Star.
London, England, 1821-07-19 00:00:00

THE CIIAMPION..

There is probably no part of the Coronation ceremony so po.
pularly interesting as the Champion's challenge ; -fur it is a kind
of scenic exhibition, which fixes itself on the mind, and seems
an undecayed fragment of England's former chivalric exercises.
Rapin relates, that the first mention of the King's Champion ap-
pearing at-a Coronation, was in 13; 7, at the crowning of King
Richard the Second. He however supposis that the office was
of much greater antiquity, since the then Champion claimed it
by virtue of his Manor of Scrivelshy, which evidently shows that
the duty was vested in that Manor. Philip de Marmyun, who
' lived in the time of King henry 111. is known to have been
the King's Champion ; and some writers suppose that the office
existed antecedent to the. Norman Conquest. They auppprt this
argument by stating, that as the early Norman Sovereigns had no
right to the English Throne, so they would not rest their preten.
sions on the issue of a single combat, and that in consequence the
ceremony of a challenge was suppressed, until time had given
somewhat of a legal title to the Monarchs of the Norman Ling
At the Coronation of King James the Second, the follgwing
provision of arms-was made fur the Champion complete
suit of white armour, a pair of gauntlets, a sword and banger, a
case of rich pistols, an oval shield, with the Champion's Arms
painted on it, and a gilded lance, fringed about the handles. .tll
these would have become the Champion's fee, but that certain
compensation-money was allowed to his r•-delivering them to
the Earl of Dartmouth, Matter of the Armory. There were
al-n provided a held-saddle of crimson vavet, with breast-plate,
and other caparisons for the horse, rich!y laced with gdtl• and
silver, a plume of red, white, and blue leathers, consisting of
eighteen tails and a heron's top ; another plume for the horse's
head, and trumpet banners, with the Champion's own Arms de,
pitted upon them.
CORONATION FEAST OF KING EDWARD T.

" King Edward I. was coronyd and anoynted as ry,ht heyre
of Engelonde, withe moche honor and wor•schyp.—And ewe
masse, the Kynz went to hys patty. for to holde a ryaU feste,
amuses them that hym had d.on slrvre d wonsch•—•
And whanne he was set at his mete, Ktrg Alesan of ScO--
lantie come to doo hym servyse and worsschyp with a q e i o:tyse
and an hondryd knyghts writ him, honed and airay.d, trit
whame they weren lyght of tlityr hone, they let theyr horse
goon whether they wolde, and they that swede take them to !do
them to theyr own behofe, wythoute any ehala; ge. And .f ye,
that come Syr Edmond, Kyng .Edward,..s broiler, a elute/In
knyght and a gentyll of renoon, and the Erie of boruw4le.
and the Erie of filowcestre. And attar them come the Plc
of Pembroke, and the Erie of Warren, and eche of them ledcla
on theyr hondes he them:elfe an hondryd knyghts, dilate in
theyr armes. And whanne they weren alyght of e slit horse,
they let them goo whedyr they wolde, and they that cot.trk acre
take horde thine stylle at theyr ovrne Liking. And whanne all
this was doon, Kyng Edward dyd hys dinged* and hys myghte
to amende the rilme. and redresse the wronges in the best
maner, to the honor of God, and profyte to the crown: and to,
the holye cherche, and to unmade the anoyance of the cornea
peple. The worsschyp for the grace of God was in hyns, and
ever kadde the victorye of bys enemyes."
It would appear from the above extract, that four English
barons let loose four hundred hones, beside what the King of
S.:Aland and Edmund, the King's brother, gave to the pops.
lace; and that those.who tint could take them, kept them with.
o 1.14.1c:1..114M.

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