ROYAL CUSTOMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 60, 27 March 1937, Page 9

ROYAL CUSTOMS

Jollity at Coronation

■ The British Monarchy has behind it. a long tradition of unsurpassed magnificence and pomp, and to-day it etands alone in this respect. Nowhere else in the world is to be seen. such stately splendour, such gorgedus pageantry, as will be provided by the approaching Coronation. Nevertheless, the tendency during succeeding reigns, even in the British House, has been towards steadily increasing simplicity; until with the present King George we recognise a Monarch of whom this attitude is one of the most striking charaeteristics. Basically, the Coronation xitual has remained unchanged for more than 800 years: but, one by one, many of the more spectacular usages connected with the crowning of the Kings of Great Britain have passed into disuse, and the present Coronation is eertain to add further instances to this rule. The practice of distributing Coronation mugs aud medals, for example, can hardly compare in picturesqueness with 1 ' the letting loose of flve hundred horses — catch- them as catch might," which, we are told, was one of the magnificent gestures which marked the crowning of Hing Edward T.

Splendid as will undoubtedly be the Coronation banquet of our present King, the Royal guests are unlikely — foriunately for themselves, perhaps — to be faeed with such an excessive profusion of viands as awaited the guests at the crowning of his first illustrious namesake. For 380 head of cattle, 430 sheep, 450 pigs, 18 wild boars, 278 flitches of bacon, and nearly 20,000* capons and fowls were ordered for that feast. In such circumstances, it eeems bardly surprising that a kitchen "of extraordinary size" had to be specially built at Westminster for the occasioa. Another lavish Coronation cnstom which we are unlikely ever to see again is the provision of fountains, running with wine, for the populace. History relates that, on the occasion of Richard n.'s Coronation, a great gilt eagle in the palace yard court yard dischaxged from underneath its clows red and white wine throughout the day, for all who chose to partake of it. While, on the dull and rainy day when Henry of Lancaster rode bareheaded through the City of London, from the Tower to Westminster, nine fountains in Cheapsidfe ran red and whitf wine all that Tn v nnd the nexf