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.