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Decorations: Charles

Among the jewels of King Charles I. which were sold were, "a George, containing 161 diamonds, pound 71 2s.; a George cut in onyx, with 41 diamonds, pound 37; a small George with a few diamonds, pound 9; a George with 5 rubies and 3 diamonds; also a George cut in a garnet."

Sir Richard Wallace has presented the Earl of Beaconsfield with the very jewels worn by Charles I. as his own badges of the Order of the Garter. In the possession of J. Rainey, Esq., is a memorial locket of Charles I., carved in peach-stone. After the King's execution, the Knights of the Garter wore a crystal case, mounted in gold, containing a likeness of the King and the insignia of the order, carved in peach-stone. The whole ornament was in the shape of a pearl, to imitate that which the King wore in his left ear. The only other known specimen was lately in the possession of Lady Charlotte Bathurst.

The George which King Charles had at his martyrdom was curiously engraved in an onyx, set about with twenty-one large table diamonds in the fashion of a garter. On the reverse of the George was the picture of the Queen, set in a case of gold, and surrounded by another garter, adorned with an equal number of diamonds, as was that of Charles II., also set with diamonds. Amongst the list of monies received by the Earl of Craven, as executor of Prince Rupert, we find, "Of his Grace the Duke of Norfolk, for a diamond George, and an onyx George and a Garter, set with rubies, pound 313." POMANDERS, for holding perfumes, were often highly enriched with precious stones. They were sometimes made in the form of an orange, and contained ambergris, nutmegs, cloves, etc.

In the "Brooke of Robin Conscience" (about 1600), we find-- "I will have my pomander of most sweet smell, Also my chains of gold to hange about my necke."