Figure 1.

Top left: Portrait of Nicolás Monardes (Taken from “Elogio hecho por el Illust. S. Gonçalo Çati eco de Molina, Retrato del autor que se vee en su Museo”—Eulogy made by the illustrious Senior Gonçalo Çati, eco de Molina, Portrait of the author which can be seen in his Museum). Top right: Front page of the book “Dialogo del hierro…” Monardes, N. (1549/1574). (Dialogue of iron and its grandeur as it is the most excellent of all metals, and of best service to human and endowed with greatest medicinal virtues). Done by the Doctor Nicolás Monardes of Seville. The book was dedicated to the Duque de Alcalá, (Fernando Enríquez de Ribera y Portocarrero) and is wife (referred as & c. = compañera) who was no other but the Señora Juana Cortés de Zúñiga, daughter of Hernán Cortés, the conquistador of México. Bottom: First page of text Monardes, N. (1549/1574): TO HIS HIGHNESS, Sr Duke of Alcalá & c. my senior your physician Dr. Monardes, S., “BEING THE BUSINESS of iron OF such worldwide importance, and of such a service to Humans, I tried to compose this Dialogue, that deals with its great and wonderful uses, that if faithfully followed, will confer a great admiration to the readers.”