... meadow of little beauty, but famous for being the scene of the plots, murders, duels, and intrigues of the city and court, as may easily be gathered from the familiar use made of it in the novels of Cervantes and Le Sage, the plays of Lope, and indeed the old comedies and romances generally. It was not, however, until the middle of the last century, when the neighboring palace of Buen Retiro rose into f...