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foolish, but we had no lamps, when the cry arose that the King was coming. Then first came ae lord, and syne another, and then the Duke of York bounced among us with a troubled countenance, walking backwards and forwards like a ramping lion, which made us all sit with quaking hearts, as you may well think; next came the King himsel, honest man, talking to his nobles, and they had all faces of great terror. It was just a prodigy to see what a fear they were in; but his Majesty was never dismayed, keeping up a blithe heart. However, we began among ourselves to dread that surely something was the matter; and by and by it spunkit out that the King had been shot at, with a treasonable gun that went off without powther. Oh! what I suffered, to know and hear that we were sitting on a Gunpowder Plot, and that Mr Clinker, with me and my five dochters, might be flying in the air, clapping our hands in despair, like peelings of onions, before we kent whar we were. But the King saw the distress that all the ladies were in, and put on a jocose demeanour, and talked to his lords as they put the robes about his shoulders,-the crown he put himsel on his own head with his own hands, and when he had done so, he turned round to let us all see him, and he really looked like a king as he was, and his tongue never lay.'

I'll no take it upon me to say that the behaviour of his present Majesty, in the latter particular, was like his father's, for he is a newer fashioned man, and hasna yet had such an experience of kingcraft; but if in other and more serious concerns, he can port himself as much to the purpose as the auld King, we can thole with him, though he should na just speak so much to the entertainment of his people.

In the mean time, the Peers and Prelates, and the minuter members of the procession, took their seats at the table; and I could see that the Bishops and Aldermensoon began tomake long arms towards the eatables, which meand Doctor Pringle thought a most voracious thing of them, and not well bred towards his sacred and anointed Majesty, who was undergoing such a great fatigue that day for their advantage and renown to all parts of the earth. I likewise observed a Peeress from her seat in the front of the laft opposite to me, speaking vehemently to

a fat Lord at the table below. I suppose he was her gudeman, by the freedom of her speech, for she was plainly making a remonstrance to him on her being so neglected, for among all the ladies round her, both right and left, to a great expanse, there was not a single gentleman, because they were Peeresses, and placed there to sit in state for a help to the show; and then I saw his lordship put some eatable article on a trencher, and it was handed up to pacify her ladyship, and some of her adjacent kimmers.

In this stage of the procedure, during his Majesty's absence, I had leisure for a conversation with the Doctor and the Mistress anent what they had seen in the Abbey, the which I will set down in their own words, my faculty of memory not being of that sort which enables me to give a compendious narration, but, as MrSweeties said, by way of encouragement to me to proceed with the enditing of this book" a great talent in transcribing the personalities of my heroes and heroines."

"Aweel, Doctor," quoth I, " and what did you see, and how were ye entertained with the anointing?" The Doctor shook his head in a solemn manner, and cogitated some time before he made reply, then he answered and said, "It would not become me, Mr Duffle, to find fault with what the King did in the midst of all his government, as he can do no wrong, and may be, in my presbyterian simplicity and ignorance, I am no of a capacity to judge; but if yon doing was not popery-the seven-headed ten-horned popery, that rampauged over the back of common sense so long in this land, the darkness of night is the light of day to my eyes, and we are not sitting here in the earthly bunkers of this grand auld ancient Hall, but are the mere bubbles of a vision of sleep, and all this pomp and garniture around of no more substance than the wrack of vanity that floats in some poor dreaming natural's fantastical imagination. O Mr Duffle, a heavy hand has been laid on my spirit this forenoon; to see and witness the Protestant King of a Protestant people, crossed and creeshed with such abominations of idolatry, and a paternostring of rank and henious papistry, that ought to have been stoned out of the midst of the Christian congregation that was

I may see religion and this kingdom flourish in happiness,'-the which was as good a speech as King David himself could have made to the Children of Israel, and far better than a profane liturgy out of a book. Then King Charles, having made an end of speaking, was conveyed by his nobles to the Kirk of Scone, which was fittingly prepared for the occasion, and Mr Robert Douglas, a minister of Edinburgh, and Moderator of the General Assembly, preached a most weighty sermon from Second Kings, chap. xi. verses 12 and 17; and, after the blessing, the King renewed the Covenants. First, the National Covenant, then the Solemn League and Covenant were distinctly read; at the close of which the King, kneeling down upon his bended knees, and holding up his right hand, did take upon him, as it were, at the footstool of his Maker, the solemn vows anent the same.

sinning by witnessing the same. I tried to the uttermost of my ability to keep the wonted composure of my mind, and to note in my remembrance the circumstantialities, but one new head of the beast made its appearance after another, till Iquaked with terror. I could scarcely abide to look at that speaking horn the Archbishop of Canterbury, who, after all, said no 'great things: as for the prelate that preached, I think he read every word, although holding forth in the very presence of the King's Majesty, who, oppressed with the burden of his royal robes, endured all as well as he could. Two or three times I could plainly see, by the help of a pocket spy-glass a lady lent me, that his Majesty was not overly content with some of the doctrines, which gave me pleasure, although, considering they were but matter of morality, I think he need not have fashed himself about ony such feckless ware of the episcopalian inefficacy, than which nothing can be more innocent in a temporal point of view, although, as you know, and every true believer knows, it is as deadly venom in a spiritual. In short, Mr Duffle, I have no broo of this Coronation. But let the sin of it rest at the doors of them that advised it; as for me and my house, we will fear God, and honour the King. But of one thing I am most thankful, to wit, that the papistry of this doing is an English work, and can bring neither sin nor disgrace upon the Canaan of Scotland, where the Coronation of the Kings was ever a most devout and religious solemnity, as I have specially read in the account of what was done at Scone, on the new year's day of Anno Domini 1651, at the crowning of King Charles, the second of that name,-a prince who, according to all history, was not one of the soundest Protestants,-but who never theless conducted himself on that occasion in a most sincere manner, saying to the Lord Chancellor, when that pious man told him, with all due formality, how his good subjects desired he might be crowned as the righteous and lawful heir of the crown and kingdom, 'I do esteem,' said King Charles, "the affections of my good people more than the crowns of many kingdoms, and shall be ready, by God's assistance, to bestow my life in their defence; wishing to live no longer, than

"When this was done, he then ascended a stage in the middle of the kirk, and the Lord Lyon presented him as the King of Scotland to the people; and the people having testified their acceptance of him as such, he again descended from the stage, and, falling on his knees, the great coronation oath was administered in an awful manner; to the which his Majesty replied, By the Eternal and Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever, I shall observe and keep all that is contained in this oath,-at which there was silence and dread in the kirk, and a sensible manifestation of the devout simplicity of our true and reformed religion.

"Having taken the oath, King Charles was then invested with the types and symbols of royalty; but there was no creeshy papistry practised there, every thing was done in a spirit of meaning and of understanding, the nobles, one by one, touching the crown on the king's head, and saying aloud, to the hearing of the people, By the Eternal and Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever, I shall support thee to my uttermost; and then, holding up their right hands towards heaven, swore to be loyal and true subjects, and faithful to the crown.

"But what ensued was the grandest solemnity of all, and to the which there was no comparison in the wearysome paternostering of this day. When the nobility had sworn their allegiance,

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the Lord Lyon went forth and declared the obligatory oath to the people; and all present lifting up their right hands, stretched them towards the king, who was seated on his throne on the stage, and cried with one loud and universal voice, By the Eternal and Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth for ever, we become your liege men, and truth and faith shall bear unto you, and live and die with you, against all manner of folks whatsoever, in your service, according to the National Covenant, and Solemn League and Covenant.'

"Then the minister addressed himself with the earnest voice of a servant of the King of Kings and the Lord of Glory, and pointed out to the poor frail human creature that had been thus invested with the ensigns and homages of sovereignty, how he was obligated, as the temporal type and representative of Him to whom all thrones and princedoms pertaineth, to ettle, to the utmost of his ability, to do that which would be pleasant in the sight of his heavenly Master, without whose favour he could hope for neither homage nor honour nor prosperity, but only confusion of face and sorrow of heart for ever.

"Far different, ye see, Mr Duffle," continued the worthy Doctor, "was the old simplicity of our Presbyterian Coronation, and deeper the spirit of its symbolic ritual sank into the hearts of the worshipping witnesses. However, as King George is a member of the English Church, I'll no find fault with what has been done to him this day. But I think it was surely a great omission in the ceremonial, that there was no recognition of him by the people, nor covenant, on their part, to be to him, in all straits and perils, true and faithful lieges; for it, in a manner, must leave him in doubt whether they are yet with a right sincerity his subjects, the which it is the main business of a Coronation to verify before the world."

When the Doctor had made an end of this edifying account of our Scottish national way of crowning the Kings in times past, I turned round to Mrs Pringle, who was sitting at my right hand, sucking an oranger, with her satin gown kilted up to save it from the accidental drops of the juice, and inquired at her what was her opinion of the crowning in the Abbey.

"Mr Duffle," said she, "I have got no gude o't; for the Doctor, at every new o'ercome o' the ceremony, panted with an apprehension; and when he saw the 'nointing, I was in a terrification that he would speak loud out, and get us both sent to the Tower of London for high treason. But, Mr Duffle, do ye ken the freet of yon doing wi the oil on the palms of the hand? It's my opinion that it's an ancient charm to keep the new King in the kingdom; for there is no surer way to make a new cat stay at hame, than to creesh her paws in like manner,-as we had an experience of, after our flitting from the Manse to Hydrabad-house, as we call our new place, in memory of the Cornal's legacy; for Miss Mally Glencairn made us a present of one of Miss Nanny Pedian's black kittlings, which is a radical sorrow, like Miss Nanny's own hardware self,-thieving baith in pantry and parlour, when it can get in. Howsomever, Mr Duffle, this business must have cost a power of money, and considering the King's great straits, and the debt that he and his ministers owe to the pesents, out of which, I do assure you, we were glad to get our twa three pounds, for they were never twa days the same,-it must be allowed that it is a piece of dreadful extravagance. But the Lord Londonderry, that was the Lord Castlereagh, is surely a genteel man-none more so among all the Lords-and I would fain hope he knows where the money is to be had to pay the expence. There he is yonder-that's him with the grand cap of white feathers, and the blue velvet cloke, to denote that he's in the King's servitude.-I hope he's no ordained to be one of the auld bluegowns.-See what a fine band of diamonds he has on his cap. A gentleman told me they were pickit out of the lids of the snuff-boxes that he and his lady got from the Emperor Alexander and the King of France, for putting Boney out of the way, that was sic a potentate to them all. But, Mr Duffle, how is it possible sic a stack of duds as the King is, to fight in state at the head of his armies, when required, for his crown and kingdom? Howsomever, I spose, as by law nowa-days he is not allowt to go to the wars, the Parliament winks at him. But can ye think, Mr Duffle, that it's possible all the diamonds on the leddies' heads here are precious stones?-The

King's crown, I am told, is sprit new, gotten for the occasion, as the old one was found, on an examine, to hae mony false jewels put in to delude the people, the true ones being purloined in times of trouble. But now that the Coro nation's played and done,' can you tell me, Mr Duffle, what's the use o't; for I hae been sitting in a consterna tion, trying to guess the meaning of a' this going out, and up and doon, and changing swords, and helping the King off and on wi' his clothes-first wi his stockings and syne wi his shoone,' as the sang of Logan Water sings. It may be what the Doctor calls a haryglyphical ceremony, but haryglyphical or rabbitifical, I doubt it would take wiser men than Pharaoh's or the Babylonian soothsayers to expound it. To be sure it's a fine show, that cannot be denied; but it would have been a more satisfaction to the people, had his Majesty paraded up and down the streets like your King Crispianus at Glasgow."

While Mrs Pringle was thus discoursing, in her discanting way, in high satisfaction and glee, taking every now and then a suck of her oranger, the Head Lord Chamberlain came with his staff in his hand, arrayed in his robes of crimson-velvet, and wearing his coronet on his head, and ordered the Hall to be cleared, turning out, by his own bodily command, every one that lingered on the floor, more particularly the Earl Marshal's flunkies; for it seems that the Lord Chamberlain, as I read in my old Magazine, is obligated, at a royal Coronation, to have a gaw in the Earl's back, and takes this method to show his power and supremacy within the bounds of the Hall. But the ceremony was, I could see, not relished by those in the Earl Marshal's livery, for the most part of them being gentlemen disguised for the occasion, had hoped, under that masquerading, to have egress and ingress both to Hall and Abbey. However, the disgrace was inflicted in a very genteel manner, by the Lord Gwydir, who performed the part of Lord Chamberlain, throughout the whole ploy, with the greatest ability. Nothing, indeed, of the kind was ever so well done before; for his lordship, unlike his corrupt predecessors, making a profit of the office, did all in his power to render it suitable to the nobility of the three kingdoms, and suppressed the

sordid custom of making the royal ancient feast of the King of the realm a pay show, like the wax-work of Solomon in all his glory.

When the Hall was cleared in this manner, a bustle about the throne announced that the King was again coming, so we all stood up, and the trumpets sounding, in came his Majesty, with his orbs and sceptres, and took his seat again at the table. Then the lower doors were thrown open, and in rode three noble peers on horseback, followed by a retinue of servitors on foot, bearing golden tureens and dishes, which, after some palaver, were placed on the King's table. During this scene, the learned gentlemen of the daily press, above and behind me, were busily writing, which Dr Pringle observing, inquired what they were doing, and when I explained it to him, as I had been told, he noted that the ambassadors of the allied powers were placed over against them, and said, that the thing put him in mind of Belshazzar's feast, the newspaper reporters being to them as the hand-writing on the wall, "MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN," said the Doctor, in so solemn a manner, that I wished the ambassadors could have heard it, as it might have been to them for a warning to their masters; no doubt, however, they were dismayed enough to see the liberty of the press so far ben, and for the first time, too, in a station of recognised honour at a Coronation.

When the golden dishes were set before the King, they stood sometime untouched, for his Majesty would not permit them to be uncovered, till one of the ministers was got to say the grace. Then the lids were taken off, when, lo and behold! as Mrs Pringle judiciously observed, they contained but commonalities; and surely, as she said, there ought to have been, at least, one pie of singing blackbirds, on such a great occasion. However, the King tasted but little of them; it was therefore supposed that he had got a refreshment behind the scenes. But we know not the truth of this suppose, and, at the time, I could not but compassionate his Majesty in being obligated to eat before such a multitude. It would have spoiled my dinner, and the thought of such discomfort made Doctor Pringle, as he told me himself, pray inwardly that the Lord might

never make him a king; a very needless prayer, in my opinion, considering the reverend doctor's great simplicity of parts and talents in the way of policy,

At this time, I discerned a very clever and genteel manner of acting on the part of the Lord Londonderry, who was one of the grandest sights in the show. In marching up the Hall with the rest, he took his stance on the platform whereon the throne was placed, and in the wonderment of the time forgot to take off his cap of feathers, although then before the presence of the King's Majesty. Some friend at his Lordship's elbow observing this, gave him a jog, to put him in mind that it might be thought ill breeding. Any common body like me would have been sorely put out at committing such an oversight; but his Lordship, with great ready wit, shew ing what a pawky diplomatic he is, instead of taking off his cap on the spot, feigned to have some turn to do on the other side of the platform; so he walked past in front of the King, and making his Majesty as beautiful a bow as any gentleman could well do, took off his cap, and held it, for the remainder of the time, in his hand.

The first part of the banquet being ended, the sound of an encouraging trumpet was heard-and in came the Champion on horseback, in the warlike apparel of polished armour, having on his right hand the Duke of Wellington, and on his left, the deputy of the Earl Marshal. But it does not accord with the humility of my private pen to expatiate on such high concerns of chivalry; and I was besides just tormented the whole time by Mrs Pringle, speering the meaning of every thing, and demonstrating her surprise, that the Duke of Wellington could submit to act such a playactor's part. Really it's a great vexation to have to do with either men or women of such unicorn minds as Mrs Pringle, where there is any thing of

a complexity of sense, as there is in that type and image of the old contentious times of the monarchy, shewn forth in the resurrection of a champion in a coat-of-mail, challenging to single combat.

In this conjuncture of the ploy, we were put to a dreadful amazement, by a lady of an Irish stock, as I heard, taking it into her head to be most awfully terrified at the sight of a Highland gentleman in his kilt, and holding his pistol in his hand. The gentleman was Glengarry, than whom, as is well known, there is not, now-a-days, a chieftain of a more truly Highland spirit; indeed it may be almost said of him, as I have read in a book, it was said of one Brutus, the ancient Roman, that he is one of the last of the chieftains, none caring more for the hardy mountain race, or encouraging, by his example, the love of the hill and heather.

Well, what does the terrified madam do, but set up a plastic to disarm Glengarry, thinking that he was going to shoot the King, and put to death all the blood royal of the Guelf family, making a clean job o't for the bringing in of the Stewarts again. Then she called to her a Knight of the Bath, and a young man of a slender nature, one of the servitors, and bade them arrest Glengarry. It was well for them all that the Macdonell knew something of courts, and the dues of pedigree, and bridled himself at this hobbleshow; but it was just a picture, and a contrast to be held in remembrance, to see the proud and bold son of the mountain-the noble that a King cannot make, for its past the monarch's power to bestow the honour of a chieftainship, even on the Duke of Wellington, as all true Highlanders well know ;-I say, it was a show to see him, the lion of the rock, submitting himself calmly as a lamb to those "silken sons of little men," and the whole tot of the treason proving but a lady's hysteric."

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The particulars of this ludicrous affair are excellently described in a letter from Colonel Macdonell himself, published in answer to a paragraph in that sagacious newspaper, The Times, entitled "A Mysterious Circumstance." When the mysterious circumstance" was first read in Edinburgh, it was at once known that it could only apply to Glengarry; but a Highlander thought otherwise from the pistol not being loaded, saying," By Gote, it could na be Glengarry, for she's aye loaded."—We subjoin the letter.

“SIR—The alarm expressed by a lady on seeing me in Westminster Hall on the day of his Majesty's coronation, and the publicity which her ladyship judged it becoming to

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