s of considerable size with panelled
ceilings, of which only one has its original painting. A cornice of some
size, with brackets projecting from the frieze to carry the upper
mouldings, goes round the room, and is carried across the corners so
that at the ends of the room the ceiling has one longer and two quite
short sides. The lower sloping part of the ceiling all round is divided
into square panels with three-sided panels next the squares on the short
canted sides; the upper slope is divided in exactly the same way so that
the flat centre-piece consists of three squares set diagonally and of
four triangles. All the panels are painted with a variety of emblems,
but the colours are dark and the ceiling now looks rather dingy.

[Sidenote: Sala dos Capellos University.]

The great hall of the University built by the rector, Manoel de
Saldanha, in 1655 is a very much larger and finer room. A raised seat
runs round the whole room, the lower part of the walls are covered with
tiles, and the upper with red silk brocade on which hang portraits of
all the kings of Portugal, many doubtless as authentic as the early
kings of Scotland at Holyrood. Here only the upper part of the cornice
is carried across the corners, and the three sides at either end are
equal, each being two panels wide.

As in the Misericordia the section of the roof is five-sided, each two
panels wide. All the panels are square except at the half-octagonal ends
where they diminish in breadth towards the top: they are separated by a
large cable moulding and are painted alternately red and blue with an
elaborate design in darker colour on each. (Fig. 51.)

The effect is surprisingly good, for each panel with its beautiful
design of curling and twisting acanthus, of birds, of mermaids and of
vases has almost the look of beautiful old brocade, for the blues and
reds have grown soft with age.

[Sidenote: Santa Clara, Villa do Conde.]

Before finally leaving wood ceilings it were better to speak of another
form or style which was sometimes used for their decoration although
they are even freer from Moorish detail than are those at Coimbra,
though probably like them ultimately derived from the same source. One
of the finest of these ceilings is found in the upper Nuns' Choir in the
church of Santa Clara at Villa do Conde. The church consists of a short
nave with transepts and chancel all roofed with panelled wooden
ceilings, painted grey as is often the case,