How King Henry the Eighth held a Chapter
of the Garter How he attended Vespers
and Matins in Saint George’s Chapel And
how he feasted with the Knights Companions
in Saint George’s Hall.
From a balcony overlooking the upper
ward, Anne Boleyn beheld the king’s approach
on his return from the Garter Tower, and waving her
hand smilingly to him, she withdrew into the presence-chamber.
Hastening to her, Henry found her surrounded by her
ladies of honour, by the chief of the nobles and knights
who had composed her train from Hampton Court, and
by the Cardinals Wolsey and Campeggio; and having exchanged
a few words with her, he took her hand, and led her
to the upper part of the chamber, where two chairs
of state were set beneath a canopy of crimson velvet
embroidered with the royal arms, and placed her in
the seat hitherto allotted to Catherine of Arragon.
A smile of triumph irradiated Anne’s lovely
countenance at this mark of distinction, nor was her
satisfaction diminished as Henry turned to address
the assemblage.
“My lords,” he said, “ye
are right well aware of the scruples of conscience
I entertain in regard to my marriage with my brother’s
widow, Catherine of Arragon. The more I weigh
the matter, the more convinced am I of its unlawfulness;
and were it possible to blind myself to my sinful
condition, the preachers, who openly rebuke me from
the pulpit, would take care to remind me of it.
Misunderstand me not, my lords. I have no ground
of complaint against the queen. Far otherwise.
She is a lady of most excellent character full
of devotion, loyalty, nobility, and gentleness.
And if I could divest myself of my misgivings, so far
from seeking to put her from me, I should cherish
her with the greatest tenderness. Ye may marvel
that I have delayed the divorce thus long. But
it is only of late that my eyes have been opened; and
the step was hard to take. Old affections clung
to me old chains restrained me nor
could I, without compunction, separate myself from
one who has ever been to me a virtuous and devoted
consort.”
“Thou hast undergone a martyrdom,
gossip,” observed Will Sommers, who had posted
himself at the foot of the canopy, near the king, “and
shalt henceforth be denominated Saint Henry.”
The gravity of the hearers might have
been discomposed by this remark, but for the stern
looks of the king.
“Ye may make a jest of my scruples,
my lords,” he continued, “and think I
hold them lightly; but my treatise on the subject,
which has cost me much labour and meditation, will
avouch to the contrary. What would befall this
realm if my marriage were called in question after
my decease? The same trouble and confusion would
ensue that followed on the death of my noble grandfather,
King Edward the Fourth. To prevent such mischance
I have resolved, most reluctantly, to put away my present
queen, and to take another consort, by whom I trust
to raise up a worthy successor and inheritor of my
kingdom.”
A murmur of applause followed this
speech, and the two cardinals exchanged significant
glances, which were not unobserved by the king.
“I doubt not ye will all approve
the choice I shall make,” he pursued, looking
fiercely at Wolsey, and taking Anne Boleyn’s
hand, who arose as he turned to her. “And
now, fair mistress,” he added to her, “as
an earnest of the regard I have for you, and of the
honours I intend you, I hereby create you Marchioness
of Pembroke, and bestow upon you a thousand marks
a year in land, and another thousand to be paid out
of my treasury to support your dignity.”
“Your majesty is too generous,”
replied Anne, bending the knee, and kissing his hand.
“Not a whit, sweetheart not
a whit,” replied Henry, tenderly raising her;
“this is but a slight mark of my goodwill.
Sir Thomas Boleyn,” he added to her father,
“henceforth your style and title will be that
of Viscount Rochford, and your patent will be made
out at the same time as that of your daughter, the
Marchioness of Pembroke. I also elect you a knight-companion
of the most honourable Order of the Garter, and your
investiture and installation will take place to-day.”
Having received the thanks and homage
of the newly-created noble, Henry descended from the
canopy, and passed into an inner room with the Lady
Anne, where a collation was prepared for them.
Their slight meal over, Anne took up her lute, and
playing a lively prelude, sang two or three French
songs with so much skill and grace, that Henry, who
was passionately fond of music, was quite enraptured.
Two delightful hours having passed by, almost imperceptibly,
an usher approached the king, and whispering a few
words to him, he reluctantly withdrew, and Anne retired
with her ladies to an inner apartment.
On reaching his closet, the king’s
attendants proceeded to array him in a surcoat of
crimson velvet, powdered with garters embroidered in
silk and gold, with the motto boni
soft qui mal y pense wrought
within them. Over the surcoat was thrown a mantle
of blue velvet with a magnificent train, lined with
white damask, and having on the left shoulder a large
garter, wrought in pearls and Venice twists, containing
the motto, and encircling the arms of Saint George argent,
a cross gules. The royal habiliments were completed
by a hood of the same stuff as the surcoat, decorated
like it with small embroidered garters, and lined
with white satin. From the king’s neck was
suspended the collar of the Great George, composed
of pieces of gold, fashioned like garters, the ground
of which was enamelled, and the letters gold.
While Henry was thus arrayed, the
knights-companions, robed in their mantles, hoods,
and collars, entered the closet, and waiting till he
was ready, marched before him into the presence-chamber,
where were assembled the two provincial kings-at-arms,
Clarenceux and Norroy, the heralds, and pursuivants,
wearing their coats-of-arms, together with the band
of pensioners, carrying gilt poleaxes, and drawn up
in two lines. At the king’s approach, one
of the gentlemen-ushers who carried the sword of state,
with the point resting upon the ground, delivered it
to the Duke of Richmond, the latter having
been appointed to bear it before the king during all
the proceedings of the feast. Meanwhile, the
knights-companions having drawn up on either side of
the canopy, Henry advanced with a slow and stately
step towards it, his train borne by the Earl of Surrey,
Sir Thomas Wyat, and other nobles and knights.
As he ascended the canopy, and faced the assemblage,
the Duke of Richmond and the chief officers of the
Order drew up a little on his right. The knights-companions
then made their salutation to him, which he returned
by removing his jewelled cap with infinite grace and
dignity, and as soon as he was again covered they
put on their caps, and ranging themselves in order,
set forward to Saint George’s Chapel.
Quitting the royal lodgings, and passing
through the gateway of the Norman Tower, the procession
wound its way along the base of the Round Tower, the
battlements of which bristled with spearmen, as did
the walls on the right, and the summit of the Winchester
Tower, and crossing the middle ward, skirted the tomb-house,
then newly erected by Wolsey, and threading a narrow
passage between it and Saint George’s Chapel,
entered the north-east door of the latter structure.
Dividing, on their entrance into the
chapel, into two lines, the attendants of the knights-companions
flanked either side of the north aisle; while between
them walked the alms-knights, the verger, the prebends
of the college, and the officers-of-arms, who proceeded
as far as the west door of the choir, where they stopped.
A slight pause then ensued, after which the king,
the knights-companions, and the chief officers of
the Order, entered the chapter-house a chamber
situated at the north-east corner of the chapel leaving
the Duke of Richmond, the sword-bearer, Lard Rochford,
the knight-elect, the train-bearers, and pensioners
outside. The door of the chapter-house being closed
by the black-rod, the king proceeded to the upper
end of the vestments-board as the table
was designated where a chair, cushions,
and cloth of state were provided for him; the knights-companions,
whose stalls in the choir were on the same side as
his own, seating themselves on his right, and those
whose posts were on the prince’s side taking
their places on the left. The prelate and the
chancellor stood at the upper end of the table; the
Garter and register at the foot; while the door was
kept by the black-rod.
As soon as the king and the knights
were seated, intimation was given by an usher to the
black-rod that the newly elected knight, Lord Rochford,
was without. The intelligence being communicated
to the king, he ordered the Dukes of Suffolk and Norfolk
to bring him into his presence. The injunction
was obeyed, and the knight-elect presently made his
appearance, the Garter marching before him to the king.
Bowing reverently to the sovereign, Rochford, in a
brief speech, expressed his gratitude for the signal
honour conferred upon him, and at its close set his
left foot upon a gilt stool, placed for him by the
Garter, who pronounced the following admonition: “My
good lord, the loving company of the Order of the
Garter have received you as their brother and fellow.
In token whereof, they give you this garter, which
God grant you may receive and wear from henceforth
to His praise and glory, and to the exaltation and
honour of the noble Order and yourself.”
Meanwhile the garter was girded on
the leg of the newly-elected knight, and buckled by
the Duke of Suffolk. This done, he knelt before
the king, who hung a gold chain, with the image of
Saint George attached to it, about his neck, while
another admonition was pronounced by the chancellor.
Rochford then arose, bowed to the monarch, to the
knights-companions, who returned his salutations, and
the investiture was complete.
Other affairs of the chapter were
next discussed. Certain officers nominated since
the last meeting, were sworn; letters from absent
knights-companions, praying to be excused from attendance,
were read and their pleas, except in the
instance of Sir Thomas Cheney, allowed. After
reading the excuse of the latter, Henry uttered an
angry oath, declaring he would deprive him of his
vote in the chapter-house, banish him from his stall,
and mulct him a hundred marks, to be paid at Saint
George’s altar, when Will Sommers, who was permitted
to be present, whispered in his ear that the offender
was kept away by the devices of Wolsey, because he
was known to be friendly to the divorce, and to the
interests of the lady Anne.
“Aha! by Saint Mary, is it so?”
exclaimed Henry, knitting his brows. “This
shall be looked into. I have hanged a butcher
just now. Let the butcher’s son take warning
by his fate. He has bearded me long enough.
See that Sir Thomas Cheney be sent for with all despatch.
I will hear the truth from his own lips.”
He then arose, and quitting the chapter-house,
proceeded with the knights-companions to the choir the
roof and walls of the sacred structure resounding
with the solemn notes of the organ as they traversed
the aisle. The first to enter the choir were the
alms-knights, who passed through the door in a body,
and making low obeisances toward the altar and the
royal stall, divided into two lines. They were
succeeded by the prebends of the College, who, making
similar obeisances, stationed themselves in front
of the benches before the stalls of the knights-companions.
Next followed the pursuivants, heralds, and provincial
kings-of-arms, making like révérences, and ranging
themselves with the alms-knights. Then came the
knights-companions, who performed double révérences
like the others, and took their stations under their
stalls; then came the black-rod, Garter, and register,
who having gone through the same ceremony as the others,
proceeded to their form, which was placed on the south
side of the choir before the sovereign’s stall;
then came the chancellor and prelate, whose form was
likewise placed before the royal stall, but nearer
to it than that allotted to the other officers; and,
lastly, Henry himself, with the sword borne before
him by the Duke of Richmond, who as he approached
the steps of his stall bowed reverently towards the
altar, and made another obeisance before seating himself.
Meanwhile the Duke of Richmond posted
himself in front of the royal stall, the Earl of Oxford,
as lord chamberlain, taking his station on the king’s
right, and the Earl of Surrey, as vice-chamberlain,
on the left. As these arrangements were made,
the two cardinals arrived, and proceeded to the altar.
Mass was then said, and nothing could
be more striking than the appearance of the chapel
during its performance. The glorious choir with
its groined and pendent roof, its walls adorned with
the richest stuffs, its exquisitely carved stalls,
above which hung the banners of the knights-companions,
together with their helmets, crests, and swords, its
sumptuously decorated altar, glittering
with costly vessels, its pulpit hung with crimson
damask interwoven with gold, the magnificent and varied
dresses of the assemblage all these constituted
a picture of surpassing splendour.
Vespers over, the king and his train
departed with the same ceremonies and in the same
order as had been observed on their entrance to the
choir.
On returning to the royal lodgings,
Henry proceeded to his closet, where having divested
himself of his mantle, he went in search of the Lady
Anne. He found her walking with her dames
on the stately terrace at the north of the castle,
and the attendants retiring as he joined her, he was
left at full liberty for amorous converse. After
pacing the terrace for some time, he adjourned with
Anne to her own apartments, where he remained till
summoned to supper with the knights-companions in Saint
George’s Hall.
The next morning betimes, it being
the day of the Patron Saint of the Order of the Garter,
a numerous cavalcade assembled in the upper ward of
the castle, to conduct the king to hear matins in Saint
George’s Chapel. In order to render the
sight as imposing as possible, Henry had arranged
that the procession should take place on horseback,
and the whole of the retinue were accordingly mounted.
The large quadrangle was filled with steeds and their
attendants, and the castle walls resounded with the
fanfares of trumpets and the beating of kettledrums.
The most attractive feature of the procession in the
eyes of the beholders was the Lady Anne, who, mounted
on a snow-white palfrey richly trapped, rode on the
right of the king. She was dressed in a rich gown
of raised cloth of gold; and had a coronet of black
velvet, decorated with orient pearls, on her head.
Never had she looked so lovely as on this occasion,
and the king’s passion increased as he gazed
upon her. Henry himself was more sumptuously
attired than on the preceding day. He wore a robe
of purple velvet, made somewhat like a frock, embroidered
with flat damask gold, and small lace intermixed.
His doublet was very curiously embroidered, the sleeves
and breast being lined with cloth of gold, and fastened
with great buttons of diamonds and rubies. His
sword and girdle were adorned with magnificent emeralds,
and his bonnet glistened with precious stones.
His charger was trapped in cloth of gold, traversed
lattice-wise, square, embroidered with gold damask,
pearled on every side, and having buckles and pendants
of fine gold. By his side ran ten footmen, richly
attired in velvet and goldsmith’s work.
They were followed by the pages of honour, mounted
on great horses, trapped in crimson velvet embroidered
with new devices and knots of gold.
In this state Henry and his favourite
proceeded to the great western door of Saint George’s
Chapel. Here twelve gentlemen of the privy-chamber
attended with a canopy of cloth of gold, which they
bore over the king’s bead, and that of the Lady
Anne, as she walked beside him to the entrance of
the choir, where they separated he proceeding
to his stall, and she to a closet at the north-east
corner of the choir over the altar, while her ladies
repaired to one adjoining it.
Matins then commenced, and at the
appointed part of the service the dean of the college
took a silver box, containing the heart of Saint George,
bestowed upon King Henry the Fifth by the Emperor Sigismund,
and after incense had been shed upon it by one of
the canons, presented it to the king and the knights-companions
to kiss.
After the offertory, a carpet was
spread on the steps before the altar, the alms-knights,
pursuivants, and heralds stationing themselves on
either side of it. The Garter then descended from
his seat, and waving his rod, the knights-companions
descended likewise, but remained before their stalls.
The black-rod next descended, and proceeding towards
the altar, a groom of the wardrobe brought him a small
carpet of cloth of gold, and a cushion of the same
stuff, which were placed on the larger carpet, the
cushion being set on the head of the steps. Taking
a large gilt bason to receive the offerings, the prelate
stationed himself with one of the prebends in the
midst of the altar. The king then rose from his
stall, and making a reverence as before, proceeded
to the altar, attended by the Garter, register, and
chancellor, together with the Duke of Richmond bearing
the sword; and having reached the upper step, prostrated
himself on the cushion, while the black-rod bending
the knee delivered a chain of gold, intended afterwards
to be redeemed, to the Duke of Suffolk, who was appointed
to make the royal offering, and who placed it in the
bason held by the prelate. This ceremony over,
the king got up, and with similar révérences
returned to his stall. Then the two provincial
kings, Clarenceux and Norroy, proceeded along the choir,
and making due révérences to the altar and
the sovereign, bowed to the two senior knights; who
thereupon advanced towards the altar, and kneeling
down, made their offering. The other imitated
their example, coming forward according to their seniority.
The service ended, the officers and
knights-companions quitted the chapel in the same
order they had entered it, the king being received
under the canopy at the door of the choir, and passing
through the west entrance of the chapel, where he
waited for the Lady Anne. On her arrival they
both mounted their steeds, and rode up to the royal
lodgings amid flourishes of trumpets and acclamations.
Dismounting at the great gate, Henry proceeded to
the presence-chamber, where the knights-companions
had assembled, and having received their salutations,
retired to his closet. Here he remained in deep
consultation with the Duke of Suffolk for some hours,
when it having been announced to him that the first
course of the banquet was served, he came forth, and
proceeded to the presence-chamber, where he greeted
the knights-companions, who were there assembled,
and who immediately put themselves in order of procession.
After this, the alms-knights, prebends, and officers-of-arms
passed on through the guard-chamber into Saint George’s
Hall. They were followed by the knights-companions,
who drew up in double file, the seniors taking the
uppermost place; and through these lines the king
passed, his train borne up as before, until reaching
the table set apart for him beneath a canopy, he turned
round and received the knights’ révérences.
The Earl of Oxford, as vice-chamberlain, then brought
him a ewer containing water, the Earl of Surrey a
bason, and Lord Rochford a napkin. Henry having
performed his ablutions, grace was said by the prelate,
after which the king seated himself beneath the canopy
in an ancient chair with a curiously carved back representing
the exploit of Saint George, which had once belonged
to the founder, King Edward the Third, and called up
the two cardinals, who by this time had entered the
hall, and who remained standing beside him, one on
either hand, during the repast.
As soon as the king was seated, the
knights-companions put on their caps, and retired
to the table prepared for them on the right side of
the hall, where they seated themselves according to
their degree the Duke of Richmond occupying
the first place, the Duke of Suffolk the second, and
the Duke of Norfolk the third. On the opposite
side of the hall was a long beaufet covered with flasks
of wine, meats, and dishes, for the service of the
knights’ table. Before this stood the attendants,
near whom were drawn up two lines of pensioners bearing
the second course on great gilt dishes, and headed
by the sewer. In front of the sewer were the
treasurer and comptroller of the household, each bearing
a white wand; next them stood the officers-of-arms
in two lines, headed by the Garter. The bottom
of the hall was thronged with yeomen of the guard,
halberdiers, and henchmen. In a gallery at the
lower end were stationed a band of minstrels, and
near them sat the Lady Anne and her dames to
view the proceedings.
The appearance of the hall during
the banquet was magnificent, the upper part being
hung with arras representing the legend of Saint George,
placed there by Henry the Sixth, and the walls behind
the knights-companions adorned with other tapestries
and rich stuffs. The tables groaned with the
weight of dishes, some of which may be enumerated
for the benefit of modern gastronomers. There
were Georges on horseback, chickens in brewis, cygnets,
capóns of high grease, carpes of venison,
herons, calvered salmon, custards planted with garters,
tarts closed with arms, godwits, peafowl, halibut
engrailed, porpoise in armour, pickled mullets, perch
in foyle, venison pasties, hypocras jelly, and
mainemy royal.
Before the second course was served,
the Garter, followed by Clarenceux and Norroy, together
with the heralds and pursuivants, advanced towards
the sovereign’s canopy, and cried thrice in a
loud voice, “Largesse!”
Upon this, all the knights-companions
arose and took off their caps. The Garter then
proceeded to proclaim the king’s titles in Latin
and French, and lastly in English, as follows: “Of
the most high, most excellent, and most mighty monarch,
Henry the Eighth, by the grace of God King of England,
France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Sovereign
of the most noble Order of the Garter.”
This proclamation made, the treasurer
of the household put ten golden marks into the Garter’s
cap, who making a reverence to the sovereign, retired
from the hall with his followers.
“Come, my lord legate,”
said Henry, when this ceremony was at an end, “we
will drink to my future queen. What ho! wine!”
he added to the Earl of Surrey, who officiated as
cup-bearer.
“Your highness is not yet divorced
from your present consort,” replied Campeggio.
“If it please you, I should prefer drinking the
health of Catherine of Arragon.”
“Well, as your eminence pleases,”
replied the king, taking the goblet from the hand
of Surrey; “I shall not constrain you.”
And looking towards the gallery, he
fixed his eyes on the Lady Anne and drained the cup
to the last drop.
“Would it were poison,”
muttered Sir Thomas Wyat, who stood behind the Earl
of Surrey, and witnessed what was passing.
“Give not thy treasonable thoughts
vent, gossip,” said Will Sommers, who formed
one of the group near the royal table, “or it
may chance that some one less friendly disposed towards
thee than myself may overhear them. I tell thee,
the Lady Anne is lost to thee for ever. Think’st
thou aught of womankind would hesitate between a simple
knight and a king? My lord duke,” he added
sharply to Richmond, who was looking round at him,
“you would rather be in yonder gallery than here.”
“Why so, knave?” asked the duke.
“Because the Fair Geraldine
is there,” replied the jester. “And
yet your grace is not the person she would most desire
to have with her.”
“Whom would she prefer?” inquired the
duke angrily.
The jester nodded at Surrey, and laughed maliciously.
“You heard the health given
by the king just now, my lord,” observed the
Duke of Suffolk to his neighbour the Duke of Norfolk;
“it was a shrewd hint to the lord legate which
way his judgment should decline. Your niece will
assuredly be Queen of England.”
“I did not note what was said,
my lord,” replied Norfolk; “I pray you
repeat it to me.”
Suffolk complied, and they continued
in close debate until the termination of the banquet,
when the king, having saluted the company, returned
to the presence-chamber.