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Romance and Poetry: Scotland
Gavin Douglas, in his "Palace of Honour," describes Queen Margaret (Tudor) of Scotland:-- "Amidst them borne within a golden chair, O'erfret with pearls and colours most preclear, That drawen was by hackneys all milk white, Was set a queen as lily sweetly fair, In purple robe hemmed with gold ilk-where; With gemmed clasps closed in all perfite, A diadem most pleasantly polite Sat on the tresses of her golden hair, And in her hand a sceptre of delight." In the poems of Jacopo de Lentino, an Italian poet (1250), translated by Mr. G. D. Rosetti, are several graceful allusions to precious stones. The following is a specimen:-- "Sapphire, nor diamond, nor emerald, Nor other precious stones past reckoning; Topaz, nor pearl, nor ruby, like a king, Nor that most virtuous jewel, jasper called, Each counted for a very marvellous thing, Is half so excellently gladdening As is my lady's head uncoronalled," etc.
The comparison even of so much rarity and beauty is not worthy the merits of his lady-love.
Herrick portrays his mistress:-- "How rich and pleasing thou, my Julia, art, In each thy dainty and peculiar part! First for thy Queen-ship on thy head is set Of flowers a sweet commingled coronet; About thy neck a carcanet is bound, Made of the ruby, pearl, and diamond; A golden ring that shines upon thy thumb; About thy wrist the rich dardanium; Between thy breasts, than down of swan more white, There plays the sapphire with the chrysolite; No part besides must of thyself be known, But by the topaz, opal, calcedon." In Thomas Lodge's poems we have a pretty conceit:-- "Her eyes are sapphires, set in snow, Refining heaven by every wink." In Shakspeare's "Pericles," Ceremon says:-- "She is alive; behold Her eyelids, cases to those heavenly jewels Which Pericles hath lost, Begin to part their fringes of bright gold; The diamonds of a most praised water, Appear, to make the world twice rich." In his poem the "King's Quaire," King James of Scotland has described, when a princely prisoner at Windsor, how he fell in love with Lady Jane Beaufort, as she walked in the garden there, unconscious of the admiration of the young prisoner. Suddenly his eyes fell on-- "The fairest, or the freshest young flower, That ever I saw, methought, before that hour, For which sudden abate anon astart The blood of all my body to my heart."
The dress of the maiden is then described; her golden hair fretted with pearls and fiery rubies, emeralds, and sapphires; on her head a chaplet of plumes, red, white, and blue, mixed with quaking spangles; about her neck a fine gold chain with a ruby in the shape of a heart:-- "That as a spark of fire so wantonly Seemed burning upon her white throat." In Calderon's "Love after Death," one of his happiest Moorish plays, the wedding of Clara and Alvaro is celebrated, after the simple Moorish custom, by the bestowal and acceptance of the bridegroom's gifts. There are rich jewels, which are to cost the illfated bride her life, and they are to form a clue for her unhappy husband in his search for her murderer. The bridegroom addresses Clara thus:-- "Gifts with thee, fair paragon, Lose their worth, defective showing; Diamonds on the sun bestowing, I its due but give the sun. Cupid here, with arrows fleet Armed, from me receive; so learning, E'en when diamond, Cupid's yearning To prostrate him at thy feet. On this string, in pearly whiteness, Glisten tears for thine adorning, Fallen from the eyes of morning, Seeing thee outshine her brightness. Emeralds this fair eagle moulding Make my hope's fresh colour known; For an eagle's eye alone Can endure my sun beholding. Here thy turban to hold fast, Take this ruby clasp; for I May my girdle now untie In my fortune's port at last."