The Court of Claims.
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THE COURT the OF preparation CLAIMS. in the King's kitchen of a THE Court of Claims, having disposed in two sittings of the majority of the claims for the performance of services at the Coronation, which has now been fixed to take place on June 26 next, will not resume its labors until January 11. It is one of the most ancient tribunals in the land, its rec ords dating back to Richard II. The Sov ereign was once accustomed, shortly after his accession, to issue a warrant appointing the Lord High Steward sole judge of the Court; but in later times the duty of deter mining claims has been committed to cer tain members of the Privy Council, and this course has been followed on the present oc casion. By the proclamation of June 26 last the King dispensed with many services performed on former occasions, with the re sult that the labors of the Court of Claims have been considerably lightened. The jurisdiction of the Court is limited to claims involving the right to perform services at the actual ceremony, and all claims relating to the procession, as well as those dependent on the King's pleasure, have been dismissed. What, perhaps, is the most important claim will not be settled by the Court. The rival claims of the Earl of Ancaster, the Marquis of Cholmondeley, the Earl of Carrington, and the Duke of Atholl to the office of Lord Great Chamberlain have been referred to the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords. The services with which the Court is em powered to deal are known as "Grand Serjeantry." This is defined by Littleton as "where a man holds his lands or tenements of the Sovereign by such services as he ought to do in his own person, as to carry the King's banner, or his sword before him at the Coronation, or to be his carver or but ler." Many of the claims have reference to services which modern life has rendered very trivial. One claim, for instance, relates to
mess of porridge, while another relates to the holding of the towel when the King washes his hands after dinner on his Corona tion Day. This first of these quaint privi leges is claimed by the holder of some land at Addington, in Surrey, while the second is attached to certain lands at Heydon, in Essex. But there are other services which, though little more, from a utilitarian point of view, can be claimed for them, yet have a symbolical character which renders their retention most desirable. The Orb, for in stance, is an indication of Imperial authority; the Three Swords represent mercy, and spiritual and temporal justice; and the Golden Spurs are an emblem of the source of knighthood. These symbols play an im portant part in the ceremony, for their pres ence speaks eloquently of the historic past, and has a message even for our own time. Behind all the claims, however curious and trivial, a certain usefulness may be recog nized, and even those who are not mere anti quarians may rejoice that as many of the quaint old services as possible are to be re tained. Few of the claims submitted to the Court have, so far, been admitted, many having been dismissed for want of jurisdiction, and others postponed until the Commissioners resume their labors. The Dean and Chapter of Westminster had no difficulty in establish ing their right "to instruct the King and Queen in the rites and ceremonies, to assist the Archbishop of Canterbury, and to have cloth, etc., for fee," the same order being made as in 1838. The Duke of Newcastle and the Earl of Shrewsbury put. forward com peting claims "to provide a glove for the King's right hand and support His Majesty's right arm while he is holding the sceptre." This right was attached by charter of King Henry VIII. to the Priory of Worksop.
