by the Region of fire and I would have uncovered my self a little but my Master of whom I asked leave would not let mee but I that have certaine curious itches and a desire to know what is forbidden mee softly without being perceived drew up the Hankerchiffe that blinded mee a little above my nose and there I saw the earth and mee thoughts it was no bigger then a graine of Mustard-seed and the men that walked upon it somewhat bigger then Hazel-nuts that you may see how high wee were then To this said the Duchesse Take heede friend Sancho what you say for it seemes you saw not the earth but the men that walked on it for it is plaine that if the earth shewed no bigger then a graine of Mustard-seede and every man like a Hazel-nut one man alone would cover the whole earth 'T is true indeede quoth Sancho but I looked on one side of it and saw it all Looke you Sancho quoth the Duchesse one cannot see all of a thing by one side I cannot tell what belongs to your seeing Madam quoth Sancho but you must thinke that since wee flew by Enchantment by Enchantment I might see the whole earth and all the men which way soever I looked and if you beleeve not this neither will you beleeve that uncovering my selfe about my eye-browes I saw my self so neer heaven that betwixt it and mee there was not a handfull and a halfe and I dare swear Madam that 't is a huge thing and it happend that wee went that way where the seven Shee-goat-starrs were and in my soul and conscience I having been a Goat-heard in my youth as soon as I saw them I had a great desire to passe some time with them which had I not done I thought I should have burst Well I come then and I take What doe I doe without giving notice to any body no not to my Master himself fair and softly I lighted from Clavileno and played with the Goats that were like white Violets and such pretty flowers some three quarters of an houre and Clavileno moved not a whit all this while And while Sancho was playing with the Goats all this while quoth the Duke What did Signior Don-Quixote To which quoth Don-Quixote as all these things are quite out of their naturall course 't is not much that Sancho hath said only for me I say I neither perceived my self higher or lower neither saw I Heaven or Earth or Seas or Sands True it is that I perceived I passed thorow the middle Region and came to the fire But to think wee passed from thence I cannot beleeve it for the Region of Fire being between the Moon and Heaven and the latter Region of the Aire wee could not come to Heaven where the seven Goats are that Sancho talks of without burning our selves which since wee did not either Sancho lies or dreams I neither lie nor dream quoth Sancho for ask me the signes of those Goats and by them you shall see whether I tell true or no. Tell them Sancho quoth the Duchesse Two of them quoth Sancho are green two blood-red two blew and one mixt-coloured Here 's a new kinde of Goats quoth the Duke in our Region of the earth wee have no such coloured ones Oh you may bee sure quoth Sancho there 's difference between those and these Tell me Sancho quoth the Duke did you see amongst those Shee s any Hee-Goat An equivocall question for in Spain they use to call Cuckolds Cabrones hee-Goats No Sir quoth Sancho for I heard say that none passed the hornes of the Moon They would ask him no more touching his voyage for it seemed to them that Sancho had a clew to carry him all Heaven over and to tell all that passed there without stirring out of the Garden In conclusion this was the end of the Adventure of the Afflicted Matron that gave occasion of mirth to the Dukes not only for the present but for their whole life time and to Sancho to recount for many ages if hee might live so long But Don-Quixote whispering Sancho in the eare told him Sancho since you will have us beleeve all that you have seen in Heaven I pray beleeve all that I saw in Montesinos Cave and I say no more CHAP. XLII Of the advice that Don-Quixote gave Sancho Pança before hee should goe to govern the Island with other matter well digested THe Dukes were so pleased with the happy and pleasant successe of the Adventure of The Afflicted that they determined to goe on with their jests seeing the fit subject they had to make them passe for earnest so having contrived and given order to their servants and vassals that they should obey Sancho in his Government of the promised Island the next day after the jest of Clavileno's flight the Duke bade Sancho prepare and put himself in order to goe to bee Governour for that now his Islanders did as much desire him as showres in May. Sancho made an obeysance to him and said Since I came down from Heaven and since from on high I beheld the earth and saw it so small I was partly cooled in my desire to bee a Governour for what greatnesse can there bee to command in a grain of Mustard-seed or what dignitie or power to govern half a dozen of men about the bignesse of Hazel-nuts for to my thinking there were no more in all the earth If it would please your Lordship to give me never so little in Heaven though 't were but half a league I would take it more willingly then the biggest Island in the world Look you friend Sancho quoth the Duke I can give no part of Heaven to any body though it bee no bigger then my naile for these favors and graces are only in Gods disposing What is in my power I give you that is an Island right and straight round and well proportioned and extraordinary fertill and aboundant where if you have the Art you may with the riches of the earth hoord up the treasure of Heaven Well then quoth Sancho give us this Island and in spight of Rascalls I 'le goe to Heaven and yet for no covetousnesse to leave my poor Cottage or to get me into any Palaces but for the desire I have to know what kinde of thing it is bee a Governour If once you prove it Sancho quoth the Duke you will bee in love with Governing so sweet a thing it is to command and to bee obeyed I warrant when your Master comes to bee an Emperour for without doubt hee will bee one according as his affairs goe on that hee will not bee drawn from it and it will grieve him to the soul to have been so long otherwise Sir quoth Sancho I suppose 't is good to command though it bee but a head of Cattell Let me live and die with thee Sancho quoth the Duke for thou knowest all and I hope thou wilt bee such a Governour as thy discretion promiseth
another meaning for he approached with intention to punish the wench beleeving that shee was infallibly the cause of all that harmony And so as men say the Cat to the Rat the Rat to the Cord the Cord to the Poste So the Carrier struck Sancho Sancho the wench she returned him again his liberality with interest and the In-keeper laid load upon his maid also And all of them did mince it with such expedition as there was no leisure at all allowed to any one of them for breathing And the best of all was that the Inn-keepers lamp went out and then finding themselves in darknesse they belaboured one another so without compassion and at once as wheresoever the blow fell it bruised the place pittifully There lodged by chance that night in the Inn one of the Squadron of these which are called of the old Holy Brotherhood of Toledo The Holy Brotherhood or the Sancta Hermandad are a certain number of men whose chief office is to free the High-way from Robbers he likewise hearing the wonderfull noyse of the fight laid hand on his Rod of Office and the tinn box of his Titles and entred into the chamber without light saying Stand still to the Officer of Justice and to the Holy Brotherhood And saying so the first whom he met was the poor battered Don-Quixote who lay overthrown in his Bed stretched with his face upward without any felling and taking hold of his beard he cryed out incessantly Help the Justice But seeing that he whom he held fast bowed neither hand or foot he presently thought that he was dead and that those battaillants that fought so eagerly in the Room had slain him wherefore he lifted his voyce and cryed out loudly saying Shut the Inn door and see that none escape for here they have kil'd a man This word Astonished all the Combattants so much as every one left the Battail in the very terms wherein this voyce had overtaken them The Inn-keeper retyred himself to his Chamber the Carrier to his Coverlets the Wench to her Couch and only the unfortunate Don-Quixote and Sancho were not able to move themselves from the place wherein they lay The Officer of the Holy Brotherhood in this space letting slip poor Don-Quixotes beard went out for light to search and apprehend the Delinquents but he could not finde any For the Inn-keeper had purposely quenched the Lamp as he retyred to his Bed wherefore the Officer was constrained to repair to the chimney where with great difficulty after he had spent a long while doing of it he at last lighted a Candle CHAP. III. Wherein are rehearsed the innumerable Misfortunes which Don-Quixote and his good Squire Sancho suffered in the Inn which hee to his harm thought to be a Castle BY this time Don-Quixote was come to himself again out of his Trance and with the like lamentable note as that wherewithall he had called his Squire the day before when he was overthrown in the vale of the Pack-staves he called to him saying Friend Sancho art thou a sleep sleepest thou friend Sancho What I a sleep I renounce my self quoth Sancho full of grief and despight if I think not all the Devills in Hell have been visiting of me here this night â— Thou mayest certainly believe it replyed Don-Quixote for either I know very little or else this Castle is Inchanted For I let thee to wit but thou must first swear to keep secret that which I mean to tell thee now untill after my death So I swear quoth Sancho I say it quoth Don-Quixote because I cannot abide to take away any bodies honour Why quoth Sancho again I swear that I will conceale it untill after your Worships dayes and I pray God that I may discover it to morrow Have I wrought thee such harm Sancho replyed the Knight as thou wouldest desire to see me end so soon It is not for that Sir quoth Sancho but because I cannot abide to keep things long lest they should rott in my custody Let it be for what thou pleasest said Don-Quixote for I doe trust greater matters then that to thy love and courtesie And that I may rehearse it unto thee briefly know that a little while since the Lord of this Castles daughter came unto me who is the most fair and beautifull Damzell that can be found in a great part of the earth what could I say unto thee of the ornaments of her person what of her excellent wit what of other secret things which that I may preserve the faith due unto my Lady Dulcinea of Toboso I passe over in silence I will only tell thee that Heaven envious of the inestimable good that fortune had put in my hands Or perhaps and that is most probable this Castle as I have said is Inchanted just at the time when we were in most sweet and amorous speech I being not able to see or know from whence it came there arrived a hand joyned to the arm of some mighty Gyant and gave me such a blow on the jawes as they remain all bathed in blood and did after so thump and bruise me as I feel my self worse now then yesterday when the Carriers through Rozinantes madnesse did use us thou knowest how By which I conjecture that the treasure of this Damzels beauty is kept by some Inchanted Moor and is not reserved for me Nor for me quoth Sancho for I have been bumbasted by more then four hundred Moors which have hammer need in such sort as the bruising of the Pack-staves was gilded bread and spice cakes in comparison of it But Sir I pray you tell me How can you call this a good and rare Adventure seeing we remain so pittifully used after it And yet your harms may be accounted lesse in respect you have held as you said that incomparable beauty between your arms But I what have I had other then the greatest blows that I shall ever have in my life Unfortunate that I am and the Mother that bare me that neither am a errant Knight nor ever means to be any and yet the greatest part of our mishaps still falls to my lot It seems that thou wast likewise beaten replyed Don-Quixote Evill befall my linage quoth Sancho have not I told you I was Be not grieved Friend replyed the Knight for I will now compound the precious Balsamum which will cure us in the twinkling of an eye The Officer having by this time alighted his Lamp entred into the Room to see him whom he accounted to be dead and as soon as Sancho saw him seeing him come in in his shirt his head lapt up in a kerchiff the lamp in his hand having withall a very evill-favoured countenance he demanded of his Lord Sir is this by chance the Inchanted Moor that turns anew to torment us for somewhat that is yet unpunished He cannot be the Moor answered Don-Quixote for Nigromancers suffer not themselves to be seen by any If they suffer not themselves to
of Camila's answers and his own speech were but fictions and untruths and that hee might the more confirm himself and see whether it were so hee came forth and calling Lothario apart hee demanded of him what Camila had said and in what humour shee was at the present Lothario answered That hee meant not ever any more to found her in that matter for shee replyed unto him so untowardly and sharply as hee durst not attempt any more to speak unto her of such things Oh quoth Anselmo Lothario Lothario how evill doest thou answer to the affection thou owest me or to the confidence I did repose in thee I have stood beholding thee all this while thorow the hole of that lock and saw how thou never spokest one word to her Whereby I doe also collect that thou hast not yet once accosted her and if it bee so as doubtlesly it is say why doest thou deceive me or why goest thou about fraudulently to deprive me of those means whereby I may obtain my desires Anselmo said no more yet what he said was sufficient to make Lothario confused and ashamed who taking it to bee a blemish to his reputation to bee found in a lye swore to Anselmo That hee would from thence forward so indeavour to please his minde and tell him no more leasings as hee himself might perceive the successe thereof if hee did again curiously lye in watch for him a thing which hee might well excuse because him most serious labour to satisfie his desire should remove all shadow of suspicion Anselmo believed him and that hee might give him the greater commoditie and lesse occasion of fear hee resolved to absent himself from his house some eight dayes and goe to visit a friend of his that dwelled in a Village not far from the Cittie and therefore dealt with his friend that hee should send a Messenger to call for him very earnestly that under that pretext hee might finde an excuse to Camila for his departure O infortunate and inconsiderate Anselmo what is that which thou doest what doest thou contrive or what is that thou goest about behold thou workest thine own ruine laying plots of thine own dishonour and giving order to thy proper perdition Thy wife Camila is good thou doest possesse her in quiet and peaceable manner no man surpriseth thy delights her thoughts transgresse not the limits of her house Thou art her Heaven on earth and the goale to which her desires aspire Thou art the accomplishment and summe of her delectation Thou art the Square by which shee measureth and directeth her will adjusting wholy with thine and with that of Heaven Since then the Mines of her Honour Beautie Modestie and Recollection bountifully afford thee without any toyle all the treasures contained in them or thou canst desire why wouldest thou dig the earth and seek out new vains and new seen treasures exposing thy self to the danger that thy labours may turn to wrack seeing in fine that they are only susteined by the weak supporters of her fraile nature Remember how he that seeks the impossible may justly be refused of that which is possible according to that which the Poet saith IN Death for Life I seeke Health in infirmitie For issue in a Dungâ—on deep In Iayles for Libertie And in a Treachour Loyalty But envious-Fate which still Conspires to worke mine ill With Heav'n hath thus decreed That easie things should be to mee deni'd â—Cause I crave th'impossible Anselmo departed the next day following to the Village telling Camila at his departure that whil'st hee were absent his friend Lothario would come and see to the affaires of his house and to eate with her and desired her therefore to make as much of him as shee would doe of his owne person Camila like a discreet and modest woman was grieved at the order her husband did give to her and requested him to render how indecent it was that any one should possesse the chayre of his Table hee being absent and if hee did it as doubting her sufficiency to manage his houshould affaires that at least hee should make tryall of her that one time and should cleerly perceive how shee was able to discharge matters of far greater consequence Anselmo replyed that what hee commanded was his pleasure and therefore shee had nothing else to doe but hold downe her head and obey it Camila answered that shee would doe so although it were very much against her will In fine her husband departed and Lothario came the next day following to the house where hee was entertayned by Camila very friendly but would never treate with Lothario alone but evermore was compassed by her servants and waiting Maidens but chiefly by one called Leonela whom shee loved deerly as one that had been brought up with her in her fathers house even from their infancie and when shee did marry Anselmo shee brought her from thence in her company The first three dayes Lothario spoke not a word although hee might when the Tables were taken up and that the folke of the house went hastily to dinner for so Camila had commanded and did give Leonela order besides to dine before her selfe and that shee should still keepe by her side but the gyrle which had her fancie otherwise imployed in things more pleasing her humor and needed those houres and times for the accomplishing of them did not alwaies accomplish so punctually her Ladies command but now and then would leave her alone as if that were her Ladies behest But the honest presence of Camila the gravitie of her face and the modestie of her carriage was such that it served as a bridle to restraine Lotharioes tongue But the benefit of Camilaes many virtues seting silence to Lotharioes speech resulted afterward to both their harmes for though the tongue spoke not yet did his thoughts discourse and had leisure afforded them to contemplate part by part all the extremes of worth and beautie that were cumulated in Camila potent to enflame a statue of frozen Marble how much more a heart of flesh Lothario did only behold her in the time and space hee should speake unto her and did then consider how worthy shee was to be loved And this consideration did by little and little give assaults to the respects which hee ought to have borne towards his friend Anselmo a thousand times did hee determine to absent himselfe from the Citie and goe where Anselmo should never see him nor hee Camila but the delight hee tooke in beholding her did again withhold and hinder his resolutions When hee was alone hee would condemn himselfe of his madd designe and term himselfe a bad friend and worse Christian hee made discourses and comparisons betweene himselfe and Anselmo all which did finish in this point that Anselmoes foole-hardinesse anâ— madnesse was greater then his owne infidelitie and that if hee might bee as asily excused before God for that hee meant to doe as hee would bee befor men hee needed
and are not distant from his body the length of a Lance and seeing that if he slipt ever so little aside he should fall into the deepes doth yet neverthelesse with undaunted heart borne away on the wings of honour which spurreth him onward oppose himself as a worke to all their shot and strives to passe by that so narrow a way into the enemies vessell And what is most to bee admired is to behold how scarce is one falne into that place from whence hee shall never after arise untill the worlds end when another takes possession of the same place and if hee doe likewise tumble into the Sea which gapes like an enemy for him also another and another will succeed unto him without giving any respite to the times of their death valour and boldnesse which is the greatest that may bee found among all the trances of war-fare Those blessed ages were fortunate which wanted the dreadfull furie of the devillish and murdering Peeces of Ordnance to whose inventor I am verily perswaded that they render in hell an eternal guerdon for his Diabolicall invention by which hee hath given power to an infamous base vile and dastardly arme to bereave the most valorous Knight of life and that without knowing how or from whence in the midst of the stomack and courage that inflames and animates valorous mindes there arives a wandring bullet shot off perhaps by him that was afraid and fled at the very blaze of the powder as he discharged the accursed Engine and cuts off and finisheth in a moment the thoughts and life of him who merited to enjoy it many ages And whilest I consider this I am about to say That it grieves mee to have ever undertaken the exercise of a Knight Errant in this our detestable age for although no danger can affright mee yet notwithstanding I live in jealousie to thinke how powder and Lead might deprive mee of the Power to make my self famous and renowned by the strength of mine Arme and the edge of my Sword throughout the face of the Earth But let Heaven dispose as it pleaseth for so much the more shall I bee esteemed if I can compasse my pretentions by how much the dangers were greater to which I opposed my self then those aâ—chieved in foregoing times by Knights Adventurous Don-Quixote made all this prolixe Speech whilest the rest of his Companie did eate wholly forgetting to taste one bit although Sancho Panca did now and then put him in remembrance of his Victuales saying That hee should have leisure enough after to speak as much as he could desire In those that heard was again renewed a kind of compassion to see a man of so good a wit as hee seemed to bee and of so good discourse in all the other matters which hee took in hand to remain so cleerly devoid of it when any occasion of speech were offered treating of his accursed Chivalrie The Curate applauded his discourse affirming that hee produced very good reasons for all that hee had spoken in the favour of Armes and that hee himself although hee was learned and Graduated was likewise of his opinion The Beaver being ended and the Table-clothes taken away whilest Maritornes did help her Mistrisâ—e and her Daughter to make ready the Room where Don-Quixote had slept for the Gentlewomen wherein they alone might retire themselves that night Don Fernando intreated the Captive to recount unto them the History of his life for as much as hee suspected that it must have been rare and delightfull as he gathered by the tokens hee gave by coming into the lovely Zoraida's company To which the Captive replyed That hee would accomplish his desire with a very good will and that only hee feared that the discourse would not prove so savory as they expected But yet for all that hee would tell it because hee would not disobey him The Curate and all the rest thanked him for his promise and turned to request him again to beginne his discourse and hee perceiving so many to sollicite him said That prayers were not requisite when commandements were of force and therefore I desire you quoth hee to bee attentive and you shall hear a true discourse to which perhaps no feigned invention may bee compared for variety or delight The rest animated by these his words did accommodate themselves with very great silence and hee beholding their silence and expectation of his Historie with a modest and pleasing voyce began in this manner CHAP. XII Wherein the Captive recounteth his Life and other Accidents IN a certain Village of the Mountains of Lion my linage had beginning wherewithall Nature dealt much more liberally then Fortune although my Father had the opinion amid'st the penury and poverty of that People to bee a rich man as indeed hee might have been had hee but used as much care to hoord up his wealth as prodigalitie to spend it And this his liberall disposition proceeded from his being a Souldier in his youthfull yeers for War is the School wherein the Miser is made Frank and the Frank man Prodigall and if among Souldiers wee finde some Wretches and Niggards they are accounted Monsters which are seldome seen My Father passed the bounds of Liberalitie and touched very neerly the confines of Prodigalitie a thing nothing profitable for a married man who had children that should succeed him in his name and being My Father had three Sonnes all men and of yeers sufficient to make an election of the state of life they meaned to leade wherefore hee perceiving as hee himself was wont to say that hee could not bridle his nature in that condition of spending he resolved to deprive himself of the instrument and cause which made him such a spender and so liberall to wit of his Goods without which Alexander the great himself would bee accounted a Miser and therefore calling us all three together on a day into his Chamber hee used these or such like reasons to us Sonnes to affirm that I love you well may bee presumed seeing I terme you my Sonnes and yet it may bee suspected that I hate you seeing I doe not govern my self so well as I might in the Husbanding and increasing of your stock But to the end that you may hence forth perceive that I affect you with a Fatherly love and that I mean not to overthrow you like a step-Father I will doe one thing to you which I have pondered and with mature deliberation purposed these many dayes You are all of age to accept an estate or at least to make choice of some such exercise as may turn to your honour and profit at riper yeers and therefore that which I have thought upon is to divide my goods into four parts the three I will bestow upon you to every one that which appertains to him without exceeding a jot and I my self will reserve the fourth to live and maintain me with as long as it shall please Heaven to lend me breath
aloud said Oh my Cousin Montesinos the last thing that I requested you when I was dying and my soule departing was That you would carry my heart to Belerma taking it out of my bosome either with ponyard or dagger which when the venerable Montesinos heard hee kneeled before the greeved Knight and with teares in his eyes said Long since Oh Durandarte long since my dearest Cousin I did what you en-joyn'd mee in that bitter day of our losse I tooke your heart as well as I could without leaving the least part of it in your brest I wiped it with a laced handkerchiefe and posted with it towards France having first layd you in the bosome of the earth with so many teares as was sufficient to wash my hands or to wipe off the bloud from them which I had gotten by stirring them in your entrailes and for more assurance that I did it my dearest Cousin at the first place I came to from Roncesualle I cast salt upon your heart that it might not stinke and might bee fresh and embalmed when it should come to the presence of the Lady Belerma who with you and mee Guadiana your Squire the waiting-woman Ruydera and her seven Daughters and her two Neeces and many other of your acquaintances and friends have beene enchanted heere by Merlin that Wizard long since and though it bee above five hundred yeeres agoe yet none of us is dead only Ruydera her Daughters and Neeces are wanting whom by reason of their lamentation Merlin that had compassion on them turned them into so many Lakes now living in the world and in the Province of Mancha they are called the Lakes of Ruydera seven belong to the Kings of Spaine and the two Neeces to the Knights of the most holy Order of Saint Iohn Guadiana your Squire wailing in like manner this mis-hap was turned into a River that bore his owne name who when hee came to the superficies of the earth and saw the Sun in another heaven such was his griefe to have left you that hee straight plunged himselfe into the entrailes of the earth but as it is not possible for him to leave his naturall Current sometimes hee appeares and shewes himselfe where the Sunne and men may see him The aforesaide Lakes do minister their waters to him with which and many others hee enters Portugall in pompe but which way so-ere hee goes hee shewes his sorrow and melancholy and contemnes the breeding of dainty fish in his waters and such as are esteemed but only muddie and unsavorie farre differing from those of golden Tagus and what I now tell you Cousin mine I have told you often and since you answer mee nothing I imagine you eyther beleeve mee not or not heare mee for which God knowes I am heartily sorry One newes I will let you know which though perhaps it may not any way lighten your griefe yet it will no way increase it Know that you have here in your presence open your eyes and you shall see him that famous Knight of whom Merlin prophesied such great matters that Don-Quixote de la Mancha I say that now newly and more happily then former Ages hath raised the long forgotten Knight Errantry by whose meanes and favour it may bee that wee also may bee dis-inchanted for great exploits are reserved for great Personages And if it be otherwise answered the grieved Durandarte with a faint and low voyce if it bee otherwise oh Cousin I say Patience and shuffle Patiencia ybaraiar A Metaphor taken from Card-players who when they lose cry to the dealer Patience and shuffle the Cards and turning on one side hee returned to his accustomed silence without speaking one word By this wee heard great howling and moane accompanied with deepe sighes and short-breath'd accents I turned mee about and saw that in another roome there came passing by the Christall waters a procession of a company of most beautifull Damzels in two rankes all clad in mourning with Turbants upon their heads after the Turkish fashion at last and in the end of the rankes there came a Lady who by her majesty appear'd so clothed in like manner in blacke with a white dressing on her head so large that it kissed the very ground Her Turbant was twice as bigg as the bigest of the rest shee was somewhat beetle-brow'd flat-nosed wide mouth'd but red lipped her teeth for sometimes shee discovered them seemed to bee thin and not very well placed though they were as white as blanch'd Almonds in her hand shee carried a fine cloth and within it as might be perceived a mommied Heart by reason of the dry embalming of it Montesinos told me that all those in that procession were servants to Durandarte and Belerma that were there enchanted with their Masters and that shee that came last with the linnen cloth and the heart in her hand was the Lady Belerma who together with her Damzels four dayes in the week did make that procession singing or to say truer howling their Dirges over the body and grieved heart of his Cousin and if now shee appeared somewhat foul to me or not so fair as Fame hath given out the cause was her bad nights but worse dayes that shee indured in that enchantment as I might see by her deep-sunk eyes and her broken complexion and her monethly disease is not the cause of these an ordinary thing in women for it is many moneths since and many yeers that shee hath not had it not known what it is but the grief that shee hath in her own heart for that shee carries in her hand continually which renews and brings to her remembrance the unfortunatenesse of her lucklesse Lover for if it were not for this scarce would the famous Dulcinea del Toboso equall her in Beauty Wit or livelinesse that is so famous in the Mancha and all the world over Not too fast then said I Signior Don Montesinos on with your story as befits for you know all comparisons are odious and so leave your comparing the peerlesse Dulcinea del Toboso is what shee is and the Lady Belerma is what shee is and hath been and let this suffice To which hee answered Pardon me Signior Don-Quixote for I confesse I did ill and not well to say the Lady Dulcinea would scarce equall the Lady Belerma since it had beene sufficient that I understood I know not by what ayme that you are her Knight enough to have made mee bite my Tongue before I had compared her with any thing but Heaven it selfe With this satisfaction that Montesinos gave mee my heart was free from that sodaine passion I had to heare my Mistresse compared to Belerma And I marvell said Sancho that you got not to the old Carl aud bang'd his bones and pul'd his beard without leaving him a haire in it No friend Sancho said hee it was not fit for mee to doe so for we are all bound to reverence our Elders although they bee no Knights
tended that confession which hee exacted of them and therefore one of them who was somewhat given to gibing and was withall very discreet said unto him Sir Knight wee doe not know that good Lady of whom you speake shew her therefore to us and if shee bee so beautifull as you affirm wee will willingly and without any compulsion confesse the truth which you now demand of us If I did shew her to you replied Don-Quixote what masterie were it then for you to acknowledge a truth so notorious The consequence of mine affaires consists in this that without beholding her you doe beleeve confesse affirm sweare and defend it which if you refuse to perform I challenge you all to Battell proud and unreasonable folke and whether you come one by one as the order of Knighthood requires or all at once as is the custome and dishonorable practise of men of your broode here will I expect and await you all trusting in the reason which I have on my side Sir Knight replied the Merchant I request you in all these Princes names as many as wee bee here that to the end wee may not burthen our Consciences confessing a thing which wee never beheld nor heard and chiefly being so prejudiciall to the Empresses and Queenes of the Kingdomes of Alcarria and Estremadura you will please to shew us some portraiture of that Lady although it be no biger then a grain of Wheat for by one threed we may judge of the whole olew and we will with this favor rest secure and satisfied and you likewise remain content and appaid And I doe believe moreover that we are already so inclined to your side that although her picture shewed her to bee blinde of the one eye and at the other that she ran fire and brimstone yet would we notwithstanding to please you say in her favour all that you listed There drops not base Scoundrels quoth Don-Quixote all inflamed with choller there drops not I say from her that which thou say'st but Amber and Civet among bombase and she is not blinde of an eye or crook-back'd but is straighter then a spindle of Guadaramaâ— but all of you together shall pay for the great blasphemy thou hast spoken against so immense a beauty as is that of my Mistrisse And saying so he abased his Laâ—â—ce against him that had answered with such furie and anger as if good fortune had not so ordained it that Rozinante should stumble and fall in the mid'st of the Carriere it had gone very ill with the bold Merchant Rozinante fell in fine and his Master reeled over a good peece of the field and though hee attempted to rise yet was he never able he was so encombred by his Launce Target Spâ—â— Helmet and his weighty old Aâ—â—ur And in the mean while that he strived to arise and could not he cried Flie not cowardly Folk abide base people abide for I lye not here through mine own fault but through the defect of my horse One of the Lacquies that came in the company and seemed to be a man of none of the best intentions hearing the poor overthrown Knight speak such insolent words could not forbear them without returning him an answer on his ribbs and with that intention approaching to him he took his Launce and after he had broken it in peeces he gave Don Quixote so many blows with one of them that in despite of his Armor he threshed him sike a sheaâ— of Wheat His Masters cried to him commanding him not to beat him so much but that he should leave him But all would not serve for the youth was angry and would not leave off the play until he had avoyded the rest of his â—holer And therefore running for the other peeces of the broken Launce he broak them all on the miserable fallen Knight who for all the tempest of blows that rained on him did never shut his mouth but threatned heaven and earth and those Malanâ—rines Murtherers for such they seemed to him The Lacquie tyred himselfâ— last and the Merchants followed on their way carrying with them occasion enough of talk of the poor belaboured Knight who when he saw himself alone turned again to make tryall whether he might arise but if he could not doe it when he was whole and sound how was it possible he being so bruised and almost destroyed And yet he accounted himself very happie preswading himself that his disgrace was proper and incident to Knights Errant and did attribute all to the fault of his horse and could in no wise get up all his body was so Bramado bruised and loaden with blows CHAP. V. Wherein is prosecuted the former Narration of our Knights misfortunes BUt seeing in effect that he could not stir himself he resolved to have recourse to his ordinary remedy which was to think on some passage of his Histories and in the instant his folly presented to his memory that of Valdovinos and the Marquesse of Mantua then when Carloto had left him wounded in the Mountain A History known by children not hidden to youg men much celebrated yea and believed by many old men and is yet for all that no more authenticall then are Mahomets Miracles This History as it seemed to him was most fit for the trance wherein he was and therefore he began with signes of great pain to tumble up and down and pronounce with a languishing breath the same that they feign the wounded Knight to have said in the wood Where art thou Lady deer that griev'st not at my smart Or thou do'st it not know or thou disloyall art And after this manner he did prosecute the old song untill these verses that say O noble Marquesse of Mantua my carnall Lord and Vncle. And it befell by chance that at the very same time there past by the place where he lay a man of his own Village who was his neighbour and returned after having carried a loaf of wheat to the Mill who beholding a man stretched on the ground he came over to him and demanded what hee was and what was it that caused him to complain so dolefully Don-Quixote did verily belive that it was his Uncle the Marquesse of Mantua and so gave him no other answer but only followed on in the repetition of his old Romance wherein he gave him account of his misfortune and of the love the Emperours son bore to his Spouse all in the very same manner that the Ballad recounts it The laborer remained much astonished hearing those follies And taking off his Vizard which with the Lacquies blows was broken all to peeces he wiped his face that was full of dustâ— and scarce had he done it when he knew him to whom he said Master Quixada for so he was probably called when he had his wits before he left the state of a staid Yeoman to become a wandring Knight who hath used you after this mannner But he continued his Romance answering out of it to every
said already was our dead man of whom it is said that leaving to love her he had at last made her his Idol Nor is it to be thought that because Marcela set her self in that liberty and so loose a life and of so little or no keeping that therefore she hath given the least token or shadow of dishonesty or negligence nay rather such is the watchfullnesse wherewithall shee looks to her honour that among so many as serve and sollicite her not one hath praised or can justly vaunt himself to have received at her hands the least hope that may be to obtain his desires For although she did not flie or shun the company and conversation of Sheepheards and doth use them courteously and friendly whensoever any one of them begin to discover their intention be it ever so just and holy as that of Matrimony shee casts them away from her as with a sling And with this manner of proceeding shee does more harme in this Countrey then if the Plague had entred into it by her meanes for her affability and beauty doth draw to it the hearts of those which doe serve and love her But her disdaine and resolution doe conduct them to termes of desparation and so they know not what to say unto her but to call her with a loud voyce cruell and ungratefull with other titles like unto this which doe cleerely manifest the nature of her condition and Sir if you staid here but a few daies you should heare these Mountaines resound with the lamentations of those wretches that follow her There is a certain place not far off wherein are about two dozen of Beech-trees and there is not any one of them in whose rinde is not ingraven Marcelas name and over some names graven also a crowne in the same tree as if her lover would plainly denote that Marcela beares it away and deserves the Garland of all humane beauty Here sighs one Sheepheard there another complaines in another place are heard amorous ditties here in another dolefull and despayring laments Some one there is that passeth over all the whol houres of the night at the foot of an Oake or Rock and there without folding once his weeping eyes swallowed and transported by his thoughts the Sunne findes him there in the morning and some other there is who without giving wade or truce to his sighes doth amidst the fervor of the most fastidious heate of the Summer stretcht upon the burning sand breathe his pittifull complaints to Heaven and of this and of him and of those and these the beautifull Marcela doth indifferently and quietly triumph all we that know her doe await to see wherein this her loftinesse will finish or who shall be so happy as to gain dominion over so terrible a condition and enjoy so peerlesse a beauty And because all that I have recounted is so notorious a truth it make me more easily believe that our companion hath told that is said of the occasion of Chrisostome's death and therefore I doe counsell you Sir that you doe not omit to be present to morrow at his buriall which will be worthy the seeing for Chrisostome hath many friends and the place wherein he commanded himself to bee buried is not half a league from hence I doe mean to be there said Don-Quixote and doe render thee many thanks for the delight thou hast given me by the relation of so pleasant a History O quoth the Goat-Heard I doe not yet know the half of the Adventures succeeded to Marcela's lovers but peradventure wee may meet some Sheepheard on the way to morrow that will tell them unto us And for the present you will doe well to goe take your rest under some roof for the air might hurt your wound although the Medicine be such that I have applied to it that any contrary accidents needs not much to be feared Sancho Panca being wholy out of patience with the Goat-Heards long discourse did sollicite for his part his Master so effectually as he brought him at last into Peters Cabin to take his rest for that night whereinto after he had entred he bestowed the remnant of the might in remembrances of his Lady Dulcinea in imitation of Marcelaes Lovers Sancho Panca did lay himself down between Rozinante and his Asse and slept it out not like a disfavored Lover but like a man stamped and bruised with tramplings CHAP. V. Wherein is finished the History of the Sheepheardesse Marcela with other accidents BUT scarce had the day begun to discover it self by the Orientall windows when five of the six Goat-heards arising went to awake Don-Quixote and demanded of him whether he yet intended to goe to Chrisostome's Buriall and that they would accompany him Don-Quixote that desired nothing more got up and commaunded Sancho to saddle and empannell in a trice which he did with great expedition and with the like they all presently began their journey And they had not yet gone a quarter of a league when at the crossing of a path-way they saw six Sheepheards comming towards them apparrelled with black skinns and crowned with Garlands of Cypresse and bitter Enula Campana Every one of them carried in his hand a thick truncheon of Elme There came likewise with them two Gentlemen a horse-back very well furnished for the way with other three Lacquies that attended on them And as soon as they encountred they saluted one another courteously and demanded whether they travelled and knowing that they all went towards the place of the buriall they began their journey together One of the horse-men speaking to his companion said I think Mr. Vivaldo we shall account the time well imployed that we shall stay to see this so famous an entertainment for it cannot chuse but be famous according to the wonderfull things these Sheepheards have recounted unto us as well of the dead Sheepheard as also of the murthering Sheepheardesse It seems so to mee likewise quoth Vivaldo And I say I would not only stay one day but a whole week rather then misse to behold it Don-Quixote demanded of them what they had heard of Marcela and Chrysostome The Traveller answered That they had encountred that morning with those Sheepheards and that by reason they had seen them apparrelled in that mournfull attire they demanded of them the occasion thereof and one of them rehearsed it recounting the strangenesse and beauty of a certain Sheepheardesse called Marcela and the amorous pursuits of her by many with the death of that Chrysostome to whose buriall they rode Finally he told all that again to him that Peter had told the night before This discourse thus ended another began and was that he who was called Vivaldo demanded of Don-Quixote the occasion that moved him to travell thus armed through so peaceable a countrey To whom Don-Quixote answered the profession of my exercise doth not license or permit me to doe other Good dayes cockering and ease were invented for soft Courtiers but Travell Unrest and
Arms were only invented and made for those which the world terms Knights Errant of which number I my self although unworthy am one and the least of all Scarce had they heard him say this when they all held him to be wood And to find out the truth better Viualdo did ask him again what meant the word Knights Errant Have you not read then quoth Don-Quixote the Histories and Annals of England wherein are treated the famous acts of King Arthur whom we continually call in our Castilian Romance King Artus of whom it is an ancient and common tradition in the Kingdome of Great Brittain that he never dyed but that he was turned by art of Inchantment into a Crow and that in processe of time he shall return again to raign and recover his Scepter and Kingdom For which reason it cannot be proved that ever since that time untill this any English man hath killed a Crow In this good Kings time was first instituted the famous order of Knighthood of the Knights of the Round Table and the love that is there recounted did in every respect passe as it is laid down between Sir Launcelot du Lake and Queen Genever the honourable Lady Quintaniona being a dealer and privie thereto Whence sprung that so famous a Dittie and so celebrated here in Spain of Never was Knight of Ladies so well served as Launcelot when that hee in Brittain arrived c. with that progresse so sweet and delightfull of his amorous and valiant Acts And from that time forward the Order of Knight went from hand to hand dilating and spreading it self through many and sundry parts of the World And in it were famous and renowned for their feats of Armes the valiant Amadis of Gaule with all his progenie untill the fifth generation and the valourous Felixmarte of Hircania and the never-duely-praised Tirante the White together with Sir Bevis of Hampton Sir Gay of Warwick Sir Eglemore with diverse others of that Nation and Age. And almost in our dayes we saw and communed and heard of the invincible and valiant Knight Don Belianis of Greece This then good Sirs is to be a Knight Errant and that which I have said is the Order of Chivalry wherein as I have already said I although a sinner have made profession and the same doe I professe that those Knights professed whom I have above mentioned and therefore I travell through these Solitudes and Desarts seeking Adventures with full resolution to offer mine own Arm and Person to the most dangerous that fortune shall present in the aid of weak and needy persons By these reasons of Don-Quixot's the travellers perfectly perceived that he was none of the wisest and knew the kinde of folly wherewithall he was crossed whereat those remained wonderfully admired that by the relation of the others came to understand it and Vivaldo who was very discreete and likewise of a pleasant disposition to the end they might passe over the rest of the way without heavines unto the rock of the buriall which the Sheepheards said was neere at hand he resolved to give him further occasion to passe onward with his follies and therefore said unto him Me thinkes Sir Knight that you have profest one of the most austere professions in the world And I doe constantly hold that even that of the Charterhouse Munkes is not neer so straight It may bee as straight as our profession quoth Don-Quixote but that it should be so necessary for the world I am within the breadth of two fingers to call it in doubt For if we would speak a truth the Souldier that puts in execution his Captains command doth no lesse then the very Captain that commands him Hence I infer That Religious men doe with all peace and quietnesse seek of Heaven the good of the Earth But Souldiers and wee Knights doe put in execution that which they demand defending it with the valour of our Armes and files of our Swords not under any roof but under the wide Heavens made as it were in Summer a mark to the insupportable Sun beams and in Winter to the rage of withering Frosts So that wee are the Ministers of God on earth and the Armes wherewith he executeh here his Justice And as the Affairs of Warr and things thereunto pertaining cannot be put in execution without sweat labour and travell it follows that those which professe warfare take questionlesse greater pain then those which in quiet peace and rest doe pray unto God that he will favour and assist those that need it I mean not therefore to affirm nor doth it once passe through my thought that the state of a Knight Errant is as perfect as that of a retyred religious man but only would infer through that which I my self suffer that it is doubtlesly more laborious more battered hungry thirsty miserable torn and lowsie For the Knights Errant of times past did without all doubt suffer much woe and misery in the discourse of their life And if some of them ascended at last to Empires won by the force of their life And if some of them ascended at last to Empires won by the force of their Arms in good faith it cost them a great part of their sweat and blood And if those which mounted to so high a degree had wanted those inchanters and wise men that assisted them they would have remained much defrauded of their desires and greatly deceived of their hopes I am of the same opinion replyed the Traveller but one thing among many others hath seemed to me very ill in Knights Errant which is when they perceive themselves in any occasion to begin any great and dangerous Adventure in which appears manifest perill of losing their lives they never in the instant of attempting it remember to commend themselves to God as every Christian is bound to doe in like dangers but rather doe it to their Ladies with so great desire and devotion as if they were their Gods a thing which in my opinion smells of gentillisme Sir quoth Don-Quixote they can doe no lesse in any wise and the Knight Errant which did any other would digresse much from his duty For now it is a received use and custome of errant Chivalry that the Knight adventurous who attempting of any great feat of Arms shall have his Lady in place do mildly and amorously turn his eyes towards her as it were by them demanding that she doe favour and protect him in that ambiguous trance which he undertakes and moreover if none doe hear him he is bound to say certain words between his teeth by which he shall with all his heart commend himself to her and of this wee have innumerable examples in Histories Nor is it therefore to be understood that they doe omit to commend themselves to God for they have time and leisure enough to doe it in the progresse of the work For all that replied the Traveller there remains in me yet one scruple which is That
often times as I have read some speech begins between two Knights Errant and from one word to another their choler begins to be inflamed and they to turn their horses and to take up a good piece of the Field and without any more adoe to run as fast as ever they can drive to encounter again and in the midest of their race doe commend themselves to their dames and that which commonly ensues of this encountring is that one of them falls down thrown over the crupper of his horse past through and through by his enemies Launce and it befalls the other that if he had not caught fast of his horse main he had likewise faln And I here cannot perceive how he that is slain had any leisure to commend himself unto God in the discourse of this so accelerate and hasty a work Me thinks it were better that those words which he spent in his race on his Lady were bestowed as they ought and as every Christian is bound to bestow them And the rather because I conjecture that all Knights Errant have not Ladies to whom they may commend themselves for all of them are not amorous That cannot be answered Don-Quixote I say it cannot be that there 's any Knight Errant without a Lady For it is as proper and essentiall to such to be enamoured as to Heaven to have starrs And I dare warrant that no History hath yet been seen wherein is found a Knight Errant without love for by the very reason that he were found without them he would be convinced to be no legitimate Knight but a Bastard and that he entred into the Fortresse of Chivalry not by the Gate but by leaping over the Staccado like a Robber and a Thiefe Yet notwithstanding replied the other I have read if I doe not forget my self that Don Gataor brother to the valourous Amadis du Gaule had never any certain Mistris to whom he might commend himself and yet for all that he was nothing lesse accounted of and was a most valiant and famous Knight To that objection our Don-Quixote answered One Swallow makes not a Summer How much more that I know that the Knight whom you alledge was secretly very much enamoured besides that that his inclination of loving all Ladies well which he thought were fair was a naturall inclination which hee could not govern so well But it is in conclusion sufficiently verified that yet hee had one Lady whom hee crowned Queen of his Will to whom hee did also commend himself very often and secretly for he did not a little glory to be so secret in his Loves Then Sir if it bee of the essence of all Knights errant to bee in love quoth the traveller then may it likewise bee presumed that you are also enamoured seeing that it is annext to the profession And if you doe not prize your selfe to bee as secret as Don Gataor I doe entreate you as earnestly as I may in all this companies name and mine owne that it will please you to tell us the name countrey quality and beauty of your Ladie for I am sure shee would account her self happy to think that all the world doth know shee is beloved and served by so worthy a Knight as is your self Here Don-Quixote breathing forth a deep sigh said I cannot affirm whether my sweet Enemy delight or no that the world know how much shee is beloved or that I serve her Only I dare avouch answering to that which you so courteously demanded that her name is Dulcinea her countrey Toboso a Village of Mancha her calling must bee at least of a Princesse seeing shee is my Queene and Lady her beauty soveraigne for in her are verified and give glorious lustre to all those impossible and Chimericall attributes of beauty that Poets give to their Mistresses that her haires are gold her forehead the Elisian fields her browes the Arkes of Heaven her Eyes Sunnes her cheekes Roses her Lips Currall her Teeth Pearles her neck Alablaster her Bosom Marble Ivory her Hands and her whitenesse Snow and the Parts which modesty conceales from humane sight such as I think and understand that the discreet consideration may prize but never be able to equalize them her linage progeny and pedegree wee desire to know likewise quoth Vivaldo To which Don Quixote answered she is not of the ancient Romane Curcios Cayes or Scipios nor of the moderne Colomnas or Vrsinos nor of the Moncadas or Requesenes of Catalunia and much lesse of the Rebelias and Villanovas of Valencia Palafoxes Nucas Rocabertis Corelias Alagones Vrreas Fozes and Gurreas of Aragon Cerdas Manziquez Mendocas and Guzmanes of Castile Lancasters Palias and Meneses of Portugal but shee is of those of Toboso of the Mancha a linage which though it bee moderne is such as may give a generous beginning to the most noble families of ensuing ages And let none contradict mee in this if it bee not with those conditions that Cerbino put at the foote of Orlandoes Armour To wit Let none from hence presume these Armes to move But hee that with Orlando dares his force to prove Although my linage bee of the Cachopines of Laredo replied the Traveller yet dare I not to compare it with that of Toboso in the Mancha although to speake sinceerely I never heard any mention of that linage you say untill now What quoth Don-Quixote is it possible that you never heard of it till now All the company travelled giving marveilous attention to the reasons of those two and even the very Goatheards and Sheepheards began to perceive the great want of judgement that was in Don-Quixote only Sancho Panca did verily beleeve that all his Masters words were most true as one that knew what hee was from the very time of his byrth But that wherein his belief staggered somwhat was of the beautifull Dulcinea of Toboso for hee had never heard speake in his life before of such a name or Princesse although he had dwelled so many yeers hard by Toboso And as they travelled in these discourses they beheld discending betwixt the clift of two loftie Mountaines to the number of twenty Sheepheards all apparelled in skinnes of black wooll and crowned with Garlands which as they perceived afterward were all of Ewe and Cypresse sixe of them carried a Beere covered with many sorts of flowres and boughs Which one of the Goatheards espying hee said those that come there are they which bring Chrisostom's body and the foote of that Mountain is the place where hee hath commanded them to bury him These words were occasion to make them haste to arive in time which they did just about the instant that the others had said downe the Corps on the ground and foure of them with sharp pickaxes did dig the Grave at the side of a hard Rock The one and the others saluted themselves very courteously and then Don-Quixote and such as came with him began to behold the Beere wherein they saw laid a dead
here present to lend attention unto me for I mean not to spend much timeâ— or words to perswade to the disceet so manifest a truth Heaven as you say hath made me beautifull and that so much that my feature moves you to love almost whether you will or no. And for the affection you shew unto me you say I and you affirm that I ought to love you again I know by the naturall instinct that Iove hath bestowed on me That each fair thing is amiable but I cannot conceive why for the reason of being beloved the partie that is so beloved for her beauty should be bound to love her Lover although he bee foul And seeing that foul things are worthy of hate It is a bad argument to say I love thee because fair and therefore thou must affect me although uncomely But set the case that the beauties occur equall on both sides it follows not therefore that their desires should run one way For all beauties doe not enamour for some doe only delight the sight and subject not the will For if all beauties did enamour and subject together mens wills would ever run confused and straying without being able to make any election for the beautifull subjects being infinite the desires must also perforce be infinite And as I have heard true Love brooks no division and must needs be voluntary and not inforced Which being so as I presume it is why would you have me subject my will forcibly without any other obligation then that that you say you love me If not tell me If heaven had made me foul as it hath made me beautifull Could I justly complain of you because you affected me not How much more seeing you ought to consider that I did not chuse the beauty I have for such as it is heaven bestow'd it gratis without my demanding or electing it And even as the Viper deserves no blame for the poyson she carries although therewithall she kill seeing it was bestowed on her by nature So doe I as little merit to be reprehended because beautifull for beauty in an honest woman is like fire a far off or a sharp edged Sword for neither that burns nor this cuts any but such as come neer them Honour and Virtues are the ornaments of the Soul without which the fairest body is not to be esteemed such And if that honesty be one of the virtues that adorneth and beautifieth most the body and Soul Why should shee that is beloved because fair adventure the losse thereof to answer his intention which only for his pleasures sake labours that she may lose it with all his force and industry I was born free and because I might live freely I made election of the solitude of the Fields The Trees of these mountains are my companions the cleer water of these streams my mirrours With the Trees and Waters I communicate my thoughts and beauty I am a parted Fire and a Sword laid aloofe Those whom I have enamoured with my sight I have undeceived with my words And if desires be susteined by hopes I never having given any to Chrisostome or to any other it may well be said that he was rather slain by his own obstinacy then by my cruelty And if I be charged that his thoughts were honest and that I was therefore oblieged to answer unto them I say that when in that very place where you make his Sepulchre he first broak his minde unto mee I told him that mine intention was to live in perpetuall solitude and that only the earth should gather the fruits of my solitarinesse and the spoyles of my beauty And if he would after this my resolution persist obstinately without all hope and against the winde what wonder is it that he should be drowned in the mid'st of the Gulf of his rashnesse If I had entertained him then were I false If I had pleased him then should I doe against my better purposes and projects He strived being perswaded to the contrary He dispaired e're he was hated See then if it be reason that I bear the blame of his torment Let him complain who hath been deceived Let him dispair to whom his promised hopes have failed Let him confesse it whom I shall ever call Let him vaunt whom I shall admit But let him not call me cruell or an homicide whom I never promised deceived called or admitted Heaven hath not yet ordeined that I should Love by destiny and to think that I will doe it by election may be excused And let this generall caveat serve every one of those which sollicite me for his particular benefit And let it he known that if any shall hereafter dye for my Love that he dies not jealous or unfortunate For whosoever loves not any breeds not in reason jealousie in any nor should any resolutions to any be accounted disdaynings He that calls me a Savage and Basilisk let him shun me as a hurtfull and prejudiciall thing He that calls me ungratefull let him not serve me Hee that 's strange let him not know me He that 's cruell let him not follow me For this Savage this Basilisk this Ingrate this Cruell and Strange one will neither seek serve know or pursue any of them For if Crisostomes impatience and headlong desire slew him why should mine honest proceeding and care be inculped therewithall If I preserve mine integrity in the society of these Trees why would any desire me to lose it seeing every one covets to have the like himself to converse the better among men I have as you all know riches enough of mine own and therefore doe not covet other mens I have a free condition and I doe not please to subject me Neither doe I love or hate any I doe not deceive this man or sollicite that other Nor doe I jest with one passe the time with another The honest conversation of the Pastoraes of these Villages and the care of my Goats doe entertain me My desires are limited by these Mountains and if they doe issue from hence it is to contemplate the beauty of Heaven steps wherewithall the Soul travells toward her first dwelling And ending here without desiring to hear any answer she turned her back and entred into the thickest part of the wood that was there at hand leaving all those that were presently marvellously admired at her beauty discretion Some of the Sheepheards present that were wounded by the powerfull beams of her beautifull eyes made profer to pursue her without reaping any profit out of her manifest resolution made there in their hearing which Don-Quixote noting and thinking that the use of this Chivalry did jump fitly with that occasion by succouring distressed Damzels laying hand on the pommell of his sword he said in loud and intelligible words Let no person of whatsoever state or condition he be presume to follow the fair Marcela under pain of falling into my furious indignation Shee hath shewn by cleer and sufficient
brethren that although they punish you for your faults yet that the paines you goe to suffer doe not very well please you and that you march toward them with a very ill will and wholy constrained and that perhaps the little courage this fellow had on the Rack the want of money that the other had the small favour that a third enjoyed and finally the wrested Sentence of the Judge and the not executing that Justice that was on your sides have beene cause of your miserie All which doth present it selfe to my memory in such sort as it perswadeth yea and inforceth me to effect that for you for which heaven sent me into the world and made me professe that Order of Knighthood which I follow and that vow which I made therein to favour and assist the needfull and those that are oppressed by others more potent But for as much as I know that it is one of the parts of prudence not to doe that by foul means which may be accomplished by fair I will intreat those Gentlemen your Guardians and Commissary they will please to loose and let you depart peaceably for there will not want others to serve the King in better occasions for it seems to me a rigorous manner of proceeding to make Slaves of them whom God and nature created free How much more good Sits of the guard added Don-Quixote seeing these poor men have never committed any offence against you let them answer for their sinns in the other world there is a God in heaven who is not negligent in punishing the evill nor rewarding the good And it is no wise decent that honourable men should bee the executioners of other men seeing they cannot gain or lose much thereby I demand this of you in this peaceable quiet manner to the end that if you accomplish my request I may have occasion to yeeld you thanks and if you will not doe it willingly then shall this Launce and this Sword guided by the invincible valour of mine arme force you to it This is a pleasant doting answered the Commissary and an excellent jest wherewithall you have finished your large reasoning Would you good Sir Knight have us leave unto you those the King forceth as if wee had authority to let them goe or you to command us to doe it Goe on your way in a good hour gentle Sir and settle the Bason you bear on your head somewhat righter and search not thus whether the Cat hath three feet Thou art a Cat and a Rat and a Knave quoth Don-Quixote And so with word and deed at once hee assaulted him so suddainly as without giving him leisure to defend himself hee struck him down to the earth very sore wounded with a blow of his Launce and as fortune would this was hee that had the fire-lock piece the rest of the guard remained astonished at the unexpected accident but at last returning to themselves the horse-men set hand to their swords and the foot-men to their darts and all of them set upon Don-Quixote who expected them very quietly And doubtlesly hee would have been in great danger if the Slaves perceiving the occasion offered to bee so fit to recover liberty had not procured it by breaking the chain wherein they were linked The Hurliburly was such as the guards now began to runne to hinder the Slaves from untying themselves now to offend Don-Quixote who assaulted them so that they could doe nothing available to keep their Prisoners Sancho for his part holp to lose Gines of Passamonte who was the first that leaped free into the field without clog and setting upon the overthrown Commissary he disarmed him of his sword and piece and now ayming at the one and then at the other with it without discharging made all the guards to abandon the field as well for feare of Passamontes piece as also to shun the marvellous showre of stones that the Slaves now delivered poured on them Sancho grew marveilous sad at this successe for hee suspected that those which fled away would goe and give notice of the violence committed to the Holy Brotherhood which would presently issue in troops to search the Delinquents And said as much to his Lord requesting him to depart presently from thence and imbosk himself in the Mountain which was very neer All is well quoth Don-Quixote I know now what is fit to bee done And so calling together all the Slaves that were in a tumult and had stript the Commissary naked they came all about him to hear what he commanded to whom he said It is the part of people well borne to gratifie and acknowledge the benefits they receive ingratitude being one of the sins that most offendeth the highest I say it Sirs to this end because you have by manifest tryall seen that which you have received at my hand in reward whereof I desire and it is my will that all of you loaden with that chain from which I even now freed your necks goe presently to the Citie of Toboso and there present your selves before the Lady Dulcinea of Toboso and recount unto her that her Knight of the ill-favoured face sends you there to remember his service to her and relate unto her at large the manner of your freedome all you that have had such noble fortune and this being done you may after goe where you please Gines de Passamonte answered for all the rest saying that which you demand good Sir our Releaser is most impossible to bee performrd by reason that wee cannot goe altogether through these wayes but alone and divided procuring each of us to hid himselfe in the bowels of the earth to the end wee may not bee found by the Holy-brotherhood which will doubtlesly set out to search for us that therefore which you may and ought to doe in this exigent is to change this service and homage of the Lady Dulnea of Toboso into a certaine number of Ave Maries and Creedes which wee will say for youâ—â—â—tention and this is a thing that may bee accomplished by night or by day running or resting in peace or in war but to thinke that wee will returne againe to take up our chaynes or set our selves in the way of Toboso is as hard as to make us beleeve that it is now night it being yet scarce ten of the clock in the morning and to demand such a thing of us is as likely as to seeke for Peares of the Elme-tree I sweare by such a one quoth Don-Quixote throughly enraged Sir sonne of a whore Don Ginesilio of Paropilliâ— or howsoever you are called that thou shalt goe thy selfe alone with thy tayle betweene thy legs and beare all the chaine in thy neck Passamonte who was by nature very chollerick knowing assuredly that Don-Quixote was not very wise seeing hee had attempted such a desperate Act as to seeke to give them liberty seeing himselfe thus abused winked on his Companions and going a little aside they sent such a
add that Of Toboso the time could not bee understood and in truth it was so as hee himself did afterward confesse Hee composed many others but as we have related none could be well copied or found intire but these three Stanza's In this and in sighing and invoking the Faâ—nes and Silvanes of these woods and the Nymphs of the adjoyning streams with the doloroâ—s and hollow Ecchâ— that it would answer and they consort and listen unto him and in the search of some hearbs to sustein his languishing forces he entertained himself all the time of Sancho his absence who had he staid three weeks away as hee did but three dayes The Knight of the Ill-favoured face should have remained so disfigured as the very mother that bore him would not have known him But now it is congruent that leaving him swallowed in the gulfs of sorrow and verifying we turn and recount what hapned to Sancho Panca in his Embassage which was that issuing out to the high-way hee presently took that which led towards Toboso and arrived the next day following to the Inn where the disgrace of the Coverlet befell him and scarce had he well espied it but presently hee imagined that he was once again flying in the aire and therefore would not enter into it although his arrivall was at such an hour as hee both might and ought to have stayed being dinner time and he himself likewise possest with a marvelous longing to taste some warme meat for many dayes past he had fed altogether on cold Viands This desire enforced him to approach to the Inn remaining still doubtfull notwithstanding whether hee should enter into it or no. And as hee stood thus suspended there issued out of the Inn two persons which presently knew him and the one said to the other Tell me Master Licentiate is not that horseman that rides there Sancho Panca hee whom our Adventurers old woman said departed with her Master for his Squire It is quoth the Licentiat and that is our Don-Quixote his horse And they knew him so well as those that were the Curate and Barber of his own Village and were those that made the search and formall processe against the Books of Chivalry and therefore as soon as they had taken full notice of Sancho Panca and Rozinante desirous to learn news of Don-Quixote they drew neer unto him and the Curate called him by his name saying Friend Sancho Panca where is your Master Sancho Panca knew them instantly and desirous to conceal the place and manner wherein his Lord remained did answer them that his Master was in a certain place with-held by affairs for a few dayes that were of great consequence and concerned him very much and that hee durst not for both his eyes discover the place to them No no quoth the Barber Sancho Panca if thou doest not tell us where hee sojourneth wee must imagine as wee doe already that thou hast rob'd and slain him specially seeing thou commest thus on his horse and therefore thou must in good faith get us the horses owner or else stand to thine answer Your threats fear me nothing quoth Sancho for I am not a man that Robs or Murthers any one every man is slain by his destinie or by God that made him My Lord remains doing of penance in the midest of this Mountain â—with very great pleasure And then hee presently recounted unto them from the beginning to the end the fashion wherein he had left him the Adventures which had befaln and how hee carried a Letter to the Lady Dulcinea of Toboso who was Larenco Corcuelo his daughter of whom his Lord was enamoured up to the Livers Both of them stood greatly admired at Sancho's relation and although they knew Don-Quixote's madnesse already and the kinde thereof yet as often as they heard speak thereof they rested newly amazed They requested Sancho to shew them the Letter that he carried to the Lady Dulcinea of Toboso Hee told them that it was written in Tablets and that hee had expresse order from his Lord to have it fairly copied out in paper at the first Village whereunto he should arrive To which the Curate answered bidding shew it unto him and he would write out the copie very fairly Then Sancho thrust his hand into his bosome and searched the little book but could not finde it nor should not though hee had searched till Dooms-day for it was in Don-Quixote's power who gave it not to him nor did hee ever remember to demand it When Sancho perceived that the book was lost hee waxed as wan pale as a dead man and turning again very speedily to feel all the parts of his body hee saw cleerly that it could not bee found and therefore without making any more adoe hee laid hold on his own beard with both his fists and drew almost the one half of the hair away and afterward bestowed on his face and nose in a momento half a dozen such cuffs as hee bathed them all in blood which the Curate and Barber beholding they asked him what had befalne him that hee intreated himself so ill What should befall me answered swered Sancho but that I have lost at one hand and in an instant three Colts whereof the least was like a Castle How so quoth the Barber Marry said Sancho I have lost the Tablets wherein were written Dulcineas Letter and a schedule of my Lords addrest to his Neece wherein hee commanded her to deliver unto me three Colts of four or five that remained in his house And saying so hee recounted the losse of his gray Asse The Curate comforted him and said that as soon as his Lord were found hee would deal with him to renew his grant and write it in Paper according to the common use and practise for as much as those which were written in Tablets were of no value and would never be accepted nor accomplished With this Sancho took courage and said if that was so he cared not much for the losse of Dulcineas Letter for he knew it almost all by rote Say it then Sancho quoth the Barber and we will after write it Then Sancho stood still and began to scratch his head to call the Letter to memory and now would hee stand upon one leg and now upon another Sometimes hee looked on the earth other whiles upon Heaven and after he had gnawn off almost the half of one of his nails and held them all the while suspended expecting his recitall thereof he said after a long pause On my soul Master Licentiate I give to the Divell any thing that I can remember of that Letter although the beginning was thus High and unâ—avorie Lady I warrant you quoth the Barber he said not but super-humane or Sovereigne Ladie It is so quoth Sancho and presently followed if I well remember He that is wounded and wants sleepe and the hurt man doth kisse your worships hands ingrate and very scornefull faire And thus hee went
Love And who my glories ebb doth most importune Fortune And to my Plaints by whom increase is giv'n By Heav'n If that be so then my mistrust jumps ev'n That of my wondrous evill I must die Since in my harme joyn'd and united be Love wavering Fortune and a rig'rous Heaven Who better hap can unto me bequeath Death From whom his favours doth not Love estrange From change And his too serious harms who cureth wholy Folly If that bee so it is no wisedome truly To think by humane means to cure that care Where th' only Antidotes and Med'cines are Desired Death light Change and endlesse Folly The hour the time the solitarinesse of the place voice and art of him that sung struck wonder and delight in the Hearers mindes which remained still quiet listning whether they might hear any thing else But perceiving that the silence continued a prettie while they agreed to issue and seek out the Musician that sung so harmoniously And being ready to put their resolution in practise they were again arrested by the same voyce the which touched their ears anew with this Sonnet A SONNET HOly Amitie which with nimble wings Thy semblance leaving here on earth behinde Among the blessed Souls of Heaven up-flings To those Imperiall rooms to cheer thy minde And thence to us is when thou lik'st assign'd Iust Peace whom shadie vail so cover'd brings As oft instead of her Deceit wee find Clad in the weeds of good and vertuous things Leave Heav'n O Amitie doe not permit Foul Fraud thus openly thy Robes t' invest With which sincere intents destroy does it For if thy likenesse from 't thou do'st not wrest The World will turn to the first conflict soon Of Discord Chaâ—â— and Confusion The Song was concluded with a profound sigh and both the others lent attentive eare to heare if hee would sing any more but perceiving that the Musick was converted into throbs and dolefull plaints they resolved to goe and learn who was the wretch as excellent for his voyce as dolorous in his sighs and after they had gone a little at the doubling of the poynt of a cragg they perceived one of the very same form and fashion that Sancho had painted unto them when hee told them the History of Cardenio which man espying them likewise shewed no semblance of fear but stood still with his head hanging on his breast like a male-content not once lifting up his eyes to behold them from the first time when they unexpectedly arrived The Curate who was a man very well spoken as one that had already intelligence of his misfortune for he knew him by his signes drew neerer to him and prayed and perswaded him with short but very forcible reasons to forsake that miserable life left hee should there eternally lose it which of all miseries would prove the most miserable Cardenio at this season was in his right sense free from the furious accident that distracted him so often therefore viewing them both attyred in so strange unusuall a fashion from that which was used among those Desarts he rested somewhat admired but chiefly hearing them speak in his affair as in a matter known for so much he gathered out of the Curates speeches and therefore answered in this manner I perceive well good Sirs whosoever you be that Heaven which hath alwayes care to succour good men yea even and the wicked many times hath without any desert addrest unto me by these Desarts and places so remote from vulgar haunt persons which laying before mine eyes with quick and pregnant reasons the little I have to lead this kinde of life doe labour to remove me from this place to a better And by reason they know not as much as I doe and that after escaping this harme I shall fall into a far greater they account me perhaps for a man of weak discourse and what is worse for one wholly devoid of judgement And were it so yet is it no marvell for it seems to me that the force of the imagination of my disasters is so bent and powerfull in my destruction that I without being able to make it any resistance doe become like a stone void of all good feeling and knowledge and I come to know the certainty of this truth when some men doe recount and shew unto me tokens of the things I have done whilest this terrible accident over-rules me and after I can doe no more then be grieved though in vain and curse without benefit my too froward fortune and render as an excuse of my madnesse the relation of the cause thereof to as many as please to hear it for wise men perceiving the cause will not wonder at the effects And though they give me no remedie yet at least will not condemn me for it will convert the anger they conceive at my mis-rules into compassion of my disgraces And Sirs if by chance it be so that you come with the same intention that others did I request you e're you inlarge farther your discreet perswasions that you will give eare a while to the relation of my mis-haps for perhaps when you have understood it you may save the labour that you would take comforting an evill wholy incapable of consolation Both of them which desired nothing so much as to understand from his own mouth the occasion of his harmes did intreate him to relate it promising to doe nothing else in his remedie or comfort but what himselfe pleased And with this the sorrowfull Gentleman began his dolefull Historie with the very same words almost that hee had rehearsed it to Don-Quixote and the Goat-heard a few dayes past when by occasion of Master Elisabat and Don-Quixotes curiositie in observing the Decorum of Chivalrie the tale remained imperfect as our Historie left it above But now good fortune so disposed things that his foolish fit came not upon him but gave him leisure to continue his Storie to the end and so ariving to the passage that spoke of the Letter Don Ferdinando found in the booke of Amadis du Gaule Cardenio said that hee had it very well in memorie and the sence was this LUSCINDA to CARDENIO I Discover daily in thee worths that obliege and inforces mee to hold thee deere and therefore if thou desirest to have mee discharge this Debt without serving a Writ on my Honour thou mayst easily doe it I have a Father that knowes thee and loves mee likewise well who without forcing my Will will accomplish that which justly thou oughtest to have if it bee so that thou esteemest mee as much as thou sayest and I doe beleeve This Letter moved mee to demand Luscinda of her father for my wife as I have already recounted and by it also Luscinda remayned in Don Ferdinandoes opinion crowned for one of the most discreete women of her time And this billet Letter was that which first put him in minde to destroy mee ere I could effect my desires I told to Don
men may speak and murmur of her both in her own and in other Countries CHAP. II. Which treats of the Discretion of the Beautifull Dorotea and the artificiall manner used to disswade the amorous Knight from continuing his penance And how hee was gotten away with many other delightfull Occurrences THis is Sirs the true relation of my Tragedie see therefore now and judge whether the sighs you heard the words to which you listened and the tears that gushed out at mine eyes have not had sufficient occasion to appear in greater abundance and having considered the quality of my disgrace you shall perceive all comfort to be vain seeing the remedie thereof is impossible Only I will request at your hands one favour which you ought and may easily grant and is That you will addresse me unto some place where I may live secure from the fear and suspicion I have to be found by those which I know doe dayly travell in my pursuit for although I am sure that my Parents great affection toward me doth warrant me to be kindely received and entertained by them yet the shame is so great that possesseth me only to think that I shall not return to their presence in that state which they expect as I account it far better to banish my self from their sight for ever then once to behold their face with the least suspicion that they again would behold mine divorced from that honestie which whilom my modest behaviour promised Here shee ended and her face suddainly over-run by a lovely scarlet perspicuously denoted the feeling and bashfullnesse of her soul. The audients of her sad storie felt great motions both of pittie and admiration for her misfortunes and although the Curate thought to comfort and counsell her forthwith yet was hee prevented by Cardenio who taking her first by the hand said at last Ladie thou art the beautifull Dorotea daughter unto rich Cleonardo Dorotea rested admired when shee heard her fathers name and saw of how little value he seemed who had named him for we have already recounted how raggedly Cardenio was clothed and therefore shee said unto him And who art thou friend that knowest so well my fathers name for untill this hour if I have not forgotten my self I did not once name him throughout the whole discourse of my unfortunate Tale I am answered Cardenio the unluckie Knight whom Luscinda as thou saidst affirmed to bee her husband I am the disastrous Cardenio whom the wicked proceeding of him that hath also brought thee to those termes wherein thou art hath conducted mee to the state in which I am and thou maist behold ragged naked abandoned by all humane comfort and what is worse void of sense seeing I only enjoy it but at some few short times and that when heaven pleaseth to lend it mee I am hee Dorotea that was present at Don Fernandoes unreasonable wedding and that heard the consent which Luscinda gave him to bee his wife I was hee that had not the courage to stay and see the end of her trance or what became of the paper found in her bosome for my soule had not power or sufferance to behold so many misfortunes at once and therefore abandoned the place and my patience together and only left a Letter with mine Host whom I intreated to deliver it into Luscinda her owne hands and then came into these Desarts with resolution to end in them my miserable life which since that houre I have hated as my most mortall Enemie But Fortune hath not pleased to deprive mee of it thinking it sufficient to have impaired my wit perhaps reserving me for the good successe befaln mee now in finding of your selfe for that being true as I beleeve it is which you have here discoursed peradventure it may have reserved yet better hap for us both in our disasters then wee expect For presupposing that Luscinda cannot marry with Don Fernando because shee is mine nor Don Fernando with her because yours and that shee hath declared so manifestly the same wee may well hope that heaven hath meanes to restore to every one that which is his owne seeing it yet consists in being not made away or annihilated And seeing this comfor remaines not sprung from any very remote hope nor founded on idle surmises I request thee faire Lady to take another resolution in thine honourable thought seeing I meane to doe it in mine and let us accomodate our selves to expect better successe For I doe vow unto thee by the faith of a Gentleman and Christian not to forsake thee untill I see thee in Don Fernandoes possession and when I shall not by reasons bee able to induce him to acknowledge how far hee rests indebted to thee then will I use the liberty granted to mee as a Gentleman and with just title challenge him to the field in respect of the wrong hee hath done unto thee forgetting wholly mine owne injuries whose revenge I will leave to Heaven that I may be able to right yours on earth Dorotea rested wonderfully admired having knowne and heard Cardenio and ignoring what competent thanks shee might returne him in satisfaction of his large offers shee cast her selfe downe at his feete to have kissed them which Cardenio would not permit and the Licentiat answered for both praysing greatly Cardenioes discourse and chiefly intreated prayed and counselled them that they would goe with him to his Village where they might fit themselves with such things as they wanted and also take order how to search out Don Fernando or carie Dorotea to her fathers house or doe else what they deemed most convenient Cardenio and Dorotea gratified his courtesies and accepted the favour hee profferred The Barbar also who had stood all the while silent and suspended made them a pretty discourse with as friendly an offer of himselfe and his service as Master Curate and likewise did brieflie relate the occasion of their comming thither with the extravagant kinde of madnesse which Don-Quixote had and how they expected now his Squires returne whom they had sent to search for him Cardenio having heard him named remembred presently as in a dreame the conflict past betweene them both and recounted it unto them but could not in any wise call to mind the occasion thereof By this time they heard one call for them and knew by the voice that it was Sancho Panchaes who because hee found them not in the place where hee had left them cryed out for them as lowdly as hee might They went to meete him and demanding for Don-Quixote hee answered that hee found him all naked to his shyrt leane yellow almost dead for hunger and sighing for his Lady Dulcinea and although he had told him how shee commanded him to repayre presently to Toboso where shee expected him yet notwithstanding hee answered That hee was determined never to appeare before her Beautie untill hee had done Feats that should make him worthy of her gracious favour And then the Squire
say no more it is not possible that ever I may induce my self to marry any other although she were a Phoenix That which Don-Quixote had said last of all of not marrying disliked Sancho so much as lifting his voyce with great anger he said I vow and swear by my self that you are not in your right wits Sir Don-Quixote for how is it possible that you can call the matter of contracting so high a Princesse as this is in doubt Doe you think that Fortune will offer you at every corners end the like hap of this which is now proffered is my Lady Dulcinea perhaps more beautifull No certainly nor half so fair nay I am rather about to say that shee comes not to her shoe that is here present In an ill hour shall I arrive to possesse that unfortunate Earldome which I expect if you goe thus seeking for Mushrubs at the bottome of the Sea Marry marry your self presently the Divell take you for me and take that Kingdome comes into your hands and being a King make me presently a Marquesse or Admirall and instantly after let the Divell take all if hee pleaseth Don-Quixote who heard such blasphemies spoken against his Lady Dulcinea could not bear them any longer and therefore lifting up his Javeling without speaking any word to Sancho gave him therewithall two such blows as he over-threw him to the earth and had not Dorotea cried to him to hold his hand he had doubtlesly slain him in the place Thinkest thou quoth he after a while base Peasant that I shall have alwaies leisure and disposition to thrust my hand into my pouch and that there be nothing else but thou erring and I pardoning And doest not thou think of it excommunicated Rascall for certainly thou art excommunicated seeing thou hast talked so broadly of the peerlesse Dulcinea And doest not thou know base Slave Vagabond that if it were not for the valour shee infuseth into mine arme that I should not have sufficient forces to kill a Flea Say scoffer with the Vipers tongue who doest thou think hath gained this Kingdome and cut the head of this Gyant and made thee a Marquesse for I give all this for done already and for a matter ended and judged but the worths and valour of Dulcinea using mine arme as the instrument of her act She fights under my person and overcomes in me And I live and breath in her and from her I hold my life and being O whorson Villain how ungratefull art thou that seest thy self exalted out from the dust of the earth to be a Noble-man and yet doest repay so great a benefit with detracting the person that bestowed it on thee Sancho was not so sore hurt but that he could hear all his Masters reasons very well wherefore arising somewhat hastily hee ran behinde Doretea her Palfray and from thence said to his Lord Tell me Sir if you be not determined to marry with this Princesse it is most cleer that the Kingdome shall not bee yours and if it be not what favours can you bee able to doe to me it is of this that I complain me Marrie your self one for one with this Princesse now that we have her here as it were rained to us down from Heaven and you may after turn to my Ladie Dulcinea for I think there bee Kings in the World that keep Lemmans As for beauty I will not intermeddle for if I must say the truth each of both is very fair although I have never seen the Lady Dulcinea How hast thou not seen her blasphemous Traytor quoth Don-Quixote as if thou didest but even now bring me a message from her I say quoth Sancho I have not seen her so leisurely as I might particularly note her beautie and good parts one by one but yet in a clap as I saw them they liked me very well I doe excuse thee now said Don-Quixote and pardon me the displeasure which I have given unto thee for the first motions are not in our hands I see that well quoth Sancho and that is the reason why talk is in me of one of those first motions And I cannot omit to speake once at least that which comes to my tongue For all that Sancho replyed Don-Quixote see well what thou speakest for the earthen Pitcher goes so oft to the water I will say no more Well then answered Sancho God is in heaven who seeth all these guiles and shall be one day Judge of him that sinns most of me in not speaking well or of you by not doing well Let there be no more quoth Dorotea but run Sancho and kisse your Lords hand and ask him forgivenesse and from henceforth take more heed how you praise or dispraise any body and speak no ill of that Lady Toboso whom I doe not know otherwise then to doe her service and have confidence in God for thou shalt not want a Lordship wherein thou mayest live like a King Sancho went with his head hanging downeward and demanded his Lords hand which hee gave unto him with a grave countenance and after hee hed kissed it hee gave him his blessing and said to him that hee had somwhat to say unto him and therefore bad him to come somewhat forward that hee might speake unto him Sancho obeyed and both of them going a little aside Don-Quixote said unto him I have not had leisure after thy comming to demand of thee in particular concerning the Ambassage that thou carriedst and the answere that thou broughtest back and therefore now Fortune lends us some oportunitie and leisure doe not denie mee the happiness which thou mayest give mee by thy good newes Demand what you please quoth Sancho and I will answere you and I request you good my Lord that you bee not from henceforth so wrathfull Why dost thou say so Sancho quoth Don-Quixote I say it replied Sancho because that these blowes which you bestowed now were rather given in revenge of the dissention which the Devill stirred between us two the other night then for any thing I said against my Lady Dulcinea whom I doe honor and reverence as a relike although she be none only because shee is yours I pray thee good Sancho said Don-Quixote fall not again into those discourses for they offend me I did pardon thee then and thou knowest that a new offence must have a new penance As they talked thus they espied a Gallant coming towards them riding on an Asse and when hee drew neere hee seemed to bee an AEgyptian but Sancho Panca who whensoever hee met any Asses followed them with his eyes and his heart as one that thought still on his owne hee had scarce eyed him when hee knew that it was Gines of Passamonte and by the looke of the AEgyptian found out the fleece of his Asse as in truth it was for Gines came riding on his gray Asse who to the end hee might not bee knowne and also have commodity to sell his beast attyred himselfe like
but that which thou sayest thou wilt trie and put in practise shall never gaine thee Gods glorie the goods of fortune or renoune among men for suppose that thou bringest it to passe according to thine owne fantasie thou shalt remaine nothing more contented rich or honourable then thou art already and if thou dost not then shalt thou see thy selfe in the greatest misery of any wretch living for it will little availe thee then to thinke that no man knowes the disgrace befaln thee it being sufficient both to afflict and dissolve thee that thou knowest it thy self and for greater confirmation of this truth I will repeat unto thee a stanza of the famous Poet Ludâ—vice Tansilâ— in the end of his first part of saint Peters teares which is THE griefe increaseth and withall the shame In Peter when the day it self did show And though hee no man sees yet doth hee blame Himself because hee had offended so For brests magnanimous not onely tamâ— When that of others they are seâ—â—e they know But of themselves asham'd they often bee Though none but Heav'n and Earth their error see So that thou canst not excuse thy griefe with secrecie bee it never so great but rather shalt have continuall occasion to weepe if not watry teares from thine eyes at least teares of blood from thy heart such as that simple Doctor wept of whom our Poet makes mention who made tryall of the Vessell which the prudent Reynaldos upon maturer discourse refused to deale withall and although it bee but a Poeticall fixion yet doth it containe many hidden morals worthy to bee noted understood and imitated how much more seeing that by what I mean to say now I hope thou shalt begin to conceive the great error which thou wouldest wittingly commit Tell me Anselmo if Heaven or thy Fortunes had made thee Lord and lawfull possessor of a most precious Diamond of whose goodnesse and qualitie all the Lapidaries that had viewed the same would rest satisfied and that all of them would joyntly and uniformly affirm that it arived in quality goodnesse and finenesse to all that to which the nature of such a stone might extend it self and that thou thy self didest believe the same without witting any thing to the contrarie would it be just that thou shouldest take an humour to set that Diamond between an Anvile and a hammar and to trie there by very force of blows whether it be so hard so fine as they say And farther when thou didest put thy designe in execution put the case that the stone made resistance to thy foolish tryall yet wouldest thou add thereby no new valour or esteem to it And if it did break as it might befall were not then all lost Yes certainly and that leaving the Owner in all mens opinion for a very poor ignorant person Then friend Anselmo make account that Camila is a most precious Diamond as well in thine as in other mens estimation and it is no reason to put her in contingent danger of breaking seeing that although shee remain in her integrity she cannot mount to more worth then she hath at the present and if she faltred or did not resist consider even at this present what state you would bee in then and how justly thou mightest then complain of thy self for being cause of her perdition and thine own See how there is no Jewell in the world comparable to the modest and chaste Woman and that all Womens honour consists in the good opinion that 's had of them and seeing that of thy Spouse is so great as it arrives to that sum of perfection which thou knowest why wouldest thou call this verity in question Know friend that a Woman is an imperfect Creature and should therefore have nothing cast in her way to make her stumble fall but rather to cleer doe all incumbrances away out of it to the end shee may without impeachment run with a swift course to obtain the perfection shee wants which only consists in being virtuous The Naturalists recount that the Ermine is a little Beast that hath a most white skin and that when the hunters would chase him they use this art to take him As soon as they finde out his haunt and places where he hath recourse they thwart them with mire and dirt and after when they discrie the little Beast they pursue him towards those places which are defiled and the Ermine espying the mire stands still and permits himself to be taken and captived in exchange of not passing thorow the mire or staining of his whitenesse which it esteems more then either liberty or life The honest and chaste Woman is an Ermine and the virtue of chastity is whiter and purer then Snow and he that would not lose it but rather desires to keep and preserve it must proceed with a different stile from that of the Ermine For they must not propose and lay before her the mire of the passions flatteries and services of importunate Lovers for perhaps she shall not have the naturall impulse and force which commonly through proper debility is wont to stumble to passe over those incumbrances safely and therefore it is requisite to free the passage and take them away and lay before her the cleernesse of virtue and the beauty comprized in good fame The good woman is also like unto a bright and cleer mirrour of Crystall and therefore is subject to bee stained and dimmed by every breath that toucheth it The honest woman is to bee used as reliques of Saints to wit shee must be honoured but not touched The good woman is to be kept and prized like a fair Garden full of sweet Flowers and Roses that is held in estimation whose owner permits no man to enter and trample or touch his Flowers but holds it to bee sufficient that they standing a far off without the rails may joy at the delightfull sight and fragrancie thereof Finally I will repeat certain Verses unto thee that have now come to my memorie the which were repeated of late in a new Play and seem to me very fit for the purpose of which wee treat A prudent old man did give a neighbour of his that had a daughter counsell to keep and shut her up and among many other reasons he used these TRuely Woman is of Glasse Therefore no man ought to trie If she broke or not might be Seeing all might come to passe Yet to break her 't is more easie And it is no wit to venter A thing of so brittle temper That to Soulder is so queafie And I would have all men dwell In this truth and reasons ground That if Danaes may bee found Golden showres are found as well All that which I have said to thee Anselmo untill this instant hath been for that which may touch thy self and it is now high time that somewhat bee heard concerning me And if by chance I shall be somewhat prolixe I pray thee to pardon me for
which may and are wont to bee had of women doe not eftsoones enter into the profound depths of new inconveniences nor take thou any other Pilot to make experience of the goodnesse and strength of the Vessell that Heaven hath alotted to thee to passe therein thorow the Seas of this world but make account that thou art harboured in a safe Haven and there hold thy selfe fast with the Anchor of good consideration and so rest thee untill death come to demand his debt from the payment whereof no Nobility or priviledge whatsoever can exempt us Anselmo rested singularly satisfied at Lotharioes discourse and did beleeve it as firmly as if it were delivered by an Oracle but did intreate him notwithstanding to prosecute his attempt although it were only done for curiositie and to passe away the time yet not to use so efficacious meanes as hee thitherto practised and that hee only desired him to write some verses in her praise under the name of Clori for hee would make Camila beleeve that hee was enamoured on a certaine Lady to whom hee did appropriate that name that hee might celebrate her prayses with the respect due to her honour and that if hee would not take the pains to invent them that hee himselfe would willingly compose them That is not needfull quoth Lothario for the Muses are not so alienated from mee but that they visite mee somtimes in the yeere Tell you unto Camila what you have devised of my loves and as for the verses I will make them my selfe if not so well as the subject deserves yet at the least as artificially as I may devise them The impertinent curious man and his treacherous friend having thus agreed and Anselmo returned to his house hee demanded of Camila that which shee marvelled hee had not asked before that shee should tell unto him the occasion why shee sent unto him the Letter Camila made answer Because it seemed unto her that Lothario beheld her some what more immodest then when he was at home but that now she did againe disswade her selfe and beleeved that it was but a light surmise without any ground because that shee perceived Lothario to loath her presence or be by any meanes alone with her Anselmo told her that she might very well live secure for him for that he knew Lothario's affections were bestowed else-where and that upon one of the noblest Damzels of the Citie whose praises hee solemnized under the name of Clori and that although hee were not yet was there no cause to doubt of Lothario's virtue or the amitie that was between them both Here if Camila had not been premonished by Lothario that the love of Clori was but fained and that hee himself had told it to Anselmo to blinde him that hee might with lesse difficultie celebrate her own praises under the name of Clori shee had without doubt faln into the desperate toyles of jealousie but being already advertised shee posted over that assault lightly The day following they three sitting together at dinner Anselmo requested Lothario to repeat some one of the Verses that hee had made to his beloved Clori for seeing that Camila knew her not hee might boldly say what hee pleased Although shee knew her quoth Lothario yet would I not therefore suppresse any part of her praises For when any Lover praiseth his Ladie for her beauty and doth withall taxe her of cruelty her credit incurs no danger But befall what it list I composed yesterday a Sonnet of the ingratitude of Clori and is this ensuing A SONNET AMid'st the silence of the darkest night When sweetest sleep invadeth mortall eyes I poor account to Heav'n and Clori bright Give of the richest harmes which ever rise And at the time wee Phoebus may devise Shine through the roseal gates of th' Orient bright With deep accents and sighs in Wonted guise I doe my Plaints renew with main and might And when the Sunne down from his Starry seat Directest rayes towards the earth doth send My sighs I double and my sad regret And night returns but of my Woes no end For I finde alwaies in my mortall strife Heav'n without eares and Clori likewise deaf Camila liked the Sonnet very well but Anselmo best of all for hee praised it and said that the Lady must bee very cruell that would not answer such perspicuous truths with reciprocall affection But then Camila answered Why then belike all that which enamoured Poets say is true In as much as Poets quoth Lothario they say not truth but as they are inamoured they remain as short as they are true That is questionlesse quoth Anselmo all to underprop and give Lothario more credit with Camila who was as carelesse of the cause her Husband said so as shee was inamoured of Lothario and therefore with the delight shee took in his compositions but chiefly knowing that his desires and labours were addrest to her self who was the true Clori shee intreated him to repeat some other Sonnet or Dittie if hee remembred any Yes that I doe quoth Lothario but I believe that it is not so good as the first as you may well judge for it is this A SONNET I Die and if I cannot bee believ'd My death 's more certain as it is most sure To see me aâ— thy feet of life depriv'd Rather then grieve this thraldome to indure Well may I in oblivious shades obscure Of Glorie Life and Favour bee deny'd And yet even there shall in my bosome pure The shape of thy fair face iugrav'd bee ey'd For that 's a relique which I doe reserve For the last Trances my contentions threaten Which mid'st thy rigour doth it self preserve O woe's the Wight that is by tempests beaten By night in unknown Seas in danger rife For want of North or Hav'n to lose his life Anselmo commended also this second Sonnet as hee had done the first and added by that means one link to another in the chain wherewith hee intangled himself and forged his own dishonour seeing when Lothario dishonoured him most of all hee said unto him then that hee honoured him most And herewithall Camila made all the links that verily served only to abase her down to the Center of contempt seem to mount her in her Husbands opinion up to the height of virtue and good fame It befell soon after that Camila finding her self alone with her Maiden said to her I am ashamed friend Leonela to see how little I knew to value my self seeing that I made not Lothario spend some time at least in the purchasing the whole possession of me which I with a prompt will bestowed upon him so speedily I fear me that hee will impute my hastinesse to lightnesse without considering the force hee used towards me which wholly hindred and disabled my resistance Let not that afflict you Madam quoth Leonela for it is no sufficient cause to diminish estimation that that bee given quickly which is to bee given if that in effect be good
not better that before I put in execution that which I would not have thee to know lest thou shouldest indeavour to hinder it that thou takest Anselmo's Ponyard that I have sought of thee and passe this infamous brest of mine thorow and thorow but doe it not for it is no reason that I should suffer for other mens faults I will know first of all what the bold and dishonest eyes of Lothario noted in me that should stir in him the presumption to discover unto me so unlawfull a desire as that which hee hath revealed so much in contempt of his friend and to my dishonour Stand at that Window Leonela and call him to me for I doe infallibly believe that hee stands in the street awaiting to effect his wicked purpose But first my cruell yet honourable minde shall bee performed Alas dear Madame quoth the wise and craftie Leonela what is it you mean to doe with that Ponyard Meane you perhaps to deprive either your owne or Lotherioes life therewithall for which soever of these things you doe shall redound to the losse of your credit and fame It is much better that you dissemble your wrong and give no occasion to the bad man now to enter into this house and finde us here in it alone Consider good Madame how wee are but weake women and hee is a Man and one resolute and by reason that hee comes blinded by his bad and passionate intent hee may peradventure before you bee able to put yours in execution doe somwhat that would bee worse for you then to deprive you of your life Evill befall my master Anselmo that ministers so great occasion to impudencie thus to discover her visage in our house and if you should kill him by chance Madam as I suspect you meane to doe what shall wee doe after with the dead carcasse What said Camila Wee would leave him here that Anselmo might bury him For hee must in all equity esteeme that labour for ease which he shall passe in the interring of his owne infamie Make an end then and call him for meeâ— thinkes that all the time which I spend untakeing due revenge of my just Disdaine turnes into the prejudice of the Loyaltie which I owe unto my Spouse Anselmo listened very attentively all the while and at every word that Camila said his thoughts changed But when hee understood that shee was resolved to kill Lothario hee was about to come out and discover himselfe to the end that such a thing should not bee done but the desire that hee had to see wherein so brave and honest a resolution would end with-held him determining then to sallie out when his presence should bee needfull to hinder it Camila about this time began to bee very weake and dismai'd and casting her selfe as if shee had faln into a trance upon a bed that was in the roome Leonela began to lament very bitterly and to say Alas wretch that I am how unfortunate should I bee if the flowre of the worlds honesty the crown of good women and the patterne of chastitie should die here betweene my hands Those and such other things shee said so dolefully as no one could heare her that would not deeme her to bee one of the most esteemed and loyall Damzels of the world and take her Ladie for another new and persecuted Penelope Soone after Camila returned to her selfe and said presently Why goest thou not Leonela to call the most disloyall friend of a friend that ever the Sun beheld or the night concealed Make an end runne make haste and let not the fire of my choller bee through thy stay consumed and spent nor the just revenge which I hope to take passe over in threats or maledictions I goe to call him Madam quoth Leonela but first of all you must give mee that Ponyard lest you should doe with it in mine absence somewhat that would minister occasion to us your friends to deplore you all the daies of our lives Goe away boldly friend Leonela said Camela for I shall doe nothing in thine absence for although I bee in thine opinion both simple and bold enough to turne for mine honour yet meane I not to bee so much as the celebrated Lucretia of whom it is recorded that shee slew her selfe without having committed any errour or slaine him first who was the principall cause of her disgrace I will die if I must needes die but I will bee satisfied and revenged on him that hath given mee occasion to come into this place to lament his boldnesse sprung without my default Leonela could scarcely be intreated to goe and call Lothario but at last she went out and in the mean time Camila remained speaking to her self these words Good God had not it been more discretion to have dissmised Lothario as I did many time before then thus to possesse him as I have done with an opinion that I am an evill and dishonest woman at least all the while that passeth untill mine acts shal undeceive him and teach him the contrary It had been doubtlesly better but then should not I be revenged nor my husbands honour satisfied if hee were permitted to beare away so cleerly his malignitie or escape out of the snare wherein his wicked thoughts involved him Let the Traytor pay with his lifes defrayment that which hee attempted with so lasciuious a desire Let the world know if it by chance shall come to know it that Camila did not only conserve the loyaltie due to her Lord but also tooke revenge of the intended spoyle thereof But yet I beleeve that it were best to give Anselmo first notice thereof but I did already touch it to him in the Letter which I wrote to him to the Village and I believe his not concurring to take order in this so manifest an abuse proceeds of his too sincere and good meaning which would not nor cannot beleive that the like kinde of thought could ever finde entertainment in the brest of so firm a friend tending so much to his dishonour and what marvell if I my self could not credit it for a great many dayes together nor would I ever have thought it if his insolencie had not arived to that passe which the manifest Gifts large Promises and continuall tears hee shed doe give testimony But why doe I make now these discourses Hath a gallant resolution perhaps any need of advice No verily therefore avaunt treacherous thoughts here wee must use revenge Let the false man come in arive die and end and let after befall what can befall I entered pure and untouched to his possession whom Heaven bestowd on me for mine and I will depart from him purely And if the worst befall I shall only be defiled by mine own chaste blood and the impure gore of the falsest friend that ever amitie saw in this World And saying of this shee pranced up and down the Room with the Ponyard naked in her hand with such long and
most terrible battails that ever mine eyes have seen I swear that hee hath given such a blow to the Giant my Lady the Princesse Micomicona her enemie as hee hath cut his head quite off as round as a Turnep What sayest thou friend quoth the Curate leaving off at that word to prosecute the reading of his novell art thou in thy wits Sancho What a Divill man how can that bee seeing the Giant dwels at least two thousand leagues from hence By this they heard a marvellous great noyse within the Chamber and that Don-Quixote cried out aloud Stay false Thiefe Robber stay for since thou art here thy Semiter shall but little availe thee and therewithall it seemed that hee struck a number of mighty blows on the walls And Sancho said There is no need tostand thus listening abroad but rather that you goe in and part the fray or else assist my Lord although I think it bee not very necessary for the Gyant is questionlesse dead by this and giving account for the ill life hee led For I saw his blood runne all about the house and his head cut off which is as great as a great Wine-bagge I am content to bee hewn in pieces quoth the Inn-keeper hearing of this if Don-Quixote or Don-Divell have not given some blow to one of the Wine-baggs that stood filled at his Beds-head and the shed Wine must needs bee that which seems blood to this good man And saying so hee entred into the Room and all the rest followed him where they found Don-Quixote in the strangest guise that may bee imagined Hee was in his Shirt the which was not long enough before to cover his Thighs and it was six fingers shorter behinde His Leggs were very long and lean full of hair and horrible dirty Hee wore on his Head a little red but very greazie night Cap which belonged to the Inn-keeper Hee had wreathed on his left Arme the Coverlet of his Bead on which Sancho looked very often and angerly as one that knew well the cause of his own malice to it and in his right hand hee griped his naked Sword wherewithall hee laid round about him many a thwack and withall spake as if hee were in battail with some Gyant And the best of all was that hee held not his eyes open for hee was indeed asleep and dreaming that he was in fight with the Gyant For the imagination of the Adventure which hee had undertaken to finish was so bent upon it as it made him to dream that hee was already arived at the kingdom of Micomicon and that he was then in combat with his enemy and he had given so many blowes on the wine bags supposing them to be Giants as all the whol chamber flowed with wine Which being perceived by the Host all inflamed with rage hee set upon Don-Quixote with drie sists and gave unto him so many blowes that if Cardenio and the Curate had not taken him away he would doubtlesly have finished the war of the Gyant and yet with all this did not the poor Knight awake untill the Barber brought in a great kettle full of cold water from the Well and threw it all at a clap upon him and therewithall Don-Quixote awaked but not in such sort as he perceived the manner wherein he was Dorotea seeing how short and how thin her Champion was arayed would not goe in to see the conflict of her combatant and his Adversarie Sancho went up and downe the floore searching for the Gyants head and seeing that hee could not finde it hee said Now I doe see very well that all the things of this house are inchantments for the last time that I was here in this very same roome I got many blowes and buffets and knew not who did strike mee nor could I see any body and now the head appeares not which I saw cut off with mine owne eyes and yet the blood ran as swiftly from the body as water would from a Fountaine What blood or what Fountaine doest thou tattle of here thou enemy of God and his Saints quoth the In-keeper thou Theefe dost not thou see that the blood and the fountaine is no other thing then these wine-bags which are slashed here and the wine red that swims up and down this Chamber and I wish that I may see his Soule swimming in hell which did bore them I know nothing replyed Sancho but this that if I cannot find the Giants head I shall become so unfortunate as mine Earledome will dissolve like Salt cast into water And certes Sancho awake was in worse case then his Master sleeping so much had his Lords promises distracted him The In-keeper on the other side was at his wits end to see the humor of the Squire and unhappinesse of his Lord and swore that it should not succeede with them now as it had done the other time when they went away without payment and that now the priviledges of Chivalrie should not any whit availe him but hee should surely pay both the one and the other yea even for the very patches that were to bee set on the bored Wine-bagges The Curate held fast Don-Quixote by the hands who beleeving that hee had aâ—chieved the Adventure and was after it come into the Princesse Micomicona her presence hee laid himselfe on his knees before the Curate saying Well may your greatnesse high and famous Ladie live from henceforth secure from any danger that this unfortunate wretch may doe unto you and I am also freed from this day forward from the promise that I made unto you seeing I have by the assistance of the heavens and through her favour by whom I live and breathe so happily accomplished it Did not I say so quoth Sancho hearing of his Master yea I was not drunke see if my Master hath not powdred the Gyant by this the matter is questionlesse and the Earledome is mine owne Who would not laugh at these raving fits of the Master and man all of them laughed save the In-keeper who gave himself for anger to the Devill more then a hundred times And the Barber Cardenio and the Curate got Don-Quixote to bed againe not without much adoe who presently fell a sleepe with tokens of marveilous wearinesse They left him sleeping and went out to comfort Sancho Panca for the griefe hee had because he could not finde the Giants head but yet had more adoe to pacifie the In-keeper who was almost out of his wits for the unexpected and suddaine death of his wine-bags The Oastâ—sse on the other side went up and down whining and saying in an ill season and an unlucky houre did this Knight errant enter into my house alas and I would that mine eyes had never seene him seeing hee costs mee so deere The last time that hee was here hee went away scot-free for his Supper Bed Straw and Barley both for himselfe and his man hâ—s Horse and his Asse saying that hee was a Knight Adventurous and
Don Fernando left her was like to fall if Cardenio who stood behind Don Fernando all the while lest hee should bee known shaking off all feare and in indangering his person had not started forward to stay her from falling and clasping her sweetly betweene his armes hee said If pittifull Heaven bee pleased and would have thee now at last take some ease my loyall constant and beautifull Ladie I presume that thou canst not possesse it more securely then betweene these armes which doe now receive thee as whilom they did when fortune was pleased that I might call thee mine owne And then Luscinda first severing her eye lids beheld Cardenio and having first taken notice of him by his voyce and confirmed it againe by her sight like one quite distracted without farther regarding modest respects shee cast both her armes about his neck and joyning her face to his said Yea thou indeede art my Lord thou the true owne of this poore Captive howsoever adverse fortune shall thwart it or this life which is only sustayned and lives by thine bee ever so much threatned This was a marvelous spectacle to Don Fernando and all the rest of the beholders which did universally admire at this so unexpected an event and Dorotea perceiving Don Fernando to change colour as one resolving to take revenge on Cardenio for hee had set hand to his Sword which shee conjecturing did with marvelous expedition kneele and catching hold on his legs kissing them shee strained them with so loving embracements as hee could not stir out of the place and then with her eyes overflown with teeres said unto him What meanest thou to doe my only refuge in this unexpected trance Thou hast here thine own Spouse at thy feete and her whom thou wouldst faine possesse is betweene her owne husbands armes Judge then whether it become thee or is a thing possible to dissolve that which Heaven hath knit or whether it bee any wise laudable to endeavor to raise and equall to thy selfe her who contemning all dangers and inconveniences and confirmed in faith and constancy doth in thy presence bathe her eyes with amorous liquor of her true Loves face and bosome I desire thee for Gods sake and by thine owne worths I request thee that this so notorious a veritie may not only asswage thy choller bâ—t also diminish it in such sort as thou maiest quietly and peaceably permit those two Lovers to enjoy their desires without any encumbrance all the time that Heaven shall grant it to them and herein thou shalt shew the generositie of thy magnanimous and noble brest and give the world to understand how reason prevaileth in thee and domaniereth over passion All the time that Dorotea spoke thus to Don Fernando although Cardenio held Luscinda betweene his armes yet did hee never take his eye off Don Fernando with resolution that if hee did see him once stir in his prejudice hee would labor both to defend himself and offend his adversary all those should joyn with him to do him any harm as much as he could although it were with the rest of his life but Don Fernandoes friends the Curat and Barber that were present and saw all that was past repayred in the meane season without omitting the good Sancho Panca and all of them together compassed Don Fernando intreating him to have regard of the beautifull Doroteas teares and it being true as they beleeved it was that she had said he should not permit her to remain defrauded of her so just and lawfull hopes assuring him that it was not by chance but rather by the particular providence and disposition of the Heavens that they had all met together so unexpectedly And that hee should remember as Master Curate said very well that only death could sever Luscinda from her Cardenio And that although the edge of a Sword might divide and part them asunder yet in that case they would account their death most happy and that in irremedilesse events it was highest prudence by straining and overcoming himself to shew a generous minde permitting that hee might conquer his own will they two should joy that good which Heaven had already granted to them and that hee should convert his eyes to behold the beautie of Dorotea and hee should see that few or none could for feature paragon with her and much lesse excell her and that hee should conferre her humilitie and extreame love which shee bore to him with her other indowments and principally that if hee gloried in the titles of Nobility or Christianity hee could not doe any other then accomplish the promise that hee had past to her and that by fulfilling it hee should please God and satisfie discreet persons which know very well how it is a speciall prerogative of beautie though it bee in an humble and mean subject if it bee consorted with Modestie and Virtue to exalt and equall it self to any dignitie without disparagement of him which doth help to raise or unite it to himself And when the strong laws of delight are accomplished so that there intercurre no sinne in the acting thereof hee is not to bee condemned which doth follow them Finally they added to these reasons others so many and forcible that the valorous brest of Don Fernando as commonly all those that are warmed and nourished by Noble Blood are wont was mollified and permitted it self to bee vanquished by that truth which hee could not denye though hee would And the token that hee gave of his being overcome was to stoop down and imbrace Dorotea saying unto her Aâ—ise Ladie for it is not just that shee bee prostrate at my feet whose image I have erected in my minde And if I have not hitherto given demonstrations of what I now averr it hath perhaps befaln through the disposition of Heaven to the end I might by noting the constancie and faith wherewithall thou doest affect me know after how to value and esteeme thee according unto thy merits and that which in recompence thereof I doe intreat of thee is that thou wilt excuse in mee mine ill manner of proceeding and exceeding carelessenesse in repaying thy good will For the very occasion and violent passions that made me to accept thee as mine the very same did also impell me again not to be thine for the more verifying of mine assertion doe but once behold the eyes of the now contented Luscinda and thou mayest read in them a thousand excuses for mine errour seeing shee hath found and obtained her hearts desire and I have in thee also gotten what is most convenient for I wish shee may live securely and joyfully many and happie yeers with her Cardenio for I will pray the same that it will licence me to enjoy my beloved Dorotea And saying so hee embraced her again and joyned his face to hers with so lovely motion as it constrained him to hold watch over his Teares lest violently bursting forth they should give doubtlesse arguments
of his servent Love and remorse Cardenio Luscinda and almost all the rest could not doe so for the greater number of them shed so many teares some for their private contentment and others for their friends as it seemed that some grievous and heavie misfortune had betided them all even very Sancho Panca wept although hee excused it afterward saying That he wept only because that hee saw that Dorotea was not the Queene Micomicona as hee had imagined of whom hee hoped to have received so great gifts and favours The admiration and teares joyned indured in them all for a pretty space and presently after Cardenio and Luscinda went and kneeled to Don Fernando yeelding him thanks for the favour that hee had done to them with so courteous complements as hee knew not what to answere and therefore lifted them up and embraced them with very great afection and kindnesse and presently after he demanded of Dorotea how she came to that place so far from her own dwelling and shee recounted unto him all that shee had told to Cardenio whereaâ— Don Fernando and those which came with him took so great delight as they could have wished that her story had continued a longer time in the telling then it did so great was Doroteaes grace in setting out her misfortunes And as soon as shee had ended Don Fernando told all that had befaln him in the Citie after that hee had found the scroule in Luscindaes bosome wherein shee declared Cardenio to bee her Husband and that hee therefore could not marrie her And also how hee attempted to kill her and would have done it were it not that her Parents hindred him And that hee therefore departed out of the house full of shame and despight with resolution to revenge himself more commodiously And how hee understood the next day following how Luscinda was secretly departed from her fathers house and gone no body knew where but that hee finally learned within a few moneths after that shee had entred into a certain Monastery with intention to remain there all the daies of her life if shee could not passe them with Cardenio And that as soon as hee had learned that choosing those three Gentlemen for his Associates hee came to the place where shee was but would not speake to her fearing lest that as soon as they knew of his being there they would increase the guards of the Monastery and therefore expected untill he found on a day the gates of the Monastery open and leaving two of his fellows to keep the doore hee with the other entred into the Abby in Luscindaes search whom they found talking with a Nunne in the Cloyster and snatching her away e're shee could retire her self they brought her to a certain Village where they disguised themselves in that sort they were for so it was requisite for to bring her away All which they did with the more facilitie that the Monastery was seated abroad in the Fields a good way from any Village Hee likewise told That as soon as Luscinda saw her self in his power shee fell into a Swone and that after shee had returned to her self shee never did any other thing but weep and sigh without speaking a word And that in that manner accompanied with silence and tears they had arrived to that Inne which was to him as gratefull as an arrivall to Heaven wherein all earthly mis-haps are concluded and finished CHAP. X. Wherein is prosecuted the History of the famous Princesse Micomicona with other delightfull Adventures SANCHO gave eare to all this with no small grief of minde seeing that all the hopes of his Lordship vanished away like smoak and that the fair Princesse Micomicona was turned into Dorotea and the Gyant into Don Fernando and that his Master slept so souldly and carelesse of all that had hapned Dorotea could not yet assure her self whether the happinesse that shee possest was a dream or no. Cardenio was in the very same taking and also Luscindaes thoughts run the same race Don Fernando yielded many thanks to Heaven for having dealt with him so propitiously and unwinding him out of the intricate Labyrinth wherein straying hee was at the poynt to have at once lost his soul and credit and finally as many as were in the Inne were very glad and joyfull of the successe of so thwart intricate and desperate affairs The Curate compounded and ordered all things through his discetion and congratulated every one of the good hee obtained But shee that kept greatest Jubilee and Joy was the Hostesse for the promise that Cardenio and the Curate had made to pay her the damages and harms committed by Don-Quixote only Sancho as wee have said was afflicted unfortunate and sorrowfull And thus hee entred with melancholy semblance to his Lord who did but then awake and said unto him Well and securely may you sleep Sir Knight of the heavy countenance as long as it shall please your self without troubling your self with any care of killing any Gyant or of restoring the Queen to her Kingdome for all is concluded and done already I believe thee very easily replyed Don-Quixote for I have had the monstrousest and most terrible battail with that Gyant that ever I think to have all the dayes of my life with any and yet with one thwart blow-thwack I overthrew his head to the ground and there issued so much blood as the streams thereof ranne along the earth as if they were of water As if they were of red Wine you might better have said replyed Sancho Panca for I would let you to understand if you know it not already That the dead Gyant is a bored Wine-bagg and the blood six thirty gallons of red Wine which it contained in it's belly the head that was slash'd off so neatly is the Whore my Mother and let the Devill take all away for me And what is this thou sayest mad man quoth Don-Quixote Art thou in thy right wits Get up Sir quoth Sancho and you your self shall see the fair stuffe you have made and what wee have to pay and you shall behold the Queen transformed into a particular Lady called Dorotea with other successes which if you may once conceive them aright will strike you into admiration I would marvell at nothing quoth Don-Quixote for if thou beest well remembred I told thee the other time that wee were here how all that succeded in this place was done by inchantment And what wonder then if now the like should eftsoons befall I could easily bee induced to believe all replyed Sancho if my canvassing in the Coverlet were of that nature But indeed it was not but most reall and certain And I saw well how the Inn-keeper that is here yet this very day alive held one end of the Coverlet and did tosse me up towards Heaven with very good grace and strength no lesse merily then lightly And where the notice of parties intercurs I doe believe although I am a simple man
shee heard him and understood what they had demanded shee suddainly answered with anguish but yet with a very good grace No not Zoraida but Maria Maria giving them to understand that shee was called Maria and not Zoraida These words and the great affect and vehemenciâ— wherewithall the Moor delivered them extorted more then one tear from the hearers especially from the women who are naturally tender-hearted and compassive Luscinda embraced her then with great love and said I I Maria Maria. To which shee answered I I Maria Zoraida â—ancanga that is and not Zoraida By this it was grown some four of the clock in the afternoon and by order of those which were Don Fernando's Companions the Inn-keeper had provided for them as good a Beaver as the Inne could in any wise afford unto them Therefore it being the houre they sate down all together at a long Table for there was never a square or round one in all the house and they gave the first and principall end although hee refused it as much as hee could to Don-Quixote who commanded that the Ladie Micomicona should sit at his elbow seeing hee was her Champion Presently were placed Luscinda and Zoraida and Don Fernando and Cardenio right over against them and after the Captive and other Gentlemen and on the other side the Curate and Barber And thus they made their drinking with very great recreation which was the more augmented to see Don-Quixote leaving of his meat and moved by the like spirit of that which had made him once before talk so much to the Goat-heards beginne to offer them an occasion of Speech in this manner Truely good Sirs if it bee well considered those which professe the Order of Knight-hood doe see many great and unexpected things If it bee not so say what mortall man alive is there that entring in at this Castle gate and seeing of us all in the manner wee bee now present here can judge or believe that wee are those which wee bee Who is it that can say that this Ladie which sits here at my sleeve is the great Queen that wee all know her to bee and that I am that Knight of the Heavie Countenance that am so much blab'd of abroad by the mouth of Fame therefore it cannot bee now doubted but that this Art and Exercise excelleth all the others which ever human wit the underminer of Nature invented and it is the more to be prized by how much it exposeth it self more then other Trades to dangers and inconveniences Away with those that shall affirm learning to surpasse Armes for I will say unto them bee they what they list that they know not what they say For the reason which such men doe most urge and to which they doe most relye is That the travails of the Spirit doe farre exceed those of the Body And that the use of Armes are only Exercised by the Body as if it were an Office fit for Porters for which nothing were requisite but Bodily forces or as if in that which wee that professe it doe call Armes were not included the acts of Fortitude which require deep understanding to execute them or as if the Warriours Minde did not labour as well as his Body who had a great Army to lead and command or the defence of a besiged Citie If not see if hee can arrive by his corporall strength to know or sound the intent of his Enemie the Designes Stratagems and Difficulties how to prevent imminent Dangers all these being operations of the understanding wherein the body hath no medling at all It being therefore so that the Exercise of Armes require Spirit as well as those of Learning let us now examine which of the two Spirits that of the Scholler or Souldier doe take most pains And this may bee best understood by the end to which both of them are addressed for that intention is most to bee esteemed which hath for object the most noble end The end and conclusion of Learning is I speak not now of Divinitie whose scope is to lead and addresse souls to Heaven for to an end so much without end as this no other may bee compared I mean of humane Sciences or Arts to maintaine distributive justice in his perfection and give to every one that which is is his own to indeavour and cause good Laws to bee religiously observed an end most certainly generous high and worthy of great praise but not of so much as that to which the Exercise of Armes is annext which hath for his object and end Peace which is the greatest good men can desire in this life and therefore the first good news that ever the World had or Men received were those which the Angels brought on that night which was our day when they sung in the skies Glorie bee in the heights and Peace on earth to men of good mindes And the Salvation which the best Master that ever was on Earth or in Heaven taught to his Disciples and Favorites was That when they entrd into any house they should say Peace bee to this house and many other times hee said I give unto you my Peace I leave my Peace unto you Peace bee amongst you It is a good as precious as a Jewell and a Gift given and left by such a hand a Jewel without which neither on Earth or in Heaven can there bee any perfect good This Peace is the true end of Warre for Armes and Warre are one and the selfe same things This truth being therefore presupposed that the end of Warre is Peace and that herein it doth excell the end of Learning let us descend to the corporall labours of the Scholler and to those of him which professeth Armes and consider which of them are more toylsome Don-Quixote did prosecute his discourse in such sort and with so pleasing terms as hee had almost induced his Audients to esteem him to hee at that time at least exempt from his frenzie and thereforeby reason that the greater number of them were Gentlemen to whom the use of Armes is in a manner essentiall and proper they did willingly listen to him aâ—d therefore hee continued on with his discourse in this manner I say then that the pains of the Student are commonly these Principally povertie not that I would maintain that all Students are poor but that I may put the case in greatest extreamitie it can have and by saying that hee may bee poor me thinks there may bee no greater aggravation of his misery For hee that is poor hath no perfection and this poverty is suffered by him sundrie waies sometimes by hunger other times by cold or nakednesse and many times by all of them together Yet it is never so extream but that hee doth eate although it bee somewhat later then the custome or of the Scraps and Reversion of the rich man and the greatest miserie of the Student is that which they terme to live by sops and pottage and though
for you Christians are great Lyers and doe make every one of your selves poore men to defraud the Moores of their due Ransome It may well bee so Maddam quoth I But I have for my part used all truth in this affayre with my Master and doe and will use truth with as many persons as I shall ever have occasion to treat with in this World And when doest thou goe away quoth Zoraida To morrow as I beleeve quoth I. For there is a French Vessell here which sets forth to morrow and I mean to depart in her Were it not better replyed Zoraida to expect untill Vessells come out of Spain and goe away with them then with those of France which are not your friends No quoth I although if it were true as the news runne that there comes a Vessell from Spain I would attend it but yet it is more certain that I shall depart to morrow for the desire I have to see my self at home in my Countrey and with those persons whom I love is so great as it will not permit me to expect any other commoditie that fore-slowes it self bee it never so good Thou art doubtlesly married in thy Countrie said Zoraida and therefore desirâ—st to goe see thy Wife I am not married quoth I but I have passed my word to marry as soon as I am there safely arrived And is shee beautifull to whom thou hast past it quoth Zoraida So beautifull said I as to indeer it and tell you the truth shee is very like unto your selfe Hereat her Father laughed very heartily and said In good earnest Christian shee must bee very fair that may compare with my daughter who is the most beautifull of all this Kingdom and if thou wilt not beleeve me look on her well and thou shalt see that I tell thee but the truth Hee himself as most perfect in the tongue did serve for the interpreter of most of our speeches for although shee could speak that illegitimate language which is there in use yet did shee manifest her minde more by signes then by words Whilst thus we reasoned of many matters there came running towards us a certaine Moor and told his Master how four Turkes had leaped over the Garden walls and were gathering the fruits although they were not yet ripe The old man and his daughter Zoraida started hereat for it is an universall and Naturall defect in the Moors to fear the Turks but specially the Souldiers of that Nation who are commonly so insolent and have such command over the Moors that are their subjects as they doe use them worse then if they were their slaves Therefore Zoraida's father said unto her Daughter retire thy self into the house and keep thy self in whilest I goe speake to those Doggs and thou Christian goe and seek out thine Hearbs and depart in a good hour and I pray Ala to conduct thee safely to thy Countrey I inclined my self to him and hee departed to search out the Turks leaving mee alone with Zoraida who began to make adoe as if shee went whither her father had commanded her But scarce was hee covered among the Trees of the Garden when she returned to me with her eyes full of teares said Amexi Christiano Amexi that is Goest thou away Christian goest thou away I answered yes Ladie that I doe but I will never depart without thee expect mee the next Friday and bee not affrighted when thou shalt see us for wee will goe to the Christian Countrey then without all doubt This I said to her in such sort as shee understood all my words very well and casting her arme over my neck shee began to travell with languishing steps towards the house and fortune would which might have been very ill if Heaven had not rectified it that as wee walked together in that manner and forme her Father who did by this return after hee had caused the Turks to depart espyed us and wee saw also very well how hee had perceived us wherefore Zoraida who is very discreet would not take away her arme from my neck but rather drew neerer unto me and laid her head on my brest and bowed her knees a little with evident token that shee swouned and I likewise made as though I did sustain her up by force Her Father came running over towards us and seeing his Daughter in that state demanded the cause of her but seeing shee made no answer hee himself said Shee doubtlesly is dismaid by the suddain affright shee took at the entrance of those Doggs And taking her away from me hee bowed her to his own brest and shee breathing out a sigh with her eyes yet full of teares said again Amexi Christiano Amexi Goe away Christian goe away To which her Father replyed There is no cause Daughter why the Christian should goe away for hee hath done thee no harme and the Turks are already departed Sir they have affrighted her quoth I as you have said but yet since shee hath commanded me to goe away I will not offend her therefore rest in peace for I will return if it please you to give mee leave for herbs to this garden when it is needfull for my Master saies none better are to be found for Sallads in any garden then you have in this Come as oft as thou wilt said Aguimorato for my daughter saies not this in respect that thou or any other Christian hath offended her but that meaning to say that the Turkes should goe away she bad thee to depart or else she spake it because it is time for thee to gather thine Herbs With this I took leave of both and shee seemed at the instant of my departure to have had her heart torne away from her as shee departed with her Father and I under colour of seeking Herbs went about all the Garden at my leisure and viewed all the sallies and the entrances thereof the strength of the house and the commodities that might bee offered to facilitate our enterprise This being done I came home and made a relation to the Runnagate and my other fellowes of all that had passed and did long infinitely to see the houre wherein I might without any afâ—right or danger possesse that happinesse which fortune in the faire and lovely Zoraida offered unto me In fine the time passed over and the so much desired day and terme arived and every one of us following the order which with mature consideration and long discourse wee had agreed on wee found the good successe wee desired For the very Friday following the day wherein I had spoken with Zoraida in the Garden Morrenago for so was the Runnagate called neer night cast Anchor almost right before the place wherein the beautifull Zoraida remained The Christians also that were to row were ready and hidden in sundry places thereabouts All were suspended and resolutly expected my comming desirous to set upon the Barke that was before their face for they knew not of the agreement
all presently ran and laying hold on a part of his Turkish Robe drew him up half drowned and wholly devoid of feeling Whereat Zoraida was so grieved that shee lamented him as dolefully as if hee had been dead There wee laid him with his mouth downward and hee avoided a great quantity of water and after the space of two hours returned to himself again and in the mean time the winde also turning it did drive us towards the Coast so that wee were constrained to keep our selves by very force of Armes from striking upon it and our good fortune directing us wee arrived to a little Creek at the side of a certain Cape or Promontorie called by the Moors The Cape of the Cava Rumia which in our Language signifies The ill Christian Woman and the Moors hold it for a tradition that in the very same place was the Cava buried for whom Spain was lost and conquered by the Moors For Cava in their language signifies an ill Woman and Rumia a Christian yea and they hold it for a signe of misfortune to arrive or cast Anchor there when meer necessity drives them thither without which they never approach it yet did it not prove to us the shelter of an ill woman but the secure Heaven of our safety Wee sent our Sentinels a shore and never let the Oares slip out of our hands Wee did likewise eate of the Runnagates Provision and heartily besought Almighty God and our Ladie to assist and favour us with a happy end to so luckie a beginning And wee agreed upon Zoraida's intreatie to set her Father and the other Moors that we had tyed a land in that place for shee was of so tender and compassionate a minde as shee could in no wise brook to see her Father tyed in her presence or her countrey-men borne away Captives wherefore wee made her a promise that wee would at our departure let them all goe away seeing wee incur'd no danger by leaving them in that inhabitable Desart Our Prayers were not so vain but that they found gentle acceptance in Heaven which presently changed the Winde and appeased the Sea inviting us cheerfully to returne to it again and prosecute our commenced Voyage Seeing that the weather was favourable wee loosed the Moors and set them all a land one by one and comming to dis-imbarque Zoraida's Father who was by that time wholly come to himself hee said For what doe you conjecture Christians that this bad woman is glad that you give me liberty Doe you think that shee doth it for pittie that shee takes of me No truely but shee doth it only to remove the hinderance my presence gave her when shee would execute her unlawfull desires Nor ought you to believe that shee is moved to change Religion by reason that shee understands yours to be better then her own but only because she knows licentiousnesse to bee more publiquely and freely practised in your Countrey then among us And then turning to Zoraida whom I and another Christian held fast by both the armes lest shee should doe some desperate act hee said O infamous Gyrle and ill-advised Mayden where doest thou runne thus blinded and distracted in the power of those Doggs our naturall enemies Cursed bee the hour wherein I ingendred thee and cursed the delights and pleasures wherein thou wast nousled I perceiving that hee was not like to make an end of his execrations so soon as I could wish had him set on shore and thence hee prosecuted his Maledictions and Plaints praying unto Makomet that hee would intercede with Ala that wee might bee all destroyed confounded and cast away And when wee could heare his words no longer by reason that wee set sail wee perceived his works that were to pluck his Beard teare his Haire and cast himself on the ground but once hee did lift vp his voyce so high as that wee heard him say Returne beloved Daughter returne to the land for I doe pardon thee all that thou hast done and deliver that money to those men for it is now their own and return thou to comfort thy sad and desolate Father who will forsake his life on these desolate sands if thou do'st abandon him Zoraida heard him say all this and lamented thereat but knew not how to speak or answer him any other thing but this Father mine I pray Ala that Lela Marien who hath been the cause of my becomming a Christian may likewise comfort thee in thy sorrow Ala knows well that I could doe none other then I did and that these Christians doe owe me nothing for my good will seeing that though I had not come away with them but remained at my house yet had it been impossible such was the haste wherewithall my soule presâ—ed mee not to have executed this my purpose which seemes to mee to bee as good as thou O beloved Father doest account it wicked Shee said this in a time that neither her Father could heare her nor wee behold him and therefore after I had comforted Zoraida wee did thenceforth onely attend our Voyage which was so much holpen by the favourable winde as wee made full account to bee the next day on the Coast of Spaine but as good very seldome or rather never betides a man thorowly and wholly without being accompanied or followed by some evill which troubles and assaults it our fortune would or rather the maledictions of the Moore powred on his Daughter for the Curses of any Father whatsoever are to bee feared that being ingulfed three houres within night and going before the winde with a full Sayle and our Oares set up because the prosperous winde had rid us of the labour of rowing wee saw neere unto us by the light of the Moone that shined very cleerely a round vessell which with all her Sailes spread did crosse before us into the Sea and that so neerely as wee were faine to strike downe her Saile that wee might avoide the shog shee was like to give us and those that were in her had on the other side laboured also what they might to turne her out of our way standing all of them on the hatches to demand of us what wee were from whence wee came and whether wee did Saile But by reason that they spake French the Runnagate bade us not to speake a word saying Let none answer for these are French Pirates which make their booty of every body For this cause none of us answered and being passed a little forward and that the Ship remained in the Lee of us they suddenly shot off two Peeces of Artillery and as I thinke both of them had chaine Bullets for with the one they cut our Mast asunder and overthrew it and the Saile into the sea and instantly after they discharged another the Bullet alighting in our Barke did pierce it thorow and thorow without doing any other hurt but wee seeing that our vessell began to sinke began all to crie out and request
all that was his there did hee also cause his Daughter to embrace her there the beautifull Christian and the most beautifull Moore renewed the teares of them all There Don-Quixote was attentive without speaking a word pondering of these rare occurrences and attributing them to the Chimeraes which hee imagined to bee incident to Chivalrie and there they agreed that the Captaine and Zoraida should returne with their brother to Sivill and thence advise their Father of his finding and libertie that he as well as hee might should come to Sivill to the Baptisme and Marriage of Zoraida because the Judge could not possibly returne or discontinue his journey in respect that the Indian Fleete was to depart within a Moneth from Sivill towards new Spaine Every one in conclusion was joyfull and glad at the captives good successe and two parts of the night being wel nigh spent they all agreed to repose themselves a while Don-Quixote offered himselfe to watch and gaurd the Castle whilst they slept lest they should bee assaulted by some Giant or other miscreant desirous to rob the great Treasure of beautie that was therein immured and kepâ— Those that knew him rendred unto him infinite thankes and withall informed the Judge of his extravagant humor whereat hee was not a little recreated onely Sancho Panca did fret because they went so slowly to sleepe and hee alone was best accommodated of them all by lying downe on his beasts furniture which cost him deerely as shall bee after recounted The Ladies being withdrawne into their Chamber and every one laying himselfe downe where best hee might Don-Quixote sallied out of the Inne to bee Centinell of the Castle as hee had promised And a little before day it happened that so sweet and tuneable a voyce touched the Ladies eares as it obliged them all to listen unto it very attentively but chiefly Dorotea who first awaked and by whose side the young Gentlewoman Donna Clara of Viedma for so the Judges Daughter was called slept None of them could imagine who it was that sung so well without the help of any instrument sometimes it seemed that hee sung in the yard others that it was in the Stable and being thus in suspence Cardenio came to the Chamber-dore and said Whosoever is not asleepe let them give eare and they shall heare the voice of a Lackey that so chants as it likewise inchants Sir quoth Dorotea wee heare him very well With this Cardenio departed and Dorotea using all the attention possible heard that his song was this following CHAP. XVI Wherein is recounted the Historie of the Lackie with other strange Adventures befaln in the Inne I Am a Marriner to love Which in his depths profound Still sails and yet no hope can prove Of comming aye to th' ground I following goe a glistring Starre Which I aloof descrie Much more resplendent then those are That Palinure did spie I know not where my course to â—end And so confusedly To see it only I pretend Carefull and carelesly Her too impertinent regard And too much Modestie The Clouds are which mine eyes have â—ard From their deserved fee. O cleer and soul-reviving Star Whose sight doth trie my trust If thou thy light from me debar Instantly dye I must The Singer arriving to this point of his song Dorotea imagined that it would not bee amisse to let Donna Clara heare so excellent a voyce and therefore shee jogged her a little on the one and other side untill shee had awaked her and then said Pardon me child for thus interrupting your sweet repose seeing I doe it to the end you may joy by hearing one of the best voyces that perhaps you ever heard in your life Clara awaked at the first drowsily and did not well understand what Dorotea said and therefore demanding of her what shee said shee told it her again whereupon Donna Clara was also attentive but scarce had shee heard two verses repeated by the early Musician when a marvellous trembling invaded her even as if shee had then suffered the grievous fit of a Quartane Ague Wherefore embracing Dorotea very straightly shee said Alas deer Lady why did you awake me seeing the greatest happ that Fortune could in this instant have given me was to have mine eyes and eares so shut as I might neither see nor hear that unfortunate Musician What is that you say childe quoth Dorotea did you not heare one say that the Musician is but a Horse-Boy Hee is no Horse-Boy quoth Clara but a Lord of many Towns and hee that hath such firm possession of my Soul as if hee himself will not reject it hee shall never bee deprived of the dominion thereof Dorotea greatly wondred at the passionate words of the young Gyrle whereby it seemed to her that shee farre surpassed the discretion which so tender yeers did promise And therefore shee replyed to her saying You speak so obscurely Lady Clara as I cannot understand you expound your selfe more cleerly and tell me what is that you say of Souls and Towns and of this Musician whose voyce hath altred you so much but doe not say any thing to me now for I would not lose by listening to your disgusts the pleasure I take to hear him sing for me thinks hee resumes his musick with new Verses and in another tune In a good hour quoth Donna Clara and then because she her self would not hear him she stopt her eares with her fingers whereat Dorotea did also marvell but being attentive to the Musick shee heard the Lacquie prosecute his Song in this manner O Sweet and constant hope That break'st Impossibilities and Bryers And firmly run'st the scope Which thou thy self doest forge to thy desires Be not dismaid to see At eve'ry step thy self nigh death to bee Sluggards doe not deserve The glorie of Triumphs or Victorie Good hap doth never serve Those which resist not Fortune manfully But weakly fall to ground And in soft sloth their Sences all confound That Love his glories hold At a high rate it reason is and just No precious Stones nor gold May bee at all compared with Loves gust And 't is a thing most clear Nothing is worth esteem that cost not dear An Amorous persistance Obtaineth oft-times things impossible And so though I resistance Finde of my Souls desires in her stern will I hope time shall bee given When I from Earth may reach her glorious Heav'n Here the voyce ended and Donna Clara's sighs began all which inflamed Dorotea's desire to know the cause of so sweet a Song and so sad a Plaint And therefore shee eftsoons required her to tell her now what shee was about to have said before Then Clara timorous lest Luscinda should over-hear her imbracing Dorotea very neerly laid her mouth so closely to Dorotea's eare as shee might speak securely without being understood by any other and said Hee that sings is dear Ladie a Gentlemans Sonne of the Kingdome of Aragon whose Father is Lord of two Towns and
their satisfaction and then takeing Don Lewis apart hee intreated him to tell him the occasion of that his departure And whilest hee made this and other demands to the Gentleman they heard a great noyse at the In doore the cause whereof was that two Guests which had lien there that night seeing all the People busied to learne the cause of the foure Horse-mens coming had thought to have made an escape scot-free without defraying their expences but the In-keeper who attended his owne affaires with more diligence then other mens did stay them at their going forth and demanded his money upbrayding their dishonest resolution with such words as moved them to returne him an answere with their fists which they did so roundly as the poore Oast was compelled to raise the crie and demand succour The Oastesse and her daughter could see no man so free from occupation as Don-Quixote to whom the daughter said I request you Sir Knight by the virtue that God hath given you to succour my poore Father whom two bad men are grinding like corne To this Don-Quixote answered very leisurely and with great gravity Beautifull Damzell your Petition cannot prevaile at this time for as much as I am hindred from undertaking any other Adventure untill I have finished one wherein my promise hath ingaged mee and all that I can now doe in your service is that which I shall say now unto you Run unto your Father and bid him continue and maintaine his conflict manfully the best that hee may untill I demand license of the Princesse Micomicona to help him out of his distresse for if shee will give it unto mee you may make full account that hee is delivered Sinner that I am quoth Maritornes whâ— was by and heard what hee said before you shall bee able to obteyne that License of which you speake my Master will bee departed to the other World Worke you so Lady quoth Don-Quixote that I may have the License for so that I may have it it will make no great matter whether hee bee in the other world or no for even from thence would I bring him back againe in despight of the other World it selfe if it durst contradict mee or at least wise I will take such a revenge of those that doe send him to the other World as you shall remaine more then meanely contented and so without replying any more hee went and fell on his knees before Dorotea demanding of her in Knightly and Errant phrases that shee would daigne to license him to goe and succour the Constable of that Castle who was then plunged in a deepe distresse The Princesse did grant him leave very willingly and hee presently buckling on his Target and laying hold on his Sword ranne to the Inne doore where yet the two Guests stood handsomly tuging the Innkeeper But as soone as hee arived hee stopt and stood still although Maritornes and the Oastesse demanded of him twice or thrice the cause of his restiffenesse in not assisting her Lord and Husband I stay quoth Don-Quixote because according to the Lawes of Armes it is not permitted to mee to lay hand to my Sword against Squire-like men that are not dubbed Knights But call to mee here my Squire Sancho for this defence and revenge concernes him as his duty This passed at the Inne doore where fists und blowes were interchangeably given and taken in the best sort although to the Innkeepers cost and to the rage and griefe of Maritornes the Oastesse and her daughter who were like to runne wood beholding Don-Quixotes cowardise and the mischiefe their Master Husband and Father endured But here let us leave them for there shall not want one to succour him or if not let him suffer and all those that wittingly undertake things beyond their power and force and let us turne backward to heare that which Don Lewis answered the Judge whom wee left somewhat apart with him demanding the cause of his comming a foote and in so base aray to which the Youth wringing him hardâ— by the hands as an Argument that some extraordinary griefe pinched his heart and sheding many teares answered in this manner I know not what else I may tell you deere Sir but that from the instant that heaven made us Neighbours and that I saw Donna Clara your Daughter and my Lady I made her Commandresse of my Will and if yours my true Lord and Father doe not hinder it shee shall bee my Spouse this very day For her sake have I abandoned my Fathers house and for her I did on this attyre to follow her wheresoever shee wentâ— as the Arrow doth the Marke or the Mariner the North-starre Shee is as yet no farther acquainted with my desires then as much as shee might understand somtimes by the teares which shee saw mine eyes distill a farre off Now Sir you know the Riches and Nobility of my discent and how I am my Fathers sole Heire and if it seeme unto you that these bee conditions whereupon you may venter to make mee throughly happy accept of mee presently for your sonne in Law for if my Father borne away by other his Designes shall not like so well of this good which I have sought out for my selfe yet time hath more force to undoe and change the affaires then mens Will. Here the amorous Gentleman held his peace and the Judge remayned astonied as well at the grace and discretion wherewith Don Lewis had discovered his affections unto him as also to see himselfe in such a passe that as hee knew not what course hee might best take in so suddaine and unexpected a matter and therefore hee answered no other thing at that time but only bad him to settle his minde and entertayne the time with his Servants and deale with them to expect that day because hee might have leisure to consider what might bee most convenient for all Don Lewis did kisse his hands perforce and did bathe them with tears a thing able to move a heart of Marble and much more the Judges who as a wise man did presently perceive how beneficiall and honourable was that preferment for his Daughter although hee could have wished if it had been possible to effect it with the consent of Don Lewis his Father who hee knew did purpose to have his Sonne made a Noble man of Title By this time the Inn-keeper and his Ghests had agreed having paid him all that they ought more by Don-Quixotes perswasion and good reasons then by any menaces And Don Lewis his Servants expected the end of the Judge his discourse and his resolution When the Devill who never sleeps would have it at that very time entred into the Inne the Barber from whom Don-Quixote took away the Helmet of Mambrino and Sancho Panca the furniture of the Asse whereof hee made an exchange for his own which Barber leading his Beast to the Stable saw Sancho Panca who was mending some part of the Pannell and as soon as
else but Plaints Cryes Screetches Confusions Feares Dreads Disgraces Slashes Buffets Blows Spurnings and effusion of Blood In the midst of this Chaos and Labyrinth of things Don-Quixote began to imagine and fancie to himselfe that hee was at that very time plunged up to the eares in the discord and conflict of King Agramante his Campe and therefore hee said with a voice that made all the Inne to tremble All of you hold your hands all of you put up your Swords all of you bee quiet and listen to mee if any of you desire to continue alive That great and monstrous voice made them all stand still thereupon hee thus proceeded Did not I tell you Sirs that this Castle was inchanted and that some Legion of Devills did inhabit it In confirmation whereof I would have you but to note with your owne eyes how the very discord of King Agramants Campe is transferred hither and passed ever among us Looke how there they fight for the Sword here for the Horse yonder for the Eagle beyond for the Helmet and all of us fight and none of us know for what Come therefore you Master Justice and you Master Curate and let the one represent King Agramant and the other King Sobrino and make Peace and Atonement among us for I sweare by Almighty Iove that it is great wrong and pittie that so many Noblemen as wee are here should be slaine for so sleight causes The Troopers which did not understand Don-Quixotes manner of speech and saw themselves very ill handled by Don Fernando and Cardenio would in no wise bee pacified But the Barber was content by reason that in the conflict both his beard and his Pannell had beene torne in peeces Sancho to his Masters voice was quickly obedient as became a dutifull Servant Don Lewis his foure serving men stood also quiet seeing how little was gained in being other only the Innekeeper persisted as before affirming that punishment was due unto the insolencies of that mad man who every foote confounded and disquieted his Inne Finally the rumor was pacified for that time the Pannell remained for a Horse furniture untill the day of judgement the Bason for a Helmet and the Inn for a Castle in Don-Quixotes imagination All the broyles being now appeased and all men accorded by the Judges and Curates perswasions then began Don Lewis his servants again to urge him to depart with them and whilest hee and they debated the matter the Judge communicated the whole to Don Fernando Cardenio and the Curate desiring to know their opinions concerning that affair and telling them all that Don Lewis had said unto him whereupon they agreed that Don Fernando should tell the Serving-men what hee himself was and how it was his pleasure that Don Lewis should goe with him to Andaluzia where hee should bee cherished and accounted of by the Marquesse his Brother according unto his calling and deserts for hee knew well Don Lewis his resolution to bee such as he would not return into his Fathers presence at that time although they core him into peeces Don Fernando his quality and Don Lewis his intention being understood by the four they agreed among themselves that three of them should goe back to beare the tidings of all that had passed to his Father and the other should abide there to attend on him and never to leave him untill they returned to fetch him home or knew what else his Father would command And in this sort was that monstrous bulk of division and contention reduced to some forme by the authority of Agramant and the wisdome of King Sobrino But the Enemie of Concord and the Adversarie of Peace finding his projects to bee thus illuded and condemned and seeing the little fruit hee had gotten by setting them all by the eares resolved once again to trye his wits and stir up new discords and troubles which befell in this manner The Troupers were quieted having understood the calling of those with whom they had contended and retired themselves from the brawl knowing that howsoever the cause succeeded they themselves should have still the worst end of the staffe But one of them who was the very same whom Don Fernando had buffetted so well remembred how among many other Warrants that hee had to apprehend Malefactors hee had one for Don-Quixote whom the Holy-Brotherhood had commanded to bee apprehended for freeing of the Gally-Slaves a disaster which Sancho had before-hand with very great reason feared As soon as he remembred it hee would needs trye whether the signes that were given him of Don-Quixote did agree with his person and so taking out of his bosome a scorll of Parchment wherein they were written hee presently found out that which hee looked for and reading it a while very leisurely as one that was himself no great Clerke at every other word hee looked on Don-Quixote and confronted the marks of his warrant with those of Don-Quixotes face and found that he was infallibly the man that was therein mentioned And scarce was hee perswaded that it was hee when folding up his Parchment and holding the Warrant in his left hand hee laid hold on Don-Quixotes coller with the right so strongly as hee could hardly breath and cryed out aloud saying Aid for the Holy-Brotherhood and that you may perceive how I am in good earnest read that Warrant wherein you shall finde that this Robber by the High-way side is to bee apprehended The Curate took the Warrant and perceived very well that the Trouper said true and that the marks agreed very neer with Don-Quixotes who seeing himself so abused by that base Rascall as hee accounted him his choler being mounted to her height and all the bones of his body crashing for wrath hee seized as well as hee could with both his hands on the Troupers throat and that in such sort as if hee had not been speedily succoured by his fellows hee had there left his life are Don-Quixote would have abandoned his gripe The Inne-keeper who of force was to assist his fellow in Office forthwith repaired unto his aide The Hostesse seeing her Husband re-enter into contentions and brables raised a new crie whose burden was borne by her Daughter and Maritornes asking succour of Heaven and those that were present Sancho seeing all that passed said By the Lord all that my Master hath said of the Inchantments of this Castle is true for it is not possible for a man to live quietly in it one hour together Don Fernando parted the Trouper and Don-Quixote and with the good will of both unfastened their holds but yet the Troupers for all this desisted not to require their Prisoner and withall that they should help to get him tyed and absolutely rendred unto their wills for so it was requisite for the King and the Holy Brotherhood in whose name they did again demand their help and assistance for the Arresting of that publique Robber and Spoyler of People in common Paths and
doth herein seem to surpasse her Suddainly he discovers a strong Castle or goodly Palace whose walles are of beaten gold the pinacles of Diamonds the gates of Iacinths finally it is of so exquisite Workemanship as although the materials whereof it is built are no worse then Diamonds Carbuncles Rubies Emeralds Pearles and Gold yet is the Architecture thereof of more estimation and value then they and is there any more to be seen after the seeing hereof then to see sallie out at the Castle gates a goodly troup of lovely Damzels whose brave and costly attyre if I should attempt to describe as it is laid down in Histories we should never make an end and she that seems the chiefest of all to take presently our bold Knight that threw himself into the boyling Lake by the hand and carry him into the rich Castle or Palace without speaking a word and cause him to strip himself as naked as he was when his Mother bore him and bathe him in very temperate waters and afterwards anoint him all over with precious oyntments and put on him a shirt of most fine odoriferous and perfumed Sendall and then another Damzell to come suddainly and cast on his back a rich mantle which they say is wont to be worth at the very least a rich Citty yea and more Then what a sport it is when they tell us after that after this he is carried into another Hall where he finds the tables covered so orderly as he rests amazed what to see cast on his hands water distilled all of Amber and most fragrant flowers what to see him seated in a chaire of Ivory what to see him served by all the Damzels with marvellous silence what the setting before him such variety of accares and those so excellently dressed as his appetite knowes not to which of them it shall first addresse his hand what to hear the Musicke which sounds whilst he is at dinner without knowing who makes it or whence it comes and after that dinner is ended and the tables taken away the Knight to remaine leaning on a chaire and perhaps picking of his teeth as the custome is and on a suddaine to enter at the Hall-door another much more beautifull Damzell then any of the former and to sit by his side and begin to recount unto him what Castle that is and how she is inchanted therein with many other things that amazed the Knight and amazed the Readers I will not enlarge my self any more in this matter seeing that you may collect out of that which I have said that any part that is read of any book of a Knight Errant will delight and astonish him that shall peruse it with attention and therefore I pray you beleeve me and as I have said already reade those kinde of books and you shall finde that they will exile all the Melancholy that shall trouble you and rectifie your disposition if by fortune it be depraved for I dare affirme of my self that since I am become a Knight Errant I am valiant courteous liberall well-manner'd generous gentle bold mild patient and indurer of labours imprisonments and inchantments and although it be but so little a while since I was shut up in a Cage like a mad man yet doe I hope by the valour of mine arme heaven concurring and fortune not crossing me to see my self within a few daies the King of some Kingdoms wherein I may shew the bounty and liberality included within my brest For in good truth Sir a poor man is made unable to manifest the virtue of liberality toward any other although he virtually possesse it himself in a most eminent degree and the will to gratifie which onely consists of will is a dead thing as Faith without Works For which cause I doe wish that fortune would quickly present me some occasion whereby I might make my self an Emperour that I may discover the desire I have to doe good unto my friends but especially to this my poor Squire Sancho Panca who is one of the honestest men in the world on whom I would faine bestow the Earledome which I promised him many daies past but that I fear me he will not be able to governe his estate Sancho overhearing those last words of his Masters said Labour you Sir Don-Quixote to get me that Earledome as often promised by you as much longed for by me and I promise you that I will not want sufficiency to governe it and though I should yet have I heard say that there are men in the world who take Lordships to farme paying the Lord so much by the yeer and undertaking the care of the government thereof whilst the Lord himself with outstretched legs doth live at his ease enjoying the rents they bring him and caring for nothing else and so will I do and will not stand wracking it to the utmost but presently desist from all administration and live merily upon my Rent like a young Duke and so let the World wag and goe how it will That friend Sancho is to bee understood quoth the Canon of enjoying the Revenues but as concerning the administration of Justice the Lord of the Seigniory is bound to look to it in that is required a sufficiencie and abilitie to govern and above all a good intention to deal justly and determine rightly for if this bee wanting when wee begin our means and ends will alwaies bee subject to errour And therefore is God wont as well to further the good Designes of the simple as to disfavour the bad ones of those that be wittily wicked I understand not those Philosophies quoth Sancho Panca but this I know well that I would I had as speedily the Earldome as I could tell how to govern it for I have as much Soul as another and as much Body as hee that hath most and I would bee as absolute a King in my estate as any one would bee in his and being such I would doe what I liked and doing what I liked I would take my pleasure and taking my pleasure I would bee content and when one is content hee hath no more to desire and having no more to desire the matter were ended and then come the state when it will or farewell it and let us behold our selves as one blinde man said to another They are no bad Philosophies which thou comest out with kinde Sancho quoth the Canon but yet for all that there is much to bee said concerning this matter of Earldomes To that Don-Quixote replyed I know not what more may bee said only I govern my self by the example of Amadis de Gaule who made his Squire Earl of the firm Island and therefore I may without scruple of conscience make Sancho Panca an Earl for hee is one of the best Squires that ever Knight Errant had The Canon abode amazed at the well compacted and orderly ravings of Don-Quixote at the manner wherewith hee had deciphred the Adventure of the Knight of the Lake at
especially if they be the Kings Players and all of them in their fashion and garbe are Gentleman-like For all that said Don-Quixote the Devill-Player shall not scape from mee and bragge of it though all mankinde helpe him And so saying hee got to the Waggon that was now somwhat neere the Towne and crying aloud said Hold stay merry Greekes for I le make yee know what belongs to the Asses and Furniture belonging to the Squires of Knights Errant Don-Quixotes noyse was such that those of the Waggon heard it and guessing at his intention by his speeches in an instant Mistrisse Death leapt out of the Waggon and after her the Emperour the Devill-Waggoner and the Angell and the Queene too with little Cupid all of them were streight loaded with stones and put themselves in Order expecting Don-Quixote with their peeble poynts Don-Quixote that saw them in so gallant a Squadron ready to discharge strongly their stones held in Rozinantes Reynes and began to consider how he should set upon them with least hazard of his Person Whil'st hee thus stayed Sancho came to him and seeing him ready to give the onset said 'T is a meere madnesse Sir to attempt this enterprize I pray consider that for your River-sops Meaning the stones there are no defensive weapons in the world but to bee shut up and inlay'd under a brazen Bell And consider likewise 't is rather Rashnesse then Valour for one man alone to set upon an Army wherein Death is and where Emperours fight in Person and where good and bad Angels helpe And if the consideration of this bee not sufficient may this move you to know That amongst all there though they seeme to bee Kings Princes and Emperours yet there is not so much as one Knight Errant Thou hast hit upon the right Sancho said Don-Quixote the very point that may alter my determination I neyther can nor must draw my Sword as I have often told thee against any that bee not Knights Errant It concernes thee Sancho if thou meanest to bee Revenged for the wrong done unto thine Asse and I will encourage thee and from hence give thee wholsome instructions There needes no being Revenged of any body said Sancho for there is no Christianity in it besides mine Asse shall bee contented to put his Cause to mee and to my Will which is to live peaceable and quietly as long as Heaven shall bee pleased to afford mee Life Since this is thy determination said Don-Quixote honest wise disceet Christian-like pure Sancho let us leave these dreams and seek other better and more reall Adventures for I see this Countrey is like to afford us many miraculous ones So hee turned Rozinantes reines and Sancho took his Dapple Death with all the flying Squadron returned to the Waggon and went on their voyage And this was the happy end of the Waggon of Deaths Adventure thanks be to the good advice that Sancho Panca gave his Master to whom the day after there hapned another Adventure no lesse pleasant with an enamoured Knight Errant as well as hee CHAP. XII Of the rare Adventure that befell Don-Quixote with the Knight of the Looking-Glasses DOn-Quixote and his Squire passed the ensuing night after their Deaths encounter under certain high and shadie Trees Don-Quixote having first by Sancho's entreaty eaten somewhat of the Provision that came upon Dapple and as they were at Supper Sancho said to his Master Sir what an Asse had I been had I chosen for a reward the spoiles of the first Adventure which you might end rather then the breed of the three Mares Indeed indeed a Bird in the Hand is better then two in the Bush. For all that quoth Don-Quixote if thou Sancho hadst let me give the on-set as I desired thou hadst had to thy share at least the Empresses golden crown and Cupid's painted wings for I had taken um away against the haire and given them thee Your Players Scepters and Emperors crowns said Sancho are never of pure Gold but Leaf and Tinne 'T is true answered Don-Quixote for it is very necessary that your Play-ornaments bee not fine but counterfeit and seeming as the Play it self is which I would have thee Sancho to esteem of and consequently the Actors too and the Authors because they are the Instruments of much good to a Common-wealth beeing like Looking-glasses where the Actions of humane life are lively represented and there is no comparison that doth more truely present to us what wee are or what wee should bee then Comedie and Comedians If not tell me hast not thou seen a Play acted where Kings Emperors Bishops Knights Dames and other personages are introduced One playes a Russian another the Cheater this a Merchant t'other a Souldier one a crafty Fool another a foolish Lover And the Comedie ended and the apparell taken away all the rehearsers are the same they were Yes marry have I quoth Sancho Why the same thing said Don-Quixote happens in the Comedy and Theater of this World where some play the Emperors other the Bishops and lastly all the parts that may bee in a Comedie but in the end that is the end of our life Death takes away all the robes that made them differ and at their buriall they are equall A brave comparison quoth Sancho but not so strange to me that have heard it often as that of the Chesse-play that while the game lasts every Peer hath it's particular motion and the game ended all are mingled and shuffled together and cast into a leathern bag which is a kinde of buriall Every day Sancho quoth Don-Quixote thou growest wiser and wiser It must needs bee said Sancho that some of your wisdome must cleave to me for grounds that are dry and barren by mucking and tilling them give good fruit I mean your conversation hath been the muck that hath been cast upon the sterill ground of my barren wit and the time that I have served you the tillage with which I hope to render happie fruit and such as may not gain-say or slide out of the paths of good manners which you have made in my withered understanding Don-Quixote laughed at Sancho's affected reasons and it seemed true to him what hee had said touching his reformation for now and then his talk admired him although for the most part when Sancho spoke by way of contradiction or like a Courtier hee ended his discourse with a downfall from the mount of his simplicitie to the profunditie of his ignorance but that wherein hee shewed himself most elegant and memorable was in urging of Proverbs though they were never so much against the haire of the present businesse as hath been seen and noted in all this Historie A great part of the night they passed in these and such like discourses but Sancho had a great desire to let fall the Port-cullices as hee called them of his eyes and sleepe and so undressing his Dapple hee turned him freely to graze with Rozinantes saddle he
Art Corchuelo sate down being very weary and Sancho coming to him said Truely Sir Bachelor if you take my advice hereafter challenge no man to fence but to wrastle or throw the bar since you have youth and force enough for it for I have heard those that you call your skillfull men say that they will thrust the poynt of a Sword through the eye of a Needle I am glad quoth Corchuelo that I came from my Asse and that experience hath shewed me what I would not have beleeved So rising up hee embraced the Parson and they were as good friends as before So not staying for the Notary that went for the Sword because they thought he would tarry long they resolved to follow and come betimes to Quiteriaes Village of whence they all were By the way the Parson discourses to them of the excellency of the Art of Fencing with so many demonstrative Reasons with so many Figures and Mathematicall demonstrations that all were satisfied with the rareness of the Science and Corchuelo reduced from his obstinacy It began to grow darke but before they drew neere they all saw a kind of heaven of innumerable Stars before the Town They heard likewise harmonious and confused sounds of divers instruments as Flutes Tabers Psalteries Recorders hand-Drums and Bells and when they drew neere they saw that the trees of an Arbor which had been made at the entrance of the towne were all full of lights which were not offended by the winde â— that then blew not but was so gentle that it scarce moved the leaves of the trees The Musicians were they that made the marriage more sprightly who went two and two in companies som dancing and singing others playing upon divers of the aforesaid instruments Nothing but myrth ran up and down the Medow others were busied in raysing scaffolds that they might the next day see the representations and dances commodiously dedicated to the marriage of the rich Camacho and the Obsequies of Basilius Don-Quixote would not enter the town although the Husband-men and the Bachelor entreated him for he gave a sufficient excuse for himself as he thought that it was the custome of Knights Errant to sleep in Fields and Forrests rather then in habitations though it were under golden roofs so he went a little out of the way much against Sanchoes will who remembred the good lodging he had in the Castle or house of Don-Diego CHAP. XX. Of the Marriage of rich Camacho and the successe of poore Basilius SCARCE had the silver morne given bright Phoebus leave with the ardor of his burning rayes to dry the liquid Pearles on his golden locks when Don-Quixote shaking off sloth from his drowzie Members rose up and called Sancho his Squire that still lay snorting which Don-Quixote seeing before he could wake he said Oh happy thou above all that live upon the face of the earth that without envie or being envied sleepest with a quiet brest neither persecuted by Enchanters nor frighted by Enchantments Sleepe I say once againe nay an hundred times sleepe let not thy Masters jealousie keepe thee continually awake nor let care to pay thy debts make thee watchfull or how another day thou and thy small but straightned Family may live whom neither ambition troubles nor the worlds vaine pompe doth weary since the bounds of thy desires extend no farther then to thinking of thine Asse for for thine own person that thou hast committed to my charge a counterpoize and burden that Nature and Custome hath laid upon the Masters The servant sleeps and the Master wakes thinking how he may maintaine good him and do him kindnesses the griefe that it is to see heav'n obdurate in relieving the earth with seasonable moysture troubles not the servant but it doth the Master that must keep in sterility and hunger him that ved him in abundance and plenty Sancho answered not a word to all this for hee was a sleepe neither would he have awaked so soon if Don-Quixote had not made him come to himself with the little end of his Launce At length hee awaked sleepie and drowsie and turning his face round about hee said From this Arbor if I bee not deceived there comes a steem and smell rather of good broyled Rashers then Time and Rushes A marriage that begins with such smells by my Holidam I think 't will bee brave and plentifull Away Glutton quoth Don-Quixote come and let us goe see it and what becomes of the disdained Basilius Let him doe what hee will said Sancho were it not better that hee were poor still and married to Quiteria There is no more in it but let the Moon lose one quarter and shee 'l fall from the clouds Faith Sir I am of opinion that the poor fellow be contented with his fortunes and not seek after things impossible I 'le hold one of mine armes that Camacho will cover Basilius all over with six-pences and if it bee so as 't is like Quiteria were a very fool to leave her bravery and Jewels that Camacho hath and can give her and choose Basilius for his bar-pitching and fancing In a Tavern they will not give you a pinte of wine for a good throw with the barre or a trick at fence such abilities that are worth nothing have um whose will for me But when they light upon one that hath crowns withall let me bee like that man that hath them Upon a good foundation a good building may bee raised and money is the best bottome and foundation that is in the world For Gods love Sancho quoth Donâ—Quixote conclude thy tedious discourse with which I beleeve if thou wert let alone thou wouldest neither eate nor sleep for talking If you had a good memorie said Sancho you would remember the articles of our agreement before wee made our last sally from home one of which was That you would let me speak as much as I list on condition that it were not against my Neighbour or against your Authority and hitherto I am sure I have not broken that Article I remember no such Article Sancho said hee and though it were so I would have you now bee silent and come with me for now the Instruments wee heard over night begin to cheer the Vallies and doubtlesse the marriage is kept in the cool of the morning and not deferred till the afternoons heat Sancho did what his Master willed him and sadling Rozinante with his Pack-saddle clapped likewise on Dâ—pple the two mounted and fair and softly entred the Arbor The first thing that Sancho saw was a whole Steer spitted upon a whole Elme and for the fire where it was to bee roasted there was a prettie mountain of wood and six pots that were round about this Bon-fire which were never cast in the ordinary mold that other pots were for they were six half Olive-buts and every one was a very Shambles of meat they had so many whole Sheep soking in them which were not seen as if they
Master Eyther your experience is false or else wee are not come neere the place you speake of by many Leagues Why quoth Don-Quixote hast thou met with something I with some things said hee and shaking his fingers hee washed his whole hand in the River by which and in the Current the boat softly slid along without being moved by any secret influence or hidden Enchantment but the very course it selfe of the water as yet soft and easie By this they discovered two great Water-Milles in the middest of the River And Don-Quixote as soone as hee saw them cried aloud to Sancho seest thou Friend that Citie Castle or Fortresse that shewes it selfe where some Knight is sure oppressed or some Queene or Princesse in ill plight for whose succour I am brought hither What the Devill of City Castle or Fortresse Sir doe you talke of quoth Sancho doe you not see that those are Water-Mills in the River to grinde Corne Peace Sancho said hee for though they looke like Water-Milles yet they are not and I have told thee already that these Enchantments chop and change things out of their naturall being I say not that they change them out of one being into another really but in appearance as was seene by experience in the transformation of Dulcinea the only refuge of my hopes Now the Boat being gotten into the middest of the Current began to moove somewhat faster then before They of the Mills that saw the Boat come downe the River and that it was now even gotten into the swift streame of the wheeles many of them came running out with long poles to stay it and as their faces and clothes were all covered with meale-dust they made a strange shew and cryed out saying Divills of men whither goe you Are you mad to drowne your selves or bee beaten to pieces against these wheeles Did not I tell thee Sancho said Don-Quixote then that wee should come where I should shew the force of mine Arme look what wicked uncouth fellowes come to encounter mee look what a troope of Hobgoblins oppose themselves against mee looke what ugly visages play the Bull-beggers with us Now you shall see you Rascals and standing up in the Boat hee began aloud to threaten the Millers saying You base Scumme and ill-advised free and deliver that person which is in your Fortresse or Prison opprest bee hee high or low or of what sort or quality soever for I am Don-Quixote de la Mancha otherwise called The Knight of the Lyons for whom the happy ending of this Adventure is reserved by order of the high Heavens and this sayd hee layd hand to his sword and beganne to fence in the aire against the Millers who hearing but not understanding those madnesses stood with their poles to stay the Boat which was now entring the source and channell of the wheeles Sancho kneeled devoutly upon his knees praying Heaven to free him from so manifest a danger which succeeded happily by the quicknesse and skill of the Millers who opposing their staves to the Boat stayd it but so that they overturned it and Don-Quixote and Sancho topled into the River but it was well for Don-Quixote who could swimme like a Goose though the weight of his Armes carried him twice to the bottome and had it not beene for the Millers who leaped into the water and pulled them out both as if they had waighed them up there they had both perished When they were both on land more wet then thirsty Sancho upon his knees with joyned hands and his eyes nailed to Heaven prayed to God with a large and devout prayer to free him from thence-forward from the rash desires and enterprizes of his Master And now the Fisher-men came the Owners of the Boat which was broken to pieces by the wheeles who seeing it spoyled began to dis-robe Sancho and to demand payment of Don-Quixote who very patiently as if hee had done nothing sayd to the Millers and Fisher-men that hee would very willingly pay for the Boat upon condition they should freely deliver him without fraud or guile the person or persons that were oppressed in their Castle What person or what Castle mad-man sayd one of the Millers will you trow carry away those that came hither to grinde their corne Enough thought Don-Quixote to himselfe here a man may preach in a wildernesse to reduce a base people to a good worke In this Adventure two deep Enchanters have met And the one disturbes the other the one provided mee the Barke and the other overthrew mee out of it God help us all this world is tricks and devices one contrary to the other I can doe no more and raising his voyce hee went on saying Friends whosoever you are locked up in this prison pardon mee for by my ill fortune and yours I cannot deliver you from your pain this Adventure is kept and reserved for some other Knight When hee had said this hee agreed with the fishers and paid 25. shillings for the boat which Sancho gave with a very good will saying With two of these boat-trickes wee shall sinke our whole stocke The Fishermen and the Millers were in a great admiration to see two such strange shapes quite from the ordinary fashion of other men and never understood to what purpose Don-Quixote used all those discourses to them so holding them for mad-men they left them and got to their Milles and the Fishers to their quarters Don-Quixote and Sancho like beasts turne to their beasts and this end had the Adventure of the Enchanted Barke CHAP. XXX What happened to Don-Quixote with the faire Huntresse VEry melancholy and ill at ease went the Knight and Squire to horsebacke especially Sancho for it grieved him at the soule to meddle with the stocke of their money for it seemed to him that to part with any thing from thence was to part with his eye-balls To be briefe without speaking a word to horse they went and left the famous river Don-Quixote buried in his amorous cogitations and Sancho in those of his preferment for as yet hee thought hee was farre enough off from obtaining it for although hee were a foole yet hee well perceived that all his Masters actions or the greatest part of them were idle so hee sought after some occasion that without entring into farther reckonings or leave-taking with his Master hee might one day get out of his clutches and goe home but fortune ordered matters contrary to his feare It fell out then that the next day about Sun-setting and as they were going out of a wood Don-Quixote spreads his eyes about a green meadow and at one end of it saw company and comming neer hee saw they were Falconers hee came neerer and amongst them beheld a gallant Lady upon her Palfrey or milke-white Nagge with green furniture and her Saddle-pummell of silver The Lady her selfe was all clad in greene so brave and rich that bravery it selfe was transformed into her On her left hand shee
Errant Behold here are my poor and weake armes that shall bee imployed in your service I am Don-Quixote de la Mancha whose Function is to succour the needy which being so as it is you need not Lady to use any Rhetorick or to seek any Preambles but plainly and without circumstances tell your griefs for they shall bee heard by those that if they cannot redresse them yet they will commiserate them Which when the afflicted Matron heard shee seem'd to fall at Don-Quixotes feet and cast her self down striving to embrace them and said Before these feet and leggs I cast my self oh invincible Knight since they are the Basis and Columnes of Knight Errantry these feet will I kisse on whose steps the whole remedy of my misfortunes doth hang and depend Oh valorous Errant whose valorous exploits doe obscure and darken the fabulous ones of the Amadises Esplandiasus and Belianises And leaving Don-Quixote shee laid hold on Sancho Panca and griping his hands said Oh thou the loyallest Squire that ever served Knight Errant in past of present times longer in goodnesse then my Usher Trifaldins beard well mayest thou vaunt that in serving Don-Quixote thou servest in Cipher the whole Troop of Knights that have worn Armes in the world I conjure thee by thy most loyall goodnesse that thou be a good Intercessor with thy Master that hee may eftsoons favour this most humble most unfortunate Countesse To which said Sancho that my goodnesse Lady bee as long as your Squires beard I doe not much stand upon the businesse is Bearded or with Mustacho's let me have my soul goe to Heaven when I die for for beards here I care little or nothing but without these clawings or intreaties I will desire my Master for I know hee loves me well and the rather because now in a certain businesse hee hath need of me that hee favour and help your Worship as much as hee may but pray uncage your griefs and tell them us and let us alone to understand them The Dukes were ready to burst with laughter as they that had taken the pulse of this Adventure and commended within themselves the wit and dissimulation of the Trifaldi who sitting her down said Of the famous Kingdome of Taprobana which is between the great Taprobana and the South sea some two leagues beyond Cape Comorin was Queen the Lady Donna Maguncia widdow to King Archipielo her Lord and Husband in which matrimony they had the Princesse Antonomasia Heire to the Kingdome The said Princesse was brought up and increased under my Tutorage and instruction because I was the ancientest and chiefest Matron that waited on her Mother It fell out then that times comming and going the Childe Antonomasia being about fourteen yeers of age shee was so fair that Nature could give no further addition Discretion it self was a Snotty-nose to her that was as discreet as fair and shee was the fairest in the world and is if envious Fates and inflexible Destinies have not cut the threed of her life but sure they have not for Heaven will not permit that Earth suffer such a losse as would bee the lopping of a branch of the fairest Vine in the world On this beauty never-sufficiently extolled by my rude tongue a number of Princes were enamoured as well Neighbours as strangers amongst whom a private Gentleman durst raise his thoughts to the Heaven of that beauty one that lived in Court confident in his youth and gallantry and other abilities and happy facilities of wit for let mee give your Greatnesses to understand if it bee not tedious hee played on a Gitterne as if hee made it speake hee was a Poet and a great Dancer and could very well make Bird-cages and onely with this Art might have gotten his living when he had been in great necessity so that all these parts and adornments were able to throw downe a mountaine much more a delicate Damzell but all his gentry all his graces all his behaviour and abilities could have little prevailed to render my childes fortresse if the cursed theefe had not conquered mee first First the cursed Rascall Vagamund sought to get my good will and to bribe mee that I ill keeper should deliver him the keyes of my fortresse To conclude hee inveigled my understanding and obtained my consent with some toyes and trifles I know not what that hee gave mee but that which most did prostrate mee and made mee fall was certaine verses that I heard him sing one night from a grated Window toward a Lane where hee lay which were as I remember these An ill upon my soule doth steale From my sweetest enemy And it more tormenteth mee That I feele yet must conceale The Ditty was most precious to mee and his voyce as sweet as sugar and many a time since have I thought seeing the mis-hap I fell into by these and such other like verses and have considered that Poets should bee banisht from all good and well-governed Common-wealths as Plato counselled at least lascivious Poets for they write lascivious verses not such as those of the Marquesse of Mantua Old Ballad verses the Author speakes here Satyrically that delight and make women and children weepe but piercing ones that like sharpe thornes but soft traverse the soule and wound it like lightning leaving the garment sound and againe he sung Come death hidden without paine Let me not thy comming know That the pleasure to die so Make me not to live againe Other kindes of songs hee had which being sung enchanted and written suspended for when they daigned to make a kinde of verse in Candaya then in use called Roundelaies there was your dancing of soules and tickling with laughter and unquietnesse of the body and finally the quicksilver of all the sences So my Masters let mee say that such Rithmers ought justly to bee banished to the Island of Lizards but the fault is none of theirs but of simple creatures that commend them and foolish wenches that beleeve in them and if I had been as good a Waiting-woman as I ought to have beene his over-nights conceits would not have moved mee neither should I have given credit to these kinde of speeches I live dying I burne in the frost I shake in the fire I hope hopelesse I goe and yet I stay with other impossibilities of this seumme of which his writings are full and then your promising the Phoenix of Arabia Ariadne's Crowne the Lockes of the Sunne the Pearles of the South the Gold of Tyber and Balsamum of Pancaia and here they are most liberall in promising that which they never think to performe But whither aye mee unhappy doe I divert my selfe What folly or what madnesse makes mee recount other folkes faults having so much to say of mine owne Aye mee againe unfortunate For not the verses but my folly vanquished mee not his musicke but my lightnesse my ignorance softned mee that and my ill fore sight opened the way and made plaine the
consider that the miserable man is subject to the temptations of our depraved nature and as much as thou canst without grievance to the contrary party shew thy self milde and gentle for although Gods attributes are equall yet to our sight his mercy is more precious and more eminent then his Justice If Sancho thou follow these Rules and Precepts thy dayes shall bee long thy fame eternall thy rewards full thy happinesse indelible thou shalt marry thy Children how thou wilt thy shall have titles and thy grand-children thou shalt live in peace and love of all men and when thy life is ending death shall take thee in a mature old age and thy Nephews shall close thy eyes with their tender and delicate hands Those I have told thee hitherto are documents concerning thy soul to adorn it hearken now to those that must serve for the adorning thy body CHAP. XLIII Of the second advice that Don-Quixote gave Sancho Pança WHo could have heard this discourse and not held Don-Quixote for a most wise Personage and most honest But as it hath been often told in the progresse of this large History hee was only besotted when hee touched upon his Chivalry and in the rest of his talk he shewed a cleer and current apprehension so that every foot his works bewrayed his judgement and his judgement his works But in these second documents hee gâ—ve now to Sancho hee shew'd a great deal of lenity and ballanced his judgement and his madnesse in an equall scale Sancho hearkened most attentively unto him and strove to bear in minde his instructions as thinking to observe them and by them to bee very well delivered of his big-swoln Government Don-Quixote proceeded saying Touching the governing thine owne Person and Houshold Sancho the first thing I enjoyn thee to is to bee cleanly and to paire thy Nailes not letting them grow as some doe whose ignorance hath made them think 't is a fine thing to have long Nails as if that excrement and superfluity that they let grow weare only their Nailes rather the claws of a Lizard-bearing Castrell and a foule abuse it is Goe not ungirt or loose for a slovenly Garment is the signe of a carelesse minde if so bee this kinde of slovenly loosenesse bee not to some cunning end as it was judged to bee in Iulius Caesar. Consider with discreetion what thy Government may bee worth and if it will afford thee to bestow Liveries on thy Servants give them decent and profitable ones rather then gawdie or sightly and so give thy cloth amongst thy Servants and the poor I mean that if thou have six Pages give three of them Liveries and three to the poor so shalt thou have Pages in earth and in Heaven and your vain-glorious have not attained to this kinde of giving liveries Eat not Garlick or Onions that thy Pesantry may not be known by thy breath walk softly and speak stayedly but not so as if it appeared thou hearkenedst to thy self for all kinde of affectation is naught Eat little at dinner but lesse at supper for the health of the whole body is forged in the forge of the stomack Be temperate in drinking considering that too much Wine neither keeps secreet nor fulfills promise Take heed Sancho of chewing on both sides or to ruct before any body I understand not your ructing quoth Sancho To ruct quoth hee is as much as to belch and this is one of the fowlest words our language hath though it be very significant so your more neat people have goten the Latine word and call belching ructing and belchers ructers and though some perhaps understand not this 't is no great matter for use and custome will introduce them that they may easily bee understood and the power that the vulgar and custome hath is the enriching of a language Truly said Sancho one of your advices that I mean to remember shall bee not to belch for I am used to doe it often Ruct Sancho not belch quoth Don-Quixote Ruct I will say quoth hee hence forward and not forget it Likewise Sancho you must not intermixe your discourse with that multiplicity of Proverbs you use for though Proverbs bee witty short sentences yet thou bringest them in so by head and shoulders that they are rather absurdities then sentences This quoth Sancho God Almighty can only help for I have more Proverbs then a Book will hold and when I speak they come â—o thick to my mouth that they fall ouâ— and strive one with another who shall come out first but my tongue casts out the first it meets withall though they bee nothing to the purpose but I will have a care hereafter to speak none but shall bee fitting to the gravity of my place for where there is plenty the Guests are not empty and hee that works doth not care for play and hee is in safety that stands under the Bels And hâ—s judgements rare that can spend and spare Now now quoth Don-Quixote glue thred fasten thy Proverbs together no body comes the more â—thou art told a thing the more thou dost it I bid thee leave thy Proverbs and in an instant thou hast cast out a Letany of them that are as much to the purpose as To morrow I found a horse-shooe Look thee Sancho I finde not fault with a Proverb brought in to some purpose but to load and heap on Proverbs hudling together makes a discourse wearisome and base When thou geâ—st on horse-back doe not goe casting thy body all upon the crupper nor carry thy leggs stiff down and stradling from the horses belly nor yet so loosly as if thou wert still riding on thy Dapple for your horse-riding makes some appear Gentlemen others Grooms Let thy sleep bee moderate for hee that riseth not with the Sun loseth the day And observe Sancho That diligence is the Mother of good Fortune and sloth the contrarie that never could satisfie a good desire This last advice that I mean to give thee though it bee not to the adorning of thy body yet I would have thee bear it in thy memory for I beleeve it will bee of no lesse use to thee then those that I have hitherto given thee and it is That thou never dispute of Linages comparing them together since of necessity amongst those that are compared one must bee the better and of him thou debasest thou shalt bee abhorred and of him thou ennoblest not a whit rewarded Let thy apparrell bee a painted Hose and Stocking a long-skirted Jacket and a Cloke of the longest but long Hose by no means for they become neither Gentlemen nor Governours This is all Sancho I will advise thee to for the present as the time and occasionâ— serve hereafter so shall my instructions bee so that thou bee carefull to let me know how thou dost Sir quoth Sancho I see well that you have told me nothing but what is good holy and profitable but to what purpose if I remember nothing True it
another of The captiv'd Captaine which are as it were separated from the History though the rest that are there recounted are matters happened to Don-Quixote which could not but bee set downe hee was of opinion likewise as hee said that many being carried away with attention to Don-Quixotes exployts would not heed his Novels and skip them either for hast or irkesomenesse without noting the cunning worke-manship and framing of them which would bee plainely shewn if they might come to light by themselves alone without Don-Quixotes madnesse or Sancho's simplicities therefore in this second part hee would not engraffe loose Novels or adjoyning to the Story but certaine accidents that might bee like unto them sprung from the passages that the truth it selfe offers and these too sparingly and with words only proper to declare them and since hee is shut up and contained in the limits of this narration having understanding sufficiency and ability to treat of all his request is that his labour bee not contemned but rather that hee bee commended not for what hee writes but for what hee hath omitted to write so hee goes on with his History saying That when Don-Quixote had dined the same day that hee gave Sancho his instructions in the after-noone hee let him have them in writing that hee might seeke some body to read them to him but as soone as ever hee had given him them hee lost them and they came to the Dukes hands who shewed them to the Duchesse and both of them afresh admired at Don-Quixotes madnesse and his understanding together and so going forward with their jests that afternoone they sent Sancho well accompanied to the place that to him seemed an Island It fell out then that the charge of this businesse was laid upon a Steward of the Dukes a good wise fellow and very conceited for there can bee no wit that is not governed with discretion hee it was that playd the Countesse Trifaldi's part with the cunning that hath beene related with this and with his Masters instructions how hee should behave himselfe towards Sancho hee performed his taske marvellously I say then that it hapned that as Sancho saw the Steward the very face of Trifaldi came into his minde and turning to his Master hee said Sir the Devill beare mee from hence just as I beleeve if you doe not confesse that this Steward of the Dukes here present hath the very countenance of the Afflicted Don-Quixote earnestly beheld the Steward and having thorowly seene him said to Sancho There is no need of the Devils taking thee just as thou beleevest for I know not what thou meanest for the Afflicteds face is just the same that the Stewards isâ— but for all that the Steward is not the afflicted for to bee so were a minifest contradiction and now 't is no time to sift out these things which were to enter into an intricate Labyrinth beleeve mee Friend 't were fit to pray to God very earnestly to deliver us from these damned Witches and Enchanters 'T is no jesting matter quoth Sancho for I heard him speake before and mee thought the very voice of Trifaldi sounded in my eares Well I will bee silent but yet I will see henceforward if I can discover any signe to confirme or forgoe my jealousie You may doe so Sancho quoth Don-Quixote and you shall give mee notice of all that in this businesse you can discover and of all that shall befall you in your Government Sancho in conclusion departed with a great troope clad like a Lawyer and upon his backe hee had a goodly tawny riding Coat of watred Chamlet and a Hunters Cap of the same hee rode upon a Hee Moyle after the Ginet fashion The Stirrops short and his legges truâ—â—ed up and behinde him by the Dukes order his Dapple was ledde with trappings and Also-like ornaments all of silk Sancho turned his head now and then to looke upon his Asse with whose company hee was so well pleased that hee would not have changed to have beene Emperour of Germany At parting hee kissed the Dukes hands and received his Masters benediction who gave it him with teares and Sancho received it with blubberings Now Reader let honest Sancho part in peace and in good time and expect two bushels of laughter which his demeanor in his Government will minister to thee and in the mean time mark what befell his Master that very night for if it make thee not laugh outright yet it will cause thee shew thy teeth and grin like an Ape for Don-Quixotes affairs must either bee solemnized with admiration or laughter 'T is said then that Sancho was scarce departed when Don-Quixote resented his solitarinesse and if it had been possible for him to have revoked his Commission or taken away his Government hee would have done it The Duchesse knew his Melancholy and asked him why hee was so sad for if it were for Sancho's absence shee had Squires and Waiting-women and Damzells in hee house that would doe him all service True it is Madam quoth Don-Quixote that I resent Sancho's absence but that is not the principall cause that makes me appear sad And of those many kindenesses that your Excellency offers me I only accept and make choyse of the good will with which they are offered and for the rest I humbly beseech your Excellency that you give me leave in my Chamber to serve my self Truly Signior Don-Quixote quoth the Duchesse it must not bee so for four of my Damzells shall wait upon you as fair as flowres They shall bee no flowres to mee quoth hee but very thrones that prick my soul. They shall fly as soon as enter into my Chamber or come neer mee If your Greatnesse will continue in your favours towards me let this bee one That I may serve my self within mine own doors that I may put a wall in midst of my desires and honesty and I will not forgoe this custome for all the liberality that your Highnesse will shew unto me To conclude I will rather sleep in my clothes then yeeld that any body shall help to undresse me Enough enough Signior Don-Quixote quoth the Duchesse for my part He give order that not so much as a Flye shall come within your distance much lesse a Damzel I am none of those that would make Signior Don-Quixote transcend his decency for as I have a kinde of glimmerring one of Signior Don-Quixotes most eminent virtues is his honestie Undresse your self and goe to bed alone after your own fashion how you will and no body shall hinder you and in your Chamber you shall have all things necessary and lock your door to you your vessels shall bee ready that no naturall cause make you rise to open it Long live the Grand Dulcinea del Toboso and her name farre extended upon the Globe of the Earth since she deserved to be beloved of so honest and valiant a Knight and the gracious Heavens infuse into Sancho Panca oâ—r Governour
if I have it not on Earth I will seeke it in Heaven Sweete Governor this wicked man met mee on the high-way and hath abused my body as if it had beene an un-washed ragge and unhappy that I am hee hath gotten that that I have kept these three and twenty yeeres defending it from Moores and Christians from home-bred ones and strangers I have beene as hard as a Corke-tree and kept my selfe as entire as the Salamander in the fire or as the wooll amongst the Bryars and this man must come now with a washt hand and handle mee This is to bee tryed yet quoth Sancho whether this gallants hands bee washt or no and turning to the fellow hee said What answere you to yonder womans complaint Who all in a fright answered Sir quoth hee I am a poor Grazier and deal in swine aâ—d this morning I went with pardon bee it spoken from this Town to sell four Hoggs and the tallage and other fees cost me little lesse then they were worth as I went homeward by the way I met with this good Matron and the Devill the Authour of all mischief yoaked us together I gave her sufficient pay but shee not satisfied layd hold on me and would not let me goe till shee had brought me hither she sayes I forced her but I swear shee lies and this is true every jot of it Then the Governour asked him if hee had any money about him Who answered him Yes that hee had in a leathern purse in his bosome some twenty Crowns in silver He commanded him to take it out and deliver it just as it was to the Plaintiff which hee did trembling The woman received it and making a thousand Moorish ducks to the company and praying to God for the Governours life and health that was so charitable to poor Orphans and Maidens shee went out from the place of Judgement laying fast hold with both her hands on the purse though first shee looked whether 't were silver within or no. Shee was scarce gone when Sancho said to the Grazier that had tears standing in his eyes and his heart going after his purse Honest fellow run after yonder woman and take her purse from her whether shee will or no and bring it me hither Hee spoke not to a fool or a deaf man for straight hee parted like lightning and went to perform what was commanded him All that were present were in suspence and expectation of the end of that suit and a little after both man and woman returned together more fastened and clung together then formerly shee with her coat up and her purse in her lapp and hee striving to get it from her which was not possible she did so resist crying out and saying Justice of God and the World Look you Sir Governour mark the little shame or fear of this desperate man that in the midest of a congregation and in the midest of a street would take away my purse that you commanded him to give me And hath hee got it said the Governour Got it said shee I had rather lose my life then the purse I were a pretty childe yfaith then you must set other manner of Colts upon me then this poor nasty sneak up Pincers Hammers Beetles scraping-Tools shall not get it out of my claws out of my Lyons paws they shall rather get one half of my soul out of my flesh Shee sayes right quoth the fellow I yeeld to her I have no more power I confesse my force is not sufficient to take it away Then said the Governour to the woman You Honesty Virago give me that purse hither which shee did and the Govenor restored it again to the man and said to the forcible woman but not forced Doe you heare sister if you had shewed but half your valour and breath to defend your body that you did for your purse Hercules his force could not have forced you get you gon with a Pox come not into this Island nor in six leagues round about it on pain of two hundred lashes get you gone straight I say Make-bate shamelesse Coozener The woman was afrighted and away shee went like a Sheep-biter and melancholy and the Governour said to the man Honest fellow get you home on Gods name with your Money and henceforward if you mean not to lose it pray have no mind to yoak with any body The man as clownishly as hee could thanked him and went his way The by-standers admired afresh at the judgement and sentences of their new Governour All which noted by his Chroniclist was straight written to the Duke that with much desire expected it And leave wee honest Sancho here for his Master hastens us now that was all in a hurly-burly with Altifidora's Musick CHAP. XLVI Of the fearfull Low-Bell-Cally horrour that Don-Quixote received in processe of his Love by the enamoured Altisidora WEe left the Grand Don-Quixote enveloped in the imaginations which the Musick of the enamoured Damzell Altisidora had caused in him to bed hee went with them and as if they had been Fleas they gave him no rest or quiet and to these were added those of his torn Stockings but as time is swift and no stumbling block will stay him hee went on horse-back on the hours and the morning came on speedily Which when Don-Quixote saw hee left his soft bed and nothing lazie put on his Chamoize apparell and his Boots to hide the hole of his Stockings hee cast his scarlet Mantle upon him and put on his head his Hunters Cap of green velvet laced with silver lace his Belt hee hung at his shoulder with his trusty cutting Blade hee laid hold on a Rosary which hee used still to carrie with him and with goodly representation and gate hee went towards an out room where the Duke and Duchesse were ready drest and as it were expecting him And as hee was to passe thorow a Gallery Altisidora and the other Damzell her friend were greedily expecting him and as soon as Altisidora saw him shee fained a swounding and her friend got her into her lap and in all haste went to unlace her Don-Quixote that saw it comming neer them said Now I know from whence these fits proceed I know not from whence said her friend for Altisidora is the healthiest Damzell in all this house and I never perceived so much as a sigh from her since I have known her a mischief on all Knights Errant in the world if all bee so ungratefull pray Signior Don-Quixote get you gone for as long as you are here this poor Wench will not come to her self To which said Don-Quixote Get me Mistris a Lute into my Chamber soon at night and I 'le comfort this afflicted Damzell as well as I can for in amorous beginnings plain dealing is the most approved remedy so hee went away because they that passed by should not note or observe him hee was no sooner gone when the dismayed Altisidora comming to her self said to her companion
see 't is true pray stay and you shall see it with your eyes and rising hee left his dinner and went to uncover the first Image which shewed to bee Saint George on horse back with a winding Serpent at his feet and his Launce runne thorow the throat of it with the fiercenesse he useth to be painted with all the Images seemed to bee of pure gold And Don-Quixote seeing it said This Knight was one of the best Errants that the divine War-fare had his name was Saint George and he was a wonderfull defender of Damzels Let 's see this next The man discovered it and it seemed to see Saint Martin on Horse-back that divided his cloak with the poor man and Don-Quixote no sooner saw it but he said This Knight also was one of our Christian Adventâ—rers and I beleeve he was more liberall then valiant as thou mayest see Sancho by his dividing his cloak and giving the poor man half and doubtlesse it was then Winter for had it been Summer he would have given him all he was so charitable Not so quoth Sancho but he stuck to the Proverb To give and to have doth a brain crave Don-Quixote laughed and desired them to take away another peece of linnen under which was the Image of the Patron of Spain on Horse-back his sword bloodied trampling on Moors and treading on heads and Don-Quixote seeing it said I marry Sir here 's a Knight indeed one of Christs Squadrons this is called Don-Saint Diego Moorkiller one of the Valientest Saints and Knights in the world then or in heaven now Then they discovered another peece which shewed Saint Paul his falling from his Horse with all the circumstances usually painted in the Table of his Conversion when hee saw him so lively as if you would say Christ were then speaking to him and Paul answering hee said This was the greatest enemie that the Church of God had in a long time and the greatest Defender that ever it shall have a Knight Errant in his life time and a quiet Saint in his death a restless Laboror in the Vineyard of the Lord a Doctor of Nations whose School was Heaven and Christ himself his Reader and Instructer Now there were no more Images and so Don-Quixote commanded them to cover them again and said to those that carried them I hold it for a propitious signe Brethen to have seen what I have seen for those Saints and Knights were of my Profession which is to exercise Armes onely the difference between them and me is that they were Saints and fought Divinely I am a sinner and fight humanely They conquer'd heaven by force of their Armes for heaven suffers force and hitherto I know not what I conquer by the force of my sufferings but if my Dulcinea del Toboso be once free from hers my Fortune bettering it self and my judgement repaired perhaps I might take a better course then I doe God grant and Sin be deaf quoth Sancho straight The men wondred as well at Don-Quixotes shape as at his discourse and understood not one half what it meant They ended their dinner and got up their Images and taking leave of Don-Quixote they went on their way Sancho admired afresh as if hee had never known his Master at his knowledge thinking there was no Historyin the world or Accident that hee had not ciphered upon his nayle and nayled in his memory and said Truly Master mine if this that hath befaln us to day may be called an Adventure it hath been one of the most delicious sweetest that in all our peregrination hath befaln us for wee are come out of it without blows or affrightment or laying hands to our swords or without beating the earth with our bodies or being hungry God be thanked that hee hath let me see this with these eyes of mine Thou sayest well Sancho quoth Don-Quixote but thou must know the times are not alwaies alike nor run on in one fashion and that which the vulgar commonly call Bodings which are not grounded upon any naturall reason ought to bee held and reputed and judged by a wise man for good luck One of your Wizards riseth in a morning goes out of his house meets with a Frier of the blessed Order of S. Francis and as if hee had met with a Griffin turns his back and runs home again Tother Mendoza hee spils the salt on the Table and straight hath a melancholy sprinkled all over his heart as if Nature were bound to shew signes of ensuing mischances with things of so small moment as the aforesaid The discreet Christians ought not to stand upon points or to look into the doings of Heaven Scipio comes into Africa and leaping on shore hee stumbles his Souldiers hold it for an ill signe but hee embracing the ground said Thou canst not flye from me Africa for I have fast hold on thee in mine Armes So that Sancho the meeting with these Images hath been a most happie successe to mee I beleeve you quoth Sancho and pray tell me the cause why wee Spainiards cry Saint Iaques and shut Spain is Spain open troe so that it needed bee shut or what ceremonie is this Thou art most simple Sancho quoth Don-Quixote and look This Grand Knight with the red Crosse God hath given him to Spain for a Patron and Protector especially in the hard conflicts that the Moors and wee had together and therefore they invoke and call on him as their Protector in all their battels they give and many times they have visibly seen him in them overthrowing trampling destroying and killing Agaren Squadrons Many examples could I produce to confirm this out of the true Spanish Histories Sancho changed his discourse and said to his Master Sir I doe wonder at the loosnesse of Altisidora the Duchesses Damzell that same fellow called Love hath bravely wounded and runne her thorow they say hee is a little blinde boy that though hee bee blearâ— ey'd or to say truer blinde takes the least heart for his mark and hits it and pierceth it with his Flight from one side to the other I have also heard say that in the modesty and warinesse of Damzells his amorous Arrows are headlesse and dull but in this Altisidora it seems they are rather whetted then dull Look you Sancho quoth Don-Quixote Love hath no respect or limit in his dealing and hath the same condition with Death that as well sets upon the high Palaces of Kings as the low Cottages of Sheepheards and when he takes entire possession of a soul the first thing hee does is to banish shame without which Altisidora declared her desires that rather engendred in my brest confusion then pitty Notable cruelty quoth Sancho unheard of thanklesnesseâ— I know for my part that the least amorous reason of hers would have humbled and made me her Vassall ah whoreson what a heart of marble entrails of brasse and soul of rough-cast had you but I cannot imagine what this Damzel saw in you
breath Don-Quixote ate nothing for pure griefe neither durst Sancho touch any meate before him for pure mannerlinesse and expected his Master should first bee his Taster but seeing him carried on with his imaginations not remembring to put a bit in his mouth he never asked him and over-running all kinde of manners he began to barrell up all the Bread and Cheese that was before him in his stomack Eate friend Sancho quoth Don-Quixote hold life together for thou hast more need then I and leave mee to dye by the hands of my sorrowes and the force of my mis-fortunes I was borne Sancho to live dying and thou to dye eating and that thou maist see I tell thee true consider mee printed in Histories famous in Armes well nurtured in mine Actions respected by Princes courted by Damzells now at the end of all when I hoped for Bayes Triumphs and Crownes layd up and merited by my famous exploits this morning I have seene my selfe trampled on and kicked and bruised with the feet of base un-cleane Beasts the consideration of this duls my teeth makes slow my grinders and benummes my hands and altogether beâ—eaves mee of my appetite so that I thinke I shall dye with hunger the cruellest of all deaths So that quoth Sancho not leaving his fast chewing you will not allow of that Proverbe that sayes Let Martha dye so she dye not empty at least I will not because of my death I meane rather to doe as the Shoo-maker doth that streacheth the Leather with his teeth till hee makes it reach as hee list I le draw out my life by eating till it come to the end that Heaven hath allotted it and know Sir there is no greater madnesse in the world then to despaire as you doe and beleeve mee and after you have eaten rest your selfe a little upon the Downe-beds of this green Grasse and you shall see that when you wake you shall finde your selfe somewhat lightned Don-Quixote tooke his councell taking his reasons to bee rather Philosophicall then senselesse and said If thou O Sancho wouldest doe what I shall now tell thee for mee my lightsomnesse would bee certaine and my sorrowes not so great which is that whil'st I obeying thy counsell sleepe thou goe out of the way a little and with Rozinantes reines turning thy flesh to the ayre give thy selfe three or foure hundred lashes upon account of the three thousand and so many that thou art to give for the dis-enchanting Dulcinea which is no small pitty that that poor Lady should bee enchanted by thy carelesnesse and negligence There is much to bee said in this businesse quoth Sancho let 's both sleepe now and God will provide afterward Know Sir that this whipping in cold blood is a cruell thing especially if it light upon a weake body and worse fed let my Lady Dulcinea have patience for when shee least thinkes of it shee shall see mee a very sieve with lashes and till death all is life I meane I live with a desire to fulfill my promise Don-Quixote giving him thankes eate somthing and Sancho a great deale leaving the two continuall friends and companions Rozinante and Dapple to their Liberum Arbitrium disorderly feeding upon the Pasture that was plentifull in that Meddow They awaked somewhat late and up they got againe and went on their way making haste to come to an Inne which seemed to bee about a league off I say an Inn for Don-Quixote called it so contrary to his ordinarie custome of calling all Innes Castles Well to it they come they asked mine Host if there were any Lodging Hee answered Yes with all the commodiousnesse and provision that they might have in the Towne of Saragosa They alighted and Sancho retyred with his Sumptry into a Chamber of which the Host gave him the Key the Beasts hee carried to the Stable and gave them their stint and so went to see what Don-Quixote who sate by upon a Bench would command him giving God particular thankes that that Inne had not appeared to him a Castle Supper time came on So to their resting place they got Sancho asked mine Host what hee had for supper To which quoth hee Your mouth shall have measure aske what you will a good character of a lying beggerly vain-glorious Spanish-Host in generall For from the Byrds of the ayre to the Poultry of the earth and the fishes of the sea that Inne was provided Not so much quoth Sancho for so wee may have a couple of roasted Chickens 't will bee enough For my Master is weake somack'd and eates little and I am no very greedy-gut Mine Host answered him hee had no Chickens for the Kytes had devoured them Why then let 's have a tender Pullet roasted quoth hee A Pullet My Father as soon trust mee trust me I sent above fifty yesterday to the City to sell saving Pullets ask what you will Why then quoth Sancho you waâ—t no Veale or Kidde Wee have none in the House now said mine Host for it is all spent but by next weeke wee shall have to spare The matter is mended quoth Sancho I hold a wager all these wants are supplied with Egs and Bacon Assuredly quoth mine Hoast here 's fine doings with my guest I have told him we have neyther Pullet nor Hens and yet he would have Egs. Run if you will to other dainties and leave these gluttonies Resolve us Body of mee quoth Sancho and tell mee what wee shall have and leave you your running mine Host. The Host said The very truth is I have two Neates-feete like Calves-feet or two Calves-feet like Neates-feet they are sod with their Pease Bacon and Onyons and just at this instant cry Come eat me Come eat me For mine I mark them hence forward quoth Sancho and let no man touch them for I le pay more for them then any body else and there could have beene no better meat for mee in the world No man shall touch them said mine Host for other Guests I have out of pure Gentilitie bring their Cook Cater and Butler with them If it goe by Gentle quoth Sancho none more gentle then my Master but his Calling permits no Landers or Butteries wee clap us down in the midest of a field and fill our selves with Acorns and Medlars This discourse passed between Sancho and the Host without Sancho's answering him who asked what Calling his Master was of Supper was ready Don-Quixote went to his Chamber mine Host brought the pot of meat just as it was and sate him fair and well down to supper it seemed that in another Chamber next Don-Quixotes divided only by a thin Lath wall hee might heare one say By your life Signior Don Ieronimo whilest supper is to come in let us read another Chapter in the second part of Don-Quixote Don-Quixote scarce heard himself named when up hee stood and watchfully gave care to their discourse concerning him and hee heard that the aforesaid Don Ieronimo answered Signior
grant it said Sancho and let sinne bee deaf for I have alwaies heard that a good hope is better then a bad possession In this discourse they were when as Don-Antonio entred with shews of great content saying My reward Signior Don-Quixote for the news I bring for Don Gregorio and the Runnagate Spainiard with him are upon the Wharf the Wharf quoth I in the Vice-roys house and will bee here presently Don-Quixote was somewhat revived and said Truly I was about to have said I would it had been otherwise that I might have gone into Barbary and with the strength and vigor of this Arme not only have given liberty to Don Gregorio but to all the Christian Captives in Barbary But what say I wretch that I am Am not I vanquished Am not I overthrown Am not I hee that must not touch Armes this twelve moneths What then doe I promising Why doe I praise my self since it were fitter for me to use a Distaff then a Sword No more of that Sir said Sancho a man is a man though hee have but a hose on his head To day for thee and to morrow for me and for these thumps and encounters there is no heed to bee taken for hee that falls to day may rise to morrow except it bee that hee mean to lye a-bed I mean to dismay and not take heart to fresh skirmishes and therefore raise you your self now to welcome Don Gregorio for me thinks the people of the house are in an uproar and by this hee is come and hee said true for Don Gregorio having given the Vice-roy account of his going and comming desirous to see Ana Felix he came with the Runnagate to Don Antonio's house and though Don Gregorio when they brought him out of Argiers were in a womans habit yet by the way in the Boat he changed it with a Captive that came with him but whatsoever habit hee had been in hee would have seemed a personage worthy to bee coveted sought after and served for hee was extraordinary comely and about some seventeen or eighteen yeers of age Ricote and his Daughter went out to welcome him the Father with tears and the Daughter with honesty They did not embrace each other for where there is Love there is never much loosenesse The two joynt Beauties of Don Gregorio and Ana Felix astonished all the by-standers Silence there spoke for the two Lovers and their eyes were tongues that discovered their joyfull but honest thoughts The Runagate told them the means and slight hee had used to get Don Gregorio away Don Gregorio told his dangers and straits hee was put to amongst the women with whom hee remained not in tedions manner but with much brevity where hee shewed that his discretion was above his yeers Finally Ricote paid and royally satisfied as well the Runagate as those that had rowed with him The Runagate was reduc't and re-encorporated with the Church and of a rotten member became clean and sound by penance and repentance Some two dayes after the Vice-roy treated with Don Antonio about means that Ricote and his Daughter might remain in Spain thinking it to bee no inconvenience that so Christianly a Father and a Daughter should remain and to see too so well intentionated Don Antonio offered to negotiate it amongst other businesse for which hee was to goe to the Court of necessitie letting them know that there by favour and bribes many difficult matters are ended There is no trust in favours or bribes said Ricote then present for with the Grand Don Bernardine de Volasco Counte Salazar to whom his Majestie hath given in charge our expulsion neither entreaties promises bribes or compassion can prevail for though true it bee that he mixeth his Justice with Mercy yet because hee sees the whole body of our Nation is putrid and contaminated hee useth rather cauterizing that burns it then oyntment that softens it and so with prudence skill diligence and terror hee hath born upon his strong shoulders and brought to due execution the waight of this great Machine our industries tricks slights and frauds not being able to blinde his watchfull eyes of Argus which wake continually to the end that none of ours may remain that like a hidden root may in time sprout up and scatter venemous fruit throughout all Spain now cleansed and free from the fear into which their multitude put her a heroick resolution of the Grand Philip the third and unheard of wisedome to have committed it to Don Bernardino and Velasco Well when I come thither said Don Antonio I will use the best means I can and let Heaven dispose what shall bee fittest Don Gregorio shall goe with me to comfort the affliction of his Parents for his absence Ana Felix shall stay with my Wife here or in a Monastery and I know the Vice-roy will bee glad to have honest Ricote stay with him till hee sees how I can negotiate The Vice-roy yeelded to all that was proposed but Don Gregorio knowing what passed said that by no means hee could or would leave Ana Felix but intending to see his friends and to contrive how hee might return for her at length hee agreed Ana Felix remained with Don Antonio's Wife and Ricote in the Vice-roy his house The time came that Don Antonio was to depart and Don-Quixote and Sancho which was some two dayes after for Don-Quixotes fall would not suffer him to travell sooner When Don Gregorio parted from Ana Felix all was tears swounding sighs and sobs Ricote offered Don Gregorio a thousand Crowns but hee refused them and borrowed only five of Don Antonio to pay him at the Court again With this they both departed and Don-Quixote and Sancho next as hath been said Don-Quixote disarmed and Sancho on foot because Dapple was laden with the Armour CHAP. LXVI That treats of what the Reader shall see and he that hearkens heare AS they went out of Barselona Don-Quixote beheld the place where he had his fall and said Hic Troja fuit here was my ill fortune and not my cowardize that bereaved mee of my former gotten glorie here Fortune used her turns and returns with me here my exploits were darkned and finally my fortune fell never to rise again Which Sancho hearing said Signior mine 'T is as proper to great Spirits to bee patient in adversitie as joâ—und in prosperity and this I take from my self for if when I my self being a Governour was merry now that I am a poor Squire on foot I am not sad For I have heard say that she you call up and down Fortune is a drunken longing woman and withall blinde and so shee sees not what shee doth neither knows whom shee casts down or whom shee raiseth up Sancho quoth Don-Quixote thou art very Philosophicall thou speak'st marvellous wisely I know not who hath taught thee All I can tell thee is that in the world there is no such thing as Fortune neither doe things that happen in it good or
Hee so well bestirred himself in his journies that at last hee came to the Dukes Castle who taught him the way or tract that Don-Quixote had taken and how hee had a great desire to bee present at the Tiltings and Turnaments of Saragosa Hee likewise related unto him the gullings or gudgeons that hee had given him with the invention of Dulcinea's dis-enchantment which should bee accomplished at the charges of Sancho's buttocks In summe hee understood from him the fob or jest that Sancho had used toward his Master in making him beleeve that Dulcinea was Enchanted and transformed into a Country Lasse and how the Duchesse his Wife had given Sancho to understand that himself was the man that received himself for so much as Dulcinea was verily Enchanted The Bachelour could not contain himself from laughing and therewithall to bee amazed considering the quaint subtilty and plain simplicity of Sancho equall unto the extream folly of Don-Quixote The Duke desired him that if hee met with him and either vanquished him or not hee would bee pleased to come that way again to the end hee might advertise him of it The Bachelor promised him to doe it and so took his leave of the Duke to goe and see whether hee could finde Don-Quixote Hee found him not at Saragosa but went farther and then befell him what you have already heard Hee came afterward to the Dukes Castle and there made report of all together with the conditions of the Combat Hee moreover told them that Don-Quixote came again to accomplish as a perfect Knight Errant the promise which he had made to retire himself to his own Village and there to abide the full space of one whole yeer And that during the said time it might peradventure bee brought to passe said the Bachelor that hee might bee cured of his folly That hee never had other intention and that for this only cause hee had thus disguised himself for it was great pitty that a Gentleman so well skilled and versed in all things as Don-Quixote was should become a foole With that hee took leave of the Duke and went to his Burrough where hee staid for Don-Quixote who was comming after him Whereupon the Duke took occasion to put this trick upon him for hee took a wondrous pleasure of what succeeded unto Sancho and Don-Quixote and therefore hee caused all the approaches and high-wayes about his Castle to bee laid and watched especially where hee imagined our Knight might come And for the said cause he placed divers of his servants as well on foot as on horseback to the end that if they met with him willed he or nilled he they should bring him to the Castle Now it fortuned that they met with him and forthwith they gave the Duke knowledge of it who was already resolved what hee would doe As soon then as hee knew of his comming hee caused all the Torches and lights that were in the Court to bee lighted and Altisidora to bee placed upon the Tombe with all the preparation that you have seen before and that so lively represented as one would have found very little difference between the truth and that which was counterfeit Cid Hamete goeth yet farther for hee saith that hee asturedly beleeveth that the mockers were as foolish as the mocked and that there wanted not two inches of the Dukes and Duchesses utter privation of common understanding since they took so much pains to mock two fools whereof the one was then sound asleep and the other broad awake transported with his raving and ranging thoughts In the mean time the day surprized them and they desired to rise for the sluggish feathers were never pleasing unto Don-Quixote were hee conquered or conqueror Altisidora who as Don-Quixote supposed being risen from death to life conforming her self to her Master and Mistrisses humour being crowned with the very same Garland which shee had in the tombe attired in a loose Gown of white Taâ—â—ata all beset with flowres of gold her haire loose and dangling down her shoulders leaning upon a staff of fine Ebony wood shee entred into Don-Quixotes Chamber who so soon as hee saw her was so amazed and confounded at her presence as hee shrunk down into his Bed all covered with the clothes and hid with the sheets and counterpoint that hee neither spake word nor used any manner of gesture towards her as might witnesse that hee desired to shew her any courtesie Altisidora sat down in a chaire which was neer unto Don-Quixote's head and after fetching a deep deep sigh with a low sweet and milde voyce shee thus bespake him Sir Don Quixote whensoever women of quality or maidens of discretion trample their honour under their feet and give their tongue free liberty and scope to exceed the bounds of conveniency or modesty publishing the secreets lurking in their hearts they then shall finde themselves brought to extream misery and distresse Now am I one of those pressed vanquished and also enamoured All which notwithstanding I suffer patiently and continue honest So that having been so too much silence was the cause that my soul went out of my body and I lost my life It is now two daies since that the consideration and remembrance of the rigor which thou oh more stony-minded then any marble and inexorable Knight so to reject my plaints which you have used towards me brought me to my lives end or at least I have been deemed and taken for dead by all those that saw me And had it not been that Love who taking pitty of me deposed my recovery among the grievous torments of this good Esquire I should for ever have remained in the other world Love might well depose it replyed Sancho in those of my Asse and I would have been very glad of it But tell me I pray you good Damzel even as Heaven may provide you of another more kind loving-Lover then my Master what is it that you have seen in the other world What is there in Hell that he who dyeth desperate must necessarily undergoe I must needs quoth Altisidora tell you the plain truth of all So it is that I was not wholly or thorowly dead since I came not into Hell for had I once been therein there is no question but I had never been able to come out of it at my pleasure True it is that I came even unto the gate thereof where I met with a dozen of Devils who in their hosen and doublets were playing at Tennis-ball they did weare Falling-bands set with peaks of Flemmish bone-lace with Cuffs of the very same so deep as they appeared four good inches longer then the arme to the end their hands might seem the greater Their Battledors or Rackets were of fire But that which made me wonder most was that they used Books in stead of Balls which Books were full stuft with winde and stifning a thing both wondrous and newly-strange yet did not that so much astonie me for as it