The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-30

one Of the convent servant and placed at a
hole in the wall, through which it is drawn
in, as by a convict in solitary confinement.
Overhead in the cell is the sleeping niche,
containing only a coarse sacking stuffed
with straw, a low stone shelf for cruciix
and candle, and a stone step on which the
monk kneels to say his prayers.
FAMOUS CONVERTS.
Some distance out of Burgos, in an op-
posite direction from the monastery, is
an equally quaint and characteristic insti-
tuition for Cistercian nuns 1t is called Las
Huelgas, and was founded by the wife of
Alfonso VIII, the beautiful Eleanor of
England, daughter of Henry II and sister
Of Richard Occur de Leon. OF course, only
women visitors are ever admitted here,
and they do not get very far inside, though
we fingered as long as possible in order to
turn the tables on the male members OF
our party, who had enjoyed themselves
so well in the monastery while we poor
women waited among the beggars outside.
Through the grille which divides its splen-
did church you may look upon the choir.
whose stalls during service time are occu-
pied by picturesque white-robed Cistercian
nuns-and a beautiful picture they make
that fingers in the memory long after that
of the arches and pillars has faded away.
The transepts are very lofty and narrow.
with two chapels in each fianking the chan
eel. one of which is the Chapel Royal. or
burying place of early Spanish Kings.
Here are the tombs of Alfonso VIII and his
English Queen, of Alfonso VII, Alfonso
VIII and his wife. Leonora: Alfonso X Gel
Sabio'), although his body rests at Seville;
Enrique. Various Kings Of CASTLE were
knighted in this ediice after performing
their nocturnal vigil before the altar,
among whom were st. Ferdinand and
Alfonso XII. Here, also. the English Ed
ward 1 was knighted, in the year 1854. by
Alonsi ell Sabio.
No convent ever had more extraordinary
privileges thar this. The abbess was a
princess palatine, and second in dignity
to no one but the Queen. She was mitred,
like an archbishop, n possessed the rights
of a Sonora de horcay cuchillo"-that is,
with powers of life and death. She was
also styled "Por la gracia de Dios"-by the
grace of God. Every nun housed here must
belong TO the nobility and bring with her
no mean dowry. Among those who have
taken the veil in this convent were Beren-
guela. daughter of Saint Ferdinand; Maria
of Aragon, aunt to Charles V; and many
other royal personages. In the Capilla de
Santiago is still preserved the articuiated
statue of Saint James, which. moved by
mechanism, was made to perform the cere-
mony Of knighthood and also placed the
crown on the heads Of monarchs. This in
teresting relic of the middle age is now
rarely shown to visitors and we failed to
get a peep at it.
Another interesting convent, but rarely
visited by range because 1t lies some
eight miles from Burgos over a dreary
meadow unmarked by a wagon track, is
San Pedro de Cardena. of the Benedictine
order. Ii was founded as early as $50. by
Queen Sancha. in memory of her son, Theo-
dorie. and her husband. the King of Italy,
who met a tragic death while out hunting.
This convent was a fayorite Of the Cid.
whose body, in accordance with his dying
request, was borne here upon his war;
horse. Babica, and buried here. in 1893. His
empty monument now stands in a small
side chapel. The efhgies of himself and his
faithful ximenia are placed on stone
pedestals and look gloomy enough TO scare
the rats and owls away. More than a
| score of of the middle ages
still remain. and as many more that ante
date the fifteenth century
FANNIE b. WARD.