The Cursed Essex Ring: History and Misfortune

The Ring's History and Curse

1. The deacons deposited the ring in the glass case of a fashionable jeweler.
2. The Earl of Essex was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
3. The red glow of the diamond symbolizes the presence of the evil spirit within the ring.
4. The Countess of Shrewsbury came to visit the Earl, pretending to be his friend, but actually wanting to get revenge on him for some past slight.
5. The ring was stolen from the Earl's tomb by Cromwell's soldiers when they desecrated the church and robbed the vaults many years after his death.
6. After crossing the Atlantic, the ring ended up being thrown into the contribution box of a church in New England.
7. The ring brought sorrow, deceit, and misfortune to all who possessed it due to the evil spirit dwelling within.
8. The Earl of Essex was executed and beheaded after being condemned to death.
9. To the Earl, the ring was a symbol of Queen Elizabeth's favor and a pledge that could hopefully save his life.
10. Once the story is finished, Clara says she will prize it far above the diamond ring that inspired it.
11. Clara Pemberton and Edward Caryl are betrothed lovers.
12. Clara wants the story written as a prose legend rather than a poem.
13. The names of the two deacons are Deacon Trott and Deacon Tilton.
14. The ring first lost its virtue when the lady that the wizard Merlin gave it to murdered him, breaking her vow of love and faith.
15. Edward Caryl presented the antique diamond ring to Clara Pemberton as a gift.
16. A cavalier once in possession of the ring pawned it to get money for liquor.
17. The Countess betrayed the Earl by keeping the ring and not showing it to the Queen to plead for his life as he asked.
18. Queen Elizabeth gave the ring to the Earl of Essex.
19. The Countess of Shrewsbury paid the Earl a visit in his prison cell.
20. While on her deathbed, the dying Countess sent for the Queen, revealed the story of the ring, and begged for forgiveness.
21. The Earl hesitates giving the Countess the ring because he senses some treachery and wants to be sure she will plead sincerely for his life with the Queen.

Word Definitions

Betrothed

Engaged to be married

Scintillating

Sparkling

Gleam

A faint or brief light

Glisten

Shine; glitter

Posy

A small bunch of flowers

Stanchest

Most loyal and committed

Scorn

The feeling or belief that someone or something is worthless or despicable; contempt

Duskier

Darkish in color

Redder

More red

Zeal

Great energy or enthusiasm

Spake

Archaic past tense of speak

Kneel

Be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by a knee or the knees

Ominous

Giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening

Scaffold

A raised wooden platform used formerly for the public execution of criminals

Obdurate

Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action

Tugging

Pulling (something) hard or suddenly

Deacons

An ordained minister of an order ranking below that of priest