13th June.
As we have been informed an order "approving the form of service for the Coronation" has been signed by the King, a natural desire arises in the minds of many expatriated Britons to know beforehand exactly how the solemn rite will be accomplished. The ceremony is necessarily a very long one, and the powers that be have acted wisely in abbreviating the forms which kept King William IV. and Queen Adelaide in the Abbey continuously for nearly four hours, whilst the coronation of her late Majesty, Queen Victoria, lasted five hours. The scene will doubtlessly be as glorious a one as was ever seen inside the walls of the historic Abbey. The pomp and magnificence representative of the British Empire; the gorgeous assemblage of distinguished personages, arrayed in their Tichest uniforms, robes, and jewels, together with the impressive ceremonial details, will go to make up a scene that will not easily be forgotten by those privileged to be present.
The disposition of the distinguished company inside the Abbey walls will be somewhat after the following order:—The members of the Royal Family will have an excellent view of the whole scene from the royal box, which is placed just above the south side of the altar the peers and peeresses will occupy the transepts, while the distinguished guests will find a place in the nave, at the eastern end of which will be placed the choir and instrumentalists. The Bishops in their robes and copes will be ranged on either side of the dais where the King and Queen are throned. Their Majesties, as they enter, will hear the fine strains of Sir Hubert Parry's anthem "I was glad when they said unto me." The magnificent procession will then pass down the whole length of the Abbey from the west door to the dais, where their Majesties will kneel for a few moments in private devotion. Immediately afterwards the ceremony will begin by the Recognition, i.e, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, and Garter King-at-Arms will formally present "King Edward, the undoubted King of this Realm," by turning to the four points of the compass, the King doing likewise. In reply to the question as to whether all who are present will do homage to the King the people signify their willingness and joy by repeatedly exclaiming "God save King Edward!" At the sound of the trumpets, the Regalia will be placed on the altar by the Dean of &. George's, the swords, however, being excepted from this cere-many. The King and Queen then retire to the chairs set for them on the south side of the altar, after which follows an abbreviated Litany and ante-Communion Service, followed by the sermon to be preached by the Bishop of London. The sermon being ended the Oath is then administered to his Majesty by the Archbishop of Canterbury. After the King has kissed the Book and signed the Oath, both he and his Consort again kneel while the choir sing the ancient hymn, "Yeni Creator Spiritus," at the conclusion of which the Primate recites a prayer, during which he lays his hand on the ampulla which is standing on the altar, The ampulla is a golden vessel fashioned like an eagle with extended wings, rising from a chaste pedestal, also of pure gold. It is nine inches high. seven inches broad across the wings, and weighs nine ounces. It will hold six ounces of oil, which is poured out through the beak of the regal bird. The King, having removed his Robe and Cap of State, sits down near the altar, while four Knights of the Garter hold over him auch pull of silk or cloth of gold. The Dean of Westminster then takes the ampulla and spoon, and pouring oil in the spoon hands it to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who anoints the King in the form of a cross on the crown of the head, on the breast and on the palms of both hands, saying "Be thou anointed with holy oil as Kings, Priests, and Prophets were anointed." The King then kneels while the Archbishop recites a prayer. The prayer being ended, the King resumes his seat, after which His Majesty is invested with the Colobium Sindonis and the Super-tunica, or close pall of cloth of gold, together with a girdle of the same. Each of the royal ornaments—Robes, Spurs, Sword, Ring, Orb and Sceptre—is then, in its due order, delivered to His Majesty, the Crown coming last. King Edward will then seat himself in the historic chair in front of the altar, and the Primate will solemnly place the crown on his head the trumpeters will blare out a fanfare, and the guns at the Tower and in the Park will thunder forth a salute. The Archbishop will then deliver the charge "Be strong and of a good courage:" and the trumpets' blast, and cannons' roar will echo his words, After singing by the choir "Be strong and play the man," the Holy Bible will be presented to the King by the Archbishop in these words, "Our Gracious King, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; this is the Royal Law; these are the lively Oracles of God."
After the Benediction has been pronounced and the "Te Deum Laudamus" has been sung by the choir, the Inthronization takes place, the King being lifted up into his Throne by the Archbishops and Bishops, and other Peers of the Kingdom. Then may be said to be the climax of the splendid scene when, the Archbishops' short exhortation being finished, all the Peers Spiritual "and Temporal do their homage publicly and solemnly to the King, After the Archbishop has kissed the King's left cheek the Prince of Wales, taking off his coronet, kneels down, the rest of the Royal Princes following his example, taking off their coronets, and pronouncing the words of homage after him. The same ceremony is then gone through by the other Peers of the Realm, those of the highest rank taking precedence. After the singing of an anthem by the choir, the drums beat, the trumpets sound, and the solemn and imposing ceremony is brought to a conclusion amid the acclamations of the people, "God save King Edward! long live King Edward! may the King live for ever!"
The King's Coronation having been brought to a conclusion, that of the Queen is immediately proceeded with
of course, is a much shorter and less by the Archbishop of York. This, imposing and diborate ceremony, Not till Her Majesty has been anointed (on the head only), invested with the Ring, crowned by the Bishop, and endowed with the Sceptre and Ivory Rod and Dove, may the Peeresses assume their coronets. The Communion Service then takes place, after which the King, the four swords being carried before him, descends from the Throne crowned, and carrying his Sceptre and Rod in his hands passes into St. Edward's Chapel. As they pass by the altar, the rest of the Regalia lying upon it are to be delivered by the Dean of Westminster to the Peers who carried them in the procession, after which they proceed in state into the Chapel, the organ all the while playing. The Queen at the same time descending also goes into the Chapel by another entrance, bearing her Sceptre in her right hand and her Ivory Rod in her left. This practically brings the Coronation ceremony toa close, although there are various other formalities of a minor kind to be gone through. May it be a long time before another such ceremony takes place in England
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.