At one of these festive meetings, occurring not long before the Coronation of CHARLES THE FIRST, the talk seems to have turned on the coming solemnity. The plague at this time was still in London, though it was fast abating. [Sidenote: COTTON AND THE CORONATION OF CHARLES I.] That circumstance was to abridge the ceremonies, in order to permit the Court to leave Westminster more quickly; but it was known that great attention had been given by the King, personally, when framing the programme, to the strict observance of ancient forms. D’EWES was one of Sir Robert’s guests. Like his host, he had a great love for sight-seeing on public occasions. And they would both anticipate a special pleasure in witnessing the revival of certain coronation observances which had been pretermitted during two centuries. In regard to the coronation oath COTTON had been consulted, and he expected to be present, carrying in his hand his own famous copy of the Gospels known as the ‘_Evangeliary of King Ethelstan_.’ It was also expected that the watergate of Cotton House would be the King’s landing-place, and that he would cross the garden in order that he might enter the Palace more conveniently than he could from its usual stairs, then under repair, or in need of it. Sir Robert invited D’EWES, with other of his guests—not privileged to claim places in Westminster Abbey on the great occasion—that at least they might see their new sovereign, as he passed to take his crown. When the morning came D’EWES was early in his visit, but, he found Cotton House already filled with ladies. The Earl Marshal had decorated the stairs to the river and the watergate very handsomely. Sir Robert had done his part by decorating his windows, and his garden, more handsomely still. But to the chagrin alike of the fair spectators and of their host, as they were standing, in all their bravery, from watergate to housedoor, to do respectful obeisance, the royal barge, by the King’s own commandment—given at the moment, but pre-arranged by BUCKINGHAM—was urged onward. To our amazement, writes Sir Symonds, ‘we saw the King’s barge pass to the ordinary stairs, belonging to the backyard of the Palace, where the landing was dirty ... and the incommodity was increased by the royal barge dashing into the ground and sticking fast, before it touched the causeway.’ [Sidenote: D’Ewes; in Harl. MS., 646, as before.] His Majesty, followed by the Favourite, had to leap across the mud,—certainly an unusual incident in a coronation show. When COTTON—swallowing the mortification which he must have felt, on behalf of his bevy of fair visitors, if not on his own—presently showed himself in the Abbey, bearing the _Evangeliary_, he and it were contemptuously thrust aside.