Note 224 — Chapter XI · TOLEDO.

An inscription was put up in the time of Philip II. giving the history of the bridge, and stating that it had been rebuilt by Pedro Tenorio, the archbishop: “Pontem cujus ruinæ in declivis alveo proxime visuntur, fluminis inundatione, quæ anno Domini MCCIII. super ipsum excrevit, diruptum Toletani in hoc loco ædificaverunt. Imbecilla hominum consilia, quem jam amnis lædere non poterat, Petro et Henrico fratribus pro regno contendentibus interruptum, Petrus Tenorius archiepiscopus Toletan. reparâdum curavit.”

A quaint story is told of the building of this bridge. The architect whilst the work was going on perceived that as soon as the centres were removed the arches would fall, and confided his grief to his wife. She with woman’s wit forthwith set fire to the centring, and when the whole fell together all the world attributed the calamity to the accident of the fire. When the bridge had been rebuilt again she avowed her proceeding, but Archbishop Tenorio, instead of making her husband pay the expenses, seems to have confined himself to complimenting him on the treasure he possessed in his wife.—Cean Bermudez, Not. de los Arquos., &c., vol. i. p. 79.