THE BLACK PRINCE'S RUBY. 169
James
fled and the Ruby remained to greet William and Mary at their double
coronation, and then it descended peacefully to the House of Brunswick,
in whose service it has ever since remained.
The
coronation of George iv. on July 19, 1821, was probably one of the most
gorgeous pageants of this century. The King spent an immense sum upon
his adornment ($1,190,000), and not only that, but he gave close
attention to the fashion of his clothes, spending days and weeks in
anxious consultation over the length, size, shape, and material of all
the garments that he was to wear.
At
last, having got all ready to his perfect contentment, the trappings
were all brought to the palace, and the King dressed up one of his
servants in his own royal clothes and then put him through the paces of
a coronation while he looked critically on.
Publ ic feeling was very much excited at the time over the divorce proceeding between George iv.
