In the reign of Philip II, of Spanish Armada repute, there appeared in Spain a strange ring of gold, in the centre of which was an emerald cut so as to contain a ruby surrounded by diamonds. This curious ring is said to have been the symbol of misfortune wherever it came. The church which received it as a gift from the King was destroyed by fire; the fatal ring, rescued from the fire, was placed in a museum that was badly damaged by lightning; whilst again in the possession of the King of Spain, Spain was defeated in the war with the United States of America. Then this ring of ill-omen was buried in an iron coffin in a secret place. Its evil influence can readily be accounted for in the light of occult philosophy—the ruby is a stone under the Celestial Leo, the emerald is under Taurus. These signs form the evil square, being counted in astrological science 90° apart. A square aspect is always accounted an evil one. The admixture of the beautiful crystal symbols was unfortunate. Spain again is under the celestial Sagittarius, and would not hold gems of Taurus. Philip II himself had an evil influence on Spain. Astrologically neither the emerald nor the ruby would be in harmony with his nativity and the diamond would be fatal.
John of Salisbury states that Pope Adrian VIII confirmed the right to hold and govern Ireland on Henry II of England with the gift of a rare emerald set in a ring of gold, and the Papal bull or seal. The right to bestow all islands was claimed by the Pope by virtue of the laws of Constantine. It is curious in connection with this historical transaction that Ireland and the emerald come under Taurus, and that the right of Henry II as sovereign of Ireland is confirmed by the Papal Bull!
Tennyson in “Elaine” says that Arthur, “the glorious King”
“Had on his cuirass worn our Lady’s Head,
Carved of one emerald centred in a sun
Of silver rays, that lighten’d as he breathed.”
The beryl was the symbol of undying youth, the emerald of incorruptibility and triumph over sin, the aquamarine of social uplifting. One of the four rings sent by Pope Innocent III in the year 1205 to King John of England was an emerald which, wrote the donor, is the emblem of faith. To dream of beryls is said to denote happy news to come; to dream of aquamarines is interpreted as symbolical of loving friendships; to dream of emeralds is set down as a sign of worldly benefit and goodness. The Angel of the beryl family is the inexpressibly beautiful and tender Anael. Emanuel Swedenborg says that the beryl signifies “the good of charity and faith or the spiritual love of truth; the emerald the appearance of the divine sphere of the Lord in the lowest heavens; the emerald family as indicating the sphere of divine love and wisdom.”
The wonderful aquamarine which adorned the crown of James II of England has been recently found to be merely a piece of coloured glass. This fact was recently communicated by Sir George Younghusband, so well known as the keeper of the Jewel House in the Tower of London. It is presumed that the real stone was replaced by this imitation, but how and when is a matter of speculation. The whole emerald family were regarded as stones of fortune for King James II.
Before closing this account of the beryl family it may be interesting to recall the fatal emerald of Russia. This large and beautiful gem was given to Peter of Holstein-Gottorp (afterwards Peter III), by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Peter was assassinated. Emperor Paul wore it next and was strangled. Alexander II then had the stone newly set and it fell from his finger after his assassination. Alexander III would not wear it, but Nicholas II, allured by its beauty, did. Who now has the fatal emerald?