BATALHA. 95 



congratulate ourselves that we bad left nothing unseen in 

 our examination of the monastery, and we rambled at 

 pleasure in and out among the buildings, and up and 

 down from floor to roof, imdeterred by official, whether 

 sexton, verger, or lay brother. 



Compared with Alcobafa, Batalha is but a diminutive 

 monastery, as in lieu of the thousand monks which the 

 former could accommodate, this was provided for little 

 more than forty brethren, officials and laymen connected 

 with the religious house included. Then, again, it was 

 comparatively poor, for its revenues produced but 2,000L 

 per annum, while Alcoba9a in its palmiest days possessed 

 landed property which alone yielded an anjiual income of 

 30,000L* It was founded by Joao I., in commemoration 

 of the victory which he obtained over the Castilians in 

 1385 at the battle of Aljubarrota, to which I alluded 

 above ; and also as a thank-offering in accordance with a 

 solemn vow he had made during the heat of the fight ; and 

 it is the last resting-place of himself and of his English 

 wife. Donna Philippa, of Lancaster. The style of archi- 

 tecture is described as 'modern Norman Grothic, with an 

 occasional dash of Arabian intermixed,' and this blendinor 

 of arabesque with Gothic, Mohammedan, and Christian 

 architecture seems quite peculiar to Portugal. It reminds 

 us of the firm grasp with which the Moors contrived to 

 hold their own during several centuries in this kingdom; 

 and even when they were at length and with difficulty ex- 

 pelled, it shows what an impress the artistic taste of those 

 refined and skilful workmen left in the country of their 

 sojourn. But indeed throughout the Peninsula we en- 

 counter at every turn memorials of these pioneers in art, 

 and whatever remains of ancient work seemed remarkable 

 for the grace and elegance and finish of design, they were 

 sure to be traced to the hands of the Arabs. Nor need we 



* Landmann's Observations on Portugal, vol. ii. p. 236. 



