THE CEREMONY
The following is a description of the championship ceremony at the banquet in Westminster Hall written at the time of the coronation of George IV., 1821, and taken from Allen’s History of the County:—
“Before the second course was brought in the deputy appointed to officiate as King’s Champion (this was the son of the champion, who was himself disqualified, being a clerk in holy orders), in his full suit of bright armour, mounted on a horse richly caparisoned, appeared under the porch of the triumphal arch, at the bottom of Westminster Hall. Everything being in readiness, the procession moved in the following order:—
“Two trumpeters with the Champion’s arms on their banners,
“The Sergeant Trumpeter with his mace on his shoulder,
“Two Sergeants-at-Arms with their maces on their shoulders,
“The Champion’s two Esquires, in half armour, one on the right hand bearing the Champion’s lance, the other on the left hand with the Champion’s target and the arms of Dymoke depicted thereon.
“A Herald, with a paper in his hand, containing the Challenge.
| “The Deputy Earl Marshall (Lord Howard of Effingham) on horseback, in his Robes and Coronet, with the Earl Marshall’s staff in his hand, attended by a page. | “The Champion (Henry Dymoke, Esq.) on Horseback, in a complete suit of Bright Armour, with a Gauntlet in his hand, his Helmet on his head, adorned with a plume of feathers. | “The Lord High Constable (The Duke of Wellington), in his Robes and Coronet and Collar of his Order, on Horseback, with the Constable’s Staff, attended by two pages. |