own day he obtained much celebrity in what was then called the gay science, or in other words, the composition of small and somewhat rude pieces of verse, the first effort of reviving poetry on the north of the Alps.* Besides these qualities, Richard had displayed a degree of moderation and even gentleness in his dealings with all men since he had succeeded to the dominions of his father, which might have been expected, from the clemency which he had generally shown to his vanquished enemies, during the various struggles in Poitou and Aquitaine, but which seems to have taken his subjects by surprise, when, having unbounded power to

*The description of Richard given by Vinesauf, though not a little exaggerated, may not be uninteresting to the reader, as shewing the excess of admiration, and somewhat servile reverence, by which he was viewed by his people at this period:"Huic autem virtus Hectoris, magnanimitas erat Achillis, nec inferior Alexandro, nec virtute junior Rollando, imo nostri temporis commendabiliores facile multifariam transcendens, cujus velut alterius Titi dextra sparsit opes, et, quod in tam famoso milite perrarum esse solet, lingua Nestoris, prudentia Ulissis, in omnibus negotiis vel perorandis vel gerendis aliis merito reddebant excellentiorem, cujus nec scientia strenue agendi voluntatem refugeret, nec voluntas scientiæ inopiam accusaret, quis (si quis forte præsumptionis æstimaverit arguendum) noverit ejus animi vinci nescium, injuriæ impatientem, ad jure debita repetenda, innata generositate compulsum non inconvenienter excusarit, quem ad quæque gerenda effecerat successus elegantiorem, quoniam audentes fortuna juvat, quæ licet in quolibet suis fungatur moribus, fuit tamen iste adversis rerum immersabilis undis. Erat quidem statura procerus, elegantis formæ, inter rufum et flavum

chastise, he used it, but with two exceptions, to soothe, to recompense, or to forgive.

The feelings of the people, then, towards a monarch thus situated and thus endowed, may be very easily conceived; and we find that his coronation was anticipated with a degree of pleasure, and accompanied by a display of feudal pomp, such as is not recorded respecting that of any of his predecessors. On his arrival in London, on the first of September, he was met by the citizens, the clergy, and the nobles, and conducted in procession to the palace of Westminster, where he remained till the day appointed for the ceremony, which was the third of the same month. The superstition of the period

medie temperata cæsarie, membris flexilibus et directis, brachia productiora, quibus ad gladium educendum nulla habiliora, vel ad ferendum efficaciora, nihilominus tibiarum longa divisio totuisque corporis dispositione congrua, species digna imperio, cui non modicum competentiæ mores addebant et habitus, qui non tantum à generis dignitate, sed virtutum ornamentis summam possit consequi laudem. Sed quid tantum virum laudum immensitate laborem extollere? nou eget externo commendatore, quod amplum laudis habet meritum, laus comes ipsa rei est. Fuit nimirum longe præstans cæteris, et morum bonitate et potentia virium; belloque et potestate memorandus; ejusque opera magnifica omnem quantumvis claræ gloriæ illustrationem. obumbrantia. Felix profecto, secundum hominem dico, reputandus, si gloriosis ejus gestis invidentibus caruisset æmulis, quorum fuit hoc solum odii seminarium, quia magnificus erat, quia nimiter nunquam torquebis in vitio quam virtuti serviendo."

beheld, with some surprise, that the sovereign had appointed that solemnity to take place on a day marked as unfortunate in the calendar; and there is no historian of those times who does not particularly point out the fact, though in general they endeavour to show that the inauspicious influence of the third nones of September was confined in its effects to the Jews.

Richard, however, paid no attention to evil auguries, and the ceremony took place on the day appointed. It is to be remarked, that previous to his coronation the greater part of the historians of the time do not bestow upon him the title of king, some continuing to call him in their writings Count of Poitou, and others, Duke of Normandy. This would not be deserving of notice, as the sovereign power of the monarch was universally acknowledged in England from the period of his father's death, but the words of Diceto render the fact worthy of consideration, that historian distinctly stating, that previous to his consecration some form of election took place by the clergy and people assembled. He does not describe the manner in which this election was conducted, but he declares that it was solemn, and hints that it was customary. I do not find the fact mentioned by any other contemporary writer; but as Diceto himself was present, taking part in the ceremony, and his statement was written for persons who must have known the facts, there is no possibility of doubting

that some proceeding of the kind which he mentions actually did occur.*

Everything having been prepared, and the nobles and people assembled, the clergy, headed by the archbishops and bishops of the realm, together with the abbots and heads of the monastic orders, proceeded from the abbey, in which they had met, towards the king's bed-chamber, having a large cross, with censers and vessels of holy water, borne before them. The monarch received them, surrounded by his nobles; and, the procession to the abbey having being formed, Richard issued forth from his chamber, supported by the Bishops of Durham and Bath, and, walking upon cloth, which had been laid from his bed-chamber to the altar, advanced to the church amidst the chants of the choristers and the acclamations of the people. First came the clergy, in their silken copes, bearing the cross, the holy water, the lighted tapers, and the incense; then appeared the priors and abbots of the various monastic orders, followed by the bishops, in the midst of whom were seen four barons, each carrying a large candlestick of gold; next came side by side Godfrey de Lucy and John Mareschal, the one bear

* I conceive this ceremony to have been different from the ordinary form of presenting the sovereign to the people used at present. The words of Diceto are " Comes itaque Pictavorum Ricardus hæreditario jure promovendus in regem, post tam cleri quam populi sollempnem et debitam electionem, involutus est," &c.

golden spurs.

ing the cap of maintenance, the other, two large These were followed by William Mareschal, Earl of Striguel, and William Earl of Salisbury, the first carrying the sceptre surmounted by the golden cross; the latter, the golden rod with the dove. After them appeared Prince John, having on his right and left David Earl of Huntingdon, brother of the King of Scotland, and Robert Earl of Leicester, each bearing one of the three swords covered with its sheath of gold. This party was succeeded by six earls and six barons, supporting on their shoulders a large table, on which were placed the royal vestments. Then appeared William Mandeville, Earl of Albemarle, carrying a heavy crown of gold, decorated in every part with precious stones. Richard himself came next, with his two supporters, having the royal canopy borne over his head upon four lances by four of his barons. The rest of the nobility and clergy followed, and entered the church according to their rank.

Passing through the nave, the king, with his chief officers and the dignified and beneficed clergy, proceeded into the choir, where he knelt before the high altar, on which were placed the holy evangelists and the principal relics belonging to the abbey. On these the monarch swore, first, that he would honour and reverence God and the holy church all the days of his life; secondly, that he would dispense justice and equity to the people committed to his charge; and, thirdly, that he would annul all evil laws and