This ridinge through the cittie lasted 3 houres longe, and was beheld of many thousands of people to theire greate admiracion; his Majestie tooke therein greate pleasure and did oftentimes put off his hatt, and with a chearefull countenance bowe himselfe towerds the people, as did also the Queene both chearefully and with greate majestie. When they were come within the castle court there the(y) sawe a man sittinge above uppon the churche with an auncient in his hand and waveing it over his heade, and then another man sittinge uppon the rounde ball on the steeple toppe, who played a longe time uppon a kettledrumme.

In the castle court theire Majesties alighted nere unto the longe hall and went towerds the greene chamber, where there stoode a great number of Bohemian laydes and gentlewoemen of good rancke richly attired, who received her Majestie with greate reverence, and so attended on her into her lodgings. All things were accomplished with such state, honor, and good successe as the like was never yett done unto any Romane Emperor; all which shall shortlie be cutt in brasse, and made publicke unto the viewe of the worlde.

Here followeth the King’s coronacion.

All the highe officers of the kingdome as of nobilitie the Lord Chiefe Burgrave Lord Bhonstowe, Barron of Bercha, the Lord Highe Steward of the Lands, Lord Wilham Lobkowth or Belkowth Barron, Lord de (sic) High Chamberlaine Lord John Barron of Tallonberge, the Lord Chiefe Justice of the land, Lord Wentzeslawe, William Barron of Ruppa, the Lord Highe Chancellour Lord Paul Barron of Ritschan, the Lord Chiefe Justice of the Feodaries, Lord Peter Barron of Schambergke, the Lord Chiefe Burgrave of Charlestone, Lord Joachim, Andrew Erle of Sclicke, Knights of the gentry, the Chiefe Secretary of the land, Caspar Caepler, Undertreasurer Procopius Dirarssetche, Underburgrave of Charlestone Bohnslaire of Micholowth, and the Burgrave of the knightlie province, or tract of Grotzer, Henry Ottoe of Losse and many others, beinge summoned and come the 22th of Octob. ould stile, 2 (sic) Novemb. newe stile, to give their attendance, and doe their service at the coronacion, the same was done on Munday the 4th of Novemb. newe stile, that is the 25 of October. ould stile in the manner as followeth.

First after the lords, the States, had attended his Majestie into the castle churche and brought him into St. Wentzeslawes chappell, there they putt uppon his Majestie the regall robe, which was a longe white sattine or damaske gowne all over imbroidered with goulde; before went 40 preists, singeinge men and querresters in white surplices, then behinde them 7 other more principall preists in blewishe or violett cloakes with rich taffitie hatts of the same collor; after them followed the officers of the kingedome carryinge the jewells and ensignes belongeing to the coronation, as namely, the hereditary Archbutler of the kingedome of Bohemia with a gilded silver tunne, the hereditarie Archcupberer with a silver potte, and 2 others followinge them, bearinge 2 gilded bowles; the(n) followed the Lord High Steward of the land with the scepter, the Lord Chiefe Justice of the kingedome with the regall ball, the Archburkgrave with the crowne, bearinge it in bothe his hands; after went the Heralde of the kingedome Bohemia in his coate of armes with a white staffe in his hand, then the hereditarie Lord High Marshall of the crowne of Bohemia with the regall electorall sworde in a red velvett sheathe, after whome immediatelie followed his Majestie bareheaded, havinge on the right hand the Lord Administrator of the Bohemian Protestant Colledge and on his left side another Bohemian preacher (who afterwards made the sermon), both of them attyred in blacke velvett gownes. These 2 brought his Majestie unto the alter, where they kneeled downe with him and prayed a while, and then goeinge backe from the alter, they sett his Majestie in a faire chaire of hayre-colored vellvett, who returneinge to the alter, the Lord Administrator began to act and reade aloude certaine statutes of Lattine, which done, the trumpetts sounded a greate noise; after was begun to be sunge in Lattine Veni Sancte Spiritus, and thereuppon in the Bohemian tongue God the Father dwell us by was also sunge, a collect reade, and the preacher putt on his white surplice, went up into the pulpitt to preach in the Bohemian speech. After he had propounded the matter he was to treate of, and prayed, he stayed there till the people had sunge the 20th Psalme also in the Bohemian language; then he went on with his sermon, and yet in the meanewhile, betweene the partes thereof, were 3 severall times Bohemian hymnes sunge; the sermon beinge ended the foresaid Lord Administrator went againe to the alter and did there in Lattine singe the Letany, which done, the trumpetts and musicke made a marveilous sweete melodie, which done, a chapter out of the Apostle Paule to Timothy was reade before the altar, and 2 Bohemian himnes sunge; this ended, the Lord Administrator, with the preacher, the Lord Chief Burgrave, the Lord High Steward and Lord Greate Chamberlaine of the land, attended his Majestie to the alter, where they all kneeled downe and prayed againe. Then they stoode up and, haveinge spoken unto his Majestie concerninge the accustomed oathe he was to take, the Lord Chiefe Burgrave spake thrice alone unto the people to this effect: “Seeing we are nowe aboute to crowne his Majestie, it is thought meete againe to admonishe you joyntlie to tell us freelie, whether it be your wills that we shall proceede on forwards and crowne his Majestie?” Whereupon the people with a full and jointe consent cryed out amaine and said everie time, “We will.” Then the Lord Cheife Burgrave held a booke unto his Majestie, whereon his Majestie haveing laide his 2 fingers, the Lord Cheife Burgrave reade the accustomed oathe unto him in the Bohemian tongue, which his Majestie performed unto the Lords the States repeatinge every word of it after the Lord Chief Burgrave. Then his Majestie kneeled downe before the altar, where the Lord Administrator stoode before him, holdinge on the booke a gilded box, wherein was oyle, of which he tooke a little with one finger and anointed therewith his Majestie’s foreheade, strekeinge it in forme of a crosse. This beinge done, the Lord High Marshall delivered the sword into the hands of the Lord Administrator, who took it and presentlie gave it to his Majestie, sayinge these wordes: Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Amen.

After this he delivered unto him, first the scepter, then the regall ball, put a red velvett cap upon his heade, and the lord Administrator takeinge up the crowne in his hands, whereon the Lord Chiefe Burgrave, the Lord Highe Steward of the land, the Lord Great Chamberlaine of the land, and the other preist or minister tooke holde, and so joyntly sett the crowne uppon his Majesties head in the name of the Holy and Blessed Indivisible Trinitie, and then (he) was by them all lifted up, attended to his chaire and sett therein with the crowne upon his heade and the ball and scepter in his hands. Now when all this was done the Lord Cheife Burgrave said unto the Lords the States: “My Lords, seeinge our gracious Kinge is already crowned, so are we nowe accordinge unto our custome to sweare allegeance unto him and to the crowne and acknowledge him for our gracious Kinge and lord.” Hereupon the Lord Cheife Burgrave kissed the regall ball, his Majestie’s right hand, touched the crowne with his 2 fingers, bowed himself before his Majestie, and so went aside, giveinge way. About an 100 persons did all the like. After this did the Lord Administratour with a loude voyce singe Te Deum laudamus. This followed the whole musicke, cornetts, saggebutts, trumpetts, kettledrummes; the bells in all three citties of Prague did ringe, 28 peeces of great ordinance made readie for the purpose were discharged, and the citizens and souldiers of the cittie, beinge 13 companies of foote and sundry cornetts of horse, discharged all theire ouer (sic).

After that his Majestie had (sittinge in his coronation chaire) knighted 5 lords and 3 gentlemen, he rose and went thence attended with all the lords others to the records of the land, where also accordinge to auncient use and custome he sware to preserve and mainetaine them and subscribed unto all he was to subscribe unto. Where as his Majestie went and returned there were divers sorts of coynes of gould and silver throwne amongst the people, one of which had on the one side this inscription, God and theire (sic) cuntryes have given unto me this crowne, and on the other side were five hands houldinge on a crowne, signifying the kingedome of Bohemia and the 4 incorporated cuntries. All alonge the streetes, and within the castle whereupon his Majestie rid and went to the records of the land, there was broade clothe spreade on the ground, which at his comeing backe was all given for larges and made prizd unto the people. At his comeinge backe into the castle dinner was made ready, where was one table of state prepared, whereat his Majestie sate in his regall robes with the crowne on his heade, and the Queene with him. There were other tables besides furnished as whereat sate the above said greate officers and the rest of the Lords the States, and the(n) 14 other free tables for strangers: within the castle court there were goodlie fountaines made, which untill night ran plentifullie with wine red and white free for all to take of that would. About the midst of dinner his Majestie, the crowne to be taken off, stoode up and dranke into the health of all the 3 states and Bohemia, and caused it to be drunke round aboute hall. In the interim betweene his Majestie’s coronacion and the Queene’s, his Majestie first confirmed all the officers and governours of the kingedome in theire offices and governmentes, commanndinge justice and government to goe on in the ordinarie due course as was meete and requisite. Then next perceivinge that the stewes and brothelhouses were there still in use and tollerated, and had theire house within the bulwarke round aboute the cittie, and withall a world of poore and needy people as well of able bodyes as aged, sicke and impotent, lyinge and standinge in the streets to the great dishonor of God and of religion, his Majestie both put downe the stewes presentlie and commannded an hospitall and house of correccion to be forthwith builded; that so theis aged, sicke and impotent might be sufficientlie relived and mainetained and the idle bodie to be put into gives and forced to worke and labour for theire liveinge, that so both the cittie and the state might be eased and clensed of all such, as is his owne cuntry.

The Queene’s coronacion was on Thursday the 28th of October ould stile in all respects like the Kinge’s saye that the sermon was in High Dutche and no coynes cast about thereat. V. 7, p. 23.

[NOTES]

[1] The race name of the Slavic inhabitants of Bohemia in the native language is Čech (singular), Čechové (plural). The country is called Čechy. Čech is pronounced nearly like Chech (the last ch as in the Scottish loch). The use of the form Czech should be discouraged, inasmuch as it wholly fails to bring out the proper sound. The Cambridge Modern History, a distinguished work, adheres consistently to the spelling Č-e-c-h.