SIMANCAS, a village on the eastern boundary of
the kingdom of Leon in Spain, six miles below Valla-
dolid, on the river Gisnerga. Dr Robertson, in the in-
troduction to his History of America, makes mention of
it, and it is remarkable for the archives of the kingdoms
of Leon and Castile, kept in the castle. This collec-
tion was begun when the kings often resided at Valla-
dolid, in which city is still the civil and military tribu-
nal for almost the whole of Spain to the north of the
Tagus. It was thought proper to have those papers
kept in the vicinity of that court, for which purpose this
castle was peculiarly fitted, being entirely erected of
stone. At one period there were two large halls in this
office filled with papers respecting the first settlement of
the Spaniards in South America. There was likewise
in the room called the ancient royal patronage, a box
containing
containing treaties with England, in which are many letters and treaties between the kings of England and Spain, from the year 1400 to 1600. There was also a strong box in the same archives, with five locks, which, we are told, has not been opened since the time of Philip II. and it is supposed that it contains the process against Philip's son Prince Charles. But it appears that some of the state papers have been removed to Madrid.