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AMONGST the spoils which the English carried away from the city of Cadiz, Clotaldo, an English gentleman, captain of a squadron of ships, brought to London a girl of the age of seven years, little more or less; and this, contrary to the will and knowledge of the Earl of Essex, who with great diligence caused search to be made for the child, that she might be returned back to her parents. For they had complained unto him of the wanting of their daughter, humbly beseeching him that since his Excellency was pleased to content himself with their goods, and had left their persons free, that they only might not be so miserable and unhappy; and that seeing they were now left poor, they might not be robbed of their daughter, who was the joy of their hearts, the light of their eyes, and the fairest and most beautiful creature that was in all the city. The Earl caused proclamation to be made throughout all the whole fleet, that upon pain of death he whosoever had the child should restore her back to her parents. But no penalties nor fears of punishment could move Clotaldo to obey the Earl’s command; for he kept her very secret and close in his own ship, standing wonderfully affectioned, though very Christianly, to the incomparable beauty of Isabella (for so was the child called).

In conclusion, her parents remained without her very sad and disconsolate, and Clotaldo beyond measure exceeding glad and joyful. He arrived in London, and delivered up this fair maid as a most rich spoil to his wife; but as good luck would have it, all they of Clotaldo’s house were Catholics in heart, though in public they made show to follow the religion of their Queen.

Clotaldo had a son named Ricaredo, about some twelve years of age, taught by his parents to love and fear God, and to be acquainted with all the truths of the Catholic faith. Catalina, the wife of Clotaldo, a noble Christian, and prudent lady, bare such great love and affection to Isabella that as if she had been her own daughter she bred, cherished, and instructed her; and the child had such good natural abilities that she did easily apprehend and learn whatsoever they taught her. With time, and the kind usage she received, she went forgetting those cockerings of her true parents, but not so much that she did cease to think on them and to sigh often for them; and although she went learning the English tongue, yet did she not lose her Spanish, for Clotaldo took care to bring Spaniards secretly to his house to talk and converse with her; and so, without forgetting her own natural language, she spake English as well as if she had been born in London.

After that they had taught her all manner of needlework which a well-bred damsel could or ought to learn, they taught her to read and to write more than indifferently well. But that wherein she did excel was in playing upon all those instruments of music which might with most decency become a woman, accompanying the same with such a voice, which Heaven had bestowed on her in so rare and singular a kind, that when she chanted she enchanted all that heard her.

All these her acquired graces, besides those that were natural unto her, went by little and little kindling the coals of love in Ricaredo’s heart; to whom, as to her master’s son, she wished all good and happiness, and carried herself towards him with all fair respects.