heresy, polygamy, sodomy, and witchcraft, and when any are convicted, it is called the act of faith.

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 they are so exceeding fat, they are knocked down

The King's palace.

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 the Second, by the persuasion of Parsons, an English jesuit, erected an English seminary; and Philip the Fourth 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 Sevil.

The palace in the town stands upon eleven arches, under every one of which there are shops, which degrade it to a mere exchange. Nevertheless, the stairs by which you ascend up to the guard room, (which is very spa

cious too,) are stately, large, and curious. So soon as you have passed the guard room, you enter into a long 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 Spaniard, 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.

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 every body 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. I 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 my 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. I 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 I, 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 I at that juncture thought my own too gay for Mahoni. But," added he, "that great man had too