« When the King Don Rodrigo saw this he was trou troubled, and he wished then that he had not begun this thing. Howbeit he made semblance as if it touch-bled at heart, and all the knights who were with him. And they said unto him, Now, sir, you may see what has befallen you, because you would not listen to those who counselled you not to pry into so great a thing, and because you despised the kings who were before you, who all observed the commands of Hercules, and ordered them to be observed, but you would not do this. And he had greater trouble in his heart than he had ever before felt; howbeit he began to comfort them all, and said to them, God forbid that all this which we have seen should come to pass. Nevertheless, I say, that if things must be according as they are here declared, I could not set aside that which hath been or this house was to be opened, and that for me it was reserved. And seeing it is done, there is no reason that we should grieve for that which cannot be prevented, if it must needs come. And let come what may, with all my power I will strive against that which Hercules has foretold, even till I take my death in resisting it: and if you will all do in like manner, I doubt whether the whole world can take from us our power. But if by God it hath been appointed, no strength and no art can avail against his Almighty power, but that all things must be fulfilled even as to him seemeth good. In this from the sky, as if it had descended from Heaven, carrying a burning fire-brand, which it laid upon the top of the house, and began to fan it with its wings; and the fire-brand with the motion of the air began to blaze, and the house was kindled and burnt as if it had ed him not, and said that no man was powerful enough to know that which is to come, except the true God. And all the knights who were present were much troubled because of what the writing said; and having seen this they went to behold another apartment, which was so marvellous, that no man can relate how marvellous it was. The colours which were therein were four. The one part of the apartment was white as snow: and the other, which was over-against it, was more black than pitch; and another part was green as a fine emerald, and that which was over-against it was redder than fresh blood; and the whole apartment was bright and more lucid than crystal, and it was so beautiful, and the co-dained, and therefore it appears that I am he by whom lour thereof so fine, that it seemed as if each of the sides were made of a single stone, and all who were there present said that there was not more than a single stone in each, and that there was no joining of one stone with another, for every side of the whole four appeared to be one solid slab; and they all said that never in the world had such a work as this elsewhere been made, and that it must be held for a remarkable thing, and for one of the wonders of the world. And in all the apartments there was no beam, nor any work of wood, neither within nor without; and as the floor thereof was flat, so also was the ceiling. Above these were win-guise they went out of the house, and he charged them dows, and so many, that they gave a great light, so that all that they should tell no man of what they had seen all which was within might be seen as clearly as that there, and ordered the doors to be fastened in the same which was without. And when they had seen the manner as before. And they had hardly finished fasapartment how it was made, they found in it nothing|tening them, when they beheld an eagle fall right down but one pillar, and that not very large, and round, and of the height of a man of mean stature: and there was a door in it right cunningly made, and upon it was a little writing in Greek letters, which said, Hercules made this house in the year of Adam three hundred and six. And when the king had read these letters, and un-been made of rosin; so strong and mighty were the derstood that which they said, he opened the door, and when it was opened they found Hebrew letters which said, This house is one of the wonders of Hercules; and when they had read these letters they saw a nich made | in that pillar, in which was a coffer of silver, right subtly wrought, and after a strange manner, and it was gilded, and covered with many precious stones, and of great price, and it was fastened with a lock of mother-were scattered over the whole of Spain; and many of of-pearl. And this was made in such a manner that it those persons upon whom the ashes fell, appeared as if was a strange thing, and there were cut upon it Greek they had been besmeared with blood. All this hapletters which said, It cannot be but that the king, inpened in a day, and many said afterwards, that all whose time this coffer shall be opened, shall see wonders before his death; thus said Hercules, the Lord of Greece and of Spain, who knew some of those things which are to come. And when the king understood this, he said, Within this coffer lies that which I seek to know, and which Hercules has so strongly forbidden to be known. And he took the lock and broke it with his hands, for there was no other who durst break it; and when the lock was broken, and the coffer open, they found nothing within, except a white cloth folded between two pieces of copper; and he took it and opened it, and found Moors pourtrayed therein with turbans, and banners in their hands, and with their swords round their necks, and their bows behind them at the saddle-bow, and over these figures were letters which said, When this cloth shall be opened, and these figures seen, men apparelled like them shall conquer Spain and shall be Lords thereof. flames and so high did they blaze up, that it was a great marvel, and it burnt so long that there did not remain the sign of a single stone, and all was burnt into ashes. And after a while there came a great flight of birds small and black, who hovered over the ashes, and they were so many, that with the fanning of their wings, all the ashes were stirred up, and rose into the air, and those persons upon whom those ashes fell, died in battle when Spain was conquered and lost; and this was the first sign of the destruction of Spain.»-Chronica del Rey D. Rodrigo, Part I, c. 28, 30. «Y siendo verdad lo que escriven nuestros Chronistas, y el Alcayde Tarif, las letras que en este Palacio fueron halladas, no se ha de entender que fueron puestas por Hercules en su fundacion, ni por algun nigromantico, como algunos piensan, pues solo Dios sabe las cosas por venir, y aquellos aquien el es servido revelarlas: bien puede ser que fuessen puestas por alguna santa persona aquien nuestro Señor lo oviesse revelado y mandado; como reveló el castigo que avia de suceder del deluvio general en tiempo de Noe, que fue pregonero de la justicia de Dios; y el de las ciudades de Sodoma y Gomorra á Abraham,»-Fran. de Pisa, Descr. de Toledo. 1. 2, c. 31. The Spanish ballad upon the subject, fine as the subject is, is flat as a flounder : De los nobilissimos Godos que en Castilla avian reynado Rodrigo reynó el postrero de los reyes que han passado; en cuyo tiempo los Moros todo España avian ganado, sino fuera las Asturias que defendió Don Pelayo. En Toledo está Rodrigo al comienço del reynado, vinole gran voluntad de ver lo que está cerrado en la torre que està alli, antigua de muchos años. En esta torre los reyes cada uno hechó un canado porque lo ordenara ansi Hercules el afamado que ganó primero a España de Gerion gran tirano. Creyó el rey que avia en la torre gran thesoro alli guardado; la torre fue luego abierta y quitados los canados; no ay en ella cosa alguna, y de aquesta tierra estraños: quedó el rey muy angustiado, Juan Yague de Salas relates a singular part of this miracle, which I have not seen recorded any where but in his curious poem :-- Cantó como rompidos los candados Y una mas bronca se escuchó que dize, The Chronica General del Rey Don Alfonso gives a singular account of the first inhabitant of this fatal spot: «There was a king who had to name Rocas; he was of the east country from Edom, wherein was Paradise, and for the love of wisdom he forsook his kingdom, and went about the world seeking knowledge. And in a country between the east and the north he found seventy pillars; thirty were of brass, thirty of marble, and they lay upon the ground, and upon them was written all knowledge and the nature of things. These Rocas translated, and carried with him the book in which he had translated them, by which he did marvels. He came to Troy when the people under Laomedon were building the city, and seeing them he laughed. They asked him why, and he replied, that if they knew what was to happen, they would cease from their work. Then they took him and led him before Laomedon, and Laomedon asked him for why he had spoken these words, and Rocas answered, that he had spoken truth, for the people should be put to the sword, and the city be destroyed by fire. Wherefore the Trojans would have slain him, but Laomedon, judging that he spake from folly, put him in prison to see if he would repent. He, fearful of death, by his art sent a sleep upon the guards, and filed off his irons; and went his way. And he came to the seven hills by the Tyber, and there upon a stone he wrote the letters Roma, and Romulus found them, and gave them as a name to his city, because they bore a resemblance to his own. Then went King Rocas westward, and he entered Spain, and went round it and through it, till coming to the spot where Toledo stands, he discovered that it was the central place of the country, and that one day a city should there be built, and there he found a cave into which he entered. There lay in it a huge dragon, and Rocas in fear besought the dragon not to hurt him, for they were both creatures of God. And the dragon took such love towards him, that he always brought him part of his food from the chase, and they dwelt together in the cave. One day an honourable man of that land, by name Tartus, was hunting in that mountain, and he found a bear, and the bear fled into the cave, and Rocas in fear addressed him as he had done the dragon, and the bear quietly lay down, and Rocas fondled his head, and Tartus following, saw Rocas how his beard was long, and his body covered with hair, and he thought it was a wild man, and fitted an arrow to his bow, and drew the string. Then Rocas besought him in the name of God not to slay him, and obtained security for himself and the bear under his protection. And when Tartus | heard how he was a king, he invited him to leave that den and return with him, and he would give him his only daughter in marriage, and leave him all that he had. By this the dragon returned. Tartus was alarmed, and would have fled, but Rocas interfered, and the dragon threw down half an ox, for he had devoured the rest, and asked the stranger to stop and eat. Tartus declined the invitation, for he must be gone. Then said Rocas · to the dragon, My friend, I must now leave you, for we have sojourned together long enough. So he departed, and married, and had two sons, and for love of the dragon he built a tower over the cave, and dwelt there. After his death, one of his sons built another, and King | Pirros added more buildings, and this was the begin- | ning of Toledo,» Note 31, page 406, col. 2. Redeemed Magdalen. Larduer published a letter to Jonas Hanway, showing why houses for the reception of penitent harlots ought not to be called Magdalen Houses: Mary Magdalen not being the sinner recorded in the 7th chapter of Luke, but a woman of distinction and excellent character, who laboured under some bodily infirmity, which our Lord miraculously healed. In the Shebboleth of Jean Despagne, is an article thus entitled, « De Marie Magdelaine, laquelle faussement on dit avoir este femme de mauvaise vie: Le tort que luy font les Theologiens pour la plut part en leurs sermons, en leurs livres; et specialement la Bible Angloise en l'Argument du ze chap. de S. Luc.» The injury,» says this Hugonot divine, «which the Romish church does to another Mary, the sister of Lazarus, has been sufficiently confuted by the orthodox. It has been ignorantly believed that this Mary, and another who was of Magdala, and the sinner who is spoken of in the 7th of Luke, are the same person, confounding the three in one. We have justified one of the three, to wit, her of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus; but her of Magdala we still defame, as if that Magdalen were the sinner of whom St Luke speaks. person; Nothing is more common in the mouth of the vulgar than the wicked life of the Magdalene. The preachers who wish to confess souls that are afflicted with horror at their sins, represent to them this woman as one of the most immodest and dissolute that ever existed, to whom, however, God has shewn mercy. And, upon this same prejudice, which is altogether imaginary, has been founded a reason why the Son of God having been raised from the dead appeared to Mary Magdalene before any other for, say they, it is because she had greater need of consolation, having been a greater sinner than the others. He who wrote the Practice of Piety places her with the greatest offenders, even with Manasses, one of the wickedest of men: and to authorise this error the more, it has been inserted in the Bible itself. For the argument to the 7th of Luke in the English version says, that the woman whose sins were in greater number than those of others, -the woman, who till then had lived a wicked and infamous life, was Mary Magdalen. But, 1st, The text gives no name to this sinner: Where then has it been found? Which of the Evangelists, or what other authentic writing, has taught us the proper name or surname of the woman? For she who poured an ointment upon Christ (Matth. xxvi, John, xii,) was not this sinner, nor Mary Magdalene, but a sister of Lazarus. All these circumstances show that they are two different stories, two divers actions, performed at divers times, in divers places, and by divers persons. 2dly, Where do we find that Mary Magdalene ever anointed the feet of our Saviour? 3dly, Where do we find that Mary Magdalene had been a woman of evil life? The gospel tells us that she had been tormented with seven devils or evil spirits, an affliction which might happen to the holiest person in the world: but we do not see even the shadow of a word there which marks her with infamy. Why then do we still adhere to an invention not only fabulous, but injurious to the memory of a woman illustrious in piety? We ought in all to beware of bearing false witness against the dead as against the living. Note 33, page 407, col. 1. The dreadful tale. Amava el Rey la desigual Florinda En ser gentil, y desdeñosa dama, Que quiere amor, que quando un Rey se rinda Desdenes puedan resistir su llama: No fue de Grecia mas hermosa y linda La que le dió por su desdicha fama, Les términos passó de la paciencia, Teórica el amor, y intentos vanos, Amenazas, amores, fuerça, injuria, Al que ama, rabia, al que abhorrece, furia: Discurren los pronósticos velozes, Que ofrece el pensamiento a quien injuria; Rodrigo teme, y awa, y fuerça, y ella Quanto mas se resiste, esta mas bella. Ya viste de jazmines el desmayo Las eladas mexillas siempre hermosas, Que no respeta las sagradas cosas, Rindiose al fin la femenil flaqueza Que es de una casta Virgen ornamento: Siguió a la injusta furia la tibieza. Apareciose el arrepentimiento, Fue con Rodrigo este mortal disgusto, Que de muger nuestra memoria alcança: Dizese que no ver en el Rey gusto, Jerusalen Conquistada, t. 6, ff. 132. Lope de Vega quotes scripture in proof of the opinion exprest in this last couplet. 2 Kings, ch. xiii. Old Barret tells the story as Ancient Pistol would have done. In Ulit's time there regalized in Spain One Roderick, king from the Gothians race't; A piece by Nature quaintly symmetrized, « Des It is thus related in the fabulous Chronicle. pues que el Rey ovo descubierto su coraçon á la Cava, no era dia que la no requiriesse una vez o dos, y ella se defendia con buena razon: empero al cabo como el Rey no pensava cosa como en esto, un dia en la fiesta embió con un donzel suyo por la Cava; y ella vino á su mandado; y como en essa hora no avia en toda su camara otro ninguno sino ellos todos tres, el cumplió con ella todo lo que puso. Empero tanto sabed que si ella quisiera dar bozes que bien fuera oyda de la reyna, mas callose con lo que el Rey quiso fazer.»-P. i, c. 172. In this fabulous Chronicle Roderick's fall is represented as the work of his stars. — « Y aunque a las vezes pensava el gran yerro en que tocava, y en la maldad que su coraçon avia cometido, tanto era el ardor que tenia que lo olvidava todo, y esto acarreava la malandança que le avia de venir, y la destruycion de España que avia de aver comienço para se fazer; y quiero vos dezir que su constelacion no podia escusar que esto no passasse assi; y ya Dios lo avia dexado en su discrecion; y el por cosa que fuesse no se podia arredrar que no topase en ello.»>-P. i, c. 164. «Certes,» says the fabulous Chronicler, «he was a Lord of greater bounty than ever had been seen before his time. He used to say, that if all the world were his, he would rather lose it than one friend; for the world was a thing, which if it were lost, might be recovered; but a friend once lost could never be recovered for all the treasure in the world. And because he was thus bountiful, all those of Spain were likewise; and they had the fame of being the most liberal men in the world, especially those of the lineage of the Goths. Never a thing was asked at his hands, whether great or small, to which he could say no; and never king nor other great Lord asked aid of him that he denied, but gave them of his treasures and of his people as much as they needed. And doubt not, but that if fortune had not ordered that in his time the lineage of the Goths should be cut off, and Spain destroyed, there was no king or emperor whom he would not have brought into subjection; and if the whole world ought to be placed in the power of one man, (speaking of worldly things,) there never was, nor will be, a man deserving to possess it, save he alone. But as envy is the beginning of all evil, and saw how great was the goodness of this king, she never rested till she had brought about that things should be utterly reversed, even till she had destroyed him. Oh what great damage to the world will it be when God shall consent that so much bounty, and courage, and frankness, and loyalty should be destroyed for ever! All nations ought to clad themselves in wretched weeds one day in the week to mourn for the flower of the world, and especially ought the people of Spain to make such mourning.»—Chronica del Rey Don Rodrigo, p. 1, c. 55. And again, when the last battle is approaching, he praises the king,—« Y el Rey era el mas esforçado hombre de coraçon que nunca se oyo dezir: y el mas franco de todo lo que podia aver ; y preciava mas cobrar amigos que no quanto tesoro pudiesse estar en su reyno, hasta el dia que creyó el consejo del traydor del conde Don Julian ; á maravilla era buen cavallero, que al tiempo que el no era rey, no se fallava cavallero que á la su bondad se ygualasse, y tanto sabed que sino por estas malandanças que le vinieron, nunca cavallero al mundo de tales condiciones fue; que nunca á el vino chico ni grande que del se partiesse despagado á culpa suya.»— P. 1, c. 213. The manner in which Florinda calls upon her father No son menos las letras que soldados, Navios, tiendas, máquinas, pendones: Breve processo escrive, aunque el sucesso I remember but one of the old poets who has spoken with compassion of Florinda : It is the Portugueze Bras Garcia Mascarenhas, a writer who, with many odd things in his poem, has some fine ones. « Refresca em Covilham a gente aflita, Wamba's wars. In the valuable history of this king by a contemporary writer, the following character of the French is given :Hujus igitur gloriosis temporibus, Galliarum terra altrix perfidiæ infami denotatur elogio, quæ utique inestimabili infidelitatis febre vexata, genita a se infidelium depasceret membra. Quid enim non in illa erudele vel lubricum? ubi conjuratorum conciliabulum, perfidiæ signum, obscœnitas operum, fraus negotiorum, vanale judicium, et quod pejus his omnibus est, contra ipsum Salvatorem nostrum et Dominum, Judæorum blasphemantium prostibulum habebatur. Hæc enim terra suo, ut ita dixerim, partu, perditionis suæ sibimet præparavit excidium, et ex ventris sui generatione vipe- ' be asked him, if he will maintain it as it ought to be rea eversionis suæ nutrivit decipulam. Etenim dum, maintained; and when he shall have promised to do multo jam tempore his febrium diversitatibus ageretur,' this, that knight shall fasten on his spurs, or order some subito in ea unius nefandi capitis prolapsione turbo in- other knight to fasten them on, according to what manfidelitatis adsurgit, et conscensio perfidiæ per unum ad ner of man he may be, and the rank which he holdeth. plurimos transit.»—St Julian, Hist. Wambæ, sect. 5.- And this they do to signify, that as a knight putteth Espana Sagrada, 6. 544. spurs on the right and on the left, to make his horse gallop straight forward, even so he ought to let his actions be straight forward, swerving on neither side. And then shall his sword be girt on over his brial.—— Formerly it was ordained that when noble men were Note 35, page 410, col. 1. The bath, the bed, The vigil. The Partidas have some curious matter upon this made knights, they should be armed at all points, as if subject. << Cleanliness makes things appear well to those who behold them, even as propriety makes them seemly, each in its way. And therefore the ancients held it good that knights should be made cleanly. For even as they ought to have cleanliness within them in their manners and customs, so ought they to have it without in their garments, and in the arms which they wear. For albeit their business is hard and cruel, being to strike and to slay; yet notwithstanding they may not so far forego their natural inclinatious, as not to be pleased with fair and goodly things, especially when they wear them. For on one part they give joy and delight, and on the other make them fearlessly perform feats of arms, because they are aware that by them they are known, and that because of them men take more heed to what they do. Therefore, for this reason, cleanliness and propriety do not diminish the hardihood and cruelty which they ought to have. Moreover, as is aforesaid, that which appears without is the signification of what they have in their inclinations within. And therefore the ancients ordained that the squire, who is of noble lineage, should keep vigil the day before he receives knighthood. And after mid-day the squires shall bathe him, and wash his head with their hands, and lay him in the goodliest bed that may be. And there the knights shall draw on his hose, and clothe him with the best garments that can be had. And when the cleansing of the body has been performed, they shall do as much to the soul, taking him to the church, where he is to labour in watching and beseeching mercy of God, that he will forgive him his sins, and guide him so that he may demean himself well in that order which he is about to receive; to the end that he may defend his law, and do all other things according as it behoveth him, and that he would be his defender and keeper in all danger and in all difficulties. And he ought to bear in mind how God is powerful above all things, and can show his power in them when he listeth, and especially in affairs of arms. For in his hand are life and death, to give and to take away, and to make the weak strong, and the strong weak. And when he is making this prayer, he must be with his knees bent, and all the rest of the time on foot, as long as he can bear it. For the vigil of knights was not ordained to be a sport, nor for any thing else, except that they, and those who go there should pray to God to protect them, and direct them in the right way, and support them, as men who are entering upon the way of death.»—Part. ii, Tit. 21. Ley 13. «When the vigil is over, as soon as it is day, he ought first to hear mass, and pray God to direct all his feats to his service. And afterwards he who is to knight him shall come and ask him, if he would receive the order of knighthood; and if he answereth yea, then shall it they were about to do battle. But it was not held good that their heads should be covered, for they who cover their heads do so for two reasons: the one to hide something there which hath an ill look, and for that reason they may well cover them with any fair and becoming covering. The other reason is, when a man hath done some unseemly thing of which he is ashamed. And this in no wise becometh noble knights. For when they are about to receive so noble and so honourable a thing as knighthood, it is not fitting that they should enter into it with any evil shame, neither with fear. And when they shall have girded on his sword, they shall draw it from out the scabbard, and place it in his right hand, and make him swear these three things: first, That he shall not fear to die for his faith, if need be; secondly, For his natural Lord; thirdly, For his country; and when he hath sworn this, then shall the blow on the neck be given him, in order that these things aforesaid may come into his mind, saying God guard him to his service, and let him perform all that he hath promised; and after this, he who hath conferred the order upon him, shall kiss him, in token of the faith and peace and brotherhood which ought to be observed among knights. And the same ought all the knights to do who are in that place, not only at that time, but whenever they shall meet with him during that whole year.»—Part. ii, Tit. 21, Ley 14. " The gilt spurs which the knights put on have many significations; for the gold, which is so greatly esteemed, he puts upon his feet, denoting thereby, that the knight shall not for gold commit any malignity or treason, or like deed, that would detract from the honour of knighthood. The spurs are sharp, that they may quicken the speed of the horse; and this signifies that the knight ought to spur and prick on the people, and make them virtuous; for one knight with his virtues is sufficient to make many people virtuous, and on the other hand, he ought to prick a perverse people to make them fearful.»-Tirante il Blanco, p. 1, c. 19, ff. 44. The hermit reads to Tirante a chapter from the Arbor de batteglie, explaining the origin of knighthood. The world, it is there said, was corrupted, when God, to the intent that he might be loved, honoured, served, and feared once more, chose out from every thousand men who was more amiable, more affable, more wise, more loyal, more strong, more noble-minded, more virtuous, and of better customs than all the others: And then he sought among all beasts for that which was the goodliest, and the swiftest, and which could bear the greatest fatigue, and might be convenient for the service of man; and he chose the horse, and gave him to this man who was chosen from the thousand; and for this reason he was called cavallerio, because the best animal was thus joined to the most noble man. And when Romulus |