THE SANCI. 185
That
this was the diamond subsequently known as the Sanci there can be no
doubt. The description " cut in facets " almost establishes the fact
without the mention of the name of its recent owner.
The
diamond called the " Stone of the letter H " belonged to Mary, Queen of
Scots, and was greatly valued by her. It was a present from Henry viii.
to his sister Margaret on her marriage with James iv. of Scotland. In
her will the Queen of Scots bequeaths it to the Crown, declaring that
it should belong to the Queen's successors, but should not be alienated.
When
in 1623 Charles, the Prince of Wales, went on his love-trip to Madrid
along with Buckingham to woo the Infanta, he had an enormous amount of
jewels sent out to him in order to make friends for himself at court.
As was already mentioned in the paper about the Pelegrina, these
magnificent gifts were valued at no less a figure than one and a half
millions of dollars. Buckingham, who did not lack for
