Note 1284 — Chapter VIII

In 1623, Howell writes from Madrid: ‘Such is the reverence they bear to the church here, and so holy a conceit they have of all ecclesiastics, that the greatest Don in Spain will tremble to offer the meanest of them any outrage or affront.’ Howell's Letters, edit. London, 1754, p. 138. ‘The reverence they show to the holy function of the church is wonderful; Princes and Queens will not disdain to kiss a Capuchin's sleeve, or the surplice of a priest’ … ‘There are no such sceptics and cavillers there, as in other places.’ p. 496. In 1669, another observer writes: ‘En Espagne les Religieux sont les maîtres, et l'emportent partout où ils se trouvent.’ Voyages faits en divers Temps en Espagne, Amsterdam, 1700, p. 35. And, to quote one more authority, the following picture is given of Spanish society in the reign of Philip IV.: ‘No habia familia con quien no estuvieran entroncados los frailes por amistad ó parentesco; ni casa que les cerrara sus puertas; ni conversacion en que no se les cediera la palabra; ni mesa en que no se les obligara á ocupar la primera silla; ni resolucion grave entre ricos ó pobres que se adoptara sin su consejo; y si no tomaban parte en ellas, las satisfacciones domésticas no eran cabales.’ Rio, Historia del Reinado de Carlos III., vol. i. p. 94.