The order, solemnitie, and pompe, of the feastes, sacrifices, vowes, games, and triumphes: vsed vpon the natiuities of emperours, kinkes [sic], princes, dukes, popes, and consuls: with the custome, order, and manner of their inaugurations, coronations, and annoynting. With a briefe rehearsall of the funerall solemnities at some emperours, kings, and princes burials.

Of the maner and forme of the inauguration & annointing of the kings of France at their coronations with al other ancient ce∣remonies and solemnities.

FOr the inauguration and annointing of the Kinges of France: First, a regall throane is made in the body of the Church at S. Denis, the night before the king of France is crowned, the keies and custody of the Church is com∣mitted to the kinges guard: the King that night entreth into the church very deuoutly to pray, & there continueth a while: in the morning the kings watch with his guard, lock all the doores of the church: morning praiers being ended, the King with al his barons, nobles & peeres, with al archbishops & Bi∣shops early in the morning come to the church, wher the arch∣bishop of Rhemes doth most richly attire himselfe to celebrate seruice. In the meane time, the Abbot and the Monkes of Rhemes bring Ampullam to S. Dennis with great reue∣rence, the Archbishop comming to the Altar in his Pontifical robes, and speaketh to the king in this wise.

We request thee, and require thee, that thou defend the ca∣nonicall priuiledge of the Church committed to our charge, & that thou wilt obserue iustice and the law of France, as that thou wilt keepe vs and saue vs, as a King ought in his King∣dome preserue and maintaine any that putteth confidence vnto him, whether he be of the Cleargy, or of the Laiety: To this the King dooth promise, and voweth, that he will defend, maintaine, and keepe with all his power both the state of the Cleargie, and the Laiety, saieng, Promitto & iuro me vni∣cui{que} vestrum, legē & ius debitum Ecclesiae seruaturum.

This doth the king of France promise and sweare with a solempne oath before all the states of France: After the kings oath is ended, two Archb. take the king by the hand, and lead him before the high Altar, where he kneeleth vntill some cer∣tain songs and praiers be ended. Vpon the Altar is set most so¦lempnly

the imperial Diadem of France, with another lesser crowne beside the regal sword in his scabberd: there are also laid vpon the Altar a paire of golden spurs, a Scepter of pure gold, with a golden rod, springingforth (as it were) out of an I∣uory hand: also a paire of hose, called Sandanali of purple collor wrought ouer cum floribus Lirinis of pure gold, a coat which is called Dalmatica, and a regall cloake: these were ancient monumentes and orders of France, instituted by Charles the great, & left as reliques & monuments after him to his succes∣sors, the kings of France. These ought the Abbat of S. Dennis to bring to Rhemes from his owne Monastry, the K. standing before the Altar, vnlaceth himselfe vnto his shirt, the great Chamberlain of France receiueth at the Abbat of S. Dennis the sandals, which the king weareth: After, the Duke of Bur∣gundy putteth the kings spurs on, and presently taketh them off againe, then the Archbyshop girdeth the sword to the kings side, and straight taketh it off, and draweth it out of the scab∣berd, and deliuereth it into the kings hand: saieng Accipe gla¦dium tibi datum, quo possis repellere omnes inimicos san∣ctae Ecclesiae, regnū tibi commissum defendere. &c. Take this sacred Sword which is deliuered vnto thee from aboue, whereby thou maist resist & banish all the enemies of God, and the aduersaries of his Church, defend the kingdome commit∣ted vnto thee. Then the Chore sang this Antheme, Confor∣tare, & esto virilis, & obserua legem domini Dei tui, &c. Be strong and corragious, and obserue the lawes of thy Lord God, that thou maist waike in his waies and keepe his com∣mandements, as testimonies of his loue and God shall streng∣then thee, and saue thee wheresoeuer thou be.

The king taketh the sword out of the Archbishopes hande and deliuereth it to the Constable of France to bee caried be∣fore the King, then the king is annointed with the holie and most sacred oile, which was brought by the Abbot of Rhemes, but before that the K. is annointed, the Archbishop readeth 3. short collects for the grace & blessing of God, wherby the king might the better gouerne his people with wisedome & vertue.

Then the King kneeling is ready for the holie oile, and by the Archbyshop is annointed in fiue places of his body. First, vpon his head, then vpon his breast, thirdly in the armeholes: fourth∣ly, on his elbowes, and fiftly, and vppon both his shoulders, saieng these wordes at euery seuerall annointing. Vn∣guo te oleo sanctificato. &c. I annoint thee with this sancti∣fied Oile in the name of the Father. &c. and all the Bishops and States say, Amen.

While the Archbyshop annointeth the King, they in the Chore sang this Antheme. Sadoke the high priest, and Na∣than the prophet came to Salomon at Ierusalem, merilie saieng, God saue king Salomō for euer. Thē the Archbishop reciteth a Collect, desiring God to annoint this King, as hee had annointed his Priestes, Prophetes, and his Martires which onely through faith subdued Kingdomes. &c.

When the Archbyshop had ended some praiers after the an¦nointing of the King, and being lead vp againe by the Arch∣byshop and Byshops, the great Chamberlaine of France put∣teth vpon the King that rich garment, called Dalmaticus Cereleus, like a coate, and vpon that he putteth a most sump∣tuous Princely cloake, called Regale pallium. Then the Archbyshop deliuereth vnto the King the ring, and putteth it vpon the middle finger of the right hand, saieng, Accipe anu∣lum. &c, Take this ring in token of thy holy faith, the firm∣nesse and soundnesse of the Kingdome, whereby thou art to vanquish thy enemies through triumphant power, banish all heresies, and to bring thy subiects to continue faithfull to God through Christ. Then the Archbyshop deliuereth the Scep∣ter in the Kings right hand, saieng also: Accipe Sceptrum in signum regalis potentiae. &c. Take this Scepter of thy Kingdome, in token of regall power to gouerne the kingdome truly and faithfully and to protect the Church, and the people of God.

After the Ring and the Scepter are in this sort deliue¦red to the king, he putteth into the left hand of the king, the golden rod, in like maner saieng, Accipe Virgam virtutis

aequitatis. &c. Take this rod of equitie and vertue, whereby thou maiest instruct the ignorant, and raise them that fall, to comfort the good men, and to feare the euill through him that is the rod of Iesse, the key of Dauid, and the scepter of Israel.

After this, the Lord Chancelor of France (if he be in place present, if he be absent, the Archbyshop with all the Peeres of France, aswel of the Cleargie, as of the Laiety, doo solemply bring the Regall Crowne of France from the Altar vnto the Archbyshop, who setteth it vpon the Kings head, all the states of France laieng their hands vpon the Diadem, and ther hold their hands, while the Archbishop pronounceth these wordes, Deus coronet te Corona gloriae, & honoris, & iusticiae. &c God crowne thee with the crowne of glorie and honour, with the crowne of Iustice and constancy, that thou by strong faith and fruites of good workes, maist come to the kingdome of glorie.

After that the King is crowned, the Archbyshop recyteth certaine short praiers, and at the end of euery praier, the By∣shops, Peeres and the states say, Amen. When these pray∣ers be ended, the Archbyshop turneth his face to the King, and saith, Stabilis esto, & retine statum. &c. Be strong and con∣stant, and keepe thy state, which thou hast by succession from thy Father by the law of heritage.

These ceremonies being ended, the Archbyshop with the rest of the States, lead the king in most solempne and tri∣umphant maner vnto a high throane, made and prouided pur∣posely for the King, that he might be seene of all sitting in his chaire, where the Archbishop that doth solemnize this corona∣tion, commeth vnto the King and kisseth him on the cheekes, saieng, Viuat Rex in eternum. Let the King liue for euer. In like sort, the chiefest Peeres and states of Laiety & Clear∣gie vse the like crremonies, and saieng the like wordes: the Gospell being read, the King standeth vp of his chaire, taketh off the Crowne from his head vntill the Gospell bee ended: Two chiefe Archbyshops doo bring the Euangelist from the Altar vnto the King in his throane, & there kisseth the booke,

and after is brought by the states to the Altar, to offer oblati∣on, seruice. &c. Being ended, the Archbishop taketh the impe∣rial Diadem of the King, and those ceremoniall robes and holie garmentes, prouided for the coronation of any King in France, and putteth on the Kinges head a lesser Crowne with other princely rich apparell, and so the king is brought into his pallace with all solempne pompe and triumph: The Barons of France do bring Ampullam sanctam very hono∣rably againe into Rhemes. These are the whole ceremonies at the coronation of the Kings of France, euen from Charles the great his time, and by him first appointed, as a generall inauguration of all the kings of France.

Phillippus, surnamed the Faire, being ready to die, called his eldest sonne, named Lewes Hutinus, whom he taught to heale the euil sicknesse, called Strumae, instructed his son to vse the words which at this day are vsed, cōmending chastity & ho∣lines of life to be a great cause in curing of this disease.

Notes

• The charge giuen to the K. of France at their coro∣nation.
• The Kings oath.
• The ancient monuments at the corona¦tion of the K. of France,
• The words of the ceremo∣nies.
• The Anthem at the annoin¦ting of the King.
• Ampulla, a sa¦••red relique.
• Phillippus Pulcher, his charge to his son at his death.