KINGS OF ENGLAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 31, 7 December 1943, Page 3

KINGS OF ENGLAND

SOME CHRISTMAS CORONATIONS

I On Christmas Day. 800, Charlemagne the Great was crowned Emperor of the West. The coronation,, according to contemporary accounts, was one ol' the most brilliant spectacles of the time. The year previously Leo IN", had (led from Rome under fear of assassination and placed himself under the protection of Charlemagne, and was so well treated and so deeply impressed that when he returned to the Vatican he gave his benefactor the title of Emperor of the West. Charlemagne was crowned with extraordinary pomp and ceremony. Several of the early Kings of England were crowned about Christmas time, among them Canute and Edward the Confessor, and the Christmas of 1 ()(),") was .signalised by three important occurrences: The consecration of Westminster Abbey, the death of Edward the Confessor, and the coronation of Harold, as his successor. But before twelve months were fully gone the English crown was sworn by still another. On Christmas Day,, .1 ()(>(>, William the Conqueror 'was crowned King of England by Archbishop Eaklred.

SURPRISK FOR POSTY Lt was Boxing Day. The postman ploughed his way through the snow and hitter wind with an unusually large sack of letters on his back, lie ascended the steps of a fashionable residence. and. in answer to- llii ring, a man servant, appeared. ''Wait a moment, please," said the servant, as ho. took the lettersj, ''the mistress wishes to speak to you." The letter carrier's eye brightened. It was the holiday season. He had done iiis duty with fidelity. In a lew minutes a richly-attired lady appeared. "Are you the regular postman?" "Yes. madam." "And the afternoon and evening?" Again he assented eagerly. Then the lady said with a frown: "Well, then, it. must have been vou who broke, our bell."