of these Barbarians and finding no more among them any Princes of the Race of the Gothish Kings they agreed to Elect one and cast their eyes on a Lord of the Country call'd Garci Ximinex but they being Masters to impose Laws on him and finding himself sufficiently Happy that he might Rule over them under any Condition these People therefore confin'd him within narrow Bounds They agreed That as soon as their Monarch shou'd break through any of their Laws he shou'd immediately forfeit his Power and they be at full liberty to chuse another though he were a Pagan and to hinder him from violating their Priviledges and to defend themselves against him they establisht a Soveraign Magistrate whom they call'd the Justicia whose Office was to observe the Conduct of the King the Judges and he People but the Power of a Soveraign being likely to Awe a meer Particular to Assure the Justicia in the Execution of his Office they ordered That he might not suffer either in his Person or Goods but by a compleat Assembly of the States which they call Las Cortes They moreover provided That if the King shou'd Oppress any one of his Subjects the great and considerable Men of the Kingdom might assemble themselves and hinder his receiving any of his Revenues till the Innocent was acquitted and re-establisht in his former Rights And to make Garci Ximinez timely sensible of the Power this Man had over him they set him on a kind of a Throne and made the King to kneel down bare headed before him to receive from him his Oath of keeping their Priviledges This Ceremony ended they acknowledge him their Sovereign but in as odd as disrespectful a Manner for instead of promising him Fidelity and Obedience they say to him We who are as good Men as your self we make you our King and Governour on Condition you keep to us our Rights and Properties otherwise we Disacknowledge you The King Don Pedro in process of time coming to the Crown relisht this Custom as unworthy of the Regal State and it so greatly disgusted him that by his Authority and Intreaties and the Offers he made of bestowing several notable Priviledges on the Kingdom he procured the Abolishment of this in an Assembly of the States he got this general Consent in Writing which was presented to him As soon as he had the Parchment he drew out his Dagger and pierced his Hand with it saying 'T was fit a Law which gave Subjects the Liberty of chusing their Sovereign should be Effaced with their Sovereign's Blood His Statue is still seen in the Deputation-Hall of Saragossa he holds a Dagger in one Hand and the Charter in the other The late Kings have not been such Religious Observers of their Priviledges as the first But there is a Law still in force and which is very singular and this they call The Law of Manifestation which is That if an Arragonois had Wrong done him in Judgment in consigning 500 Crowns he may bring his Cause before the Justicia who is obliged after an exact Perquisition to punish him who has giv'n a wrong Sentence And if he fails therein the opprest Person may have Recourse to the States of the Kingdom who Assemble and Nominate five Persons of their Body which is to say of the Prime Nobility the Ecclesiasticks the Gentry and Commonalty they appoint three out of the first Rank and two from each of the others But it is observable they choose the most Ignorant to Judge the most able Men in the Gown whether to Disgrace 'em the more for their Fault or as they alledge That Justice should be so clear that the very Plow-men and those who understand the least should discern it without the help of Oratory It is likewise affirm'd That the Judges tremble when they pronounce a Sentence fearing lest it turn against themselves to the loss of their Lives or Estates should they commit the least Fault therein either wilfully or through Inadvertency It were well if this Custom were observed in all Kingdoms but this is rather to be wish'd than expected Yet what is no less singular is That Justice remains always Soveraign and though the Unjust Judge be punish'd severely for his wrong Decree yet it subsists in its full force and is fully executed If then any Unhappy Wretch be sentenced to Death he is not spared tho' his Innocency be discovered and made as clear as Noon-day but his Judges are executed too before his Face which in my mind is a poor Consolation If the Judge accused as justly perform'd his Office the Plaintiff leaves the 500 Crowns which he had confign'd But were he to lose an 100000 Crowns of Annual Revenue by the Sentence he complains of the Sentence or Decree remains good and the Judge is only condemn'd to pay him likewise 500 Crowns the rest of this Judge's Estate is forfeited to the King which is in my Opinion another Point of Injustice for in fine he ought above all others to have Recompence made him who suffers by a wrong Sentence These same People have another Custom to distinguish by the Punishment the Crime committed for Example A Cavalier who has kill'd another in Duel for they are here strictly forbid he has his Head cut off before and he that has Assassinated his is cut off behind This is to distinguish him who has behaved himself like a brave Man from him that kills you Treacherously She added That to speak in general of the Arragonois They have a Natural Pride which is hard to be suppress'd but likewise to do them Justice there are People of brave Minds to be found among them insomuch that they are easily discern'd from all the rest of the King of Spain's Subjects That they have never wanted Great Men from their first King to Ferdinand That they counted such a great number of them as would scarce be believ'd However they have greatly recommended themselves by their Valour and Conduct That as to the rest their Country was so little fruitful that excepting some Valleys which were watered by Channels whose Water came from the Ebre the rest was so dry and sandy that you meet with scarce any thing else but stony and parched up places That Sarragossa is a great City the Houses finer than at Madrid the Publick Places adorn'd with Arches That the Holy Street where the Courses are run is so long and large as may make it pass for a great and vast place having several great Mens Palaces on it that of Castelmorato being one of the pleasantest That the Vault of St. Fancis's Church was very curious for being of extraordinary Largeness yet 't is upheld by no Pillars That the City is not strong but the Inhabitants so stout that it needed no Walls that it has never a Fountain this being one of its greatest Defects That the Ebre carried no Boats the River being full of dangerous Rocks As to the rest the Archbishoprick was worth 60000 Crowns
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
and yet the Sea is above twelve Leagues off and this is upon the top of a very high Hill too it cannot be imagin'd by what means all these things should come there Whilst I was hearing with great delight Donna Theresa relate these things her Husband and the rest of the Company came and interrupted us Don Augustin was a Man of Understanding and for all his Age was very pleasant If my Curiosity is not indiscreet pray Madam says he tell me what Subject this Child has entertained you with Mi Tio replied she that is my Uncle you may easily believe it was Portugal Oh! I thought as much cry'd he There it is she always chooses her Field of Action Dear God says she every body has some place they love and when once you are got to your Mexico one cannot draw you from thence You have been in the Indies resumed I and Donna Theresa hath shew'd me a Serpent which she says you kill'd there It is true Madam continued he and if it were not time for you to Dine it would not it may be be unpleasant to you to hear of what I have seen there But says he I should go to Madrid and if you please I 'll bring to you Donna Theresa It is there indeed where I should lay the Scene of Discourse and where I could tell you of things which I believe you would not be unwilling to know I assur'd him that he would do me a particular favour to give me so signal a mark of his kindness and that I should be over-joy'd to see the fair Donna Theresa and to hear her talk of the Indies she that discours'd so admirably of every thing He took me by the Hand and led me down into a Hall paved with Marble which was hung with Pictures instead of Tapistry and set round with Cushions Cloth was laid there upon a Table for the Men but upon a Carpet on the Floor it was laid for Donna Theresa my self and my Daughter I was surpriz'd at this Fashion not having been us'd to Dine so however I took no notice of it and I had a mind to try it but I was never more uneasie my Leggs ak'd most horribly one while I lean'd upon my Elbow and then upon my Hand In a word I could not Dine and yet the good Lady was not sensible of it for she thought the Women in France were used to eat upon the Floor as they did in Spain But Don Fernand De Toledo who observ'd me uneasie rose from Table with Don Frederick De Cordonna and both of them told me that absolutely I should sit with them I was willing enough provided Donna Theresa would do so too but she durst not because there were Men upon whom she did not so much as lift up her Eyes but by stealth Don Augustin bid her come without Ceremony and told her that they must let me know that they were glad to see me at their House But that which was very pleasant was when this Lady was set upon a Chair she was no less at ease than I was when I sat upon the Carpet she protested with a pretty sort of freedom that she never before sat in a Chair and that she had never once thought on 't Thus we dined very merrily and there was nothing which could be added to the obliging manner of my Reception in this House I gave to Donna Theresa some Ribbons Pins and a Fan. She was mightily pleased and gave me as many thanks as if the Present had been of value Her thanks were not common one could not observe in them any thing that was low or covetous And to speak truth they have abundance of Wit and Sense in this Country it appears even in the smallest trifles I had not been gone an hour from this House when I saw coming towards us two Coaches drawn by six Mules a piece which gallop'd a great pace and faster than the best Horses could do I could hardly have believed that Mules could run so fast But that which I wondred most at was the manner of their being harnass'd These two Coaches and their Furniture took up almost a quarter of a League of room There was one with six Glasses indifferent large and made like ours except that the upper part is very low and so inconvenient Within it had a Cornish of Wood gilt but so large that it lookt like one for a Chamber The Coach was gilt on the out-side which is only allow'd to Embassadors and Strangers The Curtains were of Damask and Cloth sew'd together The Coach-man rode upon one of the fore-Mules they do not sit in the Coach-box although there is one and upon my asking the Reason of it Don Frederick de Cardonna told me that he had been assur'd that this Custom had been ever since the Coach-man of the Lord Duke D' Olivares drove his Master who over-hearing something of great Importance which the Duke told to one of his Friends reveal'd it the matter having made a great noise at Court for it seems the Duke accus'd his Friend of some indiscretion which nevertheless he was innocent of ever since they have been so cautious to make the Coach-man ride upon the first Mule Their Traces are Silk or Hempen Cords so excessive long that from one Mule to another there 's above three Ells distance and I cannot understand but every thing should break at the rate they run It is true that though they run very fast in the Country yet they go very softly in the City and 't is a tiresoâ—e thing to go so slowly as if they told their steps And though at Madrid they have but four Mules yet they have a Postillion My Relation was in the first of these Coaches with three Spanish Ladies The Gentlemen and the Pages were in the other which was not made after the same manner It had Boots as formerly our Coaches had they are to let down and the Leather is open at bottom so that when the Women come out if they have no mind their Feet should be seen the Boot is let down to the ground to hide their Shoes It had Glasses twice as big as my hand made fast to each end of the Coach for the conveniency of calling to the Footmen Nothing more resembles our Garret-windows than these do The top of the Coach is covered with Gray Parragon and the Curtains are of the same large and long hang without and draw round and are fastned with Buttons and Loops This looks very ill and you are inclosed within as if you were in a Box. My Relation was drest half French and half Spanish she seem'd over-joy'd to see me and I was no less to see her As to her Person I found her not at all chang'd but I could not forbear laughing at her way of speaking She now understands very little French although she continually speaks and loves it so much that it is impossible for her to learn any other Language
But she now mixes Italian English and Spanish with her own Natural Language and this makes such a Jargon as is very strange to one who knew her as I did to have the French Language in its purity and able to read Lectures of it to the Learned She cannot endure to be told that she has forgot it and indeed she does not believe it having never left off speaking it either with some of her own Women or with Ambassadors and Strangers who generally understood it Nevertheless she speaks very ill And if one is not at the Fountain-head it is difficult long to speak a Language well which is every day changing and continually making new progresses I found the Ladies which were with her extream pretty I do assure you that there are in this Countrey some very handsome and aimable We embraced each other often and went back to Madrid Before we came there we past over a Sandy Plain of about Four Leagues but so uneven that every moment we fell into holes big enough to bury the Coach and which hinder'd it for going very fast This uneven way lasted till we came to a little Village call'd Mandes which is but half a League from Madrid All the Countrey here is dry and very open you can scarcely see a Tree on any side you look The City is scituated in the middle of Spain which is New-Castile It is above an Age since the Kings of Spain have chosen to keep their Court in it because of the purity of the Air and the goodness of the Water which really is so good and so light that the Cardinal Infanta would drink no other when he was in Flanders and he caus'd it to be brought by Sea in Earthern Jars well stopt The Spaniards pretend that the Founder of Madrid was a Prince nam'd Ogno Bianor Son of Tiberino King of the Latines and of Manto who was a Queen more Famous for the Science of Astrology which she understood to a wonderful degree than for her Birth 'T is thought that Madrid must be in the Heart of Europe because the little Village of Pinto which is not above Three Leagues from it is call'd in Latine Punctum and that is reckon'd to be in the Center of Europe The first thing I observ'd was that the City is not enclos'd either with a Wall or Ditch the Gates as one may say are only made fast by a Latch those which I have already seen are all broken there is not seen any place of Defence neither Castle nor in a word any thing which might not be forced with throwing of Oranges and Lemons but yet it might be necessary to Fortifie this City The Mountains which are round it are of some use for its Defence I have pass'd through some places of them which are so narrow that one might shut them up with a good big Stone and with a hundred Men oppose the passage of a whole Army The Streets are long and straight and of a good largeness but there 's no place worse paved let one go as softly as 't is possible yet one is almost jumbl'd and shak'd to pieces there are more Ditches and dirty places than in any City in the World the Horses go up to the Bellies and the Coaches to the middle so that it dashes all upon you and you are spoyl'd unless you either pull up the Glasses or draw the Curtains which I have spoke of very often the Water comes into the Coaches at the bottom of the Boots which are open The Houses there have rarely any great Gates to them those which have are without Courts The Doors indeed are pretty large and for the Houses they are very graceful spacious and convenient though they are only built of Earth and Brick I think they are altogether as dear as at Paris The first Story which they raise belongs to the King and he can either let or sell it unless the Owner of the House buy it off which is almost constantly done and this is a considerable Revenue to the King There is commonly in every House Ten or Twelve Rooms on a Floor in some Twenty and more they have their Summer and their Winter Apartments and very often one for Autumn and another for Spring-time So that having very great Families they are forced to Lodge them in some Neighbouring Houses which they hire on purpose for them You must not wonder Dear Cousin that they have so many Domesticks There are two Reasons for it The first is that both for Food and Wages the Spaniards give but two Rials a day which is not above Six-pence of our Money I say the Spaniards do this for Strangers pay after the rate of four Rials which is about Twelve pence of our Money Neither do the Spaniards give to their Gentlemen above Fifteen Crowns a Month with which they must wear Velvet in Winter and Taffety in Summer But then they live only upon Onions Pease and such mean stuff and this makes the Pages and Footmen as greedy as Doggs But I should speak of the other Domesticks as well as the Pages for in this matter they are all alike let them have what Wages they will They are kept so very hungry that in carrying the Dishes to the Table they eat half the Victuals that is in them they throw it into their Mouths so burning hot that you shall observe their Teeth all rotten with the Practice I advis'd my Kinswoman to get a little Silver Stew-pan made and fastned with a Pad-lock like that I saw of the Arch Bishop of Burgos and she did so and now after the Cook hath fill'd it he looks through a little Grate to see whether the Soupe does well and thus the Pages get nothing of it but the Steam Before this Invention it happen'd a hundred times that when we thought to have taken up some Broth we found neither that nor any Flesh for you must know that if the Spaniards are Temperate 't is when the Expence is their own they are not so when they eat at another's cost I have seen Persons of the Highest Quality eat with us like so many Wolves they were so hungry They were sensible enough of it themselves and pray'd us not to wonder at it for they found the Ragoas after the French way so excellent that they could not forbear There are Cooks-shops almost at every corner of a Street These have great Kettles set upon Trevets There folks may have such ordinary things as Beans Garlick Leeks or a little Broth in which they steep their Bread The Gentlemen and Waiting-women go thither as other People for at home they only dress Victuals for the Master and Mistress and their Children They are strangely Temperate in Wine the Women never drink any and the Men so little that a quarter of a Pint will serve one a whole day You cannot affront a Man worse than to call him a Drunkard Here 's indeed a great many things to make up the first
for the Duke of Medina Celi's Daughter Her Coffin was made of rare Indian Wood put into a blue Velvet Bag and crost with silver Mohair with Cords of silver Thred and the strings were of the same and fastned the Bag at each end like a stuff Cloak-bag The Coffin was in a Hearse cover'd with white Velvet set round with Garlands and Coronets curiously made of Flowers And thus they carried her to Medina Celi the capital City of the Dutchy of that Name Commonly they dress up the dead in the habit of some Religious Order and carry them all bare-fac'd into the Church where they are to be bury'd If it is a Woman they put her on the habit of the Carmelites This Order is in great Veneration here the Princesses of the Blood retire to their Convent The Queens themselves when they are Widows are oblig'd to spend the rest of their Life there unless the King otherwise appointed before his Death as Philip IV. did in favour of Queen Mary Ann of Austria his Wife And in case a Queen is Divorced she must go into a Religious House for Divorced or Widow she has not the Liberty to marry again The Kings of Spain presume so much above other Kings that they will not endure a Princess who has once been their Wife should ever be so to another let her have the greatest Passion in the World Don John hath a natural Daughter a profess'd Carmelite at Madrid She is wonderful handsom and 't is said she had no mind to take the Habit but it was her fate as 't is of divers others of her Quality who like it no more than she They call them the Descalcas Reales which is to say The Royal bare-feet This reaches even to the King's Mistresses whether they be unmarried or Widows when he can love them no longer they must turn Nunns I have seen some of the Works of St. Theresa writ with her own Hand the Character is Legible large and indifferent fair Donna Beatrix Carillo who is her Neece's Neece keeps them very choisely It was she that shew'd them to me They consist of a Collection of Letters I do not believe they were ever Printed there 's a great deal of Perfection in them and throughout one may discover a certain air of chearfulness and sweetness of Nature which sufficiently declares the Character of that great Saint All the time of Lent and even at other times one meets with Preachers at every corner of a street whose Sermons are ill enough contriv'd and do as little good but however in preaching as they do they both satisfie their zeal and their desire Their most constant Auditors are the blind Folks which resemble our fingers upon Pont-Neus Every one of them being led by a little Dog which does it very well they go about singing of Romances and Cacara which are certain old Stories or Modern Events which the People are very glad to know They have a little Drum and a Flute on which they play They often sing a Song on King Francis the First it beginning When the King left France to his Sorrow he left it c. Now I doubt you know it dear Cousin for who does not This Song is sung in very bad French and by Folks that do not understand one word of it All that they understand is That the King was taken by the Spaniards and as this Price was much for their Glory so they are willing to convey the Memory of it down to Posterity There 's a Flower-de-Luce all gilt upon the roof of the Chamber where this King was Prisoner and I must not omit telling you that the Prison is one of the fairest Buildings in Madrid the Windows are as large as those of other Houses There are indeed Iron Bars but they are all gilt and set at a distance great enough to make any one think they were not design'd to hinder escapes I stood amaz'd at the seeming neatness of a Place which in reality is unpleasant enough and I thought that in Spain they had a mind to contradict the French Proverb which says That There 's neither any handsome Prison nor ugly Love Pardon this Proverb I do not love them so well to trouble you often with them All the Houshold-stuff one sees here is extream rich but not so neatly made as ours in France and they come altogether short of our skill It consists of Tapistry Cabinets Paintings Looking-Glasses and Plate The Vice-Roys of Naples and the Governours of the Low-Countries have had most admirable Tapistry the Vice-Roys of Sicily and Sardinia shew most excellent Embroideries and Statues those of the Indies Precious Stones and Vessels of Gold and Silver So that several returning home from time to time laden with the Riches of another Kingdom cannot chuse but to have enrich'd this City with abundance of valuable things They change their Furniture several times a year their Winter-beds are of Velvet trim'd with thick Galoons of Gold but they are so low and the Valens so deep that one is as if they were bury'd in them and when one is in Bed the border of the Valens lying almost upon the Counterpain one can hardly be seen In Summer they have neither Curtains nor any thing else about the Bed this looks very ill Sometimes they hang colour'd Gauze to keep off the Gnats In Winter they have their Appartments very high sometimes in the fourth Story according as the cold encreases to keep them from it At present they use their Summer Lodgings which are low and very commodious All their Houses have a great many Rooms on a floor you go through a dozen or fifteen Parlours or Chambers one after another Those which are the worst lodg'd have six or seven the Rooms are generally longer than they are broad the Floors and Seelings are neither painted nor gilt they are made of Plaister quite plain but so white that they dazle ones Eyes for every year they are scrapt and whited as the Walls which look like Marble they are so well polisht The Court to their Summer Appartments is made of certain matter which after it has had ten Pails of Water thrown upon it yet is dry in half an hour after and leaves a pleasant coolness so that in the Morning they water all and a little while after they spread Matts or Carpets made of very fine Rushes which cover all the Pavement The whole Appartments are hung with the same small Matt about the depth of an Ell to hinder the coldness of the Walls from hurting those which lean against them On the top of these Matts there are hung Pictures and Looking-Glasses The Cushions which are of Gold and Silver Brocado are placed upon the Carpet and the Tables and Cabinets are very fine and at little distances there are set Silver Cases or Boxes fill'd with Orange and Jessemin-Trees In their Windows they set things made of Straw to keep the Sun out and in the Evenings they walk in
as he often went to see them and the Scituation of the Place was on the descent of a little Hill and there was a pleasant Prospect so he was invited to undertake a considerable Building Four great Apartments and four great Pavillions make a perfect Square In the middle there 's a Flower-Pot well furnish'd with Flowers and a Fountain whose Statue which throws the Water when they have a mind Sprinkles the Flowers and the Cross-Walks which goes from one Apartment to another This Building has the fault of being too low the Rooms are large stately and adorn'd with curious Paintings Every thing shines with Gold and lively Colours with which the Cielings and Floors are beautified I took notice in the great Gallery of the Entry of Queen Elizabeth Mother to the late Queen she 's on Horseback with a Ruff and Fardingal she has a Hat trimm'd with Jewels and a Plume of Feathers she is fat fair and pleasing she has fine Eyes and her Looks are sweet and ingenious The Room for acting Plays in is well design'd very large all well set out with Carving and Guilding there may be fifteen in a Box without inconvenience to each other they have all Latice Windows and the King 's is richly guilt there 's neither Galleries nor Amphitheatre every body sits upon Benches on the Floor On the side of the Terrass is the Statue of Philip the II. upon a Horse of Brass this Piece is of great Value those that are curious please themselves in taking a draught of him The Park is above a good League in compass there are in it divers separate Lodges very pretty and which have good Accomodation of room there 's a Canal which is supply'd with Water from Springs at a vast Charge and another square Place in which the King has little Gundoloes painted and gilt thither he goes during the great Heats of the Summer the Fountains Trees and Meadows making that Place more cool and pleasant than any other there 's Grottos Cataracts Ponds Shades and in some parts even something of the wild Fields which shews the simplicity of the Countrey and is extream delightful The Casa del Campo is for rural Affairs it is not great but its Scituation is fine being upon the Bank of Mansanarez the the Trees in 't are high and yield a Shade at all times I speak of the Trees of this Country because one finds very few of them there 's Water in divers parts of it particularly one Pond which is surrounded with great Oaks The Statue of Philip the IV. is in the Garden this Place is a little neglected here I saw Lions Bears Tigers and other wild Beasts which live very long in Spain because the Climate is little different from that from which they come many People go there to think and the Ladies usually choose this Place to walk in because 't is less frequented than others But to return to Mansanarez this River does not run up to the City at certain times it is neither River nor so much as a Brook tho at other times it is so big and rapid that it carries before it all that stands in its way all the Summer People walk in it there 's so little water in 't at this season that one can hardly wet ones foot and yet in Winter all on a sudden it overflows the adjacent Country this is caus'd by the melting of the great Quantities of Snow which covers the Hills and so descends into the Mansanarez in violent Torrents of Water Philip the II. caus'd a Bridge to be built over it which they call'd the Segovie Bridge it is a very lofty one and every way as fine as the Pont-neuf over the River Seine at Paris when Strangers see it they fall a laughing they think it ridiculous to have caus'd such a Bridge to be built where there 's no Water Hereupon there was one said wittily enough he would advise 'em to sell the Bridge and buy some Water The Florid is a most pleasant House and its Gardens are infinitely delightful there are in great numbers Italian Statues by the best Masters The Water there makes a pretty sort of a murmur which with the sweet smell of the Flowers of which they have a Collection of the rarest and best scent is very charming From thence we come to the Prado Nuevo where there are several spouting Fountains and Trees there are of an extraordinary height this is a Walk which though it be not even Ground yet is not less agreeable its descent is so easie that one hardly perceives the unevenness of the Place There is also the Carzuela which affords nothing but Contrary delights and some cool Rooms where the King comes and rests himself after Hunting but 't is the Prospect which yields the Pleasure and very fine things might be there made That I may tell you of something else besides the Kings Houses you must know dear Cousin that on May-day they resort to a Place without the gate of Toleda This is called El Sotillo and no body excuse themselves from going thither to be sure then I went but it was more to see then be seen thô my French-Dress made me very remarkable and drew a great many Eyes upon me The Women of great Quality never go abroad to take the Air in their whole Life except it be in the first year of their Marriage I mean into publick Walks and Places and then too 't is under the very noses of their Husbands the Wife at the lower and the Husband at the upper end of the Coach the Curtains all open and she finely adorn'd but 't is a rediculous thing to see these two Creatures sit like Statues looking at each other and without speaking a word in an hours time There are certain days set apart for walking and taking the Air all Madrid go abroad then the King is seldom there but except the King and a few Courtiers no body else fail of going That which makes it very troublesome is their long Traces which take up a great compass of Ground and occasion the Horses often to entangle Several Ladies which are not of the highest Rank resort thither but with their Curtains close drawn they only look through little Glasses which are fastned into the sides of the Coach but at Night the Ladies of great Quality come Incognito and when 't is dark they please themselves so far as to walk a foot They wear white Mantles upon their Heads these are a kind of a Hood made of Woolen stuff which covers them all over they Embroider them with black Silk they are only the ordinary Women and such as go upon some Intreague which wear them yet sometimes as I have said certain Court-Ladies will go in this Dress The Cavallero's also alight and walk and say some odd thing or other to them but they meet with their match The Count de Berka the German Enyoy told me that t'other Night as he was at Supper and
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
holy Water of Orange-flowers with which he sprinkled every body The show march'd on gravely and when they were come to the end of the Prado the Cardinals began to play a thousand cunning tricks to make his Holiness merry some threw their Hats upon the Trees and standing directly under they fell upon their Heads again and others stood upright upon the Saddles on their Mules and made 'em run as fast as they could There was a vast number of People follow'd them we ask'd the Pope's Nuncio what this meant and he assur'd us he understood nothing of it and that he did not like this sort of Mirth He sent to enquire from whence the Holy Colledge came in that manner and we understood it was the Bakers Holy-day and that every year they us'd to make this fine shew The Nuncio had a great mind to have disturb'd them with a Volly of Cudgels and had already commanded his Attendants to begin the Fray but we interceded in the behalf of these poor People who had no other intention than to celebrate the Festival of their Saint In the mean time some that had over-heard the Orders which were given and were Disturbers of the publick Peace gave Information thereof to the Pope and Cardinals this was enough to put all in confusion every one escap'd as well as he could and their fear made our Pleasure short liv'd In France such Mascarades would not be suffer'd but perhaps there are many things innocent in one Country which would not be so in another My Kinswoman knowing how very civily I had been receiv'd by Don Augustin Pacheco invited him to Supper at her House I desir'd him to remember his promise of giving me a Relation of what he knew of the Indies immediately I 'll tell you says he concerning those they call the West-Indies in which a part of America is compris'd In the Reign of Ferdinand King of Castile and Arrogon Christopher Columbus a Genoway discover'd this part of the World in the Year 1492. As the Spaniards were the first that found this fortunate Country unknown to the Europeans so King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel had the Propriety of it by a Bull from Pope Alexander VI. He establish'd them and their Successors perpetual Vicars of the Holy See over this vast Country so that the Kings of Spain are both Spiritual and Temporal Lords and nominate Bishops and other Ecclesiasticks and receive Tenths from them Their power there is of a larger extent than in Spain for you must know that America alone is one of the four Parts of the World and that we possess more Land there than all other Nations together besides The Council of the Indies which is establish't at Madrid is one of the most considerable of the Kingdom and there being so great a necessity of holding a very frequent Correspondence between Spain and the Indies to send Orders to maintain the Court Authority they were oblig'd to establish beside a particular Chamber which is compos'd of the eldest Counsellors of the Council of the Indies and they are to take Cognizance of all things concerning the Revenues and cause Expeditions by the Secretaries of the Council Besides this Chamber at Madrid there 's another at Siville call'd the House of Contrataction it is compos'd of several Counsellors both of the Robe and the Sword with other necessary Officers Those of the Sword take Cognizance of things which concern the Fleet and the Galeons The other Counsellors take Care of matters of Justice Appeals from this Tribunal are made to the Council of the Indies at Madrid There are Registers kept in the House of Contrataction at Sevile in which are writ all the Merchandizes that are sent to the Indies and all that come from thence that so the King may not be cheated of his Customs but this signifies little the Merchants are so cunning and those who keep the Accounts are so easily drawn to share with them that the King is not a whit the better for them and the Duty to him which is only the fifth Part is so ill paid that he does not receive the fourth Part of what is due to him It is the Council of Madrid which proposes Subjects to the King to fill up the vacant Vice-Royalties of New-Spain and Peru they are granted for five Years and so are all other Places of which the most considerable are these following viz. The Governour and Captain General and President of the Royal Chancellary of St. Domingo in the Spanish Islands the Governour and Captain General of the City of St. Christopher of the Havana the Governour and Captain of War of the City of St. James of Cuba the Governour and Captain General of the City of St. John of Puerto Rigo the Governour and Captain General of the City of St. Augustine in the Province of Florida the Governour of the City of Ascention of the Island of Marguretta the Governour and Captain General of the City of Cumana Capital of New-Andalousia the Vice-Roy Governour and Captain General of New Spain A President of the Royal Audience who resides in the City of Mexico the Governour and Captain General of the City of Merida Capital of the Province of Yucatan the President and Governour of the Royal Audience and Chancellery which resides in the City of Gaudalaxara captital of the Kingdom of Galatia the Governour and Captain General of the City of Guadiana capital of the Kingdom of New Biscay the Governour Captain General and President of the Chancellery which resides in the City of Santiago of the Province of Guatemela the Goverour of the Province of Locnusco in the Strait of Guatemala the Governour and Captain General of the City of Cornagua of the Province of Honduras the Governour of the City of St. James of Lyon capital of the Province of Nicaragua the Governour and Captain General of the City of Cartagena capital of the Province of Costa Riga the Governour Captain General and President of the Royal Chancellery which resides in the City of Manila in the Phillipine Islands the Governour and Lieutenants of the Forttesses De Ternate and Governour and General of the Militia of the same Countrey the Vice Roy Governour Captain General and President of the Audit of the City of Lima More eight Counsellers four Alcades two Accusators a Protector of the Indies four Reporters three Porters and a Chaplin in the same City A Governour of Chucuito one of Zico one of Ica one of Delos Collagos one of Guamanga one of Santigo de Misaflores de Zara one of St. Marco one of Arequipo one of Truxillo a Vice Roy of Castra a Vice Roy of Michel y puerto de Blata a Master of the Camp of the Strait of Puerto del Callao the President De la Plata hath under him six Counsellors an Accusator two Reporters and two Porters the Governour of the Province of Tucumanan the Governour of the Province of St Croix the Governour and Captain General
one of the Masters of the Mint who pays to the King every Voyage he makes six thousand Crowns and he keeps one per Cent. Of all the Silver that goes through his Hands which arises high As to the Silver which belongs to particular Persons that is brought in what Vessels they will choose and it is the Captain that is responsible for it There 's a certain Duty which is Call'd Avarie and it is taken for all Goods Registred and for all the Silver which is brought from the Indies This Duty is so considerable that it suffices to fit out the Galleons and the Flota for their Voyage although the Charge amounts to nine Millions of Crowns but that of the Flota is not so great He that the King chooses to be General of the Galleons advances to him fourscore or a hundred thousand Crowns which is repaid him in the Indies with great Interest Every other Captain does also advance Money to the King proportionable to the bigness of the Vessel they command There goes moreover with the Galleons a Patacha which leaves them in the Gulph Delas Yequas she goes to the Isles of Margueritta to fish for Pearles of which they pay to the King a fifth part that is of all the Pearl they take and afterwards she comes to Cartegena Within these few Years there is discovered Seventy Leagues from Lima some Mines which yield a vast Revenue those of Peru and all the others in the West Indies pay the King the fifth part as well of the Gold as the Silver and Emeraulds There is at Potosi greater plenty of Mines than any where else the Silver they get there is brought to Port D' Ariga and from thence it is sent to Callao It is one of the Ports of Lima whether the Galleons come to fetch it The Kingdom of Peru yields every Year in Gold and Silver to the Value of eleven Millions of Crowns From New Spain is brought five Millions of Crowns besides Marchandizes which are commonly Emeraulds Gold Silver Cochenil Tobacco Wool of Vigogne Campecha Wood and Hydes It was a long while before they would suffer in New Spain any Workmen that wrought in Silk or Wool there are some now and this may do some hurt to the Trade of Stuffs which are sent from Europe they are not allow'd to plant there any Olive Trees or Vines that so the Oyl and Wine which is carried thither may sell the better The King has the Power in the Indies as well as Spain to sell the Bull of the Crusada which is a Licence to eat Flesh every Saturday and to enjoy the Benefit of Indulgences The Indian Idolaters are not subject to the Inquisition in the Indies that it is establish'd only against Hereticks and Jews No Strangers are suffered to go to the Indies but if at any time some happen to go there must be a special Permission obtain'd which is very rarely granted How is it possible for me continued Don Augustine to express to you the Beautifulness of the City of Mexico the Churches the Palaces the Publick Places the Riches the Profusion the Magnificence and the Pleasures a City that is so happily scituated that in all Seasons it enjoys a continual Spring and where the Heats are not at all excessive where they feel not the Severity of Winter the Country is no less charming the Flowers and the Fruits at all times equally loading the Trees There you gather more than one Crop in a Year the Lakes and Ponds are full of Fish the Grounds are well stockt with Cattel the Forests and Woods afford excellent Fowl and wild Beasts the Earth seems to open her Bowels on purpose to give up the Gold she encloses there are Mines or Rocks of precious Stones discover'd and Pearl are there taken Oh! said I let us all go dwell in that Country This Description Charms but as 't is a long Voyage it may be convenient if you please Madam said I to Donna Tereza in smiling to get our Supper before we go I immediately took her by the hand and we came into a Parlour where I had provided the best Musicians which are bad enough and which in my Opinion have nothing to recommend them but their dearness My Cook made us some Ragous afte the French way which Donna Theresa found so excellent that she desir'd I would let her have the Receipt how to do them Don Augustin intreated me also to let him have some of my Larding-Pins of which really one may look all over Spain and not find so much as one We tarry'd very late together for in this Season they set up till four or five a Clock in the Morning because of the heats and that the best time is in the Night There are certain days in the year that every body goes out to take the Air upon the Bridges which cross the River Mansanarez but at present all Coaches are laid up the Gravel and some little Brooks help to make it very cool and pleasant The Horses endure a great deal in these Walks for nothing can be more prejudicial to their Feet than the Flints upon which they continually tread In certain places of this River they make a stand and there remain till two or three a Clock in the Morning there is very often a thousand Coaches Some particular People bring Victuals to eat there and others sing and play upon several Instruments all this is very pleasant in a fine Night There are some Persons which wash or bath themselves but indeed 't is after an ugly manner The Danish Ambassador's Lady did it lately her People go a little before her and dig a great hole in the Gravel which presently fills it self with Water into which the Lady comes and thrusts her self you may imagine how pleasant such a Bath is and yet this is the only way that can be made use of in this River You will not be sorry perhaps to know that in making out ones Nobility here it must be prov'd that one is descended both by Father and Mother from Vijos Christianos that is from Ancient Christians The blemish which they ought to fear is their being allay'd to any Jewish or Moorish Family As the People of Biscay and Navarre were defended from the Invasion of the Barbarians by the height and Ruggedness of their Mountains so they esteem themselves all Cavalleros even to the meanest Water-bearer for in Spain the Children sometimes take their Mothers Name if she 's of a better Family than the Father It is certain that there are few Families entire and whose Name and Nobility has not been carry'd by an only Daughter and mixt with another Family That of Velasco is not of this number for they reckon up ten Connestables of Castilo successively from Father to Son Here 's one thing very singular and that which is not allow'd of in any other Country and that is That Foundlings or Children found by chance are reckon'd Noble and bear the Title of
a fine House call'd Igarica upon the Banks of Xarama and though this Lady is now very old yet she never was there notwithstanding it is but eight leagues from Madrid It is not lookt upon in this Country to be according to Grandeur to go visit their Lands except they lie in some Principality or some City and then they call them by the Name of their State I chid this Lady for her Carelesness and my Kinswoman engag'd her to make one in the Company of her Daughter Donna Mariguita who is a little Woman pale fat and fair these three Qualities are equally rare here and she 's admir'd by every body that sees her the young Marchioness De la Rosa would also be of our Company her Husband with Don Fernand de Tolleda Don Sanche Sarmiento and Esteve de Carvajal went on Horseback Don Frederick de Cardonna would not have fail'd of being there too had not the Archbishop of Burgos writ him to come to him in all haste when he told it me I desir'd him to go see the fair Marchioness De Los Rios alas Huelgas I gave him a Letter for her in which I taxt her with her silence and desir'd to know particularly how all things went We set forward in two Coaches the sixth of August at ten a Clock at Night in the finest Weather that could be the Heats were so excessive that unless one would venture their Lives it was impossible to travel in the day-time but the Nights are cool and the Coaches are in the Summer all open the sides of the Coach were turned up quite round with fine large Holland Curtains trim'd with fine English Bone-lace and ty'd with Knots of colour'd Ribbond and as they often change them they look very neat We went so swift that I was almost dead with fear least something about our Coach should break for it is certain that we might have been all kill'd a hundred times over before the Coachman would have known any thing of the matter I fancy they run so to make amends for their slow going in Madrid for even the Foot-pace of the Mules is too quick there because of the ill pavement the holes the dirt in Winer and the dust in Summer with which the Streets are extreamly troubled The Marchioness De Palacios wore a little Hat trim'd with Feathers according to the mode of the Spanish Ladies when they go into the Country and the Marchioness De la Rosa lookt very pretty in her short close-coat strait sleeves and her other Ornaments upon sight of which we cried out that we thought her Muy Bizzarra and Muy de Gala that is very gallant and very splendid It was very odd methinks that these Ladies should oblige us in three several Places upon the Road to alight out of our Coach and hear the Marchioness de la Rosa's two Gentlemen play upon the Guittar whom it seems they brought on purpose and it was pretty comical to see these Blades gallop with their Guittars hanging behind their Backs This ordinary consort of Musick was nevertheless ravishing to them and they were extreamly charm'd with the pleasantness of the Country in so fine a Night Indeed I never saw Women so infinitely satisfy'd We arrived at Arranjues about five a Clock in the Morning and I was amaz'd at its wonderful Situation half a League on this side the Tagus we pass'd over a wodden Bridge which is made to shut up and after that we came into some Walks of Elme and Lyme Trees which were so high green and shady that the heat of the Sun is never felt It is an extraordinary thing to find so near Madrid Trees so perfect in their kind for the Soyl is very barren and they will not grow there but yet near Arranjues one cannot perceive this defect I speak of for all along the Walks and near the Trees there are little Pits and Trenches made into which the Water of Tagus runs and moystens the roots of the Trees These Avenues are so long that when one is in the middle one cannot see to the end of ' em Several Alleys come into these and every way make the perfect figure of a Star People walk on the Banks of the Tagus and Xamara which are two famous Rivers that environ the Island in which Arranjues stands and which supplies it with Water and extreamly contributes to its beautifulness To speak truly I never saw a more delightful place I must confess the Gardens are too close and several of their Alleys too narrow but yet it ravishes one to walk there and at our coming into them I fancy'd my self in some enchanted Palace The Morning was cool every where the Birds made a sweet Melody and the Waters a pleasant murmuring noise the Trees and Hedges were loaden with excellent Fruit and the Parterres were cover'd with most odoriferent Flowers and I enjoy'd all this in most pleasant Company We had an Order from Don John to be lodg'd in the Castle so that the Alcade receiv'd us with great Civility and was very careful to shew us every thing that was the most remarkable The Fountains are in that number and there are so very many of them that it is impossible to pass through an Alley to go into an Arbor or upon a Patere or Terrass without taking notice of five or six with brasen Statues and marble Basins The Spouts throw up their Water to a vast height they are not fed from Springs but from the Tagus Amongst others I 'll give you an account of the Fountain of Diana It stands upon an ascent from whence it is seen at a great distance the Goddess is in the midst environ'd with Bucks Does and Dogs and every one of them spouts out Water A litttle lower is a circle of Myrrh cut in several fashions and little Cupids peeping out half way and throw the Water against those Animals which stand about the Fountain The Mountain of Parnassus raises up its head in the midst of a great Pond with Apollo the Muses Pagassius's Horse and a fall of Water which represents the River of Helicon Out of a Rock there issues out a thousand several Spouts of Water some lanching out others winding in and out like a Serpent upon the Surface of the Pond some gliding gently and others either falling like Flowers in the Air or else like Rain The Fountain of Ganymedes is also very pretty this beautiful Child sitting upon Jupiter's Eagle seems frighted with its flight the Bird sits on the top of a Pillar with its Wings spread he throws out the Water by his Beak and his Tallons the Fountain of Mars is near this That of the Harpyes is fine they are placed upon very high Marble Pillars at the four corners they throw out Water every way they seem to have a mind to drown a little Youth who sits in the middle of the Fountain picking a Thorn out of his Foot But the most pleasant of all is the Fountain
in a moment his Eyes were scarce clos'd before the King mov'd only by his own kind and easie Nature for the Queen his Mother run to Tolleda to see her and to intreat her to return she consented to it with all the Joy she had to see the King They wept not a little while they embrac'd each other and we saw 'em come back together All the Persons of Quality went to meet their Majesties and the People shew'd abundance of Joy I should inlarge a great deal more upon this return did I not intend to be very particular in the Memoirs I am writing Don John laid three days in his Bed of State and in the same Cloaths which he had made to go meet the young Queen after that he was carried to the Escurial The Funeral had nothing of Greatness the Officers of his House with a very few Friends accompany'd him He was laid in the little Vault near the Pantheon which is reserved solely for the Princes and Princesses of the Royal Blood for there are none bury'd in the Pantheon you must know but Kings and those Queens that have had Children those that have had none are bury'd in that particular Vault In a few days we are to go to the Escurial which will be when the King goes there but he is so taken up with his young Queen that he can think of nothing but going towards the Frontiers to meet her In every place where I come they are continually ringing it aloud in my Ears that she 'll quickly be Queen of two â—â—d twenty Kingdoms In all likelyhood there 's eleven of them in the Indies for I only know those of the old and new Castille Arragon Valentia Navarre Murcia Grenada Andalousia Gallicia Leon and the Isles Majorques In these Places there are some parts of them admirable upon which it seems as if Heaven had a mind to spread abroad its most benign Influences There are others again so barren that there is neither Corn Herbs Vines Fruit Meadows nor Springs and of these one may say there 's more than of the others But generally speaking the Air there is good and wholsome In certain parts the Heats are excessive and in others the Cold and the Winds are insupportable although 't is in the same Season There are a great many Rivers but that which is pretty singular is that the biggest of them is not Navigable particularly those of Tagus Guadiana Minchio Duero Guadalguiver and that of Ebre for either because of the Rocks the falls of Water the Gulphes or the Turnings Vessels cannot pass upon them and this is one of the greatest Difficulties of Trade and which most of all hinders those things from coming to Cities which there 's need of for if there was an easie Communication between them those Places and Towns that want a great many Wares and Goods might be supplyed from those that abound and so every body might be furnish'd with necessary things at a reasonable price whereas the Charges by Land-carriage being so high one must want divers Conveniences unless you are in a Condition to pay three times more for a thing than 't is worth Amongst the several Cities which belong to the King of Spain these are esteem'd either for Beauty or Riches viz. Madrid Seville Grenada Valentia Sarragousa Tolleda Vailladolid Cordoua Salamancha Cadiz Naples Milan Messina Palermo Cagliari Bruxelles Antwerp Gand and Mons. There are a great many others which nevertheless are very considerable and several of the Towns are as big as Cities but there are not in them those multitudes of People which are both the Riches and Strength of a King And there are divers Reasons to be given why there is this defect First When King Ferdinand drove away the Moors out of Spain and established the Inquisition what through the Punishments they inflicted upon some Jews and the banishing of others there dy'd and went out of the Kingdom in a little while above nine hundred thousand Persons besides the Indies draw away abundance the Unfortunate go there to enrich themselves and when they have done so they remain to enjoy the fruit of their Labour and the Pleasures of the Country Again Soldiers are rais'd in Spain and sent away to Garison other Cities under the obedience â—f the King these Soldiers marry and settle in the Places where they happen to be and never return to those from whence they came Add to this that the Spanish Woman bear but few Children if they have three 't is reckon'd abundance and Strangers do not come to inhabit there as in other parts of the World because they are not lov'd there and the Spaniards are naturally recatados that is singular and reserv'd to themselves and will not be communicative and open with other Nations which they either envy or scorn And thus having examin'd into all those means which help to depopulate the Country under his Catholick Majesty one may rather wonder that there are so many People remaining There grows but little Corn in Castille it is brought from Sicily France and Flanders and indeed how should it grow unless the Earth would produce it of it self as the Land of Promise did The Spaniards are too idle to take pains to Till and improve it for being the meanest Peasant is persuaded that he is Hidalgo that is to say a Gentleman that in every little Family there 's an Apocryphal History compos'd within an hundred Years which he leaves to the Children and Nephews of a Village as an Inheritance in which fabulous History they are all made to descend from ancient Chivalry whose Ancestors have done wonderful things reciting that their Great Grandfathers Don Pedro and Don John performed such and such Services to the Crown I say they having taking up these vain Conceits of themselves no wonder if they will neither derogate from the Gravidad nor Decendentia At this rate do they talk and they will more willingly endure Hunger and all Severities of Life than work say they like Mercinaries which belongs only to Slaves And thus Pride seconded by Sloth hinder the most part of them to sow their Land unless some Strangers come and help them to till their Ground which by a special direction and guidance of Providence always happens Strangers that are more labourious and worldly minded being mov'd thither by the gain they find so that you shall have a sorry Peasant sitting in his Chair reading of a mouldy Romance whilst these Strangers are working for him in order to carry away his Money There 's no Oats to be seen Hay is scarce their Horses and Mules eat Barley in the Straw chopt small The Hills and Mountains in these Kingdoms I speak of are of such a prodigious height and length that I do not believe there 's the like in any other part of the World one meets with some of an hundred Leagues in length which joyn one to another in a continu'd Chain and which without Hyperbole are higher than
think for instance that you ought less to wonder at that Lake which is near Guadalajara in Andalousia which foretells approaching Tempest by most horrid bellowing and roaring that is heard above twenty thousand Paces distance and what do ye say of that other Lake which is found upon the very top of the Mountain Clavio in the Comte of Roussillon near to Perpignan It is extream deep there 's in 't Fishes both for bigness and shape that are monstrous when a Stone is thrown into it there are Vapours seen to come out with a mighty noise and to ascend into the Air and there convert into the Clouds which produce most terrible Storms accompany'd with Thunder Lightning and Hail Is it not likewise true continu'd he in addressing himself to Don Frederick that near the Castle of Gracimanos in a Cavern which is call'd Judea not far from the Bridge Talayredas there 's a Spring whose Water freezes as it drops and grows so hard that it becomes a perfect Stone which cannot easily be broken and with which in that Country they build fine Houses You have a good Stock of Examples said Don Frederick but if you will I 'll furnish ye with some others for your purpose Do ye remember the Mountain of Monrayo in Arragon If the sheep feed upon 't before the sun rise they die but if they are sick and feed there after the Sun is up they are cur'd I must not forget neither the Spring in the Isle of Cadiz which is dry when 't is high Water and runs when the Tide ebbs You shall not be the only Person said I in interrupting him that shall second Don Fernand in these sorts of Relations I must tell him that in the same Isle of Cadiz there 's a certain Plant which withers upon the first appearance of the Sun and grows green again as soon as Night comes Ah! pretty Plant cries Don Fernand in Laughing Well I have enough now to be reveng'd for all the sport you have made at my Stories for this Hour together I declare open War against you about this Plant and if you do not send for one hither I know what I 'll believe The facetious Humour of this Cavallero made us very pleasantly pass the Evening but we were interrupted by my Kinswoman who return'd out of the City where she had spent some part of the day at her Lawyers who was at the point of Death he is very old and a very knowing Man in his Profession She told us that all his Children stood round his Bed and that the only thing which he recommended to 'em was always to preserve a good stock of Gravity and after he had blest them says he to 'em what greater good can I now wish you my dear Chidren than to lead your whole Lives at Madrid and never to quit this Earthly Paradice but for the Heavenly This may shew continu'd she the strange Prepossession the Spaniards have for Madrid and the Happiness they enjoy in that Court For my part said I in interrupting her I am perswaded there 's abundance of Vanity in that fondness that they express for their own Nation for certainly they have too much Sense not to know that there are many other Countries far more agreeable It is not true said I in addressing my self to Don Fernand that thô you will not say as I say that you have the same thoughts what my thoughts are said he in smiling is no rule for other folks I must tell ye that since my return I am upbraided by every body with being no longer a Spaniard But certain it is that People being so bewitcht with the Delights and Charms of Madrid and not having power to forsake it in any season of the Year no body has thought of building pretty Houses in the Country whither they might sometimes retire so that all adjacent parts about the City which should be fill'd with delicious Gardens and splendid Seats look like so many little Deserts and this is the reason also why the City in Summer as well as in Winter is equally crowded with People Hereupon my Kinswoman said she would have me to the Escurial and that it was agreed on by the Marchionesses of Palacios and La Rosa to go two days hence the Lady your Mother added she in speaking to Don Fernand designs you to make one and I indeed to secure Don Frederick for another they both declar'd that with abundance of Joy they would go this little Journey and indeed the next day we went to kiss Queen Mothers hand and to know her commands for the Escurial for you must know 't is the Custom when one is to go out of Madrid first to pay their respects to the Queen But we had not seen her since her Return she lookt merrier than she did at Tolleda and told us she did not think of coming back so soon to Madrid and that now it seem'd as if she had never been out of it There was brought before her a Gyant-Woman that came from the Indies as soon as she saw her she caus'd her to be taken away she was so affrighted at her Her Ladies would make this Colossus dance who held in each hand two She Dwarfs that play'd upon the Castinets and the Biscay Drum all this was ugly in the highest degree My Kinswoman observ'd in the Queen Mothers Apartment things which had been Don John's amongst others an admirable Pendulum Clock all set with Diamonds he made her in part his Heir in all likelyhood 't was to testifie his regret for having troubled and vex'd her The Journey to the Escurial was perform'd with all imaginable Satisfaction the desire of entertaining you with it hindred me from sending you the Letter I begun before I went thither the same Ladies that went to Arranjus and Tolleda were very glad to embrace the Occasion of taking the Air a little in so fine a Season and we went first to the Pardo which is a Royal House the Building like the rest in Spain is handsom enough that is it consists of a square of foul several Appartments separated by Galleries of Communication which are supported with Pillars the Forniture of it is not indeed stately but there are good Pictures amongst others those of the Kings of Spain in odd sorts of Dresses We were shew'd a little Closet which the late King us'd to call his Beloved because in it he was wont sometimes to entertain himself with his Mistresses this Prince who was seemingly so cold and grave that he was hardly ever seen to laugh was really the most amorous and the pleasantest of Men. There is a Garden well enough kept and a Park of a considerable extent whither the King frequently goes to hunt we were afterwards at a Convent of the Capuchins which stands on the top of a Hill this is a Place of great Devotion because of a Crucifix which it seems was taken from the true Cross and which often works Miracles After we