Senor Don Manuel de Herrera,
When this letter, which I ſend by Nicolas Pedroſa, ſhall reach your hands, you ſhall 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 Nicolas Pedroſa the ſum of twenty gold piſtoles, which ſum his excellency———
"Hold", cries the inquiſidor 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 inquiſidor general beckoning to the priſoner to follow him, 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, ſenor 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 conſideration for yourſelf to betray a truſt, the violation of which muſt involve you in inevitable ruin, and can in no degree attaint my character, which is far enough beyond the reach of malice; be attentive, therefore to my orders; execute them punctually, and keep my ſecret as you tender your own life: doſt thou know the name and condition of the lady whom thou haſt delivered?" Nicolas aſſured him he did not, and his excellency proceeded as follows:———"Then I tell thee, Nicolas, 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
