Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who by his Father was anointed with Oil of Gladness above his fellows, by his Holy Anointing pour down upon your head and heart the blessing of the Holy Ghost, and prosper the works of your hands: that by the assistance of his heavenly Grace, you may preserve the people committed to your charge in Wealth, Peace, and Godliness, and after a long and glorious course of ruling this Temporal Kingdom wisely, justly, and religiously, you may at last be made partaker of an Eternal Kingdom, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The King being again seated, a fifth Anthem was sung, taken from Psalms, lxxxiv. and xviii. v. 9 and 51. "Behold, O God, our Defender, &c." after which the Ceremony of presenting the Spurs and Sword took place. The former were only applied to the King's heel, and immediately afterwards returned to the Altar: the latter was girt upon his Majesty, after having being consecrated with a short prayer for that purpose. When the Sword was delivered to the King he received a charge from the Archbishop, and another also when it was girt about him. The Sword was next offered at the Altar, and then redeemed for £5. by a nobleman appointed by the King, who carried it naked before him throughout the remainder of the Solemnity.

The Dean of Westminster then brought the Armilla,* or great bracelet, and placing round his Majesty's neck, reminded him that it was "a token of the Divine Mercy embracing him on every side." This was succeeded by putting on the Purple Robe of State, lined with Ermine, the King having first, with the assistance of the Lord Great Chamberlain, taken off the Crimson Robe in which he came to the Abbey: the Orb, (Vide plate 4, fig. 16.), was next put into the Sovereign's right hand, and the Archbishop delivered his exhortation and blessing. The Master of the Jewel House then delivered

* Vide a particular description of the various robes, &c. annexed to the account of the Regalia.

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the King's Ring, (Vide plate 4, fig. 13.) to the Archbishop, by whom it was placed on the fourth finger of his Majesty's right hand, and the Orb was returned to the Altar. The Marquis of Rockingham, deputy to the Duke of Norfolk, as Lord of the Manor of Worksop, next presented the King with a right hand glove, who putting it on, received from the Archbishop the Sceptre with the Dove, and that surmounted with a Cross; (Vide figures 5 and 6), the Marquis occasionally supporting the Royal Arm, or relieving his Majesty by holding one of the Sceptres. At the delivery of each the Archbishop gave an exhortation and blessing as before.

About half past three, the Archbishop taking St. Edward's Crown (Vide plate 4, fig. 1) from off the Altar, after Consecration, set it upon the King's head, when the Trumpets flourished, the audience shouted "God save the King," a signal was given to the Park and Tower guns, which immediately fired, and the Peers, &c. put on their coronets, caps, or crowns. The Crowning was followed by the Archbishop's blessing, and the sixth Anthem, taken from Isaiah and various parts of the Psalms; after which the Holy Bible was presented, and this was succeeded by a long and beautiful benediction, delivered by the Archbishop, first to the King individually, and then generally to the people.

After the seventh Anthem of "We praise thee, O God," the King was seated on his Throne in the Theatre, and the Inthronization Charge being finished, the Ceremony of Homage began, by the Archbishop and Bishops kneeling and repeating together the following words, each person altering for himself the name and office.

I, THOMAS ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, will be faithful and true, and Faith and Truth will bear unto you our Sovereign Lord, and your heirs Kings of Great Britain. And will do, and truly acknowledge the Service of the lands which I claim to hold of you, as in Right of the Church.-So help me God.

The Archbishop and Bishops then kissed the King's left cheek, and the other Peers of the Realm in their order, immediately advanced to go through the same Ceremonies: the form of their Homage was as follows:

I, FREDERICK DUKE OF YORK AND ALBANY, do become your liege-man of life and limb, and of earthly worship, and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die against all manner of folks. So help me God.

The Officers of Arms provided every class of the Nobility with copies of this Homage, which was pronounced by the principal Peers of each degree, kneeling at the head of the rest, who repeated it after them. Thus, the Duke of Devonshire performed the ceremony for the Dukes, the Marquis of Rockingham for the Marquisses, Earl Talbot for the Earls, Viscount Say and Sele for the Viscounts, and Lord Henley for the Barons. When all the Peers had performed their Homage, they each of them touched the Crown on his Majesty's head, and kissed his left cheek. During the Homage, the eighth Anthem, taken from several of the Psalms, was sung, as a solemn conclusion to the King's Coronation; and their Majesty's gold and silver medals* were scattered about the Abbey. The Drums and Trumpets then flourished, and the people shouted, May the King live for ever."

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* The King's Gold and Silver Medals were struck by Laurence Nattier, and were ornamented on one side with his Majesty's bust, and the inscription, GEORGIVS III. D. G. M. BRIT. FRA. ET HIB. REX. F. D; and on the reverse, was a figure of the Sovereign seated, with Britannia holding a Crown above his head, and the inscription, PATRIAE OVANTI. (To his Country Triumphing), CORON. XXII. SEPT. MDCCLXI.-Silver Medals of the Queen were also thrown into the Scaffolding, and amidst the populace. On one side was represented her bust, with the inscription, CHARLOTTA D. G. M. BR. FR. ET HIB. REGINA; and on the other side her figure appeared at full-length, standing by an Altar, with a Seraph about to crown her: the whole encircled by the motto, QVAESITVM MERITIS (By Merit obtained), CORON. XXII. SEPT. MDCCLXI.

Throughout the whole of the King's Coronation the Queen remained seated in her chair, on the Southside of the Altar; but when the last Anthem was coneluded, and the Archbishop had offered up her Majesty's Consecration Prayer, she was led to a seat between St. Edward's Chair and the Altar, where her Anointing was to be performed. At this Ceremony, Four Peeresses held over her a cloth in a similar manner as that described for the King, and the Archbishop, pouring the Oil upon her head, pronounced this benediction :—

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Let the Anointing with this Oil encrease your honour, and the Grace of God's Holy Spirit establish you for ever and ever. Amen.

A similar form of words accompanied the Anointing of the Queen's breast, and the following blessing finished that part of the Ceremony.

O most merciful God, pour out abundantly Thy Grace and blessing upon this Thy Servant QUEEN CHARLOTTE, that as by our office and ministry she is this day Anointed and solemnly Consecrated our Queen; so being sanctified by Thy Holy Spirit, she may continue Thy faithful and devout Servant unto her life's end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The ring (Vide plate 4, fig. 14), was then put on her Majesty's fourth finger of the right hand, with an exhortation nearly similar to that delivered to the King. The Crown, and Ivory Rod with the Dove (Vide figures 15 and 12), were next brought, and the Queen invested therewith, when the Peeresses immediately put on their Coronets, and after the Archbishop's blessing, the ninth Anthem was sung, and her Majesty was conducted back to her former seat by the Altar.

The Communion Service immediately followed,

and the Archbishop commenced the Offertory, "Let your lights so shine," &c. after which the Choir sung

Let my prayer come up into thy presence as incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be as an evening Sacrifice.

Whilst this was singing, the King made an Offering of Bread and Wine for the Sacrament, together with his second Oblation of a Mark of gold, which were received at the Altar by the Archbishop. The Queen then proceeded to make her similar Oblation, and the Sacrament was afterwards administered by the Archbishop to both their Majesties. Dr. Thomas Newton, who, in November, 1761, was made Bishop of Bristol, in his own amusing Memoir prefixed to his works, has given an interesting account of his Majesty's conduct at the Altar. "The King's whole behaviour at the Coronation," says he,

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was justly admired and commended by every one, and particularly his manner of seating himself on the Throne after his Coronation. No Actor in the character of Pyrrhus in the Distressed Mother, not even Booth himself, who was celebrated for it in the Spectator,* ever ascended the throne with so much grace and dignity. There was another particular, which those only could observe who sat near the Communion-Table, as did the Prebendaries of Westminster. When the King approached the Communion-Table in order to receive the Sacrament, he enquired of the Archbishop whether he should not lay aside his Crown? The Archbishop asked the Bishop of Rochester, but neither of them knew, or could say, what had been the usual form. The King determined within himself, that humility best became such a solemn act of Devotion, and took off his Crown, and laid it aside during the administration.”

The Coronation-Office having been thus performed,

* Vide No. 335.