CORONATION CEREMONIES.
[To THR EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—It is suggested to me by Mr. Vernon Harcourt's letter in your columns last week that the following account by Bishop Cranmer of the Coronation of King Edward VI. might be of interest to your readers. I have copied it from a volume of "extracts out of MSS. in Bennet Coll. Library (Corpus Christi Coll., Cambridge) made by Mr. Cory, and given to the Library of the Church of Ely by the Rev. Dr.
Ralph Perkins, Prebendary." The following extract is at p. 783 of the volume, and is headed thus ;—
" The Coronation of King Edward the Sixth on Shrove Sunday, being the 20th day of February, A° 1546, at Monastery of
Westminster. Written with Archbp. Cram:tees own hand.
First a goodly stage richly hang'd wh. Cloth of Gold and Cloth of Arras, and the steps from Quire containing 22 steps of height and down to the High Altar but 15 steps goodly carpetted where the Kings Grace should tread on wh. his Nobles. Secondly, the High Altar richly garnished with diverse and costly jeweils and ornamts. of much estimation and•value, and also the Tombs on each aide richly hanged wh. fine Gold Arras. Thirdly, in the midst of the stage was a certain thing made of 2even stepps of height all round where the Kgs. Ma. Chair Royal stode, and he sate therein after he was crowned at the Masse. While fourthly, at 9 of the Clock all Westminster Quire was in their Copes and 3 goodly crosses before them and after them other 3 goodly rich crosses and the Kings Chapell with the children following all in scarlet wh. surplices and Copes on their backs, and after them 10 Bishops in scarlet wh. their Rochetta and rich Copes on their backs and their mitres on their heads, did set forth at the West Door of Westminster towards the Kings p'lace, there to receive his Grace. And my Ld. of Canter- bury, wh. his crease before him alone, and his mitre on his head, and so passed forth in order as before is said. And wkin a certain space after was certain blew clothes laid abroad in the
&ore against the Kings coining, and so all the Palace, even to York Place. And after this the Kgs. Made set forward to Westminster Church to his Coronation, Unction, and Confirmation as hereafter followeth. First gentlemen 2 and 2 in order. Then Begs. 2 and 2 in order, then Knights 2 and 2 in order, then Aldermen of London in scarlet 2 and 2 in order, and the Kings attorney in scarlet going with Ralph Warren, the oldest alderman, and the two sheriffs of London following in scarlet. Then Lords 3 and 3 in order and my Lord
Chief Baron my Lord Montague and my Ld. Chief Judg of England in gowns of black velvet with Hoods of crimson velvett and collars of Gold about their necks. Then Councell'• 3 and three in order, then the Embassadors, and then Earls. Then my Ld. great Master and my Ld. of Darby and my Ld. Privy Seal and in either of their hands a sword. My Ld. great Master's sword did signifie the sword of Justice for the Commonalty. My Ld of Derby's sword did signifie the sword of Peace, because it had a blunt point. And my Ld. Privy Seals sword did signifie the sword of Justice for the Spiritualty, all in the Parliament Robes then my Ld. of Rutland with the spurs in his Parliamt Robes. Then the Earl of Arundell with the Gilt Rod in his Parliamt Robes and my Ld. Mayor of London in Scarlet. Then my Ld. Mar- quess Dorset with the Sceptre with the Holy Ghost on the Top in his Parliamt Robe. Then the Duke of Somerset Ld. Protector with the Crown in his hand in his Parliamt Robe with the Golden Ball in his hand. Then my Ld. Chancellor in his Parliamt Robes bearing the sword of Governance before the King's Grace. Then the Kings Matid, Person Royal between the Bishop of Durham and the Earl of Shrewsbury under the Canopy borne by the 4 Barons of Cinque Ports, then a nobleman bearing the Kings train up. Then Sir Anthony Browne and all the Privy Chamber following in order, then the Pensioners, then the Guard in their rich coats with Gilt Bills, besides a great number of Tipstaves which were my Ld. Protector's servants. When the Kgs Mat" with his nobles came to the Place of his Coronation, within a while after. his Grace was removed into a chair of crimson velvett, and borne in the chair between 2 noblman unto the north side of the stage and showed to the People, and these words spoken to the People by my Lord of Canterbury in this manner saying, Sirs, Here I present unto you King Edward, the rightf nil inheritor of the Crown of this Realm whose Coronation Unction and Confirmation is this day appointed by the nobles of this Realme wherefor all yee that be come this day to do your Homage service and bounden duty be ye willing to do the same. To the which all the People cried with a loud voice and ad. Yea, Yea, Yea, and cried Kg. Edward, and praid Jean save King Edward, and so to the south side in like manner, and so to the east side, and to the west side. After this his Grace was borne down to the High Altar in his chair and there sate bareheaded and all the noblest Peers of the Realme were about his Grace and my Ld. of Canterbury Principall and there said certain Prayers and Godly Psalms over his Grace and Quire answered with goodly singing and organs playing and Trumpets blowing. Then after a certain Unction blessing and singing of his Gr. he was borne into a place by the High Altar where the King use always to kneel at the levation of the Parliamt Masse, and there his Grace was made ready of New Garments and after a certain space brought forth between 2 Nobleman and sat before the High Altar bare-headed, then after a while his Grace was anointed in the Breast in soals of his feet his elbows his wrists of his hands and his crown of his head with virtuous prayers said by the Bp. of Canterbury and sung by the Quire. Then anon after this a goodly forecloth a Red Tinsell Gold was holden over his head and my Ld. of Canterbury kneeling on his knees and his Grace prostrate before the Altar and anointed his back. Then after this my lid. of Cant'. arose and stood up and the fonscloth taken away. Then my Ld. Protector D. of Somer- set held the Crown in his hand a certain space and immediately after begun Te Deum with the Organs going and Quire singing and the Trumpets playing in the battlements of the Church then immediately after that was the Crown set on the Kings Haft' head by them two and after that another crown and so his Gr. was crowned wh. 3 crowns. The Crown of England remain- ing on his head and the other two crowns on the Altar. Then immediately after kneeled down my Ld. Chancellor and delivered to his Grace the Sword which he did bears which was the Sword of the Governance. Then kneeled down my Ld. Marquess Dorset High Constable of England and delivered to the Kings Mal' his sceptre. Then the Duke of Suffolk kneeled down and delivered his Grace the Ball of Gold, then the Earl of Arundell kneeled down and gave the Golden Rod, then the Earl of Rutland kneeled down in like manner and gave his Grace the spurrs. Then the Earle of Shrewsbury did put on his gauntlet and did stay up his Graces hands and imme- diately after his Grace was borne to the high stage where his Grace sat crowned in his chaire Royall att mamas, while with certain nobles about the chair Buell then the Lards in order kneeled down and kissed his Grace's right foot and after held their hands between his Grace's hands and kissed his Grace's left cheeke, and so did their homage. And then after this done began a Masse of the Holy Ghost by my Lord of Canterbury, with goodly singing in the Quire and Organs going. Then at offering time the Kgs Gr. offered to the altar a pound of Gold, a loaf of bread, and a chalice with wine. Then after the Levation of the Moose there was read by my Ld. Chancellor in the presence of all the nobles a general pardon granted by King Henry the 8th, Father to the Liege Ld. the King that now is, that all shall be pardoned that have offended before the 27th day of January last petit, Reserving the Duke of Norfolk Henry Courtney and Foskewe, and others that be out of the Kgs. Ma" Realme, and have there pardon out between this and the 28th day of January in Ao 1548."
Deanery, Ely.
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