THE CORONATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXI, Issue LXII, 7 April 1911, Page 3

THE CORONATION.

The approach of the Coronation prompts a paragraph writer in the x all Mall Gazette to recall that the Stuarts were not fortunate in their Coronations and j-processions. A pestilence was raging at the time of the Coronation of James the First, and the only procession was between the Hall and the Abbey. It is recorded by an eye-witness that the Queen went to the Coronation with her seemly hair down-hanging on her princely shoulders, and on her head a crownet of goid. (She so wildly saluted her new subjects that the women, weeping, cried out with one voice, "God bless the Royal Queen. Welcome j to England. Long live and continue." This Queen was Anne of Denmark, and the warmth of her welcome recalls that given to another Danish Princess two hundred and seventy years later. Charles the First's Coronation was marred by the refusal of the Queen to join the procession, to be crowned, or to take any part in the ceremony at the Abbey, ''even from a latticed box." She watched the procession from a window in Whitehall. Of the Coronation of Charles the Second Pepys records that Glynne, once iiecorder of London, was injured by. his horse falling upon him. it was the custom at that time for the "King's Serjeants' to ride in the procession. Pepys adds that Glynne is "'like to die, and people do please themselves to see how just God is to punish the rogue at such a time as this.' At the same time a woman had her eye put out "by a boy's flinging a firebrand into her coach in King street." James the Second frugally dispensed with the cavalcade from the Tower, thus saving £60,000, on the other hand, he loaded the Queen with jewels of the value of £111,900. it was ominous that when the crown was placed on James' head, it tottered, it had been made for Charles the Second, j and had not been altered. Henry Sydney put out his hand to steady it, saying: "This is not the first time, your Majesty, that my family has supported the crown." A ludicrous incident at the Coronation of William and Mary was the dreadful pause which occurred , when the bason was presented for tiie Royal offering. Neither King nor Queen had any money, but the situation was saved by Danby, who produced the necessary gold. One historian remarks that he had taken sufficient of the public money to be able to afford this payment. MANTLE OF GEORGE IV. The interesting announcement is made that it is the intention of the King to use, at the forthcomng Coronation, the Imperial mantle of George IV., and not that worn by King Edward in 1902. Custom formerly ordained that, in return for various services rendered during and after the Coronation ceremony, certain of the vestments and appurtenances passed by way of fee into the possession of those who performed them. It was in this manner that the magnificent mantle of George IV. passed into the possession of the Lord Great Chamberlain. The Master of the Robes having delivered it into the hands of the officiating Dean, the King was vested in it, and the Lord Great Chamberlain fastened the clasps, for which duty the mantle became his by ancient custom. It may be noted that all the arrangements connected with the Coronation of George IV. were made on a most lavish scalej and no expense was spared to make the ceremony magnificent in every detail. The Royal robes alone cost £24,000, and historians of the period are unanimous in their opinion of the extravagance connected with the celebration. The mantle in question, which is a splendid specimen of the weaver's art, passed into private hands, and has now been offered to his present Majesty, who has graciously accepted the unique gift. It is said to be in a perfect state of preservation, having evidently been guarded with great care by its former owners. It is of the finest cloth of gold, and is surrounded by a deep fringe of I pure gold threads. Woven into its surI face are the badges of the thre_e Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. It differs from that worn by King Edward, which was model of four breadths of yellow cloth of pM. " oven with the rose, the thistle, wwn • 'ie shamrock, and wrought with silver c-ugles.