ILO
IS
;o
!co
THE NUN ENSIGN
NUN ENSIGN
RANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH WITH N INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY
AMES 1TZMAU RICE-KELLY
ALSO
LA-MONJA ALFEREZ
A PLAY IN THE ORIGINAL SPANISH TUAN P&REZ DE MONTALBAN
DANIE
ERGE
JDON : T. FISHER UNWIN PHI TERRACE MCMVIII
NUN ENSIGN
TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY
JAMES FITZMAURICE-KELLY
ALSO
LA MONJA ALFEREZ
A PLAY IN THE ORIGINAL SPANISH BY JUAN PEREZ DE MONTALBAN
ILLUSTRATED BY DANIEL VIERGE
LONDON : T. FISHER UNWIN ADELPHI TERRACE MCMVIII
CT
[All rights reserved.]
TO
ARCHER MILTON HUNTINGTON
I DEDICATE
THIS STORY OF PICARESQUE ADVENTURES IN THE NEW WORLD
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION xv
THE STORY OF THE NUN ENSIGN
CHAPTER I. — Her native place, parents, birth, educa- tion, escape, and wanderings in different parts of Spain . . . . i
CHAPTER II. — She leaves San Lucar for Punta de Araya,
Cartagena, Nombre de Dios, and Panama . n
CHAPTER III. — With her master Urquiza, a merchant of Trujillo, she* goes from Panama to the port of Paita, and thence to the city of Sana . . . . . . 15
CHAPTER IV.— She goes from Sana to Trujillo— She kills
a man . . . . . . 23
CHAPTER V. — She goes from Trujillo to Lima . . 27
CHAPTER VI.— She reaches Conception in Chile — Meets her brother there — Goes to Paicabi — Is present at the battle of Valdivia— Obtains an ensigncy — Retires to Nacimiento— Goes to the Valley of Puren, and returns to Con- cepcion, where she kills two men, besides her own brother . . . -31
vii
CONTENTS PAGE
CHAPTER VII. — She goes from Conception to Tucuman . 43
CHAPTER VIII.— She goes from Tucuman to Potosi . 51 CHAPTER IX.— She goes from Potosi to Los Chunchos . 55 CHAPTER X.— She goes to the city of La Plata . . 59
CHAPTER XI. — She goes to Las Charcas . . .65
CHAPTER XII. — She leaves Las Charcas for Piscobamba . 69
CHAPTER XIII. — She goes to the city of Cochabamba
and returns to La Plata . . • 75
CHAPTER XIV. — She goes from La Plata to Piscobamba
and Mizque . . . . . 83
CHAPTER XV.— She goes to the city of La Paz— She kills
a man . . . . . .87
CHAPTER XVI. — She departs to the city of Cuzco . . 91
CHAPTER XVII. — She reaches Lima, and leaves it to fight the Dutch — She is shipwrecked, and res- cued by their fleet — They set her ashore at Paita — Thence she returns to Lima . -93
viii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XVIII.— At Cuzco she kills the new Cid, and
is wounded . . . . -99
CHAPTER XIX.— She leaves Cuzco for Guamanga — She crosses the bridge of Andahuailas and Guancavelica . . . . .105
CHAPTER XX. — She reaches Guamanga — And what hap- pened to her there till she made her avowals to the Lord Bishop . . . 109
CHAPTER XXL— Dressed in a nun's habit, she goes from Guamanga to Lima by order of his Lordship the Archbishop, and enters the Trinitarian convent — She leaves it, returns to Gua- manga, and goes on to Santa Fe de Bogota and Tenerife *. .121
CHAPTER XXII. — She embarks at Tenerife and goes to Cartagena, and thence starts for Spain with the fleet . . . . .125
CHAPTER XXIIL— She leaves Cadiz for Seville, and leaves Seville for Madrid, Pamplona, and Rome ; but, having been robbed in Pied- mont, she returns to Spain . . .129
CHAPTER XXIV.— She leaves Madrid for Barcelona . 133
CHAPTER XXV.— She goes from Barcelona to Genoa, and
thence to Rome . . . .137
CHAPTER XXVI. — From Rome she goes to Naples . 143
ix
CONTENTS
LA MONJA ALFEREZ
NOTES TO INTRODUCTION
NOTES TO AUTOBIOGRAPHY
PAGE
289 299
ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
"My parents brought me up at home" . . i
"The nuns being in choir" .... 2
" I sallied forth into the street " . . . .3
"I cut off my hair" . . . . • .4
" Don Juan came out on the staircase " . . 6
"Some nuns asked me into the choir" . . .8
"I jumped on shore" . . . . 13
"A negro came in" . . . . .24
"I enlisted" 29
" I killed a cacique who was carrying the standard" . 35 " I gave him a thrust " . . . .41
"We all three journeyed together" . . .44
xi
ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE
"Shots were exchanged, they missed us, two of them
fell" 52
"They led her forth to her house" . . . . 61
"In charge of ten thousand sheep of burden, and
over a hundred Indians" . . . .66
"I ran my point into him, and he fell dead" . . 71
"I came to the gibbet" 72
"He blazed at us with his musket" . . -79
"It may be another horse altogether" . . .96
" I nailed his hand to the table " . . .100
"They carried me one night to St. Francis's" . . 102
"I laid the constable low with a pistol-shot" . . 106
"I place myself at the feet of your most illustrious
Lordship" . . . . . 115
xii
ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE
"There the whole convent awaited us" . .118
" I embarked on his flagship " . . . 126
"We were in danger of drowning" . . .127
" A hundred slashes to anybody who tries to defend
you" . . . . . . -144
Xlll
INTRODUCTION
XV
I CHOUGH many fabulous details have •JL been interpolated in the current history of her exploits, they do not justify any doubt as to the existence of Catalina de Erauso, the runaway Basque novice, whose real name has been completely overshadowed by the somewhat loose designation of La Monja Alfirez — the Nun Ensign — which her Spanish contemporaries conferred on her. The evi- dence is strong. A baptismal certificate proves that she was the daughter of Captain Miguel de Erauso and his wife Maria P^rez de Galarraga, and that she was born at San Sebastian on, or shortly before, February 10, I592.1 If the Spanish Basques have con- tributed comparatively little to art and letters, they have always been noted for their devo- tional fervour and practical enterprise. As a national proverb puts it : Iglesia, 6 mary 6 casa real, quien quiere medrar. The roll of Basque heroes, from Ignacio Loyola to Tomas Zumalacarregui, shows that they have laid this advice to heart, and have stead- fastly sought distinction in the Church, at sea, or in the king's service. " Church or xvi
sea " can need no explanation, and " the king's household " is rightly interpreted by Cervantes in Don Quixote,2 where the Captive's father bids one of his three sons to "serve the king in the wars, for it is a hard matter to win admission to his service in his household." The phrase was understood in this sense by the Erauso family. The men served the king ; the women entered religion. Catalina's father held the rank of captain ; of her three brothers, Miguel was an officer in the army, 3 while Francisco and Domingo served in the navy. 4 Two of her sisters, Mari-Juan and Isabel, were professed in the convent of San Sebastian el Antiguo, at San Sebastian, on April 23, 1605, and on December 17, 1606, respectively. 5
It is certain that Catalina de Erauso had entered the same convent in 1603, or earlier.6 No doubt her parents intended her to follow the example of Mari-Juan and Isabel, and to become a nun. The religious vocation was shared by a younger sister, Jacinta, who made her vows on November 15, 1615,7 but it was not given to Catalina. Though
B xvii
she is sometimes described as a professed nun, the balance of evidence tends to show that she escaped from her cell into the world before the irrevocable step was taken. Her name figures in the convent books for the last time in March, i6o7,8 and then she vanishes for some eighteen years. Her reasons for breaking cloister, and her mode of life afterwards, may be gathered from her formal petition to Philip IV. and from the sworn testimony of four officers under whom she had served in South America. These independent witnesses, who happened to be in Madrid at the time of Catalina de Erauso's residence there in 1625, were Luis de Ce*spedes, Captain-General of the province of Paraguay ; Juan Cortes de Monrroy, Captain-General of the province of Veracruz ; Juan Recio de Leon, acting Captain-General of the Peruvian provinces of Tipoan and Los Chunchos ; and Francisco Perez de Nava- rrete, an infantry captain who had met Catalina de Erauso in Chile as far back as i6o8.9
Apart from certain chronological difficulties, it is possible to piece together from these xviii
statements a fairly coherent story. It would appear that a love of adventure — or, as she prefers to word it in her pious and loyal way, "a special inclination to take up arms in defence of the Catholic faith, and to be em- ployed in' your Majesty's service " — had led Catalina de Erauso to disguise herself in man's clothes, to sail for South America, to enlist in the Spanish army under the name of Alonso Diaz Ramirez de Guzman,10 and to serve from 1608 onwards in the campaigns against the Indians of Chile and Peru. Her disguise was never penetrated — not even by her brother, Ensign Miguel de Erauso, whose company she frequented in Chile without awakening in him any suspicion of her sex or identity. According to the depositions, she served under Diego Brabo de Sarabia for over two years ; she was then attached to the company of Captain Gonzalo Rodriguez, on whose recommendation she was promoted to the rank of ensign for distinguished service in the field ; she was next transferred to the company of Captain Guillen de Casanova, commander of the garrison at the fortress of
xix
Arauco ; and she was subsequently one of the picked soldiers sent to occupy Paicabi under Alvaro Nunez de Pineda. In Chile and Peru her bravery was conspicuous. She was wounded at the battle of Puren, and in minor engagements ; and in 1620, when serving in Juan Recio de Leon's company, she was entrusted with a special mission to Guancavelica and Cuzco. Later she would seem to have been concerned in a street-brawl at Guamanga, and, being so dangerously wounded that her life was despaired of, she avowed her sex to the Bishop of Guamanga. This incident may be conjecturally assigned to 1622 :u at any rate Captain de Navarrete swore to having seen Catalina de Erauso dressed as a woman at Lima in 1623, and added that she was then notorious as " the Chile Nun." »
Her disclosures to the Bishop of Guamanga necessarily ended her career as a soldier, and, under the name of Antonio de Erauso,^ she returned to Europe towards the end of 1624.^ Still wearing her uniform, she roused great curiosity in Spain and abroad ; the grave xx
historian, Gil Gonzalez Davila, thought her exploits worth recording in his official biography of Philip III.,1* and they were discussed in the remote East Indies.16 Her story, as related by herself, was printed at Madrid and Seville ; r/ an enlarged version was speedily forthcoming,18 a supplementary account of her deeds was produced by a rival pub- lisher,^ and before long these narratives were dramatised (with unhistorical adorn- ments) under the title of La Monja Alferez, by Juan P6rez de Montalban,20 the favourite disciple of Lope de Vega. Having solicited and obtained a modest pension, in January, 1625, Catalina de Erauso set out on a pilgrim- age to Rome. Her experiences were of an unpleasant character. She was arrested (apparently in the neighbourhood of La Tour du Pin),21 was accused of being a Spanish spy, was repeatedly struck and cursed as " a hypocritical Jewish dog," or " Lutheran," was robbed of her clothes, money, and papers, and was imprisoned in irons for about a fort- night. Before June 28th she was evidently back in Spain, for on that day she lodged
xxi
before the authorities at Pamplona an affidavit recording her ill-treatment, and filed cor- roborative statements from four fellow-pil- grims.22
She succeeded in reaching Rome next year, and, on June 5, 1626, was introduced by Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel, a Spanish Augus- tinian monk, to Pietro della Valle (II Pelle- grino) the celebrated traveller, who wrote an account of his visitor for the benefit of Mario Schapone.23 He describes her as tall and burly for a woman, artificially flat-chested, not plain in feature and yet not beautiful, showing signs of hardship rather than of age ; with black hair, cut like a man's, and hanging in a mane, as was customary at the time. She was dressed like a man, in the Spanish fashion, and wore a sword, tightly belted ; her head inclined forwards, and her shoulders were slightly stooped, more like a fiery soldier than like a courtier given to gallantries ; epicene rather than feminine in general appear- ance, she nevertheless gesticulated with her plump and fleshy, but massive and powerful, hands in a manner vaguely suggestive of xxii
her sex. Pietro della Valle notes with quaint astonishment that, when introduced by him to Roman nobles and ladies, Catalina de Erauso showed a distinct preference for men's conversation. But this and every other eccentricity was forgiven to the lioness of the season. Roman society made much of her ; Urban VIII. granted her special permission to continue wearing man's clothes ; and she sat for her portrait to the fashionable artist Francesco Crescendo. 24
However, the exacting monotony of life in Europe seems to have wearied her soon, for on July 21, 1630, she sailed for America once more.25 If local tradition is to be trusted, she was still untamed. The parents of a girl at Veracruz, aware that the so-called Antonio de Erauso was a woman, requested her to escort their daughter to Mexico. She became jealously attached to her charge, re- sented her young friend's subsequent marriage, and, in a letter of incomparable arrogance, challenged the girl's husband to a duel.26 After observing that a person of her noble lineage is insulted by being forbidden the
xxiii
house, she refers to a current rumour that the husband has threatened to assassinate her if she ventures into the street where the newly married pair live, and ends with this defiance: " Now, although I am a woman, as this seems a thing insufferable to my valour, in order that you may behold my prowess and achieve your boast, I shall await you at the back of St. James's Church from one to six o'clock." 27 Friends intervened to prevent the meeting, Catalina sheathed her rapier, and set about earning a lucrative but unromantic living as a carrier. A prosperous owner of negroes and of mules, she was still engaged in the carrying business when the Capuchin monk, Nicolas de Renteria, saw her at Veracruz in i645.28 Time had dealt gently with her, all things considered. According to Renteria, she was regarded as a person of great courage, and skilled in the use of arms ; she was dressed as a man, wore a rapier and dagger with silver mountings, looked about fifty years of age, was of good stature, stoutish build, and dark complexion, with a few hairs repre- senting a moustache.29 She died at Cuitlaxtla xxiv
in 1650 while on the way to Veracruz.3° She was buried with considerable pomp, a lauda- tory epitaph was inscribed on her gravestone, and three years later a " Prodigious Narrative " of her eventful career was published at Mexico.31
La Monja Alferez is not one of Perez de Montalban's best plays, and it did little towards keeping the heroine's memory alive. But she was not forgotten by the people. Her legend throve in oral and other forms, and a manuscript narrative of her adventures in the shape of an autobiography was apparently in the possession of the poet and dramatist Candido Maria Trigueros at some date previous to May 24, 1784. On that day a copy of the manuscript was collated with the original at Seville, by copyists in the employ- ment of Juan Bautista Munoz, the future author of a fragmentary but valuable Historia del Nuevo Mundo ;$2 and later on this tran- script came into the hands of Francisco Bauza, director of the Hydrographical Museum at Madrid, who lent it to his friend Joaquin Maria de Ferrer. Ferrer, who was a Basque,
XXV
might have been expected to know something of Catalina de Erauso's history; but clearly he had never heard of her, for he states that, on first reading the manuscript, he took it to be a piece of wholesale invention, "a novel written under the name of an imaginary person who had never existed in the world." On learning that Gonzalez Davila had seen Catalina de Erauso, and had had a long conver- sation with her in his house at Madrid in or about December, 1624, Ferrer saw his mistake, and, during his exile at Paris, he once more borrowed the copy 33 from Bauza, then a political refugee in London. He caused investigations to be made at San Sebastian and in the Archives of the Indies at Seville, unearthed important documents concerning Catalina de Erauso, and after vainly seeking for Crescendo's portrait of her, came upon another likeness by Pacheco, the father-in-law of Velazquez, in the house of his friend Colonel Andreas Daniel Berthold von Schepeler at Aachen. 34 The discovery was most opportune, for Ferrer had already made up his mind to print the text of Bauza's manuscript, and an xxvi
engraving of the portrait by Pacheco duly appeared at the beginning of the Historia de la Monja Alfdrez, Dona Catalina de Erauso, escrita por ella misma, edited by Ferrer, and published 35 at Paris in 1829.
Habent sua fata libelli. — Ferrer, though he did other useful literary work, is now chiefly remembered as the editor of the text con- tained in Bauza's manuscript. Yet the imme- diate circumstances of publication were against him. It is possible that the number of people in Paris who knew Spanish was relatively larger seventy-eight .years ago than it is now ; but the soldiers who had served in the Penin- sular War were not greatly addicted to litera- ture, the Spanish refugees could not afford such luxuries as books, and the interest in Spanish matters professed by the Romantiques was mostly an affectation. At the best, a Spanish work printed in Paris could not be expected to circulate widely, and there may be some truth in the assertion that the revo- lution of 1830 ruined Ferrer's chances of success. However, this argument will not be pressed too far by any one who remembers
xxvii
that the Orientates appeared in the same year as the Historia de la Monja Alfirez. Still, the Spanish book attracted some attention and slowly made its way. During the autumn of 1829 it was favourably criticised in the Revue encyclopedique by Andres Muriel ; 36 in 1830 it was issued in French by the elder Bossange, 37 and in German by Colonel von Schepeler, 38 the owner of the Pacheco por- trait ; and eight years later Ferrer's edition was reprinted in Spain. Thenceforward curi- osity concerning Catalina de Erauso has been sustained. She was reintroduced to the general public in France by the Duchesse d'Abrantes in the Muse'e des Families for 1839,39 and to a more fastidious circle of readers by Count Alexis de Valon in the Revue des deux mondes for 1847.40 Three months later De Quincey followed in Taifs Edinburgh Magazine with an article clumsily entitled The Nautico-Mili- tary Nun of Spain. 41 Years afterwards Ferrer's text served as the basis of La Monja Alftrez, a zarzuela by Carlos Coello, which was produced at the Teatro de Jovellanos in Madrid on November 24, 1875 J and in 1892 xxviii
the story of Catalina de Erauso was the subject of a brief but shrewd criticism published by Sr. D. Antonio Sanchez Moguel in the columns of a popular newspaper. 42 Lastly, in 1894, the original Spanish had the dis- tinction of being once more translated into French prose, this version being the work of the poet of Les Troph'ees, Jose* Maria de Heredia. 43
It is plain that the book has more than ordinary interest for readers of different countries and times, and we would willing know more concerning the history of the manuscript which Mufioz had copied. No one can read Ferrer's text without noticing that it contains its full share of the inaccu- racies, discrepancies, and inconsistencies which disfigure most works, and it is scarcely possible to explain all of these as the results of care- lessness or literary inexperience. No doubt it was common enough for people in the
xxix
seventeenth century not to know their own ages, and it was as common in Spain as else- where. Cervantes and — still more — the mem- bers of his family were weak in the matter of dates, and Lope de Vega treats these distressing minutiae with the contempt of a handsome poet who has discovered the secret of eternal youth. But there are degrees of imaginative chronology, and greater exactitude is expected in a prose record than in a copy of verses. The autobiography of the Nun Ensign gives the date of her birth as 1585 instead of 1592, and, starting from this point, the chronology is necessarily wrong through- out the first chapter. Clearly Catalina de Erauso cannot have been sent to the convent at San Sebastian in 1589, three years before she was born ; clearly, too, she cannot have quarrelled with the professed nun Catalina de Aliri in 1600 (or earlier), for the simple reason that Catalina de Aliri was not professed till 1605. And these difficulties are not isolated specimens. According to the autobiography Catalina de Erauso, after leaving her convent, roamed about Spain in various employments
XXX
for more than three years before sailing for America ; 44 and, as she was still at San Sebastian in March, 1607, this would mean that she did not start for the Indies till 1610. This, however, is incompatible with the state- ment that, before taking part in the battle of Puren (1608), she had served for three years under her brother Miguel de Erauso at Conception, and (apparently) for another three years at Paicabi. It is beyond ordinary ingenuity to reconcile these assertions with the established fact that Catalina de Erauso was still at San Sebastian, a novice of fifteen, in the spring of 1607.
These and other evident discrepancies in- duced Ferrer to put forward the theory that the adventures recorded in the present volume befell a woman who, while serving in Chile, had made acquaintance with Miguel de Erauso, had learned from him some details of his family, and had assumed the name of his runaway sister. It is not recorded that Catalina de Erauso, on her return to Spain in 1624, visited Guipiizcoa, and Ferrer, making the most of the fact (as he very fairly might),
xxxi
explains the omission by attributing it to fear of detection.45 This is far from being con- vincing, but it is at least an attempt to account for inconsistencies which have been ignored by critics more famous than Ferrer — as, for example, De Quincey. " The reader," writes De Quincey, "is to remember that this is no romance, or at least no fiction, that he is reading." The essayist here assumes the point which it is his duty to prove, and his method has the merit of being convenient, but it is not illuminating; and in this particular matter De Quincey, from whom most English readers derive their information concerning Catalina de Erauso and her adventures, is not a trust- worthy guide.
It is just conceivable that some subscribers to Taifs Edinburgh Magazine sixty years ago enjoyed the facetiousness of De Quincey's references to Catalina de Erauso's father as a " proud and lazy Spanish gentle- man " (a poor figure by the side of the typical " British reader, who makes it his glory to work hard ") ; or as an " old toad," transformed a little later into "an old crocodile" with an xxxii
" abominable mouth." It is true that we know absolutely nothing about the habits or appearance of Captain Miguel de Erauso, but such prosaic considerations seldom detain a humorist. So, also, the allusions to " Spanish constitutions and charters, Spanish financial reforms, Spanish bonds, and other little varieties of Spanish ostentatious mendacity," may possibly have been to the taste of our blameless grandfathers. But, apart from these graceful international compliments, there is little substance in De Quincey's study. This is not surprising, for it is certain that he had never read, nor even handled, the book on which his essay purports to be based.46 Had he once glanced at Pacheco's portrait of Catalina, he could not have spoken of her as " eminently handsome," or " blooming as a rose-bush in June," and so forth ; had he read the unflattering description in chapter vii. of the half-caste's daughter — " very black, and as ugly as the devil " — he could not have rhapsodised over this lovely antelope (as he calls her), uniting "the stately tread of Andalusian women with
c xxxiii
the innocent voluptuousness of Peruvian eyes." This is irrelevant fantasy, and there is much more of the same kind. De Quincey 's essay is partly a tissue of extravagant fables and partly a travesty of events recorded in Ferrer's text. Two examples out of a score will suffice as illustrations. De Quincey describes the street-ruffians at Valladolid as pelting Catalina de Erauso with stones, and adds that Don Francisco de Cardenas, " a gallant young cavalier who had witnessed from his window the whole affair," rescued her from the alguazils who had unjustly arrested her, " and instantly offered to Catalina a situation amongst his retinue." This is burlesque. De Quincey confuses Valladolid with Bilbao, ascribes to street-ruffians Cata- lina's stone-throwing, and substitutes Cardenas for Arellano, thus mistaking the name of a knight of Santiago at Estella in Navarre for that of a cloth-merchant's mistress at Trujillo in the Indies. Again, De Quincey described Catalina in a wreck, refusing to leave her captain, constructing a raft, and breaking open with her axe "a box laden with gold coins, xxxiv
reputed to be the King of Spain's." This is pure invention ; in chapter iii. of the text Catalina is stated to have swum ashore, and there is not a syllable about captains, rafts, axes, or boxes laden with gold coins.
And the curious feature of this gratuitous invention is that it is not De Quincey's own. He simply plagiarises these fabrications from Valon — "a Frenchman, who sadly misjudges Kate, looking at her through a Parisian opera- glass " — and, while he patronises Valon, he follows the article in the Revue des deux mondes so closely that he reproduces some obvious misprints. Professor Masson, the editor of De Quincey's works, frankly admits that the article in Taits Edinburgh Magazine is "a De Quinceyfied translation from the French," though the writer's "craft in language en- abled him to make good his assertion that his narrative contained 'no one sentence derived from any foreign one.' ' This is the least that can be said. It is clear that De Quincey had never read the original Spanish, that he knew nothing of Catalina de Erauso beyond what he could gather from Valon's
XXXV
imaginative report, that he copies without acknowledgment all Valon's romantic ara- besques, and that he adds insult to injury by jocularly expressing a wish that Catalina " were but here, to give a punch on the head to that fellow who traduces her." The wish to punch Valon's head was a healthy, instinctive prompting of nature : for the article in the Revue des deux mondes was little better than a hoax, and De Quincey was a victim. In these circumstances no great weight need be given to his confident views on the authenticity of the text.
This question of authenticity does not appear to have been considered seriously by Jose* Maria de Heredia, whose opinion on such a point would be much more valuable than De Quincey 's. Without any suspicion of a fraud, Heredia accepted the Historia de la Monja Alf^rez for what it professes to be — a genuine autobiography — and he believed the book to have been written by Catalina de Erauso to ease her conscience of the load that weighed on it during her voyage back to Spain.47 This, however, is an assumption xxxvi
which takes no account of the strange dis- crepancies between the narrative and the historical facts. These discrepancies are so numerous that Sr. D. Manuel Serrano y Sanz, in a work of great learning,48 puts forward the radical theory that the Historia is a forgery, not written by the Nun Ensign, but concocted about the beginning of the nineteenth century by Trigueros, the owner of the original manuscript.
If any forgery took place it must have occurred earlier than the beginning of the nineteenth century, /or, as we learn from Munoz, his copy was collated with the original in May, 1784, and, as for the ascription to Trigueros, it is merely conjec- tural. Trigueros was a poet and playwright of some repute in his own day; 49 but no one who can avoid it now reads the twelve cantos of El poeta fildsofo ; such original plays as El Precipitado and Egilona are practically inaccessible, and the same may be said of La Muerte de Abel, an oratorio adapted from Metastasio. Trigueros shows to most advantage in his recasts of Lope de
xxxvii
Vega's plays, and these workmanlike arrange- ments no doubt helped to keep alive the memory of the great dramatist ; 5° yet, at its best, Trigueros's style is curiously unlike what Heredia calls the langue nette, concise et male of the Historia. If the book were proved to be by Trigueros we should have to say that it deserved to outlive his other works (as it has outlived them), and that it was much more interesting than anything published by him under his own name ; but the theory of his intervention has no solid foundation.
The truth is that we have no evidence as to when, or by whom, the Historia was written. My own conjecture would be (and so far I agree with Sr. Serrano y Sanz) that the work was mainly pieced together by some deft hand from the genuine Relaciones for which Catalina was responsible, and that the episode of the New Cid was elaborated from Perez de Montalban's play, La Monja Alfdrez; but this is a purely personal im- pression, and nothing more. Meanwhile, we must guard against the temptation to exag- xxxviii
gerate the significance of the discrepancies in the text. Though undoubtedly damaging, they are not necessarily fatal to the theory that the book is — at least in substance — an autobiography. In Spanish literature the dividing line between trustworthy personal narrative and certain specimens of picaresque romance is faint and shifting. Though the Comentarios of Diego Duque de Estrada, 51 the Vida of Miguel de Castro, 52 and the Vida of Captain Alonso de Contreras53 are presented as real autobiographies, no critic supposes that the confessions of these ingenuous soldiers are absolutely exact in detail ; but, notwithstand- ing the presence of an imaginative element, they are accepted as being essentially true, and the Comentarios of Duque de Estrada is issued as an historical document. 54 The Historia de la Monja Alf^rez may, perhaps, be allowed a place near these works. Whoever wrote it, and whatever its in- accuracies, it appears to be mainly based upon authentic accounts derived from the Nun Ensign herself; it gives a vivid idea of the vicissitudes undergone by a strange,
xxxix
truculent adventuress ; and the narrative compensates for its lack of literary artifice by its sober, laconic simplicity.
Pe*rez de Montalban's play, which seems to have been utilised in the text, exists only in the form of a suelta which was already a rarity eighty years ago when Ferrer reprinted it. As this comedia famosa is now rarer than ever, I have thought it advisable to reproduce it at the end of the present translation.
JAMES FITZMAURICE-KELLY.
xl
" My parents brought me up at home"
CHAPTER I. HER NATIVE PLACE, PARENTS, BIRTH, EDUCATION, ESCAPE, AND WANDER- INGS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF SPAIN.
I DONA CATALINA DE ERAUSO, 9 was born in the town of San Sebastian, in Guipuzcoa, in the year 1585,! daughter of Captain Don Miguel de Erauso and of Dona Maria Pe*rez de Galarraga y Arce, natives and residents of the same town. My parents brought me up at home with my brothers2 and sisters 3 till I was four years old. In 15894 they placed me in the convent of San Sebastian el Antiguo in the said city, be- longing to the Dominican nuns, under my aunt, Dona Ursula de Unza y Sarasti, first cousin of my mother, and prioress of that convent ; there I was brought up till I was fifteen, and then the question of my pro- fession arose.
When almost at the end of my year's novitiate I had a quarrel with a professed nun called Dona Catalina de Aliri, who entered the convent as a widow, and made her profession. 5 She was a brawny woman, and I a slip of a girl. She laid violent hands on me, and I resented it. On the night of March 18, 1600, the vigil of St. Joseph, while the community was rising for '2
" / sallied forth, into the street:
midnight Matins, I entered the choir and found my aunt kneeling there. She called me, and, handing me the key of her cell, told me to fetch her breviary. I went to get it, opened the door, and saw the con- vent keys hanging on a nail. I left the cell open, and took my aunt her key and breviary. The nuns being in choir and Matins solemnly begun, I went up to my aunt and asked leave to retire as I was not well. Placing her hand on my head my aunt said, " Go and lie down ! " I left the choir, lit a lamp, w,ent to my aunt's cell, and took from it scissors, some thread, and a needle ; I took some reales de a ocho 6 which were there. I took the convent keys, came out, and set to work opening and shutting the doors, and at the last one— which was the street-door — I left my scapular, and sallied forth into the street, without ever having seen it before, and not knowing which way to turn nor where to go. I cannot say which road I took, but I came upon a grove of chestnuts outside the town, close behind the convent, and took shelter
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there, and spent three days planning, fitting, and cutting out clothes. I cut and made myself a pair of breeches out of a blue cloth skirt that I had on, and out of a green linsey petticoat that I was wearing I made a doublet and gaiters. As I could not see my way to making anything out of my habit I left it there. I cut off my hair and threw it away, and the third night I started off I knew not where, scurrying over roads and skirting villages so as to get far away, and at last reached Vitoria, which is nearly twenty leagues distant from San Sebastian, on foot and weary, and having eaten nothing but the herbs that I found by the roadside.
I entered Vitoria not knowing where to find refuge. Within a few days I was engaged by Doctor Don Francisco de Cerralta, a professor there. Though he did not know me, he made no difficulty about taking me in, and he clothed me. He was married to a first cousin of my mother's, as I gathered later, but I did not reveal myself. I stayed with him some three months, during which, seeing that I read Latin fluently, he took a 4
greater liking to me, and wanted to keep me at my studies ; and, finding that I refused, he persisted and went the length of thrashing me. On this I made up my mind to leave him, and did so. I took some money from him, and, agreeing to pay twelve reales to a carrier who was starting for Valladolid, which is forty-five leagues away, set out with him.
On reaching Valladolid, where the Court then was, I soon got a place as page to Don Juan de Idiaquez, the King's secretary, who clothed me well. I there took the name of Francisco Loyola, and was very comfortable for seven months. At the end of this time, while I was at the door one night with another page, my comrade, my father arrived and asked us if Sefior Don Juan was at home. My comrade said that he was. My father told him to inform Don Juan that he was there. The page went upstairs and I remained there with my father, neither of us speaking a word and he not recognising me. The page returned, saying that he was to go upstairs ; and up he went, with me in his wake. Don
5
Juan came out on the staircase, and, embrac- ing him, said, " Senor Captain, what a wel- come visit this is ! " My father replied in such a manner as to make it clear that he was in trouble. Don Juan went into a room, said goodbye to a visitor who had called on him, came back, and they sat down. He asked my father what the news was, and my father told him how that girl of his had left the convent, and that he had come into the neighbourhood to search for her. Don Juan showed that he was much concerned because of my father's distress, and also because he himself was very fond of me ; likewise because of the convent, of which he was patron (inasmuch as his ancestors had founded it), and because of the town where he was born. After listening to the conversation and to my father's laments I retreated to my room, bundled up my clothes, and made off, taking with me eight doubloons 7 which I chanced to have. I went to a tavern, where I slept that night, learned that a carrier was leaving next morning for Bilbao, and came to terms with him. We started at daybreak, I not knowing what to do 6
"Don Juan came out on the staircase.
nor where to go, but letting myself be carried along like a feather by the wind.
At the end of a long stretch — something like forty leagues, I fancy — I reached Bilbao, where I found neither lodging nor comfort, and did not know what was to become of me. Meanwhile, some lads took it into their heads to gape at me and crowd round me to such a degree that they irritated me, and I was obliged to pick up stones to fling at them. And I must have hurt one of them, though I don't know where, for I didn't notice ; and I was arrested and kept in jail a longish month till he was cured, when they released me with a little money in hand after expenses were paid. I at once left and went to Estella in Navarre, which is, I should think, twenty leagues away. I reached Estella and got a place as page to Don Carlos de Arellano, of the Order of Santiago, in whose house and service I spent two years, well treated and clothed. And then, from sheer whim, I gave up this comfort and went to my native place, San Sebastian, ten leagues off; and there I stayed, a spruce fop, unrecognised by anybody.
7
And one day I was hearing Mass at my con- vent when my mother was present, and I noticed that she looked at me and did not know me ; and, Mass being over, some nuns asked me into the choir, but I pretended not to understand, paid them many compliments, and slipped away. This was at the beginning of 1603. Thence I went to the port of Pasage, which is a league away. There I fell in with Captain Miguel de Berroiz, who was about to sail with his ship for Seville. I begged him to take me, and made a bargain with him for forty reales. And I embarked, and we sailed and very shortly reached San Lucar.
On landing at San Lucar I went off to Seville, and, though it tempted me to stay, I remained there only two days, and then returned to San Liicar. There I met Captain Miguel de Echazarreta, who was from my part of the country and commanded a tender to the galleons under General Don Luis Fernandez de Cordova, forming part of the armada with which Don Luis Fajardo sailed for Punta de Araya in 1603. I enlisted as 8
'Some wins asked ine into the choir."
boy on a galleon commanded by my uncle, my mother's first cousin, Captain Esteban Eguifio, who is now living at San Sebastian ; and I went aboard, and we sailed from San Liicar on Maundy Thursday, 1603.
CHAPTER II. SHE LEAVES SAN LUCAR
FOR PUNTA DE ARAYA, CARTAGENA, NOMBRE DE DlOS, AND PANAMA.
II
BEING new to the work, I underwent some hardships on the voyage. Though he did not know me, my uncle took a fancy to me and made much of me on learning where I was from and the fictitious names of my parents that I gave him. He did not know who I was, and I found in him a protector. On reaching Punta de Araya we found a hostile force entrenched on shore there, and our armada drove it away. At last we came to Cartagena, in the Indies, and there we re- mained a week. There I had my name taken off the muster as ship's boy and entered the service of the said Captain Eguifio, my uncle. Thence we went on to Nombre de Dios, and were there nine days. There were many deaths during that time, wherefore we departed very hastily.
When the silver was stowed on board, and everything was shipshape to return to Spain, I played a rare trick on my uncle by pouching five hundred pesos l belonging to him. At ten at night, whilst he was asleep, I went up and told the sentries that the captain was sending me ashore on business, and, as they knew me,
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1 1 jumped on sho
they readily let me pass. I jumped on shore, and they never set eyes on me again. An hour later the parting gun boomed, and, weigh- ing anchor, they were ready to sail.
After the armada had gone, I took service with Captain Juan de Ibarra, Controller of the Treasury at Panama, who is still alive. Within four or six days we left for Panama, where he resided. There I stayed with him for about three months. He did not treat me well, for he was a hunks, and I had to spend all the money that I had taken from my uncle, till at last I had not a stiver left ; so I was obliged to leave and try to better myself elsewhere. While looking round me I there came across Juan de Urquiza, a merchant of Trujillo, to whom I engaged myself; and with him I got on very well, and we remained there at Panama for three months.
CHAPTER III. WITH HER MASTER URQUIZA, A MERCHANT OF TRUJILLO,
SHE GOES FROM PANAMA TO THE PORT
OF PAITA, AND THENCE TO THE CITY OF SANA.
I LEFT Panamd with my master, Juan de Urquiza, on a frigate bound for the port of Paita, where he had a large cargo. On reaching the port of Manta we were caught in such a hurricane that we heeled over : those of us who could swim — myself, my master, and some others — got to shore, and the rest perished. At the said port of Manta we embarked again on one of the King's galleons which we met there, and this cost a heap of money. We sailed thence and came to the said port of Paita, and there, as he expected, my master found all his goods on a vessel belonging to Captain Alonso Cerrato ; and, after instructing me to unload them in the order of their numbers and to forward them to him in the same order, he went away. I immediately set to work as directed ; I unshipped the goods in numerical order, forwarding them in this order to my master at Sana, a city some sixty leagues distant from Paita ; and, at the end of it, I set out from Paita with the last packages, and arrived at Sana. When I reached there my master received me with great kindness, show- ing himself pleased with the way I had done 16
my work. He at once ordered two handsome suits for me — one black, and the other of a brighter colour — and treated me well in every way. He placed me in charge of one of his shops, and — what with goods and cash — trusted me with property amounting to over a hundred and thirty thousand pesos ; and he wrote out in a ledger the price I was to charge for each article. He left me two slaves as attendants, a negress as cook, and allowed me three pesos for daily expenses. And when this was settled, he packed up the rest of his property and set off with it for Trujillo, which is at a distance of thirty-two leagues/
He also wrote out for me in the said ledger a list of persons whom he thought solvent and trustworthy, and to whom I could give credit for such goods as they might order and wish to take away with them, but with a detailed account and each item posted in the ledger. And in reference to this, he gave me special instructions concerning the Sefiora Dona Beatriz de Cardenas, a person for whom he had the highest regard and respect. Then he went off to Trujillo. I
E 17
stayed on at Sana in my shop, selling according to the rule laid down for me ; I took ready money, entering it in the ledger, noting day, month, and year, quality, ells, names of purchasers and price ; and I did the same when giving credit. The Senora Dona Beatriz de Cardenas began buying stuffs. She went on, and bought so lavishly that I began to have doubts about her ; and, without giving her a hint of it, I wrote a full account of the matter to my master at Trujillo. He answered that everything was as it should be, and that in the special case of this lady I might let her have the whole shop if she asked for it. Whereupon, keeping the letter to myself, I went on as before.
Who could have imagined that I should enjoy this calm for so short a while, and that soon afterwards I should have to undergo sore trials ? One Sunday l I was at the theatre in the seat that I had paid for, when a fellow called Reyes came in, placing another seat so directly in front of mine, and so close to it, that he cut off my view. I begged him to move a little ; he answered insolently, and I 18
retorted in the same vein. Then he told me to clear out, or he would slash my face for me.2 Having nothing on me in the way of arms but a dagger, I left the place in dudgeon. Some friends, hearing of what had happened, fol- lowed me and quieted me. On Monday morn- ing, while I was in my shop selling goods, Reyes passed up and down in front of the door. I noticed it, closed my shop, seized a knife, and going to the barber's, got him to grind it and give it a toothed edge like a saw. I girt on my rapier 3 — the first I ever wore — and saw Reyes sauntering in front of the church with another man. I went up to him from behind and said, "Ah, Senor Reyes!" He turned round and said, " What do you want with me?" I replied, "I'll show you whose face is going to be slashed ! " And with my knife I gave him a slash which it took ten stitches to sew up again. He raised both hands to his wound, his friend drew his rapier and made at me, and I made at him with mine. We cut and thrust ; I ran my point deep into his left side, and he fell. I at once fled into the church close by. The Corregidor, Don
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Mendo de Quinones, of the Order of Alcantara, came in immediately, dragged me out, took me to jail (the first jail I was in),4 clapped me in irons and set me in the stocks.
I duly informed my master, Juan de Urquiza, who was at Trujillo, thirty-two leagues from Sana. He came at once, spoke to the Corregidor, and by other effective means secured better treatment for me in jail. The case ran its course. After three months of pleas and demurrers on the part of the Lord Bishop, I was taken back to the church from which I had been dragged out. When things had reached this point, my master told me that — while reflecting how to end this quarrel, avoid my being banished, and free me from the dread of assassination — he had thought of a suitable plan, which was that I should marry Dona Beatriz de Cardenas, whose niece was wedded to the fellow Reyes whom I had slashed in the face, and that in this way everything would calm down. It should be said that this Dona Beatriz de Cardenas was my master's leman, and his aim was to keep both of us — me for business
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and her for pleasure. And it looked as though the pair of them had agreed on this dodge, for after I was sent back to the church I used to venture out by night to this lady's house, and she caressed me freely, and, shamming fear of the police, begged me not to return to the church at night, but to stay where I was ; and one night she locked me in, vowing that I should pleasure her whether Old Nick liked it or not, and she clasped me so tightly that I had to use force and slip off. After this I told my master that such a mar- riage was not to be. thought of, and that nothing on earth would make me consent to it ; but he stuck to his plan, promising me moun- tains of gold, pointing out the beauty and charms of the lady, what an escape this would be from my serious difficulties, and other con- siderations : nevertheless, I stood by what I had said. Seeing this, my master suggested that I should go to Trujillo to carry on the same business on the same terms, and I agreed to that.
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CHAPTER IV. SHE GOES FROM SANA TO TRUJILLO — SHE KILLS A MAN.
I WENT to the city of Trujillo, a suffragan bishopric of Lima, where my master opened a shop for me. I took possession of it, doing business as at Sana, posting sales, prices, and credits in a ledger like the old one. Two months must have gone by when one morning, at about eight, as I was in my shop cashing a bill of exchange from my master for some twenty-four thousand pesos, a negro came in and told me that there were three men at the door who seemed to be carrying bucklers. This set me on my guard. After obtaining a receipt I got rid of my customer, and sent for Francisco Zerain, who came at once, and he observed, as he entered, that the three men outside were Reyes, the friend whom I knocked over at Sana with a rapier-thrust, and another. After ordering the negro to close the door we went into the street, and they dashed at us on the spot. We faced them, and crossed blades, and before long, as ill-luck would have it, I ran my point — where, I don't know —into Reyes's friend. He fell, and we went on fighting two to two, giving and receiving wounds on both sides. 24
'A negro catne in.
At this moment up came the Corregidor, Don Ordofio de Aguirre, with two constables, and arrested me. Francisco Zerain took to his heels and found sanctuary. While the Corregidor himself was taking me to jail (for the constables were busy with the others), he asked me whoN I was and where I came from, and, hearing that I was a Biscayan, he told me in Basque that, as we passed the cathedral, I had better unfasten the belt by which he gripped and held me. I needed no second hint, and did so. I rushed into the cathedral, while he stood the.re bawling. Being safe inside, I informed my master, who was at Sana. He arrived very soon and tried to settle my case, but this was impossible because, in addition to the manslaughter, I don't know what other charges they didn't rake up. Accordingly there was nothing for it but to get away to Lima. I handed in my accounts, he had two suits made for me, gave me two thousand six hundred pesos and a letter of introduction, and I set out.
CHAPTER V. SHE GOES FROM TRUJILLO TO LIMA.
HAVING left Trujillo and travelled more than eighty leagues, I reached the city of Lima, the capital of the wealthy kingdom of Peru, which includes a hundred and two cities inhabited by Spaniards (not to mention numerous townships), twenty-eight bishoprics and archbishoprics, one hundred and thirty-six corregidors, the High Courts of Valladolid, Granada, Las Charcas, Quito, Chile, and La Paz. It has an archbishop, a cathedral like that at Seville (but not so large), five benefices, ten canons, six prebends, and six half-prebends, a hermitage, a Tribunal of the Inquisition (there is another at Cartagena), a university, a viceroy, a Supreme Court which rules over the rest of Peru, and other glories. I handed my letter to Diego de Solarte, a very rich merchant (now Consul Mayor of Lima), to whom my master, Juan de Urquiza, had com- mended me. With great condescension and kindness he straightway received me into his own house, and within a few days installed me in his shop with a fixed salary of over six hundred pesos a year ; and there I worked much to his satisfaction and content. At the 28
end of nine months he bade me go and earn my living elsewhere ; and the reason of this was that he had at home with him two un- married sisters of his wife's, with whom — with one especially whom I preferred — I used to sport and frolic. And one day, when I was in the parlour, combing my hair, lolling my head in her lap, and tickling her ankles, he came by chance to a grating through which he saw us, and he heard her telling me that I ought to go to Potosi and make a fortune, and then we could get married. He withdrew, called me shortly afterwards, asked for and checked my accounts, and discharged me, and I departed.
There was I out of employment, and with no friend to help me. Six companies were then being raised for Chile ; I enlisted in one of them as a soldier, and at once received two hundred and eighty pesos as pay. My master heard of this, and was much concerned, for it seems that he never meant to bring me to such a pass. He offered to intercede with the officers to have me struck off the muster- roll, and to pay back the money which I had
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received. I would not allow it, saying that my taste was all for roving and seeing the world. And so, as a private in Captain Gonzalo Rodriguez's company, I left Lima with a force of one thousand six hundred men, of which Diego Brabo de Sarabia was Camp-master,1 for the city of Concepcion, which is five hundred and forty leagues distant from Lima.
CHAPTER VI. SHE REACHES CONCEPCION, IN CHILE — MEETS HER BROTHER THERE — GOES TO PAICABI — Is PRESENT AT THE BATTLE OF VALDIVIA — OBTAINS AN ENSIGNCY — RETIRES TO NACIMIENTO- GOES TO THE VALLEY OF PUREN, AND
RETURNS TO CONCEPCION, WHERE SHE KILLS TWO MEN, BESIDES HER OWN
BROTHER.
AFTER a voyage of twenty days we came to the port of Concepcion, a fair-sized city bearing the title of "noble " and "loyal " ; it has a bishop. We were heartily wel- comed, as the force in Chile was small. There soon came an order from the Governor, Alonso de Ribera, to disembark ; it was brought by his secretary, Captain Miguel de Erauso. As soon as I heard his name I rejoiced and was sure that he was my brother; for though I didn't know him, and had never seen him (as he left San Sebastian for these parts when I was two), I had heard of him, though not of his where- abouts. He took the muster-roll of troops and went down the line, asking each man his name and birthplace ; and when he came to me, on hearing my name and birthplace he dropped his pen, embraced me, and began inquiring about his father and mother and sisters, and his little sister Catalina, the nun ; and I answered as best I could without revealing myself and without his suspecting anything. He went on with the muster-roll, and, after he had finished, took me to dine at his 32
house, and I sat down at table. He told me that Paicabi, the centre to which I was to go, was a vile hole for soldiers, and that he would ask the Governor to change my garrison. After dinner he went to the Governor's, taking me with him. He re- ported the arrival of the force, and begged as a favour to be allowed to transfer to his company a youngster who had just come from his native province, as he had met with no other since he left the country. The Governor ordered me to be brought in, and, after looking at, me, said (I don't know why) that he could not transfer me. My brother withdrew, disappointed. The Gover- nor sent for him a little later and told him that he might do what he liked.
So, when the companies marched away, I stayed behind as my brother's soldier, dining at his table for nearly three years without awakening his suspicions. Sometimes I went with him to his mistress's house, and some- times without him. He got wind of it, flew into a heat, and told me to keep away from the place. He spied on me and caught me
F 33
there once more, waited for me, belaboured me with his sword-belt as I came out, and hurt my hand. I was obliged to defend myself, and Captain Don Francisco de Aillon, who came up on hearing the scuffle, made peace between us. However, I had to take refuge in St. Francis's Church for fear of the Governor, who was a martinet — so much so in this instance that, in spite of my brother's intercession, he determined to banish me to Paicabi. There was nothing for it but to go to the port of Paicabi, where I remained three years.
After leading a rollicking life I had to pack off to Paicabi and suffer hardships for three years. We were always under arms, because of the great invasion of Indians there. At last the Governor, Alonso de Sarabia, arrived with all the Chilean com- panies, the rest of us joined him, and, five thousand in all, we encamped with great discomfort on the plains of Valdivia in the open country. The Indians captured and ravaged the said Valdivia. We marched out to meet them, and fought them three or 34
'/ killed a cacique who was carrying- the standard."
four times, always defeating them and slaughtering them ; but in the last engage- ment their reinforcements came up, things took a bad turn for us, and they killed many of our men and some captains and my ensign, and they captured our flag. Seeing it carried off, I and two mounted men galloped after it into the midst of the throng, trampling, killing, and receiving hard knocks. One of the three soon fell dead ; the two of us pressed on and reached the flag, when my comrade was laid low by a lance-thrust ; I received a nasty wound in the leg, killed a cacique who was carrying the standard, recaptured it from him, and set spurs to my horse, trampling, killing, and wounding no end, but was badly wounded myself, pierced by three arrows, and with a lance-wound in the left shoulder, which gave me great pain. At last I reached a group of soldiers, and fell from my horse. Some hastened to help me, among them my brother, whom I had not seen, and he was a comfort to me. They cured me, and we stayed in camp nine months. At the end
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of that time my brother got the Governor to give me the flag that I had captured, and I became ensign in Alonso de Moreno's company, which was given soon afterwards to Gonzalo Rodriguez, the first captain I had served under, and I rejoiced exceed- ingly.
I was an ensign for five years, was pre- sent at the battle of Puren, where my said captain died, and the company was under my command for something like six months, during which I had several encounters with the enemy, and received several arrow- wounds. In one engagement I was pitted against an Indian chief, a Christian, called Don Francisco Quispiguancha, a rich man, who gave us no peace with his constant raids. While fighting with him I unhorsed him, he surrendered to me, and I at once had him hanged on a tree. This angered the Governor, who wanted to capture him alive, and for this reason (it was said) he did not give me the company ; he gave it to Captain Casadevante, placing me on half-pay, and promising me the step on the 36
first vacancy. The troops retired to their respective garrisons, and I went to Naci- miento, which has nothing good about it but its name ; in every other respect it is a living sepulchre, where one is always under arms. I was only there a few days, for the Camp-master, Don Alvaro Nunez de Pineda, came soon after by order of the Governor, and withdrew from this garrison and others as many as eight hundred mounted men for the valley of Puren, among whom I was numbered with other officers and captains ; and we marched there and did great havoc for six months, laying waste and burning the crops. Then the Governor, Don Alonso de Ribera, gave me leave to return to Concepcion, and I took up my post in Francisco Navarrete's company, and there I remained.
I was the sport of Fortune, which turned my joys into disasters. I was living peace- fully at Concepcion when one day, being at the guard-house, I went with another ensign, a friend of mine, to a gambling-hell close by. We began to play ; the game was in full
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swing when a dispute arose, and, in the presence of many onlookers, he said that I lied like a wittol. I drew my rapier and ran it into his chest. So many people pounced on me, and so many came in at the noise, that I could not move. There was an adjutant in particular who gripped me tight. The Chief Justice, Francisco de Pdrraga, came in, and he also laid firm hold of me, gave me a shaking, and asked me all manner of questions ; and I said that I should make my statement before the Governor. At this point my brother arrived, and told me in Basque to make a bolt for my life. The Chief Justice held me fast by the collar of my doublet, and, taking my dagger in my hand, I bade him let go. He gave me another shake, I stabbed him through the cheek; he still held on to me. I stabbed him again, and he loosened his grip. I drew my rapier, many made a rush at me, I backed to the door ; there was some opposition, I overcame it, got out, and fled to St. Francis's Church close by ; and there I learned that the ensign and Chief Justice 38
were dead. The Governor, Alonso Garcia Remon, was soon on the spot ; he surrounded the church with soldiers, and kept them there for six months. He issued a proclama- tion, promising a reward to any one who gave me up, and forbidding anybody to let me embark at any port. Notice was given to the garrisons and at the fortresses, and other measures were taken, till time, which cures -everything, began to tone down this severity, and petitions poured in and the guard was withdrawn, and I even had some friends to visit me, and at last people began to admit that the provocation in the first instance had been extreme and that my position had been one of imminent peril.
At this time, amongst other friends, I had a visit one day from my friend Don Juan de Silva, an ensign on full-pay, who told me that words had passed between him and Don Francisco de Rojas, of the Order of Santiago, and that he had challenged him for that night at eleven, each to bring a friend, and that, for this purpose, he could depend on no other friend but myself. I
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hesitated a little, wondering whether this was a ruse to arrest me. He observed it, and said, "If you don't care to risk it, never mind; I shall go alone, for I'll trust my defence to no one else." I said, " What can you be thinking of ? " and I accepted.
As the Angelus was ringing I left the monastery and went to his house. We supped and chatted till ten, and, hearing the hour strike, we took our rapiers and cloaks and went to the appointed spot. The darkness was so gross that we could not see our hands, and, noticing this, my friend and I agreed that each of us should tie a handkerchief round one of his arms so as to recognise one another at need.
The two arrived, and one, whom I knew by his voice to be Don Francisco de Rojas, said, "Don Juan de Silva ? " Don Juan replied, "Here I am!" Both drew their rapiers and engaged, while the other man and I stood still. They continued parrying, and in a little while I noticed that my friend was in pain from a thrust that he had received. I took my stand beside him 40
at once, and the other man instantly drew up alongside Don Francisco. We fought in couples, and before long Don Francisco and Don Juan fell. I and my opponent kept on fighting, and I gave him a thrust, as it appeared afterwards, under the left nipple, piercing (as I could feel) a double jerkin, and he fell. " Ah, traitor," he said, " thou hast killed me ! " I fancied that I recognised the voice of the man whom I could not see. I asked him who he was. He said, " Captain Miguel de Erauso." I stood there thunderstruck. He cried out loudly for a confessor, and so did the others. I ran to St. Francis's, and sent two monks, who heard the confessions of all of them. The two died immediately ; my brother was carried to the house of the Governor, whose war-secretary he was. Doctor and surgeon hastened to dress his wound, and did all they could. Shortly afterwards his deposi- tion was taken, and they asked him the name of the man who wounded him. He entreated them to give him a little wine, but Doctor Robledo would not let him
41
have it, saying that it was not good for him. He insisted ; the doctor refused. He said, " You are more cruel to me than Ensign Diaz was," and he died a little later. The Governor hastened to surround the monastery, and tried to break in with his guard. The monks and their Provincial, Fray Francisco de Otalora, who now lives at Lima, resisted. The dispute over this grew so violent that some monks went so far as to tell him plainly that he had better mind, for, if he broke in, he would never get out again, whereon he cooled down and with- drew, leaving the guard there. The said Captain Miguel de Erauso being dead, he was buried in the said monastery of St. Francis. I witnessed it from the choir — God knows with what grief! I remained there eight months, and meanwhile proceed- ings were taken for contumacy, as the affair did not allow of my coming forward. With the help of Don Juan Ponce de Leon, who gave me a horse, arms, and money, I found an opportunity, and set out for Valdivia and Tucuman. 42
CHAPTER VII. SHE GOES FROM CON-
CEPCION TO TUCUMAN.
43
I BEG AN by riding along the sea-coast, suffering great hardships, including lack of water, for I found none in the whole dis- trict. On the road I met two other soldiers who had deserted, and we all three journeyed together, resolved to die rather than let our- selves be captured. We had our horses, rapiers, firearms, and the providence of God on high. We followed the ascending ridge of the mountain range for over thirty leagues, and in all that distance — and in three hundred more leagues that we travelled — we never found a mouthful of bread, and seldom water. We came across some herbs, small game, and stray roots which kept life in us, and now and then a stray Indian, who fled from us. We had to kill one of our horses to make dried meat, but found he was only skin and bone ; and thus, plodding slowly on, we killed the other two, and crawled along, unable to stand. We reached a district so cold that we were frozen. We sighted two men leaning against a rock, and we rejoiced ; we advanced, hailing them, and asking what they were doing there : they made no reply. We came to where they 44
-
IVe all three journeyed together.'
were ; and they were dead, frozen, their mouths open, as though laughing ; and this filled us with terror.
We pushed forward, and on the third night drew up close to a rock. One of us could hold out no longer, and died. The two of us kept on, and next day, at about four in the afternoon, my companion could go no further, and dropped down sobbing, and died. I found eight pesos in his pocket, and went blindly on my way, carry- ing my harquebus and the slab of dried meat that was over, and expecting the same end as
my comrades. Weary, shoeless, my feet raw,
•
my woeful state may be imagined ! I propped myself up against a tree, and (for the first time, I think) wept. I said the rosary, com- mending myself to the Most Blessed Virgin and to the glorious St. Joseph, her Spouse. I rested a little, and rising again, set out on the march ; and it seems that I must have left the kingdom of Chile behind and reached that of Tucuman, as I observed the change of tem- perature.
I tramped on, and next morning, while lying down, exhausted with fatigue and hunger, I
45
saw two mounted men coming towards me. I could not tell whether to lament or rejoice, not knowing whether they were savages or friendlies. I loaded my harquebus, but could not lift it. They rode up, and asked what brought me to that lonely spot. I perceived that they were Christians, and saw the heavens open. I told them I had lost my way and knew not where I was, that I was worn out and dying of hunger, and too weak to rise. They were grieved at the sight of me, dismounted, gave me to eat of what they had, lifted me on to a horse, and led me to a farm three leagues away, where they said their mistress lived, and we arrived there at about five in the afternoon.
The lady was a half-breed, the daughter of a Spaniard and an Indian woman. She was a widow, a good-natured soul, who seeing me and hearing of my calamity and misery, took pity on me and received me kindly. She com- passionately had me placed in a comfortable bed, gave me a good supper, and let me rest and sleep ; and this set me up again. Next morning she gave me a good breakfast, and, 46
seeing my destitution, gave me a neat cloth suit and continued treating me very well and entertaining me handsomely. She was well- to-do, and had vast herds and flocks ; and as, apparently, few Spaniards ever pass that way, it seems that she cast her eye on me for her daughter.
After I had been there a week the kind- hearted woman told me that I might stay on to manage her household. I was most grate- ful for the kindness she showed me in my forlorn condition, and promised to serve her as best I could. A few days later she gave me to understand that she would be willing for me to marry a daughter of hers who lived there with her, and who was very black and as ugly as the devil — the very opposite of my taste, which has always been for pretty faces. I vowed myself enchanted at a condescension so undeserved, and fell at her feet, declaring that she might command me as a creature of hers snatched from destruction. I continued to serve her to the best of my powers. She dressed me out like a beau, and confidingly entrusted me with her house and belongings.
47
Two months later we moved to Tucuman to celebrate the marriage, and there I remained another two months, postponing the ceremony on diverse pretexts till I came to the end of them, when, taking a mule, I departed, and they have never seen me since.
Another experience of the same sort befell me at this time in Tucuman. During the two months I spent there befooling my Indian I chanced to strike up a friendship with the Bishop's secretary, who made much of me, and took me several times to his house, where we gambled ; and here I made acquaintance with Don Antonio de Cervantes, canon of the cathedral there, and Vicar -General of the Bishop. He likewise took a fancy to me, courted me, flattered me, invited me to dinner several times, and finally managed to unbosom himself, saying that he had a niece at home— a girl of my age, of most striking attractions, and with a good dowry — and that, as I had made a favourable impression on her, he had determined to marry her to me. I avowed myself to be most grateful for his kindness and gracious intentions. I saw the wench and liked 48
the look of her, and she sent me a suit of fine velvet, twelve shirts, six pairs of breeches of Rouen cloth, some Dutch linen collars, a dozen handkerchiefs, and two hundred pesos in a bowl : this was a gift, an act of courtesy, without prejudice to the dowry. I received it very thankfully, and wrote the best acknow- ledgement I could, saying that I looked for- ward to kissing her hand and placing myself at her feet. I hid as much as I could from the Indian, and, for the rest, I gave her to under- stand that it was in honour of my marriage with her daughter whom that gentleman knew all about, and (inasmuch as I was so well inclined to her) greatly esteemed. The affair had got to this point when I doubled the Cape and vanished : and I have never heard what became of the negress and the Vicaress- General.
49
CHAPTER VIII.
MAN TO POTOSI.
SHE GOES FROM Tucu-
AFTER leaving Tucuman as I have described, I made for Potosi, a distance of some five hundred and fifty leagues, which it took me over three months to cover, riding through a cold district, mostly desert. I had not got far when, to my joy, I fell in with a soldier who was going the same way, and we travelled together. A little further on three men, wearing caps and armed with muskets, bounced out of some roadside huts, demanding all we had. We could not get rid of them, nor persuade them that we had nothing to give ; we were obliged to dismount and face them. Shots were ex- changed, they missed us, two of them fell, and the other fled. We mounted again and jogged on. At last, after more than three months of riding and constant anxiety, we reached Potosi, where we knew nobody, and each of us went off on his own account to look for a place. I met Don Juan Lopez de Arguijo, veinticuatro l of the city of La Plata, and was engaged by him as camarero (which is much the same as majordomo) with a fixed salary of nine hundred pesos a year ; and he put me in charge of twelve thousand native sheep of 52
' Shots -were exchanged, they missed us, two of them fell"
burden 2 and eighty Indians, and with these I set out for Las Charcas, where my master also went. We had not been there long when my master had difficulties and disputes with certain men, and these differences ended in quarrels, imprisonment, and embargoes, which caused me to take my leave and go back again. Shortly after my return to Potosi, the mutiny of Don Alonso Ibanez took place, while the post of Corregidor was held by Don Rafael Ortiz, of the Order of St. John. He got together a corps against the mutineers, who numbered over a hundred. ,1 was a member of it, and, marching out one night, we met them in St. Dominic's Street. The Corregidor challenged them in a loud voice, " Who goes there ? " They made no reply and re- treated. He challenged them again, and some of them shouted, " Liberty ! " The Corregidor and many who were with him called out, " Long live the King ! " And he advanced towards them while we backed him up with cuts and shots. They defended themselves in like fashion, and, after driving them into a street, we charged them in the rear from the
S3
other end of it with such effect that they sur- rendered. Of those who got away we after- wards captured thirty-six, among them Ibafiez. We counted seven of their dead and two of ours ; there were many wounded on both sides. Some of the prisoners were tortured, and con- fessed to planning a general rising in the city for that night. Three companies of men from Biscay and the mountain were raised as a city guard ; and a fortnight later all the mutineers were hanged, and the city was at peace.
After this — either for some exploit which I may have done then, or perhaps for some- thing that I had done previously — I was appointed to the post of serjeant-major, which I held for two years. While I was serving at Potosi, the Governor, Don Pedro de Legui, of the Order of Santiago, ordered troops to be raised for Los Chunchos and El Dorado, a district of warlike Indians, five hundred leagues from Potosi, and rich in gold and stones. Don Bartolome de Alva was Camp- master ; he equipped the expedition and arranged its route, and when everything was in train we left Potosi twenty days later. 54
CHAPTER IX. SHE GOES FROM Porosi TO Los CHUNCHOS.
55
AFTER leaving Potosi for Los Chtmchos we came to a village called Arzaga, occupied by friendly Indians, where we stayed a week. We took guides with us, and yet we lost our way, and were in great difficulties on the ledges of rock, over which twelve men toppled, as well as fifty mules carrying supplies and ammunition.
On reaching the interior of the district, we came upon plains thick with innumerable almond-trees, like those in Spain, olives, and fruit-trees. The Governor wanted to sow seed there to make good our loss of provisions, and the infantry refused, saying that we had not come there to sow but to conquer and collect gold, and that we could look for food on the march. Advancing, on the third day we came upon a tribe of Indians, who ran to arms. We got up to them, and at the report of the harquebuses they fled in confusion, leaving some dead behind. We entered the village, without being able to capture an Indian to act as guide.
At the entrance to the village, the Camp- master, Bartolom6 de Alva, feeling the weight 56
of his helmet, took it off to wipe away the sweat, and a little devil of a boy about twelve years old, who had clambered up a tree, let fly at him an arrow, which pierced his eye and knocked him over, wounding him so seriously that he died three days afterwards. We sliced the boy into ten thousand bits.
Meanwhile the Indians, over ten thousand in number, had returned to the village. We charged them so fiercely and slaughtered them so that a stream of blood poured down the place like a river. We kept up the pursuit and butchery to beyond the river Dorado. Here the Governor ordered us to retire, and we did so unwillingly, for some of our men had found some sixty thousand pesos l worth of gold-dust in the village cabins, and others found vast quantities of it on the bank of the river, and filled their hats with it ; and we afterwards heard that the ebb usually leaves a deposit of it three fingers'-breadth in depth. Accordingly, later on, many of us asked leave of the Governor to conquer this district, and as he, for reasons of his own, refused it, many of us (of whom I was one) broke out at night
57
and deserted, and on reaching a town occupied by Christians, we each went off on our own account. I myself went to Cenhiago, and thence to the province of Las Charcas, with a few silver coins, which, little by little, but quickly enough, I lost.
CHAPTER X. SHE GOES TO THE CITY OF LA PLATA.
59
I WE NT to the city of La Plata and entered the service of Captain Francisco de Aganumen, a wealthy Biscayan mine-owner, with whom I stayed a few days, and then left because of a dispute with another Biscayan, a friend of my master's. While on the look- out for a place I found refuge under the roof of a widow lady, named Dona Catarina de Chaves, esteemed as the most important and noble lady in the city. At the entreaty of one of her servants, with whom I had formed a chance friendship, she promised to give me shelter for a time. Now it came to pass that, as this lady was going to Stations on Maundy Thursday, at St. Francis's, she met Dona Francisca Marmolejo, wife of Don Pedro de Andrade, nephew of the Count de Lemos ; and they came to words over some question of precedence, and Dona Francisca so far forgot herself as to strike Dona Catarina with her patten ; whereon there was a great disturbance and crush of people. Dona Catarina went home, where her relatives and acquaintances collected, and the matter was passionately debated. The other lady stayed 60
" They led her forth to her house"
in the church amid a similar group of her partisans, not daring to leave till nightfall, when her husband, Don Pedro, arrived, accom- panied by Don Rafael Ortiz de Sotomayor, Corregidor (he is now Corregidor at Madrid) and Knight of Malta, together with the ordinary Alcaldes and constables, bearing lighted torches ; and they led her forth to her house.
While going along the street leading from St. Francis's to the square, a clash of steel was heard in the square, whereat the Corre- gidor went to the spot% with the Alcaldes and the constables, leaving the lady alone with her husband. At this instant an Indian ran by in the direction of the noise, and, as he passed near the Senora Dona Francisca Marmolejo, he gave her a slash in the face with a knife or razor, cut it right across, and rushed on. This happened so suddenly that her husband, Don Pedro, did not notice it at the moment. When he did there was a great din, uproar, hurlyburly, rush of people, knifing, and arrests — a deafening confusion.
Meanwhile the Indian went to the Senora
61
Dona Catarina's house, and said to the lady, as he entered, " It is done ! " The disorder continued, and serious consequences were feared. Something must have been discovered during the investigations, for on the third day the Corregidor came to Dona Catarina's house, and found her sitting in her parlour. After administering the oath, he asked her if she knew who had cut Dona Francisca Marmolejo's face, and she said she did. He asked her who it was. " A razor and this hand," she answered. Thereon he went away, setting a guard over her.
He cross-examined the servants till he came to an Indian, whom he threatened with the rack; and the craven averred that he had seen me go out wearing an Indian costume and wig, given me by his mistress ; that a Biscayan barber, called Francisco Ciguren, bought the razor ; and that he had seen me come in and heard me say, "It is done!" The Corregidor came away, arrested me and the barber, clapped us in irons, separated us, and placed us in solitary confinement. In this fashion some days passed, when one 62
night an Alcalde of the High Court, who had taken the case in hand, and (for what reason I don't know) arrested some constables, entered the jail and tortured the barber, who at once confessed his own sins and his neigh- bours'. Hereupon the Alcalde came to me and took my statement; I flatly denied any knowledge of the affair. He then had me stripped and placed on the rack, when a solicitor came forward, pleading that as I was a Biscayan — and therefore entitled to the privilege of nobility — torture could not be applied to me. The ^Alcalde paid no heed, and continued. They gave the screws a turn : I was firm as an oak. They kept at it, questioning me and twisting the screws, when a letter was brought in from (as I after- wards learned) Dona Catarina de Chaves. This was placed in the Alcalde's hand, he opened it and read it, stood looking at me awhile, and said, " Lift the youngster off that!" They lifted me off, took me back to jail, and he went home.
The suit continued — how I can't tell — and I came out of it condemned to ten years'
63
service in Chile (without pay), and the barber to two hundred lashes and six years at the galleys. We appealed, soliciting support from the men of our province, and the affair went its course (but how is more than I can say), till one day the High Court gave judgement : whereby I was acquitted (as was the barber), and the Senora Dona Francisca was con- demned in costs. These miracles often happen in such cases, especially in the Indies, thanks to intelligent knavery.
64
CHAPTER XL SHE GOES TO LAS CHARCAS.
HAVING escaped from this fix, I was bound to get away from La Plata. I went to Las Charcas, sixteen leagues off. There I once more met the aforesaid vein- ticuatro, Don Juan Lopez de Arguijo, who put me in charge of ten thousand sheep of burden * and over a hundred Indians. He gave me a large sum of money so that I might go to the plains of Cochabamba, buy wheat, and, after having it ground, sell it at Potosi, where there was a dearth and where it would fetch a high price. I went there, bought eight thousand fanegas'2 at the rate of four pesos, loaded them on the sheep, came to the mills at Guilcomayo, had three thousand five hundred fanegas ground, took them to Potosi, and sold them at once to the bakers at the rate of fifteen pesos and a half. I returned to the mills, where I found part of the rest ground, and purchasers, to whom I sold the whole at the rate of ten pesos. I went back with the cash to my master at Las Charcas, and, the profit being so great, he sent me back again on the same errand to Cochabamba. 66
'/« charge often thousand sheep of burden, and over a himdred Indians."
Meanwhile, having nothing to do at Las Charcas, I went one Sunday to gamble at a house belonging to Don Antonio Cal- deron, the Bishop's nephew. There were present the Vicar-General, the Archdeacon, and a Seville merchant who had married there. I sat down to play with the mer- chant; the game was in progress, and at one deal the merchant, who was already ruffled, said, " I stake ! " I asked, " What do you stake?" He repeated, " I stake!" I again asked, "What do you stake?" He banged down a doubloon, saying, ."I stake a horn!" I replied, " Done ; and I go double on the horn that you still have left." He flung his cards down and drew his dagger. I drew mine. The bystanders seized us and sepa- rated us. The conversation changed and continued till late at night, when I went home. I had not gone far when, at the corner of a street, I came on him. He drew his rapier and advanced towards me. I drew mine, and we engaged. After some thrusting and parrying my point got home, and he fell. A crowd collected at the noise, the police
67
came up and tried to arrest me. I resisted, received two wounds, and retreated, taking sanctuary in the cathedral. There I remained some days, having been warned by my master to be careful. At last one night, choosing my time well and finding the coast clear, I set out for Piscobamba.
68
CHAPTER XII. SHE LEAVES LAS CHAR-
CAS FOR PlSCOBAMBA.
69
ON reaching Piscobamba I stayed at the house of my friend, Juan Torrizo de Zaragoza, where I remained a few days. One night, during supper, we got up a gamble with some friends who dropped in. I sat down to play against a Portuguese, Fernando de Acosta, a great plunger. He led off by staking fourteen pesos on each trick. I scored sixteen tricks against him. He gave himself a slap in the face, saying, "May the devil incarnate fly away with me ! " I asked, " What have you lost up to now that sets you jabbering?" He stretched out his hands towards my chin, and said, " I've lost my father's horns ! " I dashed my cards in his face and drew my rapier ; he drew his. The bystanders intervened, held us back, and reconciled us, and we all talked and jested about rows at cards. He paid, and went away, apparently calmed down. Three nights later, at about eleven o'clock, as I was going home, I noticed a man standing at a street- corner. I swung my cloak over my shoulder, drew my rapier, and went towards him. As I approached he dashed at me, thrusting and 70
"/ ran my point into him, and he fell dead."
calling out, " Cuckold rascal ! " I knew his voice. We engaged, I ran my point into him, and he fell dead.
I paused awhile, wondering what I should do. Looking about me I observed nobody who could have seen us, so I went to my friend Zaragoza's house, held my tongue, and got into bed. Early next morning the Co- rregidor, Don Pedro de Meneses, came, roused me, and walked me off. I reached the jail and was put in irons. About an hour after- wards the Corregidor came with a notary, and took my statement. ^1 denied all knowledge of the business. Then they tortured me, and I denied everything. The indictment was drawn up, evidence was collected, and I gave mine. When the case came on witnesses were produced whom I had never even seen. Sentence of death was passed. I appealed, but nevertheless an order to execute me was issued. I was utterly cast down. A monk C'ime in to hear my confession ; I refused. He persisted ; I held out. A cataract of monks was let loose on me, enough to swamp me, but I proved a Luther. I was rigged
out in a taffeta suit and hoisted on a horse. The Corregidor was bent on it, and told the monks who beset him that if I chose to go to hell it was none of his business. They hauled me out of jail, and took me down unfrequented streets, so as to keep clear of the monks. I came to the gibbet. The bawling and hustling of the monks dazed me. They forced me up four steps, and the man who pestered me most was a Dominican, Fray Andre's de San Pablo, whom I saw and talked with about a year ago at Madrid in the College of Atocha. I was forced a little higher up. They placed round my neck the volattn (that is the thin rope used for hanging), and the executioner fumbled over it. I called out, "You drunkard! Put it on properly, or take it off! These priests are enough to put up with ! "
At this moment a messenger galloped in from the city of La Plata, sent by the secre- tary under orders from the President, Don Diego de Portugal, on the petition of Martin de Mendiola, a Biscayan, who had heard of my prosecution ; and the messenger, in the 72
" I came to the gibbet."
presence of a notary, handed the Corregidor a document in which the Court ordered him to suspend execution of the sentence and to transfer the prisoner and the depositions to the High Court, which is twelve leagues away. The reason of this was extraordinary, and a manifest mercy of God. It seems that those who professed to be eye-witnesses in the case of the Portuguese fell into the clutch of the law at La Plata (for what offences I don't know), and were sentenced to be hanged ; and, at the foot of the gibbet, without hearing of my plight, they owned that, being suborned and paid, and knowing nothing at all about me, they had perjured themselves in the murder case; and accordingly the Court, at the instance of Martin de Mendiola, took action and ordered a respite. This message, which came so opportunely, moved the com- passionate populace to joy. The Corregidor ordered me to be removed from the scaffold and taken back to jail, whence he sent me under escort to La Plata. When I reached there, and they looked into the depositions (which those men at the foot of the gibbet
73
had rendered worthless), inasmuch as there was no other evidence against me, I was released twenty-four days later, and I remained there a little while.
74
CHAPTER XIII. SHE GOES TO THE CITY
OF COCHABAMBA AND RETURNS TO LA
PLATA.
75
FROM La Plata I went to the city of Cochabamba to settle some accounts between the aforesaid Juan L6pez de Arguijo and Don Pedro de Chavarria, a native of Navarre, residing there and married to Dona Maria Davalos, daughter of the late Captain Juan Davalos and of Dona Maria de Ulloa, who became a nun at La Plata, in the con- vent which she founded there. We checked the accounts, and there remained a balance of one thousand pesos in favour of the said Arguijo, my master, and against the said Chavarria, who cheerfully and courteously handed me the sum ; and he invited me to dinner and took me into his house for two days. And then I said farewell and departed with instructions from his wife to visit her mother, the nun, at La Plata, and to give her many kind messages.
After leaving them I was kept busy with friends over odds and ends of things till late in the afternoon. At last I started, and my road took me past the said Chavarria's door. As I went by I saw a crowd in the porch and heard a disturbance inside. I stopped to 76
find out what the matter was, and at that moment Dona Maria Davalos called to me from the window : " Senor Captain, take me with you, for my husband wants to kill me ! " No sooner said than done ; she leaped down, and up came two monks, who said, "Take her away with you, for her husband, who caught her with Don Antonio Calderon, the Bishop's nephew, has killed him, and locked her up, meaning to kill her." With this they placed her on the croup, and I set off on the mule that I was riding.
I never halted til] midnight, when I came to the La Plata river. On the road I had met a servant of Chavarria's returning from La Plata, and he must have recognised us in spite of my efforts to give him a wide berth and cloak myself up ; and apparently he informed his master. On reaching the river I was dismayed, for it was full, and it seemed to me impossible to ford it. Dona Maria Ddvalos said to me, " Forward ! there is nothing for it but to cross, God help us ! " I jumped off, tried to find a ford, and made up my mind to do what seemed best. I
77
remounted, with my distressed lady riding pillion, and plunged in, going deeper and deeper. God helped us, and we crossed over. I reached an inn upon which we stumbled close by. I roused the landlord, who was amazed at seeing us at that hour, and at our having crossed the river. I looked after my mule and let it have a rest. The landlord gave us some eggs, bread, and fruit, and we tried to wring out our clothes ; and setting off again, we pressed on, and at daybreak, about five leagues away, we sighted the city of La Plata.
We were going along, somewhat consoled by this, when suddenly Dona Maria clasped me tighter, saying, "Good Heavens! my husband ! " I turned, and saw him on a horse which seemed fatigued. I don't know, and I still wonder how this could be, for I started first from Cochabamba, leaving him in his house, and, without stopping an instant, I reached the river, crossed it, came to the inn, stayed there about an hour, and set off again. Apart from this, it must have taken some time for the servant (whom I met 78
' He blazed at us -with his musket:
on the road, and who apparently informed him) to reach Cochabamba, and for him to saddle and start. How then could he catch me up on the road ? I cannot imagine, unless it be that, not knowing the way, I took a more roundabout route than he did. Anyhow, when about thirty paces off he blazed at us with his musket and missed, the bullets passing so close that we could hear them whiz by. I urged on my mule, scrambled down a slope overgrown with thicket, and saw no more of him — no doubt his horse was dead beat. After a ride of something like four long leagues from this point, I reached La Plata quite weary and faint. I went to the door of St. Augustine's Convent, and then handed over Dona Maria Davalos to her mother.
I was going back for my mule when I met Pedro de Chavarria, who dashed at me, rapier in hand, without giving time for any explana- tion. I was startled at seeing him, it was so unexpected. He came upon me when I was ex- hausted, and I pitied his delusion in thinking that I had done him a wrong. I drew my rapier,
79
and kept on the defensive. We entered the church, fighting as we went. He must have been a crack, for he pinked me twice in the chest without my having touched him. Being now roused, I pressed him, and drove him backwards to the altar ; there he made a tremendous cut at my head, and, warding it off with my dagger,1 I drove my rapier a hand's-breadth into his side. So many people rushed up that we could not go on. The police arrived and wanted to haul us out of the church. Hereupon two monks of the monastery of St. Francis, which is just opposite, passed me through and took me in, with the con- nivance of the Chief Alguazil, Don Pedro Beltran, brother-in-law of my master, Juan L6pez de Arguijo. Charitably received into St. Francis's Monastery, and there, tended by the fathers, I lay secluded for five months.
It also took a long while to heal Chavarria's wounds, and he kept on clamouring for his wife to be given back to him. Concerning this demand there were proceedings and investigations, she pleading the manifest danger to her life. The Archbishop, Presi- 80
dent, and other authorities intervened, and at last it was arranged that both should enter religion and be professed ; she in the convent, and he wherever he chose.
There remained my case and the indictment against me. My master, Juan L6pez de Arguijo, came and informed the Archbishop, Don Alonso de Peralta, the President and judges, of the straightforwardness, sound instinct, and good-will with which I had acted — all qui{£ different from what Chavarria imagined ; that I had done nothing beyond suddenly helping a woman who flung herself upon me to escape death, conducting her, as she wished, to her mother's convent. This being estab- lished and admitted, the prosecution was withdrawn and ended, and the couple duly entered religion. I came out of my retreat, settled my accounts, and often visited my nun and her mother and the other ladies there, who, in their gratitude, entertained me hand- somely.
81
CHAPTER XIV. SHE GOES FROM LA PLATA TO PISCOBAMBA AND MIZQUE.
I TRIED to find a situation which I could fill. The Senora Dona Maria de Ulloa, grateful for what I had done to serve her obtained for me from the President and Court a commission to go to Piscobamba and the plains of Mizque to investigate and punish certain crimes reported from there, for which purpose they assigned me a notary and alguazil, and we set out. I went to Pisco- bamba, where I issued a warrant and arrested Ensign Francisco de Escobar, resident and married there, on a charge of treacherously killing Indians in order to rob them, and of burying them at his own house in a quarry. I had this dug out, and found them there. I pursued my investigation in all its details till it was complete ; when it was closed and the parties were called before me I gave judge- ment, sentencing the prisoner to death. He lodged an appeal, which I granted ; the case and the accused went before the Court of La Plata ; sentence was confirmed and the culprit hanged. I went on to the plains of Mizque, settled the affair that took me there, returned to La Plata, and reported what I had done,
handing in the documents concerning Mizque ; and after this I remained some days at La Plata.
CHAPTER XV. SHE GOES TO THE CITY OF LA PAZ — SHE KILLS A MAN.
I WE NT to La Paz, where I lived quietly for a while. Without a care to trouble me, I stopped one day at the gate of Don Antonio Barraza, the Corregidor, to gossip with a servant of his, and — the devil fanning the embers — the end of it was that he gave me the lie and struck me in the face with his hat : I drew my dagger, and he fell dead on the spot. So many people set upon me that I was wounded, seized, and taken to jail. My convalescence and prosecution went on side by side. After the indictment was drawn up and closed, other charges were included in it, and the Corregidor sentenced me to death. I appealed, but nevertheless he ordered the execution to be carried out.
I spent two days confessing my sins ; next morning Mass was said in jail, and the holy priest, having consumed, turned round, gave me Communion, and went back to the altar. Instantly I dropped the Host out of my mouth into the palm of my right hand, crying out, " I appeal to the Church ! I appeal to the Church ! " There was a tumult and scandal, and everybody called me a heretic. The priest 88
returned on hearing this noise, and gave orders that no one should go near me. He finished his Mass, and then the Lord Bishop, Don Fray Domingo de Valderrama, a Dominican, entered together with the Governor ; priests and a crowd of the laity collected together, candles were lighted, a canopy was brought, and they took me in procession as far as the tabernacle where, while all fell on their knees, a priest, duly vested, took the Host from my hand and placed It in the tabernacle ; I could not see in which vessel he placed It ; then my hand was scraped, washed repeatedly, and dried ; the church was cleared even of the authorities, and I remained there. (This plan was sug- gested to me by a holy Franciscan monk who had given me good advice in jail, and finally heard my confession.) For nearly a month the Governor kept the church closed, and me under restraint ; at last he withdrew the sentries, and a holy priest (by order of the Bishop, I presume), after seeing that the neighbourhood and road were clear, gave me a mule and money, and I set out for Cuzco.
89
CHAPTER XVI. SHE DEPARTS TO THE CITY OF Cuzco.
I REACHED Cuzco, a city not inferior to Lima in population and wealth, the centre of a bishopric, with a cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady, served by five prebendaries and eight canons. There are eight parishes, four monasteries of monks (Franciscans, Dominicans, Mercenarians, and Augustinians), four colleges, two convents of nuns, and three hospitals.
While I was there another grave disaster befell me, and one really and truly undeserved, for, though of bad repute, I was wholly free from blame. Don Luis de Godoy, Corregidor of Cuzco, a gentleman of great gifts and one of the most notable thereabouts, died suddenly one night. He was murdered, as was dis- covered later, by one Carranza, because of certain grievances too long to tell, and, as he was not detected at once, the murder was put down to me ; and the Corregidor, Fernando de Guzman, arrested me and kept me, sorely afflicted, in jail for five months till, at the end of this length of time, it pleased God to make manifest the truth and my entire innocence in the matter. Whereupon I was set free, and departed thence. 92
CHAPTER XVII. SHE REACHES LIMA, AND
LEAVES IT TO FlGHT THE DUTCH SHE
is SHIPWRECKED AND RESCUED BY THEIR FLEET — THEY SET HER ASHORE AT PAITA — THENCE SHE RETURNS TO LIMA.
93
I RE ACHED Lima when Don Juan de Mendoza y Luna, Marquis de Montes- Claros, was Viceroy of Peru. The Dutch were then attacking Lima with eight men- of-war, and the city was under arms. We went out with five ships from the port of Callao to meet them, and engaged them, and for a long while luck was on our side ; but they hammered our flagship so heavily that she sank, and not more than three of us contrived to escape by swimming till we came to one of the enemy's ships, which picked us up. The three were I, a barefooted Franciscan monk, and a soldier, and we were rudely greeted with japes and sneers. All the rest on board the flagship perished.
Next day when our vessels, commanded by General Don Rodrigo de Mendoza, returned to the port of Callao, nine hundred men were missing, among whom they reckoned me, as having been on the flagship. I was twenty-six days in the enemy's hands, dreading that they would take me to Holland. At the end of this time they set me and my two companions ashore at Paita, about a hundred leagues 94
from Lima ; and some days later, after we had suffered many hardships, a kindly man, touched by our destitution, clothed us, set us on the right road, and gave us where- withal to reach Lima, and we arrived there. I stayed seven months at Lima, struggling as best I could. I bought a horse, which turned out good and not dear, and I rode it for a few days while arranging to set out to Cuzco. As I was about to leave, I was passing through the square one day when an alguazil came up to tell me that the Senor Alcalde, Don Juan de Espinosa, Knight of the Order of Santiago, wanted me. I went to his worship. Two soldiers were there, and, as I arrived, they said : " That is it, sir ! This horse is ours : we lost it, and can soon prove it." The con- stables made a ring round me, and the Alcalde said: "What is to be done in this case?" Taken unawares, I knew not what to say ; hesitating and perplexed, I must have looked guilty, but it occurred to me to take off my cloak and cover the horse's head with it. And I said : " Sir, I beseech your worship to bid these gentlemen tell you which of this horse's
95
eyes is blind, the right or the left. It may be another horse altogether, and these gentlemen may have made a mistake." The Alcalde said : " You are right. Answer both of you together ; which is the blind eye ? " They were puzzled. The Alcalde said : " Now then, both together ! " One said : " The left/' The other said : " The right — no ! I mean the left." To which the Alcalde replied : " Your evidence is bad and does not agree." They then repeated together: " The left, we both said the left, there is no mistake about that." I said: "Sir, this is no proof at all, for one of them says one thing and the other says another." One of the men • answered : " We said precisely the same thing — that it is blind in the left eye ; and that's what I was going to say when my tongue slipped, but I corrected myself at once, and I tell you it's the left eye." The Alcalde paused, and I asked: "What are your wor- ship's commands ? " The Alcalde answered : "If there is no further proof, go your way with God ! " Then I whisked off my cloak and said : " Your worship can see that both of them are liars, for my horse is not blind 96
1 It may be another horse altogether?
but sound." The Alcalde rose, went up to the horse, looked at it, and said : " Mount, and go with God ! " And, turning to the men, he arrested them. I got up, and rode off, and never heard how the affair ended, because I went on to Cuzco.
97
CHAPTER XVIII. AT Cuzco SHE KILLS
THE NEW ClD AND IS WOUNDED.1
99
I WENT back to Cuzco again, staying at the house of the treasurer, Lope de Alcedo, and there I remained a while. One day I went into a friend's house to gamble ; two of us who were friends sat down to play, and the game went on ; the new Cid took a place beside me — a dark, hairy man, of great height and truculent appearance, nicknamed "the Cid." I went on with the game and won a trick : he dipped his hand into my money, took some reales de d ocho> and walked away. Soon afterwards he came back once more, took another dip, helped himself to a handful, and placed himself behind me. I got my dagger ready, continued playing, and he again dipped into my money. I felt he was going to do so, and nailed his hand to the table with my dagger. I jumped up and drew my rapier, the bystanders drew theirs ; other friends of the Cid joined in, pressed me hard, and wounded me thrice. I reached the street, and this was a piece of luck, for other- wise they would have cut me into ribbons. The first man to follow me was Cid. I made a thrust at him, but he was encased like a 100
" / nailed his hand to the table"
watch ; others came up and pressed me close. Two Biscayans chanced to pass just then, hastened to where the noise was, and seeing me engaged single-handed against five, took my part. The three of us got the worst of it, and backed down the whole length of a street till we came to an open space. As we drew near St. Francis's the Cid stabbed me from behind with such force that he went clean through my left shoulder ; another ran his rapier a span deep into my left side, and I dropped, bleeding in torrents.
At this both sides bolted. I staggered up in a death-agony, saw the Cid at the church- door, and made towards him ; he met me, calling out: "You dog! are you alive still?" He made a thrust at me, which I parried with my dagger, and I replied with one in the mid- riff that went right through him ; he fell, clamouring for confession, and I fell too. At this noise up came a crowd, some monks, and the Corregidor, Don Pedro de C6rdova, of the Order of Santiago, who, on seeing the con- stables seize me, said: "Stop! confession is the only thing he needs ! " The other man
101
died there and then. Some charitable persons carried me to the treasurer's, where I had been staying. I was put to bed, and the surgeon did not venture to dress my wounds till I had made my confession, lest I should die first. That splendid fellow Fray Luis Ferrer of Valencia, came and heard my con- fession ; and, seeing that I was dying, I re- vealed my sex to him. He was astounded, absolved me, and strove to cheer and console me ; the Holy Viaticum was brought and ad- ministered, and after this I seemed to feel stronger.
I suffered intensely when my wounds were dressed, and, what with the pain and haemor- rhage, swooned away for fourteen hours ; and during all this time the saintly Father Ferrer never left me. May God reward him for it ! I recovered consciousness, invoking St. Joseph ; abundant grace was vouchsafed me, for God provides at need. Three days went by, and on the fifth day I took a turn for the better. Then they carried me one night to St. Francis's — to the cell of Father Fray Martin de Ar6stegui, a relative of my friend Alcedo— 1 02
They carried me one night to St. Francis's"
where I spent the four months that my illness lasted. The Corregidor was beside himself on hearing this, stationed sentries about the place, and had the roads watched. Being better, and convinced that I could not remain in Cuzco, with the help and by the advice of my friends, I determined to change my quarters : for I dreaded the rancour of some of the dead man's friends. Captain Don Caspar de Carranza gave me a thousand pesos ; the said treasurer Lope de Alcedo gave me three mules and arms ; Don Francisco de Arzaga gave me three slaves. Thus equipped, and with two trusty Biscayan friends, I left Cuzco one night and took the road to Guamanga.
103
CHAPTER XIX. SHE LEAVES Cuzco FOR GUAMANGA — SHE CROSSES THE BRIDGE OF ANDAHUAILAS AND GUANCAVELICA.
105
AFTER leaving Cuzco, as I have just said, I came to the bridge of Apurimac, where I found the police and the dead Cid's friends waiting for me. The constable said : " You are arrested " ; and, with eight others, he advanced to seize me. We five spread out into line, and a fierce contest began. Before long one of my negroes fell, a man on the other side gave his last groan, and so did a second man ; another of my negroes dropped, and I laid the constable low with a pistol-shot ; others of his band were wounded, and at the sound of firearms they retreated, leaving on the ground three of their men, to whom no doubt they returned later. It is said that the jurisdiction of Cuzco extends to the said bridge, and no further : wherefore my comrades accompanied me to this point. There they turned back, and I went on my way. I reached Andahuailas, where I came across the Corregidor who, in the blandest and most gracious way, placed his house at my service and invited me to dinner. Distrust- ing such exaggerated courtesy, I declined, and departed. 106
" / laid the constable low -with a pistol-shot."
I came to the city of Guancavelica, put up at an inn, and spent two days seeing the sights of the place. I reached a small square near the quicksilver-hill, and there stood Doctor Sol6rzano, Alcalde of the Lima Court, who had come to check the accounts of the Governor, Don Pedro Osorio. I noticed an alguazil (Pedro Juarez was his name, as I learned afterwards) go up to him, whereupon he turned, looked at me, took out a paper, and looked at me again ; and then I noticed the alguazil and a negro making towards me. I strolled off as if I had no cause for uneasiness, though in fact I had a great deal of cause. Before I had gone far the alguazil passed in front of me and knocked off my hat ; I knocked off his, the negro came up behind, and seized me by my cloak. I shook myself free of it, drew my rapier and a pistol, and both attacked me with their rapiers. I fired at the alguazil and knocked him over ; I engaged the negro, and before long a few thrusts sent him down. As I bolted, I met an Indian with a led horse (the Alcalde's, as I found out later) : I snatched it from him, leaped up,
107
and rode off to Guamanga, fourteen leagues away.
Beyond the river Balsas I dismounted to give the horse a little rest, and just then perceived three horsemen fording the river and half-way across. I don't know what moved me to call out, " Where are you going, good gentlemen ? " One of them replied, " To arrest you, Captain ! " I got out my arms, loaded two pistols, and said, " You won't be able to arrest me alive ; you'll have to kill me first, and then arrest me." And, saying this, I drew near the river-bank. Another of them said, " We have our orders, Captain, and are bound to obey, but we are quite at your service." And there they stopped in mid-stream. Thanking them for their kindly action, I left three doubloons for them on a stone, mounted, and, after many compliments, went on my road to Guamanga.
108
CHAPTER XX. SHE REACHES GUAMANGA : AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HER THERE TILL SHE MADE HER AVOWALS TO THE LORD BISHOP.
109
1CAME to Guamanga, and put up at an inn. There I met a soldier passing that way, who took a fancy to the horse, and I sold it to him for two hundred pesos. I went out to have a look at the city, which I thought striking, full of handsome build- ings, the best I saw in Peru. I noticed three monasteries of Franciscans, Mercenarians, and Dominicans ; a convent of nuns and a hospital, a great number of Indian settlers, and many Spaniards. It is a splendid climate for a settlement in the plains, neither cold nor hot; great abundance of wheat, wine, fruit, and cereals ; a fine cathedral with three prebendaries and two canons, and a saintly bishop, an Augustinian, Don Fray Agustfn de Carvajal, my mainstay, though snatched from me by his sudden death in the year '20. It is said that he had been Bishop there since the year '12.
I stayed on here a while, and ill-luck would have it that I went several times to a gambling-hell, and, while I was there one day, in came the Corregidor Don Baltasar de Quiftones. Looking at me, and not recog-
110
nising me, he asked me where I came from : I told him that I was a Biscayan. He said, " Where have you come from now ? " I said I came from Cuzco. He paused a moment, still looking at me, and said, " You are arrested." " Of course!" said I, and, draw- ing my rapier, retreated to the door. He called out for help in the King's name ; there was so much opposition at the door that I could not get through. I pulled out my three- bar relied pistol and made off, going into hiding at the house of a friend I had made there. The jCorregidor went off, and seized my mule as well as some small be- longings of mine at the inn. I found out that this friend of mine was a Biscayan, and stayed with him a few days. Meanwhile not a breath was heard of the affair, nor did the police seem concerned about it. It was plain, however, that I must change my quarters, for I had got into a scrape there as elsewhere. Having made up my mind to it, I started off at nightfall, and before long ill-luck threw two alguazils in my way. They challenged me, *' Who goes there?"
in
I replied, " Friends ! " They asked me my name, and I said, " The Devil ! " This was not quite a proper answer. They were about to seize me when I drew my rapier, and there was a great uproar. They called out, " Help in the name of the law ! " A crowd gathered, the Corregidor came out of the Bishop's house, and more constables made at me. Finding myself cornered, I fired my pistol and knocked one of them over. My position grew worse, and my Biscayan friend, with others from the same part of the country, ranged themselves beside me. The Corregidor bawled to his men to kill me ; firearms were used on both sides. Accom- panied by four torch-bearers, the Bishop came out and down into the middle of the throng, while his secretary, Juan Bautista de Arteaga, led him to me. On reaching me, he said, " Ensign, give me your arms!" I replied, "My lord, I am surrounded by enemies!" He repeated, " Give them up! you are out of harm's way with me, and I pledge my word to see you safe out of this whatever it costs me." I answered, " Most
112
illustrious Lord, when we reach the cathedral I will kiss your Lordship's feet." At this instant four of the Corregidor's slaves laid hold of me, hustling and dragging me savagely about, with no respect for his Lordship's presence, so that, to defend myself, I had to use my hands and floor one of them. Armed with buckler and rapier, the Bishop's secretary hurried up with others of the household, loudly denouncing the disrespect shown to his Lordship ; and then the riot quieted down a little. His Lordship caught me by the arm, took my weapons from me, and, placing me beside him, led me along into his house. He gave orders that a slight wound which I had received should be dressed, that I should have supper and a bed, and that I should be locked in and the key be taken away. The Corregidor arrived soon afterwards, and had a long talk and argument about the matter with his Lord- ship, as I gathered later on.
Next morning, at about ten, his Lordship had me brought into his presence, and asked me who I was, where I came from, who my
L 113
parents were, and all about my life, how and why I had come there, going into particulars, and weaving into his questions good advice, dwelling on the dangers of this life — the fear of death and its consequences — and the dread of the other life for a sinner whose taking off comes without warning ; exhorting me to be peaceful, to cultivate a gentle spirit, and to fall down on my knees before God. And this dis- course made me feel very small ; and, seeing that he was such a saintly man, and feeling as though I were in the presence of God, I revealed myself, and said to him, " My Lord, all that I have told your Lordship is untrue ; the truth is this : that I am a woman, that I was born in such-and-such a place, daughter of So-and-So and So-and-So ; that I was placed at such-and-such an age in such-and- such a convent with my aunt So-and-So, that I was educated there, took the habit, be- came a novice, and was about to be professed when, for such-and-such reasons, I ran away ; that I went to such-and-such a place, stripped, dressed up, and cut my hair, went hither and thither, embarked, went into port, took to 114
' / place, myself at the feet of your tnost illustrious Lordship."
roving, slew, wounded, embezzled, and roamed about till the present moment, when I plage myself at the feet of your most illustrious Lordship."
While my story lasted — that is till one o'clock — the saintly Bishop sat in amazement, listening to me, without saying a word or blinking an eyelid ; and, when I had finished, he still sat speechless, shedding scalding tears. Then he sent me to rest and dine ; he rang his bell, asked for an old chaplain of his, and sent me to his oratory ; there they placed a table and mattress for me, and locked me in, and I lay down and slept. In the after- noon, at about four, the Lord Bishop sent for me again, and spoke to me with great gentleness of spirit, beseeching me to give profound thanks to God for the mercy that He had vouchsafed me by opening my eyes to the path of perdition which was leading me straight to everlasting torment ; he ex- horted me to look back upon my past life, and to make a good confession — which I had in great part made already, and which would now be easy to me ; and then God would
of nuns there). I put on the habit, the Bishop came forth from his house, leading me beside him amid such a throng that everybody in the city must have been there ; so that it was a long while before we arrived. At last we reached the door, it being im- possible for us to go to the cathedral first of all, as his Lordship had purposed, for the building was packed as soon as his intention became known. There the whole convent awaited us with lighted candles. There the Abbess and senior nuns signed a document, in which the convent authorities undertook to give me up to his Lordship, or to the prelate who should succeed him, whenever I was asked for. His Lordship embraced me and gave me his blessing, and I went in. They led me in procession to the choir, where I prayed. I kissed the Abbess's hand and, after embracing the nuns and being embraced by them, I was taken to a par- lour where his Lordship was waiting for me. There he gave me good advice, ex- horted me to be a good Christian, to give thanks to Our Lord, and to frequent the n8
1 There the -whole con-vent aivaited us.
sacraments, and his Lordship promised to come and administer them to me (as he often did, in fact) ; and, after generously offering me everything I needed, he left. The news of this event spread everywhere, and through- out the Indies those who had seen me previously, and those who before and after- wards heard of my story, were amazed. Within five months, in the year 1620, my saintly Bishop died suddenly, and I missed him sadly.
119
CHAPTER XXI. DRESSED IN A NUN'S HABIT, SHE GOES FROM GUAMANGA TO LlMA BY ORDER OF HIS LORDSHIP THE ARCHBISHOP, AND ENTERS THE TRINI- TARIAN CONVENT — SHE LEAVES IT, RETURNS TO GUAMANGA, AND GOES ON TO SANTA FE DE BOGOTA AND TENERIFE.
121
SHORTLY after the death of his Lordship of Guamanga, I was sent for by his Lordship Don Bartolome' Lobo Guerrero, Metropolitan Archbishop of Lima from (it is said) the year 1607 till his death on January 12, 1622. The nuns parted from me with great regret. I set out in a litter, accompanied by six priests, four nuns, and six men armed with swords.
Though we entered Lima by night we could not get through the press of people who had gathered, curious to see the Nun Ensign. They set me down at the Archbishop's house, and I was yearning to get in. I kissed his Lordship's hand, he received me graciously, and gave me shelter there that night. Next day I was taken to the Palace to see the Viceroy, Don Francisco de Borja, Count de Mayalde, Prince de Esquilache, who was in office there from the year 1615 to 1622 ; and I dined at his house that day. At night I returned to the Archbishop's, where I had a good supper and comfortable room.
On the following day his Lordship told me to look about and choose which convent I
122
should like to live in. I asked leave to see them all, and he gave it, and I visited all, saw them, arid stayed four or five days in each. At last I decided on the convent of the Most Holy Trinity belonging to the Com- mandresses of St. Bernard — a large convent which maintains a hundred nuns with black veils, fifty with white veils, ten novices, ten lay-sisters, and sixteen servants. I remained there exactly two years and five months, till clear proofs were sent from Spain that I was not, and never had been, a professed nun ; whereupon, to, the universal regret of all the nuns, I was allowed to leave the convent, and I set out on the way to Spain. First of all I went to Guamanga to see the ladies in the convent of St. Clare and to bid them farewell. They kept me there a week, paying me many attentions, giving me presents, and weeping at my departure. I continued my journey to the city of Santa Fe de Bogota in the new kingdom of Granada. I saw the Lord Bishop, Don Julian de Cortazar, who strongly urged me to enter the convent of my order there. I told him
"3
that I had no order nor religious vocation, and that I was trying to get back to my native country, where I should do what seemed best to save my soul : whereupon he gave me a handsome present, and I took leave of him. I went to Zaragoza up the river Magda- lena ; there I fell ill, and thought the soil unhealthy for Spaniards, and was at death's door. After a few days, being slightly better, though unable to stand, I was ordered away by a doctor, and I travelled down-stream to Tenerife, where I soon recovered.
124
CHAPTER XXII. SHE EMBARKS AT TENE- RIFE AND GOES TO CARTAGENA, AND THENCE STARTS FOR SPAIN WITH THE FLEET.
125
AS I there found that the fleet, under General Tomas de Larraspuru, was starting for Spain I embarked on his flagship in the year 1624. He received me with great courtesy, paid me much attention, gave me a seat at his table, and treated me thus till we were two hundred leagues this side of the Strait of Bahama. There was a quarrel one day whilst we were gambling, and I happened to give somebody a scratch in the face with a little knife I had about me, and there was a hullabaloo, and the General was obliged to shift me and transfer me to the flagship of the second in command, where there were men from my part of the country. This was not to my liking, so I begged to be sent on board the tender San Telmo, commanded by Captain Andres de Ot6n, which was a despatch-boat ; I was transferred to it but suffered hardships, for it leaked, and we were in danger of drowning.
Thank God we arrived at Cadiz on Novem- ber i, 1624. We disembarked, and I stayed there a week, receiving great attentions from Senor Don Fadrique de Toledo, General of 126
" / embarked on his flagship."
' We were in danger of drowning"
the Fleet, who had in his service two of my brothers. I made their acquaintance and pre- sented them to him, and as a compliment to me he took them into favour, keeping one of them on his own staff and giving the other a pair of colours.
127
CHAPTER XXIII. SHE LEAVES CADIZ FOR SEVILLE, AND LEAVES SEVILLE FOR MADRID, PAMPLONA, AND ROME ; BUT, HAVING BEEN ROBBED IN PIEDMONT, SHE RETURNS TO SPAIN.
129
FROM Cadiz I went to Seville and stayed there a fortnight, keeping out of sight as much as possible to escape the crowds that thronged to see me dressed like a man ; thence I passed on to Madrid, where I remained twenty days without revealing myself. There I was arrested (I don't know why) by command of the Vicar, but the Count de Olivares ordered me to be released at once. There I was engaged by the Count de Javier, who was starting for Pamplona, and I set out and served him for about two months.
Leaving the Count de Javier, I started from Pamplona to Rome, it being the holy year of the great jubilee. I made my way across France and underwent great trials, for, while passing through Piedmont, on reaching Turin I was arrested on suspicion of being a Spanish spy ; they robbed me of the few coins and clothes I had, and kept me fifty1 days in jail, and at the end of this time, after (I suppose) making investigations which disclosed nothing against me, they released me. But they did not allow me to go on my way, ordering me 130
to turn back under penalty of the gallows ; so back I had to go in distress, poor, on foot, and a beggar. I reached Toulouse in France, and presented myself before the Comte de Gramont,2 Viceroy of Pau and Governor of Bayonne, to whom, when travelling the other way, I had brought and handed letters from Spain. This kindly gentleman was shocked to see me, had me clothed, treated me generously, and supplied me with a hundred escudos and a horse for my journey, and I set out.
I came to Madrid, presented myself before His Majesty, and besought him to reward my services, which I set forth in a petition that I placed in his royal hand. His Majesty referred me to the Council of the Indies, to which I went, laying before it such papers as remained over to me after being robbed. The Council saw me, and, with the approval of His Majesty, graciously granted me a life- pension of eight hundred escudos — a little less than I had asked for. This happened in the month of August, 1625. Meanwhile, several experiences befell me at the capital
which I omit as of no account. Shortly after- wards His Majesty set out for the Cortes of Arag6n, and reached Zaragoza at the beginning of January, 1626.
132
CHAPTER XXIV. SHE LEAVES MADRID FOR BARCELONA.
I STARTED on the road for Barcelona with three other friends who were travel- ling that way. We halted awhile at L^rida, and set off again in the afternoon of Maundy Thursday. Towards four in the afternoon, a little before we came to Velpuche, while we were gay and free from care, at a turn in the road nine men sprang out of a thicket on the right, cocked their muskets, surrounded us, and ordered us to dismount. We could do nothing else, being thankful enough to dis- mount alive. They took our arms, horses, clothes, and everything we had about us except our papers, which we begged of them as a favour. After looking through them, they gave them back to us, not leaving us another stitch.
We went on our way, naked and ashamed, and got to Barcelona during the night of Holy Saturday, 1626, without knowing — at least I didn't know — what to do. I don't know where my companions went to look for help. For my own part, by going from door to door and telling everybody that I had been plundered, I picked up some tattered clothes and
a worn-out hood to cover me. As the night went on I sneaked into a porch, where I found some other poor devils stretched out, and gathered that the King was in the city, and that the Marquis de Montes-Claros — a kind and charitable gentleman whom I had met and spoken to at Madrid — was there on his staff. I went to him in the morning and told him of my disaster. The kindly gentleman was distressed to see me, had me clothed at once, and made an opportunity of presenting me to His Majesty.
I entered, and told His Majesty how my misfortune had happened. He listened to me, and said, " But how did you let yourself be robbed ? " I answered, " Sir, I couldn't do more than I did." He asked me, " How many of them were there ? " I said, " Nine, Sir, with their muskets cocked, and they took us by surprise as we were passing a thicket." His Majesty motioned to me to give him my petition. I kissed his hand and placed the petition in it, and His Majesty said, " I will see to it." His Majesty was then standing up, and he passed out. I withdrew, and soon
afterwards received the decree in which His Majesty ordered them to give me four rations as a half-pay ensign and thirty ducats as a gift. Whereupon, having taken leave of the Marquis de Montes-Claros, to whom I was so much beholden, I shipped in the San Martin, the new galley from Sicily, which was starting for Genoa.
136
CHAPTER XXV. SHE GOES FROM BARCE- LONA TO GENOA, AND THENCE TO ROME.
HAVING sailed from Barcelona on the galley, we shortly reached Genoa, where we stayed a fortnight. During that time it occurred to me one day to go and see the Controller-General, Pedro de Chavarria, of the Order of Santiago. Apparently it was too early, for the house was not open. I strolled about to kill time, and then sat down on a stone slab at Prince Doria's door; and while I was there a well-dressed man came and sat down there too. He was a spruce soldier, with flowing locks, whom I recognised as an Italian by his speech. We bowed to one another, began to talk, and he said to me, " You are a Spaniard ? " I answered that I was. He continued, "Well, then, you must be conceited — for all Spaniards are — and arro- gant as well, though they are not the heroes they make themselves out to be." I said, " For my part, I look upon them all as genuine men in every respect." He answered, " I look upon them all as so many turds." I rose, remarking, " Don't talk like that, for the vilest Spaniard is better than the best Italian." He said, "Will you back what you say?" 138
I replied, " Yes, I will." He said, " Then the sooner the better." I answered, "Good!" And we went behind some waterworks near by, he following me. We drew our rapiers, and began cutting and thrusting ; and just then I saw another man draw up beside him. They cut and I parried ; I gave the Italian a thrust, which sent him down. There remained the other, and I was forcing him to give way before me when up came a lame man, but with plenty of pluck — a friend, no doubt — who took his stand beside him and pressed me closely. m Another man came up and took my side, perhaps because he saw I was alone, for I didn't know him. So many men joined in that the affair became a hurly- burly, and so, fortunately, and without any one's noticing it, I stole off, went to my galley, and never heard what the end of it was. There I dressed a slight wound in my hand. At this time the Marquis de Santa Cruz was at Genoa.
I left Genoa for Rome, kissed the foot of His Holiness Urban VIII., and told him briefly, as well as I could, about my life, wan-
derings, sex, and virginity ; and His Holiness was clearly amazed at my story and graciously gave me leave to go on wearing man's clothes, urging me to live uprightly in future, to avoid injuring my neighbour, and to fear God's vengeance respecting His commandment — Non occides. And then I withdrew. My case became notorious in Rome, and I saw myself surrounded by a remarkable crowd of great personages — princes, bishops, and cardinals — and every door was thrown open to me ; so that, during the month and a half I spent in Rome, there was seldom a day that I was not invited and entertained by princes ; and one Friday in particular, at the special order and expense of the Roman Senate, I was invited and entertained by certain gentlemen, and they inscribed my name on the roll as a Roman citizen. And on St. Peter's Day, June 29, 1626, they took me into the Chapel of St. Peter, where I saw the cardinals and the usual ceremonies of that feast-day ; and all, or most of them, showed me every atten- tion and kindness, and many of them con- versed with me. And in the evening, while 140
three cardinals were standing round me, one of them— it was Cardinal Magalon — said my only defect was that I was a Spaniard. To which I replied, " Speaking under correction, your Eminence, I think that is the only good thing about me."
141
CHAPTER XXVI. FROM ROME SHE GOES TO NAPLES.
AFTER a month and a half in Rome, I left there for Naples on July 5, 1626; we embarked at Ripa. One day, while sauntering on the quay at Naples, my atten- tion was drawn to the guffaws of two wenches who were gossiping with a couple of youngsters and staring at me. I looked at them, and one of them said, " Whither away, my lady Catalina ? " I replied, " To give you a hundred thumps on the scruff of your necks, my lady strumpets, and a hundred slashes to anybody who tries to defend you." They were mum, and slunk off.
144
"A hundred slashes to anybody -who tries to defend you.
LA MONJA ALF£REZ
COMEDIA FAMOSA DE
JUAN PEREZ DE MONTALBAN
145
PERSONAS
DON DIEGO, galan
DON JUAN
GUZMAN (LA MONJA ALFfiREZ, DONA CATALINA
DE ERAUSO) DORA ANA, dama MIGUEL DE ERAUSO, oficial EL NUEVO CID, alferez EL CASTELLANO del CALLAO EL VIZCONDE DE LA ZOLINA SEBASTIAN DE ILLUMBE, hidalgo TEODORA, dama cortesana TRISTAN, criado de D. Diego MACHIN, criado de Guzman INES, criada de Dona Ana
UN SOLDADO
UN ALCALDE DE CORTE
UN RELIGIOSO
DE LA CARCEL
LA MONJA ALF£REZ
COMEDIA
JORNADA PRIMERA
ESCENA I.
GUZMAN Y MACHIN, de camino, DORA ANA t INES con mantos.
DONA ANA.
No puedo enfrenar el llanto.
GUZMAN.
No lo hubiera yo emprendido Mi bien, si hubiera entendido Que tu lo sintieras tanto. Mas ya es hecho, tu, senora, Eres culpada, yo no, Pues que tu amor me oculto Lo que me descubre ahora.
DONA ANA.
El favor mas limitado De una principal muger,
147
No basta para prender La esperanza y el cuidado. <; Puedo yo, siendo quien soy Darte senales mas claras De mi amor ? <i Y tu estimaras, Los favores que te doy, Si te entregase liviana La posesion de mi pecho ?
GUZMAN.
Ya no hay remedio, ya es hecho Mas, alivie mi Dona Ana, Si mi ausencia te lastima, El mal que sintiendo estas, Ver que dos leguas no mas Dista el Callao de Lima. Y no dara luz la aurora, Jamas al monte ni prado, Sin que a mi me la haya dado Ese sol que el alma adora. Asi desmentir podr6 La ausencia que te amenaza, Que supuesto que la plaza Yo de soldado asente", Y en el puerto he de asistir, Las noches que estar de posta 148
No me toque ; por la posta A verte podre venir.
DOftA ANA.
Con eso no solamente Se alivian mis sentimientos, Mas es para mis tormentos El medio mas conveniente : Pues si de las ansias mias La envidiosa diligencia Tuvo indicios, con tu ausencia Desmentimos las espfas : Que ya sabes que el efeto De poderte ver y hablar, Solamente ha de durar Lo que durare el secreto ; Y asi de nuevo te pido, Que la palabra me des De no rompello, aunque estes Ya zeloso, ya ofendido.
GUZMAN.
Y de nuevo te prometo Que no sepa mi cuidado De mi, sino este criado, Que es ejemplo del secreto.
149
MACHIN.
No viene Machin de casta Que se pierde por hablar Pues para saber callar, Soy Vizcaino, que basta.
DONA ANA.
Pues Alonso de Guzman Hace de ti confianza, Esa es la mayor probanza Que tus meritos me dan. Y tu (d Guzman), porque la ocasion Jamas pierdas de venir A verme, sin que inferir Pueda nadie tu aficion : Pues es la curiosidad Tan necia que te podria Poner una oculta espia, Que al entrar en la ciudad Te siguiese y nuestro amor Viniera d saberse, quiero Que el caballo mas ligero, Del indiano picador Agitado, escede al viento, Obedezca a tu cuidado, Porque pedirlo prestado, 150
No de* indicios de tu intento :
(Dale una cadena.) Del valor de esta cadena Puedes comprallo, y advierte, Que pues en verte 6 no verte Esta mi gloria, 6 mi pena, No haya estorbo que resista El efeto a mi deseo, Si cuanta hacienda poseo Me ha de costar una vista.
GUZMAN.
^Que* diligencia y cuidado En servirte no pondra, Quien de tu favor esta For mil partes obligado ? Esta cadena recibo, Mas porque sus eslabones Manifiesten las prisiones En que enamorado vivo Que por comprar el caballo : Que donde es tal el favor, Alas son los pies de amor Para volar a gozallo.
DONA ANA.
A Dios pues, que estoy temiendo
La asechanza cuidadosa De alguna aficion zelosa.
GUZMAN.
Aunque de oillo me ofendo, Trueco a tu opinion, sefiora, Los sentimientos mas graves.
DONA ANA.
No hay que advertirte pues sabes La sefia, ventana y hora.... (Vase.}
ESCENA II. GUZMAN Y MACHIN,
GUZMAN.
(jQue" dices de mi ventura ?
MACHIN.
Que pasa gran tempestad Tu voto de castidad, Entre ocasion y hermosura : Pero Don Diego tu amigo
Viene aqui
15*
GUZMAN.
Mucho sintiera Que a Dona Ana conociera Si agora la vio conmigo :
(Aparte.)
Cuando mi pecho le estima... De tal suerte, que por dar A sus temores lugar, Gusto de salir de Lima.
ESCENA III.
GUZMAN, MACHIN, DON DIEGO, TRISTAN.
DON DIEGO.
Era ya tiempo de veros Guzman amigo.
GUZMAN.
El buscaros
Pudiera escusar, si hallaros Ha de ser para perderos.
DON DIEGO.
GUZMAN.
De Lima me ausento
DON DIEGO.
dices?
GUZMAN.
Mi natural
Inclination es marcial, Y vivo en la paz violento, Y al rey me parto a servir En el puerto.
DON DIEGO.
No me mueve Ser la distancia tan breve, A que deje de sentir La ausencia vuestra, Guzman.
GUZMAN.
Tantas veces volver6 A veros, cuantas me d£ Licencia mi capitan. DON DIEGO.
Porque podais acordaros, Y por ser en la milicia
La gala de mas codicia, Un penacho quiero daros Escelente, cuyas plumas En la fineza y color, Unas son alas de amor, Y otras de Venus espumas.
GUZMAN.
Yo lo estimo, porque veo,
Que en el, Don Diego, me dais
Las alas que imaginais
Que en vuestra ausencia deseo.
Mas pues me le dais por prenda
De memoria, aunque confia
De vuestra amistad la mia
Que el olvido no la ofenda,
Os quiero dar unos guantes,
(Los guantes que saque Guzman serdn
de ante muy bor dados.) En la hechura y el olor, En la materia y valor, A los que veis semejantes : Que cuando por su estrana Novedad los estimeis, Hacello al menos podreis Por ser hechos en Espana.
DON DIEGO.
De vos en todo escedido Y obligado me confieso, Y por venceros en eso, Me quiero dar por vencido.
GUZMAN.
Estos brazos os daran La respuesta. A Dios Don Diego. (Abrdzanse.}
DON DIEGO.
A Dios : Tristan, lleva luego Aquel penacho a Guzman.
GUZMAN.
Siglos, Machin, considero Para partir los instantes : Lleva a Don Diego los guantes, Que puesto a caballo espero....
(Jftfe)
MACHIN.
Yo lo hare*, mas si supiera Que tu no habias de rompellos Por Dios que te hubiera dellos Cortado una bigotera. (Vase.) 156
ESCENA IV. DON DIEGO, TRISTAN.
DON DIEGO.
<i Qu6 te detiene Tristan ?
TRISTAN.
Solo el decirte que vi Mientras hablabas aqui Con Alfonso de Guzman A Dona Ana.
DON .DIEGO.
Dame, amor, La ventura en alcanzar Como el cuidado en seguir.
TRISTAN.
Todo se alcanza obligando.
DON DIEGO.
O he de vivir alcanzando,
O siguiendo he de morir. (Vase.}
ESCENA V.
MIGUEL DE ERAUSO, (vestido de soldado, y en jubon, abriendo una carta, y va dentro de ella un retrato.)
MIGUEL (lee el sobrescrito y luego la carta.)
A I alferez Miguel de Erauso, mi hijo, en el puerto del j en los reinos del Peru.
Hi jo, valga por testamento esta carta, pues me tiene a las puertas de la muerte la afrenta que vuestra hermana Catalina nos ha hecho, ausentan- dose ocultamente de San Sebastian. No os lo he escrito antes, aunque ya hace trece afios, por escu- saros la pena ; mas agora por haber entendido que paso a esos reinos en trage de varon, por el deseo de su remedio, atropello vuestro sentimiento. Si la suerte 6 la diligencia la hallare, noble sois y cuerdo, y sabreis lo que habeis de hacer. Dios os guarde. De San Sebastian, a 20 de febrero de 1618 anos, Vuestro padre, MIGUEL DE ERAUSO.
<iC6mo es posible que haya yo leido Estos renglones, sin haber perdido Si no la vida el seso ? jQue se arrojase a tan infame esceso,
158
Muger que naci6 noble, cielo santo !
Mas si nacio muger <;de que* me espanto?
jO carta que el veneno por los ojos
Disteis al alma ! en atomos despojos
De mi furor, al viento
Informad de mi grave sentimiento.
(Rompe la carta.)
No os pongan las crueldades de mi suerte O mi vecina, ya forzosa muerte En ageno poder, para que al suelo Sirvais en mi deshonra por libelo. Y tii, retrato, si tambien del dueno, Que representas por la semejanza, La fealdad y engano no te alcanza, Libra mi honor de tan infame empeno, Verdad me informa, porque conocella Puedo por ti, si acaso llego a vella. Mas en diverse trage, y las facciones Ya de los afios, del calor, del frio, Mudadas, y en amdricas regiones Que son tan dilatadas, desvarfo Sera el querer buscalla, Ni prometerme que podran hallalla Cuidado, ingenio, 6 diligencia alguna ; Encomiendolo al tiempo y la fortuna.
ESCENA VI.
MIGUEL, EL NUEVO CID, GUZMAN MACHIN, UN SOLDADO.
EL CID.
Sepa sefior soldado
Que en esta fuerza, es fuero ya asentado
Que paguen los bisonos la patente.
GUZMAN.
Pues yo que no lo soy, no solamente No tengo de pagalla,
Mas de quien me la pida he de cobralla, Que soy Alonso de Guzman....
MACHIN.
<J Qu6 es esto ?
EL CID.
Sabed Miguel Erauso que el soldado Que mirais, mas cerril que desbarbado, Nos niega la patente.
GUZMAN (aparte).
jOh santos cielos! Este es mi hermano.
EL CID.
Diga ^en que se fia? 160
Mas barba, amigo, y menos valentia ; Sepa que a mi me llaman por mal nombre El nuevo Cid, yel es apenas hombre, Por que es razon que note Que el valor se divisa del bigote.
GUZMAN.
Pues porque este el valor mas en su centre Echo yo los bigotes hacia dentro Y basta....
MACHIN (aparte).
Aqui entro yo, que ya se enoja, Y esta dos dedos de sacar la hoja. (Miguel mira atentamente d Alonso de
Guzman.}
Sefior, advierte, que esta es ley que puso El uso, y no es estafa lo que es uso.
EL cm.
Es cierto : que jamas la cortesia Militar, permitio supercheria.
GUZMAN.
Por ese estilo si, mostralles quiero, Que estimo la opinion mas que el dinero ; Todos conmigo comeran mafiana.
EL CID. Con eso a todos por amigos gana.
o 161
SOLDADO.
Pues quedese esto asi ; y agora un rato Al ocio le sirvamos este plato ;
(Sac a unos naipes.) <ijugais Alonso de Guzman?
GUZMAN.
A todo ; Pero mas a los dados me acomodo.
EL cm. Usanse poco en la region Indiana.
GUZMAN.
<?A que hemos de jugar ? EL cm.
<|No es cosa liana
Que en el Peru no saben los tahures Otro juego mejor que los albures ? (Juegan a los naipes sobre un bufete, y Miguel un poco aparte mira atento a Guzman.}
MACHIN.
Sefior soldado : diga por su vida <j Por aca los que ganan son ingratos ? <; Suelen vender muy caros los baratos ?
SOLDADO.
Los soldados son gente muy partida,
162
MACHIN.
Esos son los percances de un criado, Que esta a mirar perpetuo condenado.
MIGUEL (aparte).
Dicen que el pastor cuando ha perdido Alguna oveja, como esta advertido A buscarla no mas, se la semeja Cualquiera voz, balido de su oveja. Que a mi con el cuidado Que mi perdida hermana me ha causado, Cualquier joven que viere, en quien el sello No ponga de la edad al rostro el vello, He de pensar que.es ella, y ya el deseo Comienza a ejecutallo en el que veo, Pues no solo en la voz, el rostro y talle Me parece muger, mas me parece, Que las facciones que su rostro ofrece Las del retrato son : quiero miralla Unas con otras partes confiriendo ; Mas.... jque locura acreditar pretendo ! Si este es Alonso de Guzman ^desecha No deja su valor cualquier sospecha ?
GUZMAN (aparte].
Si no es de mi temor esta advertencia Suspense, atento, cuidadoso y mudo,
163
Me contempla mi hermano, mas no pudo, Aunque tenga noticia de mi historia, Conservar de mi rostro la memoria, Las especies despues de tanta ausencia ; Y mas haciendo en mi tal diferencia La edad, el trage, el brio y el estado : En vano me desvela este cuidado.
MIGUEL.
Si es ella, a recatarse ha de obligalla El verme pensativo : descuidalla Disimulando importa, que ocasiones Me daran con el tiempo sus acciones, Yendo con advertencia, Con que de la sospecha haga evidencia. (Lldgase a jugar.)
EL CID. Mas, al caballo cuatro patacones.
MIGUEL.
Conmigo van.
EL CID.
j Que* presto viene el siete ! <i Que juegue yo a los naipes? j voto a Cristo!
MIGUEL.
So alferez, <?no me paga?
EL cm.
Estaba visto. 164
MIGUEL.
No estaba.
EL CID.
Yo lo digo, Y basta.
MIGUEL.
<iPues conmigo Habla de esa manera ? SOLDADO.
No se espante Que esta perdiendo.
MIGUEL.
No ha de ser bastante Para que me hable a mi con arrogancia.
EL cm.
Aunque no pierda puedo yo tenella. Porque yo soy
MIGUEL.
Para conmigo nada. EL CID. Yo soy mejor que vos.
GUZMAN.
Mentis villano.
(Dale con la daga en la cabeza Guzman al Cid: sac an todos las espadas.)
165
EL CID.
La lengua he de cortaros y la mano.
MIGUEL.
<:No tengo espada yo, Guzman? jque es
esto!
<iNo veis que es agraviarme Vengarme vos, pudiendo yo vengarme ?
GUZMAN.
Hecha donde yo estoy la demasia, Siempre la tomo yo por cuenta mia.
MACHIN.
Esto es hecho, alia va la Vizcaina, Que nunca vuelve sin hacer cecina.
ESCENA VII.
LOS DICHOS, EL CASTELLANO DEL CALLAO,
(en cuerpo con baston.)
CASTELLANO.
j Soldados, ola !
166
SOLDADO.
Este es el Castellano.
CASTELLANO.
Tenganse ; 6 [ vive Dios !
EL CID.
Obedeceros Es fuerza.
CASTELLANO.
Envainen luego los aceros. Y cue'ntenme que es esto.
MIGUEL.
Ya no es nada,
Sobre palabras desnude' la espada Con el alfdrez.... (hfiblale en secreto.) MACHIN.
i Buena la hemos hecho ! GUZMAN (aparte).
No pude mas, enfureci6me el pecho La ofensa de mi hermano : Y de la sangre el fmpetu violento Me arrebato el primero movimiento.
CASTELLANO.
Siendo asi, Nuevo Cid, dadle la mano, Que con sacar la espada habeis quedado Entrambos bien.
(Danse la mano el Nuevo Cid y Miguel.}
167
EL CID.
La mano os doy de amigo
CASTELLANO.
Tambien la habeis de dar a este soldado ;
Porque si cuando os ofendi6 tenia
La daga ya en la mano, caso es llano
Que nadie a su enemigo
Agravia con las armas en la mano.
(Dale la mano a Guzman.} Y si hubo en ello alguna demasia, Eso es lo que ha de obrar mi terceria.
EL CID. Vos lo mandais, respondo obedeciendo,
(Apart e.)
Que sois mi superior : mas yo me entiendo, Que no estoy obligado, Sinti^ndome agraviado, A guardar la amistad que he prometido.
SOLDADO. AlfeVez, <rvais herido?
EL CID. Pienso que no. (Vase.}
SOLDADO.
Debi6 de dar de llano : Como un nabo le parte, si la mano 168
Vuelve de filo : informacion ha hecho
El lampino de ser de pelo en pecho. (Vase.}
CASTELLANO.
Agradezca el soldado
Que del virey me vino encomendado,
Que sino yo le hiciera
Con un trato de cuerda, que supiera
Que no se ha de arrojar tan atrevido
A perder a un alferez el respeto,
Que aunque no es oficial suyo, en efeto
For el puesto que ocupa le es debido.
(A Mac kin.)
Y vos mancebo, que. tambien inquieto Imitais vuestro duefio, yo os prometo Si dais otra ocasion, que os de la pena Escarmiento colgado de una almena. (Vase.}
ESCENA VIII. GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
MACHIN.
Y lo hara, vive Dios, como lo dice,
Que no es hombre de burla el Castellano.
<[Que dices tii, sefior ?
169
GUZMAN.
Que ya lo hice,
Y que gustosa me quedo la mano Del coscorron que le asent6 de llano ; Pero la noche viene, y el dinero De la cadena ha dado fin, y quiero, Pedir otro socorro a mi Dona Ana : El caballo preven, que la manana Nos ha de hallar de vuelta en el castillo.
MACHIN.
Yo voy a prevenillo Alegre, porque ver a Ines deseo, Y triste porque veo, Que me lleva en sus ancas tu caballo, Y es tal la matadura y tanto el callo, Que tengo ya de sus trotonerias Que pienso que le llevo yo en las mias.
(Vanse.)
ESCENA IX. MIGUEL.
Si ofrecen los afectos naturales De la oculta verdad claras senales, 170
<;Que conjetura 6 prevencion mas liana
De que es esta mi hermana,
Que el repentino ardor y ciega furia
Con que dio fuego al golpe de mi injuria?
Del natural amor y sentimiento
Fue aquel involuntario movimiento,
Que con la lengua respondio y la mano,
Al soy mejor que vos, mentis villano :
Mas con otra esperiencia,
Tengo de confirmar por evidencia
Mi sospecha, y podr£ determinarme
Sin declarar mi afrenta, a declararme.
(Vase.)
ESCENA X. DONA ANA £ INKS (d la ventana).
DO&A ANA.
Ya no bastan las prisiones De mi honor y de mi fama, A oprimir la ardiente llama De mis resueltas pasiones. -Y en esto por cosa liana Tengo, Ines, que ha de afrentarme
171
Mas, en piiblico casarme, Que en secreto ser villana Que si Alonso de Guzman Es en Lima forastero, A quien su brazo y acero Solamente nombre dan : Que su sangre, y nacimiento, Y su calidad, se ignora, Cuando mis desdenes llora Y aspira a mi casamiento El noble Don Diego en vano, Claro estd que era buscar Mi afrenta piiblica, dar De esposa a Guzman la mano. Y asi pues muero de amor, Resuelvo comprar la vida Con prenda que no es perdida Mientras se oculta el error.
INES.
Tanto te he visto penar Que vence de tu tormento La piedad, al sentimiento De verte asi despenar ; Y ya que a tan ciego efeto
Llegas a determinarte, 172
Confia, que he de ayudarte Con lealtad y con secreto.
DONA ANA.
A lo mucho que te quiero Responde tu obligacion.
INES. Gente viene.
DONA ANA.
El corazon Me dice que es el que espero.
ESCENA XI.
DONA ANA, INES, GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
(Las primer as en la ventana, y los tiltimos en la calle.)
MACHIN.
Valgate el diablo el rocin Y lo que me ha batanado.
GUZMAN.
Tu eres para enamorado Muy delicado, Machin :
Pero ya es hora de ver A mi querida Dona Ana, Quiero hacer 4 la ventana La sena.
DONA ANA.
No es menester.
GUZMAN.
I Aqui estas hermoso duefio ? Mi cuidado previniste.
DONA ANA.
El pecho en que amor asiste Da breve tributo al sueno.
GUZMAN.
Tu desvelo ha adivinado
La necesidad que tengo
De abreviar puntos, que vengo
En confianza obligado,
A que la aurora ha de hallarme
En mi prision.
DONA ANA.
<• Estas preso?
GUZMAN.
Hice, senora, un esceso Que pienso que ha de costarme Cuidado y desasosiego, 174 Y dinero.
MACHIN (aparte]. Disparo.
DONA ANA.
Cuanta hacienda tengo yo Tienes por tuya.
MACHIN (aparte).
Dio fuego.
GUZMAN.
Pienso que me has de obligar A ser cobarde con eso, Si en haciendo yo el esceso Tii, mi bien, lo has de pagan
DONA ANA.
Yo estoy, Guzman, con temor De que en la calle te vean, Que hay muchos que la pasean Desvelados de otro amor.
GUZMAN.
<iTan apriesa me despides?
DONA ANA.
No despido, antes te pido Que no pongas en olvido Los favores que me pides.
GUZMAN.
Me"rito es la cobardia, Siendo tan alta la empresa.
DONA ANA.
Sin mdritos se confiesa Quien amando desconna ; Y yo que conozco en ti Lo que bastara a vencerme, Resuelvo que entres a verme Para confesarlo asi ; Y para que la ocasion Evite, que puedes dar En la calle de infamar De liviana mi opinion.
GUZMAN.
Favor tan no merecido Ya lo toco, y no lo creo, Que aim ocultando el deseo Lo acusaba de atrevido. Solo temo, hermoso duefio, Tu peligro en mi ventura.
DONA ANA.
La oscuridad me asegura
Y a mi padre ocupa el suefio.
Con silencio a paso lento
For tinieblas seguiras
Mis plantas, y llegaras
Sin peligro a mi aposento.
176
GUZMAN.
Ya con la gloria que espero, Un punto a mil siglos pasa.
DONA ANA.
Voy a disponer la casa, Que matar las luces quiero Para mas seguridad. Aguardame tii y Machin A la puerta.
(Vanse Dona Ana t Ines.)
ESCENA XII. GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
MACHIN.
Aqui di6 fin El voto de castidad. For Dios que he de ver agora Si aguardas dispensacion A oscuras, y en la ocasion, Con quien amas, y te adora.
p 177
GUZMAN.
<i Luego yo me he de poner En el peligro?
MACHIN.
Pues ya :
Cuando la ocasion esta En tus manos, ^que' has de hacer ?
GUZMAN.
El remedio es no aguardalla.
MACHIN.
Es agravio declarado.
GUZMAN.
Con lo mismo que has pensado Que la ofendo, he de obligalla.
-MACHIN.
<iC6mo?
GUZMAN.
El secreto y recato Es la primer condicion, Que ha puesto a mi pretension ; Pues en este breve rato, \ Que tarda en abrir, dire" Que vino gente a la calle Y que yo por no arriesgalle La opinion, me retire* ;
Y que mostrando celosa Curiosidad me siguieron, Y alcanzdndome quisieron Conocerme, y fue forzosa Mi resistencia, y asi Dur6 la marcial porffa, Hasta que la luz del dia Nos puso en paz, y de aqui Levantare* una pendencia For zelos, con que ni deje Ocasion, de que se queje Dona Ana de aquella ausencia, Ni tenga por mal partido Poderme desenojar.
MACHIN.
Gente viene allf.
GUZMAN.
Ayudar
Mis intentos ban querido Los cielos con la verdad, Yen.
MACHIN.
Por ti pierdo a Ines, De participantes es Tu voto de castidad. (Vanse.)
179
ESCENA XIII. DON DIEGO Y DON JUAN.
(Es de noche, Don Diego saca los guantes de Guzman.}
DON JUAN.
Parece que se retiran De la calle con cuidado, Pues recelo os han causado Sepamos por quien suspiran.
DON DIEGO.
Aunque intentemos seguillos, Es imposible alcanzallos, Y pues los zelos es dallos Mucho mejor que pedillos, Guardemos la puerta y calle De Dona Ana, y ellos vengan. Dado caso que los tengan Por agravio a averigualle : Pues de creer es de que aspiran Si no vuelven a otro amor, O he de quedar superior Si ofendidos se retiran, 180
DON JUAN.
Bien decis.
DON DIEGO.
Don Juan, callad, Que la puerta de Dona Ana Siento abrir.
DON JUAN.
No ha sido vana Vuestra sospecha.
ESCENA XIV.
DON DIEGO, DON JUAN, DOftA ANA.
(Asdmase Dona Ana at pano, toma la mano d Don Diego, y este la da a Don Juan, y van por el teatro como d oscuras ; Don Diego se quita los guantes y los pone en la guarnicion de la espada.)
DONA ANA.
Llegad,
Dadme la mano, y con tiento Seguid mis pasos los dos.
181
DON DIEGO (aparte). La que adoro es, vive Dios : Gozar la ocasion intento.
DON JUAN (aparte). j Notable engafio!
DON DIEGO (aparte).
tiQue" dudo?
Hoy tomo justa venganza, Y amor enganado alcanza, Lo que obligado no pudo.
DON JUAN.
La perdida ocasion es De los cobardes que huyeron ; Y pienso, pues la perdieron, Llevar de barato a Ines. (Vanse.)
ESCENA XV.
MIGUEL, Y TEODORA (de ramera en chinelas).
TEODORA.
Como te digo enganada Me trae toda la vida, 182
1
Si ha hecho voto, 6 no ha hecho
voto,
Y de la romana silla La relajacion aguarda ; Y dilatando los dias, Trae mi deseo enganado, Mi libertad oprimida. Yo en tu valor confiada Con semejante desdicha Espero con confianza, Que del rigor de su ira Me libres, siendo sagrado De mi libertad cautiva.
MIGUEL.
Yo te lo ofrezco, no temas, Que estando por cuenta mia, No se atrevera a ofenderte.
TEODORA.
Tu, alferez, le notifica
Mi intento, que el fin del caso
Quiero aguardar escondida. (Vase.}
183
ESCENA XVI. MIGUEL.
<jQue falta para que entienda Que es mi hermana Catalina, Este fingido Guzman? jQue un mozo 4 quien solicitan La ocasion, bella muger, Y la edad mas encendida. For el voto, no es creible Que a los impulses resista De los deleites de Venus ; Y mas cuando de su vida En lo demas sus costumbres, De santo no le acreditan ! Pues si con esto se juntan La natural simpatia Con que mi ofensa sinti6, Si el retrato lo confirma, Si Teodora con no estar De esta sospecha advertida Dice, que no sabe en que* Nuestros rostros simbolizan, <[Que indicios mas evidentes, 184
Que" senales mas precisas Para resolverme espero?
ESCENA XVII. MIGUEL, GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
GUZMAN.
Pon al caballo la silla Mientras escribo a Dona Ana La ocasiones fmgidas De la que perdi esta noche.
MACHIN.
Entre amores *y mentiras, Toca el punto del dinero, Vende caras tus caricias, Ya que me obligas a ser Lanzadera de aqui a Lima. (Vase.}
ESCENA XVIII. MIGUEL Y GUZMAN.
MIGUEL (aparte). Ya que a solas he quedado Pues la ocasion me convida,
185
Saldre de esta confusion ;
(A Guzman.) Guzman a buscaros iba.
GUZMAN. <; Hay en qu6 os sirva ?
MIGUEL.
El alferez
Que agraviado se imagina, Dice, que la mano di6 Forzado de quien podia Mandarlo, a las amistades En tal caso no le obligan ; Y para satisfacerse Dos a dos nos desafia, Y en el campo nos aguarda.
GUZMAN.
En poco tiene la vida : Vamos presto, no atribuya La tardanza a cobardia.
MIGUEL.
Seguidme que no es tan lejos.
(Aparte.)
I C6mo es posible que viva En un pecho mugeril Tan varonil osadia, 186
Si cuantos espada empunan En la guerra y paz afirman, Que salir a un desaflo Es la mayor valentfa? Mas si cuentan las historias, Ya modernas, y ya antiguas Tantas matronas, jamas De humanas fuerzas vencidas, <i Que mucho que las iguale Una muger vizcaina, Engendrada entre las duras Montanas que el hierro crian?
GUZMAN.
i D6nde estan nuestros contraries ? Que largo trecho la vista Del campo raso descubre, Y no parecen.
MIGUEL.
For dicha No ban llegado ; el sitio es este.
GUZMAN (aparte). Recelos me solicitan De algun enganoso intento De mi hermano, que la misma Conciencia, aunque nadie pudo
187
De quien soy darle noticias, En la mayor confianza Me acusa y atemoriza, Pero no he de declararme Aunque me cueste la vida.
MIGUEL (aparte). Usar quiero de cautela Que si no es quien imagina Mi pecho, no me esta bien Que sepa la afrenta mia ;
(A Guzman.} Cansado vengo de andar For esta playa arenisca : Asentdmonos pues tarda, (Sidntanse, Miguel d una parte del teatro, y Guzman d otra lejos de dl.) El Nuevo Cid.
GUZMAN.
Poco estima Su opinion, pues tanto tarda.
MIGUEL (aparte). Con cuidado se retira De mi, cierta es mi sospecha, Su recelo la confirma. (A Guzman.) 1 88
<; Porque os asentais tan lejos ? Que mientras vienen querria, Que vuestra patria, y discurso Me conteis de vuestra vida.
GUZMAN.
Desde aqui os la contare Que esta pefia me con vida Con asiento acomodado.
MIGUEL.
El ruido que en la orilla Del mar, forma la resaca En las pefias, combatidas, Nuestras voces' desvanece, Y a hablar a gritos obliga Para entendernos ; mas yo Quiero que esta cortesia
Me debais
(Levdntase, va hacia Guzman, y este empuna
la espada.}
GUZMAN.
Teneos, alfdrez.
MIGUEL.
<; Que* haceis, Guzman ?
GUZMAN.
No prosigan
189
Vuestros pies : no os acerqueis, Porque os quitar6 la vida.
MIGUEL.
<>De mi os recelais?
GUZMAN.
Si he hecho
En Espana, y en las Indias Mil escesos, mil injurias, Y agravios mil, <|que os admira ; Que me recele, de quien No conozco si podria Tocaros en sangre alguna Persona de mi ofendida ? Y mas cuando contra vos Esta sospecha acredita Del Nuevo Cid la tardanza : j Qu6 se* yo, si como mira Los escrupulos del duelo Tan curiosa la malicia, Os ofendisteis de mi Cuando pense" que os servia, Vengando en el vuestria injuria ! Pues en la pendencia misma De este sentimiento disteis Senates tan conocidas. 190
MIGUEL.
Guzman, Guzman, todas esas Son ficciones que fabrica Para ocultar la verdad Vuestro pecho, que imagina Que la ignore ; hablemos claros, Yo tengo cierta noticia De vuestro mentido trage, De Vizcaya me lo avisan, Con senas, y con retratos, Que vuestro engafio averiguan ; Aqui los truje, que quiero Que entre los dos se decida El remedio con secreto : Poned en esto la mira Sin perder tiempo en negar, Lo que a no ser tan precisas Las probanzas que lo muestran, Vuestros temores publican.
GUZMAN.
No entiendo vuestros intentos, Ni alcanzo vuestros enigmas : Mas pues las razones muestran, Que vuestro pecho delira, Quiero dejaros por loco. (Quiere irse y le detiene.)
MIGUEL.
Vuelve, vuelve, Catalina, Que no te he sacado aqui Para dejar indecisa La cuestion : yo estoy resuelto A que desta playa misma, Sin plazos, ni dilaciones, En un convento de Lima He de partir a encerrarte, O he de quitarte la vida, Porque no hagas mas afrenta A la nacion vizcaina.
GUZMAN (aparte). Ya se declared, perdone La sangre, que solo estriba En el acero el remedio.
(A Miguel)
Sospecho que se os olvidan Las hazanas de este brazo, Pues con tan loca osadia Nombre de muger me dais ; Y si a provocar mi ira No bastara la violencia Que pretendeis, bastaria Solo este agravio a vengarme 192
Y d que el fuerte acero esgrima.
(Acuchillanse.}
Para mostraros que es hombre Y mas que hombre quien fulmina Rayos, que espantan al cielo Y que la tierra castigan. (Cae herido Miguel?)
MIGUEL.
Tente, tente, que me has muerto.
GUZMAN (aparte). \ Ay de mi ! ya me lastima El amor de hermano.
• (A Miguel?) Ponte
En mis hombros, y a esa ermita Te llevare* a confesar.
(Cdgele en hombros] Que el ser cristiano me obliga A que con piadoso afecto El remedio te aperciba
(Aparte?)
Del alma ; j ojala pudiera Darle tambien a la vida !
FIN DE LA JORNADA PRIMERA.
Q 193
JORNADA II.
ESCENA I. MACHIN £ INKS.
(Machin con botas y espuelas, Ines con manto y una carta en la mano que da d Machin^)
INES.
Esta, Machin, es la carta Para tu senor.
MACHIN.
Ines
Solo falta que me des, Para que aliviado parta Esos brazos.
INES.
Yo os los doy Con el alma.
MACHIN.
Aprieta mas. INES. <?A1 fin a Chile te vas?
MACHIN.
Al fin a Chile me voy A ser nuevo paladin : Mas tente que si el amor No me engafia, es mi seftor El que estoy viendo.
ESCENA II. GUZMAN, MACHIN 6 INKS,
GUZMAN.
j Machin !
MACHIN.
^ Es posible que te veo, Sefior de mi vida?
GUZMAN.
Ines, ^ No me abrazas ?
INES.
Con los pies Satisfaces mi deseo : A ganar de mi senora Las albricias voy volando. 196
GUZMAN.
Espera, Ines, dime cuando La podre ver —
INES.
No hay agora
Quien lo impida, que la muerte Sepulta a su padre ya ; Y la suya solo esta, En la dilacion de verte. Ven conmigo. (Vase.} GUZMAN.
Ya te sigo.
ESCENA III. GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
MACHIN.
Esta carta te escribia Dona Ana, y hoy me partia A Chile 4 buscar contigo La vida, 6 sin ti la muerte. (Dale la carta, y Guzman la abre y la lee.}
197
GUZMAN.
Yo me confieso obligado De tu amor.
MACHIN
Yo lo he quedado De tu venida a la suerte, Pues que te dije del trote De un rocin : mas, sefior, di, <r Pasan los dias por ti ? Con un palmo de bigote Te imaginaba, <:y te vienes Tras la ausencia de tres afios, Calvo de barba? <jque bafios, Que* unglientos, que drogas tienes Para no barbar ? que quiero Verme libre de una vez, De irle a entregar la nuez, Cada semana a un barbero.
GUZMAN.
Machin, si tengo de hacello, Procuralo merecer, Porque no lo has de saber Mientras me tratares dello.
MACHIN.
<i De modo, que lo diras Si no lo pregunto? 198
GUZMAN.
Si.
MACHIN.
Pues digo que desde aqui No lo pregunto jamas ; Pero ya tu hermosa amante A recibirte se ofrece.
ESCENA IV.
GUZMAN, MACHIN, DONA ANA £ INKS.
{Guzman va d abrazar d Dona Ana, y esta le detiene.)
GUZMAN.
Si tus abrazos merece Sefiora, un amor constante. . . .
DONA ANA.
Detente, Guzman.
GUZMAN.
<| Que es esto ?
DONA ANA.
Solos nos dejad los dos.
INKS.
Vamos, Machin.
MACHIN.
Vive Dios,
Que la larga ausencia ha puesto Muy mal acondicionado Este juro, y no querria, Que tii tambien, Ines mia, La finca hubieses mudado, (Vanse.)
ESCENA V. GUZMAN, DONA ANA.
GUZMAN.
Ya estamos solos agora, I Podre* merecer los brazos, Cuyos amorosos lazos \ Firmemente el alma adora, Tras tanta ausencia Dona Ana?
DONA ANA.
Escucha primero el dano De que fue causa un engano, La noche que a la ventana 200
Te hable, que fue la postrera
De tu vista, y mi contento,
Como fue de mi tormento,
Y tu agravio la primera :
Que puesto que me has escrito
For disculpa, que el respeto
De mi fama, y el secreto
De tu amor, caus6 el delito
De no aguardar la ocasion
De entrarme a ver, porque habia
Gente en la calle, y seria
Atropellar mi opinion.
Yo, porque no es bien fiar
Tan grave caso a un papel,
No quise decirte en 61
Lo que agora has de escuchar :
Porque el remedio te toca,
Como en el caso veras,
Que de otra suerte jamas
Rompiera el sello a la boca.
GUZMAN.
Sefiora, el siguiente dia De esta noche que por ti, Y por tu opinion perdi La ocasion, que el alma mia
201
Tan largo tiempo ha llorado, Sali al campo con Miguel De Erauso, y rinendo en el, Fue el alferez desdichado Mas que yo, pues de una herida Penetrante que le di, Entre la sangre le vi Casi despedir la vida. Deste suceso obligado Me parti solo, y a pie Desde alii, que ni avise* A Machin este criado, Que es mi compafiero fiel En los bienes y en los dafios, Causa de que estos tres afios Haya vivido sin el En Arauco, a donde huyendo Llegue* al fin y no escribi, Senora, a Machin, ni a ti En muchos meses, temiendo Que descubrirme podrian Las cartas, que los discretos Nunca importantes secretos De fragil nema confian ; Hasta que despues sabiendo
202
Que sanando de la herida Miguel de Erauso, y la vida De una enfermedad perdiendo, Llegue, Dona Ana, d tener Seguridad, y con esto Me dispuse lo mas presto Que pude venirte a ver. Estos ban sido los pasos De mi ausencia y mis enojos, Que la gloria de tus ojos Me ban impedido estos casos. Cuenta agora confiada Los tuyos, pues ofrecida Tengo a tu gusto la vida, Y a tu defensa la espada.
DONA ANA.
Despues que de la ventana Me aparte", Guzman, y muertas Las luces, mi casa toda Ocuparon las tinieblas. A cumplir lo concertado Contigo, volvi a la puerta De la calle, abri, y dos hombres Hall6 parados en ella. Tu, y Machin, trades dos ;
203
<jQuie"n recelarse pudiera, Si en el niimero conforman, Y en aguardarme concuerdan ? Dame la mano, y los dos Me seguid, dije, y apenas Lo pronunciaron los labios, Cuando tan callados llegan Me dan la mano y me siguen, Que si mil causas tuviera De recelarme, esto solo Desmintiera las sospechas. Mientras las confusas sombras, Hasta mi cuarto penetran, La oscuridad y el silencio Sus enganos lisonjean. A mi retrete llegamos, Cierro muy quedo la puerta, Y el que tengo por mi dueno Dentro conmigo se queda, Dejando al que imaginaba Que era tu criado, fuera Con Ines, por darle a solas A nuestro amor mas licencia. El traidor nada cobarde, Las persuasiones empieza 204
For las obras, y a las manos Da el oficio de la lengua : Es verdad que me tenia El amor tuyo tan ciega, Que fuera en mi rendimiento Fingida la resistencia : Mas al abrazo primero Su persona corpulenta, De la tuya delicada Me ofrecio la diferencia, Y para certificarme T6cole el rostro, y las senas Varoniles hallo en el, Que tu poca edad te niega. Entonces j ay desdichada ! Cada vez que se me acuerda, Entre nuevas turbaciones, Faltan al pecho las fuerzas ; Como a la misera nave En la confusa tormenta Mortal naufragio amenazan, Ya las olas ya las pefias, Encontrados pareceres Me animan y me refrenan : Cada vez mas afligida,
205
Cada vez menos resuelta, Si me doy por entendida Del engafio ha de ser fuerza Resistir, y aunque aventure La vida en la resistencia Que rendirme confesando Que no lo conozco, fuera Consintiendo mi deshonra Confesarle mi flaqueza. Si resisto, si doy voces, Si llamo a mi padre, es cierta, Como su agravio, mi muerte, Como mi culpa su afrenta ; Demas que su edad caduca, Y en sus ya ddbiles fuerzas, Dos hombres, cuya osadia Se conoce en la que intentan, I Que* muerte no ejecutaran ? Y mas donde las tinieblas Facilitan su delito, Y aseguran su defensa. Al fin tras discursos varios, Si discurre quien se anega, Y camina quien sin luz Tropieza en troncos y pefias ; 206
For menor dafio tuvieron
Mis temores, que me hiciera
No entendida del engafio,
Que entendida de la ofensa :
Que no pudiendo vengarla,
Pierde menos quien se muestra,
Ignorante con disculpa,
Que sentido con afrenta.
Y asi para dar color
De virtud a mi flaqueza,
Mintiendo amorosos gustos,
Fingiendo palabras tiernas,
Y llamandole 'mi esposo,
Legitime' la licencia
De entregarle de mi honor
La posesion que desea.
Mas como aquel que a la orilla
Del Hondo lago forceja,
Con las procelosas aguas
Entre la muerte conserva
El cuidado de la vida,
Y un junco 6 rama pequena
Ansioso prende, librando
El postrer remedio en ella:
Asi yo entre las congojas,
207
Entre las ansias y penas, De la muerte de mi honor, Al agresor de mi afrenta, Para poder conocerlo, Para serial de la deuda, Para testigo del dano, Quitar procuro una prenda. La turbacion, el recato, Y el temor de que entendiera Mi intencion, no permitieron Mas curiosa diligencia De la que bast6, a quitarle Unos guantes, porque es fuerza Contentarse con la suerte, Donde la eleccion se niega. Mas por aumentar mis males Te oblig6 mi suerte adversa A ausentarte de este reino Antes que a verme volvieras, Siendo el silencio forzoso Hasta verte, porque fueran Tres siglos de infierno mio Los tres afios de tu ausencia.
(Muestra los guantes.} Estos, Guzman, son los guantes 208
Si conocerlos confiesas,
Y del donatario aleve
A quien los distes te acuerdas ;
Si no pretendes sufriendo
Tan claro agravio, que entienda
Que fuiste complice injusto
De su engafio, y de mi afrenta,
Su castigo, mi remedio,
Y tu venganza, prevenga
Tu valor, que nunca supo
Sufrir livianas ofensas ;
Pues fue ladron de tu gloria,
Y causador de mi pena,
Y siendo yo tuya, corren
Mis agravios por tu cuenta.
GUZMAN (aparte). Don Diego sin duda fue El agresor, bien lo prueban Los guantes, y ser amante De Dona Ana, que ni fuera De su puerta y de su calle A tal hora centinela, Ni emprendiera tal esceso, Sino que amor le tuviera ; Y si supo que me hacia
R 209
A mi el agravio, me fuerza Mas que a remediar el dano, A vengarme de la ofensa.
(A Dona Ana.} Dona Ana, sola una cosa, Para que el modo resuelva Del remedio, 6 la venganza, Es forzoso que me adviertas. <; Nombrasteme aquella noche ? <i El ladron de tu belleza Pudo entender que era yo A quien hurtaba tus prendas ?
DONA ANA.
No me acuerdo, si primero Que el engano conociera Te nombre*, que como estaba De tan gran traicion agena, Quito la seguridad Como el cuidado a la lengua, La atencion a la memoria : Pero despues, yo estoy cierta De que tu nombre ooilte", Y con la misma advertencia Ines, en desconociendo El compafiero, refrena 210
Los labios, no se si fue De medrosa 6 de discreta.
GUZMAN.
Dame los guantes, y fia
Que ban de faltar las estrellas
A la noche, luz al sol,
Agua al mar, centro a la tierra,
O has de ver, aunque al traidor
El mismo infierno defienda,
Su castigo ejecutado,
O tu opinion satisfecha.
DONA ANA (ddndole los guantes).
Dime <i quie*n es mi enemigo ?
GUZMAN.
Primero quiero que sepas
De mi valor el efeto,
Que el causador de tu afrenta ;
Porque, segun lo deseo,
De ti misma se recela
Mi pecho y la confianza
De este secreto te niega,
Porque no llegue primero
Que la ejecucion, la nueva
De mi enojo a los oidos
De quien vengarte deseas.
211
DONA ANA.
Prevencion es de tu amor, Y de tu valor fineza.
GUZMAN.
Mas debo a la confianza Con que tu honor me encomiendas.
(Vanse.)
ESCENA VI. DON DIEGO Y DON JUAN.
DON JUAN.
Tanto admiro que constante Tres anos la hayas querido, Como que no hayas podido Descubrir quien fue el amante Que aquella noche esperaba.
DON DIEGO.
Mucho en mi puede el honor, Pues no me vence el amor, Que si primero la amaba, Despues aca he enloquecido: Mas idos con Dios Don Juan, Porque Alonso de Guzman
212
Que me dicen ha venido Voy & ver.
DON JUAN.
Yo no ire"
For andarme despachando Para Espafia, acompanando. . . . (Vase.)
DON DIEGO. Esta noche os buscare".
ESCENA VII. DON DIEGO, GUZMAN.
(Sale Guzman con el penacho en el sombrero.}
GUZMAN, Sefior Don Diego.
DON DIEGO.
^ Que os veo, Guzman ?
GUZMAN.
Apenas Ilegu6 Cuando os busco.
DON DIEGO.
No podre*
213
Significar el deseo
Que de veros he tenido.
GUZMAN.
En esta ausencia fiad, Don Diego, de mi amistad, Que lo que mas he sentido Es de carecer de vos.
DON DIEGO.
For mas que lo encarezcais Se* que d deberme quedais.
GUZMAN.
Si hemos de apostar los dos A finezas, yo querria Que me dije*rades antes, Que* hicisteis de aquellos guantes, Que cuando d servir partia Al punto, por prenda os di De amistad, y de memoria.
DON DIEGO.
i Importa para la historia, Que os de cuenta de ello ?
GUZMAN.
SI,
Que viendo que vuestro pecho Tanto llega £ encarecer 214
Su amistad, quiero saber
La estimacion que habeis hecho
De mis prendas, pues conmigo
Tanto las vuestras valieron,
Que ni los anos pudieron,
Ni del barbaro enemigo
La batalla mas refiida
Y sangrienta, hacer jamas,
Que no defendiese mas
Estas plumas, que esta vida.
DON DIEGO.
Si estuviera el defender, El conservar yestimar Las vuestras, en arriesgar La vida, podreis creer, Que despreciara la muerte. Mas como son siempre vanas Las prevenciones humanas Contra el orden de la suerte, Fue la misma estimacion Que de los guantes hacia, Pues conmigo los traia, De perderlos la ocasion.
GUZMAN.
Ya por lo menos mostro
215
El cuidado que he tenido, Don Diego, que os he vencido En no descuidarme yo : Pero ya que no podais Vencido en esto negar, Hay ocasion de cobrar En las albricias que dais For cobraros la opinion Que perdisteis en perdellos ; Ved lo que dareis por ellos En hallazgo, que estos son.
(Mudstraselos. ) ^ Conoceislos ?
DON DIEGO.
Si, Guzman,
Que por las senas que ofrecen Son ellos, 6 lo parecen.
GUZMAN.
Pues ya, Don Diego, que quedan Reconocidos, probanza Del suceso que sabeis, Solo quiero que me deis De hallazgo la confianza De una secreta verdad ; En cuya declaracion 216
Mostrareis la estimacion Que teneis de mi amistad, Supuesto que se la historia, Pues s6 que donde perdistes Estos guantes, conseguistes En nombre ageno la gloria Mayor, que el amor alcanza, Dando la noche ocasion A hurtar su posesion For engafio a otra esperanza.
DON DIEGO (aparte\ \ Que* escucho ! j qu6 se ha sabido For los guante" s el secreto ! . . . j Causa de tan grande efeto Indicio tan leve ha sido! El yerro ha estado en decir Que los perdi, pues con eso Conforma en parte el suceso : Mas ni pude prevenir El dano de confesallo, Ni advert! que los perdi La noche que cometi El delito, que a olvidallo Fueran tres aftos bastante Que han pasado.
217
GUZMAN.
Si el dudar Es especie de negar : De tres puntos importantes Quiero, Don Diego, avisaros, Para que os determineis. El uno, pues que sabeis Que se* el caso, el recelaros, Y negarmelo es quitarme La obligacion de callar ; Y al contrario, el confiar De mi el secreto, obligarme A guardallo, y dello os doy La palabra : lo segundo, En que con mas causa fundo Lo que pidiendoos estoy, Es, que sabe el agraviado Que fuisteis vos el ladron De su perdida ocasion ; Y que esta determinado A mataros, y no hareis Facilmente que no goce La ocasion, que el os conoce, Y vos no le conoceis. Lo tercero que yo estoy 218
En el caso de por medio, Y os advertire" el remedio, Porque vuestro amigo soy, Con que os declareis conmigo, Que en cambio dello os prometo, Que debajo de secreto Os dire vuestro enemigo.
DON DIEGO.
Lo que referis confieso Que es verdad, que confesallo, Es lo mismo que contallo, Pues sabeis todo el suceso ; Y asi pues de Vos me fio, Resta agora que cumplais Vuestra palabra, y digais Quien es el contrario mio, Y el medio que prevenis Para que me asegureis.
GUZMAN.
El contrario que teneis Soy yo.
DON DIEGO.
Guzman, j qu<£ decis !
GUZMAN.
Que yo soy a quien hurtasteis
219
La ocasion, yo quien estaba En la calle, y aguardaba La gloria que vos gozasteis : Que advirtiendo que venia Gente entonces, fue en mi amor Retirarme por su honor Decoro, y no cobardia : Que la primer condicion Que me puso, y prometi, Cuando el alma le ofrecf, Fue mirar por su opinion ; Y pues sabeis mi valor Satisfecho puedo estar, De que no podreis pensar De que lo hice de temor ; Y ya que sabido habeis Que soy yo quien la ha perdido, El remedio es ser marido De quien el honor debeis.
DON DIEGO.
Pluguiera a Dios que pudiera Sin que mi opinion manchara, Pues que su deuda pagara Y mi amor satisfaciera : Mas admframe, Guzman, 220
Que en tan poco me tengais, Que casarme pretendais Con quien tuvo otro galan.
GUZMAN.
Si por tener otro amante Su honor hubiera perdido, Os hubiera yo ofendido Con demanda semejante : Mas supuesto que no infama Siendo licito el favor, Y solo dana al honor La ejecucion, 6 la fama, Justa es esta pretension, Pues que yo en su pensamiento Alcance* solo el intento, Pero vos la ejecucion.
DON DIEGO.
<; Licito favor llamais El que le determine A las obras, y os abri6 Como aqui me confesais, Y probe con la esperiencia, La puerta?
GUZMAN.
<; Si me llamaba
221
Ya su esposo, no le daba El honor esa licencia?
DON DIEGO.
Si, mas de eso mismo arguyo
Lo que conmigo perdio,
Que si a vos, Guzman, os dio
Nombre de marido suyo,
Y aquella noche os abria
Su casa, con esa fe,
^Como me asegurare
De que otra vez no haria
El mismo amoroso esceso
Con vos ?
GUZMAN.
Esa es presuncion Bien fundada, y con razon Habeis reparado en eso ; Mas si os dejo satisfecho En esa parte <i sereis Su esposo?
DON DIEGO.
<j C6mo podeis,
Donde en vuestro mismo hecho Vos no valeis por testigo ?
222
GUZMAN.
Pues si es imposible hagamos, Porque el caso resolvamos, Un contrato : yo me oblige, Si no os satisfago, a daros Por libre de que os caseis, Con que vos os obligueis Si os satisfago, a casaros, Con que guardeis un secreto Que de vuestro valor fio <; Lo guardareis como mio ?
DON DIEGO.
Como quien say lo prometo.
GUZMAN.
Sabed pues, Don Diego amigo, Que yo soy muger.
DON DIEGO.
<i Muger ?
Valor que supo veneer En campafia al enemigo Tantas veces, que aun escede El cre*dito a la opinion, Y esperanza del varon Mas valiente, ^como puede Ser hijo del fragil pecho
223
De una mugeril flaqueza ? Y ya que naturaleza Tan gran milagro haya hecho, <; Como se pudo encubrir Tanto tiempo, 6 que ocasion En el trage de varon Os ha obligado a servir En la guerra? y si adorais A Dona Ana <ihe de creer De que amais siendo muger A otra muger ? no querais Acreditar imposibles.
GUZMAN.
Mi historia, y las ocasiones De tales trasformaciones, Y casos tan increibles Con atencion escuchad, Que en ella conocereis De la novedad que veis El engano, 6 la verdad. En San Sebastian, que es villa, En la provincia soberbia Guipuzcoana ; la mas rica, A quien el mar lisonjea ; Pues que llega a sus murallas 224
A contribuir las perlas,
Si bien de las olas se hacen,
Y olas despues quedan hechas,
Naci, Don Diego ; <j mas como
Te podra decir mi lengua
Que naci muger? perdone
Mi valor tan grande ofensa.
Naci muger en efeto,
De antigua y noble ascendencia,
Es mi nombre Catalina
De Erauso, que mi nobleza,
Me dio este noble apellido
Bien conocido ea mi tierra.
En la edad, pues, si se escucha,
Que es cuando la lengua apenas
Dicciones distintas forma,
Juzgaba naturaleza
Violenta en mi, pues desnuda
De la mugeril flaqueza
Me ocupaba, haciendo afrenta
A Palas, cuando vio a Venus
Pasar los muros de Grecia.
La labor que es ejercicio
De la mas noble doncella,
La trocaba por la espada :
s 225
Las cajas y las trompetas, Me daban mayores gustos Que las miisicas compuestas. Pero mis padres mirando En mi condicion tan fiera, En un convento que es freno De semejantes soberbias, Me metieron. j Ay, Don Diego ! Quien esplicarte pudiera La rabia, el furor, la ira, Que en mi corazon se engendra En ocasion semejante! Mas remito estas certezas A las violentas acciones Que has visto en mi en esta tierra. Once afios, y once siglos Paso alii mi resistencia, Casi a imitacion del fuego Cuando le oprime la tierra : Mas viendo que se llegaba La ocasion, en que era fuerza Hacer justa profesion, Ayudada de tinieblas Y femeniles descuidos, Deje la clausura honesta, 226
Quiero decir el convento, Y penetrando asperezas, Montes descubriendo y valles, Troque el vestido, que alientan Las desdichas con venturas, Cuando los males comienzan. Llegue* a la corte, y Don Juan De Idiaquez, que entonces era Presidente, conociendo Mi Guipuzcoana nobleza, Teniendome por varon, For page me admite, a fuerza De peticiones que hice Para obligar su grandeza. Supo todo esto mi padre, Vine a Madrid, mas resuelta, Y animosa, a Madrid trueco Por Pamplona, ciudad bella. A Don Carlos de Arellano Servi en ella, mas la ofensa De un caballero atrevido, A quien di muerte sangrienta, Me ausento de alia, y parti A la ciudad a quien besa El Betis los altos muros,
227
Sevilla al fin, real palestra De los que siguen a Marte ; Al fin segui a Marte en ella. En la armada me embarque Indiana, llegue a la tierra Que a Espana la fertiliza De oro, que cria en sus venas. Hubo con el Araucano Soberbio, sangrienta guerra ; Halle'me en ella, mostre El valor que en mi se encierra : Yo sola en la escaramuza Que vi trabada primera, Mate... mas esta alabanza Diganlo voces agenas, Que yo no te dire* mas De que en la ocasion primera, Me dio Don Diego Sarabia De sargento la gineta, Y despues no pas6 mucho Me honraron con la bandera Que honro a Gonzalo Rodriguez, Muerto a las manos soberbias De barbaros Araucanos : Puesto que su muerte cuesta 228
Muchas vidas a los Indies, Y a mi heridas inmensas, Que si en mi pecho las miras Te daran clara evidencia. Fuse en el rostro la mano De un caballero, y fue fuerza Venirme a Lima, Don Diego, A donde Dona Ana bella, Juzgandome por varon Amor y aficion me muestra. Goce* un afio sus favores, Y al cabo de £1 representa Vuestro amor, eT sentimiento De que yo la adore y quiera. Deje* a Lima, fuime al puerto, Para que vos con mi ausencia Gozasedes mas favores, Aunque aquella noche mesma La volvi d ver, y esta vista Fue causa que vuestra sea, Con el engafio, Don Diego, Que vos sabeis, mas no es esta Ocasion de dilatar Lo que mi razon intenta. A Lima he vuelto obligada
229
De mi desdichada estrella, Que en impulses de mi espada Tiene sus acciones puestas. Tres anos ha que este acaso Sucedi6, y ella me ruega, Como causa de este error, Y principio de esta pena, Que por su honor vuelva y mire ; Aquesta es forzosa deuda En mi, pues que di ocasion, A que su honor se perdiera. Vos lo podeis remediar, Y lo habeis de hacer por fuerza Cuando no querais de grado ; Y advertid, que no os parezca Porque soy muger, Don Diego, Que no alcanzare esta empresa. Que jvive Dios! que primero El sol dejara a la tierra, A las arenas el mar, Las aves la region fresca, La tierra las verdes plantas, El fuego su altiva esfera, Que vos podais eximiros De pagar tan justa deuda, 230
Pues la razon os obliga Cuando mi valor os ruega.
DON DIEGO.
Yo quedo de verdad tan prodigiosa For las senas del rostro satisfecho, Pues ya la barba en el era forzosa ; Mas Don Juan, secretario de mi pecho, Ines, criada de Dona Ana hermosa, Machin, privanza vuestra, son del hecho Testigos, y es preciso darles cuenta De esta verdad, para evitar mi afrenta, Si tengo de casarme.
GUZMAN.
No lo niego,
Y de Dona Ana el bien me solicita : Mas publicar que soy muger, Don Diego, Primero morire que lo permita.
DON DIEGO.
<; Qu6 haremos pues ?
GUZMAN.
La Have que os entrego Del secreto guardad, que el tiempo quita Inconvenientes, y el discurso humano No tiene los remedios en la mano : Dejadmelo pensar que ya esta hecho
231
Lo mas, pues con mi historia habeis quedado Del honor de Dona Ana satisfecho, Y de vuestra sospecha asegurado.
DON DIEGO.
Vuestro secreto moriri en mi pecho, Y de vuestra amistad voy confiado, Que no obligue a Dona Ana con mi afrenta. (Vase Don Diego.)
GUZMAN. Su honor y el vuestro quedan por mi cuenta.
ESCENA VIII.
GUZMAN, EL NUEVO CID,
(Es de nocked)
EL CID (aparte).
6l es, y viene solo, y pues la suerte Despues de tanto tiempo d su castigo La ocasion me dispone ; con su muerte Mi afrenta vengare*....jMuere enemigo! (Sacan las espadas, acuchillanse y dntranse.)
GUZMAN.
jAh vil traidor! 232
EL CID.
Procura defenderte. GUZMAN.
<; Conoces que es Guzman el que contigo Mide la espada?
EL CID.
Muerto soy, espera, Dej'ame confesar antes que muera.
ESCENA IX.
OCANA, MONROY Y PEROMATO, (presos de la cdrcel).
OCANA.
Cualquiera gallina miente Si lo dice.
MONROY.
Yo lo digo ;
Pero eso no habla conmigo Que a las gallinas desmiente, Y sabe que no lo soy.
OCANA. Si e*l lo dice, con e*l hablo.
233
MONROY.
Ocana, <; enganate el diablo O estas borracho ?
OCANA.
Monroy,
Ni he bebido, ni me engafia.
MONROY.
Triste, <? quieres que te mate ?
OCANA. j Que gracioso disparate !
MONROY.
Ala, doblen por Ocana.
(Acuchillanse con ter dados, y mttese en media Peromato sin terciado.}
ESCENA X.
LOS DICHOS, MOTRIL Y JARAVA, (presos).
MOTRIL.
I Es posible que de piano Confesase ? 234
JARAVA.
No os espante, Si le hallaron en fragante, Y con la espada en la mano Desnuda, y ensangrentada.
MOTRIL.
Si 61 negara, no muriera, For mas indicios que hubiera.
MONROY.
<|Que" es eso, Motril?
MOTRIL.
No es nada.
Mat6 al Nuevo Cid Guzman, Prendie>onle y al momento Sin tocar el instrumento Cant6 como un sacristan.
OCANA.
Yo apostare* que al probete Le dan luego su recado, Que al virey tienen cansado Los delitos que comete, Y querri abreviar con £1.
235
ESCENA XL DON DIEGO, Y DON JUAN.
DON DIEGO.
Muero de pesar, Don Juan, Viendo a Alonso de Guzman En un trance tan cruel, Que dicen que ha confesado El delito, y es forzoso, Que el ser tan escandaloso, Tan inquieto y arrojado, Provoque la indignacion Del virey.
DON JUAN.
Airado esta,
Y en esta ocasion querra Hacer gran demostracion.
ESCENA XII.
LOS DICHOS, Y MACHIN, (llorando^
MACHIN.
j Ay amo de mis entranas ! <j C6mo es posible que plugo 236
A los cielos, que un verdugo Oscurezca tus hazanas?
DON DIEGO.
<iQue hay de tu senor, Machin?
MACHIN.
Hay, que el virey se ha mostrado Mas cruel, mas obstinado, Que suele un hombre ruin Agraviado y con poder. Segun orden de milicia Ha mandado hacer justicia Del al punto, sin querer Admitir suplicacion, Y ya se esta confesando, Y el pueblo todo aguardando La afrentosa ejecucion. DON DIEGO (aparte). Ya es esta ocasion forzosa, De declarar que es muger Al virey, que es de creer Que por ser tan prodigiosa Le mueva a justa piedad ; Y aunque ella no lo confiesa, Dire que es monja profesa Y pondra a su potestad
237
Secular, impedimento : Pues siendolo, al tribunal Del fuero espiritual, Toca su conocimiento. Dos justos fines consigo Con este tan facil medio, Pues que su vida remedio Como verdadero amigo ; Y con esto satisfechos Machin, Ines y Don Juan, De que es muger, quedaran Los escnipulos desechos, Que impiden que tan forzosa Deuda le pague a Dona Ana, Y su beldad soberana Goce en paz y union dichosa. Venid conmigo Don Juan.
DON JUAN.
<[A donde vais?
DON DIEGO,
A romper
Un secreto que ha de ser El remedio de Guzman. (Vanse.}
ESCENA XIII.
MACHIN, OCANA, MOTRIL, MONROY.
OCANA.
En fin quiso de este modo, Machin, ser mas confesor, Que martir vuestro senor, Y ha venido a serlo todo.
MACHIN.
Y con obstin^do pecho Dice, j que tema tan loca ! Que no ha de negar la boca Lo que las manos han hecho.
MOTRIL. Caprichoso disparate.
MONROY.
<[ Es por ventura mejor Dar cabriolas ?
OCANA.
No hay valor Como guardar el gaznate.
ESCENA XIV. GUZMAN, MACHIN, UN ALCALDE,
Y UN RELIGIOSO. ALCALDE.
Vistase la ropa, amigo.
GUZMAN.
<jQu6 ropa? yo soy soldado, Y en mi trage han de llevarme.
RELIGIOSO.
No mire en puntos hermano, Que va a morir, y es cristiano.
GUZMAN (aparte). <;Pues yo que dejo quitarme La vida, por no decir Que soy muger, ni tener Faldas, habia de querer Llevarlas para morir?
RELIGIOSO.
Advierta que los perdones Del habito perdera.
GUZMAN.
Misas hay, todo sera Un afio mas de tizones. 240
RELIGIOSO.
j Que terrible obstinacion !
GUZMAN (aparte). For no parecer muger Todo lo quiero perder Fuera del alma.
(Dentro todosl)
Perdon, Perdon...
MACHIN.
lo dije luego.
ESCENA XV. LOS DICHOS, Y DON JUAN.
DON JUAN.
La sentencia ha suspendido El virey, porque ha sabido De vuestro amigo Don Diego Que sois muger.
GUZMAN.
<» Muger yo ? Miente...mande su escelencia
T 241
Ejecutar la sentencia, Que Don Diego le engafio For escusarme la muerte.
MACHIN.
Vive Cristo que has de ser, Aunque no quieras, muger, Y librarte de la muerte, Que despues ello dira.
RELIGIOSO.
Si lo tiene por afrenta Sin fruto negarlo intenta, Que el caso es publico ya.
DON JUAN.
Y de todos viene a ser El mayor dano morir.
GUZMAN.
<i Para qud quiero vivir Si saben que soy muger?
FIN DE LA JORNADA SEGUNDA.
242
JORNADA III.
ESCENA I. La escena es en Madrid.
EL VIZCONDE DE LA ZOLINA, (en hdbito de Alcdntara) Y DON DIEGO.
DON DIEGO.
Despues que el virey de Lima La suplicacion le otorga, De la novedad movido Que le refirio mi boca : Juridicas esperiencias Licitas, por ser forzosas, De que es muger el Alfdrez Con evidencia le informan. Y asi mirando su causa Con atencion mas piadosa Le da plazos, en que prueba Que el Nuevo Cid la provoca A la pendencia, y por ser Justa y natural la propia Defensa, en la ultima instancia La sentencia le revoca.
243
Restituida a su trage En las trinitarias monjas La recluyen, por la fama Que tiene de religiosa. Alii violentada, juzga Eternidades las horas, Mas repugnante que el viento Oprimido de las ondas : Hasta que vino a romper Las prisiones, la discordia Que sobre elegir prelada, Iras siembra, y bandos forma De Isabel de Larrifiaga, Por ser vizcaina, toma Por cuenta suya la voz Para elegirla priora. Era la parcialidad Contraria mas poderosa, Y asi remite a las manos Lo que no alcanza la boca ; Y con un baston robusto De tal suerte el viento azota, Que lo que no ablandan ruegos A duros golpes negocia. Ofendidas de su esceso, 244
Y de su furia medrosas, La espulsion que ella desea Le solicitan las monjas. Las dos cabezas del reino Secular, y religiosa, For evitar disensiones En lo mismo se conforman. Libre al fin de la clausura Pasar d Espafia y a Roma Resuelve, a cosas que entiendo Que a la conciencia le importan ; Y al instante que al Callao Daba por el mar* la popa, En calzones y ropilla Trueca basquifias y ropa. Halla propicio 4 Neptuno, Llega 4 la arena espanola, Que a las columnas de Alcides Cerro el paso, y dio memoria. Por el habito indecente El obispo la aprisiona ; Mas informado despues De sus hazafias heroicas, No solo no la castiga, Mas antes la galardona,
245
Alentando su Jornada Con dineros y con joyas. Parti6se luego de Cadiz Para esta corte que goza Del sol, en la casa de Austria, Los rayos y la corona. Dicenme que esta ya en ella, Btiscola, porque me importa Lo que sabeis. Prosiguiendo Tras de la suya mi historia, Ya os dije, senor vizconde De Zolina, que dos cosas Me obligaron justamente A que el secreto le rompa. Una fue librar la vida De infame suplicio, y otra Dar yo la mano a la dama Que firme mi pecho adora, Y satisfacer la deuda De su honor sin mi deshonra, Declarando a los testigos De su engano, y de la gloria Que en nombre ageno alcance", Que quien sus favores goza Es Guzman, y publicado 246
Que es muger, deshace y borra Las sospechas que amenazan Murmuracion a mis bodas, Sin reparar en deseos No ejecutados, que pocas Llegan al talamo honradas, Si los intentos deshonran. Luego pues que del teatro De su tragedia afrentosa, Redemi a la Monja Alferez, Que asi la llaman agora, A la dama por quien muero Voy d declarar la historia, Alegre de poder ya Admitirla por esposa. Ella no menos contenta, Pues su honor perdido cobra, Hace gracias al engano Por quien viene a ser dichosa. Con esto parto al instante A dar al Alferez Monja Cuenta de como los cielos Nuestros intentos conforman. Estaba presa, y ya en trage De muger, y hablando a solas,
247
Le doy alegre la nueva De mis concertadas bodas ; Mas ella \ quien tal pensara ! Cuando espero que responda Dandome mil parabienes, Quiere que mis males oiga, Dicie*ndome estas palabras : Ya yo, Don Diego, soy otra, Que fui, porque de la muerte He visto la horrible sombra. Yo no soy quien de esa dama Perdio la ocasion dichosa Que por engano alcanzaste, Otro amante es quien la goza. Ser conocidos por mios Los guantes, y ser notoria Al mundo mi valentia, Hizo que en mis manos ponga Esta dama su remedio ; Era la causa piadosa, Ella muger, yo muger, Dadivas quebrantan rocas. Todo junto me oblige A que en favor suyo rompa La ley de vuestra amistad, 248
Y a enganaros me disponga :
Mas ya que os debo la vida,
Y arrepentida me exhorta
La confesion a la enmienda,
No es bien que os quite la honra.
Dijo : y quede como suele,
El sin ventura a quien tocan
De Jupiter vengativo
Las armas abrasadoras :
Como aquel que en pena dura
En un punto se tras forma,
Si el rostro fatal le ensena
La Gorgona encafttadora,
Vuelvo en mi, y multiplicando
Al paso de las congojas,
Las palabras, le pregunto,
Si de la verdad me informa :
Afirmase en lo que ha dicho,
A matarla me provoca
Mi furor, mas mi valor
For ser muger la perdona.
Fugitive parto a Espana,
Jornada que me ocasiona
Y facilita Don Juan,
Que en aquella misma flota,
249
A intentos suyos partia : Mas ella, perdida y loca, Que el desprecio es el que mas A la muger enamora, En demanda de su honor Me sigue mas que mi sombra, Que para ser importuna Bastale ser acreedora. Llego a Madrid, y a Madrid Llega tambien, y sus obras, Palabras, y pensamientos, De tal suerte se conforman En quererme, en obligarme, Y en persuadirme que sola Resistiera a sus combates, La deidad que honor se nombra : Pasando prolijos dias En batalla tan penosa, Su amor, y mi resistencia, Encuentro a Machin agora, Refiereme lo que yo Ignoraba de esta historia, Despues que triste parti De la America, a la Europa. Diceme que esta el Alferez 250
En la corte ya, y que posa
En casa de un noble hidalgo
Su amigo, y compatriota,
Cuyo nombre es Sebastian
De Illumbe, y que su persona,
Senor vizconde, y la vuestra
Un solo espiritu forman.
Y asi me quiero valer
De vos con el, porque ponga,
Y vos en favorecerme
Pongais vuestras fuerzas todas ;
Intercediendo los dos
Para que el Alfe>ez Monja
Alumbre con la verdad
Mi confusion tenebrosa :
Que tan cons tan te porfia,
Y tan tiernamente llora
Mi triste amante, afirmando,
Que la Monja Alferez sola
Sus favores merecio
Que a las insensibles rocas
Persuadira, cuanto mas,
A quien como yo la adora.
Mueva a piedad mi desdicha,
Y al fin de vuestra persona
251
La autondad, que ha de ser La causa mas poderosa.
VECONDE.
Lo que mas con el valor De un hidalgo pecho alcanza, Es el hacer desconfianza En negocios del honor; Y asi la podreis tener De que para averiguar La verdad, no he de dejar Piedra alguna por mover.
DON DIEGO.
Pues con eso asegurais Mis esperanzasw
VECONDE.
Yo quiero,
Hablarla a solas primero, Que vos con efla os veais.
DOM DIEGO.
Pues la brevedad, senor, Os pido.
TIZCONDE.
Bien se Don Que no permiten sosiego Puntos de honor 7 de a
ESCENA II. GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
GUZMAN (rompiendo unos naipes). \ Ah sota ! <; que" juegue yo ? jVoto 4 Dios!
MACHIN.
Vota y reniega, La culpa tiene quien juega, Que la sota <; en que pec6 ?
GUZMAN.
Ya he perdido, ^que* he de hacer, Pue*dolo yo remediar? MACHIN.
No, pero puedes guardar Lo que queda por perder.
GUZMAN. Bien dices.
MACHIN.
<[ Pero no sabes
Como £ Don Diego he encontrado? GUZMAN.
j A Don Diego ! <; y qu£ te dijo ?
253
MACHIN.
Que le contase tus cases Desde que parti6 de Lima, Hasta que a Madrid llegamos : Y dellos y de la casa En que vives, informado, Diciendo que te veria Se despidid.
GUZMAN.
<;Y del engafio De Dona Ana no te habl6?
MACHIN.
Yo estaba desatinado For tener nuevas de Ines ; Mas sabe que soy un marmol En callar, desde que en Lima, For haberme tii mandado Que negase los amores De Dona Ana, hall6 en mis labios Las costumbres de Vizcaya En lo duro y lo cerrado, Y asi no toc6 ese punto ; Mas pues los dos lo tocamos, Si la mudanza de tierras Y de los tiempos, la ha dado 254
A tus intentos ocultos, I No me dirds hasta cuando A Dona Ana y a Don Diego, Has de hacer tan graves dafios?
GUZMAN.
Yo me entiendo.
MACHIN.
<|Que fin llevas?
GUZMAN.
Yo me entiendo.
MACHIN.
Algun gran caso Sin duda alguna. previenes, Pues de mi lo ocultas tanto, Que siempre fui del archive De tu pecho secretario.
GUZMAN.
Ya digo que yo me entiendo : Ver a Don Diego es el plazo, De declarar la intencion De mi silencio y mi engafio : Ten paciencia, y no me apures, Que importa, pues yo lo callo.
MACHIN.
Sebastian de Illumbe viene.
255
GUZMAN.
No le digas que he jugado.
MACHIN.
^Temes la fraterna?
GUZMAN.
Si,
Que es cuerdo, y tiene a su cargo, Mi correccion y modestia For comision del vicario.
MACHIN.
For esta vez callare\
Mas si otra vez juegas, canto.
ESCENA III.
LOS DICHOS, SEBASTIAN DE ILLUMBE Y UN CRIADO, con un lio de vestidos de muger, y pdnelos sobre un bufete.
SEBASTIAN.
Deja sobre ese bufete Ese vestido, y volando Parte a casa del vizconde 256
De Zolina, y di que aguardo El coche que le pedi.
( Vase el criado.) Sabed, Alferez Erauso, Que un consejero real A quien la fama ha llevado Nuevas de vos, quiere veros.
GUZMAN.
j Qu6 ha de verme ! <; soy acaso Algun monstruo nunca visto,
0 la fiera que inventaron Que con letras y con armas Se vi6 en el reino polaco ?
1 No ha visto un hombre sin barbas ?
MACHIN.
j Hombre ! . . . <»a que tii has olvidado Sin duda el memento mulier De aquel mongil trinitario, Que te pusieron eh Lima?
SEBASTIAN.
Ser una muger soldado,
Y una monja alferez, es
El prodigio mas estrano
Que en estos tiempos se ha visto ;
Y al fin en siendo mandate
u 257
De un consejero, es forzoso El obedecerle.
GUZMAN.
Vamos,
Que debe de convenir Pues porfias.
SEBASTIAN.
Aguardaos
Que quiero que vais en trage De muger.
MACHIN.
Esto es el diablo.
GUZMAN.
Senor Sebastian de Illumbe, Solo el respeto que os guardo Puede hacer que vuestro intento No castigue por agravio.
SEBASTIAN.
Mirad cuan lejos estaba De imaginar agraviaros, Ni hallar en vos resistencia, Que sin haber consultado Con vos el intento mio, De casa una dama os traigo 258
Este vestido, y previne Un coche para llevaros.
MACHIN.
j La alferez, y Catalina . . . ! (Llega Machin con un manto, y dale Guzman un golpe.}
GUZMAN. Aparta loco.
MACHIN.
j Mai afio Para la ama de Alcides!
GUZMAN. De colera estoy* rabiando.
MACHIN.
Pues a trueque de ir en coche, Hay en Madrid mil Barbados, Que se pondran de botargas.
SEBASTIAN.
Alfdrez, determinaos Que esto importa. GUZMAN.
Si os he dicho, Y os dice mi vida, cuanto Mi propio ser aborrezco ;
259
Si de mis padres y hermanos
Troque la amada presencia
For el indomito Arauco ;
Si recibi mil heridas,
Y si de Miguel Erauso
Mi mismo hermano verti6
La sangre, mi airada mano ;
Si del ultimo suplicio
Viendo ya el lugar infausto
Me dejaba dar la muerte
En un infame teatro,
Todo por no publicar
Que soy muger, <i no es en vano
Querer que me vista agora
De lo que aborrezco tanto?
SEBASTIAN.
Por vuestro gusto habeis hecho Escesos tan mal pensados, Quiza porque no tuvisteis Quien supiese aconsejaros. Mas ya que yo os aconsejo, Y que el nombre me habeis dado De amigo, tengo de ver Si con vos, Alfe*rez, valgo Mas que vuestra inclinacion ; 260
Y si quereis por un rato De disgusto, que me tenga Por hombre poco avisado El oidor, si a su presencia, Que ha de respetarse tanto, Os llevo en trage indecente.
GUZMAN.
Pues decid <ique desacato Se hace a su autoridad, Si ya por ella el vicario De Madrid me tuvo presa, Y por haberse informado De mis hazaftas, me di6 Por libre.
SEBASTIAN.
Pues publicado Con ello que sois muger <? Qu6 perdereis en mudaros Por dos horas en su trage?
GUZMAN.
Dos horas son dos mil afios, Y no quiero parecello Ya que no puedo negallo : Demas que el oidor querra Verme en el mismo que traigo :
261
Mas la novedad esta
Que le obligue a desearlo,
Que en el otro ^que^ hay que ver?
<i Es por ventura milagro
Ver una muger vestida
De muger ?
SEBASTIAN.
Si, cuando ha dado Tanta materia a la fama, Con hechos tan sefialados, Que ellos, no el disfraz, le mueven A querer veros y hablaros. Esto en efecto ha de ser, Que ya por el mismo caso Que me resistis, celoso De ver lo poco que valgo Con vos, 6 he de conseguirlo, O jamas tengo de hablaros.
MACHIN.
Acab6se, vizcainos Testarudos sois entrambos : Ved por cual ha de quebrar. Mas tii que estas rehusando Parecer muger, y en nada Podras parecerlo tanto, 262
Como en decir tijeretas Has de ser lo mas delgado.
GUZMAN.
Claro esta que lo he de ser, Pues un amigo a quien guardo Tanto respeto, se empena
(Quitase la capa con ra&ta.) Tan resuelto y arrojado :
(A Machin.) Dame ese manteo.
SEBASTIAN.
Agora Me pones al *rostro un clavo.
MACHIN.
i Que* bien haces ! no porfies, Que a un tal Roque preguntando Que porque" de las mugeres Publicas, gustaba tanto, Dijo, por no porfiar. GUZMAN. Acaba.
SEBASTIAN.
<; Quieres acaso Vestirte sobre la espada?
263
GUZMAN.
Estoy tan acostumbrado.... (Quftase la espada, y ponese el manteo al revest]
MACHIN. Acostumbrada....
GUZMAN.
Tambien
Lo estoy de tratarme hablando, Como varon.
MACHIN.
Ponte agora El manteo que es bizarro.
GUZMAN.
El mas bizarro manteo
No iguala al calzon mas llano.
MACHIN. No aciertas la coyuntura.
GUZMAN.
j Qu6 he de acertar ! que los diablos Inventaron estos grilles.
MACHIN.
Vue*lvele de esotro lado.
GUZMAN.
j Pese a mi ! <j que* he de volver ? <; No veis que me viene largo ?
264
MACHIN.
Pues ponerte los chapines.
GUZMAN.
j Chapines ! <i estas borracho ? (Suenan dentro cuchilladas.)
DENTRO. Dete"nganse caballeros.
OTRO. Vive Dios, que he de mataros.
GUZMAN. ^ Que" es aquello ?
Cuchilladas.
GUZMAN.
Pese £ las faldas.... (Suelta el manteo, coge la espada y la desenvaina.) MACHIN.
Andallo.
SEBASTIAN.
Aguardad.
GUZMAN.
j Qu6 he de aguardar ! Todo es cansarme y cansaros,
265
Lo que no puedo conmigo, Necedad es intentarlo.
SEBASTIAN.
<iD6nde vais ?
MACHIN.
<i Eso pregunta Si se estan acuchillando, Y no tiene otras cosquillas ?
SEBASTIAN.
El reducirlo es en vano Porque tiene solamente De muger, lo porfiado.
(Vanse.}
ESCENA IV. DON JUAN, DON DIEGO, DONA ANA,
DON DIEGO.
Al vizconde le Zolina, A quien el Alferez Monja, Quiere en todo hallar lisonja Porque a ampararle se inclina, Lo mismo le ha respondido. 266
DONA ANA.
<;Que aim esta firme en su engano ?
<; Qu^ me haga tan to dano,
Sin haberla yo ofendido?
Si tan conocida injuria,
Sin justa pena dejais
j Cielos ! i para quien guardais
Los rayos de vuestra furia ?
DON DIEGO.
Dona Ana, sin fruto son Tus quejas, yo no he podido Mostrar lo que te he querido Con mas clara informacion, Que haberme determinado, Contra escriipulos de honor, Obligado de tu amor, Y de mi deuda obligado A ser tu esposo, si fue El disfrazado Guzman Solamente tu galan, Y de la ocasion que hurte* Era el duefio, pues podia Perdonar tu liviandad, For tener seguridad De que tu intencion no habia
267
Llegado a la ejecucion,
Que es cierto que se casaran
Muy pocos, si repararan
En delitos de intencion.
Mas la Monja, como ves,
Lo niega tan en tu dano,
Qudjate pues de su engafio,
Si por ventura lo es,
Y no de mi buen intento,
Que sabe el cielo, senora,
Que de tus plantas adora
Las huellas mi pensamiento.
Mas fuera gran desvario,
Y tu misma me culparas,
Si porque tu honor cobraras,
Quisiera perder el mio,
Y el tuyo que es cierta cosa,
Que no tiene una muger
Mayor afrenta, que ser
De un hombre afrentado esposa,
DONA ANA.
Tu sin duda arrepentido De pagar tu obligacion, Has trazado esta invencion,
Y tu amistad ha podido 268
Obligarla a que olvidara De su conciencia el temor, Para quitarme el honor Negando verdad tan clara ; Mas la justicia....
DON DIEGO.
Detente
Que porque en esa sospecha Quedes tambien satisfecha, Informacion evidente Es saber que desde el dia Que ser tu amante neg6 En Lima, y se»retrato De lo que afirmado habia La Monja Alfe>ez, no vi Jamas su rostro, y responde Lo que te he dicho al vizconde De Zolina, y no d mi. Luego indicio es verdadero, De que no intento enganar, Obligarla a declarar La verdad con tal tercero.
DONA ANA.
<? Luego tu no le has hablado En la corte ?
269
DON DIEGO.
Mis enojos
No han permitido a mis ojos, Ver a quien los ha causado : Y aunque es verdad que al vizconde Le pidi6 que me dijese Que yo con ella me viese ; Porque entiendo de que esconde Algun misterio el deseo De verme, la quiero hablar : Yo no le pienso tocar Este punto si la veo, Tanto porque es obligarme De c6lera a enloquecer, Y es en efeto muger, De quien no puedo vengarme : Cuando porque ella pudiera Sospechar que yo queria Con semejante porfia, No que la verdad dijera, Sino que, 6 lo fuese 6 no, Dijese que era verdad Ser ella a quien tu beldad For duefio solo estimo, Y fuera justa ocasion 270
De mi infamia esta sospecha.
Y pues quedas satisfecha
Con esto de mi intencion,
Que no publiques te pido
Sucesos tan contra ti,
Y ten lastima de mi,
Que te adoro y te he perdido. (Vase.)
DONA ANA.
Aguarda, aguarda...Don Juan.
ESCENA V. DONA ANA, TDON JUAN.
DON JUAN.
<; Que me mandais ?
DONA ANA.
Que conmigo Os vengais a ser testigo De lo que el falso Guzman Me responde en este caso A mi misma.
DON JUAN.
Jus to es Que te sirva.
271
DONA ANA.
El manto, Ines, Que de ofendida me abraso. (Vanse.)
ESCENA VI.
GUZMAN (con botas y unos papeles\ SEBAS TIAN DE ILLUMBE Y MACHIN.
GUZMAN.
De vos confio el cuidado De acordar mis pretensiones, En todas las ocasiones En el consejo de estado. Estos los papeles son De mis servicios, tomad, Y por los ojos pasad Esa certificacion, Que entre las demas os dejo, Que della os informareis De lo que pedir podeis En recompensa al consejo. 272
SEBASTIAN (lee).
Don Luis de Cespedes Xeria, gobernador y capitan general de la provincia de Paraguay, etc.
Certifico y hago fe a S. M. que conozco a Catalina de Erauso de mas de diez y ocho afios a esta parte, que en habito de hombre, y soldado le ha servido en Chile, mas de diez y siete en las companias del maese de campo D. Diego Brabo de Sarabia, y del capitan Gon- zalo Rodriguez : de la cual fue por sus servicios alferez, llamandose Alonso Diaz Ramirez de Guzman, y se ha- llo en todas las ocasiones que se ofrecieron con mucho valor, y reformada su compania, paso a servir a la del capitan Guillen de Casanova, y fue por buen soldado de los aventajados, sacado para campear desde el Castillo de Paicabi con el maese de campo Alvaro Nunez de Pineda, y se hallo en muchas batallas ; y recibio heri- das, y en particular en la fie Puren, donde llego a la muerte. Por lo cual y por ser digna de que S. M. le haga merced, le di la presente, con mi firma y sello.
En Madrid a 2 de febrero de 1625.
GUZMAN.
De aquese misma tenor Son las demas, esta es De noble Don Juan Cortes De Monroy, gobernador De Veraguas : de Don Diego Flores de Leon, es esta, Que en el pecho manifiesta La cruz del Patron Gallego,
x 273
Maese de campo a quien dan En las regiones australes, Alabanzas inmortales Sus hechos : del capitan Y cabo de compafiias Francisco de Navarrete Es aquesta, que promete Premio a las hazanas mias ; Segun las ha exagerado. Estas son las que en Madrid Pude juntar, acudid Al secretario de estado Que pienso que le hallareis Atento a mi pretension.
SEBASTIAN.
<iA que" remuneracion Os inclinais ?
GUZMAN.
Si podeis
Para Flandes negociar Una ventaja, me holgara Que su magestad premiara Mis hechos con emplear En su servicio estas manos ; Que rabian ya por saber, 274
Si pueden tambien veneer Flamencos como Araucanos. Pero si al fin conquistar No podeis merced alguna, Pretended al menos una, Que es mas facil de alcanzar.
SEBASTIAN.
<?Cual es?
GUZMAN.
Que se me conceda Andar siempre de varon, Que con esta permision Quedo pagada y contenta.
SEBASTIAN.
Pues sin tenella te pones
En su trage, ,: que te inquieta ?
GUZMAN.
No quiero vivir sujeta A enfados y vejaciones.
SEBASTIAN.
Por advertido me doy, Mas trata de prevenirte, Que es hora ya de partirte Que en casa el vizconde voy. ( Vase.}
275
ESCENA VII.
GUZMAN, MACHIN, DON JUAN, DONA ANA 6 INKS (con mantos).
DON JUAN.
Aqui esta ; Alferez Guzman Bien debeis a mi deseo Los brazos.
MACHIN.
I Que es lo que veo ? <i Es Ines ?
GUZMAN.
Senor Don Juan, ^•Teneis salud?
DON JUAN.
Bueno estoy Para serviros.
GUZMAN.
<; Don Diego ?
DON JUAN.
A buscaros vendra luego. MACHIN.
Ines los brazos te doy. 276
INES.
j Como te llegas a mi Testigo falso !...
MACHIN. Un criado, <; Que ha de hacer siendo mandado ?
DONA ANA.
Guzman, <? conoceisme ?
GUZMAN.
Si: Bien te conozco, Dona Ana.
DONA ANA.
<: Pues como tu falso pecho,
Si me conoces ha hecho
Una accion tan inhumana
Contra mi honor y opinion
Negando claras verdades ?
<? For dicha te persuades
Que no hay ley, que no hay razon ?
<; Que no hay Dios, que no hay justicia ?
Di que* intento te ha obligado
Para haber ejecutado
Tan detestable malicia?
<iVerdad tan averiguada,
No la diran los que ves
277
Que la saben ? habla Ines, Habla Machin....
MACHIN.
No s6 nada.
DONA ANA.
jAh traidor, falso testigo ! Mai haya yo que muger Naci, para no poder Dar a entrambos el castigo.
INES.
«; Agora no me decias
Disculpandote, un criado
Qu6 ha de hacer siendo mandado?
MACHIN.
No S6* nada.
GUZMAN.
Tus porfias
No ban de hacer mudanza en mi Que aunque tu mal me lastima, Lo mismo que dije en Lima, Te digo, Dona Ana, aqui.
DONA ANA.
,• Es posible que de Dios Te puedes tanto olvidar ? 278
DON JUAN (aparte). <j Quien podrd determinar Cual miente aqui de los dos ? Pero Don Diego ha llegado.
MACHIN (aparte). Gracias a Dios que esta vez Se acabard la prefiez De engano tan dilatado.
DONA ANA (aparte). Este es Don Diego : ojala Vengue en este infame pecho Su agravio y mi deshonor.
GUZMAN.
Ya se cumpli6 mi deseo.
ESCENA VIII. LOS DICHOS, Y DON DIEGO.
DON DIEGO (aparte). Ya estoy con ver la ocasion De tantos dahos ardiendo En c6lera, pero quiso Que fuese muger el cielo
279
Porque no pueda vengarme. Dona Ana esta aquf y me huelgo For dejarla satisfecha.
MACHIN (aparte). El color pierden jque es esto!
DON DIEGO.
Porque me dijo el vizconde Que teneis que hablarme, vengo A hacerlo, AlfeVez.
GUZMAN.
Sintiera En el alma irme sin veros.
DON DIEGO.
Hablad, pues, que ya os escucho.
GUZMAN.
I Teneis memoria, Don Diego De que para descubriros Que era muger, el secreto Prometisteis como noble ?
DON DIEGO.
Si prometi, bien me acuerdo.
GUZMAN.
I Pues c6mo lo quebrantasteis ?
DON DIEGO.
Por daros la vida. 280
GUZMAN.
El celo
De librarme, no era justo Que os obligase a rompello, Habie*ndoos yo prevenido, Que sintiera mucho menos La muerte, que publicar Que era muger, y asi viendo Que a descubrillo os movio De casaros el deseo, Quise con aquel engano Impediros el efeto, Y el fruto que 'conseguir Pensastes de haberlo hecho : Hasta que vie'ndome libre De prisiones, y volviendo A vestir varonil trage Y a cenir marcial acero, De los agravios, afrentas, Infamias y vituperios, Que desde entonces aca He padecido y padezco, For no haberme vos guardado La palabra del secreto, Tomara asi la venganza
281
Y os diera justo escarmiento. (Dale d Don Diego con un baston ; y sacan las espadas.)
DON DIEGO.
jAh vil!
MACHIN.
<: No lo dije yo ?
DONA ANA.
jAy de mi! (Me*tese Don Juan for medio.)
DON JUAN.
I Que haceis Don Diego ?
DON DIEGO.
Castigar una muger Atrevida.
DON JUAN.
Si vos mismo
Decis que es muger, ^ qu^ afrenta U na muger puede haceros ?
GUZMAN.
Mentis que no soy muger Mientras empuno este acero, Que ha vencido tantos hombres.
DON DIEGO.
Apartad, Don Juan. 282
ESCENA IX.
LOS DICHOS, EL VIZCONDE DE ZOLINA (de camino\ Y SEBASTIAN DE ILLUMBE.
VIZCONDE.
<»Que es esto?
Sefior Don Diego, aguardad ; I Sois hombre ? <? sois caballero ? I Contra una muger sacais La espada?
DON. DIEGO. En nadie la empleo Mejor, que en una muger, Cuando me pierde el respeto.
VIZCONDE.
Acabad, sed mas prudente Que aunque os le pierda, os advierto Que si os dais por agraviado, No quedareis satisfecho, Aunque la muerte le deis Pues es muger, siendo cierto Que es mas afrenta que hazana Manchar en ella el acero.
283
GUZMAN.
j Que* es muger L.tanta muger... Tratadme, vizconde, menos De muger, que perdere* Sobre ello al mundo el respeto.
VIZCONDE. Si lo eres, <i de que* te agravias ?
GUZMAN.
Si lo soy, ni lo confieso,
Ni quiero sufrir que nadie
Me lo llame, y vos, Don Diego,
Pues padezco estas afrentas
For vos, ni de lo que he hecho
Me pesa, ni soy muger,
Si quereis satisfaceros.
SEBASTIAN.
j Hay condicion mas estrana !
DONA ANA.
<|Que tigre te di6 alimento Que a la que tanto le debes Tantos agravios has hecho Cruel?
GUZMAN.
Escucha, sefiora, Que pues mi agradecimiento 284
Y tu honor pudieron tanto En mi pecho, que me hicieron Solo porque tu sospecha Satisfaciese Don Diego, Descubrir que era muger Cuando estaba tan secreto ; Agora pues que, Dona Ana, Es publico y hago menos Y que satisface ya Mi enojo, y cesa con esto La ocasion, porque mi engano Le impidi6 tu casamiento, Mejor lo confesare* For dar a tu honor remedio, Y no malograr fineza, Que tan a mi costa he hecho. Y asi, Don Diego, ya es justo, Restituir lo que debo A Dona Ana, declarando Que solo cupo en su pecho Mi amor ; y pues habeis visto De negaroslo el intento, Dadle la mano, que yo, Si acaso consiste en esto, Porque ni vos repareis
285
En la ofensa que os he hecho, Ni ella se case con quien Tenga el menor sentimiento : Y para que efeto tenga Segunda vez os confieso, Que soy muger, pues deshago Y satisfago con esto, Vuestro agravio, pues decis Que soy muger, y es lo mesmo Que confesar que no pude Agraviaros, ni ofenderos : Y si esto no os satisface, Haga mi agradecimiento Lo que no hiciera la muerte En este invencible pecho,
(Arrodillase.)
Rindie"ndome a vuestros pies, Y confesandome en ellos Vencida, y que a merced vuestra Vivo, pues quedais con esto, Mucho mas que con matarme, Ventajoso y satisfecho.
DON DIEGO.
Levanta, y dame los brazos, Que no solamente quedo 286
Satisfecho, mas vencido Envidioso del ejemplo Que de agradecida has dado, Y quisiera yo haber hecho Mas esta hazana, que cuantas Han celebrado los tiempos.
VIZCONDE.
Nunca has mostrado el valor Como agora, de tu pecho.
SEBASTIAN.
Mas has ganado vencida De ti misma, que venciendo Eje>citos de eaemigos.
VIZCONDE.
Pues con aquesto, y pidiendo Perdon, tenga fin aqui Este caso verdadero. Donde llega la comedia Han llegado los sucesos, Que hoy esta el Alfe"rez Monja En Roma, y si casos nuevos Dieren materia a la pluma, Segunda parte os prometo.
FIN.
287
NOTES TO INTRODUCTION
289
1 The baptismal certificate is printed by Joaquin Maria de Ferrer in his edition of the Historia de la Monja Alferez, Dona Catalina de Erauso, escrita por ella misma (Paris, 1829), p. 129.
" Bautizose Catalina de Erauso en diez de febrero de dicho afio [1592] , hija lejitima de Miguel de Erauso, y de Maria Perez de Galarraga. Padrinos Pedro de Galarraga, y Maria Velez de Aranalde. Ministro el vicario Alvisua."
In the greater part of Spain, and more particularly in the Basque Provinces, baptism takes place as soon as possible after birth : it was — and even still is — frequently administered on the day of birth.
2 Part I., Chapter xxxix.
3 In Catalina de Erauso's petition to the King of Spain, Miguel is described as an alferez or ensign : Ferrer, op. cit., p. 136. But he is called Captain in other contemporary documents such as the Capitulo de una Carta de Cartagena de Indias dando cuenta de una monja que, en hdbito de hombre, fue soldado en Chile y Tipoan, y de sus hazaiias con los Indios Chiles y Chambos (Seville, 1618 [a misprint for 1625]) : see the reprint (Madrid, 1903) by D. Victoriano Suarez, p. 9.
4 Ferrer, op. cit., pp. 137-138. a Por tanto y porque asi bien interpone los servicios del capitan Miguel de Erauso su padre, y del dicho alferez Miguel de Erauso, y de Francisco de Erauso, que sirvio en la armada de Lima con D. Rodrigo de Mendoza, y Domingo de Erauso que se fue en la armada que salio para Brasil. . . ."
s Ferrer, op. cit., pp. 130-131.
6 The convent-fees for the three daughters of Captain Miguel de Erauso, covering the expenses of 1603, were paid in 1604 : see Ferrer, op. cit., p. 132. 290
7 Ibid., p. 132.
8 Ibid., p. 133.
9 Ibid., pp. 135-143, 156-158.
10 This is her own statement, and is supported by the four officers under whom she served. In the Capitulo de una Carta de Cartagena de Indias she is said to have been known as Francisco de Loyola, " and up to the present the name has not been changed " ; and by Gil Gonzalez Davila her pseudonym is given as Pedro de Orive : see Monarquia de Espana (Madrid, 1770-1771), vol. iii. 1296.
11 The incident of the street-brawl is reported by Pietro della Valle (II Pellegrino) on the authority of Catalina herself : in her petition to the King of Spain she discreetly refers to it as "an incident which it is out of place to relate here."
In the Capitulo de una Carta de Cartagena de Indias the date of the avowal is given as July 8, 1617. This is certainly wrong, for Recio de Leon declares in two passages of his statement that Catalina de Erauso served under him in 1620.
12 Ferrer, op. cit., p. 141.
J3 This is the signature which she attached to several official documents during her stay in Spain, but her petition to the King of Spain is drawn up in the name of " El Alferez Dona Catalina de Erauso."
x« Gonzalez Davila states that Catalina u arrived at Madrid in the month of December, 1624, and came to my house, dressed as a soldier."
xs Historia de la vida y hechos del inclito monarca, amado y santo D. Felipe Tercero, 1296-130^. This posthumous work forms vol. iii. of the Monarquia de Espana already mentioned in note 10.
16 Pietro della Valle (II Pellegrino), ZV Viaggi . . .
291
Parte Terza, doe VIndia, co'l ritorno alia Patria (Roma, 1658-1663), vol. iv. p. 499. u lo sapeva gia di lei nell' India Orientale, doue m'haueua sentito parlare, che fin la era arriuata la sua fama, e piu volte ne haueua desiderate particolare informatione. . . ."
J7 Relation verdadera de las grandes hazaiias, y vale- rosos hechos en veynte y quatro anos que siruio en el Reyno de Chile y otras paries al Rey nuestro seilor, en abito de soldado . . . sacada de vn original, que dexo en Madrid en casa de Bernardino de Guzman (Madrid- Sevilla, 1625).
18 Segunda Relation de la mas copiosa y verdadera que ha salido (Madrid-Sevilla, 1625). The date is misprinted " 1615."
T9 Segunda relation de los famosos hechos que en el Reyno de Chile hizo una varonil muger sirviendo veynte y quatro anos de soldado en servicio de su Magestad el Rey nuestro Senor, en el qual tiempo tuvo muy onrosos cargos (Sevilla, 1625). This was published by Juan de Cabrera: the previous accounts were issued by Bernardino de Guzman at Madrid, and by Simon Faxardo at Seville.
20 La Monja Alferez was printed in the form of an undated suelta ; but, from the closing lines, which speak of the heroine as being at present in Rome, we may assume the play to have been written in 1626.
Donde llega la comedia
Han llegado los sucesos,
Que hoy esta el Alferez Monja
En Roma, y si casos nuevos
Dieren materia a la pluma,
Segunda parte os prometo.
In El Bachiller Trapaza Alonso de Castillo Solorzano 292
states that Luis de Belmonte Bermudez also wrote a play entitled La Monja Alferez : if so, it has been lost.
21 An eye-witness, Juan Perez de Liquendi, states that the arrest took place " in the open country near the city of Piu." I have followed Ferrer (op. cit., p. 152, «.), who identifies "Piu" as La Tour du Pin, on the road to Chamberi.
22 Ferrer, op. cit., pp. 143-155. Catalina de Erauso's declaration was actually confirmed by six persons, but only four appear to have witnessed her arrest and imprisonment.
23 The date of the visit is given as July 5, 1626, in Ferrer, op. cit., p. 122 ; but Valle himself dates the visit a month earlier.
2<* Valle, op. cit., vol. iv. pp. 499-500. " Alii 5 Giugno venne la prima volta in casa mia VAlfiere Caterina d'Arcuso Biscaina, venuta di Spagna, & arriuata in Roma appunto il giorno innanzi. Era costei vna donzella d'eta all' hora di trentacinque in quarant' anni in circa. . . . lo poi 1'ho fatta conoscere in Roma a diuerse Dame, e Caualieri, de quali assai piu, che delle Donne amaua la conuersatione. II Signor Francesco Crescentio, che sa dipinger molto bene, 1'ha ritratta di sua mano. Ella e di statura grande, e grossa per donna, che non si puo per quella cono- scere che non sia huomo : no ha petto che da giouinetta, mi disse hauer fatto no so che di rimedio per farselo seccare, e restar quasi piano . . . di viso non e ingrata, ma non bella, e si conosce essere stra- pazzata alquanto, & horamai d'eta, e con i capelli negri, e corti da huomo con vn poco di zazzeretta, com' hoggi s'vsa ; rappresenta in effetto piu un Eunucho, che vna donna : Veste da huomo alia
293
Spagnuola, porta la spada, e ben cinta, e cosi anche la vita ; ma la testa bassetta alquanto ; e com' vn poco aggobbatella, piu tosto da soldato stentato, che da cortegiano che vada su 1'amorosa vita. Alia mano solo si puo conoscere esser donna, che 1'ha pienotta, e carnosa, se bene robusta, e forte e la muoue ancora donnescamente alquanto."
The detail concerning the dispensation to wear men's clothes is taken from Ferrer, op. cit., p. 120.
2s Ferrer, op. cit., pp. 120-121. Catalina de Erauso returned on a vessel belonging to the squadron com- manded by Miguel de Echazarreta : he is stated to have been captain of the ship which took her to America some twenty-three years previously.
26 Vicente Riva Palacio, Mexico a traves de los siglos (Mexico, 1888-1896), vol. ii. p. 622.
^ The text of Catalina's letter is as follows : uQuando las personas de mi calidad entran en una casa con su nobleza, tienen asegurada la fidelidad del buen trato, y no habiendo el mio excedido los limites que piden sus partes de vm., es deslumbramiento impedirme el entrar en su casa, demas que me han certificado, que si por su calle paso, me ha de dar la muerte, y assi, yo aunque mujer pareciendole imposible a mi valor, para que vea mis bizarrias, y consiga lo que blasona, le aguardo sola detras de San Diego desde la una hasta las seis. Dona Chatherina de Erauzu."
28 Ferrer, op. a/., p. 121.
*9 Ibid., pp. 121-122. u . . . Era de buen cuerpo, no pocas carnes, color trigueno, con algunos pocos pelillos por bigote."
3° Riva Palacio, op. cit., p. 621. In an essay to which reference is made later Valon, who is followed by De Quincey, gives it to be understood that Catalina 294
was drowned off Veracruz : this is not supported by any evidence, and appears to be a wild sur- mise.
31 Relation prodigiosa de la vida y hechos de Catalina de Erauso, monja de Espatia, soldado y alferez en Lima, y traficante en Mexico, donde fallecio en el pueblo de Cuitlaxtla el ano de i6$o (Mexico, 1653).
32 Published at Madrid in 1793. Mufioz, who died in 1799, incorporates material from the then unpub- lished Historia general de las continuadas guerras y dificil conquista del gran reino y provincial de Chile by Luis Tribaldos de Toledo.
33 This copy, used by Ferrer, is now in the library of the Royal Academy of History at Madrid. Another manuscript of the work was in the possession of Sr. D. Sancho Rayon a few years ago.
34 Ferrer, op. cit., pp. xvj-xxxv.
35 By Jules Didot.
36 Revue encyclopedique ou Analyse raisonnee des pro- ductions les plus remarquables dans les sciences, les arts industriels, la litterature et les Beaux Arts. Par une reunion de Membres de PInstitut et d'autres hommes de lettres (Paris, Juillet-Septembre, 1829), vol. xliii.
pp. 742-744-
37 Histoire de la Monja-Alferez (Paris, 1830). A copy of this rarity is in the Bibliotheque Nationale.
38 Under the title of Die Nonne-Fdhnrich, oder Geschichte der Dona Catalina de Erauso, von ihr selbst geschrieben (Aachen und Leipzig, 1830). The translator, Andreas Daniel Berthold von Schepeler, had resided in Spain, and was a good Spanish scholar. He is the author of the Geschichte der Revolutions Spaniens und Portugals, und besonders des daraus entstandenen Krieges (Posen und Bamber, 1826-1827) and the Geschichte der
295
spanischen Monarchic von 1810 bis 1823 (Aachen und Leipzig, 1829-1833).
39 Musee des Families. Lectures du soir (Paris, 1839), vol. vi. pp. 303-311.
4° Revue des deux mondes, 5me serie (Paris, Fevrier 15, 1847), pp. 589-637. The article was reprinted by the author in his Nouvelles ei Critiques (Paris, 1851).
v Taifs Edinburgh Magazine (Edinburgh, 1847), vol. xiv. pp. 324-333» 369~376> 43I~44°- The three instalments appeared in the numbers for May, June, and July: there is an error in the pagination of the last instalment, which is accidentally numbered "231- 240."
42 La Ilustracion Espanola y Americana (Madrid, July 8, 1892).
43 La Nonne Alferez. Illustrations de Daniel Vierge gravees par Pri vat- Richard (Paris, 1894).
44 Ferrer (op. cit., p. 168) calculates that three years twenty-two days elapsed between the flight from the convent and the embarkation for America.
45 Ibid., pp. xxxvij-xlviij.
46 In the opening paragraph — omitted in the reprints — of the article in Tail's Edinburgh Magazine De Quincey wrote : u M. de Ferrer, a Spaniard of much research, and originally incredulous as to the facts, published, about seventeen years ago, a selection from the lead- ing documents, accompanied by his palinode as to their accuracy. His materials have since been the basis of more than one narrative, not inaccurate, in French, German, and Spanish journals of high authority. It is seldom the case that French writers err by pro- lixity. They have done so in this case. The present narrative, which contains no sentence derived from any foreign one, has the great advantage of close compres- 296
sion ; my own pages, after equating the size, being i to 3 of the shortest continental form. In the mode of narration, I am vain enough to flatter myself that the reader will find little reason to hesitate between us. Mine will, at least, weary nobody ; which is more than can always be said for the continental versions."
De Quincey implies that he had read Ferrer as well as the narratives based on Ferrer " in French, German, and Spanish journals of high authority" ; it is, however, evident that he had read nothing on the subject except Valon's article. He seems to have felt that he had gone too far, for, when reprinting his article in 1854, he made the following statement in a postscript : u I must not leave the impression upon my readers that this complex body of documentary evidence has been searched and appraised by myself. Frankly I acknowledge that, on the sole occasion when any opportunity offered itself for such a labour, I shrank from it as too fatiguing—- and also as superfluous. . . ." Professor Masson's comment is : " This seems to be De Quincey's way of saying that, to as late as 1854, he had never had an opportunity of examining the original of Kate's memoirs in M. de Ferrer's book.'' This is proved by a passage in the postscript which speaks of the published autobiography as being " mobbed and hustled by a gang of misbelieving (i.e., miscreant) critics/' headed by Ferrer. In 1854 De Quincey was still unaware that the text had been published for the first time by Ferrer himself.
47 See the preface to La Nonne Alferez, pp. v-vii.
«8 Apuntes para una biblioteca de escritoras espanolas desde el ano 1401 al 1883 (Madrid, 1903-1905), vol. i. pp. 388-392.
*9 Candido Maria Trigueros was born at Orgaz in
297
1736 ; he appears to have died in 1802, but the exact date of his death is unknown.
5° La Estrella de Sevilla, El Anzuelo de Fenisa, and Los Melindres de Belisa were recast by Trigueros under the respective titles of Sancho Ortiz de las Roelas, La Buscona, and La Melindrosa 6 los esclavos supuestos.
51 Comentarios de el desenganado de si mesmo, prueba de todos estados y election del mejor de ellos, 6 sea Vida de el mesmo autor, que lo es Don Diego Duque de Estrada (Madrid, 1860).
s2 Vida del soldado espanol Miguel de Castro, escrita por el mismo y publicada por A. Paz y Melia (Barcelona- Madrid, 1900). This forms vol. ii. of M. R. Foulche- Delbosc's Bibliotheca Hispanica.
53 Vida del Capitdn Alonso de Contreras, Caballero del hdbito de San yuan, natural de Madrid, escrita por el mismo (anos 1582 a 1633). Publicala con una intro- duction M. Serrano y Sanz (Madrid, 1900).
54 As edited by Pascual de Gayangos, it forms vol. xii. of the Memorial historico espanol.
298
NOTES TO AUTOBIOGRAPHY
299
CHAPTER I
1 It is proved that Catalina de Erauso was baptized at San Sebastian on February 10, 1592 ; from this it follows that many of the subsequent dates are wrong.
2 Three of Catalina's brothers are mentioned in the text: see Chapter VI., p. 32, and Chapter XXII., p. 127.
3 Three of Catalina's sisters entered the convent of San Sebastian el Antiguo. Mari-Juan de Erauso was professed on April 23, 1605, and died on September 21, 1655 ; Isabel de Erauso was professed on December 17, 1606, and died on January 8, 1617 ; Jacinta de Erauso was professed on November 15, 1615, and died on March 8, 1649.
4 Catalina was not born till three years after this date.
s Soror Catalina de Jesus y Aliri was professed on November 20, 1605, at which date the Madre Joana de Lozcano was prioress. Soror Catalina de Jesus y Aliri was herself prioress of the convent for fifteen years before her death, which took place on October 15, 1657. The record of her profession does not state that she was a widow.
6 Roughly speaking a real = 6Jd. A real de a ocho contained eight reales, and was worth about 45. 4d. It is represented by the dollar in the United States and Canada.
* The doblon de a dos (— 2 gold escudos) contained 23^ reales and was worth about 125. This is probably the coin mentioned in the text ; but there was also a doblon de a cuatro, worth about £i 43.
300
CHAPTER II
1 The dollar, or real de a ocho, was also called a peso de a ocho or peso de plata (besides other names which need not be given here). Later on, at about the date of Catalina de Erauso's adventures, the real de d ocho was commonly called a peso fuerte or peso duro ; this name was abbreviated during the last third of the eighteenth century, since when the coin has been known as a peso in Spanish America and as a duro in Spain.
CHAPTER III
1 Un dia de fiesta might be either a Sunday or a holiday of obligation ; but the context shows that the former is intended here.
2 According to Ferrer, apart from the actual wound, to slash a man's face — rctyar la cam, or, in nautical slang, pintar un jabeque — is a gross insult.
3 Espada in the original. " A Frenchman called his arm, 'espee'; an Englishman, l sword.' Both, when they talked of the Spaniard's sword, called it a rapier." See Mr. Egerton Castle, Schools and Masters of Fence
from the Middle Ages to the end of the eighteenth century (London, 1892), pp. 29-30.
4 The meaning no doubt is that this was the first time Catalina was imprisoned in America ; she had already spent u a longish month " in jail at Bilbao : see Chapter I., p. 7.
CHAPTER V
1 Cp. Robert Barret, The Theorike and Practike of Moderne Warres (London, 1598). In "A Table, show- So i
ing the signification of sundry forraine words, used in these discourses/' Barret writes : " Campe MaisterT in Spanish Maestro del Campo, is a Colonell : being the chiefe Commander or officer ouer one Regiment or Tertio."
CHAPTER VIII
1 A veinticuatro is a superior alderman with functions somewhat resembling those of a mayor.
2 The "native sheep of burden" is the llama, the camel of South America.
CHAPTER IX
1 It is doubtful whether the text refers to the ordinary peso duro mentioned on p. 301, n. i, or to the Peruvian peso ensayado, a weight of silver (not a coin) worth 13} reales — a little more than 73.
CHAPTER XI
1 See Chapter VIII., p. 53.
2 A fanega = no lb., and is therefore roughly equivalent to a bushel.
CHAPTER XIII
1 According to Mr. Egerton Castle, the Spanish shell dagger, corresponding to the main gauche of the French, " combined the advantages of the target, or broquel, and the dagger, and was especially convenient with heavy rapiers." That bouts played with rapier and dagger were frequent is evident from Hamlet (Act V. sc. ii.) : — 302
Osric. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is
Hamlet. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence ; but to know a man well, were to know himself.
Osric. I mean, sir, for his weapon ; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellowed.
Hamlet. What's his weapon ?
Osric. Rapier and dagger.
Hamlet. That's two of his weapons ; but, well.
As the action of Hamlet takes place long before Shakespeare's time, the passage is inappropriate ; but it records the contemporary practice at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
CHAPTER XVIII
1 The incidents recorded in this chapter are probably apocryphal : they appear to be suggested by Perez de Montalban's play, La Monja Alferez, Jornada I., Escena vi., and Jornada II., Escena viii.
CHAPTER XXIII
1 Cincuenta : probably a slip for quince (fifteen) . In the declaration made at Pamplona on July 28, 1625^ Catalina states that she was imprisoned for fourteen days.
2 Antoine de Gramont, son of Philibert de Gramont and Diane d'Andouins, la belle Corisande, the mistress of Henri IV. According to Anthony Hamilton, Henri IV. was prepared to recognise Antoine de Gramont as his son ; but this seems to be merely a proud family tradition.
303
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