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The Tudors and the Stuarts

HENRY VII. was intensely avaricious, and added to his accumulated hoards of gold and jewels by the most grinding tyranny. He continued these practices to the last years of his life, and compelled his wealthy subjects to add to his immense treasures, which he kept, for the most part, under his own key at his manor of Richmond. Previous to his death, however, he made a will which strongly shows his remorse and anxiety, enjoining his young successor to do what he had never had the heart to perform himself, to repair the injuries he had committed, and make restitution to the victims he had plundered. Hall describes the dress of HENRY VIII. on his procession to the Tower previous to the coronation. "His grace wared in his upperst apparrell a robe of crimsyn velvet, furred with armyns; his jacket or coat of raised gold; the placard embroidered with diamonds, rubies, emeraudes, great pearles, and other rich stones; a great bauderike about his neck of large balasses." The same chronicler, who was present at the famous meeting of the Cloth of Gold, has given a lively detail of the gorgeous scene, in which gold and silver dresses, velvets, and jewellery were in the greatest profusion. Such was the insane desire to outshine each other by the French and English nobility, that many of them mortgaged and sold their estates to gratify their vanity, and changed their extravagantly splendid dresses twice daily during the meeting. "To-day the French All clinquant all in gold, like heathen gods, Shone down the English, and to-morrow they Made Britain, India; every man that stood Showed like a mine; their dwarfish pages were As cherubims, all gilt." The banqueting chamber at Calais was hung with tissue, the seams being covered with broad wreaths of goldsmith's work, full of precious stones and pearls. It was here that King Henry presented Anne Boleyn, with whom he had danced, the maid of honour of his first queen, with a jewel valued at fifteen thousand crowns.

Hall describes the rich dress of this monarch on his wedding with Anne of Cleves. The sleeves and breast were cut and lined with cloth of gold, and clasped with great buttons of diamonds, rubies, and orient pearls. His sword and girdle were adorned with precious stones with special emeralds; his cap was garnished with jewels so richly, that few men could value them. The bride wore a caul, and over that a round bonnet or cap, set full of orient pearls, and about her neck "she had a partlet set full of rich stones." Henry VIII. is described as attending at St. Paul's (October 3rd, 1515) on the occasion of the proclamation of the peace between France, England, the Pope, the Emperor, and the King of Spain. The king's upper garment was of crimson satin lined with brocade, and a tunic of purple velvet powdered with precious stones: viz., a stone and a large pearl alternately, the jewels being rubies, sapphires, turquoises, and diamonds, all of the best water and sparkling. He also wore a collar thickly studded with the finest carbuncles, as large as walnuts.