"The Royal Crown was then brought from the altar and placed on her Majesty's head.
"At this instant the most deafening and enthusiastic cries of 'God save the Queen!' rose from every part of the Abbey, the peers and peeresses put on their coronets, the bishops their caps, and the spectators cheered and waved their handkerchiefs. The guns in the park, and at the tower, fired a royal salute.
"After a short prayer by the archbishop, the choir sang an anthem, and the Dean of Westminster taking the Bible, which had been carried in the procession, from off the altar, presented it to her Majesty, who, having received it, delivered it again to the archbishop, and it was returned to the altar.
"Having thus been solemnly anointed, and crowned, and invested with all the ensigns of royalty, the archbishop solemnly blessed the Queen, the rest of the bishops and the peers following every part of the benediction with a loud and hearty 'Amen.'
"The Te Deum was then sung by the choir, and her Majesty passing to the recognition chair in which she first sat, received the homage of the peers.
"The bishops first approached, and, kneeling before the Queen, the archbishop pronounced the words of homage; the others repeating them after him, and, kissing her Majesty's hand, retired.
"The Royal Dukes, ascending the steps of the throne, took off their coronets, and kneeling, repeated the words of homage, and then, touching the crown on her Majesty's head, kissed her on the left cheek and retired.
"The other Peers then performed their homage, each in succession touching the crown and kissing her Majesty's hand.
"The monotony of this ceremony was relieved by one little incident which evinced much kindness on the part of her Majesty. As one of the peers (Lord Rolle), who is a very aged and infirm man, approached the throne, he stumbled and fell back from the second step upon the floor. He was immediately raised, and supported by two noble lords; when he again approached, her Majesty, who beheld the occurrence with emotion, rose from her throne and advanced to meet him, extending her hand to him, and expressed much concern for the accident. This little trait of genuine goodness of heart was warmly cheered.
