that there is no body who may not be deceived by him and who would not trust his discretion It is not that which I mean replied Don Henriquez but that she is a Lady disguised in the habit of a Man and that therefore your Daughter is in great security with her This discourse increasing the wonder of the Lady the Company desired Don Henriquez to relate what had passed between Don Garcia and him and what he had learnt of the History of his Life he gave immediately this satisfaction to the strange Lady but she could find no ease by it Don Henriquez for his part had not less impatience to discourse in private with the old Man and to know from him who that Julia was who so perfectly resembled Leonora So soon as it was day he engaged him to walk with him and having shewed him her Picture he asked him if he there discovered the Features of Julia after the old Man had assured him that it was the true Picture he asked him by what accident he had lost her I cannot replied the Stranger satisfie your curiosity without opening again a wound which has bled for a long time but which now begins to close but if it be any service to you I will endeavour to overcome my grief to relate to you the accidents with which my life has been crost Don Henriquez told him it was very important for his quiet to hear this relation and having conducted him into a private place that they might not be interrupted he made him sit down in the shade and desired him to satisfie his Curiosity which he did in this manner The History of Don Estevan I am called Don Estevan de Castro What interruped Don Henriquez are you the Father of Don Lorenzo who was thought to have died in Prison at Tunis I am he replied Don Estevan Fortune which reserved me for other Crosses rescued me from Slavery to make my sufferings the more lasting And I replied Don Henriquez am the Son of the same Don Lorenzo and of Teresamendez I had replied Don Estevan some suspition of it before for I observed his very Features in you and Mendez Brother to your Mother who was in my Grotto when you came thither had the same thought for this reason I was not willing to refuse you a confidence which may give you some satisfaction and I will continue my relation if you are disposed to hear me and seeing that Don Heriquez kept silence he thus pursued his discourse I believe Son you are not ignorant of the reasons which forced me to leave my Countrey and have made me for fifteen years last past wander from Kingdom to Kingdom Yes my Lord replied Don Henriquez I know that Don John de Fonseca was in love with your first Wife and that not being able to obtain his desires he was resolved to be revenged of her and of Don Lopes de la Quevae who had had better success with his own Wife that to bring about this design he had made you be informed by a Maid who was gained by him that Lopes kept with your Wife a Correspondence which was prejudicial to your Honour that you having in Friendship told him of it he confirmed you himself in these suspicions and promised you he would so order it that you should find them together at their first meeting That to effect this treachery he told his Wife that yours had talked every where in publick that Don Lopes bragged of the favours he had received from her and that she was desirous to Justifie her self in his presence in the House of a Sempstress who was one of their Confidents that Don John who knew the Hour they pitcht upon went with you thither and made you come in at one door whilst his Wife went out at the other that your Wife being come thither to clear her self was by these means left alone with Don Lopes and that finding them together without any body with them you were fully perswaded she had betrayed you and being transported at it with jealousie you killed them both him with your Pistol and her with your Sword and that thinking after having committed these murthers you could not expect any safety in Sevil you departed from thence immediately I know but confusedly all that happenned to you afterwards because you changed your Name that you might not be known You have done me a great pleasure replied Don Estevan to spare me the confusion I should have been in if I had been forced to relate to you my self the Crime which my Credulity made me commit with too much precipitancy but since you are so well informed of these Circumstances I have nothing more to tell you but what happened to me after I left Sevil. I went from Sevil to Seragossa where Ferdinand and Isabella then kept their Court. It was easie for me to hide my self in the throng of Strangers who came thither from all parts but fearing I might at lest be discovered I resolved to go into some other Countrey to serve in the Army I heard Charles the VIII of France was then designing for Italy with a strong Army to recover the Kingdom of Naples which he pretended belonged to him as descended from the House of Anjou from which it had been unjustly taken away by Usurpation They told me also that the King of Spain took no part in this War which made me resolve to serve in the French Army rather than in that of Alphonso who was not now in a condition to resist so great a Monarch I took Post immediately and having crossed the Pyrenian Hills I came to Lyons where was appointed the general Rendezvous of the Army I found the King ready to pass the Alpes and having no Acquaintance in France I followed the Army in the quality of a Volunteer I had a pretty handsome Equipage and spending liberally I soon got Friends in the Army We passed through Italy as if the King had only travelled through his own Dominions so great a Veneration had all the little Soveraigns of the Countreys where we passed for this Prince When we were come to the frontiers of the Kingdom of Naples we heard that Alphonso frightned by the approach of our Army was retired to Mazara in Scicily where he made himself a Monk his Son Ferdinand indeavoured to make some resistance but seeing all places open their Gates to the French without staying for their Cannon he feared lest his own Subjects should deliver him up to King Charles and therefore retired into the Island of Chio leaving us by his retreat masters of his Kingdom Charles made himself be Crowned King of this new Conquest and after having left there a Vice-Roy departed in order to his return for France and it was to speak properly in this Voyage that we began to make War These great successes of Charles had allarmed all the Princes of Italy who being leagued together raised a great Army under the Conduct of
Evils which you have caused me you have assassinated a Mistress which could alone make me happy when I was just going to possess her and yet far from punishing thee I took thy Defence against those who endeavoured to revenge it nay I have done more coming out of the Prison where we were shut up I have made thee the Companion of my Fortune what can you do to acknowledge so many Favours but what would your Gratitude signifie to me since you cannot restore to me that Treasure which your Inhumanity robbed me of Don Diego was so surprised with a Discourse which he so little expected that he was a long time without being able to say any thing to me in his justification when he was recovered of the astonishment which my Complaints had cast him into he threw himself at my feet he embraced my knees which he bedewed with his tears and said so many moving things to me that what Love soever I had for Leonora I could not have had the hard-heartedness to have refused her to him if I could have brought her to life again but that being impossible I contented my self with swearing to him inviolable Friendship which neither absence nor time have been ever able to weaken When the Boy which was sent to Town was returned we eat the meat which he had brought us and after having retaken our ordinary Habit and put our swords by our sides which he had brought us out of the Town we continued our journey When we were arrived at Cadiz we went to a House of a Friend of my Fathers where we remained conceal'd till we had heard the success of our Affair We sent a skilful Man to Sevil who at his return told us that they had sent to Prison all those who came out of the Sanctuary and that the Officers of Justice endeavouring to take out by force those that remained there the People rose up in Arms and that I was prosecuted upon Contumacy he added also that many Witnesses had sworn that I had killed Don Pedro because he had made use of my Name to steal Leonora and that I could not escape being condemned to death I saw there was no more safety to be expected for me in Spain and therefore took up a resolution of going up to my Father into Peru where I knew he was returned since Valdivia had taken upon him the Command of the Forces there Don Diego knowing my design desired me to allow him to accompany me in this Voyage that he might have an opportunity of shewing his acknowledgements for the service I had done him we heard that Valdivia had demanded succours from the Emperor and that there were in the Port five or six great Men of War waiting for a Wind to fail for Peru we were not willing to let so fair an opportunity slip and having desired Don Antonio in whose House we were lodged to assist us in our passage he related our adventure to a Captain who was his intimate Friend and desired him to receive us on board It was not hard to perswade him to it this Officer knowing the great Consideration they all had for my Father in the Indies thought himself much honoured with our haveing chosen his Ship sooner than anothers We set fail from Cadiz fifteen days after our arrival the beginning of our Voyage was pretty prosperous but in the Latitude of the Island of St. Domingo we met with a furious Tempest which lasted for two Days and two Nights When the storm was ceased we continued our Voyage to Penco without any other ill accident happening to us Valdivia came thither some days before us with a design to fortifie it we did not find there my Father who remained in the Province of Quito with one half of the Army but were notwithstanding very well received by the Vice-Roy for his sake he treated me with so much respect when he knew of what I was capable that he gave me the Command of the left Wing of his Army in the last Battel where he lost his life and to Don Diego that of all the Horse for my sake although he knew neither of us had served in any Army before I know not what is become of this generous Friend but if he be dead as there â—s great Probability he is I ought very much to regret his Life since he twice saved mine in this Battel he there gave so many Proofs of his Conduct and Valour that he was to be found every where where there was need of him to defend a weak Post Don Henriques related afterwards to his Brother the success of this Battel and how following some Runaways he came to the foot of the Mountain on which they were and that having lost his Horse he sought for a Sanctuary in this Grotto which the Cross erected before it made him find When he had done speaking being late he bad Don Garcia good Night and lying down upon the Bed of Moss where he sate fell asleep the toyl of the Night before had so tired him that neither the break of day nor the singing of Birds interrupted his sleep he had in all likelyhood awaked very late had he not heard some great cries which seemed to come from a place not far distant from the entry of the Grotto when he had wholly dispersed the Vapours of Sleep he hearkned with more attention and thought he heard the Voice of Don Garcia he looked about him and not finding him there he doubted not but that his dear Brother had need of his help He was stirred up to do him Service by a secret impulse the cause of which he was ignorant of and which acted more strongly in him than Natural Relation he took his Sword and went out of the Grotto he had not gone twenty paces before he found Don Garcia wrestling weakly with an Ape of a prodigeous bigness this Beast had already thrown him down and altho' he held him very straitly imbraced he did him no other hurt but importuning him with his Caresses Don Henriques was amazed to see that the Ape had more discernment and knew better the Sex of Don Garcia than he and if he had not apprehended that this Comical adventure might have fatal Consequences for the supposed Gentleman he would have taken pleasure in diverting himself with it and in making Reflexions upon the advantage which Beasts have over Men in the knowledge of things which are proper for them but the violent Condition in which he saw the feigned Don Garcia would not allow him to go on with those thoughts He had already his Sword drawn in his Hand and ran to the assistance of this fair disguised Person with all the eagerness of a Lover possest by a strong Passion but the Lion did not give him leisure to execute his Design he was coming back from his Chace and having seen the violence that the Ape used towards Don Garcia whom he looked upon as his Master he ran to
departed in order to his return into the Province of Chilli where this new General then was and I stayed with my Mother who died four years after the departure of Don Lorenzo When I found my self strong enough to bear Arms I went on Shipboard to find my Father at Penco of which Valdivia had given the Government to him I had a Sister younger than my self by some years who was so like me that we were often taken the one for the other if we were not distinguished by our Habits and she chose rather to follow me than to remain in a strange Countrey alone Our Voyage was happy but the first day for the next day the Wind changed and there arose so violent a storm that we thought every moment we should perish My Sister who had never before seen the inconstancy of this Element repented more than once of her having undertaken this Voyage but I did what I could to comfort her tho' I my self was not wholly void of Fear Fortune vvhich had a mind to give us some respite to make us aftervvards more sensibly feel her blows appeased the Winds and made the Sea as Calm as vvhen vve came on board Scarce had vve escaped this danger before vve found our selves exposed to another vvhich vvas much greater vve discovered vvithin Cannon shot six great English Men of War vvhich vve could not see before by reason of the agitation of the Waves we were too near to avoid fighting and too weak to resist them We having then Peace with England we thought they would suffer us to follow our Course but they coming on board our Ship under pretence of searching for Counterband Goods made themselves Masters of it and made all in the Ship go down into the Hold but my Sister and my self who were carried on board the Admiral we were presented to Winch who Commanded this Fleet and we were received by him with greater Civility than we could expect from a Man who passed for the most terrible Privateer that sailed upon the Seas He made excuses for the severity which was used towards those of our Ship which he pretended were taken in a Fault altho' I easily perceived that this was but a Pretence to Confiscate the Merchandise we had on board yet I durst not but agree with him in what he said lest he should use us with more severity He order'd two Spanish Captains which served in his Fleet to take care of us and I should have wonder'd what made him treat us with so much difference from the rest had I not observed that he looked upon my Sister with very passionate Eyes When we were retired into the Cabbin which was allotted for us a Servant which was appointed to attend us came to us and told us in Spanish thinking he was not understood by the two Officers who followed us that he had been some time in England and that understanding that Language he stayed with Winch after we left him to learn his thoughts he added also that he had heard him say That he valued more the Prize he had now taken than all that he had got since he had passed the Line because of a young Lady he had sent for on board and which he intended to make his Mistress After this Youth had ended his Discourse Alvarez and Velasquez for so the two Spanish Officers were called assured us that we needed not be in fear for the Honour of my Sister and that they would both dye together with all their Friends rather than suffer any Violence to be used towards us Alvarez to disperse our fears with the more ease spoke to us thus We were my Brother and I both born in Cordua we had an Estate near to the Town where one of our Neighbours had a mind to Hunt and we endeavour'd to hinder him from it upon which coming to blows he was killed in the Fray We remained some time concealed in Cordua in the House of a Friend but having heard we were Condemned to Death for Contumacy and our Estate Confiscated we fled into England where we came to be acquainted with Winch. It was at the time when he set out on his Voyage and he offering to each of us the Command of a Ship we were very glad to embrace this offer when we durst not return into our own Country and we ought to think our selves extreamly happy that it gives us an opportunity of doing Service to Persons who are able easily to obtain our Pardons from the Emperour After we had returned their Civility and that we had assured them that we would use all the Interest of Don Lorenzo to settle them again in their Estates We asked their advice how we should behave our selves After having argued a long time we concluded that I should change Cloaths with my Sister that she might not be exposed to the violences of the Privateer and it was not hard to deceive him by our resemblance This Caution was not without need for Winch who was not a Man that used to make Love in form endeavoured to take a freedom with me which a Person of my Birth could not look upon but as a sensible Affront I upheld the rights of the Sex of which I had taken the habit with as much firmness as was necessary to repress his Insolence I spoke to him thus with a great deal of resolution Sir your present extravagant actions answer ill the promises you made to us the first time we had the honour to see you you may remember we were taken Prisoners against the Law of Arms and you are not ignorant that Don Lorenzo my Father has interest enough with the Emperour to obtain by his Authority from the King of England reparation for any Affront which I may receive on board of you If these considerations will not make you behave your self otherwise towards me you may be satisfied I despise Life so much that I will at any time sacrifice it for the preservation of my Honour These words spoken with an Air which made him believe the effects would soon follow the threats allay'd the transports of his Passion he made the violence of his Passion his excuse and told me gentile enough for a Pirate that such an extraordinary Beauty as mine did not leave Reason free long and that I ought to accuse nothing but the force of my Charms for the Crime which he had now committed Winch would not continue his Discourse any longer the first time for fear of importuning me he only charged Velasquez to talk to me of his Passion to inform me of his Riches and to speak to me of Marriage if an Amorous Concern should alarm my Virtue Velasquez gave me a faithful account of their Conversation and we agreed that it was necessary to gain time since my Sister could not do any thing for Winch. For Henry the 8th having changed the Religion in England and my Father being very zealous in his we thought he would never