one or two generations back, and beyond this they ranked with the ordinary nobility, to which Cortés' ancestors belonged.
Juana was indeed an envied bride, and the more so when she appeared at court decked in the magnificent jewels bestowed by her husband. The choicest were five stones of great size and brilliancy supposed to be emeralds, and so pronounced by experts, for one of which forty thousand ducats was offered.[1] They had been cut by Aztec lapidaries with admirable skill and taste, three in the form of a rose, a bugle, and a fish, the fourth as a bell, with a pearl for clapper, and bearing on the rim the inscription, "Blessed the one who reared thee." The fifth and finest was in the shape of a cup, with golden foot, and four chains secured by a pearl which served for the handle. The golden rim bore the scripture text, "Inter natos mulierum non surrexit major."[2]
Quite a number of people were gratified with a share of the precious stones, pearls, and gold trinkets brought by Cortés, all distributed with politic calculation. A portion was set apart to procure spiritual favors, through the instrumentality of Juan de Rada, who was sent to Italy to kiss the feet of Clement VII. in the name of his master, to relate his efforts for the advancement of the faith, and represent the spiritual wants of the newly conquered region, among which were more friars, and a reduction of tithes. The pope held solemn services to render thanks for the acquisition of so many souls, and issued a number of bulls
- ↑ But refused, says Gomara, though Herrera, ubi sup., writes: 'Le dauan por elia mercaderes de Seuilla; quarenta mil ducados,' to resell to the Great Turk. The stones have since been classed as jade or serpentine, since no emeralds exist in Mexico. Alaman, Disert., ii. 31.
- ↑ These five stones, 'que las apodaron en cien mil ducados,' were lost when Cortés landed at Algiers in 1541, during the storm which wrecked a part of the Spanish fleet. Gomara, Hist. Mex., 284, 347; Cavo, Tres Siglos, i. 75. These, the 'finest jewels possessed by woman in Spain,' had been described to the empress, and roused her curiosity. Cortés was informed that she wished to see and probably to buy them, and, unwilling to part with them, they were sent to his wife before appearing at court, according to Gomara. This was probably represented to the empress with a little exaggeration, and she remembered it to his prejudice, Bernal Diaz, Hist, Verdad., 226.
