YOur worshippe must vnderstand, that the vnfortunate Lazaro de Tormes, be­ing in this pleasant life, exercising his office, and getting his meat and drink, (for that God made no such office, and whiche is muche better then the best foure and twentie other offices in To­ledo,) and withall, both I and my wife being well paide, and contented with our new daughter, daily increasing our housholde stuffe, I for my part being well vsed, and hauing two sutes of apparell, one for euerie day, and the other for the holy dayes, and my wife as much, with 24. Roialls of Plate in my purse, I came vnto this Towne, whither I should not haue come, where at my ar­riual, I vnderstood the newes (as other men do) of the voy­age vnto Argel. Whereunto diuers of my neighbors began to hearken, saying one to the other, let vs goe thither, for by that voyage wee may come home laden with golde and siluer: so that they began to put me into such a couetous humor, that I imparted the same vnto my wife, wherunto she, being desirous to returne backe againe vnto the priest, answered me saying, do as you thinke good, but if you goe, and that it pleaseth God to sende you good fortune, I pray [Page] you bring me a Moore for my slaue, to serue me all my life, and it shal suffice me, as also I pray you remember to bring some what to marry this your litle daughter, wherunto the Barbery Ducates, wherewith (they say) those Dogges the Moores are so well stored will not bee amisse. With the which answere, togither with the couetous desire I had, I determined (which I should not haue done,) to goe on this voyage: From the which my maister the Priest disswaded me verie much, but I would not beleeue him. To conclude, I hauing many miseries more to passe, thē in former times I had passed, I agreed with a Knight of the order of Saint Iohn, with whome I was well acquainted, to beare him company, and to serue him in the voyage, and that he should beare my charges, with such condition, that whatsoeuer I could get it should be for my selfe. And so there were diuers that got, but it was vnto me a great and an vnfortunate mi­serie, which although diuers men felt, yet I dare assure you I had sufficient for my part. This Knight and I (with di­uers others departed out of this Towne, in great Iollitie and much brauery, as in all voyages is commonly séene, but to auoyde tediousnesse, I will make no rehearsall of that which happened vnto vs in our iourny by land, for that it is nothing vnto the purpose, but we were no sonner imbarked at Carthagena, in a good ship full of men, and victualls suffi­cient, and in company of other shippes, but there arose in the sea the moste horrible and cruellest tempest that euer your worship heard of, whereby there happened the grea­test wracke and destruction of men, that had bene seene or knowne vpon the seas long time before: and in this storme the worst was, that the waues of the sea did vs not so much harme, as our owne shippes did, one vnto the other, because the tempest being by night, and the cruell waues rising so high, and so big, there was not any of vs, that could sée to de­uise any remedie for our safetie, but that whether we wold or not, the shippes strake one against the other, in such sort, that with the blowes they forcibly brake and drowned in [Page] the sea, with all the passengers. But for that your worship hath (as I saide) bene enformed at large of that which was happened in that tempest, by such as beheld it and were in the same, and (as God woulde escaped,) as also by others that haue heard the same deliuered from their mouthes, it shall bee néedlesse for me to touche any pointe thereof, more then of that whereof I my selfe am able to enforme you, as being onely he that sawe it, and (which of all the rest that were with vs,) sawe it best: Wherein God shewed his great mercie vnto me, as your worship shall heare by the sequell.

I speake neither of he Moore, nor yet of the Moore, for the diuell take them all for any that euer I sawe, in that voyage: but I beheld our shippe broken in many péeces, I sawe the like done by others, I perceiued neither mast nor yarde in her, all the deckes broken vp, and the vpper part cleane carried away, at which sight the Captaines and Of­ficers men of qualitie entered into the boate, séeking to be­stowe themselues in other shippes, although at that time there were verie fewe among vs that coulde helpe them; and left the meane and baser sort of vs within the ship, for that the common saying is, It is better to léese the worst then the best. We séeing that, committed our soules vnto God, and began to confesse our selues one vnto the other, be­cause the two Clarkes that were in our ship, naming them selues (as they say) souldiers of Iesus Christ, went with the Captaines, and left vs as base companions vnto the mercie of the seas. But I for my part neuer heard so won­derfull a confession, as the poore men made being readie to die, and I am assured that there was not one among vs at that present that was not halfe dead, and diuers, which at euery waue of the sea that entered into the broken ship, felt in a maner present death, in such sort as it might be sayd (if it were possible) that they were one hundreth tunnes, and to say the truth, their confessions were of bodies in a maner without soules. Among diuers of them which I confessed, [Page] there were some that vttered not one worde out of their mouthes, but only sighes, and sobbes, (a thing common vn­to men troubled and in aduersitie,) and as much did I vnto them: In the ende we being in a manner drowned in our weake shippe, and wholly out of all hope of any remedie or aide to be looked for, I began to lament my death, and to re­pent me of my sinnes, (but much more of my comming thi­ther) and hauing recited certaine deuout Orazons, which I learned in my youth of my first maister, fit to be said at such a time, with the feare and horror of death I fell into a most horrible and deadly thirst, and considering with my selfe that it would soone be quenched with the salt and vnsauory water of the sea, it séemed vnto me a point of great inhuma­nitie to vse small charitie vnto my selfe, wherewith I de­termined, that it were good for me before that euill water entered into my bodie, to fill it first with most excellent wine, whereof at that present there was great store in the ship: which at that time was as well without a maister, as I without a soule, so that with great desire and much more haste, I beganne to drinke, and with the great thirst and the feare of death wherwith I was oppressed, togither with the extremitie thereof, (withall, I being no scholler but rather a maister in that Art,) and the great folly I con­ceiued at that present, because I perceiued not any one de­sirous to beare me company, I stood to my tackling so ear­nestly, and drunke in such maner, and so much, sometimes resting my selfe, and then beginning againe, that from the head to the foote, I felt not any part of my sorrowfull bodie, but was all filled with wine, which I had no sooner done, but the ship brake in péeces, and we all drowned in the sea, as for my part, I was nothing else but wine: when the ship suncke it was about two houres after day appearing, at which sight, by reason of y^t wine that wrought in my head, féeling my selfe wholly vnder the water, and perceiuing not any meanes of helpe, nor knowing what to do, I laide hand on my sword, which then I had at my side, and there­with [Page] I began to sinke downeward into the sea. At which time I might perceiue great quantitie of fishes both great and little, and of diuers kindes to draw nere vnto vs, and verie nimbly with their téeth assaild my dead companions, soone tearing and renting their bodies in péeces: which I beholding, was in great feare they would doo the like to me, if I should stand vpon termes with them. Wherwith I left shaking of mine armes, as those which were drow­ned in sinking did, thinking thereby to escape death: but for I could not by anie meanes swim, I sanke downwards into the Sea, and so laboured my heauie bodie, that I out­went that wicked companie and great multitude of fishes that (at the cracke which the ship gaue in breaking) came thither. And in this manner I descending downe­ward into the déepe sea, I perceiued comming behinde mee a great and mightie Armie of other Fishes, and (as I thinke) they came with great desire to learne some newes of me, and with great hast approched nere me, that with their teeth they might teare me in peeces, and so eate me vp: but I perceiuing my selfe so compassed about with death, with the rage and feare whereof, not knowing how to escape, I began to skirmish and flourish about me with my sword, which I held naked in my right hand, for that as yet I had not let it fall, and I plaid my part therewith so well, that in short space I made such a riddance of them, laying about me both on the right side & the left, that in the end they concluded among themselues to recule backe, and for a time to leaue me in peace: and letting me rest, began to busie themselues about the dead bodies of their compa­nions, that I in defending of my selfe had slaine, (which they presently eate vp and deuoured): and surely I did it with little labour, by reason those Fishes hauing small meanes of defence, and their armes much weaker, it laye in me to kill and destroy as manie of them as I would. In the ende, a good space after I had left them, descending and sinking still into the sea, and that so straight and directly [Page] downward, as if my féete beeing fixed vpon some certayne thing, my bodie had stood vpright. In the ende I chanced vpon a great rocke, which stood in the middest of the déepe sea: and as I felt my féete vpon the same, I stayd my selfe for a time, and began to rest after my great trouble and la­bour sustained: which vntill then, by reason of the altera­tion that I found in my selfe, and feare of death withall, I had no time to thinke vppon. And as it is a common thing vnto all those which are afflicted and wearyed to sigh, being readie to fetch a great sigh, which cost me full deare: negligently opening my mouth, (which notwith­standing I shut presently againe) the wine hauing by that meanes gotten some vent, it being at the least more than thrée houres after I drunke the same, at the issuing foorth made place for the salt and vnsauerie Water of the Sea, which as then entred into me, causing great paine and tor­ment in my bodie, striuing with her contrarie as then within me. Then I perceiued and saw the wine was the onely meanes that my life had so long béen preserued in the sea, by reason that my bodie euen to the verie throate being filled with the same, the Water of the Sea had no power nor place to enter in. And then likewise I knew the Prophecie to bee true that my master tolde me of tou­ching the same, saying vnto me in Escalona, that if Wine could euer preserue the life of man, it should surely pre­serue mine. Then it gréeued me to thinke vpon my dead companions in the sea, because they bare me not companie in drinking: which if they had done, they surely had béen liuing as well as I, and their companie would haue mi­nistred some comfort vnto me. I did likewise in my selfe lament the miserable case of all such as then were drow­ned with vs, and began to thinke with my selfe, that per­aduenture although they had dronke as I did, they would not all haue béen so wilfull and obstinate as my selfe, be­cause they were not all Lazaroes de Tormes, who learned the Arte at that notable schoole of the Tauernes and Cel­lars [Page] of Toleda, in the companie of my masters the Dutch­men. In this manner calling to memorie these and ma­nie other things, I perceiued a great quantitie of Fi­shes to approach vnto the place where I was, some rising from the bottome of the Sea, others descending down­ward, and all of them ioyning together, besieged mee round about where I sate. I saw and knew verie well that they came with an euill intent and meaning: where­with, hauing more feare than will, I began to rise, and with much paine stood vppon my féete, thinking to defend my selfe against them: but all in vaine, being at that instant in a manner spoyled and stiffe with colde, by meanes of the euill water which had entered into my bodie, whereof I was so sicke, that I could not by a­nie meanes sustaine my selfe, nor yet once lift vp my sword for to defend mée. And as I perceiued my selfe to approach so néere vnto my death, I looked if I could finde anie remedie against that miserie, and to séeke it in my sword there was no long hope, for the reasons before alleadged. Wherefore going vppon the Rocke as well as I could, as GOD would I found a little hoale wherein I entered, and beeing within, I per­ceiued it to bee a Caue made into the Rocke: and al­though the entrie were but strayght and narrow, yet was there space inough within to tourne and wynde my selfe, and vse my weapons at pleasure: whereinto there was no other entrie but that onely which I had luc­kely found out.

It séemed the Lord himselfe had sent me thither, for by that onely meanes I recouered againe some part of my former strength, which before I had almost vtterly lost. Wherewith taking againe to my selfe fresh courage, and reuiuing my drouping spirites, I turned my face towards my enemies, placing the poynt of my sword at the entrie of the Caue, and so began with most fierce Stoccadoes to defend my Fort.

[Page]By that time the whole multitude of fishes had besieged me round about, giuing most great flashes and assaults a­gainst me in the water, and approching very neere vnto the mouth of the caue: but such as séemed to bee most hardye, presuming to eate in, I thinke escaped not scot free. For as I stood directly with my sword against the entrie of the caue, they thinking to enter, fell vpon my sword, and so lost their liues: and others which with great furie approached néere vnto me, got their reward with blowes. All this not­withstanding, made them not breake vp their siege: but in the meane time it waxed darke, and night approaching, made the fight somewhat to cease, although they left not off manie times to assaile me, proouing whether I slept, or if by anie meanes they might perceaue me to be wearied and weake. This thus continuing, poore Lazarus being in this great extremitie, perceiuing my selfe assieged by so manie enemies, in so strange a place, without all remedie or hope of reléefe: and considering, that my good conseruator (I mean the wine) began by little and little to consume with­in me, in place whereof the salt water entred, and that each houre I began to waxe weake, because it was not possible for me to sustaine my self, my nature being altogether con­trarie vnto theirs, that remained and dwelt in the water: and that likewise my strength failed me, by reason that of a long time I had not eaten any thing wherwith to streng­then the same, but to the contrarie, laboured and trauelled my wearie bodie, as also, because the water doth disgest and consume verie much: I still looked for no other thing, than when my sword would fall out of my weake & trem­bling hands, which should no sooner be perceiued by my e­nemies, but they would put me to a most cruell and bitter death, making their bodies my sepulcher. All which by me well weighed and considered, and on the contrarie, not fin­ding any remedie or meanes of releefe, I turned vnto him to whom all good Christians haue recourse, recommending my selfe vnto him that giueth ayde and reléefe to all such as [Page] craue it at his hands: that was, the most merciful God our Lord Iesus Christ. Then I began afresh to sigh, lamen­ting and bewayling my former sinnes, asking mercie and forgiuenes for them, and committing my selfe vnto his di­uine will and pleasure, I besought him to deliuer me from that cruell death: with promise, that if it pleased him to giue me life, I would become a new man euer after. Then I made my prayers vnto the most glorious Saint Marie, his Mother and our Ladie, promising to visite her in her houses of Monferrat, of Guadalupe, and on the borders of France. After that, directing my supplications vnto all the Saints, but specially vnto S. Eli [...]us, and vnto Monsieur S Amador, which both haue power ouer the waters. This done, I rehearsed certaine oraisons, as manie as I could remember (learned of my master) which with most great deuotion I vttered, besides diuers other prayers, which haue force and power against the perills of the water. Which done, in the ende the Lord Iesus, by the vertue of his passion, and by the force of the Saints prayers, and for the pitie of my great miserie, which as then appeared be­fore mine eies, wrought in me a most maruellous and rare miracle, although in respect of his mightie power it séemed nothing: which was, that I being thus in manner with­out a soule, sicke, and halfe choaked with the great quanti­tie of water, which (as I said before) had entered into my bodie, to my no little damage, and likewise being stiffe, and as it were dead with cold, that still assailed me: which, as long as my preseruer the wine remained in his force, I ne­uer once did feele. My sorrowfull bodie being wearied, and as it were broken in péeces, by meanes of the anguish and continuall persecution thereof, together with the disconti­nuance of eating meate, I sodainly felt my selfe to be chan­ged from the shape of a man (which I had béen, not féeling either hand or foote) vnto the verie shape and forme of those which had and did at that present besiege me round about. Whose shape when I perceiued my selfe to be changed in­to, [Page] I presently knew them to be fishes called a Tonnie, and then I vnderstood how they sought my death, saying, This is the traitor, and the enemie of our sauery and most sacred waters: this is the aduersarie, not onely of vs, but also of all other Fishes, which at this present hath made such an execution and slaughter among vs, killing and murthering so great multitudes of our nation: it is not possible for him to escape from hence, but day once appearing wee will bee reuenged on him. Thus I heard the iudgement, which my masters the fishes pronounced against mee, beeing a Tonny as well as they. In this manner being chaunged, I rested and refreshed my selfe in the Water, taking my breath, and finding my selfe as cléerely without paine or gréefe, as if I neuer had anie, washing my body both with­in and without with that water, which then and from that time forward I found to be verie swéete and sauerie, view­ing and beholding my selfe, if I could perceiue anie part of my bodie that was not changed into a Tonnie: and so, re­maining in the caue in great ease and pleasure, I thought with my selfe, that it would be good for me as soone as day came to get mee out from thence: but then I feared they would know me, and so my conuersion should be manifest vnto them. On the other side, I feared my issuing forth, distrusting in my selfe, that they could not vnderstand me, and that I could not bee able to aunswere them vnto that which they should aske mee, by which meanes my secrete might be discouered. For although I vnderstood them ve­rie well, and that I perceiued my selfe to be of their forme and shape, yet I greatly feared to be among them. In the end, I determined the best way for mee was, that they should not finde me within the caue: for they finding mee not to be of their companie, and Lazarus de Tormes not be­ing found, they will straight iudge me to haue saued him, and so will demaund an accompt of him at my hands. For the which cause it séemed best vnto me, that I going out of the caue before it were day, and thrusting my selfe among [Page] them, being so great a number, peraduenture they would not sée me, neither yet once finde me to bee a stranger: and as I determined with my selfe, so I put it in effect.

CHAP. II. How Lazarus de Tormes called a Tonny fish, went out of the caue, and how the Centinells of the Tonny fishes tooke him, and lead him before the Generall of the Armie.

IN skipping out of the caue and leauing the rocke, I was presently desirous to proue my new language, and began with a loud voyce to say, I dye, I dye. Those words scarce vttered by mee, the Centinell which held the watch ouer the poore sinner Lazaro de Tormes, came vnto me, & stan­ding about me, asked me whom I serued. Sirs, said I, I serue the Fishes, and those which are called the valiaunt Tonnyes. Then said they, for what cause didst thou crye out so lowd? what is it that thou hast séene or felt in our aduersarie, whereby thou art so altered and perplexed, that thou knowest not vnder what Captaine thou seruest? I said they should bring me before the Generall of the Ar­mie, and there they should know that which they demaun­ded. Presently thereupon one of the Tonnyes willed ten of the rest to bring me vnto the Generall: meane while hee stayed behinde kéeping the watch, with the number of ten thousand Tonnyes at the least. I was excéeding glad to perceiue that they did vnderstand mee, and sayd vnto my selfe, He that shewed me this great grace, maketh no man lame.

Thus we marched, and at last as daye began to appeare wee approached néere vnto the place where the great Ar­mie lay, whereas I perceiued such an innumerable num­ber of Tonnyes, that I was abashed at the sight. As soone as they knew those which led me, they suffered vs to passe forward: and beeing entered into the Generalls lodging, [Page] one of my guard making humble reuerence, declared vnto him, where and in what manner they had found me, & that I being asked by Captaine Licio what I was, I answered him, that they should bring me before the Generall: and for that cause they said they had brought me vnto his Honour. The Captaine generall was an excellent Tonnie, fiercer and greater in body than the rest: he asked me, who I was, what was my name, vnder what captaine I serued, & what I would haue, séeing I desired to be brought before him? Whereat I stood in a manner confused, not knowing what name to saye I had, although I had beene rightly baptized, vnles I should say my name was Lazaro de Tormes: nei­ther could I better tell frō whence I was, nor vnder what Captaine I serued, by reason I was but newly transfor­med, nor knew not the seas, neither yet the large territo­ries, and the perticular names of the same: in such sort, that letting passe some of the questions by the General pro­pounded vnto me, I answered him thus. My Lord, your honour being so valiant, as it is well knowen throughout the seas, it seemeth a great disgrace vnto your Honour and vs all, that one miserable weake man should defend him­selfe so long gainst so puissant and mightie an Armie: and the more, considering his weake estate and abilitie, and the great power of the Tonnies. Saying further, séeing that I am one of your Honors subiects, and at your commaun­dement, and of your Armie, I here present my selfe, with promise to get and deliuer vnto you his Armes, and other things that he hath: which if I doo not, I desire for my re­ward that you commaund me presently to be cruely execu­ted as a traitor. Yet whatsoeuer I said, I was sure I made him no promise to deliuer Lazaro de Tormes vnto him, left I should bring a foole to bed. This point proceeded not of mine owne mother wit, but I learned it of my master at schoole. Whereat the Generall tooke great pleasure to sée mee offer my selfe vnto such a péece of seruice: by which meanes he desired not anie farther matter of me, but pre­sently [Page] making me answere said. It is verie true that to a­uoyde the death of my souldiers, I determined to holde a siege about that traitor, and to take the man: but if (as thou saist) thou dost aduenture thy selfe to enter the caue, thou shalt be well rewarded for thy labour: although it would gréeue me much, that venturing thy person in the Kings seruice and mine, thou shouldst loose thy life, as others haue done before thée: because I estéeme much, and make great accompt of my valiant and stout Tonnyes, and such as are more hardie than the rest, I desire to preserue them before others, as all good Captaines ought to doo. My Lord, sayd I, let not your excellencie stand in feare of any danger that may happen vnto me, for I hope to bring the matter to ef­fect without the losse of one drop of my bloud. Séeing it is so said hee, it is surely a great péece of seruice, for the which I meane to recompence thée well: and for that it is day already, I am desirous to sée how thou wilt accomplish that which thou hast promised. Thereupon hee presently sent vnto all the Officers of the Field, that they should march forwards vnto the place where the enemie lay. It was a wonderfull thing to sée so great and mightie a campe to remoue, and I suppose, that whosoeuer had séene them, would haue béen abashed. The Generall caused me to go on the one side by himselfe, by the way asking me what or­der I meant to hold in the entring of the caue. I told him counterfetting and faining manie stratagems and deuices. Meane time we approached néere vnto the place where the Centinels stood about the Rocke, and to Captaine Licio, that had sent me vnto the Generall: who at that time was in verie good order about the rocke, holding each place a­bout the caue straightly besieged. And yet all this not­withstanding, not one of them durst once be so hardie as to approach néere vnto the entrie of the same, by reason that the Generall had sent speciall commaundement to the con­trarie, thereby to auoyd the damage that Lazarus did vnto them: because that at such time as I was conuerted into a [Page] Tonny fish, I let the sword stand vpright in the entrie of the Caue, and in such manner as I helde it in my hands when I was a man, which the Tonnyes saw, fearing that their enemie helde it in his hands, and that hee stood right before the entrie of the caue. As we approached néere vn­to the place, I said vnto the Generall, it were good hee should commaund those that held centinell and siege about the caue to depart, and that he with al the rest should with­draw themselues from thence; which was presently done. I did that, because they should not perceiue the little labor I had to enter into the caue. Then I (being alone) gaue great and liuely flashes in the water, and skipping vp vnto the mouth of the caue, I made a shew of some great thing I ment to doo: meane time that I did this, the report went among them, that I had begun to enter into the caue, but said they, he will be slaine as well as others (altogether as hardie and bold as he) haue béen: let him alone, for assure your selues, you shal sée his lustines well cooled in the end. In the mean time I made show as though some resistance had bin made against me out of the caue, & that the enemie thrust at me, as he had done at others, whereat I made as though I skipped with my bodie from the one side to the o­ther. And as the Armie stood in this amaze, they had not the wits to perceiue that which in truth was not to be per­ceiued: sometime I approached vnto the caue, and assailed it with most great force, making as though I fought, and then againe I retired as I did before: which I did onely to make a shew of great matter, where none was. After I had done this thrée or foure times, standing somewhat distant from the caue, I began to roare with a loud voice, to that end the General and the whole Armie might heare me, saying: O miserable man, thinkest thou that thou canst defend thy selfe against the great power of our puissaunt Lord and and King, and against his valiant Captaine ge­nerall, with those of his mightie Armie? Thinkest thou to escape from hence, without being punished for thy great [Page] boldnes, and the great murthers, which by thy meanes haue béen done vpon our frends and companions? Yéelde, yéeld thy selfe (I say) a prisoner vnto the valiant and great Generall, and it may bee hee will bee mercifull vnto thée. Yéeld thine Armes, which haue so well serued thée at this present, and come forth of thy strong Hold wherein thou art, for it will little auaile thée to tarrie there, and put thy selfe into his power, with whom for power none within the whole compasse of the seas may once compare. I, (as I say) giuing these great and threatening speaches vnto poore Lazarus, & all to fill the eares of the hearers thereby to incourage them, as men are accustomed to doo, béeing a thing wherein they take much pleasure: a Tonny came vnto me from the Generall, willing me to come presently vnto him: with whom I went, and at my approaching, I found both him and all the rest almost dead with laughter, and such was the noyse that they made, that one could not heare the other by meanes thereof: but as I appeared be­fore him, beeing much amazed at such an alteration, the Generall commaunded that each man should bee quyet: whereat some silence was made, although the most part of them began againe to laugh, till at the last, with much paine, the Generall said vnto me: Companion, if thou holdest no other method in entring the Fort of our Ene­mie, than that thou hast alreadie showen, neither shalt thou accomplish thy promise, nor I be anie thing the wiser in standing to trust vpon thée: which maketh me the more to suspect it, in that I haue onely séene thée to assaile the en­trie of the Caue, and yet thou didst not enter: and more, that thou beginnest to perswade our aduersarie by speach, which euerie one can doo as well as thou. So that as farre as I and these the rest of my Campanie can perceiue, thou wouldest be verie glad to be well rid of so dangerous an ac­tion. Whereby it séemeth most apparant and euident vn­to vs, that all this time is but lost, and these words spent vainly to the winde, because I am certaine by this meanes [Page] thou canst not in a thousand yeares accomplish that which thou desirest, or hast said that thou couldest doo: and for this cause wee laughed at thée, and surely our laughter is not without iust cause, to sée thée stand prating vnto him, as if thou wert some iolly fellow: and then they all began a­gaine to laugh at me. With this I found mine owne want, and said within my selfe, If God had not preserued me to some other end than to féed those fooles, the vnaccustomed manner of behauiour that I vsed as a Tonnie, would haue béen cause of my decaye: which was specially by reason that I had onely their forme and not their nature. But I séeking to amend mine error, answered: My Lord, when anie man is desirous to effectuate that which hee hath in minde to doo, it happeneth vnto him as it doth vnto mee. Whereat the Generall and all the rest began againe to laugh, saying, Alas poore man thou art deceiued, for thou shouldest haue answered vnto mee (as it is true) that thou fearest, that in stead of renting his cloathes, he will teare thy bodie. With that hee left off speaking for that time. Wherewith I seeing that still my want of behauiour ap­peared, and perceiuing that with a few more of such checks I might soone be mated, I began also to laugh with them for companie, but God knowes I grinned with no small feare, which at that time I had: and therewith I said vn­to the Generall, My Lord, it may please you not to thinke that my feare is such as some of you doo presume, because that hauing to doo with a man, you thinke that the tongue vttereth that which the heart meaneth: but it séemeth vn­to me, that I stay ouer long to accomplish my promise, and to take vengeance in your behalfe of this our enemie, wherefore with your Honours license I would willingly craue that I might returne to make an ende of my enter­prise. Thou hast thy request said he. Then I with no lit­tle shame and feare returned towards the caue, thinking thereafter (as it touched me néere) to be wiser and circum­specter in my speach. And approaching vnto the Caue, I [Page] made as though I had bene striken, and faining to retire, I skipped sodeinly vnto the entery of the hole, and tooke that with my mouth, which at other times I vsed to doe with my handes: which done, I studied, thinking with my selfe, whether it were best for mee to enter into the Caue, or to go and deliuer the Sword vnto the Generall, to whome I had promised the same. In the ende I considered, that if I should go in, I might peraduenture be accused of theft, say­ing, that I had eaten him, séeing hee was not there to bee found, which had bene a thing worthie of punishment. At the last I turned my selfe vnto the Army, the which I prai­ed to help me, because they had séene me recouer the sword, and yet to shewe more courage, hauing gotten it vpon the rocke, then when I tooke it at the mouth of the Caue, I skirmished with the same, wreathing & turning my mouth, looking on all sides both backward and foreward, and com­ming vnto the Generall, with humble salutation, holding the sword as well as I could, (by the hilts) in my mouth, I said; Valiant Captain, Behold here the Armes of our cru­ell enemy, from this time forth there is no cause of feare, why we should not enter into the Caue, séeing he hath not any thing wherewith to defend the same. You haue (saide he) done like a valiaunt Tonny, and assure your selfe you shall be well rewarded for so great a péece of seruice, and for because with so great valour and hardinesse, you haue got­ten the sword, and that it séemeth vnto me, you can better skill of it then the rest of vs, I pray you holde it still vntill we haue gotten this vnhappie and wicked traitor into our hands. With that an infinit nomber of the Tonnies went vnto the mouth of the Caue, but yet not one of them durst be so bold to enter into the same, because they feared that he was not without a poniard, then I profered my selfe to be the first that wold venture for to enter, so that some of them would follow and assist me: and this I desired, onely be­cause I meant to haue witnesses of my innocency, but such was the feare whiche they had of Lazarus, that not one of [Page] them sought to follow me, although the Generall promi­sed great gifts vnto him that should second me. The thing standing in this point, the Generall asked mee, what I thought best to bee done therein, séeing not one of them was desirous to beare me companie in that dangerous en­trance. I answered, that for his seruice I would venter to enter therein my selfe alone, so they would assure mee the entrie, and that they should not feare to stand by me. Hée said it should be so, and if so be that those which were there durst not doo it, he promised to follow me himselfe. In the meane time Capiaine Licio came vnto vs, and said that he would enter in with me: wherewith I began to skirmish on all sides of the caue with my sword, and to giue diuers fierce prickes with the same, and at the last skipped in, cry­ing with a lowd voyce, Ʋictoria, Victoria, God saue the the great sea, with her great and puissant inhabitants of the same, and confound those which dwell vpon the Land. With these cries (although but full euill fauouredly vtte­red) Captaine Licio (of whom I spake before) entred after me, who at that day wan much renowne, and recouered with mee much credite, in showing himselfe so hardie and valiant aboue the rest: yet it séemed vnto me, that one wit­nes was not sufficient to discharge mee, and therefore not leauing the entrie of the caue, I desired more helpe: but all in vaine was my request, for the diuell take them all, not one of them durst once venter to enter. And surely they were not greatly to be blamed therein, for I assure yee in my conscience that I my selfe should haue done as much, if I had thought the thing to bee as they tooke it, (for what should a man doo but speake the truth): but for mee, I en­tred therein, as into mine owne house, knowing very well before, that there was not so much as a snayle within the same. Then I began to animate them thereunto, saying, O mightie, great and valiant Tonnyes, show foorth this day your force and accustomed boldnes, séeing that such an occasion is offered, whereby you may win honour and re­nowne. [Page] Are you not ashamed to show so little courage? Know yee not that your Enemies will from hencefoorth e­stéeme but little of yee, when they shall sée and vnderstand your small courage? With these and other things spoken vnto them by mee, the Generall himselfe (although with more shame than otherwise) entered in, crying, Peace, peace: by which words I vnderstood verie well, that hee brought not all in with him, séeing that in time of so great warres, he proclaimed peace. As soone as he was entred, he willed the rest to enter, which I thinke entred full euill against their wills: but when they perceiued not poore Lazarus, nor yet anie defence against them, although I gaue great blowes and thrusts against the sides of the caue with my sword, they were all amazed. And the Generall was ashamed of the small companie that approached to helpe me and Captaine Licio,

CHAP. III. How after that Lazarus with all the Tonnyes had entered in the caue, and finding nothing therein but Lazrroes cloathes, there entred so manie, that they thought to be smothered therein: and what remedie Lazarus de­uised for the same.

SEarch hauing béen made round about the Caue, wee found the apparell of the valiant Tonny Lazarus de Tormes, for they were left behinde me when I was turned into a fish: yet when I saw them I was in no small feare, doubting least my poore bodie had béen still within them, and that the foule onely had béen turned into a Tonny: but as God would I found not my selfe there, and then I knew assuredly, that both in bodie and soule I was turned into a fish. Yet I was not well in my minde, because neuerthe­lesse I felt no small paine, and it gréeued mee in my verie flesh, to sée those garments that had fitted my bodie so well beeing a man, to bee so iniuriously torne and plucked in [Page] péeces by those which did it with so good a will, and yet I was constrained to do the like my self, because I would not séeme to vary from those of my company, thereby offering occasion to be perceiued. At this fight the Generall and the rest being astonished, and looking rounde about verie cir­cumspectly, yet not without feare, although they desired to méete with that which they founde, after that they had well searched and compassed the litle Caue, the Captaine Gene­rall spake, asking me what I thought as touching the not finding of our aduersary there. My Lord said I, without doubt, I thinke verely this was no man, but rather some diuel, which tooke the shape of a man vpon him, for our de­struction and domage; for that who euer sawe, or heard it reported, that the bodie of a man could sustain it selfe so long time vnder the water, or yet coulde doe as this man hath done, and in the ende holding him enclosed in such a place as this is, and standing so neare as we did, he to haue esca­ped in the sight of vs all. I hauing said my opinion, and be­ing readie to make an ende thereof, there happened a grea­ter daunger vnto vs, which was, that as the Tonnies that were without, began to enter into the Caue, they came in so fast, perceiuing themselues to bee deliuered of their ene­mie, and to get part of the spoile, as also to bee reuenged of the murthers, hee had committed vpon their companions and friends, that when we looked about vs, the Caue was so full, that from the very bottome vnto the toppe, men could scarce finde any space within the same, but that all was full of Tonnies, and so heaped one vpō the other, that we were almost all smothered to death: for as I said before, there was no ende of their entering in, vntill suche time as the Generall began to deuise how he might remedie the mat­ter, in such sort, that he perceiuing the necessitie of the case, and the great perill wherein wee stood, saide vnto me, My stout and valiant companion, what meanes shall we finde for to get out from hence with our liues, séeing as thou sée­est the daunger beginneth more and more to encrease, and [Page] yet we are all in a maner smothered to death? My Lord said I, the best remedie will be, if these which are here before vs could giue vs place, that I might get vnto the entery of the Caue, and defend it with my sword that no more might enter in, these that are in might go forth, and we likewise with them, al with­out daunger. But that is impossible, because there are so many Tonnies vpon vs, and you shall sée, that all this notwithstan­ding, they cannot let, but that still there will more enter in, be­cause that he which is without, thinketh that those that are here within, are diuiding the spoiles, and desire their part thereof, so that there is but one onely remedie to helpe vs: which is, if for to escape, your honor thinke it good that some of these that are within should die, because that to make roome for your ho­nour it cannot bee done without hurt vnto the rest: séeing it is so (said he) it is good to saue the best and loose the worst, that all the rest may reioyce. Séeing that you (said I) doth commaund it as hauing authoritie, it may please your honor to discharge me in this action from all damage that may happen vnto me there­by. There shall not only (said he) not any harme be done vnto thée, but also I promise thée, that for thy paines thou shalt bee well rewarded: for in such extremities it is a great benefit vn­to the armie that the Captain should be saued, and I had rather saue one scale of my self then any subiect vnder me. O Captains said I vnto my selfe, which make small account of other mens liues, so you may saue your owne, many there be that do as this Captaine doth, but how farre different are suche mens actions from that which I haue heard reported of one Paulus Decius, a noble Romane Captaine, when the Latins conspired against the Romanes, and both the armies being readie to ioyne, the night before the battaile should be, the saide Decius dreamed, that it was ordeined by the Gods, that if he died in the battaile, the Romanes should ouercome and get the victorie against the Latins, and if otherwise hee were saued and escaped, then the Romanes should bee ouerthrowne, and the first thing he did, (when the battailes began to ioyne) was to set himselfe in such a dangerous place, that he could not by any meanes escape with his life, because the Romans should be victors, and so they were: [Page] but our great Generall Tonney, did not followe him in this pointe. Then I considering of the securitie which hée promi­sed me, and the great necessitie that vrged me thereunto, to­gither with the meanes I then might haue to bee reuenged of the euill entertainment and straunge lodging wherein these wicked and peruerse Tonnies had put mee. I began to flou­rish with my sworde, and to strike the best I coulde both on the left and on the right side, saying, Foorth, foorth, you vn­discréete Tonnies, whiche smother our noble Captaine in this Caue, and then striking and thrusting both backward and for­ward, in a short time, I dispatched no small number of them, not regarding, or respecting any one, but only Captaine Licio, who for that I perceiue his good will towards me in entring of the Caue, I bare some affection vnto him, and to say truth I loued him very well, whereby I lost nothing, as hereafter shall bee showne: At the whiche sight, those that were within the Caue, séeing the great slaughter, beganne to dislodge, and looke with howe great a force they entered, they issued foorth with a greater. Which newes when those that were without knew, and sawe some of their companions issue foorth bléeding, as be­ing wounded, they sought no more to enter, and by that meanes they left vs alone with the dead Tonnies, whereby I placed my selfe at the mouth of the Caue, and then beganne to giue diuerse fierce thrustes out of the same. And in my opinion I thought my selfe as nimble with my sword which then I held in my téethe, as when I vsed to holde it in my hand.

After that, I hauing dispatched our Generall and those that were with him out of trouble and smothering, they beganne to suppe of the water whiche at that present time was turned into blood: And likewise to teare, rent, and eate, those mi­serable dead Tonnies that I had slaine. Which I perceiuing, beganne to beare them company, and yet it séemed newes vnto me to handle them in that sort, although I had eaten of them before in Toledo, but not so freshe as I eate them then: and in that manner I filled my selfe with great store of swéete and sa­uourie Fishe, not letting to doo it, notwithstanding all the great and terrible threatenings, that those which were with­out [Page] made against me for the damage I had done among them. Hauing ended our banquet, when the Generall thought it con­uenient time, we issued foorth, I giuing him to vnderstand of the euill will and meaning that those whiche were without had against mée, that his excellencie might prouide for my safetie and securitie. Hée going foorth well satisfied and filled, (at which time they said it is best hauing to do with great lords) caused it to bee proclaimed openly, that whosoeuer were ene­mies either in word or déede vnto the valiaunt straunger Ton­ny, that they should die for it, and that they and their heires shoulde bee alwaies holden and accounted for Traytors, and that their goods should bee confiscated vnto the Kings vse: for if the saide straunger Tonny did them any damage or hurt, it was because they were Rebelles, and had broken the Com­mission of their Captaine, and by their negligent ouersight, had put him in great daunger of death: With whiche Procla­mation euerie one séemed to bee content, and agreed that those which died in the Caue, by that meanes had well de­serued the same, and that the liuing should from thencefoorth put vp the quarrell, and liue in peace.

This done, the Generall caused all the other Captaines, maisters of the fielde, and vnder Officers, whiche had anie charge of the Armie, to bee called togither, willing as many of them as had not beene within the Caue, to goe in, and to diuide the spoyle they shoulde finde among them, which was soone done, for there were so many that they had scarce euerie one a morsell of a Tonny. They comming foorth, because they though it good, that euerie one should haue his part of the spoyle, proclaimed openly, that eache one might enter who woulde, whiche the common sorte did soone performe, for anie thing that was to bee founde there, vnlesse it were certaine droppes of blood, and Lazarus cloathes.

Héere I haue set downe for a perpetuall memorie, the cru­eltie of these Fishes, and howe farre differente the state of man is, from this of theirs. For put the case that here vp­pon earth there be diuerse men to be founde dwelling, which séeke after some cunning sort, and in some couetous maner [Page] to deuoure their neighbours goods, which I doubt are more to be founde at this present, then hath bene heretofore, by reason that mens consciences are now far larger than they haue bene in times past, yet there are none such to be found that are so void of reason or humanitie, that they doo, or would eate their neigh­bors flesh. Wherefore such men as daily do complaine of cer­taine wrongs and iniuries done vnto them vpon earth, let them (say I) come vnto the seas, and they shall soone perceiue those things to be bread and hony which they complaine of, in respect of that which is to be found among the fishes.

CHAP. IIII. Lazarus sheweth what an euill rewarde the Generall of the Tonnies gaue him for his seruice, and of the friendship he entered into with Captaine Licius.

BVut returning vnto the matter, the next day after, the Ge­nerall being in his Chamber, tooke me aside, and said vnto me, Valiant and stout straunger Tonny, I haue determined with my selfe, that thy good seruices and counsels shall be well rewarded, for if suche as thou art seruing as thou haste done, should not be rewarded, there would none be found in great ar­mies, that would venture their persons in any daungerous ser­uice: wherefore in respect thereof, thou shalt from henceforth be assured of our fauour and good wil, and withall thou shalt be fréely pardoned, of all the murthers and massacres by thée com­mitted vppon our souldiers and companions within the Caue, and in memorie of the good seruice thou didst in my behalfe, de­liuering me from the perill of death, thou shalt possesse and en­ioy (as thine owne proper good) this sword wherewith thou hast done vs so much damage, because I sée thou canst manage it so well, (but yet with this prouiso,) that if with the same thou shalt hereafter commit any violence, or do any wrong vnto our subiects, and the naturall Tonnies of our soueraigne Lord the King, thou shalt die for it, and herewith it séemeth vnto me thou art well rewarded, and from henceforth thou maist returne vn­to the place from whence thou didst come. And so showing me [Page] no great good countenance, he left me, and went vnto the rest of his companie. Wherwith hearing him vtter such speaches vn­to mee, I was so astonished, that I stood almost without either sense or féeling, because I looked (at the least) hee should haue made me some great man (I should haue said a Tonny) for my good seruice, giuing me a charge during my life of some great Signiory in the sea, as he before had offered vnto me. O Alex­ander said I vnto my selfe, thou didst distribute and spred among thy souldiers such spoyles and riches as thou wonst from thine enemies: I haue likewise heard of Caius Fabritius, a Romane Captaine, in what manner hee rewarded and crowned those which first did aduenture themselues to enter into the Listes: and thou Gonzago Hernandes General of the Spaniards, didst giue other manner of rewards vnto such as séeking to resem­ble the braue souldier in the seruice of their King, and to aug­ment thine honour, did put themselues into all hazards of the field: for that all such as did serue and follow thée, to how many of them didst thou giue great rewards? that of poore and néedy souldiers thou madest them both valiant and rich: not as this vnworthie Tonny doth, rewarding me with that, which in Cocodouer had cost mee but thrée royalls and a halfe. Let those therefore that complaine of great Lords vppon earth, comfort themselues herein, séeing that in the déepe seas there are such small rewards bestowed by great Lords. I standing in this sort, thus pensiue and sad, Captaine Licio perceiuing it, came vnto me, and said: Sir, to such as trust in great Lords & Cap­taines, it hapneth oftentimes as it doth vnto thée: for they, stan­ding in néed of other mens aid, doo make manie great promises, but being deliuered out of danger, they doo not once so much as remember their promise made. I my selfe am witnes of thy great and good seruice, and of all thou hast so valiantly done, as he that hath béen present by thée, and I sée likewise the euill re­ward that thy valour and prowesse hath receiued, besides the great perill wherein thou art: wherefore I am desirous thou shouldst vnderstand, that manie of these which are heere present before thée, doo among themselues conspire thy death. There­fore I will not that thou depart out of my companie, for that I am bound to doo for thée as for mine owne childe, and to fauour [Page] and aid thée: not onely with mine owne, but also with the aid of my frends, to the vttermost of our powers, for it should be a most great damage, to loose so valiant and hardie a fish as thou art. For the which his great curtesie, I rendred him most har­tie thankes, withall accepting of his gentle and courteous of­fer made vnto me: in lieu whereof I presented my small abi­litie vnto him, offring to be readie at all times to doo him what seruice I could: and wherewith hee séemed to be so well con­tent, that presently he called vnto him fiftéene hundred Ton­nyes of his Regiment, willing them from that time forward to take charge to guard me, and to beare mee companie in such manner as vnto himselfe: so that neither night nor day they did once depart from me, & that they did verie willingly, for there were not manie among them that hated mee: and as I suppo­sed, there was no small number among the rest of the great Armie, which did beare mee good will, by reason that they be­held me at such time as we fought to show forth my great va­lour and force. In this manner Captaine Licio and I entered into league and frendship, which we shewed by no small signes one vnto the other, as after you shall heare. Of him I learned manie things touching the customes and manners of the inha­bitants of the Seas, together with the names and prouinces, kingdomes and signiories of the same, and the names of the Lords and Gouernors thereof. In such sort, that in short space he made me as experient in them, or rather more, than the na­turall Tonnyes themselues: for that I could better discourse vppon them, than they were able to doo. Not long after, our Campe brake vp, and the Generall willed that each Captaine should depart, and that within two months after all the Cap­taines should repaire againe vnto the Court, for it was the Kings pleasure. Wherewith my frend and I departed, and all his Companie, which (to my iudgement) were about ten thousand Tonnyes: among the which there were not aboue ten Females, and those were labouring Tonnyes, such as a­mong Souldiers are accustomed to wash and get their liuing. There I saw the deuises that those Fishes vsed to finde out meate to sustaine themselues: which is in this manner. They scatter and spread themselues abroad on all sides in certain pla­ces, [Page] each Companie holding the circuite of a league and more, and if it fortune that two Companies doo chaunce to méete, they turne their heads one against the other, making forward to ioyne together, and all the Fishes which they take in the midst betwéene them, are sure to die, and to bee torne in péeces with their téeth. And in this manner doo they hunt twice or thrice euerie day, as they chaunce to issue foorth. Thus we fil­led our bellies with great store of swéete and sauerie fishes, ve­refying the olde Prouerbe, which saith, that the great fishes deuoure the small: for that if in our circuite we found anie greater fishes than our selues, wee presently gaue them a pas­port, suffering them to passe away without anie brabling, vn­lesse they desired to remaine with vs, helping vs to kill & eate other Fishes, according vnto the common saying, Hee that ta­keth no paines for his liuing, is not worthie to eate. At one time among others, we tooke certaine Cuttle fishes, whereof, the biggest among the rest I saued and kept for my slaue, and made him my page to beare my sword: by which meanes I had my mouth at libertie, and not cumbred with the same, and my Page turning one of his sinnes backward (in manner of a ring) carried it verie easely at his pleasure, ietting and brag­ging among the rest. In this manner wee trauelled for the space of eight Sunnes, (for that in the Sea the dayes are so called) at the ende whereof wee drew néere vnto the place, where my frend and those of his Regiment kept their wiues and children: of whom wee were receiued with most great ioy, and euerie one went home vnto his owne house, leauing me in the Captaines lodging, being after the sea manner ve­rie stately.

We being entered into the Captaine Licioes house, he sayd thus vnto his Wife: Gentlewoman, the gaynes which I bring you of this Voyage, is to haue gotten for my frend this gentle Tonny, which héere you sée. The which purchase I make no small accompt of: wherefore I pray you let him bee welcome vnto you, and giue him as good entertainment, as you were accustomed to doo vnto my brother: for therein you shall doo mee a singular great pleasure, because I honour and admire his vertues.

[Page]She was a verie faire Tonny, & with a verie good grace made him answere: Sir, assure your selfe it shall be done as you re­quire, and if anie default be found in me, it shall not be for want of good will. Whereat I made an humble reuerence, and fell downe, desiring her to giue mee her hands that I might kisse them: which I spake some what softly, so that (as it chaunced) they neither saw nor heard my folly. But I said vnto my selfe, what a foole am I, to desire to kisse her hands, that hath nothing but a tayle? The Tonny gaue me a swéete kisse, willing me to rise vp, and so I was most curteously receiued of her: and offe­ring vnto her my seruice, it was verie well accepted of, and re­ceiued so wise an answere of her againe, as of so honourable a Gentlewoman might be giuen. In this manner we remained there certaine dayes in great pleasure, I being verie well vsed and intertained by those Gentlemen, and wayted vppon by his seruants. In the meane time I taught the Captaine to play at sence, although I neuer had learned in all my life: and yet I did it very nimbly with my sword, which he praised very much as likewise a brother of his called Melo, a verie braue Tonny. Resting thus at mine ease, one night beeing alone in my bed, and thinking vpon the great fauour and frendship I had found in this fish, my great frend, desiring if occasion might bee offe­red to doo somewhat for him, as part of a recompence of the great debt which in that behalfe I ought him: at the last there came vnto my minde a great seruice that I might doo, which in the morning I imparted vnto him: which he tooke in good part, because it was not to be disliked, and which stood him in great stead, as hereafter shall be showen. The thing was thus, that I séeing him to be so wel affectionate to armes, told him that he should doo well to send to the place where our shipwracke hap­pened, and that there hee should finde manie swords, speares, ponyards, and other manner of Armes, and that they should bring away as manie as they could finde: for that I was min­ded to take the charge vppon mee to learne our Companie the managing of them with much dexteritie: which if I brought to passe, his Companie should thereby be the most strong & va­liant aboue all others, and which the King and all the Sea would most accompt of, because that by that meanes it would [Page] be more worthie for strength than all the rest ioyned together, whereby hee might obtaine much honour and profite. This séemed vnto him to be the counsell of a verie good frend, for the which he gaue me most heartie thankes: and presently there­vpon putting my counsell and aduice in effect, hee sent in all hast his Brother Melo with sixe thousand Tonnyes vnto the place by me alleadged, who verie shortly after with great dili­gence returned againe, bringing with them an infinite num­ber of swords and other weapons, whereof diuers were all ru­stie: which should séeme to haue laine in the sea since the time that the valiant Captaine Don Luigo de Moncada suffred ship­wracke in that place. The Armes beeing brought, they were deuided amongst those Tonnnyes that séemed vnto vs to be the most nimble & of best courage among them. And then the Cap­taine on the one side, his Brother on the other, & I as the chiefe Master of Defence, taught such as desired to be expert in their weapon: so that we imployed our whole time in learning them to manage their Armes, and to defend themselues therewith. Whereby in short space there were some among them that could giue the thrust, the crosse blow, and the reuerse: as for the rest that dealt not in their weapons, wee appointed them to hunt and séeke for victualls: and the women wee learned to scowre our weapons, by a fine inuention that I deuised: which was that they should thrust them into the sand, and draw them forth againe so long, vntill they waxed bright. In such manner, that our companie being ioyned altogether, hee that should be­hold that part of the sea, would thinke he saw a great battaile in the water. In the ende, by this meanes there was almost not one of the Tonnies but began to be very expert in his wea­pon. Hereupon we entred into counsell, and in the same it was agréed, that we should make a perpetuall league & amitie with the cuttle fishes, whereby they might come and liue among vs, because with their large sinnes they might doo vs great seruice to beare our Armes: and so it was done, and they were glad of it, because they saw we tooke them for our frends, and maintai­ned them: the which (as I said before) might serue our turnes in that point without anie paine or trouble vnto them. About this time, the space of two moneths appointed by the Gene­rall [Page] for the Captaines repaire vnto the Court began to draw néere: at the end whereof, the Captaine generall sent comman­dement that they should come thither. Whereupon Licio began to make preparation for his iourney, and betwéen him and I it was debated, whether it should be good for me to goe with him to the court, to do my humble dutie vnto the king, that he might know me: but we found it not conuenient, considering the Ge­nerall séemed to beare me no great good wil, and that he had ex­presly commanded me to returne vnto mine owne countrie: for the which cause, the matter being throughly debated in the pre­sence of Melo, brother vnto Captaine Licio (a Tonny of singu­lar good wit) and of the no lesse wise Tonny his wife, their ad­uice at y^e present was, that I should stay there with her. Wher­vpon he determined to go in all spéed, and to take but few of his men with him, & being at the Court, he would informe the king of me, and of my great valor, and vpon the Kings answere we should procéed. This being agréed vpon among vs, the good cap­taine Licio departed on his iourney with very néere a thousand Tonnies, his brother Melo & I with al the rest staying at home in our lodgings: and at his departure from me, taking me aside he said vnto me, My verie frend, I must of force let you vnder­stand, that I depart from hence with no small gréefe, by reason of a dreame I had this last night, I pray God it fall not out to be true: but if to my euill fortune it should happen to be true, I pray you that you will take it in good part, and thinke vpon that which you haue giuen me in charge, and hereof I pray you de­sire not to know anie farther at this present, because it is nei­ther cōuenient for you nor me. I besought him much to declare the same vnto me, and the rather, because at his departure from his wife, his brother & the rest, he gaue me a nod with his head, (although verie sadly) leauing me verie sorrowfull and heauy. He being gone, I could not but thinke vpon the matter, and di­uers things ran in my minde touching the same: & among the rest, I supposed this one to be it, y^e peraduenture he vnto whom I was so much beholding might thinke, that the beautie of his wife, (which most commonly is not matched with the greatest honestie) would blinde me so much, that I could not sée how the sea doth abhorre so great a wickednes. But that good law is at, [Page] this day much corrupted on the earth, & in the sea it is the like, but it is no meruaile. In this conceipt I continued long, and in the end I deuised a meane whereby he might be assured of me, and my loyaltie no way suspected: which was thus, that I and her brother in law being with her, (after some salutations and comforts offred vnto her on our parts, thereby to put her out of the melancholy humor which we perceiued to be in her, because of her husbands departure, and the rather to behold him so sad and heauie, although that he hid it both from her and me at his departure from vs) I told Melo that I desired to be his guest, if be thought it good, because I could not be merrie, being alway in companie of women: & rather than I should be troublesome vnto her, I would leaue the house. She was presently readie to make me an answere, saying, that if she found anie meanes of comfort, she thought it would be by reason that I was in her house, and at her commandement, she knowing verie well the great loue and affection that her husband bare vnto me, & that at the time of his departure from her, he gaue her not any grea­ter charge, than of the care that she was to haue of me, althogh I suspected not what the cause was: for our thoughts did ra­ther disagrée. In the end, I thinking that it might be with the Tonny fishes, as it was with me in the same case, touching my wife Eluira, and my master the Priest, could neuer be in quiet, but desired rather to be with her brother in law, and whensoe­uer I went to visite her, I brought him alwaies with me.

CHAP. V. Lazarus telleth what happened vnto Captaine Licio his frend at the Court, by meanes of the Captaine generall.

BEing sometimes hunting, and sometimes exercising our weapons, within eight dayes after my frends departure, newes was brought vs, which made vs the most sorrowfull fishes in the sea. Being thus, that when the Captaine generall vsed me so hardly, as I told you before, he willed me to depart out of the Army, saying, that those Tonnies which found them­selues agréeued at me, because of my offence committed against them, would be reuenged: and afterwards he had commaunded [Page] certaine Tonnies, that finding me alone from al company, they should presently kill me, and for no other cause more than that it séemed vnto him (as it was very true) that I would be a wit­nes of his cowardlines, for other cause there was none, but on­ly where desert is it ought to be recompenced: but God preuen­ted this mischiefe, putting (as I thinke) into Licioes hart, the fauor he shewed me. Which being knowen vnto the Generall, he bare him likewise most great hatred & euill will, affirming and swearing that that which Licio did vnto me, was for to vex and gréue him: and knowing verie wel he had but a hard wit­nes of him, because he was with me, when the General entring into the caue cried, peace, peace. This together with that which the good Captaine (and better than he) had done vnto me, cau­sed him to procure this mischiefe against him, and as hee came vnto the Court, he went presently with great complaints vnto the King, accusing him as a traitor, saying, that one night as the said Licio was Captaine of the guard, and held the néerest Cen­tinell vnto the caue, for a great summe of money which was gi­uen him by the enemie, that he might escape, he left his watch. Which he affirmed to be true by diuers witnesses, and euen so God helpe him as he told the truth: for that Lazaro de Tormes could not giue any thing, vnles it wer a number of their heads that lay dead at his féete. And going on with his falshood, sayd, that he had brought from strange places, a most cruell and wic­ked Tonny, the which had slaine a great number of his Armie, with a sword that he carried in his mouth: wherewith he plaid his part so nimbly, that it was impossible for him to doo it, except he were some diuel, that for the destruction of the Tonnies had taken their shape vpon him: and that he perceiuing the great damage which the wicked Tonny had done, banished him from the armie vpon paine of death, and that the said Licio, in despite of the King and of his royall crowne, as also in despite of him, had entertained the said Tonny in his companie, & giuen him aide: for the which causes he affirmed him to be a traitor, and to haue incurred the danger of the lawes, and in respect thereof, he ought to be deliuered into the hands of the Iustices to be pu­nished for his offences, that by him others might take example, that hereafter none might break the Kings commandements. [Page] The King being thus wrong enformed, and worse counselled, giuing so much credit vnto his wicked Captaine, with two or thrée false witnesses that swore as he had taught them, and with a proofe made in the absence of the partie accused, the same day that Captaine Licio arriued at the Court, altogither innocent and ignorant of the matter, he was commanded to be taken and put into a cruell dungeon, with a great chaine about his necke: and commission giuen vnto the Captain Generall to kéep him safe; and to sée him punished according vnto his desert, who pre­sently prouided more then thirtie thousand Tonnies to watch him.

CHAP. VI. How that Lazarus vnderstanding of his friend Licios impri­sonment, was verie much greeued thereat, and all the rest of his company; and what order they tooke for the same.

THese sorrowfull and dolefull newes, were brought vs by some of those that went with him, declaring vnto vs how they had charged him in such sort as I sayd before, and in what maner he had béen heard, and that it would go hardly with him, by reason that all the Iudges which had to do in the cause, were suborned by the Generall, so that as they thought, the matter procéeding in such order as it did, he could not long escape from a most cruell death. (At that time I called to minde the old say­ing commonly vsed, and sayd vnto my selfe, When shalt thou ende thy aduentures? when thou shalt haue finisht a thousande misfortunes on the land, and many more in the seas.) At this their spéech, there beganne among vs a great lamentation and crie, but in my selfe a double sorrow, because that on the one side I sorowed for my friend, and on the other side, I lamented mine owne estate, for that wanting him, I had no hope of life, being then both in the middle of the seas, and of my enemies, altogi­ther without comfort and forsaken: for it séemed vnto me that all the company complained on me, and that with moste iustly and by good reason, for that I was the only cause that they must lose him whom they desired. Wherewith I sayd, You my Lord departed from me in great sorow, without once imparting your grief vnto me, now I sée well that you prognosticated my great [Page] losse, without all doubt sayd I, this is the dreame that you my good friend dreamed, this is that grief which at your departure leauing me, you left vs withall. And thus euery one mourned and lamented vnto himselfe, till at the last I spake in presence of them all. My Lady and you my Lord and friends, that which the sorrowfull newes hath constrained vs to do, hath béen iust­ly done, for each of vs by outward signe, doth show his inward griefe, but séeing that this our first motion is past, as it were in a moment, it is good reason my Lordes, séeing that with teares and complaintes, our losse is not recouered, that we giue order presently for the best remedie that may be deuised therein: and the same well wayed and considered, to put presently in effect, séeing that as these men say, the occasion of spéeding the matter which by those men that hate vs is ministred vnto vs, doth re­quire the same. To this the faire & chast Tonny his wife, shea­ding many teares from her gracious eies, answered me. All of vs (most valiant gentleman) do very wel perceiue & know that your reasons are most true, as also the soden necessitie which at this present offreth it self vnto vs, verifieth the same: wherfore if y^e these gentlemen and my friends were all of my opinion, we should all referre our selues vnto you, as vnto him whome God hath indowed with a most cleare & perfect iudgement, for séeing that Licio my Lord, being so wise & learned, did put you in trust with his most earnest & waightie affaires, and therein followed your counsell, I do not thinke that I erre any thing herein, (al­though I am but a weake & simple woman) in desiring you to take the charge vpon you, for the prouiding & ordeining of that which shall be conuenient to be done, for the safetie of him y^e lo­ued you with so sincere a loue, and to the comfort of this his so­rowfull wife, which by this meanes you shal alwaies bind vnto you.

This said, she returned vnto her complaints, and al we did the like. Melo & other Tonnies were with the captaines wife, and at y^e present agreed in one consent with her, giuing me the charge of y^e enterprise, offring themselues to follow me, and to do all whatsoeuer I would command them. I séeing y^t I was in dutie bound to do it, and to take vppon me all care & trouble for him, that for me was in such misery, tooke the matter vpon me, [Page] saying vnto them, I knew very wel, that euery one of you could do it better than I, but séeing that it pleaseth you so to appoint it, I am very well content therwith. They thanked me, and thē it was presently agreed vppon, that wee should make the same knowne vnto all the Regiment, which was presently done, so that within thrée daies after they were all gathered togither. I chose out for my Councell, twelue of the richest among them, not respecting their wisedoms if they were poore, because when I was a man I had séene that sufficiently done in diuers assem­blies, wherein many causes of importaunce were handled, be­cause (as I say) they looke not whether they be apparelled with wit, so they be apparelled in silke. These being chosen out, one of them was Melo, and an other the Captaines wife, a woman of great wisedome, a thing very well knowne both by land and seas.

This done, we sent vnto all the company that they should dine, and then repaire vnto vs in order of battaile, the armed with their armes, and y^e rest with their bare bodies, when they were come, I caused them to be numbred, and we found them to bee in all the number of tenne thousand one hundreth and nine Tonnies, all fighting men, without counting women, boyes and olde men, whereof fiue thousande of them were armed, some with Swordes, other with Launces, Ponyardes, and Kniues, all which tooke their oathes vppon my tayle (vnder the whiche they put their heades according vnto their accusto­med manner,) although I laughed in my selfe to sée their pret­tie ceremonie,) that they woulde doe as I shoulde commaund them, and woulde thrust in their weapons, and those that had none their Téethe, into whome so euer I shoulde com­maunde them to doe it, procuring with all their power and force if it were possible to set their Captaine at libertie, their dutie and loyaltie vnto their soueraigne King alwayes reserued.

Wée agreed likewise in our Counsell of Warre, that the Captaines wife shoulde (beeing amongst vs,) bee ac­companied with the number of one hundreth of the beautiful­lest of all the other female Tonnies, among the rest one of them [Page] was a sister of his, a Gentlewoman of great beautie, and verie well proportioned,, and of our army we made thrée esquadrons, one of all the vnarmed Tonnies, and the other two, of those that beare armes, I led the vantguard, with two thousand fiue hun­dreth armed Tonnies, and Melo led the rereward with as ma­ny more: the disarmed, with the carriages being placed in the middle, hauing with vs our Pages, (spoken of before,) that car­ried our swordes.

CHAP. VII. How Lazarus and his Tonnies being in order of battel, went vnto the Court, minding to deliuer Licius out of prison.

IN this manner, as I saide before, we marched forwardes, in great haste, giuing charge vnto such as we thought good, for the prouision of victualls for the armie, because they should not disorder themselues. In the way I questioned with those that brought vs the newes, of the situation of the Courte, and the place where our Captaine was kept in prison, meane time, at the end of thrée dayes we were within ten miles of the Court, and for because we marched in so new and vnaccustomed order, if our comming should bee knowne, we might bee preuented of that we went for, we agreed y^t we would not march any further vntill night came, willing certaine of those Tonnies that had brought vs the sorrowfull newes, to go before into the Cittie, and as secretly as they could, learne how the case stood with our Captain, and hauing so done, presently to return vs the newes: wherof some of them returned and brought vs the worst newes we could desire. Night being come, it was agreed that the cap­taines wife and her women, with Melo and fiue hundred Ton­nies disarmed, of the best and oldest among them, should goe straight vnto the Court, and as they wel could do it, they shuld beséech the King that it would please him to examine the cause of her husband and his brother, and that I and all the rest wold place our selues in a wood full of trées and rockes, within two miles of the Citie, where thē King sometimes went to sollace himselfe, and there we would remaine vntill suche time wee should sée by our aduise from them, what were best to bee done. We presently went vnto the wood, which we founde verie well [Page] prouided with great store of fishes, vpon the which we fed, or to say the truth, filled our selues at our pleasures, and all the com­pany did the like. And the faire and gentle Tonny by morning arriued at the Citie, and presently went vnto the court, where she staide a long time at the gate, vntill the King rose, to whom they declared the comming of that gentlewoman, in the ende, by meanes of the importunate sute she made vnto the porters, they suffered her to enter in, that shee might speake vnto the King. But the King, that perceiued well her sute, returned her an answere, that as then he had no time to heare her, she séeing that he desired not to heare her by word of mouth, caused a sup­plication in very good forme to be drawne by two Counsellors, that pleaded for Licio, wherin she besought him to remit iudge­ment of Licio, seeing he had appealed vnto his maiestie, and the reason why, for that he was the day before condemned to die, by the Iudges of the land, as we vnderstood, by our aduiser, saying his highnesse knew very well, that her husband had bene falsly accused, and vniustly condemned, and that his highnesse would cause the inditement to be perused, and the iudgement with the execution of the sentence to be staied. These and other things were conteined in the petition, which she deliuered vnto one of the porters, and withall tooke her chaine of gold with a Iewell hanging thereat from about her necke and gaue it him, praying him to stand her good friende, and with teares from her eyes, to consider of her dolour and grief, and not to respect the smal gift. The Porter very willingly tooke her petition, but more wil­lingly her chaine, promising to do for her the best he could, and in very déed, his promise was not in vaine, for that the petition being red before the King, he from his owne mouth (ful of gold) vsed such perswasions vnto his highnesse, withall showing him of the teares and lamentations that the Captaines wife made for her husband, at the Pallace gate, that therewith he mooued the King to pitie her estate, and said. I will that you goe with this woman vnto the Iudges, and will them to staie the execu­tion of the iudgement, because I am desirous to be better in­formed touching certaine pointes concerning Captaine Licios accusation. With the which commission, the Porter verie glad to haue sped so well, came vnto the sorrowfull gentlewoman, [Page] asking her a reward for his earnest solicitation, which she wil­lingly gaue him, and then without farther delay, they went to­gither vnto y^e Iudges lodging, but as her hard fortune fell out, in going thither, they chaunced to méete in the stréete with Don Pauar, (for so was the causer of our trobles named,) who being accompanied, went to the court, but as he espied the gentlewo­man with her captain, and vnderstood who they were, knowing likewise y^e Porter, craftily suspected what their meanings wer, so that very dissemblingly he called y^e Porter vnto him, asking him whither he went with that company, who presently decla­red it vnto him: he séeming to like it well, told the Porter how the case stood touching the captaine (although it was all contra­ry) saying that he liked wel the kings procéeding therin, bicause Licio was a braue souldier, and there was no reason why hee should bee executed without further examination of the cause; saying further, that the Iudges were at that present in his lod­ging, and said they came thither to aske my counsell in the mat­ter, wherupon I was now going to the court for to speak with the king, whereas they attend my returne, but séeing that you bring a dispatch, let vs goe backe againe, and declare the kings pleasure vnto them, and going by the way, he called one of his Pages to him, to whome very pleasantly he said, that he should with all haste goe vnto the Iudges, and will them presently to cause execution to be done vpon captaine Licio, because it was the kings pleasure, and that they should execute the same either within the prison, or else at the gate thereof, without leading him vnto the common place of execution, meane time that I hold the Porter here in talke with me, the Page did as he was commaunded, and drawing neare vnto the Generalls lodging, the Traitor tooke the Porter in with him, and sayd vnto Melo, and his sister in lawe, that they should be of good comfort, and staie there, while he went in and spake with the Iudges, and that from thence they would goe all togither to the prison to sée Licio, and to comfort him, giuing him that which he so long had expected, and that he ment to go thither himselfe with them, but the vnfortunate woman by good hap was enformed of the great treason of the captain general. And although he had greater ha­tred vnto the good captain Licio, then compassiō vpon the teares [Page] and lamentations of his wife, yet for an outward showe hee sée­med to fauour her request. For when as the cruell traitor called vnto his Page, willing him to go and cause Licios execution to be dispatched, as God would, one of her seruants heard him, and told it vnto the captaines wife, which the wicked generall per­ceiued not, whereat she fell in a maner dead, vpon the necke of brother in law, standing next vnto her. Which assoone as Melo vnderstood, he presently caused 30. Tonnies of his company to depart with all spéede, and to declare vnto me in what point and iminent danger the case stood with Licio, who like faithfull and diligent messengers, did within short space make vs acquainted with those sorrowfull newes, which they brought vs, crying with loude voices, Arme, Arme, you, O you valiant Tonnies, for our captaine shalbe presently executed to death, by the trea­son and deceit of the traitor Don Pauar, against the will & plea­sure of our king, and so in briefe rehearsed vnto vs, all that I showed you before: whereat I presently caused the drums to be sounded, and in all haste my Tonnies were readie with their mouthes armed, vnto whom I made a pithie Oration, decla­ring the whole procéedings, to the end that as good and valiant souldiers they should shewe their courages against their ene­mies, ayding and succouring their captaine in so extreame ne­cessitie, who answered all with one voice, that they were readie to follow me, and to do their endeuours in that behalfe: which their answere being ended, we presently beganne to march thi­ther, but hee that had then séene Lazarus the Tonny marching before his souldiers, would haue iudged him a valiant captain. To conclude, we entred into the towne and besieged the kings palace, and by force tooke Licio out of their hands, slaying great nombers of them. Which the king perceiuing, willed Licioes wife who was then at the court, to sue to the king for Licio, to returne vnto her husband and tell him, that if he thinke good, I would haue him to dissolue his siege from about his palace, and suffer his subiects quietly to go home to their houses, and to mo­rowe to come hither againe, and deliuer her message vnto the councell, and then she should haue Iustice.

The Captains wife with this answer departed not, but taking time when it serued, saide vnto the king, My Lord, neither my [Page] husband nor yet his company, do hold any siege about your roy­all person, neither likewise haue they entered into any house, but that of Don Pauar, so that the inhabitants of this citie, can­not iustly complaine, that there hath bene any iniury done vnto any of them in their houses, wherefore what it pleaseth you to commaund as touching them, it shall be done, for, for that cause I was sent vnto your grace. For God is our iudge, that neither Licio nor his company haue any other meaning or intent, but as good and faithfull subiects ought to haue. Woman saide the king, for this time I can say no more vnto thée. Wherewith she and her women making humble reuerence, with most gracious behauiour and comely sort departed from the presence, whiche the kings pleasure being knowne vnto vs, we presently in good order departed the cittie, staying in the wood, but yet not verie hungry, because we fell to eating of our enemies dead bodies, commaunding the disarmed Tonnies to carry as muche with them, as might suffice our army for the space of thrée or 4. daies, leauing neuerthelesse as much within the citie, as sufficed the citie and the court likewise: those that liue of the spoile wished no other thing of God, then that euery eight daies, there might happen the like among them, light vpon whom it would. The citie being discharged of our troopes, the citizens repaired again ech man to his house, finding them as they left them. The king commanding y^t the captain generals treasure shuld be brought vnto him, which was such and so much, as there was not anie king within the seas, that had the like, and then the king had som reason to mistrust his traiterous dealing, because he might well suppose that it was not possible for him to get that hee had gotten, by good means, but by stealth. Then he caused his coun­cell to bee assembled, who saide vnto the king, that if it were as Licio said, he then had not much offended in that actiō, specially because his highnesse had commanded iustice should not be exe­cuted vntil further enquiry were made: and to confirm y^e same, the Porter that had the message in charge, declared the subtile practise that the Generall vsed with him: and how he deceiued him & brought him to his owne house, saying the Iudges were there, and that he let them not depart from thence, and what di­ligence he made towards the court.

[Page]Further, he was showed by the Sheriffes, that the Captain ge­nerall had sent them word, that his Highnes commanded them that they should presently cause execution to bee done, and the better to dispatch it, they should not lead him thoough the ac­customed stréetes, but doo it before the prison gate: which they beléeuing to be true, had deliuered him to be executed. In such maner, that the King knew and perceiued his Generals fault, and the more he looked into the matter, the more he perceiued it to be true.

CHAP. VIII. How the Captaines wife returned againe vnto the King, and of the good answere she brought.

ALL this while we stayed that day and the next night in the wood, not greatly in quiet: and the next day after the Captaines wife with her Companie went againe vnto the pa­lace: and to auoid tediousnes, the King by that time was in bet­ter quietnes, receiuing her verie curteously, and saying, Good woman, if all my subiects had so wise and discréete wiues, per­aduenture they should increase their honor and wealth, and I accompt my selfe happie. I say this, for that in truth I séeing your discretion and wise reasons, haue therewith appeased my anger, and you thereby haue deliuered your husband & his com­panie from my wrath and heauie displeasure: and for because that since your being here I haue béen better informed than I was, tell him that vpon my word he may come to the Court, with all his frends without anie perill or danger. But for a­uoyding of tumults and speaches, at this present will him from me that he kéep house as a prisoner, vntill I send him word vn­to the contrarie: and in the meane time I pray you come hither and sée vs, because I take great pleasure to sée and behold your person, good behauior, and pleasant speach. Whereat the Cap­taines wife kissed his taile, giuing him heartie thankes for the great grace and fauour he shewed, as she full well could doo it, and so returned vnto vs with a most ioyfull answere: although some of vs thought it not conuenient to be done, saying it was but subtilly & politikely done, thereby to get vs into his hands. In the end we agréed as loyall subiects, to accomplish the com­mandement [Page] of our King, trusting vnto [...], I meane our mouthes, when our loyaltie should bee brought in question. Whereupon we presently remooued vnto the Citie, and entred therein, finding in the same man is frends, which as then shew­es themselues, perceiuing our enterprise to be wel taken, and effectuated, but before they burst not make anie show thereof, as the olde saying is, When Fortune turneth and sendeth thée aduersitie, then thy frends are shaken and [...] from thée: for ad­uersitie sheweth who be frends, and who are foes. Being en­tred, we retired vnto one end of the Citie wherein least people were, where stood houses great store, but most part without in­habitants, beeing the houses of such as wee had slaine, there we lodged as néere as wee could together: in the meane time giuing commission that not one of our band should walk abroad into the Citie, that the Princes will might be fulfilled. Meane time the Captaines wife, went euerie day vnto the Court to visite the King, as he had commaunded, with whom she became a great frend: but as farre as I could perceiue, although all sée­med cléere water, yet the beautifull Luna paid for all, for the go­ing with her sister in these visitations, (and as it is a common saying, Such pilgrimes, such saints) the King wan her fauour so well, that in the ende he obtained her loue: which I verely thinke she did not with the consent of her sister. Which Cap­taine Licio knew verie well, for that in a manner he deliuered it vnto me, asking my counsell therein. I told him that in my opinion the matter was not great, specially because it would be a great helpe, and the principall occasion of procuring our liber­tie. And so it fell out: for that the faire Gentlewoman Luna was so priuie with the King, that within eight dayes after his royall coniunction, fall out what would, we were all pardoned and acquited: and the King releasing her brother in law, sent word that we should all come vnto the Court. Beeing there, Licio kissed the Kings taile, which he offred him verie willing­ly, and I did the like, although with an euill will, as béeing a man, and to kisse in such a place. Then the King said vnto vs: Captaine, I being informed of your loyaltie, and not hearing anie thing vnto the contrarie, therefore from henceforth I par­don you, with all your companie, frends and seruants, which in [Page] the enterprise past did aid and assist you: and because hereafter you shalbe here attendant at our Court, I giue vnto you all the houses with the goods therein, of those that (by the permission of God) lost them, together with their liues: giuing you like­wise the same office that our Captaine generall had: and from henceforth I will that you exercise the same, as one that know­eth well how to vse it. Whereat we fell downe before him, and our Captaine Licio went & kissed his taile once againe, giuing him great thankes for his liberall rewards, saying, that he tru­sted in God to doo such seruice in the said office, that his High­nes should think it well bestowed. The same day the King was informed of poore Lazarus the Tonny, although at that time I was so rich, & so glad to sée them frends, that me thought I ne­uer was better pleased. The King among diuers questions, as­ked how I found out the inuention of our armes. I answered him to his content. Then he asked with what number of fishes I and my companie durst incounter? I answered, the Whales excepted, I could ouercome all the fishes in the sea. Whereup­pon he appointed next morning to sée vs all muster before him. Next day Licio our Generall and I, with all the rest of our ar­med companie went out, where I found a very good inuention, although the souldiers vse it here at this present. I made them place themselues in order, and so we passed before his Highnes, making a ring: which although the Coronell Villalua and his companie could do it better, and in brauer manner, yet in the sea they hauing not séene anie esquadrons made, it séemed strange vnto them. After that I made a battaile of our armed Tonnies together, placing the fairest and best armed in the first rankes, willing Melo with all the disarmed, and with thirtie thousand other Tonnies to come forth and skirmish with vs: who com­passed vs about on al parts. But we placing ours in good order, and holding close together, began to defend our selues so well, and to strike and hurt them in such sort, that all the sea had not béen sufficient to haue entred within vs. The king séeing that I had told him truth, and that in such sort we could not be hurt, called vnto Licio and said, This your frend hath maruellous great skill in armes: it séemeth vnto me that in this manner we might conquere and ouercome the whole seas.

[Page]It is most true as your Grace saith, said our Captaine gene­rall, and as touching the good industrie of the strange Tonny, my good frend, I cannot beléeue or be perswaded otherwise, but that he commeth from God, and was brought into these parts for the augmentation of your Highnes honour, together with your lands and dominions, which your Grace may verie well beléeue: for the qualities and parts within him are such, and so excellent, that I am perswaded there is not anie one able to declare them in briefe: for he is the wisest & discréetest Ton­ny that is at this day in the sea, with all vertuous and honou­rable, likewise most true, and verie faithfull, indued with excel­lent manners and behauiour, such as I neuer heard speake of before: and to conclude, there is nothing in him tending vnto euill. In saying thus much of him, your Highnes must not thinke that I speake it by reason of the good will I beare him, but onely because I know it to be most true. Truely said the King, that Tonny is much bound vnto God, vpon whom he so liberally bestoweth his graces and benefites: and because you report so well of him, it is good reason we should doo him honor, seeing he is come into our Court, wherefore I would haue you aske him, if he be minded to remaine here with vs, wherevnto I would you should perswade him in my behalfe: and it may be he shall not repent him of our companie.

CHAP. IX. How Lazarus agree to stay at the Court, and was of great cre­dit, and verie secret with the King.

THis agréed betwéene them, the Generall tooke vpon him to declare it vnto me, and the King returned vnto the Citie, and we likewise. Being come home, the Captaine tolde mee what had passed (as touching me) betwéene the King and him, and how he desired that I would serue him, with other things, In the end, I being intreated (with my great honour) consen­ted thereunto. Now behold I pray you, your Crier of wiues in Toledo, made the chiefe man in the Kings house, with charge to rule and gouerns the same: and goe & tell it for a iest. Then I gaue thankes vnto God, that my affaires waxed daily better, [Page] and sought with all diligence to please the King, so that in lit­tle space I fell into such credite with him, that in a manner not anie thing whatsoeuer, were it of great or small importance, but it passed through my hands, or was done by my counsell. This done, I thought it not conuenient to suffer such as had deserued punishment to escape: because I knew verie well, how and in what manner Licioes sentence had bin vniustly gi­uen, although the king had past it ouer in silence, by reason the Captaine generall was a Fish of great accompt and of great power. Wherevpon it entred into my minde to ring the bells againe, and said vnto the King, that there had a matter of dis­honor happened to him of late, which were not worthie to bee kept in silence, because it was a meanes to cause iustice to bee done, as a thing appertaining vnto his Maiesties seruice, that such as are faultie should be punished. Which his Highnes pre­sently committed vnto me, as he did all other things: and I en­deuored my selfe so well therin, that I caused all the partakers in the same to be apprehended, when they little thought of anie such matter: who being put vnto the racke, confessed they had sworn falsly in the cause, whereby Licio was condemned: and asking them wherefore they did it, and what the wicked Gene­rall gaue them to doo it, they answered, that hee had not giuen nor promised them anie thing, neither were they his frends or seruants. O sensles and miserable sinners, O contentious men said I, which complaine that your aduersaries condemne you by false witnesses, which they proued against such times: come come I say vnto the sea, and you shall behold the small reason you haue to complaine vpon earth: for that if the same your ad­uersarie doo produce false witnesses, either he giueth or promi­seth them somwhat for their paines, or else they wer his frends or acquaintance befor that time, for whom he promiseth to doo the like: but these vnfaithfull fishes are neither by promise, by reward, nor frendship mooued thereuntoo, wherfore they are so much the more to be blamed and worthie of punishment, and so they were hanged. I vnderstood farther, that the Clearke by whom the cause was pleaded, did not present nor yet take anie writing that was brought him in the behalfe of Licio, neyther admitted anie one to speake that desired to answere for him. O [Page] great shame said I, which although if be suffred on earth, that the Clearkes be fauourable, yet with more honestie they take the writings, although they put them not into the Court, but rather say they be lost: but this is the verie act of the diuell. The like was found in the Iudges, for that I knew it could not bee vprightly done, that the Sentence was so soone giuen: wherein I blamed the Iudges much, saying vnto them, that a plea in a manner for two strawes is not commonly ended in a yeare, and some not in ten, nor yet twentie: and you dispatch a matter touching the life of an honourable Fish in one houre. Whereunto they could not answere me ought to excuse theyr fault: but the King sent expresse commaundement, that hee would haue the matter dissembled withall as touching them, because it concerned his royall authoritie: and so I did, but ther­with I well perceiued and saw, that the gracious and mightie hand of him that humbleth when he will, and exalteth whom it pleased him, ruled among them, & likewise in the wicked Ge­nerall: for where couetousnes and enuie entreth, it corrupteth all things. For the which cause the King of Persia punished a wicked Iudge most gréeuously, causing him to be executed, and after flean, whose skin hee nayled vp ouer the seate of Iustice, placing the Iudges sonne in his fathers seate: whereby the Barbarian King did verie well prouide in most strange man­ner, that no Iudge after that time should be corrupted. To the same end, it is said by a wise man, That where affection raig­neth, reason hath no place: and that the good Lawier did com­mit verie few causes vnto the Iudges, but rather let them bee determined by law, because the Iudges are manie times cor­rupted, either by loue, hatred or guifts: whereby they are in­duced to giue manie vniust iudgements. For which cause the Scripture saith: O you Iudges take no giftes, which blinde the wise, and subuert the words of the iust. This I learned of my good master, with all the rest of my experience in the law: who (as it is reported) was better learned, than either Barto­lus or Seneca. But to returne vnto my first purpose. I told ye the King sent word it should be so, although it went wholly a­gainst my minde. In the meane time, the Generall by the Kings commaundement, had a voyage to make, which was [Page] with a great Armie to inuade the Sturgeons, whom wee pre­sently ouercame, making their King tributarie: for the which he deliuered hostage, with condition to pay yearly for a tribute vnto our King a great summe of money, and withall to deliuer him one hundreth female Sturgeons, & one hundreth males: which male Sturgeons because they are a daintie fish, the king eate them at his owne table, & the females he kept for his plea­sure. After that, our General went against the Porpeses, which he ouercame, & brought vnder our subiection. Wherewith the number of our armed Tonnies grew so great and puissant, that we held manie kinde of fishes in subiection vnder vs, all which became tributaries and gaue pledges, as we said before. Then our Captaine (not being contenced with the victories past) ar­med himselfe against the Cocodriles, which are a kinde of most fierce fishes, and liue sometime in the sea, and sometime on the land, with whom we had manie battailes: and although wee lost some, yet for the most part he bare away the victorie. But it was no meruaile that we lost some, because (as I said before) those kinde of fishes are verie fierce & cruell, great bodied, with great téeth and long tuskes, wherewith they tare in péeces as many of vs as they could reach into their pawes: and yet for all their fiercenes, we manie times put them to the worst, vnles if were somtimes when they saw themselues ouer-pressed by our Tonnies, then they forsooke the water, and took the land, and so they escaped. Which our Captaine Licio perceiuing, in the end left them, after he had spoyled great numbers of them: and hee himself likewise receiued great damage, and lost the good Melo his brother: which caused no smal gréefe throughout the whole Armie. But our comfort was, that he died like a valiant Ton­nie: for it was reported vnto vs for a truth, that before they kil­led him, he in person with his sword (wherewith he was very nimble) killed more than a thousand Cocodriles, & yet they had not killed him, if it had not chanced, that they flying, and he af­ter them, he sodainly fell vpon the land, & there stayed, by which meanes (not being able to be seconded by his companie) the ene­mie tare him in péeces. In the end, good Captaine Licio retur­ned from the warres, the most renowned fish that then liued in the seas, bringing with him great & rich spoyles, which he gaue [Page] wholly vnto the King, without taking anie thing for himselfe. At his returne, his Highnes receiued him with such counte­nance and entertainment, as belonged vnto a fish that had done him so great seruice and honour, and withall bestowed most li­berall rewards vpon him, as also vnto those that had followed him: in such manner, that euerie one found himselfe conten­ted and pleased. And the King to shew the greater fauour vnto Licio, mourned for Melo his brother the space of eight dayes, and so did we al. Your worship must vnderstand, that the mour­ning among the fishes, is, that when they are sad and mourne, during that time they speak not, but onely by signes aske what they desire to haue. And this is the manner that is obserued a­mong them, whē as their husbands, wiues, children, or frends doe die, they mourne in that sort as I said before, and kéep it so straightly, that it is holden for a great ignomie, and that the greatest that may be found within the seas, if whē they mourne they chance to speake, vntill such time as the King sending vn­to them, willeth them to leaue mourning: and then they speak as they did before. I heard it reported among them, that a Lord (for the death of a Ladie whom he loued, and kept as his frend) mourned in his owne Countrey for the space of ten yeares, and for all that the King could doo, he might not cause him to leaue off mourning, because that at such time as he sent him word to leaue off, he sent word to beséech his Grace, to cause him to bee killed, rather than leaue off mourning: which he could not do. And which is more, I was tolde (wherein I tooke great plea­sure to heare it) that his seruants perceiuing his long silence, some of them at a month, others another month, and other some at two months, as they desired to speake, forsooke his house, so that in the end he had not one left: and here with his mourning continued so long, that although he had desired to leaue it, hee knew not with whom to speake. When they tolde me this, I called to my remembrance diuers talkatiue men, with whom I am verie well acquainted, who neuer leaue talking, but as­soone as one tale is ended, they begin againe. And many times, because they would not loose companie, they cut off their tales in the middle, and begin others, and so continue vntill the very night come vpon them, y^t they must néeds leaue company, or els [Page] they would neuer haue done, and the worst is, that these men do not perceiue how much they offend God and the world here­in, and I thinke are little lesse, then troublesome vnto the diuel himselfe, and he that will be wise, let him flie the companie of these fooles, because like requireth like, for their paines, I wish they were vassalls vnto this Barron: and that during their a­boad with him, his friend might die, that I might be reuenged on them.

CHAP. X. How the King and Licio determined to marry Lazarus vnto the faire Ladie Luna, and how they were married.

BVt returning vnto our matter, the mourning, and sorrow, holden for the death of Melo, being past, the king sent word that with all spéede the number of armed Tonnies should bee new supplied and increased, and that they should go séeke more armes, which was presently done. At which time it séemed good vnto the king to marry me, to some one whom he thought good, and therupon he dealt with Licio about the same, vnto whom he committed the matter, but he would willingly haue bene quit of the charge, because he knew somewhat by her, but for that it pleased the king, he durst not otherwise doo: so he brake the mat­ter vnto me, being not a little ashamed to do it, saying: that he sawe and knew I deserued more honour, as my déedes witnes­sed, but the king had expresly commanded that he should be the mariage maker. In the end, the matter being at that point, it is my good fortune, sayd I vnto my selfe, a nayle is not good to play at tennis withall, and a plague of such a ball as cannot be taken but at the second rebound, and séeing it pleaseth God it shall be no otherwise, and that it is for my profite and aduancement, it is reason that I climbe from a priest vnto a king. In the ende I did it, and my mariage was solemnized, with so great triumphs and feastings, as if it had bene for a prince, being honored with the degrée of a vicount, that the king gaue me with her, which if I had it here vpon earth, would do me much more good than in the sea, in the end from the base or meanest Tonny, my name rose vnto a Signior. In the manner my signory led a tryum­phant life, married very richly with my faire and new wife, the [Page] Ladie Luna, but much better with my king, not forsaking his seruice, deuising still howe I might please and content him, séeing I found my selfe so much bounde vnto him, so that there was no time by me omitted, wherein I made him not merrie, howesoeuer it fell out, but still I tooke care not to say any thing whereby he might be greeued or angry, hauing alwaies in me­morie, how litle they are estéemed and accounted off with great Lordes, that tell them the truth. Withall remembring the en­tertainment that Alexander gaue vnto the Philosopher Cali­stines, for declaring the truth vnto him, & by this meanes I sped not ill: besides, I behaued my selfe in such sort vnto both great and litle, that they sought my friendship almost as much as the kings. At the same time I though to frame & confirme the e­state of the sea, like vnto that of the land, whereupon I aduised the king, and tolde him it were conuenient that séeing hee bare the burthen of all, he should reape the profite, and it was thus: for that as then the Crowne had no other rentes or reuenewes then only the thirtieth part of all things that were solde, and when hée helde warre for a iust cause concerning his Country, they gaue him the fishes necessary and conuenient for the same warres, and paide for them, and only tenne fishes for his owne table euery day, I brought it to passe, that when they fished they should euery one giue him as much, and that it should be a custome as it is vpon the lande, and that they should allow him 50. fishes euery day for his owne table: I caused it likewise to be ordeined, that if any of his subiects were called a Don, vnlesse he were so by lawful and liniall dissent of patrimony, he should pay a certaine sum for a fine vnto his highnesse, and this statute I thought to be conuenient, because the pride of the fishes is so great, that both good and bad, riche & poore, all are Dons, as Don here, and Don there, Don when, and Don where: I did this, calling to minde the commendable behauiour of the women of my country, that if any chance to fall into that degrée, either she shalbe the daughter of an honest housholder, or of a squier, or els be married with some that is written worshipfull, or vnto some other man of qualitie: for before they be such, and of good welth, they call them not by y^e title of Don, but in the sea, not so much as the daughter of a meane artificer, or a begger (if she marry a [Page] man, although he be no Officer at all,) but they presume with­in eight dayes after to put the name of Don vpon their tayles, as if that name of Don would make them frée from being the childrē of dishonest parents, and of those that had no such titles, and as though many of them should not bee ashamed, least they giue cause to haue their fathers taken out of their graues, and the memory of them to be again renued, and so their neghbors might laugh at them, and at their worshippes, which they take vpon them, knowing it not to be verie sounde, but therein they showe themselues to bee the more fonde and light headed. It séemed good vnto y^e king to set it at a high rate, wherby in short space séeing it cost money, there woulde not bee many Dons founde. Of these things, and of the newe Impositions moste profitable for the king, I enformed his highnesse. And hee perceiuing my great care and dilligence in his seruice, was not slacke in rewarding mée, but rather became more libe­rall and bountifull vnto mée. At the same time I thought vp­on my poore Squier of Teledo, or rather vppon his wise spée­ches, when as I complained vnto my selfe, that I coulde not finde any Gentleman of account with whom I might be, and if I chanced to find one, I vnderstood him to be very nigardly and sparing: Then he told me of that, which I after vsed in the sea, as a thing very profitable for mee, specially one pointe therein, whereof I was very carefull, whiche was, that I tooke great care not to say any thing vnto the king that might offend him, and as it is a great pointe of wisedome, I altogither followed his humor, vsing great curtesie, and shewing great fauour, vnto such as he fauoured, although they nothing deserued it, and to such as hee liked not of, I vsed them hardly, speaking euill of them, although I founde it not in them, and not refu­sing to do for any were they neuer so badde. Remembring the sayd Calistines, that for saying the truth vnto his maister Alex­ander the great, he caused him to bee cruelly put to death, al­though his death it might be estéemed a life, séeing it was for so iust a cause, but now no man vseth it, but all séeke to liue in such manner, that I bent my selfe as much as I could vnto that humor, and by this meanes my soppe fell into the hony, and my house was filled with rich riches, but although I was a Fish, [Page] I had the vnderstanding of a man, and the accursed couetous­nesse which at this day raigneth so much in man, for that a beast hauing his naturall foode, desireth nor séeketh not any more. As the Cocke careth not for all the pearles in the East, if hee may haue his belly full of corne, nor the Oxe for all the gold in India, if he haue grasse inough, and so is it with all other beasts, only the beastly desire of man is neuer satisfied, specially if it be in­fected with couetousnesse. I say this, because that notwithstan­ding all the riches I had, (as there was not almost any king in the sea, that had more, yet I was so pricked forewarde by that gréedie couetousnesse, and not with any lawfull meanes, that I caused some to go vnto the gulphes of Leon, and Yerro, others I sent vnto the banckes of Flaunders, where diuers ships full of men wer cast away, and to such places wher any battels had bin fought vppon the seas, from whence they brought mee great quantitie of gold, so that I thinke they brought me at the least fiue hundreth thousand Dollors, (a kinde of Spanish mony) the king laughed when he sawe me so reioyce, and to lie tombling vpon my mony, and asked me what those vaine things meant, séeing they were neither to be eaten nor yet to be carried about me, whereat I sayd vnto my selfe: If thou knewest what they meane as well as I do, thou wouldest not aske me such a que­stion, but I answered him, that I meant to vse them for coun­ters, wherewith he was satisfied, but after I came againe to dwell on earth, as I will shewe you, a plague of them all for any that I euer saw, and if I had al those here that were broght me in the sea, I shuld haue no néed of any man, but then I must be forced to kéepe them in some other such déep and secret place, least I might happen to lose them. At that time I desired, if it had bene possible, to finde a ship that would take and lade them in, (although I should giue the halfe part for the fraught,) and deliuer the rest to my Eluira in Toledo, that with some of them she might marry my daughter, for I was wel assured that there were many that would not refuse her, being the daughter of a Crier. And with this desire, I skipped twice or thrice after ships, that came from the West, crying vnto them, aboue the water, that they might hearken vnto me, thinking they would vnderstand me, and imagine my meaning, and although they [Page] were not faithfull messengers to carry the treasure, or some part thereof, vnto Toledo, wherewith they might profit men, and do them good withall, yet it would content my minde, for the loue I beare vnto mankinde, but when I called them, or they perceiued me aboue water, they presently cast hookes and dartes at me, to kill me, wherewith I turned and went againe vnto my house, sometimes I wished that Toledo were a port of the sea, that I might fill it with riches, for that I doubted not but my wife and my childe should get some part thereof. And with these and other thoughts and imaginations, I passed my time, and spent my life in the sea.

CHAIP. XI. Lazarus going to hunt in a wood, hauing lost his companie, he found the Truthe, and spake with him.

I Being by fortune staied from my company, found the Truth, which tolde me that she was the daughter of God, and that she had descended downe from heauen vppon earth, for to liue there, and do good vnto men, and how she had not left any place vnsought, but had visited all estates both great and small, and although that in some great mens houses she founde some en­tertainment, others thrust her cleane out of their doores, which their ingratitude perceiued by her, she saide, had caused her to withdraw her selfe into a rocke in the déepe sea, she tolde me of many maruellous things, that had passed among all manner of men, which if I should write vnto your worship, it would bee ouer long, and out of the matter, touching my troubles, when it pleaseth your worship to haue the whole discourse that passed betwéen vs, it shall be sent you, I being come home, shewed the king what had passed betwéene me and the Truth.

CHAP. XII. How Lazarus departing from the Truth, going with the fe­male Tonnies to bring forth their yoong, he was taken in the Fisher mens Nets, and turned againe into a man.

GOing very chéerfully vnto the Court, being greatly com­forted with the words that the Truth had vsed vnto me, I [Page] liued for a time verie merely in the sea, and then the time drew neare, that the female Tonnies should bee deliuered of their yoong, of that voyage the King willed me to goe, because he al­waies sent some strength with them, to defende them, and at that time Licio was sicke, if hée had béene well, I knowe hée woulde haue gone that voyage, and since I had bene in the Sea, I had gone thrée or foure times, because euery yeare once they vse the same order. In that voyage, I tooke with me tenne thousande female Tonnies, and there were aboue fiue hundreth thousande female Tonnies which were all big with yoong.

We hauing taken our leaue of the king, went on our iour­ney, and in the end entred into the straights of Gibraltar, and being past them, we came vnto Couil, and to Ʋexar, places vn­der the dominion of the Duke of Medina Sodinia, whereas they prepared an armie readie against vs, of the which I being aduertised, and that there wee were wont to bee hardly dealt withall, willed them to take care of themselues, but they be­ing desirous to bee deliuered in that place, it beeing prepared readie for that purpose, howe well soeuer they looked vnto themselues I knowe not, but this I am sure of, that in the space of eight or nine dayes, I wanted aboue fiftie thousand female Tonnies. Which dammage wee perceiuing, agreed to put our valiaunt Armed Tonnies with them into the key of the Hauen, and while that they were deliuered of their yoong ones, if the Fisher-men sought meanes to take them, wee would strike in among the Fisher-men and their Nets, cutting them asunder in small péeces, but wée deceiued our selues, and founde that our deuice did fall out cleane con­trarie to all our expectations, by reason of the great strength and skill that the men vsed, whiche is muche greater than that of the Tonnies, and so by their mightie force they tooke vs all, with an infinite nomber of the female Tonnies in one Nette, without in a manner receiuing anie damage of vs, but rather great gaines, and as my companions percei­ued themselues taken, they were dismayed, and therewith beginning to sigh, let their armes fall out of their mouthes, whiche I did not, but they tooke mee with my sworde, ha­uing [Page] therewith done sufficient dammage vnto their Nets, and with mée they tooke my faire and seconde wife. The Fisher-men wondring to sée mée armed in that sort, sought to make me forsake my sworde, whiche I still helde verie fast, but they pulled so long thereat, that in the ende, they pulled an arme and a hande out of my mouth, (wherin I held my sword,) and then they perceiued in my heade, my forehead, eyes, nose-thrilles, and the halfe of my mouth. They being much aba­shed at this fighte, helde mee fast by the arme, and others ta­king me by the necke, beganne to plucke me out of my fishes skinne, and as I was halfe out of my case, I looked about, and perceiued hard by mee my poore wife Luna, in great feare, and rather in more perplexitie then the Fisher-men, vnto whom I beganne to speake in mans language, and sayde; Brethren, discharge I pray you your consciences, and let none of you offer to kill mee with the brasser, for you must knowe that I am a man as you are, but make an ende of pulling me out out of my skinne, and I will declare great secrets vnto you. I saide this, because many of my companions laie harde by mee dead, and their heades broken in péeces, with staues whiche the Fi­shermen had for that purpose: and then I desired them of cour­tesie, that they would let that female Tonny next vnto mee to swimme away, because she had bene my companion and wife a great time, and they being greatly astonished to sée and heare me, did as I desired them. But at such time as my compani­on departed from mée, wéeping and in great feare, I saide vnto her in my Tonnies language, Luna my swéete heart, I commit thée to God, I pray thée come no more hither to bee taken, but shewe the King and all my friends what thou hast séene, and I pray thée likewise to haue a care of thy honour and mine.

Which done, she without making me any answere, skip­ped into the water, and went her way in great feare: vs they tooke from thence, and in my presence killed my companions, and cut them in péeces at the water side, and kept me half a man and half a fish in the sand, with great feare lest they wold burne me: the fishing being ended y^e day, they asked me many questiōs [Page] and I told them the truth of euerie thing, praying them to pull me whole out of my fishes skinne, which as then they did not, but the same night they set me vpon a Mule, and brought me vnto Siuil, presenting me vnto the most noble Duke of Medi­na, great was the admiration that both men and women had to sée me, for that in long time there had not any thing so wonder­full happened in Spaine. In that case they held me for the space of eight dayes, during the which time, they vnderstood of me, what troubles I had passed: but at the ende of eight dayes, I felt my selfe not well in the part of my bodie that was Fishe, and it spoyled because it felt not the water, so I besought the Duke and the Duches, that for the loue of God, they woulde cause me to be pulled out of that prison, séeing I was brought vnto his grace, shewing them what paine I felt, wherunto they agreed, and it was appointed to bee cried throughout all the Towne of Siuil, that I should be pulled out of my fishes skinne, that thereby euerie man might come and sée my conuersion, which should bee done vppon a scaffold set vp in an open market place before his lodging, that all men might beholde it. The Dukes lodging was hard by the Towne of Siuil, all the stréets entering into the Market place were full, and not so much as the toppes of houses, but were laden with people, such an innu­merable sort resorted thither at that time, then the Duke wil­led them to go, and fetche me out of my Cage wherein they had kept mee euer since they brought mee from the sea side, in the way I was muche troubled, because of the great multitude of people, that flocked about me, by which meanes if I had not had Iron grates betwéen me and them, without all doubt they had smothered me to death. O good God said I, what alteration is there now in mee? for that I haue séene a man in a Cage, al­though not greatly at his ease, but I neuer sawe a man turned into a fish. So they tooke me out and carried me vnto the mar­ket place, with fiftie Holberdiers going about me, to kéepe the people from me, and yet could verie hardly do it.

CHAP. XIII. How Lazarus was openly vpon a stage from a Tonny fish, con­uerted in Siuill, vnto a man.

THen I being set vpon the scaffold, they began to pull mee, some by that part of my bodie that was out alreadie, and o­thers by the fishes tayle, in such manner, that in the ende they pulled mee out as naked as euer I came foorth of my mothers wombe, and there lay the Tonnie, being nothing but a skinne. Then they presently gaue me a cloak to couer me withall, and the Duke commaunded that a sute of his apparell should bee brought me, which although they fitted me not, yet I put them on: and then I was so feasted and visited by the people, that du­ring the time of my continuance there, I had in a manner no time to take my rest, for that both night and day they ceased not to come and sée me, and to aske me diuers questions, and he that could get but a time to heare me, thought himselfe happie. But within certaine dayes after my conuersion, I fell sicke, because the earth did alter me, being as then not accustomed therunto, for that betwéene the nature of the sea and land there is great difference: so that then I began to cleanse and purge my selfe, in such manner, as I thought verely that my troubles and my life would haue ended both together, I pray God deliuer mee from this and other troubles. At the last, when I felt my selfe strong and able to walke, I tooke my leaue of my frends there, who full sore against their wills granted it vnto me, for y^t they desired to haue had me still there with them, to heare the mer­uailous things that had happened vnto me: wherunto I made no conscience to adde somewhat, which they verely beléeued, because they had séene me so wonderfully conuerted. But in the ende without staying anie longer, they let me goe, and sent me away verie well prouided for my iourney, and so vpon the day before the feast of Pentecost last past, I came vnto Toledo, the most desirous man in the world to sée my wife and childe, and imbracing her a thousand times, which manner of pleasure I had not had for the space of foure yeares, because it is not vsed in the sea, for there is nothing else but noddes and kisses. I came [Page] into the Towne by night, and went straight vnto my house, which I found without anie bodie in it: for they were all gone vnto my Master the Priests house, where they were alreadie gone to bed & asléepe. But I gaue so manie blowes at the dore, that therewith they wakened, asking mee who was there? I telling them, my wife Eluira answered me verie sharply with a lowd voyce: Away thou drunkard whatsoeuer thou art, that walkest the stréetes at this time of the night for to mocke and deceiue poore widowes: comming now at the ende of thrée or foure yeares, (that to my euill fortune God tooke away my hus­band, and drowned him in the sea, in sight of his master, and of manie other that saw him sinke downe) to tell vs a iest: & ther­with she went to bed againe, without anie more harkening vn­to me: wherewith I began againe to call & knocke at the dore. Then my Master the Priest beeing chafed, rose vp, and came vnto the window, and with a lowd voyce said, what would that fellow haue, what kind of dealing is this? I would faine know who thou art, that in the morning I may reward thée for this thy vncurteous dealing, which at this time of the night com­mest vnto mens doores that are at rest, telling them iests, and making such a noise, that thou breakest both their sléep and their rest. Signior (said I) let not your worship bee offended, and if you desire so much to know who I am, asmuch doo I desire to tell it you. I am your Crier Lazaro de Tormes. I had scarce vttered my words, but I felt a stone come buzzing cloase by my eares, & that with a good will, and after that two or thrée more: which striking against the stones in the stréete, for that it was paued, made the fier to sparkle out of them. I perceiuing the danger, and hoping for no better reason at his hands for that time, went downe the next stréete that lay before mee: and being a good way past the house, I staied, and he was still in the window, crying out alowd: Come againe to mocke vs, and sée how thou shalt spéed. I remembred my selfe, and thought to haue turned backe, and once againe to proue the aduenture, be­cause I was not desirous to discouer my selfe vnto anie other. But because it was verie late, I determined to passe the rest of the night there, and in the morning to goe vnto mine owne house.

[Page]But it fell out cleane contrarie: for not farre from the place where I stood, there was one of the Sheriffes of the Towne, which kept watch about the same: who taking my sword from me, led me vnto prison. I knew some of my Masters the Ser­ieants that were with him, and calling them by their names, I tolde them who I was: but they laughing at me, sayd, that it was more than thrée yeares past that he whom I spake of dyed in the Voyage of Argiel, and so went with mee vnto prison, where I staied till day light: which being come, when others made them readie and prepared themselues to goe to Church, and to kéepe so holie and Festiuall day, I thinking to doo the like, because I supposed I should bee knowen of them all: in came the Sheriffe that had taken me, and putting a faire paire of fetters on my héeles, and a great chayne about my neck, put me into the house where the racke stood, saying, Let this Gen­tleman (counterfetting the Iustice, and naming himselfe to be a Crier) stay héere these few dayes vntill wee may learne who he is, séeing you do walke by night to scale Priests houses, and to séeke after your best beloued, when your head is full. Wee came hither in an euill hower said I vnto my selfe, and then I said vnto him, that I liued not in anie such sort, nor yet went abroad to doo anie such things. I cannot tell whether you go or no said he, but euen now I met the Priest of Saint Saludors Church, comming out of the Sheriffes house, saying, that the last night hee had like to haue béen robbed, and the Théeues thought to haue entered his house by force, if he had not defen­ded himselfe with good stones: and said that one of the theeues named himselfe Lazaro de Tormes his Crier, and I tolde him that I met you hard by his house, and that you said asmuch vn­to me, and therefore I sent word that you should be safely kept. Then the Iailour said, that Crier which you speake of, was once in this Towne, but he died in the Voyage vnto Argiel, I knew him verie well: God be mercifull vnto him, for he was a man sufficient to carrie two Stopes of wine with the best drin­ker heereabout from one house vnto the other, without anie kinde of staggering.

O vnfortunate wretch that I am said I, which haue not as yet ended al my il fortunes, without doubt they wil begin again to [Page] assaile me: what should this meane, that those whom I know, and am present in their company, and take them for my frends, should now denie me, and not know me? But it is not possible that fortune can crosse me herein, that my wife should not know me, as being the thing that I most desire, and shee mée. With that, I intreated the Kéeper, and gaue him somewhat for his paines, that he would goe vnto her, & shew her that I am here, and that she would come & fetch me out of prison. And he laugh­ing at me, tooke the royall, saying he would doo it: but it seemed vnto him that I was not in earnest, for that if I were hee of whom I spake, he said he should know mee, because (said he) I haue séene him at the least a thousand times heere within the prison, comming to visite those that had béen whipped: and that hee was the best Crier, and had the cléerest voyce in all Toledo. But in the ende (I beeing so importunate with him) he did so much, that hee brought my Master the Priest with him: and when I heard him speake in the place where I was, a candle being brought, I had asmuch ioye, as they in Purgatorie may haue when the time of their deliuerance draweth néere: & wée­ping with gréefe, but more for ioy, I said vnto him: O my good Master Rodrigo de Ieues chéefe Priest of S. Saluadors, looke vp­pon this your good Crier Lazaro de Tormes, tormented and la­den with yrons, hauing for these thrée yeares passed the most straunge and wonderfull aduentures that euer were heard of. Whereat he held the candle somewhat nerer vnto my face, and said, The voyce is Iacobs, but the skinne is Esaus. Brother (said he) it is true that in speach you somewhat resemble him, but in iesture you are farre different from him that you say you are. Then I began to thinke with my selfe, and desired the Iailor to lend me a glasse, which he brought me, and when I looked in­to it, I perceiued my selfe to bee changed in fauour from that I was before, but specially in colour, which I was wont to haue as red as a Pomegranade, I meane as the kernels of the same, and now as the yealow of the shell, beeing wholly changed in countenaunce, whereat I blessed my selfe, and said: Now my good Master, I doo not meruaile (being thus as I am) that your worship nor yet anie of my frends doo not know me, séeing that I know not my selfe: but worship hath made me now to féele it. [Page] wherefore Master Sheriffe, I would desire you to giue vs a little libertie to speake together, and you shall sée that I haue not tolde anie lie. He did so, and we being alone, I told him all the signes and tokens of things passed betwéene vs, since wee were first acquainted, naming the dayes and times. After that I told him all that I had passed, and how I was turned into a Tonny, and how long I continued in the sea, and what I did there, and that it was the water that had so changed my colour, and altered my iesture, which vntill then I had not once looked into: so that in the end he stood still in a great admiration, and said vnto me. This that you say is well knowen here in the Ci­tie to be verie true, that there was a man beeing a Tonny fish séene in Siuill, and besides that the tokens you giue mee are all true, but notwithstanding I doubt it much to be so: but y^t which I will doo for you, shalbe to bring my Nurse hether, and perad­uenture shee will know you better. Wherewith I gaue him heartie thankes, and besought him to giue me his hand that I might kisse it: and he gaue me his blessing, as he had done ma­nie times before, but for his hand he refused it vnto me. Thus that and thrée dayes more passed ouer, and at the ende thereof in the morning the Iustices Lieuetenant with his afficers and Clearke came into the prison to me, and began to examine mée vpon intergatories: which if I would not answere vnto, they had commission to set me on horsebacke, or to say more aptly to hang me vp. Whereat I could not chuse but shed manie teares, fetching most great sighes, and complaining vnto my self of my great misfortune that followed me continually: and with the greatest and best reasons I could deuise, I besought the Lieue­tenant that as then he would not torment me, because I was o­therwise sufficiently vexed and gréeued, which to prooue, I wil­led them to come néere and behold my iesture: whereat bring­ing the light somewhat néerer hee said, Certainly I know not what force may doo in manie things, but as farre as I can per­ceiue hee is not without great gréefe, which by his disposition may well be séene: let vs leaue him at this time, vntill hee bee somewhat better, or else that he dieth, and quit himselfe of all, and so they left me. Then againe I besought the Kéeper, that he would goe vnto my Masters house, and intreate him on my [Page] behalfe to accomplish his word and promise giuen vnto me, that hee would bring my wife with him vnto the prison: and there­withall I gaue him another royall, (because they neuer walke in vaine). Thether he went, and returned me answere, that the next day they both promised me to come: wherewith I be­ing somewhat comforted, that night I slept better than at other times. And in my dreame me thought I saw my Ladie & frend the Truth, who shewed her selfe verie angrie toward mee and said: Thou Lazarus doost not séeke to amend thy life, whereas thou didst promise me (being in the Sea) not to let mee depart from thée, and now since thou camest forth, thou hast in a man­ner neuer once looked vpon me: for which cause, the diuine Iu­stice hath thought it good to punish thée in this, y^t in thine owne Countrie and in thine house thou shouldest not be knowen, but shouldst be put vnto the racke, as an euill dooer. In the mor­ning thy wife will come, and thou shalt bee deliuered with thy honor and credit. And so she departed, leauing me verie ioyfull of such a vision, knowing she said most true, and that my punish­ment was most iust, because the lyes which I tolde and mixed with my speach were so manie and so great, although those that were true, were verie strange and wonderfull of themselues, that they were sufficient with the verie fear in hearing of them to strike men dead: which fault I determined to repent and a­mend, and for the same was verie sorrowfull. Morning being come, my iesture and countenance became as it was at the first, and then I was knowen both of my Master and my wife, and so taken out of prison and brought home to my house, where I found my daughter almost big inough to make another. And after I had rested my selfe for a time, I returned againe vnto my pot and my cup, whereby in short space after I had my own proper iesture, and a pleasant good life.

CHAP. XIIII. How Lazarus went vnto Salamanca, and of the frendship hee found there, and of the disputation he held with the Rec­tor, and how he dealt with the Students of the Vniuersitie.

I Liuing somewhat at my pleasure, and being verie well vsed and apparelled, had a desire to trauell from thence to sée the Countrey of Spaine, and to sport and solace my selfe for a time, because I was in a manner filled with the shadow of the sea. And thinking with my selfe whether I should goē, at the last I went vnto Salamanca, where it is said the seuen Sciences haue their dwelling place: and it was thus, that I had manie times wished and desired to proue if I could deceaue anie one of those Abbots or long gowned fellowes, which call themselues Licen­ciates. And as the towne is full of them, so the smell and sa­uour of them stretcheth farre and néere, although I pray God kéepe them from my house in the night time. I went therefore presently vnto that towne: and thinking vpon the sea; where­in I had béen, I meruailed with my selfe to beholo that I saw in the towne, which was somewhat more than I had heard re­ported of it, whereof I will tell you, specially of one thing that happened vnto me therein. I going along in one of the grea­test stréets, met a man riding vpon an asse, (and because as then I was somewhat small eyed and wearie, I could not goe anie further, nor yet turne backward without great paine) the man began to crie out and say, Out of the way Signior Batchelor. I stird not, but giuing him a more honorable name, cride, Out of the way Signior Licenciado, out of the way in the diuells name: and therewith began to lay vpon him with a staffe that I bare in my hand. Whereat you might presently haue séene him kicke forwards and backwards: so that what with master Licenciado on one side, and the Cauallero on the other, I neuer in my life saw better sport, nor a Licenciado of his qualitie, vn­to whom all men gaue place, or that had so manie people to be­hold him. But then I knew him presently to bee one that cau­sed himselfe to be honoured with great names, as I had done in the sea, because of my force and valor, among the Tonnyes.

[Page]Yet neuerthelesse they did honor to others as well as vnto me, for although they called me Signior, yet they gaue me no more libertie therby, than I got vnto my selfe by force, among them. So that I assure your worship, if I should continue long there, I would rather be the Asse-headed Licencioado, then poore La­zarillo de Tormes. From thence, being among the prease, I went into a Colledge, where I sawe so many Students, and heard so many voyces, that I dare say there was not one among them but was more wearied with crying, than with wit. And among many of others that I knew (although not one of them knewe me) as God would I founde one of my friends of Toledo, with whom I had bin acquainted, and he serued with two mai­sters, which were of the best in the Colledge. He being a wise fellow, and waiting on them in their chamber, told his masters of me, in such maner, that it was worth a dinner and somewhat more vnto me. True it is, it was after the maner of Colledges, a short dinner, and litle meate, ill dressed and worse serued: for I assure you, there was neuer a bone y^t escaped without brea­king and sucking. In dinner time we talked of many things, and I replied again so wel, that they both perceiued I had gone further for my experience, than they had done for their know­ledge: then I told them what had happened vnto Lazarus, and that with such words, that they all asked me, where I had stu­died, whether in France, Flanders, or in Italie, and if at that time it had pleased God to haue granted me but a word or two of La­tine, I had posed them all, but at the last I left off speaking, be­ing not desirous to giue them occasion to aske me any more, lest they might propounde something whereunto I could not an­swere. Neuerthelesse they thinking me to be an other maner of man than I was, determined to haue me openly defend cer­taine conclusions, and I because I knewe them all to bee Ca­stilians, as I my selfe am, so that without shame I might shewe my selfe before them all, refused not, for hee that knowes howe to behaue himselfe among the Tonnies, which plaie but with their snoutes, will make his partie good inough with them that plaie but with their tongues: The time was appointed to be the next day following, and all the Vniuer­sitie were charged to bee there without faile, for to heare vs, [Page] where your worship might haue séene your Lazarus in greatest honour in the Cittie, set among so many Doctors, Licentialls, and Batchellers, that I assure you, the tenth part of them were sufficient to till all y^e fields in Spaine, and with the tithes there­of, to satisfie the whole world: there you might behold so many colours of apparel, and so many degrées in the seates, that there was no account made of a man, but of his degrée. And before I went in among them, they woulde haue had me apparelled as they were, which Lazarus refused, because that séeing I was a stranger, and not any student of that vniuersitie, they ought not to wonder at the same, but rather to iudge by the learning, (be­cause the disputation was to that ende) then by the apparell, al­though it were vnaccustomed. I saw them all in such order and so graue, to say the truth, whosoeuer should say I had more feare than shame, or rather more shame than feare, should not mocke me. But to come to the matter, Lazarus being set in his place, (beholde what a student I was) euerie one séeing my Doctorall presence, and howe grauely I could behaue my selfe, and in as good order as they, the Rector desired to be the first that might dispute with me, althogh it were not the custom among them. And so he propounded a question somewhat hard and difficult to be answered: asking me howe many Tunnes of water are in the sea, whereunto (I being a man well studied, and it not being long since my comming from thence,) knew verie well how to answere: saying, hee should cause all the waters to bee staid and kept in one place: which done, I would quickly mea­sure it, and then satisfie his demaund. He hearing my short and readie answere, such as the best of them all could not haue men­ded, and being at a staie, for that he thought to haue posed mée, finding it to bee impossible with that question to doo it, left that charge vnto me to measure it, and then to tell him. The Rector being abashed with that answere, put an other argument vnto me, thinking to trie my wit, to sée if I would make him as pi­thie an answere to the second, as I did vnto the first: he asked me how many dayes had passed from the creation of Adam, vn­til that time: as though I had bin alwaies liuing in the world, with a penne in my hand kéeping account of them, when as to tel you the truth, I do not remember mine owne, but only that [Page] I was once a priestes boye, and then a schoolemaisters boye, and such like, wherof I kept better account than of my dayes. But this notwithstanding I aunswered him, saying there was no more then seuen, because that when those seuen are past, there followeth other seuen, and so it had continued from the begin­ning of the world vntil that time, and should likewise continue so to the end of the world: then your worship might haue séene Lazaro estéemed a great Doctor, among the Doctors, and a wise maister of art among the Licentiates. Now the third question was for to win the victory, and because I had waded so well out of two of them, the Rector thought that in the third I would be graueled. Wherefore he willed me to satisfie him in the third question: whereat I answered him very readily, that I would do so, and that not only to his third, but to as many as he would propounde betwéene that and the next day. Then he asked me, where the ende of the world is? What Philosophers are these saide I vnto my selfe? for séeing that I neuer went about the whole world, how can I answere him? But if he had asked mée the ende of the water, I could haue answered him somewhat better. Yet I answered vnto his question, and said it to be in the same place, wherein we then were, and if he measured it hée should certainly finde it to be so, offering if it were not true, that they should estéeme and account me vnworthie to enter into a­ny Colledge, he perceiuing himselfe shamde by my answeres, and that still thinking to giue a good checke, he receiued an ill mate, put me the fourth question very boldly, asking me howe far the earth is from heauen. Your worship might then haue séene me hake and spit, thinking how to answere, for I was al­most at a non plus, because hee knewe verie well, that I neuer went any such way, if he had asked me what manner of life the Tonnies vse, and what language they speake, I could haue gi­uen better reason for it, yet I was not therewith altogither grounded, but answered him, that heauen is verie neare vnto the earth, for that the songs that men sing here vpon earth, are heard vp into heauen, howe soughtly soeuer men sing or speake, which if he would not beléeue, I had him go vp into heauen, and I would sing here below verie soughtly, and if he did not heare it, he should condemne me for a foole. I assure your worship, that [Page] at the same answer you might haue séene the Rector at such an exigent, that ceasing to propound anie more questions, he left off, referring the rest vnto others: but when they saw him thus foyled, there was not one of them that durst begin, but all lea­uing their places, said and affirmed my answeres to be most ex­cellent. Whereat I neuer saw my selfe to be so much honou­red among men, nor so much Signiored heere, and Signiored there, so that Lazarus his honour increased daily: which was partly the more, because of the apparell the good Duke gaue me, for if it had not béen for them, those long gowned fellowes would haue made no more account of mee, than I did of the Tonnyes in the sea, although I dissembled. But then they all came vnto me, some commending me for my prompt and wit­tie answeres, and others being glad to sée and heare me speake. Whereby (this my great abilitie being séene) the name of La­zarus was in euerie mans mouth, and I walked through the Citie with more buzzing and noise, than I did among the Ton­nyes. My hostes bad mee to supher with them, and I was as willing to goe, although I séemed to refuse them at the first, making as though I were bidden by others: and to conclude we supt, I néed not tell you with what, because it was a Licen­ciates supper, after their manner, although I perceiued verie well that the supper was prepared by changing of bookes, and yet it was good inough. After we had supt, and the cloath taken away, there was a paire of cardes laid on the boord for a colla­tion, which was a daily custome, and surely I was better lear­ned in them, than in the disputations of the Rector. At the last monie began to be laid vpon the boord, which I desired to sée: and they as being verie nimble in that arte, knew how to vse a thousand shifts and flights to compasse mee in, I had almost lost all my money, for that for a while it went but crossely with me, but at the last I handled the matter so well, that they payd for all, and for the supper likewise, and I put fiftie royalls of plate in my purse that I got among them. I would wish ye to beware of him that hath bin a signior among the Tonnies. E­uer after they would take héed of Lazaro, and I to dispatch my selfe away, prayed them to speake somewhat vnto me in Ton­nyes language: if not they could not vnderstand me.

[Page]But after that, fearing least they should offer me any iniurie, and because no occasion might bee had, I departed from them, thinking that I could not alwayes haue good fortune at playe. So I determined to returne home againe, making my self me­ry with the fiftie ryals I had gotten, and somewhat more with­all, which for their credits I will not presently rehearse: and comming to my house, I founde all well there, only that there wanted money. Then I called to minde the Dollors that lye hidden in the sea, and therewith I began to be sad, and thought with my selfe, that if I might spéede as well as I did in Sala­manca, I woulde set vp a schoole in Toledo, and though it were onely to teach the Tonnies language which I thinke no man but would desire to studie it. But thinking better vppon the matter, I saw there was nothing to be gotten, because it would bee no profite to any man, wherewith I left off my deuise, al­though I could haue bene well content to haue had the fame, to be the founder of a Vniuersitie in so noble a Cittie, and the in­uenter of a new language neuer knowne before among men. Hitherto I haue shewed you the course of my life, since the voyage of Argel, what more shall happen, as time ser­ueth, your worship shalbe certified thereof. In the meane time, I rest wholly at your com­mandement and seruice.