Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-08-11
LEVELS IN EneLAND.o CROWN.
Most Important Are Large spineI
Ruby and Pale Sapphire.

Tbe, most important historic jewels
IN the present imperial crown are the
large spinel ruby in the centre Of the
front osspatee. the large pale sap
phire on the circlet of the crown in
front, and the small, but finely colored
sapphire in the centre of the cross
patee above the mound at the top of
the crown
The history of the so-called ruby is
well known and is of great interest.
In the fourteenth century says Mr..
Cyril Davenport in The Connoisseur.
It belonged to the King of Granada.
and Pedro the Cruel, King of CASTLE,
/ received this King under the guise
of friendship in the Alcazar at Seville.
Here he was murdered for the sake of
| his jewels, among which was this
stone. Pedro afterwards gave it to
Edward, the Black Prince, after the
battle of Navarette, as a mark of graft
tude for his successful help, and it is
also supposed to have been worn in
the crown of Henry Y, at Agincourt.
On this occasion it may have helped
to save Kings life, as the Due d'Al-
encon aimed blow at Henry, which
was turned by his crown, then worn
over his helmet.
The stone is finely colored, deep
red spinel, a mineral which is chiefly
found in the river beds of Ceylon,
Burma and Siam. Like most Oriental
stones, this particular jewel has been
pierced; the top of the piercing is
now filed by small ruby set in gold,
and the stone is uncut, but polished
on its natural irregular surface. 1t is
irregularly drop-shaped, and about two
inches in length.
The second notable jewel in the i'm
perial crown is the large pale sap
phire in the front of the circlet. 1t
was worn in the crown of Charles H.,
and ultimately became the property
of Cardinal York, who bequeathed it
to the Prince Regent, afterward
George ". The Prince gave it to the
Princess Charlotte, but on her death
it was returned, as it was properly
considered to be a crown jewel 1t is
partially pierced, which may mean it
was intended to be used as a bead,
but never finished; or it might per-
haps have been intended to serve as a
support for aigrette, in which case
a half-piercing would be enough. 1t is
cut encabochon, as most ancient and
medieval stones were, and as colored
stones should be, the edges being
trimmed into the form of a long SYM
metrical oval No doubt this is an
Oriental stone; it is about two inches
in length.
Edward the Confessor's emerald is
much smaller and of a deep color; it
has been recut in brilliant form, prob
ably for Charles H., which was quite
taken out of the Confessor's ring,
which was buried with him, and it has
the reputation of being an antidote to
cramp. A story told about it relates
that the Confessor, in one of his walks
about Westminster, met beggar who
asked LOT aims, ana the OdluL nSluS
at that moment short of money, gave
him his ring in charity in the name Of
st. John Some time afterward some
English pilgrims, travelling in the Holy
Land, got into difficulties and consult
ed an old man, stranger, who hap
pened to be in their company. On
hearing that the travellers were Eng
lish, he revealed himself to them as
Saint John, the special patron of Ed
ward, King of England, and he assist
ed them out of their troubles, and gave
them a ring to t. 6e hack to their
monarch, with the message that he
would meet him in Paradise in six
months time. When in due time Ed
ward received the ring, he at once re-
cognized it as that he had given to
the Westminster beggar, and when he
died, according to the Saints predic-
ton, it was buried with him in
his shrine at Observation-Disclosures
Globe.