Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-05-26

commit, since, detained in his own coun-
try by the long illness of his father, he had :
not departed tor the Crusade. This wax |
taper had gone in solemn procession thro'
the city, to prove the pentence of the
count who felt grief as a knight, and re-
morse as a Christian.
After the chariots came the lord count
himself, mounted on a steed magnifcently
caparisoned: He was beautiful youth,
between eighteen and nineteen, wearing
long ringets on his shoulders, waving on
either side, but restrained from conceaIing
his open brow by fllet of gold. He
wore his close fitting coat Of war, for du-
ring the watch he would have to assume
his armor; but this investment was COW
cred with large mantle of cloth gold,
which fell even to his stirrups Behind
him followed his arms, carried by two no.
bles, consisting Of helmet, with the visor
closed coat of mail and polished steel,
inlaid with gold bucker, on which was
engraved the garland of roses, the we'll
known sign of sovereignty Of the Counts
of Barcelona. The nobleman who bore
these arms wac accompanied by Roger,
Count de Palars, aud Ferdinando, Lord
of Ixer, both with their swords drawn, to
defend, if necessary, the royal armor.
After the armor Of the lord count came,
in pairs, the mobiles upon whom he was to
confer the honor of knighthood. They
were twelve in number; and these, IN
their turn, were each to arm ten knights
as soon as they had received the order
and these hundred and twenty came also
in pairs, their fine horses magnifcentIy
caparisoned, and covered with cloth of GOLD .
Last of all, four abreast. came, first, the
prelates,; then the kings and the ambassa-
dors from foreign courts, who represented
the persons of their sovereigns then the
dukes, counts, and knights; each degree
separated by the musicians, who rent the
air with their trumpets, timbrels, and flutes.
The last rank in the pageant was followed
by the jo'agtestrs, or jugg lers, in the cos
tune of savages, running on foot, or
mounted on little horses without bride or
saddle, on whose backs they exhibited va
riety of tricks.
Thus by the aid of the fambeau, which
: changed night into day, and darkness into
light, and with the mighty sound of drums,
tymbals, trumpets, and other musical in
struments, aided by the shouts of the JON
gteurs, and the proclamations of the her
aids, who called out" Barcelona Bar
; celona !' the count was conducted to the
. church, having been seen by every one, en-
h account Of the slow progress of the pro-
, cession, and the length of way between
, the palace and the sacred edifce. The
hour of midnight indeed, struck the mo
- ment the count aEghted at the porch
% where he was met by the Archbishop o
g Barcelona, and all the clergy.
~ The lord count, followed by all the no
- bles who were to receive their arms, en-
- tered the church, and watched them to
~ gether, according to old custom on sucl
j occasions, reciting prayers and singing
- psalms in honor of their Saviour. The
20 passed the night very happily in these de
votional services, and attended mathis
which service was performed by the arch
bishops, bishops, priors, and abbots.
i, When the day broke, the church wa
~ opened to the congregation of the faithful
"" ~ who filled it in such fashion, that it wa
; wonderful how SO many men and wome
y could be so closely crowded together with
,o out injury to themselves or their neigh
. bors. The archbishop then made himse
Dc ready to say ss,and the lord count put o
~ a surplice, as if he intended to assist him
no but over the surplice he wore richer Da
~ matica than emperor or king had ever ap
in peared in,clapsed at the throat with dia
" mond STAR set round with pearls of inest
~ mable value. Then he assumed the maDil
~ ule,or girdle, which. was also very splendid
as and every time he was invested with ne
an garment, the archbishop repeated praye
n This ceremony being finished, the archbis
ri op said mass but when the epistle was e
al ded he paused-when the two godfathe
he of the count, Don Juan Ximenes de
20 Roca, and.Don Al phonse Ferdinando, Lo
III, of lxes, approached the eount,and one aft
We ed the spur to his right heel the other to |
,s. left the solemn notes of the organ a
bv companying this part of the ceremonl
Sir Then the count, approaching the alt;
knelt before the shrine, and repeated
ma himselfs whispered prayer, while the arc
ht. bishop, standing by bis side, PRAYED aIouc
als When this prayer was ended, the cou
,cb took the sword from the altar, kissed NEE
W. ly the cross that formed its handle, gird
the. 1t to his loins, and then, drawing it fr(
10 Its scabbard, brandished the knightly we;
on three times. At the first flourish,
one defed all the enemies of the holy Cath
entss tic faith; at the second, he vowed to S
et- cor all widows, orphans and minors; 6
teS lo5 at the third, be promised to render just
1 l