'see me again." The amount of the fine, and of the confiscated property,

was sent.

Where there is no resistance, Jayme generally inquires whither his victims are bound, and says, "You will require so much money for your journey: there it is." He values himself on his expertness and sagacity. A party of his people lately fell in with two travellers, one of whom, before he entered on his journey, had concealed a pretty large sum in one of his boots. All the robbers could find was taken from the two men ; who congratulated themselves, however, on having secured a part of their treasures; but they were soon stopped by another company, headed by Jayme himself. "Your money."" It has been all taken from us by Jayme's people, from whom we are just escaped." "I like those boots," said the chief, "they would fit me." The money was of course discovered. Jayme whistled, and his band collected round him. "Look there," said he, "block heads Vosotros no sabeis robar!-you don't know how to rob!" He is said to avoid the shedding of blood, and to have dismissed one of his followers who had cut a Frenchman's finger whom they had attacked. One of his fellows was lately killed by a peasant while eating at table; within a few days he got possession of that peasant's son, and sent immediate notice, that unless 500 dollars were instantly sent to such and such a spot, he would murder the boy there. The money was immediately deposited, and the boy restored.

Jayme formerly belonged to a band which spread desolation and terror throughout Valencia, and left it when its excesses of cruelty and murder either disgusted or alarmed him. He said one day, that he had shed the blood of none, but of a man who murdered one of his party when he slept and, it is notorious, that when he had wounded an officer in a skirmish, he took him to the mountains, attended him with the greatest kindness, and sent him down cured to rejoin his troops.

The history of the banditti just mentioned is of a more dreadful cast, but singularly illustrative of Spanish character-they were headed by three brothers, called Mogica,

my car

whose limbs I remember to have seen afterwards suspended in different parts of the province. Though not very numerous, no less than four thousand armed men were engaged in pursuit of them, and when escape was impossible, they destroyed themselves. The elder brother was discovered in an innhe could not escape-he barricadoed the door, shut up the landlord and family, and presented himself at the window, whence he fired for a long time upon the troops, and, at last, bid the officer approach. "It is over with me," he said, tridges are exhausted; the two last are for Mogica." They burst the doors, and found his brains scattered over the ceiling-the first fire had carried away his jaw-he had loaded again, and his skull was blown to pieces. His second brother was pursued like a wild beast-a solitary wanderer among rocks and caves-a shepherd's boy saw him enter a deep cavern, and informed the commanding officer of his hiding-place. The boy led the way into the cavern, and groping about, put his hand upon him-he had got into a small hole at the extremity. The lad was frightened, and immediately cried out "He is not here." Coming out of the cavern, he divulged the place of his retreat, and from the cavern's mouth they fired upon their victim-he escaped by some unknown aperture, and they found by after-discovered marks of blood, that he was severely wounded

they were enabled to track him the following day, and he was seen sitting by a brook washing the most dreadful wounds. "You are our prisoner," they cried. "Your prisoner! never!" and he drew his weapon, and gave himself ten mortal stabs in his bosom. The third brother was taken alive-shot, and his body exposed in quarters in the neighbourhood of Orihuela. These men had a brother, who is still living in a presidio (place of banishment): he was a young lad at the time of the above-cited events. One day he went to the house of the commander of the troops who were acting against his brothers, and, as the officer entered, he fired at him-the ball passed through his hat. Astonished at such an act from the unfortunate youth, the commander asked what he meant and the boy boldly an

swered, "To kill you; do you think I meant it for a salute of honour? My name is Mogica." "For your bravery and your honesty, you shall not die," was the reply of the brave

soldier.

33

A man who was plundered by Jayme's band, mentioned that when one of the bandits said to him, "Give up your money, ladron,' (robber) Jayme immediately reprehended him. "What do you mean by such insolence? You and I are robbers (ladrones). This gentleman is, for aught you know, an honest man. It is enough for him to lose his money. Do not make him suffer your brutality in addition.”

33

The brother of a peasant from whom I heard the anecdote-a lad of fourteen or fifteen-once saw a man sitting by the side of a rivulet, whose course he was mournfully contemplating, and throwing every now and then a stone into it, as if in absence of mind. The man called the boy to him, and asked his name." My name," said he, is Macia. "I knew your parents," replied the other, "they were good and honest people. Do you strive to be like them, and mind their advice, and you will be happy. I had good and honest parents too I did not mind their advice, and I am-what I am-Jayme the robber! -you will tell nobody that you have seen me." All this while tears were rolling down the cheeks of the bandit. It was twelve months after this circumstance that the lad first mentioned it, and then he was at his daily labours, with the peasant I spoke of; and, in passing near the spot, he

Madre mia, aquel pajarillo que canta en el ramo verde rogalde vos que no cante pues mi niña ya no me quiere. Decid que por darme gusto deje el contento que tiene que causa dolor á un triste ver que los otros se alegran. Que deje los verdes ramos y que á su mesa se asiente y si sabe de amor

en mi pastora escarmiente.

said, "On that rock I saw Jayme," and he related what I have recorded above.

Jayme's term is probably drawing to its close-he no longer trusts even his companions with the secrets of his nightly haunts; and he has been in such extremity, as to have petitioned for a morsel of bread, protesting he had tasted no food for three days. Every day he is pursued, and has been, in truth, for some years, but he has already been abandoned by some of his party, who have joined the troops that are in search of him. He believes himself to be the child of fatality, and has often said, "When my hour is come, an infant may put fetters on me;" and when he was urged to leave his old haunts, he replied, "No-God, when he is out-wearied with my sins, will have me punished in the place where they were committed." There are men who tell us that the best of human hearts are all corrupt and worthless; but for me, and the conviction is full of soothing consolation-even in the heart of this daring bandit I fancy I perceive more good than evil. There are some who stand upon the pinnacle of worldly reputation, who are more vile than he; even among those who fast twice a week, and give great alms.

I confess that the recollections of such men and such scenes have an interest for me which is most painfully vivid. I am almost glad to get rid of them, and to fly to those romances from which I have been wandering so long.

Dezid que con su armonia tanto el alma me entristece que pienso que está haziendo las exequias de la muerte.

Que no si dé tanta priesta que por agora lo deje que querrá Dios que algun dia el esté triste y yo alegre.

Pero si con todo aqueso acaso cantar quisiere rogalde vos que no cante pues mi niña ya no me quiere. Romancero de 1614.