Shape of a Gridiron, the Instrument of that Martyr's
Execution; and in Memory of a great Victory obtained on that Saint's
Day. The Stone of which it is built, contrary to the common Course,
grows whiter by Age; and the Quarry, whence it was dug, lies near
enough, if it had Sense or Ambition, to grow enamour'd of its own
wonderful Production. Some there are, who stick not to assign this
Convenience, as the main Cause of its Situation; and for my Part, I must
agree, that I have seen many other Parts of _Spain_, where that glorious
Building would have shone with yet far greater Splendour.

There was no Town of any Consequence presented it self in my Way to
_Burgos_. Here I took up my Quarters that Night; where I met with an
_Irish_ Priest, whose Name was _White_. As is natural on such
Rencounters, having answered his Enquiry, whither I was going; he very
kindly told me, he should be very glad of my Company as far as
_Victoria_, which lay in my Road; and I with equal Frankness embrac'd
the Offer.

Next Morning, when we had mounted our Mules, and were got a little
Distance from _Burgos_; he began to relate to me a great many impious
Pranks of an _English_ Officer, who had been a Prisoner there a little
before I came; concluding all, with some Vehemence, that he had given
greater Occasion of Scandal and Infamy to his native Country, than would
easily be wiped off, or in a little Time. The Truth of it is, many
Particularly, which he related to me, were too monstrously vile to admit
of any Repetition here; and highly meriting that unfortunate End, which
that Officer met with some time after. Nevertheless the just Reflection
made by that Father, plainly manifested to me the Folly of those
Gentlemen, who, by such Inadvertencies, to say no worse, cause the
Honour of the Land of their Nativity to be called in question. For tho',
no doubt, it is a very false Conclusion, from a singular, to conceive a
general Character; yet in a strange Country, nothing is more common, A
Man therefore, of common Sense, would carefully avoid all Occasions of
Censure, if not in respect to himself, yet out of a human Regard to such
of his Countrymen as may have the Fortune to come after him; and, it's
more than probable, may desire to hear a better and juster Character of
their Country, and Countrymen, than he perhaps might incline to leave
behind him.

As we travelled along, Father _White_ told me, that near the Place of
our Quartering that Night,