The history of the valorous and vvitty-knight-errant, Don-Quixote, of the Mancha tr. out of the Spanish.

CHAP. IV.

Of that which befell to our Knight, after hee had departed from the Inne.

AVRORA began to display her beauties about the time that Don-Quixote issued out of the Inne, so content, lively and jocund to be∣hold himself Knighted, as his very horse gyrts were ready to burst for joy: but calling to memory the Counsels that his Hoste had given him, touching the most needfull implements that hee was ever to ca∣ry about him, of money and clean shirts, hee determined to returne to his House, and to provide himself of them, and also of a Squire: making account to entertain a certain labourer, his neighbour, who was poore and had children, but yet one very fit for this purpose and Squirely function, belonging to Knighthood. With this determination hee turned Rozinante towards the way of his owne Village, who knowing, in a manner, his will, began to trot on with so good a pace, as hee seemed not to touch the ground. Hee had not travelled far, when he thought that hee heard certain weake and delicate cries, like to those of one that complained, to issue out from the thickest of a Wood that stood on the right hand. And scarce had hee heard them when hee said:

I render infinite thanks to heaven for the favour it doth mee, by proferring mee so soone occasion wherein I may accomplish the duty of my professi∣on, and gather the fruits of my good desires: these Plaints doubtlesly bee of some di∣stressed man or woman, who needeth my favour and ayd.

Then turning the reynes, hee guided Rozinante towards the place from whence hee thought the complaints sally∣ed; and within a few paces after he had entred into the thicket, hee saw a Mare tyed unto an Holme Oake, and to another was tyed a young youth all naked from the mid∣dle upward, of about the age of fifteen yeeres, and was hee that cried so pittifully: and not without cause, for a certain Countryman of comly personage did whip him with a gyrdle, and accompanied every blow with a reprehension and counsell, for hee said; The tongue must peace, and the Eyes bee warie: and the boy answered I will never do it again, good Master; for the passion of God, I will never doe it again. And I pro∣mise to have more care of your things from henceforth.

But Don-Quixote viewing all that passed, said with an angry voice:

Discourteous

Knight, it is very uncomly to see thee deale thus with one that cannot defend himself, mount therfore on horseback and take thy Launce (for the Farmer had also a Launce leaning to the very same tree whereunto his Mare was tyed) for I will make thee know that it is the use of Cowards to doe that which thou doest.

The other behold∣ing such an Antick to hover over him, all laden with Armes, and brandishing of his Launce towards his face, made full account that hee should bee slaine, and therefore hee answered with very milde and submissive words saying, Sir Knight, the boy which I chastise is mine own servant, and keepeth for mee a slock of sheep in this Commarke; who is grown so neglignet, as hee loseth one of them every other day, and because I correct him for his carelessenesse and knavery, hee sayes I doe it through covetousnesse and pinching, as meaning to defraud him of his wages; but before God, and in Con∣science hee belies me.

What? the Lie in my presence rascally Clown? quoth Don-Quixote, by the Sun that shines on us, I am about to run thee through and through with my Launce base Carle; pay him instantly without more replying, or else by that God which doth mannage our sublunar affairs, I will conclude thee, and annihilate thee in moment; loose him forthwith.

The Countreyman hanging downe of his head, made no reply, but loosed his servant; of whom Don-Quixote demanded how much did his Master owe unto him? hee said nine Moneths hire, at seven Reals a Moneth. Don-Quixote made then the account, and found that all amounted to sixty one Reals, and therefore commanded the Farmer to pay the money presently, if hee meaned not to die for it. The fearfull Countryman answered, That by the Trance wherein hee was then, and by the Oath hee had made (which was none at all, for hee swoar not) that hee ought not so much; for there should bee deducted out of the ac∣counts three paire of shoes hee had given unto him, and a Reall for twice letting him blood, being sick. All is well, quoth Don-Quixote, but let the price of the shoes and letting blood, goe for the blowes which thou hast given him without any desert; for if hee have broken the leather of those shoes thou hast bestowed on him, thou hast likewise torne the skin of his body; and if the Barbe•• tooke away his blood being sick, thou hast taken it out, hee beeing in health; so as in that respect hee owes thee nothing. The dammage is Sir Knight, replyed the boyes Master, that I have no money here about me. Let Andrew come with mee to my house, and I will pay him his wages, one Reall up∣on another. I goe with him, quoth the boy, evill befall me•• then. No Sir, I never meant it; for as soone as ••ver hee were alone, hee would fley mee like S. Bartholomew. Hee will not dare to doe it, quoth Don-Quixote, for my command is sufficient to make him respect mee, and so that hee will sweare to mee to observe it, by the Order of Knighthood which hee hath received, I will set him free, and assure thee of the pay∣ment. Good Sir, quoth the youth, marke well what you say, for this man my Ma∣ster, is no Knight, nor did ever receive any Order of Knighthood, for hee is Iohn Hal∣dudo the rich man, a dweller of Qui••tanar. That makes no matter, quoth Don-Qui∣xote, for there may bee Knights of the Haldudos: and what is more, every one is son of his workes. That's true, quoth Andrew, but of what workes can this my Master be sonne? seeing hee denies mee my wages, and my sweat and labour? I doe not deny thy wages, friend Andrew, quoth his Master; doe mee but the pleasure to come with mee, and I sweare by all the Orders of Knighthood that are in the World, to pay thee as I have said, one Reall upon another, yea and those also perfumed.

For the per∣fuming I thanke thee, quoth Don-Quixote, give it him in Reals, and with that I will rest satisfied; and see that thou fullfillest it as thou hast sworn: if not, I sweare a∣gaine to thee by the same Oath to return and search thee, and chastise thee, and I will finde thee out, though thou shouldst hide thy self better then a Lizard; and if thou desirest to note who commands thee this, that thou maist remaine more firmly oblie∣ged to accomplish it, know that I am the valorous Don-Quixote of the Mancha, the righter of wrongs and undoer of injuries, and so farewell: and doe not forget what thou hast promised and sworn, on paine of the paines already pronounced.

And saying these words, hee spurred Rozinante, and in short space was got far off from them. The Countryman pursued him with his eye, and perceiving that hee was past the wood,

and quite out of sight, hee returned to his man Andrew, and said to him, come to me childe, for I will pay thee what I owe thee; as that righter of wrongs hath left mee commanded. That I sweare, quoth Andrew, and you shall deale discreetly in fullfil∣ling that good Knights commandement, who I pray God may live a thousand yeeres; for seeing hee is so valorous and so just a judge, I sweare by Rocque, that if you pay mee not, hee shall return and execute what hee promised. I also doe sweare the same, quoth the Farmer, but in respect of the great affection I beare unto thee, I will aug∣ment the debt, to increase the payment; and catching the youth by the arme, hee tyed him again to the Oake, where hee gave him so many blowes as hee left him for dead; call now master Andrew (quoth hee) for the righter of wrongs, and thou shalt see that hee cannot undoe this, although I beleeve it is not yet ended to bee done; for I have yet a desire to flea thee alive, as thou didst thy selfe feare: Notwithstanding all these threats, hee untied him at last, and gave him leave to goe seeke out his Judge, to the end hee might execute the Sentence pronounced. Andrew departed somewhat discontent, swearing to search for the valorous Don-Quixote of the Mancha, and re∣count unto him, word for word, all that had past, and that hee should pay the abuse with usury: but for all his threats hee departed weeping, and his Master remayned behinde laughing; and in this manner the valorous Don-Quixote redressed that wrong.

Who glad above measure for his successe, accounting himself to have given a most noble beginning to his feats of Armes, did travell towards his Village, with very great satisfaction of himself, and said in a low tune these words following:

Well maist thou call thy self happy above all other women of the earth, O! above all Beauties beautifull Dulcinea of Toboso, since thy good fortune was such, to hold subject and prostrate to thy will and desire, so valiant and renowned a Knight as is, and ever shall bee, Don-Quixote of the Mancha, who as all the world knowes, received the Order of Knighthood but yesterday, and hath destroyed to day the greatest outrage and wrong that want of reason could forme, or cruelty commit. To day did he take away the whip out of that pittilesse enemies hand, which did so c••uelly scourge with∣out occasion the delicate Infant.

In this discourse hee came to a way that divided it self into foure, and presently these thwarting crosse wayes represented themselves unto his imagination, which oft times held Knights Errant in suspence which way they should take, and that hee might imi∣tate them; hee stood still a while, and after hee had bethought himself well, hee let slip the reines to Rozinante, subjecting his will to that of his horse, who presently pursued his first Designe, which was to return home unto his own slable: and having travelled some two miles, Don-Quixote discovered a great troup of People, who as it was after known, were certain Merchants of Tol••do, that rode towards M•••••••• to buy silkest they were six in number, & came with their Quitaso•••• [a thing made like a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and is used by Travellers to keepe away the 〈◊〉〈◊〉] or shadowes of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, foure serving•• men on horseback, and three La••quies•• Scarce had Don-Quixote perceived them, when hee straight imagined them to bee a new•• Adventure: and because hee would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as much as was possible the passages which hee read in this bookes, hee represented this to himself to bee just such an Adventure as hee purposed to 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 comely gesture hardinesse, set••ing himself well in the stirdops, hee set his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into his rest, and imbraced his Targe••, and placing himself in the midst of the way, hee stood awayting when those Knights Errant should arive; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 now hee judged and tooke them for such: and when they were so neere as they might heare and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him, he li••••ed up his voice and said:

Let all the world stund and passe no further, if all the world will not confesse, that there is not in all the world a more beautifull 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then the Empresse of the Mancha, the peerelesse D••loin•••• of Toboso.

The Merchants stayed at these words to behold the marvellous and ridiculous shape of him that spoke them, and by his fashion and them joyned, did incontinently gather his folly and di∣straction, and notwithstanding would leisurely behold to what tended that confession which hee exacted of them; and therefore one of them who was somewhat given to gi∣bing,

and was withall very discreet, said unto him, Sir Knight, wee doe not know that good Lady of whom you speake: shew her therefore to us, and if shee bee so beautifull as you affirm, wee will willingly and without any compulsion confesse the truth which you now demand of us. If I did shew her to you, replied Don-Quixote, what masterie were it then for you to acknowledge a truth so notorious? The conse∣quence of mine affaires consists in this, that without beholding her, you doe beleeve, confesse, affirm, sweare and defend it; which if you refuse to perform, I challenge you all to Battell, proud and unreasonable folke, and whether you come one by one (as the order of Knighthood requires) or all at once, as is the custome and dishono∣rable practise of men of your broode, here will I expect and await you all, trusting in the reason which I have on my side, Sir Knight, replied the Merchant, I request you in all these Princes names, as many as wee bee here, that to the end wee may not bur∣then our Consciences, confessing a thing which wee never beheld nor heard, and chief∣ly being so prejudiciall to the Empresses and Queenes of the Kingdomes of Alcarria and Estremadura, you will please to shew us some portraiture of that Lady, although it be no biger then a grain of Wheat: for by one threed we may judge of the whole olew, and we will with this favor rest secure and satisfied, and you likewise remain con∣tent and appaid. And I doe believe moreover, that we are already so inclined to your side, that although her picture shewed her to bee blinde of the one eye, and at the other that she ran fire and brimstone; yet would we notwithstanding, to please you, say in her favour all that you listed. There drops not base Scoundrels, quoth Don-Quixote, all inflamed with choller; there drops not, I say, from her that which thou say'st, but Amber and Civet among bombase: and she is not blinde of an eye, or crook-back'd; but is straighter then a spindle of Guadarama•• but all of you together shall pay for the great blasphemy thou hast spoken against so immense a beauty, as is that of my Mistrisse. And saying so, he abased his La••••ce against him that had answered, with such furie and anger, as if good fortune had not so ordained it, that Rozinante should stumble, and fall in the mid'st of the Carriere, it had gone very ill with the bold Merchant. Rozinante fell in fine, and his Master reeled over a good peece of the field; and though hee at∣tempted to rise, yet was he never able, he was so encombred by his Launce, Target, Sp••••, Helmet, and his weighty old A••••ur. And in the mean while that he strived to arise, and could not, he cried, Flie not cowardly Folk, abide base people, abide; for I lye not here through mine own fault, but through the defect of my horse.

One of the Lacquies that came in the company, and seemed to be a man of none of the best intentions, hearing the poor overthrown Knight speak such insolent words, could not forbear them without returning him an answer on his ribbs; and with that intention approaching to him, he took his Launce, and after he had broken it in peeces, he gave Don Quixote so many blows with one of them, that in despite of his Armor he threshed him sike a shea•• of Wheat. His Masters cried to him, commanding him, not to beat him so much, but that he should leave him: But all would not serve, for the youth was angry, and would not leave off the play, until he had avoyded the rest of his ••holer. And therefore running for the other peeces of the broken Launce, he broak them all on the miserable fallen Knight; who, for all the tempest of blows that rained on him, did never shut his mouth, but threatned heaven and earth, and those [Malan∣••rines] Murtherers; for such they seemed to him. The Lacquie tyred himself••: last, and the Merchants followed on their way, carrying with them occasion enough of talk of the poor belaboured Knight; who, when he saw himself alone, turned again to make tryall whether he might arise: but if he could not doe it when he was whole and sound, how was it possible he being so bruised and almost destroyed? And yet he ac∣counted himself very happie, preswading himself that his disgrace was proper and inci∣dent to Knights Errant, and did attribute all to the fault of his horse, and could in no wise get up, all his body was so [Bramado] bruised and loaden with blows.