Yeomen of the Guard, to close the Procession.
As the procession entered the Hall, the fifes, drums, and trumpets went
to their gallery, and the several other persons composing it were
directed to their respective places by the officers of arms.
On entering the Hall, the barons of the Cinque Ports, bearing the
canopy, remained at the bottom of the steps. His Majesty ascended the
elevated platform, and retired in his chamber near the state.
The company at the table then sat down; and the barons of the Cinque
Ports carried away the canopy as their fee.
It is mentioned above that the several orders of knighthood returned
wearing their hats. This was the case until they got to the entrance of
Westminster Hall. There all the knights of the Bath took off their
hats, as did some of the bishops and several other individuals who took
part in the procession. There were only two knights of the Garter who
appeared in the full dress of the order. These were his Royal Highness
the Prince Leopold and the Marquess of Londonderry. The noble marquess,
as attired in his robes, added very considerably to the splendour of the
scene by his graceful and elegant appearance. His lordship's hat was
encircled with a band of diamonds, which had a most brilliant effect. As
his Majesty passed up the Hall he was received with loud and continued
acclamations--the gentlemen waving their hats, and the ladies their
handkerchiefs: his Majesty seemed to feel sensibly the enthusiasm with
which he was greeted, and returned the salutations with repeated bows to
the assemblage on both sides. The peers took their seats at the table
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. We ought here to remark that 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 seats. 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 soon corrected by one of
the heralds, who brought the worthy magistrates back to their former
station in the procession.
THE BANQUET.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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