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

CHAP. XXVII.

Who Master Peter and his Ape were, with the ill-successe that Don-Quixote had in the Adventure of the Braying, which ended not so well, as he would, or thought for.

CID Hamete, the Chronicler of this famous History, beginnes this Chapter with these words: I sweare like a Catholike Christian. To which the Translatour sayes, That Cid his swearing like a Ca∣tholike Christian hee being a Moore, as undoubtedly hee was, was no other wise to bee understood, then that as the Catholike Chri∣stian, when hee sweares, doth or ought to sweare truth, so did hee, as if hee had sworne like a Catholike Christian, in what hee meant to write of Don-Quixote, especially in recounting who Master Peter and the pro∣phesying Ape were; that made all the Countrey astonisht at his fore-telling things. Hee sayes then, that hee who hath read the former part of this History, will have well remembred that same Gines de Passamonte, whom Don-Quixote, amongst other Gal∣ly-slaves, freed in Sierra Morena, a benefit for which afterward hee had small thankes, and worse payment, from that wicked and ungratefull Rowr.

This Gines de Passamonte, whom Don-Quixote called Ginesillo de Parapilla, was hee that stole Sancho's Dapple; which, because neither the manner nor the time were put in the first part, made many attribute the fault of the Impression, to the Authours weakenesse of memory. But true it is, that Gines stole him, as Sancho slept upon his backe, using the same tricke and device of Brunelo's, when as Sacripante being upon the siege of Albraca, hee stole his horse from under his legs; and after Sancho reco∣vered him again, as was shewed.

This Gines, fearefull of being found by the Justices that sought after him, to punish him for his infinite villanies and faults, that were so many and so great, that himselfe made a great volume of them, determined to get him into the Kingdome of Aragon, and so covering his left eye, to apply himself to the office of a Puppet man; for this and juggling hee was excellent at. It fell out so, that hee bought his Ape of certain captive Christians that came out of Barbarie, whom he had instructed, that upon ma∣king a certain signe, he should leap upon his shoulder, and should mumble, or seeme to doe so, at least somthing in his eare.

This done, before he would enter into any town with his Motion or Ape, he infor∣med himself in the neerest town, or where he best could, what particulars had hapned in such a place, or to such Persons, and bearing all well in mind, the first thing he did, was to shew his Motion, which was sometimes of one story, otherwhiles of another; but all merry, delightfull and familiarly known.

The sight being finished, hee propounded the rarities of his Ape, telling the People that hee could declare unto them, all things past and present; but in things to come, hee had no skill: For an Answere to each Question hee demanded a shilling; but to some hee did it cheaper, according as hee perceived the Demanders in case to pay him; and sometimes hee came to such places as hee knew what had happened to the Inhabitants, who although they would demand nothing, because they would not pay him; yet hee would still make signes to the Ape, and tell them the Beast had told him this or that, which fell out just by what he had before heard, and with this he got an un∣speakable name, and all men slocked about him, and at other times (as he was very cun∣ning) he would reply so, that the answer fell out very fit to the questions: and since no body went about to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or to presse him, how his Ape did Prophesse, hee gulled every one and filled his Pouch.

As soone as ever hee came into the Vente, hee knew Don-Quixote and Sancho, and all that were there; but it had cost him deere, if Don-Quixote had let his hand fall somewhat lower, when he cut off King Marsilius his head, and destroyed all his Chi∣valry, as was related in the antecedent Chapter. And this is all that may be said of Mr. Peter and his Ape.

And returning to Don Quixote de la Manca, I say, that after he was gone out of the Vente, he determined first of all to see the bankes of the river Heber, and all round about, before he went to the City of Saragosa, since between that & the Justs there, he had time enough for all. Hereupon he went on his way, which he passed two dayes without light∣ing on any thing worth writing, till the third day, going up a ridg-way, he heard a sound of Drums, Trumpets and Guns; at first he thought some Regiment of Souldiers passed by that way: so, to see them, he spurred Rozinante, and got up the Ridg, and when he was at the top, he saw (as he guessed) at the foot of it, neer upon two hundred men, armed with different sorts of Arms, to wit, Speers, Cros-bows, Partizans, Halberds and Pikes, and some Guns, and many Targets. He came down from the high-ground, and drew neer to the Squadron, insomuch that he might distinctly perceive their Ban∣ners, judged of their colours, and noted their Impreses, and especially one, which was on a Standard or shred of white Satten, where was lively painted a little Asse, like one of your Sardinian Asses, his head lifted up, his mouth open, and his tongue out, in act and posture just as he were Braying, about him were these two verses written in faire Letters:

'Twas not for nought that day. The one and th'other Iudge did Bray.

By this device Don Quixote collected that those People belonged to the Braying Town, and so hee told Sancho, declaring likewise what was written in the Standard; hee told him also, that hee that told them the Story was in the wrong, to say they were two Aldermen that Brayed; for by the Verses of the Standard, they were two Judges. To which Sancho answered, Sir, that breakes no square; for it may very well be, that the Aldermen that then brayed, might come in time to bee Judges of the Town; so they may have been called by both Titles. Howsoever, 'tis not materiall to the truth of the Story, whether the Brayers were Aldermen or Judges, one for another, bee they who they would, and a Judge is even as likely to Bray as an Alder∣man.

To conclude, they perceived and knew that the Town that was mocked, went out to skirmish with another that had too much abused them, and more then was fitting for good neighbours. Don-Quixote went towards them, to Sancho's no small grief, who was no friend to those Enterprizes. Those of the Squadron hemmed him in, taking him to be some one of their side. Don Quixote lifting up his Visor, with a pleasant coun∣tenance and courage, came toward the Standard of the Asse, and there all the chiefest of the Army gathered about him to behold him, falling into the same admiration as all else did the first time they had seen him, Don-Quixote that saw them atten∣tively look on him, and no man offering to speake to him, or ask him ought, taking hold on their silence, and breaking his own, hee raised his voyce and said:

Honest friends, I desire you with all earnestnesse, that you interrupt not the discourse that I shall make to you, till you shall see that I either distaste or weary you; which if it bee so, at the least signe you shall make, I will seal up my looks and clap a gag on my tongue. All of them bade him speak what hee would; for they would heare him wil∣lingly.

Don-Quixote having this licence, went on, saying; I, my friends, am a Knight Er∣rant, whose Exercise is Armes, whose Profession to favour those that need favour, and to help the distressed. I have long known of your misfortune, and the cause that every while moves you to take Armes to bee revenged on your Enemies. And having

not once, but many times pondered your businesse in my understanding, I finde (ac∣cording to the Laws of Duell) that you are deceived to think your selves affronted; for no particular person can affront a whole Town, except it bee for defying them for Traitors in generall, because hee knows not who in particular committed the Treason, for which hee defied all the Town.

Wee have an example of this in Don Diego Ordonnez de Lara, who defied the whole Towne of Zamora, because hee was ignorant, that only Velido de Olfos committed the treason in killing his King; so hee defied them all, and the revenge and answer con∣cerned them all: though howsoever Don Diego was somewhat too hasty and too for∣ward; for it was needlesse for him to have defied the Dead, or the Waters, or the Corne, or the Children unborn, with many other trifles there mentioned: but let it goe, for when choller over-flows, the tongue hath neither Father, Governour, or Guide that may correct it. This being so then, that one particular person cannot affront a Kingdome, Province, Citie, Common-wealth, or Town only, it is manifest, that the revenge of defiance for such as affront is needlesse, since it is none; for it were a goodly matter sure that those of the Town of Reloxa should every foot go out to kill those that abuse them so: Or that your Cazoteros, Verengeneros, Vallenatos, Xanoneros [Severall nick∣names given to Towns in Spain, upon long tradition, and too tedious to bee put in a mar∣gent,] or others of these kindes of nick-names that are common in every Boyes mouth, and the ordinary sort of People: 'twere very good I say, that all these famous Towns should bee ashamed, and take revenge, and runne with their Swords continually drawn like Sack buts, for every slender Quarrell. No, no, God forbid: Men of wisedome and well governed Common-wealths ought to take Armes for four things, and so to endanger their Persons lives and estates: First, To defend the Catholike Faith: Se∣condly, Their Lives; which is according to Divine and Naturall Law: Thirdly, To defend their Honour, Family, aud Estates: Fourthly, To serve their Prince in a law∣full warre; And if wee will, we may add a fift (that may serve for a second) To de∣fend their Country. To these five capitall causes, may bee joyned many others, just and reasonable, that may oblige men to take Armes: But to take them for trifles, and things that are rather fit for laughter and pastime then for any affront, it seems that hee who takes them wants his judgement. Besides, to take an unjust revenge (indeed no∣thing can bee just by way of revenge) is directly against Gods Law which wee professe, in which wee are commanded to doe well to our enemies, and good to those that hate us; a Commandement that though it seem difficult to fulfill, yet it is not only to those that know lesse of God then the world, and more of the slesh then the Spirit; for Jesus Christ, true God and man, who never lyed, neither could, nor can, being our Law-giver, said, That his Yoak was sweet and his Burden light; so hee would com∣mand us nothing that should bee unpossible for us to fulfill: So that, my Masters, you are tyed both by Laws Divine and humane to bee pacified.

The Devill take me (thought Sancho to himself at this instant) if this Master of mine bee not a Divine; or if not not, as like one as one egge is to another.

Don-Quixote took breath a while, and seeing them still attentive, had proceeded in his discourse, but that Sancho's conceitednesse came betwixt him and home, who seeing his Master pause, took his turne, saying:

My Master Don-Quixote de la Mancha, sometimes called The Knight of the sor∣rowfull Countenance, and now The Knight of the Lyons, is a very judicious Gentleman, speaks Latin and his mother tongue as well as a Bachelour of Arts, and in all hee hand∣leth or adviseth, proceeds like a man of Armes, and hath all the Laws and Statutes of that you call Duell, ad unguem: therefore there is no more to bee done, but to go∣vern your selves according to his direction, and let me bear the blame if you doe amisse. Besides, as you are now told 'tis a folly to bee ashamed to heare one Bray; for I re∣member when I was a Boy, I could have brayed at any time I listed, without any bo∣dies hinderance, which I did so truely and cunningly, that when I Brayed, all the Asses in the Town would answer me; and for all this I was held to bee the sonne of honest Parents, and though for this rare qualitie I was envied by more then foure of the proud∣est

of my Parish, I cared not two straws; and that you may know I say true, doe but stay and hearken; for this Science is like swimming, once known never forgotten: so clapping his hand to his nose hee began to Bray so strongly that the Vallies neer-hand resounded again. But one of them that stood neerest him, thinking hee had flouted them, lifted up a good Bat he had in his hand, and gave him such a blow, that hee tumbled him to the ground.

Don-Quixote, that saw Sancho so evill intreated, set upon him that did it, with his Lance in his hand; but so many come betwixt, that it was not possible for him to bee re∣venged: rather seeing a cloud of stones comming towards himselfe, and that a thou∣sand bent Crosse-bowes beganne to threaten him, and no lesse quantitie of Gunnes; turning Rozinantes Reines, as fast as hee could gallop hee got from among them, re∣commending himselfe heartily to God, to free him from that danger, and fearing e∣very foote, lest some Bullet should enter him behinde, and come out at his breast: so hee still went fetching his breath, to see if it failed him. But they of the Squadron were satisfied when they saw him flie, and so shot not at him. Sancho they set up∣on his Asse (scarce yet come to himselfe) and let him goe after his Master, not that he could tell how to guide him; but Dapple followed Rozinantes steps, without whom he was no body.

Don-Quixote being now a pretty way off, looked backe, and saw that Sancho was comming, and marked that no body followed him. Those of the Squadron were there till darke night, and because their Enemies came not to Battell with them, they returned home to their Towne, full of myrth and jollitie: And if they had knowne the ancient custome of the Grecians, they would have raised a Trophie in that place.