te[33]. After reciting the coronation oath, a respectable writer of
queen Elizabeth's time thus gives the "sum of the English coronation."
"Then doth the archbishop, turning about to the people, declare what the
king _hath promised_ and _sworn_, and by the mouth of an herald at arms
asketh their _consents_, whether they be content to submit themselves
unto this man as their king, or no, under the conditions proposed;
whereunto when they have yielded themselves, then beginneth the
archbishop to put upon him the regal ornaments[34]." Some of the
questions anciently asked, accordingly, were, "Will you serve at this
time, and give your good wills and assent to this same consecration,
enunction, and coronation?"--To which the people answered, "Yea, yea."
This was the form observed on the coronations of Edward VI., Henry
VIII., and Henry VII. That of Henry VI.'s reign is curious. The
archbishop made the "proclamacion on the iiij quarters of the scaffolde,
seyend in this wyse: Sirs, heere comyth Henry, kyng Henryes sone the
Vth, on whose sowle God have mercy, Amen. He humblyth hym to God and to
holy cherche, askyng the crowne of this reame by right and defence of
herytage; if ye hold y^e pays with hym say Ya, and hold up handes. And
then all the people cryed with oon voyce, Ye, ye[35]."

King John claimed the throne by "unanimous consent of the kingdom;" and
the prelate of the day observed to the people that it was well known to
them "that no man hath right of succession to this crown," except by
such consent, and that "with invocation of the Holy Ghost, he be elected
for his own deserts[36]."

During the Norman reigns it is evident that the coronation oath was
administered before the recognition, and then the archbishop having
stated what the king had engaged to do, asked the people if they would
consent to take him for their king[37]? And of an earlier period, says
Mr. Turner, "From the comparison of all the passages on this subject,
the result seems to be that the king was elected at the Witenagemote,
held on the demise of the preceding sovereign[38]."

On the whole, what is left of this ceremony seems rather unmeaning. The
people are addressed, "ye that _are come_ this day _to do_ your homage,
service, and bounden duty, are ye willing to do the same?" A feudal
"recognition," and feudal "homage," it is not for the people, but the
prelates and peers to perform; the ceremony, however, establishes what
our history will corro