The Archbishop putteth the sceptre into the queen's right hand, and the ivory rod with the dove into her left hand, and sayeth this prayer :

"O Lord, the giver of all perfection, grant unto this thy servant N. our queen, that by the powerful and mild influence of her piety and virtue, she may adorn the high dignity which she hath obtained, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen b."

An anthem.... The queen ariseth and goeth from the altar, supported by her two Bishops, and so up to the theatre. And as she passeth by the king on his throne, she boweth herself reverently to His Majesty, and then is conducted to her own throne c.

Et tradendo ei sceptrum in dextram et virgam in sinistram dicit hanc orationem :

"Omnium Domine Fons bonorum, et cunctorum Dator perfectorum, tribue famulæ tuæ N. adeptam bene regere dignitatem, et à te sibi præstitam bonis operibus corroborare gloriam. Per Dominum d."

Coronata autem regina à prædictis duobus episcopis honorifice ducetur ad solium suum sibi ex parte regis sinistra præparatum . . . Regina vero ad prædictum solium veniens ante ejus ascensum modicum regi inclinabit, ejus majestatem ut decet adorando e.

66 Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee, these thy gifts, and sanctify them unto this holy use; that by them we may be made partakers of the body and blood of thy only begotten Son Jesus Christ. And grant that thy servant N., our dread sovereign, may be fed thereof unto

everlasting life of soul and body, and enabled thereby to discharge the duty of his high place and office, whereunto thou hast called him of thy great goodness. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen "."

"Almighty God, give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fat of the earth, and abundance of corn and wine. Let the nations serve thee and the tribes worship thee, and let him be blessed that blesseth thee;

and God shall be thy helper "."

f Coron. Geo. III. The form was nearly the same in the coronation of William IV. Coron. Will. IV.

h Coron. Geo. III.

46; Coronatio Richardi Regis, apud Martene, iii. 190.

* Liber Regalis, p. 57, al.47. 1 Liber Regalis, p. 56, al. 46; Coron. Ethelredi, p. 11; Pon

VOL. II.

A a

"Bless, O Lord, the virtuous carriage of this king, and accept the work of his hands; replenish his realm with the blessings of heaven, of the dew of the water, and of the deeps. Let the influence of the sun and moon drop down fatness upon the high mountains, and the clouds rain plenty on the valleys, that the earth may abound with all things. Let the blessings of him that appeared in the bush descend upon his head, and the fulness of his blessings fall on his children and posterity. Let his feet be dipped in oil, and his horn exalted as the horn of an unicorn; with which he may scatter his enemies from off the face of the earth. The Lord that sitteth in heaven be his defender, for

"Omnipotens Dominus benedicat tibi benedictionibus cœli desuper in montibus et in collibus, benedictionibus abyssi jacentis deorsum, benedictionibus uberum frumentorum et uvarum, pomorumque; benedictiones patrum antiquorum, Abraham, Isaac, et Jacob confortatæ sint super te. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum "."

"Benedic, Domine, fortitudinem istius Principis, et opera manuum illius suscipe, et de benedictione tua terra ejus de pomis repleatur, de fructu cœli et de rore atque abyssi subjacentis, de fructu solis et lunæ,de vertice antiquorum montium, de pomis æternorum collium, et de frugibus terræ, et de pinguedine ejus. Benedictio illius qui apparuit in rubo veniat super capud istius, et plena sit benedictio Domini in filiis ejus, et tingat in oleo pedem suum. Cornua rinocerontis cornua illius, in ipsis ventilabit gentes usque ad terminos terræ, quia Ascensor coeli auxiliator suus in æternum fiat. Per Dominum °."

187.

m Coron. Geo. III.

n Liber Regalis, p. 57, al. 47; Pontificale Egberti Ebor.

• Liber Regalis, p. 57, al. 47; Pontificale Egberti Ebor. Archiepiscopi, Martene, iii. 187; Coronatio Æthelredi, p. 11.