a himself; for I could see he was now gons, and servers, and other dunkled and then like to lose his temper at the and old-fashioned articles of the like stupidity of some of the attendants. metal, were placed in shelves on each But it's no new thing for kings to be side of the throne for a show, like the ill-served ; and our Majesty might by pewter plates, dripping pans, pot lids, this time, I think, have been used to and pint stoups in a change-house kita the misfortune,- considering what sort chen. Some thought it very grand ; of men his ministers are. but, for me, I thought of King HezeShortly after the King had taken kiah shewing his treasures to the mesa his place on the throne, the crown, sengers of Berodach-baladan, the son and the other utensils of royalty, were of Baladan, King of Babylon ;-for brought, with a great palavering of the foreign ambassadors, whose names priesthood and heraldry, and placed on are worse to utter than even that of the the council-table before him, and when son of Baladan, and to spell them is he had ordered the distribution there- past the compass of my power, sat near of, the trumpets began to sound, and to this grand bravado of ancient pagethe whole procession to move off. His antry. Majesty, when he reached the head of By this time I had got some insight the stairs, was for a time at some doubt into the art of seeing a Coronation, so as to the manner of descending, till a that, after satisfying my curiosity with noble in scarlet came and lent him his the internals of the Hall, I strayed out arm, for the which his Majesty was upon the platform, partly to get a very thankful at the bottom. Mean- mouthful of caller air, and partly to while a most idolatrous chaunting and get a drink of porter, for the weather singing was heard, as the procession was very warm, and I was very dry, slided slowly down the Hall, and out by reason of the same, with the help at the door, and along the platform to of a biscuit in my pocket. And while the Abbey. Those who had places for I was about the porter-job in one of the Abbey as well as the Hall then the two public-houses before spoken hurried out; and, while the King was of, a shout got up, that the procession absent, there was but little order or si. was returning from the Abbey, and I lence in the company, people talking got up and ran to get back to my seat and moving about. in the Hall; but as the crowd was easy I now began to weary, and to grudge and well bred, before I reached the door at not having got a ticket to the Aþ- I halted, and thought I might as well bey likewise; but trusting to Doctor take a look of the procession, and comPringle and the Mistress for an account pare it with our King Crispin’s Coroof what was doing there, it behoved nation, which took place on the 12th me to be content: so, with others, I of November, A.D. 1818; and the orstepped down from where I was sitting, der of which I will state herein, with and looked at the preparations for annotations, to the end and intent, dressing the royal table, which had a that posterity, in reading this book, world of pains bestowed on it-divers may have a clear notion of what it gentlemen measuring with foot-rules was; and the more especially that his the length and the breadth th of Majesty's ministers, -I mean those of that was to be allowed for the dishes, King George IV,-may have a proper no jooking the tithe of an inch in the pattern for the next ceremony of the placing of the very saltfits. But there kind--for it was most manifest to me, was one thing I could not comprehend; that the shoemakers' affair was a far which was a piece of an old looking- finer show than the one that I had glass, in a green painted frame, with come so far afield to see. But this is four gilded babies, about the size of a not to be wondered at, considering how bairn's doll, at the corners, placed flat much more experience the craft have; in the middle. Surely, it was not for they being in the practice of crownthe intent to let the King see how he ing and processing with King Crispin, looked with the crown on his brows; according to law, every year; by which and, if it was not for that purpose, Í they have got a facility of hand for the wonder what it was there for?-but business, as is seen in their way of dotruly it was a very poor commodity. ing the same; the form and order In the mean time, golden vessels, flag- whereof follows. a ORDER OF THE PROCESSION OF KING CRISPIN. Nov. 1818, about 12 o'clock. Music. (7) LATE KING,(8) Two Captains. Six Lieutenants. A Cossack. (9) A party of Caledonians, with two Pipers. (10) Then follows part of the Body. Two Captains. Twelve Lieutenants. INDIAN KING; Supported by two Bashaws. (11) A Page. Two Captains. Standard-Bearer, supported by two Lieutenants. Music. Six Lieutenants. Two Sheriffs. Macer. LORD MAYOR, Supported by two Aldermen. Ten White Apron Boys. (12) Two Captains. BRITISH PRINCE, A Page. Standard-Bearer. Music. Lieutenant-Colonel. THE BODY. Standard-Bearer, supported by two Standard-Bearer, supported by two Lieutenants. Three Adjutants. (1) There was no Champion in the procession of his Sacred Majesty:-Surely it was a great omission to leave him out. (2) There was no such Band of Music, as at King Crispin's—four fiddlers, three cla. rionets, with drums and fifes, but only Popish-like priests, and callants in their father's sarks, singing, and no good at it. (3) Music again. His Sacred Majesty had no such thing. (4) Band of Music the Third-It was the regiment's from the Barracks. What had King George to compare with that? (5) King George IV. had but six pages--King Crispin had nine, bearing up his train. (6) Music again. O what sçrimping there was of pleasant sounds, compared to our show at Glasgow ! (7) Music again. Think of that, Lord Londonderry, and weep-no wonder you delight in stratagems and spoils—I'll say no more. (8) I didna approve, at the time, of this show of the late King, being myself a loyal man, and the Radicals then so crouse ; for I thought, that the having the King of the past-time in the procession was like giving a hint to the commonality, that it would be a great reform to have Annual Kings as well as Annual Parliaments. (9) A Cossack. There was, to be sure, a Russian Ambassador; but what's an Ambassador compared to a Cossack ? (10). " A party of Caledonians, with two Pipers.”—There was no such thing. (11) “ Indian King, supported by two Bashaws.”—0, Lord Londonderry, but ye have made a poor hand o’t-what had ye to set beside an Indian King, supported by two Bashaws ? (12) “ Ten White Apron Boys.”_For them we must count the Band of Gentle men Pensioners. But it's really needless to descend thus into particulars, the very order of King Crispin's Procession is sufficient to put the whole Government to the blush-to say nothing of the difference of cost. 6 Indeed I was truly mortified with a stately malden madam, in a crimson the infirmities and defects of the whole mantle, attended by six misses carry. affair, and was hurrying away from it ing baskets of flowers, scattering round when I happened to see Mrs Mash- sweet smelling herbs, with a most malam with her husband on a booth, and jestical air, leading the van. She was I stoppit to speak to her, but she had the King's kail-wife, or, as they call seen nothing in the whole concern save her in London, his Majesty's herba only her old friend the Duke of York. woman; and soon after there was a " When she saw him going to the Ab- great clamour of trumpets and sonobey with the lave, she rose up as he rous instruments, proclaiming as it passed,” said Mr Mashlam, pawkily, were, “ God save the King,” all the and made him a courtesy, and the spectators standing, and the very raftear shot in her e'e." ters of the hall dirling in sympathy, I thought by the glance she gave for truly it was a wonderful and conthe master at this jibe, that he had tinuous shout of exultation ; and my treaded rather hard on a tender corn, fine garb of sky blue, and the ladies' but she smiled, and taking him by the dresses suffered damage by the dust hand, made it all up by saying in a that came showering down from the kind manner in the words of the song, vibrating imagery and carvings of the “ For auld Robin Gray is ay kind to roof, as the King's Majesty passed on me." I hadna, however, time to spend under his golden canopy of state, and with them, but hurrying back to the ascended the steps leading to his throne, Hall, I was almost riven to pieces among looking around him, and bowing to a crowd of bardy ladies of quality, that every body. Both me and Doctor Prinhad drawn up with gallants when they gle, as well as the Mistress, thought he were in the Abbey and brought them cognised us in a most condescending with them, and insisted on taking manner; and here I must say for his them in whether the door-keepers Majesty, that he certainly did his part would or no. It was surprising to hear in a more kingly manner than Andrew with what bir and smeddum they Gilbert, who performed King Crispin, stood up to the door-keepers, not a never forgetting himself, but behaving few of them carrying their point with throughout most stately and gracious, even down flyting, to the black eclipse though often grievously scomphisht of all courtly elegance. Among them with the heat and the crowd; the which I beheld, at last, Dr Pringle in his was not the case with Andrew, poor gown and bands, with Mrs Pringle fellow, as I saw myself from Mrs holding by his arm, toiling and wine Micklewraith's windows in the Galning by the sweat of their brows their lowgate, where in passing, having ocway towards the door. They were re- casion to blow his nose, instead of apjoiced to see me, and the moment they plying to the page that carried for him got within the door, the Doctor whis- a fine white pocket-napkin, he made pered to me with a sore heart, “ 0, use of his fingers for that purpose, yon is a sad remnant of the beast ! Far which was surely a very comical out a better it were had a man of God, like breaking of the natural man from Samuel with a pot of ointment in his aneath the artificial king. hand, gone alone to the king in the As I was looking at his sacred Majes. secrets of the desert, and anointed ty with his crown and robes, I thought and hallowed him with prayer and of a worthy lady that told me of what supplication.” she had herself once witnessed, of his “This is Babylon ! this is Baby- father's behaviour in the House of lon!" cried Mrs Pringle gaily, and Parliament—" I was there,” said Mrs aloud out at the same time; s but it Clinker,“ with Mr Clinker and our was a very fine sight, that must be al- five dochters, to see the solemnities of lowed." the robing room in the House of The crowd began now so to press Lords; and there was a great congreupon us, that I was glad to hasten them gation of other ladies with some genin, and to get them up beside me in tlemen to keep them in countenancethe gallery, where we were scarcely a most genteel company we were, and seated when the whole show, as I had all sitting in the greatest composity, seen it on the outside, but in a more waiting, like the ten virgins in the confused manner, came into the Hall; parable, some of us wise and some VOL. X. с foolish, but we had no lamps, when a fat Lord at the table below. I supthe cry arose that the King was coming. pose he was her gudeman, by the free in Then first came ae lord, and syne an- dom of her speech, for she was plainother, and then the Duke of York ly making a remonstrance to him on bounced among us with a troubled her being so neglected, for among all countenance, walking backwards and the ladies round her, both right and forwards like a ramping lion, which left, to a great expanse, there was not made us all sit with quaking hearts, as a single gentleman, because they were : you may well ak; next came the Peeresses, and placed there to sit in King himsel, honest man, talking to state for a help to the show; and then his nobles, and they had all faces of I saw his lordship put some eatable 1 great terror. It was just a prodigy to article on a trencher, and it was handsee what a fear they were in ; but his ed up to pacify her ladyship, and some Majesty was never dismayed, keeping of her adjacent kimmers. up a blithe heart. However, we began In this stage of the procedure, duamong ourselves to dread that surely ring his Majesty's absence, I had leisomething was the matter; and by sure for a conversation with the Docs and by it spunkit out that the King tor and the Mistress anent what they had been shot at, with a treasonable had seen in the Abbey, the which í gun that went off without powther. will set down in their own words, my s Oh! what I suffered, to know and hear faculty of memory not being of that that we were sitting on a Gunpowder sort which enables me to give a comPlot, and that Mr Clinker, with me pendious narration, but, as MrSweeties and my five dochters, might be flying said, by way of encouragement to me in the air, clapping our hands in de- to proceed with the enditing of this spair, like peelings of onions, before we book" a great talent in transcribing kent whar we were. But the King saw the personalities of my heroes and the distress that all the ladies were in, heroines.” and put on a jocose demeanour, and “ Aweel, Doctor," quoth I, “and talked to his lords as they put the what did you see, and how were ye robes about his shoulders,—the crown entertained with the anointing ?” The he put himsel on his own head with Doctor shook his head in a solemn his own hands, and when he had done manner, and cogitated some time beso, he turned round to let us all see fore he made reply, then he answered him, and he really looked like a king and said, " It would not become me, as he was, and his tongue never lay." Mr Duffle, to find fault with what the I'll no take it upon me to say that King did in the midst of all his gothe behaviour of his present Majesty, vernment, as he can do no wrong, and in the latter particular, was like his may be, in my presbyterian simplicity father's, for he is a newer fashioned and ignorance, I am no of a capacity man, and hasna yet had such an expe- to judge ; but if yon doing was not rience of kingcraft; but if in other and popery-the seven-headed ten-hornec more serious concerns, he can port him- popery, that rampauged over the back self as much to the purpose as the auld of common sense so long in this land King, we can thole with him, though the darkness of night is the light o: he should na just speak so much to day to my eyes, and we are not sitting the entertainment of his people. here in the earthly bunkers of thi: In the mean time, the Peers and Pre- grand auld ancient Hall, but are the lates, and the minuter members of the mere bubbles of a vision of sleep, and procession, took their seats at the table; all this pomp and garniture around and I could see that the Bishops and of no more substance than the wracl Aldermensoon began tomake long arms of vanity that floats in some poo towards the eatables, which meand Doc- dreaming natural's fantastical imagi tor Pringle thought a most voracious nation. O Mr Duffle, a heavy han. thing of them, and not well bred' to- has been laid on my spirit this fore wards his sacred and anointed Ma- noon; to see and witness the Protes jesty, who was undergoing such a tant King of a Protestant people, cross great fatigue that day for their advan- ed and creeshed with such abomina tage and renown to all parts of the tions of idolatry, and a paternostring o earth. I likewise observed a Peeress rank and henious papistry, that ough from her seat in the front of the laft to have been stoned out of the midst o opposite to me, speaking vehemently to the Christian congregation that wa ." sinning by witnessing the same. I I may see religion and this kingdom tried to the uttermost of my ability to flourish in happiness,'--the which was keep, the wonted composure of 'my as good a speech as King David himmind, and to note in my remembrance self could have made to the Children the circumstantialities, but one new of Israel, and far better than a profane head of the beast made its appearance liturgy out of a book. Then King after another, till I quaked with terror. Charles, having made an end of speakI could scarcely abide to look at that ing, was conveyed by his nobles to the speaking horn the Archbishop of Can- Kirk of Scone, which was fittingly preterbury, who, after all, said no. great pared for the occasion, and Mr Robert things: as for the prelate that preach- Douglas, a minister of Edinburgh, and ed, I think he read every word, al- Moderator of the General Assembly, though holding forth in the very pre- preached a most weighty sermon from sence of the King's Majesty, who, Second Kings, chap. xi. verses 12 and oppressed with the burden of his 17; and, after the blessing, the King royal robes, endured all as well as renewed the Covenants. First, the he could. Two or three times I National Covenant, then the Solemn could plainly see, by the help of a League and Covenant were distinctly pocket spy-glass a lady lent me, that read; at the close of which the King, his Majesty was not overly content with kneeling down upon his bended knees, some of the doctrines, which gave me and holding up his right hand, did pleasure, although, considering they take upon him, as it were, at the footwere but matter of morality, I think stool of his Maker, the solemn vows he need not have fashed himself about anent the same. ony such feckless ware of the episco- 6. When this was done, he then aspalian inefficacy, than which nothing cended a stage in the middle of the can be more innocent in a temporal kirk, and the Lord Lyon presented point of view, although, as you know, him as the King of Scotland to the and every true believer knows, it is as people, and the people having testi, deadly venom in a spiritual, In short, fied their acceptance of him as such, Mr Duffle, I have no broo of this he again descended from the stage, Coronation. But let the sin of it and, falling on his knees, the great corest at the doors of them that ad- ronation oath was administered in an vised it; as for me and my house, awful manner; to the which his Ma. we will fear God, and honour the jesty replied, ' By the Eternal and AlKing. But of one thing I am most mighty God, who liveth and reigneth thankful, to wit, that the papistry of for ever, I shall observe and keep all this doing is an English work, and can that is contained in this oath, -at bring neither sin nor disgrace upon the which there was silence and dread in Canaan of Scotland, where the Corona- the kirk, and a sensible manifestation tion of the Kings was ever a most de- of the devout simplicity of our true vout and religious solemnity, as I have and reformed religion. specially read in the account of what “Having taken the oath, King Charles was done at Scone, on the new year's was then invested with the types and day of Anno Domini 1651, at the symbols of royalty; but there was no crowning of King Charles, the second creeshy papistry practised there, every of that name, -a prince who, accord- thing was done in a spirit of meaning ing to all history, was not one of the and of understanding, the nobles, one soundest Protestants,—but who never- by one, touching the crown on the theless conducted himself on that oc- king's head, and saying aloud, to the casion in a most sincere manner, say- hearing of the people, . By the Etering to the Lord Chancellor, when that nal and Almighty God, who liveth and pious man told him, with all due for- reigneth for ever, I shall support thee mality, how his good subjects desired to my uttermost; and then, holding he might be crowned as the righteous up their right hands towards heaven, and lawful heir of the crown and king. swore to be loyal and true subjects, dom, 'I do esteem,' said King Charles, and faithful to the crown. * the affections of my good people more “ But what ensued was the grandest than the crowns of many kingdoms, solemnity of all, and to the which there and shall be ready, by God's assists was no comparison in the wearysome ance, to bestow my life in their de- paternostering of this day. When the fence; wishing to live no longer, than nobility had sworn their allegiance, 6 |
Conseguir este libro impreso
0 Reseñas Las reseñas no se verifican, pero Google comprueba si hay contenido falso y lo retira una vez identificado Escribir reseña |