So soon as the Investiture with the Mantle, Hood, and Collar is over, those appointed deliver the Book of Statutes to the new invested Knight, which was observed to the Earls of Shrewsbury and Cumberland, 34 Eliz. the Earl of Rutland, Sir George Villars, and the Viscount Lisle, 14 Jac. I. and so generally to all elect Knights since. This Book the Knight is to keep safe in his own Custody, for his Instruction in the Laws and Ceremonies of this most Noble Order. They likewise give him the Black Velvet Cap adorned with Plumes of white Feathers, and this in particular was observed to be the last Ceremony performed at the Installation of King Charles II.
All things relating to the full Investiture being ended, there remains only to compleat this great Ceremony, the Installation it self, which is performed in the manner following. The new invested Knight standing before his Stall, and turning toward the High Altar, makes humble Obeysance that way, and then toward the Sovereign, or if absent, toward his Stall; which done, the Commissioners, Knights-Assistants, or Knights-Companions, receive and embrace him with great Civility, as their Fellow and Companion, and set him down in his assigned Stall with Professions of Esteem, and Wishes for his Honour and Happiness. Of this Ceremony, there is a notable Instance at the Installation of Philip, King of Castile, 22 Henry VII. where the Sovereign personally introduced him to his Stall, and there placed him, at which time there was a certain Form of Words pronounced relating to the elect Knight’s Session, and Act of Installation, no less than at his Investiture, but the same are not repeated.
The Order to be observed when two or more Knights
are installed in one Day.
§ 8. In this case it seems to have been the ancient Practice, when the Ceremony has been perform’d by two Commissioners, or two Knights-Assistants, that as soon as they had finished all the Ceremonies due to the Senior of them, they left him possest of his Stall, and forthwith returned to the Chapter-House in the usual manner, and thence conducted the next Senior elect Knight, and so of the rest; So it was at the Installation of Albro Vasques d’Almadea, Earl of Averenches, the Lord Beauchamp, and Sir Thomas Hoo, in the time of Henry VI. and so of the Earl of Huntington, 1 Edw. VI. when the two Assistants, after they had invested and installed the said Earl, returned to the Chapter-House for the Lord la War, and so for the Lord Cobham, and Sir William Herbert. In like manner, when the Commissioners had given the Proctor to Emanuel, Duke of Savoy, Possession of his Principal’s Stall, 1 and 2 Phil. and Mar. they proceeded back for William Lord Howard; so by the Earl of Pembrook, 16 Eliz. when they had first installed the Earl of Derby, and by the Earl of Cumberland, after the Earl of Shrewsbury had been installed.
When the Sovereign hath nominated three Commissioners, they have returned altogether to fetch in the other Knights singly, that were to be installed, and alternately changed their Places in the proceeding to the several Installations, one of them always going single before; as at the Installation of the Earls of Essex and Ormond, and Sir Christopher Hatton, 30 Eliz. when the Earl of Worcester, the Lords Hunsdon and Grey, were Commissioners: And if the Lieutenant had four Assistants assigned him, which was necessary when many Knights were to be installed, the order of their Installation hath been as follows.
First, Two of the Senior Knights-Assistants conducted the Senior elect Knight to his Installation, and the other two Assistants proceeded with the second elect Knight; the former then took the third elect Knight, and so alternately changed till all were installed: As at the Installation of Francis, Duke de Montmorency, and others, 14 Eliz. And the like manner of alternate change is observed if four Commissioners be constituted, as at the Installation of Frederick, King of Denmark, and John, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, 25 Eliz. where the King’s Proxy was conducted into the Choir between the Earl of Leicester and the Lord Hunsdon, the two Senior Commissioners; and the Prince, between the Earl of Huntington and the Lord Charles Howard, the two Junior Commissioners.
But some have been of Opinion, that the Commissioners named to this Employment, ought not to divide the Duty, and part of them to Instal one, and part the other, and by such an alternative to dispatch the Ceremony, as in former Cases; but all jointly assist at each Installation: Of which Opinion there is an Instance at the Installation of the Earl of Salisbury, and the Viscount Bindon, 4 Jac. I. where the Earl having been brought into the Choir, invested and installed by the Earls of Nottingham and Suffolk, the two Senior Commissioners, the other two Commissioners who were left behind in the Chapter-House, to conduct the Viscount to his Stall, remembring that all four were joint Commissioners, apprehended that the Earl was not legally installed, because they, as Co-partners in the Commission, had not assisted; and this Opinion being debated, prevailed so far, that it was agreed to be imparted to the Earl of Salisbury, who submitted to descend into the lower Seats before his Stall, and there all four Commissioners gave him his Oath again, then led him to his Stall, and a second Time invested and installed him; and so of the Viscount Bindon.
But this Method was not only new, but different from former Practice, as in all the cases before recited; and besides, where the Sovereign hath authorized his Lieutenant to perform this Ceremony, and appointed some of the Knights-Companions to assist, they, and not the Lieutenant, have done the Duty belonging to Installation, that part of it of investing with the Collar in the Chapter-House, the whole Duty at the Installation of Prince Henry excepted. And ’tis to be farther observed, that the foregoing case of the joint Assistance in the Installation of the Earl of Salisbury, was thought so little Essential, or worthy of becoming a Precedent, that at the very next Feast, when the Earls of Dunbar and Montgomery were installed, 6 Jac. I. and four Commissioners appointed, the two Senior installed the Earl of Dunbar, and the two Junior the Earl of Montgomery; and so again, 10 Car. I. by the Earls of Danby and Moreton. But lastly, if the Sovereign be present, and consequently the Knights-Companions perform this Ceremony, then there is generally so many of them as can go through the whole, without changing, after the manner used when done by Commissioners or Assistants; in which case the two Senior Knights-Companions descend from their Stalls, and passing thro’ the Choir to the Chapter-House with the Proceeding before them, conduct to his Installation the eldest elect Knight; and having performed that whole Ceremony, return and take their Stalls, and so the rest in due Order; as was practised at the Installation of Prince Henry, and others, 1 Jac. I. and of the Earl of Rutland, 14 Jac. I. and at the grand Feast of St. George, 13 Car. II. but here the separate proceeding with each single Knight to and from the Chapter House, taking too much time, and the Day being far spent in the Ceremonies of the Dukes of Ormond and Buckingham; the Sovereign ordered, that with the next Proceeding, the rest of the elect Knights, being eight, besides two Proxies, should all be introduced at once; so that each of them being placed before his Stall, took the Oath, receiv’d his Investiture, and was led up to his Stall, and took Possession of it by solemn Installation.
And in regard so many Knights elect were introduced together, it was judged necessary, that their Mantles and Collars should be likewise brought in the proceeding, and each elect Knight appointed one of the Gentlemen that attended him, to bear the Cushion whereon they were laid, before him to the Choir Door, where they held them in their Arms, till Garter in due order fetch’d them into the Choir: And here we may insert this general Rule, that at all Installations, where some of the elect Knights are not sent for unto the Chapter-House, to receive Investiture with the Surcoat, before the Senior elect Knight hath been conducted to his Stall, but left to repose themselves in the East Isle of the Chappel, as hath often happened, the Knights Commissioners, or Assistants, on their return to the Chapter-House, send Garter for the next Senior elect Knight, whom they receive at the Door thereof, and having invested him with his Surcoat, and girt his Sword about him, proceed with him to his Installation in the usual manner. And the same method is observed if there were more elect Knights to follow; and we find it 30 Henry VIII. 16, and 34, and 10 Car. I.
The Knight, or Knights, having now receiv’d a compleat Installation, the Knights-Commissioners, Assistants, or Knights-Companions, with marks of Respect, take their leave of the last installed Knight, and descending into the Choir, take their own Stalls; but the Senior Knight-Companion ascends first: But observe, that if the Stalls of the Knights-Commissioners, Assistants, or Knights-Companions, be on the same side with the last installed Knight, then they descend not into the Choir, but pass directly to them along the Stalls, as in the 34 Eliz. The Ceremonies of Installation being finished, the Officers of Arms first, next the Alms-Knights, descend from the Steps of the Altar, and take their several Stations in the Choir; then one of the Prebends of the College, or, if the Sovereign be present, the Prelate, with the Serjeant of the Vestry before him, is conducted to the Altar by the Verger of the Chappel, and there begins the Service appointed by the Church, which being ended, the Proceeding passes out of the Choir in usual Order, either to the Presence-Chamber, or the Lieutenants, or Commissioners Lodgings, as the Occasion is.