The foremention’d crownes, since ye inventorie was taken, are accordinge to ordr 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 goulde, but, upon trial, found to be of silver gilt; enriched with garnetts, foule pearle, saphires and some odd stones, poiz. 50-1/2 oz., valued at£16 0 0
King Alfred’s crowne of goulde wyer worke, sett with slight stones, poiz. 79-1/2 oz. at £3 per oz.,£248 10 0
A goulde plate dish, enamelled, etc.,£77 11 0
One large glass cupp, wrought in figures, etc.,£102 15 0
A dove of gould, sett with stones, and pearle, poiz. 8-1/2 oz., in a box sett with studs of silver gilt,£26 0 0
The gould and stones belonging to a collar of crimson and taffaty, etc.,£18 15 0
One staff of black and white ivory, with a dove on the top, with binding and foote of goulde,£4 10 0
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,£2 10 0
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,£65 16 10-1/2
One silver spoone gilt, poiz. 3 oz.,£0 16 0
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£13 0 0
One paire of silver gilt spurres, etc.,£1 13 4

All these according to order of Parliament are broken and defaced.”

The ancient coronation robes destroyed at the same time are catalogued and valued as follows:—

“One common taffaty robe, very old, valued at£0 10 0
One robe, laced with goulde lace,£0 10 0
One livor culled silk robe, very old and worth nothing,£0 0 0
One robe of crimson taffaty, sarcenett valued at£0 5 0
One paire of buskins, cloth of silver and silver stockings, very old, and valued at£0 2 6
One paire of shoes of cloth of gold, at£0 2 6
One paire of gloves embroided wth gould, at£0 1 0
Three swords with scabbards of cloth of goulde, at£3 0 0
One old combe of horne, worth nothing,£0 0 0
───
Total in the chest,£4 11 0”
───

The old Regalia having thus been wantonly destroyed, it became necessary when the monarchy was restored to make anew the emblems of royalty. This work was entrusted to Sir Robert Vyner, the Court Jeweller, with instructions that he was to follow as closely as possible the fashions of those destroyed.

The order included two crowns, one the Crown of England, known as St. Edward’s Crown, with which the King was to be crowned, and the other a State Crown which the King in accordance with ancient custom would wear on all other State occasions during his reign. Two sceptres also were to be made, one the Sceptre with the Cross and the other the Sceptre with the Dove. The Orb of gold set with jewels and surmounted by a cross came next; then St. Edward’s Staff, which is to guide the King’s footsteps, and the Armilla[[11]] and Ampulla.[[12]] The bill for these, together with some minor portions of the Regalia, amounted to £32,000, or about £320,000 at the present purchasing value of the sovereign.

Sir Edward Walker, Garter Principal King-at-Arms in the reign of Charles II, gives an interesting and detailed account of this restoration of the Regalia.[[13]]

“Because through the Rapine of the late unhappy times, all the Royall Ornaments and Regalia heretofore preserved from age to age in the Treasury of the Church at Westminster, were taken away, sold and destroyed, the Committee mett divers times not only to direct the remaking such Royall Ornaments and Regalia, but even to sette the form and fashion of each particular: all which doe now retayne the old names and fashion, although they have been newly made and prepared by orders given to the Earle of Sandwich, Master of the Great Wardrobe, and Sr Gilbert Talbott, Knt., Master of the Jewell House.