the Bath, the latter of which ceremonials must first engage our attention. By the king's command, the lord chamberlain of his majesty's household, the office of earl marshal being then vacant, wrote letters to sixty-eight persons of rank, sons of peers, baronets, and others, requiring their attendance at the palace to receive the order of knighthood. They assembled on the day appointed in the Court of Requests; their names were called over by a herald at arms, and they were arranged in their proper order by the duke of Ormond, who had been appointed lord high steward for the coronation. They then proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where they attended evening prayers, after which they returned to supper in the Court of Requests. When supper was concluded, the treasurer of the royal household appeared, and having welcomed them in the king's name, conducted them to the dormitories which had been provided for them in the Parliament House. They were lodged," says the Garter-king-at-arms, "in pallets covered with red say, each having a demi-tester, without curtaines, of the same stuff, and an eschucheon of armes on every tester; at the foote of every pallett, (which were set at equal distances from each other, both in the Painted Chamber and Lords' House,) was a bathing tubb, covered without and within with twenty or ffower and twenty ells of ffine linen, with a cross hoope over it, covered with red say, and a carpet by the side of it. The roomes being voyded, each bathed himselfe more or less as hee thought fitt, and so went to rest."

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On the following morning the knights arrayed themselves in the habits of pilgrims or hermits, and marched in procession to Henry the Seventh's chapel, conducted by the officers of arms in their heraldic robes, and accompanied by their esquires. There they were presented, six at a time, to the Lord High Steward (Duke of Ormond), the Lord High Constable (Earl of

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Northumberland), the Lord High Chamberlain (Earl of Lindsey), the Earl Marshal, (Earl of Suffolk), and the Lord Chamberlain, (Earl of Manchester), who had been commissioned to preside over the ceremonial. After having made their reverences, Garter king at arms gave them the following admonition, which each of them swore to observe, the Gospels being given to each knight by Norroy king at arms.

"Right dear brethren, Great worship be this noble order unto every one of you. You shall love and dread God above all things, you shall be steadfast in the faith of Christ, you shall love the king your sovereign lord, and him and his right defend to your power. You shall defend widows, maidens, and orphans, in their right, you shall suffer no extortion as far as you may, nor sit in place where any wrongful judgment shall be given to your knowledge. And of as great honor be this order unto you, as ever itwas to any of your heirs, progenitors, or others."

When the oaths had been administered the commissioners retired, and the knights, laying aside their pilgrim weeds, put on suits of white satin, over which they wore surcoats of crimson taffeta, lined with white, and mantles of the same, having cordons of white silk, and knops of red silk and gold; they also wore white gloves, white boots, and white hats and feathers. In this they dined, and after dinner, mounting their horses, they made a procession to the banquetting-house at Whitehall, where they were received by the king, sitting under a canopy of state. Here each knight received in succession the accolade from the sword of state, and had his own sword and the collar of the order hung round his neck by the king's hand. would have consumed too much time to put the spurs on so many knights, the king desired that the earl of Lincoln should simply touch the right heel of each with the spur.

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They then proceeded to chapel, and after the service offered their swords at the altar, receiving the following admonition from the bishop of London, who was dean of the royal chapel:

"By the oath which you have taken this day, I exhort and admonish you to use these swords to the glory of God and defence of the Gospel, to the maintenance of your sovereign's right and honour, and to the upholding of justice and equity, to your power. So help you God."

When all had received the admonition, they redeemed their swords by paying each an angel of gold, and then returned in procession to the hall. At the door of the chapel stood the king's principal cook, wearing a white apron, and holding a large chopping-knife in his hand; before him was a little table covered with a linen cloth, and as each knight passed by he thus addressed them,

"Gentlemen, You know what a great oath you have taken, which is, to defend the Gospel, succour the widows and fatherless, right the wronged, &c., which if you perform and keep it, will be to your great honour, but, if you break it, I must hack off your spurs from your heels, as unworthy of this dignity, which will be a great dishonour to you; which God forbid."

When the knights reached the hall an officer at arms proclaimed that their attendance would be required at Tower-hill on the following Monday, to join the royal procession.

On the following day (Saturday) six earls and six barons were created, and invested by the king with the mantles, swords, and coronets appropriated to their respective dignities.

On Monday morning, at seven o'clock, the king came by water to the Tower, and, after having refreshed himself, gave orders for the formation of the procession. Before ten all the peers and knights, in their robes of state, mounted their richly caparisoned horses, and the king also went on horseback, declining to use his coach. His majesty had twenty-four footmen, the duke of York twenty, every duke twelve, every marquis ten, every earl eight, every viscount six, and every baron four; besides, each of them had a gentleman of his horse, and pages in proportion, going on foot, all in extraordinary rich liveries.