reft of the company. Add to this, that though we had nothing but wet and cloudy weather for fome time before, the day cleared up, and the fun fhone aufpiciously, as if it were, in compliment to the grand feftival. Had it rained, half the fpectators were fo exalted, that they could not have feen the ceremony, as a temporary roof put over the platform, on account of the uncertainty of the weather,was exceeding low. This roof was covered with a kind of fail-cloth; which, on orders being given to roll it up, an honeft Jack Tar climbed up to the top, and ftripped it off in a minute or two; whereas the perfons appointed for that fervice might have been an hour about it. This gave us not only a more extenfive view, but let the light in upon every part of the proceffion. I fhould tell you, that a rank of foot foldiers were placed on each fide within the platform; which was an encroachment on the fpectators; for at the last coronation I am informed they stood below it: and it was not a little furprising to fee the officers familiarly converfing and walking arm in arm with many of them, till we were let into the fecret, that they were gentlemen, who had put on the dreffes of common foldiers, for what purpofe I need not mention. On the outfide were ftationed, at proper diftances, feveral parties of horfe-guards, whose horfes fomewhat incommoded the people, that preffed inceffantly upon them, by their prancing and capering; though luckily I do not hear of any great mifchief being done. I must confefs, it gave me pain to fee the foldiers, both horfe and foot, obliged moft unmercifully to belabour the heads

of the mob with their broad swords, bayonets, and mufquets; but it was not unpleasant to obferve feveral tipping the horse-foldiers, Dily from time to time, (fome with half pence, and fome with filver, as they could muster up the cash) to let them pafs between the horses to get near the platform; after which thefe unconscionable gentry drove them back again. As foon as it was day-break (for I chofe to go to my place over-night), we were diverted with feeing the coaches and chairs of the nobility and gentry pafung along with much ado; and feveral perfons, very richly dreft, were obliged to quit their equipages, and be escorted by the foldiers thro' the mob to their refpective places. Several carriages, I am told, received great damage: Mr. Jennings, whom you know, had his chariot broke to pieces, but providentially neither he nor Mrs. Jennings, who were in it, received any hurt.

My pafs-ticket would have been of no fervice, if I had not prevailed on one of the guards, by the irrefiftible argument of half-a-crown, to make way for me through the mob to the hall gate, where I got admittance juft as their majefties were feated at the upper end, under magnificent canopies.

There feemed to be no fmall confufion in marthalling the ranks, which is not to be wondered at, confidering the length of the cavalcade, and the numbers that were to walk. At length, however, every thing was regularly adjusted, and the proceffion began to quit the hall between eleven and twelve, The platform leading to the weftdoor of the abbey, was covered with blue cloth for the train to walk

on; but there feemed to be a defect in not covering the upright pofts that fupported the awning, as it is called, which looked mean and naked, with that or fome other coloured cloth. The nobility walked two by two. Being willing to fee the proceffion pafs along the platform through the ftreets, I haftened from the hall, and by the atfiftance of a foldier, made my way to my former ftation at the corner of Bridge-street, where the windows commanded a double view at the turning. I fhall not attempt to defcribe the splendour and magnificence of the whole; and words must fall short of that innate joy and fatisfaction which the fpectators feit and expreffed, especially as their majellies paffed by; on whofe countenance a dignity fuited to their ftation, tempered with the moft amiable complacency, was fenfibly impreffed. It was obfervable, that as their majefties and the nobility paffed the corner which commanded a profpect of Westminsterbridge, they flopt fhort, and turned back to look at the people, whofe appearance, as they all had their hats off, and were thick planted on the ground, which rofe gradually, I can compare to nothing but a pavement of heads and faces.

I had the misfortune not to be able to get to the abbey time enough to fee all that paffed there; nor, indeed, when I got in, could I have fo diftin&t a view as I could have wished. But our friend Harry Whitaker had the luck to be ftationed in the first row of the gallery behind the feats allotted for the nobility, close to the fquare platform, which was erected by the altar, with an ascent of three fteps, for their majefties to be crowned

on. You are obliged to him, therefore, for feveral particulars, which I could not otherwife have informed you of. The fermon, he tells me, lafted only fifteen minutes. The king was anointed on the crown of his head, his breast, and the palms of his hands. At the very inftant the crown was placed on the king's head, a fellow, having been placed on the top of the abbey-come, from whence he could look down into the chancel, with a flag which he dropt as a fignal, the Park and Tower guns began to fire, the trumpets founded, and the abbey ecchoed with the repeated fhouts and acclamations of the people; which, on account of the aweful filence, that had hitherto reigned, had a very striking effect. As there was no commoners knights of the garter; inftead of caps and veftments peculiar to their order, they, being all peers, wore the robes and coronets of their respective ranks. When the queen had received the fcepter with the crofs, and the ivory rod with the dove, her majefty was conducted to a magnificient throne on the left hand of his majefty.

I cannot but lament that I was not near enough to obferve their majefties performing the most ferious and folemn acts of devotion; but I am told, that the reverent attention which both paid, when (after having made their fecond oblations) the next ceremony was their receiving the holy communion, it brought to the mind of every one near them, a proper recollection of the confecrated place in which they were.

An hour loft in the morning is not fo eafily recovered. This was the cafe in the prefent inftance; [2] 4

for

for to whatever caufes it might be owing the proceffion moft affuredly fet off too late: befides, according to what Harry obferved, there were fuch long paufes between fome of the ceremonies in the abbey, as plainly fhewed all the actors were not perfect in their parts. However it be, it is impoffible to conceive the chagrin and difappointment, which the late return of the proceffion occafioned; it being fo late, indeed, that the fpectators, even in the open air, had but a very dim and gloomy view of it, while to thofe, who had fat patiently in Westminster-hall, waiting its return for fix hours, fcarce a glimpfe of it appeared, as the branches were not lighted till just upon his majefty's entrance. I had flattered myfelf, that a new scene of fplendid grandeur would have been prefented to us in the return of the proceffion from the reflection of the lights, &c. and had therefore posted back to the hall with all poffible expedition but I was greatly difappointed. The whole was confufion, irregularity, and diforder.

However, we were afterwards amply recompenfed for this partial eclipfe, by the bright picture,which the lighting of the chandeliers prefented to us. Conceive to yourself, if you can conceive what I own I am at a lofs to defcribe, fo magnificent a building as that of Westminfter-hall, lighted up with near three thousand wax candles in moft fplendid branches, our crowned heads, and almost the whole nobility, with the prime of our gentry, moft fuperbly arrayed, and adorned with a profufion of the most brillant jewels, the galleries on every

fide crowded with company, for the moft part elegantly and richly dreffed; but to conceive it in all its luftre, I am confcious that it is abfolutely neceffary to have been prefent. To proceed in my narration.

Their majesties table was ferved with three courfes, at the first of which earl Talbot, as fteward of his majefty's houfhold, rode up from the hall gate to the fteps leading to where their majefties fat, and on his returning the fpectators were prefented with an unexpected fight in his lordship's backing his horfe, that he might keep his face ftill towards the king. A loud clapping and buzzaing confequently enfued.

After the first course, and before the fecond, the king's champion, Mr. Dymocke, who enjoys that office as being lord of the manor of Scrivelfby, in Lincolnshire, entered the hall, completely armed, in one of his majesty's beft fuits of white armour, mounted on a fine white horfe, the fame his late majefty rode at the battle of Dettingen, richly caparifoned, in the following manner.

Two trumpets, with the champion's arms on their banners; the ferjeant trumpet, with his mace on his fhoulder; the champion's two efquires, richly habited, one on the right hand, with the champion's lance, carried up-right; the other on the left hand, with his target, and the champion's arms depicted thereon; the herald of arms, with a paper in his hand, containing the words of the challenge.

The earl marshal, in his robes and coronet, on horfeback, with the marshal's ftaff in his hand; the

champion

champion on horfeback, with a gauntlet in his right hand, his helmet on his head, adorned with a great plume of feathers, white, blue, and red; the lord high constable, in his robes and coronet, and collar of the order, on horseback, with the conftable's staff.

Four pages richly apparelled, attendants on the champion.

The paffage to their majefties table being cleared by the knight marfhal, the herald at arms, with a loud voice, proclaimed the champion's challenge, at the lower end of the hall, in the words following:

"If any perfon, of what degree foever, high or low, fhall deny or gainfay, Our Sovereign Lord King George III. king of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. [grand fon] and next heir to our fovereign lord king [George II.] the lalt king deceased, to be the right heir to the imperial crown of the realm of Great Britain, or that he ought not to enjoy the fame; here is his champion, who faith that he lyeth, and is a falfe traitor, being ready in perfon to combat with him; and in this quarrel will adventure his life against him, on what day foever fhall be appointed."

And then the champion throws down his gauntlet; which, having Jain fome small time, the herald took up and returned it to the champion.

Then they advanced in the fame order to the middle of the hall, where the faid herald made proclamation as before and lastly, to the foot of the fteps, when the faid he ald, and those who preceded

him, going to the top of the fteps, made proclamation a third time, at the end whereof the champion caft down his gauntlet; which after fome time, being taken up, and returned to him by the herald, he made a low obeisance to his majesty: whereupon the cupbearer, affitted as before, brought to the king a gilt bowl of wine, with a cover; his majefty drank to the champion, and fent him the faid bowl by the cupbearer, accompanied with his affiltants; which the champion (having put on his gauntlet) received, and retiring a little drank thereof, and made his humble reverence to his majefty; and being accompanied as before, rode out of the hall, taking the faid bowl and cover with him as his fee.

You cannot expect that I should give you a bill of fare, or enumerate the dishes that were provided and fent from the adjacent temporary kitchens, erected in CottonGarden for this purpose. No lefs than fixty haunches of venifon, with a furprising quantity of all forts of game, were laid in for this grand feaft. The king's table was covered with 120 dishes at three several times, ferved up by his majesty's band of penfioners; but what chiefly attracted our eyes, was their majefties defert, in which the confectioner had lavished all his ingenuity in rock work and emblematical figures. The other deferts were no lefs admirable for their expreffive devices. But I must not forget to tell you, that when the company came to be feated, the poor knights of the Bath had been over-looked, and no table provided for them. An airy apology, however, was ferved up to them instead of a fubftantial dinner :

but

but the two junior knights, in order to preferve their rank of precedency to their fucceffors, were placed at the head of the judges table above all the learned brethren of the coif. The peers were placed on the outermoft fide of the tables, and the peereffes within, nearest to the walls. You cannot fuppofe that there was the greateft order imaginable obferved during the dinner, but muft conclude, that fome of the company were as eager and impatient to fatisfy the craving of their appetites, as any of your country fquires at a race or affize ordinary.

It was pleasant to fee the various ftratagems made ufe of by the company in the galleries to come in for a fnack of the good things below. The ladies clubbed their handkerchiefs to be tied together to draw up a chicken, or bottle of wine. Some had been fo provident as to bring baskets with them, which were let down, like the prifoners boxes at Ludgate or the Gatehoufe, with a Pray remember the poor.

You will think it high time, that I fhould bring this long letter to a conclufion. Let it fuffice then to acquaint you, that their majefties returned to St. James's a little after ten o'clock at night; but they were pleafed to give time for the peereffes to go first, that they might not be incommoded by the preffure of the mob to fee their majefties. After the nobility were departed, the hall doors were thrown open according to custom, when the people immediately cleared it of all the moveables, fuch as the victuals, cloths, plates, dithes, &c. and, in short, every thing that could ftick to their fingers.

I need not tell you, that several coronation medals, in filver were thrown among the populace at the return of the proceffion. One of them was pitched into Mrs. Dixon's lap, as the fat upon a scaffold in Palace-yad. Some of gold were alfo thrown among the peereffes in the abbey, juft after the king was crowned; but they thought it below their dignity to floop to pick

them up.

Our friend Harry, who was upon the fcaffold, at the return of the proceffion, clofed in with the rear; at the expence of half a guinea was admitted into the hall; got brimfull of his majesty's claret; and in the univerfal plunder, brought off the glafs her majesty drank in,which is placed in the beaufet as a valuable curiofity.

I fhould not forget telling you that I am well affured the king's crown weighs almoft three pounds and a half, and that the great dia'mond in it fell out in returning to Weftminster-hall, but was immediately found and restored.

My wife defires her compliments to you: She was greatly pleafed with the fight. All friends are well except that little Nancy Green has got a fwelled face, by being up all night; and Tom Moffat has his leg laid up on a ftool, on account of a broken fhin, which he got by a kick from a trooper's horfe, as a reward for his mobbing it. I shall fay nothing of the illuminations at night: the news-papers must have told you of them, and that the admiralty, in particular was remarkably lighted up. I expect to have from you an account of the rejoicings at your little town; and defire to know whether you was able

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