enlighten them, Cruz and his companions reached a spot where were stones of three colors, white, red, and violet, quarried stone of vitreous appearance. With them Cruz shaped a cross three varas in height, and had it ready before the expiration of twenty-four hours.[1] Then he laid it under a rose-bush, and made his report. At the sound of drums and clarions the captain-general with his army and the friendly Chichimecs marched away to bring the cross. On arriving at the spot where it lay under the rose-bush all knelt and offered thanksgiving to God and the blessed virgin for giving them such a beautiful cross. And thereupon followed miracles.[2] The cross was carried in procession and raised with much ceremony and rejoicing upon the mount. The Chichimecs and their wise men, after examining it and witnessing its miracles, declared themselves satisfied, and celebrated the occasion with their usual dances; their captain, Juan Bautista Criado, and his wife kissed it, and their example was followed by their subjects. A whole week was thus occupied. The captain-general then had the ground measured around the cross for a chapel, after which he began to make land grants.[3]
Little came of this conquest, for no settlement seems to have been founded till about 1550, or later. The viceroy gave lands to the two caciques, San Luis, and others, and grants were made to the settlers of the town of Querétaro for lots and orchards in 1551
- ↑ One account has it, 'se formó de cinco piedras blancas, y roxas milagrosamente halladas.' Gaz de Mex., 1730, in Arévalo, Compend., 237.
- ↑ Parece que estábamos en la gloria, se apareció allí una nube blanca, tan hermosa, sombreando á la santa cruz y teniéndola cuatro ángeles; luego el olor que olia tan hermoso, que todos lo vimos que luego hizo milagro la santa cruz. San Luis, Relacion, in Beaumont, Crón. Mich., v. 150.
- ↑ This cross from the beginning was a celebrated wonder. On several occasions it moved of itself, and so as to cause admiration and awe; it visibly grew one full vara in size. In 1639 'tenia tres varas, y al presente tiene cuatro cabales.' Beaumont, Crón. Mich., v. 154; Gaz. de Mex., in Arévalo, Compend., 237. The first Franciscans in Querétaro lived in the small straw convent where the holy cross was subsequently kept; afterward they moved to the principal convent, which about 1566 was placed by the Santo Evangelio under the province of Michoacan. Dicc. Univ., ix. 351; Iglesias y Conventos, 153-4.
