They conducted the King and Queen to their Thrones which had been erected on the two sides of the Altar, the King's on the Right, and the Queen's on the Left. Tho' there is no Altar in the Calvinist Churches, the King had one, and had actually made a present of a magnificent Crucifix to be plac'd upon it, in order to shew how much he wish'd the Union of the two Protestant Churches.
The Prince Royal seated himself a little behind the King towards the Right on a Folding-chair, with his Governor the Count de Dobna behind him: The Margraves also sate in two Folding-chairs on both sides of the Queen. The Duke and Duchess of Holstein, and the Ladies Stingland and Bulau, sate upon Stools immediately behind the Queen. The Princess of Holstein was also placed upon a Stool, but a little farther off. On both sides of the Altar two Galleries were erected, the one for the Duchess of Courland the King's Sister, the young Duke her Son, and the three Princesses her Daughters-in-Law, the other for the Ambassadors and Foreign Ministers.
When the King was to receive the sacred Unction, he went and kneel'd at the foot of the Altar, gave the Globe and Sceptre to the Lords who had before carried them, took off his Crown with his own hands, which he plac'd on a Cushion like to that on which he kneel'd, and then receiv'd three Unctions, one on the Forehead, and the two others on his Wrists. The Great Chamberlain dried up the Oil with Cotton and Linnen, which one of the Ministers presented to him on a Plate of Gold. After this the King took his Crown again which no other hand had touch'd, and plac'd it himself on his head; and having also taken the Sceptre and Globe again, he went and
replac'd himself on his Throne. The same Ceremonies were observ'd at the Anointing of the Queen, with this difference only, that she all the while kept the Crown on her Head, and that Madame Stingland, her Lady of Honour, dried up the Oil.
This done, the two Bishops with the six Ministers pay'd the first Homage to both the King and Queen. The Bishop at Consecration said to the King, May Blessing and Prosperity attend Frederic King of Prussia! May the Lord, the God of our King say the same! May he continue his Presence with him as he has done hitherto, to the end that his Royal Throne may aggrandize his Power from day to day.
The same Bishop said to the Queen, May Blessing and Prosperity attend Sophia-Charlotta Queen of Prussia! May the Lord our God preserve her for a Token of his Blessing to her People, and may she from this time forward see Prosperity and Salvation spread ever her Royal Family, and over her Children, in the Peace of Israel!
While the Music as it were repeated these same words, the Prince Royal and the Margraves went and paid their Homage also to the King and Queen, kneeling on the last Step of their Throne and kissing their Hands. The Homage of the other Nobility only consisted in their making a profound Obeysance without stirring out of their places.
The Bishop who had perform'd the Consecration, turning about to the People, said with a loud Voice, Fear God and honour your King and your Queen, for their Power cometh from the Lord who hath created Heaven and Earth. May the same Lord vouchsafe to be their Guide and Guardian! May he cover them with his Shadow, that the Heat of the
Sun and the Rays of the Moon, may never hurt their Sight! May the Lord keep them from all Evil? save their Souls, and go in and out before them with Blessing, till Time Shall be no more. After some other Prayers, the King renew'd the Edicts against Duels, and swore to observe them upon the Holy Gospels. And therewith ended this long Ceremony.
The King had all the reason in the World to be pleased with it, by reason of the exactness with which every one perform'd his Function, which was a thing hardly to have been expected in a Ceremony that was quite new to the Performers; but they so well knew his delicacy in every matter of Ceremony, and the Emulation they had to please him in this Taste was such, that the most consummate Experience could not have acquitted itself better.