on; but there feemed to be a defect in not covering the upright poits 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 streets, I haftened from the hall, and by the atfiftance of a foldier, made my way to my former station at the corner of Bridge ftreet, where the windows commanded a double view at the turning. I fhall not attempt to defcribe the fplendour and magnificence of the whole; and words must fall fhort of that innate joy and fatisfaction which the fpectators felt and expreffed, especially as their majefties 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 com、 manded a profpect of Westminsterbridge, they ftopt 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 diftinct a view as I could have wished. But our friend HarWhitaker 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 afcent of three fteps, for their majelties to be crowned ry 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 paims of his hands. At the very infant 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 ftriking 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 majesty. 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. 6ad 7;p I is An hour loft in the morning not fo easily recovered. This was the cafe in the present instance [2] of plotema for whatever caufes it might be owing the proccffion moft ahuredly fet off too hate; bendes, according to what any obferved, there were fuch long paules between fome of the ceremonies in the abbey, as plainly thewed all the actors were not perfect in their parts. However it be, it is impoffible to conceive the chagrin and disappointment, which the late return of the proceffion occafioned; it being fo late, indeed, that the spectators, 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 glimpse of it appeared, as the branches were not lighted till just upon his majelly's entrance. I had flattered myfelf, that a new fcene 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 polled back to the hall with all posible expedition: but I was greatly disappointed. The whole was confulion, 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 Weltmin. fter-hall, lighted up with near three thoufand wax candles in molt fplendid branches, our crowned heads, and almoft the whole nobility, with the prime of our gentry, molt fuperbly arrayed, and adorned with a profufion of the moit bril~ lant jewels, the galleries on every fide crowded with company, for the molt part elegantly and richly dres ed;- -bet to conceive it in all its Jufre, I am confcions that it is ab folutely neceifary to have been prefent. To proceed in my narration. Their majeltics table was ferved with three courtes, at the firit of which earl Talbot, as steward of his majesty's houthold, 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 fill towards the king. A loud clapping and huzzaing 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 Scrivelfoy, 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 majefly 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 equites, richly habited, one on the right band, 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, ha The earl marshal, in his robes and coroner, on, horfeback, with the marshal's staff in his hands the Four pages richly apparelled, at tendants 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. [grandfon] and next heir to our fovereign lord king [George II.] the laft 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 "fmall 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 said herald made proclamation as before: and lastly, to the foot of the steps, when the faid he rald, and those who preceded him, going to the top of the steps, 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, affifted 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 re tiring 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 fhould 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 purpofe. No lefs than fixty haunches of venifon,with a furprifing quantity of all forts of game, were laid in for this grand feat. 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 inftead of a fubftantial dinner : 'but but the two junior knights, in or der 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, neareft to the walls. You cannot suppose that there was the greatest order imaginable obferved during the dinner, but must 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 pleafant to fee the various fratagems 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 prisoners boxes at Ludgate or the Gatehoufe, with a Pray remember the poor. 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 also thrown among the peereffes in the abbey, juft after the king was crowned; but they thought it below their dignity to ftoop to pick them up. Our friend Harry, who was upon the scaffold, at the return of the proceffion, closed in with the rear ; at the expence of half a guinea was admitted into the hall; got brimfull of his majefty's claret; and in the univerfal plunder, brought off the glafs her majesty drank in,which is placed in the beaufet as a valua ble curiofity. I fhould not forget telling you that I am well affured the king's crown weighs almost three pounds and a half, and that the great diamond in it fell out in returning to Weftminster-hall, but was immediately found and restored. My wife defires her compliments You will think it high time, that to you She was greatly pleased I should bring this long letter to a with the fight. All friends are well conclufion. Let it fuffice then to except that little Nancy Green has acquaint you, that their majefties got a fwelled face, by being up all returned to St. James's a little after night; and Tom Moffat has his leg ten o'clock at night; but they were laid up on a tool, on account of a pleafed to give time for the peereffes broken fhin which he got by a to go first, that they might not be kick from a trooper's horfe, as a reincommoded by the preffure of the ward for his mobbing it. Ifhall mob to fee their majefties. After fay nothing of the illuminations at the nobility were departed, the hall night the news-papers must have doors were thrown open according told you of them, and that the adto custom, when the people imme- miralty, in particular was remarkdiately cleared it of all the move-ably lighted up. I expect to have ables, fuch as the victuals, cloths, from you an account of the rejoicplates, difhes, &c. and, in fhort, ings at your little town; and deevery thing that could stick to their fire to know whether you was able fingers. to to get a flice of the ox, which was I am, dear Sir, y JAMES HEMING. P. 8. The princefs dowager of Wales, with the younger branches of the royal family, had a box to fee the coronation in the abbey, and afterwards dined in an apartment by themselves adjoining the hall. Extract of a letter from a gentleman torbis friend in the country, contain ing a full and circumftantial detail of many particulars, concerning the lond mayor's fhew, and the enter fotainment at Guildhall, &c. W ches of Weftminster-bridge, and As the ceremonies of (wearing in the lord mayor at Westminster-hall are fo well known, and repeated annually, I did not stay to fee them, but landed as foon as I could, in my return back, at the Templeftairs. Here I found, that fome of the city companies had disembarked from their barges before me. All along Temple-lane, leading from the ftairs, I faw them drawn up in order, between a row of the trainbands on each fide, who kept excellent difcipline; the Temple-gate at the top of the lane, opening into Fleet ftreet, being kept fhut, and barricadoed from affailants; and only fome fmall parties of the unorderly, undifciplined mob, on the forlorn hope, juft reconnoitring them through the defiles of the bye courts and paffages, and retreating, as fast as they could, in order to make a stand in the high roads, through which thefe regulars were afterwards to force a paffage. The barges belonging to fome of the other. companies had the prudence, as there was no danger of short allow HEN I got up the morning was fo foggy, that I could fcarce fee a cross the way: but, as at the coronation, it foon after cleared up, and we had the uncommonofatisfaction of having as fine a day as ever was known at this feafon of the year. -Lcall it uncommon, because it has been remarked, almost to a proverb, that the lord mayor's day is generally a bad one. "That part of the ceremony on this occafion, which is prefented to us on the water, is perhaps equal to any thing of the kind in Holland or Venice I therefore took a boat, and ordered the waterman to row me along-fide the lord mayor's and the companies barges, as they proceeded on to Westminster. The Thames was quite covered with boats and gilded barges. The fkin hers barge was diftinguished fromance, not to land their men, who, the reft by the outlandish dreffes, in frange spotted fkins and painted hides, of their rowers. The barge belonging to the ftationers company, after having paffed the narrow ftrait through one of the ar regaled themfelves comfortably on board, while the others were cooling their heels in the lane fome hours waiting till the royal proceffion had paffed by. The lord mayor indeed, and his attendants, were in |