On the 5th, at eleven in the morning, the commemoration commenced with divine service at Whittington Church. The Rev. Mr. Pegge, the Rector of the Parish, delivered an excellent Sermon from the words "This is the day, &c." Though of a great age, having that very morning entered his 85th year, he spoke with a spirit which seemed to be derived from the occasion, his sentiments were pertinent, well arranged, and his expression animated.
The descendants of the illustrious houses of Cavendish, Osborne, Boothe, and Darcy (for the venerable Duke of Leeds, whose age would not allow him to attend, had sent his two grandsons, in whom the blood of Osborne and D'Arcy is united); a numerous and powerful gentry; a wealthy and respectable yeomanry; a hardy, yet decent and attentive peasantry; whose intelligent countenances shewed that they understood, and would be firm to preserve that blessing, for which they were assembled to return thanks to Almighty God, presented a truly solemn spectacle, and to the eye of a philosopher the most interesting that can be imagined.
After service the company went in succession to view the old house, and the room called by the Anti-revolutionists "The Plotting-Parlour," with the old armed-chair in which the Earl of Devonshire is said to have sitten, and every one was then pleased to partake of a very elegant cold collation, which was prepared in the new rooms annexed to the cottage. Some time being spent in this, the procession began:
Constables with long staves, two and two.
1. Mr. Deakin's: Flag, blue, with orange fringe, on it the figure of Liberty, the motto, "The Protestant Religion, and the Liberties of England, we will maintain."
2. Mr. Bluett's: Flag, blue, fringed with orange, motto, "Libertas; quæ sera, tamen respexit inertem." Underneath the figure of Liberty crowning Britannia with a wreath of laurels, who is represented sitting on a Lion, at her feet the Cornucopiæ of Plenty; at the top next the pole, a Castle, emblematical of the house where the club is kept; on the lower side of the flag Liberty holding a Cap and resting on the Cavendish arms.
3. Mr. Ostliff's: Flag, broad blue and orange stripe, with orange fringe; in the middle the Cavendish arms; motto as No. 1.