her) for being the Birth-place of
Saint _Vincent_, the Patron of the Place; and next for its being the
Place where _Santo Domingo_, the first Institutor of the _Dominican_
Order had his Education. Here, in honour of the last, is a spacious and
very splendid Convent of the _Dominicans_. Walking by which, I one Day
observ'd over the Gate, a Figure of a man in stone; and near it a Dog
with a lighted Torch in his Mouth. The Image I rightly enough took to
intend that of the Saint; but inquiring of one of the Order, at the
Gate, the Meaning of the Figures near it, he very courteously ask'd me
to walk in, and then entertain'd me with the following Relation:

When the Mother of _Santo Domingo_, said that Religious, was with Child
of that future Saint, she had a Dream which very much afflicted her. She
dreamt that she heard a Dog bark in her Belly; and inquiring (at what
Oracle is not said) the Meaning of her Dream, she was told, _That that
Child should bark out the Gospel_ (excuse the Bareness of the
Expression, it may run better in _Spanish_; tho', if I remember right,
_Erasmus_ gives it in _Latin_ much the same Turn) _which should thence
shine out like that lighted Torch_. And this is the Reason, that
wherever you see the Image of that Saint, a Dog and a lighted Torch is
in the Group.

He told me at the same time, that there had been more Popes and
Cardinals of that Order than of any, if not all the other. To confirm
which, he led me into a large Gallery, on each Side whereof he shew'd me
the Pictures of all the Popes and Cardinals that had been of that Order;
among which, I particularly took Notice of that of Cardinal _Howard_,
great Uncle to the present Duke of _Norfolk_. But after many _Encomiums_
of their Society, with which he interspers'd his Discourse, he added one
that I least valu'd it for; That the sole Care and Conduct of the
Inquisition was intrusted with them.

Finding me attentive, or not so contradictory as the _English_ Humour
generally is, he next brought me into a fair and large Cloister, round
which I took several Turns with him; and, indeed, The Place was too
delicious to tire, under a Conversation less pertinent or courteous than
that he entertain'd me with. In the Middle of the Cloister was a small
but pretty and sweet Grove of Orange and Lemon-trees; these bore Fruit
ripe and green, and Flowers, all together on one Tree; and their Fruit
was so very large and beautiful, and their Flowers so transcenden