any precious stone, or ornament befitting with them. See DIAMOND, RUBY, &c.

Jewels made a part of the ornaments with which the Jews, Greeks and Romans, especially their ladies of distinction, adorned themselves. So prodigious was the extravagance of the Roman ladies, in particular, that Pliny the elder says he saw Lollia Paulina with an equipage of this kind amounting, according to Dr Arbuthnot's calculation, to 322,916l. 13s. 4d. of our money. It is worthy of observation, that precious stones amongst the Romans and all the ancients were much scarcer, and consequently in higher esteem, than they are amongst us, since a commerce has been opened with the Indies.—The ancients did not know how to cut and polish them to such perfection; but coloured stones were not scarce, and they cut them very well either hollow or in relief.—When luxury had gained ground amongst them, the Romans hung pendants and pearls in their ears; and for this purpose the ears of both sexes were frequently bored. See EAR.

Jewel (John), a learned English writer and bishop, was born in 1522, and educated at Oxford. In 1540 he proceeded A.B. became a noted tutor, and was soon after chosen rhetoric lecturer in his college. In February 1544, he commenced A.M. He had early imbibed Protestant principles, and inculcated the same to his pupils; but this was carried on privately till the accession of King Edward VI. in 1546, when he made a public declaration of his faith, and entered into a close friendship with Peter Martyr, who was made professor of divinity at Oxford. In 1550, he took the degree of B.D. and frequently preached before the university with great applause. At the same time he preached and catechized every other Sunday at Sunningwell in Berkshire, of which church he was rector. Upon the accession of Queen Mary to the crown in 1553, he was one of the first who felt the rage of the storm then raised against the reformation; for before any law was made, or order given by the queen, he was expelled Corpus Christi college by the fellows, by their own private authority; but he continued in Oxford till he was called upon to subscribe to some of the Popish doctrines, under the severest penalties, which he submitted to. However, this did not procure his safety; for he was obliged to fly, and, after encountering many difficulties, arrived at Frankfort, in the 2nd year of Queen Mary's reign, where he made a public recantation of his subscription to the Popish doctrines. Thence he went to Strasbourg, and afterwards to Zurich, where he attended Peter Martyr, in whose house he resided. He returned to England in 1558, after Queen Mary's death; and in 1559, was consecrated bishop of Salisbury. This promotion was given him as a reward for his great merit and learning; and another attestation of these was given him by the university of Oxford, who, in 1565, conferred on him in his absence the degree of D.D. In this character he attended the queen to Oxford the following year, and presided at the divinity disputations held before her majesty on that occasion. He had before greatly distinguished himself by a sermon preached at St Paul's cross, presently after he was made a bishop, wherein he gave a public challenge to all the Roman catholics in the world, to produce but one clear and evident testimony out of any father or famous writer, who flourished within 600 years after Christ, for any one of the articles which the Romanists maintain against the church of England; and, two years afterwards, he published his famous apology for this church. In the mean time, he gave a particular attention to his diocese; where he began in his first visitation, and perfected in his last, such a reformation, not only in his cathedral and parochial churches, churches, but in all the churches of his jurisdiction, as procured him and the whole order of bishops due reverence and esteem. For he was a careful overlooker and strict observer, not only of all the flocks, but also of the pastors, in his diocese: and he watched so narrowly upon the proceedings of his chancellor and archdeacons, and of his stewards and receivers, that they had no opportunities of being guilty of oppression, injustice, or extortion, nor of being a burden to the people, or a scandal to himself. To prevent these and the like abuses, for which the ecclesiastical courts are often too justly censured, he sat often in his consistory-court, and saw that all things were carried rightly there; he also sat often as assistant on the bench of civil justice, being himself a justice of the peace. Amidst these employments, however, the care of his health was too much neglected; to which, indeed, his general course of life was totally unfavourable. He rose at four o'clock in the morning; and, after prayers with his family at five, and in the cathedral about six, he was so fixed to his studies all the morning, that he could not without great violence be drawn from them. After dinner, his doors and ears were open to all suitors; and it was observed of him, as of Titus, that he never sent any ad from him. Suitors being thus dismissed, he heard, with great impartiality and patience, such causes debated before him, as either devolved to him as a judge, or were referred to him as an arbitrator; and if he could spare any time from these, he reckoned it as clear gain to his study. About nine at night he called all his servants to an account how they had spent the day, and he went to prayers with them. From the chapel he withdrew again to his study till near midnight, and from thence to his bed; in which when he was laid, the gentleman of his bed-chamber read to him till he fell asleep. This watchful and laborious life, without any recreation at all, except what his necessary refreshment at meals and a very few hours of rest afforded him, wasted his life too fast. He died at Monkton-Farley, in 1571, in the 50th year of his age. He wrote, 1. A view of a seditious bull sent into England by Pope Pius V. in 1569. 2. A treatise on the Holy Scriptures. 3. An exposition of St Paul's two epistles to the Thessalonians. 4. A treatise on the sacrament. 5. An apology for the national church. 6. Several sermons, controversial treatises, and other works.

"This excellent prelate (says the Rev. Mr Granger) was one of the greatest champions of the reformed religion, as he was to the church of England what Bellarmine was to that of Rome. His admirable Apology was translated from the Latin by Anne, the second of the four learned daughters of Sir Anthony Coke, and mother of Sir Francis Bacon. It was published, as it came from her pen, in 1564, with the approbation of the queen and the prelates. The same Apology was printed in Greek at Constantinople, under the direction of St Cyril the patriarch. His Defence of his Apology, against Hardinge and other Polish divines, was in such esteem, that Queen Elizabeth, King James I. King Charles I. and four successive archbishops, ordered it to be kept chained in all parish-churches for public use.