Noble Toreadores

In 1605, los toreadores, we learn from the Gayangos Diary, were nobles and gentlemen of the court, who enconntered the buil lance in hand and mountcd on high-mettled steeds. Horses were indeed sometimos killed. We read here of the Duke of Alva haring one that had cost him one thousand ducats killed onder him; but such looidenti appear to havo been exceptional, and the buil seems to havo been given a fair chance for his life - not as in these days, when, if the Espade can not kill him, he is hamstrnng with the medialuna and then dispatched with the daggor. If it was cruel sport, at least it was a chivalrous one in 1605. The King did not figure as a toreador, but in the juego de canas, the javelin games, that followed he did, and by universal ftdmission made the best figure among all who joined in them. From Pinheiro's account he soems to have had as good a seat on horseback as his son Philip IV. The arena was the Plaza Mayor Valladolid, perhaps the most picturesque oíd plaza in Spain, and Pinheiro waxes eloquent overUio ipeotacle ii preaanted, with its windows and balooniM paoked with peoplc and radiant with beauty. He estimatos tho number of the spectators at over forty thousand, nésrlj four times as manv ns the present Plaza de Toros at Madrid holds. hmdlords of the hooses round the plaza alway, In etting them, reserved the riglit to dispose of the halconies and wimlmvs on thsH qoomíobs; and though thoy were obliged to lind plaoee gratasf or the town council. municipal offloers and the officials of the palacc, nevertheless they made more in one day than the rent of houHes for :i Ti-ar. Kaï'h of these buil SghtS, lio WKJB, rost :il li-ast thirly tliousand cru.ailos, (aboat 15,000, but repreaenting, af oouroe, :i mnoh larger suiu now;) but the Valladolid people seem t have thrown tlieir money about pretty freely. "In a matter of plMaore," h' iinarks, "those devili Bever tlünk about wliat it costs." and in the Diai-.v he frïVOë rcpeated example of the lavisb expendimiT obsarred on all tiils. - lilncktuood'j Mmu:mc. Religión and tempcranoa il alwayi Bgree. Both are sprouta of reason.