Part 7 (2/2)

The figure of St. Christopher was used as an amulet against sudden death--particularly by drowning; for it was popularly believed that no sudden or violent death could occur to any person on any day when he had reverently looked upon this saint's effigy. Hence it was not uncommon for charitable individuals to place such figures outside their houses, or paint them on the walls. There is a colossal figure (and St.

Christopher was said to have been of gigantic stature), thus painted, beside the great gate of the ancient city of Treves, on the Moselle.

The enameller and engraver were both employed on the ring Fig. 159, also from the Londesborough collection. The hoop is richly decorated, with quaint floriated ornament cut upon its surface, and filled in with _niello_, then extensively used by goldsmiths in enriching their works, as it is still in Russia. This beautiful ring is inscribed withinside with the motto =mon cor plesor=--”my heart's delight”--and was doubtless a _gage d'amour_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 160.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 161.]

Of Elizabeth of England and Mary of Scotland, interesting mementoes are preserved in the shape of rings. Fig. 160 represents the gold signet-ring of Mary, now preserved in the British Museum. Upon the face is engraved the royal arms and supporters of Scotland, with the motto IN . DEFENS, and her initials M.R. But the most curious portion of the ring is the inner side of the seal, as shown in the cut, where a crowned monogram is engraved, which might have been an unsolved enigma, but for the existence in our State Paper Office of a letter written by Mary to Queen Elizabeth, in which she has drawn this identical monogram after signing her name. Sir Henry Ellis, who first traced out this curious history, says, ”It is clearly formed of the letters M and A (for Mary and Albany), and gives countenance to the opinion that the written monogram was intended for Elizabeth and Burleigh to study; the subsequent creation of the t.i.tle of Duke of Albany in Lord Darnley ultimately opening their eyes to the enigma.” Elizabeth's intense dislike to the Darnley marriage is well known, as she endeavoured to force Mary into a match with one of her own favourites, the Earl of Leicester.

The Waterton collection boasts a gem of no inferior interest in connection with this unhappy marriage. It is the ring of Henry, Lord Darnley, husband to Mary Queen of Scots. On the bezel it bears the two initials M.H. united by a lover's knot, and within the hoop the name engraved of HENRI . L . DARNLEY, and the year of the marriage, 1565. The cut, Fig. 161, shows the face of the ring with the initials; below is engraved a fac-simile of the interior of the ring as a plane surface.

Queen Elizabeth's history, and that of her unfortunate favourite, the Earl of Ess.e.x, has a tragic story connected with a ring. The narrative is popularly known, and may be briefly told. It is said that the queen, at a time when she was most pa.s.sionately attached to the earl, gave him a ring, with the a.s.surance that she would pardon any fault with which he might be accused when he should return that pledge. Long after this, when he was condemned for treason, she expected to receive this token, and was prepared to have granted the promised pardon. It came not. The queen was confirmed in the belief that he had ceased to care for her, and pride and jealousy consigned him to the death of a traitor. But the earl had, in the last extremity of despair, entrusted the ring to the Countess of Nottingham, wife of the Lord High Admiral, an enemy to the unfortunate Ess.e.x, who forbade his wife to take any proceedings in the matter, but to conceal the trust entirely, and secrete the ring. When the countess lay upon her death-bed, she sent for her royal mistress, for the first time told her guilt, ”and humbly implored mercy from G.o.d and forgiveness from her earthly sovereign, who did not only refuse to give it, but having shook her as she lay in bed, sent her, accompanied with most fearful curses, to a higher tribunal.” Such is the awful account of the scene by Francis...o...b..rne. Dr. Birch says the words used by Elizabeth were, ”G.o.d may forgive you, but I never can.” It was the death-blow to the proud old queen, whose regret for the death of Ess.e.x could not be quenched by her pride and belief in his ingrat.i.tude. A confirmed melancholy settled upon her; she died lonely and broken-hearted.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 162.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 163.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 164.]

This ring is now in the possession of the Rev. Lord John Thynne, and three views of it are given in Figs. 162, 163, and 164. It is of gold, of extremely delicate workmans.h.i.+p throughout. A cameo head of the queen is cut on hard onyx and set as its central jewel; the execution of this head is of the highest order, and may possibly have been the work of Valerio Vincentino, an Italian artist who visited England and cut similar works for Elizabeth and Burleigh. It is one of the most minute but the most striking likenesses. The hoop of the ring is enriched with engraving, and the under surface decorated with floriated ornament, relieved by blue enamel. It has descended from Lady Frances Devereux, Ess.e.x's daughter, in unbroken succession from mother and daughter, to the present possessor. Although the entire story has met with disbelievers, the most sceptical must allow that whether this be _the_ ring or not, it is valuable as a work of art of the Elizabethan era.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 165.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 166.]

A ring possessing even greater claim to notice, but depending for its appropriation on its own internal evidence, is the next on our list (Figs. 165 and 166). It purports to be the seal-ring of William Shakspere, and was found March 16, 1810, by a labourer's wife, in the mill close adjoining Stratford-on-Avon churchyard. It pa.s.sed into the possession of R. B. Wheler, Esq., the historian of the town; and his sister, at his death, presented it to the museum of Shaksperian relics formed in the birthplace of the poet. It is of gold, weighing 12 dwts.; having the initials W.S. braced together by a ta.s.selled cord; the only other ornament upon the ring being a band of pellets and lines on the outer edge of the bezel.

Is it Shakspere's? It is evidently a gentleman's ring, and of the poet's era. It is just such a ring as a man in his station would fittingly wear--gentlemanly, but not pretentious. There was but one other person in the small town of Stratford at that time to whom the same initials belonged. This was one William Smith, but _his_ seal is attached to several doc.u.ments preserved among the records of the corporation, and is totally different.[136-*] Mr. Halliwell, in his ”Life of Shakspere,”

observes that ”little doubt can be entertained that this ring belonged to the poet, and it is probably the one he lost before his death, and was not to be found when his will was executed, the word _hand_ being subst.i.tuted for _seal_ in the original copy of that doc.u.ment.”[136-]

In the great poet's will, five of his friends have bequests of memorial rings. Two are his townsmen, Hamlett Sadler and William Raynoldes, who each have twenty-six s.h.i.+llings and eightpence left them ”to buy them ringes;” the other three being the actors (”my fellows,” as he affectionately terms them) John Heminge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Condell,[137-*] each of whom has a similar sum.

Rings were at this time an almost necessary part of the toilet of a gentleman; they indicated rank and character by their style or their devices. Hence the wills and inventories of the era abound with notices of rings, many persons wearing them in profusion, as may be seen in the portraits painted at this time. The Germans particularly delighted in them, and wore them upon many fingers, and upon different joints of the fingers, the forefinger especially; a custom still followed by their descendants. The ladies even wreathed them in the bands of their head-dresses. Rabelais speaks of the rings Gargantua wore because his father desired him to ”renew that ancient mark of n.o.bility.” On the forefinger of his left hand he had a gold ring, set with a large carbuncle; and on the middle finger one of mixed metal, then usually made by alchemists. On the middle finger of the right hand he had ”a ring made spire-wise, wherein was set a perfect balew ruby, a pointed diamond, and a Physon emerald of inestimable value.”

Italy now furnished the most splendid and tasteful jewellery; the workmen of Venice exceeding all others. The Londesborough collection supplies us with a graceful example, Fig. 167. The claws support the setting of a sharply-pointed pyramidal diamond, such as was then coveted for writing on gla.s.s. It was with a similar ring Raleigh wrote the words on the window-pane--”Fain would I rise, but that I fear to fall”--to which Queen Elizabeth added, ”If thy heart fail thee, do not rise at all;” an implied encouragement which led him on to fortune.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 167.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 168.]

In Burgon's life of Sir Thomas Gresham is engraved the wedding ring of that merchant-prince. ”It opens horizontally, thus forming two rings, which are, nevertheless, linked together, and respectively inscribed on the inner side with a Scripture poesy. _Quod Deus conjunxit_ is engraved on one half, and _h.o.m.o non seperet_ on the other.” It is here copied, Fig. 168.

In Ben Jonson's comedy, _The Magnetic Lady_, the parson compelled to form a hasty wedding asks--

”Have you a wedding ring?”

To which he receives as answer--

<script>