Lady TRAVELS 
 
 INTO 
 
 S P A I N 
 
 fornia 
 >nal 
 
 ty

 
 Marie Catherine le Jumel de Barneville, 
 Baroness of Aulnov
 
 THE 
 Ingenious and Diverting 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Lady- -TRAVELS 
 
 INTO 
 
 SPAIN 
 
 DESCRIBING 
 
 The Devotions, Nunneries, Humours, 
 
 Customs, Laws, Militia, Trade, Diet, 
 
 and Recreations of that People. 
 
 Intermixt with 
 
 Great Variety of Modern Adventures, 
 and Surprising Accidents : being the 
 Truest and Best REMARKS Extant 
 on that Court and Country. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for Samuel Crouch, at the Corner of 
 Pope 1 s-Head- Alley, next Cornhil. 1692.
 
 t, 1890, b 
 Ht-cbcr OH, Ibuntington 
 Enterc& at Stattoners' Tball, %on6on 
 
 O. p. putnam'8 Sone 
 ~C.bc Ikiiickcrbocltci pi-ess 
 S?orh & Xonton
 
 STACK 
 ANNEX 
 
 DP 
 
 To 
 W. W. D.
 
 Licenfed, 
 
 Sept. 2, 1691. 
 
 Rob. Midgley.
 
 To the Honourable 
 
 M rs Martha Lockhart 
 
 MADAM, 
 
 1 Humbly beg Leave thefe 
 Letters may appear in an 
 Englilh Drefs, under the 
 Protection of your Name; whofe 
 Accuracy in the Original, juftly 
 Intitles you to this Dedication; 
 and whofe Advantagious Birth, 
 Greatnefs of Mind, and Un- 
 common Improvements, exacl: 
 a Veneration from the moft In- 
 vidious; and render you an II- 
 luftrious Ornament of your Sex. 
 Madam, For me to attempt 
 here the Publifhing your Ver- 
 
 tues
 
 The Epiflle Dedicatory 
 tues and Accomplifhments, fo 
 univerfally acknowledg'd by 
 all that have the Honour of 
 your Acquaintance, would be to 
 detract from your Merit ; and 
 might more juftly be cenfured 
 for Prefumption than Flattery. 
 
 It were better to imitate the 
 Painter, who perceiving it not 
 poffible to reprefent the Fa- 
 ther's Grief for the lofs of his 
 Daughter, drew a Veil over his 
 Face, and owned his Inability. 
 
 But I forget, Madam, 'tis my 
 part only to crave your Pardon 
 for this bold Addrefs ; and to 
 ftudy ever to approve myfelf, 
 
 MADAM, 
 
 Your mo ft Obedient Servant.
 
 T O T H E 
 
 READER 
 
 IT is not fufficient to write 
 things true, but they muft 
 likewife feem probable, to gain 
 belief. This has fometime fo 
 prevail'd with me, as to make 
 me think of retrenching from 
 my Relation the ftrange Stories 
 you will find therein. But I 
 have been withheld from doing 
 this, by Perfons of fuch great 
 Sence and Merit, as has made 
 me conclude, that I cannot do 
 amifs in following their Judg- 
 ments. 
 
 I do not doubt but there will 
 be fome, who will accufe me 
 of hyperbolizing, and compof- 
 
 ing
 
 ing Romances ; but fuch would 
 do well to acquaint themfelves 
 firft with the Countrey, Hu- 
 mour, and Character of thofe I 
 treat of. A Fa6t muft not be 
 prefently condemn'd as falfe, 
 becaufe it is not publick, or 
 may not hit every Man's Fan- 
 cy. I cite no feigned Names, 
 no Perfons whofe Death may 
 give me the Liberty of attribut- 
 ing what I pleafe to them. 
 
 In a word : I write nothing 
 but what I have feen, or heard 
 from Perfons of Unqueftionable 
 Credit ; And therefore fhall 
 conclude with affuring you, 
 That you have here no Novel, 
 or Story, devifed at pleafure; 
 but an Exacl: and moil True 
 Account of what I met with in 
 my Travels.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION . . . . xv 
 
 LETTER I i 
 
 LETTER II 50 
 
 LETTER III 100 
 
 LETTER IV 148
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 MARIE CATHERINE LE JUMEL DE 
 BARNEVILLE, BARONESS OF AUL- 
 NOY . . Frontispiece. 
 
 GATEWAY OF FUENTERRABIA . 46 
 A TOWN OF CENTRAL SPAIN . 100 
 MEDINA DEL CAMPO . . . 144
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 AT the end of the seventeenth cen- 
 tury and the beginning of the 
 eighteenth there were several women 
 in France who had gained no 
 small reputation for the writing of 
 amusing if somewhat extravagant 
 Contes des Fees. Of these Marie- 
 Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville, 
 Baroness of Aulnoy, has best survived 
 her contemporaries as the author cf 
 La Chatte Blanche, La Grenouttle 
 Bien-complaisante, Le Prince Lutin, 
 L'Oiseau Bleue, and of other tales 
 which, as M. La Harpe has thought, 
 place her supreme in the realm of 
 delicate frivolity. 
 
 The life of this brilliant woman will 
 doubtless present a contrast with most 
 preconceptions of her character based
 
 xvi Introduction 
 
 upon a mere reading of her books; 
 and we may be surprised to find in 
 her such a marked individuality, so 
 peculiarly in touch with her time, and 
 offering so little of the ideal and 
 sensitive nature it was fairly natural 
 to infer. We have not, in fact, a 
 mere writer of amusing tales and half 
 romantic histories, but an intriguing, 
 though charming, woman, of a bold 
 and often reckless nature, sufficient to 
 stamp her a worthy daughter of her 
 time. And, after all harsh verdicts 
 have been passed, we shall, 1 think, 
 return to Madame Aulnoy, by way of 
 her books, with a feeling of affection 
 and interest. 
 
 Barneville,nearBourg-Achard(Eure), 
 is her birthplace. Her father was 
 Nicolas - Claude Le Jumel, and her 
 mother, who subsequently married 
 the Marquis of Gudaigne and went 
 with him to Rome, Judith-Angelique 
 Le Coustellier. Nicolas is said to 
 have served long in the armies of 
 Louis XIV., and to have been related
 
 Introduction xvii 
 
 to some of the best families of Nor- 
 mandy. Judith later, when in Rome, 
 seems to have rendered peculiar ser- 
 vices to the Spanish court, for which 
 she was duly rewarded. 
 
 The date of their daughter's birth is 
 not positively fixed. It is given as 
 1650 or 1651, but no record of bap- 
 tism remains, and of the life of Madame 
 Aulnoy previous to the date of her 
 marriage with Francois de La Motte 
 little is known. That event occurred 
 on Monday, the 8th of March, 1666. 
 
 But if the minor details of her life are 
 wanting, we have yet a general and 
 quite sufficient survey of its broader 
 lines. Married at sixteen to a man 
 thirty-six years her senior, we may 
 find in the character of her husband 
 (" un assez triste personage," as one 
 of his biographers has named him) no 
 uncertain commentary on the subse- 
 quent behavior of his wife. 
 
 He is described as : " Un bel 
 homme, bien fait, d'abord valet de 
 pied de Cesar, due de Vendome, qui
 
 xviii Introduction 
 
 cherchait d'avoir de beaux hommes a 
 son service." 
 
 He rose in the confidence of this 
 master, who in 1649 to 1650 employed 
 him in important affairs. This duke 
 of Vendome, called by Le Vassor* 
 " un mince capitaine, que ne sut ja- 
 mais se faire craindre ni se faire esti- 
 mer," had, on his return to France in 
 1641, been accused of an attempt to 
 poison Richelieu. These were the 
 days of the celebrated Brinvilliers, 
 when Acqua Tofana had been brought 
 from Italy and the number of poisoners 
 was increasing in France. The duke 
 had again returned after the death of 
 Richelieu, and under Mazarin in 1650 
 was given the government of Bour- 
 gogne. In 1653 he took Bordeaux, and 
 two years later put to flight the Span- 
 ish fleet before Barcelona. It was in 
 1653 that La Motte, rising to prosper- 
 ity with the fortunes of his master, 
 was made Chevalier de Saint-Michel, 
 and one year later he purchased for 
 
 * Histoire de Louis XIII.
 
 Introduction xix 
 
 150,000 livres from Claude Gobelin the 
 Barony of Aulnoy in Brie. His success 
 was, however, of short duration, and 
 his money soon slipped away. He 
 died in 1700 in his eightieth year, 
 " Accable de ses infortunes et des in- 
 famies de ses filles, dont il y en a 
 deux qui imitent leur mere." 
 
 In view, therefore of the seemingly 
 general evil opinion as to the character 
 of Francois de La Motte we may pos- 
 sibly abate somewhat of the severity 
 of judgment in regard to his wife. 
 Yet on the whole Madame Aulnoy 
 does not present a too pleasing por- 
 trait. Of her five children two only 
 were acknowledged by their father. 
 Marie-Angelique was born on the 26th 
 of January, 1667 ; Dominique-Cesar on 
 the 22d of November of the same 
 year; Anne, 1668; Judith-Henriette, 
 1669 ; Therese-Aymee in 1676. 
 
 Of these the only son died young. 
 Therese was taken to Spain in the 
 early part of 1679 by Madame Aulnoy, 
 whither the latter had gone to rejoin
 
 xx Introduction 
 
 her mother, the Marquise de Gud- 
 aigne. Marie-Angelique, it appears, 
 had the clever nature of her mother, 
 and won a salon reputation. She 
 married Claude Denis de Herre de 
 Vaudois. Anne, the most beautiful, 
 married a gentleman of Berry, by 
 name M. de Preaulx d'Artigny. The- 
 rese-Aymee remained in Spain with 
 the queen, where she was in 1705. 
 Judith-Henriette seems to have re- 
 mained in Paris and followed, in a 
 "carriere d'intrigue et de galanterie," 
 the footsteps of her mother and grand- 
 mother. 
 
 All amicable relations between Ma- 
 dame Aulnoy and her husband had 
 come to an end even before the tragic 
 event which all but involved her and 
 her mother, and for which they were 
 undoubtedly responsible. A certain 
 C. Bonenfant, Seigneur de Lamoi- 
 ziere, and another, J. A. de Crux, 
 Seigneur Marquis de Courboyer, who 
 were, without seeming question, lov- 
 ers of Madame Aulnoy and the Mar-
 
 Introduction xxi 
 
 quise de Gudaigne, attacked, at their 
 instigation, in the courts, the unfortu- 
 nate La Motte, who, however, man- 
 aged to save himself, and the attempt 
 ended in failure. The accusers were 
 tried, put to the torture, and confessed. 
 Both suffered death, and the two wo- 
 men found it necessary to make their 
 escape. It was said that Madame Aul- 
 noy was all but captured, having been 
 found by the officer in bed, whence 
 she managed to escape, and hid her- 
 self beneath a catafalque in a neigh- 
 boring church. The two went first 
 to England and afterwards to Spain. 
 Here, however, having rendered some 
 service to their own government, they 
 were finally pardoned and returned to 
 France, where, in 1699, Madame Aul- 
 noy again appears, this time mixed up 
 in the famous Ticquet scandal, which 
 ended in the beheading of Angelique 
 Ticquet on the I7th of June. Our 
 author seems to have run some danger 
 of joining her on the scaffold. She 
 died, however, in her house in the Rue
 
 xxii Introduction 
 
 Saint-Benoit on the i/jth of January, 
 1705. 
 
 If the Contes des Fees of Madame 
 Aulnoy have had a remarkable vogue, 
 not so fortunate has been the lot of 
 some of the historical endeavors of 
 this lady. Her Memoires de la Cour 
 d'Espagne (1679-1681) and Memoires 
 de la Cour d'Angleterre (1695) have 
 been quietly laid aside, together with 
 the Histoire d'Hippolyte, Comte de 
 Douglas (1690), and the Histoire de 
 Jean de Bourbon (1692), for, though 
 always interesting, the qualities of 
 imagination which combine to the 
 writing of a fairy tale are not quite 
 those needed for the making of his- 
 tory, and unfortunately for the clever 
 lady, it is in the field of "delicate 
 frivolity " that she has been placed. 
 
 But Madame Aulnoy has put for- 
 ward a more serious claim to legitimate 
 reputation in the small volume of 
 travel published anonymously at Paris 
 in 1691, wherein she describes her
 
 Introduction xxiii 
 
 voyage into Spain with a brilliancy 
 and wealth of detail which is all the 
 more grateful in that the period has 
 furnished us with but little like it. 
 In this Journey she has produced a 
 remarkable book. To the quick eye 
 of the clever French woman nothing 
 is lost. She sees the astonishing 
 condition of the Peninsula with an 
 instant but not unsympathetic glance. 
 Into what might have well proved a 
 dismal picture she has woven her ever 
 lively personality, and with a ready 
 humor turns the incidents of evil 
 chance to amusing asides. If in all 
 this an air of unreality and lack of 
 truth is introduced, it does not on the 
 whole affect the picture. Nor does 
 this resemble the more fanciful histori- 
 cal work of the same writer, for here 
 at least all is natural and fairly told. 
 Spaniards have been at pains to attack 
 this writer. They have argued and 
 abused. But it is not far wrong to 
 find in her book a near approach to a 
 truthful picture. There was, in fact,
 
 xxiv Introduction 
 
 small need for calling up the imagina- 
 tion. There is evidence enough that 
 in that day no one need closet himself 
 and dream for the seeing of strange 
 sights. It is the commonplace that 
 surprises us. We feel how little the 
 nation was responding to the sense of 
 awakening which began to be felt 
 elsewhere. Cervantes with his laugh- 
 ter had not brought to earth all fabrics 
 of romance. The modern spirit was 
 not yet stirring. 
 
 Of this book, as of Madame Aul- 
 noy, Taine has been unhesitating in 
 his praise. To him she was neither 
 prude, philosopher, nor pedant ; with- 
 out affectation ; a ready observer, 
 praising or condemning with discre- 
 tion, he seemed to find in her a repre- 
 sentative in some measure of the great 
 literary age of which she was a part. 
 
 And to him she never exaggerates ; 
 she has the inestimable qualities of 
 good sense, frankness, and tact, is a 
 French woman of culture and breed- 
 ing. "On imprime," he says, speak-
 
 Introduction xxv 
 
 ing of the book before us, "beaueoup 
 de livres nouveaux, on ferait bien de 
 reimprimer quelques livres anciens, au 
 premier rang celui-ci." 
 
 On the death of Philip IV., in 1665, 
 a sigh of relief might well have risen 
 from all Spain, yet scarcely through 
 any anticipation of better days to 
 come. For, though this man had pre- 
 sented to Europe a peculiarly marked 
 type of bad government, his end raised 
 no profound hopes of improvement. 
 A man of strong character, of inflex- 
 ible honesty, of patience ; a states- 
 man, a philosopher, and, last of all, a 
 king, was what a few who remem- 
 bered other days may have hoped. 
 Instead, a Regency. At a time when 
 throughout the land a magistrate, a 
 viceroy, or a noble who had no place 
 to sell or influence to buy was scarcely 
 to be found ; when an exhausted 
 treasury, the loss of possessions, the 
 slipping of prestige, the corruption of 
 all classes, called for a guiding hand,
 
 xxvi Introduction 
 
 then it was that fate saw fit to intro- 
 duce a new king at the age of four. 
 
 Spanish writers have a justified bit- 
 terness for this period of the national 
 history. While the Imperial power 
 was sinking slowly away, no return 
 of prosperity, of New World con- 
 quest, or Old World grandeur appeared 
 in the distance. None ever came. 
 Stretching back into the past, the 
 widening road of disaster ran straight 
 to the foot of the throne of Philip II. 
 On every side the downfall had begun. 
 Spanish troops once invincible re- 
 treated and again retreated. Bit by 
 bit the schemes of other countries be- 
 gan to be realized in the dismember- 
 ment of the Empire. Literature grown 
 decadent, history perverted, Manner- 
 ism and Gongorism were the new 
 gods and Churriguera the builder of 
 their temples. 
 
 The arts decayed and died. Mer- 
 chants, anticipating the destruction of 
 trade, refused to venture their money. 
 They rather hoarded it in secret places,
 
 Introduction xxvii 
 
 discarding hope of interest. Com- 
 merce knew no security. Wealth 
 brought but extortion. Power lay in 
 the hands of court favorites. 
 
 " Les provinces etoient si epuisees," 
 writes Villars, "qu'en quelques en- 
 droits de la Castille on etoit oblige 
 pour vivre, de trocquer les marchan- 
 dises, parcequ'il n'y avoit plus d'argent 
 pour acheter. Dans Madrid meme il 
 ne se'en trouvoit presque plus, et Ton y 
 ressentoit a loisir les suites du change- 
 ment de la monnoye que Ton avoit 
 fait, avec tant de precipitation. Les 
 personnes de qualite dont la depense 
 avoit double par ce changement ne 
 pouvoient payer leurs marchands, et 
 les banquiers n'avoient plus de fonds 
 et ne trouvoient point a emprunter ; 
 on ne payoit rien dans la maison du 
 Roy et les choses en vinrent a une 
 telle extremite, que la plus part des 
 petits domestiques ayant rendu leurs 
 livrees pour quitter le service, on cut 
 beaucoup de peine a trouver les moy- 
 ens de les y faire demeurer."
 
 xxviii Introduction 
 
 Even religion was to become the 
 vehicle of a host of strange mysteries; 
 professional saints flourished; miracles 
 were of daily report, the stigmata had 
 repeatedly appeared. Superstition fed 
 upon tales of witches and hobgob- 
 lins, and the minds of high and 
 low were filled with a strange, incon- 
 gruous mass of belief and doubt. A 
 whole supernatural world both local 
 and national crowded the places of 
 Christian tradition. Every fragment 
 of Roman, Arabic, or Gothic belief 
 came to be fused upon the general 
 credulity. 
 
 While the form that faith had as- 
 sumed no longer surprises the reader 
 as he turns the pages of contempo- 
 rary writers, yet the auto de fe had 
 not gasped its last. Outside the gate 
 of Fuencarral the fires still burned. 
 In 1680, the very year in which our 
 author is writing her later letters from 
 Madrid, it had produced an exhibition 
 in the Plaza Mayor which had the ut- 
 most detail of dramatic staging given
 
 Introduction xxix 
 
 it to lend impressiveness. The bull- 
 fight, too, was beginning to grow into 
 that popularity which was later to 
 make it the national sport. 
 
 The condition of the people was 
 lamentable. Little by little the lower 
 orders, driven from trades and manu- 
 facturing, were forced to face condi- 
 tions of pauperism. Theft came to 
 be too common to be noted. Every 
 mountain pass was infested by rob- 
 bers. People travelled well armed or 
 stayed at home. 
 
 Into such a country, under such con- 
 ditions as these, came, in February, 
 1679, this French woman of position, 
 cultivation, and wit, and from San 
 Sebastian she wrote the first of the 
 series of letters which one by one 
 found their way northward as she 
 journeyed toward Madrid. 
 
 "Le premier trait du caractere Es- 
 pagnol, c'est le manque de sense 
 pratique," says Taine. Something, 
 however, must be added to every 
 epigram on Spain, for she will not
 
 xxx Introduction 
 
 permit of hasty summing. Something 
 must be said of language, dignity, and, 
 last but not least, of the instinctive 
 ceremonial. All of this our author 
 has perceived. 
 
 This ceremonial of Spain, what and 
 whence is it and how is it that it is 
 first discerned by the traveller ? Its 
 history, could it be written, would be 
 indeed a history of shadows, a ghostly 
 palimpsest of needs made forms. 
 Time was when a stern and God- 
 favored war, fought day by day, year 
 to year, and century to century behind 
 the Pyrenean wall, nursed and fostered 
 strange forms and moulded fantastic 
 mental attitude. Europe busied her- 
 self but little with it all. It was 
 enough for her that the Spaniard did 
 well his office of guard and watcher 
 at the outer gate. There, she came to 
 believe, was his place, and there he 
 wore his livery. And a strange livery 
 it was made up of rags and tatters 
 of Iberian pride, Roman servitude, and 
 Christian independence, and as it was
 
 Introduction xxxi 
 
 fought day after day at the cheerless 
 outer gate, from time to time the foe 
 who bore upon him with the banners 
 of Islam fell back before him, leaving 
 upon the field some word to be gath- 
 ered up as booty, some spoil of sol- 
 emn gesture or grave reply or strangely 
 formed garment brought across all 
 Africa from Hejaz or the land of the 
 Anazeh. And in this strange attire he 
 stood and fought and bled until with 
 sweat and blood of a thousand years 
 the garment was a single hue and had 
 become a solemn cloak. 
 
 Then the word came for the sheath- 
 ing of the sword to the south, and 
 with this cloak wrapped about him 
 the erstwhile guardian of the outer 
 gate of a sudden stalked out upon 
 Europe, jangling the gold purse of the 
 Indies at his belt, to the terror and the 
 unfeigned astonishment of the world. 
 
 And this strange, melancholy crea- 
 tion of spectral silence has worn his 
 piecemeal cloak cf historic ceremonial, 
 and, like the ga:.nent of the Seises,
 
 xxxii Introduction 
 
 when it grew too old and threadbare 
 redarned and furbished it anew until 
 it in turn became but a shade and fig- 
 ure of its predecessor, yet drawn ever 
 closer and hugged with a dearer love 
 about the wasting old guardsman's 
 figure.
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Lady T RAVELS 
 
 INTO 
 
 SPAIN
 
 A 
 
 RELATION 
 
 O F A 
 
 Voyage to SPAIN 
 
 I N 
 
 ^Letters 
 
 LETTER I 
 
 SEEING you are fo earneft with me 
 to let you know all my Adven- 
 tures, and whatever I have ob- 
 ferv'd during my Travels, you 
 muft therefore be contented (my dear 
 Coufin) to bear with a great many tri- 
 fling Occurrences, before you can meet 
 with what will pleafe you : I know 
 
 your
 
 your Fancy is fo nice and delicate, that 
 none but extraordinary Accidents can 
 entertain you ; and I wifh I had no 
 others to relate : but recounting things 
 faithfully, as they have hapned, you 
 muft be contented therewith. 
 
 I gave you an Account in my laft, 
 of what I met with as far as Bayonne : 
 you know this is a Town in France, 
 Frontier to Spain, wafh'd by the Rivers 
 Dadour and Nivelle, which joyn to- 
 gether ; and the Sea comes up to 
 them. The Port and Trade are con- 
 fiderable : I came from Axe by Water, 
 and obferv'd that the Boat-men of 
 Adour have the fame Cuftom as thofe 
 of Garonne ; which is to fay, That in 
 paffing by one another, they fet up a 
 Hollowing ; and they had rather lofe 
 their Wages than to forbear these fort 
 of Shoutings, although exceeding vex- 
 atious to thofe who are not ufed to 
 them. There are two Caftles ftrong 
 enough to defend the Town, and there 
 are about it feveral pleafant Walks. 
 
 At
 
 3 
 
 At my Arrival there, I intreated the 
 Baron de Caftlenau, who had accom- 
 pany'd me from Axe, to bring me 
 acquainted with fome Women, with 
 whom I might fpend my time with 
 lefs impatience, till the Litters came, 
 which were to be fent to me from St. 
 Sebaftian. 
 
 He readily complied with my Re- 
 queft; for being a Perfon of Quality 
 and Worth, he is much efteem'd at 
 Bayonne. He fail'd not the next 
 Morning to bring feveral Ladies to 
 vifit me. 
 
 Thefe Women begin here to feel 
 the fcorching Heats of the Sun; their 
 Complexion is dark, their Eyes fpark- 
 ling; they are charming enough, their 
 Wits are (harp: And I could give you 
 a farther Account of their Capacities, 
 could I have better underftood what 
 they faid : not but that they could all 
 fpeak French, yet with fuch a different 
 Dialect, as furpaft my Underftanding. 
 
 Some who came to fee me, brought 
 
 little
 
 4 
 
 little Sucking Pigs under their Arms, 
 as we do little Dogs: it's true they 
 were very fpruce, and feveral of 'em 
 had Collars of Ribbons, of various 
 Colours: However, this Cuftom looks 
 very odd, and 1 cannot but think that 
 feveral among themfelves are dif- 
 gufted at it: When they danced, 
 they muft fet them down, and let 
 thefe grunting Animals run about the 
 Chamber, where they make a very 
 pleafant Harmony. Thefe Ladies 
 danc'd at my Intreaty, the Baron of 
 Caftleneau having fent for Pipes and 
 Tabors. 
 
 The Gentlemen who attended the 
 Ladies, took each of 'em her whom 
 he had brought with him, and the 
 Dance began in a Round, all holding 
 Hands: they had afterwards long 
 Canes brought them, and then each 
 Spark taking hold of his Lady's Hand- 
 kerchief, which feparated them from 
 one another, moved very gracefully at 
 the Sound of this Martial fort of Mu- 
 
 fick,
 
 5 
 
 fick, which infpired them with fuch 
 Heat, that they feem'd not to be able 
 to moderate it. This feem'd to me 
 to refemble the Pyrric Dance fo much 
 celebrated by the Ancients; for thefe 
 Gentlemen and Ladies made fo many 
 Turns, Frisks and Capers, their Canes 
 being thrown up into the Air, and 
 dexteroufly caught again, that it is 
 impoffible to defcribe their Art and 
 Agility: And I had a great deal of 
 Pleafure in feeing 'em ; but methoughts 
 it lafted too long, and I began to grow 
 weary of this ill-ordered Ball: When 
 the Baron de Caftleneau, who per- 
 ceiv'd it, caufed feveral Baskets of 
 dried Fruit to be brought in. They 
 are the Jews who pafs for Portuguifes, 
 and dwell at Bayonne, who tranfport 
 them from Genoa, and furnifh all the 
 Country with them. We wanted not 
 for Limonade, and other refrefhing 
 Waters, of which thefe Ladies drank 
 heartily; and fo the Entertainment 
 ended. 
 
 I
 
 I was carry'd the next Morning to 
 fee the Synagogue of the Jews, in the 
 Suburb of the Holy Spirit, but met 
 with nothing remarkable there. Mon- 
 fieur de St. Pe, the King's Lieutenant, 
 who came to fee me, though much 
 troubled with the Gout,*invited me to 
 Dine at his Houfe, where I was moft 
 delicioufly entertain'd; for this a 
 Country abounding with good Cheer, 
 and at cheap Rates. I found here 
 Women of Quality that were very 
 handfome, whom he had invited to 
 bear me Company. The fight of the 
 Caftle, which faces the River, is very 
 pleafant, and has always a good Gar- 
 ifon in it. 
 
 At my return to my Lodging, I was 
 furpriz'd to find feveral Pieces of 
 Linnen, which were brought to me 
 from the Ladies who came to fee me, 
 with Baskets full of dried Sweet- 
 meats. This Treatment feem'd to me 
 very obliging to a Lady whom they 
 had not known above four or five 
 
 Days.
 
 7 
 
 Days. But I muft not forget to tell 
 you, there is not any finer Linnen in 
 the World, than that which is made 
 in this Country, fome of which is 
 open like Net-work, and the Threads 
 of it finer than Hair: And I remember, 
 that travelling thro' the Villages of 
 Bourdeaux, which may be rather 
 call'd Defarts, the poor Peafants living 
 fo wretchedly; yet I found among 
 them as neat Napkins as thofe ufed 
 among People of Quality at Paris. 
 
 I fail'd not to fend thefe Ladies fuch 
 little Prefents which I thought might 
 pleafe them: I perceiv'd they were 
 great Admirers of Ribbons, and wear 
 a great many on their Heads and 
 Ears, which made me fend them a 
 great many; to which I added feveral 
 Fans: and they, by way of Return, 
 prefented me with Gloves, and 
 Thread-Stockins, moft delicately knit. 
 
 In fending them to me they defired 
 me to go to the next Chappel, which 
 was not far from my Quarters, where 
 
 they
 
 8 
 
 they intended to Regale me with the 
 beft Mufick the Town would afford: 
 but though there were very good 
 Voices, yet there is no great pleafure 
 in hearing them, becaufe they want 
 both Air and Skill. 
 
 The Litters which I expected from 
 Spain, being come, I prepared for my 
 Departure; but I never met with any 
 thing dearer than thefe fort of Equi- 
 pages; for each Litter has a Mafter 
 that accompanies it, who keeps the 
 Gravity of a Roman Senator, being 
 mounted on a Mule, and his Man on 
 another, with which they releafe ever 
 and anon thofe that carry the Litter. 
 I had two, 1 took the greateft for my- 
 felf and my Child, and had befides 
 four Mules for my Servants, and two 
 for my Baggage: to conduct them, 
 there were other two Mafters and two 
 Men. You fee what Charge one is 
 at, to go to Madrid, feeing you muft 
 pay not only for their Attendance on 
 you forwards, but the fame Price for 
 
 their
 
 9 
 
 their return back : However, we muft 
 fubmit to their Cuftoms, and fuffer 
 ourfelves to be peel'd by them. 
 
 I found at Bayonne feveral Turks 
 and Mores, and I think a worfe fort 
 of People, and thefe are Cuftom- 
 Houfe-Men : I had caufed my Trunks 
 to be weigh'd at Paris, that I might 
 have the lefs to do with thefe fort of 
 People; but they were more fubtle, 
 or to fpeak better, more obftinate 
 than I; fo that I was forc'd to give 
 them whatever they demanded. 
 Scarcely was I got clear from them, 
 when the Drums, Trumpets, Pipes, 
 and Violins of the Town, came thun- 
 dring upon me; they follow'd me 
 farther than St. Anthony's Gate, 
 through which you pafs for Spain 
 through Bifcaye: they play'd each of 
 them in their way, and all together, 
 without any Harmony, which was 
 enough to drive any one out of their 
 Senfes: I ordered fome Money to be 
 given them, upon which they left 
 
 per-
 
 10 
 
 perfecuting me. As foon as we had 
 left Bayonne, we enter'd into a large 
 barren Heath, where we faw nothing 
 but Chefnut-Trees; but we afterwards 
 part along by the Sea, whofe Sand 
 makes a delightful Way, and a pleaf- 
 ant Profpeft. 
 
 We arriv'd in good time at St. John 
 de Luz: nothing can be pleafanter 
 than this Borough, which is the great- 
 eft in France, and the beft built; there 
 are feveral fmaller Cities : its Port lies 
 between two Mountains, which Na- 
 ture feems to have exprefly placed to 
 defend it from Storms ; the River Ni- 
 velle difgorges it felf therein ; the Sea 
 comes up very high in it, and the 
 greateft Barks come up commodioufly 
 to the Key. The Seamen here are 
 very skilful at catching Whales, and 
 other large Fifh. We were here very 
 well entertain'd, fo that our Tables 
 were covered with all forts of Wild 
 Fowl : but our Beds were not anfwer- 
 able, being ftuck with Feathers whofe 
 
 Pinions
 
 1 1 
 
 Pinions ran into our fides, and we 
 wanted Quilts to lay on the top of 
 them : I thought when we were to 
 pay, that we fhould have had a large 
 Reckoning, but they only demanded 
 of me half a Lewis Dor, when they 
 would have coft more than five Pif- 
 toles at Paris. The Situation of St. 
 John de Luz is extreamly agreeable. 
 
 In the moft fpacious part of the 
 Town you fee here a very fine Church, 
 built after the Modern Fafhion; and 
 here is a Paffage over the River Ni- 
 velle, on a Woodden Bridge of great 
 length. Here are Toll-Gatherers, who 
 make you pay for every thing you 
 carry with you, not excepting your 
 Cloaths: This Tax is demanded at 
 their Pleafure; and it is exceffive on 
 Strangers. I was weary with fpeak- 
 ing French to 'em, and protefting I 
 was no Spaniard; they feigning not 
 to underftand me, fneering in my 
 Face, and wrapping up their Heads in 
 their Hooded-Gowns; they feem'd 
 
 to
 
 12 
 
 to be Thieves, difguifed in Capuchins: 
 In fhort, they tax'd me eighteen 
 Crowns, and would perfwade me 
 they ufed me well, tho' I found the 
 contrary. But 1 have already told 
 you (dear Coufm), that when you 
 travel this Country, you muft ftock 
 yourfelf with Patience, and good ftore 
 of Money. 
 
 I faw the Caftle of Artois, which 
 feems a ftrong place ; and a little far- 
 ther Orognes, where the Bifcaye is 
 fpoken, without either French or 
 Spanifh. I defign'd to lye at Iron, 
 which is but three Leagues diftant 
 from St. John de Luz; and I had fet 
 out after Noon, but the Difpute which 
 we had with the Watch on the Bridge, 
 the Difficulty we had in paffing the 
 Mountains of Beotia, and the ill 
 Weather, joyned to other little Diffi- 
 culties which hapned, were the 
 Caufe that it was Night before we 
 arriv'd on the Borders of the River 
 Bidaffoa, which feparates France from 
 
 Spain.
 
 13 
 
 Spain. I obferv'd along the way 
 from Bayonne thither, little Carriages, 
 on which they tranfport every thing, 
 which have only two Iron Wheels, 
 and the Noife they make is fo great, 
 that they are heard a Mile off, when 
 there are many of them together, 
 which often happen; for you often 
 meet with Sixty or Seventy at a time; 
 they are drawn by Oxen. I have feen 
 the fame in the Villages of Bourdeaux, 
 and efpecially on the fide of Axe. 
 
 The River of Bidaffoa is ufually very 
 fmall, but the Snows melting had in- 
 creas'd it to fuch a degree, that we 
 had no fmall trouble to pafs it, fome 
 in a Boat, and others fwimming on 
 their Mules: The Moon fhined very 
 bright, by means of which I was 
 fhew'd on the right Hand the Ifle of 
 Conference, where the Marriage of our 
 King was made with Maria Therefe, 
 Infanta of Spain. I faw a while after 
 the Fort of Fontarabia, which belongs 
 to the King of Spain, ftanding on the 
 
 Mouth
 
 14 
 
 Mouth of this fmall River: the Flux 
 and Reflux of the Sea arrives here. 
 Our Kings heretofore pretended it be- 
 longed to them : there have been fuch 
 great Contefts hereupon, efpecially by 
 the Inhabitants of Fontarabia, and 
 thofe of Andaye, that they have fev- 
 eral times come to Blows. This 
 oblig'd Lewis the Twelfth, and Ferdi- 
 nand, to agree, That it fhould be com- 
 mon to both Nations: the French and 
 the Spaniards take Toll equally; thefe 
 laft making thofe pay who pafs into 
 Spain, and the former doing the like 
 in relation to thofe who pafs over to 
 France. 
 
 War does not hinder Commerce on 
 this Frontier: it's true they cannot 
 fubfift without it, feeing they muft 
 perifh through Want, did they not 
 affift one another. 
 
 This Country call'd Bifcaye, is full 
 of high Mountains, where are feveral 
 Iron Mines : The Bifcays climb up the 
 Rocks as eafily, and with as great 
 
 fwift-
 
 15 
 
 fwiftnefs as Stags: Their Language 
 (if one may call fuch Jargon Language) 
 is very poor, feeing one Word fignifies 
 abundance of Things: There are none 
 but thofe born in the Country that can 
 underftand it; and I am told, that to 
 the end it may be more particularly 
 theirs, they make no ufe of it in Writ- 
 ing; they make their Children to read 
 and write French and Spanifh, ac- 
 cording to which King's Subjects they 
 are. It's certain, as foon as I paft the 
 little River of Bidaffoa, I was not un- 
 derftood, unlefs I fpake Caftillan ; and 
 not above a quarter of an Hour before, 
 I fhould not have been underftood had 
 I not fpoke French. 
 
 I found on the other fide of this 
 River a Banker of St. Sebaftian, to 
 whom I was recommended: he tar- 
 ried for me, with two of his Relations ; 
 they were cloath'd after the French 
 manner, but ridiculoufly, their Juftau 
 Corps being fhort and large, and their 
 Sleeves hanging down very fhort ; 
 
 thofe
 
 i6 
 
 thofe of their Shirts were fo large, 
 that they hung down below their Juf- 
 tau Corps : they had Bands without 
 Collars; Periwigs, one of which had 
 enough Hair for four, and fo frizled, 
 as made 'em look as if they were 
 frighted; iller-dreft People you can- 
 not meet with. Thofe who wear 
 their own Hair, wear it very long and 
 clofe, parting it on the Crown, and 
 pafs part of it behind their Ears: but 
 what kind of Ears think you ? thofe 
 of Midas were not larger; and I be- 
 lieve, that to lengthen them, they are 
 ftretched when they be young: with- 
 out queftion they find fome kind of 
 Beauty herein. 
 
 My three Spaniards made me in 
 bad French moft tedious and dull 
 Complements. We paft through the 
 Bourg of Tran, which is about a quar- 
 ter of a League from the River, and 
 came afterwards to Irun, which is 
 diftant about another quarter of a 
 League: this little Town is the firft of 
 
 Spain
 
 17 
 
 Spain which you meet with, leaving 
 France: it's ill built; the Streets are 
 unequal, and there's nothing one can 
 fpeak of: We entered into the Inn 
 through the Stable, where are the 
 Stairs on which you muft afcend to 
 your Chamber; this is the Country's 
 Fafhion. I found the Houfe very 
 light, by a great many Candles, which 
 were as frnall as Pack-thread; there 
 were at leaft forty in my Chamber, 
 fixt on little bits of Wood; in the 
 midft of 'em ftood a Pan of Coals 
 burning, made of Olive Rhines, to 
 take away the fcent of the Candles. 
 
 I had a great Supper, which my 
 Gallants, the Spaniards, had caus'd to 
 be made ready for me; but all was fo 
 full of Garlick, Saffron and Spice, that 
 I could eat nothing: and I had made 
 very bad Cheer, had not my Cook 
 made me a little Ragou of what he 
 could find. 
 
 Determining to go but to St. Sebaft- 
 ian the next Morning, which is but 
 
 feven
 
 i8 
 
 feven or eight Leagues, I thought to 
 Dine before I fet out: I was fitting 
 at Table when one of my Women 
 brought me my Watch to wind it up, 
 as it was my Cuftom at Noon ; It was 
 a ftriking Watch, of Tompion's make, 
 and coft me fifty Lewifes : My Banker, 
 who was by me, fhew'd fome defire 
 to fee it; I gave it him, with a cuftom- 
 ary Civility. This was enough: my 
 Blade rifes, makes me a profound 
 Reverence, telling me, " He did not 
 deferve fo confiderable a Prefent; but 
 fucha Lady as I could make no other: 
 That he would engage his Faith and 
 Reputation, that he would never part 
 with my Watch as long as he liv'd; 
 and that he found himfelf extreamly 
 oblig'd to me." He kift it at the end 
 of his pleafant Complement, and 
 thruft it into his Pocket, which was 
 deeper than a Sack. You'll take me 
 to be a very great Sot, in faying noth- 
 ing to all this, and I do not wonder at 
 it; but I confefs ingenuoufly, I was fo 
 
 furpriz'd
 
 19 
 
 furpriz'd at his Proceeding, that the 
 Watch was out of fight before I could 
 refolve on what I was to do. My 
 Women, and the reft of my Servants 
 who were about me, ftared on me, 
 and I on them, blufhing with Shame 
 and Vexation to be thus caught: 
 However, I recollected myfelf, and 
 confidered, that this Man was to pay 
 me a good round Sum of Money for the 
 Charge of my Journey, and to return 
 Money to Bourdeaux, where I had 
 taken it up; that having Bills of Credit 
 on him, he might ufe feveral Tricks to 
 me, and Put-offs, which might make 
 me fpend twice the Value of the 
 Watch : In fine, I let him part with it, 
 and endeavour'd to do myfelf Honour 
 from a thing which gave me great 
 Mortification. 
 
 I have learnt, fince this little Adven- 
 ture, that 'tis the Cuftom in Spain, 
 when any thing is prefented to one, 
 if he likes it, and kiffes your Hand, 
 he may take it with him. This is a 
 
 very
 
 2O 
 
 very pleafant Fafhion, and being fuffi- 
 ciently acquainted with it, 'twill be 
 my Fault if I am Trapt again. 
 
 I left this Inn where they peel'd me 
 fufficiently ; for this is a grievous dear 
 Country, and every one ftrives to be 
 Rich at his Neighbour's Coft. A 
 while after we had left the Town we 
 entred on the Pyrenean Mountains, 
 which are fo high and fteep, that 
 looking down, you fee, not without 
 Horror, the Precipices which environ 
 them; we went thus as far as Ren- 
 tery: Don Antonio (which was my 
 Banker's Name) went before me, and* 
 for my more commodious Paffage, he 
 oblig'd me to quit my Litter; for 
 although we had traverft feveral 
 Mountains, yet there remain'd more 
 difficult to pafs: he made me enter 
 into a little Boat, which he had pre- 
 par'd to go down the River of Andaye, 
 till we were near the Mouth of the 
 Sea, where we saw the King of 
 Spain's Gallions; there were three 
 
 very
 
 21 
 
 very fine and large ones. Our little 
 boats were fet forth with Gilt Stream- 
 ers; they were manag'd by Girls, 
 who were very lufty and handfome; 
 there are three in each, two that Row, 
 and one who holds the Rudder. 
 
 Thefe Wenches are very well 
 fhaped, of Chefnut Complexion, have 
 very good Teeth, Hair Black, which 
 they tie up with Ribbons, in Knots, 
 and fo let it hang behind them: They 
 wear a kind of Veil on their Heads, 
 made of Mufling, embroidered with 
 Flowers of Gold and Silk, which hangs 
 loofe, and covers their Breafts: they 
 wear Pendants in their Ears of Gold 
 and Pearls, and Bracelets of Coral; 
 they have a kind of Juftau Corps, like 
 our Gypfies, whofe Sleeves are very 
 ftrait: I can affure you they charm'd 
 me. I was told thefe Wenches 
 fwim like Fifties, and fuffer neither 
 Women nor Men among them. 
 This is a kind of Republick, where 
 they repair from all Parts, and 
 
 where
 
 22 
 
 where their Parents fend them very 
 young. 
 
 When they are willing to marry, 
 they go to Mafs at Fontarabia, which 
 is the neareft Town to 'em; and there 
 the young Men come to chufe 'em 
 Wives to their Humour. He that 
 will engage himlelf in Hymen's Bonds, 
 goes to his Miftrefs's Parents, declares 
 to them his Intentions, regulates every 
 thing with them : And this being done, 
 notice of it is given to the Maid : If (he 
 likes the Party, fhe retires to their houfe, 
 where the Nuptuals are celebrated. 
 
 I never faw a more gay Air than 
 that on their Countenances; they have 
 little Habitations along the Water- 
 fide, and there are old Maidens to 
 whom the younger pay Refped, as to 
 their Mothers. They related thefe 
 Particulars to us in their Language, 
 and we hearken'd to 'em with great 
 Delight, when the Devil, who never 
 fleeps, difturb'd us with a vexatious 
 Adventure. 
 
 My
 
 My Cook, who is a Gafcon, and 
 exactly of the Humour of thofe of 
 that Country, was in one of our Boats 
 behind us, at fome diftance, very near 
 a young Bifcaneer, who appeared to 
 him very handfome; he contented 
 not himfelf with telling her as much, 
 but would have rudely turn'd up her 
 Veil. She being not ufed to this fort 
 of plain Dealing without any Words 
 broke his Head with her Oar: Having 
 done this Exploit, Fear feizing on her, 
 fhe threw herfelf immediately into the 
 Water, tho' the Seafon was very cold, 
 and fwam with great fwiftnefs; but 
 having all her Cloaths on, and it being 
 far to the Shoar, her ftrength began to 
 fail her. Several of thefe Wenches 
 who faw this at Land, leapt immedi- 
 ately into their Boats to her Affift- 
 ance, when thofe who had remain'd 
 in the Boat with the Cook, fearing 
 the lofs of their Companion, fell on 
 him like two Furies, refolving by all 
 means to drown him, and had like 
 
 two
 
 24 
 
 two or three times to have overturn'd 
 their little Veffel, which we beholding 
 from ours, had much a-do to part and 
 appeafe them. 
 
 I affure you the foolifh Gafcon was 
 fo cruelly handled, that he was all 
 over blood; and my Banker told me, 
 that thefe young Bifcaneers provoked, 
 are worfe than Lions. In fine, we 
 came to Land, but were fcarcely on 
 Shear, but we faw this Wench which 
 was faved out of the Water, making 
 up towards us, with near fifty others, 
 each with an Oar on their Shoulder, 
 marching in Battle-ray, with Fife and 
 Drum; when (he who was to be the 
 Mouth of the Company, advanc'd, and 
 calling me feveral times Andria, which 
 is to fay, Madam, (for that's all I 
 could retain of her Speech) gave me 
 to underftand, That they would have 
 my Cook's Skin, if Satisfaction were 
 not made proportionably to the Dam- 
 age done their Companion's Cloaths. 
 At the ending of which words, the 
 
 She-
 
 25 
 
 She-Drummers fell loudly beating 
 their Drums, and the reft of their Am- 
 azons fet up an Hollowing, Leaping 
 and Dancing, and Fencing with their 
 Oars in a moft aftonifhing manner. 
 
 Don Antonio, to make me amends 
 for the Prefent he had wrung from 
 me (1 cannot but 6ften mention it, 
 lying on my Heart as it does) under- 
 took to make Peace: He found that 
 my Cook, who thought himfelf fuffi- 
 ciently beaten, had Reafon to give 
 nothing; and therefore he diftributed 
 fome Pieces of Money among this 
 Marine Troop: On receipt of which 
 they fet forth lowder Hollow's than 
 before, and wifh'd me a good Jour- 
 ney, and fpeedy Return, each of 'em 
 dancing and finging at the found of 
 their Pipes and Tabors. 
 
 We entred into a very rough Way, 
 and afcended along very narrow Paths, 
 on the fide of which there are Preci- 
 pices ; fo that I was greatly afraid, left 
 the Mules which carry'd my Litter 
 
 fhould
 
 26 
 
 Ihould ftumble: We afterwards paft 
 over a large Sandy Field. I tarry'd 
 fome time in the Convent of St. Fran- 
 cis, which ftands near the River of 
 Andaye: We paft over it on a very 
 long Wooden Bridge; and though we 
 were very near St. Sebaftian, yet we 
 could not then perceive it, becaufe a 
 Mount of Sand hid the Town : It's 
 fituated on the Foot of a Mountain, 
 which ferves on one fide as a Ram- 
 part againft the Sea, and the Veffels 
 come to the Foot of this Mountain, to 
 fhelter them from the Storms; for 
 here arife extraordinary Tempefts, 
 that the Ships at Anchor perifh in the 
 Port: it's deep, and defended by two 
 Moles, which leave only as much 
 room as is requifite for one Veffel 
 paffing at a time. They have rais'd 
 here a great four Square Tower, 
 where there is ever a good Garifon to 
 defend the Place, in cafe of Affault : it 
 was a fine Day for the Seafon: I 
 found the Town very pleafant, being 
 
 fur-
 
 27 
 
 furrounded with a double Wall: 
 there are mounted feveral Pieces of 
 Cannon on that part towards the Sea, 
 with Baftions and Half Moons: the 
 Town is fituated in a Province of 
 Spain, call'd Guipufcoa: the Out- 
 parts are exceeding pleafant, by rea- 
 fon that the Sea, as I now faid, ferves 
 for a Channel to it: the Streets of this 
 Town are long and large, pav'd with 
 great White Stones, which are al- 
 ways clean: the Houfes are well 
 enough; and the Churches decent, in 
 which the Altars are of Wood, on 
 which are hung little Pictures, from 
 top to bottom. Mines of Iron and 
 Steel abound in this Country, finer 
 and purer perhaps than in any other 
 Parts of Europe; and this is the great- 
 eft part of their Trade. Here the 
 Wool which comes from Caftille, is 
 embark'd, which makes a confiderable 
 part of their Traffick. Bilbo and St. 
 Sebaftian are two of the moft confid- 
 erable Ports which the King of Spain 
 
 has
 
 28 
 
 has on the Ocean: The Cattle ftands 
 very high, and may make an indif- 
 ferent Defence: here are mounted 
 feveral fine Pieces of Cannon; and 
 there are a great many along the 
 Ramparts ; but the Garifon is fo weak, 
 that the Women might conquer them 
 with their Diftaffs. 
 
 Every thing is as dear in this Town 
 as in Paris, yet they fare well here: 
 Fifh is excellent, and I was told Fruit 
 was the fame. I lay in the beft Inn, 
 and when I had been there fome time, 
 Don Fernand de Toledo, fent his Gen- 
 tlemen to enquire, Whether his Vifit 
 would not be troublefome to me ? 
 My Banker, who knew him, and who 
 was then in my Chamber, told me, 
 he was a Spaniard of great Quality, 
 Nephew to the Duke D' Alva; that he 
 came from Flanders, and was going 
 to Madrid. 
 
 I receiv'd him with that Civility 
 which was due to his Birth, and foon 
 thereto adjoyn'd particular Refpefts 
 
 to
 
 29 
 
 to his own Merit: He is a Gentleman 
 of good Prefence, has Wit and Polite- 
 nefs, is Complaifant and Agreeable; 
 he fpeaks as good French as I do; 
 but underftanding Spanifh, and being 
 defirous to fpeak it better, we there- 
 fore difcours'd only in that Language. 
 I was very well fatisfied with his 
 Carnage. He told me he came Poft 
 hither from Bruffels, and if 1 pleas'd, 
 he would increafe my Train, and be 
 one of my Company. I thought he 
 jefted, andanfwered him accordingly; 
 but he added, The ways were fo full 
 of Snow, that indeed they could not 
 ride Poft; that he could make more 
 fpeed on Horfes than in Litters, but 
 the Honour of accompanying me, 
 made abundant Recompence for that. 
 In a word, I faw he was a civil Perfon, 
 and came no way Ihort of the Gallan- 
 try natural to the Spanifh Cavaliers: I 
 therefore confider'd, how advanta- 
 geous it might prove to have a Man of 
 this Quality, and Country, who could 
 
 make
 
 30 
 
 make himself be heard and obey'd by 
 the Muletteers, who have Iron Souls, 
 and no Confciences. 
 
 I told him, I was very glad I met 
 with him, and the Fatigue of the 
 Road would be lefs'ned by his Com- 
 pany. He immediately thereupon 
 ordered his Gentlemen to find a Litter 
 for him: It being late he took his 
 leave of me, and I betook my felf to 
 be after a good Supper; for, my dear 
 Coufin, I am none of thofe Romantick 
 Ladies that never eat. 
 
 Scarcely did I begin to fleep, when 
 I heard fome-body fpeak French fo 
 near me, that I thought at firft 'twas 
 in my Chamber; but having hearkned 
 with more attention, I found 'twas in 
 a Chamber feparated from mine by 
 only fome thin Boards, and thofe ill 
 joynted : I drew my Curtain, and faw 
 Light through the Crevices, and at 
 the fame time two young Women, 
 the eldeft of which appeared not to 
 be above Seventeen or Eighteen; 
 
 neither
 
 31 
 
 neither of 'em were of thofe Beauties 
 without Defect, yet were they fo 
 pretty, fpake fo fweetly, and had fuch 
 great fweetnefs on their Countenances, 
 that I was much taken with 'em. 
 
 The youngeft, who feem'd to con- 
 tinue the Converfation, faid to the 
 other, ' No, my dear Sifter, there is no 
 Remedy to our Misfortunes; we muft 
 die, or get them out of the Clutches 
 of this vilanous Dotard.' ' I am refo- 
 lute for any thing,' reply 'd the other, 
 in uttering a deep figh, ' fhould it coft 
 me my Life: What remains? Have 
 we not facrific'd all for them ?' Then 
 confidering a while their Misfortunes, 
 they mutually embrac'd, and began to 
 weep in a moft piteous manner: And 
 having confulted a while, and fpake 
 fome other Words, the greateft part 
 of which were interrupted by their 
 Sighs, they concluded on Writing, 
 which they did; and here is moft of 
 what I hearjd them read to one 
 another: 
 
 'Judge
 
 32 
 
 'Judge not of my Love and Grief 
 by my Words, I have none can ex- 
 prefs either the one or the other; 
 but remember you Ruine me, unlefs 
 you betake yourfelf to the greateft Ex- 
 tremities againft him that perfecutes 
 us. He has now fent me word, That 
 if we delay our Departure, he will 
 have us feiz'd. Confider what he de- 
 ferves from this bafe Ufage of us ; and 
 remember you owe me all, feeing you 
 owe me my Heart.' 
 
 I think the other Billet was in thefe 
 Terms: 
 
 ' Could I fecure thee thy Happinefs, 
 in lofing mine, I love thee fufficiently 
 to offer thee fuch a Sacrifice: Yes, I 
 would fly from thee, couldft thou be 
 Happy without me; but I know thy 
 Heart too well to believe this. Yet 
 thou remaineft as Quiet in thy Prifon, 
 as if I were with thee: Break thy 
 Chains without more delay; punilh 
 the Enemy of our Loves. My Heart 
 lhall be thy Recompenfe.' 
 
 Having
 
 33 
 
 Having made up thefe Billets, they 
 went out together; and, I profefs, I 
 was not a little uneafie for 'em, and 
 no lefs curious to know thefe poor 
 Ladies Misfortunes. This hundred me 
 from fleeping, and I was expecting 
 their Return, when immediately there 
 was a great Uproar in the Houfe: 
 I faw an old Man enter the Cham- 
 ber, attended by a great many Ser- 
 vants: He held one of thefe young 
 Women by the Hair of the Head, 
 which he had wound about his Arm, 
 and drew her after him, as a wretched 
 Sacrifice. Her Sifter was not treated 
 with lefs Cruelty, by thofe who led 
 her: 'Perfidious Wretches,' faid he 
 to them, 'not content with the irre- 
 parable Injury you do my Nephews, 
 you would perfwade them to be my 
 Executioners ? Had I not furprifed 
 you with thefe feducing Letters, what 
 might have hapned ? What dreadful 
 Tragedies might I not have expefted ? 
 But you (hall pay once for all: as foon 
 
 as
 
 34 
 
 as ever the Day appears I will have 
 you punifht as you deferve.' 'Ah 
 Sir,' faid fhe whom he held, 'remem- 
 ber we are Women of Quality, and 
 that our Alliance can be no Dishonour 
 to you ; that your Nephews have given 
 us their Faith, and we them ours; 
 that in fo tender an Age we have left 
 all for their fakes; that we are Strang- 
 ers, and have no Friends here: What 
 will become of us ? We dare not re- 
 turn to our Relations : if you are for 
 conftraining us to this, or for putting 
 us in Prifon, let us intreat you rather 
 prefently to difpatch us out of the 
 World.' 
 
 The Tears which they fhed in fuch 
 abundance, wrought in me the great- 
 eft Compaffion : And had the old Man 
 been as tender as I, he had foon freed 
 'em from their Trouble. 
 
 My Women, who had heard fuch a 
 great Difturbance, and fo near my 
 Chamber, arofe, in the fear of fome 
 Mifhap towards me: I made Signs to 
 
 them
 
 35 
 
 them to draw near foftly, and to be- 
 hold through the Boards this forrow- 
 ful Spectacle: We hearkned to what 
 they faid, when two Men, with their 
 Swords in their Hands, entred into 
 my Chamber, the Door of which my 
 Women had left open: They had 
 Defpair painted on their Faces, and 
 Rage in their Eyes: I was fo greatly 
 frighted, that I cannot exprefs it to 
 you. They lookt on one another 
 without fpeaking a word ; and having 
 heard the old Man's Voice, they ran 
 on that fide. 
 
 I did not doubt but 'twas the two 
 Lovers; and 'twas them indeed, who 
 entred like two Lions into this Cham- 
 ber: They ftruck thefe Servants with 
 fo great Terror, that never a one of 
 'em dared approach his Mafter, to de- 
 fend him, when his Nephews ad- 
 vance towards him, and fet their 
 Swords to his Throat: 'Barbarian,' 
 faid they to him, 'can you thus ufe 
 Women of Quality, that are to be our 
 
 Wives ?
 
 36 
 
 Wives ? Becaufe you are our Guar- 
 dian, muft you therefore be our Ty- 
 rant ? And is not the feparating of 
 us from what we love, the taking 
 our Lives from us ? It's now in our 
 Power to take a juft Vengeance of 
 you; but we cannot do it to a Man 
 of your Age, who cannot defend him- 
 felf: give us then your Word, and 
 fwear by all that's Good and Holy, 
 That in Acknowledgment for the Life 
 we give you, you will contribute to 
 our Happinefs, and fuffer us to per- 
 form what we have promis'd.' 
 
 The poor old Wret[c]h was fo 
 afrighted, that he could hardly make 
 any Anfwer: However, he fwore 
 more than they would have him; he 
 fell on his Knees, and kift an hundred 
 times his Thumb laid a-crofs one of 
 his Fingers, after the manner of Spain. 
 Yet he told them, ' That whatever he 
 had done, was onely in regard to their 
 Interefts; however, he would not in 
 any fort, for the future, oppofe their 
 
 Incli-
 
 37 
 
 Inclinations, in reference to this Mar- 
 riage.' Two of the Domefticks took 
 him under the Arm, and rather carried 
 him away than led him. Then the 
 Gentlemen feeing themfelves free, 
 threw themfelves in their Miftreffes 
 Arms ; they faid to one another, what- 
 ever Grief, Love and Joy do ufually 
 infpire in fuch Occafions. But in 
 Troth, one muft have a Heart as af- 
 fected and content as theirs, to repeat 
 all thefe things: they are only proper 
 to Perfons more tender than you are, 
 my dear Coufm. But I hope you will 
 excufe this Relation; I was fo tired, 
 in having not yet flept, that I could 
 ' fcarce hear any more, but confufedly : 
 and to hear no more, I got farther 
 into Bed, and threw the Quilt over 
 my Head. 
 
 The next Morning Don Fernand de 
 Toledo, fent me fome choice Wines, 
 with great quantity of Oranges and 
 Sweetmeats. As foon as he thought 
 it a proper time to Vifit me, he came: 
 
 Having
 
 38 
 
 Having thankt him for his Prefent, I 
 askt him, Whether he had heard 
 nothing of what had paft in the Night ? 
 He told me, No ; for he had lain in 
 another part of the Houfe. I was 
 about relating to him what I knew, 
 When our Hoftefs entred into the 
 Chamber: fhe came from the two 
 Gentlemen who had given me that 
 Difturbance, with the Swords in their 
 Hands, intreating me to receive their 
 Excufes. She likewife told me, That 
 two young Ladies defired they might 
 wait on me, and kifs my Hand. I 
 anfwered thefe Civilities as I ought; 
 and they foon entred. 
 
 What charming Effects does the 
 Return of Joy produce ? I found thefe 
 Gentlemen very well fhaped, and 
 thefe Ladies very lovely; neither one 
 nor the other had any more on their 
 Countenances the Characters of De- 
 fpair; an Air of Gaiety difplay'd itfelf 
 in all their Words and Geftures. The 
 Eldeft of the two Brethren made the 
 
 moft
 
 39 
 
 moft handfome Excufe as is poffible 
 for his Miftake in entring my Cham- 
 ber: he added, ' He had well obferv'd 
 the Fear he had caus'd me; but told 
 me, that in that Moment he was fo 
 tranfported, that he was capable of no 
 other Thought but the Refcuing his 
 Miftrefs.' 'You would have been to 
 blame,' faid I to him, 'fhould you 
 have thought of any thing elfe : How- 
 ever, if it be true, you are willing to 
 make me Satisfaction for the Alarum 
 you have giv'n me, you muft not 
 refufe the gratifying my Curiofity: 
 With thefe fair Ladies leave, inform 
 me what has reduced all of you to 
 thefe Extremities you were in.' He 
 lookt on them, as if it were to ask 
 their Approbation, which they will- 
 ingly granted ; and he thus began : 
 
 ' We are two Brothers, Madam, 
 Natives of Burgos, and of one of the 
 beft Families of this City. We were 
 very young, when we fell into the 
 Hands of an Uncle, who took care of 
 
 our
 
 40 
 
 our Education and Eftates, which are 
 fo confiderable, that we need not 
 envy others on that account; Don 
 Diego (is our Uncle's Name) he had 
 made long fince a firm Friendfhip 
 with a Gentleman living near Blaye, 
 whofe Merit is far above his Fortune; 
 he is call'd Monfieur de Mefignac: our 
 Uncle refolving to fend us for fome 
 time into France, he wrote hereupon 
 to his Friend, who offered him his 
 Houfe, which he joyfully accepted. 
 He made us fet out; and it is a Year 
 fince we were received there with 
 great Civility: Madam de Meffignac 
 ufed us as her own Children ; Ihe has 
 feveral; but of her four Daughters, 
 thofe you fee are the moft aimable. 
 It would have been very difficult to 
 have feen them every day, to dwell 
 with them, and yet not to have loved 
 them. 
 
 ' My Brother at firft conceal'd from 
 me his growing Paffion, and I hid 
 mine from him ; we were both of us 
 
 very
 
 very melancholly ; the trouble of lov- 
 ing, without being lov'd again, and 
 the fear of difpleafing thofe who 
 caus'd our Paffion, all this cruelly tor- 
 mented us; but a new Vexation did 
 greatly increafe our Difquiet, which 
 was a reftlefs Jealoufie we had one of 
 another: My Brother plainly faw I 
 was in Love, and thought 'twas with 
 his Miftrefs; I lookt on him likewife as 
 my Rival; and we bore fuch Hatred 
 to one another, as might have tranf- 
 ported us to the greateft Extremities; 
 but that I refolutely determin'd one 
 day to difcover my Sentiments to 
 Mademoifellede Meffignac; but want- 
 ing Courage to fpeak to her myfelf, I 
 wrote fome Verfes in a little Book 
 touching my Paffion for her, and dex- 
 teroufly flid it into her Pocket without 
 her perceiving me. My Brother, who 
 had always an Eye on me, obferv'd 
 it, and playing with her, he took out 
 the Verfes, and found 'em to contain 
 a refpeclful and paffionate Declaration 
 
 of
 
 42 
 
 of Love to her; he kept them till 
 Night, when being withdrawn into 
 my Chamber, with the greateft In- 
 quietude, he came to me, and tenderly 
 embracing me, he told me, He was 
 heartily glad at the notice he had of 
 my being in love with Mademoifelle 
 de Meffignac. 
 
 'I remain'd as one Thunderftruck ; 
 I faw my Papers in his Hands; I 
 imagin'd fhe had made them a Sacri- 
 fice to him, and that he came to infult 
 on my Misfortune. He faw in my 
 Eyes and Countenance part of what I 
 thought: "Undeceive yourfeli," con- 
 tinued he, "fhe gave 'em not to me; 
 I have taken 'em without her feeing 
 them: I'll be ferviceable to you for 
 the obtaining her; be you the fame to 
 me in relation to her elder Sifter." I 
 then embraced him, and promis'd 
 him all he defired. Then we mutual- 
 ly rendred good Offices to one another ; 
 and our Miftreffes, who were not 
 then acquainted with the power of 
 
 Love,
 
 43 
 
 Love, began to accuftom themfelves 
 to hear talk of it. 
 
 ' It would be to abufe your Patience, 
 to tell you, Madam, how we came at 
 length by our Cares and Affiduities to 
 win their Hearts. What happy Mo- 
 ments ! what fweet Hours ! to fee 
 without ceafing what one loves, and 
 to be beloved ! to be together in the 
 Fields, where an Innocent and Coun- 
 try Life let's one tafte, without dif- 
 turbance, the Pleafures of a growing 
 Paffion; this is a Felicity which can- 
 not be expreft. 
 
 ' Winter being come, Madam de 
 Mefllgnac was at Bourdeaux, where 
 fhe had a Houfe; we accompanied 
 her thither; but this Houfe was not 
 great enough to lodge us, with all our 
 Family ; we took one near hers. 
 
 'Though this Separation was only 
 the Nights, yet we had lively Refent- 
 ments of it ; we were not now every 
 Moment with 'em; our Vifits were 
 accompanied with a certain Air of 
 
 Cere-
 
 44 
 
 Ceremonies, which difturb'd us. But 
 our Alarums were much increas'd 
 when we faw two rich handfome 
 Sparks addrefs themfelves to Made- 
 moifelles de Meffignac, and earneftly 
 Court them, and that with the Appro- 
 bation of their Parents. Good God, 
 how we lookt ! Their Proceedings 
 went on at a great rate, and our dear 
 Miftreffes, who fhared in our Sorrow, 
 mingled every day their Tears with 
 ours. In fine, having thoroughly tor- 
 mented ourfelves, by devifing a thou- 
 fand fruitlefs Ways, I refolv'd to 
 Addrefs myfelf to Monfieur de Mef- 
 fignac: I fpake to him, and told him 
 what my Paffion infpired me, to per- 
 fwade him to defer thefe Marriages. 
 He anfwer'd, " He accepted, with the 
 greateft Acknowledgments, the Offers 
 my Brother and I made him; but be- 
 ing not of Age, what we might do at 
 prefent might be afterwards Cancell'd : 
 That his Honour was dear to him, 
 though his Eftate was fmall ; however, 
 
 fhould
 
 45 
 
 fhould always efteem himfelf Happy, 
 in living without Reproach: That my 
 Uncle, who had entrufted us to him, 
 might juftly accufe him of Seducing 
 us; and that in fhort, we muft no 
 more think of thefe matters." 
 
 ' I withdrew in the greateft Af- 
 fliftion, which I fhared with my 
 Brother; and this was a dreadful 
 trouble among us. Monfieur de Mef- 
 fignac, to compleat our misfortunes, 
 fent an Account to my uncle, of what 
 had paft, and earneftly intreated him 
 to lay his Commands on us to be 
 gone. He did fo; and feeing no rem- 
 edy to our Misfortune, we went, my 
 Brother and 1, to Mademoifelles de 
 Meffignac, we threw ourfelves at their 
 Feet; We told them what might per- 
 fwade Hearts already pre-poffelt: We 
 gave them our Faith, and Promifes, 
 Sign'd with our Blood: In Ihort, Love 
 made an end of vanquifhing them; 
 they confented to go with us. In 
 fine, we took fuch Meafures, that our 
 
 Paffage
 
 46 
 
 Paffage was happy enough till our 
 Arrival here; and it is not two days 
 fince entring this Houfe, the firft Per- 
 fon offering himself to us was Don 
 Diego; He was impatient of our Re- 
 turn ; and to fatisfie himfelf, he came 
 in queft of us. How did we look at 
 this fight ! He caus'd us to be ap- 
 prehended as Criminals; and forget- 
 ting that Mademoifelles de Meffignac 
 were the Daughters of his beft Friend 
 and Perfon of Quality, he loaded them 
 with Injuries, and o'er-whelm'd them 
 with Threatnings, after he had learnt 
 from one of my Servants, that we had 
 refolved to pafs Incognito as far as 
 Madrid, to fome Relations we had 
 there, to tarry in this place for a full 
 liberty of declaring our Marriage. He 
 lock't us up in a Chamber next to his ; 
 and we were there, when thefe Ladies 
 came by Moon-light, coughing under 
 our Windows. We heard them, and 
 
 ran to them They Ihew'd us their 
 
 Letters; and we were devifing on our 
 
 Deliv-
 
 Gateway of Fucnterrabia
 
 47 
 
 Deliverance, when my Uncle, having 
 notice of what part, filently came upon 
 us with all his Servants, and before 
 our Faces mifufed thefe aimable Crea- 
 tures. In the Excefs of our Defpair 
 our Strength, without doubt, in- 
 creas'd; We broke open the Doors, 
 which were faft fhut on us, and we 
 ran to Succour them, when impru- 
 dently, Madam, we came into your 
 Chamber.' 
 
 The Gentleman here ftopt, and I 
 found he had related his little Hiftory 
 with great Ingenuity. I thank't him 
 for it, and offer'd thefe Ladies my 
 Endeavours, and thofe of my Friends, 
 to appeafe their Family: Which Of- 
 fers they accepted, and teftifi'd their 
 Acknowledgments. 
 
 Some Ladies of the Town, who 
 came to fee me, wou'd ftop me; they 
 propofed to me to go to the Religiofes, 
 whofe Convent is fo pleafantly fitu- 
 ated, that the Profpecl: has no Bounds: 
 You may fee thence, at the fame time, 
 
 the
 
 4 8 
 
 the Sea, Ships, Towns, Woods and 
 Fields. They fpake much in praife 
 of the Voices, Beauty, and good 
 Humour of thefe Religiofes. Add to 
 this, that the ill Weather was fo in- 
 creaft, and the Snow fal'n in fo great 
 abundance, that no body advifed me 
 to proceed in my Journey. I was in 
 fufpence a while, but the Impatience 
 I had to be at Madrid, prevail'd over 
 all thefe Confiderations, and I parted 
 the next Morning. 1 have receiv'd of 
 my Banker the Money I want. 
 
 But I muft not forget to tell you, 
 That the Inhabitants of this Town 
 have a particular Priviledge, and of 
 which they are not a little proud; 
 which is, That when they Treat of 
 any Affairs with the King of Spain, 
 and that it is directly with him, he is 
 oblig'd to fpeak with them bare- 
 headed. I could not get the Reafon 
 from 'em for this. 
 
 I am told I muft furnifh myfelf with 
 good ftore of Provifion, to prevent 
 
 ftarv-
 
 4Q 
 
 ftarving in fome places through which 
 we muft pafs; and Gammons of Ba- 
 con, dried Tongues, being much 
 efteem'd in this Country, I have there- 
 fore taken up a good quantity; and as 
 to the reft, we have sufficiently pro- 
 vided. Now this being the Poft-day, 
 I would not omit this occafion of in- 
 forming you of what has hapned to 
 me; and teftifying, that I am, 
 
 Yours. 
 
 From St. Sebaftian, 
 Feb. 20, 1679.
 
 LETTER II 
 
 T Re-affume, Dear Coufin, without 
 any Compliments, the Sequel of 
 my Travels: In leaving St. Sebaftian, 
 we entred into a very rough Way, 
 which brings you to fuch terrible fteep 
 Mountains, that you cannot afcend 
 them without climbing; they are 
 call'd Sierra de St. Adrian. They 
 (hew only Precipices and Rocks, on 
 which a puling Lover may meet with 
 certain Death, if he has a mind to it. 
 Pine Trees of an extraordinary heighth 
 crown the top of thefe Mountains. 
 As far as the Sight will reach you fee 
 nothing but Defarts, cut with Streams 
 clearer than Chryftal. Near the high- 
 eft part of Mount St. Adrian, you meet 
 with an elevated Rock, which feems 
 to have been placed in the midft of the 
 
 way
 
 way to block up the Paffage, and thus 
 feparate Bifcaye from the Old Caftille. 
 A tedious and painful Labour has 
 pierced this Mafs of Stone in manner 
 of a Vault; you may walk forty or fifty 
 Paces under it, without fight of Day, 
 but what comes by the Overtures at 
 each Entry, which are Ihut by great 
 Doors: You find under this Vault an 
 Inn, which is left in the Winter, by 
 Reafon of the Snows : You fee here 
 likewife a little Chappel of St. Adrian, 
 and feveral Caverns, where Thieves 
 commonly retreat; fo that it is dan- 
 gerous paffing here without being in 
 a condition of Defence. When we * 
 had traverft the Rock, we ftill a little 
 afcended, to arrive to the top of the 
 Mountain, which is held to be the 
 higheft of the Pyranea's; it is wholly 
 covered with great Afh Trees. There 
 was never a finer place of Solitude; 
 the Springs run here as in the Vallies: 
 the fight is only bounded by the 
 
 Weak- 
 
 * Orig. he.
 
 52 
 
 Weakness of the Eyes; Shades and 
 Silence here reign, and the Eccho's 
 anfwers on every fide. We began 
 afterwards to defcend down fafter 
 than we climed up: We faw in fome 
 parts little barren Plains, many fandy 
 places, and ever and anon Mountains 
 covered with great Rocks. It is not 
 without Reafon, that in paffing fo 
 near, you fear, left fome one of 'em 
 fhould get loofe, which would cer- 
 tainly over-whelm one; for you fee 
 fome which are fall'n from the top, 
 and hang in their paffage on other 
 Clefts; and thefe finding nothing in 
 the way, would give a forry Diverfion 
 to a Traveller. I made all thefe Re- 
 flections at my eafe; for I was alone 
 in my Litter, with my Child, who did 
 not at all difturb my Thoughts. A 
 River call'd Urrola, big enough, but 
 which was increafed by the Torrents, 
 and melted Snow, flides along the 
 Way, and breaks forth into particular 
 Streams in fome places, which fall 
 
 with
 
 53 
 
 with a great impetuofity and noife, 
 and make a very pleafant found and 
 fight. 
 
 We meet not here with thofe fine 
 Caftles to be feen on the Banks of the 
 Loire, which make Travellers call it 
 the Country of Fairies. Here are on 
 thefe Mountains only fome Shepherds 
 Cottages, and fome few Hovels, and 
 at that diftance, that you muft go a 
 great way before you can find them; 
 yet all thefe Natural Objedls, though 
 very melancholly ones, yet have fome- 
 thing that is very taking in them. 
 The Snows were fo high, that we 
 had always twenty Men, who made 
 way for us with Shovels. You will 
 perhaps imagine this coft me very 
 much; but here are fo well eftablifht 
 Orders, and thofe fo well obferv'd, 
 that the Inhabitants of a Village are 
 oblig'd to meet Travellers, and be 
 their Guides to the next; and no one 
 being bound to give them any thing, 
 the leaft Liberality therefore fatisfies 
 
 them.
 
 54 
 
 them. To this firft Care there is 
 added another, which is that of Ring- 
 ing the Bells without ceafing, to give 
 notice to Travellers, where they may 
 retreat in ftormy Weather. They told 
 me, there had not fall'n this forty 
 Years fo much Snow as we met with, 
 there having been no Froft for a great 
 while in this Province. 
 
 Our Troop was fo great that we 
 might count ourfelves no ways infe- 
 riour to thofe Famous Caravans which 
 go to Mecha; for without reckoning 
 my Train, and that of Don Fernand de 
 Toledo, there joyn'd with us near St. 
 Sebaftian, three Knights, with their 
 Attendants, who return'd from their 
 Commanderfhips of St. James; there 
 were two of this Order, and one of 
 that of Alcantara : The firft wear Red 
 Croffes, in form of an embroidered 
 Sword, on their Shoulders; and he of 
 Alcantara had a Green one. One of 
 the two firft is of Andaloufia, the other 
 of Galicia, and the third of Catalonia; 
 
 they
 
 55 
 
 they are ot good Families; he of An- 
 daloufia calls himfelf, Don Efteve de 
 Carvajal; he of Galicia, Don Sancho 
 Sanniento ; and the other of Catalonia, 
 Don Frederic de Cardonne; they are 
 Perfons of good Meine, and well ac- 
 quainted with the World. I receiv'd 
 all poffible Civilities from them, hav- 
 ing much of the French Humour in 
 them. They have travelled over the 
 greateft Part of Europe; and this has 
 rendred them fo Polite. We went to 
 lye at Galareta; this is a Borough a 
 little diftant from Mount Adrian, fitu- 
 ated in the little Province of Spain, 
 I now mention'd, named Alava, which 
 makes a Part of Biscaye; we had 
 there but bad Entertainment. They 
 reckon it eleven Leagues from thence 
 to St. Sebaftian. 
 
 We had better Way from Galareta 
 to Victoria, than we had before: The 
 Country here yields much Corn and 
 Grapes; and the Villages lie very 
 thick together: We found here Cuf- 
 
 tom-
 
 56 
 
 tom-Houfe-Men, who made us pay 
 both for the Cloaths and Money we 
 carried with us: they were not very 
 exacting with us, becaufe our Com- 
 pany was too large to be impofed on. 
 Don Fernand de Toledo had inform'd 
 me over Night, that we were to travel 
 near the Caftle of Quebare, which 
 was faid to be haunted with a Spirit, 
 telling me a thoufand extravagant 
 Stories, which were readily fwallow'd 
 by the Inhabitants of the Country, 
 and which were fo effectually be- 
 liev'd by them, that no body would 
 live there. I had a great defire to fee 
 this place ; for altho' I am naturally as 
 fearful as another, yet am not afraid 
 of Ghofts; and if I were, our Com- 
 pany was fo numerous, as would an- 
 imate the greateft Coward : we ftruck 
 off a little to the left, and came to the 
 Borough of Quebara; the Mafter of 
 the Inn where we entred, had the 
 Keys of the Caftle; he told us, in 
 going along with us, 'That the Du- 
 
 ende,'
 
 57 
 
 ende,' which is to fay the Spirit, 
 'could not endure Company; yet if 
 we were a thoufand together, he 
 would, if he were minded, beat us all, 
 in fuch a manner, as to leave us for 
 dead.' I began to tremble; Don Fer- 
 nand de Toledo, and Don Frederic de 
 Cordonne, who gave me their Hands, 
 perceiving my Fear, burft out into 
 Laughter: I grew afham'd, and pre- 
 tended to gain Courage; and fo we 
 entred the Caftle, which might have 
 pafl for a fine one, had it been kept in 
 order: It had no Furniture, except an 
 old Tapiftry Hanging in a great Hall, 
 which reprefented the Amours of Don 
 Pedro the Cruel, and Donna Maria de 
 Padilla: fhe is reprefented fitting like 
 a Queen in the midft of other Ladies, 
 and the King placing on her Head a 
 Crown of Flowers: In another part 
 Ihe fate under the fhade of a Wood, 
 the King (hewing her a Hawk on his 
 Fift: And again, in another, Ihe ap- 
 pears in a Warner's Drefs, and the 
 
 King
 
 58 
 
 King in Armour prefents her with a 
 Sword; which makes me believe that 
 fhe had been in fome Warlike Expe- 
 dition with him. She was very ill 
 reprefented; and Don Fernand told 
 me, ' He had feen her Effigies elfe- 
 where, by which (he appeared to be 
 the moft beautiful and moft cruel 
 Woman of her time; and that the 
 Figures in this Tapiftry refembled 
 neither her nor the King: his Name; 
 Cypher, and Arms were every-where 
 on it.' We went up into a Tower, 
 on the top of which was a Dungeon, 
 and 'twas there where the Spirit in- 
 habited; but without doubt he was 
 abroad, for we neither faw nor heard 
 him, or any of his Companions; and 
 having feen fufficiently this great 
 Building, we left it to purfue our 
 Journey. In approaching Victoria, 
 we paft over a moft delightful Plain, 
 at the end of which ftands a Town 
 fituated in this Province of Spain, I 
 lately mention'd, call'd Alava; this is 
 
 the
 
 59 
 
 the Capital Town of it, as well as the 
 firft of Caftille : It is inclofed with two 
 Walls, one of which is old, and the 
 other new; befides this, it has no 
 other Fortifications. After I had re- 
 frefh'd myfelf a while here, 'twas pro- 
 pofed to me to go to a Play; but in 
 tarrying till it began, I had no fmall 
 Diverfion, in feeing come into the 
 moft fpacious place of the Town, four 
 Companies of young Men, preceded 
 by Drums and Trumpets: they march- 
 ed feveral times round, and in fine, 
 immediately began the Fight with 
 Snow-balls, which they threw at one 
 another with fuch Fiercenefs, that they 
 were all very well pelted in the end : 
 they were above two hundred who 
 fought this Battle. To tell you of 
 thofe who fell, or recovered their Feet 
 again, and the Shouts and Acclama- 
 tions of the People, will be need- 
 lefs; and I was obliged to leave them 
 thus engaged, to go to the place where 
 the Play was to be reprefented. 
 
 When
 
 6o 
 
 When I entred into the Room, the 
 People fet forth an hollowing, Mira, 
 mira ! which is to fay, Look, look ! 
 The Decoration of the Theatre was 
 not over Magnificent; it was rais'd 
 on Barrels, and ill-rang'd Planks; the 
 Windows of the Room were open, 
 for they ufed no Candles or Flam- 
 beaux ; whence you can eafily imagine 
 this much takes away from the Beauty 
 of the Sight. They acted the Life of 
 St. Anthony; and when the Players 
 faid any thing which pleas'd the Com- 
 pany, all the People cried out, Victoria, 
 Victoria; I was informed this was the 
 Cuftom of the Country. I obferv'd 
 the Devil was no other ways clad than 
 the reft, having only a pair of Stock- 
 ings of a Flame colour, and a pair of 
 Horns to diftinguilh him. This Com- 
 edy confifted only of three Acts, and 
 they are all no more: at the end of 
 each ferious Act, another began of 
 Farce and Pleafantry, wherein ap- 
 pear'd him they called El Graciofo, 
 
 which
 
 6i 
 
 which is to fay, the Buffoon, who, 
 among much infipid Stuff, fays fome- 
 times fomething that is lefs naufeous : 
 The Interludes were mixt with Dances, 
 to the found of the Harps and Guitars : 
 The Adors had Caftagnets, and a little 
 Hat on their Heads, without which 
 they never Dance, and then 'tis a 
 Saraband; they feem not to walk, 
 they flip along fo lightly. Their man- 
 ner is wholly different from ours: 
 they move too much their Arms, and 
 often pafs their Hands on their Hats 
 and Face, and that with no ill Grace; 
 they play admirably well on the 
 Caftagnets. 
 
 As to the reft, (Dear Coufm) I 
 would not have you think thefe Aft- 
 ors, for being in a little City, do much 
 differ from those of Madrid. I was 
 told that thofe of the King are a little 
 better; but, in a word, both act what 
 they call Las Comedias Famofas, 
 which is to fay, The fineft and moft 
 famous Comedies; which in truth are 
 
 very
 
 62 
 
 very ridiculous: For Example, when 
 St. Anthony faid his Confiteor, which 
 he did often enough, all the Specta- 
 tors fell down on their Knees, and 
 gave themfelves fuch rude Mea Cul- 
 pa's as was enough to beat the breath 
 out of their Bodies. 
 
 Here would be a proper place to 
 fpeak of their Habits; but you had 
 better excufe me till I come to Madrid, 
 left I tire you with Repetitions: Yet 1 
 muft tell you, that all the Ladies I faw 
 in this Company, had a prodigious 
 quantity of Red, which begins juft 
 under the Eye, and paffes from the 
 Chin to the Ears, and Shoulders, to 
 their very Hands; fo that I never faw 
 any Radifhes of a finer Colour. 
 
 The Lady Governnefs of the Town 
 drew near to me; fhe juft toucht my 
 Cloaths, and haftily drew back her 
 Hand as if fhe had burnt her Fingers. 
 I bid her in Spanifh not to be afraid: 
 She at length familiariz'd herfelf, and 
 told me, ' 'Twas not through fear of 
 
 any
 
 63 
 
 any thing elfe but of difpleafing me: 
 that 'twas no new thing to her to fee 
 French Ladies: and that if (he might, 
 (he would gladly drefs herfelf after 
 their Fafhion.' She ordered Choco- 
 late to be brought her, with which 
 (he prefented me; which is far better 
 here than in France. The Play being 
 ended, I took my Leave of her, having 
 thanked her for her Civilities. 
 
 The next Morning, as I entred the 
 Church to hear Mafs, I efpied an Her- 
 mit, who had the Air of a Perfon of 
 Quality, and yet begg'd an Alms of 
 me, with fuch great Humility, that I 
 was greatly furpriz'd at it: Don Fer- 
 nand having notice of it, drew near, 
 and faid to me, 'The Perfon whom 
 you behold, Madam, is of an Illuftrious 
 Family, and of great Merit, but his 
 Fortune very Unhappy.' 
 
 ' You raife in me,' faid I to him, 'a 
 great Curiofity to know more; and 
 therefore I muft beg your Favour to 
 fatisfie it.' 'You may command any 
 
 thing
 
 6 4 
 
 thing of me,' replied he, 'Madam; 
 but I am not fo thoroughly inform'd 
 of his Adventures, to undertake the 
 relating them to you; and I believe 
 'twere better I engage him into a Re- 
 cital of them himfelf.' He left me, 
 and went immediately to Embrace 
 him, with the greateft Civilities and 
 Tendernefs: Don Frederic de Car- 
 donne, and Don Efteve de Carvajal, 
 had already accofted him, as their old 
 Acquaintance; and when Don Fer- 
 nand had joyn'd them, they all earneft- 
 ly intreated him to come with them 
 when Mafs was over. He as earneftly 
 excufed himfelf; but being told, I was 
 a Stranger, and much importuned, 
 that I might learn from himfelf, what 
 had oblig'd him to turn Hermit; he at 
 length confented, on condition I would 
 permit him to bring one of his Friends, 
 who was perfectly knowing in what 
 related to him: 'Do us Juftice,' con- 
 tinued he, ' and judge whether 'tis fit 
 for me to relate fuch Particularities in 
 
 this
 
 65 
 
 this Habit I wear.' They found he 
 had Reafon, and pray'd him to bring 
 his Friend, which he did a while after 
 I was at my Lodgings: He prefented 
 a very fine Cavalier to me; and taking 
 leave of us very civilly, he told him, 
 ' He fhould be oblig'd to him, if he 
 would fatisfie the Curiofity which 
 Don Fernand de Toledo had giv'n me, 
 of knowing the Spring of his Misfor- 
 tunes.' This Gentleman took place 
 by me, and began in thefe Terms: 
 
 ' I think myfelf very Happy, Madam, 
 that my Friend has chofen me to fat- 
 isfie the Defire you have of knowing 
 his Adventures; but I fear I fhall not 
 acquit myfelf fo well as I would: The 
 Perfon whofe Hiftory you wou'd learn, 
 has been one of the fmeft Gentlemen 
 in the World; it would be hard to 
 make a Judgment of him now; he is 
 buried, as it were in his Hermit's 
 Habit. He was an exceeding graceful 
 Perfon, well fhaped, of an excellent 
 Meine, and Noble Air: And in fine, 
 
 had
 
 66 
 
 had all the Accomplifhments, both 
 Natural and Acquired, of a Perfon of 
 Quality, being liberal, witty and brave. 
 He was born at Cagliari, Capital of the 
 Ifle of Sardogne, one of the moft il- 
 luftrious and richeft Families of all 
 that Country. 
 
 ' He was brought up with one of his 
 Coufin-Germans ; and the fympathy 
 which was found in their Humours, 
 and Inclinations, was fo great, that 
 they were more ftridly united by 
 Friendthip than Blood: they had no 
 Secret from each other. And when 
 the Marquifs Barbaran was married 
 (which was his Coufm's Name,) their 
 Friendfhip continued in the fame 
 force. 
 
 ' He married one of the fineft Women 
 in the World, and the moft Accom- 
 phifht; fhe was then not above Four- 
 teen : She was Heirefs to a very Noble 
 Eftate and Family. The Marquefs 
 every day difcovered new Charms in 
 the Wit and Perfon of his Wife, which 
 
 like-
 
 6 7 
 
 likewife increafed every day his Paf- 
 fion. He fpeaks without ceafing, of 
 his Happinefs, to Don Lewis de Bar- 
 baran; which is the Name, Madam, 
 of my Friend; and when any Affairs 
 oblig'd the Marquefs to leave her, he 
 conjured him to ftay with the Mar- 
 chionefs, thereby to leffen the Trouble 
 of his Abfence. But alas ! how hard 
 is it when one is at an Age uncapable 
 of ferious Reflections, to fee continu- 
 ally fo fine a Woman, fo young and 
 aimable; and to fee her with Indiffer- 
 ence ! Don Lewis was already def- 
 perately in Love with the Marchionefs, 
 and thought then 'twas only for her 
 Husband's fake: Whilft he was in this 
 Miftake, fhe fell dangeroufly fick; at 
 which he grew fo dreadful melan- 
 cholly, that he then knew, but too 
 late, this was caus'd by a Paffion 
 which would prove the greateft Mif- 
 fortune of his whole Lire. Finding 
 himfelf then in this condition, and 
 having not ftrength to refift it, he re- 
 
 folv'd
 
 68 
 
 folv'd to ufe the utmoft Extremity, 
 and to fly and avoid a place where he 
 was in danger of dying with Love, or 
 breaking through the Bonds of Friend- 
 fhip. The moft cruel Death wou'd 
 have feem gentler than the Execution 
 of this Defign : When the Marchion- 
 efs beginning to grow better, he went 
 to her to bid her Adieu, and fee her 
 no more. 
 
 ' He found her bufied in choofing 
 among feveral Stones of great price, 
 thofe which were the fineft, which 
 Ihe intended to have fet in a Ring, 
 Don Lewis was fcarce entred the 
 Chamber, but fhe defired him, with 
 that Air of Familiarity ufual among 
 Relations, to go and fetch her other 
 Stones which fhe moreover had in her 
 Cabinet. He ran thither, and by an 
 unexpected good hap, lound among 
 what he lookt for, the Picture en- 
 amell'd of the Marchionefs, in little, 
 fet with Diamonds, and incircled with 
 a Lock of her Hair; it was fo like, 
 
 that
 
 69 
 
 that he had not the power to with- 
 ftand the defire he had of ftealing it: 
 "I am going to leave her," faid he, 
 "I fhall fee her no more; I facrifice 
 all my quiet to her Husband: Alas ! 
 is not this enough ? And may I not 
 without a Crime, fearch in my Pain a 
 Confolation fo innocent as this." He 
 kift feveral times this Picture; he put 
 it under his Arm, he carefully hid it, 
 and returning towards her with thefe 
 Stones, he tremblingly told her the 
 Refolution he had taken of Travelling. 
 She appear'd much amazed at it, and 
 chang'd her colour. He lookt on her 
 at this moment; he had the pleafure 
 of perceiving it; and their Eyes be- 
 ing of Intelligence, fpake more than 
 their Words: "Alas! What can 
 oblige you, Don Lewis," faid (he to 
 him, "to leave us? Your Coufm 
 loves you fo tenderly; I efteem you; 
 we are never pleas'd without you; he 
 cannot live from you: Have you not 
 already travelled ? You have without 
 
 doubt
 
 70 
 
 doubt fome other Reafon for your 
 Departure, but at leaft do not hide it 
 from me." Don Lewis, pierc'd through 
 with forrow, could not forbear utter- 
 ing a deep Sigh, and taking one of the 
 delicate Hands of the Charming Per- 
 fon, on which he fixt his Mouth, " Ah, 
 Madam, What do you ask me ? " faid 
 he to her, "What would you have 
 me fay to you ? And indeed, What 
 can I fay to you, in the Condition I 
 am in?" The Violence he ufed, to 
 conceal his Sentiments, caus'd him 
 fuch a great Weaknefs, that he fell 
 half dead at her Feet. She remained 
 troubled and confufed at this fight: 
 She oblig'd him to fit down by her; 
 Ihe dared not lift up her Eyes to 
 look on him; but Ihe let him fee 
 Tears, which fhe could not forbear 
 fhedding, nor refolve to conceal from 
 him. 
 
 ' Scarcely were they come to them- 
 felves, when the Marquefs entred into 
 the Chamber. He came to embrace 
 
 Don
 
 71 
 
 Don Lewis with all the Teftimonies 
 of a perfect Friendfhip, and he was in 
 the greateft trouble, when he under- 
 ftood he parted for Naples. He 
 omitted no Arguments to perfwade 
 him from it, preft his ftay with the 
 greateft Earneftnefs, but all in vain. He 
 there immediately took his leave of 
 the Marchionefs, and faw her no more. 
 The Marquefs went out with him, he 
 left him not till the moment of his 
 Departure. This was an Augmen- 
 tation of Don Lewis's Sorrow; he 
 would have willingly remained alone 
 to have an intire Liberty of afflicting 
 himfelf. 
 
 'The Marchionefs was fenfibly af- 
 flicted at this Separation: She had 
 perceived he loved her, before he had 
 known thus much himfelf; and fhe 
 had found in him fuch fingular Merit, 
 that for her part too fhe had loved 
 him without knowing it; but fhe 
 found this to her Coft after his De- 
 parture : Recovering but lately from a 
 
 danger-
 
 72 
 
 dangerous Sicknefs, of which fhe was 
 not perfectly cured, this unhappy Ac- 
 cident made her fall into a languifh- 
 ing Indifpofition, as foon rendred her 
 quite another body; her Duty, her 
 Reafon, her Vertue equally perfecuted 
 her: She was greatly fenfible of her 
 Husband's Refpeds to her, and fhe 
 could not fuffer but with great Sor- 
 row, that another fhould take up her 
 Thoughts, and have fo great a place in 
 her Affections. She dared not any 
 more mention the Name of Don 
 Lewis; fhe never made any Enquiries 
 after him; fhe made it an ind.if- 
 penfable Duty to forget him: This 
 Violence which fhe ufed on herfelf, 
 was like a continual Martyrdom; fhe 
 made one of her Women, In whom 
 fhe moft confided, the Repofitory of 
 this Secret: "Am I not very un- 
 happy ?" faid fhe, " I muft wifh never 
 again to fee a Man, towards whom it 
 is impoffible for me to be in a ftate of 
 Indifference; his Perfon is always be- 
 fore
 
 73 
 
 fore mine Eyes; nay, I think fome- 
 times I fee him in the Perfon of my 
 Husband; the Refemblance which is 
 between them, ferves only to nourilh 
 my Affection towards him. Alas ! 
 Mariana, I muft die, to expiate this 
 Crime, although it be an involuntary 
 one; I have only this means to get rid 
 of a Paffion of which 1 cannot hitherto 
 be Miftrefs: Alas, what have I not 
 done to ftifle it, this Paffion which 
 yet is dear to me." She accompany'd 
 thefe Words with a thoufand Sighs; 
 She melted into Tears; and though 
 this Woman had had a great deal of 
 Wit and Affection to her Miftrefs, yet 
 fhe could fay nothing to her could 
 yield her any Comfort. 
 
 ' The Marquefs in the mean time, 
 every day reproacht his Wife with her 
 Indifferency to Don Lewis: "I can- 
 not fuffer," faid he to her, "that you 
 Ihould think fo little on the Man I 
 love above all the World, and who 
 had fo much Complaifance and Friend- 
 
 fhip
 
 74 
 
 Ihip for you : I muft needs fay, this is 
 a kind of Hardnefs, which would 
 make one judge untowardly of the 
 Tendernefs of your Heart; At leaft, 
 you muft grant, Madam, that he was 
 fcarcely gone, but you forgot him." 
 " What good would my remembring 
 him do him?" faid the Marchionefs 
 with a languifhing Air, "Do not you 
 fee he avoids us ? Would he not have 
 been (till with us, if he had any real 
 Kindnefs for us ? Believe me, my 
 Lord, he deferves a little that we 
 fhould forfake him in our turn." 
 Whatever fhe could fay, repel'd not 
 the Marquefs; he ftill importun'd her 
 to write to Don Lewis to Return. 
 One Day among the reft, fhe was 
 gotten into his Clofet to fpeak to him 
 about fome Affairs; fhe found him 
 bufied in reading a Letter of D. Lewis, 
 which he lately receiv'd. 
 
 'She would have retir'd; but he 
 took this opportunity to oblige her to 
 do what he would have her; he told 
 
 her
 
 her very ferioufly, " That he could no 
 longer bear the Abfence of his Coufin; 
 that he was refolv'd to go find him; 
 that 'twas already two Years fince he 
 had been gone, without intimating 
 any defire of returning to his Friends 
 and Country; that he was perfwaded 
 he would yield a greater Deference to 
 her Requefts than his; that he con- 
 jured her to write to him: And that 
 in fine, fhe might chufe either to give 
 him this Satisfaction, or be content to 
 fee him part for Naples, where Don 
 Lewis was to make forne ftay." She 
 remain'd furpriz'd, and perplext at 
 this Propofal; but knowing he ex- 
 pected with great Impatience her De- 
 termination, "What would you have 
 me fay to him, my Lord ? " faid fhe 
 to him with a forrowful Countenance, 
 "Dictate this Letter to me, I will 
 write it; I can do no more; and I be- 
 lieve this is more than I ought." The 
 Marquefs, tranfported with Joy, moft 
 affectionately embrac'd her ; he thank'd 
 
 her
 
 76 
 
 her for her Compliance, and made her 
 write thefe Words: 
 
 " TF you have any Kindnefs for us, 
 defer not your Return; I have 
 very urgent Reafons to defire it. I 
 am not a little concern'd that you 
 Ihew fuch Indifference towards us, 
 which is an unqueftionable Indication 
 that you take no Delight in our Com- 
 pany. Return, Don Lewis, I earneftly 
 wifh it; I intreat you: And if it were 
 fit for me to ufe more urgent Terms, 
 I would fay, perhaps, I Command you 
 to do it." 
 
 'The Marquefs made a fingle Pac- 
 quet of this fatal Letter, to the end 
 Don Lewis might not think 'twas by 
 his Order the Marchionefs had wrote 
 it; and having fent it to the Currier, 
 he expected the Succefs with extra- 
 ordinary Impatience. What became 
 of this Lover at the fight of fo dear 
 and unexpected an Order ! Although 
 
 he
 
 77 
 
 he had remarkt Difpofitions of Ten- 
 dernefs in the Countenance of this 
 fair Perfon, yet he dared not promife 
 himfelf Ihe could defire his Return; 
 his Reafon revolted againft his Joy: 
 "How Unhappy a Wretch am I?" 
 faid he, "I Adore the moft Aimable 
 of all Women, and yet I dare not of- 
 fer to pleafe her ! fhe has a Kindnefs 
 for me, yet Honour and Friendfhip 
 with-hold me from making the leaft 
 Advantage of it. What (hall I do 
 then, O Heavens ! What lhall I do ! 
 I flatter'd my felf, that Abfence would 
 Cure me: Alas ! this is a Remedy 
 which I have fruitlefly tried; I have 
 never caft mine Eyes on her Picture, 
 but have found myfelf more in Love, 
 and more Miferable than when I faw 
 her every day. I muft obey her, (he 
 commands my Return; (he defires to 
 fee me, and (he cannot be ignorant of 
 my Paffion: When I took my Leave 
 of her, my Eyes declared to her the 
 Secret of my Heart: And when I call 
 
 to
 
 78 
 
 to mind what I faw in hers, all my 
 Reflections then are to no purpofe; 
 for I refolve rather to die at her Feet, 
 than to live remote from her." 
 
 ' He parted without any delay, and 
 without taking leave of his Friends. 
 He left a Gentleman to Excufe him 
 towards them, and to order his Af- 
 fairs. He was in fuch great hafte to 
 fee the Marchionefs, that he ufed fuch 
 Diligence to be with her, that no 
 body but he could have done: In ar- 
 riving at Cagliary, Capital of Sardagne, 
 he underftood that the Marquefs and 
 his Wife were at a ftately Country- 
 houfe, where the Vice-Roy was gone 
 to give them a Vifit, with all his 
 Court. He learnt moreover, that the 
 Marquefs de Barbaran prepared for 
 him a great Feaft, where there were 
 to be held Jufts or Turnaments, after 
 the Ancient Manner of the Mores: He 
 was the Defendant, and was to main- 
 tain, "That a Husband beloved, is 
 Happier than a Lover." 
 
 ' Several
 
 79 
 
 'Several Gentlemen that were not 
 of this Opinion, were preparing them- 
 felves to go and difpute the Prize, 
 which the Marchionefs, at the Vice- 
 Queen's Intreaty, was to give to the 
 Conquerour; Twas a Scarf embroi- 
 dered with her own Hands, wrought 
 with Cyphers: No one was to appear 
 but maskt and difguifed, to the end 
 all might be freer and more gallant. 
 
 ' Don Lewis had a fecret Defpight, in 
 comprehending the Marquefs fo well 
 fatisfied: "He is belov'd," faid he, 
 "I cannot but look on him as my 
 Rival, and as an Happy Rival; but we 
 muft endeavour to difturb his Happi- 
 nefs, in triumphing over his vain 
 Glory." Having formed this Defign, 
 he would not appear in Town; he 
 caus'd to be made a Suit of ftrip'd 
 Green Satin, embroidered with Gold, 
 and all his Liveries were of the fame 
 Colour, to denote his new Hopes. 
 
 'When he entred into the Lisfts, 
 everybody had their Eyes on him; his 
 
 Mag-
 
 8o 
 
 Magnificence and his Air gave Emu- 
 lation to the Cavaliers, and great Cu- 
 riofity to the Ladies. The Marchionefs 
 felt a fecret Emotion, of which Ihe 
 could not difcover the Caufe : He was 
 placed very near the Balcony, where 
 fhe fate with the Vice-Queen; but 
 there was no Lady there which did 
 not lofe all her Luftre near that of the 
 Marchionefs; her youthful Air, which 
 exceeded not eighteen Years, her 
 lovely white and red Cheeks, her 
 Eyes fo fweet and graceful, her Scar- 
 let and little Mouth, agreeable Smiles, 
 and her Shape, which furpaft the 
 Faireft, made her the Admiration of 
 all the World. 
 
 ' Don Lewis was fo ravifh'd in fee- 
 ing her fo charming, and to obferve 
 yet in her Countenance a languifhing 
 forrowful Air, that he flattered himfelf 
 to have therein a part; and this was 
 the firft Moment wherein he thought 
 himfelf Happy. When his turn came, 
 he ran againft the Marquefs, and fmote 
 
 him
 
 8i 
 
 him fo dexteroufly, that he got the 
 Advantage all along of him : fo that in 
 a word, he gain'd the Prize with a 
 general Applaufe, and with every 
 one's good-liking. He threw him- 
 felf at the Marchionefs's Feet, to re- 
 ceive it at her Hands; he altered the 
 Tone of his Voice, and fpeaking to 
 her with his Mask on, low enough 
 not to be heard but only by her: 
 "Divine Perfon," faid he to her, "be 
 pleas'd to obferve what Fortune de- 
 cides in favour of Lovers." He dar'd 
 not fay more to her; and without 
 knowing him, fhe gave him the Prize, 
 with this natural Grace with which 
 all her Actions were accompanied. 
 
 ' He fuddenly withdrew himfelf, for 
 fear of being known ; for this might 
 have been an occafion of Quarrel 
 between the Marquefs and him; and 
 without doubt he would not have 
 eafily pardon'd the Victory he ob- 
 tain'd over him. This oblig'd him to 
 keep himfelf ftill conceal'd for fome 
 
 Days.
 
 82 
 
 Days. The Vice-Roy and his Lady 
 return'd to Cagliari, and the Marquefs 
 and Marchionefs accompanied them 
 thither, with the whole Court. 
 
 ' Don Lewis then fhew'd himfelf; 
 he pretended he juft then arriv'd, 
 and made as if he knew not what had 
 paft in the Field. The Marquefs de 
 Barbaran was tranfported with Joy in 
 feeing him; and Abfence had not at 
 all altered the Affection he had for 
 this dear Relation. He had no diffi- 
 cult task to find a favourable moment 
 wherein to entertain his aimable 
 Marchionefs; he had as much liberty 
 in their Lodgings as in his own; and 
 you may well judge, Madam, that he 
 forgot not to mention the Prize he 
 had receiv'd from her fair Hands. 
 "How wretched am I," faid he to 
 her, "that you did not know me? 
 Alas, Madam, I flattered myfelf, that 
 by fome fecret Pre-fentiments you 
 would learn, that no one but I could 
 fuftain with fuch Paffion the Caufe of 
 
 Lovers
 
 83 
 
 Lovers againft Husbands." "No my 
 Lord," faid fhe to him, with an Angry 
 and Difdainful Air, to take away all 
 Hope from him, " I could never have 
 imagin'd that you could have been 
 Patron of fo foul a Caufe ; and I could 
 not have believ'd you could have taken 
 fuch ftrong Engagements at Naples, 
 that you fhould come as far as Sar- 
 dagne to Triumph over a Friend who 
 maintain'd my Interefts as well as his 
 own." "I fhall die with Regret, Ma- 
 dam," faid Don Lewis, " if I have dif- 
 pleas'd you in what I have done; and 
 were you more favourably difpofed, 
 and I might dare to make you my 
 Confident, it would be no hard matter 
 for me to perfuade you, that it is not 
 at Naples I have left the Object of my 
 Vows." 
 
 ' The Marchionefs apprehending left 
 he fhould fpeak more than fhe was 
 willing to hear, and appear livelily 
 toucht with the Reproach fhe made 
 him, fhe put on a more pleafing Coun- 
 tenance,
 
 tenance, and turning the Converfation 
 into a Tone of Raillery, anfwer'd him, 
 " He took too ferioufly what fhe had 
 faid to him." He dared not make ufe 
 of this occafion to declare his Love to 
 her; for though he lov'd her above all 
 things, yet he refpecled her no lefs. 
 
 ' When he had left her, he began to 
 blame himfelf for his Fearfulnefs: 
 "Shall I," faid he, "always fuffer 
 without feeking any Remedy ! " It 
 was fome time before he could meet 
 with a favourable occafion, becaufe the 
 Marchionefs ftudioufly avoided him; 
 but being come one Night where (he 
 was, he found her alone in an inward 
 room, lying on a Bed in a mod lovely 
 manner, and moft becoming Undrefs, 
 her Hair being faftned with Knots of 
 Diamonds, hung carelefly about her 
 Breafts: The Trouble fhe felt in fee- 
 ing Don Lewis, appear'd on her Coun- 
 tenance, and rendred her yet more 
 lovely: He drew near her with an Aw- 
 ful and Refpe&ful Air, fell down on his 
 
 Knees
 
 85 
 
 Knees by her; he lookt on her for 
 fome time, not daring to fpeak, but 
 becoming a little more bold, "If you 
 confider, Madam," faid he to her, 
 "the piteous Condition whereto you 
 have reduced me, you will eafily com- 
 prehend that it is no longer in my pow- 
 er to keep Silence: I could not avoid 
 fuch inevitable Stroaks as you have 
 given me; I have adored you as foon 
 as I faw you: I have endeavour'd to 
 Cure myfelf in flying from you; I have 
 offered the greateft Violence to my- 
 felf, in endeavouring to mafter my 
 Paffion. You have recall'd me, Ma- 
 dam, from my Voluntary Exile, and I 
 die a thoufand times a Day, uncertain 
 ofmyDeftiny: If you be Cruel enough 
 to refufe me your Pity, fuffer at leaft, 
 that having made known to you my 
 Paffion, I may die with Grief at your 
 Feet." The Marchionefs was fome 
 time without refolving to anfwer him ; 
 but at length, gaining Affurance, " I 
 acknowledge," faid fhe, "Don Lewis, 
 
 that
 
 86 
 
 that I am not wholly ignorant of one 
 part of your Sentiments, but I was 
 willing to perfwade myfelf 'twas the 
 Effects of an Innocent Affection: 
 Make me not a Partner of your Crime ; 
 you commit one, when you betray 
 the Friendfhip due to my Husband: 
 But, alas, you will pay but too dearly 
 for this ; for I know that Duty forbids 
 you to Love me; and in my Refpecl, 
 it does not only forbid me to love 
 you, but to fly from you : 1 will do it, 
 Don Lewis, I will avoid you; and I 
 do not know, whether 1 ought not to 
 Hate you: But, alas, it feems impof- 
 fible to me to do it." " What do you 
 then, Madam," anfwer'd he, inter- 
 rupting her, being full of Grief and 
 Defpair, "when you pronounce the 
 Sentence of my Death ? You cannot 
 Hate me, fay you; Do you not Hate 
 me, and do you not do me all the 
 Mifchief you are able, when you re- 
 folve to avoid me ? Make an end, 
 Madam, make an end, leave not your 
 
 Yen-
 
 87 
 
 Vengeance imperfect; facrifice me to 
 your Duty, and your Husband; for 
 my Life cannot but be odious, if you 
 take from me the Hopes of pleafing 
 you." She lookt on him at this in- 
 ftant with Eyes full of Languifhment: 
 "Don Lewis," faid fhe to him, "you 
 reproach me with what I would de- 
 ferve." In ending thefe words, (he 
 arofe, fearing greatly, left her Affection 
 fhould triumph over her Reafon; and 
 notwithstanding his endeavours to 
 with-hold her, fhe paft into a Cham- 
 ber where her Women were. 
 
 ' She thought fhe had gained much 
 on herfelf in forcing her way out of 
 this Converfation without anfwering 
 fo favourably as her Heart could have 
 wifht; but Love is a Seducer, which 
 muft not be in any fort hearkened to, 
 if one will not be totally overcome by 
 him. From that day Don Lewis be- 
 gan to think himfelf Happy, though 
 he wanted many things to compleat 
 his Felicity. The Marchionefs, in ef- 
 
 fed,
 
 fed, had a Principle of Vertue which 
 oppofed itfelf always with Succefs to 
 the defires of her Lover. 
 
 ' He had no longer thofe Scruples 
 of Friendfhip for the Marquefs de Bar- 
 baran which had fo greatly difturbed 
 his Mind; Love had perfectly banifht 
 Friendfhip; nay, he even fecretly 
 hated him. 
 
 ' In fine, Don Lewis flattering him- 
 felf, that perhaps he might find a 
 favourable moment to affect the Mar- 
 chionefs's Heart with fome Pity; he 
 carefully fought it; and to find it, one 
 day when 'twas very hot, knowing 
 that the Marchionefs was wont to re- 
 tire to Repofe herfelf after Dinner, as 
 it is cuftomary in that Country, he 
 came to her, doubting not but every 
 body was afleep in the Houfe. 
 
 ' She was in a Ground-Room which 
 lookt into the Garden ; all was faft and 
 fhut clofe, fave a little Window, 
 whereby he faw on her Bed this 
 charming Creature : She was in a pro- 
 found
 
 found Sleep, half undreft; he had the 
 time to difcover fuch Beauties as (till 
 augmented the force of his Paffion. 
 He approach! fo foftly to her, that fhe 
 did not awake: It was already fome 
 moments that he had lookt on her 
 with all the Tranfports of a Man 
 amazed, when feeing her naked 
 Breafts, he could not forbear kiffing 
 them. She arofe on a fudden; fhe 
 had not her Eyes open; the Chamber 
 was dark, and fhe could never have 
 believ'd Don Lewis could have been 
 fo bold. I have already told you, 
 Madam, that he refembled the Mar- 
 quefs de Barbaran ; She did not doubt 
 then but it was he, and calling him 
 feveral times, " her dear Marquefs and 
 Husband," fhe tenderly embrac'd him. 
 He well knew his Error; whatever 
 Pleafure it procured him, he could 
 have wifhed to have ow'd this only 
 to his Miftrefs's Favours. But, O 
 Heavens, how unfortunately it hapned ! 
 The Marquefs came in this danger- 
 ous
 
 90 
 
 ous moment; and 'twas not without 
 the greateft fury he faw the Liberty 
 Don Lewis took with his Wife. At 
 the noife he had made in entring, fhe 
 had turn'd her Eyes towards the Door, 
 and feeing her Husband enter, whom 
 fhe thought fhe had already in her 
 arms, it is impoffible to reprefent her 
 Affliction and Aftonifhment. 
 
 ' Don Lewis amaz'd at this Acci- 
 dent, flatter'd himfelf, that perhaps he 
 was not known : He paft immediately 
 into the Gallery, and finding a Win- 
 dow was opened into the Garden, he 
 threw himfelf out of it, and immedi- 
 ately paft through a Back-door. The 
 Marquefs purfued him, without being 
 able to overtake him : In returning the 
 fame way he came, he unhappily 
 found the Marchionefs's Picture, which 
 Don Lewis had dropt as he ran; he 
 immediately made moft cruel Reflec- 
 tions hereupon: This Picture of his 
 Wife, which Don Lewis had let fall, 
 and the fight of her embracing him, 
 
 all
 
 all this made him no longer doubt of 
 his Wives Falfhood: " I am betray'd," 
 Cry'd he, "by her whom I loved 
 dearer than my own Life : Was there 
 ever a more Unhappy Man in the 
 World ? " In ending thefe Words, he 
 returned to his Wives Chamber. She 
 immediately threw herfelf at his Feet, 
 and melting into Tears, would have 
 juftify'd herfelf, and make known to 
 him her Innocency; but the Spirit of 
 Jealoufie had fo fully poffeft him, that 
 he violently repreft her: He harkned 
 only to the Tranfports of his Rage and 
 Defpair, and turning away his Eyes, 
 that he might not fee fo lovely an Ob- 
 ject, he had the Barbarity to ftrike his 
 Dagger into the Breaft of the moft 
 Beautiful and moft Vertuous Woman 
 in the World. She offered herfelf to 
 be flaughtered as an innocent Sacri- 
 fice, and her Soul iffued out in a 
 ftream of Blood. 
 
 "O God," cryed I, "O Imprudent 
 Don Lewis ! Why did you leave this 
 
 Charm-
 
 92 
 
 Charming Lady to the Fury of an 
 Amorous Husband, tranfported with 
 Jealoufie ! You might have fnatch'd 
 her out of his cruel Hands." "Alas, 
 Madam," replied this Gentleman, "he 
 know not what he did; for what 
 would he have done at another time 
 to have prevented fuch a Misfortune." 
 ' As foon as the unfortunate Mar- 
 chionefs had rendred her laft Breath, 
 her cruel Executioner fhut her Apart- 
 ment, took all the Money and Jewels 
 he had, mounted on Horfe-back, and 
 fled with all the fpeed he could. Don 
 Lewis reftlefs, and more Amorous 
 than ever, returned thither in the 
 Evening, notwithstanding whatever 
 might befal him: He was furpriz'd 
 when he was told the Marchionefs 
 was ftill afleep; he immediately went 
 into the Garden, and entred into the 
 Gallery, through the fame Window 
 which he had found open, and from 
 thence came into the Chamber: Twas 
 fo dark, that he was fain to walk 
 
 warily ;
 
 93 
 
 warily; when he felt fomething which 
 had like to have made him fall, he 
 ftooped down, and found it was a 
 dead Body; he uttered a great Shriek, 
 and doubting not but it was that of 
 his dear Miftrefs, he funk down with 
 Grief: Some of the Marchionefs's Wo- 
 men walking under the Windows of 
 her Apartment, heard Don Lewis's 
 Crys; they eafily got up through the 
 fame Window, and entred the Room. 
 What a fad Spectacle, what a lament- 
 able fight was this ? I cannot find 
 Words to denote to you the Horror 
 of this Spectacle. Don Lewis was no 
 fooner come to himfelf, by the force 
 of Remedies, but his Grief, Rage and 
 Defpair, broke out with fuch Violence, 
 that it was impoffible to calm him; 
 and I am perfwaded he had not out- 
 lived her whofe lofs he occafioned, if 
 the defire of Vengeance had not re- 
 animated him. 
 
 ' He parted like one furious in fearch 
 of the Marquefs de Barbaran; He 
 
 fought
 
 94 
 
 fought him every-where without hear- 
 ing any news of him; He ran over 
 Italy, traverft Germany, came into 
 Flanders, and paft into France. He 
 was told that the Marquefs was at 
 Valentia in Spain; he came there, and 
 met not with him. In fine, three 
 Years being paft, without finding the 
 means of facrificing his Enemy to his 
 Miftrefs's Ghoft, Divine Grace, which 
 is irrefiftible, and particularly on great 
 Souls, toucht his fo efficatioufly, that 
 he immediately changed his Defire of 
 Revenge into ferious Defires of leav- 
 ing the World, and minding only the 
 fitting himfelf for another Life. 
 
 ' Being fill'd with this Spirit he re- 
 turn'd into Sardagnia : He fold all his 
 Eftate, which he diftributed among 
 fome of his Friends, who with great 
 Merit were yet very poor; and by 
 this means became fo poor himfelf, 
 that he reduced himfelf to the begging 
 of Alms. 
 
 ' He had heretofore feen, in going 
 
 to
 
 95 
 
 to Madrid, a place very fit to make an 
 Hermitage, (it is towards Mount 
 Dragon;) this Mountain is almoft in- 
 acceffible, and you cannot pafs to it 
 but through an Overture, which is in 
 the midft of a great Rock; it is ftopt 
 up when the Snow falls, and the Her- 
 mitage lies buried more than fix 
 Months under it. Don Lewis made 
 one be built here, where he was 
 wont to pafs whole Years without 
 feeing any one. He made fuch Pro- 
 vifions as were neceffary, having good 
 Books, and thus remain'd in this dif- 
 mal Solitude; but this Year his Friends 
 forced him hither, by reafon of a great 
 Sicknefs, which had like to have 
 coft him his Life. It is four Years 
 fince he has led this Holy Spiritual 
 Life, and fo different from that to 
 which he was born, that it is with 
 great trouble he fees any of his Ac- 
 quaintance. 
 
 ' As to the Marquefs de Barbaran, 
 he has wholly left the Ifle of Sar- 
 
 dagnia,
 
 96 
 
 dagnia, where he has not the Liberty 
 to return. I am inform'd he is mar- 
 ried again at Anvers, to a Widow of 
 a Spaniard named Fonceca. 
 
 ' And it is he himfelf that has related 
 to one of my Friends the Particulari- 
 ties of his Crime; and he is fo furi- 
 oufly tortured with the remembrance 
 of it, that he imagines he continually 
 fees his Wife dying, and reproaching 
 him with his Fury and Jealoufie. In 
 a word, he has contracted fuch a deep 
 Malancholly, that his Death is thought 
 by every one to be near, or at the 
 leaft, the lofs of his Sences.' 
 
 The Gentleman here was filent; and 
 I not being able to forbear weeping at 
 fo Tragical a Relation, Don Fernand 
 de Toledo, who had obferv'd it, and 
 would not take notice of it, for fear 
 of interrupting the Relation, rally'd 
 me about my Tendernefs. telling me 
 how well he was pleafed to find me 
 fo Compaflionate, and that I fhould 
 not be long before I met with Ob- 
 
 je&s
 
 97 
 
 jefts fit to exercife it on. I did not fo 
 much mind the returning an anfwer to 
 him, as the Thanking this Gentleman, 
 who was pleas'd to entertain me with 
 the Recital of fo extraordinary an Ad- 
 venture: I intreated him to make my 
 Compliments to Don Lewis, and to 
 give him from me two Piftols, feeing 
 he lived on Alms. Don Fernand, 
 and each of the Cavaliers, gave as 
 much: ' Here is,' faid the Gentleman 
 to us, ' wherewith to enrich the Poor 
 of Victoria; for Don Lewis appropri- 
 ates not fuch great Charities as thefe 
 to himfelf.' We told him, he was the 
 Matter, and might difpofe of the 
 Money as he pleafed. But to return 
 to my Adventures : 
 
 Although I had a Pafport from the 
 King of Spain, the beft fpecified, and 
 moft general, as is poffible, yet I was 
 oblig'd to take a Billet from the Toll- 
 Houfe; for without this Precaution, 
 all my Cloaths had been confifcated : 
 'To what purpofe then is my Paf- 
 port?'
 
 98 
 
 port ? ' faid I to them. ' To none at 
 all,' replied they. The Surveyors and 
 Officers of the Cuftoms would not fo 
 much as caft their Eyes on it; they 
 told me, The King muft come and 
 affure them, that this Order was from 
 him. It is to no purpofe for any one 
 to alledge his being a Stranger, and ig- 
 norant of the Ufages of the Country : 
 For they drily anfwer, 'That the 
 Stranger's Ignorance makes the Span- 
 iard's Profit.' The ill Weather has 
 kept me here two Days, during which 
 I faw the Governnefs, and the Play. 
 The principal Place of this Town is 
 adorn'd with a very fair Fountain 
 ftanding in the midft: it is incircled 
 with the Town-Houfe, the Prifon, 
 two Convents, and feveral well-built 
 Houfes: Here is a New Town and an 
 Old one ; every body forfakes this lat- 
 ter to dwell in the other. Here are 
 very rich Merchants; their chief Trade 
 is at St. Sebaftian or Bilbo; they fend 
 great ftore of Iron to Grenada, Eftre- 
 
 madour,
 
 99 
 
 madour, Galicia, and other Parts of 
 the Kingdom. I obferv'd, that the 
 great Streets are fet with fine Trees, 
 which are watered with Streams run- 
 ning by them. From Mount St. 
 Adrian hither, it is feven Leagues. 
 In fine, I am juft fetting out, and muft 
 end this long Letter; it is late, and I 
 have fpoke to you fo much of what I 
 have feen, that I have faid nothing of 
 my Affections to you; Believe me, 
 however, Dear Coufm, that I am, and 
 ever fhall be 
 
 Yours. 
 
 From Vi&oria, 
 Feb. 24, 1673.
 
 IOO 
 
 L E TT E R III 
 
 Letters are fo long, that it is 
 hard to believe when I fmifh 
 them, that I have any thing elfe more 
 to tell you; yet, my dear Coufin, I 
 never clofe any, but there remains (till 
 sufficient for another: When I were 
 onely to fpeak to you of my Friend- 
 fhip, this would be an inexhauftible 
 Subject; you may make fome Judg- 
 ment of it from the Pleafure 1 find in 
 obeying your Commands. You are 
 defirous to know all the Particulars of 
 my Voyage, I will therefore go on to 
 relate them : 
 
 I fet out very late from Victoria, by 
 reafon of my ftay at the Governnefs's, 
 whom I before mention'd; and we 
 went to lie at Miranda; the Country is 
 very pleafant as far as Avigny; we 
 
 came
 
 A Town of Central Spain
 

 
 101 
 
 came afterwards by a difficult Way to 
 the Banks of the River Urola, whofe 
 Noife is the greater, in that 'tis full of 
 Rocks, on which the Water dalhes, 
 beats up, and falls down, and forms 
 natural Cafcades in feveral places: 
 We continu'd to afcend the high 
 Mountains of the Pyrenees, where we 
 ran a thoufand feveral Dangers: we 
 law the ancient Ruines of an old Caftle, 
 where Ghofts and Spirits have their 
 Apartments, as well as in that of Que- 
 bara, it is near Gargafon; and being 
 to (lop there to Ihew my Pafport, be- 
 caufe here certain Cuftoms are paid to 
 the King, I learnt from the Alcade of 
 the Borough, who drew near my Lit- 
 ter to talk with me, that it is the com- 
 mon Report of the Country, That 
 there were formerly a King and a 
 Queen here, who had fo fine and 
 beautiful a Woman to their Daughter, 
 that fhe was rather taken for a God- 
 defs than a Mortal Creature : fhe was 
 call'd Mira; and it is from her Name 
 
 came
 
 102 
 
 came the Mira of the Spaniards, 
 which is to fay, ' Look you ' ; for as 
 foon as ever (he appear'd, all the 
 People attentively beheld her, and 
 cried out, ' Mira, Mira ' ; and here's the 
 Etymology of a Word drawn far 
 enough. This Princefs was never 
 feen by any Body who became not 
 defperately in love with her; but her 
 Difdainfulnefs and Indifference made 
 all her Lovers pine away: The famous 
 Bafilisk never kill'd fo many People as 
 the Beautiful and Dreadful Mira; fhe 
 thus depopulated her Father's King- 
 dom, and all the Countries there- 
 abouts were full of the deceafed and 
 dying Lovers. After they had in vain 
 Addreft themfelves to her, they laftly 
 applied themfelves to Heaven, to de- 
 mand Vengeance on her Cruelty: The 
 Gods at length grew Angry, and the 
 Goddeffes were not much behind 
 them in the Exercife of this Paffion: 
 fo that to punifh her, the Scourges 
 of Heaven fmifh'd the Deftruclion of 
 
 her
 
 10} 
 
 her Father's Kingdom: In this gen- 
 eral Calamity he confulted the Oracle, 
 which told him, 'That all thefe Mif- 
 eries would not have an end, till Maria 
 had expiated the Mischiefs which her 
 Eyes had done; and that (he muft be 
 gone: That Deftiny would conduct 
 her to th' place where fhe was to lofe 
 her repofe and liberty.' The Princefs 
 obey'd, believing it impofible for her 
 to be touch'd with Tendernefs: She 
 carried only her Nurfe with her; (he 
 was clad like a fimple Shepherdefs, 
 left fhe fhould be taken notice of, 
 whether at Sea or Land. She ran 
 over a great Part of the World, com- 
 mitting every day two or three Doz- 
 en of Murthers ; for her Beauty was 
 not diminifht by the Fatigue of her 
 Travels: She arriv'd at length near 
 this old Caftle, which belong'd to a 
 young Count, call'd Nios, endowed 
 with a thoufand Perfections, but ex- 
 tream Proud and Referv'd: he pfent 
 his time in the Woods; as foon as 
 
 ever
 
 104 
 
 ever he perceiv'd a Woman, he fled 
 from her, and of all Things he faw in 
 the World, fhe was his greateft Aver- 
 fion. The beautiful Mira was refting 
 herfelf one day under the fhade of fome 
 Trees, when Nios paft by, cloathed 
 with a Lion's Skin, a Bow at his Gir- 
 dle, and a Mace on his Shoulder; his 
 Hair was all clotted together, and his 
 Face be-fmear'd like a Chimney- 
 Sweeper's, (this Circumstance is ob- 
 fervable) yet the Princefs thought him 
 the moft handfome Man in the World; 
 fhe ran after him as if fhe had been 
 mad ; and he ran from her as if he had 
 been in the fame condition: fhe loft 
 the fight of him ; fhe knew not where 
 to find him : fhe is now in the great- 
 eft Sorrow, weeping Day and Night 
 with her Nurfe. Nios return'd to the 
 Chafe; fhe faw him again, and would 
 have follow'd him: as foon as he per- 
 ceiv'd her, he did as at firft, and Mira 
 betook herfelf again to her Lamenta- 
 tions; but her Paffion giving her new 
 
 ftrength,
 
 105 
 
 ftrength, she out-ran him, ftopt him, 
 taking hold of his Locks, intreating 
 him to look on her, thinking this was 
 enough to engage him: He caft his 
 Eyes on her with as much Indiffer- 
 ence as if fhe had been an or- 
 dinary Perfon. Never Woman was 
 more furpriz'd; fhe would not leave 
 him; fhe came maugre him to his 
 Caftle : where, as foon as fhe had en- 
 tred, he there left her, and was no more 
 feen. The poor Mira, being not to be 
 comforted, died with Grief: And from 
 that time you hear deep Sighs and 
 Groans which come from the Caftle 
 of Nios. The young Wenches of the 
 Country are ufed to go there, and 
 carry her little Prefents of Fruits and 
 Milk, which they fet down at the 
 Mouth of a Cave, where no body 
 dare enter: they faid, this was to com- 
 fort her; but this has been abolifht as 
 fuperftitious. And though I believed 
 not a word of whatever was told me 
 at Garganson, in relation to Mira and 
 
 Nios,
 
 io6 
 
 Nios, yet I was pleas'd in the Recital 
 of this Story, of which I omit a thou- 
 fand Particulars, for fear of tiring you 
 by its length. My Waiting-woman 
 was fo affected with this Relation, 
 that fhe was for having us return back 
 again, to fet at the Mouth of the Cave 
 fome red Partridges, which my People 
 had bought: fhe imagin'd the Prin- 
 cefs's Ghoft would be mightily com- 
 forted in receiving this Teftimony of 
 our good Will; but for my part, I 
 thought I fhould be more content than 
 her, in having thofe Partridges for my 
 Supper. We paft the River of Urola, 
 on a great Stone-Bridge, and having 
 went over another, with difficulty 
 enough, by reafon of the melted Snow, 
 we arriv'd at Miranda d' Ebro; this is 
 a great Village, or a little Town: 
 here is a large place adorn'd with a 
 Fountain; the River Ebro, which is 
 one of the moft confiderable of Spain, 
 traverfes it : You fee on the Top of a 
 Mountain the Caftle, with feveral 
 
 Towers ;
 
 107 
 
 Towers; it appears to be of fome 
 ftrength ; and there iffues out fo great 
 a Stream from a Rock on which it is 
 built, that it turns feveral Mills: I 
 could not obferve any thing elfe worth 
 writing to you. 
 
 The three Knights I fpake of to you, 
 were arriv'd before me, and giv'n all 
 requifite Orders for Supper; fo we 
 eat together: And tho' the Night ap- 
 pear'd well advanced, becaufe the 
 Days are fhort in this Seafon, yet 
 'twas not late; fo that thefe Gentle- 
 men, who fhew'd me great Respect 
 and Civility, askt me, How I would 
 pafs the time ? 1 propofed to them the 
 playing at Ombre, and that I would 
 go Halves with Don Fernand de To- 
 ledo. They accepted the Offer: Don 
 Fernand de Cardonne faid, He had 
 rather Converfe with me than Play: 
 fo the three others began, and I for 
 fome time gave myfelf over to the 
 looking on them, with great Pleafure, 
 for their Way is quite different from 
 
 ours:
 
 108 
 
 ours: They never utter a word; I do 
 not fay, to complain, (for this would 
 be unworthy the Spanifh Gravity) but 
 to demand a gano, or to cut higher, 
 or to fhew that one may take fome 
 other Advantage: In a word, they 
 feem to be Statues, or Pieces of Ger- 
 man Clockwork, never appearing 
 tranfported with either good or bad 
 Luck. Among other Difcourfe which 
 I had with D. Fred, de Cardonne, he 
 told me, There were two obfervable 
 things in Catalonia, one of which is a 
 Mountain of Salt, partly white as 
 Snow, and the other part clearer and 
 more tranfparent than Chryftal: that 
 there is Blue, Green, Violet, Orange, 
 and a thoufand different Colours, 
 which yet lofes its tincture when 
 wetted; it continually forms itfelf, 
 and grows there: and though com- 
 monly the places where Salt is to be 
 found, are fo barren, that you fee not 
 fo much as an Herb, yet there are 
 here Pine-Trees of great height, and 
 
 excel-
 
 109 
 
 excellent Vineyards: When the Sun 
 darts its Rays on this Mountain, it 
 looks as if it wholly confifted of the 
 moft precious Stones in the World: 
 but the beft of it is, that it yields a 
 good Revenue. 
 
 The other Particular he mentioned 
 to me, was of a Fountain, whofe Water 
 is very good, and of the fame Coulour 
 as Claret : ' I have never heard any 
 thing of this,' faid I to him, 'but one 
 of my Relations, who has been in 
 Catalonia, has affured me there is a 
 Fountain near Balut, whofe Water is 
 as others are for Colour, and yet 
 whatever you put therein, appears 
 like Gold.' 'I have feen it, Madam,' 
 continued Don Frederic; 'and I re- 
 member a Man that was very cove- 
 tous, and more foolifh, went thither 
 every Day to put therein his Silver, 
 hoping in time 'twould be chang'd 
 into Gold ; but he was fo far from en- 
 riching himfelf that he was ruin'd; 
 for fome Peafants, more fubtle and 
 
 crafty
 
 no 
 
 crafty than he, having perceived what 
 he did, flood watching a little lower, 
 and the Stream of the Water would 
 now and then bring fome Pieces to 
 them. If you return into France by 
 Catalonia,' added he, 'you will fee 
 this Fountain,' 'It is not that which 
 can draw me thither,' reply'd I, 'but 
 the defire of paffing by Montferat, 
 wou'd make me undertake a longer 
 Journey.' 'It is fituated,' faid he, 
 ' near Barcelona, and is a place of 
 great Devotion: It feems as if the 
 Rock were fawed through the middle; 
 the Church ftands high, is fmall and 
 obfcure. By the help of the Fourfcore 
 and Ten Lamps of Silver, you per- 
 ceive the Image of the Virgin, which 
 looks very duskifh, and is held for 
 miraculous. The Altar coft Philip the 
 Second thirty thoufand Crowns; and 
 here is every Day feen Pilgrims from 
 all Parts of the World; this Holy 
 Place abounds with Hermitages, in- 
 habited by Perfons of great Devotion : 
 
 Thefe
 
 Ill 
 
 Thefe are commonly Men of good 
 Birth, who have not left the World 
 till they have well tryed it, and who 
 appear much taken with the Sweets 
 of their Retirements, though the Place 
 be difmal; and 'twould been impoffi- 
 ble to have had accefs to it, had not a 
 Paffage been cut through the Rocks. 
 Yet you find here feveral agreeable 
 Objects, a curious Profpecl:, various 
 Springs, Gardens well dreft by thefe 
 Religiofes own hands, and every 
 where a certain Air of Solitude and 
 Devotion, which mightily affects thofe 
 who come there. We have another 
 famous place of Devotion,' added he, 
 'and that is Nueftra Senora del Pilar: 
 it is at Saragoffa, in a Chappel on a 
 Pillar of Marble, where our Lady holds 
 the Babe Jefus in her Arms. It is pre- 
 tended, that the Virgin appeared on 
 this fame Pillar to St. James; and the 
 Image is here worfhipt with great 
 Reverence. It cannot be well obferv'd, 
 becaufe it (lands fo high, and in a 
 
 very
 
 112 
 
 very dark place; fo that without the 
 Flambeaux it could not be feen at all. 
 Here are always Fifty Lamps burning; 
 Gold and precious Stones fhine here 
 on all fides; and the Pilgrims come 
 here in great Sholes. But yet,' fays 
 he, ' I may truly fay, in favour of 
 Saragoffa that 'tis one of the fmeft 
 Towns you fhall fee; it is fituated 
 along the Ebre, in a vaft Field, is 
 adorn'd with great Buildings, rich 
 Churches, a (lately Bridge, fine open 
 Places, and the moft charming Women 
 in the World, who love French, and 
 will omit nothing to oblige you to 
 fpeak well of 'em, if you pafs by 
 there.' I told him, I had already heard 
 feveral things fpoken of them to their 
 commendation: 'But,' continu'd I, 
 ' this Country is very Barren, and the 
 Souldiers can hardly fubfift in it.' ' In 
 effecl:,' replied he, 'whether the Air 
 be bad, or that they want Neceffaries, 
 the Flemmings and Germans cannot 
 live there; and if they do not die ' 
 
 there,
 
 there, 'tis becaufe they run away. 
 The Spaniards and Neopolitans are 
 more prone than they to defert ; thefe 
 laft pafs through France, to return 
 into their Country; the others Coaft 
 the Pyrenees along Languedoc, and 
 enter Caftille by Navarre, or Bifcaye. 
 This is a Courfe which the old Soul- 
 diers fail not to fteer; for the new- 
 rais'd ones, they perifh in Catalonia, 
 being not accuftomed thereto; and 
 'tis certain there's no place where 
 War is more troublefome to the King 
 of Spain: He maintains his Forces 
 here with great Charge, and the Ad- 
 vantage which the Enemy gains of 
 him is not fmall; and I very well 
 know they are more fenfible at Madrid 
 for the fmalleft Lofs in Catalonia, than 
 they would be for the greateft in 
 Flanders, or Milan, orelfe-where. But 
 at prefent,' continues he, 'we are go- 
 ing to be more at our Eafe than we 
 have been, being expected at Court, 
 that the Peace will be lafting, becaufe 
 
 they
 
 H4 
 
 they talk much of a Marriage which 
 will make a new Alliance; and the 
 Marquefs de Los Balbares, Plenipoten- 
 tiary at Nimiguen, has receiv'd Orders 
 to pafs fpeedily to France, to demand 
 of that King, Mademoifelle d' Orleans; 
 therefore it is not doubted but the 
 Marriage will be concluded: But it is 
 thought very ftrange, Don John of 
 Auftria fhould confent to this Marriage. ' 
 'You will do me a fingular Pleafure,' 
 faid I, interrupting him, ' if you would 
 inform me of fome Particularities 
 touching this Prince: It is natural for 
 to have a Curiofity in relation to Per- 
 fons of this Character; and when a 
 body comes into a Court where one 
 was never before, that 1 may not ap- 
 pear a Novice, 1 fhould have fome 
 previous Notices.' He anfwered me, 
 It would be a great fatisfaftion to him, 
 if he could relate any thing might 
 pleafe me; and he began thus: 
 
 'You will not, perhaps, Madam, 
 think it amifs, that I begin at the Or- 
 iginal
 
 iginal of Things, and tell you, That 
 this Prince was Son of one of the 
 fineft Women in Spain, named Maria 
 Calderona; (he was a Player, and the 
 Duke de Medina de las Torres became 
 defperately in love with her: This 
 Cavalier had fo many Advantages 
 above others, that Calderonna lov'd 
 him no lefs than fhe was beloved by 
 him. In the Heat of this Intrigue, 
 Philip the Fourth faw her, and pre- 
 ferr'd her to one of the Queen's Maids 
 of Honour, and who was fo griev'd 
 at this Change of the King, whom 
 (he really loved, and had a Son by, 
 that (he retired from the World, and 
 betook herfelf to Las del Calfas Reales, 
 where (he put on the Religio's Habit. 
 As for Calderonne, her inclination ly- 
 ing wholly towards the Duke de Me- 
 dina, (he would not hearken to the 
 King, without the Duke would thereto 
 confent: She fpake to him of it, and 
 offered to withdraw fecretly where he 
 would; but the Duke fearing to incur 
 
 the
 
 1 16 
 
 the King's Difpleafure, anfwer'd her, 
 He was refolv'd to yield up to His 
 Majefty a Treafure which he was not 
 in a Capacity to contend for. She 
 made him a thoufand Reproaches for 
 this; fhe call'd him Traytor to his 
 Love, ingrateful towards his Miftrefs : 
 And moreover, told him, That though 
 he was fo Happy as that he could dif- 
 pofe of his Heart as he pleafed, yet 
 fhe could not do the fame; and there- 
 fore he muft continue to vifit her, or 
 prepare to fee her die with Defpair. 
 The Duke affefted with fo great a 
 Paffion, promifed to feign a Journey 
 to Andaloufia, and to remain with her 
 hid in a Clofet: he effectually parted 
 from the Court, and afterwards fhut 
 himfelf up (as it was agreed) what- 
 ever Rifque he ran by fo imprudent 
 Conduct. The King, in the mean 
 time, was very Amorous, and re- 
 main'd very well fatisfi'd: She had, 
 during this, Don John d'Auftria, and 
 the Refemblance he had with the 
 
 Duke
 
 H7 
 
 Duke de Medina de Las Torres, had 
 made it be thought that he was his 
 Son; but tho' the King had other 
 Children, and particularly the Bifhop 
 of Malaga, good Fortune decided in 
 his Favour, and he has been only 
 acknowledg'd. 
 
 'Don John's Friends fay, That 'twas 
 by reafon of the Exchange which had 
 been made of the Son of Calderonna, 
 for the Son of Queen Elizabeth ; and 
 here's how they fet forth this Change, 
 which is a Story made on purpofe to 
 impofe on the World, and which I 
 believe has no ground of Truth : They 
 pretend, the King being defperately 
 in love with this Player, fhe became 
 big with Child at the fame time as 
 the Queen; and feeing the King's 
 Paffion was fo greatly towards her, 
 that fhe might expect any thing, fhe 
 fo ordered it, that fhe made him prom- 
 ife her, That if the Queen had a Son, 
 and fhe likewise, he fhould put hers 
 in his place: " What will you lofe by 
 
 this,
 
 n8 
 
 this, Sir?" faid fhe, "Will it not be 
 your Son that will ftill Reign, only 
 with this difference, that loving me, 
 as you fay you do, you will love him 
 likewife the better." She had Wit, 
 and the King could deny her nothing; 
 he confented, and in effect the Bufi- 
 nefs was manag'd with that Addrefs, 
 that the Queen being brought to Bed 
 of a Son, and Calderonna of another, 
 the Exchange was made. He that 
 fhould have Reign'd, and who bore 
 the Name of Baltazar, died at the Age 
 of fourteen Years: The King was told, 
 'twas with over-heating himfelf at 
 Tennis; but the truth is, this Prince 
 was fuffered to keep bad Company, 
 which procured for him his Misfor- 
 tunes; it is faid likewife, That Don 
 Pedro d'Arragon, his Governour, and 
 Chief Gentleman of his Chamber, 
 more contributed to this than any 
 other, fuffering him to bring into his 
 Apartment a Woman he lov'd; after 
 this he was taken with a violent 
 
 Fever,
 
 H9 
 
 Fever, and conceal'd the Occafion: 
 The Phificians who were ignorant of 
 it, thought to eafe him by frequent 
 Bleedings, which put an end to what 
 ftrength he had; and by this means 
 they ended his Life. The King know- 
 ing, but too late, what had hapn'd, 
 banifht Don Pedro for not hindring 
 this Excefs, or for not having timely 
 difcover'd it. 
 
 ' In the mean time Don John of 
 Auftria, who was brought up as the 
 Natural Son, chang'd not his Condi- 
 tion, though this ought to have been, 
 had he been indeed the lawful Son; 
 yet notwithftandingthis, his Creatures 
 affirm, He fo exactly refembles Q. 
 Elizabeth, that fhe needs no other 
 Picture of her Likenefs. And this 
 Opinion fails not of gaining Belief 
 with the People, who run violently 
 after Novelties, and who fo Paffion- 
 ately loved this great Queen, that they 
 bewail her ftill as if fhe was but now 
 deceas'd. It is true, that if Don John 
 
 of
 
 I2O 
 
 of Auftria would make his Advantage 
 of the favourable Difpofitions of the 
 People, he has met with feveral Op- 
 portunities of extending his Fortune 
 very far; but his only Aim is to ferve 
 the King, and to keep his Subjects in 
 thofe Sentiments of Fidelity they 
 ought to have for him. 
 
 'To return to Calderonna: The 
 King furprized one day the Duke de 
 Medina with her, and in the excefs 
 of his Rage, he ran to him with his 
 Poynard in his Hand; he was about 
 to kill him, when this Woman placed 
 herfelf between, telling him, He 
 might ftrike her if he would. Having 
 the moft extream Paffion for her, he 
 could not but Pardon him, contenting 
 himfelf only with banifhing him: But 
 underftanding Ihe continu'd to love 
 him, and write to him, he ftudied 
 only how to get a new Paffion ; when 
 he had one ftrong enough not to ap- 
 prehend the Charms of Calderonna, 
 he fent word to her to retire into a 
 
 Mon-
 
 121 
 
 Monaftery, as is cuftomary when the 
 King forfakes his Miftrefs. She put it 
 not off, writing a Letter to the Duke, 
 to bid him Adieu: And fhe receiv'd 
 the Veil of a Religio from the Hand 
 of the Apoftolick Nuncio, who be- 
 came fince Innocent X. It is very 
 likely the King believ'd Don John 
 was his real Son, feeing he loved him 
 fo dearly: One thing will appear to 
 you very fingular, which is, that a 
 King of Spain having Natural Sons 
 owned by him, they never enter Mad- 
 rid during his Life : So Don John was 
 brought up at Ocanna, which is fome 
 Leagues diftant from it. The King, 
 his Father, came oft thither, and he 
 made him come even to the Gates of 
 the Town, where he went to meet 
 him. This Cuftom comes from that 
 the Grandees of Spain difpute the 
 Rank which thefe Princes would hold. 
 Don John, before he went into Cata- 
 lonia, remain'd commonly at Buen 
 Retire, which is a Royal Seat, at one 
 
 of
 
 122 
 
 of the fartheft parts of Madrid, a little 
 without the Gate: And he fhew'd 
 himfelf fo little, that he was never 
 feen at any Publick Feaft during the 
 Life of the late King: but fmce, Times 
 have chang'd, and his Fortunes ftand 
 on a different bottom. 
 
 ' Whilft the Queen, Maria Ann of 
 Auftria, Sifter to the Emperour, and 
 the King's Mother, Govern'd Spain; 
 and her Son was not yet of Age to 
 hold the Reigns of the State. She 
 would have always Don John keep 
 from the Court; and moreover, found 
 herfelf fo capable of Governing, that 
 (he had a mind to eafe her Son for a 
 long time of the Burden of Ruling. 
 She was not troubled to fee him igno- 
 rant of whatever might give a defire 
 of Reigning: but though (he brought 
 the greateft Pre-cautions, to hinder 
 him from feeling he was under too 
 ftrift a Tutelage, and fuffered no Per- 
 fons to come near him, but thofe (he 
 was well affured of ; yet this hindred 
 
 not
 
 123 
 
 not but fome of the King's Faithful 
 Servants hazarded themfelves, by giv- 
 ing him to underftand what he might 
 do for his Liberty. He follow'd the 
 Advice was given him; and in fine, 
 having taken Meafures accordingly, he 
 ftole away one Night, and went to 
 Buen Retiro. He as foon fent from 
 thence an Order to the Queen his 
 Mother, not to ftir out of the Palace. 
 
 ' Don John is of a middle Stature, 
 well-fhaped, Black and lively Eyes, 
 and a moft Manly Countenance. He 
 is Polite, Generous, and very Brave. 
 He is ignorant of nothing befitting his 
 Birth, being well-verft in all Arts and 
 Sciences. He writes and fpeaks very 
 well Five Languages, and underftands 
 yet more. He has for a long time 
 ftudied Judicial Aftrology. There is 
 no Instrument which he cannot make, 
 and ufe with the beft Matters. He 
 works on all kinds of Mechanicks, 
 makes Arms, and paints finely. He 
 took a great Pleafure in the Mathe- 
 
 maticks;
 
 124 
 
 maticks; but being charg'd with the 
 Government of the State, he has been 
 oblig'd to lay afide all other Employ- 
 ments. 
 
 'He came to Buen-Retiro in the 
 beginning of the Year 1677, and as 
 foon as he was there, he fent the 
 Queen-Mother to Toledo, becaufe fhe 
 had declared againft him, and hindred 
 his return to the King. Don John 
 had an extream Joy in receiving from 
 the King's own Hand an Order to 
 take Care of Every thing, and to man- 
 age the Affairs of the Kingdom : And 
 'twas not without occafion he dif- 
 charged himfelf on him, feeing he 
 then was ignorant of the Art of Reign- 
 ing. It was alledg'd for a Reafon of 
 his flow Education, That the King his 
 Father was dying when he gave him 
 Life: That when he came into the 
 World, they were fain to put him in a 
 Box of Gotten, being fo tender and 
 fmall, that he could not be fwadled: 
 That he was brought up in the Arms, 
 
 and
 
 and on the Knees of the Ladies of the 
 Palace, till he was Ten Years old, 
 without putting his Foot once all this 
 while on the Ground to walk: That 
 in the Sequel the Queen his Mother, 
 who was engaged by all the Ties of 
 Natural Duty to preferve this only 
 Heir of the Spanifh Branch, fearing to 
 lofe him, dared not let him ftudy, left 
 by too great an Application he fhould 
 lofe his Health, which in truth was 
 very unfound: And 'twas obferv'd, 
 that the great Number of Women, 
 with whom the King always was, 
 and who too fharply reprehended him 
 for his Faults which he committed, 
 had infpired him with fuch a great 
 Averfion to them, that as foon as ever 
 he had notice a Lady ftaid for him in 
 any place he was to pafs, he ftole 
 another way, or kept himfelf fhut up 
 all day in his Chamber. The Mar- 
 chionefs de Luz Veles, who was his 
 Governefs, told me, (he waited for an 
 Opportunity full fix months to fpeak 
 
 with
 
 126 
 
 with him, and when Chance had 
 brought them unavoidably to him, he 
 took their Requefts from their Hands, 
 but turn'd his Head another way, for 
 fear he fhould fee them. His Health 
 is fince fo increafed, that his Marriage 
 with the Arch-Dutchefs, the Empe- 
 ror's Daughter, having been broke off 
 by Don John, by reafon 'twas the 
 Queen-Mothers Project, he has defired 
 to marry Mademoifelle d' Orleans. 
 The Circumftances of the Peace which 
 are lately concluded at Nimiguen, 
 made him caft his Eyes towards this 
 Princefs, with whofe excellent Quali- 
 ties, Madam, you are better acquaint- 
 ed than I. 
 
 ' It is hard to believe, that having 
 Difpofitions fo far from Gallantry, he 
 fhould become fo fuddenly and vehe- 
 mently in love with the Queen, as he 
 became on the only Rehearfal of her 
 good Qualities, and at the fight of her 
 Picture in Minature, which was fhew'd 
 him. He never lets it go out of his 
 
 Hand;
 
 127 
 
 Hand ; he always holds it to his Heart ; 
 He Dialogues with it fo prettily, as 
 aftonifhes all the Courtiers; for he 
 fpeaks a Language he never fpoke: 
 His Paffion for the Princefs furnifhes 
 him with a thoufand Thoughts, which 
 he dares not entruft any body with. 
 He thinks no body makes hafte 
 enough; and therefore fends frefh 
 Curriers every day to carry his Billets 
 doux, and bring back News of her. 
 
 ' When you come to Madrid,' added 
 he, 'you will hear, Madam, feveral 
 Particulars which have without doubt 
 hapned fince I was there, and which 
 will perhaps more fatisfie your Curi- 
 ofity than what I have related to you.' 
 'I am very much oblig'd to you,' an- 
 fwer'd I, 'for your Civilities; but do 
 me the Favour t to oblige me farther, 
 in giving me the true Character of 
 the Spaniards: You know them, and 
 I am perfwaded nothing has efcap'd 
 your Enquiries ; You fpeaking to me 
 without Paffion and Intereft, I may 
 
 reckon
 
 128 
 
 reckon my felf fure of what you tell 
 me.' 'Why believe you, Madam,' 
 replied he fmiling, 'that I (hall fpeak 
 to you more fincerely than another ? 
 There are Reafons which may render 
 me fufpe&ed: They are my Mafters; 
 I muft manage them; And if I be not 
 Politick enough to do it, the Vexa- 
 tion of being conftrained to obey them, 
 would tempt me to entertain Notions 
 in their Refpecl: contrary to Truth.' 
 'However it be,' faid I, interrupting 
 him, 'pray tell me what you know of 
 them.' 
 
 'The Spaniards,' faid he, 'have 
 always paft for Fierce and Glorious: 
 This Glory is mixt with Gravity; and 
 they carry it fo far, that one may call it 
 an extravagant Pride : They are Brave, 
 without being Rafh; yet they are 
 accufed for not being daring enough. 
 They are Cholerick, Revengeful, with- 
 out fhewing any Tranfport, Liberal 
 without Oftentation, fober in their diet, 
 very Prefumptuous in Profperity, too 
 
 Ram-
 
 129 
 
 Rampant in Adverfity: They Idolize 
 Women ; they are fo prepoffeft in their 
 Favour, that they (hew no Difcretion 
 in the Choice of their Wives: They 
 are Patient to Excefs, Obftinate, Idle, 
 Singular, Philofophifers : And as to 
 the reft, Men of Honour, keeping 
 their Words, tho it coft 'em their 
 Lives. They have a great deal of 
 Wit and Vivacity, eafily comprehend, 
 explain themfelves in the fame man- 
 ner, and in few Words; They are 
 Prudent, Jealous without meafure, 
 Difmterefted, bad Oeconomifts, Clofe, 
 Superftitious, great Catholicks, at leaft 
 in appearance : They are good Poets, 
 and write Verfes with great Facility. 
 They would be capable of Nobler 
 Sciences, would they vouchfafe to 
 apply themfelves thereto. 
 
 'They have a Greatnefs of Soul, 
 Elevated Wit, Conftancy, a Natural 
 Serioufnefs, and a Refpect for Ladies, 
 as is not leen elfewhere : They have a 
 Set-Behaviour, full of Affectation, in- 
 toxicated
 
 130 
 
 toxicated with their own Merit, hardly 
 ever in this Particular doing Right to 
 that of others. Their Bravery confifts 
 in (landing Valiantly on the Defenfive 
 Part, without giving Ground, and 
 without dreading Danger; but they 
 love not to feek it, which proceeds 
 from their great Judgment: They dif- 
 cern Danger, and avoid it. Their 
 greateft Defeat, in my Opinion, is the 
 Paffion of Revenge, and the Means 
 they ufe for this: Their Maxims here- 
 upon are abfolutely oppofite to Chrif- 
 tianity and Honour: When they have 
 receiv'd an Affront, they make him 
 be Affaffmated who has offered it. 
 They are not contented with this; for 
 they caufe them to be Affaffmated 
 likewife whom they have offended, 
 in the Apprehenfion of being pre- 
 vented, knowing well, that if they do 
 not kill, they fhall be kill'd themfelves. 
 They pretend to juftifie themfelves 
 herein, when they fay, That their 
 Enemy having took the firft Advan- 
 tage,
 
 ni 
 
 tage, they ought to fecure themfelves 
 of the fecond : That fhould they fail 
 herein, they would wrong their Repu- 
 tation : That you muft not fight with a 
 Man that has infulted over you, but put 
 your felf in a Condition to punifh him, 
 without running half the Danger. It is 
 true, that Impunity authorifes this Con- 
 dud; for the Priviledge of Churches 
 and Convents in Spain, is to give an 
 affured Retreat to Criminals ; And as 
 near as they can, they commit thefe 
 Villanies hard by a Sanctuary, to have 
 the lefs way to an Altar; Which you 
 fee oft embraced by a Villain, with 
 his Poynard reeking in his Hand, and 
 be-fmeared with the Blood of the 
 Murther which he has committed. 
 
 ' As to their Perfons, they are very 
 lean, little, fine fhape, comely Head, 
 good Faces, fine Eyes, well-fet Teeth, 
 yellow and duskifh Complexion; they 
 will have one walk flowly, commend 
 big Legs, and a little Foot, Shooes 
 without Heels, parting the Hair on 
 
 both
 
 both fides, being ftrait cut, and kept 
 behind their Ears with a great Two- 
 handed Hat, an Habit always Black, 
 inftead of a Shirt, Taffity Sleeves, or 
 black Tabby, a Sword of a flrange 
 length, with a black Freize Cloak over 
 all this, very ftrait Breeches, hanging 
 Sleeves, and a Poynard. All this 
 muft fo dif-figure a Man, let him be 
 otherwife never fo well-fhaped, that 
 they feem to affect a Garb the moft 
 difagreeable ; And ones Eyes cannot 
 with any Complacency accuftom them- 
 felves to this fight.' 
 
 Don Frederick would have con- 
 tinued on his Difcourfe, and I had fo 
 much pleafure in hearing him, that I 
 would not have interrupted him; but 
 he broke off himfelf, having obferv'd 
 that the Play was at an end, and con- 
 fidering, that we were to fet out early 
 next Morning, he thought I might be 
 defirous of retiring; he therefore with 
 the other Gentlemen, bad me good 
 Night. I rofe in effect very foon 
 
 next
 
 133 
 
 next Morning, becaufe 'twas a great 
 Journey to Birbiefca, where we in- 
 tended to lie. We follow'd the River 
 to avoid the Mountains, and paft at 
 Oron, a great River, which falls into 
 the Ebre. We a while after entred 
 into fo ftrait a Way, that our Lit- 
 ters could fcaace pafs: We afcended 
 along a very ftrait Coaft to Pancorvo, 
 whofe Caftle I faw (landing on a rais'd 
 Ground, not far diftant: We traverft 
 a great Plain; and this was a Novelty 
 to us, to fee an even Country: This 
 here is furrounded with feveral Moun- 
 tains, which feem linkt together as a 
 Chain, and efpecially thofe of Occa: 
 We muft again pafs over a little River, 
 before we can come to Birbiefca: 
 This is only a Borough, which has 
 nothing remarkable but its Colledge, 
 and fome few pleafant Gardens along 
 the Water. But I may fay, we came 
 thither in worfe Weather than any we 
 had yet: I was fo tired, that as foon 
 as I arriv'd I went to Bed: fo that I 
 
 faw
 
 134 
 
 faw not Don Fernand de Toledo, and 
 the other Gentlemen, till the next 
 Day, at Cartel de Peones. But I 
 fhould tell you how one is ferv'd in 
 thefe Inns, they being all alike: When 
 you come into one of them, wearied 
 and tired, roafted by the heat of the 
 Sun, or frozen by the Snows (for there 
 is feldom any Temperament between 
 thefe Two Extreams), you fee neither 
 Pot on the Fire, nor Plates wafh'd: 
 You enter into the Stable, and from 
 thence to your Chamber; this Stable 
 is ordinarily full of Mules and Mulet- 
 teers, who make ufe of their Mules 
 Saddles for Pillows in the night, and 
 in the day-time they ferve 'em for 
 Tables: They eat very friendly with 
 their Mules, and are very good Com- 
 pany together. 
 
 The Stair-Cafe by which you go up 
 is very ftrait, and does rather refemble 
 a forry Ladder: La Sennoro de la Cafa 
 receives you with her Gown tuckt up, 
 and her dangling Sleeves; fhe takes 
 
 time
 
 135 
 
 time to put on her Sunday-Cloathes, 
 whilft you get out of your Litter: and 
 (he never omits this ; for they are all 
 very Poor and Vain Glorious. You 
 are fhewed a Chamber, whofe Walls 
 are white enough, hung with a thou- 
 fand little fcurvy Figures of Saints; 
 the Beds are without Curtains, the 
 Covertures of Cotton, the Sheets as 
 large as Napkins, and the Napkins 
 like Pocket-handkerchiefs; and you 
 muft be in fome confiderable Town to 
 find four or five of them; for in other 
 places there are none, no more than 
 there are Forks: They have only a 
 Cup in the Houfe; and if the Mule- 
 Drivers get firft hold of it, which 
 commonly happens, if they pleafe, 
 (for they are ferv'd with more Refpeft 
 than thofe whom they bring) you 
 muft ftay patiently till they have done 
 with it, or drink out of an Earthen 
 Pitcher. It is impoffible to warm one 
 at the Kitchin-fire, without being 
 choaked, for they have no Chimneys; 
 
 and
 
 "36 
 
 and 'tis the fame in all the Houfes on 
 the Road; there is an Hole made in 
 the top of the Ceiling, and the Smoak 
 goes out thence; the Fire is in the 
 midft of the Kitchin : They put what 
 you would have roafted on Tiles, and 
 when 'tis well gril'd on one fide, they 
 turn the other: when 'tis grofs Meat, 
 they faften it to a String, and fo let it 
 hang on the Fire, and turn it with 
 their Hands ; fo that the Smoak makes 
 it fo black, that it would turn ones 
 Stomach to look on it. 
 
 I think there cannot be a better 
 Reprefentation of Hell than thefe fort 
 of Kitchins, and the Perfons in them; 
 for not to fpeak of this horrible Smoak, 
 which blinds and choaks one, they 
 are a Dozen of Men, and as many 
 Women, blacker than Devils, nafty 
 and ftinking like Swine, and clad like 
 Beggars. There are always fome of 
 'em impudently grating on a forry 
 Guitar, and finging like a Cat a roaft- 
 ing. The Women have all of 'em 
 
 their
 
 137 
 
 their Hair about their Ears, and you 
 would take 'em for Bedlamites; they 
 have Glafs Necklaces, which hang 
 twifted about their Necks like Ropes 
 of Onions, but however ferve to 
 cover the Naftinefs of their Skin. 
 They are as great Thieves as any are 
 in Jayls, and they are urgent to ferve 
 you only to have an opportunity to 
 fteal fomething of you, though it be 
 but a Pin. 
 
 Before all things, the Miftrefs of the 
 Houfe brings you her little Children, 
 who are bareheaded in the midft of 
 Winter, though but of a Day old: 
 fhe makes 'em touch your Cloaths, 
 fhe rubs their Eyes with them, their 
 Cheeks, Throat, and Hands. This 
 feems as if one was become a Relick, 
 and could heal all Difeafes. Thefe 
 Ceremonies over, you are askt, If 
 you will eat any thing; and though 
 at Mid-night, you muft fend to 
 the Butchery, the Market, the Tavern, 
 the Bakers ; in fine, to all parts of the 
 
 Town,
 
 Town, to gather wherewith to make 
 a forry Meal. For though the Mutton 
 here be very tender, their way of fry- 
 ing it with Oyl, is not to every Bodies 
 Relifh. Here are great ftore of Part- 
 ridges, and thofe very large; they are 
 not very fat, but dry ; and to make 'em 
 drier, they roaft 'em to a Coal. The 
 Pidgeons here are excellent; and in 
 feveral places here is good Fifh, ef- 
 pecially Beffugoffes, which have the 
 tafte of a Trout, and of which they 
 make Parties, which would be good, 
 were they not ftuff'd with Garlick, 
 Saffron, and Pepper. Their Bread is 
 white enough, and fweet, that one 
 would think it made up with Sugar; 
 but it is ill wrought, and fo little 
 baked, that it is as heavy as Lead in 
 the Stomach: it has the fhape of a flat 
 Cake, and is not much thicker than 
 one's finger. The Wine is good, and 
 Fruits in their feafon, efpecially Grapes, 
 which are very large, and of delicate 
 tafte. You may reckon yourfelf cer- 
 tain
 
 139 
 
 tain of a good Defart. You have Sal- 
 lads here of fuch good Lettice as the 
 World cannot afford better. 
 
 Do not think (Dear Coufin) 'tis fuf- 
 ficient to fay, Go fetch fuch things, to 
 have them; for not very feldom you 
 can meet with nothing: But fuppofmg 
 you find what you would have, you 
 muft give out your Money before- 
 hand: fo that your Meat is paid for 
 before you have begun to eat it; for 
 the Matter of the Inn is only allowed 
 to Lodge you: they alledge for a 
 Reafon, That it is not juft one only 
 Perfon fhould go away with all the 
 Profit from Travellers, it being better 
 the Money fhould be difperfed. 
 
 You enter not any Inn to Dine, but 
 'carry your Provifion with you, and 
 ftop at the Bank of fome River, where 
 the Mule-Drivers bate their Mules; 
 and this is with Oats or Barley, with 
 chopt Straw, which they carry with 
 them in great Sacks; for as to Hay 
 they give 'em none. It is not allow'd 
 
 a
 
 140 
 
 a Woman to tarry above two Days in 
 an Inn on the Road, unlefs fhe can 
 offer good Reafons. And here's 
 enough in relation to Inns, and the 
 Manner of your Treatment therein. 
 
 After Supper thefe Gentlemen play'd 
 at Ombre, and I not being ftrong 
 enough to play againft them, I went 
 fhares with Don Frederic de Cardonne ; 
 and Don Fernand drew near the Fire- 
 fide to me; he told me, He could 
 have wifht my time would permit me 
 to pafs by Vailladolid; that it is the 
 moft pleafant Town of Old Caftille, it 
 having been for a great while the 
 Manfion of the Kings of Spain ; and 
 that they have a Palace there fit for 
 them. That as to him, he had Relations 
 there would be infinitely pleafed to 
 Entertain me; and would (hew me the 
 Dominicans Church, which the Dukes 
 of Lerma have founded; that it was 
 very Stately, and the Portal of fingular 
 Beauty, by means of the Figures and 
 Emboffed Work, which enrich it: 
 
 That
 
 That in the Colledge of the fame Con- 
 vent the French fee there with great 
 fatisfaction, all the Walls full of Flower 
 de Luces; it being faid, a Bifhop who 
 depended on the King of France, had 
 been at the Charge of Painting them. 
 He added, They would have carried 
 me to the Religiofes of St. Claire, to 
 (hew me in the Choir of their Church, 
 the Tomb of a Caftillan Knight, 
 whence 'tis faid, iffues out Accents 
 and Groans every time any of his 
 Family are near their Deaths. I 
 fmiled at this, as being doubtful of 
 the Truth of fuch kind of Relations: 
 'You give not Credit to what I fay,' 
 continued he, ' neither would I en- 
 gage for the Truth of it, though all 
 the Country thereabouts are fo fully 
 perfwaded of it, that you would be 
 fufpefted for an Heretick fhould you 
 queftion it. But it is certain there is 
 a Bell in Arragon, in a fmall Town 
 call'd Villilla, on the Ebre, which is 
 about fifty Foot compafs, and it hap- 
 pens
 
 142 
 
 pens fometimes to found of itfelf, it 
 being not perceiveable to be agitated 
 by any Winds or Earthquakes: In a 
 word, by no vifible thing. It firft 
 Tolls, and afterwards, by intervals, 
 Rings out, as well in the Day as the 
 Night: When it is heard, it is not 
 doubted but it denounces fome fad 
 Accident; which is what happened 
 in 1601, on Thursday the i3th of 
 June, till Saturday the i^th of the 
 fame Month; it ceafed then to Ring, 
 but it began again on Corpus Chrifti, 
 when they were on the point of mak- 
 ing the Proceffion. It was heard like- 
 wife when Alphonfus the Fifth, K. of 
 Arragon, went into Italy to take Pof- 
 feffion of the Kingdom of Naples. It 
 was heard at the Death of Charles the 
 Fifth. It denoted the Departure of 
 Don Sebaftion, King of Portugal, for 
 Africk. The Extremity of King Philip 
 the Second: and the Deceafe of his 
 laft Wife 0. Ann.' ' You would have 
 me to believe you, Don Fernand,' faid 
 
 I;
 
 143 
 
 I; 'Perhaps I fhall feem too obftinate 
 in ftanding out all this while, but you 
 will agree thefe are Matters one may 
 lawfully doubt of.' 'Nay, Madam,' 
 replied he, with a pleafant Air, ' I tell 
 you nothing but what I can have a 
 thoufand Witneffes to juftifie; but 
 perhaps you will fooner believe Don 
 Efteve de Carvajal in a thing as extra- 
 ordinary in his Country.' He at the 
 fame time call'd to him, demanding 
 of him, 'Whether 'twere not true, 
 that there is in the Convent of Cor- 
 doua a Clock which fails not to Ring 
 every time a Religious is to die; fo 
 that the time is known to a Day?' 
 Don Efteve confirm'd what Don Fer- 
 nand faid : and though I remain'd not 
 abfolutely convinc'd, yet I made a 
 fhew as if I was. 
 
 ' You pafs fo quickly through Old 
 Caftille,' continued Don Fernand, 
 'that you will not have time to fee 
 what's moft remarkable: The Picture 
 of the Bleffed Virgin is talkt of far and 
 
 near,
 
 144 
 
 near, which was found miraculoufly 
 ftampt on a Rock; it belongs to the 
 Religio's Auguftines d' Avila, and fev- 
 eral Perfons go there out of Devotion ; 
 but one has no lefs Curiofity to fee 
 certain Mines of Salt, which are near 
 there, in a village call'd Mengraville; 
 you defcend above two hundred Steps 
 under Ground, and then enter into a 
 vaft Cavern form'd by Nature, whofe 
 Top, or Roof, is upheld by one only 
 Pillar of Chryftalin Salt, of aftonifhing 
 Largenefs and Colour. Near this place, 
 in the Town of Soria, you fee a great 
 Bridge without a River, and a great 
 River without a Bridge, the River 
 being forc'd out of its place by an 
 Earthquake. 
 
 ' But if you go as far as Medina del 
 Campo,' added he, ' I am fure the In- 
 habitants will give you a welcome 
 Entrance, only becaufe you are of the 
 French Nation, whom they much 
 affect, to diftinguish themfelves here- 
 by from the Sentiments of the other 
 
 Caftil-
 
 Medina del Campo
 
 >ns go in 
 
 and th 

 
 145 
 
 Caftillians: Their Town is fo privi- 
 ledg'd that the K. of Spain has not the 
 Power to create any Officers, nor the 
 Pope to confer Benefices: this Right 
 belongs to the Townfmen, and they 
 often fall together by the Ears, in the 
 chufing of their Magiftrates and Ec- 
 clefiafticks. 
 
 ' One of the Rarities of this Country 
 is the Aquaduft of Segovia, which is 
 five Leagues in length; it has above 
 two hundred Arches of extraordinary 
 heighth, tho' in feveral places there are 
 two ftanding on one another; and 'tis 
 all built on Free Stone, there having 
 been no Mortar, or any Cement to 
 joyn them: This is lookt on as one 
 of the Romans Works, or at leaft as 
 worthy to be fo. The River which is 
 at the end of the Town furrounds the 
 Caftle, and ferves it for a Ditch; it is 
 built on a Rock. Among feveral 
 things remarkable, you fee the Effi- 
 gies of the Kings of Spain, who have 
 Reign'd for feveral Years: And there 
 
 is
 
 146 
 
 is no Town but Segovia and Se- 
 ville where Money is Coyned, and 
 the Pieces of Eight which are made 
 at the former Places are held to 
 be the beft; and this is by means of 
 the River which turns certain Mills 
 that ftamp the Money. Here are like- 
 wife moft curious Walks along a 
 Meadow planted with Elm Trees, 
 whofe Leaves are fo thick and large, 
 that the greateft Heats of the Sun 
 cannot pierce them.' 'I want not 
 Curiofity,' faid I to him, ' for all things 
 which deferve it; but I at prefent 
 want Time to fee them: However, I 
 Ihould be very glad to arrive timely 
 at Burgos, to view the Town. ' ' Which 
 is to fay, Madam,' replied Don Fer- 
 nand, 'we muft lofe your Company, 
 and let you retire.' 
 
 He gave notice thereof to the other 
 Gentlemen, who gave over their Play, 
 and we thus feparated. 
 
 1 rofe this Morning before Day ; and 
 I end this Letter at Burgos, where I 
 
 now
 
 H7 
 
 now arrived: Thus, Dear Coufin, I 
 fhall fend you nothing of this Day, 
 but (hall take the firft occafion to ac- 
 quaint you with what befals me. 
 
 Yours. 
 
 From Burgos, 
 Feb. 27, 1673.
 
 148 
 
 LETTER IV 
 
 AX TE could fenfibly perceive in ar- 
 riving at Burgos, that this 
 Town is colder than any of thofe we 
 paft; and 'tis likewife faid, you have 
 none of thofe exceffive Heats which 
 are intolerable in other Parts of Spain : 
 The Town ftands where you defcend 
 the Mountain, and reaches to the 
 Plain as far as the River, which 
 wafhes the foot of the Wall: the 
 Streets are very ftrait and even: the 
 Caftle is not great, but very ftrong, 
 and is feen on the top of the Moun- 
 tain : A little lower is the Triumphant 
 Arch of Fernando Gonfales, which the 
 Curious do much admire. This Town 
 was the firft that was conquer'd from 
 the Mores; and the Kings of Spain 
 have long refided here; 'tis the Capi- 
 tal
 
 149 
 
 tal of Old Caftille; it holds the firft 
 Rank in the two States of the two 
 Caftilles, although Toledo difputes it 
 with her: You fee her fine Buildings; 
 and Velafco's Palace is very ftately. 
 Here are in all the broad Streets 
 and fpacious Places, Fountains, with 
 Statues, fome of which are good 
 Pieces; but the fineft fight is the 
 Cathedral, which is fo large, that 
 Mafs is faid in five feveral places of it, 
 without any difturbance to each oth- 
 er: the Architecture is fo exquifitely 
 wrought, that it may pafs among the 
 Gothick Buildings for a Mafter-Piece 
 of Art: and this is fo much the 
 more remarkable, in that they build 
 very forrily in Spain ; in fome places 
 this is through Poverty, and in others 
 want of Stone and Lime: I am told 
 that even at Madrid you fee Houfes of 
 Earth, and the fineft are made with 
 Brick, cemented with the fame, for 
 want of Lime. To pafs from the 
 Town to the Suburbs of Bega, you 
 
 go
 
 150 
 
 go over three Stone Bridges : the Gate 
 which anfwers that of Santa Maria, 
 ftands high, with the Image of the 
 Virgin upon it: this Suburb contains 
 the greateft part of the Convents and 
 Hofpitals; there is a great one found- 
 ed by Philip the Second, to receive 
 the Pilgrims which go to St. James, 
 and which entertains them for a Day. 
 The Abbey of Mille Flores, whofe 
 Building is very ftately, is not far 
 diftant. You fee here in this Suburb 
 feveral Gardens which are watered 
 with Fountains and pleafant Springs; 
 the River ferves for a Channel: And 
 you find in a great Park inclofed with 
 Walls, pleafant Walks at all times of 
 the Year. 
 
 I would have feen the Crucifix in 
 the Auguftines Convent; it is placed 
 in a Chappelof the Cloyfter, large and 
 dark enough, fo that you could hardly 
 difcern it, were it not for the Lamps, 
 which are continually burning, they'r 
 above an hundred; fome are of Gold, 
 
 and
 
 and others of Silver, of fo extraordi- 
 nary a fize, that they cover all the 
 Vault of this Chappel: there are fixty 
 Silver candlesticks of a length exceed- 
 ing the talleft Man, and fo heavy that 
 two Men cannot lift 'em : they ftand on 
 the ground on both fides of the Altar; 
 thofe which are upon it are of Maffy 
 Gold: You fee between 'em two 
 Croffes of the fame, fet out with Prec- 
 ious Stones, and Crowns hanging over 
 the Altar, adorn'd with Pearls and Dia- 
 monds of great Luftre: The Chappel 
 is hung with Tapiftry, wrought with 
 Gold; it is fo laden with rich Gifts, 
 that there's hardly room to put 'em 
 in ; fo that part of 'em are kept in the 
 Treafury. 
 
 The Holy Crucifix ftands on the 
 Altar, near the natural bignefs, it is 
 covered with three Curtains one on 
 another, all embroidered with Pearls 
 and Diamonds: When they open 
 them, which is not done without 
 great Ceremony, and for Perfons of 
 
 Quality,
 
 152 
 
 Quality, feveral Bells are rung, every 
 one falls on his Knees: and it muft be 
 granted, that this place and fight 
 ftrikes one with an Awful Regard: 
 The Crucifix is of Carv'd Work, and 
 cannot be better made; its Carnation 
 is very natural ; it is covered from the 
 Breafts to the Feet with a fine Linnen, 
 in feveral Foulds or Pleats, which 
 makes it look like a loofe Jerkin, 
 which in my Opinion, is not over- 
 agreeable. 
 
 It is commonly held, that Nicode- 
 mus made it; but thofe who are for 
 making every thing Miraculous, will 
 have it brought down from Heaven, 
 they know not how nor when. I 
 was told, certain Monks of this Town 
 had once ftole it, and convey'd it 
 away; but it took a convenient time 
 to give 'em the flip, and was found 
 the next Morning in the Chappel in 
 its ufual place: Thefe honeft People 
 being enraged, that it fhould ferve 'em 
 fuch a Trick, muftered up their Forces, 
 
 and
 
 153 
 
 and violently laid Hands on't the fec- 
 ond time, but to as little purpofe; for 
 'twould by no means ftay with 'em: 
 However, it works Miracles, and is 
 one of the chief Objects of Devotion 
 in Spain: The Religious tell you, it 
 fweats every Friday. 
 
 I was going into my Inn, when we 
 faw the Sieur de Cardonne's Valet de 
 Chambre, running as faft as he could 
 after us; he was booted, and three 
 Friers fcowring after him : I was over- 
 rafli in my Judgment; for I could not 
 but think he had ftole fomething in 
 this rich Chappel, and was taken in 
 the Fact; but his Mafter, who was 
 with me, having demanded of him, 
 What put him on fuch full fpeed ? 
 He anfwer'd, He went into the Chap- 
 pel of the Holy Crucifix with his 
 Spurs on, and the Fryers had kept 
 him in cuftody, to get Money of him, 
 but that he was gotten out of their 
 Clutches, but they were now upon 
 the Hunt for him. They make it a 
 
 Forfeit,
 
 154 
 
 Forfeit, as well as others, for a Man to 
 go with Spurs into thefe Holy Places. 
 
 The Town is not very great ; it is 
 adorned with a fpacious Place ; here 
 are high Pillars which bear up very 
 fine Lodgings. The Bull-Feafts are 
 kept here; for the People are much 
 delighted with this fort of Divertife- 
 ment. There is alfo a very well-built 
 Bridge, long and large: the River 
 which paffes under it, bathes a Mea- 
 dow, on the Bank of which you fee 
 Allies of Trees, which form a moft 
 delicious Walk. Trade was hereto- 
 fore confiderable, but it is of late much 
 diminifht. The beft Caftillan is here 
 fpoken; and the Men are naturally 
 Souldiers, fo that when the King has 
 need of them, he finds here great 
 Numbers, and better Men than elfe- 
 where. 
 
 After Supper our Company fet to 
 Play, as heretofore : Don Sancho San- 
 niento was for yielding his place to 
 any one, pretending 'twas his Right 
 
 to
 
 155 
 
 to Entertain me this Evening. I knew 
 he had lately return'd from Sicily; I 
 askt him, Whether he had been one 
 of thofe who had help'd to Chaftize 
 thofe Rebellious People? 'Alas, 
 Madam,' faid he, 'the Marquefs de 
 Las Navas was fufficient to punifh 
 them beyond what their Crime de- 
 ferv'd : I was at Naples, in the defign 
 to pafs into Flanders, where I have 
 Relations of the fame Name. The 
 Marquefs de Los Veles, Vice-Roy of 
 Naples, engaged me to leave my firft 
 Project, and embark myfelf with the 
 Marquefs de Las Navas, whom the 
 King fent into Sicily: We fet Sail in 
 two Veffels of Majorca, and arrived at 
 Meffma the fixth of January. Having 
 fent no notice of his coming, and no 
 body expecting it, he was not receiv'd 
 with the Honours paid commonly to 
 the Vice-Roys: But in truth, his In- 
 tentions were fo cruel againft thefe 
 poor People, that his Entrance fhould 
 have been made in Tears. 
 
 ' Scarcely
 
 156 
 
 ' Scarcely was he arriv'd, but he 
 clapt up the two Sheriffs in Prifon, 
 named Vicenzo Zuffo, and Don Diego: 
 He put Spaniards in their Places; he 
 rigoroufly abolifht the Colledge of 
 Knights of the Star; and began to 
 execute the Orders which Gonzaga 
 had long receiv'd, and which he had 
 eluded through Favour or Weaknefs. 
 He immediately publifht an Order, by 
 which the King chang'd all the Form 
 of Government of Meffina, depriv'd 
 the Town of its Revenues, forbad its 
 bearing for the future the Glorious 
 Title of Exemplary, diffolved the Sen- 
 ate, and put into the place of fix 
 Sheriffs, fix Officers, two of which 
 fhould be Spaniards; that these Offi- 
 cers fhould not for the future appear 
 in Publick with their Formalities; 
 that they Ihould no more be preceded 
 by Drums and Trumpets, ride no 
 more together in a Coach with four 
 Horfes, as they were wont; that they 
 fhould fit henceforward on a plain 
 
 Bench;
 
 157 
 
 Bench; fhould have no more Incenfe 
 offered 'em in the Churches; go 
 cloath'd after the Spanifh Fafhion; 
 fhould Affemble on Publick Affairs in a 
 Chamber of the Vice-Roy's Palace; 
 and have no longer any Jurisdiction 
 on the Champian Country. 
 
 ' Every one was feized with fuch 
 Confternation, as if he had been 
 Thunder-ftruck; but their Sorrow 
 was much increafed on the fifth of the 
 fame Month, when the Camp Mafter- 
 General went to the Town-houfe, and 
 feized all their Charters, and Original 
 Copies of their Priviledges, and made 
 'em be burnt publickly by the Hands 
 of the common Hang-man. The 
 Prince de Condro was afterwards ap- 
 prehended, to the great grief of his 
 Family, but particularly the Princefs 
 Eleonora, his Sifter, whofe Tears were 
 not fhed alone: This Princefs is not 
 above Eighteen; her Beauty and Wit 
 are miraculous, which aftonifh thofe 
 about her.' Don Sancho's Eyes grew 
 
 red
 
 158 
 
 red at the remembrance of this Prin- 
 cefs, and I plainly perceiv'd Pity had 
 not all the (hare in what he faid; yet 
 he continued on his Difcourfe to me of 
 Meffina. 
 
 'The Vice-Roy,' added he, 'pub- 
 lifht an Order, by which all the Citi- 
 zens were enjoyn'd, under penalty 
 of ten Years Imprifonment, and five 
 thoufand Crowns Fine, to bring their 
 Arms into his Palace. He at the fame 
 time caus'd the great Bell in the 
 Town-houfe to be taken down, and 
 beaten to pieces in his fight: He or- 
 dered all the Bells in the Cathedral to 
 be melted, to make a Statue of the 
 King of Spain. And the Prince of 
 Condro's Children were taken into 
 Cuftody: But their Fear increafed, 
 when the Vice-Roy ordered D. V. 
 Zuffo's Head to be cut off. This Ex- 
 ample of Severity Alarum'd all the 
 People; and what appear'd moft ter- 
 rible, was, That in the late Troubles, 
 fome Families of Meflinois having 
 
 with-
 
 159 
 
 withdrawn themfelves into feveral 
 Parts, the Marquefs de Liche, the 
 Spanifh Embaffador at Rome, advifed 
 them, as a Friend, to return into their 
 own Country, affuring them all was 
 Quiet, and that a General Pardon was 
 already publifht; and for their greater 
 affurance, gave them Pafports. Thefe 
 poor People (who had not taken up 
 Arms, and being not of the number 
 of the Revolters, knowing their Inno- 
 cency, could never have imagin'd 
 they fhould have been treated as Crim- 
 inals) return'd to Mefiina; where they 
 had fcarcely landed, but the Joy they 
 had of feeing themfelves in their Na- 
 tive Country, and in the midft of their 
 Friends, was fadly difturb'd, when 
 they were feifed on, and the next Morn- 
 ing, without any Quarter, or regard to 
 Sex or Age, by the Vice-Roy's Order, 
 all hang'd. He afterwards fent to 
 demolifh the great Tower of Palermo; 
 and the principal Citizens of it, re- 
 monftrating againft the exceffive Im- 
 
 pofitions
 
 i6o 
 
 pofitions on Corn, Silks, and other 
 Commodities, the Marquefs de las 
 Navas fent them all to the Gallies, 
 without being moved by the Tears 
 of their Wives, and the need fo many 
 poor Children might have of their 
 Fathers. 
 
 'I muft acknowledge,' continued 
 Don Sancho, 'that my Nature is fo 
 averfe to the Rigors every day exer- 
 cis'd on thefe poor People, that I 
 could not for all the World remain 
 any longer at Meffina. The Marquefs 
 de las Navas was for fending to Mad- 
 rid, to inform the King of what he 
 had done. I intreated him to charge 
 me with this Commiffion; and in ef- 
 fect he confented, and gave me his 
 Letters, which I have delivered to the 
 King at Madrid; and at the fame time 
 my Interceffions for the Prince de 
 Condro: And I prefume my good 
 Offices will not be wholly ufelefs to 
 him.' 'I am perfwaded,' faid I to 
 him, ' this was the principal Motive 
 
 of
 
 of your Journey: I am no prying 
 body, but methinks you are greatly 
 concern'd for the Interefts of this 
 Family.' ' It's true, Madam,' con- 
 tinued he, ' the Injuftice done this 
 Unfortunate Prince does fenfibly af- 
 feft me ' : ' Were he not Brother to 
 the Princefs Eleonora,' faid I to him, 
 ' perhaps you would not fo much lay 
 it to heart. But no more of this; I 
 perceive this Remembrance afflicts 
 you. Pray let me rather hear from 
 you what is moft remarkable in your 
 Country.' 'Ah! Madam,' cried he, 
 'you infult over me; for you muft 
 needs know, that Galicia is fo poor 
 and mean a Countrey, that there's no 
 place for bragging; not but that the 
 Town of St. James de Compoftella is 
 confiderable enough; it is the Capital 
 of the Province, and fcarce one in 
 Spain that's fuperiour to it in Riches 
 and Greatnefs: Its Archbilhoprick is 
 worth Seventy Thoufand Crowns a 
 Year, and the Chapter has as much ; It 
 
 ftands
 
 1 62 
 
 ftands in an agreeable Plain, furround- 
 ed with little Hills of moderate heighth ; 
 and it feems as if Nature had placed 
 them there to defend the Town from 
 thofe deadly Blafts which arife from 
 other Mountains. Here is a Univer- 
 fity, fine Palaces, ftately Churches, 
 publick Places, and an Hofpital, one 
 of the moft considerable, and beft 
 ferv'd in Europe: It confifts of two 
 Courts of extraordinary greatnefs, 
 with Fountains in the midft. Several 
 Knights of St. James live in this Town ; 
 and the Metropolis, which is dedi- 
 cated to this Saint, keeps his Body: 
 It is extream ftately, and prodigioufly 
 rich : It is pretended you hear a kind 
 of Clattering at his Tomb, as if Arms 
 were ftruck one againft another; and 
 this noife is only heard when the 
 Spaniards are to undergo any great 
 Lofs. His Figure is reprefented on 
 the Altar, and the Pilgrims thrice kifs 
 it, and put their Hats on his Head; 
 for this is the chief part of the Cere- 
 mony:
 
 165 
 
 mony: They have alfo another very 
 fingularone; they afcend the top of 
 the Church, which is covered with 
 great flat Stones; In this place ftands a 
 Crofs of Iron, whereon the Pilgrims 
 ever faften fome Rag, or Scrap of 
 what they wear; They pafs under 
 this Crofs by fo ftrait a Paffage that 
 they are forced to crawl on their Bel- 
 lies through it; and thofe who are not 
 (lender, are in danger of being burften. 
 And there have been fome fo ridicu- 
 lous and fuperftitious, that having 
 omitted to do this, they have exprefly 
 return'd back again three or four hun- 
 dred Leagues; for you fee here Pil- 
 grims of all Nations. Here is a French 
 Chappel, of which great Care is taken; 
 It is faid, the Kings of France have 
 been always great Benefactors to it. 
 The Church which is under ground is 
 a better than that above; there are 
 ftately Tombs, and Epitaphs of great 
 Antiquity, which exercife the Wits of 
 Travellers. The Archiepifcopal Palace 
 
 is
 
 1 64 
 
 is a vaft Pile, and its Antiquity adds 
 to its Beauty, inftead of diminifhing 
 it. A Man of my Acquaintance, a 
 great Searcher into Etymologies, af- 
 fured me the Town of Compoftella 
 was fo called, becaufe St. James was 
 to fuffer Martyrdom in the place 
 where he fhould fee a Star appear at 
 Compoftella. It is true,' continued 
 he, ' that fome People pretend it to be 
 thus; but the Peoples Credulity and 
 Superftition carries 'em further; for 
 you are fhew'd at Padron, near Com- 
 poftella, an hollow Stone; and it is 
 pretended this was the little Boat in 
 which St. James arriv'd, after he had 
 paft so many Seas in it, which being 
 of Stone, muft have, without a fignal 
 Miracle, funk to the bottom.' ' I fup- 
 pofe,' faid I to him, 'you believe this 
 to be moft true.' He fmiled, and con- 
 tinued his Difcourfe: 'I cannot but 
 give you the Defcription of our Militia: 
 They are called together every Year 
 in the Month of October, and all the 
 
 Young
 
 165 
 
 Young Men from the Age of Fifteen, 
 are oblig'd to march; for fhould it 
 happen that a Father, or any other 
 Relation fhould conceal his Son or 
 Kinfman, and thofe who are Officers 
 fhould come to know it, they would 
 condemn him who has fo offended, to 
 perpetual Imprifonment. There have 
 been fome Examples of this, but they 
 are rare; for the Peafants are fo infi- 
 nitely pleas'd to fee themfelves Arm'd 
 and treated as Cavalieros & de Nobles 
 Soldados del Rey, that they would not 
 for any Confideration be wanting to 
 fhew themfelves on this occafion. 
 You lhall feldom fee in an whole 
 Regiment any Souldier that has more 
 Shirts than that on his Back; and the 
 Stuff they wear, feems for its Coarfe- 
 nefs to be made of Pack-thread : their 
 Shooes are made of Cord ; they wear 
 no Stockings, yet every Man has his 
 Peacock, or Dunghil-Cock's Feather 
 in his Cap, which is tied up behind, 
 with a Rag about his Neck in form of 
 
 a
 
 1 66 
 
 a Ruff; their Sword oftentimes hangs 
 by their fide tied with a bit of Cord, 
 and ordinary without a Scabbard; 
 the reft of their Arms is feldom in 
 better Order: And in this Equipage 
 they march gravely to Tuy, where is 
 the General Rendezvouz, it being a 
 Frontier place to Portugal. There are 
 three which lie thus, the above-men- 
 tion'd, Cindud-Rodrigo, and Badajoz, 
 but Tuy is the beft guarded, becaufe 
 it is over-againft Valentia, a confider- 
 able Town belonging to the King of 
 Portugal, and which has been care- 
 fully fortifi'd: Thefe two Towns are 
 fo near, that their Cannon will reach 
 each other; and if the Portugaifes 
 have omitted nothing to put Valentia 
 out of danger of being infulted over, 
 the Spaniards pretend Tuy is in as 
 good a Condition to defend it felf; It 
 ftands on an Hill, whofe lower part is 
 wafh'd by the River Minhio; it has 
 good Ramparts, ftrong Walls, and 
 good ftore of Artillery. It is here, I 
 
 fay,
 
 fay, where thefe our Champions bid 
 Defiance to the King's Enemies, and 
 in a ftrutting Bravery, declare, they 
 do not fear 'em. Perhaps fomething 
 of this may happen in time, for here 
 are form'd as good Troops as in any 
 other part of Spain. However, this is 
 a great lofs to the Kingdom, the whole 
 Youth being thus taken up; for the 
 Lands, for the moft part lye untill'd, 
 and on the fide of St. James de Com- 
 poftella, you wou'd think you faw a 
 Wildernefs; on that of the Ocean, the 
 Country being better and more peo- 
 pled, yields greater Profit, and all 
 things neceffary and convenient, as 
 Oranges, Lemmons, and Pomgranates, 
 feveral forts of Fruits, and excellent 
 Filh, efpecially Pilchards, more deli- 
 cate than thofe which came from 
 Royan to Bordeaux. 
 
 ' One of the moft remarkable things, 
 in my mind, in this Kingdom, is the 
 Town of Doienfe, one part of which 
 always enjoys the Sweetnefs of the 
 
 Spring,
 
 1 68 
 
 Spring, and the Fruits of Autumn, by 
 reafon of feveral Springs of boiling 
 Water, which warm the Air by their 
 Exhalations; whil'ft the other part of 
 this fame Town fuffers the Rigors of 
 the longeft Winters, ftandingas it does 
 at the Foot of a very cold Mountain; 
 fo that you find in the fpace of one 
 only Seafon, all thofe which compofe 
 the courfe of the Year.' 
 
 ' You fay nothing,' replied I to him, 
 'of the marvellous Fountain, call'd 
 Louzano.' 'Who have told you of 
 it, Madam ? ' anfwer'd he. ' Perfons 
 that have feen it,' added I. 'You 
 have been then told,' continu'd he, 
 ' that on the top of the Mountain of 
 Cerbret, you find this Fountain at the 
 Source of the River Lours; which has 
 Flux and Reflux as the Sea, tho' it be 
 at twenty Leagues diftance from it; 
 that the greater the Heats are, the 
 more Water it cafts, that this Water 
 is fometimes cold as Ice, and fome- 
 times as hot as if it boil'd, there being 
 
 no
 
 1 69 
 
 no Natural Caufe to be giv'n for it.' 
 ' You learn me Particulars I was igno- 
 rant of,' faid I to him, 'and this is 
 doing me a great Pleafure, for I want 
 not for Curiofity in relation to things 
 uncommon.' 'I wifh,' replied he, 
 ' 'twas not fo late, I would give you 
 an account of feveral Rarities in Spain, 
 and which perhaps you would gladly 
 learn.' 'I leave you for to Night,' 
 faid 1 to him, ' but I hope before we 
 come to Madrid, we (hall have an op- 
 portunity of difcourfmg of them.' He 
 very civilly made me a Promife; and 
 the Play being ended, we bad one 
 another good night. 
 
 When I would go to reft, I was led 
 into a Gallery full of Beds, as you fee 
 in Hofpitals: I faid, this was ridicu- 
 lous; and that needing only four, 
 what occafion was there for (hewing 
 me forty, and to put me into fuch an 
 open place to ftarve me ? I was an- 
 fwer'd, This was the beft place in 
 the Houfe, and I muft take up with 
 
 it.
 
 1 70 
 
 it. I caus'd my Bed to be made, 
 when fcarce was I laid down, but 
 fome body knockt foftly at my Door; 
 my Women opened it, and remained 
 much furpriz'd to fee the Mafter and 
 Miftrefs followed by a dozen of forry 
 creatures, and fo cloath'd that they 
 were half naked. I drew my Curtain 
 at the Noife they made, and opened 
 more mine Eyes at the fight of this 
 Noble Company. The Miftrefs drew 
 near to me, and told me, Thefe were 
 honeft Travellers, who were coming 
 into the Beds which remained empty. 
 ' How, lie here ? ' faid I, ' I believe 
 you have loft your Senfes.' ' I fhould 
 have loft 'em indeed,' replied fhe, 
 'fhould I let fo many Beds ftand 
 Empty. Either, Madam, you muft 
 pay for them, or thefe honeft Gen- 
 tlemen muft lye in them.' I cannot 
 exprefs my Rage to you; 1 was in 
 the mind to fend for Don Fernand 
 and my Knights, who would have 
 fooner made 'em pafs through the 
 
 Win-
 
 Windows than through the Doors: 
 But I confidered this could not be 
 done without fome Difturbance, and 
 therefore I came to Terms, and agreed 
 to pay 20 d. for each Bed ; they are 
 hardly dearer at Fontainbleau when 
 the Court is there. Thefe Illuftrious 
 Dons, or, to fpeak better, Tatterde- 
 malions, who had the Infolence to 
 come into my Room, immediately 
 withdrew, having made me feveral 
 profound Reverences. 
 
 The next Morning I thought to have 
 burft with laughter, tho' twas at my 
 Coft, when I difcovered mine Hoftefs's 
 Trick to ruin me: For you muft know 
 in the firft place, that thefe pretended 
 Travellers were their Neighbours, 
 and that they are accuftomed to this 
 Stratagem, when they fee Strangers: 
 But when I would have reckoned the 
 Beds to pay for 'em, they were rowled 
 all of 'em into the midft of the Gal- 
 lery; there were divers wretched 
 Troughs of Straw pull'd out, which 
 
 were
 
 172 
 
 were hardly good enough to entertain 
 Dogs, yet I muft pay for each 20 d. 
 Four Piftoles ended our Difpute. I 
 was not able to put my felf in a Paf- 
 fion, fuch fingularity did I find in this 
 Management. I would not recount 
 this little Accident to you, did it not 
 ferve to give you fome infight into 
 the Humour of this Nation. 
 
 We fet out from Burgos very late, 
 the Weather was fo bad, and there 
 had fall'n in the Night fuch great 
 quantity of Rain, that I tarry'd there as 
 long as I could, in expectation of its 
 ceafing. In fine, I came to a Refolu- 
 tion, and afcended my Litter. 1 had 
 not gotten far from the Town, but I 
 repented of my leaving it; no Track 
 cou'd be feen, efpecially on a very 
 high fteep Mountain, over which we 
 muft neceffarily pafs. One of our 
 Mule-drivers, who went before, ftruck 
 too far on the Edge of this Mountain, 
 fo that he fell with his Mule into a 
 kind of Precipice, where he broke his 
 
 Head,
 
 173 
 
 Head, and put his Arm out of joynt; 
 this being the famous Philip de St. 
 Sebaftian, the moft intelligent of all 
 his Profeffion, and who commonly 
 carries Perfons of Quality to Madrid; 
 he was therefore much bemoaned; 
 and we remain'd a great while before 
 we could hale him out from the fcurvy 
 place where he had fall'n; Don Fer- 
 nand was fo compaffionate as to let 
 him have his Litter. The Night came 
 fpeedily on us, and we could have 
 comforted our felves, could we have 
 return'd to Burgos, but it was impof- 
 fible, the Ways were no lefs covered 
 with Snow on that fide, than all the 
 reft ; fo that we put in at Madrigalefco, 
 which has not above a dozen Houfes, 
 and I may fay we were befieg'd with- 
 out having any Enemies. This Ad- 
 venture gave us fome difturbance, 
 tho' we had brought Provifions with 
 us for feveral Days. The beft Houfe 
 of the Town was half uncovered ; and 
 I was fcarce lodged there, when a 
 
 vener-
 
 174 
 
 venerable Old Man askt for me on the 
 part of a Lady who was juft arriv'd: 
 He made me a Compliment, and told 
 me, He was inform'd this was the 
 only place where there was any toler- 
 able Entertainment; and therefore in- 
 treated me to fpare her fome room. 
 He added, She was a Perfon of Quality 
 of Andaloufia, was lately a Widow, 
 and that he had the Honour to belong 
 to her. 
 
 One of our Knights, named Don 
 Efteve de Carjaval, who is of the fame 
 Country, fail'd not to demand her 
 Name of the old Gentleman: He told 
 him, fhe was the Marchionefs de Los 
 Rios. At this Name he turn'd to- 
 wards me, and fpake to me of her as of 
 a Perfon whofe Merit and Fortune were 
 very confiderable : 1 readily accepted 
 of this good Company; She immedi- 
 ately came in her Litter, out of which 
 fhe had not descended, having found 
 no Houfe where fhe could abide. 
 
 Her Drefs feem'd to me very fingu- 
 
 lar;
 
 175 
 
 lar; had fhe not been fo handfome as 
 fhe was, (he could never have ap- 
 pear'd in any fort tolerable: Her 
 Gown and Petticoat was of black 
 Serge, and over them a kind of Linnen 
 Surplice, which reacht down lower 
 than her Knees; the Sleeves were 
 long, and ftrait in the Arm, which 
 hung over her Hands: This Surplice 
 was faftned to her gown, and being 
 not pleated behind, it feem'd like a 
 Bib: She wore on her Head a piece 
 of Muflin, which covered her Face, 
 and one would have taken it for a 
 Religiofe's Hood; this covered her 
 Neck, and reach'd down very low: 
 There appear'd no Hair on her Head, 
 they were all hid under this Muflin : 
 She wore a great Mantle of black 
 Taffaty, which covered her Heels; 
 and over this Mantle fhe had an Hat, 
 whofe Brims were very large, faftned 
 under her Chin with filken Twift. I 
 was told they wear this but only 
 when they travel. 
 
 This
 
 1 7 6 
 
 This is the Habit of the Widows 
 and Duenna's, a Drefs which is infup- 
 portable to my fight; and fhould one 
 meet with a Woman in the Night 
 thus cloath'd, one might be ftartled 
 without Reproach; yet the Lady was 
 very beautiful in this Unfeemly Drefs. 
 They never leave it, unlefs they 
 marry; and they are oblig'd to bewail 
 the Death of an Husband, whom they 
 could not endure when living. 
 
 I was inform'd they pafs the firft 
 Year of their Mourning in a Chamber 
 hung with Black, wherein there is 
 not the leaft glimmering of Day-light 
 to be feen ; they fit crofs-legg'd on a 
 little Holland-Quilt. When this Year 
 is ended, they retire into a Chamber 
 hung with Gray: they muft have no 
 Pictures, nor Looking-Glaffes, nor 
 Cabinets, nor fine Tables, nor Plate, 
 neither muft they have any Diamonds, 
 or wear any Colours: However mod- 
 eft they are, they muft live fo retired, 
 that it muft feem their Soul is already 
 
 in
 
 177 
 
 in the other World. This Conftrant 
 is the caufe that feveral Ladies who 
 are wealthy, and efpecially in rich 
 Houfhold-Goods, marry again to have 
 the fatisfaftion of making ufe of them. 
 After the firft Compliments, I in- 
 form'd my felf from this mournful 
 Widow where fhe was going; (he 
 told me, She had not for a long time 
 feen a Friend of her Mother's who 
 was a Religious at Lafhuelgas de Bur- 
 gos, which is a famous Nunnery, 
 wherein there is an hundred and fifty 
 Nuns, moft of 'em the Daughters of 
 Princes, Dukes, and Titulado's. She 
 added, That the Abbefs is Lady of 
 fourteen large Towns, and above fifty 
 other Places wherein (he chufes Gov- 
 ernors and Magiftrates; that Ihe is 
 Superior of feventeen Convents; Col- 
 lates to feveral Benefices, and difpofes 
 of twelve Commanderfhips in favour 
 of whom (he pleafes. She told me 
 (he defign'd to pafs fome time in this 
 Monaftery: ' Can you, Madam,' faid I 
 
 to
 
 1 7 8 
 
 to her, ' accuftom yourfelf to fo retired 
 a Life as is that of a Convent ? ' 'It 
 will be no hard matter,' faid Ihe, 'for 
 I believe I fee fewer People at my 
 own Houfe than I fhall fee there; and 
 in effect thefe Religious have Liberty 
 enough: They are commonly the 
 handfomeft young Women of the Fam- 
 ily who are there; thefe enter there- 
 in fo young, that they know not what 
 they are made to leave, nor what they 
 undertake at the Age of fix or feven, 
 and it may be fooner. They are 
 caufed to make Vows, when 'tis often 
 the Father or Mother, or fome near 
 Relation, who pronounce them for 
 'em, whilft the little Sacrifice difports 
 herfelf with Sugar-plums, and lets 'em 
 drefs her how they will: Yet the Bar- 
 gain holds, there's no unfaying it; 
 however, they have every thing 
 which can be expected in their Con- 
 dition. There are at Madrid fome 
 whom they call the Ladies of St. 
 James: they are properly Canonneffes, 
 
 who
 
 179 
 
 who make their Tryals like the 
 Knights of this Order; they bear, like 
 them, a Sword, made in form of a 
 Crofs, embroidered with Crimfon Silk; 
 they have 'em on their Scapularies 
 and great Cloaks, which are white: 
 Thefe Ladies Houfe is very ftately ; all 
 who come to vifit 'em enter without 
 any difficulty; their Apartments are 
 very fine, and every whit as well fur- 
 nifht as if they were at large in the 
 World; they enjoy great Penfions, 
 and each of 'em has three or four 
 Women to wait on them : It's true, 
 they never ftir out, nor fee their near- 
 eft Relations, but through feveral 
 Grates. This perhaps would look 
 horrid in another Country, but in 
 Spain they are accuftom'd to Confine- 
 ment. 
 
 ' There are Convents where the Re- 
 ligious fee more Cavaliers than the 
 Women who live at large, neither are 
 they lefs gallant: It is impoffible for 
 any to have more Gayety than they; 
 
 and,
 
 i8o 
 
 and, as I have already told you, Ma- 
 dam, here are more Beauties than 
 abroad; but it muft be granted, there 
 are feveral among them who are deeply 
 fenfible at their having been fo foon 
 facrific'd ; they think of the Pleafures 
 which they have never tafted, as the 
 only ones which can make this Life 
 Happy. They pafs theirs in a Condi- 
 tion worthy of Compaffion, always 
 telling you, they are there by Force; 
 and that the Vows they are made to 
 repeat at the Age of five or fix Years, 
 are to be regarded like Childrens Plays. ' 
 'Madam,' faid I to her, 'it wou'd 
 have been great pity, had your Rela- 
 tions defign'd you for fuch a Life; and 
 one may judge, in beholding you, 
 that all the beautiful Spanifh Ladies 
 are not Religiofes.' 'Alas, Madam,' 
 faid (he, in fetching a deep Sigh, ' I 
 know not what I wou'd be; it feems 
 I am of a very odd Humor, not to be 
 contented with my Fortune: but one 
 has fometimes Uneafmeffes which are 
 
 unac-
 
 unaccountable to Reafon.' In ending 
 thefe words, (he faftned her Eyes to 
 the ground, and fell into fuch a deep 
 fit of Mufing, that I cou'd eafily per- 
 ceive fomething difturb'd her. 
 
 Whatever Curiosity I had to know 
 the Subject, we had been fo little to- 
 gether, that I dared not defire to be 
 her Confident; but to draw her from 
 the melancholy Pofture Ihe was in, I 
 entreated her to tell me fome News 
 of the Court of Spain, feeing fhe came 
 from Madrid. She did what fhe cou'd 
 to recover herfelf: fhe then told me, 
 There were great fhews of Joy at 
 Court on the Queen's Birth-day: that 
 the King had fent one of the Gentle- 
 men of his Chamber to Toledo, to 
 Compliment her from him: Yet thefe 
 fine Appearances hindred not the 
 Marquefs de Manfera, the Queen's 
 Major Domo, from receiving Orders to 
 retire twenty Leagues from the Court, 
 which had greatly mortifi'd this Prin- 
 cefs. She inform'd us, That the Fleet 
 
 which
 
 1 82 
 
 which carried Troops to Galicia, was 
 unhappily caft away on the Coafts of 
 Portugal. That the little Dutchefs de 
 Terra Nova, was to Efpoufe Don Ni- 
 colo Pignatelli, Prince de Monteleon, 
 her Uncle. That the Marquefs de Le- 
 ganez had refufed the Vice-royalty of 
 Sardagnia, being in love with a fine 
 Lady, whom he cou'd not find in his 
 heart to leave. That Don Carlos de 
 Omodei, Marquefs d' Almonazid, was 
 dangeroufly ill, at his Difappointment 
 of being admitted a Grandee of Spain, 
 to which he pretended, having mar- 
 ry'd the Heirefs of the Houfe and 
 Grandeurfhip of Cartel Rodrigue; and 
 that which moft fenfibly afflicted him, 
 was, that Don Ariel de Gufman, this 
 Lady's firft Husband, had enjoyed this 
 Honour; fo that he cou'd not but look 
 on the Difficulties thrown in his way 
 as a flighting of his Perfon : ' In truth, 
 Madam,' faid I to her, 'I can hardly 
 comprehend how a Man of fence, can 
 with fuch eagernefs purfue, and be fo 
 
 greatly
 
 greatly dejefted at a Difappointment 
 of this Nature.' 'We are otherwife 
 affecled in Spain,' replied the beautiful 
 Widow, 'and this Inftance is a proof 
 of it.' 
 
 Don Frederic de Cardonne, who 
 greatly interefted himfelf for the Duke 
 de Medina Celi, askt her News of 
 him : ' The King,' faid fhe, ' has lately 
 made him Prefident of the Indies. 
 The Queen-Mother has wrote to the 
 King, on the Report which runs, that 
 he is about Marrying; that (he is fur- 
 priz'd things are already gone fo far, 
 and he has not acquainted her with 
 them. She adds in her Letter, She 
 advifed him in the mean time, whilft 
 all things were ready for this Cere- 
 mony, to make a Journey to Catalonia 
 and Arragon. Don John of Auftria 
 fufficiently underftands the Neceffity 
 of this, and he preffes the King to 
 depart, to content thefe People, in 
 promifing by Oath, according as is 
 cuftomary to new Kings, to maintain 
 
 all
 
 all their ancient Priviledges.' 'Have 
 then, Madam/ faid I to her, interrupt- 
 ing her, ' the Arrogonois any other 
 Priviledges than the Caftillans ? ' 
 'Very particular ones,' replied (he, 
 'and you being a Stranger, I believe 
 you will be willing to let me inform 
 you of them.' Here's what I learnt: 
 The Daughter of Count Julien, 
 named Cava, was one of the moft 
 beautiful Ladies in the World: King 
 Rodrigue became fo paffionately in 
 love with her, that his Affection know- 
 ing no Bounds, tranfported him be- 
 yond all meafure. The Father, who 
 was then in Affrica, inform'd of the 
 Outrage done his Daughter, who 
 breath'd nothing but Revenge, treated 
 with the Moors, and fupplied 'em 
 with the means to enter into Spain,* 
 and to make there, for fundry Ages, 
 
 all 
 
 *This happened in 714, after the Battle of St. 
 Martin, wherein D. Rodrigue loft his Life; others 
 fay, he fled into Portugal, and died in a Town 
 there call'd Vifcii.
 
 1 8 5 
 
 all thofe Ravages fet forth at large in 
 Hiftpry. 
 
 The Arragonois were the firft who 
 (hook off the Yoak of thefe Barbari- 
 ans; and finding no more among 
 them any Princes of the Race of 
 Gothifh Kings, they agreed to Elect 
 one, and caft their eyes on a Lord of 
 the Country, call'd Garci Ximinex; 
 but they being Mafters, to impofe 
 Laws on him, and finding himfelf 
 fufficiently Happy that he might Rule 
 over them under any Condition, thefe 
 People therefore confined him within 
 narrow Bounds. 
 
 They agreed, That as foon as their 
 Monarch fhou'd break through any of 
 their Laws, he fhou'd immediately 
 forfeit his Power, and they be at full 
 liberty to chufe another, though he 
 were a Pagan: and to hinder him 
 from violating their Priviledges, and 
 to defend themfelves againft him, 
 they eftablifht a Soveraign Magiftrate, 
 whom they call'd the Jufticia, whofe 
 
 Office
 
 1 86 
 
 Office was to obferve the Conduct of 
 the King, the Judges, and the People: 
 but the Power of a Soveraign being 
 likely to Awe a meer Particular, to 
 Affure the Jufticia in the Execution 
 of his Office, they ordered, That he 
 might not fuffer either in his Perfon 
 or Goods, but by a com pleat Affembly 
 of the States, which they call Las 
 Cortes. 
 
 They moreover provided, That if 
 the King fhou'd Opprefs any one of 
 his Subjects, the great and confidera- 
 ble Men of the Kingdom might af- 
 femble themfelves, and hinder his 
 receiving any of his Revenues, till the 
 Innocent was acquitted, and re-eftab- 
 lifht in his former Rights. And to 
 make Garci Ximinez timely fenfible 
 of the Power this Man had over him, 
 they fet 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
 
 1 8 7 
 
 they acknowledge him their Sover- 
 aign, but in as odd as difrefpedful a 
 Manner, for inftead of promising him 
 Fidelity and Obedience, they fay to 
 him, ' We who are as good Men as 
 yourfelf, we make you our King and 
 Governour, on Condition you keep to 
 us our Rights and Properties, other- 
 wife we Difacknowledge you.' 
 
 The King, Don Pedro, in procefs of 
 time coming to the Crown, rellilht 
 this Cuftom, as unworthy of the 
 Regal State; and it fo greatly dif- 
 gufted him, that by his Authority and 
 Intreaties, and the Offers he made of 
 beftowing feveral notable Priviledges 
 on the Kingdom, he procured the 
 Abolifhment of this, in an Affembly 
 of the States: he got this general 
 Confent in Writing, which was pre- 
 fented to him. As foon as he had 
 the Parchment, he drew out his Dag- 
 ger, and pierced his Hand with it, 
 faying, ' Twas fit a Law which gave 
 Subjects the Liberty of chufing their 
 
 Sov-
 
 1 88 
 
 Soveraign, fhould be Efaced with 
 their Sovereign's Bloud.' His Statue 
 is ftill feen in the Deputation-hall of 
 Saragoffa: he holds a Dagger in one 
 Hand, and the Charter in the other. 
 The late Kings have not been fuch 
 Religious Obfervers of their Priviledges 
 as the firft. 
 
 But there is a Law ftill in force, and 
 which is very fmgular, and this they 
 call, 'The Law of Manifeftation ' ; 
 which is, That if an Arragonois had 
 Wrong done him in Judgment, in 
 configning 500 Crowns, he may bring 
 his Caufe before the Jufticia, who is 
 obliged, after an exa6t Perquifition, to 
 punifh him who has giv'n a wrong 
 Sentence: And if he fails therein, the 
 oppreft Perfon may have Recourfe to 
 the States of the Kingdom, who Af- 
 femble and Nominate five Perfons of 
 their Body, which is to fay, of the 
 Prime Nobility, the Ecclefiafticks, the 
 Gentry and Commonalty: they ap- 
 point three out of the firft Rank, and 
 
 two
 
 1 89 
 
 two from each of the others. But it 
 is obfervable, they choofe the moft 
 Ignorant to Judge the moft able Men 
 in the Gown, whether to Difgrace 'em 
 the more for their Fault, or, as they 
 alledge, ' That Juftice fhould be fo 
 clear, that the very Plow-men, and 
 thofe who underftand the leaft, fhould 
 difcern it without the help of Oratory.' 
 It is likewife affirm'd, That the Judges 
 tremble when they pronounce a Sen- 
 tence, fearing left it turn againft them- 
 felves, to the lofs of their Lives or 
 Eftates, fhould they commit the leaft 
 Fault therein, either wilfully, or 
 through Inadvertency. It were well 
 if this Cuftom were obferved in all 
 Kingdoms: but this is rather to be 
 wifh'd than expected. 
 
 Yet what is no lefs fingular, is, 
 That Juftice remains always Sover- 
 aign; and though the Unjult Judge 
 be punifh'd feverely for his wrong 
 Decree, yet it fubfifts in its full force, 
 and is fully executed : If then any Un- 
 happy
 
 190 
 
 happy Wretch be fentenced to Death, 
 he is not fpared, tho' his Innocency 
 be difcovered, and made as clear as 
 Noon-day; but his Judges are exe- 
 cuted too before his Face; which, in 
 my mind, is a poor Confolation. If 
 the Judge accufed, has juftly perform'd 
 his Office, the Plaintiff leaves the 500 
 Crowns which he had confign'd: But 
 were he to lofe 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 likewife 500 
 Crowns ; the reft of this Judge's Eftate 
 is forfeited to the King: which is, in 
 my Opinion, another Point of Injuftice; 
 for in fine, he ought, above all others, 
 to have Recompenfe made him who 
 fuffers by a wrong Sentence. 
 
 Thefe fame People have another 
 Cuftom, to diftinguifh by the Punilh- 
 ment the Crime committed: for Ex- 
 ample, A Cavalier, who has kill'd 
 another in Duel (for they are here 
 
 ftridly
 
 ftriftly forbid), he has his Head cut 
 off before; and he that has Affaffin- 
 ated, his is cut off behind. This is 
 to diftinguifh him who has behaved 
 himfelf like a brave Man, from him 
 that kills you Treacheroufly. 
 
 She added, That to fpeak in gen- 
 eral of the Arragonois, They have a 
 Natural Pride, which is hard to be 
 fupprefs'd: but likewife to do them 
 Juftice, there are people of brave 
 Minds to be found among them ; in- 
 fomuch, that they are eafily difcern'd 
 from all the reft of the King of Spain's 
 Subjects: That they have never 
 wanted Great Men, from their firft 
 King to Ferdinand : That they count- 
 ed fuch a great number of them, as 
 would fcarce be believ'd: However, 
 they have greatly recommended 
 themfelves by their Valour and Con- 
 dud. That as to the reft, their Coun- 
 try was fo little fruitful, that except- 
 ing fome Valleys which were watered 
 by Channels, whofe Water came from 
 
 the
 
 192 
 
 the Ebre, the reft was fo dry and 
 fandy, that you meet with fcarce any 
 thing elfe but ftony and parched up 
 places: That Sarragoffa is a great 
 City, the Houfes finer than at Madrid ; 
 the Publick Places adorn'd with 
 Arches; that the Holy Street, where 
 the Courfes are run, is fo long and 
 large, as may make it pafs for a great 
 and vaft place, having feveral great 
 Mens Palaces on it; that of Caftel- 
 morato being one of the pleafanteft : 
 That the Vault of St. Francis's Church 
 was very curious, for being of extra- 
 ordinary Largenefs, yet 'tis upheld by 
 no Pillars : That the City is not ftrong, 
 but the Inhabitants fo ftout, that it 
 needed no Walls; that it has never a 
 Fountain, this being one of its greateft 
 Defeats: That the Ebre carried no 
 Boats, the River being full of danger- 
 ous Rocks. As to the reft, the Arch- 
 bifhoprick was worth 60000 Crowns 
 a year: That the Vice-Royalty brought 
 in no Revenue, being a Place of Ho- 
 nour,
 
 193 
 
 nour, fit only for great Lords to bear 
 the Expence of it, to maintain their 
 Rank, and keep the People under, 
 who are Naturally Fierce and Imperi- 
 ous, not Affable to Strangers; and fo 
 little defirous of making Acquaintance, 
 that they chufe rather to ftay at Home 
 alone all their Life-time, than ftir out 
 to procure Friendfhips: That here is a 
 fevere Inquifition, who have a ftately 
 Palace, and a moft Rigid Court of 
 Juftice ; Yet this does not hinder great 
 Troops of Robbers, call'd Bandoleros, 
 from Ravaging, and difperfmg them- 
 felves over all Spain; who give no 
 Quarter to Travellers, fnatching up 
 fometimes Women of Quality, whom 
 they afterwards fet at Ranfom, for 
 their Parents to Redeem; but when 
 they are Handfome they keep them : 
 And this is the greateft Misfortune 
 can happen to 'em, being forced to 
 fpend their Days with the Worft of 
 Men, who keep them in dreadful 
 Caves, or carry them along with them 
 
 on
 
 194 
 
 on Horfe-back, being fo furioufly jeal- 
 ous of 'em, that one of their Captains 
 (having been lately fet upon by Soul- 
 diers fent into the Mountains to feize 
 on him) being mortally wounded, 
 and having his Miftrefs with him, 
 who was of the Marquefs de Cama- 
 raza, a Grandee of Spain's Family; 
 When fhe faw him in this Condition, 
 fhe thought only of making Ufe of 
 this favourable Opportunity of faving 
 her felf ; which he perceiving, dying, 
 as he was, he catch'd hold of her 
 Hair, and ftruck his Dagger into her 
 Breaft, Being not willing, faid he, 
 that another fhould poffefs a Treafure 
 which had been fo dear to him. And 
 this is what himfelf acknowledg'd to 
 the Souldiers who found him, and faw 
 this fad Spectacle. 
 
 The Beautiful Marchionefs here held 
 her peace; and I return'd her all due 
 Thanks for the Favour (he did me, 
 in informing me of thefe Curiofities; 
 and of which, perhaps without her, I 
 
 might
 
 195 
 
 might have been Ignorant all my 
 Life. 'I do not think, Madam,' faid 
 fhe to me, ' you owe me fuch Thanks; 
 I rather fear the having deferved Re- 
 proaches for fo long and tirefome a 
 Converfation.' 
 
 I would not let her leave me to eat 
 elfewhere; and I obliged her to lye 
 with me, fhe having no Bed. So 
 Civil and Courteous a Proceeding 
 made her much my Friend: She af- 
 fured me of this in fuch Affectionate 
 Terms, that I could not doubt of it; 
 for I muft tell you, the Spanifh Wo- 
 men are more Careffing than we, and 
 are far more Kind and Tender to thofe 
 they profefs Friendfhip. In fine, I 
 could not forbear telling her, ' That if 
 fhe had all the Kindnefs for me fhe 
 made profeffion, fhe muft be fo com- 
 plaifant, to inform me, What made 
 her feem fo melancholly ? That I had 
 heard her fetch deep Sighs in the 
 Night, and appear'd very Reftlefs and 
 Difconfolate; That if fhe could find 
 
 any
 
 196 
 
 any Comfort in fharing her Grief with 
 me, I offered my Service to her, as a 
 moft faithful Friend.' She embraced 
 me with great Affedion, and told me 
 without delay, fhe would immediately 
 fatisfie my Curiofity ; which fhe did in 
 thefe Terms: 
 
 ' Seeing you are defirous to know 
 me, I muft without difguifing to you 
 any thing, acknowledge my Weak- 
 neffes to you; and by my Sincerity 
 and Open-heartednefs, deferve a Curi- 
 ofity as obliging as yours : 
 
 ' I come not of fuch a Family as 
 may claim Nobility; my Father's 
 Name was Davila; he was only a 
 Banker, but he was in good Credit, 
 and was moderately Wealthy: We 
 are of Seville, Capital of Andaloufia, 
 and we have ever dwelt there. My 
 Mother knew the World, fhe faw 
 many People of Quality, and having 
 no Children but me, fhe took great 
 care of my Education: It did not ap- 
 pear ill-beftowed on me; for I had 
 
 the
 
 197 
 
 the good Fortune to get the good 
 Will of moft that faw me. 
 
 'We had two Neighbours who 
 came often to our Houfe, who were 
 very welcome both to my Father and 
 Mother: Their Condition and Age 
 were in no fort alike; One was the 
 Marquefs de Los Rios, a Perfon 
 Wealthy and Noble; he was a Wid- 
 ower, and well advanced in years: 
 the other was the Son of a great 
 Merchant, who traded to the Indies; 
 he was Young and Handfome, he 
 had Wit, and a very graceful Behav- 
 iour; his Name was Mendez: He was 
 not long before he fell paffionately in 
 Love with me; fo that he omitted 
 nothing which might pleafe me, and 
 gain my Affections. 
 
 ' He was in all places where he 
 knew I was to pafs; he fpent whole 
 Nights under my Windows, to fing 
 Verfes which he had compofed and 
 fet to my Praife, which he had very 
 well accompany'd with his Harp. 
 
 'But
 
 198 
 
 ' But feeing his Attendancies had 
 not all the Effe<ft he expected, and 
 having part fome time in this manner, 
 without daring to mention his Af- 
 feftion to me, he at length refolv'd to 
 make ufe of the firft occafion to ac- 
 quaint me with it. I avoided him 
 ever fmce I had a Converfation with 
 one of my Friends, who had more Ex- 
 perience and Knowledge of the World 
 than I: I had felt, that Mendez's Com- 
 pany gave me Joy, and that my Heart 
 had an Emotion for him, which it had 
 not for others : That when his Affairs, 
 or our Vifits hindred him from feeing 
 me, I grew refllefs; and loving this 
 young Woman, above others, and 
 being as dear to her, fhe obferv'd I 
 was not fo free and gay as I was 
 wont, and that my Eyes were fome- 
 times attentively fixed on Mendez. 
 One Day when (he rally'd with me 
 about it, I faid to her very innocently, 
 " My dear Henrietta, define to me the 
 Sentiments I have for Mendez: I know 
 
 not
 
 199 
 
 not whether I ought to be afraid of 
 them, and whether I ought not to de- 
 fend my felf from them. I feel I know 
 not what fort of Trouble and Pleafure 
 arifing in my Breaft." She began to 
 laugh, fhe embraced me, and faid to 
 me, "My dear Heart, you are in 
 Love." "Who, I in Love ? " reply'd 
 I, in amaze: "You joke with me; I 
 neither am, nor will be in Love." 
 "This depends not always on us," 
 continued fhe, with a more ferious 
 Air, " our Stars decide this before our 
 Hearts. But in earneft, what is it fo 
 much ftartles you ? Mendez is in a 
 Condition equal to yours; he deferves 
 well, a good comely Man; and if his 
 Affairs go on with the fame Succefs 
 as they have done hitherto, you may 
 live very happily with him." "And 
 whence fhould I learn," reply'd I, in- 
 terrupting her, " that he will be happy 
 with me, and that he fo much as 
 thinks this?" " O, take my Word 
 for it," anfwer'd fhe, "whatever he 
 
 has
 
 200 
 
 has done has its Defigns ; for Men are 
 not wont to pafs Nights under Win- 
 dows, and the Days in following a 
 Perfon for whom they have nothing 
 but Indifferency." 
 
 ' After fome other Difcourfe of this 
 Nature, fhe left me, and 1 refolv'd, 
 maugre the Repugnance I felt in me, 
 to give Mendez no opportunity of 
 fpeaking to me in particular. 
 
 ' But one Night as I was walking in 
 the Garden, he came towards me: I 
 was perplext to fee my felf alone with 
 him; and he had the opportunity of 
 obferving it on my Countenance, 
 and in the manner after which I re- 
 ceiv'd him. This could not divert 
 him from the defign he had of enter- 
 taining me: "How Happy am I Ma- 
 dam," faid he, "to find you alone? 
 But do I call my felf Happy ! Perhaps 
 I know not what I fay: for it may be 
 you will not receive a Secret with 
 which I would entruft you." " 1 am as 
 yet fo young," faid I to him, blufhing, 
 
 "that
 
 2OI 
 
 " that I would advife you to fay noth- 
 ing to me, unlefs you would have 
 me impart it to my Companions." 
 "Alas," continued he, " fhould I tell 
 you, I Adore you; that all my Happi- 
 nefs depends on the Inclinations you 
 have towards me : That I cannot live 
 without fome Certainty, that 1 may 
 one day pleafe you; will you tell this 
 to your Companions?" "No," faid 
 I to him, in great perplexity, "I 
 would look on this Confidence as a 
 Railery; and not believing it my felf, 
 I would not hazard its being left to be 
 believ'd by others." 
 
 ' We were interrupted as 1 ended 
 thefe words; and he appear'd to me 
 not over-content with the Anfwer I 
 made him ; and a while after he found 
 an opportunity to reproach me with 
 it. 
 
 ' I could not but give a favourable 
 Ear to the Inclinations I had towards 
 him; everything he told me feem'd 
 to me to have its particular Graceful- 
 
 nefs:
 
 2O2 
 
 nefs : And it was no hard matter for 
 him to perfwade me, that he lov'd me 
 above all things in the World. 
 
 ' In the mean time, the Marquefs de 
 Los Rios took fuch a liking to me, 
 and my Perfon and Behaviour ran fo 
 deeply in his Thoughts, that he wholly 
 applied himfelf to pleafe me. He was 
 very nice and cautious; he could not 
 refolve with himfelf to owe me wholly 
 to my Parents authority: He well 
 knew they would receive as an Hon- 
 our the Intentions he had for me; but 
 he was for gaining my Confent before 
 he demanded theirs. 
 
 ' In this Defign he faid all to me he 
 thought was like to take with me. I 
 anfwer'd him I fhould always think it 
 an indifpenfable Duty to obey my 
 Father: yet our Ages were fo differ- 
 ent, that I told him, I thought 'twere 
 better he left off thinking of me; that 
 I fhould have an everlafting Acknowl- 
 edgment for the advantageous Inten- 
 tions he had for me; and therefore I 
 
 would
 
 203 
 
 would efteem him, tho I could not love 
 him. Having heard what I faid, he 
 was fome time without fpeaking, and 
 immediately taking up a very gener- 
 ous Refolution: "Lovely Mariana," 
 fays he, "you might have made me 
 the happieft Man in the World; and 
 if you were ambitious, I had where- 
 with to fatisfie you: But you refufe 
 me, and I defire to be anothers: I 
 confent to it; I love you too well to 
 be in fufpence, whether you are to be 
 fatisfied or I ; I therefore wholly facri- 
 fice my Happinefs to you, and leave 
 you for ever." In ending thefe Words 
 he left me, and appear'd fo afflicted, 
 that I could not forbear being concern'd. 
 ' Mendez arriv'd a while after, and 
 found me melancholly: He was fo 
 earneft with me to know the Caufe, 
 that I could not deny him this Proof 
 of my Complaifance. Any one but 
 he would have had a fenfible Obliga- 
 tion at the Exclufion I came from giv- 
 ing his Rival: But far from feeming to 
 
 value
 
 204 
 
 value it, he told me, He faw in mine 
 Eyes the Regret I had for a Lover, 
 who could place me in another fort of 
 a Rank than he was able; and that 
 my Proceeding was very Cruel. In 
 vain [I] endeavoured to make him fen- 
 fible of the Injuftice of this; but all I 
 could fay, could not hinder him from 
 charging me with Inconftancy. 1 re- 
 main'd vext, and furpriz'd at this his 
 Way of Dealing, and was feveral days 
 without fpeaking to him. 
 
 ' He, in fine, at laft underftood he 
 had no Reafon to Complain; he came 
 to me, and begg'd my Pardon, and 
 teftified to me a great Difpleafure at 
 his ownjealoufie: He excufed himfelf, 
 as all Lovers do, on the ftrength of 
 his Paffion. 1 had fo much Weaknefs 
 as to be willing to forget the Trouble 
 he had given me: we made up the 
 Matter between us, and he continued 
 on his Courtfhip. 
 
 ' His Father having underftood the 
 Paffion he had for me, thought he 
 
 could
 
 2O5 
 
 could not procure him a more advan- 
 tageous Marriage: he took notice of 
 it to him, and came afterwards to my 
 Father, to open to him the Propofal: 
 they had been long Friends; he was 
 favourably heard, and they eafily 
 agreed on the Matter. 
 
 ' Mendez came to inform me of the 
 News, with fuch Tranfports as would 
 have feem'd ridiculous to any other 
 than a Miftrefs. My Mother order'd 
 me to look kindly on him, telling me, 
 this Affair would be advantageous to 
 me: and as foon as the India-Fleet 
 fhould arrive, wherein he was greatly 
 concern'd, the Marriage fhould be 
 concluded. 
 
 ' Whilft matters thus paft, the Mar- 
 quefs de Los Rios had retired to one 
 of his Country-Houfes, where he 
 fcarcely faw any one: He led a lan- 
 guifhing Life; he ftill lov'd me, but 
 hindred himfelf from telling me fo, 
 and from comforting himfelf by this 
 innocent Remedy. 
 
 'In
 
 206 
 
 'In fine, his Body could not refift 
 the Heavinefs of his Mind; he fell 
 dangeroufly ill, and being told by 
 the Phyficians, there was no hope of 
 his Recovery, he pluckt up his Spirits 
 to write me the moft affectionate Let- 
 ter imaginable, and fent at the fame 
 time to me a Deed of Gift of all his 
 Eftate, in cafe he dyed. My Mother 
 was in my Chamber, when a Gentle- 
 man prefented this Packet from him; 
 (he would know what it contain'd. 
 
 ' I could not forbear at the fame 
 time, telling her what had part; and 
 we were both of us in the greateft 
 furprize at the Marquefs's extream 
 Generofity. She fent him word, that 
 I fhould go with my Family to thank 
 him for a Liberality which I had no 
 ways deferv'd : And in particular, fhe 
 fharply reprehended me for having 
 made a Myftery of a thing to her with 
 which I ought to have immediately 
 acquainted her. I threw myfelf at 
 her Feet; I excufed myfelf the beft I 
 
 could,
 
 207 
 
 could, and teftifi'd fuch great Sorrow 
 for having difpleas'd her, that fhe 
 eafily pardon'd me. Leaving my 
 Chamber, fhe went to my Father, 
 and having learnt him all which had 
 paft, they refolv'd to go the next 
 Morning to fee the Marquefs, and to 
 carry me with them. 
 
 ' I acquainted Mendez with this in 
 the Evening; and the Fear I had, left 
 my Parents fhould, in fine, make me 
 marry this old Man, if he chanced to 
 efcape out of his Sicknefs. However 
 fenfible I appear'd to him of this, he 
 was fo far tranfported, and reproacht 
 me fo greatly with it, that I muft have 
 lov'd him as much as 1 did, not to 
 have broke off with him : But he had 
 fuch an Afcendant over me, that 
 though he was the Injufteft of all Men, 
 yet 1 thought him the moft Reafonable. 
 
 ' We were at the Marquefs de Los 
 Rios's; his Country-houfe was not 
 above two Leagues from Seville: 
 Dying, as he was, he receiv'd us with 
 
 fuch
 
 208 
 
 fuch Joy as was eafily obfervable. 
 My Father teftifi'd to him his Grief, to 
 fee him in fo low a Condition, thankt 
 him for the Donation he made me, 
 and affured him, If he could find a fair 
 and juft Pretence, he would break off 
 with Mendez, to whom he had en- 
 gaged his Word: That fhould this 
 happen, he promift him folemnly I 
 fhould be no Body's but his. He 
 receiv'd this Affurance in the fame 
 manner as if he had receiv'd his per- 
 fect Felicity; but he knew well the 
 Dolor I conceiv'd thereat: I became 
 Pale, my Eyes were covered with 
 Tears; and when we were about lea- 
 ving him, he defired me to draw near 
 to him ; he told me with a languifhing 
 Tone: " Fear nothing, Mariana; I love 
 you too well to difpleafe you; you 
 fhall have Mendez, feeing your Affe- 
 ctions are engaged to him." I an- 
 fwer'd him: "I had no particular 
 Inclination for him; but being com- 
 manded to respect him, as a Man who 
 
 was
 
 209 
 
 was to be my Husband, I could do no 
 otherwife; however, I intreated him 
 to be well." 
 
 'This feem'd to me the leaft ftep I 
 could take towards a Perfon to whom 
 I had fo great Obligations. He ap- 
 pear'd thereat fufficiently fatisfy'd, at- 
 tempting to take my Hand and kifs it: 
 "Remember," faid he to me, "you 
 enjoyn me to live; and that my Life 
 being your Work, you will be oblig'd 
 to conferve it." We return'd at Night, 
 and the Impatient Mendez waited for 
 us, to make me new Reproaches: I 
 took 'em as I was wont, as Proofs of 
 his Paffion: and having juftified my 
 felf, I askt him, What News there was 
 of the Fleet ? " Alas ! " faid he to me, 
 "my Father has receiv'd fuch as drives 
 me to Defpair: I dare not inform you." 
 "Have you any thing feparate from 
 me ?" faid I to him, looking tenderly 
 on him: "Would you have me to 
 be as referv'd to you?" "I am too 
 Happy," replied he, "in that you 
 
 have
 
 2IO 
 
 have fuch favourable Difpofitions; and 
 being not able to keep any Secret 
 from you, I muft plainly tell you, 
 That the Galion in which is our whole 
 Eftate, is fplit and loft, running againft 
 a Rock. But I Ihould be lefs fenfible, 
 how greatly foever I am Intereft, did 
 I not look on the Unhappy Confe- 
 quences of this Lofs: Your Prefence 
 will reftore the Marquefs de Los Rios 
 to his Health; his Sentiments for you 
 are known in your Family; he is 
 Rich, and a great Lord: I become 
 Miferable ; and if you forfake me, my 
 dear Mariana, I fhall have no more 
 Hope but in a fpeedy Death." I was 
 pierced with Sorrow at this fad News: 
 1 took one of his Hands, and clofing it 
 with mine, I faid to him, "My dear 
 Mendez, do not think me capable of 
 loving you, and yet leaving you, by 
 the Effects of your good or bad For- 
 tune : if you be able to bear up againft 
 it, believe me fo too. I call Heaven to 
 witnefs," continued I, "provided you 
 
 love
 
 211 
 
 love me, and be faithful to me, that 1 
 will never forfake you ; and let it pun- 
 ifh me if ever I prove Inconftant." 
 
 'He teftified all the Acknowedge- 
 ments he ought me for fuch affedtion- 
 ate Aflurances, and we refolved not 
 to divulge this Accident. 
 
 ' I withdrew very melancholly, and 
 fhut my felf up in my Clofet, ruminat- 
 ing on the Confequences of this fad 
 Difafter. I was ftill there, when I 
 heard fome Body knocking foftly at 
 the Shutters of my Window : I drew 
 near, and faw Mendez by the Light 
 of the Moon: "What do you here," 
 faid I to him, "at this time of the 
 Night ? " " Alas," anfwer'd he to me, 
 "I was trying whether I could fpeak 
 with you before I departed: My Fa- 
 ther has again lately received News 
 of the Gallon, and will have me 
 immediately go where fhe is run a- 
 ground, to endeavour to fave fome- 
 thing: It is a great way thither, and I 
 (hall be a great while without feeing 
 
 you.
 
 212 
 
 you. Ah, dear Mariana, during all 
 this time will you be as good as your 
 Word to me ? May I hope my deal 
 Miftrefs will be faithful to me ? " 
 "What Reafon have 1 given you, 
 Mendez," faid I, interrupting him, " to 
 doubt it? Yes," continued I, "I will 
 love you were you the moft Unfortu- 
 nate Man in the World." 
 
 ' It would be to abufe your Patience, 
 Madam, to relate to you whatever we 
 faid in this doleful Separation; and 
 though there appear'd no Danger, yet 
 our Hearts had a foreboding of what 
 was afterwards to happen to us. The 
 Day began to appear, and we muft 
 bid Adieu: I faw him fhed Tears, 
 which were accompanied with mine. 
 
 ' I threw myfelf on my Bed, rowl- 
 ing a thoufand fad Thoughts in my 
 Mind; and I appear'd the next Morn- 
 ing fo out of Order, that my Father 
 and Mother were afraid I was falling 
 into fome dangerous fit of Sicknefs. 
 
 ' Mendez his Father came to make 
 
 them
 
 213 
 
 them a Vifit, to excufe his Son's part- 
 ing without taking his Leave of them. 
 He added, " He had a Bufmefs which 
 required fuch hafte, as would not fuf- 
 fer him a Minute's time at his difpofal. " 
 As to myfelf, Madam, I was comfort- 
 lefs, being infenfible to every thing: 
 And if any thing could eafe me, 'twas 
 fome hours Converfation with my 
 dear Henrietta, with whom I freely 
 vented my thoughts touching the 
 long Abfence of Mendez. 
 
 ' In the mean time the Marquefs de 
 Los Rios was out of Danger, and my 
 Father went often to fee him: I ob- 
 ferv'd one day great Alteration on my 
 Mother's Countenance, ftie and my 
 Father having been long fhut up with 
 Religiofes, who came to give 'em a 
 Vifit; and after a Conference of fome 
 time, they call'd me, without my be- 
 ing able to divine the Caufe. 
 
 ' I entred into their Apartment in 
 fuch Diforder, that I knew not what I 
 did. One of thefe good Fathers, 
 
 Yen-
 
 214 
 
 Venerable by his Age and Habit, 
 fpake much to me about the Refigna- 
 tion we owe to the Divine Will, on 
 his Providence, in every thing which 
 relates to us : and the Clofe of his Dif- 
 courfe was, that Mendez was taken 
 by the Algerines ; that he was a Slave ; 
 and by his Misfortune thefe Pyrates 
 had learnt he was a rich Merchant's 
 Son ; which had occafion'd the fetting 
 him at an extraordinary Ranfom : That 
 they were at Algiers in the time he 
 arriv'd; would have willingly brought 
 him along with 'em, but the money 
 which they had for all, was not fuffi- 
 cient for him alone. That at their 
 Return they had been at his Father's to 
 inform him of this vexatious Difafter; 
 but found he had abfented himfelf; 
 and that the lofs of a Galion, on which 
 was embarkt all his Effects without 
 being able to fave any thing, had in- 
 duced him to avoid his Creditors, who 
 fought him every-where, to throw 
 him in Prifon: That things being in 
 
 Con-
 
 215 
 
 Condition, they faw no Remedy to 
 poor Mendez his Misfortunes, being 
 in the hands of Meluza the moft fa- 
 mous and covetous of all the Corfaries; 
 and that if I would follow their Ad- 
 vice, and that of my Parents, I would 
 think of taking another Party. I had 
 fo far heard this dreadful News in fo 
 ecftatic a Condition, that I could only 
 interrupt them by fad Sighs; but 
 when he told me, I muft think of an- 
 other Party; I burft out with Tears 
 and Shrieks, as made both my Father 
 and Mother, and thefe Religiofes com- 
 paffionate me. 
 
 ' I was carried into my Chamber as 
 one nearer death than life; and Donna 
 Henrietta was fent for, and it was 
 not without great Affliction fhe beheld 
 me in this fad Condition. I fell into a 
 moft deep Melancholly; I tormented 
 myfelf day and night, and nothing 
 was able to remove my dear Mendez 
 out of my Mind. 
 
 ' The Marquefs de Los Rios, having 
 
 learnt
 
 2l6 
 
 learnt what had paft, conceiv'd fuch 
 ftrong Hopes, that he foon found him- 
 felf in a Condition to come and Claim 
 of my Father and me the Effect of the 
 Words we had given him. I (hewed 
 him that mine were not difengaged in 
 refpeft of Mendez; that he was Un- 
 fortunate, which no ways leffen'd my 
 Engagements to him. He heard me 
 without being perfwaded by me, and 
 told me, I had the same defire of de- 
 ftroying myfelf, as others had of fav- 
 ing themfelves; that 'twas more my 
 Intereft than his, which made him aft 
 as he did. And being ravifht with 
 having a Pretence which feemed to 
 him plaufible, he preft my Father 
 with fuch Earneftnefs, that he at 
 length confented to what he defired. 
 ' It is impoffible for me to reprefent 
 to you, Madam, in what an Abyfs of 
 Sorrow I was in: "What is become, 
 my Lord," faid I to the Marquefs, "of 
 that fcrupulous Tendernefs which hin- 
 der'd you from taking my Heart from 
 
 any
 
 2iy 
 
 any other hand than my own? Let 
 me at leaft have fome time to forget 
 Mendez; Perhaps his Abfence and 
 Misfortunes may prevail on me to 
 fome Indifferency towards him. To 
 this cruel Accident, which has fnatch'd 
 him fo lately from me, you add new 
 Troubles when you expect I fhould fo 
 fpeedily pafs over from him to you." 
 
 '"I know not what I expect or 
 may hope for," faid he to me, "but 
 this I am lure of, that my Complaif- 
 ance had like to have coft me my Life; 
 that if you be not defign'd for me, 
 ^ou will be anothers; and as to Men- 
 dez, his Fortune has been fuch, that 
 he can no longer pretend to you; and 
 feeing you muft be difpofed of, I 
 think you are very hard hearted to 
 refufe me. You cannot be ignorant 
 of what I have done hitherto to pleafe 
 you, my former Proceeding Ihould 
 ferve as a fufficient Teftimony of my 
 future Refpecls." 
 
 ' The Marquefs made a greater pro- 
 
 grefs
 
 218 
 
 grefs in my Father's Mind than mine. 
 In a Word, my Mother having one 
 day fent for me, told me, Twas to no 
 purpofe to ufe any longer Delays, my 
 Father being refolv'd I fhould obey his 
 Orders. Whatever I could fay to ex- 
 cufe my felf, my Tears, my Remon- 
 ftrances, Entreaties were all to no 
 purpofe, and ferv'd only to exafperate 
 my Mother. 
 
 ' All things neceffary were prepared 
 for my Marriage, the Marquefs would 
 have every thing fuitable to his Qual- 
 ity; He fent me a Cabinet of Jewels 
 and Precious Stones, to the value of 
 feveral thoufand Crowns. The fatal 
 Day for our Wedding was fet. See- 
 ing my felf reduced to this Extremity. 
 I took a refolution which will furprize 
 you, Madam, and demonftrate a great 
 Paffion. 
 
 'I went to Donna Henrietta; this 
 Friend had been ever faithful to me, 
 and threw my felf at her feet, furprif- 
 ing her by fo extraordinary a Carriage : 
 
 "My
 
 219 
 
 "My dear Henrietta," faid I to her, 
 melting in Tears, "there is no Remedy 
 to my Misfortunes, unlefs you have 
 pity on me; do not abandon me, let 
 me conjure you in the fad Condition I 
 am in; to morrow I muft marry the 
 Marquefs de Los Rios, I can no longer 
 avoid it. If the Offers of Friendfhip 
 you have made me be Proof againft all 
 Tryal, and can make you capable of a 
 generous Resolution, you will not re- 
 fufe to follow my Fortune, and to ac- 
 company me to Algiers to pay Mendez 
 his Ranfom, to redeem him from the 
 cruel Slavery he is in. You fee me at 
 your Feet," continued I, " I will never 
 rife till you have given me your Word, 
 to do what I defire you." She feem'd 
 fo concern'd at my Pofture, that I 
 arofe to make her anfwer me. She 
 immediately embraced me with great 
 Teftimonies of Tendernefs: "I will 
 refufe you nothing, my dear Mariana," 
 faid (he to me, "were it my very 
 Life ; but you are going to ruine your 
 
 felf
 
 220 
 
 felf and me with you. How can two 
 Girls execute what you proje<5t. Our 
 Age, our Sex, and your Beauty, will 
 expofe us to Accidents, the bare im- 
 agination of which makes me to trem- 
 ble: this is certain, we are going to 
 overwhelm our Families with Shame 
 and Confufion ; and if you had made 
 ferious Reflections hereon, it is not 
 poffible you could have come to this 
 Refolution." " Ah, barbarous ! " cried 
 I, "and more barbarous than he that 
 detains my Lover; you forfake me, 
 but tho I am alone, yet that fhall not 
 hinder me from purfuing my Point, 
 neither can the affiftance you fhould 
 give me ftand me in much ftead: Re- 
 main, remain, I confent, it is fit I 
 fhould depart without any Comfort to 
 affront all Dangers ; I confefs fuch an 
 undertaking is fit only for a defperate 
 Creature." 
 
 'My Reproaches and Tears moved 
 Henrietta; fhe told me my Intereft had 
 obliged her as much as her own to 
 
 fpeak
 
 221 
 
 fpeak to me as fhe had done ; but in 
 fhort, feeing I perfifted in my firft 
 Refolution, and nothing could divert 
 me from it, (he refolved I fhould not 
 go alone; That if I would be ruled by 
 her, we fhould difguife ourfelves; that 
 fhe would undertake to get two Suits 
 of Mens Apparel; and as for the reft, 
 it belong'd to me to take care of it. I 
 embraced her with a thoufand Tefti- 
 monies of Thankfulnefs. 
 
 ' I afterwards askt her, Whether fhe 
 had feen the Jewels which the Mar- 
 quefs had fent me; "I will bring 
 them," faid I to her, "to purchafe 
 Mendez's Ranfom with them." We 
 refolved to lofe no time, and we 
 neither of us fail'd in what we had 
 projected. 
 
 ' Never were two Maidens better 
 difguifed under the Habit of two Cav- 
 aliers. We parted that Night, and 
 embarkt our felves without the leaft 
 Obftacle, but after fome days Sail we 
 were overtaken by fo violent a Storm, 
 
 as
 
 222 
 
 as made us defpair of our Safety. In 
 all this Diforder and Peril, I was lefs 
 concerned for my felf, than for not 
 having compaffed my dear Mendez's 
 Liberty, and for having engaged Hen- 
 rietta to follow my ill Fortune: "It is 
 I," faid I to her, in embracing her, " it 
 is I, my dear Companion, that has 
 rais'd this Storm, were I not on the 
 Sea it would be Calm ; my Misfortune 
 follows me wherever I go." In fine, 
 we having been a Day and two Nights 
 in continual Alarums, the Weather 
 chang'd, and we arriv'd at Algiers. 
 
 ' I was fo glad to fee my felf in a 
 Condition to deliver Mendez, that I 
 reckon'd all the Dangers we under- 
 went as nothing: But alas, what be- 
 came of me in difembarking, when 
 after all the fearch which could be 
 made, I perceiv'd there was no hope 
 of finding the little Cabinet wherein I 
 had put all I had was moft precious: 
 I found my felf feiz'd with fuch violent 
 Grief, that I thought I fhould have ex- 
 pired
 
 22} 
 
 pired before I got out of the Vefiel. 
 Without doubt this Cabinet, which 
 was little, and of which I took but 
 fmall Care during the Tempeft, fell 
 into the Sea, or was ftole, which ever 
 of thefe two it was, I made a confid- 
 erable Lofs, and I had only remaining 
 Jewels to the value of a thoufand 
 Pounds, which I had kept for all 
 Events about me. 
 
 ' I refolv'd with this, to make a 
 Tryal with Mendez's Patron : As foon 
 as we were in the Town, we enquired 
 out his Houfe, (for Meluza was well 
 known) and went thither clad as 
 Gentlemen. 
 
 ' I cannot exprefs to you, Madam, 
 the trouble I was in drawing near this 
 Houfe, where I knew my dear Lover 
 languifht in Chains; what fad Reflec- 
 tions did I not make; how did I look 
 when I enter'd the Corfary's Houfe, 
 and faw Mendez Chain'd, with feveral 
 others, who were leading out to work 
 in the Field. 1 fhould have fallen at 
 
 his
 
 224 
 
 his Feet, had not Henrietta born me 
 up: I no longer knew where I was, 
 nor what I did; I would have fpoken 
 to him, but Grief had so feiz'd on my 
 Spirits, that my Tongue could not 
 utter a Word. As to him, he beheld 
 me not; he was fo fad and depreft, 
 that he could look on no body; and 
 one muft love him as much as I did, 
 to know him, fo greatly was he 
 changed. 
 
 ' After having been fome time com- 
 ing to my felf, I went into a low 
 Room, where I was told Meluza was; 
 I faluted him, and told him the occa- 
 fion of my Voyage; that Mendez was 
 my near Relation; that he was un- 
 done by the Lofs of a Galion, and his 
 Captivity together; and that 'twas out 
 of my own Money I would pay his 
 Ranfom. The Moor appear'd to me 
 little concern'd at what I faid; and 
 looking fcornfully on me, he anfwer'd, 
 It was not his bufmefs to enquire 
 whence I had my Money; but this 
 
 he
 
 225 
 
 he certainly knew, that Mendez was 
 Rich; and to fhew that he would not 
 take all Advantages, he would there- 
 fore fet him at twenty thoufand 
 Crowns. 
 
 ' Alas, what would this have been, 
 had I not loft my Jewels ? but this 
 was too much in the Condition I was 
 in. In fine, after feveral long fruitlefs 
 Difputes, I took on me immediately a 
 refolution which could only be in- 
 fpired by an extream Love. 
 
 ' " Here's all I have," faid I to the 
 Pyrate, in giving him my Diamonds, 
 "they are not worth what thou de- 
 mandeft: take me for thy Slave, and 
 be perfwaded thou wilt not keep me 
 long. I am the only Daughter of a 
 Rich Banker of Seville; keep me for 
 an Hoftage, and let Mendez go; he 
 will foon return to Redeem me." The 
 Barbarian was furpriz'd to find me 
 capable of fo generous and affection- 
 ate a Refolution. ' ' Thou art worthy, " 
 faid he to me, "of a better Fortune. 
 
 Be
 
 226 
 
 Be it fo; I accept the Condition you 
 offer me : I will take care of thee, and 
 be a good Patron to thee. Thou muft 
 leave the Habit thou weareft, to put 
 on one agreeable to thy Sex; thou 
 fhalt keep thy Jewels if thou wilt, 1 
 can as well ftay for the whole as for 
 a part." 
 
 ' Donna Henrietta was fo confufed 
 and difmayed at the Bargain I came 
 from concluding, that fhe could not 
 fufficiently exprefs her Difpleafure to 
 me; but in fine, maugre all her Re- 
 monftrances and Entreaties, I held 
 firm, and Meluza caus'd a Slave's Habit 
 to be brought me, which I put on. 
 
 ' He conducted me to his Wives 
 Chamber, to whom he deliver'd me, 
 having recounted to her what I had 
 done for my Lover's Liberty. 
 
 ' She feem'd to be much affected 
 by it, and promis'd fhe would fhorten 
 the time of my Servitude by all the 
 good Treatments fhe could make me. 
 
 'At Night, when Mendez return'd, 
 
 Meluza
 
 227 
 
 Meluza caus'd him to be call'd, telling 
 him, That being of Seville, he would 
 therefore fhew him a Slave he had 
 bought, becaufe perhaps he might 
 know her. 
 
 ' Immediately I was brought before 
 him; Mendez at this fight, lofing all 
 Countenance, came and caft himfelf 
 at my Feet, and taking my Hands, 
 which he bathed with his Tears, he 
 faid every thing which was moft ten- 
 der and affectionate to me. Meluza 
 and his Wife diverted themfelves, in 
 feeing the different Motions of Joy 
 and Grief with which we were agi- 
 tated: in fine, they inform'd Mendez 
 of the Obligations he had to me; that 
 he was free, and that I would remain 
 in his place. He did whatever could 
 be done to diffwade me from taking 
 this Task on me: "Alas," faid he to 
 me, "you would have me load you 
 with my Chains, my dear Miftrefs; 
 Shall 1 be free, when you are not ? 1 go 
 then to do for you what you come from 
 
 doing
 
 228 
 
 doing for me; I will fell my felf, and 
 Redeem you with this Money: for in 
 fine, confider, that fhould I as foon as 
 I arrive at Seville, find Affiftance, and 
 return again to bring you back, yet 
 how is it poffible for me in the mean 
 time to leave you; judge how I can 
 do this in a time wherein my Fortune 
 promifes me nothing, and am the moft 
 Unhappy of all Men." I offered againft 
 all his Reafons, the Tendernefs of my 
 Father, who would foon Redeem me 
 when he knew where I was. In fine, 
 I made ufe of all the Power I had over 
 his Mind, to make his Advantage of 
 what I had done in his Favour. 
 
 'What (hall I fay to you, Madam, 
 of our Separation ? It was fo dolor- 
 ous, that Words cannot exprefs what 
 we felt. I obliged Henrietta to part 
 with him, to follicite and prefs my 
 Parents to do their part in my behalf. 
 
 ' In the mean time my Father and 
 Mother were in an unconceivable Af- 
 fliftion; and when they perceiv'd 
 
 my
 
 229 
 
 my flight they thought to die with 
 Grief. 
 
 'They blamed themfelves infinitely 
 for forcing me to marry the Marquefs 
 de Los Reos. He was for his part in 
 no lefs Defpair ; they caufed me to be 
 fearcht for in vain, in all places where 
 they thought I might have hid my felf. 
 
 ' Two whole Years were paft with- 
 out my receiving any News or Suc- 
 cors from Mendez; which made me 
 believe with great likelihood, that 
 both he and Henrietta were caft away 
 on the Sea: I had given them all the 
 Jewels which Meluza had left me; 
 but it was not their Lofs, nor that of 
 my Liberty, which I regretted: It 
 was of my dear Lover and faithful 
 Friend, whofe Remembrance contin- 
 ually poffeft me, and caus'd me an 
 unparallel'd Affliction; I could get no 
 Reft nor Health; I wept Day and 
 Night; I refufed to come out of my 
 Slavery in neglecting to fignifie to my 
 Father my prefent Condition. I wifht 
 
 only
 
 230 
 
 only for a fpeedy Death, which I 
 would have willingly met with, to 
 put an end to my Troubles and Mis- 
 fortunes. 
 
 ' Meluza and his Wife began to pity 
 me: they did not doubt but Mendez 
 was caft away: they treated me lefs 
 cruelly than thefe fort of People are 
 wont to ufe thofe Unhappy Wretches 
 who fall into their Hands. 
 
 ' One Day, as Meluza came from 
 Pyrating, he brought with him feveral 
 Perfons of both Sexes which he had 
 taken, and among the reft a Young 
 Woman of fome Quality of Seville, 
 and whom I knew. This fight re- 
 newed my Grief: (he was much fur- 
 priz'd to find me in this fad place. 
 We affectionately embraced one an- 
 other, and obferving a deep filence; 
 "How now, Beautiful Mariana," faid 
 (he to me, "are you fo indifferent 
 towards your Relations and Country, 
 that you have no Curiofity to make any 
 Enquiries about them ? " I lifted up 
 
 mine
 
 mine Eyes to Heaven in uttering a 
 deep Sigh; I entreated her to tell me, 
 If 'twere known where Mendez and 
 Henrietta were loft ? ' ' Who has told 
 you they are loft ? " replied fhe. ' ' They 
 are at Seville, where they lead a very 
 happy Life. Mendez has re-eftablifht 
 his Affairs, and makes it his great 
 Delight and Honour to publifh in all 
 places the Extream Obligations he 
 has to Henrietta. Perhaps you are 
 ignorant," continued fhe, "that Men- 
 dez was taken and made a Slave by 
 the Algerines; this generous young 
 Woman difguifed her felf, and came 
 hither to redeem him, but he has not 
 been ungrateful, for he has married 
 her. There is a moft charming Union 
 between them. Hymen has not ban- 
 ifht Love in their particular." 
 
 ' As fhe was yet fpeaking, fhe per- 
 ceiv'd my Countenance to alter on a 
 a fudden, and that I was ready to 
 faint; my Strength fail'd me, mine 
 Eyes clofed, and I funk down between 
 
 her
 
 232 
 
 her Arms ; fhe was greatly troubled at 
 this; fhe called my Companions, who 
 put me to Bed, and endeavour'd to 
 recover me from this pitious Condition. 
 
 ' This young Woman greatly con- 
 cern'd her felf for me; and when I 
 came to my felf, I began to complain; 
 I uttered Sighs and Groans able to 
 move a Rock. 
 
 ' Meluza was affefted at the Recital 
 of fuch a worfe than barbarous In- 
 ftance of Treachery, and without any 
 notice to me, he inform'd himfelf, by 
 his new Slave of my Father's Name, 
 and immediately wrote to him what 
 he knew of my Misfortunes. 
 
 ' Thefe Letters were like to have 
 been the Death of my Mother; fhe 
 could not imagine I could be in Chains 
 at eighteen Years of Age, without 
 fhedding a torrent of Tears: But that 
 which augmented her Grief, was, the 
 Diforder of my Father's Affairs; fev- 
 eral confiderable Bankrupts had ruined 
 him ; his Credit was gone, and it was 
 
 im-
 
 233 
 
 impoffible for him to procure the 
 20000 Crowns which Meluza demand- 
 ed for my Ranfom. 
 
 ' The Generous Marquefs de Los 
 Rios heard this News, came to my 
 Father, and offered him what lay in 
 his Power: "I do not do this," faid 
 he, " in defign to force your Daugh- 
 ter's Inclinations when fhe fhall be 
 here; I fhall love her always, but I 
 will never difpleafe her." My Father 
 having no other way of Relief, thank- 
 fully accepted of what was offered 
 him; and in a word, embarkt him- 
 felf, and happily arriv'd at Argiers, 
 in the time when I thought only of 
 dying. 
 
 ' He forbore all thofe Reproaches I 
 deferv'd; he redeem'd me, and at my 
 Intreaty, this young Woman of Seville, 
 for a moderate Ranfom. We return'd 
 together, and my Mother receiv'd me 
 with fuch joy as is impoffible to be 
 expreft. I anfwer'd hereto as much 
 as was poffible; but I carried always 
 
 in
 
 234 
 
 in my Heart, Madam, the fatal Stroke 
 which had wounded me: Whatever 
 my Reafon could reprefent to me, 
 was not fufficient to Eface out of my 
 Remembrance the Image of the Traitor 
 Mendez. 
 
 'I faw the Marquefs de Los Rios: 
 he dared not mention the Inclinations 
 he ftill had towards me; but I had 
 fuch preffing Obligations to him, that 
 Gratitude made me do for him, what 
 my Inclinations would have made me 
 do for another. 
 
 ' I gave him my Hand, and he his 
 to me, with fuch Affection, as if he 
 had had no folid Matter of Complaint 
 againft me. 
 
 ' In fine, I married him, and appre- 
 hending left I fhould fee Mendez, that 
 Ungrateful Wretch, to whom I owe 
 fuch Horrour, and for whom I had fo 
 little, I pray'd the Marquefs we might 
 dwell in the Country-houfe he had 
 near Seville. 
 
 'He ever approv'd of what I liked; 
 
 he
 
 235 
 
 he would have my Father and Mother 
 retire; he lefs'ned the fad Condition 
 of their Fortune, by confiderable Lib- 
 eralities: and I may truly fay, there 
 never was a greater Soul. Judge, 
 Madam, of all the Reproaches I made 
 my Heart for its not being fo tender 
 to him as it ought to have been: It 
 was not in my power to forget Men- 
 dez, and I always felt new Regrets, 
 when I learnt his Felicity with the 
 Unfaithful Henrietta. 
 
 ' Having paft two Years in a contin- 
 ual watching over myfelf, that I might 
 do nothing but what was agreeable to 
 my Husband, Heaven depriv'd me of 
 him, of this Generous Husband; and 
 he did for me in thefe laft Moments, 
 what he had already heretofore done, 
 giving me all he had, with fuch Tefti- 
 monies of Efteem and Affection, as 
 much enhanced the Price of the Gift: 
 He made me the richeft Widow of 
 Andaloufia, but he could not make me 
 the Happieft. 
 
 'I
 
 2}6 
 
 ' I would not return to Seville, where 
 my Parents would have had me been ; 
 and to avoid it, I pretended a Journey 
 farther into the Country, to look after 
 fome part of my Eftate. I fet out; 
 but there being a particular Fatality in 
 whatever relates to me, in arriving at 
 an Inn, the firft Object which ftruck 
 my fight, was the Unfaithful Mendez : 
 he was in deep Mourning, and had 
 loft nothing of whatever made me 
 heretofore fancy him too Lovely. It 
 is impoffible to exprefs the Condition I 
 was in, for endeavouring to get fpee- 
 dily from him, I found myfelf fo weak 
 and trembling, that I fell at his Feet. 
 Although he knew me not that inftant, 
 yet he earneftly endeavour'd to raife 
 me up; but the great Veil under which 
 I was conceal'd, flying open, what be- 
 came of him in feeing me ? He re- 
 main'd no lefs confufed than I was: 
 he would have drawn near to me, but 
 cafting a furious Look on him : " Dar- 
 eft thou, Perjured Wretch ! " faid I to 
 
 him,
 
 237 
 
 him, " dareft thou approach me ! Art 
 thou not afraid of the juft Punifhment 
 of thy Perfidioufnefs ? " He was fome 
 time without anfwering me, and I 
 was about leaving him when he ftopt 
 me: "Confound and overwhelm me 
 with Reproaches, Madam," faid he to 
 me: "Give me the worft and moft 
 perfidious Names as is poffible; they 
 cannot be more than I deferve: but 
 my Death fhall foon revenge your 
 Quarrel: I ought to die with Sorrow 
 for having betray'd you; and if I re- 
 gret any thing in dying, it is only the 
 having one Life to lofe, to expiate all 
 the Crimes you can juftly accufe me 
 of." He appear'd to me much af- 
 fected in ending these words; and 
 would to Heavens his Repentance 
 were really fufficient and true ! I 
 would not hazard a longer Converfa- 
 tion with him: I left him, difdaining 
 to return him an Anfwer. And this 
 Mark of Contempt and Slighting, was, 
 without doubt, more fenfible to him, 
 
 than
 
 than all the Reproaches I might have 
 made him. 
 
 ' He had fome time fince loft his 
 Wife, that Unfaithful Creature, who 
 had helpt him to Revolt againft all the 
 Offices of Love, Honour, and Grati- 
 tude. And from that time he follow'd 
 me every-where: he was like a Com- 
 plaining Shadow, ever faftned to my 
 Feet; for he became fo lean, pale, and 
 chang'd, that he was no longer dif- 
 cernable. Heavens ! Madam, what 
 Violence did I not offer myfelf, in 
 continuing to ill Treat him: I found 
 at laft I wanted Strength to refift the 
 Weaknefs of my Heart, and the Af- 
 cendant this Wretch had over me. 
 Rather than to commit fo fhameful an 
 offence, and to Forgive him, I parted 
 for Madrid, where I have Relations, 
 and fought among them a Shelter 
 againft the Violence of mine own In- 
 clinations. 
 
 ' I was not there long but Mendez 
 found me out: I muft confefs to you, 
 
 I
 
 239 
 
 I was not heartily difpleas'd at his At- 
 tendance on me; but maugre my In- 
 clinations towards him, I put on a firm 
 Refolution to avoid him, feeing I could 
 not fmcerely hate him; and unknown 
 to every Body, I took the Road to 
 Burgos, where I am going to Cloyfter 
 myfelf with a Religious there, my 
 Friend. I flatter myfelf, Madam, with 
 the Hopes of finding more Reft there, 
 than I have hitherto met with.' 
 
 The Beautiful Marchionefs here held 
 her peace; and I testified to her my 
 particular Acknowledgments for the 
 Favour fhe had done me : I affured her 
 of the part I took in her Adventures : 
 I conjured her to write to me, and let 
 me hear from her at Madrid; and Ihe 
 promifed it me in the moft obliging 
 Manner as is poffible. 
 
 We found the next Morning we 
 could not fet out, it having fnow'd all 
 the Night, and no Path appearing on 
 the Ground; but we wanted not Com- 
 pany to pafs the time in Play and 
 
 Dif-
 
 240 
 
 Difcourfe. Having been three days 
 with the Marchionefs de Los Rios, 
 without any Wearinefs at the length 
 of the Time, through the pleafure I 
 had of feeing and hearing her talk (for 
 fhe is one of the moft lovely Women 
 in the World:) We parted with a 
 mutual Regret, and it was not with- 
 out doubling our Promifes of writing 
 to, and feeing one another hereafter. 
 
 The Weather mended, and I con- 
 tinued on my Journey to Lerma: We 
 hadtraverft dreadful Mountains, which 
 bear the Name of Sierra de Cogollos, 
 and it was not without great trouble 
 we got thither: This Town is fmall; 
 fhe has given her name to the famous 
 Cardinal de Lerma, Chief Minifter to 
 Philip III: it is from him that Philip 
 IV. took the great Revenues he had 
 receiv'd from the King his Mafter. 
 Here is a Caftle which I will fee to 
 Morrow, and of which I fhall give you 
 an Account in my next. I am told an 
 Extraordinary Exprefs is arriv'd, and 
 
 will
 
 241 
 
 will fet out to Night: I will lay hold 
 of this Opportunity of fending to you, 
 and ending this long Letter; for in 
 truth I am tired both with the Way, 
 and with Writing, but I fhall never be 
 weary of Loving you. 
 
 From Lerma, 
 Mar. 5, 1679. 
 
 F I N I S.
 
 IKepdntefc fou 
 
 Brcber /ifc. Ibuntington 
 
 Ht tbe 'Knickerbocker press 
 
 <S. p. Putnam's Sons 
 
 1899
 
 University of California 
 
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