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| TOWER of London. Regalia. | 116 |
TOWER of London. Regalia.
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A List of His Majesty's Regalia, besides the Plate, and other Rich Things, at
the
Jewel-
House in the Tower of London.
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1. The Imperial Crown, which all the Kings of England have been Crowned
with ever
since Edward the Confessor's Time.
2. The Orb or Globe, held in the King's Left Hand at the Coronation; on
the Top of
which is a Jewel near an Inch and half in Height.
3. The Royal Sceptre with the Cross, which has another Jewel of great
Value under it.
4. The Sceptre with the Dove, being the Emblem of Peace.
5. St. Edward's Staff, all beaten Gold; carried before the King at the
Coronation.
6. A Rich Salt-Seller of State, the Figure of the Tower, used on the
King's Table at
the
Coronation.
7. Curtana, or the Sword of Mercy; born between the two Swords of
Justice, the
Spiritual and Temporal, at the Coronation.
8. A Noble Silver Font, double gilt, that the Kings and Royal Family were
Christened
in.
9. A Large Silver Fountain, presented to King Charles the Second by the
Town of
Plymouth.
10. Queen Anne's Diadem, or Circlet, which her Majesty wore in proceeding
to her
Coronation.
11. The Coronation Crown, made for the late Queen Mary.
12. The Rich Crown of State, that his Majesty wears on his Throne in
Parliament. In
which is a large Emerald, Seven Inches round, a Pearl, the finest in the World,
and a
Ruby of inestimable Value.
13. A Globe and Sceptre, made for the late Queen Mary.
14. An Ivory Sceptre with a Dove, made for the late King James's
Queen.
15. The Golden Spurs and the Armillas, that are wore at the
Coronation.
16. The Ampulla, or Eagle of Gold, which holds the Holy Oyl that the
Kings and
Queens are anointed with, and the Golden Spoon that the Bishop pours the Oyl
into:
Which are Pieces of great Antiquity.
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But these Regalia deserve a larger and more exact Description: Which I shall do
by
the
Help of an History in Writing, of the Coronation of the late King James II. and
his
Royal Consort Queen Mary, by Francis Sandford, Esq; late Lancaster Herald;
communicated to me by Mr. Edwards, Keeper of the Jewel-House.
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Description of the Regalia.
Mr. Edwards.
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First, There be Three Swords; that is, Two Swords called The Swords of Justice;
and
One, whose Place is in the Middle between them, called The Sword of Mercy. One
Sword of Justice represents the Spiritual Sword, and is born on the right Hand:
The
Point of that Sword is pointed, but yet somewhat obtuse. The other
Sword of Justice, being the Temporal Sword, is born on the left Hand. This hath
a
very sharp Point. Then there is the Sword called Curtana, or the Sword of
MERCY,
which hath the Point flat, and as it were broken off.
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Three Swords.
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This Pointless Sword is the principal of the Three in Dignity: It is a broad,
bright
Sword; the Length of the Blade Thirty two Inches, the Breadth almost Two Inches.
The Handle covered with a fine Gold Wire Four Inches, besides the Pomel an Inch
and
Three Quarters; which, with the Cross, is plain Steel gilt: The Length of the
Cross
being almost Eight Inches. This is born naked before the King, at his
Coronation.
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The Second Sword, the Sword of Justice to the Spiritualty, hath the Length of
the
Blade forty Inches; the Breadth an Inch and an half: The Handle as before,
covered
with
Gold Wire.
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The Third Sword, the Sword of Justice to the Temporalty, is (both Blade and
Hilt) in
effect of the same Size with the former. The Scabbards of all the Three Swords
alike;
covered with a rich brocaded Cloth of Tissue, with a rich Ferule, Hook and
Chape.
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The Spurs, called the great Golden Spurs, are curiously wrought.
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The Spurs.
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The Ampull, or Eaglet of Gold, contained the Holy Oyl. It is in the Form of an
Eagle,
with Wings expanded, standing on a Pedestal; all of pure Gold, finely chased.
The
Head screws off at the Middle of the Neck, for the Convenience of putting in the
Oyl:
And the Neck being hollow to the very Beak, the Holy Oyl is poured out into the
Spoon, thro' the Point of the Beak. The Height of it, from Bottom to Top,
including
the Pedestal, is about Nine Inches: The Diameter of the Pedestal, about Three
Inches
and an half; and the Breadth between the furthest Point of the Wings, about
Seven
Inches. The Weight of the whole, about Eight or Ten Ounces.
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The Ampull.
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The Anointing Spoon is likewise of pure Gold, with Four Pearls in the broadest
Place
of the Handle; and the Bowl of the Spoon finely chased both within and without.
By
the extreme Thinness thereof, it appears to be very ancient.
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The Spoon.
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There be these several Crowns belonging to the Regalia; Viz.
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Crowns.
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First, King Edward's Crown; with which the Kings of this Land are crowned: So
called, in Commemoration of the Ancient Crown in the Church of Westminster,
remaining till the Beginning of the Great Rebellion, when, with the rest of the
Regalia,
it was most sacrilegiously plundered away. It is a very Rich Imperial Crown of
Gold,
made against the Coronation of King Charles II. embellished with Pearls and
precious
Stones of divers kinds; viz. Diamonds, Rubies, Emeralds and Saphires, with a
Mound
of Gold on the Top of it, encircled with a Band or Fillet of Gold: embellished
also
with
precious Stones, and Three very large Oval Pearls; one at the Top of the Cross,
and
the
Two other pendant at the Ends of the Cross. The said Crown is composed (as all
the
Imperial Crowns of England are) of Four Crosses, and as many Flowers de Liz of
Gold, upon a Rim or Circlet of Gold: all embellished with precious Stones. The
Cap
within the said Crown is of Purple Velvet, lined with white Taffata, and turned
up
with
Ermine, thick powdered in Three Rows.
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K. Edward's Crown.
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