Part 14

{ 3. THAT the Knights should mark their { Obeisance in the Choir first to the Altar, { and next to the Sovereign, or in his Absence { to his Stall. { { 8. THAT the Deputy should elect, if { the Sovereign (when abroad) had not Six { Knights with him. { { 9. THAT the Feast of St. _George_ should { not be kept upon St. _Mark_’s Day, nor the { Days of St. _Philip_ and _Jacob_, nor of the { Holy Cross, neither upon any Days which { should happen in the Festivals of the { Ascension or Pentecost, or other solemn { Feasts ordained by the Church to the interrupting { their Divine Service. { { 12. That when a Knight should ride { out he might wear a Blue Silk Ribbon instead To Article { of his Garter. { { 14. That the Order and Manner of { Offering up the Atchievements should be { as is there prescribed, _viz._ before they { offer their Money, their Swords should be { first offered by Two Companions, which { the Sovereign or his Deputy should appoint, { and afterwards their Helmets with { their Crests, by Two others of the { Order. { { 20. That Knights absent in the Sovereign’s { Service might be install’d by Deputy. { { 31. That the Sovereign should take a { Signet of the Order abroad with him, to { be fixed to all the Acts he does in Foreign { Parts relating to this Order, in Distinction { to those done at home. { { 34. That no Charge should be admitted { upon the College by the Custos or Canons, { without the Sovereign’s Consent likewise.

THE Statutes with these Additions (as the Statutes of Institution) this King caused to be translated into _French_, and transcribed into a Roll, which was ordered to be presented to every Knight-Companion under the common Seal of the Order. In after Times it was transcribed into Books; and by a Decree, _Anno_ 3 _Hen._ VII. an Original Book of these Statutes and Institutions, fair written, was to be reposed in the College of St. _George_, and the Scribe or Register to have Transcripts of them in Readiness, to present the elected Knights withal.

THE last and largest Body was first began, and received the finishing Stroke by King _Hen._ VIII. chiefly in regard some of the former Statutes wanted Explication and others Contraction. And for the compleating of which Purpose, on St. _George_’s Day, _Anno_ 9 _Regni sui_ he summoned all the Knights-Companions to convene next Year at the Time of the Solemnity, about the Abrogation of what tended to darken the Honour of this Order (if any such were), and for the Advancement of what might promote the Grandeur and Lustre of it. But these Resolves came to no Perfection till _May_ 28. _Anno_ 11 _Regni sui_, when he entred upon this Reformation with all magnificent Ceremony imaginable, for being accompanied with Nineteen Knights-Companions of the Order proceeding in Cavalcade to the Chapter-House, and taking into Consideration their former Statutes of Knights-Companions, with all due Reverence implor’d the Sovereign to reform and explain them as he should think convenient, which he brought to a successful Period, by the Advice and Consent of the Society assembled: That done, all present entreated the Sovereign, kneeling, that where any of them had been peccant against the Order, he would please to remit, and issue out a general Pardon, which he granted and ratify’d in Chapter next Day. This was a Task of Three Years compleat before it rose to Perfection, _viz. April_ 23. _Anno_ 14 _Hen._ VIII. for then the Sovereign, out of right singular Love, well-temper’d Zeal, and entire Affection to this most noble Order, to the Estate of Chivalry, and the Continuance and Encrease thereof; as also at the humble Request and instant Importunity of the then Knights-Companions, and by their Advice, Counsel and Consent, did interpret and elucidate all the Obscurities, Doubts and Ambiguities of the former Statutes and Ordinances. Divers Affairs contain’d in Fifty of them being explain’d and amended; he made likewise necessary Additions, the Original whereof being sign’d and seal’d, were commanded to be carefully laid up in the Treasury of _Windsor_ College, to remain as a Standard to succeeding Times; yet they have not been seen there these many Years past.

THE Articles and Clauses added to the former Statutes, in this last Body, are these:

{ 1. That the Interpretation of the { Statutes, _&c._ belongeth to the Sovereign. { { 2. The Three Points of Reproach declar’d, { and what is meant by a Gentleman { of Blood. { { 4. Of the Prerogative of the Feast. { { 5. How the Feast is to be observed by { absent Knights. { { 6. Attendance on the Sovereign, if { he be not at the Feast. { { 7. That the Sovereign’s Deputy may { correct Things in Chapter. { { 12. The offering up of Atchievements, { and a Taper arm’d with an Escutcheon. { { 13. Canons to sit in the lower Stalls, { when any Knights are present. { { 14. That Six Knights make a Chapter. { To Article { 20. The Manner of Installation set { down. { { 21. Clause for a Foreign Knight’s { Deputy to be conducted from the Chapter-House { to the Stall; and for making { an Election void, if the Knight send not { his Proxy within Seven Months. { { 23. For advancing and translating of { Stalls. { { 25. Plates not to be larger than the { first Founders, except Strangers. { { 27. The Time Three Months prefix’d { for the Executor of a deceas’d Knight-Companion { to send back the Copy of the { Orders deliver’d to him at his Admission, { which might be also sent to one of the { principal Officers of the Order. { { 38. Concerning the Collar of the { Order.

THIS Body of Statutes was compil’d in _Latin_, and is recorded in the _Black Book_ of the Order. It was translated into _French_ and _English_ by Sir _Thomas Wriothesley_, Kt. then Garter King of Arms. The _English_ Version annex’d here to this Treatise, is what hath since been deliver’d (instead of the former Statutes) to all succeeding Knights-Companions, according to the Injunction; but of late Times appointed to be sent to Foreign Princes and other elect Knights abroad, sealed with the Great Seal of the Order, affix’d to a Label of Blue Silk and Gold.

§ 3. THERE have been several Endeavours since the Reign of King _Henry_ VIII. for reforming the Statutes. As first, King _Edward_ VI. who as Sovereign, by the Orders themselves, had an undoubted Prerogative set him to alter and reform many Things which seem’d inconsistent with the Religion he establish’d. To which Purpose, at a Chapter at _Greenwich_, held _April_ 23. in the Third Year of his Reign, the Lord _St. John_, the Earl of _Arundel_, and Sir _William Paget_, were to peruse and make them agreeable to the King’s other Proceedings, by the Assistance and Advice of the Protector, the Duke of _Somerset_, and other Companions. This was follow’d by a subsequent Order pass’d in the Chapter at _Greenwich_ the Year after, that the Statutes should be reform’d and corrected as they thought expedient: And for the better Accomplishment of their Design, at the next Feast, _April_ 24. 5 _Edw._ VI. another Order commenc’d, impowering the Duke of _Somerset_, the Marquess of _Northampton_, the Earls of _Warwick_, _Arundel_, _Bedford_ and _Wilts_, to peruse and amend the Statutes and other Books of the Order, which were brought to some tolerable Degree of Perfection; for thereupon a new Body was collected (in general very much altering the Laws of the Order) and publish’d _March_ 17. _Anno_ 7 _Edw._ VI. But this King within Four Months after expiring, Queen _Mary_, his Sister and Successor, the very first Thing she transacted was to abrogate and make them void; wherefore we need not mention them, as never in use and unrevived. For the Execution of which Purpose, she conven’d a Chapter at St. _James_’s, the 27th of _September_ following; and it was then decreed, that the said Laws and Ordinances, as inconvenient, impertinent, and tending to Novelty, should be disannulled, and no Account to be made of them for the future; and for the quicker Execution, Sir _William Petre_ (that Day admitted Chancellor) had Orders to see them speedily expung’d out of the Book of Statutes, and forthwith defac’d, lest any Memory of them should remain to Posterity; and only those of her Father, _Hen._ VIII. and his Royal Predecessors, should be retain’d.

IN this Affair King _Philip_, her Husband, appear’d no less zealous; for on the 5th of _August_, 1 and 2 _Philip_ and _Mary_, (which was the 3d Day after he had been invested with the Habit) himself being present at a Chapter at _Windsor_, it was ordain’d, That all Acts and Decrees in the Great Book, [_i. e._ the _Black Book_ aforesaid] which were repugnant and disagreeable, either with the ancient and receiv’d Statutes of the Order, or else with the Laws of the Realm, should clearly be abolish’d and erased, by the Marquis of _Winchester_, the Earls of _Arundel_, _Pembroke_, and the Lord _Paget_.

NO sooner was Queen _Elizabeth_ fix’d on the Throne, but soon after, _viz._ on St. _George_’s Day, in the second Year of her Reign, a View of the Statutes was committed, by Commission, to Four of the Knights-Companions, _viz_. the Marquis of _Northampton_, the Earls of _Arundel_ and _Pembroke_, and the Lord _Howard_ of _Effingham_, who were thereby impower’d to peruse and consider those Statutes with the utmost Care and regard, if any of them were repugnant to the Religion, Laws and Statutes of the Realm; and if any such were recorded, to represent them faithfully to the Sovereign, that she, in Conjunction with the Knights-Companions, might establish such Decrees concerning them as she should think fit; but that any thing was done in pursuance hereunto, doth not appear; for the Transcripts of her Father’s Body of the Statutes, throughout the Time of her Reign, were presented to the Knights-Companions at their Installations; and the Practice of her Time was pursuant to the Direction therein, except in some few Things now and then added or alter’d at future Chapters, when there arose fresh Matters for such Expedients.

KING _James_ I. her Successor, revolv’d something towards a new Regulation; and in order to put it in Execution, the 14th of _May_, in the 9th Year of his Reign, decreed, That Commissionary Letters should be granted to the Earls of _Nottingham_, _Worcester_, _Pembroke_ and _Northampton_, to empower them to examine the Registers and other Monuments which pertained to that Order; and where any Passage should be found obsolete or obscure, to make it conspicuous and clear; where Contrariety appear’d, fitly to reconcile it; yet with no Design of innovating any Thing, but an Intention of renewing all, as near as might be, to the first Standard and most ancient Institution of the Order; saving always Power to himself, as Sovereign of the Order, to add or diminish any Matter (according to the Occasion) as it should seem agreeable to his Prudence for the Honour of this Most Noble Order. What Progress they made in this Commission, the Memoirs of that Time are silent in; but some few Years after, this Affair was reviv’d, and another was issu’d forth, to the Earls of _Nottingham_, _Worcester_, _Southampton_, _Arundel_ and _Montgomery_, and the Viscount _Lisle_, all Knights-Companions, dated _April_ 26. in the 16th Year of his Reign; which Six, or any Four of them, were thereby constituted to take an exact Survey of all the ancient Statutes and Articles of the said Order; and authoriz’d to call before them all such Persons, whether Officers of the said Order, or others, as could give any Light or Information concerning that Affair; and after a serious Deliberation, to pen down what in them they conceiv’d meet to be explain’d, and what to be added, whereby to render the Order more illustrious, that the same being presented to the Sovereign and the Society, at a Chapter holden, might be resolv’d on in part, or in all, to be put in Execution, if it seem’d so good to that King.

THIS Affair mov’d very slowly; but towards the latter End of his Reign, the Earls of _Worcester_, _Montgomery_, _Arundel_, _Surry_ and _Leicester_, Five of the Six Commissioners above-nam’d, having held divers Conferences, and debated several Matters represented to them, and at a Chapter convened at _Whitehall_ the 19th of _May_, _Anno_ 20 _Jac._ I. did present to the Sovereign certain Articles, subscribed with their Hands, which, for the Honour of the Order, they thought requisite to be duly observ’d.

BY the first of which they made Provision for a further Progression and Advancement of the illustrious Institution, in proposing, that every Year a Commission from the Sovereign should be granted, or continu’d to such Knights of the Order as the Chapter should pitch on, to deliberate and weigh all Affairs that fell under the Order, and that the Year after, an Estimate, by the Knights in Chapter, should be exhibited, of their Resolutions and Proceedings by Virtue of the said Commission. This, with Eight other Articles, were confirm’d by the Sovereign and Twelve of the Knights-Companions, the 22d of _May_ following, in a Chapter held at _Whitehall_; and so prosperously their Endeavours succeeded, that on the Feast-day of St. _George_, at _Windsor_ in the ensuing Year, the Earl of _Worcester_, (being then the Sovereign-Deputy) with Ten Knights-Companions more, gave their assent to Eight other Articles (most of them concerning the Alms-Knights) which the Morning after had the Approbation of the Sovereign; and before the Celebration of Divine Service, by his Deputy and Companions assembled in the Chapter-House, the Observation thereof was duly decreed.

KING _Charles_ I. design’d and endeavour’d the most compleat and absolute Reformation of any of his Predecessors; and at the Solemnity of St. _George_, held at _Windsor_ the 6th of _October_, in the 6th Year of his Reign, He commission’d Nine Knights-Companions, _viz._ the Earls of _Mulgrave_, _Pembroke_, _Montgomery_, _Arundel_, _Surry_, _Salisbury_, _Carlisle_, _Dorset_, _Holland_, _Berkshire_ and _Suffolk_, with command to assemble Four Times in a Year, to take into their Consideration the Affairs of the Order; all which, but the Earls of _Mulgrave_ and _Dorset_, met at _Whitehall_ the 2d of _January_ following, where some few Matters fell under their Consultation. This Commission was seconded by one of a larger extent about Three Months after, and directed to the said Knights-Companions, or to any Eight, Seven, Six, Five or Four of them, empowering them to meet and devise, and exactly preponderate all the Statutes and Ordinances of the Order, as well such as were established at the Foundation, as those that had been since made, by Explanation or Addition, and to weigh advisedly whether any Thing had been enacted, that had caused Doubt or Ambiguity, or stood in need of any Change or Amendment; and if upon mature Deliberation by them thus conven’d, there should appear any Contrariety or Defect, for want of plain Expression, or other Omission, fit to be supplied, tending to the Honour of the Order, That then the Sovereign might, upon Return of their Proceedings, resolve upon some general Declaration in Chapter, to reform and reduce into one Body all the Statutes and Ordinances thereof, that the same being compil’d and settled in one perfect Model, might be so consign’d to Posterity, free from all future Questions and Doubts.

NEVERTHELESS not any thing was done upon this Commission, tho’ it stood in force even from the 6th to the 13th Year of this King’s Reign; but where the Neglect lay History does not fully inform us, tho’ it may be conjectur’d by what follows.

AT the Feast of St. _George_, celebrated by Prorogation at _White-hall_, for the Year 1636. upon the 17th, 18th, and 19th Days of _April_, 1637. divers Petitions for Reformation, and reducing of Matters to their pristine Constitution, were presented to the Sovereign by the Chancellor, and read; some of which, more especially, tending to set off and encrease the Honour of the Order, were received and decreed by the Sovereign, and the rest referr’d to the said Knights-Commissioners. The first of those Decrees which at that time had its Sanction, was to revive and renew the Powers given in the former Commission; and thereupon a new one, dated the 7th of _May_ following, was issued under the Great Seal of the Order, and directed to the Earls of _Mulgrave_, _Darby_, _Pembroke_, and _Montgomery_, _Arundel_, and _Surry_, _Kelly_, _Salisbury_, _Dorset_, _Holland_, _Barkshire_, _Suffolk_, _Lyndsey_, _Exeter_, Marquiss _Hamilton_, Duke of _Lenox_, the Earls of _Darby_, _Moreton_, and _Northumberland_, or to Three or more of them, to meet and consult of any Matters contain’d in the Statutes, or for Honour of the Order. These Knights-Commissioners were endow’d with all the plenary Powers given in the foresaid Commission, dated 6 _Car._ I. unto which was granted a further Addition, for the better effecting the Sovereign’s Care: That Three or more of them should meet at the Sovereign’s Court, and begin to put the said Commission in execution in _Whitson_ Week next ensuing, attended and assisted by the Chancellor of the Order, and all, or any other Officers, or such of them as they should fix on, or find serviceable. And being assembled, to have free Liberty to hear, propound, and debate of whatsoever shall fall under their Cognisance, or that they should conceive conducible to the Honour and perfect Establishment of so Illustrious and Noble a Body. And to prepare all Matters of such their Resolutions and Debates to be laid before the Sovereign at the next Feast of St. _George_, and so successively at every Chapter so appointed by him, to receive his full Determination, Approbation, and Royal Assent, with further Power to adjourn from time to time, after the first Opening and Reading of the said Commission; their Meetings to be in such Places, and on such Days as should seem most convenient to them.

NOW who wou’d suppose, that after so Noble an Intention of the Sovereign, and his earnest Solicitude to issue forth a second Commission, his hearty recommending and exciting their Deligence for a speedy Dispatch, and lastly, his expecting an Account of their Transactions the next Feast, these honourable Persons, Companions of the Order, should need a Spur to accomplish so laudable a Design; but it was so.

FOR altho’ the Commission was opened at _White-hall_ the 30th of May following, in the Presence of the Earls of _Pembroke_ and _Montgomery_, _Salisbury_, _Holland_, Marquiss of _Hamilton_, and Duke of _Lenox_, Commissioners; yet Sir _Thomas Row_ Chancellor, in his Letter to Dr. _Christopher Wren_, dated the 4th of _June_, 1637. sadly complained, That it was much as he could do to draw together Five of the Knights-Companions, to open and read the Commission, and this _quasi in transitu_, was in Confusion and Hurry, and all that was transacted was to appoint another Convention at Court in _Midsummer_ Week then next ensuing, and charge the Chancellor to prepare Matter (for Propositions and Observations upon the Statutes) fit for their Consultations against that Appointment, according to the Tenor of the Commission. And in another Place writes, That he found such Difficulty to procure Meetings, and as certain _non Chalance_ in every one, as if it were but a ceremonious Affair, and so few hearty in it, that he feared he and the Officers should wait to little Purpose: And so indeed it fell out; for albeit he attended in _Midsummer_ Week, according to their Direction, yet there was nothing dispatch’d, save only the adjourning of their Meeting to _London_.

SOME little Progress was afterwards made in this Affair at _White-hall_ the 8th of _February_ following, where Three of them were present, _viz._ the Earls of _Berkshire_, _Lindsey_, and _Northumberland_, who order’d the Chancellor, Register, and Garter, to prepare an Abbreviation of the Statutes, and reduce every thing of one Head into an Act, to keep up to Method, and avoid Confusion.

THE 1st of _February_ after, another Assembly of Seven of the Knights-Commissioners was held at _White-hall_, in whose Presence a few Points were debated; but little or nothing concluded.

§ 4. AS concerning the Annals of the Order, or the Books wherein the several Resolutions and Decrees occasionally made in Chapters, and wherein other historical and ceremonial Matters relating to it are recorded, it will not be amiss to give some Account of them in this Place.

THE first, in Order of time, is an old Paper Book written in _French_, call’d _Registrum Chartaceum_, hitherto fortunately preserv’d in the Paper Office at _White-hall_, which probably was begun by _John Coningham_; for we find him, 1414. (a little before the Annals commenced) made Canon of _Windsor_, and Register of the Order, and in regard the same Hand-Writing is carry’d on from the Beginning of the Book down to 16 _Hen._ VI. inclusive, where follows an _Hiatus_ till _Anno_ 23 _Hen._ VI. that the Annals began to be set down with another Hand; and that he shortly after died in 1445. Henceforward these Annals are entred with promiscuous Hands, which may be presumed the proper Hand-Writings of the Registers of this Noble Order, as they succeeded each other in the Office.

AFTER we find _Richard Sidnor_ mention’d in the Register _Anno_ 16 _Hen._ VIII. (who subscribed his Name at the foot of every Leaf) the Annals were pen’d in one Hand until _Anno_ 26 _Hen._ VIII. that _Robert Aldrydge_, D. D. and one of the Canons of _Windsor_ succeeded him; and then ’tis evident the Writing also was changed to an old set _Roman_ Hand, which ran on to the End of 29 _Hen._ VIII. in which Year he was advanced to the Bishoprick of _Carlisle_; and this Book breaks off in the 31st of his Reign.