The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-15

A Golden Cup vuh ~ most Remarkable
History


History
fFaris Letter in New Orleans PIcsyune.l
lam going to tell you about o lawsuit
over a cup worth 10000. although it Is no
bigger than, say, good sized cream pitcher
In the year 1904 Don Juan Fernando de
Fiies de Valexo Duke de Castillo, was Span
ish ambassador TO England. While in that
country he negotiated treaty OF peace be.
tween james /. and his OVID sovereign, and
in recognition OF which the former monarch
made him present of ohelice OF massive
gold, the hapdwork of some nrtiet Of the
thirteenth or fourteenth century. Not only
was the material valuable and the workman
chip wonderful. but twas sct with precious
stones and ornamented with two remarka
bly, clear enamels representing the martyr.
dom of 81 Agnes. Around the foot was
Latin inscription Ieciting the reasons OF the
royal gilt. The ambassador was q pious
man. and when he got back to Spain hs had
the 'saint-ciboire" eolemniy censeciated by
the Archbishop OF Toledo; then he gave it to
the chapel of Santa Clara in the Convent of
Medina de Ponar, near Burgos. The cut was
accompanied by deed of gift stating the
conditions on which il was made, and these
we're that at no time and under no circum.
stances, even though it were with the con-
sent and approval Of the Pope, should the
comm union cup be sold or even 10 ned, I'M
der the penalty OF right arising, in from
the convent along with lot of other vslu.
able presents. 1hrse centuries afterwards.
that is to say, in Novem Der. 1888, the Baron
Pich0, well known Frenchlcolector OF art
curios, wrote to the Duke de Frias, descen-
dant of the ambassador already named, that
he had purcb ased in Paris from a Spaniard
an enameled saint.ciboiIe OF the fourteenth
century; that the vender had assured him
that 1t had once belonged to the family OF
the Duke, and that as some OF bis friends
questioned its authenticity he would be
grateful for any information on the subject
that he might pos2ess. The Ddke was aware
OF the existence OF the cup, also that it had
been presented in former times to the nuns
of Medina de Pomer, but he did not know
anything about the condition on which it
was head. When the Duke commenced
turning over his family papers for the pur.
pose OF finding some document which would
set &C rest the authenticity Of the cup he
tumbled en- copy of this old deed of gift.
and, sUpposing that the CUP must have been
stolen from the convent, he wrote TO the
Surerior sbouti IL. Now, as q matter Of fact,
the convent lad sold the cup through the in
tsrmediery of the Spspiard, to the French
Baron, and when the Dake's letter reached
the Abbess her first reply was evasive. She
finally confessed. however. that she had
nade lie sale through the Intermediary cf
priest but, though the convent had re-
ceived the money, sh0 was not aware who
had purchased the cup CT where il was. In
her last letter on the subject tho Aobses
imploied the Duke not 10 make any sx
posuTe of the dhagreesble affair, il for no
o.Eer reason, for that of saving the good
character which had always baen eDjsyed by
he community of Santa Clara de Medina DO
Ponsr, which had bsen forced to make this
sale through an absolutely pressing need of
money. 1t seems that the convent only got
$1,000 out of the 81 coo which the Biron
paid for the cup the rest having been r.
taintd by The priest as commission. But The
cup is today worth $40 COO and that no
doubt is toe reason why the Dake bas COM
menced euit TO recover possession of it. The
Baron holds that under ell the circum-
stances 80 has q right to it's ownership, and
that the Duke and the Mother nun will have
to settle The matter as best they can.