The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-05

In the dawntime of historic knowledge
one learns in the nursery that the kings
in his closet counting out his money. the
queens In her parlOr eating bread and
honey" and from this early impression
the average commoneF comes to think Of
the life of royalty as an existence of. to
express it vulgarly, "all beer and skt-
ties" That there is any penalty of per-
sonal discomfort in the wearing and
bearing of crowns may be a new idea to
such, but a little reading Of history will
soon convince any one of open mind that
1t is not an experience to be greatly de-
sired that now looms large before George
V Of England if the ease Of flesh Is the
consideration.
OF all trying performances probably
coronation in midsummer is the worst, as
1t is continuous performance. for many
who hold tickets for seats along the route
of procession occupy the seats the night
before so as to escape making a passage
through the congested streets The cere-
monies begin early always. for there is
much that is religious in the ceremony,
and during the Catholic days mass was
an important part of the service, and
that is taken fasting. On more than one
occasion a king of England has tainted
before the conclusion of the ceremony,
and It is related that Richard II was
borne fainting out of the abbey on the
shoulders of four knights. The kings
champion. whose part was to challenge
any malcontent on the kings behalf. and
whose pay for the act Of ehivalry was
the second finest horse In the kingdom,
thinking his chance OF earning the steed
was growing slim on the disappearance
OF the chief actor in the drama, actually
barred the kings progress; but the earl
marshal unceremOniously told him to be-
gone and wait his perquisite until the
king had revived and had his dinner.
The last George of the kings preceding
Edward was crowned in July, and as
Stanley said. "Being somewhat portly
and the weather intensely hot. during
one interval Of the service he was COM
PEELED to go cool himself, stripped of all
his robes, In the confessor's chapel; and
at another he was only revived by some
smelling salts which the archbishop's
secretary had accidentally provided. As
there is no record of title such as the
knight Of the smelling salts. it Is to be
feared that too much emphasis was laid
on the provision Of the salts being acct
dental and the poor gentleman who saved
the King some discomfort was unre-
warded."
The same authority tells that the King
also suffered through the ceremony Of
homage when every peer OF the realm
who is able 10 attend must do homage to
the Crown. George was strong in his
dislikes. and many were bitter partisans
of his deposed Queen, so the King amused
himself during this part of the show by
audible evidence of his dislikes as the un-
popular peers came before him. This
must have raised his already high tenn
perature. for he was perpetually wiping
his streaming face with innumerabIe
handkerchiefs, which he handed in rapid
succession to the pFimate, who stood be-
hind him." What unique souvenirs they
would have made in their rumpled condi-
ton! And what a nice perquisite for the
primate! Though had he been on this