There are in the Town three Nunneries, and a Convent to every one of them; viz. one of Jesuits, one of Carmelites, and the other of Franciscans.  Let me not be so far mistaken to have this taken by way of Reflection.  No!  Whatever some of our Rakes of the Town may assert, I freely declare, that I never saw in any of the Nunneries (of which I have seen many both in Spain and other Parts of the World) any thing like indecent Behaviour, that might give occasion for Satyr or Disesteem.  It is true, there may be Accidents, that may lead to a Misinterpretation, of which I remember a very untoward Instance in Alicant.

When the English Forces first laid Siege to that Town, the Priests, who were apprehensive of it, having been long since made sensible of the profound Regard to Chastity and Modesty of us Hereticks, by the ignominious Behaviour of certain Officers at Rota and Porta St. Maria, the Priests, I say, had taken care to send away privately all the Nuns to Majorca.  But that the Heretick Invaders might have no Jealousy of it, the fair Curtezans of the Town were admitted to supply their Room.  The Officers, both of Land and Sea, as was by the Friars pre-imagin’d, on taking the Town and Castle, immediately repair’d to the Grates of the Nunnery, toss’d over their Handkercheifs, Nosegays, and other pretty Things; all which were, doubtless, very graciously received by those imaginary Recluses.  Thence came it to pass, that in the space of a Month or less, you could hardly fall into Comany of any one of our younger Officers, of either sort, but the Discourse, if it might deserve the Name, was concerning these beautiful Nuns; and you wou’d have imagin’d the Price of these Ladies as well known as that of Flesh in their common Markets.  Others, as well as my self, have often endeavour’d to disabuse those Glorioso’s, but all to little purpose, till more sensible Tokens convinced them, that the Nuns, of whose Favours they so much boasted, could hardly be perfect Virgins, tho’ in a Cloyster.  And I am apt to think, those who would palm upon the World like vicious Relations of Nuns and Nunneries, do it on much like Grounds.  Not that there are wanting Instances of Nunneries disfranchis’d, and even demolish’d, upon very flagrant Accounts; but I confine myself to Spain.

In this Town of la Mancha the Corrigidore always has his Presidence, having sixteen others under his Jurisdiction, of which Almanza is one.  They are changed every three Years, and their Offices are the Purchase of an excessive Price; which occasions the poor People’s being extravagantly fleeced, nothing being to be sold but at the Rates they impose; and every Thing that is sold paying the Corrigidore an Acknowledgment in specie, or an Equivalent to his liking.