Bishop of Salamauca, and am glad I ftaid Longer at Florence than any other Place, fince I have met you. And pray,Gonzalez, how do you spend your time in this City? Are you in a good Employment? In fhort, what have you done fince the unfortunate Time of our Separation?

I gave him a full Account of all my Adventures to my Acquaintance with Reger exclufively, and when I had done fpeaking, he replied, I am very glad, Gonzalez, that you are able to come to live with me again; but as it would not become a Perfon who has been a Viceroy's Page, to be a Gentleman's Footman, L will make you my Secretary. Does that fuit you? Extraordinary well, Sir, faid I; there is only one Circumftance that makes me uneafy. Perhaps the old Commander, who has fuch a Knack at confounding Latin Poets, will take it as ill that I fhould be your Secretary, as your Footman. The Commander is dead, re plied he, and nothing can oppose our living together. Well, Sir, faid I, fince you pleafe to have it fo. I freely con fent, place the fame Confidence in me you did before, and I will fhew the fame Zeal in your Service. Give me leave to ask you what Employment Love has af forded you fince you have been at Flo

rence

rence; for I make no doubt but fome new. Barnardina has bestowed her Favours upon you. It's very true, replied he, that I am in Purfuit of the Fayours of a Merchant's beautiful young Wife, and have made my Addreffes to her this Fortnight without Succefs; but I hate an ungrateful Woman, Her Husband who is an old Silk-Merchant fets out To-Morrow for Sienna, and returns in three Days. She has acquainted me with it, and I am to be introduced at Night into the Houfe by means of a Footman whom I have engaged in my Intereft. Beware of that, Dear Mafter, cried I, you will meet with Death inftead of the Pleafures you expect.

Thefe Words, which 1 uttered very feriously, aftonish'd Don Chriftoval. Gon zalez, faid he, explain yourself, how come you to talk in this Manner? Is it Fore-knowledge, or am I really in a Danger with which I am unacquainted. Yes, anfwered I, you are in the greateft Danger it is poffible to run; and at the fame Time related all that Roger had told me, and that hearing the Name of Don Chriftoval mention'd, I had pretended to be one of Don Rodriguez's Spies, with the Defign of faving an honeft Man's Life You have manag'd that Affair very art

fully,

fully, faid my Mafter, and I acknowledge my Obligations to you; but don't imagine that what thefe Ruffians project, fhall prevent me from going to the Rendezvous. I will take three brave Spanish Gentlemen with me, who lodge at the fame Inn, and will readily aflift me to clear Florence of fuch Wretches.

I remonstrated to Don Chriftoval that he would act more prudently to prepare for his Departure from the City the next Morning at Break-of Day. This, an fwered he, is what I cannot in Honour confent to; it fhall never be faid that the Fear of being affaffinated obliged me to leave the City. And muft not you fly for it, reply'd I, if you fhould kill Roger and his Comrades? Oh, my Lad, faid he, it is not the fame Thing, there is no Shame in flying from Juftice, when a Man is threatned to fall into its Hands.

CHAP

CHAP. IV.

Of the End of this Adventure, which alarm ed Estevanille, and of his Departure from Florence with Don Chriftoval.

Could by no Means approve of Signior de Gaviria'sRefolution; and difpu ted the Affair with him, but to no Pur pofe, it was impoffible to divert him from it. He went that Inftant and ac quainted the three Spaniards with it, who were to accompany him; and thefe Gen tlemen embraced the Opportunity with as much Joy as if a Party of Pleasure had been propofed to them.

While they entertained themselves with this Expedition, I returned to my Inn, where, pursuant to what my Mafter and myfelf had concerted, I told Roger, that the Gentleman's Name, whofe Family he defired to know, was Don Chrif toval de Gaviria, and that he had befides his illuftrious Birth the Happiness of poffeling a confiderable Eftate in Arragon, where he was born. That's fufficient, fays Roger, To-Morrow we will give

him

him a Pass-port into the next World,, nor fhall his Nobility, nor Eftate prevent his taking that Journey. Accor-dingly the next Day as foon as Night came on, Don Rodriguez's Spies difpofed themselves to give the Blow, each being armed with a long Rapier, a Poignard and a Piftol; They lay in Ambufcade near the Lady's Houfe, who was the Caufe of thefe deadly Preparations, and did not wait long for Don Chriftoval, But perceiving him attended by three Gentlemen who immediately drew their Swords, inftead of attacking him, they thought proper to retire, when they had difcharged their Piftols at the Spaniards, with fuch Precipitation, that they could do no Execution. Signior De Gavaria and his Friends purfued them in vain, having to do with People who were fupe rior to them in running, efpecially Ro ger who would make a large Distance between himself and his Enemy in an Inftant.

Don Chriftovat had now nothing more to do than to enter the Merchant's Houfe, and to revenge himfelf fully on the jeaFous Husband, who had put a Price upon his Head; but he chofe rather to renounce his Revenge, than to continue an Amour, that might be attended with

fatal