e of the Night I heard a certain _Spanish_ Don, with whom, a
little before, I had had some little Variance, thundering at my Door,
endeavouring to burst it open, with, as I had Reason to suppose, no very
favourable Design upon me. But my Landlady, who hitherto had always been
kind and careful, calling Don _Felix_, and some others of my Friends
together, sav'd me from the Fury of his Designs, whatever they were.

Among other Expressions of the general Joy upon this Occasion, there was
a Bull-Feast at _la Mancha_; which being much beyond what I saw at
_Valencia_, I shall here give a Description of. These Bull-Feasts are
not so common now in _Spain_ as formerly, King _Philip_ not taking much
Delight in them. Nevertheless, as soon as it was publish'd here, that
there was to be one, no other Discourse was heard; and in the Talk of
the Bulls, and the great Preparations for the Feast, Men seem'd to have
lost, or to have lay'd aside, all Thoughts of the very Occasion. A
Week's time was allow'd for the Building of Stalls for the Beasts, and
Scaffolds for the Spectators; and other necessary Preparations for the
setting off their Joy with the most suitable Splendour.

On the Day appointed for the bringing the Bulls into Town, the
_Cavalieroes_ mounted their Horses, and, with Spears in their Hands,
rode out of Town about a League, or somewhat more to meet them: If any
of the Bulls break from the Drove, and make an Excursion (as they
frequently do) the _Cavaliero_ that can make him return again to his
Station among his Companions, is held in Honour, suitable to the
Dexterity and Address he performs it with. On their Entrance into the
Town, all the Windows are fill'd with Spectators; a Pope passing in
grand Procession could not have more; for what can be more than all? And
he or she who should neglect so rare a Show, would give Occasion to have
his or her Legitimacy call'd in Question.

When they come to the _Plaza_, where the Stalls and Scaffolds are built,
and upon which the Feats of Chivalry are to be performed, it is often
with a great deal of Difficulty that the Brutes are got in; for there
are twelve Stalls, one for every Bull, and as their Number grows less by
the enstalling of some, the Remainder often prove more untractable and
unruly: In these Stalls they are kept very dark, to render them fiercer
for the Day of Battle.

On the first of the Days appointed (for a Bull-Feast commonly lasts
three) all the Gentry of the Plac