ORDER OF THE BATH.

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Squire, and by the King’s commandment, that Lord kneeling on the one knee,shall take the Squire by the right leg, and put the [his] foot upon his knee, and[so] shall put the spur upon his heel, and [he] shall make a cross upon theknee of the Squire , 5 and shall kiss it; then shall another Lord put on the otherheel another spur in the same wise, that the other did; then the King of themeekness of his high might, taking the sword into his hands, shall gird therewiththe Squire; then shall the Squire lift up his arms on high, and the King shallput his arms about the neck of the Squire, and lifting up his right hand, heshall smite the Squire in the neck, saying thus, ‘ Be ye a good Knight,’ kissinghim. Afterward these noble and wise Knights aforesaid, this new Knight shalllead into the Chapel with melody, as it is heretofore said, unto the high altar,and there he shall ungirt him, and his sword with prayers and devotions shalloffer to God and to Holy Church, most devoutly beseeching God that thatOrder most worthy duly he may keep unto his end; these things so done, heshall take a sop in wine, and in the going out of the Chapel, the Master Cookshall be ready, and do off his spurs, and shall take them to him for his fee, andthe reason is this, that in case be, that the Knight do after any thing that bedefault and reproof unto the Order of Knighthood; the Master Cook then witha great knife, with which he dresseth his messes, shall smite off his spurs fromhis heels, and therefore in remembrance of this thing, the spurs of a new Knightin Order taking, shall be fee unto the Master Cook, pertaining duly unto hisOffice. Then shall these wise Knights aforesaid, lead this new Knight into theHall again, the which beginning the Table of Knights, shall sit to meat, andthe said wise and noble Knights shall sit about him at the table. And thenoble Knights [new Knight] shall be served like as other been, and as for thattime, he shall not eat nor drink at the table, but if great need be, nor he shallnot move him, nor look hither nor thither, more than a wife new wedded, andeverymore one of his two Governors shall stand by him with a kerchief, ofthe which, if one need come, he may serve him: and when the King arisethfrom the table, and goeth into the Chamber, the new Knight shall be led untohis Chamber, with great multitude of Knights, Squires and Minstrels joying,

s “ In the church of Wath in Yorkshire, upon the monument of Sir John Norton, created Knightof the Bath at the marriage of Prince Arthur, and who died on the 28th of August 1520. He wasrepresented by his portraicture, having over his armour, the Mantle, and Gloves hanging thereat, asthey were used at the time of his creation, and with a Cross upon each knee.”—Anstis (p. 70.), whoalso refers to the Effigies “ of Sir R. Willoughby, Chief Justice in the reign of Edward I., and of SirJohn Leigh in Lambeth.”

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