The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-08-28
A QUEENS CORONATION.
An ACCOUNT OF THE CEREMONY
FROM THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE.

fhOM iHE OftlSiRL NSZC iEs
Youthful Victoria Made an Offering of q
Golden Altar-Cloth and an Ingot of
Gold Weighing a Pound-How She
Looked-Curious symbolical Services.
In the Century there is an article
on "Queen Victoria's Coronation
ROLL written by Florence Haywood.
The author takes the following account
of the coronation from the Official
Gazette:
The Queen then made the first of
her offerings: an altar-cloth OF gold
placed upon the altar, and an ingot OF
gold weighing pound placed IN the
oblation dish. This done, the regalia
were placed upon the altar, where they
remained during the litany, the COM
munion service, and the sermon-all
being preliminary to the taking and
signing of the coronation oath. After
signing the oath the Queen was
anointed; and the mental picture one
has of her at this moment is one OF
the most vivid. But little more than
a child either in years or in stature,
"she sat IN st. Edwards Chair, which
was covered with cloth of Gold, with
a fald-stool in front of her placed in
front of the Altar. Four Knights of
the Garter held Pail of Gold over her
head, and the Sub-Dean of Westmip-
ster took from the Altar the Ampulla,
containing the consecrated oil, and
pouring some of it into the Amounting
Spoon Amounted the Queen on the
Head and Hands in the Form of a
Cross" The great spurs, having,
like every other part of the regalia,
their own symbolism in the ceremonial,
were then delivered to the Queen, who
returned them to be laid upon the
altar. Indeed, if one may translate
the meaning of the whole ceremonial,
it was briefly this: That there was an
intimate connection between the
church as typifed by the altar and the
power of government as typifed by
the regalia. But the symbolism of
what next followed is too involved for
laymen: ''The Sword of State was now
delivered to the Lord Chancellor who
gave Viscount Melbourne another in
exchange for it the which Lord Mel
bourne delivered to the Archbishop.
This the Archbishop after placing it on
the Altar delivered to the Queen say
ing Receive this kingly Sword, etc.
Whereupon the Queen placed the
Sword on the Altar and it was then
redeemed by Viscount Melbourne for
one hundred shillings and carried by
him for the rest of the ceremony"
The mantle which the Queen had
worn was now replaced by the imperial
or Dalmatian mantle of cloth of gold,
and after the ring had been placed on
the fourth finger of her right hand,
the subdeacon brought from the altar
the two scepters. Meantime the Duke
of Norfolk presented her Majesty with
a glove for her right hand, embroid-
cred with the Howard ms,-the
glove that figured in the petition,-
which the Queen put on; and then
"the Archbishop placed the sceptre
with the cross in her right hand saying
Receive the Royal Sceptre' and the
Sceptre with the Dove in Her left
hand saying Receive the Rod OF
Equity and the Duke of Norfolk sup
ported Her Majesty's right arm and
held the Sceptre as occasion required.
And now came the actual moment of
coronation:
''The Archbishop, standing before
the Altar and having st. Edwards
Crown, consecrated and blessed it, and
attended by the Bishops, and assisted
by the Archbishops and Sub-Deans of
Westminster Put the Crown on Her
Majesty's Head. Then the people
with loud shouts cried God save the
Queen And Immediately the Peers
and Peeresses put on their coronets,
the Bishops their caps, the Deputy
Garter King of Arms his Grown, the
trumpeters sounding, the drums beat
ing, and the Town and Park Guns
firing by signals" Is not that fine
And must not the benediction and the
TIE Deum which Immediately followed
have voiced in way that could not
have been otherwise expressed the
emotions of that splendid moment!