Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

took their seats at the tables appointed for them, and began to partake of the banquet. During the interval between this and the return of his majesty, the greater part of the ladies and gentlemen who had previously occupied the galleries retired for refreshments, or descended into the hall, which they promenaded for a considerable time. There were also a great number of persons admitted into the hall, who it was evident had not been in before. This occasioned some slight inconvenience to those whose duty obliged them to be present. The procession on its return to the hall was not conducted with any thing like the same regularity which had distinguished its departure. This was probably owing to the great fatigue which all the parties had undergone, and to their consequent anxiety to get to their Some slight derangement was occasioned by the aldermen, who, either from the cause just mentioned, or from a mistake with respect to the regulations of the heralds, had no sooner got within the triumphal arch, than they walked over to one of the tables, leaving several of those behind who ought to have preceded them. This trifling mistake was corrected by one of the heralds, who brought the worthy magistrates back to their former station in the procession.

seats.

soon

The Banquet. → Precisely at twenty minutes past five the lord great chamberlain issued his orders that the centre of the hall should be cleared. This direction occasioned much confusion, not only because many strangers had been allowed to enter the lower doors for the purpose of surveying

the general arrangements, but because those who had tickets for the galleries had descended in considerable numbers to the floor. Lord Gwydyr was under the necessity of personally exerting his authority with considerable vehemence, in order to compel the attendants of the earl-marshal to quit situations intended for persons more immediately connected with the ceremony. A long interval now occurred, during which the various officers, and especially the heralds, made the necessary arrangements for the nobility expected to return with his majesty. During this pause silence was generally preserved in expectation of the return of his majesty from his chamber.

The entrance of the king was announced by one of the principal heralds, who was followed into the hall by the lord great chamberlain and the dukes of York, Clarence, Cambridge, Sussex, and Glocester. Prince Leopold had for some time previously been engaged in conversation with some of the foreign ambassadors.

His majesty returned in the robes with which he had been invested in the abbey, wearing also the same crown. In his right hand he carried the sceptre, and in his left the orb, which, on taking his seat on the throne, he delivered to two peers stationed at his side for the purpose of receiving them.

The first course was then served up. It consisted of twentyfour gold covers and dishes, carried by as many gentlemen pensioners they were preceded by six attendants on the clerk comptroller, by two clerks of the kitchen, who received the dishes from the gentlemen

gentlemen pensioners, by the clerk comptroller, in a velvet gown trimmed with silver lace, by two clerks and the secretary of the board of green cloth, by the comptroller and treasurer of the household, and by four sergeants at arms with their maces.

Before the dishes were placed upon the table by the two clerks of the kitchen, the great doors at the bottom of the hall were thrown open to the sound of trumpets and clarions, and the duke of Wellington, as lord high constable, the marquis of Anglesea, as lord high steward, and lord Howard of Effingham, as deputy earl marshal, entered upon the floor on horseback, remaining for some minutes under the archway. The duke of Wellington was on the left of the king, the earl marshal on the right, and the marquis of Anglesea in the centre. The two former were mounted on beautiful white horses gorgeously trapped, and the latter on his favourite dun-coloured Arabian, the caparisons of which were equally rich. Each was followed by a groom, and by the head of the horses walked three pages occasionally soothing the animals by patting their necks. Their excellent temper and the skill with which they were managed, however, rendered this almost needless. The manner in which these noblemen, and especially the marquis of Anglesea, rode up the avenue formed through the knights of the bath, the knights commanders and companions, the heralds, the pages, and a vast number of officers, in every variety of uniform, excited general admira

tion.

While the twenty-four covers

on

were placed upon the royal table, these noblemen remained horseback at the lowest step leading to the throne, and as the gentlemen pensioners delivered their dishes they retired backwards between the three horses, and so left the hall. They were followed by the duke of Wellington, the marquis of Anglesea, and lord Howard of Effingham, who backed their steeds with great skill down the centre of the hall. The animals were most tractable and gentle, nor did they exhibit the least sign of fear or impatience; but when an attempt was made to applaud the proceeding, the horse of the earl marshal then became somewhat alarmed, as in the course of his rehearsals he had not met with any thing like this species of reception: he reared once or twice but was soon pacified by the groom in attendance. As soon as they were beyond the limits of the hall the doors were closed.

The dishes yet remaining uncovered, the basin and ewer were presented by the lord great chamberlain that his majesty might wash. He was assisted by the earls of Abingdon and Verulam, and the lord of the manor of Heydon was in attendance with a towel. His majesty having dipped his fingers in the rose-water, and wiped them, returned the napkin to the gentleman who had performed the service of bearing it.

Grace ought to have been said by the dean of the chapel royal; but some delay took place, we believe, in consequence of his nonappearance. The king called Sir T. Tyrwhitt, usher of the black rod, to his side, and sent him in (H 2) search

search of the lord chamberlain, who, however, did not make his appearance. Grace was finally said before the dishes were uncovered; but in so low a tone that it was wholly inaudible.

The dukes of York, Clarence, and Sussex, sitting on the right hand of the king; and the dukes of Cambridge and Glocester, with prince Leopold, on the left; the carver and assistant carver, the earls of Denbigh and Chichester, took their stations at the bottom of the table, attended by the earls of Mount-Edgcombe and Whitworth, who acted as sewer and assistant sewer. The duke of Devonshire sustained the orb on the left of the throne, and the duke of Rutland the sceptre with the dove on the right, supported by the lord of the manor of Worksop, with the ordinary sceptre, and the peers bearing the four swords. The tureens and dishes were then uncovered, and the carvers proceeded to help his majesty to some soup, of which he tasted.

The Champion.-The first course having been removed, the attention of all present was called to the bottom of the hall by a long and cheerful flourish of trumpets. The great gates were instantly thrown wide open, and the champion made his appearance under the gothic archway, mounted on his piebald charger: this colour, though perhaps on some accounts objectionable, has a great authority in chivalrous romance in its favour, for Boiardo so describes the horse of Argalia.

Mr. Dymoke was accompanied on the right by the duke of Wel. lington, and on the left by lord Howard of Effingham; but his

polished steel armour, his plumes, and the trappings of his steed, instantly showed the capacity in which he appeared. He was ushered within the limits of the hall by two trumpeters, with the arms of the champion on their banners; by the sergeant trumpeter, and by two sergeants at arms, with maces. half armour was on each side, the one bearing his lance, and the other his shield or target: the three horsemen were followed by grooms and pages.

An esquire in

The first challenge was given at the entrance of the hall, the trumpets having sounded thrice: it was read by the herald attending the champion, in the following terms:-"If any person of what degree soever, high or low, shall deny or gainsay our sovereign lord king George the Fourth of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, defender of the faith, son and next heir to our sovereign lord king George the Third, the last king deceased, to be right heir to the imperial crown of this united kingdom, or that he ought not to enjoy the same, here is his champion, who saith that he lieth, and is a false traitor; being ready in person to combat with him, and in this quarrel will adventure his life against him on what day soever he shall be appointed."

After pausing for a few seconds, the champion drew off his gauntlet, and threw it upon the floor, with a very manly and chivalrous air. As no one appeared to accept the challenge, the herald took up the glaive, and returned it to the champion. The cavalcade then advanced half way up the hall, when it again halted, and the trumpets having again

sounded,

sounded, the challenge was read
as before, the gauntlet thrown
down, and restored to the chal-
lenger. At the foot of the throne
the same ceremony was a third
time repeated, the herald reading
the challenge at the top of the
first flight of steps. Shouts of
applause and vociferations of
"Long live the king" followed
each restoration of the gauntlet
to the champion. His charger
was considerably alarmed by the
noise, but he seemed to have a
complete command over him, and
restrained his action within limits
suited to the narrow space in
which he could be permitted to
move, making, in the words of an
old English poet,

"A doctrinal and witty hieroglyphic
Of a blest kingdom; to express and teach
Kings to command as they would serve, and
subjects

To serve as they had power to command."

The knightly appearance and gallant deportment of the champion obviously gave considerable pleasure to his majesty, who, taking the goblet that was presented to him by the cup-bearer, drank to the bold challenger with a corresponding air of gaiety. The champion on his part having received the cup, drank to the king, but pronounced the words "Long live his majesty king George the Fourth" in somewhat of a schoolboy tone. Besides, he did not rise in his stirrups at the time, as we apprehend he ought to have done. However, upon the whole, this part of the ceremony passed off with great eclat. After the champion had drained the cup, he gave it to one of his pages, who bore it away as the perquisite of his master. The backing out of the champion and of the duke of

Wellington and marquis of Anglesea was not very well managed, partly owing to the pressure of the crowd on the floor which narrowed the avenue to the throne.

The champion having retired, the second course was brought in by the gentlemen pensioners precisely in the same form as the first, the lord high constable, the lord high steward, and the earl marshal attending as before on horseback.

Proclamation of the Styles.Immediately afterwards, Garter, attended by Clarenceux, Norroy, Lyon, Ulster, and the rest of the kings and officers of arms, proclaimed his majesty's styles in Latin, French, and English, three several times; first upon the uppermost step of the elevated platform; next in the middle of the hall; and lastly at the bottom of the hall--the officers of arms, before each proclamation, crying, "Largesse." After each procla mation, the company shouted "God save the king," and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and fans.

Dinner being concluded, the lord mayor and twelve principal citizens of London, as assistants to the chief butler of England, accompanied by the king's cupbearer and assistant, presented to his majesty wine in a gold cup; and the king having drank thereof, returned the gold cup to the lord mayor as his fee. It was remarked, that his majesty was engaged in conversation with the lord chancellor at the time when the lord mayor presented himself to perform his service. The king did not bow, as usual, as the lord mayor ascended the steps; nor on receiving the cup was he

allowed

[ocr errors]

allowed to kiss the king's hand. The following services were also performed:

The mayor of Oxford, with the eight other burgesses of that city, as assistants to the lord mayor and citizens of London, as assistant to the chief butler of England in the office of butler, were conducted to his majesty, preceded by the king's cupbearer, and having presented to the king a bowl of wine, received the three maple cups for his fee.

The lord of the manor of Lyston, pursuant to his claim, brought up a charger of wafers to his majesty's table.

The duke of Atholl, as lord of the Isle of Man, presented his majesty with two falcons.

The peers then rose in their seats, and drank good health and a long and happy reign to the king, which was received with three times three by the whole

[blocks in formation]

"God save the king" followed, sung in fine style by the whole choir, the chorus being swelled by the company, all standing.

The duke of Norfolk then said, "The king thanks his peers for drinking his health: he does them the honour to drink their health and that of his good people." His majesty rose, and bowing three times to various parts of the immense concourse

"The abstract of his kingdom. In all the beauty, state, and worth it holds." he drank the health of all present. It was succeeded by long continued shouts from all sides, during which the king resumed his seat on his throne.

Non nobis, Domine, having been sung by the choir, various peers paid their homage and respects to his majesty; after which, the king, receiving from the dukes of Devonshire and Beaufort his orb and sceptre, retired amid reiterated acclamations.

The king quitted the hall at a quarter before eight o'clock: afterwards the company was indiscriminately admitted to partake of such refreshments as remained on the tables of the peers. The hall was cleared by nine o'clock.

[blocks in formation]
« ПредишнаНапред »