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
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
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
himselfe by the way asking me what order I meant to hold in the entring of the caue I told him counterfetting and faining manie stratagems and deuices Meane time we approached néere vnto the place where the Centinels stood about the Rocke and to Captaine Licio that had sent me vnto the Generall who at that time was in verie good order about the rocke holding each place about the caue straightly besieged And yet all this notwithstanding not one of them durst once be so hardie as to approach néere vnto the entrie of the same by reason that the Generall had sent speciall commaundement to the contrarie thereby to auoyd the damage that Lazarus did vnto them because that at such time as I was conuerted into a Tonny fish I let the sword stand vpright in the entrie of the Caue and in such manner as I helde it in my hands when I was a man which the Tonnyes saw fearing that their enemie helde it in his hands and that hee stood right before the entrie of the caue As we approached néere vnto the place I said vnto the Generall it were good hee should commaund those that held centinell and siege about the caue to depart and that he with al the rest should withdraw themselues from thence which was presently done I did that because they should not perceiue the little labor I had to enter into the caue Then I being alone gaue great and liuely flashes in the water and skipping vp vnto the mouth of the caue I made a shew of some great thing I ment to doo meane time that I did this the report went among them that I had begun to enter into the caue but said they he will be slaine as well as others altogether as hardie and bold as he haue béen let him alone for assure your selues you shal sée his lustines well cooled in the end In the mean time I made show as though some resistance had bin made against me out of the caue that the enemie thrust at me as he had done at others whereat I made as though I skipped with my bodie from the one side to the other And as the Armie stood in this amaze they had not the wits to perceiue that which in truth was not to be perceiued sometime I approached vnto the caue and assailed it with most great force making as though I fought and then againe I retired as I did before which I did onely to make a shew of great matter where none was After I had done this thrée or foure times standing somewhat distant from the caue I began to roare with a loud voice to that end the General and the whole Armie might heare me saying O miserable man thinkest thou that thou canst defend thy selfe against the great power of our puissaunt Lord and and King and against his valiant Captaine generall with those of his mightie Armie Thinkest thou to escape from hence without being punished for thy great boldnes and the great murthers which by thy meanes haue béen done vpon our frends and companions Yéelde yéeld thy selfe I say a prisoner vnto the valiant and great Generall and it may bee hee will bee mercifull vnto thée Yéeld thine Armes which haue so well serued thée at this present and come forth of thy strong Hold wherein thou art for it will little auaile thée to tarrie there and put thy selfe into his power with whom for power none within the whole compasse of the seas may once compare I as I say giuing these great and threatening speaches vnto poore Lazarus all to fill the eares of the hearers thereby to incourage them as men are accustomed to doo béeing a thing wherein they take much pleasure a Tonny came vnto me from the Generall willing me to come presently vnto him with whom I went and at my approaching I found both him and all the rest almost dead with laughter and such was the noyse that they made that one could not heare the other by meanes thereof but as I appeared before him beeing much amazed at such an alteration the Generall commaunded that each man should bee quyet whereat some silence was made although the most part of them began againe to laugh till at the last with much paine the Generall said vnto me Companion if thou holdest no other method in entring the Fort of our Enemie than that thou hast alreadie showen neither shalt thou accomplish thy promise nor I be anie thing the wiser in standing to trust vpon thée which maketh me the more to suspect it in that I haue onely séene thée to assaile the entrie of the Caue and yet thou didst not enter and more that thou beginnest to perswade our aduersarie by speach which euerie one can doo as well as thou So that as farre as I and these the rest of my Campanie can perceiue thou wouldest be verie glad to be well rid of so dangerous an action Whereby it séemeth most apparant and euident vnto vs that all this time is but lost and these words spent vainly to the winde because I am certaine by this meanes thou canst not in a thousand yeares accomplish that which thou desirest or hast said that thou couldest doo and for this cause wee laughed at thée and surely our laughter is not without iust cause to sée thée stand prating vnto him as if thou wert some iolly fellow and then they all began againe to laugh at me With this I found mine owne want and said within my selfe If God had not preserued me to some other end than to féed those fooles the vnaccustomed manner of behauiour that I vsed as a Tonnie would haue béen cause of my decaye which was specially by reason that I had onely their forme and not their nature But I séeking to amend mine error answered My Lord when anie man is desirous to effectuate that which hee hath in minde to doo it happeneth vnto him as it doth vnto mee Whereat the Generall and all the rest began againe to laugh saying Alas poore man thou art deceiued for thou shouldest haue answered vnto mee as it is true that thou fearest that in stead of renting his cloathes he will teare thy bodie With that hee left off speaking for that time Wherewith I seeing that still my want of behauiour appeared and perceiuing that with a few more of such checks I might soone be mated I began also to laugh with them for companie but God knowes I grinned with no small feare which at that time I had and therewith I said vnto the Generall My Lord it may please you not to thinke that my feare is such as some of you doo presume because that hauing to doo with a man you thinke that the tongue vttereth that which the heart meaneth but it séemeth vnto me that I stay ouer long to accomplish my promise and to take vengeance in your behalfe of this our enemie wherefore with your Honours license I would willingly craue that I might returne to make
Tonnnyes that séemed vnto vs to be the most nimble of best courage among them And then the Captaine on the one side his Brother on the other I as the chiefe Master of Defence taught such as desired to be expert in their weapon so that we imployed our whole time in learning them to manage their Armes and to defend themselues therewith Whereby in short space there were some among them that could giue the thrust the crosse blow and the reuerse as for the rest that dealt not in their weapons wee appointed them to hunt and séeke for victualls and the women wee learned to scowre our weapons by a fine inuention that I deuised which was that they should thrust them into the sand and draw them forth againe so long vntill they waxed bright In such manner that our companie being ioyned altogether hee that should behold that part of the sea would thinke he saw a great battaile in the water In the ende by this meanes there was almost not one of the Tonnies but began to be very expert in his weapon Hereupon we entred into counsell and in the same it was agréed that we should make a perpetuall league amitie with the cuttle fishes whereby they might come and liue among vs because with their large sinnes they might doo vs great seruice to beare our Armes and so it was done and they were glad of it because they saw we tooke them for our frends and maintained them the which as I said before might serue our turnes in that point without anie paine or trouble vnto them About this time the space of two moneths appointed by the Generall for the Captaines repaire vnto the Court began to draw néere at the end whereof the Captaine generall sent commandement that they should come thither Whereupon Licio began to make preparation for his iourney and betwéen him and I it was debated whether it should be good for me to goe with him to the court to do my humble dutie vnto the king that he might know me but we found it not conuenient considering the Generall séemed to beare me no great good wil and that he had expresly commanded me to returne vnto mine owne countrie for the which cause the matter being throughly debated in the presence of Melo brother vnto Captaine Licio a Tonny of singular good wit and of the no lesse wise Tonny his wife their aduice at the present was that I should stay there with her Whervpon he determined to go in all spéed and to take but few of his men with him being at the Court he would informe the king of me and of my great valor and vpon the Kings answere we should procéed This being agréed vpon among vs the good captaine Licio departed on his iourney with very néere a thousand Tonnies his brother Melo I with al the rest staying at home in our lodgings and at his departure from me taking me aside he said vnto me My verie frend I must of force let you vnderstand that I depart from hence with no small gréefe by reason of a dreame I had this last night I pray God it fall not out to be true but if to my euill fortune it should happen to be true I pray you that you will take it in good part and thinke vpon that which you haue giuen me in charge and hereof I pray you desire not to know anie farther at this present because it is neither cōuenient for you nor me I besought him much to declare the same vnto me and the rather because at his departure from his wife his brother the rest he gaue me a nod with his head although verie sadly leauing me verie sorrowfull and heauy He being gone I could not but thinke vpon the matter and diuers things ran in my minde touching the same among the rest I supposed this one to be it the peraduenture he vnto whom I was so much beholding might thinke that the beautie of his wife which most commonly is not matched with the greatest honestie would blinde me so much that I could not sée how the sea doth abhorre so great a wickednes But that good law is at this day much corrupted on the earth in the sea it is the like but it is no meruaile In this conceipt I continued long and in the end I deuised a meane whereby he might be assured of me and my loyaltie no way suspected which was thus that I and her brother in law being with her after some salutations and comforts offred vnto her on our parts thereby to put her out of the melancholy humor which we perceiued to be in her because of her husbands departure and the rather to behold him so sad and heauie although that he hid it both from her and me at his departure from vs I told Melo that I desired to be his guest if be thought it good because I could not be merrie being alway in companie of women rather than I should be troublesome vnto her I would leaue the house She was presently readie to make me an answere saying that if she found anie meanes of comfort she thought it would be by reason that I was in her house and at her commandement she knowing verie well the great loue and affection that her husband bare vnto me that at the time of his departure from her he gaue her not any greater charge than of the care that she was to haue of me althogh I suspected not what the cause was for our thoughts did rather disagrée In the end I thinking that it might be with the Tonny fishes as it was with me in the same case touching my wife Eluira and my master the Priest could neuer be in quiet but desired rather to be with her brother in law and whensoeuer I went to visite her I brought him alwaies with me CHAP. V. Lazarus telleth what happened vnto Captaine Licio his frend at the Court by meanes of the Captaine generall BEing sometimes hunting and sometimes exercising our weapons within eight dayes after my frends departure newes was brought vs which made vs the most sorrowfull fishes in the sea Being thus that when the Captaine generall vsed me so hardly as I told you before he willed me to depart out of the Army saying that those Tonnies which found themselues agréeued at me because of my offence committed against them would be reuenged and afterwards he had commaunded certaine Tonnies that finding me alone from al company they should presently kill me and for no other cause more than that it séemed vnto him as it was very true that I would be a witnes of his cowardlines for other cause there was none but only where desert is it ought to be recompenced but God preuented this mischiefe putting as I thinke into Licioes hart the fauor he shewed me Which being knowen vnto the Generall he bare him likewise most great hatred euill will affirming and swearing that that which
him thoough the accustomed stréetes but doo it before the prison gate which they beléeuing to be true had deliuered him to be executed In such maner that the King knew and perceiued his Generals fault and the more he looked into the matter the more he perceiued it to be true CHAP. VIII How the Captaines wife returned againe vnto the King and of the good answere she brought ALL this while we stayed that day and the next night in the wood not greatly in quiet and the next day after the Captaines wife with her Companie went againe vnto the palace and to auoid tediousnes the King by that time was in better quietnes receiuing her verie curteously and saying Good woman if all my subiects had so wise and discréete wiues peraduenture they should increase their honor and wealth and I accompt my selfe happie I say this for that in truth I séeing your discretion and wise reasons haue therewith appeased my anger and you thereby haue deliuered your husband his companie from my wrath and heauie displeasure and for because that since your being here I haue béen better informed than I was tell him that vpon my word he may come to the Court with all his frends without anie perill or danger But for auoyding of tumults and speaches at this present will him from me that he kéep house as a prisoner vntill I send him word vnto the contrarie and in the meane time I pray you come hither and sée vs because I take great pleasure to sée and behold your person good behauior and pleasant speach Whereat the Captaines wife kissed his taile giuing him heartie thankes for the great grace and fauour he shewed as she full well could doo it and so returned vnto vs with a most ioyfull answere although some of vs thought it not conuenient to be done saying it was but subtilly politikely done thereby to get vs into his hands In the end we agréed as loyall subiects to accomplish the commandement of our King trusting vnto 〈◊〉 I meane our mouthes when our loyaltie should bee brought in question Whereupon we presently remooued vnto the Citie and entred therein finding in the same man is frends which as then shewes themselues perceiuing our enterprise to be wel taken and effectuated but before they burst not make anie show thereof as the olde saying is When Fortune turneth and sendeth thée aduersitie then thy frends are shaken and 〈◊〉 from thée for aduersitie sheweth who be frends and who are foes Being entred we retired vnto one end of the Citie wherein least people were where stood houses great store but most part without inhabitants beeing the houses of such as wee had slaine there we lodged as néere as wee could together in the meane time giuing commission that not one of our band should walk abroad into the Citie that the Princes will might be fulfilled Meane time the Captaines wife went euerie day vnto the Court to visite the King as he had commaunded with whom she became a great frend but as farre as I could perceiue although all séemed cléere water yet the beautifull Luna paid for all for the going with her sister in these visitations and as it is a common saying Such pilgrimes such saints the King wan her fauour so well that in the ende he obtained her loue which I verely thinke she did not with the consent of her sister Which Captaine Licio knew verie well for that in a manner he deliuered it vnto me asking my counsell therein I told him that in my opinion the matter was not great specially because it would be a great helpe and the principall occasion of procuring our libertie And so it fell out for that the faire Gentlewoman Luna was so priuie with the King that within eight dayes after his royall coniunction fall out what would we were all pardoned and acquited and the King releasing her brother in law sent word that we should all come vnto the Court Beeing there Licio kissed the Kings taile which he offred him verie willingly and I did the like although with an euill will as béeing a man and to kisse in such a place Then the King said vnto vs Captaine I being informed of your loyaltie and not hearing anie thing vnto the contrarie therefore from henceforth I pardon you with all your companie frends and seruants which in the enterprise past did aid and assist you and because hereafter you shal be here attendant at our Court I giue vnto you all the houses with the goods therein of those that by the permission of God lost them together with their liues giuing you likewise the same office that our Captaine generall had and from henceforth I will that you exercise the same as one that knoweth well how to vse it Whereat we fell downe before him and our Captaine Licio went kissed his taile once againe giuing him great thankes for his liberall rewards saying that he trusted in God to doo such seruice in the said office that his Highnes should think it well bestowed The same day the King was informed of poore Lazarus the Tonny although at that time I was so rich so glad to sée them frends that me thought I neuer was better pleased The King among diuers questions asked how I found out the inuention of our armes I answered him to his content Then he asked with what number of fishes I and my companie durst incounter I answered the Whales excepted I could ouercome all the fishes in the sea Whereuppon he appointed next morning to sée vs all muster before him Next day Licio our Generall and I with all the rest of our armed companie went out where I found a very good inuention although the souldiers vse it here at this present I made them place themselues in order and so we passed before his Highnes making a ring which although the Coronell Villalua and his companie could do it better and in brauer manner yet in the sea they hauing not séene anie esquadrons made it séemed strange vnto them After that I made a battaile of our armed Tonnies together placing the fairest and best armed in the first rankes willing Melo with all the disarmed and with thirtie thousand other Tonnies to come forth and skirmish with vs who compassed vs about on al parts But we placing ours in good order and holding close together began to defend our selues so well and to strike and hurt them in such sort that all the sea had not béen sufficient to haue entred within vs. The king séeing that I had told him truth and that in such sort we could not be hurt called vnto Licio and said This your frend hath maruellous great skill in armes it séemeth vnto me that in this manner we might conquere and ouercome the whole seas It is most true as your Grace saith said our Captaine generall and as touching the good industrie of the strange Tonny my good frend I cannot beléeue or be perswaded otherwise
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
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