It should be ascertained beforehand the titles the new Duke and Duchess wish to use: Duc, Herzog, etc.; and these should be substituted for "Duke" and "Duchess" in the Ceremony, where appropriate.
CRESCENT HERALD
May it please Your Majesty, Your loyal subject,
His Most Noble Grace, Duke (New Duke),
having by his valor, skill and strength at arms
twice won the Crown of this Kingdom,
and thus, of his own ability, having earned the title and estate
of a Duke of this Realm, makes bold to approach you,
that he may receive the Royal Accolade
and be invested with the dignities of his high office.
And in token of his continued loyalty
to the Crown and Throne of this Kingdom,
His Grace Duke (New Duke)
here yields his sword into Your Majesty's keeping.
The new Duke's entourage enters. It shall be led by the Duke's sword bearer, with the Duke's personal sword; and shall include a banner bearer, a coronet bearer, and a mantle bearer. The last two should, if possible, be Dukes themselves; if none are available, their places shall be taken by worthy Counts. If only one Duke is available, he shall bear the coronet. (The procession may include such other persons as please the new Duke.)
The entourage approaches the Thrones; the sword bearer presents the sword to the King with a bow, then retires to the side. The King and Queen stand, and the King lays the sword across the arms of the Throne.
KING
People of Caid,
that you may know the worth of this, Our Duke,
His Grace Duke (New Duke),
let the Herald read forth the Proclamation of Investiture.
If a scroll has been prepared, the Herald reads it to the populace. If not, he continues:
CRESCENT HERALD
Be it known to all men that (New Duke),
having been knighted on the (n)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
and having twice won the Crown of this Realm,
being first crowned on the (n)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
and again on the (n)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
We hereby proclaim that by his valor, skill and strength at arms
he has earned and deserves the honorable and noble title and estate
of a Duke of this Realm,
with all the honors and dignities pertaining to this rank.
In acknowledgement whereof, We hereto set Our Hand and Seal,
this (n)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
being the (n-thousand, n-hundred and n)th of the Common Era.
(King), Rex, (Queen), Regina, King and Queen of Caid.
The Duke here approaches the Thrones, and kneels before them.
KING
In token of his new estate,
let His Grace be vested as becomes his station.
The mantle bearer comes forward and places the mantle around the new Duke's shoulders, then retires to the side. The King unsheathes the sword and gently strikes the new Duke thrice with the flat of the blade -- left shoulder, then right shoulder, then crown of the head -- saying:
KING
My Lord Duke, it pleases Me greatly
that you should receive the Ducal Accolade at my hand.
DUKE
My Liege, from Your hand
I am most heartily pleased to receive it.
The King sheathes the sword. The Duke remains kneeling.
KING
Let His Grace be crowned with the coronet
symbolizing his new estate.
If the coronet bearer is a Duke, he places the coronet on the new Duke's head; if not, he gives the coronet to the King, who places it on the new Duke's head.
KING
Henceforth, be known as Duke (New Duke)
in this Our Realm.
The new Duke stands. The King presents the sheathed sword to the new Duke, saying:
KING
I return this sword into your keeping,
My Lord Duke,
charging you to use it henceforth
as you have hitherto,
in a noble, knightly, and chivalrous manner.
DUKE
My Liege, upon my honor, I pledge to do so.
The new Duke girds himself with the sword. If the King is himself a Duke, he extends His right hand to the new Duke, saying:
KING
Welcome, Brother Duke, into our most noble order.
If the King is not a Duke, the coronet bearer or the ranking Duke present performs the office. If there are no Dukes present, the office is omitted. When congratulations have been concluded, the new Duke and his entourage move to the side to await the Duchess's procession.
CRESCENT HERALD
In this Realm, a fighter enters the field of honor to
gain the privilege
of crowning his chosen consort with rosemary and roses,
proclaiming her Queen of Love and Beauty.
It is therefore fitting that a Lady whose grace and beauty
have twice inspired her champion to win her the Crown of this Kingdom
should be created a Duchess in her own right.
May it please Your Majesties, Your most loyal
subject,
Her Most Noble Grace, Duchess (New Duchess),
having by her beauty, grace and virtues
twice inspired her champion to win her the Crown of this Kingdom,
and thus having earned the title and estate of a Duchess of this Realm,
makes bold to approach You, that she may receive the Royal Accolade,
and be invested with the emblems and dignities of her high office.
And in token of her loyalty to the Crown and Throne of this Kingdom,
Her Grace (New Duchess) here yields this golden rose,
as a symbol of her past estate as Queen
and membership in the Order of the Rose, into Your Majesties' keeping.
The new Duchess's entourage enters. It shall be led by the Duchess's rose bearer, with a yellow rose; and shall include a banner bearer, a coronet bearer, and a mantle bearer. The last two should, if possible, be Duchesses themselves; if none are available, their places shall be taken by worthy Countesses. If only one Duchess is available, she shall bear the coronet. (The procession may include such other persons as please the new Duchess. It is particularly fitting that Ladies of the Rose attend the new Duchess.)
The entourage approaches the Thrones; the rose bearer presents the rose to the Queen with a bow, then retires to the side. The King and Queen stand.
QUEEN
People of Caid, that you may know the worth of this, Our
Duchess,
Her Grace Duchess (New Duchess), let the Herald
read forth the Proclamation of Investiture.
If a scroll has been prepared, the Herald reads it to the populace. If not, he continues:
CRESCENT HERALD
Be it known to all men that (New Duchess),
having twice inspired her champion to win for her the Crown of this
Realm,
being first crowned on the (day)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
and again on the (day)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
We do hereby proclaim that by her beauty, grace and virtues
she has earned and deserves the honorable and noble title and estate
of a Duchess of this Realm,
with all the honors and dignities appertaining thereto.
In acknowledgement whereof, We hereto set Our Hand and Seal
this (day)th day of (month), A.S. (year),
being the (n-thousand, n-hundred and n)th year of the Common Era.
(King), Rex, (Queen), Regina, King and Queen of Caid.
The new Duchess approaches the Thrones, and kneels. The banner bearer and coronet bearer step slightly to the side.
KING
In token of her new estate,
let Her Grace be vested as becomes her station.
The mantle bearer comes forward and places the mantle around the new Duchess's shoulders, then retires to the side.
Then the King may either kiss the new Duchess on each cheek, or else dub her with His sceptre, in the manner of a knighting -- left shoulder, right shoulder, crown of the head.
KING
My Lady Duchess,
it pleases me that you should receive this accolade from me.
DUCHESS
My Liege, I am most heartily pleased to receive it.
QUEEN
Let Her Grace be crowned with the coronet symbolizing her new estate.
The coronet bearer hands the coronet to the Queen, who, with the King, places the coronet on the Duchess's head. (As an OPTION: the Duchess's Lord may coronet his Lady. If so, he takes the coronet and holds it over her head, saying:
DUKE
As it was my honor to twice win you the Crown of Caid,
so it is may joy today to create you a Duchess.
The Duke then places the coronet on his Lady's head. End of OPTION.)
The Queen gives the rose back to the new Duchess.
QUEEN
Receive this Rose, My Lady Duchess,
and bear it henceforth as you have hitherto, with grace and dignity.
DUCHESS
My Queen, upon mine honor I pledge to do so.
If the Queen is herself a Duchess, she embraces the new Duchess, saying:
QUEEN
Welcome, Fair Lady, into our most noble order.
If the Queen is not a Duchess, the coronet bearer or the ranking Duchess present performs the office. If there are no Duchesses present, the office is omitted.
When congratulations have been concluded, the new Duke and Duchess join hands before the Thrones.
CRESCENT HERALD
Duke (New Duke) and Duchess (New Duchess),
will you now swear fealty to the Crown and Kingdom of Caid?
DUKE & DUCHESS
We will.
The Seneschal brings forward the Great Sword, which the King unsheathes and holds horizontally. The Duke and Duchess kneel and place their hands on the Sword.
CRESCENT / DUKE & DUCHESS
Here do we swear, by mouth and hand,
fealty and service to the Crown and Kingdom of Caid.
As we have ruled this Realm in faith,
so shall we keep that faith henceforth,
that we may, by our example,
foster chivalry, courtesy, and honor throughout the land;
until the Crown depart Their throne,
or death take us,
or the world end.
So say we, (New Duke) / (New Duchess).
KING
And We, for Our part,
swear fealty to these Royal Peers of Caid,
and to all their households,
to protect and defend them against every creature
with all Our power,
until We depart from the throne,
or death take Us,
or the world end.
So say We, [Name], King of Caid.
QUEEN
And so say We, [Name], Queen of Caid.
The King returns the Great Sword into the Seneschal's keeping. Their Majesties raise up the new Duke and Duchess, while Crescent Herald exhorts cheers from the populace. Their Graces, along with their parties, bow and retire.
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