Stories of persons and places in Europe . directedtoward the altar. The last days of this poor fanatical monarch were sad indeed. His bodywas racked with dreadful pain and his mind was haunted with doubt as to Spain. whether after all his wholesale slaughter of heretics were not crimes >f virtues. The different build-ngs of the Escurial,resides the church pal-ice, consist of a mon-astery with two hun-dred cells, two colleges,three chapterhouses,three libraries, fivegreat halls, six dormi-tories, three hospitalhalls, twenty-sevenother halls, nine refec-tories, five infirmaries,a countless nu
Stories of persons and places in Europe . directedtoward the altar. The last days of this poor fanatical monarch were sad indeed. His bodywas racked with dreadful pain and his mind was haunted with doubt as to Spain. whether after all his wholesale slaughter of heretics were not crimes >f virtues. The different build-ngs of the Escurial,resides the church pal-ice, consist of a mon-astery with two hun-dred cells, two colleges,three chapterhouses,three libraries, fivegreat halls, six dormi-tories, three hospitalhalls, twenty-sevenother halls, nine refec-tories, five infirmaries,a countless number ofapartments for attend-ants, besides fourteengates and eighty-sixfountains. The wholeedifice is built of whitestone spotted withgrey, and from itsgreat size, presents amost imposing appear-ance. For twenty-oneyears Philip watchedthe workmen raisingand embelishing thisgreat structure,—thelargest palace in Eu-rope. Cases filled withall that was rich andrare,—pictures, statu-ary and bronzes fromItaly, tapestry from 333 instead ?. THE HALL OF THE ABENCERRAGES. Italv, tapestry irom _ _ , -„,.,. the Netherlands, plate from Nuremburg and Milan. But what Philip 334 Persons and Places in Europe. considered most precious of all, saintly relics from many a distantshrine were constantly arriving. A Relicario, just off from the churchwas fitted up for these sacred relics, and when the collection was com-pleted it contained eleven whole bodies of dead saints, three hundredheads, six hundred odd legs and arms, three hundred and forty-sixveins and arteries, and fourteen other bits of humanity, such as teeth,toes, fingers, and hair, all supposed to be possessed of miraculous healingpower. Greatest of all were the bones of San Lorenzo himself and a bar ofthe very gridiron on which he was roasted. But most wonderful of all wasa quill from Gabrielswing; a most glorious specimen of celestial plumage,full three feet long of a blueish hue, more soft and delicate than the lovliestrose. All
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidstoriesofper, bookyear1887
