h emeralds, which is said to have the magic power of rendering
the owner invisible as long as he remains celibate. I fancy that
this is a safe claim, for the tradition is not likely to be put
to the proof in the case of a Shah! Probably there has never been
an opportunity of testing the miraculous powers of the stones.

The inventory of Lord Lisle contains many interesting side lights
on the jewelry of the period: "a hawthorne of gold, with twenty
diamonds;" "a little tower of gold," and "a pair of beads of gold,
with tassels." Filigree or chain work was termed "perry." In old
papers such as inventories, registers, and the like, there are
frequent mentions of buttons of "gold and perry;" in 1372 Aline
Gerbuge received "one little circle of gold and perry, emeralds
and balasses." Clasps and brooches were used much in the fourteenth
century. They were often called "ouches," and were usually of jewelled
gold. One, an image of St. George, was given by the Black Prince to
John of Gaunt. The Duchess of Bretagne had among other brooches one
with a white griffin, a balas ruby on its shoulder, six sapphires
around it, and then six balasses, and twelve groups of pearls with
diamonds.

Brooches were frequently worn by being stuck in the hat. In a curious
letter from James I. to his son, the monarch writes: "I send for
your wearing the Three Brethren" (evidently a group of three stones)
"...but newly set... which I wolde wish you to weare alone in your
hat, with a Littel black feather." To his favourite Buckingham
he also sends a diamond, saying that his son will lend him also
"an anker" in all probability; but he adds: "If my Babee will not
spare the anker from his Mistress, he may well lend thee his round
brooch to weare, and yett he shall have jewels to weare in his
hat for three grate dayes."

In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the women wore nets in
their hair, composed of gold threads adorned with pearls. At first
two small long rolls by the temples were confined in these nets:
later, the whole back hair was gathered into a large circular
arrangement. These nets were called frets--"a fret of pearls" was
considered a sufficient legacy for a duchess to leave to her daughter.

In the constant resetting and changing of jewels, many important
mediaeval specimens, not to mention exquisite vessels and church
furniture, were melted down and done over by Benvenuto Cellini,
especially at the time that Pope Clement was besie