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The three and thirtieth Booke | 
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thefe rings meane. All the countries of theEaftthroughout, and Aigypt generally, atthistime G : 
content themfelves with fimple writings and bare {cripts, without any feale or figne ‘manuell fee 
unto them, Butfofar offare we in thele daies from keeping us tothe plaine houpe-rings.of our 
aunceftors, that asin all things elfe, fo in them alfo we love to chaunge and alter everie daie; fo 
given wee are to excefle and fuperfluitie: for now, many muft have curioufly fetin their rings, 
pretious ftones of excellent beautie and moft exquifit brightneffe ; and unleffe their fingers be 
charged and loden againe with the riches and revenews of a good lordfhip, they arenot ador- 
ned and decked to their mind : But] purpofe more fullie to fpeake hereof in mytreatifeof gems 
and precious ftones. Others againe will have in theirrings and {tones {undrie figuresand pour- * 
traitures as they lift themfelves engraven, that asthere bee fome ringscoftly for the matter, fo 
others againe fhould be as pretious for the workemanthip. Yee fhall have many of thefe wan- 
tons and delicat perfons make confcience (forfooth) to cut and engrave fome of their pretious 
ftones for hurting them ; and (to fhew that their rings ferve for fomewhatelfe than tofeale and 
figne withall) doe fet the faid ftones whole andentire as they be. And divers there are, who will 
not enclofe the {tone with gold on the infide of the colet which is hidden with the finger, tothe 
end (forfooth) that irmay touch the naked skin,and be feen through. And {uch an opinion they 
have of thefe ftones,that gold is worth nothing in comparifon of many thoufands ofthem now 
in ufe and requeft, Contrariwife, many thereare who will have no ftone at all in their rings, but 
make them all of maffive gold, and therewith doe feale: adevife that cameup in the time of 
Claudius Cefar the Emperour. Furthermore, in thefe our daies fome flaves {et yron within acol- 
let of gold, in ftead of a {tone : and others againe having their rings of yron, yet they adorn and 
fet thei out with the moft pure and fine gold that may be had. Thislicence (no doubt) and li- 
bertie of wearing rings in this order, began firft in Samothrace, as may appeare by thename of 
fuch rings,which therefore are called Samothracia. Nowto come againe to our golden rings: 
_the manner was in old time toweare rings but upon one finger onely, and namely that which is 
the fourth or next to the little finger, as wee may fée in the ftatues of Nua and Serviw Tullius, 
kings of Roine: but afterwards, they began to honour the fore-finger which is nextunto the - 
thumbe, witha ring ; according tothe manner which weefee in the images of the gods:and in 
proceffe of time they tooke pleafure to weare them upon the leaft finger of all :and itis faid,that 
in Fraunce and Britaine they ufed them upon the middle finger. Bur this finger nowadaiesisex- _ 
cepted onely and {pared,whereas all the reft be fped and charged withthem ; yea and every joint 
by themfelves, muft have fome leffer rings and gemmals to fitthem. Some wall have the little 
finger loden with three rings; others content themfelves with one and no more uponit’, where- 
with they ufeto fealeup the fignet that is to figne ordinarily: for this figne manuell (may tell 
you) the manner was to lay up {afe among other rare and pretious things : this mightnot come 
abroad everie daie, as being a jewell that deferved not to bee mifufed by handling commonly, 
but to be taken foorth out of the cabinet or fecret clofet, never but when need required:to that 
whofoever weareth one ring and no more upon the leaft finger, hee giveth the world to under- 
ftand,that he hath a fecret cabinetathome ftored with fome fpeciall things more coftly and. ~ 
pretious than ordinarie. Now, asfome there bee that take a pride and pleafure tohaveheavie 
rings upon their fingers, and to make a fhew how maffie and weightiethey are, fo others againe © 
are fo fine and delicat, as they thinke it a paine to weare more than one, Some holditgood, for 
faving of the ftone or collet (if the ring fhould chance to fall) to have the round houpe or com- . 
pafle thereof wrought hollow and enchatfed within, yeaand the fame filled up with fome lighter 
matter than is'gold, thatit may fall the fofter. You fhall have many that ufe to carrie poifon hid- 
den within the collet under the ftone, like as Demofthenes did, that renowmed prince of Greeke 
oratours; fo as their rings ferve for no other ufe or purpofe but to carrie their owne death about 
them. Finally, the greateft mifchiefs that are practifed by our mightie-men in thefe dates, are 
for the moft part performed by the means ofrings & fignets.Oh'the innocence of the old world! 
what a heavenly life led men in thofe daies, when as there was no nfeat allof fealé andfignet? _ 
But now weeare faine to feale up ourambries and hogfheads with our fignets,for fearewee be jg 
robbed and beguiled of our meat and drifke. This is the good thatcommeth of ou legions — 
and troups of flaves, which wee muft have waiting and following at'‘our heels: thiscommoditie 
we have by our traine and retinue of ftraungers that we keepe in our holes :infomuch as we are ~ 
Nomenclarores driven to have our controllers and*remembrancers, totell us the names of our fervants and 
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