The Life and Acts of Don Alonzo Enriquez de Guzman, a Knight of Seville, of the Order of Santiago, A.D. 1518 to 1543

Clements R. Markham, Clements R. Markham

• Publisher: Hakluyt Society
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317025719
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

Translated from an Original and Inedited Manuscript in the National Library at Madrid; with Notes and an Introduction'. Includes accounts of travel in Europe and Peru. The supplementary material includes the 1862 annual report. This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1862, with an Introduction by Clements R. Markham. 1861.

THE
LIFE AND ACTS
OF
DON ALONZO ENRIQUEZ DE GUZMAN.

I.
I BEGIN LIFE.

IN the year 1518, being eighteen years of age and nearly nineteen, I found myself fatherless and poor of estate, though rich in lineage, with a mother, who was a very talkative yet honest, good, and pious woman. She was not able to provide for me, seeing that I was growing up, though not of an age to marry, and so from necessity I married.¹ Oppressed with poverty, and desirous of riches, I determined to go in search of adventures, and set out from the city of Seville, which was my native place, with a horse, a mule, a bed, and sixty ducats. I resolved to write down all that happened to me, and not to record anything which is not worthy of credit. My name is Don Alonzo Enriquez de Guzman. I am a descendant of the Count of Gijon, who was son of the King Don Enrique, of Castile. My mother was named Dona Catalina de Guevara.²

II.
HOW I SET OUT, IN THE NAME OF GOD.

I went to Cordova, and to Granada, and to Baeza, where I met with a captain named Montalvo. He was going to Italy, and I to the court of the King of Castille, who was in Barcelona. Our roads were the same as far as Murcia, and there we had to separate on our respective journeys. At a distance of four or five leagues from the said city of Baeza, where we met, we went to pass the night at an inn. Here I forgot my sixty ducats, which I had placed at my bed-head, so that the said captain was able to take them while I went outside, for some purpose which I now forget, for he had come in to awake me. What with his haste and my carelessness, we set out without my missing the purse, and having gone two leagues I remembered it, but not where I had left it. I, therefore, went back to look for it with great haste and no less anxiety. When I reached the inn I sought advice from the captain, who said to me: “Console yourself, that the first mishap that has befallen you is not greater than the loss of sixty dollars, and that you have still got your horse, which you can sell, and I, for the sake of your company, will give you something to. eat while you sell it at your ease.” After thanking him for his kindness and courtesy, I replied: “I am not able to sell it at my ease, for I intend to appear before the King, with whom I go to live.” He then said that he could supply a remedy for my misfortune, for that, near at hand, there was a great lord named the Marques de los Velez, Don Pedro Fajardo,¹ in a place which we had to pass next day, called Velez el Blanco. “If,” he continued, “you are the person you represent yourself to be, relate your misfortune, and I have no doubt but that it will be remedied.” Next day we arrived at the place, and I went before the Marquis, and related my misfortune in the best way I could, and with as much sorrow as I was able to depict. I then besought him, for mercy’s sake, to help me, and he said he would; but two days passed without his doing so, though not for want of asking. Seeing that he would not help me, I gave him a petition in writing, the tenor of which was as follows: “Most illustrious and best of lords, the other day I spoke to your lordship on the subject of giving me assistance to continue my journey, relating my misfortunes and stating who I am. For the love of God, if you have any doubt, ask Ortiz, your carver, who was my father’s page. I shall be satisfied with ten ducats, which I will return to you.” He answered that he would see what he could do hereafter, but that at present he could do nothing. The said carver, however, gave me two ducats out of his poor purse. I then went to the inn where I found the captain, and he asked me how I had fared. As I was relating my sorrows, he put his hand into his sleeve, and took out the purse with the sixty ducats, and gave it to me, saying: “I took this purse that you might know the want which the loss of the money would cause you, and that you might see how to remedy the loss.” We started again with great joy, and went to Murcia, where our roads separated, and we parted after resting for eight days.

III.
OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IN BARCELONA.

I had letters from Don Juan Alonzo to the Archbishop of Saragossa, and from Don Hernando Enriquez de Ribera to the Admiral of Castille,¹ his first cousin; by whom I was very well received, and taken to kiss the hand of the King. News had just arrived that he had been elected Emperor. On another day I went to speak of my affairs to the King; the Duke of Bejar and the Admiral going with me, to pray that I might receive the habit of Santiago, and a place at court. The Emperor referred me to Don Garcia de Padilla of his council, who was a wrong-headed man. I said to him: “His majesty the Emperor has referred me to you, and I am well satisfied and give thanks to God, because he has sent me to a knight and a learned man, whose equal would not often be found. Your worship must know that I have come to the Emperor, as to my natural King, that he may receive me in his court, like other persons of good family whom he retains in his house, and that he may give me the habit of Santiago. For I understand that the habit is conferred on gentle knights who may conquer infidels, and I come well prepared to do so, and well qualified by my descent, like the Admiral of Castille and the Duke of Bejar. Your worship may be assured that I am of gentle blood, and that I merit the habit of Santiago for the services which I am prepared to render: and I beseech your worship to comply with my request, for I despise labour, and dread poverty.” He replied that he knew not where I could go with a greater certainty of wasting my labour and my money.

I gave him many thanks, and went to the Secretary Francisco de los Cobos, giving him a letter from Don Rodrigo Ponce de Leon, Count of Belen, in which he stated who I was; and saying the same as I had said to Don Garcia. The Secretary told me that all the time I remained there would be lost, because the Emperor could not receive me, and that I should spend all my money, going from door to door soliciting favours. He added that I had come at a very bad time, and advised me, before I spent more money, to return home until a more opportune occasion offered; reminding me that I must not suppose that I could obtain what I wanted solely with the help of my long descent, for that others, as well supplied with that article as myself, spent many days in the same quest, with as little success. I went away very much discontented with his advice, and returned to Don Garcia, whom I followed about for six months, hearing very soft and deceitful speeches, such as he gave me on the first day. I spent all the money I had in food for myself and my beasts and servants, until I was obliged to sell the former and dismiss the latter; and at last I had nothing. left but shoes and doublet, and was forced to take a pike and go to the wars. There was then a war against the Moors, and I passed through the streets of Barcelona, before the Emperor and his courtiers, among whom were some of my relations, in the ranks, with the other soldiers, carrying a pike on my shoulder. Two knights of my native town, the one named Francisco del Alcazar, and the other, Juan Melgarejo, when they saw me, came down to take me away; but I refused to go with them, and embarked as one of the soldiers.

IV.
OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE MOORS.

We disembarked on an uninhabited island called For-mentera, where we found the people whom we were to join from Barcelona, consisting of five thousand foot soldiers and four hundred men at arms, and three hundred light infantry, under the command of Diego de Vera, a veteran knight. In a few days we sailed for the island of Sicily, where we were joined by Don Diego de Monçada, prior of Messina, of the order of St. John, who was appointed captain-general of the army. He was quartered, with the cavalry, in a town called Trapani, and the infantry were encamped at a distance of four or five leagues, at a place called Marsala, with Diego de Vera as lieutenant-general. We were thus encamped for five months, during which time I will first tell you what happened to myself, and then what befell the army.

I, being of tender of age, though self-willed, having left my mother’s house and come to a land of strangers, who shut their doors in my face, was taken very dangerously ill during two months. I had made no friends, because, during the voyage from Barcelona, I was so indignant and enraged at the treatment I had received, that I avoided every one. When I recovered, and had spent all my small supply of money, I desired to go to Marsala, where the infantry were encamped, to join the company of Captain Villaturiel. When I made as if I was going to pay for my lodging, the people, as I had made no complaint of my poverty, declined to receive payment, solely on account of my youth, and my weakness. I begged for food from door to door in the day time, but I fared very ill at night, as the people closed their doors early. In this manner I passed a month, when I began to collect faggots of wood and to sell them at a tavern, and in this way I passed another month. At last I fell in with a knight of Seville named Gonzalo Marino, captain and alcaide of Melilla for the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who came here to accompany the captain-general, Diego de Vera having command of the infantry, and Gonzalo Marino of the cavalry. This knight said that he was a friend of my father, and my fellow townsman, and he desired that I would honour him by using his person and his estate. He took me to his lodging, clothed me, and took me to the captain-general, speaking very highly of me, and after twelve days they gave me a company of infantry and made me a captain. Fifteen days afterwards the said Gonzalo Marino died, whom may God pardon, and soon afterwards the army set out, to drive the Moors from the island De los Gelves.¹

V.
HOW THEY ATTACKED THE MOORS.

We sailed in a great fleet of ships, and with the same number of men as I have before stated, for though some had died, yet others had arrived to take their places. We were delayed longer than we expected by calms and light winds. On our arrival the Moors were prepared to receive us, numbering thirty thousand on foot, and thirty horsemen, there being few horses on the island, and the Moors not having had any opportunity of obtaining them. We jumped on shore, and, forming an encampment near the beach, passed the night there. Next day we began our march, in order of battle, with great confidence and certainty of success, which was the cause of all our misfortunes; for having marched two leagues without meeting any enemy, we began to think that there was no danger. We then advanced without any caution, some picking figs and others dates, for the country is thickly covered with palm trees, while others entered the houses of the natives in search of plunder, but only found a few jars of honey and raisins, which the people had not had time to carry off. We were in this state of disorder, when the Moors suddenly appeared, on all sides, twenty thousand in front, five thousand in the rear, and thirty horsemen on our flank, led by a Moor, dressed like one of our hermits and riding on a donkey. Firm in their false faith, they came on with such determination to die, that I really believe they desired more to be killed themselves, than to kill us; for they rushed upon our pikes with open arms, as soon as they had hurled the stones and lances which they held in their hands. The said hermit and one thousand four hundred Moors were killed, and five hundred of our people and seven hundred of the cavalry, which were those who did not run away. I escaped, though wounded, with two or three others, the captain-general, and Diego de Vera. We assembled with great fear, because the advantages which we possessed in arms, were counterbalanced by their knowledge of the country. After we had rallied, we again embarked, and sailed to an uninhabited island called Favignana, two or three leagues from Trapani, on the coast of Sicily, where we were dismissed.¹

VI.
WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AFTERWARDS.

I went with three servants and a hundred ducats to the city of Palermo, where I passed two months enjoying myself, resting, and curing my wound, until I had spent nearly all my money, and was obliged to dismiss my servants. I then went to Messina, another city in the island of Sicily, and spent all that was left of my hundred ducats, while I was waiting for a passage to Naples. In order to avoid greater sins I became a ruffian, and, passing one day by a place where there were some women, I made love to one of them, and carried her off to Calabria. We went to a place called Reggio, but after nine or ten days the first lover of my mistress came in search of us, and, more by force than by fair means, he took her from me. In truth, both on account of my soul and my honour, I feared death in such a quarrel, more than the shame of a disgraceful defeat. I then went to Naples with eight ducats, which were obtained more through the cunning that my want had taught me, than by the force of my right arm.

VII.
OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IN NAPLES.

I arrived without linen or money, and dressed in rags, but I was known to many who had served in the same army, and who remembered that I had been a captain, which is considered a very honourable position in Italy, where those who have held that rank are always treated with respect and consideration. I went straight to an inn in the street of Santa Catalina, where a servant saw me, who was employed by a knight in the household of the Viceroy, Don Ramon de Cardona, who came from my native place, and was named Don Alvaro Peres de Guzman. This gentleman, having more honour than money, sent word respecting my condition to the Marquis of ,¹ who was very hospitable to strangers, and especially to those who bore his wife’s name, which was Enriquez. Accordingly, while I was playing at cards, some gentlemen came in and cried out that I was a prisoner. Not knowing them by sight, I believed it, and ran to jump out of the window, thinking that it was because I had been a ruffian. One of the gentlemen was the Marquis himself, who said: “Sir, I am the alguazil who comes to arrest you, by order of Don Alonzo Perez de Guzman, who is also present; and, as a punishment for having gone to an inn when you had friends and relations in the city, you must go to prison, which is my house, and though the life which we shall lead you will be that of a prisoner, it will only last as long as your own will, and until you are rested.” They then put me on a mule, and took me to the house of the Marquis, where I was as well received by the lady his wife as by her husband. Among many other kindnesse...