On this Day in History ... 01 June

The Noble Triumphant Coronacyon of Quene Anne. 01 Jun 1532. Also all the pavements of the cyte from Charyncrosse to the towre was ouer couerde and caste with grauell. And the same Saturday beyng Whytson euen the mayre with all the aldermen and the craftes of the cyte prepared aray in a good order to stande and receyue her and with rayles for euery crafte to stande and leane from prease of people. The mayre mette the quenes grace at her comyng forthe of ye towre and all his bretherne and aldermen standyng in chepe. And upon the same Saturday the quene came forth from the towre towarde Westmynster in goodly aray as here after foloweth. She passed the stretes first with certayne straungers then horses trapped with blewe sylke and them selves in blewe veluet with white fethers acompanyed two and two. Lykewise squiers knights barons and baronetts knightes of the bath clothed in vyolet garmentes edged with armyns lyke iuges. Than folowyng the juges of the lawe and abbottes. All these estats were to the nombre of two hundred cople with more two and two accompanyed. And than folowed bysshops two and two: and tharch bysshops of Yorke and Caterbury the ambassaders of Fraunce and Venyce the lorde mayre with a mace mayster garter the kyng of heraudes and the kings cote armour upon him with the offycers of armes apoyntyng euery estate in their degre. Than folowed two aunciente knights with olde fassion hattes poudred on their heedes disgysed who dyd represent the duke of Normandy and of Guyen after an olde custome: the lorde constable of Englande for the tyme beyng the duke of Suffolke the lorde Willyam Hawarde the deputie for the tyme to the lorde marshall duke of Norfolke. Than folowed the qucnes grace in her lytter costly and rychly besene with a ryche canape ouer her which bare the lordes of the fyue portes : after her folowyng the mayster of her horse with a whyte spare palfray ledde in his hande rychly apoynted. Than folowed her noble ladyes of estate rychly clothed in crymosyn poudred with armyns to the nobre of twelve. Than the mayster of the garde with the garde on both sydes of the strets in good aray and all the constables well besene in veluet and damaske cotes with whyte stanes in their handes settynge euery man in araye and orner in the stretes untyll she came to Westminster. Than folowed four ryche charyottes with ladyes of honour after than folowed thirty ladyes and gentylwomen r(ich)ly¹ garnysshcd and so the seruyng men after them. And a(s)² t she was departed from ye towne a meruaylous great shot of gonnes was there fyred and shot. So this moste noble company passed till her grace came to fanchurch where was a pagent fayre and semly with certayne chyldren which saluted her grace with great honour and prayse after a goodly fassyon : and so passed forthe to Grase churche where was a ryght costly pagent of Apollo with the nyne muses amonge the mountaynes syttyng on the mount of Pernasus and euery of them hauynge theyr instruments and apparayle acordyng to the descryption of poets and namely of Uirgyll with many goodly verses to her great prayse and honour. And so she passed forth through gracyous³ strete unto leaden hall where was buylded a sumptuous and a costly pagent in maner of a castell wherein was fasshyoned an heuenly roufe and under it vpon a grene was a roote or a stocke whereout spronge a multytude of whyte roses and reed curyously wrought so from the heuenly roufe descended a whyte faucon and lighted upon the said stocke and roote and incontynent descended an angell with goodly armony hauynge a close crowne bytwene his handes and set it on the faucons heed : and on the said flour sate saynt Anne in the hyest place on that one syde her progeny with scripture that is to wete the thre Marys with theyr issue that is to vnderstande : Mary the mother of Christ Mary Solome the mother⁴ of Zebedee with the two chyldren of them also Mary Cleophe with her husbande Alphee with their four chyldren on the other syde with other poetycall verses sayd and songe with a balade in englisshe to her great prayse (and)⁵ honour and to al her progeny also. And so she passed (for)th⁵ from thence through cornehill and at the condyt was a sumptuous pagent of the thre graces : and at the comynge of the quenes grace a poete declared the nature of all those thre ladyes and gave hye prayses vnto the quene. And after his preamble fynysshed every lady partyculer spake great honour and hye prayse of the quenes grace : And so she passed forth with all her nobles tyll she came in chepe and at the great condyt was made a costly fountayne whereout ranne whyte wyne claret and reed great plenty all that after noone : and ther was great melody with speches. And so passed forthe through chepe to the standarde whiche was costly and sumptuously garnisshed with gold and asure with armes and stories wher was great armony and melody : and so passed she forth by the crosse in chepe whiche was newe garnisshed and so through chepe towarde the lesser condyt. And in the mydwaye bytwene the recorder of London receyved her afore the Aldermen with great reuerence and honour salutynge her grace with a louyng and humble preposycion presentynge her grace with a ryche and costly purse of golde and in it a thousande marke in golde coyne gyuen vnto her as a free gyfte of honour : to whom she gaue great thankes bothe with herte and mynde. And so her grace passed a lytell further and at the lesser condyt was a costly and a ryche pagent where as was goodly armonye of musyke and other mynstrels with syngyng : And within that pagent was fyue costly seates wherin was set these fyue personages that is to wete Juno Pallas Mercury and Venus and Parys hauyng a ball of golde presentyng it to her grace with certayne verses of great honour and chyldren syngyng a balade to her grace and prayse to all her ladyes and so passed forth to Poules gate where was a proper and a sumptuous pagent that is to wete ther sat three fayre ladyes virgyns costly arayde with a fayre rounde trone ouer their heedes where aboute was written this. Regina Anna prospere precede et regna that is in englysshe Quene Anne prospere precede and reygne. The lady that sate in the myddes hauynge a table of golde in her hande wrytten with letters of asure. Ueni arnica coronaberis. Come my loue thou shallbe crowned. And two aungels hauyng a close crowne of golde bytwene their handes. And the lady on the ryght hande had a table of syluer wherein was writte. Domine dirige gressos meos. Lorde god dyrecte my wayes. The other on the lyfte hande had in another table of syluer written thus. Confide in domino. Trust in god. And vnder theyr fete was a longe rol wherin was written this. Regina Anna nouum regis de sanguine natum cum paries populis aurea secla tuis. Quene Anne whan you shalte beare a newe sone of the kynges bloode there shalbe a golden worlde vnto thy people. And so the ladyes caste ouer her heede a multytude of wafers with rose leaues and about the wafers were written with letters of gold this posay⁶. And so her grace passed forth into Poules chyrchyarde and at the eest ende of the chyrch agaynst the schole was a great scaffblde whereon stode the nombre of two hundred chyldren well befene who receyued with poetes verses to her noble honour whan they had fynisshed she sayd Amen with ioyful smylyng countenaunce and so passed forth thrugh the longe chyrchyarde and so to Ludgate whiche was costly and sumptuously garnysshed with golde colours and asure with swete armony of ballades to her greate prayse and honour with dyuerse swete instrumentes. And thus her grace came thorowe the cyte with great honour and royaltye and passed thorowe Flete strete tyll she came to the Standarde and condyth where was made a fayre toure with foure tourrettes with fanes there within great plenty of swete instrumentes with chyldren syngyng the standarde of mason warke costly made with ymages and aungels costly gylted with golde and asure with other colours and dyuerse fortes of armes costly set out shall there contynue and remayne and within the standarde a vyce with a chyme. Also there ranne out of certayne small pypes great plenty of wyne all that afternoone. And so her grace passed through the cyte to temple barre and so to Charyng crosse and so thorowe Westmynster into Westmynster hall where that was well and rychly hanged with cloth of Arras with a meruaylous ryche cupborde of plate and there was a voyde⁷ of spyce plates and wyne. And that done the quenes grace withdrewe her in to the whyte hall for that nyght and so to Yorke place by water.

Note 1. In the original copy, in the British Museum, the corner is torn off after the letter "r" but the three missing letters are of course "ich."

Note 2. The missing letter is as evidently "s."

Note 3. Gracechurch Street.

Note 4. Wife.

Note 5. Torn away.

Note 6. The posy is not given in the original.

Note 7. Collation.

Ellis' Letters S1 V2 Letter CXIV. 01 Jun 1533. Nowe than on Soundaye was the Coronacion, which allso was of such a maner.

In the mornynge ther assembled withe me at Westminster Churche the bysshop of Yorke, the Bishop of London (age 58), the Bishop of Wynchester (age 50), the Bishop of Lyncoln (age 60), the Bishop of Bathe, and the Bishop of Saint Asse (age 58), the Abbote of Westminstre with x or xij moo Abbottes, whiche all revestred ourselfs in our pontificalibus, and, soo furnysshed, withe our Crosses and Crossiers, procedid oute of th' Abbey in a procession unto Westminstre Hall, where we receyved the Queene (age 32) apareled in a Robe of purple velvet, and all the ladyes and gentillwomen in robes and gownes of scarlet accordyng to the maner vsed before tyme in such besynes: and so her Grace sustayned of eche syde with ij to bysshops, the Bysshope of London (age 58) ande the Bysshop of Wynchester (age 50), came furthe in processyon unto the Churche of Westminster, she in her here, my Lord of Suffolke (age 49) berying before herr the Crowne, and ij to other Lords beryng also before her a Ceptur and a white Rodde, and so entred up into the highe Alter, where diverse Ceremoneys used aboute her, I did sett the Crowne on her hedde, and then was songe Te Deum, &c. And after that was song a solempne Masse, all which while her grace sjatt crowned upon a scaffold whiche was made betwene the Highe Alter and the Qwyer in Westminstre Churche; which Masse and ceremonyes donne and fynysshed, all the Assemble of noble men broughte her into Westminstre Hall agayne, where was kepte a great solempne feaste all that daye; the good ordre therof were to longe to wrytte at this tyme to you. But nowe Sir you may nott ymagyn that this Coronacion was before her mariege, for she was maried muche about sainte Paules daye last, as the condicion therof dothe well appere by reason she ys nowe sumwhat bygg with chylde. Notwithstandyng yt hath byn reported thorowte a greate parte of the realme that I (age 43) maried her; whiche was playnly false, for I myself knewe not therof a fortenyght after yt was donne. And many other thyngs be also reported of me, whiche be mere lyes and tales.

Other newys have we none notable, but that one Fryth, whiche was in the Tower in pryson, was appoynted by the Kyngs grace to be examyned befor me, my Lorde of London, my lorde of Wynchestre, my Lorde of Suffolke, my Lorde Channcelour, and my Lorde of Wylteshere, whose opynion was so notably erroniouse, that we culde not dyspache hym but was fayne to leve hym to the determynacion of his Ordinarye, whiche ys the bishop of London. His said opynyon ys of suche nature that he thoughte it nat necessary to be beleved as an Article of our faythe, that ther ys the very corporall presence of Christe within the Oste and Sacramente of the Alter, and holdethe of this poynte muste after the Opynion of Oecolampadious. And suerly I myself sent for hym iij or iiij tymes to perswade hym to leve that his Imaginacion, but for all that we could do therin he woulde not applye to any counsaile, notwithstandyng nowe he ys at a fynall ende with all examinacions, for my Lorde of London hathe gyven sentance and delyuerd hym to the secular power, where he loketh every daye to goo unto the fyer. And ther ys also condempned with hym one Andrewe a taylour of London for the said self same opynion.

And thus farr you well, from my manor of Croydon the xvij. daye of June.

Note a. Hall, Chron. edit. 1809. p. 794. Holinsh. edit. 1808. vol. iii. p. 777.

Note b. Queen Elizabeth was born on September the 7^th. 1533.

Note c. Stow, Ann. edit. 1631. p. 562.

Note d. Herb. Life of Hen. VIII. edit. 1649. p. 341. Bumet in his History of the Reformation has likewise fallen into this error.

Note e. Lingard's Hist Engl. 1^st. edit. vol. iv. p. 190.

a1. re-journying.

a2. shaums.

b2. all day.

Hall's Chronicle 1533. 01 Jun 1533. Sonday being Whit Sunday the first day of June and the day of her Coronation.

On Sunday the Mayor clad in crimson velvet and with his collar and all the Aldermen and Sheriffs in Scarlet and the counsel of the city took their barge at the Crane by seven of the clock and came to Westminster where they were welcomed and brought into the hall by Master Treasurer and other of the King’s house, and so gave their attendance till the Queen should come forth. Between eight and nine she came into the Hall and stood under the clothe of estate, and then came in the King’s Chapel and the monks of Westminster all in rich copes and many Bishops and Abbots in copes and mitres which went into the midst of the hall, and there stood a season. Then was there a ray clothe spread from the Queen’s standing in the hall through the palace and sanctuary, which was railed on both sides to the high Altar of Westminster. After that the ray clothe was cast, the Officers of Armes appointed the order accustomed. First went gentlemen, then esquires, then knights, then the Aldermen of the city in their cloaks of scarlet, after them the Judges in their mantles of scarlet and coifs. Then followed the Knights of the Bathe being no Lords, every man having a white lace on his left sleeve. Then followed Barons and Viscounts in their parliament robes of scarlet. After them came Earles, Marquesses and Dukes in their robes of estate of crimson velvet furred with ermine powdered according to their degrees. After them came the Lord Chancellor in a robe of scarlet open before bordered with lettice: after him came the King’s Chapel and the monks solemnly singing with procession, then came Abbots and Bishops mitred, then Sergeants and Officers of Armes, then after them went the Mayor of London with his mace and garter in his coat of arms. Then went the Marquess Dorset in a robe of estate which bare the sceptre of gold, and the Earl of Arundel which bare the rod of Ivory with the Dove both together. Then went alone the Earl of Oxford High Chamberlain of England which bare the crown, after him went the duke of Suffolk in his robe of estate also for that day being High Steward of England, having a long white rod in his hand, and the Lord William Howard with the Rod of the Marshalship, and every Knight of the Garter had on his collar of the order. Then preceded forth the Queen in a circot and robe of purple velvet furred with ermine in her hair coif and circlet as she had the Saturday, and over her was borne the canopy by four of the five [Cinque] Portes all crimson with points of blue and red hanging on their sleeves, and the Bishops of London and Winchester bare up the lappets of the Queen’s robe. The Queen’s train which was very long was borne by the old Duchess of Norfolk (age 56) after her followed ladies being Lord’s wives which had circots of scarlet with narrow sleeves, the breast all lettice with bars of borders according to their degrees. And over that they had mantels of scarlet furred, and every mantle had lettice about the neck like a neckerchief likewise powdered, so that by the powderings their degree was known. Then followed ladies being Knight’s wives in gowns of scarlet with narrow sleeves without trains only edged with lettice, and likewise had all the Queen’s gentlewomen. When she was thus brought to the high place made in the midst of the church between the choir and the high altar she was set in a riche chair. And after that she had rested a while she descended down to the High Altar and there prostrate herself while the Archbishop of Canterbury said certain collettes: then she rose and the bishop anointed her on the head and on the breast, and then she was led up again, where after diverse Orisons said, the Archbishop set the crown of Saint Edward on her head, and then delivered her the sceptre of gold in her right hand, and the rod of Ivory with the Dove in the left hand, and then all the choir sang Te Deum, §c. Which done the bishop took of the crown of Saint Edward being heavy and set on the crown made for her, and so went to Masse. And when the offertory was begun she descended down and offered being crowned, and so ascended up again and sate in her chair till Agnus. And then she went down and kneeled before the altar where she received of the Archbishop the holy sacrament and then went up to her place again. After that Masse was done she went to Saint Edwardes shrine and there offered, after which offering done she withdrew her into a little place made for the nuns on the one side of the choir. Now in the mean season every Duchess had put on their bonnets a corona of gold wrought with flowers, and every Marquesses put on a demy Coronal of gold, every Countess a plain circlet of gold wrought with flowers, and every King of Armes put on a crown of copper and gilt all which were worn till night. When the Queen had a little reposed her the company returned in the same order that they set forth, and the Queen went crowned and so did the Ladies aforesaid. Her right hand was sustained by the Earl of Wiltshire (age 56) her father, and her left hand by the Lord Talbot deputy for the Earl of Shrewsbury and Lord Furnival his father. And when she was out of the Sanctuary and appeared within the palace the trumpets played marvellous freshly, and so she was brought to Westminster Hall, and so to her withdrawing chamber, during which time the Lords, Judges, Mayor and Aldermen put of their robes, Mantels and Cloaks, and took their hoods from their necks and cast them about their shoulders, and the Lords sat only in their circots and the Judges and Aldermen in their gowns. And all the Lords that served that day served in their circots and their hoods about their shoulders. Also, diverse officers of the King’s house being no Lords had circots and hoods of scarlet edged with miniver, as the Treasurer, Controller and Master of the Jewel House, but their circots were not gilt.

Wriothesley's Chronicle. 01 Jun 1533. Memorandum, the first dale of June,^d Queene Anne (age 32) was brought from Westminster Hall to the Abbey of Sainct Peeter's [Map] with procession, all the monkes of Westminster going in rytch copes of golde with 13 abbotts mitred; and after them all the Kinges Chappell in rych copes with fower bushopps and tow archbishopps mittred, and all the Lordes going in their Perliament roabes,^e and the crowne borne afore her by the Duke of Suffolke (age 49), and her tow scepters by tow Earles, and she herself going under a rytch canapie of cloath of golde, apparailed in a kirtell of crymson velvett powdred with ermyns, and a robe of purple velvett furred with powdred ermines over that, and a rich cronett with a call^a of pearles and stones on her hedde, and the olde Dutches of Norfolke (age 56)^b bearing upp her traine in a robe of scarlett with a cronett of golde on her bonett, and the Lorde Boroughe,^c the Queenes Chamberlaine, staying the traine in the middes; and after her tenne ladies following in robes of scarlett furred with ermins and rounde cronettes of golde on their heades; and next after theim all the Queenes maides in gownes of scarlett edged with white lettushe furre; and so was shee brought to Sainct Peeters Church [Map] at Westminster, and their sett in her seate riall, which was made on a high scaffolde before the highe aulter; and their shee was anoynted and crowned Queene of Englande by the Archbishopp of Canterberie^d1 and the Archbishoppe of Yorke, and so sate crowned in her seate riall all the masse, and offred also at the said masse; and the masse donne, they departed everie man in their degrees to Westminster Hall [Map], she going still under the cannapie crowned with towe septers in hir handes, my Lorde of Wilshire, her father,^e1 and the Lorde Talbott^f leadinge her, and so theire dynned; wheras was made the most honorable feast that hath beene seene.

The great hall at Westminster was rytchlie hanged with rych cloath of Arras, and a table sett at the upper ende of the hall, going upp twelve greeses,^a2 where the Queene dyned; and a rytch cloath of estate hanged over her heade; and also fower other tables alongest the hall; and it was rayled on everie side, from the highe deasse in Westminster Hall to the scaffold in the church in the Abbaj.

And when she went to church to her coronation their was a raye cloath,^b2 blew, spreed from the highe desses^c of the Kinges Benche unto the high alter of Westminster, wheron she wente.

Note B. the Lorde William Howard, Lord Chamberlen (age 23), in a purse of crymsen silk and gold knytt, in dimy soveraignes £10 0s 0d.

And when the Queenes grace had washed her handes, then came the Duke of Suffolke (age 49), High Constable that daie and stewarde of the feast, ryding on horsebacke rytchlie apparailed and trapped, and with him, also ridinge on horsebacke, the Lorde William (age 23) Howarde as deputie for the Duke of Norfolke (age 60) in the romth^d2 of the Marshall of Englande, and the Queenes service^e2 following them with the Archbishopps, a certaine space betwene which was borne^f2 all by knightes, the Archbishopp sitting at the Queenes borde, at the ende, on her left hande.^g2 The Earle of Sussex (age 50) was sewer, the Earle of Essex carver, the Earle of Darbie (age 24) cuppbearer, the Earle of Arrondell (age 57) butler, the Viscount Lisle (age 69) pantler, the Lord Gray almoner.

Att one of the fower tables sate all the noble ladies all on one side of the hall, at the second table the noble men, at the thirde table the Major of London^h2 with the Aldermen, att the fowerth table the Barons of the Fortes with the Masters of the Chauncerie. The goodlie dishes with the delicate meates and the settles which were all gilt, with the noble service that daie done by great men of the realme, the goodlie sweete armonie of minstrells with other thinges were to long to expresse, which was a goodlie sight to see and beholde.

And when shee had dined and washed her handes she stoode a while under the canopie of estate, and behelde throwghe the hall, and then were spices brought with other delicates, which were borne all in great high plates of gold, wherof shee tooke a litle refection, and the residue geavinge among the lordes and ladies; and that donne she departed up to the White Hall, and their changed her apparell, and so departed secreetlie by water to Yorke Place [Map], which is called White Hall, and their laie all night.

Note d. Whitsanday. Compare this with the account of the receiving and coronation of Anne Boleyn in MS. Harleian. Cod. 41, arts. 2-5, and MS. Harleian. 543, fol. 119.

Note e. Henry's (age 41) first wife, Katharine of Aragon (age 47), was crowned with him, and a magnificent ceremony was ordained for her successful rival Anne Boleyn, but none of the other wives of Henry were honoured with a coronation.

Note a. A caul was a kind of net in which women inclosed their hair.

Note b. Grandmother (age 56) of Anne Boleyn, being widow of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, whose daughter Elizabeth (age 53) married Sir Thomas Boleyn (age 56), afterwards Earl of Wiltshire, the father of Anne.

Note. b, immediately above, appears to be a mistake? The grandmother of Anne Boleyn was Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey, first wife of Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk. He, Thomas, married secondly his first wife's first cousin Agnes Tilney Duchess Norfolk (age 56) who must be the old Duchess of Norfolk referred to since Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey died in Apr 1497.

Note c. Thomas, Lord Bnrgh of Gainsboroogh (age 45).

d1. In Sir Henry Ellis's Collection of Original Letters occurs a very interesting letter written by Cranmer to the English ambassador at the Emperor's court, giving his own account of the pronouncing of sentence on Katharine and of the coronation of Anne Boleyn (age 32).

e1. Anne Boleyn's father (age 56) had been created Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond on the 8th December, 1529.

a2. Steps or stain, Latin gressus.

b2. Striped cloth.

Note c. Desks.

d2. Room.

e2. Suite.

f2. Occupied.

g2. Stow expressly states that Archbishop Cranmer sat on the right hand of the Queen at the table's end. Ed. 1631, p. 567.

h2. Sir Stephen Pecocke.

Hall's Chronicle 1533. 01 Jun 1533. The order and sitting at diner.

While the Queen was in her chamber, every lord and other that ought to do service at coronation did prepare them according to their duty, as the duke of Suffolk High Steward of England which was richly apparelled, his doublet and jacket set with orient pearl, his gown of crimson velvet embroidered, his courser trapped with a cloth trapper head and all to the ground of crimson velvet set full of letters of gold of goldsmith’s work having a long white rod in his hand, on his left hand rode the Lord William, deputy for his brother as Earl Marshal with the Marshal’s rod, whose gown was crimson velvet, and his horse trapper purple velvet cut on white satin embroidered with white lions. The Earl of Oxford was High Chamberlain, the Earl of Essex carver, the Earl of Sussex sewer, the Earl of Arundel chief butler on who twelve citizens of London did give their attendance at the cupboard. The Earl of Derby Cupbearer, the Viscount Lisle Panter, the Lorde of Burgayne chief larder, the Lord Bray almoner for him and his coperteners, and the Mayor of Oxford kept the buttery bar, and Thomas Wyatt was chief eurer for sir Henry Wyatt his father. When all thing was ready, the Queen under her canopy came to the Hall and washed and sat down in the midst of the table under the cloth of estate. On the right side of the chair stood the Countess of Oxford widow, and on the left side stood the Countess of Worcester all the dinner season, which diverse times in the dinner time did hold a fine cloth before the Queen’s face when she list to spit or do otherwise at her pleasure. At the tables end sat the Archbishop of Canterbury on the right hand of the Queen, and in the midst between the Archbishop and the Countess of Oxford stood the Earl of Oxford with a white staff all diner time, and at the Queen’s feet under the table sat two gentlewomen all dinner time. When all these things were thus ordered came in the Duke of Suffolk and the Lord William Howard on horseback and the Sergeants of Arms before them, and after them the Sewer, and then the Knights of the Bath bringing in the first course which was twenty-eight dishes beside subtleties and ships made of wax marvellous gorgeous to behold, all which time of service the trumpets standing in the window at the nether end of the hall played melodiously. When her grace was served of two dishes, then the Archbishop service was set down, whose Sewer came equal with the third dish of the Queen’s service on his left hand. After that the Queen and the Archbishop was served, the Barons of the Portes began the table on the right hand next the wall, next them at the table sat the masters and clerks of the chancery, and beneath them at the table other doctors and gentlemen. The table next the wall on the left hand by the cupboard was begun by the Mayor and Aldermen the chamberlain and the counsel of the City of London, and beneath them sat substantial merchants, and so downward other worshipful persons. At the table on the right hand in the midst of the hall sat the Lord Chancellor and other temporal Lords on the right side of the table, in their circots. And on the left side of the same table, sat Bishops and Abbots in their Parliament robes, beneath them sat the Judges, Servantes, and the King’s Counsel, beneath the Knights of the Bathe. At the table on the left hand, in the middle part, sat Duchesses, Marquesses, Countesses, Baronesses, in their robes, and other ladies in circots, and gentle women in gowns. All which ladies and gentle women, sat on the left side of the table a long, and none on the right side: and when all were thus set, they were incontinent served and so quickly, that it was marvel, for the servitors gave such good attendance, that meat or drink ne anything else needed not to be called for, which in so great a multitude was marvel. As touching the fare there could be devised, no more costlier dishes nor subtleties. The Mayor of London was served with, twenty-three dishes at two courses, and so were all his brethren, and such as sat at his table. The Queen had at her second course, twenty-four dishes, and thirty at the third course: and between the two last courses, the Kings of Arms cried arges [?], in three parts of the hall and after stood in their place, which was in the bekins [?] the King’s Bench. And on the right hand, out of the Cloister of St Stephen’s, was made a little closet, in which the King with diverse Ambassadors, stood to behold the service. The Duke of Suffolk and the Lord William, rode oftentimes about the hall, cheering the lords, ladies, and the Mayor and his brethren. After they all had dined, they had wafers and Hippocras, and then they washed, and were commanded to rise, and to stand still in their places, before the table or on the forms until the Queen had washed: when she had taken wafers and Hippocras, the table was taken up, and the Earl of Rutland brought up the surnap, and laid it at the Lord’s end, which immediately was drawn, and cast by Master Rode, Marshal of the hall: and the Queen washed, and after the Archbishop, and after the surnap was drawn of, she arose and stood in the midst of the Hall place: to whom the Earl of Sussex in a goodly spice plate, brought a void of spice and comfits. After him the Mayor of London, brought a standing Cup of gold, set in a Cup of assay of gold, and after that she had drunk, she gave the Mayor the Cup, with the Cuppe of assay, because there was no leyar [?], according to the claim of the city, than King him and all his brethren, of their pain. Then she under her Canopy, departed to her Chamber, and at the entry of her Chamber, she gave the Canopy with bells and all, to the Barons of the Portes, according to their claim, with great thanks. Then the Mayor of London bearing his Cup in his hand, with his brethren went through the hall to their barge, and so did all other noble men and gentlemen, for it was six of the clock.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Jun 1663. So home to supper and to bed. This day I hear at Court of the great plot which was lately discovered in Ireland, made among the Presbyters and others, designing to cry up the Covenant, and to secure Dublin Castle and other places; and they have debauched a good part of the army there, promising them ready money¹. Some of the Parliament there, they say, are guilty, and some withdrawn upon it; several persons taken, and among others a son of Scott's, that was executed here for the King's murder. What reason the King (age 33) hath, I know not; but it seems he is doubtfull of Scotland: and this afternoon, when I was there, the Council was called extraordinary; and they were opening the letters this last post's coming and going between Scotland and us and other places. Blessed be God, my head and hands are clear, and therefore my sleep safe.

Note 1. This was known as "Blood's Plot", and was named after Colonel Thomas Blood (age 45), afterwards notorious for his desperate attack upon the Duke of Ormond (age 52) in St. James's Street (1670) and for his robbery of the crown jewels in the Tower (1671). He died August 24th, 1680.

Evelyn's Diary. 01 Jun 1666. Being in my garden at 6 o'clock in the evening, and hearing the great guns go thick off, I took horse and rode that night to Rochester [Map]; thence next day toward the Downs and seacoast, but meeting the Lieutenant of the Hampshire frigate, who told me what passed, or rather what had not passed, I returned to London, there being no noise, or appearance at Deal [Map], or on that coast of any engagement. Recounting this to his Majesty (age 36), whom I found at St James' Park [Map], impatiently expecting, and knowing that Prince Rupert (age 46) was loose about three at St. Helen's Point at N. of the Isle of Wight, it greatly rejoiced him; but he was astonished when I assured him they heard nothing of the guns in the Downs, nor did the Lieutenant who landed there by five that morning.