summe of money and withall to deliuer him one hundreth female Sturgeons one hundreth males which male Sturgeons because they are a daintie fish the king eate them at his owne table the females he kept for his pleasure After that our General went against the Porpeses which he ouercame brought vnder our subiection Wherewith the number of our armed Tonnies grew so great and puissant that we held manie kinde of fishes in subiection vnder vs all which became tributaries and gaue pledges as we said before Then our Captaine not being contenced with the victories past armed himselfe against the Cocodriles which are a kinde of most fierce fishes and liue sometime in the sea and sometime on the land with whom we had manie battailes and although wee lost some yet for the most part he bare away the victorie But it was no meruaile that we lost some because as I said before those kinde of fishes are verie fierce cruell great bodied with great téeth and long tuskes wherewith they tare in péeces as many of vs as they could reach into their pawes and yet for all their fiercenes we manie times put them to the worst vnles if were somtimes when they saw themselues ouer-pressed by our Tonnies then they forsooke the water and took the land and so they escaped Which our Captaine Licio perceiuing in the end left them after he had spoyled great numbers of them and hee himself likewise receiued great damage and lost the good Melo his brother which caused no smal gréefe throughout the whole Armie But our comfort was that he died like a valiant Tonnie for it was reported vnto vs for a truth that before they killed him he in person with his sword wherewith he was very nimble killed more than a thousand Cocodriles yet they had not killed him if it had not chanced that they flying and he after them he sodainly fell vpon the land there stayed by which meanes not being able to be seconded by his companie the enemie tare him in péeces In the end good Captaine Licio returned from the warres the most renowned fish that then liued in the seas bringing with him great rich spoyles which he gaue wholly vnto the King without taking anie thing for himselfe At his returne his Highnes receiued him with such countenance and entertainment as belonged vnto a fish that had done him so great seruice and honour and withall bestowed most liberall rewards vpon him as also vnto those that had followed him in such manner that euerie one found himselfe contented and pleased And the King to shew the greater fauour vnto Licio mourned for Melo his brother the space of eight dayes and so did we al. Your worship must vnderstand that the mourning among the fishes is that when they are sad and mourne during that time they speak not but onely by signes aske what they desire to haue And this is the manner that is obserued among them whē as their husbands wiues children or frends doe die they mourne in that sort as I said before and kéep it so straightly that it is holden for a great ignomie and that the greatest that may be found within the seas if whē they mourne they chance to speake vntill such time as the King sending vnto them willeth them to leaue mourning and then they speak as they did before I heard it reported among them that a Lord for the death of a Ladie whom he loued and kept as his frend mourned in his owne Countrey for the space of ten yeares and for all that the King could doo he might not cause him to leaue off mourning because that at such time as he sent him word to leaue off he sent word to beséech his Grace to cause him to bee killed rather than leaue off mourning which he could not do And which is more I was tolde wherein I tooke great pleasure to heare it that his seruants perceiuing his long silence some of them at a month others another month and other some at two months as they desired to speake forsooke his house so that in the end he had not one left and here with his mourning continued so long that although he had desired to leaue it hee knew not with whom to speake When they tolde me this I called to my remembrance diuers talkatiue men with whom I am verie well acquainted who neuer leaue talking but assoone as one tale is ended they begin againe And many times because they would not loose companie they cut off their tales in the middle and begin others and so continue vntill the very night come vpon them that they must néeds leaue company or els they would neuer haue done and the worst is that these men do not perceiue how much they offend God and the world herein and I thinke are little lesse then troublesome vnto the diuel himselfe and he that will be wise let him flie the companie of these fooles because like requireth like for their paines I wish they were vassalls vnto this Barron and that during their aboad with him his friend might die that I might be reuenged on them CHAP. X. How the King and Licio determined to marry Lazarus vnto the faire Ladie Luna and how they were married BVt returning vnto our matter the mourning and sorrow holden for the death of Melo being past the king sent word that with all spéede the number of armed Tonnies should bee new supplied and increased and that they should go séeke more armes which was presently done At which time it séemed good vnto the king to marry me to some one whom he thought good and therupon he dealt with Licio about the same vnto whom he committed the matter but he would willingly haue bene quit of the charge because he knew somewhat by her but for that it pleased the king he durst not otherwise doo so he brake the matter vnto me being not a little ashamed to do it saying that he sawe and knew I deserued more honour as my déedes witnessed but the king had expresly commanded that he should be the mariage maker In the end the matter being at that point it is my good fortune sayd I vnto my selfe a nayle is not good to play at tennis withall and a plague of such a ball as cannot be taken but at the second rebound and séeing it pleaseth God it shall be no otherwise and that it is for my profite and aduancement it is reason that I climbe from a priest vnto a king In the ende I did it and my mariage was solemnized with so great triumphs and feastings as if it had bene for a prince being honored with the degrée of a vicount that the king gaue me with her which if I had it here vpon earth would do me much more good than in the sea in the end from the base or meanest Tonny my name rose vnto a Signior In the manner my signory led a tryumphant life married very richly
thought as touching the not finding of our aduersary there My Lord said I without doubt I thinke verely this was no man but rather some diuel which tooke the shape of a man vpon him for our destruction and domage for that who euer sawe or heard it reported that the bodie of a man could sustain it selfe so long time vnder the water or yet coulde doe as this man hath done and in the ende holding him enclosed in such a place as this is and standing so neare as we did he to haue escaped in the sight of vs all I hauing said my opinion and being readie to make an ende thereof there happened a greater daunger vnto vs which was that as the Tonnies that were without began to enter into the Caue they came in so fast perceiuing themselues to bee deliuered of their enemie and to get part of the spoile as also to bee reuenged of the murthers hee had committed vpon their companions and friends that when we looked about vs the Caue was so full that from the very bottome vnto the toppe men could scarce finde any space within the same but that all was full of Tonnies and so heaped one vpō the other that we were almost all smothered to death for as I said before there was no ende of their entering in vntill suche time as the Generall began to deuise how he might remedie the matter in such sort that he perceiuing the necessitie of the case and the great perill wherein wee stood saide vnto me My stout and valiant companion what meanes shall we finde for to get out from hence with our liues séeing as thou séeest the daunger beginneth more and more to encrease and yet we are all in a maner smothered to death My Lord said I the best remedie will be if these which are here before vs could giue vs place that I might get vnto the entery of the Caue and defend it with my sword that no more might enter in these that are in might go forth and we likewise with them al without daunger But that is impossible because there are so many Tonnies vpon vs and you shall sée that all this notwithstanding they cannot let but that still there will more enter in because that he which is without thinketh that those that are here within are diuiding the spoiles and desire their part thereof so that there is but one onely remedie to helpe vs which is if for to escape your honor thinke it good that some of these that are within should die because that to make roome for your honour it cannot bee done without hurt vnto the rest séeing it is so said he it is good to saue the best and loose the worst that all the rest may reioyce Séeing that you said I doth commaund it as hauing authoritie it may please your honor to discharge me in this action from all damage that may happen vnto me thereby There shall not only said he not any harme be done vnto thée but also I promise thée that for thy paines thou shalt bee well rewarded for in such extremities it is a great benefit vnto the armie that the Captain should be saued and I had rather saue one scale of my self then any subiect vnder me O Captains said I vnto my selfe which make small account of other mens liues so you may saue your owne many there be that do as this Captaine doth but how farre different are suche mens actions from that which I haue heard reported of one Paulus Decius a noble Romane Captaine when the Latins conspired against the Romanes and both the armies being readie to ioyne the night before the battaile should be the saide Decius dreamed that it was ordeined by the Gods that if he died in the battaile the Romanes should ouercome and get the victorie against the Latins and if otherwise hee were saued and escaped then the Romanes should bee ouerthrowne and the first thing he did when the battailes began to ioyne was to set himselfe in such a dangerous place that he could not by any meanes escape with his life because the Romans should be victors and so they were but our great Generall Tonney did not followe him in this pointe Then I considering of the securitie which hée promised me and the great necessitie that vrged me thereunto togither with the meanes I then might haue to bee reuenged of the euill entertainment and straunge lodging wherein these wicked and peruerse Tonnies had put mee I began to flourish with my sworde and to strike the best I coulde both on the left and on the right side saying Foorth foorth you vndiscréete Tonnies whiche smother our noble Captaine in this Caue and then striking and thrusting both backward and forward in a short time I dispatched no small number of them not regarding or respecting any one but only Captaine Licio who for that I perceiue his good will towards me in entring of the Caue I bare some affection vnto him and to say truth I loued him very well whereby I lost nothing as hereafter shall bee showne At the whiche sight those that were within the Caue séeing the great slaughter beganne to dislodge and looke with howe great a force they entered they issued foorth with a greater Which newes when those that were without knew and sawe some of their companions issue foorth bléeding as being wounded they sought no more to enter and by that meanes they left vs alone with the dead Tonnies whereby I placed my selfe at the mouth of the Caue and then beganne to giue diuerse fierce thrustes out of the same And in my opinion I thought my selfe as nimble with my sword which then I held in my téethe as when I vsed to holde it in my hand After that I hauing dispatched our Generall and those that were with him out of trouble and smothering they beganne to suppe of the water whiche at that present time was turned into blood And likewise to teare rent and eate those miserable dead Tonnies that I had slaine Which I perceiuing beganne to beare them company and yet it séemed newes vnto me to handle them in that sort although I had eaten of them before in Toledo but not so freshe as I eate them then and in that manner I filled my selfe with great store of swéete and sauourie Fishe not letting to doo it notwithstanding all the great and terrible threatenings that those which were without made against me for the damage I had done among them Hauing ended our banquet when the Generall thought it conuenient time we issued foorth I giuing him to vnderstand of the euill will and meaning that those whiche were without had against mée that his excellencie might prouide for my safetie and securitie Hée going foorth well satisfied and filled at which time they said it is best hauing to do with great lords caused it to bee proclaimed openly that whosoeuer were enemies either in word or déede vnto the valiaunt straunger Tonny that they should
die for it and that they and their heires shoulde bee alwaies holden and accounted for Traytors and that their goods should bee confiscated vnto the Kings vse for if the saide straunger Tonny did them any damage or hurt it was because they were Rebelles and had broken the Commission of their Captaine and by their negligent ouersight had put him in great daunger of death With whiche Proclamation euerie one séemed to bee content and agreed that those which died in the Caue by that meanes had well deserued the same and that the liuing should from thencefoorth put vp the quarrell and liue in peace This done the Generall caused all the other Captaines maisters of the fielde and vnder Officers whiche had anie charge of the Armie to bee called togither willing as many of them as had not beene within the Caue to goe in and to diuide the spoyle they shoulde finde among them which was soone done for there were so many that they had scarce euerie one a morsell of a Tonny They comming foorth because they though it good that euerie one should haue his part of the spoyle proclaimed openly that eache one might enter who woulde whiche the common sorte did soone performe for anie thing that was to bee founde there vnlesse it were certaine droppes of blood and Lazarus cloathes Héere I haue set downe for a perpetuall memorie the crueltie of these Fishes and howe farre differente the state of man is from this of theirs For put the case that here vppon earth there be diuerse men to be founde dwelling which séeke after some cunning sort and in some couetous maner to deuoure their neighbours goods which I doubt are more to be founde at this present then hath bene heretofore by reason that mens consciences are now far larger than they haue bene in times past yet there are none such to be found that are so void of reason or humanitie that they doo or would eate their neighbors flesh Wherefore such men as daily do complaine of certaine wrongs and iniuries done vnto them vpon earth let them say I come vnto the seas and they shall soone perceiue those things to be bread and hony which they complaine of in respect of that which is to be found among the fishes CHAP. IIII. Lazarus sheweth what an euill rewarde the Generall of the Tonnies gaue him for his seruice and of the friendship he entered into with Captaine Licius BVut returning vnto the matter the next day after the Generall being in his Chamber tooke me aside and said vnto me Valiant and stout straunger Tonny I haue determined with my selfe that thy good seruices and counsels shall be well rewarded for if suche as thou art seruing as thou haste done should not be rewarded there would none be found in great armies that would venture their persons in any daungerous seruice wherefore in respect thereof thou shalt from henceforth be assured of our fauour and good wil and withall thou shalt be fréely pardoned of all the murthers and massacres by thée committed vppon our souldiers and companions within the Caue and in memorie of the good seruice thou didst in my behalfe deliuering me from the perill of death thou shalt possesse and enioy as thine owne proper good this sword wherewith thou hast done vs so much damage because I sée thou canst manage it so well but yet with this prouiso that if with the same thou shalt hereafter commit any violence or do any wrong vnto our subiects and the naturall Tonnies of our soueraigne Lord the King thou shalt die for it and herewith it séemeth vnto me thou art well rewarded and from henceforth thou maist returne vnto the place from whence thou didst come And so showing me no great good countenance he left me and went vnto the rest of his companie Wherwith hearing him vtter such speaches vnto mee I was so astonished that I stood almost without either sense or féeling because I looked at the least hee should haue made me some great man I should haue said a Tonny for my good seruice giuing me a charge during my life of some great Signiory in the sea as he before had offered vnto me O Alexander said I vnto my selfe thou didst distribute and spred among thy souldiers such spoyles and riches as thou wonst from thine enemies I haue likewise heard of Caius Fabritius a Romane Captaine in what manner hee rewarded and crowned those which first did aduenture themselues to enter into the Listes and thou Gonzago Hernandes General of the Spaniards didst giue other manner of rewards vnto such as séeking to resemble the braue souldier in the seruice of their King and to augment thine honour did put themselues into all hazards of the field for that all such as did serue and follow thée to how many of them didst thou giue great rewards that of poore and néedy souldiers thou madest them both valiant and rich not as this vnworthie Tonny doth rewarding me with that which in Cocodouer had cost mee but thrée royalls and a halfe Let those therefore that complaine of great Lords vppon earth comfort themselues herein séeing that in the déepe seas there are such small rewards bestowed by great Lords I standing in this sort thus pensiue and sad Captaine Licio perceiuing it came vnto me and said Sir to such as trust in great Lords Captaines it hapneth oftentimes as it doth vnto thée for they standing in néed of other mens aid doo make manie great promises but being deliuered out of danger they doo not once so much as remember their promise made I my selfe am witnes of thy great and good seruice and of all thou hast so valiantly done as he that hath béen present by thée and I sée likewise the euill reward that thy valour and prowesse hath receiued besides the great perill wherein thou art wherefore I am desirous thou shouldst vnderstand that manie of these which are heere present before thée doo among themselues conspire thy death Therefore I will not that thou depart out of my companie for that I am bound to doo for thée as for mine owne childe and to fauour and aid thée not onely with mine owne but also with the aid of my frends to the vttermost of our powers for it should be a most great damage to loose so valiant and hardie a fish as thou art For the which his great curtesie I rendred him most hartie thankes withall accepting of his gentle and courteous offer made vnto me in lieu whereof I presented my small abilitie vnto him offring to be readie at all times to doo him what seruice I could and wherewith hee séemed to be so well content that presently he called vnto him fiftéene hundred Tonnyes of his Regiment willing them from that time forward to take charge to guard me and to beare mee companie in such manner as vnto himselfe so that neither night nor day they did once depart from me that they did verie willingly for there were