be esquires, and governors in all things relating to him, who shal take the order abovesaid.

2. And, if the esquire do come before dinner, he shall carry up one dish of the first course to the king's table.

3. And, after this, the esquire's governors shall conduct the esquire that is to receive the order, into his chamber, without any more being seen that day.

4. And, in the evening, the esquire's governors shall send for the barber, and they shall make ready a bath, handsomely hung with linnen, both within and without the vessel, taking care that it be covered with tapestry, and blankets, in respect of the coldness of the night. And then shall the esquire be shaven, and his hair cut round. After which the esquire's governors shall go to the king, and say, 66 Sir, it is now in the evening, and the esquire is fitted for the bath, when you please;" whereupon the king shall command his chamberlain, that he shall take along with him, unto the esquire's chamber, the most gentle and grave knights that are present, to inform, counsel, and instruct him, touching the order, and feats of chivalry: And in like manner, that the other esquires of the houshold, with the minstrels, shall proceed before the knights, singing, dancing, and sporting, even to the chamber-door of the said esquire.

5. And, when the esquire's governors shall hear the noise of the minstrels, they shall undress the said esquire, and put him naked into the bath; but, at the entrance into the chamber, the esquire's governors shall cause the musick to cease, and the esquires also for a while. And, this being done, the grave knights shall enter into the chamber, without making any noise, and, doing reverence to each other, shall consider which of themselves it shall be that is to instruct the esquire in the order and course of the bath. And when they are agreed, then shall the chief of them go to the bath, and, kneeling down before it, say with a soft voice: "Sir! Be this bath of great honour to you;" and then he shall declare unto him the feats of the order, as far as he can, putting part of the water of the bath upon the shoulder of the esquire ; and, having so done, take his leave. And the esquire's governors shall attend at the sides of the bath, and so likewise the other knights, the one after the other, till all be done.

6. Then shall these knights go out of the chamber, for a while; and the esquire's governors shall take the esquire out of the bath, and help him to his bed, there to continue till his body be dry; which bed shall be plain, and without curtains. And, as soon as he is dry, they shall help him out of bed; they shall cloath him very warm, in respect of the cold of the night; and over his inner garments shall put on a robe of russet with long sleeves, hav. ing a hood thereto, like unto that of an hermit. And the esquire being out of the bath, the barber shall take away the bath, with whatsoever appertaineth thereto, both within and without for his fee; and likewise for the collar (about his neck) be he earl, baron, banneret or batchelor, according to the custom of the court.

7. And then shall the esquire's governors open the door of the chamber, and shall cause the antient and grave knights to enter, to conduct the esquire to the chapel: And, when they are come in, the esquires, sporting and dancing, shall go before the esquire, with the minstrels, making melody to the chapel.

8. And, being entered the chapel, there shall be wine and spices ready to give to the knights and esquires. And then the esquire's governors shall bring the said knights before the esquire, to take their leave of him; and he shall give them thanks all together, for the pains, favour, and courtesy, which they have done him; and, this being performed, they shall depart out of the chapel.

9. Then shall the esquire's governors shut the door of the chapel, none staying therein except themselves, the priest, the chandler, and the watch. And in this manner shall the esquire stay in the chapel all night, till it be day, bestowing himself in orisons and prayers, beseeching Almighty God, and his blessed Mother, that of their good grace they will give him ability to receive this high temporal dignity, to the honour, praise, and service of them; as also of the holy church, and the order of knighthood. And, at day-break, one shall call the priest to confess him of all his sins, and, having heard mattins and mass, shall afterwards be commended, if he please.

10. And after his entrance into the chapel, there shall be a taper burning before him; and, as soon as mass is begun, one of the governors shall hold the taper, until the reading of the gospel; and then shall the governor deliver it into his hands, who shall hold it himself, till the gospel be ended; but then he shall receive it again from him, and set it before him, there to stand, during the whole time of mass.

11. And, at the elevation of the host, one of the governors shall take the hood from the esquire, and afterwards deliver it to him again, until the gospel in principio; and, at the beginning thereof, the governor shall take the same hood again, and cause it to be carried away, and shall give him the taper again into his own hands.

12. And then having a penny, or more, in readiness, near to the candlestick, at the words verbum caro factum est, the esquire, kneeling, shall offer the taper and the penny; that is to say, the taper to the honour of God, and the penny to the honour of the person that makes him a knight. All which being performed, the esquire's governors shall conduct the esquire to his chamber, and shall lay him again in bed, till it be full day-light. And when he shall be thus in bed, till the time of his rising, he shall be cloathed with a covering of gold, called Singleton, and this shall be lined with blue cardene. And when the governors shall see it fit time, they shall go to the king, and say to him, "Sir! When doth it please you, that our master shall rise?" Whereupon the king shall command the grave knights, esquires, and minstrels, to go to the chamber of the said esquire, for to raise him, and to attire and dress him, and to bring him before him, into the ball. But,

before their entrance, and the noise of the minstrels heard, the esquire's governors shall provide all necessaries ready for the order, to deliver to the knights, for to attire and dress the esquire.

And when the knights are come to the esquire's chamber, they shall enter with leave, and say to him; "Sir! Good morrow to you, it is time to get up, and make yourself ready;" and thereupon they shall take him by the arm to be dressed, the most antient of the said knights reaching him his shirt, another giving him his breeches, the third his doublet; and another putting upon him a kirtle of red tartarin; two others shall raise him from the bed, and two others put on his nether stockings, with soles of leather sewed to them; two others shall lace his sleeves, and another shall gird him with a girdle of white leather, without any buckles thereon: Another shall comb his head; another shall put on his coif; another shall give him his mantle of silk (over the bases or kirtle of red tartarin) tied with a lace of white silk, with a pair of white gloves hanging at the end of the lace. And the chandler shall take, for his fees, all the garments, with the whole array and necessaries, wherewith the esquire shall be apparelled and clothed on the day that he comes into the court to receive order: As also the bed, wherein he first lay, after his bathing, together with the singleton and other necessaries: In consideration of which fees, the same chandler shall find, at his proper costs, the said coif, the gloves, the girdle, and the lace.

13. And, when all this is done, the grave knights shall get on horseback, and conduct the esquire to the hall, the minstrels going before, making musick; but the horse must be accoutred as followeth: The saddle having a cover of black leather, the bow of the saddle being of white wood quartered; the stirrop-leathers black, the stirrops gilt; the paitrel of black leather, gilt, with a cross-pate, gilt, hanging before the breast of the horse, but without any crupper: The bridle black, with long notched reins, after the Spanish fashion, and a cross-pate on the front. And there must be provided a young esquire, courteous, who shall ride before the esquire bare-headed, and carry the esquire's sword, with the spurs hanging at the handle of the sword; and the scabbard of the sword shall be of white leather, and the girdle of white leather, without buckles. And the youth shall hold the sword by the point, and after this manner must they ride to the king's hall, the governors being ready at hand.

14. And the grave knights shall conduct the said esquire; and, as soon as they come before the hall-door, the marshals and ushers are to be ready to meet him, and desire him to alight; and, being alighted, the marshal shall take the horse for his fee, or else C. 8. Then shall the knights conduct him into the hall, up to the high table, and afterwards up the end of the second table, until the king's coming, the knights standing on each side of him, and the youth holding the sword upright before him, between the two governors.

15. And when the king is come into the hall, and beholdetk

the esquire ready to receive his high order, and temporal dignity, he shall ask for the sword and spurs, which the chamberlain shall take from the youth, and shew to the king. And, thereupon, the king, taking the right spur, shall deliver it to the most noble and gentle person there, and shall say to him, "Put this upon the esquire's heel; and he, kneeling on one knee, must take the esquire by the right leg, and, putting his foot on his own knee, is to fasten the spur upon the right heel of the esquire; and then, making a cross upon the esquire's knee, shall kiss him: Which being done, another knight must come, and put on his left spur, in like manner. And then shall the king, of his great favour, take the sword, and gird the esquire therewith: Whereupon the esquire is to lift up his arms, holding his hands together, and the gloves betwixt his thumbs and fingers.

him.

16. And the king, putting his own arms about the esquire's neck, shall say, "Be thou a good knight," and afterwards kiss Then are the antient knights to conduct this new knight to the chapel, with much musick, even to the high altar, and there he shall kneel; and, putting his right hand upon the altar, is to promise to maintain the rights of holy church, during his whole

life.

17. And then he shall ungird himself of his sword, and, with great devotion to God and holy church, offer it there; praying unto God, and all his saints, that he may keep that order which he hath so taken, even to the end: All which being accomplished, he is to take a draught of wine.

18. And, at his going out of the chapel, the king's mastercook, being ready to take off his spurs for his own fee, shall say, "I, the king's master-cook, am come to receive your spurs for my fee; and if you do any thing contrary to the order of knighthood (which, God forbid) I shall hack your spurs from your

heels."

19. After this, the knights must conduct him again into the hall, where he shall sit the first at the knights table, and the knights about him, himself to be served as the other knights are; but he must neither eat nor drink at the table, nor spit, nor look about him, upwards nor downwards, more than a bride. And this being done, one of his governors, having a handkerchief in his hand, shall hold it before his face when he is to spit. And when the king is risen from his table, and gone into his chamber, then shall the new knight be conducted, with great store of knights and minstrels proceeding before him, unto his own chamber; and, at his entrance, the knights and minstrels shall take leave of him, and go to dinner.

20. And, the knights being thus gone, the chamber-door shall be fastened, and the new knight disrobed of his attire, which is to be given to the kings of arms, in case they be there present; and if not, then to the other heralds, if they be there; otherwise, to the minstrels, together with a mark of silver, if he be a knightbatchelor; if a baron, double to that; if an earl, or of a superior

rank, double thereto. And the russet night-cap must be given the watch, or else a noble.

21. Then is he to be cloathed again with a blue robe, the sleeves whereof to be streight, shaped after the fashion of a priest's; and, upon his left shoulder, to have a lace of white silk, hanging: And he shall wear that lace upon all his garments, from that day forwards, until he hath gained some honour or renown by arms, and is registered of as high record, as the nobles, knights, esquires, and heralds of arms; and be renowned for some feats of arms, as aforesaid, or that some great prince, or most noble lady, can cut that lace from his shoulder, saying; Sir! we have heard so much of the true renown concerning your honour, which you have done in divers parts, to the great fame of chivalry, as to yourself, and of him that made you a knight, that it is meet this lace be taken from you."

22. After dinner, the knights of honour and gentlemen must come to the knight, and conduct him into the presence of the king, the esquire's governors going before him; where, he is to say, Right noble and renowned Sir! I do, in all that I can, give you thanks for these honours, courtesies, and bounty, which you have vouchsafed to me:" And, having so said, shall take his leave of the king.

23. Then are the esquire's governors to take leave of this their master, saying, "Sir, we have, according to the king's command, and, as we were obliged, done what we can; but, if through negligence, we have in aught displeased you, or by any thing we have done amiss at this time, we desire pardon of you for it. And, on the other side, Sir, as right is, and according to the customs of the court, and antient kingdoms, we do require our robes and fees, as the king's esquires, companions to batchelors, and other

lords."

The Form of his Majesty's Summons, in a Letter from the Lord Chamberlain, to the several Persons of Honour, who are to be created Knights of the Bath.

SIR,

After my hearty commendation to you, WHEREAS his majesty hath appointed the twenty-third day of April next, for his solemn coronation at Westminster, and the day before, to proceed publickly through the city of London, to his palace at White-Hall; and, according to the antient custom used by his royal predecessors, his majesty is graciously pleased to advance certain of his nobility, and principal gentry, into the Noble Order of the Bath, to attend him in those great solemnities, and, amongst others, hath vouchsafed to nominate you to be one of that number; These are, therefore, to will and require you, in his majesty's name, to make your appearance at his majesty's palace at Westminster, upon Thursday in the afternoon, being the eighteenth of April next, furnished and appointed, as in such cases appertaineth, there to begin the usual ceremony, and the next day