a black Morrien one of master Commanders men became to be famiarly acquainted with hir So that for his part hee would oftentimes arriue at midnight to our house and returne againe betimes in the morning other whiles at noonetide demaÌ„ding at the dore whether my mother had egges to sell and so come in pretely without suspection At the beginning I was right sorie to see him make repare thither being afraid to behold his black vncomly visage but after that I once perceiued how only by his resort our fare was so well amended I could by no means finde in my heart to hate him but rather beare him good will reioycing to see him for hee alwayes brought vs home with him good rounde canâ—â—â—s of breade and pieces of broken meate and in the Winter time wood to warme vs withall To bee short by his continuall repaire thither matters went so forwarde that my mother founde good time to bring forth a yoÌ„g morren whom I daily playde withall and sometimes helped to warme And I remember very well that on a time as my Stepfather played merily with his yong sonne the little childe perceiuing that my mother and I ware whyte and his father blacke as yeat he ran away for feare to my mother and stretching foorth his finger cried Mamma the hugge Wherat my blacke stepfather would laugh and say a whoreson art thou afrayce of thy father Although I was then but yong I right wel marked the childs words and said to my self ther are many such in the world which do abhor and flée from others bycause they cannot see what shape they haue themselues Within a while after it pleased fortune that the daily coÌ„uersation of Aide for so was my fathers name came to the cares of him that was Stewarde to master Commander who made suthstreight inquirie that he was aduertiseâ— how the black moren did vse to steale halfe the prouander that was allowed the horses yea horsecouerings shetes and curry combes other whiles wood bran which things in â—éede he alwayes said were lost All was fish that came to the nette when nothing could bee gotten to serue his turne he would neuer slicke to vnshoe the horses to get some gaine presenting daily all such giftes to my mother as a help to bring vp my litle blacke brother Let vs neuer therefore maruell more at those which steale from the poore nor yet at them which conuey from the houses they serue to presente therewith whome they loue in hope to attayne thereby their desired pleasure seeing that loue was able to encourage this poore bondman or slaue to doe thus much as I haue saide or rather more which by euident triall was afterwards proued true for I being examined of the déede after much thretning was coÌ„strained as a childe for feare There is an order in that countrey when any Moredoth commirte any hemous effeÌ„ce to strip himnaked and being bound with his hands and his knees together to bast him with hote droppes of burning Larde so discouer the whole matter confessing howe I had solde certaine horseshoowes to a smith at my mothers coÌ„mandement wherfore my miserable stepfather was by iudgement of the law as the order is there whipped and Larded and to my mother expresse coÌ„mandement was giuen vpon the vsual paine of a hundreth stripes no more to enter into the house of the aboue named Commander nor yet entertaine into hirs the vnfortunate Zaide My sorrowefull mother fearing to throwe the helue after the hatchet determined by all meanes to kéepe their commaundement wherefore shee entred into seruice with those which at that time dwelte at the ordinaric Inne called Solona so to escape danger to auoyde the dangerous reports of euill tongues where shee suffered much sorrowe and there brought vp my blacke brother until he was able to run abrode and that I being a good stripling There is no proâ—sion there in Innes for the guestes must sende abrode into the towne for all such yittell as they neede coulde go vp and down the town to prouide the guestes of wine and candels and other things necessarie In this meane tyme there happeued a blind man to come thither to lodge who thinking me to be a fit maÌ„ to leade him desired my mother that I might serue him wherewith she being right wel content most earnestly prayed him to be good master vnto me because I was an honest mans sâ—nne who in maintaining the faith of Iesus Christ against Lurkes died in the battel of Gelues howe that she trusted in almightie God I would proue as honest a man as he therfore in any wise that he would be careful ouer me being a fatherlesse child Let me alone then answered he I will not vse him as a seruaunte but as a sonne Then in happie time I began to serue my olde and newe maister And after we had remained certaine dayes at Salamanka my blind master perceiuing his gaine there to he but small determined to departe thence and a little before our departure I went to see my mother wheÌ„ I came wher she was we shed both moste bitter teares and she gaue mée hir blessing saying nowe my deare sonne I shal see thee no more therfore be a good childe I pray God bée thy helpe I doe thanke the Lord I haue brought thée vp well hitherto and I haue nowe put thee to a good master from henceforth prouide for thy selfe séeing that I haue done my part I tooke my leaue and retourned in haste to my master which taried for me ready to take his voyage So wée departed out of Salamanka and came on our way as â—rre as the bridge at the entrance wherâ—â— standeth a beast of Stone fashioned much like a bul as sone as we came nere it the blindmaÌ„ willed me to approche saying Lazaro put thine eare to this Bull and thou shalt heare a terrible noise within it as soone as he had said â— words I was ready like a foole to bowe down my head to be as he had coÌ„maÌ„ded thinking that his wordes had bene most true but the traiterous blind man suspecting how neare it my head was thrusteth forth his arme vpon a sodâ—â—ne with such force that my fore head tooke such a blowe against the diuelish Buil that for the space of three dayes my head feste the paines of his hornes wherefore he was right glad saide Consider nowe what thou art thou foolish calle thou must vnderstand that the blind mans boy ought to knowe one tricke more than the dinel himself It semed then immediatly that I awaked out of simplicitie wherein I had of long time slept like a child I saw to my self my blind master hath good reason it is ful time for me to open mine eyes yea to prouide seeke mine owne aduantage coÌ„ssdering the I aâ—â—â—alone with out any helpe We continued on our â—â—â—ney within fewe dayes I came to good knowledge so he perceiuing what
haue done the like to you in deede hee is a gentleman and richer than I and he would always put off his cap to the vttermost when I did put off mine but seeing that oftentimes mine was first off reason would haue required that his shold once haue bin first and so haue woon of me by quicke hand the courtesse As for me said I. I woulde neuer haue had regard to that Thou art a childe saide he and therefore thou knowest not what doeth belong to honoure which at this daye is the onely refuge of such as bee honest therefore thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that I am as thou seest a poore esqire and I make a vowe to God that if I should méete in the midst of the stréete an Earle that wold not put his cap altogether off as well as I do mine the next time I sée him come I will enter into some house as if I had some businesse there or else crosse ouer into an other stréete if there be any betweene mee and him so that I shal not néede to put of my cappe to him for a Gentleman is bound to none but to God and the Prince and therefore it is reason that an honest man shall be curious to estéeme his owne persone I doe remember that vpon a day I dishonoured and hadde almost beaten a crafts man where I was borne because that when so euer he met me hee woulde say Mantenga deos a vim which is to say Sir God maintaine your worship I tooke him once with the déede and said will streght bid you fare well and moste commonly their wages is payde with long termes sometime your meate and drinke onely for your painefull seruice And when they meane to reforme their conscience and to consider the seruaunts paine there shall be deliuered out of the wardrobe some cut dublet or some thred bare cloake or coate but wheÌ„ a man serueth a Noble man of the Order hee shal better passe ouer his miserie but peradneÌ„ture there is not in me abilitie to serue to content such men By God if I had met with one of them I thinke certainely I shoulde quickely haue bene chiese of his counsel for I would haue done him a thousad kind of seruices I could haue disembled as well as any other yea pleased him a thousaÌ„efolde that it wold haue ben maruellous I woulde haue smiled merily at his doings although they had not bene the best in the worlde I would neuer haue recited that which shold haue displeased him no although it had beene much for his profit most diligent about his person in word dorde neuer vering my selfe about the well doing of thing 〈◊〉 that shoulde neuer come to his sight but sometimes haue chid such as serued wher he might heare mee that I might seâ—me to be carefull about that which touched him and whensoeuer he shold happen to fall out with any of his men then wold I put foorth two or three smooth wordes to set him forward which shold seeme to be in the fauor of the offender affirming alwayes that which I thought he liked of on the contrarie side a malicious mocker of the ignorant and rude sorte furthermore I wold alwayes demande and procure how to know the liues of strangers to account them vnto him with other suchtricks of like qualitie which at this day are vsed in greate palaces and courts and which please the chiefe dwellers herein which can not abide to see in their houses vertuous men but do abhor esteeme them as nought despising calling them fooles ignoraunt in the traffick of weight is affaires so that the Lord taÌ„ not safely trust to their simple doings in weightie matters therefore nowe a dayes those that are subtill and craftie get into fauour and vse such meanes as cheth vnto mee and taking fast holde on the coller of my coate saide thou arte prisoner vnlesse thou tell where thy master his goods are become but as neuer no man had taken holde on mee in that place before sauing onely my blinde master who neuer layde hanâ—e on mee so rudely but geÌ„tly that I might leade him that could not see I was afrayd crying mercie I promised to tell al that they demaunded Go to theÌ„ say they say on gods name what thou knowest and bee not afraide the Scriuener sitteth downe in haste to write the Inuentorie demaÌ„ding what goods he had I then began to declare what I knewe saying sir the goods that hee hath or at leaste that which he tolde me he had was a piece of grounde where foundation of houses is layde and moreouer a Doue house which is faine Wel said say they my boy though that be little worth it is sufficient to pay vs In what place of the Citie standeth it say they I answered mary it standeth a good way hence in his owne countrey The matter is then in a faire case say they but wher is his couÌ„trey he told me that he was borne in Castilia the old the Sergeant and the Scriuener laughing apace sayde this confession is sufficient for you to recouer the debte though it were greater the neighbours that were there present said this childe is an innocent and he hath not dwelt long with the Squire therefore he knoweth no more of him than you doe hee hath oftentymes come to vs and we haue giuen him such meate as we had for Gods sake and at nightes gone in to lye with his master when they perceiued my innoceÌ„cie they did set me at libertie The Sergeant and the Scriuener did demaund of the man the woman their fee wherevppon there rose great contention and they alleaged that they were not bound to pay seeing that there was no execution made esperially seeing there was not wherewithall the officers alleaged for that coÌ„ming thither they had left vndone matters of muche greater importaunce finally after many angrie wordes a poore carier was loaden with the olde matteris which was the womans scante halfe a â—dade to the bearer then went they all flue out together chyding what became of them after I knowe not I beléeue the poore mattris payde for all And thus as I tel you I lost my third inaster when as I fully perceiued euill fortune wrought altogether against mee in so muche that my affairs went so back ward that wher as maister eare wonte to bee forsaken of their seruants it was not so with mee but my maister was faine to forsake me yea and runne away in hast How Lazaro placeth him selfe to dwell with a Frier of the Abbey of Grace I Was then constrained to séeke the fourth maister which was a Frier of the Abbey of Grace vnto whome the poore women which I haue toâ—de you off preferred mee They called hym cousin This man was an enemie to the Quire not liking well of his meales in the couent a man lost for going abrode â—estrâ—us to see worldly affaires and visitations wherefore I thinke that hee alone did
beeing in my strawe my head full of plaisters oyles and oyntments and being thereat amazed I said what meneth this The priest then answered the meaning of this is that I had chased away the Ratte and the Snake that haue done me such hurt then calling to minde my affaires I susspected my hurte and the cause thereof then came there in an olde woman with certaine of the neighbours to vndo the cloutes about my head and to dresse my woundes and being glad to see mee recouered saide there is no danger now in him seeing that he hath his senses they began then to recite my afflictions they laughing and I weeping After all this they gaue me meate I being almost dead for hunger Much a do they had to recouer mee but by little and little I wared strong at .xv. dayes ende I rose vp and was out of daunger yet not without huÌ„ger howebeit halfe healed The next day after that I rose my master tooke me by the hande and brought me out at the dore and leauing me in the streate saide vnto me Lazaro from this day foorth thou shalt be at thine owne libertie and not vnder my subiection the Lorde bée with thee go séek thée a master I haue no néed of such a diligent sernaunt it is not possible but that thou hast bene seruaunt to some blinde man And therewith blessing him selfe from me as though I had beene possessed with some euill spirite hee geâ—teth him in and locketh fast his doore How Lazaro placeth him selfe to serue a Squire and what happened to him in his seruice BY this meanes I was forced to helpe my selfe beeing weake shortly after I came by helpe of good people to this noble citie of Toledo where I thanke God my wound closed vp As long as I was sicke euery man gaue me his charitie but after that I was once whole euery man would say thou vacabond and leiterer why dost thou not séek a master Then I murmuring with my selfe wold say where the deuill shall I finde him vnlesse God as hee made the world make me one But now Idemanding almes from dore to dore for Gods sake I found little remedy for charitie had then ascended vp to heauen At the last God caused me to méet with a squire which walked thorow the streate in very sumptuous apparel cleanly his pace in going wel measured after good order He behelde me and I him and he saide vnto me boy doest thou want a matter I answered I woulde faine haue a good master sir Then followe mee said he God hath sent thee good fortune to meete with me thou hast prayed well this daye I thanke God for that which I had heard him say and for that he seemed by his behauiour and countenances to bee euen hee that I had so much longed for I met with this thirde maister betime in the morning and hee led mee after him thorough the most parte of the citie we passed through the market place where ther was sold bread and other prouision Gentlemen vse to buy their meate in the market them selues I looked when he would haue lodeÌ„ me there with meate for it was then that euery man prouided and bought things necessarie for their dinner But with comely and large pace hee went by and lefte that place behind him then I said to my selfe There is not such prouision of meate in Spaine as there is in England peraduenture hes doeth not see here that which doeth contente him hee will buy in an other place we walked so long that the clocke strok eleuen then went hee to the chiefe Churche and I after him where I sawe him most deuoutly heare seruice when all was ended the people departed he came ouâ— of the Churche and marched loysurely doâ—â—ne a streate He weÌ„t so lâ—t to the Church to came that his dinner might be made ready and as for me I went ioyfully the best content in the worlde perceiuing howe that we did not stay to seeke our dinner imagining that this my newe maister had bene some great personage and that hee had his house prâ—uided before hande that we should finde dinner ready yea such as I desired and as I had neede of At that tune the clocke stroke one after noone when wee arriued at a house before the which my master had stayd I with him then hee throwing his cloake ouer his leafâ—e shoulder very ciuilly drewe out a key out of his sleue to open his doore we then entred in the entrance wherof was so darke and vnhandsome that it might feare any man liuing to enter in how be it there was within it a prety litle count and reasonable chambers and when we were within hee putteth off his cloake demaunding mée whether my handes were cleane we shooke it and then doubled it handsomely and after he had blowen cleanly the dust away from an olde benche that was there he layde it vp that beeing done he sat him downe demanding of mee at large what countrey man I was howe I came to the citie I gaue him a larger account than I was willing for I thought it a more conuenient time to commaunde mee to lay the cloath and to take out pottage than to make such inquiraunce yet for all that bringing foorth the beste lyes I coulde frame for my selfe I made him account what I was reckening all the goodnesse that was in my personage leauing apart all that which I thought was not to be rehearsed in that place when I had declared all he staied a while and by that time I did see an euill slgne for it was almoste two a clocke and yet he was no readier to dine thaÌ„ he that had bene dead I maruelled moreouer wheÌ„ I perceiued that hee had locked his dore with his key that I could not heare any liuing creature stur neither aboue nor beneath all that euer I did see was the naked walls As the Priest had not so muche as a chayre or â—â—oole nor a table nor yet a coffer as the other man had finally you would haue saide it had bene a house not inhabited A whyle after he demanded mee whether I had dyned I answered saying no sir for it was not eight a clocke when I met with your mastership this morning then saide he as early as it was I had broken my fast and whensoeuer I breake my fast in the morning I neuer eate againe vntill it bée night therefore passe thou ouer the time as well as thou canst and wee will make amendes at supper your worship may well thinke that when I heard these wordes I was ready to fall downe dead not so muche for hunger as for playnely perceiuing that then fortune was altogether mine ennemie Then began my sorrowes to appeare vnto me againe and I to lament my misfortune then came there to my minde the consideration that I made when I was aboute to departe from the Priest Poore Lazero did beare
passe ouer this night as well as we may to morowe God will prouide better for vs. I am not prouided of meate because I haue bene hetherto alone with out a seruaunt and I haue alwayes taken my meales in the Citie but from hencefoorth wée will kéepe a newe order sir said I take no care for me I can passe ouer one night more if néede bee without meate that will bee cause that thou shalt liue longer said he for as wise men affirme there is nothing that can make a mancliue longer than to eate a little If that be true said I to my selfe I shall neuâ—r diâ—â—for I haue always bene constrained to keepe that rule and I thinke I am fortuned to obserue it as long as I liue After all this hee went to bed making his hose and his dubled his bolster and causing me to lye at his féete where I neuer slept winke for the hard hurdle neuer lefte galling my naked bones which by hunger and sorrowe together had not lest on them nor yet on all my body besides and ounce of flesh Hunger is alwayes an enemy to sleepe and as I chaunced to eate nothing that daye my braine was so light that I could neuer take rest Wherefore God forgiue mee I cursed my selfe and my fortune a thousand times and that which was worse than all this I neuer durst change sides for feare of waking him wherefore I desired death The next morning when he rose hée began to shake and to make cleane his hose his dublet his cloake I was his brushe so he araide himselfe at leisure I gaue him then water for his hands wheÌ„ he had occupied his combe he taketh his sword kisseth the pommel and as hee was putting it to his girdle saide vnto mée My boy if thou knewest what a blade this is the wouldest maruel there is no gold that can buy it of me for of as many as Antonio made he coulde neuer giue such temper to any as he gaue this then drawing it out of the scabbarde he tasted the edge with his fingers saying scest thou it I dare vndertake to cut asunder with it a whole fleece of wooll I answered him softely to my selfe saying and I with my teeth though they be not of such harde mettall a loafe of bread weighing iiu. pound Then vp went the sword againe hanging it at his girdle and after all this he marched out into the streate with a leasurely well measured pace holding his bodye straight making therewith and with his head a very good countenaunce casting the ende of his cloake sometimes vpon his shoulder otherwhyles vnder his arme with his right hand alwayes on his side and as he was going forth said Lazaro looke well about the house while I do go and heare seruice make the bedde and then fetche some water here at the riuer beneath looke thedoore least any body rob vs and lay the keye vnderneath the threshold that I may come in hée went vp the streate with such comely gesture countenance that he that had not knowen him would haue iudged him to haue bene nere kinsman vnto the high Constable of Spaine or at the least his chiefe Chamberlein I remained then alone saying to my selfe blessed art thou O God which sendest the sicknesse giuest the remedy who would thinke that should meete my Lord master with such gesture couâ—tenaÌ„ce but that hée had supped well yesternight yea and that he had slept in a good bed and although it be now early who wold thinke but that he had brokeÌ„ his fast wel Great are thy secret doings O lord all people are ignorant of them might not his good dispositioÌ„ his reasonable cloke and coate deceiue any man who woulde distruste that such a noble Gentleman had eaten nothing all yesterday but one piece of bread which his seruant Lazaro had kept in the chest of his bosom a day a night so that it could not be to say the truth very cleane who woulde suspect that hee had dried this morning his face and his haÌ„ds vpon the skirts of his coate for want of a towell I am certain no maÌ„ would iudge it in him O Lorde howe many are there in the worlde that are in such brauery as this my master is in which doe suffer more for a little vaine glories sake than they would do for the loue of thée I stoode in the doore so long remembring all those things that my maister passed thorow a long and narrow streete then I went in and within a minute of an houre I visited the whole house aboue and beneat without staying or finding wherat to stay When I had made the vnlucky bâ—dde I tooke my pot and went streighte to the Riuer and being ready to take vp my water I might perceiue my maister in a Garden ouer the water in greate talke with two comely women whiche by their countenaunce seemed to be some of them wherof in Toledo a number are rifely found many of them take an vse of going abroade early in the morning in Sommer time to take the ayre in those Gardens and to breake their faste without prouision of their owne vnder trees and shadowes nere that pleasant Riuer trusting to finde out some that woulde beflowe charges vppon them especially suche as they had accustomed thereto such lustie young souldiers of the citie as delighted in such pastime Hee was as I meane to tel you betweene these wemen deuising and counterfaiting all kinde of brauerie reciting more pleasant and swéete wordes than euer Ouide wrote but when they perceiued the their beautie had vanquished him cleane and that hee was left without shame they demanded of him their breakefast and he therfore to haue the accustomed paiment WherupoÌ„ hee bing as colde in the purrse as he was hote in stomacke fell in suche a traunce that he lost all the colour in his face his toung not able to talke was faine to alleage vaine excuses But they which in their science were well instructed wheÌ„ they perceiued his infirmitie they gaue him ouer for suche a one as hee was indeede All this while I was breaking my fast with stalkes of colworts when I had done like a diligent seruaunt not seene of my maister retourned home meaning to sweep some part of the house that hadde most neede but I coulde not finde wherewithal to do the deed Wherfore not knowing what to doe I began in the worlde that are in such brauery as this my master is in which doe suffer more for a little vaine glories sake than they would do for the loue of thée I stoode in the doore so long remembring all those things that my maister passed thorow a long and narrow streete then I went in and within a minute of an houre I visited the whole house aboue and beneat without staying or finding wherat to stay When I had made the vnlucky bâ—dde I tooke my pot and went streighte
priest vnto whom God hath giuen so much goods the one got with smoth hand the other gained with his loose toung and yet they famished mee continually there was good reason why I shoulde hate such people so is the cause why this mans case shoulde be lamented God knoweth that when I met with any of his estate being of like grauitie pace and countenance howe I pitied them thinking that they did endure that which I did sée him daily suffer whome I hadd rather serâ—â— for all his pouertie than any of the other for the causes aboue named I did like him well but only the me thought he was to presumptuous where I often wished that seeing hee so plainely perceiued his owne pouertie hée wold something haue hid his faÌ„tastical pride But as I thinke it is a roÌ„mon vsual rule amongst such as hée which though they haue not a crosse in the worlde nor a Denier the cappe must needes stande in his olde place but if GOD of his mercie doe not order the matter all suche are like to dye of that vile disease As I continued in suche estate sustaining the life that I haue told you my euill fortune which neuer ceased to pursue mee woulde not yet suffer me to continue in that troublesome and shamefull kinde of life For the matter happened thus the Lords of the counsell made proclamation with sound of trumpet because that that yeare there was searcitie of corne all poore people being strangers should forsake the Citie vpon paine that hee which from thencefoorthe should be taken should be punished with sâ—â—pes and so exeruting the law within thâ—â— dayes after the prâ—â— amatioÌ„ I sawe a whole procession of poore folke whipped theough the foure principall streetes which sight did so feare mee that neuer after I durst venture to beg TheÌ„ might you haue séene a strange diet we kepâ— at home and the great silence that was there so that wée were constrained to faste two or three dayes together without eating any morsell or speaking a woorde and as for mee the best shifte I made was amongst â—ertaine poore worden which were spinners and cap knitters 〈◊〉 my life by reason of the aquaintance I had with them being our 〈◊〉 neighbours For of that meat they had I should haue a litle wherwith I did not so lament mine owne case as I did my poore maisters which in eighto dayes did not caâ—e one morsell at the least wee were so long at home without meate but in deede I know not whether he went nor what hée did eate abrâ—â—â—â— yet notwithstanding for all this you should see him come some times vp the streete with a bodie as large as any grehounds of good race and for to maintain his poore honor hée was wonte to take a straw in his hand wherof also there was wante in our house Small neede to picke his teeth for any meate he had eâ—ten and standing without the dore would therewith picke those which had little neede of picking for any thing that had stucke in them with eating Lamenting still the vuluckinesse of that house he would say it greueth me to see how all our sorrowe commeth of this house thou seest howe vnconfortable and darke it is and as long as we dwell here wee are like to bee thus tormented theréfore I woulde to God the moneth were ended that wee might depart out of it And as wee continued in this afflicted famishing persecution one day a rial entered into the power of my master Sixe pence English I know not by what good lucke and adueÌ„ture wherewith hee came home so blowing Belike some gâ—â—â—â—ers had â—â—uen it him and it was full time as if he had brought with him the whole treasure of Venice and so with a mery and liuely countenance hee giueth it to mee saying take here Iazaro nowe God beginneth to open his hande and to smile vpon vs goe quickly to the market place and buy bread wine and flesh that wee may breake the diuels enuious eye and furthermore bicause thou shalt haue good cause to reioyce thou shalt vnderstand that I haue hired an other house therfore the moneth once ended we will no longer abide in this miserable vnlucky house cursed be it and he that layde the first tile on it for in euill time did I come in By our lorde all the time that I haue bene here I neuer dranke drop of wine nor a morsell of fleshe entred into my belly nor yet haue I had any rest in it suche is the sorrowe and miserie that belongeth to it goe thy wayes and make speede and let vs dine this daye like Earles Then I tooke my riall and my pot and with all haste I began to goe vp the streete towardes the market place with ioy and mirth But what profiteth all this nowe that I am borne vnder suche a planet that I can neuer enioye any pleasure long without hyndraunce it appeareth so nowe for as I went on my way making my accounte howe I should bestowe my money vpon that which should be most profitable and best geuing infinite thanks to God that he had giuen my master that money vpon a suddaine I mighte see right before me a dead coarse come down the streete accompanied with many priestes and other people I leaned to the wall to giue them place and the coarse went by I might see a woman whiche belike was the dead mans wife folowing the beere all in mourning weede accoÌ„panied with other women and she weeping and lamenting said O my husband my lord alas whether doe they â—arie you to the vnconfortable and sad house to the darke and sorrowfull house to the house where they neuer eate nor drinke When I had heard her speake these woordes mée thought heauen and earth had met and I said O vnfortunate wretch that I am they carie this dead coarse to our house wherefore I forsooke my way and brake in betweene the people and running downe the streete as fast as euer I could I got into the house and when I had entred therein I locked the doore with all haste calling out to my maister for straunger long before by reasou that hée had so little acquaintance with those of the Citie Finally my wish was accomplished and I vnderstoode that which I coueted to knowe for vpon a day after that hee had dyned reasonably well hee being at that time indifferently well satiâ—â—â—ed declared vnto mee his affaires in so much that hee certified mée that he was borne in Castilia the old and howe that hee had forsaken his countrye for nothing in the worlde but because hee would not abase him self so much as put off his cappe to a Genleman his neighbour and hauing heard all his discourse I said vnto him sir if he were such a one as you say and besides that if he were richer than you it hadde beene but your duetie to put off your cappe first to him for I beleeue he would
vp his handes his eyes lâ—oking vp to heauen sayde these words O Lorde God from whom nothing is hid vnto whome all things are manifest and vnto whome nothing is vnpossible who caÌ„ do all things thou knowest the truth and how vniustly I am accused and slandered as for me O lord I forgiue him that thou mayst forgiue me Haue no regarde to hun that knoweth not what he doeth nor saieth notwithstanding O Lord I do beséech thee through iustice I demaunde of thee that thou wilt not dissemble this iniurie which is done vnto thee peraduenture some that are heere present were minded to take thâ—s diuine pardon which now will not giuing place and credite to the wicked mans words and because this matter is so huâ—tfull to Christian neighbours I beséech thee once againe good Lorde that thou wilt not dissemble it but immediatly that it may plâ—ase thée to shewe here a miracle and that it may be thus If it be true that this man saith that is that the Pardons which I haue heere are false that this pulpit maye then sinke with mee as farre as the depth of sâ—uen men vnder the grounde that neither it nor I may neuer bee séene againe And on the other side if that bee true which I say that he beeing perswaded by the deuill hath saide these words falsly and vntruly only to depriue the people of suche goodnesse that then it maye also please thee to punish him that his malicious peruersitie may bee knowen to all men My deâ—out maister had scant ended his prayers but that the poore Sergeant fell in a traunce giuing him selfe suche a blowe against the ground that all the Church sounded of it stretching out his body with great absidance of fome at his mouth making straunge visages and striking the ground both with hande and foote tumbling vp and downe from one side to an other In so muche that the noise which the people made was so great that one could not heare another Some were amazed and sore afraid saying God be his helpe and other saide hee hath that which hee hath deserued seeing that hee durst affirme such falshod Finally some of those that were there which to my iudgemeÌ„t were not without great feare came néere to hold fast his hands wherewith hee stroake all suche as came neere him Others helde him falste by the féete for there was neuer false moyle in the world that euer kicked so fast and so they held him a good while Ther were aboue xv men vpon him and he gaue them all their hands ful so that if they had forgotten their businesse he woulde haue giuen some of them ouerwhart the teeth All this while my maister was in the pulpit vpon his knees holding his handes together still his eyes bent towards heaneÌ„ transported into such diuine essence the all the noyse and rumour which was in the Church was not sufficient to bring him out of his diuine contemelation Certain honest men that were there came vnto him and a waked him by force of crying God seeing that he desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that hee shall repent and liue to pardon forgiue and restore to life that poore sinner which was led by the deuill ouercome with death and sinne that he might repent and confesse his sinnâ—â— when hee had so done he sent for one of the pardons and laide it vpoÌ„ his head wherupon immediatly the poore Sergeant began to amende and by little and little to retourne to him selfe And as soone as he had recouered his senses he kneleâ—h dowâ—â— at maister commissaries feete there demanded pardon coÌ„fessing how that he had said and done all those things by the mouth and instruction of the deuill as well to giue him griefe and to be reuenged of him as also dâ—â—â—â—â—â—se the deuill was sorie to sée the goodnesse which people receiued by taking the holy pardons My master did then forgiue him and friendshippe was made betweene them Then was there suche greate haste to take the pardons that almoste no creature liuing in that towne but tooke one the husâ—ande and the wiâ—e sounes and daughters menns seruantes and maid seruants there was none but woulde haue one This newes was spred abroad through al the townes there about so that we then arâ—ued thither it was not needefull to preache nor yet to goe to the Churche to dispatche the Pardons for the people came so fafte to our lodging for them as if they had bene peares that had bene giuen them for nothing in so muche that my maister dispatched and vttered away ten or twelue thousand pardons in ten or twelue little villages thereabouts without preaching one sermon And as for my part I will confesse my ignoraunce for when this their inuention was tried I was in a gret maruell to see such a straunge case I thought the matter had bin so in deed as many other did yet notwithstanding when I perceiued once the Iesting and scoffing that my master the Sergeent would make at the matter by the waye I vnderstood plainely that all that counterfaite shewe was inuented by my masters subtile industrious arte And although I was of tender yeres yet I toke great pleasure to consider their doings and would say to my selfe Howe many are there suche as these that deceiue the simple people To conclude I continued with this fifte maister neere â—oure monethes during which time I suffered much sorrowe How Lazaro dwelleth with a Chaplaine and what happened to him in his seruice AFterward I entred into the seruice of a painter of Orummes vnto whome I tempered colours with whome I suffered a thousand euils and as I was theÌ„ of good bignesse entring one daye into the great Church one of the Chaplaines receiued me for his owne and gaue mee in gouernment an Asse with foure great tankerdes and a whippe to sell water vp and downe the Citie and this was the first staire I climbed vp to come to attaine vnto good life They do eaâ— water vp and downe the câ—tle to sell vpâ— Asses with foure somâ— times sixe ranâ— kards for the haue no watâ— but from the riuer for my mouth had then the measure I deliuered vp daily to my master in game thirtie Mareuedis on euery Saturday I laboured for my selfe and all the weeke also whatsoeuer I coulde earne ouer thirtie Mareuedis a day was mine owne This office was so good that at foure yéeres ende I had spared with my wages and my gaines so muche as bought mee apparell honestly with old stuffe whereof I bought an 〈◊〉 black fustian dublet and a coate thréed bare with gathered stéeues and whol before and a cloake that had bene of selzado and a sworde of the olde making one of the first of Cuellar And perceiuin my selfe then in apparell like an hones man I desired my master to take his Asse againe and that I would no more follow that office â‚ The Spaniardes life Howe Lazaro