The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-03-28
OF ALL GROCERs

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 of Richard IT., and in the meantime six
 Marmions, two LudoWs and Hillary l had lived more or less at Scrivelsby l The active championship was first
 claimed at the coronation Of Richard II.
 by Sir John Dymoke for his wife, by
 reason of her tenure of the manor of 1 Scrivelsby, she being descended from
 the last of the Marmions, ard from that date to the present the office has
 been held by inheritance by no fewer than twenty Dymokes. Sir Robert Dy-
 moke, who lived in five re1gns-Edward
 IV. Edward V., Richard H., Henry VII.
 and Henry VI1I.-acted as champion to
 the three last named sovereigns; and
 his son Edward, who succeeded him,
 also performed the office to three suc-
 cess sovereigns, namely, Edward VI,
 Mary and Elizabeth.
 | Owing to the plague the coronations ! of James I. and Charles I. were marked 1 by mutilated ceremonial, in Which that of the champion likewise suffered. l At the commonwealth the then cham pion, another Sir Edward Dymoke, was 1 heavily fined for bearing a ''leWd and
 malicious title," but this same cham
 pion received compensation in his dig
 nity, if not in his purse, by the promi- hence that was given to his office at the magnificent coronation ceremonies Of Charles IT. Dr. Kennett, Bishop of Pe- terborough, has recorded the champi-
 ons appearance on this occasion. In
 the middle of the coronation banquet in Westminster Hall Sir Edward enter ed, armed cap a pie, and mounted on a richly caparisoned charger. He was preceded by trumpeters and an esquire carrying his lance; York herald and the earl marshal rode on his left hand, and the lord high constable on his right. The cavalcade advanced to the foot of the throne, where York herald proclaim ed challenge for any dispute as to the crown, stating that he who might make one was a false traitor, and that the champion was here ready to combat with him to the death. Directly this speech was concluded the champion hurled his gauntlet to the ground, and assumed an attitude of deaance. No disputant being forthcoming, the gaunt- let was restored to him, and the king then drank to his champion in a gold cup and cover full of wine. The cup was next handed to the champion who made three reverenees to the king and drank off it's contents at one draught. Lastly the champion, taking the cup with him as his fee, made graceful ex- it by refining his steed backward. The gold cup, however. was not the cham pions only perquisite. The board of ordnance had previously supplied him with a suit of armor, pistols, sword and lance from the royal armory, and the master of the horse with charger All of these now became his property, CT else the state compounded with him for their value.
 The champion at the coronation of James IT. appears to, have been weak member, for after he had challenged he fell down full length in the nall; where upon the queen said, See you, love, what a weak champion you have A spiteful account states that the king only laughed, and the champion excused himself, pretending his armor was heavy, and that he himself WIS weak with sickness, which was false, for he was very well"
 There exists romantic story to the effect that at the coronation of George III. the challenge was accepted. A lady stepped from the crowd and lifted the pledge, leaving another gage in place of 1t, with a paper expressing that if fair field of combat should be allowed a Stu art champion of rank and birth would | appear with equal arms to dispute the | claim of King George to the British kingdoms. Sir Walter Scott weaves his story into Red Gauntlet" but that | t is legend is proved by the fact that | he champion on this occasion, Sir John | Dymoke, who has left very full ac- count of the ceremony in his diary, | makes no mention of any such awk- ward incident Sir John rode the white | ,harger which had carried George II. at | and then ran away with the monarch almost into the enemys lines | n 1920, at George IV.'s coronation, the ast time at which the champion of England did his devoir, the hereditary lolder of the office was an aged clergy nan. He was therefore allowed to de- ute it to his son Henry, young mid hipman, who was sent to Astley's in
  rder to be taught the difficult feat of ching his horse backward the whole ength of Westminster Hall. The pre- aution was necessary, for it would ave been very awkward if the horse lad turned restive among the compa- ". However, the charger acquitted it. elf admirably. The theatrical ceremo- y was discontinued at the coronation f William ". and it is said that the who wished to cut down xpenses, tock advantage of the scatil- lg lines penned by Thomas Hood and ntitled "The Champions Farewell" mich held the ancient ceremony up to ublic ridicule, for this purpose. Like -ise the services of the champion were , ot required at the coronation of Queen | ictoria. Henry Dymoke, who as a boy ad officiated at the coronation of eorge ", should have again been the lampion on these two latter occasions l 1S41 this gentleman was created a as a solarium for the dscon- nuance of the office. When Sir Henry
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