SPANISH FEMALE NAMES DERIVED FROM THE VIRGIN.

IN every European nation the name of the Redeemer's mother is the most commonly chosen at the baptismal font, under some one or other of its idiomatical variations, as typifying in the most vivid colours the mildness, purity, and other distinguishing attributes of the weaker sex; and if it be not, as in Catholic countries, invoked with peculiar veneration as that of the "Queen of the Saints," the most powerful Intercessor of the Sinner at the Throne of Mercy, as that of the "Mother of God," it is imbued with a poetical superiority over all other female appellations, even where the Reformation has denuded it of half its sympathetic at

traction.

In Spain, however, where, if more productive of superstition than morality, of fanaticism than of brotherly love, the mere outward manifestation of religious faith pervades all things in a degree unknown in any other country, and by the intensity of its expression half atones for the perversity of its doctrine, it is no exaggeration to say that three parts of the female population bear the name of Mary, if not in crude simplicity, with, what is commoner, one or another of the attributes of the Virgin attached to it, or, what is the commonest of all, entirely by implication; that is to say, suppressing the name itself, and adopting the attribute of some of the numerous images of the Virgin (many still supposed to possess miraculous powers, others merely connected with legendary lore) which exist in different parts of the country.

This exclusive peculiarity of Spain may be accounted for in two ways; the one, because the mere fact of many persons, perhaps in the same family, bearing the same name would be productive of confusion and inconvenience; the other, because the attribute, generally speaking, possesses the additional attraction of conveying at once to the mind an abstract definition, the simplest expression of which is more forcible and significative than if it were allied with others, merely implied, but not expressed, in the aggregate of perfections of which the name itself is considered emblematical.

The extremely common female appellations in Spain of Encarnacion, Piedad, Amparo (favour), Dolores, with its diminutives of Lola and Lolita, Concepcion, with that of Concha, Mercedes (mercy), Consuelo (consolation), Milagros (miracles), and Carmen, and those somewhat less commonly adopted, of Purificacion, with its contraction, Pura; Candelaria, with that of Candelas; Socorro (succour), Soledad (solitude), Madre de Dios, Luz (light), Patrocinia (patroness), Anunciacion, Sucesso (success), Gracia (grace), Ascencion, Ascuncion, Gloria, Paz (peace), Solidad, Esperanza, and Belen; and those again less common, of Camino (road), Africa, Maravillas (wonders), Bethlem, Transito (transit), Expectacion, Presentacion, and Mar (sea), merely relate to some of the incidents connected with the miraculous event of the birth of Christ, or imply a simple invocation for aid or protection. But there is another class of names, which are equally common, which equally denote an attribute of the Virgin, or an event in her history, but which possess the additional peculiarity of being connected with some particular image erected in honour of her in some particular place to which a legend is attached. These epithets are, Angeles, Angustias (anguishes), Nieve

(snow), Remedios, Virtudes, Estrella (star), Rosario (rosary); and then there is a third class, also common, which derive their origin exclusively from the circumstances attending the erection of some image (considered to possess miraculous powers), and which are mostly confined to its immediate neighbourhood, and which are the following: Fuensanta, Guadaloupe, Monserrate, Reyes (kings), and Pilar (pillar).

A Jesuit of the name of Juan de Villafane, Professor of Theology at the College of Salamanca in the year 1726, published a treatise upon the different images of the Virgin contained in Spain, from which the following explanations of the origin of the two latter classes of names are extracted.

The name of Angeles is derived from the image of "Nuestra Señora de los Angeles," which was contained in the Convent of San Geronimo at Madrid, and which is now in the Church of Atocha in the same city, and the history of which is thus related: In the Convent of San Geronimo was an old nun, whose name was Maria de la Cruz. Three dif ferent times, whilst she was engaged in her devotions, the Virgin appeared to her under the form of "Nuestra Señora de Guadaloupe," and commanded her to cause another image of herself, exactly like the one under the form of which she then appeared, to be made. The prior of the convent at first seems to have entertained doubts as to the old nun's sanity; but having had her state of mind examined into by learned physicians, he at last placed implicit credence in her, and having sent to obtain the exact measurement of the image of Nuestra Señora de Guadaloupe," he proceeded to have another manufactured in exact imitation of it, in accordance with Maria de la Cruz's revelations. When the figure was completed, however, the head did not appear to him to correspond with the rest of the work, so he had it cut off and replaced by another; but that very same night "Nuestra Señora de Guadaloupe" appeared again to the old nun with a very sorrowful expression of face, and upon her inquiring the cause, she replied, "I am sorrowful, my daughter, because I have been decapitated;" and when the morning dawned the nun sent for the head which had been removed, and replaced it upon the trunk again. The statue was placed in the convent choir upon the day of the Holy Trinity, the 13th of June, 1604; but the monks of the Convent of "Nuestra Señora de Guadaloupe," opposing its being called by the same name as its prototype, as it at first was, the name was changed to that of "Nuestra Señora de los Angeles."

The image of "Nuestra Señora de los Angustias" is at Grenada, and holds in its arms the effigy of the body of Christ, from which circumstance the epithet of " Angustias" (anguishes) is derived. The following is the history related respecting it.

When the city of Grenada was released from the Moors, some devout men erected a little hermitage in honour of the Virgin (an ancient figure of whom, it will be recollected, was brought to the city walls by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella the Catholic, and to which act of devotion their victory was attributed). The little building was upon an eminence near the city, overlooking the Sierra Morena, and those that erected it used to resort there for devotional purposes. The chief promoter of the work was accustomed to meditate much upon the sufferings of the Virgin, and upon the death and passion of her divine Son, and his chief wish was to be able to erect an image in the place, commemorative of the all-absorbing subject of his thoughts; but although his

wish was participated in by the others, they had not the means of gratifying it.

One day, however, when he was at prayer alone in the hermitage, he observed a simply-dressed lady enter, accompanied by two beautiful youths, who almost immediately departed, leaving the lady kneeling before the altar, and seemingly absorbed in prayer. After waiting many hours in expectation of the lady's finishing her orisons, night drew in, and it being necessary to shut up the door of the place, the individual approached her, and, to his infinite joy and surprise, found that she was metamorphosed into an image of the Blessed Virgin, with the body of her divine Son in her arms, and just such a one as he had so long desired to erect in the place. It is of wood, supposed to be incorruptible, but of what kind, remains, it is said, a mystery. The hermitage was afterwards inclosed within a spacious church, and a convent was also erected upon the spot, which has ever since been considered one of peculiar sanctity.

The image of "Nuestra Señora de Nieva" is in the little town called after it "Villa de Santa Maria la Real de Nieva," five leagues from Segovia. Its appellation is derived from its having been discovered at the same place, originally called Nieva; and it is also sometimes known by the name of "Nuestra Señora de la Soterraña," from having been found under ground. It is supposed to be of great antiquity, but its date is unknown. It is conjectured, however, to have been brought to Hispania by the disciples of St. Peter, and to have been hidden upon the invasion of the country by the Arabs. The legend connected with it is as follows:

In the year 1392 a poor countryman, named Pedro Amador, left his native place, called Pozal de Gallina, and settled at Nieva. He was of a very pious turn of mind, and, whilst engaged in tending his sheep, was accustomed frequently to offer up prayers to God and the Virgin Mary. On a certain day the Virgin appeared to him in great glory, and thus addressed him:

"Go to Segovia, my son, and tell the bishop to come and disinter an image of me which lies buried among these stones. Go! begone! and I will mind thy sheep till thou comest back."

And Pedro Amador did as the Virgin desired him, and presented himself at the episcopal palace, where, although at first driven from the door on account of his humble apparel, he at length obtained admittance.

The bishop, whose name was Don Alonzo de Frias, refused to give credence to his strange tale unless he could produce some sign or token of the truth of it. The shepherd returned to Nieva, and related to the Virgin the cause of the failure of his errand. She replied to him,

"Return to Segovia, good Pedro, for I will give thee a token by which they will believe thee."

The man answered, "I will do as thou desirest me; but first let me take my sheep to drink."

The Virgin answered, "Pull aside the reeds behind thee, good Pedro, and out of them water shall flow forth for thy sheep."

And the shepherd obeyed, and a spring sparkled forth which has remained to this day, and is called the Holy Fountain.

The Virgin then picked up a small piece of slate, and, putting it into Pedro's hand, said to him,

"Return to Segovia, my son, and by the token that no one will be able

to remove this piece of slate from thy hand but the bishop himself, what thou relatest will be believed, and my bidding fulfilled.”

And the shepherd returned to Segovia, leaving the blessed Mother of God in charge of his flock a second time; and on his arrival he was refused admittance at the bishop's palace, and the servants began to sneer at him, until they found that none of them could remove the little piece of slate from the palm of his hand, when they were so much astonished that they hastened to relate the prodigy to the bishop, who instantly caused the man to be admitted; and the piece of slate, although resisting the efforts of every one else to remove it, instantly yielded to the touch of the holy man, who followed Pedro, together with many citizens of Segovia; and coming to the place where the fountain flowed, and where they knew that there was no water before, they were more and more convinced of the truth of what they had heard. And they dug into the earth, and discovered the miraculous image, inclosed in a coffin of slate; and they related what had occurred to Queen Catalina, who dwelt in the royal alcazar of Segovia, who erected a convent upon the spot, and founded the town of Santa Maria la Real de Nieva.

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The history of "Nuestra Señora de los Remedios de Madrid" is thus related: San Gregorio, who filled St. Peter's chair in the year 590, after he had converted the Low Countries to Christianity, bestowed upon a convent he had founded on the banks of the Meuse a figure of the Virgin, about a foot high, the origin of which is unknown, but which became renowned for the miracles it wrought during a long lapse of length, at the Reformation, and during the rebellion of the Prince of Orange and the revolt of Flanders, the convent on the Meuse was devastated, like many others, and a portion of the wood and materials it was composed of fell into the hands of a man who dwelt near it, and, among them, the little image of the Virgin, which had been sacrilegiously torn down. This man, although he was himself of the Reformed creed, gladly afforded a hiding-place in his house, during the disturbances in the neighbourhood, to such of the Catholic party as could afford to pay him well for it. Among these was a Spanish "hidalgo," named Juan de Leruela, and a native of Cuenca. One day during the winter season, amidst the wood which blazed upon the hearth, and which consisted of that of the ruined convent, the Spaniard perceived to his horror the little image of the Virgin in the midst of the flames, and, by bribes, he at length induced his host to allow him to take it out of the fire; and notwithstanding that it had been more than half an hour exposed to the flames, and although the material it was composed of was quite dry, and very inflammable, he was delighted to find that it bore no traces of the destructive element, except being of a somewhat darker brown, and from having a little blister upon the forehead, which is observable to this day. Juan de Leruela preserved the image with great care, folding it in linen, and he made a vow, that, if it pleased the Almighty to allow him to return in safety to his native land, he would present it to the convent of the Sisters of Mercy at Cuenca; and he derived great consolation during his exile from the possession of the sacred image, and at length was enabled to embark for Spain, together with the Archbishop of Santiago, who had been on a secret mission in those parts. After they had set sail a dreadful tempest arose, and, whilst the crew and passengers were seeking in prayer a refuge from their peril, the archbishop went about amongst

them, confessing them, and animating their zeal; and when he came to Juan de Leruela, he appeared so calm and collected in the midst of so much desolation that he could not refrain from interrogating him, and expressing his astonishment. Then Juan de Leruela unwound the linen covering, and showed him the image he had brought with him, and in the power of which to preserve him from danger he placed implicit confidence; and the archbishop prostrated himself before it, and the tempest ceased instantly, and their navigation was most prosperous until they entered the port of Coruña.

Upon disembarking, Juan de Leruela conveyed the image to Cuenca, according to the vow he had made, and had it placed with great pomp and ceremony in the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy, and the archbishop commanded it to be called "Nuestra Señora de los Remedios," not only in commemoration of their miraculous preservation from shipwreck, but because all those who had recourse to it experienced alleviation in their grief. And its renown increased so much that it was thought expedient (many years after Juan de Leruela's death) to remove it to the capital of the kingdom. Previously, however, out of respect for the will of the pious soldier who had deposited the image in his native place, the Reverend Prior Juan de Covarrubias went to Cuenca, and, kneeling down before it, implored for grace to act as was best for the glory of God and his saints; and by special inspiration from Heaven, as it would appear, he announced his conviction that so precious a jewel should be treasured up in a more becoming sanctuary, and in a place of more importance than the scantily populated town of Cuenca; such a one, in fact, as his own convent at Madrid, where the affluence of visitors was very great, and to which the sovereign himself often repaired. In consequence of these representations the image was brought in great state from Cuenca, and deposited in the chapel of the Convent of Misericord, at Madrid, on the 8th of September, 1601, in the presence of his Catholic Majesty Philip III.

Of the history of the image of "Nuestra Señora de las Virtudes" nothing whatever is known. It is contained in a convent at Villa de Arevalo, between Medina del Campo and Salamanca, and its celebrity rests chiefly upon the tradition of a learned monk, named Simon, who laboured under an impediment of speech, having been cured, and rendered an eloquent preacher through its miraculous intervention.

There are two images of "Nuestra Señora de la Estrella." One is in the convent of the same name, near the town of Briones, in the district of La Rioxa, and was first called Nuestra Señora de la Encina (evergreen oak), having first appeared in a tree of that description, according to an old and ill-defined tradition. The reason of its change of name was as follows: The Archdeacon of Calahorra, Don Diego de Entrena, was overtaken one night by a dreadful storm as he was journeying to the convent, and, losing his way amidst the darkness of the night, invoked the assistance of the Virgin of Encina, who immediately appeared to him in the form of a star, and guided him in safety to his journey's end.

The other figure of "Nuestra Señora de la Estrella" is in the cathedral of Seville, in which city it is an object of great veneration. Whether it owes its epithet to any peculiar tradition, however, Villafane does not relate; and it is probable that the name is merely emblematical of the peculiar lustre with which popular credulity has endowed it.