A problematic sentence

[pars]

Hi!
This sentence is from a book written nearly 420 years ago in Spanish, translated 110 years ago into English. I have problem with the bold Sentence. It is about a Spanish traveler in the territory of Turks, two nations with fierce enemity in that time:

I held it safer to stay aboard; for Spanish subjects cannot there trust themselves freely amongst the Turks without imprudence. When they do, it is with fear, and with precaution, that they be not known and accused of some treason. Least of all is it safe for such, like that hidalgo as know not how to serve the time.
Thanks very much.

 

[Raymott]

"It is least safe for people like Hidalgo, who don't know how to serve the time."
"Serve time" means "spend time in prison", which I think is the meaning here. I also think 'hidalgo' is a name, and should be capitalised.

 

[Tarheel]

hidalgo - noble, person with property.

A hidalgo is a Spanish gentleman.

Also, I think "serve time" in this case means to spend time in the country, in this case Turkey. Apparently, Spaniards and Turks were not getting along very well at that time

 

[Skrej]

Please see this nearly identical thread.

 

[Rover_KE]

Good catch, Skrej.

pars, the title of your earlier thread was excellent. If you had given this thread the same title, the system would have found it and shown it in Similar Threads below.