CER'EMONV, an assemblage of seve ral actions, forms, and circumstances, serving to render a thing more magnifi cent and solemn; particularly used to denote the external rites of religious wor ship, the formality of introducing ambas sadors to audience, &e.—Illaster of the Ceremonies, an officer instituted by James I. for the more honorable reeeption of ambassadors and strangers of quality, and for the regulation of all matters of etiquette in the assemblies over which they preside.—Ceremoniol of European Powers, comprises—I. The particular titles due to sovereigns indifferent states; imperial title being considered as ex pressing some sort of superiority over the royal, and having been in consequence assumed by various kings in their public acts (as the king of England since the union of the crowns.) 2. The acknowledg ment of sovereign titles, the right to con fer which was formerly claimed by the popes as their own prerogative, but they are now assumed by princes, and confirmed by the acknowledgment of other sove reigns. 3. The respective prerogatives of different sovereigns ; which species of precedence is that which has occasioned the greatest amount of discussion and dis pute when sovereigns, or their represen tatives, have been brought together. In
1504, Pope Julius It. arranged the rank of European powers in the following or der : 1. The Roman emperor ; 2. The king of Rome ; 3. France ; 4. Castile ; 5. Aragon ; 6. Portugal; 7. England ; 8. Sicily ; 9. Scotland ; 10. Hungary; 11. Navarre; 12. Cyprus; 13. Bohemia; 14. Poland ; 15. Denmark ; 16. Repub lie of Venice ; 17. Puke of Britanny ; 18. Burgundy; 19. Elector of Bavaria; 20. Saxony; 21. Brandenburg ; 22. Arch duke of Austria; 23. Duke of Savoy ; 24. Grand Duke of Florence ; 25. Duke of Milan ; 26. Bavaria. 27. Lorraine. This arrangement, however, gave birth to repeated contests. At present, where precedence is not considered as established between rulers of equal dignity, each con cedes to the other precedence at home ; and when they meet on the territory of a third party, they take precedence al ternately until seine arrangement is effected.