THE NUN ENSIGN
THE 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
BOSTON: DANA ESTES AND
COMPANY PUBLISHERS MCMIX
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
t
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 XXI. 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 XXIII. 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 PAGE
LA MONJA ALFEREZ 145
NOTES TO INTRODUCTION ... . 289
NOTES TO AUTOBIOGRAPHY ..... 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
"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" . . . . -US
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
THOUGH many fabulous details have
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 Pe"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 mar, 6
casa real, quien quiere medrar. The roll
of Basque heroes, from Ignacio Loyola to
Tomas Zumalacdrregui, 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 Sebastidn 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. ancl 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 Le6n, acting Captain-General
of the Peruvian provinces of Tipodn and Los
Chunchos ; and Francisco Pe>ez 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 Dfaz Ramfrez 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 Sarabfa 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 Pure*n, 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:" 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 i624. J 4
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 IIL.'S and they were discussed in
the remote East Indies. 16 Her story, as
related by herself, was printed at Madrid and
Seville ; X 7 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 Prez de Montalbdn, 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. 2 3 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. 2 4
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. 2 5 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." 2 7
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 Renterfa, saw her at Veracruz in
i645. 28 Time had dealt gently with her, all
things considered. According to Rentena, 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. 2 9 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.3 1
La Monja Alferez is not one of Pe"rez 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 Historic*
del Nuevo Mundo ; 3 2 and later on this tran-
script came into the hands of Francisco
Bauzd, director of the Hydrographical Museum
at Madrid, who lent it to his friend Joaqufn
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 IVfradrid 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 Crescentio'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 mtsma, 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 Alferez. Still,
the Spanish book attracted some attention
and slowly made its way. During the autumn
of 1829 it was favourably criticised in the
Revue encycloptdique 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 Musde 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 1847.4 Three months later De Quincey
followed in Taifs Edinburgh Magazine with
an article clumsily entitled The Nautico-Mili-
tary Nun of Spain. 4* 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 ; 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 Trophies, 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 Paicabf. 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 Taifs 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 Alftrez 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^ 8 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, for, 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
Alftres ; 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, 5 * the
Vida of Miguel de Castro, 5 2 and the Vida of
Captain Alonso de ContrerasSS 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 Alfdrez 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 ha\'e 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,
5 was born in the town of San Sebastian,
in Guipiizcoa, in the year I585, 1 daughter of
Captain Don Miguel de Erauso and of Dona
Maria PeYez de Galarraga y Arce, natives and
residents of the same town. My parents
brought me up at home with my brothers 2
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
' The nuns being in choir.'
' / 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, went to my aunt's cell,
and took from it scissors, some thread, and
a needle ; I took some reales de d 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
3
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 c over roads
and skirting villages so as to get far away, and
at last reached Vitoria, which is nearly twenty
leagues distant from San Sebastidn, 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 Senor 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
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 Liicar 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
sked me into the cltoi
boy on a galleon commanded by my uncle,
my mother's first cousin, Captain Esteban
Eguino, who is now living at San Sebastian ;
and I went aboard, and we sailed from San
Lucar 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
c
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 Eguino, 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,
12
' I jumped on shore.'
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 rne 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 Panamd 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
Senora 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 Sefiora 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, Sefior 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
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
20
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.
21
CHAPTER IV. SHE GOES FROM SANA TO
TRUJILLO SHE KILLS A MAN.
I WE NT 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 came in.'
At this moment up came the Corregidor,
Don Ordono 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 who I was and where I came from,
and, hearing that I was a Biscay an, 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 there 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
29
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.
3
CHAPTER VI. SHE REACHES CONCEPCION,
IN CHILE MEETS HER BROTHER THERE
GOES TO PAICAB! 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 h^ard 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
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
35
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 Pure*n, 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 Concepci6n 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
37
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, f rancisco de
Parraga, 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 Garcfa
Rem6n, 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
39
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
' / gave him a thrust.'
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
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-
CEPCI6N TO TUCUMAN.
43
I BEGAN 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
' ll>'e 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. SHE GOES FROM Tucu-
MAN TO POTOSI.
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 L6pez 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
53
4 Shots were exchanged, they missed us,
two of them/eil."
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 Ibafiez 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. I 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
53
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 Bartolom6 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 POTOSI
TO Los CHUNCHOS.
55
AFTER leaving Potosi for Los Chunchos
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, Bartolom 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 WENT 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
C haves, esteemed as the most fmportant 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 XI. 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 I 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
Potosf, 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
In charge often thousand sheep of burden, a>i,
over a hundred Indians."
Meanwhile, having nothing to do at Las
Charcas, I went one Sunday to gamble at
a house belonging to Don Antonio Cal-
der6n, 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 rinding 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. H*e 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 paint 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. I 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
came 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
volatin (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
1 / fame fa the yilbtt.'
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 till 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 Davalos 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 Chavarn'a, 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
Lopez 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 Lopez 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 quite 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 Sefiora 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 wen\ 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,
84
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 RE ACHED 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 s6 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 Sefior 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
y 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 WE NT 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
102
1 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
' / /azV/ ^//^ 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,
V
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
Agustin 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 Quifiones. 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-barrelled pistol and made off, going
into hiding at the house of a friend I had
made there. The Corregidor 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 mos
illustrious Lordship."
roving, slew, wounded, embezzled, and roamed
about till the present moment, when I place
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
"5
direct us as to what was to be done ; and
with this, and similar reflections, the after-
noon came to an end. I retired, had a
good supper, and went to bed.
Next morning the Lord Bishop said Mass,
at which I was present ; he made his thanks-
giving, went to breakfast, and took me with
him ; he renewed his homily ai\d continued
it, and at last said that he thought my case
the most remarkable one of its kind that he
had ever heard of in his life. And he ended
by saying, "But is it really a fact?" I
replied, " Yes, my Lord ! " He answered,
" Don't think it odd that so unusual an
affair should be a strain on one's credulity.'
I said, " My Lord, I have told you the truth,
and, if a jury of matrons would set your
Lordship's doubts at rest, here I am ! " He
answered, " Well, I agree to that, and am
glad to hear you propose it." And I with-
drew, as it was his reception-time. I dined
at noon, and then rested a while. In the
afternoon, at about four, two matrons came
in, saw me, and were convinced, and after-
wards declared on oath before the Bishop
116
that they had visited me, and were duly
enabled to certify that they had found me
a maid entire, as on the day I was born.
His lordship was touched, dismissed the
midwives, sent for me, and in the presence
of the chaplain who accompanied me, stood
up and embraced me tenderly, saying, "My
daughter, I believe without a doubt all that
you have told me, and I shall believe in
future whatever you may say ; and I respect
you as one of the remarkable people in this
world, and I promise to help you so far as
I can for your own benefit, and for the service
of God." He ordered a suitable room to be
got ready for me, where I stayed comfort-
ably, preparing for my confession, which I
made as well as I could ; and after this his
Lordship gave me Communion. It seems
that the truth leaked out, and an immense
crowd gathered, it being impossible to ex-
clude important personages much to my
regret and to his Lordship's.
At last, six days later, his Lordship made
up his mind to place me in the Convent
of St. Clare at Guamanga (the only convent
117
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
118
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 pien 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, and 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 Bogotd 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
123
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
' 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 XXI 1 1. SHE LEAVES CADIZ FOR
SEVILLE, AND LEAVES SEVILLE FOR MADRID,
PAMPLONA, AND ROME ; BUT, HAVING BEEN
ROBBED IN PIEDMONT, SHE RETURNS TO
SPAIN.
M 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 fifty 1 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 Lerida,
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
135
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 sar 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. 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."
CHAPTER XXVI. FROM ROME SHE GOES
TO NAPLES.
A FTER a month and a half in Rome, I
^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 lie/end yo
LA MONJA ALF&REZ
COMEDIA FAMOSA DE
JUAN PEREZ DE MONTALBAN
N 145
PERSONAS
DON DIEGO, galan
DON JUAN
GUZMAN (LA MONJA ALF&REZ, DONA CATALINA
DE ERAUSO)
DONA ANA, dama
MIGUEL DE ERAUSO, oficial
EL NUEVO CID, alfe'rez
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
PRESOS DE LA CARCEL
LA MONJA ALFREZ
COMEDIA
JORNADA PRIMERA
ESCENA I.
GUZMAN Y MACHIN, de famine,
DONA ANA t INKS tea mantos.
DONA ANA.
No puedo enfrenar el llanto.
GUZMAN.
No lo hubiera yo emprendido
Mi bien, si hubiera entendido
Que tii 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 ? <r 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 podre"
La ausencia que te amenaza,
Que supuesto que la plaza
Yo de soldado asent,
Y en el puerto he de asistir,
Las noches que estar de posta
148
No me toque ; por la posta
A verte podr6 venir.
DONA 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 espias :
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 mf, 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 a 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 d mi deseo,
Si cuanta hacienda poseo
Me ha de costar una vista.
GUZMAN.
<iQu 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.
<; Qu6 dices de mi ventura ?
MACHIN.
Que pasa gran tempestad
Tu voto de castidad,
Entre ocasion y hermosura :
Pero Don Diego tu amigo
Viene aqui....
152
GUZMAN.
Mucho sintiera
Que a Dona Ana conociera
Si agora la vi6 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.
<iC6mo ?
GUZMAN.
De Lima me ausento
DON DIEGO.
<iQu dices?
GUZMAN.
A
Mi natural
Inclinacion es martial,
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 volvere
A veros, cuantas me de
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....
(Vase.)
MACHIN.
Yo lo hare, mas si supiera
Que tti no habias de rompellos
Por Dios que te hubiera dellos
Cortado una bigotera. (Vase.)
156
ESCENA IV.
DON DIEGO, TRISTAN.
DON DIEGO.
<j Que* te detiene Tristan ?
TRISTAN.
Solo el decirte que vf
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.}
'57
ESCENA V.
MIGUEL DE ERAUSO, (vestido de
soldado, y en jubon, abriendo una carta,
y va dentro de ella un retrato.}
MIGUEL (fee el sobrescrito y luego la carta.)
Al alferez Miguel de Erauso, mi hijo, en el puerto del
Callao, en los reinos del Peru.
Hijo, 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 anos, 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.
^C6mo 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 naci6 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 tu, retrato, si tambien del dueno,
Que representas por la semejanza,
La fealdad y engano no te alcanza,
Libra mi honor de tan infame empefio,
Verdad me informa, porque conocella
Puedo por tf, si acaso llego a vella.
Mas en diverse trage, y las facciones
Ya de los anos, del calor, del frio,
Mudadas, y en ame>icas 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 ^a 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.
^ 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 qu6 se fia?
1 60
Mas barba, amigo, y menos valentia ;
Sepa que a mi me llaman por mal nombre
El nuevo Cid, ye"! 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 CID.
Es cierto : que jamas la cortesia
Militar, permitio supercheria.
GUZMAN.
Por ese estilo sf, mostralles quiero,
Que estimo la opinion mas que el dinero ;
Todos conmigo come'ran mafiana.
EL CID.
Con eso a todos por amigos gana.
o 161
SOLD ADO.
Pues quedese esto asi ; y agora un rato
Al ocio le sirvamos este plato ;
(Saca unos naipes.)
<;Jugais Alonso de Guzman?
GUZMAN.
A todo ;
Pero mas a los dados me acocnodo.
EL CID.
Usanse poco en la region indiana.
GUZMAN.
<?A que hemos de jugar ?
EL CID.
,?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
d Guzman.)
MACHIN.
Senor soldado : diga por su vida
<; 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 ml 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.... jqu 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 mf tal diferencia
La edad, el trage, el brio y el estado :
En vano me desvela este cuidado.
MIGUEL.
Si es ella, d 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 d jugar.)
EL CID.
Mas, al caballo cuatro patacones.
MIGUEL.
Conmigo van.
EL CID.
j Que" presto viene el siete !
i Que juegue yo los naipes? j voto a Cristo!
MIGUEL.
So alfe"rez, ,mo me paga?
EL CID.
Estaba visto.
164
MIGUEL.
No estaba.
EL CID.
Yo lo digo,
Y basta.
MIGUEL.
^Pues conmigo
Habla de esa manera ?
SOLDADO.
No se espante
Que esta perdiendo.
MIGUEL.
No ha de ser bastante
Para que me hable a mf con arrogancia.
EL CID.
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: sacan todos las espadas.)
165
EL CID.
La lengua he de cortaros y la mano.
MIGUEL.
<iNo tengo espada yo, Guzman? jqu es
esto !
<:No veis que es agraviarme
Vengarme vos, pudiendo yo v^ngarme ?
GUZMAN.
Hecha donde yo estoy la demasfa,
Siempre la tomo yo por cuenta mia.
MACHIN.
Esto es hecho, alld va la Vizcaina,
Que nunca vuelve sin hacer cecina.
ESCENA VII.
LOS DICHOS, EL CASTELLANO DEL
CALLAO,
(en ciierpo con baston.)
CASTELLANO.
j Soldados, ola !
166
SOLDADO.
Este es el Castellano.
CASTELLANO.
Tenganse ; 6 j vive Dios !
EL CID.
Obedeceros
Es fuerza.
CASTELLANO.
Envainen luego los aceros.
Y cudntenme que es esto.
MIGUEL.
Ya no es nada,
Sobre palabras desnude" la espada
Con el alfe'rez.... (hdblale en secreto.)
MACHIN.
j Buena la hemos hecho !
GUZMAN (aparte).
No pude mas, enfureci6me el pecho
La ofensa de mi hermano :
Y de la sangre el impetu violento
Me arrebat6 el primero movimiento.
CASTELLANO.
Siendo asi, Nuevo Cid, dadle la mano,
Que con sacar la espada habeis quedado
Entrambos bien.
(Danse la mano el Nitevo 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 demasfa,
Eso es lo que ha de obrar mi terceria.
EL CID.
Vos lo mandais, respondo obedeciendo,
(Aparte.)
Que sois mi superior : mas yo me entiendo,
Que no estoy obligado,
Sinti6ndome agraviado,
A guardar la amistad que he prometido.
SOLDADO.
Alferez, ivais 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 alfe>ez 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 dueno, 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.
<jQu6 dices tii, senor ?
169
GUZMAN.
Que ya lo hice,
Y que gustosa me quedo la mano
Del coscorron que le asente 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 trotonerfas
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
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 respondi6 y la mano,
Al soy me/or que vos, mentis villano :
Mas con otra esperiencia,
Tengo de confirmar por evidencia
Mi sospecha, y podre" determinarme
Sin declarar mi afrenta, a declararme.
(Vase.)
ESCENA X.
DOftA ANA 6 INKS (A la ventana).
DOftA 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 priblico 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 esta que era buscar
Mi afrenta publica, 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 a la ventana
La sena.
DONA ANA.
No es menester.
GUZMAN.
<? Aqui estas hermoso duefto ?
Mi cuidado previniste.
DONA ANA.
El pecho en que amor asiste
Da breve tribute 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).
Dispar6.
DONA ANA.
Cuanta hacienda tengo yo
Tienes por tuya.
MACHIN (aparte).
Di6 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 pagar.
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.
<;Tan apriesa me despides?
DONA ANA.
No despido, antes te pido
Que no pongas en olvido
Los favores que me pides.
GUZMAN.
Me>ito es la cobardia,
Siendo tan alta la empresa.
DONA ANA.
Sin me*ritos se confiesa
Quien amando desconfia ;
Y yo que conozco en tf
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 aun ocultando el deseo
Lo acusaba de atrevido.
Solo temo, hermoso dueno,
Tu peligro en mi ventura.
DONA ANA.
La oscuridad me asegura
Y a mi padre ocupa el suefto.
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 d 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 4 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.
,; Luego yo me he de poner
En el peligro ?
MACHIN.
Pues ya :
Cuando la ocasion esta
En tus manos, <qu 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.
< ;C6mo ?
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 alcanzandome quisieron
Conocerme, y fue forzosa
Mi resistencia, y asi
Dur6 la marcial porfla,
Hasta que la luz del dia
Nos puso en paz, y de aquf
Levantare* una pendencia
Por 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 alii.
GUZMAN.
Ayudar
Mis intentos ban querido
Los cielos con la verdad,
Ven.
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.
1 80
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, DONA
ANA.
(Asdmase Dona Ana al pano^ toma la mano
a Don Diego, y este la da d 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).
\ Notable engano !
DON DIEGO (aparte).
<iQu6 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 d Ines. (Vanse.}
ESCENA XV.
MIGUEL, Y TEODORA (de ramera en
chine las].
TEODORA.
Como te digo enganada
Me trae toda la vida,
182
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, alfe"rez, le notifica
Mi intento, que el fin del caso
Quiero aguardar escondida. (Vase.]
183
ESCENA XVI.
MIGUEL.
<|Que falta para que entienda
Que es mi hermana Catalina,
Este fingido Guzman?
jQue un mozo d 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 qu
Nuestros rostros simbolizan,
<[Que indicios mas evidentes,
184
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 fingidas
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.
<r Hay en que* os sirva ?
MIGUEL.
El alf<6rez
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 osadfa,
186
Si cuantos espada empunan
En la guerra y paz afirman,
Que salir a un desaflo
Es la mayor valenda?
Mas si cuentan las historias,
Ya modernas, y ya antiguas
Tantas matronas, jamas
De humanas fuerzas vencidas,
<; Que mucho que las iguale
Una muger vizcaina,
Engendrada entre las duras
Montanas que el hierro crian?
GUZMAN.
<; D6nde estan nuestros contraries ?
Que largo trecho la vista
Del campo raso descubre,
Y no parecen.
MIGUEL.
For dicha
No han llegado ; el sitio es este.
GUZMAN (aparte).
Recelos me solicitan
De algun enganoso intento
De mi hermano, que la misma
Conciencia, aunque nadie pudo
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 :
Asent&nonos pues tarda,
(Sie'ntanse, Miguel d una parte del teatro,
y Guzman d otra lejos de 41.)
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. )
188
,; Porqu6 os asentais tan lejos ?
Que mientras vienen querria,
Que vuestra patria, y discurso
Me conteis de vuestra vida.
GUZMAN.
Desde aquf 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 d 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, alfe*rez.
MIGUEL.
<; Qu haceis, Guzman ?
GUZMAN.
No prosigan
Vuestros pies : no os acerqueis,
Porque os quitar6 la vida.
MIGUEL.
^De mi os recelais?
GUZMAN.
Si he hecho
En Espafia, y en las Indias
Mil escesos, mil injurias,
Y agravios mil, qu& 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 :
i Que s6 yo, si como mira
Los escrupulos del duelo
Tan curiosa la malicia,
Os ofendisteis de mi
Cuando pens que os servia,
Vengando en el vuestria injuria !
Pues en la pendencia misma
De este sentimiento disteis
Senales 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 declard, perdone
La sangre, que solo estriba
En el acero el remedio.
(A Miguel)
Sospecho que se os olvidan
Las hazafias 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 d vengarme
192
Y d que el fuerte acero esgrima.
(Acuchttlanse?)
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 ojald 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 qiie da d Machin.)
INES.
Esta, Machin, es la carta
Para tu seftor.
MACHIN.
Ines
Solo falta que me des,
Para que aliviado parta
Esos brazos.
INES.
Yo os los doy
Con el alma.
MACHIN.
Aprieta mas.
ss.
<?A1 fin d Chile te vas?
INES.
MACHIN.
Al fin a Chile me voy
A ser nuevo paladin :
Mas tente que si el amor
No me engafia, es mi sefior
El que estoy viendo.
ESCENA II.
GUZMAN, MACHIN 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 seftora
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 a buscar contigo
La vida, 6 sin tf 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, senor, di,
<? Pasan los dias por ti ?
Con un palmo de bigote
Te imaginaba, <;y te vienes
Tras la ausencia de tres afios,
Calvo de barba? <jqu6 banos,
Que" ungiientos, qu6 drogas tienes
Para no barbar ? que quiero
Verme libre de una vez,
De irle d entregar la nuez,
Cada semana d un barbero.
GUZMAN.
Machin, si tengo de hacello,
Prociiralo merecer,
Porque no lo has de saber
Mientras me tratares dello.
MACHIN.
^ De modo, que lo diras
Si no lo pregunto ?
GUZMAN.
SL
MACHIN.
Pues digo que desde aqui
No lo pregunto jamas ;
Pero ya tu hermosa amante
A recibirte se ofrece.
ESCENA IV.
GUZMAN, MACHIN, DOfiA ANA 6
INKS.
(Guzman va d abrazar d Dona Ana, y esta
le deliene.)
GUZMAN.
Si tus abrazos merece
Senora, un amor constante. . . .
DONA ANA.
Detente, Guzman.
GUZMAN.
< Qu^ es esto ?
DONA ANA.
Solos nos dejad los dos.
199
INKS.
Vamos, Machin.
MACHIN.
Vive Dios,
Que la larga ausencia ha puesto
Muy mal acondicionado
Este juro, y no querria,
Que tii tambien, Ines mfa,
La finca hubieses mudado. (Vanse.)
ESCENA V.
GUZMAN, DOftA ANA.
GUZMAN.
Ya estamos solos agora,
,; Podr merecer los brazos,
Cuyos amorosos lazos
Firmemente el alma adora,
Tras tanta ausencia Dona Ana?
DONA ANA.
Escucha primero el dafio
De que fue causa un engafio,
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 e"!
Lo que agora has de escuchar :
Porque el remedio te toca,
Como en el caso verds,
Que de otra suerte jamas
Rompiera el sello a la boca.
GUZMAN.
Senora, el siguiente dia
De esta noche que por tf,
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 rifiendo en e*l,
Fue el alfe"rez desdichado
Mas que yo, pues de una herida
Penetrante que le di,
Entre la sangre le vf
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 61
En Arauco, a donde huyendo
Llegu6 al fin y no escribi,
Senora, a Machin, ni a ti
En muchos meses, temiendo
Que descubrirme podrian
Las cartas, que los discretes
Nunca importantes secretes
De fragil nema confian ;
Hasta que despues sabiendo
3O2
Que sanando de la herida
Miguel de Erauso, y la vida
De una enfermedad perdiendo,
Llegue", Dona Ana, a tener
Seguridad, y con esto
Me dispuse lo mas presto
Que pude venirte a ver.
Estos han sido los pasos
De mi ausencia y mis enojos,
Que la gloria de tus ojos
Me han impedido estos casos.
Cuenta agora confiada
Los tuyos, pues ofrecida
Tengo d 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, abrf, y dos hombres
Halle* parados en ella.
Tu, y Machin, trades dos ;
203
<jQuin 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 deshonrk
Confesarle mi flaqueza.
Si resisto, si doy voces,
Si llamo d mi padre, es cierta,
Como su agravio, mi muerte,
Como mi culpa su afrenta ;
Demas que su edad caduca,
Y en sus ya d^biles fuerzas,
Dos hombres, cuya osadia
Se conoce en la que intentan,
^Qu6 muerte no ejecutaran?
Y mas donde las tinieblas
Facilitan su delito,
Y aseguran su defensa.
Al fin tras discursos varies,
Si discurre quien se anega,
Y camina quien sin luz
Tropieza en troncos y penas ;
206
For menor dano tuvieron
Mis temores, que me hiciera
No entendida del engano,
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,
Legitim 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 sefial 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 basto, a quitarle
Unos guantes, porque es fuerza
Contentarse con la suerte,
Donde la eleccion se niega.
Mas por aumentar mis males
Te obligo 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 309
A mi el agravio, me fuerza
Mas que a remediar el dafio,
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.
I 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 oculte",
Y con la misma advertencia
Ines, en desconociendo
El companero, refrena
210
Los labios, no s6 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 qui6n 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 ac he enloquecido:
Mas idos con Dios Don Juan,
Porque Alonso de Guzman
212
Que me dicen ha venido
Voy d ver.
DON JUAN.
Yo no ire
Por 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 llegue
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 a deberme quedais.
GUZMAN.
Si hemos de apostar los dos
A finezas, yo querria
Que me dij trades antes,
Que" hicisteis de aquellos guantes,
Que cuando d servir partia
Al punto, por prenda os df
De amistad, y de memoria.
DON DIEGO.
<; 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 afios pudieron,
Ni del barbaro enemigo
La batalla mas renida
Y sangrienta, hacer jamas,
Que no defendiese mas
Estas plumas, que esta vida.
DON DIEGO.
Si estuviera el defender,
El conservar y estimar
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.)
i 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
ai6
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 engano a otra esperanza.
DON DIEGO (aparte).
\ Qu6 escucho ! j qu6 se ha sabido
Por los guantes el secreto ! . . .
j Causa de tan grande efeto
Indicio tan leve ha sido !
El yerro ha estado en decir
Que los perdf, pues con eso
Conforma en parte el suceso :
Mas ni pude prevenir
El dano de confesallo,
Ni advert! que los perdf
La noche que cometf
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 s6 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 1 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 qu6 teneis
Soy yo.
DON DIEGO.
Guzman, j qu decis !
GUZMAN.
Que yo soy d 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 condition
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 admirame, 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 dafia 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 determin6
A las obras, y os abri6
Como aqui me confesais,
Y prob con la esperiencia,
La puerta?
GUZMAN.
<r 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 perdi6,
Que si a vos, Guzman, os dio
Nombre de marido suyo,
Y aquella noche os abria
Su casa, con esa fe,
<iC6mo 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 ^ sereis
Su esposo?
DON DIEGO.
<j Como 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, 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 soy lo prometo.
GUZMAN.
Sabed pues, Don Diego amigo,
Que yo soy muger.
DON DIEGO.
<i Muger ?
Valor que supo veneer
En campana 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 adocais
A Dona Ana ^he 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 engafio, 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 ; <; mas c6mo
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 en 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 musicas compuestas.
Pero mis padres mirando
En mi condicion tan fiera,
En un convento que es freno
De semejantes soberbias,
Me metieron. j Ay, Don T)iego !
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 anos, 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,
Troqu6 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,
Tenidndome 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 ausent6 de alia, y parti
A la ciudad a quien besa
El Betis los altos muros,
237
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 Espafia 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 paso 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 ano sus favores,
Y al cabo de 1 representa
Vuestro amor, el sentimiento
De que yo la adore y quiera.
Dej6 a Lima, fuime al puerto,
Para que vos con mi ausencia
Gozasedes mas favores,
Aunque aquella noche mesma
La volvi a ver, y esta vista
Fue causa que vuestra sea,
Con el engano, 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 principle 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 dejard 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 precise 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 morir 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 remedies 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 morird 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 noc he.}
EL CID (aparte).
6l es, y viene solo, y pues la suerte
Despues de tanto tiempo a su castigo
La ocasion me dispone ; con su muerte
Mi afrenta vengare\...jMuere enemigo!
(Sacan las espadas, acuchillanse y entranse.}
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,
Dejame 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 i\ lo dice, con & hablo.
MONROY.
Ocana, ^enganate el diablo
O estas borracho?
OCANA.
Monroy,
Ni he bebido, ni me engana.
MONROY.
Triste, ^quieres que te mate?
OCANA.
j Que gracioso disparate !
MONROY.
Ala, doblen por Ocana.
(Acuchillanse con ter dados, y mttese en medio
Peromato sin terciado.}
ESCENA X.
LOS DICHOS, MOTRIL Y JARAVA,
(presos).
MOTRIL.
^ 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 e*l negara, no muriera,
For mas indicios que hubiera.
MONROY.
<j Que" es eso, Motril ?
MOTRIL.
No es nada.
Mat6 al Nuevo Cid Guzman,
Prendie"ronle y al momento
Sin tocar el instrumento
Cant6 como un sacristan.
OCA&A.
Yo apostare* que al probete
Le dan luego su recado,
Que al virey tienen cansado
Los delitos que comete,
Y querrd abreviar con e"l.
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 cortfesado
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 querri
Hacer gran demostracion.
ESCENA XII.
LOS DICHOS, Y MACHIN, (ttorando.)
MACHIN.
j Ay amo de mis entranas !
^ C6mo es posible que plugo
236
A los cielos, que un verdugo
Oscurezca tus hazafias?
DON DIEGO.
fQue 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
Dl 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,
Dir que es monja profesa
Y pondra su potestad
237
Secular, impedimento :
Pues stendolo, 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 escrupulos 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.
iA 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 obstinado pecho
Dice, j qua* 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.
239
ESCENA XIV.
GUZMAN, MACHIN, UN ALCALDE,
Y UN RELIGIOSO.
ALCALDE.
Vistase la ropa, amigo.
GUZMAN. '*
<; Qu6 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].
i 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 ano mas de tizones.
240
RELIGIOSO.
j Que" terrible obstinacion !
GUZMAN (aparte).
Por no parecer muger
Todo lo quiero perder
Fuera del alma.
(Dentro toctos.)
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.
i Muger yo ?
Miente...mande su escelencia
T 241
Ejecutar la sentencia,
Que Don Diego le engan6
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.
^ Para que" 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 refiri6 mi boca :
Juridicas esperiencias
Licitas, por ser forzosas,
De que es muger el Alfe"rez
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 liltima 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,
344
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 a Espafta 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 basquinas y ropa.
Halla propicio a Neptuno,
Llega a la arena espanola,
Que a las columnas de Alcides
Cerr6 el paso, y dio memoria.
Por el habito indecente
El obispo la aprisiona ;
Mas informado despues
De sus hazanas 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.
Dfcenme 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 engafio, 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 Alfe>ez,
Que asi la llaman agora,
A la dama por quien muero
Voy a 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 AlfeVez Monja
Cuenta de como los cielos
Nuestros intentos conforman.
Estaba presa, y ya en trage
De muger, y hablando d solas,
347
Le doy alegre la nueva
De mis concertadas bodas ;
Mas ella j quten tal pensara !
Cuando espero que responda
Dandome mil parabienes,
Quiere que mis males oiga,
Dicidndome estas palabras :
Ya yo, Don Diego, soy otra,
Que fuf, 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 obligo
A que en favor suyo rompa
La ley de vuestra amistad,
248
Y a engafiaros 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 trasforma,
Si el rostro fatal le ensena
La Gorgona encantadora,
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 4 Madrid, y d Madrid
Llega tambien, y sus obras,
Palabras, y pensamientos,
De tal suerte se conforman
En quererme, en obligarme,
Y en persuadirme que sola
Resistiera d sus combates,
La deidad que honor se nombra :
Pasando prolijos dias
En batalla tan penosa,
Su amor, y mi resistencia,
Encuentro d Machin agora,
Refireme lo que yo
Ignoraba de esta historia,
Despues que triste parti
De la America, 4 la Europa.
Diceme que est& 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 AlfeYez Monja
Alumbre con la verdad
Mi confusion tenebrosa :
Que tan constante porfia,
Y tan tiernamente llora
Mi triste amante, afirmando,
Que la Monja Alfe"rez sola
Sus favores mereci6
Que a las insensibles rocas
Persuadird, cuanto mas,
A quien como yo la adora.
Mueva a piedad mi desdicha,
Y al fin de vuestra persona
251
La autoridad, que ha de ser
La causa mas poderosa.
VIZCONDE.
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 esperanzas.
VIZCONDE.
Yo quiero,
Hablarla a solas primero,
Que vos con ella os veais.
DON DIEGO.
Pues la brevedad, sefior,
Os pido.
VIZCONDE.
Bien se" Don Diego
Que no permiten sosiego
Puntos de honor y de amor. (Panst.)
252
ESCENA II.
GUZMAN Y MACHIN.
GUZMAN (rompiendo unos naipes).
\ Ah sota ! <: qu juegue yo ?
j Voto a Dios !
MACHIN.
Vota y re mega,
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 a Don Diego he encontrado?
GUZMAN.
j A Don Diego ! <; y que" te dijo ?
253
MACHIN.
Que le contase tus casos
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 despidi6.
GUZMAN.
,;Y del engano
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,
Por haberme tii mandado
Que negase los amores
De Dona Ana, halld 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,
<: No me diras hasta cuando
A Dona Ana y a Don Diego,
Has de hacer tan graves daflos?
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 engano :
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 pedf.
(Vase el criado.)
Sabed, Alferez Erauso,
Que un consejero real
A quien la fama ha llevado
Nuevas de vos, quiere veros.
GUZMAN.
j Qu ha de verme ! <? soy acaso
Algun monstruo nunca visto,
O la fiera que inventaron
Que con letras y con armas
Se vi6 en el reino polaco ?
^ No ha visto un hombre sin barbas ?
MACHIN.
j Hombre !...<; que tii has olvidado
Sin duda el memento mulier
De aquel mongil trinitario,
Que te pusieron en Lima?
SEBASTIAN.
Ser una muger soldado,
Y una monja alfdrez, es
El prodigio mas estrano
Que en estos tiempos se ha visto ;
Y al fin en siendo mandato
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 gofye.}
GUZMAN.
Aparta loco.
MACHIN.
j Mai ano
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.
AlfeVez, determinaos
Que esto importa.
GUZMAN.
Si os he dicho,
Y os dice mi vida, cuanto
Mi propio ser aborrezco ;
Si de mis padres y hermanos
Troque^ la amada presencia
For el inddmito Arauco ;
Si recibf mil heridas,
Y si de Miguel Erauso
Mi mismo hermano vertio
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, ^ 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, AlfeVez, 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 qu6 desacato
Se hace a su autoridad,
Si ya por ella el vicario
De Madrid me tuvo presa,
Y por haberse informado
De mis hazanas, 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 anos,
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 <jque hay que ver?
<; Es por ventura milagro
Ver una muger vestida
De muger ?
SEBASTIAN.
Si, cuando ha dado
Tanta materia a la fama,
Con hechos tan senalados,
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
(QuUase la capa con rabia.}
Tan resuelto y arrojado :
(A Mackin.)
Dame ese manteo.
SEBASTIAN.
Agora
Me pones al rostro un clavo.
MACHIN.
j Que" bien haces ! no porfies,
Que a un tal Roque preguntando
Que porqu de las mugeres
Piiblicas, gustaba tanto,
Dijo, por no porfiar.
GUZMAN.
Acaba.
SEBASTIAN.
^ Quieres acaso
Vestirte sobre la espada?
263
GUZMAN.
Estoy tan acostumbrado....
(Quitase la espada, y pdnese 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 ! <; qu he de volver ?
,? No veis que me viene largo ?
264
MACHIN.
Pues ponerte los chapines.
GUZMAN.
j Chapines ! <; estas borracho ?
(Suenan dentro cuckilladas.)
DENTRO.
Dete"nganse caballeros.
OTRO.
Vive Dios, que he de mataros.
GUZMAN.
^ Qu6 es aquello ?
MACHIN.
Cuchilladas.
GUZMAN.
Pese las faldas....
(Sttelta el manteo, coge la espada y la
desenvaina.)
MACHIN.
Andallo.
SEBASTIAN.
Aguardad.
GUZMAN.
j Que he de aguardar !
Todo es cansarme y cansaros,
265
Lo que no puedo conmigo,
Necedad es intentarlo.
SEBASTIAN.
,;D6nde vais ?
MACHIN.
<j 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 Alfe"rez Monja,
Quiere en todo hallar lisonja
Porque d ampararle se inclina,
Lo mismo le ha respondido.
266
DONA ANA.
<;Que aun estd firme en su engano ?
,; Que* me haga tan to dano,
Sin haberla yo ofendido?
Si tan conocida injuria,
Sin justa pena dejais
j Cielos ! ; para quin 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 escrupulos 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 ocasioh que hurte"
Era el dueno, 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,
Quej'ate 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 tii 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.
Tii 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 retrat6
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 a mf.
Luego indicio es verdadero,
De que no intento engaftar,
Obligarla declarar
La verdad con tal tercero.
DONA ANA.
<; Luego tii 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 eseonde
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 estim6,
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, DON 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.
Justo es
Que te sirva.
271
DONA ANA.
El manto, Ines,
Que de ofendida me abraso. (Vanse.)
ESCENA VL
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 d S. M. que conozco Catalina de
Erauso de mas de diez y ocho anos esta parte, que en
habito de hombre, y soldado le ha servido en Chile,
mas de diez y siete en las compamas 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 & 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 de 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 nrma 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 companias
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.
<;A 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,
DORA ANA 6 INKS (con mantos).
DON JUAN.
Aqui esta ; Alferez Guzman
Bien debeis a mi deseo
Los brazos.
MACHIN.
<; Que es lo que veo ?
<; 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 C6mo te llegas a mi
Testigo falso !...
MACHIN.
Un criado,
,? Qu ha de hacer siendo mandado ?
DONA ANA.
Guzman, ^ conoceisme ?
GUZMAN.
Si:
Bien te conozco, Dona Ana.
DONA ANA.
^ Pues c6mo 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 ?
i Que no hay Dios, que no hay justicia ?
Di que* intento te ha obligado
Para haber ejecutado
Tan detestable malicia?
<?Verdad tan averiguada,
No la diran los que ves
277
Que la saben ? habla Ines,
Habla Machin....
MACHIN.
No s 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
Que" ha de hacer siendo mandado?
MACHIN.
No se* nada.
GUZMAN.
Tus porfias
No han 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].
i Quien podra determinar
Cual miente aqui de los dos ?
Pero Don Diego ha llegado.
MACHIN (aparte].
Gracias a Dios que esta vez
Se acabara la prenez
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 dafios 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, 1 vengo
A hacerlo, Alfe"rez.
GUZMAN.
Sintiera
En el alma irme sin veros.
DON DIEGO.
Hablad, pues, que ya os escucho.
GUZMAN.
^ 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 Hbrarme, 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 movi6
De casaros el deseo,
Quise con aquel engafio
Impediros el efeto,
Y el fruto que conseguir
Pensastes de haberlo hecho :
Hasta que vi^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 a Don Diego con un baston ; y sacan
las espadas.)
DON DIEGO.
jAh vil!
MACHIN.
<; No lo dije yo ?
DONA ANA.
jAy de mi!
(Mttese Don Juan por medio.)
DON JUAN.
<? Qu haceis Don Diego ?
DON DIEGO.
Castigar una muger
Atrevida.
DON JUAN.
Si vos mismo
Decis que es muger, <; que* afrenta
Una 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.
i Qu es esto ?
Seftor Don Diego, aguardad ;
< Sois hombre ? <; sois caballero ?
J 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.
GUZMAN.
j QUC" es muger L.tanta muger...
Tratadme, vizconde, menos
De muger, que perdere^
Sobre ello al mundo el respeto.
VIZCONDE.
Si lo eres, <? de qu6 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.
;Qud tigre te di6 alimento
Que a la que tanto le debes
Tantos agravios has hecho
Cruel?
GUZMAN.
Escucha, senora,
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 engafio
Le impidid 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,
(Arrodfllase.)
Rindie"ndome a vuestros pies,
Y confesdndome 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 tf misma, que venciendo
EjeVcitos de enemigos.
VIZCONDE.
Pues con aquesto, y pidiendo
Perdon, tenga fin aquf
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 POT 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 hazanas 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. " 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, I56-I5 8 -
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.
'3 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 " arrived at
Madrid in the month of December, 1624, and came to
my house, dressed as a soldier."
*s Historia de la vida y hechos del inclito monarca,
amado y santo D. Felipe Tercero, 1296-1300. This
posthumous work forms vol. iii. of the Monarquia de
Espana already mentioned in note 10.
16 Pietro della Valle (II Pellegrino), De' Viaggi . . .
291
Parte Terza, doe V India, co'l ritorno alia Patria (Roma,
1658-1663), vol. iv. p. 499. " 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. . . ."
J 7 Relation verdadera de las grandes hazanas, y vale-
rosos hechos en veynte y quatro afios que siruio en el
Reyno de Chile y otras paries al Rey nuestro senor, en
abito de soldado . . . sacada de vn original, que dexo
en Madrid en casa de Bernardino de Guzman (Madrid-
Sevilla, 1625).
18 Segunda Relacion de la mas copiosa y verdadera que
ha salido (Madrid-Sevilla, 1625). The date is misprinted
" 1615."
'9 Segunda relacion 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 Sefior, 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. '/.,
p. 152, w.), who identifies " Piu " as La Tour du Pin,
on the road to Chamberi.
aa Ferrer, op. a'/., 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.
2 3 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.
Valle, op. '/., 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
Signer Francesco Crescentio, che sa dipinger molto
bene, Pha 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.
2 s 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.
2(5 Vicente Riva Palacio, Mexico a traves de los siglos
(Mexico, 1888-1896), vol. ii. p. 622.
2 7 The text of Catalina's letter is as follows : "Quando
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 bizarrfas, y consiga lo que blasona, le
aguardo sola detras de San Diego desde la una hasta las
seis. Dona Chatherina de Erauzu."
38 Ferrer, op. cit., p. 121.
2 9 Ibid., pp. 121-122. " . . . 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
394
was drowned off Veracruz : this is not supported
by any evidence, and appears to be a wild sur-
mise.
3* Relation prodigiosa de la vida y hechos de Catalina
de Erauso, monja de Espana, soldado y alferez en Lima,
y traficante en Mexico, donde falletio en el pueblo de
Cuitlaxtla el ano de i6$o (Mexico, 1653).
3 s Published at Madrid in 1793. Munoz, who died
in 1799, incorporates material from the then unpub-
lished Historia general de las continuadas guerras y
diftcil conquista del gran reino y provincias 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. '/., pp. xvj-xxxv.
35 By Jules Didot.
3 6 Revue encyclopedique ou Analyse raisonnee des pro-
ductions les plus remarquables dans les sciences, les arts
industriels, la literature el 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-
& Histoire de la Monja- Alferez (Paris, 1830). A copy
of this rarity is in the Bibliotheque Nationale.
3 8 Under the title of Die Nonne-Fahnrich, oderGeschichte
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, 5 me serie (Paris, Fevrier 15,
1847), pp. 589-637. The article was reprinted by the
author in his Nouvelles et Critiques (Paris, 1851).
4* Tail's Edinburgh Magazine (Edinburgh, 1847),
vol. xiv. pp. 324-333, 369-376, 431-440. 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 u 231-
240."
v La Ilustracion Espanola y Americana (Madrid, July
8, 1892).
La Nonne Alferez. Illustrations de Daniel Vierge
gravees par Privat- 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.
4 6 In the opening paragraph omitted in the reprints
of the article in Tail's Edinburgh Magazine De Quincey
wrote : " 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.
4 8 Apuntes para una biblioteca de escritoras espanolas
desdc el ano 1401 al 1883 (Madrid, 1903-1905), vol. i.
PP. 388-392-
49 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.
3 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.
s 1 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).
s 2 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.
S3 Vida del Capitdn Alonso de Contreras, Caballero del
hdbito de San Juan, natural de Madrid, escrita por el
mismo (anos 1582 a 1633). Publicala con una intro-
duction M. Serrano y Sanz (Madrid, 1900).
s* As edited by Pascual de Gayangos, it forms vol. xii.
of the Memorial historico espanol.
NOTES TO AUTOBIOGRAPHY
*99
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.
* Catalina was not born till three years after this
date.
5 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 = 6d. A real de a ocho
contained eight reales, and was worth about 43. 4d. It
is represented by the dollar in the United States and
Canada.
7 The doblon de a dos (= 2 gold escudos) contained
23^ reales and was worth about 123. This is probably
the coin mentioned in the text ; but there was also
a doblon de a cuatro, worth about i 45.
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
a ocho was commonly called a pesofuerte 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.
a According to Ferrer, apart from the actual wound,
to slash a man's face rayar la cam, or, in nautical
slang, pintar un jabeque is a gross insult.
3 Espada in the original. " A Frenchman called his
arm, ' esp6e ' ; an Englishman, ' 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.
* The meaning no doubt is that this was the first
time Catalina was imprisoned in America ; she had
already spent " 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-
301
ing the signification of sundry forraine words, used
in these discourses," Barret writes : " Campe Maister r
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.
a The "native sheep of burden" is he 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, . i, or to the
Peruvian peso ensayado, a weight of silver (not a coin)
worth 13^ reales a little more than js.
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.
* 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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