In1671,anIrish-borncolonel,ThomasBlood,attemptedtostealtheCrownJewelsofEnglandfromtheTowerofLondon.HestartedbybefriendingtheJewelKeeper,TalbotEdwards.Havingearnedhistrust,Bloodconvincedhimtoshowthejewelstotwoofhisfriends,whothenhitEdwardsontheheadwithamalletandknockedhimtothefloor,wherehewasbound,gaggedandstabbed.
IthappenedthatEdwards'son,returningfrommilitaryserviceinFlanders,chosethatmomenttovisithisfather.TheelderEdwards,managingtofreethegag,shouted,"TheCrownisstolen!"Bloodandhiscompanionstriedtoescape,butwerecaptured.Toeveryone'ssurprise,whenBloodwastakentothepalace,KingCharlesⅡnotonlypardonedhim,butgavehimIrishlandsworth£500ayear.
一六七一年，一個生於愛爾蘭的湯瑪斯．布拉德上校想盜取倫敦塔內國王冠劍等御寶，先設法和御寶監塔爾博特．愛德華茲交朋友，贏得他信任之後，說服愛德華茲讓他兩個朋友一看御寶。那兩人到來，用木槌砸愛德華茲頭顱，把他打倒地上，綁起來，封了嘴巴，並用刀刺傷。
剛巧愛德華茲的兒子在法蘭德斯服役後回國，到來探望父親。他父親掙脫了封嘴，大叫：「王冠給他們偷了！」布拉德和兩個同謀想逃，但被抓住。布拉德被押解王宮。出乎大家意料的是，國王查理二世不但赦免其罪，還賜他每年租值五百英鎊的愛爾蘭土地。