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

CHAP. VIII.

What befell Don-Quixote, going to see his Mistris Dulcinea del Toboso.

BLessed be the powerfull Ala (saith Hamete Beneng••li) at the begin∣ning of this eighth Chapter: [Ala amongst the Moores, is as much as Mahomet amongst the Turkes:] Blessed be Ala, which he thrice re∣peated, and said, that he rendred these benedictions, to see that now Don-Quixote and Sancho were upon their march, and that the Rea∣ders of their delightfull History may reckon, that from this time the exployts and conceits of Don-Quixote and his Squire doe begin: He perswades them they should forget the former Chivalry of the noble Knight, and fix their eyes upon his Acts to come, which begin now in his way towards Toboso, as the former did in the fields of Montiel, and it is a small request, for so much as he is to performe, so he proceeds, saying:

Don-Quixote and Sancho, were now all alone, and Samson was scarce gone from them, when Rozinante began to neigh, and Dapple to sigh, which, both by Knight and Squire were held for lucky signes, and an happy presaging, though if the truth were tolde, Dapples sighs and brayings were more then the Horses neighing: where∣upon Sancho, collected, that his fortune should exceed and over top of his Masters; building, I know not upon what judiciall Astrologie, that sure he knew, although the History sayes nothing of it, onely he would often say, when he fell down or stumbled, he would have beene glad, not to have gone abroad: for of stumbling or falling came nothing, but tearing his shooes, or breaking a rib, and though hee were a foole, yet hee was not out in this.

Don-Quixote said unto him; Friend Sancho, the night comes on us apace, and it will grow too darke for us, to reach Toboso ere it be day, whither I am determined to goe, before I undertake any adventure, and there I meane to receive a benediction, and take leave of the Peerelesse Dulcinea del Toboso, after which I know and am as∣sured, I shall end and close up every dangerous adventure; for nothing makes Knights

Errant more hardy, then to see themselves favoured by their Mistresses. I beleeve it (quoth Sancho:) but I doubt you will not speak with her; at least, not see her where you may receive her blessing, if shee give you it not from the Mud-walls where I saw her the first time, when I carried the Letter and news of your mad pranks which you were playing in the heart of Sierra Morena.

Were those Mud-walls in thy fantasie Sancho (quoth Don-Quixote) through which thou sawest that never enough-praised gentlenesse and beauty? They were not so, but Galleries, Walks, or goodly stone Pavements, or how call yee them? of rich and royall Pallaces. All this might bee (answered Sancho) but to me they seemed no better, as I remember. Yet let's goe thither (quoth Don-Quixote:) for so I see her, let them bee Mud-walls, or not, or Windows; all is one whether I see her thorow chinks, or thorow Garden-Lattices; for each ray that comes from the sunne of her brightnesse to mine eyes, will lighten mine understanding, and strengthen mine heart, and make mee sole and rare in my wisdome and volour.

Truly Sir (said Sancho) when I saw that Sunne, it was not so bright, that it cast any rayes from it; and belike 'twas, that as shee was winnowing the Wheat I told you of, the dust that came from it was like a cloud upon her face, and dimmed it. Still doest thou think Sancho (quoth Don-Quixote) beleeve, and grow obstinate, that my Mistris Dulcinea was winnowing, it being a labor so unfit for persons of quality, that use other manners of exercises and recreation, which shew a flight-shot off their noble∣nesse? Thou doest ill remember those Verses of our Poet, where hee paints out unto us, the exercises which those four Nymphs used in their cristall habitations, when they advanced their heads above the loved Tagus [A River in Spain;] and sate in the green fields working those rich embroyderies which the ingenious Poet there describes unto us, all which were of Gold, of Purle, and woven with embossed Pearls: Such was the work of my Mistris when thou sawest her; but that the envie which some base Inchanter beares to mine affairs, turns all that should give me delight into different shapes; and this makes me fear that the Historie of my exploits which is in print (if so bee some Wizard my enemie were the Authour) that hee hath put one thing for another, mingling with one truth a hundred lyes, diverting himself to tell Tales, not fitting the continuing of a true Historie. Oh envie! thou root of infinite evils, thou worm of Virtues.

All Vices Sancho, doe bring a kinde of pleasure with them; but envie hath nothing but distaste, rancour, and raving. I am of that minde too (said Sancho;) and I think that in the Historie that Carrasco told us of, that hee had seen of us, that my credit is turned topsie turvy, and (as they say) goes a begging. Well; as I am honest man I never spoke ill of any Inchanter; neither am I so happie as to bee envied: True it is, that I am somewhat malicious, and have certain knavish glimpses: but all is covered and hid under the large cloak of my simplicitie, alwaies naturall to me, but never arti∣ficiall: and if there were nothing else in me but my beliefe (for I beleeve in God, and in all that the Roman Church beleeves, and am sworn a mortall enemie to the Jews) the Historians ought to pittie me and use me well in their writings: But let um say what they will, naked was I borne, naked I am; I neither win nor lose; and though they put me in Books, and carrie me up and down from hand to hand, I care not a fig, let um say what they will.

'Twas just the same (quoth Don-Quixote) that hapned to a famous Poet of our times, who having made a malicious Satyre against all the Curtizans, hee left out one amongst them, as doubting whether shee were one or no, who seeing shee was not in the scrowl among the rest, took it unkindely from the Poet, asking him what hee had seen in her, that hee should not put her amongst the rest, and desired him to inlarge his Satyre, and put her in the spare room; if not shee would scratch out his eyes: The Poet consented, and set her down with a vengeance; and shee was satisfied to see her self famous, although indeed infamous. Besides, the Tale of the Sheapheard agrees with this, that set Diana's Temple on fire, which was one of the seven wonders of the World, because hee would bee talked of for it; and although there were an Edict, that

no man should either mention him by speaking or writing, that hee might not attain to his desire; yet his name was known to bee Erostratus: the same allusion may bee had out of an Accident that befell the great Emperour Charles the fift with a Knight of Rome.

The Emperour was desirous to see the famous Temple of the Rotunda, which in an∣cient times was called The Temple of all the Gods, and now by a better stile, Of all Saints, and it is the only entire edifice that hath remained of all the Gen••••••s in Rome, and that which doth most conserve the Glory and Magnificence of its Founders: 'tis made like an half Orenge, exceeding large, and very lightsome, having but one window that gives it light, or to say truer, but one round Loover on the top of it. The Emperour look∣ing on the edifice, there was a Roman Knight with him that shewed him the devices and contriving of that great Work and memorable Architecture; and stepping from the Loover, said to the Emperour: A thousand times, mightie Monarch, have I de∣sired to see your Majestie, and cast my self down from this Loover to leave an ever∣lasting fame behinde me. I thank you (said the Emperour) that you have not perfor∣med it; and henceforward I will give you no such occasion to shew your Loyaltie; and therefore I command you, that you neither speake to me, nor come to my presence; and for all these words he rewarded him.

I'le tell you Sancho, this desire of honour is an itching thing: What do'st thou think cast Horatius from the Bridge all armed into deep Tyber? What egged Cur∣tius to launch himself into the Lake? What made Mutius burn his hand? What for∣ced Caesar against all the Sooth-sayers to passe the Rubicon? And to give you more modern examples; What was it bored those Ships and left those valorous Spaniards on ground, guided by the most courteous Cortez in the new world?

All these and other great and severall exploits are, have been, and shall bee the works of Fame, which mortalls desire as a reward and part of the immortalitie which their famous Arts deserve; though we that bee Christian Catholick Knights Errant, must look more to the happinesse of another World (which is Eternall in the Etheriall and Celestiall Regions) then to the vanitie of Fame, which is gotten in this present frail age, and which, let it last as long as it will, it must have ending with this world which hath its limited time: so that, oh Sancho, our Actions must not passe the bounds that Christian Religion (which wee professe) hath put us in.

In Gyants wee must kill Pride, Envie in generousnesse and noble Brests; Anger in a continent reposed and quiet Minde; Ryot and Drowzinesse in Temperance and Vi∣gilance; Lasciviousnesse in the Loyaltie wee observe to those that wee have made the Mistrisses of our thoughts; and Sloth, by travelling up and down the World, seeking occasions that may make us (besides Christians) famous Knights. These San∣cho, are the means by which the extreams of Glory are obtained, which fame brings with it.

All that you have hithero spoken (quoth Sancho) I understand passing well: but I would faine have you zolve mee of one doubt, which even now comes into my head. Resolve, thou wouldst say Sancho (quoth Don-Quixote) speake a Gods name, for I 'le answere thee, as well as I can. Tell mee Sir, said Sancho, these Iulies or Augusts, and all these famous Knights you talke of, that are dead, where are they now? The Gentiles, said he, undoubtedly are in Hell: the Christians, if they were good Christi∣ans, either in Purgatorie, [according to the Romish opinion, erronious] or in Hell. 'Tis very well, but the Sepulchres where the bodies of these great Lordings lie interred, have they silver Lamps [Relicks that use to bee hanged up in the Papists Churches] bur∣ning before them, or are their Chappell walls decked with Crutches, winding-sheetes, Periwigs, Legs, and wax-Eyes? and if not with these, with what? The Sepulchres of the Gentiles (said Don-Quixote) were for the most part, sumptuous Temples, the ashes of Iulius Caesars body were put upon a huge Pyramis of stone, which at this day is called Saint Peters Needle. The Emperour Adrians Sepulchre was a great Castle as bigge as a pretty Village, it was called Moles Adriani, and at this day, the Castle of Saint Angelo in Rome: Queene Artemisia buried her husband Man∣seolus

in a Sepulchre, which was held to be one of the seven wonders of the World: but none of all these, nor many others the Gentiles had, were decked with winding∣sheetes, nor any kinde of Offerings or Signes that testified they were Saints that were buried in them.

That's it I come to (said Sancho) and tell mee now, which is more, to raise a dead man, or to kill a Gyant? The answere is at hand (said Don-Quixote:) to raise a dead man. There I caught you (quoth Sancho) then, the fame of him that rayseth the dead, gives sight to the Blinde, makes the Lame walke, restoreth Sick-men, who hath Lampes burning before his Sepulchre, whose Chappell is full of Devout People, which upon their knees adore his Reliques, this man hath greater renowne, and in another world, then ever any of your Gentile Emperours, or Knights Errant ever left behinde them.

I grant you that (quoth Don-Quixote.) Well, answered Sancho, this fame, these gra∣ces, these prerogatives, how call ye um? have the bodies and Relikes of Saints, that, by the approbation and license of our holy Mother the Church, have their lamps, their lights, their winding-sheets, their crutches, their pictures, their heads of haire, their eyes, and legs, by which they increase mens devotions, and endeere their Christian fame; Kings carrie the Bodies of Saints, or their Reliques upon their shoulders, they kisse the peeces of their bones, and doe deck, and inrich their Chappells with them, and their most precious Altars.

What will you have me inferr from all this, Sancho (quoth Don-Quixote?) I mean (said Sancho) that we endevour to be Saints, and we shall the sooner obtaine the fame we looke after: and let me tell you Sir, that yesterday or t'other day, (for so I may say, it being not long since) there were two poor barefoote Friers canonized or be∣atified, and now many thinke themselves happie, to kisse or touch, those yron chaines with which they girt and tormented their bodies, and they are more reverenced, then is (as I said) Roldans sword in the Armorie of our Lord the King, (God save, him:) So that (Master mine) better it is, to be a poore Frier of what order soever, then a valiant Knight Errant: a dozen or two of lashes obtaine more at Gods hands, then two thousand blowes with the launce, whether they be given to Giants, to Spirits or Hobgoblins.

All this is true (answered Don-Quixote) but all cannot be Friers, and God Almighty hath many waies, by which he carries his Elect to heaven: Cavallerie is a religion, and you have many Knights Saints in heaven. That may be (said Sancho) but I have heard, you have more Friers there, then Knights Errant. That is (quoth Don-Quixote) because the Religious in number are more then the Knights. But there are many Knights Errant (said Sancho.) Many indeed (quoth Don-Quixote) but few that de∣serve the name.

In these and such like discourses they passed the whole night, and the next day, without lighting upon any thing, worth relation, for which, Don-Quixote was not a little sorie: at last, the next day toward night they discovered the goodly Citty of Toboso, with which sight Don-Quixotes spirits were revived, but Sancho's dulled, be∣cause hee knew not Dulcineaes House, nor ever saw her in his Life, no more then his Master, so that, the one to see her, and the other because hee had not seene her, were at their Wits end, and Sancho knew not how to doe, if his Master should send him to Toboso: But Don-Quixote resolved to enter the Citty in the night, and till the time came they staid betweene certaine Oakes that were neere Toboso; and the prefixed moment being come, they entred the City, where they lighted upon things indeede.