Incidents of Former Coronations.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 26 April 1911, Page 57

Incidents of Former Coronations.

The approach of the Coronation , prompts a paragraph writer in the “Pall Mall Gazette” to recall that the Stuarts were not fortunate in their Coronations and processions. A pestilence was raging at the time of the Coronation of Janies 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 gold. She so wildly saluted her new subjects that the women, weep ing, cried out with one voice, “God bless the Koyal Queen. Welcome to England. Long to 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 re fusal 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 Recorder 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 themselveh 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." Janies the Second frugally dispensed with the cavalcade from the Tower, thus saving £00,000; 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 hud been made for Charles the Second, and had not been altered, Henry Sydney put out his hand to steady it, saying: “This ig 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 dreadfftl pause which occurred when the bason was presented for the 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.