Aubrey de Vere to all the Earls

[Aubrey de Vere]

To [insert Earl title here], Oxford, the Lord Great Chamberlain, sends an emanation of the will of the Crown;

It is with a heavy heart that I must report that our King, Henry, the second of his name, has gone to his eternal rest in the bosom of Abraham. This island and its people will forever remember--and hold the memory of it dear!--the commitment he shewed to justice, the energy with which he directed the power of the state, and the loyalty he shewed to those who were loyal to him.

Life, however dulled in the absence of so great a man, must go on, however, and the machinery of state requires that I inform you of forthcoming events and events which have already taken place. King Henry has already been interred at Fontevraud. King Richard and his party are making their way to Westminster even now, and preparations for the coronation ceremony, feast, and, at the King's request, a tourney, are proceeding, and will commence on the 3rd of September. As there are now few of you who will well remember King Henry's coronation, there are some procedural matters of which I am required to give notice.

First, the Coronation Mass is not optional. Your attendance is required by law, as it is the place where you will demonstrate your intent to be loyal to the King through homage. Do not be fooled by those French vassals currently swearing to him at Caen and Rouen. They are only those who possess only French territories and are swearing to him as Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine. Even if you had sworn earlier, you would still owe him homage for your English territories. Failure to appear is a grave insult and your brother Earls will be compelled by our oaths to the King to bring you to justice.

Please remember the appropriate responses to the coronation program. The lesser vassals and younger people will be looking to you to set an example. No one wants to hear a God Save the King when a God Save King Richard will be required. People worked hard to organize this thing, let's show them some respect.

The following Earls and family have roles in the ceremony and will be required to check in prior to it in order to receive their instructions. Earls who embarrass the king and themselves will have only themselves to blame for what comes next:

The Earl Marshal
Sir John Marshal
The Earl of Leicester
The Earl of Surrey
The Earl of Huntingdon
The Earl of Essex
The Earl of Salisbury

Second, accommodation at Westminster is available, but limited. The following Earls will find rooms for themselves and their entourage in Westminster Palace:
The Earl Marshal
The Earl of Leicester
The Earl of Warwick
The Lord of Norfolk
The Earl of Chester

Other Earls may seek accommodation at the Mermaid Tavern WELL IN ADVANCE or bring tents. These tents will be pitched to the east of the castle in such a way as to make use of green space and to avoid blocking the road to London. Those people who are so unwise as to block the road will have their tents moved at their expense. All expenses will be payable to the Royal Treasury. It is strongly recommended that Earls keep their entourage's tents close to their personal tents for ease of location. Pennants may be flown for identification purposes, but let's please be reasonable and keep banners and so forth at home.

Third, you will bear responsibility for maintaining the congenial appearance of the grounds. Those whose tents or whose entourages' tents or equipment or waste materials create an eyesore or annoyance will be adjudged to have breached the King's peace and will incur a fine.

Fourth, you will bear responsibility for your actions and those of your entourage. Any uncouth, ribald, or vandalous acts against, on, or in the Palace, the Abbey, or the Grounds will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Let us not have a repeat of last time. I am told the monks had to scrub the eastern wall of the cloisters for the better part of a week.

Fifth, food will be provided for the Coronation Feast and for the subsequent days of the tourney. Those men who wish to supplement the larders by hunting are to be commended, provided, of course, that they obey the king's forestry laws. They are NOT suspended for the coronation time. I recognize that this is a change, but I think you will agree it is a necessary one, poaching in the Home Counties being what it is.

Sixth, a church council is being called at Pipewell for mid-month, and the King intends to be in attendance along with the prelates, canons, and churchmen, for the vacancies currently extant are to be filled. Consequently, the coronation celebrations will be 11 days only, with a 12th day for leavetaking. Entourages will no longer be fed after 3 pm on the 12th day, so wise Earls will have made themselves and their people ready to depart early that day.

Seventh, as required by law, the King of Scotland will be present as Earl of Huntingdon, and the King's Aunt, Emma, will be attending as a representative of the Welsh. Also present will be the King's German Nephews. As a result, it behooves Earls and their vassals to remember that jokes disparaging the Scots, Welsh, and Germans will be considered in poor taste and are not to be encouraged, no matter how rustic and quaint their ways, nor how amusing they are when they are angry. The Irish remain fair game.

Thus ends the list and the lesson. I pray that you will remain hale and healthy until such time as the coronation is completed with honor and dignity.

Oxford