Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-08-09

orb. Three bishops-of Ely, London ana
Winchester-carried the patina, Bible
and chalice.
Then an interval and the king, the
central figure of the pagent entered. he
wore a crimson robe with an enormous
train. the collar of the Order OF the
Garter. and on his head was crimson
cap in place of crown.
A bishop supported the king on either
side and six nOblemen bore his traih'
There followed group of other mobiles,
Bringing up the rear were officers OF
the household. Last of all twenty
Yeomen of the Guard.
The Abbey itself, the theatre OF the
pageant, remained exactly as it was June
26. when the king would have been
crowned but for the dramatic postpone
ment. In the very centre ofthe church was
a dais for the king and queen. Upon 1t
was very large throne chair tor the
king and a smaller one for the queen.
To the right and left on either side OF
the dais were the peers and peeresses.
The peers occupied the north transept
in wide ascending tier OF seats. They
were all in crimson robes with ermine
canes and bareheaded. In the opposite
transept were the peeresses in similar
tier of seats. They were all dressed In
low cut gowns of richest fabrics and dis
played Jewels of sparkling beauty and
fabulous value. Both peers and peer
esses held their cOronets in their hands.
A number of the less important titled
people were absent, giving those who
remained ample room, certainly more
than the sixteen inches of space origi-
nally allotted. In galleries on either
side over the heads of the peers and
peeresses we're members of the House
of Commons and their wives. The
Commons galleries were rather thlnly
filled. No Irish members except Ulster
unionists appeared and many English
members were away in the country.
There was about forty Americans in the
abbey, including the United States Am
bassy staff.
Behind the dais was the altar place,
the floor of which, like that of the dais,
was covered with blue worcester carpet.
The altar itself was covered with rich
ecclesiastical hangings, and behind the
altar were crimson velvet curtains be-
yond whose folds vas the chapel of King
Henry VII.
Placed in front of the altar was a
heavy old oak chair beneath the seat OF
which Was the famous stone of scone.
This stone, according to an old legend,
was the one on which Jacob laid his
head when he dreampt the vision Of the
golden stairs. At any rate, the Scottish
kings and later the English kings have
been crowned upon it for a thousand
years, and today England's Seventh
Edward was to take his seat over it at
the formal beginning of his reign. AT
its left was a smaller chair for the crown
ing of the queen.
The last words of the anthem were
being sung, when the King and Queen
after kneeling for moment iii silent
prayer, took seats which had been pro
yided for them below their thrones.
The Archbishop of Canterbury in hi:
episcopal robes, preceded by the Garter
King at Arms and accompanied by the
Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord
Chancellor, the Lord High Constable,
and the Earl Marshal stepped to the
Kings side and in clear voice said
"Sirs, | here present unto you King
Edward, the undoubted King of this
realm; wherefore, all you who are come
this day to do your homage, are you
willing to do the same?'
Immediately everybody in the Abbey
shouted, Good save King Edward, God
save the King" repeating this many
times until the voices merged into gen.
eral shout of reclamation. As it died
down the heralds lifted their trumpets
and blared a salute. 1t was more de-
corous than nomination by reclamation
in an American national convention, but
in much the same spirit.
After the shouting the archbishop re-
cited the Lords Prayer and read the first
part of the communion service.
TO save the king fatigue parts of the
service which were on the programme
for June % were omitted. Next came
the taking of the oath. The archbishop
standing before the king saidi
'iSir, is Your Majesty willing to take
the OATH"
The king answered, 81 am willing"
The Archbishop then asked if he
solemnly swore and promised to govern
the people of Great Britain and Ireland
and dominions belonging thereto ac-
cOrding to the statutes of Parliament
and its laws and customs, to cause law
and justice in mercy to be executed, to
do the utmost to maintain the laws of
God, the profession of the Gospel and
the Protestant reformed religion estab-
lished by law, and to preserve the set
Element of the Church of England, its
doctrine worship and discipline and re-
serve to the clergy their rights and priv
ileges To all of which the king an
swered, "All this promise to do"
Then to bind the oath the king stood
from his chair and being escorted to the
altar and placing his hand upon great
copy of the Bible held out to him by the
Archbishop, he said solemnly:
"The things which ! have before
promised, | will perform and keep, so
help me God"
The king then kissed the Bible and
signed the oath as the choir sang "Veni
Creator Spiritus." Then the Arch
bishop prayed God to bless and sanctify
ellis chosen servant, King Edward"