Pageants, and sights of honour.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Never greater,

Nor, I’ll assure you, better taken, sir.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

May I be bold to ask what that contains,

That paper in your hand?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Yes, ’tis the list

Of those that claim their offices this day

By custom of the coronation.

The Duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims

To be High Steward; next, the Duke of Norfolk,

He to be Earl Marshal. You may read the rest.

He gives him the paper

SECOND GENTLEMAN

I thank you, sir. Had I not known those customs,

I should have been beholden to your paper.

But I beseech you, what’s become of Katherine,

The Princess Dowager? How goes her business?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

That I can tell you too. The Archbishop

Of Canterbury, accompanied with other

Learned and reverend fathers of his order,

Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off

From Ampthill, where the Princess lay; to which

She was often cited by them, but appeared not.

And, to be short, for not appearance, and

The King’s late scruple, by the main assent

Of all these learned men, she was divorced,

And the late marriage made of none effect,

Since which she was removed to Kimbolton,

Where she remains now sick.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Alas, good lady!

Flourish of trumpets within

The trumpets sound. Stand close. The Queen is coming.

Enter the coronation procession, which passes over the stage in order and state. Hautboys, within, ⌈play during the procession⌉

THE ORDER OF THE CORONATION

1. First, ⌈enter⌉ trumpeters, who play a lively flourish.

2. Then, enter two judges.

3. Then, enter the Lord Chancellor, with both the purse containing the great seal and the mace borne before him.

4. Then, enter choristers singing; ⌈with them, musicians playing.⌉

5. Then, enter the Lord Mayor of London bearing the mace, followed by Garter King-of-Arms wearing his coat of arms and a gilt copper crown.

6. Then, enter Marquis Dorset bearing a sceptre of gold, and wearing, on his head, a demi-coronal of gold and, about his neck, a collar of esses. With him enter the Earl of Surrey bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned with an earl’s coronet, and also wearing a collar of esses.

7. Next, enter the Duke of Suffolk as High Steward, in his robe of estate, with his coronet on his head, and bearing a long white wand. With him, enter the Duke of Norfolk with the rod of marshalship and a coronet on his head. Each wears a collar of esses.

8. Then, under a canopy borne by four barons of the Cinque Ports, enter Anne, the new Queen, in her robe. Her hair, which hangs loose, is richly adorned with pearl. She wears a crown. Accompanying her on either side are the Bishops of London and Winchester.

9. Next, enter the old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen’s train.

10. Finally, enter certain ladies or countesses, with plain circlets of gold without flowers. The two Gentlemen comment on the procession as it passes over the stage

SECOND GENTLEMAN

A royal train, believe me. These I know.

Who’s that that bears the sceptre?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Marquis Dorset.

And that, the Earl of Surrey with the rod.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

A bold brave gentleman. That should be

The Duke of Suffolk?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

’Tis the same: High Steward.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

And that, my lord of Norfolk?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Yes.

SECOND GENTLEMAN (seeing Anne) Heaven bless thee!

Thou hast the sweetest face ever looked on.

Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel.

Our King has all the Indies in his arms,

And more, and richer, when he strains that lady.

I cannot blame his conscience.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

They that bear The cloth of honour over her are four barons

Of the Cinque Ports.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Those men are happy, And so are all are near her.

I take it she that carries up the train

Is that old noble lady, Duchess of Norfolk.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

It is. And all the rest are countesses.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Their coronets say so. These are stars indeed—

⌈FIRST GENTLEMAN⌉

And sometimes falling ones.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

No more of that.

Exit the last of the procession, and then

a great flourish of trumpets within

Enter a third Gentleman ⌈in a sweat⌉

FIRST GENTLEMAN

God save you, sir. Where have you been broiling?

THIRD GENTLEMAN

Among the crowd i’th’ Abbey, where a finger

Could not be wedged in more. I am stifled

With the mere rankness of their joy.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

You saw the ceremony?

THIRD GENTLEMAN

That I did.

FIRST GENTLEMAN How Was it?

THIRD GENTLEMAN

Well worth the seeing.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Good sir, speak it to us.

THIRD GENTLEMAN

As well as I am able. The rich stream

Of lords and ladies, having brought the Queen

To a prepared place in the choir, fell off

A distance from her, while her grace sat down

To rest a while—some half an hour or so—

In a rich chair of state, opposing freely

The beauty of her person to the people.

Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman

That ever lay by man; which when the people

Had the full view of, such a noise arose

As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest,

As loud and to as many tunes. Hats, cloaks—

Doublets, I think—flew up, and had their faces

Been loose, this day they had been lost. Such joy

I never saw before. Great-bellied women,

That had not half a week to go, like rams

In the old time of war, would shake the press,

And make ’em reel before ’em. No man living

Could say ‘This is my wife’ there, all were woven

So strangely in one piece.