The Coronation of the Winter King
In 1619 Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine and the Princess Elizabeth (daughter of James I) were crowned with a reformed rite at Prague[133].
The king goes in procession to the parish church of Prague, and arrays himself in his regal vestments in the chapel of St Wenceslaus. As he enters the choir from the chapel he is blessed by the Administrator (the officiating minister) and, preceded by the procession of the Regalia, goes up to the high altar. The Veni Creator is sung[134], and then is said a collect for the king, in Bohemian, after which the king goes to his seat and the sermon is preached. After the sermon a Litany is sung in Latin with special petitions for the king, then a lesson is read, and the Administrator says a prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Here comes the Recognition; the Burggraf demands of the people whether it is their wish that the king be crowned, and on their signifying their desire, the king takes the oath in the vulgar tongue, after which another prayer is said. The Administrator then anoints the king in the form of a cross on the forehead with an explanatory form which has no connection with the old forms. The investitures follow, and the king is invested with the Sword with the form Accipe gladium Rex electe a Deo, etc., which is based on the old Catholic form; then with Ring[135], Sceptre, Orb or Reichsapfel, and with the Crown, the forms in all cases being new. The enthronisation then takes place, after which the Burggraf summons all present to take the oath of allegiance, during the taking of which all who could laid two fingers on the Crown, and all others held up two fingers, the oath being repeated in common. A long benediction[136] of the king then takes place. The coronation of the queen is now proceeded with. As she comes from the sacristy she is blessed by the Administrator and kneels before the high altar while a prayer is said. The king then asks the Administrator to crown his Consort. Litany is sung, with special petitions for the queen, and the lesson read before is read again. A prayer is said, and then the Administrator anoints her in the same way as the king was anointed. The Sceptre is delivered to her with a form which is based on the old Catholic form, and the Reichsapfel and Crown with the same forms as were used in the case of the king. There is no mention of a Ring. A long benediction[137] of the queen follows here, and then the queen returns to her throne, and the proceedings close with the singing of Te Deum.