Seat Prices for Past Coronations

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Seat Prices for Past Coronations

ONCE HALF-A-FARTHING At Edward I.’s Coronation tho demand for a seat was half a farthing, writes Hugh W. Milner, in the Sydney Morning Herald. At Edward ll.’s the people had doubled either their wealth or their passion for Royal shows, for the price of a seat had risen to an entire farthing. At Edward lll.’s it was a halfpenny. At Richard 11. ’s it was a penny, and tho chronicle T,O- ho witnessed the event seems to ffilnit that the show was not worth the money, as the King was only 11. At Henry IV.'s it was still a penny. Edward V. was popular, aud the pebple paid down to the extent of twopence in testimony of their admiration. Henry VI., of whom Shakespeare says 11 that he could neither fight nor fly,” was no favourite, yet old English liberality prevailed, and gave twopence to seo him crowned. But Coronations became more frequent in the chronicled time than was good for the setters of windows; the market was choked, and the prices dropped from their original loyal elevation of twopence to a penny, thence to a halfpenny, and, in some disastrous instances, “tho glory of regality” might be seen for nothing. Better times then came ‘round, and Edward IV. saw the price of a seat at twopence once more. Here it seemed to have gravitated, and twopence was the price at the Coronations of Richard 111. and Henry VII. But those were days of trouble, and the wisdom of Englishmen was better occupied in preserving the few pence left to them by the York and Lancaster plunderings. The country grew opulent and curious again, and allowed fourpence for a view of Henry VIII. ’s Coronation. The same amount was upheld in the days of Edward VI., and even in those of Queen Mary, who had, however, been poular, and had ascended her throne with an oath to preserve Protestanism. The nation exulted in Elizabeth’s appearance, and in their joy disbursed a sixpence. The progress of liberality and loyalty were henceforth rapid, for James I. and Charles I. each brought a shilling. Half a Crown for Charles 11. Charles 11. found the nation in a paroxysm of absurd joy, and it was beheld at the expense of half a crown, the most rapid advance on record, and to be altogether attributed to the rapture of getting rid of the Roundheads. James 11. obtained the same price, and it is observed that, but in a single- instance of Henry VI. ’s tumultuous and overwhelmed time, the prices, once raised on popular folly, have never fallen. William and Queen Anne saw them advance half a crown more, and they were worth it, says the chronicler. The House of Brunswick, now Windsor, came among us when we were a divided nation, and it was thought too formidable an experiment by tne scaffold-makers to raise their prices, while the Jacobites were so fully determined not to see; the scats thus continued at a crown. Jacobitism was gradually giving away during the reign of George I. under a process of exile, starving among the Highlands, or in chains in the Englisn castles, and at last George H.’s Coronation loyalty spoke out, and bid up to half a guinea. It can. be seen from history that, when the Coronation found England without a disturber at home, and with nothing but triumphs abroad, the prices accordingly sprang up to an extravagance unparalleled. The front seats in the galleries in Westminster Abbey were let at 10 guineas and upwards each. Beats in the street were from one guinea to 10, and every tile from which a glimpse of the procession could be had was a place of eager canvassing. At the Coronation of George IV. from three to 10 guineas were demanded for seats, but with little success. At William IV.’s Coronation prices were lower, but at the Queen’s as much as 20 pounds were paid for a seat.