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Decorations: James

In a curious letter in the British Museum from James I. to his son and favourite Buckingham, when at Madrid in 1623, there is an allusion to the fashion of wearing jewels in the hat. "I send you for youre wearing the Three Brethren that ye know full well but newlie sett, and the Mirroure of France, the fellowe of the Portugall dyament, quiche I wolde wishe you to weare alone in your hatte, with a little blackke feather." To Buckingham, "As for thee my sweete Gosseppe, I sende thee a faire table diamonde, quiche I wolde once have gevin thee before, if thow wolde have taken it, and I have hung a faire peare pearle to it for wearing on thy hatte or quhair thow plaisis; and if my Babie will spaire the two long diamonts in forme of an anker, with the pendant dyamont, it were fit for an Admirall to weare, and he hath enowgh better jewells for his Mistresse,...If my Babie will not spare the Anker from his Mistresse, he may well lende thee his rownde broache to weare, and yett he shall have jewells to weare in his hatte for three great dayes." An ornament attached to the hat in former times was the brooch, which was sometimes highly enriched, and of great value. In a note to Shakspeare by Steevens, he says, "a brooch was a cluster of gems affixed to a pin, and anciently worn in the hats of people of distinction," etc. In Ben Jonson's "Poetaster," "Honour's a good broach to wear in a man's hat at all times." So "Timon of Athens," Act iii., "He gave me a jewel the other day, and now he has beat it out of my hat."

Sir Walter Scott, in the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," describing the attire of King James before the battle of Flodden, says:-- "His bonnet all of crimson fair Was buttoned with a ruby rare." SHOES, richly ornamented and decorated with jewels, were among the prodigal displays of the ancient Romans. Virgil alludes to light boots, garnished with gold and amber:-- "Tum leves ocreas electro auroque recocto."

The shoes of Anglo-Saxon princes or high ecclesiastical dignitaries are generally represented of gold, ornamented. Edward III. wore shoes profusely embroidered with precious stones.