Ozmin told him In this Sir you shall doe like your selfe and the good which I shall receiue from you I shall euer make it my glory that it came from the largenesse of your hand and from so noble a House as this is This past he was permitted to return againe vnto the garden with the same familiaritie as before if not with much more licence and freenesse of liberty So that now they talked together as often as they would themselues without any scandall at all In this interim the King and Queene had still a care to know how it was with Daraxa as well in the state of her health as otherwise whereof particular aduice was giuen them from time to time who were very glad to heare of her well-doing and did continually in their Letters recommend her very dearely to the care of Don Luys with expresse charge to vse her with all kindnesse This fauour of theirs wrought so much that as well out of the desire to stand in grace with their Maiesties as out of Daraxa her owne deserts not onely Don Rodrigo but most of the principall Cauallero's of that Citie wished in their hearts she were a Christian that they might make loue vnto her pretending to take her to Wife But because Don Rodrigo had her as hath been said in his custody he was in the common opinion of the World amongst all the other riualls thought to be most fauoured by her The case was very cleere and this suspition not without great likelihood For of his qualitie condition behauiour and faire proceeding she had had very good tryall and ostentations of this nature and apparences of such commendable parts as these are not wont to be of the slightest moment nor the lowest round in the Ladder that climbes vnto honour For when a man shall haue made publike demonstrations of his vertues and his noble carriage it is to be presumed he will be no lesse beloued then he is knowne and so get aduantage of those who when it shall come to matter of opposition shall be vnder-valued by opinion But as if these Louers had exchanged their soules and none of them possessed that which was his owne they were as firme in louing as farre from offending Daraxa neuer gaue way by any dis-composture or vnioynted behauiour or any other occasion whatsoeuer whereby any one might presume more then other vpon her fauour howbeit all of them adored her left no meanes vnsought to procure her loue nor no nets vnspred seeking by traines to draw her within their reach but none of them had any ground whereupon to build their hopes Don Rodrigo perceiuing how little his seruices did auaile him how his labour was in vaine and the small remedy that hee found since after so many dayes spent in her continuall conuersation he remained in the same state as he did the very first day neither better nor worse for ought hee knew it came into his consideration to make vse of Ozmin thinking by his intercession to get into her fauour and taking this to be the best and surest way to worke his ends being one morning in the garden hee brake thus with him Friend Ambrosio Thou canst not but know the obligations which thou hast to thy Religion to thy King to thy Country to that bread which thou eatest of my Fathers and to that desire which we haue of thy good I conceiue that as a Christian of that quality which thy workes doe publish thou wilt correspond with that thou professest thy selfe to be I come to thee moued thereunto by a great necessitie which now offers it selfe vnto me whereupon doth depend all the increase of mine honour and the safety of my life which wholly lyes in thy hands If discoursing then with Daraxa amongst other reasons thou shalt worke her by force of Argument that she forsake this false Sect wherewith she is now infected make her to become a Christian thou canst not but see what good will come thereof first Saluation to her owne soule next good seruice vnto God thirdly great content to their Catholike Maiesties fourthly honour to thy selfe in thy Countrey and lastly to my selfe perfect happinesse For desiring her to Wife I meane to be married vnto her and the benefit shall not be small vvhich thou shalt make by this voyage for it shall be as profitable as it shall be honourable vnto thee and therefore straine all the wits thou hast to bring this good purpose to passe For besides that thou shalt bee rewarded by God for the soule which thou shalt gaine I for my part will with many requitals and those reall recompence the life which thou shalt giue mee by thy good diligence in this businesse and if exercising thy power with her it shall be my good hap to winne her by thy intercession Doe not refuse to doe mee this fauour since thou canst doe so much with her And because there are so many tyes vpon thee to induce thee hereunto it is not fit that I should presse thee any further or be too importunate with thee To whom when hee had ended his exhortation Ozmin made him this answere My very good Lord The same reason wherewith you seeke to binde me ought likewise to oblige you to beleeue how much I desire that Daraxa should follow my Religion which very earnestly diuers nay infinit times I haue perswaded her vnto My desire is no other then your own and therefore I will vse all diligence in this particular cause as in a thing wherein I am so much interessed But louing her betrothed friend and my Master so dearely as she does to treat with her to turne Christian were but to double passion in her without any other fruit at all For she hath some hopes yet aliue in her that Fortune may turne the wheele againe flattering her selfe with some accident or other whereby in time she may come to inioy her desire This is all that I can yet learne from her shee is still harping vpon this string and for ought that I can perceiue very constant in this conceit of hers But that I may comply with that which you command me I shall though I were sure my labour should be fruitlesse returne once more to treat with her in this kinde and when I haue done I will acquaint you with her answere The Moore did not lye in any one word that he said had he been rightly vnderstood but not thinking on a thing so remote Don Rodrigo gaue credit not to that which he truely but to that he formally deliuered And so though deceiued he had some confidence with him and was not cleane out of hope For Quien de veras ama Se-enganna con desengannos Hee that truely loues is deceiu'd with that which ought to dis-deceiue him Ozmin when Rodrigo was gone remained so sad to see the open instance which was made to his owne hurt that he was ready through iealousie to runne out of his wits Which did so
other actions of holinesse and of a good and honest life Is he peraduenture more man then thou art Thou forbearest like him that is sicke to take that which should cure thy sicknesse and doe thee good and feedest on that which impaireth thy health and doth thee hurt I therefore assure thee and giue thee my honest word that it will make much for thy saluation acordarte de ti y oluidarte de mi to forget me and to thinke on thy selfe Amongst those many Schooles for little children and those many Schoole-Masters which haue the keeping of Consciences howbeit as I say no City Towne nor Village escapes them in all the world Seuill is the onely place for my money and therein those that imbarke themselues to passe the Seas For the most part of them as if their Consciences were of that great burthen and extraordinary weight that they were able to sinke both the Ship and themselues doâ—…ither leaue their consciences at home in their own houses or with their Hosts to keepe them for them till their returne And if afterwards they chance to recouer them againe which in my opinion is a hard matter for that the Countrey is very spacious and large where there is no such great reckoning made of these things it is well and good if not they doe not greatly care or if they take them with them and leaue them there behinde them as little if not lesse And for this reason Conscience goes a begging in that Citie in regard of the great store and plenty of that commodity because those that left them there behinde them when they went away to the Indies or some other farre place did neuer returne backe againe to fetch them I will not offer to walke in the Exchange nor the Burse nor haue any thing to doe in the street of San Françisco nor hazzard a drowning in the Sea Let all trafficke for my part be laid aside Let there be no trade driuen no commerce had no buying nor selling nor exchanging of commodities For I feare me if I should once begin to be a dealer therein I should neuer be able to giue it ouer But let me heare make a full point taking this onely as but a note by the way and not thinke so much on what I say as what I would haue said and shall perhaps say hereafter when I see my time And so I will proceed to my promised Story There was a certaine man that was borne neere vnto Genoa a person of great account for his rare inuention and subtlenesse of wit His name vvas Pantalon Casteleto a poore Begger who for that he was married in Florence and his Wife had borne him a sonne after that the Mother was deliuered of this child the Father went plotting and deuising how hee might leaue him well to liue without tying him to serue any man or to binde him prentice to any trade or occupation It is commonly spoken there amongst them by way of Prouerbe Happy is that sonne whose father goes to Hell Howbeit I count him vnhappy For it is not possible that should thriue with him which he left him nor that it should come to the inioying of a third Heire This is my opinion For to leaue his child well prouided for he prouides ill for himselfe and to make him marres himselfe For he can not but runne his soules hazzard who hunts after vngodly gaine And albeit he were married and had the charge of a Wife but this is a particular benefit and a large Theame to treat of that one Begger should marry with another and be both of one profession they had God be thanked reasonable well wherewithall to liue they wanted nothing that they had need of and sufficient store of wealth they had besides to leaue vnto their heire in some competent measure especially for one that was of so meane a condition as he was But this man would not put himselfe vpon Fortune But had intertained in his imagination one of the greatest and most vnnaturall cruelties that the wit of man could deuise He maimes me this his poore innocent Infant as many more of all Nations doe in those parts where when they beyong and tender they writhe their ioynts and breake their bones making them as plyable as Waxe then taking them in hand anew molding them after this or that manner as they haue most minde vnto forming and fashioning of them I know not into how many monstrous shapes and vgly postures onely to moue the people to take the more pitie and compassion of them With these abused Babes whilest they are little they get where-withall to line in their old age and afterwards thus maymed and mangled as you see they leaue them a good patrimonie But this wicked Rogue for his greater increase of gaine would martyrize this poore tender Infant with new kinde of torments He did not put him to these cruell tortures all at once but still as he grew in yeeres so did he vary and change them as men shift their Shirts or change their Bathes one dry and the other wet till he had left him thus carued and ingrauen as I haue painted him forth vnto you Some naturall gifts hee had that his father either did not or could not touch So that notwithstanding this his vnhappinesse hee had a very happy wit and was a good Speaker and his words became him very well But that which he had from his Father which was his outward flesh to begin first with his head he had writh'd it in that sort that it seemed to bee set quite backwards his face falling on t'one side vpon his right shoulder That both beneath and aboue the lids of his eyes was all one ouer-growne lumpe of flesh the fore-head and the eye-browes scorch't and burned with a thousand wrinkles He vvas crooke-back't his whole body like a Bottom of Yarne all one lumpe vvithout any shape or fashion of any one part that might stile him man His feet turned backwards and perching vp ouer his shoulders being dis-ioynted and vvithered The onely sound parts that were about him vvere his armes and his tongue The one left him to talke the other to take He went as if he had beene clapt into a Cage being thrust into a little kinde of woodden Chest set and made fast to a little Asses backe which he did rule and guide with his hands saue that to get vp or downe he vvas faine still to seeke for some helpe which he did seldome or neuer misse of hauing one or other euer at hand for that purpose He was as I told you before a pleasant conceited fellow had a good wit of his owne and many good things should you heare to come from him Besides he went so totter'd so torne and in that ragged and wretched manner that all Florence tooke pitie of him and as well for his pouerties sake as for those good parts that were in him they gaue him much
Whom deepe Disdaine did to foule Hatred moue To Heau'n and Men I cruell Traytor grew Faire Clorinia with innocence bedeckt I wrong'd vrg'd by my Loue and her Neglect Whose Storie may all eyes with teares bedew Her Hand and Life that I on her might wrecke Reuenge I did cut off Cause of her end Her Hate to mee and Loue vnto my friend Hee hung these hands of mine about my necke Was Party Witnesse and Iudge Whose sentence Was too small a punishment for my Offence FINIS THE ROGVE OR THE SECOND PART OF THE LIFE OF GUZMAN DE ALFARACHE WRITTEN IN SPANISH by MATHEO ALEMAN Seruant to his Catholike Maiestie and borne in SEUILL LONDON Printed by G. E. for EDWARD BLOVNT 1623. TO THE CVRIOVS READER ALbeit I was still afraid to expose this my Second Part to the light after it had beene some yeares finished and perused though more had beene too few for the presuming to publish it and that it were better for me to vphold the good opinion gotten by my first which with open armes was generally so kindly embraced by all then to hazard their good wils by this second I was in doubt with my selfe whether I were best to put my reputation vpon so ticklish a piâ—… either because it should not perhaps be so well accepted or that I might chance to fall short of my desire missing the marke whereat I aymed For commonly where the greatest care is taken those that are vnfortunate are wont to faile most Yet notwithstanding it being with me as with that bad seruant who with blowes and kicks is awaked out of his deepe sleepe being rouzed vp by so violent a stroake that hapned to my selfe which is wont to befall lazie and slothfull persons to doe one thing twice ouer For hauing beene too prodigall in communicating my papers and the conceptions of my braine they caught me when I was vpon my wings So that seeing my selfe if I may lawfully vse that phrase robbed and defrauded I was enforced to fall a-fresh to my labour seeking out some new supply of moneys wherewithall to pay my debts and to dis-ingage my word which I had formerly past So that by this meanes I was driuen to differ as much as possibly I could from that which I had written before Surely it was Esaus owne ouer-sight some peculiar slip or fault of his that being tyred out in the chase and killing of his game gaue occasion to Iacob to steale away his blessing from him Truly I must ingeniously acknowledge in this my Competitor Concurrent or Corriuall who ere he be his great learning his nimble wit his deepe iudgement his pleasant conceits and his generall knowledge in all humane and diuine letters and that his discourses throughout are of that qualitie and condition that I doe much enuie them and should be proud that they were mine But by the way let him giue me leaue to tell him which is no more then what others say that if vpon any other occasion sauing this hee would haue beene pleased to make vse of these his good parts so honourable would his paines haue therein appeared that the grauest person that is need not to haue beene ashamed to discouer both his name and his face but to deale after this manner was to foyst into Castile the coyne of Aragon But herein that succeeded vnto him which vsually we see befalleth many women whose parts and members considered seuerally by them-selues and apart are of that rare and singular perfecâ—…n that desire cannot wish it more nor the pensill expâ—…e it better But afterwards when all these distinct parts shall be conioyned made one whole peece and examined together they fall short in the making vp of a faire and well-fauour'd face But he proceeded therein discreetly taking that course which they vse to doe who goe presuming on the actiuenesse of their person with their Lance in their wrest masked and disguised to encounter their aduersarie But because these are things of aduenture and depend much vpon fortune if they hit right they make them selues knowne but if they misse they goe away ashamed and you shall neuer see the face of them Well whatsoeuer hath beene done in this kinde or howsoeuer carryed by him he hath enforced me to defend my selfe For that he argueth That the great paines that he had taken and so worthy of excuse in following the tracke of my steps and the imitation of my workes grew first from this that hee esteemed them to be good I pay him againe in the same money by following of him Onely we differ in this That he hath made a second part out of my first and I onely imitated his second And shall doe the like in the third if being elder hand he shall vye vpon me Whereunto if I be put I shall not refuse to see it Assuring my selfe that I shall not be shut out but haue a place amongst the rest For the field being so large through the pleasantnesse of the subiect whereunto the sharpnesse of the appetite will likewise giue some helpe more parts will daily come out of this booke then Conies out of their Berryes and more glosses made thereupon then on the faire Angelica in the dayes of Castilejo But I aduise in this case that they would not be too nimble fingerd in taking pen in hand till they haue wearyed their eyes with perusing and inlarged their vnderstanding that it may bee made capable to receiue whatsoeuer shall bee brought vnto it Nor would I haue them to write till they be well read if they will attaine to hit the white and not shoot beside the butt For our Guzman hauing purposed to play the good Student in the Latine and Greeke tongues and in the studie of Rhetoricke and hauing gone forward in his studies with a full purpose to professe Religion to take him now out of Alcala thus on the sodaine so quite alienated from his former inclination and so bad a Proficient were cortar el hilo alatela to cut the thread before the web were wouen contrary to that which is pretended in this Historie of his Life which was onely to serue as a sentinell to discouer all sorts of Vices to draw treacle out of diuers poysons That is to say To describe vnto you a man perfect in his parts and person punished with troubles and afflicted with miseries and falling afterwards into of all other the basest roguerie is put into the Gallies where his wings were clipt that he could not get thence in haste Let vs slip it ouer That he could not be called a most famous theefe for the stealing of three cloakes howbeit two of them were very faire ones and of much value but the other a poore one Let vs likewise omit That it is improper to fabulous Histories to introduce publike and knowne persons naming them by their proper names And let vs come to that obligation which he had to returne to Genoa to reuenge the wrong wherewith he
through good teaching and a habit he had gotten followed the hunting of the Hare till he had kill'd him and the other because he had not beene so well bred in stead of falling to hunting fell a gnawing the bone which he found in the way Giuing vs to vnderstand by infallible demonstrations the knowne danger wherein those children stand who in their child-hood are trayned vp without obedience and good education by their parents For without this curbe they rush into the careere of their youth vpon the vnbridled Horse of their irrationall and vntamed appetite which carries them away headlong and precipitates them into a thousand inconueniences dashing them-selues as vpon so many Rocks till there is not one bone left vnbroken nor one limme left vnrent of their life goods He likewise sheweth vnto vs that that man is no lesse subiect to the like misfortunes who being destitute of some noble Science or some speciall misterie groundes his hopes vpon the vntilled doctrine of Natures schoole For without exercising his Talent or imploying his wit or without putting him-selfe into some profession hauing experimented that arte to which he is most inclineable he vsurpeth offices quite contrary to his owne inclination omitting none which hee not imbraceth attempting to make triall of all losing in all of them both himselfe and his time pretending by his inconstancie and vnsettled disposition to seeme not to be idle that man being not-withstanding more idle who puts his Sickle into another mans Corne and venters vpon a profession that belongs not vnto him then he that sleepeth and takes his ease or leades the most retired life This our Treasurer Matheo Aleman hath also well defended himselfe from the like obiections by those iust occupations of his life wherein he busied himselfe who doth teach vs as well thereby as by his booke finding therein the opposite of this his Historie which he pretendeth to imply For being bred vp in his tender yeeres in the studie of humane learning they could not challenge him of keeping residencie in idlenes Much lesse that in this his Historie he hath thrust himselfe into another mans profession for that it is so properly his owne and so annexed to his studies that the desire he had to write it withdrewe and distracted his thoughts from the honourable intertainment of those his Maiesties papers being at that time his Contador wherein albeit he were very sufficient for the exercising of that office yet it seemeth that hee was haled thereunto by violence and against his will in that he returned afterwards to his former exercise in the continuation whereof and by his watchfull indeuours he hath formed this booke for vs mixing it with that most sweet harmony of delight profit which Horace requireth inuiting vs with its pleasure and instructing vs with its grauity taking for its scope the publick good and for its reward the common benefit And because young men shall finde in him the obligation which they haue to their parents who by a good and lawfull education haue drawne them out of the darkenes of ignorance by shewing them that North-Starre which ought to guide them in this confused Sea of their troublesome life being as long to the idle as it is short to those that are well occupied it shall in point of good manners be very vnfitting that the Readers who are the children of this Bookes Learning should shewe themselues vnthankefull to their Master by not throughly esteeming his iust Zeale And if this shall not saue him from their rigorous censure the fault must then be in the ineuitable contradiction of the diuersitie of opinions Nor is it a thing to be wondred at but rather naturall and that cannot be auoyded For most certaine it is that a man cannot so write as that hee shall please all And that whosoeuer should indeuour it should but goe about to take from Nature her greatest miracle Nor doe I knowe which is the greater beauty either that which she placed in that diuersitie from whence proceed so many diuerse opinions or that of the diuers formes of mens faces For for the rest it were but to say that all the world were but one man and one taste AD GVZMANVM DE ALFARACHE Vincentij SPINELLI Epigramma QVis te tanta loqui docuit Guzmanule Quis te Stercore submersum duxit ad astra modò Musca modò et lautas epulas et putrida tangis Vlcera iam trepidas frigore iamque cales Iura doces suprema petis medicamine curas Dulcibus et nugis seria mixta doces Dum carpisque alios alios virtutibus auges Consulis ipse omnes consulis ipse tibi Iam sacrae Sophiae virides amplecteris vmbras Transis ad obscoenos sordibus indè iocos Es modò diuitijs plenus modò paupere cultu Tristibus et miseris dulce leuamen ades Sic speciem humanae vitae sic praefero solus Prospera complectens aspera cuncta ferens Hac Aleman variè picta me veste decorat Me lege desertum tuque disertus eris GVZMAN DE ALFARACHE vpon his owne life BOrne without Parents which in my Cradle Should haue sowne such seeds as might inable Me to good My Youth chose Uico for'ts Father Whose Step-dame Fortune quickly did inslaue her My Trauels and my Studies found eft-soone More Formes and Changes then are in the Moone But now my building being ruin'd quite Like to a Pillar I onely stand in sight Others to fore-warne what course they runne Lest like my selfe they chance to be vndone With this Story my life now liu's againe Which in Obliuions pit did dead remaine Whose blurrs are now in such faire letters writ As Time no more shall triumph ouer it An vn-hewne piece of wood I long haue beene Knotty and rugged rinded vp in sinne But polish't now by this neat Worke-mans hand And on the Altar set as a Memoriall stand To lesson others how their liues to leade While I to them mine owne mis-fortunes reade Hernando de Soto to the Author TWo great things I see In this wise booke contained be A notable Knaue And yet the Authors Subiect graue In it I discerne By others harmes how men may learne Their owne faults t' amend And shape their course to some good end Likewise we may know What Loue to goodnesse we must owe. To teach more none can Nor more be learn'd of any man 'T is the Common voice So good on either side 's the choice Picaro honour gaines Aleman immortall remaines In GVZMANVM d'ALFARACHIA nobilem Erronem et Praedonem publicum à clariss reique militaris expertiss Duce Don Diego Puede-Ser captum vinculis constrictum nec sine ouatione in Britannias perductum ESte procul Elegi Nihil hîc Dolente dignum Vocem premant Epica Non hîc celebratur Heros Flâ—…bili nil opus Lyrâ Facilis hîc prostat Uenus Sed nec Tubâ Mantuana Bella canuntur bellula Grande nimis reboantes
credit is to be giuen but to speake like a wise man out of thine owne discretion and iudgement whether all that which thou hast said be sufficient to proue that my Father was vndoubtedly faulty Besides if it be the receiued opinion of some Physicians that the vsing of Complexions and such like slibber-slabbers is a kinde of infirmitie and sicknesse in it selfe who can say whether my father were sound or no And as for your curling of pates crisping of haires and other greater dishonesties and vnseemelier sights then these I doe not commend them nor allow of those who permit them in Spaine But that which I saw with mine owne eyes for that time that I knew him and was conuersant with him I am able to tell thee what manner of man my Father was Hee was of a faire complexion ruddy well coloured cleane and soft was the graine of his skinne and his hayre curled which on my conscience was naturall vnto him He had a full eye and that full of life resembling in colour the watry Turquoys He ware a foretop and those his Locks which ouerspred his Temples to giue them the greater grace curled themselues into rings of hayres And if God had giuen him these colours as propeâ—… to him was it fit thinke you that he should besoot his face with the same paintings or is it likely that he would make such slight reckoning of these faire pledges of Gods goodnes imbrace such counterfet stuffe to the ill example of others But if it be true as thou saist that he made vse of oyntments greasie ingredients slabber-sawces gals of beasts and the like artifices and that those teeth and hands which did so much commend him that all this I say should be done by the vertue of certaine Powders Oxe-gals Lees Latherings and other such sluttish and beastly confections I shall then ingeniously acknowledge whatsoeuer thou shalt say of him and shall be a capitall enemy not onely vnto him but to all those that shall practise the like For besides that they are effeminate actions fitting onely wanton wenches and light huswiues they giue occasion to men to murmure against them and breed a iust suspition of basenesse in the vilest degree when they shall see them thus dawbed ouer with clay and wholly composed of those things that are onely permitted vnto women who because they haue not sufficient beauty of themselues borrow it from paintings and varnishings to the great cost both of their health and purse And which to see is a thousand pities that your foule and worst fauoured women are not onely those that do this but euen your fairest and those that are most beholding to Nature who thinking thereby to seeme fairer and to make Nature appeare more louely in Arts dressing begin this worke betimes in the morning in their bed and finish it at noone when the Cloth is layd So that I say and not without reason Que la muger quanto mas mirare la cara tanto mas destruye la casa That a woman the more curious she is about her face the more carelesse she is about her house the repairing of the one being the ruining of the other If this then euen in women be blame-worthy how much more shall it bee in men O filthinesse aboue all other filthinesse O affront aboue all other affronts that God hauing giuen thee one face thou shouldst abuse his image and make thy selfe another Thou canst not twit mee in the teeth that my loue to my father hath blinded me or that my naturall affection to my Country hath bribed me nor shalt thou euer find me out of reason or in ought that I shall say to swerue from the truth But if there be any discharge or satisfaction in a thing that is euil I wil tel thee one curiositie because it fals out patt for this place and did succeed all as it were about one and the selfe-same time To thee it will serue for counsell to me for comfort as a common â—…uill that goes not without its fellowes In the yeere 1512. a little before Rauenna was sack't there were cruell warres in Italy And in this very Citty I meane Rauenn there was borne a strange Monster which did strike the beholders into great admiration and caused much wonder He had from the girdle vpward all his whole body face and head like vnto a man sauing that he had one horne in his forehead he wanted his armes but in stead thereof Nature had giuen him two wings like a Bat he had figured in his brest the Pythagoricall Y and in his stomacke downe to his belly a well-formed Crosse or Crucifix He was an Hermaphrodite both those two naturall Sexes beeing in a very proportionable manner well and truly formed he had no more but one thigh and to it one legge with its foot like a Kites and the tallons answerable thereunto In the knotty part or locking ioynt of the knee he had one onely eye These monstrosities and vnnaturall shapes possessed mens minds with extraordinary admiration and those that were learned men and great Schollers considering with themselues that such monsters in nature were vsually prodigious and did foretoken some strange effects did beate their braines and exercise the strength of their wit in the speculation and search of the signification thereof and what this strange Monster might portend And amongst many other that were giuen onely this that followeth was well receiued amongst them That the horne did signifie Pride and Ambition the wings Inconstancie and Lightnesse want of armes want of good workes the foot of that bird of rapine Theft Vsury and Auarice the eye in the knee affection to vanities and worldly things the two Sexes Sodomy and beastly filthinesse in all which vices all Italy did then abound For the which God did scourge them with that his whip of warres and dissentions But the Crosse and the Y were good and fortunate signes for the Y in the brest did signifie Vertue and the Crosse on the belly that if men suppressing their dishonest lusts of the flesh should imbrace vertue in their brests God would giue them peace sweeten his displeasure and abate his wrath You see here in a case prohibited that when the whole current ran with a troubled water my father followed along with the streame and did as others did and was not the sole and onely offender And therefore more worthy shalt thou be of blame if thou shalt offend hauing beene brought vp in a schoole of Christianity and taught by example what to auoyd God lend vs his helping hand that we may not fall into other the like miseries for all of vs euen the best of vs we are but men CHAPTER II. Guzman de Alfarache goes on in recounting who were his Parents and declareth withall who his Mother was and for our better instruction describes the euill conditions and bad qualities of a lewd woman of Bawdes of a sensuall
dissolute and to the hand of the indiscrâ—…t and vnaduised man The one by word the other by action Against which all the wit and force of man is not able to preuaile nor to turne that vnruly tyde when it shall breake in vpon vs. What phrensie of Saâ—…n what malice of the Diuell was it to marry this foule Abuse vnto Man which is able to make him run mad and irrecouerably to lose his wits As if he did not know that Honour is the Daughter of Truth And see how much a man is Vertuous so much is he Honorable and no more And it is impossible that my honour should be taken away from mee as long as my Vertue remaines with mee which is it's proper Centre Onely mine owne Wife may take away mine honour from me according to the opinion of Spaine by taking away first her owne for she being one and the selfe-same thing with my selfe my Honour and hers are one and not two as being but one and the same flesh and whatsoeuer shall be said in the contrarie it is but scurrility meere wit and inuention and the idle dreames of a fantasticke braine Happy is that mans life that neither knowes what Honour meanes nor seekes after it nor hath any thing to doe with this Titulary top I was euer of the minde that if that man that pretends Honour should but truely open his eyes looke vpon it without partialitie considering not carried away with passion the effects thereof he would not stoope to take it vp nor touch that with his hand whose burthen must either breake his backe or make him sinke vnder the vveight thereof to the ground O how troublesome a thing is it first to get it how difficult afterwards to keepe it how dangerous to hold how easie to lose as depending on the common estimation and opinion of men But if it rely vpon the Vulgar and that bee the proppe that must vp-hold it it is one of the greatest torments that Fortune can giue or man suffer in this life vvho desires to end his dayes quietly and to passe his Carreere peaceably vvithout being crossed in his Course And albeit men plainely perceiue that this which I say is true and they see the experience thereof daily before their eyes yet they vvill not sticke to hazard their liues nay to giue their very Soules for it as if that should saue them another day Thou thinkst it no honour vnto thee to cloath the naked to feed the hungry nor to exercise as thou oughtest those good deeds that belong to thy function and many other things vvhich I know and am silent in and thou knowest them to thy selfe though thou doest dissemble them thinking that others perceiue it not and that thou carryest things closely when as indeed thou dancest but as it were in a net and all thy actions lye open to publique view which my pen shall omit to set down that I may not point them forth vnto thee as it were with the finger and whereof perhaps when I shall haue deliuered thee my minde thou wilt make no more if not lesse reckoning of it then of a blast of winde or a puffe of smoake that presently vanisheth and is no more seene Canst thou thinke it an Honour vnto thee that the Hospitall should bee maintained with the droppings of thy Tap and the Scraps of thy Kitchen when there is not a Dogge that waites at thy Trencher but fares better Canst thou thinke it an honour vnto thee that thy Mules should haue their Linnen and their Woollen cloathes whilest Christ in his members dyes out of very cold not hauing wherewith to couer his nakednesse Canst thou thinke it an Honour to thee that thy Horses should be as fat as their skins can hold that they are euen ready to burst againe with the fulnesse of their feeding while the poore fall downe at thy gate for want of food their weake legges not being able to support their hunger stâ—…ued bodies No thou canst not And I presume the practice of euery good Christian is farre otherwise And this is that honour which euery man ought highly to esteeme and may iustly seeke and hunt after it But that which thou callest honour may more properly be termed Pride or foolish estimation which makes men fall into Hecticks and Pâ—…ysicks and with a canine appetite to catch greedily at that Honour which is no sooner had then lost And not onely that but with it the Soule which is a thousand pities which euery good Soule ought to auoid and bewaile CHAP. III. Guzman de Alfarache goes on in his Discourse against vaine Honours Wherâ—… by the way he offers vnto Mans consideration what manner of person hee ought to be how to beare himselfe in his Office and to gouerne himselfe in those high places wherevnto he is called ALBEIT as being then but a Youth and newly as they say crept out of the shell this being the first flight that euer I made I had runne thorow many miseries and suffered much want yet I past them all ouer as easily as I could imagining still in my minde that Honour is like vnto your early fruits that are sooner ripe then the rest and brought first into the Market which though they be excessiue deare not to be had but at a high rate and vnmeasurable prices yet all doe equally buy them and pay alike for them euen from him that hath a purse to beare it as from him that hath not the like abilitie What a great presumption and shame is it that a poore Husband-man should buy halfe a pound of your first Cherries that come into the market which may chance to cost him the price of so much bread as would very well serue to sustaine himselfe his Wife and his Children O holy Lawes and O happy Kingdomes that shall put a bridle to this abuse as a thing tending to the generall hurt of a Common-wealth For there being no restraint in that kinde they buy and eate thereof without limit or moderation neuer growing weary of buying nor glutted with eating Which too timely or rather vntimely fruits breed no good nutriment corrupt the bloud cause raw concoction and ingender euill humours which afterwards pay their bodies with sound Agues sharpe Feuers strange Parasismes and other the like grieuous and painefull infirmities I sweare by the faith of an honest man that such a deuouring of Honour will cost thee more then one purge I was neuer ambitious in this kinde neuer greedy of this honour neuer gaue it a good looke since I first knew it especially when I saw Pages Seruing-men and Prentises forsake their old Trades to follow new courses and to get themselues into some odde Office or other as farre repugnant from their nature as heat from cold and as much differing from their disposition as heauen is distant from the earth Yesterday thou wouldst haue sent thy Seruant to one of these fellowes to will
in many yeeres nay not in all our life-time are we able to reach vnto it And the reason is because we either will not or we do not think vpon any thing but the present I began to beare my burthens I did eate what was needfull for I neuer made my belly my God and a man ought not to eate more then vvhat may suffice for the preseruing of life The excesse vvhereof is brutishnesse For it is the Beast that gluts himselfe to grow fat By this my orderly dyet and moderate feeding my minde vvas not dull'd my body was not weakened I did nourish no ill humours I did breed no diseases I had my health I vvas sound lusty and neuer wanted money to play In my drinking I was very temperate neuer vsing it but when I must needs and then too very sparingly seeking to proportion my selfe to what was necessary and to moderate my selfe in some measurable manner as well for that it was a thing naturall vnto me and agreeable to my disposition as also for that drunkennesse did me thought very ill become my Companions Who depriuing themselues of the sence and reason of men fall sicke and ill their heads turne to aking their tongues to hoarsenesse their breathes to shortnesse if not to noysomenesse their eyes to a swolne settlednesse dulnesse of look their legges to making of Congees and Honours their feet to tripping of it this way and that way vvith counter-paces now backward then forward as the Morris-bels in their braines should deuise them their tune But which exceedeth all other mischiefes this inhumane and sottish Vice makes them a May-game to children a laughing stocke to men and a scorne to all the world Such as these are Rogues and for such let them goe for they are no better then Rogues And I doe not wonder at it For all basenesse whatsoeuer is ingrauen on their fore-heads and is made iust fit to their measure as being the off-scumme and refuse of men But for men of worth and such as stand vpon their credit as great and noble Persons and Gentlemen of qualitie who ought to abstaine from these disorders let them take heed how they giue any such scandall to vvrong their Reputation But for a Church-man to disorder himselfe nay but to goe a haires-breadth awry in this kinde for such a one I say it is not onely a disorder but hee comes within the compasse of being noted for a scandalous person a wronger of his profession which cannot but resound much to his reproach Let them themselues be their owne Iudges and speake what they thinke of it when they see themselues thus ouer-taken Doe they not for to maintaine their absurdities seeke to excuse themselues by idle and foolish reasons and make I know not what vn-ioynted sequels by which after one errour granted they runne into a thousand and yet perswade themselues that they and none but they are in the right It is a shamâ—… to treat of it infamy to vse it villany to cloake it and a thing vnworthy men not to hate and abhorre it We had in the Place neere vnto Santa Cruz our proper Mansion bought and repaired at other mens cost There were all the meetings and the Feasts I was vp with the Sunne I diligently waited on those Shops and attended often on the Bakers and if I wanted imploiment there I got me into the Shables to see what good I could do there I made my haruest in the morning to serue me all the whole day after The Parishioners there-abouts that had no seruants of their owne for these businesses would hyre me to carry home their prouision for them Which I did faithfully and diligently without wronging them the least hayre of my head No man of my place had more credit amongst them or was better trusted then my selfe So that my Companions vvanted worke whilest I had inough for my selfe and some other good-fellow my friend whom I would make choyse of to helpe me who would be sure to follow me close at the elbow Then we were but a few of vs and wee went vp and downe from place to place but now there are very many the number is much increased and all of them haue their hands full and glad is he that can catch them vp first And I can assure you that there is not any Estate that hath more inlarged it selfe then that of the Picaro's for all your Rogues apply themselues to the bearing of Baskets and carrying of Burthens they count it a very good Trade and these Rogues grow proud of it And to this passe doth mis-fortune bring a man that his Infamy he makes his glory his Basenesse he counts his Honour and earnest he turnes to iest It so fell out that there were certaine Companies of Souldiers to be raised and Captaines appointed for the conducting of them Now when any such thing happeneth it is presently spred abroad ouer all the Towne euery corner of the street is full of it and euery priuate house is made a Councell of State Nor doth that of your Picaro's sleepe in the meane vvhile euery Porter and Basket-bearer will haue a hand in the Gouernment of the Common-wealth as well as other men they will fall into discourse of the businesse vent their opinions and conclude what things ought be done how carried and vvho fittest for the managing of these great affaires Nor doe not thou thinke that because they are base in their qualitie and condition that therefore they are the farther off from the Truth or their intelligence the lesse certaine If thou doe thou art much deceiued for it is rather the quite contrary vvith them For it often-times so comes to passe that they know the essentiall points of things and participate of the secrets of State and there is a great deale of reason for it For in regard of the vnderstanding some there are nay very many of them who if they would applie it well and accommodate it as others doe making the like vse of it haue it strong and good Besides sithence that they goe all day long from one place to another through diuers streets and into sundry houses and being that they be so many and so scattered and deuided ouer all the Towne of many they heare many things and though it be vsually said amongst vs Quot capita tot sensus So many men so many mindes And though happily one or say a hundred should shoot wide of the marke and discharge the follies of their idle braines yet doubtlesse there are others againe that discourse wisely and will come very neere vnto if not hit the Pinne Now we hauing raked together all the newes of the whole Towne when we are met together and are sitting at our supper euery man opens his store and tels what hath past in Court some relating one thing and some another Besides there is not that Victualing-house or Tauerne but
truth nor loue from them They neither serue him with feare nor entertaine him with their loue He is abhorred hated scorned made a common by-word in the Market-place in the streets in the Tribunals and euery publike Assembly discredited by all men and defended by none If Masters did but know how much it did import them to haue good and honest seruants they would spare the meat out of their owne bellies to bestow it vpon them for they are true riches indeed and hee that hath a good seruant hath a great lewell And it is impossible that a seruant should be diligent with that Master that is not louing vnto him There were brought to my Lord from Genoa certaine Boxes of Conserues very great and large they were richly gilded and curiously wrought vpon the top as possibly could be desired they were fresh and faire to looke to as being but newly finished which Boxes vpon the way had taken a little wet When they were brought before him it did me good to looke vpon them and the rather for that they were made and sent him by a kins-woman of his who did ordinarily vse to send him such kinde of dainties I was not in the house when they came and while I was lacking they entred before my returne into a consultation what they should doe with them and how and vvhere they were best to drie them that they might haue a safe conduct from my person that I might not seaze vpon them And the rather for they must be forced to lay them abroad in the Sunne which would haue runne some danger if they had clapt them vp close in that Urne wherein Iulius Caesars ashes were put Euery one broached his opinion but not one good one amongst them all My Lord himselfe lighted vpon one and said It matters not much to studie for a place where to keepe them safe if we giue the keeping of them to one that will looke well vnto them they will that way be safe and no way else They did all allow of my Lords reason And as soone as I came in his Lordship call'd me vnto him and said Guzmanillo what were we best to doe vvith these Conserues vvhich are come thus vvet that vve may preserue them from being spoyl'd The best course my Lord said I in my poore opinion is to eate them presently And durst thou aduenture quoth he to eate them all I answered It were no great matter so to doe if a man had time enough But I am not so great a glutton that now at this present I dare to venture alone vpon so great and honourable a Muster as is here made before me My pleasure then is said he that thou looke vnto them and keepe a true reckning of them laying them out euery day abroad in the Sunne And here is no euasion for you for they shall be deliuered vnto you by tale and by tale I will looke you shall returne them vnto me Here you see them layd open before you and how faire and full they be and if any harme come vnto them or ought be missing I shall easily know where the fault lies and call you to account for it I told him that I was neither master of my selfe nor them I knew not what to doe in this case I was not mine owne man I had not power ouer my selfe and that I was one of Eue's sonnes and that being put into such a Paradise of Conserues the Serpent of the flesh might tempt me to eate of this forbidden fruit His Lordship reply'd then againe and told me See sirrah that you looke well to your charge for I will expect that you giue them me as I giue them you I must not haue a piece missing neither in number nor in weight qualitie for qualitie quantitie for quantitie all whole and sound or else you shall see what will come of it and therefore I would wish you to looke well what you doe and to vse your best care I then made bold to tell him The Plea my Lord that is betweene vs depends not on this point this is not the hinge whereon it hangeth For to returne them vnto you as they are without finding any missing or perceiuing any hurt they haue taken that is a very easie thing I can doe that presently But it is another point my Lord that I stand vpon What point I pray say's my Lord I told him I put my selfe into great perill for I am priuy to mine owne inclination and weaknesse no man should better know mine owne abilitie and strength then my selfe and therefore to deale plainely with your Lordship if you will haue me to comply with your Lordships command if my life lay on it I shall not be able to hold my hands I must needs taste of them if not fill my belly My Lord maruelling much at me Well quoth he seeing it will be no otherwise I will for once make tryall how discreetly you will behaue your selfe I shall see by this what manner of man you be I giue thee therefore free liberty that thou eate as much as thou hast a minde to for once and no more and that one time I allow thee to fill thy belly as full as thou wilt thy selfe but with this condition that thou deliuer them vp afterwards vnto me without any defect or fault and in case the contrary shall appeare thou shalt make me satisfaction in such payment as I shall be pleased to appoint I accepted of the condition of this Obligation and thereupon they were all deliuered vp into my hands The next day following I layd them out in the Sunne in an open walke and amongst the rest of these sweet-meates there was one of the flowers of Oranges and Limons which offred it selfe to my view it lookt very louingly vpon me as if it did desire to be better acquainted with me and I who was loth to be behinde hand in matter of courtesie made towards it tooke it in my hand with a little knife that I had about me loosening those little tacks with which it was fastened beneath and heauing it vp daintily by degrees till I had turn'd it vp-side downe and that the lid lay downward with that very knife I tooke out almost the one halfe from forth the bottome of it returning to make it fast againe as before putting in place of the Conserues so much waste Paper cut out so iust to the same measure and proportion that no man was able to perceiue it My Lord that night being minded to make a collation I brought to his boord foure of the said Boxes and asked him when I set them downe whether I had not looked well vnto them He told me if the rest be like vnto these he was well contented with them Whereupon I brought them all before him and he was very well pleased when he saw them because they were much dryer then they were before and better conditioned With that I presently stept
euer writ who at the very time when he was willing to bring forth his Labours to the light they haue scarce come forth of the wombe of the Presse but that they were strangled in the mid-wifes hands and left for dead And those his workes that came forth into the world aliue and did breathe and inioy their life as these of this our Author they flew abroad with such swift and nimble wings holpen by those of Fame that with extraordinary speed they past through all parts of Christendome in somuch that there was not any one Prouince whereinto they haue not flowen and receiued where-euer they came most honorable entertainment What workes can ye instance in that in so short a time haue had so many Impressions The whole number of those bookes that haue been printed amounting to more then fifty thousand volumes There haue beene of my knowledge six and twenty seuerall Impressions whereof he was rob'd whereby others became rich and the Owner of them poore Against whom but him did ye euer finde the gates of Murmuration shut Who but he had so perfectly learnd the way to beat Malice out of the field and to put her to flight If this be so or if as by euidext Mathematicall demonstrations it shall require a necessary proofe of witnesses let the best of the world be brought forth I meane the famous Vniuersity of Salamanca where being celebrated there by the best wits of that Academy I haue heard many speake of him as the Grecians of their Demosthenes and the Romanes of their Cicero reputing Mateo Aleman as the Prince of eloquence in the Spanish tongue as well for the modesty dextrousnes of his style as for his elegancies and choice phrases Of which opinion was areligious Augustine as discreet as learned who maintained in that Vniuersity in a publike Act that there was not from the beginning of the world to this present day that the first Part of this was printed any booke of like nature to this being no diuine subiect of greater eyther profit or pleasure Valençiano testifieth this truth who denying his name falsly styles himselfe Mateo Lujan that he might be taken for Mateo Aleman And albeit he might parallel him in his name and Country yet that he should be the same man in his workes it was not possible Only therein his malice may be discouered and that he did that he did moued thereunto out of the benefit that he should reape therby which if it had fallen out as he expected had been no small matter But it fell out as fit it was contrary to his expectation For in that very self-same yeare that it came forth I bought one in Flanders which in the Frontispice had its Impression in Castile taking it to be authenticall and good till I had read a little of it and then it was not long that his eares shot out of his skin and so came to be knowne what he was But to let this passe and to speake of those that admiring such a deale of depth and profoundnes both of wit and learning being wonderfull willing to haue some learned and graue Fathers to adopt this childe of his begetting they all laboured to seeke out some one who for his quicknes of wit greatnes of Schollership and singularity of eloquence might be able to vndertake so rare and admirable a peece of worke all which doth argue the worth thereof and redound to the greater glory of the true Author And then shall they free themselues of this doubt when they shall haue perused his St. Antonio de Padua which out of a vow that he had made to set forth his life miracles made him so slow in publishing this his second Part. They shall see how miraculously he treateth of them and it may almost be counted a miracle if we will but consider how wonderfully he carryed himselfe in the printing of them For putting his papers from hand to hand to the Presse and wanting matter for that dayes worke I knew for certaine that ouer-night he composed so much stuffe as did serue to keepe the Presse going all the next day following for he was troubled at that time with diuers other businesses which did necessarily require his help and assistance And in those short houres of the night he was seene to imploy him-selfe with a great deale of diligence as well in the affayres of his other businesses as in the ordering and sorting of papers to send them to the Printers as also in the composing of more matter for the Presse besides his attendance vpon other things importing his owne person and house Euery one of which would haue well required a whole man free from all other incumbrances And that which he wrote in this manner was all the whole third Booke And though euery-where through-out in all the rest of his writings he hath show'd the Ocean of his wit being that therein they shall find a most rich treasure of diuers Histories moralized and expressed with all the elegancie that can be deuised yet this is that enamelling that beautifies that Iewell and sets it best forth As all those haue affirmed who had the good hap to haue a sight thereof What shall I say of this his Second Part of Guzman de Alfarache and in how short a time he made it Which seemeth almost a thing impossible being so differing from his former which he was forced to change and to alter casting it in a new molde for the reasons before deliuered This will render sufficient testimony of his worth bridle those rash tongues and head-strong spirits which shall kick against him and vainly and foolishly runne on to the wronging of their iudgements If all that I haue said be truth if the learned approue it the vulgar deny it not if the world confesseth it for here euery one may meet with that which shall please his appetite which Horace holds so difficult a thing if vnder a prophane name he doth write so diuinely that he may serue for a bridle to the bad for a spurre to the good for study to the learned for entertainment to ordinary capacities and in generall for a fine Politicall Ethicall and Oeconomicall Schoole and so full of sweetnesse and pleasure that it may inuite any man to looke thereinto and to dwell vpon that which he shall finde there set downe both for pleasure and for profit What doe I throw vpon him or what doe I in this more then to pay him that which he so iustly deserueth O happy Sevill that maist amongst thy many Greatnesses nay one of thy greatest glory in this thy Sonne whose laborious endeuors and indefatigable studies equalling the very best both Latines and Grecians haue thus truly merited and deserued that all the nations of the world crowning his head with Bayes and celebrating his name should willingly and with a great deale of triumph sing forth his due prayse VPON THE BOOKE and the Author thereof POore Guzmans life
Gallies during life CHAP. VIII Guzman de Alfarache is taken out of the prison of Sevill to be carryed to the Port to be put into the Gallies He recounteth that which befell him on the way as likewise in the Gallies CHAP. IX Guzman de Alfarache prosecutes that which hapned vnto him in the Galleys And by what meanes he came to be freed from thence THE ROGVE OR THE SECOND PART OF THE LIFE OF GVZMAN DE ALFARACHE The first Booke Wherein he recounteth what befell him from the time that he serued his Master the Lord Embassadour till hee left Rome CHAP. I. Guzman de Alfarache excuseth the processe of his discourse craueth attention giues notice of his intent sheweth that Lying of all other things is the worst He treats of the ill gouernment of Great men Of Courtiers and their Vices Of the Spaniards loue to Radishes Of the order and end of this Worke. COME let vs away Thou hast now bayted and refresht thy selfe in thy Inne Come I say Arise and let vs be gone if thou beest willing to haue my Company and that I should doe thee seruice in this iourney though there is another iourney that I must goe through with for whose happy end I goe trauelling through these stony and desart places Through these craggy Rocks and vneuen wayes beset with Bushes and Bryers I doubt not but I shall make this iourney seeme easie vnto thee with that assured promise which I shal be able to make vnto thee of bringing thee safe to the end of thy desire Pardon my bold proceeding and taxe me not of inciuilitie that I treat with thee in this manner I confesse that I faile in that respect which is due vnto such a one as thou art But consider I pray' that what I say it is not spoken to thee but that thou should'st reprehend others who perhaps haue as much need of reproofe as my selfe I goe talking at randome like those that play at blind-man-buffe and thou maist very vvell tell me that my tongue runnes ryot and that I talke like a foole or a mad-man because I shoot my bolts without feare or wit and vnaduisedly throw the stone out of my hand not knowing where it may light or the harme it may doe But I shall answer this with that which a foole once said that fell a throwing of stones who as oft as he threw would cry out aloud saying Take heed take heed my Masters for it cannot fall amisse where-euer it light it must needs hit right So I likewise tell thee Que como tengo las hechas tengo sospechas That if I haue sate vpon any bodies skirts or shall chance to sit closer vnto them I haue reason to suspect that they will pay me home if they can For he that reprehends other mens faults cannot but liue in feare of being told his owne I imagine with my selfe that all men are iust such as I am weake facill and full of naturall passions nay sometimes strange and extrauagant humours But it were a thousand pities that all Sacks should be alike But being bad my selfe I thinke no man good such is my wretched condition and of as many as beare the same minde I conuert Violets into poyson throw durt vpon Snow and in my thought trample the fresh and fragrant Rose vnder my feete It might in some sort haue beene happy for mee that I had stayd when I was well and had not gone on with this my discourse I know that albeit I haue beene troublesome vnto thee thou wilt hold me excused and therefore I shall not need to craue thy pardon and to begge thy good word and attention the purchasing whereof is that which I principally pretend And albeit many and peraduenture all those that haue tasted of the Apple will deeme it to be impertinent and superfluous But mee thinkes it is not possible that it should bee so For albeit I should be as bad as thou wouldst make me to be or that I were such an arrant Asse and Coxe-combe as you forsooth in your Idea would forme me to be yet cannot I perswade my selfe that thou hadst set thy figure right or that thy iudgement were truely grounded For no man thinkes himselfe to be the same man that other men would make him to be nor iudges himselfe by anothers opinion I thinke of my selfe as thou thinkest of thy selfe Euery man holds his owne fashion the best his owne life the vprightest his owne cause the iustest his owne honour the greatest and his owne conceits those that hit rightest I tooke counsell of my pillow it seeming vnto mee which indeed is true that a prudent consideration doth euermore beget happy euents and that too much haste is the mother of various and vnfortunate issues whose Handmaid is repentance For doe you graunt but one absurditie and a thousand will follow vpon it And therefore that the ends may not erre as too too vsually it hapneth it is fit that wee make a faithfull examination of the principles which being found out and well chosen they affoord vs that helpe that wee may boldly say that the better halfe of the vvorke is already finished reaching forth such a resplendour and fulnesse of light vnto vs that afarre off by naturall signes and tokens they discouer those things vnto vs which are likely to happen hereafter And howbeit in themselues they are in substance small yet in their vertue and operation they are great and are in a disposition to matters of much importance And therefore when we will experiment them we must propose all the difficulties examining them with all diligence seeking to draw all the good out of them that we can and the soundest counsell but when we are once resolued that they are actions of Prudence and so generally taken and esteemed they ought in all mens iudgements to be brauely followed and put in execution And by so much the more by how much the more noble shall that enterprize be which we pretend to vndertake And it is an imperfection and a notable note of lightnesse to enterprize those things which we cannot effect especially if they be not crost by some sudden and vnexpected accident or some great impediment or other for in their end consisteth our glory My purpose only was as I told thee before to benefit thee and to teach thee the way how thou mightest with a great deale of content and safetie passe thorow the gulph of that dangerous sea wherein thou saylest The blowes I shall receiue thou the good counsels The hunger is mine but the industry must be thine that thou mayst not suffer hunger I indure those affronts from whence thy honour rises And since thou hast heard it said Que à que se te hizo rico que te hizo el pico That is that he that made thee rich made thee likewise to open thy beake that thou mightest be ready to receiue a blessing
her he said vnto her Is this your good hous-wifery this your care of my house and goods to let things runne to spoyle Is money so easily come by thinke you that you make no more reckning of sauing a penny But as you brought me nothing in Dowry so you care not it seemes which end goes forward sinke or swimme all 's one to you See you this waste of yours Looke I pray vpon these Radishes they cost money I can tell you You haue done well haue you not to looke no better vnto them Keepe them I pray against I call for them I thinke there is not a more wastefull woman in the world but I am the worse of the two and may thanke my selfe that I would be such an vnthrift as to bring a whole bunch into the house at once when as fewer would haue seru'd the turne His wife laid them vp safe as he had willed her and that very night that they might not fall out any more about them the crafty Hileding very demurely and with a sober countenance without any the least shew of choller or dislike sets them downe before him when hee was sitting downe to supper vvho falling earnestly vnto them spake to his Wife and said Now in troth Wench I sweare vnto thee there is no meat in the world can rellish better or hath halfe so good a sauour and taste with it as an old Radish I protest vnto thee I like them better a thousand times being thus lyther and withered as you see then when they are fresh and cripsie I prethee Wife proue one of them and then tell me if it bee not as I say The poore woman had as little fancie to make tryall thereof as shee had faith to beleeue it but my Spaniard carrying as they doe all a kinde of high hand ouer their wiues forcing her in a manner there-vnto by his sterne both lookes and words made her to eate one sore against her will and much against her stomake There are a certaine kinde of men which are not contented onely to commend that which they themselues like be it what it will but they will and are angry and offended if it bee otherwise that others doe the same pressing them as it were to follow their humour and contrarie to their owne will seeme to approue it at least not sticke to praise it And there are likewise another sort of people which discommend other mens tastes not considering that de gustibus non est disputandum for that they are diuers and various as are the conditions and countenances of men For though peraduenture two may bee found that may resemble one another yet it is impossible that they should be so like that you may not perceiue some difference And therefore I must be driuen to doe that heere which was my hap once to doe at a Comedy where for that I was one of the first it was my fortune to be one of the formost before the Stage Now those that came after being nothing so well fitted spake vnto me that I would leane a little on t'one side I did so but in this my mouing some-what aside others thought much of it complaining that I hindred their sight for whom likewise to giue them content I was forced to shift a foote So that both the one and the other made me to stand where they would haue me For they were all willing to see Insomuch that not knowing how to accommodate my selfe for pleasuring of them I put on Merchants eares not vouchsafing to giue them the hearing and standing stiffely on my right legge gaue them leaue to shift for themselues to heare and see as well as they could The Melancholly man the Sanguine the Chollericke the Flegmaticke the Ciuill the Swaggerer the Rhetorician the Philosopher the Religious the Reprobate the Courtier the Clowne the rude the Discreet nay euen my Lady Ninny-hammer would that I should onely write for her pleasure words finely pleyted and curiously folded and that I should apply my selfe to her conceit and conforme my selfe according to her stile making her Mistresse both of my pate and Pen. It is not possible for me to second so many humours and to satisfie such different desires For then had I need besides the making for euery particular man his seuerall Booke to liue so many mens liues as there are sundry opinions I haue liu'd but one onely and that which they would falsely intitle mee withall is a testimonie against some of the great wrong they haue done me therein My true life I shall onely set it downe my selfe I will goe prosecuting of that though they goe persecuting of me For there will not another a Gill be wanting for the third Part to come forth against mee as in the Second and charge me with that which I neuer either did said or thought That which I intreat at thy hands is That thou wilt neither feare mee so much nor be angry with me in so high a measure that I know not out of what humour thou should'st wish me hang'd for I finde not my selfe fit for it at this time neither indeed doe I deserue it Suffer mee therefore to liue since it hath pleased God to giue mee life that I might correct my errours and time that I may amend my faults For my punishments and my mis-fortunes if thou wilt truely informe thy selfe of them will serue thee in stead of a Looking-glasse whereby thou may'st see how to linke a little better together the past and the present with that which is to come in the third Part to the end that thou making it all one continued piece of worke weauing it well and handsomely running along in euen threds thou maist the better which is no more then becomes thee be instructed in the truth of things And this is that marke whereat I haue aymed and the white which I seeke to hit Nor am I dainty in discouering my conceits to those that will bee pleased to saue mee this labour yet let it bee so carried that they may boast them of that 's their owne For I hold it as a thing vndecent and vnseemely for a man to deny his owne name and to put forth his workes vnder that of another which hath and shall vpon the like occasion oblige mee at any time to write so much againe as this that I may not beetaken for a Foole by taking vpon mee other mens ouer-sights But let this rest lest I might seeme to some to speake more out of passion then reason though the iudicious I am perswaded will excuse this my iust complaint and not thinke it in this place to be impertinent to the purpose But to returne againe into the way whence we haue stept a little aside I say That I would haue euery man to make choyse of his owne Plate and to fall to that dish amongst those many that we shall serue into this boord which hee hath
most minde vnto Leauing that vnto others vvhich shall not please his palate or not agree with his stomake Nor would I haue my guests to thinke that this booke of mine should bee like vnto Heliogabalus his banquet whose boord was furnished with many and sundry sorts of meates yet all of them only seruing for the food sustenance of man whether they vvere Peacocks Chickens Phesants wilde Boare Fish Milke Sallets or Conserues it was one onely kinde of Vyand but like Manna differenced by mens seuerall tasts howbeit those of Manna were as euery man would haue them to rellish as himselfe desired but these other according as the Cooke was willing to season them seeking therein to please the filthy luxurious throat of his Master With varietie nature is adorned this is that that beautifies the Fields to see heere Hils there Vallies in this place Brookes and Riuers in that Fountaines sprinkling and sparkling forth their pearled drops Let not men be so couetously minded as to desire to haue all to themselues I haue seene the bestowing of many Liueries in my life-time and the little Page I haue perceiued was as well contented with his though it vvere not so full of Silke as the tallest man that had twice as much as he in regard of the largenesse of his stature I am resolued to follow that path that shall seeme best vnto me for the more direct bringing of me to the end of my desire and to that place whereunto I intend my iourney And thou my discreet Host who stay'st looking for me since thou doest so well vnderstand and know the miseries that he suffers and indures who like my selfe goes trauelling abroad to see the world doe not looke scornefully vpon me when thou shalt meet with me in thine owne Countrie and though I come to thy Gate like a Rogue poore and pennilesse dis-fauoured by fortune and forsaken of my friends yet doe thou vouchsafe mee a cheerefull countenance and giue me that kinde entertainment which thou owest vnto thine owne worth For my errand is only to thee thee only doe I seeke after and for thy sake haue I vndergone this iourney not for to put thee to any charge nor with purpose to oblige thee to more then thy good will and affection which thou naturally owest vnto him who offers thee his loue Which if I shall receiue from thee I shall rest fully satisfied and remaine besides in requitall of thy good will indebted vnto thee in an infinite number of thankes But if they which take pleasure in hearing me talke if they shall likewise be desirous to see me let them beware that doe not befall them which is wont to happen to those that are ouer-curious who watch and listen to heare what is said of them Which kinde of men doe alwayes Malè audire heare no great good spoken of them For with the finest gold is the bitterest Pill couered And often-times that moueth some to laughter which indeed ought to draw teares from their eyes Besides if any man shall long to know the life that I lead and the place where I liue he shall therein bewray his owne needlesse curiositie and giue me iust cause to suspect the vniustnesse of his intent and the little good loue that he beares me Let him first apply himselfe to consider my state and condition and the great miserie whereunto my disorder brought me Let such another as I am be set before him or let his owne imagination represent it vnto him and then shall he presently be able to goe discoursing with himselfe what passe-time may be made with him who doth passe his time being a Prisoner and laden with Irons with a Renegador or some ruffianly blaspheming officer that looks to the sure chaining of the slaues in the Gallies vnlesse happely he will take pleasure in my miseries and make himselfe merry with them as some doe with the Bull that is brought in the Market-place to be bayted whose Dartes sticking in his sides whose stroakes and wounds glad the beholders though I for my part hold it an inhumane act And if thou shalt twit mee in the teeth and tell me that either I cause nauseousnesse in this my Discourse or that I fell it vnto thee at too deare a rate seeking forsooth to be intreated or that I straine too much courtsie or that I am a little too coy and too nice with you making my selfe more daintie then needeth or that by my indearings and flatteries I should commend it for good vnto thee it would grieue me that thou shouldst haue that conceit of me For albeit it be wellknowne that I alwayes seru'd my Lord Embassadour as a merry companion and to make his Lordship laugh at my pleasant and witty conceits for I could then make him sport when I knew not so much as I doe now and now that I know more I can not doe it For it is a thing that costs a man deare and the times are not still alike But that thou mayst well vnderstand what I say and know what my iests and merriments were then and what now shall be thought necessary in that kinde hearken I beseech you with attention to that which I shall deliuer vnto you in this insuing Chapter CHAP. II. Guzman de Alfarache tels what place he seru'd in in the house of his Lord Embassadour And that Fooles and Iesters are both fit and profitable for Princes falling into a description of their conditions and qualities FRom the great power and little vertue now a-dayes in men it so commeth to passe that faithfull seruants are not so much rewarded for their good seruices and personall paines-taking as for the sweet words flowing from their vaine tongues For the one they thinke to bee due vnto them out of their powerfulnesse and their greatnesse and therefore are not pleased to accept it in good worth or thankefully to esteeme and acknowledge it And for the other they afford them for their wits sake many graces and fauours and because they want it themselues they buy out this default with their money It is great pitie that these men should thinke that Vertue should derogate from Noblenesse and by their ill-conceiued opinion of it will not as a thing abhorred by them vse and exercise the same And for that it is likewise to be purchased and gotten with a great deale of difficultie and by hard and sharpe meanes things that are contrary to their sensualitie and quite repugnant to their power and greatnesse they are neuer without flatterers at their eares and elbowes smoothing vp vice and stroaking their euill actions with a soft and gentle hand This is that milke which they haue sucked thefe those swathing-cloathes wherein they were wrapped They made it their naturall Center by vse and by al use it continueth still with them Hence arise those superfluous and excessiue expences those profuse prodigalities and those vaine magnificencies which are soone payd and quickly told out
in request they are not worth a figge nor the least haire of thy head vnlesse they be nipping ones and dipt in the sawce of Murmiration And I held this to be one of my greatest vnhappinesse that like a setting dogge I was driuen to winde out other mens weakenesses But because this was the fifth element without the which those other foure cannot well subsist and that repugnancie and contrarietie doth conserue them I was continually carefull in seeking out that which to that office which I now professed was necessarily required that I might still goe getting of ground and accommodate other mens tastes to mine owne For the better and more essentiall part is to winne the good-will of those that heare him that they may the more willingly commend that which by him is eyther said or done So that those indowments which Nature had deny'de me I was forced to make good by tricks and deuices assuming to my selfe illicit licence of language and vsing preiudiciall darings and boldnesse which were much holpen by a particular kinde of viuacitie liuelinesse and quicknesse both of wit and spirit that I had in mee hauing God hee knowes no learning at all For then I had no more knowledge but of a few languages which I had learned in my Lord Cardinals house and those too were as yet but rawe in mee in regard of my greene yeeres Consider therefore I pray' with mee which you may easily gather out of that I haue told you what I might haue in me and what was wanting vnto me being not left to mine owne liberty and liuing in necessitie In those my yonger dayes and in that Spring-time as I may so tearme it of my flourishing yeeres all went currantly with mee all that I did became me well and to all did I fit and apply my selfe For these and other the like things annexed there-vnto I was alwayes well clad much made of I was the Fauorite the familiar friend the Master of my Master as also of all those that were interessed in his friendship I was the principall doore whereby they entred into his grace and fauour and onely I the Lord of his Will I kept the golden key of his secrets Hee had sold his libertie vnto me and I was bound to looke well vnto it and to take care thereof not onely out of that but euen for charities sake and the respect I owe to the Law of Nature as also for the particular loue that hee bare to mee and I to him For hee was not ignorant but had made often tryall of my secresie and vvith vvhat great sufferance I did euer silence those things that hee committed to my bosome which I vvould none should vnlocke but himselfe who onely had that key to open and shut at his pleasure It comes now into my minde and so liuely represents it selfe to my thoughts that me thinkes I was then like to a trumpe Card which euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhen and how hee list or as a common pack-Saddle that serues for all Horses All did make vse of mee though after a diâ—…ers and different fashion some of my actions for their owne proper interest and others of my words for their pleasure and delight onely my Master drew in the same yoke with me both in words and deeds I haue taken occasion to speake thus much that men may not conceiue this opinion of mee that I goe about to taxe those Princes that keepe Fooles and Iesters in their Palaces for their intertainment and pleasure Nor shall it bee amisse that they intertaine them in their houses not so much for sport and pastime as by that conduit-pipe to draw some-thing to their knowledge which would not so well and so cleanely bee conuayed otherwise vnto their eares And such occasions often offer themselues whereof these kinde of men may make very good vse by aduising counselling and reuealing graue and weighty matters vnder the colour of foolery which wiser men dare not aduenture to vtter in earnest There are some witty discreet Iesters which speake Sentences and are able so soundly to deliuer their opinions that their Masters will not stoope to aske aduice of any of his other seruants although it might much concerne them and were great Statists and very well able to giue counsell Nor indeed vvill they consent that they of all other should giue them counsell that they may not to their inferiours confesse their ignorance or to seeme to vnderstand lesse then they For euen in this they would faine shew themselues to be Gods And such kinde of seruants as these are those Parrats which Iupiter desired to haue shut vp in a Cage Nor is this mischiefe of a day old or vvas borne but yesterday that great Persons should scorne and contemne the counsailes of wise vnderstanding and well qualified men So great in these men is their pride and ambition that they seeke to aggregate and draw all things vnto themselues making themselues Masters and absolute Lords both of our spirituall and temporall good and bad without controulement Insomuch that they thinke with themselues that by their onely breath they giue grace vnto others and not doing them any good in the world they looke to be praised and extolled as if they were the onely men of whom they did hold their life their honour their wealth and also their vnderstanding which is the vtmost blasphemie where-vnto in this case their folly can reach There is also another great inconuenience which is this That as in a chappell of Miracles wee must haâ—…g vp to sooth their vanitie the spoiles and Trophees of our miseries For if wee recouer our lamenesse and bee once able to goe we must offer vp our Crutches vnto them whereof vvee made vse when we were be-nummed and oppressed with pouertie If we escape any dangerous sicknesse or mischance we must sacrifice vnto them that winding sheete which fortune had cut out for vs burne Tapers and set vp Images of Waxe declaring to the world that this miracle was wrought by them and must hang vp those chaines in the Temple wherewith vve came forth from out the captiuitie of our miseries and were now brought home and landed in a safe Hauen But this were not altogether so much to be blamed if these things did onely occurre vpon vertuous occasions and that they had truely done these men good For there is a kinde of thankefulnesse due to euery good turne that is done vs. And then we make it knowne that we haue receiued a benefit when rendring thankes vnto God we doe likewise publish the vertues of those men that did doe these good deeds because with an ardent zeale and seruent affection they did vse their best industry imployed their persons spent their friends tooke hold of all occasions let slip no time and therein wasted and consumed their money So that things being thus fairely carried those that are benefited by them shall vvorthily deserue much blame and reprehension
Don Luys de Castro vvas first to beginne and thus hee proceeded It may bee my Lord Constable that other Louers in the recounting of their misfortunes goe painting and setting of them forth with feined sorrowes Hyperbolicall amplifications such delicacie of phrase and tendernesse of words to worke compassion that with the smoothnesse of their stile and the meltingnesse of their language they moue many to pitie and of these in this kinde much hath been written But that really and truely stript naked of all kinde of dressing and the neat cloathing of eloquence there should happen in these present times a businesse of the like nature as is mine that I haue now in hand is a thing impossible For it is one of the strangest and the most to be wondred at of all that euer I yet read or heard of And because your Excellencie is to bee my Iudge in this case I am very well perswaded you will acknowledge as much when you know my sufferings I loued a certaine Lady of this Kingdome that was a Virgin and ful-filled with all those laudable and noble qualities which might be found in any other who-soeuer being as faire and beautifull as she was discreet and honest whereof and much more then I will now speake I make Don Rodrigo de Montaluo heere present my Witnesse as the onely friend that bare mee company and was thorowly acquainted with all that which past betweene vs I seru'd her many and those the best part of my yeeres with that punctualitie and secresie that there was neuer any the least notice taken of it yet still obseruing her with that diligence as the like was neuer knowne and indeuouring alwayes to giue her all those contents which she could possibly desire from me For her I ranne at the Ring and euer made my selfe one at the ◅uego de toros y can̄as maintained Turneys and Tiltings ordained Royall Feasts and Maskes and what not And for to quit all suspition and to carry the businesse so handsomely that none might finde me out and discouer this my loue nay that they might not haue any the least presumption thereof at all these great solemn meetings my eyes were neuer placed vpon her but some other of the Ladies that were there though shee notwithstanding did really and truely know that those of my soule vvere neuer off on her but still waited vpon her and that shee vvas the sole Mistris of my heart and that for her sake onely and none but hers I inuented all these honourable pleasures and delightfull intertainments for her Vpon these kinde of Feasts and Sports and other the like occasions directed onely to this end I spent so much that I wasted and consumed a great deale of wealth letting my money fly the faster in hope it might make her come the sooner and selling away my possessions that I might compasse the possessing of her which was to me a treasure of more worth then all the world besides My father it is well knowne left mee wonderfull rich both in goods and in lands but in short I sent it packing and past away one thing after another till in the end I became so poore that your Lordships fauour is the onely prop that doth vphold mee without the which I must haue falne And though this I must tell you be none of the least griefes to see a Gentleman of such parts and qualities as my selfe to be outed of all that hee has to become so poore and needy that necessitie must tye him to serue who was wont heretofore to be serued howbeit I acknowledge it a happinesse vnto me that I am your Lordships seruant Though I must confesse withall they are the happier men and the more beholding to fortune who leade a quiet and secure life free from other mens commands not beating their braines nor breaking their sleepes in seeking meanes how to creepe into this mans fauour or to scrue himselfe into that or t'other Lords good grace and opinion But of all my misfortunes the greatest that euer befell me and which ◅its closest to my heart and doth fret the very soule of me and fill it with anguish was That my Mistresse hauing intertained me with false hopes and vaine promises vowing that she would neuer bestow her fauours vpon any other but that in recompence of my constant loue she would be married vnto me where-vnto she plighted me her faith and troth But whether these were the words of a woman or the workes of my short fortunes now when she saw my meanes were spent and my selfe growne poore vn-mindefull of all those in dearements vowes and protestations that had past betweene vs shee shooke off that hand of hers from mine to whom she had first giuen it and gaue it to another and forsaking me married him failing false as she was in her faith and qualitie for scorning my poore condition and not esteeming those my other good naturall parts she made choyse of those goods of fortune taking a Husband farre vnequall to her selfe for as he exceeded in wealth so he did in yeeres But such is the force of money that it can supply all defects and driue vnequall matches to draw in one yoke Thus haue I briefely discoursed vnto your Lordship touching my loue shewing you how happy the beginning was and how disastrous the end And although that I might not weary and tyre out your Lordship I haue beene so briefe that the shortnesse of my Discourse may seeme to lessen my misfortunes and the miseries that I then indured yet I presume your Lordships discretion will supply that want and fully conceiue what and how great they were As also take into your consideration how many troubles they haue suffred and how many perils they dayly runne thorow who wing their thoughts with ◅uch high-flying feathers and who vse such great diligence and secrecie in the carriage of their loue to the end that nothing on their part should be wanting which they thought belonged to their dutie in that behalfe Which my selfe had speciall care of I doe not thinke that either Don Rodrigo or any other Gentleman whatsoeuer can instance in a successe of more misfortune then this of mine for that louing her with that firmenesse and constancie as I did and seruing her with that loue and faithfulnesse as none possibly could be more I lost my time I lost my meanes and last of all to make the roll of my miseries the fuller I lost my Mistris Only there is left vnto me by fortune in exchange of these my many mischances the receiuing of this Ring by way of reward And here Don Luys made an end of his amorous discourses and Don Rodrigo de Montaluo entred vpon his in manner following The Ring Don Luys is none of yours you haue lost it and I ought of right to haue it And turning himselfe towards the Constable he thus went on in his speech Most noble Sir Though I confesse that to be
fitting for vs to be aduentured on Besides if this web must come to be wouen in the Loome of Iustice I must bee the master-thred to be wrought vpon there is no auoyding of it And therefore you haue no reason to suffer me considering that I can stand you in no stead if I be taken and clapt by the heeles to receiue any farther harme then what I haue already endured The best course then to be taken I conceiue to be this That to morrow morning you make inquirie after him and by one meanes or other with the best secresie you can seeke first to know him and to take particular notice of his person That done wee will consult thereof afresh and gouerne our selues therein according as occasion and time shall serue I did not like amisse of this me thought it was good wholesome counsell Well as he had aduised me I set my selfe to worke I walkt vp and downe the Towne and after the treading of some few steps not being troubled as fortune would haue it to tyre out my legs in the search of him it was my good hap to haue him pointed out vnto me with the finger telling me Loe that 's the man Which direction I needed not for the cloathes on his backe did speake what he was and without others teaching could tell me This is Alexandro He was standing amongst other young men at the Church doore nor doe I beleeue that his deuotion was such as to goe in and out to heare Masse but I was rather of opinion that hee stood there registring those that went in offering great scandall but showing small respect to that sacred place It is a foule shame that this is so commonly vsed as it is in most parts of the Christian world I know what I speake Would to God I knew as well how to reforme this abuse Are there not store of streets and other publike places in the towne for to make loue in which wee scandall too much already with our lewd steps wanton lookes dishonest signes and tokens and perhaps other things of a worse condition to intimate our loose and lustfull affections but that wee must wrong Gods holy Temple with this our vnciuill and beastly behauiour But let vs proceed in our former argument that wee may not leape from a Masse into a Sermon It seemed vnto me that hee stood not there with any great deuotion for he talkt apace with his hand and now and then he would breake out in a loud laughter He had at that time a doublet of mine on his backe of cloath of siluer and a ierkin drest with Amber and other rich perfumes cut and slasht cleane through and lined with the same cloath of siluer sutable to the doublet and richly laid with lace after the Seuillian fashion and eight buttons of gold wrought vpon Amber to make it sit the closer to the collar all which a Gentleman of Naples presented mee withall for a certaine dispatch that I had procured for him by soliciting his businesse with my Lord Embassador When I came to know mine owne and saw another man weare it before my face I could haue found in my heart to haue stab'd him and to haue presently stript him of it so did it grieue and vexe the very soule of me that such deare pledges as these of my friends loue vnto me should thus fore against my will be in another mans possession My blood rose against him and I was often tempted to haue gone and stab'd him but I held my hand and said with my selfe No Guzman no This must not be so Better it were that this thy thiefe should be conuerted and liue For if thou let him liue he may chance to pay thee but if thou kill him thou art sure to pay for him And of the two it is better to take then to giue And safer it is for thee that others should be indebted to thee then thou indebted to others And it will bee more for thy ease and more easily compast to get in a debt then to pay a debt Make not thy selfe the defendant if thou maist be the plaintiffe Goe on faire and softly be not so hasty for there is no body that runs after vs. And if there be any order or Law in gaming and if the dice runne true if the cards bee not packt but are well shuffled and cut and that there be faire play vnlesse the diuell be in it or my lucke exceeding bad all the world cannot winne the game from me For I haue cards enough in mine owne hand to carry it We are sure the bird cannot now get from vs which is that which importeth vs most Let vs not feare the Chase but hunt liuely for the Buls are safe enough they cannot escape vs. He is taken in the manner the theft found about him hee cannot possibly deny it I sweare I will put him to his necke-verse and see how well or ill he will come off and make him to confesse vpon the Racke who put him into those fine cloathes or in what Fayre or Market he bought them Hauing consulted thus with my selfe I got me home to my lodging acquainting Sayavedra with what I had seene Hee had prouided me my dinner ready for me and had set it downe on the table as soone as he saw I was come And when we had din'd we pitcht the hay wherewith we were to catch this Cony We discoursed one while of this course another while of that many designes we had many meanes propounded to come by our owne but Sayavedra poore man did stagger at them and was loath to giue way vnto them He repented him now of the counsell hee had giuen me fearing therein his own danger But we concluded in the end that of all other meanes Peace if we could draw him to some reasonable composition were the best For it is better to haue one bird in the hand then two in the bush And a bad Accord is better then a good Plea Lesse harme euer comming of agreeing then suing So that at last we grew to this conclusion that I by a third person should vse some meanes to haue his father talkt withall making him acquainted with the businesse and the whole manner how it was carried giuing him a large account of euery particular thing remitting my selfe to his good will and pleasure how he in his owne discretion should thinke meet I deseru'd to be dealt withall and that he would not enforce mee considering my faire manner of proceeding with him to recouer mine owne by rigour of Law being there was Euidentia facti besides many other pregnant proofes to be produced that these goods were mine And so I did as we had deuised hauing made choice of a discreet person who should secretly and with fitting language deliuer thus much vnto him But because Power is commonly accompanied with Pride and Pride is still attended with Tyranny
better serue thee And if that which I haue said seeme vnto thee to be well said it is well that I haue said it but if it seeme ill vnto thee reade it not ouer any more nor goe therein a iot farther For it is all mountaynous matter rough and craggy wherein perhaps thou shalt meet with more paine then profit yet doe thou but write the like and I shall patiently endure whatsoeuer thou shalt say But I will conclude this Chapter with telling thee That when misfortune shall follow a man no diligence nor good counsell shall auaile him but shall where hee thinks to gather wooll goe away with his fleece shorne CHAP. III. Guzman de Alfarache discourseth on the iniustice which some Iudges doe blinded by gaine or by passion I Came out of prison as out of a prison I need not to indeare it more vnto you For the least I can say of it is That it is a true and liuely picture of Hell it selfe I got forth out of a desire that I had to enioy my former libertie and had I not thinke you great cause to desire it For he whom they had so vniustly bereaued of it had good cause to feare greater dangers to ensue For if so iust and so faire a businesse as this was did fadge so ill with me at the first and that my Aduersarie had the better of the day of me when I thought my selfe surest of the victorie I might very well and with a great deale of reason perswade my selfe that in negotiating the rest I should finde much difficultie Perhaps these men thinke that God sleepeth But doe not withall consider that euen those who had no knowledge of him both did and doe feare him Aesope asking Chilo what God did How he spent his time And in what he did busie and imploy himselfe Told him In exalting the humble and in bringing downe the proud I am a sinfull man a lewd liuer and a naughty fellow and sithence they did inflict punishment vpon mee sure I must be in some fault For it is not to be supposed that an honourable Iudge one that professes knowledge and holinesse of life will be wonne either by fauour by gifts or by feare to peruert the course of Iustice or to lay so heauy a burthen on his tender conscience Especially considering with them-selues That euery man shall be rewarded according to his workes But let them goe as they are For the Iudges of the earth must be iudged and therefore I will not iudge them nor grinde them any more with this stone I had now beene taught experience to my cost and sufficiently beaten with mine owne rod insomuch that hauing beene once scalded with hot water I was now afraid of cold That from that day forward I would neither passe by the Tyrrone which was the place of Iustice nor by the prison nor scarce come within foure streets where they were Not so much for my imprisonment but for the wrong I receiued therein contrary to all Law and reason I did not see a hackney-man with a wand in his hand nor a Carrier with a cudgell vnder his arme but I presently thought vpon the Vare or rod of Iustice. Euer after I resolued with my selfe rather to sit downe with losse then to goe to tryall of Law at least to vse all the meanes that I could to the contrary till I saw there was no other remedie being compelled thereunto rather by force then necessitie The reason mouing me there-unto is that counsell which I gaue another in the time of my imprisonment There was a certaine fellow brought to prison for that he had bought a mandillion which they said was stolne the owner whereof was my very good friend Who told me that albeit he knew that the partie imprisoned was a person not to be suspected to be consenting to any such base kinde of pilfrings yet at least he would make him to bring forth him that sold it him for when that mandillion was stolne be lost many other things with it and therefore though he might haue his mandillion restored vnto him he would not rest so contented but would either lose it or recouer the rest I told him Sir you are my friend The Law is costly and therefore let me aduise you not to enter into it you are fairely offered and therefore if you be wise take your mandillion lest you spend your cloake to recouer your coat you will get nothing in the end by the bargaine cloâ—…ke and coat and whatsoeuer else you pretend will goe all away in fees so that the Lawyer at last will haue all and your selfe nothing He would not be ruled and being as all selfe-will'd men are strongly wedded to his owne opinion he flarly told me he would goe to a tryall with him and see what would come of it For he assured himselfe that he had a great deale of reason on his side and that his Proctor and his Aduocate had told him that he needed not to doubt of his cause and that it would surely passe on his side In conclusion he had spent some fifteene dayes in following the sute against him in all which time there was no fault to be found against the prisoner but prou'd himselfe in the end to be an honest man whereupon he was presently freed out of prison my friend perceiuing at length how he had play'd the foole repented himselfe of the lost time and charges which he had spent in the sute So that he was forced to sell his cloake was yet neuer a whit neerer the recouerie of his mandillion I doubt not but the Lawyers stript him to the very shut before they had done with him Let those therefore that can excuse it leaue off to goe to Law for your Law-sutes are like vnto your Mats whereunto they that make them goe adding one by one rush to rush and neuer make an end till they cut them off or cleane rid their hands of them Law-sutes belong properly to great persons and for great and important causes for they haue wherewithall to hold plea and are able to maintaine it To these the doores are set wide open they are vsherd in by the officers of the Court all shew respect vnto them â—…d if they spend their money they haue money to spend But as for thee and me we must for the recouering of fiue Royals spend fifteene and lose a hundred more in the losse of our time besides a thousand troubles and as many enemies which we shall get thereby And worse will it goe with vs if we shall chance to goe to Law with one that is mightier then our selues for that a poore man should goe to Law with a rich man is all one as if hee should offer to wrestle and try his strength with a Lyon or a Beare It is true some such there haue beene that haue giuen them the foyle and sometimes quite ouerthrowne them but this hath
be obliged to that which was vnbeseeming them For when the chamber was occupyed and that they had a friend with them whom they were willing to entertaine they would either take downe the Lettice or set a jarr in the window or a shooe or some one thing or other whereby their husbands might know that they were to passe by the doore and not to come in for feare of interrupting their sport But at noone the field was left open vnto them they might then freely enter into their owne houses where they should finde the table well furnisht the meat good and neatly drest and needed not to take any great care to keepe the chayre warme for he that sent in this prouision would come thither in person to passe away the time and to make merry a-while with them And a-nights when the Aue-Mary-bell had gone and that deuotion ended they would returne home againe they had their supper ready prouided for them then would they goe to sleepe alone by them-selues till that the houre was come that their wiues were to come to bed to them it sometimes so falling out that they would stay away till it were broad-day for that they had occasion to goe forth to visit some of their neighbours In a word these good men and their wiues did liue in that cunning fashion that without suffering them-selues to be vnderstood either by word or by deed they both knew very well how to play their parts and what each of them had to doe And these kinde of kinde husbands were well respected by their wiues and honoured with many Visites in another gates fashion then they were who did walke without this disguise Nay their wiues would be earnest to haue them abroad with them calling and carrying them along with them to those feasts and bankets whereunto they were inuited eating together at one boord and sleeping together in one bed I knew one who because a Gallant that lou'd and maintaynd his wife had setled his affection vpon another woman made no more adoe when he heard of it but goes presently in all haste to looke him out And when hee had found where he was he comes vnto him and asks him what fault hee could finde in his wife that hee had forsaken her companie Which question he had no sooner put vnto him but hee sodainly claps within him and stab'd him twice in the bodie but as God would haue it he did not dye of those his wounds Such as these goe to a Bodegon for their dinner for their wine to a Tauerne and to the market with a basket But those that are of a more honourable and noble disposition it will well agree with them that they leaue the house free for all cōmers going them-selues in the meane while to see a Comedie or to get them abroad to play a bout or two at billiards or some other the like pastimes especially when their Commissions are out I would not for any thing doe that which some doe who when in the presence of their wiues others begin to commend these and these good parts in such or such a courted Dame will neuer leaue till they make their wiues discouer theirs there before them preferring and praysing them to be farre better then any that they can show But for a tacite permission without any kinde of submission or yeelding thereunto of mine I did no way dislike it but was well contented with it I got my bagg and baggage together made vp that little that I had into a fardle all which a man might in a manner haue shut vp in a Snailes shell for one little olde worme-eaten chest contain'd all the houshold stuffe and wealth that I had which being put into a Cart my wife and I sitting thereupon we marched on to Madrid singing all the way as we went Tres anades madre Before we came thither I began to cast vp my reckonings with my selfe and when I had well thought vpon the businesse and made vp my account I said to my selfe I carry here along with me a morsell for a King new fruit new fresh ware fresh neuer seene nor handled before And therefore I will sell deare and set what price on 't I list my selfe I will make mine owne market I shall not faile to meet with some one or other who that he may supply my turne will employ mee abroad in some profitable businesse and a secret molestation may well be dissembled and fairely borne withall especially when it shadowes it selfe vnder the cloake of friendship So that what with sparing the expences of my house and what by getting other wayes I shall quickly grow rich I shall once more come to be Master of a Familie and to haue an honest house of mine owne wherein I may be able to lodge six or seauen good guests which will yeeld mee such reasonable profit that wee shall not want wherewithall to liue but be supplyde with all such things as are necessarie for vs. I am priuie to mine owne good parts and know how fit I am for any imployment of importance wherewith they may trust mee and how surely they may relie vpon me In businesses abroad I shall be carefull and diligent and at home in my house patient and quiet I will vse all the meanes I can to gaine my selfe credit and to grow into a good opinion with the world And when the measure of my desires shall be full and come to its height I will bend my courses to matters of greater moment and leaue off my trading nor shall any other by-occasions necessarily with-draw me from these my designes My wife entred into Madrid in the best cloathes shee had hauing a gallant hat on her head set forth with a faire plume of feathers of diuers colours but the deuill a lot of any thing else that we had that was worth any thing excepting onely our Ghitterne which wee still carryed with vs wheresoeuer wee went We were no sooner come to Court but presently in an instant before wee could set our feet on the ground the fame of our welcome to Towne had spread it selfe abroad her beauty had mustered together a great number of Voluntaries that offered their seruice vnto her and were willing to hazard their lifes and fortunes fighting vnder her colours where shee was there was their rendezvous The people flockt apace where shee had pitcht her standard But the only man that show'd him-selfe most forward at that time to accommodate vs being thus newly arriued was a rich Fripper or Broaker in the high street who asking vs whence we came and whither we would when I had told him that we were bound for this place and had no farther to goe and that we had no knowne lodging nor any acquaintance whither to direct vs he forth-with made profession how willing he was to further vs and how desirous to expresse him-selfe a friend vnto vs and thereupon brought vs to a womans house a friend of