CROWN JEWELS OF ENGLAND.
By Kathrina B. Wilcox
AMONG the most famous of historic buildings is the tower of London. The many historical reminiscences of this tower are more interesting than those of any other building in the world. Guarded by a strong iron cage, in a circular chamber of this tower, is the renowned Regalia of England, the magnificent collection of crowns, scepters, orbs, swords, bracelets, spurs, and various other splendid articles pertaining to royalty. The following are the principal pieces:— St. Edward’s Crown, the official crown of England, made for the coronation of Charles II, in 1662, and worn at all subsequent coronations. Queen Victoria’s crown, so sparkling with brilliants that the crown is scarcely visible, is probably the most expensive ever made. In the front, set in the center of a diamond Maltese cross, is the finest ruby known, said to have been given to the Black Prince by Don Pedro of Castile in 1367, and to be worth half a million dollars. The crown was made in 1838, and contains not less than 2,783 diamonds, 277 pearls, 16 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 4 rubies. In the center of the crown is a magnificent sapphire reputed to have been worn by Edward the Confessor, and to have been buried with him. This with the large spinel ruby makes the crown of both historic and intrinsic value, far beyond that of any other crown in existence. It is lined with violet velvet, and bordered with ermine. The crown of the Prince of Wales is of gold without precious stones.13 The Queen Consort’s Crown is of gold set with jewels. The Queen’s Crown, a golden circlet embellished with diamonds and pearls, was made for Queen Maria d’Este, wife of Charles II. The Royal Scepter, with the cross,—2 ft. 9 in. long,—is of gold, elaborately decorated, and ornamented with colored jewels. The upper portion is wreathed and twisted and handsomely decorated. There are three white and red enamelled bands dividing the scepter. The cross rests on an orb of gold, and a large amethyst stands on it, faceted, and held in position by jewelled protections. The whole piece is thickly studded with costly gems and is brilliant in the extreme. The Ivory Scepter of Queen Maria is surmounted by a dove of white onyx. Queen Mary’s Scepter, made for her by her husband, King James II., is two feet, ten inches in length, of solid gold, ornamented only with diamonds. These scepters, including also the Scepter of the Dove, or Rod of Equity, and Queen Victoria’s scepter, are fully as interesting as the crowns, and are symbolical of times and personages which will forever live in history. The orbs of the king and queen. The larger orb, made for King Charles II., the official orb of England, is six inches in diameter with a fillet around the center, surmounted with an arch, and edged with pearls. Clusters of colored jewels and diamonds stud the band and the arch, while the red and white enamels inevitably appear. At the top of the arch is a fine amethyst cut in facets one and one-half inches high, and on this stands the cross patte, edged with rose-cut diamonds. In each of the four corners of the cross, there is a large handsome pearl, while at the foot there is a collar of diamonds. The somewhat smaller, the more delicate orb of Queen Mary, ornamented with fully as many jewels, and kept with jealous care, is made after much the same pattern. It is ornamented with amethysts, pearls, sapphires, and diamonds. St. Edward’s Staff is made of gold, is four and one-half feet long and about ninety pounds in weight; tradition has it that it contains a piece of the true cross. Here also is a model of the Koh-i-noor (mountain of light) diamond, one of the largest known, weighing, originally, nearly 800 carats, but now reduced by the lapidary to 106. Its worth is variously estimated, from $700,000 to $1,000,000. The original, kept in Windsor Castle, is now set in the new crown of Queen Alexandra. The Regalia also contains the three swords: the Sword of Spiritual Justice, with a broad blade and rather blunt point; the Sword of Temporal Justice, a sharp weapon, narrow and tapering to a dagger-like point; the Custana or pointless Sword of Mercy. These typify three of the great prerogatives of the sovereign. Three articles of the Regalia date back to a period more remote than the restoration. They are the coronation stone, the golden eagle, and the coronation spoon. The total value of the Regalia is estimated to be £3,000,000, or about $15,000,000.