PREPARATION: Before the ceremony, the Herald should discover the blazon of the arms of the new Duke, if there is no scroll. The new Duke should prepare his escort and stand 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 Duke, there will be a procession composed of those whom the incipient Duke wishes to participate. The members should include as many Dukes as possible, and may include Counts, Earls, and other worthy Knights. The Great Officers of State may be included to bear witness. One possible form for this procession is as follows:
Great Officers of State
SC
MB BB
CB D SB
Ducal Party/Household
SC: Sword Carrier, bearing the Duke's Sword
MB: Mantle Bearer (optional)
BB: Banner Bearer
CB: Coronet Bearer
SB: Scroll Bearer
D: New Duke
The Procession shall form at the back of Court and wait for the beginning
of the ceremony.)
Herald: Your Majesties, the Most Noble His Grace Duke <name of Sword Carrier> has business before Your Court.
King: By all means, We welcome His Grace into Our Court.
(The Great Officers precede the Sword Carrier. They enter robed as befits their Offices, bow to the Thrones, and kneel along the sides to bear witness.)
(The Sword Carrier and the rest of the procession enter and halt a respectful distance from the Thrones. The Sword Carrier should hold the sheathed sword in two hands, with the hilt upright and his right hand just below the quillions. When the procession halts, all in it make a reference toward the Thrones.)
Sword Carrier: May it please Your Majesties: Your loyal subject, the most noble Duke <name> has by his valor, skill, and strength of arms twice won the Crown [of this Kingdom], and further he has reigned twice [over this Kingdom]. Thus, by his own ability he has earned the title of a Duke of this realm, and he makes bold to approach You that he may receive the Ducal Accolade, and be invested with the dignities of his noble station. In token of Duke <name>'s loyalty to the Crown and Thrones of the West, he here yields this, his sword, into Your Majesties' keeping.
(The Sword Carrier steps forward, bows, and gives the sword to the King, who places it across the arms of the Throne. He then bows and moves to the right of the Herald, where he 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 Duke enter the center of the Court. Any other attendants kneel in place. The Duke 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 Duke, immediately before the King.)
FEALTY - if the new Duke is not already a Peer of the Realm, he should be offered a chance to swear fealty at this time.
King: Do you wish to swear fealty at this time?
(If the new Duke 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 Lord Duke be vested with the Ducal Mantle,
in token of his new estate
and as becomes his noble station.
(The Mantle Bearer approaches, bows, and places the mantle on the Duke's shoulders. He then moves to the right of the Sword Carrier and kneels.)
CONTINUE
King: Let the Scroll of Arms be read.
(The Scroll Bearer approaches, bows, and hands the scroll to the herald. He 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 <Duke-name> has twice reigned as King [in Our realm], do hereby acknowledge him Duke, and do confirm to him the rank, style, title, and privileges of that estate. And We do affirm his 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 Lord Duke,
it pleases me greatly
that you should receive
the Ducal Accolade from My hand.
Duke: My Liege, from Your hand I am most heartily pleased to receive it.
King: (The King unsheathes the sword and touches the flat of the blade first to the left shoulder, then to the right shoulder, then to the top of the head of the Duke. As the blade touches the top of the head, the Coronet Bearer should raise up the Ducal Coronet in both hands.)
(The King sheathes the sword and hands it to the Queen. He takes the coronet from the Coronet Bearer, who rises and kneels to the right of the Mantle Bearer.)
(Then the King shall place the coronet over the head of the new Duke, saying:)
King: <name>, now do We, <King-name>,
King of the West,
acknowledge your right to the style
and title of Duke,
and We place upon your head
this coronet
bearing the Strawberry leaves
which are a symbol of your new estate.
(The King places the coronet on the Duke's head and takes the sword from the Queen, holding it with the hilt upright.)
King: Your Grace,
We return this sword into your keeping,
charging you to use it henceforth
as you have heretofore,
in a noble, knightly and honourable manner.
(The King hands the sword to the Duke, who holds it hilt upright.)
Duke: My Liege, upon my honour I pledge to do so.
(The Duke draws his sword, salutes the King with it, and sheathes the sword.)
(If the King is a Duke, he will say the following. Otherwise, it will be said by the most senior Duke in the party.)
King/Duke: Rise, Brother Duke. We welcome you to our most noble order.
(Dukes greet their newest comrade.)
Herald: For Duke <name>, Hip, hip!
(The new Duke shall thank the King, and the Dukes in his honor guard shall congratulate him. Then the new Duke and his honor guard shall stand to the side, if the person who reigned with him is being made a Duchess. Otherwise, they leave.)