but the King, in the mean time, was persuaded by some about him, to hear the examination himself, and the prisoners, in consequence, were immediately sent for to Whitehall; a circumstance which is thought to have saved them from the gallows. Blood, who had previously been the leader in an attempt upon the life of the Duke of Ormond, was, during his examination respecting the Crown, also interrogated on that subject, and, as if he valued himself upon the action, (and, possibly, suspecting that some discovery concerning it had already been made,) acknowledged, without hesitation, that he was one of the party but, on being asked who were his associates, he answered, that he would never betray á friend's life, nor deny a guilt in defence of his own!' As to the provocation which he had for that assault, he said, that the Duke had taken away his estate, and had executed some of his friends; for which he and many others were bound by a solemn oath to be revenged. Lest the concealment of any of his audacities should detract from the romance of his life, he also voluntarily confessed to the King, that he had been engaged in a design to kill his Majesty with a carbine from among the reeds by the Thames' side above Battersea ; "where he often went to swim?"-that the cause of this resolution in himself and others, “ was, his majesty's severity over the consciences of the godly, in suppressing the freedom of religious assemblies ;" but when he had " taken his stand among the reeds purpose, his heart was checked by an awe of Majesty; and he did not only himself relent, but also diverted his associates from the design." "By these confessions," he told the King, "he had sufficiently laid himself open to the law," and might reasonably anticipate its utmost rigour; for which, as far as concerned himself, he was prepared ; "inasmuch as there were hundreds of their friends, yet undiscovered, who were all bound to each other, by the indispensable oaths of conspirators, to revenge the death of any of the fraternity upon those who should bring them to justice; which would expose his Majesty, and all his ministers, to the daily fear and expectation of a massacre. On the other hand, however, if his Majesty would spare the lives of a few, he might win the hearts of many; who, as they had been daring in mischiefs, would be as bold, if received into pardon and favour, to perform eminent services for the crown." . Thus did the audacious, and wary villain, partly overawe, and partly captivate the good-nature of the King; in short, after being remanded to prison, he and his accomplices were not only pardoned, but Blood himself was received into confidence and favour, and had 500l. a year conferred upon him, in Ireland. He was likewise admitted to all the private intimacy of the court, and he frequently employed bis influence as a most successful solicitor for others. "Many gentlemen courted his acquaintance," says the manuscript, as the Indians reverence devils, that they may not hurt them."* Pennant, with presumptuous asperity, Strype's Stow, Vol. 1. p. 95. adds, "This miscreant died peacefully in his bed, August 29th, 1680, fearlessly, and without any signs of penitence, totally hardened and forsaken by Hea"In the latter part of his life, Blood appears to have professed Quakerism. ven." The venerable Talbot Edwards, so far from receiving the merited reward of his fidelity, obtained only, after great intercession, a grant on the Exchequer, of 2001. for himself, and 1001. more for his son ; but the payment, even of those sums, was so long delayed, and the expenses attendant upon the old man's wounds so considerable, that they were obliged at last to sell their orders for half of the amount in ready money.† Old Edwards survived his injuries till the 30th of September, 1674, when he died, aged eighty years and nine months. "What could have been King Charles's real motive for extending mercy to Blood, must for ever be a mystery to the world. Few will be inclined to believe that the proffer of service from so vile a miscreant could have prevailed upon his Majesty's judgment; for, base indeed must be the government that could have recourse to such instruments to support it, and despicable must be that authority which would be intimidated from the execution of justice upon so great a malefactor; yet both these motives seem to have operated in the villain's favor, and he was ever after regarded as a Sicarius to a profligate set of men, nnant's "London," p. 307: edit. 1793. to overawe any who had integrity enough to resist the measures of a most profligate court."* As Blood had been charged with, and, by his own confession, was guilty, of the attempt upon the Duke of Ormond's life, lord Arlington was sent to inform his Grace, that it was his Majesty's pleasure that he should not be prosecuted; for reasons which he, (his lordship,) was commanded to give him ;-but the Duke interrupted him with the shrewd remark, that, "his Majesty's command was the only reason that could be given, and, therefore, he might spare the rest."+ * Bailey's "History of the Tower," Part i. p. 202; and Pennant's "London," p. 307. The excessive carelessness of the latter writer is fully shewn in this part of his work. Speaking of the persons interred in the Church of St. Peter ad Vincula, within the Tower, he says, p. 306, "I pass over less interesting monuments to the little stone on the floor which records that Talbot Edwards, late keeper of his Majesty's Regalia, 30th September, 1674, aged 80,' was deposited here;" but in page 308, forgetful of his previous words, he remarks," It is singular that this aged man survived his injuries seven years; the attempt was made May 9th, 1671, and the inscription, contrary to the assertions of some historians, fixes his death in 1680."-But the actual inscriptionis as follows: "Here lieth y body of Talbot Edwards, gent. late keeper of his Ma" Regalia, who dyed y⚫ 30th of September, 1674, ged 80 yeares and 9 moneths. + Strype's Stow.-Echard, Tom. iii. p. 286, says the Duke answered, "That the King should see, he valued his life as little as his Majesty did his crown." REGALIA IN THE TOWER. But few persons are acquainted with the variety and richness of the crown jewels, properly called the Regalia, but the ensuing extracts from Bailey's "History of the Tower," (mentioned in the preceding article) will convey a good idea of their general elegance and value.-It should be remembered, however, that some considerable alterations, both in the form and ornaments of the Imperial Crown, were made previously to the coronation of his Majesty, George the Fourth, in July, 1821. "Without pretending to enter into a minute description of the Regalia, the following short account may be offered of such parts of the Crown jewels as are most particularly deserving of notice. * There are five Crowns, the first of which is called St. Edward's, being the Imperial crown that the Kings of England are crowned with. It was made for the coronation of king Charles the Second, and is embellished with pearls, diamond, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, with a mound of gold on the top, encircled with a band or fillet of gold, garnished also with precious stones, and three very large oval pearls, one at the top, and the others pendant to the ends of the cross. This crown is formed of four crosses, and as many fleurs-de-lis of gold, rising from a rim, or circlet, also of gold, and set with precious It derives its name from the ancient crown, supposed to have been worn by king Edward the Confessor, and which 3 preserved in Westminster Abbey till the rebellion in the f king Charles I., when it was taken away, together with her articles belonging to the regalia. |