Probably, today no one in his right mind and firm memory would dare to go rob the Tower. The main symbol of England, it is also its main museum, is too well guarded. This is understandable: there is something to guard. One crown of the British Empire is worth more than 27 million pounds - with all its 2868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. But once she was almost kidnapped, and directly from the Tower. True, it was 346 years ago. But even today the failed theft is remembered by the British.
LET'S BE FRIENDS WITH FAMILIES
In the 17th century, the precious crown, scepter and orb were not kept in the casemates of Waterloo, as they are now, but in the basement of the tower of St. Martin. And only one person was responsible for their safety, who lived with his family all in the same tower - only floors higher.
His name was Edward Talbot. His earnings consisted of opening and closing the doors of the vault every day for visitors eager to see the royal regalia with their own eyes. A thick metal grate separated the treasure from onlookers, but did not block the view. Moreover: through it one could reach out and touch the exhibits - this was not prohibited by the rules of visiting the "museum". (This practice ended only in 1815, after one of the visitors managed to bend the crown.)
One warm April day in 1671, Edward Talbot heard cries for help. He went outside and saw to death a frightened elderly priest bending over a middle-aged woman. Her face contorted with pain. The compassionate caretaker immediately brought the lady water, and then helped her up and led her to his apartment in the tower. There she finally came to her senses. The priest, who was recommended by Thomas Blood, was scattered in gratitude for the help of his unfortunate wife and bowed out arm in arm with his wife. And the next day he came for a visit - and with a present for Mrs. Edward. Four pairs of French-made gloves were clearly expensive. The Edwards refused to accept them. Blood insisted. As a result, the offering was accepted, and friendly relations were established between the families. And Thomas Blood became a frequent visitor to Martin's tower. All Edwards were delighted with him,and after Blood introduced Lucy, the caretaker's daughter, to his nephew, a rich and attractive young man, they began to look at the priest as a relative. Actually, it was so: Blood's nephew made Lucy an offer, and the girl agreed.
On May 8 - the day of the engagement - Thomas Blood noticed two pistols that were hanging on the wall in Talbot's apartment. According to the caretaker, what are the secrets between relatives? - the priest knew that this was the only weapon of Martin's tower. However, he really liked the pistols - and he persuaded the caretaker to part with them for 10 pounds. For this amount, it was possible to buy as many as three pistols, which, in fact, was going to do Edward the next day.
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LOVERS OF BEAUTIFUL
On the evening of May 8, the Edwards were overwhelmed with joyful excitement: not every day it is possible to arrange the fate of their daughter profitably! Not otherwise, as the Lord himself sent them Thomas Blood. And here he is - light in sight!
Apologizing for the late visit, the priest told the caretaker what had brought him to him. It turned out that two very good acquaintances of Blood, who were staying in London, really wanted to visit the royal treasury and believed that they had a whole lot of time for this. But now they have just received a letter demanding their immediate return home. And they risk returning to their native land without seeing the crown, scepter, or orb … Perhaps Mr. Edward will be so kind and let visitors into the store at an inopportune time? Early in the morning, for example?
Of course, in his heart, Edward Talbot was against: the rules are the same for everyone, and it is forbidden to break them. But he really wanted to please his future relative. And he agreed.
At seven in the morning, he opened the doors of St. Martin's tower in front of Thomas Blood and his friends, waved his hand to his future son-in-law who remained with the horses, turned his back on all the honest company to take them to the vault cellars, and … got him on the head with a club.
While the caretaker was unconscious, the priest took the keys to the basement from him, tied him up and stuffed a gag in his mouth. Together, the "lovers of beauty" opened the metal grille and tried to shove the royal regalia into a specially grabbed leather bag. Alas, they chose an unsuccessful "container": only the state could fit there. And the crown and scepter simply did not fit into the bag. Then Blood flattened the crown with the same club, and his accomplices sawed the scepter in two with a hacksaw.
CHANGE
Life is an unpredictable thing, and in terms of the intricacy of the plots it can give odds to the most inventive science fiction writer.
Fate decreed that it was in the early morning of May 9 that Edward's son, Lieutenant Whit, returned home from Flanders after nearly ten years of absence. He showed up without warning, causing a commotion in the women's side of Martin's tower. Overflowing with happy tears, Mrs. Edward told Whit that his father was in the basement, showing the royal regalia to his good friends. The young man hurried downstairs. And on the stairs he ran into the priest, who was hurrying towards the exit, accompanied by two young men.
The lieutenant went down to the basement and saw his father, tied up, lying on the floor. He freed Talbot from his bonds and rushed in pursuit, shouting loudly: “Treason! They stole the crown! …
The Tower itself, being an important strategic site in London, was well guarded. Therefore, the guards immediately ran to the screams. Thomas Blood proved himself to be a desperate brave man and an excellent marksman: he shot at least three soldiers before the head of the Tower's security could capture him.
Only the "nephew" of the false priest managed to hide from his pursuers: his further fate is not known. And Thomas Blood and his accomplices were imprisoned in the Tower Prison, where, according to the expectations of Londoners, they had to sit until the gallows. No one doubted that the daring robbers would certainly be executed. The most cunning townspeople began to rent rooms in advance in houses overlooking the square, where death sentences were usually carried out. But everything turned out differently.
TALK WITH THE KING ONLY
It turned out that Thomas Blood had once fought on the side of Cromwell and received not only the rank of colonel for military services, but also a decent estate in Ireland. Alas, he lost all this when Charles II regained power in 1660. Thomas Blood harbored a grudge and decided to get even with the king. They had to wait for 11 years, during which the former supporter of Cromwell managed to prove himself in the fields of cattle breeder and doctor, and along the way to take part in a couple of rebellions against royal power. A reward was announced for his head - 1000 pounds, a huge amount! Therefore, for a while he hid and turned into Dr. Allen from Essex. But for a general practitioner, blood was too hot in his veins: taking advantage of the temporary lull, living in the wilderness of Rumford, he developed a plan to rob the Tower. And I could not resist the temptation to implement it!
Once imprisoned, he refused to answer the questions of the jailers, stating that he would speak only with the king. And what do you think? Charles II, nicknamed "the jolly king", took a liking to the Irish audacity. He ordered to deliver the rebel and robber to the royal residence in Whitehall.
The details of the conversation between the impudent thief and the sovereign are unknown, but in the end, Charles II not only pardoned Thomas Blood, but also returned his Irish estates to him, and at the same time appointed him a pension of 500 pounds …
As for the twisted royal regalia, the court jewelers returned them to their former beauty and put them back in the cellars of the tower of St. Martin, where they were in 1841, until the great fire in the Tower forced them to change their "place of residence" …
Vlad ROGOV