In This Series:
- Ambassador Noailles’ Account of Mary I’s Procession to Westminster: September 30, 1553.
- Comparing Accounts of Mary I’s Procession to Westminster: September 30, 1553.
- Noailles Account of the Coronation of Mary I: October 1, 1553
- Noailles Full Account of the coronation of the English Queen Mary I.
It is as detailed an eyewitness report as I can recall of any coronation throughout pre-media ages. So much so that there will only be space for excerpts here. There is a link to Noailles entire French text and my translation at the end of this post.
Of Mary’s arrival at the cathedral we are informed
sa maiesté alla a l'eglisè de Westmenster ou se debvoit faire l'incoronation, en laquelle precedoient tous les gentilshommes de sa maison, vestus partie d'escarlatte, partie de satin, & partie de velours cramoisy, sélon les degrez de leurs dignitez. Apres alloient les sèigneurs vestus de manteaux d’escarlatte fourrez d'ermine, & après eulx les comtes, marquis & ducs portans en main la couronne, le monde, deux sceptres, trois éspées, les esperons & aultes choses appartenans à la cérémonie chascun sélon son degré & privilège. | her majesty went to the church of Westminster where the coronation must take place, preceded by all the gentlemen of her household, dressed partly in scarlet, partly in satin, part in crimson velvet, according to the degree of their dignity. After them went the lords dressed in scarlet mantles trimmed with ermine, & after them the counts, marquis & dukes carrying in their hands the crown, the globe, two scepters, three swords, spurs and other items pertaining to the ceremony each after the other in order of degree & privilege. |
Noailles notices clothing and it’s implications. The dominant colors were scarlet and crimson. Materials were velvet and satin according to rank. The nobility wore their robes trimmed with ermine.
Noailles seems to have been in the habit of calling William Cherbury, the Earl of Pembroke, le comte of Cheresbury. An apparent typo later in the account turns the Earl of Derby into le comte de Carby.
Apres suivoit sa majesté vestue d'ung grand manteau de velours cramoisy avec une très longue queue qui luy estoit portée de son chamberland , & de la duchésse de Nortfolck, appuyant les bras, le droict sur l'evesque de Durham & le gauche sur le comte de Cheresbury, & apres suivant madame Elizabeth, madame de Cleves, & toutes les aultres princesses vestues de longs manteaux, & dessoubz robes de velours cramoisy fourrées d'ermines avecques très longues queues & avecques les couronnes d'or en ceste convenantes au degré de chascune. | Her majesty followed next dressed in a long mantle of crimson velvet with a very long train carried by her chamberlain, & the duchess of Norfolk, the bishop of Durham supporting the right sleeve & the earl of Cherbury the left, & behind her followed lady Elizabeth and lady Cleves, & all the other princesses dressed in long mantles, & underneath them robes of crimson velvet trimmed with ermine with very long trains & with crowns of gold on these appropriate to the degree of each. |
Noailles is not perfectly clear here about the crowns “appropriate to the degree of each”. Nobile men and women were, indeed, permitted ceremonial crowns. At this point in history, they were little worn. I suspect the ambassador refers to representations being stitched into the garments mentioned. But I could be wrong.
English monarchs entered the church for their coronation beneath a golden canopy since at least Henry VI. He was crowned a second time in France where French kings seem to have processed under golden canopies already for centuries.
l’evesque de Winchestre, lequel avoit à faire l'incoronation, ensemble avecques dix evesques & auitres prelatz l'accompagnoient, l'ayant levée de la grande salle de Westmenster , & receue sa majesté soubz ung ciel dor, la conduirent sur ung hault eschaffault faict en l’eglise au devant de l'autel, sur lequel estoit mis le siege royal tres hault, | the bishop of Wincestre, the which had to perform the coronation together with ten bishops & other prelates to accompany him, having gathered in the great hall of Westminster, and received her majesty under a golden canopy, conducting her across a high scaffold erected in the church before the altar, high upon the which was placed the royal throne, |
I am not aware of scaffolds being so much in use for other coronations than Mary’s.
During the heart of the ceremony, the Queen donned a white taffeta chamise and prostrated herself with her arms out to symbolize her humility before God.
parvenue à l'autel se prosterna derechief en terre & avecques belles cérémonies fust beniste ; & après estre mise à seoir devant l'autel, fust dudict evesque oincte aux espaules, à la poictrine, au front & aux temples, & après vestue d'une robe de taffetaz blanc & d'ung manteau de velours pourpré fourré d’ermine & sans rabbat; | she prostrated herself thus on the ground before the altar & with beautiful ceremonies was blessed; & then was escorted to sit before the altar, where the said bishop anointed her shoulders, her bosom, her forehead & her temples, after which she was dressed in a white taffeta robe & a mantle of purple velvet trimmed with ermine & without a belt |
She was anointed with oil and crowned and heard the mass sung on her knees, with her scepter and globe, in a prayerful attitude.
Source: Abbe Vertot. Ambassades: De Messieurs de Noailles en Angleterre (1763). II.199-203.
Again, there is much more to the report including a description of the coronation banquet. The full description is 3 pages in length. To read it, >>> click here.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
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