The Offering of Gold and Silver.
§ 9. But if the Installation be solemnized in the Morning, the Service of the Church having proceeded as far as the Offertory, two of the Prebends, appointed to recieve the Offering, are conducted to the Altar by their Verger, and first the Alms-Knights, then the Officers of Arms, ascend the Steps of the Altar again, and stand in order as before. After which, Garter Summons down the Knights-Companions to the Offering, who descend into the Choir under their proper Stalls, as does the Sovereign’s Lieutenant, who offers first for the Sovereign, he receiving the Bezant from the Senior Knight, and then returns to his Stall: And at this instant, was the usual time heretofore for offering the Defunct Knights Atchievements, which was altered by King James I. as will be seen hereafter.
The Lieutenant, after a short stay in his Stall, descends again, and proceeds up to the Altar, to make his own Offering of Gold and Silver, and then returns, as do the rest of the Knights-Companions, including those newly installed, in their due order. But when the Installation passes by Commissioners, there is then no Offering made for the Sovereign, but the Commissioners offer first, and after them the other Knights in due order.
The Ceremony of Offering at the Installation of Philip, King of Castile, 22 Henry VII. is remarkable. He descended from his Stall into the Choir, and standing before it, as the other Knights-Companions did, the Sovereign left his Royal Stall to proceed to the Offering, to which the King would have followed, but the Sovereign would not permit, obliging the King to proceed along with him, on his left Hand, though he desired to perform his Duty as a Brother of the Order, so that they made their Offerings so near together, where, though the Sovereign had the Precedence, yet ’twas hardly observable.
Of the grand Dinner at the Installation.
§ 10. On the Day of Installation, there hath, from ancient Time, been appointed a Noble and Sumptuous Feast, and though it was agreed on in a Chapter, 3 Edward VI. That the Knights elect might, from thenceforth, be installed by Commission without a Feast; yet after his Reign, we find the old custom of a Feast at this Solemnity restored.
If the Sovereign appoint the Installation to be when the Feast of St. George is also celebrated, and is himself personally present, the Feast is then kept at the Sovereign’s Charge; and if in such case he constitute a Lieutenant, then the Installation Dinner is kept at the Charge of the Lieutenant; and is usually prepared in some of the Sovereign’s Lodgings in the Castle, but seldom in St. George’s Hall; as was done by the Earl of Arundel, at the Installation of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and the Lord Hunsdon, 3 Eliz. But when the Installation is kept at any other time of the Year, than that of St. George’s Feast, then the new installed Knights are at all the Expence; who generally have had the Dinner prepared in the Dean’s Lodgings; however, be it where it will, the Sovereign, or his Lieutenant, Commissioners, or Assistants, together with the new installed Knights, proceed thither in full Robes; which is observed in the Installation of 3 Eliz. above, to be according to the ancient Custom. At the Installation, 31 Henry VIII. the Sovereign’s Lieutenant walked alone, after him his two Assistants, and lastly the new installed Knights.
The Lieutenant’s Place at the Table is somewhat on the left Hand the Cloath of State, there sat the Earl of Arundel, 3 Eliz. but the other four Knights-Companions, his two Assistants, and the two new installed Knights, sat toward the Table’s End on both Sides, for that they could not well sit all on a side. But of late Years, as at the Installation, 5 Car. I. a Question arose, whether the Lieutenant or Commissioners should sit at Dinner in their Habits, since the Power given them seemed to expire when the Knights were elected; (though unanimously allowed the new installed Knights ought to do so,) and likewise Precedents quoted, as 29 Henry VIII. at the Installation of the Lord Cromwell, where the Knights put off their Habits, and dined in their ordinary Apparel; and so of the Earl of Rutland, and the Lord Cobham, 26 Eliz. where the Commissioners did the same, and the new installed Knights kept on only their Surcoats: But what followed on this Debate is not mention’d; but the general Practice at other Times hath been of keeping on the Habit till the Dinner is ended.
At the second Course, called also second Mess, or second Service, Garter, accompanied with the Officers of Arms, Proclaims the Stiles and Titles of Honour of the Sovereign (if he be personally, or by his Lieutenant, present,) in Latin, French, and English, and cries Largess thrice; next the Stiles of the new installed Knights in French, or English only, with two Largesses, and in that Order they were installed. And thus it was at the Installation of Charles, Duke of York, 9 Jac. I. of Frederick, Prince Palatine, 10 Jac. I. and the Earl of Rutland, and others, 14 Jac. I.
Philip, King of Castile, Dined with the Sovereign in his Privy-Chamber, 22 Henry VII. whose Stile was Proclaimed by Garter, not in the same Room, but at the Sovereign’s great Chamber-Door, and in St. George’s Hall, after Largess had been thrice cryed. When the Sovereign constitutes a Lieutenant, then is the Lieutenant’s Stile also Proclaimed, and to his other Honours is added this of his Lieutenancy, and afterwards the Stiles of the new installed Knights, as 3 Eliz. But the Order of this Ceremony is more particularly observed at the Installation of the Duke de Montmorency, and others, 14 Eliz. where first Garter cried Largess, and next Proclaimed the Sovereign’s Stile, &c. in three Languages, then stepping two Foot back, Proclaims the Lieutenant’s Stile in French only, with two Largesses; and after that, he cried one Largess for the Duke; and lastly, for all the other new installed Knights, only two Largesses, and the Officers of Arms did the like; and still as Garter had finished his Proclamation, the Heralds joined with him in crying Largess, and so with Reverence departed the Hall.