158 THE BLACK PRINCE'S RUBY.
caster
was bowed in the dust, it gleamed on the head of York, and so we bring
it down to the youthful days of bluff King Hal. At his coronation Henry
viii. is thus described by a contemporary :
"
He wore a robe of crimson velvet furred with ermine, his jacket of
raised gold, the placard (tabard ?) embroidered with diamonds, rubies,
emeralds and great pearls, and other rich stones, a great Bauderike
(collar) about his neck of great Balasses, while as for his beautiful
features, amiable visage and princely countenance, with the noble
qualities of his royal state, they are too well known by everybody to
need mention by me."
From
which comment we must perceive that the estimate entertained of Henry
vm. has altered decidedly for the worse. This Bauderike, or collar of
rubies, was a famous jewel and one which appeared at all the great
pageants of the pleasure-loving king. It was entirely broken up by
Charles I. and sold to raise funds for his army. We are disposed to
conjecture that it included our Ruby either as pendant or other
