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The Royal Sceptres: James II

This sceptre is not mentioned in Sandford's account of the coronation of James II. The Queen on that occasion used only the small ivory sceptre with the dove with closed wings, which is described below. This small ivory sceptre would very probably not have been considered near enough in design to the King's to satisfy the desire for equality of ceremony which was so prevalent at the coronations of William and Mary. It is therefore nearly certain that the larger gold sceptre with the dove was made for Mary II., and that it was purposely made very like that of the King. It was mislaid for a time, owing probably to some of the many changes that have at various times taken place in the Tower, but was discovered in 1814 at the back of a shelf in the Jewel House.

THE QUEEN'S IVORY ROD In the list of the regalia destroyed under the Commonwealth in 1649 an entry will be found of an ivory staff with a dove at the top, and such a staff is now in the Tower. It is stated in the list to have been made for Queen Mary of Modena, consort of James II., and is very likely a copy of the older sceptre. It is made in three pieces with collars of gold over the junctions, and measures altogether three feet one and a half inches in length. The top of the sceptre has a mound and a cross-patée of gold surmounted by a white enamelled dove with closed wings, and with eyes, beak, and feet of gold. The mound at the top of the sceptre, and one also at the other end, have champlevé enamels upon them of identical workmanship with that upon the bracelets which, as we have seen, were the work of Sir Robert Vyner. Doubtless the designs upon this sceptre were copied by the royal goldsmith of James II. to match those made for Charles II. The designs in both these mounds are the double rose, thistle, harp, and fleur-de-lys, separated by a small blue quatrefoil. A similar ornamentation is on the boss at the foot of the sceptre. The fact that the mound at the foot of this sceptre nearly resembles that at the top both in size and ornamentation reminds us that at one time the stems of the orbs themselves were very long, so much so that it is sometimes difficult to say which is orb and which is sceptre. This peculiarity will be seen on reference to some of the sketches showing the early forms of orbs.* All the sceptres have large bosses at their lower ends, but in no other instance does it so nearly approach the size of the mound at the top. ST. EDWARD'S STAFF KNOWN ALSO AS THE ROD OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY So many portions of the English regalia are named after Edward the Confessor that he may almost be called the patron saint of the regal emblems. In his honour Henry III. rebuilt Westminster Abbey, and he is godfather not only to the official English crown, but to the sword "Curtana," as well as this curious rod of justice and equity. A rod of this kind has been used at all our coronations from the earliest times. In the first known account of the coronation of our Anglo-Saxon kings, that of Æthelred II., it is said that after the crown and the sceptre had been given to the king a "Virga," or rod, was presented. The words used on the presentation were in Latin, and signified "Receive this rod of Justice and Equity." No description of the rod exists, but it was clearly different from the sceptre, the words used being "Receive this sceptre, the emblem of the power of the King." The king very probably held the sceptre in one hand and the Rod of Justice in the other. ،، There is every probability that the staff now known as St. Edward's Staff is the survival of the ancient rod, and it may be a copy of the "long rodd of silver gilt" mentioned in the list of the royal plate and jewels destroyed in 1649 (see p. 7), but the ornamentation now upon it appears to be consistent with the belief that it was designed anew by Sir Robert Vyner. It is supposed to be staff to guide the footsteps of the king, and in furtherance of this purpose is tipped with a pike of steel four inches and a quarter long. a The entire length of St. Edward's staff is four feet seven inches and a half, and it may be described as a rod of gold divided at intervals with collars of ornamental leaf patterns. At the top is a mound and cross-patée, and tradition says that formerly a piece of the true cross was enclosed within the mound. * See p. 32. † See p. 38. Cotton MS. Claudius A 111. p. 9 Coronatio Æthelredi Regis. Now in the British Museum. Plate IX WITH THE DOVE THE QUEEN'S SCEPTRE THE KING'S SCEPTRE WITH THE DOVE