THOUGHT S

ΟΝ ΤΗΕ

CORONATION

Of his prefent MAJESTY

KING GEORGE THE THIRD;

O R

Reasons offered against confining the Proceffion to the ufual Track, and pointing out others more commodious and proper.

To which are prefixed,

A Plan of the different Paths recommended, with the Parts adjacent, and a Sketch of the Proceffion.

Moft humbly fubmitted to Confideration.

First printed in the Year M DCC LXI.

THOUGHT S

ΟΝ ΤΗ Ε

CORONATIO N, &c.

ALL pomp is inftituted for the fake of the public.

A fhew without fpectators can no longer be a fhew. Magnificence in obfcurity is equally vain with a fun-dial in the grave.

As the wisdom of our ancestors has appointed a very fplendid and ceremonious inauguration of our kings, their intention was, that they fhould receive their crown with fuch awful rites, as might for ever imprefs upon them a due fenfe of the duties which they were to take, when the happiness of nations is put into their hands; and that the people, as many as can poffibly be witneffes to any fingle act, fhould, openly acknowledge their fovereign by univerfal homage.

By the late method of conducting the coronation, all thefe purposes have been defeated. Our kings, with their train, have crept to the temple through obfcure paffages; and the crown has been worn out of fight of the people. Of the multitudes, whom loyalty or curiofity brought together, the greater part has returned

without a fingle glimpfe of their prince's grandeur, and the day that opened with feftivity ended in discontent.

This evil has proceeded from the narrowness and fhortness of the way through which the proceffion has lately paffed. As it is narrow, it admits of very few fpectators; as it is fhort, it is foon paffed. The first part of the train reaches the abbey before the whole has left the palace; and the nobility of England, in their robes of state, difplay their riches only to themfelves.

All this inconvenience may be easily avoided by chufing a wider and longer courfe, which may be again enlarged and varied by going one way, and returning another. This is not without a precedent; for, not to enquire into the practice of remoter princes, the proceffion of Charles the Second's Coronation iffued from the Tower, and paffed through the whole length of the city to Whitehall*.

The

The king went early in the morning to the Tower of London in his coach, moft of the lords being there before. And about ten of the clock they fet forward towards Whitehall, ranged in that order as the heralds had appointed; thofe of the long robe, the king's council at law, the mafters of the chancery, and judges, going firft, and fo the lords in their order, very fplendidly habited, on rich footcloths; the number of their footmen being limited, to the dukes ten, to the lords eight, and to the viscounts fix, and the barons four, all richly clad, as their other fervants were. The whole fhow was the most glorious in the order and expence, that had been ever seen in England; they who rode first being in Fleetftreet when the king iffued out of the Tower, as was known by the discharge of the ordnance: and it was near three of the clock in the afternoon, when the king alighted at Whitehall. The next morning the king rode in the fame ftate in his robes, and with his

crown

7

The path in the late coronations has been only from Westminster-ball, along New Palace-yard, into Union-street, through the extreme end of King-ftreet, and to the Abbey door, by the way of St. Margaret's church-yard.

The paths which I propofe the proceffion to pafs through, are,

I. From St. James's palace, along Pall-Mall and Charing-Crofs, by White-ball, through Parliament-fstreet, down Bridge-ftreet, into King-street, round St. Margaret's church-yard, and from thence into the Abbey.

II. From St. James's palace a-crofs the canal, into the Bird-cage-walk, from thence into Great George-ftreet, then turning down Long-ditch, (the Gate-boufe previously to be taken down) proceed to the Abbey. Or,

III. Continuing the courfe along George-Street, into King-street, and by the way of St. Margaret's churchyard, to pafs into the weft door of the Abbey.

crown on his head, and all the lords in their robes, to WestminsterHall; where all the enfigns for the coronation were delivered to those who were appointed to carry them, the earl of Northumberland being made high conftable, and the earl of Suffolk earl marshal, for the day. And then all the lords in their order, and the king himfelf, walked on foot, upon blue cloth, from Weftminster-Hall to the Abbey Church, where, after a fermon preached by Dr. Morley, (then bishop of Worcester) in Henry the Seventh's Chapel, the king was fworn, crowned and anointed, by Dr. Juxon, archbishop of Canterbury, with all the folemnity that in those cafes had been ufed. All which being done, the king returned in the fame manner on foot to Westminster-Hall, which was adorned with rich hangings and ftatues; and there the king dined, and the lords on either fide at tables provided for them: and all other ceremonies were performed with great order and magnificence.

Life of Lord Clarendon, p. 187.

IV. From St. James's palace, the ufual way his Majefty paffes to the Houfe of Lords, as far as to the parade, when, leaving the horse-guards on the left, proceed along the park, up to Great George-ftreet, and pass to the Abbey in either of the tracks last mentioned.

V. From Westminster Hall into Parliament-street, down Bridge-ftreet, along Great George-ftreet, through Long Ditch, (the Gate-houfe, as before obferved, to be taken down) and fo on to the weft door of the Abbey.

VI. From Whitehall up Parliament-ftreet, down Bridgeftreet, into King-street, round St. Margaret's churchyard, proceed into the Abbey.

VII. From the House of Lords along St. Margaret'sAtreet, a-crofs New Palace-yard, into Parliament-street, and from thence to the Abbey by the way last mentioned.

But if, on no account, the path must be extended to any of the lengths here recommended, I could wish, rather than see the proceffion confined to the old way, that it should pass,

VIII. From Westminster-Hall along Palace-yard, into Parliament-ftreet, and continued in the laft mentioned path, viz. through Bridge-ftreet, King-street, and round the church-yard, to the weft door of the cathedral.

IX. The return from the Abbey, in either cafe, to be as ufual, viz. round St. Margaret's church-yard, into King-street, through Union-street, along New Palace-yard, and fo into Westminster-ball.

It is almost indifferent which of the fix firft ways now proposed be taken; but there is a stronger reason than mere convenience for changing the common course. Some of the streets in the old track are fo ruinous, that

there