£0 The ADVENTURES of

duftry under the rein, and b^gan to ftudy the ground,

before we fhould form any enterprize.

One day, a man accofiing me in the ftreet, falutcd me very civilly, faying, “ Signior Don Raphael, do you know me?” 1 anfwercd, “ No.” Upon which he refumed : “ But I recollett you : I have feen you at the court of Tufcany. where I then belonged to the grand duke’s guards. I quitted the fcrvice of that prince feme months ago, and am come to Spain with , an Italian of great fineflfe : we have been three weeks j at Valladolid, and lodge with a Caftilian and Galician, who are, without contradiftion, two young fellows of honour. We live together by the work of our hands, ; make good cheer, and amufe ourfclvcs like princes : if i you will join us, you fhali be agreeably received by my confederates: for you always feemed to me to be ] a gallant man, of a difpofition not addifled to feru- ] pies, and a profeffed brother of our order.” t

'fhe rogue’s franknefs excited mine—“ Since you , fpeak to me with fo little rcTcrvc, faid I to him, it is j

but reafonable that I fhould explain myfelf, in the ]

fame manner to you. Indeed, 1 am not a novice in ,

your profeflion ; and if my modefty would allow me (

to recount my exploits, you would fee that you have f

not judged too advantageoufly of my talents. But I t

will forbear to launch out in my own praife, and con- (

tent myfelf with affuring you, while I accept that (

place in your company which is offered, that I will j

neglect nothing to approve myfelf worthy of your a

choice.” As loon as I fignific'd, to this ambidexter, r

my confent to augment the number of his comrades, y

lie conduced me to the place where they were, and ^

introduced me to their acquaintance. It was here f

that I faw, for the fill! time, the illuftrious Ambrofc t

de Dimela. Thofc gentlemen examined me touching ^

my fkill in the my fiery of appropriating to one’s felf x

with addrefs, the effects of another. They wanted to c

it now if I underftood the principles of their art; but I Am; wed them a great many firatagems, which they did f

not