The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-04-14
The STORY DE a CROWN


! 1t is not everywhere that one can find a crown
with long history attached to it. There are
some few such relics in the world, however,
whose interest and value depend on the history
attached TO them. The crown of France and
that Of England are admired more for the Jew
els which adorn them than for any historic as
soclations, or even for the sovereignty Of which
they are enbIems. 1t is a curious fact that at
a little Italian town. between Milan ard Como,
they keep in the cathedral an old crown, aboot
which are clustered more grand associations
than around any other royal relic perhaps in
the world.
Offer collector Of interesting objects of ceyts
or Of antiquity, the golden and jeweled crowns
Of England, France, Russia and Spain. and the
iron crown OF Monza, and be would choose the
iron in preference to all the others, in spite Of
the jewels. The old crown is kept in side
chapel Of the cathedral at Monza, and is known
to history rs the Iron Grown of Monza Tie
facts which are known beyond dispute about it,
are, that it was worn by the early Lombard king;
and, as long ago as the crowning Of Henry.of
Luxembourg, in 4. D. 1871, il was used in tie
ceremony Of coronation.
Thereafter II was worn by a long succession
Of m0narchs, but after the time OF Charles Y,
it rested quiet, an undsturbed relic, in the old
cathedral until Napoleon seized If, placed i ON
his head with bis own hands, refusing bishops
offices. and saying, "God has given il to me;
woe to BIN who touches it." After that. per-
haPs 70 remove the stain Of the usurpation. the
Austrian Ernperor5 used it at their coronat;ons
and it signiied to them, on such occasions, the
possession OF the Lombardo Venetian kingdom
But they viii hardly use it again in Austria.
This much we know of a certainty concern.
ing this crown. But there is a tradition con.
nected with It which makes it one Of the most
interesting relics in the known world The iren
band which encirces the head is said to be form
ed OF one of the nails with which the Savior of
mankind was affixed to the cross This tradi.
tion Is OF very early date, although Ii was not
always or universally accepted. The people of
Milan deuied it. But they were rivals Of Mon
"a. The relic was pronounced authentic by the |
highest Catholic authority, many centuries ago. /
Nor Is il wholly impossible that If Is So
The historical facts known on the subject Of
the nails Of the cross are these.
y hen the Empress Helena made excavations
IN Jerusalem, in the beginning OF The fourth |
century, 10 uncover the tomb ana place Of exc |
cution she was informed by certain Christian in
and tue two thieves were cast into q Dit or ra- /
vine among The rocks, being, in Jewish view. /
polluted objects. She dug out this ravine. and |
found various pieces of timber. Whether they !
were the crosses in question, OF whether they
were the timbars Of old buildings, it is impossi-
Die 10 affirm. The nails Or spikes she found also.
One Of these nails she sent to Constantine,
and II was by him made into a bit CT an orna-
nent for part Of his horses bride, possibly in
intentional tulfment Of well known prophecy.
Ire other nails were also preserved There is
reason to doubt that many fragments Of the wood
thus discovered by Helena remain in European
churches. The large fragment in the basilica
OF Santa Cr0ce, in Rome, IS undoubtedly frag-
men. Of the wood discovered by Helena what
ever that wood was The nails disappeared
from history until, some hundred years after
Helena, the IRON crown Of Monza was said to be
made Of one of them. And possibly il was
Probably it was. For where long tradition
states fact, aud there is no evidence to the
contrary, the probabilities are in favor of the
tradition having foundation in truth
The present condition Of italian affairs makes
the IRON crown Of Mona an object of unusual
interest. We are not sure whether the Austri-
ans left i at Monza; but if so, the old relic
now living in the side chapel of the cathedral,
but little visited, in quiet, lonesome old place.
by which the travel of the world rushes aIonp
on iron rails, impelled by steam, is an apt en-
oem OF the Lombard race and nation for many
centuries. They have but served the purposes
ot their conquerors, and adorned the corona
Ions OF successive emperors. II looks now as
II the old crown might yet be used to Vindicate
the new life o. Italy, and Lombardy become a
part OF the living modern world