Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-06-02
PRocLkIMINe THE KING.
The KnEIish Ceremony the same as
It Was -Four Hundred Years Ago.

I The KaEIish Ceremony the same as
It Was Four Hundred Years Ago.
When the time comes (which NAV
heaven delay for new king Of Eng
land. the College II Arms viii proclaim
him. just as IL has proclaimed every
monarch for hundreds Of years past.
Times change-and dynasties. We are
less like the EnglishIncn If Edward
than we are like the modern Japs. We
talk a different tongue we eat different
foods. we wear different clothes. we
think different thoughts Nothing is
the same. except the columns on Stone
benge and the College Of Arms. The
college ahides. varying by not 50 much
as a detail Of Procedure OF a button
on uniform. What is. is good and
cannot be improved. Therefore the
business of proclamation will be the
came in the twentieth century as il was
In the fifteenth.
When the time unhappily comes for
a new King TO reign. the privy council
will meet and declare the throne to
have devOlved on the Prince of Wales
Orders will at once be given TO the earl
marshal and the officers of the College
Of Arms to proclaim him. The first
proclamation will be made in the court
yard of st. james palace. where the
guard is changed.
Garter King, the chief officer of the
college, will make the proclamation in
solemn form with the earl marshal,
the kings, the heralds and the pursui-
wants in full uniform and mounted hard
by. At this proclamation the monarch
is present, sitting at the window where
all his predecessors have sat.
That is the chiefest of the proclama-
tions, but the news has to be carried
far and wide to the distant city, the
rank of the proclaiming officer descend
ing as the business proceeds The sec
ond procurement is made at Charing
Cross and the third ut the corner Of
Chancery lane.
At this proclamation there will be
modification of the ancient form, ow-
ing to the disappearance of Temple
Bar Within the city of London the
lord mayor and sheriffs preserve their
ancient sovereignty and allow no ruler
within their gates except after permits.
sion asked and granted.
The old form was for the junior pur-
suivant to rap at the gate and show his
warrant for proclamation. Then the
lord mayor ordered the gate to be
opened and joined in the stately process
sion.
The ceremony will doubtless remain.
barring the knock at the gate. which
does not exist. The last proclamation
is made either at the corner of Wood
street, Cheapside. or beside the Royal
Exchange. In the provinces the procla-
nations are made by the local mayors.
Being proclaimed and crowned. the
king has TO offer to fight for his throne.
In the olden times, when a king reigned
by the power of his right arm, this was
a necessary formality, and because Ii
was necessary once it is done still. But
the king no longer does his own fight
ing. He has champion, the hereditary
champion of England, whose business
il is to do battle with all corners for the
crown.
The champion is always a member
of the Dymoke family. When the king
is crowned. be rides into Westminster
hall mounted and in full armor, Just as
the champion was 600 years ago. He is
accompanied by the earl marshal and
the lord great chamberlain, also on
horseback. The hall is crowded with
tiCketed sightseers.
A proclamation is read by one of the
heralds, challenging anybody who dis
putes the right Of the sovereign to com
bat in an open space The champion
throws down his gauntlet as a guaran-
tee of good faith, and then the hearts
Of all the ladies fiutter in anticipation
Of fight.
But it is all disappointing sham. II
some enterprising person were to take
up the challenge and the gauntlet, he
would probably be run in by the police
for creating q disturbance The herald
takes up the glove and hands it back to
the champion, and then the king is
firmly seated on his throne London
Mail.