When I came back, I found a new Corrigidor, as I had been told there would, by the Dean of the Inquisition, who, at the same Time, advised me to wait on him.  I did so, soon after my Arrival, and then experienced the Advice to be well intended; the Dean having wrote a Letter to him, to order him to treat me with all Manner of Civility.  He show’d me the very Letter, and it was in such particular and obliging Terms, that I could not but perceive he had taken a Resolution, if possible, to eradicate all the evil impressions, that Murtough’s Behaviour might have given too great Occasion for.  This serv’d to confirm me in an Observation that I had long before made, That a Protestant, who will prudently keep his Sentiments in his own Breast, may command any Thing in Spain; where their stiff Bigotry leads ’em naturally into that other Mistake, That not to oppose, is to assent.  Besides, it is generally among them, almost a work of Supererogation to be even instrumental in the Conversion of one they call a Heretick.  To bring any such back to what they call Mother Church, nothing shall be spar’d, nothing thought too much:  And if you have Insincerity enough to give them Hopes, you shall not only live in Ease, but in Pleasure and Plenty.

I had entertain’d some thoughts on my Journey back, of taking up my old Quarters at the Widow’s; but found her so intirely converted by her Clerico, that there wou’d be no room to expect Peace:  For which Reason, with the help of my fair Vicinos, and Don Felix, I took another, where I had not been long, before I received an unhappy Account of Murtough’s Conduct in Murcia.  It seems he had kept his Resolution in going thither; where meeting with some of his own Countrymen, though he found ’em stanch good Catholics, he so far inveigled himself into ’em, that he brought them all into a foul chance for their Lives.  There were three of ’em, all Soldiers, in a Spanish Regiment, but in a fit of ambitious, though frantick, Zeal:  Murtough had wheedled them to go along with him to Pedro de Dios, Dean of the Inquisition, to declare and acknowledge before him, that they were converted and brought over to Mother Church, and by him only.  The poor Ignorants, thus intic’d, had left their Regiment, of which the Colonel, having notice, sent after them, and they were overtaken on the Road, their Missionair with them.  But notwithstanding all his Oratory, nay, even the Discovery of the whole Farce, one of them was hang’d for an Example to the other two.

It was not long after my Return before News arriv’d of the Peace; which though they receiv’d with Joy, they could hardly entertain with Belief.  Upon which, the new Corrigidor, with whom I held a better Correspondence than I had done with the old one, desired me to produce my Letters from England, that it was true.  Never did People give greater Demonstrations of Joy, than they upon this Occasion.  It was the common cry in the Streets, Paz con Angleterra, con todo Mundo Guerra; And my Confirmation did them as much Pleasure as it did Service to me; for is possible, they treated me with more Civility than before.