Windsor Castle, Page 4

  IV.

  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 theking's approach on his return from the Garter Tower, and waving her handsmilingly to him, she withdrew into the presence-chamber. Hastening toher, Henry found her surrounded by her ladies of honour, by the chiefof the nobles and knights who had composed her train from Hampton Court,and by the Cardinals Wolsey and Campeggio; and having exchanged a fewwords with her, he took her hand, and led her to the upper part of thechamber, where two chairs of state were set beneath a canopy of crimsonvelvet embroidered with the royal arms, and placed her in the seathitherto allotted to Catherine of Arragon. A smile of triumph irradiatedAnne's lovely countenance at this mark of distinction, nor was hersatisfaction diminished as Henry turned to address the assemblage.

  "My lords," he said, "ye are right well aware of the scruples ofconscience I entertain in regard to my marriage with my brother's widow,Catherine of Arragon. The more I weigh the matter, the more convinced amI of its unlawfulness; and were it possible to blind myself to my sinfulcondition, the preachers, who openly rebuke me from the pulpit, wouldtake care to remind me of it. Misunderstand me not, my lords. I have noground of complaint against the queen. Far otherwise. She is a ladyof most excellent character--full of devotion, loyalty, nobility, andgentleness. And if I could divest myself of my misgivings, so far fromseeking to put her from me, I should cherish her with the greatesttenderness. Ye may marvel that I have delayed the divorce thus long. Butit is only of late that my eyes have been opened; and the step was hardto take. Old affections clung to me--old chains restrained me--nor couldI, without compunction, separate myself from one who has ever been to mea virtuous and devoted consort."

  "Thou hast undergone a martyrdom, gossip," observed Will Sommers, whohad posted himself at the foot of the canopy, near the king, "and shalthenceforth 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 thinkI hold them lightly; but my treatise on the subject, which has costme much labour and meditation, will avouch to the contrary. What wouldbefall this realm if my marriage were called in question after mydecease? The same trouble and confusion would ensue that followed on thedeath of my noble grandfather, King Edward the Fourth. To prevent suchmischance I have resolved, most reluctantly, to put away my presentqueen, and to take another consort, by whom I trust to raise up a worthysuccessor and inheritor of my kingdom."

  A murmur of applause followed this speech, and the two cardinalsexchanged 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 aroseas he turned to her. "And now, fair mistress," he added to her, "as anearnest 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 athousand marks a year in land, and another thousand to be paid out of mytreasury to support your dignity."

  "Your majesty is too generous," replied Anne, bending the knee, andkissing his hand.

  "Not a whit, sweetheart--not a whit," replied Henry, tenderly raisingher; "this is but a slight mark of my goodwill. Sir Thomas Boleyn," headded to her father, "henceforth your style and title will be that ofViscount Rochford, and your patent will be made out at the same time asthat of your daughter, the Marchioness of Pembroke. I also elect you aknight-companion of the most honourable Order of the Garter, and yourinvestiture and installation will take place to-day."

  Having received the thanks and homage of the newly-created noble, Henrydescended from the canopy, and passed into an inner room with the LadyAnne, where a collation was prepared for them. Their slight meal over,Anne took up her lute, and playing a lively prelude, sang two orthree French songs with so much skill and grace, that Henry, who waspassionately fond of music, was quite enraptured. Two delightful hourshaving passed by, almost imperceptibly, an usher approached the king,and whispering a few words to him, he reluctantly withdrew, and Anneretired with her ladies to an inner apartment.

  On reaching his closet, the king's attendants proceeded to array him ina surcoat of crimson velvet, powdered with garters embroidered in silkand gold, with the motto--boni soft qui mal y pense--wrought withinthem. Over the surcoat was thrown a mantle of blue velvet with amagnificent train, lined with white damask, and having on the leftshoulder a large garter, wrought in pearls and Venice twists, containingthe motto, and encircling the arms of Saint George--argent, a crossgules. The royal habiliments were completed by a hood of the same stuffas the surcoat, decorated like it with small embroidered garters, andlined with white satin. From the king's neck was suspended the collarof 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 theirmantles, hoods, and collars, entered the closet, and waiting till hewas ready, marched before him into the presence-chamber, where wereassembled the two provincial kings-at-arms, Clarenceux and Norroy, theheralds, and pursuivants, wearing their coats-of-arms, together with theband of pensioners, carrying gilt poleaxes, and drawn up in two lines.At the king's approach, one of the gentlemen-ushers who carried thesword of state, with the point resting upon the ground, delivered itto the Duke of Richmond,--the latter having been appointed to bear itbefore the king during all the proceedings of the feast. Meanwhile, theknights-companions having drawn up on either side of the canopy, Henryadvanced with a slow and stately step towards it, his train borne bythe Earl of Surrey, Sir Thomas Wyat, and other nobles and knights. As heascended the canopy, and faced the assemblage, the Duke of Richmondand the chief officers of the Order drew up a little on his right. Theknights-companions then made their salutation to him, which he returnedby removing his jewelled cap with infinite grace and dignity, andas soon as he was again covered they put on their caps, and rangingthemselves in order, set forward to Saint George's Chapel.

  Quitting the royal lodgings, and passing through the gateway of theNorman Tower, the procession wound its way along the base of the RoundTower, the battlements of which bristled with spearmen, as did the wallson the right, and the summit of the Winchester Tower, and crossing themiddle ward, skirted the tomb-house, then newly erected by Wolsey, andthreading a narrow passage between it and Saint George's Chapel, enteredthe north-east door of the latter structure.

  Dividing, on their entrance into the chapel, into two lines, theattendants of the knights-companions flanked either side of the northaisle; while between them walked the alms-knights, the verger, theprebends of the college, and the officers-of-arms, who proceeded as faras the west door of the choir, where they stopped. A slight pause thenensued, after which the king, the knights-companions, and the chiefofficers of the Order, entered the chapter-house--a chamber situated atthe north-east corner of the chapel--leaving the Duke of Richmond, thesword-bearer, Lard Rochford, the knight-elect, the train-bearers, andpensioners outside. The door of the chapter-house being closed bythe black-rod, the king proceeded to the upper end of thevestments-board--as the table was designated--where a chair, cushions,and cloth of state were provided for him; the knights-companions, whosestalls in the choir were on the same side as his own, seating themselveson his right, and those whose posts were on the prince's side takingtheir places on the left. The prelate and the chancellor stood at theupper end of the table; the Garter and register at the foot; while thedoor was kept by the black-rod.

  As soon as the king and the knights were seated, intimation was given byan usher to the black-rod that the newly elected knight, Lord Rochford,was without. The intelligence being communicated to the king, he orderedthe Dukes of Suffol
k and Norfolk to bring him into his presence.The injunction was obeyed, and the knight-elect presently madehis appearance, the Garter marching before him to the king. Bowingreverently to the sovereign, Rochford, in a brief speech, expressed hisgratitude for the signal honour conferred upon him, and at its closeset his left foot upon a gilt stool, placed for him by the Garter, whopronounced the following admonition:--"My good lord, the loving companyof the Order of the Garter have received you as their brother andfellow. In token whereof, they give you this garter, which God grant youmay receive and wear from henceforth to His praise and glory, and to theexaltation 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 toit, about his neck, while another admonition was pronounced bythe chancellor. Rochford then arose, bowed to the monarch, to theknights-companions, who returned his salutations, and the investiturewas complete.

  Other affairs of the chapter were next discussed. Certain officersnominated since the last meeting, were sworn; letters from absentknights-companions, praying to be excused from attendance, wereread--and their pleas, except in the instance of Sir Thomas Cheney,allowed. After reading the excuse of the latter, Henry uttered an angryoath, 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 paidat Saint George's altar, when Will Sommers, who was permitted to bepresent, whispered in his ear that the offender was kept away by thedevices 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 thebutcher'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 hearthe truth from his own lips."

  He then arose, and quitting the chapter-house, proceeded with theknights-companions to the choir--the roof and walls of the sacredstructure resounding with the solemn notes of the organ as theytraversed the aisle. The first to enter the choir were the alms-knights,who passed through the door in a body, and making low obeisancestoward the altar and the royal stall, divided into two lines. Theywere succeeded by the prebends of the College, who, making similarobeisances, stationed themselves in front of the benches before thestalls of the knights-companions. Next followed the pursuivants,heralds, and provincial kings-of-arms, making like reverences,and ranging themselves with the alms-knights. Then came theknights-companions, who performed double reverences like the others, andtook 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 choirbefore the sovereign's stall; then came the chancellor and prelate,whose form was likewise placed before the royal stall, but nearer to itthan that allotted to the other officers; and, lastly, Henry himself,with the sword borne before him by the Duke of Richmond, who as heapproached 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 royalstall, the Earl of Oxford, as lord chamberlain, taking his station onthe king's right, and the Earl of Surrey, as vice-chamberlain, on theleft. As these arrangements were made, the two cardinals arrived, andproceeded to the altar.

  Mass was then said, and nothing could be more striking than theappearance of the chapel during its performance. The glorious choir withits groined and pendent roof, its walls adorned with the richest stuffs,its exquisitely carved stalls, above which hung the banners of theknights-companions, together with their helmets, crests, and swords, itssumptuously--decorated altar, glittering with costly vessels, its pulpithung with crimson damask interwoven with gold, the magnificent andvaried dresses of the assemblage--all these constituted a picture ofsurpassing splendour.

  Vespers over, the king and his train departed with the same ceremoniesand in the same order as had been observed on their entrance to thechoir.

  On returning to the royal lodgings, Henry proceeded to his closet, wherehaving divested himself of his mantle, he went in search of the LadyAnne. He found her walking with her dames on the stately terrace at thenorth of the castle, and the attendants retiring as he joined her, hewas left at full liberty for amorous converse. After pacing the terracefor some time, he adjourned with Anne to her own apartments, where heremained till summoned to supper with the knights-companions in SaintGeorge's Hall.

  The next morning betimes, it being the day of the Patron Saint of theOrder of the Garter, a numerous cavalcade assembled in the upper ward ofthe 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 arrangedthat the procession should take place on horseback, and the whole of theretinue were accordingly mounted. The large quadrangle was filled withsteeds and their attendants, and the castle walls resounded with thefanfares of trumpets and the beating of kettledrums. The most attractivefeature of the procession in the eyes of the beholders was the LadyAnne, who, mounted on a snow-white palfrey richly trapped, rode on theright of the king. She was dressed in a rich gown of raised cloth ofgold; 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 theking's passion increased as he gazed upon her. Henry himself was moresumptuously attired than on the preceding day. He wore a robe of purplevelvet, 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 withgreat buttons of diamonds and rubies. His sword and girdle were adornedwith magnificent emeralds, and his bonnet glistened with preciousstones. His charger was trapped in cloth of gold, traversedlattice-wise, square, embroidered with gold damask, pearled on everyside, and having buckles and pendants of fine gold. By his side ranten footmen, richly attired in velvet and goldsmith's work. They werefollowed by the pages of honour, mounted on great horses, trapped incrimson velvet embroidered with new devices and knots of gold.

  In this state Henry and his favourite proceeded to the greatwestern door of Saint George's Chapel. Here twelve gentlemen of theprivy-chamber attended with a canopy of cloth of gold, which they boreover the king's bead, and that of the Lady Anne, as she walked besidehim to the entrance of the choir, where they separated--he proceedingto his stall, and she to a closet at the north-east corner of the choirover the altar, while her ladies repaired to one adjoining it.

  Matins then commenced, and at the appointed part of the service the deanof the college took a silver box, containing the heart of Saint George,bestowed upon King Henry the Fifth by the Emperor Sigismund, and afterincense had been shed upon it by one of the canons, presented it to theking 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 oneither side of it. The Garter then descended from his seat, and wavinghis rod, the knights-companions descended likewise, but remained beforetheir stalls. The black-rod next descended, and proceeding towards thealtar, a groom of the wardrobe brought him a small carpet of cloth ofgold, and a cushion of the same stuff, which were placed on the largercarpet, the cushion being set on the head of the steps. Taking a largegilt bason to receive the offerings, the prelate stationed himself withone of the prebends in the midst of the altar. The king then rose fromhis stall, and making a reverence as before, proceeded to the altar,attended by the Garter, register, and chancellor, together with theDuke of Richmond bearing the sword; and having reached the upper step,prostrated himself on the cushion, while the black-rod bending the kneedelivered a chain of gold, intended afterwards to be redeemed, to theDuke of Suffolk, who was appointed to make the royal offering, and whop
laced it in the bason held by the prelate. This ceremony over, the kinggot up, and with similar reverences returned to his stall. Then the twoprovincial kings, Clarenceux and Norroy, proceeded along the choir, andmaking due reverences to the altar and the sovereign, bowed to the twosenior knights; who thereupon advanced towards the altar, and kneelingdown, made their offering. The other imitated their example, comingforward according to their seniority.

  The service ended, the officers and knights-companions quitted thechapel in the same order they had entered it, the king being receivedunder the canopy at the door of the choir, and passing through thewest entrance of the chapel, where he waited for the Lady Anne. Onher arrival they both mounted their steeds, and rode up to the royallodgings amid flourishes of trumpets and acclamations. Dismountingat the great gate, Henry proceeded to the presence-chamber, where theknights-companions had assembled, and having received their salutations,retired to his closet. Here he remained in deep consultation with theDuke of Suffolk for some hours, when it having been announced to himthat the first course of the banquet was served, he came forth,and proceeded to the presence-chamber, where he greeted theknights-companions, who were there assembled, and who immediatelyput themselves in order of procession. After this, the alms-knights,prebends, and officers-of-arms passed on through the guard-chamber intoSaint George's Hall. They were followed by the knights-companions, whodrew up in double file, the seniors taking the uppermost place; andthrough these lines the king passed, his train borne up as before, untilreaching the table set apart for him beneath a canopy, he turnedround and received the knights' reverences. The Earl of Oxford, asvice-chamberlain, then brought him a ewer containing water, the Earl ofSurrey a bason, and Lord Rochford a napkin. Henry having performed hisablutions, grace was said by the prelate, after which the king seatedhimself beneath the canopy in an ancient chair with a curiously carvedback representing the exploit of Saint George, which had once belongedto the founder, King Edward the Third, and called up the two cardinals,who by this time had entered the hall, and who remained standing besidehim, one on either hand, during the repast.

  As soon as the king was seated, the knights-companions put on theircaps, and retired to the table prepared for them on the right side ofthe hall, where they seated themselves according to their degree--theDuke of Richmond occupying the first place, the Duke of Suffolk thesecond, and the Duke of Norfolk the third. On the opposite side of thehall 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 secondcourse on great gilt dishes, and headed by the sewer. In front of thesewer were the treasurer and comptroller of the household, each bearinga white wand; next them stood the officers-of-arms in two lines, headedby the Garter. The bottom of the hall was thronged with yeomen of theguard, halberdiers, and henchmen. In a gallery at the lower end werestationed a band of minstrels, and near them sat the Lady Anne and herdames to view the proceedings.

  The appearance of the hall during the banquet was magnificent, the upperpart being hung with arras representing the legend of SaintGeorge, placed there by Henry the Sixth, and the walls behind theknights-companions adorned with other tapestries and rich stuffs.The tables groaned with the weight of dishes, some of which may beenumerated for the benefit of modern gastronomers. There were Georges onhorseback, chickens in brewis, cygnets, capons of high grease, carpes ofvenison, herons, calvered salmon, custards planted with garters, tartsclosed with arms, godwits, peafowl, halibut engrailed, porpoise inarmour, pickled mullets, perch in foyle, venison pasties, hypocrasjelly, and mainemy royal.

  Before the second course was served, the Garter, followed by Clarenceuxand Norroy, together with the heralds and pursuivants, advanced towardsthe sovereign's canopy, and cried thrice in a loud voice, "Largesse!"

  Upon this, all the knights-companions arose and took off their caps. TheGarter 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 ofEngland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Sovereign ofthe most noble Order of the Garter."

  This proclamation made, the treasurer of the household put ten goldenmarks 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 Earlof Surrey, who officiated as cup-bearer.

  "Your highness is not yet divorced from your present consort," repliedCampeggio. "If it please you, I should prefer drinking the health ofCatherine of Arragon."

  "Well, as your eminence pleases," replied the king, taking the gobletfrom the hand of Surrey; "I shall not constrain you."

  And looking towards the gallery, he fixed his eyes on the Lady Anne anddrained the cup to the last drop.

  "Would it were poison," muttered Sir Thomas Wyat, who stood behind theEarl 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 thatsome one less friendly disposed towards thee than myself may overhearthem. I tell thee, the Lady Anne is lost to thee for ever. Think'st thouaught of womankind would hesitate between a simple knight and a king? Mylord 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 yourgrace 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 theDuke of Suffolk to his neighbour the Duke of Norfolk; "it was a shrewdhint to the lord legate which way his judgment should decline. Yourniece will assuredly be Queen of England."

  "I did not note what was said, my lord," replied Norfolk; "I pray yourepeat it to me."

  Suffolk complied, and they continued in close debate until thetermination of the banquet, when the king, having saluted the company,returned to the presence-chamber.