The all rise and sing the Creed. "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one lord Jesus Christ, only begotten son of the Father, born from the Father before all ages. God from God, light from light, True God from True God. Be...

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, replies the congregation.

And with your spirit, replies the congregation.

Then the entire congregation rises as the Gloria is sung. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly king, O God, almighty father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only ...

To which the congregation replies.

"May Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins, and bring to you life everlasting.

To which the congregation replies

"Who made Heaven and Earth.

To which the assembly replies To God, the joy of my youth.

Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, the Archbishop sighs out: "Lord God Almighty, establish your throne in righteousness, that it may stand forevermore." Then all of the bishops kneel along with Baldwin as he sinks down at Richard's feet. "I, Baldwin, swear to be faithful and bear true allegiance ...

Almost meekly, the Archbishop rises up on tiptoe, his arms shaking slightly from the weight of the crown. As he brings it down on the king's head, you can see the mass of metal nestle where it has always belonged. The cry goes up from his Officers and is echoed throughout the chamber and even from t...

Baldwin of Forde's words here are quiet, but largely intelligible:

"Imperial Robes...knowledge, wisdom and majesty from on high...clothe you in the Robe of Righteousness and the Garment of Salvation."

In all the tumult, the Archbishop's words are partly swallowed. One can just make out "Surrounding you on every side… …Defend us against all enemies…" before the commotion dies down and he finishes.

When the King holds the Sword of Offering, the Archbishop intones: "Hear our prayer O lord, so direct thy servant King Richard that he may not bear thy sword in vain, but that he may be a servant of God, a terror to evildoers and a defender of those who cannot defend themselves, through Jesus Christ...

As Baldwin of Forde descends from the altar bearing a curiously long wooden spoon, backed by Geoffrey fitzHenry and the Abbot of Westminster, the four Great Officers of State take up a golden canopy and hold it over the chair, shielding this most sacred moment of the entire ceremony from general vie...

The creed finished, Baldwin calls out: "Crown, Holy Ghost, our souls in fire!"

The monks rise to begin the Gospel introit, singing Alleluia three times in ever-increasing length of strophes as Baldwin of Forde receives the bible from the priors hand and processes with it before the altar until he arrives at the place appointed for reading the gospel. "A reading," he intones, "...

The psalm finished, Canterbury rises and stands facing the altar, his arms outstretched, and calls out in a firm voice: "O Lord who provided unto Solomon, give unto Richard our King a spirit of wisdom that he may so wisely govern that in his time your church may be in safety and Christendom may be i...

Satisfied as to the intentions and support of the constituents of the realm, the party returns to the apse, the King assuming his appointed seat at the right, flanked by his men and the two bishops. Baldwin approaches the sitting king, and solemnly intones. "Sir, is your majesty willing to take the ...

The procession of church and state reaches at last the final constituency of the realm. Standing before the noble ladies, the Archbishop intones the formula by which the knot of fealty will be tied. "I here present to you King Richard, your undoubted king, wherefore all you who are come this day to ...

A short time after Richard has disappeared through the screen into the main body of the church, and the singing of the processional has ended, you hear shouts of "God Save King Richard!" coming from many throats. But every shift of weight here in the vast nave, every breath has become a riot of soun...

Having secured the first breath of homage from the Church and from the lords of the realm, the Archbishop leads the monarch and his companions to face the west, and the long rows of black-robed monks leading to the great screen, behind which the gathered mass of the people of England strain to hear ...

The party advances, led by the Archbishop, down from the altar to stand before the seats of John and Arthur, looking down at the seated lords of the realm. Clearing his throat, the Archbishop calls out again: "I here present unto you King Richard, your undoubted King, wherefore all you who are come ...

The Archbishop turns to face the bishops and other clergymen gathered about the altar, and intones in perfect French: "I here present unto you King Richard, your undoubted King, wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service. Are you willing to do the same?" With one voice, th...

The doors in the screen separating nave and quire open, and the procession makes its way up to its positions on the altar. The great relics of the coronation are laid on the altar table, the nobles gather about the king's seat, and the bishops, senior monks, and other clergy begin to gather around t...

The next vision to grace the doors of the cathedral is that of a fair-haired priest holding aloft the great cross of Canterbury, signalling the arrival of Baldwin of Forde, the Archbishop. It is difficult to imagine this man of middling height and unprepossessing bearing brow-beating the lords of Wa...

Baldwin of Forde has been Archbishop of Canterbury for the past four years. In that time, he has proven himself to be a man at the service of royal power--not the customary position of the head of the Church in England. He has been involved in a long-running dispute with the monks of Christ Church P...