The Ceremonies Of This Society Are
Celebrated Every Year At Windsor On St. George's Day, The Tutelar
Saint Of The
Order, the King presiding; and the custom is that the
Knights Companions should hang up their helmet and shield, with
Their arms blazoned on it, in some conspicuous part of the church.
There are three principal and very large courts in Windsor Castle,
which give great pleasure to the beholders: the first is enclosed
with most elegant buildings of white stone, flat-roofed, and covered
with lead; here the Knights of the Garter are lodged; in the middle
is a detached house, remarkable for its high tower, which the
governor inhabits. In this is the public kitchen, well furnished
with proper utensils, besides a spacious dining-room, where all the
poor Knights eat at the same table, for into this Society of the
Garter, the King and Sovereign elects, at his own choice, certain
persons, who must be gentlemen of three descents, and such as, for
their age and the straitness of their fortunes, are fitter for
saying their prayers than for the service of war; to each of them is
assigned a pension of eighteen pounds per annum and clothes. The
chief institution of so magnificent a foundation is, that they
should say their daily prayers to God for the King's safety, and the
happy administration for the kingdom, to which purpose they attend
the service, meeting twice every day at chapel. The left side of
this court is ornamented by a most magnificent chapel of one hundred
and thirty-four paces in length, and sixteen in breadth; in this are
eighteen seats fitted up in the time of Edward III. for an equal
number of Knights: this venerable building is decorated with the
noble monuments of Edward IV., Henry VI., and VIII., and of his wife
Queen Jane. It receives from royal liberality the annual income of
two thousand pounds, and that still much increased by the
munificence of Edward III. and Henry VII. The greatest princes in
Christendom have taken it for the highest honour to be admitted into
the Order of the Garter; and since its first institution about
twenty kings, besides those of England, who are the sovereigns of
it, not to mention dukes and persons of the greatest figure, have
been of it. It consists of twenty-six Companions.
In the inward choir of the chapel are hung up sixteen coats-of-arms,
swords, and banners; among which are those of Charles V. and
Rodolphus II., Emperors; of Philip of Spain; Henry III. of France;
Frederic II. of Denmark, &c.; of Casimir, Count Palatine of the
Rhine; and other Christian princes who have been chosen into this
Order.
In the back choir, or additional chapel, are shown preparations made
by Cardinal Wolsey, who was afterwards capitally punished, {12} for
his own tomb; consisting of eight large brazen columns placed round
it, and nearer the tomb four others in the shape of candlesticks;
the tomb itself is of white and black marble; all which are
reserved, according to report, for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth;
the expenses already made for that purpose are estimated at upwards
of 60,000 pounds.
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