§ 55. Sir A. M. SAMUELasked the First Commissioner of Works whether the Chancellor's Mace, stated to have been borne before King Charles I as he passed to execution, and saved by Mr. Butts during the burning of the Houses of Parliament in 1834, is still in existence or use; and whether it can be identified?
Mr. 0RSMBY-GOREI understand that one of the Royal maces in the House of Lords dates from the time of Charles II and the other from that of William III. I have not been able to obtain any evidence that an earlier mace was saved by Mr. Butts on the occasion of the fire of 1834.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELIn view of the archaeological importance of these maces would it not be possible for the right hon. Gentleman's Department to compile all that is known historically about the 11 maces which are called the Sovereign's maces?
§ Mr. 0RMSBY-G0REAs my hon. Friend knows, the Clerk of the Works of this House has already published a historical note on the Parliamentary maces, and it is very difficult to know where, without considerable expenditure of time, one could possibly get any further data.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that besides the three Parliamentary maces there are eight others in the Tower also called "Sovereign's maces" about which little has been published, but which have an undoubted historical importance?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIf my hon. Friend would approach the Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries, I think they might do something about it, but it would be very difficult for me to find an officer in my Department to undertake these rather difficult researches.