and so made and accustomed thereunto that those dayes that I mist of my sweet-meates was a taking of water from the sicke or Wine from a Drunkard I would haue ventured the breaking of my necke from the top of Santo Angelo rather then I would not downe to steale them if they were to be had vpon the face of the earth And hence is it Que quien teme la muerte no gozala vida That he that feares Death does not inioy his life If feare would haue made me turne coward I had neuer tasted that so sweet a life I cast vp my account and made this reckning with my selfe Suppose they should take me againe with the like What can they doe vnto me or what hurt can come of it I haue alwaies obserued that Feare is painted feeble leane-visag'd staring-hayr'd pale-coloured sad-countenanced heauy melancholy naked fearefull and not daring either to say or doe that which it fayne would and most of all desireth Feare is a seruill Act only proper vnto slaues it enterpriseth nothing nor doth any thing succeed well that it vndertaketh and is like vnto a cowardly curre which knoweth better to barke then to bite Feare is the soules hang-man and it is but foolishnesse to feare that which cannot bee auoyded In a word it was impossible for me such was my condition to abstaine from being in Action I was not able to containe my selfe Happen what may happen Come what will come all was one to me I said to my selfe Audaces fortuna iuuat Fortune befriends braue spirits Let the worst come to the worst fall backe or fall edge I was sure to pay for it only in my person and not in my goods either moueable or vnmoueable for it was not Gods will that I should haue any land of mine owne whereon to settle my selfe and make my certaine abode nor any Se-mouentes such things as could moue of themselues and keep me company whither-soeuer I should goe My Lord was a great louer of your moyst Suckets and such liquid Conserues as they vse to bring from the Canaries in little Barrels or from the Ilands of the Terâ—…ras Which Barrels when they were emptie were throwne aside and no reckoning made of them lying here and there in euery corner as good for nothing I had got me one of these containing about halfe an Arroba which seru'd me in stead of a Trunke wherein I kept my Cardes my Dice Garters Points Cuffes Handkerchiefes and other things befitting a poore Page The Cardinall as he was sitting one day at dinner commanded his Steward that he should goe amongst the Merchants and buy him some three or foure Quintals of those that were the newest and the freshest and but lately brought in When I heard him say so I began presently to cast about with my selfe how I might make my selfe Master of one of these Barrels The Cloth was taken away the Cardinall risen all gone to dinner and whilest they were busie at their victuals I got me into my Chamber and in the twinkling of an eye before you could well say This I clapt me within that Barrell which I had as many old rags dust grauell or whatsoeuer other trash came first to hand till I had fill'd it brim-full and thrust it downe as hard as I could for my life to make it lie the closer This done on went the head then the hoopes making all fast and sure so that it was now as handsomely fitted vp as heart could wish and no man that should haue seene it but vvould haue sworne it vvas so artificially handled that it had beene newly brought from the Indies stuft with roots of Tragopogum or Goates beard as some call it which is good against poyson When I had trimm'd it vp and made it feat and fit I let it alone hauing still an eye and standing as Sentinell to watch what successe this proiect of mine might take Now as good lucke would haue it behold about the Euening I did desâ—…y two Azemilas which came along laden with Conserues who were no sooner entred within doores but they were eased presently of their burthen The Steward commanded the Pages to carry them into the Cardinals lodgings I had now a fight of Fortunes foretop and boldly told her You shall not goe from me till I haue taken hold of your hayre And as I was speaking I tooke vp one of the Barrels and layd it vpon my shoulders as the rest of my fellowes did but lagging a little behinde giuing them leaue to goe before me as soone as I was come right ouer against mine owne chamber doore I suddenly slipt in when I saw the coast was cleere and tooke out that other which I bare to my Lords lodging and so I made my three returnes giuing a good account of all my lading When the
vvas the rule by which I directed all my actions To all that vvas said vnto me I put on Merchants eares vvas still deafe to all good counsell appealing from good aduice to mine owne flesh vvhich being ready still at hand in fauour of my vices I did vtterly vndoe my selfe by following of her ill counsell For to execute her suggestions I had force enough to seeke out occasions of sinne abilitie sufficient to perseuer in them an vntyred constancie and in not leauing them a firmenesse not to be remoued I was as vvell acquainted vvith all manner of Vice as I vvas a stranger to all kinde of Vertue And to lay the fault vpon Nature I haue no reason for it in the world For I had no lesse abilitie for good then inclination to euill The fault was mine owne for shee neuer did any thing out of reason Shee was alwaies the Mistresse of truth and modestie she was neuer defectiue in what was fitting but as shee hath beene corrupted since through sinne and mine were so many that I produced the cause of this bad effect and became mine owne hangman CHAPTER X. Guzman de Alfarache discourseth of ill Companie of Hospitalitie of Patience And how being put out of the Cardinals house he placed himselfe with the Embassadour of France where he playde some Knauish prankes Hee relates a Storie which he heard from a Gentleman of Naples And ending with that he giues an end to the first part of his life I Could not as I told you before iustly complaine or finde fault with any body but my selfe that my Lord had thus dismist me and turn'd me out of seruice For the very truth was he made earnest sute through the importunitie of his seruants who were very instant with me to haue me to come backe againe vnto him but because my bloud whose heat was not yet allay'd still boyled in my brest and was not come to its wonted coolenesse I did ill consider mine owne good or should rather haue sayd That I did well ill in not considering my ill well Being thus discarded I wandred vp and downe at mine owne pleasure as my fancie did lead me thorow the streetes of Rome And because in my prosperity I had purchased some friends of mine owne profession they seeing me vn-prouided for and that I went vp and downe like a Masterlessehound here one would inuite me and there another howbeit it cost mee deare for that meale that is made in ill company though it giue nourishment to the body yet it filleth the soule with ill humours to its vtter ouerthrow and destruction Nor did those good morsels so well satisfie hunger as their ill counsell and lewd conuersation did vndoe me Whereof nothing now remaineth but repentance For I began then and neuer till then to know in what danger I was when I saw the water was come vp to my chinne and ready to runne into my mouth Vices come stealing in vpon a man they enter with silence they are a smooth still File that cuts without any noyse they are not heard till they haue wrought mans ruine They are as easie to be receiued as they are hard to be reiected And such kinde of friends as these are those Bellowes which kindle that flame which sets the whole soule on fire and with a little sparke raiseth a great blaze I might very well haue recouered my allowance and had meate of mine owne to put in my mouth for the Steward told me that my Lord had giuen him order that I should dayly come and fetch it or send for it as I would my selfe But I was so obstinate that I would none of it For I was so lewdly giuen that I had rather indure hunger with ill company then feed vpon the best meat with honest and ciuill people But they quickly payd me home who first gaue me counsell to refuse my boord-wages as I did relying vpon them and their aduice for they were soone weary of helping me any longer and they did not only not relieue me but because they would not doe it they did shunne and auoyd me So that I might starue for any succour that I was to looke for from them This same thing called Hospitality and entertaining of friends and guests carries a kinde of mysterie with it I euermore found in his mouth that inuiteth honie but in his hands gall they promise liberally but giue sparingly they bid with ioy but eate with sorrow Hee that will bee another mans guest must be content to be ordred as he will haue him besides he must be rich and well to passe other-wise he shall not be welcome he must not tread many steps in the house his breech must scarce warme his Chayre nor must he sit long at boord for feare of being too troublesome Doe not flatter thy selfe that thou art liberally and freely welcome because a man giues thee good words and speakes kindely and louingly vnto thee and tels thee thou art heartily welcome For I haue euer obserued it as a true rule amongst other the Lawes of Hospitalitie that a man may dyet with his kinsman a seuen-night with his elder brother a moneth with his friend a yeere and with a bad Father all his life time The Father only is not weary perhaps of entertaining his sonne but all the rest take dislike if not a loathing of his company If thou shalt stay with them beyond that time they will hate thee to the death and picke one quarrell or other against thee and if that will not serue the turne to set thee packing they will put crooked Pinnes in thy Bread or lay baytes to poyson thee that they may once be rid of thee But admit that thou art inuited by a married man and that his wife bee close-fisted a very Crib her wealth her owne and she somewhat proud and scornefull say she be thy Mother or thy Sister in fine she is a woman who for the most part are all of them greedy and couetous so that they will whine for anger to see thee there looke scuruily vpon thee grudge thee thy meat chaâ—…e with her husband for bringing thee thither curse both him and thee and wish you both choakt Better is a hard crust in thine owne house then a cram'd Capon in another mans It is a miserable thing to set thy foot vnder another mans table My friends growing now weary of me I needed not out of shame to leaue them for they had already cast me off streightning more and more their hand towards me who were so farre from giuing me any thing that now they could shamefully deny me without blushing They needed no maske nor disguise for to dissemble the businesse They could boldly bid me Goe by I was therefore driuen to seeke out some Wall where-against to leane and betake my selfe to some Tree for shelter vnder whose shadow I might quietly take my feeding For I was now in that extreme want
what I am and I likewise know your great worth and quality which if it shall not ouer-sway mine it is the singular loue and friendship ye haue borne me that must equall the scales laying an euerlasting obligation vpon me to deserue the same This case then I make to be mine owne I challenge it as a thing proper vnto me And that the world may so vnderstand it and so take it that which hereafter I shal intreat you for by a third person I will now demand of you by way of grace and request Which is That you will be pleased to giue me Clorinia to wife Wherein ye shall doe these two things First ye shall thereby recouer your honour Secondly ye shall execute your reuenge by this hand of mine If heauen shall be so propitious and fauourable vnto me to blesse me with her life she shall liue and remaine with me though not according as her worth deserueth yet answerable to that desire which I haue to serue her making that vp in my loue which is wanting in my meanes And if ought succeed hereafter in the righting of this wrong it is fit the world should take notice that her husband did that where-vnto he was obliged and not Dorido her parents friend Make good therefore this my request for the good which from thence may redound to vs all To the Parents as also to the Brother this did seeme to be a very iust and honest motion and gaue him many thankes for this true testimony of his loue both to them and their house But because there was one as yet vn-askt which was to be a principall party in this busines which was Clorinia they would see if they could draw her to consent there-unto Which when it was broken vnto her the teares gushed out of her eyes for very ioy and she said vnto them This is that alone which I hope will keepe life in me and if I should buy it at as deare a rate as death yet I should thinke it cheape inough and that I had a good penny-worth of my bargaine I trust in God that I shall liue contentedly and dye comfortably And therefore I beseech you that I may bee espoused to Dorido according as he hath desired Presently here-vpon they call'd him in and when they came to see each other for a good while they were neither of them able to speake a word both their hearts were so full and their soules so ouerwhelmed hers with ioy and his with griefe That fit ouer-past they plighted their trothes and were made man and wife vsing those diligencies therein with the best secresie they could till the time should come that they might be openly espoused in the Church Three dayes were spent in this Solemnity and with this content Clorinia seemed to be vpon the mending hand But it was but a lightening before death for through the store of bloud which she lost she liu'd not long after Dorido perceiuing that it was impossible that his Spouse should escape with life to the end that she might die fully contented and satisfied if there may be any such thing in death on the fourth day holding it now a fit and conuenient time to put that in execution which he had deuised and plotted with himselfe on the fifth he inuited Horatio to his house as he had done at other times heretofore Who trusting in the secresie wherewith he had committed this foule offence and that there was no talke thereof in the Towne nor so much as a word spoken of it went thither as securely and as boldly as if he had done no such matter and without any suspition or iealousie at all Dorido to lull him the more asleepe and to make him more secure feigned not to know of any such thing he entertain'd him with a cheerefull looke laught and was merry with him that growing thereby the more confident he might the willinger accept of his inuitation Dorido had put such a kinde of Confection into one of his Bottles of Wine that it should cast him that drunke thereof into a most deepe and profound sleepe Which he secretly commanded he should be serued withall at the table as oft as he call'd for any Wine And as he had commanded so was it ordred And when he had euen now dined the last morsell being scarce out of his mouth he sate me in his Chayre like one that had beene dead Dorido when he saw he was sure enough now in his hands and that the Fowle could not escape the snare binding his legges and armes as hard as he could for his life to the legges and armes of the Chayre and hauing made fast all the doores of his house he put to his nose a kinde of little round ball like a Pomander made for that purpose which he had no sooner smelt vnto and taken the sent thereof vp into his head but that he presently awaked from that deepe sleepe wherein hee had before beene buryed And finding himselfe bound in that fast manner without being able to wag he knew then that his punishment was at hand for that hand which he had so cruelly cut off Dorido was as quicke in cutting off both his hands as he was nimble in vn-ioynting that of hers That done throwing a cord about his necke making vse of one of the corners of the Chayre he gaue him the Garrote wherewith he was strangled to death The next morning before it was peepe of day he droue him along before him in the Chayre vpon a Horse till he came to the house where Clorinia dwelt and putting a piece of Timber Gibbetwise into that hole in the Wall where he had committed this odious and vn-manly act he left him there hanging with his hands ty'd about his necke in a string like a childes payre of Miâ—…ens and some Verses hanging at his Hempen chayne to giue satisfaction to the world vpon what reason this was done And so Dorido when he had thus reuenged himselfe vpon Horatio left Rome with purpose neuer to see it againe thinking with himselfe that without his Clorinia neither Countrie nor life nor any thing else could be comfortable vnto him And about the breake of day when this spectacle began to be seene and talkt of Clorinia within a little after finished her life This lamentable Accident caused great both sorrow and admiration in the Embassadour But his houre was come that he must to the Palace which made them breake off for that present and to take their leaues I thanke God a thousand times that he made me not a Louer And if I had not beene a Gamester peraduenture I should haue done worse as you shall see in the second part of my life whereunto if my first haue pleas'd thee I inuite thee The Verses which were hung about Horatios necke turned into our vulgar tongue sound thus I was rash Hee blinded with iealous loue Seeing my friend preferr'd in my Loues choyse Counterfeiting his Signall cloathes and voyce
good helpe she brought vs vnseene and with much secrecie into a Lodging in the Palace where we no sooner were but the Countesse comes forth and receiues vs with extraordinary tokens of ioy and gladnesse And after that some few ceremonies were ended and that the Para-bienes had past to and fro of this long desired inter-view which Compliments were very short and briefe the Countesse said vnto mee Don Rodrigo the time that is now offred vnto vs to inioy this faire occasion you in your owne discretion may iudge how soone it will be gone You know likewise the obligation of true friendship and the firme affection which you haue alwayes made shew to beare vnto Don Luys but say this should faile which I no way mis-doubt yet for my sake who beg it at your hands your are bound in courtesie to grant me my request You haue already vnderstood how the Count my husband not finding himselfe halfe well returned being well aduanced on his way backe from his iourney who came home so weary that he presently got him to bed where I haue left him fast asleepe But because it may so fall-out that in turning or waking hee should stretch out a legge or an arme towards that side of the bed where I lye and should finde my place empty and no body there it must be a great deale of danger that I must runne besides the great scandall that would grow thereby to the house that therefore whilest your friend Don Luys and my selfe shall entertaine the time in talke which at the most shall bee but some quarter of an houre or there-abouts you would be pleased to goe lye downe in my place and remaine there in bed that I may in the meane-while abide the safer here And I will assure you on my honest word that you shall not thereby incurre any danger For besides that the Count is old and that he neuer wakes a-nights vntill it be broad day and doth seldome or neuer turne aboue once and then presently fall asleepe againe Hee is so tyred with his iourney and of that indisposition of body at this present that there is no feare to be had that hee will so much as but offer to stirre or moue himselfe at all But say hee should and that he should turne and touch you for the foresaid reasons he will not dreame of any bodies being there but my selfe God he knowes and your Excellencie may conceiue how much it troubled mee that the Countesse should put mee vpon such a perilous piece of seruice But because the actions of cowardize are so foule in themselues and so ill-beseeming a Gentleman it seemed vnto mee that if I should now fly off and refuse to vndergoe this businesse I should not giue satisfaction either to mine owne Honour or my friends Loue or the Countesses request I told her I would very willingly and with all my heart doe her this seruice but withall did very earnestly intreat them that they would not stay too long in the intertaining of their loues seeing they were not ignorant of the danger where-into for their sakes I did thus voluntarily thrust my selfe They promised nay swore vnto me that they would not and that at the most she would not tarry away aboue halfe an houre The Countesse put mee into a night-dressing and a Smocke and when I had put off all my cloathes shee led me along to her With-drawing chamber and afterwards made me to lye downe in her bed There was no light at all in the Chamber all was as darke as hell and in a still silence I softly laid my selfe downe vpon the very edge and brimme as it were of the bed as farre from the Count as I possibly could deuise and in that manner I remained there not a quarter or halfe part of an houre but fiue good long houres and more till it was breake of day Now let euery man consider and thinke with himselfe in what a poore case I was being in such a place as this and at such a time with vvhat a deale of care that I might not be knowne and with what a deale of feare lest this deceit should be discouered and did least of all thinke on that which did most concerne me which could bee no lesse then death if the Count should chance to awake For in regard that I went in thither naked and vnarmed I must fight it out with my fists onely and try how the strength of my armes would helpe me and admit I should haue struggled with the Count and had the fortune to escape his hands yet could I not those of the seruants of his house because I knew not how nor which way to order my flight But these were not all the griefes I then indured they went on a little farther For Don Luys and the Countesse did laugh and talke so loud that I might heare euery vvord almost that they said as I lay in the bed where-with my feare was much increased lest happely their dis-composed carriage might chance to awaken the Count and it did mightily vexe me and almost mad mee that I could not call vnto them to keepe lesse noise seeing they would not yet breake company it grieuing me to the very soule that they should seeme as forgetfull of themselues as they were of mee This made me to bite my fingers ends for very anger as also that I durst not for mine eares stirre a â—…ot from the place where I lay for feare of spotting mine honour and lesse did I dare to call vnto them for feare of waking the Count. After all these lingrings and fearefull passages when they saw that day was now so nigh they came both of them laughing hand in hand to the beds side with a light in their hand I being frighted almost out of my little wits where they sportingly frisked and skipped about me making a great noise as well with their tongues as their feet Then I beganne to imagine with my selfe that through too much content they had both runne madde So that now I was as sorry for their misfortune as mine owne for that the infamie and punishment was like to be generall and to light vpon vs all not permitting any to escape vpon them for offending vpon me for consenting I was in that pittifull taking that within a very little space I had a thousand imaginations in my head but not one that could doe me any good or stand me in stead And whilest I was thus puzzled in the midst of my greatest conflict they drew neerer to the bed it selfe and the Countesse drawing the Curtaine that we might now plainely see one another then was I quite out of my sences insomuch that I would haue faine fledde away had I well knowne whither but I quickly came to my selfe againe For I who had hitherto thought that I had the Count lying by me the Countesse lifting vp the cloathes of the bed cleered that errour and gaue me to vnderstand that it was
beare vp my bodie Wherevpon I resolued with my selfe to rise And I had no sooner taken my cloathes into my hands and put my feet out of my bed but one of the Groomes of the Stable came into my Chamber and told mee Sen̄or Guzman There are some pretty Wenches beneath at the staires foot which inquire for you and stay waiting your comming in the Portall within the gate Apocks vpon them quoth I What haue I to doe with them The Diuell take them for mee Goe downe and either bid them goe to the Stewes or else tell them that I am not within For I imagined vvith my selfe that all Rome by this time had rung of my disgrace and that these were some roguish harlotries that came to laugh and scoffe at mee and to make themselues merry with my mis-fortunes I was very iealous that they came of purpose to play the Wags with mee and therefore willed him to dismisse them and so they went their wayes That night my Master willed me to continue my wonted Station I told him that I found my selfe not halfe well wherevpon he aduised mee to get mee betimes to my lodging and that I should call for any thing that I wanted and if need were he would send a Physician vnto mee I kist his hands thanking him in the best fashion I could for this his great fauour and loue towards mee and got mee forthwith to my lodging vvhere I remained retired and all alone as I had done the rest of that day The next morning I was no sooner vp but I receiued a Letter from my Nicoleta complaining of mee that hauing come to visit mee the day before I would not bee spoken withall nor giue her notice of that which had past the other night betwixt my selfe and her Mistresse and what great businesse I had that I did not round that street the next night following telling mee that shee had waited there for my comming till it was after mid-night Vnto these she added some other words which lest me no lesse perplexed then confounded And that I might cleere all doubts I wrote her an answere telling her that I would not faile sometimes that Euening to come and visit her in the back Lane that was behinde the house For Fabia's house stood as it were betweene two streetes on the back-side whereof right against the principall gate was a little Posterne doore and ouer that a pretty little lodging Chamber with one little window belonging vnto it from whence Nicoleta might very conueniently talke vnto me euen in the day time for that the Lane was little frequented as being scarce passable for that it was very narrow and full of durt and mire And euen then at that time it was so bad and so foule that very hardly and with much adoe considering the late raine could I get to that place where I was to speake with Nicoleta Well when I was come thither and she ready to receiue me shee began to aske mee what was become of me What great occasions did hinder me that I had not come and seene her the night before And if not for her yet for her Mistresses sake I might haue taken that paines She formed many complaints against me accusing the inconstancie of Men who made loue vnto Women not so much for any good affection that they bore them as to get the conquest and Mastery of them And when they had gotten what they desired and receiued some Pledge from them they did quickly slight them if not wholly forget them By this as likewise by that profession which she made of her loue vnto me I knew her innocencie and Fabia's subtiltie who went about to deceiue vs both Thereupon I told her My Nicoleta thou art quite out of the way and so mightily deceiued as no woman can bee more For I would haue thee to know that thy Mistresse hath play'd the Iacke with vs both Then I vp and told her all that had befalne me and how vilely she had vs'd me Shee blest her selfe crossing and crossing her selfe ouer and ouer thinking it to be a thing impossible I stood thus talking with her being gallantly clad and in my best brauery strutting my legs abroad stretching out my necke and discoursing of my misfortunes being carelesse of that present disgrace which my euill fortune had too neere at hand for me For it so fell out that whilest I was thus discoursing with her by that little Posterne thorow which there was a way to goe in and out to the Stable it hapned that there entred in thereat whilest the Groomes had led the Horses forth to water a huge big Bore this Bore one of the Groomes found nuzzeling in the litter which he had made ready for his Horses turning it topsie-turuy and scattering it all abroad the Stable He being much moued thereat tooke vp a great bat in his hand and belaboured his backe and sides as hard as he could lay on for his life It was a fat rogue and a great and like a Bull that is bayted came running forth as hard as he could driue And for that these kinde of beasts either out of custome or nature vse to runne alwayes fore-right and seldome or neuer turne aside he came directly vpon me and tooke me so on the sudden that I could by no meanes auoyd him and perforce made his way iust betweene my legs so that I rode as it were a-stride on horse-backe but the cleane contrary way and to keepe my selfe from falling I tooke hold on his tayle with both my hands vsing that in stead of a Bridle which I held as fast as possibly I could I was not able all this while to recouer my selfe and had my life laine vpon it I knew not for the present how to quit my selfe handsomely from his backe and whilest I was deuising with my selfe how I might come fairely off he ranne with me thorow the midst of a durtie puddle that was nothing but myre and filth so that for to saue my selfe from falling and that he might the better beare me thorow the durt I was forced to let goe his taile and to claspe my armes about the sides of him with all the might and force I could And as if we had playd at binding of barrels or à punt a con cabeça giuing him many a rap at the wrong doore flinging vp his snout and huffing and puffing with his nostrils he carried me in spight of my teeth for I was forced to hold fast for feare of falling in the durt in his hoggish kinde of gallop some three or foure streets from off that place grumbling and grunting as he went along and with his whining and crying calling the people together to see what he ayld whilest I perceiuing the shame and danger I was like to runne fell off from his backe of mine owne accord not regarding when or where I should light And much better had it beene for me had I done this before
seldome happened and when it doth it is held so strange a thing that it is accounted as a wonder or some rare miracle Those iestes are vnsauory that turne to a mans hurt It is no sporting with edge tooles Doest thou not see and know that these kinde of men will make the Sunne to shine at midnight And that they cast out deuils in the name of Belzebub But as for vs poore soules La lechona nos pare gozquâ—…s All things goe crosse with vs especially in causes criminall where the street of Iustice is of that great bredth and length where the Iudge may easily winde himselfe whither or which way he will goe on this or that side of the street or to keepe the midle way as hee himselfe shall haue most minde to He can either lengthen or shorten his arme and reach out his hand either to helpe thee or to hurt thee according as it shall haue a feeling of the businesse And therefore to him that will not wilfully cast him-selfe away but desires to haue a faire end of his businesse my aduice is That he guild the Iudges bookes and present the publike Notary with a siluer pen So may he quietly lay him-selfe down to sleepe and take no farther thought for the matter nor stand in need of Doctor or Proctor to plead and solicite his cause If that course were taken in many Cities of Italy which is vsed in diuerse other Prouinces yea also among the very Barbarians with whom when any one is absolued or condemned the Iudge sets downe in his sentence vnder his owne hand the cause that moued him to giue such sentence and vpon what grounds hee did it surely there would a great deale lesse euill come of it for if he could show good reason for that which he did he need not be asham'd who sees it and the party thereby whom it concerneth shall remaine well satisfied But in case he shall not haue proceeded therein according vnto Law but hath dealt vniustly in sentencing the businesse some other superiour Iudge shall bee appointed to rectifie that wrong and to amend the others errour And I knew a Iudge my selfe to whom a Merchant paid a round summe to haue him passe a sentence on his side thinking thereby so to affright the aduerse party that despayring of any hope of good in his sute he might draw him to what composition it pleased him Which a particular friend of his vnderstanding came vnto the Iudge and told him I wonder Sir how you could sentence this cause in this manner being so contrary as it is to all Law and reason To whom the Iudge answered That it made no great matter For he was but a sub-alternall Iudge and that there were other Iudges that were his superiours who might if they would reuerse that sentence nor should the oâ—…her lose any thing at all by that which he had giuen against him Such kind of men as these will not stand much vpon committing these and the like errours nor examine themselues whether they doe well or ill in it for with them it is not accounted a fault though it may truly be call'd Error de praesenti an error in the Indicatiue Mood a most foule fault for in so doing he doth rather deceiue then iudge But in my poore opinion he is a foole that may and will not shunne Law-sutes And in good Philosophy Minus est damâ—… vnum sufferre quam multos It is lesse harme to suffer at one then many mens hands When thy aduersary does thee an iniurie it is one alone that does it and by him onely dost thou suffer But if thou goe about to reuenge it goe which or what way soeuer thou wilt to worke thou leap'st as we say out of the frying-pan into the fire and secking to auoid one inconuenience thou runst headlong into another nay into many one vpon the necke of another Wilt thou see the truth of this I will show thee the wayes then wherein thou must walke First of all Thou maist chance to light vpon an Alguazil who is a common Catch-pole or appreh ender of mens persons a fellow that hath neither soule nor shame who but the other day was a Tauernero a seller of wine as his father was before him though happely now they keepe no shop And if the father were a thiefe from the beginning the sonne is now the greater of the two Who either bought that Vare which he beares to finde him meate to put in his mouth or else hath hired it of another as a man doth a mule He is such a kind of poore yet vnsatiable creature that he must either steale or starue and doth therefore steale that he may satisfie his hungry maw And vnder pretence that he is the Kings officer and carries the Kings white wand or Vare in his hand throating it out wheresoeuer he comes Alguazil soy traygo la vara del Rey I am an Alguazil and carry the Kings staffe he neither feares the King nor keeps his Lawes but both against the King against God against all law will he offer thee a hundred excesses a hundred indignities both in deeds and in words that he may moue thy patience so farre as to make thee ready to run out into resistance of iustice which is the trap he sets for thee and bring thy offence to be criminall and though thou didst not make any the least stirre nor hadst any such meaning yet will he enforce it against thee and perswade others all that he can to beleeue it I knew an Alguazil in Granada that had two teeth that were false and counterfaite and fastned by art to those other that he had in his head And in a certaine broyle or quarrell that sodainly arose in the street he comming in among them he secretly puts his fingers into his mouth and cunningly pulling them out causing his gumes wherewithall to bleed did not shame to say that comming in to make peace in the Kings name they were there beaten out And albert this businesse did not succeed so well with him as he could haue wisht it nor tooke its intended effect for that the truth thereof came to be knowne yet did he not giue it ouer for want of following but vsed all the diligences he could to possesse the Iudges with this falshood It will lie in his hands if thou but speake a word or wag but a finger to proue that thou didst giue him either ill language or blowes and then will hee presently deliuer thee ouer to his Corchetes with command to carry thee to prison Behold now what an honorable calling this is what a gentle craft what honest men forsooth are these your Corchetes your Sergeants Yeomen infamous Villains Traytors Thieues Drunkards shamelesse Rascals nay impudency it selfe Insomuch that a witty Lackay said of himselfe when they had angred him He that saies the word Lackay saies
our prouision as we went along and what we got in one place that we spent in another taking vp hens here capons there in such a village chickens and such a doue-house pigeons pigs gammons of bacon and any thing that was tame and would come to hand neuer escapt our hands furnishing our selues with all other necessarie implements that might serue for the conueniencie of our iourney were it for our dyet or our lodging And as a man that desires to haue a good lodging in his Inne must haue a care to come there before the Sunne be set so in that short time which we had to spend vntill it were towards night and that the houre was come wherein we did vsually retire our selues we did runne ouer all the open places about the Countrey and if we found any breach in any wall of a house we would prie what we could proule from thence and seeke to make our entry Which that we might doe with the more conueniency and lesser hazard of our persons we would begin to beg an almes saying That we were poore Students and being driuen to great necessity could not for want of meanes returne handsomely into our owne Countrey Which we did not so much demand of them to the end they should giue vs any thing as thereby to seeke occasion to steale something from them hauing an eye still towards the hen-roost casting with our selues how we might dis-people that house of its pullen Besides for your Innes and your Farmers back-sides I carried alwaies with me a good angle-rod with a strong hooke and line baited with a crust of bread or some sixe graines of wheate to catch there-with whatsoeuer came in my way and I seldome put in my rod but I pluckt out a fish as long as mine arme But when it fell out so vnfortunately with vs that we could not get any booty and that as it is in the Prouerbe Se caya lacasa the house was fallen dawne and that there was no victualls there to be found yet come the worst that could come wee should be sure to meet with as good and fat a Calfe as any man need to eate the world could not afford better Veale As soone as we came to Naples at our first comming we draue for some few dayes a very good trade and made very quicke returnes with a great deale of profit to our purses and all things did succeed very well with vs we tooke great paines and we reapt great gaines I had put my selfe into such apparell that my presence might promise the reputation of an honest man so that any man might very well be cozned by this Carde this outside I meane of mine so faire did I colour for it So that if the entrance which wee made like to our juego de canÌ„as glittering in gold and all kind of brauerie had not through my lacke of patience receiued in the end a foile I might haue continued there in very good fashion But I had worke enough to doe to saue my skinne from being pluckt ouer my eares and to keepe my bones from being broken It was mine owne fault that my egges prou'd addle and were not so well hatcht as they might haue beene I may thanke no body for it but my selfe But God be thanked that it was no worse with mee for I might haue receiu'd much more harme thereby and therewith did I comfort my selfe One of my Camerades was of that Countrey seruant to a Regent of tâ—… Collaterall Councell whose father had also seru'd him heretofore he was desâ—…ous to make himselfe knowne vnto him whereupon hee went to kisse his hands nor did his owne returne empty from him But being very glad to see him offered to doe him any kindnesse that lay in his power nor were they Courtiers vvords sprinckled vvith holy-vvater for he did as vvell doe as say For seldome and to few doth it happen in Court to eate together in one plate and at one boord But when the minde is generous and noble it euermore takes delight to giue and by so much the more is encreased by how much the more we craue For it hath alwaies beene a peculiar property belonging to giuing to make the doner famous and renowned to the world And the more subiects they light on to conferre such courtesies so much the more glory doe they gaine vnto them-selues Presently without any more adoe hee employ'd him in some businesses and those of some worth and moment and well deseruing a worthier subiect Vnder his protection we went vp and downe the Citie as if we had beene so many Vice-Kings of the Country liuing without controlment and no man daring to meddle with vs. Being thus seated on the warme side of the hedge presuming vpon his fauour and countenance we did lash out a little too much in vndertaking such and such things as were beyond the reach of our braines and would require stronger wits then we had any He was the tongue wherewith we spake he did direct vs whither wee were to goe and what wee were to doe at what houres we might with most safety be abroad where we might best make our entry whom we might best trust and of whom we had most reason to be afraid For as we shall tell you hereafter they that commit the greatest robberies and such thefts as are more famous then any other more cunningly carried of a higher straine and nature then the rest and of the greatest importance are those that are nearest in their attendance about the Ministers of Iustice. For these men feare nothing they are in fauour with their Lord necessity oppresseth them occasion is offred God blesse euery good man from such authenticall thieues who thinke themselues authorized to steale and that the Law either cannot or will not take hold of them I went one day a wrestling à braço partido as they say with my thoughts that is to say vpon equall tearmes without any manner of aduantage of my fellowes out of a desire that I had to seeke out something wherewithall to entertaine my selfe for it was almost high-noone and wee had not yet threaded our needle nor wrought one stitch oâ—… worke And to come home empty handed that I would not I scorn'd not to send in my prouision before-hand as holding it a great disgrace vnto me For if my companions should chance to haue wrought their honey-combes and that they were to bee found at home in the hiue where we did all meete if I should bring nothing in bâ—…t feede vpon them store they would vpbraid me therewith calling me idle Drone Titting and floâ—…ting at me that I should offer to sit downe at boord with cleane hand Mâ—…aning thereby that I had not laboured for my liuing as the rest had done noâ—… taken the paines to foule my hands and yet must sit downe and eate at other mens cost Holding him for a base minded fellow that would come to a
chance to heare of it who peraduenture may haue as much if not more need of it then I haue Much good may it doe him with it for I will not inioy any other goods saue only such as his diuine Maiestie may be best serued by me The honest Frier when he had heard me out and saw the heroicall disposition that was in me tooke me to be rather a Saint then a man And he did so much honour and reuerence me for it that there only was wanting the kissing of my garment and in a heauenly kinde of language he thus spake vnto me My deare brother giue hearty thankes to almighty God that hee hath conferr'd vpon you so cleere an vnderstanding and the knowledge of that little esteeme which we are to make of the goods of this world and assure your selfe that he that hath communicated vnto you this his holy Spirit will as he hath promised in his holy Word prouide for you and minister such things vnto you as his diuine wisdome shall thinke fit and needfull for you He who to the poore least little Wormes and all your small fleshlesse and bloudlesse Vermine as your Ants Flyes Caterpillers and the like hurtfull creeping things that crawle vpon the earth is not wanting but careth for them shall much more be mindefull of you and supply you with all those things that he shall see you stand in need of not only freeing you from these your present miseries but farther increasing your ioyes and his blessings vpon you This action of yours is a supernaturall and diuine worke which strikes admiration into men and stirres vp those Angelicall spirits of heauen to sing forth a thousand Hymnes of praise and thankes-giuing that such a noble creature was borne for the glory of God and the good of the world This is his gift and none but his acknowledge it and magnifie his praise by speaking good of his holy Name and perseuering in vertue I shall doe as you would haue me and see you returne againe vnto mee some day in the next weeke for I hope in God I shall bee able to doe you much good and procure some fauour to be be shewne vnto you When this good man had made an end of these his holy words my heart there-with me thought was quite pierced thorow and began to bleed within me for considering the greatnesse of his Sanctitie and sinceritie and on the contrary of my roguerie and villanie who by such vile and wicked meanes should goe about to make him the instrument of my thefts and the more to colour the businesse I let fall a few feigned teares this holy Frier thought I had shed them for Gods sake and there-vpon began likewise himselfe to grow somewhat tender This matter rested thus till the next Sunday following which was All Saints day and when he came to preach he spent the greatest part of his Sermon in this businesse of mine indearing that Act so much the more for that it had proceeded from a subiect so much necessited and did exaggerate it so to the heighth that he moued all those that were there to compassion and made them the willinger to doe me good So they repaired vnto him with their almes which they powred forth in a plentifull manner On Munday morning my Mother came to the Portaria and askt for that holy Father saying that she was to speake with him about an earnest piece of businesse The Porter who perceiued how desirous shee was to come to the speech of him went in to call him and presently brought him vnto her Whom she no sooner saw but taking hold of his hands and his Habit kneeling downe before him and offring to kisse his feet told him That the Purse was hers desiring him for Gods sake that she might haue it againe She acquainted him with all the outward markes of it as also with the particular and remarkeable pieces that were in it as one that had well studied the Case Where-vpon the Frier without any more adoe did deliuer it vnto her knowing the tokens to be true When my Mother had the purse in her owne hands shee opened it and taking out one of those three Doblones that were in it she gaue it to this holy Father to bestow vpon me for the finding of it As also foure Royals for two Masses to bee said for the Soules in Purgatorie and for that purpose shee re-commended them vnto him Thus did shee recouer her purse and brought it presently home vnto me not wanting so much as a pins-head of all that was in it for I had likewise of purpose wrapt some of those pieces in little parcels of paper that it might the sooner seeme to be some womans purse who vse such kinde of fiddling and fooling vvith their money After this businesse was thus ouer-past about some two dayes after vpon Wednesday towards the Euening I went to visit my Frier who against my comming thither had prouided mee a Coffer full of cloathes which might very well out-weare ten yeeres and spending money besides for some dayes He gaue it mee with a cheerefull countenance and willed mee to returne againe vnto him the next day For hee had something else to say vnto mee and hee did not doubt but it should bee much for my good I did so repairing vnto him at the time appointed Then did he aske mee whether I could write or no I inform'd him of my sufficiencie in that kinde Wherevpon he told me that there was a certaine Gentlewoman whose Husband was in the Indies who did much desire to haue such a one as I was to follow her businesse and to haue a care to husband her estate both in the Citie and in the Country and to bee true and faithfull in those things that she should commit to my charge and that therefore I should deale plainely with him and truely tell him whether I could like of this course or no for that according to my answere he should seeke or not seeke to settle mee there as hee saw I stood affected I after that I had giuen him thankes said vnto him My good father that which appertaines to my personall paines to my sollicitude diligence and fidelitie where-with I ought to serue her this I am able to tender vnto you but I must tell you withall that I am not of this Countrey nor haue any knowne acquaintance in these parts And therefore if this Gentle-woman shall put her goods into my hands and that I must haue the disposing of them she will expect that some body shall bee bound for my truth but I am not able to giue her any securitie and this is likely to be the onely rub that I know I leaue it therefore to your fatherly consideration what is to be done in this case crauing your aduice therein He told mee that he would bee my Surety and that if that were all that I stood vpon that stoppe should not damme vp the way wishing me not
I would entertaine him with a merry Fable or pleasant Historie to passe away the time the better And I was neuer vnprouided of a company of witty iests and fine conceits to make his Worship laugh It being no small comfort to mee to see him looke cheerefully I grew in grace with him and was very happy in this particular yet am I so much priuieto mine owne worth that it was no more then my good seruice did deserue So that now hee would not that any other saue my selfe should serue him in those things which gaue him the greatest content And I had more especiall reason to esteeme of this his fauour towards mee in regard that hee had a Gally-slaue before hee entertained me that attended on his Person Whom though hee vsed well yet hee went dayly pyning and consuming away that hee was very sorry to see it For though hee led a better life then the rest and that hee lou'd him so well that he fed him from his owne trencher and bestow'd the best morsels vpon him yet was he like your Gaeta-colts which the better you feed them the worse they proue One day when wee were both together with him waiting at the table he said vnto mee I prethe Guzman tell met for thou art a Scholler and an vnderstanding fellow what should bee the reason that Fermen being at his first comming into the Gallies of a very able body strong fat and lusty and I hauing sought to continue him still in the same state by entertaining him into my seruice and doing other friendly Offices for him not eating that good morsell whereof hee hath not a part should the more I make of him fall as thou seest the more away Whereunto I made answere Sir for to giue resolution to this your question it will be needfull for me to relate vnto you another case like vnto this of a new Christian who had past thorow the hands of the Holy-House or as we commonly call it the Inquisition This man was rich and powerfull liu'd honourably and in a plentifull fashion led a merry life waxed plump and fat had all things neate and handsome about him and tooke much content in the house wherein he dwelt Now it so fell out that one of the Inquisitors came and tooke a house that was the very next doore to his who for no other reason in the world saue only that he wasso neere a neighbour vnto him grewe so meager and so leane thereupon that within a very short time he was brought so lowe and pined so fast away that he was nothing but skinne and bone So that to both these I shall giue Solution by another the like accident which I shall deliuer for truth vnto you and thus it was Muley Almançor who was King of Granada had a great Priuado or principall fauourite of his who was called el Alcayde Buferiz a very wise man punctuall trusty and hauing many other good parts worthy the great loue that his Lord and Master bare vnto him for the which his King lou'd him so dearely as also for the trust and confidence that he had in him for there was not any difficulty in the world which he would not wade thorow so as it might make for his Maiesties seruice And for that those that deserue these kinde of honours are euermore enuy'd by those that are vnworthy of them there were not some wanting who hearing the King speake of his loue and affection towards this his Fauourite said vnto him Sir that your Maiestie may see whether that bee true or no for which you so much commend your Alcayde would you be pleased to make proofe of him in some busines of importance and where in there is some difficultie and then shall you finde whether he be that maner of man that you take him to bee For by the diligence that he shall vse therein your Maiestie shall truly knowe whether his heart be with you or no. The King liked exceeding well of this motion and said I will not only command him in a busines that is difficult but such a one as is impossible to be effected And causing him forth-with to be called in he said vnto him Alcayde I haue a thing to giue you in charge which you must accomplish out of hand vpon paine of my displeasure and the losse of my fauour And this it is I shall deliuer ouer vnto you a good fat Weather which you shall keepe at home in your owne house you shall giue the same allowance of meat as he was wont to haue heretofore and more if more hee will eate and within a Moneth you must returne him back vnto me poore and leane as a rake This poore Moore whose desire was neuer other then to serue his King punctually to performe whatsoeuer hee should bee pleased to cōmaund him how beit he did beleeue that he should neuer be able to bring such an impossibilitie as this to passe was not therewith dismayed a whit but readily and with a cheerfull countenance receiuing the Weather he caused it to be craryed home to his house according as the King had commaunded And there sitting downe and deuising with himselfe how he might bring this busines about and giue satisfaction to his Masters desire hee began to set his wits aworke and at last lighted vpon a strange yet a naturall conceit which he presumed would make much for his purpose and cumply vvith the Kings commaund Hee caused two woodden Cages to bee made out of hand both strongly barr'd and of equall bignesse the which he gaue order should be placed very neere each to other in one of the which he puts me the Weather and in the other hard by him a Wolfe To the Weather he gaue his full allowance but the Wolfe he kept so short that he was still exceeding hungry And being almost famished for want of meate he did labour all that he could thrusting his legges within the grates to reach at the Weather and to try if hee could come at him and eate him The fearefull Weather being much troubled and sorry at the heart to see himselfe so neere his mortall enemy although he did eate that which they gaue him he did thriue so ill with it out of the continuall feare that he was in that he did not only not waxe fat but pin'd away till he was pure skinne and bone By this course that he had taken with him he returned at the time apoynted the Weather back againe to his King not failing in that he was commauned nor falling from his accustomed grace and fauour Now that I may apply this Story to the purpose wee haue in hand It seemeth vnto mee that Fermin is growne leane and feeble by beeing so neere about you and by liuing in that grace and fauour with you as he doth And it is only the feare which he hath of you whom he so much desires to serue that makes him to thriue no better then he