Peter Parley's Visit to London, During the Coronation of Queen Victoria Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  PARLEY GOES TO SEE THE NEW CROWN.

  "AFTER paying a few visits, and renewing old friendships, I set myself,in good earnest, to see what was to be seen.

  "The most attractive object, connected with the Coronation, exhibitingat the time, was the new crown made for the occasion. I accordinglymade the best of my way into the city, to the shop of Messrs. Rundelland Bridge, her Majesty's goldsmiths, on Ludgate Hill, who, with thegreatest liberality, had thrown open their rooms that the public mighthave an opportunity of inspecting the crown.

  "So great was the crowd, all anxious to have a peep, that it was sometime before I could press forward to the door of the shop. Carriageswere so busy taking up and setting down company, that the street wasquite blocked up. At length, however, by dint of perseverance, PeterParley managed to squeeze in.

  "After traversing the shop, all round which are ranged articles of themost massive and costly description, we were ushered into an interiorapartment, in which, in glass cases, were deposited the preciouscuriosities.

  "In the centre, the admired of all beholders, was the Royal Crown. Itis beautifully designed, and formed in the most costly and elegantmanner, and so covered with precious stones, as almost to dazzle theeyes of old Peter Parley. It is composed of hoops of silver, enclosinga cap of deep purple velvet. The hoops are completely covered andconcealed by precious stones, the whole surmounted by a ball coveredwith small diamonds, and having a Maltese cross of brilliants on thetop of it. The body of the crown is wreathed with fleurs-de-lis andMaltese crosses; the one in the front being ornamented with a verylarge heart-shaped ruby, once, I was informed, a principal ornament inthe crown of Edward the Black Prince, and which he is said to have wornat the battle of Cressy. Peter Parley cannot remember all the details,for besides these, there are many other precious stones in the crown.The rim is surrounded with ermine, and it certainly struck me as beingone of the finest things I had ever seen.

  "Close beside the crown were the coronets of the Royal Dukes andDuchesses, but though they also were made of costly materials, theattractions of the crown were so great as to throw the others quiteinto the back ground. I had hardly time to turn my eyes toward the casecontaining the Orb and Sword of state, before I was hurried away by thepressure of the crowd behind, which kept pouring in in undiminishednumbers.

  "As I moved towards the door behind the shop, which was set apart forvisitors retiring, I passed a table on which was displayed a service ofmassive gold utensils, to be used in the consecration service.

  "When I reached the street, I found it still densely crowded. I wantedto go to St. Paul's, which stands close by, but was afraid to ventureinto such a crowd, so I directed my steps to Westminster Abbey, makingmy way with some difficulty down Ludgate Hill and along Fleet Street,and passing beneath Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City."