Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 6.djvu/655

crowns. The form of arches shown iu fig. 12 for the first

time appears upon the great seal of Edward VI.

Figs. 13–15.—Recent forms of the English Crown.

The crown of the Stuart sovereigns, the first kings of Great Britain, James I. and Charles L, had four arches, each of the eight semi-arches springing from the alternating crosses and fleurs-de-lys of the circlet (fig. 10). This crown, described to have been formed of massive gold, weighing 7 ft> 6 oz., and valued at 1110, was in 1619 broken up and defaced, with other royal insignia. The crown made for Charles II. (fig. 13), and also worn by Jamos IL, William III., and Anne, closely resembled an earlier type ; and, indeed, it differed only in its proportions from the crown of more recent times (fig. 14), the crown of Her Majesty s immediate pre decessors on the throne, which still forms a part of the re galia of the British empire. The crown (fig. 16), made for the coronation of Queen Vic toria, has its entire surface completely covered with jewels, its circlet, crosses, fleurs-de- lys, arches, and mound being alike in displaying varieties of the same precious constructive materials. This coronation crown is lined with a cap of violet velvet, in accordance with a usage that first appeared upon the great seal of Henry VIII ; but in all the earlier crowns the caps were of crimson or purple velvet. It only remains to direct attention to the form, fig. 15, under which, with Her Majesty s sanction, the crown of Queen Victoria is represented, happily for its effective appear ance without any cap or lining, on all occasions of the ordinary use of the symbol of regal dignity and power.

Fig. 16.—Coronation Crown of
Queen Victoria.

The crown introduced into the English coinage by Henry VII L in both gold and silver, bears a crowned rose and crowned shield of arms, with the royal cipher. The silver crown of Edward VI. has the king on horseback and the royal shield; but that of Elizabeth substitutes a crowned bust for the equestrian figure. In both these silver coins the royal shield is charged in pretence with a floriated cross, which, extending beyond the shield, divides the legend into four parts. The crown of Charles II. has four crowned shields of England, Scotland, France, and Ire land in cross. The crown of recent years, that bears the device of St George and the dragon, strangely represents the Christian champion under the aspect of a nude classic warrior armed with a sword, instead of his appearing in mediaeval armour, and piercing his adversary with a lance. See Heraldry.

(c. b.)

CROYDON, a town, parish, and district of England in the north-east of the county of Surrey, nine miles south of London, with stations on several lines of railway. It stands near the sources of the River Wandle, under Banstead Downs, and is a place of great antiquity. The original site, further west than the present town, is supposed to have been that of the Novwmagus of the Antonine Itinerary, and it is the Croindone (French, croie dune, chalk- hil]) of the Domesday Book. In the neighbourhood there are distinct traces of Roman occupation, and several gold coins bearing the stamp of the later emperors have been found, A cluster of twenty-five tumuli between the town and Addington Park, and a circular encampment with a double moat, form the most interesting portion of the remains. The manor of Croydon was presented by William the Conqueror to Archbishop Lanfranc, who is believed to have founded the archiepiscopal palace there, which was the occasional residence of his successors till about 1750, and of which the chapel and hall still remain. The newer town of Croydon consists principally of a well built street extend, ing along the high road to Brighton with branch streets. The principal buildings are the parish church, close to the palace, a large and handsome structure in perpendicular style, with an ancient flint and stone tower ; several newer churches ; the town hall, a semi-classical edifice built in 1809 ; a public hall built in 1862, and the market-house, water-works, and prison. Considerable weekly corn and cattle markets are the chief business of the town. The summer assizes for Surrey are held alternately there and at Guildford. Its site is remarkable for the number of springs which issue from the soil. One of these, called the " Bourne," bursts forth a short way above the town at irregular intervals of from one to ten years or more ; and after running as a torrent for two or three months, it as quickly vanishes. This phenomenon seems to arise from rains which, falling on the chalk hills, sink into the porous soil and reappear after a time from crevices at lower levels. Population (1871), 55,652.

CRUCIFIX and CRUCIFIXION. See Cross.

CRUDEN, Alexander (1701-1770), author of the well-known Concordance to the English Bible, was born at Aberdeen in 1701. He studied at Marischal College with the intention of entering the church, and took his M.A. degree after the usual curriculum of four years. He was prevented from fulfilling his purpose, however, by an attack of insanity, caused by a disappointment in love. After being for some time in confinement he partially recovered, and removed to London, where he employed himself as a private tutor and a corrector of the press. In 1732 he opened a bookseller s shop near the Royal Exchange, but met with little success. His Concordance, a laborious, comprehensive, and accurate work, which has been of the utmost service to biblical students, was commenced in 1733. The first edition appeared in 1737, and was dedicated to Queen Caroline, who died a few days after the work was presented to her, leaving its author without the acknowledgment he had been led to expect. A second and revised edition appeared in 1761. In the interval between the publication of the two editions he was twice confined in a lunatic asylum, where he seems to have been treated with great cruelty. His chief delusion was that he had received a special divine commission to reform all manner of abuses, and he accordingly assumed the title of Alexander the Corrector. He was in the habit of carrying a sponge with which he effaced all inscriptions that seemed to him contrary to good morals, and in particular he showed his detestation of Wilkes by obliterating the number 45 (the offensive number of the North Briton] wherever he found it. Besides labouring constantly at the improvement of his Concordance, he prepared a number of other works, including a Brief Compendium of the Bible, a Scripture Dictionary, and an elaborate index to Newton s edition of Milton. He also wrote a curious autobiography, in which his delusions are very apparent, under the title Adventure! of Alexander the Corrector. He was found dead in the attitude of prayer on the 1st November 1770.