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. XXII.

Of the famous Aduenture of Montesinos Caue, which is in the heart of Mancha, which the valerous Don Quixote happily accomplished.

THE married couple made wonderfull much of Don Quixote, obliged thereunto for the willingnesse he shew∣ed to defend their cause, and with his valor they para∣leld his discretion, accounting him a Cid in Armes, and a Cicero in eloquence. The good Sancho recreated himselfe three daies at the Bridegroomes charge, & now knew that Quiteria knew nothing of the fayned wounding, but that it was a tricke of Ba∣silius, who hoped for the successe that hath been shewed: true it was, that he had made some of his louing frends acquainted with his purpose, that they might helpe him at need, and make good his deceit. They cannot be called deceits (quoth Don Quixote) that are done to a vertuous end, and that the marriage of a louing couple was an end most excellent: but by the way, you must know that the greatest opposite that Loue hath, is want & con∣tinuall necessity; for Loue is all mirth, content & gladsomenes, and the more, when hee that loues, enioyes the thing loued; a∣gainst which, necessity and pouerty are open and declared ene∣mies. All this he spoke with a purpose to aduise Basilius, that he should leaue exercising his youthfull abilities, that although they got him a name, yet they brought no wealth, & that he should looke to lay vp somthing now by lawfull & industrious means, which are neuer wanting to those that will be wary and apply themselues: the honest poore man (if so be the poore man may be called honest) hath a iewell of a faire woman, which if any man bereaue him of, dis-honors him and kills her. Shee that is faire & honest, when her husband is poore, deserues to be crow∣ned with Lawrell and triumphant Bayes. Beauty alone attracts the eyes of all that behold it, and the princely Eagles & high fly∣ing birds doe stoop to it as to the pleasing Lure: but if extreme necessity be added to that beauty, then Kites and Crowes vvill

grapple with it, and other rauenous birds; but shee that is con∣stant against all these assaults, doth well deserue to bee her hus∣bands crowne. Marke, wise Basilius (proceeds Don Quixote) it was an opinion of I know not what sage man, that there was but one good woman in the world, and his aduice was, That e∣uery man should thinke that was married, that his wife was she, and so he should be sure to liue contented. I neuer yet was mar∣ried, neyther haue I any thought hitherto that way; notwith∣standing, I could be able to giue any man counsell heerein that should aske it, and how he should choose his wife.

First of all I would haue him rather respect fame then wealth, for the honest woman gets not a good name onely with being good, but in appearing so; for your publike loosenesse and li∣berty doth more preiudice a womans honesty, then her sinning secretly. If you bring her honest to your house, tis easie keeping her so, and to better her in that goodnesse; but if you bring her dis-honest, tis hard mending her; for it is not very pliable to passe from one extreme into another, I say not impossible: but I hold it to be very difficult.

Sancho heard all this, & said to himselfe, This Master of mine, when I speake matters of marrow and substance, is wont to tell me, that I may take a Pulpit in hand, and preach my fine knacks vp and downe the world: but I may say of him, that when hee once begins to thred his sentences, he may not onely take a Pul∣pit in hand, but in each finger too, and goe vp and downe the market places, and cry, Who buyes my ware? The Deuill take thee, for a Knight Errant, how wise he is! On my soule I thoght hee had knowne onely what belonged to his Knight Errantry; but he snaps at all, and there is no boat that hee hath not an oare in. Sancho spoke this somewhat aloud, and his Master ouer∣heard him, and asked, What is that thou art grumbling, Sancho? I say nothing, neyther doe I grumble, (quoth hee) I was onely saying to my selfe, that I would I had heard you before I vvas married, and perhaps I might now haue said, The sound man needs no Physician. Is Teresa so bad, Sancho, said Don Quixote? Not very bad, said Sancho, and yet not very good, at least, not so good as I would haue her. Thou dost ill, Sancho (quoth Don

Quixote) to speake ill of thy wife, who is indeede mother of thy children.

There's no loue lost (quoth Sancho:) for she speakes ill of me too, when shee list, especially when shee is iealous, for then the Deuill himselfe will not cope with her. Well, three dayes they stayed with the married Couple, where they were welcommed like Princes. Don Quixote desired the skilfull Parson to prouide him a Guide that might shew him the way to Montesino's Caue, for he had a great desire to enter into it, and to see with his own eies, if those wonders that were told of it vp & down the Coun∣trey were true. The Parson tolde him, that a Cousin-German of his, a famous Student, and much addicted to bookes of Knight-hood should goe with him, who should willingly carry him to the mouth of the Caue, and should shew the famous Lake of Ruydera, telling him hee would bee very good company for him, by reason he was one that knew how to publish books, and direct them to great men.

By and by the young Student comes me vpon an Asse with Foale, with a course packing-cloth, or doubled carpet vpon his pack-saddle. Sancho saddled Rozinante, and made ready his Dap∣ple, furnished his wallets, and carried the Students too, aswell prouided; and so taking leaue, and bidding all, God bee with you, they went on, holding their course to Montesino's Caue. By the way Don Quixote asked the Scholler, of what kinde or quality the exercises of his profession and study were. To which he answered, that his Profession was Humanity, his Ex∣ercises and Study to make bookes for the Presse, which were ve∣ry beneficiall to himselfe, and no lesse gratefull to the Common∣wealth, that one of his bookes was intituled, The Booke of the Li∣ueries, where are set downe seuen hundred and three sorts of Li∣ueries, with their colours, motto's, and cyphers; from whence any may bee taken at festiuall times and shewes, by Courtiers without begging them from any body, or distilling (as you would say) from their owne braines, to sute them to their de∣sires and intentions; for I giue to the iealous, to the forsaken, to the forgotten, to the absent, the most agreeable, that will fit them as well as their Puncks. Another booke I haue, which I meane

to call the Metamorphosis, or Spanish Ouid, of a new and rare inuention: for imitating Ouid in it, by way of mocking: I shew who the Giralda of Seuil was, the Angell of the Magdalena, who was the Pipe of Vecinguerra of Cordoua, who the Buls of Guisando, Sierra Morena, the springs of L••ganitos and Lauapies in Madrid; not forgetting that of Pioio, that of the gilded pipe, and of the Abbesse, and all this with the Allegories, Metaphors, and Translations, that they delight, suspend, and instruct all in a moment. Another booke I haue, which I call a supply to Poly∣dore Virgil, concerning the inuention of things which is of great reading and study, by reason that I doe verifie many matters of waight that Polydore omitted, and declare them in a very pleasing stile; Virgil forgot to tell vs who was the first that had a Catarre in the world, and the first that was anoynted for the French dis∣ease, and I set it downe presently after I propose it, and autho∣rize it with at least foure and twenty Writers, that you may see whether I haue taken good paines, and whether the sayd booke may not be profitable to the world.

Sancho, that was very attentiue to the Schollers narration, as∣ked him: Tell me, Sir, so God direct your right hand in the Im∣pression of your bookes: Can you tell mee? (For I know you can, since you know all) who was the first man that scratcht his head, for I beleeue it was our first father Adam? Yes marry was it (sayd he) for Adam, no doubt, had both head & haire, & being the first man in the world, would sometimes scratch him∣selfe. I beleeue it (quoth Sancho:) but tell me now, Who was the first Vaulter in the world? Truely, Brother (sayd he) I can∣not at present resolue you, I will study it when I come to my bookes, and then Ile satisfie you, when wee see one another a∣gaine, for I hope this will not be the last time. Well, Sir (sayd Sancho) neuer trouble your selfe with this, for now I can resolue the doubt: Know, that the first Tumbler in the world was Lu∣cifer, when he was cast out of Heauen, and came tumbling down to Hell.

You say true (quoth the Scholler.) And Don Quixote sayd; This answer, Sancho, is none of thine, thou hast heard some bo∣dy say so. Peace, Sir (quoth Sancho) for if I fall to questions

and answers, I shall not make an end between this and morning: And to aske foolish questions, and answer vnlikeli-hoods, I want no help of my neighbours. Thou hast spoken more, San∣cho, then thou thinkest for (quoth Don Quixote) for you haue some that are most busied in knowing and auerring things, whose knowledge and remembrance is not worth a button. All that day they passed in these and other delightful discourses, and at night they lodged in a little village, from whence the Schol∣ler told them they had but two little leagues to Montesino's Caue, and that if he meant to enter it, he must be prouided of ropes, to tie and let himselfe downe into the depth. Don Quixote sayd, that though it were as deep as Hell, he would see whither it rea∣ched: so they bought a hundred fathome of cordage, & the next day at two of the clocke, they came to the Caue, whose mouth is wide and spacious; but full of briers, & brambles, & wilde fig-trees, & weeds so intricate & thick, that they altogether blinde and damit vp. When they came to it, Sancho and the Scholler a∣lighted, and Don Quixote, whom they tied strongly with the cordage: and whilest they were swathing and binding of him, Sancho sayd to him; Take heede, Sir, what you doe, doe not bury your selfe aliue, and doe not hang your selfe like a bottle to be cooled in some Well; for it neither concernes nor belongs to you, to search this place worse then a Dungeon.

Binde me and peace (quoth Don Quixote) for such an enter∣prize as this, Sancho, was reserued for me. Then said the Guide, I beseech you, Signior Don Quixote, that you take heede, and looke about you with an hundred eyes, to see what is within; for perhaps you may meet with things that will be fit for mee to put in my booke of Transformations. He hath his Instrument in his hand (quoth Sancho) that knowes how to vse it.

This sayd, and Don Quixotes binding ended (which was not vpon his harnesse, but vpon his arming doublet) he said. We did vnaduisedly, in not prouiding our selues of some small bell, that might haue beene tied with mee to the same cord, by whose sound, you might know that I were still toward the bottome and aliue: but since there is now no remedy, God bee our good speede, and straight he kneeled vpon his knees, and made a soft

prayer to God Almighty, desiring his ayde, and to giue him good successe in that (to see to) dangerous and strange Aduen∣ture, and then straight-wayes hee cried aloud; Oh thou Mi∣stris of my actions and motions, most excellent, peerelesse Dul∣cinea del Toboso, if it be possible, that the prayers and requests of this thy happy Louer come to thine eares, harken, I beseech thee, by thy vnheard of beauty, deny not now vnto me thy fa∣uour and protection, which I so much neede: I goe to cast my selfe headlong to a plunge, and sinke my selfe into the Abissus, that presents it selfe to me, that the world may know, that if thou fauour me, there shall be nothing impossible for mee to vnder∣goe and end.

And in saying this, hee came to the mouth, but saw he could not come neere to bee let downe, except it were by making way with maine force, or with cutting thorow, and so laying hand on his sword, hee began to cut and slash the weedes that were at the mouth of the caue; at whose rushing and noyse, there came out an infinite Company of Crowes and Dawes, so thicke and so hastily, that they tumbled Don Quixote on the ground, and if hee had beene as superstitious, as good Christian, hee would haue taken it for an ill signe, and not haue proceeded.

Well, he rose, and seeing the Crowes were all gone, and that there were no other night-birds, as Bats, that came out amongst the Crowes, Sancho and the Scholler let him downe, to search the bottome of that fearefull Caue; but Sancho first bestowed his benediction on him, and making a thousand crosses ouer him, sayd; God and the Rocke of France, together with the Tri∣nity of Gaeta, guide thee, thou Flower, Creame, and Scumme of Knights Errant: There thou goest, Hackster of the world, Heart of steele, and Armes of brasse, God againe be thy Guide, and deliuer thee sound and without skarre, to the light of this world which thou leauest, to bury thy selfe in the obscurity which thou seekest.

The Scholler did (as it were) make the same kinde of wishes and deprecations. Don Quixote cried out, that they should yet giue him more rope, which they gaue by little and little: and when his voyce (that was stopt in the gutters of the Caue) could

be no longer heard, and that they had let downe their hundred fathome of rope, they were of opinion to hoyst him vp againe, since they could giue him no more cord; for all that, they stayed some halfe an houre, and then began easily to draw vp the rope, & without any wait, which made them think Don Quixote was within, and Sancho beleeuing it, wept bitterly, and drew vp a∣pace, that he might bee satisfied: but comming somewhat neere foure-score fathome, they felt a waight, which made them very much reioyce.

At length when they came to ten, they plainely saw Don Quixote: to whom Sancho cryed out, saying; You are well re∣turned, Sir, for we thought you had stayed there for breed. But Don Quixote did not answer a word: but drawing him altoge∣ther out, they saw that his eyes were shut, as if hee were asleepe; they stretcht him on the ground, and vnbound him, and for all this he awaked not. But they so turned, tossed & shaked him, that a pretty while after he came to himselfe, lazing himselfe, as if he had wakened out of a great and profound sleep, and looking wildely round-about him, sayd; God forgiue you, Friends, for you haue raised mee from one of the delicatest and pleasingest liues and sights that euer was seene by humane eye: Now at length I perceiue, that all the delights of this world doe passe like a shadow or dreame, or wither like a flower of the field: Oh vnhappy Montesino's, oh ill wounded Durandarte, oh luck∣les Balerma, oh mournfull Guadiana, & you vnfortunate daugh∣ters of Ruydera, that shew by your waters, those your faire eyes wept.

The Scholler and Sancho gaue eare to these words which Don Quixote spake, as if with great paine they came from his very entrailes: They desired him to let them know his meaning, and to tell them what he had seene in that hellish place. Hellish, call ye it, sayd Don Quixote? well, call it not so, for it deserues not the name, as straight you shall heare: Hee desired them to giue him somewhat to eat, for he was exceeding hungry. They layd the Schollers course wrapper vpon the greene grasse, and went to the Spence of their wallets, and all three of them being set like good fellowes, eat their Beauar, and supped all together. The

cloth taken vp (Don Quixote sayd) Sit still Ho, let none of you rise, and marke me attentiuely.

Notes

• All th••se seue∣rall rarities of Spaine.
• Seuerall pla¦ces of deuoti∣on.