Abades is about three leagues distant from Segovia, and upon receiving this intelligence, I instantly departed for the former place, with three donkeys laden with Testaments.Ireached Abades at nightfall, and found Lopez, with two peasants whom he had engaged, in the house of the surgeon of the place, where I also took up my residence.He had already disposed of a considerable number of Testaments in the neighbourhood, and had that day commenced selling at Abades itself; he had, however, been interrupted by two of the three curas of the village, who, with horrid curses denounced the work, threatening eternal condemnation to Lopez for selling it, and to any person who should purchase it; whereupon Lopez, terrified, forbore until I should arrive.The third cura, however, exerted himself to the utmost to persuade the people to provide themselves with Testaments, telling them that his brethren were hypocrites and false guides, who, by keeping them in ignorance of the word and will of Christ, were leading them to the abyss.Upon receiving this information, I instantly sallied forth to the market-place, and that same night succeeded in disposing of upwards of thirty Testaments.The next morning the house was entered by the two factious curas, but upon my rising to confront them, they retreated, and Iheard no more of them, except that they publicly cursed me in the church more than once, an event which, as no ill resulted from it, gave me little concern.
I will not detail the events of the next week; suffice it to say that arranging my forces in the most advantageous way, Isucceeded, by God's assistance, in disposing of from five to six hundred Testaments amongst the villages from one to seven leagues' distance from Abades.At the expiration of that period I received information that my proceedings were known in Segovia, in which province Abades is situated, and that an order was about to be sent to the alcalde to seize all books in my possession.Whereupon, notwithstanding that it was late in the evening, I decamped with all my people, and upwards of three hundred Testaments, having a few hours previously received a fresh supply from Madrid.That night we passed in the fields, and next morning proceeded to Labajos, a village on the high road from Madrid to Valladolid.In this place we offered no books for sale, but contented ourselves with supplying the neighbouring villages with the word of God: we likewise sold it in the highways.
We had not been at Labajos a week, during which time we were remarkably successful, when the Carlist chieftain, Balmaseda, at the head of his cavalry, made his desperate inroad into the southern part of Old Castile, dashing down like an avalanche from the pine-woods of Soria.I was present at all the horrors which ensued, - the sack of Arrevalo, and the forcible entry into Martin Munoz.Amidst these terrible scenes we continued our labours.Suddenly I lost Lopez for three days, and suffered dreadful anxiety on his account, imagining that he had been shot by the Carlists; at last I heard that he was in prison at Villallos, three leagues distant.The steps which I took to rescue him will be found detailed in a communication, which I deemed it my duty to transmit to Lord William Hervey, who, in the absence of Sir George Villiers, now became Earl of Clarendon, fulfilled the duties of minister at Madrid:-LABAJOS, PROVINCE OF SEGOVIA, AUGUST 23, 1838.
MY LORD, - I beg leave to call your attention to the following facts.On the 21st inst.I received information that a person in my employ, of the name of Juan Lopez, had been thrown into the prison of Villallos, in the province of Avila, by order of the cura of that place.The crime with which he was charged was selling the New Testament.I was at that time at Labajos, in the province of Segovia, and the division of the factious chieftain Balmaseda was in the immediate neighbourhood.On the 22nd, I mounted my horse and rode to Villallos, a distance of three leagues.On my arrival there, Ifound that Lopez had been removed from the prison to a private house.An order had arrived from the corregidor of Avila, commanding that the person of Lopez should be set at liberty, and that the books which had been found in his possession should be alone detained.Nevertheless, in direct opposition to this order, (a copy of which I herewith transmit,) the alcalde of Villallos, at the instigation of the cura, refused to permit the said Lopez to quit the place, either to proceed to Avila or in any other direction.It had been hinted to Lopez that as the factious were expected, it was intended on their arrival to denounce him to them as a liberal, and to cause him to be sacrificed.Taking these circumstances into consideration, I deemed it my duty as a Christian and a gentleman, to rescue my unfortunate servant from such lawless hands, and in consequence, defying opposition, I bore him off, though entirely unarmed, through a crowd of at least one hundred peasants.On leaving the place I shouted, "VIVA ISABELSEGUNDA."
As it is my belief that the cura of Villallos is a person capable of any infamy, I beg leave humbly to intreat your Lordship to cause a copy of the above narration to be forwarded to the Spanish government.- I have the honour to remain, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient,GEORGE BORROW.
To the Right Honourable LORD WILLIAM HERVEY.
After the rescue of Lopez we proceeded in the work of distribution.Suddenly, however, the symptoms of an approaching illness came over me, which compelled us to return in all haste to Madrid.Arrived there, I was attacked by a fever which confined me to my bed for several weeks; occasional fits of delirium came over me, during one of which, I imagined myself in the market-place of Martin Munos, engaged in deadly struggle with the chieftain Balmaseda.
The fever had scarcely departed, when a profound melancholy took possession of me, which entirely disqualified me for active exertion.Change of scene and air was recommended; I therefore returned to England.