.^..«««i. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY From the Library of WILLIAM M. ODOM LETTERS. jB y C. HERVEY, Esc^ LETTERS r R 0 M P p R T U G A L, S i> A I Nj ITALY and GERMANY, IN THE YEARS I759> I?^^* AND 1761. By CHRISTOPHER HERVEY, Es.^. VOLUME THE FIRST. LONDON: PRINTED SY J. DAVIS, C H AN CE R Y- L ANE J f OS K. FAULDER, NEW-BOND-STREET. M.DGC.LXXXV. LETTERS FROM PORTUGAL, &c. LETTER t FALMOUTH, DEC. 20, lyy,- DEAR SIR, X O U are to confider this as my firft and introdudlory' letter to the ftrift correfpondence you have defired. The writing fo much is no trouble, for as I fliall doit without confidering what I write, I do it likewife without difficulty. B Yoii 2 LETTERS FROM You know already that the papers I am to fend you are to be upon any fubjed, as it is the liberty you allow in writing, that makes them no trouble. You are to confider thefe produdions as a ftrange mixture of in coherences ; among which, however, you may chance to find fome little matter that fuits your tafte. All I engage for, is to daub a fheet of paper over with a black fluid called ink ; reducing it into certain hieroglyphical charaflers called letters ; which letters ftiall be put together into little packets called words ; and this is all I promife : referving to myfelf the full and abfolute power of writing in what language or .ftyle I pleafe ; intelligible or not ; good, bad, or indifferent. In confequence of this agreement, you may exped to hear from me next week, and fo on, if I am well, till my return to England. LET- i>ORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. LETTER II. ON boArd the expedition packet, DEC. 30, 1758. JL H A V E now pretty nearly finiflied my voyage from Falmouth to Lif bon ; and, as I have almoft overcome all fea ficknefs, will give you the. paper now due. On Sunday laft, the day before Chrlftmas day, about three o'clock in the afternoon I embarked for Lifbon. I thought, indeed, I fliould have been left behind 5 for I had hard ly finiflied dinner, when word was brought that the fliip had weighed anchor and was under fail. By making, however, the boatmen row ftoutly, we got up with our patket before . ' B 2 flie 4 LETTERS FROM flie was out of the harbour. Indeed, as it happened, there was no danger of our being left behind, for the Captain of the fliip was ftill on board, and flie could not go out to fea till he was fet on fliore. To explain this feeming paradox you muft know, that the Captains of thefe packets have fometimes the indolent defire of remaining by a comfortable fire-fide, while their veflels, under the com mand of mafters, buff"et the relentlefs waves. Their intereft likewife in this refped, if I am not mifinformed, coincides with their inclinations, as they find it, I believe, turn to better account to ad at home as mer chants than abroad as failors. Our fails being at length unfurled, we glided out of Fal mouth harbour, with two veflels in our ¦ company ; the one bound to the Groyne, as we unaccountably call Corunna, and the other to New York. After the fecond day, indeed, they left us to purfue their refpedive deftinations ; while we bore on, in a ftrait line to the fouth - weft. Our cabin was crouded PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &:c. 5 crouded with paflengers, accumulated by a delay of five weeks at Falmouth ; there being- no packet there but one, which the cuftom-houfe officers had, to our confufion, feized, upon account of her having fome counterband goods on boar^. Since we em barked, our time has been almoft wholly paft in eating, drinking, and fleep : though, inftead of the latter, I rather ought to fub ftitute the bed; which though I have prefled for ten hours every night, but a fmall part pf that time was given to repofe. Some times, indeed, ftifled with our crouded fitua tion, I have got upon deck, and taken an evening's walk there, to contemplate that great extent of ocean now fpread all round me. Nothing to engage my eye but the, expanfe of the heavens and water ; on which latter the veflel I am now failing in rides but as a nut-fliell, Aut as aut rohur, &c. which I wiU give in Francis's tranflation of Horace, B 3 Or, 6 LETTERS FROM Or oak, or brafs, with triple fold -^ That hardy mortal's daring breaft enroU'd, Who, firft to the wild ocean's rage Launch'd the frail bark, and heard the billows wage Impetuous war, Biit, formidable as the watery element is^ our ifland owes its greatnefs to her being furrounded with it. L'orribil mar coll' onda fua vorace Forma vallo ficuro all' Anglia ^udace. Or, as I fliall attempt to tranflate it i^ Engliffi. Old ocean's wave, tho' vex'd with angry ftorms, A rampart fure to hardy Engird forms. Commerce, likewife, with her hundred joyful attendants, renders this fituation of ours beneficial, even to our enemies; and, had not the old Roman idolatry given place to a much better religion, we ought to infti tute rights in honour of Neptune, as the tute lary deity of England. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 7 LETTER III. ¦ LISBON, DEC. 31, 1758- JL A M arrived fafe in this har bour, but ffiall continue on board till I have received an anfwer to a letter I have fent into the town. Our paflTage was completed in exadly feven days ; for the time they moor ed at Lifibon this Sunday, was, I believe, the very fame with that in which they had weighed anghor from Falmouth the Sunday before. We were one day becalmed- irr our voyage ; but the others made amends ; for it blew fo brilk, that we outrun the mafter's reckoning, and had got to the fouthward of Cape Finifterre, before he imagined we were come into the latitude of it. We did not, however, make land any where thereabout. Indeed, we purpofely kept twenty or thirty leagues off, as the ufual and more fafe navi_ B 4 gation. 8 LETTERS FROM gation. Had we been nigher within ffiore, we might have been in danger; for I re member aflcing the mafter in the morning where he thought we were, and he told me ftill in the bay of Bifeay, as he knew it by - the tumbling fea. But at twelve o'clock, when we made our obfervations, the Sun ftill mounted, and we found ourfelves two degrees below Cape Finifterre, before we thought we had got into the latitude of it. A proof how very quick our veflel failed. We ffiould have been at Liffion a day fooner, but yefterday we could not make land before it was dark, tho' we ftood ftretching our eyes -upon deck, in expedation of feeing it. The Eaftern horizon was flcirted with a mift, which, I verily believe, was the coaft of Portugal; but the Sun's fpeedy defcent hindered our afcertaining it ; and we put out to fea for more fecurity. TJie flcy too low ered upon us, and feemed to threaten a fouth weft wind, which is dangerous in thefe parts. Nor did our mafter feem entirely at cafe. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 9 cafe. He faid, in England a cloudy Iky por tended nothing ; but in thefe countries, where the heavens are generally clear to the higheft degree, a gloomy hemifphere was often the forerunner of bad weather. But his apprehenfions proved groundlefs, and the redoubted fouth-wefter flept peacefully in his cavern. Not that I fpent the night agree ably; on the contrary, it was the worft of all ; for the lying to with a high fea com- municated a motion to the ffiip, by no means agreeable to a landman. The next morning, however, difpelled our fears by a fine diftant profped ofthe rock of Liffion, with the Sun rifing in all his glory behind it. As the land we had made was high ground, and we, confequently, faw it at a great diftance (I be lieve about twenty leagues off) ; you will not be furprifed that, tho' we diftinguiffied it at fun-rife, it was a long time before our veflel came up to it. But, imagine a gentle wind had now wafted us clofe to the rock, and that we were juft entering into the mouth of IO LETTERS FROM of the Tagus. We here obferved a ffiip feeming to lie in wait for us at the entrance. It alarmed us at firft, as we thought ffie inight be French, and were accordingly in no fmall hurry and confufion, preparing for an engagement. We difcovered, however, at laft, that it was the Hanover packet, juft failed from Liffion, We hailed each other, ffiortened fail, and with great dexterity each ffiip went round the other, to know what news. We, indeed, had nothing material. But they informed us, that many of the principal nobles of Portugal had been taken up and thrown into prifon, for the attack upon the king, and that the prefent critical fituation of the affairs of that kingdom had. caufed the government to lay an embargo upon the ffiipping, which fomeEngUffi veflels had with difficulty got taken off from them alone. But it is now time for me to lay down the pen, tho' with z promife of cont'mua- iion. L E T-- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. if LETTER IV. LISBON, JAN. 1 5, 1759, Jlx FTER we had drained the Hanover packet of all her news, we took leave of her, and each veflel fteered their re fpedive courfe. We had not proceeded far wbjen a curious fort of boat came along- fide us, juft after we had entered the mouth of the Tagus, She was come with a pilot to condudi us into the harbour, as the laws of this country oblige the moft knowing mariners to have one. This pilot was the firft Portuguefe I had ever feen, which made his appearance the greater entertainment. He had on his long cloak thrown a fecond time over his left ffioulder, which, added to ^ large perpendiculary cocked hat, and a pair of Falftaff's boots, rendered him altogether I? LETTERS FROM a humorous caricatura. With much ftate did he parade up and down the deck, eating fait meat given hira by the failors, who were o^ended at his paring off the fat and throw ing it into the fea, which caufed execrations againft his Portuguefe fiomach. In the mean time the ffiip glided on undei* his diredlon, and after having left Cintra, and Mafra, a royal convent, upon the lef hand, pafled the bar, which is fometime reckoned dangerous. We know little oi bars in England, but the Weftern rivers oi Spain, Portugal, and Barbary, moftly have them, caufed, I fuppofe, by their lying more open to the Atlantic ocean, which drives up heaps of fand into the mouth of them. We now faw Calcavelas and Cafcais, and at laft reached Bellem, or, as we pronounce it Bellifle, and the other pretty places fituat ed upon the left hand ffiore of the river Tagus ; all which were lefs damaged by the earth- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 13 earthquake than the buildings in the centre of the. city of Liffion. Upon a rifing ground the king has built a temporary palace, which looks fomething like a prodigious long ftable building, at leaft from the water, as you fee nothing but a low wood-built houfe, with an extenfive row of windows. We, in the mean time, continued our gentle courfe up the river, and now the city and all the ffiip ping appeared in view. ^ This I think one of the moft delightful fights I ever beheld. The golden Tagus crouded with veflels of all forts, . and bounded by pretty rifing lands on each fide, which on the left were covered with houfes, formed a moft enchanting profped. As the wind was not over fair, we fpent much time in getting to our moorings ; but at laft our falls were furled, and we accompliffied our voyage. The next morning I went on ffiore, and a tvvo wheeled chalfe, a vehicle ufed in Lif bon inftead pf coaches, conduded me to my friend's %4 LETTERS FROM friend's houfe. I had fcarcely proceeded art hundred yards before the devaftation caufed by the late earthquake prefented itfelf to my view. Heaps of ruins lay on all fides, or where a few houfes remained, they were fo propped up with large pieces of timber^ that they rather added to the horror of the fcene. Melancholy refledlons occupied me, and I confidered that under my feet might lie hundreds of carcafes, fome of which, by the houfes falling hollow upon them, were de ftroyed by the flow-confuming hand of fa mine, as the fire , fubfequent to the earth quake might not reach thefe now fubterrane- ous regions. In the mean time our chalie continued its progrefs over the rubbiffi. They have. Indeed, through moft of the ftreets levelled a paffage over the confufed materials of the overthrown buildings. The book keeper who attended me caufed me at length to obferve a perfpedlve view of ruins, through which we were then paffing, and told me, that v^'as once the moft popu lous PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ij Ious ftreet in Liffion, Think how affeded I muft be in beholding It a mafs of broken walls, with open windows, through two or three rows of which you difcovered ftill far ther ruins ; a harbour for thieves, owls and goats ; in ffiort, the feat of defolatlon ! After a long ride of four miles, for fb far did this ftraggling town extend, we arrived ^t St. Apollonia, the quarter where my friend dwelt. Liffion, perhaps, covers as much ground as any city In Europe ; but the temporary houfes built in the fuburbs fince the earthquake have encreafed it. We now, however, talk no more of this calamity. The tumults In which the ftate is at prefent involved eclipfe, if I may be allowed the expreffion, their former misfor tune, and will probably render me fpedator of many a melancholy fcene. It Is faid the nobles concerned in the nodurnal attack upon the king will be executed In a few days. As moft i6 LETTERS FROM moft of them bore a fair charader, and are names known in the triumphant days of Por tugal, we cannot help dropping a tear of compaffion for their fate. Pity, however, apart, I enjoy the utmoft tranquillity in the midft of this general confufion. I fee the lightning blaze round me, but its bolts reach not my humble fituation. LET- Portugal, spain, &c. 17 LETTER V. LISBON, JAN. 14, 1759. A H E flower of the nobility was executed yefterday. The marchlonefs of Tavora, a lady who feems to have been ge nerally efteemed, died firft. She was be headed. Her huffiand and two fons, together With the duke of Aveiro, and the G©«ded' Atougula, were broken upon the wheel, and an affaffin laft of all burnt alive. All the dead bodies that had been previoufly execu ted were confumed along with him, and their affies fwept Into the Tagus. Still more they fay are to die ; but who or when God knows. Some people tell me there Is to be another execution In a few days. You fee how myf terious every thing is here; but fuch is the government of Portugal. You ffiall have hereafter a fuller account of the whole affair, C when i8 LETTERS FROM when I can get it with more authenticity ; and In the mean time I will give you a de feription of the earthquake, as related by every perfon In this city. This fatal calamity happened on the firft of November, 1755, between nine and ten o'clock In the forenoon. The weather was ferene the preceding part of the morning, and the fea perfedly calm, when all on a fudden a noife was heard like a rumbling un der ground, which continued for fome time, till at laft the ffiocks began. In a very ffiort fpace they were feveral times repeated, and the ground was feen to move up and down, or tofs to and fro like a ffiip at fea. The motion at firft was not fo violent, but as it increafed by degrees, the floors and ceihngs began to crack ; the roofs to fall, and the arches to give way. From the ruins a pro digious cloud of duft immediately arofe, which overwhelmed the city with fudden darknefs, but which gradually fubfiding, the trembhng Portugal, spain, &c. 19 tfembling inhabitants of Liffion re~beheld the Sun. Mr. Woodward, the mafter of the packet that brought me to Liffion, was in his ffiip In the harbour at that time, and the following Is his account of the effed of the earthquake upon the water. The firft thing he perceived was the noife, which he thought refembled moftly that of another ffiip run-f ning foul of his* He ftarted from his cabin, but when he was upon deck faw no veffel near him. His doubts, however, were foon cleared by a view of the town, which was now rocking ; and In a ffiort fpace afterwards he faw the fteeples and towers give way, and fall. Nor was his ffiip exempt from the agitations experienced upon the land. She at firft feemed only to tremble violently, but was afterwards moved perpendicularly Up and down upon the watei\ However, neither Mr. Woodward's nor any other veflel received any confiderable damage from the ffiocks. A great many, Indeed, broke their cables and were driven out to fea, for the C 3 pro- ao LETTERS FROM prodigious ftrength of the tide was very re- markable, which changed often from ebb td flow, and ran up an down with inconceiv able fury. Nothing could equal In the mean time the confufion of the Inhabitants of Lifbon. Some fled to the churches, others from the churches to their abandoned houfes, and each feemed to imagine the prefent place the moft dangerous. Some were beard to lament their deceafed relations ; others were feeking them in vain : all joined In lifting up their fuppliant hands to heaven, and begging mercy ofthe Incenfed deity. Many thought that the day of judgment was approaching ; others that it was already come ; nor were there wanting thofe who were afraid that the earth would gape and fwallow up at once the city with Its inhabitants ; for, as every wall was nodding, and a hideous found pro ceeded from the bowels of the earth, Liffion did not only feem to be ffiaken, but torn from her foundations. At laft the ground ceafed to move, and the duft In time was difli- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 21 diffipated by the wind. But the reftored view of Liffion Increafed the horror of the fcene. That once fo populous and flouriffi ing city was now, as every Inhabitant Ima gined, no more. The houfes, ftreets and alleys were ftrewn with dead bodies. Some had their brains daffied out by the falling of walls and arches, but the greateft part that perlffied were thofe who were fuffocated by the weight of the rubbiffi. They dug out a few Indeed alive; fome after four days, fome after fix, and fome after eight ; nor is it a little aftoniffiing they ffiould furvlve fo long. The Roman catholics bring an In ftance of this In the perfon of DIonyfia Rofa Maria, a girl of fifteen years of age, who they fay is now living and well. Though the cafe may not be authentic In every cir cumftance, I will relate it. When firft the buildings began to ffiake, ffie took faft hold of an Image of St. Anthony of Liffion, which ffie had In her chamber. The houfe tumbling foon after, ffie came down along with C3 it, ai LETTERS FROM it, mixed and confufed in the ruins. Here ffie lay buried for the fpace of eight days, without food, till ffie was found among the dead bodies, and taken out without the leaft hurt In the prefence of John Mello Sam- payo, prelate ofthe holy patriarchal church. In amends for this uncertain account, I will give you another you may depend on, which is the efcape of Sir Harry Frankland, the Britiffi conful. At the time of the earth quake he was going along the town In his chalfe. The noife was the firft thing he perceived, as Indeed, it was with every perfon. But he Imagined, like the reft, that it was only the King's coach, which generally drives very faft. The ffiocks, however, that immediately fucceeded, foon convinced him what It was. He jumped, therefore, out of his chaife, and ran under the gateway of a houfe, thinking it was fafer than to remain In a narrow ftreet. He had but juft taken ffielter under the place, when he faw the oppofite building fall upon his PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 23 his chalfe and fervants, and cruffi them to pieces. In about a minvite more, the houfe un der which he ftood ffiared the fame fate. The I' blows he received from fome falling ftones having ftunned him, he lay for fome time deprived of all fenfation. Upon returning to himfelf, he found the houfe had fallen hollow upon him, though he was confined to fo fmall a compafs as to be able to touch the impending ruins with his hand. What ffiocked him moft was, his having fallen upon a woman, who had taken refuge In the fame place, and was now biting his arm In the agonies of death. Having recovered his ftrength a little, he endeavoured to deliver himfelf from this horrid fituation, but fo heavy a ftone lay upon his body, that he could not ffiake it off. The ftruggles he made in doing it increafed the woman's agonies, till death, at laft, eafed her of her pain. The conful upon this renewed his efforts, and at laft removed the ftone far enough to be able to crawl from beneath it. C 4 He 24 LETTERS FROM He did not think, however, that his fitua tion was much changed for the better, as the ruins did not permit him to ftand up ; and he felt befides, that his thigh was con fiderably brulfed, and that he had a couple of wounds In his fide. His thigh feemed to have been evidently hurt by the great ftone that fell upon It, but he cannot ac count for his fide being wounded in that manner, without It was owing to fomething he fell againft, upon the firft cruffi of the building, before It had beat him quite down to the ground. After he had remained fome time In this melancholy fituation, he thought he obferved at a diftance, that a little light glimmered through part of the ruins. Here he Immediately crawled in the beft manner he was able, and found it to be a fmall opening between the rubbiffi. This, by pulling away the ftones gently, he gradually enlarged ; for no fmall care was neceflary, not to bring the whole upon his head. After much trouble, he worked an opening large PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 25 large enough for his body to pafs ; but no fooner was he in open air, than the moft difmal fcene poffible was prefented to his view. He beheld unhappy Liffion now laid low in ruins ; he heard the ffirieks and cries of people buried under them, without being able to give them any affiftance ; and what made him think his efcape more providen tial was, the fire having arrived to the very ftreet where he then ftood, as it was one of the firft places in which it got to any head ; and by the delay of an hour or two he would have been burnt or fmothered. But of this fire (which all fay was worfe than the earthquake,) I ffiall fpeak more fully iu Hiy next paiper. LET- 4& LETTERS FROM LETTER vr. LISBON, JAN. 20, I759- A H E wrath of Heaven was not yet fa^ tiated with the overthrow of Liftwn, tho* near half deftroyed by the earthquake, and chofe to afflid it with a new and ftill worfe difafter. A fire broke out the fame day in various parts of the city. This is eafily ac counted for by the timber and furniture fal ling upon the fire-places within the houfes after they were thrown down. Befides, as; it was the anniverfary of All Saints, the al tars of their churches were adorned with infinite numbers of wax lights. Nor was there help fufficient to check the flames up on their firft breaking out, as moft of the people had been difperfed about the fields in a ftate of ftupefadion. This gave the fire PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 17 fire time to fpread on every fide, and in four days it confumed more than one half of the private houfes, and moft of the principal buildings. I will not trouble you with a lift of the public edifices that were deftroyed. To thefe w,e may add the lofs of innumera-^ ble records, public deeds, bonds, books of merchandize, pariffi books of baptifms, fu nerals and genealogies, without which no property can be fettled, nor rights of inheri tance fufficiently proved, Immenfe quanti ties of plate and money was either entirely loft, or melted together in a mafs, fo as not to be diftinguiffied by the owner. Nor were multitudes of valuable pidures, hangings, pearls, diamonds, and other precious ftones, ever recovered. In a word, every thing magnificent and valuable in the city was, for the moft part, fpoiled or confumed by the devouring flames ; and the only way left of determining property or debts, was by the oaths of the parties, which many were wicked enough to turn to their advan- Nor £8 LETTERS FROM Nor were the earthquake and fucceeding fire the only enemies to Liffion. The incre dible rifing of the waters bore away a num ber of people and things. It feems probable that the motion which ffiook the earth was communicated to the neighbouring feas. Whatever might be the caufe, undoubted was the effed ; for at Cafcais, Setuval, Pe- niche, and even at Cadiz, many people were drowned by the inundations ; and at Lifbon the land was fo far overflowed by the waters of the ocean, that bridges were de ftroyed, walls overturned, and many things of immenfe weight carried off to fea. The city being thus deftroyed, and the water affording but an Inhofpltable afylum to boats, the principal hopes remaining to the inhabitants were to fly Into the neigh bouring fields. Hither they flocked in crouds, uncertain afterwards whither to dl- red their weary fteps. Their flight had been difficult ; for the town was encum bered PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 29 bered with heaps of ruins, which were often extremely high. In fome parts they had been obliged to force away the rubbiffi with their hands, and creep, or climb, according as occafion offered. Many images of diftrefs might be reprefented, but I leave your ima gination to form a pidure of the general horror. The King and Queen, with the Princefs of Brazil, the Infantas her fifters; and the In fant Don Pedro, were at that time by good fortune at their country palace, pleafantly fituated three miles out of town tb wards the weft. They got fafe Into the garden at the beginning of the earthquake, and from thence retired to a neighbouring feat, and ereded tents, where they lived fome months, till a wooden palace was run up for them. Itwas built at the fame place they were at during the earthquake, by name Bellem, but names do not much fignify to you, who vi^ere never upon the fpot^ In JO LETTERS I^ROM In my next paper you ffiall have fome account of the people's proceedings, after thefe extreme calamities. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 31 LETTER VIL LISBON, JAN. 25, 1759*/ X H E night fucceeding the earthquake afforded but little reft to the late inhabitants of Liffion, and that under the open air. The ffiocks were frequently repeated, and the whole city lay involved In flames and fmoke, Thofe who, wearied with the fa tigue of the day, had funk down overpow ered by fleep, were foon awakened by new ffiocks and by the cries of the furrounding multitude, imploring the divine mercy, and the interceffion of the faints. Who could have Imagmed that the Inhabitants of fo populous, fo wealthy and luxurious a city, ffiould be reduqed to fuch a degree of mife ry and want, as to have the earth alone for. their bed, and the air only for their cover ing ! They, at laft, however, had recourfe to 32 LETTERS FROM to little tents made of blankets and ffieets^ and afterwards ran up wooden huts, to de fend themfelves from the inclemency of the weather. Provifions were likewife, at firft, fo fcarce, that thofe who had nothlxig but dry bread thought themfelves very rich and happy. The King did what he could to affift his fubjeds upon fo melancholy an occafion. He diftributed medicines to the fick, and provifions to thofe who were in health. He furniffied feveral with materials for propping their ruinous buildings, and with money. In this latter refped, the example of the monarch was followed by the princes and princeffes of the royal fa mily ; and feveral other lords and private perfons. The King made, likewife, various other regulations for the public fafety. Among the reft, he ordered that none of the magiftrates or nobility ffiould leave Liffion, and that the price of things fliould l-emaln the fame as before. Perfons were likewife fent to the provinces of the king dom, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 33 dom, to invite thofe who had fled from the city to return, and ufe compulfion, If necef fary, with the labourers and tradefmen. A number of foldiers were ordered from the different towns of Eftremadura and Alentejo, to reinforce the king's troops at Liffion, where they were employed in affifting the minifters and royal officers in burying the dead ; In levelling the ftreets and highways : and In guarding feveral places from the attacks of thieves. Of thefe there was fuch a number difperfed about the town, that no houfe was fe.cure from being robbed ; no church from being facrllegloufly plun dered. Nor were even the bodies of the dead exempt from their violence, as they ftiipped them of whatever was moft valua ble. Orders were Immediately iffued for proceeding with the utmoft feverity, and without delay, againft offenders of that fort. In confequence of which, thirty-four were hanged within the fpace of a few days, viz. eleven Portuguefe, ten Spaniards, five Iriffi- D men, 54 LETTERS FROM men, three Savoyards, two Frenchmen, one Polander, one Fleming, and one Moor. The diredlon of thefe affairs was committed to the duke de Lafoens, the king's coufin- german, and the firft peer in Portugal. The great ffiock, which lafted about feven minutes, was followed by four more, which, tho' of ffiorter duration, were of greater violence. The firft of them was at eleven o'clock, a little above an hour after the principal ffiock. The fecond was upon the eighth day of the fame month of No vember, before break of day. The third the eleventh of December, alfo before break of day. The fourth happened the twenty- firft of the fame month, about nine o'clock in the morning. There has, however, been befides a moft amazing number of flighter fhocks ; aud efpecially for the fucceeding fix months after the firft. The earth too opened in various places, but did not form fuch caverns as have been reprefented by fome, PORTUGALi SPAII^, &c. 3$ fome, as the largeft crack Was hardly able to fwallow a man and hot-fe* Some of thefe kept open for near a fortnlghti The waters', likewife, of the wells and fprings becarae of a turbid colour and offenfive fmeill. But one of the moft remarkable, as well as moft horrid effeds of the earthquake, was the difappearaiice of the key up6n the river Tagus, which ffink under water, with above a hundred and fifty people upon it. As the cuftom-houfe ftood near it, part of that was fwallowed up alfo. The place was, out of curiofity, fathomed a day or two after, but no bottom Could be found ; and for a long time there remained a confiderable depth of water, which, however, at prefent is reduc ed to five fathom. It Is faid that one efcaped this horrid death, but I ffiould hard ly think It poffible for the beft fwlmmer to tefift the eddies of water occafioned by the finking of the key. What number of in habitants were deftroyed upon the whole. In the earthquake. Is difficult to tell with any D 2, exadnefs. 36 LETTERS FROM exadnefs. A Portuguefe author thinks Wc might reckon them at about fifteen thoufand. Some, indeed, pretend that feventy thou fand perlffied, but they do not feem to con fider, that the lofs of people was not In pro portion to the number of houfes demoliffied. Certain, however. It is, that a great number loft their lives in this unhappy affair, and that Liffion will, for many years, remember the fatal firft of November, 1755. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 37 LETTER IX. LISBON, JAN. 30, 1759- JL/ I T T L E or nothing more remains concerning the earthquake worthy your be ing made acquainted with. What was princi pally apprehended immediately after it, was the periffiing with hunger ; but when the fpace of a day or two had a little quieted the apprehenfions of the labouring people, pro vifions were again brought from the country. The city is faid to have made a moft horrid appearance by night after it had taken fire. In the day time little more was to be ob ferved at a diftance but the fmoke. It no fooner however become dark than the flames were vlfible, ffiining bright through the windows of the buildings that were ftill up right. Nor were the ffiips in the harbour totally fecure from the conflagration. The D 3 win4 38 LETTERS FROM wind blew fparks and lighted pieces of wood upon their decks. Much care wa« neceflary, for the failors to exempt their veffels from the common fate of Liffion, It Is faid, that one was quite fet on fire, and having broken from her moorings, was driven up the river by the current all in a blaze. The Engliffi fadory, after fome days, united, and with much difficulty hired a houfe a few miles out of town, where they lived together a month. This union was the more neceffary, as the Roman ca tholics were, at this time, particularly bi goted ; and, confequently, more than ordi narily vehement againft the proteftants. They proceeded almoft by force in making profelytes, and In one cafe did adually fo, A malicious idea had likewife gained fome little ground, that heaven had afflided the city of Liffion in this manner for fuffering fo many heretics to dwell in It. And yet the Engliffi church was the only one that had remained unhurt under its f\iry. Th^fe ideas, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 39 Ideas, added to the fanatic madjiefs of their priefts, who ran wildly about the ftreets,wlth relics and crucifixes In their hands, crying out repentance and confeffion, made the Engliffi moft defirous of colleding themfelves Into a body, which they did, as I have already mentioned. They never uiidreffed for the firft fortnight, and flept In a room all toge ther ; lying upon the beft materials they could get, and in their chamber hung burning an old lanthorn. Every noife alarmed them, and every motion was an earthquake. In confequence of thefe agitated imaginations, they were continually hurrying out of doors in great confufion. The gentlemen in thg mean time difpatched their fervants to Liffion, to fecure the ruins of their houfes from being plundered, as they were In formed of the great quantity of robbers, notwithftanding the frequent executions of the government. And even thefe fervants were fcarcely able to reftrain the audaciouf- nefs of the rogues, who were hardly driven D 4 out 40 LETTERS FROM out from one corner, than they returned oit the oppofite fide. In a few days each per fon began digging In his refpedive ruins, and many things would have been recovered, if the fire had not mixed and deftroyed the whole. Curiofities of this kind were after wards fold at a high price, as gold and filver run together, and other things of this fort. The merchants, however, fuffered prlncl- pally by the lofs of their books, as it inca pacitated them from claiming debts, which the Portuguefe were unwilling to pay. During this interval of time, the workmen had run up a few flight houfes of wood, which were Inhabited for above a year, till better . accommodations caufed them to be aban doned. New buildings, however, were not allowed to be raifed within the preclnds of the city, as the court had, foon after the earthquake, ifliied out an edid to the cour- trary. TJie intention of this was to give time to prepare a proper plan for the re- , building of the town, which, they fay, has at PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 41 at lerigth been given out ; but nothing has been put in execution ; nor, indeed, has any thing been done fince the earthquake, except removing the obftrudion of ftones and lumber from the ftreets. The deficiency of money is reported, and with probability, to be the caufe of this delay, as the freffi duties laid upon imports and exports for that purpofe, are by no means fufficient to ^nfwer fuch expences. LET- 4$ LETTERS FROM LETTER X. LISBON, FEB. 3, 17Sg. Jt W I L L now ^attempt to- give you fome account of the late difturbances that have happened in this kmgdom of Portugal, It is not, however, eafy to get the certain fnith of every thing, upon account of the great fecrecy this government obferves in all its proceedings. The Portuguefe jefuits confidering them-t felves injured by their being prohibited from preaching and hearing confelfions in thefe. dominions, upon account of their condud hi the Brazils, had for fometime nouriffied ?n Inveterate hatred againft the king and prefent government. They had, at laft, ig^ttered themfelves with being able to re venge, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 43 venge their imagined wrongs by ftlrring up the Tavora family, and fome other nobles that were difaffeded to his majefty, to an open attempt againft his life. One of the principal incitements they made ufe of, was the unlawful correfpondence fuppofed to be carrie4 on betv/een the king and the young marchlo nefs of Tavora, wife to the young marquis of the fame title, who fuffered a few days ago. The jefuits, and Maiagrlda, one of them ii^ particular, did not fail to exaggerate the heinoufnefs of this crime to the utmoft of their power. They reprefented how Igno-> mlnious It was, that a perfon, who had the honour of being allied by marriage to the illuftrious name of Tavora, ffiould become a proftitute even to a king. That all hia tkies ought not to defend this haughty violator of the moft facred laws of religion, from their vengeance ; that his death was regiftered In heaven, and thQ authors of 1% would be guilty only of a venial fn, for which the cayfe would eafily atpne. In thi^ 44 LETTERS FROM tbismaraier, and by fimilar expreffions, are the jefuits reported to have inflamed the Tavora family to their defired pitch. Nor did they lefs ffiew their art, in uniting to their in terefts a rival of the Tavoras, by name the duke of Aveiro, who, notwithftanding fome favours received, had been always a pro- fefled enemy to the king and his adminif tration. Things thus prepared, feveral ra-r mours and prophecies were fpread abroad* that the king's life was not of long dura-r- tion ; and fome even limited It to the month ¦of September laft, on the third day ofwhich the aflaffination of the king was attempted. The perfons concerned in it, were the duke of Aveiro, the marquis of Tavora, with his wife, and two fons ; the count of Atougula, his fon in law ; Jofeph Romeiro, a corporal in one of the regiments belonging to the Tavora family, who were all in the army ; Emanuel Alvarez Ferrelra, Antonio Alvarez Ferrelra, and Jofeph Pollcarpio ; the firft valet de chambre of the duke of Aveiro, and PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 45 and the two others relations of Emanuel Alvarez Ferrelra. Thefe, with John Mi guel, the duke's footman, completed the number that were to attack the king. They determined to execute their defign one night, as his majefty was returning from the young marchlonefs of Tavora, who was then at her country feat, fome few miles out of Liffion. This was the third of September, Accordingly, the duke of Aveiro, with his fiDotman, John Miguel, pofted themfelves the firft In the road, where the king was to pafs, under a fort of arch ; which has fince, upon that account, been pulled down, Antonio Alvarez Ferrelra, and Jofeph Poll carpio, were ftationed a little below them, upon the fame road. The duke's piece miffed fire, as the king pafled In his chalfe. Thepoftilion, who obferved the fparks ftruck from the flint, fpurred his mules to a full gallop. This rendered the aim of the other two, placed below the duke, very uncertain ; but they did, at laft, by galloping after the chalfe. AS LETTifiRS FROM chaife, fire through the back- of it, and wounded the king, though not mortally. He would not, however, have efcaped the reraaining parties on the road, placed ftill lower, if he had not ordered his poftilion, upon finding himfelf hurt, to go immediately to his furgeon general's houfe, by which means, as the road luckily turned off at that place, he efcaped their arabufcadci The king was no fooner paffed, than the feveral parties reunited, uncertain of thd effeds of their attempt. Some affirraed that the king muft have fallen ; others were doubtful of their fuccefs. The next morn ing they heard the mortifying news of his majefty's being arrived at his palace and wounded only in the arm. Upon this they formed a fort of council of war, at which the old marchlonefs of Tavora was prefent, as ffie was at all their meetings. They here agreed upon there being no fear of a difco very, and that provided they remained true to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 47 ta each other, mortal power could never fa thom the fecret. But the abilities of fhe prefent fecretary of ftate, Sebaftian Jofeph de Carvalho, thwarted their hopes. Nor was he -forry, I believe, for the prefent op portunity of cutting off fome noblemen, who, envious of fo rauch power being con ferred upon a firaple gentleraan, were conti* nually oppofing his advancement. He was forraerly envoy frora Portugal to the court of England, but recalled. It is faid, by de* fire of our king. The Portuguefe are thought to deteft him, but fuffer in filent indignation the favourite of their fovereign. By his advice the prefent affair was as much as pof fible ftifled. Reports were Immediately if^ fued, that the king had been flightly Wound- ed by robbers, on his return from the country. In the raean tirae no underhand means Were negleded to difcover the trai tors, which by great art was at laft imper- fedly done. But when Sebaftian Jofeph found them of fo high rank, not a little ad drefs 48 LETTERS FROM drefs feemed ftill wanting to fubmit them to his power. He defired his royal mafter to behave towards thera with the ufual civility, whilft he colleded in and near Liffion the major part of the forces of the whole king dom, under pretence of Invafions from Spain, and other fidltlous tumults. No fooner were they arrived, than guards were fent to the various houfes of the criminals, who were all, with the major part of their relations, taken up in little raore than the fpace of one hour. Sebaftian Jofeph now threw off the raafk, and publiffied a manl- fefto, ordering every perfon to declare what they knew concerning the prefent confpira cy, or they would be confidered as equally culpable with the criminals themfelves. An embargo was alfo laid upon the ffiipping, nor was any perfon permitted to go out of Liffion, without a pafsport. This embargo caufed fome words between the commanding officer of three Engliffi men of war, then in the Tagus, and the fecretary of ftate ; but PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 49 but they at length got leave to depart with other Engliffi ffiips. I will conclude, by ffiewing you a little the ftyle of this coun try, and fending you a tranflation of the latter edId, publiffied by Carvalho, forbid ding any perfon's departure from Liffion without a pafsport. The former, obliging every Portuguefe fubjed to give in Informa tion Is much longer, but I may perhaps give It yovj in my next paper. " Royal EdId, " Our fovereign lord the king commands, " tbat no perfon or perfons whatfoever, be *' their condition or quality what it may, *' dare to depart from this court, or its ad- *' jacent diftrld, either by fea or land, until *' freffi orders frora us, without the faid ** perfon or perfons do firft appear, and *' juftify their departure in the prefence of '• Dodor Stephen Peter de Catvalho Di- " fimbargador, inhabiting at Santa Marina; ^' qnd appointed by his majefty to receive E *' ^the 50 LETTERS FROM *' the faid juftlfications, as alfo to iffue out " proper pafsports refulting from them ; " and this under penalty, that the perfon *' or perfons daring to depart without fuch *' pafsports, ffiall be reconduded to Liffion *' at .their own expence, befides being liable " to due puniffiment for difobedience to *' the royal comraand, *' N. B. Thefe pafsports are only to re- " main in force for the fpace of four and *' twenty hours, " Given at our palace at Bellera, Decem- " ber 13, 1758. " (Signed) Sebajiian Jofeph de Carvalho." LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 51 LETTER XI. 1.ISBPN, FEB. 7jy 1759. X H E following is the royal manlfefto or edId obliging every Portuguefe fubjed to give due information, " Although the fubjeds of Portugal " have for many ages been celebrated for " the obfervation of that inviolable attach- ** ment due to their kings and natural *• fovereigns, cultivating vvdth the greateft *' piety thofe holy and unalterable obllga- *' tions ; yet have we, notwithftanding, " been fo unhappy In our days to find, that *' among the very natives of this kingdom, " certain particular perfons there are, who, " 'forgetful of thofe ancient and noble exam- E 2 *' pies 52 LETTERS FROM ** pies, have with infernal idea dared to •* form a moft facrileglous and abominable *• confpiracy. It began with their fuggeft- *' ing and declaring underhand, in order to ** abufe the fincerity of thpfe perfons who ** were adorned with more pious incllna- *' tions, that our royal life was not to conr *' tinue long; uttering this in the tone of *' prophecies ; nay, even limiting the time ^' of our death to the following raonth of *' Septeraber. No fooner had the faid con- '^ fplrators, by fimilar malicious rumours, *' difpofed the minds of the people tp their " defires, than they proceeded to more atro- " cious adioiis ; and to verify their predic- " tions by the never enough to be abhorred *' attack made uppn our royal perfon, the " third -of the faid month of September, " We were paffing, at eleven at night, *' through the little field, * In order to retire * Called in Portuguefe campo pequenho, in oppofition tq caropo grandp, or the great field, not far from it. <« to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, S3 *' to our palace, when three of the afore- " mentioned confplrators lying in wait on " horfeback, in the aforefald place, under " cover of the low houfes thereunto adjoln- " Ing, did with ever infamous and execrable '* treafon, at the back of the chaife in " which we were fitting, fire three piftols *' or bluiiderbvlffes, fo deeply charged with *' flugSj that although one miffed fire, yet *' the other two were fufficient, not only *' to make two round apertures of enormous " bignefs Ih th6 back of the chaife in " which we were fitting, but eVen to break " and tear away every thing they approach- " ed ; fo that mortal judgment cannot form *' idea how our royal perfon, when confined ** within fo narrow a compafs, could efcape " with only receiving many deep wounds, " was not the v/hole to be attributed to that *' omnipotent hand, which by evident mlra- *' cles preferved and defended us, amidft " the • ruins and horror of that dreadful " attack. Now the facred principles of all E 3 ,, laws. 54 LETTERS FROM *' laws, divine, natural and civil, being " moft facrllegloufly offended by this adlon, *' to the univerfal ffiame of religion and " humanity; thefe confiderations render it " indlfpenfibly neceflary to avenge this ** crime, efpecially, as the fcandal Is fo " great from thence redounding upon the " loyalty of the Portuguefe, whofe excel- " lent fentiments of honor, love, and gra- " titude towards our royal perfon, would " never permit them to be at eafe, without *' the moral certainty, that this moft execra- *' ble confpiracy was torn up from Its very " roots, fo as not to leave among our faith- *' ful fubjeds one of thofe raonfters, who ^ dared to arrive at fuch a height of enor- " mous wlckednefs. We decree, therefore, " that all thofe perfons, who ffiall manifeft " unto us (provided they prove what they " declare,) any one or more of the traitors *' concerned in this Infamous confpiracy, the faid informers ffiall, if plebeians, be immediately created gentlemen ; If gen- " tlemen. a PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 55 *' tlemen, ffiall have our letters patent for " becoming fidalgo ; * or. If fidalgo, " knight of fome order, with all the privl- *' leges thereunto belonging ; in fine, be " their rank what It will, we will grant " unto thera ftill higher titles and honors, *' over and above all which honors, tha " faid informers ffiall enjoy raany pecuniary *' advantages, as well as offices . of juftice, *' court places, and military preferments : " referving to ourfelf, and to our judgment, " the regulation of thefe rewards, accord- " ing to the nature and Importance of the ** fervice adminiftered. Nor ffiall the ac- '' complices of this abominable confpiracy, " fo not principally concerned, be exempt " from the abovementioned favors, befides *' which, upon due confeffion and inforraa- *' tion, we here grant thera our royal *' pardon. Our magiftrates, likewife, who * Or hidalgo in Spanifh, is a rank in Spain and Portugal, which anfwers to that of our noblemens' fons. E 4 " ffiall 56 LETTERS FROM " ffiall apprehend fuch criminals, ffiall ** have new honors- and advancements due *' to their fervices conferred upon them ; " enjoying moreover all the foregoing re- " wards, in cafe of their being alfo In- " formers ; for no perfon can nor ought to *' conceal malefadors of fo high a nature, •' upon the falfe idea that the charader '* of an informer is difreputable. We here *' advertife all our fubjeds, that reflexions " like thefe, though they may take place " In trivial affairs, are not only not to be ** Incurred by difcovering adions of con-* *' fpiracy and of high treafon againft the *' fupreme prince, but, on the contrary, " thofe who know any thing of fuch *' criraes, and do not publiffi what they *' know In proper time. Incur the penalty *' and the fame diffionor with thofe crimi- " nais who are convlded of fuch fads. " Nor are fathers excufable In concealing *' their children, or children their fathers, " as the prior obligations towards their *' king PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 57 " king and country, the common fathers of '* every fubjed, always prevail before the *' ties of birth ; efpecially in ralfderaeanors " of fo atrocious a nature, and fo prejudl- " cial to fociety. And for the eafier appre- " bending of the faid criminals, it is our " royal pleafure, that the power of all our '*;; magiftrates within this kingdom be unl- •' verfal, extending itfelf to every part of *' the kingdora ; and all being Invefted with " a fimilar power, fo as to be able to ad *' from their own authority with regard to " the fpeedy apprehending of criminals, '* without waiting for orders frora the Ira- " raediate raaglftrates of the crown. Nay, fufpeded perfons raay even be taken up by private raen, provided they condud them forthwith to the neareft magiftrate, *' who, finding due caufe of fufpicion, ffiall *' fend them properly fecured to this court. " The 'Dodor Pedro Gonfalvez Cordeiro •' Pereira of our council, and Difimbargador " of the palace, ffiall caufe, this our decree «' to (( (( 58 LETTERS FROM * to be affixed in all pubhc places within ' the city of Liffion, and the diftrids ad- ' joining ; fending copies thereof, figned ' with his name, to all the other towns ' and cities of thefo kingdoras ; and we ' declare, that fhe faid copies ffiall have * equal force and authority with their orl- * ginals, notwithftanding any law, dlfpofi- ' tion, or cuftom to the contrary, be they ' even among the number of thofe to dero- ' gate from which requires our exprefs ' comraand. " Bellem, December 9, 1758. " Signed with his majefty's feal." LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 5^ LETTER XIT. LISBON, FEB. 10, I759. X H E royal edid of which I gave you a tranflation in my former paper, was, accord ing to the order, hung up In all confpicu ous parts of the city, and foon after the Juez del Povo, or, as we might calf hira, the mayor of Liffion, prefented the follow ing fuppllcatlon to his majefty, through the hands of his fecretary of ftate, to whom It was addrefled. ** The mayor of the city of Liffion has " the honor of begging your excellency *' to lay before the royal prefence of his ** majefty, that his moft juft edid was with "' many tears read by all his faithful people *' of Liffion, all of whom earneftly deraand tt uftlce 6o LETTERS FROM " juftice againft an attempt fo nearly affed-* " Ing the loyalty of the Portuguefe, and " for the avenging of which they with " impatience exped the royal orders. His " excellency is likewife defired to aflure his '• majefty, that it Is the moft fervent wiffi "of his loyal fubjeds to ffied the very laft " drop of their blood in the defence and " for the glory of their fovereign." Whilft thefe edids and addreffes were In terchanging, the unhappy criminals were fuffering various tortures In their refpedive prifons. It will be difficult for" me to afcer tain the names and exad number of the nobility that were now under arreft, and it will be fufficient to tell you, they were efteemed the flower of Portugal. They were all taken up, as I have before reraarked, at the fame time, and without the leaft ftlr made in their defence by the populace, who, though they raight have entertained fimilar Inclinations, were rendered incapable of putting PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 6i putting them In execution, by having been deprived of their arras. This was by order of the ralnifter, and In confequence of it, every houfe had been fearched by foldiers, and all weapons feized, particularly in gun-. fmith's ffiops, and other places wh^re they were to be found In quantities. Gentlemen, however, and efpecially foreigners, were treated with more civility, and their word of honor that they had no arras was fuf ficient. They were proralfed to be returned in a few days, but I have not yet heard of its being done. As for the gpyernraent's proceedings againft the principal crlrajnals, during their continuance In prifon, it Is difficult to get at the truth of tjiem. Vul gar rumour loads them with chains, and ftretches them upon racks ; but I ffiould think without better foundation than our natural propenfity to Imagine the worft of what we are Ignorant, That they fuffered tortures to enforce confeffion Is, I believe, tfue 5 bi;t I cannot tjilnk that human naturp could 62 LETTERS FROM could grow fo wanton in puniffiments as common report was reprefented; nor that the duke of Aveiro was kept perpetually riveted to earth, ^orae. Indeed, who were prefent at their execution affirraed that they had loft the ufe of their wrifts,- which might be true, without fuch horrid torraents being ufed, as make nature ffiudder, and imagination fleet with hafty wing to happier climes. But the government was fo myfterious that we were not even certain there was to be an execution till the preceding evening ; when the eredlon of a fcaffold fufficiently manl- fefted that fome perfon was to die In the morning ; but who were to be the vidlms remained equally unknown. In the morning of the 13th of January, before break of day, a large body of troops marched to the fquare of Bellem, the place where they had ereded the fcaffold. It confifted only of plain boards, not even covered with black cloth, a thing very uncommon when nobles are to die. It was PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 63 was done to ffiew that they were degraded from their rank by the adion they had com mitted ; and for the fame reafon the fervants, &c. were put to death with their mafters. Not long after fun-rife all was in readinefs for the execution, of which I will now give you the beft defcrIptIor^in my power, from hearfay ; as I was not prefent, nor ever will at fcenes of this nature. My ears, how ever, were unwilling auditors of every mi nute circumftance, as the world feems to have pleafure in the recital of unfortunate events. The firft conduded upon the fcaf fold was the marchlonefs of Tavora, a lady who bore a great charader in Liffion for her good nature and gentility. She was behead ed, tho' not with an axe In our manner, but with a kind of long broad knife. She fat, or, I believe, was rather tied to a fort of ftool, from behind which the executioner, with one ftroke, feparated her head from her body. This was the principal of what could be ob ferved by the fpedators, the neareft of whom were 64 LETTERS FROM were kept off above an hundred yards from the fcaffold by the furrounding troops. Some people in ffiips might, indeed, be nearer, as one fide of the fquare of Bellem Is bounded by the Tagus. The knife glittered much, as the fun ftruck upon it, while the execu tioner was holding it behind the marchlonefs of Tavora. She was dead by eight o'clock — but we did not know who was to follow her. There was a report about this time that the guards, who patrojed the ftreets, permitted no perfon to approach the fquare of Bellera, but without foundation. No fooner was the marchlonefs executed, than they placed her Corpfe upon a fort of bench prepared upon the fcaffold. They threw a black cloth over it. Her eldeft fon at length fucceeded his unhappy mother In his death. His fate was more rigorous, as he was broken upon the wheel, or, to fpeak more properly, upon a fort of St. Andrew's Crofs. He was tied to thefe two pieces of wood, and laid flat upon the ground, after wliich the ejcecutloner, with PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 65 with a large Iron crow, formed at the end. In fome meafure, like a hamraer, ftruck him nine blows, two upon each arm and leg, and one upon the breaft, which was Iraagined to be given firft. But for the truth of this we muft give credit to the trial, and their fen tences, which were publiffied about three days afterwards ; as none of the fpedators were near enough to diftinguiffi upon what part of the body the blows firft fell, tho* moft agree that the duke of Aveiro was, un doubtedly, broken alive. In this manner perlffied the fecond, — that young lady's huf band with whom the king is reported to have had his intrigue. He is faid to have been very apprehenfive of dfeath, as likewife the duke of Aveiro, whom, indeed, I ought not yet to raention, as he was executed the laft but one. The third vidira who appeared upon the fcaffold, was the younger fon of the marchlonefs of Tavora, who, tho' but a laa of eighteen years old. Is faid to have behaved the beft of all. He knelt for fome moments F before ee LETTERS FROM before the corpfe of his mother, and was afterwards executed In the fame manner as his brother. Next came the father, who fuffered the fame puniffiiraent, tho' if we may believe the fentence, the coup de grace was^ given him the very laft ftroke. The.C»«de d' Atougula died next. His lady Is reported to have loft her fenfes, tho' the nuns of the convent where ffie Is confined, had ftrid or ders not to inform her of her unhappy huf- band's fate. But rumours only of what had happened, together with .the complaints of her children, might well be fufficient to turn her brain. All the ladies whofe huffiands or relations were concerned in this affair are now confined In convents with their farai lies. Each family have a particular monaf- try allotted them for a prifon, without any communication being permitted with the reft. After the execution of the Owwle d' Atou gula, Bras Jofeph Romeiro, Juan Miguel, and Emanuel Alvarez Ferrelra, all of low birth, were broken upon the fame kind of St. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 67 Bt. Andrew's Crofs, The ninth that fuffer ed was the duke of Aveiro, who was broken alive. The bodies of the criminals, as foon as they expired, were laid upon an equal number of wheels prepared on pupofe, Thefe mournful inftruments were nailed horizontally upon high polesj and covered with black cloth after their bodies were extended upon them, if I may ufe that expreffion, as one of the objeds which principally ftruck the beholders, was the contraded mafs in which they lay* Though the wheels were fmall, their mangled limbs did not reach be yond their circumference ; but the black cloth hung perpendicularly doWn in the circle which they formed* The moft terrible exe cution now approached, that of Antonio Alvarez Ferreira. He was fentenced to be burnt alive, together with Jofeph Policarpio de Azevedo, the two perfons who had wounded the king. Jofeph Policarpio, how ever, had found means to fly the kingdom, tho' in what manner is uncertain. Some fay F a that 68 LETTERS FROM that returning on horfeback to the duke of Aveirp's, the day thatnobleman was arrefted, — upon feeing his palace furrounded with guards, he galloped to the out-fkirts of the town, and there giving fome money to a beggar to exchange clothes, paffed in that manner through the Portuguefe troops pofted round Liffion. But in whatever manner he efcaped, he, undoubtedly, only fuffered exe cution in effigy, whilft his companion, An tonio Alvarez Ferreira, was bound in reality to the ftake. They girt him only with a chain about his middle. The faftening it to the ftake took up fome time, during which he feemed to behave with great refolution, as he did likewife while they were furrounding him with rofin, pitch, tar, and other combuftible jnaterlals. They laid the fame alfo round tbe other executed bodies, whicii were all by the fentence to be reduced to affies, and thrown into the fea. After thefe preparations, the mangled carcafes of the antecedent fufferers were uncovered, and the poor remaining cri minal PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 6^ mlnal had the whole raelancholy fcene dif played to his view. They then fet on fire In various parts the entire fcaffoldlng. It Is reported, however, that the pitch was fo badly laid about the unhappy fufferer, that It was long before the flaraes, interrupted by a contrary wind, reached hira ; and that he was fden for fome time to wreath about, and even his ffirieks were faid to have been heard by many. As foon as the pile, bodies and all, were confumed, tho' not fo^ perfedly as they ought to have been ; the affies were carried away In bafkets, and thrown into the Tagus, which, perhaps, at Bellem may almoft de ferve the name of an arm of the fea. After this they covered the place of execution with , fome new mould, and tho' I was upon the very fpot the next morning, I could hardly diftinguiffi any difference between that and the adjacent ground. Thus finiffied this fa tal day, long to be remembered In the annals of Portugal. F :? LET* 70 LETTERS FROM LETTER XIII. LISBON, F?B. 13, 1759- X WILL now give you a tranflation of what the court publiffied Immediately after the execution you have had fo terrible an ac count of in my foregoing paper, I ffiaU then tell you what we know concerning the je-? fuits, to all whofe convents Sebaftian Jofeph put a guard of foldiers at the fame time that he caufed the nobles to be arrefted. But what I am going to fend a tranflation of, will take up fome room, without I can contrive to abridge It, which I will endeavour to do, *' The council and difimbargador of our " fovereign lord the king, agree, &c. and " have, by force of law and decree of his '' majefty, after confulting all depofitions, " papers, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 71 " papers, allegations, articles, and defences *' condemned the following perfons ; viz. " Jofeph Mafcarenlas^, who was duke of " Aveiro ; Donna Leonoro de Tavora, who " was raarchlonefs of the fame title ; Fran- *' cIs de Affis de Tavora, who was marquis *' of the fame title ; Don Lewis Bernar- *' do de Tavora, his fon, who was likewife " marquis of the fame title ; Don Jerony- *' mo de Atalde, who was count of Atou- **.gula; Jofeph Maria de Tavora, aid de " camp to his father the late marquis ; Brafs " Jofeph Romeiro, lately corporal of the *' company which belonged to Lewis Ber- *' nardo de Tavora, the criminal ; Antonio " Alvarez Ferreira, Jofeph Policarpio de *' Azevedo, Emanuel Alvarez Ferreira, valet " de chambre to the criminal Jofeph Maf-r *' carenias, and John Miguel, footman to the ^' faid criminal, F 4 <' For It is proved, that as ffie had " gained a defpotlc afcendant over her huf- *' band, fons, daughters, and fon in law ; *• ffie got into the plot, and engaged in the " affaffination her huffiand, fons, fon in law, " brothers in law, and friends, ufing as an *' Inftrument fo to do, not orily the opinion *' ffie had attempted to fpread of Malagrlda's " fandity, but alfo certain letters Malagri- " da ufed to write to her, defiring her to " induce all her relations to come to Setuval " to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 79 ** to make their fpiritual exerclfes under hi3 " diredlon. *' Sthly, The firft that was drawn Into " this horrid plot was Francifco de Affis de '* Tavora, late marquis of the fame name^ *' deluded by thefo chiefs of the confpiracy, " his wife, the late duke of Aveiro, and *' the jefuits. He mixed In all their confer- " ences in , the before mentioned places, and *' gave twelve .moidores to the late duke, as " his quota of the reward to the affaffins, " In particular, it is proved that he was In *' one of the parties pofted In the fields to " kill the king ; that after the affaffination *' he was feeen in the field behind the late " duke's .garden, talking with the other ac- *' complices of the aflaffination, and was " prefent next morning at the meeting in the " faid garden, where fome found fault with *' the aflaffins for not doing their work ef- *' fedually, and the late raarquis and others *' boafted, that the,klng fliould not have ef- " caped 8o LETTERS FROM " caped thera, had he paffed by the *' place where they were pofted, *' pthly. The fecond drawn into this con- *' fpiracy, by the farae perfons and the fame " means, was the late raarquis Louis Ber- *' nardo de Tavora. Againft hira it is proved, " that he was prefent at all the aforefald " conferences, and offered arras and horfes to '* execute the affaffination, two days before " which he fent two horfes fecretly, with all *' their furniture, to the late duke's ftables. " Moreover, upon the fatal day, Septeraber " the third in the evening, he Was ffiut up " In private conference with his father and " brother Jofeph Maria de Tavora, contrary " to his cuftora, after which he was In one " of the parties pofted to kill the king ; and " next morning at the before mentioned " meeting of the confplrators at the late " duke's houfe. lothly, The PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 8i " lOthly, The third drawn into the plot *' by the fame means and fame perfons, was " the late count of Atougula, fon in law to *' the late marquis and marchlonefs of Tavo- " ra. It is proved, that he, with his wife, " were prefent every night at the before *' mentioned conferences, and that he gave " eight moidores to the affaffins, as his quota *' of their reward ; that he was In one of the " parties pofted to kill the king, and that ** he and his wife were prefent the next " morning at the late duke of Avelro's. " I ithly. The fourth drawn into the plot, " by the fame means and farae perfons, was " Jofeph Maria de Tavora, aid de camp to " his father, the late marquis of Tavora. It " is proved againft this unhappy youth, that *' he was in one of the parties pofted to kill *' the king ; and that after the horrid at- " tempt was made he affifted at the council " of the accoraplices holden upon the fpot, " on the north fide of the late duke of Avel- G *' ro's 82 LETTERS FROM *' ro's garden, near the pallifades which you •* muft pafs to enter his houfe. He .was " raoreover at the meeting next morning, " and upon their talking of the miraculous " manner in which the king's life was pre- " ferved ; he pronounced the following bar- " barous and facrileglous words : " For my " part, he ffiould not have efcaped me." " i2thly, The fifth perfon concerned " was Bras Jofeph Romeiro, by whofe con- " feffion it appears, that he had lived with " the late marquis of Tavora from the year *' 1749, had accompanied him when he " went viceroy to the Indies, and after his " return had ferved the young marquis, his *' eldeft fon, being a corporal in his compa- " ny, clerk of his kitchen, and a great fa vourite. It apper.rs moreover, byhiscon- feflion, that the late young marquis had " told him what had pafled in their meet ing, the evening before the affaffination ; " that both the late marqulfles, father and " fon, <( PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 83 ^' fon, ordered him to lead the horfes they " had prepared, to the place where their " moft execrable crime was to be perpetrated. " That he was to adjuft the different parties, *' and that he placed himfelf in one of them " together with the late marquis of Tavora, " the father ; and that he was in the extem- ** porary council holden to the north fide of ** the late duke's garden. O' " i3thly, The fixth and feventh drawn " into this confpiracy, by Jofeph Mafcare- ^' nias (heretofore duke of Aveiro) were An- " tonio Alvarez Ferrelra, who was formerly " valet de charabre to the faid Jofeph Maf- " carenias, and Jofeph Policarpio de Azeve- " do, brother in law to Antonio Alvarez "' Ferreira. It Is fully proved, that Jofeph " Mafcarenias fent his prefent valet de •' chambre, Emanuel Alvarez Ferrelra, to «' call Antonio Alvarez Ferrelra his bro- " ther ; to which lattet he opened the affair '* in a hut behind his houfe at Bellem, with *' great charges of fecrecy, ordering lilm to 84 LETTERS FROM " way-lay the king's chalfe, and fire at it " jointly with him. But Jofeph Mafcare- " nIas and Antonio Alvarez Ferreira after- " wards agreed, that he, the faid Antonio, ** ffiould fpeak to his brother In law Jofeph *' Policarpio to be their accomphce. In ef- " fed he fpoke to this faid Jofeph Policarpio, " and both of them fettled and concerted af- " fairs with Jofeph Mafcarenias, with whom " they frequently went both on foot and " horfeback. In orderthat he might ffiewthem " and make them know the king's chalfe. He " alfo ordered them to buy two unknown " horfes, which Antonio Alvarez Ferreira " bought, one of Lewis de Horta, who lives in " the Patio do Socorro, for fohr moidores; the " other of a gipfey, called Emanuel Soares, ** who lives in Meravilla, for four moidores " and a half. The faid Jofeph Mafcarenias " alfo ordered them to buy unknown arms, " but Antonio Alvarez Ferreira did not buy " them, for he and his brother in law raade ** ufe of a blunderbufs of his own, and ano- , '* ther PORTUGA'L, SPAIN, &c. 85 " ther that he borrowed, and two piftols " which he borrowed, under pretence of ** trying them, of a foreigner, that lives in *' the houfe of the count of Unhaon,' and " foon after the attempt reftored them. '* Thefe were the arms with which Antonio *' Alvarez Ferreira and Jofeph Policarpio *' fired at the king's chalfe. The reward " which thefe two affaffins received for their *' bloody work, from Jofeph Mafcarenias, *^ was forty raoldores, fixteen at one time, > *• four at another, and twenty at another. *' Immediately after having fired at the *' king's chaife, they ran over the fields till *' they got to the paved road without the ^' Quinta de Meyo, which road they foon " left, to turn up the lane of the Guarda- *' mor da Saude, and fb retired to Liffion. ^' Two days after Antonio Aly^rez Ferrelra ** went to the late duke's houfe, who had " fent for hira, and who told him peevlffily, *• that his fire was good for nothing, add- *^ Ing, moreover, with his finger laid upon G 2 " hi§ 86 LETTERS FROM " his mouth, and much at his eafe, " that' " the devil himfelf could not know what " they had done, if he did not difcover it ;" " and he told him not to fell the horfes ira-' " mediately, to avoid fufpicion. So that *' Antonio Alvarez Ferrelra, and Jofeph Po- " licarpio, his brother in law, were, un- " doubtedly, thofe horrid monfters that dif- ** charged the pieces, which wounded the *' facred perfon pf his majefty. *« Hthly, It is proved, that the eighth " perfon drawn into this confpiracy by Jo- *' feph Mafcarenias, was Emanuel Alvarez '• Ferreira, who often went to tell his bro- " ther Antonio Alvarez Ferreira, the affaf-^ " fin, to come to the faid Jofeph Mafcare- ** nias. This perfon got the cloak and wig " in which Jofeph Mafcarenias was difguif- *' ed the nlHit of the affaffination. More- •* o\er he concealed the certain knowledge " he had from his brother of the confpi- '' racy three or four days after the fad *' was PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 87 ** was committed, till he was apprehended. " It was he too that In the Quinta* de Azei- " taon drew his fword againft the magiftrate " Lewis Antonio de Leiro, as he was " with no lefs honor than refolution at- " terapting to ftop the flight of Jofeph Maf- *' carenias. " 1 5th, It Is proved, that the ninth af- *' foclate, led Into this plot by the before .'** mentioned chiefs, was John Miguel, foot- " man and confident of Jofeph Mafcarenias. " Jt was known, that one of the name of " John was with Jofeph Mafcarenias at the " time of the aflaffination ; and it appears, *' by his his mafter's own declaration, that " It was John Miguel, who was with him ^' under the arch when he the faid Jofeph ?' Mafcarenias took aim againft the king's " poftilion, and drew the trigger, but hi§ ^« piece miffed fire. * Quinta is a villa, or country houfe, G 4 " idthly^i 83 LETTERS FROM ** i6thly, It is proved, that the three fore- " mentioned chiefs of this confpiracy execut- " ed the fame by the affiftance of all thefe " confederates In the following manner." LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &e. a? L E; T T E R XIV. iisBON, Feb. i6, 1759, ** 1 7thly, X T is proved, that after the " two chiefs of this horrid confpiracy, " Jofeph Mafcarenias and Leonora de Ta- *' vora, had raifed the never enough to be V detefted colledion, to the raaking up of ** which 'the above raentioned accomplices ** contributed, fo that In all they raifed the " trifling fum of 1 93 ralllrees" (30 pieces of 36 ffiillings, or 40 moidores), " which was " given as their reward to the two barbarous • ' affaffins, Antonio Alvarez Ferrelra and Jo- ** feph Policarpio ; and after that Louis Ber- ** nardo de Tavora had fent his two horfes *• with their furniture tp the ftables of Jo-; " feph Mafcarenias the farae night of the " affaffination, tq whictf fame ftables Fran- f eis so LETTERS FROM *' cIs de Affis de Tavora likewife fent three ** other horfes, which were left there by " his poftilion and Bras Jofeph Romeiro ** the corporal ; and after that the before " mentioned Jofeph Mafcarenias, the fame " night of the affaffination, had likewife " prepared, and fent into the fields lying *' behind the wood-buUt houfe of Antonio " Jofeph de Matps bis fecretary, the other " horfes neceffary, which were taken from *' his own ftables, and called Serra an4 *' Guardamor, with two other unmarked *' horfes" (the horfes of blood in thefe coun tries are always marked upon one haunch) " palled Palhavan and Coimbra, , -vhich with " the horfe? bought by the two affafiins, " Antonio Alvarez Ferrelra and Jofeph Po- " licarpio, made up the number of eleven ; ** after all thefe things the eleven copartners " of this horrid impiety went and mount- *' ed them, placing themfelves in differ- " ent ambulcades along that little fpace of " gl'ound which lies between the north end " of PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 91 '* of the Quinta de Meyo, and the fouth ** end of the Quinta de CIm, by which the *¦ king ufually returns home when he has *' been out in private, ** I Sthly, It Is proved, that juft as the ** king had turned the corner of the north *' wall of the Quinta de Meyo, as foon as *^ ever he was come from under the arch *' which ftood In that place," (It Is now pul led down as having given ffielter to fo atro cious a deed) *^ the faid chief of the confpl-:' *' racy Jofeph Mafcarenias, who was In com- ^' pany with his fervant and confident John *' Miguel, and another of the criminals, ad- f -vanced a little forwards, and ffiot offhispif- *' tol or blunderbufs, taking aim at Cuftodio ¦ ' da Cofta the poftilion, who was driving his " majefty, but his piece mifled fire. The *' poftilion hearing the noife of the trigger's " g<^i"g down, and feeing the fparks fly from *' the flint, without faying any thing to the " king, galloped on with his mules as faft *« as 92 LETTERS FROM " as ever he could in order to avoid a fecond " fire, as he faw the forraer atterapt was ** aimed at his life. Now Jofeph Mafcare-f " nlas's piece miffing fire was the firft mira- " cle which divine Orqnipotence operated in " favor of thefe realms ; for had the pofti- *' lion been killed, the life of his moft " facred majefty would have been in the *' power of thofe hpxrid raonfters then in " arms, and in ambiifcades fo clofely fet " againft his auguft perfon and moft pre- " cious life. '' ipthly, It Is proved, that upon account ¦' of the poftilion's -going fo very faft, the ^* two barbarous affaffins, Antonio Alvarez " Ferreira and Jofeph Policarpio, who were *' ftanding a little way below Jofeph Maf- " carenias, at the end of the new wall, " could not take fb good aim as they wiffied " at the chaife, and were obliged to follow " it on full gallop, in order to fire off tlieir ^< pieces PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 93 ** pieces as well as they could againft the ** back of it. It was by thefe twd never ** enough to be detefted parricides that the ** auguft perfon of his majefty was wounded " quite from his ffioulder down his arm to ** the elbow, both on the infide and out, *' befides a great deal of fleffi being carried ** away ; nay, his breaft was even torn, and *' a nuraber of ffiot' were afterwards ex- '* traded from It. For, to ffiew the cruelty ** of thefe affaffins, inftead of charging " their pieces with balls, they filled them " with very large ffiot, to render their fa- ** vage and never fufficiently to be abhorred *' defign more certain. This was the fecond ' * miracle which divine Omnipotence operated ** In that fatal night, to the common benefit " and advantage of thefe kingdoms. For *• In the common courfe of things It Is not to ** be conceived how two fuch charges ffiould *' pafs through a fmall chaife without de- " ftroying the perfons who were in it, " 20th, H LETTERS FROM J, &c. 105 *' into her alUance with the duke of Aveiro, *' hoping by his raeans, after the death of " the king, to be able to enjoy that title ffie " fo much defired, and which ffie fo much *' envied him. And It is manifeft to every *' perfon, that all this pride, haughtinefs and " ambition with which ffie behaved, before " the horrid adion of the third of Septera- *' ber, fell into tfiat langQur and confufion *' which attends a guilty confcience when *' the crime is difcovered. *' 29tli, All the above mentioned proofs *' having been thoroughly exarained, his ?' majefty In conjundlon with his council, ^' to whom he has for that end given a *' larger jurifdidion and authority, in order " that they raay be able to inflid puniffi-. *' raents In forae raeafure adequate to the *' execrable and fcandalous crimes of the ^' before raentioned infamous and facrilcr. '* gious criminals, decree — , Then io6 LETTERS FROM Then follows the fentence, which I will give you in my next pajl^r, and if I can ffiorten it a little I will, tho' I am defirous you ffiould fee the whole form and cereraony of our proceedings it\ this country. I wiU make no reraarks upon the prefuraptions of law alledged towards the latter end of this paper, as you will be better able to do \\ than myfelf. L^T, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 107 LETTE H XV. LISBON, FEB. 2Q, 1759, „Wi E fentence the criminal Jofeph Maft *' carenias, late duke of Aveiro, who has *' been already outlawed, and deprived of all *• the honors of a Portuguefe and vaffal to f his raajefty, degraded from the order of *' St, Jago, and delivered oyer to the court *' and the arm of fecular juftice here admi* ** niftered, as one of the three chiefs or *' principal authors of this infamous con- ^' fpiracy, as well as of the horrl^ affault *' which was the effed of it ; we, therefore, ^? fentence hira to be conduded publicly *' with a halter about his neck to the fquare ** of the key or raole of Belleni, and there, *' upon a high fcaffold for that purpofe to be " ereded. In order that his puniffiraent raay *' be in view of the whole people, fo much <* pffende^ io8 LETTERS FROM " offended by the fcandal of his raoft inju- " rious criraes, ffiall he be racked alive, by *' breaking the bones of his legs and arms *' both great and fmall, to the number of *' eight ; after which he ffiall be expofed *' upon a wheel for the fatisfadion of the *' prefent and future fubjeds of thefe kliig- ** doms, which being done the aforefaid cri- ** mlnal ffiall be burnt alive, together with *' the fcaffold upon which he was executed, '* till the whole ffiall by fire be reduced to *' duft and affies, which ffiall be thrown into " the fea, in order that of him and his " memory no traces may be left. More- *' over all his eftates real and perfonal are " confifcated, his coat of arras Is to be " beaten down or erafed wherever It is *' found, his name to be cancelled where-? *' ever It Is written, all his houfes and other *' edifices to be demoliflied and razed to the " ground, fo as not to have the leaft mark *' of them left, but the places are to be re- *' duced" PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 109 *' duced into fields, and fait fcattered upon " the fpot where they ftood. ** We fentence the criminal Francis de " Affis de Tavora, late marquis of the fame ** title, chief alfo of the confpiracy, into ** which he was drawn by the perfuafions ** of his wife, to the like puniffiment with *' Jofeph Mafcarenias, having been pre- ** vioufly in the farae manner outlawed and ** deprived of the honors of a Portviguefe. ** We too, having refleded, with the ferl- *' oufnefs and circumfpedlon neceffai'y In ** affairs of this nature, that the faid crimi- ** nal and his wife were not only perfonal' " adors in this horrible confpiracy, treafon ** and parricide, but by their artifices made " the enormous crime common to the reft '* of their family, arriving therein at their ^ *' aim, and perverting the greateft part of *' their faid family to their Wicked In- " tentions ; and boafting with idle, and, ** overbearing vanity, that their union alone " would «( no LETTERS FRO^I would be fufficient to effed their diabolical " machinations, decree, that no perfdn> of '* whatever ftate or condition* ffiall after ** the pubHcation of this fentence dare to ufe " the firname of Tavora, under pain of all " his goods being confifcated, and himfelf *• outlawed and baniffied from the king- *' doms and dorainions of Portugal, thereby ** lofing all the privileges that noW belong *' to him as a native thereof. *' As for the two favage monfters Antonld *' Alvarez Ferreira and Jofeph Policarpio de ** Azevedo, who difcharged thofe pieces frora " which the fupreme majefty of the king *' received his wounds, we fentence them ** to be conduded with halters about theif ** necks to the aforefaid fquare of Bellem, ** where, after being chained to two high ** poles ereded for that purpofe, they are to *"* be furrounded with fire, which is to con- *' furae them alive, till their bodies ffiall be *' reduced to duft and affies, to be fehroWn " Into PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. iii " Into the fea as before expreffed. More* " over their goods are confifcated, and the *' houfes In which they dwelt are to be de- *' moliffied and deftroyed, fuppofing, how- ** ever, they are their own property, in ** which cafe fait is hkewife to be fcattered ** upon the place where they ftood. An^d *' as the crirainal Jofeph Policarpio is not ** to be found, we here profcribe hira and *' declare him outlawed, and order all the ** magiftrates In the kingdom. In their refpec- ** tive towns to fummon the inhabitants ** together, in order to find him out and ap- " prebend hira, or in cafe of their not being ** able to take him alive, to kill him, fup- " pofing, however, that, the perfon who kills ** him be not bis eneray. And the perfon *' or perfons who ffiall bring the faid Jo- ** feph Policarpio alive to Pedro Gonfalvez ** Cordeiro Pereira, jufticiary of high trea- *' fon within this realm, ffiall receive at •' "fight the reward of ten thoufand new *' crowns;" (a new crown is fomething above 112 LETTERS FROM above half a crown Engliffi) '• fuppofing *' hira to be taken In the dorainions of this ** kingdora ; or of twenty thoufand crowns if *' taken in any foreign country, befides be- *' ing repaid the expences they raay have " incurred in bringing hira to the aforefaid " fenator Pedro Gonfalvez Cordeiro Pereira. ** We fentence raoreover the following " criminals, Louis Bernardo de Tavora, Don "^ Jeronymo de Atalde, late count of Atou- ** gula, Jofeph Maria de Tavora,- Bras Jo- *' feph Romeiro, John Miguel, and Ema- " iiuel Alvarez Ferreira, to be conduded *' with halters about their necks to the fcaf- *' fold to be ereded for thefe executions^ " where they ffiall be ftrangled firft, after " which the great and fmall bones of their " arms and legs ffiall be broken, and laid " upon wheels, and their bodies reduced by " fire Into affies, which ffiall be thrown In. " to the fea as above mentioned. More- *' over all their eftates real and perfonal, and *• other PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 113 ** other goods are confifcated, and perpetual •' infaray is Intalled upon their children and *•' pofterity. The houfes where they dwel- '* led, fuppofing them to be their own pro- *' perty, are to be demoliffied and rafed to " the ground, and fait fcattered upon the *• fpot where they ftood. Moreover the ** coats of arms that any of thefe criminals *' have borne to this time, are to be beaten ?* down to the ground and erafed, *' Laftly, we fentence the criminal Leo- *' nora de Tavora, wife of the criminal *' Francis de Affis de Tavora, excufing her *' upon juft confiderations from the fevere " puniffiments her crimes deferve, to be ** Qonduded with a halter about her *^ neck to the before mentioned fcaffold, *' where her head ffiall be fevered from her *' body, both which ffiall afterwards be re» *' duced by fire to affies, to be thrown llke- " wife into the fea. Moreover all her eftates " real and perfonal are confifcated, and all I " the. 114 LETTERS FROM ^' the other puniffiments are to take place *' in her denounced againft the criminal Jo^ " feph Mafcarenias, and Francis de Affis de *' Tavora, \n order to blot out entirely the " memory of there having been fuch perfons *' upon the face of the earth. " At the palace of our lady of help, in the " meeting pf the 12th of January 1759, " figned with tl^e feals of the three fecreta- " ries of ftate who prefided at it, with the " names of tl^e following judges under" *' written : Cordeiro Pacheco,Bacalhaon,Lima, Souto, Oliyeira, Machado, Then comes the royal leal, which con-s cl\^des the whole, Moft » were prefent." .PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 115 Moft of the . goods and furniture of the unfortunate noblemen who were executed have been felling by audion, and the Eng liffi fay In a bad manner, nay that even everything moft trifling, as dirty caps and fuch things, were included In the fale. Some other nobles are to be baniffied, and the reft that are In prifon to be releafed. The king has granted for life to his fecretary of ftate Sebaftian Jofeph de Carvalho forty body guards, who ride after his chaife with their fwords drawn, &c. An officer with a drum mer attending him and beating at their head render him a very pornpous figure. The reafon affigned for this is left any of the fa mily of the poor nobles ffiould chufe to re^ • venge their death upon him, whom every perfon efteems the author of It. However, I fancy a little ambition is at the bottom, aS to defend himfelf from a ftilletto four guards would do as well as four hundred. The ladies that were wives or other relations to the nobles are ftill in monafteries, from I 2 whence 11^ LETTERS FROM whence I ffiould think they would not chufe to come out even if they could. The young marchlonefs of Tavora is likewife in a con vent, ffie who is fuppofed to be the real fpring of all this rayftery ; and you fee in what the court has publiffied, tho' they tell you exadly where the king was going, yet they fay nothing of whence he came at that time of night without any guards or even a fervant to attend him, and only an un-- known perfon in the chaife. Indeed, with-? out fomething of that fort, the whole ftory would be Incoherent, for that the Tavora family ffiould be fo ftirred up againft the king, becaufe his minifter would not make them dukes, feems a thing difficult to be believed. What appears to me moft parti cular is, that tho' the king was known to frequent the young marchlonefs for above three years before, yet this flame of Portu guefe revenge fliould break out folate. This can only be attributed to the jefuits, who with ^11 their art blew up this terrible com- l}uflioQj, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 117 buftion, in revenge for v^hat had juftly been done to thera, for theirincroachraents In South America. What is become of the heads of them nobody knows. We have expeded every day to fee a new execution, and Mala grida with fome of the other principals of that order at the head of it. But nothing has yet appeared. We know that guards are fet at all their convents, that when any of them is to fay mafs, two foldiers ftand on each fide of the altar. We know that a great many are In prifon, but this is all we kilow for certain, the reft Is only conjedure. If I can get any thing tolerably authentic about them for my next paper I will fend it you. One of the prmcipal of them Is faid to have died a natural death Ih prifon a fevr days ago, but whether his end was fo or no I cannot tell, however I have heard that he was in a lingering way before. Among the Commoh people there is a rUmour, that a good raany of thera have been put to death fecretly . I 3 LET- 118 LETTERS FROM LETTER X:VI. LISBON, FEB. 24, I759. X A M glad that my letters concerning our confpiracy meet fo much with your appro bation. You will by this time have received fome more, and I have, perhaps, one or two ftill remaining, but I muft wait a little, to get more authentic Intelligence. What I have written was frora the trueft informa tions I could poffibly obtain. The court attempts to throw a veil over all its adions, and you only find againft whom its anger is turned, as the bolts fall. Thefe myfterious proceedings render the Portuguefe very ffiy of fpeaking about public affairs ; and, indeed, the Engliffi fadory has but little connedlon with them. This wiU hinder PORtUGAL, SPAlN, &c. 1I9 hinder me from being able to know fo much of their raanners as I could wiffi ; for, I confefs, I ffiould be pleafed to kriow the defcendants of thofe heroes, whofe arms made the Moors tremblingly relingulffi their pofleffions in Africa j and whofe fleets Urg ing on through unknown feas to fartheft India ereded an empire which might ftill have flouriffied. If their falling under the yoke of Philip the fecond had not funk that national fpirit, which feems never to have been thoroughly roufed again. When, in deed, they broke their chains and fet the houfe of Braganza upon the throne In the reign of Philip the fourth Pf Spain, they maintained a iPng war againft the irritated Spaniard, but after treaties had eftabliffied their independence, they funk again iritp In- adivity. This feems ftill to hang upon thera, and will probably do fo, till fome new exertion calls them forth to adion, which feeras difficult, however, to happen in our times, as their trade will always find them I 4 pro- lao LETTERS FROM protedors who will fight for them. The race of thofe who fought for therafelves, feems in part to have perlffied with the Alonfos and Sebaftians. The fame rumour prevails here as with you in London, of -the death of the king of Spain ; and that they conceal it In order to give the king of Naples more time to regu late his affairs. The other day there was a Ijitle difpute between captain Legge and one of the Difimbargadors. Captain Legge coraraands the Trident, a ffiip belonging to Adrairal Holmes's divifion of Saunders's fqua dron, and which, by the bad weather, was driven into this port dlfraafted. He had three Portuguefe fubjeds on board. One of them one night wanted to defert, and accordingly, had got down into the Tagus to fvvira on ffiore, but being obferved, was retaken, and by captain Legge's orders put into irons for four and twenty hours. In the mean time his two countrymen contrived to fend a note t0 PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 121 to Liffion of there being three Portuguefe fubjeds on board, who they faid had been very III treated, and that the captain would not difmlfs them, tho' they had begged him repeated tiraes to do It. The Dlfirabargador or raaglftrate of juftice, to whom this cora plaint was made, ordered his officers to arreft captain Legge as foon as he came on ffiore, ftyling hira in his warrant captain of a' privateer, whether thro' ignorance or cunning, not to have been faid to have put under arreft an officer In his Britannic ma- jefty"'s fervice, I know not. However, cer tain it was, that the order was given ; but the officer that was commiffioned to put it in execution, acquainted a friend of captain Legge's of the whole affair, who informed hira of It. He Imraediately wrote a letter to pur conful, coraplaining of the infult that had been offered to the Britiffi flag-. The affair, however, has been fet to right's, and the Difimbargador reprimanded. As for the 122 LETTERS ii-ROM the thfee Portuguefe, I do not know whe ther they have been yet delivered or not, but I believe they willj as I think Carvalho has iffiied thofe orders. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 123 , LETTER XVII. LISBON, FEB. 25, 1 759, X proralfed you fome further account of the affair of the confpiracy In thefe countries, hut as a deep cloud feems ftill to overwhelm what concerns the jefuits, which is all that remains, 1 will wait another week in hopes of Its diffipatlng. With regard to the no bles, I think there Is nothing more to add. Some Indeed, they fay, have been relegated to St, Thorae, or other diftant parts of the Portuguefe dorainions, and the reraainder are ftill in prifon. To turn your eyes, therefore, frorn .this melancholy fubjed, and give you the former glories, as Ihave fent you the prefent misfortunes of Portugal, I will fpeak of what it 124 LETTERS FROM it was heretofore; This I will do in confe-^ quence of your defiring rae to give you fome hiftorical account of the countries I paffed thro'. Tho' I confider your defire as calcu lated more for my inftrudion than for your own Inforraatlon, I ffiall obey your com mands. Portugal Is riearly the antient Lufitariia of the Romans, and after the fall of this pow erful nation funk, like the reft of its depen dencies, under the hands of thofe barbarous emigrants, who overthrew what the idle fancy •of the Latin authors had deemed eternal. To the Vifigoths, or weftern Goths, who occupied Spain, fucceeded the Saracens, who had embraced a religion which was to be pro pagated by conqueft, and who coming diredly from Barbary, were at length confounded with the Inhabitants of that countrv and cal- led Moors. Long did afew oppreffed, be lievers groan under this yoke, till at length count Alonfo Enriquez, by his vidories over the PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 125 the difciples of Mahomet, formed a little territory, which he ruled with the title of king given hira by pope Eugenlus III. His fucceffors increafed the territories, and efta bliffied the kingdora of Portugal, whofe hiftory, however, yielded nothing very re markable for a long time, except wars againft. the Moors and their neighbours, till at length its maritime fituation and the intrepidity of the inhabitants began to explore what hi" thefto had lain hid beyond the depths of the ocean, Henry, brother to king John, encou raged thefe refearches, and by his aftrono- mlcajl knowledge and pecuniary largeffes bad already opened to his countryraen a large part of the coaft of Africa, The farae fpirit feized at length the throne, and John the fecond fent large expeditions to the aftonlffi-r ed negroes, who partly fubmitted to his arms, and partly embraced bis religion. Still farther atchievements were performed by his fucceffor Emanuel, whofe triumphant colours paffed the cape of Good Hope under Vf^fe© 126 LETTERS FROM Vafo de Gama, and a great part of the Eaft became fubjed to Portugal. Valor and reli gion went hand in hand, and foldiers and raiffionaries ffiewed equal fanaticifm in their different purfuits. In Abyffiiiia, to their wonder, they found a kingdom already chriftian, which they converted, with their king David, to the Roman catholic perfua-^ fion, but by becomlrig too aflbmlng, were at laft again driven with their tenets out of it. 'This expulfion was not compleated till the fucceeding reigns, and Portugal In other re- fpeds continued flouriffiing till the young Sebaftian loft his life and crown in Africa, in the fatal battle againft Muley Moluch, whofe bravery that day, fo fatal to the arms of Portugal, has been fufficiently recorded in hiftory, and particularly in the Spedator. Sebaftian likewife ffiewed himlelf the hero in that engagement, and was found covered with wounds amongft heaps of the flain, tho' impoftors afterwards pretended to be him who had efcaped. His crown went to the PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 127 the cardinl Henry, who was his great uncle. This prelate was no lefs than fixty-feven years old when he fucceeded to the throne of Portugal, and his ffiort reign of not a year and a half was more taken up with difputes about who was to be his fucceffor than any thing elfe, Philip the fecond, then king of Spain, who was one of the candidates, foon defeated the only one of the others who ap peared in arras againft hira, which was Don Antonio, a baftard fon of the late king's brother, Portugal had no fooner fubmitted to the arms of Spain than all her enthufiafrq, for glory fell with her independency, and difencouraged, defpifed and oppreffed by her haughty neighbour, ffie feemed to drag on a languiffiing exiftence, till the duke of Bra ganza, under Philip the fourth of Spain, re- •affumed the throne of his anceftors by a po* pular infurredlon, and it has ever fince been preferved In that family, But the fpitlt of the Portuguefe feems never to have been tho- ipughly roufed from the letharg;y under which 128 LETTERS FROM which it funk during thofe years it was a defpifed province of Spain. They joined with us, however, againft the fucceffion of Philip the fifth, in favor of the houfe of Auftria, but they and their allies were routed at Almanza, fince which time they have performed no adlve part In Europe. You will be content, I believe, with this fketch, and, indeed, you may, perhaps, not be forry that I have not been more particular, We fee here all your green houfe plants growing wild in the hedges. Thefe are principally made of aloes, which, indeed, feem more calculated for conftruding a fence than for beauty. They fay, indeed in \ England, they are very fine when in flower, but, I believe, only on account of the rarity ; as here, where you will foon fee a hundred of them branching out in every lane, no perfon thinks about the matter. The ladies of England have more reafon on their fide with regard to orange trees, a^ ther^ PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 129 there Is fomething naturally pretty in them, and perhaps more fo when they grow In pots than when they are able to attain their full growth, as they aCq\iIre a deeper colour, and do not look fo II veiy t As for myrtle it here grows wild in the woods, as negleded a plant as dny there. I ffiall fet out for Seville the beginning of jtiext month, but may ftay fome days at Beja in my way thither* K L E T- i^o LETTERS FROM LETTER XVIII. LISBON, MARCH 4, 1759' X HE cloud hanging over the affair of the jefuits is not yet diffipated. I will, therefore, ftay another week to fee whether it w^Ill difperfe or no, arid In the raean time will fend you fome account of Camoens the famous Portuguefe epic poet, fo little known and fo much cried up in England, that I have heard .him ftyled the beft author in the whole world. Lewis de Camoens was faid to be born at Liffion, but his birth place feems very uncertain. He lived a very un fortunate life, as he was" firft upon account of fome Intrigues baniffied from Liffion, and went to the Portuguefe Eaft Indies, where he afterwards met with a great many dlfaf- fers, and was by foiiie of the Portuguefe governors PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 131 ^¦pvernors-baniffied a fecond time from their pofleffions in thofe countries. "Upon this he* went to China, and. having after fome years obtained leave to return- to Liffion, he foi- . lowed the Portuguefe arms into Africa, where he behaved fo valiantly, that upon hjs return he was received very cordially by the famous Sebaftian then king of Portugal, to whom he dedicated his poem, the greateft part of which he had compofed during the time of his diftrefs, and had preferved when he was eaft away upon the coaft of Camboya on his returning to Portugal, by fwlraming on ffiore with It In his teeth. This was all he laved of what he then poflefled in the world. Sebaftian gave him a penfion for life, upon which he was fubfifting very com fortably, when that unfortunate prince loft his life in Africa. Upon the king's periffi ing Caraoens loft likewife his penfion, and his fucceffor cardinal Henry dying, all Portu gal becarae a fcene of confufion. During this 'melancholy interval the voice of poor K 2 Camoens 132 LETTERS FROM Camoens remained unheard, and he fell into the moft extreme poverty. The infir mities attending his advanced age, and the agitation of his fpirits, foon brought him to the grave, and he Is even faid to have died in an hofpital. Shortly before he expired he beheld his country fall under the yoke of Spain. Upon this occafion Camoens In a laft letter to his friend, a little before his death, ufes thefe words. *' I now draw near the *' end of my carreer, and I hope the world '* will have been convinced by my adions of *' my fincere affedion for ray country. I reckon *' myfelf happy too, in not only being able *' to die in her bofom, but alfo in not fur- *' viving her death." He was buried poorly irj St. Anne's church, and the following firaple Infcriptlon was afterwards put upon his grave. •' Here lies Lewis de Camoens, the prince " of poets In his time, poor and unhappy ** was PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 133 ** was his life, poor and unhappy was his ** death, ** In the year 1759." Having faid fo much to you about the man, I ffiall now fpeak fomething about his poem, which he entitles the Lufiade, upon account of the Latin narae of Portugal, (Ltifitania) faid to be derived frora one Lufus nn ancient hero who carae here. The fubjed of this work Is the difcovery of the Eaft Indies, thp' he makes very great digreffions from it, The Portuguefe were the firft who, after doubling the C^pe of Good Hope, went on towards India. He very nobly reprefents that famous pjromon-. tory under the figure of a giant, threatening thofe hardy mortals who dared to pafs his. boundaries. The hero of the poera is the llrft explorer of thefe unknown feas, Vafco de Gama. The firft canto opens, in the old K 3. %le,^ 1.34 LETTERS FROM ftyle, when Vafco' was got about half way to India,, Vviiich caufes an old faffiioned quarrel of heathen gods, whether the Por tuguefe ffiall accompliffi their defigns or not. Bacchus is their enemy from jealoufy of their going to the Indies, which he is re ported formerly to have conquered, left their vidories ffiould obfcure his. Venus favors them upon account of their great gallantry. In the mean time Vafco meets with all proper difficulties of winds and weather, and rocks and favages, however, at laft Jupiter fends Mer^ " cury and Fame to difpofe the inhabitants of Melinda on the eaftern coaft of Africa to be favorable to the adventurers, who land there, and are perfedly well received by the king of that country. As the negro monarch is defirous of being informed of the affairs of Europe, a very long epifode is made to ex plain them, in which Vafco naturally in cludes thole of Portugal, and gives a hiftory of her kings, interfperfed with very pretty paflages. This long epifode cpn^ eludes PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 135 eludes with an account of the voyage of the whole fleet from Portugal, after which the king of Melinda thanks his Informer, and they are extremely good friends, till at length Vafco fets forward again In fearch of the rifing fun, for fo our poet generally ex preffes himfelf when he fpeaks of the Eaft Indies. Bacchus gets Neptune to raife ftorms, and plays the deuce with him, but at laft they obtain a fight of the long- fought ffiores. You may imagine Venus is not Idle Iri affifting thera ; but notwithftanding her endeavours, when they land upon the coaft of Malabar they cannot agree upon a fettled poramerce with the natives, who by the In- ftigatlon of Bacchus ufe them very 111, to fuch a degree that they are forced to return without obtaining any other advantage than the being able to give an account of their having difcovered the place defired. In their return Venus throws them, upon a delightful ifland, where ffie gets all her friends among the fea nymphs to meet them, and Thetis K 4 at ij6 LETTERS FROM at their head, who becomes CIciffiea (to ufe an Italian Word) to Vafco de Gama, They all are as happy as poffible in the company of their marine divinities, and Thetis carries the officers of the fleet up to the top of a high mountain, where there is a vaft globe reprefenting the univerfe. They here fee all the planetary motions, and all the kingdoms of the earth, and Thetis tells them every thing 'that Is to happen, and in particular with regard to the kingdom of Portugal, After this fupernatural entertainment our heroes quit the Ifland and retum hom?, but not without fome difficulties. They are re-^ ceived upon their retun; with the greateft applaufe. This is the principal thread of the epic poera, and perhaps I may give you a ffiort lample of fome paflages in it. I am too little a judge of the Portuguefe language to give my opiuion with regard to the goodnefs of this performance, but at the fame time that i do not PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 137 not deny It has merit, I ^ra far from tbink-^ ing it one of the beft epic poems in the world, as I have falfely he?ird it reported to be. 1 . 1- T- .138 LETTERS FROM LETTER XIX. LISBON, MARCH 8, 1759, J\ S I have nothing elfe authentic to write to you for my prefent paper, I will give you a lame tranflation of a paffage or two of this work of Camoens ; chofen out rather from my lighting upon thera firft, than from their, being the beft in the poem. He runs very high in the praife of Alonfo the great, king pf Portugal, and defcribes his adions very poetically ; I, however, ffiall only give you here what he fays upon his, death, *' Alonfo, his brows now crowned with ?' hoary locks, was enjoying the fruits of " his glory, when he was obliged to pay *' to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 139 *' to the fates that comraon tribute of nature, " demanded aa well from the king as from " the ffiepherd. With Inceffant moan did " the vaffals of Portugal laraent his death. " The rocks, woods, and mountains rung *' with their juft afflidlon. The Tagus, " fwoln with the tears of its nymphs, rolled " its courfe to the waves of Neptune with " a melancholy murmur, expreffive of its *' grief. The echoes with a plaintive voice " called for a long time upon the generous " Alonfo ; Alonfo, who, tho' dead, yet *' lived in the hearts of his people ; and *' left to the univerfe a name indelible by *' the hand of time," Tho' in a dull profe tranflation the origi nal muft have loft prpdigloufly, yet, ftill I hope it will give you fome little glimraering of what the author would mean to fay. Some of his defcriptions of battles are very fine, but defcriptions of battles are fuch cpmmon — place things in ppetry, that I do not I40 LETTERS FROM jiot think it worth while to give you any of them. I rather chufe to give you a little Epifode he raakes upon the charming Inqs, with whom Don Pedro, fon of the then feigning Alonfo, (quite a different perfon from him whpfe death he laments fp much,) was in loye. " Alonfo, reftored once more from Africa *' to hi« native foil, was preparing to enjoy *' his laurels in tranquillity, when his eaf* *' and glory were blafted by an unhappy ** event ; a fatal and melancholy adventure, *' which rendered the Portuguefe fpedators. ** of beauty unparalleled finking under the *' weight of unjuft rigor. It was thou, O *' far redoubted Love 5 it was thou alone that *' waft the caufe of h^r death ! Thou tyrant ** moft cruel, do not the tears of thy flaves *' content thee, but muft thou, baith? thine *' altars with their blood ? u Thou, TQRTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ut ** Thou, O beautifal Ines, upon Mon- ** de^*s flowery banks waft enjoying an ** agreeable folitude. Thy lips were teach- ** in^ thfr motmtain and foreft to re-echo ** that beloved name thou boreft engraven ** on thy heart ; the name of thy prince, '* whofe prefence made thy happinefs, and ** whofe leaft abfence coft thee fo many tears. He too, tho' deprived of thy com pany, felt his whole foul occupied with the flattering remembrance of thofe fweet ** hours he had enjoyed with thee ; the pledges of his eternal tendernefs. The' * abfent from thofe fair eyes, every thing * brought back thy iraage to his idea. The agreeable irapoftures of a thoufand drearas by night rekindled his ardor. By day his fighs and every thpught waited upon thy charms. 4( AC ti ti ii *' It was for thee only, much beloved " Incs, that thy faithful Don Pedro refufed *' the heart and- hand of princefies, exqui- ** fite H2 LETTERS FROM ** fite In beauty, and eminent in rank. Cari " his royal father counterpoife fo violent a^ *' paffion with thofe murraurs which his " vaffals, eager to fee their youthful prince ^ ** wedded to fome royal dame, fend forth ? ** Yes, Alonfo's feverity^ decides againft the- '* tender weaknefs, now regarded as a crime. ** Unhappy Ines muft die. Her death muft " break the flavery In which her beauty *' holds Don Pedro. What fury Infpired ** fo great a monarch to uplift his hand " againft a life undefended but by tears ? " That fword, fo formidable to the Moors, " abhorred it not being bathed in female- " blood. i " Her cruel enemies now drag poor In^s ** before the king. Her youth, her. charms, *• her misfortunes touch him. Heaven-borii *' mercy Infinuates herfelf Into his breaft. ** But the tumultuous cries of his vaffals ** awaken his anger afreffi. Ines lefs appre- ** five of her Impending death than of the " raelan- «< PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 143 melancholy ftate of folitude in which ffie " muft leave her prince and the fruits of^ " his love, lifts up her eyes bathed with *• tears to heaven ; her eyes alone, her fair **' hands were bound, and could not be em- *' ployed in the melancholy office. Then " turning thofe fair orbs towards her little ** children, crouding round her, her grief " is redoubled at the cruel fight. The cold ** hand of afflidlon benurabs her heart. At *' length breaking filence, ffie thus befpoke " the king. " If ithe true that the univerfe has be- *' held favages and wild beafts, whora na- *' ture teaches cruelty, foftened at the af- " flidlon of tender infants, as was the ** fofter mother of Nynias, or of the foun- ** ders of Rorae; If this be true, O thou, " who in appearance art huraan, could hu- •' raanity he confiftent with the flaughter *' of a wretched darafel, whofe only crime ** is to have fubmitted her heart to the '' youth 144 L£TT£RS PRoM ** youth who knew how to conquer it ? ** O ! eaft ¦ an eye of pity upon th^ un- " happy orphans* Let their innoeence ftop ** thy uplifted handi I fuppllcate thee not ** for my life. My death is wiffied fofi Be " that wiffi gratified. Yet ftill, If your ** clemency equals your valor ; if you " know how to fpare Innocence, as yoU " can thunder deftrUdion in the heat of ** battle upon the brutality of the Moors, *' fooner than irabrue your hands in my " blood, baniffi rae to fome unhappy retreat, ** where either frozen Scythia or the burn- " ing defefts of Africa reign. Confine me '* where tygers and lions dwell. Araong ** them will I feek that pity man denies me, " There attended by my tears and fighs, ** ray heart full of that dear objed for which " I am dragged to puniffiment, there will *• I educate my Uttle ones. The fight of " them ffiall be the only eonfolation of a " raother equally tender as unhappy," Alonfe PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 145 Alonfo, after having heard the fppech of Ines, was rather Inclined to treat her with indulgence ; but at laft he is obliged to yield to the obftinacy of the people, who with unparalleled rigor, fays the author, murraur againft his mercy ; and the principals among tiiera, in a fort of rautiny, draw their fwords and murder poor Ines. The words of the author are thefe. ** Impatient of longer delay their glitter- ** ing fwords vibrate in air, to execute of *' themfelves, what their mad prepofleffion " deems neceffary. The blind rage which " hurries thera on, hides frora them the ** chaftifement foon to break upon their " heads. One ftrikes upon that alabafter *¦ neck, which now no more fupports the ** moft beautiful vlfage love ever adored. . " A fecond buries his fteel in that well- *' turned bofom, capable of foftening the " moft obdurate heart. Bafe fangulnary " butchers, brave only againft a tender L " darafel ! 146' LETTERS FROM " damfel ! So Pyrrhus' fv/ord pierced the *' fide of the charming Pollxena. Yet the " Grecian's cruelty was lefs odious. He *' only obeyed his father's fpirit. Bright " torch of day ! if horror for the Thyeftean " banquet heretofore forced thee to veil thy " light under impenetrable clouds, with *' what eye doft thou behold the virtuous *' Ines periffi ? The crimes of her aflaffins " equal that of Atreus. Invert thy courfe. " Let the Eaft behold thy fetting, for Ines *' dies. Her pale cold mouth pronounces " her beloved Don Pedro's name mingled " with the laft figh. As the brilliant co- " lovirs of a flower culled by fome wanton " fhepherdefs languiffi, fo fade the charms, " the once fo enchanting charms of the " beautiful Ines. Long did the nymphs " upon Mondego's banks lament her fate, " but her fpedre wandered not unrevenged. " Her murdurers feeing Don Pedro upon " the throne fly to Caftile to evade'' his " anger. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 147 " anger. But implacable juftice purfues " their fteps. The Caftilian delivers them " up. They expire In torraents, recom- *' pence worthy of their inhumanity." L 2 LET- 148 LETTERS FROM LETTER XX. LISBON, MARCH 12, 1759* X Will now give a fort of digreffion of Ca- mouens upon the Portuguefe gaining the firft fight of the Eaft Indian coaft. " Behold," fays he, " intrepid warriors, " who burn with the defire of honeft fame, " behold the objed of your wiffies, and anl- " mate yourfelves with new courage. Be- '* fore your eyes lie thofe happy climes *• which are to crown your fatigues, 'Tis " to you, O brave pofterity of Lufus ! (the " Portuguefe), I addrefs myfelf, who pof- " feffing but a point upon the globe, yet " dare aflSront the greateft dangers, to Intro* " duce the light of truth amongft people' ignorani tl PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 149 ** Ignorant of its rays. In fuch a caufe ** weaknefs retards you riot. Valor fupplies " the force you are deficient in. The auguft " laws of religion flouriffi at the expence of *' your blood. But, alas ! whilft you, hea- *' ven-affifted, pierce to the utmoft confines ** of the world, deftroying the worffiip of ** falfe deities, the Germans, that haughty .*• nation, fovereign of fo many provinces, ** abandoned to errors the raoft deteftable, " In the crirainal defence of them are prodi- *' gal of that blood, which with more glory ** might be fpent againft the Ottomans. ** England, too, tho' miftrefs of the title of ** ruler of Jervifalem, yet lets that holy city '• groan under Mahometan oppreffion. Her *' king iramerfed In foftnefs, enjoys the infa- *' mous luxury of the Affyrians amidft ** northern fnows ; or If ever he unffieaths *' his fword, it is fatal to the lives of fellow " Chriftians. • L 3 " But 150 LETTERS FROM ** But what ought I to fay of you, inha- '^' bitants of France, whofe charader was " that of candor and equity, but now, hur- " ried on by arabition, you forge chimerical ** rights to ftates which belong not to you ? *' If your extenfive dominions be not fuffi- *' cient, why fignalize you not your courage *' upon the banks of Nile and Ciniphus ? *' There would your conquefts be legitimate, i : i ** not fo upon your neighbours, who adore *' the fame God. Have you Inherited the " kingdom of the great Charles and Lewis, I 'f but did their i uftlce die with thera ? t ; ^ ' i ' " Thou too, unhappy Italy ! land once j j " fo refpedable ! now plunged in vice, I " behold thy unhappy offspring enervated ; ' " by luxury and effeminacy, vile flaves of " treafure accumulated with diffioneft pains! " I behold them leading an inglorious life *' in the bofom of floth. Artifice has fuc- , , *' ceeded to that triumphant valour, which I ' i k " fubjeded the world to the laws of their \ \ " anceftors. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 151 *', anceftors. But indolence is their flighteft " evil. With cruel divifions they tear in " pieces the entrails of their bleeding coun try. O ralferable inhabitants of Europe ! what rage animates you againft your bre thren ? Turn your eyes towards the fe- ** pulchre of your holy leglflator. Behold It ** In prey to the barbarous defcendants of ** Iffimael, always united to attack you, who ** never are fo to defend yourfelves. Will •' Aledo for ever breathe upon you the fpirit ** of difcord ? Behold, alas ! what dangers ** environ you, and how will you efcape the *' Irapending cloud. If you deftroy each ** other, while the fons of Mahoraet unite *f in your deftrudion, If riches be your " aira, the waters of Hermus and Padolus " roll over ftrands of gold. Lydia and Af- ^' fyria enjoy that too precious raetal. Afrl- «' ca In her bofom conceals abundant veins. " Thefe climes open an unbounded field to ** your conquefts. To amafs trpafure per. *' forra that which you refufe to do for the L 4 intereft 154 LETTERS FROM ** Interefl of your altars. Your artillery, ** that tremendous Invention, placing thun- *' der In the hands of men, ought to be " turned againft the walls of Byzantium. " Deliver their circumference from the " ufurpers who occupy it. * *' Bid thofe unjuft poffeffor s abandon th» " peaceful ffiades of Europe. Bid them re- *' turn to their Cafplan mountains, and the " cold inhofpltable dens of Scythia. The " Greek, the Thracian, the Armenian, " demand your affiftance. Thofe nations " finking under the weight of a tyrannic " yoke, with tears Inforra you, that their '* infants are torn from their breafts, not " only to be educated in flavery, but infeded " with the poifon of error and Impiety. " Thefe are juft caufes for war. Vie with " each other in valor and prudence to chaf- *' tlfe Ottoman Inhumanity, not to opprefs " thofe united to you by the fame law. " But PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 153 " But in vain pretend the pious deities of " Parnaffus to appeafe the diflenfions of Eu- " rope. Their voice reraains unheard. The *' furies triumph. Portugal alone treads *' the paths of real honor. " I will give you one more quotation, which ^all be what Camouens fays at the conclu* fion of his poera, He addreffes hirafelf to Don Sebaftian king of Portugal, his patron, the hero who afterwards fell in Africa, in that faraous battle againft Muley Moluch, in which both the Mooriffi and Chriftian princes were killed ; however, the vulgar people in Portugal have a ftory that Sebaftian is not really dead, but only concealed, and that he is to return and reftore Portugal to its antient fplendor. However, to leave fables and give you the rhapfody of ray poet, which is profaically expreffed in what follows. ** Mufes no raore, ray harp is untuned, ** and my voice begins to fail, 'Tis^ yours, ** young 154 LETTERS FROM " young prince, lord of thefe realms, 'tis *' yours to reanimate my fong. For you *' will I once raore invoke the facred nine. '* Afford me but the fubjed. • Heaven has '* entrufted to your care a nation, whofe loy- *' aity and valor enable ypu to atchieve any " undertaking. Your vaffals are ready in ** your fervice to bear the piercing edge of " hunger, the cruelty of Mars, the injury ** of the feafons, the heats of the burning " zone, the fnows of either pole, the ftorms *' and monfters of the deep ; In a word, " earth and hell united. Honor them only ** with a favourable regard. Eafe them *' from the yoke of thofe too rigorous laws ** that opprefs them. Let minifters who *'' join undoubted probity to long experience " be your advifers. Be thofe alfo confined " to the foot of the altars, whofe duty It is " to lee their worffiip duly performed, nor " let them, precipitated by vain ambition, " trouble your people by attempting to go- " vern them. The duty of priefts Is to hft <* up PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 155 up their hands to your celeftial raafter, iraploring In your favor his eternal wif dom. With them other occupations are criminal. In a word, young prince, reign by yourfelf; nor let Italy, Gerraany, France or England, heretofore the admi rers of Portugal, let them not fay that her glory Is obfcured, or that her fons are *' becorae flaves. Then will I touch again " the founding lyre to celebrate thy fame, " and whilft haughty Atlas trerables in be^ ** holding thee, while the affrighted plains *' of Ampelufia bear witnefs to the flight of *' the warriors of Marocpo and Tarudant, *' will I extend thy praifes to the end of the *' globe. The univerfal globe, feized with *• awe and affedion, ffiall confefs in my *' prince a fecond Alexander, who need not *' enyy the happinefs of Achilles," It is with this high-flown corapliment to himfelf that our poet ends his work, the meaning 156 LETTERS FROM meaning of which you know is alluding to Alexander's having faid that he envied Achilles in nothing, but in having Homer to record his adions. A bold ftroke in Ca mouens to equal himfelf to Homer at the fame time he compares Don Sebaftian to Alexander. From thefe few paflages you may perhaps be able to form fome little, but Imperfed Idea of that author. You may wonder what I have been quoting In this and my former paper has to do for the moft part with a voyage to India. What I gave you in the foregoing was taken out of the Epifode, in which he gives fome de feription of Europe to the king of Melinda, but more efpecially of the affairs of Portu gal; and as for this laft quotation, you fee it is merely an apoftrophe to the king for the conclufion of his poem. I think for a Roman catholic country he fpeaks very freely of the p.-^iefts. It muft be rather an affeding paffage to the Portuguefe in the; prefent PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 157 prefent ftate of things. The late affair of the jefuits comes too apropos to what he fays about church ambition not to be taken notice of. LET- 158 LETTERS FROM LETTER XXI, LISBON, MARCH fj, I759. jLX. Dark mift ftill hanging over the af fairs of the jefuits, and as the misfortunes of our fellow countrymen always intereft us, I ffiall therefore, without farther preamble, fend you an account of the cataftrophe of the late Jaraes Read, Efq. conful general of Barbary, Mr, Read, late of Gibraltar, was in the month of July, 1757, appointed conful general to the king of Marocco. Mr. Pitt fent him out his coraralffion by a raeffenger on purpofe, who arrived at Gibraltar the laft day of Septeraber ; and upon the twelfth of Odober he erabarked for Sallee, on board the Syren Frigate. He foon got from Sallee to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 159 to Marocco, wh^re the young, prince Sidi Mahomet refided, who, by the confent of his father Muley Abdallah then living, held the reins of government, and tranfaded all affairs with foreign powers. It was this young prince that had demanded a conful, and defired to have a peace feneWed with the Enghffi. While Mr. Read was at Marocco, the king Abdallah died, and Sldl Mahomet his fon fvicceeded without oppofition to the throne, which he ftill continues to enjoy. Mr. Read was furprized to find that he was received with great coolnefs, and even with a kind of conterapt. Nor did Sidi Ma- horaet accept more gracloufly the prefent?^ that Mr. Read had brought him, but feemed to defpife thera as of little value, tho' they coft above ^600 ; and he had received ano ther which was very handforae, about four months before, and had been fent out from England 166 LETTERS FROM England on purpofe. Some attribute the reafon of this bad treatment and coolnefs to our having negleded the fon too rauch dur ing the life of his father ; but it feeras in part to have been owing to the inftlgatlon of the French Intereft in thofe countries, who endeavoured to reprefent every thing concerning us in the worft light. By the- beginning, however, of December, Mr. Read had adjufted raatters with him in the beft raanner poflible ; tho', indeed, all he had obtained was a truce for a twelvemonth, dur ing which interval he was to folicit a letter from our king himfelf. In anfwer to the many exorbitant demands which the Moor iffi fovereign made. He had been affronted at Mr. Pitt's only writing himfelf, and faid he expeded a letter from the king's own hand, and not from that of his fecretaries ; an office which the Moors do not feem much to iinderftand. Upon thgfe terras they part ed, and Mr. Read was on his way back to Gibraltar, and had now got as far as Sallee, when PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. i6i when an unlucky, tho' deferved accident, happened to one of the crulzers of the Mooriffi king. She fell in with the fame frigate which had brought Mr. Read to Sallee, in her return from thence. The Mooriffi veffel miftaking her fof a merchant ffiip, (as the Syren is fmall,) hoped eafily to make her a prey ; and dif charged a broadfide, which was followed with an attempt to board. But the Syren beftirring herfelf, drove the crulzer on ffiore upon the Barbary coaft, near Cape Spartel, where ffie perlflied. The news of this acci dent was foon fpread abroad, and the klrig imraediately fent after Mr. Read, with orders to ftop hira at Sallee, and deraand fatisfadion for the lofs of his ffiip. About the fame time Mr. Read received a letter from admiral Offiorne, who then command ed the Mediterranean fleet. Informing him of the whole tranfadion. In order to anti cipate any demand on the part of the Moor ifli king, he defired Mr. Read to infift upon M fatisfadion i62 LETTERS FROM fatisfadion for the affront offered to our flag In firing upon an Engliffi veflel with Britiffi colours flying. Mr. Read aded as admiral Offiorne had told him, and appeared afto niffied when the king made his complaints to him upon that fubjed. But Sldl Mahomet perfifted in afierting that his crulzer had been unjuftly deftroyed, and demanded 20000 ducats, about ^6000. fterling, as an equi valent. The conful upon refufal of this was confined to a clofe room at Sallee. However, he was kept there but a few hours, and was then fent back a prifoner to his houfe, which was furrounded by a detach ment o'f guards. He continued In this ftate till the king; came to Fez, in a tour he was making thro' his new dominions. He here ordered Mr. Read to be brought up to him from Sallee, In order to determine fomething concerning their difference. The conful arrived at Fez the 29th of January, 1758, and the day after PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 163 after wrote letters to his friends at Gibraltar, which ffiew he was in good health and fpirits. However, he little knew how bufy his enemies in Barbary were, and that every contrivafice was putting in pradice to fet the king againft him. Upon his arrival at Fez he was again befet with guards, and during feveral days had frequent meffages fent hira by the king, who ftill demanded fatisfadion, ' which Mr. Read peremptorily refufed. But as ray hiftory proves rather long, the remainder of it muft be deferred to my next paper. Mi L E T- i64 LETTERS FROM LETTER XXII, LISBON, MARCH I4, 1 759. Un the 16th of February, 1758, Mf. Read and Mr. Grofvenor, a lieutenant of raarines belonging to the Syren frigate, who had accompanied the conful upon this expedition, were both ordered to appear before the king. In this audience he broke out Into exclaraations and revillngs againft the Engliffi In general, and Mr, Read In particular, with many opprobrious terms,, threatening to torture and burn hira If he did not grant his demands with regard to the ffiip. This the conful fteadlly refufed to do as unjuft, and bore the king's treat-. ment with much compofure of raind, which irritated the Barbarian raonarch's pride to that degree as made him order his guards to feize PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 165 fel2e upon Mr. Read and drag hira to a dun geon. Before they carried him down they buffeted hira according to the Mooriffi cuf- ' tora, and then drove hira headlong Into It with kicks and cuffs. It was here, indeed, Mr. Read's compofure of mind abandoned hira. His paffions broke loofe, and wrought him into a rage, which agitated his fpirits fo violently, that it quite unhinged hira, if I may be allowed the expreffion, and left hira in a dejedlon of raind which he never got the better of. He was detained about three hours in this duhgeon, and when relieved was threatened with worfe ufage, if he did not fubrait to the king's deraand. Upon the 1 7th the king fent feveral raef- fages to Mr. Read and the Engliffi with hira, accorapanying them every time with differ ent menaces. The threats, however, of this day ended in a determination to pronounce thera flaves, and fet thera to work with the Portuguefe and Spaniards in captivity. M 3 Upon i66 LETTERS FROM Upon this treatment Mr. Read appeared very dejeded, but full of refentment, without knowing how to unburden himfelf. It was upon this day that he fat down to write fome letters to his friends, v/hich teftify the great extremities to which he was_ driven by thefe Barbarians, and that he had an intention of deftroying himfelf. In the mean time he received feveral freffi threats from the king, who Infifted fome times upon one thing and then upon another, without obferving any rule or meafure in his words or adions. The next morning, the i Sth of February, the king fent his attendants to Mr. Read with orders to carry him and all bis compa nions away as flaves. Mr. Grofvenor was the firft that was conduded out of the houfe to be made a favorite flave of the king's and to Le always near his perfon. Mr. Read and his domeftics were tp follow, but they were fentenced PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 167 fentenced to reraain among . the working flaves. Mr. Read was hardly got beyond the door of his apartment when he begged to return Into It for fomething he had left, which the guards allowed him. As foon as he was entered, he locked the door after him, and In about a minute's time the re port of a piftol was heard. His fervants were much alarmed, and one of them ran after Mr. Grofvenor who had not been con duded very far from the houfe. Having got leave to return he knocked for fome time at the door, but no reply followed from within. It was then agreed to break it open, which was immediately done, and Mr. Read w^s found dead upon the floor. Upon having ffiut the door he had recourfe to his pocket piftols, one of which he took in each hand, and applying that In his right to his head, fired it. As he ftood by the bedfide, his head fell firft upon the ffieets and left a bloody mark, but his knees, I ima- M 4 gine, i68 LETTERS FROM gine, falling by degrees, dragged him down upon the floor, where he lay with his legs under the bed. Thus ended the unfortunate Mr. Read. The king was faid to appear aftoniffied at the news, but It does not feem to have much influenced his future condud. On the contrary he has made flaves of all our men who were wrecked on his coaft about three months and a half ago in the Litchfield and two other veffels, a frigate of thirty-fix guns, and an ammunition ffiip, that were going with our fleet to the redudion of Goree. He then fent to the governor of Gibral tar to acquaint him that he confidered the truce between him and the Engliffi as at an end, and that If they wanted their men they muft be ranfomed. Captain Barton, the cap tain of the Litchfield *, with the reft who efcaped * It may not, perhaps, be difagreeable to the reader, efpecially as there will be fome little more hereafter of PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 165 efeaped the fury ofthe feas, are now atMa-< jocco, and weare anxious to know how ouc government of Barbary affairs, if I fubjoin the foUowing ac count of the lofs of this Ihip and the behaviour of the Moors to our people, written by James Southerland, lieu tenant on board the Litchfield. *' The Litchfield left Ireland the 1 1 th of November 1758, in company with feveral other men of war and tranlports under the command of commodore Keppel, and intended for the reduftion of Goree, The wind proved moftly fair till the azd of November, then kept pretty conftant from fouth- eaft to fouth-weft, and our voyagc was profperous till the 28th. On which day at eight in the evening I took charge of the watch, when the wea ther turned out very fqually with rain. We were then under our courfes and main top fail. At nine it was ex ceedingly dark with much lightning, the wind varying froni fouth-weft to north-weft. Athalfanhourpaftninetherewas an extreme hard fquall. Captain Barton then came upon deck and ftayed till ten, leaving orders to keep fight of the commodore, and to make what fail the weather would permit. We faw the commodore at eleven bearing fouth, but the fqualls encreafing, at twelve o'clock we were ob liged to hand the main top fail under our courfes. « At I70 LETTERS FROM government will proceed with regard to them. Indeed I flatter myfelf that this treatment " At one o'clock in the morning, November 29th, I left the deck in charge of the firft lieutenant, the light which we took to be the commodore's bearintr fouth right a-head,the wind weft-fouth-weft blowing very hard. I was awakened at fix in the morning by a great fhock and a confufed noife of the men on deck. I ran to fee what was the matter, thinking that fome fhip was fallen foul of us, as I had no thoughts of land being near us at the time, being then, by my own reckoning and that of every per fon in the fhip, at leaft 35 leagues diftance from it. But before I could reach the quarter deck, I was fenfibly con vinced of our difmal fituation, by the fhip's giving a great ftroke againft the ground, and the feas breaking all over us. Juft after this I could perceive the land, which appeared to be rocky, rugged, and uneven, and was about two cables length from us. The fhip lying with her broad-fide to windward the fea broke entirely over her. The mafts foon went overboard with very little affiftance, and fome men were carried off" with them. It is impoffible for any perfon but a fufferer to feel our diftrefs at this time. The mafts, yards and fails were hanging along fide in a confufed heap, the fliip was beating violently upon the rocks, and the waves were curling up to a pro digious PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 171 treatment will draw upon the Moors the vengeance due to them. Not but that a war with digiefus height, then dafhing down with fuch force as if they would immediately have fplit the fliip to pieces, which indeed we every moment expefted. Providence, how ever, favored us greatly, for fome of the large waves breaking without us, the remainder of their force came againft our our ftarboard quarter, and the anchors, which we cut away as foon as we ftruck, now affifted us in bring ing the fhip's head towards the fea. This gave us a glimpfe of prolonging life, perhaps, a few hours, which was all at that time we could expeft, when we beheld the rugged rocks, and thought every moment to be torn afunder by the fierce roaring furf. However, our fcat tered fenfes now recovered a little, and we faw it neceflary to get every thing we could over to the ftarboard fide, to prevent the fliip from heeling off and expofing the deck again to the fea ; and the waves for the moft part breaking forward, we catched the opportunity, and got moft of the ftarboard guns overboard, with what elfe we could come at. Some of the people, contrary to advice, were very earneft to get out the boats, however after much en treaty, notwithftanding the profpeft of a moft terrible fea, one of the boats was launched and eight of the beft men jupped into her. But although at this tirae the fea was rather 172 LETTERS FROM with fuch a barbarous race of people is dif agreeable, as much may be loft, but nothinggained ; father abated, fhe had hardly got to the fhip's ftern than lhe was inftantly whirled to the bottom and every perfon in her perifhed. The reft of the boats were foon daflved to pieces upon deck. We then made a raft with the davit capftain bars and fome boards, which being done, nothing' remained but to wait with refignation for the affiftance of Divine Providence. The fhip was fo foon filled with water, that we had no time to get any provifion up. The quarter deck and poop were now the only places we could ftand on with any fecurity, the waves being moftly fpent by the time they reached us, owing to the fore part of the Jhip breaking them. At four in the afternoon, perceiv-* jng the fea to be much abated, as it was almoft low wa ter I was thinking to make an attempt of fwimming on fliore, as we had reafon to imagine the fhip would not tvithftand the violence of the next flood, for fhe now be gan to drop to pieces very faft. One of the people at tempted it and got fafe to land. There were numbers of Moors upon the rocks who feemed ready to take hold of any one, and beckoned much for us to come on fhor«f. This at firft vve took for kindnefs, but they foon unde ceived us, for felf intereft was their only view, as they had not the humanity to aflift any body that was entirely aakec^ PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &e. 173 gained ; however, in ray opinion, the honor of our country demands fome fatisfadion. With naked, but would fly to them who had any thing about them and ftrip them before they were quite out of the water, wrangling among themfelves about the plunder. In the mean time the poor man was left to crawl up the rocks if he was able, if not it was a matter of indiffer ence. However the fecond lieutenant and myfelf with about fixty-five others got on fhore before dark, but were for fome time uncertain whether we had not made a. wrong choice, for here we were left expofed to the wea ther upon the cold fand. To keep ourfelves from perifh- ing we were obliged to go down to the fhore and bring up pieces of our wreck to make a fire. If we happened to pick up a fhirt or handkerchief, and did not give it up to the Moors at the firft demand, the next thing was a *lagger offered to our breaft. They allowed us, however, a piece of an old fail, which they did not think worth carrying off, and of this we made two tents and crouded ourfelves into them, every one fitting between the others legs to preferve warmth and make room. In this uneafy fituation, cbntinually bewailing ourfelves and our poor fbipmatcs upon the wreck, we paffed a moft tedious rainy blowing night, without fo much as a drop of water to re- frelh us, except what we catched throngh our fail- cloth covermgs. *' November 174 LETTERS FROM With regard to the authenticity of what I have related, I had It frora an account written " November 30th. Frefh gales, hard fqualls, and rain. At fix in the morning we went down with a number of our men to affift our fhipmates in coming on fhore, and found the fhip had been gfeatly fhattered in the night. It being now low water, many attempted to fwim to land. Some got fafe, others perifhed. The people on board got the raft into the water, and about fifteen men upon it ; but they were no fooner put off from the wreck than it quite overturned. Moft part of the men recovered it again, but were hardly on before it was overturned a fecond time. There were only three or four that got hold ofit a third time, the reft perifhed. During this interval a good fwimmer brought a rope on fhore with much difficulty, which I had the good fortune (by running haftily over the fharp rocks into the water,) to catch hold of, juft as he was quite fpent, and had thoughts of quitting it. Some people coming to my affiftance, we pulled a large rope on fhore with that, and made it faft round a rock. T~his we found gave great fpirits to the poor fouls upon the wreck ; for as it was ftretched tight from the upper part of the ftern, it made an eafy defcent to any who had art enough to walk or flide upon a rope, with another above to hold by. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 175 written by a merchant of Gibraltar, who was partner to Mr. Read. This gentleman endeavours by. They continued coming by the rope till about eleven o'clock, tho' many were wafhed off by the impetuofity of the furf, and loft. High water coming on raifed the furf ftill more, and prevented others from venturing at this time, as the ropes could be of no further ufe. We then' retired from the rocks, and hunger prevailing, went about broiling fome of the drowned turkeys, &c. which, with fome flower baked upon the fire, made our firft meal upon this barbarous coaft. We found a well of frefh water about half a mile off, which very much rejoiced us. But we had hardly finifhed this coarfe repaft, than -the Moors fwho were now grown very numerous,) drove us every one down to the rocks } beating us if we lingered, tho' fome were hardly able to crawl, to bring up empty bound calks, pieces of the wreck which had moft iron about them, and other things. About three o'clock in the afternoon we made another meal on our drowned poultry, and finding this was the beft fare we were likely to have, fome were ordered to fave all they could pick up upon the fhore, others to raife a larger tent, and tbe reft were fent down to the rocks to look for people coming on fhore. The furf greatly increafing with the flood, and breaking upon the 17^ LETTERS FROM endeavours to excufe his laying violent hands Upon himfelf by divers reafons ; but as the fads the fore part of the fhip, fhe was now divided into three pieces. The fore part was turned keel up, and the middlfc part was foon daflied into a thoufand bits. The fore part of the poop fell likewife at this time, and about thirty men with it, eight of whom got fafe to fhore with our help, but fo bruifed, that we defpaired of their recovery. Now was to be feen a moft melancholy profpeft. Nothing but the after part of the poop remained above water, with a very fmall part of the other decks, on which our captain, and about one hundred and thirty more remained, expect ing every wave to be their laftj for the wreck feemed as if it was going inftantly to throw them all to the bottom, and overfet upon them. Every fliock threw fome off, few or none of them came on fliore alive. During this dif trefs the Moors laughed very loud, and feemed much diverted when a wave larger than common threatened our poor tottering countrymen with deftru£lion. Between four and five o'clock the fea was much decreafed with the ebb. The rope being ftill fecure, they began to venture upon it. About five we beckoned as much as poffible for the captain to come upon the rope, as this feemed to be as good an opportunity as any we had feen, and many came PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 177 fads conclude here, I ffiall leave you to make the determination upon them your own judgment fuggefts. LET- came fafe with our affiftance. Some told us that the cap tain was determined to ftay till all the men had made the beft pf their way to land, or, at leaft, had quitted the Wreck ; which bravery of his, tho' we cOuld not but ad mire, we could not but deplore. However, we ftill con tinued to beckon for him, and juft before it was dark we faw him come upon the rope. He was clofe followed by a good able feaiiian, who did all he could to keep up his fpirits, and aflift him. As he could not fwim, and had been fo long without any refrefhment, with the furf hurl ing him violently along, he was no longer able to refift the force of the waves, and had unavoidably perifhed, if a wave had not thrown him within reach of our ropes, which he had barely the fenfe left to catch hold of. We pulled hill) up, when after refting a litlie time upon the rocks, he came to himfelf, and walked up to the tent; defiring us ftill to affift the people in coming on fliore. The Moors wanted to have ftvipt him, tho' he had no thing on but a plain waiftcoat and breeches, if we had not fliewn a little fpirit on this occafion, and oppofed them ; upon which they thought proper to defift. The people N continued 178 LETTERS FROM LETTER XXIII. LISBON, MARCH 27, I759. I promifed you fome further account of the affair of the jefuits in thefe countries. But as a deep cloud feeras ftill to overwelm the whole cbntinued to come on fliore pretty faft, tho' many perifh ed in the attempt, but they plainly faw their cafe was defperate, as the wreck muft inevitably fall to pieces with the next flood. The Moors growing tired with waiting for fo little plunder, would not let us ftay after them upon the rocks, but drove us all up. I then, with the captain's approbation, went and made humble petition by figns to the bafha or commander, who was in his tent with many other Moors, dividing the valuable fpoil. He underftood me at laft, and gave us leave to go down, fending fome Moors with us. We carried fire brands along with us to let the poor wretches upon the wreck fee wc were ftill there ready to affift them. I dare fay feveral perifhed while PORTUGAL, SPAIN, ^c 179 whole affair, I will wait another week In hopes of its diffipatlng. With regard to the nobles while we were gone, for want of our help; for we had been but a few minutes upon the rocks when one came very near to us before we faw him. And this was fre quently a circumftance of as much horror as any we met with ; for juft as we had been able to perceive them, they have been wafhed from the rope, and daihed to deatii againft the rocks clofe by us. About nine at night, findr ing no more would venture upon the rope, as the furf was greatly increafed, we retired to our tent with hearts full of forrow ; leaving, by the laft man's account, between thirty and forty fouls upon deck. We now thought of flowing every body into the tent, and began by fixing Xhe captain in the middle, We then made every perfon lie down upon their fides, as taking up lefs room than upon their backs. But after all many enjoyed eafier lodgings in empty cafks. " December xft, moderate and fair weather. In the morning the wreck was all to pieces upon th^ rocks, and the fhore was quite covered with lumber. The people upon the wreck all perifhed about one in the morning, as we karnt from one who was toflTed up and down for near N 2 two i8o, LETTERS FROM nobles I think there is nothing more to add. Some of them, indeed, have been relegated to two hours upon a piece of it, and at laft thrown upon the rocks fenfelefs ; but he recovered, and got to the tent by day light, tho' greatly bruifed. " The Moors were very bufy in picking up every thing of value, but would not fuffer us to take the leaft trifle, except pork, flower and liquor : of all which we fecured as miich as we could in the tent. In the mean time, others wtve enlarging and raifing a fecond. Some were were trying to make bread, and others cleaning the drowned ftock. At one in the afternoon we called ^ mufter, and placing the men all in rank and file, we found our number to be two hundred and twenty. A hundred and thirty were drowned ; among which number was the fiift lieutenant, the captain of marines, his lieu tenant, the purfer, gunner, carpenter, and three midfliip- men. We now returned public thanks to Almighty God for our deliverance. " December 2J, nio.lerate and fair weather. At five in the morning we found George Allen, a marine, dead clofe by the tents, which we fuppofe was by drinking brandy PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec, i8i to Angola, and other parts of the Portu guefe dominions ; and, the remainder are ftill in brandy among the rocks, as feveral had got drunk that way, tho' we ufed what means we could to prevent it. There were two men whipt by captain Barton's orders, for their infolence, which was highly neceffary, both to convince tlie Moors and our own men,, that they were ftill under our command. We fubfifted entirely upon the drowned ftock, with a little fait pork to relifh it, and the flower made into cakes, We iflued thefe provifions regu larly and fparirigly, not knowing at prefent whether we fhould have any thing from the Moors or no ; as they ftill continued to be very troublefome, and wanted to rob us of the canvas which cpvered our tent. Their bafha feemed to take our part, but at the fame time winked at their villainy, and fhared in the plunder. He employed us in faving all the iron we could from the pieces of the wreck. At two in the afternoon there arrived a black fervant, fent by one Mr. Butler at SafFy, (a town about thirty miles off,) to enquire into our condition, and give us affiftance. The captain wrote him a letter, the man having brought us pens, ink and paper : and the finding there was one offered us help, greatly raifed our drooping fpirits. N 3 " Decern- »82 LETTERS FROM in prifon. You tell me you are wondering how the people here live without houfes. It is true " December 3d. Moderate weather, fometimes raining. In the morning we affembled the people, and read prayers of thankfgiving. In the afternoon a letter came from Mr. Butler, with fome bread, and a few other neceffaries. We heard, likewife, that one of the tranfports and a bomb tender were wrecked about three leagues to the northward of us, and a great many men faved. *' December 4th. Moderate weather. The people were employed in picking Up pieces of fail cloth, and what elfe the Moors would permit them. We diftributed the people into meffes, and ferved the neceffaries we received the day before. They had bread and the flefh of the drowned ftock. In the afternoon we had another letter from Mr. Butler, who is faftor to the Danifh African company, and himfelf a Dane. We had likewife ano ther letter at the fame time from one Mr. Andrews, an Irlfli gentleman, a merchant at SafFy. The Moors were not fo troublefome as before ; moft of them going off wilh what they had got. " December 5tb. Squally weather, with rain. As the drowned ftock was all expended, the people were employ ed. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 183 true the earthquake and fire deftroyed moft of thera; forae, however, were fo little da maged ed at low water in gathering mufcles. At ten in the morning Mr.. Andrews arrived, and brought a French furgeon with him, and fome medicines and plaifters : of which many of the bruifed men ftood in very great need. Thomas Tompion, feaman, died in the afternoon, by his bruifes mortifying. Several men were employed in roll ing cafks of water from the well. " December 6th. Squally, rainy weather. We ferved one of this country blankets to every two men, and pam- poofes (a fort Of flippers,) to thofe who were moft in need of them. Thefe fupplies were brought by Mr. Andrews. The people now were forced to live upon mufcles and bread, as the Moors had deceived us, and not returned, tho' they promifed to fupply us with qattle. '< December 7th. Dirty fqually weather, with rain. The people were employed in gathering mufcles and lim pets. The Moors began to be a little civil, for fear the emperor fhould punifh them for their cruel ufage. In the afternoon a meffenger arrived from the emperor, wha was at Sallee, with orders in general to the people to fup- N 4 pl? i84 LETTERS FROM maged as to be eafily repaired and rendered habitable. They have likewife run up tem porary ply us with provifions. Accordingly, they brought fome poor bullocks and lean fheep, which Mr. Andrews pur chafed for us. But at this time we had no pots to make broth in, and the cattle were fCarce fit for any thing elfe. " December Sth. Squally weather, with heavy rainr The people were ferved this morning with mutton and bread, and employed in rolling water from the well. " December gth. Little wind, with fhowers of rain. In the morning we faw feveral dead bodies eaft up by the fea upon the rocks. The people employed in bringing up the oak timber, &c. &c. from the fea fide, as the emperor had fent orders to fave whatever might be of ufe to his cruizers. " December lOth. Light airs, and fair weather. In the morning we got every thing ready to march to Ma- frccco; the emperor having fent orders to that purpofe, with camels to carry the lame and baggage. At nine we fet out with about thirty camels, having got all our liquor with us, divided into hogflieads for the conveniency of PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. j85 porary edifices, befides an immenfe quantity pf barracks, or huts as we might call them in carriage. At noon we joined the crews of the other two tranfports, which had been wrecked as well as ourfelves. Every perfon was then mounted u, on camels, except the captain, who was furnifhed with a horfe. We never ftopt till feven in the evening, when Uiey procured us only two tents, which would not hold one third of the men ; fo that moft of them lay expoi'ed to the dew, which was heavy and very cold. *' We now found our whole number to be three hun dred and twenty eight, including officers, men and boys : with three women and a child, which one .of them brought on fhore, holding it by its cloaths in her teeth. <' December nth. Fair pleafant weather. We now continued our journey in the morning, attended by a number of Moors on horfeback. The alcaide who had the conducing of us provided feveral of the officers with horfes. We did not travel ftraight towards Marocco, being informed we muft meet the emperor at iia. !ee. At fix in the evening we came to our refting pluce for the nighty and were furniflied with tents fufficient to cover all die men. We n6 LETTERS FROM in England. The reafon of thefe buildings being ereded put of the town is owing, as I think We found our conduflors feldom ftopped from fun- rife to fun-fct ; that being the cuftom of the country, with whick we were obliged to comply. *• December lath. Fair weather. At five in the morning we fet out as before, and at two in the afternooa faw the emperor's cavalcade at a diftance. At three a re lation of the emperor's, named Muley Adrifle came to us, and told the captain it was the emperor's orders he fhould that inftant write a letter to our governor at Gibraltar, to fend to his Britannic majefty, to know whether he would fettle a peace with him or no. Captain Barton fat down direftly upon the grafs and wrote a letter, which he gave to Muley Adriffe, who went and rejoined the emperor. At fix in the evening we came to our refting place for the night, and were well furnifhed with tents, tho' very little provifion. " December 13th. Pleafant weather. We continued here till the men were a little refrefhed, of which they ftood much in need. They brought us more provifions than the day before. This morning lieutenant Harrifon, commanding PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 187 think I have already mentioned, to no per fon being allowed to build quite on freffi within commanding officer of the foldiers belonging to lord Forbes' regiment:, died fuddenly in the tent. In the evening, while we were burying him, the inhuman Moors difturbed us by throwing ftones and mocking us. " December 14th. Pleafant weather. Our men re covered greatly with the reft. we had here. They were furnifhed with earthen pots to make broth in. " December 15th. The people were moftly employed in cooking, as we were now pretty well fupplied with beef. This morning we found the Moors had opened lieutenant Harrifon's grave, and ftript the cloaths from off him. *' December 16th. Fair weather. We continued our journey as before. At five in the afternoon we carae to our refting place, pitched our tents, and ferved the people with provifions. Here fome of the country Moors ufed our people ill as they were taking water from a brook. The Moors would always fpit in the veflTel before they would let them take any away. Some of us upon this i88' LETTERS FROM within It ; as all the ftreets are to be formed according to a certain plan, which the court has s this went down to inquire into it, but were fainted with a fhower of ftones. Wc run in upon them, beat them pretty foundly, put them to flight, and brought away one who thought to defend himfelf with a long knife. This fellow was feverely punifhed by the alcaide whoi had the conduiEling of us. '< December 17th. Fair weather. In the the morn ing we gave the people a dram each, as had been ufual, and continued our journey. At four in the afternoon we came to our refting place for the night. After fome \ difficulty we got tents, and a proper fupply of provifions. " December i8th. Fair weather. This morning we proceeded on our journey as before, and at three in the afternoon came to the city of Marocco, without having feen one dwelling houfe in the whole way. We here were infulted by the rabble as we paffed. At five o'clock we were carried before the emperor, furrounded by five or fix hundred of his guards. He was on horfeback be fore his palace gate, that being the place where he diftri buted juflice to his people. He told captain Barton that he PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 189 has not yet iffued out, nor does It feem at all certain when It will be fettled. In he was neither at peace or war with England, and that he would detain us till an ambaffador came from thence to fettle a firm peace. The captain then 'defired that we ir.ight not be ufed asflaves. He replied haftily, that we fhould be taken care of. Then we were direftly thruft out of his prefence, and conveyed to two old ruined houfes, where we were fhut up all night amidft dirt and innumerable vermin of feveral forts. Mr. Butler, whom I mentioned before, being here upon bufinefs, came and affifted us, and procured liberty for the captain to go home with him to his lodgings. He likewife fent fome blankets for the officers, with which we made a fhift to pafs the night pretty comfortably, as we were much tired and fatigued. " December 19th. Cloudy weather, blowing frefh, with rain. This morning we found 'Our centry was taken off, fo that the people had liberty to go out. They lent us moreover fome bread, and towards evening fome •beef, but we had no conveniencies as yet to drefs it, and the people were all day employed in cleaning out the rub- bifh and deftroying the vermin as well as. they could. " Decem- igo LETTERS FROM Jn the mean time fpring is approaching with hafty fteps in thefe countries, and I ffiall ffiortly be fetting out for Spain, LET- '" December 20th. Little vyind and rain. This morn'- ing fome of our baggage was brought to us, with the necef faries we had upon the road. Our baggage had been rum maged, and the captain's trunk robbed of nineteen ducats, feveral rings, and filver buckles, a watch and other things, moftly belonging to the officers, and which we had with difficulty faved from the wreck. Mr. Butler and his part ner iVIr. Dekon did every think in their power to affift us. The people had now pots to boil their victuals, and were in no want of bread. " December 2 ift. Cloudy weather with rain at times. This day the emperor fent money to the captain to fupport his men, at a blanquecn a day each, or two pence fterling. But as that was too little, captain Barton got money of Mr. Butler to make it up two blanqueens, or four pence fterling, which he managed himfelf to the beft advantage, allowing them one pound of beef each, with broth, and one pound of bread each every day. At nine this morning the emperor fent for the captain and every ofiicer to appear before him. We immediately repaired to his palace. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 191 .. LETTER XXIV. LISBON, APRIL I, 1759, 1 Will now, tho' It is ftill poffible to do it but lamely, give you what I know concern ing , , , palace, where we remained waiting in an outer yard two hours. In the mean time he was diverting himfelf in fee ing a clumfy Dutch boat rowed along by four of our petty eiScers. About noon we were called and placed in a line about thirty yards before him. He was feated in a chair by the fide of a pond, with only two of the chief alcaides with him. When he had viewed us fome time, he or dered the captain to come forward, and after afking him a good many queftions concerning our navy, and where our fquadron was going, we were alio called before him by two or three at a time, as we ftood according to our rank. He afked moft of us fome very infignificant quef tions, and took fome to be Portuguefe, becaufe they had black hair, and others to be Swedes becaufe they had white i9i LETTERS FROM Ing the jefuits, for I believe it is in vain to exped things will become clearer at prefent. You white hair, judging none of us to be right Englifli, ex cept the captain, the fecond fieutenant, the enfign of marines and myfelf. But we affured him we were all Englifli, fo that crying bon, he gave; a nod for pur depar* ture. To this we returned a very low bow, and were glad to get our old ruined manfion again. Our nuinber of officers at this time was thirty from higheft to loweft. " December 22d. Fair Weather. Captain Barton pro vided the people with ftuffs for frocks and troufers, and mats and pillows to lay upon, with every other neceffary that could be got. They were all employed in making themfelves clothes In the beft manner they could. " Deceraber 23d. This morning the emperor fent a meffiige to the captain, with orders, if any of his men fliould be guilty of a crime, to punifh them in the fame manner as if they were on board his fhip. But fuppofing they fhould quarrel with the Moors, they muft ftand to the Moorifli laws, which are very fevere againft Chrif tians. This day Henry Nicholas was puniflied forgetting drunk and abufing his officers. " De- Portugal, spain, &c. 193 You remember., what a noife the affairs of that fociety in America raade in Europe. When • Spain "' December 24th. The pedple were very well fatis fied with. their provifibns. This being Sunday we aflTem- bled them all and read prayers as if we had been on board. It is to be obferved we had but one bible amongft us all, which was a prefent frOm Mr. Andrews before mentlonedj and tho' we had no clergyman, captain Barton never omit ted a fingle Sunday to have fervice performed, either by the fecond lieutenant or myfelf. " December 25th. Being Chrlftmas day, prayers were read to the people as ufual in the church of England. The captain received a prefent of fome tea and loaves of fugar from one of the queens, whofe grandfather had been an Englifh renegadoi " December 26tli. Ttlis aftefntitin we heard the difa greeable news, that the emperor would oblige all the Eng lifh to work^ the f^me as the other Chriftian flaves, ex cept the officers that were before him on the 21ft inftant. *' Decenlber 17th.' Cloudy weatiiet with rain. At feven this morning an alcaide came and ordered the people O all f94 LETTERS I^ROM 3pm h»d n^mi mth Pofttig-ai to ^f:kmg€ tjm /B^tenfiv^ country of PafAg^^a^ againft. their all 9ttt t© wprk, except jfepff tjj^t were fi£k, and by intef- e#wn ?*gh? yi^«re ajjloiyed to ftay st if^m ^''^Tf ^^Y ^' C90k« for the otljiKrs. This th^y took by turi)s through^ gut the whole number. They teif^rmi ?t foyr in the afteroQon. Some iiad been firoi^py«d Ch «;arryiflg w^ogdj fbfne in turning up tfef frcyad wj^i?isf, ^pd^th^fS i|t peeking weecls in tJjc ensjper «w^s gandfifls, *' December 28th. Cloudy weather. All the people weitf to worJt gs foon as they could fee. They we.re al lowed to fit down an hoar and » half in the isiddle sf the day, but had many a ftroke {fpm t^h dflysfs, tW tfaey were doiog dieir Htnioft to deferve feetter if^g*, iJspteifl Barton was ftriving all that was in hi? p9<^ef t(^ get th!^ remedied, which by the affiftance of a friend of ours, one Juan Arhoaa> we were in hope$ of dtnng. This perfon fead been eight years jn Africa, and v?as takeg un der EpgliOi colours, notwithftanding he h^d apaf* fignfd by gpnersl BUkeney at Miftorea, Th? emperor h%4 k?P* him for two or three years paft near his own perfon, and put much coBfideflc* in hii»i. At four jn the afternoon the peoi^le returned. Twq 9f the Buarines had a hundfe4 baftinadoee Portugal, spain, &c, 195 their fettlement of Nueva Colonia, the jefu its who had originally been fent thither as miffionarIes» baftinadoEs each, for behaving in a diftefpeSful mannet while the emperor was looking at their work. " Decembet 39th. Cloudy weather. The people went to work as before. They were now allowed a hot break- faft of a fort of porridge fweetened with honey before they fet out. Their work was fometimes to till the ground, at other times to carry wood or ftone for build ing, and fuvith the greater . ardor to *' fee 204 LETTERS FROM " • *' fee themfelves juftified frora caluranies of " which they efteem themfelves undeferv* •* ing. ** The fuperlors of the order have only ** begged that they at leaft might be privately * informed, of the guilty perfons, and of the " proofs againft them, and that they would be ** the firft in cutting ofi^ all thofe abufes that ** may have befen introduced ; but the hum- ** ble fupplication and offers of- the fupe- V riors were not thought wortny of atten- " tion. ** Care muft be taken left, inftead ofa *' profitable reformation, rife ,be given to «' unprofitable difturbances, which, indeed, * ¦ are rauch to be feared at prefent in the ," countries beyohd fea. > All that cardinal *' Saldania ads of himfelf, we have not the *' leaft doubt ofhis performing in the beft and ** mbft juft raanner, but we are, with reafon, ^' affaidi that tbe perfoUs' he may appbiht PORTURGAL SPAIN, &c, 205 "*' to tranfaft afiairs abroad ftiould, through *' Ignorance or III will, irabroil raatters ftill " more than they are at prefent. " The general, therefore, of the fociety *' of Jefus, as well for hirafelf, as in the *' narae of all the order, IraploreS your ho- ** linefs to attend to this their hurable en- ** treaty, and in confequence of it, they *' fuppllcate you to ufe your authority, and ** to a£t as your high underftanding fliaU ** think beft, to the end that thofe who are " innocent raay be inderanlfied by a juftlfi- *' cation of their adtlons, as alfo to provide *' for the juft and profitable amendment of *' thofe who raay be guilty, and, in fliort, for ** the credit of the whole order, that they ^.* ^m^y with the greater honor proraote the *' fervice of God, and the falvation of fouls, *' ferving the holy fee with all thankfulnefs, ** and iraitating the pious zeal of your ho- ** linefs, for , whora the geheral as well *' as the order ftiall pray to the Omnl- ¦ - •* potent, ^^0$ LETTERS FR5M ** potentj, to ftiower upon your holinefs all ** the blcflirtgs of heavert for many years to " Coracj, to the joy and profperity of the ** univerfal churchi" The anfwer from Clement the Thirteentli to this memorial was very ftrong againft the jefuits. He fays that the late pope had ap pointed cardinal Saldania as vifitor, that what be had done was right, nor was it doubted but he had fufficient reafons for his proceedings ; that as for tbe credit of the order, it was their bufinefs nbt to have loft k by coraraitting adllons unworthy of iti That with regard to the decree prohibiting them frora preaching and COnfefling, it ap peared to be juft, as perfons who did not take a proper care of their own foUls, feemed very Unfitting to have thofe of the faithful eom^ mitted to their charge, and of whom, in that Cafe, It might be juftly faid, medice cura teip' fum. That their objeftlng to the perfons whom cardinal Saldania might nominate to tranfa£t. PORTUGAL, ftAIN, 8fc. o.^^ traniSi^ the aifairi beyoi?4 fea wa§ confite- red as ridic^^o^s, an4 ^calling in queftion tbe propriety of thejr judges before they knew who tboife judge? wer^ to be. As tp their de- lir^is that the cwrt <5>f Rome fliould interfere i» this bufifltei^, the pope affured them that it wowld loot very particular if, after his pre- deceflbr had appointed cardinal Saldania to manage the affair, he was to fnatch frora that prekte'« hands the authority conferred upon him, *nd that without any fufficient reafon ; befides which, it wag certain that the court ©f Portugal would very unwillingly fuffer a caufe begun in their ftates to he- transferred to Rome. It was thefe feverlties, which the court of' Portugal is faid to have ufed Its utmoft un derhand endeavours to get fliewn towards the jefuits, together with more open infults which the fame court offered them, that de termined their order to blow up the flame of the affaflination of the king, being incited partly ^fi&g LETTfiRS F'ROM partly by revenge, and partly by Intereft, as hoping their affairs would go on better under a new reign. I have In this paper told you a little what the jefuits did before the fatal ftroke^ and in my next I will endeavour to inform you what has been done to thera fince that tirae, but clouds and darknefsf intercept my path* The Comet faid to be foretold fo many years ago by Sir Ifaac Newton for the year 1758, has at length appeared in thefe cli mates. The Windfor raan of war has brought a French Eaft Indiaman outward bound. Into this port LET- IPORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 209 LETTER XXV- tlSBON, APRIL 8, 1759. J\. FTLR the fatal attempt of the third of September was put Into execution, no thing was imraediately done to the jefuits ; however, about the tirae of the nobles being taken up, thofe of that fociety in Lifoon Were confined to their convents ; and after the execution of the nobles, a ftrl£l order of confineraent was iffued out againft all the jefuits In the king's dorainions. The orders are given in a letter frora the king himfelf, which he addrefles to one of his magiftrates. It is as follows. ** To Pedro Gonfalvez Cordeiro Pereira ** of our council, chancellor of the Cafa *' de Suppllca^aon and our friend, *' I the king greeting. P « The 210 LETTERS FROM " The pernicious machinations, fcanda lous feditions, revolutions, and declared wars excited by the religious perfons of the fociety of Jefus in thefe kingdoms: and their dominions, and which are at this time manifeft to all Europe, gave us juft and indifpenfible motives of com plaining of their proceedings to the holy fa ther Benedift the fourteenth, then prefident of the univerfal church of God ; hoping that his wifdom, without proceeding tO extremities, might be able to reprefs thofe great diforders. But the Jefuits fo far from being fenfible of oilr religious cle mency, grew the more Infolent, and in ftead of fubmitting humbly to the. pun- ifhments that were infllded upon them, dared with arrogance never before feen or heard of, to deny the truth of thofe crimes that were alledged againft them. Not content v»^ith this, they have lately publiihed their infolent excufes, and have proceeded to other fteps yet more Infa- " mous PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 211 *' mous and rafh', by having pretended to ** alienate our Ibyal fubje£ts from that love " and fidelity to their fovereign^ by which ** the Portugtiefe above all other civilized " nations have heretofore been diftinguiflied ; " perverting to tliis moft horrid end the " faCred myfterles of our religion, and by *' means of them communicating and fpread- *' Ing abroad the polfonous contagion of " their facrileglous Calumnies againft us, *' and againft our government, till they " arrived at laft to form within our very *' capital the horrid confpiracy, treafon and "parricide, ofwhich they as well as the •' other criminals have been convlded. In " proof of which adjoining to thefe pre- ¦'* fents we fend you a copy of the original *' trial figned by Sebaftian Jofeph de Car- " valho of our council, and fecretary of *' ftate for doraeftic affairs ; and to this trial ** you are to give the farae credit as If you *' had been prefent" at the original fentence ** pafled the twelfth of this prefent raonth 1^ 2 "of 212 LETTERS FROM of January In our court of high treafon* The pubhc neceffity, therefore, obliges us to make ufe of that power which God hath put into our hands, to maintain and defend our royal perfon and government, as well as the public repofe of our faith ful fubjefts, againft the infults and incon ceivable rafhnefs of this perfidious order. However, we feel due forrow in not being able to difpenfe with proceeding to thefe laft remedies, in which we fhall confine ourfelves to what the kings our moft re ligious predeceffors, as well as other princes and ftates in Europe, equally ca tholic and pious, have done in cafes of treafon and rebellion committed by eccle fiaftical perfons even of the higheft digni ties, and in cafes lef^ flagrant than the prefent. *' We therefore command you (tho' not *' upon account of our, own authority, but " only from the indifpenfible and natural *• obliga- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 213 obligation we lie under to confult the defence of our " own royal perfon and governraent, as well as for the tranquillity of our dominions and fubjeils, till we can recur to the apoftolical fee,) as- - foon as you fhall receive thefe pre¬fents to order a general fequefter to be made of all the effefts, rents and penfions which the aforefaidjefuits may enjoy throughout thefe realms ; naming what affiftants you think requifite for the tranfadlion of this affair, and forming inventories of the effedls found in each of the religious houfes ; raaking, a fchedule of the rents and pen fions certain or uncertain belonging to every one of the faid religious houfes ; which rents and penfions are, as they become due, to be locked up in coffers with three keys ; one of which is to be given to "the truftees chofen by you, another to the corregidors of the Comarcas, or their deputies, and a third to, the fcriveners of ^he Correi^aon ; keeping within the faid P ^ " cofFersi,. 214 LETTERS FROM " coffers the books of revenues and expenc^ *' which fhall occur after the begliKaihg of " the execution of this order. When yoU *¦ fliall have put into execution all thefe " fequeftrations, you fhall give in to our *' fecretary of ftate a general fpecificatlon,, " written In a good and legible chara£ler, of *' the annual revenues of all and of each of *' the faid religious houfes, together with ** the fum total of their refpe(9:ive amounts. *' Now as it is not our intention that, in thd *' churches, minifters fhould be wanting to *' the divine funftions, much lefs that lega-- *' cies left for m^ff^s and other holy works ¦* fhould not be complied with ; our will Is, ^ " that out of the beforementioned coffers " there be taken by your order thofe fums " of money that raay be wanted for the pre-; *' parations of raaffes, celebrations of divine *' offices, and coraplving with the wills of ** teftators who have left fums of money to *' pious ufes, Our pleafure alfo is, that you llkewifq PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 215 *' likewife take out of the faid coffers the " money, neceffary for the maintenance of *' the Jefuits, all of whom we command to *' retire to their refpedllve convents and *' houfes ; and to each of whom we grant " for their fubfiftence the fura of one tef- " toon a day, (about fixpence Englifli,) for " befides the abounding proofs we have al- *' ready had with regard to the theological, *' raoral and political errors, which this " order has endeavoured to fpread about the *' city with fuch pernicious and deteftable ** efFe£l:s,we have received certain Intelligence *' that they now pretend with raore anxious *' diligence to corrupt the provinces with " the farae falfe and abominable do£trInes. ** We order, moreover, that all lay brothers, " and coadjutors fpiritual that may be fcat- ** tered feparately up and down the country *' be likewife apprehended and conveyed ** (all their papers being firft feized) under " fure cuftody, and by the fliorteft way, to ** their principal convents and houfes In the P 4 *• cities 2i6 LETTERS FROM cities or notable villages that are neareft to where they fhall be taken up, in which places they fhall be confined with the other Jefuits, and He under a fimilar ex prefs prohibition of going out, or of com municating with our fecular fubjects. We command you alfo to take care that military guards be always in their fight, who fliall oblige them exadly to perform this feclufion, until we order the contrary. And for the execution of thefe our orders, we command that you be affifted by the military power, which you may require at pleafure, ordering the generals and per fons charged with the command of our armies, as well in the refpedive provinces as at this court, to aid and affift you with out any limitation, as often as you fhall require it in our royal name, jvith liberty to command any number of troops tq march, which you or the magiftrates ap pointed by you fliall think neceflary, as well to the places where the fequefters " are PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 217 ** are to be made, as to the '#onvents and " houfes where; the jefuits are to be con- " fined ; to the end that thofe guards may " fecure the aforefaid houfes, and infped *' the ftrid feclufion that the Jefuits are to ** obferve in them, as Is done in this capital. *• We judge it unneceffary to ufe any urgent *' expreffions to ejccite your diligence in this *' weighty affair, as we are confcious of the *' great zeal, fidelity and reditude which you ?* have always manifefted in our royal fer* " vice. *• Given at our palace this 19th day of .^' January, 1759. ¦ « I the King." I fhall fet out to night at ten o'clock for Seville, but fhall only crofs the river Tagus, to be ready in the morning for proceeding upon my journey. L E T. 5i8 LETTERS FROM LET T E R XXVI. BEJA, APRIL 12, 1759. JtVLL that we know further about the Jefuits than what I have mentioned, is, that Cordeira Pereira pundually executed the or ders receive'd from th© king, whieh I fent you in my laft. All the jefuits are confined to their refpedive convents, and a ftrid guard placed over them. Some of the principals, as, indeed, I faid before, are in prifon, of whofe deftlny we are entirely ignorant. In the mean tirae their caufe is exaralning in the court of Rome, and I imagine after things are fettled there, the determination will be publiffied concerning the whole body, which moft people think will be totally exterminat ed out of Portugal, aii,d the order of the piousi PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &:c. 219 pious fchools introduced in their' ftead. This* tho' little, is all we know, and J believe time alone will difcover thoroughly the proceed* ings of this court. They would willingly, I think, bring forae jefuits to public execution, but they feera afraid of openly attacking an order fo forraidable in the Roraan catholic rel ligion, as the rainds of the vulgar are ftrongly prepoflefled in favor of every thing that has the outward appearance of fandity. I will now give ypu fome defeription of my" journey frora Lifbon to this place, where I have been very kindly received into the houfe^ of a gentleman to whora I brought a letter. As this Is the holy week, which is not pro per for travelling, efpecially in Roman ca tholic countries, I fhfill ftay here from this prefent Thurfday till Monday next, when I ffiall continue my route towards Seville. I left Lifbon upon the Sth in the evening (hav ing, as I faid In my former letter, to crofs ihe. river Tagus) that I might be ready to ^fcend 220 LETTERS FROM afcend my chaife early in the morning, and continue my. journey. The place I was to lay at Is called Aldea-galega, about twelve Engliffi miles from Lifbon. As the moon ffione bright my little voyage was rendered very agreeable by her rays. I was pulled along with eight oars, and being affifted by the tide glided fwiftly through the water. The city of Lifbon looks extreraely plea fant from the Tagus, as the houfes are fitu ated upon little hills, and rife gradually one above another, which forms a moft delight ful view. The brightnefs of the moon ren.. dered the town more confpicuous, yet her beams were not ftrong enough to difplay the horrors of it, and make the ruins vlfible, which in the day time look melancholy from the fpot in which we then were. The river in this place Is between two or three leagues over. Upon our landing we found the inn full of travellers, which put us to more dif trefs for accommodations than we ffiould Otherwife have fuffered even in this inhofpl table PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 221 table country. At about three o'clock in the morning the poftilion hurried rae up, tho' it was paft four before we fet out. Upon ray coraing into the open air the firft thing that ftruck my eye-fight was the comet, who feemed to fcowl Inaufplcloufly upon ray journey. I fuppofe he muft now be vlfible to you Inhabitants of Great Britain. Whether it be the fame predided by Sir Ifaac Newton, its courfe alone muft determine. This comet appears to us nearly in the eaft, with its tall pointing weftward. Our mules had not drawled us on far, before that beautiful rud- dinefs which is the harbinger of the rifing fun appeared, and ffiortly after the fun him felf emerged above the horizon and gilt with his rays that vaft plain we were then travelling over. The country was as ugly as ever eye beheld. Flat to the laft degree, except. In deed, fome diftant raountains which lay near Liffion. The foil, a deep white fand, which permitted nothing to grow, but thofe forts of ffirubs which flouriffi upon the moft barrqn. i22 Li^TTERS FROM barren heaths in thefe countries. The reflec-^ tion frora it gave redoubled power to the fun^ which being now very high, raade us fenfible of its force, tho* the heat was tempered from- time to time by an agreeable cloud, which, however, are not very frequent in thefe fine climates. About ten o'clock we ar-* ~ rived at our baiting place, which was the firft ' houfe we had feen fince we left Aldea-galega, Our inn had, indeed, three or four other" buildings to keep it company, but every thingf elfe was nearly as wild and defert as ever. As foon as my chalfe ftopt I difmoUnted. In England and other countries the landlord and landlady corae out and m^l^^ their corapli raents to the ftrangers, in Spain and Portu gal things feera quite different, for you rauft go and pay your refpeds to them. To com ply then with the cuftom of the country, I went into the kitchen, and pulled off my hat in great forra to a lady who was fitting by the fire fide, tho' it was burning hot, and whofe looks told me ffie was the ralftrefs of th& PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 223 the houfe. She got up and returned me a bow^ ing courtefy with all the folemnity imagin able. In ffiort, many compliments paiTed on both fides. In which I endeavoured to change my Spaniffi into broken Portuguefe. The refped I ffiewfed got me a little fiffi for dinner, but the appearance of it, and of the little ugly black woman who brought it in, gave me no defire of tafting It, and I ffiould have made a more raeagre dinner than any of the Roman catholics, if It had not been for bur own provifions, upon which I accom pliffied a hearty raeal. As there was a little pine grove nearly oppofite to the inn, I en tertained myfelf after dinner with walking in it, and enjoying the few trees of which it was compofed, as the whole morning I had hardly feen a buffi. Upon my return I found the inn crouded with the travellers who lay at Aldeagalega the evening before. They Were Italians, and I thought they were to keep to the left hand to go to Madrid, but they had made a little round for the fake of feeing. 224 LETTERS FROM feeing Evora the capital of Alentejo, the province In which I ara at prefent. Our con verfation turned with juftice upon the very bad travelling through Spain and Portugal, till the appearance of my chaife interrupted It. We never thought of meeting again, as I was to go to Silveres that night, and they only to Ventas Novas two leagues ffiort of it, and accordingly we took leave of each other, with reciprocal wiffies of a good jour ney. I proceeded in the afternoon through a country not much better than what we had experienced in the morning, however we did meet with two or three houfes, at one of which I bought a large cargo of oranges, which in the meaneft cottages are to be found In the greateft perfedlon. Upon our coming to Silveres we met with nearly the fame treatraent as in the forraer inn, with a fupper nearly as bad, which, however, I had not finiffied, when I heard two chaifes ftop at the door, and upon looking out of the window, I faw ray new acquaintances the Italians Portugal, spain, &c. 225 Italians getting out of them. They had come on farther than they intended, and I fpent a Very merry evening with them, till midnight informed us that it was time for travellers to retire to reft* CL "l^ET- 226 LETTERS FROM LETTER XXVIL LA PUEBLA, APRIL I9, 1759. 1 A M now at the firft little town In the Spaniffi dominions, and a poor little place it is ; but to bring you here In due order I rauft continue ray narration. The Sun had no fooner rifen upon us at Silveres than I was feparated from ray new corapanions, and purfued my route towards Beja. They ftruck off to the left for Badajos. We had ftill, however, another chalfe in corapany, in which was a Portuguefe gen tleman, who was carrying his daughter to take the veil at Vlaiia ; but they were fo very referved, it was Impoffible to have much coramunication with them. Indeed, one of the charaderlftlcs of the Portugue^ feems PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 227 feems tb be an averfion, or I may fay hatred, to foreigners. We dined at a little village called St. Jago, from whence we were con duded thro' a Very ugly country to Viana, the place where I lay that night. Tho' the country frora Liffion to Viana had referabled what I wrote to you of near Aldeagalega, yet juft by that town It was prettily Inter fperfed with groves of olive trees, fituated Upon little rifing hills. -Our Inn and ac- corarapdations we ftill thought Very bad, but nothing to be compared with what I have fince experienced In Spain. Here you find nothing In the inns. If, Indeed, there are any, but a very dirty roora, and what you eat or drink muft be brought with you, or you are obliged to run about the place and buy it yourfelf. The Intended nun and her father left us at Viana, nor will I detain you longer in a town where there Is nothing to divert you ; and was hardly any thing for me to eat. Q^ a The 228 LETTERS FROM The reafon of fo great a want of provi fions, was our having been overturned juft in entering Viana, which had blended no fmall quantity of fandy dirt with our ftopk. Some priefts, however, according to the hof pitality of the country, gave us part of their provifions, which with what I got at the Inn made up a poor fupper. The next day we dined at Cuba, a little village not above twelve miles frora Beja. Every thing was very good here, as they had been previoufly Informed of my coming by ray Beja friends. A corafortable nap after dinner, according to the faffiion of fouthern countries, being finiffied, we fet out, and arrived at Beja above an hour before fun-fet. It is fituated upon a hill which continues gently rifing for a great many miles every way round it. This gives a very extenfive profped from every part over a fruitful corn country, the only one of that kind of any extent, I believe. In the kingdora ; and which is almoft as deftitute of trees as our downs, except, in deed.. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 229 deed, a few olive groves on that fide towards Seville. I met with many civilities from the "inhabitants of this town, or city, for fo you muft call it to pleafe them. The -firft day I paffed there my landlord's mother would, not appear at table, on account of the tyrannical cuftom in Portugal, which ren ders It indecent for a lady to be vlfible when there are fttangers in the houfe. However, by ftrong Interceffion, ffie came down the day after, without any of thofe charms which might make her appearance of confequence. As an exad journal of what I did at Beja mvift be tirefome, I will only tell you that I had there an opportunity of feeing much more of the Portuguefe than all the time I remained at Liffion. One evening I fpent very agreeably at a gentleraan's country houfe about three or four miles frora the place, and juft in that part where the olive trees are fituated, An alcove placed under fome orange trees, and by the fide of a little *ja LETTERS FROM pond, gaye us an opportunity of enjoying the freffi breezes that blew and tempered the heat of the Sun, which we have already experienced much greater than at any time in England. A profufion of fweatraeats and other good things were fet before us, to which we added oranges and fweet lemons that we gathered ourfelves from the impending branches. As we were walking aftervy^ards round the garden, a large ferpent thwarted our way. I believe he w^s a yard and a half in length. I had - never feen one fo big, and, indeed, he was a very fine fight. When he found we in- tiended to kill hira, he put himfelf In a pofture of defence. He drew his tail and binderraoft parts in a circle under him, and raifing his head and cheft a foot above- the ground, darted out his tongue, and feemed to fpit venom at us, Bu^t ftoiie^ fopn dlf-^ patched himy and extended him at his, length upon the ground; As PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 231 As it was the holy week, fome part of the little time I was at Beja was occupied in feeing Roraan catholic fundioiis and . cereraonies. They are rauch more fuper- ftltlous in thofe things here than in Italy, , and add cruelty to fuperftition. In permitting the penitents to flog, and torment themfelves in other ways, about tbe ftreets. The far ther you get from Rome, the more fuch kind ~©f penances are intermixed with religion ; and learning feems to baniffi them entirely from her erapire. As to the Portuguefe, they are ftill fifty years behind other nations. The great cloak thrown over the left ffioulder hides every thing. And yet thefe very people, who owe fhe comfprts of life to foreigners, as their European and Indian dorainions produce little mpre than wine, oil. Oranges :and gold, begrudge the money paid to other nations for their corn, cloaths, and other mpre neceflary comm.odities, CL4 I-ET. 232 LETTERS FROM LETTER XXVIII. SEVILLE, APRIL 23, 1 759? -TjLFTER a very fatiguing journey I am, at length arrived at this city. But to bring you hither in due order I will continue my narration, the thread of which I ffiall take up from my leavmg Beja, as nothing farther occurred worth mentioning during my ftay there. The poftilion had no fooner conduded me out of town, than we beheld the road we were to travel open for many miles before us, for, as I told you in my laft, Beja ftands upon an eminence. We foon got into a very pretty country Interfperfed with olive trees the fame I have already fpoken to you about, ^nd the only one of the kind all round Beja* but PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 233 but I foon had a different occupation for my thoughts than confidering the beauties of na ture. Through the negligence of our poftir }ion, for the road was not extremely bad, our chaife wheel gathering upon a right hand bank, fent us and our baggage Into a ditch upon the left. I prawled out of the ralfer able vehicle as well as I could, but the diffi culty confifted In getting th^t upright again, Juft at this time a country man fortunately jpafTed within a few yards of us, but, to give you an idea of the Portuguefe charader, he never offered to ftop or give us the leaft affift ance. Aniraated, however, at laft by the offer of forae money, he lent an aukward hand, and after much trouble, (being forced to un tie the trunk and all the reft of the baggage,) the chaife ftood once more upon its two >yheels, and we continued our journey. The roads were now very bad indeed, or I raight perhaps with truth fay, there was np road at 234 LETTERS FROM ali till we arrived at the Guadiana. l^he Guadiana is a river which in a great many parts divides the Portuguefe terri tory from that -of Spain, but not juft in that place I was to pafs it, where there is above a days journey further in the kingdom bf Portugal, till you come to a little river called Chanfas, which indeed is a kind of arm of the Guadiana, and feparates the two domi nions by its ftream. As there was no road down to the Guadiana but over plowed grounds, you can hardly imagine there was any bridge to pafs it. Inftead of a bridge there ftood a fine antique ferry boat, with two men in it, who appeared of equal anti quity with the bark, and who, upon feeing us come down to the river, conveyed their veffel to our fide. Here we were forced again to untie all our baggage and take off' ^he raules, in ffiort, lofe rauch time before we could get into the boat, and at leaft aa much in getting- out of it again. As PORTUGAL, SPAIN, ace 53^ As the way from Beja to the Guadiana had been ne?irly a popftant defcent, from the Guadiana to Serpa, the place where I was fo dine, was almoft all up hill, and fome part very fteep. The winter torrents had fo ippiled the road, which they pretended to have once been here, that the chaife was obliged to quarter between clefts almoft big enough to fwallow half of it. You may imagine I djd not keep my feat during all thefe precipices, efpecially after having fo lately had the fpeclraen of an overthrow. I walked up the fteepeft part on foot, and as we had fet out lafe In the morning, and had Jpft much tirae in our overturn and paffing the river, it was now near two o'clock, and the fun ftruck upon us with inexpreffible heat. It was near four o'clock before we got to the inn at Serpa, fo that It was irapoffible to continue oyr journey after dinner, efpe-i daily as we wanted tp provide ourfelves with Jl guide, for the chalfe-maii knew nothing of the w^y, nor pould yve get any other at Beja, Indped, ?3^ LETTERSFROM Indeed, I did very wrong ever to come to Beja in my route from Liffion to Seville ; but I was over-perfuaded by my friends there* who told me it Avas the ffiorteft and beft way. It certainly is the ffiorteft ; but I do not doubt if I had gone by Badajos I ffiould have arrived much fooner and more eafily at Se ville. But thefe refledions were now too late, fo that I applied my thoughts to find ing put a good guide, and for that end deter mined to apply to a geiit:leman for whom I had a letter. But as I felt myfelf fatigued, I deferred my vifit till I had eaten a mouth ful, and afterwards, inftead of making it, laid myfelf down upon a couple of ordinary mattraffes extended upon the floor, where ^ |lept till fun-fet. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 237 LETTER XXIX. SEVILLE, APRIL 29, I759, jHLFTER having repofed myfelf at Serpa, my landlord, who was a Spaniard, condud ed me to the perfon I was recoinmended to, who promifed to procure me a guid^that knew every inch of the way over the moun tains. Upon my return I found two fentries with halberts in their hands planted at the ftreet door of my inn. The landlady came running out and Informed me, that the go vernor of Serpa was come to make me a vi fit. I fincerely believe, however, that vuider this mafk of civility he wanted to be inform ed who I was that was leaving the kingdom ; and indeed the confufed ftate of Portugal might well juftify orders of that nature from the government. Upon my coming into the room 43^ LETTERS FROM room he addreffed me with a profufion 6t Compliments. As we had no chairs, I ad vanced a joint ftool for his excellency td fit upon, and we began a converfation in which I laboured hard to make myfelf intelligible. After ftaying about half an hour he arofe, and telling me he had importuned me with that vifit only to know if it was in his power to do me any fervice, he raarched. off with his railitary attendants. ****** LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 239 LETTER XXX. SEVILLE, MAY 3, 1759. A Spent ray evening at Serpa with the gentleman to whora I was recomraended. His family confifted of a wife and two pretty girls between eighteen and twenty. Upon my coming in I found the old lady feated in a low chair,, and her two daughters upon two round mats placed upon the ground, where they were fitting like tay lors. It is faid, the coraraon, people of Pbrtugal have but newly introduced the cuftom of chairs, which the great tefort of foreigners to Liffion has given thera an idea of.. It is very odd foraetiraes upon entering into coun try houfes to fee the good ladles all fitting upon the floor like fo many Turks ; and, indeed, I believe thefe are feme, reraains of Mooriffi 24° LETTERS FROM Mooriffi cuftoms, as thofe infidels were • a long time In poffeffion of Portugal and of Spain likewife ; efpecially in the part where I ara at prefent. It is for this reafon, that the Spaniffi and Portuguefe languages abound with Mooriffi words, and 1 date fay, the great nuraber of guttural fyllables in the forraer were derived frora that origin. But not to detain you any longer in Serpa, I will pafs over my bad fare that evening, and place you with me in the chaife the morn ing after, into which I raounted before it was light. In going out of the town I ftopt at ray friend's door, who gave me a letter to an acquaintance of his that lived at Corte de Pinto, where I was to lay that night. After many corapliraents and many embraces, which the Portuguefe always burden you with, popping their head from the left to the right ffioulder, I at laft got nd. of rny very good, but very ceremonious friend, and the chalfe once more rolled on. We were five perfons in all, I and my fervant PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 241 fervant raade two, the poftilion three, the fourth was' our guide on foot, and my land lord of the day before made the fifth ; who being to go to a place fome miles In Spain, chofe to walk it with the guide, rather than 'at fome other time travel thro' all that barren country alone* I forgot to tell you that our poftilion had taken with hira from Beja the longeft largeft brbadeft broad fword that ever was beheld, much too heavy for himfelf to carry ; and which was depofited In a fort of place made on purpofe to fufpend It, upon the left front of the faddle of the mule he rpde» Here it hung like a fcarecrow, for it was altogether- as rufty as large, and the point had mouldered Its way through the bot tom of the fcabbard. But now, with the addition of our two raen on foot, we had acquired two other fabres of the fame kind, which being likewife too heavy to carry, one was adjufted upon the mule that bore R the 242 LETTERS FROM the fliafts, and the other fixed behind the chaife upon my trunk. Thefe, befides the arms I had, confifting of four piftols and two fwords, formed our military furniture. You may wonder to hear me talk of piftols, having told you, I think, in my letters about the affairs of Liffion, that all fire arms had been taken away from the Portu guefe, and confequently, prohibited to be carried openly. Let it fuffice for me to fay, that at the fame time I got my pafsport. from the fecretary of 'ftate for foreign affairs Don Lewis da Cunia, I got a licence for carrying piftols Included. Equipped and accompanied In this man ner, I went on thro' a moft miferably defert country indeed, where no mortal feemed to have fet his foot. It was- hilly, tho' the hills were not very high, but then fo barren, that it hardly afforded a tree; however, there was plenty of undergrowth, and many ffirubs, fome ofwhich fmelt extreraely aro- matical,i PORTUGAL SPaIN, ace. 243 inatlcal, for lavender, thyme, and balm of gilead, if I miftake not, and fome othet plants of this nature grow wild In thefe Countries. Road, there was none, for as very few chaifes pafs the way I came from Liffion to Seville, every paflenger makes a track of his own. Having travelled on in this raanner fbr not a few miles, fometimes getting out of the chaife for bad precipices, and at others being able to fit in it, we at laft arrived to the place where we were to dine. You may think It Was an Inn, but you would , be raiftaken. It was a little knowl of tre^s ftandmg upon a rifing ground. Here we alighted from our chaife, pulled out our prbvifionSj and fat ourfelves down upon the grafs. In the mean time, the poftilion took off the mules, and fupported the two ffiafts of the carriage upon the low braneh of a tree. After he had done this, he tied his raules one on one fide of the chalfe, aiid the other on the other ; and made a manger of the place where you fet R 2 your t44 LETTERS FROM your feet, which you will find will anfwer that purpofe very well, if you reprefent to your idea an Engliffi open poft chaife with two wheels, or a one horfe chair. After the t\'o beafts were adjufted we fat down in a ring, and began making our rural meal In n}l peace and quietnefs. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 245 LETTER XXXI. SEVILLE, MAY 6, I759. XJL FTER we had finiffied our roraantic dinner under the knowl of trees mentioned In ray laft, the poftilion hung pieces of pa per upon forae of the branches, in token of his having raade a repaft there, as well as to dired him and the guide in their way back, for it is now time to inforra you that our new guide knew nothing of the road. While the mules were putting too I was Inclined to take a walk, but was defired not to feparate myfelf from the reft for fear of wolves or other accidents, with what foundation I can-^ i:^t fay. Every thing being at length in order for Qur departure, we proceeded on our journey R 3 to 246 LETTERS FROM to Corte de Pinto, the moft ralferable village I ever beheld, fituated in the midft of that wild country.- This was the place where we were to pafs the night, to an inhabitant of which, I had brought a letter from Serpa. The per^ fon not being at home, but at a farm a mile or two off, I was obliged to difpatch a mef fenger to him, ,and in the mean time fat- down upon a ftone bench at the dpor of the hut which belonged to my unknown frien4, and wbich, he npt being there, 'was locked up. Tho' I call it a hut, it was one of the beft edifices in the place. The poftilion during this interval took off his mules, and turned them grazing upon a fort of green be-^ fore the door, a common cuftom in thefe countries, where their cattle very often live at the expence of the public. The whole pariffi, men, women, and children, foon gathered all about us, and feemed to ftare as if we had fallen from the ftars. A trifle pf charity I gave to a, little girl who had got PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 247 got a diftaff faftened into her girdle, accord ing to the faffiion of thefe countries, and was fpinniiig away very diligently, and which I told her was for her induftry, cauf ed many others to appear in a ffiort time equipped in like manner, and form a fpln- nlng party round about me. It was now near fun-fet, and I was anxious about not feeing ray friend, but at laft he appeared ftriding over the green with the perfon I had fent for him. Compliments having pafled, which he returned in an honeft plain coun try raanner, he opened his hut, and ray goods were carried into It. He then with ?iuthority, for he feeraed to coraraand all the village, ordered a country raan to kill a kid, {ind get it dreffed for fupper. In the mean time we entered intp converfation, which I was obliged to raaintain as well as I could. |le faid It was above four years fince a chaife had pafled that way, and that the road next day would be much worfe than what I had pafled. For my farther eonfolation the guide R 4. came 248 LETTERS FROM came and confeffed his Ignorance of the way, excufing himfelf, however, upon his having juft heard that the winter torrents had fpoil ed the road he ufed to go, and that none but a country man born upon the fpot would be able to condud us through the very bye and round about courfe we muft take. I was forced to acquiefce, and a fecond guide was hired, which was the lefs difagreeable to me, as In thofe terrible roads where every moment you may exped overturns, an affift ant or two on foot Is very ufeful, not to mention their being a kind of defence to thofe who pafs through fuch very defert places. Having fettled thefe preliminaries, and our kid being ready, we fat down to our . patriarchal fupper, which, notwithftanding the animal's being freffi killed, was far frora the worft I had made, and was fucceeded by a good hard but clean country bed. My hoft in the morning would not accept of any tiling for the trouble and expence to which I had put hira. The farae aflerablage of coun try PORTUGAU SPAIN, &c. 349 try people flocked about my chaife as the evening before, however, at laft on we moved, and left t|ie ruftip multitude gazing behind us. ."i .' LET- LETTERS FROM L H T Tf E II xxxn. SEVILLE, MAY 10, 1759.. X R O IM Corte dc Pinto to the Spaniffi territory is not above three miles, and thofe not the longeft. The two kingdoms are. feparated in this place by a little river, as I mentioned before, called Chanfas. BefideS; this boundary of water there is a chain of hills, thp' not very high, called the Sierra ]\Ioren,a, which alfo divide Spain from Por tugal for fome way, and afterwards run on into Spain. You will find in Don Quixote this hilly, barren country, renowned for many of his adventures, and. Indeed, it feems calculated for the manfion of defperate knights-errant. Our company was the fame AS before, except the addition of our nevvr gyid.e» PORTUGAL, SPAIN, iec. 355 guide, who was leading us through briars and brarables, where there was not the leaft fign of any perfon's having pafled before. However we at laft arrlye'd at the river Chanfas, which tho' it had not rained for feme time, was higher than It ought to be. There had been a difpute the evening before^^ whetner we could go over or no, which had been determined in the affirmative, and fp indeed we did, but not without fpme dlffi-i culty. We had no fooner fet our feet upon Span niffi ground than all fnuff boxes were opened and our jPortuguefe and foreign fnuff given to the winds. They are fo very ftrid here that a pinch is enough to fend a common^ perfon to the galleys and forfeit all his goods-. I do not fee the policy of this government in fo entirely excluding all foreign fnuff frora the kingdora. They are, without doubt, in the right to give all the advantages they can to their own m^nufadures. But might' i$i LETTERS FROM might not^a high tax be of equal advantage to their adminiftration, as that upon French wines to ours ? To prove how ftrid the Spa niards are with regard to this commodity, I will juft mention a cafe that happened lately^ Two Irifh lads, of which nation there are a great many of the Roman catholics, who fend their children to be educated here, coming from Cadiz to Seville, one of them thoughtlefsly happened in an inn to pull out a fnuff box, in which were two or three pin ches of rappee. A foldier who faw it took the fnuff box from him, with the lofs of which they contented themfelves, thinking- all was over. But they were afterwards taken up at Seville and thrown in prifon, where they ftald till intereft and money at length de livered them from durance. What renders thefe countries m.ore rigorous is their farm ing out all thefe forts of things. The go-« vernment receives fo many thoufands a year from fuch a perfo.n, who Is generally the beft bidder, to whom they grant the licence of beins: PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 253 being fole manufadurer of fome commodity, as for exarriple of fnuff, fpirituous' liquors, filks, cloths, &c. Tbefe tenants muft be defended by governraent, or elfe none would find It worth while to pay fuch large annual furas, to reimburfe which with Intereft they often opprefs the fubjed. This alfo may be the reafoii why other commodities of the fame kind highly taxed, are not admitted in to the kingdom, as it would create much confufion to the financiers. But to return to our caravan that was now moving gently along upon the con fines of Spain, which as yet entirely re fembled what I had juft pafled of Portugal In barrennefs and the nature of the country. After we had gone on for about a couple of hours the poftilion ftopt under fome trees, and told us it was breakfaft time. Accord ingly we pulled out our provifions, and were enjoying them^ when a Spaniard joined us. He 254 LETTERS FROM He was a country man and had a dog ana gun to kill fome game in thofe dreary waftes. The different look of him from the Portu guefe, the different drefs and different lan guage ftruck me, how in the fpace of a mile or two there could be fuch a change in the inhabitants. I have heard people fay that the Portuguefe and Spaniards are very much alike in their cuftoms and every thing. I cannot fay I have found them fo. It is true in their appearance they are both black, but then there is a majefty generally in the look of a Spaniard which the Portuguefe feera greatly to want. The Spaniffi language too Is much raore fonorous than thePortuguefe, nor do the great quantity of gutturals in it dif- pleafe me. Befides, I think, I like the Spa niffi drefs better than the Portuguefei It confifts, indeed, of a cloak thrown a fecond time over the left ffioulder, but of a different make, colour and air from that of the Por tuguefe. This, with a fort of net over their hair, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 255 hair, and a great flapped hat, compleats the common drefs of an inhabitant of Andalufia^ the province in which Seville is fituated* Not but that Spaniards put on coats fome times, however^ it is rare at tliis diftance from Madrid, except among the military gentlemen. Some of them are very curious when they drefs out. Being ufed to their cloak, they find themfelves unhappy with out iti Their cloaths fet upon them in a very aukward manner, their waiftcoat gets up to theijf chin, and their fword feems to run through their haunches. In Cadl:i, however, the flapped hat Is forbidden to be ufed, as it is a very populous town, and the government has a mind to fee the inhabi tants' faces as they walk along the ftreets^ For really this fame dark coloured cloak with ¦ a flapped hat, is as total a difguife to the men as the veils are to the woraen. ' I have 2s6 LETTERS FROM I have made fo long a digreffion that t feera alraoft to have forgotten my journey^ but I will bring you back to it in my next paper* LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 357 L E T T E k XXXIil. StVILLfe, kAY 14, 1759. yy U R breakfaft with the hunting Spa niard and my dependents being finiffied, we continued our journey. I had this morning another overturn, but received no hurt. About a mile before we ftopped to dine, we carae to a place fimilar to which, I believe, was never yet paffed by wheels. Befides briers and brambles, It was fo very uneven and fo fteep a defcent, that We were forced to tie a rope round the chaife, and hold it up with all our force. At laft we got to the bottom, and crofled a little river, the name of which I do not remember. As foon as we were arrived on the ' other fide, we adjufted our felves under fome trees, and dined as the day before, only with this advantage, that ¦ S we 2sS LETTERS FROM we had water juft by us for ourfelves and the mules to drink ; but the day before we had been obliged to travel fome miles after our meal, before we could get any. Wine, indeed, we had in plenty, but that alone is a bad allayer of thirft ; and it had taken fo ftrong a tafte of the goat-fkIn bottle It was- contained In, that to me it was extremely dif agreeable ; tho' fome people in England, not knowing whence it proceeds, fay they like the tafte of the Boracha or fkin veffel. We were hardly fet down upon the grafs when a ffiepherd joined us, whom we made our gueft, as we had done with the man in the morning, and which is, indeed, always the cuftom of thefe parts of Spain ; where every perfon will eat your provifion without any ceremony, and give you theirs- without any reludance. Nothing very remarkable happened to us. In the evening we got quietly to the little vil lage vvhere we were tqlay that night. The name iPORTUGALi SPAIN, &c. 259 hame of It Is La Puebla. Upon our arrival at the inn, I was obliged to conform to the Spaniffi cuftom of fending all about the place to buy evefy little thing we wanted. All the neceffaries of life are very dear In Spain, which muft be the cafe ofa country that abounds In gold, and nothing elfe. The good effeds of induftry and comraerce can not be ftronger proved than by confidering the great quantity of gold and filver the Spaniards have in the Weft Indies ; and yet, at horae. In raany cafes they want comraon conveniences. Gold alone can never make a nation plentiful, on the contrary, that Very gold muft go to other kingdoms fo buy what the indolence of the inhabitants denies them In their native country. We ought, however, by no means to attempt to open their eyes. Their blindnefs is of too rauch fervice to England, not to wiffi theni to continue in it. When you confider the two countries, what I have faid will appear ftronger. The climate of Spain would pro- S 2 duce, 26o LETTERS FROM duce, they fay, every fort of commodity neceffary for the wants or luxury of life, that of England is too cold for many ; and yet, the balance of commerce, notwith ftanding long wars, during which the French introduced their manufadures, is uifinitely in our favor ; and I dare fay they receive t\yice as many goods from us as we from them. ********** * 1 ********** * LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 261 LETTER XXXIV. SEVILLE, MAY 17, I759. J.^ O T to keep you continually in inns, I will orait what trivial occurences happened to me In La Puebla, where the cuftom-houfe people tumbled about all my things, mif taking tooth powder for fnuff; and will feat you with rae In the chalfe upon our journey the next morning. I will, however, fell you, that before we could get away, the poftilion was obliged to give fecurity for returning the fame road he came with his chalfe and mules. I do not know tiie reafon of this law, which feems calculated for the inconvenience of coachmen, without any immediate benefit to the ftate ; and. Indeed, the poor poftilion found a gentleman at Seville, who would have taken his chalfe S 2 quite 262 LETTERS FROM quite to Liffion by Badajos, but not the way I came. He was certainly in the right, as it vvas only a road for breaking necks. After we had travelled on foj about five or fix hours from this firft dirty village in Spain, we came to our baiting place, which was In the open fields as before, but with this difadvantage, that we had not a fingle tree to ffiade us. The fun ftruck upon our heads with unremitting fury, and when we got into our chaife, it felt like an oven. In our progrefs we met a patrole of guards, who roam In parties about thefe wilds, to hinder any counterband trade between Spaii:^ and Portugal, which however. Is every day carried on by the Spaniards. I have heard them reckoned the boldeft fmugglers of aryr nation ; and they fay, that during our laft war with Spain, they kept up a continual un derhand trade with Gibraltar, bringing pro-. vifions and other commodities to the garrl^ fon ; fof which fome of tbem were hanged ^t PORTUGAL, S-PAIN, Sec. 263 at Cadiz. The patrole of guards at firft paffed us, but foon after faced about, and ordered us to halt. They were ten in nura ber, five of which with great pomp ranged themfelves on one fide of the chaife, and five on the other. The head or captain then afked us with a maglfterlal voice, if we had got any counterband goods, but upon ffiew ing the credentials given us at the cuftom- houfe of La Puebla, they fuffered us to pro ceed. A little before fun-fet we arrived at the fmall town which was to haibour us that night. Its name. If I ralftake not. Is Sibiro. We had much trouble from a bridge fituated at the entrance of It. It feemed good ' at the beginning, but when we came to wards the other fide, for it was very long, one of the arches was broken down. As there was no turning about, we were forced to back the mules all the way. We at laft, however, croffed the river, and got to the inn, which was fo very bad, that rather thfi'W lay upon the mattrafs they gave me, S 4 or 264 LETTERS FROM or upon the beft ftraw they had, I chofe to fpend the night upon my trunk, with a chair to fupport my head. I got away as foon as poffible from this dreadful manfion, in which, however, I had the advantage of joining company with, fome honeft farmers v/ho were going to Seville. We dined un der fome fycamores that grew near a depor pulated village, with old Mooriffi walls. Nor v/ere our accommodations better in the evening than heretofore ; but I have already- given you too many defcriptions of .bad inns, L E T- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 265 LETTER XXXV, SEVILLE, MAY 21, I759, 4. A M now come to the laft day of our tedious journey from Beja to Seville, and which, indeed, was as laboripus as any ; for we had not got many miles before we found the road too narrow for the chaife to proceed, and were forced to lift it over many banks. It was alfo twice overturned this morning, but I had the good fortune not tp be in it. Be fides all this, we were once ftupk in a flougli, out of which, I believe, we fliould never have been able to get, if we had not been affifted by fome countrymen's mules. How^ ever, we at length came Into a greater road, and arrived without any farther accident to St. Lucar, of which name there is a port not far from C^^diz, at the mouth of the river 266 LETTERS FROM river Quadalquivlr ; but the place where I dined was only a large village of the fame denomination. Upon our drawing fo near Seville, our fare was much mended, and we- found, at leaft, a poffibllity of purchafing part of what we wanted. As we had all an inclination of getting to our journey's end as foon as we could, we fet out in the face of the burning fun ; and after having gone about ten mUes, the famous city of Seville ftood open to our view. It lies in a valley furrounded by little hills at fome miles dif tance, and towards the fouth-eaft the horizon is terminated by very" high mountains, which feparate this part of Andalufia from Granada. But hereafter J may tell you more of Seville, and ffiall now only add, that we all entered it in good health, tho' much fatigued. ********* ^*#** ******* LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, 8cc, 267 L f; T T E R XXXVI, SEVILLE, MAY 24, 1759, J^E VILLE, the ancient Hifpalls, is the ca-? pital of Andalufia, which, indeed, you know as well as myfelf. The Spaniards reckon 1% one of the fineft cities in the world, and tell you, that who has not feen Sevilla, has not feen Meravilla, or a wonder. It certainly is a very handfome town, (ho' far from equal to their idea. Hpwever, Its ancient Mooriffi walls, which have been lately rer paired and painted, make as romantic ai; ?ippearance as any thing I ever faw, There fire few F^ngllffi in this city, but a grea? many Iriffi Roman catholic merchants, fome of whpra are very rich. The true bprij Spaniard has generally too high a notion of J^imfelf to apply to ^ommerge, and much lefs 268 LETTERS FROM lefs to the menial offices of life, which are moftly performed by French or Italians. During this war, indeed, feme of their ffiips have found their way to London, Since my refidence at Seville, I have al-- ways gone into the country for two or three days at the latter end of the week. The place I go to is called La Puebla, not the dirty town I paffed thro' in coming to Seville, as you may imagine from Its diftance, but another more clean little village of the fame name upon the banks of the Guadalquivir. (the ancient Betis). I here enjoy a little freffi air and country exercife, in which the vice-conful generally bears me company. You may wonder, perhaps, how there comes to be a vice-conful at fo little a village, but I mvift inform you, that very few fliips bound for Seville, come higher up the Qua- dalquivir than La Puebla, upon account of the danger of the navigation. In many places there are banks of fand, and I never law PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. ^6^ faw a liver wind raore In all ray life ; befides which there is a law that falls very hard upon mafters of ffiips, and this Is, that fup pofing their veffel has the misfortune to run on ground, they are immediately put into prifon, till, at their own expence, they have either got her off again, or broke her up, and carried her away by pieces, in order that tho channel ffiould not remain Incum bered. " Now In time of war there are, in deed, fewer ffiips ; but I have heard, that during peace here are foraetiraes no lefs than twenty Engliffi veflels come In a year to load fruit for London. Many are at prefent forced to make ufe of other ftratagems, and get what they can under Spaniffi colours ; with other contrivances of the fame nature, too common to thofe who feek only their private emolument. LET- «70 LETTERS FROM LETTER xxxvii. SEVILLE, MAY 29, 1759* j\ S 1 am now working hard in perfeding myfelf In the Spaniffi language, I rauft, confeqvtently, read a good raany Spaniffi books, and I have now before me one which has entertained rae exceedingly* It is Fey-' joo, a modern Spaniffi author, who writes with much fenfe and elegance in this very noble language, which I efteem the fineft at prefent fpoken in Europe. As for fome particular fentiments now and then upon religion, the Spaniards are fo bigotted to their own, that thefe muft be expeded. Tho' perhaps. If there were no inquifition in Spain, they would not be quite fo viru lent, as they now may think it more eafy to get a licence for the printing of works. If PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sic. 271 if they fpeak againft proteftants. I need not acquaint you that they rauft have a' number of-llcenfes before they can print any of their produdions. One from the in quifition, that there may be nothing againft the church ; one from the civil 'magiftrate, that there raay be nothing againft the ftate ; and others frora other people, as for moiik^ frora their particular order, and fo on. Thefe reftraints check the genius of the Spaniards, for naturally they have to be fure very great talents. But to return to my. reading Feyjoo, who is ftill alive, and is a Benedidine Friar. He calls his works a confutation of all coraraon errors. Moft of them, indeed, that he takes in hand are fo common, that any perfon of the leaft education has already got rid of them ; however, ,his ftyle Is very agreeable, and he now and then rviiis off into entertaining digreffions. Notwithftanding he includes in his work the confutation of fuch puerile opinions, as thofe of ghofts, witches and appari- £72 LETTERS FROM apparitions, he rifes fometimes to the moft learned fubjedsj and treats of different points of mathematical and philofophical knowledge. The fubjed of what I have been juft now reading is, whether any na tion is fuperior to others in genius. After having weighed feparately all nations in the four divifions of th© world, he fays he thinks not, and that there is no real differ ence In their natural capacities, but that the being more or lefs barbarous, is owing to their better or worfe education ; however, if, fays he, there be any (I found thefe words with pleafure at the end ofhis effay,) I ffiould give the preference to the Engliffi nation. I will tranflate you his own words at length, as deferving to be read by every Britiffi fubjed. " If, however, I were to give a prefer* *' ence to any of the European nations above " the reft in fubtlety of genius, I ffiould fide *' with Heideger, a Gserman author, who " gl\ie^ PORTUGALi SPAIN, &c. 273 *"* gives that advantage to the Engliffi* ** Great Britain undoubtedly^ fince learning " has been introduced into that ifland, has *' produced a great number of authors of •** the firft clafs. It would be too tedious " for me. Were I only to mention thofe, ** which ffie has given to the order of Bene- ** didine and Francifcan moiiksi I will *• mention, however, three in each of thefe *' two focieties, who ffilne like ftars of fu- ** perior magnitude. The . firft, viz. the ** Benedidine order ehjoyed the venerable " Bede, the renowned Alcuiri, and the fa- ** mous Suiffet. The fecond bpafts of •" Alexander of Hales, the fubtle Sciotus, " and his pupil William Ockham. Car- *• dano makes the following reflexion upon *' thefe two laft geniufes, whom he puts In " the, rank ofthe moft refined in the world, *• and with regard to whora he remarks, " Barbaros * ingenio nobis haud effe Infe- T riores» * " That even t&e barbarians are not inferior to us in .•'talents, fince Britain, tho' divided from the whole «'and 274 LETTERS FROM *' riores, quandoquidem fub brumoe coelo. ** divifa toto orbe Britannia duos tam clari " ingenll viros emiferit." " Nor muft I omit mentioning, that ** when other nations in Europe hardly ** knew what mathematics were, thefe two ** orders had very celebrated Engliffi mathe- *' maticians in them. Roger Bacon was *' faraous in that of the Dorainicans. He ** performed fo many wonderful things as *' to be fufpeded of magic. Some authors *' fay he went to Rome to clear himfelf *' frora that afperfion. The Common peo- *' pie invented the fame ftory with regard ** to hira, as they tell of Albert the great, ** that he had conftruded a brazen head " which anfwered hira ¦ any queftions. " Oliver * of Malraffiury was no lefs fa- *' world, and placed under a hemifphere of winter, ha* " produced two fuch illuftrious men." * Perhaps William. mous PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 275 *' mous in the Benedidine order. John ** Pllfey reports that he found out the art ** of flying. But he fays that projedor *' never had the good fortune to get above a " hundred and twenty yards at a time. ** However, no perfon elfe ever did fo *' much." f In my next paper I will continue you forae raore of what Feyjoo fays with regard to the Engliffi nation. At leaft, It ffiews you the idea the Spaniards hold us In, T 2 LET- 276 LETTfeRS, FROM LETTER XXXVIU. SEVILLE, MAY 3I, 1 759. xjl N D now to continue you what Feyjoo fays with regard to the Engliffi nation. His works continue to entertain me exceed ingly. *' In phyfics, England has given more " original authors than all other nations " put together. Even the French, not- " withftanding their zeal for the credit of " their nation, confefs the Engliffi to have " the advantage over them In philofophical " talents. I may fay without raffinefs, that " whatever advances have been raade in " phyfics this laft century, they have been " all owing to chancellor Bacon. It was " he who broke through the narrow bounds within PORTUGAL, SPAIlsr, &c. 277 *' within which philofophy was confined " till his time. It was he who threw down " the colurans upon which the non plus ultra ** with regard to natural knowlege had been *' engraved for fo many ages. The learned *' Peter Gaffendi was nothing but a faithful *' difclple of Bacon. What he had faid hi *' ffiort, Gaffendi repeated In bis excellent " philofophical writings In a more extended " manner. What Defcartes has worth any ** thing in bis works, was all taken from ** Bacon. After hira comes Boyle, and *' the moft fubtle Sir Ifaac Newton, who ** were alfo great originals, not to mention *' Locke and Digby, and a great many ** others. But the livellnefs of their genius *' has been attended with a misfortune *' which Bacon himfelf remarked. For ** fince they once abandoned the true path ** with regard to religion, the greater life " their reafoning has, the quicker they ** bewilder themfelves. However, a Sir ** Tliomas Moore has not been wanting to T 3 " that 278 LETTERS FROM that ifland, fince herefy deformed it, a man no lefs famous for his learning than for his ' firmnefs in the catholic religion. Befides what I have already faid, I have reraarked that the Engliffi in their philo* fophlcal works give you an open explica-- tion and free narrative, void of all artifice, of what they have found in their experi- raents, a thing which is not fo frequently to be met with amongft authors of other nations. Particularly, it is a pleafure to fee in Bacon, Boyle, and Sir Ifaac New ton, as well as in Sydenham the phyfi cian, how, without boafting they tell you what they know, and without bluffi- iiig confefs what they are ignorant of. This Is the very charaderlftic of fubhme geniufes. What a pity, that the fatal cloud of herefy ffiould overwhelm them with fuch melancholy darknefs," Thefe are all the remarks Feyjoo makes In an eflay of bis, entitled an intelledual chart PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 279 chart of the whole world. In a private letter to a friend he continues the fubjed a little, in which he atterapts to recant what he had fpoken in praife of the Engliffi nation. After having faid that all arts and fciences have been continually migrating about the world, and that all nations either have or will enjoy them, he adds. " Thefe refledions raake rae now doubt *' of the idea I ufed to hold before, of a *' certain nation being fuperior to all the *' reft of Europe in Intelledual perfplcacity. *' But why ffiould I be afraid to name it ? *' I fpeak of the Engliffi nation. With " regard to the modern Engliffi, there is a " palpable reafoii why there ought to be *' more great men among them in natural *' knowledge than in any other nation ** whatever, and yet withput their exceeding *' others in natural genius. The reafoii Is that *' they apply themfelves more, or, at leaft, '* more commonly to ftudy. Monfr. Rolln, T 4 " fo sSo LETTERS FROM fo well known in the world by the many and good hiftories he has written, confeff* es with fome grief that the application, we ' are fpeaking, of reigns infinitely raore in England than In France. He knew this by having converfed with a great raany gentleraen of that nation, upon their travels. He fays, he hardly ever faw one of them who was not adorned with ex cellent knowledge in one or more faculr ties. And I have been informed from other quarters, that a great many lords or principal gentleraen, ;f not the greateft part, have excellent libraries, which they make ufe of as well themfelves, as permit others to dp the fame. So that it is very probable that England, without having any particular advantage in natural ta-< ients, may have perfons better inftruded in arts and fciences than other nations, One field, without being of a richer qua lity, will produce more than another by its being cukivated better. Befides, It is ?' more PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &:c. ^U ^' more eafy to find four perfpns of remarks ^' able genius among four thoufand tha^ ^* apply themfelves tp ftudy, than ^mong ** twp thoufand," LET- *8a LETTERS FROM LETTER XXXIX. SEVILLE, JUNE 5, 1 759- Jr EYJOO goes on as follows in bis letter upon the Engliffi nation. Tho' there are fome things pretty nearly the fame as what I gave you in the quotation taken frora the effay of his, entitled The intelledual Chart of the World, I will give you what he writes at full length, " True it is that England has exhibited fp *' many great geniufes, and of fo fuperior a *' ftamp, as to have induced various literati •' of other nations to acknowledge forae adr " vantage in their underftanding above the ** reft. Heideger, a Gerraan author, fays " he found In the Engliffi a raore fubtle ge- *' nlus than in all other nations. The great *' Fontenelle (than whom np perfon was ?' more PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 283 raore capable of deciding this queftion) altho' he does not exprefsly fay the farae in any part of his works, yet in many he fpeaks with fuch emphafis of the talents of the Engliffi, that without any violence we may judge him to be of the farae opi nion. What is very reraarkable, is, that there are a great many -French authors, who notwithftanding the noted emulation between the two nations, give It for grant ed that the Engliffi beat them in penetra tion and in depth of thinking, referving, however, to themfelves the glory of ex plaining their thoughts better. And in deed it Is not to be denied in this that the French greatly furpafs thofe neighbours of theirs ; fo that it is almoft a proverb to fay, Engliffi ideas with a Frenchman's pen. li Father Rapin, with regard to this fub- " jed, merits a particular confideration above *' all other French authors, not only as be- ?U LETTERS FROM ing a very famous critic upon the writers ofhis nation, as well as thofe of others, but alfo upon account of his great devo-» tion, which would naturally incline him to regard with difpleafure the darlngnefs of the genius of the Engliffi, as treading under fpot the mpft aflured maxiras upon which our religion is founded. Notwithii ftanding this he does not fail to do juftice to their talents with regard to penetration and depth of thought in philofophy. In the I Sth fedion of his refledions upon philofophy, after confeffing this In gene? rai, he expreffes the advantage the Eng? liffi have with regard to penetration by calling It, * that depth of genius common to their nation.' Coraing afterwards to fpeak in particular of original modern philofophers, he fays, he finds but one in France, which is Defcartes, one In Italy, viz. Galileo, but that in England he counts to the number of three, Paeon, Hobbeji and Bpyle. *« What PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sea. li^ " What would father Rapin have faid, ** if he had lived to behold that won- " der of underftanding, he who with more ** than eagle's flight mounted to the celeftial *' fpheres, and with eyes more piercing than ** thofe of the lynx, appears to have pene- " trated the depth of thofe abyffes. Much **, more than all this Is exprefled by the name *' of the great Newton.' Ofthe three men- *' tioned by father Rapin I have never feen ** Hobbes, nor any of the leaft of his works. *' I know alfo that he is detefted for his im- ** piety. A raan who attempted to deprive *' the king of heaven of his divinity, to *' inveft with It the kings of the earth, not ** owning other laws, divine or human, than ** the mere will of princes. * ** Bacon and Boyle were original and pro- *' found philofophers ; Newton ftill more fo *' than either of them. To Bacon nature *' gave the entrance Into her magnificent pa- ** lace, unfolding to his fight the gates hich (( w 286 LETTERS FROM *' which led to her moft inmoft receffes* *' And he acquainted the world with what hd *' had difcovered in his two famous works» " Novum Organum Scientlarum, and that " de augmentis Sclentlarura. To Boyle *' ffie delivered the key of one of thofe " principal gates, through which he en- *' tered into the hall where Inanimate bo- *' dies were anatomized (a droll expreffion). " To Newton ffie gave a bright torch, by *' the light of which he was able to regifter *' the ample fpaces of that great edifice, *' where former philofophers had met with " nothing but darknefs. I could name a " great many other remarkable perfonages *' belonging to England, but fuch as are to " be paralleled In other nations. Now my " purpofe was not to produce to the public " all the great men, but only thofe few, " Qui ob fafta ingentia poflunt " Vere homines, et femi-dei, heroefque vocari." What PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec, 287 What Engliffiman can read this, ahd when he confiders it as publiffied in the centre of Spain, not be proud of the cha rader his nation bears there ? I confefs I think rayfelf a greater raan than I was before I perufed it, and I make no doubt but thefe treatifes of Feyjoo will help to baniffi from the Spaniffi foil thofe clouds of ignorance which have hitherto opprefled a very fenfible nation. LET- ^88 LiETTERS Fk6M LETTER XLi SEVILLE, JUNE I4j I7^g» \ Will ftill make yott out another letter with a continuation of Feyjoo, who goes on thus» ** Notwithftanding what t have faid, the " reafon alledged before, of the Engliffi na- *' tion's applying more to the cultivation of " letters than other kingdoras, is ftill fuffi- *' cient to raake us doubt, whether thofe ** giant authors I have pointed out, may not ** be rather owing to that, than to any partl- *' cular native difpofition in the inhabitants *' of the ifland of Great Britain. To this *' we may add, that the genius of the Eng-» *' liffi being more hardy and intrepid than " that of other nations, contributes much ^" to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 289 ** to the fplendor and credit of their pro- " dudions. Certain It Is, that In two per- " fons of equal talents, one however, of a " timid, and the other of a daring difpofi- " tion, the latter will outffiine the former, •* not only in common converfation, in V which a little impudence is of particular " advaiUage, but even as an author. A " tiraid genius, tho' on many occafions, " perhaps, capable of rifing above the com- " mon way of thinking and reafoning of *' mankind, yet contains hirafelf within " fuch narrow bounds, from dangers his '• imagination paints to him in coraraitting " to writing any particular ideas, that '* fometimes where he might afpire to the " glory of an original, fear damps his " flight, and he reraains burled araong the *' endlefs multitvide of vulgar writers. On *¦ the contrary, he who Is not afraid of *' launching out into the open ocean in *' fpight of what ftorras raay break upon *' his head, by giving freely to the world U " thofe 290 LETTERS FROM *' thofe thoughts which an elevated genius " may fuggeft, is knoWn and efteemed by *' men of underftanding for what he I5, *' Courage and underftanding muft be united ^' together to make heroes as well In literary *' enterp rifes as In thofe of war, at leaft, to ^' m^-ke people known for fuch. ^ " But from this laft refledlon an argu- ** ment of parity raay be deduced in favpr f of the common opinion, which gives to " different nations unequal geniufes. If ?' the Engliffi are more courageous than the ** inhabitants of other kingdoms, it follows " that courage is in a greater or lefs degree ^ " In different cliraates, which without ?• doubt muft arife from the different conr *' ftltutions of the people. From this dlf- *' ference In their conftitutions, to follow ^' the moft current opinion, which does not " admit any eflential inequality in foulsj, ^' arifes the difference of genius. That their ^* conftitutions are different is to be colleded ^^ not PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 291 " not only frora ong perfon furpaffiiig ano- ** ther In valor, but alfo from the difference " that is found in their various inclinations " and temper, which undeniably arifes from' " conftitution. One nation Is raore adlve,' " another more Idle ; one more choleric, '• another raore patient ; one raore open ** like the French, another raore circum- " fped like the Spaniards ; one more fincere *' like the Flemiffi nation, and another *' more cautious like the Italians, &c. " To fay the truth, I cannot folve this " argument fo fatlsfadorily as not to leave *• room for replies upon replies. As the *• anfwering all thefe would take up too *• much time, I think It beft to elude their ** force, and only balance the cafe with a *• contrary argument taken from experience. *' I have lived from my youth in a republic, *' naraely, that of the college of ray order, *' where there Is a continual exad examina- ** tipn of the perfons that compofe it, to U 2 the 292 LETTERS FROM *• the end that they raay be advanced in " literary eraployraents, or excluded from '¦ them. And even after eraployraents have *¦ been conferred upon individuals, the nice ** obfervations we raake of thofe who fill *¦ their offices beft, and ffiew fuperior or *' inferior talents in the exercife of their " profeffion, may perrait us to fay that by ** regular degrees we are daily weighing the " value of their refpedive Intelledual abili- ** ties. Now In the fixty-one years and " above that I have lived in this comraunity, *¦ I have feen fubjeds without number iii- " troduced into it from all the provinces ?• of our monarchy, fo that I have been " able to found tolerably well the equality *' or inequality pf the perfons that came *' from them with regard tp the difcuffion *' in hand. But I declare, tho' this has *¦ been many times the pbjed of my thoughts, '• I could never difcover any fuperiority that *' thofe of one province had in genius over ?* any other. However, you may find a " pretty POkTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 293 *' pretty remarkable difference in their turn. ** But It does not follow from thence that '* their talents ai'e unequaL *' I have here giverl, you what has pre- ** feiited itfelf on both fides the queftion, as " things Occurred to rae, without any pre- *' raedltated order. I now Iraagine you will " afk rae what Is ray deterraination ? Is *' there any nation fUperior in natural ta- " Ients to the reft ot nO ? What I anfwer " is, that the cafe feems fo dubious to rae *' that I dare not pronounce the verdid. " I will conform myfelf to what you deter- *' raine concerning It. Heaven guard you, '* &c." I ara juft returned from a little expedition I have made to a place called the Rocio. If I have nothing more entertaining for my next paper, I may give you feme of the parti culars of it. There are prodigious quan tities of people go to this place once a U 2 year 294 LETTERS FROM year to adore an Image of the Virgin Mary, and as It Is fituated in the middle of a foreft, with no houfe near It but a little hermitage, and the church, they live the two days they always confurae in this ad of devotion in arbours raade for that purpofe, which, together with their continual finging, danc^ ing, playing upon the guitar and other Inftruments, made a raoft rural fcene. At night too there were not bad fireworks, but perhaps more of this hereafter. LET- PORTUGAL, >SPAI^T, &c. 295 LETTER XLl. SEVILLE, JUNE l8, 1 759'. J. Will now, as I have promifed, give you fome circumftances of my queer jaunt to the Virgin Mary del Rocioy or of the Dew^ which I fpoke to you about. My companion the vice-conful being rea* dy, and our horfes at the door, I took leave of my landlord Don Ignatio de la Portela, and fet forth. I need not tell you that Andalufian horfes are very famous, not for fpeed, for In that perhaps ours and thofe of Barbary excels but for their great docility and beautiful Warlike raake. Thrown over my left ffioulder lay ray cloak, a conftant attendant upon a Spaniard In all his pere grinations. We were ftopt foon after our U 4 fetting 296 LETTERS FROM fetting out by a prodigious concourfe of people gathered together to fee eighty-eight redeemed captives enter the city. They were juft come from Barbary, and had been redeeraed by the fubfcriptions of charitable perfons, aided by the king of Spain's bounty. There were two Iriffi Rom.aii catholics araong them, as likewife two women, a great many boys, and one Moor efcaped from his native country with the Intention of becoming a chriftian, but the ceremony is to be deferred till he gets to Madrid, where It is to be performed I think with fome pomp. They were all dreffed in white cloaks, with the badge of their redemption faftened upon them. In other refpeds they ftill retained their Moorifli habits, and the oldeft had long venerable beards, for fome of them had been a number of years in cap tivity. I fpoke to one of the Iriffiraen, who had been taken not long before on board a Spaniffi veffel. He faid that his principal employment during his flavery was carry ing PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 297 ing ftones to build a raofque. They fay the Spaniards have now no raore of their fub jeds prifoners in Africa. The vice-conful and rayfelf having at laft extricated our felves from this tumult, we got to the Lrldge and paffed Triano, which, indeed, is only a kind of fuburb to Seville. The firft village In our way to La Puebla, where we were to lie that night, was San Juan de Alfarache, very pleafantly fituated upon a rifing hill, and not at a great diftance from the river Guadalquivir. We had fome rain, which was followed by a cold wind, unex perienced they fay in this part of the world fo late In the feafon, and raore penetrating, perhaps, than any felt in England. After a very difagreeable ride, wegot to La Puebla, and hired a cart in which to proceed upon our journey the next morning. You may wonder to hear me talk of fuch a vehicle, and efpecially when I inform you it was to be drawn by oxen ; but we muft have gone either in this manner or on horfeback, and the 298 LETTERS FROM the latter would have been very inconvenient' .upon many accounts, particularly as we ffiould in that eafe have had no where to lie ; wheteas, a tilted cart, with good mattraffes Under us, made a moft commodious bed^ for In the place where we were going, as 1 have already hinted, tbere were no houfesj The chutch In which the image of the Virgin Mary of the De-W ftands, is fituated -in the raiddle of a foreft, where the beft accoraraodatlons you can get are under ar bours raade on purpofe, which are not fo" convenient as tilted carts, and raany perfon& corae in thera upon that account. * * * ************ LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 299 \ \ LETTER XLII. SEVILLE, JUNE 22, I759. jtVBOUT two o'clock in the morning the vice-conful and myfelf mounted our ignoble vehicle, where extending ourfelves upon the mattraffes, we foon were lulled to fleep by the flow and fedate motion of our cloven-footed animals. There is one advantage in thefe Spaniffi carts, which Is, that there Is no danger of being overturned, as the axle-tree is tvflce as broad as any ever yet made In England. What is their reafon for this I know not, but it certainly looks very particular, efpecially as the carriage is In general not broader than ours. We arrived at breakfaft at. a pretty little village, where we were regaled by fome of the vice-coiiful's acquaintances. They gave 300 LETTERS FROM gave us bread daubed over with a fort of fy^ rup, which added to fome tolerably good wine compleated our repaft; Our cattle having by this time grazed fufficiently before the door of our hofts, were once more yoked to the carriage, tho' to yoke Is an Im proper expreffion, as the Spaniards make their oxen draw by their foreheads, bearing the weight of the pole or ffiaft juft behind their horns. They haVe but one ffiaft which comes out from the middle of the cart, and is crofled at the end by a kind of fpllnter bar, that lies upon their heads. I vi^lll not venture to fay whether the Spaniards or we are in the right, but they certainly ought to know where the principal ftrength of thefe animals lies, upon account of their frequent bull- feafts. In which cruel exercife all nations allow them to be extremely dextrous. At prefent, indeed, there Is neither that diverfion nor any other, upon account of the prefent diforder of the king of Spain, who is not expeded to live, and is reported to be out of his PORTUGAL, SPAIN, 8fc. 301 Ills mind. However, you may often fee a little fpecimen of dexterity of this kind in the fields, where the country people raake ho dif ficulty of provoking a bull and playing with hira. The chief foundation they ground this art upon is the knowing that a bull forae lit tle tirae before be ftrikes ffiuts his eyes, fp that by agility and pradice, with the help of their cloak, by which they deceive hira in flipping a ftep or two befide it, and holding- it out to the extent of their arm, there Is not much danger of any accident happening. * ff*******t** LET- 302 LETTERS FROM LETTER XLIII. SEVILLE, JUNE 2"], 1 759. Jj E I N G fet out frora the little village where we breakfafted, we proceeded with the ufual gravity of our ruminating animals to Villa Man riques to dinner, where the vice-conful knew alraoft the whole town, which occupied us in making twenty vifits at leaft. I believe there were fifty carts like ours here, all engaged in the fame expedition, and all their paffengers feeraed deterrained to be as merry as they could. The guitars were refounding, while the people danced all about the ftreets. To give you fome idea of the rural dances, of the Andalufians, I ffiall only fay to you what a fea captain fwore to rae, that they exadly referable what he had feen upon the coaft of Guinea.. But I think he was too hard upon pur man ner PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 303 ner of dancing here, for tho' there is cer tainly not much grace In it, yet there is fomething, paftoral and pleafing, efpecially in the women with their caftaignets and tambourines. The former is a little wooden machine, which makes a fort of noife like a rattle by clofing it, and is held in each hand ; the latter is only a flat drum, with gingling. pieces of tin hanging round it. The man-i ner of drefs too among the countrymen is pretty. In moft towns the cloak I have mentioned fo often to you is worn, but In the country it very frequently gives place to a ffiort jacquet put over their waiftcoat, from which it is always of a different colour, and the fleeyes, .inftead of covering their arms, hang down genteelly behind. I do not, however, think this drefs looks well but upon young people. After having dined at Villa Manriques, we proceeded to an old hunting palace belonging to the king of Spain, fituated at the beginning of the foreft, in which the Rocio, where we were going, lies, 30+ LETTERS FROM lies, tho' at the diftance of fome leagues. We all had free accefs into this rpyal maU' fion, in confequence of which, it was filled in a little time by our fellow travellers ; and as the carts came thronging along very thick after each other, we foon raade up a formidable affembly. The diverfion was finging and dancing till the fun was fet, when on all hands fires were lighted abroad under the adjacent trees, and different fup- pers prepared by each refpedive community. About ten o'clock our whole caravan fet out afreffi, and towards fun-rife we arrived at the fcene of diverfion. I confefs, the ruraU nefs and novelty of the thing ftruck me. The feeing fo many thoufand people all at once, dreffed fo paftorally, and lying about under the trees, prefented no lefs than a fecond Arcadia tp my view. The found of their guitars and other mufical inftruments greatly heightened the idea of ancient ftories of fbepherds and ffiepherdefies. We ftayed all that night, and till twelve o'clock tha next PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 305 next day, to fee the concluding proceffion of the Image of the Virgin Mary, which certainly was not worth the time we loft. All being at laft over, we returned with much company and mufic, and much in the fame manner we came from Seville. As we were dining the next day under fome trees, ftill attended by many people, a wag was paffing by quickly on horfeback, who being afked by fome of the meri whither he was going in fuch hafte, replied, that he was carrying horns to Seville. The words were no fooner out of his mouth than away he galloped, and was in the right to do fo, as the whole company got up in a rage, and began pelting him with ftones, forae of which vi^ere near ftriking the fugitive In- fulter. It is wonderful what an effed the firaple word horns has upon an Andalufian, and it is faid, that If you call one a cabron or goat, nothing can fave your life but flight. This feems to be fome remains of the old Spaniffi jealoufy, for in other couii- X tries 3o6 LETTERS FROM tries people do not attribute fo extraordinary a force to thefe words, without, indeed, they were intended as an infult by the pfonouncer of thera. I could have made a longer defeription of this religious merry-making, and of the fire works, and other entertainments we had, but iraagine you are fick of it already, L E T- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 307 LETTER XLIV. SEVILLE, JULV 6, 1759 X Will now give you fome account of a little journey I have made to Palma, not tha!t any thing remarkable happened In it, but the fending you thefe defcriptions affords me an opportunity of enlarging upon the cuftoms and raanners of the Andalufians raore agreeably, perhaps, than If I was dryly to tell you them without ariy narration. In all cafes you are by bargain to be contented with what I fend you. I fet out in company with an Iriffi gentle man and one Rodriguez, who came with us to take care of the horfes. We had been fo long detained upon account of their not coming at the time appointed, that we imagined we ffiould have been broiled alive X 3 by 3o8 LETTERS FROM ' by fetting out fo late. A gentle wind, how-» ever, in our faces, mitigated the heat of the fun till we arrived at the Fenta or country inn where we were to dine, about three leagues from Seville. A Spaniffi league is four good Engliffi miles, fo that we had gone at leaft twelve. We here difmounted, and Rodriguez conduded the horfes into the ftable, where he gave them plenty of ftraw to feed upon. They had, likewife, fome barley, which here fupplies the place of oats, but chopt ftraw is the only ex change they have for hay. The heat of thefe countries is, I imagine, the reafon they have nothing better for their cattle, as all grafs is parched up long before this time, and the country would now afford very lit tle green if It were not for the olive trees and vineyards. But what to me feems par ticular Is, that, tho' our horfes in England eat as much hay as they pleafe, befides other things, and have always clean ftraw to lie upon, yet they look in general leaner, much more PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 309 more coarfe grained, and much lefs beauti ful than thofe of Spain. Perhaps the cli mate, and their not willingly making thera fweat, may be fome affiftancci Not that I think a fportfman would at all approve of a Spaniffi horfe, as they would make but a bad figure in the chafe. However, upon the whole I can not but allow them to be very fine animals. The raajefticalnefs of their ffiape and gait, added to their great docility and meekiiefs, tho" without want of fpiritj makes it a pleafure to ride thera. And yet a great many lie only upon their own dung, and eat little more than ftraw. In a campaign they would have great advan tages over Britiffi cavalry, that has been iiurfed up more delicately. There is ano ther property the Spaniards cry up In thelr borfes, which is that of never kicking. How true the aflertion may be I know not, all I am certain of is, that I have never feen them ftrike, and yet the Spaniards are very fa miliar in walklngabout their he^ls. If by any X 3 extra- 3IO LETTERSFROM extraordinary chance a horfe ffiould happeft to lift up his legs, they with great gravity- affirm it to be owing to his being of a baf tard raCe ; for, fay they, no true Spaniffi horfe could ever do fuch a thing. The reafon Spaniffi horfes are fo little feen out of the kingdora is, that It is death for any perfon to attempt to export thera without a particular privilege frora the court, which, I believe. Is very hard to obtain. But horfes are frauggled into Portugal, as I think I have already told you that the Spaniards are reckoned the boldeft in that way of any nation. But to conclude ray equeftrian dif fertation, and convey you once raore to the inn our fteeds were then at. It was, indeed, more calculated for the reception of fuch animals, than of huraan beings ; however, we got there fome of the beft olives I ever eat In alJ ray life. With thefe and the pro vifion we brought with us, we raade out a very good dinner, and after a gentle fleep to digeft it, fet out for Carmona, a large eity PORTtTGAL, SPAIN, kc. 311 city to which we arrived at fun-fet. As Carmona Is fituated upon an eminence, it is rauch cooler than Seville, which ftands in ^ hole by the river-fide, like an Engliffi town. To enjoy then a little the freffi air, which Was breathing through the ftreets* and to fee what fort of a place we were got to, my friend and I fallied out of our Inn, leaving ivord with Rodriguez to buy fome eggs, and get them dreffed for fupper (raeagre fare !) After We had walked about the city for fome tirae, we went out at one of the gates of it, and fat ourfelves down upon the ridge of the hill on which Carraona ftands. We here ftayed forae time Invoking the propitious gales to arife and fan us. Aura veni, pedtufque intra gratiffinu noftrum. Nor were the gentle gales inattentive to our defire. From the valley beneath us fprung up a breeze, which renewed our fpirits, unbraced before by the too great heat of the weather. The valley below us might X 4 be. 312 LETTERS FROM be, I believe, feven or eight Spaniffi leagues in circumference,- and was fowed with dif ferent kinds of grain, moft part of which was then reaping, as you will eafily imagine the harvefts are much forwarder here than with us. The bufinefs of a reaper In this climate Is furely moft terrible. To ftand with their faces for fo many hours bent towards the ground, now burning with the too powerful rays of the fun, feems enough to kill any perfon. Some, indeed, they fay. In reality drop down dead, and that all would do the fame, if it was not owing to a mefs the country people make among them felves of garlick, vinegar, and fome other ingredients, which they hold as a preferva- tive againft heat. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 313 LETTER XLV. SEVILLE, JULY g, I759. ±\ O T to keep you any longer at Carmona, (for the many repetitions of my fare and inns cannot but be tirefome) I will only tell you we let out from it after having paffed a very bad night upon account of the quantity of vermin. They are one of the, plagues of all hot countries, but I think they are worfe in Spain than Italy. We are much peftered here by a fort of gnat, called in England mufkatoes, from a corruption of the Spaniffi word mofquitos, which are very venomous and difagreeable. Juft without the gate of the town we arrived to a very fteep defcent, which leads into the valley I raentioned In my laft, and which we were now to crofs. It vvas, I believe, about two or three leagues over ; but the heat we fuffered made that diftance :Ji4 LETTERS FROM diftance appear double. Having at length paffed it, and a village called Campana, with which it terminates, we came into a country lefs broiling indeed, but much more barren. It was a fort of ground the Spaniards call Palmares, upon account of little low thick ets of palras growing all about it, not much thicker nor higher, nor Very different in re- ferablance, frora our fern-brakes in England. Where tbefe heathy plants grow they fay that cultivation is of no ufe, as the foil is naturally unfruitful. This uncorafortable , defert face of the country continued till we carae near Palma, where the appearance of things was a little rao re fmillng, as atleaft there was here and there forae cultivation, butftlU it might be called rather defert, and conti nued fo till we came to the banks of the river Henil, or as the Spaniards write it Xenll, which runs juft under Palma. We were here obliged to ftay a long time In the burn* ing fun for a ferry boat, and when we got up to Palma, which was on fire, If I may be PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 315 be allowed the expreffion, were a long time before we could accoramodate ourfelves with a quarter, or feparate roora. We had no thing but the reraainder of a ham to dine upon, as no freffi provifion can refift thefe great heats. After our fait repaft, the heat inclined us' much to fleep. But to' our mif- fortune, there were no beds, and the floor was fo uncleanably dirty, that we did not care to lay ourfelves down upon it. The heft method we thought we could take was the following. We went into the ftable and cleaned enough of the range of mangers for us two to lie in. To make our bed the fofter, we took all the ftraw our horfes could eat from that time till bur departure, and laid it under us. As It was already chopped for confumption, it proved but a prickly kind of raattrafs, tho' I flept very found upon it, till an irapertlnent jack-afs, drawn, I fuppofe, by the odour of the ftraw, began treating me very roughly with bis fnout. Thus difcompofed I got up, and was 3i6 LETTERS FROM was retiring into our roora, when a very droll quarrel between Rodriguez and ano ther raan detained rae. This latter was the raafter of the jack-afs that, had difturbed -me, and who had a good many other ani mals of the fame fpecies npw in the ftable. The poor beafts, urged by hunger, for per haps they had eaten nothing all that day, and feeing that our three horfes were plenti fully fupplied with barley, which Rodriguez had juft given them, the poor jack-affes beholding with invidious eye this cruel dif- tindion, having been for fome time raelancholy fpedators of it, could no longer refrain from Intruding, and becoming partakers likewife of the good fare. Rodriguez feeing their familiarity, accofted their mafter with a very civil deportment, and without any feeming paflion. " Do you know, fir," fays he, " that if your beafts eat our corn, I ffiall cer- " tainly take up that piece of wood which lies " there, and knock their brains out ?" To which the other anfwered, that with regard to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 317 to that he might do as he pleafed, " but do *' you know, fir,"addshe very civilly likewife, *' that if you do, I may chance afterwards to ** take up the fame piece of wood, and knock ** your brains out too ?" Now each began to fwell, and in all likelihood the bufinefs would not have blown over without a fray, had not my friend interpofed his authority, and brought the antagonifts to terms of peace. HoweVer, Rodriguez could not help grumbling for a long tirae after, " If," fays he, " the fellow had corae and taken my ** viduals from me, there would have been '* nothing in it, or even if his horfes had *' eat the provender of my horfes, but that '' his jack-afles ffiould corae and ferve ray *' horfes fo, Is not to be borne." I give ypu this trifling anecdote as it Illuf- trates a little the charader of the coraraon Andalufians, and Indeed there is a ftriking referablanee between many of thera and Sancho 3i8 LETTERS FROM Sancho Pan^a, which, however is not at all wonderful, as Cervantes drew his pidureS frora nature as rauch as any of the charaders in Tom Jones ^re drawn. The raorning We had corae out Rodriguez complained rauch of hunger, and told us the nice air which then blew had entirely digeft ed his laft night's fupper, thereby archly hinting to us that he had eat no breakfaft at all that raorning. He then was as defirous of opening the wallet he bore upon his horfe as Sancho was, but we prevailed upon him to refrain till we c^me to the Venta, where we dined. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 31^ LETTER XLVI. SEVILLE, JULY 12, 1 759' 1 W I L L pafs over what happened to ug during our ftay at Palma, as the time was moftly eraployed in vifiting, feeing procef- fions and bemg regaled with fweetmeats. One raorning, indeed, we rode out to fee a little of the country. We went down to wards the river Henil, which we had paffed In coraing, and along the fide of which there are a great number of fruit gardens, for Palma furniffies a great part of the neighbouring country with fruit, which, in deed. Is the only fort of commerce they , have. Fruit gardens In this country are al ways fituated upon the banks of rivers, or in places where they can have plenty of water, as otherwife they would be burnt up by the fun. They have different kinds of engines 320 LETTERS FROM engines which convey their water in pretty little neat rills to every part of the garden. One of them called a noria feems to be the cheapeft, moft fimple, and, therefore, the beft of the kind I ever met with, merely pitchers faftened to a great perpendicular wheel turned by a horizontal one. After having been about agreat many of thefe gardens, gathering the fruit from the trees as we rode along, (for none begrudge plumbs, pears, or apples in this plentiful fruit climate), we went to another fpot about two miles from where we then were, to fee the place where the Henil and Guadalquivir unite their ftreams and form but one river, which goes on after wards by the name of the latter, and under that denomination pi-oceeds to Seville, and fo on to the fea at St. Lucar. .It was a pretty- place enough, but the heat begun to be fo ftrong that v/e were glad to get to our inn, wliich accordingly we did in lefs than an hour after. ******** ^ * * * * :-yf * * * * * * * LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 321 LETTER XLVII. SEVILLE, JULY i6, i75g. X N my former letter I faid it would be tirefome to give you an exad defeription of every thing we did at Palma. Let it fuflice that there we pafled our time In feeing pro- ceffions and making vifits, for the inhabit ants treated us with rauch civility. As we refolved in our return to go to Carraona by dinner, we fat out very early in the morn ing. Our breakfaft was under a tree, with our horfes turned to graze a la Efpanola. We were much diftreffed for water, which feems more difficult foraetiraes to get at In thefe countries than wine, nor could we find any till we came to Carapana, the village which ftands upon the farther edge of the valley of Carraona. Notwithftanding the hafte we made, time had run on fo faft that the fun Y w^s 322 LETTERS FROM was burning hot when we entered the low ground, and to delay us more I found my horfe wanted a cpuple pf ffioes, fo that we ' were forced to go a foot pace quite to the town.. In afcending the hill, juft before you arrive at Carmona, the very earth feemed to fend forth flames ; but at laft we entered the gate, and fopn after the inn, with no fmall joy. As we had now yery little provifion we were obliged to make out our dinner with eggs, fruit, and other things we could buy, and our after-dinner's fleep being finiffied, we fet out In the cool of the even ing for the defolate inn three leagues from Seville. Here with no better bed than a table with my cloak round me, I repofed till fun-rife, when we fet out again and got tp Seville before the heat could much affed us, To fill up my prefent paper, I will give you an infcriptlon that is written upon the gate of an hofpital in this town, wliich I have literally tranflated from the Spanifh. . Perhaps PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 323 Perhaps you may not underftand it ; how ever, it will ftrongly mark the bigotted Ideas of the nation I am at prefent with. Indeed I think it a mafter-piece of enthufiafm, and if ever you have occafion to make any In- fcription you may extrad the fubftance from this. It is as follows. " This work of the infirmaries of the *' hofpital of 'the holy charity was finiffied " with the perfedlon and greatnefs with ** which they are now feen. In the year pf *' our fafety 1674. *' Our Lord Jefus Chrift being ruler In *' Heaven ; he being high pontiff of the " church, who Is the high prieft according ** to the order of Melchlfedec *• He who reigns In Heaven reigning In *' the Spalns, his divine majefty being the .?' eldeft brother of this holy houfe, and he Y 3 " who 324 LETTERS FROM ¦ * who commands in Heaven, being a poor " infirm in thefe beds, which were made *• at the coft and expence of the moft high ^* God hl^ father, with whom he lives and " reigns in unity with the Holy Ghpft be^ ** yond all ages," I I I I I I L E T- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 325 1 LETTER XLVIIL SEVILLE, JULY 26, I759, SHALL fet out ffiof tly for Cadiz and Gibraltar, and ara only waiting for a letter I exped frora Liffion, In the interval I will give you forae particulars of another little journey Ihave raade to CabraL I fet out with the fame Iriffi gentleman and In much the farae form as we had done for Palma. We dined at Carmona, but left our former road when we had defcended In to the valley; The next morning we aban doned a ralferable Inn that had houfed us for the night aiid got to Eclja, a large city, by a little after fun*rife. Our inn, ftood juft by the brldgCj and facing it a gigantic , fta tue of St. Chrlftopher. The river run ning by the Ecija is the Henil, which I Y 3 made 326 LETTERS FROM raade you acquainted with in ray former journey. This town is fituated in a hole with naked hills all round it fomething like Winchefter. It is reckoned the hotteft place In all Spain, and upon that account is called the frying-pan of Andalufia. We were greatly benighted in getting frora Eclja to the folitary hovel which was to re ceive us that evening. Our beft bed was upon forae flint ftones, at the door of the inn In the open air, where we flept for an hour or . two till our horfes had done their corn. Nothing can be a greater proof ofthe finenefs of this cliraate than to fee the people fleeping about on the bare ground with nothing but the heavens to cover them. It would be almoft death in England, but in this very dry country I do not think there is any thing very unwholefome in it. 'It Is now feveral months fince we have had a drop of rain, nor Is any expeded till to wards the raonth of Odober, when the heats i^ORTUGALi SPAIN, Sec. 327 heats begiii to ceafe. There are but very little dews neither, quite the contrary of Italy, where you may fometimes fee the evening dew defcending like a fmall rain. This raay be the caufe of raany parts in Italy being fo very unhealthy, that they fay It is fatal to fleep a night in thera. However as, ' notwithftanding the drynefs of the air, we Were not very content with our ftony couch, we raounted our horfes as foon as they were able to proceed, and about three hours after day break arrived at Cabral. The Country about this place Is exceffively jjretty, and refembles Italy more than Spain, Hills, wood and water variegate the fcene in a raoft delightful manner, while a rugged mountain Impendent over the town adds to the romanticnefs of the view. Cabral Itfelf is like "other country towns, tho' cleaner than moft I have feen in Spain, and it has the advantage of having little rivulets ruii- riing through almoft all the ftreets, a thing Y 4 very 328 LETTERS FROM very agreeable in this hot climate ; not that the heat is fo oppreffive here as in Seville, the neighbourhood of a very mountainous country towards Grenada rendering the air much.freffier. Our tirae paffed as at Palraa, in vifiting and feeing the country. A canon of Grenada was our principal coiidudor. He one evening carried us to one of the prettieft water-falls I ever faw, where we fat down on the grafs and entertained ourfelves with the agreeablenefs of the place, till the fun had verged pretty near to the horizon. We then began walking on afreffi, and went to the foot of the mountain impending over Cabral, Frora a cleft in it iffued two pretty little cool rivulets, which afterwards unite their ftreams and forra a fmall river, called by the name of the town, till It lofes both itfelf and denomination in the Henil. Under the ffiadow of this mountain and ftraggling along the fides of the rivulets, whofe banks were of living rock, fat a nuraber of gen tlemen and ladles enjoying the frefco this de licious PORTUGAL SPAIN, &c. 3^9 Hclous place afforded. As we were dry we went to the opening whence one of the ftrearas broke forth from the heart of the mountain, and having borrowed a glafs of one of the gentlemen, drank plentifully of the refreffiing liquor, as it was not inferior in coolnefs to that terapered by fnow in houfes, nor In fweetnefs to tbe fineft water you ever tafted. You raay wonder to hear me talk fo dellcioufly, and fo rauch In praife of a beverage rarely ufed by the fubjeds of Great Britain, but the Spaniards, drink very little of any thing elfe, and, indeed, heat certainly renders every ftrong liquid difagree able. We fupped that nigbt with the canon, where an old maid fervant, who, I fuppofe, had never ftirred out of the place, pleafed me ralghtily. She feeraed very much fur prized at the bad Spaniffi I talked, and not being able to contain herfelf any longer, " What!" exclainis ffie, " and don't they talk " the fame there * as here ?" Thej innocence with -* Alia como aqui. 330 LETTERS FROM with which ffie faid this added a particular grace to her ignorance, arid upon our anfwering her that there they talked a quite different language from what they did here, ffie broke out into an exclamation of wonder at the odd things which happen in this world. Our fupper being finiffied with the canon, we retired to our Inn, not without cafting an envious eye Upon a large mat which lay in his roora, and which would have proved a raucb better bed than thofe we were to expedr LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 331 LETTER XLIX. SEVILLE, AUGUST 5, I759. X W I L L conclude my Cabral expedition in a few lines, not to tire you with repetitions. The reft of our time was fpent much in the fame manner as what I have defcribed. At laft fetting out In the evening and baiting at our old hovel, where I had lain upon the flints, we got In very good time to Ecija the next morning. We again fet out from thence towards the evening, not for Carmo na, the road we came, but for Marchena, which we knew was a fliorter way, and the people of the inn at Ecija afliired us we could not miftake it. We did not, however, ar rive there* without many perils and dangers of roads and robbers. The following raorn ing after an eafy ride we arrived at Seville in good time. I have 3^2 LETTERS FROM I have been this morning to fee a giantf who has exhibited himfelf to a great part of Europe. He is furprifingly tall, I dare not fay how much, but withal feems equally weak and unhappy. I did not know the difficulties of a giant traveller till he re counted them to me. No bed to lie in but out of which your feet extend a confiderable way. No coach to ride in, but where you are obliged to fit bent double. Wearied with the pofture, he was forced at times to take a little walk on foot, to the utter aftoniffiment of the Spaniffi countrymen who met him, and fell proftrate in adoration of what they thought St. ChriftOpher. Coming one fefti val day to a country village, he attended high mafs, after which there was a fermon. The preacher, who had not obferved him when be mounted the pulpit, is faid to have no fooner eaft his eyes upon this monftrous figure, then ftruck with amazement, he ftopped ffiort, funk down, and was heard to repeat ejaculations at the bottom of his pulpit. Buttho* PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 333 tho* this amazing man caufes terror to the vulgar, I felt rayfelf touched with rauch compaffion towards him, and the raore fo as he has fold himfelf for three years to the perfon who conduds him, and who hurries him about that he may make the more mor ney. His gains, however, have been leffen- ed here at Seville by the raaglftrates obliging his gigantic ward to go and hear mafs, not-r withftanding the reprefentations thaf were made of the great lofs it would be, if he was feen publicly at church, But the divines bave deterrained that he is rather more than lefs of a chriftian by being a giant, and is, therefore, at leaft equally obliged with all other catholics to attend the duties of the church. A mj^fs, however, is prepared for him very efirly In the morning on holy days, but it does not preyent many people from getting up and feeing him gratis, I intend next week to leave Seville and ray friends here, who are mpftly Iriffi, fled^ •as 334 LETTERS FROM as they exprefs it, frora the tyrannical go vernraent of England. Whether their cora plaints are juft Pr no, I cannot fay, how^ ever, they tell you that all their offices are given away to the Engliffi, whofe only merit is a fervile flattery to cpurtiers. They com plain likewife greatly of perfecutlon with regard to religion, tho' I ffiould think with out juftice, The law that no Roraan catho lic can ferve in any public capacity is by them cried down as Impolitic. What num-? bers, fay they, of our countrymen who now ferve France and Spain and other foreign na tions, would have devoted themfelves to the defence of their native country, if the rigor of the laws had not hindered perfons of their perfuafion from being employed under the Britiffi governraent. They Hkewife complain of not being allowed to wear fwords, or ride a horfe of above five pounds value, laws which they fay are put into exe-. cution. This PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 335- Thi^ is what they complain of, which I leave you to Interpret as you think beft. One or two Engllffiraen there are araong thera, but as they are Irifhified I ffiall not diftinguiffi them from the fame clafs. LET- 33^ LETTERS FROM LETTER L, SEVILLE, AUGUST l6, 1759- X SHALL not leave Seville till the 20th, and have nothing elfe at prefent to inform you of, Ijut that the vice-coriful who accom^ panied me to the Rocio died yefterday morn-? mg and was burled this. His death is attrl-r buted to the haying made a journey this very hot weather to fome quickfilver mines there ^.re In this country. They are reckoned very noxious, and might be rendered ftill worfe by the prefent heat of the fun, which a fea- captain declared to me yefterday was more furious than in Jamaica. Thefe mines are fo peftllentlal that no perfon, they fay, is fent to work Iii them except conderaned people, who feldom refift above a couple of years. But whatever was the caufe of the yice-conful's death, he certainly is no more, for PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 337 for I was this raorning at bis burial. His ,, corps I could not fee, for tho' it was expofed, there was fuch a ftench Iffuing from it, that none could approach it, and yet he had been dead only four and twenty hours. A fign of the great heat of this country. But tho' it creates putrefadlon eafily, it foon draws up the noxious effluvia of it, and the bodies of dead dogs and cats, which are thrown plen tifully into the ftreets, are not offenfive the day after their being expofed, except to the eyes of the paffengers. All the Iriffi attend ed the vice-conful' s funeral, and formed a long proceffion, for he was a Roraan catho lic. But why ffiould I talk to you of bu rials ? , You raight like better, perhaps, that I ffiould fpeak of life. I will do fo, and give you a reraarkable exaraple of it In a raan forraerly of Seville, and , fo conclude ray paper. ** Don Juan Remlrez de Buftaraente, na- " tive of this city, lived to the age of one Z " hundred 338 LETTERS FROM " hundred and twenty-one years. He was ** married five times, and by his wives had " forty-two children, and by other women ** nine. He was a great failor, and knew ** feven Indian languages. At the age of ** ninety-nine years he was ordained prieft* " and always faid mafs, and affifted In the " quire of the pariffi church of St. Loren- " zo till his death, which was occafioned *' by a fall. He Was burled In the fame ** church, the 30th of September 1678." LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 339 LETTER LI. SEVILLE, AUGUST jg, 1 759. X THINK 1 can give you nothing raore entertaining for this paper than an extrad frora the Madrid gazette. *• Madrid, 14th Auguft, 1759. On Friday *' the I oth of this month, at a quarter after *' four in the morning, the ills of our be- ** loved fovereigii Don Ferdinand the fixth " had their Indifpenfible terra, and his no- ** torious virtues obtained their everlaftlng " reward. After having made a proper ufe *' of a happy Interval of eafe which the dl- " vine clemency granted him, this moft pi- ** ous monarch died In the arms, and affifted " with the fpiritual attendance of the arch- *' biffiop liiqulfitor-general, of the biffiop ," of Palencia, of the palace curate Don Z 2 " Jofeph 340 LETTERS FROM " Jofeph de Rada, and of Don Francifco " de Barcena, chaplain of honor to his majefty " In the palace of Vlllavlclofa belonging to "the moft ferene Infant duke of Parma bis " brother, as count of Chinchon. He con- " fefled himfelf much to the fatisfadion of " the before-mentioned Don Jofeph de Ra- '• da, who adminiftered that facrament to " him, and when nearer his death that of " the extreme^ undion, as did the archbi- " ffiop of Laodlcea, nuncio to his holinefs, " the abfolutioii and papal benedidion the " evening of his majefty's falling. He died •* at forty-five years of age, ten months and *' nine days, after a reign of thirteen years, ** one montli and a day, and the fame day •* In which he was proclaimed in the year " 1746. The tears ffied by his vaffals for " his painful and long infirmity will make " the beft eulogium of our deceafed fovereign, " as well as their vows and prayers, with " which they have Incefliintly fupplicated ** bis re-eftabllffiment of heaven, as alfo the *' patience PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 341 *^ patience with which they haVe borne the " fufpenfion of near a year in government, " without the leaft diforder or Inquietude, ¦•* and with a refped and love of juftice only ** to be hoped for from the fidelity of this " nation. His reign will be rendered equally " glorious by the eafe and tranquillity, which ** his people have enjoyed during the courfe *' of it (to the no fmall praife of his truly ?* pious heart, fince having Inherited the ** crown In war, he rcfted not till he poffef- ** fed it in peaqe), as alfo by fo wife a con- *' dud, thatneither the hazards, in which the •* cruel perturbations fuffered by the nelgh- " bouring powers with whom Spain Is moft " conneded In Intereft, threw hira, nor the *' flattering confiderations which raight have " offered, made him hi the leaft fwerve frora " his raaxira, that peace is the greateft good to •' a nation, and that the raonarch really glo- ** rious is he who procures it, taking Care at '*' the fame tirae with worthy interior provi- Z 5 " dence 341 LETTERS FROM " dence that his vaffals do not abufe the ad- *' vantages which attend repofe. " Iramediately after the death of our fo vereign Don Ferdinand the fixth, couriers were difpatched with the news of it, not lefs Iraportant than melancholy, to our prefent fovereign Don Carlos the ' third, king of the tv/o Sicilies, and to the queen mother, fovereign regent of thefe king doms, till the arrival of her fon, as well by anticipated powers from his Sicilian raajefty, as by the laft difpofition of the deceafed king, and alfo, if there were oc cafion, by the general acclamation of thofe who cannot forget the part ffie aded in the glorious reign of our late king Don Philip the fifth her royal confort. O hap py nation ! for whom the Omnipotent In depriving them of fo glorious a raafter, had prepared the eonfolation of another not lefs iliuftrious, nor lefs a lover of his countiy, and even of greater experience " in ^ * » PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 343 " in the arts of governraent (a good fortune *' to which monarchies are not accuftomed) *' and during his abfence, of the regent " raoft capable of fupplying his place In the *' diredlon of affairs, and who, as bis rao- " ther. Is beft adapted to alleviate that aiixl- " ety, with which It Is natural bis vaffals *• ffiould defire the fight of their fove- *' reign." Seville, 20th Auguft. This evening I leave Seville, and reckon to be at Port St. Mary's to-morrow morning early, as I go by Diligen%ia, to ufe a Spanifli expreffion, that is, I pay foraething extraordinary to travel ^all night, and a pretty good trot, otherwife I ffiould have gone only a foot pace, and been, perhaps, two days upon the road. One of the great advantages of go ing In this raanner Is the travelling all by night, except, indeed, a little in the even ing and raorning, by which raeans you avoid being broiled alive in the very violent Z 4 fon 344 LETTERS FROM fun of thefe countries. They have no poft horfes In the fouthern parts of Spain, but for couriers on horfe-back. My next paper then will, probably, be direded to you from Port St. Mary's. LET- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 345 LETTER LII. PORT ST. iWAR-V's, AUG. 22, 1759. Upon ray arrival at this place I have found great news, which I think I cannot pleafe you better than by fending you. Extrad of a letter frora Gibraltar, without a date. *' The Gibraltar frigate appeared off this " port the 1 6th inftant, firing guns and *' making falfe fires. This happened after ** feven in the evening. Some time after *' ffie came into the bay to fpeak with ** adrairal Bofcawen, who being inforraed ** by the captain that a fleet was off Ceuta *' Point, confifting of fifteen fail, ordered *' all his ffiips to flip and chafe, which they '* performed with fuch furprifing celerity, " that 34^ LETTERS FROM " that by ten they were all under way, ** tho' not a fail was bent before, which it " muft be owned was unlucky. Since their " departure the only intelligence we have *' received Is what you fent exprefs. It '* afforded univerfal joy here, as every body *' imagines Bofcawen has fallen in with the " feven ffiips that feparated, and had not at ** the tirae you wrote joined thofe arrived In ** the bay of Bulls. My coufin lay on *' board the Intrepid that night, and as I " have not feen or heard of him fince, I " fuppofe he chofe to embrace an opportu- *' nity that he never, perhaps, could fee ** again, of being an ocular witnefs of Bri'; " tiffi bravery. I hope foon to congratulate *' you upon our fuccefs, and to advlfe you *' in my next that this bay is decorated with ** feven French raen of war." Extrad of a letter from Cadiz without a date, which I have tranflated from the Spaniffi. " We PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 347 " We have the pleafure of reading in the ** journal or naval diary of a Spaniffi ffiip " juft arrived into the bay ; that admiral ** Bofcawen came up with M. la Clue's *' fquadron at one o'clock in the day time *' on the 1 7th Inftant, fifteen leagues to the ** fouth of Cape St. Mary's. That the *• firing began at the fame hour, and con- *' tinued till feven at night, when the Spa- " niffi captain loft fight of them. He fays *• the fire was m.oft terrible ; that there was '* one ffiip entirely dlfraafted, and many ** others very badly treated ; that he knew ** pf npthing more, haying loft fight of ** thera at the before raentioned time; ** however, we may colled from hence that f ^ the Frepch have been' gll taken or de- ** ftroyed. I will give you more particulars *' in the evening, when the Spaniffi ffiip " will be quite come Into 'port. CompH- " ments to the conful, &c. Extrad 348 LETTERS FROM Extrad of a letter from the fame gentle man. *' Cadiz, Auguft 22, 1759. This mo- '* ment are arrived in a Portuguefe boat two " French officers belonging to the fqua- ** dron which was commanded by M. la *' Clue, one of whom is wounded. They *' give a full account of the late battle of ** the feventeenth, in which the French *' admiral and rear admiral's ffiips were *' burnt, three of feventy guns taken, ** and they imagine the two others have *' efcaped. In the evening I will write what ** elfe occurs. Sec. «' P. S. The Engliffi ffiips fuffered but " httfe. " An Engliffi gentlemen here has juft heard frora a French captain, that Bofcawen has blown up two fliips, funk two, and that two PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 349 two' others have run themfelves on ffiore on the coaft of Spain, and one efcaped. This is all I have been able to colled you of thefe good news, which have rejoiced us very much, and raade the remaining partof la Clue's fquadron now In the bay of Cadiz look very dejeded. There are three ffiips of the line and five frigates. In all likelihood their departure frora hence will not be very foon, as our fleet will keep a good watch over thera, and till the coaft is clear I dare fay they will not venture out. -We do not know whether la ClUe is alive or dead. I muft now tell you an efcape I think I had in my journey frora Seville to this place. You know we were to travel all night, and in the middle of it my fervant and I were trotting quietly on In the calache, or two wheeled chalfe, through a wide extended flat, 3SO LETTERS FROM flat, faid to be overflowed by the GuadalquI* ,'/ vir or Betis during tl.e winter feafon. The poftilion had a dog who ran by the fide of the mules, who all on a fudden began to barley tho' we faw no objed to excite his attention. We grafped, however, our pif tols, and ffiortly after three raen rofe from off the ground, on which they had been lying proftrate in dark coloured jackets, hardly diftlnguiffiable from the earth itfelf. Two carae to the right hand fide of the chalfe, where I was fitting, and one to the left ; for though ray fervant declares he faw four, and the poftilion five, I diftinguiflied no raore than I mention. They let us, however, pafs, which I attribute to their feeing the piftols ; for tho' it was night, I dare fay the bright gleam of Engliffi fteel might have ftruck their eyes. Be it as It may, the chalfe paffed unmolefted, but no fooner were we gone by than they began running after us. The poftilion, who muft be an honeft fellow, put his mules upon a gallop. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c, 351 gallop. I held a piftol out at the window behind, which there is In moft foreign car riages, but, tho' both my fervant and the poftilion urged me to fire, I refolved not to do it till one of the aflailants touched the chalfe, that I might make fure of him. After running, however, perhaps a hundred yards, they ftopped, and we heard no more of them. LET- 3Si LETTERS FROM LETTER LIII. PORT ST. Mary's, aug. 31, 1759- J. Will now give you the beft account I can of the affair between the French fleet from Toulon and that under admiral Bofcawen. I had it from the vice conful of Cadiz, who being at Gibraltar at the time of the fleet's fetting fail from thence, out of curiofity went with them on board the Intrepid, to be an ocular witnefs of Englifli bravery. The French fleet, confifting of ten ffiips of the line and five frigates, failed out of Toulon with an intention, as fome imagine, of going to Breft and efcaping. If poffible, Bofcawen at Gibraltar. People differ, how ever, very much in their opinions about their deftination. I have heard that the French themfelves profefs to have been going tp Marti- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 353 Martlnico. I wonder Indeed they make fo much a fecret of an expedition, which as it feems entirely fruftrated, the concealing it can hardly now be of any fervice. But wherever they were bound, they arrived at the ftreights of Gibraltar the fixteenth of this month, and lay to till towards night, when they Intended to pafs through the Gut. The night was very dark, and I fuppofe they had chofen purpofely for paffing the ftreights a time when there was no moon. Abobt an hour after fun-fet they arrived at Ceuta point. The Gibraltar frigate, who was then cruifing in the ftreights, perceived them, and imrae diately directed her courfe to Gibraltar bay, upon her entering which, ffie began firing guns and making falfe fires without end. I need not tell you falfe fires are a fort of roc kets. Intended for giving fignals, and which they whirl about in their hands. Bofcawen at laft perceived her. He was then on board the Naraur, but had dined in Spain that day, ¦and If I miftake not with BuCareli the com- A a mander 354 LETTERS FROM mander of the Spaniffi camp near Gibraltar, for the Spaniards have formed lines there, and keep a conftant guard upon us. But wherever he dined, with Bucarell or the Commiffioner *, he was certainly on board before the Gibraltar made her fignals, tho' calumny has faid the contrary. Indeed I hear he always fleeps on board, and obliges all the captains to do the fame, in ffiort, keeps a very good and ftrict difcipline throughout the whole fleet. Upon the Gi braltar's fignals he Imraediately ordered the fleet to fail. Surprifing, fays the gentleman I had this account from, was the hafte^wlth which every thing was got ready. Tho' three ffiips had their fails unbent, that is not put up to the yards, yet In two hours time they were all out of port and upon their way, for it was towards eight o'clock when the Gibraltar made her fignals, and by ten they were at fea. Bofcawen's and fome other ffiips were out even before, but the whole fleet was under fail by that time. A Spa niard He dined with the Comnjiffioaer. PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &:c. 355 niard who was at Gibraltar compared the confufion of the town to a hell upon earth. Nor were the land officers wanting in their jokes upon the Engliffi navy in having let the French fleet flig by. The French too, who had now paffed the Gut, and thought themfelves fecure from being attacked, were ffiewing their wit at our expence, as was known afterwards. In one of the ffiips they drew a figure of admiral Bofcawen ftandlng upon the top of the hill at Gibraltar, with a great pair of fpedacles upon a nofe which reached quite over to Ape's-hill, the ancient mount Abila in Barbary, while the French were failing under it. That divifion too of their fleet which came in here, as they did not Iraagine their companions were fo clofely purfued, were not without their fneers. Ma foi, fays one of them to an Engliffiman, al luding to poor Byng's affair, // faut pendre Mr. Bofcawen, with many other things of this nature. In the mean tirae Bofcawen in A a ? the 356 LETTERS FROM the Namur led the way to the reft of the fleet, following however the Gibraltar frigate, who the mpraent ffie had perceived her fig nals were underftood at Gibraltar, had hung out all her lights, and followed the track of the ffiips ffie had feen pafs by, always keep ing Bofcawen in fight, who had hung out all his lights too, and kept following her as the reft of the fleet did hira. In this pofition ftood the chafe all that night. It blew freffi> which you know is a failor' s expreffion for a ftorra. My friend, who was on board the Intrepid, fays not a word was to be heard on board their ffiip, except from time to time the quarter mafter finging out the word " fteady, " which is the term ufed by our mariners, when the ffiip goes before the wind. Indeed I rauft take this opportunity of making an excufe for entering Into the de-< fcrlption of an affair, which I am by no means capable PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 357 capable of painting properly, frora ray being entirely ignorant of fea phrafes. But as I am no failor, any blunder of that kind will be excufable. Aaj LET. 358 LETTERS FROM LETTER LIV. PORT ST. Mary's, august 29, 1759. X H E chafe after the French fleet con tinued all night In the manner I have de fcribed it to you In my laft paper, and in the raorning feven ffiips were difcovered as far off as they could fee. Tho' feven feeraed too fmall a number for a French fleet, and tho' it was very probable they might belong to that of the Spaniards now In Cadiz, yet we continued chafing with all the fail poffible. The captain of the Shannon frigate, who Is now at Cadiz, fays, for his part, bethought he and his crew ffiould have been all ftarved, for he was going to lay up to be cleaned at Gibraltar when the French paffed, and fet ting fail fo unexpededly, he had only five days provifion on board. If the chafe had continued for fome days nobody, undoubt edly, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 3}^ edly, would have ftopt to vidual his ffiip, and he and his crew muft bave made the beft ffilft they could. Indeed he might have left the chafe and gone into fome port, but every perfon had too much ardor to do that„ and the whole fleet feeraed infpired by one^^ foul to get on as faft as they could. The firft were the Naraqr, the Swiftfure, the Warfplte, the Culloden, the Araerica, the Newark, and the Intrepid. They got up with the French at one o'clock in the afternoon. They had known thera to be fuch a good many hours before, by the things they had thrown out of their ffiips. You know all ffiips are obliged to clear away their lumber before an engageraent. The French threw out a prodigious number of things. Fine pieces of carved furniture were feen floating about the fea. " G — d d — n " them," fays a failor onboard the Intrepid, " thofe ffiips are French, I know them by *' their fine guts." No perfon any longer doubt ing who they were, every^ art was put in A a 4 pr,adice 36o LETTERS FROM- pradice to get up with thera, which, as I before told you,, they did at one o'clock in the afternoon. It was certainly very furprifing how the Engliffi fleet could come up with the French fo foon, for the French veffels in general are reckoned better failers, and they were juft come out of port, whereas ours were very foul. Now to come up with them at one o'clock when they were only juft vlfible ill the morning, is moft amazing, nor is there any way of accounting * for it but from the French fleet's feparation, and thinking us their companions, which was certainly a lucky thing. The caufe of this divifion feems to be but very lamely explained by the French," and in very different manners, a fort of proof that none of them are true. Some fay that In the night time In coming, out of the ftreights j the part ofthe fquadron which entered Cadiz heard a couple of guns • Our Englifh officers attribute it entirely to the wind, which they fay blew frefla near the fliore, but had died away farther out at fea. which PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. ^ 361 which was their adrairal' s fignal for flacjcen-r ing fail, but which carae frohi the Englifh fleet, fo that they confounded one with the other, and towards the raorning, finding themfelves alone, they put into Cadiz. Others fay that a ftorm feparated thera juft as they came out of the Gut, and that opening their fealed orders to be confulted on fuch an occa-» fion, they found that, in cafe of feparation near the ftreights, they were to go to Cadiz, which they accordingly did. But In whatever raanner they divided, it could hardly be vo luntary, for never was a fleet fplit In thjy; manner, and all the great and beft fiilps wlfH the admirals and other chief officers In one divifion, and In the other all the frigates, and the three fraalleft ffiips of the line, with only a chance coraraander. But this is what the French rauft explain If they can. Now we iraagine that La Clue and his feven great ffiips, when be faw us, thought us to be the reft of his fquadron, and flackened fail for us to get up with him. What renders this more 362 LETTERS FROM more likely is, that the feven before-men tioned ffiips of Bofcawen were the only ones that were In, fight for a long time, fo that the French might eafily imagine it was the remainder of their fleet with orie ffiip want ing by fome accident or other, for the divifion at Cadiz confifts of eight, three veffels of the line and five frigates, as I have told you. La Clue, however, when he perceived his error began to prepare for the engagement with all the fpeed he could, failing on, while he prepared, as faft as his ffiips would go, in hopes ftill of getting away from us, but it was then too late, as the high wind which blew tiffifted our heavy ffiips, and en- abled them to keep on fteadier and carry more fail, with other advantages enjoyed by us in a greater degree than by the French. Our fleet being at length come up, hoftllities began, of which it would be dull to give you the very minute account my friend did me. However in my next paper I will tell you fome of the principal circumftances, for to PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 363 to fay the truth, I heard fo rauch about the engageraent, and people alked him fo many queftions at a time, that every thing is quite confufed in ray head. LET- 5^4, LETTERS FROM LETTER LV. PORT ST. MARY's, SEPT. 2, 1759* W HILE the remains of our fleet came lagging behind, Bofcawen's ffiip the Namur attacked the Ocean, which was that of the French admiral. It is faid he would have taken her that evening, but an unlucky ffiot brought bis fore or mizen maft, I do not know which, by the board. Iramediately the French gave three ffiouts, and raade the air ring again with vive le roy. Bofcawen finding his ffiip rendered unfit for coramand, took down his flag, got into his barge, and went on board the Newark, which ftood next him. The fea was ftill roughi/h, notwith ftanding the firing of the cannon in an en gagement generally lays the waves. The Engliffi greatly coraplain againft the French for aiming at the adrairal like a bird, as he paffed PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 365 paffed from orie ffiip to the other, which it feems Is coritrary to the rules of war. But Bofcawen was foon on board the NeWark, where he holfted his flag, and the baCtl© went on as brifk as ever. At laft, night ap proached and favoured the French, who feemed to have no other idea than that of failing off as faft as they cOuld. Nay, eveia when the Ocean difmafted the Naraur, after the three cheers away ffie Weiit, but Was in tercepted by fome others of our ffiips. Arid now urider favor of the night they all crouded as much fail as poffible arid dfove oil before the wirid. We followed them a& well as the great darknefs of the Weather would perrait. The Centaur, indeed, had ftruck the evening before, but ftill there re- • mained fix others. In the morning, however, four only were to be feen anchored under the coaft of Portugal, which they had made in the night. The two others, which were the Guerrier arid Sovereign, had difappeared, nor 366 LETTERS FROM nor to this day is there any certain account what has become of them. They may have got to Liffion * the neareft port, and we not have heard of it yet, but many, nay even the French themfelves, are apt to think they went to the bottora, as they certainly were much ffiattered in the engageraent. Admiral Bofcawen, however, has fent two ffiips af ter them, which, if they are to be found, will, I dare fay, give a good account of them. But to return to the four French ffiips at anchor. Finding themfelves freffily attacked by Bofcawen, the Modefte and Te- meralre after a fmall refiftance ftruck, but the Ocean and Redoubtable cut away their anchors and run on ffiore. " Look what " cowardly d — gs they are," fays one of the failors, who faw the Ocean driving on ffiore, and he had hardly pronounced the words, when ffie ftruck againft the ground, the * After a tedious voyage they at laft got into La Ro chelle in France. ffiock PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 367 ffiock of which brought every one of her mafts by the board. The greateft part of the officers and failors, as well ofthe Ocean as the Redoubtable, by getting into their boats and rowing brifkly efcaped being made prifoners. I think, however, we took out about one hundred and fifty, the greateft part of them wounded, when we went on board the Ocean to fet fire to her, which fame fate was ffiared by the Redoubtable, and they fay when the latter blew up ffie made a moft terrible explofion. She ffiook the very fea under all our ffiips. The powder on board the Ocean had got wet, as ffie had bulged in ilriking upon the ffiore, In this veflel there were two or three raillions of livres": (at leaft fo it Is reported) which in the hurry and confufion were not found. The failors, Jiowever, got fome long ruffled ffiirts, which they afterwards put on and looked very ridi*. culous. During the fmall refiftance thefe ffiips made In the morning, a little Portur- .guefe fort near wJiich tlie combatants then . were. ^6$ LETTERS FROM were, fired upon both, to ffieW them, I fup pofe, that they were under the king of Por tugal's protedion, but whether by chance or purpofely, a broadfide from one of our ffiips laid it flat to the ground. Thefe are the principal circumftances I have been able to colled concerning this adion, fome parts of which the French, who have fought refuge at Cadiz, fet in a very different light. They fay the Engliffi burnt the one hundred and fifty men alive in the Ocean, that the whole fleet came up with their ffiips and that they made a moft aftoniffiing refiftance. *' Did •' not fuch a man," fays a paffionate French man j, who was expofing himfelf in a coffee- houfe at Cadiz, " did not he continue fight- *• ing to the laft, tho' he had an arra ffiot *' off ? Such another, did not he do the fame •' without any legs ?" I do not know whe ther he did not fay a man came upon deck and fought without a head. However the Engliffi agree that mo.iifieur de Chabranc, captain of the Centaur, who is now at Gib raltar PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 369 raltar, behaved with the moft remarkable bravery ; but if we are to believe the French every comnion man was equal to a captain, and the captains themfelves fomething more than mortal. B b LET- 370 LETTERS FROM LETTER LVI. PORT ST. mary's, sept, 5, 1759. x\DMIRAL Bofcawen's vidory over the feven ffiips being now compleat, having taken or deftroyed all of them except the two which I have already informed you difappeared in the night tirae, feparated his fleet into two divifions, his and that of Ad miral Broderick, and went in queft of the remainder of the French fleet ; I mean the eight ffiips which put into Cadiz, not the two whicii efcaped by favor of the night- The exad number of them he did not know, nor where they were gone, but that there were more belonging to the feven he had to do with was undoubted. As for the two that efcaped in the night, the Sovereign and Guerrier, two veffels were, as I faid, dif patched after them, which, if I miftake not, fteered PORTUGAL, SPAiNi &c. 371 fteered towards Liffion ; and we have a cur rent report here of the former being taken. It is reckoned a very particular eircUmftance that thofe ffiips ffiould get fo entirely out of fight as not to have the leaft glimpfe of them vlfible in the morning. And it is this makes fome people imagine that oncj if not both, may have gone to the bottom, and to ftrengthen this Idea, my friend fays, that the night after the engagement^ while they were chafing the four ffiips, fingle guns like thofe of diftrefs were heard at a diftance. But tirae will inform us of the truth of every thing. The French who efcaped in their boats from the Ocean and Redoubtable, and were about two thoufand, got to Lagos, the neareft little town upon the coaft of Portugal. They give a difmal account of this place, and of the terrible fituation of Mr. la Clue there, wounded, and without any of the conveniences a man in his con dition requires. They fay that one day two louis d'ors were given to buy a patridge to B b 3 make 372 LETTERS FROM make him fome broth. The French com plain, likewife, greatly againft thePortuguefe for denying common coarfe provifions to the failors, but I think the excufe the latter give is very fatisfadory, that they have it not. Indeed, an Engliffi gentleman, who has been there, fays he could hardly find viduals in Lagos for himfelf and his companion, much lefs can it be done for two thoufand people. However, I believe the greateft part of them are now come to Cadiz, at leaft, of thofe who are not wounded. I myfelf faw two open boats of' them come in, for thofe were the beft conveyances they could get, who but a few days before were mafters of the Ocean and Redoubtable, Some of the poor fellows were moft miferably dreft, nor did any thing of finery remain to hardly any of them, except the hat and feather, the all in all of a French officer. Some of the wounded when they are well enough to change place, are, they fay, to be quartered here at Port St. Mary's, in a fort of hofplta- hired PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 373 hired for that purpofe. Many of thofe that are well are already fet out for Malaga, where they hope to find an embarkation for France, if not, to go by land to Barcelona. As for La Clue, we are not only uncertain where he is at prefent, but in what manner he is wounded. We were firft of all told that both his legs were carried off — we then funk it to one, and now they fay he has loft neither, but that he has thera very much Jracafiees, with the calf of one gone. It is reported they have carried hira from Lagos to St. Lucar, and that they intend to bring him here as foon as poffible. I need not tell you that Admiral Bofcawen was fcratched with fplinters all about bis face and body without any dangerous wound, for I believe he may be in England before my letter, as there is a freffi report that he is gone there with his divifion, but how true I know not ; for one moraent the peo ple fay one thing, and the next they coii- tradid it. I ffi.ould imagine, however, that B b 3 upon 374 LETTERS FROM upon hearing the remainder of the French fleet Is in Cadiz harbour, he will fend fome of his ffiips to watch them. He has dif patched the Edgar, the Centaur prize, and two or three other ffiips that were in the battle to Gibraltar. The Temeraire and Modefte, which were taken, are faid to be fo little damaged, that they are cruifing yvith Broderick, Tho' the Frenchmen, with which Cadiz now fwarms, are creft-fallen, yet at the fame time they are very impertinent. In their turn, however, they fuffer many infults from the common Spaniards, who you know hate them, tho' the ^oveairaent of late years has been in the hands of the Bourbon family. Coming in a public boat the other day from Cadiz to Port St. Mary's, as we were going along fide a French veffel, the boatman hollowed out in broken Engliffi, '-' how do you do, firs ? " and I hear it is a commori pradice with the watermen to teaza them PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 375 them in this manner. Indeed, they deferve it, for the young officers are moft unfuffera- ble. They will have an opportunity, hoyv- ever, of cooling their blood in the port of Cadiz, for I do not beUeve they will move from thence till the war is over. The Spaniards in joke advife them to fell their ffiips to the king of Spain. They wanted to go out the other day under convoy of Navarro's fleet, the Spaniffi admiral, who ifi gone to Naples to fetch the new king or queen of Spain, or both- It was, as you may Iraagine, refufed them. They next defired him to take at leaft fome of their men on board, and fet them down in the neareft port they could to France, but that was not granted neither. I flatter rayfelf that we ffiall .now experience the Spaniards better friends than they have been for fome years. B b 4 LET- 376 LETTERS FROM LETTER LVII. PORT ST. mary's, SEPT. 9, 1759* X Have now finiffied my account of the af" fair between Bofcawen and La Clue, The lofs of the Engliffi is I think only one hun dred and thirty-five men killed, among which are but two or three officers. That of the French muft have been raucb raPre confider able, but as they either do not know, or at leaft do not care to tell it, there can be no certainty. The French in the mean time refugeed at Cadiz have rendered themfelves . much difllked by all parties, by their vauiitf ing behaviour, not to be fmothered under adverfity. The Roman catholic Iriffi declare that tho' the government of England is the objed of their deteftation, they would fooner have us for mafters than this overbearing people. Their ppluion, however, with re- gard PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 377 gard to the Spaniards feems quite different, and they think in cafe of a Spaniffi defcent in Ireland, that they would be affifted by all the Roman-catholics, which you know are iiumerous. And now to fay a word about Port St. Mary's and Cadiz, two towns fituated upon different fides df a large bay, but the Inter courfe between which is rendered very eafy by the boats continually going backwards and forwards. They have been both taken by the Engliffi. Cadiz In queen Elizabeth's reign by Sir Francis Drake and the earl of Eflex; and Port St. Mary's in the year 1702 under Sir George Rooke and the duke of Or mond, affifted by the Dutch. Cadiz was at that time attempted by th,e united fleets of England and Holland ; but as they were able to do nothing, againft that town, they threw themfelves upon the other fide of the bay. The Spanifli government of Port St. Mary's Upon being fummoned to furrender, only returned 378 LETTERS FROM returned this fullen anfwer, '* that Caftil- *' Hans never change their king or their reli- " gion." The prefent deplorable condition of this once opulent and populous city is at tributed to the Engliffi invafion, fince which time It has been almoft abandoned as infe- cure. Even grafs Is growing In forae of the ftreets, and feveral fine palaces are altogether uninhabited and run to decay. However, it is a raore agreeable town to me than Cadiz, which the hurry and confufion of fo many people, who are facrlficing their eafe for in tereft, renders a very unpleafing fojourn to a ftudent. I fliall fet out next week for Gibraltar, which is about two day's journey from hence. It is not abfolutely impoffible but I may there embark with our ambaffador to the emperor of Marocco, appointed for te^ deeming the flaves taken upon the lofs of the Litchfield. Some things, however, may arife to hinder me from putting this defign Into execution. h E T- PORTUGAL SPAIN, &c. 379 LETTER, LVIII. GIBRALTAR, SEPT. 24, I759. /\ S you will fee by my date I am at length in the Britiffi garrlfon. You ffiall iiow have a defeription of what little hap pened worth relating In my journey hither. Dinner over at Port St. Mary's I put my^^ felf Into a little row-boat wbich was to con-p dud me to Cadiz. Due ceremonies finiffied with the cuftorarhoufe officers, who arc rather troublefome in thefe parts, our dimi nutive veffel bore us out of the rivet Guadar lete near the mouth ofwhich Port St. Mary's is fituated, and we entered into tl;iat vaft bay, which takes its denomination frora the town of Cadiz, the principal of the raany that are difperfed round it. It. raay be twp or three Engliffi- leagues frpm Port St, Mary's 38o LETTERS FROM Mary's to Cadiz, but patience and four oars at laft brought us among the ffiips, moft of which are anchored near the walls of the city. The firft we came to was a Britiffi veffel, the Princefs Louifa, whofe waving co lours feemed to bid defiance to a couple of the French frigates that lay near her. A little farther on was the Shannon frigate, with whom I had Intended to come to Gib raltar, but her loitering fo long at Cadiz made me at laft refolve to travel by land. She ftays, I think, for raoney to be brought hither, but if that is the cafe her delay may be long, as the queen dowager and regent has forbidden the exportation of any of that Vaft qu ntity of bullion arrived lately at Ca diz ill the Spanifli fleet from the Weft Indies. I wonder that. Spain and Portugal, the only European nations who have mines of any great Value, ffiould not conceive that gold is as much a commodity with thera as cloth with us. If they hinder us from receiving the prpdud of their countries, how can they exped PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 381 exped we ffiould^ give them thofe of ours ? A Portuguefe nobleman was complaining to lord Tyrawley, when ambaffador at Lif bon, how hard it was that fuch prodigious fums of their money ffiould go annually into England. He replied that nothing was more eafy in the world than for the Portuguefe td reraedy that complaint. Upon being aflced In what manner, with an eagernefs that ffiewed how agreeable fuch a piece of inftrudion would be, he anfwered dryly, " that all they " had to do was neither to eat nor cloath them- " felves." This, he faid, alluding to the great quantities of corn and cloth yearly exported frora England to that kingdom. Indeed "of late the produce of our lands has been fo little that we have been obliged to prohibit the exportation of wheat, and the Portu guefe to feek for it elfewhere, but at prefent I hope from two years tolerable crops with us, things will be reinftated in their ufual chan nel. Now for a nation, who has not bread to eat, nor cloth to cloath themfelves with, to 382 LETTERS FROM to be unwilling to purchafe it with their very unufeful commodity in itfelf, gold, is a fol ly of which I flatter rayfelf few people with us would be capable. This fame maxim of keeping their gold in their country holds as good In Spain as in Portugal, tho' there is not fo great a balance of trade In our fa vour, for many more commodities corae to us frora Spain than Portugal, which latter, excepting its fruit and wines does not, I be lieve, fend the value of a ffiilllng in goods to England, whereas it Is faid we cannot raake our fuperfine cloth without the help' of Segovia wool. But the queen dowager of Spain, intoxicated with the idea of en riching her kingdom and making it overflow with gold, has prohibited the exportation of money, at leaft of that which arrived lately to Cadiz, and which is not allowed as yet to be given out to Its particular owners. As for any other it may, I believe, be exported at a certain duty per cent, which I do not think is an unfair way. But what I am afraid PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 383 afraid of Is, that England, without being al lowed to take forae of this raoney, will not get enough to repay the two millions of dol lars (a dollar is about three and fix-pence) that are due to her. Nay, It is thought it will be hard to get what little our garrlfon here wants, and our MarocCo arabaflador in particular. In order to redeera the three hun dred flaves now in that kingdora, the re raains of the crew that belonged to the Litchfield, &c. It will coft about forty thou fand pounds to ranfom them. LET. ^84 LETTERS FROM LETTER LIX. GIBRALTAR, SEPT. 2"], 1759. J. Left you in my laft paper in the middle of the bay of Cadiz, gazing at the different ffiips anchored there, which raifed a differtation up on raoney. I will now land you upon the raole, which is adorned with two large columns, that mean to reprefent the pillars of Hercules, in coraraeraoration of thofe which he is faid to have ereded in thefe parts (tho' properly at Gibraltar or the ancient Calpe,) as being arrived to the end of the world ; for in fuch light did the ancients confider the weftern parts of Europe, as they were ignorant of Araerica. The ne plus ultra written upon thefe fabulous colurans is not badly alluded to in the large Spaniffi filver coins, by a ffilp's faihng through thera with the words plus ultra infcribed. Upon my entrance PORTUGALi SPAIN, &c. 385 entrance into the town, I met the perfon I Wanted, who Is a merchant of Gibraltar* and who was to accompany me hither. I had gPt acquainted with hira at Port St^ Mary's, where he came to fee the new king proclaimed, a ceremony confifting of no thing but a cavalcade rourid the towri, which ftopped in the different fquares, while raar quis TerrI, with the royal ftandard in his hand, raounted fcaffolds ereded for that purpofe, and pronounced the following words ; beginning with an oyes^ which is literally Spaniffi for hear. " Oyes> oyes, oyes, " Caftille, Caftilfe, Caftllle, arid the great " port of Sti Mary'^s. Long live our fove* " reign lord Don Carlos the third." Thefe Words were no fooner out of his mouth than about a hundred pieces of filver fcattered amolig the mob fet ^ them to fcrambling and crying out viva with all C c their 386 LETTERS FROM their niight. We hear that the Auftrian arabaflador at Madrid has objeded to the title of Charles the third being given to the prefent king, and has declared, by order frora his court, that he ought to be called Charles the fourth, upon account of the emperor Charles the fixth, then archduke of Auftria, having ruled in Spain for fome little time, before the more fortunate arms of Philip the fifth expelled him from that kingdom. But the cafe is, that he never was publicly proclaimed or acknowledged, and therefore does not enter properly into the lift of Spaniffi kings. At Cadiz we were much diftreffed by not being able to find horfes to carry us to Gib raltar, as the governor of that town had laid an embargo upon them to attend the French, who once belonged to the Ocean and Redoubtable, to Malaga, where they were in hopes of finding fome conveyance to return to France. Indeed, I think it was doing PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 387 doing their nation much honor to employ all the hireable horfes bf a populous cityj to convey their perfons to the defired port ; but the governor of Cadiz is efteemed a tho rough well wiffier to their caufe, and all his adions have fufficiently teftified It, and in par ticular the affair of the Antigallican privateer, which tho' our court feems to lie dormant at prefent, will not, I believe, be fo eafily forgotten. You, perhaps, know the affair as well as I, but in a few words it was this; The Antigallican privateer, tho' of inferior force, took upon the coaft of Gallicia the duke de Penthievre, a rich French Eaft- Indian veffeb The people on board her confefled themfelves legally captured. The Antigallican carried her into Cadiz. By fubornation, as It Is faid, the governor got fome of the French prifoners to fwear the contrary In that port, to what they had affirmed at fea. They fwore the duke de Penthievre when taken was within cannon ffiot of a Spaniffi fort. The affair came to • C c 3 a trial. 388 LETTERS FROM a trial, which was given againft Fofter, the captain of the Antigallican, and his prize was not only wrefted from him, but his own ffiip taken away by force and given to the French, who are now fitting her out, and I believe ffie Is to fail as foon as ever admiral Broderick's fleet, who are now off Cadiz, will permit her. The affair has been, I believe, tranfmitted to Madrid by appeal, but I know not that any anfwer hfas been obtained. As for the governor of Cadiz, I believe he now begins to retrad a little, fince the acceffion of the new king to the throne, and the great fuccefs of the Engliffi. Now fortune fmiles, we begin to' find all people our friends. At the time of the lofs of Port Mahon, when Great Britain was taking a nap, as the world thought wc were down, each was giving a ffiove to puffi us lower. It is the wav of the world. LET^ PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 38 j LETTER LX. GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER I, I759. X H E dlfappolntmerit of not finding horfes made us refolve to take a boat, and go over to Chiclana, which was in our way, in hopes of finding fome there. Chiclana Is about twelve miles from Cadiz, at the very end of the bay, two or three miles up the country, upon a little river that conveys boats to it. But we had not gone half the way, when certain black clouds arofe to the levant or eaft, which would not permit us to ftlr a ftep further In the courfe we were falling. There was, likewife, fome thunder, and we expeded rain, but we had not any till two or three days ago, which has finely refreffied the air, and it is now the raoft pleafant wea ther that can be imagined. C c 3 If 390 LETTERS FROM If we could compound the two climates of Spain and England by remitting thera^ fome of our rain, and receiving in return a little dry weather, they would both be the fineft in the world. However, at prefent I cannot but think that we are rather too wet at home, and that the beholding fomething more of the fun would npt do us any harm, Put yet the prodigious blaze he ffiines forth with here in Spain, while he rides fo near us for months together without one cloud or drop of rain to cool the air, feems to me an excefs on the contrary fide. The thunder and contrary wind hindering us from being able to put into execution our intended expedition by water to Chiclana^ we were obliged to take the boatman's advice, and ftop ffiiort at a place called La Ifla, or the ifland, tho' only feparated, as well as Cadiz, from the main land by a fmall ftream, over which there is a bridge. We here got horfes, find proceeded upon our journey PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 391 journey to Chiclana about half an hour before fun-fet. We went upon a good made road, like a turnpike In England, for about three miles, through a country where there were nothing but falt-pits. The manner they make fait in thefe hot dry climates Is by letting the fea into holes dug for that pur pofe, where the force of the fun dries it up, and the fediment that reraains is fait. The latter part of our road was through a fort of foreft, and but Indifferent. The mufkatoes were, likewife, very troublefome, and hung as thick as they could clufter upon the boughs of the trees. At laft, tho' fome time after dark, we arrived at Chiclana, and put up at a French inn there. Our landlord wel comed us to the hotel as he terraed It ; for Chiclana being a pretty place, many of the French, who.fwarm at Cadiz, make excur fions to it from thence for the benefit of a little freffier air, which makes it worth while to keep a better and confequently C c 4 more 392 LETTERS FROM more expenfive houfe. We here with diffi culty got horfes and a guide, and fet out in the morning before it was hght for Gibraltar.-:!— ^rrr- L E T_ PORTUGAL^ SPAIN, &c, 393 LETTER LXI, GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 4, 1759,- 4- H E rifing fun gave us a yiew of our cattle, which were not of the moft excellent kind. It was now, however, too late to coraplain, and we comforted ourfelves that the prefent road was very good, tho' vve had the mortification of knowing that which was to come to be moft villainous, nay, they even went fo far as to fay that it was almoft irapaffible. We dined in a ralferable inn at ^ place called Vexel, fituated upon the top pf a mountain, which we afcended by mif'? take, as we ought to have baited in the hottom. The way down again was mofl: rugged and bad, and we were obliged to walk it, and ftay in a moft wretched hovel in the valley, till our horfes could be got to us, Ppor us this habitation was, we found fome excellent 394 LETTERS FROM excellent dried grapes, which I think are better than when freffi. I wonder we do not come into this way of preferving them in England. Our grapes certainly do not ripen fo eafily, but that I think Is no objedlon againft their keeping as well. If I do not miftake, they clofe the end ofthe ftalk, after taking care there is no rotten grape in the bunch, with fealing-wax, and then hang them up in the air, where nothing can touch them. We intended to lie at a place called Los Varies, not above three Spaniffi leagues from Gibraltar, however, towards the even ing we were glad to take up with a little hut three leagues ffiort of it. One of the principal caufes of our falling fo ffiort of our intentions was the very bad road, fo bad In one rocky place, that our guide's loaded horfe could no longer ftand upon his feet, :(,ad down he came, guide, baggage and all. The time we took in getting the poor ani mal up, as he had hurt himfelf, together Vvith the debilitated ftate of our own cattle, made PORTUGAL, SPAIN, See, 395 made us determine to put up at the next fioufe we ffiould come to, which a country man, I belie e the only perfon we had met all that evening, informed us was not far off. After a very flow progrefs, we at length arrived at the folitary manfion, which was a little inn in . the woods for the poor people who pafs that way. You may ima^ gine we could here get nothing, fo that we were obliged to live upon what we brought with us. As for our bedding, it confifted in a fort of broad raanger built all round a roora, and filled with ruffies, where we were obliged to extend our weary lirabs, onte lying beyond the other, but where I flept more foundly than I have done in better l)eds, . LET, ^^6 LETTERS FROM LETTER LXII, GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 8, 1 759, W E fet vOut from the wretched place mentioned in my laft in the morning before it was light, and had luckily a good road till fuii-rlfe. We then began entering among rocks that formed the moft horribly romantic profped I have ever, perhaps, feen in my life. The conful of Cadiz's expreffion concerning them will gave you the beft idea of the fcene I was then beholding. It would make, fays he, even a buck defpalr, It was a valley hemmed In by clofe rugged rocks, whofe tops afcended to the clouds, but which were deftitute of verdure, except towards the bottom, where there were a number of gloomy evergreens, tho' thinly fcattered, After having paffed this bad mountainous country, we came into a more agreeable Portugal, spain, &c. 39^ agreeable fort of plain, tho' ftill there was iiothing particularly beautiful. And now the rock of Gibraltar begari to appear iri fight. As It Is of a confiderable height, you fee it at a confiderable diftance. My com panion and I wiffied each other reciprocally joy upon the view of It. It was a bright day and we could even diftinguiffi many different parts, tho' we ftill wanted many miles to get to our journey's end. As we were de termined to arrive at St. Rock's,, if poffible, by dinner, we fet on a good pace, leaving* our guide and baggage behind. At length the whole roek of Gibraltar ftood entirely expofed to view. It appeared from the place where we were riding as If the fea entirely divided it from the main land. A little on our left lay St. Rock's upon the top of a hill. This is reported to be a town built and inhabited by the Spaniards, who fled from Gibraltar upon our becoming maf ters of that fortrefs. They are faid con ftantly with wiffiful eyes to behold their ancient ^gi LETTERS FROM ancient habitation ^ tho' few of the real In^ habitants can be now living, except In their children. Upon our arrival at St. Rock's^ we entered a tolerable Inn, where not a bad dinner was ferved up in a room that had a moft delightful profped. The whole garrl fon of Gibraltar lay beneath us, at about the diftance of five miles, and beyond that Europa point, and beyond that the Barbary coaft ; upon which the high mountain Abikj called by the Gibraltar people Ape's hlll^ made no inconfiderable figure. But having mentioned Barbary, it will be proper to acquaint you that I fet fail in a few days for Tetuaii, with the ambaffador appointed to treat with the king of Marocco, not only for the redemption of our flaves wrecked with the Litchfield, but alfo, if poffible, to fettle a peace with thefe barbarians. LE T- PORTUGAL, SPAIN, &c. 3^9 LETTER LXIIL GIBRALTAR, OCTOBER 25, 1759' Ihave been obliged to omit writing to you laft week, as a violent every-day's ague, or to ufe the apothecary's term, double ter tian, rendered me incapable of applying to any thing. As this illnefs has deftroyed my Barbary fchemc, I ffiall fet out in a few days for Cadiz. My journey to Tetuan proved very ffiort. On Monday the 15 th I went on board the Guernfey, hurried away between the hot and cold fit of my ague, but, notwithftanding all the buftle that was made, we did not fail till the morning after wards. The wind was then a levanter, or eafterly, which was contrary for us to lie in Tetuan bay, and our commander did not care to hazard being driven pn ffipre with the charge 4&d Letter SFROM charge of money we had for the redemption of the flaves. However as every thing was fo far advanced, we fet out in hopes of its changing the next morning. We had the Thetis frigate In corapany. Our voyage was very ffiort, and. Indeed, ought rather to be confidered as a little crUife than any thing elfe, tho' we got within fix or feven leagues of Tetuan that night* We lay to till morning, when finding the farae wind con tinue we returned to Gibraltar by dinner tirae. Thus ended our expedition, and upon my landing I was Immediately laid Up with my ague. They have fince had a fecond jaunt, but bave done little more in It than in the firfti Indeed all the Engliffi who had nothing to do with the ffiips landed, and went a ffiooting at Tetuan, but as for pub lic bufinefs, I believe, there was nothing done, except fending the ambaflador's fecre tary to the king of Marocco with the king's letter. The PORTUGAL, SPAIN, Sec. 401 The ffiips and every thing elfe are return ed, but that gentleman is ftill upon his courfe. I think he is to make no lefs than eight days journey of It to the place where his African majefty is at prefent He is now In an encampment ai-nong fome mountains, where he Is infliding fevere juftice upon the inhabitants, who, if I miftake not, have never been willing rightly to own his autho rity. ' This gentleman muft have but a dif mal journey, with a guard of hideous Moors about him, and without any company but the king's letter, which he has got in a box; The letter Is big enough for a pillow, and finely painted round the diredlon with flow ers and I do not know what all. The words of the diredlon, if I can remember, are fretty nearly thefe. " To the moft high and glorious monarchy *' the raighty and right noble Sidi Mahomet * Ben Abdallah, emperor ofthe kingdoms of D d " Ma- 402 LETTERS FROM '* Marocco, Fez, Tafilet, Sus, Dahra, and '* the Algarve, with his other territories irt " Africa." There is more of it, but I cannot recoiled it. I fuppofe the king has written in perfon to the eraperor, upon account of the latter being fo rauch offended at fome letters fent him figned by Mr. Pitt, for he does not un derftand fecretaries of ftate. *' I exped the *' king your mafter," faid he, " will write: ** to me himfelf," and other things of that nature. In ray next I will continue ray journey to- Gibraltar. LET- t'ORTUGAL, SPAiNi &c. 403 LETTER LXIV. GIBRALTAR, OCTOBfiR 28, 17594 O finiffi ray journey to the Britiffi gar rlfon, we rauft return to where I left off, which was at our looking out at a window at St. Rock's in expedation of the appearance of dinner. But other affairs foon engroffed our attention. Gibraltar, by which I mean what the Engliffi poffefs, is a peninfula, and the neck of land which joins It to the reft of Spain may be a mile or raore In breadth* Acrofs this ifthraus the Spaniards have run certain fortifications, which they call the, lines, and they are terrainated at either fea by a little fort. As there is a guard of Spa niffi foldiers continually here, no perfon can pafs thera without a llcenfe firft obtamed. frora the Spaniffi coraraander, who lives at St. Rock's. The getting this licence was D d 2 what 404 LETTERS FROM what was engroffing our prefent attention. To give you a better idea of the lines, and what I have faid concerning them I will make you an extemporary fketch of them. i6o (}iocii