Zurich Herald, 1937-05-06, Page 6lVhen ENGLAND
God Save The King
Long Live The Ding t
11111
ROM THE moment he enters
Westminster ' Abbey, wearing
robes of red and Cap of Estate,
to the time he leaves, clad in
royal purple and wearing the Im-
perial State Crown, the King is the
centre of a great religious service,
which were developed at the Court
of the Byzantine Emperors, who
ruled from Constantinople, after the
division of the Roman Empire.
His first act is to kneel in private
prayer. Hie second to face hie peoples
so that :.hey may express their will-
ingness to accept hits as their King,
Not until, 'with one accord of heart
and voice," they have cried "God Save
King George," signal that they wish
him as their ruler, can he be crown-
ed.
.Be must Lace them all. Four times
he is "presented" tc his peoples as he
stands erect, bareheaded, close to the
,Coronation Chair. At each presenta-
tion he faces a different direction,
'showing himself "to the people at
every of the four sides."
He must promise, too, to abide by
the laws and the customs of those he
is to rule.
For the first time, Canada will be
•referred to in the Coronation Oath,
Since George 11 ascended the Throne,
the dominions have attained full na-
tionhood, and the oath has been
itmended so that George VI will:
"Solemnly promise and swear t^
govern the people of Great Britoil.,
Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zea-
land and the Union of South Africa
according to their respective laws and
Customs."
At a given signal the guns from
the Tower of London broadcasts the
news that the King has been crown-
ed.
Prayer follows, the Archbishop of
Canterbury saying, "God crown you
with a Crown of Glory,"' and the
choir follows up with that memorable
hymn, "Thou has set a Crown of
Pure Gold upon His Head."
The King is addressed by the pri-
mate: "Our gracious and noble King,
we present you with this Book. Here
is wisdom . ." and present him with
the Bible.
The Bible returned, the Benediction
is sung.
The King then leaves the Corona-
tion Chair, and ascends to his Throne,
surrounded by bis Lords and Officers
Of State.
The words then spoken: "Stand
firm, and hold fast from henceforth
the Seat of State of Royal and Im-
perial Dignity."
And a great silence reigns in the
Abbey.
Then comes the Royal Procession
—the Ring, carrying his Sceptre,
passes through the door on the South
of the Altar into Sir Edward's
Chapel.
At the same moment Queen Eliza-
beth descends from her Throne and
enters by the door on the opposite
side.
Before St. Edward's Altar King re-
moves his mantle and Sacred Vest-
ments, and is clothed in bis Robe of
Purple Velvet.
The Coronation Crown then chang-
ed for the Imperial State Crown,
Since St. Edward's Crown is used for
the Coronation only.
Queen Elizabeth, carrying the Sep-
tre with. Cross and an Ivory Rod with
Dove, passes to the West. Door of
the Abbey.
Together in stately, awe-inspiring
procession along the route arranged
for Coronation Day, the King and
his Queen passes towards Bucking-
ham Palace.
"Vivat Regina Elizabeth"
"God Save The Queen"
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Corcr athhn Costliest
In English History
The Coronation of King George
and Queen Elizabeth will cost the
Treasury £454,000, a far greater
sum than has been spent on any pre-
vious Coronation.
In the estimates published it is dis-
closed that £ 524,000 will be required
altogether, but towards this £70,000
will be realized from the sale of seats
song the route of the procession.
The last five Coronations have
cost:
(.i. -y %,yv- 4e///// 1
.1...
Coronation Sonnet
Masefield
you. "stand 'rghway of the sea,
*here.n the ips, your .children, come
and go
In splendorat. the full of every Slow,
Bound to and from whatever ports may be.
Through this beginning reign,for years
to come,
May fortune set your lot in happy times.;
Your seamen saint still marking, with his
chimes
Daily, some ship of yours returning home.
Though .ybeouheldre awhat I once
; changed -Tom
Though your rememberV, hulls are with
the coral; "
1 can not think upon your might unstirred.
0 sacred city of the lost sea -bird
May wealth, out -ransoming the ports of
,.
Be youoldrs. with spiritual gold and holy
laurels,
George IV., 1821 £238,238
William IV., 1831 42,298
Victoria, 1838 69,421
Edward VII., 1902 .. , 193,000
George V., 1911 185,000
Comparing the estimates with
those for the Coronation of King
George V., the greater part of the
increased o, s_"t is in the estimate of
the Office #f Works for the prepare -
SPECIAL CROWNS FOR WEE ROYAL HEADS
Two little Princesses, daughters of the king and Queen, need special Imperial headgear for the
Coronation. Our photo shows the lightweight crowns which are being made. in London fee
b
Priricess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose. They are of silver gilt, with jewel -Tike chasing and
mounted with the cross -plate and fleur-de-lis.
tion of Westminster Abbey and an-
nexe and the erection of stands along
the route:. This has increased from
£33,000 to £354,000 less the
£70,000 for the sale of seats.
An official of the department said
recently: "There are a number of
reasons for the increased cost. First,
there is the advance in the cost of
materials and labor since 1911. Then
there is. -work for this Coronation
which has never been done before.
"Increasing the accommodation in-
side. the Abbey to nearly 8,000, about
1,000 more ti'an in 1911, makes the
work. more intricate, and add:; to the
cost considerably. Sound amplifica-
tion and broadcasting arrangements
are two other new items to be paid
fc: by the Office of Works.
"Decorations along the route of the
procession, floodlighting and the.
decoration of other public buildings
in London and thousands of Govern-
ment offices in the provinces, such as
Post Offices and Inland. Revenue of-
fices, have never been undertaken be-
fore by the Office of Works."
Another item in the Office of
Works estimate is £140,000 for the
erection of stands. Other detailed
estimates for this year's Coronation
compared with the costs h 1911
are:..
il. M, household, tncrud-
in entertainment of
Royal and other questa £100,000 $90,000
nail Marshal's Office .,. 4,000 3,500
Dominions and Colcntal
Offices • ..... 4,000 15,000
India Office ;v 20,500 37,000
Miscellaneous 14,000 6,900
Expenses estimated for' this year,
but not in 1911, are:
War office ..:............. £ 1,090
Ale Ministry 600
3i''cre1gn Offkb ..... 3,000
Admiralty \ ..YPiiti..Y.h.,23,000
Yeomen of the Guard
The Yeomen of the Guard, popu-
larly known as the "Beef Eaters,"
march in the rear of the procession
and assist the great officers of State
in carrying up the dishes of the
so-vereign's table at the Coronation
Banquet. There are many stories
concerning the origin of the term
Beef Eater. The best authenticated
connects that title with Henry VIII.
The story runs that bluff King Hal
was hunting in the neighborhood of
Reading with some of his yeomen
and had disguised himself in their
uniform. He became separated from
the party and called upon the Abbot
of Reading who, thinking him to be
a yeoman of the guard, invited him
to the table on which stood a huge
joint of roast beef. The supposed
yoeman set about it with a will and
made a huge meal. When the dis-
guised king had finished, the Abbot
exclaimed: "Well fare thy hearti and
here in a cup of sack, I remember
the health of Iiis Grace. I would
give a hundred pounds on the condi-
tion I could feed so heartily on beef
as you do. Alas, my weak squeamish
stomach will hardly d;gest the wing
of a small rabbit or chicken." The
Beef Eater then departed and a few
days later the Abbot to his amaze-
ment4 was ori este4 and. pgnyeyed to
tower, Wrlen for a short tune lie
was fed on bread and water. At
length a piece of beef was put before
his which he proceeded to eat with
the utmost enjoyment. While he was
thus enjoying himself the king en-
tered and demanded £100 for having
restored to the Abbot his appetite for
roast beef! The Abbot paid up and
was released and henceforth the
yeomen of the guard became known
as the Beef Eaters owing to their as-
sociation with this story.
AND AS SHE passeth by the
King on his throne she
shall bow herself reverently
to His Majesty.
, Not until the ming is on his throne
does the coronation of his Queen
commence. When it is ended she as-
cends to her own throne at the King's
loft hand, two steps lower than that
of His Majesty's.
She does not pay .homage to her
liege lord, as all others have done
by the time she ascends her throne.
Princes and dukes and the represen-
tatives of each and every degree of
nobility have kissed her husband on
the left cheek as token of their feal-
ty
She, his wife and queen, is called
upon only to "bow reverently."
With him she heads the procession
into the abbey, robed in' purple and
wearing a circlet of gold. With" him
her first act is to kneel in prayer at
a faldstool before her chair or state
on the south side of the sitar. From
this chair of state, which she does
not leave until she kneels at the al-
tar for prayers before her own cor-
onation, The sees the anointing and.
crowning of her husband as he sits in
King Edward's chair.
Her anointing and crowning take
place on a faldstool set between the
coronation chair and the altar. Four
peeresses hold a rich pall of gold
over ber while she is anointed on the
head, the Queen's ring placed• on the
fourth finger of her right hand,and
the crown placed on her head. Her
crowning is LLe signal for all the peer-
esses to put on their coronets.
She kneels beside the King at the
altar for communion, and like him of-
fers up an oblation of a pall or altar -
cloth, and an ingot of gold. The. gold-
is a "mark -weight," approximately
eight ounces.
One more the King and Queen are
separated before, side by side, they
leave the abbey to meet the loyal
cheers of their subjects. As they
enter St. Edward's Chapel to prepare
for the state drive to the palace, the
Queen crosses before the altar to use
the door on the north side while the
King enters the door on the south
side. They meet inside the chapel.
The separation is of seconds only.
A Pound of Gold
The King's. Offertory was original-
ly a mark and a wedge of gold; Later
it became a. pound of gold and a pall.
Palls were offered by King George V
and Queen Mary, The King's. sword.
was also offered upon the Altar and
redeemed by the highest noble pres-
ent. At one time the King spent the
previous night in solemn vigil, as be-
fore his knighthood. The ferrn
service for the Coronation. of George
VI lays down that the King shall
take the Oath before Communion. in-
steadof during Communion:, as. in.
1911. No Sermon • is to be delivered;
and the Act of Homage will be made
by the peers together, instead of in-
dividually.
The sceptre Which "King George VI
will receive at his coronation.
D-3