examined should have continued for many ages to be given to the first royal sword of England. We find it constantly used in all the later accounts of coronations; Edward VI. had "a swerde called Curtana." It occurs in the time of Henry VII. of Richard III.31 and Henry IV. It is mentioned in the Liber Regalis and the claims of service in the reign of Richard II. We next find it at the coronation of Edward II.33 and we learn from Matthew Paris that a sword, Curtana or "Curtein" existed so long ago as the reign of Henry III. at whose coronation (A.D. 1236) it was carried by the earl of Chester 34.

The present is not the only instance of a royal sword borrowing the name of one famous in romance. The sword of Tristan is found (ubi lapsus !) among the regalia of king John; and that of Charlemagne, Joyeuse, was preserved to grace the coronations of the later kings of France. The adoption of these titles was indeed perfectly consonant with the taste and feeling of those ages in which the gests of chivalry were the favourite theme of oral and historical celebration; and when the names of Durlindana,

31 In the wardrobe account for the year 1483 are "iij swerdes, whereof oon with a flat poynte called curtana, and ij other swords, all iij swords covered in a yerde di' of crymysyn tisshue cloth of gold." 32 Chron. Rishanger MS. Cott. Faust. b. ix.

33 See Appendix to book III.

34 "Comite Cestria gladium S. Edwardi qui Curtein dicitur, ante regem bajulante." &c. 35 Pat, de anno 9 Johan.

of Curtein, or Escalibore would nerve the warrior's arm with a new and nobler energy.

Curtana is a flat sword without point, the end of the blade being square. It is 32 inches in length, and about 2 in breadth. The handle 4 inches long, covered with silver wire: the cross is of steel gilt.

The SECOND SWORD is called the Sword of justice to the Spirituality; it is nearly like the former, but rather longer, and with an obtuse point.

The THIRD SWORD, or the Sword of justice to the Temporality, is of the same length as the last but sharp at the point.

To the above may be added the SWORD of STATE, with which the king is girded before he is crowned. This is more richly adorned than the others, and has a scabbard of crimson velvet with plates of gold bearing the royal arms, and the rose, thistle, portcullis, and other royal badges. The sword of state is not, however, a part of the regalia, but is to be considered as belonging personally to the sovereign.

§ 7. Of the Ring, Bracelets, and Spurs.

The RING with which our kings are invested,called by some writers 36 the wedding ring of England, is il

36 See Buck's Richard III.

87

lustrated, like the Ampulla, by a miraculous history, of which the following are the leading particulars 37; Edward the Confessor being one day askt for alms by a certain "fayre olde man," the king found nothing to give him except his ring, with which the poor man thankfully departed. Some time after, two English pilgrims in the Holy Land having lost their road as they travelled at the close of day," there came to them a fayrauncyent man wyth whyte heer for age. Thenne ye olde man axed theym what they were and of what regyon. And they answerde that they were pylgryms of Englond, and hadde lost theyr felyshyp and way also. Thenne thys olde man comforted theym goodly, and brought theym in to a fayre cytee; and whan they had well refresshyd theym and rested there alle nyhte, on the morne this fayr olde man wente with theym and broughte theym in the ryght waye agayne. And he was gladde to here theym talke of the welfare and holynesse of theyr kynge saynt Edward. And whan he shold departe fro theym thenne he tolde theym what he was and sayd I AM JOHAN THEUANGELYST, and saye ye vnto Edward your kyng that I grete hym well by the token that he gaaf to me, thys Rynge with his one hondes, whych rynge ye shalle delyuer to hym agayne: and whan he had delyuerde to theym the ryng he departed fro theym sodenly.”

37 From the Golden Legende, (Julyan Notary, 1503) p. 187.

This command, as may be supposed, was punctually obeyed by the messengers, who were furnisht with ample powers for authenticating their mission. The ring was received by the royal Confessor, and in after times was preserved with due care at his shrine in the abbey of Westminster 38.

The king's coronation ring is of plain gold, with a large table ruby on which the cross of St. George engraven. That of the queen is likewise set with a large ruby, and has sixteen smaller ones round it.

is

The use of rings as signs of superior rank and dignity is of the greatest antiquity; thus we read that Pharaoh "took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand" as a mark of the power he had given him. The investiture per annulum, or delivery of the ring, has formed part of the inaugurative ceremony from a very remote period. We trace it in England to the time of the Heptarchy;-Offa king of the East Angles is recorded to have appointed Edmund

38 Within the Tower is a very ancient chapel dedicated to St John. That patron of the arts Henry III. gave directions about the ornamenting of this chapel; among other things, Depingi faciatis patibulum et trabem ultra altare ejusdem capeľ bene et bonis coloribus; et fieri faciatis et depingi duas ymagines pulchras,ubi melius et decentius fieri possint in eadem capell' unam de sancto Edwardo tenente anulum, et donante et tendente s'cto Johan' Evangeliste," &c.-Pennant's London, p. 242, and Stow. Similar representations were to be found in several parts of Westminster Abbey and elsewhere.

In the wardrobe accounts of Edward I. we have a ring which was made by a saint :-" Unus annulus auri cum saphiro qui fuit de fabrica

his successor by sending him the ring which he received at his own coronation 39.

The Armilla, or BRACELETS, are of solid gold, opening by means of a hinge for the purpose of being worn on the wrist. They are an inch and half in breadth, and two and a half in diameter, ornamented with the rose, thistle, fleur-de-lis, and harp in chasing, and with pearls on either edge.

The continuance of the bracelet among our regalia is a circumstance highly remarkable, and which strongly recalls the memory of ages and manners long past by. The bracelet is well known in the history of antient nations11, and particularly of our northern ancestors, as a distinguishing mark of the king and the warrior 42: it was the reward of successful service, and the loss of it a dreaded consequence of defeat. The scald Snorro Sturlson thus praises, in one of his poems, the generosity of Haco IV. of Norway:

sancti Dunstani (ut credebatur.)” also "Annulus auri cum quo rex fuit consecratus." 39"Mox accersito consilio Edmundum filium regis Saxoniæ suum designavit [Offa, rex Estangliæ] esse successorem; jussitque ut annulum suum sibi deferrent quem acceperat ab episcopo in regni Estanglorum promotione."-Batteley's Antiq. Sti Edm. Burgi, p. 119. 40" Scin' hoc quid sit Spinther ?

Nescio, nisi AUREUM."--Plautus. (See § 8.)

41 "And I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord." -2 Samuel, i. 10. 42 See Ducange, Gloss. Lat. voc.

Armilla.