[Ravensfort] The Manner and Form of the Coronation of the Kings and Queens of England
HerrDetlef
herrdetlef at gmail.com
Tue Aug 24 15:52:28 PDT 2010
I ran across this article a few days ago while I was reading up on ceremony
and protocol issues. Figured I should pass it along for those likewise
interested. Detlef v M.
http://www.chronique.com/Library/MedHistory/coronation.htm The Manner and
Form of the Coronation of the Kings and Queens of England
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*1385 - 1460 *
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*Middle English version
available*<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Knights/coronacion.htm>
© 1996 Brian R. Price <brion at chronique.com>
Hastings Mss. [f.16]
*Archeologia*, v. 57 pt 1
*Miscellaneous Mss on chivalry from the 15th
century*<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Knights/Archeologia-chivalry.htm>
Notes available<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Knights/Archeologia-chivalrynotes.htm>
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1. First the prince who is to be crowned, the day before his coronation,
shall be appareled and clothed with the most noble and fairest of clothing.
And so he shall ride from the Tower of
London<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-AA/arms_t.htm#Tower
of
London> to his palace at
Westminster<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_w.htm#Westminster>,
thoughout the city of London, riding with him the temporal lords and the
common folk of the same city, [accompanied] by other very noble people.
2. *The King’s See: *Also it has been ordained that on the day of the
King’s coronation in the great hall of Westminster, that the King’s see
[shall] be royally ordained and dressed with cloths, cushions and tapestries
of gold and silk.
3. *The Pulpit: *Also in Westminster church [there] must be a pulpit with
{grees?} on every side. These must be fair and arrayed with cushions and
cloths of silk and gold about the ground of both.
4. *The King’s Throne: *Also in that pulpit shall be a royal throne and a
royal see {?} in which the king shall sit. [This] shall also be royally
arrayed with cushions and cloths of gold and silk.
5. *The Abbot of Westminster shall inform the King: *Also it is to wit
that the Abbot of Westminster shall for two days before the coronation
<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#coronation>inform
the king and queen of diverse observances that they shall do, warning them
also to shrive and to cleanse their consciences before the holy annoiting.
And if the abbot is dead or away in a foreign country ‘or leefully lette’
then shall another monk of the church be chosen by the convent [of monks]
who shall fulfill and be in the abbot’s stead during the coronation.
6. *The Shirt and the Coat: *Also the same day of the coronation where
the prince shall be crowned in the royal hall. But first he shall be bathed
and after the bath there shall be ordained a new shirt and a coat of silk
opened to the breast and between the shoulders, also to the middle of the
armes. Above the coat he hall be clothed with other noble vestments. And he
shall wear hose with [oute shone] shoes?.
7. *The Solemn Procession: *Also there shall be a solemn procession
ordained by the abbot
<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_a.htm#abbot>and
the convent [of monks] of Westminster in solemn [copis?] going from the
Church of Westminster unto the King’s see. In the great hall in which the
prince shall be sit abiding the procession. Archbishops and Prelates shall
be in the procession. And then shall the prince descend and follow the
procession to the church and he shall go upon new red [?] clothe laid under
his feet o n the ground from the forsaid see to the pulpit in the forsaid
church. There shall be song in the receiving of kings and of queens.
8. *The Crosse. *Also the cross the [patene?] the scepter and the king’s
rod, which being things of royalty, shall be borne in the procession of the
Abbot. The Prior and the eldest monks of Westminster they shall take these
things to the great lords who will bear them before then prince from the
palace to the church.
9. *The Barons of the Cinque Ports: *Also the Barons of the Cinque
Ports<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#cinq
ports> shall bear the four spears painted with silver bells and overgilt
with silver cloths, banners, of the same cloth worn upon the heads of the
king and queen in the procession. And they too shall go from the king’s hall
to the pulpit in Westminster.
10. *The Abbot of Westminster: *The Abbot of Westminster or one of his
monks in his stead shall always be ready by the king’s side and by the
queens’ to inform them and to tell them what is to come.
11. *The Archbishops shall ask the Will of the People: *When the prince
has rested himself in his chair or other throne ordained in the aforesaid
pulpit, the Archbishop of Canterbury at the four costs of the pulpit, with a
high voice, shall inquire the will of the people touching on the king’s
coronation. While this is done he king shall stand in his throne, facing the
corners to which the Archbishop speaks. After the question, an anthem will
be sung: *Ffirmenteur manus tua.*
12. *The Offering of the King: *When the anthem has been sung and ended
the king shall come down from the pulpit unto the high altar between the
bishops who shall lead him. On this altar he shall offer a cloth of gold
fulfilling the precept that says "*look that ye appear neither void nor
empty in the presence and sight of the lord God. *"
13. *The Laying of the King Before the Altar: *When the king has offered
he shall lay down flat on the pavement before the altar upon cushions and
cloths of silk and gold, thus arrayed until the Archbishop or some other who
shall crown him has said the
orison<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_o.htm#orison>over
him.
*Deus fidelium. *Then shall be made a sermon to the people.
14. *And the Oath that the King Shall Make: *When the sermon is done the
king shall come to the altar to make his oath which he shall confirm with
the sacrament of the altar.
15. *The Laying down again of the King before the Altar: *Then shall the
hymn begin: *Veni creator spiritus. *It shall be sung solemnly—when it is
begun the king shall lay down before the altar as he did before until the
litany and the preface are sung throughout. When they have been sung then
shall the king arise and site in his chair for a little while.
16. *The Anointing of the King in five places: *Afterwards the king shall
arise out of his chair and go to the altar and remove his clothes save for
his shirt and his coat. (barefoot) that he may receive the
anointing<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_a.htm#anoint>.
The choir shall then begin the anthem. *Enxerunt salamone. *The orison
follows. Then shall he be anointed in five places; that is to say the hands,
within the breast, between the shoulders, and in the break of the arm (the
elbow) and on the head in the manner of a cross with the holy oil and
afterwards making a cross on the forehead, again with the holy oil.
17. *The Abbot of Westminster: *After the anointing and wiping with linen
cloth that should be done at the places of the anointings in the openings of
his coat and shirt should then be closed after the anointing by the abbot or
one in his stead.
18. *The Abbot of Westminster Shall do the King’s [Pelion]: *When the
king is thus anointed on his head the king’s head shall be held with a linen
cloth and so it shall be until the 7 days after his anointing. On this day
the Abbot of Westminster or a monk in his stead shall come to the king and
do of that [pylion] and wash the kings head and make it clean. The Abbot of
Westminster or one of him after his anointing shall cloth the king with
royal garments and his mantle of state and his hose and sandles for his feet
and spurs ready made—then shall the blessings of the kings ornaments and
apparel should be said at Westminster. When all these blessings are done the
king shall be thus clothed with a long tunic by the Abbot of Westminster,
woven with [greet]; images in gold on the front and back on the mantle of
state.
19. *The Blessings of the Sword: *After this the king’s sword shall be
blessed and the king shall take the same sword from the bishops and gird
himself with it. After that he shall be clothed with a kingly and stately
cloth upon which is woven four square golden eagles.
20. *The Putting of the Crown on the King’s Head: *When the king is
appareled with all these things then shall the crown be blessed and put on
his head by the archbishop.
21. *The Taking of the Rod and the Scepter: *After all this the king
shall don a pair of gloves, taking the scepter with the cross in the right
hand and the rod in the left. When the blessing is done he shall kiss the
bishop and also the other worthy lords, after which he should be led to his
royal see. The choir sings *Te deum laudam. *
22. *Prelates and Other Men Shall do Homage: *Then the other great lords
and other great men make their fealty and homage to their liege lord the
king. The mass shall then begin. While this is done let *Gloria in
excelsis *be sung and the deacon shall wave incense. At the *Crede* he
shall kiss the book.
23. *The Offering of Bread and Wine: *While the offertory is being sung
the king shall make his offering of bread and wine. Afterwards he shall
offer a mark of gold, bowing down his head a little while the Archbishop
blesses him with two orisones. When this blessing is done the king shall be
brought again into his throne and see.
24. *The Receiving of the Sacrament by the King: *When the Pax
<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_p.htm#pax>is
done after the *Agnus dei* and the king shall descend his see once again,
meekly going to the altar. There shall he receive the Holy Sacrament of both
flesh and blood. After the Abbot shall minister to hi the wine in a stone
chalice of the regalia. After this he shall go again to his see.
25. *The Taking of the Crown from the King’s Head: *When the mass is done
the king shall come down from his see, going once more before the altar.
There the archbishops, bishops and other great men going before him he shall
go before Saint Edward’s shrine. There the archbishops shall take the Crown
of Saint Edward and place it upon the king’s head, placing these things back
upon Saint Edward’s altar.
26. *The King Shall do of his Regalia: *Then shall the chief Chamberlain
of England, that is to say the Earl of Oxford, places the royal clothes
aforementioned in a little closet near Saint Edward’s shrine, all of which
shall be delivered to the Abbot of Westminster, who will replace it in the
altar.
27. *The Crowning of the King with Another Crown: *After this the king
shall be clothed again with other clothes and shall worshipfully go to the
altar of Saint Edward’s shrine. There the Archbishop shall place another
crown upon the king’s head, reverently, which he shall wear to his palace.
The king shall then go again to his palace, thus crowned and bearing the
scepter in his hand from the altar of Saint Edward’s shrine.
28. *The Delivering of the Scepter: *When they have eaten and the king is
gone to his chamber the scepter shall be delivered to the Abbot of
Westminster or one who occupies his stead by the king’s own hands to be kept
in the forsaid church of Westminster among the other regalia.
29. *The Offering of the Sword: *As soon as the Archbishop has put the
crown on the king’s head, then shall the king offer his sword to God on the
altar. The worthiest earl that there is shall bear it up again and carry it
naked before the king to the altar of the church.
30. *The Crowning of the Queen: *The coronation of the queen shall be
made also with a procession. And if she is to be crowned with the king then
shall she be anointed only on the top of her head with the cream in the
manner of the cross.
31. *The King on the Day of the Coronation: *The Archbishop of Canterbury
shall oppose and ask the king the same day if he will hold and guarantee and
keep the laws and the customs granted to his people of old by devout and
rightwise kings beforehand. Also if he will swear it, in particular the laws
and customs and the liberties of the glorious king Edward to the people and
the clergy. And the kings shall behold that he will keep all these forsaid
things. Then shall the Archbishop show and declare certain articles to which
the king shall swear:
- *The first point: *"*Thou shall keep full peace and accord in God and
to the Church to the people and to the clergy.*" And the king shall
answer, "*I shall do. *"
- *The second point:* "Thou shall keep in all these domains rightful
and every rightwiseness and discretion with mercy and truth."
And the king
shall swear, "*I shall do. *"
- *The third point:* "*Grant thou all rightful laws and customs to
behold and that thou wilt defend and strengthen them to the
worship if God
to his might and powers which shall choose. *" And the king shall
answer, "*I grant and behold it. *"
1. *The Annunciation of the Bishops to the King that shall be Read: *"*Sir
king we ask that it be granted and [given] to us [collectively] and
individually and all our clergies that you will keep and grant the privilege
of Holy Church and due law and rightwiseness and defend them as a king oath,
that he should in his realm to every bishop and abbot and to their clergies.
*"
And the king shall answer in this way: "*With glad will and devout soul I
give and behold to you and to each of you and to your clergies the
privileges of canon law and of Holy Church and I shall keep due law and
rightwiseness, defending it in as much as I may. With God’s help as a king
to do in his realm to every bishop and abbot and to their clergies by right
and reason. *"
2. *The King’s Oath in French: *"*Sir, wilt thou keep and by your oath
confirm to the people of England the laws and customs granted to them by
ancient kings of England, rightfully mine and devout to God; namely the
laws, customs and franchises granted to the clergy and to the people by the
glorious king Edward to your power. *"
The king shall answer, "*I shall keep them. *"
"*Sir, shall you keep to God and to Holy Church and to the clergy to the
people peace and accord Holy after your power? Sir, shall you do an cause to
be kept in all your domains and judgments true and right in mercy and truth?
*"
The king shall answer, "*I shall do. *"
"*Sir, we you grant to hold and fulfill and defend rightful laws and
customs which the commons of your realm shall choose, to strengthen and
maintain them to the worship of God after all your power? *"
The king shall answer, "*I shall grant and behold it. *"
3. *The Oath and the Form of Homage
<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_h.htm#homage>:
*"*I become your liege man of life and limb and truth and earthly honors,
bearing to you against all men that love, move or die, so help me God and
the Holy Dame. *" The same shall be said in French.
Then the Archbishop of Canterbury shall first do his homage to the king
and his fealty at his coronation. Afterwards, after the other prelates and
worthy estates of the real each in his degree. The king shall make his oath
in his coronation up on the sacrament of the altar laid up on the high altar
of the church before the people. It is also to know that the Archbishop of
Canterbury shall anoint the king and queen and shall put the crowns on their
heads, to whom by right belongs the crown. And the anointing of the kings
and queens in England or else the sovereign bishop of the church of
Canterbury to whom the same Archbishop or in his absence at the time of such
coronation shall commit his office by his letters patent, or else if the see
of Canterbury is void then shall the chaplain of the church of Canterbury
commit said office to be done.
And if the same Archbishop on the day of the coronation, standing in the
pulpit shall ask openly of the people if they will call this worshipful
prince the right heir of the realm to have him as their king and become
subjects unto him and submit themselves to obey his commandments. Then shall
the clergy and the people that stand about hold up their arms and hands on
[brode] and loudly answer, "*We will it and we grant it. Be it so! Be it
so! Amen. *"
4. *The Principal Officers on the Day of the Coronation Answer: *First
the office of chief
almoner<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#Chief
Almoner> belongs to *Sir Nicholl Beauchamp of Bedford*, who shall ordain
and spread the cloth under the king’s feet when he goes on procession from
Westminster Hall to the church and as much of the cloth as is spread outside
the doors of the church, later to spread the cloth to poor men.
5. *The Bishops of Durham and Bath: *Also the Bishop of Durham and the
Bishop of Bath shall support the king in his coronation being pontifically
and royally arrayed.
6. *The Bearing of Saint Edward’s Chalice: *Also the Chancellor of
England<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#Chancellor
of England> if he is a bishop in pontifical array shall bear before the
king in his procession Saint Edward’s chalice in great regality and
solemnity.
7. *The Bearing of the Patents* The Treasurer of England if he is a
bishop in pontifical array shall bear the patent before the king in
procession and he shall go before the chancellor.
8. *The Scepter and the Golden Rod: *Two dukes or earls, the most worthy
in the realm who are closest to the king in blood shall bear the king’s
scepter with the cross and the rod of gold with the [olver] before the king
in procession.
9. *The Bearing of the Swords: *The Earl of Chester shall bear in
procession before the king the sword that is called
*Curtana*<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#Curtana>.
On his right side the Earl of Huntington shall bear another. The Earl of
Warwick on the left side shall bear the third sword.
10. *The Bearing of the Spears: *The most noble lords and worthiest of
the realm shall bear a great pair of gilt spears in the procession.
11. *The Bought Sword: *The chief and greatest earl in the realm shall
bear the sword that is girt about the king in his coronation before the king
in his palace. This same earl shall bear it again after it is offered on the
high altar.
12. *The Steward: *The Earl of Leicester shall serve the king the day of
his coronation in the office if
steward<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_s.htm#steward>.
13. *The Bearing of the Crowns: *The Duke of York and his earls shall
bear the crowns of the king and queen on their coronation.
14. *The Marshal: *The Earl of Norfolk shall serve that day in the office
of Marshal<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_m.htm#marshal>.
15. *The Bottler (Butler): *The Earl of Arundel shall that day be
boteler.
16. *Constable<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#constable>:
*The Earl of Herford shall serve that day in the Constabulary.
17. *Chamberlain: *The Earl of Oxford shall that day serve as Chamberlain
<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_c.htm#chamberlain>.
18. *Ewer: *Sir Nicholas Hastings shall serve that day as the King of the
Napery.
19. *Pantry: *Sir Nicholas Beauchamp of Dunlee shall serve the king on
that day of salt cellars and knives.
20. *Ffurnivall: *Sir Nicholas Ffurnivall shall support and bear the
king’s armies and the queens at their coronation.
21. *A Lady Being About the Queen: *One of the most noble ladies of the
realm<http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_l.htm#ladyinwaiting>shall
be nigh the queen in her coronation to minister and diligently await
upon her.
22. *The Office of the Earl of Oxford:* The Earl of Oxford, who is chosen
as Chief Chamberlain the day of the king’s coronation shall clothe the king
in the morning with his shirt and his cote, appareled from the king’s
anointage on his body in diverse places thereof, and afterwards of other
clothes. The same chamberlain shall do on the king’s legs a pair of hose
tied together above the laces without shoes. And he shall bear with him the
coif and gloves of linen cloth for the king’s anointing both to his head and
to his hands. He shall bring the sword with the scabbard* the king offers on
the altar with him to church. He shall also bring the king’s offerings; that
is, cloth of gold* and a mark of gold. He shall bring a royal robe and a
crown for the king to wear after mass, bring also hose of the royal array
and other gear for the occasion. He shall do of the king’s clothes, save for
the cote and shirt, when he shall be clothed with regalia by the Abbot of
Westminster. After mass, he and the Abbot of Westminster shall take the
king’s regalia to Westminster. He shall always be nigh the king until the
service of coronation be ended and fulfilled.
*Here ends the King’s Coronation *
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--
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
--Micah 6:8
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