L E T T E R X IV .
Obferualions made in a progrejs from Cadiz to Carthagena.
THÉ city o f Cadiz is built on a peninfula upon rocks
ftretching out into the fea, compofed o f a great
variety of matter, fuch as marble, fpar, pebble and ihells
incorporated in the fand, and combined together by a
glutinous fubftance in the fea, which feems powerful in
this place, as may be obferved by the rubbiih thrown into
it, infomuch that bricks, ftone, fand, ihells, &c. after
a certain time become confolidated, and form one tingle
mafs.
In 1440, John king of Caftile gave this city to Don
Pedro Ponze de Leon, with the title of Count thereof ;
his grandfon Don Rodrigo was afterwards made Duke of
Cadiz in 1484, by Ferdinand and Ifabel, but thinking it
a place of too much confequence after the difcovery of
America, they took it from him again, and made him Duke
of Arcos. In queen Elizabeth’s reign, it was taken
by ftorm by the Engliih forces under the E a rl'of Effex
with a trifling lofs, Sir John Wingfield, quarter-mafter
Ogeneral
general o f the army, being the only Engliihman o f note
killed in the expedition (a). In old Spaniih chronicles
it is called Calls, from whence our Engliih mariners generally
call it Cales.
The Solano wind is ftill more prejudicial here than in
Seville, and when it has blown for eight or ten days, in-
(a) Sir John Wingfield was grandfon o f Sir Anthony Wingfield, knight o f thfr garter,
vice-chamberlain o f the iiouihold, and captain o f the guard to king Henry VIII. immediate
anceftor to Sir Mervin Wingfield, Bart, who dying without iffue male,' the title became ex-
tin£b, and his only daughter, Mary, married Francis Dillon Efq; late o f Proudfton in the kingdom
of Ireland', and was’mother to John Talbot Dillon, who dedicates this note to her memory.
.
Sir Richard Wingfield o f . Kimbolton brother to Sir Anthony Wingfield above-mentioned,
was appointed marihal of the town and marihes o f Calais, by Henry VIII. 14th
November 151 1. The next year he was one of the embafladors to treat with the pope
and emperor. In 1514 he was made a banneret at the fiege ofTournay, and joined with
Sir Gilbert Talbot in the deputyihip o f Calais, was fent into Flanders embailador to Charles
prince o f Spain, and appointed with the duke o f Suffolk, to receive the queen dowager o f
France, and conduil her into England in 1 5 2 1 ; he was one of cardinal Wolfey’s retinue to
meet the emperor in Flanders, was chancellor o f the dutchy of Lancafter, and on the 23d
of April 1522, having had the honour to be elefted knight o f the garter in the fame
fcrutiny with Ferdinand afterwards emperor, he was inftalled the n th o f May at Windfor.
That year, with Sir William Sanders, knight o f the garter; he led the rear o f the Engliih army
fent into France; attended on the emperor into Spain, at his return from whence' he
was prefent at the burning of Mprlaix. In 15.25 he was fent embaffador into Spain, with
Cuthbert biihop of London, and died at Toledo 2 2d July, where he was buried with great
folemnity in the church of the friars obfervants o f St. John,, by the dire&ioiis o f Navera
king of arms of Spain, aififtedby Chriilopher Barker Richmond herald. He married to his
firft wife Catherine daughter of Richard Widville Earl Rivers,'widow firft of Henry Stafford
Duke of Bukingham, and after of Jafper de Hatfield Duke of Bedford, by which marriage Sir
Richard became great uncle to king Henry VUIth.
Sir Richard Wingfield, another defcendant of this family, was conftituted marefchal of
Ireland, by queen Elizabeth, and one of the lords jufiices by king James the I ft, who. alfo on
the ift.pf Feb. 1618, created him vifcount Powerfcourt of that kingdom.
troduces