Coronation Rites

by Reginald Maxwell Woolley

As the king enters the church the anthem Firmetur manus is sung. Then the king prostrates himself before the altar during the singing of Te Deum. After this the king takes the oath, which is the charge at the end of ‘Egbert’s’ order transformed into a direct oath by a slight alteration of the first few words[71]. Then is said Te invocamus, (alia) Deus qui populis, (alia) In diebus eius oriatur. Here probably the ‘alia’ means ‘or’ though it may mean ‘also.’ Now comes the Consecratio, Omnipotens sempiterne Deus creator ac gubernator, (alia) Deus electorum fortitudo, (item alia) Deus Dei Filius. Of these three prayers the first is found in the rite used by Abp Hincmar at the coronation of Louis II in 877, and also in the Ordo Romanus of Hittorp of about the same date; the second is the consecration prayer of ‘Egbert’; the third is an early Roman form, and is found in nearly all subsequent rites. Then follows a new feature, the investiture with the Ring, with the form Accipe anulum signaculum videlicet sanctae fidei and the prayer Deus cuius est omnis potestas, both of them found in Hittorp’s Ordo Romanus. The king is then girt with the Sword with the form Accipe hunc gladium, which is different from the Roman form, and now first occurs, and the prayer Deus qui providentia tua, which also now first appears, and is based on a collect in the Gregorian Sacramentary for use in time of war. The king is crowned with the form Coronet te Deus, which was used at the coronation of Charles the Bald at Metz in 869; and the prayer Deus perpetuitatis follows. The Sceptre is delivered with the form Accipe sceptrum regiae potestatis followed by the prayer Omnium Domine fons bonorum, both of which occur first here and in the contemporary French order of Ratold. The Verge is then delivered with the form Accipe virgam virtutis atque aequitatis[72], which first occurs in the Ordo Romanus of Hittorp. A series of nine benedictions follows, six of which occur in the orders of Charles the Bald (869) and Louis II (877), and the last three in ‘Egbert’s’ rite. Finally the king is enthroned with the form Sta et retine, a form which first occurs here and in Ratold’s rite, followed by the blessings Omn. det tibi Deus de rore, (alia) Benedic Domine fortitudinem principis, both of which occur in the forms of ‘Egbert.’

The Mass prayers, which are different from those of ‘Egbert,’ are found in the Missa quotidiana pro rege of the Gregorian Sacramentary.

In this recension the coronation of the queen consort first occurs. She is anointed on the head with the form In nomine Patris ... prosit tibi haec unctio olei in honorem, etc., and the prayer Omn. semp. Deus affluentem spiritum[73]. Both these forms here first occur. The Ring is then given with the form Accipe anulum fidei signaculum sanctae Trinitatis, and the prayer Deus cuius est omnis potestas (which is not the same prayer as that found elsewhere with the same beginning in the coronation of a king), both of which appear now for the first time. Lastly the queen is crowned with the form Accipe coronam gloriae, and the prayer Omnium Domine fons bonorum; the second of which is a shortened form of the corresponding prayer in the order for the coronation of the king, while the former is a slightly different edition of the form in Hittorp’s Ordo Romanus. It may be noted that the forms for the coronation of a queen given in the order of Ratold, and forming the second recension of the French rite, are almost identical with those of the English recension.

The developement of the rite in this second recension is most marked, and it is interesting to note that the same influences have been at work on the French rite of this period, which is very close to the second English recension.

III

In the twelfth century a third recension of the English rite[74] appears, in which the rite has been subjected to a very considerable Roman influence. The Ordo Romanus of Hittorp or some kindred order has been followed to a large extent in preference to the old national order.

As the king enters the church the anthem Firmetur manus is sung, and the king lies prostrate before the altar during the Litany. The introduction of the Litany is a new feature and Roman. After the Litany the king takes the oath, In Christi nomine promitto haec tria populo Christiano. A bishop then asks the people whether they accept the Elect as king, Si tali principi, etc., and they answer Volumus et concedimus. This recognition is a new formal feature, but informally it had taken place long before, e.g. at the coronation of William I. It also appears in the French order of Louis VIII, but disappears again from the French rite later on. Then is said the prayer Omn. aeterne Deus creator omnium, followed by a series of benedictions, the same as those which follow the delivery of the sceptre in ‘Egbert,’ but in a shorter form. Next is said the prayer Deus ineffabilis auctor mundi, which is first found in the order by which Pope John VII crowned Louis II at Troyes in 877. It occurs henceforward in practically every order, but whereas the word ineffabilis is always used in the English orders (and the German Aachen order) elsewhere inenarrabilis is always found. The anointing is much more elaborate than heretofore; first the hands are anointed Unguantur manus istae, etc., then follows the consecration prayer (Roman) Prospice omnipotens Deus, after which the king is anointed on head, breast, shoulders and bends of arms, Unguantur caput istud, pectus, etc., and during the anointing the Responsory Deum time is sung. This elaborate unction is identical with that prescribed in Hittorp’s order, though the forms are not the same. After the anointing is said Deus Dei Filius, (alia) Deus qui es iustorum gloria. The investitures are then made; the Sword with the Roman form Accipe gladium per manus, etc.; the Armills and the Pallium with forms now first appearing, Accipe armillas sinceritatis, and Accipe pallium, etc. Then comes the coronation, the crown being blessed with the prayer Deus tuorum corona, and the king being crowned with the form Coronet te Deus, which is first found at the coronation of Charles the Bald in 869. The prayer Deus perpetuitatis follows the coronation. The ring is given with the Roman form Accipe regiae dignitatis anulum; the sceptre with the old form Accipe sceptrum regiae potestatis, and the prayer Omnium Domine fons bonorum; and lastly the verge with the old form. The benedictions which follow are those contained in Hittorp’s order, and finally the king is enthroned with the form Sta et retine.

The queen’s coronation follows in substance Hittorp’s order, while retaining some of the features of the last English recension.

The first prayers Omn. semp. Deus fons et origo and Deus qui solus habes both follow the Roman order. At the unction the Roman prayer Spiritus sancti gratia is found, while the actual form of anointing In nomine Patris and following, Omn. semp. Deus affluentem, etc., are of the last English order. The ring is given with the old English form slightly altered and the prayer Deus cuius est omnis potestas, also from the English rite. There is the same benediction of the queen’s crown as of the king’s, and she is crowned with the old form or (alia) the Roman Officio nostrae indignitatis, and the rite ends with the English Omnium Domine fons bonorum.