Part 1

Transcriber's Note:

When italics were used in the original book, the corresponding text has been surrounded by _underscores_. Text printed in blackletter has been surrounded by #pound signs#. Superscripts have been indicated by preceding the superscripted letters with ^. When more than one character in a row is superscripted, the letters have been surrounded with {}. Some corrections have been made to the text. These are listed in a second transcriber's note at the end of the book.

THE

HISTORY

Of the most NOBLE

_Order of the GARTER_:

And the several ORDERS of _Knighthood_ extant in _EUROPE_.

Containing

I. The Antiquity of the Town, Castle, Chapel, and College of _Windsor_; with their several _Officers_: The Foundation of the _ORDER_ by King _EDWARD_ III. The Statutes and Annals at large, as they have been altered and amended.

II. The HABITS, ENSIGNS, and OFFICERS of the _ORDER_. The Ceremonies of Election, Investiture, and Instalment of Knights: The manner of their Feasts; and the Duties and Fees payable on these Occasions. Some Account of the _Founders_, with an exact List of all that have been installed since the Institution, and their several Coats of Arms emblazon’d.

_Written at the Command of King_ Charles II. _By_ ELIAS ASHMOLE, _Esq;_ Windsor _Herald. Now compared with the Author’s Corrections in his Library at_ Oxford, _faithfully digested, and continued down to the present Time_.

The Whole illustrated with proper Sculptures.

_LONDON_: Printed for _A. Bell_ in _Cornhill_, _E. Curll_, _J. Pemberton_, and _A. Collins_ in _Fleet-street_; _W. Taylor_ and _J. Baker_ in _Pater-Noster-Row_, 1715.

Price 7 _s._ 6 _d._

TO HIS

ROYAL HIGHNESS

GEORGE-AUGUST,

_Prince of_ WALES, _&c._

_KNIGHT_ and _COMPANION_ of the _MOST NOBLE ORDER_ of the _GARTER_.

PARDON me, Mighty Prince, that in the Crowd of Your Joyful and Devoted _Britons_, one of an obscure Fame presumes to lay his _Humble Offering_ at Your Feet.

IT is the _History_ of the _MOST NOBLE ORDER of the GARTER_; which, from its first Institution, has been constantly worn by Persons of the highest Birth, and most illustrious Merit.

IF the _Stile_ and _Manner_, in which it is treated, were proportionable to the Dignity of the Subject, there would need no Apology for this Dedication. For to whom, next to the _Great Sovereign_ of the _Garter_, whose true _Heir_ You are, in all manner of _Virtue_ and _Honour_, could this Treatise have recourse for Protection, but to Your Royal Highness, who are the Premier _Knight of this Most Noble Order_, and the standing _Grace_ and _Ornament_ of it.

BUT far above all particular _Views_, are the unspeakable Blessings derived to these Kingdoms, by the SUCCESSION of Your Illustrious Royal _House_: Every _Briton_ seems new Born, and to have borrow’d fresh influence from its Glorious Presence.

THE Godlike Virtues of Your Royal Father, are not to be excelled; and should we venture to express an Equality, it can only be the Appearance of Your Royal Highness’s imitating so Great a Pattern.

AS He is Wise and Good beyond Praise, so has He a Title to the Hearts of His People beyond Question; which stands Confirmed by the highest Instances of Divine Providence, as well as the incontestible Authorities of Temporal Laws: On these Foundations, what glorious Prospects may we not Build of future Happiness?

IT were easy to dwell on this Subject, were it not wasting Moments of much more concern to Your Royal Highness, than what I am able to Express.

MAY Your Royal Highness long Live to Adorn this _MOST NOBLE ORDER_, and to support the Crown, by a bountiful and flourishing issue, that there may never want one of Your Royal Line to sit on the Throne of _Great-Britain_,

_Is the Ardent Prayer of, ILLUSTRIOUS SIR!_

_Your Royal Highness’s Most Faithful, Most Obedient, and Humbly Devoted Servant._

THE

PREFACE

_Those who are acquainted with Mr._ Ashmole’_s_ History of the most Noble Order of the Garter, _will easily satisfy themselves; that no Pains or Industry was wanting to Perfect and Complete so Voluminous a Work: He had the Encouragement of a very gracious Prince, and the use of publick Records, more particularly the several Books of the_ Order, _with the Assistance of several MSS wrote by the Officers of Arms, who bore Part in the Ceremonies, or went on Embassies to Stranger Kings, Princes_, &c. _and by their constant Observations, were familiarly versed in all its Laws and Customs_.

_These were very great helps to him, and it must be confessed his own elaborate Study had not less owing to it. There is nothing that has relation to this most_ Noble Order, _which he has not touched on; and indeed it is a Work so very copious, that he does himself acknowledge he has inserted some things of little importance; which he desires may be considered to be done, to gratify some few who have a more immediate concern therein_.

_The Reader will in this Treatise find little else omitted: A very painful and exact Abridgment has been made, many Corrections of the Author’s, which he saw before his Death, and left among his other Books in his Library at_ Oxford, _are here carefully altered; some Additions are made, a List continued, of the several_ Knights-Companions, _as well as Officers of the_ Order, _for above forty Years; and the Coats of Arms of abundance of the_ Knights-Companions _visibly corrected from good Authorities; and every distinct Chapter treated of at large; so that this Work has not been compleated but at great Labour as well as Expence, which could not have been supported, but for the Encouragement some of the_ Knights-Companions _of the_ most Noble Order _were pleased to give it; as well in their Subscriptions, as in the good Opinion they seemed to Express of the Design_.

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

Most Noble ORDER

OF THE

GARTER.

IT was, undoubtedly, a good Sentiment in the first Collector of this Learned Work, to introduce, as well as a Discourse of _Knighthood_ in general, a Treatise of all the several _Orders_ that have prevail’d in other Parts of the World; for these in their Rise and Institutions, having a relative Sense to the particular Subject he was to illustrate, seemed to afford him a very good Opportunity of doing it, by building on so convenient a Foundation.

I shall therefore, (tho’ much more confin’d to brevity) follow the same Method, making it serve as a proper Introduction; there being many Things in the voluminous Original, which I conceive may with less Inconveniency be dispenc’d with.

IT was a constant Maxim in all well-regulated Governments, to give a just Encouragement to Merit, and this by proportioning Rewards to the Service done; for Merit must be suppos’d to consist in the Performance of some Virtuous or Heroick Action, directed for the publick Good: And as Vertue is either Military or Civil, so the Distribution of Rewards is different; either by bestowing Degrees and Titles of Honour, or by Donations of Wealth; so that in either Construction, Vertue may have its proper and suitable Reward.

BUT the proper Reward of Military _Vertue_, is Honour: (to which distinct Head this Work is confin’d.) Honour, which _Aristotle_ calls the _Greatest of exteriour Goods_: And being an Object of a nobler Ambition than the Accumulation of Wealth, is principally the Aim of that _Vertue_ we understand by _Valour_; which springs from more generous Spirits, and hath been the constant Foundation of raising Men to the highest Eminence of Glory, and superiour Dignity.

BUT that Fame might not lose itself in an unbounded Notion, it was at length thought fit to reduce Honour into Form and Order, by investing the Person meriting with some particular Title or Appellation of Excellence, (the Original of all Nobility;) of which Knighthood, as it hath been accounted the most suitable Reward to the greatest Vertue, so it hath been esteemed the chief and primary Honour among many Nations.

THE _Romans_ held Honour and Vertue in that Esteem, that they deify’d, and dedicated Temples to them: They made them so contiguous in their Situation, that there was no other Passage to that of Honour, but thro’ the Temple of Vertue, mystically admonishing, that Honour was not to be attained by any other Way.

IN several of the _Roman_ Coins we see Honour and Vertue represented together in one Reverse, and in one Medal; the Face of Honour so shadows that of Vertue, that but a little of it appears, _Honour being the more illustrious of the two; and where we behold any Person outwardly adorned with it, we are to judge him inwardly endued with Vertue, inasmuch as Honour is his due, and justly bestowed upon him_.

§. 2. IN tracing the Original of Knighthood, we are not so vain to say, with the _French_, that S. _Michael_ was the _premier Chevalier_; yet thus much we may assert, that ’tis near as ancient as Valour and Heroic Vertue, notwithstanding the Ceremonies and Circumstances of it have varied according to several Ages and Nations: And therefore, with much Probability, we may derive the Original of Military Honour from the _Trojans_ and _Greeks_; among whom, as Knights of great Renown, were _Hector_, _Troilus_, _Æneas_, _Antenor_, _Agamemnon_, _Menelaus_, _Peleus_, _Tydeus_, &c. And thus _Homer_ uses the Word ἱππότης, in the same Sense as _Eques_ was afterwards among the _Latins_.

Τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,

’Mong whom thus _Nestor_ spake, that honour’d Knight.

§. 3. UPON a more substantial Basis we shall descend to the _Romans_; among whom, in the very Infancy of their Military Glory, a Society of Knights was instituted, immediately after their Union with the _Sabines_. _Romulus_ inrolled _Centuriæ tres Equitum_, three Centuries of Knights, out of the chiefest Families, whom he appointed to be his Life-guard, and called them _Celeres_, from their Activity and Dispatch in Martial Affairs.

_Tarquinius Priscus_ made an Addition to these Centuries; the like did _Servius Tullius_, who ordained, that those who should succeed in that Body, should be elected _ex censu_, _viz._ from a considerable and certain Valuation of their Estates, who had the greatest Cense, and were of the most Noble Families, says _Dyonys. Halicarn._ And soon after, the Equestrian Class began to be formed and constituted one of the three Orders of the Commonwealth, which were thus rank’d, according to _Livy_: _Senatus, Ordo Equestris & Plebs_; which in the _Roman_ Literal Notes is set down after this Manner: CON. SEN. E. ORD. P. Q. R. And forasmuch as this Degree is placed between the _Patricians_, or Senators, and the _Plebeians_, it answers exactly the State of our Knights between the Nobility and Commonalty: And from this Order, to the Height of Nobility which resided in the Senators, was the Way prepared; _Junius Brutus_ being the first who was raised to a Senator from the Equestrian Order.

IT was a Constitution, as old as _Tiberius_’s Reign, that none should be admitted, unless Free-born, or a Gentleman for three Generations; and, indeed, for a long Time none were elected Knights but the best Sort of Gentlemen, and Persons of Extraction, as was the illustrious _Mœcenas_.

_Atavis regibus ortus eques_, Mart.

who aspired no higher, not out of any Incapacity of attaining greater Honours, but that he desired them not, says _Paterculus_: Yet at length, thro’ Corruption of Times, Plebeians and Freedmen being too frequently received into this Degree (too near a Parallel among the Knights of this Age) occasion’d their Power to grow less and less, ’till it shrunk to nothing; so that the Places and Offices of Judges which they before had executed, became conferrable upon the _Publicans_. And when _Cicero_ was Consul, _anno ab urbe conditi_ 690, the Equestrian Order stood in need of Re-establishment, whereupon they were then incorporated into that Commonwealth in the third Degree, all Acts passing _in the Name of the Senate, the People of_ Rome, _and the Equestrian Order_.

They often enjoy’d Abroad the Government of several Provinces, whereof _Egypt_ had this peculiar to itself, that none of the Senators were admitted, but only those of the Equestrian Order, whose Decrees _Augustus_ commanded to be had in like Regard, as if the Magistrates of _Rome_, or Kings, Consuls, or Prætors, had pronounced them.

As a Mark of Eminence, they had the Titles of _Splendidi_ and _Illustres_ bestowed upon them, and sometimes have been called _most sacred_ Knights.

AND besides other Privileges, they had Seats with the Senators in the _Circus Maximus_; and by the _Roscian_ Law, sat next them in the Theatres: They had likewise a College called _Collegium Equitum_; and Temples were dedicated to the Goddess _Fortune_, under the Title of _Equestri Fortunæ_.

HAVING shewn the Dignity and Honours of the Equestrian Order among the _Romans_, we shall now touch upon the Degrees of Knighthood which have been Personal, and may be comprehended under the Modern Title of _Equites Aurati_, or _Milites Simplices_, (as distinguish’d from the several Orders of Chivalry, instituted in Christendom.) In the Circumstance of whose Creation we confess, nothing in the _Roman Ordo Equestris_ hath place, tho’ that might be the Ground and Original of the Dignity, and one common End in both, namely, the Pursuit of Military Exploits, and Service in the Wars.

§. 4. OF the Degrees of Knighthood. We shall first of the _Monozons_, i. e. Knights begirt with the Military Girdle, a Custom devolved to the _Germans_ and _Gauls_ from ancient Times, and from them to After-Ages.

SIR _Henry Spelman_ notes, _That the late Emperors conferred the Dignity of Knighthood with the Military Girdle instead of all other Arms, because that Part more eminent amongst them girdeth, supporteth, and adorneth the rest_; whence _Selden_ calls this Girding the most essential part of the Ceremony. Nor do we find among the various Ceremonies of _Knighthood_ any that have continued so constant in Practice as the endowing with Girdle and Sword, Ornaments proper to the Dignity and Marks of _Honour_ and _Vertue_, with which the Statues and Portraitures of _Knights_, on their Grave-stones have been adorned.

FOR as at this Day _Knights_ are styled _Equites Aurati_, from the Golden Spurs, heretofore put on at their Creation, so were they more anciently _Singulo Miletari donati_, in respect, when any one was _Knighted_, he was not only smitten with the Sword, but invested with Sword and Belt, yet retain’d at the creating our Knights of the _Bath_, as the old Formulary thus hath it; #Then shall the King of great Favour take the Sword, and gird the Esquire therewith.#

Secondly, The _Baccalaurei_ or Knights Batchelors, are to be consider’d, who are indifferently styled _Chevaliers_, _Milites_, _Equites Aurati_, and _Knights_. This Degree is truly accounted the first of all Military Dignity, and the Foundation of all Honours in our Nation, and is derived from, if not the same with that immediately preceding. For as the Ceremony of a gentle Touch on the Shoulder with the flat Side of the Sword hath been since used, instead of girting with the Sword and Belt, (especially in Times of War, or in Haste) as an Initiation into the Military Order; so on the contrary, it is not unusual now-adays, for the Prince, at least _Gladio_, if not _Cingulo donare_; for he oftentimes bestows the Sword upon the Person he _Knighteth_.

_Miræus_ gives them the Epithet _Aurati_, from the Privilege of wearing Gold upon their Swords and Spurs, omitting _Tiraquel_’s fanciful Distinction between _Miles_ and _Eques Auratus_, who allows the former to signify a Knight Noble before, and the other to denote one whom we call a Knight and no Gentleman, or applicable to the _Neapolitan_ Gentlemen, (usually called _Cavalieri_) who are all styled _Equites_, tho’ they never have attained the Knightly Dignity.

THE third Sort were _Knights Banerets_, who so well deserv’d in the Wars, that they were afterwards permitted to use _Vexillum quadratum_, a square Banner, whence they were called _Equites vexillarii_, or _Chevaliers a Buniere_ from the Dutch _Banerheere_, Lord or Master of the Banner.

_Camden_ conceives this Title first devis’d by K. _Edward_ 3. in Recompence of Martial Prowess; a Recital of which Dignity is mention’d in a Patent 20 _E._ 3. to _John Coupland_, for his Service, in taking _David_ King of _Scots_ Prisoner. But it was much more ancient with us, as well as in _France_; and they had particular Robes, and other Ornaments given them from the Crown, _ad apparatum suum pro militia, tanquam pro Baneretto, a Rege suscipienda_, &c. _viz._ _ad unum Tunicam_, &c. after which is set down the particular Robes, and other Ornaments appointed for his Creation.

TO shew this Dignity yet more ancient, there is the Evidence of a Writ in K. _Edw._ 3d’s Time, for furnishing _Thomas Bardolf_ with the Robes of a _Baneret_. It is an Honour esteemed the last among the Greatest, _viz._ _Nobilitum Majorum_, or the First of the Second Rank; and is placed in the Middle between the _Barons_ and the other _Knights_; in which respect the _Baneret_ may be called _Vexillarius minor_, as if he were the lesser _Banner-Bearer_; to the End he might be so differenced from the Greater, namely the _Baron_, to whom the Right of bearing a square Banner doth belong.

BUT there are some remarkable differences between these Knights and Knights-Batchelors; as in the Occasions and Circumstances of their Creations, the _Baneret_ being not Created, unless at a Time when the King’s Standard is erected, and that he bears his own Banner in the Field; whilst the _Knight-Batchelor_ follows that which is anothers.

THIS farther difference is observed between them, that the _Knight-Baneret_ had so many Gentlemen his Servants at Command, as that he could raise a Banner, and make up a Company of Soldiers to be maintained at his Table, and with his own Pay: But the _Knight-Batchelor_ had not sufficient for this, and therefore marched under the Banner of another; and the Wages of the _Baneret_ were double.

NEXT to these, we are to mention Knights of the _Bath_, which is a Degree that hath the Investiture and Title of Knight, with an additional Denomination, derived from Part of the Ceremony of his Creation. It is the general receiv’d Opinion, that our K. _Hen._ 4. first instituted these Knights, which is justify’d by Sir _John Froisard_, who says he created 46 of them at his Coronation, chusing them from such, as were either his Favorites, or had pretensions to it from their personal Merits, or Services.

BUT if the Ceremonies and Circumstances of their Creation be well consider’d, it may be inferr’d, that he rather restor’d the ancient way of making Knights, than Instituted them; and consequently that the Knights of the _Bath_, are really no other than _Knights-Batchelors_; that is, such as are created with those Ceremonies, wherewith _Knights-Batchelors_ were formerly created by Ecclesiasticks: But some of them having been laid aside, were then brought again into Use, and made peculiar to this Degree, and since continued to them upon some solemn and great Occasion.

AT the first View they look like a distinct Order of Knighthood; but cannot be so accounted, because they have no Statutes assigned them, nor are in Case of Vacancy, supply’d, (the Essentials of distinct Orders) nor do they wear their Robes beyond the Time of that Occasion upon which they were created; as chiefly, the Coronation of a King or Queen, the Creation of a Prince of _Wales_, Duke of _York_, and the like; whereas also their Number is uncertain, and always at the Pleasure of the King.

_Favine_ calls them Knights of the Crown, because, to distinguish them from Esquires, they wore upon their Left Shoulder an Escutcheon of Black Silk embroider’d with three Crowns of Gold; but therein he mistakes, for they never used only a Silk Lace, and the Jewel they wore was made of Gold, containing three Crowns, with this Motto _Tria juncta in una_, hanging down under the left Arm at a Carnation Ribbon worn cross the Body.

THIS leads us to the Degree of Baronets, who seem allied to Knighthood, by having granted them the Addition of _Sir_ to be set before their Names: But this gives them not the Dignity of Knighthood; nor can they properly be styled Knights, until they be actually Knighted.

IT is a Degree erected _Anno_ 9. _Jac._ 1. and the Grant made by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of _England_. It is Hereditary to them, and the Heirs Male of their Bodies lawfully begotten, for ever; and by a subsequent Decree of the said King, Precedence is granted to them before all Banerets, except such as should be made by the King under his Standard, display’d in an Army Royal in open War, and the King personally present, and next to and immediately after the younger Sons of Viscount and Barons.

THE Ground for erecting this Degree was partly Martial; for tho’ themselves were not enjoined personal Service in the Wars, yet each Baronet was to maintain thirty Foot Soldiers for three Years in _Ireland_, after the rate of Eight Pence _per_ Day, for the Defence of that Kingdom, and chiefly to secure the Plantation of _Ulster_.

THEY were at least to be descended from a Grand-father, on the Father’s Side, that bore Arms, and had a Revenue of 1000 _l. per Ann._ or Lands of old Rents of equal Value with 1000 _l. per Ann._ of improv’d Lands, or at least two Parts of three of such Estate in Possession; the other third in Reversion Expectant upon one Life held only in Jointure.

THE Year after, King _James_ I. added some new Privileges and Ornaments, _viz._ to Knight those already made that were no Knights; and the Heirs hereafter of every Baronet should, at the Age of One and Twenty Years, receive Knighthood; likewise that all Baronets might bear in Canton, or in an Inescutcheon, the Arms of _Ulster_; and farther, to have place in the Armies of the King in the Gross, near about the Royal Standard.

SINCE the Institution of Baronets in _England_, there have been made divers in _Ireland_ after the like Form: And the Knights of _Nova Scotia_ in the _West-Indies_ were ordained in Imitation of Baronets in _England_ by the said King _James_, _A. D._ 1622. for the Planting that Country by _Scotch_ Colonies, and the Degree made likewise Hereditary.

THESE latter wear an Orange Tawny Ribbon as their Badge, to distinguish them from other Knights; and it appears, there was an Intention, 1627. to move his then Majesty, that all Baronets and Knights Bachelors might wear Ribbons of several Colours, some Badge or Jewel, in such Sort as did the Knights of the _Bath_, to distinguish the one from the other: But that Matter dropt.

§. 5. WE shall now observe the Etymology of _Eques_, _Miles_, _Chevalier_, _Ritter_, and _Sir_. The _Grecians_ had a Title of Honour equivalent to the Signification of _Eques_ in the _Latin_, from _Equus_, an Horse, because one Part of the Ceremony, whereby this Honour became conferred, was the giving of an Horse; or because having an Horse at the Publick Charge, they received the Stipend of an Horseman to serve in the Wars, Horses being Symbols of War, _Bello armantur equi_. It is to be noted, That the Degree of Knighthood in the Dialects of other Nations hath the same Derivation: For in the _French_, a Knight is called _Chevalier_; in the _German_, _Ridder_, or _Ritter_, _q. d._ _Rider_; so the _Gheslagen Ridder_ is interpreted, _The dubbed Knight_; in the _Italian_, it is _Cavagliero_; in the old _British_, _Morchog_; concerning which, hear one of _Jeffery Chaucer_’s Scholars.