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 in i
 
 SPAIN AND THE SPANIARDS.
 
 SPAIN AND THE SPANIARDS. 
 
 IN 1843. 
 
 BY 
 
 CAPTAIN S. E. WIDDllINGTON, E.N. 
 
 K.T.S., F.R.S., F.G.S. 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 SKETCHES IN SPAIN, in 1829-30-31-32. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. 11. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 T. & W. BOONE, 29, NEW BOND STREET. 
 1844.
 
 D P 4 1 
 
 w ^ 5 A^ 
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. II. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Route to Madrid — Xefe rditico nnd Captain-General — Jaen — The Gua- 
 dalquivir — The Negro — Spanish travelling — Arrival at IMadriJ - I 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 Madrid— Public changes and situation of aflairs— The Catalans — Echa- 
 lecu's fidelity — Festival of Corpus— Costume — Education — University 
 of Alcala — The Court Dwarf — Affairs of Granada — The ftlalaguenos 
 — The Regent — reviews the National Guard, and proceeds to \'alencia 
 — The Queen — A slight disturbance - - - - 10 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 *Road to \'alladylid — Arrival iu the City— The Museum — The Cathedral 
 — San Benito — The Pronunciamento— Road-making — The Xefe Poli- 
 tico — Medina de Rio Seco — Mayorga — Ceynos — Tower of the Tem- 
 plars — Mansilla — Bridge of Villarente — Natural History - - 26 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Leon — The Convent of S. Domingo — San Isidoro — The Cathedral — 
 Convent of S. Marcos — Roman Walls— The Maragatos — Examina- 
 tion by the Authorities of Leon — The Alcalde— The Pronunciamento 47 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Journey to Oviedo — Wolves — Valley of Bernesga— River Fish — Female 
 Costume — Appearance of tJie Country — The Guide's village — Buis- 
 dongo — The Hostess — TIio Cura — Pajares— Campomancs — Mieres-- 
 Arrival at Oviedo - - - - - - - 70 
 
 400'i66
 
 vi COATENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Page 
 Oviedo — Music — Dancing — Spanish Songs — The Cathedral — The 
 Camara Santa — Old Churches — The Convent— The Monastery — 
 ChurchesofS. Maria and S. Miguel - • - - 87 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Oviedo — University — Tribute of Damsels— A sturian Coal-field — Coal 
 Companies— State of the IVIines — Asturian Costume — Xefe Politico — 
 Agitators in Oviedo — Fardinas — Flamboyant window in the Convent 
 of S.Francisco - - - - - - -110 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Road to Aviles — Church of Manzanera — Curious verses — Senor Bello — 
 Church supposed to have belonged to the Templars— Aviles— Natural 
 History — Coal flline of Arnao — The Ferry — The Country Inn — The 
 Host — Soto de Rudinia — Courtesy of the Peasants — Singular Cure of 
 a Horse— Luarco — Navia — The Ulex Stricta— Castropol — Scene at the 
 Ferry - ....... 125 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Entry into Galicia— Ribadeo — Mondonedo— Troop of Maragatos— The 
 river Tamboga— Villalba — The Ladra — Female Labour— Betanzos — 
 The road to Coruna - - - - - -151 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Coruna — Religious Procession — Costumes — Old Churches — The Inns — 
 INIarket Gardens — IMoore's INIonument— The Secretary — Pronuncia- 
 mento - --._..- 162 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Route to Santiago- The ex-Dominican— Shrine of Santiago— Chapel of 
 thePilar— The Cortesela— Royal Tombs— Chapel of the Pilgrims— The 
 Library — Hospital of Santiago — The Casas Consistoriales— Arch- 
 bishop's Palace— The Canons— Convents of San IMartin— S. Francisco 
 — and S.Agostino— Convent of Benedictine Ladies — The native artist 
 Prado— The University— Musical Performance— Sunday Market— 
 The President of the Junta - - - • . - 17 1
 
 CONTENTS. vii 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Page 
 
 Journey to Vigo — Padron — Baths ot Cuntis — Pontevedra — The 
 Author an-ested— Examination by the Junta— Cause of Arrest — 
 Letter to the Junta of Coniiia— Vigo— Pronunciamento — Departure 
 from Spain .._-.-- 204 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 On tlie Pronunciamentos and Fall of the Regency . - - 225 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 On the Church — Number of Monks — Their Attachment to the Cause of 
 Don Carlos — Suppression of the Monasteries — Fatal Effects of the 
 Church Endowments on the prosperity of Spain — Condition of the 
 Nuns — Pay assigned to the Hierarchy — Parochial clergy — Result of the 
 invasion of Napoleon — Sale of Church property — State of Religion — 
 Mr. Borrow and the Bible in Spain . . - - 277 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 On the Organic Changes in the Administration, and Decrees respecting 
 them, subsequent to the Death of Ferdinand . _ - 307 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Miscellaneous Observations — BuU Fights — Robbers — The Generals of 
 Don Carlos — Zumalacarregui — CaErera — IMaroto — Don Carlos de Es- 
 pana — The Army — Christina — Commerce ... - 336 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Proceedings of Narvaez — Church Property — Tlie Clergy — The Queen 
 — The Basques — Court of Don Carlos — General Eguia — Moreno — 
 Colonel Manzanares — Queen Christina — Finances — Road-making — 
 Changes of Ministry — Causes of the Fall of the Regent — Future 
 Prospects — Conclusion -....- 363
 
 SPAIN IN 1843. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ROUTE TO MADRID — XEFE POLITICO AND CAPTAIX- 
 GENERAL — TROOPS MARCHING — JAEN — GUADAL- 
 QUIVIR — NEGRO — OCANA ARRIVAL AT MADRID. 
 
 We had great difficulty in finding places in the 
 diligence to Madrid, all the better seats being secured 
 for weeks beforehand ; there were two rival com- 
 panies, and we were obliged to take the coach of the 
 inferior administration ; but they assured me there 
 was little difference in the arrangements, especially 
 in the important article of the time consumed upon 
 the road. 
 
 I must beg the attention of the reader particularly 
 to the ensuing pages, because in them will be re- 
 lated an event of no small importance in the extra- 
 ordinary and unexpected scenes that shortly after- 
 wards followed in the south of Spain, and it formed 
 a hinge, on which a part of the results from the 
 movements we have seen, turned. 
 
 We left Granada at a very early hour, and the 
 first halt made to change the tiro, was at the Venta de 
 
 VOL. II. R
 
 XEFE POLITICO 
 
 Zegri, wliicli has preserved the name of the cele- 
 brated Moorish family, the lineal descendants of 
 whom arc still settled in their ancient capital. At 
 Carapillo dc Arenas, a large village half way be- 
 tween Jaen and Granada, where we stopped to take 
 chocolate, there was an officer in uniform, of middle 
 age, most pleasing manners and respectable ap- 
 pearance, who entered into conversation with us 
 and made many inquiries about the state of Granada. 
 This was the Xefe Politico or civil governor of the 
 province, who as well as the Captain-general was 
 absent from his post, at Madrid, when the dis- 
 turbances broke out, which their being on the spot 
 might very probably have prevented. " Cosas de 
 Espafia !" He told us his object was to precede the 
 Captain-general, who was following with the troops 
 we began already to see upon the road, and by 
 parleying with the pronunciados, persuade them to 
 return to their allegiance without the necessity of 
 employing compulsory measures ; we shall see here- 
 after the consequence of this humane but ill-judged 
 mode of proceeding. 
 
 In about an hour after we left Campillos, the 
 diligence was ordered to stop and a military officer 
 rode up to the window. This was the aide-de-camp 
 of the Captain-general, who was on horseback at the 
 side of the road. I happened to be sitting next the 
 window when he approached, and it devolved on me 
 to answer the questions he successively put, carrying 
 back the replies to his chief and then returning
 
 AND CAPTAIN-GENERAL. S 
 
 with others. Of course all that could be said, was, 
 that the place was in a perfect state of order and 
 tranquillity, and no attempts making for defence or 
 movement of any kind. I observed, that as the 
 answers were given, the countenance of the Captain- 
 general which has a most pleasing expression, not 
 at all belied by the high and universally known 
 character of General Alvarez, rather fell ; no doubt 
 this feeling, which was too strongly expressed to fail 
 of being noticed, proceeded from his unwillingness 
 to take severe measures ; probably the hope that his 
 approach would have been the signal for the Junta to 
 disperse, and the restoration of the authority of 
 Government, without the necessity of employing the 
 forces under his orders. It appeared afterwards that 
 he had private cause also for the uneasiness he evi- 
 dently felt, having that very morning left his wife in 
 a very delicate state of health at Jaeu. 
 
 When we had answered the questions put to us, 
 we moved on, meeting many detachments of troops 
 of all descriptions that were hastening to the ex- 
 pected scene of operations. At a venta between 
 Campillos and Jaen, we arrived at the same instant 
 with a battalion of young but rather good-looking 
 infantry, who had already made a march of twenty 
 miles to their first halt. I was standing by the door 
 when they successively came up, inquiring eagerly 
 some for wine, others for bread, but the catalogue of 
 netratives was even stronger than usual in tliese 
 places, and the sole answer was " Nada, the troops 
 
 D 2
 
 JAEN. 
 
 who passed in the night have taken every thing and 
 the place is empty." Not the smallest murmur 
 or expression of any kind passed their lips, and 
 taking a drink of water, which was to be had, they 
 formed groups under the bushes or wherever a 
 scanty shelter from the powerful sun could be pro- 
 cured, intending to start again and make the same, 
 or greater distance, before reaching their quarters for 
 the night. 
 
 We dined at a new and spacious venta outside the 
 town of Jaen, of which I should have regretted 
 not seeing the interior, but from my previous ac- 
 quaintance with it ; and that excepting the cathe- 
 dral, which strongly resembles that of Malaga, as 
 already mentioned, and I have no doubt was built by 
 Siloe, and the ruined castle, there is little worth 
 notice in this ancient capital of a Moorish king- 
 dom. 
 
 The pass in descending from Campillos to Jaen, 
 is so fine, that if it were covered with forest very 
 few in Spain would exceed or equal it in picturesque 
 beauty. The stream that runs through the valley is 
 equally pretty, and the situation of Jaen, commanding 
 the fine and fertile plains of the Guadalquivir, 
 which it overlooks as from a terrace, backed by a 
 lofty range of limestone, is one of the finest in the 
 country. It has always been celebrated for the fruits, 
 especially pears and apples, wdiich the territory pro- 
 duces in the greatest abundance. They have a 
 round pear not to be distinguished in appearance
 
 THE GUADALQUIVIR. 5 
 
 from an apple, of extremely good flavour, which I 
 never saw elsewhere, and they are sent to all parts 
 of Andalucia. 
 
 We took the new line to Madrid as it is called, 
 although it is any thing but new, being so old and 
 inconvenient that at a village a short distance after 
 we set off we were " invited" to get out and walk to 
 the ferry of the Guadalquivir, which is a considerable 
 way from it, where we were detained some time before 
 the lumbering vehicle was landed on the opposite 
 side. Nothing was to be seen worthy notice, ex- 
 cepting immense quantities of the liquorice plant, 
 that were growing wild in the sandy alluvial soil of 
 the river and were now in flower. This is an ex- 
 tremely troublesome inmate of cultivated grounds 
 in this climate, and they declare if once established, 
 it can hardly be exterminated. 
 
 Beyond this the road is totally unfinished, in fact 
 hardly commenced, a curious contrast with tliat 
 beyond Jaen, which is magnificent. In parts we 
 had to cross olive grounds and corn lands, and in wet 
 weather the transit must be excessively difficult for 
 the mules. The sum they told me the tiros cost from 
 Oranada to Baylen was enormous, almost incredible, 
 so that the fares were proportionably high, and 
 more than double the price of those upon the great 
 line of Seville. 
 
 We had a tolerably pleasant party of fellow travel- 
 lers, one of the inside passengers being a campaigner 
 of the old time and a very superior well-informed
 
 d THE NEGRO. 
 
 person. The coupe was occupied by a gentleman 
 from the Habana with his black servant, as owing 
 to this peculiar encumbrance he had been obliged 
 to take the whole. In a short time, a very agree- 
 able looking family of females who were in the hin- 
 der compartment, shewed evident signs of what the 
 Spaniards call codicia, or hankering after places in 
 the front, and after a good deal of neat and pretty 
 manoiuvring they eflPected an entrance: but before the 
 arrangement could be completed the poor black was 
 obliged to be dislodged, which operation produced 
 rather a curious scene. We had no room in the centre, 
 and the remainder of the party behind, refused him 
 admittance to the place of the lady who had taken 
 his seat in the coupe. They next tried to obtain a 
 vacant place by the escort who was perched outside, 
 but this fellow, who was a half reclaimed robber and 
 if he had had his deserts instead of riding there, 
 should have been in presidio, or possibly on the horca 
 or gibbet, not only refused to let him keep company, 
 but declared aloud, that if he presumed to get up he 
 would pitch him off! At last it was settled in some 
 way, and the black disappeared ; I found afterwards 
 that he was packed among the baggage under the 
 *' vache," or leather cover, which in the state of the 
 atmosphere, must have been a perfect black hole. 
 The people carried their insolence so far, that they 
 would not allow the man to eat in company with 
 them, and as I suppose he thought it probable those 
 of the posada would refuse to serve him, his master
 
 SPANISH TRAVELLING. 7 
 
 told me afterwards, that he never tasted anything 
 during the journey ! 
 
 I felt very much for the poor fellow, and took the 
 first opportunity when we stopped for the night, of 
 entering into conversation with him ; I found him 
 to be a very superior person in his station, ex- 
 tremely well-informed on all matters relating to the 
 colony he belonged to, and speaking the language in 
 the utmost purity ; he was nearly as much dissatis- 
 fied as his master with the manners and customs of 
 travelling in Spain. The latter gave me some 
 curious details he had observed in the Spanish 
 steamers, and criticised their general style and con- 
 versation in very severe terms. They had already 
 travelled in Italy, which country afforded rather 
 strong modes of comparison to one accustomed to 
 the half European luxury of the Habana, with that 
 of the fatherland of his ancestors, for which he ap- 
 peared to have much the same feeling as some of 
 our descendants for that to which they owe their 
 original descent. 
 
 We had another scene rather in the bad Spanish 
 style, at a posada where we breakfasted ; whilst at 
 table, a sort of officer came in, wlio was extremely 
 desirous of forming an addition to the party in the 
 vehicle which was already quite full. He stood be- 
 hind the chairs the whole time, too proud to ask a 
 favour at the risk of being refused as he certainly 
 would have been, and endeavouring to make out a 
 kind of claim, amounting to obligation, on his own
 
 8 ARRIVAL AT MADRID. 
 
 part. He persevered, long after it was evident he 
 had no chance of success, and the tact with which 
 he managed to avoid the asking was extremely cha- 
 racteristic. He completely failed, not at all to my 
 regret, for although courteous in manner as they 
 invariably are, his appearance was far from prepos- 
 sessing and in the state of the weather the taking 
 such an addition, of considerable diameter, would 
 have been a high price to pay for the pleasure of 
 his company, had it been ever so agreeable. 
 
 We met both this day and the next great numbers 
 of troops of all descriptions on their march to 
 Granada, some in very good order, others by no 
 means so. They were making forced marches of 
 fifty miles per day, with very slight rations to recruit 
 their strength after the exertion ; I did not observe 
 a single officer march with the men, even the sub- 
 alterns beinor mounted on donkies and mules which 
 they hire for the purpose. 
 
 The next evening we slept at a new and half or- 
 ganized posada belonging to the company, and there 
 was considerable difficulty in procuring very scanty 
 accommodation. The peasantry were amusing 
 themselves with pitching the bar, which was of con- 
 siderable weight, and required both force and skill 
 in the exercise ; I never saw this game in any other 
 part of the country excepting La Mancha. 
 
 The following day we dined at Ocana, and in the 
 afternoon arrived at Madrid. The whole arrange- 
 ments of the great route of Andalucia had been
 
 ARRIVAL AT MADRID. 
 
 altered within these few years, and the travelling pace 
 considerably accelerated, but the accommodations 
 are not at all improved, and there is nothing so good 
 as the famous fonda of the Catalans at Ocaiia, which 
 was the general sleeping-place for all the roads 
 passing through it, but is now avoided, except for 
 the purpose of temporary stoppage.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 MADRID — PUBLIC CHANGES AND SITUATION OF AF- 
 FAIRS — THE FESTIVAL OF CORPUS — COSTUME — 
 
 PREPARATION FOR JOURNEY TO VALLADOLID 
 
 REVIEWS. 
 
 The few weeks which had elapsed since we left 
 Madrid had been sufficient to exhibit a very different 
 state of things, as far as the situation of the Govern- 
 ment was concerned, to that which prevailed when we 
 set out for Estremadura. Pronunciamentos were 
 announced in various quarters where they were very 
 little expected, and some rather curious and charac- 
 teristic scenes were being acted in the provinces. 
 There was every symptom to announce that the 
 disease must run its course, and that the same spirit 
 which had overset so many governments or admi- 
 nistrations, was ready to work the same result in the 
 present case. The worst, and by far the most impor- 
 tant outbreak had taken place at Valencia, where the 
 people, in the mode they are too truly accused of 
 being prone to follow, had at once assassinated the 
 Xefe Politico, apparently on the same principle that 
 Dost Mahomed proposed to apply, by hanging 
 the Russian envov: in order to satisfv the friends 
 of that personage, that neither peace nor truce could 
 exist with them. The widow and familv of this
 
 PUBLIC CHANGES. 11 
 
 poor man, whose name was Camacho, and his 
 melancholy fate sufficiently proves that he had faith- 
 fully discharged his duty, arrived shortly afterwards 
 from the scene of his disgraceful murder. After his 
 death, the only hope of maintaining the authority 
 of Government, rested in the Captain-general, who 
 was quite a young man, a brave and active soldier, 
 and for his good conduct in the civil war, especially 
 at the memorable siege of Peiia Cerrada, had been 
 rapidly promoted by the Regent, to whom, as I un- 
 derstand, he owed every thing. This officer wrote 
 to the Duke, stating that plans were in agitation 
 to disturb and unsettle the place, but that whilst he 
 was there and had such troops as he commanded, 
 under his orders, they need be under no apprehen- 
 sion for the consequences. This letter was imme- 
 diately ordered to be answered in corresponding- 
 terms, but a day intervening in course of post, the 
 answer was not forwarded, and before the time 
 arrived. Government received intelligence th at 
 the writer, whose name I think was Zabala, had 
 changed his mind, and joined the pronuncia- 
 mento ! This strange occurrence was of course 
 the subject of general conversation, and I heard the 
 facts not only from various authorities of certain 
 confidence, but a Spanish gentleman of high rank 
 whom I knew very well, assured me he had seen 
 the original documents. The singularity of the 
 transaction was not diminished by the announce- 
 ment in the course of a few davs, that this officer
 
 12 THE CATALANS. 
 
 embarked in a Frcricli steamer and left Spain. 
 These were serious occurrences in a place and 
 province of such importance as Valencia, and the 
 junta finding, as may be supposed, that they must 
 go through and could not possibly recede, seized 
 not only the money in the treasury, but began to 
 levy duties at the gates to raise the necessary funds 
 and make preparations for defence. This, as far as 
 I could hear, was the first attempt to collect money 
 in this illegal manner ; but in this country the fatal 
 example was too readily followed, and was one of 
 the causes by which the general catastrophe was 
 produced. 
 
 In the mean time the Catalans were not idle, 
 and under General Serrano, who was employed 
 there and an officer called Prim, who had already 
 figured in the preceding disturbance of that pro- 
 vince, gave ample employment to Generals Seaone 
 and Zurbano, the best officers the Regent had, 
 who were barely holding their ground, and evi- 
 dently must finally be beaten by that strange 
 portion of the Spanish people. The town of Bar- 
 celona was in the hands of the revolted troops, most 
 of whom had followed the officers, but the citadel 
 of Montjuich still held out, under the command of 
 an officer called Echalecu, a native of the Basque 
 provinces, who has left a long and distinguished 
 name in the history of his country and of Spanish 
 fidelity. Finding threats and intimidation of no use 
 in prevailing on him to give up his post, bribery
 
 ECHALECU's FIDELITY. 13 
 
 was tried, and as it was probably thought he might 
 require a large amount, four millions of reals were 
 offered, with a French steamer put at his disposal 
 to convey him away, when he should have given up 
 the fort. This large sum, which to a Spanish 
 officer is at least equal to 100,000 pounds in this 
 country, and would have made him a very rich 
 person, was firmly and inexorably refused, and he 
 retained the fort until the complete overthrow of 
 the Government, when of course he surrendered. 
 He was continued in command of it, which I believe 
 is the only instance of such a compliment being paid 
 by the Afrancesado rulers to those who had op- 
 posed them. He remained in charge until the 
 absurd revolt of Amettler took place, when, re- 
 fusing to bombard the townj he of course resigned 
 the command, retiring with a degree of honour 
 for ever attached to his name, which with sorrow it 
 must be admitted, very few employed in these times 
 share with him. It must be mentioned that the 
 history of the bribery is not a case of suspicion, but 
 is an official and publicly known fact. The sum 
 alluded to was offered by the Ayuntamiento, who 
 were nominally the bidders : whether they were 
 really so is another consideration, which we shall 
 notice hereafter. 
 
 Every day news arrived of fresh pronunciamentos, 
 the fashion having extended to the north, and 
 several places in Galicia had already declared 
 themselves. I'herc was very good news respecting
 
 14 FESTIVAL OF CORPUS. 
 
 the Basque Provinces, where many persons thought 
 there might be disturbances, and an attempt once 
 more to re-establish the fueros ; but from the first 
 they declared they were satisfied with the new 
 system, and should take no part in any proceedings 
 against the Regent. Estremadura, Aragon, Leon, 
 and Asturias, with great part of Andalucia, were 
 also perfectly tranquil. The pronunciamentos were 
 announced, very often prematurely, by the press in 
 opposition to the Government, although it generally 
 turned out afterwards that they were right as to the 
 final consequences ; no doubt these notices arose 
 from the correspondence of certain parties in Madrid 
 with the discontented in the provinces, and they 
 simply miscalculated the time intended for the 
 rising. We shall leave this subject for the present 
 and proceed with a few remarks on the capital. 
 
 The great festival of Corpus took place very soon 
 after our arrival. In the old time, as all the orders 
 of monks and other religious bodies sent deputations, 
 the procession which followed the host was of im- 
 mense length. These of course were no longer in 
 their accustomed place, but they were replaced by 
 10 to 12,000 national guards, who lined the streets 
 and successively presented arms as the host passed. 
 The houses were hung with flags and other orna- 
 ments as before, and no other difference was to be 
 observed, the whole passing off^ with the greatest 
 possible order and solemnity. Neither the Regent 
 nor the Court took any part, the former having quite
 
 COSTUME. 15 
 
 enough public business on his hands to plead his 
 excuse, and the Queen being under age, did not 
 follow the procession on foot, as she would other- 
 wise most probably have been required to do. Some 
 of the principal streets were hung with toldos or 
 awnings stretched across them to protect the pro- 
 cession from the sun, and all day crowds of people 
 of every rank were seen promenading after the cere- 
 mony was ended. It is probably the day in the 
 year when the population of Madrid is seen in the 
 largest number and to the greatest advantage. 
 
 The prevailing costume amongst the men in Spain 
 is that curious vestment now extended over Europe, 
 a modification of the " pea coat," for which I believe 
 we arc indebted to the Yacht club. The patterns 
 used at Madrid have been drawn from France, and 
 our neighbours with their usual taste have added a 
 little embroidery, which improves the appearance 
 of this rather singular shaped garment. The ma- 
 terial at this season is in general light, and however 
 unoTaccful the form mav be, nothino- was ever 
 better imagined for a warm climate, as it hangs 
 loose with neither encumbrance of collar or length, 
 allowing the air to circulate freely round the person. 
 The capa and jacket arc quite superseded by this 
 dress, and arc seldom seen but in the provincial 
 towns or in the winter season. 
 
 The female costume is very little altered since 
 the death of Ferdinand, when the great sweeping- 
 change of striking or doing away the comb that for-
 
 16 COSTUME. 
 
 merly supported the mantilla and gave the peculiar 
 character to the carriage of the women, took place. 
 From what I could learn, there is not the slightest 
 probability of that national ornament resuming its 
 station, as unfortunately the times, by making the 
 strictest economy necessary to almost every class, 
 have helped the barbarous innovation, by perma- 
 nently establishing what might be hoped was merely 
 a fashion of the day, and in its turn would give way. 
 The mantilla, which now hardly deserves the name, 
 is cut accordingly, and instead of being entirely of 
 lace, is a broad scarf or piece of silk edged with it, 
 that rests on the top of the head, leaving the front 
 hair in sight, but covering the neck and shoulders 
 completely. The chief and only recommendation 
 of this costume is its being extremely comfortable 
 in cold or unsettled weather, and the introduction 
 of it here, especially for the benefit of those who 
 attend concerts and other public entertainments, 
 where the bonnets are frequently a nuisance to every 
 one near, would be a general benefit, as it is no 
 weiflfht or incumbrance and enables a shawl, unless 
 in bad weather, to be entirely dispensed with. 
 
 The worst of the new style is, that the graceful 
 carriage of the head has almost entirely passed 
 away, the adjusting the mantilla as it floated from 
 the lofty supporter giving a grace which no other 
 style can confer. The effect of the alteration is ex- 
 tremely visible in the rising generation who have 
 been born or bred under the new system, and any
 
 COSTUME. 17 
 
 eye accustomed to observe these matters, can in an 
 instant distinguish between one of the old and new 
 school by the manner the head and neck are carried. 
 
 The bad effect of this bastard mantilla is increased 
 by many ladies having adopted the shawls in the 
 French fashion, not for use, but as they conceive 
 for ornament ; when this is the case, between the 
 new covering of the head, the shawl, a long and 
 very loose skirt or basquiila, the figure is as com- 
 pletely disguised as in the East. 
 
 Bonnets still hardly gain ground, and are scarcely 
 more numerous than before ; and it did so happen 
 that at the Prado and other promenades, the wearers 
 of the most barbarous and unseemly costume ever 
 put on the female form, left less regret that they 
 had chosen so to travesty themselves. Many of 
 them had adopted the small bonnet that was the 
 fashion, for it generally travels to Madrid by the 
 arrieros, or in some other mode which throws them 
 several months behind the rest of the world ; 
 this head dress was exas-fjerated to the extent of 
 caricature, being merely, as they wore it, a sort of 
 dish, covering the back and middle of the head 
 which it scarcely touched, leaving the front en- 
 tirely uncovered. The Queen and her sister were 
 occasionally seen in this most absurd fashion, but 
 at the Palace chapel they invariably wore the old 
 Spanish mantilla. 
 
 There were however exceptions to this general 
 rule, and in the provincial towns as well as the 
 
 VOL. II. c
 
 18 EDUCATION. 
 
 Corte, many figures and carriages were to be seen 
 which neither fashion nor style could disguise. 
 These were seen chiefly in the forenoon, in those 
 parts where shops were the object of fashionable 
 resort, and amongst others there were two sisters, 
 Sevillanas, of the highest rank, one a Duchess, 
 who always appeared in the ancient style, having 
 the good taste to preserve what became them, above 
 all others, and to have resisted the torrent of foreign 
 fashion, which is denationalizing every thing around 
 them. 
 
 I inquired about the system of education, and 
 found that owing to the w^ant of funds most of the 
 universities w^ere not yet provided with professors 
 in many departments which were very necessary, 
 but would in due course of time be supplied. 
 Every thing is otherwise done to promote the edu- 
 cation of the people, and I was glad to see in all 
 parts of the towTi, boards, announcing gratuitous 
 schools for the children of both sexes. The ladies 
 are great promoters of a better system for the infant 
 females, and there are societies for this purpose 
 under the care of some of those of the highest rank. 
 There is a board for the superintendence of the 
 books to be issued for the use of schools, at the 
 head of which is my friend the celebrated Don Ni- 
 casio Gallego, a canon of Seville, who resides in 
 Madrid for the purpose of directing the operations. 
 Don Nicasio is the well known author of the famous 
 poem on the insurrection of May 1808, which ev«n
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ALCALA. J 9 
 
 at this day is constantly quoted, and has been re- 
 printed in very many forms, being one of the 
 most simple and beautiful effusions existing in any 
 language. 
 
 I omitted to mention previously, that the univer- 
 sity of Alcala was transferred to Madrid during the 
 civil w^ar. From the appearance of that celebrated 
 city when I visited it in 1832 some change w^as 
 desirable, as the end was visibly approaching, and 
 symptoms of decay not to be mistaken w^ere appa- 
 rent in every part ; still it is impossible to help re- 
 gretting the fall of places once so celebrated as this 
 in the history of Europe. From the extreme socia- 
 bility of the people and other circumstances, it is 
 doubtful whether an university will succeed in the 
 present state of society in Spain, unless it be esta- 
 blished in a large city, and Alcala had no resources 
 whatever beyond those of the establishment itself. 
 
 I was conducted by a friend to see a capricho, or 
 sport of Velasquez, of a very curious nature. Those 
 who have had the good fortune to see either the 
 Spanish galleries, or the engravings from them, will 
 remember a female court dwarf, who, in the fashion 
 of that day was attached to the palace suite, and is in- 
 troduced in the celebriited picture of the royal chil- 
 dren with their attendants. This is a very short, 
 fat, unwieldy person, with very little figure, and the 
 head disproportionately large, so that a correspond- 
 ing diameter of form may be inferred to exist 
 under the drapery. Only think of this model 
 
 c 2
 
 20 THE COURT DWARF. 
 
 being painted " en cueros" as they say, to represent 
 Silenus ! She is not only so represented, but the 
 result of the curious fancy is one of the very finest 
 works of the master, certainly equal to any, and 
 superior to most of the productions from his easel. 
 There is not the slightest indelicacy or indecorum 
 in the treatment and no sort of disagreeable effect 
 is produced by the carrying out this most singular 
 idea, which there is little doubt originated with some 
 of the royal family, whose influence, or more pro- 
 hably "command," would (it is to be hoped at least) 
 be necessary to prevail on the party to prepare her- 
 self for the study of the painter. Like the lady of 
 the trensa, mentioned at Seville, it is very possible 
 the court follower considered her figure as the most 
 remarkable of her peculiarities and that it deserved 
 being handed down to posterity ! Had Annibale 
 Caracci himself been in want of a model for the 
 character in which she is represented, to assist in 
 the composition of the Farnese gallery, he could not 
 have selected a more perfect one than this little 
 person, who was nearly his cotemporary. I under- 
 stood the proprietor desired to dispose of this sin- 
 gular picture, and it is a thousand pities the 
 authorities do not secure it for the Royal gallery, 
 to which it naturally belongs, and there is already 
 a half length common portrait of the dwarf by the 
 same great master at the Prado. 
 
 We must now prepare to leave the capital for 
 Valladolid, but it will be necessary previously to
 
 AFFAIRS OF GRANADA. 21 
 
 make a very few observations on the state of things 
 existing at this time, so far as the Government was 
 concerned. The news each day became worse in 
 every quarter. The result of tlie operations I men- 
 tioned as being concerted by the authorities with 
 a view to the pacification of Granada was a com- 
 plete failure. When persuasion and mild measures 
 were proposed they were met by a negative and the 
 pronunciados finding they were not to be attacked, 
 called on the people to support them and to defend 
 the city. By some means money was procured, and 
 whilst a sort of armistice took place, the respective 
 troops met on familiar terms, as it was stated, dining 
 with each other at the outposts. It so happened 
 that the Asturians, who were starving a short time 
 before, had now abundance of every thing, and very 
 much the advantage of their opponents. Desertion 
 began to ensue, and in a short time became so 
 general that the commanding officer was obliged 
 to draw the troops off to a distance, when the 
 activity of the cavalry alone, as it was publicly 
 stated, prevented them going over in mass to join 
 the pronunciamento. In the meantime every thing 
 had been done inside to second the bcjiinnino' made 
 on the day devoted to the memory of " Mariana.'* 
 The standard of Isabella was brought out and 
 planted in the Alhambra, the government of the 
 Regent being compared in their bandos and other 
 writings ta " Modern Saracens," by what curious 
 inversion or figure it is needless to explain. It
 
 X% THE MALAGUENOS. 
 
 cannot be denied that tliis blow was attended with 
 the most serious and fatal consequences to the Go- 
 vernment, and that it might have been entirely 
 avoided had General Alvarez, the day he arrived at 
 the gates, marched straight into the town, where not 
 the smallest step had been taken for defence, and ar- 
 rested the junta, executing justice on the command- 
 ing officer of the Asturians, the whole of whom 
 however would most assuredly in that case have 
 taken refuge on board the " French steamer," in 
 attendance at Malaga. This most unfortunate de- 
 termination, which the high and well-known charac- 
 ter of General Alvarez, who I believe remained to 
 the last with the Regent, precludes the possibility 
 for one instant of attributing to any other motive 
 than that of humanity and the desire to avoid blood- 
 shed, that was certainly possible, though in the 
 highest degree improbable, was followed by the most 
 disastrous consequences. The Malaguenos imme- 
 diately resumed their arms, and vowing they should 
 be no longer the laughing-stock of Spain, actually 
 marched in considerable numbers to the interior, 
 in order to compel the other towns to join them, 
 but this attempt had a characteristic end ; the 
 first day's march having sufficed completely to break 
 up the column, and cause them to return to their 
 accustomed amusements in rather a pitiable state. 
 They subsequently attempted Ronda, but the Serra- 
 nos held firm to the Reo^ent and I believe never 
 came over until the termination of the change in
 
 THE regp:nt. 23 
 
 September. The only act of vigour I knew to be 
 taken in the south, was by Senor Luna, who was 
 mentioned in the account of Estremadura and from 
 whom I had a letter at Seville announcing his ap- 
 pointment as Xefe politico at Huelva, a district to 
 the north of the mouth of the Guadalquivir. When 
 the people there pronounced, he immediately ar- 
 rested the junta and had them conveyed to and shut 
 up at Cadiz, but this active measure was attended by 
 no good result, as the minor provinces were of course 
 finally obliged to follow the example of the larger 
 towns in their neighbourhood. 
 
 In this dismal state of affairs, the only person 
 who appeared fearless of the result was the Regent 
 himself, whose bearing was admirable in the highest 
 degree, and to those who had business with him as 
 well as from his manner in public, he never shewed 
 one symptom of uneasiness or apprehension. There 
 were frequent reviews, one being held early in the 
 morning previous to the ceremony of Corpus, ano- 
 ther on some festival of the epoch, and one besides for 
 some other reason, all within a very few days. After 
 serious deliberation, as it was necessary to deter- 
 mine on some line of operations, the Regent had 
 decided on attacking Valencia, for which purpose 
 all the troops in Madrid, with the exception of a 
 guard of cavalry for the Queen, were successively 
 despatched, and he was to follow in person with his 
 staff early in the morning. The national guard, 
 however, who were unanimous in supporting the
 
 24 DEPARTURE OF THE REGENT. 
 
 Government and had dismissed the very few dissen- 
 tients in the companies, sent a deputation to request 
 they might take formal leave of him under arms. 
 Such a request could not be refused and I had the 
 good fortune to see the performance of it. The en- 
 tire guard was present, about 12,000 men, scarcely a 
 man beinoc absent from the columns, and the siofht on 
 the Prado was one of the finest and most interestinjr 
 I ever vvitnessed. The Regent has a most powerful 
 and sonorous voice, capable of being heard at a vast 
 distance, and the fire and animation of his manner 
 on these occasions is truly remarkable, nor did I ever 
 observe them to so great a degree in any indivi- 
 dual. After the ceremony was over and he had 
 addressed the different battalions, he took his place 
 in a *' malle poste," one of the new mail or despatch 
 coaches, and followed his troops on the road to Va- 
 lencia, leaving the city, the Queen, and the Govern- 
 ment in the hands of the national guard precisely as 
 he had done during the insurrection of October 
 18 il, when he had to march against O'Donnell and 
 the threatened rise of the northern provinces. 
 
 After his departure every thing remained in the 
 most perfect tranquillity, although there was no want 
 of persons well disposed to disturb it if in their 
 power. One evening very late, when the Queen had 
 taken her usual drive to the Retiro and round the 
 Prado, she was advised to walk on foot in the gene- 
 ral promenade. There was an immense crowd and 
 some excitement, unavoidable in such circumstances
 
 A SLIGHT DISTURBANCE. 25 
 
 as those we were living in, prevailed. The people 
 crowded round the Princesses from mere curiosity, 
 but to a disagreeable extent and in keeping them 
 off one of the attendants struck and slightly wounded 
 a man who was too forward, but he was very little 
 hurt and immediately carried away. I was witness 
 of this whole transaction, which was exactly as I have 
 related ; no sort of rudeness or ill-behaviour took 
 place on any side, although attempts were made to 
 misrepresent and convert it to party purposes. The 
 Infantas were excessively frightened by the pressing 
 forward of the crowd, and I could not help agreeing 
 with a Spanish friend I was walking with, that the 
 step of causing them to alight, was, under the cir- 
 cumstances, unnecessary and injudicious.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ROAD TO VALLADOLID — PRONUNCIAMENTO — MUSEUM 
 
 CATHEDRAL SAN BENITO ROUTE TO LEON 
 
 XEFE POLITICO — MEDINA DE RIO SCEO — MAYENGA 
 MANILLA BRIDGE OF VILLANENTE LEON. 
 
 I SET out for Valladolid alone, Dr. Daubeny 
 having determined to make the tour of the Esco- 
 rial, S. Ildefonso and Segovia, and instead of return- 
 ing to take the diligence from Madrid, to keep on his 
 calesa and proceed across the country from Segovia 
 to Valladolid, which is rather more than a day's 
 journey, so that he saved the necessity of repassing 
 the Guadarrama range twice. 
 
 There was no change in the plan of the diligence 
 upon the Valladolid road and no acceleration of 
 pace had as yet taken place. After passing the 
 great range we slept at Labajos in Old Castile and 
 at an early hour resumed our route, which we per- 
 formed in beautiful style for about an hour, when 
 there was a dead stop and the mules had the greatest 
 difficulty to drag the vehicle through the heavy sand, 
 that continues almost to the gates of Valladolid, 
 relieved only in places by the indurated clay which is 
 quite as bad. The reason of this state of things 
 was that an entirely new line of road is in course of
 
 ROAD TO VALLADOLID. 27 
 
 construction, and in great forwardness, so that no 
 repairs were given to the old line : when com- 
 pleted, the communication with Madrid will be 
 on a very good footing. There was nothing to re- 
 lieve the eye on these dreary plains but the sight of 
 the vineyards, the produce of which promised in 
 abundance to exceed any thing I ever saw, so much 
 so that the proprietors would be called on to follow 
 a common custom in Castile, and either leave the 
 grapes ungathered, or throw away the old wine in 
 the tinaxas to make room for the new. 
 
 We were behind the proper time, owing to the 
 state of the road, and the mayoral, who was a 
 Catalan, a rough and rather ill tempered subject, 
 was so anxious to arrive early at the end of his 
 destination that after we had crossed the Pisuerga, 
 in order to save a mile or thereabouts, he left the 
 main line and took a country road through some 
 inclosed grounds ; he had been quarrelling the 
 whole way with the zagal who was on the leading 
 mule, and by sheer obstinacy and stupidity in which 
 both were to blame, but principally the superior, 
 they got the huge vehicle into a regular" fix," and 
 very narrowly escaped overturning. As nothing 
 could possibly be done before unloading, an opera- 
 tion requiring considerable time, I walked on in 
 hope of meeting some peasants or others who might 
 be inclined to assist us. I soon fell in with a whole 
 string of bullock cars, travelling by the same line, 
 and told the drivers that they could not possibly
 
 28 VALLADOLID. 
 
 pass, until the diligence was removed, suggesting 
 whether to save time, it would not be better for them 
 to assist in clearing the road. This they declined 
 doing, and drawing their cars to one side, sat 
 calmly down to " decansar," and wait until the ma- 
 yoral would have delivered himself from his diffi- 
 culty. I continued my walk to Valladolid, which 
 was about a league distance, and found a large 
 party anxiously waiting for their relations who were 
 expected, and were dismayed when they heard 
 an accident had happened to delay them, inquiring 
 most eagerly into the circumstances that had pro- 
 duced the absurd result. 
 
 I soon found myself in the middle of another pro- 
 nunciamento, which was in the agony of excite- 
 ment. There was a party extremely desirous of it 
 in the city, but the troops who were in small 
 number had divided, and nothing decisive was yet 
 done. The Captain general (San Miguel) had just 
 been appointed and was an entire stranger in his 
 command. Soon after I retired to rest, a tintar- 
 marre of bells commenced, in a steeple close by 
 my bed room and continued with little intermission 
 during the whole night. At an early hour I sallied 
 forth to look round the town and see the museum 
 of pictures recently formed in the college of Santa 
 Cruz, which had been closed, its functions being 
 merged in the general university, and if the stories 
 that were related to me were only in part true, it 
 was high time such an event should take place.
 
 THE MUSEUM. 29 
 
 The building is a very fine one, and well adapted 
 to the purpose to which it has been applied. The 
 library remains, but was closed for some temporary 
 arrangement, so that I was obliged to be content with 
 a distant peep at the well stored shelves. The 
 spacious building is filled from top to bottom with 
 sculpture, paintings, and other works of art, that 
 have been removed from the suppressed convents, 
 and I recognized several old acquaintances amongst 
 them. This collection however furnished another 
 proof that many works which looked extremely well 
 in the localities they were originally intended for, 
 where they had accompaniments to assist the effect 
 and were often aided by the " dim religious light'* 
 that concealed their defects, very often lose by 
 being ranged in masses together. In these reposi- 
 tories, the eye is soon sated and wearied with a 
 heap of tame and uniform mediocrity, and seeks in 
 vain for relief amongst productions of art w^hich 
 would look extremely well, were only a few of them 
 placed together. The lower part of the building is 
 chiefly occupied by the sculpture and carving in 
 wood, of which there is a vast quantity, some 
 good, but the greater portion by no means so, 
 although the sculptors figure very highly in the 
 artistical history of Spain. Few of the schools of 
 Castile will bear to have their works examined 
 and compared with those of the gi'cat artists of 
 Andalucia ; and like the Lombard and some other 
 schools in Italy, they should be studied previously
 
 30 THE MUSEUM. 
 
 to seeing the highest productions of the national 
 art. The Crucifixion from the Augustias is amongst 
 the best sculpture, and there is a pretty statue of the 
 Virgin in the style of Cano, which was formerly at 
 the Merced. An extremely curious and very old 
 retahlo, but not of good work, was brought from S. 
 Francisco. Some silleria, in the style of Berrugusto, 
 and the Virgin giving her mantle to a monk of the 
 order, one of their legends, were formerly at the 
 Carmen descalzo (Unshod Carmelites). A Cruci- 
 fixion with the Virgin and other figures came from 
 S. Benito el Real, and some silleria I understood 
 was also from the same convent, but the great reta- 
 hlo by Berrugusto had not been removed from 
 thence. Part of this sculpture resembled in style 
 that of Leon, mentioned in the first account of 
 Madrid, Vol. I. 
 
 The chief exception to the wood statues, which 
 form nearly the whole, are those of the Duke 
 and Duchess of Lerma, in bronze gilt, which 
 were brought from S. Pablo. There is a curious 
 little statue of S. Lorenzo, who is resting with his 
 head and heels in a strange position, resembling 
 some of those practised by the Indian jugglers, nor 
 could I make out the meaning intended to be con- 
 veyed by this singular composition. 
 
 The pictures are chiefly in the upper rooms, 
 excepting those of Rubens from the convent of 
 Fuen Saldaiia, which are below, but the situation 
 of the principal picture is very far inferior to that
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 31 
 
 it originally occupied, where it was elevated con- 
 siderably above the eye, according to the intention 
 of the painter. 
 
 In one of the rooms is a very good picture of the 
 Holy Family, and personages connected, with angels. 
 The Santa Ana is very beautiful, no doubt a portrait, 
 very much in the style and quite equalling the work 
 of Razzi (the Italian Sodoma), by an artist I was 
 quite unacquainted with, signing himself Oladus 
 Ifaz, 1671. There is a curious study of Franciscan 
 monks in different occupations. A set of paintings 
 were brought from the Cartuxa, at three leagues 
 distance, representing the life of the Saviour, in 
 many compartments ; the style of the work re- 
 sembles that of Mantigna, but they are curiously 
 inlaid with mother-of-pearl, in a way I do not 
 recollect having seen elsewhere. 
 
 There are a few other decent pictures, with a vast 
 assemblage of very inferior ones, many of them 
 rivallincj those of Granada, but the collection on the 
 whole is extremely interesting, although a very 
 poor representation of the vast treasures once 
 possessed by this celebrated place. 
 
 The si'eat tower of the cathedral near the en- 
 trance had fallen down some time previously, and 
 in the present state of affairs the cabildo had no 
 means of undertakinfj the restoration of it. I could 
 not ascertain the cause of the accident, which is 
 unusual with the works of Herrera, but no doubt it 
 proceeded from the alluvial soil below giving way
 
 32 SAN BENITO. 
 
 and sapping the foundation. It is difficult to judge 
 fairly of this building in its present state, when so 
 small a part of the design of the great master has 
 been carried into efi^ect. The length finished, 
 which was merely that of the nave below the 
 crucero, is about 220 feet. The breadth is about 
 120 feet, exclusive of the chapels, which are 
 about 30. There is a simple grandeur in the 
 design, which to many persons, will make up for 
 the bare unornamented appearance the walls pre- 
 sent. The entrance to the side chapels are dispro- 
 portionately small, for what reason it is not easy to 
 conjecture, unless it was from the fear of interfering 
 with the general mass of outline. The reja is 50 
 feet high and magnificent, but on a quite unneces- 
 sary scale, and to match it the canons built a wall 
 across the lower end of the choir, which ought to be 
 demolished, being probably the greatest of all the 
 barbarisms existing in the cathedrals of Spain. 
 
 The enormous convent of San Benito al Real had 
 in the civil war been united with parts of others 
 adjacent and converted into a regular fort, which 
 the wide extent and accessibility of the city to the 
 bands of Gomez and others made extremely de- 
 sirable to those charged with the defence of this 
 important place. The lofty walls of the church 
 and other parts nearest the houses made it very easy 
 of defence, and at the upper part were placed tem- 
 porary galleries, allowing the garrison to command 
 the face of the wall. The united convents formed
 
 THE PRONUNCIAMENTO. 33 
 
 an extremely respectable work, capable, in the 
 Spanish mode, of making an excellent defence 
 against the description of troops it was intended for. 
 
 Dr. Daubeny arrived in the evening, having made 
 his excursion without accident or inconvenience, 
 and as he never intended travelling in the northern 
 part of Spain, the state of the country being any- 
 thing but inviting to a stranger, he decided on 
 visiting the Basque provinces , thence going out by 
 the French frontier. 
 
 I was not at all pleased, on arriving, to hear of the 
 pronunciamento, and still less on learning that there 
 was a considerable difFerence]^of opinion'^respecting 
 it, that might very readily have led to closing 
 the gates, blockading, or some other equally in- 
 convenient operation, I had therefore the evening 
 previous ordered horses for Leon, intending to leave 
 in the afternoon and sleep at Medina de Rio Seco. 
 
 A kind of diligence runs between Leon and Val- 
 ladolid,but it only travels once a week, and as I knew 
 the line of road to be very bad for carriages, I did 
 not regret the being obliged to ride ; the more so, as 
 very little time is lost and you can travel nearly as 
 quick as the vehicle on those roads. 
 
 After being out at a very early hour, I returned 
 to breakfast and to prepare for my departure. Every 
 thing was at that time quiet, and I was informed 
 that the din of the preceding night was caused by 
 a party in favour of the rise, who expected by those 
 means to call out their adherents and force it on the 
 
 VOL. II. D
 
 34 ROAD-MAKING. 
 
 authorities, overpowering the small number of troops 
 that stood by the Captain-general. I was mounted 
 to set out, and was defiling past S.Benito, the citadel, 
 when I heard a confused noise of the mob following 
 a few soldiers who were marching towards the town, 
 whilst another detachment, with an officer's horse they 
 were leading, were moving rapidly in another direc- 
 tion. I had little doubt that the last mentioned 
 were following the Captain-general, who had been 
 overpowered and forced to give way, but leaving the 
 town, endeavoured to make a stand in some other 
 part of the district under his command. This, al- 
 though at the time could only be conjectured, turned 
 out to be the fact, and as it will have to be again 
 noticed shortly, it is mentioned as the occurrence 
 took place. 
 
 After ascending a little height to the north of 
 this celebrated city, I found myself on the great 
 table of freshwater limestone of Old Castile, which 
 extends in this direction to very near Medina and 
 furnishes the principal building materials at Valla- 
 dolid, strongly resembling those already mentioned 
 as proceeding from that of New Castile and in use 
 at Madrid. They were employed in making an 
 entire new carretera or carriage road to communi- 
 cate with Leon, on which great numbers of Biscayans 
 and others from the northern provinces were em- 
 ployed. The practice now followed in Spain, as al- 
 ready noticed, is to let the new roads, as well as 
 as those which require being thoroughly repaired, by
 
 THE XEFE POLITICO. 35 
 
 trozos or pieces, exactly as our railway contracts are 
 executed, from whence no doubt the idea has been 
 taken, and these people from the north, who are more 
 active and skilful as well as more laborious than the 
 Castilians, and in the habit of hard manual labour, 
 in many instances undertake them. They live in rude 
 temporary huts, rarely or ever entering the towns, 
 working excessively hard, and returning to their 
 firesides with the well-earned fruit of their labours. 
 Like all the new roads which I have seen, the parts 
 finished appeared to be perfectly well executed, both 
 as to style and durability. This line of road passes 
 throuo^h no villao-e or even hamlet, but about a 
 league from Valladolid on the left we passed near 
 one, from which a man on horseback emerged, who 
 presently joined and entered into conversation with 
 my guide. He very soon rode up and asked per- 
 mission to join me, to which his appearance and 
 manner made me give a ready assent. He was an 
 elderly, pleasing, but melancholy looking person, 
 evidently a gentleman, and labouring under dejected 
 spirits from inward cause of uneasiness. He rode 
 a decent, strong made horse, with some baggage in 
 front of his saddle covered by a manta, and was 
 quite unattended ; we were very soon acquainted, 
 and he related his history. He had been Xefe po- 
 litico of the province of Palencia which adjoins that 
 of Valladolid to the north-east, and in consequence 
 of the misconduct of the chief of Pontevedra in 
 Galicia, the Government considering him more trust- 
 
 D 2
 
 36 THE XEFE POLITICO. 
 
 worthy had ordered him to supersede that function- 
 ary, to his Tery great regret and inconvenience. 
 The distance is very considerable, being seventy-five 
 leagues of very bad travelling, at least the greater 
 part of it, but the worst was, that he had an abso- 
 lute certainty of finding the province on his arrival 
 pronunciado, and that having no office to discharge, 
 he must return forthwith to the point whence he 
 had set out. He had removed his family to Valla- 
 dolid, in order that they might remain there during 
 his absence, and to complete his annoyance, had 
 hardlv made his arrangements when the pronuncia- 
 mento broke out, which the fear of being detained 
 in the place by a blockade, or some similar process, 
 had induced him to quit in the middle of the night, 
 although his leave, previous to taking charge, would 
 have enabled him to remain some days longer with 
 them. Like most of his countrymen, he disliked 
 making such a long and dreary journey alone, and so 
 soon as he was clear of the jarring elements in 
 Valladolid, he took up his quarters in the village 
 whence he had come forth, in the hope of finding 
 some company with whom he might beguile the 
 loneliness of the way. He had found great diffi- 
 culty in providing a conveyance, the diligence of 
 Galicia having ceased running for some time, and 
 the Maragatos, to whom he applied, asked such an 
 exorbitant sum for conveying him, that he refused 
 dealing with them and had actually bought the 
 horse he was riding, with a saddle and bridle, for a
 
 THE XEFE POLITICO. 37 
 
 smaller sum than their demand. Although not a 
 showy animal it appeared to be quite capable of 
 doing his work, and if he had been unfortunate in 
 more serious matters, he certainly was not so in this 
 purchase. He had received no pay for fifteen 
 months, a proof of the difficulties the financial ad- 
 ministration laboured under, and also of the im- 
 proved management of public affairs, for assuredly, 
 in the olden time an officer in his situation, would 
 have found the means of receiving his salary, if not 
 per fas, per nefas. He appeared to feel nothing 
 of his misfortunes in comparison with the leaving 
 his family, and especially a son, whom he said very 
 seriously, that he had doubts whether his love and 
 affection for him were not to a degree, if possible 
 in such a case, sinful. 
 
 He related some curious particulars respecting 
 the province he had recently commanded, and of the 
 rapidity of its recovery from the effects of the civil 
 war, which had fallen heavily on all that part of Spain, 
 exposed not only to the regular requisitions of the 
 armies on both sides, but to constant predatory 
 inroads from the Carlist forces in the Basque 
 provinces. 
 
 We rode together to very near Medina de 
 Rio Scco, when I missed my guide, who had 
 loitered behind during the time I was so engrossed 
 with the very interesting conversation of my com- 
 panion, and he delayed so long in making his ap- 
 pearance, that although we had not observed any 
 
 400'<i66
 
 38 MEDINA DE RIO SECO. 
 
 thing suspicious on the road, 1 began to think he 
 might have been cut off, and my baggage taken pos- 
 session of. At last he came up, and made some idle 
 excuse for his delay, but my companion had ridden 
 forward into the town, and I saw no more of him. 
 I knew the principal inn was in the town, as I had 
 once slept in it, but I had two or three reasons for as- 
 senting to the proposal of my follower, and taking up 
 my quarters in one he recommended, outside : there 
 was a considerable noise and shouting, which sounded 
 very like a pronunciamento, but turned out to be 
 a miserable exhibition of novillos or young bulls, 
 which was being held in the Plaza : it was doubly 
 incumbent on any prudent traveller acquainted 
 with the country to avoid small towns and places as 
 much as possible, under the present state of excite- 
 ment in the people, the danger of delay and incon- 
 venience likely to result, increasing in proportion as 
 they decrease in size, population, civilisation and 
 intercourse with the rest of the world : neither Old 
 Castile nor Leon are exceptions to this rule, and 
 I should advise no one to risk falling into difficulties 
 in these parts of the kingdom, or by any means to 
 fall under the suspicion of the Alcaldes, or their fa- 
 miliars, who are often worse than the chief, neither 
 being much accustomed to see, or judge charitably of 
 any thing which may occur out of the common 
 routine. In addition to these very good reasons I 
 had another of some weight. When I was at the 
 said inn, although verv well managed and ex-
 
 MEDINA DE RIO SECO. 39 
 
 tremely comfortable, it was kept by a regular robber, 
 who had made so much money in his vocation, that 
 according to common report, he had the whole of 
 the authorities of Valla dolid at command ; and 
 after escaping many troublesome accusations, had 
 retired to enjoy tranquillity in this retreat, which 
 was filled when I was there with his old associates, 
 from whose more intimate acquaintance I was saved 
 on the very route I had just made, by the skill, ad- 
 dress, and bold tongue of my Basque guide, who soon 
 found out, after I had retired to rest, what sort of 
 people he had to deal with. 
 
 Although, of course I opened none of these rea- 
 sons to my guide, I was not at all sorry when he 
 proposed to file to the left, to sleep at a posada 
 in the suburbs, and where he said I should be ex- 
 tremely comfortable. The house was of mud, like 
 most others in this quarter, and had no very inviting 
 exterior, but the room to which I was shewn up- 
 stairs, to my real surprise, was equal to any thing 
 I ever met with in Spain or elsewhere, being per- 
 fectly clean and well supplied with French maho- 
 gany furniture or other exactly after that fashion. 
 The woman however was an arrant cheat, but as that 
 had very rarely happened, I contented myself by 
 remonstrating with my guide in the morning on her 
 conduct in that particular. 
 
 In the hurry of concluding my bargain at Valla- 
 dolid, I had accepted their proposal of paying the 
 expenses of the horses and man, which they said
 
 40 THE XliFC POLITICO. 
 
 was the custom there ; as the terms were moderate, 
 and I had no apprehension in this northern region 
 of finding the roguery and foul dealing met with at 
 Seville, I gave way ; I soon found however that my 
 guide, who was an excellent fellow, a Gallego or Gali- 
 cian. and an exception to the general rule of retired 
 soldiers, had a regular understanding with the land- 
 lady, and there was no doubt my bill went to cover 
 his expenses both ways, so that the allowance for re- 
 turn would go into his pocket. However, he behaved 
 very well, and we parted perfectly satisfied, at Leon. 
 I saw no more afterwards of my friend the Xefe poli- 
 tico, nor could I in any way expect to do so, our roads 
 diverging very materially after leaving this place. 
 I have seen very many men in this curious country, 
 whose conversation and manners have in a compara- 
 tively short time, left long and indelible impressions, 
 such as I have never in similar circumstances expe- 
 rienced in any other, and amongst them I shall 
 ever place this ill-fated officer, who found his pro- 
 vince exactly in the state he anticipated ; it had 
 pronounced at the very time we were speaking, and 
 no doubt he had to ride his steed back to Old Cas- 
 tile directly after his arrival there. 
 
 The line of road between Valladolid and Rio 
 Seco, is entirely over the flat and elevated table of 
 the freshwater limestone already mentioned, which 
 you traverse in the greatest breadth, and it is suc- 
 ceeded by rich marie, filling the valley and vicinity
 
 MAYORGA. 41 
 
 of the town. The only remarkable object in this 
 distance of five leagues, is the remnant of a forest of 
 Quexigo, that once covered the whole country, and 
 even since 1831 has been reduced to yet smaller 
 extent, so that in a few years it will most probably 
 disappear altogether. Had I not been well ac- 
 quainted with the species, there would have been 
 some difficulty in making it out, for the foliage of 
 the greater part of the spacious copse was entirely 
 destroyed by a large caterpillar which had left only 
 the skeletons of the leaves, and were in such num- 
 bers that in riding through to examine them, I was 
 completely covered and had some trouble to sweep 
 them oflT. The limestone is an admirable material 
 for the road, and when completed this line will 
 resemble, excepting for the want of walls and enclo' 
 sures which are not yet made, parts of the district 
 between Bath and Cheltenham, 
 
 I made an early start the next morning, having 
 a long day's journey before me, as I intended to 
 sleep at Mansilla, about eleven leagues distance. 
 Nothing can be more uninteresting than this route, 
 which lies through vast, though fertile, corn lands 
 unbroken by any agreeable object. 
 
 We stopped atMayorga, a large and decayed place, 
 with many parish churches, as they informed me, 
 giving unequivocal signs of greater extent, at no very 
 distant period. I dined in a large room with other 
 persons, and above stairs was a party, of whom we only 
 saw the principal leader, who came down at intervals
 
 42 CEYNOS. 
 
 and vomited forth the most malicious lies and calum- 
 nies about the Regent, and I never had greater diffi- 
 culty to refrain from interfering, to contradict the 
 absurdities he was pouring out. He was evidently 
 a travelling emissary, or ambulant agitator, most 
 probably in the pay of certain parties, and I was 
 witlihcld from meddling with him by the following 
 considerations. In the first place, no good could 
 possibly result from my doing so ; if I had, as might 
 be the case, the advantage in the argument, it is not 
 improbable I should have found the whole party 
 united against me and possibly some false report sent 
 to the authorities, to my great hindrance and incon- 
 venience. In the next place, being in Spain, where 
 the rules of politeness are in general strictly followed, 
 as the words, though audible enough and meant to 
 be heard by every one present, were not addressed 
 particularly to me, I had no fair plea for breaking 
 their general custom, which requires a stranger 
 in like circumstances, to be silent and merely a 
 listener. 
 
 I had previously passed some villages more or less 
 substantial, but all built of hardened mud or clay, the 
 best of which was Ceynos. At the head of this place 
 my attention was attracted by a church apparently 
 in ruins, but the tower, partly of brick and partly of 
 a kind of limestone, was evidently of the twelfth 
 century, although far from good and a sort of Norman 
 architecture. I rode round and was examining it, 
 when a man came up, of the higher order of labra-
 
 TOWER OF THE TEMPLARS. 43 
 
 dores or farmers, and with the air of real respecta- 
 bility almost peculiar to that class of persons in 
 Spain, especially in the Castiles, as every one 
 who has had dealings with them will recollect, It 
 was almost in ruins and evidently not the parish 
 church, which was lower down, and he told me that 
 according to the tradition of the place, it had origi- 
 nally belonged to the Templars, being the first thing 
 I had met with of that order in Spain, and the date 
 and style evidently bore out his statement ; he also 
 mentioned that it was now used as a campo santo, 
 or burying ground, being quite unroofed and only 
 the tower and walls standing. The most curious 
 thing about it was, that the flying buttresses 
 supporting the nave, although of clay and very light, 
 were as perfect, after six or seven centuries' ex- 
 posure, as the day they were built. The tower was 
 partly of brick and partly of the white limestone, 
 apparently from the formation already mentioned. 
 In the afternoon I had a very pleasant ride through 
 several villages, where, being Sunday and holiday, 
 the people were amusing themselves with playing 
 bowls and other games, and I observed the priest was 
 always one of the party on these occasions, while the 
 women were generally seated on one side. The men 
 were dressed in very dark jackets and inexpressibles 
 nearly black, with linen stockings as white as snow, 
 and had a most comfortable and respectable appear- 
 ance. These people in the regular routine had 
 attended mass in the morning, without an exception,
 
 44 MANSILLA. 
 
 and would adjourn again at he vesper bell, with their 
 friend and spiritual guide ; there was no drinking, 
 althougli wine abounds in the district and is to be 
 had for next to nothing ; the whole scene was 
 an exact epitome of the half patriarchal life of the 
 people in the agricultural districts of Spain, and the 
 terms they live on with their pastors. 
 
 As the guide could not keep his jaca up to the 
 ambling pace long practice enabled me almost always 
 to extract from the animal I had to ride, and as I 
 had the alternative of arriving very late at Mansilla 
 or pushing on and leaving him in the rear, the latter 
 plan was preferred and I entered the place before 
 dusk. As it was the time of fair at Leon, when rateros 
 are always on the prowl, I was rather uneasy about 
 the baggage and sent a messenger to look after him. 
 At last he made his appearance, full an hour after 
 I was housed. 
 
 Mansilla is a large and rather well built but 
 decaying place, suffering much from tercianas, as 
 the appearance of the people too clearly indicates ; 
 this is caused by the marsh and stagnant waters 
 from the Esla, which overflow parts of the adjacent 
 country, coming nearly round the walls on one 
 side. The parts of the walls remaining appeared 
 to me to be Moorish work, and there is little doubt 
 this place formed a fortified post on their great line 
 of communication during the occupation of Leon. 
 
 On the road towards the capital, the appearance 
 of the country underwent an entire change. Luxu-
 
 BRIDGE OF VILLARENTE. 45 
 
 riant green vegetation with boggy grounds and 
 plants belonging to them, replaced the dry corn 
 lands I had traversed during the preceding days, 
 and it assumed altogether the look of our lake or 
 Lancashire hill districts. We came to the famous 
 bridge of Villarente over what the people called 
 the Esla, but the books and maps the Porma, 
 the right feeder of that river, which is of equal di- 
 mensions with the main stream. This bridg-e was 
 composed of I7 arches, but not of good work, and 
 those adjoining our approach, had been broken 
 down by the tremendous floods of the early spring 
 this year, which did immense damage in all the 
 northern region of Spain. They were proceeding 
 with the repairs at a quicker rate than usual, but 
 we were obliged to make a circuit and cross the river 
 by a ferry. At a short distance we again got on the 
 main line to Leon, which was completely new and 
 a truly royal road, and after a very long but regular 
 and gentle slope, we descended through a pretty 
 valley and passing one of the Alamedas, entered, 
 by an avenue fit for any capital in Europe, the 
 miserable and decaying suburbs of Leon. 
 
 In the ascent from Mansilla I observed the Frin- 
 gilla serinus in considerable numbers amongst the 
 willows and other cover, the first time I had met 
 with it in Spain. The preceding day I had noticed 
 the Cathartes percnopterus, and the Silvia tithys, 
 so common in the barrancos of the tierracaliente or 
 warm region of the south. The Saxicola senanthc,
 
 46 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 in this line of country had replaced the S. Stapazina, 
 of the centre and south, and I had not observed it 
 previously in any part of Spain. It is worth en- 
 quiry, were there any means of making it, whether 
 the S. tithys winters in this region, as it certainly 
 does in that of the extreme south ; it is more than 
 probable, that those which are very common in the 
 kingdom of Leon at this season are mere emigrants, 
 and return to the tierra caliente to pass the winter. 
 I observed the Sternus unicolor, in the last day's 
 march. 
 
 The whole line of country is extremely devoid of 
 botanical interest, being nearly all under close cul- 
 tivation, and the labradores had exterminated almost 
 every thing of natural growth. I made my way up 
 to a group of trees standing in solitude upon a hill- 
 side between Mayorga and Mansilla, and found 
 them to be Quexigos.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 LEON INNS — CATHEDRAL SAN ISIDORO SAN 
 
 MARCOS — ROMAN WALLS — PRIVATE BUILDINGS. 
 
 I PASSED some miserable days at Leon in 1831, 
 in consequence of a severe kick received from the 
 mule I rode in Asturias, which by shattering the bone 
 of the leg, produced inflammation. The discomfort of 
 the place and the want of attention in the hostess, 
 who was too much engaged in the occupation of corn 
 dealer to attend to such minor objects as a sick 
 traveller, were so great that I had no disposition to 
 place myself again under her protection ; therefore 
 making inquiries, was recommended by a French 
 fellow traveller on the road from Granada, to a 
 countryman of his who occasionally received strangers. 
 I soon made him out and had no reason to repent of 
 the advice which had been given to me. The name 
 of my host was Dantin, a respectable elderly man, 
 a native of Toulouse, who had been many years 
 established in the place as cabinet maker. His 
 quarters were in the remnant of the convent of S". 
 Domingo, near one of the gates, and I occupied 
 the spacious and comfortable cell of one of the 
 superiors of the fallen order. I was particularly 
 fortunate, as M. Dantin was a person of the old
 
 48 THK CONVENT. 
 
 French school and of very superior manners and 
 information to his station in life, and his son, who 
 had studied architecture, was not only well ac- 
 quainted with the place, but had compiled materials 
 for a history and description of it, intended for pub- 
 lication. 
 
 The latter history of this convent is rather singu- 
 lar, for it had been demolished in order to apply 
 the materials to fortify the town against the 
 Carlists, after the invasion of Gomez, who was 
 some days in possession of the town with 6000 men. 
 As soon as he had taken his departure, and all 
 the mischief was done (Cosas de Espaiia,) they 
 thought it advisable to put the place in a state of 
 defence, and this spacious convent was entirely 
 pulled down, with the exception of the part now 
 occupied by M. Dantin. The church contained 
 some interesting monuments, which in the hurry of 
 their operations were not taken proper care of, and 
 two statues belonging to one of them were placed at 
 the entrance of the city. These tombs were of the 
 Guzmans, but of the latter race ; one of them having 
 been a viceroy of some of the American colonies, the 
 other a bishop ; and it is remarkable as the only 
 instance that came to my knowledge, of anything 
 like disrespect or desecration in the suppressed 
 convents, the excuse being the hurry and rapidity 
 which were indispensable under the circumstances, 
 to put the place in condition of resisting other 
 pillagers of the same description. It is curious
 
 SAN ISIDORO. 49 
 
 enough that the lot of being applied to such a 
 purpose should have fallen upon a convent of 
 Dominicans, the order charged with administering 
 the inquisition, at least with a great deal of the exe- 
 cutive part, the restoration of that power being the 
 mobile of Don Carlos, as well as the real cause of 
 his failinfj to obtain the crown. The news of this 
 transaction must also have been rather mortifying 
 to the bishop of this diocese, the strongest and 
 firmest supporter of the Pretender from the first, as 
 well as his minister during most part of the cam- 
 paigns. The transaction shews the progress made 
 during the civil war in conciliatinof and makinof a 
 party in the country to support that cause, and the 
 result is truly curious in another way, because this 
 ancient capital having fallen into the state of many 
 others, in fact of most where the church had the 
 ascendancy, and coming under the description of a 
 place of " clerigos," as mentioned in my former 
 work, it might be imagined that their influence in 
 the favourite cause, would have procured better 
 support amongst their friends and neighbours. 
 
 One principal object of revisiting this interesting 
 place was to see the church of S. Isidore, the Pan- 
 theon, as it is called in Spain, of the Kings of 
 Leon, which 1 had heard was " Obra de Godos," or 
 of the time prior to the introduction of the pointed 
 style into Spain. This information was perfectly 
 correct, and to my great satisfaction the church 
 turned out to be a regular Bvznntino structure, the 
 
 VOL. II. i:
 
 50 SAN ISIDOHO. 
 
 only one to my knowledge existing in the kingdom. 
 The original building had been composed of three 
 naves, each terminating in an apsis, but the 
 eastern end had fallen under the barbarous hands 
 of innovators, who demolished the greater part and 
 replaced it by pointed work of 1500, leaving how- 
 ever the body of the church nearly unaltered. 
 
 There are two entrances, the principal of which 
 had been rebuilt, but nearly on the original design, 
 and with the same materials, probably from some 
 accident causing the restoration to be necessary. 
 There is some rude sculpture over this door, pre- 
 cisely of the style known by the Italians as bassi 
 tempi ; the other door, which was near the altar, 
 and from the right of sanctuary having existed in 
 this edifice, bore the name of the '* perdono" (par- 
 don), was covered by a wall, part of the fortifica- 
 tion that had been erected at the period already 
 mentioned, and I was obliged to procure a small 
 ladder to enable me to see over and examine the 
 work inside. This doorway, with all its accompa- 
 niments, are in perfect preservation, and enable the 
 alterations that have taken place at the principal 
 entrance to be more easily made out. 
 
 The interior of the church is ornamented bv 
 columns of a kind of Corinthian, the capitals of 
 which are carved with animals of various sorts, but 
 of middling design, all differing from each other. 
 In the transept, the arch to the north side is nearly 
 in the Moorish form, and a small window of some-
 
 SAN ISIDORO. 51 
 
 what similar style, is over it. The interior is dread- 
 fully barbarised by decorations and paintings in the 
 most tawdry style and worst possible taste, of quite 
 recent introduction, which are utterly out of cha- 
 racter and keeping with the building. 
 
 By far the greatest curiosity in the place, how- 
 ever, is the Pantheon itself, which is placed at the 
 foot or west end of the church, as the pious chroni- 
 clers say, from humility in the founders, who thought 
 the greatest distance from the altar was the most 
 fitting for the deposit of their remains. The struc- 
 ture is low and dark with groined arches, the ceiling 
 painted and ornamented in a style so purely and 
 entirely Byzantine, that beyond doubt the artists 
 must have come from Constantinople. There are 
 many tombs in stone and wood, the la'ter being 
 large chests, amongst which are those so called, of 
 D'*. Urraca and D". Sancha. That of the former, 
 who lived about 1 100, is in tolerable preservation, but 
 almost in mummy condition ; the lower part of the 
 body, which is uncovered, having perfectly retained 
 its form, though the skin is shrivelled up ; they 
 lifted the lid, which enabled mc distinctly to see 
 the curious object of that remote date. 
 
 To the west of the entrance is a spacious and lofty 
 room, formerly the library, but now out of repair. 
 This is in the pointed style of about 1500, and appears 
 to be of the same date and design as the alterations 
 at the east end of the church. This room formed 
 part of the roval apartments, which were reserved 
 
 E '2
 
 52 SAN ISIDORO. 
 
 in case any of the reigning family should visit this 
 celebrated foundation of their ancestors. The inner 
 patio of the convent is a beautiful modern specimen 
 of the best classic design, but was not entirely 
 finished, owing, as they told me, to the death of the 
 architect, who was charged with rebuilding it ; the 
 old quadrangle, of which one side remains, being of 
 very indifferent work. 
 
 Over the entrance is a curious, almost grotesque 
 figure of one of the fighting bishops we read of, 
 who is mounted on his war horse with his sword 
 drawn ; the details of this part are in the plateresco 
 style, and above him, surmounting the greater part 
 of the edifice, are the parapets, loopholes, and other 
 defences, when of all places in the town they de- 
 termined on converting this building into a fortress, 
 at the time already mentioned ! It is however 
 proper to state, that the situation pointed out this 
 establishment as the best, and perhaps the only site 
 in the place fit for the purpose. It is near the 
 Roman wall, and at the extremity is a verv massy 
 tower, of a Norman style, where the bells are hung, 
 the melancholy sound of which I used to listen 
 to, when confined to bed at the posada, not far dis- 
 tant from it. This tower, and the compact form of 
 the buildings, as well as the open plazuela in front, 
 made it very easily convertible into a citadel, and 
 little or no damage whatever appears to have been 
 done in the operation to any part of the edifice. 
 
 Amongst the other peculiarities of this plan of
 
 SAN ISIDORO. ,^53 
 
 defence, is that of walling up the doorway, already 
 mentioned, which was evident from the certainty, 
 that in case of need, the Carlist troops would not 
 hesitate to storm through the sacred edifice itself ; 
 indeed they must in such a case have almost passed 
 over the altar, which is close to this entrance ; such 
 sacrilege might be expected in the Queen's party, 
 who were held to be without religion or other re- 
 straint, but from those, who, according to their own 
 statement were only anxious for the restoration and 
 maintenance of the true faith, it does appear a little 
 singular that the sanctity of such a locality should 
 not have caused its being respected. 
 
 This interesting building is one of the very oldest 
 establishments in Spain, nor am I aware whether 
 the original founders are known ; but Sancho the 
 Fat, who lived in the tenth century, was amongst the 
 principal of its early benefactors, and brought the 
 body of S. Pelayo from Cordova, founding a con- 
 vent of nuns under the name of that saint, but it 
 was subsequently changed, and was attached to 
 the order of Santiago. In this royal foundation, 
 which might have been spared such a display of 
 avarice, is the first example that has come to my 
 knowledge of the pillaging the alhajas, which has 
 since become such a general practice ; as Alonzo of 
 Aragon, when he married D'. Urraca, appro- 
 priated the golden cover of the saint, and a quantity 
 of the same metal from other churches, by way of 
 addiuii" to her dower. The remains of S. Isidoro wove
 
 54 CATHEDRAL. 
 
 subsequently brought to the same spot, and the 
 present church, by the Spanish books, was built in 
 1076, about a century prior to the cathedral. 
 
 That of Leon is about the oldest of the great 
 cathedrals, and as far as I know, the earliest example 
 of the real pointed architecture in Spain. The 
 name of the architect is unknown, but I have lately 
 received information about the employment of French 
 or German architects by the kings of Leon, which 
 not only confirm what was previously merely conjec- 
 ture, but make it almost a matter of certainty that 
 the Spaniards are indebted to some of that illus- 
 trious school of architecture, for this interestinof 
 edifice. This is far from any disparagement to the 
 native school, any more than the subsequent intro- 
 duction of the classic style from Italy is a reflection 
 on the architects of Charles who studied in the 
 Peninsula. The second visit only confirmed my 
 first impression, that from the narrowness of the 
 aisles, and the smallness of the windows, the effect 
 is meschine, compared to that of the cathedrals 
 subsequently built. A clerestory galley runs quite 
 round the whole building, and although in itself 
 open to the same objections already stated, from the 
 form and details of the arches, the effect on the 
 w^hole is good in relieving the height of dead wall. 
 There is a beautiful oriel window^ at the north end 
 of the transept, with which that at the opposite ex- 
 tremity does not agree. 
 
 Soon after the termination of the building, and
 
 CATHEDRAL. 55 
 
 almost before the architect had in the course of 
 nature departed from the scene of his labours, he 
 appears to have been succeeded by a set of barba- 
 rians, who have ruled in the Cabildo in uninterrupted 
 series, ever since that period. The words of Ponz, 
 the unsparing critic of ecclesiastical bodies, " veni- 
 erunt harpiaj et foedaverunt operam," is singularly 
 applicable to the chapters of Leon. Every part 
 has been defiled by the works of the most ignorant 
 and tasteless set that the power of barbarism was 
 ever delegated to. They have hardly left the main 
 building alone, every thing else being patched and 
 altered, generally in the worst and most inappro- 
 priate maimer. One of the most recent innovations 
 was to close up the windows of the nave, which as 
 as they told me gave too much light, and paint over 
 the plaster inside the church with large academical 
 figures in chiaroscuro ! They put a sort of dog- 
 grel classic lanthern over the transept, of the most 
 execrable taste, and for no good purpose whatever, 
 and destroyed the original retablo of the great altar 
 to make way for a monstrosity called a transparentey. 
 No chapel has escaped their sacrilegious hands, and 
 novelties of some sort are introduced in nearly the 
 whole. The best, and in fact, the only good thing 
 I recollect noticing of subsequent addition is the 
 chapel, that is on the north side near the transept, 
 and is of much later date than the main edifice, but 
 has to boast the finest stained windows probably 
 existing in Spain. T'hey are of Flemish dosii»n,
 
 56 CATHEDRAL. 
 
 and no doubt executed apparently about the middle 
 of l-iOO, or a little after that, the figures being of 
 the style of Perugino or his contemporaries, before 
 the great period of the time of Raphael. 
 
 The exterior has not escaped the zeal of the 
 modern innovators. Part of the original design was 
 a sort of pyramidal ornament which terminated the 
 principal towers ; one of these remains, as built 
 by the first architect, but by way of match they 
 added one of plateresco or renaissance work, and a 
 quantity of work in the same style which interferes 
 most materially with the effect of the original out- 
 line. Even the cloisters which are very fine have 
 been altered, and in a rather curious manner, for 
 there is a double section, the inner part being early 
 and good pointed, while the outside is plateresco ! 
 I could not satisfy myself as to the cause of this 
 absurd arrangement, which the architect had ma- 
 naged as well as could be expected, unless it were 
 that the breadth of the original cloisters was con- 
 sidered insufficient, and by way of widening them 
 they had adopted the style in fashion at the time 
 they were altered. 
 
 There are some old and very curious paintings in 
 these cloisters, of which the students of Spanish art 
 should endeavour to make out the authors, and if they 
 are by a Spaniard, he must be looked on as a pillar of 
 the national school. The style resembles that of 
 the early Florentines, somewhat between Giotto and 
 MasacciOj and is really good work, but they are
 
 CATHEDRAL. ' 5'J 
 
 already much injured, and are rapidly proceeding 
 to ruin from exposure to the damp of the climate. 
 
 The upper silleria of the coro appears to he 
 nearly contemporary with the main fabric, the cano- 
 pies are of bold design, though of that early date. 
 The sculpture of the lower silleria, as frequently 
 happens, is more modern and of better style. 
 
 Besides the old paintings in the cloister already 
 noticed, I found some rather interesting specimens 
 inside the church, one representing the holy family, 
 I thought to be of the early Venetian school, and 
 is a curious work of that time. Behind the altar, 
 which is completely open, with an aisle continued 
 quite round as usual in Spain, is a fine old painting 
 on gilt ground, in the centre of which they had in- 
 troduced or rather daubed in, a very bad figure of 
 the Saviour, at a subsequent epoch ! At the tras- 
 coro or back of the choir is some decent sculpture 
 in alabaster, and behind the sacristy is a large cha- 
 pel in a kind of plateresco style. 
 
 The inspection of the successive barbarisms which 
 had reigned triumphant in this secluded spot, sug- 
 gested the idea whether a junta of conservation or 
 purification might not be very easily established in 
 Spain, to watch over the performance of the cabil- 
 dos, which even in their fallen state are sometimes 
 observable, and only allow the introduction of such 
 alterations as are in harmony with the original 
 buildings, clearing out and sending to the bakers 
 the greater part of the altar pieces that now dis-
 
 58 CATHEDRAL. 
 
 grace them, and banishing by degrees all the work 
 which is not worthy of preservation. Nothing 
 could be easier than to form such a tribunal, the 
 whole or greater part to be composed of ecclesias- 
 tics belonging to the very cathedrals in question, 
 many of the members of which are admirably qua- 
 lified for the purpose. Nothing can be more absurd 
 than to see these splendid buildings of the twelfth, 
 thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries diefiled by the 
 introduction of enormous masses of carving and 
 gilding prevailing in 1600, when the only excuse 
 for the authors is, that they were labouring under 
 a delirium tremens^ which deprived them of the 
 faculty of taste or professional judgment, leaving them 
 to dream of architecture with such assistance as that 
 which Tartini declared had contributed to the com- 
 position of his famous sonata. The familiar spirits 
 of these architects, however, were of a different 
 taste, if they took any part in assisting them, and 
 sketched out productions, which one of the most ne- 
 cessary steps in Spanish purification will be to take 
 measures and ignominiously expel from these noble 
 structures, everything that has been generated by 
 the school of Churriguera, Gavilan and their fol- 
 lowers, of that date. 
 
 Unfortunately even in these times, when funds 
 are wanting, so that nothing can possibly be done 
 by the cabildos, money is occasionally furnished by 
 pious individuals, for the purpose of decorating cha- 
 pels and other parts, and all the recent works I have
 
 CONVENT OF S. MAKCOS. 59 
 
 seen, are, if possible, worse than those of their pre- 
 decessors. The most ill-judged flaming style of 
 painting and gilding has been introduced, and many 
 places and parts of churches and cathedrals I lately 
 noticed, resemble the green rooms of a provin- 
 cial theatre more than those of sacred edifices. 
 
 Outside the town is the enormous convent of S. 
 Marcos, formerly belonging to the order of Santiago ; 
 a statue of the saint on horseback, with the Moors he 
 is conquering, is placed over the principal entrance. 
 This building is unfinished, one wing never having 
 been even commenced, but is of vast extent, and the 
 church stands at one end instead of the centre, as in- 
 tended. The style is the renaissance or plateresco, 
 and nothing can possibly exceed the beauty of the 
 arabesques and other ornaments along the vast fa9ade. 
 It is now unoccupied, and the church was shut 
 up in consequence of afire that had taken place and 
 obliged them to remove a number of stores and other 
 things thither. The intention is, to appropriate it 
 to the use of the deputacion provincial or parliament 
 of the province, who will have to purchase it from 
 Government for the purpose. 
 
 There are some palaces in the town, of the old 
 families who figured in the history of the chivalric 
 times of Spain, amongst whom the Guzmans, so 
 famous in Andalucia, were natives of the place, and 
 a tower vet bears the name of the Ponces, althoufjh 
 the direct lines of both these illustrious families 
 have long been extinct.
 
 60 ROMAN WALLS. 
 
 The palace of the Conde Luna stands in one of 
 the Plazas and has a curious tower attached to it, 
 faced with slates and a relief carved in the centre ; 
 the gateway is in a kind of middle age style with 
 columns and arches. There is one patio with wooden 
 columns and a Moorish doorway with armorial bear- 
 ings and other ornaments, leading to some maga- 
 zines which were locked up, and I thought probably 
 had once been a chapel. This palace is said to have 
 belonged to D". Urraca ; there is a good staircase 
 and a smaller inner patio, but the whole is in a state 
 of almost ruinous neglect. 
 
 There are considerable remains of the Roman 
 walls, which were high and very strong, quite suffi- 
 cient to defend a place of such importance in this 
 wild and distant locality, almost the " Thule" of 
 Spain. As far as the present appearance enables a 
 judgment to be formed, their town has been compact 
 and not of great extent within the fortifications, 
 which bear a general resemblance to the citadels of 
 Merida and Truxillo, but the flanking towers are 
 stronger and bolder than in those places, and are 
 rounded on the outer face, a peculiarity I have not 
 seen in any other work of that people. Most of the 
 facing stones, which have been large and quite in the 
 Roman manner, with great solidity in the putting 
 together, have been removed and applied to modern 
 purposes. The rampart is a vast mass of rubble 
 or opusincertum, but of good construction and of such 
 solidity that in one part near the tower of Luna, they
 
 THE MARAGATOS. (Jl 
 
 have bored in and converted the body of it into dvvel- 
 linof houses. 
 
 Besides this ancient fortification there has been 
 a recent wall of much greater extent, and of diffe- 
 rent epochs, but parts having been subsequently de- 
 molished the suburbs and city are mingled together, 
 so that it is not easy to make out the lines of these 
 works ; I could not discern anything of decided 
 Moorish character, but it is probable they had a 
 share in making the outer or second line of defence, 
 which became necessary as the city was more ex- 
 tended in modern times. 
 
 The great annual fair was held during my stay, 
 but presented little worthy of notice, every thing that 
 was sold or bought being apparently of the most 
 ordinary description, and no costumes or anything 
 striking; were seen amono^st the crowd assembled 
 there from the adjacent districts. I took advantage 
 of this favourable opportunity to make inquiries 
 respecting the Maragatos, numbers of whom, as a 
 matter of course were in attendance, and procured 
 an introduction to some of the leaders of that cu- 
 rious race. I questioned them particularly respect- 
 ing any traditions that might exist amongst them 
 as to their origin and the name they bear, but they 
 said all they knew was, that it was understood they 
 derived it from a king of that name, of whom fur- 
 ther notice will occur in the description of Oviedo. 
 I had subsequently opportunities of hearing a good 
 deal about them, and from thoir manners, appear-
 
 6^2 
 
 THE MARAGATOS. 
 
 ance, and whatever can be gleaned respecting their 
 history, have not the smallest doubt they are the 
 remnant of some tribe who came into the country 
 about the time of the great emigration of the Visigoths 
 and other nations of the north, and like the tribe 
 settled near Vicenza, managed to keep themselves 
 distinct from the surrounding population. They 
 are a sedate, grave people, always intent on their 
 business and of dry and matter-of-fact speech, but 
 not rough or unpolished. The most striking pecu- 
 liarity, and which alone furnishes a strong presump- 
 tion that they are of northern and not of Arab ori- 
 gin, is the traditional habit of the men quitting their 
 homes at all times, and leaving the agriculture solely 
 to the women. No doubt their present occupation, 
 which is solely the transporting goods and pas- 
 sengers in every part of Spain, is a modification or 
 rather succession of the warlike habits of their an- 
 cestors, who left the tillage to their females, as un- 
 worthy the attention of those born and bred to war, 
 the only employment they either liked or under- 
 stood. Although in answer to my questions, they 
 admitted believing that their name proceeded from 
 Mauragatus, it was evidently with reluctance, and 
 that they attached no very agreeable recollections 
 to the circumstance. The tradition respecting this 
 person was, that he made a truce or peace with the 
 Moors, on condition that he should furnish annually 
 a hundred virgins for the use of their harems, and 
 whilst it mav fairlv be said that such a storv would
 
 THE MARAGATOS. 
 
 63 
 
 scarcely be the result of mere invention, but would 
 have some ground for its origin, the natural unwil- 
 lingness to admit tlie title is rather confirmatory of 
 its truth. 
 
 The present mode of living of these people is 
 almost solely by transporting merchandise from one 
 part of Spain to the other, in which important 
 avocation they are unrivalled in the Peninsula. 
 Their mules and all accompaniments are of the best 
 order, and their fidelity and punctuality in executing 
 what they have undertaken, unequalled. Their 
 terms are very high, but you are quite certain in 
 dealing with them of being well served, nor do 
 they ever lower their demand, another un-Arab 
 habit. Should any one want their assistance, all he 
 has to do is to ask whether any Maragatos are 
 travelling in the direction required, which any of 
 them will answer, and inform you what the whole 
 tribe are about, as all their plans arc arranged 
 more or less in concert with each other, and no 
 secrets are kept amongst them. Some are pro- 
 bably gone to Madrid, others to Galicia, one divi- 
 sion to Biscay, and another possibly to Aragon or 
 Andalucia, so that you can take measures accord- 
 ingly ; and whilst under their protection you need 
 fear neither robbers for your person or effects. 
 
 The chief of them at present is Cordero, the de- 
 puty to the Cortes, from Leon, for which place he was 
 elected, it is said, by means of his ample resources, 
 being one of the very richest individuals in Spain ;
 
 G4 THE MARAOATOS. 
 
 he was previously mentioned in the account of 
 Madrid, where he is at this moment, the rival 
 of Salamanca in the " monster contract," of which 
 further notice will be given. This man always wears 
 the costume of his tribe, but made of the richest 
 materials. I inquired about the particulars of his 
 acquiring such enormous wealth, which was in- 
 herited partly from his father, but an immense sum 
 was made — reader! you will never guess in what 
 manner : by conveying the treasures of Ferdinand 
 from one place to the other during his successive 
 voyages and travels ! The absolute King of Spain 
 and the Indies, with all the monarchy at his com- 
 mand, obliged to entrust his private property to the 
 Maragatos ! This is most curious as an historical 
 fact, and as shewing the state of the kingdom in 
 his glorious reign ; whilst it furnishes an infinitely 
 honourable trait of the curious tribe we are 
 describing. 
 
 Their next grand operation was that of what is 
 called the " Brigades," towards the close of the civil 
 war, and is hardly less curious. When, after trying 
 every plan for supplying the armies with provisions 
 and stores, none could be found to succeed, they 
 resorted to the Maragatos, who undertook and carried 
 it through, being paid of course very high, and in 
 ready money, without which they will do nothing. 
 I believe there is no doubt that the faithful dis- 
 charge of this important duty, of which every 
 military reader knows the inestimable value, prin-
 
 MARAGATOS. 65 
 
 cipally enabled the Regent to bring the operations 
 of the civil war to a close. 
 
 Their custom is to intermarry exclusively amongst 
 themselves, and consequently they are very much 
 connected together. Cordero is of course a kind of 
 patriarch, and appears to have as many cousins as 
 the head of a Highland clan. Their costume is a 
 loose jacket falling below the waist, a peculiar 
 shaped hat, broad in the brim, loose prolongations 
 and gaiters, tied with coarse ribbon at the keees, 
 and a strong waist belt of black leather. The 
 colour of the cloth is the dark brown of the 
 country, the ornamental parts red, and the effect 
 is plain, but clean and neat. Parts of this dress 
 resemble in a small degree that seen on some of the 
 captives on the Dacian column, and their whole 
 style, physiognomy, and appearance, is entirely and 
 exclusively northern, nor is there a trace or linea- 
 ment of Moorish or African origin about them. 
 
 I was employed in examining the gate of the 
 Perdon at S. Isidoro, when a man came with a 
 message, that the Governor wished to see me ; on 
 the way, he told me that the Xefe politico was also 
 there, and other authorities of the place waiting for 
 me. I was introduced to a "Durbar,"' composed 
 of these dignitaries, some military officers and the 
 director of the post office ; the wife of the Go- 
 vernor was also present, but took no part in the pro- 
 ceedings. The Governor was an exceedingly short 
 and fat man, of such pro[)ortions, that when seated, 
 
 VOL. II. F
 
 66 EXAMINATION BY THE 
 
 his lower extremities being naturally very short, 
 hardly any thing more than the points of his knees 
 were visible ; his uniform was antique and rather 
 rusty, he was unshaven, and had evidently been 
 turned out from his siesta, probably not much to 
 his satisfaction. I amused myself in the intervals 
 of conversation, by calculating the sort of figure he 
 would make at the head of the garrison on a field 
 day, and also, to what circumstances he could pos- 
 sibly be indebted for an appointment his appearance 
 so ill befitted. He had however one excellent 
 qualification, that of being submissive and good 
 natured, as well as quite under sway of the Xefe 
 politico, who seemed to be every thing the worthy 
 Governor was not, being a young, active, intelligent 
 and shrewd person, a perfect gentleman in manners 
 and appearance, evidently a military man by pro- 
 fession. The object in sending for me was to in- 
 quire about the pronunciamento at Valladolid, of 
 which they knew nothing but from reports said to 
 have been brought by a stranger who had arrived 
 that morning. The business commenced by in- 
 terrogating me on the subject, in which the Xefe was 
 the sole agent. He asked whether I had arrived 
 from that direction, and what was going on there, 
 as also whether I had said in the town that Valla- 
 dolid had pronounced. The reply was that I cer- 
 tainly had arrived that morning from Valladolid, as 
 had been stated, that I was not aware of having 
 used the expression alluded to, but that I feared
 
 AUTHORITIES OF LEON. 67 
 
 the report was only too true, and that the town 
 hat] pronounced. 1 then related the observations 
 made on setting out as already mentioned, and that 
 I had left the place whilst it was undecided, but I 
 thought every thing tended to shew what must be 
 the result. When they had heard my statement 
 and asked a few more questions, they held consul- 
 tations, but without leaving the room, and spoke in 
 such a tone that I could hear every word that 
 passed. After a good deal of discussion they agreed, 
 in the true sanguine manner of the country, that 
 the troops I had seen in motion were going out with 
 the Captain-general to quell a movement which was 
 known to have taken place at Zamora, and orders 
 were immediately sent by an alguazil in attendance, 
 to prepare a bando or proclamation to that effect, 
 with a view to calm the minds of the disaffected, 
 who were eagerly preparing for the same opera- 
 tion. The Xefe expressed his regret that I had 
 not called on him immediately after my arrival, to 
 make known the intelligence of the movement, which 
 was of so much importance to the authorities at 
 Leon. In answer I said, I had no conception of 
 such a step being of any use, and concluded they 
 must have had official information of what was 
 taking place ; that otherwise 1 should certainly have 
 done so, as my feelings, although only a simple 
 individual, were entirely with the government. At 
 the end of the consultation I heard him say, " there 
 is nothing whatever suspicious about him, otherwise 
 
 F ^2
 
 68 THE ALCALDE. 
 
 I would detain him." The conversation then be- 
 came more general, and in a short time he told 
 me, they would not keep me longer from my occu- 
 pations, and that he had already given orders to 
 the Alcalde to sign my passport whenever I wished 
 to continue my route to Oviedo. They were anxious 
 to see my attendant, but he had already set out on 
 his return to Valladolid. Before I left the room 
 the Xefe said to me, with the peculiar tact of the 
 people, as it were between a request and a command, 
 that I should not mention the transaction at Valla- 
 dolid, on the road I was about to travel, which of 
 course I readily promised. He was the principal 
 speaker, and the whole conclave evidently stood in 
 awe and respect, if not fear, of him. He spoke little, 
 but quite to the purpose, nor could I imagine a 
 more perfect functionary, or more suited to these 
 difficult times ; he will be again noticed in the re- 
 marks on the pronunciamentos. 
 
 A circumstance took place during these proceed- 
 ings thoroughly characteristic of the people. The 
 Xefe had sent for an Alcalde of the place, I believe 
 that of the quarter in which I lodged, to assist at 
 the consultation. He did not arrive, and the al- 
 guazil brought back the following message, which 
 was delivered rather slowly, and verbatim, thus, 
 " Tell him that I can come — but that to enable me 
 to do so, I must dress myself, and I hope he will 
 excuse me." The answer was, " Well, do not dis- 
 turb him." This was the afternoon of the finest
 
 THE PRONUNCIAMENTO. 69 
 
 day it was possible to enjoy, and this functionary 
 was passing it in bed, leaving fairs and pronun- 
 ciamentos to regulate themselves. Old Spain 
 again ! and no revolution here, although the per- 
 sonage owed his appointment to the most recent of 
 the changes in administration introduced by the 
 new school. On returnin": home I asked mv host 
 what had given rise to the report, that had been 
 spread about the town, which I was not aware had 
 proceeded from me. He said that my Galician 
 guide had announced in the hearing of several 
 persons, that Valladolid had certainly pronounced, 
 and that in the manner usual with those people, they 
 had, as a matter of course, announced it all over the 
 town. This intelligence, however disagreeable to 
 the authorities, turned out to be perfectly correct, 
 as I afterwards ascertained, — what Ihad not theleast 
 doubt would be the case, that within two hours of 
 my leaving the city, the parties agreed, and the 
 pronunciamento was consummated ; the Captain- 
 general, with a few troops who remained faithful to 
 him, having then left the place and gone to some 
 other part of his district.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 JOURNEY TO OVIEDO WOLVES LA ROBLA 
 
 BUISDONGO INN CURA PAJARES PASS 
 
 CAMPOMANES MIERES OVIEDO. 
 
 In consequence of the fair, and most of the ani- 
 mals in the place being engaged in various occupa- 
 tions, I had some trouble to find the means of 
 continuing my route to Asturias, but at last my 
 host procured me a set of mules, which turned out, 
 both as to the personnel and materiel, extremely 
 indifferent, being worse than anything I had seen 
 since leaving Logrosan. The proprietor of them 
 belonged to a village high up the pass, and from the 
 delay in making preparations to set out, and some 
 hints that were dropped, I suspected their intention 
 was that I should not make Pajares, according to my 
 own plan, but sleep at some place short of it, possibly 
 in the said village. I was obliged to put up with an 
 alabarda in place of a saddle, but there was no great 
 objection to the machine, which if it be well made, 
 has some advantages over the Spanish saddle, as you 
 are less cramped in the seat when accustomed to 
 them, and in the wild district before me, appearance 
 or style was of very little importance. They literallv 
 fulfilled that part of the agreement, for they
 
 WOLVES. 71 
 
 brought me a true arrieros apparatus, intending to 
 brin(T back afreio^ht from Oviedo. It was of no use 
 making difficulties and creating further delay, so we 
 started, and very soon after we had cleared the 
 town, entered a wild tract of dehesa or cleared 
 forest, covered with brush of different sorts, with 
 helianthemums and heath, but little variety of 
 vegetable production. Some of the plants and the 
 general appearance of this tract, reminded me of the 
 Sierra de Guadalupe, to which it corresponds in 
 elevation. This part of the road had been com- 
 pleted since I last travelled upon it, in 1831, and 
 was a truly royal carretera, equal to anything in 
 Europe, both in design and finishing. 
 
 When we had travelled about two leagues, de- 
 scending into a hollow, with a rising ground on the 
 opposite side, a very large wolf crossed the road 
 about a hundred yards before us, and after keeping 
 his line for a short vvay, turned and re-crossed it, 
 having shaped his course at an angle, so that he 
 rather increased his distance in doing so. I did not 
 at first perceive the use of this back movement, but 
 on looking to the right, down the hollow, it was 
 explained by the sight of his companion, who had 
 been following, but was cut off by our passing in 
 front, and had been concealed from my sight by the 
 barranco, so that this countermarch was for the 
 sake of rejoining company. I observed that the 
 leader, although looking towards us, and keeping 
 an eve to our motions, was sniffing in the direction
 
 72 WOLVES. 
 
 of the hill before us, and on reaching the summit 
 I found it occupied by a large flock of goats, which 
 were quietly browsing, having little notion of the 
 neighbours so near at hand. There was no one 
 with them, nor any dogs, but on looking forward I 
 saw at a distance two other flocks, the pastores be- 
 longing to which had left them, and were all congre- 
 gated holding a social chat, mid-way between their 
 respective herds, I called to the man belonging to 
 the nearest flock, and communicated the intelligence 
 of the vicinity of the wolves, much to his surprise, 
 having no idea, that in the middle of the day and at 
 such a season, they would have the audacity to shew 
 themselves in this open manner. When we dis- 
 turbed them the leader of the two was within 150 
 yards of the flock, and the formation of the ground 
 was exactly suited to favour their movements, so 
 that only for our accidental arrival, two at least of 
 the unfortunate goats would have inevitably served 
 them for breakfast, as their guardian was far beyond 
 the power of assisting in their defence. These 
 animals were very large, standing higher at the 
 shoulder than I ever saw one of the species ; and 
 being of very compact form, with great strength, if 
 they had courage, a man, unless well armed, would 
 have little chance of resisting two of them. Beyond 
 doubt they were male and female ; the colour was a 
 light grey, and their pace a gentle but quick 
 light canter, not the long trot generally used by 
 them when in full career. I mentioned the circum^
 
 VALLEY OF BERNESGA. J3 
 
 stance to different people on the road, who were 
 all very much surprised at their boldness, and at 
 such a circumstance taking place in the middle of 
 summer. 
 
 -After passing about four leagues of the same 
 dreary character without a tree, or scarcely a parti- 
 cle of cultivation, we descended by a beautifully 
 levelled piece of road through a barranco to the 
 valley of the Bernesgn, which issues from these 
 mountains near Leon. In crossing^ the elevated 
 road just mentioned, its course was considerably to 
 the left. The whole tract we had passed is common 
 land belonging to some villages to the westward, 
 and the three flocks of ofoats were the sole occu- 
 pants seen upon any part of it. No doubt on visiting 
 them, these places would be found the pictures of 
 poverty, owing to the mismanagement of these pro- 
 perties, which under judicious treatment would 
 maintain the people in ease and comfort. 
 
 The valley of the Bernesga strikingly differed 
 from the country we just traversed. A few trees 
 made their appearance, amongst which I was glad 
 to see the Quercus cerris for the first time in Spain ; 
 the Quexigo was also noticed, and I took a final 
 leave of it. In the valley of the river was abun- 
 dant cultivation and a continued open line of ham- 
 lets and detached houses, nearly all new or rebuilt, 
 and extending for two miles. All this improvement 
 or the greater part was caused by the making the 
 new line of road, and the increase of traffic that 
 resulted from it.
 
 74 RIVER FISH. 
 
 There was no appearance of a posada, but I saw 
 some beautiful trout for sale, and on inquiry, finding 
 the vendor to be the proprietress of one immediately 
 adjoining, we stopped to have them prepared. The 
 place was humble enough, being quite new and 
 hardly finished, but the woman was extremely civil 
 and intelligent. It occurred to me to try the plan 
 of having the trout fried with eggs, so as to make, 
 in fact, an " omelette aux truites." The hostess 
 succeeded to a miracle, and made a most perfect 
 mountain dish, worthy to be noted in the Almanack 
 des Gourmands. I was indebted for this success very 
 much to the tact and natural skill of the woman, 
 which was so remarkable that I could not help com- 
 plimenting her, and heartily wished she had a sta- 
 tion better fitted to shew her talents. In fact, with 
 a little practice and some improvement in the cos- 
 tume, which was rather desirable, she would have 
 been qualified to direct the Spanish department in 
 a celebrated tour I had read and heard of in the 
 south of Spain, should such barbarism as Spanish 
 cookery be admitted where a French " chef" pre- 
 sided. 
 
 The trout and eels in all the streams of Old Cas- 
 tile and Leon are delicious, and very far superior to 
 those on the opposite side of the range, where I ge- 
 nerally found them pale and watery, without the fine 
 colour and flavour which distinouish the others. 
 
 o 
 
 The attention of the traveller cannot be too much 
 called to this article, which they do not in general
 
 FEMALE COSTUME. 75 
 
 produce, unless it be inquired for, and if fried in 
 manteca or lard, as they always do if requested, 
 make the best dish to be found in many parts of the 
 country. 
 
 There are a succession of hamlets, the bound- 
 aries of which are rather undefined, but that where 
 we stopped was part of La Robla. The beautiful 
 Alpine torrent of the Bernesga foams along the 
 bottom of the valley, and the road is carried for 
 great distances along the banks, being merely sup- 
 ported by walls, the pass reminding me of parts 
 of the new line leading down from Westmoreland to 
 Lancaster. 
 
 Above these places the scenery became more wild 
 and Alpine, the vegetation changing and the Quer- 
 cus robur or common oak, with the Ash makinir their 
 appearance. In passing a garden I was surprised 
 by what looked exactly like a Capuchin monk work- 
 ing there. As wearing this habit is strictly forbid- 
 den, I looked for some hermitage or other cause of 
 exemption, to account for the unusual sight, but 
 there was none to be seen, and at last I made out 
 that it was a female, who I then conjectured might 
 have provided herself with the cast-off raiment of 
 some mendicant belonging to the place. I found 
 afterwards that this costume is occasionally worn by 
 the poorest of the female peasants in these moun- 
 tains, and neither in colour, make, nor material is 
 there the smallest difference from that of the Ca- 
 puchins ; the mistake was the more easily made
 
 76 THE COUNTRY. 
 
 because the party had the cowl over, which com- 
 pletely concealed her face, and was stooping down 
 when I first observed her. 1 never saw this 
 habit as a peasant's costume, in any part of Spain 
 or of Europe before. 
 
 The pass is more vvild and broken as you ap- 
 proach the centre of the chain, and there is a gorge 
 crossed by a bridge, with the road supported in the 
 manner of those in the great passes of the Alps, 
 that would take very high rank in mountain scenery, 
 if the rocks were clothed as they once had been. 
 There are still remains of oak forest of considerable 
 extent, high up, at some distance from the road, 
 but the new constructions, in which they have used 
 great quantities of timber, have considerably dimi- 
 nished those within reach of carriage to the vil- 
 lages. 
 
 I could not help thinking of the Moors at the 
 time they held this country, and the difficulty they 
 must have had to maintain their communication in 
 the winter season, with their African costume and 
 habits, so different from those necessary in these 
 most rugged mountains. Their being compelled to 
 quit Asturias, is less remarkable than that they 
 should have been able to penetrate into such a re- 
 gion. 
 
 The country became still more Alpine after we 
 passed this gorge, the trees less abundant, and the 
 villages more poor and ill built, with pasturages 
 about them resembling those in the northern parts
 
 THE GUIDES VILLAGE. 77 
 
 of Switzerland. The guide was more dilatory as 
 I was the more urgent to get forward after the 
 interest of the country had decreased, and at last, 
 pretending that his jaca was tired and unable to 
 keep up, was near stopping altogether. Finally, 
 after a considerable pause, and having taken many 
 opportunities of introducing the subject of his 
 native village, praising the inhabitants of it, and 
 the advantage of being lodged in a comfortable 
 private house in preference to the posadas, on open- 
 ing a rather extensive view, he at once exclaimed, 
 " there it is !'' with an imploring look, bordering on 
 the pathetic, and expressing, " can you be so hard- 
 hearted as to pass it ?'' I had listened in patience 
 to the preparatory encomiums, and only waited for 
 the direct proposal to be made, which I was well 
 aware would be the final result, when I put a de- 
 cided and hopeless negative ; so that he was obliged 
 to do the best and trudfic after me, to some higher 
 point on the road. I should not have cared so 
 much about stopping, but the village was out of the 
 direct line, and at so great a distance from the sum- 
 mit, that it would have precluded the possibility 
 of reachinji Oviedo the next dav. Resides this 
 consideration, I had the stronoest doubts about the 
 cleanliness of the houses in this region, where the 
 personal habits of the people are very different from 
 those of Moorish Spain, or even those in the Cas- 
 tiles. 
 
 When his grand object had failed, he was still
 
 78 BUISDONGO. 
 
 determined I should not make Pajares, but began 
 a series of eulogiums on Buisdongo, the last village 
 before you reach the Puerto, and in particular of a 
 posada he called "de caballeros," as frequented by 
 travellers of note. My recollections of the villages 
 near the summit were any thing but favourable, 
 still I thought it very probable an inn had been built 
 for the accommodation of those who might have to 
 pass the night in this bleak situation, and as his 
 manoeuvres had caused so much loss of time, it was 
 out of the question reaching Pajares before ten 
 o'clock : I therefore desired him to make for his 
 favourite caravansera. We traversed the wretched 
 village in all its length, and at the very extremity 
 arrived in a place which had exactly the appear- 
 ance of a stable yard or corral, the entrance being 
 nearly inaccessible from the accumulated filth, that 
 was diluted by the showers falling plentifully during 
 the day, and making the most deep and dirty ap- 
 proach possible to be imagined. The inside exactly 
 corresponded with the exterior, and I stood aghast 
 on inspecting the posada de caballeros. On in- 
 quiring for the people, I was addressed by a young 
 girl in the plainest possible garb, but her answers 
 to my questions and observations were made with 
 so much grace, and in such a peculiar manner, that 
 I began to think better of the quarters, and finally 
 determined to remain. The kitchen, which I had 
 first tried, was a square hole with no chimney, so 
 that the instant the fire was lighted it was filled
 
 THE HOSTESS. 79 
 
 with smoke, and to remain inside was impossible. 
 Above stairs there was a spacious and tolerable 
 room with beds, one of which I took possession of. 
 1 found afterwards that the hostess, who was not 
 more than seventeen, had lately been left with a sister, 
 a little older than herself, orphans, and the neces- 
 sity of carrying on the house had quickened their 
 natural talents, so that they were known for the 
 " gracia," or mode of address, which had instantly 
 struck me, all over the country. The elder sister 
 had lately married, and the sole charge devolved 
 on the younger one, who had very numerous friends 
 disposed, like my guide, to give her every possible 
 assistance in supporting the rude hostelry. 
 
 Shortly after my arrival I observed a character 
 amongst the others assembled, who soon took a 
 fancy to accost me, but without any regular preli- 
 minary address or opening on any particular subject. 
 I had therefore no ground for making any reply, and 
 paid little attention to his movements, being engaged 
 in digesting various matters that had occurred at 
 Leon. This mode of proceeding only made him the 
 more persevering in his attentions, and at last he 
 followed me about exactly like a shadow ; when I 
 went up stairs he followed ; when I descended he de- 
 scended also ; and when 1 took a seat he followed my 
 example ; and when I rose he did the same, mut- 
 tering something, of which the only audible part 
 was maledictions on the head of Mendizabal. This 
 was by far the worst part of his programme, and
 
 80 THE CURA. 
 
 anything but a favourable introduction, as be- 
 sides the promise I gave to my friend the Xefe 
 politico, and was determined to keep, if possible, 
 even beyond the letter, political discussion at this 
 time, and in a place like Buisdongo, was anything 
 but desirable. Finding him still persevere in this 
 disagreeable topic, I at last fairly, but civilly gave a 
 hint that I wished for the present to be alone, and 
 he instantly withdrew. After a time, however, I 
 began to think my proceeding a little churlish, and 
 inquiring of the people who he was, they said the 
 Cura of the place, when I instantly sent for him, 
 begging him to be seated, and he passed the 
 evening with me. There was still something pe- 
 culiar in his manner ; he asked many questions 
 about England and on other subjects, and when the 
 answer surprised him, he crossed himself, adding 
 the words to the act, a rare proceeding in these 
 days. He soon informed me, that he was an ex- 
 claustrado, or unfrocked monk, from the great 
 Benedictine monastery of Sahagun, according to 
 the orders of Government, enjoining that on the 
 suppression of the convents all those qualified for the 
 office should be appointed as Curas in their respec- 
 tive dioceses, when vacancies occurred to absorb 
 them. This at once accounted both for the sinsru- 
 larity of his appearance and manners, as well as for 
 his " curses not loud but deep" of Mendizabal, who 
 is the ogre of all such personages, and the subject 
 of their sleeping and waking dreams, having been
 
 THE CURA. 81 
 
 devoted to much worse places than were ever imagined 
 by Dante, from the part he took in breaking up the 
 ecclesiastical foundations. I found him to be ex- 
 tremely good-natured, with a great deal of original 
 character and peculiar information, from the mixture 
 of the avocations he had been employed in. He was a 
 native of Oviedo, well acquainted with the country, 
 and was extremely desirous I should take up my 
 quarters during my stay there with his family, who, 
 he said, would receive me with the greatest pleasure; 
 but of course I declined this very kind offer, which 
 would have entailed the necessity of living as a 
 visitor and interfered with my arrangements there, 
 that required my time to be absolutely at my own 
 disposal. He was very much captivated with some 
 Turkish tobacco, of which a small quantity was 
 presented to me at Paris, and had been reserved to 
 solace the evenings in the wildest part of my tour, 
 and as I was silent when he proposed to purchase it 
 from me, probably imagining I thought he had no 
 money, threw down a dollar on the table, begging 
 I would use my discretion and take as much as I 
 thought necessary ! I had a small travelling pipe, 
 which equally excited his notice, and that of others 
 who came to see it, who, after due examination 
 pronounced it to be a " barbaridad," a singular 
 expression used in Old Castile and this part of 
 the country, but not common elsewhere, to express 
 surprise and admiration of anything. They ap- 
 
 VOL. II. G
 
 8'2 PAJAKKS. 
 
 peared never to have seen a pipe before, and 
 complained of the difficulty of purchasing tobacco. 
 
 I passed an indifferent night, for although the 
 linen was clean, the gracia of the juvenile hostess 
 had not operated to destroy the fleas that were in 
 considerable numbers, and at an early hour I gladly 
 left the posada de caballeros. Above Buisdongo 
 there is a small and ruinous establishment, which I 
 believe was built in the time of Charles the Third, 
 when they first thought seriously of opening the 
 great pass into the Asturias, but there appears to 
 be little use made of it at present. Above this 
 are merely open boggy pastures, like those in the 
 highest parts of the northern Alps, and we soon 
 reached the water-shed. In the upper part of the 
 pass the Pinguicula grandiflora was in great beauty, 
 and the Menziesia polifolia began to make its 
 appearance. I had previously noticed the Erinus 
 alpina, which grows abundantly on the rocks 
 near the summit of the range. Pajares is con- 
 siderably below the puerto or highest part of the 
 pass, to the north side, and the distance from Leon 
 is ten leagues, which are a good day's work, re- 
 quiring an early start and good cattle to make them. 
 Behind the village I had the great and unexpected 
 pleasure of finding the beautiful Aquilegia granu- 
 losa, blue with a white rim in the inside, lately 
 introduced to our gardens, and said to be a native 
 of Siberia, or of southern Russia. The peasants
 
 CAMPOMANES. 83 
 
 told me there were great quantities of it in the shady 
 woods. 
 
 The vegetation now assumed quite a northern 
 character, all our common trees, with the addition 
 of the chesnut, adorning this valley and relieving the 
 eye, so long accustomed to the monotony of the cen- 
 tral and southern regions. I dined at Carapomanes 
 which in this great alpine pass represents Lansle- 
 bouro- or Brifj in the Valais, at the foot of their 
 respective mountains. I had certain favourable 
 reminiscences of the inn, unfortunately as it turned 
 out, and desired the guide to stop there, but the 
 master had died and the place was nearly closed, 
 one larjje room and a kitchen which filled it 
 with smoke, being all that remained open. The 
 attendant was a perfect Maritornes, which personage 
 was an Asturian, but the successor was better 
 looking and radiant with rude health and luxu- 
 riant form. Whilst they were preparing the repast 
 I wrapped myself in my capa, and lay down on the 
 oak bench that was opposite the spacious table, 
 large enough to dine twelve people, and forming a 
 curious contrast with the pigmy furniture seen in 
 those places in the central regions. I had however 
 little opportunity, for the said table being the roost- 
 ing place of the fowls that supplied the house with 
 eggs, they were by no means disposed to quit their 
 accustomed haunts, and as the attendant, judging 
 probably by experience, thought the only plan of 
 expulsion was by catching and securing them, un- 
 
 G "i
 
 84 MIERES. 
 
 dertook the office, and my person forming their line 
 of retreat, the repeated movement, as they were 
 equally determined not to be caught ; with the clack- 
 ing they made as she persevered, completely frus- 
 trated my intention of getting rest, and forced me 
 to rise again. The situation of this village is ex- 
 tremely picturesque, especially at the lower part, 
 and reminded me of some situations in the Grisons, 
 and the verdure in all this valley is like that of 
 Devonshire. 
 
 The line of road from this to Paxares is on a quite 
 different slope from that on the Leon side of the 
 mountain, having been made in the olden time, and 
 although perfectly kept and in beautiful order, is 
 so steep that the carriages occupy an entire day in 
 passing the puerto from this point, although the 
 distance is only 5 leagues, or little more than 20 
 miles. The misfortune is, that it will be necessary 
 to take an entire new line, a rather difficult and 
 expensive operation in these times and in such a 
 country. The view from the summit of the pass 
 is very striking, and was favoured by a stormy and 
 unsettled morning, shewing the bold and lofty peaks 
 to the west with their whitened summits, to great 
 advantage, reminding me of some parts of the 
 Val d'Aosta. In descending, the valley widens 
 and improves in cultivation, but the houses are poor 
 and dirty until you reach the great flat of Mieres, 
 where spacious and comfortable mansions, with 
 gardens ornamented with flowers, made a most
 
 OVIEDO. 85 
 
 agreeable change. Here the coal formation begins 
 to shew itself, and after a very long rise, with a 
 corresponding descent to the passage of the Nalon, 
 and another still more tedious cuesta or ascent to the 
 summit of a high limestone ridge, we descended to 
 the capital of Asturias.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OTIEDO — INNS — MUSIC — CATHEDRAL — CONVENTS — 
 ANCIENT CHURCHES. 
 
 There are two principal posadas in Oviedo, one 
 called the Catalana, the other the Tiiiana, and T 
 had ascertained that the last mentioned was the 
 better of the two from the Cura, who had recom- 
 mended it to me as preferable to the former, of which 
 I had no very favourable reminiscence from my 
 former sojourn there. The guide however was con- 
 nected in some way with the people at the Catalana, 
 and not only used his utmost eloquence to persuade 
 me to go there, but when we were passing the door 
 made a dead stop, and a final effort to drag me in 
 par force, exposing the alabardas, and the whole 
 of our sorry turn out, to the criticism of a large 
 party of majos, who were lounging at the door. He 
 pretended not to know the other house, and even to 
 doubt the existence of any such, but by taking a boy 
 as guide the matter was soon settled. I was well 
 rewarded for my perseverance, as the inn is not 
 only one of the most comfortable in Spain, but I 
 found a very pleasant party there, at the head of 
 whom was Senor Schultz, the professor of geology 
 and mining, employed by Government, for whom I 
 had a letter of introduction, expecting we should 
 meet in either Asturias or Galicia.
 
 MUSIC. 87 
 
 I waited on the Xefe politico, who was esta- 
 blished in the immense Benedictine convent of S. 
 Vicente, and was perfectly well received by him, 
 being assured of his protection in the usual manner. 
 Every thing remained in tranquillity, no pronuncia- 
 mento having as yet taken place, although there 
 were parties extremely desirous of following the 
 fashion, now become so general. 
 
 The following day was the festival of S. Peter 
 and Paul, which is kept with great solemnity all 
 over Spain, I went to the cathedral and heard 
 some beautiful music, with an excellent sermon from 
 one of the canons, bearing entirely on the celebra- 
 tion of the day. In the afternoon I walked to the 
 Campo de San Francisco, a large open field or park 
 to the west of the town, belonging to the public, 
 and used for games and amusements in the holi- 
 days, as well as promenade at other times. There 
 is a neat modern paseo in one part, and exten- 
 sive walks by the side of the road. In the centre is 
 a magnificent oak (Q. pedunculata) vicing with the 
 Pansanga tree, which it very nearly equals in size 
 and form. I was sorry to see a number of poplars 
 planted near, in order to fill up a vacant space, 
 instead of the nobler species, to which the soil and 
 situation are so evidently suited. 
 
 Whilst passing a detached part of these walks 
 1 heard a noise of voices, singing much in the 
 manner so common in the gardens and other places 
 of public resort on similar occasions in Germanv.
 
 88 DANCING. 
 
 On going to the spot to ascertain the cause of this 
 unusual proceeding, I found an immense crowd as- 
 sembled, and dancing going forward ; the noise I 
 had heard proceeded from the voices of the parties 
 engaged, who furnished the sole accompaniment. 
 The dancing was in circles, men and women mixed 
 indiscriminately without reference to the propor- 
 tions of either sex, or the smallest limitation as to 
 numbers. In one set I counted more than one 
 hundred persons. They held '* hands roiind,*' 
 moving circularly, and making a step forward each 
 time to the centre, and then back, the whole rather 
 in slow time, and changing the ground very gradu- 
 ally. In the centre of the circle were men and 
 women, detached, but principally the former, who 
 came forward challenging any of the females in 
 the ring, who immediately left their place, and after 
 setting to him, and dancing a short time, resumed 
 their station. The air they sang was extremely 
 striking from its great life and expression ; but it 
 was impossible to any one unaccustomed to make 
 out the words, which were varied constantly, and 
 I suspected were sung differently by the various 
 parties. There was little display of steps or figures, 
 but the movements of many were very graceful, 
 being with the body, and not merely the feet and 
 lower extremities as practised by the peasantry in 
 many countries. The most distinguished amongst 
 the men was dressed in a common jacket and cos-
 
 SPANISH SONGS. 89 
 
 tume of the town, but his bead was surmounted 
 with a curious sky blue cap, intended to stand hori- 
 zontally on the head, but he had it adjusted so that 
 it hung nearly perpendicularly over one ear, giving 
 him a very dandy look. This fellow might have 
 gone to Ronda, and fearlessly challenged the majos 
 of Andalucia to dance with him. 
 
 On inquiry, I found that this custom was of the 
 most remote antiquity, having been always practised 
 in the country, and they assured me that some of the 
 songs occasionally used, which are handed down tra- 
 ditionally by the peasantry, refer to the deeds of 
 Don Pelayo, and the wars with the Moors. There 
 is however great difficulty in procuring the words, 
 as they are not written, and the people, especially 
 the w^omen, who are the principal depositories of 
 this kind of lore, are unwilling, from a little shy- 
 ness, to repeat them to strangers. Some specimens 
 I heard recited were more like what might have 
 been expected in the courts of the Paladins ad- 
 dressing their ladies in the olden time, than the 
 common effusions of peasantry, as daily used. The 
 air was extremely simple, but animating to an un- 
 common degree ; and I constantly heard the young 
 girls in the cottages repeating it at their work. 
 The following may serve as specimens of the style 
 in these curious collections. These are amon<rst the 
 couplets addressed to the females when asked to 
 leave their station and dance in the circle : —
 
 90 SPANISH SONGS. 
 
 ' Ay ! Palonia de mi vida 
 Paloma de mi corazon. 
 Se quieres que te quiera 
 Bailaras el Rigodon. 
 
 Saiga bailar, dama herraosa 
 Con pulido marinero 
 Aunque no tiene figura 
 Tiene caridad decide. 
 
 There are many other descriptions of songs exist- 
 ing amongst the native peasantry, and they would well 
 repay the trouble of collecting, which can only be 
 done by time and becoming acquainted with them. 
 
 One of these songs is the following, which, as it is 
 Castilian, may exist in some of the numerous collec- 
 tions that have been printed, but I have never seen 
 it. The subject is a young girl, who has been absent 
 from home at unusual hours, and is chidden by her 
 mother, to whom she pleads the excuse of having 
 gone to pay her devotions at the altar of the Lady 
 of the Pilar. 
 
 Adonde vas, Niiia ? 
 
 Adonde vas ? 
 Mama ! No me rinas. 
 
 Vengo de rezar, 
 A la Virgen del Pilar. 
 
 Miiclio polvo he i-ecogido 
 Muy sucia la Iglesia esta 
 Si la varais con la saya 
 Haceis mas que el Sacristan 
 Adonde vas, &c.
 
 SPANISH SONGS. 91 
 
 Mucho rezo sou tres lioraa 
 Para ninas de tu edad 
 Mucbas son las oraciones 
 Algun santo muy galan. 
 Adonde vas, &c. 
 
 Como vienes tanta turbada 
 
 Y perdido el color 
 
 Si son las once punto 
 
 Y salisteis a la oracion. 
 
 Adonde vas, &c. 
 
 Wbere are you going ? my daughter, 
 Where are you going ? 
 Mama ! do not chide me, 
 I come from praying 
 To the Virgin of the Pilar. 
 
 Much dust have I picked up, 
 Very dirty is the church. 
 If you sweep it with your saya, (or petticoat) 
 You do more than the Sacristan. 
 Where are you going, &c. 
 
 Three hours are rather long for prayer 
 For girls of your age ; 
 Many were the sermons, 
 Some very gallant saint. 
 
 Where are you going, &c. 
 
 How come you so disturbed 
 And your colour gone ; 
 It is now eleven precisely 
 And you went out at the oracion, 
 Where are you going, &c. 
 
 I had been requested from an influential quarter 
 ])revious to leaving England, to procure if possible
 
 92 MUSIC. 
 
 some of the sacred music practised in the Spanish 
 Cathedrals. I endeavoured to do so at Madrid, but 
 without success, owing to the want of time, as in 
 this country nothing out of the common routine, 
 and very little in it, can be managed without giving 
 the parties full time to deliberate and turn over the 
 many sides of a question, before they make up their 
 minds to act upon it. I took the opportunity to 
 make the same attempt at Oviedo, being charmed 
 with the style of the music played early every morn- 
 ino-, which I never failed to attend. I 'called on the 
 officiating organist, who I found was only the second 
 or supplementary performer, the principal being 
 " absent," the motive for which I presumed, and 
 made no further inquiry about him. To my great 
 surprise the party informed me there was not a 
 note of music in the cathedral ; that for some cause 
 or other the Cabildo had never required the suc- 
 cessive organists to deposit copies of their compo- 
 sitions, as is the almost universal practice in Spain, 
 so that they had no records to consult, and that 
 the music I had been so much pleased with, was 
 his own extempore composition ! This curious 
 information was borne out by the performance, 
 which, when he mentioned the circumstance, at once 
 struck me as having the character of poetical, and may 
 almost be said inspired music, rather than ihat of 
 elaborate and studied composition. He said how- 
 ever that a change was about to take place in the 
 arrangement, and that orders had been given to
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 93 
 
 preserve the files, as in other places ; the usual 
 practice being to stipulate for the deposition of a 
 certain number of pieces in the year in the ar- 
 chives, where they remain for ages and are never 
 printed. 
 
 I made a more full and detailed examination into 
 the building of the cathedral, than the cursory 
 stay, and the state of the weather allowed during 
 my previous visit in 1831. The main edifice is of 
 the 14th century, about 100 years subsequent to 
 that of Leon, to which in plan and scale it bears 
 some resemblance, but the architecture is lighter 
 and certainly more pleasing than that of the sister 
 church. In my own opinion, this is the most beau- 
 tiful of all the cathedrals in Spain, although in scale 
 it must yield to many of them. The great defect 
 in the interior, is that the aisle behind the altar 
 was built after the change of style in Spain took 
 place, and it is of the classic form, or that of Hcr- 
 rera, bcin"' of extremclv good design, cxactlv rescm- 
 blinty the corridors of the Colisscum, where the artist 
 must have studied. The body of the building has 
 been little interfered with, but there are several 
 chapels on a large scale, and equally incongruous 
 with the style of the church as that already men- 
 tioned. The entrances to them arc so manafjcd, 
 however, as not to interfere with the general effect, 
 for you may examine the interior without scarcely 
 seeing them. There is a clerestory gallery quite 
 round every part of the building, the same as at
 
 94 THE CATHEDRAL. 
 
 Leon, but of lighter and better design. There are 
 several most absurd " hojarascas" in the shape of 
 gilt altarpieces, which ought to be kicked out, as they 
 have no concern or connection with any thing about 
 them. Amongst other minor absurdities is the tras- 
 coro or back of the choir ; the centre being occupied 
 by a beautiful gem of pointed design, of similar date 
 or nearly so with the main building ; this they 
 have daubed over with whitewash, so that the fine 
 work is nearly obliterated, and on each side in close 
 contact is an altarpiece of dark grey marble, of 
 very bad classic form. 
 
 The exterior is extremely interesting, especially 
 the western fa9ade, which, had it been finished 
 according to the original design, would have had a 
 considerable resemblance, wdth more simplicity, to 
 that of York. There were to have been two towers, 
 one of which was finished, the other hardly com- 
 menced. That which is concluded, is a simple 
 and very beautiful specimen, similar, but on a larger 
 scale, to some of the best of our church architecture 
 of the same date, nor could any thing be in better or 
 more pure taste. About two centuries afterwards, 
 the cabildo called in a plateresco architect, who, 
 instead of finishing the other tow^er, added a pin- 
 nacle or spire of his own, with an ornamented base, 
 which he perched on the summit of the original 
 tower ! This I clearly made out to be the history 
 of the present tower, which imitates and rivals those 
 of Burgos. Being determined apparently, that the
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 95 
 
 other tower should exhibit a specimen of his own 
 skill, unfettered by being obliged to superpose only 
 the weight the original building (that was not in- 
 tended to have such a crest put upon it) would sustain ; 
 he began from the foundations, intending to make 
 it considerably larger than the opposite tower. He 
 was only able to carry it up to the height of the 
 nave, or thereabouts, when death, or probably a 
 change in the cabildo, or the want of funds, caused 
 it to be discontinued, and to remain as described. 
 Had the cabildo of the time ordered the money ex- 
 pended in this absurd manner to be laid out in 
 finishing the fa(^ade, as intended by the great artist 
 who designed it, they would have had a perfect 
 specimen of that era, and might have devoted any 
 superfluity in their resources to the erection of plate- 
 rcsco in some other part, where it would not have 
 interfered with the general plan. As it is, they 
 have spoiled the whole ; and if ever any thing be 
 done to finish the building, which is very possible, 
 they have entailed on their successors the necessity 
 of either taking down what is already erected, at a 
 great expense, or of concluding in a style more and 
 more wide from the original intention. 
 
 There is one thing noticed in my former short 
 account of this cathedral, the noble porch at the 
 west end, that merits more particular description. 
 The towers stand of course at the flank, and are 
 open below, with a connecting arch over the centre, 
 giving lightness and convenience also to the build-
 
 96 THE CATHEDRAL. 
 
 ing, and it Is only surprisinj^ such a plan should 
 not have been more frequently followed in other 
 edifices. The arch under the northern tower is 
 oblique, the plane being directed towards the cor- 
 responding entrance door. I tried in vain to con- 
 jecture the motive for this curious arrangement of 
 the plateresco architect, and as he is no longer pre- 
 sent to explain his reasons for adopting such a sin- 
 gular plan, they will probably remain a mystery to 
 future observers. At the north transept is a very 
 beautiful circular or marigold window, and at the 
 west end is one of inferior merit which has been 
 very much and badly repaired. 
 
 The cloisters are of small extent, the locality 
 being very much circumscribed, and the object ap- 
 pears to have been to make the greatest possible 
 display of work, so that although of exceedingly 
 good design, the lightness that ought to characterize 
 this kind of building is altogether wanting, and they 
 are chiefly remarkable for the great solidity of the 
 stone work. The style is very nearly that of the 
 church, but I think they have been built subse- 
 quently. Most of- the windows differ from each 
 other, and the forms are so good, notwithotanding 
 the fault I have mentioned, that they would repay 
 the inspection of any architect who attends to the 
 work of this period. 
 
 We must now pass to the examination of the Ca- 
 maraSanta where the relics are kept. This depository 
 is extremely remarkable in the history of the Spanish
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 97 
 
 church, as it professes to contain the remains of those 
 that were concealed from the Moors, during their 
 temporary occupation of the country. Amongst them 
 is a cross said to have been borne by Pelayo, which 
 is of oak, ornamented with gilding and precious 
 stones, or imitations of them. One is inclined to 
 give some credence to this romantic story, which is 
 borne out by the style of the work, evidently of that 
 distant era. The same cannot be said of the letter- 
 holder, or portfolio of S. Andrew, and other speci- 
 mens of the same description they shew you. But 
 there is an ancient oriental crucifixion in ivory, 
 with a piece of the wood of the cross, which, what- 
 ever be the claim of the latter part, has come very 
 probably from Jerusalem, and is of very early date. 
 The building which contains these relics was part 
 of the original edifice prior to the foundation of 
 the present cathedral, and dates from 800, when 
 the basilica, on the site now occupied by the main 
 building, and two chapels were built by Alonzo the 
 Chaste. You ascend to the Camara Santa by a 
 staircase from the south transept, and the chapel 
 is so built in with the cathedral, that nothing of it 
 is seen from the outside. The first part entered is 
 a lofty ante-chapel with a groined roof, and leading 
 to the sanctum or inner chamber, which has a cir- 
 cular roof, with a recess for the altar at the east 
 end, where are short columns of a sort of Corin- 
 thian. There is a frieze rather in the pointed style, 
 and the arches of the roof rest on double Caryatides 
 
 VOL. II. H
 
 98 THE CATHEDRAL. 
 
 of very rude design. Below these, as I have subse- 
 quently ascertained, there is a crypt, but I was not 
 aware of it at the time, and did not ask leave to 
 enter it, which I am certain would have been 
 granted by the courteous canon who shewed me the 
 relics, and I believe it contains nothing remarkable. 
 On the opposite side of the transept was the cele- 
 brated chapel of Santa Maria, the burial place of 
 the Re Casto, and still known by his name. This 
 chapel, which is particularly described by the old 
 writers who had seen it, must, by their description, 
 have been a Byzantine structure, with three naves 
 and antique columns, supposed to have been 
 brought from Lugo. In an evil hour for the arts, 
 at the commencement of the last century, the bar- 
 barians in the cabildo decreed the demolition of this 
 curious edifice, and executed this vandalic plan so 
 completely, that not a vestige remains. The pre- 
 sent chapel is large and spacious, but rather low in 
 proportion to the dimensions. The details and 
 ornaments are the most utterly absurd and barba- 
 rous that can be imagined, the very bathos of the 
 art, being executed when good architecture was ex- 
 tinct in Spain. I looked for the tombs, and found 
 with some difficulty a set of small sarcophagi of 
 execrable form, placed in a dark chapel enclosed 
 by a reja, where they are ranged over each other, 
 reminding one of the story of Abbe Sieyes and his 
 constitutions. Not a vestige of the old monuments 
 or inscriptions is to be seen, but there is a long
 
 OLD CHURCHES. 99 
 
 catalogue of the contents of the sarcophagi on a 
 modern tablet. One of the canons told me the tra- 
 dition was, that the chapel had been injured by 
 lightning, but in that case the rebuilding ought to 
 have been on the original design. The present 
 structure has not even the recommendation of sanc- 
 tity in the model, for it has very much the appear- 
 ance of a spacious hall, belonging to a palace or 
 building of some profane description. 
 
 Close by the cathedral on the Plaza in front of 
 the west end, is the church of S. Tirso, which the 
 form and appearance made me immediately conclude 
 to be of great antiquity, but the alterations and ar- 
 rangements have completely destroyed every thing 
 of positive testimony as to the style, and I was on 
 the point of giving up all hope of discovering any 
 data to confirm my opinion, when I found a double 
 arch with columns in the exterior wall, which, owing 
 to some accident or other, had been spared by the 
 moderns. I have subsequently ascertained that the 
 church is cotemporary with the other chapels I have 
 just mentioned, and that it was built by the same 
 Alonzo. 
 
 At a short distance, in a small plazuela, there is 
 another very old church dedicated to San Juan, of 
 which I cannot find any notice in the books 1 have 
 been able to consult. Round the front of it is the 
 billet moulding, which I omitted mentioning as one 
 of the characteristic ornaments of the basilica of S. 
 Isidore at Leon, and if this be admitted as a crite- 
 
 H 2
 
 100 THE CONVENT. 
 
 rion, will give 1 100 for the age of this church, cor- 
 responding to the appearance of it in other respects. 
 Near the cloisters of the cathedral is a very old 
 tower of a Norman style, but the arches at the upper 
 end approach the Moorish or horse-shoe form, I 
 could not make out or conjecture what this tower 
 had belonged to, and it is totally distinct from and 
 unconnected with every thing near ; but there may 
 have been a fort of some sort, afterwards demolished 
 to make way for the cloisters or other adjuncts of 
 the cathedral. 
 
 Immediately adjacent to the locality we have de- 
 scribed, is the Benedictine convent of S. Vicente, a 
 most enormous structure, containing vast quarters for 
 the monks, besides which is a convent of nuns at- 
 tached to the foundation, and a college that was con- 
 ductedby the order. The convent, at least apart of it, 
 has been converted to public purposes as already men- 
 tioned, and the printing office, estanco of tobacco, and 
 various other departments, are accommodated in the 
 lower part. The most curious part is the nunnery, 
 which is still untouched, and is in fact under the same 
 roof with the monastery, although of course the com- 
 munications were cut off. The prior, under whose 
 superintendence the nunnery appears to have been, 
 lived in a handsome lodo^e standino- between the two 
 convents, and I rather think communicating with both. 
 I have no doubt this singular arrangement pro- 
 ceeded from the immense establishment havino- been 
 formed out of a cluster of smaller ones, founded in the
 
 THE MONASTERY. 101 
 
 middle ages for the subsistence of the younger sons 
 and daughters who were not otherwise provided for, 
 and did not take part in the wars, the only employ- 
 ment for gentlemen at that time. In consequence 
 of the abuses that existed in these small detached 
 proprietary establishments, where the sexes lived 
 together much as they did in some convents in Eng- 
 land, prior to the Reformation, they were swept 
 away, and the inmates collected in the large monas- 
 teries of Asturias and Galicia, of which we shall 
 "hear more at Santiaofo. This I have no doubt is 
 the solution of this sinfjular arrano^ement. of which 
 I never met an instance in Spain previously. It 
 may be necessary to observe that, in modern times, 
 no abuse was known to exist in those establish- 
 ments, as might be inferred from the situation of 
 the buildings, and the important office of superin- 
 tending, was of course always conferred on some one 
 of age and habits, to secure the due performance of 
 the duty he was charged with. I heard mass per- 
 formed in the chapel of the nuns who are still there, 
 the church being, as usual, open to the public 
 during the time of service, and it was quite indepen- 
 dent of that belonging to the monks, which is shut 
 up. 
 
 On the outside of an enormous wall, forming the 
 exterior boundary of these convents to the north, 
 is encased a monument to Jovellanos, the site being 
 exactly opposite the great road to Gijon, and so far 
 appropriate, but the mode of arrangement, although
 
 102 OLD CIIUIICIIES. 
 
 rather novel, is little ornamental, and the placing it 
 in some public square would have had a better effect. 
 
 The spacious convent of S. Francisco, in the 
 church of which was the curious inscription men- 
 tioned in my former work, where a person of noble 
 family had the fancy of introducing a bullock during 
 a certain mass in the year, and bribed the monks 
 by an annual gratuity of wheat to permit this 
 irreverent action; has been made a general hospital, 
 and all the minor establishments in the town trans- 
 ferred thither; an excellent arrangement, the locality 
 and extent being well suited to accommodate them. 
 The great convent of S. Agostino, nearly oppo- 
 site, and in an equally good position, is now the 
 foundling hospital, but I heard this important 
 establishment was badly managed. 
 
 The greatest curiosity in this neighbourhood re- 
 mains to be described, the famous ancient churches 
 of S**" Maria and S. Miguel. Below Oviedo, to 
 the west, is a valley, and on the opposite side rises a 
 lofty hill of red sandstone, called the Cuesta de 
 Naranco ; on the side of this hill stand these cele- 
 brated buildings. The principal is called Santa 
 Maria de Naranco, and is aparish church in constant 
 use; placed on the face of the hill, so that the 
 entrance on the upper side is nearly on a level with 
 the floor, but the south side is considerably elevated 
 above the ground, leaving space for the residence of 
 the Cura, which is built against it as a lean-to. I 
 immediately went to his house, but he was out, and
 
 OLD CHURCHES. 103 
 
 the Ama, or housekeeper, begged me to go up to his 
 room until he should return. I found his quarters 
 plain but extremely comfortable, and commanding 
 a noble view of the town and adjacent mountains. 
 His easy chair was by the side of a reading table, 
 and a volume of the Spanish translation of Bossuet's 
 Variations was lying open, having the moment 
 before occupied his attention. The owner soon 
 made his appearance, a middle aged man, stout and 
 healthy looking, a plain spoken, hearty fellow, 
 exactly answering the description of the old 
 parochial clergy in Cumberland and Westmoreland, 
 and he was delighted to see any one take interest in 
 the buildings under his charge. There is an under 
 church or crypt, the door being near the Cura's 
 house, but contained nothing remarkable, being 
 now occupied as a cellar, or for similar purposes, 
 and had merely been intended as foundations, and 
 to secure the church from the damp of the climate. 
 The entrance of the church is by a portico, 
 with a small flight of steps each way ; the doorway 
 is rather of the pointed manner, and I suspected 
 had been subsequently added. The outside wall on 
 both sides is supported by pilasters, with their faces 
 and capitals plainly, but rather neatly ornamented. 
 Under the roof is the ordinary finishing, in the 
 shape of the ends of tiles, bedded in mortar, so com- 
 mon in many parts of Spain, but especially this 
 part of Asturias. 
 
 The inside is divided into three parts, the centre.
 
 104 OLD CHURCHES. 
 
 and a space at each end. The main hody is about 
 forty feet long by fifteen in breadth. The detached 
 space of the altar is raised by one, that of the west 
 end by three steps above the floor of the church. 
 There are eight columns on eacli side, which are 
 double, swelling in the middle, and are wrought in 
 the form of twisted ropes ; they are placed on plinths 
 of the same diameter as the columns. Above each 
 column is raised the arch of the roof, which springs 
 from a plain frieze, and descends with an ornament in 
 form of a shield, near the intersection of the arches. 
 Both the shield and part joining it with the frieze 
 are carved or engraved, and the roof is completely 
 circular. At the west end of the church are three 
 arches, with a shield over each, and a correspond- 
 ing one at the opposite end of the wall. There are 
 two arches to each side of the lower end, wnth 
 double columns; shield, and drop. 
 
 Behind the altar are three low arches, with whole 
 short columns, and a sort of Corinthian capital, with 
 the shield ornamented. The baptistry is at the west 
 end, on the north side, having two whole columns 
 and an arch. Behind the altar is a modern addition, 
 forming a sort of sacristy ; from the fragments I 
 saw lying about, I have no doubt this end had 
 given way and been rebuilt in a modern style, in 
 which view the Cura concurred. There was an 
 absurd and indecent legend respecting the use of 
 this room, which is noticed and confuted by Morales. 
 
 The walls are of orreat strenoth and soliditv, as
 
 OLD CHURCHES. 10.5 
 
 may well be imagined, when it has stood since the 
 middle of the 9th century, and is still in perfect 
 repair. There is a curious piece of rude sculpture 
 on the capital of a column, representing a female, 
 which is considered by the people to refer to the 
 tribute paid by King Mauragatus to the Moors, as 
 mentioned in the account of the Maragatos. This 
 of course does not amount to proof, but in such a 
 place, and amongst such a people as the Asturians, 
 and of contemporary date or nearly so, it is certainly 
 not only entitled to some consideration, but I confess 
 has materially contributed to confirm my belief in 
 the story of the treaty w^ith the Mahometans. The 
 church is in perfect order, having been put in re- 
 pair, painted and coloured by my friend the Cura, 
 who had expended upon it, out of his own 
 pocket 5000 reals, about £50., a considerable sum 
 in this country to have been contributed bv one 
 individual, and reflecting infinite credit on the 
 party, who had done the work extremely well, with 
 the exception of some painting in rather bad taste. 
 He had coloured the columns, which are of sand- 
 stone, with a wash of nearly the natural colour. 
 The columns, as before observed, represent a kind 
 of twisted rope, and I thought were of one piece, 
 although I was not quite certain, being divided 
 perpendicularly almost in the way the fasces are 
 represented. There are traces of carving in dif- 
 ferent parts, but that already mentioned as repre- 
 senting a female, is the onlv one I saw that had a
 
 106 OLD CHURCHES. 
 
 distinct subject, and the bearing on the story is the 
 more remarkable on that account. I had observed 
 that the baptismal font was modern, and when we 
 came out I noticed a round hollow block of white 
 marble, about a yard in diameter, perfectly plain, 
 but looking like a piece of a column, lying near the 
 entrance, and on inquiring, he said it was the old 
 font, and that when he repaired the church, he 
 had turned it out ! I made a sort of remonstrance 
 on this strange proceeding, when he said, with a 
 hearty laugh, " I take care of antiquities and things 
 valuable, but I care nothing about such as this, 
 and so I kicked it out, and put a better in its 
 place !" The substitute was a sort of bad classic 
 imitation of porphyry, which I noticed, and thought 
 of course it had been put there merely to fill the 
 space. He said he could do no more in the way 
 of repairs from his funds being so much reduced. 
 The sum he had received was verv triflino-, and on 
 a Xefe politico visiting the place, and suggesting 
 some alteration, he said, you must give me money, 
 for they have taken all mine from me, on which 
 the functionary was silent. He made no sort of 
 complaint, but remarked, '* They cannot find money 
 to pay the troops, how can those like me expect any 
 thing ?" concluding with the hearty laugh, which 
 generally followed his observations. 
 
 The other church called San Miguel stands at a 
 short distance higher up, and is equally curious, but 
 in a style more oriental and less original than that
 
 OLD CHURCHES. 107 
 
 of Santa Maria, being cruciform, and of very cir- 
 cumscribed dimensions in the present day. At the 
 end of the transept are windows, with two whole and 
 half columns, and a sort of Moorish fretwork above 
 them. The north end is partly destroyed, and 
 there is a steep staircase to the choir, whilst above 
 are two arches, with a small oratory on each side. 
 Such they appeared to me, but the people have no 
 account or idea for what purpose they have been 
 intended. 
 
 At each corner of the transept is a short massy 
 column with arches over them, and the hiohest is 
 at the altar end. The whole length of the church 
 is about 30 feet. There have been pilasters on 
 the outside like those of Santa Maria, and at the 
 east end there appears to have been a greater extent 
 of building, as the adjacent walls are encrusted with 
 fragments, and there are considerable remains of 
 other edifices lying about. 
 
 The church is fast going to ruin, and parts of it 
 are applied to profane uses. It is nearly of the 
 same date as that of Santa Maria, both beinsf of the 
 middle of the ninth century, and considered by the 
 Spanish antiquaries to be by Tioda, the architect 
 of Alonzo, although built by Ramirez the successor 
 of that King. I confess, however, that I cannot 
 think the two churches are by the same architect, 
 but there is the greatest possible resemblance be- 
 tween those of S. Miguel, S. Julian, and what wc 
 know of the chapel at the cathedral, prior to its
 
 108 OLD CHURCHES. 
 
 demolition. I should consider these structures and 
 the Caraara Santa to be by Tioda, and Sa. Maria 
 del Naranco by a different artist. 
 
 There is another very interesting church about a 
 mile outside the town on the road to Gijon, called 
 S. Julian del Campo, which has three aisles, and 
 regular arches on square columns, with three higher 
 arches at the altar, the centre one being the most 
 elevated ; these arches separate the altar from the 
 side aisles. 
 
 The proportions of this church are good, ex- 
 cepting that it is rather low, but the general effect 
 is excellent. The chancel is raised one step ; the 
 columns on each side the altar are short and of grey 
 marble ; the capitals differ from each other, and one I 
 observed was very near correct Corinthian. On the 
 exterior, at the east end, is a small open window, 
 with bastard low columns, and unequal intercolum- 
 niations. The roof is modern tile work, the original 
 having been stone, supported by corbels, some of 
 which remain. 
 
 This church is of 800, being of the same date as 
 the Camara Santa, as already noticed, and no doubt 
 gives an idea of what the chapel of Alonzo at the 
 cathedral was before its demolition, the style being 
 in fact Byzantine, or a modification of the art as 
 brought from the east, 
 
 I have been more particular in describing these 
 curious churches, as no account of them, to my 
 knowledge, exists in modem writings in this country,
 
 OLD CHURCHES. lOQ 
 
 and to the student of ecclesiastical architecture, 
 the epoch previous to the introduction of the pointed 
 style is extremely interesting. The advantage, or 
 in fact necessity of employing the term pointed, 
 and discontinuing that of gothic, is not only ad- 
 visable in treating of Spanish architecture, but is 
 absolutely indispensable, as in those countries they 
 justly term the works of these early ages, " Obra 
 de Godos," whilst they call the pointed, the tudesco 
 or German style.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 OVIEDO — UNIVERSITY. 
 
 The university occupies a spacious quadrangular 
 building of modern style, and the school of Rodri- 
 guez, just outside of the town. There is a good 
 library, and I had every facility for consulting the 
 few books I required, but the deficiencies are very 
 great, even of the most common classic works in 
 the language, and I urged the people to apply to 
 Government for copies of the various publications 
 of the Imprenta real at Madrid, to which these 
 establishments are fairly entitled. The director 
 was a very amiable and intelligent person, who also 
 superintended a reading room attached to the prin- 
 cipal cafe, and maintained by the subscription of 
 the gentlemen in the place. They gave me free ad- 
 mission to the room during my stay, and would not 
 hear of any payment. The Spanish, French, and 
 even English papers are received, and I was sur- 
 prised to find the Examiner on the table, some 
 admirer of that ably written paper, who was em- 
 ployed in the mines, having, as they informed me, 
 recommended it. 
 
 The principal market day is Sunday, as usual 
 in the Asturias and Galicia, the usage having 
 existed from time immemorial. The women come in
 
 OVIEDO, 111 
 
 vast numbers with their respective goods for sale at 
 an early hour, and immediately as the operation is 
 concluded, hear mass in a church upon the Plaza, 
 where about eleven, a prodigious number was assem- 
 bled with their baskets, which they carry in along 
 with them. In the afternoon dancing takes place in 
 different parts of the town, always to the national 
 vocal music, and I never heard instruments of any 
 kind used on those occasions. 
 
 The women in general wear the trensa or long 
 platted hair, of which many splendid specimens 
 were to be seen. They told me that this cus- 
 tom was based partly on convenience, for the wear- 
 ing the enormous quantity many of them are 
 provided with, upon the head, is not only trouble- 
 some, but when employed in labour, causes head- 
 ache. Although the sex throughout Spain is 
 tolerably well supplied with this ornament, I have 
 been inclined to think, that whether it be owino- to 
 the moisture of the climate or some other cause, it 
 is more abundant in the northern or humid rcfjion 
 than any other. The prevailing colour here, as in 
 every other part of Spain, is a dark brown, black 
 being very seldom seen, so much so that I have 
 great doubts whether it would not be as difficult to 
 find a genuine head of black hair, as it was in 
 London when the search was made in consequence of 
 a bet recorded to have been laid during the convivial 
 moments of the younger days of George the Fourth. 
 
 There is a peculiar look of cheerfulness and good
 
 112 OVIEDO. 
 
 humour that characterises the people, running 
 through all their manners and deportment ; nor do 
 I think the old Spanish character is more apparent 
 any where than in this *' Thule," where they have 
 had, until recently, so little communication with the 
 rest of the kingdom. Like all the native Spaniards, 
 they are strongly attached to their natal soil, consi- 
 dering it to be the first country in the world, and I was 
 nearly being in a scrape, owing to a mistake on this 
 subject. The landlady, who was a person of supe- 
 rior style in her station, and owing to ill health, 
 produced by domestic misfortunes that had befallen 
 her, seldom appeared, came one day with a very 
 grave face, and said, " Have you been giving out 
 that I am a Bizcaina?'* This was delivered ex- 
 actly as I suppose a lady might do, about whom 
 evil reports had been raised. I replied that I cer- 
 tainly had understood she was a native of the Pro- 
 vinces, and might have said so inadvertently. She 
 then said with great dignity, " No ! it is an entire 
 mistake. Thank God, I am an Asturiana, and have 
 not the slightest wish to be any thing else." 
 
 Respecting the story of the tribute of damsels, said 
 to have been paid by Mauragatus, one writer in 
 Spanish history doubts the fact, because he seems 
 to think it would be difficult to find the number 
 required, of quality fit to suit the taste of the Arab 
 connoisseurs. If he had visited the country, pro- 
 bably that remark would not have been made : so 
 contrary is the real fact, that it is another proof to
 
 ASTURIAN COAL FIELD. 113 
 
 me of the strange history being founded on reality ; 
 for the style of the women, their fine complexions, 
 and maonificent hair, the first charm amon^^st 
 orientals, very probably suggested the idea of such 
 a tribute ; and the more it is considered, the less is 
 it probable, however discreditable the fact may be 
 to the memory of the patriarch of the Maragatos, 
 that such a rumour could be the effect of fabulous 
 invention, and still less satisfactory is the absurd 
 explanation, that the wish to encourage alliances 
 between the races should have given rise to the tra- 
 dition. It is much more probable that the ad- 
 mixture of Asturian blood may have improved the 
 African race, and that some of the Zoraydas and 
 Zaidas owed the charms that are sung in the 
 Moorish romances, to the treaty of Mauragatus, and 
 the introduction of their ancestors from these wild 
 mountains, where the physiognomies are so very dif- 
 ferent from those common in the regions the Moorish 
 conquerors came from. 
 
 The great coal field of Asturias was visited by 
 me in 1831, and a short account of the then existing 
 state of it was given in my former work. Since that 
 time the workings have assumed a greater degree 
 of activity, and as the history of it is still little 
 known, some particulars I learned from the au- 
 thorities on the spot as to the economical part, 
 will be given, leaving the geological position to be 
 treated under that head in tlic appendix. 
 
 With regard to the bringing this vast mass of 
 
 VOL. II. I
 
 114 COAL COMPANIES. 
 
 coal into a real productive state, as it ought to be, 
 extremely little progress has as yet been made ; so 
 much so, that I was quite surprised to find the con- 
 dition the works are still in. There are four large 
 companies and several smaller ones at present en- 
 gaged in different parts of the basin, the mass of 
 which has been covered by a formation of chalk, 
 and again denuded in parts, where the beds are at 
 present exposed to day. 
 
 The first established and most considerable com- 
 pany, as far as the result is concerned, is that of 
 Aguado, the great contractor who resided at Paris, 
 and died recently during a tour of inspection made 
 to Asturias. The part occupied by his heirs is that 
 upon the Nalon, which was particularly mentioned 
 on my previous visit, and is rather more than a 
 league distant from Oviedo. I found there was a 
 difficulty about seeing the workings of this com- 
 pany, and as I already knew the locality, and had 
 correct information respecting their proceedings, I 
 left them to enjoy their useless churlishness. They 
 have, I understand, driven a working gallery into 
 the side of the hill, which serves at the same time 
 for desaguadero, or drift-way, to carry off the water, 
 and from that cut across the beds to the rioht and 
 left. A carriage-road has been made to Gijon by this 
 company, who have the monopoly of it for a few 
 years, with the power of raising tolls ; after that 
 time it becomes public property. The death of 
 Aguado has, of course, influenced the state of this
 
 COAL COMPANIES. 115 
 
 concern, the operations of which are nearly sus- 
 pended ; and it is said, the proprietors, if they 
 could find purchasers, would not be indisposed to 
 transfer their shares. 
 
 The next is the English company, which has ob- 
 tained the grant of an immense tract on the lower Na- 
 lonand its great western tributary. The beds in this 
 allotment, as I understood from the agent, comprise 
 135 feet of coal, covering a great extent of ground ; 
 one of the beds is 13 feet thick, but the greater part, 
 as usual in this field, are much smaller, four or five 
 feet being the common thickness. They say the best 
 coal is in this portion of the field, but unfortunately 
 it is inland, far from the sea, so that to bring it com- 
 pletely into play, a railway of thirty miles would be 
 necessary, leading to a port near the mouth of the 
 Nalon ; the communication with Gijon being long, 
 difficult, and expensive. This company had not 
 commenced working in earnest when I was there, 
 but the agents were employed in making preliminary 
 observations and inquiries. 
 
 The next considerable company is the Spanish 
 and Belgian, which has possession of the great bed 
 of Arnao near Aviles, and will be described here- 
 after. 
 
 Besides these there arc some others, principally 
 French, who have taken the small detached spots 
 where the overlying beds, being removed, have left 
 islands of coal in different parts of the field, prin- 
 cipally to the eastern end of it. These companies, 
 
 I 2
 
 116 COAL MINES. 
 
 I was told, work with small capital and smaller re- 
 sults. 
 
 Such is the present state of these mines, which must 
 one day exercise great influence in the manufacturing 
 history of Europe. The quality of the coal is much 
 vaunted of in Spain, and it certainly gives clean and 
 good samples, very much superior to the French and 
 other sulphurous coal. It will not, however, stand 
 competition for steaming purposes, with ours, and 
 in consequence the Peninsular company have the 
 privilege of receiving their own free of duty, which 
 was conceded to them ; the French of course claimed 
 and obtained the same exemption, and then the 
 Spanish steamers, using the national coal, being left 
 behind by their competitors, were also compelled to 
 solicit the same favour, so that this considerable 
 resource is at present lost to the speculators. In 
 fact, excepting the few smelting-houses and other 
 establishments in the south of Spain, and a certain 
 portion taken by the French for common purposes, 
 I do not know where they can look for any consi- 
 derable vend. Even at present, as mentioned at 
 Malaga, there is a strong competition between par- 
 ties interested to keep up the monopoly, and those 
 who are disposed from interest to open the trade 
 and let in the English coal. The latter party 
 threaten, unless the companies very soon produce 
 the quantity of coal required at a cheap rate, that 
 they will take steps at Madrid to lower the im- 
 port duties; in which plan, as they are wealthy, and
 
 COAL MINES. 117 
 
 every thing of this sort is managed by bribery in 
 some shape or other, it is probable they will succeed. 
 It seems extraordinary that coal, wrought to day, 
 without the necessity of steam-engines to draw 
 the water, or deep shafts for the abstraction, that 
 cause the absorption of such enormous capital in 
 our collieries, should not operate to give the 
 Spanish mines the immense advantage at first sight 
 it might be supposed to confer, enabling them to 
 ruin our sale in the open markets ; but so it is, and 
 it appears we have at present little to fear from 
 their formidable array of apparent superiority. 
 
 Another peculiarity, only to be accounted for by 
 the sinijular habits of this countrv, is that the manu- 
 factories lately established on the Guadalquivir 
 and other parts of the south, should not liave been 
 attempted in Asturias, where coal is so abundant, 
 wood almost equally so, and water in enormous 
 quantity is poured out in never-failing streams 
 Besides these considerations, there is a dense, and 
 most sober, active and willing population, fitter than 
 almost any in Spain, from their hardy and industrious 
 habits, for manufacturers ; the climate also would 
 appear more favourable to all occupations carried on 
 in doors or under shelter, than that of the southern 
 provinces, where the Andalusians and others find it 
 so difficult to resist the pleasure of " taking the 
 sun," which the glorious luminary is perpetually 
 holdin<j^ out to them, his temptations being much 
 more scantily dealt out in the moist and cloudy 
 region of Asturias.
 
 118 ASTUUIAN COSTUME. 
 
 The food of the peasantry is almost exclusively 
 the maize or Turkey wheat, and the culture of that 
 grain is proportionably great ; all the lands suited 
 to its growth, being applied to that purpose, and 
 watched with quite as much jealousy as the potatoe 
 lands are in some parts of Ireland, and interference 
 with them as narrowly looked after. Potatoes are 
 also in considerable request and the cultivation of 
 them rapidly extending over the country. Chesnuts 
 loo, form a part of their winter provision in the 
 higher valleys. 
 
 The dress of the lower orders of the people is 
 little remarkable for taste or arrangement, either in 
 form or colours. There is little regular costume, 
 but the men are frequently seen in the ugly yellow, 
 dyed from some plant grown in the country, that 
 is the uniform of the cavalry, for which purpose, 
 as far as appearance is concerned, it is singu- 
 larly ill adapted. The women often add bright- 
 coloured handkerchiefs worn on the head and neck, 
 which give a rather picturesque effect in their 
 dances ; I saw some of the tallest men in the groups 
 in the immediate neighbourhood I ever met with in 
 Spain, and some I noticed would be considered first 
 class prizes in our Life Guards. If Frederick were 
 living and possessed steamers, we might expect to 
 hear of cases of abduction, and some of these men 
 and women also, being carried back to the country 
 whence their ancestors probably emigrated to this 
 more favoured region. The engineers in their re-
 
 XEFE POLITICO. 1 IQ 
 
 ports to Government, complain of the indisposition 
 of the people to work in the mines and there is 
 little doubt that as long as they have abundance of 
 food, and the amusements they are so much attached 
 to, this evil, if it be one, will not readily be cured. 
 
 We must proceed to some notice of the political 
 state of the province, which was rather remarkable, 
 as hitherto no attempt to disturb the functions of 
 Government had succeeded, although in the town 
 there were parties extremely anxious to effect such 
 an object, and every night meetings were held in 
 the Plaza for the express purpose. Two circum- 
 stances prevented this consummation : the firmness 
 and ability of the Xefe politico, and the assistance 
 of the military authorities, who, by a miracle in 
 Spanish affairs, acted cordially with him. The 
 former personage was a Catalan, a civilian, and well 
 known for his talents and public spirit displayed in 
 other parts of Spain, and a distinguished pro- 
 moter of improvements, especially in the roads, 
 of which we shall hear more hereafter. He was 
 a quiet, gentlemanlike person, stout, with light 
 hair, and so much the appearance of an English- 
 man that he would be taken for one any where. At 
 the outset of the revolt against the Government, 
 being perfectly aware where the root of the evil lay, 
 and the mode of applying the antidote, he managed 
 immediately by skill and address, to procure money, 
 not only to pay the arrears due to the troops, but 
 by his influence in (ialicia. where he had previ-
 
 120 AGITATORS IN OVIEDO. 
 
 • 
 
 oiisly served, obtained the liquidation of some an- 
 tiquated bonds or certificates, that had been given to 
 tlicm at some anterior period, but had never been 
 paid off. This perfectly satisfied the men, and as 
 the commandant of a provincial battalion, that 
 formed the principal force, was a person they stood 
 very much in fear of, reporting him to be a man 
 who would not fear to shed a little blood, the mean- 
 ing of which is, that he would do his duty if called 
 on, hitherto all the attempts of the party in the town 
 had proved unavailing. The military governor was 
 equally firm, and the three, with the troops, were 
 too much for the characters in the place, who, being 
 unable to effect any thing inside, had sent detach- 
 ments of atiitators into the villas^es of the nei«h- 
 bourhood to endeavour to excite the people, but 
 were equally unsuccessful. In Spain, as elsewhere, 
 there is no want of assio^nino^ motives for the con- 
 duct of public as well as private individuals, and 
 as this numerous party generally select bad ones as 
 the more probable, the report was that the two 
 military chiefs were holding out, in hope of promo- 
 tion from the Recent, which thev certainlv merited, 
 and most probably obtained. 
 
 Some circumstances of considerable importance 
 served to support these officers in maintaining the 
 authority of Government. From every account I could 
 collect, the province was in a state very different from 
 that of most others, as the people were not only thriv- 
 ing, but actually becoming richer! — aperfect anomaly
 
 PARDINAS. 121 
 
 and exception to the almost universal rule in these 
 days. The country suffered very little comparatively 
 during the civil war ; Gomez passed through it in his 
 erratic excursion, but was beaten off at Oviedo, 
 and little permanent damage at the villages he 
 merely slept at, ensued. I rather expected to see 
 a monument of some sort to Pardinas, whose 
 activity and courage were so fatal to the Carlists 
 towards the close of the war, who I understood was 
 an Asturian, but I found he was a Galician, and 
 only at Oviedo in command of the Provinciales, 
 when he so much distinguished himself. I was in 
 the habit of seeing some of the parties who were 
 desirous of a change, and fancied I could point 
 out the embryo presidente de la junta, vice-presi- 
 dents, secretaries, and other familiars, who were 
 quite ready to take office, should they have suc- 
 ceeded in getting up the pronunciamento. 
 
 It is now necessary to bring up the narrative of 
 the general state of affairs at the head-quarters of the 
 Government. The papers during my stay arrived 
 very irregularly, and there was some difficulty in 
 ascertaining exactly what had taken place, in con- 
 sequence of the mendacious statements put forth by 
 the Gallo-Christino portion of the press, and the 
 juntas, in the revolted towns, refusing to allow the 
 Government papers circulation, the authorities at 
 Madrid retaliated by proliibiting the issue of any 
 others than those of their own party. This order 
 acted as a prohibition altogotliei', and was not
 
 122 FLAMBOYANT WINDOW. 
 
 • 
 
 only injudicious, but I believe one of the causes 
 that hastened the catastrophe. If the papers were 
 mendacious, the private letters that supplied their 
 place, were still more so, so that it was extremely 
 difficult to know what to believe or what to dis- 
 credit, amongst the heap of absurdities which were 
 put in daily circulation. The important fact, how- 
 ever, became too clearly established, that the Regent 
 was unable to execute his movement on Valencia, 
 and rumours began to be spread that the Gallo- 
 chiefs were on the coast. 
 
 I confess as soon as I was satisfied that the grand 
 effort of the campaign had failed, I considered the 
 case as hopeless, that the time for either receding or 
 advancing had passed, and that there was no longer 
 any hope that the power of the Regent could be 
 maintained. Such was not however the general 
 opinion at Oviedo, and I carefully retained my own 
 impression on the subject. 
 
 Just before my departure I discovered a win- 
 dow at the convent of S. Francisco, which from 
 having been long walled up, had previously escaped 
 my notice. It is a perfect and almost incomparable 
 specimen of the " flamboyant" style of our neigh- 
 bours, and the only one I ever saw in Spain ; the 
 mullions were of extraordinary lightness, and the 
 form fanciful and elegant in the grreatest degree. 
 Whilst engaged in sketching it, two men came up 
 in the common working dress of the town, being 
 mechanics or something of that description. They
 
 XEFE POLITICO. 123 
 
 looked on with the same sort of interest the Italians 
 constantly shew in the remote districts under such 
 circumstances, and after a time entered into conver- 
 sation. They pointed out another window in the 
 convent, but of less interest, that I had remarked 
 before, and after inquiring whether I had seen the 
 churches at Naranco, gave me the valuable infor- 
 mation that there was a very curious old church 
 near Aviles, of which I made a note, and the result 
 will subsequently appear. 
 
 The same evening, previous to setting out for 
 Galicia, after returning home I sent my passport 
 for the regular signature, but the messenger returned 
 with the information that it was too late, as all the 
 authorities had retired for the night, and that the 
 business could not be done before the morning. 
 As 1 had no doubt this was correct, and there was 
 no apprehension of another representation of the 
 Seville scene, I took the passport and went to the 
 house of the Xefe politico, to ask the favour of his 
 despatching me, by affixing his own signature. He 
 immediately invited mc to his cabinet, where we 
 had a conversation on the state of affairs, of the 
 province, and of the kingdom gencrall}^ of which 
 as well as of the person, I shall long retain the 
 remembrance. Our ideas on every point discussed 
 most perfectly coincided, and he considered the 
 case so far hopeless, that he told mc by every post he 
 expected orders to acknowledge the pronunciamento 
 and allow it to take place without violence. These
 
 124 XEFE POLITICO. 
 
 orders however never arrived, for reasons to be 
 explained hereafter, and he continued to hold the 
 province to the very finale. Anfongst other topics 
 I introduced that of " transaccion," or the marrying 
 the Queen to the son of Don Carlos, which formed 
 the subject of the waking dreams of so many persons 
 out of Spain, and of so very few in it. I ought to 
 have apologised to a person like him for the intro- 
 duction of so absurd a question, which was merely 
 for the purpose of hearing the form of reply he 
 would make. He laughed rather impatiently, as 
 greatly surprised I should think of such a plan, and 
 then gave an answer so curious and characteristic, 
 that only the respect for what was in fact almost 
 private conversation, prevents my repeating it. 
 The whole interview, which was rather long, was 
 conducted with the same open candour, and the 
 charm that exists in intercourse with the superior 
 description of this people, to those who understand 
 dealing with them, after their reserve on first 
 acquaintance is laid aside. As far as I could judge, 
 the being able to unburden his mind and commu- 
 nicate freely, which could not be the case in official 
 and public intercourse, under the circumstances of 
 the day, afforded this able functionary equal plea- 
 sure and relief as it conferred on me.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ROAD TO AVILES MANZANERA COAL MINE OF 
 
 ARNAO — ROAD TO GALICIA. 
 
 I HIRED two horses and a guide to carry me to 
 Coruiia, with the reserved power, in case 1 should 
 not approve of them, to dismiss tlicm at Ribadeoj 
 the frontier town of Galicia, and about half w^ay 
 to the destined point. I paid for these horses 
 twenty-eight dollars, which sum covered the ferries 
 and all the expenses of the road. The horses were 
 good — the price rather below that commonly paid 
 for the journey. They sent a remarkably fine young 
 man, a relation of the owner, to accompany me. 
 He had never been beyond the immediate vicinity of 
 the town, but his appearance was so prepossessing 
 that I made no objection to his ignorance of the 
 roads in the wild country we had to traverse, trust- 
 ing to the information we might obtain in passing 
 along. We set out at an early hour, intending to 
 sleep at Aviles, which is out of the common line of 
 road, in order to see the great coal mine of Arnao 
 the followinfjf morninjj. 
 
 The distance from Oviedo to Aviles is five 
 leao-ues ; the road, soon after vou ■ are clear of the 
 town being very bad, and in winter-time parts arc 
 almost impassable. At a short distance we crossed
 
 126 ROAD TO AVILES. 
 
 a valley traversed by a pretty stream, on the banks 
 of which stands a chapel, with a group of most 
 noble trees of different kinds, reminding me of the 
 scenery in the neighbourhood of our lakes. I 
 gathered the seed of a platano or sycamore tree that 
 was one of the group, but, although fully formed, 
 it was not mature, and has not veo'etated even 
 under the care of the directors of the Horticultural 
 gardens. 
 
 Beyond this, the exertions of my friend the Xefe 
 politico were very evident, for we met groups of 
 peasantry, amounting to some hundreds, engaged in 
 opening out an entire new line of carretera, or car- 
 riage road to connect Aviles with Oviedo. These 
 people were working extremely hard, with the 
 greatest hilarity and cheerfulness, romping and 
 laughing as they carried on the various occupa- 
 tions they were engaged in, but without the smallest 
 intermission to their exertions. The chief part of 
 the labourers were women, who did all the lighter 
 work, the heavier duty of excavating and breaking 
 out the materials chiefly devolving on the men, and 
 there were some remarkably fine specimens of both 
 sexes amonorst them. 
 
 o 
 
 I arrived early at Aviles, and after dinner set out 
 for Manzanera, in compliance with the request of 
 my friends at Oviedo previously mentioned, expect- 
 ing to find another specimen of old Asturian archi- 
 tecture. After crossing a long bridge and causeway 
 over the ria or estuary of the place, I entered a tract
 
 CHURCH OF MANZANERA. 127 
 
 of open country, exactly like parts of Cornwall, with 
 patches of cultivated ground and open heath. The 
 distance from Aviles is about a league, and the line 
 extremely difficult to keep, from the number of 
 tracks crossing each other, and diverging in all 
 directions to the hamlets and single houses that stud 
 the district. 
 
 I found the church to be situated in an open 
 field, not very near any village or habitation, ex- 
 cepting a tower which has been converted into a 
 residence, and is about half a mile distant. It was 
 very evident from the exterior, the building was of 
 a quite different style from that anticipated, and of 
 a more recent date ; but it was closed, and as I was 
 oblii^ed to send a messeno^er for the sacristan, who 
 lived at some distance, I occupied the time he was 
 absent in copying the following curious verses, which 
 were painted on the wall of a spacious open porch, 
 that covers the entire west end of the church, 
 serving also as Campo Santo or burying ground of 
 the parish : — 
 
 1. 
 
 De Manzanera vivientes 
 Miraz que habeis de morir 
 Y todos podeis decir 
 Estos versos siguieiites. 
 
 2. 
 
 Aqui, hoi tciiemos 
 La silcnciosa uiansiou 
 Donde la resurrection 
 Dela canip, esperarcnios.
 
 128 CURIOUS VERSES. 
 
 3. 
 En esta casa se ospeda 
 A los jobenes y ancianos 
 A su pasto de gusanos 
 Sin que aliviarles se pueda. 
 
 4. 
 Con fuerza ni con moneda 
 Sino con obras piadosas 
 Sacrificios y otras cosas 
 Per las que se conceda 
 El salir de Manzanera 
 Almas triumphautes, Gloriosas. 
 
 1 . You who live at Manzanera, remember you are to die, and 
 may all repeat these following verses. 
 
 2. Here, this day, we have the silent abode, where we must 
 await the resurrection of the flesh. 
 
 3. In this house are received, young and old, for the food of 
 worms, without the possibiUty of remission. 
 
 4. By neither strength or riches, but with works of mercy and 
 other pious sacrifices, it is granted to quit Manzanera, the souls 
 in triumph and in glory. 
 
 Below, is inscribed the following quatrain : — 
 
 Bello fue el autor poeta, 
 Bello es en todo sentido, 
 Bello es en su contenido, 
 Bella es esta quarteta. 
 
 The author's name is Bello, and the epigram- 
 matic quatrain was added by a friend. 
 
 I had nearly finished the copy of these verses, the 
 simplicity and piety of which are sufficiently strik- 
 ing, when the sacristan arrived. He was evidently
 
 SENOR BELLO. 129 
 
 surprised, and not very much pleased at the sum- 
 mons, and in finding the unusual appearance of a 
 stranger at his little frequented spot. Before at- 
 tempting to make use of the keys in his hand, he 
 inquired most particularly into my reasons for 
 wishing to see the church, which was natural 
 enough, as I have little douht he thought it might 
 be a visit from the authorities, preparatory to paying 
 him off, and shutting up the establishment ; in a 
 little time, however, he regained his equilibrium, 
 not only performing the duties of cicerone most 
 perfectly, but I had the greatest difficulty to be 
 excused going to his house and partaking his 
 hospitality. The ice was very much broken by the 
 interest I expressed respecting the inscription, and 
 I felt not a little surprised, on inquiring who the 
 author was, to find I was addressing Senor Bello 
 himself. 
 
 The outer door is of pure Norman, with a cir- 
 cular arch and three columns, receding on each 
 side, the inside one being short, and very good 
 work ; the inner part is simple, and of good design ; 
 the capitals of the columns all differ from each other. 
 
 The interior opened a goodly view, the altar being 
 raised and separated from the chancel by a Norman 
 arch, without exception the most beautiful I ever 
 beheld, and covering the entire space. The orna- 
 mental part is designed and cut in the most bold 
 and masterly style possible to conceive ; and from 
 I its beinof covered in, the carviiifr of the sandstone 
 
 VOL. U. K
 
 130 CHURCH OF MANZANERA, 
 
 was as perfect as the day the workmen turned it out 
 of hand. The altar is placed in an apsis. The length 
 of the church inside is about sixty, and the breadth 
 about twenty feet. A peculiarity in the building 
 is, that there appears to have been no window, but 
 on the south side some extremely small openings have 
 been made to supply the deficiency ; no doubt after 
 the doorway at the west was covered by the porch, 
 and the light admitted by it was excluded in con- 
 sequence. At the east end there is a small circular 
 window with a column at each side, and the angles 
 as well as the extremity are also ornamented by 
 engaged columns. The roof at that part is of stone, 
 resting on corbels, the extremities of which are 
 curiously carved with birds and other animals. T 
 imaf]^ined the whole buildino- had been roofed in 
 the same manner ; and on making the observation, 
 an elderly peasant w^ho was there, said he remem- 
 bered its falling in, and being replaced by the 
 modern cover of tiles. The cornice is now formed 
 in the manner already mentioned at Oviedo, by im- 
 bedding tiles in mortar, so as to leave the ends pro- 
 jecting in lines above each other ; this style is 
 called in Asturias Jarroz, but I think it is a pro- 
 vincial term. 
 
 I observed at the outside angle of the porch a 
 rude fire place, with evident marks of being in 
 constant use. The situation was such, that it was 
 extremely difficult to conjecture the object of it ; 
 and after trying some time without success, I made
 
 BELONGED TO THE TEMPLARS. 131 
 
 inquiries, when they told me, it was for the pur- 
 pose of warming chocolate for the Cura after he 
 had said mass, as he lived at some distance from 
 the place ; a rather peculiar and characteristic 
 mark of attention to the pastor, and creditable to 
 him as well as his parishioners, giving another 
 proof of the terms on which these parties live in 
 Spain. 
 
 According to the tradition of the place this 
 church belonged to the Templars, and no doubt the 
 tower adjacent, although there appeared to be 
 nothino- in the exterior of the last buildins" to 
 mark the date, was once connected with it. They 
 spoke in high terms of the proprietor, who is a 
 lawyer, and wished me to pay him a visit, but the 
 time already expended and my engagements at Aviles, 
 prevented my doing so. 
 
 Amongst other peculiarities of this curious edi- 
 fice, that of the lighting is not the least remarkable, 
 as it evidently shews a connection with the style 
 and practice of the East, to which region the Nor- 
 man remains in Spain have considerable affinity. 
 In fact, this building, with the exception of the 
 ornamental part of the zigzag, which I believe is 
 European ; with its walls unbroken by light, save at 
 the east end and the single entrance door, is ex- 
 actly such a structure as it might be supposed the 
 Crusaders, with a little variation, may have im- 
 ported from the oriental regions they visited. I 
 can find no notice of this church in any book I have 
 consulted ; and although frequented for the pur- 
 
 K 2
 
 132 AVILES. 
 
 pose of " Romeria" on certain days, by the people 
 of Avilcs, it is so little known in the country, that 
 without the information given by my friends, the 
 operatives at Ovicdo, I should infallibly have re- 
 mained in ignorance that this curious relic of the 
 11th century existed. 
 
 The town of Aviles stands upon the bank of an 
 insignificant stream, but the tide flows up, making 
 an ample ria, and reminding me of some of the 
 small harbours in Wales. Part of the adjacent 
 grounds are flooded, and an individual had lately 
 commenced an embankm.ent, the result of which 
 will probably return a good interest for his expen- 
 diture. The town is well and substantially built, 
 with a good plaza, and in parts of the streets are 
 arcades to the houses ; the inn is excellent but dear, 
 and the proprietress is noticed for her attention and 
 kindness to visitors. In all this northern res:ion 
 the manners of the women you have to deal with 
 are infinitely more kind, attentive and affectionate 
 than in any part of the south or centre. This ob- 
 servation applies equally to Asturias, Galicia and 
 the Basque Provinces. 
 
 There is an old church near the harbour, which 
 has a regular Norman entrance, but more orna- 
 mented ^nd less bold and simple in the design 
 than that of Manzanera. On the left of it is a good 
 pointed doorway of nearly equal date, and in the 
 inside is a curious marble tomb with lions at the 
 corners in the style of those at the Alhambra. 
 
 The houses are chiefly modern, but I found a
 
 AVILES. 133 
 
 curious specimen, apparently of the time when it 
 was customary to fortify the residences of indivi- 
 duals. The entrance was by a pointed arch and the 
 window^s of the upper part were divided by a column, 
 forming two arches, and a circular light crowned 
 the whole. 
 
 I had letters to one of the principal proprietors 
 in the place, a man of rank and large fortune, who 
 lives in a spacious house opening from the Plaza, 
 but in the rear is surrounded with gardens and all 
 the farming offices we see about old mansions in 
 England, exceedingly well arranged and containing 
 every sort of convenience. The walls were covered 
 with fruit trees, much in the style and appearance of 
 old places in Cornwall, and the whole exhibiting 
 altogether the most perfect country residence I ever 
 saw in Spain. 
 
 It was market day when I was there ; crowds of 
 people were assembled, in the utmost excitement of 
 cheerful spirits, and they assured mc, on the festival 
 days nothing could exceed the exuberance of their 
 mirth and jollity. 1 never left any part of Spain 
 with more regret than this region, nor is there any 
 T would more willingly revisit. 
 
 The notice of a few trees which came under my 
 observation at Oviedo were omitted. The destruc- 
 tion of almost every good or rare tree within many 
 miles of the capital, makes it difficult to obtain in- 
 formation, and the cabinet-makers to whom I ap- 
 plied, said that for all the best timber they used.
 
 134 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 there was a very long carriage, from quite the inte- 
 rior of the country. The holly is one species they 
 use for furniture and inlaying, and I think the dog- 
 wood. The platano ah-eady mentioned is in very 
 great request, especially for veneering and fine work, 
 such as guitars, for which it is used, as the cypress 
 wood is by the descendants of the Moors in the 
 southern provinces. The most characteristic orna- 
 ment in a botanical point, is the Menziesia polifolia 
 (Irish heath), which grows in such quantities that 
 it might well serve as an emblem of Asturias ; I 
 have seen it not only on the earthen banks that 
 form the enclosures, but have actually observed 
 it on stone walls, growing like a saxifrage or parie- 
 taria, which I never heard of the ericacae doing 
 before. I found a curious orchis near Naranco, but 
 there is little of general botany in this district worth 
 notice ; I observed a flock of the Sturnus unicolor 
 (the black or plain starling) the day I left Oviedo, 
 and was glad to establish the habitat so far to the 
 north, and in a new locality. 
 
 The following day I continued my route to 
 Galicia, intending to see the coal mine of Arnao 
 on the way. After travelling about a league we 
 turned to the right, and shortly after came suddenly 
 to the brink of the sea, at the bottom of a small 
 rocky cove open to the whole Bay of Biscav. 
 Looking down I perceived a small quay, similar to 
 those in parts of the West Indian islands for em- 
 barking the produce of the estates, and a building
 
 COAL MINE OF AIINAO. 135 
 
 or two where they were employed unloading a launch 
 or large boat. This place was immediately below 
 me, at the depth of perhaps 300 feet, but the de- 
 scent was so precipitous, I thought it prudent to 
 leave the horses at the summit, and on descending, 
 found myself at the mouth of the mine of Arnao. 
 The platform occupied by the establishment is just 
 sufficient to allow a house for the resident engineer, 
 room for the bullocks that work the winding engine, 
 and a space for sorting the coals previously to their 
 being put in the launches, which operation is per- 
 formed by women. The height of this platform 
 above the sea is about 30 feet, and every bit of coal 
 they win, undergoes this process, being lowered into 
 the launches in the most primitive manner, and 
 then carried to a sort of harbour at the extremity 
 of the ria of Aviles. The shaft is at present about 
 400 varas or yards in depth, at an angle from 30° 
 to 40°, so that the vein is very far below the bottom 
 of the soft. The whole concern was rather curious ; 
 the depth of the mine ; the thickness of the seam 
 when you are there being nearly 40 feet ; the wind- 
 ing up by bullocks ; the handpicking ; and then 
 striking into the launches, with the wild locality, 
 open in deep water to the whole roar of the wide 
 ocean, struck me more forcibly than any thing I 
 had seen of the same description. Every thing here 
 was in keeping and proportion ; for the contrivances 
 they had to facilitate the working might be supposed
 
 136 COAL MINE. 
 
 to date from the time of Don Pelayo, and to have 
 hecn handed down along with their poetry. 
 
 The directing engineer was a Belgian, a most 
 civil and intelligent person, to whom I could not 
 help suggesting some improvements in the apparatus 
 used at the crane, but he objected to the expense 
 and difficulty of having such orders executed, which 
 I dare say was very true. 
 
 At the summit of the hill, in fact I had passed 
 over it in approaching the place, is another limb 
 of the bed, which has apparently been dislocated, 
 the marks being visible in the disposition of the 
 strata, as you descend to this strange place. This 
 portion has upwards of 30 feet of solid coal without 
 a drop of water, and as soon as they can get the 
 road altered, which is a trifling matter, will be 
 w^orked to day, being barely separated from the 
 surface by a very few feet of soil and shale ! I 
 entered the workings, which extend to some dis- 
 tance, and found them as dry as any rock could 
 possibly be, not the smallest particle of damp being 
 visible. For the present they mean to lower the 
 coal down to the wharf, and ship it off in the pri- 
 mitive manner already described. The difficulty 
 of making a railway to the port of embarkation is 
 absolutely nothing, and the distance is little more 
 than a league, so that it is easy to imagine the 
 degree of enterprise with which their undertakings 
 are carried on. I spoke about a breakwater, but
 
 THE FERRY. 137 
 
 they assured me the sea came in with such violence 
 during the gales, that nothing could possibly with- 
 stand its fury, and the bottom being hard, with the 
 water rather deep close to, oppose great, though 
 probably not insurmountable obstacles to the com- 
 pletion of such an object. 
 
 After leaving Arnao we rejoined the great line of 
 road to Galicia, and soon crossed the Nalon above 
 the ria or estuary of Pravia. The river at the 
 ferry is a noble stream of deep blue and the country 
 bold and picturesque, with an old castle that for- 
 merly commanded the pass. Beyond this the 
 scenery is very much broken, and deep barrancos 
 with beautiful streams in the bottoms, cause great 
 delay in travelling, but occasionally give good geolo- 
 gical sections. The trees are very fine in many 
 places, but the barbarous practice of loppiug the 
 branches prevails, as in most other parts of Spain, 
 depriving them of their greatest beauty. The ches- 
 nut, oak (Q. pedunculata), birch, alder and elder 
 are the species. My guide made acquaintance with 
 a sickly looking man, who was riding a pony, and 
 volunteered, as he said he knew the country, to 
 serve as guide for five leagues of the road, when he 
 should arrive at the point of his destination. Mr. 
 Schultz had given me a note of the inns upon this 
 line, which arc in general excessively bad, but he 
 had not marked any for the mid-day halt, and as we 
 were not to pass any remarkable village, likely to 
 furnish accommodation, our new companion under-
 
 138 THE COUNTRY INN. 
 
 took to point one out He accordingly conducted 
 us to a house, rather well situated, amongst some 
 trees, but that was the sole recommendation it 
 possessed, for on alighting and entering, I found it 
 small, extremely dirty and apparently without any 
 means of accommodation. There was no fire, and in 
 the room I was shewn, two great hulking peasants 
 were regularly in bed. I imagined they were ill, and 
 was retreating, but the woman said they were merely 
 " durmiendo la siesta," sleeping the siesta! I was 
 considering what was best to be done, when the 
 hostess said, " a little further on there is a ' meson' 
 (the name given to posadas in all this part of the 
 country) where they can accommodate you better 
 than I have the means of doing." We then ad- 
 journed, and after crossing a little valley, ascended 
 by a road through some, noble trees, exactly like 
 the back approach to a mansion in some of the finest 
 and best wooded districts of England. This con- 
 ducted us to the " meson," which is a spacious house 
 like those in Switzerland, beinof built much in the 
 same manner. The situation was beautiful in the 
 extreme, shaded with lofty chesnuts and other trees, 
 looking over a small valley, bounded by the moun- 
 tains at the back. Leaving out the lakes, the place 
 of which was supplied by the sea at no great dis- 
 tance, though not in sight ; it reminded me very 
 much of Interlachen in the old time, before the Van- 
 dalic introduction of boarding-houses converted it 
 into a common watering-place. The inside fully
 
 THE HOST. 139 
 
 bore out the pleasing anticipations it was impossible 
 not to entertain, and I was ushered into a spacious 
 room up stairs, provided with everything that could 
 be expected in the country. The windows were 
 open, and I was not sorry to find they never dis- 
 turbed the swallows that were established on the 
 rafters overhead, where they appeared to have 
 been from time immemorial. The attendant was 
 a young woman of most pleasing manners, evi- 
 dently superior to the station she occupied, and 
 I found she was a relation of the host. In an- 
 swer to my question about dinner, she said in a 
 playful manner, *' No hay nada, hemes comido," 
 i.e., " There is nothing ; we have dined :" the 
 well known speech in America, but the mode of de- 
 livering it was somewhat different from that used 
 by our descendants, nor could such unwelcome in- 
 telligence have been conveyed in a more agreeable 
 manner ; whilst in a very short time all I required 
 was produced. I was looking at some old pictures 
 that hung in the room, when the host appeared, 
 and entered into conversation respecting them ; 1 
 found he had been educated in part, at the Insti- 
 tute of Gijon, an establishment founded by Jovel- 
 lanos to facilitate the instruction of the Asturian 
 youth ; he had some notion of drawing, but unfor- 
 tunately had no means in this retired spot of 
 following it up. He was a remarkably fine young 
 man, evidently a proprietor, and not dependent on 
 inn-keeping for his living, and there was every con-
 
 140 SOTO DE IIUDINIA. 
 
 venience of a substantial farm about the place. I 
 asked the attendant whether they had much custom, 
 ■which I suspected could hardly be the case. She 
 said that they had a certain number of amigos de 
 casa, who made a practice of frequenting it, but 
 that otherwise they had little to do in the line of 
 inn-keeping. The name of this place is Soto de 
 Rudinia, and it cannot be too strongly recom- 
 mended to any one who may happen to travel this 
 line, and I doubt, as a country inn, whether any 
 thing like it be found in Asturias ; it is the more 
 necessary to be noticed being at a short distance 
 off the road, and not at all known in the country, 
 I wrote immediately to my friend Mr. Schultz to 
 apprize him of the discovery, which will be more 
 important to geologists than to any other portion of 
 the community, being an excellent head-quarters for 
 this district. 
 
 Beyond this the country became more open, and 
 the heath in greater quantity. We crossed in the 
 day's journey seven of these barrancos, most of them 
 very deep and precipitous. We left the coal mea- 
 sures not a great way beyond Arnao, which is nearly 
 at the extremity of them, and the tract which suc- 
 ceeded so exactly resembled in geology that part 
 of Spain, I could have fancied myself there once 
 more amongst the slates and quartzites of Estre- 
 madura. 
 
 The general line of all this country is a plateau 
 or level, at a moderate distance from, and elevated
 
 COURTESY OF THE PEASANTS. 141 
 
 above the sea, the chain of mountains closinof in 
 on the left, and leaving in places only a small dis- 
 tance at their base. The peasantry were busily 
 engaged in the fields with their maize and potatoes. 
 Nothing could exceed the civility, or the polish of 
 their manners, which are out of all keeping with 
 their dress and external appearance. The road 
 was tolerably good, having been repaired and 
 widened in many places ; but the line was exces- 
 sively difficult to keep, from the number of paths 
 diverging from it to the various hamlets. The 
 people not only gave information when asked, but 
 constantly directed us unsolicited, from their fields, 
 when there was any difficult pass or turn before us. 
 Little boys, who, in all countries, are generally 
 rude and unpolished members of society, ran by the 
 side of the horses, previously taking oif their caps, 
 and asking permission to do so ; and when parting 
 company, said, " Beso la mano, a V. Caballero," 
 with the grace of little courtiers ; a practice J never 
 saw in any part of Spain, or indeed in any other 
 country. We crossed a stream towards the evening 
 by a deep ford, in preference to losing time by 
 waiting for the ferry boat, and on the opposite side 
 found a great number of peasants employed on an 
 extensive operation in remaking the road. This, 
 and all the other improvements I had noticed, were 
 due to my friend the Xefe politico, in whose province 
 we still were travelling. 
 
 I slept at Rarcia, a small hamlet with very few
 
 142 CURE OF A HOnSE. 
 
 houses, but most of them new, half a league short 
 of Luarco, where Mr. Schultz said the inn was 
 excessively bad. The meson was tolerable, and the 
 bed good, but the rooms rather dirty, as usual in 
 this district. One of the attendants was as com- 
 plete a Moor as could be seen at Granada or Murcia, 
 whence no doubt her ancestors had come, and she 
 was totally unlike any thing else to be seen of the 
 native race in this part of the country. 
 
 In the morning, the guide informed me the 
 horse I rode had been so ill in the night that they 
 all despaired of his life, which they had great diffi- 
 culty in saving. This was rather bad news, but 
 would have been worse, had they failed in relieving 
 him. I chid him for not calling me, but I found 
 that very fortunately, in the scanty population of the 
 place, there w'as a man who had some knowledge 
 of farriery ; and had prescribed for the case, which 
 was a severe colic or griping, caused, as they con- 
 jectured, by eating green food on the preceding 
 day when heated with his journey, but it more pro- 
 bably proceeded from his drinking cold water. I 
 inquired the mode they pursued in the treatment, 
 expecting to hear of something original ; when they 
 told me, that after covering him with all the mantas 
 they could muster, and closing every aperture in the 
 confined stable, they had driven in a flock of sheep 
 and shut the door ; when the heat caused the horse 
 to break out into a profuse perspiration, and in- 
 stantly relieved him ! Besides this, they had pre-
 
 LUARCO. 143 
 
 viously given him a drink, principally made from 
 raisins, and other ingredients of no sort of value, 
 and the cure was no doubt effected bv the curious 
 mode 1 have described, which is well worthy of 
 note by those who may have to travel in these wild 
 districts. 
 
 At half a league or rather more from Barcia, 
 we came to the summit of a deep barranco, at the 
 bottom of which stands Luarco. This place is so 
 picturesque and peculiar in the position, that I 
 regretted very much the miserable state of the inn 
 having prevented my sleeping there. The town is 
 well built, with very good houses, standing in a 
 most wild ravine, where two streams unite, and fall 
 at once into the sea by a small sandy beach, with 
 the tide overflowing ; without the ria or estuary, 
 the dirty appearance of which so disfigures the 
 mouths of most other rivers in this part of the 
 country. The sea view is most striking, the coast 
 being extremely bold, and successive headlands 
 closing in, so as to give a perfectly scenic effect to 
 the landscape, the little port or cove forming the 
 foreground. The view inland is equally good, the 
 grounds up the course of the stream b^ing beauti- 
 fully broken, and terminating in the distant chain of 
 mountains ; nothing but wood being wanted to 
 make it the most beautiful sea port or bathing 
 place, upon a small scale, in Europe. 
 
 The Pinaster began to appear, clothing the base 
 of the hills on the left. In despite of care and in-
 
 144 NAVIA. 
 
 quiry we made a mistake in the road, but were 
 shortly set right, by cutting across a tract of wild 
 heath, like Dartmoor, when we recovered the line. 
 I was pointing in a direction I thought would carry 
 me to the bridge over the barranco below, when a 
 man at a very great distance called out to keep 
 higher up, which we did, losing some time by his 
 civility, for the line I had chosen was much shorter 
 and perfectly practicable. In many of the hamlets 
 in this part are towers of ancient date, evidently 
 once serving for defence of the principal houses. 
 They are sometimes inhabited, forming part of the 
 dwellings, and at other times quite detached from 
 them, and are often ornamented with embrasures 
 in the parapets at the upper part. 
 
 We dined at Navia, a small place on the ria of 
 the same name. The houses are badly built and 
 grouped together, on a sort of promontory a little 
 raised above the marshy banks of the stream, but 
 the streets are filthy and w^ere crowded with mar- 
 ket people. The inn was tolerable and a contrast 
 in the culinary department with that of the preced- 
 ing day, as on entering the kitchen to reconnoitre, 
 I found a goodly array of ollas, containing savoury 
 messes of various kinds, to an extent rarely witnessed 
 in Spain. There were three or four sorts of fish, 
 not badly cooked, oil being fortunately scarce and 
 dear, so that they were obliged to use butter or lard. 
 There were two people in the room where I dined ; 
 a female of most prepossessing appearance, with
 
 THE FERRY. 145 
 
 clear complexion and blue eyes with a profusion of 
 the darkest hair, like the Virgins of Murillo; the man 
 was dressed in peasant's costume, and I presumed 
 was a wealthy proprietor, but evidently of inferior 
 grade to the lady. The people said they were 
 novios or a couple on the point of marriage, and as 
 they were engaged in making purchases, their re- 
 ports were more than probably correct. 
 
 The style, appearance, manner, and language of 
 the people began to exhibit a visible change as we 
 were approaching Galicia, where the race is different 
 from that of Asturias, and there was evidently a 
 mixture of the two in the numerous population 
 assembled at the market. We crossed the ferry 
 in a boat crammed with these people, who reminded 
 me very much of the lower orders in some parts of 
 Ireland, so much you might imagine the party were 
 crossing the Shannon. They were badly dressed, 
 but in high spirits, laughing and joking, and 
 bantering the ferryman on the large sura they said 
 he would receive from the strangers. The view 
 from the rising ground opposite is very striking, 
 and the country above the place is beautiful, with 
 substantial looking country houses, resembling those 
 in some parts of Devonshire and Cornwall, but 
 with magnificent back grounds terminating the 
 distance. 
 
 The guide had made acquaintance with a man 
 travelling to Ribadeo, who promised to accompany 
 us, but after waiting some time I proceeded without 
 
 VOL. II. L
 
 146 ULEX STRICTA. 
 
 him, and we soon picked up another on foot, who 
 offered to perform the same service. The country 
 between the Navia and Ribadeo is extremely wild 
 and little cultivated, with boggy lands and open 
 forest, very much like some parts of Germany, but 
 the Ulex stricta, or upright gorse, made rather a 
 distinction from that region. I observed they had 
 spaces inclosed in many parts where this plant was 
 grown, for the purpose of being cut down and 
 carried to the fold yards. The trees were chiefly 
 oak and pinaster, the latter never being allowed to 
 grow to any considerable size, and generally muti- 
 lated by pruning the branches. 
 
 The cattle are small, but neat and clean made, 
 not unlike the Kerry breed, but I think better 
 shaped. The sheep are black and badly bred, but 
 very numerous, forming with the oxen the principal 
 part of their stock. 
 
 My guide and the companion we had picked up 
 very soon became intimate, and concerted a plan of 
 operations without consulting me, or even hinting a 
 w^ord on the subject. When we were within about 
 a league of Ribadeo, we made a turn to the left, 
 which I evidently saw was a departure from the direct 
 line of road, and on inquiry I was informed that they 
 proposed crossing the wide ria at Castropol, which 
 is nearly opposite to Ribadeo, but higher up, and 
 to the left of the great line of road. I knew the 
 resources in these parts too well to like this pro- 
 posal, and I urged the probability of there not being
 
 CASTROPOL. 147 
 
 boats fit to embark the horses. To all the objec- 
 tions that I could urge, they had answers ready 
 prepared, and at last when every thing else was 
 likely to fail, my own guide said that it was the 
 custom of their house to ship the horses at that 
 point, and not at the regular ferry. I then yielded, 
 but with some misgivings as to the consequences. 
 The pedestrian was a native, as he said, of Castropol, 
 and consequently was perfectly acquainted with 
 every thing about the place. 
 
 We skirted the bay for some distance, there 
 being just tide sufficient to allow us to pass at the 
 foot of the rocks, whence the views are exceedingly 
 pretty, much resembling those on the upper parts 
 of Hamoaze. When we arrived at the outskirts of 
 Castropol, the first thing I noticed was the disap- 
 pearance of our friend, which did not tend to remove 
 my suspicions that he had misled us. I rode up a 
 steep and narrow street to the Plaza, near the 
 summit of a plateau, on which the better part of 
 the town stands, and by this time we were assailed 
 by a troop of men, women, and children clamouring 
 about the boats to carry us over. They said, there 
 was not only no horse boat, but that from the 
 embarcadero of the towTi the animals could not 
 possibly be embarked. In fact, it was a very steep 
 and slippery staircase, the lower part perpendicular 
 or nearly so, and ending in very deep water at the 
 bottom. They said there was a good boat ready 
 for us, but that we must go to a certain place higher 
 
 L 2
 
 118 CASTROPOL. 
 
 up the bay, in order to ship the horses. I accord- 
 ingly followed a set of urchins they had detached 
 for the purpose of escorting me, and crossing some 
 garden and other ground, came to a precipitous bank 
 with deep water close to it, where a common four- 
 oared boat was waiting to receive us. Besides the 
 danger of getting the horses into the boat in such 
 a place, it was quite out of the question trusting 
 them and our own lives in such a conveyance, and 
 I at once told the guide we must go round to the 
 regular ferry on the great line of road we had left. 
 He did not relish this plan, but said nothing, 
 loitering behind as I was passing through the town, 
 and after losing some time, I found him in company 
 with a young man, the son of the proprietor of the 
 horses, who had left Oviedo with another party a 
 little after us. This person did not approve m^y 
 intention of going to the o^her ferry, and at first 
 was disposed to speak rather authoritatively on the 
 subject, but I soon silenced him by observing that 
 if any error were committed, it was by the guide, 
 who had persisted in coming this way, contrary to 
 my opinion and wish ; and that as I had hired the 
 horses from his father, I had nothing whatever to do 
 with him ; he said not a word after this, being only 
 anxious that we should cross over from our present 
 position. I then asked whether he would take the 
 responsibility of embarking the horses, and stand 
 the loss in case of accident, and on his answering 
 in the affirmative, we began to make preparations
 
 SCENE AT THE FERRY. 149 
 
 for the purpose. Castropol is a place where the 
 principal portion of the inhabitants appear to live 
 by fishing, or similar pursuits, and as this sort of 
 population have been very much the same in all 
 countries since the time of Homer, who first de- 
 scribed them, we had a curious scene of noise and 
 wrangling about the fares and other arrangements, 
 consequent on our having unexpectedly offered such 
 a prize to their cupidity, as we had done by the folly 
 of committing ourselves to their charge. Whilst 
 we were in discussion about the horses, they had 
 moved a large boat round, and were lying off upon 
 their oars, and a large portion of the population 
 being assembled, of all ages and descriptions, they 
 made a noise rivallinor that of the nem-oes on the 
 jetty at Jamaica, every one who could possibly have 
 an excuse joining in the clamour, and the only 
 party absent being our friend the guide, who never 
 gave the smallest assistance in extricating us from 
 the trouble his ill-judged interference had caused. 
 When every thing else was arranged, the serious 
 part of the price to be paid had to be settled. W itli 
 this I had nothing to do, but left it to the guide, on 
 whom they made a most exorbitant demand. I 
 then mounted my horse, and made a show of starting 
 for the other ferry, which produced an immediate 
 abatement. I listened, without taking any part, and 
 when, after considerable wrangling, they were 
 screwed down to a rather moderate key, told the 
 man to pay what he had calculated as the proper 
 rate, and I would make up tlie difterence. After
 
 150 RIBADEO. 
 
 this every thing was quiet, and we proceeded with 
 the emharkation. I had no fears about this boat, 
 which had six oars, being regularly built for the 
 sea, fit for the Bay of Biscay ; but the stern sheets 
 were small, and there was little room for the horses, 
 which completely filled them. These animals, like 
 most of the better sort of the Spanish breed, were 
 extremely docile, and entered from the beach over 
 the gunwale with very little trouble ; they were 
 very much frightened when we first put off, but 
 soon became quiet, and we crossed the beautiful ria 
 without difficulty. 
 
 I had some hopes of being accompanied to this 
 point by Mr. Schultz, but to my very great regret he 
 was unable to finish the business he had been engaged 
 in, previous to my leaving Oviedo ; and I suspected 
 also very justly preferred remaining in the place, 
 to travelling, in the unsettled state of the country, 
 in which he might in some way or other be com- 
 promised or put to inconvenience. 
 
 I was recommended to the house of a French- 
 man at Ribadeo, but there was some difficulty in 
 making the place out, and found that he was lately 
 dead. His widow, however, an old Spanish woman, 
 continued to carry on the concern, and although 
 very small, the accommodation was good. My 
 guide was obliged to go elsewhere with the horses, 
 and he told me the meson where he slept was 
 extremely good, which is noted for the use of 
 travellers, although I do not particularly recollect 
 the designation of the house.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ENTRY INTO GALICIA — JUNTA RIBADEO — HONDO- 
 
 NEDO — VILLALBA — BETANZOS — CORUNA. 
 
 I FOUND the place in a state of pronunciamento, a 
 condition it shared with nearly the whole kingdom 
 of Galicia, for which I was perfectly prepared. 
 Shortly before this, the junta, finding it impossible 
 to prevail on the Asturians on the opposite side of 
 the bay to join them, had actually put an embargo 
 on the frontier, and allowed no one to cross the bay 
 from the Galician side. I imagine the reason for 
 this order, which is very characteristic of a junta, 
 had been the fear of reaction and possibly some 
 latent apprehension from the activity of the authori- 
 ties at Oviedo. I made no inquiry as to the parties 
 whohadsuddenly travelled from that place, as already 
 mentioned ; but from several circumstances that 
 occurred, I had no doubt they were emissaries, sent 
 on some mission to confer with the authorities at 
 Ribadeo, and most probably to ask assistance from 
 them. 
 
 In the evening, I was sent for to the Ayunta- 
 micnto, not specially, but, as they informed mc, every 
 stranger or traveller had to undergo the same rou- 
 tine. In the phrase that used to be the fashion
 
 152 RIBADEO. 
 
 with the Americans during the war, ** I was treated 
 politely," nor could anything exceed the civility 
 of the Alcaldes, who received me very well and ac- 
 companied me down stairs after the interview, the 
 greatest mark of attention that can be paid in Spain. 
 They informed me that there was no news from Ma- 
 drid, as the journals were entirely stopped, and some 
 private intelligence they gave proved afterwards to be 
 incorrect, another proof of what was observed in the 
 account of the transactions at Oviedo, respecting the 
 bad effects of stopping the communications. At 
 the door of their habitation were mounted sentinels 
 with muskets and white hat-covers, but no other 
 uniform. 
 
 The town is tolerably well built and regularly 
 laid out, many of the houses being provided with 
 arcades, a most comfortable arrangement in this 
 or any climate. The situation is on the precipitous 
 bank of the noble ria, which is wide, and of a deep 
 sea blue, and were it not for the bar near the entrance 
 there would be accommodation for a fleet. Cas- 
 tropol at this distance reminded me of Saltash, but 
 is situated higher and bolder than that town. In 
 Italy, these two places would have probably been 
 rival republics, and the ria and adjacent banks in 
 early times the scene of the exploits of their pigmy 
 fleets and armies. 
 
 On the very summit of the hill is a large open 
 Plaza, with an alameda that might be made extremely 
 fine from the commandinir situation. At one cor-
 
 KIBADEO. J 53 
 
 ner is tlie spacious, but dirty and neglected church 
 of the Franciscans, which has been reserved as a 
 parroquia, but stands very much in need of being 
 cleaned and put in order. At the other end are the 
 foundations of another spacious church unfinished, 
 in fact little raised above the level of the ground, 
 but there is sufficient to shew the desiofn was of 
 good style. The reason of its never having been 
 finished, they told me, was the opposition of a 
 wealthy individual, who feared the annoyance to his 
 house from the bells ! This happened many years 
 ago, when the ecclesiastical power was in great 
 splendour, and I never heard a similar instance of 
 interference with anything undertaken under their 
 influence. 
 
 Whilst walking about, I w^as followed by a boy 
 who had not the appearance of a beggar, but was 
 muttering something in a low voice at intervals 
 which I could not make out ; I desired him to speak 
 out, when he said " La puntita del cigarro por mi 
 padre," " The end of the cigar for my father :" the 
 only time I ever noticed this most humble and 
 lowly, as well as affectionate mode of soliciting cha- 
 rity. 
 
 Mr. Schultz has discovered some workings of tin 
 mines in the outer part of the ria, beyond Cas- 
 tropol, which are, I think, in the granite that occurs 
 here ; but I did not hear of their being resumed, 
 although it is extremely probable they would repay 
 the cost of clearing out. I understood thcv were
 
 154 MONDONEDO. 
 
 near the water level, and that they were now filled 
 with vegetation and bog, which the damp of the cli- 
 mate causes to be rapidly produced. A short time 
 before I passed, some bullocks had been bought for 
 exportation to England, but they must have been 
 of very different quality from any I saw in the 
 vicinity. 
 
 I was so well pleased with the horses and guide, 
 notwithstanding the scrape his youth and inexpe- 
 rience had led him into the preceding day, that I 
 kept them on the remainder of the journey, and in 
 the morning took the longer road to Coruiia by 
 Mondohedo and Villalba. I had the choice of three 
 plans, one of crossing the country to Ferrol, w^hich 
 Colonel Elorza advised me to do, but the state of 
 the country indisposed me, very fortunately as it 
 happened, from following this plan. To Coruiia 
 there are two lines, one by Puentes de Garcia Ro- 
 driofuez, which is the shortest and most difficult for 
 a stranofer, and I determined on taking- the more 
 frequented communication through Mondonedo and 
 Villalba, sleeping at the latter place, and the fol- 
 lowing day make either Betanzos or Coruua, as time 
 might admit. 
 
 We crossed a dreary country to within two 
 leagues of Mondonedo, where it begins to improve ; 
 and the situation of that place is extremely good, 
 being towards the head of an Alpine valley, with 
 fine character in the landscape, and the remains of 
 the ancient forest still standing in scanty fragments.
 
 TROOP OF MARAGATOS. 155 
 
 The town is well built, and the streets clean, for 
 which the precipitous position, and their being well 
 flagged in this rainy climate, gives great facility. It 
 is the seat of a bishopric, but the church was closed, 
 and I could not obtain admittance. There are tombs 
 mentioned in the books as existing there ; over the 
 entrance is a heavy circular window. At the upper 
 end of the town is the alameda, and every thing 
 about it appeared respectable and well kept, like a 
 miniature capital. 
 
 At the entrance of the town I met with a troop of 
 Maragatos, travelling towards Ribadeo, with the 
 most magnificent mules I ever beheld, trappings 
 and every thing else proportionate. I drew on one 
 side to let them pass, having no wish to encounter 
 their heels in the narrow lane, when the leader im- 
 mediately formed in my rear, and the whole filed 
 successively and quite regularly behind him; giving 
 the men, who were in the rear, and were not up in 
 time to prevent them executing this mana^uvre, 
 some trouble to reform the line. 
 
 From the summit of the town there is a long and 
 dreary cuesta or hill of nearly a league, when you 
 pass along an elevated table for about the same 
 distance, or rather more. All this upper region is 
 wild and almost uncultivated, excepting in scanty 
 patches, cleared for the purpose of growing rye. 
 I rode forward, and conversed with some men who 
 were enffafjed in stubbing the furze to make wav 
 for the crop. They told me, that after one crop,
 
 156 THE TAMBOQA. 
 
 the land lay for many years before it recovered a 
 state fit to renew the process. They work with 
 large mattocks, taking out the entire sod for about 
 a foot from the surface. Some of this is carried to 
 the fold yards, and the rest burned, and a little 
 manure laid on, when they have a very heavy crop, 
 much beyond any thing I ever saw in Estremadura 
 or the Castiles ; but the system is excessively bad, 
 and I could easily see, by the appearance of the 
 vegetation, where the crops had been raised in 
 former years, from the exhaustion of the soil. They 
 agreed that it would be better to enclose a part, and 
 crop it successively, but custom, the sovereign 
 law in Spain, forbade it. These men were rather 
 of the superior class of peasantry, and of very good 
 manners, speaking pure Castilian, and no way 
 answering the description given of the G alleges by 
 the Andalusians. 
 
 After traversing this table, we descended a little, 
 crossing a rivulet that is one of the right feeders of the 
 Miiio, and at a short distance came to the Tamboga, 
 a most beautiful stream of some importance, which 
 we crossed by abridge. The country along the banks 
 of this river is rather pretty, being well wooded, 
 and in parts decently cultivated, with small cottages 
 and single houses, but no village or even hamlet 
 appeared in the whole distance from Mondofiedo to 
 Villalba. At about a league distance we came to a 
 flat and dreary tract of moor, with vast quantities 
 of birch, and in many places the soil was black and
 
 VILLALBA. 157 
 
 a perfect bog. The oak is in considerably quantity, 
 generally the Q. pedunculata ; and I also observed 
 the Q. Cerris, which I have no doubt is more 
 abundant lower down the Miiio. A new road was 
 commenced in places, of great breadth, and evi- 
 dently intended to be a carretera, but had been left 
 with little more than the lines traced out. This 
 was done by my friend the Xefe politico of Oviedo, 
 who was formerly in this province, where he had 
 taken very active measures in causing the repairs 
 and construction of roads ; but as usual in Spain, 
 he had been removed elsewhere, and his successors 
 had no idea of following up what he had commenced 
 to so good purpose. 
 
 The views to the south were of great extent, and 
 this part of the country is evidently a regular 
 table, although not so described in the books or 
 maps. After traversing a considerable distance of 
 this swampy land, reminding me of some part of 
 Bohemia, we reached Villalba. The approach, 
 which is at the east end, is covered by a large 
 octagon tower, resembling at a distance that of 
 Cecilia Mctella, with the base covered by out- 
 works, belonging to a family in the place, and is 
 very much out of repair. Soon after nightfall a 
 noise of music commenced in the Plaza, and con- 
 tinued almost all night, accompanied at intervals 
 with the firing of squibs, and other fireworks of the 
 most miserable description. The object of this was 
 to celebrate the election of a deputy to the general
 
 158 THE LADRA. 
 
 congress of Galicia, intended to be convened shortly 
 at Lugo, a kind of double and permanent pronuncia- 
 mento, by which the raising taxes and all other 
 functions of government were to be discharged. 
 The authorities were fortunately so much engaged 
 in the operation, that I was not troubled by any 
 summons to attend them. 
 
 The inn is tolerable for the interior of Galicia, 
 and the beds clean ; but there was no white bread, 
 the only kind that appeared to be used, being rye. 
 In the morning they informed me that the bridge 
 over the Ladra had been broken down by the floods 
 of the spring, and that I should have a considerable 
 round to make, tlirough a rather intricate country. 
 I therefore took a guide from the place, and crossed 
 the river lower down by a deep ford, near a wear 
 for taking the trout, which they said were some- 
 times four pounds weight. This stream, in scale 
 and appearance resembles the sister Taraboga, and 
 was clear as the very crystal. We then ascended 
 the right bank for a considerable distance, through 
 broken corn lands and other cultivated ground, 
 interspersed with trees, amongst which I saw the 
 Q. Tosa, arriving at the point of the river that we 
 ought to have crossed, had the bridge been in 
 proper order. 
 
 After leaving the banks of the Ladra we soon 
 emerged from the cultivated ground, and came to wild 
 and open heaths witll hills of gradual elevation, re- 
 minding rae very much of some part of the country on
 
 FEMALE LABOUR. 159 
 
 the borders of Scotland : the vegetation is similar to 
 that seen on the road from Mondonedo. The 
 Cytisus floribundus of the Germans, was in great 
 quantity, and there were a few oaks, but the birch 
 forms the greatest part of the timber in this dis- 
 trict. The roads or rather paths were very 
 numerous, each scattered hamlet or single house 
 having its own line ; and as they are exactly the 
 same in size and appearance, it is extremely diffi- 
 cult to keep the direction. We made one mistake 
 from my own fault in neglecting a caution given by 
 a man I spoke to, but were soon set right by a young 
 woman of rather singular appearance, who spoke 
 only the rudest Galician, which I should have had 
 some difficulty to comprehend, but for the help of 
 the signs that accompanied her uncouth diction. 
 We halted at the foot of a hill in a romantic nook, 
 and after ascending a long heathy hill, came to a 
 meson or venta at the summit. A group of women 
 were lying on the ground under shelter of an 
 outhouse, to whom I spoke; and in answer tomy ques- 
 tion as to their being tired, observed, " We may 
 well be so with the work we have to do," which I 
 fully credited. In fact, we met some of them on 
 this line of country, staggering under weights they 
 ' carried on their head, that would excite amazement 
 in many parts of the world. One portion of the 
 toils that devolve on the females is to carry home 
 the loads their helpmates have grubbed up for tiro 
 wood, or for the use of the stock, and it is merely 
 tlieir proportion of the daily labour.
 
 1 60 BETANZOS. 
 
 This venta, which is of the rudest description, 
 stands near the summit of the pass, from which is a 
 most extensive and magnificent view over the north 
 of Galicia, and the ocean beyond it. From this we 
 began to descend, when in about an hour, pines ap- 
 peared, and the country resembled a partly cleared 
 forest. We descended continually for three hours, 
 the cultivation improving as we advanced, but with- 
 out any habitation, or hardly a sign of one being 
 visible. The pines occupied the highest part of this 
 tract, and were succeeded by a zone of oak, with a 
 few other trees ; and after making our way through 
 most intricate and difficult roads and paths, we 
 emerged at once into an enormous vineyard, un- 
 broken by any other cultivation, in the middle of 
 which stands the town of Betanzos. I could not 
 obtain information as to the reason of the vast 
 despoblado existing in such a vicinity, where I ex- 
 pected to find better cultivation and habitations ; 
 but it is very probably caused by the nature of the 
 holdings, and that the late possessors were monks 
 of some kind or other, or the secular clergy, not 
 improbably the chapter of Santiago. 
 
 Betanzos is well situated, on a kind of peninsula, 
 and as there are curious old granite gateways to 
 many of the streets, might have admitted a Spanish 
 defence in the narrow lanes. There is an excellent 
 inn, where they brought me an admirable con- 
 somme, a rare article in Spain, and doubly accept- 
 able after the late roush travellinor. After dinner, 
 finding there was time enough to reach Coruiia in
 
 CORUNA. l6l 
 
 the evening, I set out for that place. The ride 
 or drive from Betanzos to Coruila is one of the very 
 best and most pleasing in Spain. The country is 
 highly diversified, and richly cultivated, producing 
 all sorts of crops in abundance. The views ex- 
 hibit mountain and water in the greatest perfection, 
 being finely broken and designed, reminding me, 
 but on a larger scale, of the districts of the lower 
 parts of Switzerland, as that of the Gaster, near the 
 Lake of Zurich. I entered Coruila just before 
 nightfall, and although a regular fortress, seaport 
 and chief place of the province, (Cosas de Espaila) 
 not a sentinel was mounted in the works. 
 
 VOL. ir. 
 
 M
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 CORUNA — PROCESSION — COSTUME CHURCHES. 
 
 The day after my arrival, preparations were 
 made for a fiesta, which at first I thought must be 
 connected with the pronunciamento, and the new 
 order of thinofs ; but it turned out to be one of a 
 set of ceremonies that take place at certain intervals, 
 and have survived the downfal of the greater part 
 of the ancient church solemnities. The procession 
 was formed and started from the church of St. 
 Nicolas de Bari, who was the patron of the day. 
 The statue of the saint, with the children he re- 
 leased from martyrdom, formed one group : a 
 most extraordinary looking angel followed next, 
 dressed in a loose tunic of blue silk, resembling 
 those in the ballets, with flounces and trimming of 
 various sorts. He wore a flowing peruke of very 
 common hair, and imitations of jewellery and pre- 
 cious stones in various parts, so that the costume 
 belonged rather to the female than the male sex : 
 the lower extremities were so carefull}' covered, 
 that he might have been thought to be equipped 
 by a committee of young ladies at New York or 
 Philadelphia. A child accompanied him, to which 
 he was supposed to ofllciate as guardian, who was 
 dressed in corresponding style, but the proportions 
 
 i
 
 RELIGIOUS PROCESSION. l63 
 
 of this figure were so curious, the head so large, 
 and the whole air so singular, that the attention 
 was rivetted to it, being in fact a complete cari- 
 cature of sculpture. The Virgin and S. Ignacio 
 formed part of the suite, and were rather good 
 sculpture of the painted style. The whole was 
 preceded by the Gaita Gallega, or national 
 bagpipe of Galicia, one of the least noisy or disso- 
 nant of the tribe, and improved by a small sharp 
 drum, like those used by children, but struck in 
 a particular manner to mark the time and break 
 the monotony of the most unmusical of instruments. 
 A procession of priests and of national guards 
 brought up the rear, and many halts were made in 
 the streets, the time being occupied in singing, 
 whilst the soldiers knelt with presented arms, 
 producing a very good cfibct ; the whole was con- 
 ducted with the order and solemnity of the olden 
 time. 
 
 There are several peculiarities to be noted in the 
 costumes of this place. The women of the higher 
 class, wear the regular mantilla at the paseo, and 
 are as completely Spanish in style as the Andaluzas ; 
 but those of the bourgeoisie are dressed in a quite 
 different mode. A showy "foulard," or English 
 printed handkercliief of the new fashion, is tied 
 loosely over the head, hanging down in a sort of 
 bag behind, sometimes concealing the hair, but 
 frequently allowing the trensa to appear below it ; 
 a shawl is added, and a peculiar swimming gait 
 
 M '2
 
 16 i COSTUMES. 
 
 they have in walking, well suited to their luxuriant 
 forms, give an air and grace that characterises the 
 place. Their complexions are in general very fine, 
 and a cheerful and pleasing air adds still more to 
 their appearance. This costume appeared to be 
 frequently adopted by some of the higher orders, who 
 sallied out in it in the morning, as a sort of deshabille. 
 The dress of the lower orders is after the same 
 model, but the materials are more scanty, and their 
 robes less flowing than those of their superiors in 
 station. 
 
 The men from the country wear a very high 
 montero with a red plume, in general, at the top 
 and a peacock's feather invariably on one side ; an 
 ornament like the cross or double cross, is worked 
 in the felt of the cap. Below, they wear loose long 
 drawers appearing under the knee, and gaiters on 
 the legs. The prevailing colour with both sexes of 
 the peasants, is dark chocolate, which, with the red 
 and white, has an exceedingly good effect. The 
 women frequently wear a simple red cape over 
 the brown saya, a neat and far from unbecoming 
 dress. 
 
 The new town, as it is called, is altogether mo- 
 dern, the houses well built, chiefly of granite, and 
 are substantial and comfortable. A practice pre- 
 vails here I did not observe elsewhere in Spain : 
 there are large and continuous balconies to the 
 better houses ; these in recent times have been 
 regularly glazed, forming admirable additions to
 
 CORUNA. 165 
 
 the rooms that open into them, in this moist climate, 
 so like that of the milder parts of our own islands ; 
 to which this arrangement, especially in the very 
 small and confined rooms in most of our towns, 
 would be perfectly adapted, and in general could be 
 fitted with very small expense. The ladies arc 
 constantly seen working in these galleries, which 
 are delightful at almost every season of the year. 
 
 The new town is built on a low isthmus between 
 the bay and the sea. There is, or rather was, a 
 double line of fortification, both very bad, the prin- 
 cipal being barely suflicient to resist a coup de main, 
 or an attack of peasantry or guerillas. The inner 
 line that covered the old town, being quite useless, 
 is in progress tovvards demolition, and the glacis, if 
 well laid out, will be ornamental to the place. 
 
 There is an extensive peninsula beyond the 
 isthmus, of high and broken ground, admirably 
 suited for a town, and it is only surprising the 
 government had not retained possession of it ; by 
 which means, and by keeping the buildings back to 
 the rear of the actual site, they could have had a 
 good and very strong front at little expense, leaving 
 that of the present town for the glacis, which would 
 have been completely commanded by strong and 
 elevated ground on both flanks. 
 
 The old town contains the governor's house and 
 other buildings, and is also decently built and very 
 clean. In this part I found two curious old parish 
 churches, which are not mentioned in the Spanish
 
 166 OLD CHURCHES. 
 
 books of architecture. That of Santiago has a 
 pointed arch at the western end, with two rude 
 figures in the doorway, and a set of smaller ones 
 concentrically placed above it, with three columns 
 on each side. Above this on the lofty fa9ade is a 
 bold pointed entablature, that appears more modern 
 than the body of the church. 
 
 One of the side doors has three columns on each 
 side, with capitals well cut, and all differing from 
 each other. The most curious thing about it, how- 
 ever, is at the south door, where are bulls' heads on 
 each side, filling up the angle at the upper part, 
 and projecting to the middle so as to support a short 
 architrave. A circular, or kind of Norman arch is 
 formed above this, ornamented with fleur de lys in 
 rather good style. From the appearance of the 
 bulls' heads they would appear to have rested on 
 something like those of the western doorway, which 
 was subsequently removed. If it were so, they formed 
 the termination of rude caryatides, a style I never 
 saw in any architecture of this epoch. 
 
 The inside is one spacious nave, with very bold 
 and high arches, pointed, but very little, being 
 nearly circular, and springing from extremely short 
 columns ; the effect reminding me somewhat of the 
 cathedral at Florence. 
 
 The great altar is in an apsis, with a smaller one 
 on each side. These lateral chapels are not parallel 
 to the plane of the church but converge, their 
 centre line striking the middle of the western
 
 OLD CHURCHES. iGj 
 
 doorway, or thereabouts, a circumstance 1 never 
 observed in any other church. All the apsides 
 have round arches, with some massy columns, and 
 are quite a different style from the rest, being evi- 
 dently older, and having a decided oriental character, 
 but are partly filled up by modern work. 
 
 The pulpit is an ancient piece of work, with a 
 column at the back, and on the pedestal that sup- 
 ports it, a curious group of females is sculp- 
 tured, with arms interlaced ; the lower extremities 
 terminating in the pedestal, after a rude antique 
 form of capricho or arabesque. 
 
 The baptismal font is placed on a lateral building, 
 nearly circular, with very much the form of ancient 
 oriental work, but it has been recently restored 
 and painted exactly like the green room of a pro- 
 vincial theatre. On the outside, the apsides are 
 ornamented with columns, and there are a circular 
 and a lancet window now closed up. 
 
 Attached to this church is a solid square tower, 
 with a circular window on the east side, now built 
 up. From the corners of the tower, which are 
 strengthened for the purpose of supporting them, 
 rise flying arches intersecting at the centre, on the 
 principle of those at Newcastle and Edinburgh, but 
 low and massy, being of solid pieces of granite, and 
 at the junction they support a cross. The corner 
 supporters of this work have somewhat the form of 
 antique altars. 
 
 Beyond any doubt there are three epochs in this
 
 1G8 
 
 OLD CHURCHES. 
 
 curious building ; that of the east end to which the 
 pulpit and baptistery belong ; that of the nave and 
 the side doors ; and the more recent work at the 
 upper part of the western fa9ade, which last may be 
 of 1400. The early part is very probably of 8 or 900, 
 and the quasi-Norman of II or 1200. There is 
 little modern work or ornament inside, but you 
 see some neat painted figures, in rather curious and 
 unusually shaped retablos, which recede from the 
 front and are much cut and ornamented. 
 
 The other church of Santa Maria is a collegiata, 
 or half cathedral, with a cabildo attached. It has 
 three naves with lofty pilasters and engaged columns 
 to each ; the roof of the centre aisle is rather of 
 pointed design. 
 
 The great altar is in an apsis, but with a groined 
 roof of the pointed manner. The church is very 
 dark, hardly any light being admitted but by a cir- 
 cular window at the west end ; the cabildo occupy 
 a choir over the centre aisle. The porch at the west 
 end is pure Norman, with three columns receding on 
 each side, and a bold, ornamented cornice. In one of 
 the doors is a grotesque figure of an angel painted, 
 but the companion is wanting and the door has been 
 raised. A side entrance has the same arrangement 
 at the upper angles with that mentioned at Santiago, 
 but angels occupy the place of the bulls' heads, 
 some sculpture above is rude and ancient. The 
 opposite door appears to be less antique and has 
 some good work in the details. This church has a
 
 THE INNS. 169 
 
 tower somewhat like that of Santiago, but termi- 
 nating in a pyramidal structure very much resem- 
 bling that mentioned at Leon, which is of 1200, 
 nearly the probable date of this edifice ; the tower 
 is ornamented outside with mouldings and other 
 carved work in rather good style. 
 
 There were few convents in the place, the prin- 
 cipal of which was S. Agostino, in the new town, 
 with a modern classic church, so good as to be 
 nearly perfect in design and execution, as far as the 
 scale admits. This has been converted to parochial 
 use, and the convent to that of the Ayuntamiento 
 and other public bodies. A parish church, which 
 was small and stood in a locality not at all suited to 
 the purpose, has been demolished, and a theatre built 
 on the spot, and although it must be allowed the 
 conversion appears a little irreverent, the parish and 
 the public have equally gained by the change. 
 
 The inns have always been bad at Coruila, and 
 as yet very little has been done to remove the im- 
 putation on so important a place. I could not pro- 
 cure admission to what is called the principal in the 
 high street, and went to one on the marina, the 
 situation of which is good, but is the only recom- 
 mendation. There is an excellent and liberally 
 managed club, principally supported by the mer- 
 chants, with reading-rooms and other conveniences 
 in a very good locality, but they propose build- 
 ing a spacious house expressly for the purpose. 
 The people assemble very much in the evening, pro-
 
 170 MARKET GARDENS. 
 
 menading on the marina to a late hour at this sea- 
 son, when the weather allows, and a general activity 
 and cheerfulness are very apparent in all classes, 
 although heavy complaints are made of the stagna- 
 tion of commerce. 
 
 I visited some market gardens outside the town, 
 where there was little variety in the productions, 
 but strawberries were in abundance, principally a 
 large light pink kind, similar to those chiefly cul- 
 tivated at Lisbon, and not highly flavoured ; but 
 another kind which they praised very much, and 
 appeared to be one of the Alpine varieties, was out 
 of season. The potatoes were delicious, somewhat 
 resembling the Cornish kidney, and they perfectly 
 understood the cooking them, a rare occurrence in 
 Spain. I inquired about their mode of treating 
 asparagus, which was now out of season, but they 
 assured me to be of superior quality, quite equal to 
 that of the Basque Provinces. They merely mulch 
 the borders every year with common manure, and in 
 making the beds put a quantity of stable dung at 
 the bottom, on which the plants are placed ; they 
 said they found this plan was the best ; and do not 
 make any use of night soil or of salt in any shape, 
 although the gardens are close to the sea. Their 
 strawberry beds are treated much in the same man- 
 ner, being cleaned and forked over each season, the 
 plants lasting four or five years. 
 
 The monument of Sir John Moore is in perfect 
 order and preservation, on a pretty paseo or gar-
 
 Moore's monument. I7I 
 
 den at the extremity of the old town, overlook- 
 ing the harhour from windows in the wall, built to 
 protect the promenader in bad weather ; the inside 
 is prettily laid out with flowers, and a sentry 
 mounted to prevent damage being done to the 
 place. No situation could have been better chosen, 
 and it is infinitely preferable to the ramparts, where 
 I always understood it was placed. I was sorry to 
 find, in a trifling Spanish tour through Galicia, 
 said to be by two friends, and recently published, 
 the authors say, they should like to erase the inscrip- 
 tion, as wounding in some degree " la delicadeza 
 Espanola ! !" 
 
 Coruiia, like most other towns, was in a state of 
 pronunciamento, the presidente being, I believe, an 
 officer of artillery ; and as Ferrol still held out for 
 the Regent, in despite of every effort to prevail on 
 the garrison and squadron to pronounce, there 
 was an embargo or interdiction of communication 
 between the places. I was told that I might have 
 a passport to go there, but for several considerations, 
 and very fortunately, as the sequel proved, I did 
 not think it prudent to risk detention, in the very 
 unsettled state of the neighbourhood. There is a 
 regular steamer, built in Scotland, that plies be- 
 tween the places, but owing to the blockade, she 
 was laid up, and from what I heard, it was doubtful, 
 owing to her heavy construction, being far too 
 large for the purpose, and requiring a great quan- 
 tity of fuel, whether the profits of the company would 
 allow her being continued.
 
 17^ THE SECRETARY. 
 
 When the time of my departure arrived, for fear 
 of any accident, I went in person to the Ayunta- 
 miento with my passport, which was immediately 
 signed, without any observation. I then went to 
 the office of the Xefe politico, where I was received 
 and most civilly treated by the secretary, a very 
 gentlemanly young man, who had been educated in 
 England. I took some papers with me, and offered 
 to shew them, but he declined seeing them, as un- 
 necessary, saying, " We know every thing about 
 you?" He took me into his private room, where we 
 smoked cigars, and had a long discussion on the 
 state of public affairs, the aspect of which had ma- 
 terially changed since my arrival. The newspapers 
 being entirely stopped by the Government at 
 Madrid, the chasms of information were supplied 
 by private letters, both exaggerated and menda- 
 cious, or by fragments of the journals cut out and 
 forwarded in envelopes. It soon became, however, 
 certain that the Afrancesado chiefs, Concha, Nar- 
 vaez, and others, having broken up from their 
 quarters at Paris, had appeared on the southern 
 coast. This news wrought a very sudden change 
 in the opinions of many persons, and the very day 
 after my arrival a schism took place in the junta, 
 who were on the point of " despronunciar," or 
 retracing their steps, being, I believe, only pre- 
 vented by the ridiculous appearance such a step 
 would cause them to make. Their bando, which 
 was meant to conciliate both sides, had the
 
 PRONUNCIAMENTO. I7S 
 
 usual fortune of pleasing neither, and a more 
 absurd or ridiculous document has seldom figured, 
 even in the annals of Spanish juntas ; further notice 
 will be taken of this precious morsel in the general 
 account of the pronunciamentos.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 ROUTE TO SANTIAGO. 
 
 I TOOK my place in a miserable diligence, that 
 runs every day from Corufia to Santiago. The fare 
 is rather high, but a breakfast is included, and 
 was served in a venta, half-way between the towns. 
 I had heard most hyperbolical accounts of the 
 beauty of the drive between those places, but found 
 it ill deserved the reputation. There is about a 
 league of cultivated and decent country, after 
 which we ascended a very long cuesta or hill, by a 
 regular and well-levelled line of road j beyond this 
 are open hills, as dreary as the country between 
 Mondoiiedo and Betanzos, and continue without 
 change or relief to Santiago. The approach from 
 Coruiia is any thing but striking, and little is seen 
 to announce that you are approaching so celebrated 
 a place. No gardens, or enclosures, or any marks 
 of civilization to indicate the vicinity of a capital : 
 for dreariness of aspect it may vie with Madrid. 
 
 We saw detachments of troops on the road, pro- 
 ceeding to join the garrison at Ferrol, and the 
 officers were gaining ground so fast, that there were 
 hopes they might be able to assume the offensive, 
 and release some of the towns from the thraldom 
 of the juntas.
 
 SANTIAGO. 175 
 
 One of my companions was an elderly ex-Do- 
 minican monk, a man of some reading, and rather 
 inquisitive. He had evidently been one of those 
 engaged in the literary vrork of the order, probably 
 as a censor, and v^^as acquainted with heretical lite- 
 rature, more especially the work of Cobbett, which 
 he appeared to have learned by heart. For the 
 first time since entering Spain, I was put to delay 
 and inconvenience, by a miserable old wretch insist- 
 ing on examining my baggage. I thought it useless 
 to oppose his almost illegal proceedings, and to save 
 time, yielded ; but I had mislaid a key, and the 
 lock of a large trunk was obliged to be forced. 
 He did not molest my apparel, but took hold of a 
 parcel of papers, which on my authoritatively telling 
 him he had no business to meddle with, he laid 
 down and gave no further trouble, and as he ex- 
 amined no other passenger's luggage, I have little 
 doubt, from circumstances that transpired after- 
 wards, he was acting by special order ; the derecho 
 de puerta examination at the gates had been pre- 
 viously abolished by a decree of the Regent. 
 
 There is a tolerably good inn, kept by a respec- 
 table widow from the Basque Provinces, and I was 
 agreeably surprised at the cleanliness and good 
 order of the establishment, the report of the accom- 
 modation in the place having been always very 
 bad. There was in the family a young girl, who 
 had been shot through the chest by one of 
 the absurd gambols with fire-arms that so often
 
 17G SANTIAGO. 
 
 cause these accidents. She was slowly recovering, 
 but the surgeon in attendance, who was reputed, 
 apparently with great justice to be extremely able 
 in his profession, said that many months must elapse 
 before her almost miraculous cure could be com- 
 pleted. I soon paid my respects to the shrine of 
 Santiago, which I did with the greater interest 
 from having no data whatever to form an idea as to 
 the style of building in which the remains of the 
 Saint were enclosed. Some old prints I had seen 
 gave a notion of a modern edifice, and I was pre- 
 pared to see even something in the style of the 
 Pilar at Zaragoza, so that I was not a little sur- 
 prised and pleased, after passing an enormous 
 modern tower and accompaniments, to find myself 
 at once in a building almost purely oriental in its 
 character. The aisles being narrow and lofty, with 
 high arches almost of Moorish form, first attract 
 the attention, whilst the Saint is seen in front of the 
 great altar through a solemn twilight, caused equally 
 by the style of the architecture, and the colour of 
 the walls, and heightened still more by a portion 
 of the scanty lights originally supplied being closed, 
 to give more effect to the numerous lamps that once 
 illumined the shrine. 
 
 The Saint is represented on horseback in full 
 armour, as he is fabled to have appeared at the 
 battle of Clavijo, and it is impossible on entering 
 this temple not to carry back the recollection to the 
 time when the knights entered the sacred enclosure
 
 SANTIAGO 177 
 
 in full fervour of belief, to solicit strength of arm 
 and dexterity in manaijinof their steeds, more effec- 
 tually to combat the infidels, whom the Saint was 
 considered to have been the principal agent in 
 overthrowing or overwhelming ; and we may easily 
 imagine those engaged, when animated by religious 
 and patriotic enthusiasm, issuing forth, their seats 
 more firm, and the falchion more ready to fly from 
 the scabbard, after being shrived in this great sanc- 
 tuary of chivalry. After Jerusalem itself, probably 
 no place existing has the interest, in the history 
 of the middle ages, and the influence on the romance 
 of modern history, that is exhibited by this grand 
 depository, now destined, like every thing human, 
 to undergo the vicissitudes of time and altered 
 circumstances. 
 
 At present, nearly the whole mass of light is ad- 
 mitted from the western end, and the casing, which, 
 as will be explained, covers the original external 
 facade, has not been allowed to interfere with the 
 half Moorish windows that now remain inside, and 
 throw gleams of light up the naves, especially in 
 the afternoon, producing the most striking and 
 pleasing effects. 
 
 By rare fortune the original building has been 
 completed by the architect who planned it, or from 
 his design, and it remains almost perfect and un- 
 touched. 'J'he numerous chapels are so arranged 
 that their entrances interfere very little with the 
 general outline of the edifice. The form is a Latin 
 
 VOL. II. N
 
 178 SANTIAGO. 
 
 cross, although it is said by Ccan Bermudez, and 
 other writers, to be in the Greek form, with all 
 parts equal, but I paced it more than once, and 
 made it to be nearly 350 feet in length, excluding a 
 sort of apsis at the east end, which is twenty feet in 
 addition ; by 240 in the transverse section. I do not 
 give these dimensions as more than approximative, 
 but the proportions of the parts to each other are 
 correct. There are three naves, all extremely 
 narrow, the middle only being thirty feet between 
 the columns, and the laterals between nine and ten 
 feet. The great nave is 200 feet in length, and 
 these proportions, and the great height, give the 
 peculiar effect so striking in this building. The 
 pillars are extremely light, like those in edifices of 
 the best time of the pointed style. This arrange- 
 ment enabled the architect to dispense with flying 
 or other buttresses, and to trust for support en- 
 tirely to the external walls, which are in most parts 
 no less than ten feet in thickness ; and being built 
 entirely of granitoid rock, like an excessively hard 
 coarse grit, it has not only stood perfectly, but 
 seems destined to arrive at very great antiquity. 
 The solidity of the construction is more striking, 
 from the situation being the precipitous side of a 
 hill, so that on all sides, excepting the north, the 
 ground rapidly falls from it. Round the outside 
 naves, the billet ornament, mentioned at Oviedo, is 
 carried, the date of the edifices being not very dis- 
 similar, and both prior to the introduction of the 
 pointed style.
 
 SANTIAGO. 179 
 
 The eastern end terminates in a small narrow 
 apsis, forming a chapel, which they told me be- 
 longed to the King of the French, of course as sove- 
 reign of that kingdom. Near it are other chapels 
 in a sort of oriental style, no doubt part of the ori- 
 ginal edifice, but by far the greater portion of the 
 twenty -three vvhich they tell you are attached, are 
 modern additions and alterations in every kind of 
 manner, most of them, as usual, perfectly incon- 
 iifruous with the character of the oriijinal buildinsf. 
 The more remarkable are those of the reliques, on 
 the north side of the great aisle, and one near it, 
 close to the transept, which is the Sagreario or place 
 for administering the communion to the pilgrims, 
 with the proper accompaniments of confessional 
 boxes, for preparation to receive the rites. Imme- 
 diately opposite, on the other side of the transept, 
 is the magnificent chapel of the Pilar. This was 
 built by an archbishop of Mexican family, who was 
 extremely rich, and meant to have it made entirely of 
 silver, as an appropriate memorial of his country ; 
 but some of the cooler and more reflecting members 
 of the Cabildo, pointed out, with a shrewd forecast 
 of the times they probably foresaw were not far dis- 
 tant, that he had better adopt a more permanent 
 mode, and one that would not give the temptation 
 to abstraction of the material that composed it. He 
 followed their sage advice, and appears to have 
 adopted the plan of the tomb of the Medici, but the 
 proportions of his chapel are better than those of 
 
 N 2
 
 180 SANTIAGO. 
 
 the prototype. It is one mass of inlaid marble and 
 other stones, and I was told, on good authority, had 
 cost more than the execution of the apparently more 
 expensive plan originally intended, would have done. 
 
 Near the extremity of the north transept is what 
 I at first took for a chapel, but found it to be an 
 independent parish church, appropriated to the 
 ordinary devotions of the pilgrims and other tem- 
 porary sojourners, being called the Cortesela, or 
 parroquia de los extrangeros. It communicates 
 with the cathedral by a passage, but has its own 
 external and independent entrance, bells, Sec. This 
 building is a perfect and most beautiful specimen of 
 the purest Norman or oriental Norman, if I may 
 use the expression, forming a cross, and approaching 
 Byzantine in the arrangement. It is nearly unal- 
 tered, and with the exception of a wooden gallery, 
 erected for some purpose that was not very evident, 
 could easily be made a complete model of the style. 
 
 The length of this edifice is about fifty, and the 
 breadth thirty feet. There are three naves, sepa- 
 rated by single columns, and the body is nearly a 
 square. At the eastern end are three apsides. The 
 arches and roof are all circular in form. The greatest 
 defect is the painting, which has been recently 
 done in a mode more fitted for the saloons of Astley's 
 Amphitheatre than for a place of worship, espe- 
 cially for one of that age. 
 
 At the west end of the cathedral is a porch with 
 groined roof, formed by the external casing put on
 
 SANTIAGO. 181 
 
 during the last century, which is a good arrange- 
 ment, so far, that it assists the preservation of some 
 very fair early sculpture of painted barro, that was 
 originally outside. Under this western end is a crypt 
 which was the original church, as they informed me. 
 They seemed unwilling to shew it, assuring me there 
 was nothing whatever to be seen but the foundations 
 of the present church, and I was satisfied with 
 their statement, w^ithout attempting to force ad- 
 mittance. 
 
 At the trascoro is a shrine of great sanctity, of 
 the Angustias ; representing the Virgin in the ex- 
 tremity of suffering after the crucifixion, a favourite 
 subject in old Spanish devotion. 
 
 At each side below the great altar, in the usual 
 place, are pulpits or reading desks, respectively called 
 by the name of the Epistle and Gospel, those por- 
 tions of scripture being read from them; and also 
 used for preaching from, for which purpose they are 
 well situated, by their contiguity to the place where 
 the auditory congregate, between the choir and 
 great altar. These pulpits are of brass, and of 
 exquisite work ; a little profane in some of the sub- 
 jects, as constantly occurred when they considered the 
 design more than the fastidious criticism, that from 
 our want of feeling for art, we are accustomed tolavish 
 on them. I could not ascertain the name of the 
 author, but they are of the great time of Spanish art, 
 and might stand by the side of any thing of Cellini. 
 
 There is, as usual, sculpture in tlie silleria of
 
 182 SANTIAGO. 
 
 the choir, and of rsether good ancient style, but I 
 thought not of extraordinary merit. The shrine 
 of the Saint has been mentioned as to the general 
 effect, and it loses nothing by close examination, 
 nor can any thing be better placed, or more com- 
 pletely in character than the statue which of course 
 surmounts the tomb, but the strangest part belonging 
 to it remains to be described. Immediately behind 
 the shrine, filling up the whole back of the chancel, 
 is an erection, of which it is difficult to give an 
 adequate idea, being one of the most enormous, ill- 
 designed, absurd, and preposterous monstrosities 
 ever engendered in the imagination of the most 
 delirious of the school to which it belonfjs. So vast 
 are the dimensions, that the country may well be 
 denuded of timber, for the waste in carving it must 
 have been something extraordinary. It is a mixture 
 between the classic and the Solomonic, with a due 
 proportion of the heathen in addition, and they have 
 so managed to fill the locality and to place it, that 
 the spectator cannot help shuddering for the fate 
 of the Saint, should any thing give way, as in that 
 case, he must inevitably be crushed to atoms. To 
 complete the absurdity, the want of geometrical 
 support in the enormous machine, is supplied by two 
 Herculean angels, who are in a position between 
 flying and falling, each with one foot on the cornice, 
 and from the position the artist has assigned them, 
 there is no room for wings of proper size, so that 
 these appendages bear about the proportion of those
 
 SANTIAGO. 183 
 
 of ostriches to the body of that bird ; and they are 
 not only off their balance, but if suddenly animated, 
 tliey must inevitably go souse down on the Saint 
 below them ! It is utterly inconceivable how the 
 Cabildo should have allowed a similar erection to 
 be put in such a situation ; and to complete the 
 disorder created by the introduction of it, they 
 have built up the arches of the tribune behind, 
 instead of leaving them open and perfectly clear, 
 as designed by the original architect. It is a 
 flagrant disgrace to the noble edifice, and if ever a 
 junta de purificacion be established, one of their 
 first acts should be to demolish and transfer the 
 whole concern to the bakers, for whose use it is 
 best adapted. The cost of gilding alone must have 
 been enormous, and like so many other similar 
 productions, the construction has taken place when 
 the Cabildo had immense resources with neither 
 taste nor skill in the employment of them. 
 
 There are a number of tombs in various parts of 
 this most sacred building, as may well be imagined. 
 The principal are those of the royal race of Leon, 
 and others connected with them ; amongst whom is 
 Pope Calisto II. There are, as may be supposed, 
 many relics, some of undoubted antiquity, and 
 curious as works of art. The custodia is of penta- 
 gonal form. The chapel of the Pilgrims is a circular 
 building of good proportions, of the modern school, 
 resembliniT on a larger scale the beautiful eu( ranee 
 to the museum at Madrid.
 
 184 
 
 SANTIAGO. 
 
 The cloisters are of 1500, of noble size and de- 
 sign for that period, being rather of the plateresco 
 style ; there is a pyramid at one corner somewhat 
 like that of St. George's, Bloomsbury, and quite 
 out of character with the rest ; they are hung with 
 tapestry on particular occasions. Near this is a 
 suite of beautiful rooms, built in the last century, 
 to receive a library presented to the Cabildo, by an 
 individual, I think Fonseca, which appeared to com- 
 prise some admirable and costly books of modern 
 literature. The style is perfectly suitable to a 
 palace, and in the best taste ; and, although not in 
 unison with the rest of the buildings, is so managed 
 as to be quite independent, and not in any way to 
 interfere with the general effect. 
 
 The exterior of the cathedral remains to be de- 
 scribed. Very nearly the entire building has been en- 
 closed vvithin a gigantic casing of different ages, but 
 the parts harmonize, and form a coating as unique in 
 its way as the interior. The only part of the origi- 
 nal building I could discover is at the south tran- 
 sept, where some old and bad sculpture, with other 
 ornaments are seen, and have probably been the 
 cause of this fragment being allowed to remain 
 uncovered. The portada, or principal doorway 
 below it is rather of Norman design. The prin- 
 cipal features of the modern part are three enor- 
 mous towers, of which the idea may have originated 
 from the Giralda at Seville, or the tower of St. 
 Marco at Venice, Thev are well proportioned and
 
 SANTIAGO. 185 
 
 magnificent in the outline and general plan, but the 
 minor arrangements are deficient, the architect 
 having, as so frequently happens, not trusted to his 
 general design, but added an infinity of details, 
 pilasters, and other frippery, &c. that break it into 
 fragments, and on examination diminish the effect. 
 Two of these towers are placed at the south tran- 
 sept, and one at the north, and their outlinegives the 
 modern appearance to the building already noticed, 
 and would completely deceive any one who had 
 merely seen the exterior; and it is only to be re- 
 gretted, though these towers are in themselves very 
 grand, that the authorities should not have selected 
 a style more suited to the original character of the 
 edifice. 
 
 The cathedral, as already observed, is placed on 
 the precipitous side of the hill, so that although 
 you enter from the north side by actually descending, 
 the south flank and the west end stand nobly above 
 tlic spacious plaza below them. The western facade 
 was built in the last century by Rodriguez, the 
 restorer of classic architecture in Spain. It is an 
 imitation of the great front of St. Peter's, and the 
 ascent is by a magnificent staircase closed by rejas 
 which are kept locked, and there are no public en- 
 trances at this end. From the west end to the south 
 transept are various buildings belonging to the Ca- 
 bildo, with colonnades and other ornaments, bad in 
 the desifjn, and totallv out of harmony with every- 
 thing near them.
 
 186 
 
 SANTIAGO. 
 
 On the north side of the plaza is the celebrated 
 Hospital of Santiago. The facade is modern with 
 a noble balcony and ornamented chain work, beau- 
 tifully carved from the hard granitoid rock, which 
 the Galicians have always been celebrated for their 
 skill in w^orking. This front is modern, and pro- 
 bably represents respectable architecture of the 
 fifteenth century ; w^hen it was founded. The inside 
 is spacious, with four patios, and every sort of con- 
 venience for lodging the numerous pilgrims who 
 formerly frequented this Mecca of Spain. In the 
 hospital part there is a chapel, which is carried up 
 to the roof through the different stories, and is so 
 managed that the patients in the wards can hear 
 the service without difficulty, or the inconvenience 
 of moving from their beds. In the entrance hall 
 are indifferent portraits of Ferdinand and Isabella, 
 the founders of this noble establishment : the archi- 
 tecture of the interior patios is of the bad classic 
 style. 
 
 The Casas consistoriales, an extensive and fine 
 building on the other side the square, belonged to 
 the Cabildo, but has been appropriated to the use of 
 the Ayuntamiento. Near it were two colleges, one 
 founded by and called after Fonseca ; they told me 
 one or both of them were seminaries of priests, and 
 belonged tothecathedral,butlike all other establish- 
 ments of the same description, they have been wisely 
 suppressed and added to the university ; one of the 
 buildings is used for the head-quarters of the na-
 
 SANTIAGO. 187 
 
 tional guard, the other was occupied by the junta 
 of the pronunciamento. The palace of the arch- 
 bishop is on the north side of the cathedral, but 
 was uninhabited, as the archbishop, who had been 
 originally an Andalusian Capuchin, of whose ap- 
 pearance and manners they spoke very highly, had 
 not adhered to the new order of things, and was 
 in temporary exile, from which he has since been 
 released. I have, however, heard that he was not 
 suited in other respects for this great elevation, 
 and that his discourses and charfjes savoured too 
 much of his original mendicant profession, which is 
 far from being improbable. I visited the palace, 
 which was partly closed up, but it is ill fitted for 
 the residence of such a dignitary as the archbishop 
 of this diocese. 
 
 The chapter, which consisted of about forty 
 canons of diifcrent grades, was as usual reduced to 
 about one half or less, by deaths and banishments. 
 I conversed with some of the canons, who were 
 the best specimens possible to meet of the order, 
 nor could any thing exceed their attention and 
 civility, although I had no previous introduction to 
 any of them. One day as I was examining the 
 Cortescla, one of them entered the cathedral, when 
 1 accosted him, and after giving me the information 
 I required, he accompanied me over every part of the 
 church ; nor in the course of my life do I remember 
 meeting any one whose manner and appearance on 
 transitory acquaintance, have left a more deep and 
 lasting impression — a perfect gentleman, scholar,
 
 188 SANTIAGO. 
 
 man of the world, master of every thing about the 
 place, with the grace and simplicity of the best 
 Spanish manners, he might have served for a model 
 of the upper ranks of the Spanish clergy. 
 
 It has been already mentioned, that the shrine 
 was very much lighted up in the olden time ; the 
 places of the magnificent chandeliers yet remain, 
 but the metal has disappeared. The practice, as 
 they informed me, during the jubilees and other 
 great festivals, was to leave the church open all 
 night, a practice, as far as i know, confined solely 
 to this sanctuary. An enormous chandelier seems 
 to be suspended over the crucero, from massy bars 
 of iron gilt that cross the lantern, and have the ap- 
 pearance of tye beams. This machine is, as I under- 
 stood, for the purpose of showering incense to the 
 whole church, by swinging back and forward on the 
 most solemn festivals ; another practice, I should 
 think unique. 
 
 The musical department has always been well 
 attended to at Santiago ; and notwithstanding the 
 reduction of the funds, affectinof everv thinor of this 
 kind, that I heard could not be excelled in sweet- 
 ness and melody, both in the organ and the ac- 
 companying voices. 
 
 The original cave or place of refuge of Santiago, 
 previous to building the first church, as has been 
 mentioned, is in a street not far distant, and looks 
 like an oratory, being closed by a reja, but is neg- 
 lected, and stones with other rubbish have been 
 thrown in by the idle portion of the community.
 
 SANTIAGO. 189 
 
 I have entered into more detail respecting this 
 most curious and interesting cathedral, as no descrip- 
 tion that I am aware is to be found of it, and the 
 deficiency is a general source of complaint in Spain. 
 Excepting the dates of the original edifice, and of the 
 western facade, little mention is made of it by 
 Cean Bermudez, in his account of vSpanish archi- 
 tecture ; nor are the vast additions of the towers 
 and other exterior work at all described. I have 
 no doubt they are of about 1 600, or soon after. 
 The omission is the more remarkable, because, 
 surely in the archives the names of the archi- 
 tects and other particulars must be mentioned ; but 
 it appears few of the writers on these subjects, have, 
 in modern times, visited this remote, and until 
 lately, almost inaccessible district. 
 
 The next building to the cathedral in extent and 
 importance, is the celebrated Benedictine convent 
 of San Martin. The principal facade is opposite 
 to the oreat northern entrance of the former build- 
 
 o 
 
 ing, and is of bad style but on an enormous scale. 
 One flank, which is built to a vast height over a 
 barranco or ravine at the back, is about 700 feet 
 in length ! This immense edifice, which has patios, 
 and every thing in proportion, is now partly occu- 
 pied as barracks. A garden of considerable dimen- 
 sions is inclosed within its ample area. The church 
 is on the north side, with an insignificant entrance, 
 to which you descend, having little idea of the sight 
 that awaits you, as the interior is not only magni- 
 ficent, but is one of the very finest specimens of
 
 190 SANTIAGO. 
 
 church architecture in Spain. Grand, simple, noble 
 in design, the plan has been little interfered with, 
 and there is no visible defect, excepting that the 
 choir used by the monks, which is over the west 
 end, and thrown across the great aisle by a beau- 
 tiful arch with cassoons, has given way in one part, 
 and if not looked to shortly, will very probably 
 come down. The greatest blemish is the huge 
 retablo at the great altar, somewhat in imitation of 
 that in the cathedral. Behind it is the silleria, 
 where the cabildo and dignitaries of the order 
 attended the service unseen by the congregation in 
 the body of the church. The seats are in double 
 rows, and are well carved, with some inlaid work ; 
 and there are some decent sculptures in the church, 
 but not of extraordinary merit. 
 
 In the crucero or transept on each side are re- 
 presentations in relief of the sun and moon, allusions 
 I did not understand, and never saw in any corres- 
 ponding situation. The vault of the coro is painted. 
 There is a small dome, but apparently only for the 
 purpose of giving architectural effect, as the church 
 is lighted independently of it. 
 
 The great sacristy is magnificent, being a domed 
 circular temple, large enough for a parish church, 
 and is deservedly pointed out as one of the curio- 
 sities of the place. Near it is a spacious chapel too 
 much painted to be in good taste. This noble 
 church is preserved, having been devoted to paro- 
 chial use, in place of a small and bad one in an 
 adjacent part of the city.
 
 SANTIAGO. 191 
 
 This immense establishment is mentioned by 
 Jovellanos, as formed out of smaller foundations of 
 the middle ages, that were originally retreats for 
 the sons and daughters of noble families, the heads 
 of whom were enfjaofed in the wars. This convent 
 is nearly the largest mentioned of that description, 
 having been theaggregationof no less than thirty-five 
 of those small societies. He does not mention the 
 fact of these female convents being connected with 
 the Benedictine monasteries, but I have little doubt 
 that the separation of the sexes, which must have 
 necessarily accompanied the reform of them, caused 
 the existence of the curious connection. Jovel- 
 lanos states, as a reason for the reform, the scandal 
 attached to the mode of life, which was always 
 rather civil than ecclesiastical, and the superior 
 sanctity of the secular clergy causing the public very 
 naturally to draw unfavourable comparisons between 
 them. 
 
 Very near the last mentioned church, at the 
 lower part of the barranco, on the brink of which the 
 convent of St. Martino stands, is that of St. Fran- 
 cisco, which of course is now untenanted. It con- 
 tains little in the exterior to attract notice, but my 
 attention was fortunately directed to the church, 
 which is rather smaller, but, if possible, finer than 
 that of the neighbouring establishment. Tlie plan 
 is somewhat similar, but the lateral chapels arc 
 covered by a spacious and noble corridor running 
 along the nave, and connected with the choir at the 
 west end. The roof appeared to be entirely vaulted
 
 19'2 SANTIAGO. 
 
 with stone in every part. Behind the altar they 
 shewed me a curious portrait of Monroy, who was, 
 I understood, a benefactor of the church, and has 
 been allowed to remain ; it is ancient, the style 
 apparently of 1500, but more remarkable for the 
 manner than the merit of the artist. In this con- 
 vent w^as a regular hospital for the sick brethren 
 of the establishment. This church has also been 
 given to one of the parishes, but the arrangements 
 were not complete, and it was as yet unoccupied, so 
 that I had considerable trouble in effecting an 
 entrance. 
 
 I looked into a curious old parish church which 
 appeared to be, from some parts about it, of 1200, 
 but data are wanting to fix them positively. 
 There is a statue of St. Julian in a court suit 
 complete, of red velvet, silk stockings, sword and 
 cocked hat! The artist was so proud of his per- 
 formance, that he signed it Lucas Crespo, fecit, 
 1785. 
 
 To the east of the cathedral, forming a flank to 
 the upper town on that side, was formerly the enor- 
 mous convent of S. Ao^ustino. It has lono- been in a 
 state of dilapidation, which commenced in the war 
 of independence, but has been very much increased 
 by the neglect of the authorities, and will soon be a 
 ruin. I procured access to the church, which con- 
 tained nothing worthy notice. My conductor was a 
 poor monk of the order, who voluntarily performs 
 the daily service, by permission of the authorities,
 
 SANTIAGO. J 93 
 
 but without appointment, fee, or reward. I asked 
 him whether he had a congregation, but the reply 
 was in the negative, and that scarcely any one at- 
 tended to second his pious energy. 
 
 To the north-east of the cathedral, on a plaza, is 
 the extensive convent of Benedictine ladies, which 
 was connected with S. Martin, as that mentioned in 
 the account of Oviedo, belonged to S. Vicente, 
 but unlike that, it is at a considerable distance from 
 the monastery. There is a story current in the 
 place, of a nun having been killed in making her 
 escape from one of the windows over the plaza ; the 
 height from the ground renders this story not only 
 credible, but pretty certain, as the result would 
 be almost inevitable destruction to any one bold 
 enough to make such an attempt. 
 
 As in this country I generally made a practice of 
 entering every church that was open, I very fortu- 
 nately adhered to it with one that had little exterior 
 attraction, called the Animas; a rude representation, 
 allusive to the doctrine of purgatory, being over the 
 entrance. I was not a little surprised to find the 
 altar and greater part of the chapels filled with ex- 
 cellent painted sculpture, representing the passion 
 of our Saviour,- in successive pictures, of which 
 there are nine in all ; the high altar, two collateralcs 
 or flanking pieces, and three chapel altars on each 
 side ; over the great altar is of course the crucifixion. 
 
 The design and execution of these subjects is 
 of very high order, only alloyed by there being 
 
 VOL. II. o
 
 XO'i' SANTIAGO. 
 
 occasionally rather too great a display of anatomy. In 
 some of the pieces there are four or five successive 
 reliefs or lines of perspective : the colouring is plain, 
 good, and untouched. They are by an artist called 
 Prado, of whom I could only learn that he was a 
 common working man of the city, whose natural 
 talents had called forth this mode of display. But 
 for the assurance that he had never left his native 
 country, it would be difficult to believe he was not 
 a pupil of Roldan, whose style these pictures so 
 completely resemble and rival, that they may justly 
 and fairly be compared. On inquiry I was informed 
 that no other works by him existed in the place ; 
 all the sculpture I saw in the other churches 
 was of a quite different school from this remark- 
 able artist, who is not mentioned by Cean Bermudez, 
 nor in any book I have met with. 
 
 The university is a modern building of the Ionic 
 order, of the very best form and construction, 
 and I have little doubt that the design was by 
 Rodriguez ; at least the style is entirely of his 
 school. It forms a quadrangle of about 200 feet 
 each way. One side is occupied by the library, one 
 of the finest rooms I ever saw, and I believe the 
 collection is extremely good. The locality being 
 already filled, they were arranging that formerly at 
 St. Martin, in another room, which is too small to 
 accommodate it properly. There was an infinity of 
 small volumes, almost all on theology as they in- 
 formed me, and many manuscripts, but not of great
 
 SANTIAGO. 19-5 
 
 value, being chiefly written by monks of the order. 
 They shewed me a curious and interesting book, 
 one of the earliest printed in Spain, and the title is 
 as follows , ** Fue Acabado y impress© este primero 
 volumen de vita Cristi, de Fray Francisco Ximenes 
 de la grande y nombrada ciudad de Granada, en el 
 postri mero dia del mes de Abril a. 1496, por Ber- 
 nardo Ungut y Johannes de Nuremberg, Alemancs, 
 por mandado y cspensas del muy reverendisimo 
 Serior Don Fernando de Talavera, primero arzobisbo 
 de Granada de la Santa Iglesia de esta ciudad." — 
 " This first volume of the life of Christ was finished 
 and printed by Fray Francisco Ximenes (the cele- 
 brated cardinal) of the great and celebrated city of 
 Granada, in the last day of April, 1496, by Ferdi- 
 nand Ungut, and John of Nuremberg, Germans, 
 by order and at the expense of the most reverend 
 Don Fernando de Talavera, first archbishoij) of 
 Granada, of the holy church of this city.'' There 
 is a curious watch by Marfignon of Paris, appa- 
 rently about the same age, ornamented with 
 miniatures. 
 
 The establishment seems to be in a thriving 
 condition, and I was much pleased with the pro- 
 fessors at the head of the respective departments, 
 from whom I received all kinds of civility and at- 
 tention. The minor colleges have been suppressed 
 and united to the principal one, and there is every 
 appearance of its success. The natural history de- 
 partment is in the hands of Senor Casares, a medi- 
 
 o 2
 
 196 SANTIAGO. 
 
 cal man in the place, who has also charge of the 
 baths of Cuntis and Caldas. This gentleman is ex- 
 tremely zealous for the advancement of the sciences 
 under his care ; and rooms were being fitted for the 
 reception of the specimens they already had, which 
 were far from good, and for the addition of others, 
 especially for those connected with the province. 
 
 The patio, or inner quadrangle is of the Doric 
 order, which is certainly best suited to the pur- 
 pose of arcades ; the style is lighter than that of 
 Herrera, but resembles it. The convent of the 
 Jesuits adjoined it, and their church, which is small, 
 is connected by a staircase with the patio, so as to 
 serve for the use of the establishment. The present 
 rector is not an ecclesiastic, but an eminent literary 
 character of the modern school, and well known in 
 Spain. I was taken by these gentlemen to see a 
 small but interesting collection of birds and insects 
 that had been made by a monk of St. Martino, who 
 now occupied apartments in the hospicio : some of 
 them were very good, although far from rare speci- 
 mens, and I only regretted, that from the want of 
 books to consult, and of assistance in other ways, 
 this zealous and intelligent individual was unable to 
 carry on his researches. 
 
 Soon after my arrival I was informed that a grand 
 "funcion" was to take place at the convent of the 
 Carmelites, a small establishment of nuns, which is 
 yet standing, outside the town, near the entrance from 
 Coruiia,and that there would be very good music; I
 
 SANTIAGO. 197 
 
 attended the rehearsal, which took place the evening 
 previously. The church was darkened and lighted 
 up, and every thing very neatly arranged. The 
 statue of the Virgin, which was to be carried out in 
 procession, was beautifully dressed in brocaded silk 
 of great value. 
 
 I was not a little surprised to find that the prin- 
 cipal performer was a soprano, like Velluti, and 
 those at the Vatican ; and I ascertained that this 
 personage had been long attached to the cathedral, 
 where I afterwards heard him sing. This descrip- 
 tion of singers is known here by the singular 
 designation of "capon," and in the olden time 
 there were always two or three in the choir of that 
 establishment. He was of course very well known 
 in the place, and I heard that his voice was natural. 
 His appearance was extremely prepossessing, 
 although he is now stricken in years. He had been 
 passably rich, but dissipated a great deal of money 
 in gay living, principally as reported, amongst 
 females, who, it may be imagined, were not the 
 most select specimens of society. His voice was 
 extremely good, although they said it had failed of 
 late years. The next day the procession sallied 
 forth with sky-rockets and all the usual accompani- 
 ments, in the old fashion of these ceremonies. The 
 greater part of the population of Santiago attended, 
 and every thing went off perfectly well. As I knew 
 from the present state of the finances of the convents, 
 the nuns could not afford any expenditure, I in-
 
 198 SANTIAGO. 
 
 quired how that part was managed, and was in- 
 formed, that the chief surgeon of the place, the 
 same gentleman mentioned previously as attending 
 the young woman at the inn, defrayed the expense ; 
 and he figured as honorary guest, in a conspicuous 
 place during the ceremony. 
 
 The town of Santiago is placed near the head of 
 a valley ; the higher part of the ridge on which the 
 upper town stands, being a few feet above the 
 suburbs by which you enter from the road to 
 Coruiia. The streets in the upper part are narrow, 
 uneven, badly kept, and very steep ; there is a 
 small, irregular-shaped plaza in this part, where 
 the market is held. The best portion of the town 
 is on the level of the Plaza Real, or as it has been 
 recently baptized " Plaza de la Constitucion." In 
 this division the streets are clean and commodious ; 
 and in some of them there are arcades like those of 
 Berne, a most convenient arrangement in this wet 
 climate. The principal one had the name painted 
 in splendid letters, "Call del Pronunciamento!'' 
 In the general situation, the place reminded me 
 somewhat of St. Gallen, but the lake is wanting. 
 From any commanding point in the upper town 
 there is an extensive view down the valley below 
 the city. The height above the sea is called in the 
 Spanish books about 2000 feet, and I should think, 
 from appearance, that estimate must be near the 
 truth, but if any thing, within the absolute eleva- 
 tion of it.
 
 SANTIAGO. 199 
 
 Amongst the fashions of the place is holding the 
 principal market on Sunday, when great numbers 
 of the peasantry attend. This custom was abolished 
 by decree in the time of Ferdinand, but such dis- 
 content and clamour were raised on the subject, 
 that soon after his death, the Government were 
 obliged to yield, and re-establish a usage which the 
 order states in excuse " to have existed from time 
 immemorial." The only exemptions now are Thurs- 
 day and Friday in Easter week and the day of 
 Corpus ; even that of their patron saint not being 
 mentioned in the decree. Nothing can be more un- 
 pleasing than the appearance, dress, and manners of 
 the peasantry in this district ; so unlike those of 
 Corufia, at only ten leagues distance ; and I should 
 think they are about the very worst specimens of 
 this class to be found in the Peninsula. 
 
 There is a remarkably neat and well kept paseo 
 at the extremity of the lower part of the town, 
 adjoining an oak forest, which tree with the pinas- 
 ter once covered these now bleak and barren moun- 
 tains. 
 
 In the modern changes, this important place has 
 no longer been continued as the seat of government, 
 but now belongs to the province of Corufia. There 
 appears to be no good reason for this alteration, 
 which the loss of the vast revenues of the eccle- 
 siastical bodies and the central situation, as well as 
 the abundance of buildings suited to public estab-
 
 200 SANTIAGO. 
 
 lishments would seem to have pointed out as the 
 better site for the capital. Coruna has no one ad- 
 vantage, except the paltry fortifications, and the 
 commerce it enjoys, with the advantage of being 
 a sea-port, to compensate for the transfer. Al- 
 though I heard no causes assigned for the new 
 arrangement, it is by no means improbable it pro- 
 ceeded from a dislike to the clerical body, who 
 naturally have considerable influence in the place, 
 and could not be supposed very friendly to the new 
 system. 
 
 There are some booksellers' shops in the town, 
 far from well furnished, but much better than 
 those of most Spanish cities, and a little printing 
 is carried on, though strange to say, there is no 
 decent guide or description of the place. 
 
 The evening before my intended departure, I 
 walked to the alameda, near the entrance of which 
 is a modern and rather good looking building, having 
 the appearance of an hospital. 
 
 I went to the gate for the purpose of making in- 
 quiries and of looking at the inside, but found it 
 closed, and in front was a kind of sentinel, a stout 
 ill-looking fellow in jacket and trousers, with a 
 cartouche-belt upon him, but rather lounging than 
 ofiiciating in a military capacity. I accosted this 
 character, whose manners as well as his appearance 
 were so micouth, that an Andaluz would have pro- 
 nounced him a true specimen of the Gallego, in
 
 SANTIAGO. 201 
 
 their acceptation of the term. Whilst I was en- 
 deavouring to extract some information from him, a 
 gentleman came up, accompanied by a miserable 
 looking officer of Provinciales. This personage 
 immediately accosted me rather abruptly, asking 
 what I wanted. Before I had time to reply he ad- 
 dressed the sentinel, and asked him where the guard 
 was and why the gate was closed. The answer was 
 '' estan durmiendo," they are asleep. This was a 
 lovely summer's evening about six o'clock. He 
 was evidently very much disconcerted at such a dis- 
 play on the part of the authorities who had under- 
 taken to overthrow the Regent, and to govern Spain 
 on a better system. He then w^ent inside, in order 
 to rouse and put them on the alert, but shortly re- 
 turned without success ; I suppose like the Alcalde 
 of Leon, they had to dress, before being able to 
 appear. When he returned we entered into con- 
 versation, which at the commencement was not 
 carried on in a very amicable manner. He appeared 
 to have heard a good deal about me, and said, 
 " I hope you are not other than you represent your- 
 self?" I smiled and answered, " Certainly not." 
 He then added, " I must tell you we have had a very 
 unfavourable report sent from Coruna respecting 
 you, and arc desired to look strictly after you. I 
 understand you have been examining all the build- 
 ings and entering the barracks." The former part 
 was of course frue, and I admitted it; but the latter
 
 S02 SANTIAGO. 
 
 was a rather serious charge, and I met it by a flat 
 and peremptory denial j after which no more was 
 said on that subject. He very soon, however, 
 changed tone and became very civil. He said, if I 
 had called on him I should have had his protection, 
 and inquired whether I had seen various objects of 
 interest in the city that he mentioned, and under- 
 standing I was going to Vigo, offered to recommend 
 me horses in case I had not procured them. This 
 was the president of the junta, and a part of his 
 ill-humour at the commencement no doubtproceeded 
 from the display made by his guards, and also from 
 a little wounded dignity in consequence of my not 
 having called on the authorities. 
 
 Notwithstanding the extremely amicable manner 
 in which the interview terminated, I was not at all 
 pleased with what had taken place, and foresaw that 
 the plan of secret reports having been adopted, I 
 might be put to further inconvenience. The rule 
 I had laid down for my own guidance, was never to 
 call on any of the new authorities, unless sent for, 
 and to take no part whatever in anything that was 
 going on, trusting that if I got into diflSculty, I 
 should be able to make my way out of it. As to the 
 visiting the barracks, I knew the people far too 
 well to attempt anything of the sort ; even in the 
 most quiet times, they have a paltry and contempt- 
 ible feeling of jealousy on this subject, highly dis- 
 creditable, and at this time when the soldiers were
 
 SANTIAGO. 203 
 
 frequently of a different opinion from the officers, 
 when the existinof state of rebellion was brouirht 
 about mainly by tampering with or corrupting the 
 one or the other, it was doubly incumbent on any 
 traveller acquainted with them to prevent any pos- 
 sibility of his acts, however simple, being misin- 
 terpreted.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 JOURNEY TO VIGO — PADRON CALDAS — PONTE- 
 
 VEDRA ARREST JUNTA ROAD FROM PONTE- 
 
 VEDRA TO VIGO. 
 
 There is very considerable traffic between San- 
 tiago and Vigo, and no want of horses or means of 
 transport, but as I was tied to time on account of 
 the sailing of the packet, I hired a set from the 
 person recommended as attending the inn where 
 I lodged ; I erred in doing so, for I found out 
 afterwards that, instead of employing his own 
 horses, the dealer had sold his bargain at an exor- 
 bitant profit after the manner of the Italian Vettu- 
 rini, and that I was travelling at double fares on 
 return horses. They were, however, so good, as well 
 as the attendant, that I had no reason to complain, 
 only I should have preferred the proprietor of those 
 I actually rode having the profit, rather than the 
 party who had neither trouble, expense or risk. 
 
 The descent from the elevated situation of San- 
 tiago is long and monotonous, but the distant views 
 are striking and the valley improves as you descend. 
 Towards the bottom there is a remarkable church, 
 with the singular name of Santa Maria de la Escla- 
 vitud, formerly a noted refuge for criminals, and
 
 PADROisr, 205 
 
 most conveniently situated to receive those who 
 were connected with the enormities at one time too 
 common in this part of the country ; but the right 
 of sanctuary is abolished, and the robbers have dis- 
 appeared. The inside was ornamented with a 
 prodigious number of votive tablets and waxen 
 representations of various parts of the human frame, 
 hung up in grateful remembrance, by those who 
 considered the Virgin patrona to have been instru- 
 mental in their recovery, and some were of very 
 recent date. The inscription still stands as before, 
 ** Esta Iglesia sierve de rcfugio a los delinquentes.'* 
 A little beyond this is Padron, a large straggling- 
 village in a beautiful valley, watered by the Ulla, 
 one of the prettiest rivers I ever saw. There are 
 boats upon it and projects have been entertained of 
 making it navigable to near Santiago, from which a 
 feeder descends. In this place Santiago is fabled 
 to have landed, previous to taking up his quarters 
 at Compostcla. We crossed a ridge to the next valley, 
 the stream of which is much smaller, arriving in 
 time for dinner at Caldas, a well known watering- 
 place in the district. Whilst my repast was being 
 prepared, I repaired to the baths, which w^ere not 
 yet regularly opened for the season, but they allowed 
 me to bathe. The waters, to judge by their effect, 
 must be most salubrious : they are nearly odourless 
 and tasteless, the temperature being about 32" Reau- 
 mur. The effect was delicious, the skin after even 
 one immersion feeling exactly the same as if the
 
 506 BATHS OV CUNTIS. 
 
 finest cosmetics had been applied to it, in a degree 
 I never experienced in any natural water, not even 
 in Germany or those of the Pyrenees. 
 
 The arrangements for taking the baths are rather 
 singular ; there are two square basins about 6 feet 
 each way, made of granite, and all in the same row, 
 separated by a thin partition, just sufficient in height 
 to prevent any one looking over. One of these is for 
 men, and the other for women ; each is calculated to 
 hold ten persons, five on each side, who thus closely 
 packed, sit and recline on a stone carved into the 
 form of a bolster opposite to each other. Although 
 the parties are respectively invisible, conversation 
 may be easily carried on, as it no doubt is during the 
 season, by the parties engaged, and would to a much 
 greater extent by the more social and loquacious 
 inhabitants of the south. There is another estab- 
 lishment nearly similar to this, with a large public 
 receptacle for the multitude, and in each a small 
 number of comfortable private baths, in one of which 
 I was accommodated. 
 
 The baths of Cuntis are about a league distant, 
 and I believe the waters are much of the same nature, 
 but more sulphurous, also acting well on the skin, 
 and both are extremely useful in dyspeptic cases. As 
 in Spanish watering places, the accommodation is 
 usual scanty and the arrangements for lodgers bad, 
 although the country produces abundance of every 
 thing necessary for comfort and good living. The 
 posada was tolerably good and kept by some very
 
 PONTEVEDRA. 207 
 
 decent people from Navarre. Having arrived just 
 after the regular hour I had great difficulty in find- 
 ing a vacant room. They tried very much to pre- 
 vail on me to be contented with a very small one, in 
 which a man was regularly in bed, just over the 
 table ! nor could they comprehend the meaning of 
 my repugnance to this and similar arrangements 
 they proposed ; and after going through the whole, 
 which were more or less objectionable, they at last 
 gave me a very good room with two alcoves, both of 
 them occupied,' I supposed by people they considered 
 ought not to be disturbed. 
 
 The appearance of the peasantry in this beautiful 
 part of the country is extremely unfavourable, as 
 they are badly drest, dirty, and of most forbidding 
 exterior, not at all improved by their manners, and 
 very many have a look of abject poverty, nearly 
 similar to that of the peasantry in the worst parts 
 of Ireland . I have no doubt tliat many being driven 
 by distress to emigration, their uncouth manners 
 have fixed the sobriquet so common at their expense 
 all over Spain, and in every respect they are con- 
 siderably behind the inhabitants of the eastern and 
 northern parts of Galicia. 
 
 We crossed another ridge, when Pontevedra 
 shewed itself, the first view being very striking from 
 this side, as it stands on the precipitous slope of a 
 hill, somewhat like Ribadco, but is turned from the 
 ocean, which by the ria of its name, and the estuary 
 of the Lcrcz flows up to the walls. The entrance is
 
 208 PONTEVEDRA. 
 
 by a long bridge, at the end of which is the town 
 gate, where I was stopped by a character like a 
 sergeant, and some particulars asked respecting me. 
 After he was answered, he said, " You will have to 
 go to the Ayuntamiento, who will send for you at 
 the time they want you ; probably about nine 
 o'clock." 
 
 When I had made the necessary arrangements 
 at the posada, I walked out to look round the place, 
 which is clean and well built. At the upper part 
 is a church that is seen for a great distance, like the 
 Superga at Turin. I had been told this was very 
 old, and " obra de Moros," but I found it a mere 
 shell of modern and excessively bad architecture, 
 and only striking as a distant object. Further on 
 are the ruins of a convent of Augustinians, with a 
 beautiful church of the fourteenth century, partly 
 covered with ivy, very much like one of our abbeys, 
 which appeared never to have been finished, and 
 its devastation was evidently of the date of the war 
 of independence. Adjoining it is the alameda, an 
 extensive promenade, with beautiful views in every 
 direction, second to very few in Spain. There was 
 a considerable crowd assembled to see a parade and 
 drill of " nacionales" without uniform, evidently just 
 formed. I kept aloof from the crowd, but I noticed 
 several persons looking very much at me, which is 
 unusual in Spain, and was by no means a pleasing 
 observation to make. 
 
 I returned to the posada, where the people of the
 
 ARREST. 209 
 
 house came to me, evidently in considerable alarm, 
 and said, "Have you a passport?" "Certainly." 
 " What a pity it is you went to the paseo ; if you had 
 stayed at home, they would not have noticed you. 
 They have been making inquiries about you, and the 
 consequences of such circumstances are often very 
 unpleasant ; only the other day, they (the junta) ar- 
 rested two gentlemen here, and sent them off to 
 Santiago, where they are in prison, 'incomunicados;' " 
 that is, without any intercourse being allowed with 
 them. I observed, " I am an Englishman, and 
 having done nothing, have not anything to fear from 
 them." They answered, " If they take in their heads 
 to arrest you, they care very little who you may be ;" 
 ending with a deep expression, "God send Espartcro 
 were here to bring them to order, and put an end 
 to their proceedings." 
 
 It was now very clear that I should have to appear 
 before the junta, and as the hour was approaching 
 at which the sergeant had announced I should be 
 " wanted," I sent for the guide to conduct me to the 
 place. Whilst I was waiting for his arrival, a ser- 
 geant, attended by a soldier armed, came, and very 
 civilly summoned me to accompany him to the Ayun- 
 tamiento, whither we immediately proceeded, fol- 
 lowed by a mob of persons, who penetrated quite 
 into the building, but were perfectly quiet, and well 
 behaved. I found the place of assembly to be a 
 gigantic Franciscan convent, that stands at the 
 higher part of the town, and with its whitewashed 
 
 VOL. II. P
 
 210 THE JUNTA. 
 
 walls, is seen from a great distance. I was con- 
 ducted through various corridors to a spacious 
 room, of which I could not conjecture any conven- 
 tual use, unless that it mav have served to accommo- 
 date the general of the order, when he came in 
 state, with his tiro, as grandee of Spain, to visit 
 the district, when it probably may have served for 
 his hall of reception. There was a gentleman 
 w^'iting at the table in the middle of the room, who 
 I found afterwards was the president of the junta. 
 After begging me to be seated, he asked me a few 
 questions, and continued writing. Presently theother 
 members of the junta arrived, when he moved to a 
 chair of state, at the head of the room, and they 
 took their seats on a mahogany and scarlet sofa, on 
 his left. Opposite to them was another correspond- 
 ing, and these enumerated, wath a very few chairs, 
 were the sole furniture in this vast apartment. 
 
 Shortly after the conclave had assembled, I w^as 
 called up and interrogated ; the questions relating 
 principally to the objects of my voyage, and the 
 motives which could induce any one to be travelling 
 in Spain at such a time, &c. To the last question I 
 answered, that certainly it was not a time any one 
 would select who did not know the country perfectly 
 well ; that I had been in Spain at all times, and 
 in all circumstances, and that as I always respected 
 the laws and usages of the country I had nothing 
 to fear ; that I knew the national character, and if 
 ever I should find myself in any difficulty felt con-
 
 THE JUNTA. 211 
 
 fident I should have gentlemen to deal with. After 
 a time I withdrew to my place at the middle 
 table, leaving them a while to digest what I had 
 said, when I again rose, and added fresh matter ; 
 repeating this process until I had nearly exhausted 
 all the topics that it appeared necessary to introduce. 
 Each time, when I withdrew to my seat, to carry 
 the scene more completely through, in the Spanish 
 fashion, I lighted a paper cigar, and after finishing 
 it, rose again to repeat the process. When the 
 junta first assembled, they sent for the Xefe politico, 
 who, for reasons best known to himself, was not 
 forthcoming, and they appeared extremely sensible 
 to his apparent neglect of their repeated peremp- 
 tory summons. At last he arrived, with some 
 *' expedientes,'* or official papers in his hand, and 
 sidling up, took his seat near me. He was an elderly, 
 very sharp-visaged person, evidently an escribano, 
 representing an attorney of sharp practice, of the 
 description so well known about the Old Bailey. 
 He did not salute me, and his manner was any thing 
 but prepossessing ; casting sidelooks towards me, 
 from time to time, of the most sinister expression. 
 The papers he held were the reports that had been 
 sent against me, from Corufia and Santiago. Although 
 by no means pleased with his appearance, I perse- 
 vered in the same course, and after a time began to 
 perceive, that so far from losing, I was evidently 
 gaining ground, and that they were rather in a 
 dilemma as to what proceedings it was right to adopt. 
 
 p 2
 
 212 THE JUNTA. 
 
 After the last time I had addressed them, thev 
 motioned me to take my seat, when they closed in and 
 held along consultation, thegreater part of which was 
 inaudible, but I heard distinctly the words, '* There 
 would be little difficulty, but from the two reports 
 we have had," (Coruna and Santiago). I now" saw 
 that it was my time to take the offensive, and by 
 bringing up my reserve, finish the affair. Fore- 
 seeing that I might possibly require them during 
 my tour in this part of the country, and that they 
 would not be of any use to Dr. Daubeny, I kept the 
 original mandates of the Government, to the au- 
 thorities in Estremadura and other parts, with which 
 we were provided at Madrid. I rose, and with the 
 greatest possible coolness, stating that I had such 
 documents, asked whether they would like to see 
 them. They most gladly assented to this proposi- 
 tion, and I set out for them, but it occurred to me 
 that the guide might as well fetch the trunk in 
 which they were, without my taking the trouble of 
 going to the posada, and as he was amongst the 
 spectators, listening to the proceedings, I despatched 
 him, and returned to my station. 
 
 The documents were soon brought and examined, 
 when the business was shortly at an end, and general 
 conversation ensued, which gradually passed into 
 civility. The sharp-visaged man was amongst the 
 first to change his manner, and after looking through 
 the papers, said, I should have no further trouble 
 there or elsewhere ; that to prevent any report
 
 THE JUNTA. 213 
 
 reaching Vigo, he would write a letter, which would 
 be forwarded to me in the course of the night, to state 
 every thing in my favour, and to prevent any bad 
 consequence, should the authorities there have been 
 written to in a similar manner. 
 
 Amongst the parties who figured in this scene, 
 besides the president and others, was a stout conse- 
 quential personage, evidently the medico of the 
 place, who inquired very much about the phospho- 
 rite of Logrosan, and was extremely desirous of 
 seeing a specimen, which, from not foreseeing 
 that it might be wanted, I was not provided 
 with. He had some chemical knowledge, which 
 he rather paraded on the occasion, and con- 
 founding the phosphorite with the phosphate of lime 
 was extremely anxious I should inform people in 
 England that abundance could be had in the vicinity 
 of Pontevedra, from the shells on the coast. I was 
 in no way disposed to enter into controversy with 
 him, and it was not my policy to risk making an 
 enemy, as I should very probably have done by shewing 
 him his error ; so I allowed him to retain his opinion 
 and the matter to drop, but I corrected the mistake 
 when I wrote afterwards to the junta. There was 
 another young and very gentlemanly man amongst 
 them, who came over and conversed with me for 
 some time, after the business was settled ; and I 
 found he knew several people with whom I was ac- 
 quainted at Madrid. Ik'fore leaving the room I 
 heard them say " Es un guapo muchacho," an ex-
 
 214 THE JUNTA. 
 
 pression considered extremely laudatory in Spain. 
 The president asked whether I took notes, when I 
 handed my book, which of course he could make 
 nothing of, but they inquired particularly whether 
 I had made any on the various pronunciamentos I 
 had witnessed, of which I had given the catalogue, 
 to the no small progress of my defence ; to this I re- 
 plied, there was no occasion, for they were engraved 
 too indelibly on my memory. This reply, which cut 
 either way, and was by no means meant to express 
 any favourable feeling towards these performances, 
 was taken in their own acceptation and appeared to 
 give great satisfaction. When I took leave, they 
 apologized for the trouble I had been put to, from 
 which I entirely absolved them, stating that I knew 
 the reason and the difficulties they were placed in ; 
 which were verv much increased bv the reaction now 
 threatening every part of Galicia, from the overt 
 acts of the French party in the south, as already 
 mentioned, making the situation of these revolted 
 juntas extremely critical, having the mob to fear 
 as well as the consequences of their illegal acts on 
 the other side. 
 
 Although I received part of the information con- 
 nected with this transaction, at a subsequent period ; 
 to prevent the necessity of returning to it, the 
 account of both the cause and of the steps taken in 
 consequence will now be given. The whole business 
 originated at Coruila, where I was in a great degree 
 a stranger, and in no town of Andalusia or in anv
 
 CAUSE OF ARREST. 215 
 
 other where I had previously been would it have 
 happened. Some person or other went to the junta 
 and represented that I was travelling for a different 
 purpose from that given out, and in fact was very 
 probably sent by the Government of the Regent to 
 work a counter revolution. So suspicious are this 
 peeple very often in their dealings, that no sooner 
 was this absurd idea suggested, than they began 
 to collect facts and reasons to support it. My 
 banker's arrang-ements were mentioned when we 
 set out for Estremadura. On my last departure 
 from Madrid, I drew for the sum of money estimated 
 as probably necessary to serve me for the remainder 
 of my tour ; but as it was possible some accident or 
 other circumstance might make an additional supply 
 requisite, I begged Messrs. Goya to give an order 
 to their correspondents at Coruna, that if I wanted 
 any they should supply me on my draft, without the 
 necessity of waiting the return of post from the capi- 
 tal, a delay of several days. This was accordingly 
 done, and Messrs. Goya in the same style I had been 
 introduced to them by my friend Don Camilo Bal- 
 maseda, desired their agent at Corufia in general 
 terms to let me have any money I might wish for. 
 Nothing could certainly be more fair or less open to 
 suspicious interpretation than a proceeding of this 
 kind, conducted without the smallest idea of 
 any other motive than that I have represented. 
 The banker, who is one of the principal merchants 
 in the place, happened also to be a mom])cr of the
 
 210 JUNTA OF COnUNA. 
 
 junta, or was affiliated with it, and after my arrival 
 they made inquiries of him about me. He answer- 
 ed that I was strongly recommended to him, and 
 that he had an order of unlimited credit for any 
 money I might want. As such a practice is not 
 common in Spain, a miserable section of the body 
 drew their own inference, and concluded the order 
 could only be given for the sinister purpose already 
 hinted. To complete the wretched and despicable 
 part they had acted, instead of summoning me and 
 making a regular inquiry about my proceedings, 
 which they had a fair and legal right to do (that is, so 
 far as any proceedings of theirs could be legal,) they 
 allowed me to depart, then sending the secret reports 
 previously mentioned to Santiago and Pontevedra. 
 I have the strongest reason to believe that the mas- 
 ter of the house where I lodged and a friend of his, 
 an ignorant, loquacious, and braggart character, a 
 fierce opponent of the Regent, without any reason I 
 could hear, who was apparently trying by intrigue to 
 be elected to the junta ; were the movers in this 
 most mean and pitiful transaction. 
 
 Besides the very great danger I had escaped, 
 entirely by my own perfect innocence of the pitiful 
 charge they had raised, and my knowledge of the 
 language and the mode of dealing with this singular 
 people ; 1 felt that in the public manner I was 
 travelling, such conduct was almost a national insult, 
 and I determined to notice it in a way the parties 
 should hear of; leaving the blame to rest on
 
 JUNTA OF CORUNA. 217 
 
 those who were really concerned, which I imagine 
 was only a section of the junta, who were then 
 sitting with the danger of the people interrupting 
 their machinations, and possibly executing the 
 justice on them the Government were unable to do. 
 
 The instant I was out of the hands of the parties, 
 I therefore resolved on writing to the junta at Co- 
 ruiia, leaving the letter to be forwarded after my 
 departure ; but there was not time, as the packet 
 arrived sooner than 1 expected, so that I carried 
 it into effect on the passage home, despatching it by 
 post after my arrival in London. 
 
 In this despatch I reproached them with the 
 wretched and contemptible act of writing behind 
 my back ; of the tyrannical nature of such a pro- 
 ceeding, worthy the inquisition or a set of Fran- 
 ciscan monks, formed into a governing junta under 
 the Pretender (the bitterest comparison possible to 
 make to such a body), with very broad hints as to 
 the sources of the information on which they had 
 acted, and the most severe remarks on the stu- 
 pidity that had caused them to adopt their course. I 
 recommended them, should other cases occur, to use 
 a little circumspection, and not trust the reports of 
 the '* tunantes" (vagabonds) about inns and such 
 places, who might again mislead them. In short, 
 I believe as much was said in the space .allotted, 
 as possibly could be, under the circumstances ; and 
 at the same time I contrasted their miserable beha- 
 viour, with that of the authorities at Santiago and
 
 218 JUNTA OF CORUNA. 
 
 Pontevedra, which was that of Spanish gentlemen ; 
 concluding in the courteous style of official corres- 
 pondence with the prayer for their preservation 
 for many years. They were addressed as the ''^ junta 
 suhlevada,^' (revolted junta) of Coruiia, and a copy 
 was sent to the junta of Pontevedra. I should under 
 any other circumstances have complained to the 
 Minister or to the Government at home of such a 
 proceeding, but no harm in reality had been done ; 
 and this rabble were amenable to no one; I might, 
 for anything they cared, have been sent to prison and 
 left there, as I had no consul or other authority 
 on the spot to aid me, so that I felt fully justified 
 in using the severe expressions referred to. I 
 have since been truly thankful that I happened 
 to be travelling in this direction and not to the in- 
 terior, as in a place like Villalba, for instance, such 
 a circumstance might have produced very unplea- 
 sant results. I shall have to make further men- 
 tion of these juntas, and of the province, in the 
 remarks on the pronunciamentos. 
 
 The president of the junta, who, although a gen- 
 tleman, appeared by no means intelligent, had par- 
 ticularly inquired about the length of time I in- 
 tended remaining, and appeared considerably com- 
 forted, when I said that I not only proposed to 
 start very early in the morning, but that it was a 
 case of necessity, as I had barely time to save the 
 packet. I was not in the least disposed to break 
 my engagement, and therefore I started at an early
 
 VIGO. 219 
 
 hour. Immediately after leaving this very pretty 
 place, you cross a tract of broken ground with dis- 
 tant views of the ria of Vigo and the hills beyond 
 it, that cannot be excelled ; there is little in Eu- 
 rope so beautiful or that would better repay a land- 
 scape painter for giving a little time to the novel 
 subjects that might be picked out from this lovely 
 region . 
 
 The view in ridinof alono^ the banks of the ria 
 of Vigo is less pretty than that above mentioned, 
 from the want of foreground, and a greater mono- 
 tony in the sea view. The rocks are chiefly granitic, 
 and there is an abundance of the most beautiful 
 springs it is possible to imagine. I found Vigo under 
 considerable excitement, in consequence of an oc- 
 currence that had just taken place. The junta were, 
 as usual, divided in opinion, and there was a very 
 strong feeling against the Afrancesado leaders, who, 
 it was now known, were at the head of afliiirs in the 
 southern provinces. The people in all this part 
 were inclined to support the Regent, and the place 
 was all but formally dispronounced (dcspronun- 
 ciado). Under these circumstances, two of the 
 leading inhabitants of the place, men of rank and 
 property, but known to be moderados or of the 
 French party, were about setting out for Coruna, as 
 they alleged on private business; but it was believed, 
 with the intention of entering into correspondence 
 with some friends there of the same way of think- 
 ing ; and without any warning or notice, they were
 
 2€0 PRONUNCIAMENTO. 
 
 arrested and conducted in the middle of the day 
 through the town and shut up in different forts, 
 where they were " incomunicados," a beautiful 
 term and practice derived from the inquisition I 
 Such were the bodies who had undertaken to super- 
 sede the regular government and take the manage- 
 ment of public affairs. 
 
 Another rather curious and characteristic oc- 
 currence had taken place in the immediate neigh- 
 bourhood. Following the notable example set them 
 by the larger pueblos, a small place on the bay had 
 set up the standard, and elected a junta of its own 
 to govern the pigmy district ; a regular burlesque of 
 pronunciamento. The first act of this junta was to 
 issue a bando containing a variety of articles, the 
 greater part inflicting the penalty of death on all 
 who should infringe them ! A leading one was the 
 imposing this penalty on any who should scandalize or 
 speak ill of the families of any of the said junta ! Thus 
 revealing the secret that private scandal ran high in 
 the petty circle of this society. The tyranny of 
 this bando, and the dread of the threats being 
 carried into execution were so great, that complaints 
 were soon made at Vigo, and the junta there sent 
 out an armed force, arrested the whole body, and 
 conducted their brethren to prison ! I inquired, 
 how such a proceeding could be justified, as there 
 certainly was no apparent reason why any subordinate 
 place should not have its pronunciamento as well as 
 the larger towns ; but I was told that they had com-
 
 VIGO. 221 
 
 mitted themselves by assuming certain legal func- 
 tions (probably at the suggestion of the escribanos,) 
 which were at variance with the fundamental laws of 
 the kingdom ; and that the capturing them was not 
 only justified, but imperatively called for by their 
 dealings, to prevent the occurrence of greater evils. 
 This curious transaction very probably will one 
 day furnish a subject for a sainete, or farce, in 
 which all such scenes of local ridicule are treated 
 with a truth and spirit I know nothing equal to in 
 any other country, and that fully indemnifies the 
 spectators of them for the inconvenience the realities 
 on which they are founded sometimes produces. 
 
 There is little worthy notice at Vigo, which is 
 built on the precipitous bank of the ria or bay, as 
 we generally term it. As in other places the old 
 churches are the chief objects of curiosity, in this 
 a modern and unfinished one is the principal attrac- 
 tion. It is a temple, witli a double row of noble 
 columns, one on each side, supporting the nave, 
 which is arched, and appeared to be entirely of 
 stone. The interior is quite plain, and to many 
 persons appears naked and unornamented, but the 
 architectural effect is very noble. The principal, 
 and I believe only inn, is tolerably good, but de- 
 ficient in accommodation, under the new arrange- 
 ment of steamers calling there once a week, and 
 leaving passengers each time. It was nearly filled 
 with Catalans, who had brought a cargo of their 
 wretched cottons, most of which, no doubt, were
 
 2'22 VIGO. 
 
 supplied by their French friends, and stamped as 
 the product of Spanish looms. I dined in company 
 with these people at the table d'hote, and listened 
 attentively to their conversation, which was carried 
 on partly in Castilian, but chiefly in their own bar- 
 barous patois. The chief purport of it was, if the 
 *' Catalan pronunciamento" does not succeed, we 
 shall have the treaty of Algodon (cotton), meaning 
 the general treaty of commerce, admitting all goods 
 at a fixed and moderate duty ; thus proving one of 
 the causes of the revolt against the Regent; and that, 
 even at this time, the end of July, the result, to 
 these parties so strongly interested and in general so 
 sanguine, was not considered by any means certain. 
 
 The people of this place and immediate neigh- 
 bourhood are an active, industrious, cheerful, well- 
 looking, polished race, quite unlike those noticed in 
 the interior towards Santiago, who might be sup- 
 posed to belong to another region. They appear to 
 have every thing in abundance, excepting wine, 
 and I was told, that notwithstanding the greatest 
 efforts had been made, and many experiments tried, 
 they had found it impossible to make it of any thing 
 like good quality. 
 
 The chief improvement going on in this neigh- 
 bourhood is a new line of road to Madrid, which is 
 to pass near Tuy, and thence by Orense, and a string 
 of small places to Medina del Campo, near Valla- 
 dolid, where it meets the other great carretera of 
 Coruha, that is fast advancing to completion.
 
 VIGO. ^23 
 
 This new undertaking is of the greatest importance 
 to all these districts, and there was considerable 
 opposition made by parties interested in the direct 
 line, by the people of Coruiia, and other places in 
 the north of Galicia, but it had been overcome, 
 and a part was actually finished. The junta of 
 Pontevedra commenced their operations by seizing 
 30,000 dollars that had been subscribed for the 
 purpose ; a transaction, not only scandalous, but 
 bordering on the iniquitous, for which they ought to 
 be made to suffer, although there is little probability 
 of it. The country to be passed by this line is for 
 the greater part wild and dreary, with few places 
 of importance to pass through, but they told me 
 there were no natural obstacles in the way, and 
 certainly no part of Spain wants opening out more 
 than the tract in question. If it be completed, it 
 will be the best communication between London and 
 Madrid, as an express might reach Vigo from the 
 Spanish capital in thirty hours, or thereabouts, and 
 as it is only four days from Vigo to Southampton, 
 despatches would travel very expeditiously. 
 
 The state of the country prevented my making an 
 excursion to Tuy, on the Miilo, which I very much 
 regretted, on account of the wines, of which I heard 
 an excellent account, and if what they told me be 
 true, they might be imported into this country to 
 great advantage. They said that those which were 
 well made and kept for some time were delicious, 
 being, no doubt, a lighter Port, and, according to 
 their accounts, are perfectly sound. At present
 
 224 DEPAIITURE FROM SPAIN. 
 
 they arc almost unsaleable, and left to accumulate 
 in their stores. 
 
 From what has been stated, it will be easily ima- 
 gined I had no trouble with the authorities at Vigo, 
 and the excellent Vice-consul dissuaded me from 
 the trouble even of forwarding the letter I had been 
 supplied with at Pontevedra, assuring me that under 
 no circumstance I had the slightest ground for 
 apprehension of annoyance, nor did they ask a single 
 qnestion about me. I omitted mentioning that one 
 reason of the cabal at Coruna not troubling me 
 whilst in the place, was, that the Vice-consul would 
 have immediately interfered. Both these gentlemen 
 are Spaniards, wealthy proprietors and most intel- 
 ligent, excellent and zealous officers. 
 
 In the steamer w^ere embarked some very fine 
 bullocks, and there was every probability of an in- 
 crease in the trade, as it was found that the really 
 good animals and in high condition, answered the 
 purpose of the dealers on both sides of the water. 
 They had purchased a high bred short horned bull 
 and cow of Mr. Bates's kind, with the view to im- 
 prove the native race. Like the coal owners, with 
 this article, however, the agriculturists have little to 
 apprehend from any interference in the market from 
 the import of Spanish cattle, which can never be 
 brought in sufficient quantity to affect the price of 
 the native supply, on which we must always be depen- 
 dant. An account of the geology and mineralogy 
 of this province and of Asturias will be found in the 
 Appendix.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ON THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS AND FALL OF THE 
 REGENCY. 
 
 Although, as stated at the outset, politics form 
 no part of this work, having seen so much of the 
 proceedings of this extraordinary people at this 
 crisis, and having had previously sufficient know- 
 ledge of them to explain many things which to 
 strangers are rather incomprehensible, I will give 
 a summary of the facts which came under my ob- 
 servation, leaving every one to draw their own infe- 
 rences. I must premise that the whole object is to 
 state the truth, and neither to support one party or 
 the other. I happen to have very many valued 
 friends both of the moderado or French party, and 
 as many in the national, or that of the late Regent, 
 and therefore, if not naturally disposed to do so, I 
 must almost from necessity speak impartially. I 
 have no reason whatever personally to speak ill or 
 well of the Refrent, from whom I received the at- 
 tention and civility any one would under the same 
 circumstances, with the strong recommendation I 
 carried to him from our own Government, and assisted 
 by the kindness and attention of the Minister at 
 
 VOL. 11. Q
 
 226 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 Madrid, but nothing more. Therefore, in all the 
 transactions under consideration he is to all intents 
 a public and historical personage, his acts are open 
 to discussion and criticism on all bearings of the 
 momentous questions they embrace. All these sub- 
 jects will be treated, as much as possible, in their 
 Spanish or national bearings, and entirely on the 
 arguments respectively furnished by the numbers 
 of people of every shade of opinion with whom I 
 conversed j this report must be considered a digest 
 of a vast mass of conversations. 
 
 It is impossible to avoid expressing some feeling 
 towards the fallen governmentof the Regent; the sole 
 cause of which is, that having attended very closely 
 to their concerns for several years, I was under the 
 conviction that the best hopes the Spaniards ever 
 had of rational freedom and delivery from the 
 tyranny and mismanagement that have for so many 
 ages weighed down and lowered the situation of the 
 country to the point it has reached in our days, 
 were to be found in the guarantee of his firm and 
 prudent character, and his attachment to wise and 
 constitutional liberty. On no other account had 
 he in his public situation any other prestige or cause 
 of partiality. 
 
 With respect to the people themselves, every one 
 may judge in some degree, who has perused the 
 preceding pages, in which my endeavour has been 
 to paint them as I have always found them in 
 my rather extensive dealings in Spain, and whe-
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 227 
 
 ther they deserve the character so frequently con- 
 ferred on them by strangers ; but certainly never by 
 any one who has had the opportunity or the means 
 of knowing them. 
 
 I would certainly prefer the giving this account 
 without referring at all to certain neighbours who 
 have always felt and expressed interest in the affairs 
 of the adjoining kingdom ; and have described the 
 scenes that have taken place as wholly Spanish ; but 
 it is utterly impossible, and I should not only fail 
 in the attempt, but my friends in Spain would either 
 suppose I was in jest, or that I had some motive for 
 doing so, were I to follow the etiquette of official 
 persons in high station, and declare that the whole 
 eventful business was really Spanish, and that no 
 one else was concerned in it ; I must therefore point 
 out the probabilities, which will be done as lightly as 
 possible, having the greatest possible good will and 
 respect for our allies, whose proceedings in Spain 
 arc certainly one of the most objectionable parts 
 of their system, and those of 1843, it is to be feared, 
 almost worse than any other that have preceded 
 them. 
 
 In the general resume of the state of Spain, we left 
 the Regent at Albacetc, on his road to attack Valencia, 
 where he made a long and fatal halt. The reason 
 of tliis delay, which was not immediately known, 
 was the failure of the eastern division of the army, 
 which was to have co-operated by advancing on that 
 side ; the force under his immediate orders being 
 
 Q 2
 
 228 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 insufficient alone to effect this extensive operation. 
 Tlie corps alluded to, by the defection of officers 
 and men, was paralysed, and the movement failed 
 in consequence. After that unfortunate event, there 
 remained only the road to Andalucia open, and as 
 Van Halen was repulsed at Granada, Seville alone 
 was left, so failing to take that place, he had only 
 the alternative of making his way to Cadiz, and 
 leaving Spain. Seville was put in a state of de- 
 fence, principally, I believe, by the exertions of a 
 gentleman, called Hezeta, and I fear, those of my 
 friend the Canon Cepero, who, for reasons so wholly 
 Spanish as to be inexplicable, had taken a line in 
 opposition to the Regent some time previously. 
 
 There has recently been some correspondence 
 between Senor Hezeta and a morning paper, 
 respecting the part he took in this affair, and as he 
 has laid the matter before the public, a remark or 
 two may be made. Senor Hezeta, as a Spaniard, 
 certainly owes no allegiance to England or 
 English interests, although he may have lived and 
 thriven under our protection, and as far as the in- 
 terests of his country were concerned, he was to 
 follow the dictates of his own judgment. In his 
 defence, he says, he made a tour, and gained the 
 information on which he acted. This tour must 
 have been to Paris, where he probably met the 
 parties there, who were fully able to persuade any 
 one disposed to listen to them, to take the part he 
 appears to have done. The curious thing in his
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 2^9 
 
 letter is the assertion as a grievance, that the elec- 
 tion of Espartero to the regency was the effect of 
 intrigue ! — a strange accusation to make from such a 
 place, and with such associates. It would appear 
 Senor Hezeta had lived so long out of his country 
 as to have forgotten how matters are managed in it, 
 and it is rather orioinal to hear such a charefe made. 
 Was any thing ever managed in any other way, we 
 should be glad to know, and with all respect for 
 Mr. Hezeta and his friends the circle of the hotel 
 Courcelles, they should not have been the first to use 
 the old proverb, of throwing stones amongst such 
 brittle materials. I took the trouble to send for the 
 letter he published in a Liverpool paper, as stated, 
 in the hope of gaining information, but was disap- 
 pointed, as it contained little else than a violent 
 tirade aofainst the Reo^ent. 
 
 Whether an instantaneous march into Seville 
 would have been attended with the result generally 
 calculated, and have ended in the surrender of it, 
 I know not, and have had no opportunity of 
 obtaining certain and correct information on 
 that head ; but there is reason to believe that it 
 would, and it is more than doubtful to those who 
 know the Andalusians, whether one of their cities 
 would have been defended had the troops marched 
 boldly in. However, that cannot be decided, but 
 must remain matter of opinion. After the failure 
 at Seville the Regent embarked, and as our neigh-
 
 230 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 bours say, " Voila la piece finie." We must now 
 touch on the causes that led to the catastrophe. 
 
 I was much surprised when out of Madrid, and 
 fairly amongst the Spaniards, to find the popularity 
 I expected to be enjoyed by the Government, had 
 almost entirely passed away, and that almost every 
 where, even in quarters I anticipated the prevalence 
 of a completely opposite feeling. The cause of this 
 was not in the Regent himself, but partly in the in- 
 dividuals he had been obliged to cull his ministers 
 from ; but far more than any thing else, in the 
 Cortes, with whom all the blame of the unfortunate 
 state of things that has resulted, and is likely to 
 continue, must finally centre. The failings of this 
 body proceeded from what has always been, and will 
 continue to be the curse of Spain, that is personal 
 jealousies, hatreds, and a want of subordination and 
 of cohesion between the respective parties. Hardly 
 any one, in the weakness of national character 
 on this respect, would allow a leader to occupy a 
 paramount place and act under him, although 
 aware that he could not lead himself, and that no 
 other plan could deliver the country from the stag- 
 nation that every one was aware extended through all 
 the management of public affairs. Session after 
 session was passed, the greater part being devoted to 
 the most paltry intrigues, and speeches resulting 
 from them, whilst the public business was nearly at 
 a stand. In these circumstances the Regent had
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 231 
 
 dissolved the Cortes more than once, in the vain 
 hope the electors would return a chamber with some 
 ascendant interest, sufficient to bear down the rest, 
 and allow the government to go on. The elections 
 to the last Cortes, w^hich were opened the day I en- 
 tered Madrid, were entirely in the liberal or pro- 
 gresista interest, which upheld the Regency. Of 
 the great moderado or Afrancesado party (for it is 
 a mere trifling or waste of words to separate them) 
 there were only ten members returned, and of Car- 
 lists not one. In fact, it w^as merely a question of 
 personalities between the leaders that prevented the 
 chamber being nearly unanimous, for I am not 
 aware of any great question on which any difference 
 of opinion prevailed amongst them, nearly the whole 
 being of the progrcsista or movement party. It was 
 soon known that the ministry of the day would not 
 be able to withstand the coalition against them, 
 should the sections unite to oppose, and the question 
 arose who was to succeed them. Nearly every man 
 on all sides of politics had been tried, and every 
 one had broken down under the weight of the go- 
 vernment, more especially of the finances, which arc 
 in Spain what the management of Ireland is in this 
 country. The first question that occurred was the 
 election of the speaker, and the ministers were in a 
 minority. The Regent then sent for Scnor Cortina, 
 a lawyer of Seville who had been elected, and de- 
 sired him to form a ministry. After consulting his 
 friends, he declined doing so, on the ground that he
 
 23^ THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 could not command a majority sufficient to carry on 
 the government. The next in influence and talent 
 was Senor Olozaga, also a provincial lawyer, who 
 was sent for ; and the same request being conveyed 
 to him, the same result followed. It is important 
 to remark this state of things, because the opinion 
 of the best and most able men in Spain, was, that 
 by uniting their influence, these two men could have 
 formed an administration strong enough to carry on 
 the government, and prevent the disastrous conse- 
 quences that have ensued. 
 
 The next step of the Regent is the most impor- 
 tant of all, and the most difficult to explain or 
 account for ; therefore, no more will be attempted, 
 than merely stating the facts that took place. 
 He sent for another lawyer, of Alicante, called 
 Lopez, whose name will hereafter figure in the 
 history of his country in a way far from enviable, 
 owing to the consequences resulting from the 
 extraordinary proceeding of appointing him to such 
 a situation ; and very little, I really believe, from the 
 fault of the man, who had thus a momentary " great- 
 ness thrust upon him." No one, I ever knew that 
 did not deplore the fatal step taken in selecting this 
 person, who, although of universally admitted talent, 
 and possessed of the fatal gift of eloquence to an un- 
 common degree, had none of the requisites for govern- 
 ing a country at any time, much more at the crisis we 
 are speaking of, and ought, by the universal admis- 
 sion of every Spaniard I ever heard speak on the
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 233 
 
 subject, to have been the last man selected for such 
 an office. However, the mischief was done, and 
 soon the consequences of so imprudent a step became 
 manifest. By way of making a party, to supply the 
 influence he was totally destitute of personally, he 
 put forth the famous " programme," the Pandora's 
 box that has brought such real misfortunes to 
 this ill-fated country. This document appeared 
 when I was in Estremadura, and in a party, of 
 which I was the only foreigner, we amused ourselves 
 by analysing it, and laughing at the pretensions set 
 forth, many of which were absurd enough, little 
 thinking of the important consequences that were 
 to follow. The practice in Spain has been, for each 
 ministry on its first formation to hold out some 
 plan, ad captandum, of their intended mode of 
 proceeding with the public business, no one article 
 of which has ever yet been carried into execution ; 
 so that these projects, if read at all, must either be 
 read in the negative, or as promising the very 
 reverse of what the parties really performed, what- 
 ever may have been their intentions when they were 
 drawn up. As this programme in general was merely 
 composed of the ordinary professions used on these 
 occasions, the only article that requires i)articular 
 mention is that of the amnesty, which was so spe- 
 ciously made out, as to completely answer the pur- 
 pose for which it was intended, that of paving tlic 
 way for bringinn back the A francesado leaders, wlio 
 were engaged in the attempt to carry off the Queen
 
 234 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 in October, 1841. It may strike many persons as 
 rather singular, that this amnesty, though couched 
 in general terms, was not intended at all for tlic 
 Carlists I Quite the contrary ; not one was to have 
 been admitted ; and this fact alone, with the conse- 
 quences that ensued, would prove, that although 
 they were the dupes, the plan was not Spanish, and 
 was for a special and particular purpose. 
 
 The general opinion is that this scheme was 
 suggested from abroad, a question on which I shall 
 only observe that circumstances strongly serve to 
 bear out the suspicion to that effect. The professions 
 of unanimity of all Spaniards, forgiveness of the past, 
 and other phrases they put out, either in the docu- 
 ment itself or in the explanation of it, completely 
 took the Spaniards on their weak side, and were 
 received by the ignorant and unreflecting mass with 
 unbounded enthusiasm. If the sending for Lopez 
 was an error, the agreeing to that part of the pro- 
 gramme, was still greater and more irretrievable. 
 The discussion that occurred and the steps taken, 
 soon proved that the intention of the parties en- 
 gaged, was to isolate the Regent, by dismissing every 
 one about him, in whom his confidence was placed, 
 even to despatching his own regiment to Majorca. 
 They proceeded step by step, to impose their con- 
 ditions, the greater part of which were actually made, 
 and the rest were certainly known to be intended. 
 On the last batch of dismissals, which included 
 seventy persons, one of whom was his private secre-
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 235 
 
 tary, the Regent felt as any man would in like circum- 
 stances, and resenting very naturally the insulting- 
 indignity attempted to be put upon him, dismissed 
 Lopez, and dissolved the Chamber. This produced 
 the catastrophe, and it was in this stage that the 
 Malaofuenos and Valencians took the field. It is 
 undeniable that by this mistake of first sending 
 for Lopez, then agreeing to his programme, and 
 afterwards repudiating it, that the mischief was 
 done. The cooler and better informed part of the 
 community w^ere aware of the causes, and made 
 allowance for the unparalleled difficulty the Regent 
 had been placed in, solely by his wish to govern 
 constitutionally and by the individual who should 
 appear to have the confidence of the Chamber of 
 Deputies. It is impossible not to respect and ad- 
 mire the firmness with which to the very last he 
 not only carried through the principle, sacrificing 
 his station and rank to it ; but as far as the interests 
 of his country were concerned, no greater mistake was 
 ever made in government, than the selecting Lopez. 
 Had the Regent, when the programme with the 
 amnesty was brought to him, at once refused its 
 acceptance, and declared to Spain that it was im- 
 possible the Queen could receive the men who had 
 shed blood in her palace, and attempted violence to 
 her own person a few months before, the result would 
 no doubt have been very different : worse it could 
 not have been, than the entering the fatal defile 
 he was now engaged in. .Imongst many other ob-
 
 236 THE PUONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 jections to the plan, neither time nor circumstances 
 suited the issuing an amnesty. Such an act should 
 appear to proceed from the Sovereign herself and 
 at a fitting time, and not a mere trap-clap of an up- 
 start, newly elected minister, endeavouring to catch 
 a little popularity, by placing the Queen in a 
 situation neither dio^nified nor fittinfj to her exalted 
 station. This point of view immediately struck me, 
 and all the reflecting part of the community to whom 
 I imparted it, agreed with me, although it was never 
 urged in any public writing or speaking that came 
 to my knowledge. 
 
 The national cljaracter is essentially light, san- 
 guine, buoyant and fain to forget past difficulties and 
 misfortunes, looking forward to the panacea of the 
 day for a permanent remedy ; and such principle of 
 action was completely carried out in all this eventful 
 proceeding. In the south more especially, they 
 absolutely believed, that a millennium was approach- 
 ing, and the universal cry was for peace, unanimity, 
 and the union of all Spaniards under one "Capa." 
 Very shortly, when they found the Regent was of a 
 different opinion, and was determined when too late 
 to hold out, the cry arose, which w^as heard in al- 
 most every mouth, " Are we to sacrifice all our 
 happiness and prospects for one man ?" In the fervour 
 of hope and ignorance, they looked on the Regent as 
 the sole obstacle to the ascending to the highest 
 heaven of public happiness and prosperity ! 
 
 There is another circumstance to mention, of
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 237 
 
 great importance in judging- of the transactions of 
 this extraordinary people. After the Regent had 
 finally dismissed Lopez, he had no one to fall back 
 on, but some of the old ministers, Cortina and Olo- 
 zaga, who must for ever in the history of their 
 country bear the greatest blame for the catastrophe 
 we are considerino; ; so far from assisting the man 
 they had almost unanimously placed at the head of 
 the Government only a few months before, and whose 
 sole fault was in adhering too literally to the con- 
 stitutional law, he had, in common wdth the w^hole 
 of them, sworn to maintain, they did their utmost 
 to embarrass and involve him in greater difficulty. 
 Therefore they were out of the question, and he 
 sent for Becerra and some others, who had served 
 on a former occasion. Another peculiarity to be 
 noted is, that amongst this people, when a Minis- 
 ter has failed and has not produced either the results 
 of his programme, or fulfilled the sanguine expec- 
 tations they invariably indulge in, upon every 
 change, he is laid aside, and no more thought of. 
 They never consider the difficulties or obstacles 
 that may have occurred, but judge solely by the 
 results, and there is scarcely an instance of a man 
 holding a high situation for the second time. By 
 this continued succession of failures the whole race 
 of statesmen or pretenders to the name, have been em- 
 ployed under different governments, and the Regent 
 having tried the only new ones to be found, as they 
 failed also, he was obliged to go back to sonic of
 
 238 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 the old treasury retainers. This step, although 
 absolutely indispensable and unavoidable, was 
 another very important cause of the clamour that 
 every day became louder. The ministers newly 
 appointed, who, no doubt, were the best the Regent 
 could select from what I have heard our neighbours 
 denominate in nearly similar circumstances, " La 
 Gallerie des Antiques," although in Spain the ave- 
 rage services of a minister being little more than 
 a year, they enjoy rather a green old age, were 
 assailed with abuse even greater than that lavished 
 on his head ; as, excepting at the very last, some 
 appearance of decency, fitting his high station, was 
 maintained. 
 
 Having stated the general grounds on which 
 this extraordinary proceeding has been so far con- 
 ducted, we will now notice the particular and more 
 personal opposition that helped to produce the cata- 
 strophe. The first to be mentioned is the army ; 
 a very great number of officers, in nearly every re- 
 giment, were personally hostile to the Regent from 
 various causes. The guards had been disbanded, 
 a course absolutely necessary, chiefly on account of 
 the habits of the officers, acquired by mixing in 
 politics during the war. Some hundreds of those 
 were, after being dismissed, as they could not be 
 allowed to starve, gradually absorbed into the effec- 
 tive army, and formed a nucleus of discontent every 
 where. Some few were attached to Leon, and some 
 to Narvaez and other chiefs, and very many to the
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 239 
 
 court of Christina. Most of those who belonged 
 to the higher ranks of the aristocracy were of this 
 way of thinking, and I have heard some of them 
 declare that at the time the Gobernadora went to 
 France, they were ready, if she had wished it, to 
 attack the regiments that stood by the Regent and 
 force their way back to Madrid. This I give as I 
 have heard it, and do not answer for the absolute 
 correctness of it, or of the probable consequences 
 had such an attempt been made. 
 
 At a very early stage of the pronunciamentos, the 
 juntas, in the regular Spanish style, assumed the 
 functions of government, and amongst others, that of 
 promoting the officers who joined them. This was very 
 soon, as amatter of necessity, followed by the Regent ; 
 and as they proceeded in the same course, every one, 
 whatever side he took, was certain of at least one 
 step ! We have heard of rapid promotions in the 
 war, and sickly seasons, but nothing so wholesale 
 ever existed as in this singular and anomalous 
 country. The men were, I believe, almost without 
 an exception, disposed to adhere to the Regent, and 
 unless by the persuasion of the officers, very few 
 defections would have taken place. The great cause 
 of defection, as it was, proceeded from want of pay, 
 and even of rations. The army on foot was too large 
 for the means at the disposal of the treasury, and 
 as soon as the juntas became possessed of means to 
 pay and feed them, the desertion rapidly increased. 
 Could the Government, soon after the commence-
 
 240 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 ment, have suddenly laid hands on a considerable 
 sum of money, and caused immediate distribution, 
 so as to pay off the arrears due to almost every 
 regiment, the result would have been verv different. 
 I have already noticed, in the account of Oviedo, 
 how matters were settled there, and the same thing 
 happened at Ferrol, where the officers took possession 
 of a quantity of copper coin at the mint, and paid 
 the troops with it, not only enabling them to keep 
 the place, but to receive reinforcements, as previously 
 mentioned. A principal cause of Madrid standing 
 so firm by the Government was, that there the 
 empleados being on the spot, contrived to be regu- 
 larly paid, and had no ground to complain. Not- 
 withstanding all that has been stated, there was 
 great difficulty in keeping some of the regiments 
 from returning to their allegiance. There were 
 instances of their leaving the officers, and dispro- 
 nouncing ; and some of the commanding officers, as 
 well as those under them, and the men, even at 
 Valencia, conducted themselves well by preserving 
 their adherence. At the outbreak the colonel com- 
 mandant of a cavalry regiment threatened to shoot 
 the deputation that came to him, calling them 
 traitors, and w ithdrew from the city, with his men, 
 when unable to resist the torrent. Another regi- 
 ment in the same neighbourhood, broke from the 
 officers after they had pronounced, and withdrew 
 under command of the sergeants, as I was informed, 
 but of course, all these had finally to yield.
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 241 
 
 The preceding remarks apply to the regular 
 army ; the next division is the provincial militia, an 
 excellent force, resembling the Prussian Landwehr, 
 which was put on a better footing, and assimilated 
 to the line during the civil war. These men are 
 paid, and kept by their respective provinces, and in 
 some cases the expense being extremely onerous, is 
 much complained of by the people. As this corps 
 owed their rank and consideration a good deal to 
 the Regent, who became aware of their great value 
 during his operations, it was rather expected they 
 would stand by him, which they did in some 
 instances, but I believe, in the greater part, they 
 followed the stream. The worst of all, however, 
 were the national guards in the great towns, in 
 whose hands the civil government of the country 
 might be said to be placed, but when the difficulties 
 commenced, they were generally the first to put them- 
 selves at the head, and either originate or forward 
 the pronunciamentos. With the exception of 
 Madrid and Zaragoza, very few upheld the cause 
 of the Government, and on them devolves a very 
 large share of the important transactions of 1S1«.:3. 
 
 In all the larger towns of Spain, there is a 
 crowd of idlers, characters with little or no occupa- 
 tion, frequenters of theatres and cafes, great readers 
 of journals, and considerable politicians pretenders 
 to small-places, excessively ignorant, and ready to 
 join in any movement, provided it be attended with 
 little personal risk to themselves. A large portion of 
 
 VOL. II. 11
 
 242 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 this description took a very active part in opposing 
 the Government, and were delighted to figure in 
 juntas, or fill other analogous situations, giving 
 them a momentary importance, and possibly a few 
 dollars at the public expense. 
 
 The commercial class were in many parts of 
 Spain opposed to the Regent, from the universal 
 persuasion that a treaty of commerce with England 
 was about to be concluded. I had occasion to see 
 many of these people, who in the towns of the interior 
 are traders and not merchants, which class only exists 
 in the seaports and a few of the capitals, and even 
 there in small numbers. The conversation of these 
 persons, when you talk to them, is made up of phrases, 
 speeches, and dissertations supplied by the French 
 commis, or commercial travellers, who overrun the 
 country, and have the Anglophobia, especially in 
 the rival line, to a most uncommon extent. The 
 traders they deal with, are, to use a vulgar phrase, 
 crammed with rubbish from the Gallic commercial 
 organs, supplied from these sources, and in conversing 
 with them, you must listen to the nauseating details 
 they bring you as novelties, in the same manner the 
 said "commis" furnish them with the fashions, that 
 are long gone by, as new. The majority of this 
 class were opposed to the Government for the 
 reasons assigned, but unless in case of a pronuncia- 
 mento, when adding their scanty means to the other 
 malcontents, they are without power and considera- 
 tion in the country.
 
 ND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 243 
 
 We must now speak of the great nobility, the 
 principal part of whom live at Madrid, and who 
 were almost unanimously opposed to the Regent. 
 In the ensuing observations, I shall merely state 
 what I have heard with universal acclaim from 
 every Spaniard to whom I have spoken on the 
 subject of this class of society. You must intro- 
 duce the topic yourself, or else no one ever men- 
 tions or alludes to them ; and a Persian or Chinese 
 might very easily travel through the country 
 without finding out there was such a body in it. 
 The maxim the Spaniards follow respecting them 
 is that of the schools, " de absentibus et non ex- 
 istentibus cadem est ratio." This is literally the 
 case ; they are never spoken of with acrimony or 
 severity, nor is there any feeling against them, as 
 in PVance, or in some parts of Germany. They 
 live almost entirely amongst themselves, and 
 are in all public matters the most complete 
 nonentity it is possible to imagine. It would na- 
 turally be thought that where no sort of violence 
 has been offered to themselves, their properties, 
 or their titles, none of which have ever been me- 
 naced, that by the mere force of their own weight, 
 and of the vis inertia^, if by no active power, they 
 would possess some influence ; but they form an ex- 
 ception to this plain and simple rule, apparently 
 so natural and inevitable. The Spaniards tell you, 
 that althouoh universally attached to Christina, she 
 fell without the smallest effort on their part to uphold 
 
 a 2
 
 244 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 her. Their opposition to the Regent, although of 
 the most bitter and even absurd description, was 
 confined to patronising a wretched paper, paid prin- 
 cipally by them, to caricature and lampoon him, 
 nor could their united influence, living and expend- 
 ing all they do expend, in the capital, procure a 
 single member to represent them in the Cortes. It 
 is to this negative character, completely distinctive 
 of the body, that must be attributed the leaving 
 them entirely out in the new constitution. Their 
 pride would not permit their soliciting votes for the 
 elective senate, where some of them might have been 
 useful members, and when I was there, they were 
 absolutely vegetating, without power, weight, or 
 consideration of any kind out of their own immediate 
 circles. Their sentiments were, as before stated, 
 against the Regent, and I have given these details to 
 shew the nature of their opposition, and that so far 
 as they were concerned, it was an absolute nullity ; 
 so that without other means, and the exertions of 
 the more active and stirring part of the commu- 
 nity, Espartero would be still at Madrid ; although 
 many people naturally think their hostility would 
 produce more serious results. 
 
 This situation of the nobility is a very great mis- 
 fortune for Spain, as they certainly ought to be in a 
 position more creditable to themselves, and more 
 useful to the community, than that they now occupy. 
 No wonder the Spaniards are not disposed to feel 
 towards them as the people frequently do in other
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 245 
 
 countries , they occupy, in fact, a position more to 
 excite feelings of pity and compassion, than those of 
 anger or jealousy. Amongst the many plans and 
 suggestions I have heard from every description of 
 people and party, I never knew any one propose a 
 grandee for Regent ; or any scheme discussed, or 
 even mentioned, in which one sinole individual of 
 them was to bear a part. Beyond doubt, their situa- 
 tion next the throne, from their rank, birth, and 
 property, would have pointed out some one or more 
 amongst them, as fitted to discharge the duty of 
 Regent during the Queen's minority, failing Queen 
 Christina, as when it was conferred by Ferdinand, 
 and confirmed by the Cortes ; but I never, bv any 
 chance, heard the name of one mentioned or alluded 
 to, as a proper person for that high dignity. It is 
 the more singular, because some of them are known 
 to be men of good information and quite at par 
 with the general run of society. To prove more 
 completely the state of absolute insignificance in 
 which thev live, it might be supposed that the power 
 of government under the Regent sufficed to account 
 for the state of the elections at that time ; but how 
 stands the matter now ? The party they support is 
 in office ; the court is re-established on the ancient 
 footinof, every thin"- beloni>in<^ to the Rctrent has 
 been put down by force, the field left open to 
 their exertions, and their influence ; whilst every 
 member of both houses of Parliament elected by 
 Madrid, is not only a supporter of the late go-
 
 24)6 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 vernmcnt, but they are actually the former ministers, 
 and the firmest and most tried friends of the Regent 
 himself! The elections alluded to have taken place 
 since the expulsion of the Regent, and the final fall 
 of every one connected with him ; so that it appears 
 difficult to imagine a more complete state of non- 
 entity than is supplied by these notorious facts. 
 Before we leave this part of the subject, the strange 
 event that took place at Zaragoza must be mentioned; 
 the election of the Infante Don Francisco, the uncle 
 of the Queen, as member of the house of deputies. 
 This caricature, for it deserves no other name, was 
 got up in order to enable that personage and his 
 wife to come to Madrid, where her influence, such 
 as it was, was employed entirely against the Regent. 
 There was a good deal of discussion as to the 
 legality of electing a man of his rank, but the 
 article of the constitution is quite clear on the sub- 
 ject, and no Spaniard, under the conditions annexed, 
 can be considered ineligible. There is no doubt, 
 that in however trifling a degree, this strange step 
 helped to embarrass the Government ; the great 
 object of it being to facilitate designs on the person 
 of the Queen, who was to be wooed in another man- 
 ner, and not by previous abduction, as attempted by 
 the rival suitors. 
 
 Although the general remarks on the commer- 
 cial classes, may be considered to include them with 
 the rest of the community, the Catalans bear so im- 
 portant a part in this and everything where the
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 247 
 
 Regent is concerned, that they require a few ob- 
 servations to be made under a separate head. Tliis 
 province, as is well known, in an evil hour for Spain, 
 became the seat of cotton manufactures, and 
 from their peculiar character and situation it has 
 always exercised, and will continue to do so, a fatal 
 influence on the general " republic" or common in- 
 terest of the kingdom. To these miserable manu- 
 factures, only capable of producing about one half of 
 what is required for the consumption of the kingdom, 
 is the interest of the landed proprietors and commer- 
 cial class, as well as that of the entire community at 
 large, sacrificed. They very soon took the lead in 
 the opposition, and to their obstinacy and the acti- 
 vity of the military leaders concerned, must be at- 
 tributed an ample share in the catastrophe. By 
 universal admission, borne out by the observations 
 of every one who has attended to their affairs, this 
 province is by far the most difficult to manage or to 
 govern in Spain. The character of the people is 
 quite different from that of any other portion. 
 They have sympathy with, or affection for, no other 
 of their fellow-citizens, thinking and acting quite 
 independently ; and they will always be the plague 
 spot of the country, when insurrections and distur- 
 bances are concerned. So peculiar is their mode of 
 acting and so mixed up with mutters on which 
 the other Spaniards seldom or never think, that, as 
 I heard from very good authority, very recently at a 
 town in the interior during a convivial meeting,
 
 248 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 they drank to the house of Austria ! This referred 
 to the part these people, at least their ancestors, had 
 taken in the war of succession, the remembrance of 
 which was still vividly impressed on their minds. 
 
 I think there only remain the peasantry to be 
 mentioned, when we shall have enumerated the 
 classes of opposition that caused the general move- 
 ment. In this disturbance the agricultural portion 
 of the community, with the exception of a very 
 few places, where from their vicinity to, and daily 
 communication with the cities, they may have 
 assisted a little, in no province of Spain took any 
 part whatever. 
 
 Of all this medley group, the most extraordinary 
 and unexpected part was that taken by the army. 
 Most people thought that the man to whom the 
 termination of the civil war was mainly to be attri- 
 buted, who had, the first for several ages, led a regular 
 and well disciplined army to victory, would have not 
 only established, but preserved a degree of influence 
 that would have required stronger shocks than 
 those we have enumerated, to shake him from the 
 pedestal they had placed him upon. To explain 
 this we must again draw upon the peculiarities of 
 the national character. Few men, after the moment 
 was passed, would allow he had done any good: they 
 were in the constant habit of criticising his move- 
 ments, talents and everything connected with him ; 
 so that, to hear them, a stranger might believe he 
 deserved neither merit nor credit for anything he
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. ^49 
 
 had done. Whether the hatred of obligation and 
 their natural unwillingness to allow any motives 
 for gratitude, had partly produced this feeling, 
 or whether a great deal of it proceeded from the 
 indisposition to allow that one man had done w^hat 
 another could not perform, the fact is so, and 
 this is the exact result as I have described it. 
 As a natural consequence, when the difficulties 
 commenced I never heard a single man admit that 
 he had any claim on their support or adherence. 
 Like the ministers, as already mentioned, the in- 
 stant troubles came in the way they considered his 
 career at an end, and were only anxious to put him 
 off the stage. Of course these observations apply 
 to the great, ignorant and unreflecting mass of 
 society ; individuals there were in abundance who 
 were fully aware both of the value of the services 
 of the Regent, of his personal qualities, and of the 
 stake the giddy multitude were playing in deposing 
 him. I doubt whether in all history, when the 
 time is a little remote and the description of the 
 transactions that took place in the few weeks of 
 184^5, is calmly and impartially given, a similar 
 instance of heedless and unthinking' inin-atitude be 
 found, to place by the side of it. 
 
 To those unacquainted with Spanish modes of 
 proceeding, it may be well to explain the exact 
 meaning of the word " pronunciamento," as they 
 applv it. The practice appears to date from the 
 war of independence, when in the outbursts against
 
 250 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 Napoleon, there was no general government, and 
 the capital of every province establishing its own 
 junta, set up for itself, hardly acknowledging any 
 paramount authority, excepting always that of the 
 beloved Ferdinand. From this time, although not 
 practised, the habit had remained in embryo, and 
 is so perfectly suited to the independent character 
 of the people, and their custom of considering their 
 own locality superior to every other, that it was 
 called into play during the civil war, and we shall, 
 very probably, live to see repetitions of it under 
 some other head or front, at no distant period. 
 
 The priesthood have not been mentioned, because, 
 although the majority were thoroughly opposed 
 to the Regent, they took no part whatever, that I 
 could make out, in any place in Spain, during this 
 very serious business, with the exception, in a small 
 degree, of those at Valencia ; where, from the im- 
 mense revenues of the archbishopric, previous to 
 the abolition of tithes, and a prudent and generous 
 use in the distribution, they had greater power, 
 probably, than in other places. The reason of this 
 will be explained in the remarks on the present 
 state of the hierarchy. The sagacity of that body 
 was never better displayed than in this forbearance 
 of interference, for had they stirred at the commence- 
 ment, independently of other inconveniences that 
 might have resulted, there would, in all probability, 
 have been a serious check to the pronunciamentos. 
 In this they stood exactly in the same situation as
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 251 
 
 the moderado or French party, whose success en- 
 tirely depended on their keeping in the back ground, 
 and making the fools, who were serving their pur- 
 pose, work their ends, whilst they were acting under 
 a very different impression. 
 
 Having now sketched the elements of opposition 
 the Regent had to encounter, which, it must be 
 admitted, were pretty strong when fairly brought 
 into play, there is one observation to be made of 
 the last importance in forming a judgment of the 
 extraordinary event a few weeks brought about, 
 which I can most positively assert to be fact. The 
 parties who begun the pronunciamentos had neither 
 the intention nor the slightest idea that the result of 
 their proceedings would be the fall of the Regency, 
 They engaged in this most foolish business merely 
 on the grounds previously stated, and in utter 
 ignorance of the nature of the amnesty ; of the craft 
 with which that masterpiece of Machiavelian policy 
 had been concocted ; of the second or supplementary 
 part, by which, instead of being modified, as was 
 generally expected, it was aggravated to the degree 
 that the Regent had no escape from the false position 
 he was placed in by accepting the programme, but 
 by resorting to the sword, which finally failed him. 
 On the occasion previously alluded to, after we had 
 discussed and laughed at the articles of this docu- 
 ment; one of the party, a military man, (who was 
 as well informed as any in Spain,) with myself, 
 talked this part over privately, and we were
 
 252 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 entirely of opinion that it was utterly impracti- 
 cable, and in the execution must be modified, 
 having apparently only been introduced ad captaii- 
 dinn. So little idea was there of deposing the 
 Regent, that long afterwards, when my own opinion, 
 although carefully reserved, was, that he must 
 succumb, I asked several persons at different times, 
 who were wild and enthusiastic in opposition, " Is 
 your object to get rid of the Regent ?" The answer 
 given invariably was, " No, quite out of the question ; 
 " he is INDISPENSABLE, wc cauuot do without him ; 
 he must remain until the Queen is of age." 
 
 As many persons may not understand the meaning 
 of the term *' Ayacucho," which was employed to 
 designate the Regent and his friends, amongst whom 
 the English were placed in the foremost rank, it 
 may be well to explain that the word is of far more 
 historical importance than as denominating a po- 
 litical faction ; for it is derived from the scene of the 
 last and decisive battle fought in South America, 
 when the royalist army was beaten and obliged to 
 surrender, with the exception of Callao; which Rodil, 
 although included in the capitulation, refused to 
 give up, and held out for a few months longer. At 
 this battle Espartero was present, and as campaign- 
 ing of that nature brings men tolerably well ac- 
 quainted with each other, he had several friends, 
 to whom, having subsequently always adhered to his 
 fortunes, he was naturally and properly attached. 
 The Gallo-Christino press designated these persons
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 253 
 
 bv the approbrious names of farailla ayacucha, pan- 
 dilla ayacucha, with many equally elegant variations, 
 and latterly, in similar phrases with those in use at 
 Paris, added the Anglo Ayacuchos, as already 
 pointed out. 
 
 We must now proceed to notice the finale, which 
 began to approach. All the elements, hitherto 
 enumerated, are solely and exclusively national. They 
 are not only so, but it may fairly be said that in no 
 other country, of the ancient or modern world, could 
 the same causes and consequences have existed. 
 Whatever be the results, whether good or evil, which 
 time only must shew, as they cannot be safely pre- 
 dicted; the Malaguenos,Granadinos, and Valencians 
 may say, " On our heads be it," for without them 
 the revolution would never have commenced, and 
 without the extrinsic power from without, it may as 
 securely be said, the termination would not have 
 taken place. The supplies of money sent from abroad, 
 the activity of the military leaders who came from 
 Paris, more especially of General Narvaez, are the 
 causes of the rapid close, consequent on the failure 
 of the Regent to take the great towns as before men- 
 tioned. Being under no sort of official restraint to con- 
 ceal or abstain from speaking the truth, and having 
 by my own presence and knowledge of the country, 
 tolerable means of knowing what was going on, it 
 would be wrong to avoid giving what will hereafter 
 be a notorious historical fact, when the actors on 
 one side or the other have been removed from the
 
 254 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 scene. It is no wonder that many individuals, in 
 so proud a nation as they are, should wish to con- 
 ceal the truth, or avert their eyes from it; as, if true, 
 which every friend of the country would wish not 
 to be the case, the whole history reflects little credit 
 on the people, the majority of whom, it is impossible 
 to deny, were concerned in it. I had many amusing 
 scenes at the latter part, when the result was in- 
 evitable, on hearing their incredulity as to the final 
 consequences. They laughed at the idea of French 
 party or French influence governing them. I gene- 
 rally concluded by saying, which I have no doubt 
 some remember at this time, '* You now imagine 
 you are putting down a pandilla, as you call it. In 
 six months or less, you will be in the hands of another 
 pandilla of a very different description, and not so 
 easy to get rid of." The information given on all 
 this part of the subject, is the result not of one 
 or two, but of a prodigious mass of conversation, 
 and of discussion, than which nothing is easier than 
 to elicit from this people, if you know the language 
 and the mode of dealing with them. The key to the 
 whole transaction is their sanguine and enthusiastic 
 credulity, proceeding from the extreme good na- 
 ture that forms the basis of the national character. 
 To prove the position, as to the arrival of the 
 Christine leaders, it is only necessary to observe, 
 that they were far from well received in the south ; 
 and at Granada, where one of them appeared, I 
 heard they were not only unwilling to give him any
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. Q55 
 
 assistance, but coupled it with the condition that he 
 was not to return again to the place. I believe the 
 greater part of Spain would then, had it been 
 practicable, have gone willingly back to the Regent, 
 but always with the " programme;" and at the time 
 he left Madrid, could he possibly have given way, 
 or had the alternative so craftily formed and so per- 
 tinaciously forced on him, of conceding the amnesty, 
 been possible, without the surrender of his per- 
 sonal friends, and the inevitable consequence that 
 his power and life would have been sacrificed, he 
 would in all probability have been at Madrid to 
 this hour. But of all this, the giddy and igno- 
 rant multitude, whose knowledge on these subjects 
 is in the inverse ratio of their natural talents, w^ere 
 profoundly ignorant. 
 
 The manner in which some of the provinces 
 seceded has been mentioned, but others remain to 
 be noticed. Galicia was lost by a false move, in 
 changing the Captain-General, San Miguel, for that 
 of Valladolid. His successor was a native of the 
 country, and for some reason or other (cosas de 
 Espana,) being no way suspected of disaffection, 
 and probably like so many others, having little idea 
 of the consequences, trimmed and temporised, even 
 encouraging the disaffected to pronounce, as I was 
 informed by unimpeachable testimony. As a just re- 
 ward, the instant the juntas were formed, he was 
 superseded and laid on the shelf, most probably for 
 ever. A bando issued by my friends at Coruna
 
 256 THE PRONIJNCIAMENTOS 
 
 was previously alluded to ; this is a precious speci- 
 men of the millennium feeling so generally prevalent 
 at the time. They were unwilling to join the French 
 party, and ashamed to go back to the Regent ; 
 therefore this is an attempt to do neither, but to re- 
 pose on the new, and as they call it, " Virgin party 
 of Lopez !" — a curious term to apply to a political 
 party, headed by a rather stale lawyer, of consider- 
 able notoriety in the courts, deserving any thing but 
 " freshness" to be applied to his practice, or any 
 thing about him. This rare morsel was continued 
 in the same style of hyperbole, and the effect of 
 it and other proceedings of the same kind was, 
 that I heard the progresista or "go-ahead ' party in 
 the town, rose and drove all these temporisers and 
 trimmers out of the place ; taking possession of their 
 seats, just before the final establishment of Narvaez 
 at Madrid. At Pontevedra and at Vigo, the 
 Regent's party not only gained the ascendant, 
 but the new government was obliged to send troops 
 to reduce them, especially in the latter place, and if 
 events had not marched so rapidly in the south, the 
 Regent could very easily have recovered Galicia, 
 which important province held to the revolt by a 
 mere thread. The two Xefes politicos of Leon and 
 Oviedo held those provinces to the last, and never 
 surrendered until every thing was over. Estre- 
 madura, with the exception, I believe, of the troops 
 at Badajoz, and perhaps one or two places of no im- 
 portance, never rose, but preserved their allegiance
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 257 
 
 almost entirely. Aragon never took any part in 
 the insurrection — the kingdom of the Peninsula, 
 that all the Spaniards consider the most iirm and 
 determined in its resolutions, and the most truly 
 national of any. The Basque Provinces, with the 
 exception of the troops in garrison at one or two 
 towns, never stirred, nor did a peasant belonging to 
 them take any part. Madrid and Cadiz were the chief 
 towns that held out, and any one who takes the map, 
 may see what truth there was in the representa- 
 tion, that every village in Spain was against the 
 Regent. The reverse is more near the truth, for 
 not a villao^e was a^rainst him, and the whole 
 revolt was confined to the towns, or very nearly so. 
 Seville was lost by the Xefc politico putting him- 
 self at the head of the pronunciamento, and a very 
 ugly epithet was addressed to him in the (iovern- 
 ment journals. It will very naturally be asked, why 
 did the Regent give up, and not continue the fight, 
 when so large a portion of the country was still in 
 his favour ? The question was to be decided by 
 arms, and by arms alone, the toga having been 
 superseded by the musket, and after the failure of 
 the attack on Seville, the only military blow that 
 remained for him to strike, he had no aliornativo 
 but to yield to circumstances. Certainly, without 
 information only possessed by himself, and those in 
 his immediate confidence, it is hardly fair to iiive an 
 opinion, but this much may safely be said, that the 
 Regent of the kingdom, and tiie head of the army 
 
 VOL. II. s
 
 258 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 should not have attacked a town without the cer- 
 tainty of being able to take it. 
 
 As to the bribery so generally alleged to have 
 taken place, the universally known history cf Colonel 
 Echalecu, the governor of Montjuich, is sufficient 
 evidence of the practice existing. The Ayunta- 
 miento made the offer, but it is well known Catalans 
 are not in the habit of parting so readily with their 
 money, and it is exceedingly doubtful whether they 
 were more than the channel of transmission ; but, 
 leaving this part, who was to supply the " French 
 steamer," promised to be put at his disposal ? Was 
 that vessel under the command of the said Ayun- 
 tamiento ? or was she not, as well as the money, 
 part and parcel of the same concern ? The fact be- 
 came matter of perfect notoriety, as it was spread in 
 order to entrap the unwary, that when the chiefs 
 arrived from Paris on the southern coast, they had 
 a large sum, from Christina, or other friendr. of hers, 
 at their disposal. In the west, towards the close, 
 the tariff of pay given to the sergeants and others 
 as a reward for deserting the Regent, was publiclv 
 given out, and there can be little doubt that others, 
 in higher station, were not proof against the temp- 
 tations offered to them. The " French steamers" 
 played an important part in all this business, and 
 no Government was ever better served than that, by 
 its subordinate officers, their activity from the very 
 beginning, being universally admitted every where, 
 to have been extraordinary. Many a stout heart
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 259 
 
 that would have stood the roar of the Paixhans guns 
 unmoved, yielded to the softer persuasives in other 
 shapes, that glittered before their eyes. 
 
 Of course I only repeat what were the stories in 
 current circulation, not having seen any money paid 
 personally, I cannot assert positively that it was the 
 case. Certainly a circumstance occurred shortly 
 afterwards rather remarkable, and more than sus- 
 picious. In a neighbouring liingdom, just about 
 the time when such accounts might be supposed in 
 course of liquidation ; by a process peculiar to them- 
 selves, a supplementary credit for 750,000 francs 
 was opened for secret service money. Of course 
 nothing was stated as to the employment of this 
 sum, but in date and circumstance it very nearly 
 agrees witli what f heard had been contributed by 
 one of the two parties engaged in promoting the 
 pronunciamentos. 
 
 What was said in the country must also be men- 
 tioned, that at the outset of the business the sums 
 paid were small, but increased as they went on, very 
 naturally, as the result of the " investment" became 
 more certain and the parties felt more secureof being 
 reimbursed. 
 
 Vast numbers of soldiers were bribed by the 
 promise of discharge previous to the proper expira- 
 tion of their term of service, this argument acting 
 on Spaniards like the promise of prize money on 
 our sailors, or the sack of a town on the troops of 
 Napoleon in the latter period of his career. 
 
 s '2
 
 260 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 With respect to the objects of putting down Es- 
 partero, by a certain personage, there were three. 
 The Queen's person, and the taking her out of the 
 custody of the Regent, as attempted by other means 
 in October 1841, no doubt with a view to conse- 
 quences that are not yet developed, but probably 
 will be, very shortly. 
 
 The next was the determination to prevent, at any 
 rate or sacrifice, the making a treaty of commerce 
 with this country, or in any way freeing the Spanish 
 tariffs from the condition that suits the views of 
 the Gailo-Catalan manufacturers. 
 
 Lastly, the personal hatred borne to the Regent 
 himself, which is too remarkable and important an 
 historical fact not be noticed, and was so implacable 
 that it became matter of certainty, it was (figuratively 
 we mean) "guerra al cuchillo." Espartero having 
 terminated the war, by Spanish means alone or nearly 
 so, contrary to the plans and views of the parties 
 alluded to, had done what could never be for- 
 given, and the more so as he was and could only be 
 looked on, the head of the national party, and op- 
 posed to any protectorate in the quarter alluded to. 
 
 We must now proceed to some remarks on the 
 causes of the unpopularity, wdiich it cannot be de- 
 nied, was encountered by the government of the 
 Regent, previous to the breaking out of the pro- 
 nunciamentos. In general, as already mentioned, 
 the blame rested principally with the Cortes ; the 
 delays, squabbles, want of subordination to the
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 26l 
 
 leaders, in the various groups or sections, having 
 utterly prevented the public business being carried 
 on ; but a large or undue share, as happens in every 
 country, fell on the head of the government. In 
 other respects, excepting the many acts, such as the 
 confiscation of the property belonging to the secular 
 clergy, which was certain to raise a host of enemies, 
 I never heard any thing that could be fairly laid to 
 the blame of the Regency, The great and eternal 
 obstacle in Spain, as already noticed, is the finance 
 department. From the embarrassed state of the 
 treasury, it was found impossible to reduce the 
 taxes, which were continued, even with the additional 
 load of extraordinary contributions levied during 
 the civil war. This was the real root of the evil ; 
 and I know that in almost every part of Spain, the 
 smaller proprietors, who form the immense majority 
 of the whole, had not only been obliged to submit 
 to great loss of income, but had actually lost con- 
 siderable portions of their capital, so that families 
 who were in comfortable circumstances a few years 
 back, were in a very different situation at the time 
 we arc speaking of. 
 
 There are two circumstances of great importance 
 to note, bearing on this state of things. In this 
 singular country there is a national talent fur pro- 
 crastinating and making excuses to avoid or delay 
 payment of taxes, and other charges, aided by the 
 absolute difficulty in mo^^t parts of raising money 
 for a temporary purpose, except by paying enor-
 
 ^G^ THE PKONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 mous and ruinous interest. These plans are so 
 general, that the weight fell on those more con- 
 scientious members who could not, or on those the 
 circumstances of whose property prevented their 
 resorting to such schemes ; at the same time, the 
 immense defalcations compelled the continuance of 
 taxes originally intended only to be temporary. The 
 other, of equal importance, as it has affected and 
 will continue to affect the popularity of every go- 
 vernment, until a total change of system takes place, 
 which, unfortunately, the " neighbours " seem deter- 
 mined shall not be the case ; is the deep persuasion 
 throughout the people, that money sufficient is 
 extracted from them to pay every demand and keep 
 the finances in a wholesome condition ; but that the 
 greater part is devoured by the harpies to whose 
 possession it is transferred. 
 
 One great error already hinted, was the keeping 
 so large an army, which they had not the means of 
 paying, or even feeding regularly. No doubt there 
 were reasons for this, if we could hear them from the 
 Regent himself, whose position was extremely ar- 
 duous ; but it cannot be denied this was one of the 
 causes of the catastrophe. They would, very pro- 
 bably, inform you, in justification, that their position 
 with certain neighbours oblig'ed a lar^e force to be 
 kept up. The most unceasing efforts were made, 
 as is well known, not only to rouse the Basques 
 and Catalans to insurrection, but after Cabrera's 
 force was finallv driven across the frontier, they
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. ^(JS 
 
 were, after the form of surrendering the arms had 
 been gone through, reformed, and an appearance 
 held out of their being poured back again into Spain, 
 to recommence their career of robbery and spolia- 
 tion. In fact, nearly the whole force under arms 
 was employed in and about Catalonia, and on the 
 Basque frontier, the western and northern provinces 
 being nearly without troops, and many important 
 places being left with mere skeletons of garrisons. 
 
 There are some observations to be made on the 
 personal situation of the Regent in his exalted 
 station, which, as the whole of these transactions 
 are public and historical, and, as I heard a very 
 great deal respecting it both from friends and oppo- 
 nents, must not be omitted. His personal enemies 
 were chiefly in three classes, the nobility, the mili- 
 tary, and the clergy. 
 
 Of the former, it need only be said, that the 
 want of birth and previous position in society, 
 were points they must have naturally felt with 
 extreme sensibility. It is not in human nature 
 that the grandees of Spain should relish seeing a 
 man from the lower ranks of the people placed above 
 them ; but this natural feeling being admitted, they 
 ought surely to have considered the country in 
 which, however they may have played it, they 
 have a verv lart^e stake ; and the circumstances 
 that had brought about the election of Espartero as 
 Regent, more than the gratification of appearing at 
 a court, which would in the course of a few months
 
 264 
 
 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 have been finally opened to them ; without the possi- 
 bility, had he even wished it, of his preventing their 
 taking the stations near the throne, from which, by 
 a feeling it is impossible to admire, they voluntarily 
 secluded themselves at the period under discussion. 
 After all, the court of Madrid at the best times, 
 is a poor representation of anything like grandeur, 
 and in comparison with those of the leading sove- 
 reigns in Europe, is hardly better than a burlesque, 
 so that the waiting^ for that time could not have 
 been any very great sacrifice. 
 
 If, as is very probable, these parties have assisted 
 in producing a state of things which will place 
 Spain under the tyrannical dictation of a foreign 
 power, they have incurred a very great responsi- 
 bility to their country and to posterity ; solely 
 from a petty feeling of jealousy, which it would have 
 been infinitely more noble and magnanimous to have 
 resisted, and not to have allowed to influence them 
 under the unparalleled difficulties the monarchy was 
 placed in. 
 
 Had so proud and ignorant a set of people as the 
 majority of them are, condescended to look abroad, 
 they could see a much better example ; where an 
 aristocracy, though many of them may be of inferior 
 descent, are infinitely more powerful, enjoying in- 
 fluence and weight, of which the Spanish grandees 
 have hardly a shadow, but are content to follow and 
 almost it may be said to obey leaders, mere rotu- 
 riers or from the lower ranks of societv, whom
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. ^265 
 
 their talents and the situation of the country have 
 broujrht to the surface ; inducing the sacrifice of 
 their natural feelings, and the acting cordially with 
 them. 
 
 The military officers have already been mentioned, 
 and the nature of the ill will many of them bore 
 to the Regent. Amongst these people, an habitual 
 practice of denying his military talents, and every 
 other sort of merit, prevailed, on none of which 
 topics is there the slightest intention to enter. 
 Many of the criticisms proceeded from Paris, from 
 the parties congregated there, or our neighbours 
 themselves, among'st whose weaknesses is that of 
 never allowing any talent to an opponent, in which 
 light they had long been in the habit of considering 
 the Regent. As to his military operations, this is still 
 less the place to enter upon them, but it cannot be 
 denied that after the army was disciplined and pro- 
 vided, the want of which essential circumstances 
 accounts for many unlucky adventures at the outset 
 of his operations, as well as those of his predecessors, 
 everything was well, creditably, and strategically 
 done, nor is it of the least use, as they frequently 
 tell you in Spain, to judge by the number of battles 
 gained. The war was essentially of a different 
 character, at the latter part, being one of detail or 
 partisanship on a large scale, where, in the cause 
 of humanity, the less blood shed in effecting the 
 result, the more true glory to the conqueror. Ry 
 universal admission, supported by the ap])enrance
 
 ^66 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 of the better regiments, although most of the veterans 
 had been discharged when I saw them, he commanded 
 at the close of the war, 30,000 troops who would 
 have fought the same number of any army in Europe, 
 a circumstance that has not taken place since the 
 time of Philip the Second. 
 
 To shew the unceasing activity of his opponents, 
 amongst the list of wretched and venal publications 
 at Madrid was one professedly military, on a diminu- 
 tive scale and low price, evidently that it might find 
 circulation amongst the men. 1 saw a few numbers 
 of this production, the clear object of which was to 
 attack and vilify the Regent, under pretence of 
 criticising the conduct of the military department. 
 They styled the Regent, General Espartero, a form 
 always used in certain quarters, where the Regency 
 was never formally acknowledged. 
 
 The best answer to another charge made against 
 the Regent, in the pacification, so called, of the 
 Basque Provinces, and that he had violated the 
 agreement made, is, that the people themselves 
 remain satisfied, instead of taking so favourable an 
 opportunity of reclaiming their fueros. As to the 
 article in the convenio of Bergara, nothing can be 
 clearer than that they were to have a modification of 
 the ancient fueros, according to the present con- 
 stitution, and be amalgamated with and placed under 
 the general law of the country. 
 
 Although, as already stated, it is not my intention 
 to enter at all upon any military discussion, there
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 267 
 
 is one rather important matter that must be noticed. 
 When I asked the opponents of the Regent, who 
 they would set up as their idol and his rival, the 
 answer frequently was, General Narvaez. Now as 
 this officer never commanded an army until his 
 last operations, which had not then taken place, or 
 done any thing to shew more than great energy and 
 activity, which he is well known to possess, it was 
 undertaking too much to place him upon a par 
 or even superior footing, as they pretended, to the 
 Duke of Victoria. His military achievements in 
 the civil war are soon told, for I believe they are con- 
 fined to an extremely rapid march, and a consider- 
 able advantage gained over the troops of Gomez ; 
 after which he commanded in La Mancha, and his 
 energy and activity materially contributed to break- 
 ing up the banditti there, of Palillos and others, but 
 as these people were mere robbers on a large scale, 
 and not soldiers, the inferences on that head are of 
 less importance as to the bearing we are consider- 
 ing. 
 
 At that period, a rather curious and elaborate plan 
 for finishing the civil war was drawn up and pub- 
 lished by him, proposing to form an army of the 
 centre, behind Madrid, leaving the Basque Pro- 
 vinces, Navarre, and all the interveninir countrv to 
 the Carlists ! This plan was answered very well and 
 ably by Espartero himself ; and when I proposed to 
 let any military man decide between the judgments 
 of the two from these documents, they answered by
 
 •268 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 way of excuse, "the plan was not his own but came 
 from abroad." There was some reason for this 
 defence, such as it was, for I believe the fact to be 
 that this notable scheme did come from beyond the 
 frontier. Now this discovery, which has subsequently 
 received confirmation, is rather curious, as it would 
 prove the existence of a plan somewhere, to protract 
 the war, which, unless the party that drew up that 
 paper were entirely ignorant of what he was writing, 
 must have been the sole intention of it. 
 
 We need not at this time enter on the question 
 of the Clergy, which will be treated in another chap- 
 ter; but notice must be made of other alleged errors 
 of the Reofent. He is accused of in^^ratitude to 
 Christina, to whom it is said he owed everything. 
 It is hardly necessary to say more on this subject, 
 than that the war was brought to a close rather in 
 despite of that personage, than by any acts or assist- 
 ance of hers, and the less said about her during 
 that period the better. The obligation is at least 
 mutual, and had it been in his character to do so, the 
 Regent might have said with greater justice, that her 
 daughter owed her crown to himself. 
 
 The next is, that he should not have been made 
 Regent, but should have simply retained the com- 
 mand of the army, leaving the charge either to 
 Christina or some one else. Upon this I have not 
 information enabling me to give an opinion, from 
 not having been in Spain at that time, and not 
 having troubled myself to inquire into a matter
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 269 
 
 which is now of no sort of importance. Had the 
 thing been practicable, however, there is no doubt 
 he had better have done so ; but I suspect it was 
 otherwise, and that the bow ing her out of the king- 
 dom was a matter of inevitable necessity. 
 
 There is another bearing of this same subject 
 that also requires remark. Failing Christina, 
 should he not rather have allowed Arguelles, the 
 sole rival he had, and the only one any person se- 
 riously thought of opposing to him, to take charge 
 of the Regency, merely retaining the command of 
 the army himself. In this there are some ques- 
 tions to consider (Cosas de Espaiia.) Would the 
 parties have acted together? Was the situation 
 of affairs in Spain, as far as personal feelings and 
 other points we cannot enter upon, such as to make 
 a similar arrangement practicable or advisable ? 
 There may have been insurmountable difficulties, 
 from causes invisible to the naked eye, but I have 
 always regretted the trial not having been made. 
 
 As to the third plan, that of a trinary regency, or 
 one to be composed of tlirec persons, it was absurd, 
 as every one who knows this people will agree, that 
 three persons with collateral power never yet were 
 found to act cordially together ; and to a certainty, 
 in less than a year, the enemy would have found his 
 way into the camp, and an end have been put to 
 any good that could have been expected from them. 
 I have reflected very much on this subject, and if 
 I could offer an opinion upon it, I should say (with
 
 270 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 the reserve already stated) the appointment of Ar- 
 guclles would have been the better plan, and would 
 have obviated many inconveniences which have re- 
 sulted from that they adopted. 
 
 From what has been stated, the mercantile class 
 were divided in opinion, but as far as numbers go, 
 I believe the majority were entirely on the French, 
 or prohibitory side. No pains were left to deceive 
 the public on this head. I was told, on the very 
 best authority, that in an important city of the 
 south, where the sentiments and interest of the 
 people are equally in favour of a free intercourse 
 with us, that the only journal which advocated the 
 cause, was lately bought up by the Franco-Catalan 
 association, and is now written in the spirit of the 
 most violent hostility to the amended tariif. When 
 every thing was nearly over with the Regent, the 
 Catalans sent a deputation to the Malaguenos, 
 urging them, as a matter of patriotism, to shut 
 their doors against all English merchandise ! This 
 was done when every magazine was crammed to the 
 utmost limit of its capacity, and provision had been 
 made for many months. 
 
 I found the greatest prejudice in many quarters 
 of the commercial class, about our proceedings with 
 regard to the Slave trade. In no country I have 
 ever been, is it possible to meet with a single indi- 
 vidual who believes we advocate it for any other 
 motive than self-interest. Whether the strange 
 exhibition of philanthropy and legal tyranny, more
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. ^^71 
 
 like the proceedings of the inquisition than any thing 
 else, in the late trial of a native of the country we 
 are discussing, will tend to soften this feeUng, is 
 more than I can pretend to say. There is, however, 
 little doubt that we shall have serious cause to con- 
 sider, before long, whether the feelings of a few in- 
 dividuals, however good and laudable, should have 
 been put forward as the head and front of national 
 policy ; and if, in consequence, we become involved 
 in a general war, the effect on the world at large, 
 and the distress and misery it may cause in every 
 part of the globe, will be poorly recompensed by the 
 reflection that a temporary and local stop has been 
 put to a traffic, bad and indefensible in every way 
 as it is : and whether it would not have been better, 
 simply to employ our good offices to effect, what every 
 day is more manifest, even by sacrificing our com- 
 merce and by enormous expenditure, we cannot do ; 
 whilst in the large and comprehensive view of the 
 subject we are actually increasing the difficulties, 
 and aggravating the hardships of those unfortu- 
 nately the objects of our ill-judged philanthropy. 
 We must hope for the best, and that these anticipa- 
 tions may turn out to be unfounded, but there is too 
 much reason to believe that ere long we shall be 
 called on to take up our arms for a very dilforent 
 contest from anv war we have ever been enjTa(rcd 
 in, mainly produced by this very (picstion, and 
 whilst expending our resources in forwarding this 
 favourite crotchet, we are leaving nearlv every
 
 272 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 colony undefended and indefensible according to 
 the new system of war ; laying out annually vast sums 
 in plans, however good and amiable in theory, which 
 are visionary and impracticable, in their economical 
 bearing; at the same time our valuable settlements 
 are being left a very probable prey to the cupidity 
 of those who are constantly employed in surveying 
 and finding out the weak points, making the calcu- 
 lation of the profits they may gain by pillage or 
 ransom of them. But we must return from this di- 
 gression, which would not have been introduced but 
 from what, I am sorry to say, was forced on my ob- 
 servation in Spain. 
 
 Among-st the officers mentioned as havinoc been 
 demanded to be dismissed by Lopez, in his tail-piece 
 or supplementary amnesty, the private secretary of 
 the Regent was alluded to. This gentleman is now 
 in this country, and as the whole transaction is 
 one of history, his position may be more particu- 
 larly described. In the war of Catalonia, General 
 Mina had as second an officer called Gurrea, whose 
 early history I am ignorant of, but I believe he was 
 a soldier of the war of independence. Hisactivitv, 
 and the knowledge he acquired of the country, and 
 the manner in which he had trained the troops 
 under his orders, enabled him finally to beat the 
 Catalonian insurgents at their own weapons, and 
 by his assistance Mina was able at last to put 
 down the murderers and robbers that overran it, as 
 already mentioned. To those who have read or 
 
 i
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. 273 
 
 heard of the Maroon war in Jamaica, that so called 
 in Catalonia at this epoch, bears the strongest 
 possible resemblance ; the Carlist troops or banditti 
 representing the fugitive negroes, whose tactics they 
 followed exactly ; the same degree of humanity 
 characterizing their proceedings, which, if they 
 were published, would not be read or credited here. 
 When the services of General Gurrea were no 
 longer required there, in consequence of the com- 
 plete pacification of the district, he was ordered to 
 the Basque Provinces, where he had scarcely arrived 
 before he was killed in a trifling affair of posts, 
 being nearly the only person touched. He left a 
 family really orphans of the country, and one of 
 his sons, who was educated in England, is the 
 officer alluded to. Now, the forcibly dismissing the 
 private secretary of any one, is an act not only un- 
 usual, but upon which, amongst gentlemen, there 
 can be but one opinion j but the circumstances 
 I have mentioned give a strange colour to this 
 part of the transaction, and go far to prove, 
 that whosoever planned this amnesty, whether 
 natives or foreigners, were influenced by the most 
 blind, unrelenting, and personal hatred to the 
 Regent ; for in no other way, that I can find, is it 
 possible to account for so unusual a proceeding. 
 
 Yet one other charge against the Regent re- 
 mains to be noticed. They tell you, that whilst 
 unnecessarily severe upon Leon, he acted in the 
 other extreme towards the first insurrectionary junta 
 
 VOL. II. T
 
 274 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS 
 
 at Barcelona, and that if he had dealt justice out as 
 due to the chief in particular, who, I think, was called 
 Carsy, or some such name ; and insisted on the 
 dismissal of the French consul, who was accused of 
 inciting the revolt, and never satisfactorily excul- 
 pated in Spain, whatever he may have been at Paris, 
 that the late proceedings would probably not have 
 taken place. Not having been in the country at the 
 time, I offer no opinion on this important subject, 
 but I have very little doubt that the step of pardon- 
 ing these people materially contributed to the late 
 catastrophe. The first intercourse with a certain 
 personage betrayed a degree of determined and cal- 
 culated hostility, that might have satisfied any one 
 conciliation was of very little use in dealing with him. 
 The embassy of M. Salvandy, who, no doubt, only 
 obeyed his instructions, was a deliberate insult to 
 the Regent, and should have put him doubly on 
 his guard, for the worst consequences that could 
 have ensued by braving him, would have been less 
 than those that have resulted from the vain attempt 
 to avert his predetermined hostility. At the same 
 time that proceeding shook all respect and popu- 
 larity of the Regency in the country, only en- 
 couraging the opponents, who, as already stated, 
 were principally at Madrid, and witnesses of these 
 transactions. 
 
 Another most fatal mistake was made about this 
 very time, by promulgating either an order or 
 an understanding, which was current in the mouth
 
 AND FALL OF THE REGENCY. Q!7 5 
 
 of every one ; that in case of disturbances, the troops 
 were not to " hostilizar el pueblo," that is, to make 
 use of their arms. Humane as the order was, it 
 acted as a premium or encouragement to pronun- 
 ciamentos, and although happily, with the exception 
 of that of poor Camacho at Valencia, hardly any 
 blood was shed, and the pronunciamentos, in most 
 places approached the nature of Sainetes, the con- 
 sequences on the general interests of the country 
 have been, and will continue to be most disastrous. 
 Such was their disregard to results, that when I 
 left Spain, they talked of repeating the process when- 
 ever it miijfht be thought nccessarv ! No one ever 
 dissented, when I remarked, that henceforward, no 
 government could for a moment be considered se- 
 cure. The plan of Narvaez, of shooting in the back 
 wholesale, is rather different, like most of his pro- 
 ceedings from those of the Regent, and may 
 probably prevent these demonstrations and exhibi- 
 tions, being so frequent under his dictature. 
 
 But it is time to conclude this history of the 
 Pronunciamentos, which we shall do by merely 
 observing that the latter history of the three indi- 
 viduals, who were pointed out as the causes of the 
 difficulties of the Regent and of his final overthrow, 
 is rather remarkable. The instant the new parties 
 were fairly in office, they were laid aside, and they 
 are now located as follows : — Cortina in prison, at 
 Madrid, incommunicado for many weeks, until (|uit(^ 
 recently ; but still closely confined, no crime alleged 
 
 T 2
 
 276 THE PRONUNCIAMENTOS, ETC. 
 
 but suspicion of wanting affection for the present 
 order of things. 
 
 Olozaga, after being decked by his associates 
 with the order of the Golden Fleece belonging to 
 the Regent, from which and his other honours he 
 was ordered to be considered degraded, (an illegal 
 proceeding, for which the parties had no authority,) 
 is an exile, and after passing some time in Portu- 
 gal, came to this country, where, or in France, he 
 probably may now be. 
 
 Lopez, who, according to my friends, the Junta of 
 Coruiia, was the head of the " Virgins," (a con- 
 siderably larger number than the followers of Santa 
 Ursula,) after being many weeks concealed, in order 
 to escape being arrested simultaneously with 
 Cortina, is now to be tried (I suppose for his life) 
 as implicated in the rise at Alicante, his native 
 place. His actual abode is unknown, and supposed 
 to be out of Spain ! Sic transeunt *' Cosas de 
 Espana," Pronunciamentos !
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ON THE CHURCH. 
 
 As every reader may not be acquainted with the 
 actual state of the ecclesiastical establishments of 
 Spain, it is necessary to observe, that by successive 
 decrees of the Cortes, every convent in the king- 
 dom has been suppressed, and the sole exception as 
 to being shut up, is that of the Escorial, to which 
 the College of Missions at Valladolid is to be trans- 
 ferred. Some exceptions were at first made to these 
 sweeping orders, amongst which were Guadalupe, 
 the great convent of St. Benito el Real at Valladolid, 
 the Escorial, and one or two others, but the pro- 
 traction of the war, and other circumstances, have 
 finally caused the whole to succumb, and the very 
 habit of monk is strictly forbidden to be worn. 
 
 When in Spain previously, I endeavoured, but 
 without success, to obtain the probable number of 
 monks remaining, which I was aware were very much 
 diminished of late years, so much so, that as then 
 mentioned, many of the convents were only living 
 skeletons, compared to their former condition. To 
 show the ignorance prevailing in this country on 
 such subjects, there was published at that very time, 
 in no less important a periodical than the " Edin- 
 burgh Review," a statement of there being 400,000
 
 278 THE CHURCH. 
 
 in Spain !— more than double the amount known to 
 have existed before the revolution, and before a 
 monk had been dismissed, or the slightest reflec- 
 tion thrown on the profession by any class of 
 society ; whilst, in fact, they were thriving under the 
 aegis of the Santo Oficio, when any one that dared 
 to lift a finger against them would have been in- 
 stantly incarcerated. 
 
 The article in question was evidently written to 
 demonstrate that Spain was entirely in the hands of 
 the clergy, and the people as much priest-ridden as 
 before ; but we shall find the accuracy of the in- 
 formation alluded to, on which their calculations 
 were founded. The only regret is, that established 
 etiquette should prevent errors of this gross nature 
 ever being corrected in these publications, so that a 
 misstatement once issued, the public, who may 
 not have the means of knowing better, are left in 
 ignorance. 
 
 When they first began seriously to think of 
 yielding to the clamour on every side for the sup- 
 pression of these worse than useless establishments, 
 which had already undergone the process twice ; the 
 last time by the consent of Ferdinand himself ; on 
 looking into the articles of the Council of Trent, it 
 was found that the crown had the power reserved, 
 of suppressing any convent of which the number of 
 monks did not amount to twelve. Of eighteen 
 hundred convents that existed in the kingdom, 
 nine hundred, or one half, fell under this category.
 
 THE CHURCH. 279 
 
 and were suppressed under a simple ordinance. If 
 we take ten to be the number of monks in each 
 of these, which is probably rather more than 
 under the mark, it gives 9000, as the inmates of 
 one half of the monastic establishments ; and from 
 what I have heard, although it can only be con- 
 sidered an approximation, no full and correct ac- 
 count existing, the whole would amount to between 
 30 and 40,000 ! So much for the accuracy of infor- 
 mation in the journal alluded to, in which this absurd 
 statement was put out. Jovellanos, than whom there 
 could not be better authority, reckons the entire 
 clerical body of all classes in his time at 180,000. 
 
 After the death of Ferdinand, they were long in 
 determining to take the step so imperiously called 
 for by the common voice of the people ; more espe- 
 ciaily that of the numerous families who had 
 suffered or been ruined by the most iniquitous 
 resumption of the lands sold between 1820 and 1823, 
 which step has contributed, with others, to bring 
 about the great revolution we are now considering. 
 
 Amongst other causes that produced this feeling 
 in the public mind, against the monks, was the cer- 
 tainty that they were nearly unanimously on the side 
 of Don Carlos. So certain was it, that previous to 
 the suppression, several rather curious decrees were 
 issued, calling on them, in the most expressive and 
 significant terms, to mind what they were about. 
 Orders were issued, that in case a certain number 
 should be found absent from any convent, it should
 
 280 THE CHURCH. 
 
 be shut up, and the remainder transferred to some 
 other quarter, or even if one monk should leave 
 without the authorities being informed within 
 twenty-four hours. In short, no means were left to 
 prevent their engaging in a cause, that but for the 
 assistance of the ecclesiastical bodies, would never 
 have made the progress it did. The suppression 
 was hastened by the appearance of the cholera, and 
 the belief amongst the people, (like those in Hun- 
 gary with the medical men,) that they had been 
 instrumental in producing the disease by poisoning 
 the waters ! The populace not only believed this, 
 but acted upon it in some parts rather summarily, 
 so that the authorities were obliged to interfere, and 
 take possession of the buildings, to save the inmates 
 from being massacred, who, a few years before, 
 were the subject of universal respect, bordering on 
 adoration ! It is pretty clear, that when a state of 
 things like this exists, the suppression of these re- 
 mains of the dark ages, is, in the medical phrase, 
 rather strongly indicated, yet the maintenance of 
 them intact, was the grand object of Don Carlos 
 and his supporters ! 
 
 There is no doubt that many of these people have 
 been left in an extremely unfortunate condition, as 
 to the means of existence. There is a small or 
 daily pay, allotted for their living, but the Govern- 
 ment have not the means of paying them regularly. 
 Some have been absorbed into the parochial service, 
 as already mentioned, but many are unqualified for
 
 THE CHURCH. 281 
 
 that office, so important in Spain. In the decrees 
 respecting them, all who have not been ordained 
 " in sacris," that is full orders, are eligible to fill 
 civil employments. The others may teach branches 
 of arts and belles lettres, if qualified and disposed to 
 do so. There are instances of inmates of these 
 establishments, having foreseen the storm that 
 awaited them, selling their pictures and other move- 
 able property, and by economising their revenues, 
 instead of transmitting them to Don Carlos, retiring 
 with abundant means of solacing their old age. 
 Amongst others, I was assured the survivors of a 
 Carthusian convent near Seville, divided 9000 
 dollars each, a considerable fortune in Spain ; but 
 these were exceptions to the general rule, and the 
 greater part were very poor at the suppression. A 
 strange thing is, that the richer convents were in 
 general the least provided with inmates, whilst 
 those of the mendicants, who depended for their 
 daily subsistence on the charitable contributions of 
 their neighbours, were mostly quite full. The chief 
 reason of this was, that the upper classes of society 
 had long given up the sending their sons to the 
 former class of establishments, to which they pro- 
 perly would have belonged ; whilst the mendicant 
 class recruited amongst the lower orders, many of 
 whom entered this holgazan, or idle life, in order 
 to escape the conscription, the great dread of every 
 Spanish peasant. 
 
 The oldest conventual foundations appear to be
 
 282 THE CHURCH. 
 
 the very curious group alluded to in the account 
 of Asturias and Galicia, to which kingdoms they 
 seem to have been confined. There were no less 
 than 400 of these small establishments, the greater 
 part being " duplices," and containing both sexes ! 
 In fact, they were private endowments, and much 
 more secular than ecclesiastical in their nature ; 
 nor do I suppose the inmates professed any degree 
 of sanctity, or possibly even celibacy ; but in these 
 ages, every thing, to be secure, was obliged to be 
 invested with some degree of religious character. 
 A portion of these foundations were styled " here- 
 deros,'* meaning that they were proprietary, and be- 
 longed, by hereditary right, to the families who had 
 originally endowed them. I am not aware of the 
 existence of any thing analogous to this curious 
 system, in any other part of Europe ; and even in 
 Spain it appears to have been confined to those 
 provinces above-named. The dates of the greater 
 number are in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth cen- 
 turies, and it is considered, that the exhaustion and 
 bad management of these properties, and the sink- 
 ing them in mortmain, was the principal cause of 
 the enormous increase of the mendicant orders ; 
 the lower classes of people, who were deprived of the 
 means of existence, having very naturally followed 
 the example of those above them. 
 
 So little were the monachal endowments part of 
 '* ancient Spain," that the people of Castile made 
 the most strenuous opposition to their having any
 
 THE CHURCH. 283 
 
 lands attached to them, and persevered for several 
 ages in maintaining the fundamental law which for- 
 bade it. It was also prohibited in Leon by their 
 law passed in the Cortes of Benevento. A long 
 series of Cortes are quoted by Jovellanos, where the 
 same prohibitory law was solemnly recognised ; and 
 after the conquest of those provinces from the 
 Moors, it was extended to Toledo, Murcia, Jaen, 
 Cordova, and Seville. The prohibition was equally 
 a part of the municipal privileges of the towns, and 
 was granted by St. Ferdinand and his son ; and from 
 the tenth to the fourteenth century, the kings aided 
 the people in resisting the innovation, which, with 
 the usual perseverance of the Curia, or court of 
 Rome, they were endeavouring to force on. The 
 opposition lasted steadily, until near the middle of 
 the sixteenth century, the last stand being made by 
 the Cortes of Madrid in 1534, when, as Jovellanos 
 observes, piety and avarice working in concert, bore 
 down all resistance. This was about the time that 
 the last blow was struck to the liberties and consti- 
 tution of the kingdom, and the final effort was the 
 war of the Comuneros. 
 
 The exclaustrados, or retired monks, are fre- 
 quently seen on the pascos, where their portly 
 forms and gait, different from that of every one 
 near them, with their strangely selected costumes, 
 (probably the work of some of their brethren,) re- 
 placing those they dare not wear, cause them to 
 be readily distinguished from the <)thcr promenaders.
 
 284 THE CHURCH. 
 
 One good result has attended their suppression 
 amongst others ; they are no longer the subject of 
 universal ridicule, as they formerly were, and the 
 natural feelings of the people, respecting their fallen 
 state, have completely operated to spare them ; nor 
 did 1 ever, in the course of this last tour, hear one 
 jest or ill-natured remark at their expense, a very 
 great change from that in the time of Ferdinand, 
 when they were the common butt of all the 
 active part of society. The Government ordered 
 liomes to be provided in the respective districts to 
 receive the monks after they were turned out, but I 
 am not aware of what success attended this plan : 
 and no doubt, all who have families and connections, 
 or the means of living independently, prefer doing 
 so, to joining such assemblies, where the society 
 cannot be very pleasant under the circumstances 
 that have formed it. 
 
 THE SECULAR CLERGY. 
 
 However little prepared the public in general were 
 for the quiet surrender of the property belonging to 
 the regular clergy, they must have been still less for 
 the tranquil manner in which the sweeping measure 
 of appropriating the vast domains of the chapters 
 and other bodies connected with them, was received. 
 No one could possibly understand this, unless per- 
 fectly acquainted with the change that had quietly 
 taken possession of the public mind on these sub- 
 jects within the present generation. This topic
 
 THE SECULAR CLERGY. 285 
 
 strange enough to say, had heen agitated in Spain, 
 long before that of the far more useless and less 
 defensible one of the collateral body had been 
 seriously taken into consideration. Many years ago 
 in the time]of Charles the Third, the enormous pro- 
 perty locked up by being in possession of the regular 
 clergy, had been regularly brought under notice of 
 the government, and the selling off that property 
 and converting the produce into the public funds 
 and securities for their benefit, was seriously proposed 
 to no less a body than the Council of Castile, who 
 could hardly be considered inferior in pure Catho- 
 licism to the sacred College itself. This is singular 
 enough, but the fact that in the exposition made on 
 the subject the monks are hardly mentioned, is 
 equally so ; the truth is that they were immediately 
 under the charge of powers too dangerous to meddle 
 with, otherwise it would be difficult to account for so 
 extraordinary a distinction being made. The ground- 
 work of this proposition for selling their lands at the 
 time mentioned, was the fatal effects in the locking up 
 such vast property, upon the agriculture of Spain, to 
 raise which from its depressed condition was the 
 cause of its being made. No wonder, if in his later days 
 the bold innovator who dared to propound such doc- 
 trine should fall under the ban of these authorities, 
 and should have had a few years of his life to pass 
 in exile and confinement. Such were the views of 
 Jovellanos, and those who acted with him, and the 
 only difference in carrying them out is, that they
 
 286 THE SECULAR CLERGY. 
 
 do not now invest the proceeds, but assign moderate 
 pay, to the once powerful possessors of these enor- 
 mous, but waste and almost unproductive domains. 
 
 I have heard a quotation in Spain, said to be from 
 Gibbon, but I do not remember it in his works, 
 though it very probably may be found there ; it is a 
 sort of address to Spain, in these words, as they cited 
 them, *' What has Spain done with the four hun- 
 dred cities she once possessed?" Spain might an- 
 swer to this pithy question, "Ask the church, they can 
 perhaps inform you." It is not to the churchy but 
 to the ecclesiastical bodies under that name, whose 
 will was the law for so many ages, that Spain has 
 all but been erased from amongst the nations of the 
 earth. The persecution of the Jews, the expulsion 
 of the Moriscos, the locking up of vast properties in 
 mortmain, and the final establishment of the dread- 
 ful tyranny to consolidate and keep these enormities 
 together, have destroyed the resources of the country, 
 and converted probably one half of the finest part of 
 it into the despoblados, that the traveller encounters 
 whenever he leaves the beaten track, and even upon it, 
 in some provinces. These causes and not the disco- 
 very of America, have reduced this first of European 
 kingdoms to the state in which we behold it. Where 
 are the forty towns of Toledo, that have disappeared 
 since the time of Philip the Second? Ask the 
 priesthood, for they are the real authors of such 
 destruction. Where are the industrious people 
 that teemed in Andalucia, the very name of whose
 
 THE SECULAR CLERGY. ^87 
 
 locations are lost, although they once filled the coun- 
 try along the Guadalquivir, making it one vast gar- 
 den and continued line of towns and villages? Ask 
 the advisers and directors of the Catholic Kings, 
 who are now held out as subjects for admiration. 
 Who have caused the reduction of Estremadura, 
 nearly the most beautiful region in Europe, to a vast 
 despoblado ? The same authorities. Let the tra- 
 veller go from Burgos to Valladolid and from thence 
 to Leon, returning by Benevente, or shaping his 
 course as he may in that region, he will see every 
 where, amid the most fertile land producing every 
 thing to gladden the heart of man, little more than 
 the ruins of decayed villages and towns, the sha- 
 dows and spectres of former wealth and prosperity : 
 the same heads and hands have produced these 
 fatal consequences. Only the patient and sub- 
 missive character of the people have enabled them 
 to bear up against a state of things, to which 
 there is happily no parallel in Europe, so that to 
 find means of comparison, you must go to the do- 
 minions of the Mahometans, whom, in intole- 
 rance, the ruling body that produced these evils, 
 most nearly resembled. 
 
 Can it be supposed a nation so shrewd and intel- 
 ligent as the Spaniards, when their eyes have once 
 been opened, can look with regret or sorrow on the 
 fall of the temporalities of an establishment like 
 this, the bitter fruits of whose dominion are written 
 on almost every wall and spot of ground in tbe
 
 ^88 THE SECULAR CLERGY. 
 
 country ? It is so far from being matter of sur- 
 prise that they should at last have taken steps to 
 deliver themselves from such thraldom, as that 
 they should so long have quietly submitted to it. 
 
 Notwithstanding what has been stated, the feeling 
 when I was in Spain before, was so little hostile to 
 the secular clergy, excepting where individuals had 
 made themselves obnoxious and occasionally drew 
 forth maledictions on the body at largo, that I am 
 fully convinced, they would have been left unmo- 
 lested, but for the occurrence of the civil war. It 
 is to Don Carlos, to himself and his supporters 
 alone, that the fall of this enormous establishment 
 must be attributed. Had he not taken the field and 
 played his stake until he fairly and completely lost 
 it, no force would, in my firm conviction, ever have 
 been applied, in this generation at least, to sap the 
 colossal edifice. 
 
 This was the true secret, both of the support given 
 and the opposition made, to that Prince ; and facts 
 will bear out this statement, that disastrous as have 
 been the effects of the civil war in some respects to 
 Spain, she will in the end be the gainer by it, having 
 been enabled to shake off^ the principal incubus that 
 depressed her energies. So entirely was this the case, 
 that I can fearlessly appeal to any well-informed Spa- 
 niard whether, had the cases been reversed, and the 
 cause of the Queen been that of absolute sovereignty 
 and the inquisition, and Don Carlos that of the 
 liberal and constitutional one, whether he would 
 not at this instant be King of Spain. So little does
 
 THE CHURCH. 289 
 
 that weak and ill-advised personage deserve the cu- 
 logiums passed on him from those who may speak 
 from admiration of the cause, but certainly not from 
 any knowledge they possess of the individual, the 
 poorest creature who ever tried for a crown ; that 
 every Spaniard I ever heard mention the subject, de- 
 clared, that if he had been any thing hut what he is, 
 he would have been King of Spain. One of the 
 first acts of Don Carlos after entering Spain was to 
 declare the Virgin, Generalissimo of the Army ! 
 and to issue a bull, procured from Gregory the Six- 
 teenth, wherein his soldiers are to have the same 
 privileges as those combating the infidels ! They 
 are to be excused from fasting, and may employ the 
 feast days in war ! Certain clergy are exempt from 
 celebrating mass at unusual hours, provided the 
 object be to pray God's assistance against the infi- 
 dels ! and may also bury at irregular times, if the 
 parties be not excommunicated I exemptions from 
 fasting and allowed to eat meat, &c. but clergy them- 
 selves, unless seventy years of age, are excepted. The 
 begging box is not forgotten, and fifteen years and 
 fifteen (piarantinas are allowed of deductions from 
 penitences imposed, and may share in the benefits 
 of the general pilgrimage. Plenary indulgence to 
 those who may visit five churches and pray against 
 the infidels ! All those who supplicate God, &c. may 
 choose a confessor and receive from him full indul- 
 gence and remission of sins, even of those reserved 
 to the Holy see, heresy excepted ! once in their life 
 
 VOL. II. u
 
 290 THE CHURCH. 
 
 time and also in articulo mortis ; but of sins not re- 
 served by the Holy see, they may have indulgence 
 as often as required ! But the confessor is to impose 
 penance, which may be commuted into payment for 
 assistance to the expedition ! Other minor privileges 
 of pardon, &c. were added. 
 
 This bull is taxed at four reals, twenty-eight ma- 
 ravedis, about a shilling in all, dated Estella, 22nd 
 August, 1837. Countersigned Joaquin, 
 
 Bishop of Leon. 
 
 Such is the abstract of this curious document, 
 which would appear to be a transcript of one from 
 the eleventh or twelfth century, and a notable proof 
 of the sort of government the Spaniards must have 
 expected, had they submitted to this wretched re- 
 presentative of monkish and absolute power. So 
 completely fallen is the high church party that not 
 only, as mentioned in the account of the press, they 
 could not support a journal, but as every one in- 
 formed me, and as was evidently confirmed by 
 daily observation, it was actually extinct. You could 
 not find a Carlist in society, nor could any one di- 
 rect you where to look for them. A character men- 
 tioned in another part of the work, a church digni- 
 tary, and one of the very ablest and most enlight- 
 ened men in Spain, made use of this rather singular 
 expression, when I was in conversation with him, 
 ** Don Carlos es una cosa," Don Carlos is a thing, 
 not a person ; meaning that he represents the inqui- 
 sition, and the undue temporal power of the church
 
 THE CHURCH. SQl 
 
 now gone from the stage, possibly for ever. So 
 little influence do they now possess, that the only 
 instance I heard of their having a deputy returned, 
 was in a small town of Old Castile, subsequently to 
 the fall of the Regent, where, the instant the people 
 heard on whom the choice had fallen, they rose and 
 compelled the electors to make another election. I 
 am very far from asserting that both Don Carlos 
 and the cause he is identified with have not par- 
 tisans in most places, but this is their bearing on 
 society in general. 
 
 Although the great body of the ecclesiastics were 
 opposed to the Regent, and gladly looked forward 
 to any change, they carefully abstained from the 
 smallest overt act of interference. In this they 
 acted precisely as the moderado party, and if either 
 had come openly forward at an early stage of the 
 disturbance, some reaction would have inevitably 
 ensued. I heard what has been stated respecting 
 the decay of the Carlist party, not only from the 
 liberals of both sections, but from people who had 
 formerly belonged to it themselves, but had 
 changed into a quasi modcradism, the nearest re- 
 presentative of it, from considering the cause of pure 
 Carlism, as my friend designated it, hopelessly and 
 irretrievably gone. If it were allowed to give an 
 opinion as to any thing likely to happen in such a 
 singular and anomalous countrv, I should sav, that 
 the power of the clergy over the great mass of 
 people is gone for ever ; unless, which is very possi- 
 
 u 2
 
 292 THE CHURCH. 
 
 ble, and even probable, tbey regain a portion of it 
 by cool and cautious management. It will be un- 
 derstood, as will be subsequently explained in tbe 
 account of tbe state of religion, that a wide dis- 
 tinction is made between that principle as existing 
 in tbe people, and the ruling or dominating power 
 of tbe priesthood, which is here alluded to. 
 
 One of the numberless common errors in circu- 
 lation respecting this singular country, is that the 
 dominion of the hierarchy and the various anomalies 
 resulting from it, are reliques of ancient Spain, and 
 deserving of respect and veneration as such. The 
 fact is directly the contrary. The usurpations and 
 overweening power of the clergy are of compara- 
 tively modern date ; by far the greater part of less 
 than three centuries duration. The first remark- 
 able instance of establishing a direct interference 
 in the concerns of the Spanish church, was at the 
 election of a Bishop of Cordova in 1300, but that 
 is old compared to the abuses we have been dis- 
 cussing. 
 
 A circumstance came to my knowledge at Seville, 
 so singular, that without its being communicated to 
 me by the highest possible authority, 1 should have 
 scarcely credited it. In the reign of Charles the 
 Fourth a mandate was issued to the Cabildo of that 
 cathedral, directing them to make a very extensive 
 sale of fincas, or houses belonging to them in the 
 city, and transfer the proceeds to the treasurv ; 
 ostensibly for the public benefit, but in realitv for
 
 THE CHURCH. 293 
 
 the purpose of ministering to the ** menus plaisirs'* 
 of the Prince of Peace, whose funds failing at the 
 time, they thought of replenishing them from this 
 extraordinary source. The quantity of property 
 thus estimated, was from one third to one fourth of 
 the whole of that description possessed by the es- 
 tablishment. It was not only done under sanction 
 of the Curia or Vatican, but at that time such an 
 arrangement was utterly impracticable without it. 
 As the most considerable undertaking of the per- 
 sonage alluded to was building the palace of Buena- 
 vista at Madrid, it is very probable that the 
 supply was contrived in order to recruit the funds 
 necessary for that purpose ; in fact, it may be con- 
 sidered almost certain to have been the case. Now, 
 from Espartero being the chief of the government 
 at the time the property of the secular clergy was 
 sequestered, the Curia, considering, no doubt, lie 
 was the absolute sovereign for the time, were on the 
 point of fulminating a decree of excommunication 
 against him, and were only prevented, as it is be- 
 lieved, following so absurd a course, by some of the 
 more temperate and better heads in the conclave. 
 It would have Ijccn truly curious if he had been 
 denounced as a church spoiler, in the verv palace 
 built under the sanction of their immediate prede- 
 cessors, who set the example, by allowing the robbery, 
 to benefit a party whose claim to establish sucli a 
 singular precedent in his favour we will not enter 
 into. Certainlv, under the circumstances he was
 
 294 THE CHURCH. 
 
 placed in, the Regent might have been excused the 
 abuse that has been showered on him from various 
 quarters, as a spoiler of the church ; for which he 
 was about as much to blame as George the Fourth 
 for being instrumental in passing the Emancipation 
 bill ; both parties having merely assented in their 
 respective exalted stations, to proceedings imperiously 
 called on for the public good. 
 
 The situation of the nuns is by far the worst of 
 anything connected with the late changes in the 
 religious establishments. Many of these carried 
 their small dowries into the societies they were 
 placed in, according to the arrangement of their 
 families ; who, until recently, where there were 
 several daughters, generally made one a nun. I am 
 sorry to say, these considerations have not prevailed, 
 and everything has followed the common road of 
 confiscation. The convents are not shut up, but 
 a portion allowed to remain open, a minimum of 
 number being fixed to those who have the license 
 granted, whilst the others are recommended, in fact 
 almost obliged, to join together and live, like the 
 monks, in buildings appointed in the dioceses for the 
 purpose. Their distress was such in many places, 
 that the ladies formed associations for the purpose 
 of succouring and relieving their necessities. How- 
 ever, it is only right to state, that one of the last 
 decrees of the Regent, issued, I think, in June 
 1843, was to provide funds for the due payment of 
 the allowances to the exclaustrados of both sexes, by
 
 THE CHURCH. 295 
 
 assigning- portions of the proceeds from the re- 
 maining sales of national property for that purpose. 
 It is also fair to mention, that there was the 
 greatest anxiety in the different governments to 
 provide payment for their claims ; and in looking 
 through the mass of decrees issued since the sup- 
 pression of tithes, and that of the other property 
 belonging to the church, there are none of more 
 frequent occurrence, or indeed so much so, as those 
 upon this subject. But as my friend at Naranco 
 truly said, if they could not pay the army, the 
 claims of non-combatants were sure of being left on 
 one side. 
 
 The pay assigned to the hierarchy under the last 
 arrangement is as follows : — The Primate (Toledo), 
 rather more than 1200/. sterling per annum, worth, at 
 least, under the circumstances, 3000/. in this countr3\ 
 The other Metropolitans rather more than 900/. ; and 
 the Suffragans 7OO/., but the Government may assign 
 from one to two hundred pounds additional to the 
 metropolitans, if their case be made out to require 
 it ; the scale of value of money rising in the same 
 proportion. 
 
 The Dean of the primacy, about 190/. ; tho 
 others equal, or some rather less ; the Canons, from 
 150/. to 120/., and the lesser dignitaries, corres- 
 ponding to our Minor Canons, &c. in proportion. 
 
 The allowance of Parish Priests is to be from 
 100/. down to 30/., according to circumstances ; 
 but they have surplice fees, and in the rural
 
 296 THE CHURCH. 
 
 parishes, gifts and advantages of various kinds from 
 the good will of their parishioners, who in general 
 are extremely attentive to their wants. 
 
 In consequence of complaints of the iiTegularity 
 of payment from the general treasury, orders 
 v^^ere issued by which the local authorities collect the 
 monev on the spot, paying it over directly to the 
 parties ; and in the instances I heard of, the rural 
 clergy have, although very much reduced in cir- 
 cumstances, no great reason to complain, nor has the 
 profession fallen off so much as might naturally he 
 expected from the great reduction in the allowances. 
 There is one curious piece of information that 
 was forced on my notice, otherwise I should have 
 scarcely credited it. For many years past an 
 extremely altered and softened tone with respect to 
 the invasion of Napoleon had been observable, and 
 in these latter times it has passed the limits of 
 neutrality, so that nothing is more common than 
 to hear in conversation, that whatever he may have 
 done in other countries, Spain had no great reason 
 to complain of him ; and why ? because without 
 his invasion they would never have got rid of 
 the ecclesiastical establishment, and, to use their 
 expression, would have been as much " fanaticos" 
 as before ! This strange reasoning wuU bear out 
 the statements now and in my former work on 
 this important snbject. Singular enough, I have 
 heard them compliment Frenchmen upon the service 
 their country had performed in this respect, as a
 
 THE CHURCH. 297 
 
 real benefit conferred ; but in the very varied inter- 
 course I have had with every description of people, 
 during my different travels in this extraordinary 
 country, I never heard a hint in a single instance 
 that to England they were under the slightest obli- 
 gation. 
 
 The parochial clergy in the towns, are by no means 
 so well paid as those in the rural districts. Being 
 formerly possessed of fincas and other such 
 means of subsistence, little or nothing was collected 
 from the people, to whom the payment of " culto y 
 Clero," was entirely new, and as it came in addition 
 to the other heavy burdens, was not only ill received 
 but in many instances they absolutely refused to 
 pay it, leaving the unfortunate priests in a situation 
 of actual poverty. Such were the difficulties of 
 the times, when I was there, that Government had 
 not thought it prudent to enforce payment, and so 
 the matter rested. 
 
 It may be observed, that when the difficulties 
 commenced, all these items were pas.«?ed to the 
 account, and charged against the Government. I 
 actually heard many people, who, in the " abstract," 
 were opposed to the clergy, and would have been 
 the first to join a pronunciamento to protest against 
 any attempt to raise them up, clamour against the 
 Regent for the non-payment of their claims. 
 
 I endeavoured to obtain correct information as to 
 the amount of property belonging to the church, 
 that had actually been sold, l)ut although every sale
 
 298 THE CHURCH. 
 
 is published, from the necessity of adding up an 
 infinity of items, it would have been difficult to 
 collect the exact sum. I came to a conclusion that 
 about one-half had been sold, and there remained, 
 in June, according to the Government report, about 
 twelve millions sterling to dispose of, which was 
 calculated to produce double the sum of official or 
 estimated value, and I believe some lots in Estre- 
 madura, subsequently sold, have quadrupled the 
 valuation. The payments are made by instalments, 
 spread over eight years, and composed of state 
 paper of different kinds, and in various propor- 
 tions, and metallico or money, which is required in 
 toto for the very smallest allotments. This kind of 
 property has been gradually rising in value for some 
 time, and the better portions, when I was at Madrid, 
 fetched 4 per cent or 9,5 years purchase. At the 
 outset some large fortunes were made by the pur- 
 chasers, as the titles were considered uncertain 
 during the time of the civil war, and the fact of any 
 sales being practicable whilst Don Carlos was in the 
 country is rather curious, and shews the confidence 
 they always entertained of succeeding in the object 
 of the war. In many instances, where the parties 
 had a little money and intelligence with it, to make 
 improvementSj after the first payment, the annual 
 rent of the land purchased enabled the remainder 
 to be made as it became due, so that it was 
 almost a free gift. I could not ascertain the pro- 
 bable number of individuals who have purchased
 
 THE CHURCH. 299 
 
 properties of this description, but it is not very 
 great, considering the extent of territory and the 
 population. The sales went on, even when Don 
 Carlos was marching about the country, and it is 
 just possible that the very ground he was upon, 
 when in sight of Madrid, may have been selling 
 under his feet, as that on which Hannibal w^as en- 
 camped under the walls of Rome. It is not, how- 
 ever, proposed to carry the comparison between 
 those characters any further than to this possible 
 similarity of occurrence. 
 
 To prove how little the overthrowing the Regency 
 tended to arrest the sale of church property, and 
 cause a restitution, as many persons in their sim- 
 plicity or ignorance hoped would be the case, it is 
 only necessary to mention what many of my readers 
 may recollect hearing of, as the " monster contract." 
 This concern was an assignment of nominally a 
 third, but in reality, had it been carried out, of 
 one half the remaining property of the church, to 
 an individual called Salamanca, the principal jobber 
 now in Spain, who has been raised in a few years 
 from poverty to immense wealth, by successful specu- 
 lations during the civil war. This enormous grant, 
 which would have made him the richest individual 
 in Spain, and given power proportionate, by the 
 means left of disposing, as well as of selecting his 
 vast appropriation, was nominally for the jjurposc 
 of completing roads, but in reality for other very 
 different uses, and amongst them, the repaying
 
 300 THE CHURCH. 
 
 Christina for the money advanced to put down 
 Espartero ! This is the cause so many thought 
 would serve the temporal as well as other interests 
 of the church ! However, the job was so flagrant, 
 and the opposition so strong, it could not be carried 
 into effect, but was relinquished, possibly to appear in 
 some other shape, at a more favourable opportunity. 
 The situation of the hierarchy was rather curious 
 in the personnel as well as in other respects. 
 Nearly all the archbishoprics were vacant ; Toledo, 
 Valencia, Granada, Burgos, Tarragona (banished 
 fi'om the kingdom,) were all unoccupied, and the 
 bishoprics in the same proportion. Seville and 
 Santiago were living away from their dioceses under 
 temporary exile. Of the canons, generally one half, 
 and sometimes more were wanting ; the greater 
 part, being old men, had died, and some were in 
 banishment for promoting disturbances and disaf- 
 fection to the Government. The most sifjnificant 
 orders w^ere addressed to them at different times, 
 and on one occasion they were told, " that in their 
 sacred books, (if they will be at the trouble of con- 
 sulting them,) are to be found abundant exhorta- 
 tions to peace and submission to the authorities." I 
 am only aware of one instance of capital punishment 
 being inflicted on any of them, and that was a canon 
 of Burgos, who took the field at the very outset of 
 the civil war, and was shot in consequence, not pour 
 encourager^ but pour dh-courager les autres. All 
 the canons that came under my observation were
 
 THE CHURCH. 301 
 
 men of hale constitution, in the prime of life, 
 with all appearance of health and content about 
 them, and I should think most of them, if they 
 were paid regularly, would conform very easily 
 to the new order of things ; being men of the world, 
 and perfectly cognisant of the total change that has 
 taken place in the public mind on church affairs. 
 
 There is one very important historical fact to 
 notice, which may help to explain some of the 
 anomalies now daily being manifested. Until this 
 generation, the ruling, consolidating, all-pervading, 
 and all-managing principle of the government, was 
 the ecclesiastical power. This was the lever that 
 raised the nation, and kept it up during the war of 
 independence. Now this great cause, having been, 
 as w^e have seen, rather abruptly removed, not 
 lowered by gradual progress, but suddenly, and 
 to many unexpectedly, as yet no counterpoise has 
 been applied to supply the place, so that the people 
 in the time of public excitement are like a vessel 
 that has suddenly lost her rudder in an Atlantic 
 gale. This great change has occurred so quickly, 
 that neither the education, habits, or knowledge of 
 the people have made proportionate progress, and 
 the mixture of corruption yet remaining of tlio old 
 system of government, with the ardent and enthu- 
 siastic temper of the national character, have no 
 balance to repress them, and the absurdities and 
 inconsistencies we see and arc likely to see for some 
 time, are the natural fruits. Still to them the word
 
 302 THE CHURCH. 
 
 anarchy, that is so fashionable, especially with our 
 neighbours, who know even less of them than we 
 do, is singularly inapplicable to them. There is 
 no instance in Spain of a mob attacking property, 
 which curious fact I doubted when it was first 
 stated ; but, like the attacking the palace, any- 
 thing of the sort, if it ever happened, is not 
 national ; amidst all the deplorable scenes that 
 have taken place, there is nothing exactly like or 
 even bearing a comparison with the Bristol riots. 
 No people in existence are so little anarchical in 
 their habits, or live, unless under immediate 
 excitement, in a more orderly and peaceable man- 
 ner, nor are so easily governed. The presiding 
 genius of the country is tranquillity and quiet inof- 
 fensive demeanour, in every class of society, and in 
 every part of the kingdom ; nor is there any necessity, 
 unless where domination or unpopular and false 
 principles is the object, for the application of force 
 to coerce them at any time. What they want, by 
 their universal consent, is a steady, progressive, and 
 intelligent government, that will lead the way in 
 the changes and improvements every class, at least 
 the far greater majority, are desirous of seeing 
 carried out ; but which their indolence and easy 
 habits prevent originating with themselves alone. 
 
 With respect to the effects of the late changes 
 on the religion of the great mass of the nation, the 
 question is very difficult to solve, and there are 
 many opinions, generally very much regulated by
 
 THE CHURCH. 303 
 
 the feelings of the parties themselves on this subject, 
 as to whether there be any change or not. I believe, 
 from the best information 1 could procure, that the 
 great majority are as devout as they ever were. In 
 the towns there was always a laxity in this respect, 
 but that is unavoidable, and if Doblado's account 
 be true, that the pastors themselves were tainted in 
 their belief, it is not probable the laity have entirely 
 escaped the same infection, or that the circum- 
 stances of the times should have caused a decrease in 
 the number of free-thinkers. This much is quite 
 certain, that dislike to the priests in these countries 
 is very nearly, in its consequences, allied to irreligion, 
 and that if the system of Don Carlos were by any 
 chance re-established, the steps taken, as they would 
 imagine, to secure more belief, would inevitably 
 produce an opposite result. The proof of this, if 
 any were wanting, is to be found amongst our 
 neighbours, where, since the fall of the correspond- 
 ing power, the effect has been remarkable in the 
 increase of practical religion on society at large, to 
 a degree few people once anticipated, and exactly 
 in the inverse ratio to that effected by the " Mis- 
 sions," whose labours I had an opportunity of 
 seeing at the time they were introduced upon the 
 scene, when, as they told me, tlicy preached to 
 France as to a " pays paien !" 
 
 To prove the difficulty of judging from informa- 
 tion, and how careful you ought to be in not hurrying 
 to conclusions, I was engaged in conversation with
 
 304 THE CHURCH. 
 
 a man of the upper rank, both as to position and 
 information, in a large city of the south, who assured 
 me seriously there was no religion in the place. I 
 left his house, and went straight to the cathedral, 
 where I happened to look into the sagrario, where 
 the sacrament is administered, and found it, although 
 of very capacious dimensions, actually crammed 
 to an extent I never saw before with people 
 receiving that rite ; which is a fair proof that all so 
 engaged were of a very different opinion from that 
 reported to prevail by my informant. The parties 
 were almost entirely men, and not females, who, in 
 Spain, as in most other countries, are upon the whole 
 the chief attendants on such occasions. Had I been 
 a stranger to the country, nothing more natural than 
 to have made a note of the information thus ob- 
 tained, and given it as representing the condition of 
 the people in the place. 
 
 Before we quit the subject of the church, it will 
 be probablv expected that some notice should be 
 given of the success and consequences of Mr. 
 Borrow's expedition. I obtained the necessary infor- 
 mation, but with some difficulty ; for excepting from 
 the authorities, with whom his operations brought 
 him in contact, hardly any Spaniard I mentioned the 
 subject to had ever heard either of the expedition or 
 the individual, which rather surprised me. As to 
 the object of the undertaking, it was not only a most 
 complete and entire failure, but of such a nature as 
 entirely to defeat any future attempt of the same
 
 THE CHURCH. 305 
 
 kind. No doubt can for a moment be entertained 
 either of the good motives on which the mission 
 was founded, or of the energy of the individual en- 
 trusted with it ; but from what I heard, nothing- was 
 ever conducted in a manner more likely to ensure 
 its certain and inevitable failure. The first great 
 error was the printing without the Apocrypha j to 
 say nothing of the notes, which the Spanish law, 
 both civil and ecclesiastical, as yet unchanged, 
 requires indispensably to be annexed to those dis- 
 tributed amongst the people. In a shop at Ovicdo, 
 where I was in search of old books, I saw one lot 
 of a rather unusual appearance, and on inquiry the 
 people told me they were Bibles left on consign- 
 ment by Mr. B., but that they were totally 
 unsaleable, being imperfect from want of the 
 Apocrypha, and that even if asked for, they durst 
 not dispose of them. I have not the smallest 
 doubt, that nearly every copy put in circulation, is 
 either destroyed, or in the hands of the curas and 
 others, who, from the mode adopted, were placed 
 almost in a state of hostility to the society. Had they 
 commenced by reprinting either the Barcelona or 
 Valencia Bible, at a reduced price, and asked the 
 co-operation of the clergy in the distribution, no 
 doubt whatever they would gladly have given it, and 
 much good might have been done by such a course, 
 provided it be admitted, that a defective Bible is 
 better than no Bible at all. The idea of attackiiiir 
 on such a subject, the whole body of the clergy of 
 
 VOL. II. X
 
 30G THE CHURCH. 
 
 Spain, was neither a felicitous one, nor likely to 
 produce any other result than that it has done, and 
 it is now remarked, for the purpose of giving warning 
 to others on the same subject should they be inclined 
 to repeat it. The people told me the binding was 
 objected to by the purchasers, were the sale even 
 practicable in other respects. To shew that they 
 are not quite inattentive to the subject in Spain, I 
 was informed the Valencia Bible, which they con- 
 sider the best, is being reprinted ; a considerable 
 undertaking in Spain, and that supposes a large 
 demand, as it is rather an expensive work. It is 
 impossible not to regret, that the very large sums 
 annually sent out of the country from the most pure, 
 and really religious and conscientious motives, on 
 this and other undertakings, producing equally little 
 result, were not devoted to the building or endowing 
 churches and chapels in our own manufacturing 
 districts, where they are so very much required. 
 
 The expression imperfect as used above, is of 
 Spanish law, which considers any Bible, without the 
 Apocrypha, ** iraperfict," and forbids the sale.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 ON THE ORGANIC CHANGES IN THE ADMINISTRA- 
 TION, AND DECREES RESPECTING THEM, SUBSE- 
 QUENT TO THE DEATH OF FERDINAND. 
 
 The most important change in the internal 
 administration that has taken place, is the division 
 of the kingdom, including the Balearic islands, 
 into forty-nine provinces. These divisions vary in 
 size according to the population and other circum- 
 stances, but on the average, they are rather more 
 than half the size of a department in France. 
 Each of them is under the manajjement of an officer 
 called the Xefe politico, some of whom have already 
 been mentioned in the narrative. It may be well 
 to explain that the word politico has various mean- 
 ings in Spanish, and as attached in this instance, 
 is intended to express polity, or referring to in- 
 ternal government ; not, as the term might be sup- 
 posed to convey, a political surveillance, like that 
 exercised by certain characters at the French revo- 
 lution ; riermano politico is brother-in-law, a rather 
 curious application of the word. This provincial 
 organization was carried into cHect so immediately 
 after the death of Ferdinand, that it must have been 
 
 X 2
 
 308 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 planned previously to that event. There is no 
 doubt that it is one of the most extensive and bene- 
 ficial alterations that have taken place ; and were it 
 possible to establish a steady government, would 
 lead to the most important consequences. The 
 responsibility of these officers is very great, since 
 upon them rests the carrying into effect, not only the 
 general instructions of the ministers, as to the 
 maintaining tranquillity and causing the laws to be 
 executed; but that of superintending improvements 
 of all kinds, and checking the jobbing, delays, and 
 evasions of the Ayuntamientos, one of the most 
 fertile and inexhaustible sources of mal-administra- 
 tion in this curious country. One part of his duty 
 is to regulate the proceedings of the diputacion 
 provincial, a parliament elected in every province 
 for the purpose of attending to the local business, 
 and of fixing the expenses and other matters be- 
 longing to it, a duty also of great responsibility. 
 The same voters elect the diputacion as the two 
 houses of parliament, and I believe, were it not for 
 the infelicity in working, that generally attends 
 Spanish combinations, the whole of the arrangement 
 would be perfectly suited to the purposes for which 
 it is intended. 
 
 One of the complaints during the Regency 
 was the constant change of the Xefes from one 
 province to another, so that they had hardly time to 
 gain local knowledge and become acquainted with 
 the parties they had to work with, (a circumstance
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 309 
 
 of the last importance with Spaniards,) when they 
 were removed to some other, and had to begin the 
 same operations anew. No doubt there may have 
 been reasons to justify this system, but some of the 
 best informed men assured me the practice had been 
 extremely prejudicial to the public interest. They 
 also complained, in some instances, that the capitals 
 of the provinces were badly selected, being placed 
 at theextrcmitv of the district, and causinoc verv often 
 extreme difficulty to those located at a distance, 
 who might have business or public duties calling 
 them to head-quarters ; but there is little doubt 
 that these evils were nearly inseparable from the 
 state of Spain as to communications, and the position 
 of the better towns in many districts made them in 
 a great degree unavoidable. 
 
 The military divisions of the kingdom have also 
 undergone a modification, and are now better and 
 more equally arranged, somewhat in the French 
 manner, to which several of the late administrative 
 changes bear a strong resemblance, nor could they, 
 with some exceptions and deductions, have followed 
 better models than those of our neighbours. 
 
 A decree was issued in the same year of 1834, 
 giving a general power of establishing posadas to 
 every one desirous of doing so, a cause of the 
 misery of these estabUsluncnts in former days, beincr, 
 that they often were the property of the Ayunta- 
 mientos, under the head of propios, forming a part
 
 310 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 of their revenues for local purposes, as mentioned 
 in another place. 
 
 Orders were issued at different times more and 
 more stringent, respecting the establishment of 
 public cemeteries, and prohibiting the burying in 
 churches. Every place, however small, is obliged 
 to have one provided, and if they cannot find waste 
 or other disposable ground suitable to the purpose, 
 they have the power of appropriating that of indi- 
 viduals, proper valuers being appointed for the 
 purpose of regulating the price to be paid. A 
 general and very long order was issued in the same 
 year, respecting the inclosing and taking care of 
 the forests ; the ancient law mentioned at Pedroso, 
 being virtually abandoned for the last time. 
 
 In the same year the death of Ferdinand took 
 place, and his will was promulgated in the decrees. 
 As many persons in this country believe that the 
 title of the present Queen is derived from that do- 
 cument, an abstract of it is given. The ignorance 
 on this subject is not greater than would be justly 
 attributed to any Spaniard or other writer who 
 should publish, that Queen Victoria ascended the 
 throne in consequence of the will of William the 
 Fourth to the prejudice of other persons. The 
 King appoints his widow, Gobernadora, until his 
 daughter shall attain the age of eighteen, and it is 
 curious enough that the only part in which he at- 
 tempts to interfere with the old law, that of altering
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 311 
 
 the term of majority, should have been set aside ; 
 the ancient fundamental law of the monarchy 
 making fourteen the age of majority, being restored. 
 It is doubtful whether he had an absolute right to 
 appoint his widow as Regent, but that was confirmed 
 immediately on the assembling the Cortes, and was 
 considered so little objectionable, that by the new 
 constitution an absolute power to this effect is 
 conferred on the reijjnino- soverei<xn. 
 
 The preamble states merely the object to be the 
 naming the Queen Regent, but fixing a council 
 whom she is to consult on the public business ; the 
 will is dated Aranjuez, l^ith of June, 1833, and 
 executed in presence of a number of witnesses. 
 The first clauses appear to have related to charitable 
 bequests, or other matters of the same sort, and are 
 not published but referred to. The 9th declares 
 his marriage. 10. If all or any children God may 
 be pleased to give me, be under age at my death, I 
 wish my wife to be guardian o/' //ic ?i;Af/e. 11. If the 
 son or daughter, who may succeed me, be not at 
 the age of eighteen, 1 name my wife Regenta y 
 Gobernadora of the wJiole monarchy , until they 
 shall attain the age of eighteen years complete. 
 12. Appoints the consultino; council of seven per- 
 sons, the head being the primate ; amongst the others 
 arc the Duke of Medina Celi, as head of the no- 
 bility, and the late Marquis of Amarillas, afterwards 
 Duke of Ahumada. In case of the death of any 
 of those parties, successors, or suplcntes are ap-
 
 312 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 pointed: 14. Gives the Queen, in certain cases, 
 power of appointing others to replace those who may 
 be wanting. 15. Should the Queen unfortunately 
 die before the son or dauohter have attained the 
 age of eighteen, the Regency is to be formed of the 
 individuals named in the 14th article, who are also 
 to be charged with the education of the other 
 children. 16. Orders that a majority of votes is 
 to decide the questions on which there may be a 
 divergence of opinion, (an extremely necessary pre- 
 caution amongst these people.) I7. Leaves all his 
 property to the children, excepting one fifth which 
 goes to his widow, according to the law of the 
 monarchy, as well as the portion she brought, as 
 settled in the marriage contract. 
 
 Such is the abstract of this famous document, 
 than which nothing can be more clear, simple or 
 well considered ; nor, with the exception of the 
 doubtful case, whether he ought not to have had 
 the preliminary sanction of the Cortes, as convened 
 to set aside the Salic law previously, and the right 
 he assumes to fix the age of the majority of his 
 children, is there one particle not strictly in con- 
 formity with the established laws of the monarchy. 
 Every sort of care and precaution was taken to le- 
 galise all the proceedings which related to the prag- 
 matic sanction and the abrogating the Salic Law. 
 Not only was everything done in the most public 
 and solemn manner, but the parties who co-operated 
 were the first men in rank, station and public esti-
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION, 313 
 
 niation in Spain : nor, with the exception of the 
 attempted treason of Caiomarde, who richly de- 
 served the garrote he escaped by flying from the 
 kingdom, was one step ever taken to my knowledge, 
 either to alter, invalidate, or throw the smallest 
 shadow of doubt on the legality of these acts, which 
 were framed and carried out with the perfect know- 
 ledge every one concerned had, of the momeijfous 
 consequences they might entail on the country. 
 
 It may be also necessary to observe that the at- 
 tempted introduction of the Salic law, by which Don 
 Carlos claimed the throne, was in 1713 ; that the 
 transaction of its being put on the books was fraudu- 
 lent, and immediately afterwards denounced as such 
 by the council of Castile, the body charged with the 
 power of seeing the laws maintained and no inno- 
 vations introduced. To those acquainted with 
 Spain, it is unnecessary to observe that at the time 
 alluded to, this great and powerful body had no in- 
 terest in cither protesting against or supporting the 
 law ; but if cither, from their position, so near the 
 head of the monarchy, they must have been, if any- 
 thing, disposed to sustain the objects of the reigning 
 family, to flatter whose peculiar views the trial was 
 made. 
 
 The term officially given in Spain to this business 
 is *' innovacion intcntada," the latter word not 
 merely expressing " attempted," but having a strong 
 and varied meaning in Spanish. So perfectly was it 
 known that the act was of the character I have
 
 314 ORGANIC CEIANGES 
 
 described, that the instant there was a chance of its 
 being acted on, which was whilst Ferdinand was a 
 boy in 1790, the King his father took steps to set 
 it aside and pass the inheritance to his daughters, 
 restoring the fundamental law of the monarchy. 
 That by which the present Queen succeeded, is 
 merely the repetition of the same act by the Cortes 
 of the kingdom solemnly convened for the purpose, 
 the instant the Queen was declared pregnant in the 
 spring of 1830 when I was in Spain. This is the 
 plain statement of the facts as they occurred ; but 
 it unfortunately happens there are people disposed 
 to misrepresent them, from ignorance and some 
 probably from diflPerent motives. Another act of 
 Ferdinand, already alluded to, by which Calomarde, 
 who acted the part of a traitor in the case, and was 
 in consequence driven out of the kingdom to which 
 he never returned, has been mixed up and mud- 
 dled with it. In this act, Ferdinand, then sup- 
 posed to be dying, signed a revocation of the prag- 
 matic sanction and set aside his own children ! 
 This was discovered on his having rallied again in 
 almost a miraculous manner, and the law has re- 
 mained as originally passed and decreed. The 
 truth is so apparent, that the reader who has attend- 
 ed to these matters, will recollect that amongst the 
 very numerous friends Don Carlos has in this coun- 
 try, no one in either house of Parliament whose 
 opinion or dictum is of the smallest weight in or 
 out of doors, ever said one word about the legal
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 315 
 
 title of the Queen ; even at the time the question was 
 unfortunately made a battle ground of the great 
 leading parties. 
 
 There is one rather curious question, were it pos- 
 sible to have it solved. Don Carlos was hardly born 
 at the time of the first pragmatic sanction, and the pro- 
 ceeding only took place, because Ferdinand's health 
 made it doubtful whether he would survive, and to 
 prevent the succession going to the other house. Now, 
 was Don Carlos ignorant of the act of his father ? 
 or of the illegality of the former " innovacion inten- 
 tada" by which he claims the succession ? He was 
 rather in the habit of attendinof the tribunals when I 
 was in Spain formerly, but he appears to have given 
 more time to the study of such lessons as his con- 
 fessor might have supplied him with, than that of 
 the law of the monarchy ; by which, whatever hard- 
 ships may be considered under the circumstances 
 to have befallen him, he has not a particle of legal 
 claim. 
 
 As to the Spaniards themselves, the question from 
 the first was so clear, as to the right and legality, 
 that no one who valued the reputation of common 
 sense and information, could possibly think of intro- 
 ducing it amongst them. The same reason applies 
 to what they call " traiisaccion," or the marrying the 
 Queen to the son of Don Carlos. Don Carlos either 
 has, or has not, aright to tiie crown. If lie has, he 
 invalidates it by allowing his son even indirectly to 
 have concern with it. If he has no right he cannot
 
 316 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 transmit it or give it to another. In this respect he 
 stands exactly in the situation of the Napoleons, 
 father and son. When the elder was driven from the 
 throne, he lost the little right he had acquired, de 
 factOy and had no power of transferring it to his own 
 son, or to any one else. But in Spain, however, it 
 was, as already stated, merely considered a question of 
 good or bad government ; that is, of certain bad, 
 and of anticipated good ; and if the situations of the 
 parties had been reversed, or if Don Carlos had 
 possessed one single qualification to govern a king- 
 dom in a reasonable manner, he would have been 
 quietly established at Madrid, long before the ter- 
 mination of the civil war. 
 
 In the same year 1834, the school of mines was 
 reorganised and put nearly on the footing it holds at 
 present ; a trial had been previously made, sub- 
 sequently to the throwing open the right of mining, 
 not only the best, but almost the only good and use- 
 ful law of the eventful reign of Ferdinand. 
 
 1835. — An alteration which had long been spoken 
 of in the tribunals, took place by the appointment of 
 Audiencias at Burgos and Albacete, and reducing 
 the number of judges in those of Valladolid and 
 Granada. The reasons for this change were very 
 much discussed when I was in Spain before, being 
 chiefly the immense distances parties engaged in the 
 interminable lawsuits, only second to those in our 
 Chancery courts, were obliged to travel in pursuit 
 of what they call justice. In this decree, which is
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 317 
 
 of great importance, other superior tribunals in the 
 provinces are to be called Audiencias, and the limits 
 of their jurisdiction regulated by the new territorial 
 division, so that in every part the population may 
 have easy access to their respective courts. 
 
 The breeding of horses, which formerly was 
 fettered in a most characteristic manner, professing 
 to improve the breed, but acting as usual in Spanish 
 administration, inversely, was set free. Revenues of 
 the vacant prebendal stalls applied to liquidate the 
 national debt. This was merely the repetition of a 
 power already held by agreement, with the Curia, 
 or Court of Rome. 
 
 No less important a step took place this year 
 than the suppression of the College of Tauro- 
 machia at Seville, established by Ferdinand. How 
 Christina could have made up her mind to sign a 
 decree, annulling the favourite and darling project of 
 her husband, the scheme not only having originated 
 with him, but being almost the sole foundation for 
 the purposes of education, during his reign, I can- 
 not undersatnd. It is true the preamble is drawn up 
 with unusual care, and states there are calls of 
 greater moment on the public purse, also that the 
 noble art had alwa3'S been well supported, and the 
 best professors found, without the necessity of en- 
 dowing a college for this purpose. This argument 
 was certainly strengthened by the notorious fact 
 that at the time of the foundation, when I was in the 
 country, after a long discussion in the council of
 
 318 OUGANIC CHANGES 
 
 Ministers, under the presidency of the King himself, 
 on the question whether they should give a chair of 
 chemistry to the university of Seville or expend the 
 money in stimulating the national amusement, — the 
 latter alternative was carried by a large majority ! 
 
 This decision may account for the ignorance of 
 the physician at Alhama, as he was of the standing 
 to have made his studies at that time, and as he 
 may very probably have studied at Seville, where 
 there was no professor of chemistry ; his being un- 
 acquainted with nitrogen is less extraordinary. The 
 funds contributed to this establishment proceeding 
 from the various bull fights of the district, are 
 ordered to be assigned to the purposes of education. 
 
 The trade, of dealing in corn and " bread stuffs," 
 which had been subject previously to various vexa- 
 tions and impediments, is declared free. The Coun- 
 cil of Castile is ordered to be suppressed, and the 
 functions provided for by new organization. Some 
 difficulties occurred in carrying out this sweeping 
 alteration, and it was not finally eflPected until some 
 time afterwards. The title of the new tribunal is 
 Council of Spain and Indies. The functions as- 
 signed are of great weight and importance, being 
 a court of appeal for almost every subject of conse- 
 quence, and even the proceedings of the Papal see 
 are in some degree cognisable by it. Part of the 
 duties allotted to it are nearly analogous to those of 
 our court of Queen's Bench. 
 
 A severe order against the clergy, respecting the
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. SIQ 
 
 Lent preachings appeared this year, and decrees 
 previously mentioned, respecting the monks leaving 
 their convents, and joining the rebels ; suppression 
 also is ordered in case of harbouring rebels or mu- 
 nitions of war, or even for the holding juntas to 
 the prejudice of the government or state. The 
 goods belonging to such convent to be sold, and the 
 proceeds of their rents to be devoted to the payment 
 of the widows or orphans of those who may fall 
 during the war. 
 
 The first Cortes, or those of Estamentos, on the 
 plan of Martinez de la Rosa, were convened this 
 year. The chief distinction of these Cortes was 
 there being a regular house of Peers, under the 
 title of Proceres, who were the archbishops and 
 bishops, the grandees of Spain, titulos of Castile, 
 who are next in rank to the grandees, and a portion 
 of others who may have filled high official situations 
 in the public service. 
 
 An order was issued on the rather curious subject 
 of the military having been found pillaging the 
 chost of the Cruzada, a tax levied on every one, for 
 exemption from fasting in Lent, and other indul- 
 gences. This money was formerly sent to Rome, 
 being levied by a sort of independent jurisdiction, 
 but now passes to the j)ublic treasury, producing 
 about £150,000. annually. Resides this, wliich 
 might have been mentioned in the account of the 
 clergy, was the collection of " Kspolios," which is 
 adverted to in this order, as subjected to the same
 
 320 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 depredations. In each cathedral was appointed an 
 officer, as collector of Espolios, whose duty it was 
 to proceed to the house of every canon and other 
 dignitary, immediately on his demise, and seize all 
 the money in his possession, which was considered 
 to belong to the state I This and the subsidio, an 
 independent tax levied on the whole body, were 
 means in themselves quite illegal, by which the 
 ancient government had gradually endeavoured to 
 oblige this vast body to contribute a share to the 
 public burdens. It appears that various officers, 
 after the breaking out of the civil war, thought 
 these funds should be made available to the service 
 in their respective departments ; and to repress this 
 irregularity the present order was issued. 
 
 In this year Don Carlos and his line were solemnly 
 excluded from the crown, by the Cortes. 
 
 The voto de Santiago suppressed. This was a 
 rather heavy tax, levied on the lands latterly 
 conquered from the infidels, and connected with the 
 fabulous battle of Clavijo, already mentioned in the 
 account of Santiago. In my former work I noticed 
 this story as probably incorrect, for I could find no 
 certain notice of it in any good historian, and that 
 view was fully confirmed by the debates on the 
 subject of suppressing so absurd a tax. As the 
 proceeds were considerable, the decree contains 
 orders to supply the deficiency in various ways. 
 Canonries in several cathedrals and churches, be- 
 sides that of the Saint, were paid from the funds
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 321 
 
 raised by it, and the respective holders are ordered 
 to he drafted into other establishments, and funds 
 to be raised for supporting the hospital of Pilgrims, 
 mentioned also in the account of Santiago, which 
 were partly supplied from this source. They 
 rather laughed at Martinez de la Rosa and the 
 Andalusians, in Spain, for their zeal in this case, as 
 their properties were subject to the tax, which, they 
 say, gave force to their eloquence, though beyond 
 doubt, both as to history and justice of contribution, 
 they were right in their conclusion. 
 
 The inquisition, and 101 canonrics dependent on 
 it, were finally suppressed this year, and the func- 
 tions assigned to the archbisho})s and bishops under 
 a special arrangement. All the property belonging 
 to the office, which had been given by various 
 pious sovereigns and others, confiscated and applied 
 to the public debt. 
 
 This year was rather productive of decrees, for 
 there is a supplementary volume, and amongst 
 them a prohibition of circulating any bulls, ex- 
 cepting those which have previously passed through 
 an office called " Agencia general de preccs," estab- 
 lished for the purpose at Rome by Charles the 
 Third. Orders, revoking the celebration of the 
 feast of San Jose, ordered to be kept to purify 
 the kingdom from the acts of heretics and others 
 during the war of independence, and specially 
 meant to apply to those of the Rritisli army. 
 
 Orders for reorganizing the Ayuntamientos, niid 
 
 VOL. II. Y
 
 3'2^ ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 appointing Alcaldes, or teniente Alcaldes, in pro- 
 portion to the number of inhabitants. The chief 
 alteration in this organization is the suppression of 
 the office of Corregidors, who had legal functions, 
 which are now concentrated in the ordinary tribu- 
 nals, and the Alcaldes have merely the civil part 
 of the duty to attend. It is proposed, that every 
 place having 200 vecinos or hearths, shall have an 
 Ayuntamiento. 
 
 In this year the suppression of the convents took 
 place. The first batch consisted of 900, under 
 twelve in number, of monks, as before mentioned ; 
 and of the twelve that formed the body, two-thirds 
 were to be of the " Coro," or regularly professed, to 
 avoid the possibility of giving wrong statements, 
 and inserting the "legos" or novices amongst the 
 number returned. 
 
 The property confiscated in 1823, and proceeding 
 from the sale of convents during the sistema consti- 
 tucional, to be restored to the families it then be- 
 longed to, and the remainder of the convents, with 
 the exception of the royal foundations of Escorial, 
 Guadalupe, Poblet in Catalonia, and some others, 
 definitively suppressed. 
 
 The clergy are subjected to the ordinary tribu- 
 nals. This decree is couched in severe terms, 
 principally on account of the part they took in the 
 rebellion, and on the fraudulent evasion of an 
 attempt made in 1799 to efi'ect the same purpose of 
 reforming the law that applied to them, under the
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 
 
 323 
 
 old council of Castile, which had caused great 
 scandal in every part of the kingdom. 
 
 The provincial deputations ordered to be organ- 
 ized. — A long and expressive order respecting the 
 conduct of the clergy, who are told that in the 
 sacred books they would find '*si los consultasen, 
 preceptos sublimes de obediencia y mansedumbre 
 que cumplir," sublime precepts of mildness and 
 obedience to fulfil, and that when they behave pro- 
 perly, they are the true watch-towers (Atalayas) of 
 the faithful entrusted to their charge; this, of course, 
 refers to their transactions during the civil w^ar then 
 rao'inir. 
 
 1837. — The first decree worth notice in this year 
 is rather a curious one, relating to the breeding of 
 horses, declaring that those employed in the islands 
 in the service of the burras, or female asses, are 
 not to be considered, or have the rank of Cavallos 
 padres, or regular stallions ! The preamble states 
 that the Queen Regent is enterada, or perfectly 
 understands the matter it relates to. 
 
 Another issued afterwards is also rather singular, 
 as by it the " titulos" conferred on the leaders of 
 the absolute party, who were chiefly instrumental in 
 oversetting the constitution of 1823, are abrogated ; 
 at the same time the descendants are to be provided 
 with recompenses of less ominous purport. Those 
 abolished are Marquis of Lealtad (loyalty), to the 
 son of Elio; Condede Real Aprecio (royal esteem), 
 to Eguia, and Marquis de la Fidelidad to Echevarria. 
 
 Y 2
 
 3^4 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 It is rather remarkable that one of these titles is 
 said in the public papers to have been conferred on 
 a party concerned in the revolution of 1843, since 
 the fail of the Regent. 
 
 The constitution nominally in force, being pro- 
 mulgated this year, is generally known by the 
 date of 1837* The leading articles are much the 
 same as usual in other preambles of a similar 
 nature, but the tenth prohibits the confiscation of 
 property, and no citizen is to lose his property but 
 for the public good, such as improvements, and on 
 being fully indemnified for the value. The Senate 
 is to be composed of three-fifths of the number of the 
 deputies ; the election to be made by the King from* 
 a treble list furnished by the Provinces : not to be 
 less than one senator for each Province, the addi- 
 tional number to depend on the population. The 
 age is required to be of forty years, and every one 
 is eligible, provided they have the means of living 
 independently, the sum not being named. At each 
 dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies, one-third 
 of the senate to be renewed according to seniority, 
 but may be re-elected. The sons of the King and 
 of the heir apparent, are senators at the age of 25. 
 Each Province to name one deputy for each 
 .50,000 inhabitants. (In the Cortes of ISl-S, the 
 number to elect was 70,000.) The election to be 
 direct, and mav be re-elected indefinitelv. Acre of 
 qualification to be 25 years. The regular term 
 of duration is three years. In case of dissolu-
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 325 
 
 tion, the right of which is entirely vested with 
 the King, the new Cortes must be assembled within 
 three months. In case of the crown being vacant, 
 the Cortes to be assembled extraordinarily. The 
 two houses not to deliberate together, nor in pre- 
 sence of the King. The King and both houses 
 have the rig'ht of initiatino- the laws. Before a law 
 can be passed a majority of the house must be 
 present. 
 
 The King sanctions and promulgates the laws. 
 A special act is necessary to enable the King to 
 alienate any portion of the Spanish territory, to 
 admit any foreign troops, to ratify treaties of offen- 
 sive alliance ; for special trade ; or of giving sub- 
 sidies to foreign powers ; (no mention is made of 
 receiving subsidies, a much more probable contin- 
 gency;) for leaving the kingdom, or contracting 
 marriage himself, or the parties near the succession, 
 or to enable him to abdicate the ci'own to his next 
 successor. Succession to the crown to be accord- 
 ing to regular order of primogeniture, always pre- 
 ferring the older line to the younger, and in the 
 same line the nearest to the more remote, the male 
 to the female, and the elder individual fo the 
 younger. 
 
 Failing the line of the present Queen, to go to 
 her sister, and the uncles, brothers of her father, 
 supposing they are not excluded. If these lines be- 
 come extinct, the Cortes to name others as the 
 nation may think right. This is a very important
 
 326 
 
 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 article, and no doubt has been fully weighed at 
 Naples and at Paris. 
 
 The Cortes are to set aside (deberan excluir) 
 those persons who may be unfit to reign, or have 
 done any thing to cause their losing the right to 
 the crown. When a queen reigns, her husband to 
 have no share whatever in governing the country. 
 
 The age of majority is fixed at fourteen, and in case 
 of minority, until the Cortes appoint a regency; the 
 father or mother, or a council of ministers. The 
 person named by the deceased King is to be tutor to 
 his successor, provided he be not legally disqualified, 
 and if he shall not have appointed any, the father 
 or mother to be so during their widowhood. The 
 duties of Regent and tutor can only be united in the 
 person of the father or mother of the party. 
 
 These are the principal heads of the organic law 
 that appear to be worth noticing, the rest being 
 chiefly of routine, as usual in these documents, under 
 the heads of Ministers, Justice, Provincial depu- 
 tacion, and Ayuntamientos, National guards, con- 
 tributions, &c. and are unnecessary to be detailed. 
 
 As far as my knowledge goes, this is the best 
 constitution they have had, but of course there will 
 be a difference of opinion about the Peerage. There 
 is no answering the general assertion that the 
 nobility, as a body, are unfit to constitute a chamber 
 of themselves, as the Spaniards, who have no sort 
 of hostility to them, appear to be pretty unanimous 
 on the subject. 1 have sometimes thought that a
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 327 
 
 part or portion of the whole might be elected by 
 themselves to represent them. Unfortunately the bias 
 of their neighbours, who have now great influence, 
 beino- ao^ainst their congeners of the faubouro- St. 
 Germain, there appears very little probability of 
 any change taking place, and there is no doubt that 
 so far as it went, the elected chamber was an ex- 
 ceedingly good one, very superior to the lower house. 
 
 In the course of this year (1837), the Council of 
 Castile was finally suppressed ; the University of 
 Alcala transferred to Madrid, and a decree was 
 issued regulating the course of studies at the Uni- 
 versities, in which Hebrew and Arabic arc included ; 
 but, as I mentioned before, the system is not yet 
 completed, owing to the want of funds to pay the 
 many professors that arc wanted in some important 
 branches. 
 
 Another, and I believe a final order was issued 
 respecting the convents, and the habit prohibited to 
 be worn. 
 
 There appears in this year, perhaps the most 
 singular decree of the whole to be found in the 
 eleven volumes J have looked throu<]fh in makinjx 
 this digest. It relates to the conferring a medal 
 of honour on Dona Isidora Mora do S. Joaquin, an 
 exclaustrada nun, who, as the preand)le states, 
 amidst imminent risk and dangers, had ])reservcd 
 the flag belonging to the national Milieia, of a place 
 called Cabcza del Ikiey, in Kstremadura, from the 
 epoch of 18'J3 to this time! Tliey may well call
 
 I 
 
 3!28 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 them imminent dangers, and her patriotism ** acri- 
 solado," or purified, for if she had been discovered 
 in the tiaie of Calomarde, at least the fate of 
 Mariana Pineda at Granada would have awaited 
 her. The medal is to be the same as one granted 
 to the ladies of Vergara in the heart of the Basque 
 provinces, for defending that place against the 
 Carlists at the commencement of the civil war in 
 September, 1834 ; an interesting fact, as proving the 
 want of unanimity at that time in supporting Don 
 Carlos, even in the very centre of the country be- 
 lieved to be unanimously in his favour. 
 
 The several individuals, whose names were alluded 
 to in the account of Madrid, as specially ordered to 
 be painted in the Chamber of Deputies, are Riego, 
 Empecinado, Mijar, Mariana Pineda-, Manzanares, 
 Torrijos. 
 
 The church of Francisco el Grande, at Madrid, 
 is ordered to be converted to a Pantheon. The 
 alhajas of churches, with exceptions, where as objects 
 of art they may be worthy preservation, to be sold, 
 and the produce devoted to the expenses of the 
 civil war. 
 
 The museum of Natural History ordered to be 
 reorganised. The town S. Felipe near Valencia to 
 resume the ancient name of Xativa, for reasons not 
 stated, Xativa was the Moorish corruption of the 
 Latin Suetabis. 
 
 On the 29th of July was issued the famous decree 
 of the Cortes, signed by Mendizabal, alluded to in
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 329 
 
 a former part, confiscating the tithes and property 
 of the secular clergy, and declaring them national 
 property. Mendizabal was in office for the second 
 time, being an exception to the general rule men- 
 tioned previously, as applying to the common feeling 
 of the public which makes a man, returning to office 
 again, generally unpopular. The cry against Mendi- 
 zabal was, that he had promised abundance of 
 money from this measure, but, as usual, had been 
 unable to fulfil his engagement. 
 
 In 1838, the most important decree was that 
 relating to the pay of the clergy, of which an abstract 
 was given in the preceding chapier. 
 
 The order prohibiting the further sale of the 
 Bibles in Romani and Vascuense (Basque) of Mr. 
 Borrow, and ordering them to be sealed up and 
 given to him for exportation, being printed without 
 the notes. The decree was founded on a report 
 from the Primate (elect) and Bishop of Cordova, the 
 former being, as a matter of course, one of those 
 attached to the new order of things, and more pro- 
 bably on that account disposed to support the novelty 
 introduced. The decree orders that a certain 
 number of copies shall be preserved in the public 
 libraries, " as the translations are not wanting in 
 philological merit, that they may not be lost, and 
 they are to be kept in the ' parte reserbada.' " 
 
 In 1839 there is little of an important nature in 
 the decrees. Gandesa, a town near the Ebro in 
 the district of 'I'ortosa, is ordered to be rebuilt at the
 
 330 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 public expense, and called the *' Immortal ;" both 
 titles being acquired by the constancy of the people, 
 who either two or three times submitted to the dread- 
 ful lot of having their houses burned, in preference 
 to submitting to the Carlists ; being in the very heart 
 of Cabrera's country, who never succeeded in making 
 himself master of the fort to which they retired on 
 his approach. 
 
 The fueros of the Basques are confirmed in the 
 words of the convenio of Bergara, "Sin perjuicio 
 de la unidad constitucional de la monarquia," words 
 which, as already observed, convey a very clear inti- 
 mation that they are to be modified and not main- 
 tained in the ancient form. 
 
 1840. — An order respecting the translation of 
 the remains of Berenger the Third, to the Cathedral 
 of Barcelona, states that some time in 1835, the 
 tombs of the Kings of Aragon in their very inte- 
 resting Pantheon of Poblet had been profaned, by 
 parties only generally and not particularly desig- 
 nated, and gives directions to prevent the recur- 
 rence of such malpractices ; whilst in Spain I was 
 not aware of the transaction having taken place, 
 otherwise I should have endeavoured to obtain in- 
 formation concerning the perpetrators of the ex- 
 cess. As before mentioned, occurrences of this 
 kind are extremely rare, and orders had already 
 been given by Government at different times to take 
 care of all monuments in the churches of the sup- 
 pressed convents. It is impossible not to contrast
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 3S1 
 
 the behaviour of the lower orders in Spain with that 
 of the French and English at corresponding periods 
 of excitement ; and 1 note this order as bearing upon 
 a transaction which is in the widest sense an excep- 
 tion to the general rule. 
 
 In this year the judges are declared irremovable, 
 the commentary on which was the forcibly super- 
 seding of the principal ones at Madrid, by Narvaez 
 after his entrance, for declaring, that until the Re- 
 gency was formally put an end to by legal means, 
 the parties then in possession of the power could 
 not be considered as lawfully constituted ! 
 
 Orders were issued for the establishinfj normal 
 schools in the Provinces. 
 
 The tribunal of Rota and Nunciatura to be 
 closed, and the archives sealed up and sent to Go- 
 vernment ; the chief, called Arellano, being ordered 
 to quit the kingdom, and all his ecclesiastical and 
 public emoluments to cease. This was a petty and 
 very bad tribunal, a sort of appeal for ecclesias- 
 tical affairs, under an officer appointed by the Sec 
 of Rome, being by all accounts a scene of corruption 
 and delay, and a very great public nuisance. This 
 was one of the acts respecting which the Curia were 
 specially annoyed with the Regent, but 1 believe 
 no one else, unless the parties interested in keep- 
 ing up the abuses of it. It is stated in tlie ac- 
 counts from Madrid, that the wretclied government 
 which succeeded the Regency, have restored this 
 tribunal, motit probably by way of "conciliation,"
 
 332 ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 and opening the door to a better understanding 
 with the Curia, an effect by no means likely to ensue 
 from it. 
 
 In 1841, a decree was issued on the important 
 subject of destroying the locusts, which were more 
 numerous than usual. Guadalaxara, Madrid, Jaen, 
 La Mancha, and Castile were particularly pointed 
 out as being ravaged by them. 
 
 Order for the sale of property belonging to the 
 secular clergy, and assigning parts of the produce 
 to their maintenance. The proportion of metallico, 
 or o-old to be paid by purchasers of the national 
 property, is 16 per cent, and this is to be given to 
 the clergy, as well as the annual produce, previous 
 to its sale taking place. 
 
 A severe reprimand is given to the Cabildo of 
 Toledo, respecting their adhesion to some bull or 
 expediente from Rome, hostile to the Government. 
 
 An order, declaring a society of de propagacion 
 de fe at Lyons, illegal, and prohibiting the cir- 
 culation of the documents issued by it. The decree 
 states, that no society or others can collect money 
 in the kingdom, without the leave of Government, 
 and that the practice is contrary to the fundamental 
 laws. This is followed by another respecting the 
 bulls and rescripts issued at Rome without the visa 
 of the Government. The preamble states, " Las 
 tentativas de la Curia Romana para invadir la potes- 
 tad temporal y para ejercer un influjo lucratlvo en 
 los negocios politicos y civiles de Espafia, &c." and
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 333' 
 
 I'efers to the wise measures of Charles the Third to 
 repress them. The old laws are also quoted on the 
 same subject, and orders given for their fulfilment. 
 The Bishop of Pamplona ordered to be banished 
 the kingdom, in consequence of the ideas and 
 opinions emitted in an exposition made to the 
 minister of grace and justice, being incompatible 
 with the laws of the realm. 
 
 A law respecting the entails, explaining and 
 making additions, in a great measure matters of 
 form, relating to the law of 1836, and that of the 
 preceding constitutional epoch of 1820. 
 
 I was unable to make out satisfactorily, the 
 exact state in which the law of entail, so important 
 to Spain, has been finally left. The old law of 
 the Cortes of 1820, laying the whole power of 
 cutting off entails entirely open, was restored in 
 1 836, but has since been modified in some degree. 
 I was told that this modification works very diffe- 
 rently in the respective provinces, and that in many 
 families agreements had been made amongst the 
 members, annulling, or evading the provisions of it, 
 and leaving matters nearly as before, although the 
 existence of the strict law of entail w-as universally 
 admitted to be one of the great causes of the ruin 
 of airriculture. 1 think the heads of families have 
 a power of leaving a certain portion to the younger 
 children by the existing law. 
 
 An important decree was issued respecting the 
 payment of the clergy, the total amount being
 
 '33i! ORGANIC CHANGES 
 
 fixed at rather more than a million sterling, a very 
 large sum in the present state of Spain, of which 
 about one-third is to be paid by the people of the 
 towns and villages, and the remainder by Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 Additional order respecting the locusts. The 
 decrees in this year were extremely numerous, 
 and many improvements were introduced, but few of 
 them are deserving of more particular mention. 
 
 1842. — There are several orders respecting the sale 
 of conventual buildings and other subjects connected 
 with the payment of the clergy according to the 
 new system. All emblems relative to the former 
 occupation of the buildings are to be erased by the 
 purchasers. There is also a stringent order, pro- 
 hibiting any of the clergy officiating in the churches, 
 unless they have a certificate of adhesion to the 
 Government. The circulation of the famous allo- 
 cucion of the Pope, which was substituted for the 
 decree of excommunication intended to be fulmi- 
 nated against the Regent, already alluded to, is 
 prohibited. This document had been printed at 
 Toulouse, for the purpose of introduction into the 
 kingdom. There is a decree respecting the building 
 a digue or embankment at Caraca (Cadiz,) for the 
 purpose of enabling merchant vessels to be careened, 
 and one respecting a new line of road from Madrid 
 to Barcelona, a part of which, that from Mora del 
 Ebro to Tarragona is approved. 
 
 The only decree I remember of much importance
 
 IN THE ADMINISTRATION. 335' 
 
 in 1843, was one for the definitive establishment of 
 a department of woods and forests, to be composed 
 of four normal schools, Madrid, Jaen, Cuenca, 
 and either Lugo, or some place in Galicia, where 
 the only oak forests they possess are situated. There 
 were already persons abroad obtaining information, 
 amongst whom was a son of the late Professor 
 Boutelou of Seville, brother to the professor of 
 botany there, mentioned as having charge of the 
 gardens at the Alcazar. The situations of Jaen 
 and Cuenca were, for the purpose of attending to 
 the immense pine forests of the Sierras de Segura 
 and Cuenca, described in my former work.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS — BULL FIGHTS 
 
 ROBBERS — GENERALS OF DON CARLOS — ZUMALA- 
 CARREGUI — CABRERA — MAROTO — DON CARLOS DE 
 ESPANA — ARMY — CHRISTINA — COMMERCE. 
 
 In despite of the hard-hearted proceeding of 
 suppressing the favourite endowment of Ferdinand, 
 so very soon after his death, and before the public 
 were enabled to judge of the eifect produced by the 
 able instructions of old Romero, the famous gipsy 
 matador, on whom the dignity of Rector of the 
 College of Tauromaquia had most properly been 
 conferred, the science is in equal or greater re- 
 pute than ever. The reasonings adduced, in such 
 feeling terms, when the decree was issued, are per- 
 fectly borne out by the result, for there is not the 
 smallest appearance of any falling off in the supply 
 of talent for the Plazas. The day I left Ronda 
 there was to be a mixed corrida, without horses, 
 principally for the bringing some youthful per- 
 formers on the stage -, they spoke of one who was 
 to kill a bull on that great arena, the chosen resort 
 of the first majos aficionados, or connoisseurs, at the 
 age of fifteen! nearly rivalling the performances of 
 la jeune France in thfi three days, when they tell you 
 bovs of thirteen commanded battalions of veterans.
 
 BULL FIGHTS. 337 
 
 The reason of the failure there in 1843, has been 
 explained, and very probably, had Montes not been 
 incapacitated from attending, they would have pro- 
 vided a better supply of bulls. The commence- 
 ment of 1(S43 had been so fatal to the performers 
 at Madrid, that in the advertisements, when I was 
 there, a limit was put to the number tlie people 
 were to expect, in case of their being disabled, I 
 think on one occasion five picadores were in attend- 
 ance, in order to be expended before the supply was 
 exhausted, after which the people were to be satis- 
 fied. A new breed of bulls was introduced at the 
 same time from Salamanca, the performance of 
 which was extremely respectable. The papers, 
 which criticize these exhibitions with quite as much 
 fervour as they apply to the horse races here, were 
 labouring to efil'ct some improvements in the stylcy 
 which they had partly effected, one great object 
 being, that there should be always three picadores 
 in the arena, the ordinary number being only two. 
 
 I saw an occurrence at Seville, to me quite new, 
 and from the notice taken by the natives near me 
 it appeared equally so to their more practised eyes. 
 A horse wasmortally wounded in thearcna, and there 
 not being time to remove him, he was merely un- 
 saddled and left to his fate, the bull attacked and 
 finished him, returning several times afterwards to 
 the charge, which is unusual, after they have ascer- 
 tained by smelling that the horses are dead. M'hen 
 the bull having received his fatal estocada, instead of 
 
 VOL. II. z
 
 33S BULL FIGHTS. 
 
 staggering about near the barrier as they usually 
 do, he walked deliberately over to the poor horse he 
 had so savagely treated, and lay down to die by his 
 side, resting his head upon the carcase, exactly in 
 the manner of a dog when caressing his master. 
 The act, and the manner of performing it, were ex- 
 pressive in the highest degree, if we could admit 
 the possibility of its existence, of the feeling of 
 sympathy and compassion for the unfortunate objectof 
 his ferocity, with whom his own fate had now levelled 
 him, and certainly conveyed a mute rebuke to the 
 audience for whose gratification the poor animals 
 L- had quitted the light of day together. 
 
 In several towns they were rebuilding the Plazas, 
 or making regular ones, where the ancient practice of 
 merely enclosing the square had been considered suf- 
 ficient for the purpose. The court did not attend the 
 bull fights when I was at Madrid, the new school 
 of education having considered the Queen too young 
 for such an exhibition. However, the instant the 
 other party were in possession of her movements, she 
 was PRESENTED. One part of the customs of the 
 old court was to attend during the stay at Aran- 
 juez, the trial of novillos or young bulls, the more 
 courageous of which are kept for the future honours 
 of the Plaza ; the others consigned to the more 
 ignoble duty of the plough. An operation, not 
 necessary to be more particularly described, was 
 performed on the last class, in presence, as is well 
 known, of the v\ hole court! Of course the Queen
 
 ROBBERS. 339 
 
 will have to attend these exhibitions, as a great 
 part of the change has been effected for the avowed 
 purpose of restoring the ancient etiquette, the grand 
 object of the Grandeza : and this custom must be 
 classed with what I have heard designated, as 
 "buenos principles, " which, they said, the Countess 
 Mina could not be supposed capable of instilling 
 into her royal charge. 
 
 ROBBERS. 
 
 The country had not been so little troubled by 
 this class of society for many years as during the 
 latter time of the Regency. With the exception of 
 a gang, under a leader called Groc, one of the sub- 
 ordinate commanders of Cabrera, most probably 
 decorated by Don Carlos, but whose military rank I 
 am ignorant of, there was no regular permanent band 
 on foot through the whole of Spain. The scene of 
 operations of this party was the Maestrazgo, one of the 
 most inaccessible parts of the wild country in the in- 
 terior of Valencia, and the most difficult for rejiular 
 troops to manoeuvre in. To this they owed their 
 escape, having eluded all attempts of the force 
 employed to capture them, and I believe they are 
 still at liberty. As nearly every one in the kingdom, 
 who had the smallest development of the organ of 
 acquisitiveness, or coveted either his neighbour's 
 goods, or his wife, or his ox, or his ass, had been 
 enrolled in the armies of Don Carlos ; his eairerness 
 on these and other points of destructiveness, being, 
 
 z 2
 
 310 ROBBERS. 
 
 probably, quickened by the reflection that he was 
 servinof afjainst the "infidels," and in anv case was 
 assured under authority of the Pope himself, that if it 
 came to the worst, he was secure of being shrived ; the 
 restoration of the country so quickly to a complete 
 state of tranquillity, is rather remarkable and cha- 
 racteristic. I have often conversed with Spaniards 
 about it, and they all attribute it, chiefly to the 
 comparative abundance of the necessaries of life, 
 and the ease with which the people are contented 
 as to their living. I have sometimes regretted we 
 have no criminal statistics for this singular country, 
 as I have not the smallest doubt, that in ordinary 
 times, when there is a season of tranquillity, that 
 the ratio of crime will be found very low compared 
 with that of other states of the south and centre of 
 Europe. With the exception of certain occurrences 
 in the south, where the knife is too commonly used 
 to settle disputes, and the multitude of cases en- 
 gendered by the law of customs, which fill the pre- 
 sidios, and give an erroneous appearance as to the 
 actual state of crime, it is very probable the calendar 
 would be found smaller than in either France or 
 England. Of course the average must be taken 
 for the whole kingdom, and the northern division 
 included. Allowance should also be made for the 
 state of the tribunals, and that the Spanish peasantry 
 are left more than any in Europe to their own 
 guidance. There is no gendarmerie or preventive 
 police of any kind, nor any check, unless from the
 
 ROBBERS. 34*1 
 
 influence of the clergy, and the natural disposition 
 of the people to order, and respect for themselves 
 as well as their neighbours, which, whatever may 
 be thought abroad, or whatever inferences may be 
 drawn from the absurdities and inconsistencies to 
 be found in their dealings, are the base of the 
 national character. 
 
 Two robberies of diligences took place to my 
 knowledge during the time I was in Spain, both 
 on the road of Andalucia. One was close to the 
 gates of Andujar, by a party known to belong to 
 the place, who, anticipating a good booty, had 
 armed themselves and gone out for a short distance 
 for the purpose. It happened that most of the 
 passengers were officers, against whom the laugh 
 was raised for beino^ the victims on such an occa- 
 sion. The other w^as in La Mancha, and I was 
 sorry to hear they violated some young ladies who 
 were of the party. This practice, which was for- 
 merly confined to the Moorish race in Andalucia, 
 spread very much during the civil war, and it was 
 not unfrequcnt for the bands of Palillos to carry 
 off the captured females, if they approved of their 
 appearance, to their camp, compelling them to 
 remain for some days. There is a well-known, 
 wealthy, and most respectable family from one of 
 the ancient colonies, the daughters of which are un- 
 marriaffcable from an occurrence of this sort. Tlic 
 French inform you, that at the Russian invasion 
 the Cossacks always paid their devoirs to the oldest
 
 342 ROBBERS. 
 
 females, the grandmammas frequently offering to 
 them the greatest attractions ; but the taste of these 
 half-Africans is quite different, the youngest being 
 always the objects of their attentions. 
 
 A new mode of levying mail was announced as 
 being carried on when I was in the country. In the 
 neighbourhood of Cuenca, near the new line of road 
 to Valencia, a small party had stationed themselves, 
 amongst which was a woman they declared to be 
 the worst of the whole. Besides picking up any- 
 thing that might offer in the usual mode, the chief, 
 who was too well known for his ferocity not to be 
 fully obeyed, was in the habit, on the market days, 
 of spreading his capa upon the road, at the en- 
 trance of a town, where every one who passed was 
 required to put down a dollar. If he happened to 
 be without money, he was desired to borrow it from 
 some neighbour, or else take the consequences ! 
 This extraordinary proceeding went on for some 
 time, according to the accounts I saw, nor did I ever 
 hear of its being put a stop to. It was the more 
 mortifying to the inhabitants, because a detachment 
 of cavalry had been sent from Madrid for the express 
 purpose of putting the gang dow^n, who were quietly 
 *' descansando" at Cuenca, where they were probably 
 waiting for information, whilst these enormities 
 were going on a few miles distance from them. 
 
 The band of Groc, above mentioned, represents 
 the higher grade of robbers ; the last named people, 
 the salteadores, a middle rank j and those I had
 
 GENERALS OF DON CARLOS. 343 
 
 the felicity of meeting, the third class or ratcros, 
 as explained in my former work, where they are 
 arranged in the natural order. 
 
 There were also occasionally a few gangs of 
 salteadores about the Guadarrama, and close to 
 Madrid, which is always one of the very worst 
 localities in Spain. To vary the scene, a party of 
 presidiarios or convicts, employed on the canal in 
 Old Castile, made their escape, and appeared in the 
 district just mentioned. In one of the perform- 
 ances of this gang, after robbing the passengers in a 
 carriage, but without committing violence, 1 heard 
 they stripped the postilion, and then, putting his 
 spurs on, made him mount his horse and proceed for 
 Madrid ! 
 
 THE GENERALS OF DON CARLOS. 
 
 1 had very good means of hearing the history of 
 Zumalacarrcgui, from people acquainted with his 
 family and the individual himself. They all agree 
 that his espousing the side he did with such fatal 
 effect to his opponents, proceeded solely from re- 
 sentment at a real or supposed insult that was offered 
 to him. As I have heard the story very often, he 
 was in command of a battalion, cither at Lugo or 
 some place in tlie interior of Galicia, when a move- 
 ment of the people took place at the very outset 
 of the great change that shortly after became 
 general, and although his sympathies were entirely
 
 344 ZUMALACARREGUI. 
 
 with the discontented, the exercise of his duty 
 called on him to put it down, which was done rather 
 summarily. For this he was publicly and severely 
 reprimanded by the Captain general, who, I believe, 
 was Quesada, an extremely resolute, but rather rough 
 man in his manner. Whatever took place between 
 them, so exasperated Zumalacarregui that he re- 
 signed his command, and retired to his family in 
 the provinces, where, the disturbances immediately 
 breaking out, he joined the Carlists. This I have the 
 strongest reason to believe is the truth, and they as- 
 sured me the great chief was in his own sentiments a 
 liberal, and took that part neither from original affec- 
 tion to Don Carlos or his cause, but simply for the 
 reason assigned. This fact is completely borne out 
 by the supreme and utter contempt he was univer- 
 sally known to have for the Pretender and the cabal 
 about him, whom he treated more as a very harsh 
 master might his servants, rather than a general 
 his king, to the great anger and indignation of the 
 parties concerned. There is another strong pre- 
 sumptive proof of the correctness of this informa- 
 tion. The brother of Zumalacarregui, who is a 
 lawyer, was equally eminent in his profession as 
 his relative in that of his avocation, and from the 
 very first, during the whole period of the civil war, 
 was a consistent and steady supporter of the Queen. 
 At the very time his brother commanded the Basque 
 army he was officiating as President of the House
 
 CABRERA. 345 
 
 of Deputies, and 1 believe he now holds a high 
 judicial situation at Madrid. Had the great 
 leader of the Basques simply espoused the cause of 
 Don Carlos from attachment to it, he would have 
 furnished a solitary example of desertion from the 
 liberal ranks of any officer of talent. With the 
 exception of those engaged by their connections in 
 the provinces, and that also perhaps of Maroto, 
 no regular officer, to my knowledge, ever joined 
 the standard of the Pretender. Those who are 
 called his generals, in other parts of Spain, were 
 originally robbers, priests and monks, and of the 
 lowest class of society. Palillos, one of the chief, 
 as before mentioned, was, I have always understood, 
 a presidiario or convict. 
 
 CABRERA. 
 
 Cabrera was originally a priest, but there is a 
 doubt whether he was in sacris, or regularly ordained. 
 In a century hence, the history of this man will 
 serve for nursery tales to frighten children into 
 subjection ; and many of his adventures and per- 
 formances would not be credited were they written 
 in our day. We have heard more of him through 
 the sanguinary act of putting his mother to death, a 
 horrid transaction, made more so by the law of 
 Ferdinand, intended specially to be applied to 
 Mina, who was at one time unjustly accused of 
 being the author of this occurrence, prescribing 
 that motle of death to those who should incur the
 
 346 CABRERA. 
 
 penalties of it. The cause of this poor old woman 
 heing tried, was that she had been concerned in 
 corrupting, or attempting to corrupt, the garrison 
 of Tortosa, which, if true, would have entailed the 
 same penalty under some other form in any country 
 cursed with civil war ; but still it is very shocking. 
 Of the character of the person, whose atrocities, no 
 doubt, by irritating the parties concerned, caused the 
 infliction of the dreadful sentence, the best proof is 
 exhibited by his ordering thirty women, indiscrimi- 
 nately selected from those he might capture, 
 amongst whom the lot fell on many ladies, to be 
 executed in cold blood. Almost his last act was 
 equally characteristic of his disposition. In the 
 account of the northern provinces, an officer called 
 Pardiiias is mentioned, who, after performing 
 services of very great importance, by literally 
 running down, or marching down, the bands in the 
 interior, who had owed their escape, like Gomez, to 
 their power of walking immense distances, was re- 
 moved to the scene of war in Valencia. After a little 
 time, the peculiar talent of Cabrera, his superior 
 knowledge of the country, and the larger force he 
 commanded, enabled him to surround Pardiiias ; and 
 after his death, which took place at an early part of 
 the affair, his division, consisting of between 2 and 
 3,000 men, laid down their arms. Finding it impos- 
 sible to prevail on the prisoners to join him, the blame 
 was laid on the sergeants, who have great influence 
 in the Spanish regiments, and they were, to the
 
 MA ROTO. 347 
 
 number of ninety-three, deliberately put to death in 
 cold blood two or three days afterwards ! This was 
 towards the end of his career in Spain, and the 
 people thought very naturally that a man so uni- 
 versally known for his atrocious cruelties, should 
 not have been received as he was in France ; espe- 
 cially that part of his force, called his guards, who, 
 according to the accounts I have heard, for ferocity 
 were unlike anything that has been seen in Europe 
 since their ancestors came from Africa. 
 
 Under his orders, and associated with him, was a 
 brigand called Tallada. After amnesty for ordi- 
 nary cases had been granted by the Regent, and a 
 stop put to the indiscriminate execution of most of 
 these bands when they were captured, an officer of 
 the guards, with a few men, was overpowered and 
 obliofcd to surrender to this man, which they did on 
 condition of their lives being spared. The officer 
 was taken to a town, stripped naked, and publicly 
 shot there! The brigand himself was shortly 
 afterwards taken, tried, and the fact being proved, 
 of course he underwent the same fate, and I believe 
 this was about the last blood shed in the civil war. 
 
 MA ROTO. 
 
 I understand Maroto was an "Ayacucho,'' and 
 how he came to be in the service of Don Carlos, 1 
 never exactly made out, but after a trial he soon be- 
 came disousted with the cause, and it was not in the 
 least likely he would remain whore, as bcfore-mcn-
 
 348 MAROTO. 
 
 tioned, no one deserving the name of a soldier 
 was to be found, excepting those belonging to the 
 provinces, who had espoused the cause for local 
 motives. It is quite natural he should be blamed by 
 those attached to the cause of Don Carlos, for the 
 part he took, but he acted in a great measure from 
 necessity. The truth was, the people were weary 
 of Don Carlos, and of the war. Circumstances 
 had completely changed, there was now a regular 
 army opposed to them, led with science and pro- 
 vided with every thing necessary to conduct opera- 
 tions on a proper scale, which was not the case 
 during the time of Zumalacarregui, who had, in 
 general, only half-formed recruits to deal with. 
 After the last march of Espartero, previous to the 
 convenio of Bergara, they had only one more line 
 of defence, when, unless successful, which there 
 was not much chance of their being, they would 
 have been driven out of Spain. Under these 
 circumstances, with the superior force arrayed 
 against them, and the conviction that all Spain was 
 steadily opposed to them, so that they must finally 
 succumb, it is less surprising that they should have at 
 last abandoned the miserable object their blood had 
 so long been spilt, to defend. For these reasons 
 Maroto will always be blamed, as the public 
 seldom judge of the true cause, and that, as in many 
 other transactions, the general or head is only 
 representing inevitable consequences, and following 
 the stream instead of directing it. The strangest
 
 MA ROTO. 31.9 
 
 occurrence is the shooting of the other generals, of 
 which I never saw a really good account ; but the 
 defence of Maroto was exactly that of Dr. Richard- 
 son, in his dealing with the Canadian, which no 
 one has ever impugned ; neither do they in Spain 
 that of Maroto, considering that he did only what 
 the others w^ould have done to himself had he not 
 forestalled them. What a state of things, and 
 existing under the eyes of the court of Oiiate ! 
 
 In some recent discussions respecting Don Carlos 
 it is stated, as an act of forbearance, on the part of 
 certain authorities, that he is withheld from appear- 
 ing again in the Basque Provinces. I can only say, 
 that if ever such an attempt is made by him, I should 
 be very sorry for any one in whom I felt interested 
 to be of the party, as the consequences would, most 
 probably, not be very agreeable to those engaged 
 in it. There is little doubt, that the real cause 
 of the detention of Don Carlos, which it is said, 
 the interests of France require, is, that he may 
 serve to keep the Christino party in check, in case 
 of their becoming refractory, as they in turn 
 were used against the Esparterists. Amongst the 
 most amusing of the combinations to those unac- 
 quainted with the parties, is the occasional specula- 
 tion of a union between Don Carlos and the 
 dowager-queen, which is about as practicable an 
 object, as a few years since it would have been, to 
 bring Napoleon and the Duchess of Angouleme to 
 act toircther.
 
 350 THE GENERALS OF DON CARLOS. 
 
 DON CARLOS DE ESPANA. 
 
 Amongst the tragedies the civil war produced, 
 few are more striking than the career and end of 
 this celebrated person. It may not be known to the 
 majority of readers that he was a Frenchman by 
 birth, of a very old family at Foix in the Pyrenees, 
 but being obliged to emigrate at the Revolution, he 
 entered the Spanish service, where he served during 
 the Peninsular War, and afterwards obtained the 
 hiirhest commands, being well known for his attach- 
 ment to the pure monarchy. Like many military 
 men he hated the priests and their party, quite as 
 much as, or more than, the republicans or constitu- 
 tionalists. After the Carlist insurrection of IS'^S, in 
 Catalonia, he was left in command of that most diffi- 
 cult province, where his modes of enforcing obedience 
 to the commands of the King were sometimes 
 rather curious. In the discharge of his functions 
 he incurred the displeasure of the Ayuntamiento of 
 Barcelona, whom he thoroughly hated. They pre- 
 ferred a complaint against him, secretly, to the 
 Council of Castile, who were charged with watching 
 and checkintj all transactions of authorities who 
 should transo-ress the law. Thev found the com- 
 plaint to be proved and issued a decree accordingly, 
 which was made out in form and sent to the King 
 for his signature, previous to other steps being 
 taken. Ferdinand, who was by no means remark- 
 able for fidelity to his friends, by way of exception 
 to his general rule of deserting them in difficulty.
 
 DON CARLOS DE ESPANA. 351 
 
 cancelled the decree and sent a copy of it to De 
 Espaila, to shew him the sort of people he was 
 dealing with, and to put him on his guard for the 
 future ; no doubt whatever existing that the Coun- 
 cil were right and the Captain-general wrong. As 
 soon as De Espafia received the King's letter, which 
 was autograph, highly approving his conduct, he 
 sent for his orderly-sergeant, and gave him these 
 orders, as repeated to me soon after the occurrence 
 took place : " Take this to the Ayuntamiento when 
 assembled ; do not allow the paper to leave your 
 own possession, but hold it out and say that it is my 
 orders they read it. As soon as they have done, tell 
 them that I have just caused a new horca (gibbet) 
 to bo erected, and that it is more than probable 
 some of them will be the first to test it." One 
 would imagine this scene had taken place in Asia or 
 Africa, and scarcely in Europe at this time of day. 
 Such was his mode of governing that strange pro- 
 vince, and no one was ever more successful, as no 
 disturbances or robberies took place during his 
 command. He was attached to the English, and 
 extremely attentive to the officers especially, who 
 went occasionally to Barcelona. His greatest dread 
 was, that an Englishman should happen to be 
 robbed and his administration be shewn up in the 
 newspapers, so that he gave all possible assistance 
 to those who might travel in the province. 
 
 Towards the close of his command, when it be- 
 came certain that a change must take place in the
 
 352 DON CARLOS DE ESPANA. 
 
 system of government, some of his friends suggested, 
 whether it would not be better to moderate his plans 
 and conciliate a little in case of accident requiring 
 his having some parties to rely upon. The answer, 
 after considering a while was, *' No, it will not do ; 
 whatever may happen I am ruined, and I may as 
 well go through;" and in this way he remained 
 until the overthrow of his party, when he escaped to 
 Italy and thence to France, to the people of which 
 country he bore a degree of hatred only equalled 
 by that said to exist among monks. When the 
 civil war broke out, he took the side of Don Carlos, 
 as the more approaching to his own dogmata, although 
 whilst in Spain he had strongly opposed it ; and 
 after some ineffectual attempts, succeeded in crossing 
 the frontier, and establishing himself at the head of 
 a guerilla in Upper Catalonia. Whether from his 
 hatred having changed and become as violent to the 
 Spaniards as it formerly was to his countrymen, the 
 excesses committed under his immediate orders, 
 were dreadful in the extreme. He burned the 
 small town of Maulius and I think RipoU, a place 
 of considerable size, and committed outrages at 
 dot and other parts. In fact, his performances 
 were such as only to be accounted for as proceeding 
 from aberration of intellect, which they said had 
 afflicted him at Toulouse. When this system had 
 proceeded for some time, with the appearance of 
 becoming worse instead of better, the junta who 
 were associated with him, being not only shocked
 
 DON CARLOS DE ESPANA. 353 
 
 at the excesses, but fearing their cause would be 
 more hindered than promoted by them, consulted 
 together, and in the half oriental manner of these 
 people, had him arrested, when in the act of pre- 
 siding at their Durbar or council ! He was, as 1 
 have heard, immediately pinioned and secured, then 
 given in charge of some soldiers and despatched 
 towards Urgel, on the frontier. What the orders 
 of these soldiers were, is not, nor perhaps ever will 
 be known, nor what took place on the road, but a 
 few days afterwards his body was found in the up- 
 per Segre, where it appeared to have been cast 
 over a bridge ; and the facts were, as far as they 
 could be collected, communicated officially to the 
 Queen's government. Independently of other cir- 
 cumstances in this tragical end, a curious fact 
 happened whilst I was in Spain. His emissaries 
 had denounced a poor miserable devil, a native of 
 Puigcerda, who was, as they informed mc, incapable 
 of doing either much good or harm to any one. He 
 was brought to Barcelona, shut up in Montjuich, 
 tried and condemned ; from thence he was paraded 
 on an ass quite through the province, by way of 
 warning to others, and executed in his native town, 
 a very few miles from the spot where the Captain- 
 general met his extraordinary end some years after- 
 wards. 
 
 This history, which may form hereafter the basis 
 of romances, is not only (|uite certain l)ut is con- 
 firmed by the conduct of these Carlistb oi Up[)cr 
 
 VOL. II. 2 a
 
 354 THE ARMY. 
 
 Catalonia ; when their chief made an excursion 
 amongst them, expecting no doubt a cordial recep- 
 tion ; so little did they approve his visit that the 
 manoeuvres they performed could only be accounted 
 for on the principle that their object was to starve 
 and compel him to leave the province, w^hich, but 
 for the unaccountable conduct of the Captain- 
 general in a sort of battle they had, neither himself 
 nor any of his troops would have done. Could the 
 object of De Espaha, in these horrid outrages, have 
 been to leave his name to posterity ? If so, he has 
 eiFectually done it, in a very different way fi'om his 
 rival and opponent at one time, Mina. 
 
 Allusions have been made to the improved disci- 
 pline of the army. The striking characteristic of 
 the Spanish soldier is his power of marching and 
 living, almost without food. At the outset of the 
 civil war, and long afterwards, the checks and re- 
 verses of the Queen's troops were mainly produced 
 by this cause. In the extraordinary marches of 
 Gomez, they made occasionally sixteen or seventeen 
 leagues, above sixty miles a day ! As the original 
 material was the same, they soon trained the regular 
 troops to follow the example, who, latterly, were 
 fully equal to the insurgents in strength of muscle, 
 or as they express it, in the jarretes. The ordinary 
 march-step now used is quite peculiar, being a 
 swinging pace, which they can easily augment to 
 six miles an hour, and there is a degree of life and 
 animation in their marches, that nothing I ever
 
 CHRISTINA. 355 
 
 heard equalled. They have few instruments, and 
 the notes are very simple, but the mode of striking 
 the time produces the effect. With these powers, 
 and the light, buoyant disposition of the men, they 
 ought to be the first campaigners in the world, and 
 the marches and hardships undergone by the con- 
 querors of America are easily understood. 
 
 There is another peculiarity to be noted in these 
 times respecting this strange country. Nearly 
 every one in it either is, or has been, a soldier. 
 There is scarcely a man who has passed twenty, 
 that has not in the civil war carried arms on one 
 side or other, and a vast number of them are really 
 good soldiers. This would make a fearful difference 
 to an invading army, who, were such a step to be 
 taken, and the people could be united, would find a 
 very different set of people to deal with, from those 
 whom the troops of Napoleon had to engage. The 
 great defect of the want of good officers, has also 
 been in a great degree obviated by the new race 
 that has been formed ; and the Regent was ex- 
 tremely solicitous about the young men, to whom 
 commissions were given, being properly qualified 
 and educated for the purpose. 
 
 CHRISTINA. 
 
 Althou*?h it is not my intention to sav any thini»- 
 of Christina more than as an historical personage, 
 ill which capacity she is like all others amenable, it 
 is only fair to state the faults those opposed to her 
 
 2 A 2
 
 356 CHRISTINA. 
 
 charge her with. As to her marriage with Muiioz, 
 it is seldom mentioned, and never with anger or 
 acrimony. The title of an old ballet from her na- 
 tive city was " Tutto vince I'Amore," which might 
 be adopted as an additional motto to the place, 
 to which it is so singularly applicable. Her 
 birth and the race she is descended from by both 
 sides, would be quite sufficient excuse for a widow 
 of twenty-four preferring married life to a state of 
 celibacy, though it cannot be denied, that under 
 her circumstances, greater glory would have re- 
 sulted had she imitated some of the elders of her pro- 
 genitors, rather than followed the example of their 
 modern successors. Besides this natural and strong 
 excuse, she has abundance of examples to bear her 
 out, as the blind god has equally attacked every 
 reigning family, even to the extreme north j nor is 
 there, I believe, one royal house in Europe, where 
 *' marriages morganatiques" of some description 
 have not taken place, by individuals of one sex 
 or the other. This subject, then, is never men- 
 tioned ; but they do say, and I have heard her 
 friends admit the truth of it, that she is avaricious, 
 and that whilst the armies were starving, and the 
 war protracted from the want of supplies, (Espar- 
 tero furnishing funds out of his own pocket to 
 victual those under his command, upon which every 
 thing depended,) she was pocketing an enormous 
 salary, giving hardly any thing away, and keeping 
 her children and suite in the most beggarly manner,
 
 CHRISTINA. 357 
 
 remitting every farthing she could save to France. 
 I remember, when I was at Madrid, a pompous 
 announcement took place in the French papers of 
 her giving a donation to the sufferers at Guadaloupe, 
 when the Spaniards remarked, that she surelv 
 might have better bestowed her gift ofi some of the 
 places that had been ruined in defending the throne 
 of her daughter, more particularly designating those 
 previously mentioned in Catalonia. They also say, 
 that she was in her heart addicted to despotism, 
 which is quite natural she should be ; and that she 
 only tolerated the constitutional party because her 
 existence depended on it. Hereafter, the history of 
 the changes of ministry that took place during the 
 war, and whilst she was at the head of the Govern- 
 ment, will be rather curious, should historians be 
 found capable of diving into the mysteries of palace 
 intrigues, camarillas and familv embassies. 
 
 The writers of the diplomatic history of these 
 times will require a very accurate power of discri- 
 mination, as to tlie results of instructions written 
 and oral, the latter system having been introduced of 
 late years, with prodigious effect. There must also 
 be pointed out by these writers, the advantages of a 
 constitutional system with apparently responsil)le 
 advisers, to answer for a portion of the acts ; whilst 
 the secret department may be managed quite inde- 
 pendently, and made to combine the advantages of 
 what the Spaniards call " absolutismo.'' 
 
 The famous scena of La (Jranja wns producofl by
 
 358 CHRISTINA. 
 
 some of those occurrences, and the failure of a long 
 course of palace intrigues for a particular purpose, 
 when the officers very naturally declining to act, 
 the lead was taken by the sergeant, who has left 
 his name to history. However, it was absurd to call 
 a revolution, what was merely a change of ministry, 
 and the substitution of the national party for that 
 of the camarilla or clique that surrounded the 
 Gobernadora ; and the Spaniards declare, that far 
 from Muiioz's life being in danger, as has been re- 
 ported, on that occasion, he was, for fear of acci- 
 dent, put in safety long before the possibility of his 
 being touched, although the habitual respect of the 
 people for the palace of their Kings was quite 
 guarantee for his security ; and alone, without direct 
 testimony, would make the scene so graphically 
 described by a late writer, and unanimously denied 
 by all the best informed Spaniards, doubtful. 
 
 Whatever may be thought of many of the deal- 
 ings of this extraordinary people, the quiet return of 
 Christina to Madrid is rather creditable to them ; 
 as under the circumstances that have taken place 
 with which she is mixed up, it would have been 
 practicable in few countries. The truth is, that, 
 excepting in cases of deadly feud, which sometimes 
 happen, in no country is life more secure than 
 where the people are generally considered to be ex- 
 tremely prone to cutting throats. A rather curious 
 scene took place when I was there, on this very sub- 
 ject of the royal family. M. Guizot, whose speeches
 
 CHRISTINA. 359 
 
 in general form a very great exception fi'om those of 
 too many of his countrymen on Spanish affairs, 
 for once forgot himself a little, and launched forth 
 in a style that would have been better omitted, our 
 neighbours being amongst the last who should touch 
 on so delicate a subject. It related to the Royal 
 Infantas, when M. Guizot declared, that if any 
 violence were to be offered to them, France would 
 consider it a case of intervention ! 
 
 This rather indiscreet speech, coming so soon 
 after the business of October, 1841, produced some 
 awkward associations and fired the national party. 
 It was answered by Scuor Infantes, who, in the best 
 possible style, calm and dignified, after protesting 
 against such a reflection being thrown on the whole 
 nation, said, " Perhaps the ancient professor of 
 modern history may not be aware that the word 
 ' regicide' is not to be found in our dictionary ; we 
 are obliged to borrow the word, neither term 
 nor practice being known to our history. Me will, 
 perhaps, inform us how many of the Kings of France 
 since Henry the Fourth, which they consider a great 
 historical epoch, have not been either put to death, 
 exiled, or their lives attempted." I confess I was 
 rather staggered with this, when my attention was 
 first drawn by the Spaniards to the speeches ; but 
 it cannot be denied that one or other of the cate- 
 gories of Senor Infantes cover the greater ])art of 
 those who have presided over the pe()i)le, who were 
 threateninir acain to invade their ill-fated neit^hbours
 
 360 COMMERCE. 
 
 in their new character of protectors to the royal 
 race of Spanish Bourbons, who have been very 
 differently treated by their subjects. 
 
 Of the same description, and same vocabulary 
 with the anarchy alluded to in another part, are the 
 affected fears of republicanism, of danger to the 
 Queen, and other niaiseries of the same sort, occa- 
 sionally put forth. I sincerely wish the lives of all 
 the sovereigns of Europe were as secure as that of 
 the Queen of Spain, whose sole danger is the want 
 of respect for her authority, from the possibly 
 officious meddling with, and monomania of directing 
 her government from without, and that not to any 
 extent. As far as the Spaniards themselves are 
 concerned, no one need be under the slightest 
 apprehension about her. 
 
 COMMERCE. 
 
 Next to the Slave trade, and even worse in some 
 respects, for it came more frequently, was the sub- 
 ject of the treaty of Commerce. I was so bored 
 about this, that I adopted the plan of Franklin in 
 the United States, only having my speech ready for 
 delivery, and not written on a card, which would 
 not have been agreeable to Spanish etiquette. It 
 was simply this, *' I am in no way concerned with 
 Commerce, and therefore speak impartially. I do not 
 think the trade of England would be much affected 
 one way or other by the making a treaty. We have 
 already, in despite of obstacles, a very ample trade,
 
 COMMERCE. SGl 
 
 which might be somewhat increased by its being 
 carried on in a more regular manner, but to us the 
 question is quite a secondary one, and if I had to 
 do with these matters, I shouhi not ask or solicit 
 any such thing, but leave it to yourselves, to whom 
 an alteration of system is of vital importance.'' I 
 never heard more after this had been dealt out, the 
 meaning being perfectly intelligible to the parties 
 it was addressed to. They had been primed by the 
 "neighbours" on this as well as on collateral sub- 
 jects, and what chiefly annoyed me was, the general 
 opinion, so like many of theirs, that our workmen 
 were all starving, and that our eagerness after the 
 treaty, was to save a few of their lives ! Believing, 
 as they did, this stuff", which their friends, in 
 their round of visits annually supplied them with, 
 one would imagine, they would, for the sake of hu- 
 manity, have been disposed to assist in relieving the 
 necessities of our people, but their deductions were 
 of a very different nature. I am sorry to say, I 
 have heard too much on this subject for many years 
 past, from all other nations, as well as the Spaniards; 
 the system we have followed since the peace, with 
 the help of our rivals, bearing an aspect rather easy 
 of misrepresentation, in which our enemies have 
 been too successful. 
 
 I met a number of French commercial travellers in 
 every part of Spain, where they are constantly located. 
 In general thev speak the language, and manage to 
 deal remarkably well with the people, being a very
 
 3G2 COMMERCE. 
 
 much better style of men than those of the same 
 class were a few years back. Many of them are the 
 sons of merchants, whose business they are trans- 
 acting. I never met a single Englishman in the 
 same capacity ; only some foreigners employed by 
 different houses, one of them was a Frenchman, 
 a very good specimen, whom his countrymen in the 
 same line assisted to obtain orders, as I ascertained 
 from their conversation ; a service they would 
 assuredly not have rendered to an Englishman 
 under the same circumstances. Although, as pre- 
 viously stated, one cause of promoting the pronun- 
 ciamentos was to encourage certain branches of 
 commerce, and to depress others ; the immediate 
 effect was to paralyze the whole, excepting in the 
 south, where an enormous introduction of goods 
 took place ; and the commercial gentlemen whom I 
 met in the north, towards the close of mv tour, 
 assured me they could scarcely procure a single 
 order, even in the towns where previously there had 
 been considerable activity, and where they were 
 perfectly known to the dealers and in the habit of 
 frequenting.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS — THE BASQUES - 
 COURT OF DON CARLOS — CONCLUSION. 
 
 The events that took place subsequent to the 
 embarkation of the Regent, are too well known to 
 require repetition here ; but, as few readers have the 
 means, even if disposed, to enter into the labyrinth 
 of Spanish affairs, a few observations on the state of 
 things that have succeeded, are necessary to facili- 
 tate the understanding them. Notwithstanding the 
 adhesion of the greater part of the army and the 
 possession obtained of the capital, there is great 
 reason to believe that reaction would have ensued, 
 but for the daring energy of Narvaez, to whom the 
 establishment of the present "situacion," as they 
 call it, is entirely due. It is not probable that any 
 one of the military leaders acting with him would 
 have succeeded in keeping down the opposition, 
 without his reckless and fearless character to direct 
 them. Nearly every act since his accession to 
 power has been in positive violation, not only of the 
 Constitution, but of the fundamental law of the 
 country. Not one proceeding, that I am aware of, 
 has any other basis than that of decrees, in the 
 name of the Queen, from a ministry illegally con- 
 stituted J and every act of which, consequently, is
 
 364f MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 contrary to law. Tliey had no power to proclaim 
 the Queen of age — to arrest sixty or seventy persons 
 on suspicion, and proclaim the whole kingdom under 
 martial law, and suspend the civil authorities. But 
 these things are done, and like De Espaiia, having 
 no retreat, he must go through ; we have yet to 
 see whether it lasts. The average duration of a 
 ministry in Spain is about a twelvemonth, and only 
 one half of that period is yet expended. 
 
 The best and perhaps only good one of the coups 
 d'etat which have characterized his career so far, is 
 the disbanding the national guards. These troops 
 ought to have remained under arms, and assisted in 
 repairing the evil they produced, as before men- 
 tioned. Narvaez and his directors know them far 
 too well to trust them, as they would infallibly have 
 served him as they did the Regent ; so that they merit 
 the slight passed on them by those to whom their 
 folly has given them the means of coercing them. It 
 is the only one act that I can give the ruling party 
 any credit for, and therefore I make a point of doing 
 so ; all the rest appear to be the offspring of pure 
 military despotism, fit only to be exercised amongst 
 Asiatics ; and if the mass who rose against the 
 Regent were alone concerned, they should have my 
 fervent prayers for a long and fortunate continuance 
 of their sway, and the hope that they would con- 
 tinue the iron rod they commenced with. But there 
 are vast numbers of men in Spain who deserve a 
 different lot, and even of the national guards, those
 
 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 365 
 
 of Madrid and Zaragoza are to be excepted. 
 Amongst the acts more especially illegal and tyran- 
 nical, were the dissolution m toto of the Chamber 
 of Peers, that of the Diputacion provincial of Ma- 
 drid, and the nominating others by Government, 
 instead of having them elected in the legal manner ; 
 a fact, the necessity for which speaks a volume, 
 as to the feeling against the perpetrators. The 
 judges who in their tribunals had declared, that 
 until the Regency was formally abolished and a 
 government regularly constituted, they had no legal 
 authority, were superseded, contrary to the law of 
 the land ; as by the last Constitution established, 
 the judges were made irremovable. 
 
 The only regret every Englishman who is ac- 
 quainted with the transactions and the mode in 
 which the results have been brought about, is the 
 seeing a British Minister, to a certain degree, 
 sanctioning them by his presence. The question is 
 a peculiarly delicate one, and there are reasons no 
 doubt for our immediately resuming the preceding 
 diplomatic footing, otherwise, one would rather have 
 seen an interim arrangement. As a proof of this, 
 the instant the foolisli disturbance broke out at 
 Alicante, the English were assailed by a new term 
 of insolent reproach, from the vocabulary, no doubt, 
 of the character who had descended from his garret, 
 by applying similar elegancies to Queen Christina; 
 whilst at the very time, amongst other illegal 
 acts, the press has been put almost entirely under
 
 366 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 the management and control of Government, by 
 whose indirect sanction the insolence was put forth. 
 
 There is no doubt that the practical difficulties 
 of governing this strange people in their present 
 state, are very much increased by attempting to 
 direct them. To write or speak respecting Spain at 
 this time, without allusion to foreign influence, 
 would be to verify the adage of acting the play of 
 Hamlet, without the principal character. There is 
 a scene in that tragedy, which the reader will recol- 
 lect, between the Prince and Guildenstern, in which 
 the impossibility of extracting music from an instru- 
 ment the party does not understand the use of, is 
 commented on. It is by no means improbable, simi- 
 lar difficulties may be experienced by those who are 
 attempting to strike the Spanish guitar, the sounds 
 of which, in foreign hands, are often any thing but 
 musical or harmonious. 
 
 The greatest difficulty in carrying out the old 
 scheme of governing Spain, without considering the 
 Pyrenees, will be to find tools to work with ; those 
 hitherto employed have always been men of the 
 smallest possible consideration or fitness for their 
 office, especially during the war, when the struggle 
 was between the Camarilla and the Gobernadora 
 on one hand, and the national party on the other. 
 Although now apparently beaten down by the fall 
 of the Regency, the national party is too power- 
 ful to be long kept in the back ground. Some 
 of the very Moderados themselves, though in the
 
 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 367 
 
 '* abstract" disposed to yield, will probably not very 
 much relish some of the proceedings certain to 
 result from the protectorate ; with the following up of 
 plans foreign to Spanish habits and views, however 
 well suited to the meridian w^here they may have 
 been concocted. One of the principal causes of the 
 fall of the Regency, as already mentioned, being 
 the general belief that it was under the influence 
 and direction of a foreign power ; when they find, 
 instead of this shadow, the real and terrible sub- 
 stance, and that the whole force, legal and illegal, 
 possible to be wielded by the executive, must be 
 used to keep them in office, little or nothing being 
 left to ameliorate the condition of the country, we 
 may expect to see and hear of some little discontent 
 and its consequences. As it cannot be too often 
 inculcated, the heads of this party, who live chiefly 
 at Madrid, arc powerless in the country, and without 
 weight, influence, or consideration. 
 
 It is impossible to draw any inference from what 
 has taken place since the arrival of Narvaez, to 
 whom as already stated, the success of the revolt 
 must be chiefly, if not solely attributed. But for 
 his energy and determination, it is by no means 
 improbable the Regent would have been immedi- 
 ately recalled, and in this point the unfortunate 
 business at Seville is very much to be lamented. 
 
 One of the greatest of all the difficulties is t»> 
 deal with the army, which may be said to have boon 
 almost demoralised bv the cluuiges it has gone
 
 368 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 through. The farces now stated to be enacting at 
 Madrid will only tend to debase the parties con- 
 cerned, in lowering themselves to a point never 
 before witnessed in Spain ; by paying the most ful- 
 some adulation to the soldiers, but most probably, 
 without drawing any permanent benefit from so de- 
 grading themselves. This mode may suit the 
 country whence the practice has been drawn and 
 possibly recommended, but it is in no way Spanish, 
 nor will it produce any lasting effect upon the peo- 
 ple at large. 
 
 Amongst the accusations against the Regent, is 
 that of having tampered with the regiments, and 
 caused measures to be taken to induce them to 
 *' pronounce" against Christina, immediately before 
 her retreat. Not having^ been a witness in those 
 times, I cannot say positively how far this was 
 carried ; but it is a very general complaint, and cer- 
 tainly if once adopted, was quite sure of being turned 
 to similar account at a future time. I was sorry 
 to see, amongst the hundred decorations worn by the 
 army, one that they said was a recompense for the 
 individual having shared in the pronunciamento in 
 question ! I give this merely as a very general 
 subject of conversation, and without answ^ering for 
 the extent to which it may have been carried, but it 
 is undeniable that if such a practice existed it fur- 
 nished some ground for the charge of intrigue by 
 the opponents, and it also may help to account for 
 the easy desertion, so general in the ranks when the
 
 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. SGO 
 
 danger came. If the men are rather difficult to 
 deal with under the circumstances of the times, the 
 officers are still more so ; and the fact announced in 
 the correspondence of the best informed of our 
 newspapers, that no less than 1,^00 arc located in 
 the small town of Arganda, near Madrid, as un- 
 safe to be trusted in the capital, is a decisive proof 
 of the nature of the " situacion actual." 
 
 It is also stated, on good authority, that great 
 numbers of Carlist officers are now employed in the 
 Queen's regiments. There are two advantages in 
 this plan : one, that these people are better fitted 
 than their former rivals, to carry through the system 
 of terror and military execution to which, if you 
 are to judge by his public documents, the actual 
 chief is strongly predisposed. The other, that they 
 have no party to fall back on, and must go through 
 for the present, at least, with those to whom they 
 owe their unexpected advancement. How far such 
 arrangements may last, and what may be their per- 
 manent effect, we have yet to sec, but it is important 
 to point out such an element in the *' systeme Nar- 
 vaez." It is more than probable, that in some 
 shape or other, the national character will break 
 out before long, and give us another exhibition of 
 eccentricity. 
 
 All this was easily foreseen by any one acquainted 
 with the country, and looking calmly on. It was 
 no difficult matter, from the reasons previously men- 
 tioned, to rouse a people like those we are describing 
 
 VOL. II. 2 «
 
 370 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 and induce a part of them to commit the egregious 
 follies we have witnessed, falling headlong into the 
 snares so artfully prepared, into which, abandoning 
 their natural shrewdness and sagacity, they entered 
 just as the simple wild animals of North America do 
 those of the trappers of the Company, This is 
 one stage, " facilis descensus," — " sed revocare gra- 
 dum," the governing with the same elements in 
 operation that produced the catastrophe, is a very 
 different matter; as we shall probably see by atten- 
 tively watching the progress of the "protectorate.*' 
 
 In the causes that produced the fall of the Regent, 
 one of some importance was not noticed ; the know- 
 ledge that his power was only ephemeral, and 
 that he had no solid footing of permanent authority. 
 A vast number, especially of the military, deserted 
 him on this account ; a circumstance by no means 
 creditable to them, but such was the fact. 
 
 In all the previous rather varied descriptions, no 
 mention has been made of, or allusion made to, the 
 great Northern Powers. The chief reason of this 
 is, that they could not be introduced otherwise 
 than by entering on political discussion, which was 
 not intended to be the case. The next, as it is 
 national, is of much more importance, since, like 
 another body previously mentioned, they are never 
 spoken of or even alluded to by the Spaniards, into 
 whose ideas and speculations they never for one 
 instant enter. Amongst the variety of discussions it 
 was my lot to hear, with the exception of the curious
 
 MISCELLANEOUS ORSERVATIONS. Sj \ 
 
 anecdote related of tlio Catalans, I do not think I 
 ever heard Austria mentioned, and the others never. 
 This is the consequence of the steps taken bv 
 espousing the side of Don Carlos, as the advocate of 
 absolute power, instead of that of the Queen, who 
 was the true " legitimate ;" the certainty being, that 
 the principles of the parties reversed, the support 
 would also have been given inversely. One deplorable 
 consequence that resulted from this pertinacity, was 
 the civil war ; and whatever be the final result on 
 the balance of Europe, by making the contest one of 
 amicable hostility for the present, between France and 
 England for the supremacy, it has, in all probability, 
 wholly and finally separated Spain from the parties 
 alluded to. The time of interference, by using their 
 weight to cause the troubles to cease, has gone by, 
 probably for ever, and the vain phantom of support- 
 ing the papal power, which was, beyond doubt, the 
 ruling motive with some of them, has vanished in 
 air, leaving the substance of the question to be very 
 probably felt hereafter, by the same parties, in a 
 more tangible form, in Italy and upon the Rhine. 
 
 The curious state of the relations of Espartcro 
 with the Curia has been alluded to, and some of the 
 documents that passed between the parties, arc to 
 be found amongst the decrees, where the absurd 
 " Allocucion," of the Vatican, was prohibited to be 
 circulated. These matters being only religious, 
 and not political, but essentially national, may be 
 shortly alluded to. Had the Curia gone a very 
 
 2 B 2
 
 372 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 little further, and Espartero been what they repre- 
 sent him, I really believe by proclaiming aloud the 
 separation entirely from the Curial Jurisdiction, 
 in every thing of a temporal nature, no opposition, 
 worth noticing, would have been made ; and the 
 army in particular, and all the active part of society, 
 would have gone entirely with him. For ages past, 
 there has been an " Anti-curial" party in the Church 
 itself, and some of the best ecclesiastics Spain ever 
 produced, have been of this way of thinking ; still, 
 I by no means think, that the smallest spirit of re- 
 ligious change beyond that prevails. There is no 
 doubt, the people at large are attached to the 
 Roman Catholic tenets, and have no wish to adopt 
 any other ; and I should say, there was not a germ 
 of further innovation or spiritual secession in the 
 country. I speak merely of the temporal domination 
 of the Curia, and precisely the same reasoning applies 
 externally, that was used to characterise the bear- 
 ings of society towards the priesthood internally, 
 distinguishing between spiritual respect and civil or 
 political domination. 
 
 The considerations already offered, will make it 
 clear, that the tampering with the plan of complet- 
 ing the sales of the ecclesiastical property, will be 
 extremely difficult and delicate. In the first place, 
 supposing they arrest the sales, what is to become 
 of the property already disposed of.^ We may 
 imagine, for instance, that one half of the revenues 
 of Toledo are gone, a third of Seville, hardly any of
 
 CHUIlCIl PROPERTY. 373 
 
 Santiago, nearly the whole of those of Valencia, 
 and so on. Are the remaining portions to be allotted 
 generally amongst the body, or to remain for the 
 benefit of the respective sees they belonged to ? Had 
 the business not been carried so far, the case would 
 have been very different, and there is no reason 
 why they should not augment the salaries and 
 create funds to pay the clergy independently, leaving 
 the management to themselves, if thought more 
 advisable ; but the stopping half way appears neither 
 politic nor likely, in the present state of the public 
 mind, to answer any good end. In reflecting upon 
 the subject, when in the country, I often thouglit it 
 might have been better to set aside a portion of the 
 lands belonging to each church, leaving them for 
 the use of the dignitaries, and at their own disposal, 
 to make the best they could of them. But lierc 
 again, " Cosas de Epaila" intervene. Two and two 
 not only do not always make four, in the old plirase, 
 but by no chance do they ever do so in this country. 
 What was said respecting the monks of Guadulupe 
 is equally applicable in this case, and the plan, 
 however reasonable in theory, would be found im- 
 practicable in the working ; the appointment of 
 juntas, which would be unavoidable, being in Spain 
 equal to the civil and natural death of the con- 
 cerns entrusted to the management of that extraor- 
 dinary combination. 
 
 Before any thing could be done by the Uogont in 
 the important matter of finally regulating the church
 
 374 CEIUllCEl PROPERTY. 
 
 establishment, an arrangement was necessary with 
 the Papal power, who were insulting and trying 
 every means, openly and secretly, to harass and 
 annoy his government, though without the smallest 
 glimmer of success ; for, with all the promises so 
 liberally dealt out to induce the " faithful" to stand 
 by them, not a musket was shouldered to support 
 their pretensions. 
 
 The whole system of the cathedrals requires a 
 complete revision. What earthly use can there be 
 in having ninety canons attached to one church ? 
 or regular Cabildos in country places with 3000 or 
 4000 inhabitants, surrounded by despoblados ? All 
 these necessary arrangements may be facilitated by 
 giving way, as they now appear to be doing, but they 
 are much more likely to produce an opposite effect, 
 unless very well managed. Great firmness and 
 circumspection are required in dealing with a 
 power, whose pretensions are as lofty as their real 
 means of carrying them out beyond intriguing, are 
 insignificant. 
 
 In the remarks upon the church, I commented 
 on an article of the Edinburgh Review, which 
 attracted my notice at the time it came out, and 
 in my preceding work, I criticised the assertion, 
 as to their being 400,000 monks. Since those 
 sheets alluded to were printed, I have consulted the 
 article in question, which, if it surprised me at that 
 time, has now absolutely astounded me. It must first 
 be observed, that the last full account of the Spanish
 
 THE CLERGY. 375 
 
 clergy, that I am aware of, is the census of 1787, 
 at which time the church, in all its departments, was 
 in the meridian. By this return, so far as I have 
 been able to learn, there were of secular clergy 
 about 70,000, including the cathedral establish- 
 ments, besides sacristans, acolytes, or novices, cm- 
 ployed at the altars. Jovellanos makes about 70,000, 
 but I think he excludes the two inferior classes ; 
 of monks, there were 62,000 ; nuns, 33,000, in- 
 cluding- the beatas ; syndics employed to collect for 
 the mendicant monks and inquisitors about 7OOO ; 
 grand total, 188,625. Archbishops, 8; bishoprics, 
 46. Jovellanos states the wliole in round numbers, 
 180,000. Now for the Edinburgh Review — Arch- 
 bishops, 58 ! bishops, 658! abbots, 11,400! chap- 
 ters, 936! parishes, 127,000; hospitals, 70OO j 
 cofradias or fraternities, 23,000; monasteries, 
 46,000!! convents, 135,000! in all, 180,000!! 
 the reality being- 1800. Secular priests, 312,000 ! 
 inferior clergy, 200,000! total, 512,000!! the 
 reality, 70,000! Monks and nuns, 400,000! the 
 reality 95,000, as in I787 ; grand total of the 
 oificial returns in 1 787, 188,625:— of the Edinburgh 
 Review, 912,000, besides the dignitaries, who 
 ought by this article to be excluded. In noticingr 
 this statement in 1834, I proposed a reduction of 
 one-third, which would have brought the whole 
 body to about 120,000, and have been very near the 
 truth ; as a few years afterwards there were about
 
 3jC) THE CLIiUGV. 
 
 1 10,000. I have no doubt the entire body of clergy 
 of all descriptions now remaining, including the 
 monks and nuns, exclaustrados, will be from 80,000 
 to 90,000, two- thirds of whom are parochial clergy, 
 and the others are yearly diminishing. I should 
 like very much to know where the writer of the 
 article in question obtained his data. The author 
 whose work he was professing to review, although a 
 popular and decent writer, was utterly unacquainted 
 with Spain and Spaniards, and his credulity and 
 avidity for collecting materials to sell his book, put 
 him at the mercy of every one who chose to play 
 upon him, of which some ludicrous instances came 
 under my own observation ; still I do not think he 
 would have inserted any thing so absurd as this, 
 and his " friend," which the reviewer evidently was, 
 ought not to have made him responsible for it ; and 
 if the account be extracted from his work, he or the 
 editor of the journal, should have prevented so gross 
 a misstatement going forth to the public. If the 
 statement were correct, the tenth of the population 
 were employed in the church or near it, and of the 
 active part one fifth ! The reason of the decline of 
 the greater foundations, with the exception of cer- 
 tain royal houses, has been already stated. The 
 fact is, after the war of independence, hardly any 
 one entered them, and the Spaniards are perfectly 
 light, in asserting that the destroyer of fanaticism 
 was Napoleon, as he dealt a blow it never recovered,
 
 THE QUEEN. 377 
 
 although the final destruction of it is owing to the 
 advisers of Ferdinand, and the abettors of Don 
 Carlos. 
 
 The next great error after the non-acknowledg- 
 ment of the Queen in the first instance, was the 
 refusing that of the Regency, when it was by no means 
 too late, and Spain might have been kept in a state 
 of independence, which there is very little appear- 
 ance of her being able to maintain at present. Cir- 
 cumstances would seem to bear out the opinion of 
 many people, that officious means have been used 
 to prevent the step being taken, which in no case 
 could have been done very willingly, and that in 
 the usual phraseology applied to this rather original 
 people, that they are in a state of anarchy, without 
 government, without army, religion, or any thing- 
 else to constitute respectability or claim to be ad- 
 mitted into the great European family. 
 
 Can it be intended to persist in not acknow- 
 ledging the Queen? By the proclaiming her of ago, 
 illegally as they have done, she is certainly in a 
 situation far from fit to be " presented'* at the con- 
 gress, although she might at the bull fights ; but 
 whose fault is this ? The actors have been described 
 in this greatest of farces, got up for the meanest and 
 worst of purposes ; but the blame not resting with 
 her, it can hardly be said that her title is invalid 
 on that account. Can certain par-ties liave under- 
 taken the duty of guardian or cerberus to watch tlic 
 " Inferno/' so many people consider tlie c«)untry
 
 378 THE BASQUES. 
 
 under consideration ? Or can it be that, amongst 
 another class of people, the Spaniards are repre- 
 sented to be in such a state, that for pure mercy 
 and to save the few that may be left, they will yet 
 call on the honoured champion of the Curia to quit 
 his retreat, and save them from utter annihilation ? 
 It is not improbable this feeling has survived the 
 circumstances which made it once extremely preva- 
 lent ; but like the " transaccion" already alluded to, 
 after fighting for five years and carrying their point, 
 there is little probability of their adopting a course, 
 the fatal consequences of which they are too well 
 aware. 
 
 There is one part which requires more notice, 
 from its bearing directly on the subject. One of 
 the greatest errors in the country in judging of 
 Spanish affairs, was to confound the Basques, 
 generally, with the whole of the Spaniards, with 
 whom they were directly at variance, and had very 
 little feeling in common. The Basques were an army, 
 not banditti, like the others, and were fighting 
 nominally for Don Carlos, but in reality for them- 
 selves and their fueros, which, before the outbreak, 
 it was known one party would suppress, and as 
 certainly known the other would uphold. At the 
 very outset Don Carlos had a few friends in the 
 " abstract," but they were lost long before the con- 
 clusion ; and even Zumalacarregui, who was re- 
 garded here as a champion of pure loyalty, like the 
 Scotch and border supporters of the Stuarts, was quite
 
 COURT OF DON CARLOS. 379 
 
 the reverse, and merely used him as a necessary 
 tool to promote his own views. 
 
 I can speak positively on these subjects, from 
 having passed some months in the provinces, for the 
 purpose of making myself master of their history 
 and dealings, in 1831 and 32, just previous to the 
 death of Ferdinand, when everything was prepared 
 in case of that event taking place, or any change 
 from the absolute to the liberal system. It is quite 
 true that the clergy retained their ancient influence, 
 and that the " religion" was partly the cry, as in 
 the war of independence, especially in the interior. 
 In fact it was a regular war, pro aris ct focis, be- 
 tween them and the rest of Spain, and they fought 
 the other Spaniards, exactly on the same principle 
 that the whole nation combated Napoleon, the real 
 foundation of their exertions being the fueros. 
 
 The situation of the '* court," at the close of the 
 war, was probably unique. All those who knew the 
 parties, and were not particularly desirous of the 
 success of Don Carlos, were highly gratified by the 
 successive arrivals of the personages that flocked to 
 his standard, knowing that the more they congre- 
 gated the more certain was the damage that must 
 finally accrue to the cause from their fiery zeal. 
 
 Next to the chief himself, of whom we shall only 
 remark, that he was totally unfit to contml ur 
 regulate the groups about to be mentioned, came 
 his wife, the sister of his former one, who might 
 beyond any other individual be picked out to repre-
 
 380 COURT OF DON CARLOS. 
 
 sent the genius of violent fanaticism personified. 
 This was not a " marriage morganatique," but a 
 " marriage fanatique," since that appears to have 
 been her chief recommendation for the high honour 
 she attained of being a quasi queen. At the latter 
 part of the scene the lady laboured under a mono- 
 mania of assassination, not from the opponents, but 
 from her own party, and in the very court ! which 
 considerably increased the difficulties of managing 
 her. Amonofst the other leaders were the famous 
 Cirilo, the Archbishop of Cuba, who, as mentioned 
 in my former work, was literally exiled by Ferdi- 
 nand, as too violent to live in Spain during his 
 time ; Erro, a rather able philologist, the only man 
 of any general talent that ever belonged to the party, 
 who was also banished fi'om Madrid at the time al- 
 luded to, as too violent for the good society Calomarde 
 delighted in, with the general and all the staff of 
 the Jesuits of Loyola ! General Eguia, the most 
 outrageous of the military men, going further even 
 than poor de Espaiia. General Moreno (of Torrijos 
 memory) also figured in this strange medley, with 
 several priests, monks, and other zealots, of both 
 sexes and of various descriptions. The most mode- 
 rate of this party was suflficient to set the monarchy 
 in a blaze, even with the whole of it to expand in ; 
 what must they have been when cooped up together 
 in a corner of the provinces, and matters becoming 
 every day worse for the cause ? Wedgewood's 
 pyrometer would have been inadeouate to measure
 
 COURT OF DON CARLOS. 381 
 
 the fire that burned within some of their breasts; 
 what would the " quemaderos" (funeral piles of the 
 inquisition) have been that they were eagerly anti- 
 cipating the lighting on their retura to Madrid ? 
 
 This is the corte or court of Don Carlos, and a 
 tolerable specimen of the elements of discord it ex- 
 hibits; but the camp or army was hardly, if at all, 
 better. So high did the spirit of dissension run 
 amongst the officers, that it happened the very guard 
 at the King's palace, as they called it, was threatened 
 with instant death on one occasion, by troops drawn 
 up for the purpose, in front and rear, by one of the 
 better generals of the party I As one of the factions 
 gained the ascendant, the best officers were subject 
 to be superseded and banished to Estclla or some 
 other quarter, until their turn for supremacy should 
 come again. To this pandemonium according to 
 some, panagion, according to others, Maroto was in- 
 troduced ; and I know no piece of history more 
 interestinfifthan his memoirs of the transact ions in the 
 provinces at this time, could he be prevailed on to give 
 them. Besides all the elements already mentioned, 
 there were half formed troops, the refuse of the 
 army and deserters, who took no active part in the 
 operations ; but hung in tlie rear, and committed all 
 sorts of disorders, especially towards the very close. 
 On one occasion such a scene took j)lace in the 
 very palace, that an officer called Velasco, after being 
 grossly insulted, withdrew in disgust, and when 
 Don Carlos sent and persuaded him to return, he
 
 382 COURT OF DON CARLOS. 
 
 told the messengers they had made the King's palace 
 like a " taberna" or the lowest kind of public house I 
 The leader in this jarana or turmoil, was no other 
 than, horresco refercns ! the titular queen herself! 
 To read the accounts of the state of things of that 
 time, it was quite evident it could not go on, and 
 that the protracting the struggle was only the 
 sacrificing the lives of brave men to no pur- 
 pose. This was the real cause of the Convenio 
 of Bergara taking place. When every thing was 
 settled, Maroto was some time in front of the whole 
 line of his troops, whilst changing their duties and 
 putting themselves under the command of Espartero 
 for the Queen ; and if there had been a particle of 
 treason or misunderstanding on his part, they could 
 have instantly put him out of the way ; or even 
 if they had any feeling that he had misconducted 
 himself, either to Don Carlos or the generals he 
 had put to death, whom they knew perfectly, as well 
 as all the circumstance relating to them. From 
 what I have heard and read on the subject, I have 
 little doubt that instead of judging Maroto as we do, 
 posterity will consider he not only performed a 
 great duty to his country, and to humanity, but 
 that he had hardly any alternative than to act as 
 he did. 
 
 The difficulty is to explain how he came there, 
 and what were his real motives for entering such a 
 scene. It is scarcely credible that he could have 
 done so, with a view of finally bringing about the
 
 GENERAL EGUIA. 383 
 
 convenio. If he did so, it was a most perilous under- 
 taking, and it is much more probable he went there 
 ignorant of the existing state of things ; and that the 
 events which took place, subsequently to his arrival, 
 with the want of supplies, for, according to the best 
 account, the army was almost starving towards the 
 close, had convinced him it was useless to protract the 
 struggle and shed more blood. Amongst the other 
 kindred subjects of discord, were the troops themselves, 
 composed of Navarros, Guipuscoanos, Alaveses, 
 Biscaynos, Castellanos, of which there were some 
 battalions, chiefly kidnapped men, who could not 
 desert, but were forced by the Basques to remain in 
 the ranks. All these, with the officers, yet more dis- 
 cordant in their views, were to be consulted as to the 
 campaigns, and the steps to be taken by the 
 generals who commanded them, and as the dangers 
 and difficulties increased, so did their situations 
 become every day more arduous and irksome. 
 
 To prove more fully the correctness of this reason- 
 ing, it should be mentioned that General Eguia, was 
 one of the first to enter into the *' transaccion," or 
 treaty with Maroto, and his character is too well 
 known, and he was too completely mixed up with 
 Don Carlos, whom he had accompanied from the 
 commencement of the war, to admit of his conduct 
 being explained on any other grounds, than the con- 
 viction of the inevitable necessity of giving up the 
 contest. And it must also be fully allowed, that no 
 people who ever undertot)k to support a cause, good
 
 384< MORENO, 
 
 or bad, ever carried it through with more deter- 
 mined resolution and bravery than the Basques, and 
 although no friend to the Carlist part of their cause, 
 I should sincerely regret that, being at last compel- 
 led to yield to superior force, they had lost anything 
 by the change of system. 
 
 The end of Moreno was rather striking ; when 
 everything was over, he was retreating to France, 
 as he could not have remained in his own country, 
 but under the wing of Don Carlos, in whose interest 
 he was during the tragedy of Malaga. He was 
 attacked, as his aide-de-camp asserts, by special 
 order, and assassinated. The perpetrators were some 
 of the loose half banditti above mentioned, imme- 
 diately attached to Don Carlos, but who the insti- 
 gators were, we are left to imagine. It was reported 
 he was carrying money, and his death was caused by 
 some mistake about an escort that was to have ac- 
 companied him, and probably gave rise to the 
 rumour. A graphic account of some of these trans- 
 actions is to be found in a little work, translated 
 from some foreign language, written by a man who 
 was present, and the style and manner, as well as 
 the reputation it enjoys iji Spain, are convincing 
 proofs of the sincerity and truth of the statements, his 
 attachment to the cause being beyond all question, 
 although his inferences frequently may not bring 
 conviction to every reader. Before we finally leave 
 the officers who have fio^ured in one side or other, 
 two more must be mentioned. When Torrijos
 
 COLONEL MANZANARES. 385 
 
 made his truly unfortunate attempt in the soutli, 
 some of his party broke out from Gibraltar, and 
 effected an entrance into the Serrania de Ilonda ; 
 amongst those was Colonel Manzanares of the 
 engineers, who, after the complete failure of the mad 
 business, put himself into the hands of two peasants, 
 who, pretending to save him, betrayed him to the 
 troops in pursuit. He was in a cave waiting for their 
 return, as they promised, and the instant he saw the 
 soldiers, knowing what they had done, he killed the 
 leader, who was pointing him out, immediately after 
 foUowinof the same fate himself. The survivor of 
 the two men, who were brothers, had an estate near 
 Moron conferred on him for his services on this 
 occasion, by Calomarde, but the instant the change 
 took place it was taken from him, and Manzanares* 
 name ordered to be inscribed in the hall of the 
 Cortes. 
 
 The other was an officer also of engineers, and 
 mentioned in my former work, who was caught at 
 Madrid in the act of writing a letter to Mina, then 
 on the frontier. He escaped out of the window, 
 and by the singular presence of mind of telling the 
 passers by that he was cn^-agcd in a love affair, (an 
 argumentum adhominem'in Spain,) was allowed to 
 pass. This officer, whose name is a rather singular 
 one, and I think Basque in origin, but I cannot re- 
 collect it, is now in Spain, employed in laying out the 
 new lines of road, in which department he is con- 
 sidered to be one of the first men in tlu^ kingdom. 
 
 VOL. II. - <^
 
 386 QUEEN CHRISTINA. 
 
 After tlie return of Christina, as a matter of 
 course, Colonel Dulce was dismissed, before she 
 could enter the palace, the associations hardly per- 
 mitting the expectation that a person who will be 
 indemnified for the mortification, by the long record of 
 his name in Spanish history, should encounter the 
 royal frowns, which on such an occasion must have 
 fallen upon him. This is only natural, but how 
 happened it that the parties who invited her back, 
 and the others who regulated her time of departure, 
 directing her movements, and shewing to the last 
 a parental solicitude about her, so contrived that 
 the prime minister, whom she was bound to treat 
 with every sort of kindness, and with the amiable 
 and winning manners every one admits her to pos- 
 sess, should be the very person whose fame was made 
 and whose advancement from the lowest rank in 
 society was secured, by lampooning and caricaturing 
 her own dear person and all her associations ? This 
 certainly w^as not well managed, nor has it been 
 improved by the highest honours possible to bestow, 
 being subsequently conferred on the same indi- 
 vidual by parties with whom Christina is rather 
 intimate. They used to say, things are better 
 managed, in a country that shall be nameless j but 
 this transaction is no proof that the adage is still 
 applicable. The advisers who brought Queen 
 Caroline to this countrv, after her vovaees and 
 travels, would scarcely have invited the editor of 
 '* John Bull*' to welcome her, much more made him
 
 QUEEN CHRISTINA. 387 
 
 master of the ceremonies, which was very nearly 
 the course pursued towards Queen Christina, by 
 her "protectors." Certainly political, like other 
 misery, makes us acquainted with strange company. 
 The question of new papal arrangements appears 
 to be connected with the return of this personage, 
 and she seems to have taken an active part in for- 
 warding them. How is this? She has not yet 
 reached the age of devotion, which in the olden time 
 generally succeeded the other ; but it is very pro- 
 bable that the attempt to raise a party amongst the 
 clergy, has caused the recommendation of this plan, 
 or rather that it should have formed a chapter of 
 her instructions when she set out. No one who 
 has to do with governing this country, or in fact 
 any other, will overlook so important an object, as the 
 body in question ; but the bringing them again upon 
 the stage will require some skill in the management, 
 and not merely trusting to circumstances that may not 
 in the result bear out the anticipations expected from 
 them. There is not the smallest doubt, that any 
 hasty attempt to unduly raise the church, would in 
 the present state of public feehng in Spain, operate 
 in a very different manner, and might seriously 
 injure the cause of religion, and the interests of the 
 priesthood itself, if they were to adopt any sudden 
 and inconsiderate measures. I have thought a great 
 deal on this subject, and am more and more satisfied 
 the better plan for all parties would have been 
 to go through with the plans originally intended, 
 
 2 c 2
 
 388 THE BASQUES. 
 
 selling the whole of the property, then making 
 a durable, independent and respectable settlement, 
 enough to maintain in respectability the numbers 
 that might be found necessary to be permanently 
 maintained for the use of that once splendid estab- 
 lishment. 
 
 As we hear occasionally of Carlist plots in the 
 interior, arrests on the frontier of parties about to 
 take the field, and other occurrences of similar na- 
 ture, it may be w^ell to caution those who attend to 
 Spanish affairs, that these stories are of a very 
 doubtful description, and are generally got up to 
 serve particular purposes. The same may be said 
 of another branch of tactics employed for the same 
 purpose, that at certain intervals Don Carlos lays 
 commands on his followers to be quiet, and not to 
 stir in any transaction expected to take place ; of 
 which the parties making these statements frequently 
 have rather too much cognizance. 
 
 Insurrections are also spoken of in the Basque 
 Provinces occasionally, all proceeding from the same 
 sources. Unfortunately for Spain, there are parties 
 who consider it their interest to call out the Basques 
 once more, and attempt to re-establish the fueros. 
 The original question always appeared of doubtful 
 expediency, and by no means worth the price they 
 would certainly be called on to pay for it ; but the 
 fueros having been given up, and the whole of Spain 
 being placed under one system, the question of 
 resuming them is a very different one. The chief
 
 THE BASQUES. 389 
 
 supporters of the fueros are in Biscay, where a degree 
 of tyranny existed, which to any other people would, 
 in many respects, be insupportable. Amongst other 
 abuses, the towns were divided into districts, to each 
 of which were appointed shopkeepers, who had so 
 complete a monopoly, that if an inhabitant went out 
 of his quarter to make a purchase of any kind, he 
 was punishable by a heavy fine ! Ancient habit alone 
 can account for people becoming attached to a system 
 like this ; and it is more than probable the parties 
 now understood to be desirous of the restitution, are 
 some of these advocates of monopoly. It is to be 
 feared they also have protecting friends at Madrid, 
 as well as elsewhere, these provinces and Catalonia 
 being the special seats of commerce of a certain 
 description, and they are certainly most convenient 
 depots for contraband trade. It is surely rather 
 curious that levers should exist in two frontier pro- 
 vinces totally unlike each other, for raising disturb- 
 ances on such different grounds ; and if the fueros arc 
 re-established, the fact will be clearly proved, that 
 there are others who admire them even more than 
 the Basques do themselves. If this attempt be 
 made, which is very probable, the Spaniards deserve 
 little pity for the loss of the fruits of the civil war, 
 as they will have entailed it on themselves ; and if 
 it succeed, the chances of ever re-establishing the 
 finances will be very much diminished. 
 
 I have been frequently asked about the Spanish 
 finances, almost the only subject upon which I never
 
 390 FINANCES. 
 
 felt the smallest inclination to enter, and shall treat 
 it very shortly. There is one thing that may be 
 looked on as certain ; they have the means of paying 
 the interest of their debt, and keeping a proper esta- 
 blishment, if their affairs were properly managed. 
 There is but one mode in which Spain can be raised 
 from the financial abyss into which she has fallen, 
 and that is by altering the tariff and admitting all 
 goods that they require at a moderate duty. The 
 sole obstacles to this are the Catalans and the 
 French Government, who have declared openly at 
 different times that they will do their utmost to pre- 
 vent it, until their goods can sustain the rivalry with 
 ours. Now, have the gentlemen on the Stock Ex- 
 change, who are mainly interested in the credit of 
 the country, not the power of refusing to deal with 
 the Spanish Government until they affect an altera- 
 tion of system, and have the revenue put on a pro- 
 per and reasonable footing, so as to ensure the 
 regular payment of their debts ? Unless something 
 of this sort be done, there appears to be little pro- 
 bability of any beneficial change taking place. A 
 letter was recently in circulation from Carasco, the 
 minister, holding out a prospect that fresh burdens 
 might be laid upon the land. I am not aware how 
 the friends of the new state of things at Madrid, who 
 are a good deal interested, would like the idea of 
 further land taxes ; but as far as the generality of the 
 proprietors are concerned, the mention of such a plan 
 is the most insulting irony, and should any other of
 
 FINANCES. 391 
 
 the same kind be held out by himself or his succes- 
 sors, it should be watched and denounced. No 
 doubt whatever, under the present party, there can 
 be no public credit or confidence ; and if it be true 
 that they have raised a considerable loan w itliin the 
 country, it is a fearful omen to the foreign bond- 
 holders. If they can manage this, which must be at 
 an enormous sacrifice by the public, for no Spaniard, 
 especially of the description I have heard are asso- 
 ciated in this business, will risk his money but at 
 usurious interest ; the bondholders abroad are quite 
 sure to be the victims. Any loan, of a moderate 
 sum, proposed by parties like those now in power, 
 can only have for its object the dividing the spoil 
 amongst themselves and their retainers, and co- 
 jobbers at home or abroad. Amongst the first 
 objects of these people, who have afiiliations both in 
 London and Paris, is beyond doubt the repayment 
 of the arrears to the Gobernadora, the principal ob- 
 ject of her visit being to effect this purpose, as wcU 
 as discharire certain '* commissions" she is under- 
 stood to be charged with. Money is forthcoming 
 for this purpose, as it used to be in the time of 
 Ferdinand for that of the apostolicals, although every 
 legitimate body was in a state of starvation. If tliis 
 personage obtain her arrears of salary for the time 
 she was in France, and the sum she is understood 
 to have advanced for the pronunciamcntos, all that 
 can be said is, that the Spaniards deserve little better 
 for their folly. Connected with this subject, is a
 
 39^ FINANCES. 
 
 late smuggling occurrence on the coast of Andalucia, 
 where many lives are said to have heen lost. This 
 is the prohibitive system of imports ; and if the same 
 plan be applied to the other branches that they have 
 recently to the tobacco contract, giving companies 
 the power of arming vessels, there will be serious 
 collisions of various kinds on the coasts, whilst the 
 frontiers will remain open as before, the keeping 
 them so being part and parcel of the same policy. 
 
 When I was in Spain, a good deal was said about 
 the investiture of money in bridges, and other under- 
 takings of the same kind, which return good interest ; 
 and I had so much confidence in my principal in- 
 formant, that I intended giving some notice on the 
 subject, but at present I shall decline doing so, 
 and would certainly recommend no one to risk 
 their money under a government which only exists 
 by trampling the laws under foot. It is quite true 
 that a change has taken place in the ministry, whilst 
 these sheets are going through the press, and 
 the "personnel" is now better than that of the 
 last ministry, and perhaps not very objectionable ; 
 but the system is the same, and no confidence can 
 exist with those who must depend on foreign sup- 
 port, and not on the national feeling, to carry them 
 through. Large investments are made in the new 
 lines of road now making in all directions, and 
 already alluded to. The principal are the two 
 great lines of Galicia to Coruiia and Vigo, the 
 former being nearly completed ; and when I was
 
 ROAD-MAKING. 393 
 
 in Spain, it was announced that all the money was 
 subscribed. The direct line to Valencia by the 
 Cabrillas is in forwardness ; a new road by the left 
 of the Ebro from Pamplona to Zaragoza, and, I 
 believe, to take a higher line in Aragon to Barbastro 
 and other places now difficult of access. An entire 
 new line from Madrid to Barcelona, by Molina, 
 Teruel, and Mora de Ebro, which will shorten 
 the distance by thirty leagues. Lines to Malaga 
 from Madrid, and also from Granada, but the lat- 
 ter is not new. In these investments the interest 
 is paid by the tolls on the road as already men- 
 tioned, the principle being completely established, 
 both for bridges, the remaking the old carreteras, 
 and the establishing new ones. 
 
 A very important point to observe in the working 
 of the present system is, whether they will convene 
 the Cortes or continue to govern by decrees. There 
 is little doubt this is the object of the dominant 
 authority, but it remains to be seen whether it can 
 be carried through. It is quite certain that if tlic 
 Regent had determined to follow this principle, and 
 could have acted up to it, wSpain would in a few 
 years have been in a very different situation from 
 that she will attain under the Cortes, unless they 
 act very differently from the last. 
 
 Opinions are very much shaken in Spain, even 
 of those most attached to the principle of repre- 
 sentative government, about the working of it, as 
 it is organised at present. I hai)[)oncd to be
 
 394 CHANGES OF MINISTRY. 
 
 one day in the house of a man of the highest rank 
 and talent, universally known, was I to mention his 
 name ; a firm friend and supporter of the Regent 
 and of the reform of the commercial code — in fact, 
 of the very best and most enlightened of the new 
 school. There were a few people present, and as 
 we were engaged in conversation, he gave a sort of 
 lecture on this subject ; and being a very eloquent 
 man, it had a singular efi^ect. He ran through the 
 succession of changes that had taken place, since 
 the assembling the first Cortes by Martinez de la 
 Rosa. As Infantes had three categories in his his- 
 tory of the French Bourbons, my friend had two in 
 his constitutional description of his own. country. 
 They were, as he called it, " Piedrazas al Minis- 
 terio," literally pelting stones at the ministers of the 
 day, to put them out and get possession of their 
 places. The other was " Pronunciamentos," or 
 insurrection of the towns, to carry certain objects 
 in vogrue for the time beino; ao^ainst the government. 
 His speech was little else than an enumeration in 
 rapid succession of one or other of these processes, 
 and there could not possibly be better authority for 
 the statement he made. One great defect in the 
 Regent, which has not been mentioned, (if it be a 
 defect,) is the want of the pow^er of intrigue, neces- 
 sary in most governments, but supremely so in 
 Spain, and more than supremely at Madrid, the 
 focus and centre of it. Some of the better informed 
 Spaniards, and not those attached to him, but the
 
 FALL OF THE REGENT. 395 
 
 contrary, said, that he ought to have mancETivred 
 between Cortina and Olozaga, and made them both 
 subservient to his views. Unfortunately, he appears 
 not to possess this talent himself, and he could not 
 receive the instructions to guide him, from the great 
 master of the craft, though his rivals possibly may, 
 if they should require it. 
 
 To sum up the causes of the fall of the Regent, 
 they appear to be these : the want of previous 
 rank in society — the party in the army opposed to 
 him — the monomania of governing by the law, in 
 which he was not seconded by the multitude, too 
 ignorant to comprehend the meaning of it, which 
 was literally the case. (I got into the scrape at 
 Coruiia, mainly, by demonstrating that they were 
 effecting by the bayonet and by illegal means, what 
 they could do, if necessary, by lawful and constitu- 
 tional ones.) Finally, by the assistance from with- 
 out, failing which, he would have been still on the 
 throne, though with strange elements around him 
 to govern and carry on the public affairs. 
 
 The curse and banc of every thing, according to 
 most of the better informed Spaniards, is Madrid ; 
 and they declare that the best members are ruined 
 by going there, and the constant effect of living in 
 such an atmosphere of intrigue and corruption. Of 
 course this is meant to apply to the carrying on the 
 government and subjects connected with it, and not 
 by any means to private society or dealings, which 
 arc on a verv different footing.
 
 396 FUTURE PROSPECTS. 
 
 One observation must be made for the use of 
 those who, without the dictionary, are disposed to 
 ponder over and even write upon the affairs of this 
 original and extraordinary country. The power is 
 now in the hands of the Moderado party, who, by 
 way of making friends, and perhaps raising thejn- 
 selves in their own estimation, assume the title of 
 Conservatives. This assumed title means nothing, 
 as, in fact, they are not a bit more conservative 
 than their rivals. Another is, that although power- 
 ful in name and respectability of the persons con- 
 nected with them at Madrid, they are not a national 
 party. A year ago their hopes of attaining power 
 were perfectly futile. When all the electoral power 
 in Spain had been tried to the utmost, as before 
 observed, they returned ten members ! In the over- 
 throwing Espartero, their grand object ; if they had 
 attempted to take the lead, or to do anything 
 openly, their chance was irretrievably gone. They 
 have mounted to power, like the clown at Astley's 
 on horseback, and by the folly, division, and igno- 
 rance of the progresistas, now the great predomi- 
 nating power in the panorama of Spanish society. 
 No other merit can be conceded to them but calm 
 circumspection, and taking advantage of the oc- 
 currences that were brought about. It was the 
 thunder of the progreso, and not theirs that shook 
 Espartero from his throne. 
 
 As to the future result ; no Spaniard I ever knew, 
 whose opinion was of any value, would attempt to fore-
 
 CONCLUSION. 397 
 
 tel, even with certain data supplied, what the effect 
 of any combination might be. In fact, no man who 
 knows the nation would undertake to do so, and 
 endeavourin"^ to do it would shew ignorance of the 
 people ; we must look on in patience for the next 
 tarn. Not improbably every thing may turn out 
 exactly opposite to what the natural inferences would 
 appear to lead. As the best constituted and appa- 
 rently strongest and most ably conducted government 
 has fallen in a few months, the worst and most 
 tyrannical may have a chance of surviving, and may 
 produce effects the reverse of what might seem to be 
 its natural consequences. 
 
 I must now conclude, having done the best 1 
 could to lay open some of the features of this most 
 singular of people ; the only one now containing 
 much originality, and well repaying the pains I have 
 taken and the many years I have devoted to the 
 studying of them. As far as I am individually con- 
 cerned, I leave them with the most sincere affec- 
 tion, and the most lively interest in every thing that 
 concerns them which I can feel ; and I pity the man 
 who, knowing them as I do, will consider that the 
 follies, weaknesses, absurdities and vices they share 
 in common with all other children of our race, arc 
 not far more than compensated by qualities of very 
 different nature, which will survive, and we must 
 hope enable them to soar above pronunciamentos 
 and the other combinations that have been recently 
 offered to our view. In concludinir mv last work
 
 398 CONCLUSION. 
 
 I wished them wise and moderate liberty. They 
 have attained something like it j but much, very 
 much remains to be done for its perfection, and the 
 restoration of the rude frame of ancient Spanish 
 freedom for a base, with the modifications the 
 " progreso" of human society requires for the super- 
 structure of the edifice. Having avoided the mixing 
 with party in any way, and having only one view or 
 wish on the subject, I take leave, wishing most 
 sincerely success to their advancement and felicity, 
 by national means ! 
 
 THE END. 
 
 <S </ ^V- /V 
 
 G. NORMAN, PRINTER, MAIDEN LANE, COVENT GARDEN.
 
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