GOOD FRIDAY. 



27 



the ceiling, excluding from the sight the whole 

 of the principal chapel. An Italian Missionary 

 Friar of the Penha convent, with a long beard, 

 and dressed in a thick dark brown cloth habit, 

 was in the pulpit, and about to commence an ex- 

 tempore sermon. After an exordium of some 

 length, adapted to the day, he cried out " Be- 

 hold him ;" the curtain immediately dropped, 

 and discovered an enormous Cross, with a full- 

 sized wooden image of our Saviour, exceedingly 

 well carved and painted, and around it a num- 

 ber of angels represented by several young per- 

 sons, all finely decked out, and each bearing a 

 large pair of out-stretched wings, made of gauze ; 

 a man, dressed in a bob wig, and a pea-green 

 robe, as St. John, and a female kneeling at the 

 toot of the Cross, as the Magdalen ; whose cha- 

 racter, as I was informed, seemingly that no- 

 thing might be wanting, was not the most pure. 

 The friar continued, with much vehemence, and 

 much action, his narrative of the crucifixion, 

 and after some minutes, again cried out, " Be- 

 hold, they take him down ;" when four men, 

 habited in imitation of Roman soldiers, stepped 

 forwards. The countenances of these persons 

 were in part concealed by black crape. Two of 

 them ascended ladders placed on each side 

 against the Cross, and one took down the board, 

 bearing the letters I. N. R. I. Then was re- 

 moved the crown of thorns, and a white cloth 



