Chapter 9 of 17 · 3990 words · ~20 min read

Part 9

"Right trusty and well-beloved cousin, we greet you well. Whereas we have appointed the 23d day of April next for the solemnity of our royal coronation. These are, therefore, to will and command you, all excuses set apart, that you make your personal attendance on us, at the time above mentioned, furnished and appointed, as to your rank and quality appertaineth, there to do and perform such services as shall be required and belonging to you. And whereas we have also resolved, that the coronation of our Royal Consort the Queen shall be solemnized on the same day; we do further require the [Countess] your wife to make her personal attendance on our said Royal Consort, at the time, and in the manner aforesaid: whereof you and she are not to fail. And so we bid you heartily farewell. Given at our Court at Whitehall, the 21st day of March, in the first year of our reign, 1684-5."

In the "Explanation of the Sacred and Royal Habits, and other Ornaments, wherewith the King was invested," Sandford mentions a tablet which hung to the royal chair, and on which were "written, in the Old English letter, these verses"--

Si quid habent veri vel chronica cana fidesve, Clauditur hac cathedra nobilis ecce lapis, Ad caput eximus Jacob quondam patriarcha Quem posuit cernens numina mira poli: Quem tulit ex Scotis spolians quasi victor honoristhan Edwardus Primus, Mars velut armipotens, Scotorum domitor, notis validissimus Hector, Anglorum decus, et gloria militiae.

This must, therefore, have been destroyed since King James's coronation, for it is now lost. There is but one objection to ascribing the verses, with Mr. Taylor, to Edward the First's reign--would he have written "Edwardus _Primus_?"

The queen's crown of state, or that worn on her return from Westminster Hall, seems to have been the most valuable part of the regalia of that day. It is regularly set forth, in its component pearls and diamonds, as of "value 111,900_l._" (an immense sum at that period), and weighing only eighteen ounces ten pennyweights.

King James and his Queen slept at St. James's Palace on the vigil of St. George, "for the greater convenience of performing their devotions," &c.; and joined the peers and other dignitaries at the Palace of Westminster, by "half an hour after ten." Here the latter were marshalled according to their respective classes, _four_ in a rank; placing the youngest on the left, pursuant to what had been before resolved on by his majesty in council, for "the greater glory of the solemnity:" and "note," says our accurate chronicler, "that at _all_ former coronations the classes proceeded only by two abreast." The king and queen entered Westminster Hall at half past eleven o'clock precisely; when the dean of Westminster "having, early in the morning, with the assistance of the prebendaries, consecrated the holy oil for their majesties' anointing," (in what manner we are not informed), presented the regalia to the king. Then the queen's regalia were placed before her; and the several noblemen and gentlemen who were to bear the different symbols of royalty to the Abbey were summoned to receive them; the whole procession being ready to move forward exactly at _noon_.

Now came the stately pomp of England's royalty and nobility "through the New Palace Yard into King Street, and so through the Great Sanctuary unto the west door of the collegiate church of St. Peter," as depicted by Sandford in "nineteen sculptures following," or, as modern book-manufacturers would say, in thirty-eight well-executed folio plates, which give the exact appearance of "each degree and order of person in the same," and really form an admirable memorial of such a procession.

The twelve principal ceremonies assigned by this writer to the Abbey are the same in substance with the modern observances. It is noticed by Mr. Taylor that Sandford is the author who _first_ terms the presentation of the monarch to the people, and their reply, "the recognition."

The king sat down in St. Edward's chair; and the archbishop, assisted by the dean of Westminster, "reverently put the crown on the king's head" at three of the clock precisely. The queen, having been first anointed on her head and breast, was now crowned and enthroned, and the procession returned to the Hall at "five of the clock."

The first course of the "ambigue" appears to have consisted of "ninety-nine dishes of the most excellent and choicest of all sorts of cold meats, both flesh and fish, excellently well dressed, and ordered all manner of ways;" and the whole feast of 1445 dishes, of the placing of which we have a numbered scheme (a folio plate), and catalogues corresponding. Could this _provoking_ volume present its viands to some of our other senses in equal perfection with that in which "the first course of hot meat served up to their majesties' table" meets the eye, it were more reasonable to detain the reader over this part of the work; but, at the late hour of the morning at which we write this, it is too much to dwell on the "cocks' combs," and "petty-toes" and "turkeys-a-la-royale," and "partridges by the dozen," with which it abounds.

The appearance of the champion and the challenge were exactly according to modern usage.

Sandford concludes with an abstract of the record of the Court of Claims, giving both those which were admitted and those which were rejected. The following is a form of judgment respecting the office of lord great chamberlain:--

"Quarum quidem petitionum consideratione matura habita, eo quod idem Comes de Lyndsey modo existit in possessione et executione officii praedicti, et quod Robertus non ita pridem Carolum Primum faelicissimae memoriae, tunc Regem Angliae, de advisamento Dominorum in Parliamento; quod quidem officium Montague nuper Comes Lyndsey pater ejus, cujus haeres ipse est executus est in coronatione Caroli Secundi nuper Regis Angliae. Ideo consideratum est per commissionarios praedictos quod clameum praedicti Comitis de Lyndsey ad officium praedictum eidem Comiti de Lyndsey allocetur, exercendum praedicto die Coronationis; et quod clameum praedicti Comitis Derbiae non allocetur; sed quoad feoda et vadia per dictum Comitem de Lyndsey clamata, clameum ejus quoad poculum de Assay non allocatur, eo quod non constabat praedictis commissionariis Magnum Angliae Camerarium dictum poculum aliqua precedenti coronatione habuisse. Sed quod alia clamea praedicta eidem Comiti de Lyndsey allocantur.

"Et postea et ante coronationem praedietam dicta quadraginta Virgatae Velveti eidem Comiti deliberatae fuere: et pro reliquis feodis praedictis compositio facta est cum praedicto Comiti, pro ducentis libris sterlingorum, et praedictus Comes de Lyndsey officium Magni Camerarii Angliae in die Coronationis adimplevit."

And thus the reader has a summary of the contents of this important work.

James II. boasts, in his Memoirs, of having saved the country 60,000_l._ by the omission (for the first time) of the royal procession through the city, at his coronation.

The coronation of WILLIAM and MARY presented the singular feature of a joint sovereignty over these realms, conferred by public consent. The only alteration this made in the ceremonial was, that another symbol of sovereign power, the orb, was required, and presented in due form to the queen as well as to the king. The new-modelling of the coronation oath, at this period, we have before noticed[109].

It is certainly remarkable that neither of our married queens regnant, MARY or ANNE, should have obtained the coronation of their husbands: in neither case was conjugal influence wanted; but the superior force of the people's jealousy of foreign sway was, perhaps, wisely deferred to: in neither reign were other subjects of strife wanted between the crown and the people.

The princes of the illustrious House now seated on the throne have affected no novelties in their coronation ceremonies--except, perhaps, that they have endeavoured to simplify and abridge them. GEORGE I. ascended the throne at the age of fifty-five, and was crowned at Westminster, on the 20th of October, 1714. His consort, the Princess Sophia Dorothy of Zell, having fallen under his displeasure for alleged infidelity to her marriage vows, and having been, it is said, divorced from him by the Hanoverian law, was never brought into this country; and never, therefore, acknowledged Queen of England. GEORGE II. was crowned with his consort, at Westminster, on the 11th day of October, 1727.

Our late beloved monarch had the happiness of exhibiting to his people the splendid spectacles of his marriage and coronation within the same month of September, 1761. On the 8th of July, in that year, the king first announced to the privy council his intention of demanding in marriage the Princess Charlotte of Mecklenberg, sister of the reigning Duke Adolphus IV., and on the same day signed a proclamation for the assembling of the Court of Claims, and for his own coronation. The queen, being detained by contrary winds, did not arrive in this country until the 6th of September; on the 8th the nuptial ceremony was performed; on the 11th a second proclamation directed that her majesty should be united with her royal consort in the pending coronation ceremonies. These so far varied from that august ceremonial which has recently occupied the public attention, as the presence of a queen consort in the procession to the Abbey, and at the royal feast; her personal attendants; and the body of the peeresses, may be thought to give additional interest and splendour to the scene. The queen entered Westminster Hall the same hour as his majesty, and occupied a chair of state at his left hand, while the regalia were presented by the Dean of Westminster and his attendants. In the procession to the Abbey her majesty's vice-chamberlain took his place immediately following the gentlemen who personated the Dukes of Aquitaine and Normandy, and was succeeded by the other part of the queen's state in the following order:--

The Queen's Vice-Chamberlain, (Lord Viscount Cantalupe,)

Two Gentlemen Ushers.

Two Serjeants at { The Queen's Crown, borne by } Two Serjeants at Arms, { the Duke of Bolton, } Arms, with their gilt collars { in his robes of estate. } with their gilt collars and maces. { } and maces.

G | e |A Baron of n |the Cinque-Ports,|Dr. t |supporting the |Thomas l |Canopy. e | |Lord m | e | n | | P |A Baron, do. e | n |A Baron, do. | s | | i | | o | | n |A Baron, do. | e | | r | | s | | , |A Baron, do. | | | c | | a | | r |A Baron, do. | r | | y | | i | | n |A Baron, do. | g | | | | t | | h |A Baron of e |the Cinque-Ports,|Lady i |supporting the | Montague. r |Canopy. | g | i | l | t | | A | x | e | s | . | | G +--------------+---------------+--------------+A Baron of | e | |Dr. |the Cinque-Ports,| n | THE |John |supporting the | t |Hayter, | QUEEN, |Thomas, |Canopy. | l | |Lord | | e |Bishop of |in her Royal |Bishop of | | m |Norwich, |Robes of |Lincoln, | | e |in his Rochet,|Crimson Velvet;|in his Rochet,| | n |supporter |on her |supporter | | |to the Queen. |head a circlet |to the Queen. |A Baron, do. | P +--------------+ +--------------+ | e of Gold, adorned with |A Baron, do. | n | | s Jewels; going under | | i | | o a Canopy of |A Baron, do. | n | | e Cloth of Gold: her Train | | r | | s borne by Her Royal |A Baron, do. | , | | Highness the | | c | | a Princess Augusta, |A Baron, do. | r | | r in her Robes of | | y | | i Estate, assisted by |A Baron, do. | n | | g Six Earls' daughters. | | | | t |Lady Jane Steuart. | Ldy. Mary Douglas |A Baron of | h Elizabeth | Lady Heneage |the Cinque-Ports | e | Finch. |supporting the | i |Lady Mary Grey. | L. Selina Hastings. |Canopy. | r +---------------------+-----------------------+ | | g THE PRINCESS AUGUSTA, | i | l her coronet borne by the Marquess of Carnarvon. | t | Duchess of Ancaster, Mistress of the Robes. | A | x Two Women of Her Majesty's Bed-Chamber. | e | s | .

The peeresses preceded their respective lords--each rank of the peerage being classed together; that is, the baronesses preceding the barons, the viscountesses the viscounts, and so forth. In the Abbey the queen first ascended the theatre, and stood opposite her chair until the king was seated. His majesty was then anointed and crowned: when the order for the queen's coronation prescribed as follows:--

The anthem being ended, the Archbishop of Canterbury goes to the altar; and the queen arising from her chair on the south side of the area where she sat during the time the king was anointed and crowned, being supported by two bishops, goes towards the altar, attended by the ladies who bear her train, the ladies of the bedchamber, &c., and kneels before it; when the archbishop, being at the north side of the altar, says the following prayer:--

(_Omnipotens sempiterne Deus._)

Almighty and everlasting God, the fountain of all goodness, give ear, we beseech thee, to our prayers, and multiply thy blessings upon this thy servant, whom in thy name, with all humble devotion, we consecrate our queen. Defend her always with thy mighty hand, protect her on every side, that she may be able to overcome all her enemies; and that with Sarah and Rebecca, Leah and Rachel, and all other blessed and honourable women, she may multiply and rejoice in the fruit of her womb, to the honour of the kingdom and the good government of thy church, through Christ our Lord, who vouchsafed to be born of a virgin that he might redeem the world, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.

This being done, the queen arises and goes to the faldstool, between king Edward's chair and the steps of the altar, where the groom of the stole to her majesty, and the ladies of the bedchamber, take off her circle or coronet. Then the queen kneels down, and the archbishop pours the holy oil on the crown of her head, in form of a cross, saying these words:--"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, let the anointing of this oil increase thine honour, and the grace of God's Holy Spirit establish thee for ever and ever. Amen."--The ladies then open her apparel for the anointing on the breast, which the archbishop also performs, using the same words. After which, he says this prayer:

(_Omnipotens sempiterne Deus._)

Almighty and everlasting God, we beseech thee of thy abundant goodness poor out the spirit of thy grace and blessing upon this thy servant queen----; that as by the imposition of our hands she is this day crowned queen, so she may, by thy sanctification, continue always thy chosen servant, through Christ our Lord.

One of the ladies in attendance (having first dried the place anointed with fine cotton wool) then closes the queen's robes at her breast, and after puts a linen coif upon her head; which being done, the archbishop puts the ring (which he receives from the master of the jewel-house) on the fourth finger of her right hand, saying,

Receive this ring, the seal of a sincere faith, that you may avoid all infection of heresy, and by the power of God compel barbarous nations, and bring them to the knowledge of the truth.

His grace then takes the crown from off the altar, and reverently sets it upon the queen's head, saying,

Receive the crown of glory, honour, and joy; and God, the crown of the faithful, who by our episcopal hands, though most unworthy, hath this day set a crown of pure gold upon thy head, enrich you with wisdom and virtue, that after this life you may meet the everlasting Bridegroom our Lord Jesus Christ, who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

The queen being crowned, all the peeresses put on their coronets; the archbishop then puts the sceptre into her majesty's right hand, and the ivory rod into her left, and says the following prayer:

(_Omnium Domine, fons bonorum._)

O Lord, the fountain of all good things, and the giver of all perfection, grant unto this thy servant ------ our queen, that she may order aright the high dignity she hath obtained, and with good works establish the glory thou hast given her, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The queen being thus anointed and crowned, and having received all her royal ornaments, the choirs sing an anthem, commonly from Psalm xlv. ver. 1, "My heart is inditing of a good matter," &c. As soon as this is begun, the queen rises from her faldstool, and, being supported by the two bishops, and attended as before, goes up to the theatre: as she approaches the king, she bows herself reverently to his majesty sitting upon his throne; and so is conducted to her own throne on the left hand of the king, where she reposes till the anthem is ended.

The dignity of the monarch, as well as his humility on this august occasion, have been celebrated by the late Bishop Newton. "The king's whole behaviour at the coronation," he says, "was justly admired and commended by every one, and particularly his manner of seating himself on the throne after his coronation. No actor in the character of Pyrrhus, in the Distressed Mother,--not even Booth himself, who was celebrated for it in the Spectator[110],--ever ascended the throne with so much grace and dignity. There was another particular which those only could observe who sat near the Communion-Table, as did the prebendaries of Westminster. When the king approached the communion-table, in order to receive the sacrament, he inquired of the archbishop, Whether he should not lay aside his crown? The archbishop asked the Bishop of Rochester, but neither of them knew, nor could say, what had been the usual form. The king determined within himself that humility best became such a solemn act of devotion, and took off the crown, and laid it aside during the administration."

That one of the last of the unfortunate race of the Stuarts, Prince Charles, was in London, if not present at the coronation feast, on this occasion, seems to be a fact pretty well established. The Gentleman's Magazine, 1764, (p. 28,) speaks of it as "publicly said, That the young Pretender himself came from Flanders to see the coronation; that he was in Westminster Hall (?) during the ceremony, and in London two or three days before and after it, under the name of Mr. Brown." And Mr. Hume thus writes to one of his literary friends:--"What will surprise you more, Lord Marshal, a few days after the coronation of the present king, told me, that he believed the young Pretender was at that time in London, or, at least, had been so very lately, and had come over to see the show of the coronation, and had actually seen it. I asked my lord the reason for this strange fact. 'Why,' says he, 'a gentleman told me so who saw him there, and whispered in his ear--'Your royal highness is the last of all mortals whom I should expect to see here.'--'It was curiosity that led me,' said the other: 'but I assure you,' added he, 'that the person who is the cause of all this pomp and magnificence, is the man I envy the least.'" A report recently found its way to the public papers, which we have not been able to trace to any authentic source, that a glove was actually thrown from an upper seat in the Hall, as a gage to the king's champion, at this period: that the champion receiving it from his attendants, asked, 'who was his fair foe?' and that the rumour of the day soon connected it with the appearance, and attributed it to the romantic dispositions of the young Chevalier.

Of the late coronation we shall at once consult the best feelings of our own mind, and of the community, by presenting the most copious account we have been able to collect:--

CORONATION

His Most Excellent Majesty

KING GEORGE IV.,

_On Thursday the 19th day of July, 1821._

ARRANGEMENT FOR THE ASSEMBLING OF THE PEERS AND OFFICERS.

{Their R. H. the Dukes of { the Blood Royal, in their { robes of estate, having { their coronets, and the { Field Marshals their batons, { in their hands. {The Peers in their robes of { estate, having their coronets { in their hands. _They were to assemble in {His R. H. Prince Leopold, the House of Lords_ { in the full habit of the { Order of the Garter, having { his cap and feathers { in his hand. {The Archbishops and Bishops, { vested in their { rochets, having their { square caps in their { hands.

_In his place near the Bar_ {The Gentleman Usher of { the Black Rod.

_In the space below the Bar {The Train-bearers of the of the House of Lords_ { Princes of the Blood { Royal.

{The Attendants on the Lord { High Steward, on the { Lord Chancellor, the Lord _In the space below the Bar_ { High Constable, and on _of the House of Lords_ { the Lord Chamberlain { of the Household. {The Gentlemen Ushers of the { White and Green Rods, { all in their proper habits.

{The Lord Chief Justice of { the King's Bench. {The Master of the Rolls. {The Vice-Chancellor. {The Lord Chief Justice of { the Common Pleas. {The Lord Chief Baron. {The Barons of the Exchequer, { and Justices of both _In the Painted Chamber_ { Benches. _and adjacent rooms, near_ {The Gentlemen of the Privy _the House of Lords_ { Chamber. {The Attorney and Solicitor { General. {Serjeants at Law. {Masters in Chancery. {The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, { Recorder, & Sheriffs { of London. {King's Chaplains, having { dignities. {Six Clerks in Chancery.

{The Knights Grand Crosses { of the Order of the Bath, _In the Chamber formerly_ { in the full habit of the _the House of Lords_ { Order, wearing their collars; { their caps and feathers { in their hands.

{The Knights Commanders { of the said Order, in { their full habits; their { caps and feathers in their _In the Chamber formerly { hands. the House of Lords_ {The Officers of the said { Order, in their mantles, { chains, and badges.

{The Treasurer and Comptroller { of the Household. {The Vice-Chamberlain. {The Marquis of Londonderry, { in the full habit of _In the Chamber formerly { the Garter, having his called the Prince's Chamber { cap and feathers in his or Robing Room, near { hand. the former House of {The Register of the said Lords_ { Order, in his mantle, { with his book. {Privy Councillors, not { being Peers or Knights { Grand Crosses of the { Bath. { Clerks of the Council in { Ordinary.

_In his Majesty's Robing {The Train-bearers of his Chamber, near the south { Majesty. entrance into Westminster {Master of the Robes. Hall_ {Groom of the Robes.