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I　was　now　relieved　from　my　anxiety；　and　had　no　fears　for　the　　result。　　I　instantly　went　to　a　friend　who　is　in　possession　of　large　　estates　about　Guadalajara；　in　which　province　Fuente　La　Higuera　is　　situated；　who　furnished　me　with　letters　to　the　Civil　Governor　of　　Guadalajara　and　all　the　principal　authorities；　and　at　Antonio's　　request；　I　despatched　him　upon　the　errand　of　the　prisoner's　　liberation。　　He　first　directed　his　course　to　Fuente　La　Higuera；　　where　entering　the　ALCALDE'S　house　he　boldly　told　him　what　he　had　　come　about。　　The　ALCALDE；　expecting　that　I　was　at　hand　with　an　army　　of　Englishmen　for　the　purpose　of　rescuing　the　prisoner；　became　　greatly　alarmed；　and　instantly　despatched　his　wife　to　summon　his　　twelve　men。　　However；　on　Antonio's　assuring　him　that　there　was　no　　intention　of　having　recourse　to　violence；　he　became　more　tranquil。　　　In　a　little　time　Antonio　was　summoned　before　the　conclave　and　its　　blind　sacerdotal　president。　　They　at　first　attempted　to　frighten　　him；　by　assuming　a　loud　bullying　tone　and　talking　of　the　necessity　　of　killing　all　strangers；　and　especially　the　detested　Don　Jorge　and　　his　dependents。　　Antonio；　however；　who　is　not　a　person　apt　to　allow　　himself　to　be　easily　terrified；　scoffed　at　their　threats；　and　　showing　them　his　letters　to　the　authorities　of　Guadalajara　said　　that　he　should　proceed　there　on　the　morrow　and　denounce　their　　lawless　conduct；　adding　that　he　was　a　Turkish　subject；　and　that　　should　they　dare　to　offer　him　the　slightest　incivility　he　would　　write　to　the　Sublime　Porte；　in　comparison　with　whom　the　best　kings　　in　the　world　were　but　worms；　and　who　would　not　fail　to　avenge　the　　wrongs　of　any　of　his　children；　however　distant；　in　a　manner　too　　terrible　to　be　mentioned。　　He　then　returned　to　his　POSADA。　　The　　conclave　now　proceeded　to　deliberate　among　themselves；　and　at　last　　determined　to　despatch　their　prisoner　on　the　morrow　to　Guadalajara；　　and　deliver　him　into　the　hands　of　the　Civil　Governor。

Nevertheless；　in　order　to　keep　up　a　semblance　of　authority；　they　　that　night　placed　two　men　armed　at　the　door　of　the　POSADA　where　　Antonio　was　lodged；　as　if　he　himself　were　a　prisoner；　these　men　as　　often　as　the　clock　struck　the　hours；　shouted；　'AVE　MARIA！　　Death　to　　the　heretics！'　　Early　in　the　morning　the　ALCALDE　presented　himself　　at　the　POSADA；　but　before　entering　he　made　an　oration　at　the　door　　to　the　people　in　the　street　saying　amongst　other　things：　　　'Brethren；　these　are　the　fellows　who　have　come　to　rob　us　of　our　　religion。'　　He　then　went　into　Antonio's　apartment；　and　after　　saluting　him　with　great　politeness　said　that　as　a　royal　or　high　　mass　was　about　to　be　celebrated　that　morning；　he　had　come　to　invite　　him　to　go　to　church　with　him；　whereupon　Antonio；　though　by　no　means　　a　mass…goer；　rose　and　accompanied　him；　and　remained　two　hours；　as　　he　told　me；　on　his　knees　on　the　cold　stones　to　his　great　　discomfort；　the　eyes　of　the　whole　congregation　being　fixed　upon　him　　during　the　time。

After　mass　and　breakfast；　he　departed　for　Guadalajara；　Vitoriano　　having　been　already　despatched　there　under　a　guard。　　On　his　arrival　　he　presented　his　letters　to　the　individuals　for　whom　they　were　　intended。　　The　Civil　Governor　was　convulsed　with　merriment　on　　hearing　Antonio's　account　of　the　adventure。　　Vitoriano　was　set　at　　liberty　and　the　books　were　placed　in　embargo　at　Guadalajara：　　the　　Governor　stating；　however；　that　though　it　was　his　duty　to　detain　　them　at　present；　they　should　be　sent　to　me　whenever　I　chose　to　　claim　them。　　He　moreover　said　that　he　would　do　his　best　to　cause　　the　authorities　of　Fuente　La　Higuera　to　be　severely　punished；　as　in　　the　whole　affair　they　had　acted　in　a　most　cruel；　tyrannical　manner；　　for　which　they　had　no　authority。　　Thus　terminated　this　affair；　one　　of　those　little　accidents　which　chequer　missionary　life　in　Spain。

Vitoriano　is　now　with　me　at　Naval　Carnero；　as　he　begged　me　almost　　on　his　knees　to　be　permitted　to　attend　me　and　to　be　employed　as　　before。　　At　his　imprisonment　he　smiles。　　Antonio　and　myself　have　　lately　been　very　successful　at　Madrid；　having　sold　considerably　　upwards　of　a　hundred　Testaments　and　several　Bibles。　　It　is　with　　deep　gratitude　I　state　that　the　poor　of　Madrid　receive　the　　Scripture　with　gladness：　　to　the　rich　I　offer　it　not；　their　hearts　　are　hard。　　I　am　writing　a　journal　of　the　present　expedition。

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　9th　March；　1839



To　Mr。　W。　Hitchin　（ENDORSED：　recd。　March　21；　1839）　MADRID；　MARCH　9；　1839。

ON　the　other　side　I　send　you　my　account；　which　I　hope　you　will　find　　correct。　　In　order　to　prevent　confusion；　I　have　charged　my　expenses　　from　the　period　of　my　leaving　London　until　my　arrival　at　Cadiz　in　　the　Spanish；　instead　of　the　English　currency。　　Respecting　the　item　　of　Vitoriano；　it　will　be　as　well　to　observe　that；　when　employed　in　　journeying；　I　allow　him　six　REALS　per　diem　and　his　diet；　and　two　　when　in　Madrid。　　I　do　not　know　that　there　is　anything　else　to　which　　I　need　direct　your　attention；　except　that　I　have　not　noted　my　　quarter's　salary　because　ignorant　of　the　rate　of　exchange。　　If　you　　please；　you　can　credit　me　to　the　amount。

I　did　not　go　further　than　Naval　Carnero　on　the　way　to　Talavera；　on　　account　of　an　accident　which　occurred；　the　clergy　having　raised　the　　country　against　me。　　Glory　to　God；　they　are　becoming　thoroughly　　alarmed；　and　with　much　reason。　　I　have　disposed　of　all　the　Bibles　　bound　already；　and　have　been　compelled　on　account　of　the　demand　to　　order　the　rest　of　the　sheets　to　be　got　in　readiness。　　We　shall　be　　compelled　to　evacuate　our　storehouse　and　to　seek　another；　as　the　　rats　are　doing　prodigious　havoc　to　the　stores。

Pray；　remember　me　to　all　friends；　and　believe　me；　etc。；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　20th　March；　1839



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Apr。　8；　1839）　20　MARCH　1839；　MADRID；　CALLE　SANTIAGO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　Having　much　to　communicate；　and　of　no　slight　　importance；　I　shall　offer　no　apology　for　now　addressing　you。　　My　　last　letter　was　from　Naval　Carnero；　in　which　I　informed　you　of　　various　circumstances；　connected　with　the　distribution　of　the　　blessed　Gospel；　which　had　recently　occurred。　　I　likewise　stated　　that　it　was　very　probable　that　I　should　proceed　to　Talavera；　for　　the　purpose　of　seeing　what　might　be　done　in　that　neighbourhood。　　　The　day；　however；　subsequent　to　dispatching　my　letter　ushered　in　　events　which　compelled　me　to　alter　my　resolution；　twenty　Testaments　　were　seized　in　a　village　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Naval　Carnero；　and　　I　learned　that　our　proceedings；　on　the　other　side　of　Madrid；　had　　caused　alarm　amongst　the　heads　of　the　clergy；　who　made　a　formal　　complaint　to　the　Government　…　who　immediately　sent　orders　to　all　　the　ALCALDES　of　the　villages；　great　and　small；　in　New　Castile　to　　seize　the　New　Testament　wherever　it　might　be　exposed　for　sale；　but　　at　the　same　time　to　be　particularly　careful　not　to　detain　or　　maltreat　the　person　or　persons　who　might　be　attempting　to　vend　it。　　　An　exact　description　of　myself　accompanied　these　orders；　and　the　　authorities；　both　civil　and　military；　were　exhorted　to　be　on　their　　guard　against　me；　and　my　arts　and　machinations；　for；　as　the　　document　stated；　I　was　to…day　in　one　place　and　to…morrow　at　twenty　　leagues　distance。　　On　receiving　this　intelligence；　I　instantly　　resolved　to　change　for　a　time　my　strategic　system；　and　not　to　　persist　in　a　course　which　would　expose　the　sacred　volume　to　seizure　　at　every　step　which　I　might　take　to　circulate　it。　　I　therefore　　galloped　back　to　Madrid；　leaving　Vitoriano　to　follow。　　It　will　be　　as　well　to　observe　here；　that　we　sold　twenty　and　odd　Testaments　in　　villages　adjacent　to　Naval　Carnero；　before　the　orders　had　arrived。

Arrived　at　Madrid；　I　lost　not　a　moment　in　putting　into　execution　　the　plan　which　I　had　formed。　　Having　an　extensive　acquaintance　　amongst　the　lower　orders；　I　instantly　selected　eight　of　the　most　　intelligent　to　co…operate　with　me；　amongst　whom　were　five　women。　　　All　these　I　supplied　with　Testaments；　and　then　sent　them　forth　to　　all　the　parishes　in　Madrid。　　I　will　at　once　state　the　result　which；　　I　confess；　has　more　than　answered　my　expectations。　　Since　my　return　　from　Naval　Carnero　nearly　six　hundred　copies　of　the　life　and　words　　of　Him　of　Nazareth　have　been　sold　in　the　streets　and　alleys　of　　Madrid；　a　fact　which　I　hope　I　may　be　permitted　to　mention　with　　gladness　and　with　decent　triumph　in　the　Lord。　　There　is　a　place　in　　Madrid　called　the　Puerta　del　Sol；　which　is　a　central　spot；　　surrounded　with　shops；　into　which　the　four　principal　streets　　disembogue；　if　I　may　be　allowed　the　expression。　　These　streets　are　　the　Calle　Alcala；　the　Calle　Montera；　the　Calle　Mayor；　and　that　of　　Carreta。　　The　wealthiest　of　all　these　is　the　Calle　Montera；　where　　reside　the　principal　merchants　and　shop…keepers　of　Madrid；　it　is　in　　fact　the　street　of　commerce；　and　is　in　many　respects　similar　to　the　　Zacatin　of　Granada。　　Every　house　in　this　street　is　supplied　with　　its　Testament；　and　the　same　may　be　said　with　respect　to　the　Puerta　　del　Sol；　nay；　in　some　instances　every　individual　in　the　house；　man　　and　child；　man…servant　and　maid…servant；　is　furnished　with　a　copy；　　which　we　have　invariably　sold；　and　never　given。　　My　Greek　Antonio　　has　made　wonderful　exertions　in　this　quarter；　and　it　is　but　justice　　to　say　that　but　for　his　instrumentality；　on　many　occasions；　I　might　　be　by　no　means　able　to　give　so　favourable　an　account　of　the　spread　　of　the　Bible　in　Spain；　as　I　now　conscientiously　can。　　There　was　a　　time　when；　as　you　are　well　aware；　I　was　in　the　habit　of　saying；　　'Dark　Madrid；'　an　expression　which　I　thank　God　I　may　now　drop；　for　　can　that　city　justly　be　called　'dark'　in　which　thirteen　hundred　　Testaments；　at　least；　are　in　circulation　and　in　daily　use？

It　appears　to　me　that　a　glorious　reform　is　commencing　in　Spain；　　indeed　matters　have　lately　come　to　my　knowledge；　which　had　they　　been　prophesied　only　a　year　ago　by　the　Spirit　of　truth　itself；　I　　should　have　experienced　much　difficulty　in　believing。　　You　will　be　　surprised　when　I　tell　you　that　in　two　churches　of　Madrid；　the　New　　Testament　is　regularly　expounded　every　Sunday　evening；　by　the　　respective　curates；　to　about　twenty　children　who　attend；　and　who　　are　provided　with　copies　of　the　Society's　edition　of　Madrid；　1837。　　　The　churches