ijra ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



each fide, particularly that of Nueftra Sennora del Rofario, which is all painted and 

 gilded, with handfome knots and feftoons. The facrifty is full of ornaments of brocade 

 of gold and filver, and embroidered filks of the fame ; a great deal of plate for the 

 altar, and mouldings of the altar-piece, all gilded. But this is nothing to the cloifter, 

 ^ which by this time is made an end of, and is of a fine architedure, two ftories high j 



and the lower, where the proceflion goes, is adorned with exquifite paintings in the four 

 corners, where are four altars all gilded, and light as a bright flame : the apart- 

 ment at the entrance is alfo finely fet off with pictures of faints of the order, of 

 excellent hands. 



The convent of St. Francis may be called a town for its largenefs : it has two cloif- 

 ters for the proceflions ; the firft is upon arches of brick j and the fecond, which is 

 the largeft, very finely painted, with the flory of the life of the faint compared with 

 paffages of our Saviour Jefus Chrift's life ; and over, are all the faints of the order ; 

 and at each corner four great pidures, with four altars, which ferve for the processions 

 and ceremonies of holidays. 



The church is of free-ftone, and all its altars gilded on the infide; but above all, 

 the feats of the choir are a piece of rare workmanfhip : it is all of cyprefs, by which 

 means there is always an admirable fm^U. The firft row of feats reaches, with its 

 crowning or ornaments, to the very roof, all of excellent architecture, with its mould- 

 ings, bafes, corniflies, and other proportions. 



The church of our Lady of the Mercede, is alfo built upon brick arches. The 

 great chapel is admirable for the thicknefs of its wall, and the beauty of ceiling, which 

 is all of cyprefs wood, in the form of a duomo, or cupola. The great cloifter is begun 

 upon fo fine a model, that to finifh it fo, will require the care and application of thofe 

 who have the government of that convent. The fituation of this convent is the fineft 

 and nobleft of any, except that of St. Francis : it has the advantage of receiving the 

 river firft, whereby water is fo plentiful in the convent, that they have been able to 

 make two mills to grind corn enough for the convent, and to give away. 



The convent of St. Auguftin is but newly begun ; but its church, all of free-ftone, 

 will outdo all the others for beauty : it is of three ifles, and in the midft of all the 

 hurry and bufinefs of the town. 



It is not many years that the facred order of the blefled Juan de Dios has been fettled 



in this kingdom ; and in a little time thofe fathers have done a great deal ; for, having 



taken upon them the care of the royal hofpitals, they have reformed them, affifting the 



fick with all neatnefs, care, and diligence, and have added feveral large buildings. 



They are much helped in this by tlie devotion the people have for their founder, to 



whom they addrefs their prayers and vows in their wants and neceffities, and not in 



vain, for they feel great relief by his interceflion. 



^ The college of the company of Jefus has not been able to build the infide of the 



* * ' houfe, becaufe from their firft foundation the fathers have attended only the finilhing of 



the church ; which is now compafled, and is without difpute the fineft next to the 



cathedral. It is all of a white ftone, the front of an excellent architedure, and over 



the cornifh a figure in relievo of a Jefus. The great chapel has its cupola and lanthom 



».ik>A all adorned with feftoons and knots of two forts of wood, white and red, which makes 



a beautiful ftiew. 



The covering or roof is all of cyprefs, inl^d with all forts of flower-work, and 

 divided into five parts ; the middlemoft is a compofure of all forts of figures, which 

 feem a labyrintl^ to thofe who fee it from the ground, and, with a noble cornifli that 

 runs round, gives a delightful profped. 



The 



