The Processional way (if beginning in the Presence-Chamber,) is from thence in the upper Ward of the Castle, and through the other Wards in at the Cloyster Door, and so to the Chapter-House; but if from the Dean’s House, they go only through the Cloysters, into which there is an immediate Passage from the Deanry: The proceeding having entred the East Door of St. George’s Chapel, and past by the Chapter-House Door, makes a stand in the North Isle; while first the Officers of the Order, next the Knights-Commissioners, or else the Knights-Assistants, and the Sovereign’s Lieutenant; or lastly the Knights-Companions, and the Sovereign with the Sword born before him, pass into the Chapter-House, but the Knight or Knights elect do not enter, but as they come in at the Chapel-Door, they fall off on the left Hand into the East Isle behind the high Altar, and there repose themselves, (on Chairs or Stools, with Cushions purposely prepared,) until they are called into the Chapter-House. This hath generally been the Custom, of which many Examples might be produced, but in respect to great Personages they have been sometimes (though rarely) admitted into the Chapter-House, with the Sovereign or his Lieutenant, among whom Philip of Castile and Leon, Anno 22 Henry VII. and Prince Henry, Anno 1 Jac. I. the latter was led in by the Sovereign’s Lieutenant, when four other elect Knights installed with him sat till they receiv’d their Summons to enter.
Sometime the Sovereign and Knights-Companions wav’d going to the Chapter-House, and pass’d immediately into the Choir, as did King James Anno 9. when Charles Duke of York and others were installed; the like did King Charles I. but then a Chapter was held in the Privy-Chamber, before the proceeding set forward; and in the former instance, when the proceeding came as far as the East End of the Chapel, the Duke of York, &c. with Norroy before them, went out of the proceeding into the Chapter-House, and there reposed, while the Sovereign proceeded on to the South Door of the Chapel, and thence into the Choir.
The Ceremonies perform’d in the Chapter-House.
§ 5. After the Lieutenant’s entrance into the Chapter-House, and opening the Chapter; Garter, with three Reverences, presents first the Commissioners of Lieutenancy to hold the Feast, next that of Installation, to the Lieutenant, (or if the Installation pass’d by Commissioners, then only the Commission of Installation to the Senior Commissioner,) which being receiv’d, he delivers it to the Register of the Order, who forthwith Reads it; for to him this Duty belongs, as is recorded in the Black-Book of the Order, on occasion of Garter’s reading the Commission for Installation of Sir Thomas Brandon, Anno 22 Henry VII. the Register being then absent.
When the Register hath read the Commissions, he returns them to the Lieutenant, (or Commissioners,) and he again to the Garter, as at the Installation of the Earls of Shrewsbury and Cumberland, Anno 34 Eliz. If the Sovereign be present, the Chancellor acquaints him the Knights elect are without, otherwise the Lieutenant, and Assistants, (or Commissioners) consult touching the calling in, and receiving them, and Garter is usually employed in this Service; who, with all due respect, compliments and conducts him to the Chapter-House Door: But in the instance of the Earls of Shrewsbury and Cumberland aforesaid, Garter went to their Lodgings, and having delivered his Message, they forthwith repaired to the Chapter-House, their Train attending them to the Door: At the Installation of Francis Duke of Montmorency, the Earl of Leicester, then the Sovereign’s Lieutenant, as an evidence of singular respect, sent from the Chapter two of the four Assistants assigned him, who taking Garter, and the Officers of Arms before them, led him thence between them to the Chapter-House.
When there are two or more elect Knights, that wait in the East Isle, expecting to be called in, Garter first conducts the Senior by Election to the Chapter-House Door, and so the rest in their several Orders, as in 14 Jac. I. by the Earl of Rutland, Sir George Villars, and the Viscount Lisle; and so again 13 Car. II. As soon as Garter hath conducted the elect Knight to the Chapter-House Door, two of the Commissioners, (when the Installation is performed by Commissioners,) or two of the Knights-Assistants, (when by the Sovereign’s Lieutenant,) or two of the Senior Knights, (if the Sovereign himself be present,) receive him without, who is immediately conducted from the Chapter-House Door, up to the Sovereign, (his Lieutenant, or Commissioners,) to whom he makes humble Reverence; when the Lieutenant, (or Senior Commissioners,) in a short Speech, publishes the effect of his Commission, and declares to him the Sovereign’s bounty and ready kindness, in a full admittance into this Honourable Society, which the elect Knight very humbly acknowledges and accepts. When Philip King of Castile and Leon was installed in Person, Anno 22 Henry VII. the Sovereign being present rose from his Throne, and gave him Information of the Statutes and Ceremonies of the Order, and how he was bound by them; to all which he freely and readily assented.
These Ceremonies of receiving an elect Knight being over, he disrobes himself of his upper Garment, then the Surcoat and Kirtle is taken from the Table, with which he is invested; and during this Ceremony, the following Words of Admonition, entred at the end of King Hen. VIII’s Book of English Statutes, are read or spoken.
Take this Robe of Purple, to the encrease of your Honour, and in Token, or Sign, of the most Honourable Order you have receiv’d; wherewith you being defended, may be bold not only strong to Fight, but also to offer your self to shed your Blood for Christ’s Faith, the Liberties of the Church, and the just and necessary defence of them that are oppressed and needy.
After this, his Sword is close girt about him over his Surcoat, by the Commissioners, (or the Assistants to the Lieutenant, or some of the Knights-Companions,) and sometimes in the way of assistance, Garter hath done this Service; and as soon as the Ceremony is over, the Sovereign, or his Lieutenant, proceeds into the Choir, leaving the elect Knights behind them: The Hood was heretofore put on in the Chapter-House, (for so the Statutes of King Henry VIII. do appoint,) after the elect Knight hath been invested with his Surcoat, and before he proceeded to his Installation; but of late, because it must be taken off again in the Choir, and laid aside, that the Mantle may be put on, it hath been esteemed a sort of diminution in the Investiture to take off any part of the Habit before the whole Investiture be compleated; so that in the beginning of the Reign of King James I. it was judged more convenient that the Hood should be carried on the Cushion by Garter into the Choir, together with the Mantle and Collar, and not be put on till after Investiture with the Mantle; and thus it was observed at the Feasts of St. George, 13, 15, and 23 Car. II. And though antiently it was laid over the left Shoulder, and so worn upon all Occasions, yet Anno 2 and 3 Phil. and Mar. the wearing it so being taken notice of to obscure the Escutcheon of St. George, embroidered on the same Shoulder of the Mantle, it was decreed in a Chapter held the same Year, 22 of April, that for the future the Knights-Companions should wear their Hoods on their right Shoulders, to the end that the Escutcheon might be the better seen and appear.
Nevertheless, there was a Question moved 12 Jac. I. whether the usage of wearing the Hood should not be restored to the left Shoulder, but it seems it was over-ruled; and 23 Car. II. some of the Knights-Companions imagining it most proper to wear their Hoods on their left Shoulders, ran into that error, but upon better information the next Morning, altered them to the right. To Foreign Princes, there is liberty given by King Hen. VIII’s Statutes to receive, if they please, their Habit wholly within the Chapter-House, before they enter their Stalls; by which it appears that this was the Custom in times past; an instance whereof we have in Philip King of Castile, Anno 22 Henry VII. who was entirely invested in the Chapter-House with the Garter, Surcoat, Mantle, Hood, and Collar; the Sovereign himself putting his Hand to his Investiture with the Mantle. Hence King Philip, Grandson to the aforesaid King of Castile, was invested with the whole Habit of the Order before he assumed the Stall; in Philip and Mary’s proceeding to the Chapel, he receiv’d his Investiture within the West Door, and there the Register delivered the Mantle to the Earls of Derby and Pembrook, who kissing it, presented it to the Queen, who, assisted by the said Earls, personally invested the King therewith: Next Garter gave the Collar to the Earls of Arundel and Pembrook, who likewise presented it to the Queen, and she thereon put it about King Philip’s Neck; and immediately the Knights-Companions, having robed themselves within the Chapel Door, proceeded before the King and Queen, who with joined Hands passed into the Choir, where the Queen led him to the Sovereign’s Stall, which ascending, they both sat therein. But as the aforesaid Statute leaves this to the pleasure of the Stranger Prince, and was permitted only for gaining Time, so none, who have receiv’d personal Installation at Windsor since, have been fully invested before they entered the Choir. For instance, Francis, Duke de Montmorency, 14 Eliz. and Frederick, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, 10 Jac. I. were both invested with their Surcoats only in the Chapter-House, but they receiv’d their Mantles, Hoods, and Collars, in their Stalls, after they had taken their Oaths.