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Walking by

very splendid convent of the Dominicans. which, I one day observed over the gate, a figure of a man, in stone; and near it, a dog with a lighted torch in his mouth. The image I rightly enough took to intend that of the saint; but enquiring of one of the order at the gate the meaning of the figures near it, he very courteously asked me to walk in, and then entertained me with the following relation :

When the mother of Santo Domingo, said that religious, was with child of that future saint, she had a dream which very much afflicted her. She dreamt that she heard a dog bark in her belly; and inquiring (at what oracle is not said) the meaning of her dream, she was told, That that child should bark out the Gospel (excuse the bareness of the expression, it may run better in Spanish; though, if I remember right, Erasmus gives it in Latin much the same turn), which should thence shine out like that lighted torch. And this is the reason, that wherever you see the image of that saint, a dog and a lighted torch is in the group.

He told me at the same time, that there had been more popes and cardinals of that order than of any, if not all the other. To confirm which, he led me into a large gallery, on each side whereof he showed me the pictures of all the popes and cardinals that had been of that order; among which, I particularly took notice of that of Cardinal Howard, great uncle to the present Duke of Norfolk. But after many encomiums of their society, with which he interspersed his discourse, he added one that i least valued it for, that the sole care and conduct of the inquisition was intrusted with them.

Finding me attentive, or not so contradictory as the English humour generally is, he next brought me into a fair and large cloister, round which I took several turns with him; and, indeed, the place was too delicious to tire, under a conversation less pertinent or courteous than that he entertained me with. In the middle of the cloister, was a small, but pretty and sweet grove of orange and lemon trees; these bore fruit ripe and green, and flowers, altogether on one tree; and their fruit was so very large and beautiful, and their flowers so transcendently odoriferous, that all I had ever seen of the like kind in England, could comparatively pass only for beauty in epitome, or nature imitated in wax

work. Many flocks also of pretty little birds, with their cheerful notes, added not a little to my delight. In short, in life, I never knew or found three of my senses at once so exquisitely gratified.

Not far from this, Saint Vincent, the patron, as I said before, of this city, has a chapel dedicated to him. Once a year they do him honour in a sumptuous procession. Then are their streets all strewed with flowers, and their houses set off with their richest tapestries; every one strives to excel his neighbour in distinguishing himself by the honour he pays to that saint; and he is the best catholic, as well as the best citizen, in the eye of the religious, who most exerts himself on this occasion.

The procession begins with a cavalcade of all the friars of all the convents in and about the city. These walk two and two with folded arms, and eyes cast down to the very ground, and with the greatest outward appearance of humility imaginable; nor, though the temptation from the fine women that filled their windows, or the rich tapestries that adorned the balconies, might be allowed sufficient to attract, could I observe that any one of them all ever moved them upwards.

:

After the friars is borne, upon the shoulders of twenty men at least, an image of that saint, of solid silver, large as the life it is placed in a great chair, of silver likewise; the staves that bear him up, and upon which they bear him, being of the same metal. The whole is a most costly and curious piece of workmanship, such as my eyes never before or since beheld.

The magistrates follow the image and its supporters, dressed in their richest apparel, which is always on this day, and on this occasion, particularly sumptuous and distinguishing. Thus is the image, in the greatest splendour, borne and accompanied round that fine city; and at last conveyed to the place from whence it came; and so concludes that annual ceremony.

The Valencians, as to the exteriors of religion, are the most devout of any in Spain, though in common life you find them amorous, gallant, and gay, like other people, yet, on solemn occasions, there shines outright such a spirit, as proves them the very bigots of bigotry; as a proof of which assertion, I

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will now give some account of such observations as I had time to make upon them, during two Lent seasons while I resided there.

The week before the Lent commences, commonly known by the name of Carnival Time, the whole city appears a perfect Bartholomew fair; the streets are crowded, and the houses empty; nor is it possible to pass along without some gambol or jack-pudding trick offered to you. Ink, water, and sometimes ordure, are sure to be hurled at your face or clothes; and if you appear concerned or angry, they rejoice at it, pleased the more, the more they displease; for all other resentment is at that time out of season, though at other times few in the world are fuller of resentment, or more captious.

The younger gentry, or dons, to express their gallantry, carry about them egg-shells, filled with orange or other sweet water, which they cast at ladies in their coaches, or such other of the fair sex as they happen to meet in the streets.

But, after all, if you would think them extravagant to-day, as much transgressing the rules of common civility, and neither regarding decency to one another, nor the duty they owe to Almighty God; yet when Ash-Wednesday comes, you will imagine them more unaccountable in their conduct, being then as much too excessive in all outward indications of humility and repentance. Here you shall meet one barefooted, with a cross on his shoulder, a burthen rather fit for somewhat with four feet, and which his poor two are ready to sink under, yet the vain wretch bears and sweats, and sweats and bears, in hope of finding merit in an ass's labour.

Others you shall see naked to their waists, whipping themselves with scourges made for the purpose, till the blood follows every stroke; and no man need be at a loss to follow them by the very tracks of gore they shed in this frantic perambulation. Some who, from the thickness of their hides, or other impediments, have not power by their scourgings to fetch blood of themselves, are followed by surgeons with their lancets, who, at every turn, make use of them, to evince the extent of their patience and zeal by the smart of their folly. While others, mingling amour with devotion, take particular care to present themselves all macerated before the windows

of their mistresses; and even in that condition, not satisfied with what they have barbarously done to themselves, they have their operators at hand, to evince their love by the number of their gashes and wounds; imagining the more blood they lose, the more love they show, and the more they shall gain. These are generally devotees of quality; though the tenet is universal, that he that is most bloody is most devout.

After these street exercises, these ostentatious castigations, are over, these self-sacrificers repair to the great church, the bloodier the better; there they throw themselves, in a condition too vile for the eye of a female, before the image of the Virgin Mary; though I defy all their race of Fathers, and their infallible Holy Father into the bargain, to produce any authority to fit it for belief, that she ever delighted in such sanguinary holocausts.

During the whole time of Lent, you will see in every street some priest or friar, upon some stall or stool, preaching up repentance to the people; and with violent blow on his breast, crying aloud, Mia culpa, mia maxima culpa, till he extract reciprocal returns from the hands of his auditors on their own breasts.

When Good-Friday is come, they entertain it with the most profound show of reverence and religion, both in their streets and in their churches. In the last, particularly, they have contrived about twelve o'clock suddenly to darken them, so as to render them quite gloomy. This they do, to intimate the eclipse of the sun, which at that time happened. And to signify the rending of the vail of the temple, you are struck with a strange artificial noise at the very same instant.

But when Easter-day appears, you find it in all respects with them a day of rejoicing; for though abstinence from flesh with them, who at no time eat much, is not so great a mortification as with those of the same persuasion in other countries, who eat much more, yet there is a visible satisfaction darts out at their eyes, which demonstrates their inward pleasure in being set free from the confinement of mind to the dissatisfaction of the body. Every person you now meet greets you with a Resurrexit Jesus; a good imitation of the primitive Christians, were it the real effect of devotion. And all sorts of the best music (which here indeed is the

best in all Spain), proclaim an auspicious valediction to the departed season of superficial sorrow and stupid superstition. But enough of this: I proceed to weightier matters.

CHAPTER VII.

ALICANT BESIEGED BY GENERAL GORGE-REMARKABLE FEAT OF A SCOTCH DRAGOON-MESSENGER TO ALICANT-LETTER FROM THE KING OF SPAIN TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND THE SIEGE OF CARTHAGENA-SIGNAL DEFEAT OF THE ENGLISH BEFORE VILLENA-COMIC APPEARANCE OF MAJOR BOYD ON HIS JOURNEY TO VENISSA-INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF HERMIT'S CELLS AT MONTSERAT.

WHILE We lay at Valencia, under the vigilance and care of the indefatigable earl, news was brought, that Alicant was besieged by General Gorge by land, while a squadron of menof-war battered it from the sea; from both which the besiegers played their parts so well, and so warmly plied them with their cannon, that an indifferent practicable breach was made in a little time.

Mahoni commanded in the place, being again received into favour; and cleared as he was of those political insinuations before intimated, he now seemed resolved to confirm his innocence by a resolute defence. However, perceiving that all preparations tended towards a storm, and knowing full well the weakness of the town, he withdrew his garrison into the castle, leaving the town to the defence of its own inhabitants.

Just as that was doing, the sailors, not much skilled in sieges, nor at all times capable of the coolest consideration, with a resolution natural to them, stormed the walls to the side of the sea; where, not meeting with much opposition (for the people of the town apprehended the least danger there), they soon got into the place; and, as soon as got in, began to plunder. This obliged the people, for the better security of themselves to open their gates, and seek a refuge under one eremy in opposition to the rage of another.

General Gorge, as soon as he entered the town, with a