Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-02
THE N DIAMOND.

THE sANcy DIAMOND.
Interesting History of the Famous Bur.
gundian Brilliant.
One of the best known diamonds in
Europe down to the close of the last
century was the famous Sancy. As is
the ease with all prominent gems of
this species, many legends, some of a
pleasant, some of a painful character,
are connected with it. One legend of
the Sssicy is thus narrated:
The beautiful diamond inventoried "a
the Sancy, and of the weight of 33 1916
carats, and valued at 1000, 900 francs,
was stolen and never recovered. This
gem has been associated with the
fortunes of the redoubtable Burgundian
warrior, Charles the Bold; and it's his
tory has lone more to p%erpetuate his
name than the record of all his mis-
deeds and his desperate battles. To
prove, however, that this is the iden-
teal gem lost by the Swiss will be a
difficult task, for the antiquaries have
%unearthcd more Sancy diamonds than
there were Richmonds in the field. The
name of Sancy has, indeed, become
famous by embracing in one story the
fortunes of three distinct gems. The
erudite King has patiently traced out
the traditions connected with the name
Sancy, and appears to prove that three
stories instead Of one are included in
the history of Baron Sancy. But the
stone that was stolen from the French
casket in 1892 is inventoried at the
weight of 80 1916 carats, while the
gem that has lately gone back to India,
and is supposed to be the stolen gem,
weighs quite tifty-four carats. Hereis
a new mystery for the antiquaries to
clear away; orldid Belatre and his as
sociates, who made out this inventory
with exceeding care, write thirty in
stead of fifty-three? The history of
these diamonds are so interesting that
we will attempt to repeat them here,
following, in part, the views of King.
Not long after the invention, by Berg
nen, of diamond-cutting by the proc
ess of abrasion, Charles the Bold, then
in the full blaze of martial glory, sub
mitted to him three large rough dia-
monds. The native of Bruges succeed.
ed so we'll in polishing them that
Charles presented him with the prince
ly sum of 5000 ducats. One Of these
gems Charles gave to Pope Sextus w.,
and it was mounted in the tiara, where
it is said to remain. The second was
presented to Louis III. of France; while
the third was reserved by the Burgun-
dian hero, and set in grotesque manner
to be worn as a personal ornament.
This jewel, of true barbaric design,
was formed of a triangular shape, with
the newly-cut diampnd in the center.
This diamond was lfive-eighths of an
inch in it's widest diameter, and was
shaped as a pyramid, with the apex cut
into a four-rayed star in relief. Around
the gem was set thre zee large Balais ru-
bies and four magnificent pearls, each
more than half an inch in diameter.
One of the Fugger family in
1866, made a careful drawing OF
the jewel, with a written description
Of it, and these were afterward pub.
lishcd by Lembcccids in his ''Bibliotheca
C@sarea;'" so there can be no doubt
about the appearance of the Original
diamond of Charles the Bold in its
early days. When the Duke led his
band of frecbooters into Switzerland or
his long-projected foray, he took most
of his gems along with him, not dream
ing of disaster, and probably loving t.
view his treasures even amid the hard
ships ofthe campaign. Rough soldiers
are sometimes as fond of the beautiful
in art and nature as more delicate and
refined organizations, and Charles tn,
Bold and Souvaroff are not the onl
examples. The terrific onslaught o
the Swiss at Grandson crushed tn,
B%urgundian ranks so quickly tina
Charles had only time to escape witt
his sword, leaving all his cherished
treasured in the hands of the dauntles'
mountaineers.
"In the sack of the camp which
speedily followed the rout, a soldier
found the golden box in which the
famous pendant was kept, but regard
ing the jewel as a gaudy and worthless
bauble, he tossed it away under :
wagon and retained the DO,
only. Shortly afterward he began
to suspect that the contents Of
so beautiful a box must have
some value, and, returningto the place,
he recovered the despised jewel. H,
did not long after retain his treasure,
but sold it toa priest for one tlorin. The
priest also did not appear to have q
high regard for his purchase, for he
disposed of it to the magistrates of his
own canton for three francs. When itbe.
came known that the Bernese Govern
ment had possession of the Dukes
famous jewels. Jacob Fugger, one Of
the members of the celebrated Nurem-
berg family, went to Berne and nego'
tiated for their purchase. The famous
pendant, together with the Dukes cap.
which was made of silk covered with
pearls and Balais rubies, and a plume
case set with diamonds, pearls ane
Balias rubies were bought for the sun
of $4,000 francs. Fuggger retained the
pendant in his possession at Nurem
berg for many years. INDUCING in the
hope, it has been said, that the Dukes
great grandson, the Emperor Charles
", would purchase it as a family relic,
When the celebrated capitalist died the
ornament was still in his possession, but
his great nephew, who inherited the
jewel, sold it to Henry VIII. of Eng.
land. After the death of this monarch
Lso lo,o.bto. ~uoeonkoI thu 1;oroopI t~