Coronation of Edward IV

[Oznerol]

THE CORONATION OF EDWARD OF YORK

The coronations of England's Kings had always been splendid affairs, and Edward, with his sense of showmanship, was resolved that nothing should be missing to give the populace the spectacle that it expected. A week before, the populace had already been deligthed by a magnificent wedding, that of Anne Percy and Edward IV, held in Canterbury by the Archbishop himself.

On the chosen day, Edward rode from Lambeth to the Tower to begin the customary Vigil before a coronation. At the gates of the City, he was received by the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen, clad in scarlet robes, accompanied by 400 from the Court of Common Council and the most prominent of the citizens. The solemn and gorgeous procession wound its way slowly through the City streets whilst the people cheered the God-like figure of Edward, so very different from the drab and vacant-eyed creature they had previously seen as their King. Edward looked every inch a King, and a King who would give them a lasting peace. In him they saw an end to the troubles which had afflicted the Realm in recent years. Edward finally rode to Westminster Palace.

As the King ceremoniously walked to Westminster Abbey from his palace nearby, Norfolk carried the Sword, Exeter, the Globe and Suffolk the Crown of Edward the Confessor on an embroidered cushion with suns in splendour and white roses combined. The King's train was carried by Lord Percy, Earl of Northumberland and the pallium was held by the Earls of Essex, Cambridge, Surrey, Salisbury, Kent and Devon. Edward wore crimson robes and a splendid mantle, but his head was bare, for the crown didn't still rest on his temples. The Abbey itself was splendidly decorated with the king's heraldry and livery badges, the altar covered in golden cloth, like the way up to the chair of Edward the Confessor.


The solemn and splendid ceremony was conducted in Westminster, the cradle of the English Monarchy, by Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the bishops of Winchester, Ely, Durham, Worcester and Salisbury. Edward was now clad in the Anointing gown; a simple and austere garment worn during the anointing. It is plain white, bears no decoration and fastens at the back. The King's neck, head and shoulders received the annointment with the holy oils; the spurs were fastened on his feet; he was handed the Sword of State and the Globus Crucifer and clad in heavily embroidered, purple clothes and mantle. Finally, amidst the triumphal hymns sung by the abbey's choir, once the king is fabulously garbed with the coronation robes and sitting on the Coronation Chair over the Stone of Scone, the Archbishop of Canterbury raised the crown from its velvet bed and over his own head:

"In the Name of God, I crown thee: Edward, the Fourth of His Name, King of England, France, Castile and Leon"

And placed the souvereign's crown upon Edward's golden locks. The choir then sings a Te Deum:

Te Deum laudámus: te Dominum confitémur.
Te ætérnum Patrem omnis terra venerátur.
Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi cæli et univérsae potestátes.
Tibi Chérubim et Séraphim incessábili voce proclámant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra majestátis glóriæ tuæ.
Te gloriósus Apostolórum chorus;
Te Prophetárum laudábilis númerus;
Te Mártyrum candidátus laudat exércitus.
Te per orbem terrárum sancta confitétur Ecclésia:
Patrem imménsæ majestátis;
Venerándum tuum verum et únicum Fílium;
Sanctum quoque Paráclitum Spíritum.
Tu Rex glóriæ, Christe.
Tu Patris sempitérnus es Fílius.
Tu ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem, non horruísti Vírginis úterum.
Tu, devícto mortis acúleo,
aperuísti credéntibus regna cælórum.
Tu ad déxteram Dei sedes, in glória Patris.
Judex créderis esse ventúrus.
Te ergo quǽsumus, tuis fámulis súbveni,
quos pretióso sánguine redemísti.
Ætérna fac cum sanctis tuis in glória numerári.

(https://youtu.be/KJehwQL5nAU)


Lastly, Anne Percy was crowned by the Archbishop, assisted by the Bishop of Durham, a ceremony somewhat more simple but still as magnificent. Chosen for her was the crown of Catherine of Valois, a splendid piece of craftsmanship that she had brought across the Channel. Anne's train had been carried by Margaret Beaufort and Anne of York, while the crown was carried by Elisabeth of York. She was surrounded by the countesses of Essex, Salisbury, Devon, Northumberland, Oxford, Kent and the Duchess of Norfolk. Several hymns were sung to conclude the ceremony and led by the Archbishop himself they left the Abbey, heading for Westminster palace nearby.

[Blastoise Groudon]

Edward could not believe it. It finally happened. He has been crowned King of England and has a wife. He hopes the future is bright for them.

[Jokern]

John de Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, beamed with pride as he handed over the Sword of State to Edward IV. Finally, all his hard work would be complete. His king was crowned, the Mowbray were the most powerful family in England and the line of Lancaster had been all but destroyed. The old lord, who had just passed 50 years on this earth, felt all the fatigue that had been repressed for so long roll over him, but he would not rest yet. He still had so much to do, both for his family and for England.

France and Scotland still persisted in standing against England, an affront to all that was good. They would have to be dealt with sooner or later. The squabbles, feuds and power games of the lords would still go on as they argued and fought for lands and titles between each other. He could feel their gazes upon him, their hunger for power and jealousy and fear for him. Norfolk was the most powerful man in the kingdom, the king's ear was always ready to hear and heed his advice.

The Duke of Norfolk knew that his position carried a heavy burden, but his vision of England was not yet fulfilled. There was much work to be done, and he prayed to the Lord that his remaining years on earth would be enough to see them through.

[Blastoise Groudon]

On the way back to the palace, crowds of people was shouting their well wishes to him and the new queen. Edward was also beaming from ear to ear. He worked hard for this, surviving two battles,losing a friend in Warwick, and nearly being killed at the 2nd battle. His choice in an wife wasn't popular, but she was beautiful and it was an good marriage from a policy standpoint anyhow. He had Percy's support during the Scottish crisis. He looked around and saw all of his noblemen friends. He leaned over and kissed the new queen.

He stopped for a moment and shouted to the crowd:

Thank you! Thank you everyone! God bless you! Thank you for coming!

[Gandalfus]

Holland and Kent both performed their duties gladly; though the latter had much more personal pride in Edward. The Nevilles had bled for York; both Richard Nevilles had even died for them. To finally see him crowned, his enemies broken before him, gave William a great sense of relief, as if the deaths of his kin had been vindicated and avenged by this action.
However, any feelings of such died when the Percy woman sat on the throne. Here sat the daughter of his greatest foe, the man who had slain the Earl of Warwick at Towton and had worked every day for the downfall of the Nevilles. It was a foul moment, a black day, and it did not sit well with William that this woman would now be pouring her poison into the King's ear daily.

--

Clarence stood with the other lords, scowling like a callow child at another perceived insult - he hadn't even been given a role in his own brother's coronation! This was by far the greatest of slights, undoubtedly orchestrated by Mowbray to humble him in some foolish manner. He would not forget it, as long as he lived.


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[Mary The Quene]

The Queen, dressed in the most expensive wedding dress that England had seen decorated with golden jewels, pears arrived to her new palace with her new husband. Her hair shining as beautiful as ever and her crown shining in the air she was so proud, she was now queen, she would be recorded in history among many other Queens. Margaret just barely seventeen years old could only smile this day, knowing her father was with her. During the ride back to the palace she greeted constantly the cheering crowd and waived her hand as a sign of pleasure and goodwill. King Edward kissed her cheeks carefully, this was the first man to do so in her life for only her mother had done the same in the past. Upon kissing him the noble's could see her cheeks going red, she laid a hand into his hand and finally spoke, finally the king could hear her sweet voice, such a voice must come from the heaven itself.

A dance, my husband?

Her emotions were so high this day that she did not know what to really say.

Are you a dancer?

What her looks did not betray was her fear of what was to come, the wedding night, she was so scared of it but it was better not to think about it now, now was time to enjoy, to shine.

[Blastoise Groudon]

The Queen, dressed in the most expensive wedding dress that England had seen decorated with golden jewels, pears arrived to her new palace with her new husband. Her hair shining as beautiful as ever and her crown shining in the air she was so proud, she was now queen, she would be recorded in history among many other Queens. Margaret just barely seventeen years old could only smile this day, knowing her father was with her. During the ride back to the palace she greeted constantly the cheering crowd and waived her hand as a sign of pleasure and goodwill. King Edward kissed her cheeks carefully, this was the first man to do so in her life for only her mother had done the same in the past. Upon kissing him the noble's could see her cheeks going red, she laid a hand into his hand and finally spoke, finally the king could hear her sweet voice, such a voice must come from the heaven itself.

A dance, my husband?

Her emotions were so high this day that she did not know what to really say.

Are you a dancer?

What her looks did not betray was her fear of what was to come, the wedding night, she was so scared of it but it was better not to think about it now, now was time to enjoy, to shine.

All the pain Edward has been through seemed to dissipate when his wife asked that. He smiles warmly and nods.

Yes, my love. I'm not much of an dancer, but for you, I will be. Let's dance.

Edward took her hand and they begin to dance.

[Mary The Quene]

All the pain Edward has been through seemed to dissipate when his wife asked that. He smiles warmly and nods.

Yes, my love. I'm not much of an dancer, but for you, I will be. Let's dance.

Edward took her hand and they begin to dance.

The newly Queen could only smile, she could still hardly believe she was now queen. All eye's were now on her and her husband, some approving and other's with envy. The Queen made a gracious kink while holding Edward's hand. All noble's were closely watching the couple with every move the queen made, all movements were made so graciously and so elegant that all other envied her. The Queen was so proud now.

Then i shall teach you dance, my husband, i shall teach you... love.

The Queen knew it for sure, this moment must be painted, be immortalized, for history and the eye.

Don't you think such a splendid marriage must be painted so that history will record it, so that our marriage is immortalized?

For a moment the young queen's eye's were fixed at her father, he could only be proud for his daughter she thought

[Blastoise Groudon]

The newly Queen could only smile, she could still hardly believe she was now queen. All eye's were now on her and her husband, some approving and other's with envy. The Queen made a gracious kink while holding Edward's hand. All noble's were closely watching the couple with every move the queen made, all movements were made so graciously and so elegant that all other envied her. The Queen was so proud now.

Then i shall teach you dance, my husband, i shall teach you... love.

The Queen knew it for sure, this moment must be painted, be immortalized, for history and the eye.

Don't you think such a splendid marriage must be painted so that history will record it, so that our marriage is immortalized?

For a moment the young queen's eye's were fixed at her father, he could only be proud for his daughter she thought

Edward smiles and thinks. He thinks that would be an marvelous idea. His thinking was briefly disrupted with Lord Stafford emotional clap, to which Edward waves hello in return. He turns back to his wife and speaks:

Yes, my love. An painting would be an marvelous idea. All of history will remember this day.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Despite the stature and prestige that the Duke of Norfolk held among the nobility, the man who stood almost equal to the man was the Earl of Northumberland and Cumberland, Henry Percy. Word was well known that his daughter, Margaret Percy, was to become the Queen of England, elevating his house from a former Lancastrian supporter to the King's father-in-law and grandfather to the future princes and princesses of England. Due to this rise in status, Percy had been given the honor of carrying the King's train as he walked to be crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Dressed in his finest garments, the same worn by any noblemen when they are elevated or in a ceremonial event, the northern lord stood proud and tall. Under Henry VI, he would have surely been forgotten and left to rot in the North. Now with his daughter's crowning, the rise of House Percy was imminent and Henry would ensure it would rise higher and higher.

=================

The Earl of Salisbury, John Neville, eyes Henry Percy quietly. The killer of his beloved brother had been elevated to greater prestige and a daughter of his loins was to be Queen of England and the mother of princes and princesses. From this day forth. the monarchs that would follow Edward IV as his offspring would have Percy blood in them, not Neville blood as it should have been. John would glance at his uncle when given the time, noticing how the Earl of Kent was seething deep within his eyes. They loved the King and would never betray him, but they had to be more careful than ever with Percy.

[Xion]

While the rest of his family stood in the crowd of the nobility, the Earl of Devon performed the duty the Archbishop of Canterbury selected him for with an impassive expression upon his face. The honor of a position in the coronation made up for his potential attainment according to the wording of the king's edict, and the Earl of Devon glanced at Mowbray for a moment when he handed the sword of state to Edward, the possibility that he was responsible for the mistake, perhaps intentionally, crept into Thomas' thoughts.
----
John Wenlock stood amidst the other lords with his wife Elizabeth, their children, and several of his grandchildren, all of them dressed in their finest garments. While the baron watched the coronation, he debated whether to remain in England or return to Calais to continue be deputy to Salisbury, if he still was the Lord Captain of Calais.
----
Thomas FitzGerald stood near the other Anglo-Irish and Irish nobility present, a faint scowl on his face as despite fighting against his father-in-law and the son of the accursed White Earl who stole his father's inheritance until the dispute was resolved in his favor some time after his father's death, the attained titles in Ireland were awarded to others, despite his house's claim to Desmond and while he had no claim to Ormond, Thomas had prayed to acquire it out of revenge of Butler taking Kildare. The Earl of Kildare silently watches the procession and cheers when Edward is crowned, as the Kildare Geraldines have been staunch Yorkists throughout the conflict.

[Barry Goldwater]

Aubrey de Vere or rather, Oxford, watched the royal procession to Westminster Abbey from the crowd, his family at his side. His second brother John the Younger was conspicuously absent from the gathered De Veres, having fled to France with what little remained of the power of Lancaster in the aftermath of Wallingford. The De Vere family added their voices and applause to the cheering as Edward's party passed by them, even Oxford - This is the future, he reflected as the handsome young king left their sight. Lancaster is done and dead and buried, let my foolish little brother continue his hopeless struggle for the wilted Red Rose if he wants. I have to do what's best for the family now, and that means letting the star of Oxford shine upon the White Rose for a change.

----------

Cambridge had been assigned to the party of earls who held the King's pallium, trailing behind the train carried by Northumberland. All worry and irritation over his lack of reward in the aftermath of Wallingford had dissipated for now, for he was clearly happy just to have the honor of assisting in the royal coronation, and by the time the ceremony concluded he was beaming more widely than he used to even in his brightest moods: his father's death and that of thousands of other Englishmen had not been in vain after all, the House of York now securely sat England's throne and he could rightly claim to have helped Edward along in his own small ways. Even the King's marriage to a Percy didn't bother him in the least, since he learned that the Earl of Northumberland had forsaken the Red Rose forever in a most dramatic manner and helped put Margaret of Anjou's lieutenant Beaufort in the ground at Carlisle. His wife, brother and infant son were all present in the adoring crowds, and with the exception of baby Harry Kyriell, joined in the raucous cheering as the royal procession passed by them.

[Noytary]

Lord Stafford claps loudly with tears in his eyes. "Splendid. Splendid." he motions to his servants, that hurry to bring him his most delicious and antique wine. Fitting for such lavish ceremony. He was right in placing the bet on Edward, but he sure hoped for a bigger prize after sending some much men to the north. Maybe with George he will finally reach a consistent amount of power. With that said, he was a bit hasty. There is plenty of time for court intrigue, and dealing with him can wait. He joyfully waves familiar faces abd drink ftom the bottle. After all, there is still a year or two before he dies...