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The Regalia: Jewell-house of the Tower

In 1643 Charles turned the crown and sceptre into money, and in 1644 the Commons ordered the King's plate in the Tower to be melted down and coined. The Lords, to their lasting credit, remonstrated against this, and declared that the workmanship was worth far more than the precious metals; but in 1649 the Commons, whose will of course was paramount, ordered the complete destruction of the regalia, then under the keepership of Sir Henry Mildmay, afterwards known as "the knave of diamonds." The list of the regalia, as it existed at this time, was printed in Archæologia, vol. xv. p. 285, from the original manuscript. On the 9th of August, 1649, it was ordered that the regalia should be delivered to the "trustees for the sale of the goods of the late king, who are to cause the same to be totally broken, and that they melt down all the gold and silver, and sell the jewels to the best advantage of the Commonwealth." The list is as follows:- "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, weighing 7 lbs. 6 oz., valued at "The queenes crowne of massy gold, weighing 3 lbs. 10 oz. "A small crowne found in an iron chest, 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, sapphires, etc. "The globe, weighing 1 lb. 54 oz. "Two coronation bracelets, weighing 7 oz. (with three rubies and twelve pearls) • £1,110 O 338 3 4 57 10 O 1 Plate II THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN THE REGALIA "Two sceptres, weighing 18 oz. "A long rodd of silver gilt, 1 lb. 5 oz. £60 0 O 4 IO 8 "The foremention'd crownes, since ye inventorie was taken, are accordinge to ord of parmt 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 thought to be of massy gould, but, upon trial, found to be of silver gilt; enriched with garnetts, foule pearle, saphires and some odd stones, poiz. 50 oz., valued at . £16 O "King Alfred's crowne of goulde wyer worke, sett with slight stones, poiz. 79½ oz. at £3 per oz. . . "A goulde plate dish, enamelled, etc. . . . "One large glass cupp, wrought in figures, etc. . • 238 10 77 II 102 15 O O "A dove of gould, sett with stones, and pearle, poiz. 8½ oz., in a box sett with studs of silver gilt "The gould and stones belonging to a collar of crimson and taffaty, etc. 26 O 18 15 O "One staff of black and white ivory, with a dove on the top, with binding and foote of goulde 4 10 O "A large staff with a dove on ye top, formerly thought to be all gould, but upon triall found to be, the lower part wood within and silver gilt without "Two sceptrs one sett with pearles and stones, the upper end gould, the lower end silver. The other silver gilt with a dove, formerly thought gould 2 IO . • "One silver spoone gilt, poiz. 3 oz. 65 16 10 o 16 O • "The gould of the tassels of the livor 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 "All these according to order of Parliament are broken and defaced. "One paire of silver gilt spurres, etc. 1300 I 13 4" This list is very interesting, showing as it does that considerable care was taken of the ancient regalia, for King Alfred's crown of wire work is mentioned as well as that of Queen Edith.

The ancient coronation robes destroyed at the same time are catalogued and valued as follows :- "One common taffaty robe, very old, valued at • • £° IO "One robe, laced with goulde lace IO • • "One livor cullrd silk robe, very old and worth nothing • O "One robe of crimson taffaty sarcenett, valued at O • 5 O "One paire of buskins, cloth of silver and silver stockings, very old, and valued at O 2 6 "One paire of shoes of cloth of gold, at O 26 • • "One paire of gloves embroided wth gould, at O I O • . • "Three swords with scabbards of cloth of goulde, at "One old combe of horne, worth nothing • . 3 O O O O • . • £4 10 Total in the chest The comb was probably used for rearranging the King's hair after the anointing, and though then worth nothing now would be considered priceless. دو In looking at the values of these articles, it must not be forgotten that money was worth at least five times more in the time of the Commonwealth than it is now; but even taking this into consideration, it is evident that in the valuation made by the officers of the Commonwealth they were influenced possibly by a certain dislike to the emblems of royalty, and not improbably actuated with a desire to place good bargains within reach of their friends. The coronation of Charles II., after several delays, was eventually celebrated on the 23rd of April, 1661, and very probably among the reasons for its postponement was the fact that there were no regalia with which to complete the ceremony. An order was accordingly given to the royal goldsmith, Sir Robert Vyner, to provide new regalia made after the old fashion, and some interesting particulars on the subject are to be found in the account of the coronation, by Sir Edward Walker, Garter Principal King of Arms, in a manuscript entitled The Preparation for His Majesty's Coronation, first published in 1820. Sir Robert Vyner's receipt for payment for these articles, dated 20th June, 1662, still exists, and he acknowledges having received from the Royal Treasury £21,978 9s. 11d., for- "2 Crowns. 2 Sceptres.

A Globe of gold sett with diamonds, rubies, saphires, emeralds, and pearls.

St. Edward's staffe.

The Armilla.