YOur worship shal vnder­stande before all things, that my name is Lazaro de Tormes, son of Thome Gonsales and Antona Petes natiue of Tessiares, a vil­lage neer Salamanka: I was borne with­in the riuer called Tormes, wherof I toke my surname, as hereafter you shal heare; my father whome God pardon, had the charge of a Mill stauding vpon that Ri­uer wherein he supplied the roome of a Milner about rv yéeres. It fortuned on a night my mother bring gret with childe, was there brought to bed, and then was I borne: therefore nowe I may truly re­port the Riuer it selfe to be the place of my natiuitie: & after the time I came to the age of eight yeares, there was layds to my Fathers charge that he had shame­fully cut the seames of mens sacks that came thither to grind, wherefore he was taken and imprisoned, and being tormē ­ted [Page]he cōfessed the whole matter, denying nothing wherefore he was persecuted. I truste in God that he is now in paradise, seeing that the Gospel doth say, that bles­sed are such as cōfesse their faults. About y ^e same time an army was made against the Turkes, & my father being then ba­nished for the mishap aforesaid, chanced to be one supplying the roume of a Mu­litor, vnder a knight which went thither, in whose seruice like a true and a faithful man, he ended his life. My mother being then a comfortlesse widowe, after the losse of hir deare husband, determined to inha­bite among such as were vertuous & ho­nest, to be of that number, and therefore came immediatly to this noble Citie, where after that shee had hired a little house, shée kept an ordinarie table for di­uers Students, and washed shyrts for a rompany of horsekepers, belōging to the Commander of Magdalona, by meanes whereof she had accusation to make often resort vnto the stables, where in conti­nuance of time, a black Morrien, one of master Commanders men, became to be famiarly acquainted with hir▪ So that [Page]for his part hee would oftentimes arriue at midnight to our house, and returne a­gaine betimes in y ^e morning, other whiles at noonetide, demāding at the dore, whe­ther my mother had egges to sell, and so come in pretely without suspection: At the beginning I was right sorie to see him make repare thither, being afraid to behold his black vncomly visage: but af­ter that I once perceiued how only by his resort our fare was so well amended, I could by no means finde in my heart to hate him, but rather beare him good will, reioycing to see him: for hee alwayes brought vs home with him good rounde can [...]s of breade, and pieces of broken meate, and in the Winter time wood to warme vs withall. To bee short, by his continuall repaire thither, matters went so forwarde, that my mother founde good time to bring forth a yōg morren, whom I daily playde withall, and sometimes helped to warme. And I remember very well, that on a time as my Stepfather played merily with his yong sonne, the little childe perceiuing that my mother and I ware whyte, and his father [Page]blacke as yeat, he ran away for feare to my mother, and stretching foorth his fin­ger, cried Mamma y ^e hugge: Wherat my blacke stepfather would laugh, and say, a whoreson, art thou afrayce of thy father? Although I was then but yong, I right wel marked the childs words, and said to my self, ther are many such in the world, which do abhor and flée from others by­cause they cannot see what shape they haue themselues. Within a while after, it pleased fortune that the daily cōuersa­tion of Aide (for so was my fathers name) came to the cares of him that was Stewarde to master Commander, who made suthstreight inquirie, that he was aduertise [...] how the black moren did vse to steale halfe the prouander that was allo­wed y ^e horses, yea, horsecouerings, shetes and curry combes, other whiles wood, & bran: which things in [...]éede he alwayes said were lost, All was fish that came to the nette. & when nothing could bee gotten to serue his turne, he would neuer slicke to vnshoe the horses, to get some gaine, presenting daily all such giftes to my mother, as a help to bring vp my litle blacke brother. Let vs neuer therefore [Page]maruell more at those which steale from the poore, nor yet at them which conuey from the houses they serue, to presente therewith whome they loue, in hope to attayne thereby their desired pleasure, seeing that loue was able to encourage this poore bondman or slaue to doe thus much as I haue saide, or rather more, which by euident triall was afterwards proued true: for I being examined of the déede, after much thretning was cōstrai­ned as a childe, for feare, There is an order in that countrey when any Moredoth commirte any hemous effēce to strip himna­ked and being bound with his hands and his knees to­gether, to bast him with hote droppes of burning Larde. so discouer the whole matter, confessing howe I had solde certaine horseshoowes to a smith at my mothers cōmandement: wherfore my miserable stepfather was by iudgement of the law, as the order is there, whipped and Larded, and to my mother expresse cōmandement was giuen vpon the vsual paine of a hundreth stripes, no more to enter into the house of the aboue named Commander, nor yet entertaine into hirs the vnfortunate Zaide. My sorrowefull mother fearing to throwe the helue after the hatchet, determined by all meanes to kéepe their commaundement, where­fore shee entred into seruice with those [Page]which at that time dwelte at the ordina­ric Inne called Solona, so to escape dan­ger & to auoyde the dangerous reports of euill tongues, where shee suffered much sorrowe, and there brought vp my blacke brother, until he was able to run abrode, and that I being a good stripling, There is no pro [...]sion there in Innes: for the guestes must sende a­brode into the towne for all such yittell as they neede. coulde go vp and down the town to prouide the guestes of wine, and candels, and other things necessarie. In this meane tyme, there happeued a blind man to come thi­ther to lodge, who thinking me to be a fit mā to leade him, desired my mother that I might serue him, wherewith she being right wel content, most earnestly prayed him to be good master vnto me, because I was an honest mans s [...]nne, who in maintaining the faith of Iesus Christ a­gainst Lurkes, died in the battel of Gel­ues, & howe that she trusted in almightie God I would proue as honest a man as he: therfore in any wise that he would be careful ouer me, being a fatherlesse child. Let me alone then (answered he) I will not vse him as a seruaunte, but as a sonne. Then in happie time I began to serue my olde and newe maister: And [Page]after we had remained certaine dayes at Salamanka, my blind master perceiuing his gaine there to he but small, determi­ned to departe thence: and a little before our departure, I went to see my mother: whē I came wher she was, we shed both moste bitter teares, and she gaue mée hir▪ blessing, saying, nowe my deare sonne I shal see thee no more, therfore be a good childe, I pray God bée thy helpe, I doe thanke the Lord I haue brought thée vp well hitherto, and I haue nowe put thee to a good master, from henceforth pro­uide for thy selfe, séeing that I haue done my part. I tooke my leaue and retour­ned in haste to my master, which taried for me ready to take his voyage. So wée departed out of Salamanka, and came on our way as [...]rre as the bridge, at the en­trance wher [...] standeth a beast of Stone, fashioned much like a bul: as sone as we came nere it, y ^e blindmā willed me to ap­proche, saying Lazaro, put thine eare to this Bull, and thou shalt heare a terrible noise within it: as soone as he had said [...] words, I was ready like a foole to bowe down my head, to be as he had cōmāded, [Page]thinking that his wordes had bene most true: but the traiterous blind man sus­pecting how neare it my head was, thru­steth forth his arme vpon a sod [...]ne, with such force, that my fore head tooke such a blowe against the diuelish Buil, that for the space of three dayes my head feste the paines of his hornes, wherefore he was right glad & saide: Consider nowe what thou art thou foolish calle, thou must vn­derstand, that the blind mans boy ought to knowe one tricke more than the dinel himself. It semed then immediatly that I awaked out of simplicitie, wherein I had of long time slept (like a child,) & I saw to my self, my blind master hath good reason, it is ful time for me to open mine eyes, yea & to prouide & seeke mine owne aduantage cōssdering y ^e I a [...]alone with out any helpe. We continued on our [...] ­ney, & within fewe dayes I came to good knowledge, so he perceiuing what a rea­dy tong I had, was right glad, & said, nei­ther gold nor siluer can I giue thée, how­beit, I doe meane to teach thée y ^e way to liue, and so certainly he did: for next after God he made me a man, and although he [Page]was blinde, it was he that gaue me light and that taught mée howe to knowe the world [...]. I reioyce to declare vnto your worship these Childish toyes, that you may see how commēdable it is for a man of low estate to bee brought to authoritie and exalted, and contrariwyse what a shame it is, a man for dignitie and esti­mation to bée pulled downe to wretched miserie, But to retourne to my blynde master, and to shew his nature, I assure you that sith the beginning of the worlde God neuer made man more deceitfull and craftie: for in his art and trade of liuing he far passed all other: he could re­cite by hart a hundred long prayers and moe, yea, & the life of all the holy saincts: at his deuotion time he vsed such a loude tunable voy [...] that it might be heard tho­roughout the Churche where hée praied, and besides all that, he could counferset a good deuoute countenance in praying, without any strange gesture, either with mouth or eye, as other blinde are accusto­med to vse. I am not abl [...] to recite a thousand other manner of wayes which hée had to get money: hée would make [Page]many beleeue that he had praiers fo Bi­uers good purpo [...]es, as for to make wo­men bring foorth children, yea, and to make men to loue their wiues, although they had hated thē before neuer so much. He would prognosticate to women that were with childe, whether they should bring foorth a Sonne or a daughter: in matters of Physicke, hee woulde affirme that Galen neuer knew halfe so much as hee: also for any griefe, the tooth ach, or a­nye other disease, there was neuer one cōplained, but that immediatly he would say, do this, doe that, seeth such an herbe, take such a roote: So that by this his con­tinuall p [...]actise, he had daily great resorte made vnto him, (especially of women) which did faithfully beleeue all that euer he said: by them hee had great gaine, for he wan more in a moneth, [...]en twēty of his occupation did in a whole yeere. Yet for all his daily gaines, you must vnder­stand that there was neuer man so wret­ched a inggarde. For hee caused mée not onely to die for hunger, but also to wante what so euer I nee [...]d. And therefore to confesse the troth, if I had not founde out [Page]meanes to helpe my selfe, I had bene bu­ried long sithence. Wherfore oftentimes I would so preuent him of all his crafte, that my portion shoulde proue as good as his: and to bring my matter so to passe, I vsed wonderfull deceits (wherof I will recite vnto you some) although somtimes my practising of them did cost mee bitter paines. This bl [...]nd man caried alwayes his bread and his vittell in a little bag of cloth, which was shutte at the mouthe with an Iron buckle, vnder a miserable locke and keye: at the time of putting his meate in, and taking it out, he would kéepe such straight account, that all the world was not able to deceiue him of one crun me, and therefore there was no helpe, but that I must néedes bee content with that small allowance that hée gaue mee, which [...]wares I was sure to dis­patch at two morsels: and as sone as euer he had shut his little lock, he wold thinke then that all were sure, imagining that I had other matters in hand: then would I boldely vnrip and sowe vp againe the syde of his couetous sacke, vsing daily to launce one of the sides, there to take [Page]out not onely bread at mine owne plea­sure, but also sitces of flesh, and sweete ca [...]banades: So that by such meanes I found conuenient time to ease the raging hunger which he was cause of. Morcouer all the maney that ruer I could conuey & steale from him, I changed alwayes into halfe blanks and when any man deman­ded any praier, he had always of ordina­rie a blanke giuen him for his hire, & bi­cause he could not see, it should be deliue­red mee: but he could neuer so soone put foorth his hand to receiue it, but I was as readie to throwe it into my mouth, and by quicke erchaunge to giue him the iust value of halfe of it, whercat hee woulde much murmure, knowing by the onely feeling of it what it was, and would say: How in the diuels name cha [...]eth it that sithence thy cōming to me, I receiue but halfe blankes, and before I had alwayes a whole blanke and sometimes two? I thinke surely that thy vnluckinesse be cause thereof. From that time forwards her thought good to shorten his prayers, cutting them off in the middest: where­fore he cōmanded me, that as soone as the [Page]almes giuer had turned his back. I shold plucke him by the cloake. Blind men stand there in Churche por­che [...]ryady to be hired for money to re­cite any prayer Then streight wayes changing tune, he would begin to crie with loude voice (as blindmen vse to do) who will heare such a deuout prayer, or else the life of some holie Sainct? At dinner or supper time, hee had alwayes before him a little potfull of wine, which oftentimes I woulde laye hande on, and after two or three kisses sende it him se­cretely home againe: But that happie time continued but a while, for I was wont to leaue so little behinde mée, that he might soone espie the faulte, as in deeds immedially hee did mistrust the whole matter, wherefore hee began a newe or­der, not to leaue his wine anie more at randon, but to auoyde daunger, had al­wayes his little pot fast by the eare, so to be sure of his drinke. Yet notwithstan­ding for all this, the Adamant stone had neuer such vertue to drawe Iron to it, as I had to sucke vp his wine with a long réede which I had prepared for the purpose: for at soone as the ende of my reede had bene once in, I might well de­fire hun to fill the pot againe. Yet at the [Page]laste the craftie blinde man chaunced to feele mee, and being angrie, determined to take an other way, to place his pot be­tw [...]ne his legges, couering it still with his hande, so to auoy call former daun­gers: when hee had so done, I being ac­customed to drinke wyne, did long to taste of it, and perceiuing that my reede coulde then no more preuaile at all, I de­uised an other kinde of fetche, howe to make a hole in the bottome of his wine po [...], and to stoppe the same with a little s [...]fte ware, so that at dynner time ma­king a shewe as I were readie to dye for colde, I would créepe betweene th [...] blynd mans legges, to warme my selfe at his small fire, by the heate whereof, the wax being little in quantitie, woulde so melte away, that the wyne woulde issue down into my meuth freshely and trime. I be­ing sure to gape vpward so iust that one droppe should n [...]uer fall beside. So that when my blinde mast [...]r woulde taste of his wine, hee shoulde neuer finde drop to ouēch his thurst, wherat he would much maruell, cu [...]sing and swering all maner of othes, yea wishing the pot and all that [Page]was within it at the druell, musing still how his wine should bee so consumed a­way. Then st [...]ightwayes to excuse my selfe. I would say, I trust you will not mistrust m [...]e gentle vucle, seeing that the pot came neuer out of your owne hands. Wherevpon then to be well reformed of the truthe, he began to feele and to gro [...]e the pot ouer so o [...]ten, that at last he found the spring, and at that time dissembled quietly the matter, as if hee had percei­ued nothing. The next day I beganne agayne to prepare my selfe after my ac­customed sorte to take my pleasure of his wine, being ignoraunt of the euill that should ensue, thinking that my maister would neuer haue mistrusted mee about such a matter, wherfore I was mery and carelesse. But my cruell master, percei­uing after what straunge sort I receiued those sweete drops of wine, which came foorthe as a quicke spring at his potte bottome, my face bent towards heauen, my eyes in manner closed, so to receius with more delight and better taste, that pleasant licour which I thought did pre­serue my life, the malitious blynde [Page]man hauing time of rouengement at his will, Inted vp the sweete and soure pot, (as I may saye,) and with all his force clapped it so rudely vpon my face, that I thought varily heauen abeue, and all therein, had fallen vpon mee. The cruell blowe was such that it tooke away my senses, it troubled sore my braines, and my face was all cut with pieces of the broken potte, yea, and some of my teeth were then broken, which as yet is seene, wherefore I neuer loued him after, how­beit be cherished me daily: yet for al the false loue and fridship which he shewed, I perceiued right well how glad hee was that he had so punished mee. To make me amendes, he washed with wine the woū ­des which the vnhappie pot had made, & after much l [...]ughing, saide, what sayest thou to this my boy, the wy [...] that hath done the hu [...]t shall now heale thee again, and such other merie iestes, which I vt­terly mis [...]ked. As soone as I began to re­couer, an [...] that my face was in manner heal [...]d, & considered with my selfe, howe that with fewe more such blowes, the blinte m [...]n might quickely vring mee to [Page]my graue: And therefore determined to shorten his dayes if I coulde, which thing I went not about immediatly, but taried a due time for mine owne safetis and aduantage. And whereas af­terwardes I went about to sorget mine anger, and to forgiue him the blowe, the cuill vsage and entertainement which hee daily shewed me, woulde in no wise consent thereto. For still hee tormented me with sore blowes without any offence or faulte at all. And when any man de­maunded why he handled me so cruelly, straight wayes he woulde vp and declare the [...]iscourse of his pot, saying, do you not thinke that this childe is some innocent, and alwayes at the ende of his tale these would be his words: who vnlesse it were the deuill him selfe could haue found out such rare prankes? The people woulde much maruell at my muention, and bles­sing themselues, would say vnto my ma­ster: Punish him, Punish him, God will rewarde you therefore: which thing hee did continually, & would haue done with­out their bidding: wherefore I daily led him through y ^e worst wayes I could find [Page]possibly all for verie spite, minding if I could to doe him harme: where I might cipye stones or myre, I woulde euen through the thickest: & although I could neuer escape drie foote, I was glad with losing one of mine owne eyes, to put out both his that neuer hadde any. [...]e was borne [...]inde. At such times of his sorrowes to bée reuenged, he woulde take holde with his nailes on the hinder parte of my heade, where with his often pulling, hee had lefie very fews haires behinde: it would neuer preuaile me then to say, that I could finde no bet­ter way, nor yet to sweare how I did not leade him that naughty way maliciously for he was so subtile that to my words he woulde giue small credite. But nowe be­cause your worship shal vnderstand how farre his crafte did extende. I will de­clare one chaunce amongst many, which happened in the time I serued him wher in he seemeth to giue full vnderstanding of his subtiltie: When wee departed out of Salamanka, his intente was to come to the Citie of Toledo, knowing that the people were richer there than in other places, although not so charitable, yet [Page]for all that, leaning to his olde pro­uerbe: More giueth the niggarde than the naked, we tooke our voyage through the best villages wee coulde finde, where we found great gain and profit, continu­ing after such sorte a certayne time: and where as wee liked not our entertaine­ment, the third day we would be sure to take our leaue and to ende our yeere. It fortuned at the last, that we arrined to a towne which is called Almorx, at such time as they gathered their grapes, wher one of y ^e viniar [...] gaue my master a whole bunche, which by reason of the late time, were more than ripe, so that some were ready to fall from the [...]unch: wherfore he could by no meanes carie it in his bagge, by reason it was so moyst. Therefore he determined to make a sumptuous ban­ket with it, partely because hee hadde no meanes to carie it with him, and partly because hée thought therewith to please me, which hadde receiued that day many cruell blowes. As soone as we founde a valley fitte for the purpose, wée satte vs downe, and my master said, Lazaro my boy, I will nowe vse a great liberalitie [Page]towards thee, it is my pleasure that both of vs shall eate friendly together this bunch of grapes, whereof thy part shall be as much as mine, we will part it after this sort, thou shalt take one grape and I an other, promising me faithfully that thou wil [...] not take aboue one at a time, and I will doe the like to thee, and so we will quietly ende our bunche, without any fraude or guile on [...]ither part. Vpon that condition we agreed and began our bancket: but my master belike forget­ting his pr [...]mise, did soone chaunge pur­pose, for immediatly hée began to picke the grapes by two & two, thinking per­aduenture that I would do the like, as he might well thinke. In deede I was not farre behinde him, for as soone as I per­teiued that hee had broken the lawe, I was not content to goe by two and two as he did, but went before him, taking vp by two and thr [...] together, and sometime more as I was best able. Whē the bunch was ended, he tooke the stalke in his hād, and wagging his head said, Lazaro thou hast deceiued me, by God thou hast eaten by three and three: I vtterly denied it, [Page]and saide, in déede vnckle it is not true: why should you thinke so? Then he like a craftie blindman answered, I did per­ceiue straight wayes h [...]we the matter went, for when I began to take vp by two & two, thou neuer didst finde faulte­but didst keepe silence. I then laughed to my selfe, although I was but young, I cons [...]dered well his discrete considerati­on. Now [...]ir to auoide long talke, I will leaue apart many matters as well plea­sant as worthy to bee noted, which haue fortuned to me with this my first master. I will onely tell what hapned a litle be­fore I departed: we came to Scalona, a towne of the Dukes, and when we were at our lodging, Here they vse fewe gridiròs but all spits, & do rost ouerth wart the coles. A mareuedi, is the sixt part of an English peny. hee gaue mee a piece of a sausedge to rost, the which being almost inough, and the fat dropped and pressed out vpon thin flices of bread, as the fashi­on is, and those being [...]aten, hée drewe his purse, and boldly drewe out a Mare­uedi, willing me to fetch the value therof in wine. The deuill (who as they say) is the occasion that men become thieues, was ready at hand to prepare opportuni, tie to deceiue him. It fortuned that neare [Page]the fire there lay a little roote, somewhat long and euill fauoured, suche a one as belike, was not leru [...]able for the potte, and therefore was lefte there as abiecte: and as at that time there was no moe but hee and I alone, I felt my selfe pin­ched with a lickorous appetite, my teeth beeing s [...]t on edge with the sweete sa­uoure of his rosted sausege, the which was the onely witnesse that I shoulde bee the eater thereof) I not regarding what the seque [...]e might bee, seauing a­side all manner of feare, for to fulfill my rash desire, in the meane while that the blinde man was drawing his pursse, I whipps off quickely the sausedge from the spitte, and thereon broached the fore­saide worme eaten roote, which my ma­ster most willingly tooke and beganne to tourne, thinking to roste that which for the goodnesse, was not worthy t [...] bee boyled.

So I wente for wine, and by the way I made a faire ende of my sausedge, and as soone as I came in againe, I founde my master wringing betwéene two sli­ces of bread, y ^t naughtie roote, not know­ing [Page]what it was: for with his fingers he had not as yet touched it. Immediatly after he began to eate, taking a large bit of his bread, meaning to haue tasted a little of his sausedge, but his teeth entred into the roote, where he found a colde morsell: whereat hee being sore abashed, shewed it to me, and said, Lazaro what meaneth this? I then aunswered: Nowe Iesus what is this? Alas wretche that I am, doe you meane to blame me, you knowe well that I came but nowe from the ta­uerne with wine, surely some naughtie man hath bene here, that hath done this in despite or mockage. No no, then saide he, that cannot be possible, for I neuer let the spitte goe sithence out of mine owne handes. Then to cleare my selfe, I began to sweare all othe [...], that I was innocent of that vile exchāge: but al was in vaine, for from the subtiltie of that vngratious blinde man, nothing could be kept hidde. Hee rose vppe and tooke faste holde on my heade, to smell whether hee coulde feele the sauoure of his sausedge: and as soone as euer hee felte occasion to suspecte that I had eaten it, he was as gl [...]d [...]e as a [Page]good bloud hound [...], that had his chase in the winde: Wherefore to bée better en­fourmed of the trueth, being sore indued with anger, he rashely opened my mouth with the strength of his handes, so that perforce I was fayns to gape euen to the vttermoste: and then hée thrusteth in all haste, into my mouth, his wormeaten nose, which was both long and sharpe, yea, which at that time by reason of great anger, was lengthned a long hand­full, so that the pike thereof did ga [...] my throte. Wherefore, partely by reason of the feare that I was in, and partly be­cause the sa [...]sedge in such short time was not setled in my stomacke, but most of all, by reason of the greate trouble which his monstrous nose put mée too, wherewith I was in a manner choked, I was forced to discouer my gluttonte, so that the sausedge of necessitie retour­ned to his olde master againe: for my poore stomacke was so much altered, that before the blynde man had drawen out his hoggish nose, I was euen ready to render vp the theft. For looke as soone as euer hee hadde pulled out his snoute, [Page]the euil eaten sausedge came gushing cut after, in honest companie. O mightie God howe ha [...] beene then buried, might well haue looked for my companie, for & was altogether dead: his rage was [...] so great, that if men had not c [...]me in, I thinke certainely hee woulde haue taken away my life. With muche a doe I got me out of his handes, leauing him with his clawes full of that small quantitie of heare which I had lefte, (all which tor­ment he most iustly deserued seeing that through his naughtinesse I suffered su [...]h persecution.) The vngodly blinde man, woulde then declare to as many as came in, my vnfortunate disgraces, rehe [...]sing often ouer, as well the tale of his [...]otte, and of the bunch of gr [...]pes, as also this last tricke of his sausedge. The laugh [...] that men made was so great, that a [...] such as were in the streate came in to see the feaste, where hée recited with such [...] all my misaduentures, that mée thought verily, I did them greate wrong in not laughing for companie. When all this was past, there came to my minde a cer­taine faint and a stouthfull cowa [...] [Page]which I had committed, in not leauing him nosselesse, seeing that I had time fit for the purpose: yea and that I had gone halfe the way to doe it. For if I had but closed my téeth together, his nose had ne­ner gone more abrode: & truely I beléeue because it was the nose of that naughtie mā it would haue better agréed with my stomacke, than the sausedge did, for had it once beene inuisible, I mighte well haue denied it him againe. Nowe I would to God my téeth had done their parte, for it had beene better so then otherwise. The hostise, & other that were there, made vs friendes, and with the wine which I had brought for his supper, they washed my face, & my throte, which his nayles had altorne. Wherat he made much grudging, saying, certainely this boy doeth consume mée more wine in a yéere, with washing his woundes, than I do drinke in two. Without doubt Lazaro, thou arte more bounde to wine, than to thy father, for hée onely begot thée once, & it hath saued thy life a thousande times, and so declared howe many times hee had wounded mée and healed me againe with wine, & then [Page]said again: I promise thée truely Lazaro if any man in the world shal haue happy chaunce with wine, it is thou. Which woordes caused those that were there, to laughe heartily, I being still in moste sorowfull dispaire. But looke what the blinde man prognosticated then, it was not all in vayne, for his sayings at y ^e time proued afterwarde moste true: where­fore I haue oftentimes sithence called to minde his wordes, whereby it appea­red that he had a great gift in prophecy­ing, and therefore it hath often repented me of my cruell dealing towards him, al­though his deserts were euill, séeing that his wordes of Prophecie proued so true, as hereafter your worship shall plainely vnderstande. To conclude, his euill na­ture and my vsage considered, I deter­mined to forsake him for euer, and as I imagined daily thereuppon, desirous [...]o departe, this his last déede perswaded [...] fully thereunto, and the matter chaunced to fall out thus: Within two dayes af­ter, wée wente through the Citie to de­maunde mennes charities, where it had rained much the might before, & because [Page]like wise it rayn [...] s [...]re tha [...] [...]ay, my ma­ster wente praying vnder certaine por­tals y ^e are th [...], where it wa [...]. Whē [...] the raine [...] he [...], Lazaro, [...] is Without [...], for the more that nigh [...] [...], the more earnest [...] let vs draw [...]war [...] to our lodging. But as it chaunced, we had vetweene vs and home, a great wyde gutier which the [...] had [...] I [...] vncle, [...]hi [...] gut [...]er is very bro [...]de and svnste, so that w [...]e shall haue muche a doe to passe, notwithstanding. I haue new espied one [...] were we may well seape ouer [...] thought vertly then, [...]hat I had [...] him good [...] [...] and therefore said, my good boy, nowe I [...] arte wise, I must [...] thee leade [...] to [...] place, where I may [...]st escape a for nowe in winter it is not [...] to take water, especially to goe wet­shood. O how [...]lad I was then to see the [...] I had wished for, [...]herefore without delay, I brought him [...] vnder [...]ath the portal [...], & leade him [Page]right against a grea [...] [...] stoode [...], [...] vncle [...] place of all th [...] [...].

The [...] of the [...] and also [...], for [...] himselfe [...] his vnder­standing to [...] time of [...] to my [...] and said [...] canste [...] take my [...]ump [...] leape [...] Gods [...] for [...] him [...] I could and too [...] [...] poste, as one that [...] [...]ncounter of a Bull, and the [...] If [...] vncle leape boldly as far as you can possibly, for else you may chaunce wet your selfe. I had not [...] said the word, but that inc [...]n­tinently the poore blinde man was ready to take his race, returning a pace or two back [...] [...] the standing [...] and so with great [...] tooke his leape, throwing for­war [...] [...] that at the [Page] [...]ast his head tooke such a mōstrous blow against the cruell stonie pill [...], that his head sounde [...] withall as it had bene a [...] ­ther bottell, wherevpon he sell back with his clouen pate, hal [...]e dead: then gaue I [...] leape and saide; howe now [...], [...]ould you smell the sau [...]dge so well, [...] not the piller I p [...]ay you? [...] a little what you can doe. So I le [...]te him there betwéene the handes of [...] that came in all hast to helpe him, & tooke [...] ready waye straight towardes the [...]owne gate, with [...] flow pace, and then [...]rotte [...] so [...] forward, that before night I ariued to Tortois. After that ti [...] I neuer [...] [...]ought to knowe what God [...] with him.

(*⁎*)

THE nexte day after doub­ting of mine owne safetie there. I departed thence and went to a village which is called Mekeda, where I met for my sinnes, with a priest, who as soone as he espied how that I demaunded al­mes, did enquire whether I could helpe to masse: I aunswered, saying, yes sir, that I can, as truth it was: for although the blindman had vsed me scarce well, he taught me to do a thousand feates, wher­of this was one. The Priest receiued me for his owne: so I escaped then front the thunder and came into the tempest, yea and God knoweth, howe from euill, to ten times worse, for the blynde man was in comparison of this master, a great Alexander. Howbeit, hee was so couetous a nigarde, as heretofore I haue rehearsed. All the miserie in the [Page]worlde, was inclosed within this wret­ [...]ed priest, for he had alwaies a great old coffer, wherin he cōtinually locked with a keye whith did hang at the point of his reate, all the breade that came from the Churche at offeringes, forgetting at no [...] to [...] the same vnlorked, beeing [...] and buttrie. For [...] all the house a man might discerne [...] that coulde bee eaten; neyther [...] in the chimney, nor Cheeses [...] vpon sheltice, nor y ^e! & broken [...] corner as common [...]y in other [...] which things so [...] seen & not tasted, [...] me much: [...], was a rope of [...], in a [...] and vnder [...] was [...] foure dayes. And when I shew & come for the [...]ye to talke my due, if [...] were am straunger [...] he would [...] his hand in a his [...], & with [...], woulde say, [...] immediatly de [...]iue, [...] mee againe, their [...] nothing but crainuie vp meate. So that he that had [Page]heard him, would haue iudged there had bene vnder the costodie of that key, al the confectures of Valentia. But for any thing that was there, beside the rope of Onion y ^e hong on a natle, the deuill him selfe might haue had parte, and of them hee kept such straight accounte, A blanke the xii. part of an English pen [...]e. The custome is there vpon Saturday to eate the heads, the fecte and bowels of all beastes with his licence. that if I hadde taken at any time more then my ordinarie, I should dearely haue bought it. After that I had continued a while with him. I was ready [...]ury houre to fal downe dead for hunger. His vse was, to dine & sup with as muche flesh as moun­ted to the value offlue blankes, wherof I was sure neuer to taste▪ vnlesse it were of the broth, which sometimes hee would friendly parte betweene vs, and so for bread, I would to god I might haue ha [...] halfe as muche as was sufficiente. Vpon Saterdayes, as the custome was in that citie, he would send me for a shéepes head that should cost three Mareuedies, Two blankes a Mareuedi. wher­of when it was sod, hee woulde eate both the eyes, the tongue, and the braine yea, and al the flesh on both the chèeke bones: Then reaching mee the platter, with a fewe naked bones, would say, take down [Page]this to thée, and reioyce, seeing that thou hast the world at wil, I am sure the Pope him selfe hathe nowe no better life than thou hast: thē would I answer him, with lowe voyce. God sende thée alwayes the like. I had not dwelte with him thrée weekes, but I was so leane y ^t my legges were scarce able to beare me: the hunger was so greate which I sustained, that I neuer thought to escape death, vnlesse that Gods helpe and mine owne indu­strie wold finde some remedy to saue my life. And for to vse my accustomed sub­t [...]tie, there was not wherewithal, séeing that there was nothing there to giue as­sault vnto: yea although there had bene, I might neuer haue bene able to deceiue him, as I had done the poore blinde man, vppon whome I pray God take mercy if hee bee dead with his last blowe. For [...] beit he was craftie, yet wanting his precious sight, I was sure bee could ne­uer see what I hourely did. But there was neuer man that hadde quicker eye-sight than this Prlest: For at offering time, the siluer was not so soone falne in­to the basen, but that streight hée had it [Page]registred, hauing alwayes one eye to my hand, & an other to y ^e people: and his eyes woulde so roll in his head, as if they had béene of quickesiluer. As soone as offring was done he would take the basen out of my hands, and lay it vpon the aulter, so that I was neuer able to deceiue him of one blanks. And whiles I continued with him, (or to say better,) whiles that I consumed my selfe in this miserable seruice, he neuer sent me to the tauerne, for as much as the value of a blanke in wine, but that small quantitie which hée had offred on the Sunday, hée kepte al­wayes in his coffer so sparingly, that it would last him al the wéek ouer. And for to hide his couetousnesse, he would some­times say vnto mée, my boy, all Priestes ought to be sober in eating and drinking & therfore I dare not break order as ma­ny other do, Now you sha [...] sée how y ^e mi­ser lied falsly therein, A Saluter is a kinde of drun­kē prophets in Spaine which take vpon thē the healing of mad dogges, for at burials & dir­ges, where hée had meate at other mens charges, he would eate like a wolfe, more thā foure mē, & drinke as it were a Salu­ter: and because his office was always to say dirge, at such times (god forgiue me) [Page]was alwayes an enemy to h [...]ane na­ture, and onely, because that then wee shoulde fare well, and haue meate at li­bertie, I wished and prayed God that he woulde euerie day call vp one to heauen. When wee went to minister the sacra­ment to such as were sicke, my maister woulde desire those that were [...], to pray for the sicke man, Lazaro had not eared though the king had died, so that hee might haue had meare to stay his hūge [...]. surely I was ne­uer one of the last that [...] vnstring God with al my hart, not that he would doe to the patient according is his will, (as other prayed) but that he would dis­patch him out of the world: and when a­nie of them escaped death, I was ready (God [...] me) to wish him at the de­uill, and who so euer [...] sure to haue of me many blessings, and prayers for his [...] I dwelt with this maister about sir moneths, and in that [...] died only vnpersons, which I certainly slew to at [...] least, the earnest request of my pray [...] was cause of their death: for God the father perceiuing the raging hunger which I continually sustained, reioysed (as I thinke) to stay them, to [...] my life thereby, considering that [Page]otherwise my disease coulde not be reme­ [...] [...] I was neuer acease, but when we had [...] burials: The day that there was [...], my teeth should haue no work my [...] would faint, because that I had beene vsed sometimes to haue my bet [...] filled. At suche times I sounds case in nothing but in death, which then I wi­shed, as well for my selfe, as I had done before for the sicke men. I determined oftentimes to departe from that mise­rable master, yet fearing so to do, for two [...], because I durste not trust [...] my legs, which by hunger were brought to great weakenesse, secondly, conside­ring with my selfe, saying, I haue had two masters, with the first I died for hū ­ger, whom when I had forsaken I cha [...] ­ [...]ed vpon this other, which with the very same disease hath almost brought mee to my graue: therfore I made account that if I should forsake the second & meet with a thirde that were worse then these two, then there were no remedie but plaine death. Wherefore I neuer durst depart from him, beeing assured to finde all e­states worse and worse, knowing that to [Page]descend an other degrée, Lazaro should be soon forgotten, being once rid out of this world. Lazaro was a good Christiā beleeuing that all goodnesse came frō God. And being in such afflictiō (God of his grace deliuer euery faithfull Chri­stian from the like) not knowing how to coūsell my selfe, my misery dayly increa­sing, vpon a day, when by chaunce my wretched master had gone abroad, there ariued by chāce to y ^e dore a tinker, which I beléeue was an Angel disguised, sente from God, who demaunded for worke: I answered softly, thou haste inough to a­mēd in me, and I beléene more than thou canst doe. But as it was no time then to delay the matter, (by diuine inspiration) I saide vnto him, vncle, I haue loste the key of this coffer, I feare y ^t my maister wil beate mee, for gods sake looke amōgst your keyes if there be any that will open it, I wil consider your paines: the heauē ­ly tinker began to assay, nowe one key, now another, of this great bunch, and I helped him with my prayers, so that im­mediatly before I was aware, he opened it: whereof I was so gladde, that mée thought I did sée in figure, (as they say) the face of God, when I beheld the bread [Page]within it: and whē he had done all, I said vnto him, I haue no money, but take this for thy paiment, so he tooke one of the fai­rest loues, and after he had deliuered mée the key, hee departed right well pleased, and I as well content as he. At that time I touched nothing, partly because I per­ceiued my selfe to bee the Lorde of suche treasure, that by reason of that keye hun­ger durst neuer againe approch me. In­continently after, who commeth in, but my vnhappy master, and as God would, he neuer tooke heed of the loafe, which the heauenly tinker had borrowed. The next day after, as soone as he went abroade, I began to open my paradise of bread, and what betweene my hands and my teeth, with the twinkling of an eye I made a loafe inuisible, forgetting in no wise to lock the chest againe: thē I began cheere­fully to swéepe the house, iudging y ^e by such remedy I might ease my sorowfull life. So I passed that day and the nexte, with much mirth. But my contrary Fortune wente aboute to hinder mee to enioye suche pleasure long, for the thyrd days iuste, a tercian ague came [Page]vppon mée, in perceiuing him that had slayne mée with hunger, at an vndue houre, ouer the chest, tuching & tossing, accounting and reckoning his breade. I dissembled the matter, as I had not perceiued him, and in my secret prayer and deuotion, I prayed: saint Iohn to blinde him. And after that he had bene a good while casting his acc [...]umpte vppon his fingers, he said vnto me, if it were not that this coffer is so sure, I would say that some of my bread hath bene taken away, but from hencefoorth I will kéepe good accounte of it, there is nowe left nyne loues besides a broken piece: then said I with lowe voyce, nine euils God sende vnto thee, It seemed vnto mee with that which hée had said, my hart to be pierced through with an arrowe, and my sto­macke began to riue for hunger, percei­uing how I was put to my former diet. He then departed out, and I opened the saide coffer to comforte my selfe a little, and beholding the bread, which I dursts not touch, but worshipping it, I behelde & counted it ouer, to see if the wretch had ouerreckoned him selfe: but I founde his [Page]account more iuste, that I woulde haue wished it by the one halfe: the most that I could doe, was to giue it a thousand kis­ses, and to cut a little delicately of that place where it was cut before: and with that I passed ouer that day, yet not so me rily as I did the other. But now because two or thrée dayes before I had breade at will, the appetite in my stomacke did increase in such sorte, that I was al­most dead for hunger: wherefore being alone, I did nothing but open and locks againe the coffer, beholding alwayes that bread as a God. And God himself which succoureth those that are afflicted, seeing me in such necessitie, brought a little remedie vnto my memorie, which was, that I remembred with my selfe this coffer to be olde and broken in many places, and although the holes were lit­tle, yet might it bee thoughte that Mice had entred therein to damage th [...] breade. And to take out a whole loafe, the wretch wold sone espie the fault yet this may be better born withal: so thē I b [...]ā to claw the breade with my nailes, vpon a simple napkin that was there, taking [Page]one loafe and leauing another, so that of euerie third or fourth, I would be sure to take some crūmes, & euen as if they were confects I did swalow the same, to com­forte my stomacke. When hee shoulde come to dinner, opening his cheste, and espying incontinently the hurte, he did iudge that rats had done that spoile, for I had so counterfeited their gnawing, that any man would haue thought the same: wherefore hee sought all corners of the chest, and at the laste hée espied certaine holes where hee suspected they had en­tred: whereupon he called me in all haste, saying, Lazaro, see here what persecuti­on hath beene done this night vpon our breade. I began to maruell, demaunding what it should be? what should it be said he but rats, which leaue nothing wholed we wēt then to dinner, & as God wold I had vetter allowance then I was wont, for with his knife he pared away all that which hee thought the mice had touched, saying, take eate this my boy, Mice are cleane. I chanced y ^e day to fare better, for he augmēted my allowāce with y ^e which I had made, by the trauel of my handes, [Page]or to say truthe, of my nailes. We ended our dinner for al that, somewhat to sone, yet there came another plunge vpon me, perceiuing howe the Priest was earnest in pulling nailes out of the wall, and seeking little bourdes to slop the holes a­gaine: wherfore I said to my selfe (Lord God) vnto howe many perils and cala­mitie of Fortune are humaine crea­tures subiect? how short a time doe the pleasures of our troublesome life last? lo where I am nowe, whiche trusted by this my poore remedie, to ease my mi­serie, being in beste hope of good aduen­ture, my euill lucke would not consent, but opened the sighte of my couetous maisters vnderstanding, causing him to haue more subtile wit than he had giuen him by nature, although such wretches are commonly subtile enough. When he had dummed vp the holes, I thought his chest shoulde bee shutte to my comforte, and opened to my paine, and therefore I neuer left lamenting, vntill that the curious Carpenter with his companie of bourds had ended his worke of nayling, and when he had done, said: now ye trai­torly [Page]Mice you must change purpose, for there is no more profite for you in this house. As soone as euer hée went abrode, I went to view his worke, and I percei­ued that he had not left in his olde cheste one hole vnstopped, not so much as a place for a flie to get in: notwithstanding without hope of gaine I opened the chest with my vnprofitable key, and there vi­sited two loaues begon, which hee had thoughte the Mice has carued, and from them once againe I scraped a little quan­titie, touching thē lightly like a nimble maister of defence, for necessitie at that time my mistresse, caused mee days and night to imagine howe I might liue and seeke remedie for my sore, whereun­to hunger taught me the way, which cō ­monly maketh men haue ready wittes. I beganne then to studie aboute my af­faires, séeking meanes to drawe some cō ­moditie out of the saide couetous coffer: perceiuing one nighte that my maister slept soundly (or at least made me beleeue so) by his snorting & blowing, I rose on my feete, and as I had taken order with my selfe the daye before what shoulde bée [Page]done that night, I had left an olde knife which was caste aboute the house, in a place where it might be founde at need, & went to that happie coffer: and where it seemed to haue least defence, I gaue the assault with my rustie knife, which ser­ued my tourne wel for a wimble: but the chest by reason of good yéeres, beeing weake, without strength, very softe and tender, did straight wayes render & con­sent that I should make for my commo­ditie a good hole in the side of it, and that done, opening the wounded chest, and knowing euerye loafe seuerally by the touch, I did as I had done before, and by that meanes beeing somewhat comfor­ted, hauing locked the chest againe. I re­turned to my pallet, wherupō I slept lit­tle (& as I thinke) mine euill supper was cause of that, for otherwise, at that time of the night the king of France his cares could neuer breake me of my sleepe. On the morning the Priest my master per­ceiuing the hurte which was done as well to the breade as to the coffer, began to curse the Mice, saying, what meaneth this? there was neuer Mouse wont to go [Page]here before now-and certainly his words were true, for if any house in the whole kingdome might be priuileged frō Mice it might be his, for Mice are neuer wont to dwell where no parings of meate doe fall. But nowe he began againe to seeke nailes about the ways, and little bourds, to make defence against the traitorous Mice: but as soone as night came that he went to his rest. I rose vp with my tooles, and loked what he stopped in the day time, I broke vp againe in the night: finally, the one and the other of vs tooke such paine, that this prouerbe was fulfild, whē one doore is shut the other openeth: at y ^e last, wee seemed to haue Penelopes wcb in hande, what so euer hee wrought in the day, I vndid again in the night, in so much y ^e we brought the poore coffer to such estate, y ^e who so euer wold properly talke of it, might compare it to an olde boate or brigātin, for that number of olde nayles that was driuen into eche side of it, whē he saw his remedy preuailed not he saide, this coffer is so olde & so weake, that it is no longer able to defende oure vittalles from vermine, it is nowe at [Page]that point y ^t if I meddle any more with it, them ore it will decay, and so at length be able to do vs no seruice at all, and per­aduenture euill fortune will cause mee spende two or thrée shillinges to buy an other: the best remedie that I can finde, seing this doth not preuaile, is to set vp a trappe within it, to take these cruell rats: wherupon he went in mediatly and borowed one of his neighbours, which he had continually bent within the coffer, with a baite of cheese paring, which was laide onely for my comforte and ease, for although I coulde well haue eaten my bread alone, without y ^e help of any thing else, to cause my appetite, yet the cheese paring which I woulde pull out of the trappe, gaue me trimme taste with my mouse eaten bread. But when he should perceiue the bread so spoyled with ra [...]t [...]s, and the cheese eaten, and the rat that did the deede not taken, then woulde he wish the trap at the deuill, demaunding of his neighbours what it might bée, that the cheese shoulde be eaten, and the Rat not taken, yea and the trap fallen? the neigh­bours would answere that it was no rat [Page]that did that harme, [...]akes are [...]ot there to [...]ort much in [...] h [...]u­ [...] for foode. for at one time or other she had beene taken. And amongst the rest one saide, I doe remember that a snake was wonte to haunts your house, and by all reason it is shée that hath done the deede, for shee beeing long, mighte easily eate the cheese, and although the trap did fall, yet because hir bodye entred not in all, she might well and easely get out and scape. This neighbours saying did satisfie the whole com [...]anie, and espe­cially my maister, which from that time forwarde neuer slept one night s [...]unde­ly, for when he had hearde the least noise amongest the wood, hée woulde thinke that it were the S [...]ke gnawing the coffer, wherefore he would streight be vp with a cudgell, which fithence he entr [...]d into such suspectiō, was always ready at his beds head, wher with he would beate the poore coffer so hard [...], to feare the snake, that hee waken all the neghbours with the noyse. And as for mee, I neuer sl [...]pt, for often times in the night he wold turne me and my pallet ouer and ouer, thinking that the snake had gottē thit [...]er into my bed or into my apparell, for hee [Page]was informed, that those beastes often­times seking heate, haue come into chil­drens Cradles, & b [...]tten them to death. I wold always make as though I slept: then hee would in the morning say vnto mee O Lazaro, hast thou heard no noyse this night. I did pursue the Snak, and I was [...]afraid [...] had gotten into thy bed, for they are colde, & therefore seke heate. Then answered I, I pray God she hath not bitten me. I feare Snakes as the [...]e­uil. He continued in such fearefull fama­ste, that he neuer slepte, so that & bering the Snake, du [...]st neuer approche the cof­fer, but onely in the day time, whiles hee was at Churche, or abroade in [...] towne, then woulde I make my as­sault: whereof when he had knowledge, perceiuing that he was not able to finde any further remedie, would euery night ( [...]s I haue told you) be raging mad. All that I feared then was, that he with his diligence w [...]ulde meete with my priuie key which I had hidde vnder the bed­strawe: But for more suretie, at night tim [...] I woulde a waves keepe it in my mouth, for when that I dwelt with the [Page]blynd man, I had brought my mouth to such vse by conueying money into it, that it serued me oftē for a purpose. I can wel remember, when sometimes I haue had in it .xiitj. or xv. deniers, and not hindred my eating, otherwise I had neuer beens maister of denier, but that the curssed blinde man woulde haue founde it out, not leauing one seame or wrinckle of my coate vnsought. Therefore as I tel you, I did euery nighte put the keye in my mouth for a safegarde, & by that meanes I slepte soundly, not fearing that he shoulde finde it. Notwithstanding, when that the euill houre could not be escaped, my diligence was all but vaine: it plea­sed my fatall destenie (or to say truth) my sinnes, that vpō a night when I was a­sleepe, the keye happened so to tourne in my mouth, being wide open, in such sort, that my breath comming foorth through the hole of the keye, which was hollowe, made such loude whistling (as euill for­tune woulde) that my carefull maister hearde it, who thought certainely that it had bene the hissing of the Snake, (as surely it might be like) hée rose vp very [Page]softly holding his cudgell fast, and by the noyse of the hissing came by little and litle streight to me, without making any noyse, to the intent the Snake should not heare him. When hee was neers me, hee thought certainely that the Snake was there in the strawe, wherfore he lifted vp his cudgell to kill her, and with all his strength hée discharged vppon my heade such a cruell blowe, that he wounded me to death. Whereupon, he knowing that he had stricken me, belike by the groning that I made after the receit of the blow, suspecting what had hapned, cried out to awake me, but as soone as he touched me with his handes, hee felte abundance of bloud issue out of my heade: wherefore considering what hurt he had done mee, hee wente in haste for a candle, and re­tourning with it in his hande, found me groning & gasping with my keye in my mouth, which I neuer let goe, beeing halfe out, euen as it was when it made suche hissing, whereat the killer of Snakes maruelled, especially when hée behelde the keye, which hée tooke out of my mouth, and vewing it, hee percei­ued [Page]what it was, for in workemanship it differeth nothing from his. But for more suretie hee wente streighte to proue it, and so then espied the whole disceit. God knoweth then howe hée bragged, that hée had taken the Rat and the Snake that had made him such warre, and that so destroyed his breade: what happened the three dayes following, I am not able to tel, for I was as it were in a whales bel­lie (but only this that I haue tolde you: which I had heard my master report, af­ter that I was retourned to my selfe, for hee declared the whole matter to as ma­ny as came in and out. The third day af­ter, I begā to recouer, maruelling much, when I perceiued my selfe beeing in my strawe, my head full of plaisters, oyles, and oyntments, and being thereat ama­zed, I said what meneth this? The priest then answered, the meaning of this is, that I had chased away the Ratte and the Snake that haue done me such hurt: then calling to minde my affaires, I sus­spected my hurte, and the cause thereof: then came there in an olde woman, with certaine of the neighbours, to vndo the [Page]cloutes about my head, and to dresse my woundes, and being glad to see mee re­couered, saide, there is no danger, now in him, seeing that he hath his senses, they began then to recite my afflictions, they laughing and I weeping. After all this, they gaue me meate, I being almost dead for hunger. Much a do they had to reco­uer mee, but by little and little I wared strong, & at .xv. dayes ende, I rose vp and was out of daunger, yet not without hū ­ger, howebeit halfe healed. The next day after that I rose, my master tooke me by y ^e hande, and brought me out at the dore, and leauing me in the streate, saide vnto me: Lazaro, from this day foorth, thou shalt be at thine owne libertie, and not vnder my subiection, the Lorde bée with thee: go séek thée a master, I haue no néed of such a diligent sernaunt, it is not pos­sible, but that thou hast bene seruaunt to some blinde man. And therewith blessing him selfe from me, as though I had beene possessed with some euill spirite, hee ge [...] ­teth him in and locketh fast his doore.

BY this meanes I was forced to helpe my selfe beeing weake, & shortly after, I came by helpe of good people, to this no­ble citie of Toledo, where (I thanke God) my wound closed vp. As long as I was sicke, euery man gaue me his charitie, but after that I was once whole, euery man would say, thou vaca­bond and leiterer, why dost thou not séek a master? Then I murmuring with my selfe, wold say, & where the deuill shall I finde him, vnlesse God, as hee made the world, make me one. But now Ideman­ding almes from dore to dore for Gods sake, I found little remedy, for charitie had then ascended vp to heauen. At the last God caused me to méet with a squire which walked thorow the streate, in very sumptuous apparel, & cleanly, his pace in going wel measured after good order. He [Page]behelde me and I him, and he saide vnto me: boy, doest thou want a matter? I an­swered, I woulde faine haue a good ma­ster sir. Then followe mee said he: God hath sent thee good fortune to meete with me, thou hast prayed well this daye, I thanke God, for that which I had heard him say, and for that he seemed by his be­hauiour and countenances to bee euen hee, that I had so much longed for. I met with this thirde maister betime in the morning, and hee led mee after him tho­rough the most parte of the citie: we pas­sed through the market place, where ther was sold bread, and other prouision: Gentlemen vse to buy their meate in the market them selues. I looked when he would haue lodē me there with meate, for it was then, that euery man prouided and bought things neces­sarie for their dinner. But with comely and large pace hee went by, and lefte that place behind him: then I said to my selfe, There is not such prouision of meate in Spaine as there is in England. peraduenture hes doeth not see here that which doeth contente him, hee will buy in an other place: we walked so long that the clocke strok eleuen, then went hee to the chiefe Churche, and I after him, where I sawe him most deuoutly heare [Page]seruice, when all was ended, & the people departed, he came ou [...] of the Churche and marched loysurely do [...]ne a streate: He wēt so l [...]t to the Church to came that his dinner might be made ready. and as for me, I went ioyfully, the best con­tent in the worlde, perceiuing howe that we did not stay to seeke our dinner, ima­gining that this my newe maister had bene some great personage, and that hee had his house pr [...]uided before hande, that we should finde dinner ready, yea such as I desired, and as I had neede of. At that tune the clocke stroke one after noone, when wee arriued at a house before the which my master had stayd I with him, then hee throwing his cloake ouer his leaf [...]e shoulder very ciuilly, drewe out a key out of his sleue to open his doore, we then entred in, the entrance wherof was so darke and vnhandsome, that it might feare any man liuing to enter in, how be it, there was within it a prety litle count and reasonable chambers: and when we were within, hee putteth off his cloake, demaunding mée whether my handes were cleane, we shooke it, and then dou­bled it handsomely, and after he had blo­wen cleanly the dust away from an olde [Page]benche that was there, he layde it vp: that beeing done, he sat him downe, de­manding of mee at large what countrey man I was, & howe I came to the citie: I gaue him a larger account than I was willing: for I thought it a more conue­nient time to commaunde mee to lay the cloath, and to take out pottage, than to make such inquiraunce: yet for all that, bringing foorth the beste lyes I coulde frame for my selfe, I made him account what I was, reckening all the good­nesse that was in my personage, leauing apart all that which I thought was not to be rehearsed in that place: when I had declared all he staied a while, and by that time I did see an euill slgne: for it was almoste two a clocke, and yet he was no readier to dine thā he that had bene dead. I maruelled moreouer, whē I perceiued that hee had locked his dore with his key, & that I could not heare any liuing crea­ture stur, neither aboue, nor beneath: all that euer I did see was the naked walls, As the Priest had. not so muche, as a chayre or [...]oole, nor a table, nor yet a coffer, as the other man had: finally you would haue saide, it had [Page]bene a house, not inhabited. A whyle af­ter he demanded mee whether I had dy­ned, I answered saying, no sir, for it was not eight a clocke when I met with your mastership this morning, (then saide he) as early as it was, I had broken my fast, and whensoeuer I breake my fast in the morning, I neuer eate againe vntill it bée night, therefore passe thou ouer the time as well as thou canst, and wee will make amendes at supper: your worship may well thinke that when I heard these wordes I was ready to fall downe dead, not so muche for hunger, as for playnely perceiuing, that then fortune was alto­gether mine ennemie. Then began my sorrowes to appeare vnto me againe, and I to lament my misfortune: then came there to my minde, the consideration that I made when I was aboute to departe from the Priest, Poore Lazero did beare his masters dinner and his owne in his boson e for feare of leesing it. weyghing with my selfe, that although hée was most wret­ched and miserable, yet peraduenture I might meete with a worsse: finally, I lamented and wept my troublesome life that was paste, and my death that did approch: and yet for all this I dissembled [Page]the matter as well as I coulde, and saide vnto him, sir I thanke God, I am a boy that doth not greatly care for eating and drinking, for I may well compare with any of my age for sobernes and measure in eating, and so haue I béene alwayes estéemed of as many maisters as I haue serued: bee then aunswered saying, it is a vertue to liue soberly, therefore I com­mend thée much: Pogs fill them selues, and wyso men eate discréetely what is onely sufficient for them. I nowe vnder­stande you well sir, sayde I to my selfe, euill lucke light vppon suche vertue and goodnesse as these my maisters doe finde in hunger: immediatly after all this, I conueyed my selfe behind the dore, where I drewe certaine péeces of breade out of my bosome, which were left of that I hadde receiued for Gods sake two dayes before. But hée perceiuing mée, sayde, come hither boy, what doest thou eate? I came vnto him, and did shewe thr bread, whereof hée tooke a peece, whiche of two or thrée was the beste and the biggest, saying, by my soule me thinks this bread is good and sauarouse: yea mary sy [...], at [Page]this time especially, sayde: I. Is so in deed said he, but where hadst thou it, was it moulded with cleane handes? that I know not said I, howbeit I find it good. I pray God it bee cleane, saide the poore Gentleman: and with that putting his hande to his mouth, deuoured quickly all that I had giuen him: and somewhat before we had ended, he said, by God this bread hath a good taste, howe sauerous it is. And as for me then, I perceiued vpon which foote he halted, I made hast to eat, perceiuing him to be so disposed, that if he had made an ende before mee, I thought he wold gently haue offred to helpe mee: therefore wee ended both at one time in good order. He began then with his hand to brushe away a fewe crummes, which had faine vpon his breast, In Spaine ma­ny, drinke no­thing but wa­ter, and some that may haue wine; but this square dranke it for want of better. & after that en­tred into a chamber that was there, and thence broughte foorth an olde potte bro­ken mouthed, & dranke wel, & then he of­fered me the potte. But I to seeme sober and modest, said sir I drinke no wine: it is water, said he, thou maist well drinke of it: then I tooke the potte, but I dranke not much, for it was not thrust, but hun­ger [Page]that troubled me. We passed the time so vntill that it was nighte, reasoning of sundry matters which he demaunded of me, whercunto I answered as well as I could. Then we entred into the cham­ber from whence hee had brought foorthe his drinking potte, hee saying: boy, go to the other side, and marke howe we make this bed, that thou maist knowe howe to make it from hencefoorth. I went to the one side and he to the other, and made the poore bed, which was an easie matter to doe, for it was thus as I will tell you: A sheepes hurdell layde ouerhwarte two trefles, a silly rotten harde matresse, and vppon that his bed clothes, which by rea­son of seldome washing coulde not be di­scerned in colour from the matresse, the which had not halfe so much wool as néed required: wée turned it to make it softe, but that was vnpossible to doe, for ver [...]e harde it is for a man to make a harde thing softe, and the diuell a thing was within the cruell mattresse at all, for whē it was spreade vppon the hurdle of big [...] stickes, euery sticke appeared thorow, en [...] as like as could be, to the ribs of a carian [Page]this time especially, sayde: I. Is so in deed said he, but where hadst thou it, was it moulded with cleane handes? that I know not said I, howbeit I find it good. I pray God it bee cleane, saide the poore Gentleman: and with that putting his hande to his mouth, deuoured quickly all that I had giuen him: and somewhat before we had ended, he said, by God this bread hath a good taste, howe sauerous it is. And as for me then, I perceiued vpon which foote he halted, I made hast to eat, perceiuing him to be so disposed, that if he had made an ende before mee, I thought he wold gently haue offred to helpe mee: therefore wee ended both at one time in good order. He began then with his hand to brushe away a fewe crummes, which had faine vpon his breast, In Spaine ma­ny, drinke no­thing but wa­ter, and some that may haue wine; but this squ [...]e drankest for want of better. & after that en­tred into a chamber that was there, and thence broughte foorth an olde potte bro­ken mouthed, & dranke wel, & then be of­fered me the potte. But I to seeme sober and modest, said sir I drinke no wine: it is water, said he, thou maist well drinke of it: then I tooke the porte, but I dranke not much, for it was not thrust, but hun­ger [Page]that troubled me. We passed the time so vntill that it was nighte, reasoning of sundry matters which he demaunded of me, whercunto I answered as well as I could. Then we entred into the cham­ber from whence hee had brought foorthe his drinking potte, hee saying: boy, go to the other side, and marke howe we make this bed, that thou maist knowe howe to make it from hencefoorth. I went to the one side and he to the other, and made the poore bed, which was an easie matter to doe, for it was thus as I will tell you: A shéepes hurdell layde ouerhwarte two tresles, a silly rotten harde matresse, and vppon that his bed clothes, which by rea­son of seldome washing coulde not be di­scerned in colour from the matresse, the which had not halfe so much wool as néed required: wée turned it to make it softe, but that was vnpossible to doe, for verse harde it is for a man to make a harde thing softe, and the diuell a thing was within the cruell mattresse at all, for whē it was spreade vppon the hurdle of biggs stickes, euery sticke appeared thorow, en [...] as like as could be, to the ribs of a carian [Page]leane Hogge, wée spred vpon the hungry miserable matris, a couerlet suteable to the reste of the stuffe, what stuffe it was off. I can not well deuise: before that we hadde made the beddes it was night, and he said: Lazaro, it is nowe late, and from hence to the market place where proui­sion of meate is solde, it is a long waye, The streetes are natrowe & darke few lan­ternes are hōg out. and besides that ruffians and théeues doe méete men euery night to spoyle them of their cloakes & caps in the darke, there­fore let vs passe ouer this night as well as we may, to morowe God will prouide better for vs. I am not prouided of meate because I haue bene hetherto alone with out a seruaunt, and I haue alwayes ta­ken my meales in the Citie, but from hencefoorth wée will kéepe a newe order: sir said I, take no care for me, I can passe ouer one night, & more if néede bee with­out meate, & that will bee cause that thou shalt liue longer said he, for as wise men affirme, there is nothing that can make a mancliue longer than to eate a little. If that be true said I to my selfe. I shall ne­u [...]r di [...]for I haue always bene constrai­ned to keepe that rule, and I thinke I [Page]am fortuned to obserue it as long as I liue. After all this hee went to bed, ma­king his hose and his dubled his bolster, and causing me to lye at his féete, where I neuer slept winke, for the hard hurdle neuer lefte galling my naked bones, which by hunger and sorrowe together, had not lest on them nor yet on all my body besides, and ounce of flesh: Hunger is al­wayes an ene­my to sleepe. and as I chaunced to eate nothing that daye, my braine was so light, that I could neuer take rest. Wherefore (God forgiue mee) I cursed my selfe and my fortune a thou­sand times, and that which was worse than all this, I neuer durst change sides for feare of waking him: wherefore I desired death. The next morning when he rose, hée began to shake and to make cleane his hose, his dublet, & his cloake, I was his brushe, so he araide himselfe at leisure: I gaue him then water for his hands, & whē he had occupied his combe, he taketh his sword & kisseth the pommel, and as hee was putting it to his girdle, saide vnto mée: My boy, if thou knewest what a blade this is, y ^e wouldest maruel, there is no gold that can buy it of me, for [Page]of as many as Antonio made, he coulde neuer giue such temper to any as he gaue this: then drawing it out of the scabbarde he tasted y ^e edge with his fingers, saying, scest thou it? I dare vndertake to cut a­sunder with it a whole fleece of wooll: I answered him softely to my selfe, say­ing, and I with my teeth though they be not of such harde mettall a loafe of bread weighing iiu. pound. Then vp went the sword againe, hanging it at his girdle. and after all this he marched out into the streate, with a leasurely well measured pace, holding his bodye straight, ma­king therewith and with his head a very good countenaunce, casting the ende of his cloake sometimes vpon his shoulder, & otherwhyles vnder his arme, with his right hand alwayes on his side, and as he was going forth said, Lazaro, looke well about the house, while I do go and heare seruice, make the bedde, and then fetche some water here at the riuer beneath, looke thedoore least any body rob vs, and lay the keye vnderneath y ^e threshold, that I may come in: hée went vp the streate with such comely gesture & countenance, [Page]that he that had not knowen him, would haue iudged him to haue bene nere kins­man vnto the high Constable of Spaine. or at the least his chiefe Chamberlein. I remained then alone, saying to my selfe, blessed art thou O God which sendest the sicknesse & giuest the remedy, who would thinke that should meete my Lord & ma­ster, with such gesture & cou [...]tenāce, but that hée had supped well yesternight, yea and that he had slept in a good bed? and al­though it be now early, who wold thinke but that he had brokē his fast wel? Great are thy secret doings O lord, & all people are ignorant of them: might not his good dispositiō, his reasonable cloke and coate deceiue any man? who woulde distruste that such a noble Gentleman had eaten nothing all yesterday, but one piece of bread which his seruant Lazaro had kept in the chest of his bosom a day & a night, so that it could not be (to say y ^e truth) very cleane? who woulde suspect that hee had dried this morning his face and his hāds vpon the skirts of his coate for want of a towell? I am certain no mā would iudge it in him, O Lorde howe many are there [Page]in the worlde, that are in such brauery as this my master is in, which doe suffer more for a little vaine glories sake, than they would do for the loue of thée. I stoode in the doore so long remembring all those things, that my maister passed thorow a long and narrow streete, then I went in, and within a minute of an houre, I visited the whole house aboue and be­neat, without staying, or finding wherat to stay. When I had made the vnlucky b [...]dde, I tooke my pot and went streighte to the Riuer, and being ready to take vp my water, I might perceiue my maister in a Garden ouer the water, in greate talke with two comely women, whiche by their countenaunce seemed to be some of them, wherof in Toledo a number are rifely found: & many of them take an vse of going abroade early in the morning in Sommer time, to take the ayre in those Gardens, and to breake their faste with­out prouision of their owne vnder trees and shadowes, nere that pleasant Riuer, trusting to finde out some that woulde beflowe charges vppon them, especially suche as they had accustomed thereto, [Page]such lustie young souldiers of the citie as delighted in such pastime. Hee was (as I meane to tel you) betweene these wemen deuising and counterfaiting all kinde of brauerie, reciting more pleasant and swéete wordes than euer Ouide wrote: but when they perceiued y ^e their beautie had vanquished him cleane, and that hee was left without shame, they demanded of him their breakefast, and he therfore to haue the accustomed paiment. Wherupō hee bing as colde in the purrse as he was hote in stomacke, fell in suche a traunce, that he lost all the colour in his face: his toung not able to talke, was faine to alleage vaine excuses. But they which in their science were well instructed, whē they perceiued his infirmitie, they gaue him ouer for suche a one as hee was in­deede. All this while I was breaking my fast with stalkes of colworts, & when I had done, like a diligent seruaunt, not seene of my maister, retourned home, meaning to sweep some part of the house that hadde most neede: but I coulde not finde wherewithal to do the deed. Wher­fore not knowing what to doe, I began [Page]in the worlde, that are in such brauery as this my master is in, which doe suffer more for a little vaine glories sake, than they would do for the loue of thée. I stoode in the doore so long remembring all those things, that my maister passed thorow a long and narrow streete, then I went in, and within a minute of an houre, I visited the whole house aboue and be­neat, without staying, or finding wherat to stay. When I had made the vnlucky b [...]dde, I tooke my pot and went streighte to the Riuer, and being ready to take vp my water, I might perceiue my maister in a Garden ouer the water, in greate talke with two comely women, whiche by their countenaunce seemed to be some of them, whereof in Toledo a number are rifely found: & many of them take an vse of going abroade carly in the morning in Sommer time, to take the ayre in those Gardens, and to breake their faste with­out prouision of their owne vnder trees and shadowes, nere that pleasant Riuer, trusting to finde out some that woulde beflowe charges vppon them, especially suche as they had accustomed thereto, [Page]such lustie young souldiers of the citie as delighted in such pastime. Hee was (as I meane to tel you) betweene these wemen deuising and counterfaiting all kinde of brauerie, reciting more pleasant and swéete wordes than euer Ouide wrote: but when they perceiued y ^e their beautie had vanquished him cleane, and that hee was left without shame, they demanded of him their breakefast, and he therfore to haue the accustomed paiment. Wherupō hee bing as colde in the purrse as he was hote in stomacke, fell in suche a traunce, that he lost all the colour in his face: his toung not able to talke, was faine to alleage vaine excuses. But they which in their science were well instructed, whē they perceiued his infirmitie, they gaue him ouer for suche a one as hee was in­deede. All this while I was breaking my fast with stalkes of colworts, & when I had done, like a diligent seruaunt, not seene of my maister, retourned home, meaning to sweep some part of the house that hadde most neede: but I coulde not finde wherewithal to do the deed. Wher­fore not knowing what to doe, I began [Page]to muse wherin I shold occupy my selfe, master study, I determined to tary vntill noone, that my master came, for perad­uenture hée woulde bring somethings with him for vs to eate: wherefore I taried his comming, yet all for nothing, for it was nowe two a cloc6ke, and bee not yet come: but because hunger oppressed me sore, I came out and locked the doore, laying the key where he had cōmanded, with a lowe and a sorrowfull voice, my handes thrust into my bosome, I began to retourne to my former practise, in so much, that hauing GOD before myne eyes, and my toung, in his name, I fell to beg bread from dore to dore, and from house to house, where I thought best to speede, hauing learned this trade in my sucking yéeres, I meane with the blinde maister, I became suche a scholler, that although in that Citie there was small charitie, nor the peace was not aboun­dant, yet notwithstanding I had put my affaires in suche good order, that before the clocke stroke foure, I hadde layde a pound of bread in my belly, and twice as much in my hoseme & sleeues. I returned [Page]then homewarde, and in my way wents thorowe the streetes where they solde tri­pes, wher I demanded a woman y ^e was there hir charitie, she gaue mee a piece of a neats foote, and a fewe sodden tripes.

When I came home, my curteouse master was within, hauing folded his cloake & laid it vp▪ walking vp and down the courte: and as soone as he did see me, he came towards me, wherefore I feared he would haue beaten me, because I had laried so long, but it was not Gods will. The first thing he demaunded mee, was, wher I had bene? I answered, sir I was here vntil it was two a clocke, and when I perceiued that your maistership came not, I went forth into the citie, to recom­mende my selfe to good people, whiche haue giuen me thus much for gods sake, and so shewed him the tripes whiche I kept in the skirt of my coate, whereat he made no angrie countenance, but fayde, I haue [...]ried for thee to dinner, and be­cause I could not see thee come, I dined alone, as for thee, thou hast done like an honest boy, for it is better to beg than to steale, as God helpe mee I am of that o­pinion, [Page]one thing onely I will desire thee to do, that thou wilt not let them knowe that thou dost dwell with me, nor that I am thy maister: For that touched mine honor, and I do not doubte but that will be kept secret for very fewe do knowe me in this citie, I would to God I had neuer come to it. Of that matter sir take you no care, sayde I, for no man will aske mée that question, I néede not therefore make such accompt to any of them. But why doest thou not fall nowe to thy vit­tels poore foule, if it bee Gods will wee shall soone bee out of this miserie: thou shalt vnderstande, that sithence I came in hither, I had neuer good houre, this house is surely built in an vnhappye place, and certainely some houses are so vnluckye, that looke whosoeuer doeth dwell within them, hee shall bee sure to haue euill fortune. But I promise thee, that as soone as the moneth is ended, I will not dwell here, (no though they would giue it me rent free.) I fall downe then, and because hee shoulde not thinke mée a couetous glutton, I drewe out my vittels, and there began to suppe honest­ly, [Page]biting my tripes with my bread hand­somely, beholding dissemblingly my mi­serable maister, which hadde his cye al­wayes vppon my skirte, beeing at that time my onely platter. God take suche compassion on mee, as I did then vppon him, for I had oftentimes endured, yea and daily felt that sorrow, which I knew tormented him: wherefore I imagined with my selfe, how I might well inuire him: but because he tolde me that he had dyned, I was afraide least hee would re­fuse the bankst. Finally, I wished that the poore man wold haue eased his paine, by helpe of mine, and that he wold haue eaten with me for company, as hee had done the day before, especially, because y ^e then I had better vittels, and more store, and moreouer that then my hunger was lesse: it pleased God to accomplishe my desire and his together, for when as I had begon my meate, as hee walked hee came neere to me, saying, Lazaro I pro­mise thee thou hast the best grace in ea­ting that euer I did see any man haue, for there is no mā that séeth thée eate, but by seeing thee feede, shall haue appetite, [Page]I did pitie him, rather then hate him, for oftentimes with carying him home wherewith to passe the day, I felte griefs my selfe. One morning, the poore gen­tleman rose vp in his shirt, and went vp to the toppe of the house, to ease hun selfe, and in the meane season to hée out of the suspition that I was in, I vnfolded his dublet and his hose, which were his boulster, and there founte a little purse of veluet, which had a hūdreth wrinkels in it, but the deuill a peny, nor yet any [...] stgne that there had bene any there long time before. Then did I say to my selfe, this man is poore, no man can giue that which hée hath not: but my couetous blind man, and my wretched priest, vnto whom God hath giuen so much goods, y ^e one got with smoth hand, the other gai­ned with his loose toung, and yet they famished mee continually: there was good reason why I shoulde hate such peo­ple, so is the cause, why this mans case shoulde be lamented. God knoweth that when I met with any of his estate, be­ing of like grauitie, pace, and counte­nance, howe I pitied them, thinking that [Page]they did endure that which I did sée him daily suffer, whome I hadd rather ser [...] for all his pouertie, than any of the other for the causes aboue named. I did like him well, but only y ^e me thought he was to presumptuous, where I often wished that seeing hee so plainely perceiued his owne pouertie, hée wold something haue hid his fātastical pride. But as I thinke, it is a rōmon vsual rule amongst such as hée, which though they haue not a crosse in the worlde, nor a Denier, the cappe must needes stande in his olde place: but if GOD of his mercie doe not order the matter, all suche are like to dye of that vile disease. As I continued in suche e­state, sustaining the life that I haue told you, my euill fortune which neuer ceased to pursue mee, woulde not yet suffer me to continue in that troublesome and shamefull kinde of life. For the matter happened thus: the Lords of the counsell made proclamation with sound of trum­pet, because that that yeare there was searcitie of corne, all poore people being strangers, should forsake the Citie, vpon paine that hee which from thencefoorthe [Page]should be taken, should be punished with s [...]pes: and so exeruting the law, within th [...] dayes after the pr [...] amatiō, I sawe a whole procession of poore folke whipped theough the foure principall streetes, which sight did so feare mee, that neuer after I durst venture to beg. Thē might you haue séene a strange diet we kep [...] at home, and the great silence that was there so that wée were constrained to faste two or three dayes together, with­out eating any morsell, or speaking a woorde: and as for mee, the best shifte I made, was amongst [...]ertaine poore wo­rden, which were spinners and cap knit­ters, [...] my life, by reason of the aquaintance I had with them, being our [...] neighbours: For of that meat they had I should haue a litle, wherwith I did not so lament mine owne case, as I did my poore maisters, which in eighto dayes did not ca [...]e one morsell, at the least, wee were so long at home without meate, but in deede I know not whether he went, nor what hée did eate abr [...], yet notwithstanding, for all this, you [Page]should see him come some times vp the streete, with a bodie as large as any gre­hounds of good race: and for to maintain his poore honor, hée was wonte to take a straw in his hand, wherof also there was wante in our house, Small neede to picke his teeth for any meate he had e [...]ten. and standing with­out the dore, would therewith picke those which had little neede of picking, for any thing that had stucke in them with ea­ting. Lamenting still the vuluckinesse of that house, he would say, it greueth me, to see how all our sorrowe commeth of this house, thou seest howe vnconfortable and darke it is, and as long as we dwell here, wee are like to bee thus tormented, theré­fore I woulde to God the moneth were ended, that wee might depart out of it. And as wee continued in this afflicted & famishing persecution, one day a rial en­tered into the power of my master, Sixe pence English. I know not by what good lucke and aduē ­ture, wherewith hee came home so blo­wing, Belike some g [...]ers had [...]uen it him and it was full time. as if he had brought with him the whole treasure of Venice, and so with a mery and liuely countenance hee giueth it to mee, saying, take here Iazaro, nowe God beginneth to open his hande, and to [Page]smile vpon vs, goe quickly to the market place, and buy bread, wine and flesh, that wee may breake the diuels enuious eye: and furthermore, bicause thou shalt haue good cause to reioyce, thou shalt vnder­stand, that I haue hired an other house, therfore, the moneth once ended, we will no longer abide in this miserable vnluc­ky house, cursed be it, and he that layde the first tile on it, for in euill time did I come in. By our lorde all the time that I haue bene here, I neuer dranke drop of wine, nor a morsell of fleshe entred into my belly, nor yet haue I had any rest in it, suche is the sorrowe and miserie that belongeth to it, goe thy wayes and make speede, and let vs dine this daye like Earles. Then I tooke my riall and my pot, and with all haste, I began to goe vp the streete, towardes the market place, with ioy and mirth. But what profi­teth all this, nowe that I am borne vn­der suche a planet that I can neuer en­ioye any pleasure long, without hyn­draunce, (it appeareth so nowe) for as I went on my way, making my accounte howe I should bestowe my money vpon [Page]that which should be most profitable and best, geuing infinite thanks to God (that he had giuen my master that money) vp­on a suddaine I mighte see right before me a dead coarse come down the streete, accompanied with many priestes and o­ther people: I leaned to the wall to giue them place, and the coarse went by, I might see a woman whiche belike was the dead mans wife, folowing the beere, all in mourning weede, accōpanied with other women, and she weeping and la­menting, said: O my husband & my lord, alas, whether doe they [...]arie you? to the vnconfortable and sad house, to the darke and sorrowfull house, to the house where they neuer eate nor drinke? When I had heard her speake these woordes, mée thought heauen and earth had met, and I said, O vnfortunate wretch that I am; they carie this dead coarse to our house: wherefore I forsooke my way, and brake in betweene the people, and running downe the streete as fast as euer I could, I got into the house, and when I had en­tred therein, I locked the doore with all haste, calling out to my maister for [Page]straunger long before, by reasou that hée had so little acquaintance with those of the Citie. Finally, my wish was accom­plished, and I vnderstoode that which I coueted to knowe: for vpon a day, after that hee had dyned reasonably well, hee being at that time indifferently well sa­ti [...]ed, declared vnto mee his affaires, in so much that hee certified mée, that he was borne in Castilia the old, and howe that hee had forsaken his countrye for nothing in the worlde, but because hee would not abase him self so much as put off his cappe to a Genleman his neigh­bour: and hauing heard all his discourse, I said vnto him, sir if he were such a one as you say, and besides that, if he were richer than you, it hadde beene but your duetie to put off your cappe first to him, for I beleeue he would haue done the like to you: in deede hee is a gentleman, and richer than I, and he would always put off his cap to the vttermost, when I did put off mine, but seeing that oftentimes mine was first off, reason would haue re­quired, that his shold once haue bin first, and so haue woon of me by quicke hand, [Page]the courtesse. As for me said I. I woulde neuer haue had regard to that. Thou art a childe saide he, and therefore thou kno­west not what doeth belong to honoure, which at this daye is the onely refuge of such as bee honest: therefore thou shalt vnderstād, that I am as thou seest a poore esqire, and I make a vowe to God, that if I should méete in y ^e midst of the stréete an Earle, that wold not put his cap alto­gether off, as well as I do mine, the next time I sée him come, I will enter into some house, as if I had some businesse there, or else crosse ouer into an other stréete, if there be any betweene mee and him, so that I shal not néede to put of my cappe to him, for a Gentleman is bound to none but to God and the Prince, and therefore it is reason that an honest man shall be curious to estéeme his owne per­sone. I doe remember that vpon a day, I dishonoured, and hadde almost beaten a crafts man where I was borne, because that when so euer he met me, hee woulde say Mantenga deos a vim, which is to say, Sir, God maintaine your worship: I tooke him once with the déede, and said, [Page]will streght bid you fare well, and moste commonly, their wages is payde with long termes, sometime your meate and drinke onely for your painefull seruice. And when they meane to reforme their conscience, and to consider the seruaunts paine, there shall be deliuered out of the wardrobe, some cut dublet, or some thred bare cloake, or coate: but whē a man ser­ueth a Noble man of the Order, hee shal better passe ouer his miserie: but perad­nēture there is not in me abilitie to serue & to content such men. By God if I had met with one of them, I thinke certaine­ly, I shoulde quickely haue bene chiese of his counsel, for I would haue done him a thousad kind of seruices. I could haue di­sembled as well as any other, yea & plea­sed him a thousāefolde, that it wold haue ben maruellous, I woulde haue smiled merily at his doings, although they had not bene the best in the worlde, I would neuer haue recited that which shold haue displeased him, no although it had beene much for his profit, most diligent about his person in word & dorde, neuer vering my selfe about the well doing of thing [...] [Page]that shoulde neuer come to his sight, but sometimes haue chid such as serued, wher he might heare mee, that I might se [...]me to be carefull, about that which touched him and whensoeuer he shold happen to fall out with any of his men, then wold I put foorth two or three smooth wordes to set him forward, which shold seeme to be in the fauor of the offender, affirming al­wayes that which I thought he liked of: & on the contrarie side, a malicious moc­ker of the ignorant and rude sorte: fur­thermore, I wold alwayes demande and procure, how to know the liues of stran­gers, to account them vnto him, with o­ther suchtricks of like qualitie which at this day are vsed in greate palaces and courts, and which please the chiefe dwel­lers herein, which can not abide to see in their houses vertuous men, but do abhor, & esteeme them as nought, despising & cal­ling them fooles, & ignoraunt in the traf­fick of weight is affaires so that the Lord tā not safely trust to their simple doings in weightie matters: therefore nowe a dayes, those that are subtill and craftie, get into fauour, and vse such meanes as [Page]cheth vnto mee, and taking fast holde on the coller of my coate, saide: thou arte prisoner, vnlesse thou tell where thy ma­ster his goods are become: but as neuer no man had taken holde on mee in that place before sauing onely my blinde ma­ster, who neuer layde han [...]e on mee so rudely, but gētly, that I might leade him that could not see, I was afrayd, & crying mercie, I promised to tell al that they de­maunded. Go to thē, say they, say on gods name what thou knowest and bee not afraide: the Scriuener sitteth downe in haste, to write the Inuentorie, demāding what goods he had. I then began to de­clare what I knewe, saying, sir, the goods that hee hath, or at leaste that which he tolde me he had, was a piece of grounde, where foundation of houses is layde, and moreouer a Doue house, which is faine, Wel said (say they) my boy, though that be little worth, it is sufficient to pay vs, In what place of the Citie standeth it, (say they) I answered, mary it standeth a good way hence in his owne countrey. The matter is then in a faire case (say they) but wher is his coūtrey: he told me [Page]that he was borne in Castilia the old: the Sergeant, and the Scriuener, laughing apace, sayde, this confession is sufficient for you to recouer the debte (though it were greater) the neighbours that were there present, said, this childe is an inno­cent, and he hath not dwelt long with the Squire, therefore he knoweth no more of him than you doe, hee hath oftentymes come to vs, and we haue giuen him such meate as we had, for Gods sake, and at nightes gone in to lye with his master: when they perceiued my innocēcie, they did set me at libertie. The Sergeant and the Scriuener did demaund of the man & the woman their fee, wherevppon there rose great contention, and they alleaged that they were not bound to pay, seeing that there was no execution made, espe­rially, seeing there was not wherewith­all: the officers alleaged, for that cōming thither, they had left vndone matters of muche greater importaunce: finally, af­ter many angrie wordes, a poore carier was loaden with the olde matteris, which was the womans, scante halfe a [...]dade to the bearer: then went they all [Page]flue out together chyding, what became of them after. I knowe not, I beléeue the poore mattris payde for all. And thus as I tel you, I lost my third inaster when as I fully perceiued euill fortune wrought altogether against mee, in so muche that my affairs went so back ward, that wher as maister eare wonte to bee forsaken of their seruants, it was not so with mee, but my maister was faine to forsake me, yea and runne away in hast.

I Was then constrained to séeke the fourth maister, which was a Frier of the Abbey of Grace, vnto whome the poore women which I haue to [...]de you off, preferred mee. They called hym cousin. This man was an enemie to the Quire, not liking well of his meales in the couent, a man lost for going abrode, [...]estr [...]us to see worldly affaires and vi­sitations, [Page]wherefore I thinke that hee a­lone did teare moe shoes than all the rest of his brethren: it was hee that gaue mee the first shoes that euer I wore in all my life, which lasted mee but eighte dayes, for he neuer lefte trotting abroad: wherefore for this, and for other small matters, which at this time I will not speake of, I was faine to forsake him.

I Met by euil chāce with the fifth maister, which was an vtterer of Par­dons, the disceitfullest marchant and the most sham [...]lesse, that euer I did sée, or any man els: for to dispatch away his pardons, hee had fine meanes and traficke, and daily ima­gined therefore most subtill inuentions. As soone as hee arriu [...]d to such townes, were he shold vtter his pardons, he w [...]ld [Page]first present some gifte of small value or substance to the Priests and Curates of that place: sometimes a Cabadge lettis, a couple of Lemuiōs or Oranges: other­whiles an apricocke, or else a couple of Meaches, or at the leaste, to euery one a faire Peare: and by that means he went about to make them his frends, that they mighte fauoure his affaires, and cause their parishioners to receiue the pardōs: yea, and that they should thanke him, hee woulde alwayes bee informed bfore hee came, which were learned, & which not. When he came to those which he vnder­stood were learned, he woulde be sure ne­uer to speake worde of latin, for feare of stumbling: but vsed in snche places, a gentle kinde of Cast [...]lian Spanish, his rong alwayes at libertie: and contrari­wise, whensoeuer hée was informed of the reuerend Domines (I meane such as are made priestes, more for money than for learning and good behauiour) to hear him speake amongs suche men, you would saye it were S. Thomas: for hee woulde then, two houres together talke latin, at lest which seemed to bee, though [Page]it was not. When that they receiued not his pardons friendly, hee sought meanes to make them to take them perforce: so that oftentimes, hée herefore molested the paris [...]oners, otherwhiles causing them to receiue them by subtile inuen­tions. And nowe, seeing that it were too long to accounte all suche partes as I did see him vse. I will recite one, whereby he she wed right wel how sufficient he was. He had preached two or three dayes, in a village, within the diocesse of the Arche­bishop of Toledo, without omitting any part of his accustomed diligence, and the people had not taken one pardon, nor no man (as farre as I coulde perceiue) was minded to receiue any: wherefore he was in great rage. And as he imagined what hée had beste to doe, Pardoners haue alwayes with them a sergeant to taky vp gages in such houses as refuse to pay for their par­dō at the time appointed. determined to in­uite and byd all the people to come thi­ther the next day, so to dispatche his par­dons, and that [...]ght after supper, he and his Sergeant wente to playe for theyr breakefast, and as they plaied, they fell at such debate, that y ^e one gaue euill wordes to the other: In so much, that at the last hée sayde to his Sergeant, that he was a [Page]thief, and the Sergeant answered, saying that he was a falsifier, wherefore the com­missarie my maister layde hande vpon a shorte pike that stoode behinde the doore where they plaied, and the sergeant on y ^e other side, put hand to his sworde which hong by his side, so that with the greate noyse y ^e we made, our host & our neigh­bours came in, and went between them: then they beeing sore angrie, sought all meanes to come together, that the one might kill the other: but the house was so full of people, that they coulde by no meanes come nee to one another, where­fore they neuer lefte, geuing one ano­ther iniurious wordes, in so muche that the Sergeant said to my maister, that he was a fasifi [...]r, and that the Pardons which hee preached of daily, were moste false. To be briefe, when the people per­ceiued that they could by no meanes pa­cif [...]e them, they determined to carie the Sergeant away to an other lodging, and my maister remained still there in great rage. Whereupon our host, with his neighbours desired him hartily that hee woulde forget his anger, and goe to bed; [Page]and so then we w [...]t all to sléepe. As soone as day appeared in the morning, my ma­ster went to the Church and caused them there to ring to Masse, & to Sermon, that he might dispatch his Pardons, then the people assembled together, murmuring amongst them selues at the Pardone, saying that they were false and nothing worth, seeing that the Sergeant himselfe had affirmed the same: So that before y ^e time, they hauing small minde to receiue any, they then vtterly abhorred them. Master cōmissarie mounte [...]h vp into the pulpit, and beginneth his sermon, encou­raging the people not to forsake suche great goodnesse and indulgence, as the holy pardon conteined: and being in the midst of his sermon, the serg [...]ant cōmeth in at the Church doore, and when that hée hadde ended his prayers, he rose vp sud­denly, and with a loude voyce discretely sayde, ye honest & godly people, giue ears that I may tell you a worde or two, and then heare whome yée will. I am come hither in the company of this crowe kee­per which nowe preacheth, who hathe deceiued me, promising, that if I woulde [Page]helpe him in his affaires, I shoulde haue hal [...] the gaines. But now perceiuing the damage that my cōscience [...]hold receiue, and besides that, the losse of your goods, I do earnestly repent that which I haue done, All Sergeants in Spaine doe beare a white, [...]od [...] their [...]ndes, higher than thēselues by half a foote as big [...]as a mās finger. and I will tel you plainly, that the pardons which he hath brought, are false: therefore yee ought not to beleeue him, nor yet take any one of them. As for me, I will neither bee partaker with him, one waye or other, therefore from this time foreward, I doe forsake the rodde of them, which I nowe cast to the grounde: for if hereafter hée bee punished for his falshoode, you may be witnesse with mee that I am no doer with him herein, nor yet helpe him, but doe rather bewray vn­to you his craft and falshood: and when he had saide all, certaine men of honour which were there, would néeds haue cast him out of the Church, They were no [...]rds, enerv [...] is of ho­ [...]or there. to auoide slāder: but my master did forbid them so to doe, commaunding them all vppon payne of excommunication, to suffer him to saye all that euer hee coulde, and hee him selfe kept Silence whyles that the Sergeants declared al that which I haue rehearsed: [Page]and as soone as hee helde his [...]ounge, my master demanding hun whether he wold say any more: y ^e sergeant answered, there may bee much more saide of thée, and of thy falshoode, but at this time this is sufficient. Then my master commissarie falling downe vpon his knees in the pul­pit, holding vp his handes, his eyes l [...]o­king vp to heauen sayde these words: O Lorde God, from whom nothing is hid, vnto whome all things are manifest, and vnto whome nothing is vnpossible, who cā do all things, thou knowest the truth, and how vniustly I am accused and slan­dered: as for me (O lord) I forgiue him, that thou mayst forgiue me. Haue no re­garde to hun that knoweth not what he doeth nor saieth: notwithstanding, O Lord, I do beséech thee: & through iustice I demaunde of thee, that thou wilt not dissemble this iniurie which is done vn­to thee, peraduenture, some that are heere present, were minded to take th [...]s diuine pardon, which now will not, gi­uing place and credite to the wicked mans words: and because this matter is so hu [...]tfull to Christian neighbours, I [Page]beséech thee once againe good Lorde, that thou wilt not dissemble it, but immediat­ly, that it may pl [...]ase thée to shewe here a miracle, and that it may be thus: If it be true that this man saith, that is, that the Pardons which I haue heere are false, that this pulpit maye then sinke with mee, as farre as the depth of s [...]uen men vnder the grounde, that neither it nor I may neuer bee séene againe. And on the other side, if that bee true which I say, that he beeing perswaded by the de­uill, hath saide these words falsly and vn­truly, only to depriue the people of suche goodnesse, that then it maye also please thee to punish him, that his malicious peruersitie may bee knowen to all men. My de [...]out maister had scant ended his prayers, but that the poore Sergeant fell in a traunce, giuing him selfe suche a blowe against the ground, that all the Church sounded of it, stretching out his body with great absidance of fome at his mouth, making straunge visages, and striking the ground both with hande and foote, tumbling vp and downe from one side to an other: In so muche that the [Page]noise which y ^e people made, was so great, that one could not heare another. Some were amazed and sore afraid, saying God be his helpe, and other saide, hee hath that which hee hath deserued, seeing that hee durst affirme such falshod. Finally some of those that were there, which to my iudgemēt were not without great feare, came néere to hold fast his hands, where­with hee stroake all suche as came neere him. Others helde him falste by the féete, for there was neuer false moyle in the world that euer kicked so fast: and so they held him a good while. Ther were aboue xv. men vpon him, and he gaue them all their hands ful: so that if they had forgot­ten their businesse, he woulde haue giuen some of them ouerwhart the teeth. All this while my maister was in the pulpit vpon his knees, holding his handes to­gether still, his eyes bent towards heanē, transported into such diuine essence, y ^e all the noyse and rumour which was in the Church, was not sufficient to bring him out of his diuine contemelation. Certain honest men that were there, came vnto him, and a waked him by force of crying, [Page]God (seeing that he desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that hee shall re­pent and liue) to pardon, forgiue and restore to life, that poore sinner which was led by the deuill, ouercome with death and sinne, that he might repent and confesse his sinn [...]: when hee had so done, he sent for one of the pardons, and laide it vpō his head, wherupon immediatly the poore Sergeant began to amende and by little and little to retourne to him selfe. And as soone as he had recouered his sen­ses, he knele [...]h dow [...] at maister commis­saries feete, & there demanded pardon, cō ­fessing how that he had said and done all those things, by the mouth and instruc­tion of the deuill, as well to giue him griefe, and to be reuenged of him, as also d [...]se the deuill was sorie to sée the goodnesse which people receiued by ta­king the holy pardons. My master did then forgiue him, and friendshippe was made betweene them. Then was there suche greate haste to take the pardons, that almoste no creature liuing in that towne, but tooke one, the hus [...]ande, and the wi [...]e, sounes and daughters, menns [Page]seruantes and maid seruants, there was none but woulde haue one. This newes was spred abroad through al the townes there about, so that we then ar [...]ued thi­ther it was not needefull to preache, nor yet to goe to the Churche to dispatche the Pardons: for the people came so fafte to our lodging for them, as if they had bene peares that had bene giuen them for no­thing: in so muche that my maister dis­patched and vttered away ten or twelue thousand pardons in ten or twelue little villages thereabouts, without preaching one sermon. And as for my part, I will confesse my ignoraunce, for when this their inuention was tried, I was in a gret maruell to see such a straunge case, & I thought the matter had bin so in deed, as many other did: yet notwithstanding, when I perceiued once the Iesting and scoffing that my master & the Sergeent would make at the matter by the waye, I vnderstood plainely, that all that coun­terfaite shewe was inuented by my ma­sters subtile industrious arte. And al­though I was of tender yeres, yet I toke great pleasure to consider their doings, [Page]and would say to my selfe: Howe many are there suche as these that deceiue the simple people. To conclude, I continued with this fifte maister neere [...]oure mo­nethes, during which time I suffered much sorrowe.

AFterward I entred in­to the seruice of a pain­ter of Orummes, vnto whome I tempered co­lours, with whome I suffered a thousand e­uils, and as I was thē of good bignesse, entring one daye into the great Church, one of the Chaplaines receiued me for his owne, and gaue mee in gouernment an Asse, with foure great tankerdes, and a whippe, to sell water vp and downe the Citie, and this was the first staire I climbed vp, to come to at­taine [Page]vnto good life: They do ea [...] water vp and downe the c [...] ­tle to sell vp [...] Asses, with foure & som [...] times sixe ran [...] kards: for the haue no wat [...] but from the riuer. for my mouth had then the measure. I deliuered vp daily to my master in game thirtie Mareuedis, & on euery Saturday I laboured for my selfe, and all the weeke also whatsoeuer I coulde earne ouer thirtie Mareuedis a day, was mine owne. This office was so good, that at foure yéeres ende I had spa­red with my wages and my gaines, so muche as bought mee apparell honestly, with old stuffe, whereof I bought an [...] black fustian dublet, and a coate thréed bare with gathered stéeues and whol before, and a cloake that had bene of sel­zado, and a sworde of the olde making one of y ^e first of Cuellar. And perceiuin, my selfe then in apparell like an hones man, I desired my master to take his Asse againe, and that I would no more follow that office. (⁂)

AFter that I had taken my leaue of y ^e chaplain I did place my selfe w ^e a sergeant, to be a mé­ber of iustice: but I dwelled fewe dayes w ^e him, for in short time I perciued that it was a dangerous office, A man may scap in Spaine the hands of the officers of Instice if they [...] flee into some church so [...] not their [...] of re­ligion. especially when y ^e certain transgressours, which retired into a Churche, chased my master & me maruellously with stones & staues: and at that present time my ma­ster (whom I taried for) was euil hādled but they could neuer ouertake mee: yet for al that I did forsweare the office. And as I imagined what kinde of life I had best leade, y ^e I might prouide some thing against mine olde age. God by his grace lightned my minde to finde out the profi­table way: So that through the fauour which I had of my friends and maisters, all the forrowes, which before that time I had sustained, were recompenced with [Page]an office royall, which I obteined: the which I pretended, because y ^e at this day there is no account but of them that haue wherewithall. So that at this present, I liue in mine office, & exercise it to Gods seruice & yours. Sir, it is so that I haue the charge to cry the wines that are sold in this citic, and to make inquiraunce, The Cryers in Spaine doe fell at kinde of stufte and whē [...]y is whip. through the crie goeth be­fore him de­claring with loude voyce what he hath done. with open crye, for things that hour bene loste, and when any suffer perserution by iustice, I do accompanie them, decla­ring with loud voyce their offence. I am (in plain language) a cōmon cryer. Sir matters haue so well gone forewarde with me, & I haue vsed my selfe so well, that in manner all things belonging to the office, passe through my hands. In so much, that looke whosoeuer within this citte doth broch wine, or sell any things, and y ^e Lazarillo de Tormes bee not pre­sente, they make accounte neuer to get game. In this meane time, master Arch­deacon of saint Saluador your friend and seruaunt at commaundement, hauing knowledge of my person and habilitie, especially since I had cryed his wyne, went about to marry me with his mayd. [Page]And after that I had considered, that with hauing to doe with such a man as master Archdecō was, I cold not receiue but honestie and goodnesse, I determi­ned to doe it, so that I tooke her to wife, whereof hitherto I doe not repente: for besides that shee is honest, and a diligent wench, I finde great fauour and helpe at master Archdec [...]ns hand, for euery yéere from one tune to an other, hee giueth her as good as a loade of wheat, and against Christmas or Easter, some good morsell of fleshe, a couple or two of loaues, and such old hose as he leaueth: and he caused vs to hier a little house neere his dwel­ling: on euery sonday & holy day we dined (most cōmonly) in his owne house. But euill tongues which neuer cease, woulde not suffer vs to liue in peace, they would say this and that, and that they did see my wife goe and make his bed, and dresse his meate. But God helpe them better than they say truthe. Forbesides that shee is a woman that deeth not delighte in suche game, maister Archdeacon hath promised mee that whiche I truste hée will fulfill. For vpon a time in her presence, he saide [Page]at large vnto me, Lazaro de Tormes, he that will haue regarde to cuill tongues, shall neuer get profite. I say thus much vnto thée, I can neuer maruell, thoughe some men murmure to sée thy wife come in an out of my house, which doing, I promise thée, shall not otherwise redcund but to thy great honestie and hers. Ther­fore let people haue their woordes, haue thou onely regarde to that which shall be for thy profite. I answered him, saying, Syr, I haue determined to ioyne my selfe with those that are good, but truth it is, that certaine of my friendes haue warned me of this, yea & moreouer they haue twice or thrice certified mée wtih other, that before she was maried to mee shée had two or thrée children, be it spokē vnder your maistershippes correction, séeing that shée is present. My wife be­gan then to giue such othes, that I thou­ght the house woulde haue suncke with vs all, and then beganne to wéepe, cur­sing the time that euer she married mée, in so much that I wished my selfe dead when that I let scape that worde out of my mouthe. But I on the one side, and [Page]my maister on another, said so much, that she lefte weeping: and I did sweare vnto her, that as long as I liued I woulde neuer againe vse the like talke: and how that I reioyced and was well contente, that the should come in and out both day and nighte, seeing that her honestie and faithfulnesse was so well knowne. So thē we remained al thrée with one accord vntill this day, and neuer no man heard vs sithence reason of that matter. And from that time forwarde, whensoeuer I could happen to heare any man talk of this, I would streight break off his mat­ter, and saye vnto him, looke if thou bee my friende, speake nothing that shall grieue me, for I do not take him for my friende that caused me to sorowe, especi­ally that goeth about to sowe discord be­tweene mee and my wife, which I loue better than any thing in this world, con­sidering howe that by her meanes, God hath done more for mee, than I haue de­serued, and I dare sweare by the holy sa­crament, that shee is as honest a woman as any that dwelleth within the foure gates of Toledo: and hée that sayeth the [Page]contrarie. I will bestowe my life vpon him. So from thence foreward, they ne­ner durst meue any such matter vnto me, & I had peace alwayes in my house. This was the same yéere that our victo­rious Emperour entred into this noble citie of Toledo, wher his court was kept with great feastes and triumphes, as your mastership hath heard: finally, it was then that I was in my prosperitie, and in my chiefest time of good aduen­ture.

BEing now in the toppe of my prosperitie, ha­uing fortune my friend, I neuer went without a bottle of the beste wine in the citie, of the verie same I caried about me (beings commō crier) to giue a taste to as many as were willing to buy: by vertue of whiche wine I purchased so many gentlemen my friendes, as well inhabitaunts there as strangers, that where so euer I came, the doore shoulde streight bee opened for mee. And I was in fauoured euerie where, that if I had chaunced to haue slayne a man, or to cōmit some haynous offence, all the worlde woulde streight­wayes haue bene on my side, being assu­red that those gentlemen being the kings garde would sufficiently both succour & helpe mee. Therefore when so euer wee [Page]met, I neuer suffered them to departe drimouthed away, but did carry thē with mée to the best wine I hadde broched in the citie, where oftentimes we went in vpon our own féete, and came out either without any, or at the least with strange féete.

And that which I liked best of all, was that all the time I kept them com­pany, the diuel a blanke Lazaro de for­mes did pay, nor that they would consent he should pay: for whensoeuer I did put my hande to my purse (for manners sake only) they would take it in euil part, and beholding me angerly, would say, Nitte Nitte, Asticot lanz, and so reprehenting me, wold alleage, that where they wer in company no man shoulde pay a blanke: wherefore I was greatly in loue with these people: and it was not only that ser­ued our turne, but as often as we mette we should haue also slices of bacō, pieces of legges of mutton sod in that pleasant wine, with all manner of fine spice, and therewith they wold fill both my bosome and skirts, enough for my wife and mee a whole wéeke. The worlde beeing then [Page]so plentifull I would call to remēbrance the hungrie fits I had susteined in times past, praysing the Lorde, and giuing him thanks that the world now at the length was so well changed. But as the pro­uerbe saith: He that will do good to thée, will either go his way, or die. And so it happened to me, the court remouing as it is wont to doe, and my friendes follo­wing it, at their departing I was defi­red by them that I woulde beare them companie, promising to shewe me much friendship and fauour. But remembring the olde prouerbe: Better is the euill knowns, than the good which is yet to knowe, thanking them for their good will, and desiring their fauour, after ma­ny sighes and sorrowfull embracings, I tooke my leaue, and they departed. And truly had I bene vnmaried, I would ne­uer haue so forsaken their companie, for indeede they were people, muche of my nature and disposition. And it was a gra­tious, and not a phantasticall nor a pre­sumptuous life they did leade. A man should neuer sée thē scrupulous nor nice to enter into a tauerne, but would go in [Page]boldely (yea with cappe in hande) if the wyne for goodnesse desc [...]rd so muche. They ware plaine men, ful of at honestie and gentle curtesie, and se well proui­ded at all tunes, that I woulde to God when I am athuest, I might alwayes meete with such men. Notwithstanding the loue which I bare to my wee and to my contrey (which newe I take for mine owne natrue, because m [...]n to commonly say, whence art thou honest man) caused me to stay at home. So I cōtinued euer since in this citie, leading a solitarie life for the losse of my friendes and courtle life although that I was well knowen of all the citizens. Afterwardes I liued very well at mine owne ease, with en­crease of ioy and kinred, for the birth of a trim little daughter, which within a little whyle after my wyfe broughte foorth. Wherat I hauing some euill sus­pitiō, she did swear al othes, that I was the father, and that shee was mine. I cō ­tinued in this estate, vntill that fortune thought that she had nowe giuen me too much-ease, and that shee thought it rea­son for her to turne backe and shewe mée [Page]againe her seuere and cruell visage, to temper those fewe yéeres which I passed at ease, with as muche more trauell and deadly sorowe, which nowe I shoulde endure. (O great God) who is able to write so vnfortunate & miserable a case, but must let the Inkhorne reste and put the penne to his eyes?