éS A VOYAGE TO Book VII. 



afternoon the viceroy goes privately to the church 

 belonging' to the monastery of Montserrat, Avhich is 

 sepaniii'd by an arch and a gate from the street, v>here 

 the cavalcade is to begin. As soon as all "who are to 

 assist in tlie procession are assenibled, the viceroy 

 and his retinue mount on horses, provided by the city 

 for this ceieniony, and the gates being thrown open, 

 the procession begins in the following Qrder : 



1 ME militia ; the colleges ; the iniiversity with the 

 professors in their proper habits ; the chamber of ac- 

 compts ; the audiencia on horses with trappings; the 

 magistracy, in crimson velvet robes, lined with bro- 

 cade of the same colour, and a particular kind of 

 caps on their heads, a dress only used on this occa- 

 sion. Some members of the corporation who walk 

 on foot, support the canopy over the viceroy; and 

 the two ordinary alcaldes, which are in the same 

 dress, and walk in the procession, act as equerries, 

 holding the bridle o^f his horse. This part of the ce- 

 remony, though prohibited by the laws of the Indians, 

 is still performed in the manner I lAive described ; for 

 the custom being of great antiquity, the magistrates 

 have not thought proper to alter it, that the respect 

 to the viceroy might not sufier any diminution, and 

 no person has yet ventured to be the iirst in refusing 

 to comply with it. 



This procession is of considerable length, the vice- 

 roy passing through several streets till he comes to the 

 great square, in which the whole company draw up 

 facing tjie cathrdra!, where he alights, and is re- 

 ceived by the arclibishop and chapter, Te Deura is 

 then sung before the viceroy, and the officers placed 

 in their respective seats ; after which he again mounts 

 his horse and proceeds to the palace-gate, where he is 

 received by the audiencia, and conducted to an apartr 

 ment in which a splendid collation is provided, as 

 are also others for the nobility in the antichambers. 



On the mofnir»^ of the following day, he returns 

 • . " tjt 



