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

CHAP. XX.

Wherein is prosecuted the manner of Don-Quixotes inchantment, with other famous occurrences.

WHen Don-Quixote saw himselfe to be incaged after that manner, and placed in the Cart, he said, I have read many and very grave Histories of Knights Errant, but I never read, saw, nor heard, that they were wont to carry Knights Errant inchanted after this manner, and with the leisure that those slothfull and heavy beasts doe threaten: for they were ever accustomed to be carried in the ayr with wonderfull speed, shut in some duskie and obscure cloud; or in some fiery chariot; or on some Hippogriphus, or some other such like beast: but that they carry me now on a Teame of Oxen, I protest it drives me into a great amazment, but perhaps both Chivalry, and the inchantments of these our times, doe follow a course different from those of former ages: and peradventure it may also bee, that as I am a new Knight in the world, and the first that hath againe revived the now-neglected, and forgotten exercise of armes, so have they also newly inven∣ted other kinds of inchantments, and other manners of carrying away inchanted Knights. What doest thou think of this, sonne Sancho? I know not, quoth Sancho, what to think, because I am not so well seen in Scriptures Errant as you are; but for all this I durst affirm and swear, that these visions which goe up aud down in this place, are not altogether Catholike. Catholikes, my father, quoth Don-Quixote, how can they be Catholikes, when they be all Devils, which have assumed phantasticall bodies to come and put me into this state? And if thou wilt prove the truth hereof, doe but touch and feel them, and thou shalt finde them to have no bodies, but of ayre, and that they consist of nothing but an outward appearance. Now by my faith, Sir, quoth Sancho, I have already touched them, and finde this Devill that goeth there so busily up and done, both plump and soft-fleshed; and that he hath besides another property very different from that which I have heard say Devils have: for it is said that they smell all of brimstone and other filthy things; but one may feel at least halfe a league off, the Amber that this Devill smells off. Sancho spoke this of Don Fernando, who belike (as Lords of his ranke are wont) had his attyre perfumed with Amber.

Marvell not thereat, friend Sancho, quoth Don-Quixote, for the Devils are very crafty; and although they bring smels or perfumes about them, yet they themselves smell nothing (because they are spirits) or if they doe smell ought, it is not good, but evill and stinking savors: the reason is, for that as they doe alwayes bear where∣soever they be, their hell about them, and can receive no kind of ease of their torments, and good smels be things that delight and please; it is not possible that they can smell any good thing, and if it seeme to thee that that Devill whom thou dost mention smells of Amber, eyther thou art deceived, or hee would deceive thee, by making thee to thinke that hee is no Devill. All these Discourses passed betweene the Master and the man, the whilest Don Fernando and Cardenio (fearing lest Sancho should finde out the deceite whereto hee was already come very heere) resolved to hasten the Knights departure; and therefore calling the Inne-keeper aside, they comman∣ded him to saddle Rozinante, and empannell Sanchoes beast; which hee did with all expedition: And the Curate agreed with the Troopers for so much a day to ac∣companie him unto his Village. Cardenio hanged at the pummell of Rozinantes Saddle, the Target on the one side, and on the other the Bason, and by signes hee commanded Sancho to get up on his Asse, and to leade Rozinante along by the Bri∣dle;

and afterwards placed on either side of the Cart two Troopers with their fire-locks.

But before the Cart departed, the Oastesse, her Daughter, and Maritornes came out to bid Don-Quixote farewell, fayning that they wept for sorrow of his disaster; to whom Don-Quixote said, My good Ladies doe not weepe: for all these mischances are incident to those as professe that which I doe, and if these calamities had not befaln mee, I would never have accounted my selfe for a famous Knight Errant; for the like chan∣ces never happen to Knights of little name or renowne, because there are none in the world that makes any mention of them. But they often befall to the valorous, who have emulators of their Virtue and Valour, both many Princes and many other Knights that strive by indirect meanes to destroy them. But for all that, Virtue is so potent as by her selfe alone (in despight of all the Negromancy that ever the first inventor there∣of Zoroastes knew) shee will come off victorious from every danger, and will shine in the world as the Sunne doth in Heaven. Pardon mee faire Ladies, if by any careles∣nesse I have done you any displeasure, for with my will and knowledge I never wrong∣ed any. And pray unto God for mee, that hee will please to deliver mee out of this prison, whereinto some ill meaning Inchanter hath thrust mee; for if I once may see my selfe at liberty againe, I will never forget the favours which you have done mee in this Castle, but greatly acknowledge and recompence them as they de∣serve. Whilest the Ladies of the Castle were thus intertayned by Don-Quixote, the Curate and Barber tooke leave of Don Fernando and his Companions; of the Captaine and his Brother, and of all the contented Ladies, specially of Dorotea and Luscynda; all of them imbraced and promised to acquaint one another with their succeeding fortunes; Don Fernando intreating the Curate to write unto him what became of Don-Quixote, assuring him that no affaire hee could informe him of should please him better then that, and that hee would in lieu thereof acquaint him with all oc∣currences which hee thought would delight him, eyther concerning his owne Mar∣riage or Zoraidaes Baptisme, or the successe of Don Lewis, and Luscyndaes returne into her House.

The Curate offered willingly to accomplish to a hair all that he had commanded him: and so they returned once again to embrace one another, and to renew their mutuall and complementall offers: The Inkeeper came also to the Curate, and gave him certaine papers, saying, that he had found them within one of the linings of the wallet, wherein the Tale of the curious impertinent was had; and that since the ow∣ner did not return to fetch it, he bade him take them all with him; for feeing he could not read, he would keep them no longer. Master Curate yeelded him many thanks; and then opening them, found in the beginning thereof these words: The Tale of Riconnette and Cortadillo; by which he understood that it was some History, and col∣lected that it must be a good one, seeing that of the curious Impertinent, contrived perhaps by the same Author, had proved so well, and therefore he laid it up, with an intention to read it as soon as he had oportunity. Then he mounted on horse∣back with his friend the Barber; and both of them putting on their maskes, that they might not quickly be known by Don-Quixote, they travelled after the Team, which held on in this order; first went the Cart, guided by the Carter: on both sides thereof the Troupers rode with their fire-locks: then followed Sancho upon his Asse, leading Rozinante by the Bridle; and last of all came the Curate and Barbar upon their mighty Mules, and with their faces covered; all in a grave posture, and with an Alder∣man like pace, and travelling no faster then the slow steps of the heavie Oxen permitted them. Don-Quixote, sate with his hands tyed, his legs stretched out, and leaning a∣gainst the barre of the Cage, with such a silence, and patience, as hee rather seemed a Statue then a Man. In this quiet and leisurely manner, they travelled for the space of two leagues, when ariving to a Valley, it seemed to their Conductor a fit place to re∣pose and baite his Oxen. And acquainting the Curate with his purpose, the Barber was of opinion that they should yet goe on a little further, because hee knew that there lay behinde a little Mountaine, which was within their view, a certaine Vale, much better

furnished with grasse then that wherein hee meant to abide. The Barbers opinion was allowed; and therefore they continued on their Travell, when the Curate looking by chance behinde him, saw comming after them six or seven men on horse-back, and very well appointed, who quickly got ground of them; for they came not the lazie and flegmatick pace of Oxen, but as men that were mounted on Canons Mules, and pricked forward with a desire to passe over the heat of the day in their Inne, which was not much more then a league from thence. Finally, those dilligent Travellers over-took our slothfull ones, and saluted them courteously, and one of them that was a Canon of Toledo, and Master of the rest, noting the orderly procession of the Cart, Troupers, Sancho, Rozinante, the Curate and Barber, but chiefly the incaged Don-Quixote hee could not forbeare to demand what meaned the carriage of that man in so strange a manner, although hee did already conjecture, by observation of the Troupers, that hee was some notable Robber or other Delinquent, the punishment of whom be∣longed to the Holy-Brotherhood. One of the Troupers, to whom the demand was made, did answer in this manner: Sir, wee know not wherefore this Knight is car∣ried in this forme; and therefore let hee himself, who best may, tell you the reason thereof.

Don-Quixote had over heard their discourse, and said, If, Gentlemen, you bee con∣versant and skillfull in matters of Chivalry, I will communicate my misfortunes with you: but if you bee not, I have no reason to trouble my self to recount them. The Curate and Barber seeing the Travellers in talk with Don-Quixote, drew neer to make answer for him in such sort, that their invention might not bee discovered; the whilest the Canon replyed to the Knight, and said; Truely brother I am better acquainted with Books of Knight-hood, then with Villapanda's Logick: and therefore if all the difficultie rest only in that, you may safely communicate whatsoever you will with me. A Gods name bee it, quoth Don-Quixote: You shall therefore nnderstand, Sir Knight, that I am carried away inchanted in this Cage, through the envie and fraud of wicked Magicians; For virtue is much more persecuted of the wicked then honoured of the good. I am a Knight Errant, but none of those whose names are not recorded in the Books of fame; but one of those who in despite of envie it self, and of all the Magicians of Persia, the Bracmanes of India, or of the Gymnosophists of Aethiopia, shall hang his name in the Temple of Eternitie, that it may serve as a Modell and Pattern to ensuing ages; wherein Knights Errant may view the steps which they are to follow, if they mean to aspire to the top and honourable height of Armes. The Knight, Sir Don-Quixote, saith true, quoth the Curate, speaking to the Travellers, that hee is carried away in this Chariot inchanted, not through his own default or sinnes, but through the malignant Treacherie of those to whom Virtue is loathsome and Valour odious: This is, good Sir, the Knight of the sad-Countenance (if you have at any time heard speak of him) whose valorous Acts shall remain insculped in stubborn Brasse, and time-surviving Marble, though Envie and Mallice doe labour never so much to obscure them.

When the Canon heard the imprisoned man and the three speak thus in one tenour, hee was about to blesse himself for wonder, and could not conjecture what had befaln him; and into no lesse admiration were they brought that came with him. But Sancho Panca having in the mean time approached to hear their speech, to plaister up the mat∣ter, added; Now, Sirs, whether you will love me well or ill for what I shall say, the very truth of the matter is, that my Lord Don-Quixote is as much inchanted as my mother, and no more; for his judgement is yet whole and sound; hee eates and drinks, and doth his necessities as other men doe, and as hee himself did yesterday and other dayes before they incaged him; all which being so, how can you make me beleeve that hee goeth inchanted? for I have heard many persons avouch, that inchanted persons neither eat, nor drink, nor speak: and yet my Lord, if hee bee not thwarted, will talk more then twenty Barresters: And then turning towards the Curate, hee said, O Ma∣ster Curate, Master Curate, doe you think that I doe not know you? And think you that I doe not suppose, yea, and presage whereto these new inchantments are addressed?

Well, know then that I know you well, although you cover your face never so much, and that I understand your meaning, how deeply soever you smother your drifts: But in fine, where Emulation and Envie raigns, Virtue cannot live; where pinching swayes, liberalitie goes by. A pox take the Devill; for, but for your Reverence, my Lord had e're this time been wedded to the Princesse Micomicona, and I my self had been cre∣ated an Earl at least; for no lesse might bee expected either from the bountie of my Lord or the greatnesse of my deserts: but now I perceive that to bee true which is commonly said, That the wheel of Fortune turns about more swiftly then that of a Mill; and that they which were yesterday on the top thereof, lie to day all along on the ground. I am chiefly grieved for my Wife and Children; for whereas they ought and might hope to see their Father come in at his gates made a Governour or Vice-Roy of some Isle or Kingdome, they shall now see him return unto them no better then a poor Horse-Boy: All which I have urged so much, Master Curate, only to intimate to your paternitie, how you ought to have remorse and make a scruple of conscience, of treat∣ing my dear Lord as you doe; and look to it well, that God doe not one day demand at your hands, in the other life, amends for the prison whereinto you carrie him, and that you bee not answerable for all the succours and good deeds which hee would have afforded the World in this time of his Captivitie.

Snuffe me those candles, quoth the Barber, hearing him speak so. What Sancho, art thou also of thy Masters confraternity? I swear by the Lord, I begin to see that thou art very like to keep him company in the Cage, and that thou shalt be as deep∣ly inchanted as he, for the portion which thou hast of humour, and Chivalry. Thou wast in an ill hour begotten with child by his promises, and in a worse did the Isle, which thou so greatly longest for sink into thy pate. I am not with child by any body, said San∣cho, nor am I a man of humour to let any body get me with child, no, though it were the King himself: and although I be poor, yet am I a Christian, and owe no∣thing to any one; and if I desire Islands, others there are that desire worse things, and every one is the sonne of his own workes: and under the name of a man, I may become Pope, how much more the Governour of an Island; and chiefly seeing my Lord may gaine so many, as he may want men to bestow them on? and there∣fore, Master Barber you should take heed how you speak; for all consists not in trimming of beards: and there is some difference between Peter and Peter. I say it, because all of us know one another, and no man shall unperceived put a false Die upon me. As concerning my Lords inchantment, God knowes the truth, and there∣fore let it rest as it is, seeing it is the worse for the stirring in. The Barber would not reply unto Sancho, lest that with his simplicities, he should discover what the Curate and himselfe did labour so much to conceale: and the Curate doubting the same, had intreated the Canon to prick on a little forward, and he would unfold to him the mistery of the encaged Knight, with other matters of delight. The Canon did so, and taking his men along with them, was very attentive to all that he rehear∣sed, of the condition, life, madnesse, and fashion of Don-Quixote. There did he briefly acquaint him with the originall cause of his distraction, and all the progresse of his adventures, untill his shutting up in that Cage: and their own designe in car∣rying him home to his Country, to try whether they might by any means finde out a re∣medy for his frenzy. The Canon and his men again admired to hear so strange a History as that of Don-Quixote, and as soon as the Curate had ended his relation, the Ca∣non said:

Verily Master Curate, I doe find by experience, that those Books which are institu∣ted of Chivalry, or Knighthood, are very prejudicicall to wel-governed Common∣wealths: and although borne away by an idle and curious desire) I have read the be∣ginning of almost as many as are imprinted, of that subject, yet could I never indure my selfe to finish and read any one of them thorow: for me thinkes that somewhat more or lesse, they all import one thing, and this hath no more then that, nor the other more then his fellow. And in mine opinion this kinde of writing and invention falls within the compasse of the Fables called Milesid, which are wandring

and idle Tales, whose only scope is delight and not instruction; quite contrarie to the project of those called Fabulae Apologae, which delight and instruct together: And though that the principall end of such Books bee recreation, yet cannot I perceive how they can yeeld it, seeing they bee forced with so many and so proportionlesse untruths: For the delight that the minde conceives, must proceed from the beautie and confor∣mitie which it sees or contemplates in such things as the sight or imagination represents unto it; and all things that are deformed and discordant, must produce the contrary effect. Now then, what beautie can there be; or what proportion between the parts and the whole, or the whole and the parts, in a Book or Fable, wherein a Youth of sixteen yeers of age gives a blow to a Gyant as great as a Jewes, and with that blow divides him in two as easily as if hee were a pellet of Sugar? And when they describe a Battell, after that they have told us how there were at least a million of men on the adverse side, yet if the Knight of the Book bee against them, wee must of force, and whether wee will or no, understand that the said Knight obtained the Victory through the in∣vincible strength of his Arme. what then shall wee say of the facilitie wherewithall the Inheritrix of a Kingdome or Empire falls between the armes of those Errant and un∣known Knights? What understanding, if it bee not altogether barren or barbarous, can delight it self, reading how a great Tower full of Knights doth passe thorow the Sea, as fast as a Ship with the most prosperous winde? And that going to Bed a man is in Lombardie, and the next morning findes himself in Prester Iohn's Countrey, among the Indians, or in some other Region which never was discovered by Ptolomeus, nor seen by Marcus Polus? And if I should bee answered, that the inventers of such Books doe write them as Fables: and therefore are not bound unto any respect of circumstances or observation of truth, I would reply, that an untruth is so much the more pleasing, by how much the neerer it resembles a truth; and so much the more gratefull, by how much the more it is doubtfull and possible: For lying Fables must bee suited unto the Readers understanding; and so written, as that facilitating im∣possible things, levelling untrue things, and holding the minde in suspence, they may ravish a more delight, and entertain such manners, as pleasure and wonder may step by step walk together; all which things hee that writes not likelihoods shall never bee able to perform. And as touching imitation (wherein consists the perfection of that which is written) I have not seen in any Books of Knight-hood an intire bulk of a Fable, so proportioned in all the members thereof, as that the middle may answer the beginning, and the end the beginning and middle: But rather they have composed them of so many members, as it more probably seems, that the Authours intended to frame Chi∣meraes or Monsters then to deliver proportionate figures, most harsh in their stile, in∣credible in exploits, impudent in love matters, absurd in complements, prolixe in Bat∣tels, fond in discourses, uncertain and senselesse in voyages; and finally, devoid of all discretion, art, and ingenious disposition: And therefore they deserve (as most idle and frivolous things) to bee banished out of all Christian Common-wealths.

Master Curate did listen to the Canon with very great attention; and hee seemed unto him to bee a man of good understanding, and that hee had great reason for what hee had alledged: and therefore said, that in respect they did concur in opinions, and that hee had an old grudge to the vanity of such Books, hee had likewise fired all Don-Quixotes Library, consisting of many Books of that subject: And then hee recounted to him the search and inquisition hee had made of them; and which hee had condemned, and which reserved: Whereat the Canon laughed heartily, and said, that notwith∣standing all the evill hee had spoken of such Books, yet did hee finde one good in them, to wit, the subject they offered a good wit to work upon and shew it self in them; for they displayed a large and open plaine, thorow which the Pen might run without let or incumbrances, describing of Ship-wracks, Tempests, Incounters, and Battells; delineating a valorous Captain with all the properties required in him; as wisedome to frustrate the designes of his enemie; eloquence to perswade or disswade his Souldiers; ripenesse in advice; promptnesse in execution; as much valour in attending, as in assaulting of an enemie; deciphering now a lamentable and tragicall successe, then a

joyfull and unexpected event; there a most beautifull, honest, and discreet Ladie, here a valiant courteous and Christian Knight; there an unmeasurable barbarous Braggard, here a gentle, valourous, and wise Prince: Representing the goodnesse and loyaltie of Subjects, the magnificence and bountie of Lords: Sometimes hee may shew himself an Astrologian, sometimes a Cosmographer, sometimes a Musician, sometimes a Statist, and sometimes, if hee please, hee may have occasion to shew himself a Nigromancer: There may hee demonstrate the subtiltie of Vlisses, the pietie of Encas, the valour of Achilles, the misfortune of Hector, the treachery of Sinon, the amitie of Eurialus, the liberallitie of Alexander, the resolution of Caesar, the clemency and truth of Trajanus, the fidelitie of Zopirus, the prudence of Cato; and finally, all those parts that make a worthy man perfect: one whiles by placing them all in one subject; another by di∣stributing them among many; and this being done, and set out in a pleasing stile and a wittie fashion that approacheth as neer as is possible unto the truth, will questionlesse remain a work of many fair draughts, which being accomplished, will represent such beauty and perfection, as shall fully attain to the best end aimed at in all writing, that is, as I have said, joyntly to instruct and delight: for the irregularity and liberality of those Books given to the Authour, the means to shew himself an Epick, Lyrick, Trage∣dian, and Comedian; with all other things which the most gracefull and pleasant Sci∣ences of Poetry and Oratorie include in themselves: for Epicks may bee as well writ∣ten in Prose as in Verse.