Agnews of Lochnaw

268 ELDING THE PARLIAMENT. [1633.
king 1 and all the members went in procession to the house ;
this ceremony was termed " Riding the Parliament."
In the morning the members of the three Estates assembled
at the palace, from whence the great officers of state rode up to
the Parliament House to be in waiting to receive the cavalcade.
The regalia, crown, sword, and sceptre, were brought mean-
while from the castle to the palace in a state coach, carried by
three earls, bareheaded, a guard of honour attending ; all the
people being obliged to uncover as it passed. The members of
the three Estates having arrived at the palace, dismounted and
entered ; their horses, which were gaily caparisoned according to
the taste of their respective owners, were held by their attend-
ants, and each ranged in proper order in the court-yard. When
all was ready the king gave the signal, the legislators cloaked
and mounted ; and the procession was marshalled according to
the strictest rules of etiquette.
First come two pursuivants, bareheaded, ushering the way ;
then two trumpeters, followed by the burgesses two and two,
and each attended by a lackey.
When the whole third Estate had ranked by, four keepers of
the Courts of Justice followed, riding two and two.
Next came the barons, wearing their mantles ; every baron
attended by two lackeys, having over their liveries short velvet
coats, upon which were embroidered their masters' badges, crests,
and mottoes ; these were followed by various officers of state,
all two and two.
Then came the nobles, attended according to their ranks ;
lords and viscounts, by three lackeys ; earls, by four ; rnar-
quisses, by six ; and dukes, by eight. After the three Estates
rode four trumpeters, four pursuivants, and six heralds, in double
file, and uncovered.
The Lyon King of Arms rode next, in full costume, his baton
in his hand — the bearers of the regalia following, attended by a
nobleman, bareheaded ; and then the king himself appeared, at-
1 After the union of the crowns, a royal commissioner took the king's place in
his ahsence.