New-York tribune., 1901-03-10
THE KINGS CHAMPION
AN ANCIENT OFFICE LONG HELD IN
ONE FAMILY

mind the fact that there exists an indivi5ual
who can now sign himself The Honorable, the
kirss Champion" The present holder Of this
ancient office is Francis Seaman Dymole ESQ
Of ScriYeIsby Manor Lincolnshire, who accord
ing 10 tradition, should at once lodge his title
before the Court of Claims. in order that he may
ofc.ate as champion OF England al the corona
tion Of King Edward VII In bygone days the
appearance Of the champion riding into Nest
N nster Han. throwing down his gauntlet and
challenging TO mortal combat any one who
should gauSay the sovereien's title 10 the
throne was the most striking ceremonial N III
coronation banquet. At the last two coronations
however. this ceremony omitted. and the
prospects Of II ever again being revived
pTDhlematiCal
From time immemorial Dymoke has been the
Kings or Queens champion, as the case may be-
tHl il Is wrong 10 suppose IN consequence that
the office is an hereditary one vested in thls
ancient family; for apart from Scrivelsiy. no
one IS entitled TO be called champion To the
r. gninS sovereign; in a word the ownership Of
the manor and distinctive title are inSeparable
The Office is of Norman origin The Marrnions
a powerful Norman family enjoyed the peculiar
privilege of acting as champions u the Dukes
If Normandy, and they held their lanzs
feucal tenure. subject 70 the performance Of this
particular service When William the conqueroT
came over he brought with him Sir Robert Mar
mon, ms champion, 10 whom was eventually
assigned lle manor of SCrlNtlSDy under the same
tenure There is. however, no well authenti-
Gated account Of a champion taking part in a
coronation before the time Of Richard II. and in
the mean time six MarnonS TWO Ludlows and
a Hillary had lived more or less AZ ScriyelSby.
The active champiorship Was first claimed at
the coronation OF Richard II by Sir John Dymoke
Cor his wife by reason II her tenure of the
manor Of Scriyelsby. she being descended from
the last OF the Marmons and from that date u
the present the ofilce has been neld by inner
iIance by no fewer than twenty Dymokes. Sir
Robert Dymoke. who lived in fvg reigns-Ed-
Nard ~ Edward y. Richard Ill Henry VII
and Henry NIII-acted as champion 10 the three
last named soYeregns, and his son Edward. "ho
succeeded him, $50 performed tho office - three
successive SoNerelSns- namely, Edward III Mary
ana Elizabeth.
owing 10 IN plague. the coronations Of James
trR I a.. Il Lax U14! = 4-ri
ccrt uonial ia which that II the champion like
Wire suffered. At the commonwealth the then
champion, another Sir Edward Dymohe. WAS
hoax -y fined for beariEE a leWd and malicious
u-t- hut This same champion received compeIl-
saxon IN his dignity, i not in his purse. by the
' '.---nce that VAS gwen 10 hlS Once al the
ir.c:i.tIcenI coronation ceremonies II Charles II
I'~ kennett. Bishop Of Peterborough has
corded thu champioI4's appearance on this
q. the middle OF the cremation banquet
ir :, estminster Hall. So Edward entered. armed
ocT pie, and mounted on q richly cauariSonei
charger. H. was prec aded 10y trImper-rs and
an esquire carving h!s lance: York herald and
III earl marshal rode his l-ft hand, and the
lord high constable on his r-ht- The caNal ado
s..-tced 70 The foot ol he throne. where YORK
l.--.C Iro-laluo ed challenge Tor any dispute
as % the crown. stating that he Wh" might
u.aE- vas a falls traitor and that the
cE.-lpIon MAS here ready TO combat with MIN 20
Tte death Directly this speech was concluded
tn hampton hurried his saunI-t - tn sloIna.
ana assumed an attitude Of defiance 50 dis
Iutant being f'Tthcoming the gauntlet
stirred 10 him. and th- kim then drank 10 his
-!l4L4DN gold cup tNt. cover lNiI 81 MlFl'.
Tl- cup was next handed T. th- chawf jon. who
=. d- three reI-f.uc,s t. the King and drank
of is contents dr4uEht. Lastly the
champion. taking The cup with him his fee.
made a graceful exit 10y refining his steed back
ward TIL gold cup however. not tn cham
ripas only perqUisite The Board Of Ordnance
haa previously supplied him with d suit II
erU.or. pistols sword and lance from the royal
aII"ory. and the master of the hors- with
charger All Of these now became his property,
.lse the State compounded with hIIl for their
value.
The champion at the coronation OF James ii
az -ars TO have been 4 weak member, for after
he had challenged nc feu down fun length in
Tho hall MhereUpon the Queen said. See you.
love what weak champion you have" A
siit-ful account states that the King only
laughed. and the champion excused himself, pre-
t,nciug his arInor was heavy, and that he him
s,f was weak with sickness. which was false,
fir h- WAS very we'll
There exists a romantic story the effect
tlat Il the coronation Of George III the chal-
I-uge accepted. 4 lady stepped from the
G.. -G and lifted the pledge, leaving another
il-r in place OF il. with = paper expressing
ri.at il fair field Of combat should be allowed
=: :'uart champion Of rank and birth would ap-
with equal arms 10 dispute the claim u
fng George 10 the British Kingdoms. Sir
NalI-r Scott weaNes this story into REQ
G..Hntlet.~ out THAI II is 4 leSend is proved by
tHa tact that the champion on this occasion
- John D:moke. who has left 4 very full ac-
ctsal OF the ceremony in his diary makes no
I.-;.'ion Of any such awkward incident. Sir
5.Ln rode the white charger which had carried
George II 4 leef ieSeu and then away with
1t- Monarch alu1st i:ltO the enemy's lines In