SAINT Isodore, who from a poor labouring Man, by his Sanctity of Life arrived to the Title of Saint, is the Patron of Madrid, and has a Church dedicated to him, which is richly adorned within.  The Sovereign Court of the Inquisition is held at Madrid, the President whereof is called the Inquisitor General.  They judge without allowing any Appeal for four Sorts of Crimes, viz.  Heresy, Polygamy, Sodomy and Witchcraft, and when any are convicted, ’tis called the Act of Faith.

Most People believe that the King’s greatest Revenue consists in the Gold and Silver brought from the West Indies (which is a mistake) for most Part of that Wealth belongs to Merchants and others, that pay the Workmen at the Golden Mines of Potosi, and the Silver Mines at Mexico; yet the King, as I have been informed, receives about a Million and a half of Gold.

The Spaniards have a Saying, that the finest Garden of Fruit in Spain is in the middle of Madrid, which is the Plaza or Market Place, and truly the Stalls there are set forth with such variety of delicious fruit, that I must confess I never saw any Place comparable to it; and which adds to my Admiration, there are no Gardens or Orchards of Fruit within some Leagues.

They seldom eat Hares in Spain but whilst the Grapes are growing, and then they are so exceeding fat, they are knocked down with Sticks.  Their Rabits are not so good as ours in England; they have great plenty of Patridges, which are larger and finer feather’d than ours.  They have but little Beef in Spain, because there is no Grass, but they have plenty of Mutton, and exceeding good, because their Sheep feed only upon wild Potherbs; their Pork is delicious, their Hogs feeding only upon Chestnuts and Acorns.

MADRID and Valladolid, though Great, yet are only accounted Villages:  In the latter Philip the Second, by the persuasion of Parsons an English Jesuit, erected an English Seminary; and Philip the Fourth built a most noble Palace, with extraordinary fine Gardens.  They say that Christopher Columbus, who first discover’d the West Indies, dyed there, tho’ I have heard he lies buried, and has a Monument at Sevil.

The Palace in the Town stands upon eleven Arches, under every one of which there are Shops, which degrade it to a meer Exchange.  Nevertheless, the Stairs by which you ascend up to the Guard Room (which is very spacious too) are stately, large, and curious.  So soon as you have pass’d the Guard Room, you enter into a long and noble Gallery, the right Hand whereof leads to the King’s Apartment, the left to the Queen’s.  Entring into the King’s Apartment you soon arrive at a large Room, where he keeps his Levee; on one side whereof (for it takes up the whole Side) is painted the fatal Battle of Almanza.  I confess the View somewhat affected me, tho’ so long after; and brought to Mind many old Passages.  However, the Reflection concluded thus in favour of the Spaniard, that we ought to excuse their Vanity in so exposing under a French General, a Victory, which was the only material one the Spaniards could ever boast of over an English Army.