Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-03-09
SIKltt SIlRRED
BY CORONATION
British Peers contestIng For
Ancient Ceremonial Privileges.
COURT OF CLAIMS CROWDED,

hereditary Squabblss Over Various
Honorary Positions Beino Thrashed
Out Before King George 10 Crowned
Usher Of White Rod and Glove
Bearer Subjected to Scrutiny.
Should King George Of England de.
eide to adopt ancient customs at his
coming coronation there will be some
quaint and medieval ceremonies on
that occasion. A nobeman of the
manor Of Heydon, In Essex, is entitled
to the honor Of bearing a towel for the
king when the monarch washes for the
banquet. The holder Of the manor OF
Addington In Surrey is charged with
the duty OF serving mess of Rerout
or d1ilegrout to the sovereign before
the immediate formalities of the ban.
quet are begun.
The chief butler OF England, a post
OF no mean honor in spite of the title.
has. according to a well established
claim. the right to call upon the lord
mayor and twelve citizens OF London
FOR such aid as Is necessary on the
great day.
Competition 10 Great.
There were two distinguished claim
ants for the post of chief butler at the
coronation OF King Edward in 1902.
One was the Duke Of Norfolk and the
other Lord Mowbray and Stourton. In
presenting their claims to the office
these men quoted the records Of pre-
v1ous coronations for several centuries
ana produced musty court documents
OF great antiquity, which were submit
tea In proof of the righteousness of
their contentious. The Duke of Nor
folk Is the premier duke Of England
and the most prominent Roman Catho-
hc. He Is also very wealthy.
The court OF claims, which has to do
with the settlement of procedure at
the coronation function Is now in ses-
sion 1t Is guided in its decisions by
established precedent. The court dates
back to the reign of Richard H., 1877.
when John Gaunt. duke OF Lancaster,
the lord high steward. kept his court
IN Whitehall. Beginning with the cor
onation OF Henry Will. commissioners
were appointed to decide the questions,
and these commissioners were later
succeeded by the court OF clnims The
only record OF the court Is the corona
ton rolls, on which the claims are set
down In some detail.
At the coronation Of King Edward
there were three claimants for the hon
or Of carrying the great spurs. The
court refused to allow the claims OF
any Of the three. leaving 1t open for
the present court to restore the right
to claimant Carrying the spurs
meant more in the days when English
kings were fighters than it does nov
The king has plenty of spurs, but they
are without the glamour which comes
with victories in the field
Many Rival Claimants.
Most of the claims Of right were al
lowed subject to the kings approval,
but In some cases there were rvGl
claimants. For instance, both the
Duke OF Newcastle and the Earl of
Shrewsbury claimed the right Of sup
plying the glove for the kings right
hand and supporting his majesty's
right arm while he is holding the scep-
II
lowed
Three claims were made to the Office
Of hereditary standard bearer Of Scot
land, the petitioners being the Earl OF
Lsuderdale. Henry scrymgeour Wed
derburn and the Rev. R. G. Weddelr-
burn. Mr.. Wedderburn's claim was al
lowed, and he was commanded to At
tend the coronation and did 30. The
Earl of 1.auderdale, however, chnl-
lenged the decision by bringing an ac-
ton against the successful petitioner
In the court Of session, Scotland. He
succeeded there, but on appeal to the
house OF lords the question was dectd
ed against him.
Another interesting claim was that
Of the Walker trustees to exercise the
ONCE Of usher of the white rod which
was belueathed by Sir Patrick Walker.
former holder. and held by trustees
incorporated by act Of parliament
They were allowed to be present by
deputy to be approved BY his majesty.
A partial revival Of an ancient priv
ilege was seen in the decision by which
the barons of the C1nGue Ports were
allowed to carry canopy over the
king should his majesty be pleased to
have canopy.