other Crown jewels came into the possession of his grandson, the
Hapsburg Emperor Charles V., and from Charles "La Pelegrina" descended
to his son, Philip II. of Spain. When Philip married Queen Mary Tudor
of England, he gave her "La Pelegrina" as a wedding present. The
portrait of Queen Mary in the Prado at Madrid, shows her wearing this
pearl, so does another one at Hampton Court, and a small portrait in
Winchester Cathedral, where her marriage with Philip took place. After
Mary's death "La Pelegrina" returned to Spain, and was handed down
from sovereign to sovereign until Napoleon in 1808 placed his brother
Joseph on the throne of Spain. It was a somewhat unsteady throne, and
after many vicissitudes, Joseph fled from Spain in the Spring of 1813.
Anticipating some such enforced retirement, Joseph, like a prudent
man, had had some of the smaller and more valuable pictures from the
Spanish palaces packed in wagons and despatched towards the frontier.
These pictures fell into the hands of Wellington's troops at the
Battle of Vittoria, and are hanging at this moment in Apsley House,
Piccadilly, for Ferdinand VII., on his restoration to the throne,
presented them to the Duke of Wellington; or rather, to be quite
accurate, "lent" them to the Duke of Wellington and to his successors.
Joseph Bonaparte also thoughtfully placed some of the Spanish Crown
jewels, including "La Pelegrina," in his pockets, and got away safely
with them. Joseph died, and left the great pearl to his nephew, Prince
Louis Napoleon, afterwards Napoleon III. When Prince Louis came to
London in exile, he brought "La Pelegrina" with him. Prince Louis
Napoleon was a close friend of my father's and had been his "Esquire"
at the famous Eglinton tournament. The Prince came to see my father
one day and confided to him that he was in great pecuniary
difficulties. He asked my father to recommend him an honest jeweller
who would pay him the price he wanted for "La Pelegrina." He named the
price, and drew the great pearl out of his pocket. My father, after