In this State Room, when the King first appears, every Person present, receives him with a profound Homage:  After which turning from the Company to a large Velvet Chair, by which stands the Father Confessor, he kneels down, and remains some Time at his Devotion; which being over, he rising crosses himself, and his Father Confessor having with the motion of his Hand intimated his Benediction, he then gives Audience to all that attend for that purpose.  He receives every Body with a seeming Complaisance; and with an Air more resembling the French than the Spanish Ceremony.  Petitions to the King, as with us, are delivered into the Hands of the Secretary of State:  Yet in one Particular they are, in my Opinion, worthy the Imitation of other Courts; the Petitioner is directly told, what Day he must come for an Answer to the Office; at which Time he is sure, without any further fruitless Attendance, not to fail of it.  The Audience being over, the King returns through the Gallery to his own Apartment.

I cannot here omit an accidental Conversation, that pass’d between General Mahoni and my self in this Place.  After some talk of the Bravery of the English Nation, he made mention of General Stanhope, with a very peculiar Emphasis.

“But,” says he, “I never was so put to the Nonplus in all my Days, as that General once put me in.  I was on the road from Paris to Madrid, and having notice, that that General was going just the Reverse, and that in all likelyhood we should meet the next day:  Before my setting out in the Morning, I took care to order my gayest Regimental Apparel, resolving to make the best Appearance I could to receive so great a Man.  I had not travell’d above four Hours before I saw two Gentlemen, who appearing to be English, it induc’d me to imagine they were Forerunners, and some of his Retinue.  But how abash’d and confounded was I? when putting the Question to one of ’em, he made answer, Sir, I am the Person.  Never did Moderation put Vanity more out of Countenance:  Tho’ to say Truth, I cou’d not but think his Dress as much too plain for General Stanhope, as I at that juncture thought my own too gay for Mahoni.  But,” added he, “that great Man had too many inward great Endowments to stand in need of any outside Decoration.”

Of all Diversions the King takes most delight in that of Shooting, which he performs with great Exactness and Dexterity.  I have seen him divert himself at Swallow shooting (by all, I think allow’d to be the most difficult) and exceeding all I ever saw.  The last time I had the Honour to see him, was on his Return from that Exercise.  He had been abroad with the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and alighted out of his Coach at a back Door of the Palace, with three or four Birds in his Hand, which according to his usual Custom, he carried up to the Queen with his own Hands.