First Garter rises from his Seat, and proceeds into the middle of the Choir, where, after his usual Obeysances, he summons the Knights-Companions to descend, who come down and place themselves before their Stalls: Whereupon Clarenceux and Norroy (or in the absence of either, the Senior Herald, or of both, of the two eldest Heralds,) pass down from the Steps of the Altar into the Body of the Choir; in the interim Garter takes the Banner of the eldest defunct Knight, and presents it, half rolled up, to the two Senior Knights-Companions; the two Provincial Kings by this time approaching them, make their double Reverences, and after to the other Knights-Companions, and then stand a little aside; while the two Senior Knights, having taken the Banner between them, make their double Reverence, and pass up to the Altar, (preceeded by the Kings) bearing it with the lower end of the Staff foremost, and at the first Haut-Pas make another double Reverence. The Provincial Kings being arrived at the uppermost Haut-Pas, after an humble Obeysance, divide themselves to make way for the Knights to Offer, who forthwith raise the Point of the Banner upwards, and after a single Reverence toward the Altar, present it upon their Knees, to the Prelate of the Order, who delivers it to two Canons, and they deposite it upon Cushions laid before the Altar. This done, the two Provincial Kings conduct the Knights back into the Choir, who, with the usual Reverences, retire to their Stations, under (not to) their Stalls, and the Provincial Kings to their, on either side the Altar.
Next the two Senior Heralds pass down into the Choir, as the Provincial Kings did, whilst Garter, taking up the Sword, presents it to the two next Senior Knights, who proceed to the Altar with the two Heralds before them, in the same Order as before, bearing the Sword between them, and offer the same with the Pommel or Hilt upwards, and then retire as before.
In the next place, the two next Senior Heralds go down as before, and the Helm and Crest is offered in the like manner: But the Pursuivants at Arms do no part of this Duty.
Heretofore we find that Garter has not only begun this Solemnity, by presenting the Banner, but has also conducted the two Senior Knights to the Altar, as he did 5 Eliz. by the Banner of the Lord Grey; and at some other times. It was likewise the usage heretofore for the Prelate to deliver the offered Atchievements, to some of the Heralds, to be deposited near the Altar.
There is nothing on this farther observable, than what relates to the Atchievement it self, which, as they became by this Ceremony part of the Goods of the Chappel, and included within the Words of the Statutes of the College, whereby the Sovereign granted to the Dean and Canons all Oblations, they could not be sold or alienated, and were therefore deposited by them in the Chapter-House: But the Helms and Swords, because they were at first forged for the Service of War, of an extraordinary large size, have been frequently redeemed, that they might serve again to the same uses. And likewise, because it belongs to Garter to provide Atchievements for new installed Knights, he usually hath compounded with the Dean and Canons for the defunct Knight’s Atchievements.
Of depositing the deceased Knights Mantles in the Chapter-House.
$ 4. In 9 Eliz. there passed a Decree, That the Knights-Companions should be bound by their Oaths, to take care, by their last Will, that after their Decease, all their Ornaments, which they had receiv’d, should be restored, the Robes to the College, and the Jewels to the King that gave them. Sir Christopher Hatton complied with the Decree, and sent his Mantle accordingly; but that of Sir Henry Lea, being left to the disposal of others, and not sent to the College, happened at length to come into the Hands of Brokers, and was openly exposed to Sale in Long-lane, to the great dishonour of the Order.
This Decree was in after times but slackly observed, and therefore in a Chapter held at Windsor, 4 Car. I. the Knights were admonished, That when the Sovereign should vouchsafe to bestow the Mantle of the Order, the Knight should take care at his Death, to have it sent to the Chappel at Windsor, according to the Statutes. But this taking little Effect, the Sovereign thought fit to restore vigorously the Law in this particular, by a Decree in Chapter, 13 Car. I. which obliged all Knights-Companions, receiving the Ensigns of the Order from the Sovereign, to take care, according to the tenor of their Oaths, that these, together with the Book of Statutes, should be restored in the Hands of the Sovereign, after their Deaths; and a Command was therewithal given, That certain Books, Mantles, and Surcoats, then lying at White-Hall, shou’d be delivered to the Register of the Order, to be laid up at Windsor, in honourable Memory of those to whom they belonged.
In Observation of these Decrees, where the Habit and Ensigns of the Order were either wholly, or in part, bestowed by the Sovereign, Order was taken, at the Decease of such Knights-Companions, to send for them in again. As at a Chapter held 15 Car. I. the Garter and George of the Lord Treasurer Weston being sent back, were presented to the Sovereign; and after delivered to the Dean and Chapter of Windsor, to be preserved: And in the same Chapter it was ordered, that the Earl of Kelly’s Robes and Ornaments of the Order, should be sent for by the Chancellor.
These former Decrees were yet thought needful to be confirm’d by King Charles II. so that in a Chapter held 1669. at White-Hall, it was Decreed, That the Mantle of each Knight-Companion, with the Book of Statutes, should be sent to Windsor, immediately after their Deaths; and that the Chancellor of the Order should be obliged, by Letters to their Heirs and Executors, to put them in mind of sending them thither. But it is to be understood, that where the Mantle has been provided at the Knight’s own Charge, there is no obligation for returning them.