THE GREAT TRAGEDY
Tragedy comes to the Crown Jewels—The Parliamentary obsession—The
emblems of royalty to be destroyed—Some sensible Lords—The Puritan
unmasked—Some excellent bargains for the righteous—The Black
Prince’s ruby sold for £4—Concealed and returned to Charles
II—Alfred the Great’s Crown melted down—Then 800 years old—Fetched
£238—Queen Edith’s Crown—Sold for £16—A glass cup for £102—The
golden Dove, emblematic of the Holy Ghost, £26—The three swords
another bargain—St. George’s gold spurs for £1 13s. 4d.—The “old
horne comb”—A complete list of the Royal plate and jewels with their
values—The Robes destroyed—The Restoration—Regalia furnished for
Charles II—Cost £320,000 of our money—Included therein “a paire of
Trowses and breeches over them”—The presents of plate—The city of
Exeter’s gift—And that of the Borough of Plymouth—A wine fountain
and its uses—The Great Salts—A golden baptismal font—The pilfering
of jewels—James II pays £500 for hire of jewels at his coronation—A
new State Crown required—A diadem which cost £110,000—A new Sceptre
with the Dove £440—The Sceptre with the Cross £1025—St. Edward’s
staff—A new Orb for Queen Mary of Modena—The aquamarine monde of
James II—The Maundy Dish—The Alms Dish and flagon of William and
Mary—The Imperial Crown of India—Queen Mary’s Crown—The tragedy of
1649 happily wiped out.
THE greatest tragedy which has ever happened to the Crown Jewels
occurred during the sway of the Commonwealth. This period, thus
misappropriately named, was, it is said by people who know all about
these things, merely a national aperient, which as such, they say,
served its purpose, but the medicine smells no sweeter to many of us of
this day than it did to those who had to swallow it in that bygone age.
The Parliamentarians took themselves extremely seriously, and in the
solemn attempt to stamp out the monarchy, and all monarchical
principles, they with the limited intelligence that permeates the
parochially-minded thought to further this fanatical principle by
destroying even the emblems of royalty. This though these had become
nothing more dangerous than any other articles of wondrous historic
value such as are fitly preserved in the British Museum. This class of
fanatic might, with ponderous conscientiousness, blow up the Pyramids of
Egypt in furtherance of some similar principle.
In solemn conclave, therefore, the House of Commons passed a resolution
that all emblems of royalty should be totally broken up, the gold and
silver to be melted down, and the jewels sold to the best advantage.
True there were a few sensible members of the House of Lords who pointed
out that the historic value of the Crown Jewels far exceeded their
intrinsic worth, and that to melt down crowns and plate and to disperse
jewels of renown was a very extravagant procedure, especially so in an
era of strict economy. Nevertheless, broken up and destroyed were the
Crown Jewels, and happily we have a list of the portions which fell into
the meltingpot, or beneath the hammer of the auctioneer. The House of
Commons of those days was liberally primed with what are known as
Puritans. A Puritan was doubtless an excellent person according to his
lights, but an outside world has since been, perhaps unjustly, somewhat
inclined to confound him with another not very popular and more ancient
biblical type. It is, therefore, perhaps not unnatural to find that many
mundane persons of those days, such as Royalists and Cavaliers, in
whispers at the time and later more openly, declared that the disposal
of the Crown Jewels was so effected as to give the Members of Parliament
and their friends some very handsome bargains.
This, indeed, would not be difficult, for as a matter of policy it was
considered inadvisable that any obtrusive popular rush should take place
for the possession of these royalist relics. Rather was it endeavoured
to demonstrate of what little value they were in the eyes of the simple
Republican; therefore, doubtless the sale was little advertised. It
would be very interesting to know, for instance, who and how some lucky
person secured the Black Prince’s ruby, which is, and was, practically
priceless, for £4. It may, of course, have been a Royalist who obtained
possession, and who, guarding it carefully, handed it back to Charles II
on his Restoration. We should like to think so. But more probably it
went at that bargain price to a friend of Parliament, and by him was
preserved as a good investment, and eventually was sold back for money,
or a substantial benefit, to Charles II. All that really matters now is
that the ruby survived those troublous days, and found itself again in a
place of honour in the State Crown of Charles II.
An object of great interest which was melted down was the Crown of
Alfred the Great. This was made of gold wire-work, set with small gems,
and weighed 79-1/2 ounces. Even at that time it was nearly 800 years
old. Melted down, this crown was sold at £3 an ounce, and fetched
altogether £238 10s. 0d. What became of the stones is not stated. Either
the despoilers had a disappointment in the Crown of Queen Edith, wife of
King Harold, or its value was of set purpose depreciated. This crown had
always been held to be of massive gold, but the assayers, it is said,
found that it was made only of silver-gilt, but it was set with garnets,
pearls, sapphires, and other stones. It weighed 50-1/2 ounces, and was
sold for £16 only. This appears to have been a good investment for the
fortunate purchaser.
The “large glass cup wrought in figures,” which is mentioned in the
inventory as having been sold for £102 15s. 0d., was a very ancient and
valuable article. It was not of glass, but was made of agate, and was
the great “stone” chalice of Edward the Confessor. It is mentioned by
Sporley, and was then six hundred years old, and the date of the sale is
nearly three hundred years ago. All trace of this chalice has been lost;
it has probably long since been broken and thrown away, unknown and
unhonoured.
Amongst the articles to be broken up or sold is a curious item. It is
entered as “A dove of gold, set with stones, and pearle, poiz. 8-1/2
ounces, in a box sett with studs of silver gilt.” By some this has been
confused with the ampulla or golden eagle, for a dove or an eagle when
not very exactly made might resemble each other or any other bird. Very
possibly the Parliamentary Commissioners did so mistake this dove for an
eagle, and thought they were destroying the ampulla. This, however, as
we have seen, was hidden away and escaped the general sacrilege and
destruction. This dove was probably merely a holy emblem representing
the Holy Ghost, as does the dove on the top of the sceptre.
Amongst the less valuable articles sold are mentioned three swords with
scabbards of cloth of gold, which were disposed of for £1 each. Here
again somebody secured a great bargain, for these three swords would in
all probability be those sent to Henry VIII by the Pope, when he
bestowed on that monarch the title of “Defender of the Faith.” These
three swords were reproduced from ancient drawings at the Restoration of
Charles II, and are now preserved in the Jewel House. They are the
swords of Justice, Temporal and Spiritual, and the Sword of Mercy. The
point of this latter sword has been purposely broken off about six
inches, as an emblem of mercy. The ultimate fate of three original
swords is not known. Only a short time ago, however, three swords very
like these were dug up at Mitcham when the foundations of a house were
being prepared. This spot has long been known as the site of an ancient
Anglo-Saxon settlement, and it is probable that there was still a hamlet
here in Cromwellian days. It is, therefore, quite possible that someone
bought or acquired the swords at the great dispersal, that their history
got lost sight of, and that they were lost and buried amidst the natural
decay which ordinary buildings suffer in the course of centuries.
One of the King’s military emblems, St. George’s Spurs, are mentioned as
having been sold for £1 13s. 4d., they had always been held to be of
pure gold, but were sold as silver gilt.
Last of the list comes an almost pathetic article, to wit, one old home
comb “worth nothing.” This was probably the comb which may have been
used for centuries, and by many Kings, to rearrange their hair after the
Archbishop had perchance disturbed it when anointing His Majesty’s head
at the coronation.
A list of the chief portions of Regalia, broken up and sold by order of
Parliament, with the prices realised, mentioned in _The Crown Jewels of
England_,[10] may be of interest:—
“A true and perfect Inventory of all the plate and jewells now being
in the upper Jewell-house of the Tower, in the charge of Sir Henry
Mildmay, together with an appraisement of them, made and taken the
13th, 14th, and 15th daies of August, 1649:
The Imperial crowne of massy gold, £1110 0 0
weighing 7 lbs. 6 oz., valued at
The queenes crowne of massy gold, £338 3 4
weighing 3 lbs. 10 oz.,
A small crowne found in an iron chest, £73 16 8
formerly in the Lord Cottington’s
charge (from other accounts this
appears to have been the crown of
Edward VI.),
——the gold, the diamonds, rubies, £355 0 0
sapphires, etc.,
The globe, weighing 1 lb. 5-1/4 oz., £57 10 0
Two coronation bracelets, weighing 7 £36 0 0
oz. (with three rubies and twelve
pearls),
Two sceptres, weighing 18 oz., £60 0 0
A long rodd of silver gilt, 1 lb. 5 oz., £4 10 8
The foremention’d crownes, since y^e inventorie was taken, are
accordinge to ord^r of parm^t totallie broken and defaced.
_The inventory of that part of the regalia which are now removed from
Westminster Abbey to the Jewel House in the Tower._
Queene Edith’s crowne, formerly £16 0 0
thought to be of massy goulde, but,
upon trial, found to be of silver
gilt; enriched with garnetts, foule
pearle, saphires and some odd
stones, poiz. 50-1/2 oz., valued at
King Alfred’s crowne of goulde wyer £248 10 0
worke, sett with slight stones,
poiz. 79-1/2 oz. at £3 per oz.,
A goulde plate dish, enamelled, etc., £77 11 0
One large glass cupp, wrought in £102 15 0
figures, etc.,
A dove of gould, sett with stones, and £26 0 0
pearle, poiz. 8-1/2 oz., in a box
sett with studs of silver gilt,
The gould and stones belonging to a £18 15 0
collar of crimson and taffaty, etc.,
One staff of black and white ivory, £4 10 0
with a dove on the top, with binding
and foote of goulde,
A large staff with a dove on y^e top, £2 10 0
formerly thought to be all gould,
but upon triall found to be, the
lower part wood within and silver
gilt without,
Two scept^rs one sett with pearles £65 16
and stones, the upper end gould, the 10-1/2
lower end silver. The other silver
gilt with a dove, formerly thought
gould,
One silver spoone gilt, poiz. 3 oz., £0 16 0
The gould of the tassels of the livor £13 0 0
cull’d robe, weighing 4 oz., valued
at £8, and the coat with the neck
button of gould, £2, the robe having
some pearle, valued at £3, in all
One paire of silver gilt spurres, etc., £1 13 4
All these according to order of Parliament are broken and defaced.”
The ancient coronation robes destroyed at the same time are catalogued
and valued as follows:—
“One common taffaty robe, very old, £0 10 0
valued at
One robe, laced with goulde lace, £0 10 0
One livor cull^ed silk robe, very old £0 0 0
and worth nothing,
One robe of crimson taffaty, sarcenett £0 5 0
valued at
One paire of buskins, cloth of silver £0 2 6
and silver stockings, very old, and
valued at
One paire of shoes of cloth of gold, at £0 2 6
One paire of gloves embroid^ed w^th £0 1 0
gould, at
Three swords with scabbards of cloth £3 0 0
of goulde, at
One old combe of horne, worth nothing, £0 0 0
───
Total in the chest, £4 11 0”
───
The old Regalia having thus been wantonly destroyed, it became necessary
when the monarchy was restored to make anew the emblems of royalty. This
work was entrusted to Sir Robert Vyner, the Court Jeweller, with
instructions that he was to follow as closely as possible the fashions
of those destroyed.
The order included two crowns, one the Crown of England, known as St.
Edward’s Crown, with which the King was to be crowned, and the other a
State Crown which the King in accordance with ancient custom would wear
on all other State occasions during his reign. Two sceptres also were to
be made, one the Sceptre with the Cross and the other the Sceptre with
the Dove. The Orb of gold set with jewels and surmounted by a cross came
next; then St. Edward’s Staff, which is to guide the King’s footsteps,
and the Armilla[11] and Ampulla.[12] The bill for these, together with
some minor portions of the Regalia, amounted to £32,000, or about
£320,000 at the present purchasing value of the sovereign.
Sir Edward Walker, Garter Principal King-at-Arms in the reign of Charles
II, gives an interesting and detailed account of this restoration of the
Regalia.[13]
“Because through the Rapine of the late unhappy times, all the
Royall Ornaments and Regalia heretofore preserved from age to age in
the Treasury of the Church at Westminster, were taken away, sold and
destroyed, the Committee mett divers times not only to direct the
remaking such Royall Ornaments and Regalia, but even to sette the
form and fashion of each particular: all which doe now retayne the
old names and fashion, although they have been newly made and
prepared by orders given to the Earle of Sandwich, Master of the
Great Wardrobe, and S^r Gilbert Talbott, Kn^t., Master of the Jewell
House.
Hereupon the Master of the Jewell House had order to provide two
Imperial Crownes sett with pretious Stones, the one to be called St.
Edward’s Crowne, wherewith the king was to be crowned, and the other
to be putt on after his Coronation, before his Ma^ties retorne to
Westminster Hall. Also
An Orbe of Gold with a Crosse sett with pretious Stones.
A Scepter with a Crosse sett with pretious Stones, called St.
Edward’s.
A Scepter with a Dove sett with pretious Stones.
A long Scepter, or Staffe of Gold with a Crosse upon the top, and a
Pike at the foote of steele, called St. Edward’s staffe.
A Ring with a Ruby.
A Paire of Gold Spurrs.
A Chalice, and Paten of Gold.
An Ampull for the Oyle and a spoone.
And two Ingotts of Gold, the one a pound and the other a marke for
the King’s 2 Offerings.”
Besides these obvious tokens of royalty there were and are a host of
minor insignia which take their part in the Coronation ceremony, down to
the garments which the King wears next his person. Amongst these appears
a shirt of fine linen, to be left open in the place where the Archbishop
would anoint the King. The Master of the Great Wardrobe had also to
produce “a paire of Trowses, and Breeches over them, with Stockings
fastened to the Trowses, all of Crimson Silke”; and amongst other things
a pair of linen gloves, which appear very modestly amidst so much
splendour.
To supplement these strictly regal emblems the people came forth gladly
with offers of plate to replace what had been melted down. As the
solitary piece of plate, left no doubt by an oversight by the
despoilers, was Queen Elizabeth’s gold salt cellar, which is now in the
Tower, much had to be supplied to set the Royal table again on a regal
scale. Devonshire, as we have seen, came forth nobly in the cause, the
two finest pieces of plate coming from the loyal citizens of Exeter and
Plymouth. Exeter presented a State salt cellar, described in a former
chapter, and the Borough of Plymouth supplied the wine fountain already
described, both well in keeping with the jovial days which wiped out the
recollection of the dismal period of the Commonwealth. It is a genial
picture to imagine King Charles with his jovial courtiers stemming the
tide set loose by the loyal Borough of Plymouth, and taking salt with
his almonds out of the Great Salt.
In accordance with the fashion of the age, the plate on a dinner-table
appears to have consisted very largely of great salt cellars. These were
made of great size, so that besides furnishing a modicum of salt, which
was a precious thing in those days, they gave a rich tone to the festive
board. In the Jewel House are no less than eleven of these great gold
salt cellars, all of which are known as St. George’s Salts, and all of
which formed a portion of the Royal Plate of Charles II.
To that popular monarch was also presented a gold christening font, with
the hope shared by all his loyal subjects that many children of His
Majesty would be christened from it. The fates decided otherwise, but
the font remained a Royal font, and many infant princes and princesses
were christened in it up to the days of Queen Victoria.
The Regalia seems to have been somewhat hardly used in Charles II’s
reign, or Sir Gilbert Talbot, the Keeper, must have much neglected his
charge. Doubtless a good deal of damage was done to the State Crown and
the Orb, and also to the Sceptre, when Colonel Blood tried to carry them
off. Several stones were then lost, we know, but that would not account
for the heavy bill which had to be paid when James II came to the
throne.
The Crown of England, known as St. Edward’s Crown, which had been new
made for Charles II, and should never have left the Jewel House in the
Tower until the next King was crowned, had evidently had the valuable
stones pilfered out of it and worthless imitations set in their places.
To replace these gems appears to have been beyond the finances of James
II and his Parliament, for it is on record that the sum of £500 was paid
for the _hire_ of jewels for the Coronation ceremony, probably from the
Court Jewellers. In addition, £350 was paid for additional gold and
workmanship.
Apparently, too, the State Crown of Charles II, which had been battered
in by Colonel Blood, was not in serviceable condition, for a new one had
to be made at a cost of £7870. Many of the old gems, including the Black
Prince’s ruby, were doubtless used, but the bill mentions that it
includes fresh jewels. The Crown and Diadem of his Queen, Mary of
Modena, are not mentioned in this bill; the cost of these may therefore
have been otherwise defrayed, possibly by the King out of his Privy
Purse. Both are now in the Jewel House, and the diadem alone is said to
have cost £110,000, a very large sum indeed in those days.
A new Sceptre with the Dove was made, richly jewelled, and costing £440;
as well as a Sceptre with the Cross, at a cost of £1025. Both of these
were probably made for Mary of Modena, and may be seen amongst the
present Regalia. St. Edward’s Staff, costing £225, is also charged for,
though one had been made for Charles II, and this latter is in the
Tower. Also appears in the list one Orb, costing £1150, probably made
for Queen Mary of Modena, and now in the Jewel House. A pair of gold
spurs, known as St. George’s Spurs, are shown as supplied, the price
being £63 7s. 6d. For the bracelets the charge appears to have been £44
18s. 6d., and for a chalice and palten £277 6s. 3d. These latter are not
to be found in the Jewel House now.
The bill also includes repairs to the Ampulla, or Eaglet of Gold, and
the Anointing Spoon, for which the charge is £102 5s. 0d. for the
ampulla, and £2 for the spoon. The total bill for these items comes out
to the handsome figure of £12,050 3s. 5d. Whoever made out this bill,
and whichever Keeper signed it, must have known that they had a very
complacent Treasury to deal with. St. Edward’s Staff, the gold spurs,
the gold bracelets, are all charged for, though they had already been
made and presumably paid for in the previous reign. The ampulla, too,
had been repaired and restored by Sir Robert Vyner only a few years
before. All these, which to-day are in the Tower, seem to bear silent
witness that somebody was paid twice over.
What James II said to Sir Gilbert Talbot over this, or what reply Sir
Gilbert Talbot made to His Majesty, history does not relate. But the
whole incident shows how very loosely kept were the Crown Jewels as
recently as three hundred years ago. Indeed, to be strictly just, they
were never really secure till the reign of Edward VII, and in the
intervening centuries a fairly regular disappearance of gems and their
replacement with coloured glass seems to have been the rule rather than
the exception.
A piece of ecclesiastical plate added to the Royal treasure in the reign
of Charles II was the Maundy Dish,[14] from which the Maundy money has
since that reign been distributed on Maundy Thursday, the day before
Good Friday. William and Mary have inscribed their monogram and crest on
the dish, but the plate-mark shows that it belonged to the reign of
Charles II.
Two other pieces of church plate which were added by William and Mary
are a very handsome alms dish and flagon.[15] These have W.M. for
William and Mary, surmounted by a crown embossed on them.
King George V and Queen Mary have added two of the finest and most
important additions to the Regalia. These are the Imperial Crown of
India and Queen Mary’s State Crown, which have already been fully
described.
Thus, though it has taken some centuries to accomplish, the devastation
wrought by the Commonwealth on the Regalia has been more than repaired.
The Crown Jewels of the King of England are at this time more
magnificent and of far greater value than they have been in any former
reign—nay more, they are of greater value both historically and
intrinsically than the Crown Jewels of any other monarch.
[Illustration: THE KEEPER OF THE JEWEL HOUSE IN HIS STATE ROBES]
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