Page:Highways and Byways in Lincolnshire.djvu/398

 in 1685, and getting off his horse in order to walk up to kiss the king's hand he fell full length. Whereupon the queen said, "See, love, what a weak Champion you have!" He was buried at Scrivelsby, November, 1686.

Of other memorials there is a marble bust to Lewis, the Champion to George I. and II., in 1714 and 1727, who died in 1760, AEtat.90. His widow Jane endowed a school at Hemingby "to teach the children of the poor of the parish to read, write, spin and card wool." Finally, there is a memorial to John, Champion in 1761 to George III. Henry Dymoke who acted for his father, a clergyman, on the accession of George IV., 1821, was the last who rode into Westminster Hall in bright armour and flung down his glove and dared to mortal combat any who disputed the right and title of the king. Then, having backed a little, he turned his horse and rode out, holding in his hand the gold cup in which the king had pledged him and he had in turn drunk to the health of his majesty. Since then the quaint historic ceremony has fallen into abeyance, but the title of "the Hon. the King's Champion" remains, and at the coronation of Edward VII. he was appointed to carry the royal banners. Sic transit gloria mundi.

The following is a description of the championship ceremony at the banquet in Westminster Hall written at the time of the coronation of George IV., 1821, and taken from Allen's History of the County:—

"Before the second course was brought in the deputy appointed to officiate as King's Champion (this was the son of the champion, who was himself disqualified, being a clerk in holy orders), in his full suit of bright armour, mounted on a horse richly caparisoned, appeared under the porch of the triumphal arch, at the bottom of Westminster Hall. Everything being in readiness, the procession moved in the following order:—

"Two trumpeters with the Champion's arms on their banners,

"The Sergeant Trumpeter with his mace on his shoulder,

"Two Sergeants-at-Arms with their maces on their shoulders.

"The Champion's two Esquires, in half armour, one on the right hand bearing the Champion's lance, the other on the left hand with the Champion's target and the arms of Dymoke depicted thereon.

"A Herald, with a paper in his hand, containing the Challenge.