New-York tribune., 1901-01-27
CORONATIONS.
AEDIEVAL CEREMONIES ATTENDING
THE GROWING OF THE
NEW MONARCH

~ that ~ the Prince of Wales becomes King
nc "al be crowned, and that the ceremony will
sAAe Place in Westminster Abbey. The same
preochon cannot always be made with reference
10 the succession Of European monarchs. Thus
Ao' instance. though the present Car was
Sio"heo with great pomp at Moscow, as all the
Wofio sun remembers, il is not 10y any means a
matter or course that a Car should be crowned
1he EInperors OF Germany, who were also theo-
'eecaiiy Emperors OF Rome. We're supposed TO
be crowned at Rome. at Milan, at Aachen and
q Aries, but many Of them were never crowned
AZ all With the Kings of England II has al
ways been de rigueur to be crowned by the
Archbishop of Canterbury and since the time OF
EDWARD the Confessor the coronation has al
ways been in the Abbey OF Westminster. which
ne founded and where his bones were laid.
Ihe rite OF coronation, or, more strictly, OF
amounting, was regarded in the Middle Ages
somewhat in the light of a sacrament. which
conferred a special character upon its recipient,
and more than of the earlier English Kings
had their sons crowned during their own life
times. in order to assure their succession by the
addition of special character 10 their personal
claims
DUTIES OF THE EARL MARSHAL.
For the ordering Of all the professions and OF
whatever i'm the coronation ceremony is not dis
tinctly ecclesiastical the Earl Marshal OF Eng
land is responsible. This Office is held by the
Duke OF Norfolk, who inherits Il from Thomas
Plantagenet. Earl of Norfolk a brother Of Ed
ward H. The ceremony itself is provided for in
the ''Liber RECALLS" a special service book care
fully kept in the archives Of Westminster Abbey.
in this formulary a series Of questions TO be ad-
dressed TO the King Queen. and their proper
answers, prescribed, well the formal
coronation oath, which the sovereign has to
pronounce in distinct and audible voice. This
coronation oath has grown. very much like the
British Constitution from the oath taken by
William the ConQuerOr. the main point Of which
was the undertaking to maintain the laws OF
Edward the Confessor. In its present form il
has existed since the coronation Of William and
Mary in 1859 1t begins with the promise Ito
grant and confirm all the laws and customs Of
my predecessors and especially those of the
glorious King Saint Edward and the latest
addition to its capitulations is that for which
William and Mary came the throne. TO main
tain 1.-The true profession Of the Gospel and the
Protestant reformed religion as it is established
by law"
A MIDDLE AGES CEREMONIAL.
With the exception Of this stipulation every
thing in the ceremony belongs to the Middle |
Ages. The clergy engaged. including, besides the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of
York. the Bishop of Winchester Chancellor of |
the order of the Carter and the other Bishops |
OF the Established Church, the Dean and Chap |
ter or Westminster, are vested not In the PLAIN |
black and white commonly associated with their |
offices, but in gorgeous copes or clOaks. The |
great officers Of State wear under the robes of
ther5respective offices habiliments belonging 10
the Gays of the first Tudor King-the end Of
the fifteenth century. The Earl Marshals official
STAFF otherwise known the College Of Arms.
comprising the Garter King the Heralds and
PursuiVants wear gorgeous tabards emblazOned
with the arms OF Great Britain and ireland.
OF the great officers of State who accompany
the sovereign at his coronation most now hold
by hereditary right. One Of them, the Lord
Constable is no longer in existence at ordinary
times but a Lord Constable is appointed for
the day of coronation, the great Duke OF
Wellington having been the appointee when
Queen Victoria was crowned. The great chafn-
berlainship Of Englane-an office quite distinct
from that Of the Lord Chamberlain, who is only
= Court onicial-is held jointly by three different
inheritOrs, all Of whom may be chosen
10 officiate. The great Stewardship of Scotland
another hereditary office. is vested in the Prince
of Wales as Duke of Rothesay Among these
great offices OF State, which are not dozen In
number including those of Scotland and Ire
land only three are not hereditary-those OF
Lord High Chancellor, Lord Keeper and Lord
High Admiral. The last Of these is in allegiance
or more properly, lin commission" its functions