The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-10-30
HISTORICAL zkENGS.

One of the most interesting that
has come down TO our times is the
signet ring of Mary, Queen of Scots,
now in safe keeping among the
treasures of the British Museum.
Sir. Henry Ellis was of opinion that
this was Mary's nuptial ring when
she was married to Darnely, and
that il affords the earliest instances
of her bearing the royal arms of
Scotland alone after having discard
ed the arms of France. When
Dauphiness, she and her husband
had quartered the arms of England,
which gave great OfTense to Queen
Elizabeth. Within the ring is q
monogram formed of the letters NJ
and A, which is of great historical
interest, because Sir Henry Ellis
has pointed out that i'll letter from
Mary to Elizabeth, written just be-
fore her marriage, she used the
same monogram, probably as pGz-
zle for the Queen of England and
her Councillor, Burghley. The clue
was, however, given to them when
Darnley was created Duke of AL
bany. Another interesting ring is
one which Queen Elizabeth,is sup
posed to have sent to the Earl of
Essex, but which was never deliv-
cred to him. 1t is of gold, with the
head of the Queen cut on hard
onyx, and it is now in the possess
ion of the Rev, Lord John Thyme,
who is descended from Lady Fran
els Devereux, Essex's daughter.
Aubrey relates that Queen Eliza
beth had u double ring, made with
two diamonds, which formed a
heart when Joined. She kept one
half and sent the other to Mary,
Queen of Scots, as token of her
constant friendship; but, as Aubrey
adds, "she cut off her head for all
that" Mary commissioned Bea-
toun to take back her ring TO Eliza
beth when she determined to seek
an asylum in England. Before dis
missing the maiden queen we may
mention that her coronation ring
was filed off her finger little be.
fore her death, on account of the
flesh having grown oyer il. In
1868 a very beautiful and perfect
gold ring was found by IL workman
among the ruins of the North Gate
House, on Bedford Bridge, when
that building was pulled down. In
this prison the world-famed dream
CIR, John Bunyan, was confined, and
there is little doubt that this was
his ring. 1t bears his initials, ~
B." and is engraved with a deaths
head and the words "memeRtO
mort" The ring was sold to DR.
Abbot, Chaplain to the Duke OF
Bedford, and presented by him, in
his last illness, to the Rev. G.. IL
Bower, perpetual curate of Elstow
where Bunyan was born. The sig.
net ring of Caesar Borgia was OK.
hibited few years ago at q meet.
ing of the British Archaeological
| Association, by the Rev. e. II
Hartshorne. 1t is of gold, slightly
enameled, with the date 1903, am
round the inside is the motto '.F'ay
ceque dogs GUien que pOuTTG." a
box dropped into the front, having
on it ''Borgis," in letters reversed
round which are the words 500
anunl una Ella" At the back is
slide. within which it is related ht
carried the poison he was in TIT
habit of dropping into the wine o
his unsuspecting guest. Hanniba
carried poison about him in ring
and when all his hopes were gon
he swallowed the poison and died
Pope Alexander vi. (Borgia) pos
sessed key-ring such as was usel
by the Romans, which containe,
poison. When he wished to ge
rid of an Objectionable friend h
gave him his ring to unlock a cas-
ket, and as the lock was a littl
hard to open, the pin conceale
within gave the fatal prick. Ring
of the same kind of Workmanship
, but not with so deadly a desigi
4 have been common, and keys il
t tended to open Invaluable caskei
r were often attached 10 rings. i
referring 10 these singularities W
ought not to omit the mention OF
ring made with watch in the hos
which could be so wound up tn;
), il would make q small pin prick IL
person who wore it at any hour
the night he pleased,-The Quartz
c ~ Review.