some time after he was gone, and probably by his
order, several seamen entered the king's cabin, saying they must search
him and the gentlemen, believing they had not given up all their money.
The king and his companions told them that they were at liberty to do
so, thinking that their readiness would induce them not to persist; but
they were mistaken; the sailors began their search with a roughness and
rudeness which proved they were accustomed to the employment: at last,
one of them, feeling about the king's knee, got hold of the diamond
bodkin, and cried out, with the usual oath, he had found a prize, but
the king boldly declared he was mistaken. He had, indeed, scissors, a
tooth-pick case, and little keys in his pocket, and what he felt was
undoubtedly one of those articles. The man still seemed incredulous, and
rudely thrust his hand into the king's pocket; but in his haste he lost
hold of the diamond bodkin, and finding the things the king mentioned,
remained satisfied it was so: by this means the bodkin and ring were
preserved[27]." Whatever may be our opinion of the conduct of the
monarch, we cannot follow him into these scenes without compassion for
the _exile_, whose family seems to have been born to demonstrate how
much of our pity unfortunate princes may claim, apart from their
personal worth.

This is said to have been originally a favourite ring of the beautiful
but unfortunate Mary queen of Scots; to have been sent by her, at her
death, to James I.; through whom it came into the possession of our
Charles I., and on _his_ execution, was transmitted by bishop Juxon to
his son. It lately came into the possession of his present Majesty,
through the channels by which he has obtained all the remaining papers
of the house of Stuart.

Richard II. resigned the crown to Henry IV. by transferring to him his
ring. A paper was put into Richard's hands, from which he read an
acknowledgment of being incapable of the royal office, and worthy, from
his past conduct, to be deposed; that he freely absolved his subjects
from their allegiance, and swore by the holy Gospels never to act in
opposition to this surrender: adding, that if it were left wholly to
him to name the future monarch, it should be Henry of Lancaster, to whom
he then gave his ring[28].

The SPURS are a very ancient emblem of knighthood; in later coronations,
the abundance of ceremonies has only allowed time for the king's heel to
be touched with them. At