The second part of the history of the valorous and witty knight-errant, Don Quixote of the Mançha. Written in Spanish by Michael Ceruantes: and now translated into English

CHAP. XXI.

Of the prosecution of Camacho's marriage, with other de∣lightfull accidents.

AS Don Quixote and Sancho were in their discourse men∣tioned in the former chapter, they heard a great noyse and out-cry, which was caused by them that rode on the Mares, who with a large Carreere and shouts, went to meet the married couple; who, hemmed in with a thousand trickes and deuices, came in company of the Vicar, and both their kin∣dreds, and all the better sort of the neighbouring townes, all clad in their best apparell. And as Sancho saw the Bride, he said, In good faith she is not drest like a country wench, but like one of your nice Court Dames: by th'Masse me thinkes her glasse necke-laces she should weare, are rich Corrall; and her course greene of Cuenca, is a a thirty piled veluet; and her lacing that should be white linnen, (I vow by me) is Satten: well looke on her hands that should haue their lette rings, let me not thriue if they be not golden rings, arrant gold, and set with pearles as white as a sillabub, each of them as precious as an eye. Ah whooreson, and what lockes she hath? for if they be not false, I neuer saw longer, nor fairer in my life. Well, well, finde not fault with her liuelinesse and stature, and compare her me to a Date tree, that bends vp and downe when it is loaden with bun∣ches of Dates; for so doth she with her trinkets hanging at her hayre and about her necke: I sweare by my soule, she is a wench of mettall, and may very well passe the pikes in Flanders.

Don Quixote laughed at Sancho's rusticke praises, and hee thought, that setting his Mistresse Dulcinea aside, he neuer saw fairer woman: the beauteous Quiteria was somewhat pale, be∣like, with the ill night that Brides alwaies haue when they dresse themselues for next daies marriage. They drew neere to a Theater on one side of the Medow, that was dressed with Car∣pets and boughes, where the marriage was to bee solemnized, and where they should behold the dances and inuentions. And

iust as they should come to the place, they heard a great out-cry behind them, and a voyce, saying; Stay a while, rash people as well as hasty: At whose voyce and words they all turned about, and saw that he that spoke, was one cladde (to see to) in a blacke lacket all welted with Crimson in flames, crowned (as they straight perceiued) with a crowne of mournefull Cypresse, in his hand he had a great Truncheon: and comming neerer, hee was knowne by all to be the Gallant Basilius, who were in sus∣pence, expecting what should be the issue of those cryes and words, fearing some ill successe from this so vnlooked for arri∣uall. Hee drew neere, weary, and out of breath, and comming before the married couple, and clapping his Truncheon vpon the ground, which had a steele pike at the end of it: his colour changed, and his eyes fixed vpon Quiteria, with a fearefull and hollow voyce, thus spoke:

Well knowest thou, forgetfull Quiteria, that according to the Law of God that wee professe, that whilest I liue thou canst not be married to any other: neyther are you ignorant, that be∣cause I would stay till time and my industry might better my fortunes, I would not breake that decorum that was fitting to the preseruing of thy honesty: but you forgetting all duetie, due to my vertuous desires, will make another Master of what is mine, whose riches serue not onely to make him happy in them, but euery way fortunate, and that he may be so to the full, (not as I thinke he deserues it, but as the Fates ordaine it for him) I will with these hands remooue the impossibility or inconuenience that may disturbe him, remouing my selfe out of the way. Liue, rich Camacho, liue with the vngratefull Quiteria many & pros∣perous yeeres, and let your poore Basilius die, whose pouerty clipped the wings of his happinesse, and laid him in his graue: and saying this, he layd hold of his Truncheon that he had stuck in the ground, and the one halfe of it remaining still there, shew∣ed that it serued for a scabberd to a short Tucke that was concea∣led in it, and putting that which might be called the hilt on the ground, with a nimble spring, and a resolute purpose, hee cast himselfe vpon it, and in an instant the bloudy poynt appeared out of his backe, with halfe the steele blade, the poore soule wel∣tring

in his bloud, all along on the ground, runne thorow with his owne vveapon. His friends ranne presently to helpe him, greeued with his misery and miserable happe, and Don Quixote forsaking his Rozinante, vvent also to helpe him; tooke him in his armes, but found that as yet there vvas life in him. They vvould haue pulled out the Tucke, but the Vicar there present; vvas of opinion that it vvere not best before hee had confessed himselfe; for that the drawing it out, and his death, vvould be both at one instant. But Basilius comming a little to himselfe; vvith a faint and dolefull voyce, said, If thou vvouldest, O Qui∣teria, yet in this last and forcible trance, giue me thy hand to be my spouse, I should thinke my rashnesse might something ex∣cuse me, since vvith this I obtained to be thine.

The Vicar hearing this, bad him he should haue a care of his soules health, rather then of the pleasures of his body, and that he should heartily aske God forgiuenesse for his sinnes, and for his desperate action. To vvhich Basilius reply'd, That he would by no meanes confesse himselfe, if Quiteria did not first giue him her hand to be his spouse, for that content would make him cheerefully confesse himselfe. When Don Quixote heard the vvounded mans petition, he cried aloud, that Basilius desired a thing very iust and reasonable, and that Signior Camacho would be as much honoured in receiuing Quiteria, the worthy Basilius his vviddow, as if hee had receiued her from her Fathers side: heere is no more to doe but giue one I, no more then to pro∣noūce it, since the nuptial bed of this mariage must be the graue.

Camacho gaue eare to all this, and was much troubled, not knowing vvhat to doe or say: but Basilius his friends were so earnest, requesting him to consent that Quiteria might giue him her hand to bee his Spouse, that hee might not endanger his soule, by departing desperately, that they mooued him and enforced him, to say that if Quiteria would, he vvas contented, seeing it vvas but deferring his desires a minute longer. Then all of them came to Quiteria, some vvith intreaties, others with teares, most with forcible reasons, and perswaded her she should giue her hand to poore Basilius; and shee more hard then mar∣ble, more lumpish then a statue, vvould not answer a word,

neyther would she at all, had not the Vicar bid her resolue what she vvould doe, for Basilius was euen now ready to depart, and could not expect her irresolute determination. Then the faire Quiteria, without answering a word, all sad and troubled, came where Basilius was, vvith his eyes euen sette, his breath failing him, making shew as if he would die like a Gentile, and not like a Christian. Quiteria came at length, and vpon her knees made signes to haue his hand. Basilius vnioyn'd his eyes, and looking stedfastly vpon her, said, Oh Quiteria, thou art now come to be pittifull, when thy pitty must be the sword that shall end my life, since now I want force to receiue the glory that thou giuest in chusing mee for thine, or to suspend the dolor that so hastily closeth vp mine eyes, with the fearefull shade of death. All I de∣sire thee is (oh fatall starre of mine) that the hand thou requirest, and that that thou wilt giue me, that it be not for fashion-sake, nor once more to deceiue mee, but that thou confesse and say without being forced to it, that thou giuest me thy hand freely, ••s to thy lawfull Spouse, since it were vnmercifull in this trance to deceiue mee, or to deale falsely with him that hath beene so true to thee. In the middest of this discourse he fainted, so that all the standers by thought now he had beene gone. Quiteria all honest and shamefast, laying hold vvith her right hand on Basi∣lius his, said to him; No force can vvorke vpon my will, and so I giue thee the freest hand I haue to be thy lawfull Spouse, and receiue thine, if thou giue it me as freely, and that the anguish of thy sodaine accident doe not too much trouble thee. I giue it (said Basilius) liuely and couragiously, with the best vnderstan∣ding that heauen hath endued mee withall, and therefore take me, and I deliuer my selfe as thy espousall; and I (said Quiteria) as thy Spouse, whether thou liue long, or vvhether from my armes they carry thee to thy graue.

This young man (said Sancho) being so wounded, talks much me thinks, let him leaue his wooing, and attend his souls health, vvhich me thinks appeares more in his tongue, then in his teeth.

Basilius and Quiteria hauing their hands thus fastned, the Vi∣car, tender-harted and compassionate, powred his blessing vp∣on them, and prayed God to giue good rest to the new-married

mans soule, vvho as soone as he receiued this benediction, so∣dainely starts vp, and with an vnlook't for agility, drew out the Tucke which was sheathed in his body. All the spectators were in a maze, and some of them, more out of simplicity then curio∣sity, began to cry out, A Miracle, a Miracle: but Basilius re∣ply'd, No Miracle, no Miracle; but a Tricke, a Tricke. But the Vicar, heed-lesse and astonisht, came with both his hands to feele the wound, & found that the blade had neyther passed thorow flesh or ribbes, but thorow a hollow pipe of yron, that he filled with bloud well fitted in that place, and (as after it was knowne) prepared so, that it could not congeale. At last the Vicar and Ca∣macho, and all the standers by, thought that they were mocked and made a laughing-stocke. The Bride made no great shew of sorrow: rather when she heard say that the marriage could not stand currant, because it was deceitfull, she said, that shee anew confirmed it; by which they all collected, that the business had beene plotted by the knowledge & consentment of them both. At which, Camacho and his friends were so abashed, that they remitted their reuenge to their hands, and vnsheathing many swords, they set vpon Basilius, in whose fauor in an instant there were as many more drawne: and Don Quixote taking the Vant∣guad on horsebacke, with his Launce at his rest, and well coue∣red with his shield, made way thorow vm all. Sancho (whom such feates did neuer please or solace) ranne to the pottage-pot, from whence he had gotten the skimmings, thinking that to be a sanctuary, and so to be respected. Don Quixote cryed aloud, Hold, hold, Sirs; for there is no reason that you should take re∣uenge for the wrongs that Loue doth vs: and obserue, that loue and warre are all one: and as in warre it is lawfull to vse sleights and stratagems to ouercome the enemy: So in amorous strifes and competencies, Impostures and iuggling tricks are held for good, to attaine to the wished end, so it bee not in preiudice and dishonour of the thing affected. Quiteria was due to Ba∣silius, and Basilius to Quiteria, by the iust and fauourable inclina∣tion of heauen. Camacho is rich, and may purchase his delight, and whom God hath ioyned, let no man separate. Basilius hath but this one sheepe, let none offer to take it from him, be he ne∣uer

so powerfull: he that first attempts it, must first passe thorow the point of this Launce; at which hee shaked his Launce so strong and cunningly, that hee frighted all that knew him not: But Quiteria's disdaine was so inwardly fixt in Camacho's heart, that he forgot her in an instant; so that the Vicars perswasions preuailed with him, (who was a good discreet and honest-min∣ded man) by which Camacho and his complices were pacified & quieted, in signe of which, they put vp their swords, rather blaming Quiteria's facility, then Basilius his industry. Camacho fram'd this discourse to himselfe, That if Quiteria loued Basilius when she was a maide, shee would also haue continued her loue to him though she had beene his wife, and so that hee ought to giue God thankes rather for hauing ridden him of her, then to haue giuen her to him. Camacho then, & those of his crue be∣ing comforted and pacified, all Basilius his likewise were so, and Camacho to shew that he stomacked not the iest, nor car'd for it, was willing the feast should goe forward, as if he had beene real∣ly married. But neyther Basilius, nor his Spouse, nor their fol∣lowers would stay, but went to Basilius his towne: for your poore that are vertuous and discreet, haue as well those that will follow, honour and vphold them, as the rich theirs, and such as will flatter them. Don Quixote went with them too, for they e∣steemed him to be a man of worth & valor. But Sancho's mind was in a mist, to see that it was impossible for him to stay for Camacho's sumptuous feast & sports that lasted till the euening: so that straighted and sorrowfull, he followed on with his Ma∣ster that went in Basilius his squadron, and thus left behind him those flesh-pots of Aegypt, though hee bore them with him in his minde, whose skumme which he carried in the kettle being consumed now and ended, represented vnto him the glorious and abundant happinesse hee lost, so that all sad and sorrowfull, though hungerlesse, without alighting from Dapple, he follow∣ed Rozinantes tracke.

Notes

• a

  In stead of three-piled.