1831.] Claims at the Coronation of Richard the Second. land; and by his Dukedom of Lancaster, that of bearing the chief sword called curtana; as Earl of Lincoln, to be carver at the King's table on the day of his Coronation; which offices, says a MS. (Bibl. Harl. 1309), after a diligent examination taken by the wise and circumspect of the Kynge's counsaile, were assigned to the Duke as tenaunt by lawe of England, after the dethe of Blaunche, sometime his wife." The Duke therefore, in his own person, exercised the office of High Steward; he also bore the sword before the King until the high massse" of the Coronation was finished; and when he was afterwards, during the banquet, busied in his office of Seneschal, he committed the bearing of the sword to his son Henry Earl of Darby, who on this occasion assisted at the consecration of the weak, prodigal, and unfortunate monarch whom he afterwards deposed. Henry Earl of Stafford was appointed the Duke's deputy as Carver before the King in his great hall. On the Thursday previous to the ceremony, the Duke of Lancaster, by appointment of the King, and in right 109 of his office as High Steward, held his Thomas of Woodstocke, uncle to This claim was allowed. Dame Margaret Marshall, Countess * Seneschal, derived from the German Sein a House, Schall an Officer. This office was anciently known by the title of Seneschal of the King's Household. In the time of Henry VIII. it was changed to that of High Steward. + His first wife. The following singular duties and privileges attached to the office of Constable and Marshal, mentioned in No. 1309 of the Harleian MSS. bespeak the loose barbarism of aucient days. Some of these regulations however seem to apply to the King's Court when in the field. "And it was wont to be that the Marshall had longyng to the Courte twelve sengle women that sholde swere to the Knight Marshall that they know no more common women than themselves folowyng the courte, nor thefe, nor mesel, but they shall utter yt to the Marshall; and they ought to sarve the Court and none other. * * The Marshale shall have of every Marchaunt, Armurer, Tailour, Barbour, and of everie common woman everie Saterdaie, in assigneying them ther places for kepyng ther shopis 4d. He was to assign the quarters of the persons composing the King's army, to know the number of the Men at Arms, Archers, and to keep, in short, the muster-roll of the battle. When the Constable and Marshal come to the felde, and crie "Havock," every man to take his part. *** It is the Marshall's office to see that no common harlottes be within the precyncte of his roode; and also it is a custume that the Marshall shall have of every comoun harlot that is founde in his precyncte, 4d. If taken again, to be brought before the Steward, and to be forbid the precinct of the King's house, the Queen's, and their children, and there her name to be brevyd; for the 3rd offence to remayne in prison, or forswere the courte; for the 4th, to be shaven the hedde; for the 5th, her over lippe to be cutt off to the intent that she shall not provoke no man to kyssing." Other rights belonging to the Earl Marshal, anciently were these. To have the King's horse and the Queen's palfrey when they have alighted at the place where they are to be crowned. He is always to be near the King during the Coronation ceremony, and to sustain his crown" by the flower." He is to keep the King's peace within seven miles of the Court. Hence the jurisdiction of the Marshalsea Court. He is to lead on the van or foreward of the battle in time of war. He was to be High Usher on the Coronation-day, and to have the table-cloth of the high dais, and the cloth of estate under which the King sate. He claimed of an Archbishop when he did homage 101. or his horse and harness, or the horse and a mark for the harness. Of every Earl created a Knight, his horse and harness, or 10l. and a mark for the harness. Of Bishops, Abbots, and Priors holding by barony, the same fee. Of any private man made a Knight, a proportionate fee. 110 Claims at the Coronation of Richard the Second. Leon, Duke of Lancaster, and Seneschal of England," and containing the following allegations:-That she was daughter and heir to Thomas Brotherton, not long since Earl of Norfolk and Marshal of England, and now claimed to execute the said office by her deputy, performing it in the same manner as Gilbert Earl of Striguil had done at the Coronation of King Henry the Second, settling all disputes in the King's household on the day of his Coronation, assigning the lodgings to particular persons, and keeping the hoestes, that is, the doors of the King's chamber, receiving of every Knight created on the day of the Coronation (the Knights of the Bath) his palfrey and saddle. Against this claim, on the King's part, it was contended that the office remained in fee, to be conferred at his Majesty's pleasure, various arguments were urged by the Counsel for the Countess, in support of her claim; but it was at length determined that as the time was too short to admit of a proper examination of the matter, Sir Henry Percy should fill the office, and receive the fees, but without prejudice to any "man's right," which might thereafter be proved. Robert Earl of Oxford petitioned for the office of Chamberlain, on the ground that his ancestors had been chamberlyns of fee tyme out of mind, of owre soveraigne Lorde the Kynge and his progenitours." He also claimed by the same immemorial custom to serve the King with water on the day of his Coronation, and to have "the basyns and towelles" as his fee, citing the record of the Exchequer in support of his claim. Proclamation having been made for any man who could gainsay this allegation, to come forward, and no one appearing, the Earl of Oxford's right was allowed. Being a minor, he could not execute the office in person without the King's special permission, which was granted. The Mayor of London, John Wiltsher, claimed by certain tenements which he held at Heydon in Essex, "de tenir une touaille quand notre souverain le roy lavera ses mains devant manger le jour de son corone [Aug. ment" (to hold a towel when the King should wash his hands before dinner on the day of the Coronation). The claim according with the Exchequer record, it was allowed. Thomas de Bello Campo (Beauchamp) Earl of Warwick, claimed to bear the third sword before the King, and the office also of Panetrier,* executing the same by his ministers and deputies, claiming "the salters (salt cellars), knyves, and spones, as his fee." This claim was allowed, having for his fee the salter and the knives that were before the King; but touching the spoons, as nothing appeared concerning them on the records of the Exchequer, the King was to use his pleasure with regard to them. Sir John Argenthen (Argenton) claimed to serve the "kynge at his coronacion of his cuppe," by his tenure of the manor of Wilmondeley (Wymondeley), in the county of Hertford. "Sundry records, reasons, and evydentes" being shown in favour of his claim, and "sufficient witnesses taken," it was allowed; his fee being "the white cup of sylver" wherewith he served the King. William Furnyvall claimed by tenure of the manor of Farnham,‡ and the hamlets appertaining to it, to provide a glove for the King, and support his right arm while the virga regia was in his hand, as his ancestors had done time immemorial. The customary proclamation having been made for counter claimants to assert their right, and none appearing, his claim was acknowledged, but it was necessary that he should be knighted before he could be allowed to execute the office.§ On the Tuesday therefore previous to the ceremony, he repaired to the palace of the late Black Prince at Kennington, where he was honourably created a Knight by the King. Ann, widow of John Hasting, Earl of Pembroke, claimed by tenure of the manor of Ascheley in Norfolk, to be Ewer or Napier at the Coronation, and to have the table-cloths as her fee; this claim was acknowledged, and the office performed by her deputy Sir Thomas Blunt. John, son and heir of the Earl of * Now extinct; was held with the manor of Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester. † Argenton bore as his arms three cups, in allusion doubtless to this privilege. Farnham Royal, Bucks, exchanged by Francis Earl of Shrewsbury, temp. Henry VIII. with the King, for Worksop, Notts, to which the same mode of tenure was transferred. § It appears that the degree of Knight was a qualification for the performance of Grand Serjeanty. 1831.] Claims at the Coronation of Richard the Second. " Pembroke, claimed to bear the great gilt spurs, "les grandes esperons,' as William Marshall his progenitor had done at the Coronation of King Edward the Second; the claim was allowed, but owing to the nonage of the claimant, the office was assigned to Edmund Earl of March, in right of the claimant. The said John also claimed by tenure of the castle of Pembroke, the grange of Kynge's woode, and the common of Croitathe, the manor and castle of Martyn, and the manor of Tregeyr, to bear the second sword; this office was counterclaimed by Richard Earl of Arundel and Surrey, by his right for the county of Surrey, but the evidence in favour of the Earl of Pembroke appearing the stronger, it was adjudged to him, and the bearing of the second sword committed to Edmund Earl of March, in right of the Earl of Pembroke, for the reasons before alleged. Richard Earl of Arundel and Surrey preferred another petition for the office of chief butler (chef boutellier) in right of the Earldom of Arundel. Edmund Stapulgate presented a counterclaim by his tenure of the manor of Bilsyngton in Kent, showing by the record of the Exchequer that the King, owing to the said Edmund holding the manor by grand serjeanty, had taken him, being a minor, as his ward, and received the profits of the demesne for four years, amounting to a hundred and four pounds. The difficulty of the matter did not allow time for the final settlement of this dispute; but the records of the Exchequer showing the Earl of Arundel and his ancestors had enjoyed the office of Butler at all the Coronations, notwithstanding the alienation of the manor in question, and that neither Edmund Stapulgate, nor his ancestors, had at any time executed it, the office was adjudged to the Earl of Arundel, saving the just claim in future of Edmund or any other person. The Mayor and Citizens of London preferred an oral petition through their Recorder, to serve the King in his Great Hall during the dinner, and afterwards in his chamber, with spices in a cup of gold, the Mayor taking the cup with an ewer, at his departure, as his fee; certain chosen Citizens of London to help the chief Butler in the buttery during the dinner, and after dinner assist him in the service of the 111 King and his Nobles, &c. in his chamber. The Records of the Exchequer were found to afford precedent for their claim to the office, but the matter was left to the King's discretion, who yielded to their requests for the following singular reasons, as expressed in the language of an ancient MS. The King "considering the great fondeness and subsidy that his progenitors habundantly tyme paste had founde of the citie of London, and trusting for the like fondeness and subsidie tyme commyng, amongest the said citizens, and to make their heartis merier, and well willyng to do hym true service, and to helpe hym hereafter in his necessities, benignlie to accomplish their desires, decreed and ordeynd that they should doo service in the said offices before by them demanded, according to their desires in all thinges." Sir John Dymmok, Knight, preferred his claim to be the King's Champion, to the following effect: that his ancestors by fee and of right from time immemorial had enjoyed the office, and executed it in the form detailed. The King causing to be delivered to him, before his Coronation, the best horse in his stable, save one, and a complete suit of armour for himself, "all as entirely and sure as the Kynge himselfe should have it," and that thus accoutred, he should ride in procession before the King, making proclamation to the people within hearing, three times, to the following effect: "Yf ther be any man of high degree or lowe, that will saie that this oure soverayn liege Lorde Richarde, cousin and heire of the Kynge of Englande, Edwarde late deceased, ought not of right to be Kynge of Englande crowned, he is redy now till the laste houre of his brethe, with his bodie, to bete him like a false man and a traitor, on what other daie that shal be apoynted.' And if any one dispute the King's title, and he fight with him for the King, the horse and all "the har"shall remain with him as his ness fee; but if no one dispute while the procession lasts, or till the third hour after the King shall have been anointed and crowned, then he shall be dis armed, and it is at the King's option to bestow on him "the horse and harness;" but they are for this service Sic in MS. Cousin appears on this and other occasions to be used as a general term of consanguinity, 112 Claims at the Coronation of Richard the Second. " no prescriptive fee. This office was counterclaimed by Baldwin de Freville, alleging that he was cousyn and heire" of Liones, daughter of Philip Marmyon, and holds the Castle of Tamworth in the county of Warwick, by the service of the Championship as described. But after "sore and longe reasonyng" between the parties, and many records and evidences produced, and divers noble lords and dames deposing, that they had often heard King Edward and his son the Black Prince declare that the office belonged to Sir John Dymmok, in right of the manor of Scrivelbaye, it was awarded to him. But notwithstanding, if within three weeks after Hilary-day, Baldwin de Freville could show by "evidentes, recordes, and munimentes," that it of right appertained to him, he should have justice from the King by the advice of his Council, and enjoy the office in perpetuo. William Latymer and John de Mowbray, son of John Mowbray of Axiholme (Axholme), alleged that they held certain lands formerly belonging to William Beauchamp of Bedford, by right of which the possessors have exercised the office of Almoner to the King on the day of his Coronation, taking for their fee "the vessell that staundeth before the King for the aulmes,' or a tun of wine in lieu thereof; and it appearing to the Court that by reason of the nonage of John Mowbray, his part of the lands aforesaid were in the King's hands, William Latymer was appointed to execute the office in right of himself and John Mowbray, taking as his fee the silver alms dish standing before the King, and if it should appear that a hogshead of wine might be claimed, he was to be allowed the same in lieu, at his option. He executed the office, and had the silver dish as his fee. [Aug. William Bardolf showed that he held certain lands in the vill of Adington, by the service of finding a man to make a mess called Dilgerunt or Dillegrout, and "si apponatur sagina," if fat were used in the making, it was called malpigerium, or malpigernon, in the King's kitchen. Richard Lyons, by tenure of the manor of Liston, claimed to make the wafers for the King. The Red Book of the Exchequer being consulted, this claim was allowed. The Barons of the Cinque Ports claimed by virtue of franchises granted by the King's progenitors at all preceding Coronations, to bear over the King's head a cloth of gold or silk, as the King should direct, supported by four spears of beaten silver; at the end of each spear four tassels or knots of silver gilt, the whole to be furnished at the King's expense. No one opposed this claim, and it was accordingly conceded. John Fitz John claimed to be chief Lardener by tenure of the manor of Sculton, in the county of Norfolk, which service had been performed by Geoffrey Burdelie, the possessor of Sculton, at the Coronation of Edward the Third, he having made his claim before William Middleton, then Escheator of the County. This petition was allowed in right of the wife of Fitz John. Nicholas Heryng claimed by tenure of the manor of Cateshull, in the county of Surrey, in right of Agnes his wife, to be "huissier del chambre du roy," (Usher of the King's chamber,) citing the Red Book of the Exchequer in support of his petition; but it appearing that this claim did not concern the Coronation but the office of Usher in general, he was desired to prefer it to the King at a future time if he thought expedient.* *His present Majesty having dispensed with many of the ceremonies usually celebrated at the Coronations of the Kings of England, the various fees attached to the respective services thereof will not be allowed. The following is an account of the quantity of plate which should have been given, according to the claims delivered in to the Lord Chamberlain of England, on previous occasions. The Lord High Almoner for the day, according to claim, two large gilt basons, 305 oz. To the Duke of Norfolk, as Earl of Arundel, claiming as Chief Butler of England, a gold cup of a wine quart, 32 oz. To the Lord Mayor of London, as assistant to the Chief Butler, and to serve the King with wine after dinner, a gold cup, 30 oz. To the Mayor of Oxford, as assistant to the Lord Mayor of London, a gilt cup weighing about 110 oz. To the Lord of the Manor of Great Wimondley, in Hertfordshire, as Chief Cupbearer, a silver gilt cup, weighing about 32 oz. 1831.] Order of the Coronation of Richard the Second. ORDER OF THE CORONATION. On the 15th of July, after the hour of dinner, a great number of Noblemen and Knights, the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and several of the citizens of London, all splendidly attired and on horseback, assembled in an open place near the Tower of London.* Having waited there a short time, the King came forth from the Tower, habited in white garments, and accompanied by an immense throng of nobles, knights, and esquires. The whole train then proceeded on horseback through the streets of the City to Cheapside. The youthful King mounted on a charger, decorated with costly trappings. Simon Burley carrying the sword erect before him, and Nicholas Bonde, leading his horse by the bridle. They were preceded by the sound of trumpets, and hailed by the acclamations of the multitude. The conduit at the upper end of Cheapside ran with wine during the whole time of the procession, which took up more than three hours in its passage to the palace at Westminster. On the same spot also, a castle with four towers was erected, from two sides of which issued abundance of 118 wine. In this castle trumpeters were placed, who sounded on the approach of the King. In either tower was a beautiful virgin of the King's own age and stature, who when he appeared at a distance blew leaves of gold in his face, and on his nearer approach to the tower threw a shower of florins on him and his horse, made in imitation of coin of real gold for the occasion. When the King came up to the castle, the damsels took golden cups, and filling them with wine, offered them to him. On the top of the building was the image of an angel holding a crown of gold in his hands, which figure was so ingeniously contrived, that on the King's approach, it stooped and offered him the crown. Hethence proceeded onward through "Flete Streete" to the Great Hall of the palace of Westminster, where, alighting with the noblemen and great officers in his train, he repaired to the seat on the great marble tablet or dais at the upper end of the Hall, and called for wine, of which he with all the train partook. He then departed with his nobles and his household into his chamber, and having supped in state, and un To the Champion of England, as Lord of the manor of Scrivelsby, in Lincolnshire, still in the Dymoke family, a gold cup, of Winchester pint, 30 oz. To the Barons of the Cinque Ports, for their claim of supporting the King and Queen's canopies, each by twelve silver staffs of eight feet in height, with bells to each staff weighing 40 oz. The 24 staffs and bells weigh in all 960 oz. The staff of the Lord High Constable of England is of silver, the ends gold enamelled with the King's arms, and his own, weighing about 12 oz. The staff of the Earl Marshal of England is of gold, enamelled black at each end, and engraved with the King's arins and his own, in length 28 inches, and weighs about 15 oz, The gold coronet for Garter King of Arms, weighing about 24 oz. The sceptre or rod for Garter, part silver and part gold, 8 oz. 19 dwts. The gold chain and badge for Garter, 8 oz. The gilt collar of SS. with badges for Garter, 30 oz. The same for Lord Lyon, King of Arms for Scotland;—in all 70 oz. 19 dwts. The same for Bath King of Arms;-in all 70 oz. 19 dwts. The silver gilt coronet for Clarencieux King of Arms, about 18 oz. The silver gilt collar of SS. for the badges of Portcullis only, 20 o2 The gold chain and badge, about 7 oz. 1 dwt. 17 gr. The same for Norroy King of Arms;-in all about 46 oz. The collar of SS. partly gilt and partly white, for the six Heralds, 120 oz. The collar of SS. all plain silver, for the four Pursuivants, 30 oz. The Usher of the Black Rod for England, whose garniture is of gold lace, upon a fine black ebony stick or rod, weight about 5 oz. 6 dwts. The Usher of the Green Rod for Scotland, whose garniture is of silver, part gilt, upon green, weighing about 20 oz. 15 dwts. The wedges of gold which the King and Queen offer at the altar, each two wedges at 20 oz. each;-in all gold 40 oz. Most probably Tower Hill. The King's Bench, where justice was anciently dispensed by the King in person, and which has since given title to the Court of that naine. GENT. MAG. August, 1831. |