The Badge of Office.
The mace is with us to-day as the chief emblem of office. Without it no civil gathering of importance in London would be complete, and when robbed of its presence no law can be enacted at Westminster. The "bauble" Cromwell caused to be removed was a symbol of historic and ancient fame, deep-rooted in the minds of even stern Puritans. It had to be banished ere the Parliament was dissolved!
The mace is truly the lineal and direct sign of power and authority, for it was the ancient battle-axe which could deal the deadly blow that was first held up before the sovereign, and in brass or gilt the tawdry symbol took its place and has ever since retained its significance.
In lesser degree the staff or stave of office has remained an ensign of authority. The heads of such staves are often decorative and surmounted by some appropriate emblem or well-known sign of office.
The flagstaff head shown in Fig. 54 is of eighteenth-century date; its very beautiful openwork ornament was probably of gilt. It is an excellent example of English workmanship of that period.