to the disconsolate fair One covering his Joy with as much Temper as he cou'd not to give her any Jealousy that he knew of her Aversion to the Voyage and she receiv'd the News with wonderful Serenity tho' her Heart was in no good Condition to disguise her Satisfaction Soon after this lucky turn it fell flat Calm not a Breath of Wind ruffled the Face of the Deep the Elements were in perfect Tranquility the floating Palaces lay wantoning on the Bosom of the Ocean the sporting Nercids danc'd around 'em wondring at this universal Stillness Now they mov'd neither one way nor other their Ships rode on the smooth Pacifick as they had been held by their Anchors their Sails flatted against the Masts and the idle Sailors had nothing to employ em The Face of Heaven had not one Cloud that threatned them the Weather seem'd to be settled in this Halcyon and Morning and Evening Fogs demonstrated no near approach of an alteration It seem'd indeed as Fate had contriv'd it for the Wishes of the labouring Saladine who desir'd nothing more than to dwell for ever in the Company of his charming Princess The fair Nuberia too cou'd not hear of this revolution without warm emotions of Joy as it delay'd a while her arrival to her Destiny and gave her a longer injoyment of the noble General whom she began to value with a more than ordinary Esteem She had been sensible in this part of her Voyage of his frequent Diligences and a thousand Turns of Gallantry with which he hop'd to please her she saw in all his Actions an Air of Nobility and such a profound Submission that even her exalted Quality cou'd hardly countenance it But above all she distinguisht that Desire which she perceiv'd he had to please her which with the rest of his Tenders took such root in her Heart that she cou'd not forbear showing on all Occasions the Satisfaction she received in his Services She now thought it no Crime to wish him well and if a little Tenderness mixt with it she had not Power to controul it 'T is true she consider'd she was going to tie her self for everlasting to the Embraces of her contracted Husband and that her Duty wou'd not warrant her Inclination for any other Person but tho' she was of an inviolable Vertue and in all Things paid a solemn deference to her Honour and to her Father's Will yet the Image of the generous Saladine wou'd break in upon her most serious Reflections and make her whither she wou'd or no regard him with some concern He on the other hand grew every Day more inflam'd he found he lov'd in good earnest but the dread of offending her kept him from revealing it This constraint he put upon his Passion serv'd but to increase it and the more he strove to conquer it the more unconquerable it grew This set him sometimes on extravagant Projects now he wou'd resolve to let her see it but presently he apprehended the discovery might be fatal if she shou'd receive it with Displeasure Sometimes he determin'd to prepare her by making an interest with Fidelia but knowing the uncorrupted Duty that Lady paid her Princess he was afraid it might miscarry on that side too Never was a poor Lover agitated with so many different resolutions as he was he felt intolerable Pains yet if he shou'd attempt to ease 'em it might add to his Afflictions by seeing her offended He found he now lov'd with all the fury of Distraction his mind was never at rest but when his Eyes were on her his Visage chang'd his Health left him his Body sicken'd and all the Faculties of his Soul were at War one with another He no longer took any Care of the Expedition the Business of the Voyage was quite out of his Memory and the charge of his Commission lay buried in profound Oblivion These violent Convulsions threw him into a Fever yet he chose to suffer on with invincible Fortitude rather than divulge the Cause of his Pain But tho' he strove with his Passion 't was in vain to strive with his Distemper his Illness daily increast and all his Physicians were in consultation about his Recovery They readily found out his Disease but the Cause was beyond their Search to no Purpose were their Applications made the Symptoms of Death had already markt him for another World and they had nothing in their Art that cou'd remove ' em When the News of his Danger was carry'd to the Princess she was extremely griev'd and the more because she doubted if it wou'd consist with her Character to visit him She cou'd have been contented to have eas'd him of one half of his Illness for she lookt on him with the same tenderness as if she had a Brother in his Condition But Maugre all Ceremonies she found she cou'd contain her self no longer and sending her dear Confident to know if a Visit wou'd be agreeable to him that Maid ran to his Apartment and found him almost in the Arms of Death At the Name of the Princess he started from the Verge of Life and looking up to see who sounded that charming Name he saw it was the Faithful Fidelia He held forth his Hand to let the welcome Messenger know nothing cou'd give him greater Comfort and tho' his Tongue had not power to utter his Joy his Eyes confest it When the frighted Maid return'd to her Mistriss she related to her the deplorable Condition he was in and the trembling Princess hearing her with infinite Pity she hasten'd with her to the Scene where the expiring Lover lay At the first Sight of her his Spirits forsook him but striving to recover he wou'd have rais'd his Head to pay her his Acknowledgments for so undeserv'd an Honour but she approach'd his Bed time enough to prevent him and took her Seat by the Bed-side The poor unthinking fair here dispenc'd with the Decorum of her Quality as a Princess and as a Wife she consider'd the occasion too pressing to insist upon Formalities and she chose rather to deny for once her duty to her Honour than to the Necessity of her Friendship for the dying Patient She then beheld him in the Agonies of Death chang'd from what he was and she thought it Charity to administer all her good Offices for his recovery The Apprehension she had of his danger made him now almost dear to her who perhaps for want of such an occasion might have still kept her Heart secure but so it is that we oftentimes begin to Love when there is any danger of losing what before we only esteem'd Now it was that the Crisis of his Fate was at the highest there was but one way of saving his Life and that was guarded with innumerable Difficulties He had the pleasure of beholding his Divine Nuberia but where was that Tongue that cou'd reveal his Suff'rings His Eyes languisht on the beloved Object as they were rivetted to 't but his Voice
AN ACCOUNT OF SPAIN BEING A New Description of that COUNTRY and PEOPLE And of the SEA PORTS along the Mediterranean Of Ceuta Tangier c. Written by a French Gentleman who was in disguise Aboard the English Fleet With an Account of the most Remarkable Transactions of that Fleet. To which is added A Large Preface concerning the Establishment of the Spanish Crown on the DUKE of ANJOU LONDON Printed for Joseph Wilde at the Elephant at Charing-Cross 1700. TO THE Most Noble PRINCE HENRY DUKE of NORFOLK Earl Marshal of England One of His Majestys most Honourable Privy Council Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter c. May it please your Grace THE following Letters contain some general remarks of what happen'd in the English Fleet that was sent to the Mediterranean toward the letter end of the last War with some observations of the posture and disposition of the Spanish Nation as it then stood The Account is not so particular as it might have been I wish something more had been said of the History and Politicks of that People that it might have been more seasonable for this present juncture when the eyes of all the World are pointed to that Empire But to make amends for that Omission I take every thing in it to be very justly describ'd most of it having occur'd to my own experience and to the Knowledge of all the Curious in that Voyage And as I can affirm the Account to be just so there is little or nothing said that ever has been mention'd by any other Author I have form'd it into a Book for your Graces perusal and am happy that I can lay it at your feet in a time when your confinement at home by a troublesome pain and sometimes your want of Company gives you leisure to read it over And tho' I know your Graces Palate to be exceeding Nice in all sorts of reading yet I am not more discourag'd at that than I am animated with your Goodness and Indulgence The opportunities I have had of your Conversation were very fortunate to me by them I had the Honour of being known to your Grace By them I have been present at some of the Politest Discourses that I have met with and by them I have of consequence refin'd my own Capacity and I can't chuse but say I was astonisht to hear the first Peer of England whose Nobility has been of late years less Curious of these finer Studies talk so well My next thought was may my Lord pardon me that if the Duke of Norfolk were stript of all his Titles and cou'd come upon the Square to converse with such as me there is not a Man on earth whose Society I shou'd so much covet But in the pleasure of that thought I forgot my distance not considering that Nature as well as the scituation of your Birth had put so great a Bar betwixt you and me that like the Sun you can't be look'd at but with the Clouds between My Lord I was born with an antipathy to flattery and I hope I have said nothing that can be so understood I 'm sure I wou'd avoid it if I knew where it look'd like it but in your Graces Character 't would be hard to say too much and it is the World's unhappiness not to know you as well as I do I am at a loss My Lord how to acknowledge the Honours I have already receiv'd and nothing but your Permission cou'd make me sin again by laying this trifle under your Patronage but when I consider'd the Curiosity your Grace has for Books and the particular inquiries you made of the Country here mention'd I thought I had a fair occasion of putting your Name before this which I hope will give you some satisfaction I wish it were in my Power to cover something better than this Imperfect Account with your Illustrious Protection but 't is the Debtor's curse to be always in Arrears and I don't know how to offer your Grace any thing that will not want a blush to hide it But your Grace is often exercis'd in Acts of Clemency and 't is but the habit of your Goodness to Pardon The Contemplation of that Vertue gives me unspeakable pleasure therefore with the greater assurance I address this Book and with profound humility remain Your Graces most Dutiful Servant E. LEWIS THE PREFACE THis Year will be famous in Chronicle for the Death of the two greatest Monarchs in Europe the Pope and the King of Spain and of one who might have been as great as either the Duke of Glocester whose short life has been as much lamented as that of any young Prince who was ever born with a relation to the English Throne But for the first that I Nam'd one wou'd think he had prevail'd with Nature to allow him a few Months longer than his Natural Lease on purpose that he might live to see the end of the Century and to perform all the sacred Ceremonies of opening the year of Grace that he himself might hammer down the Gates of Eternal life to be sent up to Heaven on the Wings of a Million Jubilee indulgences of his own granting The good Old Man is now with the Conclave of the Fathers shut up in the limbo of everlasting darkness and bound up with the rest of that gang to be try'd at the last day as well as we The other liv'd till he had lost all hopes of an Heir and when he found he cou'd raise no posterity to take his mantle from him he left it to be scrambled for by them that can catch it just in such a distracted manner as a better Man did once before him that is to him that best deserves it and 't is more than I expect if this late Monarch of Spain has not by his Will laid a Foundation for a War of as Menacing consequences as that Macedonian did when he bequeath'd the World to him who had the longest Sword and the best Army This Saint of a King is now laid down in the regions of Night and his Death has left all Europe as much in the dark as he himself now lies in the Royal Pantheon The amazement that the World now stands in is because he has Nam'd the Duke of Anjou his successor who in all probability will be invested with that Empire and for ought I see there 's no opposition made against him I hope our Politicians who are of another Opinion will not be offended with me for saying so especially when they shall hear that I am as much as they can be against the Crown of Spains falling into the House of Bourbon But since there 's so little stir among those Powers who are most concern'd against it I can't foresee what interruption the young King can meet with I wish with all my heart the Emperor and the Princes of Europe wou'd look about 'em before it be too late before the Scepter is put into his hands and
the Court of Madrid sworn to their allegiance for when once that is done and the Duke upon the Throne taking upon him the Name of the Catholick King and the Administration of Publick Affairs and making himself esteem'd by his People by Acts of bounty and insinuating Declarations it will be a harder matter than we imagine to dispossess him of it There is not upon Earth a People more tenacious of what they have once resolv'd than the Spaniards are nor fonder in all the observations of their Duty to their Kings whether Dead or Alive And if they can be perswaded to think well of the present establishment I know their Nature to be such that they 'll stand by him to the loss of all that they are worth And since this Book is so far concern'd in the Description of that Country and People it will be expected that something shou'd be said of the present posture of affairs tho whatever can be said must be purely but matter of Opinion and a blind conjecture of what may or may not happen And here it falls into our way to inquire whether the greatest part of the Nobility and Populace of that Kingdom are pleas'd to have upon their Throne a Son of that Family that for many Ages has been in Arms against 'em always the rivals of their fame and the invaders of their Provinces One wou'd think it strange if they shou'd for several reasons First because of that invincible antipathy in their Natures Secondly because he comes upon a wrong Foundation he having renounc'd all right and title and his breach of that vow denoting him faithless and never to be trusted not to mention the affront put upon the memory of their great Minister De Haro by making such a jest of that solemn League Thirdly because in all their Histories they have no Example of a French King who was King of Spain it being the interest of their own State as well as that of their Neighbours to keep France on the outside of their Frontiers With many such reasons as might be produc'd But to Answer E Contrario we know that the Arch-Duke was pitcht upon for Successor some considerable time before the Kings Death and that the Succession of the Crown was so intirely invested in him that there was no manner of Provision made for the French Line Of this settlement the Court was well satisfy'd and there was no other interest made in Publick nor any Heir talk'd of but He who was already Nam'd Thus it continu'd a long time before the King dy'd and might have done so still but for a zealous hot-headed Church Man who by being so near the Kings Conscience had opportunities of Cajoling him which way he wou'd This Cardinal being by some means or other brought into the French faction whispers the King with the injury that wou'd be done to France if the succession was given away from her and that there was no right notwithstanding the treaty of Saint John de Luz but what was absolutely in the Children of that Marriage The Pious King more afraid of doing a thing that hazarded the Health of his Soul than consenting to a project that might undo all the Countries round him listen'd to the Cardinal and gave him hopes of succeeding While this was depending at Madrid measures were concerted elsewhere for the safety of the rest of Europe by preventing the Crown of Spain from falling into any one Monarchy whether that of Germany or France The Watchful Guardian of England was at the head of that project and the States of Holland being every way guided by so good a Pilot follow'd him into it Then having agreed upon terms according to the most reasonable way of securing the Peace of Europe they propos'd those terms to France and to the Emperor France doubtful of his success at Madrid consented to what was offer'd him and seeing no probability of getting all he was glad to be content with a part The Emperor on the contrary well assur'd of his right and not doubting but his Son wou'd be declar'd Successor refused to ingage in that partition which was the dismembring of an Empire one day actually to be his and in this assurance he stood out to the last But now comes the great turn the unexpected Catastrophe of the Spanish Policy The Cardinal Arch-Bishop engages for the French and being of great credit in the Court and with the Credulous King he forms a Confederacy to help him to turn the stream into that Channel and in the very moment of Death when the King was given up to contemplations of another Life and was willing to forget every thing that might bring back his mind to earth again this Spiritual tempter came in with a Will of his own making and told the King plainly that he wou'd not send him to Heaven till he had revok'd his first Will and Sign'd that The good King now upon the Verge of Life consents to any thing rather than not be absolv'd and so to release himself he has bound us all to more terrible circumstances than those he was to indure in Purgatory The Will was then sign'd for the Duke of Anjou and when he had done that the Cardinal told him he might die when he wou'd So he shut his eyes and departed Now I wou'd fain know what this Gigantick Will is that looks so big and Bullies the Empire of Germany out of her Right and Title Is there force enough in such a piece of Writing to put by the Heir from his possession Can the Arch-Bishop of Toledo make a King of Spain in defiance of Leagues and Inheritance by his Office he invests the King with the Regalia but what is that to the making of a King Or is the Crown of Spain so precarious that the King himself can give it away at his pleasure to the right or the wrong as he thinks fit I don't remember any History of a Successive Monarchy that can produce an Example like it Queen Elizabeth a little before her Death was very much prest to Name her Heir not that she cou'd make him an Heir that was not so already but because there were several pretenders that made their claims and this was an expedient to prevent animosities and parties among the People Accordingly the King of Scots was declar'd the immediate Successor who afterwards came in and all England were happy in him This was another matter Here was no invading the rights of others here was no bequest made of the Crown nor a Legacy that cou'd not be countenanc'd by Justice and the consent of all the Laws The King of Scotland was the invincible rightful Heir and there has not been a Sovereign on the Throne of England of a fairer Title and not many of so fair so that this Example gives this circumstance no advantage for tho' this Will had been considered made and sign'd in the time of the King's Health 't is beyond all controversy that it
Value my satisfaction preserve your life These unexpected words were life it self he needed no other remedy to restore his Health and already he felt his Heart reliev'd and the powers of his Soul quickned up to Joy and Rapture Then looking on her with Eyes divided between Awe and Extasy he told her if he deserv'd not to dye for what he had done he wou'd live to make the remainder of his Life the witness of her indulgent Goodness Then in a Moment his illness began to abate his Fever left him his Countenance resum'd its usual lustre and thro' all his Veins the vital Blood ran temperate and healthful All Signs of dangers were remov'd his Reason return'd and his Senses possest their former Occupations No Marks of Desperation appear'd any longer nor any Raptures but what he utter'd in the admiration of her Mercy The Princess was much joy'd at this alteration she told him That if the recovery of his Health depended so much on her power she was sorry she cou'd not always be his Physician that she had consideration enough for the Merits of so generous a Man but it was entirely against her Honour to Answer his Passion as it deserv'd but if he cou'd be satisfy'd with such a place in her Heart as wou'd not invade her Duty she shou'd conceive for him the most tender Friendship but that if she were at liberty to chuse a Lover that cou'd be most grateful to her she cou'd not fix better than on the Gallant Saladine There needed no more to finish his recovery he cou'd not hope to break off the Nuptials she was going to Celebrate and all the Ambition he coveted was but to see himself in her good Opinion and in some possession of her Heart He heard her last words with transporting joy and tho' there was a great deal due to the presence of so illustrious a Princess yet he broke out from all Constraints of Decency into an extravagance of Passion Oh ye Celestial Powers he cry'd too happy Happy Saladine and can the generous Princess pardon me Can she forget my daring Insolence and forgiving me the Sentence of Death which was my due raise me to Life and bid me live for ever Oh let me rave a while with boundless Extasy till I have utter'd this excess of joy that fills my grateful Soul Yes I will live since you command me and live a thousand thousand Ages till I become immortal as my Love and carry to the end of Nature the Triumph of your Eyes She wou'd have checkt his Transport but he was in no condition to hear Reason his Flight was too lavish to be bound up to Rules and he spar'd nothing that express'd his Gratitude and her Generosity At length he stopt and she Answer'd in such Terms as these I have already done more for the brave Saladine than I can justify to the present dependence of my Affairs but I have consider'd every thing and I find all too weak for my Inclination It becomes me not to say more perhaps I have said too much already Only that if our Fortunes had so ordain'd it I cou'd have been content without the Temptation of a Crown to have shar'd my happiness with him She blush'd for what she had said and not able to look up she let fall her Eyes and wish she had not said so much As it gave her confusion so it increast his Happiness and now the reviv'd Lover who a moment before wou'd have parted with his Life for an Expiation of his Guilt liv'd to see himself forgiv'n and what was infinitely more belov'd Now be undertook to talk with the freedom of a Lover and while his Tongue was recounting the violence of his Flame his Heart and his Sighs kept time with his passionate Relation His languishing Looks pleaded powerfully for him and he who knew to a syllable the way to a Ladies Heart made every gesture humour the distressful Tale Now he play'd the Orator indeed his Tongue was Tipt with softness his Eyes with Fire his Breast beat to the Accents of his Voice and every thing he utter'd was Musick to the attentive Princess ' Twou'd be very hard to describe our General with all the advantages which he now possest for notwithstanding his Illness he had an Air of sweetness in his Face and in every Action such a persuasive Allurement as was not to be resisted The Princess receiv'd a sensible Impression of all he said and did she found her Heart already totter'd and when she wou'd again have consulted her Reason she had no power to think She represented to her Fancy that she had never seen any thing more worthy of her and now she was not determining whether she shou'd love him or no for that was already decided and 't was too far gone to be recalled Her Heart became absolutely his and there wanted but the consent of Fortune to make 'em the happiest Couple in the World Now the distances of their Quality and all reservation was laid aside our Lover grew more assur'd by the encouragement she had giv'n him and taking her fair Hand he held it to his Lips with such ardency as very much affected her She grew less scrupulous as he grew more assur'd and she mistrusted not those innocent allowances in the possession of one she esteem'd so much and whom she had found so worthy of her Confidence Thus were they highly satisfy'd with each other she was exceedingly pleas'd to see she had such power over him as to restore him to Life at her pleasure and he was in no ordinary degree of rapture to see such a change in his condition to be redeem'd from the jaws of Death and Despair and to see himself rais'd from such dejected Miseries to a felicity infinitely above his hopes But alas how short were these starts of joy they presently call'd to mind that they were not ordain'd for one another that they were within few days of parting never to behold each other more Soon as that dismal thought seiz'd 'em they were both cast down into mortal Affliction All the Terrors of Despair sate in their Faces and they became the pity of the sorrowful Fidelia And now to increase their Grief the Weather grew Cloudy the Calm was blown away with a boist'rous Eastern Gale their Sails were all trimm'd for the pursuit of their Voyage and they hurry'd on with such precipitancy that to their insupportable sorrow they saw the fatal Shore where they were to part for ever Who can describe the extremity of their suff'rings at the discovery of that infernal Coast The Weeping Princess was past all Comfort and the furious Saladine ready to plunge into the bottomless deep to prevent the parting moment which was but preventing one Death by another But vain were their Complaints the remorseless Wind increas'd and they fled before it with such fury that they plainly saw the Shore within few Hours Sail of ' em The nearer they approacht it the
more deplorable were their sorrows and they now macerated and tore ' emselves with the utmost apprehensions of Despair abandon'd to their Suff'rings and Distress The Princess lay like one bereft of Reason Fidelia sympathiz'd with the Melancholy of her dear Mistress and the inconsolable Saladine had hers as well as his own Torments to afflict him In that Frenzy he cou'd not forbear running into her Cabbin where he found his Charmer overwhelm'd with trouble and throwing himself at her Feet beg'd to die in that posture rather than to see her torn from him to an Everlasting Separation What did he not say to move her But there needed no further Arguments to make her pity him she already found him so dear to her that she was within a moments consideration of running the hazard of disobeying her Father and flying to some far distant safety with her belov'd Saladine But these were only Chimera's of a Distemper'd Brain she talkt of things impossible and now there was no way to escape her Destiny The Storm began to sing louder and the faster it blew the nearer they drew to the unwelcome Scene The Sea was now grown outragious the Billows tost 'em to the Skies and the darken'd Heav'n as if it mourn'd for their Calamity was painted with the Visage of horror and death In this Tempest they hop'd for some unexpected adventure as being on an Element apt for Changes at least to delay a while their parting but the Wind had no compassion of 'em it Whistled still louder and drove 'em forwards with such impetuosity that now the Shore was just under their Bows and spite of all their care the Ships in hazard of perishing The alarm of this danger frighted all but the despairing Lovers the Officers ran to the General for Orders in this extremity but they might as well talk to the Clouds as to him He was not at leisure to regard the safety of his Fleet being agitated with a greater Storm in his Breast and whatever shou'd become of 'em he was in no condition to prevent it Immediately they dropt their Anchors hoping to ride out the Storm but all their caution was little enough to secure ' em The Gulph of of Moco has always been notorious for Shipwrack the Sea runs there with incredible fury and a thousand Vessels have found their destruction in its implacable jaws No Wonder therefore at this time the danger astonisht all them who were tender of their safety for throughout the whole Fleet there was not one who expected not Death and who did not make it his business to shift for himself All but the desperate Saladine and his Princess were fearful of being stranded on the Shore but they had so little taste of Happiness that Death wou'd have been more welcome to 'em than Life on any terms but of enjoying each other for ever But seeing no hopes of such a Fortune they gave ' emselves up with ready Resignation to whatever shou'd befal ' em In few Hours they cou'd behold several of their Ships cast on the Shore and the drowned Mariners tost on the relentless Beach as a Token of what they were now to expect This dreadful sight gave all the Spectators unspeakable horror but to our disconsolate Lovers it appear'd with a quite different Face Not that they wanted pity for those miserable Wretches who were perish'd but it gave 'em hopes of suff'ring the same Death themselves and they were prepar'd to receive it with wonderful Alacrity The Princess felt not those fears which were common to her Sex in such Emergencies her Courage was as much as was necessary fortify'd with the presence of her Saladine and in his Arms she was resolv'd to end her Life He too who was grown careless of his own Life neglected for a while even hers and because he saw he cou'd not be hers in Life he rejoyc'd to think they shou'd die together This indeed was grateful to him for a time but at length he consider'd she deserv'd better Fortune than to perish for want of the means of safety and he now was of Opinion to prevail with her to have some regard to her self Accordingly he went to her and Conjur'd her by all the happiness she wisht him not to remain longer Aboard but to give him leave to get a pinnace ready to carry her a-shore and to leave him to the Mercy of the Sea who was willing to die if he cou'd secure her from the ruin which threatned her He told her there was less danger in venturing out than in remaining where she was that if she wou'd consent to go he wou'd give in charge to his chief Officers to Pilot her a-shore and to set her safe from the hazard of Shipwrack That indeed he wou'd attend her himself but he cou'd by no means set his Feet on the Country where she was to be for ever lost to him and that the torture which he shou'd feel to part with her wou'd be too conspicuous and might give her Subjects occasion of censuring that Reluctance with which he was to see her torn from him Tho' there was a great deal of Reason in what he urg'd she cou'd not hear it without a Resentment which show'd her violently offended no Sir she cry'd there is no safety for me where I have not the gallant Saladine to bear me Company and as we are now in the Moment of eternal Perdition I can rather consent to perish with you than to indure the anguish of parting with you to sustain a Crown which will prove a Torment to me under the fatal Separation which it makes betwixt us Then abandon'd to Distraction she cry'd Oh forgive my Honour If I transgress the Bounds of Decency to tell the faithful Saladine how much I Love him Hence away with all Impediments of Duty of strict Obedience and contracted Vows let me be Mad till I have rav'd enough and told the generous Man how dearly I adore him Oh take me to your Arms and hide my Blushes let me be wrapt within your fast Embraces and never wake but to behold you mine The Amorous Saladine was ravisht with this sudden Tenderness in all his Joys he never hop'd for such a Declaration but now his Soul was all on Fire Ye bounteous Gods he cry'd What Words are these Oh let me hang upon your lovely Knees and prostrate on the Earth receive this Blessing Then starting from that Posture he flew out into a Transport Let the Seas roar and let Destruction reign since I am made thus happy Then running to her Arms he added Now now thou God of Whirlwinds strike us down sink us together to the vast Abyss but let no Bolt of Thunder part our Arms Oh Joy too great to bear here his Breath fail'd him and the weeping Princess ready to expire with the moving Spectacle sunk down into his Arms and they both remain'd as if they had been Dead The diligent Fidelia who never left 'em was in little
at him Soon as the roaring beast saw him he ran furiously towards him and there being no Body else in the Lists the Sailor must now make the best of a bad Market the poor Fellow still stood his Ground and when the Bull came near him he try'd to amuse him with his Hat as he had seen the Spaniards do with their Cloaks and throwing it between his Horns it signify'd as much as if he had held his Hand against a Thunderbolt for down he came upon his Back with his Face to the Bulls one of the Bulls Feet on his Stomach and one of his Horns thro' his Cheek and out at his Mouth One wou'd have thought these Braves that saw him shou'd have run in to his Rescue but not one of 'em stirred tho' the defeated Hero lay every Moment expecting Death till of his own accord the generous Beast got out his Horn and as if he had been sensible of his Conquest left him on the Ground and walkt on as if he were satisfy'd with his Victory Soon as the Bull quitted him then they run Races who shou'd first see if he were living and finding no other hurt about him but that of his Cheek he was carryed to the Hospital and soon afterwards Cured If you have the Curiosity to ask on what Occasion these Bull-Feasts are generally made take this Account which was given me of that which I was at The Duke of Medina Sidonia Captain General of Andaluzia had a Son at the point of Death his Life being given up by the Physicians the Duke had recourse to the Prayers of the Church as his last Remedy and particularly addrest a Monastery of Augustines in the Town where he Dwelt to offer up their Intercession for him In some Time after the Gentleman recover'd and the glad Father thinking his Recovery had been an effect of the Prayers of the Convent presented it with these 33 Bulls to be first Baited for publick Diversion and as a Token of his Gratitude their Carcasses to be devoted to the Holy Fathers This is not always the Reason of 'em for sometimes the King or some Grandee entertains Embassadors with them before the royal Palace at Madrid or for want of a better Occasion sometimes the Mob When ever the latter happens it is done to pacifie their Clamours for they are always Mutinous in a Time of Scarcity and then the King appoints 'em a Bull-Feast which is both Sport and Supply to ' em Tho' generally this is perform'd here with Circumstances of great Ostentation yet in Barbary they have 'em in ten times more Splendour Those African People being lovers of all sorts of Cruelty and not to be pleas'd but with such savage Diversions But so much for their publick Sports I cou'd now make you merry with another kind of Gallantry very much in practice among these Spaniards I mean that of Pimping and Intriguing And tho' these two Excellencies are chiefly prevailing among the Laity yet to give the Church its due the Clergy are very dextrous at any thing wherein a Woman is concern'd But since I have mention'd the Reverend Clergy let me not traduce 'em without entring their Convents and Chapels and examine what sort of private Devotion they practise and I can assure my Friend whoever sees 'em in their cells tho' they are zealous pretenders and carry to the World such a Face of Austerity will find nothing less than Mortification among ' em Consider My Friend I am not speaking of all that are in Religious Orders God forbid I shou'd accuse so solemn a Life with general Prophannes No Brunet I have a profound Reverence for that Monastick Holiness which inspires the greatest part of 'em but yet as in all other Societies there are even among these some Corrupt Members which shame the Sanctity of our most Holy Communion and are Weeds that ought to be torn from the Earth and Rooted out from the Churches of the Faithful I am now speaking of those abandon'd Hypocrites who have other secret Causes for their entring into holy Orders than Contrition and Repentance That there are such every Age hath inform'd us and every Convent or there wou'd be a little work for publick Scandal or for Confession and such severe Chastisemenas as are often exercised in ' em It was my Fortune to be acquainted with some of these we are now speaking of Brave Fellows My Friend Men who wou'd stick at nothing to gratifie their Appetites or to serve a Companion If a Husband or a Brother be in the way they have devices to remove 'em and such subtil Stratagems as will hardly admit of Opposition That what I say is true every English and Dutch Officer that 's here will bear me witness for there 's hardly a Gentleman in the Navy that loves an Intrigue and can part with his Money but has been helpt by one Friar or other of his acquaintance Tho' I am very much scandaliz'd at so great an infamy which gives occasion to our Adversaries to reproach us yet in spite of all shame 't is an absolute truth and so much the more deplorable It may well be answer'd if it shou'd be ask'd how these Vermin have a knack at Pimping above any other People that by the power they have when they receive the confessions they discover who are Corrupt and having known that the rest is easy And that these Villains are sometimes as successful in Debauching innocent Maids as they are in continuing the pollutions of others already Defil'd has been notoriously prov'd by Examples that have occur'd to my particular knowledge and the reason is plain why the Priesthood is more mischeivious that way because the doors of every Family lie open to them and that reservation which Parents use in guarding their Children from all the World beside is put by at the approaches of a Priest who wherever he comes is as familiar as if he were one of the Domesticks The liberty which they thus assume as it is the particular priviledge of the Church so it is very serviceable to 'em in their Designs of every kind but principally to insinuate for Alms and Benevolences in which they are so dextrous that 't is a hard matter to avoid 'em For besides the Artifices they use by fair means they have always the necessities of the Church to pretend and when good words won't do they have a Purgatory and Damnation to awe the unknowing Vulgar I wou'd not say this of the Roman Clergy if I did not know it to be litterally true for as I wou'd be thought impartial in my remarks of every thing I undertake to Relate so in this particular I woud shun all detraction and cover as much as I cou'd the nudities of the Catholick Communion but to deal plainly with a Friend I found within these holy Societies very much Corruption and Degeneracy I found Abstinence and Chastity which are their Principal vows no more than nominal Vertues but I saw every
and their Lives to Assault ' em Thus being on all sides prevented we with-drew further off and Cruiz'd off the Isles when a Furious North-West Blew us quite out of Sight of Land and put us to a Necessity of Shifting for our Safety This Storm continu'd for a Fortnight and was so Violent that the Birds were blown from Shore and came to Rest their Weary Wings on the Decks and Rigging of our Ships These Poor Creatures were Grown so Tame with Famine and Fateigue that it was an easy matter to take 'em with our Hands and there was hardly a Ship that had not Quails and Turtle-Doves sitting on their Yards The Tempest continuing still Obstinate and the Sea Running High as it always does in the Gulph of Lyons at length it was Determin'd to stand before it and Steer for the Island of Sardinia there was a Necessity for this for we began to want Water extreamly and in few daies Arriving there we Anchor'd in an open Road within four Leagues of Cagliari Here we found a Fresh Stream that Supply'd us immediately and when we had been a while at an Anchor the Country Peasants brought down Provisions in such Plenty that now all the Marriners Fed upon Fresh Meat Sardinia is an Island near adjoining to Corsica opposite to the Re-publick of Genoa and the Dukedom of Tuscany the People of both Islands are Accounted Barbarous but we found 'em quite otherwise unless we Value their Capacities by the Good Bargains we made and count 'em Fools because they Sold us Good Penny-worths They are indeed Notoriously Ignorant and Superstitious but far from being such Savages as they are Accounted in History and unless the Character belongs to the English who Riffled and Pillag'd the Poor Wretches I don't know of any Barbarity I saw while I was abroad The English to give 'em their Due are exquisite at that sort of Mischief for when they had any of those Poor Creatures in their Power they made no Conscience of Plundering them of what they had and turning 'em loose to Nakedness and Beggarly I 'le give you one Instance of this Kind because I wou'd not fix a Scandal on a People without good Reason and that is thus Two Souldiers having got Leave to go a Shore under pretence of Buying Fresh Provision bethought 'em selves of a Cheaper way of being Supply'd than by their Mony and Marching up into the Country came to a Poor Peasant's House who Liv'd Far from Neighbours an Honest Simple VVretch who Fed and Clothed himself with the Profits of his own Industry and kept about his House all that he was worth in the VVorld It was this Poor Man's Unhappiness to be at Home when those Stroalers entred his House without any Ceremony who seeing a strange People within his Doors Imagin'd 'em to be some of the English who he had heard were come into their Country and designing to Treat 'em with what he had he offer'd 'em the Bounty of his House sparing nor Meat nor Wine nor any thing that cou'd express his Satisfaction of seeing 'em there After he had given them of what he had and they had Glutted with all sorts of Plenty he loaded 'em with Fruits and other Good things and Offer'd 'em what Accommodation he cou'd make for their Lodging if they wou'd be so kind as to stay with him that Night They likeing well their Entertainment thought this was a good Opportunity to Enrich themselves and making their way up stairs in a Riotous manner they amazed the unwary Landlord who cou'd not guess what they meant by Running up and down in such Tumultuous Hast But The Poor amazed fellow who saw himself going to be Undone by these Rogues made what Opposition he cou'd to hinder 'em and as he Struggled and Pray'd that they wou'd offer him no Violence one of the Villains with his Dagger Stabb'd him to the Heart and laid him Dead at his Feet and when they had committed that Execrable Deed they Stripp'd the House bare and marcht away with the Spoils of their Villany This Bloody Action was afterwards made known to the Vice-Roy who Demanded Justice of the General the General making inquiry after the Criminals found 'em out and Sentenc'd the Principal to Death When this was Reported to the Vice-Roy he Desir'd no greater Satisfaction than to see 'em Condemn'd and being a Man of Generosity himself interceded for their lives only desiring they might be made sensible of their Crimes but that they might not be Executed The General with some Regret granted his Request but wou'd not let the Murderers yet know what had been determin'd so appointing a day for the Execution of the Principal and the Punishment of the other after the Military manner they were drawn out under a Strong Guard and a Battalion was Commanded ashore to attend the Execution And now behold a turn and the Justice of Providence on the Guilty Malefactor The Ruffian who gave the Fatal Blow was pinnion'd and upon his Knees ready for Death which he was to receive from a File of Muskets drawn out for that Purpose and his Companion plac'd close by him to Suffer the Terror of his Execution He who Headed the Battalion and carry'd the Pardon in his Pocket gave Orders that the Musketeers shou'd not Fire till he made the Signal but that all the Ceremony shou'd be made to Terrifie him a while with the Prospect of his Death the Lieutenant who had charge of the File knew nothing of the Pardon but supposing he was to be Shot according to his Sentence gave the Signal for Firing without asking any further Direction and in a Moment the Murderer was Torn to Pieces Judge now my Friend of the Precipitancy of these English but chiefly of the Divine Justice that wou'd not let such a Notorious Offender Escape the Punishment of his Blood-shed The other Delinquent was Punisht at the same time tho' not by Death and the Blood of the Murder'd Peasant so far atton'd The Officer who Commanded the File was Broke for his Rashness and the Colonel that shou'd have taken more care was made Prisoner but soon afterwards Releas'd The City of Cagliari is the chief of the Island exceeding strong and the Seat of the Vice-Roy this formerly was accounted so Noble a City when Gracchus took it for the Use of the Romans that Florus by way of Excellency call'd it Vrbs Vrbium tho' afterwards it was demolisht by the same Gracchus to disable the Natives but in more settl'd times it was Re-built and a second time Taken by the Saracens and at last restor'd by the Pisans to it's Primitive Lustre I never in all my Life saw so plentiful a Market as here nor every thing Sold at so cheap a Rate a dozen Chickens might be bought for a Shilling a Kid for 2 a Mutton for 4 and a Beef for a Pound all excellent in their kind It was evident this proceeded from the Scarcity of Mony among 'em as well as