Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-07-20
BRITISH GREAT SEAL
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF THIS EN-
eLeM or SOVEREIGNTY.
Fished From the Bottom OF the River
Thames, Buried I'm n Garden, Used
Frying Fan and broken 60
Pieces In the House OF Lords.

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Thames, Buried I'm n Garden, Used
Frying Fan aud broken 60
Pieces In the House OF Lords.
IL seems almost ludlcrous.y impos-
sible that the great seal OF England
should have ever been made 10 serve
the humble purpose OF a frying pan:
and yet this is only one OF many equal
" strange episodes in the romantic
story OF the seal which Is the specific
emblem OF British sovereignty"
Lord Chancellor Eldon was SO fearful
that the seal would be lost or stolen
while in his custody that he never
went 10 sleep without first satisfying
himself that Il was safe i'm his bedroom.
one night-it was in the year 1S12-he
was reused from his slumbers by cries
OF ~Rirer' Jumping out OF bed he
snatched UP the great seal and. rush
ing into the garden. buried II deep in
the middle OF flower bed. His house
might be burned 10 the ground, but at
least he would not prove unworthy OF
the great trust which had been reposed
in him.
Next morning. hOwever-SO exciting
had been the experiences OF the night
he had completely forgotten in what
part of the garden the emblem Of SOW
ercignty had been hidden. and il was
only after his entire household had
hunted for hours that il was at last
run 10 earth You never saw anything
50 ridiculous" he wrote later. "as see
ing the whole family down the walks
dibbling with bits Of sticks until we
found it,
Once at least the great seal has been
at the bottom OF the Thames and
would be there today but Tor lucky
accident. II was in l6SS. when the
second James was fleeing from Eng
land and the Prince OF Orange TO
France. i'm company with Sir Edward
HaleS lie had intended to take the
great seal with him. bat rs he was
being rowcd from Lambeth To Naux-
hail. where horses were awaiting him.
another and better idea occurred to
him. lie would fling the seal into the
river and that would place 10 once for
all out Of reach OF his enemy. 30 over
board the seal went. and FOR some
weeks il lay there until 10y curious
chance il was picked up in a fisher
mans net ana restored To the proper
cuStodians
The lUdicrous frying pan adventure
befen il when i'm the custody of Lord
Brougham. The chancellor had gone
10 Scotland for Il short holiday seeing
that he could not take the seal on the
Rhine trip hc lOngcd for without put
ting IL in commission at great cost TO
himself-and he was guest q the
dOwager Duchess OF Bedford at Rothie-
murchus. where he kept his precious
charge In his bedroom. one day the
young ladies Of the house party took
the seal from the bedroom and hid il.
BrOugham was desperate when he dis
covered his loss and did not recover
his peace OF mind until the pretty
thieves promised 10 lead him TO il if he
would consent TO be blindfolded.
With his eyes bandagcd he was con
Quoted 10 the drawing room. and there
he discovered the seal hidden in 4 tea
chest. So overjoyed was he at It's re-
cOvery that he consented TO the young
ladies' suggestion that they should adj
tourn 10 the kitchen and celebrate the
joyous event by making pancakes in
the seal. and thus. amid much laughter.
the greatest emblem OF sovereignty in
the whole world was actually used MS 4
pan in which 10 fry pancakes. The
seal. IL should perhaps be mentioned.
consists of two silver disks hinged to-
gether, SO that when they are closed
they form a mold. into which the wax.
green. red or yellow. as the case may
/ be. is poured. Thus II would make not
at all bad substitute for the common
or kitchen frying pan.
Many a time has the great seal been
taken 10 the house OF lords and broken
10 pieces at the bar by the hammer OF
a sturdy blacksmith. amid the frantic
cheering of unlocking members. This
was the fate of the seal which fell into
the hands OF the parliamentary army
on the equalization OF oxford in 1916
Three years later the old parliamentary
seal. which represented Charles en-
throned on one side and riding on horse
back on the other, was similarly de
stroyed to make way for the new seal
with its view Of the house OF commons
in place of the deposed sovereign
Richard Cromweirs seal was broken
by the hammer in 1859. and in the fol
lowing year the great seal Of the com
monwealth itself was destroyed in the
same way.
Once the seal was lost, by Charles II
IN his flight from the fatal field OF WOr
cester, and once ii was stolen 10y bur
glars from Lord Thurlow's house in
( Great 0rmond street, but it was re
placed by a replica in the wonderfully
short time OF thirty-siX hours. The
seal that was in use when George "
died was divided between Lord Lynd
/ hurst and Lord Brougham, King VII
liam ". presenting one side 10 eacI
chancellor. mounted in a magnificent
! salver, and similar present was made
in later years to Lords Chelmsford and
| Campbell and TO Lords SelbOrne anC
| Cairns. OF the handsome satchels ol
purses in which the seal Is supposed K
be kept-exquisite specimens Of ar
needlework in white and gold-sO many
/ fell 20 the lot OF Lord ThurlOw as per
quisites that his good lady was able e
make several sumptuOus Counterpart;
and bed hangings from them.-Pear
sons Weekly
Forced 10 IL.