- Letters go out under Privy Seal.
- Getting the Money and the Guest List Right.
- the Coronation of the Prince of Purpoole.
Upon the 20th. Day of December, being St. Thomas's Eve, the Prince, with all his Train in Order, as above set down, marched from his Lodging, to the great Hall; and there took his place in his Throne, under a rich Cloth of State: His Counsellors and great Lords were placed about him, and before him; below the Half-pace, at a Table, sate his learned Council and Lawyers; the rest of the Officers and Attendants took their proper Places, as belonged to their Condition.
Upon the performance of the coronation ritual, the also ritual announcements were made attendant upon the coronation feast. As was the tradition, after the coronation of every English monarch, the king's champion would enter the hall in full armor on horse-back
Then the Trumpets were commanded to sound thrice; which being done, the King at Arms, in his rich Surcoat of Arms, stood forth before the Prince, and proclaimed his Style as followeth.
By the sacred Laws of Arms, and authorized Ceremonies of the same (maugre the Conceit of any Malecontent) I do pronounce my Sovereign Liege Lord, Sir Henry, rightfully to be the high and mighty Prince of Purpoole, Arch-Duke of Stapulia [Staple Inn] and Bernardia [Barnard Inn], Duke of the High and Nether Holborn [Streets], Marquis of St. Giles's [Parish] and Tottenham, Count Palatine of Bloomsbury and Clerkenwell, Great Lord of the Cantons of Islington, &c. Knight of the most honourable Order of the Helmet, and Sovereign of the same.
After that the King at Arms had thus proclaimed his Style, the Trumpets sounded again; and then entred the Prince's Champion, all in compleat Armour, on Horse-back, and so came riding round about the Fire; and in the midst of the Hall, stayed, and made his Challenge in these Words following.
If there be any Man, of high Degree, or low, that will say that my Sovereign is not rightly Prince of Purpoole, as by his King at Arms right-now hath been proclaimed, I am ready here to maintain, that he lieth as a false Traitor; and I do challenge, in Combat, to fight with him, either now, or at any time or place appointed: And in token hereof, I gage my Gauntlet, us the Prince's true Knight, and his Champion.
The challenge was followed by facetious speeches featuring sarcastic Latin mottos.
When the Champion had thus made his Challenge, he departed; then the Trumpets were commanded to sound, and the King at Arms blazoned the Prince his Highness's Arms, as followeth.
The most mighty Prince of Purpoole, &c. beareth his Shield of the highest Jupiter. In Point, a Sacred Imperial Diadem, safely guarded by the Helmet of the great Goddess Pallas, from the Violence of Darts, Bullets and Bolts of Saturn, Momus, and the Idiot; all environed with the Ribband of Loyalty, having a Pendant of the most heroical Order of Knighthood of the Helmet; the Word hereunto, Sic virtus honorem [Thus would I trick out virtue]. For his Highness's Crest, the glorious Planet Sol, coursing through the twelve Signs of the Zodiack, on a Celestial Globe, moved upon the two Poles, Artick and Antartick; with this Motto, Dum totum peragraverit orbem [He has wandered through each orbit]. All set upon a Chaphew: Mars turned up, Luna mantelled, Sapphire doubted Pearl, supported by two anciently renowned and glorious Griffyns, which have been always in League with the honourable Pegasus.
The Conceit hereof was to shew, that the Prince, whose private Arms were three Helmets, should defend his Honour by Vertue, from Reprehensions of Male-contents, Carpers and Fools. The Ribband of Blue, with an Helmet Pendant, in intimation of St. George. In his Crest, his Government for the twelve Days of Christmas was resembled to the Sun's passing the twelve Signs, though the Prince's Course had some odd degrees beyond that time: But he was wholly supported by the Griffyns; for Grays-Inn-Gentlemen, and not the Treasure of the House, was charged. The Words, Sic virtus honorem, that his Vertue should defend his Honour, whilst he had run his whole Course of Dominion, without any either Eclipse or Retrogradation.
The challenge was followed by further facetious speeches and a pageant and dancing.
Then His Highness called for the Master of the Revels, and willed him to pass the time in Dancing: So his Gentlemen-Pensioners and Attendants, very gallantly appointed, in thirty Couples, danced the Old Measures, and their Galliards, and other kind of Dances, revelling until it was very late; and so spent the rest of their Performance in those Exercises, until it pleased His Honour to take his way to his Lodging, with Sound of Trumpets, and his Attendants in order, as is above set down.
There was the Conclusion of the first grand Night, the Performance whereof increased the Expectation of those things that were to ensue; insomuch that the common Report amongst all Strangers was so great, and the Expectation of our Proceedings so extraordinary, that it urged us to take upon us a greater State than was at the first intended: And therefore, besides all the stately and sumptuous Service that was continually done the Prince, in very Princely manner; and besides the daily Revels, and such like Sports, which were usual, there was intended divers grand Nights, for the Entertainment of Strangers to our Pass-times and Sports.
Source: Gesta Grayorum, or, The history of the high and mighty prince, Henry Prince of Purpoole (1688).
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