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

LONDON•

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1821.
HOLIDAY AT M 4 VU IMMLIC orricsx•

CORONATION
OF HIS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY
GEORGE THE FOURTH.

The day appointed for this great national solem-
nity has at length arrived, and will afford an oppor.'
tunity to the Public of manifesting their attachment
to Institutions, which are the ground-work of those
advantages, public and private, which they enjoy
above every other Daum
Although there is no ceremonial which can vie in
pothp and splendour with a Coronation, yet it must
not be considered merely as an idle and useless pa-
geant. It is a political act, in which the nation is
immediately and importantly concerned—which con-
secrete., by the solemn sanctions of Religion, in the
presence of the assembled People, the duties as well
as the prerogatives of the Chief Magistrate.
In order to render it as imposing as possible, it has
been combined with everything that can most power-
fully act upon the imagination and reason of man;
and upon what other occasion could the grandeur
and wealth of the country be so aptly displayed, as
em that on which the Kiso, surrounded by his Nobles
and Great Dignitaries of the Church, swears, at the
Altar of the Moan Muir, tO observe faithfully the
contract between him and his subjects? The Nation
will behold in the act an homage to itself, a solemn
acknowledgment of its rights, and a pledge that.the
hikhest, as well as the lowest, authority in the State,
exists solely upon the broad and clear principle of
public utility.
It would be a subject of curious inquiry, but one
into which we shall not at present enter, tcrtrace the
various modes that have been adopted in different
ages for the election and elevation of Kings; from
the military honours of the Greeks and Romans, or
the rude enthronement of the Standinavians, to the
polished and magnificent spectacle of an English Co-
ronation. In one point, however, and it is the most
essential one, they may all be said to agree, namely,
in demanding the consent of the People, and in re-
quiring the protestation of an oath from, the King
before he receives the Crown.
The Scandinavian nations, the Norwegians, Swedes,
and Danes, in the election of their Kings, formed a
circle of large stones, commonly twelve in number,
in the middle of which one was set up larger than
the rest, which was the Royal seat, and the Nobles
ocettiied those surrounding it. Here the leading
men of the Kingdom delivered their suffrages, and
placed the elected King On his seat of dignity,
The Anglo-Saxon form of government directs that
the King shall be raised from the ground; and having
been chosen by the Bishops and the People, shall,
With a elem. wlice, before GOD, and all the People, pro-
mise that he will observe the rules which are en-
joined by his Coronation oath; and we may learn,
from the historians Of the Norman periods, as well as
from the records and rolls of RICHARD 11. that the
King was used at his Coronation, first to take the
solemn oath, and then, that the Archbishop, going to
every side of the stage or scaffold, related to the
People how the King was sworn, and asked them si
ipsi consentire velicnt, if they would consent to take
him for their King and liege Lord ? If so, they
came and did him homage. Even WILLIAM the
Conqueror, whose claim to the Crown was more than
questionable, had to undergo the ordeal of an elec-
tion, when he had possessed himself of the Throne,
and gained by force 'what would never have been
yielded to hills of right. '! His Coronation," says
" Lord LITTLETON, "
.was not without the appear-
ance and form of an election, or free acknowledg-
.. ment of his claim ; tor the Archbishop of Yone
and the Bishop of Constance, who officiated in the
ceremony, separately demanded of the Nobility, Pre-
lates, and People of both nations, who were present,
whether they consented that he should reign over
them? and, with joyful acclamations, they answered
• that they did.". So loud, indeed, were thcjr acolama-
tioir, that the Norman soldiery, who were outside
the Church, set fire to the building, suppoiing that a
rebellious tumult was raised against their leader.
Maul of the People fled from the Church ; but the
ceremony was completed, and the usudl Coronation
oath of the English Kings was administeied.
It sufficiently appears, from the mode in which
• the Crown was conferred on Wreetam I. and his
confirmation of the laws or EDWARD the CONFESSOR,
that at the coming in of the Normans, the right of
national election was neither lost nor abolished, al-
though SHARON TURNER, in his History of the
Anglo-Saxons, se-echoes the common error that the
Norman Conquest changed the Crown from an elec-
tive to an hereditary succession. So far was this

from biing ;he case, that at the nomination of King into the Mettopolii, which in all its streets has every
..1011.14 to SUCCAVoiI to his brother's throne, Hunger, I day ethibited the appearance of a continual fair. The
Archbishop of Canterbury, in a memorable speech ! curiosity which the ceremony has excited has of course,
which he deliverlsl to the Assembly of the Peers I foi the day, superseded every other consideration, and
before the Coronation, says, "It is. well-known to occupied exclusively every mind Within the wide ex-
you all, that no man Mach right of succession to this tent of this immense Metropolis 1 and, indeed, it must
Crown, except that by unanimous consent of the ke allowed, that the anxious and considerate care of
Kingdom, with invocation of the Hott Gitosre, he his itaiLITY) and of those to whom the management
be elected for his own deserti.". of thepublic amusements has been incrusted, has pro.ll
Having said so much of the importance of a Coro- aided ample meant for gratifying the people, during .1
nation, as a political act, as a second election and re- the course of the twenty-four hours. The day has
cognition of the 'King as Sovereign, the first being been observed as a holiday in all the Courts of ills-1
on his ascending the throne, we shall proceed &n tsce,
ii the Pilblie Offices, a t
t he Bank
endad the
notice the ceremonial itself. Change, and most of the shops in the fetois have 1
As Christianity began to make progress in kurope, hien closed ; so that business has not in any formvoir 1
the rude customs which we have described were traded itself upon public attention, or diverted it
superseded by more refined and awful ceremonies,. from the enjoyment of this great national festival. 11
which, so far as relates to the inaction and the Coro.- MILITARY ItiItARADIGEMENTS FOR THE PRE-
nation, were copied from the Israelites, and were first SER
Lord YTION OF THE
to PEA
or 6E.
the extezi-
intraduced into Europe in the time of CIIARLMIAGNE. The efforts of Sidtuouth presetve detby
side distribution of the Civil Power in great force, have been
Our present formulary consists in demanding the
powerfully seconded by the General Orders from the Duke of
consent of the People, and in requiring the protesta-
York for the disposition of the Military. The soldiers on duty
Lion of an oath from the Sovereign before he receives do not amount to 4,b00, independent of Volunteers and Teo-
the Crown. When the Sovereign is thus ackuow- =Dry ; yet they are so arranged, as to add much to the sem-
ledged lad admitted to his office, as it becomes the thy aped order. The cavalry duties are executed by the Ist
Mol 24 Life Guards,the Royal Lfoise Guards, the sd Dragoons
interest no
less of the People than of the King that•
- (Scots Greys), 9th Lancets,loth Royal Hussars, and lath Light
his person and character be adorned with the highest •
Dralloongs la ,it 1,250 men, under elie command of Major-Ge-
honour that worldly pomp and the soleusukies of re- floral Lord Edward Somerset, K.C.B. .
ligion can afford,. the Church receive: him in its They are stationed as follows :—The King's Guard of 60 men
pairs the i.alam-yard, outside of the Platform ; 60 along the
sanctuary, and. its Ministers confirm and strengthen
Platform to irfeet those of Palace-yard; 100 from the House of
his authority with prayers and benedictions, accom-
Lords to Tothili-areet, and along the Vauxhall-road to Pimlico;
ponied by the most Sacred solemn rites ; while, by the ino patrol Yock-street and Tothill-street to Dean's-yard; leo
formal delivery of the Crown,. the Sceptre, and the in the Park and Parliament-street ; 100 in Cockspur-.trees;
Sword, he is publicly invested withlhe pdwers and's Pall-mall, St. ',emcee-street, &c. 60 at Hyde Parluvorner, ilc-
cadiliy ; 100 in the neighbourhood of Manchester and Portman-
prerogatives of Royalty. squares; too patrol Portland-road, Tottenham-street, Gray's
Without again adverting to the Anglo-Saxots. or
Inn-lane, and tent:inville; 200 men, who are cantoned at Bow,
Danish customs, it may be observed, that Coronation are placed at the disponil of the Lord Mayor,. for the use of the
ceremonials have differed but little for several cen- City, if required; 100 patrol Le4.beth to VaUxhall=bridge and
turies; for, with the exception of some parts having Surrey-road; and 100 men patrol •Bitickfriari and Waterloo-
become obsolete, and others undergone an alteration bridges'
The Light Horse Volunteers are stationed in Old Palace-
to adapt them to the Reformed Religion, they re-
yard; the Honourable Artillery Company occupy Parliament-
main nearly as they were when heraldic. splendours street; the Ist and 2d Bucks Yeomanry are placed at Kensing-
were first introduced into England. The Coronation ton and Wandsworth ; the Surrey Yeomanry occupy Camber-
Ritual which is now most commonly followed is that well; anethe Eastern Berko Yeomanry have taken up their
which was observed at the crowning of King JAM CS station at Windsor.
the SECOND, which was performed on so extensive a The Ist, 22d, and 3d Battalions of the Grenadier Regiment of
scale, that it was undoubtedly designed for the model Foot Guards; the Ist and 24 Battalions of the Coldstream Re-
of all future Coronations, and, accordingly, by the &tient ; and the ed Bacteria/1 of the 3d Regiment, in all 2,600
Kruci's express command, was recorded in the most nsenware commanded by the Honourable Colonel Brand, and 00.
pompous manner. This form has been adopted, with copy the following stations :
little variation, in the several Coronations since, and A piquet of 100 men are in Portman-street Barracks ; 200 in
it forms the basis of the splendid ceremonial we have the King's Mews; leo in Knightsbridge Barracks; 100 attend
now to record—a ceremonial which has, however, the King as his Guard; 100 in the Tilt-yard ; 100 at Dean's-
surpassed all that have preceded it in grandeur and yard, Storey's-gate, and near the north gate of the Abbey.
magnificence. A Guard of Honour of 100 men are stationed in the Speaker's-
Since the accession of the :Scottish line of our
yard; 100 are dispersed about Hyde Park-corner, the Stable-
Kings, and patticularly since the Union of Scotland, yard, the foot of Westminster-bridge, and King-street; 60 at
the Regalia of that ancient Kingdom have been the west door of the Abbey ; 30 at the east door ; 30 in Abing-
blended with that exclusively English. And now, don-buildings; gs ; 120 attend the orders of the Lord High Chant-
on the first Coronation since the Union of Ireland, not bet.gal .0,
and are stationed in the neighbourhood of Westminster
a little has been added from the of Irish Records, of
Hall; and 1,500 occupy the Platform : divided into three divi-
the Regalia of that country to grace the present Fete.
;loos each commanded by a Field Officer, with a portion of the
With regard to the rank of the three Kingdoms, bands. bands. drums, &c. attached to each division. The disembodied
which constitute what may be termed the Tiara of - • • •
Staffs of the following Militia Regiments also armed yesterday
our Monarch, antiquarians entertain some rather cu- •
in London, fur the purpose of attending the Coronation :—Royal
riots speculations. Many of our Readers may not
Bucks, under Captain Brown; Ist Royal Surrey, under Cap-
be aware thht Ireland claims to be the elder, and that
Shelton Royal East Middlesex, under Captain Bull;
in right of that claim, a higher rank has been assumed rain
Royal West Middlesex, under Captain Clerke ; Royal Tower
by British Kings. There have been instances of pre-
cedence being conceded by Continental Princes on Hamlets, under Captain King.
this ground. James I. traced his descent from the The whole of the Military force was in motion at a very
Milesian Kings of Ireland, and through him does the early hour this morning; the Infantry were in St. James's Park
House of BRUNSWICK found their hereditary rights. at one o'clock ; and all the Guards, Cavalry as well as Infantry,
It is acknowledged that the Palladium, preserved in were at their respective stations by two o'clock.
Vs'estminster Abbey, on which our Monarch is Exclusive of the guards and detachments above enumerated,
crowned, Was brought from Scotland by EDWARD I. are stationed in the Abbey, and
two companies of Grenadiers
find that it had been carried from Ireland by FER. the Platform along which the Procession proceeded from West-
GUS I. There is an interesting document preserved mlnster Hall to the Abbey, was occupied by a single rank.on
by Rymer and Cox; a Speech of JAMES I. delivered its whole extent.
at Whitehall in 1713, in which he boasts of his de- Ins Royal Highness the Duke of York, with that attention
each side for
scent from Leland; and we have more than one evi-
dence to the comfort of the soldiers which has ever distinguished him,
that his courtiers thought this an acceptable hearing that some difficulty might be felt in procuring victuals
compliment to him. A poet of his reign, Slatyr, an for the troops throughout the day, ordered that the Command-
Englishman, in his Palai Albion, writes thus : In g Officers of the different Corps should make arrangements for
"At quondaln Aretoo Scotico Rex noster ab orbe the men carrying bread, cheese, and cold meat, with which they
Nec minus occiduis perhibent Scotts onus Hibernia are all provided.
Qui lkitonum patent sceptris." ACCOMMODATION FOR SPECTATORS.
In the early history of all ancient nations, we find The.erections in every part commanding a tolerable view of
much of the fabulous; but, within the limits of au- the Procession are as numerous as they can be, and the greater
theutic history, the:e does seem strong testimony of
part of them surpass in elegance anything that could be expected
the elder claim of the Irish NObility. That country
would belong to such temporary stages. The whole of the
never was subjected to the Romans, either wholly or
bou3Vi in Palace-yard have elegant galleries in front of each
partially ; and when the Empire became a prey to
story, and these are decorated with crimson hangings and vari-'
the barbarians, Ireland was for a time the refuge of
ous other embellishments, so that the general effect is most su-
the learned, and became afterwards a source of the
perb. 21 stage has been put up to the left of the Champion's
revival of learning. It as Ow ing to civil dissen- Stable (as the building near the water side is called), and another
tions, w
and the vice of its political constitution, which
appears in front of the Exchequer Chambers. The "Central
made all its sovereignties elective, that it subsea Pavilion" occupies the space immediately opposite Palace-yard ;
quently sunk into a state of comparative barbarism. and balconies prepared for the occasion appear on both sides of
In this state it was found by HENRY 11. and the ab- Parliamcnt-st, about a third of e
distance
way to Whidtehialli
emootiobotedancetobea
surd and wicked policy of English adventurers long line on n
bothg-
tarded its regeneration. But not to detain our Readers '
re- and name
W•tilliGereatentipGoeerareygee.eteeeit teniseoareee
ides of the Platform through the Square, and along the Church-
longer with antiquarian speculations, we think we yard to the Abbey entrance. It appears, however, as if the
may assert with confidence, that this day's spectacle, demand for seata had
providedotequalled_tbe eoxpectbationtotfdthose by
in several respects, has been one of the grandest I,hutihnetbheesyt lstaeciat b re:
the
Pavilion, , ss t
eAmetpxhitliratrels., sate. coyueeldete
ever witnessed in any country. Perhaps there is no -n.g.
loinained for two guineas, and back seats for one guinea. At the '
instance in the history of the world.of so immense an, Westminster National School, which stands is a good situation
wfoetllafittoeldoeu:
with
goat
assemblage in any one place, as has been collected in for viewing the Procession,
Westminster this day. The population of the Metro- tmer.i.selonfortothtewpouprpayse,
to
seo abue
givenehatosoffetheeendeompagny in the school-
room—one last night and the oilier to-night, it being supposed
to nearly two millions. From the lore of motion, that the company taking seats may wish to see the departure of
which distinguishes the natives of this country, and theACotbrona,tion codmpaofnypfrommotheoet.Hall to-
srtCetemeootreroiow mtbmorning.g.
ko,
the facilities everywhere presented for gratifying this
ereetted in froentenof the houses there, were offered last night so'
inclination, an incitement like the present could not
low as ten shillings; and, in Ring-street, from which a bird's
fail to be eagerly laid hold of; and accordingly crowds
eye view of the ProcesAon will be had, seats were offered at
have kr some week: been pouring from all quarters five shillings each.

THE KING DURING LAST NIGHT •
The King, as had been announced, slept last night at the house
of the Speaker of the House of Commons. •
. .
•.„ His Majesty left Carlton House, by the door opening into the
Park, at nine o'clock, in his private carriage, eseerted by, two
troops of the alone Guards (Blue), Arcot/teed as. Cuirassiers.
s
The royal cavalcade passed through the Path end the Horse
Guards gate into Whitehall, and ehence to the Speaker's ftouse.
A. considerable number of persons were assembled in the front
.
of Carlton House, in expectation of witneseir.g his Majesty's
departure, and were not a little disappointed at finding that his
Majesty bad left by a way which deprived them of an opportu-
nity
of greeting him by their acclamations. His Majesly, in
his way down Parliament-street, was recognised by the crowd,
and, sainted with every expression of loyalty and attachment.
Prior to the departure of his Majesty from Carlton Palace,
the crowd between Storey's-gate and Westminster Hall had
been cleared by the Scots Greys so as to make a eonveniant
passage for the carriage, and his Majesty did not set out until
after an Officer had arrived at the Palace gate to annotnice that
all was ready, •
. .
Tie king was guarded through the night by Lord Gwydyr,
the Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain, and the Marquis of Hert-
ford, the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. .•
His Majesty slept on-a sofa bed, of a peculiarly convenient
description, which was brought from Carlton House.
When the King awoke in the morning, the Deputy TAU*
Great Chamberlain carried to his Majesty the shirt and apparel
which he was to wear during the first part of the day ; and his
Lordship, with the assistance of the Marquis of Hertford, Lars
Chamberlain, also assisted in dressing his Majesty.
OCCURRENCES OF THE MORNING.
AIREIVALS AT THE HALL AND ABBEY, fee. &c.
the :rimming, which was one of the finest we have had for a
lin dine, was Ushered in by a royal salute frees a sloop of war;
moored between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridge', opposite
Norfolk-street. The firing instantly attracted crowds of persons
to the banks of the river and the bridges, who responded ro the
roar of the cannon with loud cheers) while the bells of most of
the-Churches joined in the merry peal,
The sloop of war apeears to be prepare'd for the purpose of
lettinroff rockets and other 11re-works in the eueuiog. She is
more ligtetly rigged than vessels of that description are in his Ma-
jesty 's navy, and is without topmasts.
The barriers by which the Al.bey and Hall have beeti• sur-
rounded, and which were closed at twelve last night, were again
opened at three this morning, for the admission of persons
having tickets for the Halt, or Abbey, or the galleries provided
for the accommodation of spectators. At the same hour all the
' gates of Hyde Park, except Keusiugtone,eate, were opened for
the passage of carriages.
Sn great was the anxiety to ensere admission to geed places,
that by the hour appointed for opening the barriers, long lines
of carriages were in waiting in every direction ; and, after they
had begun to pees, they accumulated so fast from all quarters
of the metropolis that, at four o'clock, the lirecarriages
going to the Ball reached from New. Palace-yard to 41soeito
Waterloo-street in the Strand, and those destined for the Abbey
nearly as Car their respective directions.
The streets were at this time thronged sv4 pedeetriant, who
had ample scope for the gratification of an ienocent curiosity, in
surveying the persons and dresses of the various distinguished
and well-dressed personages whom the carriages were conveying
to take a share in or to witness the approaching sclemnity. 'l-he
splendour of some of the dresses, particularly those of the Mili-
tary Officers and Knights of the Bath and Garter, attracted oc-
casionally much notice.
The greatest regularity was In general observed by the car-
riages on all the lines of approach. Attempts were made, in
two or three instances, to break into the line, and, we were
sorry to observe, by coachmen who were driving persons who
ought to have been ashamed of countenancing suet} a breach of
good order and civility, whatever may have been their fears of •
being thrown too far back in the Procession)
As the morning advanced towards the hour when the doors
of the Hall and Abbey were to be closed, the apparent risk of
not getting forward in time, Induced many parties to quit their
carriages, and to make the best- of their way on foot, careless of
all the hazards to which they exposed their gay habiliments from
elbowing their way through the motley crowd.
At seven o'clock, the doors of the Hall and Abbey were shut
against all visitors except Foreign Ministers, Peers, and others,
who were entitled to be set down at the House of Lords, who
continued arriving till close on eight o'clock, when the doors of
the House of Lords were finally closed.
The number of persons set down during the morning must
have amounted to•many thousands; and such was the facility of
access, from the arrangements adopted, that, as far as our ob-
servation extended, all who came with a title to admission, ob-
tained it. If there were any instances of persons left out, they
must have been extremely few.
AQUATIC PROCESSION OF THE LORD MAYOR
ALDERMEN, &c. OF LONDON, AND TIIE CUR.
PORATIONS OF OXFORD AND DUBLIN.
At about half-past five this morning, the Members of the
Corporations of the Cities of London, Oxford, and Dablin,
mustered at the foot of Blackfriars Bridge, where the S:cte
Barge, manned by watermen in scarlet liveries, with silver
badges and velvet caps, and commanded by the Water Beiliff
and Mr. Searle, was in waiting to receive them. The Lord
Mayor was received with much warmth of congratulation by
the numerous crowd of Citizens who bad assembled to view the
preparations. Ills Lordship was dressed in a superb Court dress
of purple and white satin, with a brilliantly embroidered robe of
scarlet to correspond, and had on a velvet cap, surmounted by a
plume of black ostrich feathers, turned up with a loop of brilli-
ants: he appeared in excellent spirits.
His Lordship was attended by the Sword.beeree' with the
City Sword, the Common Crier, who bore the City Mace, the
Water Bailiff and his Lordship's Chaplain acting as the Com-
mon Hunt, an office which has long been obsolete, but whi.:h
formerly was one of the greatest importance in the City, inas-
muth as he was entrusted with the care and command of ethe
hounds that were kepi by the Corporatien. These four Ofgetrs
were attired in new State robes, and attended his Lort:ehip
as his Esquires. Sheriff; Waithman and Williams followtd, in
their State robes.
The • Aldermen who were present were, Sir P.ichard Carr
Glynn Alderman Wood, Aldermen Brown, Sir C. Flower,
Sir J. 'Shaw, blagnay, Birch, Sir John Peering, Bridges, Cox,
Annesley, Garrett, Venables, Atkins, Scholey, Joshua Jonathan
Smith, Christopher Smith, and Thomas Smith. The Aldermen
were dressed iu full embroidered Court dresses, with their scat-
let robes and geld chains, and had on black velvet caps sur-
mounted with plumes of three ostrich feathers. They were re-
ceived with various testimonies of public opinion by the crowd.
Aldermen Atkins and Bridges received peculiar tokens of re-
nietribraece. The Recorder and Remembrancer were also pre-
sent. The following were the twelve Citizens who attended as
Masters of the twelve Companies of the Livery. But two of
them, however, are Masters for the present year; the whole
were nominated last year, and have retained their appointment,
notwithstanding the attempts made by the Common Council
and the present blasters to oust them. They were,
Sir Chas. Price, Bart. Master of the Ironniongers' Company.
R. H. Sparks, Esq. of the Merchant l'ailots Company.
Thomas Day Frampton, Esq. of the Grocers' Company.
Richard Ryland, BK. of the Fishmongers' Company.
Thonras Moore, Esq. of the Vintners' Cotnpany.
The other seven Gcatlcrticifw.;u-J. 11.11,1, Lot. J. Griffin,