606 Spanish High-ways and By-ways. JuNE, 



months. On the left the country is open and interspersed with pretty 

 villages. A new posada was pointed out to us, which, from the circum- 

 stances related of it, I was curious to visit. It was built by a man who 

 had acquired his property during the French war. His system was, to 

 hover in the rear of the French armies, murder all the stragglers who 

 unfortunately came within his reach, and having rifled them, to throw 

 the bodies into the wells of the neighbourhood to escape detection. 

 The countenance of mine host attested him as one eminently qualified 

 for such an enterprise ; for never in the course of my peregrinations did 

 I have the misfortune to encounter so ill-featured a ruffian ; many a 

 league would I travel rather than pass a night at the Posada de Si. 

 Nicola ! Guadalaxara is the capital of Alcaria, and was taken from the 

 Moors by the army of Alfonso, the first king of Castile. The Duke de 

 Infantado resides in this city, to whom I was introduced by his confessor, 

 Father Egan. His Grace was at one time ambassador to England, and 

 spoke a little English. The Palace du Infantado is an ancient building, 

 partly Moorish in its design, and emblazoned with the arms of that noble 

 family elaborately carved in stone. In the church of the convent of the 

 Cordilliers is the duke's cemetry. During the period when the French 

 were allowed to ravage this part of the country, this sanctuary was vio- 

 lated, and some of the beautiful marble sarcophagi, containing the 

 remains of the illustrious ancestors of the house of Infantado, were over- 

 turned, in search of treasure, and many of them destroyed. This mau- 

 soleum rivals in beauty the royal sepulchre at the Escurial. It is ap- 

 proached by a descent of 54 steps, the walls and roof inlaid with marbles 

 of rare colour and beauty. At the foot of the stairs two doors open into 

 different chambers, where the remains of the duke's ancestors repose in 

 their stately resting-places. A chapel is attached to the cemetry, which 

 is richly ornamented with gilding and rare stones. The altar is one 

 solid piece of exquisite marble, on which rests a beautifully wrought cru- 

 cifix. Having surveyed the churches and curiosities of the town, we 

 then proceeded to the royal manufactory of cloths, and delivered our 

 letters of introduction. 



The palace and the factory to which it is attached have been built 

 about J I JO years, and have all appearance of a royal establishment. The 

 gates are kept by porters in royal liveries, and a guard is constantly on 

 duty. A handsome marble fountain adorns the quadrangle which forms 

 the entrance, and on the right is a noble staircase, leading to the king's 

 apartments. We were received with caution by the director, who, hav- 

 ing examined our order, conducted us over the various departments of 

 that portion of the factory called San Fernando. The warehouses and 

 working-rooms are spacious, and appeared to be kept with a due regard 

 to order and cleanliness. One shop was arched and fire-proof, containing 

 ninety-four broad looms. Another held a duplicate of every article 

 required for the use of the factory, even to the most insignificant mate- 

 rials. The dye-houses are large, and adjoining them are the mills for 

 grinding the dyeing-stuffs. The next morning we visited the factory of 

 San Carlos, which is likewise a quadrangular building, and stands on the 

 site of an ancient Moorish palace. It is appropriated to the manufacture 

 of sarge, which is worn by the ecclesiastics and friars, and is an article 

 of great demand in Spain. The number of workmen is now reduced to 

 eleven hundred and ten, and there were still one hundred and thirty-two 

 clerks in the establishment ; formerly it gave employ to upwards of thirty 



