that the same very evening we parted Yzupb's Galley was with a stiffe and strong winde driven to the same Isles of Pantanalea where wee likewise saw your Vessell but ours wee being not able to hinder it ranâ—e remedilesly upon the Rockes My Master then having his destruction before his eyes and that there was little or no hope of safety left with all possible haste emptied two Hogsheads which were full of water then stopped up the bung-holes very close and having bound the one to the other with good strong cords he seated me betweene them that done hee presently stript himselfe and taking another Hogshead spreading his armes over it and binding a rope about his middle causing the same to bee fastned to the Caskes whereon I sate bound with great courage hee rushed into the Sea towing mee after him I had not the heart to rush in after him which one of the Turkes seeing pushed mee forward with all his force and sent mee packing after Yzuph where I lay without any sense nor came againe to my selfe tall I found my selfe on Land in the armes of two Turkes who bowing my head and bodie towards the ground held me so a pretry space all that while great store of salt-water which I had swallowed downe comming forth at my mouth At last I opened mine eyes but as one amazed and looking about who should I see but Yzuph lying by me with his braines beaten out against the Rockes when hee had almost recovered the shoare where hee ended his life This I afterwards understood by the Turkes and they likewise told mee that taking hold of the Cord they drew mee on Land without receiving any further harme then what I mentioned before unto you of all the whole companie onely eight persons ascaped drowning Fight daies wee abode in the Island the Turkes using mee with as much respect as if I had beene their Sister if not more Wee kept our selves close in a Cave the Turkes fearing that if they should bee espied the Christians which had the command of the Fort which is in the Island would salley forth upon them and take them Captive They sustained themselves with wet bisket which the Sea had cast upon the shoare from out the broken bins of the Galley which they went forth to gather up by night that they might not be discovered Fortune had so ordered it for my great ill that the Fort was without a Captaine who died but a few daies before and in all the Fort there were not above twenty souldiers This we came to know by a youth which was captivated by the Turkes who came downe from thence to gather Cockles by the Sea-side At the eight daies end there arrived on that Coast a Vessell of the Moores which they call Caramucales the Turkes saw it's comming in and that they lay at Anchor a little off the Land and so made towards them making such signes to the Vessell which was not far off that they who were in her knew they were Turkes that called unto them Thereupon they sent out their Cock-boat and they recounted unto them their distresse and they received them into their Barque wherein came an exceeding rich Iew a Merchant and all the lading of the Vessell or the most part of it was his being fraughted with Carpets and Hides and other commodities which they bring from Barbary to the Levant In the said Vessell the Turkes went for Tripoli and in that Voyage they sold me to the Iew for two thousand Duckats an excessive prise if his love towards me had not made him so liberall which the Iew afterwards discovered unto me Leaving the Turkes after all this in Tripoli the Vessell tackt about to performe her Voyage and the Iew in most impudent manner fell to soliciting of mee but I shewed him such a countenance as his filthy desires deserved Seing himselfe then in despaire of obtaining his lustfull ends he resolved to rid himselfe of me upon the first occasion that should offer it selfe unto him And it comming to his knowledge that the two Bashaw's Ali and Hazan were in this Island where he might sell and vent his Merchaudize as well as in Xio whither he was bound he came hither with intention to sell me to one of the two Bashaw's and for this cause put mee into this dresse and weare wherein you now see me for to affectionate them the more unto me who should buy me I am given to understand that this Cadi hath bought me with purpose to carry me for a Present to the Great-Turke whereof I am not a little afraid Here I came to know thy feigned death and I must now tell thee if thou wilt believe me and believe me thou maist that it grieved me to the very soule and that I did more envie then pittie thee yet not out of any ill will that I bare unto thee though I did not answer thy love according to thy expectation for I shall never be ingratefull and dis-respective where I have found so much love and respect but because thou hadst then made an end of thy lives Tragedie Deare Leonisa answered Ricardo you say not amisse herein if death had not hindered the happines of my comming againe to see you esteeming more this instant of glorie which I enjoy in seeing you then any other happinesse saving that which is eternall which either in life or in death might assure unto me my desire The Cadi now my Master into whose power I am come by no lesse various accidents then yours beares the like fervent affection unto you as Halima doth to me hee hath made choice of mee to bee the interpreter of his thoughts I entertained the motion not for to doe him any pleasure thereby but that I might gaine the commoditie and conveniencie of speaking with you to the end that you may see Leonisa to what hard termes our misfortunes have brought us you to be the meanes of working an impossibilitie for you know my minde touching the motion you made unto mee and me to be likewise set a worke about such a businesse as I least dream't of and for which I would give rather then obtaine it my life which now I esteeme according to it's high worth and valew since that it hath had the happinesse to see you I know not what to say unto thee Ricardo replied Leonisa nor how we shall be able to get out of this intricate laborinth whereinto as thou sayest our hard fortune hath brought us onely I know to say thus much that we must be driven in this businesse to use that which is contrary to our condition and hatefull to honest mindes to wit dissembling and deceit And therefore say unto thee that I will acquaint Halima with some such words delivered by thee that shall rather entertaine her with hopes then drive her to dispaire Thou likewise shalt say of me to the Cadi that which thou shalt thinke most convenient for the securing of mine honour and the deceiving
sate him still looking upon mee as one agast not once offering to stirre But the voice wherewith I uttered these words which you have heard occasioned the people which were walking in the garden to draw nearer stood a little while listening hearing many other disgracefull speeches which I gave him and thereupon made in who taking courage by their comming for all or most of them were his kinsfolke servants or friends hee made show of rising but before he was fully upon his feete I layd hand on my sword drew it and did set not onely upon him but on as many as were there Leonisa no sooner saw my glittering sword but shee fell into a deadly swound which did put greater courage into mee and stirre up greater despighte and I cannot say whether those so many which did set upon mee sought onely to defend themselves as we see men usually doe against a furious mad man or whether it were my good fortune and diligence or Heavens disposing to expose me to greater evills and to reserve mee to farther miseries In conclusion I wounded seven or eight of them which came next to my hand Cornelio betooke himselfe to his heeles and by his swift flight escaped my hands Being in this so manifest a danger hemmed in by my enemies who now seeing their bloud runne from them and inrage◅ with the wrong which they had received sought to revenge themselves upon mee Loe Fortune provided aremedie for this mischiefe but such a one as was worse than the disease for better had it beene for mee there to have left my life then in restoring it mee by so strange and unexpected a meanes to come to lose it every houre a thousand and a thousand times over and over And this it was That on the sodaine there rushed into the garden a great number of Turkes Pirates of Viserta who with two Gallies had put into a little Creeke of the Sea betweene two rockes hard by the shoare where they disimbarked themselves without being heard or seene by the Centinells of the Watch-Towers nor discovered by those scouts whose dayly office it was to scoure the Coasts and see that all was cleare When my adversaries had espied them leaving me alone they with the rest in the garden ranne their way as fast as their legs would carry them and shifted so well for themselves that they had got themselves out of their danger and put themselves in safetie So that of all the whole companies the Turkes tooke no more Captives but three persons besides Leonisa who lay there still in a swound They tooke me after they had shrewdly wounded me in foure severall places revenged before by me on foure Turkes whom I left dead in the place This assault ended the Turks with their accustomed diligence and not being very well pleased with the successe made haste to embarke themselves and presently put farther to sea so that what with their sailes and help of their Oares in a short space they recovered Fabiana where they mustered their men and finding that the slaine were foure souldiers Levant-men as they call them being of the best and choisest and of most esteem amongst them they were the more willing and desirous to take their revenge of me And therefore the Admirall of the Captaine-galley commanded them to hang me up on the mayn yard All this while Leonisa stood looking on this speedy preparatiō for my death who was now come again to her selfe and seeing me in the power of these Pirats the teares trickled down in great abundance from her beauteous eyes and wringing her soft and delicate hands not speaking so much as one word gave diligent eare and was very attentive to hear if she could understand what the Turkes said But one of the Christian-slaves that was chained to the Oare spake to her in Italian giving her to understand how that the Captaine had given order to have that Christian hanged up pointing unto me because I had slaine in her defence foure of the best souldiers belonging to his Galleys Which being heard and understood by Leonisa being the first time that ever shee shew'd her selfe pittifull towards me she will'd the sayd slave that he should speake unto the Turkes to spare his life and not to hang him for in so doing they would lose a great ransome and that he should advise them to tack about and make againe for Trapana where his ransome would presently be brought aboord unto them This I say was the first and the last kindnesse which Leonisa used towards mee and all this for my greater ill The Turks hearing what their Captive told them did easily beleeve him and this their hope of profit turned the course of their choller The very next morning hanging out a flag of peace they anchored before Trapana That night thou maist better conceive then I utter with what a deale of griefe I past it over not so much for my wounds sake though they were very sore and painfull as to thinke on the perill wherein my cruell enemie was amongst these Barbarous people Being come now as I told thee to the Citie one of the Galleys entred the Haven the other stood off All the Citizens flocked to the sea-side the Christians standing as thicke one by another as the shoare would give them leave And that Carpet-knight Cornelio stood afar off observing what passed in the Galley whil'st my Steward was treating of my ransome to whom I had given order that he should in no wise treate of my liberty but of that of Leonisa and that he should give for the freeing of her all whatsoever I was worth either in lands or goods And I willed him moreover that hee should goe a shoare and tell Leonisa's Parents that they should leave it to him to treate of their Daughters liberty This being done the chiefe Captain who was a Grecian but a Renegado his name Ysuph demanded for Leonisa 6000 Crownes and for my selfe foure thousand and that hee would not sell the one without the other setting this so great a prise as I was given afterwards to understand because he was enamoured of Leonisa and was therefore unwilling she should be redeemed purposing to give to the Captaine of the other Galley with whom he was to share the one halfe of the prize my selfe at the rate of 4000 Crownes in ready money and 1000 more in other cōmodities which made up 5000 prizing Leonisa at other 5000. And this was the reason why he rated us two in ten thousand Crownes Leonisa's Parents offered him nothing on their part relying on the promise which on my part my Steward had made them neither did Cornelio so much as once open his lips to offer any thing towards her ransome And so after many demaunds and answers my Steward concluded the businesse with giving for Leonisa 5000 and for mee 3000 Crownes Ysuph accepted this offer forced thereunto by the perswasions of his companion and all the rest of their Souldiers But
not to runne our selves upon some sandy-shoare but amongst very high Rocks which presented themselves to our view threatning inevitable death to our lives Wee saw on the t 'one side of us that other our fellow Galley wherein was Leonisa and all their Turkes and Captive-rowers labouring hard with their oares to keep themselves off as well as they could from running upon the Rockes The like did wee in ours but with better successe it should seeme and greater force and strength then the other who being tyred out with their travaile and overcome by the stiffenesse of the winde and blustering storme forsaking their Oares and with them abandoning themselves they suffered themselves wee looking upon them to fall amongst the Rockes against which the Galley dashing it selfe was split in a thousand peeces Night was then drawing on and so great was the cry of those that gave themselves for lost and the fright of those who in our Vessell feared to bee lost that not any one of those many things which our Captaine commanded was either understood or done by them onely they did attend the not forgoing of their Oares plying them still holding it for their best remedie to turne the Prow to the Winde and to cast two Anchors into the Sea to keep off death for a while which they held to bee certaine And although the feare of dying was generall in all of them yet in mee was it quite contrary for fed with the deceitfull hope of seeing her in that other World who was so lately departed out of this every minute that the Galley deferred its drowning or splitting against the Rockes was to mee an age of a more painefull death The high swollen waves which past over the toppe of our weather beaten Vessell and my head made mee very watchfull to see whether or no I could espie floating upon those crump shouldered billowes the bodie of unfortunate Leonisa But I will not detaine my selfe now O Mahamut in recounting unto thee peece by peece the passions the feares the anguishes the thoughts which in that tedious and terrible night I had and passed that I may not goe against that which before I propounded and promised in relating briefly unto thee my misfortune Suffice it that they were such and so great that if death had come to me at that time hee needed not to have taken any great paines in taking away my life Day appeared but with appearance of a farre greater storme then the former and wee found that our Vessell lay riding out at Sea and a good waies off from the Rocks And having descried a point of the Island and perceiving that wee might easily double it both Turkes and Christians began to bee of good cheare taking new hopes and new hearts unto them fell anew to their worke in sixe houres we doubled the point and found the Sea more calme and quiet insomuch that with a great deale more ease they could handle and use their Oares and comming under Lee of the Island the Turkes leapt out to land and went to see if there were any reliques remaining of the Galley which the night before fell on the Rockes But even then too would not Fortune bee so favourable unto mee as to give me that poore comfort which I hoped to have had of seeing Leonisa's bodie in these my armes which though dead and broken I would have beene glad to have seene it for to breake that impossibilitie which my starre had put upon mee of linking my selfe therewith as my desires well deserved And therefore entreated one of the Renegadoes to dis-embarke himselfe to goe in search thereof and to see if the rolling of the Sea had cast her on the shoare But as I told thee all this did Heaven deny me and just in that very instant the Winde began to rise and the Sea grow rough so that the shelter of that Island was not of any benefit at all unto us Fetala seeing this would not strive against Fortune who had so violently persecuted him and therefore commanded them to right and fit the Galley to beare a little sayle to turn the Prow to the Sea-ward and the Poope to the Wind-ward and he himselfe taking charge of the Rudder sate at the helme suffering her to runne through the wide Sea being well assured that no impediment would crosse its course The Oares bare themselves very eeven being seated very orderly on their bankes and all the rest of the company got them into the Hold underneath the Hatches so that there was not a man to bee seene on the Deck save the Master who for his more safety caused himselfe to be bound fast to his seate giving thence direction to the Rowers for the better governing and guiding of the Vessell which made its way with that swiftnesse that in three dayes and three nights passing in sight of Trapana of Melazo and Palermo she imboked by the Pharos of Mecina to the wonderfull feare of those that were in her and of those likewise which behold them on the land In fine not to bee tedious in recounting unto thee the terriblenesse of this tempest which is beyond all expression I say that being weary hungry and tyred out with such a large compasse about as was the rounding of almost all the whole Island of Sicily wee arrived at Tripoli in Barbarie where my master before that he had reckoned with his Levant-men shared out the spoiles and given that unto them which was their due and a fifth to the King as the custome is fell sicke of a Plursiee accompanied with a burning Fever in that violent manner that within three dayes it sent him packing to hell The King of Tripoli seazed presently upon all his goods and the Alacade de los muertos which is an Office of Inquirie concerning the dead substituted by the great Turke who as you know is heire to those that are his naturall Subjects after their deaths These two possessed themselves of all my Master Fetala's wealth and I fell into the hands of him who was the Viceroy of Tripoli and within fifteen daies after he received his Patent for Cyprus with whom you see I am come hither but without any intention at all to ransome my selfe though he hath often told me that I should if I would and wondred why I did not do it all this while being as Fetala's Souldiers told him a principall person and a man of good meanes in his owne Countrey But I was so far from entertaining that motion that I told him that they had mis-informed him of my fortunes And if thou wilt Mahamut that I acquaint thee truely with what I thinke Know thou then that I will never returne backe againe to that place where I can no waies receive any comfort and where Leonisa's death will in part if not wholy bee imputed unto mee What pleasure then can I take either there or here in this my thraldome though I must confesse that the remembrance of her losse
because being Captives they doe not reckon them for men but slight them as contemptible creatures Yet one day it so happened that the Lady Halima saw her slave Mario and in seeing him tooke such a good liking of him that hee remained deepely engraven in her heart and strongly fixed in her memory And peradventure taking little contentment in the cold and weake embracements of her aged husband she the more easily gave way to this her evill desire And with the like easinesse shee acquainted Leonisa therewith whom she now dearely loved and made exceeding much of for her sweete behaviour and discreet carriage and likewise shewed her great respect for that shee was to be sent for a raritie to the Grand-Signior She acquainted her how that the Cads had brought and received into his house a Christian Captive of so gentle an aspect and comely presence that in her eye he was the handsomest man that ever shee saw in her life and that they sayd he was a Chilibi that is to say a Gentleman and Countrey-man to Mahamut their Renegado and that shee knew not how to give him clearely to understand the good will and affection which she bare unto him fearing least that the Christian should slight and neglect her for declaring and manifesting her love unto him at the first fight before she had further and better knowledge of him Leonisa askt her what was the Captives name Hamila told her Mario to whom Leonisa replied if he be a Gentleman and of that place they say he is certainely I should know him but of this name Mario I doe not remember that there is any such in Trapana But if it shall stand with your Ladiships pleasure that I may but see him and talke a while with him I shall be able to informe you both who he is and what may behoped from him It shall be so sayd Halima and on Friday next when as the Cadi shall bee at the Mezquita performing those Rites and Ceremonies which are then and there required in their devotions and adorations I will take occasion to call him in hither where leaving you two together you may talke alone by your selves and if you thinke fit you may give him some inckling of my desires and well wishings towards him and that you will doe me this friendly office in the best manner your wit and discretion can devise of both which I have had already sufficient tryall and therefore need not to expresse my selfe or presse you any farther in this particular This Halima sayd to Leonisa and within lesse then two houres afres the Cadi called Mahamut and Mario unto him and with no lesse effecacie then Halima had discovered her heart to Leonisa did this enamoured old young man discover his to his two slaves craving their councell and advise what course he should take for to keepe the Christian to himselfe and enjoy her and yet oumply with the Grand Signior whose she was telling them withall that hee would rather dye a thousand deaths then deliver her up once to the great Turke With such affection did this Moore expresse his passions that they left a deepe impression and beliefe in the hearts of his two slaves whose thoughts were fully bent to runne a contrary course to that which he imagined He thought one thing and they another in the end it was concluded betweene them that Mario as being a man of her owne Nation and Countrey howbeit he had told him that hee know her not should take in hand the soliciting her and in declaring his servent affection And in case that by his faire meanes hee could not prevaile and procure her good will he should then use force she being now in his power and this being done to give out that she was dead and so hee should excuse his sending of her to Constantinople The Cadi rested wonderfull well contented with this devise of his slaves and out of the great joy which he had imagined to himselfe he instantly gave Mahamut his libertie bequeathing besides unto him after his death the one halfe of his goods Hee likewise promised Mario if he procured that which hee so earnestly desired not onely his libertie but good store of Crownes wherewith he should returne home to his owne Countrey rich honoured and contented If he were liberall in promising his Captives were prodigall offering to hale downe the Moone from Heaven to doe him service how much more easily to draw Leonisa to the bent of his Bow and to condiscend to his desire so as Mario by his leave might have the conveniencie offered him of speaking with her I will give him free leave of accesse unto her answered the Cadi even as often as nee will himselfe if that will advance the businesse For I will so order it that Halima shall goe hence to the house of her Parents who are Greeke-Christians where shee shall stay some few daies or longer time if need be and she being abroad I will command my Porter that he suffer Maris to enter into the house and to have free ingresse and egresse as oft as he pleaseth And I will tell Leonisa that she may if it please her talke and converse with her Countrey-man Thus did the winde begin to chop about of Ricardo's misfortunes blowing with a gentle gale in his favour his Master not witting which way hee meant to shape his course This appointment being made and concluded on between these three the first that laid this plots was Halima shewing her self a right woman whose nature is facile and whose wit quicke and sodaine for the effecting of that which she hath a minde unto especially if her heart bee eagerly set upon it That very selfe same day the Cadi came to Halima â—…ld told her that shee might when she would goe out of the Towne to visit her Father and Mother and make merry with them and the rest of her good 〈◊〉 and to stay there as long as she listed or till hee send for hâ—… But because her heart was over-joyed with those good hopes which Leonisa had given her shee not onely would not go to her Parents house nor yet to that feigned Paradise of Mabomet and therefore told him that aâ—â—bis time she had no great minde to goe thither When she had she would acquaint him therewith but whensoever she went she would carry the Captive Christian along with her O by no meane replyed the Cadi for it is not fit that this Pledge of the Grand-Signior should bee seene of any besides it would do her more hurt than good to converse with Christians since that you know that when she comes into the power of the Grand-Signior she must be shut up in the Seraglio and turne Turke whether she will or no. But if she go along with me replyed Halima it mattereth not much thâ—t she be in my Parents house nor that she converse with them with whom my selfe couverse much more and yet I cease not for all that to bee a
turn'd over-boor'd instead of Leonisa Halima would serve excellently for that purpose and none better of whom he desired to be freed more then from death With the same facilitie as he entertained this in his thought with the like did Mahamut and Ricardo yeeld thereunto And being firmely resolved thereon that very day the Cadi breakes with Halima about the voyage which hee thought to make to Constantinople to carrie the Christian to the Grand-Signior by whose liberalitie hee hoped hee should bee made the great Cadi of Cayro or of Constantinople Halima told him that shee liked very well of his determination thinking that hee would leave Ricardo at home But when the Cadi had certified her that hee would carrie him along with him and likewise Mahamut shee beganne to change her opinion and to dis-advise him from that which before shee had advised him to doe In fine she concluded that if he did not take her with him she would in no hand give way to his going The Cadi would not crosse her but if she would needes have it so her will should be his thinking then with himselfe that he would quickly shake off that yoake which lay so heavie on his necke All this while Hazon Bashaw was not carelesse in soliciting the Cadi to deliver up the Slave unto him offering him mountaines of gold having besides given him Ricardo before for nothing whose ransome he prized at two thousand Crownes All these gifts and promises wrought no further good with the Cadi then to make him hasten the more his departure and so solicited by his desire and by the importunities of Hazâ—n together with those of Halima who likewise built vaine hopes in the Ayre Within twenty dayes he had fitted and rigged up a Bregantine of fifteene bankes manning it with voluntary Souldiers lusty young able men partly Moores partly Greeke Christians Therein he embarqued all his wealth and Halima left not ought at hoine in her house of any moment and entreated her husband that he would give her leave to carry with her her Father and Mother that they might see Constantinople Halima's intention was the same with that of Mahamut meaning to deale with him and Ricardo that when they were on their voyage they should make themselves Masters of the Bregantine and goe away with it But she would not open her minde nor declare her selfe unto them till she saw her self embarqued and this too with with a full purpose and resolution to goe to the Christians Countrey and to returne to that Religion which she had first beene of and to bee married to Ricardo being verily perswaded that carrying such store of wealth along with her and turning Christian he would not refuse to take her to wife In this interim Ricardo had speech with Leonisa and declared unto her his whole intention and shee againe acquainted him with Halima's purpose who had imparted the same unto her They injoyned each other secresie and recommending themselves to God they stood expecting the day of their departure Which being come Hazan went forth accompanying them with all his Souldiers to the Sea-side and did not leave them till they had hoysed sayle neither did he take off his eye from the Bregantine till hee had quite lost the sight of it And it seemed that the Ayre and breath of those sighes which the enamoured Moere vented forth did fill and drive forward with greater force the sayles which wasted away his soule But he as one who a long time liv'd in such torment oppressed by love that hee could take no rest thinking on that which hee was to doe that hee might not dye by the bands of his violent desires omitted not to put that presently in execution which with long deliberation and a resolute determination â—…e had forecasted And therefore in a Vessell of seventeene bankes which he had made readie in another Port he clapt into her fifty Souldiers all his friends and acquaintance whom he had obliged unto him by many gifts and promises giving them in charge that they should put forth to Sea set upon and take the Cadi's Bregantine and all the wealth that was in her putting to the edge of the sword as many as went in her save Leonisa the Captive for she was the onely spoyle that he look't after prizing her above all the other riches and treasure which were in the Vessell He likewise gave order that they should sincke her so that not any one thing might remaine that might give any the least signe or token of their perdition The covetousnesse of the spoyle added wings to their feet and courage to their hearts howbeit they knew very well that they should find but little resistance in those of the Bregantine in regard that they were disarmed and without any the least suspition that any such unexpected accident should befall them Two dayes had the Bregantine now gone in her intended course which to the Cadi seemed two Ages for the very first day of all he would feigne have put in execution his determination But his Slaves advised him that the businesse must first be so carried that Leonisa should fall sicke to give thereby some colour to her death and that this would require some daies of sicknesse He did not like of that but would have it given out that she died suddainly and so quickely make an end of what they had projected by dispatching his Wife out of hand that he might allay the heate of that fire which by little and little went consuming his bowels But in conclusion he must condiscend to that which the other two thought fit Now in this meane while Halima had declared her intent to Mahamut and Ricardo and they were readie to put it in execution as soone as they had doubled the points of Alexandria or passed by the Castles of Natolia But the Cadi was so hasty with them and so sharpe set that they promised to performe the taske they undertooke upon the first occasion that should offer it selfe unto them And one day at the end of sixe which they had sailed another Voyage and that now it seemed to the Cadi that the feigning of Leonisa's sicknesse was sufficient he did importune his Slaves that they should conclude the next day with Halima and throw her wrapt up in a winding sheet into the sea saying it was the Captive of the Grana-Signior The day afterwards beganne to breake wherein according to the intention of Mahamut and Ricardo was to be the accomplishment of their desires or the end of their dayes when loe they might descry a Vessell which with sayle and oare came chasing them They were afraid that they were Christian Pirats from whom neither the one nor the other could expect any good For being such the Moores feared to bee made Captives and the Christians that though they should get their libertie they should lose their goods and be stript of all they had But Mahamut and Ricardo contented themselves with Leonisa's and their
with their helpe and her fathers taking up the Oimiters of the slaine they shewed themselves upon the Decke crying out Liberty Liberty and being â—…ded by the Voluntaries who were Greek Christians with a great deale of ease and without receiving any one wound they cut the throats of them all and boording Ali's Galley which they found without defence they took it with all that was therein Of those that dyed in the second encounter one of the first was Ali Bashaw whom a Turke in revenge of the Cadi ran through the body Being now Masters of all the three Vessells they consulted what was now best to be done in the end they yeelded to Ricardo's advice which was that they should take out all things that were of any price or valew both in their owne and Hazans vessell and stow them in Ali's Galley which was a vessell of farre greater burthen and fitter to take in the lading and make good their voyage and the rather for that the Rowers were Christians who resting wel contented with their recovered liberty and with many other good things which Ricardo liberally shared amongst them offered to carry him to Trapana and if need were even to the end of the World This being thus ordered Mahamut and Ricardo full of joy for 〈…〉 good successe went to the Moore Halima and told her that if she would returne to Cyprus they would 〈◊〉 her ovâ—… vessell with good valiant Voluntaries and give her the one halfe of the goods which she had embarqueâ—… But she who notwithstanding this so great a 〈◊〉 miâ—iâ— had not yet lost that itching love and amourous 〈◊〉 which shee bare to Ricardo told him that shee 〈…〉 to the Land of Christians whereof 〈…〉 woundâ—… glad The 〈…〉 by this 〈…〉 himselfe and having 〈…〉 up his wound 〈◊〉 haste and the place would permit they likewise told him that hee should make choice of one of these two either to go with them to the Land of Christians or to returne in the same Vessell he set forth to Nicosia Whereunto he answered that since his ill fortune had brought him to such bad tearmes hee would rather accept of the libertie which they gave him and that he would goe to Constantinople and make his complaint to the Grand-Signior of the great and grievous wrong which from Hazan and Ali he had received But when he knew that Halima would leave him and turne Christian he was almost ready to run mad In conclusion they man'd his owne Vessell and furnished him with all things necessarie for his voyage and gave him some Chequines of those which once had beene his owne And so having taken his leave of all of them being resolved to returne to Nicosia he besought before he had hoysed sayle that Leonisa would doe him the favour to embrace him for that grace and honour shee therein should shew him would of it selfe bee sufficient to make him forget all his misfortune All of them entreated Leonisa to conferre that favour on one that lov'd her so well since in so doing shee should not goe against the decorum and decencie of her honestie Leonisa yeelded to their request and the Cadi further entreated of her that shee would but lay her hands upon his head for that he hoped that imposition would heale his wound Leonisa to give him content condiscended thereunto This done and having bored many holes in Hazans Vessell a fresh East winde favouring them which seemed to court the sayles and wooe them that they might be admitted to come into them did set them going amaine so that in a verie few houres they lost the sight of the Cadi's Bregantine who with tears in his eyes stood looking how the windes carried away his wealth his Wife and with Leonisa his soules delight With different thoughts from the Cadi's sailed Ricardo and Mahamut And so not being willing to touch any where as they went along on Land they past by the Towne of Alexandria lanching through the deepe Gulfe and without striking sayle or being driven to make use of their Oares they came to the strong Island of Corsu where they tooke in fresh water and presently without any farther stay they passed by those noted high Cliffes the Acrocerauros And the second day they discovered afar off Paquino the Promontorie of the most fertile Tinacria out of whose sight and that famous Island of Malta they went flying for with no lesse swistnesse did this happie bottome beare them In fine compassing that Island some 4. daies after they descried Lampadosia and anon after the Island where they had like to have been wrack't and the Galley wherein Leonisa was split against the rocks the very sight wherof made her to tremble calling to mind the danger wherein she had so lately seene her selfe The day following they might ken before them their desired and beloved Countrey which quickned that ioy which was alreadie in their hearts their spirits were transported with this new coÌ„tentment which is one of the greatest which can be had in this life to arrive after a long captivity safe in their owne native Countrey And the next that may be equalled with it is that which men receive in getting the victory over their enemies They found in the Galley a great chest full of flags and streamers of silk of sundry colours with which Ricardo caused the Galley to be adorned in most gallant manner The day was but newly broken when as they found themselves to be within lesse then a league of the Citie and rowing lustily and sending forth ever and anone shoutings of ioy and gladnesse they slacked their Oares the neerer they came to the Haven making in very leisurely In her entring into the Port an infinite number of people in an instant appeared who having seene how slowly that well trimmed Vessell made to Land there was not any one in all the whole Citie which did not come forth hastning to the Sea side Whilest they were thus flocking to the shoare Ricardo entreated Leonisa that shee would cloath and adorne her selfe in the same manner as when she entered into the Tent of the Bashaw's because hee would put a pretty jeast upon her Parents She did so and adding gallantrie to gallantrie Pearles to Pearles and beautie to beautie which the hearts contentment commonly encreaseth she attired and drest her selfe in such sort as caused a new admiration and wonder Ricardo also put himselfe into the Turkish habit the like did Mahamut and all those Christians that ply'de the Oare for there were rayments enough of the slaine Turkes to serve all of them When they arrived at the Port it was about eight of the clocke in the morning which showed it selfe so fair and so cleare that it seemed to appeare so of purpose for to behold that joyfull entrance Before their entering the Port Ricardo made them to discharge their Peeces of Ordnance belonging to the Galley to wit one Canon and two Falcons the Citie answered them with the like The
command both Shippes for so was it ordered by the Queene that the Generall miscarrying Ricaredo should succeed in his roome Who presently went aboord the Admirall where he found some that mourn'd for their dead General and others that rejoyced with him that was now living In a word both the one and the other presently yeelded him obedience and with short ceremonies cry'd him up for their Generall two of those three Shippes which they had discovered not giving leave for greater which going aloofe from the great Shippe made up to the two Ships They streight knew them to be Gallies and Turkish Gallies by the halfe Moones which they bare in their flagges which gave Ricaredo great contentment it seeming unto him that that prize if Heaven should grant it him would be of great benefit The Turkish Gallies came to know the Northern ships who did not carry the Armes of the Island in their flagges but of Spaine for to deceive those that should chance to descrie them and might take them to be Shippes of Piracie The Turkes thought they had beene Shippes that had come from the Indies wasted and spent with their long voyage and that they would quickly yeeld and be taken Wherupon they came incroaching by little and little upon them thinking presently to boord them and Ricaredo suffered them to come neerer and neerer unto him till he had them in command of his Ordnance and then let flie at them and giving them a broad side discharged so luckily and with such furie that he shot one of the Gallies thorow and thorow so that one halfe of it lay all open and naked which forced them to flie and make the best shift they could for to escape boording The other Gallie seeing it's fellowes ill successe made away in all haste and strove to put her selfe under the side of the great Ship But Ricaredo who had Shippes that were light laden and were quicke and nimble and such excellent saylers that they would turne and winde and come off and on as if they had beene plied with Oares commanded them to charge the Ordnance anew chasing them even to the ship showring upon them a world of shot They of the opened Gallie as soone as they came to the ship forsooke their Galley and with all possible haste endeavoured to get into the ship Which being perceived by Ricaredo and that the sound Gallie imyloyed it selfe in relieving the other he sets upon her with both his ships and without giving her leave to taâ—ke about or to make any use of her Oares he did put her to that streight and exigent that the Turkes likewise that were in her were forced to flee for refuge to the ship not with any hope to defend themselves therein or to stand it out in fight but for to escape for the present with their lives The Christians wherwith those Gallies were man'd tearing up their bankes and breaking their chaines intermingled with the Turkes sought to recover their ship and as they were clambring up by the side of her with musket shot from the ships they went shooting at them as at a marke but Ricaredo gave order that they should shoot onely at the Turkes and spare the Christians Thus were all the Turkes almost slaine and they who entered the shippe with the Christians for they were mingled one amongst another making use of their weapons were cut in peeces For the force of the valiant when they begin to fall must yeeld to the weakenesse of those that are rising And therefore the Christians takeing heart layed about them with such courage and mettle that they did wonders for the working of their libertie thinking all this while that those Northerne ships where Spanish In conclusion the christians having in a manner cut all the Turkes throates some Spanyards shewed themselves upon the Decke and called out a loud unto those whom they supposed to bee Spanyards that they would come aboord them and enjoy the reward of their victorie Ricaredo asked them in Spanish what shippe that was they told him that shee was a Portugal come from the Hast-Indies laden with spices and as many Pearles and Diamonds as were worth a Million and that by a storme they were driven upon that Coast all rent and torne and without any Ordnance for the foulenesse of the weather and high working of the Sea inforced them to throw it over-boord That their men were most of them sicke and almost dead of thirst and hunger and that those two Gallies which were belonging to the Pirate Arpantemuam had taken her but the day before without making any defence at all And that as it was told them because they were not able to carrie so great a quantitie of riches in those two small Vessells they towed her along with purpose to put her into the River of Larache which was neere thereunto Ricaredo returned them answere that if they conceived that those his two Shippes were Spanish they were deceived for they were nothing lesse but ships belonging to the Queene of the Northern Island Which newes gave those that heard it occasion of feare and sorrow imagining and not without reason that they were fallen out of one net into another But Ricaredo told them that they should receive no harme and that they should rest assured of their libertie on condition that they should not put themselves upon their defence Nor is it possible for us replied they so to doe for as wee formerly told you this Shippe hath no Ordnance nor wee any offensive Armes and therefore wee must of force whether wee will or no have recourse to the gentile and noble disposition of your Generall and the liberalitie and courtesie which hee shall use towards us since that it is meet and just that hee who hath freed us from the insufferable captivitie of the Turkes should reape the reward and benefit thereof and shall bee famoused of all those to whose eares the newes shall come of this memorable victorie and of his kinde usage towardes them These words of the Spanyard did not sound ill in Ricaredo's cares and therefore calling those of his shippe to a councell hee demanded of them how hee might send all the Christians to Spaine without putting themselves in danger of any sinister successe if being so many as they were they should take courage unto them for to rise up against them Some were of opinion that hee should passe them one by one to his owne Shippe and clapping them under hatches kill them man after man and so they might easily and without any noyse kill them all and carry the great Shippe along with them to Mundolin without any further feare or care taking But to this Ricaredo thus replied Since that God hath done us this so great a favour in giving us such great riches I will not requite him with a cruell and unthankefull minde nor is it meete that that which I may remedie by industry I should remedie it by the sword And
therefore I for my part am of opinion that no Christian should dye the death Not because I wish them so well but because I wish well to my selfe and would that this dayes noble action neither to me nor to you should mingle the name of valiant with the sir-name of cruell for crueltie did never sort well with valour That which is to bee done is this that all the Ordnance of one of these our Shippes be put into the great Portugal Ship without leaving the Ship any Armes or any other thing save sufficient victuall And so manning that Ship with our men we will carry it home and the Spaniards goe in the other to Spaine None durst contradict that which Ricaredo had propounded and some held him to bee valiant magnanimous and of good understanding and judgement and others in their hearts to be more courteous then he ought to have beene Ricaredo then having resolved on this course he put 50 Muskatiers into the Portugal Ship all readie fitted and furnished their Peeces charged with shot and their matches burning in their cockes He found in the Ship well neere 300. persons with those that had escaped out of the gallies He presently called for their Cocket or bill of lading and the same person who at first spake to him from the Docke made him answer that the Turkish Pirate had alreadie taken their Cocket from them and that it was drowned with him Hee did instantly put his pully in order and bringing his lesser vessell and lashing it close to the side of the great Ship with wonderfull celeritie and with the helpe of strong ropes they hoysed all their Ordnance with their Carriages out of the lesser into the greater Ship This being done hee forthwith made a short speech to the Christians he commanded them to goe into the Ship that was now disincunâ—…ted where they should finde good store of victuall for more then a moneth and more mouthes then they had And as they went Imbarquing themselves he gave to every one of them foure Spanish Pistolets which becaused to be brolight from his owne Ship for to relieve in part their necessitie when they came on land which was so neere that from thence they might kenne the bigâ— mountains of Anila and Calpe All of them gave him infinite thankes for the favour he had done them and the last that went to embarque himselfe was he who had beene the mouth of the rest who said unto Ricaredo Most valiant sir I should hold it a happines for me amidst these my misfortunes and the greater of the two that you would rather carry me along with you to Munaolin then send me into Spaine For albeit that it be my Countrey and that it is not above sixe dayes since I left it yet shall I not finde any thing therein which will not minister occasions unto mee of reviving my former sorrowes and solitudes I would have you to know noble sir that in the losse of Cadiz which is now some 15. yeares since I lost a Daughter which some of the Conquerours carried away into their owne Countrey and with her I lost the comfort of my old age and the light of mine cies which since they might not lee her have never seene that thing which could be pleasing unto them The great discontentment wherein her losse left mee together with that of my wealth which likewise was taken from me brought me to that low câ—…e that I neither would nor could any more exercise the trade of Merchandize whose great dealings in that kinde made 〈◊〉 in the opinion of the world held to be the richest Merchant in all that Citie And indeed so I was for besides my credit which would passe for many 〈◊〉 thousands of crownes the wealth that I had within the doores of mine owne house was more then fifty thousand Duckets All which I lost yet had I lost 〈…〉 an I â—aâ— not losâ— my Daughter After this generall misfortune and so particularly mine necessitie the more to vexe me set upon me never ceasing to give mee over till such time as not being able any longer to resist her my Wife and I which is that sorrowfull woman that sits there resolved to goe for the Indies the common refuge of poore Gentlemen and having embarqued our selves but sixe dayes since in a ship of Advise we had no sooner put out of Cadiz but that those two Vessells of the Pirates tooke our shippe and wee become their slaves Whereupon our miserie was renewed and our misfortune confirmed And it had beene greater had not the Pirates taken that shippe of Portugal who entertained them so long till that succeeded which you have seene Ricaredo then asked him what was his daughters name He answered Isabella With this Ricaredo ceased to be confirmed further 〈◊〉 that which before he suspected which was that he who recounted this unto him was his beloved Isabella's Father and without giving him any tydings of her he told him that very willingly hee would carry him and his Wife to Mundolin where happily they might heare some newes of that which they so much desired He made them presently go aboord his own ship leaving Marriners and souldiers sufficient in that of Portugal That night they hoysed sayle and set themselves to get off from the coast of Spaine and for that in the ship wherin were the freed Captives there were likewise 20 Turks whom Ricaredo had also set at libertie for to shew that more out of his owne noble disposition and generous minde he had dealt so graciously with them then inforced by that love which he bare to the Christians hee entreated the Spanyards at their parting that upon the first occasion that should offer it selfe they should set the Turkes at liberty wherein they should shew themselves thankefull unto him The winde which gave good tokens of being large and prosperous began to bee very much calmer which calme did stir up a great tempest of feare in the Marriners and Souldiers who blamed Ricaredo and his bounty not sticking to tell him that they whom hee had freed might give advise of their successe in Spaine and that if happily they should have their Galeons lying there in the Haven they might put forth to Sea in fearch of them and so put them to a narrow streight and in danger of losing together with their lives all that Treasure which they had got Ricaredo knew very wel that they had reason on their side but overcomming all of them with good words he made them quiet but that which did most quiet them was the winde which returned againe to re-infresh it selfe in such sort that having as fayre a gale as could blow in the skie they â—…apt on all their sayles without having need to strike any one of them or but in the least manner to restraine them within Nine dayes they came within sight of Mundolin And when they were returned home thus victorious there were thirty wanting of those that went that Voyage
Ricaredo would not enter the River with tokens of joy by reason of the death of his Generall and therefore mixed his joyfull with sorrowfull signes One while the Trumpets sounding loud and shrill and another while low and hoarse one while the Drummes did beat lively and the Flutes goe merrily and another while dead and softly answering each other with mournefull and lamentable notes On one of the Cages of the shippe hung the contrary way a flagge embroydered with halfe Moones and on another a long streamer of blacke Taffata whose points did mocke the water In conclusion with these and the like contrary extreams they entered the River with their own shippe because the other drew so much water that the River could not beare 〈◊〉 and therefore lay at anchor in the Sea These such contrary signes and tokens held a world of people in suspence who beheld them from each side of the shoare They knew very well by some Armes and Coats in their Colours that that lesser shippe was the Admirall wherein the Lord of Lansac went but they could not guesse how that other shippe should come to be changed for that great vast shippe which lay at Sea But they were quickly put of this doubt by Ricaredo's leaping out of his boat on shoare in rich and resplendent Armes like a Souldier who a foot without staying for any other company attended onely with the innumerable vulgar that followed him he went directly to the Court where the Queene being in a Gallerie stood expecting the newes should be brought her of her ships There was besides many other Ladies with the Queen Isabella apparelled after the Island fashion though with a little touch of the Spanish Before that Ricaredo came there came another who told the Queene that Ricaredo was come Isabella hearing the name of Ricaredo began to change colour and seemed to bee somewhat troubled and in that very instant did feare and hope both the evill and good successe of his comming Ricaredo was tall of stature a gentleman and well proportioned and for that hee came Armed with his Gorget Corselet and Powderns all Millaine worke richly gilded and ingraven it became him extreamely well and did please the eyes of the beholders He had no Caske on his head but a broad brim'd hat of a Lyon colour with a great large feather diversified with a few different colours a broad short sword by his side a very rich girdle and hangers and his breeches somewhat large and full like unto those of the Swizzers Being thus acoutered what with the goodlinesse of his presence and statelinesse of his gate some were so taken therewith that they compared him to Mars the god of Warre and others taken with the beautifulnesse of his countenance compared him to Venus who for to put a jeast upon Mars had put this disguise upon him In conclusion he came before the Queene and humbling himselfe on his knee he sayd unto her Most renowned and redoubted Soveraigne in the strength of your good fortune and in the consecution of my desire after that our Generall the Lord of Lansac was dead of an Apoplexie I succeeding in his place thankes be rendered therfore to your Majestie I lighted by chance on two Turkish gallies which went towing away that great shippe which I have now brought home and lyes not far off safe in the roade I did set upon them your Souldiers fought as they alwaies use to do very manfully we sunck both the Turkish Vessells and in one of ours I gave in your Majesties royall name libertie to the Christians which escaped out of the hands of the Turkes Onely I brought along with me one man and a woman both Spanyards who out of their owne liking and election were wonderfully desirous to come with me into our Island that they might see the greatnesse of your Majesties Person and Court That shippe which is now yours is a Portugal one of those great Carricks which come from the East-Indies the which by a storme came to fall into the power of the Turkes who with little trouble or to say better none at all made her to yeeld her selfe unto them and as I am informed by some of those Portugals that came in her she is worth above a Million in gold and Spice and other rich Merchandize of Pearles and Diamonds which are in her whereof nothing hath hitherto beene toucht neither did the Turkes come to finger any thing therein because Heaven hath dedicated it wholy unto you and I have commanded it to bee kept and reserved whole and entire for your Majestie which with one jewell onely that your Majestie shall be pleased to bestow upon mee I shall remaine indebted for ten such other ships Which jowell your Majestie hath alreadie promised mee which is my good Isabella With her I shall rest rich and rewarded not onely for this service that I have done your Majestie but for many other which I meane to doe for to 〈◊〉 some part of that great if not infinite worth which in 〈◊〉 sewell your Majestie offereth â—…e Arise Ricaredo replied the Queene and beleeve mee that if I should upon a price give you Isabella according 〈…〉 I esteeme her at you would never bee able to pay it neither with that which you have brought 〈◊〉 in this shippe nor with all that treasure which 〈…〉 in the Indies Well I will give her you because I made you a promise of her and because she is worthy 〈◊〉 you and you of her your valour onely doth deserve 〈◊〉 And if you have kept those jewells of the Shippe for mee I have likewise kept this your jewell for you And albeit it may seeme unto you that I have not done any great matter for you in returning you that which is your owne yet I know that I doe you an especiall favour therein for those pledges that are bought by our desires and have their estemation and value in the foule of the buyer they are worth a World there being no price that can countervalle it Isabella is yours there shee is and when you will your selfe you may take possession of her and I beleeve with her good â—…ing and content for shee is discreet and knowes well now to weigh the friendshippe which you doe her for I will not style it by the name of favour but friendshippe for I will take that name onely upon men of doing favours Goe and take your case and come and waite upon Vs to morrow and then will I more particularly heare you relate unto Vs what you did in this Voyage and how valiantly you bonaâ—ed your selfe And bring those two with you who you saw were so willing to come and see Vs that We maâ— thank 〈◊〉 for their love 〈◊〉 thanked her Majesty for the many favours she had done him And then the 〈…〉 left the Gallerie 〈…〉 found about 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 them which held great love and friendship with Isabella called 〈…〉 accounted the discreetest the wittiest 〈…〉 amongst
Parents others Heaven that had inriched her with so much beautie some did stand on tip â—oe for to see her others having seene her once â—…ne to get afore 〈◊〉 they might see her againe But he that shewed himselfe most solititous in this kind and so much that many tooke notice of him for it was a man clad in one of those habits which they 〈◊〉 who returne home redeemed from their 〈…〉 This Captive then at that very time that 〈◊〉 had for one foot within the 〈◊〉 of the Govent whether were come forth to receive her as the use is amongst them the Clionesse and the Nâ—…s with a loud voice he erred out stay Isabella stay for whilest that I shall be alive thou can not 〈◊〉 into any Religious order At the hearing of these words Isabella and her Parents looked backe and saw that 〈◊〉 out his way through the thickest of the throng that Captive 〈◊〉 making towards them whose blew 〈…〉 being fallen off which he wore on his head 〈…〉 confused and intangled skeine of golden 〈…〉 curling themselves into rings and a face 〈…〉 with crimson and snow so pure red and 〈◊〉 was his complexion all of them assured signes and token including all of them to take and hold him to be a 〈◊〉 〈…〉 while falling through too much haste and 〈…〉 up quickly againe he came at last where 〈◊〉 was and taking her by the hand sayd unto her 〈…〉 thou me Isabella looke well upon me behold 〈…〉 thy Husband Yes I know thee replied 〈…〉 not a phanâ—aâ—…a a walking spirit or some false assumed appantion that is come to disturbe my 〈…〉 neerer and neerer unto him and 〈…〉 and in conclusion 〈…〉 to know that this Captive was Ricaredo 〈…〉 in his eyes falling downe on his knees 〈…〉 stiangenesse of that 〈…〉 him might not be a barre 〈…〉 that this his meane 〈…〉 to the making good of that word and faithfull proâ—…fe which they had 〈…〉 which Ricaredo Mothers 〈…〉 in her 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 to her eyes and 〈…〉 then to trouble her selfe to make a further needlesse inquirie And therefore kindely embracing the Captive she sayd unto him You doubtlesse sir are the man who can onely hinder any determination since that you are truely my husband you can be no lessethen the beter halfe of my soule I have thee imprinted in my memorie and have sayd thee up in any heart Come therefore sir unto my Fathers house which is yours and there I will deliver up unto you the possession of my person All these words the standers by heard together with the Assistance the Dâ—…e and the Arch-bishops Vicar-generall of Sovilia At the hearing whereof they were all of them â—…rueken with admiration and stood a while as men astonished and were desirous that it might presently be told them what history this and what stranger that was and of what marriage they preated Whereunto Isabella's father made answer saying that that historie required another 〈◊〉 and so 〈◊〉 for to tell it And therefore besought them since that they were so willing to know it that they would be pleased to returne backe with him to his house being that it was so neare and that there it should be recounted unto them and in such a manner that with the truth the thereof they should remaine satisfied and at the strangenesse of that 〈…〉 This was no sooner sayd but that one of those there prefont spake alonde 〈◊〉 Gentlemen this young manisâ— great Phâ—…te 〈◊〉 know him well enough and this is 〈◊〉 who 〈…〉 and somewhat more booke from the 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 which 〈…〉 not doubt that this 〈…〉 tell you that 〈…〉 for 〈…〉 liberty and 〈…〉 to bring 〈…〉 to Spaâ—… and 〈…〉 me but 〈…〉 more 〈…〉 With these 〈…〉 and the 〈…〉 revived 〈…〉 had to know and see such 〈◊〉 things as these to be fully eleâ—ted In fine the Gentlemen of more especiall ranke and quaâ—…e with the Assistance and those two principall Churchâ—… returned backe to accompany Isabella to her house leaving the Nâ—…s sorrowfull and weeping that they had lost so fayre a Sister and companion as Isabella Who being come home and having brought the Gentlemen into a spacious large Hall entreated them to sit downe and albeit Ricaredo was willing enough to take upon him the relating of this desired history yet notwithstanding it seemed good unto him rather to trust Isabella's tongue and discretion with it then his owne who did not very perfectly speake the language of Spaine All that were present were in a still silence and having their eares and soules readie prepared to heare what Isabella would say she began to recount the story Which I reduce briefly to this that she delivered all that unto them which happened from the day that Clotaldo by stealth carried her away from Cadiz till her returne thither againe Not omitting the battell which Ricaredo fought with the Turks and the liberality and bountie which he had used towards the Christians and the faith which both of them had plighted each to other to be man and wife The promise of two yeares the newes which she had received of his death and that so certaine to her seeming that it put her into that course which they 〈…〉 her selfe Nâ—…e She did 〈…〉 Islands bounty towards 〈…〉 and his Parents 〈…〉 that he would 〈…〉 that hee left 〈…〉 wherein they saw him 〈…〉 in his brest 〈…〉 way of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and in a few short 〈…〉 any many and great 〈…〉 for to 〈◊〉 the marriage which I could not make with Clistesna with whom Isabella told you my Parents would have mee to â—…arry taking Guillarte along with me that Page who as my Mothers letters made mention brought the newes to Mundolin of my death Crossing France I came to Rome where of those two thousand Crownes which I had in gold I delivered a thousand and sixe hundred to a Banker who gave me a bill to receive so much in this Citie upon one Roquia Florenline And with those 400 which remained with me with intention to come for Spaine I made for 〈◊〉 whence I had notice given me that there were two Gallies of that Signorie to goe for Spine I came with Guillarie my servant to a certaine Towne called Aquapendiente And in an Inne where I alighted I found the Earle Arnesto my mortall enemie who with foure servants went disguised and went as I conceive to Rome I did verily beleeve that he had not knowne me I shut my selfe up in my lodging with my servant and there kept my selfe close and with a great deale of care and vigilancie and with a determination and purpose at the shutting in of night to get mee gone and to change that my lodging for a safer But I did not doe it because the great carelesenesse which I observed in the Earle and his followers did assure me that he did not know me I supt in my lodging I made fast the doore stood upon my guard with my sword in my
hand I recommended my selfe to God and would not that night goe to bed My selfe and my servant lay downe on a bench to take a little rest and sleepe and my selfe was halfe fallen a sleepe But a little after midnight they awakened me with purpose to make me sleepe an eternall sleepe Foure pistolls as I afterwards understood the Earle and his servants discharged against me leaving me for dead and having their horses already in areadines they presently put foot in 〈◊〉 and went away bidding the Host of the Inne that hee would see me fayrely buried for that I was a man of principall note and qualitie My servant as mine Host afterwards told mee awakeneâ—… with the noyse out of very 〈◊〉 leapt downe from a window that looked out into abase Court crying out on miserable and unfortunate that I am they have slaine my Lord and Master and having sayd this he hyed him out of the Inne and that with such feare and haste that he did not so much as looke backe or make any stay till he came to Mundolin so that it was he who brought the newes of my death They of the Inne got up found mee shot athwart my bodie with foure bullets and wounded with many other lesser shot but all of them lighting on such parts that there was not one mortall wound amongst them all They cured me but it was two moneths and better before I was able to travell At the end whereof I came to Genoa where I found no other passage save in two small boats which my selfe and two other principall Spanyards hyred the one to goe before as a Vessell of advise for discoverie and the other we went in our selves With this securitie we embarqued our selves sayling along the shoare with intention not to ingulfe our selves but comming over against that place which they call Las Mtres arias or the three Maryes which it on the Coast of France Our first boat going forward to see if she could discover any thing in an unluckie houre two Turkish Gallies that lay lurking there in a little creeke of the Sea under the Rockes and the one of them putting her selfe forth to the Sea and the other keeping close by the land when they saw our drift that we meant to run a shoare we were prevented in our course taken by the Turkes and stript of all that we had even to our naked skins They rifeled the boats of all that they had and suffered 〈◊〉 to run a shoare without offering to sincke them saying that they would serve another time to bring them another Gâ—…a for by this name they call those spoyles and 〈◊〉 which they take from the Christiana Yee may very well beleeve me if I tell you that I felt in my soule the sorenesse of my captivity and above all the losse of those certificates and provisions I received at Rome which I brought along with mee lapt up in a little boxe of plate as likewise my bill of exchange for a thousand and sixe hundered Crownes But as good lucke would have it they lighted into the hands of a Christian Captive a Spanyard who kept them safe for if they had once come to the Turkes fingering I should at least have given for my ransome as my bill made mention of They brought mee to Argiers where I found the Fathers of the order of the blessed Trinitie treating of the redeeming of Christian Captives I spake with them I told them who I was and moved out of charitie though I was a stranger unto them they redeemed mee in this forme and manner following They gave for mee three hundered Ducats one hundered to be layd downe presently and the other two at the next returne of the Shippe that should come to redeeme the Father of that society who remained in Argiers engaged in foure thousand Ducats more then those that hee brought with him for to such great pittie and compassion extended the charitie of these men that they give their owne for other folks liberty and remaine themselves Captives for to free others from Captivitie And for an addition of this happinesse of my libertie I found my lost boxe with my certificates and my bill also of Exchange I shewed it to that holy Father who had ransomed me and I offered him five hundered Ducats more then my ransome came to towards the payment of his engagement It was almost a yeare ere the Shippe of almes returned and that which in the interim happened unto mee if I should goe about to recount it now unto you it would be another new Historie Onely I will tell you that I was knowne of one of the 20. Turkes whom I had set at libertie with the rest of the Christians before mentioned But he 〈…〉 and so honest a man that he would not disodies 〈◊〉 For had the Turkes knowne that I was the 〈◊〉 suncke their two Gallius and tooke out of their 〈◊〉 that groat at shippe of Inaia they would either have 〈◊〉 me to the great Turke or have taken away my life And to have preferred me to the great Turke had been theiâ—sse of my liberty during life In comthision the father that did ransome me came to 〈…〉 me together with other 50. redeemed Captions In Valencia we made a generall procession and from thence every one went his owne way which he liked best with these oâ—signes and tokens of their liberty which are those poore kinde of habits This day I came to this Citie with so great and earnest a desire to see my espouseâ—… Isabella that without any other thing detaining mee I enquired for this Monastery where I was to have notice given me of my Spouse That which herein hath befallen mee ye have alteadie seene that which remaineth to bee 〈◊〉 are these certificates in the plate-boxe which I told you of and with that hee put them into the Deanes hand who preserved them together with the Assistante who did not finde any thing in them that might make doubt of the truth of that which Ricaredo had delivered unto them And for further confirmation thereof Heaven had so ordained it that the Florenâ—… Merchant was present at all this upon whom the bill was for the payment of 1000. Duckats who entreated that they would 〈◊〉 see the bill and they shewing it him he presently acknowkledged and accepted it for it was many moneths since that hee had order for it All this was but to adde 〈…〉 admiration and amazement to amazement 〈…〉 and Isabella's Parents 〈◊〉 selfe call of 〈◊〉 in very courteous language offering 〈…〉 The like did the two Clergie men 〈…〉 Isabella that shee would 〈◊〉 downe this storie in writing that the Arch-bishop might reade it which she promised she would The people from the highest to the lowest giving the parabien to Isabella Ricaredo and their Parents they tooke their leaves And they on the other side besought the Assistante that he would honour their wedding with his presence which some eight dayes hence