I have no more to say, so pray God to keep you, and give me patience to bear all the ill that will be spoken of me by more than one subtle and starched critic. _Vale_. CONTENTS. PAGE THE LADY CORNELIA 1 RINCONETE AND CORTADILLO; OR, PETER OF THE CORNER AND THE LITTLE CUTTER 42 THE LICENTIATE VIDRIERA; OR, DOCTOR GLASS-CASE 86 THE DECEITFUL MARRIAGE 112 DIALOGUE BETWEEN SCIPIO AND BERGANZA, DOGS OF THE HOSPITAL OF THE RESURRECTION IN THE CITY OF VALLADOLID, COMMONLY CALLED THE DOGS OF MAHUDES 124 THE LITTLE GIPSY GIRL 178 THE GENEROUS LOVER 236 THE SPANISH-ENGLISH LADY 278 THE FORCE OF BLOOD 314 THE JEALOUS ESTRAMADURAN 331 THE ILLUSTRIOUS SCULLERY-MAID 365 THE TWO DAMSELS 410 THE LADY CORNELIA. Don Antonio de Isunza and Don Juan de Gamboa, gentlemen of high birth and excellent sense, both of the same age, and very intimate friends, being students together at Salamanca, determined to abandon their studies and proceed to Flanders. To this resolution they were incited by the fervour of youth, their desire to see the world, and their conviction that the profession of arms, so becoming to all, is more particularly suitable to men of illustrious race. But they did not reach Flanders until peace was restored, or at least on the point of being concluded; and at Antwerp they received letters from their parents, wherein the latter expressed the great displeasure caused them by their sons having left their studies without informing them of their intention, which if they had done, the proper measures might have been taken for their making the journey in a manner befitting their birth and station. Unwilling to give further dissatisfaction to their parents, the young men resolved to return to Spain, the rather as there was now nothing to be done in Flanders. But before doing so they determined to visit all the most renowned cities of Italy; and having seen the greater part of them, they were so much attracted by the noble university of Bologna, that they resolved to remain there and complete the studies abandoned at Salamanca. They imparted their intentions to their parents, who testified their entire approbation by the magnificence with which they provided their sons with every thing proper to their rank, to the end that, in their manner of living, they might show who they were, and of what house they were born. From the first day, therefore, that the young men visited the schools, all perceived them to be gallant, sensible, and well-bred gentlemen.