The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-08
WHEN THE KING IS CROWNED.
SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THE
CORONATION CEREMONY.

Wear-The Queens Crown.
From the New York sun.
bing interest is al
ready being shown in the Forthcoming
coronation, Its ceremonies and all its
attendant circumstances. First of all
there is the Court Of Claims, which has
to settle who shall be the Kings Lord
Great Chamberlain, his chief carvers,
buffers and what not. Some of these
have already been settled, but to settle
other numerous claims to be present
ard perform certain duties at the coro-
nation viii soon be the duty of the
Court Of Claims.
In early ages the Sovereign, shortly
after his accession, issued a warrant
constituting the Lord High Steward
sole judge of the court, but Queen Vic
toria by proclamation committed the
duty to the whole of the privy council
or any five or more of them. The
claims are chiefly those of persons who
hold estates by grand sergeanty," and
the term tenure by grand sergeanty'
is explained by Littleton as where a
man holds his lands or tenements Of
the Sovereign by such services as he
ought to do in his own person, such as
TO carry the Kings banner or his
sword before him at the coronation, or
to be his carver or his butler.
Some Of these tenures are of a trivial
nature. and can well be dispensed with,
but others have become valued heredi
tary privileges which the Court Of
Claims is bound to recognize and the
sovereign alone can abolish. The most
well known is the hereditary Office of
Earl Marshal of England, held for CEN
turtles by the Dukes of Norfolk. Others
are not 50 well known, although no
coronation ceremony is complete with
out them.
At the present time the duties of the
court are easier from the fact that
nearly all the peers who proved their
claims and performed their duties at
Queen Victoria's coronation have left
direct successors, and the appointments
should be as follows: The Duke of
Hamilton to be Lord High Steward,
and the Duke of Roxburg to carry st.
Edwards staff. and Lord Byron the Col
den Spurs: the Duke of Sutherland the
Second Sword, and the Duke Of West
minister the Third Sword. The Cur
tana, or Sword of Mercy, which ranks
as the First Sword. is properly borne
by the Duke of Devonshire but 1t is
probable that his Office of Lord Presi-
dent of the Council viii clash with this,
and he may be allowed to provide a
substitute. The Duke OF Somerset has
the privilege of carrying the orb and
the Duke of Richmond the Sceptre and
Doye; but the DukedOm of Cleveland
being extinct, there can be no heredi-
tary claim to bear the Sceptre and the
Cross, therefore the appointment rests
with the king, who also appoints the
lord high constable. Earl Roberts
name is mentioned in connection with
this, and it is not unlikely that the
choice may fall on him, as the Office is
usually conferred on a solder. The
Duke of Wellington was lord high con-
stable at the coronation Of Queen Vic
toria.
The most difficult question the COM
mittee will have to decide is as to who
shall be Lord Great Chamberlain. and
the rival claims of the Earl of Ancas-
ter and the Marquis of Cholmondeley
will be fought out to the bitter end,
eminent counsel being briefed on both
sides. The duties of the Lord Great
Chamberlain are different from what
they We're formerly. He had, accord
ing to the official rules printed in the
early part Of the last century, ito
enter the Kings bedroom before he
rises and to give him his stockings and
shirt and on the same day
the said Great Chamberlain and the
Senior Chamberlain for the time being
TO dress the King in all his apparel.
N. B.-The like as to the Queen when
there is one"
The Office of Kings Champion, which
has belonged to the Dymoke family
for many generations in connection
with the Manor of Scrivelsby, will, it
is said, be abolished before the forth
coming coronation, and the picturesque
spectacle of the Champion, in glitter
ing armor, throwing down his gauntlet
in Westminster Hall will be but a
memory. A tradition was formerly
believed in that the Young Pretender
was present at the coronation OF
George III. and that as the Champion
cast down his gauntlet for the last
time, white glove fell from one OF
the spectators. AS the story became
chevalier. Sir Walter Scott introduced
the incident in "Redgauntlet."
Another office threatened with ex-
tinction is that Of the Grand Almonel
of England. 1t was his duty to dis
tribute the aims collected in a silver
dish on the day of coronation, ano
also to divide among certain poor per-
sons the blue cloth on which the SOW
ereign walks from the throne in West
minister Hall to the door of the abbey:
and he received as his fee the silver
dish on which the aims We're collected.
and also the napkin by which it was
covered. Other claims which are In
allegiance through not having been
granted for several coronations are the
office of Carver, by himself or deputy,
while the King and Queen sat at din
ner. This was the privilege of the
Earl of Lincoln. but the peerage is
extinct. The chief butlership was an
eagerly coveted position, as was the
post of chief lardener; the latter re-
ceived as his fee the remainder Of all
beeves, muttons, calves, venisons,
cheverels and other flesh, fish, salt and
all other things remaining in the office
OF lardener after dinner" The Mar
quis of Abergavenny can claim this.
The Grand Panneter's duty was to pre-
side over the pantry on coronation day
as service for holding the Manor of
kebworth Beauchamp, in Leicester
shire. He received as his fee the salts.
knives and spoons placed before the
King and Queen.
The barons Of the Cirque Ports--that
is TO say, sixteen barons or free men
from the towns Of Hastings, Dover.
Hythe, Rye, Sandwich. Romney and
Winchelsea-can. If they like, claim TO
carry over the Sovereign during the
procession a canopy OF cloth OF gold,
receiving the canopy, etc, as their fee,
and having the privilege of dining at
a table on the right of the sovereign.
Also, the citizens Of London, by the
mouth OF their Recorder, can claim,
to ofticiate in the Butlery on the coro-
nation day and assist the chief butler