THE CORONATION OF GEORGE IV.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11347, 9 August 1902, Page 12

THE CORONATION OF GEORGE IV.

AN EXCITING INCIDENT,

In 1821, people were rushing into the Abbey in crowds at five o'clock on the morning, and every place was occupied before nine, the King entering at eleven. On the following morning at six o'clock there were two thousand ladies and gentlemen sleeping on the benches of the House of Lords, the Peers being wrapped up in their robes, and cocked hats serving as pillows. Some six hundred carriages were unable to approach either Abbey or Hall to bring back their owners, and spent the night in the streets, many of the horses being taken out, while the servants slept either in the carriages or on the pavement. George IV., who arrived at the Abbey at a quarter to eleven, did not get away from Westminster Hall until nine o'clock, but he retired for an hour between the Coronation and the banquet, to take a bath and change his linen.

There was a most exciting scene at the Coronation banquet, when Glengarry, who Was in full Highland garb, jumped into the peeresses' box, shouted furiously that be had been defrauded of his rights in the refusal to restore some title, and drew from his belt a pistol, which he pointed at the King. He was instantly pinioned, and carried out by six constables, who found that his pistol was unloaded. Gl—lgarry was supposed to be the original of Maclvor in "Waverley." He was described by Scott as a Highland chief of the old feudal school, and moat sensible people regarded him as a barbarous sava_».