Edward IVs coronation. June 1461.

September 3, 2021 danmoorhouse

The Coronation of Edward IV took place on 28 June 1461 at Westminster Abbey.

Following Edward’s victory at Towton and the isolation of Lancastrian resistance to a relatively small number of areas of the country, preparations were made for his Coronation.

Context: events around the Coronation of Edward IV

King Edward, after the festivities of Easter, which he celebrated with great splendour at York, having placed garrisons throughout the whole country in whom he could fully rely, returned, as conqueror, to London. Here he immediately assembled the Parliament, and was crowned at Westminster by the venerable father Thomas, archbishop of Canterbury, and solemnly graced with the diadem of sovereignty. In this Parliament it was enacted that whatever had been granted or obtained in the reigns of the three kings immediately preceding, that is to say, in the times of Henry the Fourth, Henry the Fifth, and Henry the Sixth, was of no valdidity whatever, but that the same was to be entirely cancelled and annulled. [Coinage] changed and re-coined, in order that the name of Henry, which was inscribed thereon, might be utterly obliterated.

The consequence was, that, among the other things revoked by this enactment, the charter of vacation of our abbey [Croyland], which had been obtained in the time of king Henry the Fifth by the venerable father abbot Thomas Overton, of pious memory, as well as the charter which had been lately granted
us by king Henry the Sixth, conferring certain privileges and liberties in the vill of Croyland, were pronounced to be utterly devoid of all validity. In these days, however, the kingdom enjoyed peace, and all people returned thanks to Almighty God for the triumph granted them by heaven over their enemies.

From the Croyland (Crowland) Chronicle

Preparation for the Coronation of King Edward IV

A Coronation Ceremony in the medieval era was a public statement of legitimacy and right. The ceremony included many traditions. These included roles being performed by designated persons or organisations. Below is an example of the City of London formally requesting their traditional role within the Coronation ceremony. They wrote to the Steward of England, who was the young George Duke of Clarence, requesting that the City be granted the honour of serving the newly crowned King in the post Coronation celebratory feast. It was a routine letter, such requests being sent and agreed to by the Steward prior to each coronation ceremony. It was a means of keeping with tradition and upholding the longstanding bond between the Crown and the citizens of London.

Coronacio Regis Edwardi quarti.

Petition to the Duke of Clarence, Steward of England, by Richard Lee, with the common consent of the citizens, by the mouth of the Recorder, that they may be allowed to serve the King at his Coronation, according to custom:—

“Shewen and besechen unto your goode and gracieux Lordshipe the Maire and Citeseyns of the Citee of London that Where after the libertees and com’endable custumes of the saide Citee of tyme that no man is mynde is to the contraire Used enjoyed and accustumed the Maire of the same Cite for the tyme beyng by raison of his saide office of Mairalte in his owne persone oweth of right and duetee to serve the King oure allez liege lord in the day of his full noble Coronac’on after mete in such place as it shal please his highnesse to take his spices of Wyne in a cup of gold of our saide liege lord the King and the same cup with the coveryng belongyng thereunto and a layer of gold the said Mair to have and with hym to bere away atte tyme of his departyng for his fee and reward And also that diverse oþ’e Citeseyns þat by the saide Mair and Citee shal þ’to be named and chosen owen of right by the said custume at þe same day to serve in thoffice of Buttlershipe in helping of the chief buttler of Englond to þe lordes and estates þat shall be at the saide Coronac’on aswell atte table in the halle at mete as at after mete in þe Chambre Beseching your saide lordshipe that Richard Lee nowe Maire and oþ’e Citeseyns of þe Citee forsaide to þe saide office and s’vice nowe chosen whos names in a scedule herunto annexed be specified may be admytted to doo þe saide s’vice as their predecessours Mair and Citeseyns of þe saide Cite have in case semblable ben in dayes passed Also the saide Maire and Citeseyns prayen that they accordyng to þe libertees and Custumes forsaid may sitte in þe day of þe saide Coronac’on at þe table next þe cupbord of þe lifte side of þe hall and that the said Mair may have and enioye his said fee and Rewarde accordyng to his duete.”

The above petition being allowed by the said Duke and confirmed by the King’s sign manual, the Mayor and citizens ordered the fact to be placed on record to the following effect, viz., that Richard Lee, the Mayor, at the Coronation banquet in the great hall at Westminster, took the first table on the left side of the said hall near the King’s cupboard (cipharium), and the other citizens with him according to the liberties and customs anciently used.

‘Flyleaf, folios 1-10: c.1460 – c.1463’, in Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: L, Edward IV-Henry VII, ed. Reginald R Sharpe (London, 1912), British History Online

Coronation of Edward IV

And on the morow after the king was crowned againe in Westminster abbey in the worship of God & S. Peter: and on the next morow hee went crowned in Pauls church of London, in the honor of God & S. Paule, and there an angell came downe and censed him, at which time a multitude of people in Pauls, as euer was seene in any daies.

Stow, Annales of England, p. 682

The ceremony was a lavish affair. It includes the crowning of the King and the preparation of a large and ornate genealogical roll that ‘proved’ his legitimacy and historical ties to Brutus, Helen of Troy, and the origins of man. Educators – see Teaching about the Edward IV Roll.

Edward IV genealogical roll. Produced to prove legitimacy alongside Edward's coronation ceremony. — Edward IV Genealogical Roll

The proceedings included Edward creating 32 men as Knights of the Order of Bath. They then paraded along a carefully prepared route to hold vigil before the enthroning ceremony the next day. Wine was flowing freely from the conduits at the Eleanor Cross and Cornhill. Windows were decorated with gold and silver braid.

Phillipe de Commynes noted:

“I don’t recall ever having seen such a fine looking man…”.

During this, the Kings Champion, Sir Thomas Dymoke of Skivensby, rode into the hall in his ceremonial armour. He threw down his gauntlet and challenged anyone to assert that Edward was not the legitimate King.

Additional Accounts and Sources on Edward IV’s Coronation

City of London Letterbook

Folio 4 b.

Moreover, the aforesaid Mayor, the boards and tables being removed (amotis tabulis et mensis subtractis) (fn. 8) in the chamber of the lord the King, serving in his own person, offered wine to the royal mouth in a gold cup, at the same time presenting a golden ewer (fiolam) filled with water to temper the wine withal. Moreover, certain notable men specially appointed thereto, whose names are subscribed, attended the Chief Butler of England both in the hall and chamber according to their privilege. All being over, the said Mayor took and carried away the said gold cup, together with its cover, and also the ewer, as his fee and reward, and so the Mayor, enriched with the royal gift, returned home.

Robert Scrayngham, Thomas Muschamp, Mercers, John Lambe, William Haydok, Grocers; Thomas Eyre, Henry Waver, Drapers, William Chattok, John Bernewell, Fishmongers; Humfrey Hayford, Goldsmith; William Gregory, Skinner; Laurence Wilkynson, Vintner; William Knot, Tailor; William Corbet, Iremonger.

‘Flyleaf, folios 1-10: c.1460 – c.1463’, in Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: L, Edward IV-Henry VII, ed. Reginald R Sharpe (London, 1912), British History Online

The Wars of the Roses