Some Curious Facts about the Coronation. anointing and the vesting of the sovereign with the Episcopal insignia, the alb, the stole and the pallium. The stole is the insignia of priesthood; only an Archbishop, or spiritual head of the church, can wear the pallium. The spurs, sword of state, and the sceptre are next presented. The coronation follows and then the enthronement and homage. Lastly the Communion Office is completed. Should Alexandra be crowned queen consort she will be anointed, crowned and en throned immediately after the king's enthronization is completed, and she will be conducted to her own throne on the king's left hand, the royal pair receiving the sacra mental bread and wine together. The coronation takes place in the Chapel of Edward the Confessor, Westminster Ab bey, the king sitting on the original coro nation chair, the queen consort on that made for the coronation of William and Mary. The coronation chair has been in use for centuries. In the seat of the chair is the "stone of destiny upon which the kings of Scotland were crowned since the beginning of the sixth century, and prior to which time it had been in use for the same purpose in Ireland for at least a thousand years, and as many claim, from the time it was taken into Ireland from Bethel, where it had been set up by Jacob for a pillar. (Genesis xxviii, 18.) The history of the "stone of destiny" can be traced back clearly for two thousand years. After his coronation the King is entitled to many privileges and perquisites, one of which is the right to the head of every whale caught on the coast of his kingdom. The tail goes to Queen Alexandra, the object of the division being to guarantee that the Queen's wardrobe shall be furnished with whalebone. The King is entitled to every sturgeon brought to land in the United Kingdom; a law which is evaded by astute fishermen taking the sturgeons to some foreign port and re-shipping them to Eng land. At the coronation and every anni versary thereafter the King is entitled to re
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ceive from divers persons a tablecloth, worth three shillings, two white doves, two white hares, a catapult, a pound of cummin seed, a horse and halter, a pair of scarlet hose, a curry-comb, a coat of gray fur, a nightcap, a falcon, two knives, a lance, worth two shillings, and from his tailor a silver needle. When Henry VI. returned from the coro nation in France, at the conduit in Cheap were formed "several welles — the Well of Mercie, the Well of Grace, and the Well of Pitie — and at each well a ladie, standing, administered the waters to all who asked, and these waters were found to be wine. About these wells were set various trees in full leaf and fruit, all heavilie laden with or anges, almonds, pomegranates, olives, lem ons, dates, quinces, blanderells.peaches, cos tards, wardens and plums." When Edward VI. was crowned he had to stop the procession for a considerable time to watch the antics of a foreign rope dancer whose rope was stretched from St. Paul's steeple downward to a great anchor near the gate of the Dean's house. The dancer came down the rope from the top of St. Paul's headforemost, kissed the king's foot and then ran up again and turned somer saults and danced and performed for the space of half an hour. When Queen Mary passed through the city for her coronation the Lord Mayor had engaged a Dutchman to stand on the weathervane on the top of St. Paul's steeple, hold ing in his hand a streamer five yards long, which he waved about. Then he stood on one foot on the weather vane and afterwards knelt down on it. The city paid him for this performance the sum of £16 135. 4d. At the coronation of Edward VII. it is not likely that ropewalkers or acrobats will be engaged by the city, but there is no doubt that brilliant illuminations and plenty of bunting will testify to the fact that though the queen may be mourned, a live king is of more advantage to trade than a dead queen. The queen is dead! Long live the king!
