Illustrative Documents: Form of Enthroning a Bishop of London, 1869

XXII. FORM AND PROCESSION ON ENTHRONING THE RIGHT REV. JOHN JACKSON, D.D., LORD BISHOP OF LONDON, ON THURSDAY THE 8th APRIL, 1869. (fn. 1)

The Bishop is expected at the Chapter House at a quarter before Three o'clock in the afternoon, where he is met by the Dean, (fn. 2) the Canons Residentiary, the Prebendaries, the Chancellor of the Diocese, the Commissary of S. Paul's, and the Registrars of the Diocese and of the Dean and Chapter, and the several Officers. The Bishop then exhibits the Mandate from the Archdeacon of Canterbury, which being read by the Registrar of the Diocese, the Bishop prays the Dean to take upon him the burthen of the execution of the Mandate, and to proceed according to the tenor thereof, which the Dean accordingly does, and decrees to proceed to the Instalment or Enthronization of the Bishop to the Bishoprick of London and the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, London; and then administers to the Bishop the following Oath:—
"Ego, Johannes, Episcopus Londinensis, promitto et juro ad hæc Sancta Dei Evangelia per me hic inspecta, quod secundum approbatum hujus Ecclesiæ morem in eâ residebo; quod jura et libertates et approbandas Ecclesiæ consuetudines servabo et observari faciam; quod bona et possessiones Ecclesiæ inventa servabo, et alienata pro viribus revocabo; sic me Deus adjuvet, et hæc Sancta Dei Evangelia."

The bell then tolls, and a procession is formed in the following order from the Chapter House to the great west door of the Cathedral, viz.:—
1. The Apparitor of the Dean and Chapter.
2. The Commissary of S. Paul's or his Surrogate.
3. The Registrar of the Dean and Chapter.
4. The Prebendaries, two by two, the Juniors first.
5. The Senior of the three Virgers.
6. The Residentiries.
7. The Dean's Virger.
8. The Dean.
9. The Bishop's Apparitor.
10. The BISHOP in his Episcopal Habit.
11. The Chancellor of London.
12. The Registrar of the Diocese.
13. The Bishop's Chaplains, and others in attendance, according to their degrees.

The Procession is, at the West Door, met by the other Members of the Church, and all then proceed through the body of the Church and Choir to the Bishop's Throne, near the Communion Table, in the following Order:—
1. The Virgers.
2. The Boys, two by two.
3. The Almoner, or Master of the Boys.
4. The Vicars Choral, two by two.
5. The Sub-Dean and Minor Canons, two by two.
6. The Apparitor of the Dean and Chapter:

And so on as the Procession came from the Chapter House.

Then the Dean places the Bishop in his Throne, and causes him to sit down; and all the persons being seated, the Dean, standing on the steps of the Throne, inducts and instals the Bishop, saying thus:—
"I, Henry Longueville Mansel, Dean of this Cathedral Church, do by the authority to me committed, induct, instal, and enthrone you, the Right Reverend Father in God, John, by Divine Permission, Lord Bishop of London, into the Bishoprick and Episcopal Dignity of London. The Lord preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore; and mayest thou remain in justice and sanctity, and adorn the place to you delegated by God. God is powerful and may He increase your grace."

Which being ended, the Dean conducts the Bishop from thence to the Episcopal Stall, in the middle of the Choir, and goes to his own Stall.

Then the Te Deum is sung, and, after it, the suffrages are performed by the Dean and the Choir, as follows:—
Dean—O Lord, save Thy Servant, John, Bishop of this Diocese.
Answer—And send him help from Thy Holy place.
Dean—O Lord, hear our prayer.
Answer—And let our cry come unto Thee.
Dean—The Lord be with thee.
Answer—And with thy spirit.
Dean—Let us pray.

O Lord Almighty God, We beseech Thee to grant to Thy Servant, John, Bishop of this Diocese, that by preaching and doing those things which be godly, he may both instruct the minds of the Clergy and people of this Church and Diocese with true faith, and example of good life and good works, and finally receive of the Most Merciful Pastor the rewards of eternal life, Who liveth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

The Evening Prayer is then said, after which all return to the Chapter House in the same order as they came from thence; and the Residentiary having placed his Lordship in the uppermost chair of the Chapter House, the Dean, the Canons Residentiary, the Prebendaries, the Minor Canons, the Vicars Choral, the Organist, the Virgers and the Bell-ringers, then promise Canonical obedience to the Bishop in the following words.:—
"Right Reverend Father in God, I acknowledge all Canonical obedience due to you as Bishop of London."