Wymmen in that land use no vullen, But alle in lether be the wounden: And her hevedez wonderly ben trust, Standing in her forheved as a crest, In rould clouthez lappet alle be forn Like to the prikke of a N’unicorn. And men have doubelettez full schert, Bare legget and light to stert.—P. 1231. Purchas supposes this very curious poem to have been written about 200 years before he published it, _i. e._ about 1425. It is probably much older. In entering Castille from Elvas, the author says, Now into Castell schall we fare Over the river, the land is bare. Full of heath and hunger also, And Sarasynez Governouriz thereto. Now Badajoz and that part of the country was finally recovered from the Moors in the early part of the thirteenth century. Purchas perhaps judged from the age of the manuscript, which may have been written about the time on which he fixes, and the language modernised by the transcriber. * * * * * _The light which o’er the fields of Bethlehem shone, Irradiated whole Spain._—XXV. p. 238. “_Fallamos en las estorias que aquella ora que nuestro Señor Jesu Christo nascio, seyendo media noche, aparesçio una nuve sobre España que dio tan gran claridad, e tan gran resplandor, e tan gran calor, como el sol en medio del dia quando va mas apoderado sobre la tierra. E departen los sabios e dizen que se entiende por aquella que despues de Jesu Christo vernie su mandadero a España a predicar a los gentiles la ceguedad en que estavan, e que los alumbrarie con la fee de Jesu Chrysto, e aquesto fue San Pablo. Otros departen que en España avie de nasçer un prinçipe chrystiano que serie señor de todo el mundo, e valdrie mas por el todo el linaje de los omes, bien como esclarescio toda la tierra por la claridad de aquella nuve en quanto ella duro._”—Coronica General, ff. 71. A more extraordinary example of the divine favour towards Spain is triumphantly brought forward by Francisco de Pisa. “Our Lord God,” says he, “has been pleased to preserve these kingdoms in the purity of the Faith, like a terrestrial Paradise, by means of the Cherubim of the Holy Office, which with its sword of fire has defended the entrance, through the merits and patronage of the most serene Virgin Mary the Mother of God.” “_Ha sido servido nuestro Señor Dios conservar estos reynos de España en la entereza de la Fe, como a un Parayso terrenal, mediante el Cherubin del Santo Officio, que con su espada de fuego les ha defendido la entrada por los meritos y patrocinio de la serenissima Virgen Maria Madre de Dios._”—Desc. de Toledo, L. 1. C. 25. This passage is truly and lamentably characteristic. * * * * * _The Oaken Cross._—XXV. p. 241.