Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-24
ON THE QUEENS BOUNTY
The Ancient Order Of the Military Knights
of Windsor.
Brave Officers Who in Their Old Age
Are Reduced to the
Direst Poverty.

From the Culver.
While chroniclins the movements of the
queen reference is now and again made in
the daily press to the Military knights of
Windsor. Nevertheless, but few who read
about their doings know of what that order
consists. They are officers who have dis
tinguished themselves in some of our innu-
merable little wars, and yet in their old
age find themselves solely dependent on a
very diminutive pension. From the queen
they served so faithfully and well they re-
cefve an annuity and lodging in that vast
palace, Windsor Castle The order is, in
deed, a pendant to chat better known home
of the veterans of the rank and file, Che-
sea Hospital. Its history is peculiarly in
teresting. When that gallant warrior King
Edward Ill, founded the Order of the Gar
ter he ordained that each of the twenty
six companions should be allowed to pre-
sent an aims-knight'' to the provision
made for them by the king. According to
the original grant these veterans were to
be such as through adverse fortune were
brought to that extremity that they had
not of their own wherewith to sustain them
nor to live SO genteelly as became a mill
tary condition That they might live
senteelly they were given lump sum Of
forty shillings a year, and twelve pence
each day they attended the royal chapel
small pension, it seems to us, but It must
be remembered that money has vastly de-
~ III poWeE SlHCc luOS6
early days.
But evil fortune awaited the aims
knights. They had been placed under the
supervision of the canons of st. Georges
chapel, and these priests seem to have
bullied them numerically. Under Edward
~ the quarrel had grown to such a pitch
that the king interfered. Monks carried
long tales to the monarch Of the insubordi-
nation shown by the stout old warriors to
the rules that had been made for their
government. The alms-knights replied but
in cunning they were no match for their
adversaries; deeds not words might have
been their motto. In the end they were
shut off from the royal bounty, and as
an old chronicler of the times remarks,
"how they next subsisted doth not fully
appear" Bluff King Hail. however, took
pity on the poor old men that yet remained
in the land of the living and set apart
certain lands for their maintenance. Queen
Bess added to their lodgings but issued. a
series of strict regulations as to their be-
havior. which well became the maiden
queen, however distasteful they were to the
alms-knights themselves. Their old enemies,
the canons Of st. Georges Chapel, were in
formed that they were to consider them
selves responsible for their behavior, and
severe penalties awaited a 'haunter of
taverns'' or a keeper of late hours" When
the queen visited Windsor they were to be
ready to salute her; lastly, it was ordained
that no married man could be admitted to
the order, bachelors and widowers being
alone eligible
Until the reign Of William w their uni
form was more ornamental than comfort
able. Indeed. during hot weather it must
have been wellnigh intolerable, consisting
as it did Of flowing red mantle, decked
with ''scutcheon of st. George upon the
shoulder. Since the reform instituted by
that king, however, it has consisted of a
red swalow-tail coat, dark blue trousers,
cocked-hat with red and white plume, GRIM
son silk sash and leather belt for a sword
OF course If ia only fu11-6rpSS SfOnS
that the veterans thus gayly bedeck them
selves. Remarkably well they then look,
with their kind old faces beaming above
the rows Of medals that proclaim their past
achievements. They still mourn the dis
continuance of their famous banquet on
st. Georges day, but presents of game
from the royal preserves doubtless recon-
Gle them to the loss Of their annual feast.