the ancient ruby ring which the kings of Scotland
wore at their coronation. It was last used by the
unhappy Charles I., and, after all its wanderings
with his descendants, is now in its old receptacle,
together with the crown, sceptre, sword of state,
and the golden mace of Lord High Treasurer.
The mace, like the sceptre, is surmounted by a
great crystal beryl, stones doubtless of vast antiquity.
The " great beryl " was an amulet which
[Edinburgh Castle.
with the like number of diamonds and sapphires
alternately, and the points tipped with great pearls;
the upper circle is elevated with ten crosses floree,
each adorned in the centre with a great diamond
betwixt four great pearls placed in the cross, one
and one, and these crosses floree are interchanged
with ten high flews de fix, all alternately with the
great pearls below, which top the points of the
second small circle. From the upper circle proceed
cage, the regalia now lie on a white marble table
in the crown-room, together with four other memorials
of the House of Stuart, which belonged
to the venerable Cardinal York, and were deposited
there by order of King William in 1830. These
are the golden collar of the Garter presented to
James VI. by Elizabeth, with its appendage the
George; the order of St. Andrew, cut on an onyx
and having on the reverse the badge of the Thistle,
which opens with a secret spring, revealing a beau-
The ancient crown worn by Robert I. and his
successors underwent no change till it was closed
with four arches by order of James V., and it is
thus described in the document deposited with the
Regalia in the crown-room, in 1707 :-
"The crown is of pure gold, enriched with
many precious stones, diamonds, pearls, and curious
enamellings. It is composed of a fillet which
goes round the head, adorned with twenty-two
large precious stones. Above the great circle there
THE REGALIA OF SCOTLAND.
