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Romance and Poetry: Arabian

The supernatural lustre of the carbuncle has an Arabian source. In the "History of the Seven Champions of Christendom"--containing some of the most capital fictions of the old Arabian romance--in the story of the "Enchanted Fountain," the knights entering a dark hall, "took off their gauntlets from their left hands, whereon they wore marvellous great and fine diamonds, that gave so much light, that they might plainly see all things that were in the hall, the which was very great and wide."

In the "Pyramidographia" of Mr. Greaves it is mentioned (on the authority of an Arabian author) that the Pyramid of Egypt, attributed to Cheops, was entered, about ten centuries ago, by Almamon, the renowned Caliph of Babylon. It is added that the explorer found in it, towards the top, a chamber was a hollow stone, in which there was a statue like a man, and within it the body of a man, upon which was a breastplate of gold set with jewels. Upon this breastplate there was a sword of inestimable value, and at his head a carbuncle of the bigness of an egg, shining like the light of the day. Chalkhill, in his "Thealma and Clearchus," describing the cell of the witch Orandra, mentions the door as "interwove with ivys flattering twines":-- "Through which the carbuncle and diamond shines; Not set by Art, but there by Nature sown At the world's birth, so star-like bright they shone, They served instead of tapers to give light To the dark entry."

John Norton, an alchemist in the reign of Edward IV., wrote a poem called the "Ordinal," or a manual of the chemical art. One of his projects was a bridge of gold over the Thames, crowned with pinnacles of gold, which, being studded with carbuncles, would diffuse a blaze of light in the dark:-- "Wherefore he would set up in height, That bridge for a wonderfull sight, With pinnacles guilt, shininge as goulde, A glorious thing for men to beholde." The extravagances of description in which precious stones are specially noted by the old writers, are singularly wild and imaginative; many such instances are in Guido de Colonna, who lived when this mode of fabling was at its height, and of whose romance, "Historia Trojana," Lydgate's "Troy Book" (completed in 1420, and written by command of Henry V.), in a translation, or paraphrase, the city of Troy is curiously described. It was three days' journey in length and breadth; the walls two hundred cubits high, of marble and alabaster, and machicolated. At every angle was a crown of gold, set with the richest gems. There were great gems in the towers. On each turret were figures of savage and monstrous beasts in brass. The gates were of brass, and a portcullis to each. The houses were all uniform, and of marble, sixty cubits high. Of Priam's palace-- "Al the wyndowes and eche fenestrall Wrought were with beryll, and of clere crystal."

With regard to the last circumstance, according to Leland, part of the windows of Sudeley Castle, in Gloucestershire, "were glazed with berall," though this has been doubted."

Lydgate describes Hector as being buried in the principal church at Troy (!), near the high altar, within a magnificent oratory erected for that purpose, exactly resembling the Gothic shrine of our cathedrals, yet charged with many romantic decorations:-- "Al the rofe and closure envyrowne, Was of fyne golde, plated up and downe, With knottes grave, wonder curyous, Fret ful of stonys riche and precious." Chaucer, in his "House of Fame," describes the floor and roof of the hall, as covered with thick plates of gold, studded with the costliest gems. In Spenser's "Faerie Queene," Mammon leads Sir Guyon into the subterranean realm:-- "He brought him in. The rowme was large and wyde, As if some gyeld or solemne temple weare: Many great golden pillours did upbeare The massy roofe, and riches huge sustayne; And every pillour decked was full deare With crownes and diademes, and titles vaine, Which mortall princess wore whiles they on earth did rayne."