THE ROYAL ORBS
The Origin of the Orb--Signifies the Domination of the
Christian Religion--An Emblem of Sovereignty--Edward the
Confessor--William the Conqueror--Henry I.--Richard Cœur de
Lion--Henry III.--Henry VII.--Henry VIII.--Charles II. to
George V.--The King’s Orb described--The Queen’s Orb--Made for
Mary II. wife of William III.--The Queen’s Orb described.
The orb with the cross above it is a very ancient Christian emblem; it
signifies the domination of the Christian religion over the world. It
was used by the Byzantine or Roman emperors of the Eastern Empire, from
whom it was borrowed by our Saxon kings. An instance of its early use
exists in the British Museum on a magnificent carved ivory diptych of
about the fifth century, representing an archangel holding in his left
hand an orb with cross, very closely resembling that which is found on
the Great Seal of Queen Elizabeth; in fact, we may say that the orb
and the cross has been one of the emblems of independent Christian
sovereignty longer than any other actual forms now used either here or
on the Continent.
The orb is first found on English coins of Edward the Confessor, and
shows as a sphere with a cross upon it. It does not occur often on
coins, but may be seen upon some of those of the Tudor kings and the
finer coins of James I.; but on none of these is there any variation in
its form, and the cross is always a short one.
[Illustration: FIG. 36. ORB WITH CROSS-PATÉE ON SHORT STEM. FROM GREAT
SEAL OF WILLIAM I.]
[Illustration: FIG. 37. ORB WITH DOVE AND CROSS-PATÉE ON SHORT STEM.
FROM THE FOURTH GREAT SEAL OF HENRY I.]
[Illustration: FIG. 42. ORB WITH ORNAMENTAL CROSS. FROM THE SECOND
GREAT SEAL OF HENRY VII.]
On the Great Seals of England, of which there is a complete series in
the British Museum, there is a certain degree of difference in the
forms of the orb. It first appeared on the Great Seal of Edward the
Confessor, and is a simple sphere held in his left hand. William I.
used a cross above the sphere (Fig. 36), and this cross in some form
or other has invariably been used since. On Henry I.’s fourth Great
Seal a dove is shown above the cross-patée (Fig. 37), and Stephen and
Henry II. used the same design. Richard I. (Fig. 38) and John both
used a tall, thin cross with leaves issuing from its stem; and Henry
III. (Fig. 39) carries a beautiful orb with a very tall ornamented
stem bearing a cross above it, and on his second Great Seal an orb
with a tall plain stem, and a smaller orb with cross-patée at the top
(Fig. 40). From Edward I. to Richard III. the stems of the crosses
above the orb were very tall, and the crosses themselves small. Henry
VII. carries an orb with a tall stem (Fig. 41), above which is a much
larger cross than was used by his immediate predecessors, and each of
the ends of the cross are ornamented with a trefoil. Henry VII., on his
second Seal (Fig. 42), entirely does away with the stem on which the
cross had hitherto been placed, and the cross, itself ornamented, rests
directly on the top of the orb, as does that on the orb now in the
Tower which was made for Mary II. The orb which was made by Sir Robert
Vyner for Charles II., and which is now in the Tower, has a large
amethyst beneath the cross, which may be considered to take the place
of the stem upon which, as we have seen, the cross was superimposed
from the time of William I. to Henry VIII.
[Illustration: FIG. 38. ORB WITH CROSS ON TALL ORNAMENTAL STEM. FROM
THE FIRST GREAT SEAL OF RICHARD I.]
[Illustration: FIG. 39. ORB WITH CROSS ON TALL ORNAMENTAL STEM. FROM
THE FIRST GREAT SEAL OF HENRY III.]
[Illustration: FIG. 40. ORB WITH CROSS AND MOUND ON TALL STEM. FROM
THE SECOND GREAT SEAL OF HENRY III.]
[Illustration: FIG. 41. ORB WITH ORNAMENTAL CROSS ON TALL STEM. FROM
THE GREAT SEAL OF HENRY VII.]
THE KING’S ORB
The orb, mound, or globe is placed in the sovereign’s right hand on
being crowned, and after that is carried in the left hand. It is never
put into the hands of any but kings or queens regnant. The orb of
England is remarkable for the fine amethyst cut in the facets, one and
a half inches in height, on which the cross-patée stands. The golden
ball itself is six inches in diameter, and has a fillet of gold round
the centre, outlined by fine pearls and ornamented with clusters of
gems, set in borders of white and red enamel of similar workmanship to
that upon St. Edward’s crown. The centre stones of these clusters are
large rubies, sapphires, and emeralds alternately, and in each case
the coloured stones are surrounded by diamonds. An arch, of similar
design to the fillet, crosses the upper part of the orb, and the
beautiful cross above the large amethyst has in the centre on one side
an emerald, and on the other a sapphire. The outlines of the cross are
marked by rows of diamonds, and there are three large diamonds down
the centre of each arm. The jewels in the centre of each side are also
encircled by diamonds, and between the lower foot of the cross and
the amethyst is a collar of small diamonds. At the end of each of the
upper arms of the cross is a large pearl, and in each of the four inner
corners is also a large pearl.
This orb was made by Sir Robert Vyner for Charles II. It is figured in
Sir Edward Walker’s account of his coronation. The large amethyst is
clearly shown, but the bands encircling it are of a different and more
ornate pattern from those now existing; very possibly something has
been done to the orb since it was first made, but probably the extent
of this alteration has been a re-setting of gems and the re-making of
all the enamel work.
THE QUEEN’S ORB
As has been before mentioned, there was a certain degree of
complication about the coronation of William and Mary, and in some
instances the regalia had to be doubled. No doubt what could be altered
was altered, so that many of the things which were only intended for
the use of a Queen-consort actually did duty for a Queen-regnant; but
one thing had to be made entirely anew, and that was an orb, so that
the Queen, as well as her husband, should have the necessary emblem
of independent sovereignty. But the orb which was made for her is by
no means so handsome as that made for the King, nor is it quite so
large. It has a fillet round the centre outlined with large pearls, and
ornamented with rubies, sapphires and emeralds, alternately circular
and octagonal, set in collars of gold. An arch crosses the upper half,
ornamented in a similar manner, and at the top a cross, studied with
rubies, sapphires and diamonds, differently arranged on each side,
rests immediately on the orb.
[Illustration: Plate XII
THE QUEEN’S ORB]
[Illustration: Plate XI
THE KING’S ORB]