Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	woman_n	world_n	write_v	46	3	5.0120	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75794	The ingenious and diverting letters of the Lady -- travels into Spain. Describing the devotions, nunneries, humours, customs, laws, militia, trade, diet, and recreations of that people. : intermixt with great variety of modern adventures, and surprising accidents: being the truest and best remarks extant on that court and countrey.; Relation du voyage d'Espagne. English	Aulnoy, Madame d' (Marie-Catherine), 1650 or 51-1705.	1697 (1697)	Wing A4217C; ESTC R223570	271,209	292

People thought the Baiting fine they carried these two unfortunate Lovers to her unhappy Father's House they both desired to be in the same Chamber and though they had but a little time to live yet beg'd the Favour they might be married accordingly they were married and since they could not live together yet at least were they buried together in one and the same Grave The Story has mightily increased the Aversion I had already conceived against these sort of Feasts and I told Don Ferdinand so after I had thank'd him for his pains in relating it to me Hitherto I have said nothing to you concerning the Spanish Language in which I am endeavouring to make some Progress It pleases me extreamly it is expressive noble and grave Love finds it commodious for its work and can play the fool prettily enough in it The Courtiers speak more concisely than others they make use of such abstracted Comparisons and Metaphors that unless one is us'd to hear them half their meaning is lost I have learnt several Languages or at least understand the first Rudiments of them but yet in my mind it is only our own which exceeds the Spanish I come just now from seeing Ten Gallies which are arriv'd this is somewhat strange in a City that is Eighty Leagues from the Sea but these are Land Gallies for if there be Sea-horses and Dogs why not Land ones They are shap'd like a Chariot but four times longer and have six Wheels three on a side and do not go much slower than a Chariot the upper part is round and is very like a Gally they are covered with Canvas and may contain forty Persons there one sleeps and dresses victuals indeed 't is a Moving-house they put eighteen or twenty Horses to draw it the Machine is so long that it cannot be turn'd but in a field they come usually from Gallicia and Manca the country of the brave Don Quixot they set out eight ten or twelve in a Company to be helpful to one another in case of need For when one overturns it makes a great havock and the best that can happen is a broken Arm or Leg there must be above a hundred to raise it up again In it there is carried all sorts of Provisions for the Country through which they pass is so very barren that on Mountains which are fourscore Leagues broad the biggest tree one meets with is a little wild Tyme there 's in 't neither Inn nor Inn-keepers you sleep in the Gally and 't is a miserable Country for Travellers Monsieur Mollini the Popes Nuncio consecrated the Patriarch of the Indies on Trinity Sunday and the King was there I saw him come in he had a Black Suit and a gold coloured Silk Belt on and little Pearls were set round the flowers his hat was so broad which they never cock here that the Brims laid upon his shoulders and lookt ill I observed that during the Ceremony he eat of something which was held to him in a Paper they told me it was either Leeks or Shallots of which he eats very often I was too far off to see him well he did not return to Buenretiro because of Corpus Christi-day at which Ceremony he would assist In coming out of the Church I knew a French Gentleman whose Name is Juncas he is of Burdeaux where I saw him I ask'd him how long he had been here he told me but a little while and that his first Business had been to have seen me had he not been engag'd at Bayon not to lose a minute's time in the search of a very wicked Fellow which was supposed to be hid at Madrid That it was not the Curiosity to see the Patriarch of the Indies consecrated which drew him to the Hieronimites otherwise the Daughters of the Conception but that having desired to speak with one of the Nuns he was told that he could not see her till the King was gone He added that this was one of the handsomest Women in the World and hath been the cause of a great unhappiness in the Family of Monsieur De Lande I remember to have seen her as I have gone by and intreated him to tell me the matter It is says he too long and melancholy a Mischance to relate presently but if you will see the young Nun I speak of I am persuaded she 'll not be unpleasant to you I willingly accepted his Offer because I have so often been told that they have so much more wit in Monasteries then elsewhere in the world We went into a Parlour which had three such terrible Iron-doors with spikes as made me wonder How is this said I It has been told me that the Nuns in this Country are very amorous but I cannot be persuaded that Love is bold enough to venture over these long Spikes and through these little holes where one must undoubtedly perish You are deceived Madam cri'd Juncas at the Appearances of things if the Lady which is coming can spare me so much time I 'll presently tell you what I learnt of a friend of mine a Spaniard the first Journey I made hither But at the very instant Donna Isidora came into the Parlour I found her much handsomer than I had fancy'd her in my own Mind to be Monsieur De Juncas told her that I was a French Lady which had a great mind to be acquainted with her upon his report of her Merits She thankt me in a very modest manner and afterwards told us that it was very true that the Wretch after whom Enquiry was made had been lately at Madrid but that she was certain he was not now there and that he had even had the Impudence to write to her by the hands of a Man where he lodg'd that the Letter was brought to her after his Departure and that she would not receive it It seems to me said I interrupting of her that he could not be taken supposing he were yet here Sometimes says Donna Isidora Permission is obtain'd from the King There are certain Crimes for which there is no Sanctuary and that is one of them She fell a weeping notwithstanding all her endeavours to hinder her tears and added that thanks be to Heaven she could not reproach her self with any thing in the late Business but yet she could not forbear grieving extreamly that she had been the cause of it We talk'd together a good while longer and I was as much charm'd with her Wit as with her Beauty Afterwards I withdrew I am absolutly yours most dear Cousin be throughly persuaded of it From Madrid this 29 of May 1679. LETTER XI ONE must love you as mightily as I do Dear Cousin to resolve to write to you in a Season when the Weather is so excessive hot Whatever has been told me and whatever I could imagine of it is nothing in comparison to what I now feel To defend my self from the heat I leave open all my Windows all night long

the Lord and his Creditors All Law-paper is mark'd and costs more than the other There 's a certain time when they make a distribution of Law-Suits they give the Instructions at Madrid but there are few judg'd there all the Papers of one side are put into a Bag and those of the other into another Bag and the Instructions into a third and when the time to distribute the Law-Suits is come they send them to some distant Parliaments so that very often one's Cause is try'd and judg'd without knowing any thing of it It is writ in a Register whether the Cause was sent which is kept very secret When Judgment is given it is sent back to Madrid and is signify'd to the Parties This Method saves a great deal of Trouble and Sollicitations which in my Opinion ought always to be forbidden As to business here it is excessive tedious whether it be at Court or in the City and ruines one in a little time The Spanish Practitioners are great Knaves in their Trade There are several different Councils all compos'd of Persons of Quality and the greatest part are Counsellors of the Sword The first is the Council of State the others are call'd the supream Council of War the Royal Council of Castille the Alcaides of Court the Council of the Holy Inquisition the Council of Orders the Sacred Supream and Royal Council of Arragon the Royal Council of the Indies the Council of the Chamber of Castille the Council of Italy the Council of the Finances the Council of the Croisado the Council of Flanders the Court for the Duty of Horse the Court for his Majesty's Woods and the Courts of the Millions They understand so little how to manage things to the best advantage that when a Father dyes and leaves ready Money and some Children under Age that they lock the Money up in a Chest and never put it out to be improv'd For Example The Duke de Frias whose Widow is marry'd to the Constable of Castille left three Daughters and six hundred thousand Crowns in ready Money they put it into three Chests with with the Name of each Daughter The Eldest was not seven years old she is now marry'd in Flanders to the Prince de Ligne The Guardians constantly kept the Keys of these Chests and never open'd that of the Eldest but to compt it to her Husband Observe what a loss there is of Interest But they tell you it would be much worse if the Principal happen'd to be lost that sometimes when one thinks they have put it securely out it proves quite otherwise That a Bankrupt makes one lose all so that it is better to gain nothing than to hazard the Pupil's Estate It is time to come to an end Dear Cousin I shall be afraid to tire you with a longer Letter I beseech you cause all those I send you to be deliver'd and pardon the freedom I take Adieu I embrace and constantly love you with all my Heart From Madrid this 27th of April 1679. The end of the Second Volume A RELATION OF A Voyage to SPAIN IN Several Letters The Last PART LETTER X. YOU did me a particular Kindness in letting me know that all my Letters come to your hands for I was a little concern'd for the Two last And since you still desire it dear Cousin I shall continue to inform you of every thing that passes and of all that I observe in this Countrey The Royal Palace is built upon a Hill which insensibly descends to the very Banks of the River call'd Mansanarez It looks several ways upon the Country which is very pleasant there One goes to it through the Callemayor that is to say the Great Street which indeed is both very long and broad several considerable Houses add to its Beauty There 's a large open place before the Palace no body of what Quality soever is allow'd to come with a Coach into the Court but they stop under the great Arch of the Porch except it be when Bonefires are made there or when there are Masquerades and then Coaches go in a very small number of Halbardeers stand at the Gate upon my asking why so great a King had so small a Guard why Madam says a Spaniard to me Are not we all his Guards He reigns too absolutely in the Hearts of his Subjects either to fear any thing or distrust them The Palace stands at the end of the City towards the South it is built of very white Stone Two Pavillions compleat the Front the rest is not regular Behind it there are two square Courts each consisting of four sides the first is adorn'd with two great Terrass-walks which run quite through they are rais'd upon high Arches and are beautified with Ballisters and Statues That which I observ'd very singular was that the Womens Statues had Red upon their Cheeks and Shoulders you go through fine Porches which bring you to the Stair-case which is extream large the Apartments are furnisht with excellent Pictures admirable Tapistry most rare Statues stately Houshold Goods and in a word with every thing suitable to a Royal Palace But there are divers of the Rooms dark I saw some which had no Window and receiv'd Light only when the Door open'd those which have Windows are but little lighter because of their smallness they alledge that the Heat is so excessive that they are willing to hinder the Sun from coming in as much as they can But there 's yet another Reason for Glass is very scarce and dear and as to other Houses there are many which have Windows without any Glass and when they would describe a compleat House they 'll tell you in one word that 't is Glaz'd This want of Glass does not appear without because of the Latices The Palace is addorn d with divers gilt Balconies which indeed look very fine All the Councils sit there and when the King has a mind to be present he passes through certain Galleries and little Entries unperceiv'd There 's a great many People perswaded that the Castle of Madrid which Francis the Fifth caus'd to be built near the Wood of Bologn was after the Model of the King of Spain's Palace but 't is a mistake and nothing is less alike The Gardens are not suitable to the Dignity of the Place they are neither large enough nor so well improv'd as they should be the Ground as I have observ'd reaches to the very Brink of Mansanarez the whole is inclos'd with Walls and if these Gardens have any Beauty they owe it purely to Nature They work hard to get the Young Queens Apartment ready for her Reception all her Servants are nam'd and the King expects her with the greatest Impatience The Buen Retiro is a Royal House near one of the Gates of the City the Count Duke caus'd at first a little house to be built there and call'd it Galinera it was for keeping his rare Poultry in which had been presented to him and

Events of things although they may seem to be alike and in the same Circumstances and that what without the imputation of rashness might have been undertaken 120 years ago under a flourishing Reign would be impudent to practise now under a Reign that is far less so but a vanity that is natural to them hinders them from seeing that Providence sometimes permits Empires as well as particular Families to have their Revolutions and Periods The Spaniards believe themselves to be just the same People and in the same Circumstances they ever were but though I never knew their Ancestors yet I dare say they deceive themselves But not to make any farther Reflexions which perhaps are too serious and high for me I will tell you that here 's a general rejoycing at Madrid for the arrival of the Flota from the Indies As 't is not their humour here to treasure up Wealth so this prodigious quantity of Silver which comes all at a lump is spread over all the World One would think that these immense Summs cost nothing and that it is Money which chance sent them Hereupon the great Lords summon their Creditors and pay them with a profuseness which yet without lying has something in 't that is both noble and very generous for there are but few Countries where Liberality is so natural as 't is in this and I must also add that they are patient even to admiration They have been known to endure most long and toilsome Sieges in which besides the Fatigues of War they had nothing to support them but Bread made of rotten Corn and stinking Water for their Drink and yet there are no Men in the World more nice about good Water I say notwithstanding all this and that they have been expos'd to the Severities of the Weather were half naked and had hard Lodging yet in spight of all these things they have been found more brave and couragious than when they enjoy'd Plenty and Prosperity It is true that that Temperance which is so natural to them is a mighty help to them to endure hunger when they are forc'd to it they eat very little and scarcely will they drink any Wine The Custom they have of eating all alone contributes something to make them so frugal for indeed neither their Wives nor their Children ever eat with them The Master has his Table to himself and the Mistress with her Children sit on the Floor upon a Carpet after the Turkish and Moorish way They seldom or never invite their Friends to feast together so that they are not guilty of any excess Upon this account it is their saying That they only eat to live whereas there are People which only live to eat Nevertheless there are some rational People which find this affectation too great and as they admit of little familiarity in Conversation so they perpetually live at a distance and as 't were in Ceremony with one another without enjoying that freedom which makes that true Union and produces that desirable openness of Heart This great Retirement gives them up to a thousand Illusions which they call Philosophy it makes them singular dull fantastick melancholy and jealous whereas if they govern'd themselves otherwise there 's nothing they would not be capable of since they have a wonderful vigour of Mind an excellent Memory good Sense a solid Judgment and great Patience than which there needs no more to make a Man wise to grow in Perfection to be agreeable in Conversation and to distinguish himself from the most polite Nation But they are so far from being what naturally they might be though at never so little pains that they affect a certain Indolency which they call greatness of Mind they neglect their most important business and the advancement of their Fortunes Provision for the future gives them not the least disturbance the only matter they are not indifferent in is Jealousie they improve that to the utmost the bare suspicion is enough to make them stab their Wife or their Mistress Their Passion of Love is always furious and yet the Women please themselves in it they say they would not for all the mischief that may befall them have them less sensible of their unfaithfulness that their desperate Temper is a certain proof of a true Passion and that they themselves are not more moderate when they are in Love They leave nothing unattempted to be reveng'd of those they love if they forsake them without cause so that these sort of amorous Engagements have commonly a fatal end For instance not long since a Woman of Quality who had cause to complain of her Gallant contriv'd to get him into a House where she commanded and after she had sufficiently reproach'd him against which he did but weakly defend himself for he was guilty she presented to him a Ponyard and a Cup of poyson'd Chocolate leaving him only the liberty which sort of Death he would choose He did not waste one minute to move her pitty he very well saw that in this Place she was the strongest so that he tamely drank off the Chocolate without leaving a drop After he had drunk it says he to her it had been better if you had put a little more Sugar in 't for the Poyson made it very bitter remember to do so the next time you prepare another He was immediately seiz'd with Convulsions it was very violent Poyson and kill'd him in an hours time and for all this Lady still lov'd him passionately yet she had the barbarity not to stir from him till he was dead The Venetian Ambassador who is a very well accomplish'd Man being lately at home they brought him word that a Lady cover'd with a Mantle desir'd to speak with him and that she hid her self so close they could not possibly see what she was she had with her two Gentlemen Ushers and a considerable Attendance He invited her to his Chamber of Audience and she desir'd he would cause every body to go out When she was alone with him she unveil'd her self and appear'd to him extream handsom I am of an Illustrious Family says she to him my Name is Donna Blanca de Gusman I have despis'd all the Laws of Decency in Favour of that Passion I have for you I came to declare it to you my Lord and to tell you that I must needs remain here this Night From such an impudent Speech the Ambassador could not in the least doubt that this was some Tilt that had borrow'd a great Name to draw him into some Snare but yet with abundance of kindness he told her that till now he had never thought himself unhappy in the Service of the Republick that he could wish he were not an Ambassador that so he might embrace the Favour she offer'd him but that being in such a Station there was little likelihood that he could give Entertainment to a Person of her Eminent Quality that this might bring him into great trouble and therefore