The Diary by Samuel Pepys (children's ebooks online TXT) 📕

Mary, third daughter of Oliver Cromwell, and second wife of Thomas Bellasis, second Viscount Fauconberg, created Earl of Fauconberg, April 9th, 1689. ↩

Born at Dublin in 1615, created K.B. at the Coronation, and appointed Surveyor-General of all the King’s buildings; better known as the author of Cooper’s Hill. Died March, 1668⁠–⁠69, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. ↩

The Coronation chair in Westminster Abbey is an object of the greatest interest. Beneath the seat is the “Stone of Destiny,” carried oft from Scone by Edward I in 1296. ↩

John Earle, D.D., see ante, May 24th, 1660. ↩

A long sceptre or staff of gold, with a cross at the top, and a pike at the foot of steel, called St. Edward’s staff. There were two other sceptres. ↩

Mond or orb of gold, with a cross set with precious stones, carried by the Duke of Buckingham. ↩

Gilbert Sheldon, Bishop of London, acting for Juxon, Archbishop of Canterbury, whose age and infirmities prevented him from performing the whole of the service. Sheldon succeeded Juxon in the archbishopric when the latter died in 1663. ↩

As yet barons had no coronet. A grant of that outward mark of dignity was made to them by Charles soon after his coronation. Queen Elizabeth had assigned coronets to viscounts. —⁠B. ↩

Sir Edward Walker, Garter King of Arms, who wrote an account of the Coronation, which was published from his MS. in 1820. ↩

The south, west, and north sides. —⁠B. ↩

Sir Frederick Cornwallis, Baronet, had been created a baron three days before the coronation. He was Treasurer of His Majesty’s Household, and a Privy Councillor. He had married Elizabeth, daughter of John Ashburnham. His wife, therefore, and her brother John Ashburnham, were first cousins to Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. Rugge states in July, 1660, that “the King supped with Sir Frederick Cornwallis at Durham Yard, in the Strand.” He died in January, 1661⁠–⁠62, and was buried with his ancestors at Brome, on the 18th. See post, January 16th, 1661⁠–⁠62. Collins and other writers erroneously state his death to have occurred on the 31st. The medals which he received as his fee (nearly one hundred in number) were carefully preserved in the family, and have been arranged, so as to form the setting of a large silver cup, at Audley End. —⁠B. ↩

Pepys was himself one of the Barons of the Cinque Ports at the Coronation of James II. ↩

Algernon Percy, tenth earl of Northumberland, acting as Lord High Constable of England on this occasion. —⁠B. ↩

James Howard, third Earl of Suffolk, acting as Earl Marshal of England. —⁠B. ↩

James Butler, first Duke of Ormonde, Lord High Steward of England and bearer of the crown. ↩

Sir Edward Dymock, as Lord of the Manor of Scrivelsby, co. Lincoln. This service was last performed by one of that family at the coronation of George IV, and with the coronation dinner has since been dispensed with. —⁠B. ↩

York Herald, George Owen, who, it will be seen, rescued the canopy from the valetaille. —⁠B. ↩

The terms of the Champion’s challenge were as follows: “If any person of what degree soever, high or low, shall deny or gainsay our Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, Sonne and next heire to our Soveraigne Lord Charles the First, the last King deceased, to be right heire to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme of England, or that bee ought not to enjoy the same; here is his champion, who sayth that he lyeth and is a false Traytor, being ready in person to combate with him, and in this quarrell will venture his life against him, on what day soever hee shall be appointed.” ↩

See some congratulatory lines, “On the Thunder happening after the Solemnity of the Coronation of Charles II,” by Henry Bold, of New College, Oxford, in the Somers Tracts, ed. 1817, vol. vii p. 514. They commence thus:

“Heavens! we thank you that you thundered so!
As we did here, you cannonado’d too.”

↩

Baxter, in his Life, mentions this storm. “On April 23, was His Majesty’s coronation-day, the day being very serene and fair, till suddenly in the afternoon, as they were returning from Westminster Hall, there was very terrible thunders when none expected it, which made me remember his father’s coronation, on which, being a boy at school, and having leave to play for the solemnity, an earthquake, about two o’clock in the afternoon, did affright the boys, and all the neighbourhood. I intend no commentary on these, but only to relate the matter of fact.” —⁠B. ↩

Bishop Kennett gives a somewhat fuller account of this unseemly broil: “No sooner had the aforesaid Barons brought up the King to the foot of the stairs in Westminster Hall, ascending to his throne, and turned on the left hand (towards their own table) out of the way, but the King’s footmen most insolently and violently seized upon the canopy, which the Barons endeavouring to keep and defend, were by their number and strength dragged clown to the lower end of the Hall, nevertheless still keeping their hold; and had not Mr. Owen York Herald, being accidentally near the Hall door, and seeing the contest, caused the same to be shut, the footmen had certainly carried it away by force. But in the interim also