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　to　be　imprisoned；　and　write　　to　Madrid　in　order　to　give　information　of　what　was　going　on。　　The　　excursion　lasted　about　eight　days。　　Immediately　after　my　return；　I　　despatched　Vitoriano　to　Caramanchel；　a　village　at　the　distance　of　　half　a　league　from　Madrid；　the　only　one　towards　the　west　which　had　　not　been　visited　last　year。　　He　stayed　there　about　an　hour　and　　disposed　of　twelve　copies；　and　then　returned；　as　he　is　exceedingly　　timid　and　was　afraid　of　being　met　by　the　thieves　who　swarm　on　that　　road　in　the　evening。　　In　a　few　days　I　depart　for　Guadalajara　and　　the　villages　of　Alcarria。

（UNSIGNED。）



LETTER：　4th　March；　1839



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Mar。　15；　1839）　NAVAL　CARNERO；　NEW　CASTILE；　MARCH　4；　1839。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　　kind　letter　of　the　6th　ult。；　which　I　hope　to　be　able　to　answer　in　　all　points　on　another　occasion。　　I　am　now　in　a　small　town　on　the　　road　to　Talavera；　to　which　place　it　is　possible　that　I　may　proceed。　　　I　take　up　the　pen　in　order　to　give　you　a　brief　account　of　what　has　　taken　place　since　I　last　wrote。　　I　have　that　to　communicate　which　I　　am　confident　will　cause　yourself　and　the　remainder　of　my　dear　　friends　in　Earl　Street　to　smile；　while　at　the　same　time　it　will　not　　fail　to　prove　interesting；　as　affording　an　example　of　the　feeling　　prevalent　in　some　of　the　lone　and　solitary　villages　of　Spain　with　　respect　to　innovation　and　all　that　savours　thereof；　and　the　strange　　acts　which　are　sometimes　committed　by　the　rural　authorities　and　the　　priests；　without　the　slightest　fear　of　being　called　to　account；　for　　as　they　live　quite　apart　（6）　from　the　rest　of　the　world；　they　know　　no　people　greater　than　themselves；　and　scarcely　dream　of　a　higher　　power　than　their　own。　　In　my　latest　communication　I　stated　that　I　　was　about　to　make　an　excursion　to　Gaudalajara　and　the　villages　of　　Alcarria；　indeed　I　merely　awaited　the　return　of　Vitoriano　to　sally　　forth：　　I　having　despatched　him　in　that　direction　with　a　few　　Testaments　as　a　kind　of　explorer；　in　order　that　from　his　report　as　　to　the　disposition　manifested　by　the　people　for　purchasing；　I　might　　form　a　tolerably　accurate　opinion　as　to　the　number　of　copies　which　　it　might　be　necessary　to　carry　with　me。　　However　I　heard　nothing　of　　him　for　a　fortnight；　at　the　end　of　which　period　a　letter　was　　brought　to　me　by　a　peasant；　dated　from　the　prison　of　Fuente　La　　Higuera；　a　village　eight　leagues　from　Madrid；　in　the　CAMPINA；　or　　champaign　of　Alcala。　　This　letter；　written　by　Vitoriano；　gave　me　to　　understand；　that　he　had　been　already　eight　days　imprisoned；　and　　that　unless　I　could　find　some　means　to　extricate　him　there　was　　every　probability　of　his　remaining　in　durance　until　he　should　　perish　with　hunger；　which　he　had　no　doubt　would　occur　as　soon　as　　his　money　was　exhausted　and　he　was　unable　to　purchase　the　　necessaries　of　life　at　a　great　price。　　From　what　I　afterwards　　learned　it　appeared　that　after　passing　the　town　of　Alcala　he　had　　commenced　distributing；　and　with　considerable　success。　　His　entire　　stock　consisted　of　sixty…one　Testaments；　twenty…five　of　which　he　　sold　without　the　least　difficulty　or　interruption　in　the　single　　village　of　Arganza；　the　poor　labourers　showering　blessings　on　his　　head　for　providing　them　with　such　good　books　at　an　easy　price。　　Not　　more　than　eighteen　remained　when　he　turned　off　the　high　road　　towards　Fuente　La　Higuera。　　This　place　was　already　tolerably　well　　known　to　him；　he　having　visited　it　of　old　when　he　travelled　the　　country　in　the　capacity　of　a　vendor　of　CACHARROS　or　earthen　pans。　　　He　subsequently　stated　that　he　felt　some　misgiving　whilst　on　the　　way；　as　the　village　had　invariably　enjoyed　a　bad　reputation。　　On　　his　arrival；　after　having　put　up　his　CABALLEJO；　or　little　pony；　at　　a　POSADA；　he　proceeded　to　the　ALCALDE　for　the　purpose　of　demanding　　permission　to　sell　books；　which　that　dignitary　immediately　granted。　　　He　now　entered　a　house　and　sold　a　copy；　and　likewise　in　a　second。　　　Emboldened　by　success　he　entered　a　third；　which　it　appeared　　belonged　to　the　barber…surgeon　of　the　village。　　This　personage；　　having　just　completed　his　dinner；　was　seated　in　an　arm…chair　within　　his　doorway　when　Vitoriano　made　his　appearance。　　He　was　a　man　of　　about　thirty…five；　of　a　savage；　truculent　countenance。　　On　　Vitoriano's　offering　him　a　Testament　he　took　it　into　his　hand　to　　examine　it；　but　no　sooner　did　his　eyes　glance　over　the　title…page　　than　he　burst　into　a　loud　laugh；　exclaiming：　　'Ha；　ha；　Don　Jorge　　Borrow；　the　English　heretic；　we　have　encountered　you　at　last。　　　Glory　to　the　Virgin　and　the　Saints！　　We　have　long　been　expecting　　you　here；　and　at　length　you　have　arrived。'　　He　then　enquired　the　　price　of　the　book；　and　on　being　told　three　REALS；　he　flung　down　　two；　and　rushed　out　of　the　house　with　the　Testament　in　his　hand。　　　Vitoriano　now　became　alarmed；　and　determined　upon　leaving　the　place　　as　soon　as　possible。　　He　therefore　hurried　back　to　the　POSADA；　and　　having　paid　for　the　barley　which　his　pony　had　consumed；　went　into　　the　stable；　and　placing　the　pack…saddle　on　the　animal's　back　was　　about　to　lead　it　forth　when　the　ALCALDE　of　the　village；　the　　surgeon；　and　twelve　other　men；　some　of　whom　were　armed　with　　muskets；　suddenly　presented　themselves。　　They　instantly　made　　Vitoriano　prisoner；　and；　after　seizing　the　books　and　laying　an　　embargo　on　the　pony；　proceeded　amidst　much　abuse　to　drag　their　　captive　to　what　they　denominated　their　prison；　a　low　damp　apartment　　with　a　little　grated　window；　where　they　locked　him　up　and　left　him。　　　At　the　expiration　of　three　quarters　of　an　hour　they　again　appeared；　　and　conducted　him　to　the　house　of　the　curate；　where　they　sat　down　　in　conclave；　the　curate　who　was　a　man　stone…blind　being　president；　　whilst　the　sacristan　officiated　as　secretary。　　The　surgeon　having　　stated　his　accusation　against　the　prisoner；　namely；　that　he　had　　detected　him　in　the　fact　of　selling　a　version　of　the　Scriptures　in　　the　vulgar　tongue；　the　curate　proceeded　to　examine　Vitoriano；　　asking　him　his　name　and　place　of　residence　…　to　which　he　replied　　that　his　name　was　Vitoriano　Lopez；　and　that　he　was　a　native　of　　Villa　Seca　in　the　Sagra　of　Toledo。　　The　curate　then　demanded　what　　religion　he　professed；　and　whether　he　was　a　Mahometan　or　freemason；　　and　received　for　answer　that　he　was　a　Roman　Catholic。　　I　must　here　　state　that　Vitoriano；　though　sufficiently　shrewd　in　his　way；　is　a　　poor　old　labourer　of　sixty…four；　and　until　that　moment　had　never　　heard　of　Mahometans　or　freemasons。　　The　curate　becoming　now　　incensed；　called　him　a　TUNANTE　or　scoundrel；　and　added；　'You　have　　sold　your　soul　to　a　heretic；　we　have　long　been　aware　of　your　　proceedings；　and　those　of　your　master。　　You　are　the　same　Lopez；　　whom　he　last　year　rescued　from　the　prison　of　Villallos；　in　the　　province　of　Avila。　　I　sincerely　hope　that　he　will　attempt　to　do　the　　same　thing　here。'　　'Yes；　yes；'　shouted　the　rest　of　the　conclave；　　'let　him　but　venture　here；　and　we　will　shed　his　heart's　blood　on　　our　stones。'　　In　this　manner　they　went　on　for　nearly　half…an…hour；　　at　last　they　broke　up　the　meeting　and　conducted　Vitoriano　once　more　　to　his　prison。

During　his　confinement　he　lived　tolerably　well；　being　in　possession　　of　money；　his　meals　were　sent　him　twice　a　day　from　the　POSADA；　　where　his　pony　remained　in　embargo。　　Once　or　twice　he　asked　　permission　of　the　ALCALDE；　who　visited　him　every　night　and　morning　　with　his　armed　guard；　to　purchase　pen　and　paper；　in　order　that　he　　might　write　to　Madrid；　but　this　favour　was　peremptorily　refused　　him；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　were　forbidden　under　　terrible　penalties　to　afford　him　the　means　of　writing；　or　to　convey　　any　message　from　him　beyond　the　precincts　of　the　place；　and　two　　boys　were　stationed　before　the　window　of　his　cell　for　the　purpose　　of　watching　everything　which　might　be　conveyed　to　him。　　It　happened　　one　day　that　Vitoriano；　being　in　need　of　a　pillow　for　his　head；　　sent　word　to　the　people　of　the　POSADA　to　send　him　his　ALFORJAS　or　　saddle…bags；　which　they　did。　　In　these　bags　there　chanced　to　be　a　　kind　of　rope　or；　as　it　is　called　in　Spanish；　SOGA；　with　which　he　　was　in　the　habit　of　fastening　his　satchel　to　the　pony's　back。　　The　　urchins　seeing　an　end　of　this　rope　hanging　from　the　ALFORJAS　　instantly　ran　to　the　ALCALDE　to　give　him　information。　　Late　at　　evening　the　ALCALDE　again　visited　the　prisoner；　at　the　head　of　his　　twelve　men　as　usual。　　'BUENAS　NOCHES；'　said　the　ALCALDE。　　'BUENAS　　NOCHES　TENGA　USTED；'　replied　Vitoriano。　　'For　what　purpose　did　you　　send　for　the　SOGA　this　afternoon？'　demanded　the　functionary。　　'I　　sent　for　no　SOGA；'　said　the　prisoner；　'I　sent　for　my　ALFORJAS　to　　serve　as　a　pillow；　and　it　was　sent　in　them　by　chance。'　　'Thou　art　a　　false　malicious　knave；'　retorted　the　ALCALDE；　'you　intend　to　hang　　yourself；　and　by　so　doing　ruin　us　all；　as　your　death　would　be　laid　　to　our　door。　　Give　me　the　SOGA。'　　No　greater　insult　can　be　offered　　to　a　Spaniard；　than　to　tax　him　with　an　intention　of　committing　　suicide。　　Poor　Vitoriano　flew　into　a　violent　rage；　and　after　　calling　the　ALCALDE　several　uncivil　names；　he　pulled　the　SOGA　from　　his　bags；　and　flinging　it　at　his　head；　told　him　to　take　it　home　and　　use　it　for　his　own　neck。

At　length　the　people　of　the　POSADA　took　pity　on　the　prisoner；　　perceiving　that　he　was　very　harshly　treated　for　no　crime　at　all。　　　They　therefore　determined　to　afford　him　an　opportunity　of　informing　　his　friends　of　his　situation；　and　accordingly　sent　him　a　pen　and　　inkhorn；　concealed　in　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　a　piece　of　writing…　paper；　pretending　that　the　latter　was　intended　for　cigars。　　So　　Vitoriano　wrote　the　letter；　but　now　ensued　the　difficulty　of　　sending　it　to　its　destination；　as　no　person　in　the　village　dare　　have　carried　it　for　any　reward。　　The　good　people；　however；　　persuaded　a　disbanded　soldier　from　another　village；　who　chanced　to　　be　at　Fuente　La　Higuera　in　quest　of　work；　to　charge　himself　with　　it；　promising　that　I　would　pay　him　well　for　his　trouble。　　The　man；　　watching　his　opportunity；　received　the　letter　from　Vitoriano　at　the　　window；　and　it　was　he　who；　after　travelling　on　foot　all　night；　　delivered　it　to　me　in　safety　at　Madrid。

I　was　now　relieved　from　my　anxiety；　and　had　no　fears　for　the　　result。　　I　instantly　went　to　a　friend　who　is　in