In Windsor. England.
After the warm reunion with his beloved the organiser of the day brings together the proceedings.
Richard De Vere speaks as the Arch Bishop and the King stand nearby.
"You are all very welcome to the Royal court at Windsor to celebrate the ending of the Hundred years of conflict that has beset the West."
"It is the mission of his royal Majety and First Consul of the Federation of the Commonwealth of Nations to bestow upon those honoured the title of "Champions of the West" and to continue by re instituting the Order of the Golden Garter.Those honoured as Knights will be sworn in and a Grand hunt held afterwards. The Orders' pledge of pious fidelity and Chivalry will take Western Europe into a new age of chivalry to match both Arthur and Charlemain."
"Some will receive thier honours by proxy and some grace us with their presence."
He smiles at those present.
Those to be awarded title "Champions of the West"
Pere de Portmany, Duke of Aquitaine
Prince Humphrey, Duke of Brittany (Postumous)
Carlos III, King of Navarre Navarre
The representatives from each land are brought forward to receive their honours in the chapel of St. George.
Those to be made Knights of The Noble order of the Golden garter stand to witness the bestowing.
They are....
Austin MacRobert, King of Eire Eire,
Suzanna, Dowager Duchess of Normandy and Countess Giovanna of Normandy,
James I, King of Scotland Scotland,
Alfonso V, King of Aragon,
Pere de Portmany, Duke of Aquitaine
Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Brittany,
Carlos III, King of Navarre,
Marie de Berry, duchesse of Burgundy,
Kirsten Wasa, Archduke of Livonia (Postumous)
Queen Philippa of Portugal for His royal Majesty Dom João, Mestre de Avis of Portugal
The motto to be
Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense" or
" Evil be to him that evil thinks."
The garter, which is of blue velvet, bordered with fine gold wire, (having commonly the letters of the motto of the same) is buckled upon the leg, at the time of the election, with this ceremony:
"To the honour of God omnipotent, and in memorial of the blessed martyr, St. George, tie about thy leg, for thy renown, this noble garter; wear it as a symbol of the most illustrious order, never to be forgotten or laid aside, that thereby thou may'st be admonished to be courageous; and having undertaken a just war, in which thou shalt be engaged, thou may'st stand firm, valiantly fight, and successfully conquer."
The garter being thus buckled on, and the words of its signification pronounced, the knight elect is brought before the Sovereign, who puts a deep blue riband beltwise over his left shoulder, whereunto is appendant, wrought in gold, within the garter, the image of St. George, on horseback, with his drawn sword encountering the dragon. The admonition is thus:
"Wear this ribband about thy neck, adorned with the image of the blessed martyr and soldier in Christ, St. George, by whose imitation provoked, thou may'st overpass both prosperous and adverse adventures that having stoutly vanquished thine enemies, both of body and soul, thou may'st not only receive the praise of this transient combat, but be crowned with the palm of eternal victory."
Having thus briefly spoken of the institution of the order, and of the garter and george wherewith a knight companion is invested at the time of his election, we shall now proceed to the ceremonial of installation, which is always performed in St. George's Chapel in the lower ward of Windsor Castle.
The commissioners appointed to install the knights elect, being robed in the complete habit of the order, meet in the great chamber of the deanery, where Garter, and the other officers of the order, attend in their habits; and the knights elect come thither in their under habits only, with their caps and feathers in their hands.
When there is a proctor, or proxy, he comes in his ordinary habit.
The knights not named in the commission, are first conducted to the Chapel, preceded by the poor knights, canons of Windsor, and officers at arms, all in their proper habits, who, on entering the choir, make their usual reverences of bowing, first to the altar, and then to the Sovereign's stall; after which, the knights are seated in their respective stalls.
Then the poor knights, canons, etc., return to the dean's hall, from whence the procession begins thus:
Poor Knights, two and two.
Canons, two and two.
Pursuivants, two and two.
Heralds, two and two.
Kings at Arms.
The knights elect, with their caps and feathers in their hands, the Juniors going first.
Register of the Order, with Garter King at Arms on his right hand, and Usher of the Black Rod on his left, in their crimson satin mantles.
Then the knights commissioners in their robes, and covered with their caps and feathers.
Thus the knights are conducted into the north aisle of the Chapel, where they all make a stand, while the knights elect retire to their seats placed behind the altar, and the three officers, Register, Garter, and Black Rod, enter into the chapter house, and after them the knights commissioners, who seat themselves at the table according to their seniority.
Then Garter presents the commission to the senior knight (commissioner) who gives it to the Register to read, which being done, it is returned to him again, who re-delivers it to the Register to be entered.
Garter is now sent to conduct the senior knight elect to the chapter-house door, where he is received by the commissioners; and the same manner the other knights elect are conducted, one by one, according to their seniority.
Garter then presents the Lords-Commissioners the surcoat of the senior knight elect, who invests him therewith, the Register reading this admonitions:
"Take this robe of crimson, to the increase of your honour, and in token and sign of the most noble Order you have received; wherewith you being defended, may be bold, not only strong to fight, but also to offer yourself to shed your blood for Christ's faith, the liberties of the church, and the just and necessary defense of them that are oppressed and needy."
Then Garter presents the crimson velvet girdle to the Lords Commissioners, who buckle it on over the surcoat. Then the hanger and sword, which they also gird on. The same is repeated to all the knights elect, according to their seniority, but the proxies are not invested.
The Commissioners then (leaving the knights elect in the chapter house) proceed to the choir, to offer up the hatchments of the deceased knights, in the following order:
The poor knights, two and two, enter first, and make their references all together, in the middle of the choir, first to the altar and then to the Sovereign's stall, and proceed up as near as they can to the rails of the altar, placing themselves below each other on each side.
The canons follow in the same order, making the like reverences, and stand below the poor knights, excepting two, who are conducted to the altar, in order to receive the hatchments as they are offered.
Pursuivants and heralds at arms, two and two, next enter, making their reverences also, and place themselves on each side below the canons.
Garter, Register, and Black Rod, follow next, and stand before their respective seats.
The last in this part of the procession are the commissioners, who enter in the afore-mentioned manner; and after making their reverences, stand under their banners, before their respective stalls.
Garter then advances to the middle of the choir, where he makes his reverences, and then repairs to the hatchment of the deceased knight, taking up the banner, which he holds almost rolled up; the two other kings at arms then meet, making their reverences, and pass down to the knights commissioners, who thereon join, and receiving the banner from Garter, make their reverences; and being preceded by the two kings at arms, carrying the same to the altar, where, kneeling down, they deliver it to the two canons, who place it upright on the south side of the altar; when the commissioners, having made the same reverences as before, return to their former places under their banners, being waited on by the said kings at arms, who return to their former stations.
Then the two elder heralds meet, and after the same manner conduct the commissioners, who carry up the sword, the hilt being upwards, which is offered in like manner, and return as before.
Lastly, the two next heralds meet in like form, and repair to the Lords Commissioners, to whom Garter delivers the helmet and crest, which are offered in the same manner; and being returned to their former stations, the procession is then made to and from the chapter house, in the following orders. The knights remain standing under their respective stalls.
The poor knights immediately join, make their reverence, and go out of the choir, two and two. Then the canons do the same. Next the officers at arms, as also the officers of the order, do the like. The commissioners, with like ceremony, (the Junior going first if they are not companions) close the rear of the procession, which is made through the aisle, towards the chapter house, when the Poor Knights make a stand, and divide themselves on both sides, at a distance from the door. The officers at arms in like manner, nearest the door.
The officers of the order then enter the chapter house, and after them the Lords Commissioners, who conduct the knight elect from hence to the choir, preceded by the Poor Knights, Prebends, Officers at Arms, and the officers of the Order.
The Poor Knights make their reverences and place themselves on both sides as before, near the altar.
The Prebendaries then enter, with the same reverences, and go to their respective seats. The officers of arms stand next below the poor knights.
The officers of the order follow, Garter in the middle, carrying on a cushion the mantle, hood, great collar, george, and book of statutes, having register on his right hand, carrying the new testament, and the oath fairly written on parchment, and Black Rod on his left: They enter with the like reverences, and proceed to the seat below the stall of the knight elect, where Garter places the cushion, with the ensigns, on the desk; and the officers of the order stand below in the choir.
The commissioners, having between them the knight elect, carrying his cap and feathers in his hand, enter and make the like reverences together; and then these go into the seat below, or under the knight's stall, the senior commissioner entering first.
The knight elect being thus conducted into the seat below his stall; takes the following oath, which is administered by the Register of the Garter:
"You being chosen to be one of the honourable company of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, shall promise and swear by the holy evangelists, by you here touched, that wittingly and willingly you shall not break any statute of the said Order, or any article in them contained, the same being agreeable and not repugnant to the will of God, and the laws of the realm, as far forth as to you belongeth and appertaineth, so help you God and his holy word."
Then the knight elect enters his stall, the senior commissioner going before him, and the junior commissioner following, Register and Garter entering into the seat under it, where Garter presents the mantle to the commissioners, who invest the knight elect therewith, Register reading at the same time the following admonitions
"Receive this robe of heavenly colour, the livery of this most excellent order, in augmentation of thy honour, ennobled with the shield and red cross of our Lord, by whose power thou may'st safely pierce troops of thine enemies, and be over them ever victorious; and being in this temporal warfare glorious, in egregious and heroic actions, thou may'st obtain eternal and triumphant joy."
Garter then presents the hood to the commissioners, who put it over the knight's right shoulder, bringing the tippets athwart his breast, and tucking them under the belt. This part of the investiture has no ceremony.
Then Garter presents to the commissioners the great Collar and George, which they fasten over the mantle and hood upon the knight's shoulders, Register at the same time pronouncing the following admonition:
"Wear this collar about thy neck, adorned with the image of the Blessed martyr and soldier in Christ, St. George, by whose imitation provoked, thou may'st so o'erpass both prosperous and adverse encounters; that having stoutly vanquished thine enemies, both of body and soul, thou may'st not only receive of this transient combat, but be crowned with palms of eternal victory."
Garter then presents the statute book, which the commissioners deliver to the knight, and the commissioners then place the cap and feathers on his head, and seat him in his stalls whereupon the officers of the order retire with the usual reverences, and stand before their seats.
The knight being thus installed, he rises up and makes his reverences, first to the altar, and then to the Sovereign's stall; the commissioners then embrace and congratulate him, after which they descend into the middle of the choir, and make their reverences, and return to their former stations, under their respective banners, from whence (if there be more knights to be installed) the procession is again made to the chapter house, as before; conducting each knight elect singly, according to their seniority, into the choir, where the same ceremony is repeated.
After all the knights are installed, the commissioners then ascent their stalls, which having done, they make their usual reverences; then the officers of the order, officers at arms, canons and poor knights, after having made their references, retire to their respective seats; then divine service is performed as follows:
Our Father, etc.
Venite exultamus domino.
Psalm the 21st.
Ecclesiasticus, chap. the 4th.
Te deum.
The apostle's creed.
A prayer for the Sovereign.
A Prayer for the Sovereign and Companions of the Order of the Garter.
Collect for peace. Collect for grace.
Anthem from Psalm 20, verse 5.
Communion service.
The three last prayers in the service for obiit Sunday.
The nicene creed.
Let your light 80 shine, etc
Regalia bestowed.
