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In an account of "jewells and other furnishings," which were "sould and deliuered to the Queen's most excellent Matie from the Xth of April, 1607, to the Xth of February followinge, by George Heriote, her Highnes' jewellor," there is the following:-"Item, deliuered to Margarett Hartsyde, a ring set all about with diamonds, and a table diamond on the head which she gaue me to vnderstand was by her Maties directions: price xxxli."
The item in reference to Margaret Hartsyde is remarkable, because it appeared that this female, who had been in the royal household, was tried at Edinburgh on May 31st, 1608, for stealing a pearl worth 110 pound sterling, belonging to the queen (Anne of Denmark). She pretended that she retained these pearls to adorn dolls for the amusement of the royal infants, and believed that the queen would never demand them; but it appeared that she used "great cunning and deceit in it," and disguised the jewels so as not to be easily known, and offered them to her Majesty in sale.
The king, by special warrant, declared her infamous, sentenced her to pay four hundred pounds sterling, as the value of the jewels, and condemned her to be imprisoned in Blackness Castle until it was paid, and to confinement in Orkney during her life. In December, 1619, eleven years afterwards, "compeared the king's advocate, and produced a letter of rehabilitation and restitution of Margaret Hartsyde to her fame, who was convict of theft in August, 1608, as his process instructs."
After the death of Queen Anne of Denmark, consort of James I, her effects were brought from Somerset House, and the king examined them. He found that the queen had received from Heriot, her jeweller, thirty-six thousand pounds worth of jewels, of which no vestige appeared. The jeweller produced the models, and swore to the delivery of the property. Pierrot, the queen's French attendant, and her favourite maid Danish Anne, were suspected of the embezzlement of these jewels and of a vast sum of ready money which the queen had hoarded. Both were examined, and afterwards committed to the custody of Justice Doubleday, to be privately imprisoned in his house, but no trace was ever found of the missing jewels. |
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Precious Stones Vol 11
>> Margaret Hartsyde: Thief of the Jewels of Queen Anne of Denmark
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