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

CHAP. XXII.

Wherein the discreete discourse that passed betweene Sancho Pan∣ca, and his Lord Don-Quixote, is expressed.

HA, quoth Sancho, have I caught you at last? this is that which I de∣sired to know, as much as my soule or life, come now, Sir and tell me, can you deny that which is wont to be said, when a body is ill disposed, I know not what ayles such a one; for he neither eates nor drinks, nor sleepes, nor answers directly to that which is de∣manded him, so as it seemes that he is inchanted? By which may be collected, that such as neither eat, drink, sleepe, nor doe the other naturall things you wote of, are inchanted: but not those which have a desire as you have, and eate meate, when they get it, and drink drink when it is given them, and answer to all is propounded unto them. Thou sayest true, Sancho, quoth Don-Quixote: but I have told the already, that there are divers sorts of inchantments, and perhaps they change with the times from one kinde into another; and that now the inchanted use to doe all that which I do, although they did not so in times past; and therefore there is no disputting, or drawing of conclusions against the customes of the time. I know, and doe verily perswade my self, that I am inchanted, and that is sufficient for the dis∣charge

of my conscience, which would bee gratly burdened if I thought that I were not inchanted, and yet permitted my self to bee borne away in this Cage idly; and like a Coward with-holding the succour I might give to many distressed and needy persons, which even at this hour bee like enough to have extream want of mine aide and assi∣stance. Yet say I, notwithstanding, replyed Sancho, that for more aboundant satis∣faction, your Worship might doe well to attempt the getting out of this prison, the which I doe obliege my self with all my power to facilitate, yea and to get out, and then you may recount eftsoons on the good Rozinante, who also seems inchanted, so sad and melancholy hee goes: And this being done, wee may again assay the fortune of seeking Adventures, which if it have no good successe wee have time enough to return to our Cage; wherein I promise, by the faith of a good and loyall Squire, to shut up my self together with you, if you shall prove so unfortunate, or I so foolish, as not to bring our Designes to a good issue. I am content to doe what thou sayest, brother Sancho, replyed Don-Quixote, and when thou seest oportunitie offered to free me, I will bee ruled by thee in every thing; but yet thou shalt see how far thou art over-wrought in the knowledge thou wilt seem to have of my dis∣grace.

The Knight Errant and the ill errant Squire beguiled the time in these discourses, untill they arrived to the place where the Canon, Curate, and Barber expected them: And then Sancho alighting, and helping to take down the Cage, the Wayn-man un∣yoked his Oxen, permitting them to take the benefit of pasture in that green and plea∣sant Valley, whose Verdure invited not such to enjoy it as were inchanted like Don-Quixote, but rather such heedfull and discreeet persons as was his man, who intreated the Curate to licence his Lord to come out but a little while; for otherwise the Prison would not bee so cleanly as the presence of so Worthie a Knight as his Lord was re∣quired. The Curate understood his meaning, and answered that he would satisfie his requests very willingly, but that hee feared when hee saw himself at libertie, hee would play then some prank or other, and goe whither no body should ever set eye on him after. I will bee his surety that hee shall not flie away, quoth Sancho. And I also, quoth the Canon, if hee will but promise me, as hee is a Knight, that hee will not depart from us without our consent. I give my word that I will not, quoth Don-Quixote (who heard all that they had said) and the rather, because that inchanted bodies have not free will to dispose of themselves as they list; for hee that inchanted them, may make them unable to stir from one place in three dayes; and if they make an escape, hee can compell them to return flying: and therefore, since it was so, they might securely set him at libertie, especially seeing it would redound so much to all their benefits; for if they did not free him, or get further off, hee protested that hee could not forbear to offend their noses. The Canon took his hand (although it were bound) and by his faith and word that hee would not depart, and then they gave him liberty; whereat hee infinitely rejoyced, especially seeing himself out of the Cage. The first thing that hee did after, was to stretch all his bodie, and then hee went towards Rozinante, and striking him twice or thrice on the buttocks, hee said; I hope yet in God and his blessed Mother, O flower and Mirror of Horses, that wee two shall see our selves very soon in that state which our hearts desire; thou with thy Lord on thy back, and I mounted on thee and exercising the function for which God sent me into this World: And saying so, Don-Quixote with his Squire Sancho retired himself somewhat from the com∣panie, and came back soon after a little more lightned, but greatly desiring to execute his Squires Designes.

The Canon beheld him very earnestly, and with admiration wondring to see the strangenesse of his fond humour, and how that hee shewed, in whatsoever hee uttered, a very good understanding, and only left the stirrops (as is said before) when any men∣tion was made of Chivalrie; and therefore moved to compassion, after they were all laid down along upon the grasse, expecting their dinner, hee said unto him, Gentleman, is it possible that the idle and unsavourie Lecture of Books of Knight-hood hath so much distracted your wit, as thus to beleeve that you are carried away inchanted, with

other things of that kinde, as much wide from truth, as untruths can be from verity it self? or how is it possible that any humane understanding can frame it self to beleeve, that in this world there have been such an infinite of Amadises, such a crue of famous Knights, so many Emperours of Trapisonda, such a number of Felixmartes of Hyrca∣nia; so many Palfrayes, Damzels Errant, Serpents, Robbers, Giants, Battailes, un∣heard of adventures, sundry kinds of inchantments, such unmeasureable incounters, such braverie of apparell, such a multitude of enamoured and valiant Princesses, so ma∣ny Squires, Earles, witty Dwarfes, Viragoes, love-Letters, amorous dalliances; and fi∣nally, so many, so unreasonable, and impossible Adventures as are contayned in the bookes of Knighthood.

Thus much I dare avouch of my selfe, that when I reade them, as long as I doe not thinke that they are all but toyes and untruths, they delight mee; but when I ponder seriously what they are, I throw the very best of them against the walls, yea, and would throw them into the fire if they were neere mee, or in my hands, having well deserved that severitie, as false Impostors and Seducers of common sense, as brochers of new Sects and of uncouth courses of life, as those that give occasion to the ignorant vulgar, to beleeve in such exorbitant untruths as are contained in them: Yea, and are withall so presumptuous, as to dare to confound the wits of the most discreete and best descen∣ded Gentlemen; as wee may cleerely perceive by that they have done to your selfe, whom they have brought to such termes, as it is necessarie to shut you up in a Cage and carry you on a Team of Oxen, even as one carries a Lyon or Tygre from place to place, to gayne a living by the shewing of him. Therefore good Sir Don-Quixote, take com∣passion of your selfe, and returne into the bosom of discretion, and learne to imploy the most happy talent of understanding and abundance of wit, wherewith bountifull heaven hath enriched you, yet some other course of stud••e which may redound to the profit of your Soule, and advancement of your credit and estate. And if, borne away by your naturall disposition, you will yet persist in the reading of Warlike and Knightly discourses; Reade in the holy Scripture the Acts of Judges, for there you shall finde surpassing feats and deeds, as true, as valorous. Portugal had a Viriate; Rome a Caesar; Carthage a Hanniball; Greece an Alexander; Castile an Earle; Fe••nun Goncalez; Vàlencia a Cid; Andaluzia a Goncalo Fernandez; Estremaduza a Diego; Garcia de Paredes; Xerez a Garcia Perez de Vargas; Toledo a Garcia Lasso; Si••ill a Do•• Manuel de Leon. The discourses of whose valorous Acts, may Entertayne, Teach, Delight and make Wonder the most sublime Wit that shall reade them. Yea, this were indeede a Studie fit for your sharpe understanding, my deere Sir Don-Qui∣xote, for by this you should become learned in Histories, enamoured of Virtue, instructed in Goodnesse, bettered in Manners, Valiant without Rashnesse, Bold without Cowardice: And all this to Gods Honour, your owne Profit, and Re∣nowne of the Mancha, from whence, as I have learned, you deduce your beginning and Progenie.

Don-Quixote listened with all attention unto the Canons admonition, and per∣ceiving that hee was come to an end of them, after hee had looked upon him a good while he said; Me thinks Gentleman, that the scope of your discourse hath been addrest to perswade me, that there never were any Knights Errant in the world, and that all the bookes of Chivalry are false, lying, hurtfull, and unprofitable to the Common∣wealth, and that I have done ill to reade them, worse to beleeve in them, and worst of all to follow them, by having thus taken on mee the most austere profession of wan∣dring Knighthood, whereof they intreate; denying moreover that there were ever a∣ny Amadises, eyther of Gaule or Greece; or any of all the other Knights, wherewith such bookes are stuffed: All is just as you have said, quoth the Cannon; whereto Don-Quixote replyed thus; You also added, that such bookes had done mee much hurt, seeing they had turned my judgement, and immured mee up in this Cage, and that it were better for mee to make some amendment, and alter my Studie, reading other that are more Authenticall, and delight and instruct much better. It is very true, an∣swered the Canon.

Why then, quoth Don-Quixote, I finde by mine accounts, that the inchanted and senslesse man is your selfe, seeing you have bent your selfe to speake so many blasphe∣mies against a thing so true, so currant, and of such request in the world, as hee that should deny it, as you doe, merits the same punishment, which as you say you give to those bookes, when the reading thereof offends you; for to goe about to make men beleeve that Amadis never lived, nor any other of those Knights wherewith Histories are fully replenished, would bee none other then to perswade them that the Sunne lightens not, the Earth sustaines not, nor the Ice makes any thing cold. See what wit is there in the world so profound, that can induce another to beleeve that the History of Guy of Burgundie, and the Princes Floripes was not true? Nor that of Fierabras, with the Bridg of Mantible, which befell in Charlemaines time, and is I swear, as true, as that it is day at this instant? And if it be a Lie, so must it be also that ever there was an Hector, Achilles, or the War of Troy; The twelve Peeres of France, or King Arthur of Bri∣taine, who goes yet about the world in the shape of a Crow, and is every foote expe∣cted in his Kingdome. And they will as well presume to say, that the History of Gua∣rino Mezquino, and of the quest of the holy Sangriall bee lies; and that for the love be∣tweene Sir Tristram and La Bella Ysonde, and betweene Queene Guenevor and Sir Lan∣celot Dulake, wee have no sufficient authoritie, and yet there bee certaine persons alive, which almost remember that they have seene the Ladie Quintaniona, who was one of the best skinkers of Wine that ever Great Brittaine had; and this is so certaine, as I remem∣ber, that one of my Grand-mothers of my Fathers side, was wont to say unto mee, when shee saw my Matrone, with a long and reverend Kerchief or Vaile; My Boy, that woman resembles very much Lady Quintaniona. From which I argue, that eyther shee knew her her self, or at the least, had seene some Portraiture of hers. Who can moreo∣ver denie the certaintie of the Historie of Peter of Provance, and the beautifull Mago∣lona, seeing that untill this very day one may behold in the Kings Armory, the Pinne wherewith hee guided and turned any way hee listed the horse of wood, whereupon hee rode through the Ayre; which Pinne is a little bigger then the Thill of a Cart; and neere unto it is also seene Babieca his saddle; and in Roncesuals there yet hangs Rowlands horne, which is as big as a very great joyst, whence is inferred, that there were twelve Peeres; that there was a Pierres of Provance; that also there were Cids, and other such Knights as those which the world termes Adventurers: if not, let them also tell mee, that the valiant Lusitanian, Iohn de Melo was no Knight Errant, who went to Burgundie, and in the Citie of Ras fought with the famous Lord of Charni, called Mo∣sen Pierres, and after with Mosen Henry of Ramestan in the Citie of Basilea, and bore away the Victorie in both the conflicts, to his eternall Fame: And that there were no such curres as the Adventures, and single Combats begunne and ended in Burgun∣die, by the valiant Spanyards Pedro Garba, and Guttierre Quixad•• (from whom I my selfe am lineally descended) who overcame the Earle of Saint Paules sonnes. They may also averre unto mee that Don Fernando de Guevarra went not to seeke Adven∣tures in Germanie, where hee fought with Micer George, a Knight of the Duke of Austria his House. Let them likewise affirme, that Suero de Quinonnes of the pas∣sage, his Justs were but Jests; as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Enterprize of Mosen Lewis de falses, a∣gainst Don Goncalo de Guzman, a Gentleman of Castile, with many other renow∣ned Acts, done as well by Christian Knights of this Kingdom, as of other forraign Lands, which are all so authentical & true, as that I am compell'd to reiterate what I said before, which is•••• That whosoever denies them is defective of Reason and good Dis∣course.

Full of admiration remained the good Canon, to heare the composition and medley that Don-Quixote made of truths and fictions together; and at the great notice hee had of all things that might any way cocerne his Knighthood Errant; and therefore he sha∣ped him this answere; I cannot denie, Sir Don-Quixote, but that some part of that which you have said is true, specially touching those Spanish Adventurers of whom you have spoken, and will likewise grant you, that there were twelve Peeres of France, but I will not beleeve that they have accomplished all that which the Archbishop Tur∣pine

pine hath left written of them; for the bare truth of the affair is, that they were certain Noble men chosen out by the Kings of France, whom they called Peers, because they were all equall in Valour, Qualitie and Worth; or if they were not, it was at least pre∣sumed that they were; and they were not much unlike the Militarie orders of Saint Iames or Calatrava, were in request, wherein is presupposed that such as are of the Profession are, or ought to bee valorous and well descended Gentlemen: and as now they say a Knight of Saint Iohn or Alcantara, so in those times they said a Knight of the twelve Peers, because they were twelve equalls chosen to bee of that Military Order. That there was a Cid and a Bernard of Carpio is also doubtlesse; that they have done the Acts recounted of them, I beleeve there is very great cause to doubt. As touching the pin of the good Earl Pierres, and that it is by Babieca his saddle in the Kings Armorie, I confesse that my sin hath made me so ignorant or blinde, that although I have viewed the Saddle very well, yet could I never get a sight of that Pin how great soever you affirm it to be.

Well, it is there without question, quoth Don-Quixote; and for the greater con∣firmation thereof, they say it is laid up in a case of Neats leather to keep it from rusting. That may very well so bee, said the Canon: yet by the orders that I have received, I doe not remember that ever I saw it: and although I should grant it to bee there, yet doe I not therefore oblige my self to believe the Histories of all the Amadises, nor those of the other rabblement of Knights which Books doe mention unto us; nor is it reason that so honourable a man, adorn'd with so many good parts and indowed with such a wit, as you are, should beleeve that so many and so strange follies as are writ∣ten in the raving Books of Chivalraie, can bee true.