d archbishops around him. The rest of the hall was
crowded with a vast concourse of people that had assembled to witness
the ceremony.

First the king took the customary royal oath, which was administered
by the archbishop. He then summoned the great judges before him, and
made an address to them, exhorting them to administer the laws and
execute judgment between man and man in a just and impartial manner,
inasmuch as to secure that end, he said, would be the first and
greatest object of his reign.

After this Richard addressed the concourse of people in the hall, who,
in some sense, represented the public, and pronounced a pardon for all
offenses which had been committed against himself, and ordered a
proclamation to be made of a general amnesty throughout the land.
These announcements were received by the people with loud
acclamations, and the ceremony was concluded by shouts of "Long live
King Richard!" from all the assembly.

We obtain a good idea of this scene by the following engraving, which
is copied exactly from a picture contained in a manuscript volume of
the time.

[Illustration: THE KING ON HIS THRONE.]

The royal dignity having thus been assumed by the new king at the
usual centre and seat of the royal power, the procession was again
formed, and Richard was conducted to Westminster Abbey for the purpose
of doing the homage customary on such occasions at one of the shrines
in the church. The procession of the king was met at the door of the
church by a procession of monks chanting a solemn anthem as they came.

After the religious ceremonies were completed, Richard, at the head of
a grand cavalcade of knights, noblemen, and citizens, proceeded into
the city to the Church of St. Paul. The streets were lined with
spectators, who saluted the king with cheers and acclamations as he
passed. At the Church of St. Paul more ceremonies were performed and
more proclamations were made. The popular joy, more or less sincere,
was expressed by the sounding of trumpets, the waving of banners, and
loud acclamations of "Long live King Richard!" At length, when the
services in the city were concluded, the king returned to Westminster,
and took up his abode at the royal palace; and while he was returning,
heralds were sent to all the great centres of concourse and
intelligence in and around London to proclaim him king.

This proclamation of Richard as king took place on the twenty-sixth of
June. King Edward the Fourt