nimble for Don-Quixote had told him by this that hee had seen that man goe by leaping among the Rocks Don-Quixote rested marvailously admired at the Goatheards tale and with greater desire to know who that unfortunate mad-man was purposed with himselfe as he had already resolved to search him throughout the Mountaines without leaving a corner or Cave of it unsought untill hee had gotten him But Fortune disposed the matter better then hee expected for hee appeared in that very instant in a clift of a Rock that answered to the place where they stood speaking who came towards them murmuring somwhat to himselfe which could not bee understood neere at hand and much lesse a farre off His aparrell was such as wee have delivered only differing in this as Don-Quixote perceived when hee drew neerer that hee wore on him although torne a leather Jerkin perfumed with Amber by which hee throughly collected that the person which wore such attire was not of the least qualitie When the young man came to the place where they discoursed hee saluted them with a hoarce voice but with great courtesie and Don-Quixote returned him his greetings with no lesse complement and alighting from Rozinante hee advanced to imbrace him with very good carriage and countenance and held him a good while streightly betweene his armes as if hee had known him of long time The other whom wee may call The unfortunate Knight of the Kock as well as Don-Quixote the Knight of the illfavored face after hee had permitted himselfe to bee imbraced a while did step a little off from our Knight and laying his hand on his shoulders began to behold him earnestly as one desirous to call to minde whether hee had ever seene him before being perhaps no lesse admired to see Don-Quixotes figure proportion and Armes then Don-Quixote was to view him In resolution the first that spoke after the imbracing was the ragged Knight and said what wee will presently recount CHAP. X. Wherein is prosecuted the Adventure of Sierra Morena THE Historie affirmes that great was the attention wherewithall Don-Quixote listned to the unfortunate Knight of the Rock who began his speech on this manner Truly good Sir whatsoever you bee for I know you not I doe with all my heart gratifie the signes of affection and courtesie which you have used towards mee and wish heartily that I were in termes to serve with more then my will the good-will you beare towards mee as your courteous entertainment denotes but my fate is so niggardly as it affords mee no other meanes to repay good works done to mee then only to lend mee a good desire sometime to satisfie them So great is mine affection replied Don-Quixote to serve you as I was fully resolved never to depart out of these Mountaines untill I had found you and known of your selfe whether there might bee any kinde of remedy found for the griefe that this your so unusuall a kinde of life argues doth possess your soule and if it were requisite to search it out with all possible diligence and when your disasters were knowne of those which clap their doores in the face of comfort I intended in that case to beare a part in your lamentations and plaine it with the dolefull note for it is a consolation in afflictions to have one that condoles in them And if this my good intention may merit any acceptance or bee gratified by any courtesie let mee intreat you Sir by the excesse thereof which I see accumulated in your bosome and joyntly I conjure you by that thing which you have or doe presently most affect that you will please to disclose unto mee who you are and what the cause hath beene that perswaded you to come to live and die in these Desarts like a bruite beast seeing you live among such so alienated from your selfe as both your attyre countenance demonstrate And I doe vow quoth Don-Quixote by the high order of Chivalry which I although unworthy and a sinner have received and by the profession of Knighes Errant that if you doe pleasure mee herein to assist you with as good earnest as my profession doth binde mee eyther by remedying your disaster if it can bee holpen or else by assisting you to lament it if it bee so desperate The Knight of the Rock who heard him of the Illfavored face speake in that manner did nothing else for a great while but behold him again and again and re-behold him from top to toe And after viewing him well hee said If you have any thing to eate I pray you give it mee for Gods sake and after I have eaten I will satisfie your demand throughly to gratifie the many courtesies and undeserved proffers you have made unto mee Sancho and the Goatheard presents the one out of his Wallet the other out of his Scrip tooke some meate and gave it to the Knight of the Rock to allay his hunger and hee did eate so fast like a distracted man as hee left no intermission betweene bit and bit but clapt them up so swiftly as hee rather seemed to swallow then to chew them and whilest hee did eate neither hee or any of the rest spake a word and having ended his dinner hee made them signes to follow him as at last they did unto a little Meadow seated hard by that place at the fold of a Mountaine where being arived hee stretched himselfe on the grasse which the rest did likewise in his imitation without speaking a word untill that hee after setling himselfe in his place began in this manner If Sirs you please to heare the exceeding greatnesse of my disasters briefly rehearsed you must promise mee that you will not interrupt the file of my dolefull narration with either demand or other thing for in the very instant that you shall doe it there also must remaine that which I say depending These words of our ragged Knights called to Don-Quixotes remembrance the tale which his Squire had told unto him where hee erred in the account of his Goates which had passed the River for which that Historie remained suspended But returning to our ragged man hee said This prevention which now I give is to the end that I may compendiously passe over the discourse of my mishaps for the revoking of them to remembrance only serves mee to none other stead then to increase the old by adding of new misfortunes and by how much the fewer your questions are by so much the more speedily shall I have finished my pittifull discourse and yet I meane not to omit the essentiall point of my woes untouch't that your desires may bee herein sufficiently satisfied Don-Quixote in his owne and his other companions name promised to perform his request whereupon he began his relation on this manner My name is Cardenic the place of my byrth one of the best Cities in Andaluzia my linage noble my parents rich and my misfortunes so great as I thinke my parents have ere
Brother if thou beest a Christian as thou appearest to bee one I pray thee for Gods sake that thou doe forthwith addresse this Letter to the place and person that the superscription assigneth for they bee well known and therein thou shalt doe our Lord great service And because thou mayest not want means to doe it take what thou shalt finde wraped in that handcerchif And saying so shee threw out of the window a handcerchif wherein were laped up a hundred Rialls this Ring of gold which I carry here and that Letter which I delivered unto you and presently without expecting mine answer shee departed but first saw me take up the handkerchif and Letter and then I made her signes that I would accomplish herein her command and after perceiving the pains I might take in bringing you it so well considered and seeing by the indorsement that you were the man to whom it was addrest for Sir I know you very well and also oblieged to doe it by the tears of that beautifull Lady I determined not to trust any other with it but to come and bring it you my self in person and in sixteen hours since it was given unto me I have travelled the journey you know which is at least eighteen leagues long Whilest the thankfull new Messenger spake thus unto me I remained in a manner hanging on his words and my thighs did tremble in such manner as I could very hardly sustein my self on foot yet taking courage at last I opened the Letter whereof these were the Contents THe word that Don Ferdinando hath past unto you to speak to your father that hee might speak to mine hee hath accomplished more to his own pleasure then to your profit For Sir you shall understand that hee hath demanded me for his wife and my father borne away by the advantage of worths which hee supposes to bee in Don Ferdinando more then in you hath agreed to his demand in so good earnest as the espousals shall bee celebrated within these two dayes and that so secretly and alone as only the Heavens and some folk of the house shall bee witnesses How I remain imagine and whether it bee convenient you should return you may consider And the successe of this affair shall let you to perceive whether I love you well or no. I beseech Almightie God that this may arrive unto your hands before mine shall be in danger to joyn it self with his which keepeth his promised faith so ill These were in summe the contents of the Letter and the motives that perswaded me presently to depart without attending any other answer or other monies for then I conceived cleerly that it was not the buy-all of the horses but that of his delights which had moved Don Ferdinando to send me to his brother The rage which I conceived against him joyned with the fear to lose the Jewell which I had gained by so many yeers service and desires did set wings on me for I arrived as I had flyen next day at mine owne City in the houre and moment fit to goe speake to Luscinda I entred secretly and left my Mule whereon I rode in the honest mans House that had brought mee the Letter and my fortune purposing then to bee favourable to mee disposed so mine affaires that I found Luscinda siting at that yron-grate which was the sole witnesse of our Loves Luscinda knew mee streight and I her but not as wee ought to know one another But who is hee in the world that can truely vaunt that hee hath penetrated and throughly exhausted the confused thoughts and mutable nature of women Truly none I say then to proceed with my tale that as soon as Luscinda perceived me shee said Cardenio I am attyred with my wedding Garments and in the Hall doth wait for me the Traitor Don Ferdinando and my covetous father with other witnesses which shall rather bee such of my death then of mine espousals bee not troubled deer friend but procure to bee present at this sacrifice the which if I cannot hinder by my perswasions and reasons I carry hidden about me a Ponyard secretly which may hinder more resolute forces by giving end to my life and a beginning to thee to know certain the affection which I have ever borne and doe bear unto thee I answered her troubled and hastily fearing I should not have the leisure to reply unto her saying Sweet Ladie let thy works verifie thy words for if thou carriest a Ponyard to defend thy credit I doe here likewise bear a Sword wherewithall I will defend thee or kill my self if fortune proove adverse and contrary I believe that she could not hear all my words by reason shee was called hastily away as I perceived for that the Bridegroom expected her comming By this the night of my forrows did throughly fall and the Sunne of my gladnesse was set and I remained without light in mine eyes or discourse in my understanding I could not finde the way into her house nor could I moove my self to any part yet considering at last how important my presence was for that which might befall in that adventure I animated my self the best I could and entred into the house and as one that knew very well all the entries and passages thereof and specially by reason of the trouble and businesse that was then in hand I went in unperceived of any And thus without beeing seen I had the oportunity to place my self in the hollow room of a window of the same Hall which was covered by the ends of two encountring pieces of Tapestry from whence I could see all that was done in the Hall remaining my self unviewed of any Who could now describe the assaults and surprizals of my heart while I there abode the thoughts which incountred my minde the considerations which I had which were so many and such as they can neither bee said nor is it reason they should Let it suffice you to know that the Bridegroom entred into the Hall without any ornament wearing the ordinary array hee was wont and was accompanied by a Cousin Germane of Luscinda's and in all the Hall there was no stranger present nor any other then the houshold Servants Within a while after Luscinda came out of the Parlour accompanied by her mother and two waiting maids of her own as richly attired and deckt as her calling and beauty deserved and the perfection of Courtly pomp and bravery could afford my distraction and trouble of minde lent me no time to note particularly the apparrell shee wore and therefore did only marke the colours which were Carnation and White and the splendour which the precious Stones and Jewels of her Tires and all the rest of her Garments yeelded yet did the singular beauty of her fair and golden tresses surpasse them so much as being in competencie with the precious Stones and flame of four Links that lighted in the Hall yet did the splendour thereof seem farr more bright
and are not distant from his body the length of a Lance and seeing that if he slipt ever so little aside he should fall into the deepes doth yet neverthelesse with undaunted heart borne away on the wings of honour which spurreth him onward oppose himself as a worke to all their shot and strives to passe by that so narrow a way into the enemies vessell And what is most to bee admired is to behold how scarce is one falne into that place from whence hee shall never after arise untill the worlds end when another takes possession of the same place and if hee doe likewise tumble into the Sea which gapes like an enemy for him also another and another will succeed unto him without giving any respite to the times of their death valour and boldnesse which is the greatest that may bee found among all the trances of war-fare Those blessed ages were fortunate which wanted the dreadfull furie of the devillish and murdering Peeces of Ordnance to whose inventor I am verily perswaded that they render in hell an eternal guerdon for his Diabolicall invention by which hee hath given power to an infamous base vile and dastardly arme to bereave the most valorous Knight of life and that without knowing how or from whence in the midst of the stomack and courage that inflames and animates valorous mindes there arives a wandring bullet shot off perhaps by him that was afraid and fled at the very blaze of the powder as he discharged the accursed Engine and cuts off and finisheth in a moment the thoughts and life of him who merited to enjoy it many ages And whilest I consider this I am about to say That it grieves mee to have ever undertaken the exercise of a Knight Errant in this our detestable age for although no danger can affright mee yet notwithstanding I live in jealousie to thinke how powder and Lead might deprive mee of the Power to make my self famous and renowned by the strength of mine Arme and the edge of my Sword throughout the face of the Earth But let Heaven dispose as it pleaseth for so much the more shall I bee esteemed if I can compasse my pretentions by how much the dangers were greater to which I opposed my self then those aâ—chieved in foregoing times by Knights Adventurous Don-Quixote made all this prolixe Speech whilest the rest of his Companie did eate wholly forgetting to taste one bit although Sancho Panca did now and then put him in remembrance of his Victuales saying That hee should have leisure enough after to speak as much as he could desire In those that heard was again renewed a kind of compassion to see a man of so good a wit as hee seemed to bee and of so good discourse in all the other matters which hee took in hand to remain so cleerly devoid of it when any occasion of speech were offered treating of his accursed Chivalrie The Curate applauded his discourse affirming that hee produced very good reasons for all that hee had spoken in the favour of Armes and that hee himself although hee was learned and Graduated was likewise of his opinion The Beaver being ended and the Table-clothes taken away whilest Maritornes did help her Mistrisâ—e and her Daughter to make ready the Room where Don-Quixote had slept for the Gentlewomen wherein they alone might retire themselves that night Don Fernando intreated the Captive to recount unto them the History of his life for as much as hee suspected that it must have been rare and delightfull as he gathered by the tokens hee gave by coming into the lovely Zoraida's company To which the Captive replyed That hee would accomplish his desire with a very good will and that only hee feared that the discourse would not prove so savory as they expected But yet for all that hee would tell it because hee would not disobey him The Curate and all the rest thanked him for his promise and turned to request him again to beginne his discourse and hee perceiving so many to sollicite him said That prayers were not requisite when commandements were of force and therefore I desire you quoth hee to bee attentive and you shall hear a true discourse to which perhaps no feigned invention may bee compared for variety or delight The rest animated by these his words did accommodate themselves with very great silence and hee beholding their silence and expectation of his Historie with a modest and pleasing voyce began in this manner CHAP. XII Wherein the Captive recounteth his Life and other Accidents IN a certain Village of the Mountains of Lion my linage had beginning wherewithall Nature dealt much more liberally then Fortune although my Father had the opinion amid'st the penury and poverty of that People to bee a rich man as indeed hee might have been had hee but used as much care to hoord up his wealth as prodigalitie to spend it And this his liberall disposition proceeded from his being a Souldier in his youthfull yeers for War is the School wherein the Miser is made Frank and the Frank man Prodigall and if among Souldiers wee finde some Wretches and Niggards they are accounted Monsters which are seldome seen My Father passed the bounds of Liberalitie and touched very neerly the confines of Prodigalitie a thing nothing profitable for a married man who had children that should succeed him in his name and being My Father had three Sonnes all men and of yeers sufficient to make an election of the state of life they meaned to leade wherefore hee perceiving as hee himself was wont to say that hee could not bridle his nature in that condition of spending he resolved to deprive himself of the instrument and cause which made him such a spender and so liberall to wit of his Goods without which Alexander the great himself would bee accounted a Miser and therefore calling us all three together on a day into his Chamber hee used these or such like reasons to us Sonnes to affirm that I love you well may bee presumed seeing I terme you my Sonnes and yet it may bee suspected that I hate you seeing I doe not govern my self so well as I might in the Husbanding and increasing of your stock But to the end that you may hence forth perceive that I affect you with a Fatherly love and that I mean not to overthrow you like a step-Father I will doe one thing to you which I have pondered and with mature deliberation purposed these many dayes You are all of age to accept an estate or at least to make choice of some such exercise as may turn to your honour and profit at riper yeers and therefore that which I have thought upon is to divide my goods into four parts the three I will bestow upon you to every one that which appertains to him without exceeding a jot and I my self will reserve the fourth to live and maintain me with as long as it shall please Heaven to lend me breath
Lash lash that thick flesh of thine untamed beast and rowze up thy courage from sloth which makes thee only fit to eat till thou burst and set my smooth flesh at liberty the gentlenesse of my condition and the beauty of my face and if for my sake thou wilt not bee mollified and reduc't to some reasonable terms yet doe it for that poor Knight that is by thee for thy Master I say whose soul I see is traversed in his throat not ten fingers from his lips expecting nothing but thy rigid or soft answer either to come out of his mouth or to â—uâ—n back to his stomack Don-Quixote hearing this felt to his throat and turning to the Duke said Before God Sir Dulcinea hath said true for my soul indeed is traversed in my throat like the nock of a Cross-bow What say you to this Sancho quoth the Duchesse I say what I have said quoth Sancho that the lashes I bernounce Renounce thou wouldst say Sancho said the Duke Let your Greatnesse pardon me said Sancho I am not now to look into subtilties nor your letters too many or too few for these lasheâ— that I must have doe so trouble me that I know not what to doe or say But I would fain know of my Lady Dulcinea del Toboso where shee learne this kinde of begging she hath shee comes to desire me to teare my flesh with lashes and calls me Leaden Soul and Untamed Beast with a Catalogue of ill names that the Devill would not suffer Does shee think my flesh is made of brasse Or will her disinchanâ—ment bee worth any thing to me or no What basket of white linnen of Shirts Caps or socks though I weare none doth shee bring with her to soften me with only some kinde of rayling or other knowing the usuall Proverb iâ— An Asse laden with gold will goe lightly up hillâ— and that Gifts doe enter stone walls and serve God and work baâ—d and better a Bird in the hand then two in the bush And my Master too that should animate me to this task and comfort me to make mee become as soft as wooll hee saies that hee will â—ye me naked to a tree and douâ—le the number of my lashes and therefore these compassionate Gentles should consider that they doe not only wish a Squire to whip himself but a Governour also as if it were no more but drink to your 〈◊〉 Leâ—um learn let um learn with a pox to know how to ask and to demand for all times are not alike and men are not alwaies in a good humourâ— I am new ready to burst with grief to see my torn Coat and now you come to bid me whip my self willingly I being as farre from it as to turn Cacicke Caciques are great Lords amongst the West Indians By my faith Sancho quoth the Duke if you doe not make your selfe as soft as a ripe fig you finger not the Government 'T were good indeede that I should send a cruell flinty-hearted Governour amongst my Islanders that will not bend to the teares of afflicted Damzells nor to the intreaties of discreet imperious ancient wise Enchanters To conclude Sancho either you must whip your selfe or bee whipt or not bee Governour Sir quoth Sancho may I not have two dayes respite to consider No by no meanes quoth Merlin now at this instant and in this place this businesse must bee dispatcht or Dulcinea shall returne to Montesino's Cave and to her pristine being of a Country-wench or as shee is shee shall bee carried to the Elyzian fields there to expect till the number of these lashes bee fulfilled Goe to honest Sancho said the Duchesse bee of good cheere shew your love for your Masters bread that you have eaten to whom all of us are indebted for his pleasing condition and his high Chivalry Say I sonne to this whipping-cheere and hang the Devill and let feare goe whistle a good heart conquers ill fortune as well thou knowest To this Sancho yeelded these foolish speeches speaking to Merlin Tell mee Signior Merlin said hee when the Devill-Post passed by here and delivered â—â—is message to my Master from Signior Monteâ—inos biddâ—ng him from him hee should expect him here because hee came to give order that my Lady Duloinea should bâ—â— disenchanted where is hee that hitherto wee have neither seene Montesinos or any such thing To which said Merlin Friend Sancho The Devill is an Asse and 〈◊〉 I sent him in quest of your Master but not with any message from Mentesinos but from mee for hee is still in his Cave plotting or to say truer expecting his disenchanment for yet he wantâ— something toward it and if he owe thee ought or thou have any thing to doe with biâ— I 'le bâ—ing him thee and set him where thou wilt â— and therefore now make an end and yeeld to this disciplining and beleeve thee it will doe thee much good as well for thy minde as for thy body for thy minde touching the charity thou shaâ— performe for thy body for I know thou arâ— of asanguine complextion and it can doe thee no hurt to let out some blood What a company of Physicians there bee in the world said Sancho even the very Enchanters are Physicians Well since every body tells mee so that it is good yet I cannot thinke so I am content to give my selfe three thousand and three hundred lashes on condition that I may hee giving of them as long as I please and I will bee out of debt as soone as 't is possible that the world may enjoy the beauty of the Lady Dulcinâ—â— del Toboâ—â— since it appeares contrary to what I thought that shee is faire On condition likewise that I may not draâ— blood with the whip and if any lash goe by too it shall passe for current Item that Signior Merlin if I forget any part of the number since hee knowes all shall have a care to tell them and to let mee know how many I want or if I exceed For your exceeding quoth Mâ—rlin there needs no telling for comming to your just number Forthwith Dulcinea shall bee dis-enchanted and shall come in all thickfulnesse to seâ—ke Sancho to gratifie and reward him for the good deed So you need not bee scrupnious eyther of your excesse or defect and God forbid I should deceive any body in so much as a haâ—â—â—â— breadth Well quoâ—â— Sancho a Gods name bed it I yeeld to my ill fortune and with the aforesaid condition accept of the penitence Scarce had Sancho spoken these words when the Waites began to play and a world of guns were shot off and Don-Quixote hung about Sancho's necke kissing his cheekes and forehead a thousand times The Duke the Duchesse and all the by-standers were wonderfully delighted and the Cart began to goe on and passing by the faire Dulcinea inclined her head to the Dukes and made a low courtsie to Sancho and by this the merry morn came on apace and the flowers of the