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The Queen was desirous to know from Ricaredo, point by point, how that fight passed with the Turkish pirates’ galleys; he recounted it anew, attributing the victory to God and the valour of his soldiers, endearing the services of them all jointly, and particularizing the valiant acts of some of them, who had put themselves most forward, and done her Majesty very notable service; whereby he obliged the Queen to do all of them favours, and in particular those particular persons.

And when he began to speak of the liberty which in her Majesty’s name he had given the Turks and Christians, he said unto her:

“That woman and that man who stand there” (pointing to Isabella’s parents) “are they whom yesterday I told your Majesty, who out of the great desire which they had to see your greatness and magnificence did so earnestly entreat me that I would bring them along with me. They are of Cadiz, and by that which they have told me, and by that likewise which I have seen and observed in them, I know that they are of especial rank and worth.”

The Queen commanded them that they should draw near unto her. Isabella lifted up her eyes that she might see these who said they were Spaniards, and more particularly of Cadiz, out of a desire that she had to learn if happily they knew her parents. And just as Isabella lifted up her eyes, her mother fixed hers upon her, and stood still a while, that she might view and behold her the more attentively; and on the other side there began to be awakened in Isabella’s memory some certain confused notions which gave her to understand that heretofore she had seen that woman which stood before her. Her father was in the like confusion, without daring to determine to give credit to that truth which his eyes represented unto him.

Ricaredo was very attentive to see and observe the affections and motions of these three doubtful and perplexed souls, which were so confounded and amazed between the yea and nay of knowing each other. The Queen took notice of both their suspense, as also of Isabella’s distraction, by her interwhile sweatings, by her changing colour, and by her lifting up her hand to order and compose her hair.

Isabella thus troubled, not knowing well what to think of it, did earnestly wish that she would speak whom she imagined might be her mother, for peradventure her ears would put her out of that doubt whereinto her eyes had put her. The Queen willed Isabella that she should speak Spanish to that woman and that man, and they should tell her what was the cause that moved them not to accept and enjoy that their liberty which Ricaredo had given them, being that liberty is a thing above all other the dearest and best beloved, not only of reasonable creatures, but of those that want it.

All this Isabella demanded of her mother, who, without returning her any one word, suddenly and half stumbling for haste, came unto Isabella, and without regarding respect, fear, or the courtiers looking on her, with her hand she lifted up Isabella’s right ear, and having there discovered a black mole, which mark confirmed her suspicion, and plainly perceiving that it was her daughter Isabella, she could no longer contain herself, but embracing her, cried out aloud, saying, “O daughter of my heart! O dear pledge of my soul!” and not being able to utter a word more, her speech failing, she fainted and fell into a swoon in Isabella’s arms.

Her father, no less tender than prudent, gave manifest signs how sensible he was of all this, but with no other words than a silent shedding of tears, which softly trickling down bedewed both his cheeks and beard. Isabella laid her face to that of her mother, and turning her eyes towards her father, in such a kind of manner looked on him that thereby she gave him to understand the pleasure and contentment her soul took in seeing them there.