_On the Devotion of the Spaniards to the Immaculate Conception of the
Virgin Mary._--p. 22.
The history of the transactions relative to the disputes on the
immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, even when confined to those
which took place at Seville, could not be compressed within the
limits of one of the preceding letters. Such readers, besides, as
take little interest in subjects of this nature, would probably have
objected to a detailed account of absurdities, which seem at first
sight scarcely to deserve any notice. Yet there are others to whom
nothing is without interest which depicts any peculiar state of the
human mind, and exhibits some of the innumerable modifications of
society. Out of deference, therefore, to the first, we have detached
the following narrative from the text of Doblado’s Letters, casting
the information we have collected from the Spanish writers into a
note, the length of which will, we hope, be excused by those of the
latter description.
The dispute on the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin began between
the Dominicans and Franciscans as early as the thirteenth century.
The contending parties stood at first upon equal ground; but “the
merits of faith and devotion” were so decidedly on the side of the
Franciscans, that they soon had the Christian mob to support them,
and it became dangerous for any Divine to assert that the _Mother of
God_ (such is the established language of the Church of Rome) had
been, like the rest of mankind, involved in original sin. The oracle
of the Capitol allowed, however, the disputants to fight out their
battles, without shewing the least partiality, till public opinion
had taken a decided turn.
In 1613, a Dominican, in a sermon preached at the cathedral of
Seville, threw out some doubts on the Immaculate Conception. This
was conceived to be an insult not only to the Virgin Mary, but to
the community at large; and the populace was kept with difficulty
from taking summary vengeance on the offender and his convent.
Zuñiga, the annalist of Seville, who published his work in 1677,
deems it a matter of Christian forbearance not to consign the names
of the preacher and his convent to the execration of posterity.
But if the civil and ecclesiastical authorities exerted themselves
for the protection of the offenders, they were also the first to
promote a series of expiatory rites, which might avert the anger of
their Patroness, and make ample reparation to her insulted honour.
Processions innumerable paraded the streets, proclaiming the original
purity of the Virgin Mother; and _Miguél del Cid_, a _Sevillian_ poet
of that day, was urged by the Archbishop to compose the Spanish hymn,
“Todo el Mundo en general,” which, though far below mediocrity, is
still nightly sung at Seville by the associations called Rosarios,
which have been described in Doblado’s Letters.[59]
[59] Letter I. p. 20.
The next step was to procure a decision of the Pope in favour of
the _Immaculate Conception_. To promote this important object two
commissioners were dispatched to Rome, both of them dignified
clergymen, who had devoted their lives and fortunes to the cause of
the Virgin Mary.
After four years of indescribable anxiety the long wished-for
decree, which doomed to silence the opponents of Mary’s original
innocence, was known to be on the point of passing the _seal of the
Fisherman_,[60] and the _Sevillians_ held themselves in readiness to
express their unbounded joy the very moment of its arrival in their
town. This great event took place on the 22d of October 1617, at ten
o’clock P.M. “The news, says Zuñiga, produced a universal stir in
the town. Men left their houses to congratulate one another in the
streets. The fraternity of the _Nazarenes_ joining in a procession
of more than six hundred persons, with lighted candles in their
hands, sallied forth from their church, singing the hymn in honour of
_Original Purity_. Numerous bonfires were lighted, the streets were
illuminated from the windows and terraces, and ingenious fireworks
were let off in different parts of the town. At midnight the bells of
the cathedral broke out into a general chime, which was answered by
every parish church and convent; and many persons in masks and fancy
dresses having gathered before the archbishop’s palace, his grace
appeared at the balcony, moved to tears by the devout joy of his
flock. At the first peal of the bells all the churches were thrown
open, and the hymns and praises offered up in them lent to the
stillness of night the most lively sounds of the day.”
[60] _Sigillum_ or _annulus Piscatoris_, the great seal of the
Popes.
A day was subsequently fixed when all the authorities were to take a
solemn oath in the Cathedral, to believe and assert the _Immaculate
Conception_. An endless series of processions followed to thank
Heaven for the late triumph against the unbelievers. In fact, the
people of Seville could not move about, for some time, without
forming a religious procession. “Any boy,” says a contemporary
historian, “who, going upon an errand, chose to strike up the hymn
_Todo el Mundo_, were sure to draw after him a train, which from one
grew up into a multitude; for there was not a gentleman, clergyman,
or friar, who did not join and follow the chorus which he thus
happened to meet in the streets.”
Besides these religious ceremonies, shows of a more worldly character
were exhibited. Among these was the Moorish equestrian game, called,
in Arabic, _El Jeerid_, and in Spanish, _Cañas_, from the reeds
which, instead of javelins, the cavaliers dart at each other, as they
go through a great variety of graceful and complicated evolutions
on horseback.[61] _Fiestas Reales_, or bull-fights, where gentlemen
enter the arena, were also exhibited on this occasion. To diversify,
however, the spectacle, and indulge the popular taste, which requires
a species of comic interlude, called _Mogiganga_, a dwarf, whose
diminutive limbs required to have the stirrups fixed on the flap
of the saddle, mounted on a milk-white horse, and attended by four
negroes of gigantic stature, dressed in a splendid oriental costume,
fought with one of the bulls, and drove a full span of his lance into
the animal’s body--a circumstance which was deemed too important to
be omitted by the historiographers of Seville.
[61] Gentlemen of the first rank, who are members of the
associations called _Maestranzas_, perform at these games on
the King’s birth-day, and other public festivals. Horsemanship
was formerly in great estimation among the Andalusian gentry,
who joined in a variety of amusements connected with that art.
Such was the _Parejas de Hachas_, a game performed by night, at
which the riders bore lighted torches. When Philip the Fourth
visited Seville, in 1624, one hundred gentlemen, each attended
by two grooms, all with torches in their hands, ran races before
the king. This was the only amusement which, according to the
established notions, could be permitted in Lent.
The most curious and characteristic of the shows was, however, an
allegorical tournament, exhibited at the expense of the company of
silk-weavers, who, from the monopoly with the Spanish Colonies, had
attained great wealth and consequence at that period. It is thus
described, from the records of the times, by a modern Spanish writer.
“Near the Puerta del Pardon (one of the gates of the cathedral),
a platform was erected, terminating under the altar dedicated to
the Virgin, which stands over the gate.[62] Three splendid seats
were placed at the foot of the altar, and two avenues railed in on
both sides of the platform to admit the Judges, the challenger, the
supporters or seconds, the marshal, and the adventurers. Near one of
the corners of the stage was pitched the challenger’s tent of black
and brown silk, and in it a seat covered with black velvet. In front
stood the figure of an apple-tree bearing fruit, and hanging from its
boughs a target, on which the challenge was exposed to view.
[62] The reader must be aware that this was an imitation of a
foot tournament, an amusement as frequent among the ancient
Spanish knights as the jousts on horseback. It is called in the
Spanish Chronicles _Tornéo de a pié_.
“At five in the afternoon, the Marshal, attended by his Adjutant,
presented himself in the lists. He was followed by four children, in
the dress used to represent angels, with lighted torches in their
hands. Another child, personating Michael the Archangel, was the
leader of a second group of six angels, who were the bearers of the
prizes--a Lamb and a Male Infant. The Judges, Justice and Mercy,
appeared last of all, and took their appointed seats.
“The sound of drums, fifes, and clarions, announced soon after,
the approach of another group, composed of two savages of gigantic
dimensions, with large clubs on their shoulders, eight torch-bearers
in black, and two infernal Furies, and, in the centre, the
challenger’s shield-bearer, followed by the challenger’s supporter or
second, dressed in black and gold, with a plume of black and yellow
feathers. This band having walked round the stage, the second brought
the challenger out of the tent, who, dressed uniformly with his
supporter, appeared wielding a lance twenty-five hands in length.[63]
[63] Though the Spanish writer has forgotten to mention the
allegory of the challenger, it is evident, from the sequel, that
he was intended to represent _Sin_.
The following is a list of the Adventurers, their attendants, or
torch-bearers, and supporters or seconds:--
Attendants Seconds
---------------------------------------------------------
Adam 6 Clowns { Hope and
{ Innocence.
Cain 6 Infernal Furies Envy.
Abraham 6 Dwarfs,[64] three }
Angels in the habit } Faith.
of Pilgrims, }
and Isaac }
Job 6 Pages Patience.
David 6 Squires Repentance.
Jeroboam 4 Jews Idolatry.
Ahab 12 Squires Covetousness.
John the Baptist 12 Squires { Divine Love
{ and Grace.
[64] Dwarfs were formerly very common among the servants of the
Spanish nobility. But it is not easy to guess for what reason
they were allotted to Abraham, on this occasion.
“The dresses (continues the historian) were all splendid, and suited
to the characters.
“The Adventurers engaged the challenger in succession, and all were
wounded by the first stroke of his enormous lance. In this state they
drew their swords, and fought with various success, some conquering
the common enemy, while others yielded to his superior force.
None, however, distinguished himself so much as the Baptist, who,
regardless of the wound he had received at the first onset, and being
armed with fresh weapons by _Grace_, beat the adversary in every
succeeding rencounter. His extraordinary success was rewarded with a
seat near the Judges, and the Lamb was awarded him as a prize.
“After this, the Marshal and his Adjutant, followed by _Grace_ and
_Divine Love_, left the stage. In a short time they re-appeared,
followed by twelve youths, as torch-bearers, the seven Virtues[65]
personated by children from four to five years of age, and nine
Angels, as representatives of the nine hierarchies. Two squires
attended each of the Virtues and Angels; the whole train being
closed by _Grace_ and _Divine Love_, supporting the last Adventurer,
a beautiful child seven years old, who, as intended to represent
the Holy Virgin, was more splendidly dressed than the rest, in a
suit of sky-blue and white, sprinkled with golden stars, the hair
flowing down the shoulders in curls, and held round the head by a
twelve-starred diadem.
[65] The Spanish Catechism enumerates seven vices and seven
opposite virtues.
“When the combatants faced each other, the challenger could not
conceal his trepidation. The female Adventurer, on the other hand,
would not use the lance with which she had entered the lists; for
it bore the words DAUGHTER OF ADAM, in a banderole which hung from
it. Having thrown away that weapon, she received another from the
seconds, with the inscription DAUGHTER OF THE FATHER. At this moment
the challenger darted his lance; but in his fear and confusion, he
could not touch his adversary, while the heroine, on the contrary,
taking an unerring aim at his breast, brought him instantly upon
his knees; and the victory was completed with two other lances,
bearing the mottoes--MOTHER OF THE SON--SPOUSE OF THE HOLY GHOST.
Unhurt by her adversary, she had now laid him on the ground, and
placed her foot and sword upon his neck, amidst a shout of universal
acclamation. The Judges awarded her the _Child Jesus_, as a prize,
and seated her above all in a throne. Next under the Virgin took
their seats _Divine Love_, _Grace_, _Michael_, and _John the
Baptist_, and a general tournament ensued, in which all the other
combatants engaged. The tournament being ended, the challenger and
his second retired through the left avenue. The rest of the actors
conducted the victor, through that on the right, attended by one
hundred and forty torch-bearers, and a band of musicians singing
her triumphal hymn, which was echoed by the immense concourse.”
_Compendio Historico de Sevilla por Don Fermin Arana de Varflora_
(Padre Valderrama) p. 77, et seq.