Mr. Edward Jones, of Dolgellau, has a dial-ring consisting of two
concentric rings moving within the other, the larger one having a linear
groove, and the smaller one a slight hole working into it.
[Illustration: Dial ring.]
* * * * *
The romantic attachment of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, to Mary, the
second sister of Henry VIII., is an interesting episode in ring history.
She had been married in 1514 to Louis XII. of France, a political union of
youth and beauty to debilitated old age. Brandon was sent with several
English nobles to grace the nuptials. There is reason to believe that Mary
had flattered his hopes of marrying her long before she quitted England.
King Louis died three months after his marriage, and a few days after the
Queen was secretly married to Suffolk. That during the brief interval
between the marriage and death of the French monarch some interchange of
affection occurred between the lovers is certain. A rumour had spread that
Suffolk had shown a diamond ring she gave him. ‘The truth is,’ she writes,
‘that one night at Tournay, being at the banquet, after the banquet he put
himself upon his knees before me, and in speaking and in playing he drew
from my finger the ring, and put it upon his, and since showed it to me;
and I took to laugh, and to him said that he was a thief, and that I
thought not that the King had with him led thieves out of his country. The
word _larron_ he could not understand, wherefore I was constrained to ask
how one said in Flemish _larron_. And afterwards I said to him in Flemish
_dieffe_, and I prayed him many times to give it me again, for that it
was too much known. But he understood me not well, and kept it on unto the
next day that I spake to the King, him requiring to make him to give it to
me, because it was too much known--I promising him one of my bracelets the
which I wore, the which I gave him. And then he gave me the said ring; the
which one other time at Lylle, being set nigh to my lady of Hornes, and he
before upon his knees, it took again from my finger. I spake to the King
to have it again; but it was not possible, for he said unto me that he
would give me others better, and that I should leave him that. I said unto
him that it was not for the value, but for that it was too much known. He
would not understand it, but departed from me. The morrow after he brought
me one fair point of diamond, and one table of ruby, and showed me it was
for the other ring, wherefore I durst no more speak of it, if not to
beseech him it should not be shewed to any person; the which hath not all
to me been done.’ ‘Thus signed, M.’
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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