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L
Details are Complete for Dazzling' Coronation
of England’s Ring'
Precedents Which Will be Followed and Incidents of Former Occasions Which Will be Repeated
By M M Strickler
Written for CAe Sunny South
LL is readv for the corona
tion of King Edward VII.
rultr by the grace of God
of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland,
and of the British domin
ions beyond the sea, king,
defender of the faith and
emperor of India.
His mother was crowned
June 28, 1838, and Just
sixty-four years later the
son, standing little taller,
aim; st as round, fully as
intellectual, sobered by a life of waiting,
of p ay. of practice and of desire, comes
to the crown, takes the oath and starts in
at being king in earnest
It is “only a matter of form.” the Brit
isher will tell you. But as a peer re
marked in parliament when some nig
gardly neighbor refused to vote for an
appropriation to crown Victoria, “Only a
matter of form, but the samecan be said
of everything. Moonshine and daylight
have come to be matters of form with
us.”
Kor a year and a half the nation has
been getting ready to put the crown on
the king; and for fourteen months his
majesty lias been rehearsing.
He lias made appointments, received
hearings, selected colors and ordered the
music. He lias purchased electric light
bulbs, designed the dining room decora-
tkns for the great banquet, picked out
the carpets and had them changed three
times and given orders for the menu.
He 1ms been praised, advised, cajoled
and condemned.
Swore at the Kins
His severest lesson came front a la
borer in Buckingham. A man suit in
by a carpet nving firm to put down the
ltd carpet in the middle banquet hall.
The man. chief of his working division,
would not trust an ordinary apprentice,
1 ut la d ih° carpet himself.
Fat and puffy, but capable, he had the
carpet stretched upon the floor, then get
ting down lie called for tacks and began
putting them in himself, with his own
hands.
The . ritical part lay near the great
wide swinging doors that will let in a
dining procession eight abreast. In front
of these he knelt and with arm uplifted,
hammer in hand, prepared to give the
blow.which should drive the first critical
carpet. tack in place. It was a trjing
moment.
Just as the carpet was properly
stretched, and the hammer held aloft,
there was a crash and a bang and the
great door flew open from behind. Over
went ihe carpet layer, hammer and all,
and the carpet slid with him. There was
an instant’s-silence—then came a rip and
a roar! Such oaths were never before
heard in Buckingham: “You blankettv-
The King, as an English gentleman
will be robed in purple, and once in iris
color, so these may be a color antedote
for white.
It is a great disappointment to florists
that the new orcl.’d, King Edward VII,
cannot he chosen for the coronation
flower. This lovely bloom is so largv
that it completely hides the wearer and
:s a personal decoration would be incon-
grous. It is tall, stately and of a royal
purple, but its- very superiority is
against it.
The. part of the archbishop of Canter-
busy is nearly learned. For severail weeks
this dignitary has rehearsed the coro
nation in Westminster abbey to the peal
ing of the thunderous organ and the sing
ing of the boy choir. AVith stately, step
horses, will come the king and queen,
seated so high that all can see them; and
they will be foil jwed by the Royal
Archer Guard of Scotland, and many
cavalry.
Along the coronation route to West
minster abbey they will ride, when they
will enter ard dispose themselves in the
order to which tlielr rank entitles them.
When Queen Victoria was crowned this
• was the order, which will be pretty close
ly followed by King Edvard.
The clergy headed the procession, fol
lowed by heralds and household officers,
then prelates and officers of state, then
the duchess of Cambridge, wearing a robe
cf p’uple velvet, her train borne by a
lady.. After her the duchess of Kent.
the queen, who wc-ie a royal robe, and
who' was followed by her family and at
tendants.
On tl is occasion the robes were more
•nan magnificent. But it .is interesting
to n • that the Austrian minister sur
passed every one else in magnificence, for
h* wa covered with jewels down to his
v. ry boots. A lady v. ho was presept
wrote hat he looked “as though he had
V t-n s -owed upon with pearls, and hud
b-eri . -o caught in a rain of diamonds,
aril h i come in dripping.”
drowning the King
The ktng will enter the abbey, preceded
by the officers of state, bearing the re
galia. The phoir will sing “I Was Glad
When They Said I'nto 'Me, Let Us
Go Into the ilousa of the Lord.”
This will ring through the long arches
and echo back from the distant, roof,
while the ber-ming cannon will - be dis
tinctly hea+d from without. Then will
come the national anthem, “God Save
Our Lord. the. King.” ’
A deep hush will fall on the abbey, and
the king and \jueen; will kneel before the
altar for a fetf minutes. As they rise the
choir boys- will sing, “Edward, Edward,
Vivat Edward 1 Rex.” Then will come the
recognition.’, which is a very striking cere
mony. ; ;
At this print the archbishop of Canter
bury will step up, and with the king will
turn to the right and call out, “Sirs, I
here present unto you King Edward, the
undoubted .king of this realm; wherefor,
all you who are conie this day to do your
Jiomag--. are you willing to do the same? '
To this challenge the people on the
right will shout, “God Save King Ed
ward ”
The 'chbttshop will turn to the four
quartet oi the compass and call out the
same «. allonge in feach direction.
After th< reco.gnition. the king, with
his attend:"its, wilt knee! upon the stepg
of the a’* • and offer a golden altar
cloth - ’"ir." or gold a pyend'*
weight. ‘ Then will follow the litany, .arid
the first j>art of the communion service.
The semen will be preached by the
bishop, after which will come the elab
orate ceremonies cf the coronation serv
ice.
The archbishop of Canterbury, address
ing the king, will ask, “Is your majesty
w lling to take the oath.”
“I am willing,” the king will reply.
"Will you solemnly promise and swear
to govern the people of this United King-
dem of Great Britain and Ireland, and
the dominions thereto belonging, accord-t
ing to the statutes in parliament agreed
on, and the respective laws and customs
of the same?” the archbishop will ask.
“I solemnly promise so to do.” the king
will reply.
•‘Will you, to your power, cause law
and justice in mercy to be executed in
all your judgments?”
“I will.”
“Will you, to the utmost of your po v-
The throne room at Windsor where diplomats are received
Chapel Tfoyal, where the King and Queen will In ership at daybreak The throne room at ‘Buckingham where efbening court is held
blank-blank, and you blankctty, blank-
blank—,” swore the man.
In the open doorway stood the king—
laughing. ”1 am afraid I upset you,”
said he.
“U-u-up-set? N-o-ot. at all, your
m-majesty,” stammered the man.
It took the king’s messenger and a court
physician to assure the abashed work
man ,rhat no harm had been done the king
—by being sworn at.
Getting crowned is not all fun, as the
king of England will assure you.
So used up is he with the work that
he has gci e cruising tc recuperate for
the final act, while Queen Alexandra has
’gone into retirement to take a series of
beauty baths for the restcral of her com
plexion before the great day.
'Will King* Edward Faint 7
Quern Victoria bore up very well dur
ing the preparations ar.d went through
the ordeal bravely, “but a little pale ”
Just hew King Edward will bear it one
can only conjecture. There is a legend
that no king has ever stoca the day with
out fainting.
The queen has seleced white for her
robes. Now white is unlucky in history.
White satin has been worn by only three
monarchs of England ar.d all came to a
violent end. Richard II was crowned in
white satin. So was Ihe unfortunate
Henry VI. Then came Charles I in
white.
Alexandra will fallow. But the queen,
who will change her gown three times.
he has advanced, making the proper
pauses, while the music has indulged in
its Intervals, and, finally, he has placed
a mock crown upen a mijck nead while
the boys have sung the glorious Te
Deum.
The king will follow in a way the cere
mony of his mother, but will depart from
it in certain manners.
The exact route of the procession has
not been agreed upon, though it is pret
ty well known, even if not officially an
nounced. One street corner rests upon
uncertainty, and until the carriage ac
commodations of two streets have been
measured there will not be the final
say.
As nearly as has been decided the pro
cession will form near Buckingham pal
ace at 10 a. m., end will start with trum
peters and a squadron of the household
brigade.
Then will follow the ambassadors and
ministers, the hands, more cavalry, and
the carriages of certain dukes and duch
esses and some mounted bands. , The
King’s barge master, and alone fifty spe
cial riders will precede about twenty
i oyal carriages, which will be required to
convey the household.
Cavalry ■will follow, music and distin
guished officers. The Yeoman Prickers
and Foresters, the Royal Huntsmen, the
Yeoman of the Guard, and officers will
ride next.
Then, In the great state carriages of
glass, drawr. by eight cfenm-colored
Both these royal duchesses wore a circlet
on tbe-Ir heads, having their coronets
berne before them.
Of the regalia, the St Edwards stiff
was -arrled by the duke of Roxburglie,
the golden spurs by Lord Byron, the
scepter with the cross by the du|e of
Cleveland, a third sword by the marquis
of Westminster, the curtana by the duke
of .Dot onshire, and the second sword by
the duke of Sutherland. The coronets of
those noblemen wore carried by phges.
After the Black Rod. :i.e Deputy Gar
ter and the Lord Great Chamberlain of
England came the duke of Cambridge in
his robes of state with his baton of field
marshal, his coronet borne by the mar
quis of Granby, his train by General Sir
William Gomm. The duke of Sussex in
his robes cf state followed,' his coronet
borne by Viscount Anson, his train by
Edward Gore and Lord • ‘..'oka.
Then came the duke of Leinster as
high constable of Ireland, the ear* of
Errol as high constable of Scotland, the
duke of Norfolk as earl marshal, with
his baton, and the duke of Wellington as
lerd high cinstable of England, with iris
staff and field marshal's baton. The '
sword of state was borne by Viscount
Melbourne, and the scepter with the dove
by the duke of Richmond: St. Edward’s
crown by the duke of Hamilton, the orb
by the duke of Somerset, the patina by
the bishop of Bangor, the Bible by the
bishop of Winchester, and the chalice
by the bishop of Lincoln. They preceded
er, maintain the laws of God, the true
profession of the gospe'. and the Prot
estant Reformed religion established by
law? And will you maintain and pre
serve inviolable the settlement of the
United Church of England and Ireland,
and the doctrine, worship, discipline and
government there if as by law established
within England and Ireland, and the ter
ritories thereunto belonging? And will
you preserve unto the bishops and clergy
of England and Ireland, and to the
churches there committed to their
charge, all such rights and privileges as
by law do or shall appertain to them or
rry of them?”
The king w ill reply. “All this I promise
to d>,” after which he will go to the
altar, end laying his right hand upon
the book of the gospels, will say: “The
things which I have heretofore promised.
I will perform and keep. So help me,
God.” Then kissing the Book, will sign
the oath, and kneel in prayer while the
choir sings the hymn, “Come, Holy
Ghost, Our Souls Inspire.”
Next the ceremony of the anointing.
The kirg ’will sit in St Edward’s chair,
ar.d a canopy of cloth of gold will be
held over 1 im while the archbishop
anoints him with oil on the head and
hands, saying:
“Be thou anointed with holy oil as
kings, priests and prophets were anoint
ed. And .as,Salomon was anointed king
by Zadok the priest and Nathan the
Queen Alexandra’s new crown
prophet, so be thou anointed, blessed and
consentatert ling ever this people, whom
' (he L-ird the God hath given thee to rule
and govern. In the name of the Father
snl of the Pin and of the Holy Ghost
Amen.” ■I . s
His Kins and Mantle
The archbishop then pronounces a
blessing on the king, and the various in
signia. <f royalty, the scepters* erb, spurs,
etc., having all their civii er eceiesiast’cal
significance, are handed to him with ap
propriate exhortations. The words used
by the prelate as he places the- sword of
state tn the monarch’s hands are signifi
cant, "Receive this kingly sword brought
now from the altar of God, and delivered
to you )>y the hands of us, the servants
and bishops of God, though unworthv.
With this sword do justice, stop the
growth of iniquity, protect the holy
church of Gcd, help and defend widows
ar.d nrphars. reatcie the things that are
gone to decay, maintain the things that
are restored, punish and reform what is
remiss, and confirm what is in good or
der; that doing these things you may
)>e glorious in all virtue, and so faith
fully serve cur I*oid Jesus Christ in this
life that you may reign forever with
Him in the life which is to come. Amen.”
The imperial rr.-ntle of cloth of gold
will then be placed upon the king's
shoulder and the ruby ring upon his
hand. t
Next will come the most important act
of all. The archbishop, having offered
up prsyer. ‘till take the imperial crown
front off the altar and plnc^ it upon
King Edward’s head. Instantly, all the
great crowd of peers and peeresses will
assume their glittering coronets and the
abbey will ring with the shout of “God
Save the King.”
While the guns are firing from a sig
nal at Whitehall, there will come the
presentation of a Bible to the king. and.
to the singing of the “Te Deum," he,
with his queen, will be conducted to a
throne in the center of the church.
Now all the princesses ot the royal
blood, the dukes, the marquises, the
earls, the viscounts and the barons will
do their act of homage, and will kiss ih^
hand of the newly crowned sovereigns.
For, in the coronation, the queen, too,
will receive her crown. Beautiful, though
light, glistening, tall and royal, it will
not upen the head of the consort as well
as upon the king, and two sovereigns
will graciously . rule England.
r
Announcement!
O NLY a portion of the good features obtainedfor The
Sunny South are to be presented in the Memorial Day
edition. For instance, there will begin in the next number
of The Sunny South
“The Crew of tHe
OolcUDredger.
A Romance for Boys, By Henry Wallace Phillips,
Author of “Red Saunders,” “A Red-Haired Cupid,”
“The Demon of the Canon” and “A Chance Shot.”
“The Crew of the Gold-Dredger” is a fine spirited tale.
Two city youths, tired of clerking it, go off for a cruise in
a sloop in search of adventure, and thej 7 get it with a ven
geance. The story is bound to make a hit with old as well
as young, from sheer merit and cumulative interest. The
queer crew of the Gold-Dredger are characters worthy of
a Stevenson.
In addition, among features that are in every way dis
tinctive will appear a short story contributed by one of the
most interesting and most versatile of the country’s writers,
Opie Read.
The story is entitled “The Blue Nigger.”
Among the features planned for the Memorial Day edi
tion are the first installment of a serial by Joel Chandler
Harris (Uncle Remus).
Short stories by Harry Stillwell Edwards, Charles J. Bayne, ’
Mrs. Sarah T. Goodwin, Mrs. Minnie Smith Baker, Dr. R.
J. Massey, Wallace P. Reed, H. M. Wiltse and others will
have a Civil War flavor.
From General John B. Gordon a communication has been
requested, and it is expected that he will send some word
that will prove of interest.