The story of Acteon, pictured in water-co- | dred pistoles per annum. The convents and lours, if I may so express myself, though pretty, nunneries are allowed a like license of free imseemed to me but trifling to the other. Those portation, and it is one of the first advantages seemed to be like nature miraculously displayed, they can boast of, for, under that licence, having this only fable in grotesque. The figures indeed a liberty of setting up a tavern near them, they were not only fine, but extraordinary, yet their make a prodigious advantage of it. The wine various shapes were not at all so entertaining to drank and sold in this place is for the most part the mind, however refreshing they might be a sort of white wine. found to the body. But if the mud walls give me at first but a I took notice before of the straightness of their faint idea of the place, I was pleasingly disapwalks; but though to me it might seem a dimi-pointed as soon as I entered the gates. The nution of their beauty, I am apt to believe to the Spaniard, for and by whom they were laid out, it may seem otherwise. They, of both sexes, give themselves so intolerably up to amouring, that, on that account, the closeness of the walks may be looked upon as an advantage rather than a defect. The grand avenue to the house is much more stately, and composed, as they are, || of rows of trees somewhat larger than our largest || limes, whose leaves are all of a perfect pea-bloom colour, together with their grandeur, they strike the eye with a pleasing beauty. At the entrance of the grand court we see the statue of Philip II, || to intimate to the spectators, I suppose, that he was the founder. town then showed itself well built, and of brick, and the streets wide, long, and spacious. Those of Atocha and Alcala are as fine as any I ever saw, yet it is situated very indifferently; for though they have what they call a river, to which they give a very fair name of La Mansuera, and over which they have built a curious, long, and large stone bridge, yet is the course of it, in summer time especially, mostly dry. This gave occasion to that piece of raillery of a foreign ambassador, "that the king would have done wisely to have bought a river before he built the bridge." Nevertheless, that little stream of a river which they boast of, they improve as much as possible, since down the sides, as far as you can see, there are coops, or little places hooped in, for people to wash their linen (for they very rarely wash in their own houses), nor is it really any unpleasing sight to view the regular rows of them at that cleanly operation. Among other parks about Aranjuez, there is one entirely preserved for dromedaries, an useful creature for fatigue, burden, and dispatch, but the nearest of kin to deformity of any I ever Saw. There are several other enclosures for several sorts of strange and wild beasts, which The king has here two palaces, one within the are sometimes baited in a very large pond, that town, the other near adjoining. That in the was shown me about half a league from hence. town is built of stone, the other, which is called This is no ordinary diversion; but when the Bueno Retiro, is all of brick. From the town to court is disposed that way, the beast or beasts, this last, in summer time, there is a large coverwhether bear, lion, or tiger, are conveyed into aing of canvas, propped up with tall poles, under house prepared for that purpose, whence he can which people walk, to avoid the scorching heats no other way issue than by a door over the water, of the sun. through, or over which, forcing or flinging himself, he gradually finds himself descend into the very depth of the pond by a wooden declivity. The dogs stand ready on the banks, and so soon as ever they spy their enemy, rush all at once into the water and engage him. A diversion less to be complained of than their tauridores, because attended with less cruelty to the beast, as well as danger to the spectators. When we arrived at Madrid, a town much spoken of by natives as well as strangers, though I had seen it before, I could hardly restrain myself from being surprised to find it only environed with mud walls. It may very easily be imagined, they were never intended for defence, and yet it was a long time before I could find any other use, or rather any use at all, in them, and yet I was at last convinced of my error by a sensible increase of expense. Without the gates, to half a league without the town, you have wine for twopence a quart, but within the place you drink it little cheaper than you may in London. The mud walls, therefore, well enough answer their intent of forcing people to reside there under pretence of security, but, in reality, to be taxed, for other things are taxable as well as wine, though not in like proportion. All ambassadors have a claim or privilege of bringing in what wine they please tax free, and the king, to waive it, will at any time purchase that exemption of duty at the price of five hun As I was passing by the chapel of the Carmelites, I saw several blind men, some led, some groping the way with their sticks, going into the chapel. I had the curiosity to know the reason; I no sooner entered the door, but was surprised to see such a number of those unfortunate people all kneeling before the altar, some kissing the ground, others holding up their heads, crying out misericordia. I was informed it was Saint Lucy's day, the patroness of the blind, therefore all who were able came upon that day to pay their devotion; so I left them, and directed my course towards the king's palace. When I came to the outward court, I met with a Spanish gentleman of my acquaintance, and we went into the piazzas; whilst we were talking there, I saw several gentlemen passing by, having badges on their breasts, some white, some red, and others green; my friend informed me that there were five orders of knighthood in Spain. That of the golden fleece was only given to great princes, but the other four to private gentlemen, viz. that of Saint Jago, Alcantara, Saint Salvador de Montreal, and Monteza. He likewise told me, that there were above ninety places of grandees, but never filled up; who have the privilege of being covered in the presence of the king, and are distinguished into three ranks. The first is, of those who cover themselves before they speak to the king; the second, are those who put on their hats after I hey have begun to speak; the third, are those who only put on their hats, having spoke to him. The ladies of the grandees have also great respect showed them. The queen rises up when they enter the chamber, and offers them cushions. No married man, except the king, lies in the palace; for all the women who live there are widows, or maids of honour to the queen. saw the Prince of Asturias' dinner carried through the court up to him, being guarded by four gentlemen of the guards, one before, another behind, and one on each side, with their carbines shouldered; the queen's came next, and the king's the last, guarded as before; for they always dine separately. I observed, that the gentlemen of the guards, though not on duty, yet they are obliged to wear their carbine belts. Saint Isodore, who, from a poor labouring man, by his sanctity of life, arrived to the title of Saint, is the patron of Madrid, and has a church dedicated to him, which is richly adorned within. The sovereign court of the inquisition is held at Madrid, the president whereof is called the inquisitor general. They judge without allowing any appeal for four sorts of crimes, viz. heresy, polygamy, sodomy, and witchcraft, and when any are convicted, it is called the act of faith. and noble gallery, the right hand whereof leads to the king's apartment, the left to the queen's. || Entering into the king's apartment, you soon arrive at a large room where he keeps his levee; on one side whereof (for it takes up the whole side) is painted the fatal battle of Almanza. I confess the view somewhat affected me, though so long after, and brought to mind many old passages. However, the reflection concluded thus in favour of the Spaniards, that we ought to excuse their vanity in so exposing, under a French general, a victory, which was the only material one the Spaniards could ever boast of over an English army. Most people believe, that the king's greatest revenue consists in the gold and silver brought from the West Indies, which is a mistake; for most part of that wealth belongs to merchants | and others, that pay the workmen at the golden mines of Potosi and the silver mines at Mexico; yet the king, as I have been informed, receives about a million and a half of gold. The Spaniards have a saying, that the finest garden of fruit in Spain is in the middle of Madrid, which is the Plaza or market-place; and truly the stalls there are set forth with such variety of delicious fruit, that I must confess I never saw any place comparable to it; and, which adds to my admiration, there are no gardens or orchards of fruit within some leagues. They seldom eat hares in Spain but whilst the grapes are growing; and then are so exceeding fat they are knocked down with sticks. Their rabbits are not so good as ours in England; they have great plenty of partridges, which are larger and finer feathered than ours. They have but little beef in Spain, because there is no grass; but they have plenty of mutton and exceeding good, because their sheep feed only upon wild pot-herbs; their pork is delicious, their hogs feeding only upon chesnuts and acorns. Madrid and Valladolid, though great, yet are only accounted villages; in the latter, Philip 11, by the persuasion of parsons, an English jesuit, erected an English seminary; and Philip IV built a most noble palace, with extraordinary fine gardens. They say that Christopher Columbus, who first discovered the West Indies, died there, though I have heard he lies buried and has a monument at Seville. In this state room, when the king first appears, every person present receives him with a profound homage; after which, turning from the company to a large velvet chair by which stands the father confessor, he kneels down, and remains some time at his devotion, which being over, he, rising, crosses himself, and his father confessor having with the motion of his hand intimated his benediction, he then gives audience to all that attend for that purpose. He receives everybody with a seeming complaisance, and with an air more resembling the French than the Spanish ceremony. Petitions to the king, as with us, are delivered into the hands of the secretary of state; yet in one particular they are, in my opinion, worthy the imitation of other courts; the petitioner is directly told what day he must come for an answer to the office, at which time he is sure, without any further fruitless attendance, not to fail of it. The audience being over, the king returns through the gallery to his own apartment. I cannot here omit an accidental conversation that passed between General Mahoni and myself in this place. After some talk of the bravery of the English nation, he made mention of General Stanhope with a very peculiar emphasis. But," says he, I never was so put to the nonplus in all my days as that general once put me in. 1 was on the road from Paris to Madrid, and having notice that that general was going just the reverse, and that in all likelihood we should meet the next day, before setting out in the morning I took care to order my gayest regimental apparel, resolving to make the best appearance I could to receive so great a man. had not travelled above four hours before I saw two gentlemen, who appearing to be English, it induced me to imagine they were forerunners, and some of his retinue. But how abashed and confounded was 1, when putting the question to one of them, he made answer, Sir, I am the person!' Never did moderation put vanity more out of countenance; though, to say truth, I could not but think his dress as much too plain for General Stanhope as 1 at that juncture thought my own too gay for Mahoni. * But," added he, "that great man had too many inward great endowments to stand in need of any outside decoration." The palace in the town stands upon eleven arches, under every one of which there are shops, which degrade it to a mere exchange. Never-in theless, the stairs by which you ascend up to the guard-room (which is very spacious too) are. stately, large, and curious. So soon as you have passed the guard-room, you enter into a long Of all diversions the king takes most delight that of shooting, which he performs with great exactness and dexterity. I have seen him divert himself at swallow shooting (by all, I think, allowed to be the most difficult), and exceeding all I ever saw. The last time I had the honour to see him was on his return from that exercise. He had been abroad with the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and alighted out of his coach at a back || door of the palace with three or four birds in his hand, which, according to his usual custom, he carried up to the queen with his own hands. There are two playhouses in Madrid, at both which they act every day; but their actors and their music are almost too indifferent to be mentioned. The theatre at the Bueno Retiro is much the best; but as much inferior to ours at London as those at Madrid are to that. I was at one play when both king and queen were preseat. There was a splendid audience, and a great concourse of ladies; but the latter, as is the custom there, having lattices before them, the appearance lost most of its lustre. One very remarkable thing happened while I was there-the ave-bell rung in the middle of an act, when down on their knees fell everybody, even the players on the stage, in the middle of their || barangue. They remained for some time at their devotion; then up they rose and returned to the business they were before engaged in, beginning where they left off. The ladies of quality make their visits in grand state and decorum. The lady-visitant is carried in a chair by four men; the first two, in all weathers, always bare. Two others walk as a guard, one on each side; another carrying a large lanthorn for fear of being benighted; then follows a coach drawn by six mules, with her women, and after that another with her gentlemen; several servants walking after, more or less, according to the quality of the person. They never suffer their servants to overload a coach, as is frequently seen with us; neither do coachmen or chairmen go or drive, as if they carried midwives in lieu of ladies. On the contrary, they affect a motion so slow and so stately, that you would rather imagine the ladies were every one of them near their time, and very apprehensive of a miscarriage. I remember not to have seen here any horses in any coach, but in the king's, or an ambassador's; which can only proceed from custom, for certainly finer horses are not to be found in the world. At the time of my being here, Cardinal Giudici was at Madrid; he was a tall, proper, comely man, and one that made the best appearance. Alberoni was there at the same time, who, upon the death of the Duke of Vendosme, had the good fortune to find the Princess Ursini his patroness; an instance of whose ingratitude will plead pardon for this little digression. That princess first brought Alberoni into favour at court. They were both of Italy, and that might be one reason of that lady's espousing his interest; though some there are that assign it to the recommendation of the Duke of Vendosme, with whom Alberoni had the honour to be very intimate, as the other was always distinguished by that princess. Be which it will, certain it is she was Alberoni's first and sole patroness; which gave many people afterwards a very smart occasion of reflecting upon him, both as to his integrity and gratitude. For when Alberoni, upon the death of King Philip's first queen, had re-. commended this present lady, who was his countrywoman, (she of Parma, and he of Pla centia, both in the same dukedom,) and had forwarded her match with the king with all possible assiduity; and when that princess, pursuant to the orders she had received from the king, passed over into Italy to accompany the queen elect into her own dominions; Alberoni, forgetful of the hand that first advanced him, sent a letter to the present queen, just before her landing, that if she resolved to be Queen of Spain, she must banish the Princess Ursini, her companion, and never let her come to court. Accordingly that lady, to evince the extent of her power, and the strength of her resolution, dispatched that princess away, on her very landing, and before she had seen the king, under a detachment of her own guards into France, and all this without either allowing her an opportunity of justifying herself, or assigning the least reason for so uncommon an action. But the same Alberoni (though afterwards created cardinal, and for some time King Philip's prime minion) soon saw that ingratitude of his rewarded in his own disgrace, at the very same court. I remember when at La Mancha, Don Felix Pachero, in a conversation there, maintained that three women at that time ruled the world, viz. Queen Anne, Madame Maintenon, and this Princess Ursini. Father Fahy's civilities, when last at Madrid, exacting of me some suitable acknowledgment, I went to pay him a visit, as to render him due thanks for the past, so to give him a further account of his countryman Brennan; but I soon found he did not much incline to hear anything more of Murtough, not expecting to hear any good of him, for which reason, as soon as I weil could, I changed the conversation to another topic, in which some word dropping of the Count de Montery, I told him that I heard he had taken orders, and officiated at mass: he made answer, it was all very true. And upon my intimating that I had the honour to serve under him in Flanders, on my first entering into service, and when he commanded the Spanish forces at the famous battle of Seneff; and adding, that I could not but be surprised that he, who was then one of the brightest cavalieroes of the age, should now be in orders, and that I should look upon it as a mighty favour barely to have, if it might be, a view of him; he very obligingly told me that he was very well acquainted with him, and that if I would come the next day, he would not fail to accompany me to the count's house. The Punctually at the time appointed I waited on Father Fahy, who, as he promised, carried me to the count's house; he was stepping into his coach just as we got there; but seeing Father Fahy, he advanced towards us. father delivered my desire in as handsome a manner as could be, and concluding with the reason of it, from my having been in that service under him; he seemed very well pleased, but added, that there were not many beside myself living, who had been in that service with him. After some other conversation, he called his gentleman to him, and gave him particular orders to give us a frescari, or, in English, an entertainment; so, taking leave, he went into his coach, and we to our frescari. that he had but threescore pistoles by him, which he had sent, and which were at his service, as what he pleased more should be as soon as it came to his hands. At this I began to look upon my ensign as another guess person than I had taken him for; and Le Noy imagining, by our setting cheek by jole together, that I must be in the secret, soon after gave him the title of captain. This soon Coming from which, Father Fahy made me observe, in the open street, a stone, on which was a visible great stain of somewhat reddish, and like blood. "This," said he, "was occa. sioned by the death of a countryman of mine, who had the misfortune to overset a child, coming out of that house (pointing to one opposite to us); the child, frighted, though not hurt, as is natural, made a terrible outcry; upon which its father coming out in a violent rage (notwith-convinced me that there was more in the matter standing my countryman begged pardon and pleaded sorrow, as being only an accident), || stabbed him to the heart, and down he fell upon that stone, which to this day retains the mark of innocent blood so rashly shed." He went on, and told me, the Spaniard immediately took sanctuary in the church, whence some time after he than I was yet master of; for, laying things together, I could not but argue within myself, that as it seemed at first a most incredible thing, that a person of his appearance should have so large credit, with such a compliment at the end of it, without some disguise; and as from an ensign he was risen to be a captain, in the taking of one made his escape. But escapes of that nature bottle of English beer, a little patience would are so common in Spain, that they are not worth || let me into a farce, in which at present I had not wondering at. For even though it were for the honour to bear any part but that of a mute. wilful and premeditated murder, if the murderer have taken sanctuary, it was never known that he was delivered up to justice, though demanded; but in some disguise he makes his escape, or some way is secured against all the clamours of power or equity. I have observed that some of the greatest quality stop their coaches over a stinking nasty puddle, which they often find in the streets, and holding their heads over the door, snuff up the nasty scent which ascends, believing that it is extremely healthful, when I was forced to hold my nose passing by. It is not convenient to walk out early in the morning; they, having no necessary houses, throw out their nastiness in the middle of the street. 1 After I had taken leave of Father Fahy, and returned my thanks for all civilities, I went to pay a visit to Mr Salter, who was secretary to General Stanhope, when the English forces were made prisoners of war at Breuhiga. Going up stairs, I found the door of his lodgings a-jar; and knocking, a person came to the door, who ap. peared under some surprise at sight of me. did not know him; but inquiring if Mr Salter was within, he answered, as I fancied, with some hesitation, that he was, but was busy in an inner room. However, though unasked, I went in, resolving, since I had found him at home, to wait his leisure. In a little time Mr Salter entered the room; and after customary ceremonies, asking my patience a little longer, he desired I would sit down and bear Ensign Fanshaw company (for so he called him), adding, at going out, he had a little business that required dispatch; which being over, he would return, and join company. At last Le Noy took his leave, and as soon as he had left us, and the other bottle was brought in, Ensign Fanshaw began to open his heart, and tell me who he was. "I am necessitated," said he, "to be under this disguise to conceal myself, especially in this place. For you must know," continued he, "that when our forces were lords of this town, as we were for a little while, I fell under an intrigue with another man's wife. Her husband was a person of considerable account; nevertheless the wife showed me all the favours that a soldier, under a long and hard campaign, could be imagined to ask. In short, her relations got acquainted with our amour, and knowing that I was among the prisoners taken at Breuhiga, are now upon the scout and inquiry, to make a discovery that may be of fatal consequence. This is the reason of my disguise; this the unfortunate occasion of my taking upon me a name that does not belong to me." He spoke all this with such an openness of heart, that in return of so much confidence, I confessed to him that I had heard of the affair, for it had made no little noise all over the country; that it highly behoved him to take great care of himself, since, as the relations on both sides were considerable, he must consequently be in great danger; that in cases of that nature, no people in the world carry things to greater extremities than the Spaniards. He returned me thanks for my good advice, which I understood, in a few days after, he, with the assistance of his friends, had taken care to put in practice; for he was conveyed away secretly, and afterwards had the honour to be made a peer of Ireland. My passport beng at last signed by the Count de las Torres, I prepared for a journey I had long and ardently wished for, and set out for Madrid in the beginning of September, 1712, in order to return to my native country. The ensign, as he called him, appeared to me under a dishabille; and the first question he asked me was, if I would drink a glass of English beer? Misled by his appearance, though I assented, it was with a design to treat, which he would by no means permit, but, calling to a ser- Accordingly I set forward upon my journey; vant, ordered some in. We sat drinking that but having heard, both before and since my liquor, which to me was a greater rarity than all being in Spain, very famous things spoken of the wine in Spain, when in dropped an old ac- the Escurial, though it was a league out of my quaintance of mine, Mr Le Noy, secretary to road, I resolved to make it a visit. And I must Colonel Nevil. He sat down with us, and be- confess, when I came there, I was so far from fore the glass could go twice round, told Ensign condemning my curiosity, that I chose to conFanshaw that his colonel gave his humble ser-gratulate my good fortune, that had, at half a vice to him, and ordered him to let him knowday's expense, feasted my eyes with extraordina ries, which would have justified a twelvemonth's nativity to be called in question. For though, journey on purpose. The structure is entirely magnificent, beyond anything of the kind I ever saw, or anything my imagination could frame. It is composed of eleven several quadrangles, with noble cloisters round every one of them. The front to the west is adorned with three stately gates; every one of a different model, yet every one the model of nicest architecture. The middlemost of the three leads into a fine chapel of the Hieronomites, as they call them, in which are enter. tained one hundred and fifty monks. At every of the four corners of this most noble fabric, there is a turret of excellent workmanship, which yields to the whole an extraordinary air of grandeur. The king's palace is on the north, nearest that mountain whence the stone it is built of was hewn; and all the south part is sct off with many galleries, both beautiful and sumptuous. A no doubt, it is a very false conclusion, from a As we travelled along, Father White told me, that near the place of our quartering that night there was a convent of the Carthusian order, which would be well worth my seeing. I was doubly glad to hear it, as it was an order most a stranger to me; and as I had often heard from many others, most unaccountable relations of the severity of their way of life, and the very odd ori This prodigious pile, which, as I have said,ginal of their institution. exceeds all that I ever saw, and which would ask of itself a volume to particularise, was built by Philip the Second. He laid the first stone, yet lived to see it finished; and lies buried in the Pantheon, a part of it set apart for the burial place of succeeding princes, as well as himself. It was dedicated to Saint Lawrence in the very foundation; and therefore built in the shape of a gridiron, the instrument of that martyr's execution, and in memory of a great victory obtained on that saint's day. The stone of which it is built, contrary to the common course, grows whiter by age; and the quarry, whence it was dug, lies near enough, if it had sense or ambition, to grow enamoured of its own wonderful production. Some there are, who stick not to assign this convenience as the main cause of its situation; and for my part, I must agree, that I have seen many other parts of Spain, where that glorious building would have shone with yet far greater splendour. There was no town of any consequence presented itself in my way to Burgos. Here I took up my quarters that night; where I met with an Irish priest, whose name was White. As is natural on such rencounters, having answered his inquiry, whither I was going, he very kindly told me he should be very glad of my company as far as Victoria, which lay in my road; and I with equal frankness embraced the offer. The next morning, therefore, being Sunday, we took a walk to the convent. It was situated at the foot of a great hill, having a pretty little river running before it. The hill was naturally covered with evergreens of various sorts; but the very summit of the rock was so impending that one would at first sight be led to apprehend the destruction of the convent, from the fall of it. Notwithstanding all which they have very curi. ous and well-ordered gardens, which led me to observe that, whatever men may pretend, pleasure was not incompatible with the most austere life. And indeed, if I may guess of others by this, no order in that church can boast of finer convents. Their chapel was completely neat, the altar of it set out with the utmost magnificence, both as to fine paintings and other rich adornments. The building was answerable to the rest, and, in short, nothing seemed omitted that might render it beautiful or pleasant. When we had taken a full survey of all, we, not without some regret, returned to our very indifferent inn, where, the better to pass away the time, Father White gave me an ample detail of the original of that order. I had beforehand heard somewhat of it; nevertheless I did not care to interrupt him, because I had a mind to hear how his account would agree with what I had already heard. "Bruno," said the father, "the author or Next morning, when we had mounted our founder of this order, was not originally of this, mules, and were got a little distance from Burgos, but of another. He had a holy brother of the he began to relate to me a great many impious same order, that was his cell-mate or chamber-felpranks of an English officer, who had been a pri-low, who was reputed by all that ever saw or knew soner there a little before I came; concluding all, with some vehemence, that he had given more occasion of scandal and infamy to his native country than would easily be wiped off, or in a little time. The truth of it is, many particulars, which he related to me, were too monstrously vile to admit of any repetition here; and highly meriting that unfortunate end which that officer met with some time after. Nevertheless, the just reflections made by that father, plainly manifested to me the folly of those gen. tlemen, who, by such inadvertencies, to say no worse, cause the honour of the land of their him for a person of exalted piety, and of a most exact, holy life. This man Bruno had intimately known for many years, and agreed, in his character, that general consent did him no more than justice, having never observed anything in any o his actions that, in his opinion, could be offensive to God or man. He was perpetually at his devotions, and distinguishably remarkable for never permitting anything but pious ejaculations to proceed out of his mouth. In short, he was reputed a saint upon carth. "This man at last dies, and, according to custom, is removed into the chapel of the convent, and P |