The Grand Feast neglected by King Edward VI.
§ 6. From the Accession of this Prince, the Sovereignty of this Order became more neglected, so that during his Reign, no Anniversary of St. George was kept at Windsor, by a Grand Festival.
This is supposed to be owing to the common Calamity of that Age, wherein most Ceremonies, solemn or splendid, especially such as related to Divine Services, came under the denomination of being either Superstitious or Idolatrous. Insomuch, that at a Chapter held at Greenwich, 2 Edw. VI. an Abolition being intended for such Ceremonies as were not consonant to the King’s Injunctions, lately prescribed, it was then decreed, that then, and for ever from thenceforth, at the Feast of this most Noble Order, no other Ceremonies should be observed than such as were appointed by his Majesties Letter.
That no Procession should be made with going about the Church, or Church-yard, but the King’s Majesty’s Procession, lately set forth in English to be used. His Majesty and other Knights-Companions sitting in their Stalls, at the Entry, such Reverences to be made to the King’s Majesty only as was heretofore. The Offering to be in the Box for the Poor, without any other Reverence, or kissing any Paten, or other thing; but only at the return, due Reverence to the King, as was used before. The Mass of Requiem to be left undone, but yet, both on St. George’s Day, and for next Day, a Mass to be Sung with great Reverence; in which, immediately after the Words of Consecration is said, the Priest shall say the Pater Noster, and so turn and Communicate to all, or so many of the Order, or other, after they have done, as shall be disposed to receive the Communion, according to the Order prescribed by his Majesty’s Book of Communion, and without any other Rite or Ceremony after the said Communion to be used; except some godly Psalm or Hymn to be Sung in English, and so to end the said Service. All Chapters, and other Rites concerning the Order, not being contrary to these, to remain as they have been used.
This Decree seemed to mean nothing less than a Prohibition to the holding the Grand Feast at Windsor, at least the neglect of its Celebration there, whilst King Edw. VI. lived: And though toward the End of his Reign, some care was taken for a Permission to hold the said Feast, either on St. George’s Day, or some other appointed by Prorogation; yet it was without any regard to the ancient and usual Place; for when the Act passed, commanding the Days therein mentioned to be kept Holy, and no other, whereby this was involved among many other Saints Days then prohibited to be kept, as not being found among the Feasts then Establish’d; it was considered, that a Proviso and Allowance should be entered in the aforesaid Act, for the Celebration of this Feast, particularly by the Knights-Companions; which Act, though it suffered a Repeal by Queen Mary, yet stands in force at this Day, being revived by King James I. his repealing that Statute of 1 Mar. Cap. 2.
Removed from Windsor by Queen Elizabeth.
§ 7. But the most fatal Blow given to the growing Honour of the Castle of Windsor, was a Decree in Chapter held 9 Eliz. with the consent of the Knights-Companions then present, viz.
That if on the Vigil and Day of St. George, the Feast was not held at Windsor, according to the usual Custom, it should nevertheless be sufficient, if the Observation thereof were kept at the same Place where the Sovereign should then happen to be, where also the rest of the Knights-Companions were obliged to be present, no less than if the Feast had been held at Windsor.
And so severe was the latter part of this Decree against the flourishing condition of that Place, that it commanded also,
That no other Solemnity, under the notion of St. George’s Feast, should thenceforth be celebrated at Windsor, except upon occasion of the Installation of some illustrious Person, and then also, not without express leave of the Sovereign.