[Footnote 280.1: [From Fenn, i. 232.] Like Nos. 457 and 458,
this letter refers to the approaching coronation of Edward
IV.]
[Footnote 280.2: Sir John Howard.]
[Footnote 280.3: Sir Thomas Montgomery.]
[Footnote 280.4: Childermas, or Holy Innocents’ Day, the 28th of
December, fell on Sunday in the year 1460. The day of the week
on which it fell used to be considered ominous or unlucky during
the whole ensuing year. This superstition seems to have
continued as late as the beginning of the eighteenth century,
and is alluded to by Addison in the seventh number of the
_Spectator_. It is not true, however, that Edward’s coronation
was put off till Monday. It took place on the Sunday which had
been originally appointed for it, but the processions and
pageantry were deferred till next day. The following is the
account of the matter given in a contemporary chronicle in the
Cottonian MS., Vitellius, A. xvi:--
‘And upon the morn, Sunday, which was St. Peter’s Even, and the
28th day of June, he was crowned at Westminster with great
solemnity of bishops and other temporal lords. And upon the morn
after, the King went crowned again in Westminster Abbey, in the
worship of God and St. Peter. And upon the next morn he went
also crowned in St. Paul’s in the worship of God and St. Paul;
and there the angel came down and censed him. At which time was
as great a multitude of people in Paul’s as ever was seen afore
in any days.’]
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