Page:The History of the Valorous and Wity Knight-Errant, Don-Quixote of the Mancha.djvu/42

2, and now and then a lean Pigeon on Sundays, did consume three parts of his Rents: The rest and remnant thereof was spent on a Jerkin of fine Puke, a pair of Velvet Hose, with Pantofles of the same, for the Holidays, and one Suit of the finest Vesture; for therewithal he honour'd and set out his Person for the Workdays. He had in his House Woman-servant of about some Forty years old, and a Niece not yet Twenty, and a Man that served him both in Field and at Home, and could saddle his Horse, and likewise manage a Pruning-hook. The Master himself was about Fifty years old, of a strong Complexion, dry Flesh, and a withered Face. He was an early Riser, and a great Friend of Hunting. Some affirm that his Surname was Quixada or Quesada (for in this there is some Variance among the Authors that write his Life) altho' it may be gathered by very probable Conjectures, that he was call'd Quixana. Yet all this concerns our historical Relation but little; let it then suffice, that in the Narration thereof we will not vary a jot from the Truth.

You shall therefore wit, that this Gentleman above named, the Spirts that he was idle (which was the longer part of the Year) did apply himself wholly to the reading of Books of Knighthood, and that with such Gusts and Delights, as he almost wholly neglected the Exercise of Hunting, yea, and the very administration of his Houshold Affairs. And his Curiosity and Folly came to that pass, that he made away many Acres of arable Land, to buy him Books of that kind; and therefore he brought to his House as many as ever he could get of that Subject: And among them all, none pleased him better than those which Famous Felician of Silua composed: For the smoothness of his Prose, with now and then some intricate Sentence medledmedlied [sic], seem'd to him peerless; and principally when he did read the Courtings, or Letters of Challenge, that Knights sent to Ladies, or one to another: where, in many places, he found written — the Reason of the Unreasonableness, which against my Reason is wrought, doth so weaken my Reason, as with all Reason I do

justly