The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-01

carrying the sword OF STATE, the Two
swords OF justice and the sword of
mercy with its blunted edge.
The religious service then begins.
Just before the conclusion of the
creed. the Bishop of London win make
his way to the pulpit and the sermon,
which is to be short and suitable TO
the great occasion" will be begun.
Strict orders have been communicated
10 the Bishop of London, so it is stat
ed, that under no circumstances what
ever, is his discourse to exceed eight
minutes. 1t is curious to note that al
the coronation of George III it was
particularly remarked that the sermon
lasted only quarter of an hour
During the delivery of the sermon
the King and Queen sit side by side in
two chairs on the south side of the al
tar. On the north side of the high al
tar there will be erected a purple vel
vet chair and footstool for the use of
Archbishop Temple. This chair is a
particularly interesting article, seeing
that it, is the recognized perquisite- OF
the metropolitan see and at the con-
clusion of the proceedings is delivered
over to the Primate by way of fee.
A word must be said about the robes
hitherto worn by the King. They are
known as his Parliament robes, being
the splendid mantle and cape, which it
| is customary for him TO wear at the
In addition to his Parliament robes the
| King also wears his cap of estate which
is made of crimson velvet turned up
with ermine, During the recital of the
litany and the other prayers the Kings
head remains uncovered, but as soon as
the Bishop of London begins the, SER
mon he places his cap on his head
The sermon ended, the Archbishop of
Canterbury then makes his way to the
King, and proceeds to administer the
coronation oath. Four questions will be
| demanded of His Majesty, each of
which he answers in the usual formula,
book being in his hands at the
time.
Then the King will leave his chair,
and attended as always by the two
bishops with the great sword of state
| carried in front of him, he will make
! his solemn oath in the sight of all his
assembled people. A great Bible. con-
tanning not only the Old and New Tes-
| hments, but also the Apocrypha, is
brought from the altar by the Arch
bishop, and opened at the Gospels The
! King lays his hand upon the place in
| dicated. and kneeling there upon the
steps, he repeats the words:
The things which l have here before
| promised l will perform and keep. So
help me God
He then kisses the Book, and APP
! Ponds his sigma ture To a vellum copy
of the oath; pen and ink being brought
for this purpose upon silver -standish,
| A curious fiaSco took place at this
| point at George Tvs coronation.
For some unexplained reason the vel
lum copy of the oath was not forth
coming. What, then, was to happen?
! The King was equal to the occasion
He demanded a copy of the coronation
service. and appended his signature
there and then to- the copy of the
oath printed therein-a certificate be-
ing furnished, to the effect that all
| things had been duly and correctly
performed, by Archbishop Manners
| Sutton.
The ceremony of the JUNCTION or an
Rointing with the consecrated' oil then
follows Four times over will Arch
bishop Temple anoint His Majesty. on
the crown of the head on the breast
| and on the palms of both his hands, in
each case in the form of cross.
Then the Dean of Westminster comes
| forward to invest His Majesty with
the first portion of the coronation vest
| ments. These consist of the colebum
sindonis the supertunica made of cloth
of gold and a girdle of similar mate
! rial These vestments are placed upon
him without any special form of words,
but they one andsall point to the sa-
cred character of English kingship and
serve to emphasize the idea that a
King who is thus consecrated be-
| comes henceforward a ''miXtra per-
soma" half cleric half laic.
The military aspect of the corona
ton next makes its appearance. The
instruments employed for this pur-
| pose are the great golden spurs of st.
George and the sword of state. The
former of these are brought from the
altar by the Dean of Westminster,
and delivered to the Lord Great Cham
berlain, who without uttering any
specific formula. simply touches the
Kings heels with them as a sign of
the investlture, and then sends them
! back to the altar.
The King having received the sword,
ungirds it, and, having made his way
TO the high altar, proceeds to offer it
there. He then returns to the corona
ton chair, and certain peer, appoint
ed for this purpose, then redeems the
sword by offering the price, which has
usually been fixed at the sum of 100
shiHings. The Dean of Westminster
then delivers the sword to the peer,
! who draws 1t out of its scabbard. and