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The Great Sancy: Crown

Whatever credit may be given to these stories, it is certain that the "Sancy" again returned to its rightful owner, from whom it soon passed into the possession of Elizabeth, Queen of England. We have seen that Harlai was ambassador of Henry IV. at her Court, and the subjoined document shows that he sold it to the British Crown, doubtless during his residence in London. The passage, which occurs in the Inventory of the Jewels in the Tower of London, March 22nd, 1605, thus describes the "Mirror of Great Britain," a famous Crown Jewel, composed soon after the accession of James I. "A greate and ryche jewell of golde, called the 'Myrror of Greate Brytayne,' conteyninge one verie fayre table dyamonde, one verie fayre table rubye, twoe other lardge dyamondes, cut lozengewyse, the one of them called the 'Stone of the letter H. (A) of Scotlande,' garnyshed wyth smalle dyamondes, twoe rounde perles, fixed, and ONE FAYRE DYAMONDE, CUTT IN FAWCETTIS, BOUGHT OF SAUNCEY." This important extract, strangely overlooked by all who have hitherto endeavoured to unravel the tangled history of the "Sancy," shows beyond all doubt, that this gem never permanently left the hands of its original purchaser until disposed of by him to the Crown of England, somewhere between the years 1590 and 1600. The words "cutt in fawcettes" clearly identify the stone here referred to with that still known as the "Sancy." If possible, still more important is the following passage, which occurs at p. II of Robert de Berquem's well-known Merveilles des Indes, published in 1669. Speaking of the diamonds, at that time famous for their size and beauty, the writer observes: "There are some of extraordinary size and perfection. The present Queen of England has the one brought by the late M.de Sancy, from his embassy in the Levant, which is almond-shaped, cut in facets on both sides, perfectly white and pure, and weighing 100 carats."