618 



in the year 1663. Under these circumstances, and by the advice of 

 my friend Sir Henry Ellis, I addressed a letter to Edmund Lenthal 

 Swifte, Esq., Keeper of H. M. Jewel House, requesting permission 

 to search the Archives, which I presumed were kept in that office. 

 In reply I received the following letter : — 



Her Majesty's Jewel House^ 

 March 13, 1846. 



Dear Sir, 



It would have much gratified me to aid the wishes of any friend 

 of Sir Henry Ellis. 



On your account too, your name and office would have been more 

 than sufficient to claim attention. But I can only regret my in- 

 ability in this matter. Since Edmund Burke's Bill, the Jewel House 

 has undergone a radical change in its duties and functions. Pre- 

 viously, its Chief had the charge and presentation of the Royal gifts, 

 whereof he had of course the accounts. Whatever entries there may 

 be concerning the Mace, which was certainly given by Charles the 

 Second to Lord Brouncker, as President of the Royal Society, in the 

 old books of the Jewel House, they are most probably to be found 

 in the Lord Chamberlain's Office, to whom the control of the Jewel 

 House was transferred in (I believe) 1782. Not a single record is, 

 or ever was, in my hands. Otherwise, to have accorded you fullest 

 and freest access would have been to me an especial pleasure. 



I am, my dear Sir, 



Very faithfully yours, 



Edmund Lenthal Swifte. 



C. R. Weld, Esq. 



The receipt of this letter caused me to write to the Lord Cham- 

 berlain for permission to examine the Archives under his charge. 

 This was immediately granted, and with the kind assistance of the 

 chief clerks in Lord Delawarr's Office, I fortunately, after a long 

 search in a gloomy and damp apartment, which was formerly a 

 stable, found the original Warrant, ordering a Mace to be made for 

 the Royal Society. 



The following is a copy of this most important and valuable docu- 

 ment. The book in which it exists is entitled, " The Book of War- 

 rants of the Lord Chamberlain, Edward, Earl of Manchester, of His 

 Majesty's Household, for the Years 1663, 4, 5, 6 & 7," and the 

 Warrant is entered under the head of " Jewell House " : — 



" A Warrant to prepare and deliver to the Rt. Hon. William 

 Lord Viscount Brouncker, President of the Royall Society of London, 

 for the improving of naturall knowledge by experiments ; one guilt 

 Mace, of one hundred and fifty oz.*, being a guift from His Ma*^^ 

 to the said Society." 



the Council-Book of the Society, that Sir Richard Brown, through the medium of 

 Evelyn, presented the Society with a velvet cushion, whereon the Mace was laid 

 when placed before the President. 



* Troy weight, which approximates nearly to 190 oz. avoirdupois. 



