Coronation Anecdotes Part 17

G.o.d save King George the Fourth!

Long live King George!

May the King live for ever!

The solemnity of the King's coronation being thus ended, the archbishop left the King in his throne, and went down to the altar.

THE COMMUNION.

Then the Offertory began, the archbishop reading these sentences:--

Let your light so s.h.i.+ne before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Charge them who are rich in this world, that they be ready to give, and glad to distribute; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attain eternal life.

The King descended from his throne, supported and attended as before; and went to the steps of the altar, and knelt down there.

And first the King offered bread and wine for the Communion, which were brought out of king Edward's chapel, and delivered into his hands, the bread upon the paten by the bishop that read the Epistle, and the wine in the chalice by the bishop that read the Gospel; these were by the archbishop received from the King, and reverently placed upon the altar, and decently covered with a fair linen cloth, the archbishop first saying this prayer:--

Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee, these thy gifts, and sanctify them unto this holy use, that by them we may be made partakers of the body and blood of thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and fed unto everlasting life of soul and body: and that thy servant King GEORGE may be enabled to the discharge of his weighty office, whereunto of thy great goodness thou hast called and appointed him. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Then the King kneeling, as before, made his second Oblation, offering a mark weight of gold, which the treasurer of the household delivered to the lord great chamberlain, and he to His Majesty. And the archbishop came to him, and received it in the basin, and placed it upon the altar. After which the bishop said:--

O G.o.d, who dwellest in the high and holy place, with them also who are of an humble spirit; look down mercifully upon this thy servant GEORGE, our King, here humbling himself before thee at thy footstool; and graciously receive these oblations, which in humble acknowledgment of thy sovereignty over all, and of thy great bounty to him in particular, he has now offered up unto thee, through Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Then the King returned to his chair, and knelt down at his faldstool; the archbishop said:--

Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's church militant here on earth.

Almighty and ever-living G.o.d, who by thy holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications, and to give thanks for all men: we humbly beseech thee most mercifully to receive these our prayers which we offer unto thy Divine Majesty, beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: and grant that all they that do confess thy holy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity and G.o.dly love. We beseech thee also to save and defend all Christian kings, princes, and governors; and especially thy servant GEORGE our King, that under him we may be G.o.dly and quietly governed: and grant unto his whole council, and to all that are put in authority under him, that they may truly and indifferently minister justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true religion and virtue. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and curates, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy sacraments: and to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation here present, that with meek heart and due reverence they may hear and receive thy holy word, truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succour all them who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity. And we also bless thy holy name, for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear; beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

THE EXHORTATION.

Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of G.o.d, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways; draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty G.o.d, meekly kneeling upon your knees.

THE GENERAL CONFESSION.

Almighty G.o.d, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee, in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE ABSOLUTION.

Almighty G.o.d our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance, and true faith, turn unto him; have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

After which was said,

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour saith unto all that truly turn to him.

Come unto me, all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. St. Matt. xi. 28.

So G.o.d loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son to the world, and that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. St. John, iii. 16.

Hear also what St. Paul saith:

This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15.

Hear also what St. John saith:

If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. 1 John, ii.

1.

After which the archbishop proceeded, saying,

Arch. Lift up your hearts.

Answ. We lift them unto the Lord.

Arch. Let us give thanks unto our Lord G.o.d.

Answ. It is meet and right so to do.

Then the archbishop turned to the Lord's table, and said,

It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty everlasting G.o.d:

Who hast at this time given us thy servant our sovereign King GEORGE, to be the Defender of the Faith, and the protector of thy people:

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord G.o.d of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.

Amen.

THE PRAYER OF ADDRESS.

We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful G.o.d, trusting in our own righteousness, but thy manifold great mercies.

We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But thou art the same G.o.d, whose property is always to have mercy; grant us therefore, gracious G.o.d, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, our souls washed through his most precious blood. That we may evermore dwell with him, and he with us.

Amen.

THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION.

Almighty G.o.d, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption, who made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and did inst.i.tute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious death to his coming again; hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we, receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy inst.i.tution, in remembrance of his death and pa.s.sion, may be partakers of his most holy body and blood: who in the same night that he was betrayed took bread[111], and when he had given thanks, he brake it[112], and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat[113], this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me. Likewise, after supper[114] he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this, for this[115] is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me. Amen.

When the archbishop, and dean of Westminster, with the bishops'

a.s.sistants, namely, the preacher, and those who read the Litany, and the Epistle and Gospel, had communicated in both kinds, the archbishop administered the bread, and the dean of Westminster the cup, to the King.