I must confess, it gave me pain to see the soldiers, both horse and foot, obliged most unmercifully to belabour the heads of the mob with their broad-swords, bayonets, and muskets; but it was not unpleasant to observe several tipping the horsesoldiers slily from time to time, some with half-pence, and some with silver, as they could muster up the cash, to let them pass between the horses to get near the platform; after which these unconscionable gentry drove them back again. As soon as it was day-break, (for I chose to go to my place overnight) we were diverted with seeing the coaches and chairs of the nobility and gentry passing along with much ado; and several persons, very richly drest, were obliged to quit their equipages, and be escorted by the soldiers, through the mob to their respective places. Several carriages, I am told, received great damage.

My pass-ticket would have been of no service, if I had not prevailed on one of the guards, by the irresistible argument of half a crown, to make way for me through the mob to the hall-gate, where I got admittance just as their majesties were seated at the upper end, under magnificent canopies.

At

There seemed to be no small confusion in marshalling the ranks, which is not to be wondered at, considering the length of the cavalcade, and the numbers that were to walk. length, however, everything was regularly adjusted, and the procession began to quit the hall between eleven and twelve. The platform leading to the west door of the abbey was covered with blue cloth for the train to walk on; but there seemed to be a defect in not covering the upright posts that supported the awning, as it is called, which looked mean and naked, with that or some other coloured cloth. The nobility walked two by two. Being willing to see the procession pass along the platform through the streets, I hastened from the hall, and by the assistance of a soldier, made my way to my former station at the corner of Bridge-street, where the windows commanded a double view at the turning. I shall not attempt to describe the splendour and magnificence of the whole; and words must fall short of that joy and satisfaction which the spectators felt and expressed, especially as their majesties passed by; on whose countenance a dignity

suited to their station, tempered with the most amiable complacency, was sensibly impressed. It was observable, that as their majesties and the nobility passed the corner which commanded a prospect of Westminster-bridge, they stopped short, and turned back to look at the people, whose appearance, as they all had their hats off, and were thick planted on the ground, which rose gradually, I can compare to nothing but a pavement of heads and faces.

I had the misfortune not to be able to get to the abbey time enough to see all that passed there; nor, indeed, when I got in, could I have so distinct a view as I could have wished. But our friend Harry Whitaker had the luck to be stationed in the first row of the gallery behind the seats allotted for the nobility, close to the square platform, which was erected by the altar, with an ascent of three steps, for their majesties to be crowned on. You are obliged to him, therefore, for several particulars, which I could not otherwise have informed you of. The sermon, he tells me, lasted only fifteen minutes. The king was anointed on the crown of his head, his breast, and the palms of his hands. At the very instant the crown was placed on the king's head, a fellow, having been placed on the top of the abbey dome, from whence he could look down into the chancel, with a flag in his hand dropt it as a signal, the Park and Tower guns then began to fire, the trumpets sounded, and the abbey echoed with the repeated shouts and acclamations of the people; which, on account of the awful silence that had hitherto reigned, had a very striking effect. As there were no commoners knights of the garter, instead of caps and vestments peculiar to their order, they, being all peers, wore the robes and coronets of their respective ranks. When the queen had received the sceptre with the cross, and the ivory rod with the dove, her majesty was conducted to a magnificent throne on the left hand of his majesty.

I cannot but lament that I was not near enough to observe their majesties performing the most serious and solemn acts of devotion; but I am told that the reverend attention which both paid, when (after having made their second oblations) the next ceremony was their receiving the holy communion,

4

brought to the mind of every one near them, a proper recollection of the consecrated place in which they were.

An hour lost in the morning is not so easily recovered. This was the case in the present instance; for to whatever causes it might be owing, the procession most assuredly set off too late: besides, according to what Harry observed, there were such long pauses between some of the ceremonies in the abbey, as plainly shewed all the actors were not perfect in their parts. However it be, it is impossible to conceive the chagrin and disappointment which the late return of the procession occasioned; it being so late, indeed, that the spectators, even in the open air, had but a very dim and gloomy view of it, while to those who had sat patiently in Westminster-hall, waiting its return for six hours, scarce a glimpse of it appeared, as the branches were not lighted till just upon his majesty's entrance. I had flattered myself that a new scene of splendid grandeur would have been presented to us in the return of the procession, from the reflection of the lights, &c. and had therefore posted back to the hall with all possible expedition: but I was greatly disappointed. The whole was confusion, irregularity, and disorder.

However, we were afterwards amply recompensed for this partial eclipse, by the bright picture which the lighting of the chandeliers presented to us. Conceive to yourself, if you can conceive what I own I am at a loss to describe, so magnificent a building as that of Westminster-hall, lighted up with near three thousand wax candles in most splendid branches, our crowned heads, and almost the whole nobility, with the prime of our gentry, most superbly arrayed, and adorned with a profusion of the most brilliant jewels, the galleries on every side crowded with company, for the most part elegantly and richly dressed ;- -but to conceive it in all its lustre, I am conscious that it is absolutely necessary to have been present. To proceed in my narration.Their majesties' table was served with three courses, at the first of which Earl Talbot, as steward of his majesty's household, rode up from the hall gate to the steps leading to where their majesties sat, and on his returning, the spectators were presented with an unexpected sight in his lordship's backing

his horse, that he might keep his face still towards the king. A loud clapping and huzzaing consequently ensued.

After the first course, and before the second, the king's champion, Mr. Dymoke, who enjoys that office, as being lord of the manor of Scrivelsby, in Lincolnshire, entered the hall, completely armed, in one of his majesty's best suits of white armour, mounted on a fine white horse, the same his late majesty wore at the battle of Dettingen, richly caparisoned, in the following manner.

Two trumpets, with the champion's arms on their banners; the searjeant-trumpet, with his mace on his shoulder; the champion's two esquires, richly habited, one on the right hand, with the champion's lance, carried upright; the other on the left hand, with his target, and the champion's arms depicted thereon; accompanied the herald of arms, with a paper in his hand, containing the words of the challenge.

The earl marshal, in his robes and coronet, on horseback, with the marshall's staff in his hand; the champion on horseback, with a gauntlet in his right hand, his helmet on his head, adorned with a great plume of feathers, white, blue, and red; the lord high constable, in his robes and coronet, and collar of the order, on horseback, with the constable's staff. Four pages richly apparelled, attendant on the champion.

The passage to their majesties' table being cleared by the knight marshal, the herald at arms, with a loud voice pro claimed the champion's challenge, at the lower end of the hall, in the words following:

"If any person, of what degree soever, high or low, shall deny or gainsay, our Sovereign Lord King George III. king of Great Britain, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. grandson and next heir to our sovereign lord king George II. the last king deceased, to be the right heir to the imperial crown of the realm of Great Britain, 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 shall be appointed."

And then the champion throws down his gauntlet; which,

having lain some small time, the herald took up and returned it to the champion.*

Then they advanced in the same order to the middle of the hall, where the herald made proclamation as before ; and lastly, to the foot of the steps, when the herald, and those who preceded him, going to the top of the steps, made proclamation a third time, at the end whereof the champion cast down his gauntlet; which, after some time, being taken up, and returned to him by the herald, he made a low obeisance to his majesty; whereupon the cupbearer, assisted as before, brought to the king a gilt bowl of wine, with a cover; his majesty drank to the champion, and sent him the bowl by the cupbearer, accompanied with his assistants; which the champion (having put on his gauntlet) received, and retiring a little, drank thereof, and made his humble reverence to his majesty; and being accompanied as before, rode out of the hall, taking the bowl and cover with him as his fee.

You cannot expect that I should give you a bill of fare, or enumerate the dishes that were provided and sent from the adjacent temporary kitchens, erected in Cotton Garden for this purpose. No less than sixty haunches of venison, with a surprising quantity of all sorts of game, were laid in for this grand feast. The King's table was covered with one hundred and twenty dishes, at three several times, served up by his majesty's band of pensioners; but what chiefly attracted our eyes, was their majesties desert, in which the confectioner had lavished all his ingenuity in rock work and emblematical figures. The other deserts were no less admirable for their

The origin of this custom is not known, but Rapin appears certain that it is more ancient than the coronation of Richard II. because Sir John Dymoke, who then performed that office, was admitted so to do by virtue of a privilege

attached to his manor of Scrivelsby in Lincolnshire.

Sir Henry Dymoke, the present representative of the family, was created a baronet, on occasion of his having acted as champion at her present majesty's coronation, being the seventeenth of his family who in hereditary descent had so done.