God and began to confesse our selues one vnto the other because the two Clarkes that were in our ship naming them selues as they say souldiers of Iesus Christ went with the Captaines and left vs as base companions vnto the mercie of the seas But I for my part neuer heard so wonderfull a confession as the poore men made being readie to die and I am assured that there was not one among vs at that present that was not halfe dead and diuers which at euery waue of the sea that entered into the broken ship felt in a maner present death in such sort as it might be sayd if it were possible that they were one hundreth tunnes and to say the truth their confessions were of bodies in a maner without soules Among diuers of them which I confessed there were some that vttered not one worde out of their mouthes but only sighes and sobbes a thing common vnto men troubled and in aduersitie and as much did I vnto them In the ende we being in a manner drowned in our weake shippe and wholly out of all hope of any remedie or aide to be looked for I began to lament my death and to repent me of my sinnes but much more of my comming thither and hauing recited certaine deuout Orazons which I learned in my youth of my first maister fit to be said at such a time with the feare and horror of death I fell into a most horrible and deadly thirst and considering with my selfe that it would soone be quenched with the salt and vnsauory water of the sea it séemed vnto me a point of great inhumanitie to vse small charitie vnto my selfe wherewith I determined that it were good for me before that euill water entered into my bodie to fill it first with most excellent wine whereof at that present there was great store in the ship which at that time was as well without a maister as I without a soule so that with great desire and much more haste I beganne to drinke and with the great thirst and the feare of death wherwith I was oppressed togither with the extremitie thereof withall I being no scholler but rather a maister in that Art and the great folly I conceiued at that present because I perceiued not any one desirous to beare me company I stood to my tackling so earnestly and drunke in such maner and so much sometimes resting my selfe and then beginning againe that from the head to the foote I felt not any part of my sorrowfull bodie but was all filled with wine which I had no sooner done but the ship brake in péeces and we all drowned in the sea as for my part I was nothing else but wine when the ship suncke it was about two houres after day appearing at which sight by reason of that wine that wrought in my head féeling my selfe wholly vnder the water and perceiuing not any meanes of helpe nor knowing what to do I laide hand on my sword which then I had at my side and therewith I began to sinke downeward into the sea At which time I might perceiue great quantitie of fishes both great and little and of diuers kindes to draw nere vnto vs and verie nimbly with their téeth assaild my dead companions soone tearing and renting their bodies in péeces which I beholding was in great feare they would doo the like to me if I should stand vpon termes with them Wherwith I left shaking of mine armes as those which were drowned in sinking did thinking thereby to escape death but for I could not by anie meanes swim I sanke downwards into the Sea and so laboured my heauie bodie that I out-went that wicked companie and great multitude of fishes that at the cracke which the ship gaue in breaking came thither And in this manner I descending downeward into the déepe sea I perceiued comming behinde mee a great and mightie Armie of other Fishes and as I thinke they came with great desire to learne some newes of me and with great hast approched nere me that with their teeth they might teare me in peeces and so eate me vp but I perceiuing my selfe so compassed about with death with the rage and feare whereof not knowing how to escape I began to skirmish and flourish about me with my sword which I held naked in my right hand for that as yet I had not let it fall and I plaid my part therewith so well that in short space I made such a riddance of them laying about me both on the right side the left that in the end they concluded among themselues to recule backe and for a time to leaue me in peace and letting me rest began to busie themselues about the dead bodies of their companions that I in defending of my selfe had slaine which they presently eate vp and deuoured and surely I did it with little labour by reason those Fishes hauing small meanes of defence and their armes much weaker it laye in me to kill and destroy as manie of them as I would In the ende a good space after I had left them descending and sinking still into the sea and that so straight and directly downward as if my féete beeing fixed vpon some certayne thing my bodie had stood vpright In the ende I chanced vpon a great rocke which stood in the middest of the déepe sea and as I felt my féete vpon the same I stayd my selfe for a time and began to rest after my great trouble and labour sustained which vntill then by reason of the alteration that I found in my selfe and feare of death withall I had no time to thinke vppon And as it is a common thing vnto all those which are afflicted and wearyed to sigh being readie to fetch a great sigh which cost me full deare negligently opening my mouth which notwithstanding I shut presently againe the wine hauing by that meanes gotten some vent it being at the least more than thrée houres after I drunke the same at the issuing foorth made place for the salt and vnsauerie Water of the Sea which as then entred into me causing great paine and torment in my bodie striuing with her contrarie as then within me Then I perceiued and saw the wine was the onely meanes that my life had so long béen preserued in the sea by reason that my bodie euen to the verie throate being filled with the same the Water of the Sea had no power nor place to enter in And then likewise I knew the Prophecie to bee true that my master tolde me of touching the same saying vnto me in Escalona that if Wine could euer preserue the life of man it should surely preserue mine Then it gréeued me to thinke vpon my dead companions in the sea because they bare me not companie in drinking which if they had done they surely had béen liuing as well as I and their companie would haue ministred some comfort vnto me I did likewise in my selfe lament the miserable case of
all such as then were drowned with vs and began to thinke with my selfe that peraduenture although they had dronke as I did they would not all haue béen so wilfull and obstinate as my selfe because they were not all Lazaroes de Tormes who learned the Arte at that notable schoole of the Tauernes and Cellars of Toleda in the companie of my masters the Dutchmen In this manner calling to memorie these and manie other things I perceiued a great quantitie of Fishes to approach vnto the place where I was some rising from the bottome of the Sea others descending downward and all of them ioyning together besieged mee round about where I sate I saw and knew verie well that they came with an euill intent and meaning wherewith hauing more feare than will I began to rise and with much paine stood vppon my féete thinking to defend my selfe against them but all in vaine being at that instant in a manner spoyled and stiffe with colde by meanes of the euill water which had entered into my bodie whereof I was so sicke that I could not by anie meanes sustaine my selfe nor yet once lift vp my sword for to defend mée And as I perceiued my selfe to approach so néere vnto my death I looked if I could finde anie remedie against that miserie and to séeke it in my sword there was no long hope for the reasons before alleadged Wherefore going vppon the Rocke as well as I could as GOD would I found a little hoale wherein I entered and beeing within I perceiued it to bee a Caue made into the Rocke and although the entrie were but strayght and narrow yet was there space inough within to tourne and wynde my selfe and vse my weapons at pleasure whereinto there was no other entrie but that onely which I had luckely found out It séemed the Lord himselfe had sent me thither for by that onely meanes I recouered againe some part of my former strength which before I had almost vtterly lost Wherewith taking againe to my selfe fresh courage and reuiuing my drouping spirites I turned my face towards my enemies placing the poynt of my sword at the entrie of the Caue and so began with most fierce Stoccadoes to defend my Fort. By that time the whole multitude of fishes had besieged me round about giuing most great flashes and assaults against me in the water and approching very neere vnto the mouth of the caue but such as séemed to bee most hardye presuming to eate in I thinke escaped not scot free For as I stood directly with my sword against the entrie of the caue they thinking to enter fell vpon my sword and so lost their liues and others which with great furie approached néere vnto me got their reward with blowes All this notwithstanding made them not breake vp their siege but in the meane time it waxed darke and night approaching made the fight somewhat to cease although they left not off manie times to assaile me proouing whether I slept or if by anie meanes they might perceaue me to be wearied and weake This thus continuing poore Lazarus being in this great extremitie perceiuing my selfe assieged by so manie enemies in so strange a place without all remedie or hope of reléefe and considering that my good conseruator I mean the wine began by little and little to consume within me in place whereof the salt water entred and that each houre I began to waxe weake because it was not possible for me to sustaine my self my nature being altogether contrarie vnto theirs that remained and dwelt in the water and that likewise my strength failed me by reason that of a long time I had not eaten any thing wherwith to strengthen the same but to the contrarie laboured and trauelled my wearie bodie as also because the water doth disgest and consume verie much I still looked for no other thing than when my sword would fall out of my weake trembling hands which should no sooner be perceiued by my enemies but they would put me to a most cruell and bitter death making their bodies my sepulcher All which by me well weighed and considered and on the contrarie not finding any remedie or meanes of releefe I turned vnto him to whom all good Christians haue recourse recommending my selfe vnto him that giueth ayde and reléefe to all such as craue it at his hands that was the most merciful God our Lord Iesus Christ Then I began afresh to sigh lamenting and bewayling my former sinnes asking mercie and forgiuenes for them and committing my selfe vnto his diuine will and pleasure I besought him to deliuer me from that cruell death with promise that if it pleased him to giue me life I would become a new man euer after Then I made my prayers vnto the most glorious Saint Marie his Mother and our Ladie promising to visite her in her houses of Monferrat of Guadalupe and on the borders of France After that directing my supplications vnto all the Saints but specially vnto S. Eliâ—â—us and vnto Monsieur S Amador which both haue power ouer the waters This done I rehearsed certaine oraisons as manie as I could remember learned of my master which with most great deuotion I vttered besides diuers other prayers which haue force and power against the perills of the water Which done in the ende the Lord Iesus by the vertue of his passion and by the force of the Saints prayers and for the pitie of my great miserie which as then appeared before mine eies wrought in me a most maruellous and rare miracle although in respect of his mightie power it séemed nothing which was that I being thus in manner without a soule sicke and halfe choaked with the great quantitie of water which as I said before had entered into my bodie to my no little damage and likewise being stiffe and as it were dead with cold that still assailed me which as long as my preseruer the wine remained in his force I neuer once did feele My sorrowfull bodie being wearied and as it were broken in péeces by meanes of the anguish and continuall persecution thereof together with the discontinuance of eating meate I sodainly felt my selfe to be changed from the shape of a man which I had béen not féeling either hand or foote vnto the verie shape and forme of those which had and did at that present besiege me round about Whose shape when I perceiued my selfe to be changed into I presently knew them to be fishes called a Tonnie and then I vnderstood how they sought my death saying This is the traitor and the enemie of our sauery and most sacred waters this is the aduersarie not onely of vs but also of all other Fishes which at this present hath made such an execution and slaughter among vs killing and murthering so great multitudes of our nation it is not possible for him to escape from hence but day once appearing wee will bee reuenged on him Thus I heard the iudgement which my
summe of money and withall to deliuer him one hundreth female Sturgeons one hundreth males which male Sturgeons because they are a daintie fish the king eate them at his owne table the females he kept for his pleasure After that our General went against the Porpeses which he ouercame brought vnder our subiection Wherewith the number of our armed Tonnies grew so great and puissant that we held manie kinde of fishes in subiection vnder vs all which became tributaries and gaue pledges as we said before Then our Captaine not being contenced with the victories past armed himselfe against the Cocodriles which are a kinde of most fierce fishes and liue sometime in the sea and sometime on the land with whom we had manie battailes and although wee lost some yet for the most part he bare away the victorie But it was no meruaile that we lost some because as I said before those kinde of fishes are verie fierce cruell great bodied with great téeth and long tuskes wherewith they tare in péeces as many of vs as they could reach into their pawes and yet for all their fiercenes we manie times put them to the worst vnles if were somtimes when they saw themselues ouer-pressed by our Tonnies then they forsooke the water and took the land and so they escaped Which our Captaine Licio perceiuing in the end left them after he had spoyled great numbers of them and hee himself likewise receiued great damage and lost the good Melo his brother which caused no smal gréefe throughout the whole Armie But our comfort was that he died like a valiant Tonnie for it was reported vnto vs for a truth that before they killed him he in person with his sword wherewith he was very nimble killed more than a thousand Cocodriles yet they had not killed him if it had not chanced that they flying and he after them he sodainly fell vpon the land there stayed by which meanes not being able to be seconded by his companie the enemie tare him in péeces In the end good Captaine Licio returned from the warres the most renowned fish that then liued in the seas bringing with him great rich spoyles which he gaue wholly vnto the King without taking anie thing for himselfe At his returne his Highnes receiued him with such countenance and entertainment as belonged vnto a fish that had done him so great seruice and honour and withall bestowed most liberall rewards vpon him as also vnto those that had followed him in such manner that euerie one found himselfe contented and pleased And the King to shew the greater fauour vnto Licio mourned for Melo his brother the space of eight dayes and so did we al. Your worship must vnderstand that the mourning among the fishes is that when they are sad and mourne during that time they speak not but onely by signes aske what they desire to haue And this is the manner that is obserued among them whē as their husbands wiues children or frends doe die they mourne in that sort as I said before and kéep it so straightly that it is holden for a great ignomie and that the greatest that may be found within the seas if whē they mourne they chance to speake vntill such time as the King sending vnto them willeth them to leaue mourning and then they speak as they did before I heard it reported among them that a Lord for the death of a Ladie whom he loued and kept as his frend mourned in his owne Countrey for the space of ten yeares and for all that the King could doo he might not cause him to leaue off mourning because that at such time as he sent him word to leaue off he sent word to beséech his Grace to cause him to bee killed rather than leaue off mourning which he could not do And which is more I was tolde wherein I tooke great pleasure to heare it that his seruants perceiuing his long silence some of them at a month others another month and other some at two months as they desired to speake forsooke his house so that in the end he had not one left and here with his mourning continued so long that although he had desired to leaue it hee knew not with whom to speake When they tolde me this I called to my remembrance diuers talkatiue men with whom I am verie well acquainted who neuer leaue talking but assoone as one tale is ended they begin againe And many times because they would not loose companie they cut off their tales in the middle and begin others and so continue vntill the very night come vpon them that they must néeds leaue company or els they would neuer haue done and the worst is that these men do not perceiue how much they offend God and the world herein and I thinke are little lesse then troublesome vnto the diuel himselfe and he that will be wise let him flie the companie of these fooles because like requireth like for their paines I wish they were vassalls vnto this Barron and that during their aboad with him his friend might die that I might be reuenged on them CHAP. X. How the King and Licio determined to marry Lazarus vnto the faire Ladie Luna and how they were married BVt returning vnto our matter the mourning and sorrow holden for the death of Melo being past the king sent word that with all spéede the number of armed Tonnies should bee new supplied and increased and that they should go séeke more armes which was presently done At which time it séemed good vnto the king to marry me to some one whom he thought good and therupon he dealt with Licio about the same vnto whom he committed the matter but he would willingly haue bene quit of the charge because he knew somewhat by her but for that it pleased the king he durst not otherwise doo so he brake the matter vnto me being not a little ashamed to do it saying that he sawe and knew I deserued more honour as my déedes witnessed but the king had expresly commanded that he should be the mariage maker In the end the matter being at that point it is my good fortune sayd I vnto my selfe a nayle is not good to play at tennis withall and a plague of such a ball as cannot be taken but at the second rebound and séeing it pleaseth God it shall be no otherwise and that it is for my profite and aduancement it is reason that I climbe from a priest vnto a king In the ende I did it and my mariage was solemnized with so great triumphs and feastings as if it had bene for a prince being honored with the degrée of a vicount that the king gaue me with her which if I had it here vpon earth would do me much more good than in the sea in the end from the base or meanest Tonny my name rose vnto a Signior In the manner my signory led a tryumphant life married very richly
masters the fishes pronounced against mee beeing a Tonny as well as they In this manner being chaunged I rested and refreshed my selfe in the Water taking my breath and finding my selfe as cléerely without paine or gréefe as if I neuer had anie washing my body both within and without with that water which then and from that time forward I found to be verie swéete and sauerie viewing and beholding my selfe if I could perceiue anie part of my bodie that was not changed into a Tonnie and so remaining in the caue in great ease and pleasure I thought with my selfe that it would be good for me as soone as day came to get mee out from thence but then I feared they would know me and so my conuersion should be manifest vnto them On the other side I feared my issuing forth distrusting in my selfe that they could not vnderstand me and that I could not bee able to aunswere them vnto that which they should aske mee by which meanes my secrete might be discouered For although I vnderstood them verie well and that I perceiued my selfe to be of their forme and shape yet I greatly feared to be among them In the end I determined the best way for mee was that they should not finde me within the caue for they finding mee not to be of their companie and Lazarus de Tormes not being found they will straight iudge me to haue saued him and so will demaund an accompt of him at my hands For the which cause it séemed best vnto me that I going out of the caue before it were day and thrusting my selfe among them being so great a number peraduenture they would not sée me neither yet once finde me to bee a stranger and as I determined with my selfe so I put it in effect CHAP. II. How Lazarus de Tormes called a Tonny fish went out of the caue and how the Centinells of the Tonny fishes tooke him and lead him before the Generall of the Armie IN skipping out of the caue and leauing the rocke I was presently desirous to proue my new language and began with a loud voyce to say I dye I dye Those words scarce vttered by mee the Centinell which held the watch ouer the poore sinner Lazaro de Tormes came vnto me standing about me asked me whom I serued Sirs said I I serue the Fishes and those which are called the valiaunt Tonnyes Then said they for what cause didst thou crye out so lowd what is it that thou hast séene or felt in our aduersarie whereby thou art so altered and perplexed that thou knowest not vnder what Captaine thou seruest I said they should bring me before the Generall of the Armie and there they should know that which they demaunded Presently thereupon one of the Tonnyes willed ten of the rest to bring me vnto the Generall meane while hee stayed behinde kéeping the watch with the number of ten thousand Tonnyes at the least I was excéeding glad to perceiue that they did vnderstand mee and sayd vnto my selfe He that shewed me this great grace maketh no man lame Thus we marched and at last as daye began to appeare wee approached néere vnto the place where the great Armie lay whereas I perceiued such an innumerable number of Tonnyes that I was abashed at the sight As soone as they knew those which led me they suffered vs to passe forward and beeing entered into the Generalls lodging one of my guard making humble reuerence declared vnto him where and in what manner they had found me that I being asked by Captaine Licio what I was I answered him that they should bring me before the Generall and for that cause they said they had brought me vnto his Honour The Captaine generall was an excellent Tonnie fiercer and greater in body than the rest he asked me who I was what was my name vnder what captaine I serued what I would haue séeing I desired to be brought before him Whereat I stood in a manner confused not knowing what name to saye I had although I had beene rightly baptized vnles I should say my name was Lazaro de Tormes neither could I better tell frō whence I was nor vnder what Captaine I serued by reason I was but newly transformed nor knew not the seas neither yet the large territories and the perticular names of the same in such sort that letting passe some of the questions by the General propounded vnto me I answered him thus My Lord your honour being so valiant as it is well knowen throughout the seas it seemeth a great disgrace vnto your Honour and vs all that one miserable weake man should defend himselfe so long gainst so puissant and mightie an Armie and the more considering his weake estate and abilitie and the great power of the Tonnies Saying further séeing that I am one of your Honors subiects and at your commaundement and of your Armie I here present my selfe with promise to get and deliuer vnto you his Armes and other things that he hath which if I doo not I desire for my reward that you commaund me presently to be cruely executed as a traitor Yet whatsoeuer I said I was sure I made him no promise to deliuer Lazaro de Tormes vnto him left I should bring a foole to bed This point proceeded not of mine owne mother wit but I learned it of my master at schoole Whereat the Generall tooke great pleasure to sée mee offer my selfe vnto such a péece of seruice by which meanes he desired not anie farther matter of me but presently making me answere said It is verie true that to auoyde the death of my souldiers I determined to holde a siege about that traitor and to take the man but if as thou saist thou dost aduenture thy selfe to enter the caue thou shalt be well rewarded for thy labour although it would gréeue me much that venturing thy person in the Kings seruice and mine thou shouldst loose thy life as others haue done before thée because I estéeme much and make great accompt of my valiant and stout Tonnyes and such as are more hardie than the rest I desire to preserue them before others as all good Captaines ought to doo My Lord sayd I let not your excellencie stand in feare of any danger that may happen vnto me for I hope to bring the matter to effect without the losse of one drop of my bloud Séeing it is so said hee it is surely a great péece of seruice for the which I meane to recompence thée well and for that it is day already I am desirous to sée how thou wilt accomplish that which thou hast promised Thereupon hee presently sent vnto all the Officers of the Field that they should march forwards vnto the place where the enemie lay It was a wonderfull thing to sée so great and mightie a campe to remoue and I suppose that whosoeuer had séene them would haue béen abashed The Generall caused me to go on the one side by
might happen to lose them At that time I desired if it had bene possible to finde a ship that would take and lade them in although I should giue the halfe part for the fraught and deliuer the rest to my Eluira in Toledo that with some of them she might marry my daughter for I was wel assured that there were many that would not refuse her being the daughter of a Crier And with this desire I skipped twice or thrice after ships that came from the West crying vnto them aboue the water that they might hearken vnto me thinking they would vnderstand me and imagine my meaning and although they were not faithfull messengers to carry the treasure or some part thereof vnto Toledo wherewith they might profit men and do them good withall yet it would content my minde for the loue I beare vnto mankinde but when I called them or they perceiued me aboue water they presently cast hookes and dartes at me to kill me wherewith I turned and went againe vnto my house sometimes I wished that Toledo were a port of the sea that I might fill it with riches for that I doubted not but my wife and my childe should get some part thereof And with these and other thoughts and imaginations I passed my time and spent my life in the sea CHAIP XI Lazarus going to hunt in a wood hauing lost his companie he found the Truthe and spake with him I Being by fortune staied from my company found the Truth which tolde me that she was the daughter of God and that she had descended downe from heauen vppon earth for to liue there and do good vnto men and how she had not left any place vnsought but had visited all estates both great and small and although that in some great mens houses she founde some entertainment others thrust her cleane out of their doores which their ingratitude perceiued by her she saide had caused her to withdraw her selfe into a rocke in the déepe sea she tolde me of many maruellous things that had passed among all manner of men which if I should write vnto your worship it would bee ouer long and out of the matter touching my troubles when it pleaseth your worship to haue the whole discourse that passed betwéen vs it shall be sent you I being come home shewed the king what had passed betwéene me and the Truth CHAP. XII How Lazarus departing from the Truth going with the female Tonnies to bring forth their yoong he was taken in the Fisher mens Nets and turned againe into a man GOing very chéerfully vnto the Court being greatly comforted with the words that the Truth had vsed vnto me I liued for a time verie merely in the sea and then the time drew neare that the female Tonnies should bee deliuered of their yoong of that voyage the King willed me to goe because he alwaies sent some strength with them to defende them and at that time Licio was sicke if hée had béene well I knowe hée woulde haue gone that voyage and since I had bene in the Sea I had gone thrée or foure times because euery yeare once they vse the same order In that voyage I tooke with me tenne thousande female Tonnies and there were aboue fiue hundreth thousande female Tonnies which were all big with yoong We hauing taken our leaue of the king went on our iourney and in the end entred into the straights of Gibraltar and being past them we came vnto Couil and to Vexar places vnder the dominion of the Duke of Medina Sodinia whereas they prepared an armie readie against vs of the which I being aduertised and that there wee were wont to bee hardly dealt withall willed them to take care of themselues but they being desirous to bee deliuered in that place it beeing prepared readie for that purpose howe well soeuer they looked vnto themselues I knowe not but this I am sure of that in the space of eight or nine dayes I wanted aboue fiftie thousand female Tonnies Which dammage wee perceiuing agreed to put our valiaunt Armed Tonnies with them into the key of the Hauen and while that they were deliuered of their yoong ones if the Fisher-men sought meanes to take them wee would strike in among the Fisher-men and their Nets cutting them asunder in small péeces but wée deceiued our selues and founde that our deuice did fall out cleane contrarie to all our expectations by reason of the great strength and skill that the men vsed whiche is muche greater than that of the Tonnies and so by their mightie force they tooke vs all with an infinite nomber of the female Tonnies in one Nette without in a manner receiuing anie damage of vs but rather great gaines and as my companions perceiued themselues taken they were dismayed and therewith beginning to sigh let their armes fall out of their mouthes whiche I did not but they tooke mee with my sworde hauing therewith done sufficient dammage vnto their Nets and with mée they tooke my faire and seconde wife The Fisher-men wondring to sée mée armed in that sort sought to make me forsake my sworde whiche I still helde verie fast but they pulled so long thereat that in the ende they pulled an arme and a hande out of my mouth wherin I held my sword and then they perceiued in my heade my forehead eyes nose-thrilles and the halfe of my mouth They being much abashed at this fighte helde mee fast by the arme and others taking me by the necke beganne to plucke me out of my fishes skinne and as I was halfe out of my case I looked about and perceiued hard by mee my poore wife Luna in great feare and rather in more perplexitie then the Fisher-men vnto whom I beganne to speake in mans language and sayde Brethren discharge I pray you your consciences and let none of you offer to kill mee with the brasser for you must knowe that I am a man as you are but make an ende of pulling me out out of my skinne and I will declare great secrets vnto you I saide this because many of my companions laie harde by mee dead and their heades broken in péeces with staues whiche the Fishermen had for that purpose and then I desired them of courtesie that they would let that female Tonny next vnto mee to swimme away because she had bene my companion and wife a great time and they being greatly astonished to sée and heare me did as I desired them But at such time as my companion departed from mée wéeping and in great feare I saide vnto her in my Tonnies language Luna my swéete heart I commit thée to God I pray thée come no more hither to bee taken but shewe the King and all my friends what thou hast séene and I pray thée likewise to haue a care of thy honour and mine Which done she without making me any answere skipped into the water and went her way in great feare vs they tooke from thence and in my
presence killed my companions and cut them in péeces at the water side and kept me half a man and half a fish in the sand with great feare lest they wold burne me the fishing being ended the day they asked me many questiōs and I told them the truth of euerie thing praying them to pull me whole out of my fishes skinne which as then they did not but the same night they set me vpon a Mule and brought me vnto Siuil presenting me vnto the most noble Duke of Medina great was the admiration that both men and women had to sée me for that in long time there had not any thing so wonderfull happened in Spaine In that case they held me for the space of eight dayes during the which time they vnderstood of me what troubles I had passed but at the ende of eight dayes I felt my selfe not well in the part of my bodie that was Fishe and it spoyled because it felt not the water so I besought the Duke and the Duches that for the loue of God they woulde cause me to be pulled out of that prison séeing I was brought vnto his grace shewing them what paine I felt wherunto they agreed and it was appointed to bee cried throughout all the Towne of Siuil that I should be pulled out of my fishes skinne that thereby euerie man might come and sée my conuersion which should bee done vppon a scaffold set vp in an open market place before his lodging that all men might beholde it The Dukes lodging was hard by the Towne of Siuil all the stréets entering into the Market place were full and not so much as the toppes of houses but were laden with people such an innumerable sort resorted thither at that time then the Duke willed them to go and fetche me out of my Cage wherein they had kept mee euer since they brought mee from the sea side in the way I was muche troubled because of the great multitude of people that flocked about me by which meanes if I had not had Iron grates betwéen me and them without all doubt they had smothered me to death O good God said I what alteration is there now in mee for that I haue séene a man in a Cage although not greatly at his ease but I neuer sawe a man turned into a fish So they tooke me out and carried me vnto the market place with fiftie Holberdiers going about me to kéepe the people from me and yet could verie hardly do it CHAP. XIII How Lazarus was openly vpon a stage from a Tonny fish conuerted in Siuill vnto a man THen I being set vpon the scaffold they began to pull mee some by that part of my bodie that was out alreadie and others by the fishes tayle in such manner that in the ende they pulled mee out as naked as euer I came foorth of my mothers wombe and there lay the Tonnie being nothing but a skinne Then they presently gaue me a cloak to couer me withall and the Duke commaunded that a sute of his apparell should bee brought me which although they fitted me not yet I put them on and then I was so feasted and visited by the people that during the time of my continuance there I had in a manner no time to take my rest for that both night and day they ceased not to come and sée me and to aske me diuers questions and he that could get but a time to heare me thought himselfe happie But within certaine dayes after my conuersion I fell sicke because the earth did alter me being as then not accustomed therunto for that betwéene the nature of the sea and land there is great difference so that then I began to cleanse and purge my selfe in such manner as I thought verely that my troubles and my life would haue ended both together I pray God deliuer mee from this and other troubles At the last when I felt my selfe strong and able to walke I tooke my leaue of my frends there who full sore against their wills granted it vnto me for that they desired to haue had me still there with them to heare the meruailous things that had happened vnto me wherunto I made no conscience to adde somewhat which they verely beléeued because they had séene me so wonderfully conuerted But in the ende without staying anie longer they let me goe and sent me away verie well prouided for my iourney and so vpon the day before the feast of Pentecost last past I came vnto Toledo the most desirous man in the world to sée my wife and childe and imbracing her a thousand times which manner of pleasure I had not had for the space of foure yeares because it is not vsed in the sea for there is nothing else but noddes and kisses I came into the Towne by night and went straight vnto my house which I found without anie bodie in it for they were all gone vnto my Master the Priests house where they were alreadie gone to bed asléepe But I gaue so manie blowes at the dore that therewith they wakened asking mee who was there I telling them my wife Eluira answered me verie sharply with a lowd voyce Away thou drunkard whatsoeuer thou art that walkest the stréetes at this time of the night for to mocke and deceiue poore widowes comming now at the ende of thrée or foure yeares that to my euill fortune God tooke away my husband and drowned him in the sea in sight of his master and of manie other that saw him sinke downe to tell vs a iest therwith she went to bed againe without anie more harkening vnto me wherewith I began againe to call knocke at the dore Then my Master the Priest beeing chafed rose vp and came vnto the window and with a lowd voyce said what would that fellow haue what kind of dealing is this I would faine know who thou art that in the morning I may reward thée for this thy vncurteous dealing which at this time of the night commest vnto mens doores that are at rest telling them iests and making such a noise that thou breakest both their sléep and their rest Signior said I let not your worship bee offended and if you desire so much to know who I am asmuch doo I desire to tell it you I am your Crier Lazaro de Tormes I had scarce vttered my words but I felt a stone come buzzing cloase by my eares that with a good will and after that two or thrée more which striking against the stones in the stréete for that it was paued made the fier to sparkle out of them I perceiuing the danger and hoping for no better reason at his hands for that time went downe the next stréete that lay before mee and being a good way past the house I staied and he was still in the window crying out alowd Come againe to mocke vs and sée how thou shalt spéed I remembred my selfe and thought to haue turned backe and once
my selfe am so that without shame I might shewe my selfe before them all refused not for hee that knowes howe to behaue himselfe among the Tonnies which plaie but with their snoutes will make his partie good inough with them that plaie but with their tongues The time was appointed to be the next day following and all the Vniuersitie were charged to bee there without faile for to heare vs where your worship might haue séene your Lazarus in greatest honour in the Cittie set among so many Doctors Licentialls and Batchellers that I assure you the tenth part of them were sufficient to till all the fields in Spaine and with the tithes thereof to satisfie the whole world there you might behold so many colours of apparel and so many degrées in the seates that there was no account made of a man but of his degrée And before I went in among them they woulde haue had me apparelled as they were which Lazarus refused because that séeing I was a stranger and not any student of that vniuersitie they ought not to wonder at the same but rather to iudge by the learning because the disputation was to that ende then by the apparell although it were vnaccustomed I saw them all in such order and so graue to say the truth whosoeuer should say I had more feare than shame or rather more shame than feare should not mocke me But to come to the matter Lazarus being set in his place beholde what a student I was euerie one séeing my Doctorall presence and howe grauely I could behaue my selfe and in as good order as they the Rector desired to be the first that might dispute with me althogh it were not the custom among them And so he propounded a question somewhat hard and difficult to be answered asking me howe many Tunnes of water are in the sea whereunto I being a man well studied and it not being long since my comming from thence knew verie well how to answere saying hee should cause all the waters to bee staid and kept in one place which done I would quickly measure it and then satisfie his demaund He hearing my short and readie answere such as the best of them all could not haue mended and being at a staie for that he thought to haue posed mée finding it to bee impossible with that question to doo it left that charge vnto me to measure it and then to tell him The Rector being abashed with that answere put an other argument vnto me thinking to trie my wit to sée if I would make him as pithie an answere to the second as I did vnto the first he asked me how many dayes had passed from the creation of Adam vntil that time as though I had bin alwaies liuing in the world with a penne in my hand kéeping account of them when as to tel you the truth I do not remember mine owne but only that I was once a priestes boye and then a schoolemaisters boye and such like wherof I kept better account than of my dayes But this notwithstanding I aunswered him saying there was no more then seuen because that when those seuen are past there followeth other seuen and so it had continued from the beginning of the world vntil that time and should likewise continue so to the end of the world then your worship might haue séene Lazaro estéemed a great Doctor among the Doctors and a wise maister of art among the Licentiates Now the third question was for to win the victory and because I had waded so well out of two of them the Rector thought that in the third I would be graueled Wherefore he willed me to satisfie him in the third question whereat I answered him very readily that I would do so and that not only to his third but to as many as he would propounde betwéene that and the next day Then he asked me where the ende of the world is What Philosophers are these saide I vnto my selfe for séeing that I neuer went about the whole world how can I answere him But if he had asked mée the ende of the water I could haue answered him somewhat better Yet I answered vnto his question and said it to be in the same place wherein we then were and if he measured it hée should certainly finde it to be so offering if it were not true that they should estéeme and account me vnworthie to enter into any Colledge he perceiuing himselfe shamde by my answeres and that still thinking to giue a good checke he receiued an ill mate put me the fourth question very boldly asking me howe far the earth is from heauen Your worship might then haue séene me hake and spit thinking how to answere for I was almost at a non plus because hee knewe verie well that I neuer went any such way if he had asked me what manner of life the Tonnies vse and what language they speake I could haue giuen better reason for it yet I was not therewith altogither grounded but answered him that heauen is verie neare vnto the earth for that the songs that men sing here vpon earth are heard vp into heauen howe soughtly soeuer men sing or speake which if he would not beléeue I had him go vp into heauen and I would sing here below verie soughtly and if he did not heare it he should condemne me for a foole I assure your worship that at the same answer you might haue séene the Rector at such an exigent that ceasing to propound anie more questions he left off referring the rest vnto others but when they saw him thus foyled there was not one of them that durst begin but all leauing their places said and affirmed my answeres to be most excellent Whereat I neuer saw my selfe to be so much honoured among men nor so much Signiored heere and Signiored there so that Lazarus his honour increased daily which was partly the more because of the apparell the good Duke gaue me for if it had not béen for them those long gowned fellowes would haue made no more account of mee than I did of the Tonnyes in the sea although I dissembled But then they all came vnto me some commending me for my prompt and wittie answeres and others being glad to sée and heare me speake Whereby this my great abilitie being séene the name of Lazarus was in euerie mans mouth and I walked through the Citie with more buzzing and noise than I did among the Tonnyes My hostes bad mee to supher with them and I was as willing to goe although I séemed to refuse them at the first making as though I were bidden by others and to conclude we supt I néed not tell you with what because it was a Licenciates supper after their manner although I perceiued verie well that the supper was prepared by changing of bookes and yet it was good inough After we had supt and the cloath taken away there was a paire of cardes laid on the boord for a collation which was a daily custome and surely I was better learned in them than in the disputations of the Rector At the last monie began to be laid vpon the boord which I desired to sée and they as being verie nimble in that arte knew how to vse a thousand shifts and flights to compasse mee in I had almost lost all my money for that for a while it went but crossely with me but at the last I handled the matter so well that they payd for all and for the supper likewise and I put fiftie royalls of plate in my purse that I got among them I would wish ye to beware of him that hath bin a signior among the Tonnies Euer after they would take héed of Lazaro and I to dispatch my selfe away prayed them to speake somewhat vnto me in Tonnyes language if not they could not vnderstand me But after that fearing least they should offer me any iniurie and because no occasion might bee had I departed from them thinking that I could not alwayes haue good fortune at playe So I determined to returne home againe making my self mery with the fiftie ryals I had gotten and somewhat more withall which for their credits I will not presently rehearse and comming to my house I founde all well there only that there wanted money Then I called to minde the Dollors that lye hidden in the sea and therewith I began to be sad and thought with my selfe that if I might spéede as well as I did in Salamanca I woulde set vp a schoole in Toledo and though it were onely to teach the Tonnies language which I thinke no man but would desire to studie it But thinking better vppon the matter I saw there was nothing to be gotten because it would bee no profite to any man wherewith I left off my deuise although I could haue bene well content to haue had the fame to be the founder of a Vniuersitie in so noble a Cittie and the inuenter of a new language neuer knowne before among men Hitherto I haue shewed you the course of my life since the voyage of Argel what more shall happen as time serueth your worship shal be certified thereof In the meane time I rest wholly at your commandement and seruice Yours Lazaro de Tormes FINIS