294 THE MAGIC OF JEWELS AND CHARMS
A
splendid ecclesiastical ornament is described in the inventory of the
royal treasures in the Château de Fontainebleau made in 1560, on the
accession of Charles IX. This was of gold and composed of a crucifix
with the figures of the Virgin Mary and St. John. It was "enriched with
41 sapphires, 3 pointed diamonds and 12 balas-rubies," which served to
mark the nails in the cross. The weight of the gold was 25 marks 5
ounces, and the value of the entire object, gold and precious stones,
is given as 2720 ecus, or about $6120. The intrinsic value of the gold
alone would be about $4240.»
The most impressive of the ecclesiastical ornaments in the Spanish churches was the custodia, or
monstrance, in which the Holy Eucharist was borne through the streets
on Corpus Christi day; indeed, only at this time was the custodia
publicly shown. It was in fact a large shrine, generally affecting the
form of a church tower. The most ancient example now in existence is in
the Cathedral of Gerona. It is of gold, is 1.85 m. (over 6 feet) high,
and weighs nearly 66 pounds. This work, in which the architectural
style is an ornate Gothic, was completed in 1458 by the goldsmith
Francisco de Asis Artau. One of the finest specimens, however, was
executed by Enrique d'Arphe for Charles V and is in the Cathedral of
Toledo. This custodia measures no less than nine feet in height
and is three feet wide. Here also the form is that of a Gothic tower ;
the cross at the apex was made by the goldsmith Lainez, and is adorned
with 86 pearls and 4 large emeralds.
The shrine itself contains 795 marks' weight of silver (about 600 pounds), the gold in its composition weighing
»
Inventory of royal treasures in the Chateau de Fontainebleau, Bibl.
Nat. MS. franc. 4732; fol. 3 of transcript in author's library from the
collection of M. E. Molinier.
