Coronation Rites

by Reginald Maxwell Woolley

IV

A fourth recension is that of the Liber Regalis[75], and was probably the order used for the first time at the coronation of Edward II. This recension, which represents the English rite in its most elaborate form, returns in part to the second recension and combines it with the Romanised rite of the last recension. This conflation renders it very long. This fourth recension remained more or less unchanged until the time of James II, although in English for James I onward.

The recognition takes place as a preliminary to the rite, and then the rite begins with the anthem Firmetur manus as in the last recension, and the king makes his first oblation, and then is said a prayer now first appearing, Deus humilium visitator, which is adapted from a collect in the Gregorian sacramentary ‘in adventu fratrum supervenientium.’ A sermon is now introduced, after which the king takes the oath, no longer directly, but in answer to interrogations as in the Roman rite. Finito quidem sermone ... metropolitanus ... interroget, Si leges et consuetudines ab antiquis iustis et Deo devotis regibus plebi Anglorum concessas cum sacramenti confirmatione eidem plebi concedere et servare voluerit; et praesertim leges, consuetudines, et libertates a glorioso rege Edwardo clero populoque concessas.

The king promising that he will maintain these rights, the Archbishop then puts to him the following questions:

Servabis ecclesiae Dei cleroque et populo pacem ex integro et concordiam in Deo secundum vires tuas? Resp., Servabo.

Facies fieri in omnibus iudiciis tuis aequam et rectam iustitiam et discretionem in misericordia et veritate secundum vires tuas? R. Faciam.

Concedis iustas leges et consuetudines esse tenendas, et promittis eas per te esse protegendas, et ad honorem Dei roborandas quas vulgus elegerit secundum vires tuas? R. Concedo et promitto.

Then follows the bishops’ petition Domine Rex a vobis perdonari and the king’s promise to preserve the rights and privileges of the Church, which is probably derived from the French rite. After this Veni Creator is sung, and then is said the old prayer Te invocamus—reintroduced into the rite—and the Litany, after which are sung the Penitential psalms—a new feature.

The consecration section of this recension is a curious conflation of a number of consecration prayers. Omn. semp. Deus creator omnium[76], (alia) Benedic Domine hunc regem, (alia) Deus ineffabilis, followed by the restored Deus qui populis tuis, and then the actual consecration prayer, the old Deus electorum fortitudo, introduced by Sursum corda and Preface. The king is now anointed on the hands with the form Unguantur manus, the anthem Unxerunt Salomonem being sung the while, and after the prayer Prospice omn. Deus serenis obtutibus (the Roman consecration prayer) the king is anointed in the form of a cross on the breast, each shoulder, between the shoulders, at the bend of each arm, and on the head. After the anointing the prayers Deus Dei Filius and Deus qui es iustorum are said. The king is now arrayed in the ‘Colobium sindonis,’ and the Archbishop proceeds to bless the regalia, using for the purpose the prayer here first occurring, Deus rex regum. The king is then arrayed in tunic, hose, and buskins, and the Archbishop then blesses the sword, using the prayer Exaudi Domine preces nostras, which now appears for the first time. The investiture with sword, armills, pallium, and crown then takes place, the accompanying forms being those of the last recension. After the crowning the anthem Confortare et esto vir is sung, and the ring is first blessed with two prayers now first occurring, Deus caelestium terrestriumque and Benedic Domine et sanctifica anulum, and then delivered with the form of the last recension followed by the prayer Deus cuius est omnis potestas. The sceptre and verge are then delivered with the forms of the last recension, and finally after the three benedictions and Te Deum comes the enthronisation. The king being enthroned the homage is done.

In this recension the coronation of the queen consort is very similar to the rite of the last recension, the differences being that the first prayer in the third recension, Omn. semp. Deus fons et origo, is omitted, the prayer Spiritus Sancti gratia before the unction disappears, and Officio indignitatis is no longer an alternative form, but is said after the coronation has taken place with the older English form. The queen is anointed on head and breast.

The Mass prayers are similar to those of the second recension, but there are some differences; a collect is said for the queen as well as for the king; the two prayers Omn. Deus det tibi de rore and Benedic Domine fortitudinem (which are said immediately after the enthronisation in the second recension, but had disappeared from the third) are said at the king’s second oblation of a mark of gold; an alternative Secret is given, that of the Roman Missa pro Imperatore; a blessing of the king and people is inserted before the Agnus Dei; and the alternative Postcommunion is different from the alternative of the second recension.

The rite of the Liber Regalis was used, as has been said, until the time of James II. It was rendered into English for James I[77], and served in an almost identical form for the coronations of Charles I and Charles II. The version is not very elegant, but it is certainly as good an English composition as the original is a Latin. The miraculous chrism[78] was last used at the coronation of Elizabeth, and was then either exhausted or had become unfit for further use. The form with which Archbishop Laud consecrated the chrism for the coronation of Charles I still exists[79].

The Recognition becomes at this time an integral part of the rite, and is introduced by an anthem. Immediately after the Recognition the anthem Firmetur manus and Ps. lxxxix are sung. The king then makes his first oblation and the Archbishop says the prayer O God which visitest those that are humble (Deus visitator humilium). The king now takes the oath, which is given in Latin and French as well as English, and the petition of the bishops, Domine Rex a vobis perdonari, which is left untranslated. Veni Creator is then sung, followed by We beseech thee, O Lord, Holy Father (Te invocamus), and the Litany in English with a special petition proper to the occasion. Then are said the four prayers O Almighty and everlasting God, Creator of all things (Omn. semp. Deus creator omnium); O Lord, thou that governest all kingdoms (Benedic Domine); God the unspeakable Author (Deus ineffabilis); and God which providest for thy people (Deus qui populis). The consecration follows, God the strength of thy chosen (Deus electorum fortitudo), introduced by Sursum corda and Preface, the prayer being slightly altered in some of its phrases. The king’s hands are then anointed with the form Let these hands be anointed (Unguantur manus), followed by the anthem Zadok the priest (Unxerunt Salomonem) and the prayer Look down, Almighty God (Prospice omnipotens); the king is then anointed[80] on the breast, between the shoulders, on both shoulders, on the boughts of the arms, and on the crown of the head. Then follow the prayers God the Son of God (Deus Dei Filius) and God which art the glory of the righteous (Deus qui es iustorum gloria). The king is now vested with Colobium and Dalmatic, after which the Archbishop says the prayer O God the King of kings (Deus Rex regum); then with the Supertunica or close pall, hose, and sandals by the Dean of Westminster, and with the spurs by a nobleman. The Sword is blessed with the form Hear our prayers (Exaudi quaesumus), and is delivered to the king with the form Receive this kingly sword (Accipe gladium). He is invested with the Armill, Receive the armill (Accipe armillas); with the Mantle or open pall, Receive this pall (Accipe pallium); with the Crown, the Archbishop taking it in his hands and saying God the crown of the faithful (Deus tuorum), and O God of eternity (Deus perpetuitatis), and crowning the king with the form God crown thee (Coronet te Deus). The choir in the mean time sings the anthems Be strong (Confortare) and The king shall rejoice (Deus in virtute). The Archbishop now blesses the Ring with the prayers O God the creator of all things in heaven (Deus caelestium) and Bless, O Lord, and sanctify (Benedic Deus), and places it on the king’s right wedding finger, saying Receive the ring of kingly dignity (Accipe regiae dignitatis anulum). Then the prayer O God, to whom belongeth all power (Deus cuius est), after which the king offers the sword and it is redeemed. The Archbishop delivers the Sceptre, Receive the sceptre (Accipe sceptrum), and prays O Lord, the fountain of all good things (Omnium Domine fons); likewise the Verge, Receive the rod (Accipe virgam). The Archbishop then blesses the king, The Lord bless thee (Benedicat tibi); Te Deum is sung, and the king is enthroned with the form Stand and hold fast (Sta et retine), after which the peers do their homage.

The order of the queen’s coronation follows that of the Liber Regalis. First is said by a bishop at the west door of the Abbey the prayer O Almighty and everlasting God, the fountain (Omn. semp. Deus fons et origo), then at the altar God, which only hast immortality (Deus qui solus). She is then anointed on the crown of her head with the form In the name of the Father (In nomine), and then on the breast, the same form being repeated, after which is said the prayer O Almighty everlasting God, we beseech thee (Omn. semp. Deus affluentem). She is then given the Ring with the form Receive this ring (Accipe anulum), and the prayer God, to whom belongeth all power (Deus cuius est omnis potestas). The Archbishop blesses the Crown saying O God the crown of the faithful (Deus tuorum), and crowns her with the form Receive the crown of glory (Accipe coronam), adding: Seeing you are by our ministry solemnly consecrated (Officio indignitatis), after which he says the prayer O Lord, the fountain (Omnium Domine fons), and so ends the queen’s coronation.

The Communion service follows, beginning at the collect O Almighty God, we beseech thee that this thy servant (Quaesumus omn. Deus ut famulus). The epistle and gospel are the same as in the Liber Regalis. The offertory is sung, and the king offers bread and wine and a mark of gold. At this point are inserted the two blessings Almighty God give thee (Omn. Deus det tibi) and Bless, O Lord, the virtuous carriage (Benedic Domine fortitudinem), which occur in the Liber Regalis after the enthronisation. The Secret is the old prayer Bless, we beseech thee, O Lord, these thy gifts (Munera Domine quaes. oblata). There is no longer a special preface as heretofore.

In the Order of Charles I there are a few unimportant variations. A sermon is introduced before the king takes the oath. In the Consecration prayer (God the strength) a return is made to the original, which had been slightly altered for James I. The old order of the prayers God crown thee and O God of eternity is reverted to. The first of the two blessings of the ring disappears. Perhaps the prayer God the unspeakable author was not used[81], as it does not occur in the copy of the order which the king himself used on his coronation day. In the Eucharist the two blessings after the offertory are said after, instead of before, the Secret.

Queen Henrietta Maria was not crowned.

At his trial, among the many accusations brought against him, Laud was accused of having tampered with the coronation oath[82] in two particulars. He was charged with adding to the first section the qualifying words ‘agreeable to the King’s prerogative,’ and of omitting from the last section the words ‘quae populus elegerit.’

There was an alteration made in the first section. This concludes in the old oath of the Liber Regalis, which was used in English at the coronation of James I, with the words ‘granted to the clergy and people by the glorious King, Saint Edward your predecessor.’ In the oath as taken by Charles I the words ‘and people’ were omitted, while there was added at the end of the section ‘according to the laws of God, the true profession of the Gospel established in this kingdom, and agreeing to the prerogative of the kings thereof and the ancient customs of this realm.’ Laud denied any knowledge of this alteration.

In the last section of the oath the Liber Regalis has Concedis iustas leges et consuetudines esse tenendas, et promittis per te eas esse protegendas quas vulgus elegerit? Here again in the oath of Charles there is a modification of the wording, Sir, will you grant to hold and keep the rightful customs which the commonalty of this your kingdom have? But this alteration had as a matter of fact been made at the time of the last coronation, for this passage is almost identical with the oath taken by James I. That there was in Stuart times a deliberate attempt to weaken the force of some of the language in the oath is evident. Henry VIII had been dissatisfied with the terms of the oath and made some attempt to alter it by the insertion of such modifying expressions as ‘not prejudicial to his jurisdiction,’ ‘not prejudicial to his crown,’ ‘which the nobles and people have made and chosen with his consent.’ But his attempted revision came to nothing, and both he and Edward VI took the oath at their coronation in the form in which it stands in the Liber Regalis[83].

It may also be noted here, as a matter connected with the oath, that up to the time of Henry VII the years of a king’s reign were reckoned from the day of his coronation, the oath being regarded as the compact or covenant made between him and his people, sealing as it were his election to the throne. From the time of Henry VIII onwards the king’s reign has been reckoned from the death of his predecessor[84].

Laud took infinite pains in the preparation of the coronation ceremony, in which he acted in the place of the Dean of Westminster. His copy of the Order with his MS. annotations still exists in the library of St John’s College, Cambridge. No detail is neglected and some of his notes are very amusing; for example, in connection with the putting on of hose and sandals he remarks, ‘These both—Hose and Shews the K: would haue putt on vpõ his other shoes: wᶜʰ had almost indaingered yᵉ tearinge of yᵉ old Tinsin Hose. It is safer to vnlase them before hand when they be vsed againe[85].’

The recipe for the preparation of the chrism used is preserved. The chrism was consecrated by Laud, who was at that time Bishop of St David’s, and who was acting for the Dean of Westminster. It is the dean’s function to bless the chrism if he is a bishop. If he is not a bishop the archbishop himself consecrates it.

It is perhaps most convenient at this point to deal with the coronation of King Charles at Holyrood by Abp Spotiswoode on June 18, 1633, for the rite then used was manifestly based on the English order, and was the work of Abp Laud. There are in it certain variations from the English rite, which were probably deliberately made with the intention of imparting a special Scottish character to the ceremony.

After the Litany, instead of the four prayers of the English order only one occurs, which is a combination of the two English prayers O Almighty and everlasting God, creator of all things and O Lord, thou that governest all kingdoms. The prayer after the anointing, God the Son of God, is shortened. At the investitures the prayer O God, the King of kings, a prayer of benediction of the ornaments, becomes a benediction of the king. The form accompanying the investiture of the Sword is shortened, and O God of eternity disappears at the crowning. On the other hand there appears after the crowning what may be a feature of the old Scottish rite, the ‘Obligatory oath of the people,’ which is read out by the Earl Marshal: We swear, and by the holding up of our hands do promise all subjection and loyalty to king Charles our dread sovereign: and as we wish God to be merciful to us, shall be to his majesty true and faithful, and be ever ready to bestow our lives and lands and what else God hath given us, for the defence of his sacred person and crown. The form at the delivery of the Sceptre is slightly shortened. After the benediction, as in the English rite, the king kisses the archbishop and the bishops. The form of enthronisation is slightly altered, and after the enthronisation a royal pardon is proclaimed and the homage of the peers is done. Of the Communion service which follows no details whatever are given.