204

HISTORY OF THE

[INVESTITURE.

themselves, or more correctly speaking, to wear the Ensigns without beingregularly Invested; 6 and on the last occasion, that of Sir George Don, themeasure was not authorized by the Royal Sign Manual, and the Seal of theOrder. 7 A Knight-Elect has often been empowered to wear the Ensign orStar before Installation; but the permission has usually, though not always,been confined to the time of his absence from the Kingdom. Such licencehas, however, rarely been granted with respect to the Collar, though KingWilliam the Fourth authorized all the Knights Grand Cross, who had notbeen Installed, nor had received Letters of Dispensation, to wear the Collar attheir Majesties’ Coronation. 8 On the enlargement of the Order in 1815, analteration took place respecting the right to wear the Star, it being then deter-mined that the Knights Grand Cross should be Invested with the Star, as wellas with the Ribband and Badge; and consequently, at all subsequent Inves-titures, after the Knight-Elect has kissed the Sovereign’s hand, on being In-vested with the Ribband and Badge, His Majesty has presented him withthe Star. 9 Although such has not been, nor was intended to be the practice,an article in the Ordinance, published in the London Gazette of January1815, admits of no other interpretation than that the Knights Companions,(thenceforward to be called Knights Grand Cross) should wear the Star imme-diately after their nominations, not only before Installation, but even withoutInvestiture: “ It shall be lawful for all the present Knights Grand Crosses,from and after the date hereof, to wear, upon the left side of their upper vest-ment, the Star or Ensign of the said Order, although such Knight Grand Crossmay not have been Installed; and henceforward the said Star or Ensign shallbe worn by each and every Knight Grand Cross, immediately after his beingso nominated and appointed, provided that it shall not be lawful for any KnightGrand Cross to wear the Collar of the said Order, until he shall have beenformally Installed, according to the Statutes, or unless a Dispensation has beengranted for the non-observance of the ceremonial of Installation.” 1

o

6 Vide pp. 92, 148, antea.

7 Vide p. 152, antea, and see the Secretary of State’s Letter in the Appendix.

8 Vide p. 164, antea. The London Gazette of the 1st of February in that year, stated that,on Collar Days “ the Knights Grand Cross who had not been Installed, nor received the Sovereign’sRoyal Warrant dispensing with Installation, were to wear the Star, Ribband, and Badge only.

9 A copy of the Ceremonial observed at Investitures of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Com-manders, will be found in the Appendix. 1 Vide p. 126, antea.