an ende of my enterprise Thou hast thy request said he Then I with no little shame and feare returned towards the caue thinking thereafter as it touched me néere to be wiser and circumspecter in my speach And approaching vnto the Caue I made as though I had bene striken and faining to retire I skipped sodeinly vnto the entery of the hole and tooke that with my mouth which at other times I vsed to doe with my handes which done I studied thinking with my selfe whether it were best for mee to enter into the Caue or to go and deliuer the Sword vnto the Generall to whome I had promised the same In the ende I considered that if I should go in I might peraduenture be accused of theft saying that I had eaten him séeing hee was not there to bee found which had bene a thing worthie of punishment At the last I turned my selfe vnto the Army the which I praied to help me because they had séene me recouer the sword and yet to shewe more courage hauing gotten it vpon the rocke then when I tooke it at the mouth of the Caue I skirmished with the same wreathing turning my mouth looking on all sides both backward and foreward and comming vnto the Generall with humble salutation holding the sword as well as I could by the hilts in my mouth I said Valiant Captain Behold here the Armes of our cruell enemy from this time forth there is no cause of feare why we should not enter into the Caue séeing he hath not any thing wherewith to defend the same You haue saide he done like a valiaunt Tonny and assure your selfe you shall be well rewarded for so great a péece of seruice and for because with so great valour and hardinesse you haue gotten the sword and that it séemeth vnto me you can better skill of it then the rest of vs I pray you holde it still vntill we haue gotten this vnhappie and wicked traitor into our hands With that an infinit nomber of the Tonnies went vnto the mouth of the Caue but yet not one of them durst be so bold to enter into the same because they feared that he was not without a poniard then I profered my selfe to be the first that wold venture for to enter so that some of them would follow and assist me and this I desired onely because I meant to haue witnesses of my innocency but such was the feare whiche they had of Lazarus that not one of them sought to follow me although the Generall promised great gifts vnto him that should second me The thing standing in this point the Generall asked mee what I thought best to bee done therein séeing not one of them was desirous to beare me companie in that dangerous entrance I answered that for his seruice I would venter to enter therein my selfe alone so they would assure mee the entrie and that they should not feare to stand by me Hée said it should be so and if so be that those which were there durst not doo it he promised to follow me himselfe In the meane time Capiaine Licio came vnto vs and said that he would enter in with me wherewith I began to skirmish on all sides of the caue with my sword and to giue diuers fierce prickes with the same and at the last skipped in crying with a lowd voyce Victoria Victoria God saue the the great sea with her great and puissant inhabitants of the same and confound those which dwell vpon the Land With these cries although but full euill fauouredly vttered Captaine Licio of whom I spake before entred after me who at that day wan much renowne and recouered with mee much credite in showing himselfe so hardie and valiant aboue the rest yet it séemed vnto me that one witnes was not sufficient to discharge mee and therefore not leauing the entrie of the caue I desired more helpe but all in vaine was my request for the diuell take them all not one of them durst once venter to enter And surely they were not greatly to be blamed therein for I assure yee in my conscience that I my selfe should haue done as much if I had thought the thing to bee as they tooke it for what should a man doo but speake the truth but for mee I entred therein as into mine owne house knowing very well before that there was not so much as a snayle within the same Then I began to animate them thereunto saying O mightie great and valiant Tonnyes show foorth this day your force and accustomed boldnes séeing that such an occasion is offered whereby you may win honour and renowne Are you not ashamed to show so little courage Know yee not that your Enemies will from hencefoorth estéeme but little of yee when they shall sée and vnderstand your small courage With these and other things spoken vnto them by mee the Generall himselfe although with more shame than otherwise entered in crying Peace peace by which words I vnderstood verie well that hee brought not all in with him séeing that in time of so great warres he proclaimed peace As soone as he was entred he willed the rest to enter which I thinke entred full euill against their wills but when they perceiued not poore Lazarus nor yet anie defence against them although I gaue great blowes and thrusts against the sides of the caue with my sword they were all amazed And the Generall was ashamed of the small companie that approached to helpe me and Captaine Licio CHAP. III. How after that Lazarus with all the Tonnyes had entered in the caue and finding nothing therein but Lazrroes cloathes there entred so manie that they thought to be smothered therein and what remedie Lazarus deuised for the same SEarch hauing béen made round about the Caue wee found the apparell of the valiant Tonny Lazarus de Tormes for they were left behinde me when I was turned into a fish yet when I saw them I was in no small feare doubting least my poore bodie had béen still within them and that the foule onely had béen turned into a Tonny but as God would I found not my selfe there and then I knew assuredly that both in bodie and soule I was turned into a fish Yet I was not well in my minde because neuerthelesse I felt no small paine and it gréeued mee in my verie flesh to sée those garments that had fitted my bodie so well beeing a man to bee so iniuriously torne and plucked in péeces by those which did it with so good a will and yet I was constrained to do the like my self because I would not séeme to vary from those of my company thereby offering occasion to be perceiued At this fight the Generall and the rest being astonished and looking rounde about verie circumspectly yet not without feare although they desired to méete with that which they founde after that they had well searched and compassed the litle Caue the Captaine Generall spake asking me what I
masters the fishes pronounced against mee beeing a Tonny as well as they In this manner being chaunged I rested and refreshed my selfe in the Water taking my breath and finding my selfe as cléerely without paine or gréefe as if I neuer had anie washing my body both within and without with that water which then and from that time forward I found to be verie swéete and sauerie viewing and beholding my selfe if I could perceiue anie part of my bodie that was not changed into a Tonnie and so remaining in the caue in great ease and pleasure I thought with my selfe that it would be good for me as soone as day came to get mee out from thence but then I feared they would know me and so my conuersion should be manifest vnto them On the other side I feared my issuing forth distrusting in my selfe that they could not vnderstand me and that I could not bee able to aunswere them vnto that which they should aske mee by which meanes my secrete might be discouered For although I vnderstood them verie well and that I perceiued my selfe to be of their forme and shape yet I greatly feared to be among them In the end I determined the best way for mee was that they should not finde me within the caue for they finding mee not to be of their companie and Lazarus de Tormes not being found they will straight iudge me to haue saued him and so will demaund an accompt of him at my hands For the which cause it séemed best vnto me that I going out of the caue before it were day and thrusting my selfe among them being so great a number peraduenture they would not sée me neither yet once finde me to bee a stranger and as I determined with my selfe so I put it in effect CHAP. II. How Lazarus de Tormes called a Tonny fish went out of the caue and how the Centinells of the Tonny fishes tooke him and lead him before the Generall of the Armie IN skipping out of the caue and leauing the rocke I was presently desirous to proue my new language and began with a loud voyce to say I dye I dye Those words scarce vttered by mee the Centinell which held the watch ouer the poore sinner Lazaro de Tormes came vnto me standing about me asked me whom I serued Sirs said I I serue the Fishes and those which are called the valiaunt Tonnyes Then said they for what cause didst thou crye out so lowd what is it that thou hast séene or felt in our aduersarie whereby thou art so altered and perplexed that thou knowest not vnder what Captaine thou seruest I said they should bring me before the Generall of the Armie and there they should know that which they demaunded Presently thereupon one of the Tonnyes willed ten of the rest to bring me vnto the Generall meane while hee stayed behinde kéeping the watch with the number of ten thousand Tonnyes at the least I was excéeding glad to perceiue that they did vnderstand mee and sayd vnto my selfe He that shewed me this great grace maketh no man lame Thus we marched and at last as daye began to appeare wee approached néere vnto the place where the great Armie lay whereas I perceiued such an innumerable number of Tonnyes that I was abashed at the sight As soone as they knew those which led me they suffered vs to passe forward and beeing entered into the Generalls lodging one of my guard making humble reuerence declared vnto him where and in what manner they had found me that I being asked by Captaine Licio what I was I answered him that they should bring me before the Generall and for that cause they said they had brought me vnto his Honour The Captaine generall was an excellent Tonnie fiercer and greater in body than the rest he asked me who I was what was my name vnder what captaine I serued what I would haue séeing I desired to be brought before him Whereat I stood in a manner confused not knowing what name to saye I had although I had beene rightly baptized vnles I should say my name was Lazaro de Tormes neither could I better tell frō whence I was nor vnder what Captaine I serued by reason I was but newly transformed nor knew not the seas neither yet the large territories and the perticular names of the same in such sort that letting passe some of the questions by the General propounded vnto me I answered him thus My Lord your honour being so valiant as it is well knowen throughout the seas it seemeth a great disgrace vnto your Honour and vs all that one miserable weake man should defend himselfe so long gainst so puissant and mightie an Armie and the more considering his weake estate and abilitie and the great power of the Tonnies Saying further séeing that I am one of your Honors subiects and at your commaundement and of your Armie I here present my selfe with promise to get and deliuer vnto you his Armes and other things that he hath which if I doo not I desire for my reward that you commaund me presently to be cruely executed as a traitor Yet whatsoeuer I said I was sure I made him no promise to deliuer Lazaro de Tormes vnto him left I should bring a foole to bed This point proceeded not of mine owne mother wit but I learned it of my master at schoole Whereat the Generall tooke great pleasure to sée mee offer my selfe vnto such a péece of seruice by which meanes he desired not anie farther matter of me but presently making me answere said It is verie true that to auoyde the death of my souldiers I determined to holde a siege about that traitor and to take the man but if as thou saist thou dost aduenture thy selfe to enter the caue thou shalt be well rewarded for thy labour although it would gréeue me much that venturing thy person in the Kings seruice and mine thou shouldst loose thy life as others haue done before thée because I estéeme much and make great accompt of my valiant and stout Tonnyes and such as are more hardie than the rest I desire to preserue them before others as all good Captaines ought to doo My Lord sayd I let not your excellencie stand in feare of any danger that may happen vnto me for I hope to bring the matter to effect without the losse of one drop of my bloud Séeing it is so said hee it is surely a great péece of seruice for the which I meane to recompence thée well and for that it is day already I am desirous to sée how thou wilt accomplish that which thou hast promised Thereupon hee presently sent vnto all the Officers of the Field that they should march forwards vnto the place where the enemie lay It was a wonderfull thing to sée so great and mightie a campe to remoue and I suppose that whosoeuer had séene them would haue béen abashed The Generall caused me to go on the one side by
himselfe by the way asking me what order I meant to hold in the entring of the caue I told him counterfetting and faining manie stratagems and deuices Meane time we approached néere vnto the place where the Centinels stood about the Rocke and to Captaine Licio that had sent me vnto the Generall who at that time was in verie good order about the rocke holding each place about the caue straightly besieged And yet all this notwithstanding not one of them durst once be so hardie as to approach néere vnto the entrie of the same by reason that the Generall had sent speciall commaundement to the contrarie thereby to auoyd the damage that Lazarus did vnto them because that at such time as I was conuerted into a Tonny fish I let the sword stand vpright in the entrie of the Caue and in such manner as I helde it in my hands when I was a man which the Tonnyes saw fearing that their enemie helde it in his hands and that hee stood right before the entrie of the caue As we approached néere vnto the place I said vnto the Generall it were good hee should commaund those that held centinell and siege about the caue to depart and that he with al the rest should withdraw themselues from thence which was presently done I did that because they should not perceiue the little labor I had to enter into the caue Then I being alone gaue great and liuely flashes in the water and skipping vp vnto the mouth of the caue I made a shew of some great thing I ment to doo meane time that I did this the report went among them that I had begun to enter into the caue but said they he will be slaine as well as others altogether as hardie and bold as he haue béen let him alone for assure your selues you shal sée his lustines well cooled in the end In the mean time I made show as though some resistance had bin made against me out of the caue that the enemie thrust at me as he had done at others whereat I made as though I skipped with my bodie from the one side to the other And as the Armie stood in this amaze they had not the wits to perceiue that which in truth was not to be perceiued sometime I approached vnto the caue and assailed it with most great force making as though I fought and then againe I retired as I did before which I did onely to make a shew of great matter where none was After I had done this thrée or foure times standing somewhat distant from the caue I began to roare with a loud voice to that end the General and the whole Armie might heare me saying O miserable man thinkest thou that thou canst defend thy selfe against the great power of our puissaunt Lord and and King and against his valiant Captaine generall with those of his mightie Armie Thinkest thou to escape from hence without being punished for thy great boldnes and the great murthers which by thy meanes haue béen done vpon our frends and companions Yéelde yéeld thy selfe I say a prisoner vnto the valiant and great Generall and it may bee hee will bee mercifull vnto thée Yéeld thine Armes which haue so well serued thée at this present and come forth of thy strong Hold wherein thou art for it will little auaile thée to tarrie there and put thy selfe into his power with whom for power none within the whole compasse of the seas may once compare I as I say giuing these great and threatening speaches vnto poore Lazarus all to fill the eares of the hearers thereby to incourage them as men are accustomed to doo béeing a thing wherein they take much pleasure a Tonny came vnto me from the Generall willing me to come presently vnto him with whom I went and at my approaching I found both him and all the rest almost dead with laughter and such was the noyse that they made that one could not heare the other by meanes thereof but as I appeared before him beeing much amazed at such an alteration the Generall commaunded that each man should bee quyet whereat some silence was made although the most part of them began againe to laugh till at the last with much paine the Generall said vnto me Companion if thou holdest no other method in entring the Fort of our Enemie than that thou hast alreadie showen neither shalt thou accomplish thy promise nor I be anie thing the wiser in standing to trust vpon thée which maketh me the more to suspect it in that I haue onely séene thée to assaile the entrie of the Caue and yet thou didst not enter and more that thou beginnest to perswade our aduersarie by speach which euerie one can doo as well as thou So that as farre as I and these the rest of my Campanie can perceiue thou wouldest be verie glad to be well rid of so dangerous an action Whereby it séemeth most apparant and euident vnto vs that all this time is but lost and these words spent vainly to the winde because I am certaine by this meanes thou canst not in a thousand yeares accomplish that which thou desirest or hast said that thou couldest doo and for this cause wee laughed at thée and surely our laughter is not without iust cause to sée thée stand prating vnto him as if thou wert some iolly fellow and then they all began againe to laugh at me With this I found mine owne want and said within my selfe If God had not preserued me to some other end than to féed those fooles the vnaccustomed manner of behauiour that I vsed as a Tonnie would haue béen cause of my decaye which was specially by reason that I had onely their forme and not their nature But I séeking to amend mine error answered My Lord when anie man is desirous to effectuate that which hee hath in minde to doo it happeneth vnto him as it doth vnto mee Whereat the Generall and all the rest began againe to laugh saying Alas poore man thou art deceiued for thou shouldest haue answered vnto mee as it is true that thou fearest that in stead of renting his cloathes he will teare thy bodie With that hee left off speaking for that time Wherewith I seeing that still my want of behauiour appeared and perceiuing that with a few more of such checks I might soone be mated I began also to laugh with them for companie but God knowes I grinned with no small feare which at that time I had and therewith I said vnto the Generall My Lord it may please you not to thinke that my feare is such as some of you doo presume because that hauing to doo with a man you thinke that the tongue vttereth that which the heart meaneth but it séemeth vnto me that I stay ouer long to accomplish my promise and to take vengeance in your behalfe of this our enemie wherefore with your Honours license I would willingly craue that I might returne to make
what their meanings wer so that very dissemblingly he called the Porter vnto him asking him whither he went with that company who presently declared it vnto him he séeming to like it well told the Porter how the case stood touching the captaine although it was all contrary saying that he liked wel the kings procéeding therin bicause Licio was a braue souldier and there was no reason why hee should bee executed without further examination of the cause saying further that the Iudges were at that present in his lodging and said they came thither to aske my counsell in the matter wherupon I was now going to the court for to speak with the king whereas they attend my returne but séeing that you bring a dispatch let vs goe backe againe and declare the kings pleasure vnto them and going by the way he called one of his Pages to him to whome very pleasantly he said that he should with all haste goe vnto the Iudges and will them presently to cause execution to be done vpon captaine Licio because it was the kings pleasure and that they should execute the same either within the prison or else at the gate thereof without leading him vnto the common place of execution meane time that I hold the Porter here in talke with me the Page did as he was commaunded and drawing neare vnto the Generalls lodging the Traitor tooke the Porter in with him and sayd vnto Melo and his sister in lawe that they should be of good comfort and staie there while he went in and spake with the Iudges and that from thence they would goe all togither to the prison to sée Licio and to comfort him giuing him that which he so long had expected and that he ment to go thither himselfe with them but the vnfortunate woman by good hap was enformed of the great treason of the captain general And although he had greater hatred vnto the good captain Licio then compassiō vpon the teares and lamentations of his wife yet for an outward showe hee séemed to fauour her request For when as the cruell traitor called vnto his Page willing him to go and cause Licios execution to be dispatched as God would one of her seruants heard him and told it vnto the captaines wife which the wicked generall perceiued not whereat she fell in a maner dead vpon the necke of brother in law standing next vnto her Which assoone as Melo vnderstood he presently caused 30. Tonnies of his company to depart with all spéede and to declare vnto me in what point and iminent danger the case stood with Licio who like faithfull and diligent messengers did within short space make vs acquainted with those sorrowfull newes which they brought vs crying with loude voices Arme Arme you O you valiant Tonnies for our captaine shal be presently executed to death by the treason and deceit of the traitor Don Pauar against the will pleasure of our king and so in briefe rehearsed vnto vs all that I showed you before whereat I presently caused the drums to be sounded and in all haste my Tonnies were readie with their mouthes armed vnto whom I made a pithie Oration declaring the whole procéedings to the end that as good and valiant souldiers they should shewe their courages against their enemies ayding and succouring their captaine in so extreame necessitie who answered all with one voice that they were readie to follow me and to do their endeuours in that behalfe which their answere being ended we presently beganne to march thither but hee that had then séene Lazarus the Tonny marching before his souldiers would haue iudged him a valiant captain To conclude we entred into the towne and besieged the kings palace and by force tooke Licio out of their hands slaying great nombers of them Which the king perceiuing willed Licioes wife who was then at the court to sue to the king for Licio to returne vnto her husband and tell him that if he thinke good I would haue him to dissolue his siege from about his palace and suffer his subiects quietly to go home to their houses and to morowe to come hither againe and deliuer her message vnto the councell and then she should haue Iustice The Captains wife with this answer departed not but taking time when it serued saide vnto the king My Lord neither my husband nor yet his company do hold any siege about your royall person neither likewise haue they entered into any house but that of Don Pauar so that the inhabitants of this citie cannot iustly complaine that there hath bene any iniury done vnto any of them in their houses wherefore what it pleaseth you to commaund as touching them it shall be done for for that cause I was sent vnto your grace For God is our iudge that neither Licio nor his company haue any other meaning or intent but as good and faithfull subiects ought to haue Woman saide the king for this time I can say no more vnto thée Wherewith she and her women making humble reuerence with most gracious behauiour and comely sort departed from the presence whiche the kings pleasure being knowne vnto vs we presently in good order departed the cittie staying in the wood but yet not verie hungry because we fell to eating of our enemies dead bodies commaunding the disarmed Tonnies to carry as muche with them as might suffice our army for the space of thrée or 4. daies leauing neuerthelesse as much within the citie as sufficed the citie and the court likewise those that liue of the spoile wished no other thing of God then that euery eight daies there might happen the like among them light vpon whom it would The citie being discharged of our troopes the citizens repaired again ech man to his house finding them as they left them The king commanding that the captain generals treasure shuld be brought vnto him which was such and so much as there was not anie king within the seas that had the like and then the king had som reason to mistrust his traiterous dealing because he might well suppose that it was not possible for him to get that hee had gotten by good means but by stealth Then he caused his councell to bee assembled who saide vnto the king that if it were as Licio said he then had not much offended in that actiō specially because his highnesse had commanded iustice should not be executed vntil further enquiry were made and to confirm the same the Porter that had the message in charge declared the subtile practise that the Generall vsed with him and how he deceiued him brought him to his owne house saying the Iudges were there and that he let them not depart from thence and what diligence he made towards the court Further he was showed by the Sheriffes that the Captain generall had sent them word that his Highnes commanded them that they should presently cause execution to bee done and the better to dispatch it they should not lead