174 THE PLEASANT HISTORY OF CHAP.

lineage, for I will here discover what these
rich jewels were, of which both I and the
King are defrauded. The first of them, and
which indeed I intended for his Majesty, was
a ring of fine and pure gold, and within this
ring next the finger were engraven letters
enamelled with azure and sables, containing
three Hebrew names. For my own part,
I could neither read nor spell them; but
M. Adrion of Zrere, the excellent linguist, who
knoweth the natures of all manner of herbs,
beasts, and minerals, to this famous Jew I
showed the ring once, and he assured me
that they were those three names which Seth
brought out of Paradise when he brought to
his father Adam the oil of mercy. And
whosoever shall wear these three names about
him shall never be hurt by thunder or
lightning, neither shall any witchcraft have
power over him; he shall not be tempted to
do any sins, neither shall heat nor cold ever
annoy him.

‘Upon the top of the ring was encased a
most precious stone of three several colours:
the first like red crystal, and glittering like
fire, and that with such brightness, that if
one had occasion to journey by night, the