MIEDES- CORTES-D. GONZALO DE BERCEO. They were likewise allowed to eat meat instead of fish, because in all the interior of Peru fish was extremely dear, and also por la debilidad de la tierra, y poca virtud en general de todos los alamentos.-Ibid. 291 This passage has never been condemned by the Inquisition. The Romish Church cares not what blasphemy it sanctions against God, nor what treason against the best interests of man, so long as its own power is not in question. [Golden-disease.] [Barbarous Cruelty of K. Jayme.] K. JAYME el Conquistador, was a good deal molested by a suit which D. Teresa Vidaure preferred against him at Rome, affirming that he was married to her. The Bishop of Girona, who had formerly been-Conquest of the Weast India, p. 57. the King's confessor, was called upon to give his testimony, which he did in secret, and it proved the assertion to be true. Jayme sent for him, he was seized as soon as he entered the palace, and carried into a remote apartment, where his tongue was cut out.-MIEDES, l. 14, c. 19. wwwwwww Because Jayme was advised not to prosecute the siege of Valencia, Miedes, his historian, takes occasion to introduce the following rascally remarks. "It is full lamentable to see kings and princes, in weighty affairs of government, refer to the opinion of others, without saying or doing anything themselves: it so being, that kings with the sceptre which they receive from the hand of God, have something divine communicated wherewith to govern well, and being kings, may therefore discourse better than other, and almost prophesy that which is to come. 6 For it was not in vain that Solomon said, speaking upon this subject, the heart of kings is in the hand of the Lord;' by whose favour every kingdom hath its particular guardian angel appointed to be its watch; and it is certain that this angel accompanies a king, and directs his proceedings to good end. And so a king ought, having heard the opinion of others, to state his own, and follow it, though it be against the advice of many."-L. 11, c. 3. "I AND my fellows," said CORTES to the first Mexican ambassadors, "have a certain disease of the heart, and gold helpeth us." [Los 400 Respuestas.] "DE rabo de puerco diz que nunca buen virote." T. 1, ff. 142. This, I suppose, is equivalent to our proverb, that there is no making a silk purse of a sow's ear. 292 GEORGE DE MONTEMAYOR―D. LUISA DE CARVAJAL. George de Montemayor. "No muy lexas deste valle, hazia la parte donde el sol se pone, esta una aldea en medio de una floresta, cerca de dos rios que con sus aguas riega los arboles amenos, cuya espessura es tanta, que desde una casa a la otra no se paresca. Cada una dellas tiene su termino redondo, adonde los jardines en verano se visten de olorosas flores, de mas de la abundancia de la ortaliza, que alli la naturaleza produze, ayudada de la industria de los que en la gran España llamen Libres, por el antiguedad de sus casas y linages."—Diana, p. 75. [History of the Cid] "ALPHONSUS PEREZ, Granatensis, scripsisse dicitur eleganter Latinâ linguâ, Historiam Roderici Didaci de Bivar cognomento Cid, de quo auctorem laudo Franciscum de Pedraza, in Historiâ Urbis Granatensis.” Quien de Marlota i Capellar ornado Piensa, mientras se mira i se compone El azul estrellado terciopelo Que esta vestido de un sereno Cielo. “Quien el alfanje saca, i la fineza Haziendo alguna prueva en el, admira, Quien la lavor alaba, la riqueza Quien solamente con cudicia mira, I assi al fin todos todo lo alabavan Cual si estuviera en piedra transformado." [Women's Toilette.] "LAS galas manda a las damas y toda la vizarria, guantes, ambar, y pevetes,' caçoletas y pastillas.3" D. LUISA DE CARVAJAL. [Marvellous Armour.] "A LA real galera donde estava El vestido de estrellas adornado, De los braços las ropas, i el tocado O avido alguna joya mui preciosa, I triste Armeno, en manos de otros pone CHRISTOVAL DE MESSA - GONCALO HERMIGUES. he goes at night to the Archbishop Urbano and complains and consults with him how to deliver his country. In the morning he goes to Munuza to demand his sister: the Moor unwillingly restores her, professing his love, and then sends to Tarif, accuses Pelayo of exciting rebellion, and advises 293 him of the victories which his successors are to gain, and also of Chr. de Messa's two poems. Oppar is lodged in a tent, round which the history of Spain is represented. his death. Tarif sends a troop with orders [" Et tuba terribili sonitu taratantera dixit." not to return till they have taken or slain Pelayo, for he had heard prophecies from Gabino, his magician, how as from a cave came the ruin of the Goths, so from a cave should their Restorer, and a dream terrifies him. 2. The Spirit of Rodrigo comes in a dream to encourage Pelayo. Ali wakes him, that he may make his escape, which he effects, hardly crossing a river. Spain stood on its farther banks-in chains-in mourning ENNIUS.] "YA en las trompetas tortuosas suena Los Amantes de Teruel, p. 157. S. Domingo de la Calzada. His church in Garibay's time was much calling on her son for deliverance. He pro-resorted to on account of his body and of ceeds, and meets Celidon, a hermit, who his cock and hen.-L. 3, c. 10. had once prevented him from forcing a criminal from the cave Covadonga. Celidon encourages him with prophecy, and receives him into his cell. 3. Pelayo, leaving the hermit, meets a messenger from Urbano. They lose themselves, and come to some shepherd huts among the mountains. About twenty stanzas follow, not descriptive, but soothing, from the calm of the subject. He joins Count Teobaldo and the Archbishop. Alcaman is sent with a great party to crush this rebellion: but Oppas, the renegade archbishop, is first to attempt persuasion. The African force described. Alonso joins Pelayo. Ali, now called Estacio, as having become a Christian, and Antonio are sent to watch the enemy. This latter had been the messenger between Munuza and Usendamsa, and repeats some of the Moors poetry on the way. They come to four Roman monuments, having inscriptions which are not very Roman: then they see the enemy, and return with the news. Pelayo retreats to a cave in the rock. 4. Pelayo makes a speech, and is acclaimed king. The Devil sends fiends to terrify him; the Virgin drives them away, and tells Canção de Gonçalo Hermigues. Tinheradesme, non tinherasdes me "Por mil goivos trebelhando “Ouroana, Ouroana, oy tem por certo Se olvidrou per teu alvidrou per que em O que eu ei de la chebone sem referta ["Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."] "Per ço quascú se deu guardar de mal è de treball, tot aytant com pot, car de mal è de poch n' a hom assau."-Cost. Mar. de Barcelona, cap. 52. [To-day's Sorrow, and to-morrow's.] "SOSPIROS penas estranas el triste sitio muraron de piedras de mil dolores, y alegria desterraron. y han tenido tales mañas al tiempo de su poblar, que poblaron mis entrañas do plazer no puede estar.” [Invective against Count Julian.] ELEASTRAS, one of the imaginary writers of the fabulous Chronicle, concludes a chapter of lamentations with this invective against Count Julian :-"Y este que es diablo baptizado y de mortal no cessa de levar su brava saña a fin. O que maldito fue el dia que tal persona fue nascida en el mundo; malaventurada fue la hora que tal crueldad se engendro, oviera piedad de los que della ovieron; ya que no podrias sufrir que en tu poderio quedassen los mataste a los que te dieron la vida, guardaras a ellos lo que ellos guardaron a ti, ovieras los por tuyos y no por tus enemigos. E yo no creo que tu no passes por esse juyzio que as dado, y agora no me terne mas contigo, ca PERALTA. Cancionero, ff, 95. | destruydor eres, incomendo te al diablo, ca su vassallo y servidor eres."-P. 2, c. 132. MIDDLE AGES, ETC. [Puritan and Brownist.] [Postal Directions.] HE word PURITAN seems to be THE LORD PROTECTOR in 1549 directs quasht, and all that heretofore thus,-" To our very good friend the LORD were counted such are now DACRE, Warden of the West Marches for BROWNISTS. MILTON, Reason | anempst Scotland, in haste, haste, post haste, of Church Government urged against Pre- | for thy life, for thy life, for thy life." laty, vol. 1, p. 6. [Begging like a Cripple at a Cross.] "THE poor solicited alms at the Crosses, as the saying is to this day, for Christ's sake; and when a person is urgent and vehement, we say he begged like a cripple at a cross. At those crosses the corpse in carrying to the church was set down, that all the people attending might pray for the soul of the departed.” NICOLSON and BURN'S Cumberland. [Powle's Middle Aisle.] "Ir was the fashion of those times, and did so continue till these, (wherein not only the mother but her daughters are ruined,) for the principal gentry, lords, courtiers, and men of all professions, not merely mechanic, to meet in Paul's Church by eleven, and walk in the middle ile till twelve, and after dinner from three to six, during which time some discourse of business, others of news. Now in regard of the universal commerce, there happened little that did not first or last arrive here."-OSBORNE'S Traditional Memorials. The dispatches back, for it seems all went by the ordinary post, are directed with equal care.- -“To the right honourable my Lord Protector's grace, in haste, haste, post haste, for thy life, for thy life, haste, haste!" Again, "In haste,—haste-post haste, with all diligence possible."-NICOLSON and BURN's Westmoreland and Cumberland, vol. 1, p. 73, &c. I remember to have seen Post-haste written upon letters some twenty years ago. -R. S.1 [Inflammability of Chesnut Wood.] "THE Wood of the chesnut-tree is so long in taking fire as to be entirely unfit for the manufacture of gunpowder. In Asturias, where it is sometimes used for fuel, when a brand is taken from the fire it becomes extinguished in the open air as rapidly as if it were plunged in carbonic acid gas, in fact so quickly that a pipe of tobacco cannot be lighted from it. Floors, therefore, of this wood are safe. And it is preferred for When this was written I can hardly make out by the MS., but as late as 1814, I have seen "With speed" written on a letter. But this di rection, I suspect, had reference, not to Postal arrangements, but to the person to whom letters were consigned in Provincial towns.-J. W. W. |