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A60154 The fortunate fool written in Spanish by Don Alonso Geronimo de Salas Barbadillo of Madrid ; translated into English by Philip Ayres. Salas Barbadillo, Alonso Jerónimo de, 1581-1635.; Ayres, Philip, 1638-1712. 1670 (1670) Wing S369; ESTC R28842 110,309 399

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lose my senses wishing I had never seen them for it seemed to me I should never be able to live in their bitter absence so much did this desire work in me that it mastered my Cowardise and that natural restraint which alwaies to my great shame kept me in awe I came to one of the Comedians and asked him whither they went he told me to Madrid are you replyed I to Act as many times there He laughed at me and said there Friend are two Comedies every day and many times half a dozen with those acted in particular houses I already had knowledge that Madrid was the chiefest Town of Spain but I knew not wherein it was so or what did illustrate it because I had never been out of Odòn neither had I ever had any desire that my Uncle should let me go out of it when I heard that in Madrid they had of that every day and afterwards knew that it was but there hard by I thought I was very near Heaven and cursed my fortune that had for sixteen years deprived me of seeing a place where there are two Comedies every day and many times half a dozen in particular houses I then purposed to say to Death when he should come with the Writ of Execution to do it on my Life that there wanted yet sixteen years because those which are imputed to me that I lived in Odon was not to live nor any thing like it What is it possible thought I that any one can live among these Barbarians that have not two Comedies every day and many times six in particular honses This I repeated every moment in my Imagination It afterwards happened that the imprisonment of that Gentleman who was in the Castle still continuing there came men of very pleasant conversation and Ladies of courtly behaviour to visit him I went up and down there amongst them being become all Eyes as if I would discover a new World I made a friendship with a Page of my own years a very straight one out of a covetousness that he should inform me concerning those things He told me that those with whom his Master past away the time deceiving the sadness of his imprisonment were men that had studied good learning and that made verses and such Comedies as not long since had been acted there and that they also writ Books of entertainment of which I already had knowledge I asked him if they were of Madrid and those Ladies He told me yes I asked also with much simplicity if in Madrid the Cavaliers used to keep so many women And even the Rogues too said he keep as many as they can get with their industry or with their mony That I told him I had read of the great Turk Friend said he he keeps them as his own Wives these do not So much the better said I much more pleasant seems this manner of Gusto to me The great Turk surely knows not how to solace himself with so much ease When I knew that in Madrid they had Comedies ingenious men delicate and beautiful women and that without the trouble of Marriage they were permitted at the expence of mony or industry I could not resist this desire but yielded up my arms to it and resolved that my departure should be very suddainly Now knowing that it was not enough to go to Madrid unless mony went with me because the poor man lives exposed to all miseries in the streets I fell to plotting how to go to Madrid in a good Condition My Father sent by every Fleet about four hundred Crowns to the Curate my Uncle for the charges which he supposed were laid out on me in maintaining me at the University of Salamanca studying the faculty of the Laws a thing which he had often recommended by several Letters to which my Uncle answered that although I was still a Fool yet he hoped that in a short time he should civilize me a little more because I should not be there the mock and laughing stock of all At this time came the Fleet and the four hundred Crowns me thought it was pity that he should be paid with so much liberality who bred me up with so much misery And as a strong desire never wants arguments to set it forward it seemed to me but a Case of Restitution to take from him that which came for my self so I did and with regard to my opinion for even to steal it is good to have the opinion of being a Fool. My Uncle put his breeches where he kept the key of the mony under his pillow when he therefore was in bed it was impossible to open the Cabinet without manifest danger wherefore the contrivance was thus About two a Clock in the night it being very dark I rose with great silence and opened the Door of the street and all the rest to that where the Curate was and afterwards being come to my bed I began to cry Sir Uncle Sir Uncle Thieves Thieves He wakes and hearing the noise in a moment jumps into the Floor taking a sword which he had on the Beds tester and being amazed asked where doest thou hear them Where are they At the street-door they make a noise said I. With this he hastens to the street door which was not near telling me that I should rise and light a Candle All this while my Cozen slept I searched the pockets took the key of the Cabinet where the Four hundred Crowns were newly come and finding them in a purse I left the Cabinet open then although I felt the Candle I went not to light it till I had first laid up in security the purse of my Joy my life and all my remedy The Curate having found the Doors open fell in the first place to shutting that of the street and locking of it and the key being then on the inside he took it out of the lock thinking the Thief was within and that with this he should hinder his passage out and catch him with the theft in his hands then cryed out Boy bring hither the Candle bring the light I came down with it and found him with his back against the street-door in a fighting posture cutting and slashing the Air and calling out Sacrilegious Rogues the Curate must you rob the Curate Sacrilegious Villains When the light was brought come hither Perico said he follow me let us go visit every Room by its self in order so we did and went locking them all till we came where the theft had been done when he saw the Cabinet open he was almost dead and fell into a cold sweat as if they had taken away his blood and no marvel for mony is the bloud of the Life without which no man is able to breath At last after he had a good while considered the robery he said 'T is done we are come too late then came to the Drawer and seeing the Purse wanting cryed All 's lost I durst have sworn it the
his landing at Sevil he also ended his life leaving me in his Will the one half of his Estate the other being to be divided betwixt his other two Sons which he had had in the Indies I shewed the resentment due for so great a loss and gave Signs of more than I really had By which I perceived that when we lament some dead person we do not grieve for the evil that hath befallen him for if he go to Heaven he hath had none befallen him at all and if to Hell neither doth he deserve to be lamented for since he hath what he deserves nor yet if he goes to Purgatory in regard he hath hopes of Glorie we do not then bewail him but our want of him and if we want him not we never bewail him I now seeing that at his death he left me well provided for was not much affected but yet remained sad considering that a man begins to die when his Father his Mother or his Brother dies they comforted me with discreet Arguments but for the comforts of an Orphan there are none so efficacious as Philippus Hispaniarum Rex stamped on the dead mans Cash which he leaves Afterwards when the Gentleman saw me somewhat comforted he took out the Will which he kept in a Cabinet and passing over some Clauses he read to me one which said thus ANd forasmuch as Pedro Hernandez my Son is an Ignorant a Fool an Ideot and incapable of any Art Imployment or Trade whereby to mantain himself and live handsomely in the World I make provision for him before his Brethren aforefaid bequeathing him the one half of my Goods And I will and require that one half of my Estate be given him and settled for a perpetual Inheritance to pass to the Ideots and Fools which shall descend from my said Son and not to the eldest by any means unless he shall be a Fool and uncapable In consideration that he hath a better Inheritance more happie and more durable to whom Heaven hath given Wisdom and Parts to maintain himself and raise him an Estate And whereas my two Sons aforesaid Diego and Ferdinando are persons able and sufficient to gain much Wealth I desire and it is my Will that they content themselves with their proportions This Sir I had a mind to read to you added he then that you might be comforted no less than full Four Thousand Duckats a year Rent are those which for an Inheritance fall to your share all well disposed in good order for your Father who now is in Heaven settled his Estate with much prudence Here you see me Heir to Four Thousand Duckats a year only by being a Fool Do you think this was an indifferent action of my Father Be not so ignorant for how could he commit Follies who was a Judge what is more just than to succour them who cannot succour themselves to leave Wealth to those who know not how to gain it To me I am sure that Clause seemed the most just prudent and holy that ever was made The Executor and my Unkle having instructed me in all things concerning my Estate and the means which I should use to receive my Rents afterwards the one returned to Sevil and the other to Odòn Then seeing my self Master of Four Thousand Duckats a year I sold all my law-Law-Books and sware never more to follow any Imployment relating to that Facultie whilst I liv'd Now you are to know that among all my Glories the greatest which I ever desired was to be esteemed by all sorts of People and this sprang from the great esteem I always had of my self The reason wherefore I call it the greatest of my Glories to be esteemed is because estimation or love as it is founded on meritorious parts is a Sign that the Man who is esteemed or beloved hath eminent ones Rich and great Men cannot make this tryal because a rich Man may be esteemed for his Riches but not for his Person and natural endowments Love may entertain it self with his Gallantry Ornament and Power which being so splendid and beautiful beget more esteem and love than their Master who perchance is a dull Coxcomb and and of no parts Amongst great Men there is the same dangers because the respect which all pay them rather seems a tribute of their fear than of their love which never was tributary to any I encountred both these dangers and was much troubled to think that being a Judge or being a rich Man I knew not whether or no I had any true friends or that I had only forced ones I feared I should live in a perpetual errour with my self in respect of false friendships wherein great Men are lost know nothing but flatteries and addulations So I withdrew my hand from my pretentions at Court and laid it upon my Estate concealing it with so great artifice that no body but you thinks I am any more than a poor Doctor On this manner I enjoy all the Priviledges of Povertie and goods of Riches without tasting the bitterness of the one or of the other If at any time I succour the necessitie of some friend as I have not the opinion of one that hath much to spare 't is entertained with more gratitude If I give any thing it seems more than what it is my low Fortune being considered There is no cunning Thief meddles with me at the report of my not having means enough for my self no Woman desires me for a Husband although she may wish I was her gallant thinking I have not an estate sufficient to keep her a Coach these and other conveniencies I enjoy by concealing my Estate I keep two Servants of my own Humour faithful and ingenious I have the House that you see adorned with Pictures and Books which flatter my Goust no one hath yet seen it I permit not any body to go into this inner Room In midst of this good fortune I fell in Love with Doña Dorotea one morning being St. John's Day as she was walking like a Nimph on the Banks of the Manzanares to affront the Suns Rayes with hers and having her Hair disheveld playing with the gentle Winds I saw her near the Park and straitwaies swear she was going a hunting and her Eyes did not belye it since they made me their prey What need Bowes and Muskets if there be Wounding Eyes What need millitary preparations if there be Beautious Eyes such were hers and they were doubly valiant in regard they kill'd and kill'd at at small expence of their forces her glaunces were sufficient for any destruction The time of the Morning which now had raised Venus above the Horizon seemed proper for Courtship and opportune for the admiting of Lovers amorous Caresses I took Courage spake to her in that wanton Stile which the babes of her Eyes prompted me to I found I know not what welcome reception in them which assured my hope I followed her learnt her House the quality of