"At the moment Charles X. crossed the nave, clad in a gown of white
satin, opened over a doublet of the same color and the same material, a
general thrill evoked a thousand little cries of ecstasy from my lady
neighbors. With that sensitiveness to grace innate with women, and
which never fails to delight them, how could they help applauding the
royal and supremely elegant fashion in which Charles X., despite his
age, wore this strange and slightly theatrical costume? No one was
better adapted than he, in default of more solid qualities, to give a
becoming air to the outward manifestations of a royalty that was at
once amiable and dignified."
It is half-past seven in the morning. The ceremony begins. Escorted by
his two attendant cardinals, the King reaches the foot of the altar and
kneels. Mgr. de Latil, Archbishop of Rheims, standing and without his
mitre, pronounces this prayer:--
"Almighty God, who rulest all above us, and who hast deigned to raise
to the throne Thy servant Charles, we implore Thee to preserve him from
all adversity, to strengthen him with the gift of the peace of the
Church, and to bring him by Thy grace to the joys of a peace eternal!"
The King is now escorted by the two cardinals to the seat prepared for
him in the centre of the sanctuary, under the great dais, a little in
advance of the first of the steps that divide the sanctuary from the
choir. At his right are the Dauphin, the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke
of Bourbon, their ducal crowns on their heads.
The Veni Creator having been sung, the Archbishop takes the book of the
Gospels, on which he places a piece of the true cross, and holds it
open before the monarch. Charles X., seated, his head covered, his hand
on the Gospels and the true cross, pronounces in a strong voice the
oath of coronation:--
"In the presence of God, I promise to my people to maintain and honor
our holy religion, as belongs to the very Christian King and eldest son
of the Church; to render good justice to all my subjects; finally, to
govern according to the laws of the kingdom and the Constitutional
Charter, which I swear faithfully to observe, so help me God and His
holy Gospels."
The King next takes two other oaths, the first as sovereign chief and
grand master of the Order of the Holy Spirit, the others as sovereign
chief and grand master of the military and royal Order of Saint Louis
and of the royal Order of the Legion of Honor. He swears to maintain
these orders and not to allow them to fail of their glorious
prerogatives. Then his gown is removed by the First Gentleman of the
Chamber, and he gives his cap to the First Chamberlain. He now bears
only the robe of red satin with gold lace on the seams. He is seated.
The Marquis of Dreux-Breze, Grand Master of Ceremonies, goes to the
altar and takes the shoes of violet velvet sown with golden
fleurs-de-lis, and Prince Talleyrand, Grand Chamberlain, puts them on
the feet of the King.
Then the Archbishop blesses the sword of Charlemagne, placed on the
altar in its scabbard:--
"Exaudi Domine," he says, "grant our prayers, and deign to bless with
Thy hand this sword with which Thy servant Charles is girt, that he may
use it to protect the churches, the widows, and the orphans, and all
Thy servants; and may this sword inspire dread and terror to whoever
shall dare to lay snares for our King. We ask it through our Lord Jesus
Christ."
The Archbishop draws the sword from the sheath, and places it naked in
the hands of the King, who, having lowered it, offers it to God and
replaces it upon the altar.
To the ceremony of the sword succeeds the preparation of the holy
chrism. The Archbishop has the reliquary opened containing the holy
ampulla, which is taken from a little chest of gold; he withdraws from
it, by means of a golden needle, a particle which he mingles with the
holy chrism on the patin. Meanwhile the choir chants:--
"The holy Bishop Remi, having received from Heaven this precious balm,
sanctified the illustrious race of the French in the baptismal waters
and enriched them with the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Then the two attendant cardinals undo the openings made in the garments
of the King for the anointings, and escort His Majesty to the altar. A
large carpet of velvet with fleurs-de-lis is stretched in front, and on
this are two cushions of velvet, one over the other. The King
prostrates himself, his face against the cushions. The Archbishop,
holding the golden patin of the chalice of Saint Remi, on which is the
sacred unction, takes some upon his thumb, and consecrates the King,
who is kneeling.
The Archbishop then proceeds to the seven anointings: on the crown of
the head, on the breast, between the shoulders, on the right shoulder,
on the left shoulder, in the bend of the right arm, in the bend of the
left arm, making the sign of the cross at each, and repeating seven
times: ungo te in regem de oleo sanctificato, in nomine patris et filii
et spiritus sancti. Aided by the attendant cardinals, he then closes
the openings in the King's garments.
The Grand Chamberlain advances, and puts upon His Majesty the tunic and
dalmatica of violet satin sown with fleurs-de-lis in gold, which the
Master of Ceremonies and an aide have taken from the altar. The Grand
Chamberlain places over these the royal mantle of violet velvet sown
with golden fleurs-de-lis, lined and bordered with ermine. Charles X.,
clad in the royal robes, kneels. The Archbishop, seated, with the mitre
on his head, anoints the palms of his hands, saying: ungentur manus
istae de oleo sanctificato. The King then receives the gloves sprinkled
with holy water, the ring, the sceptre, the Main de Justice.
The Dauphin, the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke of Bourbon advance. The
Archbishop, mitre on head, takes with both hands from the altar the
crown of Charlemagne and holds it above the King's head without
touching it. Immediately the three princes put out their hands to
support it. The Archbishop, holding it with the left hand only, with
the right makes the sign, of benediction: coronat te deus corona
gloriae atque justitiae. After which he places the crown on the head of
the King, saying: accipe coronam regni in nomine patris et filii et
spiritus sancti.
Now that the King is crowned, he ascends the steps of the jube, and
seats himself upon the throne. The religious silence, maintained to
that moment, is broken by cries of "Long live the King!" which rise
from all parts of the Cathedral. The ladies in the galleries wave their
handkerchiefs. The enthusiasm reaches a paroxysm. Flourishes of
trumpets resound. The people enter the Cathedral amid acclamations.
Three salutes are fired by the infantry of the royal guard. The
artillery responds from the city ramparts. The bells ring. The
heralds-at-arms distribute the medals struck for the coronation. The
people rush to get them. The keepers release the birds, which fly here
and there beneath the vaulted roof, dazzled, terrified by the shining
chandeliers. The Te Deum is sung. High Mass begins. At the offertory
the King leaves the throne to go to the altar with the offerings.
Reaching the front of the altar, he hands his sceptre to Marshal Soult,
Duke of Dalmatia, the Main de Justice to Marshal Mortier, Duke of
Treviso. Then, after having presented in succession the
offerings,--viz. the wine in a vase of gold, the Pain d'Argent, the
Pain d'Or,--he resumes his sceptre and his Main de Justice and returns
to the throne.
After the benediction, the Grand Almoner goes and takes the kiss of
peace from the Archbishop, and then goes and gives it to the King. The
Dauphin, the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke of Bourbon, laying aside
their ducal crowns, come and receive the kiss from the King.
After the domine salvum fac regem Charles X. again descends from the
throne, and returns to the altar. There he removes his crown and
retires behind the altar to his confessional, where he remains three
minutes. During this time the holy table is prepared. The cloth is held
on one side by the Bishop of Hermopolis, First Almoner of the King, and
on the other by the Grand Almoner. Charles X. kneels on a cushion
before the holy table, which is supported by the Dauphin and the Duke
of Orleans. The King receives the communion in both kinds. The whole
assembly kneels. The great crown of Charlemagne is handed to Marshal
Jourdan, who bears it in front of the King. The Archbishop then places
the diamond crown on the King's head, who resumes his sceptre and his
Main de Justice, while the choir chants the exaudiat, and returns with
his cortege to the Archbishop's palace, passing through the church and
the covered gallery. It is half-past eleven in the morning. The
ceremony of consecration is finished. It has lasted four hours.
Reaching his apartments, Charles X. passes the sceptre to Marshal
Soult, the Main de Justice to Marshal Mortier. The shirt and the gloves
touched by the holy unction must be burned. The great officers of the
crown then escort the monarch to the royal banquet in the great hall.
There he eats under a dais with the Dauphin, the Duke of Orleans, and
the Duke of Bourbon, with their ducal crowns, and he with the diamond
crown upon the head.
The royal insignia have been placed upon the table which is served by
the great officers and the officers of the household. The marshals of
France stand before the sovereign ready to resume the insignia. Around
about are five other tables, where are placed the members of the
diplomatic corps, the peers of France, the deputies, the cardinals,
archbishops, and bishops. The royal banquet lasts half an hour to the
sound of military music. In the evening the city of Rheims is
everywhere illuminated.