nobles; and it may be unhesitatingly said, that the individuals upon whom it was exercised, were generally traitors to their country, as well as to their sovereign. He appeared harsh and unrelenting in punishing the rebellions which were incessantly renewed by his factious nobility; but, while he struck off the most illustrious heads in his kingdom, the people breathed more freely, and lauded the justice of a master who exacted a like obedience from the rich and poor. In the fourteenth century, an impartial despotism was rather beneficial than otherwise to the people. The Jews and Mussulmen, who took no part in the political contests which divided Castile, invoked blessings upon him as the best of rulers, because he encouraged industry, commerce, and the arts, and because his despotism was mild, whenever he met with submissive slaves. When the Aragonese war had constrained him to augment the taxes, and employ on distant expeditions the civic militia, who were unaccustomed to take up arms, except in defence of their own walls, Don Pedro rapidly lost his popularity, and the instant that a foreign army appeared, and dispelled the terror inspired by his never-ending severities, his power crumbled to pieces like an edifice built upon the sand. Feudal anarchy regained the ascendancy, and the despot was disarmed in the midst of his slaves. From that moment the magic of his authority was destroyed. Vainly did the English soldiers re-establish him upon the throne: he again lost his kingdom as soon as they had recrossed the mountains.

Three princes of the name of Pedro reigned in the

Peninsula at the same time, and all three received from their contemporaries the surname of Pedro the Cruel. They all had the same end in view, that of lessening the power of the great vassals, of putting an end to feudal anarchy. We should grossly deceive ourselves did we imagine that these princes were in the least degree prompted by patriotic motives. They had no other object than the furtherance of their own ambition. Don Pedro of Castile, however, appears to have thought more of the glory, welfare, and greatness of his country, than did his namesakes. I do not know any monarch of that age but himself who would have said, "Rather let my enemy triumph, than my kingdom be dismembered."

To the misfortunes of his peculiar situation, Don Pedro added great faults of his own. He was too violent, much too inflexible in the pursuit of his projects, yielding always to the impulse of the moment, rather than attending to the counsels of prudence. He ought to have endeavoured to divide his enemies; but, on the contrary, he gave them the opportunity of uniting, without taking his own strength into account. He ventured to stand alone against his nobility, his clergy, and powerful neighbours. The enterprise he undertook was perhaps one almost unprecedented at the epoch when he dared to conceive it; but at least he paved the way for the establishment of the royal power in Spain; and when the time had arrived for delivering the country for ever from the tyranny of the great vassals, Don Pedro and his bold policy were remembered.

The Catholic sovereigns, who, more fortunate than

358 their predecessor, accomplished the work commenced by Don Pedro, duly appreciated his courage, and the obstacles against which he contended so vainly and fatally. Queen Isabel, the first of his descendants who protested against the surname which dishonoured his memory, desired that he should no longer be called Pedro el Cruel; but, following the example of the people, who never wholly forget any prince who has done them some good service, she called him Pedro el Justiciero.*

THE HISTORY OF PETER THE CRUEL.

* Another powerful, it would be a misapplication of terms to call him a great, monarch, followed in Queen Isabel's wake. "El rey Don Felipe Segundo,” writes Zuniga, “did precepto de llamarlo justiciero, mas nunca se le borrarà el titulo de Cruel.”— Anales de Sevilla, año 1369.-T.

APPENDIX.

The archeologist may probably be interested in a description of the tombs contained in the church of Santa Maria, and despoiled of their ornaments by Don Pedro. I therefore insert here an extract from a manuscript of the year 1345, which is quoted by Zuñiga, who had copied it from the library of the Conde de Villahumbrosa.

"Whoever desires to know how King Don Fernando the Good, the holy man who won Seville, and Queen Beatriz his wife, and King Don Alfonso his son, are honoured in the chapel of the holy and noble church of Santa Maria at Seville, and also of the rich ornaments of gold and silver, and precious stones, let him attend to the following recital:

"They are represented in their natural form before the image of Our Lady, their sculptured forms all covered with silver, and before them their insignias of castles and lions, eagles, and

crosses.

"First is seen the image of Our Lady, who appears alive, in flesh and bone, with her Son in her arms, in a wonderfully large tabernacle, higher than those of the kings, and entirely covered with silver; and fail not to notice that the image of the Virgin is so constructed by mechanical art, that she may be raised and seated again, when it is necessary to clothe her and her Son.

And their dresses are of crimson, short and long robes, and cloaks, (mantos, pelotes); and the image of Our Lady wears a golden crown, in which are a great many very large stones, sapphires, emeralds, and topazes. Her Son has a like crown, and it is reported that the two cost King Don Alfonso more than a

million of money.

“Now on one finger of the image of Our Lady may be seen a golden ring, in which is set a ruby as large as a filbert, and it is said that in the tabernacle, and upon the images of the Virgin and her Son, there are ten thousand silver marks, as well as two thousand stones, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, topazes and others equally precious; they are, however, for the most part but small in size.

“Item, just above, over the crown of Our Lady are four emeralds, forming a square, each large as chestnuts, and above them a ruby of the size of a nut; and when the tabernacle is opened in the night time, however dark it may be, these said stones give forth as much light as blazing candles. Before the image of Our Lady, lower down, are three tabernacles covered with silver, all similarly adorned with castles, lions, eagles, and crosses, and in which are the figures of the kings. At the left hand of the image of Our Lady in her chair, is seated good King Don Fernando in his chair, and on the other side, Queen Beatriz, likewise seated in her chair, all which chairs are covered with silver. The three are attired in their magnificent robes and mantles, and it is said, that beneath them are their shirts and under linen. King Don Alfonso wears a gold crown studded with precious stones. He holds in his right hand a silver wand with a dove upon it, and in the left a golden ball with a cross. In the midst is King Don Fernando his father, sitting in his silver chair.

"The said King Don Fernando wears a crown of gold upon his head, and sumptuous garments like the others before mentioned, and in his right hand, he holds an immense sword, which is said to possess marvellous virtue, it is that one with which he gained Seville. On the hilt of this same sword is a large ruby, like an egg in size, and on the cross of the sword, is a bright green eme. rald. Those who wish to be cured of any malady they may have,