WHEN THE KING IS CROWNED

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 July 1901, Page 1

WHEN THE KING IS CROWNED

WHA, n TAKES PLACE AT THIS MOST MObT IMPOSING CEREMONY.

The celebrated Stone of Destiny, which Edward I. brought from Scotland, is built into our British coronation chair at a height of nine inches from the ground. It is the oldest and most interesting of all the many relics that will take part in the crowning of King Edward VII.

The stone came to Scotland from Trelajxl. It was the Irish whi> gave it its name, Liasfail, or stone of destiny, and, according to Irish tradition, it was used as their national coronation chair ever sinco 700 B.C. It was. supposed by them to be the very stone on which Jacob rested his head during his vision of liethel. *

Another legend is that this stone, when the rightful heir takes his seat, emits a loud musical note.

The chair in wliich this stone is set shows traces of bea.utiful ornamentation, but at modem coronations it has always been covered with cloth of gold. The next in importance of the instruments used in making a. king i.s the golden eagle, which holds the holy oil. It is seven inches in height and weighs ten ounecs.. The original eagle came into possession of Henry IV.. then Duke of Lancaster, during a foreign war. It was destroyed by Cromwell, but has been renewed in fac-simile. With it is tho golden spoon, or ampulla, which is adorned with four fine pearls in the handle.

St. Edward's crown, too, was stolen in 1642, but has also been renewed. This is used to place on the sovereign's head. The Crown of State, so called because it is worn by the king coming- in State to Parliament, is li much more valuable crown, the ruby in it being worth £10.----000, and its total value put at £111,900. The stones are taken out of it on coronation day, fixed in collets, and pinned into the imperial crown. Queen Alexandra will not wear the crown ■worn by her lamented Majesty Queen Victoria, but the crown known as Queen Edgitha's, called after, the wif(e of Edward the Confessor, but made first for Catherine, consort of Charles 11.

The king's sceptre is two feet nine inches in length, of solid gold tipped with a six-leaved fleur-de-lis, a "mound" which is a large amethyst, and a cross of jewels. The king's is like the queen's, but shorter. The sceptre is placed in the king's right hand during coronation, and in his left he holds the golden virge, or rod, tipped with a dove. The Queen's Consort's is similar, but of ivory.

Four swords are used in the coronation of a British sovereign. First is the two-handed Sword of State, in its splendid scabbard of crimson velvet; then comes the curious Curtana, the erosshilted pointless Sword of Miercy, borne naked before the king. The Sword of Spiritual Justice is blunt pointed, with a forty inch .-*«, and the Sword of the Justice of the Temporality is sharp, but otherwise similar to the two latter.

The king's and queen's rings, the great golden spurs, and the armeddoe, or bracelets, also play an important part in coronation ceremonies.

■ Tlio sovereign himself must issue proclamation as to the date of his coronation and lothei* Queen Victoria issued two, in the second of which she dispensed with the procession, "and with the services and attendance of all persons who by ancient custom or usage, or in regal-d of their tenures" of any manors, lands, or other hereditaments, do claim and are bound to do and perform any services at the time of the coronation."

Early on the morning of the day fixed for the ceremony the Lord Chamberlain delivers to the kin? the shirt prepared for the anointing, the neck and arms tied with ribbons. The king is robed by the Lord High Chamberlain and the Chamberlain of the Household. The sorereign then goes to Westminster, where all the peers, spiritual and temporal, assemble. A procession is formed into the Hall, where the king is seated on the king's bench. While this was being done, it used to b8 customary for the dean and prebendaries of Westminster, attended by the choir. ?to bring the regalia, then kept in the Abbey, over to the Hall. In any case the crown is brought and laid before the king, who then signifiesl that the great procession shall be formed. It was at the coronation of George IV. that the most splendid of such processions took place. It was headed by the Royal Herb Woman with six ' maids strewing flowers, and included almost every dignity, civil, ecclesiastical, or military in the kingdom. The king walked in the middle under a canopy upheld by the Barons of the Clique Ports.

A short time for sorely-needed rest is allowed the sovereign in the Abbey while the anthem is sung, and everyone is marshalled into their proper seats. The Archbishop of Canterbury begins ceremony by asking the people four times whether they are willing to do their homage to the rightful inheritor of the Crown. They answer with applause. The sovereign then rises and moves towards the alter rails supported by two bishops, and offers an ingot of gold, a pound in weight, and a pttll of cloth of gold. The Queen Consort makes a similar offering.

The king kneels, and after a prayer, the coronation oath is administered.

After this the king returns to his seat, the "Come Hoty Spirit" is sung, and the annointing begins. First the sovereign is disrobed of the mantle and surcoat, Then he moves to the coronation chair already described, which stands before the altar. The Pean of Westminster pours a little oil into the spoon.' and anoints the king's hands and head. It was originally the custom to anoint also the neck in front and between the shoulders, the shoulders .and the arms. The- places anointed are-then dried with cotton wool. Then comes the investiture with the

Sword of State, the golden spurs, the stole, and the imperial mantel. The orb, which is a jewelled ball of gold surmounted with a cross, is placed in the ■ sovereign's hand. Then comes the great moment. The Archbishop comes from the altar with the crown between his hands. He lifts it and reverently places it upon his sovereign's head. The drums beat, the trumpets sound, the spectators rise, and out rolls the splendid old National Anthem. Immediately all the peers: and peeresses put on their coronets, and the Queen's Consort's crown is placed upon her head. The ring 'of coronation is then placed on the king's hand, and the Lord of the Manor of Worksop presents the sovereign with an embroidered glove, which is placed on his right hand. The sceptre, the rod, and the Bible are delivered to the king, and the "Te Deum" sung by the choir. Homage is then paid by the peers, beginning with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who kisses the sovereign on the left cheek.

A fresh ceremony is then usual when a Queen Consort is crowned. She also is anointed, and invested with crown and rino1, sceptre and rod. The service ends with the Communion, and the procession is marshalled afresh, and returns to Westminster, where the coronation feast is prepared. It is during the feast, between the rst n.nd second courses, that the champion, the holder of the Manor of Scrivelsby, cnteis the hall on horse-back with the Eai>l Marshal and -the Lord High Constable.

Ho throws down the gauntlet, and challenges to combat anyone who is prepared to state that the sovereign just crowned is not entitled to the Crown of the Realm.

An American business man on a visit to England explained t^he. recent purchase of an English steamship line as follows :• — "We have hitherto not bothered ourselves much about a mercantile marine, as there have always been plenty of cheap freights to hand. But now that our over-sea trade has increased so much, we. begin to want a mercantile marine sailing under our own flag, so that the vessels will not be liable to be called up for active service by the Governments of the countries which own them. When wooden ships did the carying trade you had to come to us. But when iron and steel vessels began to b9 built the conditions changed. Your Government set about building an ironclad navy, which led to large plants being created. These plants were kept going in building merchant steamers, when not wanted for Government orders. The same thing will happen in the United States. Our Government is increasing its navy."