The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

In the Red Book it is observed, that the Investiture with the Mantle and Collar, hath been sometimes performed by the Black Rod; as at the Installation of the Earl of Northampton, 5 Car. I. the Lord Treasurer Weston, the Earls of Exeter and Lindsey, and the Marquiss of Hamilton, 6 Car. I. Nevertheless, this is to be understood as this Officers Assistance to the Knights-Companions, whose Office it only is, and no otherwise. Whilst the Ceremony of Investiture with the Mantle is performing, the Words of Admonition proper thereto, are pronounced as follows.

Take this Mantle of Heavenly Colours, in Sign and Token of the most Honourable Order you have receiv’d, and to the increase of your Honour, signed and marked as you see, with a red Escutcheon of our Lord’s Cross, to the intent that you, being always defended by the Virtue and Strength thereof, may pass through your Enemies, and them also overcome and vanquish, so that at the last, for your worthy and approved Acts, you may, after this Temporal Chivalry, come to Eternal Triumphant Joys in Heaven.

But at the Installation of King Charles II. they receiv’d some alteration, and were put in the following Form.

Receive this Robe of Heavenly Colour, the Livery of this most excellent Order, in augmentation of thy Honour, enobled with the Shield and Red Cross of our Lord, by whose Power thou may’st safely pierce Troops of thy Enemies, and be over them ever Victorious; and being in this temporal Warfare Glorious in egregious and heroick Actions, thou may’st obtain Eternal and Triumphant Joy.

Next, the Commissioners, Assistants, or Knights-Companions, lay the Hood on the Knight’s right Shoulder over the Mantle, and bringing the Tippet athwart his Breast, tuck it under the Girdle, at which his Sword hangs: And lastly tye the Collar about his Shoulder, over his Mantle and Hood; and at this part of the Investiture, the following Words of Admonition are likewise pronounced.

To the encrease of your Honour, and in Token of the Honourable Order you have receiv’d; take this Collar about your Neck, with the Image of the Holy Martyr, and Christ’s Knight, St. George, by whose aid you being defended, may pass through the Prosperities and Adversities of this World, that having here the Victory, as well of your Ghostly as Bodily Enemies, you may not only receive the Glory and Renown of Temporal Chivalry, but also at the last, the endless and everlasting reward of Victory.

This Form of Words receiv’d likewise alteration when King Charles II. was to be installed, to the Tenor following.

Wear this Collar about thy Neck, adorn’d with the Image of the Blessed Martyr and Soldier of Christ, St. George, by whose Imitation provoked, thou may’st so overpass both prosperous and adverse Encounters, that having stoutly vanquished thy Enemies, both of Body and Soul, thou may’st not only receive the Praise of this transient Combat, but be Crowned with the Palm of eternal Victory.

Antiently at the Solemnity of Installation, when the Sovereign, or his Lieutenant was present, the elect Knight, after he had been invested with the Mantle in his Stall, was immediately conducted out of the Choir, back to the Chapter-House, where the Sovereign, or Lieutenant, used to remain till his return, there to receive the Collar of the Order from one of them, which done, he is said to have receiv’d the entire Possession of his Habit. This is contained in King Henry VIII’s Statutes, and appears to have been the Practice about that Time, as in the case of the Lord Mountjoy, and others, 18 Hen. VIII. and several others after, in the 1 and 3 Edw. VI. and the 3, 5, and 14 Eliz. The Proceeding back to the Chapter-House on this occasion, was much after the manner of what is before mention’d, except, that here the new installed Knight took his Place according to the Dignity of his Stall. But ’tis observable, that when the Sovereign’s Lieutenant remained in the Chapter-House, while the elect Knight proceeded to his Installation, the Usher of the Black-Rod stayed behind to attend the Lieutenant; and as soon as the Investiture with the Collar was over, the Lieutenant proceeded to the Choir in the Rear, and the new installed Knight in Place according to his Stall, as in the case of the Lord Russel, and others, 31 Hen. VIII. and the Marquiss of Dorset, and others, 1 Edw. VI. The Proceeding having entered the Choir, and the Lieutenant and Knights-Companions taken their Seats, then the usual Ceremonies, the Service of the Church began.

But when the Installation was performed by Commissioners, the Collar of the Order was laid on the Cushion with the Mantle, and born before the elect Knight to his Stall, where, after his Investiture with the Mantle and Hood, he receiv’d Investiture with the Collar also, of which there are several Examples in the time of Phil. and Mar. and Queen Eliz. In like manner, at all Installations since, where the Sovereign has been present, the ancient custom of returning to the Chapter-House being laid aside, the Knights-Companions, who led the elect Knights to their Stalls, did there invest them with their Collars also; as the Earl of Rutland, Sir George Villars, and the Viscount Lisle, 14 Jac. I. and the Earl of Suffolk, 4 Car. I. and hath been thus observed at all Installations since, the Sovereign present.