After this, the Prelate of the Order takes a gilt Bason to receive the Sovereign’s Offering, and stands before the middle of the Altar, with one of the Prebends to assist him, at which time the Sovereign arising makes his Reverence towards the Altar, and then descending, makes a little Reverence below, and ascends towards the Altar with his Attendants, and being come into the middle of the Choir, he makes another Reverence, and at the first Haut Pas his last.
He that bears the Sovereign’s Offering, is either the Senior Knight, the Prince, or the greatest Estate among the Knights-Companions then present, and no other Person, (of what Degree soever) if he be not of this Noble Fraternity, performs this Service.
The Sovereign being come to the upper Haut Pas kneels, at which Instant Black-Rod on his Knee delivers (with Assay) the Sovereign’s Offering to the Senior Knight, or other Person nominated, and he kneeling presents it to the Sovereign, which he immediately Offers into the Bason held by the Prelate, and then ariseth, and is conducted and attended, as when he came up to Offer; at the Entrance into his Stall, he turns and makes a Reverence, and his Attendants also bow towards the Altar; and being attended into his Stall, doth the like again, and then reposeth himself in his Seat.
An Entry is made in the Red-Book, Anno 6 Car. I. That whereas in other Places (besides Windsor) the Sovereign is wont to Offer a certain Gold Piece, (vulgarly called a Bezant) to be redeemed afterwards at a certain Price; the Usher of the Black-Rod having been admonished, that in these Services there is no Redemption to be made, should never present the Bezant at Windsor to the Sovereign, but Gold and Silver of English Money.
When the Sovereign is absent, and the Lieutenant Offers for him, he performs the Ceremony as follows.
First, (After the Preparations made for the Offering, as aforesaid,) he descends from his Stall with the usual Reverences, and goes to the Steps ascending the Sovereign’s Stall, and there stands a while; then making his double Obeysance, he proceeds towards the Altar (the Officers of the Order going before him,) with one other Reverence in the middle of the Choir, and another at the first Haut Pas of the Altar; the Carpet and Cushion is spread and laid for him, as is for the Sovereign, and the Offering also given in the same way, and the Lieutenant kneeling puts it in the Bason, and returns to the Sovereign’s Stall in the same Order, &c. he came; where standing a while again before it, he makes a Reverence towards it, and then goes up into his own Stall, where (if it fall out that the Lieutenant is not the Senior Knight,) he stays to receive the Reverences of all the Knights-Companions his Seniors, as they go up to Offer, and when his own turn comes to Offer, he descends with a double Reverence, and proceeds up with his Fellow, (if present) and Offers for himself in his own Place, but his Train is then let down, the Carpet, &c. taken away, and only two Officers of Arms (but none of the Order) proceeds before him, and when he has Offer’d, he returns to his Stall.
But it seems, 7 Jac. I. that Garter alone, on the Feast Day, brought up the Prince, then the Sovereign’s Lieutenant, when he came to Offer for himself, which Service ought to have been performed by Clarenceux and Norroy, which was an oversight in Garter; as likewise his bringing down at the same, the Knights-Companions out of their Stalls to Offer, before the Epistle and Gospel were Read, contrary to the usage of former times; by which they were kept a tedious time waiting below in the Choir, before the Offering began. But 11 Jac. I. the Prince was brought up by Clarenceux and Norroy, when he came to Offer, and not by Garter. When the Lieutenant hath Offered for himself, he returns to the lower end of the Stalls, and passes to his own, where having paid the usual Reverences, he enters it, and is ready to receive the Reverences of all the other Knights-Companions.
As soon as the Sovereign, or his Lieutenant, is returned to his Stall, the two Provincial Kings pass down into the middle of the Choir, where making Reverences jointly to the Altar, and next to the Sovereign, Clarenceux turns himself to the Senior Knight, and makes him a third Reverence, while Norroy at the same Instant does the same to the next Junior Knight, and so both, as an intimation of their going up to Offer; then each King retires a little backward toward the Stalls: In the mean time, the two Senior Knights draw near together, and making double Reverences, Clarenceux and Norroy step forth, and pass up before them, till they arrive near the Prelate; (or if the Senior Knight be without his Opposite, then he is brought up single,) then making their Reverences, first towards the Altar, next to the Knights, Clarenceux retires to the right side, and Norroy to the left, waiting for the return of the Knights, who are kneeling on the uppermost Haut Pas of the Altar, making their Offering. Which humble Ceremony of kneeling, not being heretofore used, was fixed by a Decree of 4 Car. I.
The Knights-Companions Offerings are both of Silver and Gold, which is receiv’d by two of the Prebends, or by one Prebend and one Chantor, anciently by one Chantor only, when the Offering is at Windsor; but by the Dean of the Chappel, when at White-Hall. The Offering being made, the Knights-Companions rise, and forthwith divide themselves, Clarenceux conducting the Senior Knight to the lower end of the Stalls on the Sovereign’s side; and Norroy the next Junior Knight, to the lower end of the Stalls on the Prince’s side; and at parting make their Reverences, and return to their Stations before the Altar. The Knights, at their Entrance into the Stalls, make their double Reverences together, and then pass on to their own; where making the like Reverences, they take their Seats.
But if any Stranger King be present at the Offering, he does not retire to his Seat, by the lower end of the Stalls, but along the Choir, as does the Sovereign, the same way he proceeded up: So did the King of Denmark, 4 Jac. I.