Show HISTORIC GOLD CUP the british museums latest acquisition a jam Ls I 1 s gift to a spa spaniard ni rd james I 1 was a monarch always hard up but exceedingly lavish with other peoples baw bees 11 although he be has now happily been defunct forever two centuries says the london telegraph his generosity with goods not his own has according to the report of the trustees of the british museum just cost the country and several patriotic englishmen the sum of while he was king a spanish ambassador came to england to conclude peace and amoni among the presents james awarded him was the ro royal y al gold cup an exceedingly cee valuable vessel fashioned in france in 1391 by command of the due de berry as a gift to his nephew charles VI it is supposed to have come to england in return for money lent to the french king to carry on his wars at all events it is found in the inventory of the royal chattels of henry VI and remained in the posses possession siou of the he english court until james generously gave it away it is a covered cup or hadap of gold with ten subjects subject from the life of st agnes vividly portrayed portrayer portray eJ in translucent enamel round the outside of the bowl and cover within are arc two medallions also erelee ere ers meled led the one with another subject if f st agnes the other with a half I 1 n aith th of the saviour on the lower part of the foot are the four evangelit evangelistic ti symbols a in enamel and the base is formed of a cornet of leaves and pearls the spaniard gave up the cup to a convent where it remained until 1683 when the lie abbe abbess sold it to baron pichor pichon of paris from whom the iless 1 purchased it for the last named gentlemen agreed tc let the iq british museum have it at cost price and the late S werth in er even subscribed to enable them to acquire it il the treasury gave and the remainder was made up by private subscription |