New-York tribune., 1902-08-10
THE ABBEY PROCESSION.
pr.rTY AND PICTURESQUENESS OF
THE PAGEANT-MANY MEDIEVAL
FEATURES.
Copyright: 1902: Bv The Tribune Associationo

London, Aug. 9.-The procession from the en-
.-ence hall of the Abbey to the theatre was
1onger and more picturesque than the
Hanged for Queen Victoria's coronation The
,oost conspicuous omission the exclusion of
the princes and princesses Of the royal house. In
she victorian procession the Duchess of Glouces-
ter the Luke and Duchess OF Cambridge. the
Tuke Of Sussex and other royal personages were
arrayed in purple velvet robes, and their coronets
were on their heads as they passed through the
choir TO their places in the theatre. The princes
and princcsses were among the spectators in the
royal box and among the peers in to-day's
ceremonial
Otherwise, the pageant was greatly enriched
There was a larger body Of clergy in splendid
vestments; the heralds and standard bearers
made braver show; the number of state func-
tionaries bearing the regalia increased; the
presence Of the Queen Consort with her ret
inue was an additional feature, and the cos
tuning Of officials. peers and pages was more
brilliantly devised. The stage management of
royal functions has become beautiful art. The
King has the same talent for il which George
" displayed in his time, and the Queen has
exquisite taste and a true sense of blends OF
color. They have each been consulted at every
turn, and the beauty and picturesQueness of
the pageant within the Abbey may be attrib-
uted in large measure to their supervision of
the details.
The procession was led by the Kings chap
lains. who followed by the sub-dean of
the Chapels Royal. the Dean Of Windsor. the
Prebendares Of Westminster and Dean Brad
ley. grim, gaunt and haggard, in his magnificent
cope and alb. A picturesque group of pursui-
wants in quaint costume came next, with officers
of the orders Of knighthood and the heralds in
full panOply Of medievalisrn. The comptroller
and the treasurer Of the household preceded the
r-l,o n, nv
virtue Of his descent from one Of the eldest
Roman Catholic families. and also in conse-
ouence OF his rank as Privy Councillor. carried
the Irish standard MIR. Henry Scrymgeour
Wedderburn, having proved his hereditary
rights before the Court Of Claims. bore the
standard of Scotland. MI. Frank Seanen Dy-
rnoke had an equally clear title the dignity
Of Kings Champion, for he could trace his
descent from Sir John Dymoke, who cham
pion at the coronation of Richard II With the
coronation feast of George " the feudal custom
Of q challenge by q knight in arrnor 10 COM
bat over the Kings title lapseo, but a sovereign
could not be crowned in the Abbey without the
help Of a Dymoke even f horse trappings,
arrnor and gold cup had been relegated to the
storied past The challenger from Scrivelsby
Court in Lincolnshire, had been transformed
into an English standard bearer, and was en-
abled to vindicate his hereditary rights Be
hind him was the Duke Of Wellington, with the
Union Standard. his coronet being carried by
page.
The vice-Chamberlain of the Royal House
hold preceded the Keeper of the Crown Jewels,
with sword and ruby rings a velvet
cushion The sword was in q scabbard of pur-
ME and was to be substituted for the de-
posted in the Chapel Of the ConfessOr and then
consecrated the altar before the King was
girt with it. The rings were for the Sovereign
and the Queen Consort-the Kings a large fiat
ruby with z ST. Georges cross and the Queens
with a circle Of sixteen small rubies around a
larger one The Kings was the historic
which Queen Mary had beQueathed to James l
and which was recovered by George " in Rome
after il had been taken to France by James II
IN his fight as the most precious Of the Stuart
relics The four knights Of the Garter, who
were to hold the canopy over the King when
he was anointed, came next. with the Lord
Chamberlain and the Lord Steward close behind
them Mr. Balfour and the Duke of Devonshire
the latter attended by his page, maintained the
dignity of their offices LORD Of the Privy Seal
and Lord President OF the Council The Lord
Chancellor of Ireland and the Lord High Chan
celIor each with purse bearer and page, pre-
ceded and followed the Archbishop Of York, who
had one attendant. The Archbishop Of Canter-
bury, in z sumptdous dalnlatic of purple velvet
with gold enbroideries, had two attendants.
The Queen WIS preceded by her retinue bear
ing the regalia, which were smaller and less
pretentious than the regaia Of the King. No
swords Of state were carried before her, for
this privilege WAS reserved for royalty reigning
by its own right. The ivory rod with the dove,
which the Earl Of Gosford held was smaller
than the Kings golden virge; and the jewelled
sceptre with the cross which was in Lord Har-
rts's hands was simpler than the larger one in
the Kings regalia. The Chamberlain Of the
Queens household preceded the Duke Of Rox-
burghe, who carried the crown: and the coro-
nets of all these noblemen were borne by pages,
with four sergeents-at-arns in attendance The
Queen was supported by the Bishops Of oxford
and Norwich and attended by ten gentlemen
alarms the Mistress Of the Robes, eight train
bearers and twelve ladies in waiting, including
the Countess Of Gosford, Lady Su+held, the
Countess OF Antrim. the Dowager Countess OF
Lytton and the Hon. Charlotte knollys-
The Kings regalia made a more imposing
spectacle than the Queens, and comprised all
the famous Crown jewels. Lord Darlington
headed the array with St. Edwards Stan, a
large gold sceptre surmounted by mound and
cross- The Duke Of Argyll, as hereditary mas
ter Of the Kings household in Scotland, car
rieo the soeptre with The cross-the shaft
adorned with diamonds, rubies and emeralds
and the beautiful amethyst at the top enclrcled
with brilliants The emblems Of knighthood. a
pair Of golden spurs with embroidered straps,
were borne by the Earl of Loudoun and Lord
Grey De Ruthyn The Duke of Grafton carried
Curtana. the Sword of Mercy. and the two rival
generals Lord Wolseley and Lord Roberts,
supported him with the Swords of Temporal and
Ecclesiastical Justice Five Kings OF Arms
with ta5ard, collar, sceptre and crown were
picturesque figures with Black Rod and the