PREPARATION: The Duchess should have a Rose. Before the ceremony, the Herald should discover the blazon of the arms of the new Duchess, if there is no scroll. The Duchess should have her escort prepared and standing ready at the back of Court.
Scroll/Promissory: Scroll of Arms, if prepared.
Token: Circlet, if prepared, Ducal Mantle (optional)
(At the Investiture of a Duchess, there will be a procession composed of those
whom the incipient Duchess wishes to participate. The members should include as
many Duchesses as possible, and may include Countesses and other worthy Ladies. The
Great Officers of State may be included to bear witness if they are not already up
front to witness the acknowledgement of a Duke. One possible form for this
procession is as follows:
The Procession shall form at the back of Court and wait for the beginning of the
ceremony.)
Great Officers of State
RC
MB BB
CB D SB
Ducal Party/Household
SC: Rose Carrier, bearing a Red Rose
MB: Mantle Bearer (optional)
BB: Banner Bearer
CB: Coronet Bearer
SB: Scroll Bearer
D: New Duchess
Herald: Your Majesties, the Most Noble Her Grace Duchess <name of Rose Carrier> has business before Your Court.
King: By all means, We welcome Her Grace into Our Court.
(The Great Officers precede the Rose Carrier. They enter robed as befits their Offices, bow to the Thrones, and kneel along the sides to bear witness. If the Investiture of a Duke has just taken place, they will already be in their positions.)
(The Rose Carrier and the rest of the procession enter and halt a respectful distance from the Thrones. When the procession halts, all in it make a reverence toward the Thrones.)
Rose Carrier: May it please Your Majesties: Your loyal subject, the most noble Duchess <name> has by her beauty, grace, and virtues inspired her champion to win her the Crown [of this Kingdom], and further she has twice reigned [over this Kingdom]. Thus by her own ability she has earned the title and rank of a Duchess of this realm, and she makes bold to approach You that she may receive the Ducal Accolade and be invested with the dignities of her noble station. In token of Duchess <name>'s loyalty to the Crown and Thrones of the West, she here yields this rose, token of her station as a Lady of the Rose, into Your Majesties' keeping.
(The Rose Carrier steps forward, bows, and gives the rose to the Queen. She then bows and moves to the left of the Queen, where she kneels.)
King: Your Excellency,
you have Our leave to approach Us,
as it is Our honor
to invest you with the title,
style, rank,
and privileges of your new estate.
(The procession composed of the Bearers and the Duchess enter the center of the Court. Any other attendants kneel in place. The Duchess and Bearers approach the Thrones and bow. The Banner Bearer moves to the left of the Queen, and kneels holding the banner outward. All others in the party kneel, with the Duchess, immediately before the King.)
FEALTY - if the new Duchess is not already a Peer of the Realm, she should be offered a chance to swear fealty at this time.
King: Do you wish to swear fealty at this time?
(If the new Duchess wishes to swear fealty at this time, do the following fealty oath:)
Herald: To your Liege and before your peers repeat after me:
Here do I swear, by mouth and hands,
fealty and service
to the Crown and Kingdom of the West,
to speak and to be silent
to do and to let be,
to come and to go
to strike and to spare
in all matters as concern the Kingdom
upon my honor
and the lawful command of the Crown
in need or in plenty,
in peace or in war
in living or in dying,
until the King depart from His Throne
death take me, or the world end,
so say I <name>.
King: This do We hear,
nor fail to remember,
and We for Our part do swear fealty to you,
<name>, and to all your household,
to protect and defend you with all Our power,
until We depart from Our Throne,
death take us, or the world end.
So say We, <name>, King of the West.
Queen: So also say We, <name>, Queen of the West.
CONTINUE
OPTIONAL - Ducal Mantle
King: Let my Lady Duchess be vested with the Ducal Mantle,
in token of her new estate
and as becomes her noble station.
(The Mantle Bearer approaches, bows, and places the mantle on the Duchess' shoulders. She then moves to the right of the Rose Carrier and kneels.)
CONTINUE
King: Let the Scroll of Arms be read.
(The Scroll Bearer approaches, bows, and hands the scroll to the herald. She then moves to the left of the Banner Bearer and kneels. The Herald shall read it and then return it. If no scroll is present, the Herald shall read the text below.)
NO SCROLL PRESENT
Herald: Know by these presents that We, <King-name> and <Queen-name>, King and Queen of the West, in recognition that Our subject <name> has twice reigned as Queen [in Our realm], do hereby acknowledge her Duchess, and do confirm to her the rank, style, title, and privileges of that estate. And We do affirm her sole and exclusive right to bear the following Arms by Letters Patent, to wit: Blazon. By Our word and hand this day day of month, Anno Societatis AS-Year. <King-name>, Rex; <Queen-name>, Regina.
CONTINUE
(The Coronet Bearer approaches, bows, and kneels slightly behind and to the left (King's side) of the Duke.)
King: My Lady Duchess,
it pleases me greatly
that you should receive
the Ducal Accolade from My hand.
Duchess: My Liege, from Your hand I am most heartily pleased to receive it.
King: (The King kisses the Duchess on the left cheek, then the right, then to the top of the head. As the King kisses the top of her head, the Coronet Bearer should raise up the Ducal Coronet in both hands.)
(The King takes the coronet from the Coronet Bearer, who rises and kneels to the right of the Mantle Bearer.)
Queen: [Duke | Count] <name>,
as it was your honor
to [twice] name Her Grace as Queen
of this Realm,
let it be your further honor
to place upon her head
her coronet of rank.
(Duke/Count <name> comes forward and bows, then stands before the Queen and takes the coronet from the Coronet Bearer, who rises and kneels to the right of the Mantle Bearer.)
Duke: As it was my joy to crown you Queen with a wreath of roses, it is also my joy and my honor to place this coronet of strawberry leaves upon your head.
(The Duke/Count places the coronet on the Duchess' head, bows, and moves to stand beside the Scroll Bearer.)
King: <name>, now do We, <King-name>,
King of the West,
acknowledge your right
to the style and title of Duchess,
and We confirm your rights
to the dignities and privileges
of that estate.
Queen: Your Grace, We return this rose,
symbol of Queens in this
and in all other realms,
to your keeping.
Bear it henceforth as you have heretofore,
with grace and dignity.
(Queen hands rose to Duchess.)
Duchess: My Lady Queen, upon my honor I pledge to do so.
(If the Queen is a Duchess, she will say the following. Otherwise, it will be said by the most senior Duchess in the party.)
Queen/Duchess: Rise, Sister Duchess. We welcome you to our most noble order.
(Duchesses greet their newest comrade.)
Herald: For Duchess <name>, Hip, hip!
(The Duchess and her entourage, as well as the Count/Duke, if he is there, and his entourage, leave.)