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whatever remainder of life Heaven may be pleased to grant me。 But I
wish each of you on taking possession of the share that falls to him
to follow one of the paths I shall indicate。 In this Spain of ours
there is a proverb； to my mind very true… as they all are； being short
aphorisms drawn from long practical experience… and the one I refer to
says； 'The church； or the sea； or the king's house；' as much as to
say； in plainer language； whoever wants to flourish and become rich；
let him follow the church； or go to sea； adopting commerce as his
calling； or go into the king's service in his household； for they say；
'Better a king's crumb than a lord's favour。' I say so because it is
my will and pleasure that one of you should follow letters； another
trade； and the third serve the king in the wars； for it is a difficult
matter to gain admission to his service in his household； and if war
does not bring much wealth it confers great distinction and fame。
Eight days hence I will give you your full shares in money； without
defrauding you of a farthing； as you will see in the end。 Now tell
me if you are willing to follow out my idea and advice as I have
laid it before you。〃
Having called upon me as the eldest to answer； I； after urging him
not to strip himself of his property but to spend it all as he
pleased； for we were young men able to gain our living； consented to
comply with his wishes； and said that mine were to follow the
profession of arms and thereby serve God and my king。 My second
brother having made the same proposal； decided upon going to the
Indies； embarking the portion that fell to him in trade。 The youngest；
and in my opinion the wisest； said he would rather follow the
church； or go to complete his studies at Salamanca。 As soon as we
had come to an understanding； and made choice of our professions； my
father embraced us all； and in the short time he mentioned carried
into effect all he had promised； and when he had given to each his
share； which as well as I remember was three thousand ducats apiece in
cash （for an uncle of ours bought the estate and paid for it down； not
to let it go out of the family）； we all three on the same day took
leave of our good father； and at the same time； as it seemed to me
inhuman to leave my father with such scanty means in his old age； I
induced him to take two of my three thousand ducats； as the
remainder would be enough to provide me with all a soldier needed。
My two brothers； moved by my example； gave him each a thousand ducats；
so that there was left for my father four thousand ducats in money；
besides three thousand； the value of the portion that fell to him
which he preferred to retain in land instead of selling it。 Finally；
as I said； we took leave of him； and of our uncle whom I have
mentioned； not without sorrow and tears on both sides； they charging
us to let them know whenever an opportunity offered how we fared；
whether well or ill。 We promised to do so； and when he had embraced us
and given us his blessing； one set out for Salamanca； the other for
Seville； and I for Alicante； where I had heard there was a Genoese
vessel taking in a cargo of wool for Genoa。
It is now some twenty…two years since I left my father's house；
and all that time； though I have written several letters； I have had
no news whatever of him or of my brothers； my own adventures during
that period I will now relate briefly。 I embarked at Alicante； reached
Genoa after a prosperous voyage； and proceeded thence to Milan；
where I provided myself with arms and a few soldier's accoutrements；
thence it was my intention to go and take service in Piedmont； but
as I was already on the road to Alessandria della Paglia； I learned
that the great Duke of Alva was on his way to Flanders。 I changed my
plans； joined him； served under him in the campaigns he made； was
present at the deaths of the Counts Egmont and Horn； and was
promoted to be ensign under a famous captain of Guadalajara； Diego
de Urbina by name。 Some time after my arrival in Flanders news came of
the league that his Holiness Pope Pius V of happy memory； had made
with Venice and Spain against the common enemy； the Turk； who had just
then with his fleet taken the famous island of Cyprus； which
belonged to the Venetians； a loss deplorable and disastrous。 It was
known as a fact that the Most Serene Don John of Austria； natural
brother of our good king Don Philip； was coming as
commander…in…chief of the allied forces； and rumours were abroad of
the vast warlike preparations which were being made； all which stirred
my heart and filled me with a longing to take part in the campaign
which was expected； and though I had reason to believe； and almost
certain promises； that on the first opportunity that presented
itself I should be promoted to be captain； I preferred to leave all
and betake myself； as I did； to Italy； and it was my good fortune that
Don John had just arrived at Genoa； and was going on to Naples to join
the Venetian fleet； as he afterwards did at Messina。 I may say； in
short； that I took part in that glorious expedition； promoted by
this time to be a captain of infantry； to which honourable charge my
good luck rather than my merits raised me； and that day… so
fortunate for Christendom； because then all the nations of the earth
were disabused of the error under which they lay in imagining the
Turks to be invincible on sea…on that day； I say； on which the Ottoman
pride and arrogance were broken； among all that were there made
happy （for the Christians who died that day were happier than those
who remained alive and victorious） I alone was miserable； for； instead
of some naval crown that I might have expected had it been in Roman
times； on the night that followed that famous day I found myself
with fetters on my feet and manacles on my hands。
It happened in this way： El Uchali； the king of Algiers； a daring
and successful corsair； having attacked and taken the leading
Maltese galley （only three knights being left alive in it； and they
badly wounded）； the chief galley of John Andrea； on board of which I
and my company were placed； came to its relief； and doing as was bound
to do in such a case； I leaped on board the enemy's galley； which；
sheering off from that which had attacked it； prevented my men from
following me； and so I found myself alone in the midst of my
enemies； who were in such numbers that I was unable to resist； in
short I was taken； covered with wounds； El Uchali； as you know；
sirs； made his escape with his entire squadron； and I was left a
prisoner in his power； the only sad being among so many filled with
joy； and the only captive among so many free； for there were fifteen
thousand Christians； all at the oar in the Turkish fleet； that
regained their longed…for liberty that day。
They carried me to Constantinople； where the Grand Turk； Selim； made
my master general at sea for having done his duty in the battle and
carried off as evidence of his bravery the standard of the Order of
Malta。 The following year； which was the year seventy…two； I found
myself at Navarino rowing in the leading galley with the three
lanterns。 There I saw and observed how the opportunity of capturing
the whole Turkish fleet in harbour was lost； for all the marines and
janizzaries that belonged to it made sure that they were about to be
attacked inside the very harbour； and had their kits and pasamaques；
or shoes； ready to flee at once on shore without waiting to be
assailed； in so great fear did they stand of our fleet。 But Heaven
ordered it otherwise； not for any fault or neglect of the general
who commanded on our side； but for the sins of Christendom； and
because it was God's will and pleasure that we should always have
instruments of punishment to chastise us。 As it was； El Uchali took
refuge at Modon； which is an island near Navarino； and landing
forces fortified the mouth of the harbour and waited quietly until Don
John retired。 On this expedition was taken the galley called the
Prize； whose captain was a son of the famous corsair Barbarossa。 It
was taken by the chief Neapolitan galley called the She…wolf；
commanded by that thunderbolt of war； that father of his men； that
successful and unconquered captain Don Alvaro de Bazan； Marquis of
Santa Cruz； and I cannot help telling you what took place at the
capture of the Prize。
The son of Barbarossa was so cruel； and treated his slaves so badly；
that； when those who were at the oars saw that the She…wolf galley was
bearing down upon them and gaining upon them； they all at once dropped
their oars and seized their captain who stood on the stage at the
end of the gangway shouting to them to row lustily； and passing him on
from bench to bench； from the poop to the prow； they so bit him that
before he had got much past the mast his soul had already got to hell；
so great； as I said； was the cruelty with which he treated them； and
the hatred with which they hated him。
We returned to Constantinople； and the following year；
seventy…three； it became known that Don John had seized Tunis and
taken the kingdom from the Turks； and placed Muley Hamet in
possession； putting an end to the hopes