# Madrid shaver's singular adventures, and wonderful escape from the Spanish Inquisition (1)

THE
Madrid Shaver’s
SINGULAR ADVENTURES,
AND
Wonderful Escape
FROM THE SPANISH
INQUISITION.
A TRUE STORY.
GLASGOW:
PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS.
66.
THE
MADRID SHAVER.
Nicolas Pedrosa, a busy little being, who was shaver, surgeon and man-midwife, in the town of Madrid, mounted his mule and pushed through the gate of San Bernardino, being call'd to a patient in a neighbouring village upon a pressing occasion. Every body knows, that the ladies in Spain, in certain cases, do not give long warning to practitioners of a certain description, and nobody knew it better than Nicolas, who was resolved not to lose an inch of his way, nor of his mule’s best speed by the way, if cudgelling could beat it out of her. It was plain to Nicolas’s conviction, as plain could be, that his road lay straight forward to the little convent in front; the mule was of opinion, that the turning on the left down the hill towards the Prade, was the road of all roads most familiar and agreeable to herself, and accordingly began to dispute the point with Nicolas, by fixing her forefeet resolutely in the ground, dipping her head at the same time between them, and launching heels and crupper furiously into the air, in the way of argument. Little Pedrosa, who was armed at heel with one massy silver spur, of stout though ancient workmanship, resolutely applied the rusty rowel to the shoulder of the beast, and at the same time, adroitly tucking his blue cap under his right arm, and flinging his skirt over his left shoulder en cavalier, began to lay about him with a stout ashen ​sapling, upon the ears, pole, and cheeks, of the recreant mule. The fire now flashed from a pair of Andalusian eyes, as black as charcoal, and not less inflammable, and taking the cigar from his mouth, with which he had vainly hoped to have regaled his nostrils in a sharp winter's evening by the way, raised such a thundering troop of angels, saints, and martyrs, from Saint Michael, downwards, not forgetting his own namesake St. Nicolas de Tolentino, by the way, that if curses could have made the mule to go, the dispute would have been soon ended: but not a saint could make her stir any other way than upwards and downwards at a stand. A small troop of mendicant friars were at this moment conducting the host to a dying man.———'Nicolas Pedrosa,' said an old friar, 'be patient with your beast, and spare your blasphemies; remember Balaam.'——— 'Ah! father,' replied Pedrosa, 'Balaam cudgelled his beast till she spoke, so will I mine till she roars.'———'Fie, fie, prophane fellow,' cries another of the fraternity. 'Go about your work, friend,' quoth Nicolas, 'and let me go about mine; I warrant it is the more pressing of the two; your patient is going out of the world, and mine is coming into it.' 'Hear him,' cries a third, 'hear the vile wretch how he blasphemes the body of God.' And then the troop passed slowly on to the tinkling of the bell.
A man must know nothing of a mule's ears, who does not know what a passion they have for the tinkling of a bell; and no sooner had the jungling chords vibrated in the sympathetic organs of Pedrosa’s beast, than bolting forward with a ​sudden spring, she ran roaring into the throng of friars, trampling on some, and shouldering others, at a prophane rate; when Nicolas availing himself of the impetus, and perhaps not able to control it, broke away, and was out of sight in a moment. 'All the devils in hell blow fire into thy tail, thou beast of Babylon, muttered Nicolas to himself, as he scampered along, never once looking behind him, or stopping to apologize for the mischief he had done to the bare feet and shirtless ribs of the holy brotherhood.
Whether Nicolas saved his distance, as likewise if he did, whether it was a male or a female Costilian he usherd into the world, we shall not just now enquire, contented to await his return in the first of the morning, next day, when he had no sooner dismounted at his shop, and delivered his mule to a sturdy Arragonese wench, than Don sgnacia de Santor Aparicio, Alguazil-mayor of the supreme and general Inquisition, put an order into his hand, signed and sealed by the Inquisitor-general, for a conveyance of his body to the Casa, whose formidable door presents itself in the street adjoining to the square in which Nicolas’s brazen basin hung from, the emblem of his trade.
The poor little fellow, trembling in every joint, and with a face as yellow as saffron, dropt a knee to the alter which fronts the entrance, and crossed himself most devotely: as soon as he had ascended the first flight of stairs, a porter habited in black opened, the tremendous barricade, and Nicolas, with horror, heard the grating of the heavy bolts that shut him in. He was led ​through passages and vaults, and melancholy cells, till he was delivered into the dungeon, where he was finally left to his solitary meditations. Hapless being; what a scene of horror! Nicolas felt all the terrors of his condition, but being an Andalusian, and, like his countrymen, of a lively imagination, he began to turn over all the resources of his invention for happy fetch, if any such might occur, for helping him out of the dismal limbo he was in: he had not long to seek for the cause of his misfortune; his adventure with the barefooted friars was a ready solution of all difficulties of that nature, had there been any; there was, however, another thing, which might have troubled a stouter heart than Nicolas's———he was a Jew. this, of a certain, would have been a staggering item in a poor devil’s confession, but then it was a secret to all the world but Nicolas, and Nicolas’s conscience did not then urge him to reveal it. He now began to overhaul the inventory of his personals about him, and with some satisfaction counted three little medals of the blessed Virgin, two Agnus Deis, a Saint Nicolas de Tolentino, and a formidable string of beads, all pendant from his neck, and within his shirt; in his pockets he had a paper of dried figs, a small bundle of cigars, a case of lancets, squirt and forceps, and two old razors in a leathern, envelope: these he had delivered one by one to the algunzil, who first arrested him,———'and let them make the most of them,' said he to himself, 'they can never prove an Israelite by a case of razors.' Upon a closer rummage, however, he discovered in a secret pocket, a letter, which the Alguazil had ​overlooked, and whieh his patient Donna Leonora de Casafonda had given him in eharge to deliver as direeted. ‘Well, well,’ eried he, ‘let it pass; there ean be no mystery in this harmless scrawl; a letter of adviee to some friend or relation; I’ll not break the seal; let the fathers read it, if they like, ’twill prove the truth of my deposition, and help out my exeuse for the hurry of my errand, and the unfortunate adventure of a damned refraetory mule.’{longdash}}And now no sooner had the reeolleetions of the wayward mule erossed the brain of poor Nieolas Pedrosa, than he began to blast her at a furious rate. ‘The seratehes and the seab to boot confound thy seurvy hide,’ quoth he ‘thou ass-begotten bastard, whom Noah never let into his ark! The vengeance take thee, for an unereated barren beast of promiseuous generation! What devil’s erotehet got into thy eapricous noddle, that thou shouldst fall in love with that Nazaritish bell, and run bellowing like Lueifer into the midst of those barefooted vermine, who were more malieious and more greedy than the loeusts of Egypt? Oh! that I had the art of Simon Magus to eonjure thee into this dungeon in my stead; but I warrant thou art ehewing thy barley straw without any pity for thy wretehed master, whom thy jade’s trieks have delivered bodily to the tormentors, to be sport for these uneireumcised sons of Dagon’ And now the eell door opened, when a savage figure entered, carrying a huge pareel of elanking fetters, with a eollar of iron, whieh he put round the neek of poor Pedrosa, telling him, with a truly diabolical grin, whilst he was ​rivetting it on, 'that it was a proper cravat for the throat of a blasphemer.'———'Jesus Maria!' quoth Pedrosa, 'is all this fallen upon me, for only cudgelling a restive mule?' 'Aye,' cried the demon, 'and this is only a taste of what is to come,' at the same time slipping the pincers from the screw he was forcing to the head, he caught a piece of flesh in the forceps, and wrenched it out of his cheek, laughing at poor Nicolas, whilst he roared out with the pain, telling him 'it was a just reward for the torture he had put him to a while ago, when he tugged out a tooth till he broke it in his jaw.' 'Ah, for the love of heaven,' cried Pedrosa, 'have more pity on me; for the sake of Saint Nicolas de Tolentino, my holy patron, be not so unmerciful to a poor barber-surgeon; and I will shave your worship’s beard for nothing as long as I have life.' One of the messengers of the auditory now came in, and bade the fellow strike off the prisoner's fetters, for that the holy fathers were in council, and demanded him for examination. 'This is something extraordinary,' quoth the tormentor, 'I should not have expected it this twelvemonth to come.' Pedrosa’s fetters were struck off; some brandy was applied to staunch the bleeding of his cheek; his hands and face were washed, and a short jacket of coarse ticking thrown over him; and the messenger, with an assistant, taking him each under an arm, led him into a spacious chamber, where at the head of a long table sat his excellency the Inquisidor-general, with six of his accessors, three on each side of the chair of state: the Alguazil-mayor, a secretary, and two notaries, ​with other officers of the holy council, were attending in their places.
The prisoner was placed behind a bar at the foot of the table, between the messengers who brought him in; and having made his obcsiance to the awful presence, in the most supplicating manner, he was ealled upon, aceording to the usual form of question, by one of the junior judges, to declare his name, parentage, profession, age, plaee of abode, and to answer various interrogatories, of the like trifling nature: his Excellency the Inquisidor-general now opened his reverend lips, and in a solemn tone of voice, that penetrated to the heart of the poor trembling prisoner, interrrogated him as follows:———
Nieolas Pedrosa, we have listened to the account you give of yourself, your business and connections; now tell us for what offence or offences, you are standing a prisoner before us; examine your heart, and speak the truth from your conseienee without prevarieation or disguise.
May it please your exeellency, replied Pedrosa with all due submission to your holiness and this reverend assembly, my most equitable judges, I eoneeive I stand here before you for no worse a crime than that of eudgeling a refraetory mule an animal so restive in its nature, (under eorrection of your holiness be it spoken,) that although I were blessed with the forbearanee of holy Job, (for like him too I am married and my patience hath been exereised by a wife,) yet eould I not forbear to smite my beast for her obstinaey, and she rather, because I was summoned in the way of my profession, as I have already made known ​to your most merciful ears, upon a certain crying occasion, which would not admit of a moment's delay.
Recollect yourself, Nicolas, said his Excellency, the Inquisidor general; was there nothing else you did, save smiting your beast?
I take Nicholas de Tolentino to witness, replied he, that I know of no other crime, for which I can be responsible at this righteous tribunal, save smiting my unruly beast. Take notice, brethren, exclaimed the Inquisidor, this unholy wretch holds trampling over friars to be no crime.
Pardon me, holy father, replied Nicholas I hold it for the worst of crimes, and therefore surrender my refractory mule to be dealt with as you see fit: and if you impale her alive it will be no more than she deserves.
Your wits are too nimble, replied the judge; have a care they do not run away with your discretion; recollect the blasphemies you uttered in the hearing of those pious people.
I humbly pray your Excellency, answered the prisoner, to recollect that anger is a short madness, and I hope allowances will be made by your holy council for words spoke in haste to a rebellious mule: the prophet Balaam was thrown off his guard by a simple ass, and what is an ass compared to a mule? If your Excellency had seen the lovely creature that was screaming in agony till I came to her relief, and how fine a boy I ushered into the world, which would have been lost but for my assistance, I am sure I should not be condemned for a few hasty words spoken in passion.
​Sirrah! cried one of the puisne judges, respect the decency of the court. Produce the contents of the fellow's pockets before the court, said the president; lay them on the table.
Monster! resumed the aforesaid puisne judge, taking up the foreeps, what is the use of this diabolical machine? Please your reverence, replied Pedrosa, 'aptum est ad extrahendos foetus.'———Unnatural wretch, again exclaimed the judge, you have murdered the mother.
The mother of God forbid! exclaimed Pedrosa. I believe I have a proof in my pocket that will aequit me of that charge, and so saying he tendered the letter we have before made mention of. The secretary took it, and by command of the court read as follows:———
"Senior Don Manuel de Herrerra,
"When this letter, which I send by Nicolas Pedrosa, shall reach your hands, you will know that I am safely delivered of a lovely boy, after a dangerous labour, in consideration of which I pray you to pay to the said Nicholas Pedrosa the sum of twenty gold pistoles, which sum his Excellency——— Hold, cried the Inquisitor-general starting hastily from his seat, and snatching away the letter, there is more in this than meets the eye; break up the court; I must take an examination of this prisoner in private.
As soon as the room was cleared, the Inquisitor-general, beckoning to the prisoner to follow him and retired into a private closet where throwing himself carelessly into an arm chair, he turned a gracious countenance upon the poor affrighted accoucheur, and bidding him sit down upon ​a low stool by his side, thus accosted him:——— Take heart, Senior Pedrosa, your imprisonment is not likely to be very tedious, for I have a commission you must execute without loss of time; you have too much eonsideration for yourself, to betray a trust, the violation of whieh must involve you in inevitable ruin, and can in no degree attaint my charaeter, which is far enough beyond the reach of maliee; be attentive, therefore, to my orders; execute them punetually and keep my secret as you tender your own life: dost thou know the name and eondition of the lady whom thou hast delivered? Nicholas assured him he did not and his Excelleney proceeeded as follows: Then I tell thee, Nicholas, it is the illustrious Donna Leonora de Casafonda; her husband is the president of Quito, and daily expected with the next arrivals from the South Seas: now, though measures have been taken for detaining him at the port, where he shall land, till he shall reeeive further orders, yet you must be sensible Donna Leonora’s situation is somewhat delicate; it will be your business to take the speediest measures for her recovery; but as it seems she has had a dangerous and painful labour, this may be a work of more time than could be wished, unless some medicines more efficaeious, than common are administered; art thou aequainted with any such, friend Nicolas, my posesses have been tolerably suecessful; I have bandages and cataplasms, with oils and conserves, that I have no cause to complain of; they will restore nature to its proper state in all deeent time.———Thou talkest like a fool, friend Nicolas, interrupting him, said the Inquisitor? ​What tellest thou me of thy swathings and swaddlings? quick work must be wrought by quick medicine: hast thou none such in thy botica? I’ll answer for it thou hast not; therefore, look you, sirrah, here is a little vial compounded by a famous chemist; see that you mix it in the next apocem you administer to Donna Leonora; it is the most capital sedative in nature; give her the whole of it and let her husband return when he will, depend upon it he will make no discoveries from her.———Humph! quoth Nieolas within himself, well said Inquisidor! He took the vial with all possible respect, and was not wanting in professions of the most inviolable fidelity and secrecy.———No more words friend Nieolas, quoth the Inquisidor, upon that score; I do not believe thee one jot the more for all thy promises, my dependence is upon thy fears and not thy faith; I fancy thou hast seen enough of this place not to wish to return to it once for all. Having so said, he rang a bell, and ordered Nicolas to be forthwith liberated, bidding the messenger return his clothes instantly to him with all that belonged to him, and having slipt a purse into his hand well filled with doubloons, he bade him begone about his business, and not see his face again till he had executed his demands.
Nicolas bolted out of the porch without taking leave of the altar, and never checked his speed till he found himself fairly housed under shelter of his own beloved brass bason.———Aha! quoth Nicolas, my lord Inquisidor, I see the king is not likely to gain a subject more by your intrigues; a pretty job you have set me about; and so, ​when I have put the poor lady to rest with your damned sedative, my tongue must be stopt next to prevent its blabbing; but I’ll shew you I was not born in Andalusia for nothing. Nieolas now opened a seeret drawer, and took out a few pieees of money, whieh, in fact, was his whole stoek of cash in the world; he loaded and primed his pistols, and earefully lodged them in the holsters of his saddle! he buekled to his side his trusty spade, and hastened to eaparison his mule. Ah, thou imp of the old one, quoth he, as he entered the stable, art not ashamed to look me in the face? But come, hussy, thou owest me a good turn, methinks; stand by me this onee, and be friends for ever! thou art in good ease, and if thou wilt put thy best foot foremost, like a faithful beast, thou shalt not want for barley on the way. The bargain was soon struek between Nieolas and his mule, he mounted her in the happy moment, and pointing his course toward the bridge of Toledo, which proudly strides with half a dozen lofty arehes over a stream searee three feet wide, he found himself as completely in a desart in half a mile’s riding, as if he had been dropt in the centre of Arabia Petræa. As Nicolas’s journey was not a tour of euriosity, he did not amuse himself with a peep at Toledo, or Talavera, or even Merida by the way; for the same reason he took a eircumbendibus round the frontier town of Badajoz; and crossing a little brook, refreshed his mule with the last draught of Spanish water, and instantly eongratulated himselt upon entering the territory of Portugal. Bravo! quoth he, patting the neck of his mule, thou shalt ​have a supper this night of the best sive-meat that Estramadura can furnish; we are now in a eountry where the scattered flock of Israel fold thick and fare well. He now began to ehaunt the Song of Solomon, and gently ambled on in the joy of his heart.
When Nicolas at length reached the city of Lisbon, he hugged himself in his good fortune; still he recollected that the Inquisition had long arms, and he was yet in a place of no perfect security. Our adventurer had in early life acted as assistant-surgeon in a Spanish frigate bound to Buenos-Ayres, and been captured by a British man-of-war, and earried into Jamaica, had very quietly passed some years in that plaee as journeyman apothecary, in whieh time he had acquired a tolerable acquaintanee with the English languish. No sooner then did he discover the British ensign flying on the poop of an English frigate the lying in the Tagus, than he eagerly caught the opportunity of paying a visit to the surgeon; and finding he was in want of a mate, offered himself, and was entered in that capacity for a cruize against the French and Spaniards, with whom Great Britain was then at war. In this secure asylum Nieolas enjoyed the first happy moments he had experieneed for a long time past, and being a lively good natured little fellow, and one that touched the guitar and sung sequidillas with a tolerable grace, he soon recommended himself to his ship-mates, and grew in favour with every body on board, from the eaptain to the eook’s mate.
When they were out upon their cruize, hovering ​on the Spanish coast, it occurred to Nicolas, that the Inquisitor-general at Madrid had told him of the expected arrival of the president of Quito, and having imparted this to one of the lieutenants, he reported it to the eaptain; and as the intelligenee seemed of importance, he availed himself of it, by bawling into the traek of the homeward-bound galleons, and great was the joy, when at the break of the morning the man at the mast-head announeed a square-rigged vessel in view. The ardour of a ehace now set all hands at work; and a few hours brought them near enough to discern that she was a Spanish frigate, and seemingly from a long voyage: little Pedrosa, as alert as the rest, stript himself for his work, and repaired to his post in the eoekpit, whilst the thunder of the guns reeled ineessantly over his head; three cheers from the whole crew at length announeed the moment of vietory, and a few more minutes ascertained the good news, that the prize was a frigate riehly laden from the South Seas, with the governor of Quito and his suite on board.
Pedrosa was now called upon deck, and sent on board the prize as interpreter to the first lieutenant, who was to take posession, of her.———He found every thing in confusion, a deck covered with the slain, and the whole crew in cousternation at an event they were in no degree prepared for, not having reeeived any intimation of a war. He found the offieers in general, and the passengers without exeeption, under the most horrid impression of the English, expeeting to be butchered without mercy. Don Manuel de Casafonda, ​the governor, whose countenance bespoke a constituation far gone in a decline, had thrown himself on a sofa, in the last state of despair, and given way to an effusion of tears: when the lieutenant entered the cabin he rose trembling from his couch, and with the most supplicating action, presented to him his sword, and with it a casket which he carried in his other hand: as he tendered these spoils to his conqueror, whether through his weakness, or of his own will, he made a motion of bending his knee: the generous Briton, shocked at the unmanly overture, caught him suddenly with both hands, and turning to Pedrosa, said aloud,———Convince this gentleman he is fallen into the hands of an honourable enemy. Is it possible! cried Don Manuel, and lifting up his streaming eyes to the countenance of the British officer, saw humanity, valour, and generous pity, so strongly characterized in his youthful features, that the conviction was irresistable. Will he not accept my sword? cried the Spaniard. He desires you to wear it, till he has the honour of presenting you to his captain. Ah! then he has a captain, exclaimed Don Manuel, his supperior will be of another way of thinking; tell him this casket contains my jewels; they are valuable; let him present them as a lawful prize, which will enrich the captor; his superior will not hesitate to take them from me.———If they are your excellency’s private property, replied Predrosa, I am ordered to assure you, that if your ship were laden with jewels, no British officer in the service of his king will take them at your hands; the ship and effects of his Catholic Majesty are the only ​prize of the captors; the personals of the passengers are inviolate.———Generous nation! exclaimed Don Manuel, how greatly have I wronged thee! The boats of the British frigate now eame alongside, and part of the crew were shifted out of the prize, an officer in the stern-sheets, and the crew in their white shirts and velvet caps, also came to escort the governor and the ship’s captain on board the frigate, which lay with her sails to the mast, awaiting their arrival: who were received on the gang-way by the second lieutenant, whilst perfect silence and the strictest discipline reigned in the ship, where all were under the decks, and no inquisitive eyes were suffered to wound the feelings of the conquered. In the door of his cabin stood the captain, who received them with complaisance, which does not revolt the unfortunate by an overstrained politeness: which could not fail to impress the prisoners with the most favourable ideas; and as Don Manuel spoke French, he could converse with the British Captain without the help of an interpreter; as he expressed an impatient desire of being admitted to his parole, that he might revisit his connections, from whom he had been long separated, he was overjoyed to hear that the English ship would carry her prize into Lisbon ; and that he would there be set on shore, and permitted to make the best of his way from thence to Madrid. He talked of his wife with all the ardour of the most impassioned lover, and on whom he doated with the fondest affection. The captain indulged him in these conversatians, and being a husband himself, knew how to allow for all the tenderness of ​his sensations. Ah, Sir, cried Don Manuel, turning to Pedrosa, who at that moment entered the cabin, this gentleman, whom I take to be a Spaniard, may have heard the name of Donna Leonoro de Casafonda; if he has been at Madrid, it is possible he may have seen her; should that be the case, he can testify to her external charms; I alone ean witness the perfeetions of her mind,———Senior Don Manuel, replied Pedrosa, I have seen Donna Leonora, and your Exeelleney is warranted in all you can say in her praise, these words threw the uxorious Spaniard into raptures; his eyes sparkled with delight; the blood rushed into his emaeiated cheeks, and every feature glowed with unutterable joy: he pressed Pedrosa with a variety of rapid enquiries, all which he evaded saying that he had only a casual glanee of her. The embarrassment, however, which accompanied these answers, did not escape the English captain, who, shortly after, drawing Pedrosa aside into the surgeon’s cabin, was by him made acquainted with the melancholy situation of that unfortunate lady, nay, the very vial was produced, with its contents, as put into the hands of Pedrosa by the Inquisitor.
My heart bleeds said the British Captain, for this unhappy husband; assuredly that monster has destroyed Leonora; as for thee, Pedrosa, whilst the British flag flies over your head, neither Spain, nor Portugal, nor Inquisitors, nor devils, shall annoy thee under its protection; but it thou ever venturest over the side of this ship, and rashly settest thy foot upon Catholic soil, when we arrive at Lisbon, thou art a lost man.——— ​I were worse than a madman, replied Nicolas, should I attempt it.———Keep close in this asylum: had it been our fate to have been captured by the Spaniard, what would have become of thee. Nicolas replied I should have applied to the Inquisitor’s vial; but a ship so commanded and so manned is in little danger of being carried into a Spanish port.———I hope not, said the captain, and I promise thee, thou shalt take thy chance in her as long as she is under my command; and if we conduct her to England, thou shalt have thy proper share of prize-money, which, if the galleon breaks up according to her entries, will be something towards enabling thee to shift, and if thou art as diligent in thy calling, as I am persuaded thou wilt be, whilst I live thou shalt never want a seaman’s friend.———At these cheering words, little Nicolas threw himself at the feet of his generous preserver, and with streaming eyes, poured out his thanks from a heart animated with joy and gratitude.———The captain raising him by the hand, forbade him as he prized his friendship, ever to address him in that posture any more; thank me, if you will, added he, but thank me as one man should another: let no knee bend in this ship but in adoration of God.———But now, continued he, let us turn our thoughts to the situation of our unhappy Casafonda: we are now drawing near Lisbon, where he will look to be liberated on his parole. By no means let him venture into Spain, said Pedrosa; I am well assured there are orders to arrest him in every port, or frontier town where he may present himself. I can well believe it, replied the captain; his ​piteous case will require further deliberation; in the mean time, let nothing transpire on your part; and keep yourself out of his sight as carefully as you can.———This said, the captain left the cabin, and both parties repaired to their several occupations.
As soon as the frigate and her prize cast anchor in the Tagus, Don Manuel de Casafonda impatiently reminded our captain of his promised parole. The painful moment was now come, when an explanation of some sort became unavoidable: the generous Englishman, with a countenance expressive of the tenderest pity, took the Spaniard’s hand in his, and seating him on a couch beside him, ordered the centinel to keep the cabin private, and delivered himself as follows:———
Senior Don Manuel, I must now impart to you that you have enemies in your own country, who will arrest you on your landing; but repose such trust in my houour, and do not demand a further explanation.———Heaven and earth! cried the astonished Spaniard, who can be those enemies, and what have I done to deserve them! So far I will open myself answered the captain, as to point out the Inquisitor-general. The best friend I have in Spain, exclaimed the Governor, my sworn protector he my enemy! impossible. Well sir, replied the captain, I must exert my authority for your sake, to make this ship your prison, till I have waited on our minister at Lisbon, and enquire for your safety; but suspend the harshness of this measure till I return ; and at the same time, he gave orders for the barge; and ​strict injunctions not to allow of the governer's quitting the frigate; he put off for the shore.
The emissaries of the Inquisition had traced Pedrosa, our captain had no sooner gone ashore than he was aeeosted by a messenger of state, for the surrender of Pedrosa; our worthy captain then said, that Spaniard is now born on my books, and before you shall take him out of the serviee of my king you must sink his ship. He instantly proceeded to the house of the British Minister: here he found Pedrosa’s intelligenee, expressly verified.
The captain lost no time in returning to his frigate, where he imparted to Don Manuel the intelligenee he obtained at the British Minister’s. The proposal was now suggested of sending letters into Spain, and the governor retired to his desk and wrote them. In the afternoon the Minister paid a visit to the eaptain, and received a packet from Don Manuel, and promised to forward them by a safe conveyanee.
In due eourse this fatal letter from Leonora opened all the horrible transaetions to the wretched husband:———
"The guilty hand of an expiring wife, under the agonizing operation of a mortal poison, traees these few trembling lines to an injured, wretehed husband. If thou hast any pity for my parting spirit, fly the ruin that awaits thee, and avoid this seene of villany and horror. I have borne a ehild to the monster, whose poison runs in my veins. The Inquisitor is my murderer.———My pen falls from my hand———Farewell for ever!"
Had a shot passed through the heart of Don ​Manuel, it could not more effectually have stopt its motions, he dropped lifeless on the couch, but by the eare of the eaptain and Pedrosa. He soon recovered Grief like his eannot be deseribed by words, ’twas suffocating woe.
Drop the eurtain over this melancholy pause, and attend the mournful widower, now landed upon English ground, and conveyed to the house of a noble Earl, the father of our amiable captain. At the period of a few tranquillizing weeks, here passed in the bosom of humanity, letters eame to hand from the British Minister at Lisbon, in answer to a memorial, that I should have stated to have been drawn up by the friendly captain before his departure from that port. By these letters it appeared, that the criminal was either no longer in existence, or in a situation ever to be heard of any more, till roused by the awakening trump, he should be summoned to his tremendous last account. As for the unhappy widower, it was fully signified to him, from authority, that his return to Spain, whether upon exchange or parole, would be no longer opposed; nor had he any thing to apprehend on the part of government, when he should arrive there. The same was signified in fewer words to the exculpated Pedrosa,
Whether Don Manuel de Casafonda will at a future period, avail himself of the overtures, time alone can prove: as for little Nicolas, whose prize money has set him up in a comfortable little shop in Duke's place, where he breathes the veins and cleanses the bowels of his Israelitish brethren, in a land of fredom and toleration. His ​merry heart is at rest, save only when, with fire in his eyes, and vengeance on his tongue, he anathematizes the Inquisition: and struts in the synagogue every Sabbath, with as bold a step and as erect a look, as if he was himself High Priest of the Temple, going to perform sacrifices upon the re-assembling of the scattered tribes.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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