THE CROWNING OF BRITAIN'S KING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1160, 22 June 1911, Page 9

THE CROWNING OF BRITAIN'S KING.

O VER a year has elapsed between the death of King Edward VII and tho Coronation of his successor, George V. In olden days there was no such dolay between the commencement' of a reign and the crowning. From ' the days when first there was a King of the English down to the time of Edward I, accession and Coronation were practically synonymous terms. The monarch did not suc- . ceed to the throne until tho act of sacring had been performed, and up to that date tho years of.the Sovereign's reign began on the day of his Coronation. Now the King is proclaimed months before his Coronation, but accession by proclamation began in quite ,an accidental way. When Henry 111 died, on November 16, 1272, Edward was in Palestine. There was no rival claimant to the Crown and no English party in any way hostile ,to his accession'. The busi- : npss in which tho Prince was engaged did not seem to permit of an early return to his native shores, biit it was felt that something i should be done to secure the succession. This led to the first re- > corded pre-coronation proclamation. .On tho Sunday following his father's death Edward was formally proclaimed King in tho new Temple Church. Owing to the King's long-continued absence, the actual Coronation of Edward I and Oueen Eleanor in Westminster Abbey did not take place until August, 127-1. The' precedents that had prevailed for centuries having been thus broken down, the longprevalent ideas as to the synchronising of the Coronation and accession were lost sight of as 'future Kings and Queens passed away. At the death of Edward I, Edward II was proclaimed, and his legal reign began on tho following day, but between seven and eight months elapsed before the Coronation. The special reason for tho delay in this case arose from tho King's desiro to defer tho ceremonial until his marriage with Isabella had been accomplished. Edward II deposed on January 20, 1327; Edward 111 was proclaimed and his reign began on Sunday, January 25, whilst tho Coronation did not take place until tho following Sunday, February 1. From that time to the present there has always been a certain delay between the death of one Sovereign and the Coronation of the successor. .. ..., .. .. .. ... ..- : ■ '"'coronation service. - j o , of. the Ceremonial. ■ .The following is. a description of to-day's Coronation service in Westminster Abbey:— Entering the Abbey at the West Door the King and Queen; attended by Royal officials, Officers of State, and the Clergy, pass through nave;and choir to the "theatre,", which is the name given ' to the space directly under the lantern, and consequently at the junction of the choir, transepts, and Communion enclosure. Hero the ~ i floor will have, been raised to the same height as that of the Communion enclosure, and in the centre, below the lantern, will stand two thrones. Nearer to the altar will be two chairs with faldstools, At the latter their Majesties kneel in private prayer, after which they seat themselves in tho chairs on a slightly lower level than the thiones. Then comes what is officially called ..the. '"Recognition," or, in other words, the presentation of King to people. The Primate, with the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord High Constable, and the Earl Marshal, all preceded by Garter King of Arms, go' successively to the east, south, west, and north sides of the theatre, which are taken in the order here given, and at each place the Primate cries aloud: "Sirs, I here present unto you King George, the undoubted King of this Realm; wherefore all you who J are come this day -to do your homage, are you willing to do the same?" As no doubt the answer will be tho same as it has been on similar occasions in the past, the people will reply with acclamations and shouts of "God Save King George." At the same time his Majesty, ; 'stahding by'his chair, turns first to one side and then to another as the Archbishop makes his successive announcements. This part of the ceremony ends with the sounding of trumpets, • after which the King and Queen go to chairs set for them on the south side of the Communion Table. Then noblemen who carry the "Regalia, excepting those who bear the Swords, present . their burdens to the Primate, who delivers them to the Dean of Westminster to be placed by him upon the altar. Tho Litany, suug by two Bishops, follows, and then comes the beginning of the Com- - munion Service. During tho sermon, their Majesties keep to the 'chairs on the south' side of the Communion Table. And whereas the King was Uncovered during the Litany and the first part of the Communion Service, when the sermon begins lie puts on his Cap of crimson'velvet, turned un with ermine, and so continues to tho end of the discourse. On his right stands tho Bishop of Durham and the'peers carrying tho Swords; on his left the Bishop of Bath ' and Wells aiid tho Lord Great Chamberlain, who on this occasion >, is to be' Earl Carrington. The two Bishops who support the Queen stand on either side of her, whereas it is the customary privilege of the. Bishops .of Durham and : ' Bath and Wells to do that service for the King. Tho lady train-bearer and her assistants attend tho Queen not only, at this point, but throughout the ceremony. The Oath. There are people who confound-the Oath taken by the King tin his Coronation with the Declaration made by him when he first • ■meets Parliament. They are, however, very different. It was tho Declaration which gave offence to Roman Catholics, and has, therc- .. fore, been modified. The nature of the Oath is seen in what follows: — " The Primate (standing before the King)— Sir, is.your Majesty willing to take the Oath? The Iving—i am willing. The Primate—Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging. according to the statutes in Parliament agreed on and the respective laws and -customs of the same? ' Tho King—l solemnly promise so to do. The Primate—Will you to your power cause law and justice in .mercy to be executed in all your judgments? Tho King—l will. Tho Primate—Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the laws of God, the true profession of tho Gospel, and the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? And will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of tho Church of Eng-. land and. the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof as by ]aw established in England? And will you preserve unto tho*. bishops and clergy of England and to the Church committed to their charge all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them? The King—All this I promise to do. ' So saying, his Majesty, arising from' his chair and preceded by the. Sword of State, goes towards the altar, where ho uncovers and kneels upon the steps while the Primate presents him the "Great Bible" open at the Gospels. Laying his right hand on the Book his Majesty says: "The things which I have herebeforo promised I will perform and keep, so help me God." "Then the King kisseth the Book and signeth the Oath." 1 • The Anointing The hymn "Come, 'Holy Ghost/' a prayer, and the anthem, "Zadok tho Priest" having been heard, his Majesty rises again

ifrom the chair, to which ho had returned after taking the Oath, and having with the assistance of the Lord Great Chamb.eilain taken oil his Cap of State and crimson robes, sits in St. Edward's Chair, placed between the Communion Table and the Throne, where four Knights of the Garter hold over him a canopy of rich material. Meanwhile tlio Dean of 'Westminster pours some of the holy oil from the ampulla into the quaint old spoon used for tlio purpose, and the Primate, taking oil from the spoon, anoints his Majesty on the crown of the head, on the breast, and on the palms of both hands, making the mark of tlio cross in' each case, and finally ■ saying: "And-as Solomon was anointed King of-Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be you anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over this people, whom the Lord your God hath given you to rule and govern." Afterwards his Majesty kneels at his faldstool while the Archbishop prays for a blessing 011 lim. For a minute the King reseats himself in St. Edward's Chair while the Knights of the Garter take away the canopy, and then the Dean of Westminster puts on his Majesty the Colobium Sindonis and tho Supertunica, or Close Pall. The first-named garment may be described as a sleeveless surplice of fine white cambric trimmed with lace. The second is f- sliort-slecved tunic of cloth of gold, over which is worn a sword belt. Tho great spurs, or, as they are sometimes called, tho golden spurs, are brought from the altar by the Dean of Westminster and delivered to the Lord Great Chamberlain, who, kneeling down, touchcs his Majesty's heels therewith and sends them back to tho \ Communion Table. Then the bearer of the Sword of State hands it to tho Great Lord Chamberlain and receives another in a scabbard of purple velvet, which he hands to the Primate, who lays it on the altar and offers a short prayer. Having done so, ho takes the weapon again, and accompanied by tho Archbishop of York, tho Bishops of London and Winchester and other prelates, delivers it I . into tho King's right hand. After the weapon has been girt 011 his Majesty by the Lord Great Chamberlain tlio Primate says: "With • this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity, protect tho holy Church of God, help and defend - widows and orphans, restore tho things that are i gone to decay, maintain tho tilings that are rel stored, punish and'i'cfo'rnr what is amiss,-and confirm what is in good order." After this exhortation his Majesty, rising, ungirds tho | sword, and going to the altar offers it there, after which ho rcI turns to St. jjdward's Chair, while tho Peer who had first received 1 tho weapon "offereth the price of it, and-'having thus redeemed it;" receives it from the Dean of Westminster, and during tho rest of the solemnity carries it unsheathed before, tho King. Once more his Majesty stands while tho :Dean of Westminster clothes him in- the Imperial Mantle, tho clasps of which are fastened by the Lord Great 'Chamberlain! Sitting down, King George receives the Orb from the Primate, who admonishes him in theso words: "And when you see this Orb set under the Cross remember, that the whole world is subject to the power and.empire of Christ our Redeemer." His Majesty returns the emblem at once to tho Dean of Westminster, and tlio Primate proceeds to the "Investiture per annulum et baculum." Taking the King's King 110 puts it on the fourth finger of his Majesty's right hand, saying: "Rcceivo this Ring, tho. ensign of Kingly dignity and of defcncc of tho ■ Catholic . Faith." Delivering the Sceptre with tho Cross, into his Majesty's right hand, the Archbishop says: "Receive tho Royal Sceptre, tho ensign of Kingly power and justice," j and placing the Sceptre with tho Dove in the King's left hand, 110 adds: "Receive tho Rod of equity and mercy. Be so merciful that you bo not too remiss. So execute justice that you forget not mercy. Punish the wicked, protect and cherish tho just, and lead your people in the way wherein they should go." The Crowning. All this time St. Edward's Crown has been lying 011 the Altar, and now the Primate' offers a brief prayer over it, after which 110 places it 011 the head of King George, seated in tho venerable Chair which has served at so many English Coronations. Thereupon the people cry: "God Save tho King," the Peers and Kings of Arms put 011 their Coronets, the trumpets sound, and "tho great guns of the Tower are shot off." In ancient days there was a deal of guesswork as to when the great guns of tho Tower Should bo "shot off," bat, thanks to telephone and telegraph, tho public may now be suro when they hear the artillery that the Royal Crown has only just been assumed. Tho choir, seated in a temporary gallery above their usual places, then'sing "Be Strong and Play the Man," after which tho Archbishop presents the Bible to his Majesty with theso words: "Our gracious King, we present you with this Book, tho most valuable tiling that this world affords. Here is wisdom, This is the Royal law. These are the lively oracles of God." And now, tho King having been anointed and crowned, and having received all the insignia of Royaltyj the Primate solemnly blesses him, after which the choir sings the To Deuin, and his Majesty returns to the Chair on which ho first sat, between tho Throne, and tho Communion enclosure, the Bishops of Durham and Bath "and Wells and tho Royal Officers attending him, with the Swords carried in advance. The enthronement, or, as it is officially called, the "inthronissation," is a very brief ceremony. It is understood that the King is "lifted up" into his Throne by the Archbishops' and Bishops and other Peers, but the lifting is, as may be supposed, very nominal indeed. When it is completed all the Great Officers, those that bea>- the Swords and Sceptres, and the nobles who had borne tho other Regalia, stand round the steps of the Throne, while tho Primate, erect before the Monarch, addresses him thus: "Stand firm and hold fast from henceforth tho seat and state of Royal and Imperial dignity, which'is this day delivered unto you in the name and by the authority of Almighty God, and by the hands of us tho Bishops and servants of God, though unworthy, and as you see us to approach nearer to God's altar so vouchsafe tho more graciously to continue to. us your Royal favour and protection. And the Lord God Almighty, whoso ministers we arc and the stewards of His mysteries, establish your Throne in righteousness 1 that it may stand fast for evermore like the sun before Him and as. the faithful witness in Heaven." In tho doing homage there.is, of course, a considerable amount of concerted action, for if cach individual went through. tho ccremouy separately it would bo almost interminable. While the Primate kneels at tho King's feet the rest of tho Bishops kneel in their places, simultaneously repeating: "I will bo faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you, our Sovereign Lord and your heirs, Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. And I will do and truly acknowledge tlio service of tho lands I claim to hold of you as in right of tlio Church. So help me God." Tho Archbishop "kissoth tho King's left check," but tho other Prelates aro dispensed from that ceremony It is then the turn of tho Royal Family. Tlio Princo of Wales, taking of his coronet, kneels before his father, while the other Princes of the Blood Royal, also removing their coronets, kneel in their places and pronounce the words of homage after tho Heir Apparent thus: "I —7- do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship and faith and truth I will boar unto you to live and die against all manner of folks. So help me God." In cach case, of course,'tho blank is filled with tho name, of tho person speaking. Without exception tlio Royal Princes kiss tho Monarch's left cheek, and also touch tlio Crown on his head ns a sign that they will be ever ready to support tho Crown. Afterwards tho other Peers do homage, Dukes first, Marquises second, Earls third, Viscounts fourth,- and Barons last, the senior of each Order kneeling at tho Sovereign's feet and touching tho Crown, while his follows-kneel-in their .placos; Tho declaration in