Page:The History of the Valorous and Wity Knight-Errant, Don-Quixote of the Mancha.djvu/104

that in so doubtful a Taking the delightful History stopped, and remain'd dismember'd, the Author thereof leaving us no Notice where we might find the rest of the Narration. This griev'd me not a little, but wholly turn'd the Pleasure I took in reading the beginning thereof into Disgust, thinking how small Commodity was offer'd to find out so much as in mine Opinion wanted of this so delectable a Tale. It seem'd unto me almost impossible, and contrary to all good Order, that so good a Knight should want some wise Man, that would undertake his wonderful Prowess and Feats of Chivalry; a thing that none of those Knights-Errant ever wanted, of whom People speak: for each of them had one or two wise Men of purpose, that did not only write their Acts, but also depainted their very least Thoughts and Toys, were they never so hidden; and sore so good a Knight could not be so unfortunate as to want that wherewith Platyr, and others his like, abounded; and therefore could not induce my self to believe, that so gallant a History might remain maim'd and lame, and did rather cast the Fault upon the Malice of Time, who is Consumer and Devourer of all Things, which had either hidden or confirmed it.

Methought on the other side, seeing that among his Books were found some modern, Works, such as The Undeceiving of Jealousie, and The Nymphs and Shepherds of Henares, that also his own History must have been new; and if it were not written, yet was the Memory of him fresh among the Dwellers of his own Village, and the other Villages adjoining. This Imagination held me suspended, and desirous to learn really and truly all the Life and Miracles of our famous Spaniard Don Quixote of the Mancha the Light and Mirrour of all Manchieal Chivalry; being the first who, in this our Age and Time so full of Calamities, did undergo the Travels and Exercise of Arms-Errant; and undid Wrongs, succour'd Widows, protected Damsels that rode up and down with their Whips and Palfreys, and with all their Virginity on their Backs, from Hill to Hill, and Dale to Dale: For if it happened not that some lewd

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