In ascending rather too hastily and unguardedly from the tomb of the conquerors of Granada, I struck my head against the iron grating above, and was laid prostrate and senseless at the foot of the altar. It required a good pint of the church wine--which our worthy, priestly cicerone insisted upon administering, both internally and externally--to set me up again; and, as a reward for my patience under suffering, he showed us the splendidly illuminated missal, used by the "Catholic Kings," and deposited with the crown, sword, and sceptre of the great Ferdinand, in the sacristy of the Cathedral.
The church of San Geronimo is one of the oldest in Granada--which city boasts of being the first in Spain that embraced Christianity--_San Cicilio_, one of the seven apostles ordained by Peter and Paul, having founded a church at Eliberi, in the first century.[144] It contains some paintings said to be by Murillo, but is more celebrated as being the burial-place of _Gonzalvo de Cordoba_. A plain white marble slab, let into the pavement at the foot of the principal altar, and bearing the following simple inscription, is all that marks the spot where the remains of the greatest captain Spain ever produced were interred.
Gonzali Fernandez de Cordova Sui propriâ virtute magni ducis nomen proprium sibi fecit ossa perpetua tandem luci restituenda huic interea loculo credita sunt gloria minime consepulta.
The church of _San Juan de Dios_ is well worthy a visit; though its decorations are rather gaudy than handsome. It contains a few small, but very good paintings by _Cano_, and a valuable silver urn, embossed with gold, wherein are deposited--so the Spaniards assert--the bones of our Saviour's favourite disciple, who died at Granada.
There are many other churches deserving of the traveller's notice, but it would be tedious to enumerate them. To the lovers of Rossini's music, however, I would recommend a visit to that of _San Domingo_ during _High Mass_. I once heard there the whole of the airs from _Mosé in Egitto_, besides various _pezzi scelti_ from the _Gazza ladra_, to which, in England, we dance quadrilles.
The Carthusian Convent (_extra muros_) is noted for its riches, and collection of paintings. We could not gain admission on our first visit; as, after toiling up the eminence on which it is situated, we found the grating in the portal closed by a board, announcing "_Hoy se sacan animas_"--To-day souls are extracting from purgatory;--a praiseworthy occupation, from which it would have been sinful to take the worthy friars; although it was gently hinted to us, that a few _pesetas_ would remove any scruples _they_ might entertain. The day following, however,--the funds for suborning the devil having been exhausted,--we were admitted to inspect the interior of the convent. It contains numerous paintings, some few said to be by Murillo, others by Cano; but I doubt whether either of those great masters ever touched them. The rest are mere daubs, representing the persecutions of the monks by Henry VIII, by the Moors, and by the German Lutherans.