Housings they are called Pissadoyes for Distinction Upon this day every one of these Lords affect to wear that colour which their Mistresses love most When the People are come without the Bars and are seated upon their Scaffolds the Place is water'd with forty or fifty Tuns of Water which is brought thither in little Carts Then the Captains of the Guards come back and take their Posts under the King's Balcony where all the Guards are likewise placed and make a sort of a Fence standing very close together and although the Bulls are sometimes ready to kill them yet they must not go back nor stir from their place they only present to them the Point of their Halberds and so with a great deal of hazard defend themselves I do assure you that this strange number of People for every place is full even the tops of the Houses as well as the rest the Balconies so richly set out and so many beautiful Women in them this great Court the Guards and in a word the whole place makes one of the finest shews that ever I saw As soon as the Guards are possess'd of the quarter where the King is six Alguazils or City Door-keepers enter the place each holding a white Rod Their Horses are excellent harnass'd after the Morisco fashion and cover'd with little Bells Their Habit is black they wear Plumes of Feathers and put the best Looks on they can in so much danger as they are in for they are not allow'd to stir out of the List and 't is their business to fetch the Knights that are to fight I should tell you before I proceed any further in this short Description that there are certain Laws establish'd for this sort of Baiting which are call'd Duelo that is Duel because one Knights assault the Bull and fights him in single Combat These are some of the things which are observed One must be a Gentleman born and known for such that he may fight on Horseback It is not allow'd to draw the Sword upon the Bull unless he has insulted over you they call it insulting when the Bull breaks or forces the Garrochion or Lance out of the Hand or if he make your Hat fall off or your Cloak or has wounded you or your Horse or any of your Company In this case the Knight is oblig'd to push his Horse directly upon the Bull for this is an Empenno that is to say an affront that engages one to be reveng'd or to dye and he must give him Vna Cachilada or a back stroke upon his Head or Neck But if the Horse on which the Cavallero rides refuses to go up to the Bull then immediately he alights and couragiously marches up a foot to this fierce Animal The Sword is very short and about three fingers broad The other Knights which are there to fight are also oblig'd to alight off their Horses and accompany him that is under the Empenno but they do not second him so as to assist him in the least against his Enemy If they all march up in this manner towards the Bull and he flies to the other end of the Place instead of tarrying for them or meeting them after they have pursu'd him some time they have satisfied the Laws of Duelling If there be in the Town any Horses that have been at a Baiting and are dextrous at it though they do not know the Owners yet they 'll borrow them nay though they do not desire to sell them nor the others in a condition to buy them yet they never refuse them If by mischance the Horse is killed and they offer to pay for him it is not accepted because to receive Money upon such an occasion would not be agreeable to the Spanish Generosity Nevertheless it would vex a Man to have a Horse that he had taken pains to breed up without any more ado taken from him by the first Stranger and through his means kill'd This sort of Combat is reckon'd so dangerous that Indulgencies are expos'd in several Churches for those days because of the great Massacre that is then made Several Popes would have quite abolish'd such barbarous sights but the Spaniards beg'd the Court of Rome so earnestly to let them continue that their Humour has been comply'd with and to this day they are tolerated The first day I was there the Alguazils came to the Gate which is at the end of the List to fetch the six Knights of whom the Count de Connismark was one which offer'd themselves to Combat Their Horses are handsome to admiration and most richly harnass'd Besides those they ride on they had each of them a dozen led by Grooms with as many Mules loaded with Rejones or Garochons which are as I have said Launces made of very dry Fir about four or five foot long painted and gilt and the Iron-work very well polish'd and the Mules were cover'd with Velvet Cloths of the same colour of the Combatants with their Arms embroider'd in Gold This is not practis'd at all Feasts when the City orders one there 's far less Magnificence but as the King commanded this and it was upon his Marriage nothing was omitted The Cavalleros were drest in black embroider'd either with Gold and Silver Silk or Bugles they had white Plumes of Feathers spotted with several colours and a rich knot of Diamonds with a Hat-band of the same They had Scarfs some white and others crimson blue and yellow embroidered with Gold Some wore them round their Wast others over their Shoulders like a Belt and others about their Arm these last were narrow and short without doubt their Mistresses presented them for commonly they run to please them and to shew that there 's no danger to which they would not expose themselves for their diversion They had also a black Cloak which wrapt them about but the ends being thrown behind them it did not hinder their Arms they wore little white Buskins with long guilt Spurs which have only one sharp point after the Moors fashion they also sit a Horse like them which is called Cavalgas a la gineta The Cavalleros were handsomly mounted and lookt gracefully enough for this Country they were nobly born and every one had forty Foot-men some cloath'd in gold Mohair trim'd with Lace others in Carnation-colour'd Brocado stript with Gold and Silver and the rest in some other fashion Every one of them was drest like a Stranger whether 't was Turk Hungarian Moor Indian or wild People Several of the Foot-men carried a bundle of these Garochons I have mentioned and this lookt very well Thus with all their Train they crost the Plaza Mayor conducted by the six Alguazils and the Trumpets sounding They came before the King's Balcony and made a profound Reverence to him and desired leave of him to fight the Bulls which he granted them and wisht them Victory Then the Trumpets every where began to sound again and this is done as 't were in defiance of
further was represented the Golden Age accompany'd with the Law Rewards Protection and Punishments The Temple of Faith was exhibited in a Picture Honour and Fidelity open'd the Gate and Joy came forth to receive the new Queen There was besides a Picture which shew'd the Reception Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba and another where Deborah was giving of Laws to her People There were also the Statues of Ceres Astrea Vnion Vertue Life Safety Time the Earth Tranquility Peace Greatness Rest Themis and Liberality Amongst all the Paintings I took notice of that where Aeneas is descending into Hell Cerberus chain'd by the Sybile the Elysian Fields where Anchises shew'd his Son who should succeed him in his Posterity The rest were fill'd with an infinite number of Hierogliphicks The Queen stopt at the third Arch which was over against a very fine Parterre in her way in it were falls of Water Grottas Fountains and white Marble Statues Nothing could be more pleasant than this Garden It belong'd to the Fryars of St. Francis of Paulo who built it The fourth Gate was in the middle of the Place call'd Del Sol it was not less glorious than the others by the Gold Pictures Statues and Motto's about it The Street where the Furriers dwelt was all full of seeming Animals though their Skins was so artificially stufft that any Body would have taken them for liying Tygars Lions Bears and Panthers The fifth Gate which was that of Guadalajara had its peculiar Ornaments and after that the Queen past into the Goldsmiths Street the side of which was set full of Angels of pure Silver there were seen also divers Bucklers of Gold upon which were contriv'd the King and Queens Names with their Arms in Pearls Rubies Diamonds Emraulds and other Stones so fine and rich that the Skilful said there was to the value of above twelve Millions In the Placa Mayor there was an Amphitheater set full of Statues and adorn'd with Paintings The last Gate was near that in the middle of the first Front of the Queen Mothers Pallace was seen Apollo all the Muses the Picture of the King and Queen on Horseback and divers other things which I did not mind so much to give you an Account of them The Pallace Court was surrounded with young Men and Maids which represented all the Rivers both great and small of Spain they were Crowned with Reeds and Water lillies with Pots overturn'd and the rest of their Attire suitable They complimented the Queen in Latin and Spanish there were also erected in this Court two Castles of artificial Fire-works All the Pallace was hung with the richest Tapistry that belong'd to the Crown and there are but few Places in the World where there is finer seen two Chariots full of Muscians went before their Majesties The Magistrates of the City came out of their Publick House in their Robes which were made of Brocado embroider'd with Gold they wore little Hatts buttoned up with Plumes of Feathers and were mounted upon very fine Horses they came to present the Keys of the City to the Queen and to receive her under a Canopy The King and the Queen Mother went in a Coach all open that the People might see them as far as the Countess of Ognates House where the Queen came to them Six Trumpeters in black and red Suites in company of the City Kettle Drums mounted upon fine Horses whose Housings were of black Velvet march'd before the Alcade of the Court the Knights of the three Malitary Orders namely St. James Calatrava and Alcantara followed after in Cloaks all embroider'd with Gold and their Hatts covered with Plumes of Feathers after them went the Tutulados De Castille and the Officers of the King's Houshold they wore white Robes and most of them were Grandees of Spain their Hatts were trim'd with Diamonds and Pearl and their Magnificence appear'd every way they had most admirable Horses every one had abundance of Liveries and their Footmens Suits were of Gold and Silver Brocado mixt with colour'd Silk which lookt very well The Queen rid upon a curious Horse of Andalousia which the Marquis De Villa Mayna her first Gentleman Usher led by the Reins her Cloaths ware so richly embroider'd that one could see no Stuff she wore a Hat trim'd with a Plume of Feathers and the Pearl call'd the Peregrina which is as big as a small Pear and of an inestimable Value her Hair hung loose upon her Shoulders and upon her Forehead her neck was a little bare and she wore a small Fardingal she had upon her Finger the large Diamond of the King 's which is pretended to be the fairest in Europe But the Queens pretty Looks and her Charms shin'd much brighter than all the sparkling Jewels with which she was adorn'd behind her and without the Canopy went the Dutchess De Terranova drest in Duenna together with Donna Laura Maria D' Alarcon Governante of the Queens Maids they rid each of them upon a Mule Immediately after them the Queens Maids to the number of eight all cover'd with Diamonds and Embroidery appear'd upon very fine Horses every one having two of the Court walking by their side the Queens Coaches went after them and the Guards of the Lancilla brought up the Rear She stopt before the Countess of Ognate's House to salute the King and the Queen Mother she alighted at St. Maries where Cardinal Portocarero Archbishop of Tolleda waited for her and immediately Te Deum began as soon as it was ended she mounted her Horse again and rid to the Pallace where she was receiv'd by the King and Queen Mother the King help't her off her Horse and the Queen Mother taking her by the Hand led her to her Apartment where all the Ladies were waiting for her and fell on their Knees in all Humility to kiss her Hand While I am upon this Head of the Pallace I should tell you Dear Cousin that I have heard there are certain Laws or Rules establisht in the Pallace which have been observed there for above these hundred Years without the least Devotion they are call'd the Orders or Ceremonials of the Pallace they run thus That the Queen of Spain shall go to Bed at Ten a Clock in Summer and nine in Winter At the Queens first being here she did not consider the appointed Hour it seemed to her Reasonable that the Rule of going to Bed should be when one was sleepy but it frequently hapned that as she was eating her Supper some of her Women without saying a Word to her would begin to undress her Head and others to pull off her Shoes under the Table and so hurry her to Bed with that haste as made her very much wonder The King of Spain sleeps in one Apartment and the Queen in another but this loves his Queen too well to lie from her It is thus noted in the Orders That when the King comes out of his own Chamber in the Night to go into the
out of her Mouth in my Face Don Augustin having known by one of his Wife's Servants that she was drest did not stand upon the Custom of the Countrey but lead Don Fernand and the Knights into her Chamber The Conversation was not long in common but we divided for my part I discoursed with Donna Theresa and she told me she was born at Madrid but was brought up at Lisbon with her Grand-mother who was Sister to Don Augustin Pacheco so that her Husband was her great Uncle and these sort of Alliances are often contracted in Spain She talkt to me much of the Young Infanta of Portugal and boasted mightily of her Wit and told me if I would go into her Closet I might judge of her Beauty for she had her Picture there I immediately went and was surpriz'd with the Charms I observ'd in this Princess She had her Hair cut and curl'd like the Periwig of an Abbot and an Invention for preserving Children from falling so big that there were upon it Two Baskets of Flowers and little Vessels of a Medicinal Earth of which they eat a great deal in Portugal and Spain although 't is an Earth that hath little Taste Donna Theresa shew'd me the Skin of a Serpent which her Husband kill'd in the Indies and though it was dead yet I was afraid of it Those of this kind are extream dangerous but it seems as if Providence had taken care to preserve Men from them for these Serpents have a sort of Bell about their Head which rings when they move and so gives notice to Travellers to secure themselves This young Lady who is a great Lover of Portugal discoursed to me much in its Favour She told me That the Sea which flows up into the Tagus renders that River capable to bear the greatest Gallions and the fairest Ships upon the Ocean That the City of Lisbon stands upon the side of a little Hill which insensibly descends to the very Brink of the Tagus So that the Houses being built one above another are all seen at once and so becomes a very pleasant Prospect The old Walls which the Moors built about it are yet standing There are of them four Rounds built at divers times the last may have about six Leagues Circumference The Castle which stands upon a Hill hath its particular Beauties In it you see Palaces Churches Fortifications Gardens Armories and Streets There 's always a good Garrison with a Governor This Fortress commands the City and from thence they may thunder upon it in case it proves rebellious The Palace where the King lives is more considerable if not for its Strength yet for the Uniformity of its Buildings Every thing there is Great and Magnificent the Prospect it has to the Sea hath made them take so much care to beautify it She discoursed to me afterwards of the Publick Places which are adorn'd with Vaults and Arches and of the great Houses round about the Dominicans Convent where the Inquisition is before the Gate of which there is a Fountain with a great many Statues of White Marble which throw the Water every way She added That the Fair of Roucio is kept on the Tuesday of every Week in a Place which might be taken for an Amphitheatre because 't is environ'd with little Hills upon which are built several fair Palaces There 's another Place on the side of the Tagus where the Market is kept and there one may meet with every thing which can be desired of the best in his kind either in Fowl Fish Fruits Herbs or Pulse The Custom-House stands a little higher up where there is infinite Riches and Rarities and some Fortifications are lately made to preserve them The Metropolitan Church is not eminent for any thing but its Antiquity It is dedicated to St. Vincent it is pretended that after he had suffered Martyrdom they refused him Burial and that the Ravens watcht over his Body till some pious Persons came and took it up and carried it to Valentia in Spain to have it worshipt and for this Reason there are Ravens kept in the Church and there is a Box for them into which are put the Alms to buy them Food Although Lisbon continued she is a very pleasant place to live in yet we dwelt at Alcantara This Village is not above a quarter of a League from the City There 's in it a Royal House not so fine for its Buildings as for its Situation the River supplies the place of a Canal There one sees admirable Gardens all fill'd with Grotts and Cataracts or great Falls of Water as well as Spouts of Water Belem is not far from hence it is the place design'd for the Sepulture of the Kings of Portugal in the Church of the Hieronimites It is all covered over with White Marble the Pillars and Statues are of the same the Tombs are in even Rows in three different Chappels amongst which there are some well wrought Belem Feriera Sacavin and some other places about the City are remarkable for the vast quantities of Oranges and Lemons growing there the Air you smell there is all perfum'd you can hardly sit down under the Trees but you are covered with their Flowers one sees running amongst them a Thousand little Rivulets and it may be affirmed that there is nothing more sweet in the Night than the Murmurs and Harmony which are there frequently heard At Belem there are great Magazines of Oranges both sweet and sour Lemons Pome-Citrons and Lemons They load them on small Vessels and so transport them into most parts of Europe Likewise she told me of the Knights del Habito de Christo of the Habit of Christ whose Multitude made them less considerable and also of the Counts of the Kingdom which have the same Priviledges as the Grandees of Spain they are possess'd of Las Comarcas which are certain Lands belonging to the Crown and divided into Counties of a considerable Value She told me That when the King intended to go abroad the People had notice of it by a Trumpet which sounds very early in the Morning in the place through which his Majesty is to pass For the Queen 't is a Flute and a Drum and for the Infanta a Hauthoy When they all go abroad together the Trumpet the Drum the Flute and the Hautboy march in a Company and by this means if any one which cannot get into the Palace to present a Petition he need only wait for the King 's coming by Eight Leagues from Coimbre there 's a Fountain in a place called Cedima which draws in and swallows down every thing which touches its Water Experiments are often made upon great branches of Trees and sometimes of Horses which they cause to be brought there from whence they cannot get back but with great difficulty But that which causes the greatest wonder added she is the Lake of the Mountain of Strella where there are often found the wracks of Ships broken Masts Anchors and Sails
Torrents and making the Waters pass that we were only affrighted two of our Mules were drowned my Litters and Cloaths were so soakt in Water that to dry them we were forc'd to tarry one whole Day and this was no easie matter for there are no Chimneys in the Inns they heated the Oven and put my Cloaths in it I can assure you I have not gained any thing in this unhappy Inundation I lay down after this or to speak better I bathed my self my Bed being as wet as any thing else My fellow Travellers thought fit to let me rest a little I have employ'd one part of my leisure time in writing to you Adieu dear Cosin it is time to finish I am ever more yours than any Bodies in the World From Aranda de Duero this 9th of March. LETTER VI. THE Exactness I observe in giving you an Account of things which I judge worthy of your Curiosity puts me often times on Enquiries into several Particulars which I shou'd have otherwise omitted had you not perswaded me that you are a great Lover of Novelties and that you love to Travel without going out of your Closet We parted from Aranda in a time of Thaw which as it rendred the Air warmer so it made the ways more troublesome We came a while after to the Mountain de Samozierra which parts the Old Castile from the New and we Traverst it not without difficulty as well for its height as the quantity of Snow with which the Bottoms were fill'd and into which we sometimes fell as from Precipices believing the way even They call this Pass the Puerto which Name methinks shou'd be only giv'n to a part where one Embarks on the Sea or a River but it is thus they call the Passage from one Kingdom to another and you make your way to your Cost for the King's Officers wait for Travellers in the Road and let 'em not go till they have paid what they require In arriving at Buitrago we were as wet as the night of the Inundation at Aranda and tho' I kept my Litter I felt no less the Incommodiousness of the Weather than if I had been on foot or Horsback because the Litters are so ill closed and made in this Country that when the Mules pass through any Water they throw up with their Feet part of the Water into the Litter which there remains So that I was forced in arriving to change my Linnen and Cloaths afterwards Don Fernand the three Knights my Daughter and my Women went with me to the Castle I had been so often told of It appeared to me as regularly built as that of Lerma not so large but every whit as pleasant The Apartments are better contriv'd and the Furniture is richer and very singular as well for its Antiquity as Magnificence This Castle as well as that of Lerma belongs to Don Rodrigo de Silva de Mendosa Duke de Pastrana and de L'infantada His Mother's Name is Donna Katherina de Mendosa Sandoval Heiress of the Dutchy's of Infantada and Lerma It descends from Father to Son of Ruy Gomes de Silva who was made Duke of Pastrana and Prince of Eboly by King Philip the Second This Princess d'Eboly who has been so much talkt of for her Beauty was his Wife and the King was passionately in love with her They shew'd me her Picture she is represented at her whole length sitting under a Tent fastned to some Boughs of Trees she seems as if she were rising for she has only a fine Linnen-cloth on her which lets one part of her Body be seen If she were as handsome as her Picture makes her and if her Features were so regular she must be judged the most charming Woman in the World her Eyes are so lively and full of Spirit that it seems as if she was about speaking to you her Neck Arms Feet and Leggs are naked her Hair falls down on her Breasts and little Cupids which appear every where about her press on one another to serve her some had her Slippers others are ready to strew flowers on her and some hold her looking Glass Others are seen farther off who are sharpning their Arrows whilst others fill their Quivers with them and bend their Bow A Fawn looks on her through Boughs she sees him and shews him to a little Cupid who is leaning on her Knees and weeps as if he were afraid of it at which she seems to smile I remained a great while looking on this Picture with the greatest pleasure but I was made to pass into a Gallery where I saw her again She was painted in a large Piece attending Queen Elizabeth Daughter to Henry the Second King of France whom Philip the Second King of Spain espoused instead of giving her to Don Carlos his Son to whom she had been promised The Queen made her Entrance on Horseback as 't is the Custom and I found the Princess Eboly less shining near her than she appeared to me when alone You may hereby judge of the Charms of this young Queen she had a blue Sattin Gown but as to the rest just as I represented to you the Countess of Lemos The King stood in a Balcony to see her pass by He had a black Suit with a Collar of the Golden Fleece his Hair reddish and gray long visage pale old wrinkled and ugly The Infant Don Carlos accompanied the Queen he was very white a fine head his Hair of a light yellow his Eyes blue and he lookt on the Queen with so moving an Air that it appear'd the Painter knew the secret of his heart and wou'd express it His Habit was white embroidered with precious Stones he was in his Doublet with his Hat botton'd upon one side and covered with white Feathers I saw in the same Gallery another piece which much affected me which was the Prince Don Carlos dying he was sitting in a Chair leaning on his Arm on a Table before him holding a Pen in his Hand as if he would have wrote something there was a Vessel by him wherein appeared a sort of black Liquor which apparently was design'd for Poyson A little further you see the Bath preparing for him where his Veins were to be opened the Painter had perfectly well represented the Confusion of so sad an Occasion and having read his History and being much affected with it methoughts I saw him really dying I was told these Pieces were of inestimable value I was afterwards conducted into a Chamber whose Furniture had belong'd to the Arch-Dutchess Marguerita of Austria Governess of the Low Countries and it is pretended she had workt it her self there is a neatly wrought Bed of Flowers Woods Animals and Feathers of all Colours the hangings are the same and the different Colours therein do make a very agreeable shew And this is what I found most remarkable in the Castle of Buitrago and it growing late we left it It was several days since I had the pleasure
Warning from them for they are still forward to expose themselves at at every Baiting that's made The Bulls are fed and the best of them are pickt out for the Baiting they can even distinguish those that are either Sons or Brothers of those Bulls which made a great slaughter in former Feasts they tie to their horns a long Ribbon and by the colour of that every body knows them again and recites the History of their Ancestors that the Grandsire or great Grandsire of these Bulls bravely kill'd such and such a one and they expect no less from those that then appear When they have sufficiently rested the Placa Mayor is covered with Sand and round it are placed Bars as high as a Man upon which are painted the Arms of the King and his Kingdoms I fancy this Place to be larger than the Place Royal at Paris it is longer than it is broad and about it are Houses built upon Pillars and Arches like Towers five Stories high and to each a row of Balconies into which there are great Glass-doors The King 's stands more forward than the rest is more spacious and all gilt It is in the middle of one of the sides with a Canopy over it over against it are the Ambassadours Balconies who have place when the King goes to Chappel that is the Nuncio the Emperor's Ambassadours that of France of Poland the Venetian and that of Savoy those of England Holland Swedland Denmark and other Protestant Princes have none there The Councils of Castille Arragon the Inquisiton Italy Flanders the Indies the Orders War the Croisado and of the Finances are on the right hand of the King they are distinguisht by their Arms upon their Crimson Velvet Carpets which are all embroider'd with Gold After these are placed the city Companies the Judges the Grandees and Titulodos according to their severall Degrees and at the King's Charge or else at the City's who hire these Balconies of private Persons that dwell there For all those I have now nam'd the King makes a Collation and it is given in very neat Baskets to the Women as well as the Men it consists of Fruits dri'd Sweet-meats and Water cool'd with Ice of Gloves Ribbons Fans Pastiles Silk-stockings and Garters insomuch that these Feasts always cost above a hundred thousand Crowns and this Expence is defray'd out of the Fines and Forfeitures adjudg'd to the King or to the City this is a Fund which must not be medl'd with tho t' were to save the Kingdom from the greatest Danger the doing of it might cause a Sedition So bewitcht are the People with this kind of Pleasure From the Level of the Pavement to the first Balcony there are Scaffolds made for the rest of the People they give from Fifteen to twenty Pistols for a Balcony and there is not any but what are lett and adorn'd with rich Carpets and fine Canopies The People are not seated under the King's Balcony that Place is fill'd with his Guards there 's only Three Gates open into it through which the Persons of Quality pass in their richest Coaches and particularly the Ambassadors and they make several turns round it a little before the King comes The Cavaliers salute the Ladies who stand in the Balconies without being cover'd with their Mantles or Vails they are deck'd out with all their Jewels and whatever they have that is finest One can see nothing but extream rich Stuffs with Tapistry Cushions and Carpets all of rais'd work in Gold I never saw any thing more glorious the King's Balcony is hung round with Green and Gold Curtains which he draws when he will not be seen The King came about four a clock and immediately all the Coaches went out of the Place Generally the Ambassador of France is the most taken notice of because he and all his Train are dress'd after the French mode and he is the only Ambassador that has this Priviledge here for the others are in the Spanish Dress There 's five or six Coaches go before the King 's in which are the Officers the Gentlemen and Pages of his Chamber The Coach of Honour in which there goes no body marches immediatly before his Majesty's own whose Coachman and Postilion are always barehead a Footman carrying their Hats the Coach is surrounded with Foot-Guards Those which they call the Life-Guard have Partisans and march very near the Coach and next the Boots go a great many of the King's Pages cloath'd in Black and without Swords which is the only mark to know them from other Pages As the Ladies that are design'd to be about the young Queen are already nam'd so they all came under the Conduct of the Dutchess of Terra Nova in the King's Coaches they march by the Mens Boutes of the highest Quality some on Foot that they might be nearer others mounted on the finest Horses in the World train'd up for that purpose and which they call Horses of Motion That they may perform this piece of Gallantry they must have leave from their Mistresses otherwise 't is a great Blemish to their Reputation and even engages the Ladies Kindred in Trouble for they take their Honour to be concern'd in this Liberty But when she approves of it they may practise all the pleasant Humours for which these sort of Feasts minister occasion But though they need fear nothing from the Ladies they serve nor their Relations yet they are not freed from all uneasiness for the Duegno's or Women of Honour of which there 's too great a Provision in each Coach and the Guardadamas which go on Horseback are troublesome Observers hardly can one begin to discourse but these old Haggs will draw the Curtain and the Guardadamas will tell you that that Love which is fullest of Respect is the most discreet so that very often one must be content to let the Eyes speak and to sigh so loud that one may be heard at a Distance All things being thus dispos'd the Captains of the Guards and the other Officers mounted upon very fine Horses enter the Place at the head of the Spanish German and Burgundian Guards they are cloath'd in Yellow Velvet or Sattin which is the Livery of the King trim'd with tufted crimson Galoon mixt with Gold and Silver The Yeomen of the Guard which I call the Life-Guard wear only a short Cloak of the same Livery over black Cloaths The Spaniards wear Breeches tuckt up after the old way The Germans which are called Tudesques wear them like the Switzers they stand in Ranks near the King's Balcony while the two Captains and the two Lieutenants who carry each of them a Staff of command in their Hands and are follow'd by a great many in Liveries march all four in a Rank at the head of the Guards several times round the Place to give the necessary Orders and to salute the Ladies of their Acquaintance their Horses curvet and bound continually they are covered with knots of Ribbons and embroidered
without fearing the Gallick Winds which criple a body I sleep bare-head I put my Hands and Feet in Snow enough to kill one but I think 't is much at one to dye as to be smother'd with heat as they are here 'T is Mid-night before one feels the least breath of Air from the Western Briezes In going to take the Air one is sufficiently puzled for if the Glasses are open one's chok'd with the Dust of which the Streets are so full that one can hardly see and although the Windows of the Houses are shut the Dust finds a way through and spoils all Houshold Goods so that what with the ugly smells in the Winter and the dust in the Summer all things of Silver and every thing else is so tarnish'd and spoyl'd that little can be kept handsom any considerable time Notwithstanding all care at present ones face will be cover'd with sweat and dust like those Wrestlers which are represented to us in a Ring I should now tell you that I have seen the Ceremony on Corpus Christi-day which is very solemnly kept here There 's a general Procession of all the Parishes and Monasteries which are very numerous the Streets thrô which the Holy Sacrament is to pass are hung with the richest Tapistry in the World for I do not only speak of that which belongs to the Crown which is there but also of that which belongs to a thousand particular Persons which have most admirable Tapistry All the Balconies are then without their Lattices adorn'd with Carpets rich Cushions and Canopies they hang Ticking cross the Streets to hinder the Sun from being troublesom and they throw water upon it to make the Air cooler All the Streets are spread with Sand well water'd and fill'd with so great a quantity of Flowers that one can hardly tread upon any thing else The Repositories are extraordinary large and adorn'd with the greatest splendor No Women go in the Procession the King was there in a black Lute-string Taffety Suit a Sholder-belt of blue Silk edg'd with white his Sleeves were of white Taffety embroider'd with Silk and Bugles they were very long and open before he had little Sleeves hanging down to his Waste his Cloak was wrapt about his Arm and he had on his Collar of Gold and precious Stones at which there hung a little sheep in Diamonds He had also Diamond Buckles at his Shooes and Garters and a great Hat-band of the same which shin'd like the Sun he had likewise a knot which button'd up his Hatt and at the bottom of that a Pearl which they call the Pereagrine it is as big as the Russet Pear and of the same shape it is pretended to be the finest in Europe and that both its colour and kind is in perfection The whole Court without exception follow'd the Holy Sacrament the Councils walk'd after it without any Order or Precedency as they happen'd to be holding white Wax Candles in their hands the King had one and went foremost next the Tabernacle where the Sacrament was It is certainly one of the finest Ceremonies that can be seen I observ'd that all the Gentlemen of the Bed-chamber had a great gold Key by their sides it opens the King's Chamber into which they can go when they will it is as big as a Cellar-door Key I there saw several Knights of Malta who wore every one a Cross of Malta made of Holland and embroider'd upon their Cloaks it was near two a Clock and the Procession was not yet gone in when it past by the Palace they fir'd several Rockets and other Inventions The King went to meet the Procession at St. Mary's which is a Church near the Palace Upon this day all the Ladies begin to wear their Summer Garments they make their Balconies very fine in which they have either several Baskets of Flowers or Bottles fill'd with sweet Water which they throw about whilst the Procession passes by Commonly the three Companies which guard the King are new cloath'd As soon as the Holy Sacrament is gone back to the Church every body goes home to eat that they may be at the Autos which are certain kinds of Tragedies upon Religious Subjects and are odly enough contriv'd and manag'd They are acted either in the Court or Street of each President of a Council to whom it is due The King goes thither and all the Persons of Quality receive Tickets over Night to go there so that we were invited and I was amaz'd to see them light up abundance of Flamboys whilst the Sun beat full upon the Comedians Heads and melted the Wax like Butter they acted the most impertinent piece that ever I saw in my days This is the Subject of it The Knights of St. James are assembled and our Lord comes and desires them to receive him into their Order there are divers of them that are very willing to it but the Seniors represent to the others the wrong they should do themselves if they should admit into their Society a Person of ignoble Birth that St. Joseph his Father was a poor Carpenter and that the Holy Virgin wrought at her Needle Our Lord with great impatience expects their Resolution at last they determine with some unwillingness to refuse him but at the same time propose an expedient which is to institute on purpose for him The Order de Christo and with this every body is satisfied This is the Order that is in Portugal but yet these things are not done with a wicked design no they had rather dye than in the least to fail of the respect due to Religion These Autos last for a Month I am so weary of going to them that I excuse my self as oft as I can They use Sweetmeats and Water cool'd in Ice very much and they have need of them for the heat almost kill 's one and the dust choaks a body I was ravish'd with Joy to meet Don Augustin Pacheco and his Wife of whom I have formerly told you at the President d' Hazienda's House they come thither because they are related to the President We were placed near one another and when the Ceremony was over we went to take the Air in the Prado after the French Mode that is Men and Women together in the same Coach Don Frederick de Cardona was one our Curtains were close drawn whilst there was a great many folks because of our beautiful and young Spanish Women but as we tarry'd later than others the Nuncio and Frederick Cornaro the Venetian Ambassador caus'd their Coaches to drive up to ours and talk't with us when all on a sudden we saw a great Illumination all along the Walk and at the same time appear'd sixty Cardinals upon Mules in their Habits and red Caps after them follow'd the Pope he was carry'd upon a certain Machine all cover'd with a foot Carpet he sat under a Canopy in a great Chair and St. Peter's Keys laid upon a Cushion with a Vessel full of
like the Pages made up his Guard marching before and behind him The Courtiers Coaches indeed that accompany'd him were so numerous that they could hardly be told the People every where crowding even to the tops of the Houses cry'd out Viva el Roy Deos le Bendiga and several added Viva el Reina nuestra Seinnora There was not the least House or Street without its spread Tables every body had their Garlick Leeks and Onions in their hands insomuch that they perfum'd the Air with them and they were even debauch'd with drinking their Majesty's Health in Water For dear Cousin though I have already mentioned it to you yet methinks I may repeat it here That there never was People so temperate as these especially in Wine and they have so strange an abhorrence for those that are guilty of Intemperance that by their Law a Man that can be prov'd but once to have been drunk is refus'd for being a Witness in any Court of Justice where he is offer'd and after a sharp reproof is sent away And if it happen that one calls another Boracho that is Drunkard this Injury is sure to be reveng'd with Murther That Night the King was at Antocha we illuminated all our Houses with great Flamboys of white Wax which they call Hachas they are longer than those that are us'd at Paris to light the Coaches at night but withal they are a great deal dearer not only because the Wax is brought at great Charges from other Parts of the World but also because there is a prodigious quantity of it consum'd in Spain And when they make Illuminations they are not contented to set up four or six Flamboys but they must put two in every Balcony and two at each Window up to the highest Story there are some Houses which thus require four or five hundred Every where there were Bonefires made and we went to the Palace to see a Masquerade of a hundred and fifty Lords which they said was to be there I cannot imagine why they call this Diversion by that Name for they were not at all maskt commonly they choose the darkest Night All the Courtiers are mounted upon their finest Horses every Horse was covered with Silver Gauze and Housings embroider'd with Gold and Pearl The Cavalleros were cloath'd in Black with colour'd Taby Sleeves embroider'd with Silk and Bugles they wore little Hatts button'd up with Diamonds and in them a Plume of Feathers they had rich Scarfes and many Jewels but with all this their Black Cloaks and their ugly Collars strangely disfigure them They ride a Horseback like the Turks and Moors that is as they call it a Genita their Stirrups are so short that their knees are even with and rest upon the Tops of the Horses shoulders I cannot yet reconcile my Eyes to this Fashion they say that thus they can better raise and put themselves forth against any that assaults them But to return to the Masquerade they all met together at an appointed Place which usually is at one of the Gates of the City The Streets through which they were to go were all strewed with Sand and on each side there was a kind of Chaffing dishes set upon Poles which beside the white Wax Flamboys gave a great Light there were also placed several very clear Lanthorns in Windows which made a very fine Show Every Cavallero had a great many Footmen which were cloath'd in Cloath of Gold and Silver they went by their Masters sides with Flamboys The Masters marcht four in a rank very softly each holding a Flamboy also they went all over the City attended with Trumpets Timbrels Bagpipes and Flutes and when they came to the Palace which was illuminated and the Court covered with Sand they took several Turns and run and pusht against one another with a Design to throw each other down with these tricks Prince Alexander de Parma who is of a prodigious bigness fell down and the fall of him made as great a noise as the shooting of a moderate high-hill they had much ado to carry him off for he was grievously bruis'd with his Fall there were several of them with their great Spectacles on but particularly the Marquess D' Astorgas who does not only wear them for gravity sake but for need for he is old but yet for all that he is frolicksom he will be Meyor Domo to the young Queen and he is a Grandee of Spain And now I speak of a Grandee of Spain Don Fernand de Tolledo told me t'other day a thing pleasant enough His Father in Law who is the Marquess De Palacios lives at a horrid profuse rate for it seems he is one of those profest Gallants of the Ladies of the Pallace and to arrive to that one must both have a great deal of Wit and shew abundance of Magnificence I mean a certain peculiar sort of Wit that 's neat and refin'd he must have choice Phrases and Expressions and some ways and modes not common he must understand how to write both in Prose and Verse and that too better than another In a word one must both talk and do in this Pallace-Gallantry after quite another rate than is us'd in the City But to return to the Marquess De Palacios There was a publick Festival appointed by the King this Marquess wanted Money to appear there he is Lord of several Towns it came into his head to go down post to them assoon as he arriv'd at the first he caus'd Papers to be set up That all those of that Town which desir'd to be made Grandees should immediately come to him There was not either Justice Burgess or Tradesman which was not presently fill'd with vehement Ambitious desires for the Grandeza his House was crowded with all sorts of People he agreed with them every one severally in private and got as much as he could of them and afterwards he made them all be covered before him and gave them Patents in Form just as the King does when he makes any one a Grandee His Invention succeeded two well in the first Town not to practise it in the rest He found amongst them the same Disposition to give him Money that through his means they might be Grandees with this trick he got a considerable Sum and away he comes and makes a splendid Shew at Court But as a Man is never without Enemies so there were some Persons that had a mind to make use of this pleasant Frolick to put him out of the King's Favour His Majesty was told of it and the Marquis justified himself well enough in saying all those to whom he had granted permission to be covered before him being born his Vassals they ow'd more respect than to dare to take this liberty without his leave and that therefore he had made them Grandees as to himself And after this the thing was only lookt upon as a merry jest This Marquess comes often to see us and as he belong'd to the
of Love this little God seems to rise with his Body all full of Darts from every one of which comes out a Spout of Water The three Graces sit at the Feet of the God of Love but that which is most extraordinary is the Water which falls from four high Trees like Fountains whose noise is very delighful and surprizing it not being natural for Water to come out of Trees I should be afraid to tire you did I undertake to tell you the vast number of Cataracts Falls and Fountains of Water which I have seen here I will only in general assure you that it is a Place worthy of the curiosity and attention of every body At eight a Clock the Sun began to be too hot and some went into the House which comes far short of that Beauty it should have justly to answer all the other things and when the King goes there those that attend him are so ill accommodated with Lodging that either he must be contented to go there in all haste and keep his Court a little or else go as far as Tolleda for there are only two bad Inns and a very few private Houses If we had not taken care before hand for Provisions even to Bread I am confident we had met with none unless the Alcade would have given us some of his And by the way I 'll inform you the difference there 's between the Alcade and Alcalde that so you may not confound them the first signifies the Governor of a Castle or Place and the other a Serjeant Although the most curious Pictures are at the Escurial yet I found some excellent ones in the King's Appartment at Arranjues it is furnisht according to the Season we are now in that is to say the Walls are all white have only a Matt that is very fine and thin about three foot deep with some Looking-glasses and Pictures In this Building there are divers little Courts which takes from the grace of it We eat our Breakfast all together and they perswaded me to eat some of a Fruit they call Pimento which is as long as one's finger but as hot as Pepper the least bit of which puts ones Mouth in a Flame they let it lie steeping in Vinegar and Salt to get out the Virtue this Fruit is brought into Spain growing upon a Plant and I never saw any of it in other Countrys where I have been We had an Ollio some Ragous made of cold Partridges with Oyl Canary Wine fat Pullets and Pigeons which are excellent here and also several sorts of Fruit which was extraordinary fair When this Repast which was worth a Dinner was ended we went to Bed and went not a walking till about seven a Clock in the Evening The Charms of this Place were as new to me as if I had not seen them in the Morning but particularly I still admir'd the Situation which indeed ravishes on what side soever one turns the Eyes The King is there with half a dozen of his Guards in great safety because there 's no getting at him but over Bridges which are all drawn up and the Xamara which in this Place swells the Waters of Tagas fortifies Arranjus After we had walkt till ten a Clock at Night we came back into a great Hall pav'd with Marble and supported with Pillars of the same It was all enlightned with divers brancht Candlesticks and Don Esteve de Carvajal had privately got thither several Musicians which were a pleasant sort of a surprize to us at least the Spanish Ladies and my Kinswoman were mightily delighted with them For my part I thought they sung too much in the Throat and their Divisions and Shakes were so long that they were tedious not but that their Voices are good but their manner of singing is not good and generally the greatest part in Spain do not sing as they do in France and Italy When Supper was done we went to the great Canal where there 's a small Gallion painted and gilt we went aboard her and tarry'd till two a Clock in the Morning and then we set forward on our way to Tolleda I took notice when we came out of Arranjues that the Ground was all Heath and Ling and yet the Air was perfum'd with wild and mother Tyme with which these Plains were all cover'd They told me there were a great many Rabits Stags Does and Fallow Deer but it was not then their time to appear Our Conversation was for sometime general and for two Leagues together from Arranjues I did not speak one word to Don Fernand thô he sat just close by me But being willing to imploy the time in thoroughly informing my self about all the Particulars of the cruel Inquisition which he had promis'd to acquaint me with I desir'd him to let me know something of it The Inquisition says he has not been known in Europe but since the beginning of the Thirteenth Century Before that time the Bishops and Civil Magistrates enquir'd after Hereticks and either condemn'd them to Banishment or to the Forfeiture of their Goods and Estates or else to some other Penalties which never almost extended to Death But the vast number of Heresies which appear'd towards the end of the Twelfth Age caus'd that Tribunal to be Establish'd The Pope sent several Religious Persons to the Catholick Princes and Bishops to exhort them to take an extraordinary care in the Extirpation of Heresies and to bring obstinate Hereticks to punishments and thus things continued till the Year 1250. In the Year 1251. Innocent IV. Authoriz'd the Dominican Fryars with the assistance of the Bishops to take Cognizance of these sort of Crimes Clement the IV. confirm'd these Tribunals in the Year 1265. Afterward there were several Courts erected in Italy and in the Kingdoms which were dependants of the Crown of Arragon till such time that the Inquisition was establish'd in the Kingdoms of Castille in the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabel and after that in Portugal by King John the III. in the Year 1557. To that time the Inquisitors had a limited Power and it was often contested by the Bishops to whom the Cognizance of Heritical Crimes belong'd According to the Canons it was contrary to the Rules of the Church for Priests to sentence any Criminals to Death much more for those Crimes which the Civil Laws often punish'd with far less severe Penalties But ancient Right yielding to new Power the Dominican Fryars by the Popes Bulls have been for these two Ages in possession of this extraordinary Jurisdiction from which the Bishops have been excluded the Inquisitors now only wanted the Authority of the Prince to enable them to execute their Sentences Before Isabella of Castille came to the Crown the Dominican John de Torquemada her Confessor and afterward Cardinal made her promise him to persecute all Infidels and Hereticks as soon as it should be in her Power to do so She pervail'd over Ferdinand her Husband to obtain in the Year