them to succour us and prayed them that they would take us into their vessell for wee were a drowning Then they came amaine and casting out their Cock-boate there entred into it as good as a doozen Frenchmen well appointed with their Harcabuzes and Matches lighted and so approached unto us and perceiving how few wee were and that the Barke did sinke they received us into their boate saying that because wee had used the discourtesie of not making them answer that mis-fortune had befalne us Our Runnagate about this time tooke the coffer wherein Zoraida's treasures were kept and threw it into the Sea unperceived of any In conclusion wee went all of us into the great vessell with the Frenchmen who after they had informed themselves of all that which they desired to know as if they were our Capitall Enemies they afterward dispoyâ—ed us of all that ever wee had about us and of Zoraida they tooke all even unto her very bracelets that shee wore on the wrests of her feete But the wrong they did to Zoraida did not afflict me so much as the feare I conceived that after they had taken away from her her most rich and precious Jewels they would also deprive her of the Jewell of most prize and which shee valued most But the desires of that nation extend themselves no farther then to the gaine of money and their avarice in this is never thorowly satisfied and at that time was so great as they would have taken from us the very habits of slaves that wee brough from Barbarie if they had found them to have beene worth any thing and some there were of opinion among them that we should bee all inwreathed in a Saile and throwne into the Sea because they had intention to traffique into some havens of Spaine under the name of Britaines and that if they carried us alive they should bee punished their robbery being detected but the Captaine who was hee that had pilled my beloved Zoraida said that hee was so contented with his bootie as he meaned not to touch any part of Spaine but would pasâ—e the streights of Gibraltar by night or as hee might and so returne againe to Rochel from whence hee was come and thereupon they all agreed to give us their Cock-boate and all that was necesâ—ary for our short voyage as indeede they performed the day ensuing when wee were in the view of Spaine with the sight whereof all our griefes and poverties were as quite forgotten as if wee never had felt any so great is the delight a man takes to recover his Liberty It was about mid-day when they put us into the Cocke giving unto us two Barrells of water and some Bisket and the Captaine moved with some compassion as the beautifull Zoraida embarked her selfe bestowed on her about forty Crownes in gold nor would hee permit his Souldiers to dispoyle her of these very Garments which then and now shee doth weare Wee entred into the Cock-boate and giving them thanks for the good they did and shewing at our departure more tokens of thankfullnesse then of discontent they sayled presently away from us towards the Straights and wee without looking on any other North or Starre then the land it selfe which appeared before us did row towards it so lustily that at Sun-set wee were so neere as wee made full account to arive before the night were far spent But by reason that the Moone did not shine and the night was very darke and that wee knew not where wee were wee did not hold it the best course to approach the shoare too neere yet others there were that thought it convenient and good desiring that wee should make to it although wee ranne the boate on the Rocks and far from any dwelling for by doing so wee should free our selves from the feare which wee ought of reason to have lest there should bee up and downe on that coast any Friggots of the Pyrates of Tituan which are wont to leave Barbarie over-night and bee on the coast of Spayne ere morning and ordinarily make their bootie and turne to their supper againe to Barbarie the night following but of the contrary opinions that which was followed was that wee should draw neere the land by little and little and that if the quietness of the Sea would permit it we should take land where we might best and most commodiously do it This was done and a little before midnight wee arived to the foote of a high and monstrous Mountaine which was not altogether so neer to the Sea but that it did grant a little patch of ground whereon wee might commodiously disimbarke Wherefore wee ranne our selves on the Sands and came all a-Land and kissed the Earth and with teeres of most joyfull content and delight gave thanks unto our Lord God for the incomparable favours which hee had done us in our Voyage Then tooke wee out our Victualls from the Boate and drew it selfe up on the Shore and ascended a great part of the Mountaine for although wee were in that place yet durst wee not assure our selves nor did throughly beleeve that it was a Christian Countrey whereon wee did tread The day breaking some what slower then I could have wished it wee ascended the mountaine wholly to see whether wee might discover any dwelling or sheepfolds from thence but although wee extended our sight unto every quarter yet could wee neither descry dwelling person path nor high-way yet did wee resolve notwithstanding to enter into the land seeing that wee could not choose but discover ere long some body who might give us notice of the place where wee were and that which afflicted mee most of all was to see Zoraida goe afoot thorow those rugged places for although I did somtimes carry her on my shoulders yet did the toyle I tooke more weary her then the repose shee got could ease her and therefore would never after the first time suffer mee to take that paines againe and so shee went ever after a foote with great patience and tokens of joy I holding her still by the hand and having travelled little lesse then a quarter of a league we heard the noyse of a little bell an infallible argument that neere at hand there was some cattle whereupon all of us looking very wistly to see whether any body appeared wee might perceive under a Corke-tree a young Sheepheard who very quietly and carelesly was carving of a stick with a knife Wee called to him and hee leaped up lightly on foote and as we afterwards learned the first that hee got sight of were the Runnagate and Zoraida whom hee seeing apparelled in the Morisco habit thought that all the people of Barbarie had beene at his heeles and therefore running very swiftly into the Wood hee cried all along with marvelous lowdnesse Moores Moores are in the Land Moores Moores arme arme These outcries strooke us anew into a great perplexitie and scarce did wee know what wee should doe but considering how
first Fryer with such fury and rage that if he had not suffered himself willingly to fall off his Mule he would not only have overthrown him against his will but likewise have slain or at least wounded him very ill with the blow The second religious man seeing how ill his companion was used made no words but seting spurs to that Castell his Mule did fly away through the field as swift as the winde it self Sancho Panca seeing the Monk overthrown dismounted very speedily off his Asse and ran over to him and would have ransackt his habits In this arrived the Monks two Lacquies and demanded of him why he thus dispoyled the Fryer Sancho reply'd that it was his due by the Law of arms as lawfull spoyles gained in battell by his Lord Don-Quixote The Lacquies which understood not the jest nor knew not what words of battell or spoyles meant seeing that Don-Quixote was now out of the way speaking with those that came in the Coach set both at once upon Sancho and left him not a hair in his beard but they pluck't and did so trample him under their feet as they left him stretched on the ground without either breath or feeling The Monk cutting off all delayes mounted again on horse back all affrighted having scarce any drop of blood left in his face through fear And being once up he spur'd after his fellow who expected him a good way off staying to see the successe of that assault and being unwilling to attend the end of that strange Adventure they did prosecute their journey blessing crossing themselves as if the Divell did pursue them Don-Quixote as is rehearsed was in this season speaking to the Lady of the Coach to whom he said Your beauty deer Lady may dispose from henceforth of your person as best yee liketh for the pride of your Robbers lyes now prostrated on the ground by this my invincible arme And because you may not be troubled to know your deliverer his name know that I am called Don-Quixote de la Mancha a Knight Errant and Adventurer and Captive to the Peerlesse and Bautifull Lady Dulcinea of Toboso and in reward of the benefit which you have received at my hands I demand nothing else but that you return to Toboso and there present your selves in my name before my Lady and recount unto her what I have done to obtain your Liberty To all these words which Don-Quixote said a certain Biscaine Squire that accompanied the Coach gave ear who seeing that Don-Quixote suffered not the Coach to passe onward but said that it must presently return back to Toboso he drew neer to him and laying hold on his Launce he said in his bad Spanish and worse Basquish Get thee away Knight in an ill hour by the God that created me if thou leave not the Coach I will kill thee as sure as I am a Biscaine Don-Quixote understanding him did answer with great staidnesse If thou wer'st a Knight Cavallero in Spanish is taken as well for a Gentleman as for a Knight as thou art not I would by this have punished thy folly and presumption crafty creature The Biscaine replyed with great furie Not I a Gentleman I swear God thou lyest as well as I am a Christian If thou cast away thy Launce and draw thy sword pag. 58. thou shalt see the water as soon as thou shalt carrie away the Cat A Biscaine by Land and a Gentleman by Sea a Gentleman in despight of the Devill and thou lyest if other things thou sayest Straight thou shalt see that said Agrages replyed Don-Quixote and throwing his Lannce to the ground he out with his Sword and took his Buckler and set on the Biscaine with resolution to kill him The Biscaine seeing him approach in that manner although he desired to alight off his Mule which was not to be trusted being one of those naughty ones which are wont to be hired yet had he no leisure to doe any other thing then to draw out his Sword but it befell him happily to bee neer to the Coach out of which he snatched a Cushion that served him for a Shield and presently the one made upon the other like mortall enemies Those that were present laboured all that they might but in vain to compound the matter between them for the Biscaine swore in his bad Language that if they hindred him from ending the Battell he would put his Lady and all the rest that dared to disturb him to the Sword The Lady astonished and fearfull of that which shee beheld commanded the Coachman to goe a little out of the way and face alooâ—e beholding the rigorous conflict In the progresse whereof the Biscaine gave Don-Quixote over the Target a mighty blow on one of the shoulders where if it had not found resistance in his armour it would doubtlesly have cleft him down to the girdle Don-Quixote feelling the waight of that unmeasurable blow cried with a loude voice saying O Dulcinea Lady of my soule the flower of all beauty succour this thy Knight who to set forth thy worth findes himself in this dangerous trance The saying of these words the griping fast of his Sword the covering of himself wel with his Buckler the assayling of the Biscaine was done all in one instant resolving to venter all the successe of the battell on that one only blow The Bicaine who perceived him come in that manner perceived by his doughtinesse his intention and resolved to doe the like and therefore expected him very well covered with his Cushion not being able to manage his Mule as hee wished from one part to another who was not able to goe a step it was so wearied as a beast never before used to the like toyes Don-Quixote as wee have said came against the weary Biscaine with his Sword lifted a loft with a full resolution to part him in two and all the beholders stood with great feare suspended to see the successe of those monstrous blows wherewithall they threatned one another And the Lady of the Coach with her Gentlewomen made a thousand Vowes and Offerings to all the devoute places of Spain to the end that God might deliver the Squire and themselves out of that great danger wherein they were But it is to bee deplored how in this very point and terme the Author of this History leaves this Battell depending excusing himselfe that hee could find no more written of the Acts of Don-Quixote then those which hee hath already recounted True it is that the second writer of this worke would not beleeve that so curious a History was drowned in the jawes of Oblivion or that the wits of the Mancha were so little curious as not to reserve among their Treasuries or Records some papers treating of this famous Knight and therefore encouraged by this presumption hee did not despaire to finde the end of this pleasant History which Heaven being propicious to him hee got at last after the manner that
were hee ever so unreasonable and great and mighty My Father likewise added then that after his death I should see Landâ—filando usurpe my Kingdome and that I should in no wise stand to my defence for that would prove my destruction but leaving to him the Kingdome freely without troubles if I meant to excuse mine owne death and the totall ruine of my good and loyall Subjects for it would be impossible to defend my self from the divellish force of the Gyant I should presently direct my course towards Spain where I should finde a redresse of my harmes by incountring with a Knight Errant whose fame should extend it self much about that time thorowout that Kingdome and his name should be if I forget not my self Don Acote or Don Gigote Ladie you would say Don-Quixote quoth Sancho Panca or as he is called by another name The Knight of the Ill-favoured face You have reason replyed Dorotea hee said moreover that he should be high of stature have a withered face and that on the right side a little under the left shoulder or thereabouts he should have a tawny spot with certain hairs like to bristles Don-Quixote hearing this said to his Squire Hold my horse here Sonne Sancho and help me to take off mine apparrell for I will see whether I be the Knight of whom the wise King hath prophesied Why would you now put off your clothes quoth Dorotea To see whether I have that spot which your father mentioned answered Don-Quixote You need not undoe your apparrell for that purpose said Sancho for I know already that you have a spot with the tokens she named on the very ridges of your back and argues you to be a very strong man That is sufficient quoth Dorotea for we must not look too neer or be over-curious in our friends affairs and whether it be on the shoulder or ridge of the back it imports but little for the substance consists only in having such a mark and not wheresoever it shall be seeing all is one and the self-same flesh and doubtlesly my good father did aim well at all and I likewise in commending my self to Don-Quixote for surely he is the man of whom my father spoke seeing the signes of his face agree with those of the great renown that is spread abroad of this Knight not only in Spain but also in Aethiopia for I had no sooner landed in Osuna when I heard so many of his prowesses recounted as my minde gave me presently that he was the man in whose search I travailed But how did you land in Osuna good Madam quoth Don-Quixote seeing it is no Sea Town Marrie Sir quoth the Curate anticipating Dorotea's answer the Princesse would say that after she had landed in Malaga but the first place wherein she heard tidings of you was at Osuna So I would have said quoth Dorotea And it may be very well quoth the Curate and I desire your Majestie to continue your discourse There needs no farther continuation quoth Dorotea but that finally my Fortune hath been so favourable in finding of Don-Quixote as I doe already hold and account my self for Queen and Lady of all mine Estate seeing that he of his wonted bountie and mignificence hath promised me the boon to accompanie me wheresoever I shall guide him which shall be to none other place then to set him before Pandafilando of the duskie fight to the end you may slay him and restore me to that which he hath so wrongfully usurped for all will succeed in the twinkling of an eye as the wise Tinacrio my good father hath already foretold who said moreover and also left it written in Chaldaicall or Greek charactars for I cannot read them that if the Knight of the Prophecie after having beheaded the Gyant would take me to wife that I should in no sort refuse him but instantly admit him for my Spouse make him at once possessor of my self and my Kingdome What thinkest thou of this friend Sancho quoth Don-Quixote then when he heard her say so How likest thou this poynt Did not I tell thee thus much before See now whether we have not a Kingdome to command and a Queen whom we may marry I swear as much quoth Sancho a pox on the knave that will not marry as soon as Master Pundahilado his winde-pipes are cut Mount then and see whether the Queen be ill or no I would to God all the Fleas of my bed were turned to be such And saying so he gave two or three friskles in the air with very great signes of contentment and presently went to Dorotea and taking her Mule by the bridle he withheld it and laying himself down on his knees before her requested her very submissively to give him her hands to kisse them in signe that he received her for his Queen and Ladie Which of the beholders could abstain from laughter perceiving the Masters madnesse and the Servants simplicity To be brief Dorotea must needs give them unto him and promised to make him a great Lord in her Kingdome when Heaven became so propitious to her as to let her once recover and possesse it peaceably And Sancho returned her thanks with such words as made them all laugh anew This is my Historie noble Sirs quoth Dorotea whereof only rests untold That none of all the Train which I brought out of my Kingdome to attend on me is now extant but this well-bearded Squire for all of them were drowned in a great storm that over-took us in the very sight of Harbor whence he and I escaped and came to land by the help of two planks on which we laid hold almost by miracle as also the whole discourse and mistery of my life seems none other then a miracle as you might have noted And if in any part of the relation I have exceeded or not observed a due decorum you must impute it to that which Master Licentiat said to the first of my History that continuall pains and afflictions of minde deprives them that suffer the like of their memory That shall not hinder me O high and valourous Ladie quoth Don-Quixote from enduring as many as I shall suffer in your service be they never so great or difficult And therefore I doe now ratifie and confirm the promise I have made and doe swear to goe with you to the end of the world untill I finde out your fierce enemy whose proud head I mean to slice off by the help of God and my valorous arme with the edge of this I will not say a good Sword thanks be to Gines of Passamonte which took away mine own this he said murmuring to himself and then prosecuted saying And after I have cut it off and left you peaceably in the possession of your state it shall rest in your own will to dispose of your person as you like best For as long as I shall have my memory possessed and my will captived and my understanding yeelded to her I will
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
none else that doth distract and ring-lead our Master and carry him astray To which quoth Sancho Woman of Satan I am hee that is distracted ring-led and carried astray and not your Master t' was he that led me up and downe the world and you deceive your selves and understand by halves hee drew me from my house with his cony-catching promising mee an Island which I yet hope for A plague of your Islands replied the Neece cursed Sancho and what be your Islands is it any thing to eat good-man glutton you cormorant as you are 'T is not to eat quoth Sancho but to rule and governe better then foure Citties or foure of the Kings Judges For all that said the old woman you come not in heer you bundle of mischiefe and sacke of wickednesse get you home and governe there and sow your graine and leave seeking after Islands or Dilands The Vicar and the Barber tooke great delight to heare this Dialogue betweene the three But Don-Quixote fearing lest Sancho should out with all and should blunder out a company of mallcious fooleries or should touch upon poynts that might not be for his reputation he called him to him and commanded the women to be silent and to let him in Sancho entred and the Vicar and Barber tooke leave of Don-Quixote of whose recovery they dispaired seeing how much he was bent upon his wilde thoughts and how much he was besotted with his damned Knights Errant So quoth the Vicar to the Barber you shall quickly Gossip perceive when we least think of it that our Gallant takes his flight againe by the river No doubt said the Barber but I wonder not so much at the Knights madnesse as the Squires simplicity that beleeves so in the Islands and I think all the Art in the world will not drive that out of his noddle God mend them said the Vicar and let us expect what issue the multitude of this Knight and Squires absurdities will have for it seemes they were both framed out of one forge as it were for the Masters madnes without the Servants folly is not worth a chip 'T is true said the Barber and I should bee glad to know their present discourse I warrant said the Vicar the Neece and old woman will tell us all when they have done for they are not so mannerly as not to harken In the Interim Don-Quixote locked in Sancho and thus discoursed with him I am very sorry Sancho you should affirme and make good that I was hee that drew you from your dog-hole cottage knowing that I willingly left mine a Palace in comparison we went out joyntly so we marched on and so we held our whole peregrination both of us having undergone the same lot the same fortune and if once thou wast tossed in a Blanket I have been hanged an hundred times and herein have I the advantage of thee Why it was very fit answered Sancho for as you hold misfortunes are more annexed to Knights Errant then to their Squires Thou art deceived Sancho quoth Don-Quixote for according to the saying Quando caput dolet c. I understand no other language but mine owne said Sancho Why I mean replied Don-Quixote that when the head akes all the body is out of tune so that I being thy Lord and Master am thy head and thou a part of me since thou art my servant in which respect the ill that toucheth me must concerne and grieve thee and so thine me Indeed quoth Sancho it ought to be so but when I was tossed in the Blanket my head stood aloof like a part beholding me fly in the aire without any feeling my grief and since the members are bound to suffer for the head the head in requitall should also suffer for them You mean Sancho quoth Don-Quixote that I had no feeling of your being tossed And if you mean so doe not neither imagine any such thing for at that time I was more vext in spirit then thou couldst be in body but leave we this for the present for we shall have leisure to consider and rectifie it and tell me friend Sancho what say the common people of me In what estimation doe the Gentlemen hold me In what the Knights and Gallants What say they of my valour What of my exployts What of my affability What discourse they touching my plot in raising and restoring to the world the long forgotten order of Knight Errantry To conclude I would have thee tell me all that thou hast heard and you must tell me without adding to my praise or diminishing my dispraise for it is the part of loyall servants to tell the naked truth to their Masters in its native colour without increasing it by flattery or diminishing it for any other vain respect And I would have thee Sancho learne by the way that if the naked truth should come to the eares of Princes without the apparrell of flattery we should have another manner of world and other ages would be called iron and not ours and this would be the golden age And let me advise thee Sancho that well and discreetly thou tell me the truth of what thou knowest concerning my demand I shall with a very good will Sir quoth Sancho upon condition that you shall not be angry at what I shall tell you since you will have the naked truth without any other clothing then what I have seen her with By no means will I be angry answered Don-Quixote thou mayst speake freely Sancho and without any disguise Why then first of all I must tell you the common people hold you for a notable mad-man and that I am no lesse Cox-combe The ordinary Gentlemen say that not containing your selfe within the limits of Gentrie you will needs be Don your selfe and be a man of honour having but three or foure acres of land and a rag before and another behinde The Knights say they would not have your poor Squires be ranked with them that clout their owne shooes and take up a stitch in their owne blacke stockings with green silke That concerns not me quoth Don-Quixote for thou seest that I goe alwaies well clad and never patcht indeed a little torne sometimes but more with my armour then by long wearing Concerning your valour quoth Sancho your affability your exploits and your plot there bee different opinions Some say you are a mad man but a merry one others that you are valiant but withall unfortunate a third sort that you are affable but impertinent and thus they descant upon us that they leave neither you nor mee a sound bone Why looke thou Sancho quoth Don-Quixote wheresoever virtue is eminent it is persecuted few or none of those brave Hero's that have lived have scaped malicious calumniation Iulius Caesar that most couragious most wise most valiant Captaine was noted to bee ambitious and to bee somwhat slovenly in his apparell and his conditions Alexander who for his exploits obtayned the title of Great is said to
the Bachelor there be different opinions as there be different tastes Some delight in the Adventure of the Winde-Mills that you took to bee Briareans and Gyants Others in that of the Fulling-hammers This man in the description of the two Armies which afterwards fell out to bee two Flocks of Sheep That man doth extoll your Adventure of the dead man that was carried to bee buried at Segovia One saith that that of the freeing of the Gally-Slaves goes beyond them all Another that none comes neer that of the Benitian Gyants with the combat of the valourous Biscayner Tell me said Sancho Sir Bachelor comes not that in of the Yanguesian Carriers when our precious Rozinante longed for the forbidden fruit The wise man said Samson left out nothing hee sets down all most punctually even to the very capers that Sancho fetcht in the blanket Not in the blanket replyed Sancho but in the aire more then I was willing According to my thought said Don-Quixote there is no humane History in the World that hath not his changes especially those that treat of Cavallery which can never bee full of prosperous successes For all that replied the Bachelor there bee some that have read your History that would bee glad the Authors had omitted some of those infinite bastings that in divers incounters were given to Sir Don-Quixote I there quoth Sancho comes in the truth of the Story They might likewise in equity silence them said Don-Quixote since those actions that neither change nor alter the truth of the Story are best left out if they must redound to the misprizing of the chief person of the Historie Aeneas yfaith was ne'er so pittifull as Virgill paints him out Nor Vlisses so subtill as Homer describes him True it is said Samson but it is one thing to write like a Poet and another like an Historian the Poet may say or sing things not as they were but as they ought to have been And the Historian must write things not as they ought to bee but as they have been without adding or taking away ought from the truth Well said Sancho if you goe to telling of truths wee shall finde that this Signior Moor hath all the bastings of my Master and mee for I am sure they never took measure of his Worships shoulders but they took it of all my body too but no marvell for as my Master himself saith the rest of the parts must participate of the heads grief Sancho you are a Crack-rope quoth Don-Quixote yfaith you want no memory when you list to have it If I would willingly forget those â—udgellings that I have had the bunches yet fresh on my ribs would not consentâ— Peace Sancho quoth Don-Quixote and interrupt not the Bachelour whom I request to proceed and tell me what is said of me in the mentioned History And of me too said Sancho for it is said that I am one of the principall Parsonages of it Personages and not Parsonages you would say Sancho quoth Samson More correcting of words quoth Sancho Goe to this and wee shall not end in our life time Hang me Sancho said Samson if you bee not the second person in the Story and you have some that had as lieve hear you speake as the best there though others would not stick to say you were too credulous to beleeve that your government of the Island offered by Sir Don-Quixote here present might bee true There is yet Sun-shine upon the walls quoth Don-Quixote and when Sancho comes to beâ— of more yeers with the experience of them hee will bee more able and fit then now to bee a Governour By the Masse said Sancho if I bee not fit to Govern an Island at these yeers I shall never Govern though I come to bee as old as Methusalem the mischief is that the said Island is delaid I know not how and not that I want brain to Govern it Leave all to God Sancho said Don-Quixote for all will be well and perhaps better then you think for and the leaves in the Tree move not without the will of God 'T is true indeede said Samson for if God will Sancho shall not want a thousand Ilands much lesse one I have seene said Sancho of your Governours in the world that are not worthy to wipe my shooes and for all this they give um titles and are served in Plate Those are not Governours of Islands replyed Samson but of other easier Governments for they that governe Islands must bee at least Grammarians For your Gra I care not but your Mare I could like well enough but leaving this government to Gods hands let him place me where he pleaseth I say Sir Bachelour Samson Carrasco that I am infinitely glad that the Author of the History hath spoken of me in such sort that the things he speakes of me doe not cloy the Reader for by the faith of a Christian if he had spoken any thing of mee not befitting an old Christian as I am In Spanish Christiano vieio a name they desire to be distinguisht from the Moores by I should make deafe men hear on 't That were to work miracles said Samson Miracles or not miracles quoth Sancho every man look how he speaks or writes of men and set not down each thing that comes into his noddle in a mingle-mangle One of the faults that they say said Carrasco is in that History is this that his Author put in it a certaine Novell or Tale intitled the Curious Impertinent not that it was ill or not well contrived but that it was unseasonable for that place neither had it any thing to doe with the History of Don-Quixote I le hold a wager quoth Sancho the Dog-bolt hath made a Gallimawfry Let me tell you said Don-Quixote the Authour of my storie is not wise but some ignorant Prater that at unawares and without judgement undertook it hab-nab as Orbaneja the Painter of Vbeda who being asked what hee Painted answered As it happens sometimes hee would paint yee a Cock but so unlike that hee was forced to write underneth it in Gothish letters This is a Cock and thus I beleeve it is with my History that it hath need of a Coment to make it understood No surely replied Samson it is so conspicuous and so void of difficultie that Children may handle him Youths may read him Men may understand him and old men may celebrate him To coâ—clude hee is so gleaned so read and so known to all sorts of People that they scarce see a lean horse passe by when they say There goeth Rozinante And amongst these Pages are most given to read him You have no great mans withdrawing room that hath not a Don-Quixote in him some take him if others lay him down these close with him they demand him Lastly the Story is the most pleasing the least hurtfull for entertainment that hath hitherto been seen for all over it there is not to be seen a dishonest word or one like one
there is no more to bee done but to govern your selves according to his direction and let me bear the blame if you doe amisse Besides as you are now told 't is a folly to bee ashamed to heare one Bray for I remember when I was a Boy I could have brayed at any time I listed without any bodies hinderance which I did so truely and cunningly that when I Brayed all the Asses in the Town would answer me and for all this I was held to bee the sonne of honest Parents and though for this rare qualitie I was envied by more then foure of the proudest of my Parish I cared not two straws and that you may know I say true doe but stay and hearken for this Science is like swimming once known never forgotten so clapping his hand to his nose hee began to Bray so strongly that the Vallies neer-hand resounded again But one of them that stood neerest him thinking hee had flouted them lifted up a good Bat he had in his hand and gave him such a blow that hee tumbled him to the ground Don-Quixote that saw Sancho so evill intreated set upon him that did it with his Lance in his hand but so many come betwixt that it was not possible for him to bee revenged rather seeing a cloud of stones comming towards himselfe and that a thousand bent Crosse-bowes beganne to threaten him and no lesse quantitie of Gunnes turning Rozinantes Reines as fast as hee could gallop hee got from among them recommending himselfe heartily to God to free him from that danger and fearing every foote lest some Bullet should enter him behinde and come out at his breast so hee still went fetching his breath to see if it failed him But they of the Squadron were satisfied when they saw him flie and so shot not at him Sancho they set upon his Asse scarce yet come to himselfe and let him goe after his Master not that he could tell how to guide him but Dapple followed Rozinantes steps without whom he was no body Don-Quixote being now a pretty way off looked backe and saw that Sancho was comming and marked that no body followed him Those of the Squadron were there till darke night and because their Enemies came not to Battell with them they returned home to their Towne full of myrth and jollitie And if they had knowne the ancient custome of the Grecians they would have raised a Trophie in that place CHAP. XXVIII Of things that Benengeli relates which hee that reads shall know if hee read them with attention WHen the Valiant man turns his back the advantage over him is manifest and it is the part of wise men to reserve themselves to better occasions This truth was verified in Don-Quixote who giving way to the furie of the people and to the ill intentions of that angry Squadron took his heels and without remembring Sancho or the danger he left him in got himself so farr as he might seem to be safe Sancho followed laid a-thwart upon his Asse as hath been said At last hee over-took him being now come to himself and comming neer hee fell off his Dapple at Rozinantes feet all sorrowfull bruised and beaten Don-Quixote alighted to search his wounds but finding him whole from top to toe very angrily hee said You must Bray with a plague to you and where have you found that 't is good naming the halter in the hanged mans house To your Bray musick what counterpoint could you expect but Bat-blows And Sancho you may give God thanks that since they blessed you with a cudgell they had not made the per signum crucis on you with a Scemiter I know not what to answer quoth Sancho for me thinks I speak at my back pray let 's bee gone from hence and I 'le no more braying yet I cannot but say that your Knights Errant can flye and leave their faithfull Squires to be bruised like Privet by their enemies To retire is not to flye said Don-Quixote for know Sancho that Valour that is not founded upon the Bassis of Wisdome is stiled Temerity and the rash mans actions are rather attributed to good fortune then courage So that I confesse I retired but fled not and in this have imitated many valiant men that have reserved themselves for better times and Histories are full of these which because now they would be tedious to me and unprofitable to thee I relate them not at present By this time Sancho with Don-Quixotes helpe got to horse and Don-Quixote mounted Rozinante and by little and little they had gotten into a little Elme-grove some quarter of a league off now and then Sancho would fetch a most deep Heigh hoâ— and dolorous sighes And Don-Quixote demanding the reason of his pittifull complaints he said that from the point of his back-bone to the top of his crowne he was so sore thâ—â— hee knew not what to doe The cause of that paine undoubtedly quoth Don-Quixote is that as the cudgell with which they banged thee was long and slender it lighted upon those parts of thy back all along that grieve thee and if it had been thicker it had grieved thee more Truly quoth Sancho you have resolved mee of a great doubt and in most delicate termes declared it to mee Body of mee was the cause of my griefe so concealed that you must needes tell mee that all of mee was sore where the cudgell lighted If my ankles did paine mee I warrant you would riddle the cause of it but 't is poore ridling to tell that my bruising grieves mee Yfaith yfaith Master mine other mens ills are sleightly regarded and every day I discover Land and see how little I can expect from your service for if at this time you suffered mee to bee dry beaten wee shall come a hundred and a hundred times to the Blanket-tossing you wot of and other childish tricks which if they now lighted on my shoulders they will after come out at mine eyes It were a great deale better for mee but that I am a beast and shall never doe ought well while I live It were a great deale better I say againe for mee to get mee home to my Wife and Children to maintaine and bring them up with that little God hath given mee and not to follow you up and down these hy-waies drinking ill and eating worse And for your Bed good honest Squire even count mee out seven foote of good earth and if you will have any more take as many more for you may feede at pleasure stretch your selfe at your case I would the first that made stitch in Knight Errantry were burned or beaten to powder or at least hee that first would bee Squire to such fooles as all your Knights-Errant in former times have been of the present I say nothing for your selfe being one I respect them and because I know that you know an Ace more then the Devill in all you speak or think I durst venter a good
Babary and our resting place was Argiers I might have said Hell The King there had notice of my beauty and likewise that I was rich which partly fell out to bee my happinesse Hee sent for me and asked me of what part of Spain I was and what money and jewels I brought I told him the place but that my Jewels and Monies were buried but that they might easily bee had if I might but goe thither for them All this I said hoping his own covetousnesse would more blinde him then my beauty Whilest wee were in this discourse they told him there came one of the goodliest faire Youths with mee that could bee imagined I thought presently it was Don Gregorio they meant whose comelinesse is not to bee paralell'd It troubled me to think in what danger hee would bee for those Barbarous Turkes do more esteeme a handsome Boy then a Woman bee shee never so faire The King commanded straight that he should be brought before him that he might see him and asked me if it were true they said of the Youth I told him Yes and it seemed Heaven put it into my head but that hee was no man but a woman as I was and I desired him hee would give me leave to cloath her in her naturall habit that her beauty might appear to the full and that otherwise too shee would bee too shamefast befoe him Hee bad mee doe so and that on the morrow hee would give order for my returne to Spaine to seeke the hidden Treasure I spoke with Don Gaspar and told him what danger hee had been in by being a man so I clad him like a Moorish woman and that afternoon brought him to the Kings presence who seeing him admired at her beauty and thought to reserve him and to send him for a Present to the Grand Signior and so to avoid the danger in his Sarraglio of women if hee put her there hee commanded her to bee kept in a house of certain Moorish Gentlewomen whither hee was carryed How this troublâ—â— as both for I cannot deny that I love him let them consider that have been absent from their Loves The King gave order then that I should come for Spaine in this Frigot and that these two Turks that killed your Souldiers should accompany mee and this Renegate Spaniard pointing to him that had first spoken who I know is in heart a Christian and hath a greater desire to remaine here then to returne into Barbary the rest are Moors and Turkes that onely serve for Rowers The two covetous and insolent Turkes not respecting the order wee had that they should set mee and this Runnagate Spaniard on the first shore in the habits of Christians of which we were provided would needs first scowre the coast and take some prize if they could fearing that if they first should set us on land by some mischance wee might discover the Frigot to bee upon the coast so that they might be taken by the Gallies and overnight we described this wharf and not knowing of these foure Gallies wee were discovered and this hath befalne us that you have seene In fine Don Gregorio remaines in his womans habit amonst Women in manyfest danger of his destruction and I am here Prisoner expecting or to say truer fearing the losing of my life which notwithstanding wearies mee This Sirs is the conclusion of my lamentable History as true as unfortunate my request is that I may die a Christian since as I have said I am not guilty of that crime into which the rest of my Nation have fallen and with this she broke off her eyes pregnant with teares which were accompanied with many from the standers by also The Viceroy all tender and compassionate came to her and undid the Cord that bound the Moores faire hands In the meane time whilest this Christian Morisca related her Story an ancient Pilgrim that entred the Gally had his eyes fastned upon her and shee had no sooner ended her discourse when hee cast himselfe at her feet and embracing them with interrupted words Sighs and Sobs said Oh my unfortunate Daughter Ana Felix I am Ricote thy Father that have returned to seeke thee as not being able to live without thee for thou art my very soule At these words Sancho opend his eyes and lifted up his head which hee held downe thinking upon his ill-favoured tossing in the Gally and beholding the Pilgrim knew him to bee the same Ricote that hee met the same day hee left his Government and it appear'd shee was his Daughter when being unbound shee embraced her Father mingling her teares with his Then said hee to the Generall and Viceroy This my Lords is my Daughter more unhappy in her successe then in her name as famous for beauty as I for Wealth I left my Country to finde a resting-place in some strange Country and having found one in Germany returned in this Pilgrimes weed in company of other Germanes to seek my Daughter and to dig out my hidden Treasure but found not her and the Treasure I bring with mee and now by strange chance have lighted on my greatest Treasure that is my beloved Daughter if so be our small offence and her tears and mine together with the integrity of your Justice may open the gates of mercy shew it us that never had so much as a thought once to offend you nor conspired with those of our own linage who were justly banished Then said Sancho I know Ricote well and know all is true hee saith concerning that Ana Felix is his Daughter but for other flim-flams whether hee had a good or bad intention I intermeddle not The by-standers wondring all at this accident the Generall said Well your tears will not let me accomplish my vow live faire Ana Felix as long as Heaven will give thee leave and let those rash Slaves dye that committed the fault So hee commanded that the two Turks that had killed his two Souldiers should presently bee hanged upon the Main-yard but the Vice-roy desired him earnestly not to hang them since they had shewed more madness then valour The Generall condescended for revenge is not good in cold blood and straight they contrived how to get Don Gregorio free Ricote offered two thousand Ducats hee had in Pearls and Jewels towards it Many means were thought on but none so good as that of the Renegado Spanyard that was mentioned who offered to return to Argiers in some small Bark only with some six Christian Oares for hee knew where how and when to dis-embarke himself and the house also where Don Gasper was The Generall and Vice-roy were in some doubt of him or to trust him with the Christians that should row with him But Ana Felix undertook for him and Ricote offered to ransome the Christians if they were taken And being agreed the Vice-roy went a-shore and Don Antonio Moreno carried the Morisca and her Father with him the Vice-roy enjoyning him to use them as
the Sheepheards alarme would cause all the Countrey to rise up and that the horsemen that kept the coast would presently come to see what it was wee all agreed that the Runnagate should put off his Turkish attyre and put on a captives cassocke which one of the company gave unto him forthwith although the giver remained after in his shirt and thus committing the affaire unto almighty God wee followed on by the same way which wee saw the sheepheard had taken alwaies expecting when the horsemen of the coast would fall upon us and wee were not deceived in our expectation for within two houres after having issued out of those woods into a plane wee discovered about some fifty horsemen which came running towards us as swiftly as their horses could drive and having perceived them wee stood still and stayed untill they came to us and saw in stead of the Moors they sought for so many poore Christians and remained somwhat ashamed thereat and one of them demanded whether wee were the occasion that a Sheapheard had given the alarme Yes quoth I and as I was about to informe what I was and of all our Adventure and from whence wee came one of the Christians that came with us did take notice of the horseman who had spoken unto us and so interrupting my speech hee said Sirs let God bee praysed which hath brought us to so good a place as this is for if I bee not deceived the earth which wee tread is of Veley Malaga and if the yeeres of my captivity have not confounded my memorie you likewise Sir that demand what wee bee are Peter of Bustamonte mine Uncle As soone as ever the Christian captive had spoken those words the horseman leaping off his horse ran and embraced him saying O Nephew as deere to mee as my soule and life now I doe know thee very well and many a day since have I wept for thee thinking thou wast dead and so hath my sister thy Mother and all the rest of thy friends which doe live yet and God hath beene pleased to preserve their Lives that they may enjoy the pleasure to behold thee once againe Wee knew very well that thou wert in Argieres and by the signes and tokens of thy clothes and that of all the rest here of thy Companions I surmise that your escape hath beene miraculous Indeede it was so replyed the Captive and wee shall have time I hope to recount unto you the manner As soone as the horsemen had understood that wee were Christian Captives they alighted off their horses and every one of them invited us to mount upon his owne to carry us to the City of Veley Malaga which was yet a league and a halfe from that place and some of â—hem went to the place where wee had left the Boate to bring it to the Citie whom we informed first of the place where it lay others did mount us up on horseback behind themselves and Zoraida rode behinde the captives uncle all the people issued to receive us being premonished of our arivall by some one that had ridden before They did not wonder to see captives freed nor Moors captived there being an ordinary thing in those parts but that whereat they wondred was the surpassing beauty of Zoraida which at that season and instant was in her prime as well through the warmth she had gotten by her travell as also through the joy shee conceived to see her selfe in Christian lands secure from all feare of being surprised or lost and these things called out to her face such colours as if it be not that affection might then have deceived me I durst aver that a more beautifull then she was the world could not afford at least amoâ—g those which I had ever beheld Wee went directly to the Church to give thanks unto Almighty God for the benefit received And as soon as Zoraida entred into it shee said there were faces in it that resembled very much that of Lela Marien Wee told her that they were her images And the Runnagate as well as the brevitie of the time permitted instructed her what they signified to the end shee should doe them reverence as if every one of them were truely that same Lela Marien which had spoken unto her Shee who had a very good understanding and an easie and cleer conceit comprehended presently all that was told unto her concerning Images From thence they carried us and divided us among different houses of the Citie But the Christian that came with us carried the Runnagate Zoraida and me to the house of his Parents which were indifferently accommodated and stored with the goods of Fortune and did entertain me with as great love and kindenesse as if I were their own sonne We remained six dayes in Veley in which time the Runnagate having made an information of all that which might concern him hee went to the City of Granado to bee reconciled by the holy Inquisitions means to the bosome of our holy Mother the Church The rest of the freed Captives took every one the way that hee pleased and Zoraida and I remained behinde with those Ducats only which the Frenchmans courtesie was pleased to bestow on Zoraida and with part of that summe I bought her this beast whereon shee rides I my selfe serving her hitherto as her Father and her Squire and not as her Spouse wee travail with intention to see if my Father bee yet living or any of my Brothers have had more prosperous hap then my self although seeing Heaven hath made me Zoraida's Consort me thinks no other good Fortune could arrive were it never so great that I would hold in so high estimation The patience wherewithall shee bears the incommodities usually annext unto Povertie and the desires shee shews to become a Christian is such and so great as it strikes me into an admiration and doth move me to serve her all the dayes of my life although that the delight which I take to see my self hers and shee mine is oft times interrupted and almost dissolved by the fear which I have that I shall not finde in mine own Countrey some little Corner wherein I may entertain her and that Time and Death have wrought such alteration in the Goods and Lives of my Father and Brothers as I shall scarce finde any one at home that knows me I have no more good Sirs to tell you of my lives Historie then which whether it bee pleasing and rare or no your cleer conceits are to judge As for my self I dare say that if it had been possible I would have told it with more brevity fearing it might bee tedious unto you I purposely omitted many delightfull circumstances thereof CHAP. XV. Which speaks of that which after befell in the Inne and of sundry other things worthy to bee known THe Captive having said this held his peace and Don Fernando replyed to him thus Truely Captain the manner wherewithall you have recounted this marvellous successe hath