The Philipsburg mail., 1899-04-21
ON TIE QUEENS BOUNTY.
Ihe Ancient Order of the Military
knights OF WindsOr.

The Ancient Order of the Military
Knights OF Windsor.
While chronicling the movements
OF the queen reference is now and
again made in the daily press to the
military knights Of Windsor. Never
theless but few who read about their
dolngs know of what that order con-
s1sts, says the Culver. They are Of
hcers who have distinguished them
selves in some of our innumerabe lit
Tie wars, and yet in their old age find
themselves solely dependent on very
dlmlnutlve pension. From the queen
they served SO faithfully and we'll they
receive an annuity and a lodging in
that vast palace, Windsor castle. The
| order IS, indeed, a pendant to that bet
ter-knoWn home of the veterans of
! tne rank and file, Chelsea hospital. It's
| history is peculiarly interesting. When
that gallant warrior King Edward I'LL
founded the Order of the Garter, he
ordained that each of the twenty-six
companions should be allowed to
present an "alms-knight'' to the pro-
vision made for them by the king. Ac-
cording 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 mil
ltary condition. That they might
live "genteelly" they were given a
lump sum of 40 shillings a year, and
II pence each day they attended the
royal chapel--a small pension, it
seems to us, but it must be remem-
bered that money has vastly decreased
IN purchasing power since those 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 unmerci-
fully. Under Edward w. the quarrel
had grown to such a pitch that the
king interfered.
Monks carried long tales to the mon
arch of the insubordination shown by
the stout old warriors to the rules
that had been made for their govern
ment. The almsknights 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
hlng Hal, however, took pity on the
poor old men that yet remained in the
land of the living and set apart GER
tain lands for their maintenance.
queen Bess added to their lodgings,
but issued a series of strict regula-
tlons as to their behavior which we'll
became the maiden queen, however
dlstasteful they were to the aims
knights themselves. Their old enc
mics, the canons of St. Georges chap
Ell, were informed that they were to
consider themselves responsible for
-helr behavior and severe penalties
awaited "haunter of taverns" or
Keeper of late hours" When the
queen visited Windsor they were to
oe ready to salute her. Lastly, it was
that no married man could
'e admitted to the order, bachelors
md Wldowers being alone eligible.
Until the reign of William Nv. their
inform was more ornamental than
omfortable. Indeed, during hot
weather. it must have been well nigh
ntolerable, consisting as it did of a
owing mantel, decked with "scutch-
on of st. George" upon the shoulder
lnce the reform instituted by that
ing, however, it has consisted of
ed swallow tail coat, dark blue trous-
rs, cooked hat with red and white
lume, crimson silk sash and a leather
cit for sword. OF course, it is only
n full dress occasions that the veter-
MS thus gayly bedeck themselves. Re-
well they then look, with
leir kind old faces beaming above
le rows of medals that proclaim their
asst achievements. They still mourn
le discontinuance of their famous
anquet on st. Georges day, but pres
'nts of game from the royal pre-
ryes doubtless reconcile them to the
SIS of their annual feast.