designatum Ordinis Signum, eorum, que nunc religione spopondistis inviolabilem memoriam conservate. Nos autem oratiam et benevolentiam Nostram vobis confirmamus."
(We doubt not, for a single moment, that you will steadfastly adhere, as becomes brave and honourable knights, to the vow of respect and loyalty made by your oath. In receiving, therefore, from our hands the insignia of the Order destined for you, keep the contents of your solemn oath inviolably in your memory, while, on our part, we assure you of our favour and benevolence).
The Grand Master has power to dispense with the oath in some particular cases.
The nomination of a new member usually takes place on St. Stephen's Day. At the moment of investiture, the Grand Master addresses the candidate in the following words:
"Accipe Signum Ordinis Equitum S. Stephani, publicum singularium" (the last word is only used at the nomination of a Grand Cross Knight), "meritorum tuorum testimonium ac premium, illudque semper adpensum gerito, ut nempe quid Deo, Nobis Domuique Nostrz, atque Ordinis hujus dignitati debeas, honoris, quem a Nobis, accepisti, magnitudine monitus, nunquam ignorare possis." (At the nomination of the other Knights—of Commanders and simple Knights—the form is: "Honoris, quod a Nobis hodie accepisti, insigni monitus," &c.) (Receive the insignia of the Order of St. Stephen as a public testimony of your [peculiar] merits, and wear them always about you, to remind you constantly of the distinguished honour bestowed upon you to-day by us, that you may never forget what you owe to God, to ourselves, to our house, and to the dignity of the Order).
The Diploma is given to the Knights of the Grand Cross in the form of a book, and to the other Knights in the form of a patent.
