New-York tribune., 1906-04-11

new rre; and remained so by the consent of its
a1too.lt ~ mas been apparently lost to the nation
N1 Nle possessor offered the work to the British
rational antsnor1ties who. in face OF the meagre
was 49,, d purchase the price. Yet this
and a. t ~ iess than it's presumed market value.
hacoTna 10 iIucn higher valuation the book has
% Ioe t,,nn the property OF Mr.. Quaritch, whose
ISai py me tne way, sold IL to Sir Augustus
rFsuks IN 1883. Mr. Franks as he then was
had long known the wori- and about 1864 had
S 2Iawh tne attention OF the Duchess of MARI
yas S 10 70 tne historic value of the relic which
was at that time housed at Blenhein Twenty
years later 1t appeared In the famous Sunder-
i anu sae, PUT without any reference in the cat
bought 1t for f450, and at the urgent appeal az
hIT; franks. sold it TO him for $500.
q, Deautuu!ly Illuminated this 1890 Ptoemy
toa toaPnopapIy oy the care of q member of that
famous family who befriended Dante the Fres-
coDaioi-lts new purchaser saw at once that the
SS4qulslte binding of a special character
me gold tooling of the palm branch and inter-
ecu iIu geometrical ornamentation was unlnistak-
aoly OF the craft introduced into French binding
me ives But when the monogram in the
centre with the surrounding words, "Sa vertu
rtH Tiaeire was studied direct clew was found.
li9 monogram consists of the Greek letters mu
ana pm, so fashioned as to be read equally Well
UPSIDE doWn. This educed MARY" and Fra ncis"
a1iu s @ tue theory became imminent that the bind
oaS,L oS e1eculeo between July 1863, and De-
cemoer, 1860 when Mary was actually Queen of
raaice 4d9 When "Sa vertu matire" investi-
sdleo a. certain proof established The
words are to be found on silver bell once be-
longing to Mary, and also on her signet ring in
the British Museum. They are simply an ana
gram on her name, Marie Stewart" another
Selng Veritas Armata." formed from Maria
SSteVarta- In this connection an interesting
letter is extant written by Drummond of Haw-
ehorhoen 10 Ben Jonson, dated July 1. 1919:
nave been curious to find out for you the
lnpresas and emblems a bed of state wrought
io ano eInbroldered all with gold and sIke by the
Idte Cuene Marie mother to our Sacred Sover-
ayhe, Wnich Will embellish greatly some pages
OF OF your oook- and is worthye of remembrance.
Inc nrst is the loadstone turning toward the
pole, The words, her Majestie's name turned into
an anagram Marie Stewart sa vertu raatire
winch Is not much inferior to veritas armata"
A. Ihat Mary Queen of Scots possessed of
the most famous Libraries of her time is proved
oy TWO lists, made in 1869 and 1873, Of her books
at Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle These
were quite representative of the best literature
up 10 ner period, numbering 231, and could be
C!allhed 10 be much superior to the libraries at
the universities. What became of most OF these
is stlll a great mystery, one suggestion being
tnat they were appropriated by the Regent, and
that they were therefore destroyed by the burn
ing or MS house OF Donebristle in Fife at the
time of the murder Of his son-tn-law.
one thing is certain. Only ten are now known.
HaIt or these are in public collections. and none
can compare in rarity and beauty with this Fres-
copaIol Ptolemy, richly illuminated throughout
and enriched with binding by one Of the most
renowned masters of craft working for his
Queen.