Samuel Pepys - Diary of Samuel Pepys

[Pepys was himself one of the Barons of the Cinque Ports at the

Coronation of James II.]

and little bells at every end. And after a long time, he got up to the farther end, and all set themselves down at their several tables; and that was also a brave sight: and the King’s first course carried up by the Knights of the Bath. And many fine ceremonies there was of the Heralds leading up people before him, and bowing; and my Lord of Albemarle’s going to the kitchin and eat a bit of the first dish that was to go to the King’s table. But, above all, was these three Lords, Northumberland, and Suffolk, and the Duke of Ormond, coming before the courses on horseback, and staying so all dinner-time, and at last to bring up [Dymock] the King’s Champion, all in armour on horseback, with his spear and targett carried before him. And a Herald proclaims “That if any dare deny Charles Stewart to be lawful King of England, here was a Champion that would fight with him;”

[The terms of the Champion’s challenge were as follows: “If any

person of what degree soever, high or low, shall deny or gainsay our

Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second, King of England, Scotland,

France and Ireland, defender of the faith, Sonne and next heire to

our Soveraigne Lord Charles the First, the last King deceased, to be

right heire to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme of England, or

that bee ought not to enjoy the same; here is his champion, who

sayth that he lyeth and is a false Traytor, being ready in person to

combate with him, and in this quarrell will venture his life against

him, on what day soever hee shall be appointed.”]

and with these words, the Champion flings down his gauntlet, and all this he do three times in his going up towards the King’s table. At last when he is come, the King drinks to him, and then sends him the cup which is of gold, and he drinks it off, and then rides back again with the cup in his hand. I went from table to table to see the Bishops and all others at their dinner, and was infinitely pleased with it. And at the Lords’ table, I met with William Howe, and he spoke to my Lord for me, and he did give me four rabbits and a pullet, and so I got it and Mr. Creed and I got Mr. Michell to give us some bread, and so we at a stall eat it, as every body else did what they could get. I took a great deal of pleasure to go up and down, and look upon the ladies, and to hear the musique of all sorts, but above all, the 24 violins: About six at night they had dined, and I went up to my wife, and there met with a pretty lady (Mrs. Frankleyn, a Doctor’s wife, a friend of Mr. Bowyer’s), and kissed them both, and by and by took them down to Mr. Bowyer’s. And strange it is to think, that these two days have held up fair till now that all is done, and the King gone out of the Hall; and then it fell a-raining and thundering and lightening as I have not seen it do for some years: which people did take great notice of; God’s blessing of the work of these two days, which is a foolery to take too much notice of such things. I observed little disorder in all this, but only the King’s footmen had got hold of the canopy, and would keep it from the Barons of the Cinque Ports,

[Bishop Kennett gives a somewhat fuller account of this unseemly

broil: “No sooner had the aforesaid Barons brought up the King to

the foot of the stairs in Westminster Hall, ascending to his throne,

and turned on the left hand (towards their own table) out of the

way, but the King’s footmen most insolently and violently seized

upon the canopy, which the Barons endeavouring to keep and defend,

were by their number and strength dragged clown to the lower end of

the Hall, nevertheless still keeping their hold; and had not Mr.

Owen York Herald, being accidentally near the Hall door, and seeing

the contest, caused the same to be shut, the footmen had certainly

carried it away by force. But in the interim also (speedy notice

hereof having been given the King) one of the Querries were sent

from him, with command to imprison the footmen, and dismiss them out

of his service, which put an end to the present disturbance. These

footmen were also commanded to make their submission to the Court of

Claims, which was accordingly done by them the 30th April following,

and the canopy then delivered back to the said Barons.” Whilst this

disturbance happened, the upper end of the first table, which had

been appointed for the Barons of the Cinque Ports, was taken up by

the Bishops, judges, &c., probably nothing loth to take precedence

of them; and the poor Barons, naturally unwilling to lose their

dinner, were necessitated to eat it at the bottom of the second

table, below the Masters of Chancery and others of the long

robe.-B.]

which they endeavoured to force from them again, but could not do it till my Lord Duke of Albemarle caused it to be put into Sir R. Pye’s’ hand till tomorrow to be decided. At Mr. Bowyer’s; a great deal of company, some I knew, others I did not. Here we staid upon the leads and below till it was late, expecting to see the fire-works, but they were not performed to-night: only the City had a light like a glory round about it with bonfires. At last I went to Kingstreet, and there sent Crockford to my father’s and my house, to tell them I could not come home tonight, because of the dirt, and a coach could not be had. And so after drinking a pot of ale alone at Mrs. Harper’s I returned to Mr. Bowyer’s, and after a little stay more I took my wife and Mrs. Frankleyn (who I proffered the civility of lying with my wife at Mrs. Hunt’s to-night) to Axe-yard, in which at the further end there were three great bonfires, and a great many great gallants, men and women; and they laid hold of us, and would have us drink the King’s health upon our knees, kneeling upon a faggot, which we all did, they drinking to us one after another. Which we thought a strange frolique; but these gallants continued thus a great while, and I wondered to see how the ladies did tipple. At last I sent my wife and her bedfellow to bed, and Mr. Hunt and I went in with Mr. Thornbury (who did give the company all their wine, he being yeoman of the wine-cellar to the King) to his house; and there, with his wife and two of his sisters, and some gallant sparks that were there, we drank the King’s health, and nothing else, till one of the gentlemen fell down stark drunk, and there lay spewing; and I went to my Lord’s pretty well. But no sooner a-bed with Mr. Shepley but my head began to hum, and I to vomit, and if ever I was foxed it was now, which I cannot say yet, because I fell asleep and slept till morning. Only when I waked I found myself wet with my spewing. Thus did the day end with joy every where; and blessed be God, I have not heard of any mischance to any body through it all, but only to Serjt. Glynne, whose horse fell upon him yesterday, and is like to kill him, which people do please themselves to see how just God is to punish the rogue at such a time as this; he being now one of the King’s Serjeants, and rode in the cavalcade with Maynard, to whom people wish the same fortune. There was also this night in King-street, [a woman] had her eye put out by a boy’s flinging a firebrand into the coach. Now, after all this, I can say that, besides the pleasure of the sight of these glorious things, I may now shut my eyes against any other objects, nor for the future trouble myself to see things of state and show, as being sure never to see the like again in this world.

24th. Waked in the morning with my head in a sad taking through the last night’s drink, which I am very sorry for; so rose and went out with Mr. Creed to drink our morning draft, which he did give me in chocolate