When the King's body came to the Convent of
the Escurial, the friars of that convent stood at the gate, and there,
according to the institution of the place, performed the ceremonies as
follow. The priors asked the grandees, who carried the King on their
shoulders, for none other must touch him, 'Who is in that coffin, and
what do they there demand?' Upon which the Sumiller de Corps,
[Footnote: Properly, the Groom of the Stole; "a cuyo cargo esta la
asistencia al Rey en su retrete."--Dic. de la Acad.] who is the Duke
de Medina de las Torres, answered, 'It is the body of Philip the
Fourth of Spain, whom we here bring for you to lay in his own tomb.'
Upon which the Duke delivered the Queen's letter, as Regent of the
kingdom, to testify that it was her Majesty's command that the King's
body should be there buried. Then the Prior read the letter, and
accompanied the body before the high altar, where it was for some time
placed, till they had performed the usual ceremonies for that time
appropriated. After which the grandees took up the corpse again, and
carried it down into the Pantheon, into which as soon as they were
entered, the Prior demanded of the Duke the covering of the King's
body as his fee.
Then demanded he the keys, upon which the Duke delivered him his, as
Sumiller de Corps, and then the Prior's own sent him by the Queen, and
the Mayor-domo then in waiting delivered him his.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210