SECT. VII. The Supper on the Eve.

WHen the Soveraign is pleased to Sup publickly, on the Eve of the Feast at Windesor, the Supper hath been always prepared in St. George's Hall; and was accordingly done an.b 14. &c 15 Car. 1. & 13.15. & 23. years of the present Soveraign.

The usual place at Whitehall for this first Meal, was heretofore the Presence Chamber,d of latter times the Banqueting-House; and at Greenwich either the ePresence or fCouncil-Chamber; where the Soveraign or his Lieutenant were always present. But when the Feast of St. George was celebrated at York, an.g 17 Car. 1. The Soveraign and Knights-Companions marched after the first Ves∣pers ended, to an h House prepared for that purpose, and Supped there; and thence returned to his own Palace to Bed.

But if the Eve of the Feast fell out to be on a Fasting Day, as it did an. 22. H. 8. upon i a Saturday, and an. 11. Iac. R. upon a kFriday; the Supper was always omitted, and the Soveraign or his Lieutenant and Knights-Companions were served of the Void only; concerning which Term, more shall be spoken immediately.

Nor doth the Soveraign when he suppeth publickly, pass privately to the place: but as soon as notice is given that the first Mess is set upon the Table, he forthwith entreth the Presence-Chamber, whence the Officers of the Order and of Arms, the Knights-Companions in their full Robes (for so the lStatutes of the Order direct in particular) having put themselves into their usual and due Or∣der, proceed before him into St. George's Hall. Where being entred, the Pur∣suivants, Page  545 Heralds, and Provincial Kings, fall off all upon the right hand, m oppo∣site to the Knights-Companions Table, the Iunior Pursuivant standing towards the lower end of the Hall.

Then the Knights-Companions passing up beyond them, formerly n divided themselves on either side, according to the Decree *an. 16. H. 8. and made a stand, each taking place, o according to the order of their Stalls. But at the Feast held at Whitehall an. 19. Car. 2. the Soveraign directed, that they should stand all on the right hand side, facing their Table.

Next the five Officers of the Order follow, who ascending p beyond the Se∣nior Knight, retire on the right hand; After them the Soveraign, who coming up last (all the Officers of Armsq doing him reverence as he passeth by) goes directly to the Haut-pas, before his own Table, where turning himself to∣wards the Knights-Companions, and r putting off his Cap, they return their Re∣verences jointly to him.

After this, in order to the Soveraigns sitting down to Supper, he is first ser∣ved with Water by some Noblemen appointed for that Service. Next Grace is said by the Prelate, and then doth the Soveraign place himself in his Chair, set in the middle of the Table. After whom the Senior Knight, conducted to his Table by two Officers of Arms, sits down, and so do all the rest in due order, at the Tables appointed for them. Whereupon the Officers of the Order and of Arms, retire out of the Hall to Supper.

Now in regard all these last mentioned particulars are ordered alike, and in the same manner, at the other Meals of this Grand Feast, as here at this: We chuse rather to transfer the further enlargement upon them, to our Discourse of the Dinner on the Feast day, where these, and such things and services as are also common to every Meal, are once for all brought to view, and handled at large.

If a Lieutenant be constituted, he s proceeds to Supper in full Robes, and in the same order as doth the Soveraign, whether it be to St. George's Hall, or else∣where, and sits t alone at the Soveraign's Table, yet on the u left hand of the Cloth of State; being served in all points with wWater, and by a xCupbearer, Carver, and Sewer, as is the Soveraign himself.

This, and the other Meals were usually heretofore closed with Comfits, Spi∣ces, and Wine, and of late times with a costly Banquet: which, after the So∣veraign hath washed, is brought in and placed upon the Table.

This Banquet after Supper,* is that which in some places is called the Voyd, as an. 31. H. 8. it is observed, that Supper being ended, the Pnesident and Knights-Companions had a yVoyde of Comfits and Hypocras, and an. 4. Eliz. a zVoyde of Spices and Wine. So *an. 6. & 7. of the same Queen, it is said, they were served of the Voyde and departed, and an. 20. Eliz. it is likewise said, Supper being ended, and ‖Voydance brought, they departed for that night. So also is it phrased in King Henry the Eighth's Statutes, Art. 3.

But somewhat more fully an. 5. Eliz. when St. George's day falling upon a Fri∣day, at the return from the second Vespers, instead of a Supper (it being a fast∣ing night) the Lieutenanta standing in the middle before the Cloth of State, and the Knights along on either hand, the Comfits, Spices, Sugar, and Wine were brought in, and in several Bowls (or Chargers) presented; first b a Bowl to the Soveraign's Lieutenant, and then a Bowl to each two of the Knights-Companions; and the Relator, at the close, noting also the posture they took the Banquet in, calls it a Voyde; for he says, they had the cVoyde standing. And lastly, the Feast hapning on a Friday, an. 27. of the same Queen, celebrated at Greenwich, it is noted by dRobert Cook then Clarenceux, that when the Banquet was brought in, the Lieutenant and all the Knights-Companions standing in order, were served of the eVoyde, because they had no Supper.

When Supper is ended, and the Banquet taken away, the Soveraign and Knights-Companionsf proceed back (in the same order as they came) into the Presence-Chamber; where the Soveraign (or his Lieutenant) standing on the step before the State, saluteth them as before, and then g appoints the hour and Page  546 place for the Knights-Companions to attend him the next morning; which com∣monly is about h 8 a Clock, after which they make their Reverences, and all de∣part to their several Lodgings.

The like if Supper be prepared in any other place besides the Presence-Cham∣ber; for from thence (when it is ended) doth the Soveraign (or his Lieutenant) and the Knights-Companions proceed to the Presence, because the Ceremony ought to end there. So we find it observed an. 17. Car. 1. when the Feast was solemnized at York, where, though the i House appointed to sup at, was some∣what remote from the Soveraign's Palace, yet the Knights-Companions and Offi∣cers of the Order attended the Soveraign thence, after Supper, to the kPresence-Chamber in the foresaid Palace; and there, he taking leave of them, they imme∣diately retired to disrobe themselves. In like case an. 27. Eliz. the Feast being then held at Greenwich, and the Soveraign's Lieutenant and Companions supping in the lGreat Chamber, (at the neither end of the Guard-Chamber) they thence attended the Lieutenant to the mPresence after Supper; where the Lieutenant ta∣king his place at the upper end, and the Knights-Companions their places in due order, they stayed a while there, and then departed.

The like did they the next day, both after the GrandnDinner, and at night after Supper, because the Lieutenant dined and supped in the said Great Chamber.

But when Supper was prepared in the Presence-Chamber, at any of the Sove∣raign's Courts, the Soveraign (or his Lieutenant) and Knights-Companions did take their leave one of another in the same Room, there being no occasion for any formal Proceeding further. Nevertheless, if any of the Knights-Companions accompanied the Soveraign (or his Lieutenant) to his Lodgings, they then went o after, not before him, in regard the p state of that nights Service ended in the Chamber of Presence; and after they are retired to their several Lodgings, they have permission to put off their Robes.

When the Soveraign or his Lieutenant do not sup in St. George's Hall on the Eve of the Feast, or the following night, the Officers of Arms have formerly had the liberty to eat their Suppers there; and this priviledge and assignment of a Table, was given them by a Decree in Chapter held the 16. of Iune, an. 8. Eliz. as followeth.

qThat forasmuch, as the Officers of Arms had formerly no certain place assigned them, wherein they might eat their meat, the night next preceding the day of St. George, and also on the Evening of the Feast day, they should from thenceforth hold, within the Hall at Windesor, that Table, which was before that time appointed for the Chancellor and Register, and other Officers of the Garter, to sit at, on the day of the said Festival. But how they came to lose the priviledge, hereby granted, we cannot learn; for now instead of sitting in the Great Hall, they are necessi∣tated to eat their Meat in such Rooms of the Castle, as upon the score of friend∣ship they can obtain; and among others, at the Grand Feasts held at Windesor an. 13. & 15. Car. 2. Captain Burgh, one of the Alms-Knights, very courteously be∣friended them with the use of his lower Room, to dine and sup in; and in the 23. year of the same King, Captain Hull, another of the Alms-Knights, did them the like kindness.