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

CHAP. LXVII.

Of the resolution Don-Quixote had to turne Shepheard, and to lead a Country life, whilest the promise for his yeer was expired, with other accidents, truely, good, and savoury.

IF Don-Quixote were much troubled in minde before his fall, hee was so much more after it: He stood shading himselfe under the tree (as you heard) and there his thoughts set upon him, as Flies upon Hony; some tending to the disenchantment of Dulcinea, others to the life that he meant to lead in the time of his forced retirement.

Sancho now drew neere, and extolled the liberality of Tosilos.

Is it possible, Sancho, said Don-Quixote, that still thou thinkest that that was a true Lackey, and that thou hast forgotten too that Dulcinea was con∣verted and transformed into a Countrey-wench, and the Knight of the Looking-glasses, into the Bachelor Samson Carrasco: all these by the doings of Enchanters my enemies that persecute me? But tell me now, didst thou ask that Tosilos, what became of Altisi∣dora? did shee lament my absence, or hath shee forgotten her amorous passions, that when I was present troubled her?

I never thought on'•• (said Sancho) neyther had I leysure to aske after such fooleries. Body of mee, Sir, you are now in a humour of asking after other folkes thoughts, and amorous ones too.

Look thee, Sancho, there is a great deale of difference betwixt love and gratefull∣nesse; it may well bee that a Gentleman may not be amorous: but it cannot bee (speak∣ing in all rigour) that hee should be ungratefull: Altisidora in likelihood loved me very well, shee gave mee the three Night-caps thou wotest of, shee cried at my departure, cursed mee, reviled me, and without modesty railed publikely, all signes that she adored me; for the anger of Lovers often ends in maledictions. I could give her no comfort, nor no treasure, all I have being dedicated to Dulcinea, and the treasure of Knights Errant is like that of Fairies, false and apparant onely, and all I can doe, is but to re∣member her, and this I may doe without prejudice to Dulcinea, whom thou wrongest with thy slacknesse in whipping thy selfe, and in chastising that flesh of thine, that I wish I might see devoured by Wolves, that had rather preserve it selfe for Wormes, then for the remedy of that poore Lady.

Sir, said Sancho, if you will have the truth, I cannot perswade my selfe that the lashing of my posteriors can have any reference to the dis-enchanting of the Enchanted, which is as much as if you should say, If your head grive you, anoynt your knees, at least, I dare sweare, that in as many Histories as you have read of Knight Errantry, you never saw whipping dis-enchant any body: but howsoever, I will take it when I am in the humour, and when time serves Ile chastise my selfe.

God grant thou dost, said Don-Quixote, and heaven give thee grace to fall into the reckoning and obligation thou hast to help my Lady, who is thy Lady too, since thou art mine.

With this discourse they held on their way, till they came just to the place where the Bulls had over-runne them: and Don-Quixote called it to minde, and said to San∣cho; In this field wee met the brave shepheardesses, and the lusty Swaines, that would here have imitated and renued the Pastorall Arcadia: an invention as strange as wit∣ty; in imitation of which, if thou thinkest fit, Sancho, wee will turne Shepheards for the time that wee are to live retired: Ile buy Sheep, and all things fit for our Pastorall vocation, and calling my selfe by the name of the Shepheard Quixote, and thou the

Sheepheard Pansino, wee will walke up and down the Hills, thorow Woods and Medowes, singing and versifying, and drinking the liquid Cristall of the fountaines sometimes out of the cleere Springs, and then out of the swift running Rivers; The Oakes shall afford us plentifull of their most sweet fruit, and the Bodies of hardest, Corke-trees shall bee our seates, the Willowes shall give us shade, the Roses their Perfume, and the wide Meadowes Carpets of a thousand Flourished colours: the Ayre shall give us a free and pure breath: the Moon and Starres in spight of Nights darknesse shall give us light, our Songs shall afford us delight, and our wailing Mirth, Apollo verses, and Love-conceits, with which wee may bee eternallized and famous, not onely in this present Age, but Ages to come also. By ten, quoth Sancho, this kind of life is very sutable to my desires, and I beleeve the Bachelor Samson and Master Ni∣cholas the Barber will no sooner have seene it, but they will turn Sheepheards with us: and pray God the Vicar have not a minde to enter into the sheep-coat too, for hee is a merry Lad and jolly. Thou hast said very well, Sancho, said Don-Quixote, and the Bache∣lor Samson Carrasco, if so bee hee enter the Pastorall lap (as doubtlesse hee will) may call himselfe the Sheepheard Samsonmo, or Carrascon. Master Nicholas may call himself Niculoso, as the ancient Boscan called himselfe, Nemoroso; [Alluding to the word Bosque for a Wood.] I know not what name wee should bestow upon the Vicar, except it were some derivative from his own, calling him the Sheepheard Curiambro. The Sheep∣heardesses on whom wee must bee enamoured, wee may chuse their names as amongst Peares: and since my Ladies name serves as well for a Sheepheardesse as for a Princesse, I need not trouble my selfe to get her another better, give thou thine what name thou wilt.

Mine, said Sancho, shall have no other name but Teresona, which will fit her fatnesse well, and it is taken from her Christian name, which is Teresa, and the rather I cele∣brating her in my verses, doe discover my chaste thoughts, since I seeke not in other mens houses better bread then is made of Wheat: 'twere not fit that the Vicar had his sheepheardesse, to give good example, but if the Bachelor will have any, 'tis in his owne free choice.

Lord blesse mee, Sancho, said Don-Quixote, and what a life shall wee have on 't? What a world of Horne-pipes, and Zamora Bag-pipes shall wee heare? What Tabour∣ing shall wee have? What janggling of Bells and playing on the Rebocke? And if to these different Musicks wee have the Albogne too, wee shall have all kinde of pastorall instruments.

What is Albogne (quoth Sancho?) It is, said Don-Quixote, a certaine plate made like a Candlesticke, and being hollow, gives, if not a very pleasing or harmonious sound, yet it displeaseth not altogether, and agrees well with the rusticke Tabor and Bag-pipe; and this word Albogne is Moorish, as all those in our Castilian tongue are, that begin with Al, to wit, Almoasa, Almorzar, Alhombra, Alguazil, Alucena, Al∣mazon, Alsancia and the like, with some few more; and our language hath onely three Moorish words that end in I, which are Borcegni, Zaguicami, and Meravedi: Albeli and Alfaqui are as well knowne to bee Arabick by their beginning with Al, as their ending in I.

This I have told thee by the way, the word Albogne having brought it into my head, and one maine help we shall have for the perfection of this calling, that I, thou knowest, am somewhat Poeticall, and the Bachelor Samson Carrasco is a most exquisit one, for the Vicar I say nothing, but I lay a wager hee hath his smacke, and so hath Master Nico∣las too: for all these, or the most of them play upon a Gittern, and are Rimers, I will complain of absence: thou shalt praise thy selfe for a constant Lover, the Sheepheard Carrascon shell mourn for being disdain'd, and let the Vicar Curiambro doe what hee pleaseth, and so there is no more to bee desired.

To which (said Sancho) Sir, I am so unlucky, that I feare I shall not see the day, in which I may see my selfe in that happy life: oh what neat Spoones shall I make when I am Sheepheard! What Hodg-potches and Creame! What Garlands and other pastorall trumperies? that though they get mee not a fame of being wise, ye•• they shall,

that I am witty. My little Daughter Sanchica shall bring our dinner to the Flock: but soft, she is handsome, and you have Sheepheards more Knaves then Fooles, and I would not have her come for Wooll, and returne shorn: and your loose desires are as incident to the fields as to Citties, and as well in Sheepheards Cotages, as Princes Palaces, and the cause being removed, the sin will bee saved, and the heart dreames not of what the eye sees not, and better a fair pair of Heels, then die at the Gallows.

No more Proverbs, Sancho, (said Don-Quixote) since each of these is enough to make us know thy meaning, and I have often advised thee, not to bee so prodigall of thy Proverbs, but more sparing: but 'tis in vaine to bid thee; for the more thou art bid, the more thou wilt doe it. Mee thinkes, Sir, said Sancho, you are like what is said, that the Frying-pan, said to the Kettle, Avant, Blacke-browes; you reprehend mee for speaking of Proverbs, and you thred up yours by two and two.

Look you, Sancho, quoth Don-Quixote, I use mine to purpose, and when I speak them, they fit as well as a little Ring to the Finger: but thou bringest in thine so by head and shoulders, that thou rather draggest then guidest them: and if I forget not, I told thee heretofore, that Proverbs are briefe sentences, drawne from the experience and speculation of our An••ient Sages, and a Proverb ill applyed, is rather a foppery then a sentence: but leave we this now; and since night comes on us, let's retire a lit∣tle out of the High-way, where wee will passe this night, and God knowes what may befall us to Morrow. So they retired, and made a short supper, much against Sancho's will, who now began to thinke of the hard life of Knight Errantry in Woods and Mountaines, especially calling to his remembrance, the Castles and houses as well of Don Diego de Miranda, and where the rich Camacho's marriage was•• and likewise Don Antonio Moreno's: but hee considered with himselfe, that nothing could last ever: and so he slept away the rest of that night, which his Master passed watching.