touches the ground, and the upper panels are filled in with glass. It must have been a small

carriage in comparison with others of a somewhat later period.

State coaches, according to Fosbroke, are not mentioned in the sixteenth century; only state horses; but, in Germany, gilt state coaches were in use in the previous century. At the accession of Ann Boleyn, in 1532, the queen sat in a litter, covered with silver tissue, and carried by two pads, or ponies, clothed with damask, and led by footmen; and over the litter was carried a canopy of cloth of gold. Ladies in splendid dresses, and mounted on horseback, also formed part of this procession; with two chariots covered with cloth of gold, these being, probably, the nearest approach to state carriages. Elizabeth's coach is barely entitled to this rank. The state coach of Charles I. we learn, was of crimson velvet, adorned with gold within and

without; and a representation of this carriage is preserved in a print of Henrietta Maria, the queen of Charles, doing penance near to the gallows at Tyburn. Another print (better known,) of a procession through London in the reign of Queen Anne, shows the carriages of that period to have differed but little in form from that of Thynne, just represented.

Sir Walter Scott, in Old Mortality, thus describes the grotesque appearance of a coach in Scotland during the reign of Charles II.: "The lord lieutenant of the county, a personage of ducal rank, alone pretended to the magnificence of a wheel-carriage, a thing covered with tarnished gilding and sculpture, in shape like the vulgar picture of Noah's ark, dragged by eight long tailed Flanders mares, carrying eight insides and six outsides. The insides were their Graces in person; two maids of honour; two children; a chaplain stuffed into a sort of lateral recess, formed by a projection at the door of the vehicle, and called, from its appearance, the boot; and an equerry to his Grace esconced in a corresponding contrivance on the opposite side. A coachman and three postilions, who wore short swords, and tie wigs with three tails, had blunderbusses slung behind them, and pistols at their saddle-bow, conducted the equipage; and, on the footboard, behind this moving mansionhouse, stood, or rather hung, in triple pile, six lacquies, in rich liveries, armed up to the teeth.”

In these times, when noblemen went in state,

There

trumpeters sounded before them. Aubrey writes of old Sir Walter Long, of Draycot, keeping a trumpeter, and riding with thirty servants and retainers; whence the sheriffs' trumpets of later days. Javelin men were also employed on state occasions. Thus, John Evelyn, who was the last sheriff of the counties of Surrey and Sussex jointly, attended the judges with one hundred and sixteen servants in green satin doublets and cloth cloaks, guarded with silver galloon, as were the brims of their hats, which were adorned with white feathers. These men carried new javelins; and two trumpeters bore banners, on which were emblazoned Evelyn's arms. were besides thirty gentlemen, to whom he was uncle, or great-uncle, all clad in the same colours, who came, with several others, to do him honour. The sheriffs' state in our times has dwindled to a handsome carriage and half a dozen servants in rich liveries; save in a few instances, wherein the sheriffs are persons of taste in matters of pageantry; when the retinue is revived with some of the olden splendour. Thus, Sir Samuel Meyrick, the distinguished antiquary, who has built himself a castle in Herefordshire, and is the present sheriff of that county, maintains his office with these pageant honours; and the late Mr. Thomas Hope, when sheriff of Surrey, kept similar state.

State coaches are of cumbrous construction, and usually overloaded with ornament; yet the few preserved in our time, furnish a tolerably

correct idea of the convenience of the ancient carriage. In London are kept four state carriages, three of which have descended to successive owners. These are, the king's state coach; that of the lord chancellor; of the speaker of the House of Commons; and that of the lord mayor. The chancellor's and speaker's coaches are of small size, and tasteless fashion, with their gilding much tarnished. The city coach is very magnificent, and has in its panels emblematic paintings by Sir James Thornhill. Although

very heavy, it does not appear to have been drawn by more than four horses, until lord mayor's day, in the year 1740, of which is recorded: "What added magnificence to this day's show was, that his lordship's (Humphrey Parsons) coach was drawn by six horses adorned with grand harnesses, ribbons, &c. a sight never before seen on this occasion." As this carriage is used but on state occasions, its decorations, with care, have lasted for many years; but, in the year 1833, it was found necessary to cause a new state harness to be manufactured, which, in richness of ornament, eclipses the caparisoning of former times.

Of his majesty's state coach it may be interesting to particularize, that it was built in the year 1762, and was, until lately, kept in a mean shed, in the King's Mews, at Charing Cross, lately taken down for the site of the National Gallery. The superb character of this coach entitles it to description. The carriage is composed of four Tritons, who support the body by cables, fastened

to the roots of their fins; the two placed on the front of the carriage bear the driver on their shoulders, and are represented as sounding shells to announce the approach of the monarch of the sea; and those on the back part carry the imperial fasces, topped with tridents, instead of the ancient axes. The driver's footboard is a large scallop shell, supported by bunches of marine plants. The pole resembles a bundle of lances; and the wheels are in imitation of those of ancient triumphal chariots. The body of the coach is composed of eight palmtrees, which, branching out at the top, sustain the roof. The four angular trees are loaded with trophies, emblematic of British victories. On the centre of the roof stand three boys, representing the genii of England, Scotland, and Ireland, supporting the imperial crown, and holding in their hands the sceptre, the sword of state, and ensigns of knighthood; their bodies being adorned with festoons of laurel, which fall thence to the four corners of the roof. The intervals between the palm-trees, which form the body of the coach, are filled in the upper part with plate-glass: the panels below are embellished with paintings. On the front is represented Britannia seated on a throne, holding in her hand the staff of liberty, attended by Religion, Justice, Wisdom, Valour, Fortitude, and Victory, presenting her with a garland of laurel: on the back panel is Neptune issuing from his palace, drawn by sea-horses, and attended by the Winds, Rivers, Tritons, Naiads, &c. bringing tribute