Act Remitting Court Dress for the Unranked
The Act Remitting Court Dress for the Unranked (亡階免廟備令, mang-kri-mral-tru-breks-ringh; c. 170 Q'in XXIV) was an act of the Parliament of Themiclesia in 1944 permitting the Secretary of State for Home Affairs to suspend the wearing of court robes before a formal audience of the emperor.
The statute was needed because rules regarding imperial audiences were set down in law, which regulated not only the courtiers but also the monarchy itself. The composition of the attendees, the attire they might wear, the very words and phrases to be said, their movements and gestures, etc. were all part of this regulation, most fundamentally set forth in the Audience Code (廟律). It is one of Themiclesia's oldest codified laws, parts whereof dating to the 100s. One of the rules was that courtiers were to wear court robes in the correct colours—black for officials, crimson for nobles, and scarlet for members of the imperial household—and lengths. The longer the robe, generally the higher the status of the wearer.
The problematic occasion occurred when the Secretary of State for War requested that a group of the 100 most decorated non-commissioned officers in the Consolidated Army be permitted to receive the Medal of the Union, the highest available to the ratings, during a session of the audience, that is, in the sight of the emperor sitting upon the throne. The choice of such an occasion, which was done monthly in this period, was highly symbolic, since many important acts of state were (at least ceremonially) done at this occasion. Indeed, as the most important act of state in democratic government, the emperor gave assent to joint petitions of the assembled parliamentarians and acted as their co-legislator. To grant the Medal of the Union at this occasion would, in the Government's estimation, convey a sense of respect previously not formerly expressed beyond the circle of the emperor's courtiers.
However, palace officials noticed that non-commissioned officers were by definition rankless commoners. Commoners befriended by the emperor or commended by the government as notable were, without difficulty, given courtesy titles (various types of councillors) and therefore sufficient status to attend the audience, but it seemed absurd to the palace to title non-commissioned officers who would not be returning to the court. Additionally, the court robes would have to be made at short notice by the palace staff, which was loathe under stringent austerity measures to make robes for individuals who would probably wear them only once. A compromise was thus made to give the 100 NCOs a temporary appointment as "Assisting Receivers to the Account-Chancellor" (計相副受計事吏). Since the Account-Chancellor was a temporary appointment ahead of the Account ceremony (which was about to happen for 1944), it followed that attached appointments like that of Receiver would also lapse after the ceremony, which made it ideal for this occasion. The act remitting the court robes was passed at the same time.
The audience occurred on October 3, 1944. An attendee, 30-year-old Sap Tyu, recollects:
Very early in the morning, we were assembled at the rear garden of a townhouse in a rather sorry state, which served as the displaced (i.e. wartime) residence of the Vice Chancellor the Baron of Kren. To bring us to the Town Hall, where these things [i.e. ceremonies] were done at that time, we were put into a school bus! The audience chamber was filled with persons of rank such as most people have never seen before. There were barons, judges, councillors, and other ladies and gentlemen of high place, by the dozens and hundreds, and even a few opera singers who dropped in at the last minute. The dignity of the occasion was such that men of power, like the lieutenant-general Lord Tryin, were as mice, devoid of assumption.
At the ringing of the bells, the disordely throng of people suddenly began to assume distinct rows amongst themselves, turning to flank the chamber. The barons and baronesses stood at left of the throne—now visible—and the other stood at the right. The Vice Chancellor, Baron of Kren, stood facing the throne. The assembly was put in order by the Chancellor's Most Serene Highness—the Baron of Krih, I believe. He stood at Kren's left. We were reminded to stand near the rear wall. A few men bowed their knees to Krih before going to the rear doors and notified the attendants there standing.
The words "disarm, disarm" were heard and repeated in a drawn-out intonation, at last melting into "the supreme lady". Upon hearing that, a few individuals walked out of the audience chamber and shut the door behind us. The first to enter through the imperial corridor was the Attorney-general, and I could not remember his name, and following him was the President of the Privy Council. The bells rang a third time, then came the Barons-in-Waiting, who held the hands of our Sovereign. To their sight all heads were bowed, and a number of knees as well. The Sovereign stood facing the Chancellor, and between them were brought in a table of vessels. Words were muttered by the two personages, vessels being shifted, and the contents of their vessles were discharged into a basin.
It seems then—for we were not placed to see well—the congratulation for ten-thousand years was spoken by the Chancellor after the Emperor had blessed the vessels. The Chancellor said, "Let His Majesty now take the place of lordship and receive the congratulation of the princes and lords of the land." The Emperor bowed to the Chancellor before taking the Throne, who remained on bent knees until Sovereign sat.
"The Lord Emperor now shall take account of the realm," said a voice we could not see. The Sovereign once again descended the Throne and stood facing the Chancellor.
The Chancellor, surprisingly, produced a small box, and closed it with the green ribbon erstwhile on his waist. He said, "Your Majesty's Account-Chancellor, having verified the accounts of cities, peoples, and goods and delivered them to me, and I having verified the same, will now account said cities, peoples, and goods to Your Majesty." He did so, once again, on bent knees.
The Sovereign said, "My cities, peoples, goods, and my lineage are under my lord's lieutenancy," by which he meant the Lord the Chancellor and executed again a deep bow to the Chancellor, who remained on bent knees. The ribbon the Sovereign then unfastened from the box and tied upon the Chancellor's waist.