It may also be noted here, as a matter connected with the oath, that up to the time of Henry VII the years of a king’s reign were reckoned from the day of his coronation, the oath being regarded as the compact or covenant made between him and his people, sealing as it were his election to the throne. From the time of Henry VIII onwards the king’s reign has been reckoned from the death of his predecessor[84]. Laud took infinite pains in the preparation of the coronation ceremony, in which he acted in the place of the Dean of Westminster. His copy of the Order with his MS. annotations still exists in the library of St John’s College, Cambridge. No detail is neglected and some of his notes are very amusing; for example, in connection with the putting on of hose and sandals he remarks, ‘These both—Hose and Shews the K: would haue putt on vpõ his other shoes: wᶜʰ had almost indaingered yᵉ tearinge of yᵉ old Tinsin Hose. It is safer to vnlase them before hand when they be vsed againe[85].’ The recipe for the preparation of the chrism used is preserved. The chrism was consecrated by Laud, who was at that time Bishop of St David’s, and who was acting for the Dean of Westminster. It is the dean’s function to bless the chrism if he is a bishop. If he is not a bishop the archbishop himself consecrates it. It is perhaps most convenient at this point to deal with the coronation of King Charles at Holyrood by Abp Spotiswoode on June 18, 1633, for the rite then used was manifestly based on the English order, and was the work of Abp Laud. There are in it certain variations from the English rite, which were probably deliberately made with the intention of imparting a special Scottish character to the ceremony.