Candlemas to Lammas 
were beconrng scattered for want of a leader, they had 
declared for a king, lest they should become a forgotten 
race, and having considered the hereditary claims of 
Charles Faa-Blyth, they had agreed that he should be 
crowned King of the Yetholm Gipsies with all the honours 
due to a prince of royal gipsy blood. ‘ Challenge who 
dare ! ’ The Proclamation did not go unchallenged. 
“ After the laughter >and cheering which followed the 
reading had subsided, Mr. Miller read aloud a letter he 
had just received, signed ‘ William Blyth,’ protesting 
against the coronation of Prince Charlie, and claiming the 
crown for the writer, whose father was a son of the late 
Queen’s brother David — the man who had not taken up 
the title. There was an exciting pause while the minister 
called upon any one to come forward who challenged King 
Charlie’s right, but as no one came, the ‘ Archbishop ’ was 
summoned ‘with all convenient speed,’ and the band 
played ‘ Who’ll be king but Charlie.’ At this supreme 
moment the King arrived. He entered the enclosure with 
some difficulty, for his team of six donkeys suddenly became 
seized with obstinacy and refused to move ! The role ot 
Archbishop was filled by the village blacksmith, bare- 
headed, and attired in his working clothes, with his sleeves 
rolled up. He stood waiting with the crown (made of 
brass, and studded with large imitation stones) till the 
King made his way to him, when he placed it on his 
Majesty’s head and made a short speech in Romany, of 
which the closing words were ‘ Long live King Charles ! ’ 
The people cheered merrily, and the old King, standing 
up in his regal robes, with the crown on his head, waved 
his shabby cap and looked supremely happy. He then 
mounted the donkey chariot again, in which his Queen 
(wearing her crown) had remained during the ceremony, 
and the grand procession was marshalled to parade through 
the village, preceded by two halberdiers, and closed with 
a ‘ miscellaneous following,’ as the programme put it. 
Their majesties held a Levee in the afternoon at their 
‘ Palace ’ (a little whitewashed cottage) ; it was well attended, 
91 
