Page:The History of the Valorous and Wity Knight-Errant, Don-Quixote of the Mancha.djvu/155

Book III. had it here? But I swear unto thee, Sancho Pancha by the Faith of a Knight-Errant, that before two days pass (if Fortune dispose not otherwise) I will have it in my power, or it shall hardly escape my hands. I pray you, quoth Sancho, within how many Days, think you, shall we be able to stir our Feet? I can say of my self, quoth the crush'd Knight, that I cannot set a certain Term to the Days of our Recovery, but I am in the Fault of all, for I should not have drawn my Sword against Men that are not Knights as well as I am; and therefore I believe that the God of Battels hath permitted that this Punishment should be given unto me, in pain of transgressing the Laws of Knight- hood.

Wherefore, Brother Sancho, it is requisite that thou be'st advertis'd of that which I shall say unto thee now, for it importeth both our Goods very much, and is, that when thou behold'st that the like rascally Rabble do us any Wrong, do not wait till I set Hand to my Sword against them, for I will not do it in any sort, but draw thou thine, and chastise them at thy peasure; and if any Knights shall come to their assistance and succour, I shall know then how to defend thee, and offend them with all my Force; for thou hast by this perceiv'd by a thousand Signs and Experiences, how far the Valour of this my invincible Arm extendeth it self (so arrogant remain'd the poor Knight, thro' the Victory he had gotten of the hardy Biscaine). But this Advice of his Lord seem'd not so good to Sancho Pancha as that he would omit to answer unto him, saying, Sir, I am a peaceable, quiet, and sober Man, and can dissemble any Injury, for I have Wife and Children to maintain and bring up; wherefore let this likewise be an Advice to you (seeing it cannot be a Commandment) that I will not set Hand to my Sword in any wise, be it against Clown or Knight, and, that from this time forward I do pardon before God all the Wrongs that they have done, or shall do unto me, whether they were, be, or shall be done by high or low Person, rich or poor, Gentleman or Churl, without excepting any State or Condition. Which