true which Don Luys hath deliuered vnto your Lordship for that I was an eye-witnesse of all this businesse in regard of that great loue and friendship which was euer betweene vs yet now at this present he hath no reason to pretend the Diamond for if he would but free himselfe of passion and put on temperate consideration of the pāssages in this his loue and that he and I might but change places I doe assure my selfe that he would iudge this cause in my fauour and giue sentence against himselfe But being that he is now blinded so with passion that he can not discerne things with indifferencie your Excellencie may be pleased to iudge first of his Loue and afterwards to censure the bad successe of mine which shall take it's beginning from the end of his which your Excellencie hath already heard him recount And thus may it please you to giue me the hearing did things passe It is not long agoe that he and I went walking abroad neere to this Riuer side where now we are talking and discoursing of some things farre out of the reach of our hopes when vnlooked for there came to Don Luys an ancient seruant belonging to this Gentlewoman his Mistresse from whom he secretly deliuered him a Letter Which he hauing opened and read it ouer when he had done he gaue it me that I likewise might peruse it Which I did againe and againe wondring very much at the Contents thereof For which cause as also hauing a reasonable good memorie I carried it all away which speaketh after this manner DEare Sir you haue little reason to accuse me of ingratitude only because it seemes vnto you that you haue some iust cause so to doe For it is not possible that any one should forget as you haue thought of me him whom he truly loues And since I know mine owne Obligation and your constancie I would haue you likewise to vnderstand though perhaps you will not acknowledge so much that I neither now doe or haue heretofore committed any fault against you And that my Actions did not correspond with your deserts the reason was because they could not stand with that Decorum which was due to my Mayden-state and the danger that might insue thereupon My Marriage with you which I desired more then I did mine owne life the obedience of a Daughter did disturbe and the Commands and earnest importunities of my Parents who were violently carryed away moued thereunto by vaine interest and the Title of a Countesse which I hold against my will since they did force me to yeeld my body vnto him to whom I could neuer surrender my soule being in condition and yeeres so contrary vnto me I haue beene yours I am yours and shall be yours all the dayes of my life I shall giue you to vnderstand that the Count my Husband is to vndertake a long iourney hasten hit her vnto me as soone as you 〈◊〉 and bring no other person along with you saue your friend Don Rodrigo And when you shall come to this Towne you shall finde in a Heremitage adioyning thereunto order giuen you for that which you are to doe Loue me with all your heart as you were wont and as I doe you And liue you as happily as I wish you Concluding my Letter with deare imbracements which attend your comming These were the Contents of the Letter which Don Luys hauing well seene and considered did expect nothing lesse then what was therein contained which was the only thing he wished and desired aboue all other happinesse in this world So that if I would yet I should not be able to expresse vnto you those amorous passions that he then felt He read it ouer and ouer dwelling vpon euery word and sillable of this Letter He looked vpon euery line more then once or twice weigh'd them as a man would weigh gold and when he had ballanced them in his iudgement and found they were not light but bare their full poyze putting them to his mouth hee kist them a thousand and a thousand times ouer Hee first look't earnestly on the Letter then on the bearer and my selfe as if he stood expecting that wee should speake our mindes and with a loud voyce proclaime the certaintie of this his promised good and the great content that he tooke in this fortunate but vnexpected newes For as yet he doubted thereof but at last when he had recollected his spirits which had beene all this while a wool-gathering with somewhat a troubled but more cheerefull countenance he said vnto me What is this Don Rodrigo that we see Am I out of my wits Or is this a dreame Art thou sure that it is thee and I that haue read this Letter Is this happely the Countesses Letter this her owne hand and that her old Seruant Doth my iudgement peraduenture faile me Or as an afflicted Louer growing on to desperation doe I feigne imaginations to my selfe to deceiue my phantasie After that he had thus continued a while driuen to and fro with these distractions as a Boat that waues this way and that way hauing the tyde with it but the winde against it I assured him that these were not illusions or idle apparitions but things really true and that carried along with them assured hopes of recouering and inioying his lost Iewell And thereupon I heartened him on that he should hasten his departure with all possible speed that he might comply with that which his Mistresse had giuen him in charge This was presently put in execution for we streight tooke horse and away we went And when we came to the Heremitage we found therein a very graue and reuerend Dame who for that she had notice giuen her before hand of the day and houre that we were to come thither stayd there expecting of our comming Now when she knew that we were the men she looked for she deliuered vs a Message the effect whereof was this That her Lord the Conde was gone forth vpon his iourney but was now newly returned by reason of a certaine indisposition of body that seazed on him vpon the way But intreated vs notwithstanding that we would haue the patience to stay there till she went to the Palace to acquaint her Lady the Countesse of our comming She went we staid I much amazed and Don Luys quite out of heart I for those difficulties which might offer themselues He in considering his crosse fortune which did neuer leaue off to persecute him Now while this good woman was gone vpon her errand in the meane while till she should make her returne we ranne ouer many stories and I know not what idle tales and discourses which being of different subiects are not fit to be inter-serted with this that we haue now in hand Well about eleuen a clocke at night shee came backe a gaine vnto vs and told vs we must follow her We did so The darkenesse of the night did much befriend vs so that by this
marching thus on foot the lesser notice might be taken of them Which might then haue fell out very happily for them if Fortune had not wheeled her selfe about and turned her back towards them for they arriued in very good time euen then when their Ladies were in the Balcon intertaining discourse wholly fitting themselues for conuersation and mirth as the company or occasion should giue cause Don Alonso durst not draw too neere for feare of frighting the game and therefore intreated his Companion to make the winde-lase and to negotiate alone for them both because he being beloued of Donna Eluira and well knowne to Daraxa he had no reason to hide himselfe from them Ozmin then by degrees with a carefull kinde of carelesnesse stole neerer and neerer singing in a low Base as it were humming betweene the teeth an Arabique song which to those that vnderstood the language were cleere notes But to those that knew it not and were neglectfull thereof it seemed no more then an ordinary La La La. Donna Elvira hearkening vnto him told Daraxa Euen on these rude kinde of people God hath bestow'd his gifts if they knew vvell how to vse them Doe you not obserue that sauage fellow what a sweet and well-tuned voice he hath and how he rellisheth and ayreth his notes and how merrily he chants it as if his mother had brought him into the world with a prick-song But this is in him as water that raines it selfe into the Sea without any profit By this you see said Daraxa that all things are esteemed according to the subiect wherein they subsist These country Clownes if in their tender age they be not trans-planted into a political Ciuill life and if they be not remoued and changed from their barren to better grounds and wholly stript of that rugged bark wherin they are born it is a thousand to one if euer they come to be well behau'd Whereas on the contrary those that are Citizens and naturally of a good disposition are like the Vine which if it continue a yeere vndrest and vntrim'd it yeeldeth fruit notwithstanding though it be but a little but if you returne to prune and husband it aright it acknowledgeth the good it hath receiued and renders a very large and thankefull recompence But this fellow that sings heere now is such a knotty piece of Timber such an arrant Clowne that the best Carpenter in the world cannot with his Axe nor his Plainer hewe him into fashion or shaue him to any smoothnesse of ciuill carriage but for euer remaine an vnprofitable blocke It is a torment to me to heare this Turtle sing if it please you let vs go hence for it is time to with-draw our selues that we may take our rest The Louers well vnderstood one another she the Song and he her words and to what end she spake them The rest of the Ladies went their way only Daraxa remained a little behind after the rest and speaking to him in the Arabicke tongue will'd him to stay there where he stood waiting for her and in the meane while walked carelesly vp and downe but still with an eye towards the Window to see vvhen she should make her returne The baser sort of people by a secret kind of instinct do euermore beare a naturall hatred to those that are Noble as the Lyzard to the Snake the Swan to the Eagle the Cocke to the Phesant the Crab to the Cuttle-fish the Dolphin to the Whale Oyle to Pitch the Vine to the Cole-wort and the like And if you aske as desirous to know vvhat is the naturall cause thereof I can shew you no other reason for it more then that the Adamant drawes vnto it the Yron that the Marygold followes the Sunne the Basiliske kills by Looking and Swallow wort helpes the Sight For as some things naturally loue one another so othersome hate and abhorre by a celestiall influence the reason whereof mortall men haue not to this day beene able to reach vnto And that things of diuers kinds haue this property it is no vvonder because they consist of differing compositions dispositions and inclinations in nature but that reasonable men both t'one and t'other molded of one and the same earth of one flesh of one blood of one beginning created-forme and the selfe-same end liuing vnder one selfe-same Law beeing of one and the same Religion and all of them in all and euery part as farre-foorth as they are men so one selfe-same substance that out of that Similiancy man naturally loues man that yet I say there should be that contrariety and vnsauorie taste that this Raskallity and base off-scumme of the earth more hard then Flint or the Gallician Nut should persecute the Nobility with that vehemencie as they do is a matter to me of great admiration That night certaine young Lads of the Parish likewise walked abroad and lighted by chance vpon these two Strangers and at the very first incounter without any cause or reason in the world no occasion being giuen them began to flocke together and gathering themselues into a ring beganne to cry amaine A Woolfe a Woolfe the Woolfe is come and throwing therewithall little stones by hand-fuls on their heads as they had showred down from heauen they shrewdly be-pelted their Pates so that they were forced to flie vnable to make any longer stay their intertainment was so bad And so they returned without any more ado Ozmin being dis-appointed which did much grieue him of taking his leaue of his Mistresse They went thither where their horses stood and on them to the City vvith purpose to returne late againe in the night that they might not bee discouered But this forecast stood them in little stead for if Lightning and Thunder should haue fallen from heauen and though they knew it should either burne or dash them in pieces there was one Rogue amongst the rest that would rather lose his life then carry himselfe ciuilly towards them and onely out of no other end but to do mischiefe and villany Scarce had they the next night following set foot in the Village but that a knot of these mad-caps being met together and knowing them to be the very same whom they abused the night before one with a Sling another with a Yard this man with a Bore-speare that with a Batt some with Staues some with Spits not sparing so much as the Peele and Maulkin of their Ouens as if they were to go out against a mad Dog they ioyntly set vpon them but they found them better prouided then they were the night before for they had brought with them good Iackes of Male and steele Murrians and strong Bucklers On the one side you might see stones Cudgels and lowd showtes and on the other many strong blowes and cutting slashes with the sword and on both such a tumult and such a stirre that with the noyse thereof the vvhole Village seemed to be vp in armes so like a little warre
too fast ty'de to get loose from them he could not so shift them of And therefore accepting their friendly offer he made choise of the former part of the night according to their owne agreement And with this plaine proceeding he prosecuted his Visit the third night though without hope of obtaining it doubting shee would not doe him that fauour in regard of that vnlucky accident that fell out the night before But for that Clorinia lou'd and that she truely lou'd nothing could detaine her from him but with a great deale of care was still inquiring whether her Gallant meant to come againe to glad her heart with his cheerefull and comfortable lookes being very inquisitiue to know what should bee the reason that caused him so to faile the last night of his promise Now whilst her Father and Mother were at supper rising from the table she went to the fore-said hole which she might safely doe for that the chimney neere where-vnto they supt stood on the one side of the Hall being a very large one and the window where the hole vvas on the other side neere adioyning to the corner in the midst whereof were certaine things placed betweene which did shadow and hinder the sight from the one side to the other Her father and her mother sate so that she might easily goe thither and speake softly without being heard of any The truth is shee watcht an occasion hauing well aduised with her selfe what might happen to make quicke dispatch and to rise from table as soone as possibly she could Who came thither so opportunely in so good a time that Dorido was there ready expecting her comming for from out the street he might heare the footing of certaine steps in the Hall which was a sure signe vnto him that those paces were troden by his Mistresse so that he made all the haste he could to get vp to see her And because this was the second time of their meeting they were a little better flesh't then they were before met not with those stoppages which heretofore had hindred their speech So that they now discoursed more boldly and more freely as farre forth as the time would giue them leaue which that night was but short and in a manner stolne and afterwards they tooke their leaues with a great deale of tendernesse on either part hauing agreed betweene themselues that as long as the Moone vvas in her wane they would inioy the fulnesse of their loues which increased now apace till some better meanes should be found for their freer accesse In this interim a yong Gentleman a very great friend of Doridos called Horatio fell in loue with Clorinia He courted her he seru'd her and obseru'd her as became a Louer notwithstanding that he knew that shee was his friends Mistresse But he knew withall that hee did not treat with intent to take her to wife but himselfe did Relying therefore vpon this their great friendship the iustnesse of his request and the honesty of his cause he intreated him of all loues that he would desist from making loue to Clorinia and giue way to him seeing their endes were so different Horatio's affectionate words and lawfull request were of that power and preuailed so much vvith Dorido that he told him that for his part he was vvell contented therewith promising him that if his Mistresse should so like of it and that she could finde in her heart to fancy and affect him hee would giue ouer his suite leauing the field open vnto him to take his pleasure without any contradiction in the world and that he should rest himselfe assured that he would no vvay stand in competition vvith him For the better effecting vvhereof he would doe two things The one to dis-deceiue Clorinia by deliuering plainely vnto her that by reason of a certaine Vow that hee had made to himselfe it was not in his power to be married vnto her which he would not breake for all the world The other the better to make her forget him he would goe about to make loue else-where Yet for that great friendship that was betwixt himselfe and Valerio he must hold him excused if he did not forbeare now and then to visit her vvhich might turne much to his good but no hurt at all being that his true intent and purpose vvas to fauour his pretension vpon all occasions that should offer themselues vnto him Herewith Horatio rested content and was wonderfull well satisfied and gaue Dorido many thankes not considering that hauing left it to Clorinias choyse and putting himselfe vpon her Election till that he knew her minde and had gained her good will he had negotiated little or nothing at all And the offer made by Dorido was vpon the confidence that he had that to speake thereof vnto Clorinia was no other then the tearing of her heart from forth her brest But Horatio carried away with vaine confidencies and various hopes intreated Dorido that he would speake a good word for him He promised he would that he might still maintaine his friendship with Horatio and not giue any note or scandall to their loue To comply therefore with his promise and to make good his owne offer when he met with his Mistresse he made a long discourse vnto her of all that had passed betweene them Telling her that if she could finde in her heart to loue Horatio and be brought to settle her affection vpon him God forbid that euer he should goe about to hinder so honourable an intent But in case she could not yet at least was she bound in thankfulnesse to accept of this his good will by not shewing her selfe coy and strange vnto him and if he past by the street where she was shee should not scornfully shut the Window against him and flie from his sight and should shew him a cheerefull looke though it were but feigned To this Clorinia answered betwixt anger and scorne telling him that hee should surcease to lay any such command vpon her and that he should speake no more thereof vnto her for if for this cause he should leaue and forsake her she would rather be content to be hated and abhorred by him then to wrong either him or her selfe by placing her loue else-where Who as hee had beene the first so he should be the last as long as she liu'd which life of hers she would presently sacrifice vnto him for to take away all occasion from him of commanding her to loue another or to forget him as for the rest he might doe as he saw cause she would not hinder him let him take what course it pleased him so as it liked him she would not stand against it Dorido tooke wonderfull contentment in hearing this answer come from her for these words of her were that true Chrisole wherein the Gold of their loues was refined and that touchstone that tryde the purenesse of their affections and gaue assurance that it was not counterfeit metall So
he was so farre from compounding the businesse that he made little reckoning of it taking it ill at his hands that treated with him about it wishing him that hee should speake no more of it deeming it as an affront done vnto his honour and a meere defamation He feigned him-selfe to be greatly wronged though he knew well enough that I was he that was iniur'd and without giuing vs either good hopes or good words he dispatcht my messenger When I receiu'd this answer I hatched a thousand euill imaginations in my heart But because I would not returne euill for euill I resolued to talke with some one Lawyer or other of that Vniuersity that should be recommended vnto me for the nimblenesse of his wit and soundnesse of iudgement to whom I opening my case fearing the successe thereof for that my aduersaries father was so powerfull might craue his opinion and that hee would assist me with his best aduice and counsell for the better prosecuting of his businesse Hee plainly told me Sir it is well enough knowne in this Towne what manner of man Alexandro is as also his lewd and idle courses which in some other place would be a sufficient information against him Besides there is so much truth in that which you vrge against him that it is manifestly apparant to as many as know him or shall heare you You haue right on your side a iust and a good cause and therefore I would aduise you to frame an information against him and to desire iustice All Bologna hath taken notice already of this theft of his for as soone as he came hither with it it was presently knowne that these clothes were none of his owne as well because he caused them to be altred and fitted to his owne bodie as also for that he carried hence with him no lambes to sell nor any other kinde of merchandize whereby he should make so rich a returne Besides another companion of his in whom he put much trust stole a good part of these goods from him that he might likewise gaine thereby a part of his Pardons Indulgences You see now what course you must be faine to take what lyes in me to releeue you you may be assured of the best furtherance and the best counsell that I can giue you for the countenancing of this your cause Whereupon I being very desirous that a bill should be exhibited against him he presently according to my information drew one out which I forthwith presented to the Auditore del Torrone who is there the Iudge in all Causes Criminall But be it as it may be whether it were immediatly from the Iudge him-selfe or from the Notarie I know not which nor from whence nor how it came to passe but sure I am that this businesse of mine was instantly ouer all the Towne and particular notice was giuen thereof vnto Alexandro's father And for that he was a man of authoritie in that Towne and carried a great hand there amongst them he hyes him in all haste to the Iudge and there accusing me for this my bold attempt and inconsiderate rashnesse as it pleased him to terme it he formed a complaint against me that I had defamed and dishonoured his house and that therefore he was of purpose come vnto him to desire his lawfull fauour and that he would be pleased to doe him iustice to the end that I might be seuerely punished for this my presumption I know not how but the matter was so carried betweene them that it had beene better for me to haue held my peace He was a powerfull man in that Citie and the Iudge it seemed was very willing to pleasure him I began now to feare that occasions of quarrell would be pickt against me mole-hils made mountaines and this my losse turne to my greater losse making my vndoing an occasion of my farther vndoing For Loue Interest and Hatred are euer maine enemies to the Truth And in many places As a man is befriended so his Cause is ended But he that hath both money and friends is sure to worke out his ends Money is of no great thicknesse yet it dulls the double edg'd sword of iustice if it but once offer to touch it Gold is a heauy mettall and that makes the ballance of Iustice so light I did spit as it were against heauen the driuell whereof fell vpon my owne face I shot my arrowes vp into the ayre and they returned backe againe vpon mine owne bosome the innocent paying for the nocent and the iust for the vniust Much money does much harme But much more the euill intention of an euill man And therefore where an ill-minded man and a great masse of money meet together and shake hands there is much need of helpe from heauen to free an innocent soule out of their cruell clawes Good Lord deliuer vs from out their clutches for they are more griping and tyrannous then those of Tygers or of Lyons Their will is a law what-soeuer they desire that they doe right when they lift shall be wrong and wrong right And no man must controll them for it nor dare to say blacke is their eye lest he chance to lose both his owne for prying too neere into the secrets of these earthly gods O that there were men of that goodnesse and courage that would not sticke to tell them and plainly giue them to vnderstand that the money they thus vnlawfully take shall last with them but a while but the fire wherewith they shall be tormented for it shall continue for euer The Iudge did limit me a prefixed time for my proofes but so short that it was not possible for me to make my information according to that scantling In this you may see the iniustice that he did me Who did euer till now know a Iudge restraine the Plaintiffe of lawfull time to make his proofes as he did me especially when I did alleage for my selfe that the information was to come from Siena where the theft was committed whence I was to procure it for otherwise I could not haue it But to alleage this or not alleage it all was one I must be content will I nill I to sit downe with this losse There was no fence for it And to this purpose before I passe any farther I will tell you what hapned in a little Village of Andaluzia There was a certaine sessing to be set in a ratable proportion vpon the Towne-dwellers and borderers there-about for some publike peece of worke that was to goe in hand and the Collectors that were appointed to gather the money had put into their rolle to contribute thereunto a Gentleman of as ancient a house as any in those parts who taking himselfe therein to be greatly wronged made his complaint against the collectors But for all that they did not strike his name out of the rolle Now when the time was come for the levying of these moneyes they
manner of his carriage did verily beleeue that hee was espoused vnto her and had now inioyed this Gentlewoman When this plot of his fell out thus handsomely that for his purpose hee could not haue wisht it to haue taken better effect this businesse was whispered of at first by a few but afterwards spred it selfe by degrees and came to be diuulged all ouer the street till at last the noyse thereof entred into her owne priuate chamber This tricke had hee played twice ouer And this businesse was so publikely talked of and the Gentlewoman growne thereby so infamous that it was the Table-talke of all the Towne euery man admiring this her inconstancy and wondring at her indiscretion that shee should forgoe her first bargaine being so aduantageous for her owne good and make choice of this other whom she had formerly cast off and not without cause But when this newes was thus scattered euery where abroad and euery mans mouth was full of the manner of it as that hee was seene to come out halfe naked all vndrest and his points vntrust when this I say came to the knowledge of her otner Suiter hee did so risent the wrong she had done him was so ouercharged with sorrow and so inflamed with choller that albeit he lou'd her before so tenderly that he desired nothing more then to make her his wife now did hee cruelly hate her flying now as fast from her as before hee sought after her and did not onely abhorre her but all other women for her sake it seeming vnto him That since shee whom he so much esteemed and so dearely loued accounting her so good so chaste and so reserued a creature that shee should commit so foule a fact there was little hope of faith to be found in the rest and if there were aâ—…y left on whose loyalty men might trust and relye they were so few that hee despaired of meeting with that happinesse Hee weighed their inconstancies their delayings their passions and with them the dangers the troubles and the cares wherâ—…into men put them selues And passing from these to other discourses which he made with him-selfe inspired by God they wrought so vpon him that hee changed the loue of the creature into that of â—…he Creator resoluing with him-selfe to turne Fryer Which deliberation hee putting in execution sodainly entred into a religious Order This came to the Gentlewomans knowledge and with it the repâ—…rt that â—…an other as also the occasion of it who whâ—…n shee saw how things stood and that it was not possible for her to repaire her honour nor to take away that foule bloâ—… which the other had laid vpon iâ—… shee tooke-on like a mad woman and how can you blame her that she should thus lose her selfe in her passions hauing lost at one blow her honour her Husband her preferment and her chiefest happinesse hopelesse for euer eyther by this or any other the like meanes to receiue any future content or to returne to the former state wherein shee stood or to recouer her reputation which was thus shamefully lost Whereupon shee began to bethinke her selfe how shee might salue this her innocency by some exemplary punishment And hauing summ'd and cast vp these reckonings with her selfe shee found her honesty so deeply ingaged that it was impossible by any other course but this to cleare it and that such a treachery as this could not be quitted then with one on lesse treacherous though more cruell Whereupon shee did put on so infernall a fury and went on in that violent rage that shee busied her thoughts in nothing else saue how she might bring this businesse about God bee mercifull vnto vs and deliuer vs from a wronged womans reuenge for all of them are commonly such as she who here presents her-selfe vnto vs. The first thing that shee resolued on was to vse her best endeauour to become a Nunne and if shee had stopt there shee had spunne a good thred and imparting a great part of her troubles to an especiall friend of hers that was of that Monastery whither she had determined to goe after shee had broken her minde vnto her shee with great secrecy effected her desire Then did shee conuey into the Monastery all the chierest of her houshold-stuffe her Iewels and her monies annexing thereunto by publike conueyances and instruments drawne and signed for that vse the greatest part of her wealth This being done she stood daily expecting that this Gentleman her enemy should come and renue his suite and treate with her touching their mariage which according to her expectation within some few dayes after hee did alleadging in his excuse the great loue that hee bare vnto her for which cause being desperate of his hopes hee vsed those subtill meanes that he might obtaine the end of his wished desires But now acknowledging his fault and that hee had beene the cause of this error that was voyced abroad crauing pardon for the same he was willing to solder vp this flawe by tendring himselfe to bee her husband Shee who desired nothing more then that this his wicked intention should come to light and that her honor thereby migâ—…t recouer its former splendor made answer vnto him That seeing there was now no other meanes left vnto her for the saluing of her credit nor no better course to bee taken for the recouery of her lost reputation she did willingly accept of his offer But told him withall that shee had made a vow the performance whereof would be accomplished within these two months or little more and vntill that time were expired shee could not giue him that satisfaction which hee desired But if hee would bee pleased to haue the patience to stay till then hee should obtaine his suite But if hee were so eagerly bent vpon the businesse that impatient of so long an intermission of time he longed to come sooner to this his desired end shee would not stop him in this his iourney but would haue the businesse to be carryed with all possible secrecy till the terme of the aforesaid two moneths should be fully accomplished and then afterwards shee did not care leauing that to his discretion how soone this their mariage were manifested to the world The Gentleman accepted of the condition holding himselfe therein the happiest man in the world And hauing prouided all that was fitting and necessary for a businesse of this nature they were secretly contracted together by vertue whereof they were espoused each to other They continued together on these termes some few dayes hee entertaining himselfe with that assured hope which hee had of his absolute inioying of her and she being no lesse contented then hee with the wished end that shee had to worke her reuenge One night after they had supt her husband went to bed shee enters into the chamber and setting her selfe downe neare vnto the bed-side feigning to be busying her fingers about some trifling worke or other as women are neuer without
loathing thou canst not feede on them without surfetting Thou imitatest that importunate troublesome and eare-offending Fly through his vntuneable buzzing the Scarabee who not dwelling on the sweeter sort of Flowers flyes from forth the delicate Gardens and pleasant Woods for to settle on a Cowe-sheard fall vpon a dunghill and other such like noysome places Thou doest not make any stay vpon the high moralities of diuiner wits but onely content'st thy selfe with that which the Dogge said and the Foxe answered this cleaues close vnto thee this when thou hast read it remaineth still with thee and hauing made it once thine owne is neuer againe forgotten O vnfortunate Foxe that thou must be likened to one of these and must like these be reuiled and persecuted like an vnprofitable and mischieuous member in a Common-wealth I will not inioy the priuiledge of thy honours nor the freedome of thy Flatteries though thou wouldst inrich me with all the wealth of thy praises For the commendation of wicked men is but shame and dishonour And I rather desire the reprehension of the good because the end for which they doe it is like vnto themselues then thy depraued estimation which cannot bee but bad Thou takest too much libertie vnto thee thou art an vnbridled beast a head-strong Iade and if occasion of matter bee offered vnto thee thou runn'st away with it thou kick'st and fling'st thou tramplest mens good names vnder thy feete thou breakest all bounds of modestie and tearest all in pieces that stands in thy way and whatsoeuer else shall seeme good vnto thee But these faire Flowers which thou so scornefully treadest vnder thy feete crowne the Temples of the vertuous and giue a fragrant and odoriferous smell in the nostrils of those that are noble The deadly razour-wounding slashes of thy sharpe tuskes and the mortall strokes made by thy hands shall heale the man that is discreet vnder whose warme shade I shall happily bee defended from all the stormes and tempests of thy blustring malice To the discreet Reader IT is vsuall with some that are troubled in their sleepe with sad and melancholy dreames to striue so strongly with their imagination that without beeing otherwise moued at all after they are awakened and come to themselues remaine so broken and tyred out as if they had wrestled and tugged hand to hand with some braue fierce Bull. And such a one for all the world doe I finde my selfe in getting out of my former Proeme my mind still beating vpon the Barbarisme and dis-equall number of those ignorant Dolts to whose censure I submitted my selfe it faring therein with me as with him who thrusts himselfe into a voluntary exile hauing not the power afterwards in his owne hands to reuerse his banishment I did ingage my selfe by promise to compose this booke and now I am inforced to hold my honest word I must confesse I made a false Vie and did set vp my rest in iest but now I am driuen to see it in earnest For it is the word that bindes the Player I know full well considering the rudenesse of my wit and shortnesse of my studies that it had beene very fit in me to feare the Carreere that I am to make and that this libertie and licence of mine is more then needed and might well haue beene spared But considering with my selfe that there is not any Booke so bad out of which some good may not be drawne it may be possible that in that wherein my wit was wanting the zeale which I had to profit others may supply that defect by working some vertuous effect which happinesse if I light vpon it shall bee a sufficient reward of my greater paines and make this my boldnesse mâ—…re worthy your pardon I shall not need with the discreet to vse long Proemes nor prolixe circumlocutions For neither can the eloquence of words vainely worke him nor the force of speech dotingly perswade him to more then what is iust nor doth his felicitie consist in the procuring of his fauourable Censure I remit my selfe to his correction I craue his helping hand to vphold my weakenesse and put my selfe wholly vnder his faire protection And thou O Reader that art desirous to profit hereby if thou wilt but truely consider me when I wrote this Booke and that common good to which I had then an eye thou wilt not conceit that what hath beene done therein was haply performed by me for priuate Interest or vndertaken for ostentation of wit for I did neuer so much as pretend it nor could I finde that sufficient worth in me to put my selfe vpon my wings in so vaine a flight Some perhaps will say That hauing like vnto Watermen turn'd my backe and eyes the contrarie way who looke one way and rowe another I direct this little Barke of mine where I haue most desire to land But vpon mine honest word hee is deceiued that so thinketh For it was my sole purpose to guide the prow for the publike good if I might be worthy to obtaine so great a blessing and that my labour might serue to so good a vse Thou shalt finde many things not so cleane wrought but like Painters first colours laid on with a carelesse hand and slubberd ouer which I did omitto polish and flourish ouer for some causes that gaue hinderance there-vnto Others are some-what more refined and better shadowed which I did willingly auoid to follow and was loth to finish them to the full being as fearefull as carefull of committing some vnaduised errour or vn-conceiued offence Others I boldly vnmasked and laid open to discouery as worthy to be drawne without a vayle and fit to be presented to publike view I haue much to say vnto thee and desire so to dâ—…e yet may not tell it thee I haue written vnto thee yet haue I left out much of what I would haue written Reade so as it becomes thee to reade and doe not scoffe at my Fable and if it shall receiue intertainment at thy hands accept these lines which I giue thee and with them the minde wherewith they be offered vnto thee Doe not cast them as dust and sweepings of the house vpon the dunghill of obliuion consider that there may be some filings and parings of price rake them out gather them into a heape and when they come to a conuenient quantitie put them into the crisole of thy consideration giue to them the fire of the Spirit and I assure thee thou shalt extract some gold from them wherewithall to inrich thy selfe These Arrowes are not all of mine owne Quiuer nor this honey that I set before thee all of mine owne hiue much of their sweetnesse did I sucke from holy and learned men this is merchantable ware well-conditioned and for such I recommend it vnto thee And because there is no goodthing which doth not proceed from the hands of God nor any thing so bad whereof some glory doth not result to his diuine Maiestie as hauing a
y mierda durt and turds had beene set before such a fellow as this he would haue made no bones of it nor found no difference in the going downe of it But that I who was daintily brought vp and borne of ciuill parents and such as were neat and curious in their dyet that I should not find out this deceit my hunger must needs be great and this must excuse my errour The desire that I had to eate something that was good was exceeding great so that euery thing seemed too little to feed mine eyes This cunning Rogue mine Host gaue it vs by way of distillation Limbecke-fashion now a little and then a little and therefore it is no such wonder had it had farre greater defects that it should seeme vnto me a well-ordered Banquet Haue you not heard it sayd Que à la hambre no ay mal pan That all bread is sauoury to the hungry I say all seemed to me to be Suckets and Marmalate and me thought I should neuer haue enough to fill my belly I demanded if he had any thing else He told me we might if wee would haue the braines fryed with some butter and egges We told him we would but we are slower in telling him so then he in going about it nay almost in the dressing of it In the meane while lest we might not catch cold with standing still like your Poste-horses when they haue run their stage he gaue vs to intertaine the time withall a piece of flesh folded and rolled vp made out of the Tripes after the fashion of your rosted Oliues of Veale together with some of the Filme and rinde of the belly I did not like the taste of it halfe wel it smelled me thought like rotten straw that 's throwne out vpon the dunghill Whereupon I thrust it from me leauing it to my Companion who entred roundly vpon it deuouring it as greedily as a man would grapes comming into a Vineyard in the time of Vintage Nor did it grieue mee awhit to see him fall to it so lustily but was rather very glad of it thinking by this meanes that when he had beene full-fed therewith a greater part of the braines would fall to my share But it fell out contrary to my expectation for he had neuer awhit the more cloyd his panch nor did hee cease to lay about him with as good a stomacke as if he had not all the day nor night before eaten so much as one morsell of bread The egges and the braines were set vpon the Board and when my honest Carrier saw this fine Froyze he began according to his old wont to laugh out alowd with as wide a throat as you can imagine I did fret and fume and chafe with my selfe out of all cry conceiting with my selfe that he made himselfe merry with my miserie and tooke delight to represent to my remembrance those former loathsome things that had lately ouerthrowne my stomacke Our Host thereupon looking very soberly on vs both with a watchfull eye obseruing our behauiour and with an itching eare listening to heare what we sayd seeing his dis-composed laughter so ill seasoned and vn-occasioned as he thought was much mooued thereat fearing that hee had found out his Knauery for vntill then there was not any matter offered that might mooue occasion of laughter And therefore he was ielous that the Foxe was now vn-earthed and this must needs be it And because a guilty person carries his Beard euermore vpon his shoulder vmbrae suae imagine concutitur and is afraid of his owne shadow because his owne conscience doth accuse him and the committed fault represents the deserued punishment Euery the least act or inkling of any thing whatsoeuer he imagineth that it is all meant against him and that the very ayre doth whistle foorth his offence and publisheth it to all the world This poore Rogue albeit a very villaine hardened in roguery and habituated in mischiefe and being steeped and layen long in soke as it were in thefts and all kinds of coozenages was now out of heart and grew silly and weake-spirited and was ready to quake for feare Besides such kind of men are commonly Cowards and haue onely an outside of men but no manhood at all Why is it thinke you that some men hacke and hew and threaten to kill and slay and like Tygres lay about them I will tell you the reason of it They do this not out of true metall but to make others afraid and to supply by this roaring carriage the defect of their courage being like herein vnto dogges whereof those that are barkers are the least biters they are like your little Melitean dogges or a kind of foysting-Hounds which are made all of noyse and barking but if you turne towards them they clap their taile betweene their legges and runne away Our Host was as I haue told you much troubled for feare suspicion and ielousie is a propertie that is still incident to an euill liuer He had quite lost his stirrops nor did he know how or which way to recouer his seat but began to sweare with many great and horrible oathes that it was very good Veale that hee had set before vs and that we had no iust cause nor reason to laugh as we did and if need were I could bring you an hundred witnesses to testifie as much These words he vttered with much passion with a face as red as fire that the blood seemed to trickle downe his cheekes and sparkles to flash for very anger foorth his eyes The Carrier lifting vp his head and looking earnestly vpon him told him Who medles with you my friend what wrong haue we done you that you are so cholericke We do not touch vpon you no not so much as to aske you how you do or how old you are Haue you any Edict or Proclamation here in the house that doth set a taxe or rate vpon laughing or to what proportion and quantitie your ghests shall be tyed to laugh if at any time he be so disposed vpon paine of some great forfeit or is this a generall sessing set thereupon and you alone haue got the Monopoly thereof into your hands If it be so good mine Host let euery man weepe or laugh as he will himselfe and take that a Gods-name which is your due and recouer your right of vs by order of Law I tell you Sir you are mistaken in me for I am of that free disposition that if I were minded to laugh at any thing of yours I am not so meale-mouth'd but I would plainely tell you at what I laught These egges now put me in mind of those other which my Companion here did eate to day at an Inne some three Leagues hence Then hee vp and told all that had passed as my selfe before had deliuered vnto him and that which happened afterwards in his presence betwixt the old Hostesse and my two young Souldiers in the
hindring my quiet rest till that my Companion whose minde ranne vpon hearing Masse betimes in the morning and of his seuen Leagues which he had farther to goe did awaken me We rise by the breake of day before the Sunne was vp And calling presently for our breakefast it was brought vs in but it did not like me so well as it did my fellow for euery morsell that went downe his throat seemed to him as if he had swallowed so many bits of the brawne of some yong tender Peacocks and he did so much commend the goodnes of it as if all the world could not affoord a daintier dish And I was forced so to esteeme of it by laying my faith vpon another mans taste attributing that defect to mine owne bad palate which this hungry hound had inherited from the Asse his father But to speake the plaine truth it was starke naught and as vile meat as a man could eate and did not sticke to speake it selfe vnto mee in a knowne language To me it seemed tough and vnsauoury and of that little which I did eate ouer-night at supper my stomake was so sur-charged with it lying as heauy within me as Lead that I was not able for my life to digest it And albeit I was somewhat fearefull lest my fellow should finde fault with me yet did I not sticke to say vnto mine Host How comes this flesh to be so tough and of that euill rellish that a man can scarce fasten vpon it with his teeth Hee told me Do not you see Sir that it is flesh that hath been newly kill'd and wants time for the mortifying and making of it tender Hereupon my Companion taking his Q It is not quoth he any lack of mortifying or hanging in the ayre or that it does not eate tender and short inough that makes this Gentleman to be so squeamish but because he hath been fed from his cradle with spice-Buns Sugar-Cakes and fresh Egges all other meates saue these are hard both to his teeth and stomake I shrunke vp my shoulders and held my peace as one that knew full well that I was now as it were in another kinde of world and that it was but one dayes patience more and then I should be out of danger of vnderstanding such kinde of language any longer But for all this I could not here-with rest contented but still mee thought this meat had an ill smatch with it of I know not what And as I was thinking thereon it presently came in my minde what vnnecessary oathes mine Host made the night before when he vow'd and swore it was Veale This swearing and staring of his I did not like halfe well and did therefore thinke he did the rather lye because he did so deepely sweare for the truth hath no need of the confirmation of an Oath vnlesse it be in open Court before a Iudge or in case of great necessitie Besides all such satisfaction as offers it selfe by way of preuention before the thing deliuered is questioned or called into doubt makes the faith of the reporter to bee euermore suspected I knew not what did ayle me or what might be the cause of this for although I did not really conceiue any assured ill I did as little presume that there could be any good meaning herein It was onely a touch of my imagination a strange apprehension that I had in my head at that time Wherevpon I did not long dwell nor made any great reckoning of it So passing it ouer I call'd for a reckoning my Companion told me I should let my purse alone for he would pay for vs both Whereupon I went aside leauing him to be the Pay-master thinking with my selfe that out of courtesie and this our new acquaintance he was not willing that I should pay my share of so small a shot I was very thankefull to him in my heart for this his kindnesse and was not wanting to sing forth his praises for this his freenesse and loue which he had showne vnto me euer since that he met me vpon the way giuing me my horse-hyre and my dyet gratis not suffering me to spend one penny in his company I thought with my selfe this world would still hold and that wheresoeuer I went I should meet with some one or other that would beare my charges and let me ride for nothing I had now taken heart vnto me and began to be prettily well flesht and to forget my mothers teat as if it had been noynted with Aloes Worme-wood or the like bitter stuffe and so in all other things did I doe the like whereunto I had beene formerly accustomed And because it should not be said of me Que delos ingratos estaua lleno el infierno That hell is full of vngratefull persons While he was paying the shot I was willing to shew some part of my thankefulnesse by leading out his Asses to drinke and carrying them backe againe to their cratches to the end that while they were saddling and making all things ready they might champe vpon their strawe and make an end of their prouender I put a helping hand to all that was needfull rubbing their foreheads and their eares as well as I was able Whil'st I was busied in this I had laid my Cloke vpon a bench hard by which like Quick-siluer before the fire or smoake before the winde was vanisht away in an instant that I could neuer set eye on it any more nor could deuise in the world what should become of it I thought with my selfe that either mine Host or my Consort had to make themselues merry therewith hid it from me in iest But it was now no more a iesting matter for they beganne to sweare in good earnest that they had it not nor knew what was become of it I made diligent search for it euen to the very gate which was shut and had not yet been opened There was no body there in the house but our selues and mine Host and therefore me thought it was impossible that it should be lost and that I might peraduenture forget my selfe and haue put it apart in some other place Hereupon I sought vp and downe all the house and going out of the Hall into the Kitchen it was my hap to come into a back-Court where I found a great plash of fresh bloud and hard by it a Mules skinne fairely stretcht out to its full breadth and length from the which the fect were not yet cut off The eares were there at large and all that part of the head towards the fore-head neere whereunto were those other bones belonging to the head onely the tongue and the braines were wanting Which I no sooner perceiued but I was presently confirmed in my doubt Hereupon I streight goe forth to call in my Companion To whom when I had made show of the Hide that had bound in our breakefast and our supper I then said vnto him What thinke you now Sir Are not those things
trow you Sugar-cakes and new-laid Egges in comparison of these that we eate at home This is that Veale forsooth which you so extolled to the skies and this the Host you promised should prouide vs such dainty cheere What thinke you of the supper now and the breakefast which he hath bestowed vpon vs Hath he not dealt well with vs I pray haue we not beene excellently well vsed He good man is none of these coozening Hosts and cheating Inne-keepers that will sell a Cat for a Cony and put away Mutton for Veale This is that innocent man that may goe vnmaskt throughout the world and care not who sees him and lookes him in the face he is so honest a man This is that integer vitae scelerisque purus so vnspotted in his life and conscience and so free from all ill dealing that out of his owne integritie made no bones to curse our Hostesse and the euill vsage of her Ghests He was strooken so dumpe and so full of wonder to see what I had show'd him that he had not a word to say but with his head cast downe into his bosome went slinking away from me and was so amazed at this strange sight that all the day after till we parted company I could not get from him so much as a vvord saue what past at our parting when we were to take our leaue each of other And that which then came from him seemed to bee drawne out of the very guts of him as you shall heare anon Howbeit I vvas not as euery man may imagine very well pleased vvith this vnhappy accident yet notwithstanding that this his floud of laughter might by this meanes be dammed vp or the current thereof turn'd another way wherewith euery moment before my very heart and soule was ouer-flowne and in a manner quite drowned I was wonderfully ouer-ioyed with this my misfortune vvhich did so much the lesse grieue me because he had so great a share in it What vvith this which was vantage inough and the strong beliefe that I had that no man but mine Host could possibly conuay away my Cloake I began somewhat more boldly to charge him vvith it It being euer incident to a good cause to put strength into weakenesse and to adde courage to the faint-hearted I began to put it home to him and told him plainely that hee should answere me my Cloake and that he had stolne it But he very scornefully denies it iâ—…ering and fleering at me and the more earnest I vvas the more merry he makes himselfe Wherewith my patience was so much mooued that I could not hold but threatned him in my choller vvith the Iustice yet did I not touch at all on this new businesse nor spake one word to him of that which I had seene But he for that I vvas a young Lad a poore Boy and no body to take my part began to domineere ouer me telling me that he had a rod for me in his pocket and other the like reproachfull words termes onely befitting Cowards and men of base condition such as himselfe But because worms will turne againe if they be trod on and the gentlest Lambes grow mad if they be too much wrong'd vpon multiplying of words one begetting another and the latter worse then the former at last wee fell foule And as the fewnesse of my yeeres and weaknesse of my strength would giue me leaue I tore out halfe a brick-bat from the side of a Bench there-by and threw it at him as hard as euer I could driue which if I had hit him withall and that he had not hid himselfe behind a pillar I thinke I had beaten out his braines and beene fully reuenged of the wrong he did me But hee scap't my hands and ranne as fast as his legges would carry him into his chamber whence he came foorth in all haste with his sword drawne in his hand Here you may see what manner of men these roaring-Boyes be since that this great Gull doth not now seeke to defend himselfe with the force of his strong and brawnie armes against those weake and tender twigges of mine forgetting that he said he would whip me seeking now to offend mee by force of armes I beeing but a grissle and a poore simple dis-armed chicken In this manner then he makes towards me with his naked sword whilest I fearing what might follow stood vpon my gard with two pibble-stones which I had pluck't out of the pauement Which when hee saw I had now ready in my hand his courage began to be abated and did not dare to draw neerer vnto me Now with the noyse and out-cries that were made vpon this occasion the whole Inne was in an vprore and all the neighbours there-abouts hearing the stirre came flocking in vpon vs to see what the matter was All the whole street hasted thither and with them a great throng of people as well Iustices as Notaries There came in two Alcaldes both at the same instant and each of them stroue to haue the hearing of the cause labouring to preuent each other And the Notaries for their priuate gaine euery one said that this businesse did belong vnto him whereupon they grew at difference and oddes betweene themselues Vpon this contention grew a second quarrell no lesse fierce and tumultuous then was ours for on both sides they digg'd vp their Grandfathers graues twitting one another in the teeth with their fathers and their mothers not sparing one anothers wiues ripping vp their faults and the course of life that they led wherein perhaps they did not lie But they would no more vnderstand one another then did we Whilest we were in this hurly-burly come in certaine Regidores accompanied with other worshipfull Burgomasters of the Towne who laboured to make peace betweene them and laid hold on me Que siempre quebra la soga por lo mas delgado for the weakest must stil go to the wal and the Skeane there breaketh soonest where the thred is finest The stranger the poore soule the miserable man he that ha's no shelter no friends to sticke vnto him no great Ones to fauour him he that is depriued of all succour and comfort and hath no body to defend him he is the man whom the Iustice doth first take in hand They would needs know what this stirre was and whence it grew They call'd me aside and tooke my confession I plainely told them all that had passed but because some that were thereby might chance to ouer-heare me I went apart with the Alcaldes and told them in secret that which I knew concerning the Machuelo or little young Mule They were first of all desirous to approue and verifie the cause but it seeming vnto them that they had time inough to dispatch all they vsed diligence for the apprehending of mine Host who was carelesse of any ill that might come vnto him for that offence And perswading himselfe that all this inquiry was onely about the
Ozmin told him In this Sir you shall doe like your selfe and the good which I shall receiue from you I shall euer make it my glory that it came from the largenesse of your hand and from so noble a House as this is This past he was permitted to return againe vnto the garden with the same familiaritie as before if not with much more licence and freenesse of liberty So that now they talked together as often as they would themselues without any scandall at all In this interim the King and Queene had still a care to know how it was with Daraxa as well in the state of her health as otherwise whereof particular aduice was giuen them from time to time who were very glad to heare of her well-doing and did continually in their Letters recommend her very dearely to the care of Don Luys with expresse charge to vse her with all kindnesse This fauour of theirs wrought so much that as well out of the desire to stand in grace with their Maiesties as out of Daraxa her owne deserts not onely Don Rodrigo but most of the principall Cauallero's of that Citie wished in their hearts she were a Christian that they might make loue vnto her pretending to take her to Wife But because Don Rodrigo had her as hath been said in his custody he was in the common opinion of the World amongst all the other riualls thought to be most fauoured by her The case was very cleere and this suspition not without great likelihood For of his qualitie condition behauiour and faire proceeding she had had very good tryall and ostentations of this nature and apparences of such commendable parts as these are not wont to be of the slightest moment nor the lowest round in the Ladder that climbes vnto honour For when a man shall haue made publike demonstrations of his vertues and his noble carriage it is to be presumed he will be no lesse beloued then he is knowne and so get aduantage of those who when it shall come to matter of opposition shall be vnder-valued by opinion But as if these Louers had exchanged their soules and none of them possessed that which was his owne they were as firme in louing as farre from offending Daraxa neuer gaue way by any dis-composture or vnioynted behauiour or any other occasion whatsoeuer whereby any one might presume more then other vpon her fauour howbeit all of them adored her left no meanes vnsought to procure her loue nor no nets vnspred seeking by traines to draw her within their reach but none of them had any ground whereupon to build their hopes Don Rodrigo perceiuing how little his seruices did auaile him how his labour was in vaine and the small remedy that hee found since after so many dayes spent in her continuall conuersation he remained in the same state as he did the very first day neither better nor worse for ought hee knew it came into his consideration to make vse of Ozmin thinking by his intercession to get into her fauour and taking this to be the best and surest way to worke his ends being one morning in the garden hee brake thus with him Friend Ambrosio Thou canst not but know the obligations which thou hast to thy Religion to thy King to thy Country to that bread which thou eatest of my Fathers and to that desire which we haue of thy good I conceiue that as a Christian of that quality which thy workes doe publish thou wilt correspond with that thou professest thy selfe to be I come to thee moued thereunto by a great necessitie which now offers it selfe vnto me whereupon doth depend all the increase of mine honour and the safety of my life which wholly lyes in thy hands If discoursing then with Daraxa amongst other reasons thou shalt worke her by force of Argument that she forsake this false Sect wherewith she is now infected make her to become a Christian thou canst not but see what good will come thereof first Saluation to her owne soule next good seruice vnto God thirdly great content to their Catholike Maiesties fourthly honour to thy selfe in thy Countrey and lastly to my selfe perfect happinesse For desiring her to Wife I meane to be married vnto her and the benefit shall not be small vvhich thou shalt make by this voyage for it shall be as profitable as it shall be honourable vnto thee and therefore straine all the wits thou hast to bring this good purpose to passe For besides that thou shalt bee rewarded by God for the soule which thou shalt gaine I for my part will with many requitals and those reall recompence the life which thou shalt giue mee by thy good diligence in this businesse and if exercising thy power with her it shall be my good hap to winne her by thy intercession Doe not refuse to doe mee this fauour since thou canst doe so much with her And because there are so many tyes vpon thee to induce thee hereunto it is not fit that I should presse thee any further or be too importunate with thee To whom when hee had ended his exhortation Ozmin made him this answere My very good Lord The same reason wherewith you seeke to binde me ought likewise to oblige you to beleeue how much I desire that Daraxa should follow my Religion which very earnestly diuers nay infinit times I haue perswaded her vnto My desire is no other then your own and therefore I will vse all diligence in this particular cause as in a thing wherein I am so much interessed But louing her betrothed friend and my Master so dearely as she does to treat with her to turne Christian were but to double passion in her without any other fruit at all For she hath some hopes yet aliue in her that Fortune may turne the wheele againe flattering her selfe with some accident or other whereby in time she may come to inioy her desire This is all that I can yet learne from her shee is still harping vpon this string and for ought that I can perceiue very constant in this conceit of hers But that I may comply with that which you command me I shall though I were sure my labour should be fruitlesse returne once more to treat with her in this kinde and when I haue done I will acquaint you with her answere The Moore did not lye in any one word that he said had he been rightly vnderstood but not thinking on a thing so remote Don Rodrigo gaue credit not to that which he truely but to that he formally deliuered And so though deceiued he had some confidence with him and was not cleane out of hope For Quien de veras ama Se-enganna con desengannos Hee that truely loues is deceiu'd with that which ought to dis-deceiue him Ozmin when Rodrigo was gone remained so sad to see the open instance which was made to his owne hurt that he was ready through iealousie to runne out of his wits Which did so
he was silent and spake not a word nor shew'd any signe of sadnesse in his lookes but with a smiling kinde of countenance beheld them all as he passed along They made now and then certaine stops to see if they could exhort him to confesse himselfe labouring all they could to perswade him that hee would not lose body and Soule both at once But hee answered them not a word but held his peace all the while The people continuing thus in this confusion and the Citie wayting on this sad spectacle Don Luys came making the people giue way pressing through the throng to hinder the Execution The a Alguazils thought it was a resistance of Iustice and out of very feare which they had of Don Luys for that he was a stout and valiant Gentleman and dared to oppose himselfe to any danger they forsooke Ozmin who was vnder their guard and with a great hurry and clamour they ranne to giue account of what had past to the Magistrates whose authority they thought it more neerly touched Whereupon they came to know what might be the cause of so great disrespect done vnto them He put his hand in his pocket and taking out the Kings Order he deliuered it vnto them which was by them to their great contentments most willingly obeyed And so they brought Ozmin being accompanied with all the Gentlemen of that Citie and the common ioy of the people to Don Luys his house Where that night hee was intertained with a gallant Maske setting vp many Torches and Cressets in the streetes and windowes for to giue the more generall content And in token of their great ioy they would haue celebrated those dayes hee stayed there with publike feasts for now they knew who he was But Don Luys would not giue vvay thereunto but tying himselfe to his Instructions carried him as his prisoner along with him the next morning being kindely vsed and well intertained vpon the way according to the greatnesse of his ranke and quality Being now arriued at Granada hee kept him secretly with him some few dayes vntill such time as he had order from their Maiesties to bring him to Court Who when he was come before them they ioyed much in the sight of him and whilest he was standing thus in their presence they commanded Daraxa to be called forth Now when these two Louers thus suddenly met in such a place as that was so vnexpectedly and so farre beyond their hopes euery man may make his owne heart iudge of the wonderfull ioy which they receiued in this happy but vnlooked for incounter and imagine with himselfe what each of them did thinke and conceiue thereof When each others eyes had fed their fill the Queene made towards them and told them that both their fathers were become Christians howbeit Daraxa knew so much before She desired them to doe the like which shee should receiue as a singular fauour from them but that no other loue nor feare should inforce them thereunto saue onely that of God and their owne saluation But howsoeuer whether they did so or no for she would not compell the conscience her pleasure was that they should now instantly inioy their liberty and dispose of their Estates and Persons according to their owne will and pleasure Ozmin would faine haue answered the Queene with all the ioynts and sinnewes of his body making them so many tongues to render thankes to her Maiesty for this so great a benefit signifying that he was very willing to be baptized and them addressing himselfe to Daraxa in the presence of their Maiesties he intreated her to doe the like Daraxa whose eye was neuer off from her dearest Ozmin so hungry was she in beholding him shedding a few sweet teares from her Rosie cheekes directing her lookes speech vnto their Maiesties she told them That since it was Gods will to inlighten their vnderstanding and by many tribulations to bring them to the knowledge of his truth she was disposed and that vnfeignedly and with a true heart humbly to submit her selfe thereunto and to the obedience of their Maiesties vnder whose protection and princely hands she reposed both her selfe and all that she had So anon after they were christened with a great deale of Ceremonie naming the one Ferdinand and the other Isabell according to that of their Maiesties who as God-father and God-mother gaue them their names at the Font. Within some few dayes after their Nuptials were celebrated with a great deale of glory and ostentation many Presents and other courtesies being conferred vpon them in that City where they liued all their life-time and left behinde them an illustrious and noble off-spring which continueth yet to this day in much honour and reputation in their Country We went hearkening to this Story with a great deale of Silence being led on attentiuely with it till we came within sight of Caçalla so that it seemed to haue been measured iust out for that iourney so truely did the one iumpe with the other Howbeit it was somewhat more inlarged by the Author flourished ouer with finer phrases and a different Soule to that which I haue deliuered vnto you Our honest Carrier who remained mute from the beginning to the ending which was no more then all of vs did began now to finde a tongue and was the first that opened his mouth Alight my masters quoth hee For heere I must leaue you my way lyes along by this path And with that hee cals vnto me Come hither my yong Gallant let vs make vp our reckoning before we part When I heard this I was almost ready to hang my selfe it was the bitterest draught that ere went downe my throat Is it e'ne so said I to my selfe Well let it goe for I did verily beleeue that all that past betweene vs had been in the way of friendship Well I dis-mounted and got not vp so lightly before as I now came downe heauily for I knew not in the world what answer to make him saue onely to aske him how much I was to pay him for the riding of nine Leagues See what these Gentlemen giue so must you For your lodging and your dyet you are to pay me three Royals more The Vmbles of the Mule I now found to be deare meat vnto me and that they stucke a little also in his stomake but that which grieu'd me most was That I had not money to pay for it And therefore I came vnto him and told him My friend â—…o heere is your money for the reckning so much you say is my part of the shot but for my horse-hyre I owe you nothing for you your selfe without any intreatie of mine desired me to get vp inuiting me thereunto of your owne accord What a Diuell quoth he meane you by this Marry gupp with a murraine you are a fine Gentleman indeed doe you thinke to ride a cock-horse on free cost you are a pretty Youth indeed I replyde vpon him we fall to scuffling
the Cookes wife his Mistrâ—…sse THat man is much to be commended who knowes to gaine by his labours But much more ought hee to be esteemed who by his vertue knowes how to keepe that which he hath gotten I did striue all I could to please euery body albeit the ill custome of my former lewd life did now and then lead me awry so that whatsoeuer I did was like forced earth that fell in short time to it's old leuell and being all but counterfeite stuffe were but Apâ—…h imitations contrarie to mine owne nature and that bent whereunto I had beene vsed For that Glory that is falsely gotten indureth but a while it is not permanent but quickly passeth away I was like vnto a drop of Oyle that falls vpon a garment which Si fresca no paraâ—…e breuemente se desâ—…ubre 〈◊〉 If it be not presently perceiu'd and taken off in time discouers it selfe and goes increasing Now they would no longer trust me One would call me Cedaâ—…illo nueuo the new little Siue or the youth of three daies standing For as your new married Wiues that buy a little Siue to straine their Wine or any other liquor for some few daies are very carefull of it hang it vp vpon a Naile or some woodden Pin but anon after thinke no more of it and let it lie tumbling on the ground so is it with your new seruants you shall haue them at the first very diligent and carefull and like new Broomes sweepe all cleane but after a while they grow negligent and lazie and are wearie of well doing Another would câ—…ll me La Gata de Uenus one of Uenus Cats A craftie knaue from the Cradle But they were all deceiued For I was naturally good and in mine owne disposition I neither had read nor knew so much but I depraued this good nature of mine and did ill dispose of it Vice and want altred this my good inclination and made me otherwise then I would haue beene And what knauery I had in me I learnt it of the Officers there and other the seruants of the house And these are they that I must thanke for they were the only men that brought mee to it I was but coorse Sugar till they refin'd me There are some happie theeues that come to be old men before they die others are so vnlucky that for the very first robberie that euer they committed haue beene taken in the manner and presently hanged without any more adoe That which in others was but a veniall was in me a mortall sinne And it was fit it should be so because I did degenerate from what I was by doing that which I ought not to haue done I did vndoe my selfe by ill company which is Vices Ladder Vertues Hangman the Wine that makes drunke the Smoake that choaketh the Sorceresse that bewitcheth Marches Sun-shine a deafe Adder and an intising Syrene When I first began to serue I applied my selfe to my worke and sought to please but afterwards my ill-acquaintance bad friends as they were did sweetly vndoe me Idlenesse was a great helpe thereunto if not the sole cause of all my hurt For as vnto him that is well occupied no Vertue is wanting so vnto him that is idle there is no Vice which is not his Companion Idlenesse is the high way to destruction it is that spacious field that opens to perdition it is that Plough wherewith bad thoughts are sowne It is the seed of Tares cast into the ground it is that Woman-weeder that plucks vp goodnesse by the roots It is that Sickle that cuts downe all our good works It is that Flaile which thresheth all honour out of vs. It is that Cart which comes loaden home with mischiefe and it is that Baâ—…ne wherein all the Vices in the world are mowed and stored vp Mine eie was not set vpon my selfe but on others and looke what I saw them doe that me thought was likewise law full for me Not considering that because they were in places of credit that were able to beare them out and being old-beaten soldiers in all manner of theeueries it might become them well enough to doe as they did for by this meanes they were to make themseluâ—…s a Fortune and to this end only doe they seeke to serue good Masters I was willing to be one of the number and would faine ranke my selfe amongst them by doing as they did being no way their equall but a poore Picaro a ragg-taild Rogue out both of clothes and credit But if excuses may preuaile and that I may say something for my selfe When I saw that euery man walkt so freely this way without checke or controule it seemed to me to be the land of Permission and that I might passe vp and downe there as well as they Being perswaded as I told you before that it was a worke of Vertue a very good deed and very iustifiable how be it afterwards I was beaten from that errour My thought though was good but my vnderstanding was amisse For the Grace and fauour of this Bull did in especiall words grant the vse and exercise thereof to the elder brothers that are free of the Incorporation of the Rich and Potent to those that are Fauorites to the Proud to the Arrogant to Flatterers to those that are neuer without Crocodils teares to Scorpions which bite not with the mouth but sting with the taile to smooth-tongu'd Parasites who with sweet words cherish the body but with sowre workes destroy the soule These were the men that might doe any thing all was well done that they did but in such as my selfe it was falshood and roguerie I was in an errour and together with this my error I became so dissolute and liu'd so disorderly that my disease euen a farre off might easily be discerned how be it all was not worth a straw as being things not to be reckoned of or scarce worthy the talking of It is a common saying Que el postrero que Sabe las desgraçias es el Marido That the good man is the last that knowes what things are amisse at home Of all these my mad prankes and crosse fortunes that did befall me scarce one of a thousand came to my Masters eares Either because being willing as I was to please them and to get their good will they would not haue my Master to conceiue hardly of me and so put me away Or else because though now and then they would chide me and tell me mine owne seeing all the World was alike and that it was euery mans Case as well as mine they did not much wonder at it But for some negligences of mine and other things that were too transparent my Master grew some what angrie with me and spuâ—…'d hard to ouertake me It so fell out that he was one day sent for to prepare a Feast for a certaine Prince that was a stranger newly come to Court and carried me along with
loose before as I verily perswade my selfe it was mine Hosts and went about the house to seeke her Prouant This Asse came to my lodging and hauing smelt out the Barley the little foole thrust in her head thinking to haue met with a good mouth-full and in pressing to come where the Prouender was in the Sieue she wagged and wagg'd this way and that way and striuing to get in the doore began to creake I that was mindfull of the businesse a little thing would suffice to reuiue my remembrance And now I was fully perswaded that I had the Bulls sure enough in the Place and that they could by no meanes get from me And because I was all this while very sleepie and scarce halfe awake I imagined with my selfe that she could not finde the way to the bed whereupon I raised my selfe and sitting vp in my bed I call'd her vnto me When the Asse heard my voice she was afraid and stood still saue only that she did put one of her fore-feet in the fraile wherein the straw was I thinking that it was the Wench and that she had stumbled by chance vpon it leapt out of my bed and said vnto her Come hither my Loue come to bed giue me thy hand And because she should reach me I stretcht out my body at large vnto her and lifting vp my legge I hit her with my knee on the snout with that shee lifted vp her head and smote me such a blow with hers on the noddle that she almost set me on my breech so much was I astonied therewith And when she had done she fled away from me as fast as her legges would giue her leaue For if she had staid I should haue had much adoe considering the paine I was in to haue forborne to thrust my Dagger vp to the hilts in her guttes I bled mainly both at mouth and nose and cursing Loue and all his cunning tricks to the pit of hell I knew that all this hapned deseruedly vnto me because being a wilde simple Ladde as I was I was so easie of beliefe But I quickly made fast my doore and got me to bed CHAP. IX How Guzman de Alfarache lists himselfe for a Soldier Hee telleth whence that ill phrase grew En Malagon en cada casa vn ladron y en lo del Alcalde hijo y padre In Malagon euery house a thiefe And in that of the Alcalde two The father and the sonne How in a short time through ill gouernment all Guzmans money is gone How to his griefe he is forced to serue a Captaine Some lessons are giuen to young men To these are added the faults of bad Ministers in matters of war-fare AS if Loue had not beene a desire of Immortalitie bred in an idle minde without any beginning of Reason without any subiection to Law which is entertained by the Will but with it cannot not be put off easie in it's entrance to the heart but hard to be thrust out againe I began to sweare that I would neuer more follow his colours nor be of his Company But I was asleepe when I made this protestation and knew not what I said My sleepinesse was so great then at that time that all my paine could not keepe me waking Which drowzinesse of mine was the cause that I could not rise so early as I thought but kept my bed till nine of the clocke that morning At which houre comes me in this my â—…iddle-faddle of the Inne to giue me satisfaction vowing and swearing vnto me that she lay within her Master and Mistris and that they had shut her vp and kept the key themselues that she could by no meanes get forth Though for mine owne part I did verily beleeue that she did purposely play the Wag with me and had neuer any such meaning but did lie in all that she said Whereupon I told her O friend Luçia your loue hath done me a great deale of hurt it began in the Chaire and ended in the saddle I shall looke hereafter a little better to your water Take me with that fault againe and I will giue you leaue to hang me Goe about your businesse goe I haue no more to say to you Make haste and bring in break-fast for I will presently be gone So she rosted vs out of hand a brace of Partridge serued in with a slice or two of Bacon which serued both for our breake-fast and our dinner because the day was farre spent and our iourney but short Well I was now vpon going my Mules were ready and staid for my comming The Mule that I rode on was an ill-condition'd Iade and somewhat skittish When I was readie to put foot in the stirrop I got me vp vpon a bench thinking from thence to get with the greater ease into my Saddle but by her going backe she seemed to tell me that I should not doe it so easily as I thought or else her meaning was that I should quickly get mee thence or else shee would set mee going with a vvitnesse And because she could not speake my language that she might make me vnderstand her by signes ierking out her hinder legges she flings me out her heeles and doubling her fyles with two kicks that she made at me she threw mee a good wayes from her But she did me no harme for I recouered my selfe by and by and got vp vpon my legges After this I was a little more wary and tooke better heed And with a-loud voice I beganne to cry out There is not any female I thinke in this Inne euen to the very Mules which hath not her iadish tricks Well I was seated in my Saddle and my Mule was quiet and being vpon the way seeing what mis-fortunes I had suffered I acquainted my seruants what had hapned vnto me with the Asse that came into my Chamber They laught exceedingly as if they would haue burst their hearts and the more at my weake and childish vnderstanding that I would giue credit to a Wench in an Inne who are neuer good but at their first comming and euer after proue arrant Iades that a man can not tell how to trust to them We had now gone two long Leagues and the Boy that went a-foote by vs to looke vnto our Mules would needs drinke I call'd Bring hither the Bottle giue me the Bottle but no Bottle appeares for wee had left it behinde vs. Peraduenture mine Hostesse said the Boy hath seazed vpon it and laid it aside in waggery because we might ride the lighter or be paid for her care in keeping it safe for vs. Nay quoth my Page I rather beleeue that they amongst them haue stolne it from vs for to adde more fame to this towne that they may not lose that good name they haue gotten Then was I very desirous to know how this bad report came first to bee raised and whence it grew And because they that vse to carry Merchandize from place to place
I had beene borne with wings at my feet and my body had been sound whole I tooke Villa diego his Breeches and tript away so nimbly that he that had runne Post should hardly haue ouertaken me Hee runnes fast that flies Feare addeth wings and strength thought was not swifter then my flight I bought something by the way to satisfie hunger and for to gaine time I eate as I went and made no stay till I was out of the Citie Where in a Tauerne I call'd for a Cup of Wine where-with I refresht my selfe that I might walke the stronger towards Rome whither I had directed my iourney thinking all the way as I went vpon that grosse scorne whereby they sought to banish me out of Genoa to the end that my pouertie might not disgrace them but I did not remaine their Debtor nor had they any great cause to bragge thereof in the end as you shall see in the second part CHAPTER II. Guzman discourseth of the vnhappinesse greatnesse and commendation of Necessitie and Want And how after hee was gone from Genoa he fell a begging And how keeping Companie with other poore beggers he was instructed by them of their Statutes and Lawes IFled so fast out of Genoa that if Lots wife had but done that which I did she had neuer beene turned into a Pillar of Salt I neuer offred to looke backe my Anger spurd me on and put me vp to the height of my speed for when choller once begins to boyle we hardly feele the wounds that are giuen vs though they be neuer so mortall neuer so deadly Besides by how much the more a man re-bringeth as it were himselfe to himselfe and looketh home into his owne bosome by so much the more hee comes neerer to the recognition and knowledge of his hurt I escaped from the ouerthrow giuen at Ronçes valles como perro con bexiga like a Dog that claps his taile betweene his legs and through too much haste to be gone as farre as his feet will carry him growes sur-bated and stiffe in his ioynts There was not one firme ligament in all the whole Fabricke of my body But I did not much feele it till I came to rest my selfe When I drew neere to a little Village some ten miles off from Genoa where I sate me downe not knowing whither to goe being bruised in my body naked of cloathes without money in my Purse and blacke and blue all ouer as if I had beene beaten with a Cudgell O Necessitie how doest thou abate mans courage How doest thou take off his Metall How doest thou dis-hearten his bodie And howbeit it be true that thou doest sharpen the wit and refine the vnderstanding yet thou destroyest the faculties therof by diminishing and taking off so much from the senses that they are readie to bee flaw'd and crackt in pieces through too much sufferance and that intolerable patience whereunto they be put There are two sorts of Necessitie The one shamelesse and impudent which like an vnmannerly guest comes of it selfe without being called The other which being inuited straines a little curtsie but comes vpon intreatie at the first bidding That which vnrequested bids it selfe God deliuer vs from it And this is that of which I treat This is like a powerfull guest in a poore mans house who out of his greatnesse brings a thousand followers along with him it is that man of Warre wherein a multitude of mischiefes like so many Pyrats stand readie armed wayting to doe hurt It is the framer and plotter of all kinde of trecheries and villanies hard to be indured and worse to be corrected It is that Lucerna Nauis Praetoriae that Lanterne in the Admirals Ship which all couzenages and deceits attend and follow it is the sport of Boyes and children a foolish dance a ridiculous Comedie the sad and direfull Tragedie of honour and of vertue It is fierce foule fantasticke furious fastidious faint facile feeble false only she failes of being a Franciscan And it is a wonder if she afford any other fruit but infamie That other which we bid inuite comes not but when she is called is Lady-like liberall rich franke powerfull affable generous sociable gracious acceptable and welcome to all She leaues vs a full and plentifull house feeds vs at her costs and defraies all recknings she is a firme defence an inexpugnable Tower true riches indeed and good without hurt That Necessitie I say which necessitates it selfe but is not necessitated is the place of perpetuall rest the house of God and the way to heauen It lifteth vp mens mindes it addes strength vnto their bodies it doth innoble their fame it cheereth their hearts it magnifieth their Actions and makes their names immortall Let renowned Cortes her truest Louer sing forth her praises Her legges and feet are of Diamonds her body of Saphires and her countenance of Carbuncles it shineth it cheereth and it quickneth it is full of pleasure lustre and life But that other neighbour of hers lookes like a filthy old sluttish Laundresse where you shall see nothing but a heape of Spittle ragges full of matter'd stuffe and the soiles of vlcerous sores which no eye is able to indure it is so loathsome to looke vpon and therefore with a great deale of reason abhorred of all Behold and view me well for I am one of those with whom Necessitie fell in loue she neuer left following me but kept me company at bed and at boord liuing in deadly sinne by being bound to seeke out meanes to maintaine her And to this end she made me studie the Briâ—…iatick Art This was the course I ran I was to day in one place and to morrow in another begging an almes of all that I met with It is fit that we should giue euery man his due And therefore I must confesse vnto thee that there is much charitie vsed in Italy and indeed so much that this new Trade that I had betaken my selfe vnto made me loth to leaue it I found so much sweetnesse in it For in a few daies I grew flush and able to make wing to maintaine my flight So that from Genoa whence I came till I saw Rome where I stayd I performed all that Voyage without spending so much as one farthing The money that was giuen I kept that whole and intire and for victuals I had euer sufficient and more then would serue my turne I was yet but a Nouice and therefore threw that away many times to the dogges which afterwards when I had more iudgement I fold for money which brought me in no small gaines I had a great minde as soone as I came thither to put my selfe into new cloaths that I might be some-what againe like my selfe but this counsell of mine me thought was not so good and therefore repenting my selfe of it I said thus with my selfe Friend Guzman take heed lest
men giue me or giue me not But doe thou giue me that which I aske thee if thou hast wherewithall and art able to doe it And if not for Gods sake which commands thee to doe it yet out of that naturall affection which thou owest vnto me And doe not flatter thy selfe or so much as offer to thinke that the wealth vvhich thou inioyest and the riches that God hath giuen thee is That thou art better Wooll then we but that thou art better carded And he that made thee thus fine and me thus course by giuing to thee and taking from mee may change hands and may bestowe his blessings vpon vvhom he please and on such as hee shall thinke worthy thereof and shall doe more good vvith it then thou doest Be not a pryer into the poore nor too strict an examinant demurre not vvhat thou shalt doe for him stand not a hinching and a crinching with him for if thou looke well into thy selfe thou wilt finde Couetousnesse to be the cause of all this and that they are but meere excuses because thou would'st not giue him any thing and so shift him off from thee I know it is so and therefore let me perswade thee for thine owne good to inlarge thy minde and that will make thee to inlarge thine Almes And for this end as also that thou maist see the good effect of Almes heare that which Sofronius rrecounteth cited by Canisius a very learned man A Widow-woman hauing one onely Daughter being a very faire and beautifull Damzell Zenon the Emperour fell mightily in loue with her and was exceedingly inamoured of her and by force quite against her will and vtterly with her dislike he deflowred her and with a strong and tyrannous hand kept her and enioyed her The Mother of this Maiden finding her selfe much afflicted for this her so much wronged and abused Daughter bearing great deuotion to a particuler Image of our Lady as often as she presented her selfe there before it she would still recommend this her cause vnto her saying O blessed Mary O sweet Virgin I heere vpon my knees begge reuenge and punishment for this force and affront which that Tyrant Zenon the Emperour hath and doth still offer vs. It is said that she heard a voice which spake thus vnto her Thou hadst beene long agoe e're this reuenged on him if the Almes-deeds of the Emperour had not bound our hands Loose thou thy hands that are too fast bound stretch them out to tâ—… poore and helpe them therewith as well as thou canst out of the misery vvherein they lye For it is thy duty so to doe it is required at thy hands and it much more concerneth thee to giue an Almes then the other to receiue it God did not so much make the rich man for the poore as the poore man for the rich Not so much for his as for thy good And therefore doe not thou stand off and intertaine thy selfe with saying One man merits more then another This deserues some-what and this not There is but one God and they aske of thee in his name to him thou doest giue it All is one thou art to make no difference Thou canst not vnderstand how much another mans necessitie doth wring him nor is it possible that thou shouldst come to knowe it It is the outward man onely that thou canst iudge of And thou thinking that such a man is sound and in health it is not fit as thou supposest that thou shouldest giue him an Almes Doe not seeke starting holes to hide away thy Deuotion seeke not excuses to put away the poore from thee leaue that to their Lord and Master thou hast no Commission to examine them it is not giuen thee in charge There are other Iudges to whom this scrutinie belongeth And if looking vpon me thou wilt let thy iudgement slip and say that God hath been too slacke and negligent in punishing of me Consider that the selfe-same God hath done the like by others Do not O thou man of euill bowels thou vnmercifull-minded man doe not thou I say lye in waite to doe mischiefe The Ambush is discouered and I see thy meaning I say then that Charity and distribution of Almes hath it's method and order as in other things Nor doe I say that thou shouldest not order thy Charitie but I say that thou shouldest exercise thy Charitie That thou shouldst giue freely and not pinchingly That thou shouldst not make such a deale of scrupulositie with thy selfe whether he should haue an Almes or not haue an Almes whether hee haue need or not need Troubling thy selfe with this and with that and I know not what If thou wilt giue it him giue it him quickly if thou canst not say thou canst not and ther 's an end Yet let me tell thee by the way if a poore man begge of thee then euen then dost thou owe him an Almes and it costs him deare too as I told thee before And let me farther tell thee That thy Office is onely to giue Let the Rulers and Magistrates the Bishops and their Vicars open that doore to looke into it is their eyes that must see who is poore and who not and accordingly appoint the punishment This is for men of Office this for men of authority yet it is a crosse vnto them yet is it a trouble vnto them Nor were they made Gouernours or Heads ouer others for to eate the best morsels or to feede on the daintiest dishes but to take more paines and cares then other men Not to laugh and make themselues merry with their Fooles and Iesters but to lament and bewayle the wretched estate of the poore Not for to sleepe and snort but to watch and sigh hauing continually like vnto the Dragon the eye-sight of the Spirit cleere So that it onely appertaines vnto thee to giue an Almes And doe not thinke that thou doest then performe that dutey when thou giuest that thou canst not vvell tell what to doe withall and hast kept it so long in some corner a moulding that it is fitter to be throwne out vpon the dunghill then any thing else And as if the poore were that dunghill thou giu'st him thy mouldy and thy stinking meate not so much out of Charitie or any deuotion thou hast to giue it to the poore as because thou canst not eate it thy selfe and wouldst haue thy house faine rid of it But this I tell thee is the sacrifice of Cain That which thou wilt offer must be of the best things that thou hast as did that good and iust man Abel with a desire and will that it were much better wishing it may doe him much good Not as though thou didst giue by constraint and compulsion nor yet for ostentation hauing like the Pharisee the trumpet to go before thee to sound foorth thy praise but only out of meere charitie that thou maist reape thereby that fruit that is promised thee
reach but my Lord had list to make water Whereupon he rose vp and came into his Chamber and not finding any of his Pages there he went and tooke the Vrinal himselfe which stood at his beds head and whilest he was making water it was my ill hap to heare him which sudden and vnexpected accident did so startle me and affright me that going about to get out mine arme quickly that I mightnot be taken in the manner making as it seemed more haste then good speed my round Rouler fel rumbling on the floore the Chest that presently shuts it selfe vpon me while mine arme like a Sparrow in a Pit-fall or a Mouse in a Trap is taken prisoner betwixt the locke and the lid where it was held too fast to get forth in haste At the noyse of the fall my Lord askt Who 's there I could doe no lesse then make answer to his call but the Diuell a foot that I could stirre to come forth vnto him Thereupon he comes in finding me vpon my knees stealing the Hony-combes out of his Hiue He demanded of me what I made there I confest the whole matter how it was and without any more adoe for I saw there was no fence for it I told him the whole truth of the businesse But when he saw how prettily I was taken the more he look't vpon me the more desire he had to laugh and to make his mirth the fuller he call'd to those that were in the next roome at play that they likewise might come see how the bird hung by the wing could not get loose When they saw how I was caught they all fell a laughing as though their hearts would haue burst for want of breath yet had they so much left at last as to intreat his Lordship that this fault might be forgiuen me as being the first that I had offended him in the rather for that it is giuen to al Youth to haue a likorish tooth My Lord stood off and would by no meanes be brought to yeeld no intreatie would serue the turne I must be whipt there was no remedie but I must be brought to the blocke Well when they saw they could not procure my pardon then they grew to a new Consultation touching the number of the stripes whereon they were so long a deuising as if it had beene a thing contained in the Decretals or some Pontificiall Act that they had seriously sate on In the end thé number concluded on in this Conclaue of Cardinals was twelue a full doozen I was to haue neither more nor lesse And the care of this paiment was committed to Sir Nicholas my Lords Secretary my mortall enemie who presently carried me away to his Chamber and layd them on so soundly and withso good a will that for a fortnight after I was not able to sit vpon my breech but he did not goe so cleare away with this businesse as he thought he should for it was not long e're I did cry quittance with him and returned this payment seuen-fold into his owne bosome so that he had no great cause by that time I had done with him to brag of his bargaine And that I may not delay you any longer this tricke anon after I put vpon him My gentleman was much troubled with Mosquitos which did so persecute him that he could not sleepe for them they did so disquiet and torment him All Rome did swarme with them and in our house we had reasonable good store Whereupon hearing him complaine much of them and how hee was bitten and vexed by them I told him I would giue him a remedy which we did vse in Spaine wherewithall to destroy this troublesome Vermine Hee thankt me for it and intreated me very earnestly that I would doe him the kindenesse to giue it him I told him that he should get him a good bundle of Petroselinum and hauing steept it well in good Wine-Vineger hee should put it at his beds head to the smell whereof all the Mosquitos would come whereupon as soone as euer they lighted they would presently fall downe dead He beleeued me and presently puts it in practice But when he was gone to bed and had laid himselfe downe to sleepe such a swarme of these buzzing busie Flyes came flying about his eares all the night long and did so plague and torment him as if they had pull'd out his eyes with Pincers and held him by the nose with corne-tongs as Saint Dunstan did the Diuell Whil'st they were thus nibbling on his nose eyes and all the other parts of his face he bestow'd a thousand buffets on his cheekes thinking with those smart claps to kill these angry creatures and perswading himselfe that they would die at last when they lighted vpon the receipt that was prepared for them he past away the time as well as he could vntill the morning But the next night after because this remedy had not drawne onely those of the house thither but all the rest of the Mosquitos that were bordering there-about they did so be-peps him that not onely his face was most vilely dis-figured therewith but all the rest of the parts of his body wher-vnto they were able to reach for some they could not come at for the cloathes were taken in that excessiue manner so be-pimpled and so be-spotted that hee was forced to forsake his lodging and to get him gone with all the speed he could The Secretary was madded at the matter and could haue found in his heart to haue kill'd me But my Lord when hee look't vpon this ill-fauour'd faced knaue and saw that he seemed so like a Leper for he had not one free place about him but like a Leopard spotted all ouer and that I durst not appeare for feare but playd least in sight he was ready to burst himselfe with laughing when hee heard that I had put this iest vpon him Wherevpon commanding me to be called in when I came hee askt me why I had offered the Secretarie so great an affront and had thus playd the wagge with him Wherevnto I answered Your Lordship may be pleased to remember that you commanded him to giue me a doozen lashes about the businesse of the Sweet-meats His Commission reach't no further But I remember very well how he then vs'd me For what he gaue me in grosse I told out by retayle one by one as a matter much importing my posteriors Besides I know it was not your Lordships pleasure as a thing contrary to your mild and gentle disposition that they should be the stripes of death but such as my tender yeeres were able to beare But el Domine Nicolao my Worshipfull good friend Sir Nicholas that he might not be taxed for abad pay-master gaue me twenty good sound lashes the last being more cruell then the first And so hauing exceeded not onely his Commission but common humanitie I thought I had iust cause to cry quittance with him And thus as
if they shall not render them all fitting and conuenient thankes But they fall as short of these good things as they doe excell in all filthy and beastly vices vvherein they striue to exceede and be counted the onely men As was to be seene in a certaine Noble-man that was exceedingly giuen to Lying and lash out so vnreasonably in that kinde as no man could outstrip him who one day talking in conuersation vvith diuers other Gentlemen of qualitie told them that hee had killed a Stagge bearing so many branches or antlets on his head that it did plainely appeare to bee a Lye though hee carried it very handsomely They all admired it they said but not gaine-said it that it was one of the strangest things that euer was seene or heard of This lik't the Noble-man well But whilest he and the rest were thus wondring at it Why quoth an ancient Gentleman a neere kinsman of his that was there then in company after a pretty kinde of fashion bringing it forth doth your Lordship and these Gentlemen make such a vvonder at this This is nothing my Lord For vvithin these few dayes I my selfe did kill one in the same Forrest that had two more then this that you talke of When hee heard him say so the Noble-man blest himselfe saying It is not possible and looking angerly vpon him scorning as it should seeme to be out-lyde said vnto him Sir speake no more of this tell it no farther for it is such a thing as was neuer yet seene nor will I for my part euer beleeue it though I hold it a courtesie so to doe The Gentleman with a sterne countenance and vndaunted courage his Age and Alliance heartening him on in a discomposed kinde of voice boldly brake forth and told him Zwounds my Lord me thinkes your Lordship should content your selfe that you haue sixty thousand crownes a yeere comming in more then I without seeking to out-strip me in Lying as you doe in Liuing Let me I pray though I am a poore man lye as I list I begge nothing of you nor any man else nor doe I rob any man either of his wealth or his honour There are likewise a certaine kinde of witty-conceited fellowes that are naturally simple and ignorant from whose mouth oftentimes drop mysticall sayings and worthy the consideration which God it seemes permits them to bolt forth now and then making them also to keepe in such things as are fit to be silenced who though simple as they seeme haue an extraordinarie grace in the deliuering of them Which happinesse lighted vpon one that was a simple ignorant fellow from his cradle in whom one of the greatest Princes in Christendome tooke much pleasure who for some secret causes best knowne to himselfe had discarded one of his grauest and chiefest Ministers And this simple fellow comming one day into his presence which was shortly after the other was dismist the Court hee was no sooner entred in but the King askt him What newes in Court Hee told him That his Maiestie had done very ill in putting N. D. away And that it was without any reason or iustice in the world The King imagined that cause hauing beene iustified by many other of his Ministers that this had proceeded simply out of his owne mouth and told him Thou speakest thus for him because perhaps he was thy friend not that thou hast heard any man else say so besides The Foole replyd My friend In faith thou lyest Thou art more my friend then he I say nothing but what all men say The King was offended that any should dare to question his actions or to examine his brest And being desirous to know if any man of worth had presumed so farre to trench vpon what he had done He replyde and said Since thou professest that so many haue said it and that thou art my friend name one of those vnto me of whom thou hast heard this complaint The Foole paus'd vpon the matter And when the King thought that hee had beene calling to memory whom he should name vnto him hee angerly made answer The blessed Trinitie told it me Now see which of these three persons thou darest apprehend and punish The King thereupon thought that it was a businesse of heauen and so forbore to speake any more of it There are another kinde of pleasant Companions which are good for nothing else but to dance to play vpon Instruments to sing to murmure to blaspheme to swagger to lye and to deuoure victuals good drinkers and bad liuers And of these some are only good at one of these qualities other some at all Wherein some great ones take such delight that they shall haue what they will of them doing them many extraordinary graces and fauours which is a most grieuous sinne To these and only for these Iigges they giue Iewels of great value rich suits of cloathes and hand-fuls of gold which is more then they will doe for a wise vertuous and honest seruant which shall treate with them of the ordering of their Estates and Persons illustrating their names and honouring their house with glorious Titles But rather when it so falleth out that these come vnto them about matters of importance and which neerely concerne them they reiect them and will not be aduised by them Your Presidents Gouernours Counsellors and euery other Officer in Court or that haue ought to doe in the Palace being greedy of honour and blinded with passion if they bee called to speake their opinion they often say that in publike which their owne priuate opinion approues not though it be neuer so good because they conceiue that in so doing they shall conforme theirs to that of their Lord and Master and so mannerly seeme to runne along in the pleasing of his humour As also for that it would grieue them to the very heart that another should get the start of them in gaining their Princes grace and fauour from them So that many are not admitted thereunto for that they had not this trumpe in their hand and would not play the like tricks these getting more by their foule then they by their faire play By reason whereof many things remaine without remedie and redresse and great businesses often-times ouerthrowne And if consultation shall be had of such things whereof great profit may redound to themselues or to the State they will tell the Author thereof coldly and dryly because they will neither thanke him nor reward him Wee knew this before but there are a thousand inconueniences in it But cursed be those Counsellours who because they were not the first in deliuering that sound opinion in such a businesse blame the Author thereof and carried away with the winde of their vanitie and greedinesse of gaine send him away empty but vsing them first as Apothecaries doe their Simples who first distill or pund them in a Morter and when they haue squeez'd all the iuyce and wrung
to this Chop-loch with his finger said vnto him Anton Berrocal giue me my Pig and take you here your Asse But that this may be proued that truly by some President of these present times wherein we liue There was in Salamanca a principall Doctor of the Chayre one of the famousest and grauest Aduocates in all that Vniuersitie that often visited for his entertainment a certaine Gentlewoman that had profest her selfe a Nunne very faire she was well descended and wonderfull discreet And he being inforced to absent himselfe from thence for some few dayes he went his way without taking his leaue of her thinking that he had now attained to the perfection of his loue and that there was no need of these finenesses and niceties betweene them Afterwards when he was returned from his iourney hee vvent as he was vvont to visit her But vvhen hee saw that she would not admit of his Visit hee became very pensiue and sad there-vpon because hee could not imagine what should bee the cause of this sudden strangenesse hauing alwayes heretofore shew'd her selfe very kinde and louing vnto him But when hee came by some diligences that he had vsed to know the reason of it he was vvonderfull well contented therewith it seeming vnto him that this in some sort was rather a kinde of grace and fauour of hers theâ—… otherwise Well he sent vnto her to excuse himselfe earnestly intreating her that he might bee so much beholding vnto her as to see her vsing therein the meanâ—… of such Ladies and Gentlewomen as were friends to them both At last through much importunitie fore against her will she came forth to receiue his Visit but with that anger and disdaine that she could not containe her selfe but must needs shew it for the very first words that she let fly at him were these Base and ill-nurtur'd as thou art for such base thoughts argue no lesse then basenesse of bloud which is confirmed by thy vngentlemanly proceeding whereof to thy shame thou hast made too open show For hauing thy being as it were from me and for my sake and hauing come thereby vnto that height wherein now thou art forgetting all the good I haue done thee and all the charge that I haue beene at to qualifie thee and put thee forward in the world thou hast lost all that due respect and thankefulnesse which I deserued at thy hands but since the fault vvas mine in raising thee it is no maruell that mine should be the punishment To these she added many other more sharpe and bitter words so that the poore Gentleman being dasht quite out of countenance because many were there present when she vs'd him thus coursely and gaue him such a sound rattling incensed with the excesse of this her rigour he made her this short and cutted reply Gentlewoman touching this complaint of yours be it with or without any iust cause I will not stand to dispute it And for your accusing of my vn-mannerly proceeding let that likewise passe For Cada vno siente como ama Euery man best knowes how and how much he loues And I acknowledge that all this ariseth from the many and great fauours that you haue been pleased to conferre vpon me But whereas you touch mee in my reputation being forced there-vnto by you it is fit and necessary that therein I should satisfie those that are heere present I must be so bold with you as to tell you plainely That since God hath been pleased to raise me to that I am I come not thereto either by corruption or fauour but by mine owne great paines and continuall studies haue I procured my preferment She then interrupting him and not suffering him to goe on returned him but with a great deale of choller this quicke answere Thou lyest like a Villaine Thou rise by thy learning Thou had'st not come to that great knowledge that thou hast nor hadst euer had so much wit as to learne to mend so much as an old shoo if I had not put spirit into thee quickned thy wit and perfected thy vnderstanding by giuing thee leaue to make loue vnto me This whetstone put an edge vpon thy dull sconce and but for this thou might'st haue sunke and neuer beene able to lift vp thy head By this then wee may see how much it may import a man to loue and that it is not so great a fault as some would make it Mistake mee not I meane when the ends are good and honest But in my Master it was taken in the worfer part for his ends did exceed and passe their bounds and the blame of all that ill was laid vpon me euery man conceiuing that I was the cause thereof Complaining that since I came to serue him I had opened his scull and put into his head nothing but Hawkes-bels and Rattles All that he tooke delight in were merry tales idle iests and the like vanities which till then he had neuer formerly been giuen vnto It might very well be that with my heate I might cause some buds or little sprigs to sprout forth But for to speake the truth seeing the Parties are not heere to be examined and I am the man whom they thus accuse I assure you that others had the handling of him before that wrought him this harme For when I entred into his seruice and that hee caâ—…e to put his cure into my hands the Physicians despayred of his recouerie and had giuen him quite ouer and would haue no more to doe with him I vvill not deny but that I might minister much thereof vnto him for by reason I was in such fauour with him I had likewise the freedome to vse many odde foolish iests and preiudiciall liberties of speech I was familiarly acquainted with all Rome I had as free accesse into euery house as into our owne excusing my pretensions that I onely repaired to such and such places to giue lessons to some to sing to the Gitterne and teach other some to dance I did intertaine your young Wenches in good conuersation with merry and pleasant iests and your widdowes with whispering tales in their eares and entring into a league of friendship with your married men I got likewise the good will of their Wiues to whom they would bring mee to laugh and make sport wherewith they were well pleased for the good contentment they tooke in my harmelesse mirth And all this I did to the end that from this good ground my Master might take occasion to declare and open himselfe more freely to me For I relating vnto him what and how things passed abroad it was an easie matter for me to kindle with the breath of my words the fire that was in his heart by blowing first away the ashes from off those coales that were already throughly tinded aliue and very quicke within him He was in a good disposition there-vnto and therefore any the least occasion would serue the turne He was a kinde
not hee but the Countesses Sister a pure Virgin yet as faire as Uenus Whereat as likewise the iest which I now perceiued they had put vpon me I was so ashamed and dasht out of countenance that for my life I was not able to speake a word nor knew not what in the world to doe but to rise vp in my smocke for in that case was I then and to get me out to looke my cloathes so that my feare before was not halfe so much as my shame was now Let your Excellencie therefore be pleased now to consider into what danger I did put my selfe and then to giue your iudgement which of vs two doth best deserue the Ring The Constable laughing heartily hereat said in the end That Don Luys had no reason to complaine of his Loue seeing though late and vvith a great deale of cost and trouble yet at length hee had obtained his desire so that hee could not be a deseruer of this promised reward And Don Rodrigo as little for that hee was not in any danger by sleeping with the Count howbeit the iest they had put vpon him was a witty and a good one And therefore his Sentence was this that neither of them deserued the Diamond yet taking it off from his finger he consign'd it to Don Rodrigo with condition that he should send it as a token to this Gentlewoman by whose side he lay for that shee onely had incurred the danger and had also runne the hazzard of her honour if she had beene knowne what she was With this they gaue an end to their Loue-Discourses they all remaining very well satisfied And it being afterwards discussed vvhether the Constables Sentence were discreet and iust all the Courtiers highly commended it And so euery mans businesses calling some one way some another this conuersation was broken vp and taking their leaue of my Lord Embassador they went whither their occasions call'd them CHAPTER V. A Romane Matrone not knowing how to free her selfe without suffering in her Honour from the perswasions of Guzman de Alfarache who sollicited her in his Lords behalfe the French Embassador put a iest vpon him which was the occasion of a second disgrace that afterwards befell him THey that write of Lightening report and vvee see the same confirmed by experience that so great is its pride that scorning the vveaker it workes its effects on the strongest It breakes the steely hardnesse of the Sword and leaues the scabberd whole it splits in sunder and rendeth vp by the rootes the strong and sturdy Oake and not once toucheth the feeble and yeelding Cane It ouer-turnes the tops of your highest Towers and leuelleth your stately buildings with the ground and pardoneth your poore Shepheards humble Cottage that is made of ill composed twigges It killeth your biggest beasts and cracketh man as if hee were but Potters Clay in pieces it bruiseth and breaketh the bones and leaues the cloathes vntoucht it melteth Siluer Gold Metall and Money and yet hurts not the Purse vvherein it is put And albeit it be of this proud nature and haughty condition yet is its force broken in its comming to ground This onely is that which makes its resistance against it And therefore in such tempestuous times those that doe feare its terrible effects doe vse to get themselues into Caues or to hide themselues deepe vnder ground because that they know they are there safe and free from danger The violence of Youth is such that wee may truely compare it vnto Lightening for it neuer bends its force against things that are fragile soft and gentle but doth commonly aspire to things of greatest difficultie and such as are beyond all reason of atchieuement it obserueth no Law it excuseth no kinde of Vice it is a Horse that runnes on in his Carreere without an eye to its way or once thinking on the place or the end where he is to take vp himselfe and make his stop It alwayes followes its owne furie and like an vntamed Colt will not suffer himselfe to bee saddled by reason and without it disturbs both himselfe and others not induring any burthen bee it neuer so light In such sort it flyes out that it will not no though you let it haue its owne will be at quiet with it selfe And yet this being so furious a beast as wee haue heere set forth vnto you it is onely corrected by humilitie this and nothing but this tames and keepes it in order This is that earth against which its force cannot preuaile this that Dock that driues out the Nettle and this that Fort where it findes its safety Insomuch that there is not any good to bee hoped from that young man who shall not be humble For that youth in it selfe is the entrance to euill and the doore that opens vnto sinne I was wantonly bred vp suffered too much to haue mine owne will I would not indure reproofe much lesse correction And for that Wisedome is the Daughter of Experience which is gotten by the trans-cursion of Time it was not much that I should erre as being a Youth But that hauing befalne me which you heard before in the loue that I made at Malagon and Toledo And being that I should like the Dogge which is scalded with hot feare also cold water after all these faire warnings it may seeme somewhat strange you will say that I should giue any more credit vnto women and that I should suffer my selfe to be taken anew in their snares That I should be such an Asse as not to know by my many the like experiences that they alwayes goe subtilly to worke with vs and deale deceitfully which must either be imputed to our too much simplicitie or must otherwise be attributed to the intemperate passion of our appetite And would to God this foolishnesse of mine might here make it's stop and here in this Port set vp my Plus vltra by erecting the pillars of my wofull proofes and often skarrings without as you shall see here-after my frequent fallings into the like weaknesses being vnable to make my vaunt that I had once got of them by the hand and made my party good with them But because he that loues doth alwayes make a free donation to the partie whom he loueth of his will and of his senses it is no maruell if being stripped of them multiplying my errours I commit a thousand fooleries My Lord Embassadour fell in loue with a principall Gentle-woman nobly descended whose name was Fabia her husband a Gentleman of Rome before whose house I did often vse to walke whereof no small notice was taken and he himselfe began to conceiue some suspition of me though without any iust cause for the for her part neuer gaue consent thereunto But because euery man may loue protest and runne his head if he will against a Wall and none shall hinder him my Master did that which his passion did dictate
You shall now doe well to get your liuing else-where I pray therefore get you gone leaue off to doe vs any more harme and goe robbe some other of our neighbours I cannot bee perswaded that this mischiefe lyes in the Lawes but in those that execute them for that they are either ill vnderstood or not well executed A Iudge ought to vnderstand and know as well the man as the matter for which hee condemneth him For banishments were not made for theeues that were strangers but for the Citizens of the said Citie the naturall Inhabitants and such as were noble and well borne whose persons vvere not to suffer any publike punishment nor affronts And to the end that the faults which they committed should not bee exempted from punishment therefore your Diuine Lawes did ordaine these your banishments which without doubt was the greatest punishment of all other that could bee inflicted vpon such kinde of persons For thereby they are inforced to forgoe their friends their Parents their Kinsfolke their Houses their Lands their ancient acquaintance their Wiues and their Children their pleasures and delights and their businesses both priuate and publike being to goe they know not themselues whither and to liue and conuerse with they know not whom Which was certainly a great punishment and no lesse then death itselfe And it was the permisâ—…ion of Heauen and will of God that he that made this Law and was the first Inuenter thereof should be paid home with the same punishment that hee had ordained for others beeing banished himselfe by his owne Countrymen the Athenians Many were much grieued thereat and indured a great deale of sorrow accompanied with infinit inconueniences and perill of their persons and many of them likewise did take it no lesse heauily then if they had suffered the bitter pangs of death It is reported of Demosthenes that famous Grecian Orator and Prince of Eloquence being banished by his Citizens left his Country like a man in desperation shedding many a sorrowfull teare and the more in regard that his fellow Citizens had so cruelly proceeded against him considering that hee had alwayes protected fauoured and defended them both with his head and his hand his wit and his strength and therefore hee did the more risent it making these his troubles and afflictions to seeme the more intolerable to be indured And as hee was wandring abroad in the world it was his hap to come to a place where hee lighted by chance vpon some of the greatest and mortallest enemies that hee had Who then made no other reckoning vvith himselfe but that they would surely kill him but they did not onely giue him his life and pardon all former iniuries but seeing him in this miserable and afflicted state taking pitie of him they comforted him the best they could treating him with all courtesie and kindnesse and furnishing him with such things as were necessarie for him in this his banishment Which was as it were a throwing of oyle into the flame and the meanes of augmenting his sorrow to see that hee should bee more kindely vsed by his enemies then his friends as did plainely appeare when beeing comforted by them in this his banishment he returneâ—… them this answere How would you haue me to carry my selfe how beare my banishment with patience how not complaine of my hard fortune hauing so great cause as I haue to bemone my mis-hap Being that I am banished from that Citie wherein I was borne and bred and am forced by you to seeke my fortune in forraine Countreys where I meet with such enemies that I doubt to finde and I shall account it a great happinesse vnto me that I haue made so good a purchase the like friends else-where They likewise banished Themistocles who being graced more in Persia then in Greece told some priuate friends of his Perijssemus si non perijssemus We had beene vndone if wee had not beene vndone The Romanes banished Cicero induced thereunto by his enemie Clodius anon after that he had freed his Countrie from ruine They did likewise banish Publius Rutilius who was so valiant and of that stoutnesse of courage that afterwards when those of Syllas faction who were the cause of his exile would haue reuersed his banishment he would not accept of this their faire offer but said I will make them blush for shame by neglecting this their kindenesse for by this meanes they shall come to see their owne errour and to acknowledge the wrong they haue done me by this their vniust persecution They also banished Scipio Nasica in requitall of those benefits and good seruices that he had done them in deliuering them from the tyranny of the Gracchi Hannibal the Carthaginian dy'de in Exile Camillus the Romance a man of that worth and valour that it was said of him that hee was a second Founder of Rome for that he had freed it from it's enemies when the whole State lay at stake to be wonne or lost yet notwithstanding this meritorious Act of his he was banished his Countrie The Lacedemonians banished their Licurgus though a graue and wise man and one that had made them very wholsome Lawes for the good of that Common-wealth Nor did they rest contented with this wrong they had already done him but they threw stones at him and strooke out one of his eyes The Athenians very impudently and vniustly banished their Solon and confined him to the Iland of Cyprus as they did likewise their great Captaine Thrasibulus These and infinite other the like were banished and anciently they inflicted this punishment vpon the noblest and principallest persons as one of the greatest and grieuousest punishments which they could impose vpon them I my selfe haue knowne a thiefe who because he was vnder yeeres and not capable of greater punishment hauing beene often-times banished but neuer went forth of his Countrie to finish this his Exile and his thefts likewise being of no higher nature then matter of victuals for his greater punishment the Iustice commanded that he should haue a coller of Iron clapt close about his necke which should be riueted so fast with an Iron pinne that it should not possibly be taken off hanging thereat a little Bell to the end that the ringing thereof as oft as he did stirre or moue might giue the people warning to take heed of him This may truly be called a iust and a witty-conceited punishment Now by this that hath beene said thou maist know how grieuous a punishment banishment is to the good and how ridiculous a thing to the bad To whom all the world is their common Countrie and who account that to be their Countrie where they can best filch and steale For wheresoeuer a thiefe comes he enters into that place as a new Commer and vnknowne Which is no small aduantage for him for the better exercising of his Office the people not thinking any harme of him nor
better serue thee And if that which I haue said seeme vnto thee to be well said it is well that I haue said it but if it seeme ill vnto thee reade it not ouer any more nor goe therein a iot farther For it is all mountaynous matter rough and craggy wherein perhaps thou shalt meet with more paine then profit yet doe thou but write the like and I shall patiently endure whatsoeuer thou shalt say But I will conclude this Chapter with telling thee That when misfortune shall follow a man no diligence nor good counsell shall auaile him but shall where hee thinks to gather wooll goe away with his fleece shorne CHAP. III. Guzman de Alfarache discourseth on the iniustice which some Iudges doe blinded by gaine or by passion I Came out of prison as out of a prison I need not to indeare it more vnto you For the least I can say of it is That it is a true and liuely picture of Hell it selfe I got forth out of a desire that I had to enioy my former libertie and had I not thinke you great cause to desire it For he whom they had so vniustly bereaued of it had good cause to feare greater dangers to ensue For if so iust and so faire a businesse as this was did fadge so ill with me at the first and that my Aduersarie had the better of the day of me when I thought my selfe surest of the victorie I might very well and with a great deale of reason perswade my selfe that in negotiating the rest I should finde much difficultie Perhaps these men thinke that God sleepeth But doe not withall consider that euen those who had no knowledge of him both did and doe feare him Aesope asking Chilo what God did How he spent his time And in what he did busie and imploy himselfe Told him In exalting the humble and in bringing downe the proud I am a sinfull man a lewd liuer and a naughty fellow and sithence they did inflict punishment vpon mee sure I must be in some fault For it is not to be supposed that an honourable Iudge one that professes knowledge and holinesse of life will be wonne either by fauour by gifts or by feare to peruert the course of Iustice or to lay so heauy a burthen on his tender conscience Especially considering with them-selues That euery man shall be rewarded according to his workes But let them goe as they are For the Iudges of the earth must be iudged and therefore I will not iudge them nor grinde them any more with this stone I had now beene taught experience to my cost and sufficiently beaten with mine owne rod insomuch that hauing beene once scalded with hot water I was now afraid of cold That from that day forward I would neither passe by the Tyrrone which was the place of Iustice nor by the prison nor scarce come within foure streets where they were Not so much for my imprisonment but for the wrong I receiued therein contrary to all Law and reason I did not see a hackney-man with a wand in his hand nor a Carrier with a cudgell vnder his arme but I presently thought vpon the Vare or rod of Iustice. Euer after I resolued with my selfe rather to sit downe with losse then to goe to tryall of Law at least to vse all the meanes that I could to the contrary till I saw there was no other remedie being compelled thereunto rather by force then necessitie The reason mouing me there-unto is that counsell which I gaue another in the time of my imprisonment There was a certaine fellow brought to prison for that he had bought a mandillion which they said was stolne the owner whereof was my very good friend Who told me that albeit he knew that the partie imprisoned was a person not to be suspected to be consenting to any such base kinde of pilfrings yet at least he would make him to bring forth him that sold it him for when that mandillion was stolne be lost many other things with it and therefore though he might haue his mandillion restored vnto him he would not rest so contented but would either lose it or recouer the rest I told him Sir you are my friend The Law is costly and therefore let me aduise you not to enter into it you are fairely offered and therefore if you be wise take your mandillion lest you spend your cloake to recouer your coat you will get nothing in the end by the bargaine cloâ—…ke and coat and whatsoeuer else you pretend will goe all away in fees so that the Lawyer at last will haue all and your selfe nothing He would not be ruled and being as all selfe-will'd men are strongly wedded to his owne opinion he flarly told me he would goe to a tryall with him and see what would come of it For he assured himselfe that he had a great deale of reason on his side and that his Proctor and his Aduocate had told him that he needed not to doubt of his cause and that it would surely passe on his side In conclusion he had spent some fifteene dayes in following the sute against him in all which time there was no fault to be found against the prisoner but prou'd himselfe in the end to be an honest man whereupon he was presently freed out of prison my friend perceiuing at length how he had play'd the foole repented himselfe of the lost time and charges which he had spent in the sute So that he was forced to sell his cloake was yet neuer a whit neerer the recouerie of his mandillion I doubt not but the Lawyers stript him to the very shut before they had done with him Let those therefore that can excuse it leaue off to goe to Law for your Law-sutes are like vnto your Mats whereunto they that make them goe adding one by one rush to rush and neuer make an end till they cut them off or cleane rid their hands of them Law-sutes belong properly to great persons and for great and important causes for they haue wherewithall to hold plea and are able to maintaine it To these the doores are set wide open they are vsherd in by the officers of the Court all shew respect vnto them â—…d if they spend their money they haue money to spend But as for thee and me we must for the recouering of fiue Royals spend fifteene and lose a hundred more in the losse of our time besides a thousand troubles and as many enemies which we shall get thereby And worse will it goe with vs if we shall chance to goe to Law with one that is mightier then our selues for that a poore man should goe to Law with a rich man is all one as if hee should offer to wrestle and try his strength with a Lyon or a Beare It is true some such there haue beene that haue giuen them the foyle and sometimes quite ouerthrowne them but this hath
vvere in that thrust and throng of people we did not so much intend your good as expect that some farther quarrell vvould haue growneth reupon vvherby vvee might vvith the more safety haue got some Cloakes or Hats but that occasion being taken away missing thus of our purpose wee began to plot how wee might commit this theft making me as their â—…anner was Cabeça de Lobo the Wolfes head the instrument of their profit vvhilst they kept their owne fingers out of the fire and would be sure to be out of the danger of Gun-shot This Story vvas he telling me vvhen vvee were now come to our iournies end And so ceasing to talke any farther of it vve came into our Inne vvhere vve presently had that prouided for vs vvhich vvas fitting for trauellers that were not to make any long stay CHAP. VI. Sayavedra meets in Milan with a friend of his that seru'd a Merchant Guzman de Alfarache layes a witty plot how to rob him WIth a great deale of attention and admiration had Sayavedra all this iourney tyed mine eares to his tongue And during the rest of the vvay till vvee reacht to Milan vvee vvere neuer out of matter but kept the ball still vp hee tossing one tale to me and I returning another to him so that our Discourse neuer made a fault but vvas being both good Players vvell maintaind and kept vp betweene vs. But I had a great contradiction in my selfe and could hardly bee brought to beleeue that men of noble birth Sonnes of such vvorthy Parents should suffer themselues to bee thus violently haled by their Passions that forgetting the respect due to their bloud and Gentry the remembrance vvhereof should cause them to goe on in an honourable and ciuill course of life doe notwithstanding commit base and infamous actions by robbing others of their goods and honours for in very truth hee that lofeth his vvealth loseth both the one and the other for euery man is so farre forth esteemed and honoured as hee is rich and vvealthy Whereupon I said secretly to my selfe surely if Sayavedras father left him so rich as hee himselfe reporteth hee did how comes it quoth I to passe that hee is turned thiefe and that hee takes more pleasure to follow this lewd kinde of life and to endure these shamefull affronts then to liue in esteeme and reputation in his owne Countrey If vvee doe ill vvee therefore doe it because it carries a faire appearance vvith it and shewes vnto vs a certaine shadow or a kinde of resemblance of some goodnesse or other but in suffering such indignities as hee hath done there is no hope thereof no colour at all for it But I presently recall'd this rash censure and sodainly taking vp my selfe I fell to excusing of him and began vpon better deliberation to say with my selfe It may bee hee went from home being a childe as I did And so considering the relation that hee had made vnto mee mine owne proper steppes represented themselues vnto mee and those lewd courses that my selfe had runne But I afterwards came againe to my selfe and said But suppose all this to bee true vvhich hee hath said Why did hee not turne ouer a new leafe vvhen hee had the vse of reason and came to bee a man taking vpon him the profession of a Souldier He might answere likewise for himselfe and say Why did not I so to I see a more in another mans eye and cannot behold the beame that is in mine owne Military Profession is a pleasing thing and hath many motiues to draw a mans affection thereunto They haue good pay they passe well enough with it it teacheth a man hardnesse it maketh him to forget his dainty fare at home and boldly to aduenture his life to winne honour and to doe his Countrey seruice But they pay dearly for it they haue too hard a bargaine of iâ—… it is a kinde of taking vp of money at extreame rates and excessiue interest for to satisfie a debt of lesser value They must serue long before they can come to any thing rise betimes in the morning watch all night haue his shoulders pincht with the heauy weight of a Musquet stand Centinell for the space of full foure houres and two at the least when hee is Centinela perdida without budging or mouing but a foote from that place where they haue once set him let it raine thunder or lighten neuer so fast freze snow or blow the windes neuer so hard let the weather be as sharpe as sharpe may be all is one he must stand to his tackling And when hee hath done all this like a souldier and a braue fellow when hee shall returne home safe to his lodging not reckoning those that miscarry by this meanes hee hath not so much as a Candle to light him to bed nor fire to dry either his wet or frozen carcasse nor bread to put in his mouth nor wine to wash downe those crummes being hunger-staru'd all mire and dirt all to bee rent and torne but not a ragge of comfort And therefore considering the hard life that a Souldier leades and how ill they are rewarded hazarding their owne liues to saue other mens I doe not much blame Sayavedra that hee did not turne Souldier But for his elder Brother SenÌ„or Iuan Marti or Mateo Luxan leauing him to make choyce of one of the two as shall stand best with his Worships liking who was of age sufficient when his father died for to discerne betwixt ill and good who had a good house to put his head in and good meanes to maintaine it and to haue liu'd richly and plentifully and in good reputation and credit in his owne Country what a Diuell mou'd him or what hellish temptation came into his minde to neglect his owne busines and so foolishly thrust himselfe to intermeddle in other folkes matters and to fall at last to stealing of cloakes How much better would it haue beene for him to haue employd his person in some honourable entertainment or other Hee was a good Gramarian hee had studied the Lawes and might if hee would himselfe haue easily come to be a Doctor But happely these and the like doe thinke That there needs no more to make a thiefe then to say I will be a thiefe And that all shall succeed as happily with them as themselues could wish it But in good sooth I must beate them out of this errour and plainly tell them That there is more in it then so That it will cost them no small labour and withall they must incurre a great deale of danger Besides I cannot well tell you whether or no there be so many rules amongst the Lawyers as he needs to haue who meanes to proue a good thiefe indeed For say that there be two in a Towne that emulate one another and contend for the victorie and that the one after a great deale of strife and stiffe standing out will at last
City to see what a manner of thing it was what their trafficke and such other greatnesses as it should afford our sight and so afterwards to bid it farewell And being thus resolued I went to walke all that day from shop to shop where I saw so many curiosities that I was taken with great admiration in the beholding of them as also in the great trade that was there driuen euen in lesser things that were of meaner value Standing one day in the midst of the Market-place there came to Sayavedra a handsome young youth honestly clad and well behau'd and both in his garbe and fashion a very fine Spaniard But because his backe was towards me I could not then discerne nor vnderstand more of him but that they went a little a side off from me where alone by them-selues they entertained talke a good while which put me in a great muse thinking with my selfe what might be the cause that these two should treat together with that secresie not hauing as I did imagine with my selfe euer seene one another before Notwithstanding that I might not breake off their discourse to the end that I might see whither it tended I stood still and did not moue from the place wherein I was hauing still an eye lest they should get out of my sight obseruing their proceedings and that if they should chance to go towards my lodging I might taking the start of them be there before them And euer and anon mine eye was vpon them but yet kept me still where I was to the end that they likewise might not shift a foot and so slip from me For I did consider with my selfe if I should now call him vnto mee and aske him what it was they talked of Sayavedra might take occasion to make what excuse he list himselfe and might make me this answer that by reason of my calling him away they had not finished their discourse nor as yet entertained talke to any purpose Whereupon for my better satisfaction I thought it my best course to continue there a little longer and to leaue them a large field wherein to expatiate their minds for I had no such earnest businesse elsewhere as might presse me to be gone Now when it was almost dinner-time this young youth tooke his leaue and went about his businesse And I was likewise willing to doe the like for all this while I was wonderfull iealous and had a strong suspition that they had plotted together to put a tricke vpon me And Sayavedra not saying a word to me nor I to him my feare was thereby the more increased and began more and more to doubt what their drift might be Watching him with no lesse care then a Cat would watch a Mouse For Suspition is a shrewd worme which lies still gnawing at the heart nor is it to be held a vice when it setles it selfe vpon a vicious man For accordingly as the natures and conditions of men are so haue we reason to be more or lesse suspitious Fearing euery man so farre forth as his fashion and carriage may occasion this feare But for as much as the desire that we haue after this or that other thing makes vs to rush violently on break through the bars of all difficulties whatsoeuer although I would faine haue held peace and did striue all that I could to keepe in this tongue of mine yet could I hold no longer no though my life had layen vpon it but I must needs aske him who that young man was and what might be the subiect of this their long discourse yet did I for beare for the present making no words thereof till I had dined and then taking my time calling Sayavedra vnto me I said thus vnto him That young man that was with you this morning me thinks I haue if I be not much mistaken seene him heretofore in Rome Is not his name Mendoça No Sir said Sayavedra his name is Aguilera nor hath he his name for nought for he is an Eagle that will flie at any thing nothing comes amisse to him he is still ready vpon all occasions He is a good fellow and a fine companion he is likewise a brother of the Companie and such a one as none of them all can out-strip him he hath more tricks then a hundred of them there is more resort to his Lectures then to all the other Readers beside put them all together O this Aguilera hath tickling tallons and what he once seazes on is sure his owne he goes sheere away with it and t is neuer heard of any more He hath a quicke apprehension a nimble wit a strong braine a sound iudgement he is an excellent pen-man and such an Accomptant either for the keeping of a Merchants booke or summing vp of any recknings whatsoeuer that I know not his fellow We haue knowne one another these many yeeres we haue trauayled together and endured many particular troubles and perils And now he hath beene at me to put me vpon one which may turne to our exceeding either great good or hurt it being with vs as with those that goe to Sea either a happy voyage or a miserable ship-wracke For he that will goe to Sea must resolue before-hand to encounter with dangers especially being that betweene our death and our life there is no more then the springing of a planke or the slipping of a cord He gaue me an account how he came to this Citie with a purpose to seeke out as well as he could some meanes whereby to liue But because he would not ingulphe himselfe before he had first sounded the water and that he might not within two dayes after his arriuall be taken vp for a vagabond or some masterlesse-hound he had by good hap lighted vpon an entertaynment which might quit cost without suspition for he had now placed himselfe with a Merchant of this Citie who had receiued him into his seruice for the goodnesse of his hand and hath seru'd him now a yeere and somewhat more very faithfully and truly looking when he might play the iade with him and giue him a sound kicke with his heeles and get safe away from him as your Mules vse to doe when they once come to be seuen yeere old who kicke at those that haue kept them He farther told me that we should lay our heads together and draw one or two good fellowes into our companie and ioyne together to knead such a cake and to make vs such a swinging pastie that we might feed our fills and free our selues from this poore and miserable kinde of life wherein now we liue But I was loath to hearken thereunto holding it not so conuenient for two respects First because I found my selfe already so well fitted to my minde that I did not desire to leade any better life then that I now did with you And secondly for that a great deale of consideration is to be required before a man leapâ—… out of one
desiring you to keep them for me and did not you your selfe receiue them from me Giue me therefore my moneys and that presently for I will not that you keepe them one minute of an houre longer in your hands In my hands said he I haue not so much as one farthing of yours in my hands and therefore God be with you Sir I haue no more to say to you It is the Deuill that deceiueth vs all I think so indeed quoth I for sure the Deuill did deceiue mee when I trusted you with my money And with that my inflamed choller hauing set my whole face on fire I angerly said vnto him What meanest thou by this that thou wilt not restore me my money before thee and I part I will make thee lay it downe here on this board euen to the vttermost farthing or else I will know why I shall not Be wise therefore in time and well aduise with your selfe I would wish you what you doe for feare of after-claps The poore man was so troubled and struck into such a feare when he saw I was so hot and chollerick in the businesse and so resolutely bent vpon it that he had not a word to say yet at last with a kinde of counterfaite smile seeming to make a iest of my words hee bid me bee gone one while in Gods name another in the deâ—…s saying that he knew me not nor who I was nor what was my name nor the thing that I demanded of him Whereupon turning my selfe about to those which were many that were there Art thou so impudent said I as to say Thou dost not know who nor what I am thinking thereby to oâ—…t-face me and to cozen me of those moneys thou hast of mine in thy han is But I doubt not but I shall finde good iustice in Milan and that though fullsore against his will he should be forced to make mee peesent payment My man denies it more and more telling me I had much mistaken my marke and that I might happely haue giuen it to some body else to keepe for he stood stiffely vnto it that he neither had any money of mine nor did owe me the value of one farthing though indeed he said he must thus farre forth confesse the truth That I came vnto him and that I told him I would leaue so much money in his hands to keepe for me but that I neuer brought them vnto him nor that he did either see or touch one faithing of mine And therefore if I had a mind so to doe I might goe a Gods name and complaine to the Iustice and that if it should appeare that hee ought me any thing hee should bee very willing to giue me satisfaction When I saw hee had armed himselfe with this resolution I did open the doores of my lips a little wider foming at the mouth for very anger and straining my throat to a higher key said vnto him O thou false traytor heauens iustice ouer-take thee and let all the plagues light vpon thee that the earth can affoord vile and wicked man as thou art wilt thou thus then rob me of my moneys before my face and thus iniuriously goe about to vndoe me I must haue thy life or my money And therefore make no more adoe but bring me hither presently my three thousand Crownes bring them I say and quickly too it shall not boore thee to denie them for I will either teare them out of thy throat or make thee lay it downe here in good gold and siluer as thou hadst it of me The house was all in an vprore and those likewise which were present there from the beginning that this difference happened betweene vs. Vpon this coyle and stirre â—…hat was betweene them there came in many into the shop as they past along the street besides a great number of the neighbours asking one another what was the matter For now were we growne so loud that we did not well vnderstand one another All that were there went enquiring what was the cause of all this noyse what wee quarreld about not so few as a hundred were talking here and there of it and euery one relating it each to other some in one manner some in another whilest we within drowned all that the other said so earnest was the contesting that was betweene vs. In the heat whereof comes me in a Bargello an officer of the same nature with our Alguazil in Castile a kind of Sergeant or Catchpole but he bare no Vare or white rod in his hand as ours doe and making the people to giue way hee came vp where we were being both through the heat of our choller as hot and as red as coales When I saw the Iustice present howbeit he was a stranger vnto me and knew him no otherwise then as he was the Iustice I saw my sute at an end and that the cause was like to goe with mee And here taking my Cu I began in a milder temper to speake thus vnto those that were by Gentlemen you haue seene and heard that which hath here passed betweene vs and how and in what manner this naughty man hath deny'd mee mine owne money let his owne man speake the truth concerning this businesse and if hee out of his respect to his Master shall refuse to deliuer what he knowes let his owne Booke speake in my behalfe wherein shall that appeare to be set downe which he receiued of me and in what parcels and in what manner of fashion I deliuered the said moneys vnto him to the end that it may be knowne vnto you which of vs is the honester man and speakes the most truth Should I bee so shamelesse to aske a man that which I neuer gaue him Into a Cat-skin bag that he hath he did put into that Cabinet three thousand Crownes of mine some of two and others of foure and for to make my proofes more plaine and cleare vnto you he hath intermixed amongst them ten Crownes of ten which in the whole make vp iust the summe of three thousand Crownes And in a bag which he lockt vp within that chest wherein he told mee there were at that time I deliuered him my moneys neare together with mine about some seuenteene thousand Royals did he put those two thousand he had of mee And if this which I tell you be not true I am content to lose it all and that you take my head from off my shoulders for the arrantest traytor that euer spake with tongue And if here in your presence before I stirre a foot from hence I doe not make good vnto you all that I haue said Onely Gentlemen let me entreat though a stranger so much lawfull fauour from you that there may present inquisition be made concerning this businesse considering how neerely it concernes me that he may not by gaining of time haue opportunitie to transport them to some other place And turning himselfe toward the Bargello hee said See
if they would doe this I say for Gods sake laying aside their dissimulation and not debarring them-selues of those good blessings which God hath created for mans vse and comfort questionlesse in so doing they might leade a happy life in this world and enioy euerlasting happinesse in the world to come Let vs say something of your false witnesse whose punishment doth giue satisfaction to the people and is pleasing vnto all men taking pleasure in their chasticement in regard of the hainousnesse of their offence For for a matter of sixe Marauedis a thing of nothing you shall haue them sweare sixe thousand falshoods and take away sixe hundred thousand mens credits and estates from them which lies not afterwards in their power to make restitution thereof And as your day-labourers and other workemen repaire to certaine set-places appointed for that purpose to be hired by those that haue occasion to vse them so doe these kind of men come to your Courts your Consistories your places of publike businesse euen to the very Offices where your Notaries are a writing to learne how things goe there and to offer their seruice to those that haue need of them And if this were all the matter were not great but it is worse then you thinke it is for the very Officers of the Courts them-selues doe maintaine and countenance these lewd fellowes that in those causes that occurre as occasion shall serue they may make vse of them for their aduantage suborning them to beare false witnesse for the prouing of such or such a businesse which they will not sticke to testifie vpon oath This I assure you that I now tell you is no iest nor doe I therefore speake it vnto you to make you beleeue that which is not so nor doe I lie one iot in all that I haue said vnto you For there are false witnesses enough to be found if any man be disposed to buy them And are as frequent in your Notaries Office as Conserues in an Apothecaries shop Or like horse-leeches in a glasse ready prepared for the businesse when-soeuer you shall be pleased to put them vpon it Let those that haue a minde vnto them goe to D. N. his Office I was about to name him before I was aware but t is all one for I am sure you all know him or can giue a shrewd guesse whom I meane there shall you haue these Knights of the Poste at all kind of prices as you shall haue pies in a Cookes shop some for eight Royals some for foure some for two and some for halfe a Royall as choosing rather to play small game then wholly to sit out But if it be a weighty cause indeed there is also another sort of them of a higher rank and at a higher rate as we see there are pies for weddings and for great feasts which will cost you somewhat more then ordinary these are those that are Musket-proofe and will to strike the matter dead not sticke to sweare that vpon their owne knowledge for these foure-score yeares they remember such and such a conueyance was past thus and thus such a piece of land past ouer after this or that manner and a hundred the like Like to that Country-clowne who being a shallow braind coxe-combe a very lob-cocke being brought into the Court by his Land-lord to witnesse a thing in his behalfe and instructed by him that when hee should be askt how old hee was should answer he was eighty yeares old The silly fellow did not well vnderstand him but being desirous as it should seeme to doe his Land-lord a pleasure being demanded touching his age tooke his oath that he was eight hundred yeares old And albeit the Notary wondring at this so inconsiderate and vnaduised an oath did aduise him to take heed what hee said he clownishly made answer Doe thou take heed how thou writest and stand not a sifting of other mens liues but let euery man bee as old as hee will him-selfe Afterwards the Notary reading the report of this witnesse when he came to the point concerning his age the Iudge apprehended it to bee the Notaries error and would haue punisht him for it but hee excused himselfe saying That he did no more then what did belong to his office in setting that downe aright which he receiued from the witnesse his owne mouth and that although he had admonished him thereof and bid him be better aduised yet he stood stifly in it and ratified what he had said before saying That he was of that age and that he should so set it downe The Iudges caus'd the witnesse to make his personall appearance and demanding of him why hee had sworne that he was eight hundred yeares old Because and it like your Lordships it was for the seruice of God and the Conde my master There are store of false witnesses euery where the streets are full of them they are to be hyred for money but he that will saue his purse and haue them for nothing let him seeke out some kinsman or other that is his enemie with whom thou wagest law for he to be reuenged of him will sweare any thing against the whole generation of thy aduersarie But from these malitious minded men good Lord deliuer vs. For they doe vs the greatest hurt But let vs leaue these kinde of men and come to those of mine owne occupation and to that our Companie or Brotherhood which is the ancientest and greatest that is in the world For I would not haue thee to tit me in the teeth that I haue a pen for others and let mine owne stand idle in my standish or else cause it to runne another way I will not passe by this doore without knocking at it and that soundly too I will not lye lazing in the shade nor making my selfe merry in the Tauerne A thiefe what will he not doe to steale Which word Thiefe I apply to such poore sinfull creatures as my selfe As for your great rich theoues such as ride on their foot-clothes of veluet that hang their houses with hangings of tissâ—…e and costly arras and couer the floores of their chambers with gold and silke and curious Turky-carpets and often hang such poore snakes as wee are I haue nothing to say to them For wee are farre inferiour vnto them and are those little fishes which these great ones doe deuoure They liue brauely vpheld by their reputation graced by their power and fauoured by flatterie These are of that strength that they breake the gallowes hempe was not sowen for them nor for them were your Galleys built except it be to beare command in them Of which command it may be that we shall remember to say something in its proper time and place if we hap to come thither as I hope in God we shall But let vs now speake of those theeues that are not fit to be left out such as my selfe and my seruant Sayâ—…vedra We will not touch vpon
not choose but beare it in minde and say to my selfe O ye misbegotten rascals ye villaines ye enemies to goodnesse ye dogges I came to your gates being poore and needy and what a fine refreshing did yee giue me that I might the better goe forward on my iourney This their course vsage had stir'd vp such store of choller in mee that I did now desire nothing more then to cry quittance with all those that had a hand in this conspiracy And not so much to be reuenged of them as that old dog-bolt who was the principall plotter and actor both of it and my hurt The time passed on and with it I gained more friends wedging them closer and closer daily vnto me I knowing them and they mee The proposed mariage was hotly pursued by them they all very earnâ—…stly desiring to haue me naturalized amongst them I visited them and they me my friends resorted to my lodging and I to theirs Now as if I had beene a towne-borne child I had free accesse in all parts of the City I went and plaid amongst them at their Ordinaries and publike houses of gaming and they likewise would come and meete at my lodging sometimes losing and sometimes getting till one night amongst the rest the Cards fell out so luckily and shew'd themselues so fauourable vnto me that I carried home with mee at one clap aboue seuen thousand Royals where-with my Gentlemen were so nettled that the next night after they were very desirous to play greater game I misliked not the motion for the time of my reckning was now neare at hand if not past my nine monthes as the common saying is that I had gone with child looking to be brought a-bed of this birth begotten of mine owne braine were now fully expired and euery moment I expected a happy houre For Captaine Favelo had already told me that the Galleys were now ready and that he was fully perswaded they would very shoâ—…tly goe for Spaine This made me bestirre my stumpes and to get all things ready to goe aboord conceâ—…uing they were now hoysing sayle fitting their oares and ready to launch being resolued whither-soeuer they went to goe along with them yet I durst not make it knowne till going out of the hauen they were to put forth to Sea I accepted that night their challenge and continued play with them but to no other end in the world bâ—…t to entertaine the time that I might afterwards be the better prouided to giue them a wipe for a farewell and to tickle them with the latter arrow or as they vse to doe in Portugall darles de pancada That night I lost but no more then I was willing for now I did employ all my skill to bring my purpose to passe I did float vp and downe with a side winde and got to winde-ward of them still bestowing barato howsoeuer the world went vpon my old friend the Captaine because I knew he was to returne it backe againe in the end to my greater aduantagâ—… Some few dayes after I perceiu'd my Captaine grew some-what sad I aske him what might be the cause of this his melancholy and that he was not so merry as he was wont to be He told me it was onely the sorrow that he had conceiued that he and I ere long must part for that some ten dayes hence the Galleys were without faile to goe away by expresse order giuen for their departure His words were pearles and this language of his as a voyce from heauen as if I had heard it once more say vnto me Open this Câ—…binet vnlocke that chest and pull out that other Cat by the eares and carry away with thee what thou list So that now I thought this businesse was in a manner quite ended And so taking my Captaine aside when I saw that he and I were all alone I said vnto him Sir you haue show'd your selfe such a friend vnto me and I doe so highly esteeme of your loue and friendship that I know not how either to indearâ—… or require it There is offeâ—…ed now vnto me by occasion of this your voyage an absolute remedie to all my desires and a fit opportunitie to effect what I haue long since intended and without your helping hand wherein it chiefly consistâ—… I vtterly despaire of obtayning my purpose And if I haue for-borne till now to giue you an account thereof which I ought to haue done in regard of that true affection and faithfull friendship that is betweene vs it was because I was loth out of my loue vnto you to cause any disquietnesse in you which the acquainting you therewith must needs bring with it I would haue you therefore to vnderstand that I came not hither either out of any desire to see this Citie nor for that kinde entertainments sake or any other courteâ—…e that I haue here receiued but onely for to dis-oblige my selfe and to reuenge a certaine wrong which my father being an elderly man receiued at the hands of a young Spaniard that resideth herein this Citie who was forced thereupon to forsake his Country as being ashamed of the affront that was done him And not being able in regard he was an old man to right himselfe as he should he held it his best course to lessen it by his long absence the griefe whereof continued with him to his dying day And he that had no respect vnto those reâ—…erend hayres of my aged father cannot iustly complaine of me if being his sonne I lose all respect towards him in the working of my reuenge And because it may so fall out that after I haue satisfied my desire that his friends either by the grâ—… fauour they shall finde in this place or by the strength of their purse which is no lesse preualent shall goe about to doe me any iniurie that you afford me your bâ—…st â—…nce by which good furtherance onely of yours wâ—…thout any perill to your owne person you may by your secrecy secure me and bring me fairely off Which friendly office shaâ—…l binde me so fast vnto you that during life I shall acknowledge my selfe to be your slaue For a sonne hath no more honour then what he inherits from his father And if my father had none to leaue me this trayterous enemie of his hauing taken it from him I likewise liue without it and must recouer it my selfe by these hands of mine and by mine owne proper industry Which if my kinsmen haue not sought to repayre it was for that they were not either willing to hazard them-selues or their fortunes or for that after my fathers absence all was buryed and not so much as a word spoken thereof whereby the remembrance of the wrong might haue beene reuiued Holding it the lesser inconuenience of the two to let it sleepe thus quietly as it did then by awaking it to giue occasion to the people to publish this his shame the more Favelo all this while hearkned very
Vp shee goes and hauing entred the roome where shee was shee no sooner saw Dorotea but shee runnes with open armes towards her and throwes her-selfe downe at her feet making a thousand ducks and reuerences vnto her after the Moorish fashion admiring much her rare and singular beauty which though shee had heard it much spoken of before yet this worke of nature went farre beyond the words that were vttered of it For it was such an admirable peece that report was not able to expresse it to the lise but must needs fall short in the praising of it But shee stood like one astonished when shee beheld the frames and those loomes of rich embroyderies and other the like workes wherein shee spent her time wondring at their perfection and curiositie saying vnto her How is it possible that my Mistresse should not haue the happinesse to enioy such excellent good things as these No no it shall not be long by the grace of God ere you two know one another and be better acquainted and enter into a strict league of friendship O sweet Iesus When I shall tell my Lady-Abbesse what I haue seene ô how will shee enuie my good fortune What a longing desire will shee haue till shee see that face of yours and be made so happy as to enioy your good companie By the life of her that left me here behinde her and as her soule is there where those eternall tapers continually burne let the pocks consume my iaw-bones if I be not a Bawd to these your loues because I haue a great minde to bring you together and that yee should dearely loue each other I will not faile hereafter to visite you oftner you are a pearle of that price that I cannot choose but loue you make much of you and desire to serue you After these words and many other full of ceremony and complement she tooke her leaue and went away with her gold And from that time forward euery second or third day shee made one errand or other thither one while for gold another saying that she past that way telling Bonifacio that she should be guilty to her selfe of neglect that she should commit treason to her owne heart if she should passe that way and not performe a visit to that good Angell of his being the onely Saint of her sexe to whose shrine shee did owe all respect and reuerence At other times she would excuse her comming by bringing her some rarity or other and whilest shee was talking with her goe disposing and preparing of her that she would of her owne accord goe one day and make merry at the Monastery Now when she had moulded things to her mind and thought that this fine peece of gold was fit for the hammering she tooke a walke thither on Munday morning carrying along with her two pretty little baskets the one hauing in it some Conserues and the like toyes the other some fruits of that season the first and the best that were to be found vpon their first comming Which shee presented her withall telling her because they were fruits of their owne garden and the first they had gathered her Lady Abbesse thought they could not be better bestow'd on any then her selfe And that withall she had a double request vnto her The first that the next insuing Munday being the feast of the glorious Saint Iohn Baptist and the Sunday before it their first Vespers she would be pleased to doe her the fauour to stay those two daies with her in the Monasterie doing penance there with her which she might the more conueniently doe in regard that she had no occasion of businesse during those two Holy-dayes and besides the Nunnes after they had ended their feasts were amongst them-selues to represent a Comedy And that the Abbesse would take no pleasure nor contentment in it if she would not doe her this fauour to come and see it acted and that other principall Gentle-women that were of kinne to the Nunnes were likewise to come thither and that they should goe all along together bearing each other company The other that she might haue three pound of her best and finest gold to make tufts and tassels for a rich cloath that was to be vsed before the Altar desiring her if it were possible that shee might haue the choisest and the finest for that purpose that was to be got To this of the gold Dorotea made answer she could and would doe that for her with a very good will for this quoth she is in my power to performe I could likewise be content to cumply with whatsoeuer my Lady Abbesse shall be pleased to command me but this is not in mine but my husbands hands You know Sister Sabina that I am not Mistresse of my selfe I am vnder anothers command and therefore in this you must aske my good-mans leaue it is hee that can giue you an I or a No whether I shall goe or stay To whose will I must and euer shall conforme my selfe This were fine in good faith said then Sabina if your husband should deny vs so small and so faire a request as this Let me neuer thriue if I goe out of doores these eight daies vnlesse hee giue you leaue Say your selfe doth it stand with reason to omit the mentioning of common ciuility and good manners that one onely request which my Mistris makes vnto you being besides the first that euer she made vnto you so earnest a one and so iust that you should lose all respect towards her person and her kindnesse as to deny her so sleight a courtesie desiring as shee doth her saluation to inioy such a paradise as your selfe Fie Sabina hold thy peace said Dorotea be not so prophane nor doe not flout your poore friend for I am old Old said Sabina yes yes you bee very old indeed Let mee die of your disease You might as well haue told me that the Spring is the end of the yeare and that Lent is Christmas But let vs leaue off iesting As old as you are God grant your husband may long inioy you and giue you the fruit of his blessings And therefore without any more adoe I pray grant our request for I meane to goe away with this good bargaine that my mistresse may con me thanke for it O how much will she make of this pretty little Rogue Bonifacio and Dorotea fell a laughing to see her so pleasant while hee with a cheerefull countenance not seeing the Snake that lay lurking in the grasse nor the ambush that was laid for him suspecting no harme and the lesse in regard of the great confidence that he had in his wife said Well followed in good faith Now by my life Sabina hath pleaded hard in this cause and hath handsomly bestirr'd her-selfe shee must not be denyed for this once especially being it is my Lady-Abbesses pleasure to haue it so And therefore I prithee sweet Heart goe and recreate thy selfe there those
consciences were seared so that we had no great sense or feeling of it I well wot that all the while I continued this wicked course of life I did neuer truly confesse my sinnes and if I did come to Confession I did not doe it as I ought to haue done and performed that duty for no other cause in the world but to satisfie the Parish and to auoid Excommunication Wilt thou see whether it be so or no Consider whether I euer promist to make restitution whensoeuer it should be in my power to doe it Or whether I had likewise a purpose to amend my lewd and wicked life when at that time there were fifteene twenty or more bonds a foot of the like nature and yet did I neuer goe my selfe nor vse any diligence by others to acquaint those that were thus bound that such and such a bond was vnlawfull and that I had grated vpon them with a griping and biting Vsury and that for to cleare my conscience and that I might worthily receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Communion I would abate them of the ouer-plus and make good all that which I had wrongfully and vnlawfully taken from them And how that I would restore vnto them besides all that which I had for that it was all stolne and had nothing that I could iustly and truly say was mine owne And if afterwards when they came to pay me I had no relenting in me nor did not returne them any thing backe againe what an intention must this be Certainly as bad as bad may be This truly is that which I ought to haue done but I did it not nor is it in vse now-adayes to doe such good things as these God if it be his will giue vs a due acknowledgement of our sinnes And I verily perswade my selfe that if then at that time I had finished this my life my soule had assuredly gone downe to hell and beene condemned to fry in that eternall fire O your Vsurers they are a wicked generation of Vipers they haue neyther any conscience nor any feare of God O what a braue and what a sure marke is this to shoot at Howneere am I now to the drawing of mine arrow vp to the head And how doe these traiterous villaines these Caterpillers ofa Common-wealth stand peeping and watching to see how and where I meane to hit O what a temptation doe I feele what a strugling doe I finde in my selfe what adoe to pull in this hand and arme of mine from letting fly my whole sheafe of arrowes at them and so to wound and gall them on all sides that I leaue no part about them vntoucht and no bone in their whole body vnbroken For in regard that I am as they say Ladron de casa a house-thiefe one of the same stamp I know them as well as they know them-selues am not only acquainted with their actions but euen with their very thoughts secrets of their hearts Will you giue me leaue to giue them a gentle nip and that I make them to see their owne perdition and put them into such a great confusion that they shall not know in the world what to doâ—… with them-selues I know that ye will not and I also know why you will not But if I shall speake the truth I must plainly tell you Riches are the cause of all this But when they are ill gotten in what misery liues the soule of such a one Certainly it is in a very bad case And hence it commeth to passe that couetous men too much deuoted vnto riches incurre infinite troubles perils and hazards And therefore to free himselfe from this danger and the better to secure himselfe Crates the Thebane that most famous Philosopher with an vndaunted courage bound vp in one pack or fardell together all the gold other such precious Iewels as he had with great fury threw them into the sea saying get you gone ô ye riches into the bottome of the sea lest you drench me in the deepe I had rather drowne you then you should drowne me But this great Philosopher by his leaue did herein me-thought very ill Much better had he done if he had distributed these his goods amongst the poore but in doing that which he did he gaue vs therby to vnderstand the great trouble that gold bringeth with it so that to him it seemed a farre lesser inconuenience to remaine poore then to liue in so many griefes and afflictions as riches occasion in those that possesse them What other thing is it to enter with consideration into the minde of the rich then to enter into a fearfull prison where within we see men imprisoned laden with irons bound with chaines fetter'd manacled and girt about the necke with collars of iron wherewith they are brought before the Iudge And how many then are the afflictions and the torments of these miserable and wretched men thus incarcerated and compassed in with strong wals and hard chains And how much more are they opprâ—…ssed and how much heauier are their shackles who Ioue riches and those most bound who most abound in them And as there is more compasiion had of those which are in these miseries and are thus fast bound and painfully laden with bolts manacles collars and chaines of iron about their feeâ—… hands necks and their whole body throughout So much more pitie is there to be taken of the rich and see how much the richer hee is and the more wealth hee hath about him and all those good things which his heart desireth yet for all this are we not to account him a rich and wealthy man but rather wretched and vnfortunate For besides the prison wherein he liues miserable as he is he findes himselfe attended and guarded with a barbarous and cruell keeper which is the loue of riches And if it so happen that thou fall at any time into their hands there is no getting out of their clutches but that they may keepe thee safe when they haue thee and that thou maist not escape from them they will haue three or foure strong doores shut vpon thee and as many great chaines to make all sure besides locks and keyes with I know not how many double wards and bits that all the picklockes in the world that euer haue beene shall or will be shall not be able to open these doores and set thee free from thence And yet these wretched creatures are so blinded in the pleasure which they take in this their imprisonment that they neuer thinke vpon it nor seeke to get out but are content to continue in it all the dayes of their life Bonaâ—…enture saith that he who hath once set his affection on gold can hardly with-draw his loue from it King Dauid saith That our soule cleaueth vnto the dust and that our belly trayleth on the ground and is as it were fastned and glued to the earth Vnfolding thereby the affection which we haue to
things may I style my selfe vnfortunate First in this my mariage though on my part I did vse all possible meanes to obserue the lawes therof Secondly that hauing done penance so long a time with her and hauing lost all my wealth I had not any acquittance of receipt vnder her hand no not so much as a childe by her whereby I might haue recouered her dowry Howbeit I haue no great cause to complaine much for this for the vnhappinesse of her death made my life happy For there is no burthen so heauy as the insupportable waight of a froward wife As a certaine passenger plainly gaue vs to vnderstand who being vpon a voyage at Sea and a great storme arising the Master of the Shippe gaue order that they should presently lighten the Shippe and throw the heauiest commodities ouer-board for the sauing of their liues The passenger hearing him say so tooke his wife vp in his armes and threw her into the sea The Iustice going afterwards about to punish him for this his offence he excused him-selfe saying That the master of the ship had commanded him so to doe And that amongst all the merchandize that hee had aboord there was not any that waighed so heauy as his wife which was the cause that hee threw her into the Sea And it pleased God that they had faire weather after it Now turne your eyes vpon my father-in-Law who neuer had any difference with me but did cherish and comfort me as if I had beene his owne naturall sonne and taking alwayes part with me against his daughter and would euer chide and reprehend her and when he saw his fatherly admonitions could not reclaime her nor worke any good vpon her he would neuer come within her doores But howsoeuer he did hate her conditions in conclusion she was his daughter and children are those tables that are sawen and hewen as it were out of the fathers heart And though they cause their sorrow yet they loue them dearely He mourned much for her but we remained friends Wee buried this vnhappy woman for that must be her name and did that was sitting for her soule And within a few dayes after we parled of parting Company for he would that I should returne that vnto him which he had giuen me with his daughter I did not stand off but gaue him all that he had giuen me and in better case then he consigned it vnto me He kindly thankt me we leuel'd our accompts remaining still as good friends as euer we were heretofore CHAP. IIII. Guzman de Alfarache being now a Widower resolues to goe to Alcala de Henares to study the Artes and Diuinity that he might make him-selfe fit to say Masse And hauing fulfilled all his tearmes and duly heard his Lectures hee leaues all and marries againe FOR to tumble downe a stone from the top of a hill euery mean mans strength will serue with the touch as they say of his little finger hee will make it to roule to the ground But if the same stone were to be drawne out of some deepe Well many men would not be able to fetch it forth and great diligence must be vsed for the getting of it vp For to make my selfe fall from that good estate wherein I was and to run head-long out of my wealth and credit my wifes wastfulnesse was enough to turne me going but to get my selfe vp againe to the same height wherein I was before I had need of the helpe of other the like Vnkles and Kinsfolke such another Genoa and Milane or that another Sayavedra should come and liue with me or that the same man should rise againe for I neuer lighted on the like seruant or companion for my turne by whose helping hand I might haue beene raised vp as high as euer I was and restored to a better estate then before But wanting these good helpes I lay buryed and whelmed-ouer head and eares in a well of miseries Goods and riches the slower they are in comming the quicker they are in going They are gathered with a great deale of leasure but 〈◊〉 scattered away in haste All at this present whatsoeuer it be in this world it is all subiect to mutation it being fuller of alterations then any thing else Let not the rich man therefore rest too secure nor yet the poore man despaire For the wheele is as slow in comming vp as in going downe and as quickly emptieth as fils the Buckets that it bringeth vp The excessiue expences of my house had stript me of all both my iewels and my money My wife might with a good conscience if she had had it considering what I suffered for her sake and the troubles which by her exorbitancies lighted vpon me haue left mee some small part of her portion which she might lawfully haue done where-with at least I might had I beene so disposed being a sole and retired man haue driuen some small trade attended my old occupation of vsury or emploied my selfe in some one thing or other to haue pickt out a poore liuing and to beginne the world anew to see if I could recouer this my weaknesse whereinto by her meanes I was fallen and now brought so low But not onely in this particular occasion but in all the rest that offered them-selues vnto mee with my friends and acquaintance I might say that which Simonides said He had two coffers or chests in his house and was wont to say vsing to open them at certaine times that when he opened that of cares and troubles from which hee thought and hoped to reape some profit it fell out contrary to his expectation finding nothing but his labour for his paines and of that it was brim-full but that wherein the Graces were kept who should haue recompenced him for his good seruices he could get nothing thence but had the ill lucke to find it alwayes empty This Philosopher and my selfe were equally vnfortunate and it seemeth that the influence of one and the same Starre had lighted on vs both For albeit I did ouermore labour to helpe and benefit others not considering the good or hurt that might come thereof and without taking the counsell of those who say Haz bien y guarte Doe well for others but yet looke to thy selfe so may I also say That I neuer washt that head that I had any other reward for my paines but scabs and scurffe And albeit I had felt the smart of it and paid soundly for this my folly yet I could not hold my hand but wilfully persisted in mine owne wayes for being made drunke with the delight that I tooke therein I did not seeke to repayre the hurt it had done mee For as it is an easie matter to strip a drunken man out of his cloathes so is it hard to doe the same vpon him that is sober They may rifle him that sleepes but not him that is awake I did neuer stand vpon my
error For euer since the fall of our first parents with that Leauen of theirs was the whole lumpe and masse of mankind made sowre and corrupted with these their hereditary vices the frame of this humane horologe was so broaken and put out of order that there was not one whole wheele left to answer one another nor any spring remaining whereby to giue it motion But was so vtterly spoiled so rent and torne in pieces and so wholly out of all frame and order as if it had beene a cleane contrary thing so differing was it now from that first setled estate wherein God had created it the alteration of this its truer course arising from mans disorderly disobedience From hence grew that blindnesse in his vnderstanding that forgetfulnesse in his memory that defect in his will that disorder in his appetite that deprauednesse in his Actions that deceit in his senses that weaknesse in his strength and those paines and torments in his greatest delights and pleasures A cruell squadron of sore and fierce enemies who as soone as God hath infused our soules into our bodies incompassing vs on euery side violently set vpon vs and so hotly assaile vs with the sweet enticements of sin faire promises and the false apparances of foule and filthy pleasures that they ouer-throw all goodnesse in vs and so taint and corrupt our soules that they put them quite out of that good course for which they were created So that it may be said of the soule that it is composed of two contrary parts the one rationall and diuine and the other of naturall corruption And forasmuch as the flesh on that side whereto it inclines is weake fraile and so full of imperfection sinne hauing so wholly infected it cleane throughout hence is it come to passe that imperfection and disorder is as it were naturall vnto vs. And such and so great is this extreame that man cannot account any conquest greater then the subduing of his passions Great is his courage whosoeuer he be that can resist them and bring them vnder in regard of that mortall warre and infernall enmity which is and still will be betweene our Reason and our Appetite For our Appetite perswadeth vs vnto that which is most agreeable to our nature to that which doth best like and please vs and to things of that quality which we take pleasure to treat of and haue a desire to obtaine them Whereas on the contrary Reason is like vnto a Schoole-master who that she may the better correct vs goes alwayes with a rod of reprehension in her hand condemning the ill which wee commit But wee like little children play the Trâ—…ants and flye from this Schoole for feare of correction when wee doe amisse and runne a-mouching eyther to our Aunts house or our grandfathers where wee are made much of and suffered to play the wantons Thus often if not alwayes Reason remaineth which ought not so to be in vassallage and slauery to our Appetite Which when it hath once gotten so great a power and dominion ouer vs that of filthy Loue being so vehement so violent so powerfull so proper to this our being so solely and wholly ours so sutable to our disposition so glued and wedged to our nature that to breathe or liue is not more proper vnto vs it must of necessitie follow that it is the hardest passion to represse the terriblest enemy that wee haue to deale withall and who with most strength and greatest force comes vpon vs assaults vs and subdues vs. And albeit it be true that Reason holding as shee doth her ancient place of preheminence is wont sometimes to hinder by her great wisedome and valour the sodaine working of a looke although it haue the power of potent causes to assist and further the same that it may not easily and as it were in a trice rob vs of our will before wee are aware putting a man in an instant besides himselfe yet as already hath beene said for as much as the Appetite and the Will are such sure marke-men so free so Lord-like being neuer yet taught to obey nor acknowledge any Superiour it is an easie thing for them hauing Loue on their side to worke whatsoeuer effects and in such forme and manner as shall seeme best to stand with their owne liking And because likewise there is not any thing which doth not naturally appeterc bonum desire that which is good and that euery action which wee vndergoe is in regard of that good which represents it selfe vnto vs or that happinesse wee finde to be in it wee euermore desire to obtaine the same and ioyne it vnto vs side as they say to side nay wee would if it were possible out of this our earnest desire conuert it and incorporate it into our owne substance From hence then this Conclusion may be gathered That for a man to fall in loue there is no such force or necessitie in it that there should some distance of time interpose it selfe that some discourse ensue thereupon or that there be any election or deliberation had in the matter but that vpon the very first veiw that onely sole single and primary sight there may ioyntly concurre in both a correspondencie or consonancie or as we here in Spaine commonly vse to call it Vna confrontacion de sangre a confronting or conformitie of the blood wherin the starres by a particular influence are wont to worke and doe often moue vs thereunto For being that these beames doe dart themselues by the eyes from the heart they take infection from that which they finde before them especially if those they encounter withall be like vnto their owne and returning presently backe againe to the very selfe-same place from whence they were sent forth as they draw these in with them to the heart so doe they portrait and ingraue therein that fayre obiect which they saw and desired And because it seemeth to the Appetite to be a noble pledge and well worthy the buying at any rate or price whatsoeuer esteeming it as a thing of infinite value it presently enters into treaty how he may come to inioy the same freely offring for it and with a very good will the greatest treasure and riches that hee hath which is his Liberty his heart being made prisoner by that Lord whom himselfe admitted into his bosome And in that very instant that this bonum or this thing be it what it will bee comes to be beloued and entertained by vs it is likewise to be considered that man doth forthwith apply his vnderstanding to esteeme it as its summum bonum or chiefest happinesse and so desiring to haue it conuerted into himselfe is himselfe conuerted into that which he so much desireth Whence it commeth to passe that those very selfe-same effects which may be wrought by length of time getting ground vpon vs by continuation consideration and conuersation so also they may be occasioned in that instant that this contentment
euill meanes Nor doe I thinke that any man can escape such flawes as these whosoeuer hee shall be that shall sayle in the same Ocean Vpon the fame of this so rare a piece of beauty and the large licence that I had giuen her some Princes and Gentlemen belonging to the Court assumed the more liberty to themselues who had smelt out what a hungry and sauoury sent this rasher on the coales had with it they walke their Stations before my house messages are sent to and fro how-beit I am verily perswaded that there was neuer any friendship strooken with them nor any iust cause giuen whereat our yong Master might deseruedly take offence Yet notwithstanding seeing himselfe thus persecuted and as it were out-brau'd by others that were mightier and more powerfull then himselfe in wealth linage and gallantry he grew so exceeding iealous there-vpon that he was ready to runne out of his wits and had almost vtterly lost his iudgement He went about at the first to straine himselfe to stand in competition against them all exercising to this end extraordinarie liberalitie towards vs presenting vs with gifts of great price amounting to thousands of Ducats but when hee saw that hee could not contest with them nor bee able to resist so great force and power as theirs was vn-constrained without cause or any other iust exception in the world saue onely what his owne iealousie did suggest to his weake consideration he by little and little fell off and began to retire himselfe frighted thus from vs onely with a vaine shadow And sometimes I went considering with my selfe what a strange kinde of foole this was that in his heatfull humour set on fire with filthy Lust hee should so eagerly follow the chase and hunt with that violence after such dishonesties as these to his both so great cost and vexation of minde I laught at him as also at the poorenesse of his wit and iudgement For if one or the Malds of my house had come vnto him crauing something of him that was of good worth hee would very willingly and freely bestow it vpon them but if by chance a poore man should come vnto him and begge but halfe a Royall of him for Gods sake he would not sticke to deny it him All of vs receiued the reward wee deserued we were paid in our owne coyne The Master whom wee serued for to inrich vs had made himselfe poore and we through our ill gouernment could not continue rich so that like ruinous buildings we fell altogether to the ground Our first man had left the field and was fled and now those other Gallants come on amaine for the greater those persons are who are priuy to their greatnesse and truely vnderstand their owne strength and worth so much the more free they are in that which they pretend and thinke that all other men must giue way to them I could haue told them or demanded of them Sir what seruice doe I owe you What haue you throwne vpon mee whereby to binde me vnto you What good did you euer doe mee Why then should you expect that I should wait vpon you with my workes words and thoughts And which is worst of all besides that they are bad Pay-masters they vse vs harshly and beare themselues so proudly as if we were in debt to them and had an execution to enter by force vpon my house my wife and all that I had So lawlesse was this their liberty so vnciuill their proceeding that within a few dayes after we fell into the hands of the Iustice. A graue Minister of the State came to know what had past amongst vs You may haply haue heard how the Lyon once vpon a time hauing admitted all the other beasts into his Company and hauing in a generall hunting kill'd a Hart when they came to the distribution and sharing of it he out of his absolute authoritie and Princely prerogatiue adiudg'd it wholly to himselfe Iust so did this Minister deale with mee And that hee might haue somewhat the better colour to doe as he did he began Lyon-like with a little roaring as if hee had meant to quarrell with vs. When I knew the course where-vnto hee tended I presently had recourse vnto him complaining of such and such wrongs that were offered vnto me boasting my selfe to bee a Gentleman and one that was anciently descended of the Gothes And hee cunning as he was who desired nothing more then that I should thus come vnto him gaue me kinde entertainment and causing me to sit downe side by side with him he began to aske of me what Country-man I was I told him that I was of Seuill O said hee of Seuill The best Countrey in all the world Then began he to treat of that Citie indearing it very much vnto mee as if by his commendation of it I should haue receiued a great deale of honour or profit thereby Hee demanded of mee what my Parents were and how they were called And when I had named them vnto him he told mee that they had beene his very good friends and acquaintance making a long discourse vnto me how when he was Iudge there he had sentenced a certaine sute in his fauour And he farther told mee that he did assure himselfe that my Mother was still liuing to whom hee was well knowne in her yonger dayes In a word hee proceeded so farre with me in these and like kinde of complements that there was nothing wanting to make it full and complete but his acknowledging himselfe to be my neere Kinsman Which I did still looke for especially when I saw him come to such particulars and that hee could tell me such and such tokens which made me to say with my selfe Omnia possunt potentes What cannot your great men doe And now I am falne vpon this Theame I cannot but call to minde a certaine Iudge who hauing most faithfully vs'd his Iudicature and exercised his Office with a great deale of integritie his time of residencie being expired and that he was to render an account as the custome is of his Gouernment they could not charge him with anything saue only for his wenching and for being a little too much subiect to this humane frailtie for which being sharpely reprehended he made answer That when he was recommended by them to this Office they had only giuen him in charge that hee should deale vprightly and truly administer Iustice which he most faithfully performed and that no man could taxe him of the contrary Would yee therefore be pleased to peruse my Letters and to looke vpon the Contents of my Commission and if there amongst other my instructions you shall finde that I was by vertue of them inioyned Chastitie I shall most willingly submit my selfe to your censure and indure such punishment as yee shall be pleased to inflict vpon me So that because this clause was not expresly specified in his Commission nor any particular mention
away either for other Ware or ready money as others did This kinde of trading my Mother was not so well pleas'd with shee did not like well of it as well for that she had neuer vs'd it in all her life as also for that she would not willingly now in her old Age runne the hazzard of so foule an affront Where-vpon shee resolued with her selfe once more to open shop and see what good she could doe by her old Trade shee and the young Wench which she liu'd withall before being agreed to become partners and equally to share all gaines betweene them O how glad was shee when shee saw my Mother come within her doores how did she hugge and imbrace her as if shee had brought in the Indies with her or were the onely Physician to recouer the sicke and decayed estate of her low-brought fortunes hauing no such vtterance of her Ware nor nothing the like doings now as when shee liu'd with her I my Mother being now gone from mee quickly brought my selfe acquainted with some other good fellowes with whom I might merrily passe my life till fortune should change and the times grow better These my Camerades I fitted them with inuention plotted their businesses for them assisted them in all occasions with my person went along with them to the Townes and Villages neere adioyning And whatsoeuer else we did chance to light vpon by the way wee did neuer likely misse in some of the backe Courts belonging to their houses a good Buck of Cloathes which together with their Flasket wee made to vanish and dis-appeare in an instant We had in the Suburbs and the Triana certaine knowne houses places of purpose for receit where without entring into the Citie wee did pitch our Pikes and make a Stand. There did we dry our cloathes and being cleane washt and handsomely folded vp by little and little wee conuay'd them into the Citie one while through the gates another while ouer the walles after mid-night was past when the Iustice had done walking the Round and was retyred home For those garments of Cloth and of Silke which by our industrie we had purloyned heere and there as we could come to lay hands on them we had knowne Brokers for them to whom we sold them at a reasonable good price losing little or nothing of what they were worth which being once deliuered vp into their hands they well knew that they would passe for currant as goods that had beene gotten in a iust warre and were their crafts-masters in altering the forme and fashion of them to the end that they might not be knowne for feare of after-claps For we had no other obligation but to giue them good wares for their money dry and well-conditioned putting it within the doores of their houses free from taxe and tallage and all other paiments leauing them to bee freely inioyed by them Your cleane white linnen had quicke dispatch in regard of the good conueniencie that was offered vs to come easily by it as also for that it was very good chaffer to trafficke away with strangers And in this manner did we maintaine our selues brauely and went well cleere away with it One time I remember in the Winter there was such a continued raine without intermission that none did dare to goe out of doores so that the owners of those houses keeping themselues within all commoditie of visiting them was taken away from vs whereby money beganne to grow scant with vs. It was my hap at that time as I was passing along through a certaine street that I espide all the fore-part of a house quite falne downe to the ground I askt whose house that was They told mee it was a Gentle-womans that was a Widdow I vvent and sought her out and desired her That seeing there was no body dwelt in her house she would giue mee leaue to goe in and lodge there promising her to looke carefully vnto it She good Woman being afraid lest the whole house should come tumbling downe about my eares told mee That I vvere best take heed vvhat I did least the house should chance to fall As for that I answered againe it made no great matter for that there was an vpper roome which as I conceiu'd was strong and sure inough where-into I might safely retire my selfe telling her besides That such as were poore as I was had no cause of feare or losse life being to them rather a burthen then otherwise and was the thing which of all other they could best spare Where-vpon very willingly she gaue me leaue so to doe And I presently without any more adoe got mee in and within some foure dayes after there was not a doore which I had not vnhindged nor a locke which I had not ripped off The next day after I got me into the street of San Saluador and there I caůs'd it to bee openly cry'de at the Crosse that whosoeuer vvould buy foure or fiue thousand Tyle-stones he should repaire vnto me for I had authority to sell them vnto them At that time there was not a Tyle to be got in all the whole Towne for any money Anon after came posting vnto mee three or foure Masons and Brick-layers and happy was he that could come first all of them earnestly striuing which of them should haue the bargaine out of each others hands and were ready to goe together by the eares about it Well they came to agreement with mee for fiue Marauedis a Tyle and bringing them to the house I made show of them vnto them telling them that I was the Mayor-domo or Steward of the house and that my Mistresse was minded to pull it quite downe to the ground and build it all new after another manner Besides these of mine which I made my selfe Master of for the time I shewd them others of our next neighbours ioyning house to house with vs being so neere the other as they seemed to be fellowes which likewise they were to haue away with them They gaue me six hundred Royals in good ready coyne vpon condition that I should make vp my tale of Tyles to the full number of fiue thousand telling me that the next day they would come and fetch them away When I had my money I hasted away to the Mistresse of the house and said vnto her that it was great pittie that she had giuen leaue to her Mayor-domo to make sale of all the doores and tyles that couered her houses Whereupon she grew into a great rage and kept a foule coyle about it saying She had no Mayor-domo nor yet knew who had any such authoritie to doe it Thereupon I told her That your Worship then may know who it is that takes this vpon him I haue beene already commanded to get me out of the house and that I must haue nothing to doe there any more Wherefore I must be inforced to looke out a lodging else-where For to morrow very early those
good reputation which like a stalking horse I made vse of the better to get other mens goods into my hands How often haue I diuided a loafe of bread in twaine when I was no whit hungry but as full as my belly could hold and of that which remained as if it were a thing to be lost or to be cast away to the dogges did I part in a thousand pieces and bestow it afterwards on the poore Nor did I giue it vnto those who I knew had most need of it but to those by whose mouthes I knew it would be most spoken of and divulged to the world And how often hauing a bloudy heart and a damnable intention being naturally cowardly timorous and feeble did I pardon and put vp iniuries putting them in publike to Gods account mine owne thoughts secretly condemning me did I in secret dissemble them not sticking to say in publike God be thanked for it when I was truly inwardly offended and that no other thing in the world did hinder my reuenge but that I was fearefull and found my selfe vnable to put it in execution But the coales thereof were aliue and did burne within my soule whose flames I had much adoe to suppresse How often at other times did I shew my selfe an abstinent and orderly faster not for any other thing in the world then to seeme to bee such a one and that I might spend lesse and spare the more But when I did eate at another mans cost or spend vpon another mans Purse I did then swallow downe my victuals like a Cormorant then I had a Wolfe in my belly and was still afraid that I should neuer haue enough I did continually visit the Churches I would often both goe and send to the Prisons only to get my selfe credit amongst the Officers there and such other Ministers as belonged vnto them and not for to doe any good offices for the Prisoners or any gratefull worke vnto God But rather to the end that if it should be my ill hap at one time or other to come thither being formerly knowne by them they might vse me the more kindely and beare me the better respect If I repaired to the Hospitals if I went vpon Pilgrimage if I did frequent places of Deuotion kissing nay gnawing as it were the Altars out of a hungry zeale if I would not lose a Sermon nor a Iubilee nor any publike deuotion all those steps that I trod and all that paines that I tooke were only directed to the getting me a good name to the intent that vnder the colour thereof I might the better coozen my neighbour and take his cloake from off his backe Moreouer I must not forget to tell you that diuers things were now and then told me and those very secret ones touching such or such a person the which were kept so close that when afterwards when I did chance to talke with those persons whom they concerned counselling them to leaue off such and such courses or rather correcting and reprouing them for it they imagined of me that I had come to the knowledge of them by some diuine reuelation And so by indirect wayes and a seeming kinde of holinesse in mee I gaue them to vnderstand their faults by which meanes I got my selfe a great deale of reputation especially amongst the women who after these things and Gypsies runne as swift as the winde being facill in beleeuing and nimble in publishing Out of whose mouthes my praise and commendation went spreading it selfe abroad Many a time and oft when some poore body was willing to vse my helpe making especiall choyse of me as one that was well esteemed and reputed of all men I would stand in the open street with a Dish in my hand publikely begging Almes for him of those that I was acquainted withall and hauing got a pretty round summe of money I gaue him the least part of it and kept the rest to my selfe I lickt vp the Creame and left him the Whey When I was minded to doe some notable villanie the first thing that I went about for the better effecting of such a businesse was to get me a very faire and goodly large Iesuiticall cloake wherewith to couer it and for the better dissembling of it I would put on all the gestures of outward Sanctity as submission mortification and good example hauing the true turning vp of the white of mine eye a sober looke a graue vtterance seldome spetting but when I was to speake to the purpose a broad-waking Hat a little Band and a lesse paire of Breeches And with this kinde of habit and posture I bore the Ball before me and tript vp the heeles of all those that stood in my way Which if in nothing else yet was it plainly to be seene in this that I had there-with so easily deceiued this holy man this good honest Frier that wisht me so well nay had already done so well for me Nor did I only doe him this harme alone but a greater mischiefe followed vpon the necke of it That he by no meanes lost that good opinion which the world had of him But say hee had not lost it and admit that hee kept it whole and sound as before yet what a villanous instrument was I and what iust cause had I giuen of preiudicing and that in no meane measure the credit and reputation of so honest and innocent a creature as he was Well he had now placed me with this Gentle-woman being verily perswaded of me that I would doe her all true and faithfull seruice as he might very well presume by those particular Actions which I had made shew of vnto him of this my rare and singular shall I say knauerie or perfection Well what so e're I was I am sure he tooke mee to be a very honest man He gaue his word for me and trusted me with much of his owne I could not lacke any thing if it lay in his power to pleasure me so good an opinion had he conceiued of me She willingly vpon his recommendation receiu'd me into her seruice Shee trusted me with her wealth and her familie Shee had ordained a very good lodging for me prouided a delicate soft bed for me and all other necessaries that were fitting for mee Shee vsed mee in all things else not as a seruant but as a Kinsman and as such a one for whose sake she did verily beleeue that God would throw many fauours vpon her Sometimes she would intreat me to say an Aue-Mary for the health and good successe of her Husband I made answer to all her demands as if I had beene some Oracle and with such a deale of mortification that I made her many times to shead teares By this meanes I came to coozen her to rob her and which was worst of all to iniure her by wronging her house For you shall vnderstand that this Gentle-woman had a certaine faire white slaue none I wisse of these blacke Moores
â—…abatur 〈◊〉 in belio vâ—… properâ—…nt ad hospitium Dicitur autem Buleta quasi Bula pequeâ—…na à 〈◊〉 Buletâ—… Et â—…rat Scriptura breuis mandatoâ—…a qualis est bulla 〈◊〉 â—…uzmans cunning whâ—… hee seru'd the Captaine b The chiâ—…e Câ—… in Cataluâ—…na founded 230. yâ—…res before the 〈◊〉 of Câ—…st It was first called Barzino of a great â—…age that builded 〈◊〉 â—…f wâ—… descended the great Aâ—…lcar I resently vpon that 〈◊〉 And now Barçelona The â—…omanes afterwards called it Fauentia But came in time to recouer it's old name Vid. Aâ—…r Hort. Vâ—…rb Barcino Ant. Augustin Dialogo 70. de nummis antiquis Guzman comes to Barçelona a Agnus Dei Is Christ our Redâ—…emer called a Lambe not proprietate sed similitudine As in many places he is called a Vine a Rocke a Doore a Shepbeard a Lyon c. â—…t in regard of his meeknesse vnspottednesse chastitie innocence and obedience as also for that he was sacrificed vp to his heauenly Father for the sinnes of mankinde with a great deale of proprietie hee is called the Lambe And the Romane Church in the Sacrifice of the Masse before the holy Communion was instituted did say or sing this Prayer Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi c. And Iohn Baptist did signe it with this name Ecce Agnus Dei c. Agnus Dei is likewise a holy reâ—…cke which the Pope blesses and consecrates the first yeere of his Papacie and so afterwards from seuen yeeres to sâ—… yeeres It belongetâ—… to the Sexton and the Chaplaine to order and dispose the Waxe where-into they put Los cirios Pascuales the yeere before And with great curiositie neatnesse and reuerence and in different Moldes they take forth these Agnos of different bignesse and diuers Figures both on the one and the other side they haue the Lambe whence this reâ—…cke takes 〈◊〉 name And being presented to his Holinesse he blesses them in the Chappell and consecrates them with great Ceremonie 〈◊〉 them into Vessels of Holy-water which he hath blessed powring vpon them Balme and the Crisme or holy Oyle saying many Prayers ouer them It is said that Pope Vâ—…ban the fift sent an Agnus Dei to the Emperour of Greece with certaine 〈◊〉 Verses wherein he declareth the excellencie of this holy Relicke as that it is good against tempest Fire Lightning Thunder and Pestilence and against the assaults of the Deuill and therefore ought to â—…ee had in great reuerence Vide Couarâ—…as Verb. Agnus Dei * A fine tricke put by Guzman vpon a Gold-smith in Barçelona that was a great 〈◊〉 a The Spanish phrase is haziendole el juego Manna That is when one goes deferring the conclusion of a businesse because he knowes it will goe against him for that his cause is not good Couarruuias Verb. Manna Amo proditiorem proditorem odi The nature of 〈◊〉 The Poore mans Epithâ—… and his wretched condition The rich mans Epitâ—…ices and his condition a The Spanish 〈◊〉 Cubâ—… 〈◊〉 vâ—…o 〈◊〉 de â—…las de Maâ—…ra del gadâ—… que se çinne conarâ—… y cercos y communemente se 〈◊〉 las cubâ—…s parâ—… echaâ—… en ellas el Vâ—…no Couarruuiaâ—… A man without money is a body without lifâ—… a The Spanish phrase is Que de atras le viene al garbanço el pico Which is rendred as I haue here set it downe Vide Couarruuias Verb Garbanço b The eâ—…ymologie of this word Godo or Gothe is diuers and comes of Gathia a Prouince so called Got also signifies a Father which is a phrase properly belonging vnto God If from bence we deriue the name of Gothes they must be men of esteeme as Heroes or good men Goet is as much as Good from Got qua voce Deum vocamus quia bonum à Deo descendit ad Deum deducit It is not aâ—…isse to thinke that Godo in it's Language signifies Good Some would haue it come of the Hebrew word Goi which is by interpretation Gens or Natio But fetch it whence you will I am sure of this that the Gothes were Lords of innumerable Prouinces and particularly of Spaine where they ruled a long time till the vnfortunate raigne of Don Rodrigo and of the Reliques of those which had retyred themselues into the Mountaines the Nobilitie of Spaine began anew to lift vp their heads which contiâ—…th to this day and is still in such estimation amongst them that when they will set forth the presumption of some vaineglâ—…us fellow they will aske him Si deciende de la casta de los Godos Whether he bee â—…ineally descended of the race of the Gothes a Couarruu The Spanish word is Marrano i. Porcus vnâ—…s anni Et Iudaeus recenter conuerâ—…s ad Christianismum cum Hispanis vocatâ—…r Marrano A notable pleasant trick put vpon Guzman by a Genoes a Arambal is a Moorish word and is a 〈◊〉 sort of Hangings A grande offerta grande pensamiento a Your Spanish Colchones are like our finer sort of English Matresses quilted with Wooll or Flaxe for in your 〈◊〉 Countries they vse no feather-beds a Tomar las calças de Villa diego Vale huyr mas que de passo This Prouerbe is in Celestine but it 's originall vnknowne But it should seeme Villa Diego was driuen to his shifts and not hauing time to put on his breeches was forced to flye away with them in his hand Couarr verb. Calças Guzman leaues Genoa and goes for Rome Anger and it's effects a Ronçes valles is a Monasterie built by King Don Sancho de Nauarra which he indowed with great Rents it is a Couent of Canâ—…s Regular who beare in their brests an Azure Crosse hauing the forme of a shepheards Crooke or Crosier staffe Heere was a great battell fought The said King lies buried in this Monasterie his body being brought from Tudela where he died b Vexigas are certaine Blisters which rise vpon the flesh through heate or some other accident and commonly grow on the feet of men or beasts with ouer much trauaile Couarruuias Bexiga c Necessitie and it's effects d Two sorts of Necessitie e Necessitie that inuites it selfe and the miserie thereof f Necessitie that comes not before shee bee inuited and the greatnesse thereof g Necessitie not necessited and the commendation thereof h â—…iuion 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 fellow that will not workeâ—… but goe from Towne to Towne from house to house to begge a piece of bread and a Dish of drinke It is a French word Bribeur Mendicus Briber Mendicare Couarruuias Italie a charitable Countrie Conoâ—…ia desde el Papa hasta el que estaua sin capa Prouerb * The Spanish word is Tenian la bola en cl embogue a Qui coquit facit turrones Turron Copta Crustulum A Bisket made with Honey Almonds small Nuts Waâ—…uts Kernels of Pine-Apples c. b Alfaxor is a Moorish word And is a kinde of Conserue made of Hony Spices and crummes of bread Couarr
Guzman playes away his cloaths Guzman hath new cloathes giuen him and is turn'd out of doores Proud ignorance and selfe-will much hurteth yong men Orejas de mercader i. Deafe eares A Prouerb The conuersation of the wicked destroyeth the soule Touching Hospitalitie Guests what manner of men they ought to be The Lawes of Hospitalitie Better is a little at home then a great deale of good cheere abroad Want of patience the cause of much euill The Starres doe not inforce a man to this or that All euill that befalls a man is for the most part occasioned by himselfe Guzman serues the French Embassadour Masters intertaine their seruants for diuers ends Guests how to be attended on by those that wait at the table Foolish and presumptuous persons not to be obserued by those that attend Men of good and bad behauiour to bee respected according as they are A tale of an Englishman A tale of a Spaniard who 〈◊〉 Guzman and shewes himselfe a 〈◊〉 knaue then hee Court Ier-Falcons what they be A pitifull and lamentable Aâ—…ident of two noble Louers in Rome Dorido and Clorinia a 〈◊〉 of faithfull Louers Valerio brother to Clorinia Scintila Seruant to Clorinia Priuatio generat appetitum a Mostrar las orejas fuera del pellejo is metaphorically an Asse CuÌ„pany makes the way lesse tedious The Author goes excusing himselfe Prouerb Chi riprende l'altrui diffeto viue con sospetto Prouerb a Mal seria si todos los Costales fuessen tales Principia prius quaerenda To begin things and not to goe thorow with them argues lightnesse Prouerb How a good son in Law ought to carry himselfe towards his father in Law a Mens whipping of themselues is vs'd by religious persons for to more fie the â—…sh and in remembrance of those stripes which our Sauiour suffered for vs. There are some that â—…sh themselues meerely out of Ostentation These are fooles and as abominable as Baals Priests The Prelates of the Church and other secular Mogistrates should take order to debarie those to goe in Procession that vse it so prophanely and to punish them seuerely for â—…ose their roâ—… excesses wâ—…ch I am asham'd to speake of an Germany there was a Sect of Herelikes called Flagellantes that were notable Villaines and Drunkards and condemned for such Vide Couarruuias Verb. Diciplinarse Lâ—…es haue euer the best attention Take the good and leaue the bad Looke well into thy selfe and let others alone Medice cura teipsum The hurt which ill gouernment â—…ses in great mens houses Tricks of Courtship a Alâ—…ondiga is a house appointed for Country people to bring their corne into the Citie and there to lay it vp It signifieth also a Ware house for merchandize where some bring in and some carry out Vid. Couarru pag. 48. Lawes were made for the wicked When a mans labour is lost b Roperia i. Locus Vestimentarius The â—…ery of soâ—… Tredes-men Receiuers of stoln goods The case of a carelesse traueller The diuers gusts and palates of men a The Spanish word is pie de la perdis but the other fits better with our phrase of â—…peach b Papelistas Los que son dados à entender en papeles Couarruuias A short tale of a couetous Spaniard The Spaniard generally carries a great command ouer his Wife The capriâ—…ious humours of some extrauagant persons Writers wherevnto they are likened Prouerb No writer can please all The Author approueth this to be his true Second Part. Prou. Nunca falta vn Gil que noâ—… persigua Dando à entender que aunque desista vn emulo no falta otro que se substituya ensu lugar No sooner one corriuall gone but another comes in his place The Authors end and purpose Of the order and end of this Booke And wherevnto it is likened Prouerb Con oro fino se cubre la pildora Why great men respect more a pleasant coâ—…ited fellow then a faithfull and painfull seruant Why great men study not vertue Why great Lords fauour flatterers Fooles and Iesters are sometimes necessary Prouerb When money is well spent A Iester a painefull kinde of Trader a The Spanish phrase is Qui-â—…tar el calçado y desnudar la camisa Necessary things for a Iester Tart iests take best Iests must not bee vnseasonable Sisneros Mançanos Two famous fellowes for their quicke wits A 〈◊〉 must apply himselfe to please others Guzman the 〈◊〉 man with his Master Why Iesters are to be permitted in Princes Courts Why Princes refuse the aduice of their Counsellors A good 〈◊〉 requires thankefulnesse A short Tale of a Nobleman that was much giuen to Lying a The Spanish word is Sesenta quentos Now vn quento is diez vezez cien mil. But that is not likely he had so much and therefore we set it 60000. Couarâ—…uuias verb. Contar. An answere of a sample Foole to a great Prince a Buenos beuedores y malos viuidores The vanitie of some great Men in rewarding Fooles and Iesters Why Counsellors of State speake not their mindes truly to their Masters Plaine speaking speedes not alwaies best Good labours ill requiâ—…ed Shallow 〈◊〉 neither good for themâ—…es nor others For what seruices the Embassadour made much of Guzman The Embassadours noble disposition His course to come to know what 〈◊〉 done 〈◊〉 and in Court The Spanish Refran Estaua sembrado y nacido vn pero He had one ill qualitie which did drowne all the rest I take that to be 〈◊〉 sense though I haue not elsewhere met with the 〈◊〉 of this 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 A taâ—… of a Cryer Another tale of a Doctor of Salamanca Touching 〈◊〉 Guzmans course of life in Rome Guzman an iâ—… instrument to his Masters desires Pages Dwarâ—… of 〈◊〉 vse A lesson to Widdowes Prouerb Del oçio naçe el negocio A lesson to Parents Prouerb Guzman his Masters Bawd a The Spanish word is Alcoâ—…ça â—…i vna costa de açucar refinado con mezcia de poluos cordiales Alcorcillas we call Pastillas de boca Vid. Couarruuias Verbo Alcorça False murmuration bites true kills Prouerb b Prouerb Tapiar a piedra lodo Mens censures not to be auoyded Prouerb Loâ—…e hardly remoued Prouerb A câ—…g tricke to defame in this manner Prouerb a Tenia como el melon la camâ—… hecha To passe things by with patients Of deceiuing and lying Of all mischiefes deceiâ—… is the greatest Foure manner of wayes of deceiuing The first A Tale of a Scholler of Alcala a In Spaine they doe not pay for the carriage of their Letters before-band but pâ—…t so much Port vnder the Superscription to bee paid by him that 〈◊〉 it The second a This is the fashion and language of the Iustice in Spaine when they walke the Round The third The fourth A pretty passage betwixt the Prince of Italy and a Poet. A Royall of eight iâ—… foure shillings English Many other dangerous deceits Proud fellowes Swaggerers Talking schollers Stationers Printers Old men Old women Young