what their meanings wer so that very dissemblingly he called the Porter vnto him asking him whither he went with that company who presently declared it vnto him he séeming to like it well told the Porter how the case stood touching the captaine although it was all contrary saying that he liked wel the kings procéeding therin bicause Licio was a braue souldier and there was no reason why hee should bee executed without further examination of the cause saying further that the Iudges were at that present in his lodging and said they came thither to aske my counsell in the matter wherupon I was now going to the court for to speak with the king whereas they attend my returne but séeing that you bring a dispatch let vs goe backe againe and declare the kings pleasure vnto them and going by the way he called one of his Pages to him to whome very pleasantly he said that he should with all haste goe vnto the Iudges and will them presently to cause execution to be done vpon captaine Licio because it was the kings pleasure and that they should execute the same either within the prison or else at the gate thereof without leading him vnto the common place of execution meane time that I hold the Porter here in talke with me the Page did as he was commaunded and drawing neare vnto the Generalls lodging the Traitor tooke the Porter in with him and sayd vnto Melo and his sister in lawe that they should be of good comfort and staie there while he went in and spake with the Iudges and that from thence they would goe all togither to the prison to sée Licio and to comfort him giuing him that which he so long had expected and that he ment to go thither himselfe with them but the vnfortunate woman by good hap was enformed of the great treason of the captain general And although he had greater hatred vnto the good captain Licio then compassiō vpon the teares and lamentations of his wife yet for an outward showe hee séemed to fauour her request For when as the cruell traitor called vnto his Page willing him to go and cause Licios execution to be dispatched as God would one of her seruants heard him and told it vnto the captaines wife which the wicked generall perceiued not whereat she fell in a maner dead vpon the necke of brother in law standing next vnto her Which assoone as Melo vnderstood he presently caused 30. Tonnies of his company to depart with all spéede and to declare vnto me in what point and iminent danger the case stood with Licio who like faithfull and diligent messengers did within short space make vs acquainted with those sorrowfull newes which they brought vs crying with loude voices Arme Arme you O you valiant Tonnies for our captaine shal be presently executed to death by the treason and deceit of the traitor Don Pauar against the will pleasure of our king and so in briefe rehearsed vnto vs all that I showed you before whereat I presently caused the drums to be sounded and in all haste my Tonnies were readie with their mouthes armed vnto whom I made a pithie Oration declaring the whole procéedings to the end that as good and valiant souldiers they should shewe their courages against their enemies ayding and succouring their captaine in so extreame necessitie who answered all with one voice that they were readie to follow me and to do their endeuours in that behalfe which their answere being ended we presently beganne to march thither but hee that had then séene Lazarus the Tonny marching before his souldiers would haue iudged him a valiant captain To conclude we entred into the towne and besieged the kings palace and by force tooke Licio out of their hands slaying great nombers of them Which the king perceiuing willed Licioes wife who was then at the court to sue to the king for Licio to returne vnto her husband and tell him that if he thinke good I would haue him to dissolue his siege from about his palace and suffer his subiects quietly to go home to their houses and to morowe to come hither againe and deliuer her message vnto the councell and then she should haue Iustice The Captains wife with this answer departed not but taking time when it serued saide vnto the king My Lord neither my husband nor yet his company do hold any siege about your royall person neither likewise haue they entered into any house but that of Don Pauar so that the inhabitants of this citie cannot iustly complaine that there hath bene any iniury done vnto any of them in their houses wherefore what it pleaseth you to commaund as touching them it shall be done for for that cause I was sent vnto your grace For God is our iudge that neither Licio nor his company haue any other meaning or intent but as good and faithfull subiects ought to haue Woman saide the king for this time I can say no more vnto thée Wherewith she and her women making humble reuerence with most gracious behauiour and comely sort departed from the presence whiche the kings pleasure being knowne vnto vs we presently in good order departed the cittie staying in the wood but yet not verie hungry because we fell to eating of our enemies dead bodies commaunding the disarmed Tonnies to carry as muche with them as might suffice our army for the space of thrée or 4. daies leauing neuerthelesse as much within the citie as sufficed the citie and the court likewise those that liue of the spoile wished no other thing of God then that euery eight daies there might happen the like among them light vpon whom it would The citie being discharged of our troopes the citizens repaired again ech man to his house finding them as they left them The king commanding that the captain generals treasure shuld be brought vnto him which was such and so much as there was not anie king within the seas that had the like and then the king had som reason to mistrust his traiterous dealing because he might well suppose that it was not possible for him to get that hee had gotten by good means but by stealth Then he caused his councell to bee assembled who saide vnto the king that if it were as Licio said he then had not much offended in that actiō specially because his highnesse had commanded iustice should not be executed vntil further enquiry were made and to confirm the same the Porter that had the message in charge declared the subtile practise that the Generall vsed with him and how he deceiued him brought him to his owne house saying the Iudges were there and that he let them not depart from thence and what diligence he made towards the court Further he was showed by the Sheriffes that the Captain generall had sent them word that his Highnes commanded them that they should presently cause execution to bee done and the better to dispatch it they should not lead
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
but that he commeth from God and was brought into these parts for the augmentation of your Highnes honour together with your lands and dominions which your Grace may verie well beléeue for the qualities and parts within him are such and so excellent that I am perswaded there is not anie one able to declare them in briefe for he is the wisest discréetest Tonny that is at this day in the sea with all vertuous and honourable likewise most true and verie faithfull indued with excellent manners and behauiour such as I neuer heard speake of before and to conclude there is nothing in him tending vnto euill In saying thus much of him your Highnes must not thinke that I speake it by reason of the good will I beare him but onely because I know it to be most true Truely said the King that Tonny is much bound vnto God vpon whom he so liberally bestoweth his graces and benefites and because you report so well of him it is good reason we should doo him honor seeing he is come into our Court wherefore I would haue you aske him if he be minded to remaine here with vs wherevnto I would you should perswade him in my behalfe and it may be he shall not repent him of our companie CHAP. IX How Lazarus agree to stay at the Court and was of great credit and verie secret with the King THis agréed betwéene them the Generall tooke vpon him to declare it vnto me and the King returned vnto the Citie and we likewise Being come home the Captaine tolde mee what had passed as touching me betwéene the King and him and how he desired that I would serue him with other things In the end I being intreated with my great honour consented thereunto Now behold I pray you your Crier of wiues in Toledo made the chiefe man in the Kings house with charge to rule and gouerns the same and goe tell it for a iest Then I gaue thankes vnto God that my affaires waxed daily better and sought with all diligence to please the King so that in little space I fell into such credite with him that in a manner not anie thing whatsoeuer were it of great or small importance but it passed through my hands or was done by my counsell This done I thought it not conuenient to suffer such as had deserued punishment to escape because I knew verie well how and in what manner Licioes sentence had bin vniustly giuen although the king had past it ouer in silence by reason the Captaine generall was a Fish of great accompt and of great power Wherevpon it entred into my minde to ring the bells againe and said vnto the King that there had a matter of dishonor happened to him of late which were not worthie to bee kept in silence because it was a meanes to cause iustice to bee done as a thing appertaining vnto his Maiesties seruice that such as are faultie should be punished Which his Highnes presently committed vnto me as he did all other things and I endeuored my selfe so well therin that I caused all the partakers in the same to be apprehended when they little thought of anie such matter who being put vnto the racke confessed they had sworn falsly in the cause whereby Licio was condemned and asking them wherefore they did it and what the wicked Generall gaue them to doo it they answered that hee had not giuen nor promised them anie thing neither were they his frends or seruants O sensles and miserable sinners O contentious men said I which complaine that your aduersaries condemne you by false witnesses which they proued against such times come come I say vnto the sea and you shall behold the small reason you haue to complaine vpon earth for that if the same your aduersarie doo produce false witnesses either he giueth or promiseth them somwhat for their paines or else they wer his frends or acquaintance befor that time for whom he promiseth to doo the like but these vnfaithfull fishes are neither by promise by reward nor frendship mooued thereuntoo wherfore they are so much the more to be blamed and worthie of punishment and so they were hanged I vnderstood farther that the Clearke by whom the cause was pleaded did not present nor yet take anie writing that was brought him in the behalfe of Licio neyther admitted anie one to speake that desired to answere for him O great shame said I which although if be suffred on earth that the Clearkes be fauourable yet with more honestie they take the writings although they put them not into the Court but rather say they be lost but this is the verie act of the diuell The like was found in the Iudges for that I knew it could not bee vprightly done that the Sentence was so soone giuen wherein I blamed the Iudges much saying vnto them that a plea in a manner for two strawes is not commonly ended in a yeare and some not in ten nor yet twentie and you dispatch a matter touching the life of an honourable Fish in one houre Whereunto they could not answere me ought to excuse theyr fault but the King sent expresse commaundement that hee would haue the matter dissembled withall as touching them because it concerned his royall authoritie and so I did but therwith I well perceiued and saw that the gracious and mightie hand of him that humbleth when he will and exalteth whom it pleased him ruled among them likewise in the wicked Generall for where couetousnes and enuie entreth it corrupteth all things For the which cause the King of Persia punished a wicked Iudge most gréeuously causing him to be executed and after flean whose skin hee nayled vp ouer the seate of Iustice placing the Iudges sonne in his fathers seate whereby the Barbarian King did verie well prouide in most strange manner that no Iudge after that time should be corrupted To the same end it is said by a wise man That where affection raigneth reason hath no place and that the good Lawier did commit verie few causes vnto the Iudges but rather let them bee determined by law because the Iudges are manie times corrupted either by loue hatred or guifts whereby they are induced to giue manie vniust iudgements For which cause the Scripture saith O you Iudges take no giftes which blinde the wise and subuert the words of the iust This I learned of my good master with all the rest of my experience in the law who as it is reported was better learned than either Bartolus or Seneca But to returne vnto my first purpose I told ye the King sent word it should be so although it went wholly against my minde In the meane time the Generall by the Kings commaundement had a voyage to make which was with a great Armie to inuade the Sturgeons whom wee presently ouercame making their King tributarie for the which he deliuered hostage with condition to pay yearly for a tribute vnto our King a great