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.

The ceremonies & solem∣nities at the inauguration of the kings of Polonia, at their crowning, and at their an∣nointing.

FIrst, al the Archbishops, Bishops, Abbats & Suffragans, with al the Peeres of Polonia, shal meete together in the cathedrall Church of Graconia, the Bishops in their pon∣tificall weedes, Cum stolis albis, Mitris infulis super pellices. In like sort, the Knightes, Barons, and all the No∣bles of Polonia meet in the cathedral Church: The Archby∣shops, Bishops, and chiefe peeres with great pompe goe in or∣der to bring the new eleted King to his coronation: The King

was apparelled by the Lorde Marshall of Poland, and by the chiefe Maister of Ceremonies, whose Office is alwaies to at∣tend the ceremonial Order, Ensignes and Monumentes.

The kyng had Sandals on his feete, Gloues on his hands, a Coat, a Cloake painted and figured with alba Dalmatica, in these ceremoniall weeds appointed for the kings of Polonia to come from the Pallace to the Cathedral Church▪ where the king is lead betweene two Byshoppes, the rest before him and behinde him, in most solempne order from the Church into his seat: where standing in his royal Seat, the Archbish. reciteth certaine short Collects, the Crowne, the Scepter, the golden Apple, & a naked Sword were caried before the king: the Byshops, Abbots, with the Archbishops, had their Crosses caried in solempn order before the king (likewise) vntill they came to the Church doore: there the Embassadors & Legates of forreigne kings, receiue from these Noble men, the crown, the Scepter, the Apple and the Sword: and they caried them from the Porch of the Cathedral church vnto the high Altar, vpon the which Altar, these Regal Ensigns are said: this be∣ing done, one of the Byshops, after a few ceremoniall praiers, cōmeth vnto the kings seat, & standing before the king, he ad∣monisheth the king of the great dignity that he was to receiue at the hands of the Bishops, the Ministers of God & the vicars of Christ, for that day, to annoint & to crown him king of Po∣lonia: giuing the king to vnderstād, of the faith, pietie & vertue that belong to Princes: reciting to him the care and diligence that should bee in a king: consideryng all powers and autho∣ryties to come from God, by whom kyngs do rule & gouerne. These, with many the like words as are spoken to the kings of Hungaria: for that diuers of the ceremonies and crowning of the kyngs of Hungaria and of the kyngs of Polonia, do a∣gree in many things. Then, the new elected kyng, is brought frō his seat vnto the Altar, where the Archbysh. is at seruice: After Praiers done, then he turneth vnto the new kynge, and demaundeth these questions of hym. Wilt thou hould & main∣taine the holy Apostolique fayth, from the Catholique Church

receiued; The kyng affirmeth and saith, I wyl. The Arch∣byshop demaundeth againe: Wilt thou bee a Defender, to guard the Church and the Ministers therof? The kyng an∣swereth: I will. The thyrd time, the Archb. asketh the king: Wilt thou maintain, rule and defend the kingdom which God committeth into thy hand, according to the lawes & customs of Polonia. To this the K. answereth and saith, that he wil per∣form by the help of God al these things faithfully & truly with al care and diligence to the vttermost of his power. And then the king kneeling before the Archbyshop, bareheaded, with both his hāds vpon a book, vttereth these words. I N. (naming his owne name, that shall be King of Polonia) doo professe and promise before God and his Angels, that I will with all faith and trueth keepe the lawes, exercise iustice, maintaine the peace and quie••et••esse of the church, and yeeld due obedience reuerence and canonicall honour to the Pope of Rome, and to his Bishops pro posse & nosce as Emperours and other Kinges doo, and will obserue due honour and loue to the states of Polonia, so God help me and the contentes of this sacred booke.

Then the Archbishop reciteth a collect that it would please God to blesse him, as he did blesse Abraham and Moses, and to send him victories and triumphes as he did send to Iosua and to Dauid, & to teach him with wisdom, as Salomon: with the mildnes of Moses, with the fortitude of Iosua, with the hu∣mility of Dauid, and with the faith of Abraham. &c

Then the Archbishop kneeling on his knees, and the king flat on his face vpon the ground, singeth aloud from the high Altar this verse, that it would please God to accept of this seruice as a reasonable sacrifice: the Quire answering, Wee beseech thee to heare vs good Lord.

Then the Archbyshop standing, turneth vnto the King, holding the crosse vpon him, being vpon the ground, goeth for∣ward with his praiers, saieng Hunc in Regem coronandum bene dicere digneris, that it would please God to blesse this new elected King: the Chore answering, as before.

Then the Bishops, the Abbats, and the Chore, sing the Le∣tany Supra Regem, ouer the king, which all this while lieth flat on his face vpon the ground.

When the Letany is ended, the Archbyshop sitteth downe, the King before him kneeling, the Archbishop annointeth him, with the thumbe of his right hand, he annointeth the king in the palme of his right hand, and from thence vnto his elbow, and betweene his two shoulders, saieng, I annoint thee king with this holy and sacred oile, in the name of the Father, and of the sonne, and of the holy Ghost.

Then the Archbyshop praieth vnto God to blesse this an∣nointed king by him, as he did blesse Iehu & Azachiel, being annointed by the hands of Helias, the one K. of Israel, & the o∣ther King of Siria: As Dauid & Saul by the hands of Samuel.

After many of these godly Collects and praiers for the in∣auguration and annointing of kings published, the Archbishop doth againe attire the King with his Dalmatical robe, saieng Take this robe, formed and framed quadrant foure square, that thou maist knowe, that the foure coastes of all the whole world are subiects to the deuine power of God, and that there is no power nor authoritie but from God.

From the high Altar the King is lead into his royall seat, where the Archbishop deliuereth vnto the King (kneeling vp-his knees) a Sword, saieng, Accipe Gladium de super Alta∣re. &c. Take this Sword taken from the Altar, and con∣secrated by the authority of the Apostles, to reuenge euill, to presse iniquitie, and to destroy the enemies of God. In like sort he setteth the Diadem vpon the Kings head, with like wordes and ceremonies as the Hungarians doo. Then the Archby∣shop deliuereth the scepter into his right hand, and the Apple into his left hand, & vttereth these words, Accipe virgā. &c. Take this scepter, the scepter of equity and vertue, the scepter of thy Kingdome. And so the Apple, the figure and type of the world, with the like wordes as before.

At that time the new annointed king dooth offer bread and wine for sacrifice, which being ended, he is lead into the mid∣dest

of the Cathedrall Church into a regall throane made for that purpose, wherof by the Archbysh. the king is put in posses∣sion of his kingdome, saieng these words, Sede & retine locū tibi a Deo delegatum. Sit and keepe that place, geuen vnto thee from God. Then he saieth, Firmetur manus tuae, & ex∣altetur dextra tua, as before.

After this, the Archbishop standing vpon the right hand of the King, he praieth vnto God to visit this King, as he did vi∣sit Moses in the bush, Iosua in his tents, Gedion in the fields, and Samuel in the Temple. This being thus finished, the King is brought into his Pallace with all the pompe and so∣lempnity that may be.

These are the ceremonies and solempnities at the corona∣tion of any of the kings of Poland.

Notes

• The ceremo∣nies vsed at the coronatiō of the King of Poland.
• The admoni¦tiō & charge giuen to the K. of Poland at his coro∣nation.
• The demands to the Kinges of Poland, with their an¦swer to the same.
• The oath of the K. of Po∣land at his coronation.
• Their King is annointed.
• Dalmatical robe.
• The words & ceremonies at the coronati-of the king of Polonia.