And in these latter days, five hundred hereditary
peers own one-fifth of England; and they, and the
officers and servants under the King, and those
who go to compose the powers that be, yearly spend
in wasteful luxury $1,850,000,000, which is thirty-
two per cent of the total wealth produced by all the
toilers of the country.

At the Abbey, clad in wonderful golden raiment,
amid fanfare of trumpets and throbbing of music,
surrounded by a brilliant throng of masters, lords,
and rulers, the King was being invested with the
insisfhia of his sovereignty. The spurs were placed
to his heels by the Lord Great Chamberlain, and a
sword of state, in purple scabbard, was presented
him by the Archbishop of Canterbury, with these
words:

Receive this kingly sword brought now from the altar
of God, and delivered to you by the hands of the bishops
and servants of God, though unworthy.

Whereupon, being girded, he gave heed to the
Archbishop s exhortation:

With this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity,
protect the Holy Church of God, help and defend widows
and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay,
maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform
what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order.

[[143]]

p142 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p143w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p144

v?