Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
1780-01-11
This morning at 7 ½ we set away from Sellada el Cameno. At about 10 o clock it began to
snow and snow'd about a Quarter of an Hour. At about 12 o clock we arrived at Burgos which
is a City about as big as Corunna. We shall lodge
This afternoon we all went to the Cathedral which is larger Than Those at Astorga and Leon (tho' not so Magnificent). It was supported by, four of the largest pillars That I ever saw in my life. There are no less than 33 religious Houses in the place. Their orders are these.
| Conbentos de Fraires | |
| Franciscos | 1 |
| La Trinidad | 1 |
| Benitos | 1 |
| Augustinos | 2 |
| Dominicos | 1 |
| Mercenarios | 1 |
| 29 | |
| Carmelitos | 1 |
| 8 | |
| Parroquias 15 | |
| Cathedral y St. Yago de la Capilla |
|
| St. Nicholas | 1 |
| Sn. Roman | 1 |
| La Blanca | 1 |
| Bejaria | 1 |
| St. Martin | 1 |
| St. Pedro | 1 |
| St. Cosmos | 1 |
| St. Lesmes | 1 |
| St. Esteban | 1 |
| St. Gil | 1 |
| Combentos de Monjas | |
| Sta. Dorotea Agustinos | 1 |
| Sta. Franciscas | 2 |
| Carmelitas | 1 |
| Agustinas | 1 |
| Trinitarias | 1 |
| Bernardos |
2 |
| Benitas | 1 |
| Catatrabas | 1 |
| St. il de fouso |
1 |
| Total | |
| De Monjas | 10 |
| Frailes | 8 |
| Paroquias | 15 |
| 331 | |
This enumeration includes several discrepancies. JQA lists eleven instead of
the fifteen parishes mentioned by the Adamses' informant, their guide, and the number of
nunneries recorded was actually eleven rather than ten (JA, Diary and Autobiography
, 2:427–428).
1780-01-12
Good weather. Set away from Burgos and pursued our journey. Dined at a little village and
at about 6 o clock arrived at a village called Bibrieski
1780-01-13
Rose at about day break and set away ½ an hour before sun rise. Passed through several
villages and dined at Pan Courbo. Before dinner we went along in a Plain between two ridges
of mountains the soil of which is excellent and after dinner we 30went along another plain betwixt two ridges of rocks some of which
were 150 200 and 300 foot in height some right strait up, some hanging over our heads, and
some slanting from us but I never saw so beautiful a sight in all my life. After dinner we
pass'd two villages. I went forward with the Guide and Stevens to find the lodging.
Tolerable good roads to day, we have come 8 Leagues, to day. We determined to go to Bilboa