when times were troublous, kings were not so anxious to
have throngs of people in fine dresses, and specially composed music and
all that sort of thing. They only wanted men with good swords, and as
much speed in being crowned as possible, for "delays were dangerous."
Stephen was almost as prompt as his predecessor; Henry ate his supper of
lampreys on December the 1st, and Stephen was crowned on St. Stephen's
Day, December 26th, 1135. At the next coronation, that of Henry II.,
Norman and Saxon rejoiced together at the prospect of an era of peace.
Prince Henry, son of Henry II., was crowned during his father's
lifetime, on June 14th, 1170. At the coronation banquet, when his
father stood behind him, the Prince remarked, "The son of an earl may
well wait on the son of a king." The event took place during the height
of the quarrel between Henry II. and Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury,
whose right it was to put the crown on the royal head. Accordingly
Becket excommunicated the Archbishop of York and the assistant bishops
who had officiated on the occasion. This led to the murder of Becket,
with disastrous consequences too numerous for me to allude to here.

At the coronation of Richard I. there was a grand array of nobles and
prelates, who came with the king from his palace to the Abbey and
witnessed the ceremony. Ill omens attended the occasion; a bat fluttered
round and round the throne at mid-day, and at night (they say) there was
a peal upon the bells, of which no one could give an explanation. But
the day was also marked by real horrors. From superstitious fears the
Jews had been forbidden to witness the ceremony. But at the banquet some
of them were discovered amongst the bystanders. They were at once beaten
almost to death. The mob began plundering the Jews' houses, and
murdering the inmates, and at York and other cities similar scenes
quickly followed.

At John's coronation the custom began of having the canopy over the
king's head carried by the five Barons of the Cinque Ports. This was in
return for their aid to John in his frequent voyages. When Henry III.
succeeded, Westminster was in the hands of Prince Louis of France, "the
Dauphin" of Shakespeare's play. The king was accordingly crowned at
Winchester; but he had a second coronation in Westminster Abbey, on May
17, 1220, having on the previous day laid the foundation-stone of his
Lady Chapel, which was to be the germ of an entirely new edifice. All
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