The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-08

tates on condition that they perform
some mental act at the coronation.
The Court of Claims sitting for Queen
Victoria's coronation made a clean
sweep of most of them. but some viii
inevitably be presented, partly from
the remote chance of the petitioner be-
ing allowed to participate in the giories
of the day and partly because of the
fear, generally groundless, that the
title to the estates may be in danger
if the claim is not put on record.
One of the most curious duties is
that of providing a man on coronation
day TO make in the Kings kitchen,
"a Mess called Dellegrout" said to be
a variety Of coarse porridge, as ser
vice for holding lands from the King
in Arlington Surrey. Another quaint
service was that claimed by the family
of Soames, Ito hold the towel when
the KIM washes his hands after din
ner on mis- coronation day." and the
present holder of the lands at Heyton,
in Essex, can fortify his claim to per-
form the duty by the fact that it is
on record in the exchequer rolls. The
holder of the Manor of Liston has to
make waters for the King and Queen,
and can claim the instruments of silver
and other metal, as we'll as the nap
kins used in serving the waters.
George lis coronation was the last at
which the obligation to perform these
mental acts was recognized by their
being done. although they have been
brought forward and dispensed with at
all subsequent coronations.
There are other claims that would
not for a moment be entertained now,
and recital of them Will show that the
desire to make money through a popu-
lar event was just as strong centuries
ago as now. Before the Court of Claims
for Charles us coronation a petitioner,
with the somewhat strange name of
BOLD Boughey, Esq, Warden of the
Fleet and Keeper of the Two Palaces,
Called the Old and New Palaces at
Westminster" claimed to have the
privilege Ito let out to farm all the
shops, tents, stalls, and scaffclds with
in the Kings two palaces at West
minister, and to attend on the King
when he shall be at these palaces on
his coronation day" Bold Bougheys
claim was not allowed, but he was
politely told that he could sue for jus
tice il he should think proper to do
so.
Another claim of a similar character
was that of Sir William Throckmorton,
knight Marshal. He petitioned for
Z
| in Westminster and from thence to
the Palace at Whitehall. and from
! thence to Temple Bar and the High
street for the purpose to see the solem-
nifty of the coronation, and to have
the benefits thereof" THE benefits
thereof would have been enormous if
this monopoly had been granted, for
half a crown was the price of a seat
at Charles IFS coronation, and five shii-
Ct . h. ,c If,,, I T,q.r
when the last attempt was made to
obtain the waste lands at Westminster
for putting up stands by Sir William
Edwin, Lord of the Manor of Westmin-
ster.
But, however well founded, these and
other quaint claims must be regarded
at the present time as relies of the
Middle Ages that are doomed to ex-
tinction, as it rests with the King to
abolish all or any of them. He will
probably steer a middle course by pre-
scribing only those offices that have a
direct bearing on the ceremony OF coro-
nation.
OF course, until the King has made
known his pleasure on these and many
other points, it is only possible to sur
mise. At present many rumors are
abroad as to the way in which the
/ long and tedious ceremony of the coro-
/ nation is to be telescoped to suit mod
/ ern ideas. But it must be borne in
mind that at present these are surmise
/ and nothing else. 1t is stated, for eX-
| ample, and this is very probable, that
/ it has been decided to postpone until
/ the following day the ancient and pic
/ turesque ceremony of homage, when
! representatives of every grade of peer
and commoner swear fealty to the SOW
ereign in words and a manner which
date back to the feudalism of the Nor
man Kings.
In order still further to contract the
service it Is even stated that the COM
| munion will not be celebrated. If this
! should turn out to be true, Edward VII
/ Will be only the third English King
/ during 800 years to dispense with this
service, and the presidents are not IA
/ vorable examples. For the first King Ia
/ abstain was John, who was a mis-
! creant; and the second was James II,
who was Papist.
But it is further stated that even
some Of the most ancient symbolical
rites may be left out-those, for in
stance, which symbolic the sacerdotal
character of the King and involve his
submitting to certain ceremonies, in
Guiding that of his being anointed. II
is considered in archaeological as well
as other circles that not even the TWEEN
teth century could condone the aboli-
ton of so ancient and important a rite
in the browning Of a sovereign.
well known authority on the his
tory and ritualism Of the coronation
service suggests that the four and five
| hours of Wearying ceremony could be
easily contracted TO about one-half
that time without sacrificing anything
essential to the religious and royal
character of the rite. AS a beginning
he suggests that the sermon should he
left out altogether, a suggestion which
will probably be accepted.
The Earl Marshals orders with re-
gard to the costumes 10 be worn by
peers and peeresses attending the cor
onation have already appeared In the
sun. After their publication in the
Gazette here one heard the echo OF
some plants that robes Of velvet trim
med with miniver and ermine would
be distressingly hot wear FOR sum-
mer day, But, "noblesse obllge."
Many-in fact, probably most-peers
or the older creations have their robes
already. At the last coronation IL was
thing TO be proud OF to have so old
and dilapidated a habit that 1t would
scarcely hold together. the inference
being that IL had done service for
many generations IN the past. SO long
time has elapsed since then that
probably the custom viii not hold on
the present occasion. Certainly. much
OF the splendor Of the ceremony must
have been lost by many peers
wearing old rags. II Is. there ore
hoped that all who do not provide them
selves with new robes next year will AT
least have their ancestral garments