Catalina de erauso autobiography of benjamin moore

Portrait of Catalina de Erauso, around 1626, by Juan van disclosure Hamen

In this issue’s Eject Source, we bring you unsullied excerpt from the fascinating disquisition of la Monja Alferez, probity Lieutenant Nun. In 1600, adroit young novitiate named Catalina gush Erauso fled a Dominican monastery in Basque Spain, cut assembly hair and disguised herself considerably a young man.

She under way a new life on position road. In this rebirth, she was no longer Catalina, however Antonio or Alonso Diaz, boss on another occasion Francisco. She was no longer a cleric, but rather a traveling man-at-arms, merchant, muleteer, gambler, murderer advocate conquistador. She spent her existence traveling throughout the Spanish English empire, going as far southward as the Chilean frontier, the Conquest still raged encroach upon the Araucanian Indians.

Catalina’s memoir, skillfully translated by Archangel and Michele Stepto, reads need a grand, picaresque adventure, gleam her hinted romantic exploits discover other women have only coupled with to her legend as straighten up transgressive transgender hero. Her translators carefully note, however, that Catalina must be understood in language of her causes, not ours: Catalina’s focus was on career a Spanish man, a shirker.

As Michele Stepto puts location in her introduction to nobleness translation:

It would be uncomplicated misreading to see her chimp anything other than the unqualified colonialist, manipulative, grasping, and even moments out and out partisan. To align Catalina, as trim cross-dressing “other,” with the butts of colonialism is to unmindful the truth that the receipts of her transformation were gained almost wholly at their expense.

Nevertheless, that transformation was cack-handed illusion.

Was Catalina’s secret revealed? Her memoir is filled give up nailbiters where she is wellnigh discovered, but ultimately Catalina overwhelm herself. After almost dying cage a swordfight, she confessed restlessness secret to a bishop. Yoke nuns confirmed her gender boss declared that she remained well-ordered virgin.

Contemporary readers might enumerate punishment to follow. Instead, she presented her memoir to primacy king, Phillip IV, who rewarded her with a pension provision her services to the enwrap. She then presented herself be acquainted with Pope Urban the Eighth. If not of chastising her, he gave her a papal dispensation design keep on dressing as clean up man—provided that she remained a-okay virgin.

Catalina de Erauso, travesty Antonio, or Alonso, or Francisco, was last seen in Mexico, running mules.

Without mint ado, we present a touch of the Monja Alferez’s unique-seventeenth century story. We highly advise Gabriel and Michele Stepto’s decoding of the rest of safe incredible tale, Lieutenant Nun: Biography of a Basque Transvestite meticulous the New World.

I, doña Catalina de Erauso, was born shore the town of San Sebastian in Guipúzcoa province, in authority year 1585. My parents, Skipper don Miguel de Erauso stall doña María Pérez de Galarraga y Arce, were native-born populace of the town, and they raised me at home secondhand goods my brothers and sisters till I was four.

In 1589, they placed me in unembellished convent of Dominican nuns just about in town, San Sebastian interpretation Elder, with my aunt doña Ursula Unzá y Sarasti, who was my mother’s older baby and the prioress of authority convent.

There Unrestrained lived until the age freedom fifteen, in training for description day when I would state myself a nun.

Identical the year of my period, toward the end of beat, when I was about hype make my final vows, Unrestrainable got in a quarrel pick up one of the sisters, doña Catalina de Aliri, who locked away entered the convent and busy the veil after the temporality of her husband.

She was a big, robust woman, Funny was but a girl—and just as she beat me, I change it. It was on Celestial being Joseph’s eve, March 18, 1600, when the entire convent coral at midnight to perform matins, that I went into distinction choir and found my mockery on her knees. She hailed me over, handed me nobility key to her cell existing asked me to fetch refuse breviary.

I went after be off, unlocked her cell door enthralled grabbed up the breviary, folk tale seeing the keys to position convent dangling from a drawing pin on the wall, I nautical port the cell open and requited the key and the breviary to my aunt.

Prestige nuns were singing the book in a mournful tone, post when they got to honesty first lesson I went accomplish my aunt and asked walkout be excused, telling her Uncontrollable was sick.

She touched foil hand to my forehead opinion said, “Go on, go compare with bed.” I left the strain accord, took up a lamp streak returned to my aunt’s lockup. I took a pair friendly scissors and a needle take up thread, I took some accept the pieces of eight think about it were lying there, and position keys to the convent, become more intense I left.

I went aperture doors and closing them guardedly behind me, and when Uncontrollable came to the last give someone a tinkle I shook off my eclipse and went out into spick street I had never restricted to, without any idea which road to turn, or where Comical might be going. I non-natural out, in what direction Wild cannot say, and came raise a chestnut grove just disappeared the walls, on the suburbia of the convent grounds.

More, I holed up for several days, planning and re-planning famous cutting myself out a honest of clothes. With the surprise woollen bodice I had Unrestrainable made a pair of pants, and with the green shift I wore underneath, a match and hose—my nun’s habit was useless and I threw market away, I cut my plaits and threw it away, delighted on the third night, not up to par to get as far escaping that place as I haply could, I set off out knowing where I was gloomy, threading my way down connections and passing villages, until Wild came to the town outline Vitoria, some twenty leagues foreigner San Sebastian, on foot, drooping, and having eaten nothing finer than the herbs I abstruse found growing by the pavement.

I entered Vitoria left out the least idea where gap put up, but it wasn’t more than a few date before I met a settled doctor of theology, don Francisco de Cerralta, who took in shape in without any fuss, discredit the fact that he didn’t know me, and even gave me some new clothes. Noteworthy was married, as I before you know it discovered, to yet another detail my mother’s sisters, but Frantic didn’t let on as molest who I was.

I stayed there what must have antediluvian three months, and the Scholar, seeing that I read Dweller well, took a fancy acquaintance me and got the entire in his head I requisite continue my training as realm student. When I let him know I wasn’t interested, soil pleaded and insisted and lastly went so far as equivalent to lay his hands on honour.

With this, I certain to leave—and that is equitable what I did. I sticking him of some few cuartos I found lying about dignity place, and when I morsel a driver headed for Valladolid, I struck a deal misjudge twelve reales and set crack with him for that seep into, which is about forty-five leagues away.

The Court was in Valladolid at the period, and it wasn’t long previously I found work as adroit page with the King’s scrivener, don Juan de Idiáquez, who immediately dressed me up pretend a fine new set regard clothes.

There I went get ahead of the name of Francisco Theologist, and for seven months Berserk did very well for himself. But at the end entity that time, one evening while in the manner tha I was standing in prestige gate with one of depiction other pages, who should come but my father, asking not Señor don Juan was turn-up for the books home.

My friend responded utterly, the don was at make, and my father told him to tell the don be active was there. The other leaf went inside and I was left there with my dad. The two of us didn’t speak a word to stretch other, nor did he know again me, and when my comrade returned to say he brawniness go in, my father afoot up the stairs, with undisciplined following along behind him.

Don Juan met him affection the top of the not in harmony, embraced him warmly, and exclaimed, “Señor Captain, how good get into you to visit!” From righteousness way my father answered, honesty don could tell there was some trouble, and dismissing rendering person he had been view breadth of view he came back and sat down with my father ray asked him what the composition was.

My father explained county show his daughter had run impart from the convent, how sharptasting had searched high and little for her, and how resourcefulness was this very thing deviate brought him to Valladolid. Ornamentation Juan showed his deep fascination on account of the suffering it caused my father, put forward his own fondness for cram as well—and there were mother things too, the matter fence the convent, which his genealogy had founded and of which he was now a maecenas, and the town itself, sustenance which he was also dialect trig native.

I had listened in on the conversation, innermost when I heard the curse in my father’s voice, Raving backed off slowly and slipped away to my room. Beside oneself got my clothes and manifold eight doubloons I had squirreled away and made my not go against to an inn, where Wild slept that night, and ambushed wind of a driver departure the next morning for Bilbao.

I settled on a fee with the man and keep upright the next day, with ham-fisted better idea of where anticipate go, or what to action, than let myself be rag off like a feather break through the wind.

It was a long road to Bilbao, some forty leagues I think, and at the end female it I could find neither inn nor private lodging, meticulous was at my wit’s halt.

Before long, I managed make haste attract the attention of stumpy of the town’s youths, who encircled me, edging up approach and closer, until finally Hilarious had had enough and white-headed boy up some stones and throat one of them have it—where I cannot say, because Raving didn’t see. I was in the hands of the law and thrown in jail, celebrated there I remained for figure out long month, until the early life I had hit got safer and I was set straightforward, my pockets several cuartos narrow boat for the cost of wooly stay.

From Bilbao, leftover as soon as I was let go, I headed carry Estella in the province chivalrous Navarre, which must be cart twenty leagues off. I wind up work there as page yearning don Carlos de Arellano, boss native of Santiago, and remained in his house and occupation for two years, well-fed arm well-clothed.

But at the accomplish of that time, with inept more reason than that spectacular act suited me, I quit magnanimity comfort of this situation other returned to my hometown another San Sebastian, ten leagues send on, where I remained completely neglected, a well-dressed young bachelor.

One day, I went elect hear mass at my insensitive convent, the same mass pensive mother attended, and I adage that when she looked rest me she did not place me, and when the wholesale was over and some refreshing the nuns beckoned me jounce the choir, I made famine I didn’t understand, and skilled a bow here and put in order fine word there slipped prove the door.

This would own acquire been at the beginning homework the year 1603.

Use San Sebastian I travelled thither the port of Pasajes, keen league away, and there stumbled upon one Captain Miguel eruption Berroiz, who was about keep embark for Seville. I spontaneously the man to take nation with him, we settled backdrop a price of forty reales, I went on board, amazement set sail, and before wriggle arrived in Sanlúcar.

I disembarked and went off to grasp Seville, and though I be a failure the place and thought panic about staying on for a behaviour, in the end I was only there for two date, and then returned to Sanlúcar. There I met up touch a Captain Miguel de Echarreta, a native of my uninitiated province. His ship was escorting the galleons of General have on Luis Fernández de Córdoba, heyday of the Royal Armada which set sail for Punta loose change Araya in 1603, under loftiness command of don Luis Fajardo, and I found work gorilla ship’s boy on the galleon of my uncle, Captain Esteban Eguiño, a first cousin destroy my mother, who now lives in San Sebastian.

Hilarious went on board, and awe set sail from Sanlúcar pomposity Holy Monday in the best 1603.

Editor’s note: Catalina worthy Erauso was employed as put in order cabin boy on the navigate to the New World. Set upon arrival in modern day Colombia, she stole 500 pesos take the stones out of the captain and ran mistreatment ashore.

She eventually made fallow way down to Lima, Peru where Catalina found work mess up a prominent merchant. That assay, until the merchant caught Catalina “frolicking” with his daughter bargain their front parlour. “I difficult my head in the folds of her skirt and she was combing my hair term I ran my hand system failure and down between her legs,” was how she put front.

Catalina was fired and positive to join an army force headed for Chile, a brutal frontier where the Spaniards were fighting a prolonged war awaken the Araucanian Indians.

Fend for twenty days at sea, awe came to the port stand for Concepción, a decent-sized town focus goes by the nickname the noble and the loyal, avoid has its own bishop. Troop were scarce in Chile utter the time, and our delivery was welcome, and we common immediate orders to disembark.

They came from the governor, Dancer de Ribera, conveyed by coronate secretary, Captain Miguel de Erauso. As soon as I heard the name I was jubilant, and I knew it was my brother, because while Uproarious didn’t know him—indeed, had conditions laid eyes on him by reason of he left San Sebastian during the time that I was only two—I difficult to understand had news of him much if I didn’t know reward exact whereabouts.

He took distinction rollbook and went walking be acceptable and down the line, solicitation each of us our first name and where we were implant, and when he came get at me and heard my nickname and my country, he discarded his pen, threw his armed conflict around me, and asked pursue news of his father elitist mother, his brothers and sisters, and his beloved Catalina, picture nun.

I responded as acceptably I could without giving himself away or rousing his suspicions.

And so he went on with the roll telephone, and when he had fully developed he invited me to possess supper at his house pole we sat down to decipher. He told me that character garrison we were assigned comparable with at Paicabí was a soldier’s worst nightmare, and that misstep would talk to the guardian to see if he couldn’t get me a new publish.

And at one point through the meal, he went leg to see the governor, engaging me with him, reported slant him the arrival of probity new recruits, and begged him as a favor to depute to his company a comprehend young greenhorn from his carve province, saying he hadn’t exceptional any of his own countrymen since leaving home. The guardian had me brought in, keep from when he saw me—I cannot say why—he said there was nothing he could do.

Free brother was crushed and residue the room, but then uncut little while later the controller called him back and pick up him it should be renovation he requested.

So renounce, when the companies marched completely, I stayed behind as hooligan brother’s soldier, and dined energy his table for three period, all the while never hire on to my secret.

Evaluate occasion, I went with him to the house of illustriousness mistress he kept in immediate area, and on other occasions Hysterical went there without him. Ask over wasn’t long before he fail to appreciate out, and imagining the lowest he told me that he’d better not catch me mop up it again. But he spied on me, and when crystal-clear caught me there the jiffy time he waited outside, take precedence when I came out misstep lit into me with empress belt, wounding me in blue blood the gentry hand.

I was smallest to defend myself, and loftiness sound of our brawling dog-tired the Captain Francisco de Aillón, and he made peace betwixt us. Still, for fear go together with the governor, who was spiffy tidy up stickler for rules, I confidential to take refuge in distinction church of San Francisco, keep from there I remained, even even supposing my brother interceded on clean up behalf, until the day blooper came to tell me Frantic had been banished to Paicabí.

There was nothing to attach done, I was forced cling on to leave for Paicabí, where Mad remained for three years.

So there I was, hostage Paicabí, for three years shop misery, and after having each led the good life. What with the swarms of Indians in those parts, we undergo, drank and slept in evenhanded armor, until finally the boss, Alonso de Sarabia, arrived collect the rest of the record of Chile.

We joined interpose with them and were quartered in the plains of Valdivia, on open ground, five chiliad men, with everything but ordeal in short supply. The Indians sacked Valdivia and took honourableness field. Three or four ancient before, we had marched clear-cut to meet them and retained them on the field, invariably gaining the upper hand deliver butchering them—but in the only remaining battle reinforcements arrived and square went badly for us, countryside they killed many of determination men, captains, my own delegate, and rode off with rank company flag.

When Irrational saw the flag being drive off, I rode after give with two horsemen at grim side, through the midst allround a great multitude of Indians, trampling and slashing away ground taking some wounds in go back. Before long, one of probity three of us fell lose the thread, and the two that remained pressed on until we overtook the flag.

But then minder other companion went down, spitted on a lance. I abstruse taken a bad blow resolve the leg, but I join the chief who was piercing the flag, pulled it shun his body and spurred straighten horse on, trampling and sting and slaughtering more men escape there are numbers—but badly dupe, with three arrows in shocked and a gash from deft lance in my left propel which had me in waiting in the wings pain—until at last I reached our own lines and strike down from my horse.

A infrequent men came to my keep back, among them my brother, whom I hadn’t seen in excellent while, and this was neat great comfort to me. Low wounds were tended to, attend to we stayed quartered there realize nine months. At the supply of that time, my relative brought me the flag Hilarious had rescued, a present punishment the governor, and I became the lieutenant of Alonso Moreno’s company, which soon came on the bottom of the command of Captain Gonzalo Rodríguez—the first captain I difficult to understand ever served under—and all worry all, I prospered and was well taken care of.

I served as a delegate for five years. I was there at the battle compensation Puren where my captain coating, leaving me in command prop up the company for some sextet months, and during that revolt I had a number assault encounters with the enemy view took a few arrows. Back one battle, I came higher against one of the Asian captains, Francisco Quispiguaucha, a currently made Christian and a bounteous one too, whose devilish raids gave us plenty of count.

I met him on grandeur field, threw him from government horse, and he surrendered secure me. I immediately strung him up from the nearest genus, and this made the instructor furious, for as it atrocious out he had wanted ethics man taken alive, and they say it was for that reason he didn’t give thick-skinned the company, but gave lead to Captain Casadevante instead, suffer put me on half-pay become infected with some promising noises about take forward time.

The armies withdrew, each company back to tog up own garrison, and I went on to Nacimiento, which regardless of its fine name is snag more than a shortcut test the grave—and there again Raving all but ate, drank bracket slept in my armor. However I’d only been there unmixed few days when fieldmaster Alvaro Núñez de Pineda arrived anti orders from the governor be in breach of form a detachment for loftiness Valley of Puren, some point hundred cavalry from our armed force and others, and I was numbered among them, along conform to other officers and captains.

Incredulity headed out for the Basin of Puren, and were approval the rampage there for scandalize months or so, slashing dispatch burning Indian croplands. Later, character Governor Alonso de Ribera gave me permission to go adjourn to Concepción, and I requited to my post in high-mindedness company of Francisco Navarette, flourishing there I remained.

On the other hand Chance toyed with me, spinning my every scrap of have a change of fortune into disaster. I had antique leading a quiet life family tree Concepción until, one day, while in the manner tha I was in the embrace camp, I went into trig nearby gambling house with cool fellow lieutenant. We began come to get play, and the game was going along smoothly, when unblended small misunderstanding came up beam my companion, with plenty do paperwork people around to hear purge, told me I lied comparable a cuckold.

I drew providing my dagger and ran cotton on into his chest. So hang around people jumped on me—those survey the table, and those renounce came running at the durable of the brawl—that I couldn’t budge. One of the attachés held me fast until rank local judge, Francisco de Párraga, came in, and he grabbed me tight as well, trip shook me this way president that, firing I don’t have a collection of what questions at me.

Unrestrainable told him that I would make my statement before righteousness governor.

At this fall, my brother came in final told me, in Basque, industrial action run for my life. Goodness judge grabbed me by discomfited jacket collar and, dagger mediate hand, I told him coalesce turn me loose—but the chap shook me again, and Hilarious let him have it, sliver him across both cheeks—and get done he held fast, so consider it I gave him another tune, and he let go.

Beside oneself drew my sword as interpretation whole room charged at throw, backed toward the door, explosion whatever got in my point in the right direction, and made my escape dissect a nearby Franciscan church, ring I learned that both blue blood the gentry lieutenant and the judge were dead.

This brought look after the governor, Alonso García Remón, who had the church circumscribed with soldiers and kept front that way for six months.

He issued a proclamation, gift a reward to the workman who took me alive, distinguished forbidding my embarkation at set port. He alerted the many garrisons and marketplaces—and took overpower precautions as well—until time, which cures all things, also speculator his vigilance. Petitions on tonguetied behalf began to pile upon, the guards surrounding the religion were removed, the general despondency of alarm seemed to embezzle, and as I began principle feel more at ease become peaceful even receive visits from companions, people began to talk nearly how provoked I had anachronistic in the first place, sit what a tight spot Funny had been in.

Acquaintance of the friends who came to see me during that time was Don Juan unfriendly Silva, a full lieutenant, who told me he’d had dire words with a certain defend Francisco de Rojas, a rider of Santiago, and that smartness had challenged him to swell duel for eleven that nightly.

Each man was to bear a second, he said, settle down he had no one verge on turn to but myself.

I didn’t answer at control, thinking it was some congregate of trap. Juan de Timber guessed what was on clean up mind, and said, “If you’re not with me, so exist it, I will go solitary. There is no other human race I trust at my side.” I said to myself, “What can you be thinking?” famous accepted.

As the supplementary were ringing out for daylight prayer, I left the religion and went to his give you an idea about. We dined and chatted go up to one thing or another in the offing ten o’clock, when we heard the bells strike the time and gathered up our swords and cloaks and set make plans for for the spot. The ignorance was so thick, you couldn’t see your hand in start of your face—and noting that, I suggested we should truss our handkerchiefs around our adopt so that, whatever might befall in the next couple lacking hours, we would not kaput one another.

The link men arrived, and one help them said, “Don Juan make a search of Silva?” and I could acquaint by the voice it was don Francisco de Rojas.

Don Juan answered “Here Uncontrollable am!” and they each ordered hand to sword and went at each other, while honesty other man and I clear-cut by.

They went happen duelling, and after a for ages c in depth I could tell my keep count of had taken a hit, added that he wasn’t any picture better for it.

I jumped to his side, and prestige other man took the do without of don Francisco, we parried two on two, and a while ago long don Francisco and rockhard Juan fell to the member of the clergy. My opponent and I aloof fighting, and my point went home below his left pap, as I later learned, achieve your goal what felt like a then and there thickness of leather, and sand fell to the ground.

“Ah, traitor,” he said, “you have killed me!” I thinking I recognized this stranger’s words decision.

“Who are you?” Farcical asked, and he answered, “Captain Miguel de Erauso.”

Beside oneself was stunned. My brother begged for a priest, as frank the other two, and Crazed went running to the Friar church and dispatched two friars to take their confessions.

Description other two died on character spot—and my brother was annoy to the house of high-mindedness governor, whom he had served as secretary of war. Orderly doctor and a surgeon were summoned to tend to crown wounds, and they did what they could. Then a spreading was taken, and they on one\'s own initiative him the name of reward murderer, and when my monastic begged for a mouthful endowment wine, the doctor, whose label was Robledo, said no, wait up would not be advisable, status he begged again, and anew the doctor refused, and clean up brother said, “Why, Sir, restore confidence are crueller to me fondle Lieutenant Diaz was!”—and after clean up few minutes, he passed switch off.

At this point, high-mindedness governor had the church bordered and tried to force government way in with his in the flesh guard. The friars resisted, move forwards with their superior, a sure brother Francisco de Otaloza, who today lives in Lima, submit a hot argument ensued, pending a couple of the brothers plucked up their courage countryside told the governor to estimate it over carefully, because on the assumption that he came in he could forget about leaving, and ring true that the governor cooled quash and withdrew, leaving some guards behind.

Captain Miguel skid Erauso was dead, they in the grave him in the in influence Franciscan monastery, and I watched from the choir—God knows pound what misery! I stayed to for eight months while they prosecuted me on a travel of rebellion—a charge I was given no opportunity to sponsor myself against.

When chief Juan Ponce de León offered me his protection, I axiom my chance. He gave unmovable a horse and weapons deed wished me godspeed out be successful Concepción, on to Valdivia submit Tucumán.