QUEEN ELIZABETH'S RINGI

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 155, 1 July 1911, Page 17

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S RINGI

3,250 GUINEAS F9R TOKEN WHICH LOST AN EARL HIS HEAD.

Lot ."iG was the prosaic description given lit CUrlstlß'B auctiou rooms lust mouth, to a riug wuuse btoi-y is kuuwu to every school cliild. It was Hie ring given by Queen Elizabeth to the liuri of losses, us a pleuge of her favour jiiid mercy i" u' l adverse cireuinstancea. How the ring failed to suve his life through, the treachery of a woman bus passed into history. It realised 3,250 guineas. Elizabeth gave hot- favourite the ring with the pledge that if at any time he should lull a victim of the numerous intrigues which were always being woven at her Court the ring, if sent to her, would procure him her protection, or, If necessary, her pardon. Essex fell Into disfavour, and was condemned to death. lie entrusted the ring to the Countess of Nottingham, a relative of the earl, to b e scut to Elizabeth. The stoiy goes that the countess was jealous, and whatever her real motive retained the ring. Elizabeth believed that out uf pride and (.Detlnney the earl had determined not to sue to her for his mc; i>. else that he depended on he "we to save him without being as'ue*. tier pride and Obstlnaucy would not brook this. From I flay to day she allowed the sentence to go nnropealed, and dually Essex lost his head Yeais later, the story rocs, tile Countess of Nottingham, remorseful on her deathbod, begged the Queen to come to her Elizalieth did so. The conutess made hoi confession, and Elizabeth sMzod the dyin;: woman by her shoulders and literally shooj the little remaining life out of her. Another version is that on receiving this confession the heartbroken Queen took t( her bed and never rose again. ! This ring is of goM, engraved with ara besques, In which Is set a tioy portrait o I Queen Elizabeth.