divided into three equal
parts by half-shafts with capitals and crowned with an overhanging
corbel table.

[Sidenote: Pombeiro.]

The abbey church of Pombeiro, near Guimaraes, must once have been very
similar to Sao Salvador at Paco de Souza, except that the nave is a good
deal longer, and that it once had a large narthex, destroyed about a
hundred and fifty years ago by an abbot who wished to add to the west
front the two towers and square spires which still exist. So full was
this narthex of tombs that from the arms on them it had become a sort of
Heralds' College for the whole of the north of Portugal, but now only
two remain in the shallow renaissance porch between the towers. As at
Paco de Souza, the oldest part of the church is the east end, where the
two apses flanking the square chancel remain unaltered. They are divided
as usual by semicircular shafts bearing good romanesque capitals, and
crowned by a cornice of three small arches to each division, each cut
out of one stone, and resting on corbels and on the capitals. Of the
west front only the fine doorway is left unchanged; pointed in shape,
but romanesque in detail; having three of the five orders, carved one
with grotesque animals and two with leafage. Above the shallow porch is
a large round window with renaissance tracery, but retaining its
original framing of a round arch resting on tall shafts with romanesque
capitals. Everything else has been altered, the inside being covered
with elaborate rococo painted and gilt plaster-work, and the outside
disfigured by shapeless rococo windows.

Although some, and especially the last two of the buildings described
above belong, in part at least, to the time of transition from
romanesque to first pointed, and although the group of churches at
Coimbra are wholly romanesque, it would be better to have done with all
that can be ascribed to a period older than the beginning of the
Portuguese monarchy before following Affonso Henriques in his successful
efforts to extend his kingdom southwards to the Tagus.

Although Braga was the ecclesiastical capital of their fief,

[Illustration: FIG. 14.

CHURCH, PACO DE SOUZA.

NAVE.]

[Illustration: FIG. 15.

PACO DE SOUZA.

TOMB OF EGAS MONIZ.]

[Sidenote: Guimaraes, Castle.]

Count Henry and his wife lived usually at Guimaraes, a small town some
fifteen miles to the south. Towards the beginning of the tenth century
there died D. Hermengildo Goncalves Mendes, c