Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
The Thames from Somerset House Terrace towards the City
The past or the present? What are we thinking?
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And the big day has come! In this last segment, Pepys reveals how the events unfolded.
Tuesday, 23 April 1661
âCoronacian day.
⌠about 4 I rose and got to the Abbey, where I followed Sir J. Denham, the Surveyor, with some company that he was leading in. And with much ado, by the favour of Mr. Cooper, his man, did get up into a great scaffold across the North end of the Abbey, where with a great deal of patience I sat from past 4 till 11 before the King came in. And a great pleasure it was to see the Abbey raised in the middle, all covered with red, and a throne (that is a chair) and footstool on the top of it; and all the officers of all kinds, so much as the very fidlers, in red vests.
At last comes in the Dean and Prebends of Westminster, with the Bishops (many of them in cloth of gold copes), and after them the Nobility, all in their Parliament robes, which was a most magnificent sight. Then the Duke, and the King with a scepter (carried by my Lord Sandwich) and sword and mond before him, and the crown too.
The King in his robes, bare-headed, which was very fine. And after all had placed themselves, there was a sermon and the service; and then in the Quire at the high altar, the King passed through all the ceremonies of the Coronacon, which to my great grief I and most in the Abbey could not see. The crown being put upon his head, a great shout begun, and he came forth to the throne, and there passed more ceremonies: as taking the oath, and having things read to him by the Bishop; and his lords (who put on their caps as soon as the King put on his crown) and bishops come, and kneeled before him.
I took a great deal of pleasure to go up and down, and look upon the ladies, and to hear the musique of all sorts, but above all, the 24 violins.
About six at night they had dined, and I went up to my wife, and there met with a pretty lady (Mrs. Frankleyn, a Doctorâs wife, a friend of Mr. Bowyerâs), and kissed them both, and by and by took them down to Mr. Bowyerâs. And strange it is to think, that these two days have held up fair till now that all is done, and the King gone out of the Hall; and then it fell a-raining and thundering and lightening as I have not seen it do for some years: which people did take great notice of; Godâs blessing of the work of these two days, which is a foolery to take too much notice of such things.â
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On the eve of the Coronation, Pepys describes the atmosphere in London.
Monday, 22 April 1661
âKingâs going from ye Tower to Whitehall*
Up early and made myself as fine as I could, and put on my velvet coat, the first day that I put it on, though made half a year ago. And being ready, Sir W. Batten, my Lady, and his two daughters and his son and wife, and Sir W. Pen and his son and I, went to Mr. Youngâs, the flag-maker, in Corne-hill; and there we had a good room to ourselves, with wine and good cake, and saw the show very well. In which it is impossible to relate the glory of this day, expressed in the clothes of them that rid, and their horses and horses clothes, among others, my Lord Sandwichâs.
Embroidery and diamonds were ordinary among them.
The King, in a most rich embroidered suit and cloak, looked most noble.
The streets all gravelled, and the houses hung with carpets before them, made brave show, and the ladies out of the windows, one of which over against us I took much notice of, and spoke of her, which made good sport among us.
So glorious was the show with gold and silver that we were not able to look at it, our eyes at last being so much overcome with it.
Both the King and the Duke of York took notice of us, as he saw us at the window.
The show being ended, Mr. Young did give us a dinner, at which we were very merry, and pleased above imagination at what we have seen.â
*Charles Stuart went from Whitehall to the Tower by water, and from there he would make his way through the City to Westminster Abbey where the coronation would take place.
To be continued âŚ
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Whatâs it like to witness the coronation of a monarch?
Samuel Pepys described in his âDiaryâ the festive event that took place at the end of April in 1661.
Letâs find out what he was up to during the days prior to the Coronation of Charles II and on the big day itself.
Sunday, 21 April 1661
âIn the morning,â Pepys wrote, âwe were troubled to hear it rain as it did, because of the great show tomorrow. After I was ready I walked to my fatherâs and there found the late maid to be gone and another come by my motherâs choice, which my father do not like, and so great difference there will be between my father and mother about it. Here dined Doctor Thos. Pepys and Dr. Fayrebrother; and all our talk about to-morrowâs show, and our trouble that it is like to be a wet day.
After dinner comes in my coz. Snow and his wife, and I think stay there till the show be over. Then I went home,* and all the way is so thronged with people to see the triumphal arches, that I could hardly pass for them.
So home, people being at church, and I got home unseen, and so up to my chamber and saw done these last five or six daysâ diary.â
*His house was situated just west of Tower Hill in London.
To be continued âŚ
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Versailles - 10th February, 1714
On this day, Madame Palatine mentions in a letter that she is never bored, as there is always something to do. Describing her occupations, she tells us:
âOn Sunday I write to my dear aunt, the Electress, and to my daughter in Lorraine. On Monday to Switzerland and to the Queen of Spain. On Tuesday to Lorraine, Wednesday to Modena, Thursday to Hanover again, Friday to Lorraine, and on Saturday I make up anything I have not been able to write during the week. When, therefore, in a single day I have written twenty pages to the Princess of Wales, ten or twelve sheets to my daughter, twenty in French to the Queen of Sicily, I am so tired that I cannot put one foot in front of the other.â
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On this day, 22 January, in 1788, George Gordon Byron was born in London.
Here is an extract from Byronâs âDetached Thoughts,â in which he reflected on the meaning of life.
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How many historical figures can you spot in this picture? And who are they?
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Philippe I, Duke of OrlĂŠans, also known as Monsieur, was the brother of Louis XIV. Madame, his wife, wrote in her letters about his love of chimes:
âMonsieur loved the sound of bells so much that he used to go to Paris on purpose to pass the night of All Saints there, because all the bells were rung. He didn't care for any other sort of music. He used to joke about it himself, but he acknowledged that the bell ringing gave him a great deal of pleasure.â
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