FIve Leagues off from the City of Sivill , there is a Towne called Castilblanco , and into one , of those many Innes which it hath , about the shutting in of the day when night was drawing on , entred a Travaylour , a stranger to that place , mounted upon a very handsome Nag , he had no servant attending on him , and without staying that any should hould his Stirrup , with great nimblenes he dismounted himselfe . The Hoste of the house made all the haste he could unto him , ( who was a diligent man and carefull to give his Guests content ) but for all the speed he made he came not in soone enough ; in so much that this Travaylour was already lighted from his horse , and had sate him down upon a bench which was in the court , where falling a pace to the unbuttoning of his doublet his armes fell presently one one way , and another another giving a manifest signe and token of fainting , and swouning . The Hostesse who was a charitable woman , ranne forth unto him , and sprinkling his face with cold water made him come againe to himselfe ; and he making show that it did much trouble him that they had seene him in this taking , returned to the buttoning up of his doubtlet , intreating that they would presently bring him to a lodging whither he might with draw himselfe , and that if it were possible hee might be all alone . His Hostesse told him that shee had no more but one emptie in all the house , and that that too had two beds in it , and that shee must be constrayned if any other Guests should come thither that night , to accommodate him in the one of those two beds ▪ Whereunto this our Travaylour replyed , that hee would pay her for both the beds , whether any guest came or not ; and putting his hand into his Pocket , and taking out a Crowne in gold , he gave it unto his Hostesse , but with this condition , that she should not let any one lye in the spare bed . His Hostesse was no whit displeased with her pay , but rather willingly offered her selfe to doe that which hee desired : yea , though the Deane himselfe of Sevill should come that night to her house . Then did shee aske him , whether he would suppe or no ? he told her no ; onely hee entreated her that there might be an especiall care taken of his Nag ▪ He called for the key of the chamber , and carrying up with him his Portmanteau , he entred thereinto , and shutting the doore after him , hee turned the key and lockt it . And to make the surer worke ( by that which afterwards appeared ) hee had set two Chayers against it . He had scarce shut himselfe up in his Chamber , but that mine Hoste and Hostesse , and the Ostler and two other of their neighbours which were there by chance , layd their heads together ( as if they had beene so many grave Counsellours ) and began to talke and discourse of the great beauty and sprightfull disposition of this their new guest , all of them concluding that they had never in all their lives seene a fayrer or more beautifull Creature . Then fell they to the reckoning up of his age , and their resolution was , that it was about 16. or 17. yeares or much thereabouts . Much prattle they had about it , too and fro , off and on , and more particularly , what might be the cause of that his fainting and swouning ? But because that was beyond their reach , they rested contented being rapt with admiration and wonder of his rare proportion , and comlinesse of person . The neighbours went away to their owne house , the Hoste to take care of the Nag , and the hostesse to make ready something for supper for such other guests as might happily come . And it was not long before another entred , somewhat but not much elder then the former , and of no lesse metall and spirit , and the hostesse had even scarce seene him , when shee brake out into this exclamation ; God blesse me , what a strange thing is this ? Are Angels come this night to lodge in my house ? Why say you so sayd this new come gentleman to the hostesse ? Sir sayd shee , I do●… not say that for naught ; onely I say unto you , that you will be pleased to spare your selfe the labour of a lighting , because I have never a bed for you ; for those two which I had , a gentleman that lodgeth in that Chamber there , hath taken them up , and hath payd mee for both , though hee hath neede but of one , because he will have none to be with him in his Chamber . And it seemeth hee loveth solitarinesse and shunneth company , but why and wherefore I know not : for he hath such a face and disposition as ought not to be hidden , but that all the world should both see and prayse it . Is he such and so handsome ( mine hostesse ) as you speake him to be ? ( replyed the gentleman ) such ? ( quoth mine hostesse ) yes much more then such , since onely he is such . Thereupon the gentleman replyed , though I sleepe all night on the bare floore , I am resolved to see this curious peece by you so highly commended , and calling to his man , who came along with him , willing him to holde his ●…tirrup hee allighted , and gave order to have his supper made ready as soone as possibly they could , which was done in a trice : And whilst hee was sitting at supper , comes me in an Alquazil of the Towne , ( as ordinarily they use to doe in little Villages , ) and sate him downe by this gentleman to converse with him , and keepe him company till he had made an end of his supper , and betweene whiles hee did not ( for all his discoursing ) forbeare to trill downe three good goblets of Wine , and tire upon the braines and cradle of a Partridge which the gentleman gave him , which kindnesse the Alquazil thought he had requited to the full by asking him , what newes at Court ? how the warres went on in Flanders ? and whether the Turk were not making great preparation for his comming downe into Christendome ? not forgetting to question him touching Transilvania , how things stood there , &c. The gentleman had by this time supt , and was silent all the while , because hee was unaquainted with those passages , and therefore could not satisfie him in those his demands . Now likewise by this time had mine hoste ended the provendring of the Nag , and came and sate himselfe downe to make a third in this their conversation , and to fall a tasting of his owne wine , gulping downe no lesse then the Alquazil , and after every cup that hee tooke he would wry his head ; and laying it on his left shouder , and highly commending the wine , sayd that it carried him into the Clouds , though hee durst not stay any long time in them , least hee should have too much water in his wine . And ever and anon he fell a reiterating the prayses of his guest that had shut up himselfe , telling them of his swouning , and that he would have nothing to his supper , exaggerating all things in an excessive kinde of manner . Hereunto hee added what Portmanteu hee had , and the goodnesse of his Nag , and what a daintie riding sute ; all which did require that hee should not travaile thus without a man to waite upon him . All these exaggerations did stirre up a new desire in the other to have a sight of him , and intreated his hoste that he would by one meanes or other so bring the businesse about , that he might get into the chamber and lye in that other bed , and that he would give him a Crowne in Gold for his paines . And although the greedinesse of gaine had already wrought the effect even upon mine Hosts will , yet he found it was not seasonable by reason that hee had shut in himselfe , neither durst he awaken him out of his sleepe , having likewise considered with himselfe , that he had payd well for both the beds ; all which rubs the Alquazil did remove , making the way very facile and easie : Telling them that which may , and is to be done , is this , I will knock at the doore , saying that I am the Iustice , & that by the command of my master the Alcalde I was willed to bring this gentleman to lodge in this Inne , and that there being no other bed for him , his will and pleasure was that hee should have that ; whereupon mine Hoste must reply , aggravating the great wrong and injury that is done him , being that he had rented the chamber and bed of him , and that there was no reason in the world why hee should not freely enjoy that which hee was possest of , and had payd so well for it ; so by this meanes mine hoste shall be blamelesse , and your worship shall obtaine your purpose . This plot of the Alquazil was very well liked and approved by all of them . And the gentleman who had a longing desire to see this rare Iewell , inclosed as it were in a case , gave the Alquazil foure Royalls in Requitall of his readinesse to doe him this desired service . Whereupon he presently puts his plot in execution , and in conclusion the first guest shewing great risentment , removing the chayres and unlocking the doore , opened it to the Iustice : And the second guest craving pardon of the wrong which hee might conceive hee had done him , went and layd him downe in the leere bed . But the other returned him not so much as one word in answer thereunto , much lesse would he suffer him to see his face , for he had scarce opened the doore , but he hy'de himselfe with all the haste hee could to his bed , and turning his face to the wall , that hee might not answer him , made as though hee were asleepe : the other also betooke him to his rest , hoping in the morning when they were to get up to accomplish his desire ; The nights were of those long and large ones of December , and the coldnesse of the weather and the wearinesse of their journey , might inforce Travailours to procure to them passe over with sweete repose . But because the first guest knew not what ease or rest was , anon after midnight he began to sigh so grievously , that with every sigh he seemed to send his soule from out his body , and so deepely were they fetcht from the heart roote , that though the second guest were fast asleepe , he could not chuse but be wakened with the pitifull sound of the complainant . And wondring at the sobs and throbs , wherewith hee accompanied those his sighs , he attentively set himselfe to listen unto that , which to his seeming hee whispered and muttered to himselfe . The roome was darke , and the beds in a good distance the one from the other , yet notwithstanding all this , he came to heare amongst other his discoursings , these insuing , which with a weake and feeble voyce were uttered by the first afflicted guest .

Ah me ! of all other I most unfortunate ! Whither doth the unresistable force of my destiny carry me ? what course is this which I runne ? or what hope have I to part out of this intricate Laberinth wherein I finde my selfe ? O my few and ill expired yeares , incapable of all good consideration , and counsell . What end will this my unknowne perigrination have ? O my contemned and despised honour , how lightly have I set by thee ? O my ill requited love ! O how have I troden under foote the respects that I owed to my noble Parents and kinsfolke ! And ah mee , a thousand and a thousand times that I have with so loose a reyne suffered my selfe to be carryed away by my desires ! O yee feigned words , which did sotruly and really obleige me , that by my workes and deeds I should correspond with you ! But alas poore miserable perplexed wretch that I am , of whom doe I complaine ? To whom doe I make my moane ? Am not I the person that was so willing to deceive my selfe ? Am not I the partie that tooke the knife with mine owne hands , wherewith I did cut off my credit and throw it on the ground , and together therewith the reputation and worth of my ancient parents ? O faithlesse Marco Antonio , how is it possible that in those sweete words which thou uttredst unto me , the gall should bee mingled of thy discourtesies and disdaines ? O thou ungratefull where art thou ? whither forgetfull of me , art thou gone ? Answere me , for I speake unto thee ; uphold me , for I am ready to fall , pay me that which thou owest me ; relieve me in my distresse since I have so many wayes obleiged thee unto me . Having sayd this shee was silent ; manifesting by her sighes and groanes that her eyes did not cease to shower downe teares in aboundance . All which this second guest lay listning unto with a still and quiet silence ; collecting by those discourses which he had heard , that without doubt it was a woman that did thus complaine and be wayle her wretched condition ; which served as a coale to kindle the more the desire he had of knowing her ; and he had often resolved with himselfe to goe on to her bed , being fully perswaded shee was a woman . And doubtlesse he had done it , if in that very instant he had not heard him rise , and opening the chamber doore call to the Hoste of the house to saddle his Nagge , because he would presently bee gone . To whom mine Hoste , after suffering himselfe a good while to bee called upon , made answere , that hee should goe sleepe and take his rest , for it was not yet midnight , or but a little paste , and that it was so exceeding dark that it were great rashnes and indiscretion to put himselfe upon his journey . With this hee rested quiet , and returning to shut the doore , hee did not lay , but throw himself all at once down upon the bed , sending forth withall a strong sigh . It seemed unto him that heard him not amisse to speakeunto him , & to offer himselfe to procure his remedy , as far forth as on his part he was able to performe ; to the end he might obleige him thereby to discover himselfe , and to recount unto him the lamentable history of his misfortune : And therefore sayd unto him ; Certainly ( noble Sir ) if the sighs which you have vented , and the words which you have uttered had not moved mee to a fellow-feeling and condoling of that evill , whereof you complaine , I should thinke with my selfe that I wanted naturall compassion , or that my soule were of stone , and my brest of hard brasse . And if this compassion which I have of you , and if the purpose which I have put on to hazard my life for your remedy , ( in case your maladie requireth it ) may merit any courtesie in recompence thereof , I beseech you that you will use it with mee , by declaring unto mee without covering or concealig any thing from me , the cause of your sorrow . If my sorrow had not bereft me of my sense ( answered hee that complained ) I might very well have bethought my selfe that I was not all alone in this lodging , and therefore should have put a bridle to my tongue , and made a longer truce with my sighs : But in punishment of my memories fayling mee , and in such a place , where it so much imported mee to have lookt better unto it , I will doe that which you desire mee ; because by renewing the sad story of my misfortunes , it may be that a new sense , and fresh feeling of them will make an end of me . But if you will that I doe that which you desire mee , you shall promise mee by that faith which you have profest unto mee in that offerture which you have made mee , and that as you are a Gentleman , and by that inbred goodnesse which is in you , ( for by that which your words expresse you , you promise much ) that for the things which you heare from me , and which I shall tell you , you move not out of your bed , nor come unto mine , nor aske more of me , then what I shall bee willing to tell you ; for if you shall doe contrary thereunto , in that very instant that I heare you stirre or move , with a Sword which I have at my beds head , I will runne my selfe through the body . The other ( who would not stick to promise a thousand impossibilities , for to know that which he so much desired ) made answer , that he would not in any the least Title differ from that which he desired , confirming the same with a thousand oathes . Vpon this securitie the first guest sayd unto him , I will now doe that which hitherto I never did to any , to wit , to give you an account of my life , and therefore hearken unto it .

Sir , I must give you to understand that I who entred into this lodging ( as no doubt but they have told you ) in mans attire , am an unfortunate Damsell , at least one that was so , not full eight dayes agoe , but have now lost that noble name by mine unadvisednesse and foolishnesse , and by giving credit to the well composed , but counterfeit words of faithlesse men . My name is Theodosia , my countrey one of the chiefest and prime places of all Andaluzia , whose name I silence ( because it doth not so much import you to know it , as it doth me to conceale it ) My parents are noble , and more then meanely rich , who had betweene them one sonne and one daughter ; he , for to be a staffe to rest themselves on in their old age , and an honour to their house , and shee , the cleane contrary . They sent him to Salamanca to study , and me they kept at home , where they bred mee up with such warinesse and circumspection as best became their vertue and noblenesse , and I without any repining or grudging was alwayes obedient unto them , conforming my will unto theirs without erring therefro in any least point , till that my happinesse being in the Wane , or my misfortune growing towards the Full , a sonne of one of our neighbours , more rich then my parents and no lesse noble then they , presented himselfe to mine eyes . The first time that I saw him , I was not sensible of any thing else , save onely a complacencie and kinde of pleasingnes in having seene him , neither was it much that I should be somewhat taken therewith , because his bravery , gentle carriage , face , and fashion were of the most , praise-worthy and best esteemed in those parts , receiving some further addition by his rare discretion and courtesie . But what does it avayle me to prayse mine enemy , or to goe , by way of discourse , in larging his my unfortunate succes , or ( to say better ) the beginning of my folly ? In conclusion , I say , that he saw me not once but often from a window that was right over against mine . From thence ( as it seemed then unto me ) he sent his soule unto me by his eyes , and mine , with another kind of content then at first , tooke pleasure and delight in beholding him and did even enforce me to beleeve that they were pure truths which I read in his face and behaviour ▪ His eyes , were the intercessours and procurers of speech , his speech , the Interpreter of his desire , his desire , the inflamer of mine , and of giving faith and beleefe unto his . To these he added promises , oathes , teares , sighs and all that which to my seeming a firme and constant lover could possibly doe , for to expresse the integretie of his loving affection , and the stedfastnesse and sinceritie of his heart and minde And in me ( poore soule ) who had never seene my selfe in the like occasions , and dangerous adventures heretofore , every word , was a Canon shot which did batter down a part of the Forte of mine honour ; every scalding teare , was a flaming fire wherein my honesty was scorched and burnt ; every sigh , a furious wind which did in such sort augment the flame , that it came to consume that vertue which untill then had beene never touched ; and lastly , having plighted his faith and truth to me to bee my husband in despight of his parents ( who had provided another wife for him ) I did set all my retirednes at six and seavens , not caring which way the world went : and , without knowing how my selfe , I delivered over my self into his power ( my parents being unacquainted therewith ) without having any other witnesse of my folly , and inconsiderate rashnesse , then Marco Antonio his Page , ( for this is the name of the disturber of my rest and quietude ) and scarse had he taken of me the possession of that which hee so much desired , but that within two dayes after he disappeared and was gone , neither his parents ; nor any other person being able to tell or imagine which way he tooke , or what was become of him . In what a woefull case I was , let him speake that is able to speake it , for I know not , nor ever knew more , save onely to bewayle and lament it ▪ I did chastise my hayres as if they had beene in fault , and guilty of my errours ; I did marryrise my face , because I conceived that it had given the occasion of all my mishap . I cursed my fate , accused my too quick determination , I did shed many and infinite teares , I saw my selfe even almost choaked betwixt them and those sighes which vented themselves from forth my grieved soule : I silently complayned on heaven , I reasoned and discoursed with mine imagination , to see if I could discover any way or part that might leade to my remedy . And that which I found was , to put my selfe into mans apparrell , and in that disguised habit to absent my selfe from the house of my parents , and to goe seeke out this second Imposter Aeneas , and this cruell and faithlesse Viveno , this defrauder of my good thoughts , and of my lawfull & well grounded hopes , and so without sounding to the bottome , or diving any deeper into my discoursings , occasion offering me a riding suite of my Brothers , and a Nag of my Fathers , which I sadled in an exceeding darke night , I got me packing , with purpose to goe to Salamanca where ( as it was afterwards told me ) it was thought Marco Antonio might hap to be ; for he likewise is Student there ( as before I told you ) and my brothers chamber-fellow . Nor did I omit to take good store of Crownes with me , against all chances that might befall me in this my unthought on journey . But that which doth most trouble me , is , least that my parents should follow after me , and finde me out by my cloathes , and by the Nag which I have brought along with me . But put case I did not feare this , yet am I afrayd of my brother , who is in Salamanca , by whom if I come to be knowne , the perill is easie to bee apprehended , whereunto my life is put for though he may heare my excuses in my discharge , yet the least point of his honour will weigh downe the ballance , and oversway all the satisfaction that I shall bee able to give him . Notwithstanding all this , my principall determination is ( though I loose my life in the pursuite ) to seeke out this false hearted man my Husband , for hee cannot deny himselfe so to be , unlesse he will give the lye to those pledges which hee left in my power , which are a Ring of Diamonds , and the Poesie therin , speaking thus ▪ Marco Antonio , is Theoaosia's Husband If ▪ meet with him , I will put him to the question what it was that moved him so quickly to leave me ? And in conclusion I am fully resolved that hee shall comply with his promised word and faith made unto me , which if he refuse to doe , I will kill him ; shewing my selfe as ready to take revenge , as I was facile in suffering him to wrong me . For that noblenesse of blood which my parents have given me , goes rowsing up my spirits , and puts such metall into them , that they already promise me eyther a remedy of my received wrong , or a full revenge of my offered affront . This ( noble Sir is the true and unfortunate History which you so much desired to know , which may sufficiently pleade the excuse of those sighs and words which did awake you out of your sleepe . That which I now beg and intreate of you , is , that since you cannot give me any remedy , yet at least you will give mee your best counsell and advise , whereby I may be able to avoyd those dangers which may oppose themselves , and stand in my way , and to qualifie and moderate the feare which I have of being found out , and to facilitate the means which I am to use for the obtayning of that , which I so much desire and stand in neede of .