A Chronicle of the Coronations of the Queens Regnand of England

QUEEN MARY I, 1553-1559

For nearly five centuries the sceptre of England had been swayed by a male hand, when, by the death of the young and amiable Edward VI, the golden prize became the object of contention between two females. The short reign, if reign it could be called, of the unwilling and unfortunate Jane — "the poor Twelfth-day Queen" — as she was designated in the despatches of the French ambassador^a, was ungraced by the ceremony of a coronation; and the first solemn and public inauguration of a British queen regnant^b took place upon the triumph of Mary Tudor over the innocent and gentle heiress of the House of Suffolk.

Note a. "La pauvre reine de la fève," or "queen of the bean," the title of king or queen of the bean being given to the "fortunate holder" of that slice of twelfth-cake which contained a bean, inserted during the making for the purpose of this lottery, which, as most of our readers know, originated the drawing of twelfth-night characters. Jane's coronation, "avec grandes cérémonies," mentioned by the Ambassador, could have been only some private forms observed by her immediate friends in the Tower, as all other authorities are silent on the subject.

Note b. It has been said (Hume, Turner), that the Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I, was crowned at Winchester, but as her name has never been inserted in the list of British Sovereigns, she can scarcely be accounted a Queen Regnant. It appears, too, that she was only elected or proclaimed "Sovereign Lady of England and Normandy," and was forced to fly from London after having issued orders for her coronation, but before the preparations could be completed. — Vide Lingard, Hist. Eng. vol. ii. c. 4.

Of the order of Mary's procession from the Tower and to the Abbey, and of the ceremonial of her coronation, we possess, as I have before stated, the official records, as well as the interesting, though occasionally conflicting, descriptions of contemporary writers and eye-witnesses; and from these documents, though not quite so precise as a modern court circular or extraordinary gazette, we may form a tolerably accurate notion of the splendour and routine of the proceedings.

"The Queen's coronation," says Strype, "was now all the care, which was resolved to be very splendid and glorious, being to be performed on the 1st of October, 1553; against which day her Majesty having to pass through London, it was the citizens' province, according to old custom, to adorn the city^c." On Thursday, September 28th^d, Mary removed from St. James's to Whitehall^e, where she went on board her barge "accomjumied with the Lady Elizabeth, her sister^f," and other ladies, and proceeded by water to the Tower, attended by "the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and all the companies in their barges, with streamers, and trumpets, and waits, shawmes and regals^g, together with great volley shots of guns, until her Grace came into the Tower, and some time after^h."

Note c. Eccles. Memor. vol. iii. p. 34.

Note d. Stowe says the 27th, but that must be a mistake.

Note e. Strype.

Note f. Stowe.

Note g. Shawmes, or shalms, and regals, were musical instruments; the shawm a sort of clarionet, the regal a portable organ.

Note h. Strype.

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The next day, Friday, 29th, she made fifteen Knights of the Bath, who were knighted by Henry, Earl of Arundel, Lord-Steward of the Household, by commission from her, namely —

The Earl of Devonshire	Sir William Paulet.
The Earl of Surrey	Sir Henry Parker.
The Lord Burgany (Abergagavenny)	Sir Hugh Rich.
	Sir Henry Clinton.
Lord Cardiff.	Sir Henry Paget.
Lord Berkely.	Sir Robert Rochesterⁱ.
Lord Mountjoy.	Sir Henry Jemiugham^j.
Lord Lumley.	Sir Edward (or William) Dormer.

Note i. Comptroller of the Household.

Note j. Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard.

                    On Saturday, the 30th of September, about three o'clock in the afternoonk, Queen Mary set forth from the Tower to return by land to Westminster. Before her rode about five hundred gentlemen, nobles, and ambassadorsl, and according to the MS before mentioned, in the following order — 
                
                    The order in proceeding from the tower unto the Queen's Highness's palace at Westminster.
                
                    First, the Queen's Messengers.
                
                    The Strangers and Embassadors' suite.
                
                    The Trumpets.
                
                    The Gentlemen Ushers.
                
                    The Chaplains of no dignities.
                
                    The Gentlemen and Esquires extraordinary. 
                
                    The Esquires of the body.
                
                    Pursuivants at Arms on either side.
                
                    The Chaplains of dignities.
                
                    The Bachelor Knights.
                
                    Then Knights bearing Offices.
                
                    The Knights of the Bathm.
                
                    Then Heralds on either side.
                
                    Then Bannerets.
                
                    The Knights of the Garter, being no lords.
                
                    The two Chief Judges, with the Master of the Rolls.
                
                    The two Principal Secretaries [Sir William Petre, and — Burroughs, Esq.].
                
                    Then Knights being of the Council.
                
                    The Treasurer [Sir T. Cheney], and Comptroller of the Household [Sir Robert Rochester].
                
                    Then all Lords and Barons in order after their estate.
                
                    Then Bishops.
                
                    Then Earls' Sons and Heirs.
                
                    Then the two Rings of Arms Clarencieulz and Norroy.
                
                    After them Ambassadors coupled with estates according to their degrees, —  vix..
                
                    The Ambassadors of the Hanse [Towns] with Mr. Chaloner.
                
                    The Ambassadors of Cleyes, with Mr. North.
                
                    The Ambassadors of Venice, with Mr. Baker.
                
                    The Ambassador of Pole [Poland], with Mr. Browne.
                
                    The Ambassador of France, with Lord Paget.
                
                    The Resident of the Emperor, with Lord Clynton.
                
                    Mons. Raynart (Renard)^ with Lord Cobham.
                
                    Mons. Trelouze, with Lord Hereford.
                
                    Mons. Courrier, with the Lord Privy Seal.
                
                    The Chief Sewer [the Earl of Sussex], with the Queen*8 hat and cloak aside of the two Squires of Honour, with robes of Estate rolled and borne baldrick-wise about their waist, with caps of Estate, representing the Duke of Normandy and the Duke of Guienne.
                
                    The Lord Chancellor, Gardiner, Bishop of Wnchester, and the Lord High Treasurer of England, William Marquis of Winchester.
                
                    Note k. NoaiUes, Ambassades, p. 196.
                
                    Note l. Ibid.
                
                    Note m. At the coronation of Anne Boleyn, we find the Knights of the Bath wore "violet gowns with hoods purfled with miniver, like doctors."

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                    Then the Mayor of London [Thomas White, "in a gown of crimson velvet, bearing the golden sceptre." — Stowe] on the left hand of Garter, and a Gentleman Usher on his right hand.
                
                    Then Sergeants at Arms on both sides from the Sword forward.
                
                    The sword borne by the Earl of Arundel, Lord Steward of the Household [and Constable of England for the time being], on his right hand the Earl of Oxford, Lord Great Chamberlain; on his left hand the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal.
                
                    Then the Queen's Majesty richly apparelled with mantle and kirtle of cloth of gold, furred with minever, and powdered ermines, having upon her head a circlet of gold set with rich stones and pearls, in her Grace's litter richly garnished with white cloth of gold with two trappers of white damask with cushions, and all things thereunto appertaining, according to the precedentsn.
                
                    Then her Grace's footmen in their rich coats, about her Grace on both sides.
                
                    Then the canopy of rich cloth of gold, furnished according to the precedents, borne by the Knights, with certain other knights appointed for assistants to them.
                
                    Note n. This exactly agrees with Strype's account, in correction of Stowe, who describes her Majesty as "sitting in a chariot of cloth of tissue drawn with six horses, all trapped with the like cloth of tissue," and "attired in a gown of purple velvet furred with powdered ermine, having on her head a caul of cloth of tinsel, beset with pearl and stone; and above the same, upon her bead, a round circlet of gold, beset so richly with precious stone that the value thereof was inestimable, the same caul and circlet being so massy and ponderous that she was fain to bear up her head with her hand." Monsieur de Noailles, who was absolutely in the procession, differs from both these authorities in his account, as well of the vehicle as of the costume. "Afterwards," says his excellency, "followed a litter covered with a canopy of gold, the which litter was borne by two mules, covered also with gold, and high upon it was seated her Majesty, dressed in a long mantle of cloth of silver, with a head dress of silk." — Ambass. t. ii. Litter and chariot were commutable terms before the introduction of coaches, but I am unable to reconcile the six horses of Stowe with the two mules of the Ambassador. In the list of articles ordered for this procession, the "kirtle and mantle with a trayne"  are to be of white cloth of gold — the kirtle furred with miniver pure, and the mantle with ermine powdered, and they are to be worn by the Queen "in her horse litter."

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Then the first Chariot richly covered^o, and the horses richly trapped, containing the two greatest Ladies of Honour, yiz. the Lady Elizabeth's Grace [afterwards Queen of England], and the Lady Anne of Cleves [the fortunate relict of Henry VIII. The MS says apparelled in crimson velvet, but Monsieur Noailles tells us they.were both attired in cloth of silver dresses à-la-française, that is to say, gowns opening in front showing a rich kirtle, or petticoat, and having very large sleeves, such being the French fashion at that time].

Then the Master of the Horse [Sir Edward Hastings], leading a spare courser, trapped with a rich trapper. [Noailles says he was attired in cloth of gold, and led her Majesty's horse, followed by two white hackneys, trapped with gold.]

Then four ladies of Estate, apparelled in crimson velvet, and their horses trapped with the same, viz. the Duchess of Norfolk, the Marchioness of Exeter, the Marchioness of Winchester, and the Countess of Arundel.

Then the second Chariot, richly covered with cloth of gold, the horses trapped with the same, containing four Ladies of Honour, apparelled with crimson velvet, viz. The old Countess of Oxford, the Countess of Oxford, the Countess of Shrewsbury, and the Countess of Derby.

Then the third Chariot richly covered, and the horses richly trapped as before, with six ladies apparelled with crimson velvet in the same, viz. — Lady Stourton, Lady Lumley, Lady Wentworth, Lady Rich, Lady Paget, and Lady Mordaunt.

Then five ladies, in crimson velvet, riding, their horses trapped with the same, viz: — Countess of Southampton, Countess of Bedford, Countess of Pembroke, Lady Fitzwaiter, and Lady Burgany.

Then ten Ladies clothed in crimson velvet, and their horses trapped with the same, viz.—- Lady Fortescue, Lady Petre, Lady Walgrave, Lady Bruges, Lady Man« sel. Lady Kemp, Mrs. Clarencieulx, Mrs. Finch, Mrs. Jemingham, and Mrs. Sturey.

Then nine other gentlewomen and maids in crimson satin, their horses trapped with the same, and then the Queen's Chamberers in crimson damask, viz., Mrs. Dormer, Mrs. Barkeley, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Bacon, Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Basset, Mrs. Sydney, Mrs. Baynehani (the mother of the maids), Jaoe Russel, Elisabeth Lugbure. Barbara Eyre, and Elizabeth Scarloke^p.

Note o. With crimson velvet, according to the order, which was to provide "three chariots, one of crimson velvet, the other two of eloth of gold, and the horse harness covered with cloth of gold." MS College of Arms, W. Y.

Note p. Noailles sajs the Ladies were mostly attired in robes à-la-française richly furred and worn over petticoats, or kirtles, the most part of silver and the rest gold.

In the list of articles ordered for the procession included "saddles, and harness for ladies and gentlewomen, covered with cloth of gold, the harness furred with ermines powdered," and "liveries for their gownes (the Queen's Ladies) crimson velvet bordered with cloth of gold, and some bordered with tawny velvet."— MS Office of Arms, W. Y.

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                    Then the Master of the Henchmen, with the nine henchmen richly apparelled upon nine coursers, richly trapped and saddled with saddles covered with crimson yelvet, fringed with green and white silk. [Ghreen and white were the Tudor colours. Noailles says they were in gold and siher dresses. And in the procession of Edward VI. we find his henchmen were dressed "in cassocks parted in the middest, one half of cloth of gold, and the other cloth of silver." — Vide Leland's Collect]
                
                    Then the Captain of the Guard and the Guard following him, in their rich coats.
                
                    The whole procession, says Noailles, was flanked by the Gentlemen at Arms (Gentilhommes de la Hache) and the Guard of her Majesty, as well as by the Archers, the number of whom was about 300.

In this state Queen Mary rode through the City, passing in Penchurch Street a costly pageant made by the Genoese, consisting of a triumphal arch, with complinmentary Latin inscriptions, and guarded by four Great Giants^q. At Gracechurch Corner another pageant, erected by the Easterlings; and at the upper end of Gracechurch Street a triumphal arch constructed by the Florentines, with three thoroughfares or gates, and on the top of which "stood an Angel all in green, with a trumpet in his hand, and when the trumpeter, who stood secretly in the Pageant, did sound his trump, the Angel put his trump to his mouth, as though it had been the same that had sounded, to the great marveling of many ignorant persons^r."

The Conduit in Cornhill and the Great Conduit in Cheap ran wine. By the side of each was a pageant, made at the charge of the City. The Standard in Cheap was newly painted, and the City Waits played on the top of it.

Note q. Stowe does not mention the Giants, but I find them in the Cotton MS., Vitellius, F. 6, from which Strype evidently copied much of his information. "By the way at Fanchurch, a goodly pageant w^h iiij gret Gyants w^h goodly speches. Y^e Genoways mad yt."

Noailles has preserved the Latin inscriptions, but they wen scarcely worth the trouble.

Note r. Stowe.

The cross in Cheap was new washed and burnished; and there was a third pageant at the city's cost at the little conduit in Cheap, next to St Paul's, where the Aldermen stood. Here the Queen was addressed by the Recorder, and then the Chamberlain presented to her a purse of cloth of gold with a thousand marks of gold in it. At the school in St. Paul's Church Yard, one Master Hajwood sat in a pageant under a vine, and delivered an oration in Latin and in English. Then was there one Peter, a Dutchman, who stood on the weather-cock of St. Paul's (remember, gentle reader, St Paul's had a steeple then and not a dome), holding a streamer in his hand five yards long, and waving thereof stood for sometime on one foot shaking the other, and then kneeled on his knees, to the great marvel of all people. He had two scaffolds under him, one above the cross having torches and streamers set on it, and another over the ball of the cross likewbe set with streamers and torches, which could not bum, the wind was so great. The said Peter, we are informed, had £16 13s 4d granted him by the city for his cost, and pains, and all his stuff^s. Against the Dean of Paul's gate there was another pageant, where the choristers of St. Paul's played upon viols and sang. Ludgate was newly repaired, painted, and adorned with rich hangings, and minstrels playing and singing there. The last pageant was at the conduit in Fleet Street, and then passing through Temple Bar, which was newly painted and hung with tapestry, her Majesty at length reached Whitehall, where she took her leave of the Lord Mayor, giving him great thanks for his pains and the city for their cost^t.

Note s. A similar exhibition took place dnriog the progress of Edward VI. A foreigner descended from the battlements of St. Pauls, upon a rope made fast to an anchor at the dean's gate, and returning up again "played certain misteries on the said rope," to the great delight apparently of the young monarch and his lieges. Does the individual who has lately been flying from the top of Dover Cliffs intend performing this ancient ceremony at the approaching coronation of her Majesty?

Note t. Stowe.

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On Sanday, October Ist, at a conyenient hour in the morning, the Queen took her barge and landed at the old palace of Westminster at the privy stairs; when all the estates gave their attendance, and from thence brought her into the Parliament chamber, which was richly hung, and after that to the privy chamber appointed for her Highness, where she apparelled herself and reposed with her ladies till order was taken for her coming to church. Blue cloth was laid from the marble porch [chair] in the Hall to the pulpit in Westminster Abbey, and railed on either side. The pulpit was covered with red say or worsted, and the stage royal from the choir to the high altar covered with cloth of gold and furnished with cushions of the same^u. About 11 o'clock the procession to the Abbey commenced^v. The Bishop of Winchester and ten other bishops, all with mitres on their heads and crosses in their hands, with other prelates and her Majesty's chapel, also in copes of cloth of gold, singing, and preceded by three crossw, accompanied her to the Abbey chnrch in the following order: —

Note u. Strype, Eccles. Mem. This is almost verbatim from the MS. Formula, which runs, — "and when the Queen is come from the Tower of London to her palace at Westminster, and hath there reposed that night, the next day, at conyenient hour, her Grace taketh her barge and landeth at the Parliament Chamber gate, where all the estates giveth their attendance and bringeth her to the office of Augmentation, where her Grace is to repose with her ladies till order be given for her going to church."

Then the large cloth to be laid from the marble chair in the Hall to the pulpit in Westminster church, and the pulpit to be covered with red worsted. The stage royal from the quire to the high altar to be garnished with cloth of gold and cushions to the same."

Note v. Stowe, Annals.

Note w. Strype.

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                    The order of proceeding from Westminster Hall to the Church.
                
                    First, all Gentlemen two and two.
                
                    Then Knights two and two.
                
                    The Aldermen of London.
                
                    The French and Latin Secretaries.
                
                    The Queen's Privy Council, being no Lords.
                
                    The Knights of the Garter, being no Barons.
                
                    The Lord Chief Baron and Master of the Rolls.
                
                    The two Chief Justices.
                
                    The Sergeant Porter alone.
                
                    Then the three Crosses.
                
                    The Choir of Westminster in their best copes.
                
                    Then the Sub-dean of the Queen's Chapel, and the Quire of the same, in like manner.
                
                    Then all Bishops in Pontificalibus. 
                
                    The two principal Secretaries.
                
                    Treasurer and Comptroller of the Queen's Household.
                
                    Then all Barons in their robesx.
                
                    Then Earlsy.
                
                    Two Kings of Arms, Clarencieulz and Norroy.
                
                    St, Edward's spurs, borne by the Earl of Pembroke.
                
                    Sdnt Edward's staff, borne by the Earl of Bath.
                
                    The three naked swords, borne by three noblemen; viz., two of them representing Justice, one for the Spirituality, another for the Temporality, and the other, in the middest — called Curtana— representing Mercy.
                
                    Curtana, in the middest, borne by the Earl of Derby.
                
                    The sword on the right hand, borne by the Earl of Westmoreland.
                
                    The sword on the left hand, borne by the Earl of Cumberland.
                
                    Then Garter in the Queen's Coat [of Arms], and the Mayor of London with his mace.
                
                    The Earl of Oxford, Lord Great Chamberlain, alone.
                
                    The sword in the scabbard [or of state], borne by the Earl of Devonshire.
                
                    Then the crown, borne by the Duke of Norfolk.
                
                    On the right hand thereof the ball of gold with the cross, borne by the Marquis of Winchester.
                
                    And on the left hand the sceptre, borne by the Earl of Arundel.
                
                    Then the Queen's royal Majesty in her parliament robes of crimson velvet, under a rich canopy of baldekin [doth of gold, so called from Baldeck, the place of its original manufacture], with leuks of gold, and foar ttayet and four bells of silver, borne by the Barons of the Cinq Portesx1.
                
                    Note x. A notice is inserted here of an order to the nobility not to put on their coronets or caps of estate until the crown was placed upon her Majesty's head, but from that time to wear them throughout the ceremony. The Viscounts and Barons at this period had only caps of estate. Coronets were first granted to Viscounts by James I, and to Barons by Charles II.
                
                    Note y. Neither Dukes nor Marquises are mentioned in this part of the procession, as the only Duke (Norfolk) carried the crown, and the only Marquis present (Winchester) bore the ball and cross. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are also omitted, both being in disgrace.
                
                    Note x1. Gardiner's place is not indicated in the procession, but he is here spoken of as having met her, made his obeisance, and cast incense and holy water, after which it would seem he repaired immediately to the Abbey, and received her at the entrance.— Vide Strype.

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                    Her Highness was assisted by the Bishop of Durham on her right hand, and the Earl of Shrewsbury on her left.
                
                    The Queen's train was borne by the Duchess of Norfolk, assisted by Sir John Gage, the Queen's Chamberlain.
                
                    The Princess Elizabeth and the Lady Anne of Cleves, according to Noailles, followed next; but they are not mentioned in the MS. Then all the Peeresses after their degrees in robes of crimson velvet, with long mantles over them, furred with ermiue, the Baronesses wearing mantles of scarlet cloth, trimmed with ermine; and lastly, her Majesty's Ladies in great numbers all dressed in scarlet.
                
                    Then the Pensioners and Men at Arms,
                
                    The Captain of the Guard.
                
                    The Guard.
                
                    And finally, all other Noblemen's Servants after their degrees and the estates of their lords, following the train.

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The preparations within the Abbey are thus curiously set forth.

At the Cathedral church of Westminster, before rehearsed, preparation was made as hereafter followeth: —

                    First, the Quire very richly hung with cloth of arras, well strewed with rushes, and the place between the high altar and the chair.
                
                    Then was there ordained a mounting scaffold, with stairs up to the same and down to the altar, and thereupon a throne of seven stairs, whereof the four uppermost covered with fine baudekin, and the other stairs covered with carpet.
                
                    And in the middle of the throne set a great royal chair, covered with baudekin damask gold, with two cushions, one black velvet embroidered with gold very richly, and the others of cloth of tissue; the said chair having pillars at the back, whereon stood two lions of gold, and in the midst a turret with a flower de lice of gold, the said place to be always guarded by four gentlemen ushers daily waiters, viz. — besides other gentlemen ushers to assist them."

THE CORONATION,

                    "And thus the Queen's Majesty, between x and xi of the clock, was conducted by two noblemen to her throne to King Edward's chair as is aforesaid; wherein, after her Grace had reposed a little time, she was removed by the said lords into the four parts of the mount into the sight of the people, beside whom the Bishop of Winchester, standing, declared to the people in the aforesaid parties the Queen's Majesty's free election, with these words following:—
                
                    "Sirs, here present is Mary, rightful and undoubted inheritrix by the laws of God and man to the crown and royal dignity of this realm of England, France, and Ireland, whereupon you shall understand that this day is appointed by all the Peers of this land for the consecration, inunction, and coronation of the said most excellent Princess Mary; will you serve at this time, and give your wills and assent to the same consecration, inunction, and coronation?" whereunto the people answered all in one voice, "Yea, yea, yea. God save Queen Mary."
                
                    And then her Grace was brought unto the said throne again, and immediately removed into a rich chair by the gentlemen ushers before the high altar, upon which altar her Grace offered her pall of baudekin and xxs., verifying the words of Scripture, whereas it is written, "Thou shalt not appear void before the Lord God."
                
                    Then a little after her Grace returned to her chair, a cushion of velvet was laid before the altar, upon the which her Grace lay prostrate whilst certain oraisons were said over her. [Here the sermon was preached by the Bishop of Chichester, "who was esteemed," says Strype, "the floridest preacher." The subject being, according to Nosdlles, the obedience due to kings.]
                
                    After that the Bishop of Winchester declared certain oaths unto her Grace to be by her Grace kept, which oaths, her Highness being led to the high altar, promised and swore upon the Sacrament lying upon the altar, in the presence of all the people, to observe and keep.
                
                    Then her Grace lying prostrate before the high altar, the said Bishop of Winchester kneeling, began "Veni, Creator Spiritus," and said certain other oraisons over her Grace; the quire and the organ sung and played the same. 
                
                    Then two Bishops began the Litany.
                
                    And that done, and certain other oraisons ended, the Queen was conducted to her chair, where, after her Grace had somewhat rested, then was led unto her traverse on the left hand of the high altar, and there her Grace was unarrayed and unclothed by the Ladies of her Privy Chamber.
                
                    Then her Grace was newly apparelled in crimson velvet, viz., a robe containing a mantle with a train, a kirtle, furred with wombs of miniver, a surcoat, a riband of Venice gold, the mantle of crimson velvet powdered with ermines, with buttons and tassels of silk of gold for the same, in which robes she received her oyntments, and also the imperial crownz.
                
                    Note z. There seems to be some little confusion here. The Queen came "in her Parliament robes of crimson velvet," and the robes here described appear to be nearly if not quite the same. Noailles says, she retired to a private chamber, and having taken off her mantle, returned in a corset of purple velvet, and after being anointed, was clad in a robe of white taffeta, and a mantle of purple velvet, furred with ermine, without a band, "sans rabbat."

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                    [1st October 1553] Then was her Highness brought again from her traverse, and then left her mantle, and was brought and laid upon the cushion before the altar. And then haying a pall holden over her by four Knights of the Garter, Viz., the Lord Paget, Sir Thomas Cheney, Sir John Gage, and Sir Anthony St. Leger, was anointed by the aboye-named Bishop of Winchester, with holy oil and cream [or chrism] saying unto her certain words, with divers oraisons and prayers, which thereunto appertaineth.
                
                    Then after her inunction the Bishop of Winchester (age 70) did dry every place of the same with cotton or linen cloth, and after Mrs. Walgrave did lace again her Highness's apparel, putting on her hands a pair of linen gloves.
                
                    Then her Grace was conveyed again into her traverse, and there put on her rich robe of crimson velvet again.
                
                    And after her Grace was brought to the altar, whereat she offered up the sword that she was girt withal by the Bishop of Winchester, and after to redeem the same was given by the Earl of Arundel, Lord Steward, [blank left for sum of money] who did bear the same sword before her Grace naked on the left hand of the sword in the scabbard from the Church to Westminster Hall. 
                
                    This done, her Grace was brought again to the chair, before the high altar, where the Bishop of Winchester and the Duke of Norfolk (age 80) brought unto her Highness three crowns;— to wit, one King Edward's crown; the other the imperial crown of the realm of England; the third a very rich crown, purposely made for her Grace. Then the crowns were set one after another upon the Queen's head by the Bishop of Winchester; and betwixt the putting on of every crown the trumpets did blow.
                
                    Then immediately after, the quire sung and the organs did play "Te Deum." And in the mean season the same was singing, a ring of gold was put on her Grace's marrying finger by the Bishop of Winchester.
                
                    Then the Master of her Grace's jewel house brought her Grace's bracelets of gold and precious stones.
                
                    Then divers other things were delivered to her Grace, as
                
                    The sceptre, by the Earl of Arundel (age 41).
                
                    Saint Edward's staff, by the Earl of Bath (age 54).
                
                    The spurs, by the Earl of Pembroke (age 52).
                
                    The ball of gold, by the Marquis of Winchester (age 70).
                
                    The regal of gold, by the Bishop of Winchester.

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And the Queen thus sitting in her chair apparelled in her royal robes of crimson velvet, containing a mantle with a train, a surcoat with a kirtle furred with the wombs of miniver, pure, a riband of Venice gold, a mantle lace of silk and gold, with buttons and tassels of the same, having her crown imperial on her head, her sceptre in her right hand, and the ball in her left hand, was conveyed again to the throne to Sdnt Edward's chair; having a pair of sabatons on her feet, covered with crimson cloth of gold, lined with crimson satin, garnished with riband of Venice gold, delivered by the master of her great guardrobe.

                    Then the Bishop of Winchester kneeled down before her Grace and made his homage for him and all the Bishops.
                
                    "I, &c.f shall be faithful and true, and faith and truth bear unto you, our sovereign lady and queen, and to your heirs kings and queens of England, France, and Ireland; and I shall, do, and truly acknowledge the service of the lands which I claim to hold of you as in the right of your church, as God shall help me and all saints."
                
                    And then kissed every one the Queen's left cheek.
                
                    Then kneeled down the greatest temporal prince, the Duke of Norfolk to make his homage, viz.—
                
                    "I, &c., become your liege man of life and limb, and of all earthly worship and faith, and all truly shall bear unto you to live and die with you against all manner of folk; so God help me, and all hallows." And lifter kissed the Queen's left cheek.
                
                    Then followed all the rest of the nobility, as Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons, to make their homages.
                
                    But because the time would not serve for every of them to declare their homage particularly, they kneeled down altogether.
                
                    The Marquis of Winchester declared his homage, and after kissed the Queen's left cheek.
                
                    The Earl of Arundel declared his homage for all the Earls, and after every of them kissed the Queen's left cheek.
                
                    The Viscount Hereford declared his homage, and did in like case as before. The Lord Burgaveny declared his homage for him and all the Lords, and after every of them kissed the Queen's left cheek, and every of them held both their hands together, in manner of lamenting, as the rest did before, the Queen's highness holding their hands the time they kissed her left cheek as aforesaid, and after that they held up their hands, and ascended (assented?) to that same homage, with a loud voice altogether cried, "God save Queen Mary."
                
                    The Earl of Shrewsbury assisted the Queen all this time to hold the sceptre.

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                    And during the space of the said homage doing, the Lord Chancellor having first done, departed into the four parts of the said mount, and declared a goodly large and ample pardon for all manner of ofiences except certain persons and conditions contained in the same not worthy to be pardoned. This done, the office of the mass began by the Bishop of Winchester, and at the time of the Gospel, the book was brought by a Bishop to the Queen, who kissed the same.
                
                    Then at the time of the offering, her Grace was brought down to make her offering, viz.— an oblea of bread laid upon the paten [or cover] of King Edward's chalice.
                
                    A cruet of wine, and a pound of gold.
                
                    Then, bowing her head, the Bishop of Winchester said a prayer over her.
                
                    Then her Grace was conveyed again to her siege royal, and there sat till "Agnus Dei."
                
                    Then the Pax was brought to her to kiss by a Bishop.
                
                    Then the Queen was conducted down to the said altar, and the Bishop of Winchester took the crown from her head and set it on the said altar.
                
                    Note a. The old French word is oblée, from the Latin oblata. In France, cakes or wafers made in iron moulds are still called oubliés.

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                    Then her Grace was unclad of her apparel, and other royal apparel giyen to her by the said Great Chamberlain, viz.—
                
                    A robe of purple velvet, with the kirtle and Burcoat overte [i. e. open], and a mantle with a train furred with minever and powdered ermine, and a mantle lace of silk and gold, with buttons and tassels of the same, and riband of Venice gold, the crown set upon her head and a goodly canopy borne over her by the barons of the cinque ports.
                
                    And so was conveyed in goodly order with all her train anto Westminster Hall to dinner, in like manner as her Grace's coming thither was in all things saving procession*
                
                    And then went to the place appointed for her Highness in the Parliament Chamber, and there remained until the Hall was placed, and her royal service for dinner come and set upon her board in order in this manner:"

THE BANQUET

THE ORDER OF THE FIRST COURSE.

                    [1st October 1553] First, there came riding in on two goodly coursers, the Earl of Derby (age 44), High Steward of Englandb, and with him the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of England, with his rod, who were both richly apparelled, and their horses trapped according to their estate.
                
                    Then the Earl of Sussex (age 46), sewarc.
                
                    Then the Earl of Worcester (age 27), carver, received the said service, and gave the saie (assay).
                
                    Then after, the Queen's Majesty's service was brought unto her Highness's board, only the water brought for her Grace in this manner.
                
                    There went before the said basons of water divers Sergeants of Anns with their maces.
                
                    The Queen's Majesty washed, and after her Highness went unto her seat royal under the cloth of state to dinner.
                
                    The Earl of Shrewsbury (age 53) standing by her Grace as assistant on the right hand, and the Bishop of Durham on the left hand.
                
                    Then sat on the right hand of the Queen's table the Bishop of Winchester, at her Highness's warde [command], and the Lady Elizabeth (age 20), her Grace, and the Lady Anne of Cleves (age 38), on the left handd, and had their service.
                
                    Then four swords, being holden before her Majesty all the dinner-time.
                
                    Then the first cup that the Queen's Majesty drunk was brought to her by Sir Giles Alington (age 54), which he had for his fee, and thereby he held the lands of Argentine.
                
                    The table in the Hall furnished.
                
                    Imprimis, then was placed at the table in the middest the Hall, Ambassadors, Bishops, Justices, Knights, and Squires.
                
                    Item, there was placed at the table on the right hand of the same hall. Barons of the Cinq Ports, Councillors and Clerks of the Chancery.
                
                    Theen there was placed at the left hand of the said hall, the Mayor of London with his brethren the Aldermen, and other notable persons, and commoners, and others.
                
                    Note b. Noailles calls him High Constable, by mistake — Edward, third Earl of Derby, was one of the most magnificent noblemen of his day. He came to this coronation as High Steward of England, attended by a train of fourscore in velvet and upwards of two hundred in livery.
                
                    Note c. Strype says the young Earl of Surrey (age 17) was doer (?) under the Duke of Norfolk his grandsire; the Lord Bergaveny chief lardiner; and the Lord Windsor served "in another great office."
                
                    Note d. Noailles says "assez loingtaines." i.e. "quite far off."

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                    [1st October 1553] Then at time convenient came in the second course in this manner.
                
                    Then at the end of the same came in, riding in complete harness, armed at all points, with harness, and of the Queen's charge, Sir Lionele Dymoke (age 45), her Highness's champion, upon a courser richly trapped with cloth of gold, holding in his hand a mace, and on the either side of him, a page, one holding his spear, another his target, with a herald before him, and brought him to the upper end of the hall.
                
                    Then after he had made obeisance to the Queen's Highness, in bowing his head, he turned him a little aside, and with a loud voice, declared these words hereafter following, viz. 
                
                    If there be any manner of man, of what estate, degree, or condition soever he be, that will say and maintidn that our Sovereign Lady, Queen Mary the First, this day here present, is not the rightful and undoubted inheritrix to the imperial crown of this realm of England, and that of right she ought not to be crowned Queen, 1 say he lieth like a false traitor, and that I am ready the same to maintain with him whilst I have breath in my body, either now at the time or at any other time, whensoever it shall please the Queen's Highness to appoint, and thereupon the same I cast him my gage."
                
                    And then he cast his gauntlet from him, the which no man would take up, till that a herald took it up, and gave it to him again.
                
                    Then he proceeded to another place, and did in this manner in three several places of the said hall.
                
                    Then he came up to the upper end, and the Queen's Majesty drank to him, and after sent him the cup, which he had for hb fee, and likewise the harness and trappers, and all the harness which he did wear.
                
                    Then he returned to the place from whence he came, and after that he was gone.
                
                    Note e.  By the following entry, which I discovered in the vol. marked W. T. College of Arms, it appears that the Champion's name was Edward, and not Lionel: "These words were delivered by Chester, ' Haroald of Armes, att the coming in of Sir Edward Dimoke, Kt. the daie of the Coronation of Q. Mary, after the second course was served in to her Highness." [Here follows the challenge.] "The which Chester Karould had in reward of ye said Sir Edward Dymoke, iiij angells and a doublette of sattyn, according to the ancyent presidents for the same."

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Then came in Garter with the rest of the Officers of Arms^ and made three several obeisances, and at the upper end, before the Queen's Majesty, with a loud voice, which proclaimed her Majesty's style in manner following.

"Of the most serene, most powerful, and most unconquered Princess Mary the First, by the grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and on earth under Christ the supreme head of the Church of England and of Ireland."

"De serenissima potentissima et iuvictbsima Principe Maria prima, Dei gratis Anglie Francie et Hibemie Regina, fidei defensore, ac in terris sub xpo (Christo) Eccl^ie Anglicaue et Hib^ne supremo capite."

“Of the most high, most mighty, and most excellent Princess Mary the First, by the grace of God Queen of France, of England, and of Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and on earth under God the supreme head of the Church of England and of Ireland.”

"Du tres hault tres puissant ei tres excellent Princette Marie la Premiere par la grace de Dieu Regne de France d'Angleterre et d'Yrland, defenseur de la foy, et en la terre sous Dieu de I'eglise d'Angleterre et d'Yrlande supreme chef."

" Of the most high, most puissant, and most excellent Princesse, Mary the First, by the grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, and of the Church of England and Ireland supreme head."

Larges, larges, larges."

                    And then returning with reverence, did so in like manner in two places of the said hall, viz. in the midest and at the nether end, and after returned to dinner to the stage prepared for them at the upper end of the hall.
                
                    Then after the dinner, the Queen's Majesty having dined, wafers and ipocrasse was brought.
                
                    Then the table was taken up, and the turnape drawn.
                
                    Then water was brought for the Queen's Highness.
                
                    And after her Grace had washed.
                
                    Then after the sumape was withdrawn, the Queen's Majesty arose, and stood in the midst of the hauU place, with the Lady Elizabeth her Grace, and the Lady Anne of Cleves, and all the nobility of this realm, and ladies about her, according to their degrees and estatesf.
                
                    Then the Mayor of London brought a goodly standing cup of gold to the Queen's Majesty, and after her Highnets had drunk so, gave the Mayor the cup.
                
                    Note f. At the end of the Banquet Noailles says, the Queen called to her the foreign Ambassadors, and after conversing with them graciously for a short time, and thanking them for their pains, gave them leave to retire.

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Then after, her Highness withdrew to her Parliament chamber, she shifted her there in her Privy Chamber, where she was first apparelled before her going to church.

Then all the Nobility likewise shifted them all out of their robes, and after conveyed her Highness and her Ladies about her by water, unto her royal palace at Westminster, where there was that night feasting and royal cheer^g.

And thus ended the royal ceremony on the Sunday, the day of the Queen's coronation, in great royalty, witk great joy and comfort to all her nobility and loving subjects in general^h."

Note g. It was candyle lyght or her Grace or she had dined, and so her Grace to her Barge."— Cott MS. Vitellius, F. 5.

Note h. MSS. Off. of Arms, marked I. 7. and W. Y.

From these accounts it would appear that the ceremonies differed in no particular respect from those observed at the coronation of Edward VI: but none of the robes with which her Majesty was invested previously to her receiving the crown, &c., appear to have been those of Edward the Confessor. For the ceremony of the unction, we are told she presented herself in a simple corset of purple velvet; and instead of the colobium sindonis¹, the stole, the dalmatica², and the supertunic, we only hear of her being clad in a robe of white taflfety, and a mantle of purple velvet, furred with ermineⁱ. But although in conseqnence of the Romish ritual having been retained at the coronation of Edward VI Mary made no alteration in the ceremony of her inauguration, she appears not only to have avoided being crowned in the same chair as her Protestant brother^j, but to have revolted from the notion of being anointed with the same chrism that had been consecrated on the previous occasion by the ministers of the reformed religion.

Note 1. In medieval and coronation contexts, the colobium sindonis is the long white linen under-garment put on the monarch during the coronation rite symbolizing purity and humility; a parallel to baptismal clothing.

Note 2. The dalmatica was a rich, gold-coloured, long tunic with wide sleeves. In later coronations it was sometimes called the supertunica, made of cloth of gold.

Note i. Nothing is said of the royal sandals. In the MSS a pair of sabatons, or slippers of crimson cloth of gold, are mentioned instead of them.

Note j. She had one hlessed and sent her by the Pope; vide page 60 of this work. St. Edward's chair is repeatedly named in the MS, but we find it was placed on the mount or throne, and that she was crowned in another "rich chair" before the altar.

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Griffet tells us, on the authority of the Spanish Ambassador's despatches, that on this account she applied to the Emperor for the holy unguent, and he sent it to her secretly from Bruxelles^k. Griffet, upon the same authority, tells another much more interesting anecdote respecting Mary's coronation. "The Princess Elizabeth carried in this ceremony the crown which they were to place on the head of the Queen. Elizabeth said in a low voice to Monsieur de Noailles that this crown was very heavy, and that she was weary of carrying it. The ambassador replied to her that she must have patience, and that shortly (bientôt) the crown would seem lighter to her being placed upon her head, which was overheard by the Emperor's Ambassadors, who were not far off. They did not fail to inform their master of this in the despatch which they wrote him, rendering an account of this ceremony; but Monsieur de Noailles makes no mention of this particular circumstance in the letters which he wrote to the King concerning the coronation of Mary, at which he assisted." He certainly does not; and for the best possible reason — it never took place. Sir J. Mackintosh and Mr. Sharon Turner both doubt it; firstly, because of that very silence of Monsieur de Noailles, in his private despatches, who was not likely to omit so important a conversation; and secondly, because he was less likely to have committed such an imprudence as to have made the reply attributed to him within ear-shot of the Emperor's ambassadors. But there is a still stronger reason for believing this story to have been "a weak invention of the enemy," furnished by the humble work now before my readers. It will be seen by reference to the procession, that Princess Elizabeth did not carry the crown at all; and that even if she had, her relative situation to the Ambassadors throughout the ceremony rendered it impossible for any such whispering to have taken place.

Note k. Nouveaux Eclaircissements sur I'Histoire de Marie Reine D'Angleterre, 12mo, Amsterdam et Paris, 1766, p. 59.

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The words used by Griffet are — "la couronne que l'on devoit mettre sur la tete de la Reine," ["the crown that was to be placed upon the Queen’s head."] thus distinctly giving us to understand that it was previous to the act of coronation that the incident was reported to have taken place. Now Noailles, in his account of the procession to the Abbey, speaks of the "noblemen bearing the crown, the globe, &c." as, according to the invariable custom, preceding the sovereign, and the Lady Elizabeth with the Lady Anne of Cleves following her. Is it possible that so extraordinary a circumstance as the heir-presumptive bearing the crown in a coronation procession, and out of the place in which it has been borne from time immemorial, could have escaped the notice and mention of the Chroniclers, both native and foreign? But supposing this for the sake of argument, where was the person with whom the conversation is said to have occurred? The place of the foreign ambassadors in all the proceedings of that period was amongst the ministers of state, far in advance of the great officers bearing the regalia; but in this procession the ambassadors did not walk at all. They were. accompanied "from their lodgings to the Minster" by noblemen and gentlemen appointed for the purpose by her Majesty's council. Noailles by Lord Paget, and the Emperor's Resident, &c., with Mons. Reynard, the writer of the despatch, by the Lords Cobham, Clynton,and Hereford, and the Lord Privy Seal.— MS. Off. of Arms, marked I. 7. And Noailles himself, in describing its return from the Abbey, speaks of the addition of the ambassadors, who were present at the said ceremony, upon a platform built expressly for their accommodation.

This positive evidence also as to the place occupied by the corps diplomatique within the Abbey, proves that the remark could not have been made during the ceremony, as although it is just possible the Lady Elizabeth might have been on the ambassadors' platform without the crownⁱ most decidedly she would not be there with it. One might be tempted to ask what could induce the Spanish ambassador to forge an anecdote which any one of the many thousand eye-witnesses of the ceremony could have disproved, were it not a well-known axiom in politics that the lie which will last a day is always worth the telling,

Note i. Anne Duchess of York was in the ambassadors' gallery, at the coronation of Charles II. It may be remarked there were three crowns used for the coronation, and that Elizabeth might have carried one of them. Still the ambassadors were not in the procession to the Abbey, and on the return the Ist, or "St. Edward's crown," was left with the Dean of Westminster; the 3rd was of course worn by the Queen; and the 2nd, or "Imperial crown of these realms," we leam from Strype, was carried by the Earl of Shrewsbury; the Earl of Westmoreland bearing tbe cap of maintenance or of estate, which the sovereign wears with the parliamentary robes previous to the coronation. Vide the description of Elizabeth*s, page 41, note.