Great Britain -- History -- Richard II, 1377-1399; Richard II, King of England, 1367-1400
In this manner and with these ceremonies Richard was invested with a
splendidly-embroidered coat and cloak, a stole, a sword, a pair of
spurs, a pair of bracelets, and, finally, with a garment over all
called the pallium. All these things, of course, had been made
expressly for the occasion, and were adapted to the size and shape of
a boy like Richard. The archbishop was assisted in putting these
things on by certain nobles of the court, who had been designated for
this purpose, and who considered themselves highly honored by the part
that was assigned them in the ceremony.
When the dressing had been completed, the archbishop took the crown,
and after having invoked a blessing upon it by his prayers and
benedictions, all in the Latin tongue, he placed it upon Richard's
head, repeating, at the same time, a Latin form, the meaning of which
was that he received the crown from God Almighty, and that to God
alone he was responsible for the exercise of his royal power.
Then came a certain grand officer of the court with a red globe, an
emblem of royalty which has long been used in England. This globe the
archbishop blessed, and then the officer put it into Richard's hands.
In the same manner the sceptre was brought, and, after being blessed
by means of the same ceremonies and prayers, was also put into
Richard's hands.
Richard was now completely invested with the badges and insignia of
his office. The archbishop then, raising his hands, pronounced upon
him his apostolic benediction, and the ceremony, so far, was ended.
The bishops and nobles then came up to congratulate and salute Richard
on having thus received his crown, after which they conducted him to
his seat again.
Richard now began to be very tired and to wish to go home, but there
was a great deal more yet to come before he could be set at liberty.
There was an anthem to be sung by the choir, and more prayers to be
said, after which there came what was called the offertory. This was a
ceremony in which a person was led to the altar, to lay down upon it
whatever offering he chose to make for the service of the Church. The
king rose from his seat and was led forward to the altar, having, of
course, been previously told what he was to do. He had in his hand a
sum of money which had been provided for the occasion. He laid down
this money first upon the altar, and then his sword. It was the custom
in these coronations for the king thus to offer his sword, in token of
the subordination of his royal power to the law and will of God, and
then the sword was afterward to be redeemed with money by the
sword-bearer, the officer whose duty it was, on leaving the church, to
bear the sword in procession before the king.
Accordingly, after Richard had returned from the altar, the earl whose
office it was to bear the sword went to the altar and redeemed it with
a sum of money, and carried it back to the place where Richard was
sitting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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