82 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 
     
    
   
   
    
     south-east of the altar. Here the Queen knelt at the faldstool, 
     
     engaging in silent prayer. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “When she arose from her devotions the pealing notes of the 
     
     anthem rang through the arches of the Abbey. The religious 
     
     ceremony now began with the reading of the Litany which 
     
     was followed by the Communion Service, and by a sermon 
     
     preached by the Bishop of London. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “The Archbishop of Canterbury now delivered the sceptre 
     
     with the cross into the Queen’s right hand, said: “ Receive the 
     
     royal sceptre, the ensign of kingly power and justice.” Next 
     
     he delivered the rod with the dove into the Queen’s left hand, 
     
     this being “The rod of equity and mercy.” The Archbishop 
     
     then took the Crown into his hands, and laying it upon the 
     
     altar, offered up a prayer. Turning from the altar with the 
     
     other bishops, he now received the Crown from the Dean of 
     
     Westminster, and placed it on Her Majesty's head ; whereupon 
     
     the people, with loud and repeated shouts, cried “God save 
     
     the Queen I” At the moment the Crown was placed on the 
     
     head of the Sovereign the act was made known by signal to 
     
     the semaphore at the Admiralty, from whence it was trans— 
     
     mitted to the outports and other places. A double Royal 
     
     Salute of forty-two guns was fired, and the Tower, Windsor, 
     
     Woolwich, and other guns gave a similar greeting to the 
     
     crowned monarch of the British Realms. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “On the assumption of the Crown, the peers and peeresses 
     
     put on their coronets, the bishops their caps, and the kings-of- 
     
     arms their crowns; while the trumpets sounded, drums beat, 
     
     and the Tower and Park guns fired their volleys. Then the 
     
     full burst of the orchestra broke forth, and the scene was one 
     
     of such grandeur as to defy description. The Queen was 
     
     visibly agitated during the long-reiterated acclamations. Her 
     
     bosom heaved with suppressed emotion, and she turned her 
     
     expressive eyes involuntarily, as if for maternal support, on her 
     
     sympathizing mother, who, with infinitely less command of her 
     
     feelings, was drowned in tears and occasionally sobbed most 
     
     audibly. By a strong effort Her Majesty regained her com- 
     
     posure, and the august ceremonial proceeded. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “The solemn ceremony of the coronation being now ended, 
     
     the Queen then went to the west door of the Abbey wearing 
     
     her crown, the sceptre with the cross being in her right and