The Anointing of St Louis of France
The Anointing of St Louis of France
In this recension appear first the preliminary prayers as in the Roman order of Hittorp; the prayerDeus qui scis humanum genuson his entrance into church, and on his entrance into the choirOmn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumque moderator. Between Prime and Terce (the king enters the church after Prime) the Abbot of St Rémi goes in procession to fetch the holy chrism.
The order begins with the petition of the bishops,A vobis perdonari, after which the recognition takes place andTe Deumis sung. The king then takes the oath in the old form,Haec tria populo christiano. Then follows a section directly taken from the Roman rite, and largely a repetition of what has already taken place; the Litany, the king lying prostrate the while, an oath in answer to interrogations, and another recognition in the Roman form,Si tali principi, followed by a series of benedictions all of which occur in the Roman rite.
For the consecration three choices are given as to the forms to be used[99]:
(1)Deus inenarrabilis, during which the king is anointed, the anthemUnxerunt Salomonembeing sung at the time of anointing.
(2) Alia Oratio.Deus Dei Filius.Then the anointing of the hands with the formUnguantur manus istae. Then the prayer from the Roman riteProspice Omnipotens.
(3) Alia.Deus qui es iustorum gloria, and, introduced bySursum cordaandPreface,Deus creator ac gubernator.
The unction of the hands here first occurs and is found henceforward in the French rite. It is first found in the English rite at this same time in the third recension, but in the English rite it alwaysprecedes, while in the French it comes after, the unction proper.
The investitures of Sword, Ring, Sceptre, Verge, and Crown follow the order of Hittorp’s rite, and the old forms used at the delivery of Sword, Ring, and Crown give place to the forms of the Roman order. The Sceptre is given at the same time as the Verge and has no special form of its own, here again showing the Roman influence. The investitures are followed by three benedictions derived from the Roman rite, and then follows the enthronisation,Sta et retine. In MartèneVIthe king takes another oath, Roman in form, at this point andTe Deumis sung, again shewing that there was already a tendency to transfer the latter to this, the Roman position, from its original place at the beginning of the rite.
The consecration of the queen is different from that of the last recension. It begins with the prayerAdesto Domine supplicationibus nostrisand follows exactly the ordo of Hittorp, with the exception that the form used at the crowning exhibits slight verbal variations.
There are two orders[100]given by Martène,VIIIandXI, which stand quite by themselves, and are not easily placed. OrdoVIIIis taken from an Arles pontifical, dated by Martène c. 1200-1300. The rite is short and shews Roman influence. It begins withTe Deum, after which the king takes the oathin the later Roman formProfiteor coram Deo et angelis. The king is then presented to the metropolitan by two bishops and the consecration begins with the prayerOmnipotens sempiterne Deus creator omnium, followed byDeus Dei filius, during which the king is anointed on the head. He is then crowned with the Roman formAccipe igitur coronam regni, invested with the Verge,Accipe virgam, and enthroned with theSta et retine. After the enthronisation is said eitherDeus qui victrices Moysi, a Roman form here first appearing, orDeus inenarrabilis. The forms of the coronation of the queen are almost identical with those of the Roman pontifical of 1520.
The Archbishop of Arles had no official part in the coronation of the French monarch. On the other hand, in strict theory, the emperor should be crowned at Arles as King of Burgundy, as well as at Aachen, Milan, and Rome; it is possible therefore that this order may represent the rite used on such an occasion, though but few emperors were actually crowned at Arles.
OrdoIXis still more puzzling. It is found in the Pontifical of Peter, Bishop of Senlis, who died in the year 1356. The consecration of the king is introduced byBenedic Domine hunc regem, then followsDeus inenarrabilis, after which the king is anointed, during theDeus qui es iustorum gloria, on feet, shoulders, and arms. The forms of the investitures with Sword (after which is said the prayerDeus qui providentia, which however is givenout of place), Ring, Sceptre (which is followed by the benediction of the Oriflamme), and Crown follow more or less the Romanized third recension, but the benediction of the Oriflamme is inserted among them. The anointing of the feet is unique, and there can be very little doubt that this ceremony has never had a place in any rite. The probabilities are that both these orders are quite unauthoritative and were never used.
We come now to the final recension of the French rite, which is represented by the order of Charles V, who was crowned in 1364[101]. This recension, like the corresponding fourth recension of the English rite, returns to the older rite anterior to the Romanized third recension in so far as it is a conflation of the second and third recensions, containing nearly everything that had appeared in all previous rites, and therefore much matter that was originally alternative.
There is the short preliminary service. At the end of the prayers said at the king’s entrance into the choir, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,Veni Creatorwas sung. The king enters the church between Prime and Terce, and while waiting for the arrival of the Sainte Ampoule Terce was sung. The rite begins as usual with the bishop’s petition and the king’s reply, and then follows the oathHaec populochristiano, in which is inserted, in this order, a clause, which vanishes finally in 1484, promising to maintain the rights of the French crown (doubtless against English claims).Te Deumis then sung, though a note remarks that this should be sung, according to Roman use, after the enthroning.Deus inenarrabilisis now said, and the Buskins are put on and the Spurs. Then follows the investiture with the Sword in the position it occupies in the Roman orders, with a benediction, and a conflate form combining the old FrenchAccipe gladiumwith the RomanAccipe gladium per manus nostras. Then follow the anthemConfortareand the prayersDeus qui providentia,Prospice omnipotens,Benedic Domine quaesumus hunc principem, andDeus pater aeternae gloriae. While the unction is preparing, a series of versicles and responses peculiar to the French rite, and beginningGentem Francorum inclitam, and a collect are said. The Chrism was miraculous. Brought down from heaven by an angel for the coronation of Clovis, it was carefully preserved in the Abbey of St Rémi, and brought in solemn procession from the Abbey at the time of the coronation. A tiny particle of the contents of the ampoule was mixed with Chrism. The Litany is now said, closing with the prayersTe invocamus,Deus qui populis, (alia)In diebus eius. Then comes the consecration. The king is anointed during the prayerOmn. sempiterne Deus creator ac gubernator, which is followed by the prayersDeus electorum fortitudoandDeus Dei filius, the anthemUnxerunt Salomonembeingsung during the anointing. He is anointed on the head, breast, between the shoulders, and at the bend of both arms. The king’s hands are then anointed with the formUnguantur manus, and he then puts on gloves blessed with two forms adapted from the benediction of a bishop’s gloves. The investitures follow; the Ring, with a benediction and the old formAccipe anulumrestored in place of the Roman form introduced into the last recension, and the prayerDeus cuius est omnis potestas; the Sceptre, with the usual form and the prayerOmnium Domine fons bonorum; the Verge, with the usual form; the Crown, with the prayerCoronet te Deus, and a conflate form combining the FrenchAccipe coronamand the RomanAccipe inquam coronam, which is followed byDeus perpetuitatis. A series of benedictions are now said, all of which are found elsewhere. After the enthronisation with the usual form the anthemFirmetur manusis sung and the Roman prayerDeus qui victrices Moysiis said, and finally the archbishop kisses the king, sayingVivat Rex in aeternum, and the cry is taken up by the Peers. The Mass, as in the English corresponding rite, is a Mass for the king, and before the Pax the benedictionsBenedicat tibi Deus custodiatque,Clerum ac populumandQuatenus divinis monitisare said over king and people. The king communicates, as did the French kings always at a coronation, in both kinds[102].
The queen’s coronation begins with the prayersAdesto Domine supplicationibus,Omn. aeterne Deus fons et origo,Deus qui solus habesandOmn. semp. Deus hanc famulam. She is anointed on head and breast as of old,In nomine, etc., and then followSpiritus sancti gratiaandDeus Pater aeternae gloriae. The Ring is given with the formAccipe anulum, as in the second recension, followed byDeus cuius est omnis potestas; the Verge with the formAccipe virgamand the prayerOmn. semp. Deus affluentem. Lastly she is crowned with the form of the second recension, and the prayer followsOmnium Domine fons bonorum.
After the sacring of the queen the benediction of the Oriflamme takes place.
This order remained in use, with small and unimportant variations, as long as the monarchy lasted in France. But the coronation of the queen was dispensed with for some reason. The last queen to be anointed and crowned was Marie de Médicis in 1610, and probably a sacring took place in her case only because there was every prospect of her being left Regent and so virtual monarch.
The rite by which Napoleon[103]was crowned stands by itself. The arrangement was that he should be crowned according to the rite of the Roman Pontifical, but at the last moment changes were introduced from the French rite itself.
Napoleon came into church already clad in the imperial robes, the Pope having already heard Terce. According to the Roman order the metropolitan should, after certain questions, address the monarch on his duties, and then the oath should be taken. But in place of thisVeni Creatorwas here sung, as in the French rite, and after the versicleEmitte Spiritumand its Response, and the Whitsunday collectDeus qui corda fidelium, Napoleon took the oath. This was much modified, for the Emperor refused to confirm the Church in property which it did not possess, and indeed refused to recite the oath itself, simply sayingProfiteorwhen it was read. Then followed, as in the Pontifical,Omn. semp. Deus creator omniumwith the necessary alterations, such asimperatoremforregem, and the addition ofet consortem eiuswhenever the Emperor was named. During the Litany the Emperor and Empress remainedseated, and only knelt at the special petitions. According to the Pontifical the anointings should be on neck and right hand, but Napoleon ordained that it should be on the head and hands, and he was so anointed with Chrism with the prayers from the Pontifical,Deus Dei filiusandOmn. semp. Deus qui Hazael super Syriam, the anthemUnxerunt Salomonembeing sung the while. Josephine was anointed in the same places immediately after the Emperor with the prayerDeus pater aeternae gloriae. At the Mass, at the Emperor’s request, a collect of the Blessed Virgin as patron of the Church was used instead of the proper collect. After the epistle the benediction and delivery of the ornaments took place. As the Pontifical has no forms of benediction of ornaments, the forms for the blessing of Sword, Rings, and Gloves were taken from theCérémoniel françois, and from the same source were derived forms for the delivery of Main de justice (Verge) and Sceptre, while forms for the benediction of the Orb and the delivery of the Mantles were composed for the occasion. The form for the delivery of Ring and Mantle were used in the plural for Emperor and Empress at once. At the time of the crowning the Emperor ascended to the altar and taking from off it the imperial Crown crowned himself, and then crowned Josephine, the Pope sayingAccipe coronam regniandCoronet vos Deus corona gloriae. At the enthronisation the French form of theSta et retinewas used instead of the Roman, as affirming the independence of the sovereign.Te Deumwas then sung, followed by theanthemFirmetur manusand the prayersVictrices MoysisandDeus inenarrabilis, and Mass proceeds. Neither Emperor nor Empress communicated. After Mass, while the Pope was unvesting in the Chapelle du Trésor, Napoleon took the constitutional oath at which the Pope had refused to be present, and was proclaimed ‘Le très glorieux et très auguste Empereur Napoléon Empereur des français, sacré et intronisé.’ The Emperor and Empress then proceeded to the Archevêché whither they were followed by the Pope, during whose procession the anthemTu es Petruswas sung.
The Roman rite of the coronation of kings is based on the imperial rite, but at the same time owes much to the various national rites which had been in existence some time before the genesis of the Roman. The earliest known Roman rite of the coronation of a king is that contained in the Ordo Romanus of Hittorp[104], and is probably of the tenth or eleventh century.
It begins with the preliminary prayerOmn. semp. Deus qui famulumand the responsoryEcce mitto angelumand the prayerDeus qui scis humanum genusas the king enters the church. This is all purely Roman. The order begins with the prayerOmn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumque, which is first found here, after which is said the Litany, another Roman feature. The oath is put to the king in interrogatory form,Vis sanctam fidem, etc.,Vis sanctis ecclesiis, etc.,Vis regnum, etc., and the king answersVolo. The people are then asked whether they will accept the king, and they answerFiat, fiat.
The consecration of the king is preceded by a benediction,Benedic Domine hunc regem, and two alternative forms of consecration are given.
(1)Omn. aeterne Deus creator omnium, which is found in the rite by which Louis II was crowned in 877, and after this is said by another bishopDeus inenarrabilis, after which the king is anointed on head, breast, shoulders, and bends of arms with the formUngo te in regem de oleo sanctificato in nomine, etc., and finally on the hands,Unguantur manus. Then is saidProspice Omnipotens, which appears in the earliest form of the imperial rite and in the Milanese rite of the ninth century[105].
(2) The alternative consecration consists of the prayersDeus qui es iustorum gloria, a Roman prayer, andSursum corda,Preface, and theDeus creator omniumof the first alternative.
The investitures follow; the Sword with the formAccipe gladium per manus episcoporum; the Ring with the formAccipe regiae dignitatis anulum, both these forms occurring here for the first time; the Verge with the form, found in all orders but that of ‘Egbert,’Accipe virgam virtutis; and lastly the Crown with the form, here first occurring,Accipe coronam regni. The three benedictions which follow the investitures,Benedicat tibi,Clerum ac populum,andQuatenus divinis, also appear for the first time in this order. After the responsoryDesiderium animaethe king is enthroned with theSta et retine, which is found with variations in all orders except that of ‘Egbert,’ the metropolitan gives the king the kiss of peace, and finallyTe Deumis sung.
At the consecration of the queen, after the prayersOmn. aet. Deus fons et origo, andDeus qui solus habes immortalitatem, she is anointed with the formSpiritus Sancti gratia, and she is then crowned with the formOfficio indignitatis.
The Mass prayers are not specified.
There is a large number of Roman orders varying in places, but in general agreement with the Ordo of Hittorp.
The Roman rite does not seem to have undergone the number of revisions to which the national rites were subjected, and what revision it did undergo was all in the direction of simplicity.
The rite of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries is very close to that which is found in the present Pontificale Romanum. An order[106]of this period is as follows. The king is led by bishops to the metropolitan with the request that he be crowned, and in answer to the metropolitan’s question they declare that he is worthy. The king then takes the oath,which has become direct,Ego N. profiteor coram Deo et angelis. The oath is rather shorter in the Pontifical of 1520. After the prayerOmn. aeterne Deus Creator(a variant form ofOmn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumque) the Litany is said, the king lying prostrate before the altar. The metropolitan[107]then anoints the king on the right arm[108]and between the shoulders with the prayersDeus Dei filiusand (aliain the Munich order)Omn. semp. Deus qui Azahel[109]. Mass is then begun, the Mass for the day being said with a second collectDeus regnorum omnium. In the present Pontifical of Clement VIII, the special collect is that of the ‘Missa pro rege.’ The king is invested with Sword, Verge, and Crown; in the Pontifical of 1520, and that at present in use, after he has been invested with the sword the king brandishes it thrice, and in the present Roman order the form of the investiture with the sword is the old form with which it was girded on,Accingere gladium tuum. The king is then enthroned withSta et amodo retine,Te Deumis sung, and finally after the responsoryFirmetur manus, the two prayersDeus qui victrices MoysiandDeus inenarrabilis(this latter under analiain the Munich order) are said. The Secret and Postcommunionare the same as in ‘Egbert,’ except that in the present rite the Postcommunion is that of the ‘Missa pro rege.’
The later forms of the queen’s coronation have changed considerably. In the Pontifical of 1520, followed by that in use at present, the king presents his consort to be crowned, and a short Litany is said. Then comes a benediction andSursum corda,Preface, andDeus honorum cunctorum auctor. She is anointed in the same way as the king with the prayerDeus pater aeternae gloriae, and then comes the crowning and, a new feature, investiture with the Sceptre.
The rite of Milan, in which city the Emperor was crowned as king of Italy, appears in its earliest form[110]in the ninth century. It is very simple and short, being almost identical with the earliest Roman imperial rite. The whole consists of four prayers only;Exaudi Domine preces nostras; the ‘Consecratio’Prospice Omn. Deus serenis obtutibus; the crowning formAccipe coronam; and lastlyDeus Pater aeternae gloriae. Of these prayers the first three occur in the imperial rite of the Gemunden codex, and the last is found in Hittorp’s order. It is also interesting to note that there is no mention in any rubric of the anointing, which, if it occurred, doubtless took place during the consecration prayer[111]. There is no reference to any coronation of the queenconsort. The Mass prayers are those which are found in ‘Egbert’s’ rite and are Roman.
A second stage of the Milanese rite, as found in an order[112]which Dr Magistretti assigns to the eleventh century, shews an interesting development. It is much longer than the older rite and is an amalgamation of the Anglo-Frankish rite as represented by ‘Egbert’ and the Roman. The whole of ‘Egbert’s’ order is found in it, the remaining forms being Roman.
This order begins with the prayerOmn. aeterne Deus creator omnium. Then follows the ‘Consecratio seu Benedictio regis,’ consisting of the forms in ‘Egbert’Te invocamusandIn diebus eiuscombined into one, and the king is anointed with the formDeus Dei filius, (alia)Deus electorum fortitudo. The investitures follow in unusual order: the Crown,Accipe coronam regni licet ab indignis; the Verge,Accipe virgam virtutis atque aequitatis; the Sword,Accipe gladium per manus episcoporum; and the Ring,Accipe regiae dignitatis anulum; all the forms being those of Hittorp’s order. A series of benedictions follow the enthronisation, all of which are to be found in ‘Egbert,’ and then comes the acclamationVivat rex ille in sempiternum, the kiss of the nobles, the prayerDeus perpetuitatis, and the chargeRectitudo regis est noviter ordinati, all as in ‘Egbert.’
The queen was also crowned in this order, but the MS. which contains it is mutilated and gives only the two first prayers,Omn. semp. Deus fons et origoandDeus qui solus, which are the first two prayers of Hittorp’s order.
A third recension of the Milanese rite may be seen in the order used at the coronation of Henry VII and his Queen, Catharina[113], at Milan in 1311. This order represents the most elaborate stage of the Milanese rite and seems to have been subject to both French and Roman influence.
The short preliminary service now first appears from the Roman rite. As the king enters the choir the prayerOmn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumqueis said, and then the king’s oath is put to him in interrogatory form. Then appears a French feature, the petition of the bishopsA vobis perdonari, and the king’s reply. The Recognition follows, the people answeringKyrie eleison. The Litany concludes with the three prayersTe invocamus,Deus qui populisandIn diebus eius, the second of which appears in this recension only of the rite of Milan. The consecration prayer is that of the English and French rites,Omn. semp. Deus creator ac gubernator(in which there still remains the allusion to the Saxons), the anthemDilexisti iustitiamorUnxerunt Salomonembeing sung during the anointing, which seems to have been only on the shoulders, and after which was saidDeus Dei filius. The Ring is given with the form of the last recension, followed by the prayerDeus cuius est omnis potestas; the Sword with the non-Roman formAccipe gladiumand the prayerDeus qui providentia; the Crown with the formAccipe coronam regniand the prayerDeus perpetuitatis; the Sceptre with the formAccipe sceptrum regiae potestatisand the prayerOmnium Domine fons bonorum; and the Verge with the usual form. Then follow six benedictions, of which the first two are found in the old French and English rites, and the others in the last recension. After the enthronisation an Orb and Cross is delivered to the king with a form beginningAccipe pomum aureum quod significat monarchiam omnium regnorum. The king answersFiatto the chargeRectitudo regis, and thenTe Deumis sung.
The order of the queen’s coronation begins with the prayerOmn. semp. Domine fons et origo, then follows the consecration prayerDeus qui solus, and the queen is anointed with the formIn nomine ... prosit tibi haec unctio, which is followed bySpiritus sancti gratia. The anointing is made on the shoulders. She is then invested with a Ring, which is an entirely new feature, the formAccipe anulum fidei signaculum s. Trinitatisand the prayerOmnium fons bonorum Dominebeing those of the French rite, from which this is probably derived. She is crowned with the formAccipe coronam gloriae, and finally are said the two prayersOfficio nostrae indignitatisandOmn. semp. deus affluentem spiritum, the last of which is French.
A fourth recension is found in a Milanese order of the fifteenth century[114], and is a revised and shortened edition of the last.
On the king’s entry into churchDeus cuius in manuis said, and the oath follows at once as in the last order. The petition of the bishops has disappeared, and immediately after the taking of the oath Mass is begun ‘with the saying of the Confiteor by the aforesaid Pontiff together with the aforesaid King,’ after which the Litany is sung and then follows theIntroit. The collect of Pentecost is used, followed byDeus regnorum omnium. After the epistle the archbishop anoints the king on the head, the clerks singing meanwhileDilexisti iustitiam. The consecration prayer itself is omitted, probably by an oversight, but doubtless it was the same as was used in the last recension. After the anointing come the prayersDom. Deus Omn. cuius est omnis potestasandDeus Dei filius. The investitures with Sword, Ring, Crown, Sceptre, and Orb (under one form) are all as in the last recension, except that the prayers following the delivery of the ornaments are omitted, and the form of investiture with Sword gives place to the Roman formAccipe gladium per manus. After the investitures come three of the benedictions of the last recension, but in different order, andTe Deum.
Alternative Mass prayers are given, either those of the AmbrosianMissa pro imperatoreas in the order of Henry VII, or a combination of those of the Vigil of Pentecost, and of Pentecost according to the Ambrosian use.
The order of the queen’s coronation is identical with that of the last recension.
The earliest account of a German coronation rite is Widukind’s description of the coronation of Otto of Saxony at Aachen in 936. Widukind[115]relates that Otto was first elected king by the nobles, who then swore allegiance to him and ‘more suo’ made him king. The royal procession went to the church of Charlemagne, where it was met by the metropolitan, who presented the new king to the people and demanded whether they accepted Otto as their king, on which the people lifting their right hands acclaimed him king with loyal cries. The Recognition over, the procession went up to the altar, on which the regalia were already deposited. The archbishop then invested Otto with Sword and belt, using a form beginningAccipe hunc gladium, which, though shorter, is very similar to the corresponding form of the second English and French recensions. Then followsthe investiture with Armills and Chlamys under one form, which does not occur elsewhere; the Sceptre and Staff (baculus) are then delivered also under one form, and that again is unique. The king is then anointed with holy oil and crowned with a golden diadem by the Archbishops Hildiberht and Wicfrid together, but the forms used are not given, and the king is enthroned by the same bishops.Te Deumis then sung (divina laude dicta)[116]and Mass follows.
This rite is manifestly very far from being fixed, and is to be classed with the earliest examples of the Frankish rite. It is independent of the Roman rite, belonging to the Hispano-Frankish family. The Greek names of two of the regal ornaments, the Diadema and the Chlamys, are instructive.
There is no reference to any coronation of the queen.
The German rite proper comes into prominence in the thirteenth century, and is the rite by which the Roman Emperor elect was crowned at Aachen as king of Germany. The Emperor was in theory crowned three times, first at Aachen as German king, secondly at Milan as king of Italy, and thirdly at Rome as Roman Emperor. In later times the German coronation often took place at Frankfort, where he was elected. The officiating Prelates were the three ecclesiastical Electors, the Archbishops of Cologne,Mayence, and Trier. The German rite changed hardly at all, for there is scarcely any difference between the order used at the coronation of Rudolf I in 1273, and that of Matthias II at Frankfort in 1612.
The order used in the case of Rudolf I[117]is as follows. The consecrator, the Archbishop of Cologne, assisted by the Archbishops of Mayence and Trier, receive the Emperor elect at the entrance of the church, and the Archbishop of Cologne says the prayer,Omn. semp. Deus qui famulum tuum; then is sungEcce mitto angelum, and the two prayers follow,Deus qui scis genus humanum, andOmn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumque. These are the preliminary prayers of the Roman rite which seem here to have become part of the rite proper. Mass now is begun, and the Mass used on this occasion in the German rite is the Mass of the Epiphany. In Rudolf’s order this collect was followed by the collect of St Michael. After the Sequence Litany is sung, and the Archbishop of Cologne puts a series of six questions to the king, to which he answersVolo. The first three of these are found in Hittorp’s order; the fourth asks whether he will maintain the laws of the Empire; the fifth whether he will maintain justice. The sixth demands whether he will shew due submission to the Pope. It runs thus:Vis sanctissimo in Christo Patri et Domino Romano Pontifici et sanctae Romanae ecclesiae subiectionem debitam et fidem reverenter exhibere?This question bearstraces of the long struggle between the Empire and the Papacy, and is an oath such as the kings of England and France never took. At the end of the questions the king lays two fingers on the altar and swears. At the Recognition the people answerFiatthrice. The Consecration follows, after the prayersBenedic Domine hunc regem, as in the order of Hittorp, andDeus ineffabilis. Here the German Order agrees with the English Orders in using the word ‘ineffabilis’ in the place of ‘inenarrabilis’ which always occurs elsewhere. At the end of this prayer the Archbishop anoints the king on head, breast and shoulders, with the oil of catechumens, sayingUngo te in regem de oleo sanctificato in nomine, etc. and then on the hands with the formUnguantur manus istae. The anointing is followed by a number of prayers,Prospice Omn. deus serenis obtutibus,Spiritus Sancti gratia,Deus qui es iustorum,Sursum corda,Preface, andCreator omnium, andDeus Dei filius. Of theseSpiritus Sancti gratiain the Roman rite follows the anointing of the Queen; the others are an example of a conflation of consecration prayers; perhaps they were not all actually used, for it is difficult to imagine that so manifest a consecration form as a prayer with a preface should be used after the consecration had already taken place. The forms with which the king is invested with Sword, Ring, Sceptre and Orb, and Crown, are all Roman. The Sword is delivered with the formAccipe gladium per manus episcoporum, as in Hittorp’s Ordo Romanus; the Ring with the formAccipe regiaedignitatis anulum, as in Hittorp; the Sceptre and Orb together under the formAccipe virgam virtutis atque aequitatiswhich is used in Hittorp’s and other orders for the delivery of theVerge; and the Crown with the formAccipe coronam regni, as in Hittorp’s order. After the investitures the king takes the oath again in the direct form of the later Roman rite,Profiteor et promitto coram Deo, etc. in Latin and German—another example of conflation. Then the responsoryDesiderium animaeis sung and the king is enthroned with theIta retine[118]. Here in the coronation rite of Charles V the Archbishop of Mayence delivered a long address of congratulation in German.
The coronation of the queen, which was performed by the Archbishops of Mayence and Trier conjointly, follows exactly that of Hittorp’s order. After the Queen’s coronationTe Deumwas sung.
The rite in the later days[119]hardly varied at all from this. Thus the orders according to which Maximilian I was crowned in 1486, Charles V at Aachen in 1519, Matthias II[120]at Frankfort in 1612, differ only in the slightest details from the order of Rudolf I.
The Crown and the imperial vestments with which the Emperor elect was crowned in Germany were those of Charlemagne, which were most carefully preserved. An eye-witness[121]of the coronation of Leopold II at the end of the eighteenth century says that they were still in use, and that the Emperor adapted his coiffure and beard to the style of Charlemagne, and appeared like a man of the seventh (sic) century. During the singing ofTe DeumCharles V created a number of knights with the sword of Charlemagne, but in later days the creation of knights took place after the service. In England the creation of knights of the Bath took place the day before the coronation.
We have very little material for the Hungarian rite. Martène gives us the order by which Albert II (afterwards Emperor) was crowned in 1438[122], and Panvinio and Beuther give us a general account of the coronation of Matthias II (afterwards Emperor) as king of Hungary in 1612[123].
The Hungarian rite is very close to the later Roman rite. The king is presented to the metropolitan by a bishop who requests him in the name of the Church to proceed to the coronation. After the usual questions and answers the king takes the oath,Ego Albertus profiteor et promitto coram Deo. Then is said the prayerOmn. semp. Deus creator omnium, which is followed by the Litany, and the king is then anointed on the right arm and between the shoulders with ‘oleum exorcizatum,’ the metropolitan sayingthe prayerDeus Dei filius. The metropolitan begins the Mass, which is that for the day, the collectDeus regnorum omniumbeing also said. After the Gradual and Alleluia the investitures of Sword, Crown, and Verge take place, the forms used being those of Hittorp’s order, and the king is enthroned withSta et retine. Then is sungFirmetur manus, and the prayerDeus qui victrices Moysiis said or (Alia benedictio)Deus inenarrabilis, and Mass proceeds, the Secret and Postcommunion being those of the Roman rite of the fifteenth century.
Panvinio and Beuther give us a few additional details. After the king is girt with the sword of St Stephen he brandishes it thrice. The Recognition takes place dramatically just before the coronation itself, the officiating Cardinal handing the crown to the Court Palatine who lifts it up, and shews it to the people, and asks according to ancient custom whether they bid the elect to be made king; and the people answerPlacet, fiat, vivat Rex. After the delivery of the Verge, the Orb and Cross is put into the king’s left hand without any form. According to this account, after the enthronisationLaudetur Deusis sung, by which is probably meantTe Deum, which occurs here in the Roman rite, and they greet the king with the acclamationVita, Salus, Felicitas, Victoria.
The last coronation of a king of Hungary, that of the Emperor Francis Joseph in 1867, was according to the rite of the presentPontificale Romanum.
It was in Spain that the coronation rite first appeared in the West. The actual date at which the rite was first used in Spain is not known, but in the seventh century it was evidently well established. Thus in the Canons of the sixth Council of Toledo (638) reference is made to the oath which the king takes on his accession, in which he swears to persecute the Jews, and in the Canons of the eighth Council this oath is again referred to. Julian, Bishop of Toledo[124], has left us a short description of the coronation of King Wamba in 672, at which ceremony he was himself present. He tells us that the king, standing in his royal robes (regio iam cultu conspicuus) before the altar of the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Toledo, ‘according to custom made his oath to the people, and then on bended knees the oil of benediction is poured on his head by the hands of the holy bishop Quiricius and an abundance of benediction is manifested.’ Here we have the oath, the anointing, and the curiousexpression ‘benedictionis copia,’ which probably means a series of benedictions. There are no early Spanish forms extant, though there are slight traces of the rite and evidence that there was a proper Mass for the occasion in the old Spanish service books[125].
From the time of the Arab conquest until the reigns of Ferdinand and Isabella, Spain was little more than a geographical term. Three small Christian states, Aragon, Castile, and Navarre, maintained their independence against the flourishing Arab kingdom of Granada. The realm of Aragon was in itself a confederation of different states, and therefore in strict theory the king should, to obtain due recognition, be crowned in each state. But, probably owing to the inconvenience of an oft-repeated coronation, the rite seems to have been discarded altogether in Aragon by the fifteenth century. Nevertheless the order used at the coronation of Dom Pedro IV of Aragon in 1336 is still preserved. Castile was even more than Aragon a confederation of different states, and the king of Castile was king also of Léon, Galice, Toledo, Jaen, Murcia, etc. Here again, doubtless from considerations of convenience, the rite seems to have passed out of existence early, being replaced by a series of proclamations, and the taking of the oath by the new king before the Cortes.
The third Christian state in Spain was the kingdom of Navarre. In this state, up to the fifteenth century, a coronation rite was used which possessedeven more clearly marked characteristics than the rite of Aragon.
After the union of the Spanish states into the one Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella, the rite seems to have passed out of existence altogether, the custom of Castile serving for the whole of Spain.
The order of the coronation of Dom Pedro IV of Aragon[126]in 1336, while shewing Roman influence, on the other hand exhibits, with the rite of Navarre, more clearly marked national characteristics than any other Western rite.
The order of the coronation of Dom Pedro is as follows. The day before the ceremony the king entered the church in which he was to be crowned on the morrow, and kneeling down said a prayer for himself in Spanish. The Sword, Shield, and Helmet were then set on the altar, where they remained through the night watched by nobles, the king reposing in the Sacristy. Next morning he hears Mass privately, and at the time appointed he is summoned by the archbishop and other bishops, and is arrayed in his royal vesture; an ample linen camisa, like a Roman rochet; an amice of linen; a long camisa of white linen; a girdle; a stole over the left shoulder hanging before and behind; a maniple on his left wrist; a tunicle; and a dalmatic. The king thus arrayed goes in procession to the altar, and the Litany is said, followed by a prayer for the king and the collectActiones nostras. At this point comes a section peculiar to the Spanish rite, theBenedictio super omnia arma regis; first a general benediction, then theBenedictio super scutum, theBenedictio super lanceam, and theBenedictio super ensem. After these benedictions, if he is not already a knight, the king is invested with the Sword, the archbishop sayingAccipe ensem desuper altare, as in the Roman rite, and the king says a prayer for himself in Spanish. The Mass for the day is then begun, and after the Epistle the king takes the oath in the direct form,Nos N. profitemur et promittimus coram Deo[127]. The more important bishops now lead the king to the archbishop and ask that he may be crowned, as in the Roman rite, except that the petition is made in Spanish. The archbishop then saysDeus in cuius manu corda sunt regum, and there follow three prayers under the headingAlia oratiowhich are probably to be regarded as alternative to the foregoing,Omn. semp. Deus qui famulum tuum N.,Deus qui scis omne humanum, andOmn. semp. Deus caelestium terrestriumque. The archbishop then puts the questions to the kingVis fidem sanctam, etc., and asks the people whether they will accept him as king, as in Hittorp’s order. The archbishop blesses the king with the prayerBenedic Domine hunc regem, and proceeds to the consecration; afterSursum corda,Preface, and the prayerCreator omnium Imperator angelorumhe anoints him in the threefold Name on the breast and each of his shoulders, and then saysProspice Omn. Domine hunc gloriosum regem nostrum serenis obtutibus. At this point under the headingAlia oratioare given a number of prayersDomine Deus Omn. cuius est omnis potestas, in a longer version than usual,Omn. semp. Deus qui Azahel super Syriam,Spiritus Sancti gratia,Deus qui es iustorum gloria, andDeus Dei filius.
The king is now crowned, the archbishop saying the formAccipe igitur coronam regni, as in Hittorp’s order except for a few words, and the king takes the Crown from off the altar and crowns himself, the archbishop sayingAccipe signum gloriae, diadema et coronam regni, as in the Roman rite of the coronation of an emperor. The king then takes the Sceptre from the altar, the archbishop sayingAccipe virgam, etc.; then the Orb, the archbishop sayingAccipe dignitatis pomum et per id, etc., which is the form with which the Ring is delivered in Hittorp’s order with the necessary changes. After the investitures, under the headingAlia oratiocome the two prayers,Benedic Domine quaesumus hunc regem, andDeus pater aeternae gloriae, and the king is then enthroned with theSta et retine, the anthemDesiderium animaebeing sung the while.
The queen’s coronation now follows. After the prayersOmn. semp. Deus fons et origo, andDeus qui solus, she retires to the sacristy, where she is arrayed in a camisa romana; a camisa of white silk; a girdle of white silk; a maniple on the left arm; and a dalmatic. Then the Litany is sung, followed by two prayers for the queen,Praetende, quaesumus, Domine, famulaetuae, andOmn. semp. Deus hanc famulam. The consecration prayer follows,Deus bonorum cunctorum auctorwith its preface, and the queen is anointed on head, breast, and on one shoulder, and after the anointing are said the prayers,Deus pater aeternae gloriae, andSpiritus Sancti gratia. The king now takes the Crown from off the altar and sets it on the queen’s head, the archbishop saying the short Roman form,Accipe coronam gloriae, or the form of Hittorp’s orderOfficio indignitatis. The king then gives the Sceptre into the queen’s right hand, the archbishop sayingAccipe virgam virtutis, and the Orb into her left hand, the same form being used as in the case of the king. The coronation of king and queen now over,Te Deumis sung, and Mass is begun. The Postcommunion is the old Roman form adapted,Deus qui ad defendendum aeterni regni evangelium regium Aragonum solium praeparasti, and before the Mass blessing are saidOmn. semp. Deus qui te populi sui voluit esse rectorem, andHaec Domine salutaris sacrificii perceptio, this latter, which is the Postcommunion of theMissa pro imperatoribus, being evidently a Postcommunion out of place.
It will be seen that at this stage the Spanish rite had been considerably influenced by the Roman rite. On the other hand it still retained very ancient features. The Shield and Spear are among the insignia of the Eastern emperors[128]. The Crown is still called the ‘Helmet,’ as in the Order of ‘Egbert.’The taking of the insignia by the king himself, and his investing the queen with her insignia, of which usages there are signs in some of the early Frankish rites, all are reminiscent of the old Eastern rite, as are the private prayers of the king himself, which have their parallel in the living form of the Eastern Imperial rite, that which exists in Russia at the present day. The use of the vernacular, too, is very noticeable. Indeed the parallels between their rite and the earlier Eastern rite raise the question whether there has been at any stage a borrowing by the former of elements from the latter.
The coronation rite seems to have lasted longest in Navarre of all the Spanish kingdoms. Moreover the rite of Navarre, though very similar to the rite of Aragon, is still more peculiarly Spanish than that of Aragon. The general character of the rite of Navarre is seen in the description of the coronation of Charles the Noble in 1390, though unfortunately the actual forms used are not available[129]. The ceremony took place at Pamplona, and is begun by the Archbishop of Pamplona requesting the king, ‘before you approach the sacrament of your unction,’ to take the oath to the people which custom requires. The king accordingly laying his hand on cross and gospels, swears to maintain the rights and privileges of the people and to maintain justice. Then in their turn the nobility and gentry present with one voice swear to be loyal and obedient to the king, and lastlythe officials of the towns, etc., take the oath of fealty. The king then proceeds to the chapel of St Stephen, disrobes, and is arrayed in white vestments designed with special openings to admit of the anointing. The Archbishop of Pamplona proceeds to anoint him in front of the high altar according to custom, but unfortunately what the custom is is not specified. The king after the anointing changes his raiment for precious vestments, and returns to the high altar. The archbishop then proceeds with the accustomed prayers, and the king takes the Sword off the altar and girds it on himself. He draws it, brandishes it, and returns it to its sheath. The king next takes the Crown from off the altar and sets it on his head, the archbishop saying the special form for the crowning; and then in the same way he takes the Sceptre. Finally, with Crown on head and Sceptre in hand, he is raised aloft on a large shield by twelve barons and deputies of various towns, who thrice shout ‘Real, real, real.’ Certain prayers follow, andTe Deumis sung. High Mass is then begun, the king offering certain palls of cloth of gold, and money according to custom. He makes his communion.
The rite by which John and Blanche were crowned in 1429 is more or less the same[130]. The oaths were made as usual, and the elevation on the shield took place, both John and Blanche being elevated, ‘according as the Gothic Kings of Spain were wontto be elevated, and before them certain Emperors of the Roman Empire.’
There are certain features of the Spanish rite which are very reminiscent of the Byzantine rite. For example, the Crown is called the ‘Helmet.’ The Shield and Spear are among the regalia. The monarch is elevated on a shield. And again the king invests himself with the various regal ornaments as was done in some circumstances at Constantinople. On the other hand it is to be remembered that after all the Shield and Spear were arms in general use and common to all nations. The elevation on the shield at Constantinople was without doubt derived from the practice of the Teutonic tribes who furnished the Empire with so many of her soldiers, and may well have been the custom of the Goths. The self-investiture by the king is curious in a land so much under the domination of the Church as was Spain from earliest Visigothic times. And there is no definite evidence of any derivation of the rite of the Spanish kingdoms from the rite of Constantinople.
The Scottish pre-reformation rite has not been preserved. It was not until the time of Pope John XXII that the kings of Scotland were crowned with an anointing, but in 1329 there was conferred upon the kings of Scotland ‘the right to receive anointing and coronation by the sacred hands of a Pontiff,’ a privilege which most of the kings of Europe at that time enjoyed. There was, however, long before this time some sort of inauguration ceremony. The ‘Ordination’ of King Aidan by St Columba has been mentioned, and there is reference fairly frequently in the Scottish annals to a ‘Custom of the nation,’ some ceremony that took place at the accession of a king, but of the details of which we have no knowledge. It was probably of the nature of an enthronisation. Again we can perhaps obtain some information on a detail of the coronation rite in general from a question that came up over the inauguration of Alexander III in 1249. The king was eight years old, and a dispute arose whether theking should be knighted before he was made king. It will be remembered that in the rite of Aragon the king was invested with the Sword at his coronation only if he had not been knighted before. It would seem that originally the investiture with the Sword was no part of the coronation ceremony, but was in process of time taken into the rite from the order for making a knight. Perhaps, too, we may see in the obligatory oath of the people of the post-reformation Scottish rite a survival of a peculiarity of the old rite.
Four coronations took place in Scotland subsequent to the Reformation[131].
In 1567 James VI was crowned during the lifetime of his mother, when he was one year old. The rite on this occasion was the old one, except that there was no Mass, and the officiating prelate was Adam Bothwell, Bishop of Orkney, the king being duly anointed, and the usual ceremonies taking place. The sermon was preached by John Knox, and the Earl of Morton acted as sponsor for the king. In the oath the king swore to extirpate heretics, but this was probably in accordance with the old form, the only difference being that heretics were now those who did not hold the doctrines of the ‘true Kirk.’
The second occasion on which a coronation ceremony took place in Scotland in post-reformation times was when Anne of Denmark was crowned as Queen-consort in 1590. This was the first occasion on which a definitely protestant rite was used. Theservice was of appalling length and lasted from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. There was no singing of any kind, not even of a psalm, and the unfortunate Anne had to listen to six discourses, three addresses, and three sermons, the last being in English, French, and Latin. After these Mr Andrew Melville recited two hundred lines of a poem of his own composing. The Queen took an oath against Popery. She was then anointed on the breast, and the method of anointing must have been very unpleasant, for we are told that ‘Mester Robert Bruce immediately puires furthe upon thois partis of hir breist and arme of quhilk the clothes were remowit, a bonye quantitie of oyll.’ Pressure had to be put on the Kirk to consent to use any anointing at all, and it was only when James threatened to procure a Prelate to perform the rite, if the Kirk was obdurate, that it was agreed to perform the obnoxious ceremony, and then on the understanding that it should be regarded as a civil and not as a religious act, and should be done without any form of words. After the anointing the Sceptre was delivered into her hands by Mr Melville, and the Duke of Lennox, receiving the Crown from the King’s hands, set it upon her head. And so the rite was concluded.
In 1651 Charles II was crowned as king of Scotland at Scone. The rite used[132]on this occasion was purged of ‘superstition’ inasmuch as no anointing was used. Otherwise it is based to some extent on the old rite and probably owes something to the English-Scottishorder used at the coronation of Charles I at Holyrood.
Before the procession started, the king was addressed by the Lord Chancellor to the effect that his subjects desired him to be crowned and to maintain the Covenant and to defend their rights, and Charles having given the required promise the procession set forth. During the first part of the proceedings in the church the king occupied a chair by the pulpit, the regalia being deposited on a table. The ceremony began with a sermon of inordinate length, preached by Mr Robert Douglas, Moderator of the Assembly. Basing his discourse on the narrative of the crowning of Jehoiada, the preacher dealt with many subjects, the meaning of the Coronation ceremony, the need of a reformation of their ways on the part of the king and his family, the freedom and independence of the Kirk and of the king’s duties towards it. The sermon being over, the king swore to maintain the Solemn League and Covenant. The Recognition then followed, the king ascending a stage and being presented to the people at the four sides by the Lord Great Constable and the Marischal, the people cryingGod save King Charles II. The oath was then tendered by Mr Douglas, and the king swore to maintain the established religion, to defend the rights of the crown of Scotland, and to extirpate heretics.
The oath taken, the Lord Great Chamberlain divested the king of his purple mantle in which he was arrayed from the first, and girt on him the Sword,saying:Sir, receive this kingly sword for the defence of the faith of Christ and protection of his kirk and of the true religion which is presently professed in this Kingdom and according to the National Covenant and League and Covenant, and for executing equity and justice, and for punishment of all iniquity and injustice. This is based on the old form. The king was then crowned by the Marquis of Argyll, the minister praying that the crown might be purged of the sin of his predecessors, and firmly settled on the king’s head. The homage follows, the Lyon king of Arms summons the nobles to come and touch the crown and swear faithful allegiance, and then takes place what is perhaps a feature peculiar to the old Scottish rite, the obligatory oath of the people. The Lyon king of Arms dictates the oath at the four corners of the stage, and the people holding up their hands repeat:By the Eternal Almighty God who liveth and reigneth for ever, we become your liegemen, and truth and faith will bear with you, and live and die with you against all manner of folk whatsoever in your service, according to the National League and Solemn League and Covenant. The Earl of Crawford next delivers the Sceptre, saying:Sir, receive this Sceptre of royal power of the Kingdom, that you may govern yourself right and defend all the Christian people committed by God to your charge, punishing the wicked and protecting the just. This again is based on the old form. The king is then enthroned by the Marquis of Argyll with a very short form based on theSta et retine,Stand and hold fast fromhenceforth the place whereof you are the lawful and righteous heir by a long and lineal descent of your fathers which is now delivered unto you by authority of Almighty God. The minister then delivers a ‘word of exhortation,’ after which one by one the lords kneel and swear allegiance, and finally the minister blesses the king and closes the proceedings with a long address to the people.
In 1619 Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine and the Princess Elizabeth (daughter of James I) were crowned with a reformed rite at Prague[133].
The king goes in procession to the parish church of Prague, and arrays himself in his regal vestments in the chapel of St Wenceslaus. As he enters the choir from the chapel he is blessed by the Administrator (the officiating minister) and, preceded by the procession of the Regalia, goes up to the high altar. TheVeni Creatoris sung[134], and then is said a collect for the king, in Bohemian, after which the king goes to his seat and the sermon is preached. After the sermon a Litany is sung in Latin with special petitions for the king, then a lesson is read, and the Administrator says a prayer for the guidance of the HolySpirit. Here comes the Recognition; the Burggraf demands of the people whether it is their wish that the king be crowned, and on their signifying their desire, the king takes the oath in the vulgar tongue, after which another prayer is said. The Administrator then anoints the king in the form of a cross on the forehead with an explanatory form which has no connection with the old forms. The investitures follow, and the king is invested with the Sword with the formAccipe gladium Rex electe a Deo, etc., which is based on the old Catholic form; then with Ring[135], Sceptre, Orb or Reichsapfel, and with the Crown, the forms in all cases being new. The enthronisation then takes place, after which the Burggraf summons all present to take the oath of allegiance, during the taking of which all who could laid two fingers on the Crown, and all others held up two fingers, the oath being repeated in common. A long benediction[136]of the king then takes place. The coronation of the queen is now proceeded with. As she comes from the sacristy she is blessed by the Administrator and kneels before the high altar while a prayer is said. The king then asks the Administrator to crown his Consort. Litany is sung, with special petitions for the queen, and the lesson read before is read again. A prayer is said, and then the Administrator anoints her in the same way as the king was anointed. The Sceptre is delivered to her with a form which is based on the old Catholic form, and the Reichsapfel andCrown with the same forms as were used in the case of the king. There is no mention of a Ring. A long benediction[137]of the queen follows here, and then the queen returns to her throne, and the proceedings close with the singing ofTe Deum.
In 1701, on the transformation of Frederick Elector of Brandenburg into the first King of Prussia, a consecration rite was provided for the occasion[138]. The ceremony took place at Königsberg, and two court-preachers, one Lutheran and the other Evangelical, were appointed to act as Consecrator and assistant-Consecrator. On the morning of January 18th, the king, already vested in his royal robes, betakes himself to the Hall of Audience and there crowns himself with his own hands, and then proceeding to her apartments crowns the queen. A procession then sets out to the Lutheran Schloss-Kirche, at the entrance of which they are met by the Consecrator and blessed by him, and they proceed to their thrones. A psalm (67) is sung and the Consecrator says a prayer at the altar, praying that the king and queen may receive by the anointing the gift of the Holy Spirit. A hymn is then sung, after which comes the sermon. Afterthe sermonVeni Creatoris sung, and the Grand-Chamberlain hands to the assistant-Consecrator a vessel containing the oil of unction, from which the Consecrator anoints the king (who has in the meantime laid aside his Crown and Sceptre) on the forehead and on both wrists, saying:Let your royal Majesty receive this unction as a divine sign and token whereby God formerly by His priests and prophets did testify to the Kings of His people that He Himself alone is the most high God: and that He makes, sets up, and appoints Kings; and let the Lord our God Himself herewith anoint your royal Majesty with the Holy Ghost, that you, as an anointed of the Lord, with a resolute, courageous and willing heart may rule and govern this your people and Kingdom; and in good health and prosperity for many years and times to come may serve the counsel and will of your God: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.The anointing is not in the form of a cross, but of a circle as being the most perfect figure known to mathematicians! Then the choir singsAmen, Amen. Prosperity to the king. Prosperity to the king. God grant him length of days.After this anthem the queen is anointed in the same way as the king with the form:Let your royal Majesty receive this unction as a divine sign and token that your Majesty has this anointing and appointment to your royal Dignity and Majesty from God; who espoused you to your King, that he should have from you both joy and comfort: and the Lord our God anoint you more and more with His Holy Ghost, that you may be courageous andwilling to glorify God and serve Him, for Jesus Christ our Lord. After which the anthemAmen, Amen. Prosperity to the Queen, etc., is sung. A fanfare is then blown on the trumpets, and the ministers make a deep reverence to the king and queen, and then the Consecrator blesses the king saying:Prosperity to the King, King Frederick, King of Prussia, and the Lord the God of our Lord the King say so: as the Lord hath been with him hithertowards, so let Him be with him for the time to come: that his royal throne may daily be greater and greater. Amen.The anthem is then once more sung. The Consecrator then blesses the queen in similar terms, and the anthem is once more sung. Then the choir singsGlory be to God on high, and the Consecrator addresses the people, saying,Fear God, honour your King and Queen, and blesses the king and queen. An anthem follows, then a hymn, and then the assistant-Consecrator makes a prayer of thanksgiving for the erection of the kingdom and the anointing of the king. The usual blessing is given and the ceremony ends with theTe Deum.