which was necessary to refresh the
horses, I departed for Segovia. I did not attempt to distribute the Word
at La Granja, being well aware that orders had been transmitted to the
authorities of the place to seize all copies of the sacred writings which
might be offered for sale. I may say the same with respect to Segovia,
where still none of my people made their appearance. At Segovia I
received from a friend a chest containing two hundred Testaments, and
almost immediately after, by the greatest chance in the world, I heard
from a peasant that there were men in the neighbourhood of Abades selling
books. Abades is about three leagues distant from Segovia, and upon
receiving this intelligence I instantly departed for the former place,
with three _burricos_ [asses] laden with Testaments.

I reached Abades at nightfall, and found Lopez 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 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, forebore 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 marketplace, 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 I heard 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 I succeeded by God's
assistance in disposing of in that period 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 from
Segovia, in which province Abades is situated, to th