Agnes M. Goodall - Peeps at Many Lands

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Transcribers Note

All illustrations have been placed near to the text to which they refer. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected, however variant spellings and variable hyphenation have been retained. Hyphens have also been added to the music to reflect where syllable breaks occur.

The cover has been created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

To enlarge an image, select Enlarge beneath the image. To listen to a midi file of the music, select Listen, to view the score in PDF format select PDF and to view the music in XML format select XML.

GOSSIP AT THE FOUNTAIN.

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Title Page

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Peeps at Many Lands: Portugal

PEEPS AT MANY LANDS

PORTUGAL

BY

AGNES M. GOODALL

WITH TWELVE FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

IN COLOUR

BY

THE AUTHOR

LONDON

ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK

1909

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER	PAGE
I.	GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM
II.	DECLINE OF THE KINGDOM
III.	LISBON AND A GREAT EXPLORER
IV.	MORE ABOUT LISBON
V.	PORTUGUESE CHILDREN
VI.	COUNTRY DANCES, SONGS, AND LEGENDS
VII.	COUNTRY WAYS AND COUNTRY FOLK
VIII.	COUNTRY WAYS AND COUNTRY FOLK (continued)
IX.	CINTRA
X.	OBIDOS , LEIRIA , AND THOMAR
XI.	THE PEASANTRY
XII.	PILGRIMAGES
XIII.	FARMS AND VINEYARDS
XIV.	OPORTO
XV.	COIMBRA AND THREE OLD MONASTERIES
XVI.	BULL-FIGHTING

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
BY AGNES M. GOODALL

A GOSSIP AT THE FOUNTAIN

FACING PAGE

STONE-PINES NEAR CINTRA

JUDAS-TREE IN BLOOM

LISBON FISH-WIVES

GOING TO SEE FRIENDS

THE FARM-CART OF THE COUNTRY

A QUIET POOL AT CINTRA

RETURNING FROM MARKET, LEIRIA

THE END OF A LONG DAY

HERD-BOY AND FLOCK

A LONELY FARM

WASHERWOMEN AT COIMBRA

Sketch-Map of Portugal on .

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SKETCH-MAP OF PORTUGAL.

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PORTUGAL

HOW PORTUGAL BECAME A GREAT KINGDOM

Portugal is the most westerly country in Europe. It is a narrow strip of land bordered on its northern and eastern frontiers by Spain, to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean, and is, roughly speaking, about the same size as Ireland. It is a country of many contrasts, of barren rocky mountains with deep gorges and valleys, of bleak and treeless moorlands and wind-swept plains, of sand-dunes, and bold, rugged headlands. A land also of vineyards, orange and lemon trees, of pine-forests and cork-woods, chestnuts, oak and eucalyptus, of olive groves and fruitful fields.

It is one of the smallest countries in Europe, but its early history is a long romancethe story of a little nation with a great heart. Were it not so, the Portugal of to-day would not exist at all.

Long, long ago, it was inhabited by men of the Celtic race; later on we read of it as belonging to the great Empire of Rome, and later still, as being overrun by Germanic tribes, Vandals, Alans, Suevis, and Goths. In the eighth century came the Moors from the North of Africa, and about the middle of the eleventh century Ferdinand the Great of Castile conquered the northern portion, and founded the countship of Portugal, as the country was to be henceforth called; and the Counts of Portugal became great feudal lords who owed allegiance to Spain.

There followed many years of fierce warfare with the Moors, who wished to regain their lost possessions, and the Spanish King, Alfonso VI., at last appealed for aid to the chivalry of Christendom, to help him in his battles against the Mohammedan warriors. Among the knights who joined his army was Count Henry of Burgundy, who distinguished himself greatly, and afterwards married one of the Kings daughters, Theresa, and became Count of Portugal, and it is their son, Alfonso Henriques , born in 1111, who, in 1140, declared himself independent of Spain, assumed the title of King, and became the greatest hero of his country. He did so much for it, and his memory is still so highly honoured, that I must tell you just a little about him.

He was only three years old when his father died, and his mother acted as Regent till he was seventeen, when he took over the government himself. An old record tells us that at that time he was a skilful and valiant knight, and of very comely presence. He had, what is more, the dash and enterprise, the sound judgment, and the grace and courtesy of manner of a born leader of men.

He had already seen a great deal of fighting, and had earned the honour of knighthood when only a little lad of fourteen. The young Count found himself ruler of a land consisting chiefly of mountains, forests, and heaths, and surrounded by enemies. In the north and east he had to fight against the power of Spain, in the south he waged incessant war against the fanatical followers of Mohammed, but he gradually drove them back, till his heroic exploits were the theme of the wandering troubadour in every Christian Court in western Europe.

The capture of Lisbon, Santarem , Evora , Beja , and many other towns and strongholds, added more and more to his fame, and it is pleasing to learn that it was by the help of some English Crusaders, who were on their way to the Holy Land, that after several failures he at last succeeded in taking the strong citadel of Lisbon.

As the King advanced in years, he deputed his son Sancho to carry on the fighting, and devoted himself to the internal administration of his country, dispensing justice, granting charters to many of his towns, laying down boundaries, and, in fact, doing all he could to promote the welfare of his subjects.

There is one scene in the life of Alfonso Henriques which I think you would like to hear aboutthe last great exploit before his death, which occurred the same year.

The Moors had gathered together a vast army, and had besieged Santarem . Sancho and his troops had done their best, there had been many bloody encounters, but at last the overwhelming numbers of the enemy began to tell, and the hard-pressed garrison were on the point of surrendering, when in the distance a large force of mounted men was seen riding furiously to the rescue. Nearer and nearer they came, the well-known banner of many a Christian knight waving in the breeze, and at their head rode the grand old King.

Worn out as he was by years of warfare, bowed down by age, and suffering from the effects of countless wounds received in his countrys cause, this old man of seventy-four, on hearing of his sons peril, had led his knights by forced marches from the very furthest corner of the kingdom.

With the help of the now rejoicing garrison, who sallied out to join in the fray, he entirely routed the enemy, slew their leader, and drove the scattered host back over the Tagus and across their own frontier.

It is little wonder that with such a leader the people grew into a brave, chivalrous, and self-reliant race.

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