Wales, in his Robes of Eftate, of Crimson Velvet, furr'd with Ermine, his Coronet fet with precious Stones, and Cap borne by the Earl of Hertford, on a Crimson Velvet Cushion, and wearing a like Cap of Crimfon Velvet turn'd up with Ermine by his Majesty's Royal Permiflion, hisTrain fupported by Augustus Scutz, and Adolphus Oughton, Efqs. the two eldest Grooms of His Royal Highness's Bed-chamber, affifted by Henry Killegrew, Efq; Gentleman of His Royal Highness's Robes. The Earl of Derby with the Sword of State, between the Duke of Montague, Lord High Conftable for that Day, and the Earl of Suffolk and Bindon, as Earl Marshal of England; the Duke of Grafton, Lord High Steward on that Occafion, with the Crown, between the Duke of Argyle, bearing the Scepter with the Dove, and the Duke of Somerfet with the Orb; the Bishop of Salisbury with the Bible, between the Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry with the Patten, and the Bishop of Bangor with the Chalice.

Then the King in his Royal Robes of Crimson Velvet, furr'd with Ermine, and border'd with a rich broad Gold Lace, wearing the Collar of the Order of St. George, (as did all the Knights of the faid Order) and the Knights of the Order of St. Andrew wore likewife the Collar of that Order, and on his Head a Cap of State of Crimson Velvet, turn'd up with Ermine, adorn'd with a Circle of Gold enrich'd with Diamonds, fupported by the Bishops of Durham, and Bath and Wells, under a Canopy borne by the Barons of the Cinque Ports; his Train borne by four Noblemens eldeft Sons, viz. The Lord Walden, the Lord Mandevile, the Lord Rialton, the Lord Desford, affifted by the King's Vice-Chamberlain, in the Abfence of the Mafter of the Robes; the Serjeants at Arms and GentlemenPenfioners going on each Side.

The Regalia and Canopy.

Next follow'd the Captain of his Majefty's Horfe Guard, between the Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, and the Captain of the Band of Gentlemen-Penfioners, with the Lieutenant and Standard-Bearer of the Gentlemen-Penfioners on either Hand of them; and the Officers and Yeomen of the Guard clos'd the Proceffion.

Thus the whole Proceeding march'd on Foot upon Blue Cloth to Westminster- Abbey, and being enter'd into the Church, and all duly feated and placed, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, who perform'd this great Solemnity, began with the Recognition. Then His Majefty made his firft Oblation, and the Lords who bore the Regalia, pre

fented

fented them at the Altar: The Litany was fung on the Eaft Side of the Theatre, by the Bishops of Litchfield and Coventry, and Norwich; and after the Epiftle, Gofpel, and Nicene Creed, the Lord Bifhop of Oxford preach'd on this Text, Pfal. cxviii. v. 24. This is the Day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoyce and be glad in it.

I

After the Sermon, his Majefty repeated and fign'd the Declaration or Teft, eftablish'd by Act of Parliament, and took the Coronation Oath, which he likewife fubfcrib'd; and in King Edward's Chair, placed in the Middle of the Area before the Altar, was anointed, and prefented with the Spurs, and girt with the Sword, and vefted with his Purple Robes; and having receiv'd the Ring, the Orb, and Scepters, was folemnly crown'd about two of the Clock, the Drums beating, Trumpets founding, and the great Guns being difcharged; whereupon His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the Peers, put on their Coronets, and the Bishops their Caps, the Dukes of Aquitain and Normandy their Hats, and the Kings of Arms their Coronets.

Then the Holy Bible was prefented to his Majefty by the Archbishop; and his Majefty having receiv'd the Benediction, fate down in his Chair, and then vouchsafed to kifs the Archbishops and Bishops; and being enthron'd, His Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal did their Homages, and feemingly kiffed his Majefty's left Cheek, and afterwards touched the Crown, while the Treasurer of the Houfhold threw about the Coronation Medals.

Then his Majefty made his fecond Oblation, and received the Holy Communion, and after the final Prayers, retir'd into King Edward's Chapel, and being vested in his Robes of Purple Velvet, and the whole Proceeding being again put in Order, his Majefty return'd to WestminsterHall, wearing his Crown of State, and the Peers and Kings of Arms their Coronets.

The King din'd at a Table at the Upper End of the Hall, with his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on his left Hand; and the Nobility and other Perfons of Quality were feated at their respective Tables, which were all ready furnish'd before their coming in; the hot Meat or firft Courfe for his Majefty's Table, for which Space was left, was ferved up with the proper Ceremony, being preceded by the Officers, &c. of the Board of Green-cloth, and by the Lord High Steward, between the Lord HighConftable, and the Lord Marthal, on Horfeback.

F.2

And

And just before the fecond Courfe, Lewis Dymoke, Efq; Chan pion of England, in compleat Armour, rode into the Hall, between the Lord High Conftable and Lord Marfhal before-mention'd, and performed the Challenge: After which, Garter's Deputy, attended by the other Officers of Arms, proclaim'd his Majefty's Style in Latin, French, and English.

Dinner being ended, and all Things perform'd with great Splendor and Magnificence, about Seven a-Clock his Majefty returned to St. James's; and the Day concluded with Bonfires, Illuminations, Ringing of Bells, and other Demonftrations of a general Joy and Satisfaction.

As foon as the King had fettled the most important of his Domestick Affairs, his Majesty notify'd his Acceffion to the Throne to feveral Princes and States; and in particular, to the States-General of the United Provinces, to whom he wrote the following Letter:

High and Mighty Lords, our good Friends, Allies, and
Confederates:

TH

HE Succeflion to the Crowns of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, being devolv'd on us, by the Deceafe of the late Queen Anne, our most dear Sister and Cousin, we took Care to fatisfy the ardent Defires of our faithful Subjects, by repairing as foon as poffible to our Kingdoms. We happily arriv'd on the 19th Instant, and do take the firft Occafion to communicate the fame to you. We are fully perfwaded you will be highly fatisfy'd to be appris'd of the univerfal Joy, and unexpreffible Acclamations, with which we were receiv'd by our People: And as you have at all Times given us Proofs of your fincere Amity; and we having, in our Paffage through your Country, obferv'd your Inclinations to make, with all poffible Firmnefs, a Bond of perfect Alliance between the two Nations; we once more renew to you our Affurances of the Defire we have to demonftrate to you by all imaginable Ways, how fenfible we are of your Friendship; and our Refolution, ever to cultivate and confirm more and more, an Alliance, which is fo neceffary and advantageous for the reciprocal Good of our Dominions, and for the Benefit of all Europe. We pray God he may have you, High and Mighty Lords, our good Friends, Allies, and Confederates, in his holy and worthy Keeping.

Written at our Court at St. James's the 27th of Sept. 0. S. Anno 1714, and the First of our Reign,

3

Your very good Friend, GEORGE R.

Next

Next to this Formality, his Majefty's firft Care was to look to the Intereft of his Dominions abroad: Upon which, purfuant to his Majefty's Orders, Mr. Prior, Plenipotentiary of Great Britain in France, prefented the following Memorial to that Court, on the 23d of October, N. S.

T

HE underwritten Plenipotentiary, Minister of the King of Great Britain, has Orders from the King his Mafter, to reprefent to your Majefty, that having heard the Report of the Commiffaries and Ingineers fent to view the State of the Fortifications and Port of Dunkirk, his Majefty is very much furpriz'd to hear, that notwithftanding the Instances and Reprefentations made on the Part of Great Britain to prefs the Execution of the 9th Article of the Treaty of Peace concluded at Utrecht, the faid Port is fo little fill'd up, that there can ftill, to this Day, as great Ships as formerly, pafs by the old Canal, up to the Hornwork of the Town. So long as that Canal remains, it cannot be deny'd that there is ftill at Dunkirk a Port of 1000 Rods long, and confequently able to receive many Hundred Ships. The Words of the Treaty are, Portus compleatur, (that the Haven fhall be fill'd up) Aggeres aut Moles diruantur, (that the Dykes which form the Canal and the Moles be deftroy'd.) We appeal even to your Majefty's own Engineers, if the Haven be fill'd up, and if the Dykes be deftroy'd? The King my Mafter is very much perfwaded, that your Majefty being fully inform'd of this Fact, will give your ftrict Orders, that at laft that shall be accomplish'd, which, according to the Words of the Treaty, ought to have been done above a Year ago. The fame Minister has Order to represent to your Majesty, that the Surprize of the King his Mafter has been ftill greater, when he was told, that notwithstanding the said 9th Article, which fays exprefly, ne dicta Munimenta, Portus, Moles, aut Aggeres denuo unquam reficiantur, (that the faid Fortifications, the Port, or the Dikes of Dunkirk shall never be rebuilt) that they are actually at Work in making a new Port much larger than the old Canal, which, as well as the old Haven, goes up to the Town of Dunkirk; and that the Foundation of a Sluice much greater than the former, which ferv'd to clean the old Haven, is laid.

It cannot be imagin'd that your Majesty will make Ufe of the Word Dicta, which is in that Article, to maintain, that fince the fame Canal is not reftor'd, the fame Materials are not made Ufe of, and the fame Bastions and Courtains are not rebuilt, that your Majefty is at Liberty

F3

to

to raise new Works, and make a new Port, better than the former. The Bona Fide which ought to reign in all Treaties, and which will be religiously obferv'd by the King my Mafter, will not admit of fuch a Suppofition.

When Ships can go into Dunkirk by the old Canal which is on the North, or by the New, which is on the Weft, Dunkirk will in the fame Manner be a Port, and be equally incommodious and dangerous to the Commerce of Great Britain.

In either of these two Cafes, the Treaty will be equally violated. The King of Great Britain is refolv'd, on his Side religiously to obferve the Treaty of Utrecht, and to maintain with your Majefty an Amity fo fincere, that he defires above all Things to prevent all Incidents that may difturb that good Intelligence. And as the Hopes of feeing the entire Execution of that 9th Article, has been to Great Britain the principal Motive for accepting the Peace of Utrecht, he has order'd the underwritten Minister to make the most preffing Instances with your Majesty, that you will pleafe to give Order for filling up the faid Canals, &c.

To this Memorial the Court of France return'd the following Answer:

Urfuant to the 9th Article of the Treaty of Peace concluded at Utrecht, the Harbour of Dunkirk, between the Town and the Citadel, is entirely fill'd up.

Never

thelefs, Men are still at work, carrying into it the Earth that is produced by the demolishing of the Cavaliers of the Citadel.

The Words Portus compleatur, can never be apply'd to the Old Canal, which is very different from the Harbour; neither, to be fure, would the King ever have engag'd entirely to destroy a Canal of 1000 Toifes in Length.

That would have been a Work immoderately great; for the only Time Men could have been employ'd therein, would have been at low Water.

On the other Hand, it would have been altogether needlefs; for the Sea will foon carry away what remains of the Dykes that were made.

Thofe Dykes and Jettés fink daily, and are wash'd away by the Sea: But it having been lately demanded on the Part of the King of Great Britain, that to the End they might be carry'd off the fooner, the King would caufe four Coupures, or Outlets, to be made therein, his Majefty gave Orders accordingly; and by Means of this

new