e of serjeant, the rings he gave
away cost him L40. These differed in value in proportion to the dignity
of the persons to whom they were presented. The most costly were those
of the value of 26_s._ 8_d._, which were given to every prince, duke,
and archbishop attending the ceremony, as also to the Lord Chancellor
and Treasurer of England. The Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Chief
Justices, the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and every earl and bishop
present received one of the value of 20_s._; while every baron of
Parliament, every abbot, every distinguished prelate (_notabili
prelato_), and every eminent knight there present had one of 13_s._
4_d._ Similar gifts were made to the Keeper of the Rolls of the King's
Chancery, and to each of the justices. Rings of inferior value were
presented to every baron of the Exchequer, chamberlain, officer, and
principal person serving in the King's courts, according to their rank;
and thus almost every clerk, especially if he were of the Common Pleas,
obtained a share of the new Serjeant's liberality. His private friends
were not forgotten, rings being distributed among them also. It has been
computed that the sum of 400 marks in 1429 would be equivalent to L2,660
of our present money; hence we need not wonder that lawyers either too
poor or too economical to welcome this heavy burden sought to evade the
honour. In the time of Henry V. six grave and famous apprentices
respectfully declined the elevation, but in vain. They were called
before Parliament, and there bidden to take upon them the state and
degree of Serjeant. Eventually they did so, and certain of them, as we
learn from Sir Edward Coke, worthily served the King in the principal
offices of the law.

The reader will not fail to have observed the expression "give gold."
This, with the particulars adduced respecting the worth of the rings,
suggests that the articles were esteemed, not for their commemorative
character or artistic interest, but for their sheer pecuniary value.
That this was the case is pretty evident from the fact that, in the
reign of Charles II., Lord Chief Justice Kelynge, addressing one of the
new Serjeants, rebuked them for their gift of rings _weighing_ no more
than 18_s._ each; and he cited Fortescue as saying, "The rings given to
the Chief Justices and the Chief Baron ought to weigh 20_s._ a-piece."
To prevent misunderstanding, he added that he "spoke not this, expecting
a recompense," but that it might