look back on the report made by Galarza, biihop of Co-
ria, to whofe diocefs this country belongs, when he gave
leave to the Carmelite friars to build a church there,
which document is to be found in the records o f that
houfe. “ I give thanks to the Almighty (fays this pre-
“ late) that in fo defolated and wretched a country, where
“ it appears from certificates, which I have among the
“ records of my biihopric, that about forty years ago its
“ inhabitants were Gentiles, deceived by the devil with
“ vifible apparitions, his majefty has now ordered a
“ fan&uary to be built, to which I give my concurrence
with great fatisfailion, and fhall as far as lies
“ in my power, contribute towards fo pious a founda-
Jjj tion.”
This record being pofitive, and the good biihop having
given ear to the many exaggerations and falfe reports,
obtruded on the public, might have confirmed thefe
fables in the minds of the people, which infenfibly fpread
themfelves over Spain, and extended even amongft foreign
nations. They were the more eafily propagated at
Batuecas, amongil ignorant people, in want o f pallors
and Chriftian inftruition ; their neighbours then took
the alarm, and would not venture to move forward with
their flocks. In more remote villages thefe reports loft
nothing by the way, fo that in many places, the poor
harmlefs inhabitants of Batuecas were looked upon as
favages,
favages, deftitute of all information, beyond their bleak
hills, where they lived in the grofleft ignorance, and
were fuppofed to worihip the devil.
It was given out as an incontrovertible fail, that a certain
lady, belonging to the illuftrious houfe o f Alba, fe-
duced by her lover, had fled to thefe parts, and firft made
the difcovery, meeting with a barbarous people, whofe
manners, and even language, were ftrange to them, except
a few Gothic expreffions. Such were the tales believed
at Salamanca, the feat of a famous univerfity ; at
Madrid, the refidence o f the court, and in many other
places of note. It ferved as a foundation for novels,
as well as dramatic performances, repeatedly exhibited
on the ftage, and propagated all over the kingdom.
Soon after the friars had fettled themfelves in this
place, and fpoken to the graver fort of people, concerning
thefe matters, many o f them laughed at their
fimplicity, while others exprefled their indignation a-
gainft the inhabitants of Alberca, whom they reproached
with being the authors, through motives o f jealoufy, o f
fuch a ridiculous and invidious report.
The town o f Alberca is the principal place in the territory
of Batuecas, and not above a league diftant from
this valley: its inhabitants could not be fuppofed igno-
M m rant