colored
glass set in a ring looked just as well and possessed the same virtues
as a genuine precious stone of the same color. Volmar does not mince
matters, and roundly declares that whoever should kill the man who
wrote thus would do no. sinful act. While we can scarcely recommend
such drastic action, we must admit that we feel a little sympathy with
the medieval champion of genuine stones against imitations.
A
most interesting item recording one phase of a great tyrant's character
is reported by Sir Jerome Horsey, who was entrusted with messages to
and from Elizabeth of England and Ivan the Terrible of Russia. He
gives, in his "Travels," a graphic recital of an interview with Ivan
just before the latter's death in, 1584. We retain the archaic
spelling as it is reproduced in the Hak-luyt publication from the
original manuscript. Writing of Ivan, Horsey says :5
Carried
every daye in his chair into his treasure. One daye the prince beckoned
me to follow. I strode emonge the rest venturously, and heard him call
for som precious stones and jeweils. Told the prince and nobles present
beiore and aboute him the virtue of such and such, which I observed,
and do pray I may a littell degress to declare for my own memorie sake.
"
The load-stone you all know hath great and hidden vertue, without
which the seas that compas the world ar not navigable, nor the bounds
nor circles of the earth cannot be knowen. Mahomett, the Percians
proffit, his tombe of steell hangs in their Repatta at Darbent most
miraculously"—Caused the waiters to bringe a chaîne of nedells tòwched
by his load-stone, hanged all one by the other.—" This faire currell
(coral) and this faire turcas you see; take in your hand; of his natur
arr orient coullers; put them on my hand and arm. I am poisoned with
disease: you see they shewe their virtue by the chainge of their pure
culler into pall: declares my death. Reach owt my staff roiall; an
unicorns horn garnished with verie fare diomondes, rubies,
'The Travels of Sir Jerome Horsey, Hakluyt Society, London, 1856, pp. 199, 200.
