Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

78 Arts and Crafts in tl1e Middle Ages

states tlшt the гing ,vas almost invariaЬly the ,veapon chosen Ьу the lady. Superstition has oгdained that certain stones should cure ceгt,ain eYils: the Ыood-stoпe \\'as of Уе1·у general efficacy, it \Yas claimed, and the opal, \Yhen folded in а Ьау leaf, lшd tl1e po,ver of гendeгing the o,vпer inYisiЫe. Some stoncs, especially the turquoise, turned pale or Ьесаше deeper in hue accoгding to the state of the o,шer's health; tl1e o,vneг of а diamoпd was invinciЫe; the possession of ап agate made а rnan amiaЫe, and eloquent. ,vhocver ,vore an aшethyst was proof agaiпst intoxicatioп, while а jacyntl1 superinduced sleep iв cases of insomnia. Bed linen ,vas often embroidered, and sct ,vith Ыts of jacyntЬ, and theгc is even а record of diamoпds having been used in tl1e decoration of �l1eets ! Another entertaining iпstaпce of c1·edulity ,vas the use of " cramp rings." Tl1ese ,ve1·e rings Ыessed Ьу the queen, and supposed to curc all manner of craшps, jнst as tЬе king's touch was supposed to cure scrofula. \\ т Ьеn а qнееп died, the demand for these rings Ьесаше а panic: no more could Ье produced, until а ne\Y queen was cro,vned. After the beheading of Апnе Boleyn, Husee wгites to his pat1·oness: "Уош ladyship shall receiYe of this beare1· nine cramp rings of silver. John "\Villiams says l1e never had so few of gold as this year ! '' А stone engraved \Yith tl1e figure of а hаге was believed to Ье valuaЬlc in exoгcising the devil. Tlшt of а_ dog preserved the o,vner fгош " dгopsy ог pestilence; " а