pensation, as granted to the Lady Mary Stafford, has been extracted from the papers relating to the Stafford claim of Peerage, page 164. To Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved Mary Baronesse Stafford. JAMES R. Right Trusty and Welbeloved, We Greet you well. It having been represented to Us, that You cannot, without great prejudice, attend at the Solemnity of Our and Our Royall Consort the Queen's Coronation, on the twenty-third instant: We have therefore thought fit and accordingly do hereby dispense with Your attendance upon that occasion. And so We bid You heartily Farewell. GIVEN at Our Court at Whitehall, the 18th day of April, in the first Year of Our Reigne. Baronesse Stafford. Previous to the Coronation, the Earl Marshal issued the following ORDERS TO BE OBSERVED ON TUESDAY, THE TWENTY-SECOND OF SEPTEMBER, BEING THE DAY APPOINTED FOR THEIR MAJESTIES' CORONATION. In Pursuance of an Order of COUNCIL. THESE are to give Notice, that it is ordered that all the Peers that do go in the Proceeding, are to meet in the House of Lords, and all the Peeresses at the Painted-Chamber in Westminster, in their Robes and with their Coronets, by Eight of the Clock precisely, on Tuesday Morning next: And all others appointed to go in the said Proceeding (except those who are immediately to attend near their Majesties' Persons) are to meet in the Court of Requests exactly at the same Hour, in their respective Habits usual on such occasion. That Privy Counsellors who are Commoners, do not wear their Hats in the Procession, but may put them on at Dinner in Westminster-Hall. That the Military Officers keep their posts and not come into the Choir, that the Gentlemen Pensioners do stand at the foot of the Steps ascending to the Theatre, and come no further, and that the Yeomen of the Guard do stand between the Gentlemen Pensioners and the Choir Door: That all Persons take their places to which the Officers of Arms shall conduct them, and that they continue in their respective places during the whole Ceremony. That no person whose Name is not contained in the Ceremonial, shall presume to attend, or walk in the Procession. That a way is ordered to be made for Coaches to pass through Parliament-Street, cross the New and Old Palace-Yards, which Coaches, as soon as discharged, are to proceed on directly to Milbank, and from thence to Hyde-Park-Corner, without making any stop, and none but the Coaches of Peers, Peeresses, and others who attend the Solemnity, are to pass that way after Seven of the Clock that Morning, nor any whatever after Nine: And in the Evening the Coaches are to return the same way; but no Coaches will be permitted to pass back any of those ways, till after their Majesties' return to St. James's. That after the Peers, Peeresses, and others, are set down, the Servants of such Peers and Persons, are to be dismissed, and immediately pass on the same way with the Coaches to which they belong. That particular care be taken that no Coaches nor Carts be suffered to hinder or interrupt the said Lord's Coaches, and that no Carriages whatever be suffered to pass over Westminster Bridge on the Day of their Majesties' Coronation, except the Coach of His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.* A Passage will be open for Chairs to pass to the North Door of the Abbey, through King-Street, Charles-Street, Delahay-Street, to Dean-Street otherwise Little-George-Street, and through Westminster Market, and are to return as soon as they have set down * The ferry at Lambeth formerly belonged to the Archbishops of Canterbury, as Lords of the Manor; but the profits were usually granted by patent, to some officer of the Archiepiscopal household, a certain annual rent being reserved. After the building of Westminster-bridge, in 1750, the ferry was taken away, and an equivalent given to the See of Canterbury, as well as to the Patentee, for their interest; the privilege, therefore, mentioned in the Earl Marshal's orders, seems to have arisen out of, and to be a recognition of the Archbishop's Right of ferry. It may not be uninteresting to mention in this place, that, previous to the building of Westminster-bridge, the Bishops used commonly to go by water to the House of Lords, from their several palaces in Southwark, the Strand, and Lambeth, landing at Parliament Stairs. They were rowed in their state barges, by their own protected watermen, in liveries of purple turned up with white. Archbishop Wake, who filled the See from 1715 to 1737, was the last Prelate who displayed this aquatic pageantry. F their fare, immediately another way, to Angel-Court and GreatGeorge-Street.* And whereas His Majesty hath commanded that care be taken that the Church and Choir of Westminster-Abbey be kept free for their Majesties' Proceeding, no Person whatsoever is to be admitted within the Door of the Choir (but such as shall produce Tickets signed and marked with my Name and Seal) till the entrance of their Majesties' Proceeding.-And Persons who shall have such Tickets, are to come in at the North or South-East Doors of the Abbey.t And further, to warn all Persons concerned, that none shall be admitted into any of the Galleries in the Abbey (without the Choir) after Seven of the Clock on Tuesday Morning next. And it is also ordered, that no Person whatever who shall be present at the said Coronation (either attending the Proceeding, or as Spectators) do appear in Mourning Habits on that Day. 17th. September, 1761. EFFINGHAM, M. These Instructions were succeeded by others from the Duke of Ancaster, Lord Great Chamberlain, concerning the attendance of those who had Tickets for Westminster Hall; and which were to the following effect: All those who have Tickets for the Peers' Gallery in Westminster-Hall, are desired to quit their Coaches at the Opening that is left in the Procession Platform at the bottom of ParliamentStreet, from thence to walk along the Platform to the Great NorthDoor of Westminster-Hall, facing New Palace-Yard. Their Coaches will proceed as has been directed by the Earl Marshal. The Chairs that are intended for the North-Door of Westminster-Hall, facing New-Palace-Yard, are to come down the Eastside of Parliament-Street, next to Privy-Gardens, and to turn immediately on the Left-Hand in New Palace-Yard, from thence proceed to a Bar in the Platform which conveys them to the Hall Door. * Most of the streets, &c. mentioned in this order, were situated too much to the North and West, to be exhibited in the accompanying plan. These Doors were opened at Four o'clock. Those Chairs to go back through Channel-Row and Privy-Gardens, and not to return till the Hours appointed by the Earl Marshal. The Chairs that are intended for that entrance in Old-PalaceYard which leads to the House of Peers, the Court of Requests, Painted-Chamber, &c. are to come down the East-side of ParliamentStreet next to Privy-Gardens, and to continue the line (at a place) made over the Platform to the East-Side of St. Margaret's-Street and Old-Palace-Yard, and when discharged to cross the Platform in OldPalace-Yard, and go off through Abingdon-Street, and the different avenues from the same, and not to return till the Hours appointed by the Earl Marshal. The Coaches that are intended for that entrance in Old-PalaceYard, which leads to the House of Peers, Court of Requests, Painted Chamber, &c. are to set down at the Opening that is left in the Platform which crosses Old-Palace-Yard, and then to proceed as has been directed by the Earl Marshal. The Tickets for the Boxes of Great Officers, and Peers' Daughters, will be admitted at the entrance of the House of Peers in Old Palace-Yard, if they think that the most convenient access to the Hall. The Hall Doors will be opened as soon as it is Day-light, on Tuesday Morning; and for the greater conveniency of having a proper access to the Scaffold in the Hall, it is requested that the Ladies will not appear in Hoops. Berkeley Square, ANCASTER, G. C. Beside the above Orders, several others were also published less connected with the Heraldic ceremonies of the day; such as a command from the Earl Marshal to the workmen engaged in preparing the platform, &c. that to prevent fires, lanthorns only should be used: orders from the Lords of the Council to Hackney Coachmen and Chairmen, for regulating their attendance and fares on the day of the Coronation ;* notices from *These orders were issued in consequence of the Hackney-coach and Chairmen having entered into a combination not to attend their duties on the the various Magistrates for the prevention of fireworks, bonfires, or other disorderly rejoicings; and instructions to the Police of Westminster to be in attendance.* All the preparations being completed, on the day appointed for the Coronation before nine o'clock, their Majesties came in their chairs, through the Park to Westminster-Hall; when the King retired into the Prince's Chamber, and the Queen into that belonging to the Usher of the Black Rod. The Peers in the meantime had assembled in the House of Lords, the Peeresses and the Dukes of Normandy and Acquitaine in the Painted Chamber, and the remainder of the persons forming the Procession, in the Court of Requests. From these several apartments they Coronation-day, but at exorbitant rates. In consequence of this, the Lords of the Privy Council not only ordered that such persons should be out with their Coaches and Chairs by four o'clock in the morning, but that their duty should be faithfully performed without any advance in their demands, under pain of being proceeded against with the utmost severity. This order had not the intended effect; and it is doubtful if they would have plied at all, had not the matter been compromised by an eminent Sedan-chair-maker, who advised them to trust to the generosity of the public; in which they were not disappointed, as a guinea was frequently given as the fare from any of the Squares at the Court end of the town, to Westminster Abbey and the places adjacent. Refreshments, indeed, were not in so small a proportion, sixpence being readily paid for a glass of water, and one shilling for a roll. * Many other precautions were taken for the advantage and safety of the Metropolis and the people. Sir John Mordaunt's Light-horse patrolled the streets all the Coronation-day and the night before; Sir Robert Rich's Dragoons were placed at Charing-Cross, St. James's Square, and in the Park, at the end of George Street, for the same purpose; and the nearest Hospitals were cleared for the reception and relief of the unfortunate, if any accidents had taken place. The Bishops robed in the Jerusalem Chamber, on the right hand side of |