About King Henry VIII and Jewels at Important Occasions

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 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.

In the picture by Hans Holbein, at Hampton Court Palace, of Henry VIII. and his family, the king is represented with a jewelled dagger, a magnificent collar of twisted pearls, with ruby medallion, a dalmatica edged with pearls, a hat of black velvet adorned with pearls. On his breast is a large medallion jewel having the appearance of a watch.

Henry demanded of Francis I., King of France, the jewels of his sister Mary, who had married Louis XII., and the Duke of Suffolk was entrusted with the commission. At her marriage "a great diamond and a tablet with a great round pearl" formed part of the bridal offerings. The Earl of Worcester wrote from Paris in glowing terms of "the goodliest and richest sight of jewels that ever he saw." The uxorious disposition of King Louis, the "Father of his People," as he was called, and the marital value the attached to his precious gems, I have already alluded to (page 148). It was, however, only in this respect that he was prodigal of his jewels.

The day after the marriage, the king gave her "a ruby two inches and a half long, and as big as a man's finger, hanging by two chains of gold at every end." Every day he gave her rings "with stones of great estimation."