The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-27

chain and bracelet set with rubes When
regent of France this luxurious Prince in
dulged in the same reckless eXtraVagance
and, as a consequence died a bankrupt
Philip the Good surpassed his predecessor
in the splendor of his ornaments and the
magnifcence of his retinue
The collection of gems was so
large and varied thar he is said
10 have worn at public recep-
tons jewels valued at 100000 francs,
and TO have changed them each day of the
week so that if diamonds We're the choice
OF one particular day, rubes were selected
for the next, sapphires for the third, and
so on TO the end of the week, according to
the fancy of the owner As a matter OF
course, his example was followed by the
numerous suite that always attended him
making his court one of UNPARALLELED
splendor and luxury.
The Italians and Spaniards of the four
teentn and fifteenth centuries emulated
the other European states in the amount
and value of their gem collections; while
their mobiles displayed on their court
dresses whole mines of wealth. The man
tiila of Catherine of Aragon, at the mar
riage with Henry VIII, was ornamental
with border twelve inches deep, covered
with gold, pearls and other costly gems.
The eXtravagant use of precious stones
in France, especially during the reiau Of
Francis 1, rivaled, II il did not surpass
that of the ancient Romans at the hight of
the fever. The dress of Marie de Medici
at the baptism of one of the royal children,
was trimmed with 5000 pearls and 5000
diamonds, valued at 60,000 crowns. Her
robe was so heavily weighted with these
ornaments that the Queen was not able
to bear the burden without assistance
The English Princes and arstocracy
adopted the habits of their continual
neighbors in the display of personal orna-
ments, especially during the Norman per-
iod. Henry III and his Queen possessed
magnificent jewels. The wedding gifts of
this royal bride included nine chap cts for
her hair, formed of gold filagree and clus-
tiers of gems great cameo brilliant with
costly gems, a silver peacock with the
train made of pearls, sapphires and other
rare stones, used for sweet waters. which
flowed through the beak into the silver bd-
sin, and eleven garlands, enriched with
pearls, emeralds, sapphires and garnets, a
present from the bridegroom. The royal
crown and girdles of this Princess were all
garnished with a profusion of the richest
gems the mineral kingdom could afford.
Richard II expended upon a single coat
jewels costing nearly 100000
Two Collections in England.
The Tudor princes we've no less conspic-
uous for Their love of personal ornaments
than the Plantagenets had been. The cor
alton robes of Henry VIII were resplen-
dent with gold and precious stones, and
gay bridegroom was this same Prince,
who was then attired i'm cloth Of gold,
loaded with diamonds, emeraIds rubcs
and pearls. His costume at the celebrated
meeting of the Cloth of gold" was con-
spicuous for its richness, even where each
prince was emulous TO outshine every 9TH
err in the splendor and ma gnificence of his
wardrobe. His daughters inherited their
royal fathers tastes, seen in the richness
4. a
at the court of Elizabeth, who surpassed
all her ccntempo, airy severe gns in the pro-
fusion and variety OF her jewels The no
bles and courters initiated their Queen,
so that her reign was signalized for the
briIliancy of her court in costly attire, as
wen as brillancy in wit.
Mary Queen of Scots was the peer of
her rival in the possess. on of rich jewels.
Her crown worn at her marriage with the
Dauphin was brilliant in diamonds and
other valuable gems. A single carbuncle
pendant was valued at hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. Her train, SIX yards in
length, was so loaded wi h precious stones
that it had to be borne through the mazes
of the dance by an attendant The jewels
of this princess named in her will com
prise, with many others, a diamond neck
lace, ruby chains aud parure Of pearls
brought from France considered the fin
est in Europe at that tine. Some of these
treasures were uepOStted IN GHQlnDufBn
Castle, others were scat eT ed or 81 Oicn af-
ter the defeat of her amy at Langside.
Anne, wife of James l of England was
the owner Of a large collection of precious
stones; nor was the King himself insensi-
BILE to their attraction, as appears from
the display of 100000 worth Of jewels on
his person at the marriage of his daugh-
ter to the Elector Palatine. and this was
before the Koh-i-noOr came into the pos
session of the royal family. Mary, the
wife of James II, wore at her coronation
jewels estimated at a sum between ST.
600 and 100000. Queen Caroline Ton
sort of George H. owned a large collec-
ton of gems. Her diamonds alone were
valued at $1,000, co., and yet at her corona
ton she borrowed jewels of some of the
ladies of the court lest her own should
prove insufficient for the occasion. A train
of diamonds, worth 100000, adorned the
brow of Charlotte. wife of George Ill, wni.s
one lady of nobility wore, at the crown
ing of this ruler. diamonds estimated at
nearly $1O00,0O0.
The costumes of the Duke of Bucking-
ham were always of the richest kind his
cloak, hat, plume, girdle sword and
spurs were brilliant with costly diamonds
One of his suits, made of white velvet,
was embroidered with nearly half a mil
lion worth of these gems, and another, of
purple velvet, was covered with valuable
pearls. When sent to France 10 escort
Henrietta Maria to England as the bride
of Charles |, this nobleman took with him
twenty-seven different suits for his own
use, all embroidered or ornamented with
precious stones.
Brides TrOusseau in Sixth Century.
A BRIDES trousseau in the sixth century
exceeded even that Of Jne present day.
Fifty wagons were required to convey the
wedding presents of one of the princesses
Of those times, consisting of gold, precious
stones and rich apparel ornamented with
gems. The trousseau of Isabella. wife OF
Richard H., comprised, with other rare
curiosities, robe and mantle of velvet.
embossed with birds, composed of different
kinds of gems, resting upon branches of
emeralds and pearls 1t sometimes happens
that the weight of her jewels was too bur-
densome for the fragile form of the bride.
as was the case with Jane. q princess Of
Navarro, who, az her marriage with the
Duke of Vendome. had 70 be carried to
the chapel in the arms OF the constable de
Montmorencf. This princess was the own