Part 51

V. _Item_, If it chaunsed that any of the Knyghtes of the said Order, by Leave or Licens, or otherwise, were in his House, or in any other Place, at his Libertie and Fraunchise, the said Even and Day of Saynt _George_, he shall be bound to cause to be prepared a Capitall Stall in the Church or Chappel in the which he shall heare Devine Service. In the Capitall Stall shall be sett and elevated the Order of Saynt _George_, named the Gartier, beyng within the Gartier; and his propre Arms, within the Gartier also shall be set at a Stall that shall be asmoche in distance, after the proportion and quantity of the said Church or Chappel, from the Stall of the said Soverayn, as is his Stall in the Castle of _Wyndesore_, and shall were his said Habit hole, and shall heare the Devyne Service, suche as by the Holy Church is ordened and limited for the said Day, as well the first Even Song Mattens [6] Masse, as the latter Even Songe. In doyng by him, first Reverence to the Aulter, in the Honor of God, and after to the Stall where is fixed or set up the Armes of the said Order, as well and as often at his comyng in, as at his goyng owte of the said Church or Chappel; and also as often as he shall passe before the said Armes allwey, excepte the Emperours, Kynges, Princes, and Electors. The which may in this case so ordeyne their Seats and Stalles, as that shall seme them beast, and at their Pleasure.

Footnote 6:

_Divine Service._

VI. _Item_, If that were so, that without any Prorogation the said Feast and Solempnyte of Saynt _George_ were kept and celebrated the said Day and Even of Saynt _George_, in the said Castell of _Wyndesore_; and if it were not the Pleasure of the said Soverayne for to be present, or that conveniently he may not be there in Parson the said Day and Feast, at his said Castell of _Wyndesore_; That in this Case, in what Place that his Pleasure shall be, beyng within this his Realme of _England_, his Majestie may appoynte and Commande suche Knyghtes of the seid Order as best shall seme hym, there for to kepe Company and geve Attendance upon the Parson, and to kepe all and lyke Ceremonyes as though they were at the said Castell of _Wyndesore_; and they doyng the thynges abovesaid, shall be excused for their absence of the Feast of Saynt _George_, holden at the said Castell of _Wyndesore_ for that Yere.

VII. _Item_, It is agreed that if the Soverayne cannot be at Saynt _George_’s Feast, that he shall make his Deputy, by his Letters, for to kepe the Chapter upon Saynt _George_’s Even, at the Owre of _Tierce_, the which is at three of the Clocke at Afternone, and on Saynt _George_’s Day, to kepe the said Feast at the Costes of the said Soverayne for the space abovesaid, without any new Ordenance to be made, havyng Power to correcte and redresse all Poynts of the said Chapter as for then shall seme necessary.

VIII. _Item_, That every one on Saynt _George_’s Even, that is to wit, the twenty second Day of _April_, a gatheryng together shall be made of all the Knyghtes of Saynt _George_ within the Castell of _Wyndesore_, that is to wit, of all them that shall be within this Realme of _Englande_ or withoute, that conveniently may come; and there they shall have the Service of Saynt _George_, and also shall were their hole Habit of the said Order, duryng the seid Servyce, being ordinarily in theyre Stalls. And every of them shall have his Banner, Sworde, with his Helme and Creste, above his Stall, the which, duryng his Lyff, shall abyde in the said Chappell for his Honor, and in Signe and Knowledge that he beres them in defence of holy Churche, as the Order of Knyghthod requireth. But in Case that the seid Feast of Saynt _George_ happen to fall within fifteen Days after the Feast of _Easter_, or upon any Fyshe-Daye or Fastyng-Day, then shall it be proroged and prolonged at the Soverayn’s Pleasure, as above is said, if so be that the Day of the seid Feast be not assigned nor ordeyned to be kepte the twenty fourth, twenty fifth, twenty sixth, nor the last Day of _April_, nor upon the fowre first Dayes of _May_, for by cause of the impediment or let of Devyne Servyce ordened by Holy Churche, for the double Feasts of Saynt _Marke_, _Philipp_ and _Jacob_, and the invention of the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesu Chryste, nor at such Dayes as shall fall the Assencion, or the Feast of _Pentecoste_, or any other Feaste of Solempnitie as is ordened in Holy Churche, whereby the fyrst or second Even Songe, by suche Prorogacions, might be letted or distorbed.

IX. _Item_, That all the Knyghtes of the said Order shall come Yerely in the said Place of the said Castell of _Wyndesore_, on Saynt _George_’s Even, at the Owre of _Tierce_, the which is at three of the Clocke at Afternoone, as it is abovesaid; and if thei come not at the tyme assigned, without havyng a juste and reasonable Excuse, that they may be acceptable to the said Soverayne or to his Deputy, or otherwyse pardoned by the said Soverayne, of their absence, by special Letters of Excuse, in the whiche Letters theyr Names and Causes shall be wryten, or otherwyse shall have their Pennance after the Ordenaunce and Agreement of the said Chapter; And the said Ordenaunce is such, that they shall not entre into the Chaptre for that tyme, but shall byde without the Dore, and shall have Voyce in any thynge that is done in the said Chapter at that tyme allonly; and if they come not to Even Songe before the begynnyng of the said Even Songe, they shall not enter into their Stalles, but shall byde belowe affore the said Stallis, in the Queristers Places, duryng the said Even Songe; and like Pennance is ordened for them that come not to the High [7] Masse betyme, and at Even Songe on St. _George_’s Daye. And if there be any that come not to the Feaste, and have not a reasonable Excuse towarde the Soverayne or his Deputye, as is above declared, his Pennance shall bee, that he shall not enter within his Stalle the next Feaste after, but shall byde below, as it is said at the first Even Songe, and shall goo in the Procession before all the [8] three Crosses, and shall sit below as afore is said, all the [9] Masse tyme, untyl the Offering, and he shall Offer laste; and after his Pennance so done, incontinent he shall come before the Soverayn’s Stalle, or his Deputye, and there he shall aske Pardon; and after that, the Soverayne or his Deputye shall Command hym to goo unto his Stalle in his fyrst Estate; and if he come not to the seconde Feaste, and be dwellyng within the Realm, without having any Excusation alowable to the Soverayne or his Deputye, as is abovesaid, he shall not enter into his Stalle from thenceforth, until the tyme that he hath gyven and offered a Jewell unto Saynte _George_’s Aultar, within the said Chappell, of the valew of twenty Markes of Silver of Troye, and fro thensforwarde, he shall double every Yere the Penaltie, unto the tyme he be reconsciled.

Footnote 7:

_Morning Service._

Footnote 8:

_Queristers._

Footnote 9:

_Divine Service._

X. _Item_, It is agreed, That if any Knyghte of the sayd Companye be founde in apperte without his Garter, that he pay anon, after that the Chalenge be made to hym by any of the five Officers of the Order, or of the Warden of the seid College, a Marke of Money, except he be boted for to ryde, that then it shall suffice to were under his bote a blew Ribande of Sylke, in signyfying of the Garter, and also provided that no Knyght of the seid Order from hensforthe, do entre into the Chaptre without his Garter, upon the Payne abovesaid; and whosoever of the said Officers or Warden shall make the fyrst Chalence, shall have the Penaltye for his Labor.

XI. _Item_, It is agreed, That the Knyghts of the Order of St. _George_, alway, and as often as they were theyr Mantels, they shall goo before there Soverayne, every of them with his Felow, that is for aneynst him ordinarily as they be set in their Stalls. And if it should happen that eny of them were not there present, his Felow for aneynst hym shall goe alone, the which Order shall be kepte and observed, as well in goyng in Procession as elliswhere in other Places. But at the Offryng, the Soverayne or his Deputye shall goo before all the Company, and the ordinaire Officers of the said Order shall goo as they have bene accustomed, when any Procession shall be done in the Chapter, Chappell, or elliswhere. And for the Order of the said Knyghtes for to sitt at the Table, for to take their refeccion by it at Dinner, or at Souper, they shall sitt all along on one side after there Stalles, and not after there State, except Children or Bretherne of Kinges, Princes, and Dukes, that be Strangers, the which shall kepe their Places and Romes after their Astate; and at their voiding and going out shall abide and goo in Order, so as thei sat at the Table.

XII. _Item_, It is agreed, That every one of them at the Castell of _Wyndesore_, on the Morrow after the Feast of Saynt _George_, before the departyng of the Company, that the said Knyghtes, upon such Gownes as shall please them, at the Chapter Dore, shall take their Mantels, and shall goo into the said Chapter, and after that shall goo and here a [10] Masse of _Requiem_, the which shall be Solempnely songe for the Souls of all the Felows of the said Order, which be departed and deceassed, and for all Christen Sowlles; and that all the Company be there present, without eny of them be lett bi a reasonable Cause, or have Lysence of the Soverayne or his Deputie before the departyng; and when it happens that for any Cause of the voydyng of eny of the said Felowship, there shall be certayne Banners, Swordes, Helmets, and Crestes, the which ought to be offered up before the offeryng of eny Silver, the said Hachements ought to be offered, fyrst the Banner, by two of the seid Felowship, such as the Soverayne or his Deputye shall appoynte or name, and after that the Sworde shall be offered by two other, and likewise his Helmet and Crest by two other Knyghtes of the seid Order, assigned by the Soverayne or his Deputye; and if any Knyghte of the seid Order shuld decease the Yere afore, then every Knyghte beyng in the said Castell of _Wyndesore_, at the said [11] Masse of _Requiem_, shall offer a Tapre armed with a little Scuchion, of the Arms of the Knyghte departed; and if there were more then one deceassed, that then be made for every of them a Scuchion of Arms, and a grote sett nye to the light of the Tapre, the which Scuchions and Tapers shall be made at the Coste and Charge of the Knyghts of the seid Order.

Footnote 10:

_Divine Service._

Footnote 11:

_Divine Service._

XIII. _Item_, It is agreed, That all Strangers that shall be electe Felowes of the seid Order, shall be certifyed by Letters of the Soverayne of their Election. The which Letters of Certification, with the Statutes of the seid Order, under the common Seal, shall be sent unto them, at the Coste and Charges of the seid Soverayne, in all diligence, and at the fardest thei shall be certifyed of this within foure Moneths after the seid Election, to the end that the seid Electe may advyse them by the seid Statutis, if they will receyve the seid Order or no. But if the seid Soverayne have greate and high Lettes and Busynes, that then he may deferre the Certification of the seid Election at his good Pleasure, unto tyme of opportunitie and convenient. After that the Certification have byn delivered, and that the Soverayne shall be certefied that the said Electe will receyve the said Order; Then the Soverayne shall sende unto the said Electe by his Ambassadours his hole Habit, with the Gartier and Coller; and that all such Strangers, of what Estate, Dignytie, or Condicion, that they be of, shall sende within seven Moneths after the reception of the said Gartier, Coller, and Habit, and that he have certified the Soverayne to have reseyved those thyngs, a sufficient Deputye or Attorney, after the Astate of his Lorde and Maister, so be that he be a Knyghte without Reproche, to be stalled in his place; the whiche shall bryng with him a Mantell of blew Velvett, of the Order of that which he shall send him, and also his Banner, Sworde, Helme, and Crest, for to be and abide within the said College duryng his Lyff. And that the Mantell, in the tyme that the said Deputye or Attorney shall be stalled by the Soverayne or his Deputye, put upon his right Arme, for to hold the said Mantell upon his Arme, and shall be accompanyed and ledd by two of the Knyghtes of the said Order, from the Dore of the Chapter unto the Stalle, and there beyng shall make his Oath, and shall be stalled for, and in the Name of his said Lorde and Maister, and the said Mantell abovesaid, the said Attorney or Deputye shall bere it upon his right Arme duryng the Devyne Servyce; beyng sett in the Stalle of his said Maister and Lorde without beryng of it at any tyme after: And to have no manner of Voyce in the Chaptre, or to come in it, in the absence of hym that hath sent hym. And if he send not his said Attorney within seven Moneths abovesaid, without havyng a reasonable Excuse, which shall be acceptable to the Soverayne or his Deputye, the Election shall be void of hym; except so be, that the said Knyghte be lett and distorbed by great Affaires; then he may send his Excuse to the said Soverayne, or to his Deputye, within a Moneth after; and after he is, as the Soverayne or his Deputye will allowe it, or accepte it, that then the said Soverayne or his Deputye, may geve unto hym four Moneths more of respite; and if he came not or sent not his Attorney, before that the tyme of the four Moneths be fynished, that then in this case the Election shall be hole voyde from hym for that tyme. And it is to be knowne, that this Favoure is done and shewed to the Strangers, the which may not well come in their proper Parsons, that they myght be stalled by Attourneys; to the ende that they may be parretakers of the [12] Masses, and all the Prayers of the seid Order, for they shoulde fayle of the half, yf they were not stalled before their Deathe. And likewise it is ordened for them that be never Chosen and electe of the said Order, beyng in the Kyngs Warres by his Commaundement, for to enjoy of the Benefytes of the said Statutes, to that that shall appertayne allonly to their Stallacion.

Footnote 12:

_Divine Service._

XIV. _Item_, There is also ordened a Dean and Warden, with twelve Cannons Seculers, the which shall be Pristz at their entryng in, or ells within a Yere nexte folowyng; and also eight Peticanons and twelve Vicars, also Prestes at their entryng in, or ells at the gyvyng of the next Orders, or at the furdest within a Yere after their Presentacion; also thirteen Clerkes and thirteen Queristers, for to syng and Pray unto God for the prosperity of the Soverayne and all the Knyghtes of the said Order lyving, and also for the Sowles of all the Knyghtes of the said Order departed, and for all Crysten Sowles; and the Presentation of the said Cannons shall belonge allway to the Soverayne of the said Order; and the said Cannons, when any Knyghte of the said Order is there present within the Quyer of the said Chappel, shall sitt in the lowermost Seates, where they be wonte to sitt at the Feastes of Saynt _George_; and in the absence of the said Knyghtes, the said Cannons may sitt in the high Seates nexte unto the Stalles of the said Knyghtes.

XV. _Item_, There be ordened five Officers appertaynyng to the said Order; that is to witt, Prelate, Chaunceler, Register, and Kyng of Armes, named Gartier, and an Huysher at Armes, named the Blacke-Rod; the which shall be receyved and Sworne to be of the Councell of the said Order; the Secretes, with alsoo their Charges and Privileges, shall expressely be declared in the Booke of the Ordenances of the said Officers.

XVI. _Item_, It is also ordened, That thirteen pore Knyghtes, that have not wherwithall to lyve, for to have in that Place their lyvyng and sustentacion conveniently, for their good Prayers in the Honor of God and Saynt _George_, of the which the Charges and Privileges hereafter shall be declared folowyng: The Ordynances of the Officers and of their Election is ordened, as of the Presentacion of the Cannons, so that allway the Election shall abyde to the said Soverayne; and it is agreed that the pore Knyghtes shall have their Mantells of Scarlett, and a Scuchion of the Armes of Saynt _George_, without a Gartier.

XVII. _Item_, It is agreed, That every Knyghte of the said Company shall leave his Mantell within the said College, for any sodayne Chaunses that myght happen, for to kepe, holde and observe, all suche Ordenances, Precepts and Commaundements, which may be advysed in Chapter by the said Sovereign. The which Soverayne, by the Consent and Agrement of six Knyghtes of the said Order, may at all Tymes and Places, at his Pleasure, Sommon and make to be kepte Chaptre for all suche Causes, as it shall please to the said Soverayne to name, towching the said Order.

XVIII. _Item_, It is agreed, That if it fortune, that any of the said Companye shulde come within eleven Myle of the Castell, that he shall goo in, if he may, for the Honor of the Place, if he be not busied or lett by some juste Cause, and that he take his Mantell before he entre within the said Chappell; and alsoo that he enter not in, but he have his Mantell upon hym; and the Cannons there beyng present for that tyme, shall come to receyve hym, and devotly shall bring hym into the said Chappel; and if it be in tyme of [13] Masse, he shall tarry and heare Masse in the Honor of God and of Saynt _George_; and if it be at Afternone, he shall come in, in manner abovesaid; and there shall be said by the Cannons _de Profundis_, for all Cristen Sowles, and there shall offer and returne to his Stalle; and if any of the said Companye ride thorowgh the Town, and wyll not offer as agreed, that upon his Obedience for every tyme that he faileth, he shall goe one Myle a Fote from the said Chappell unto the said Place, in Honor of Saynt _George_; and also for every tyme that he shall so fayle, he shall gyve a Grote for his Offrynge; the which distance, for to come nygh unto the said Castell, is two Myles allonly and no more.

Footnote 13:

_Divine Service._

XIX. _Item_, It is accorded the thirty second Yere of our Soverayne Lorde Kynge _Henry_ VIII. by the Grace of God, Kynge of _Englande_ and of _Fraunce_, Defensor of the Faithe, Lorde of _Irland_, _&c._ upon Saynt _George_’s Day, the twenty third Day of _Aprill_, at a Chapter holden at the Paleys of _Westminster_, by the Soverayne and the Companyons of the said Noble Order then there assembled; That as sone as the deth of any of the Company of the said Order shall be certeynly knowen, every of the rest, beyng no Strangiers, shall, accordyng to the rates of their Degrees hereafter specified, immediately, upon a demande to be made for the same by the Register and the Dean, or one of them, to be by one of them employed in Aulmes Deeds, as in mendyng of High Wayes, or such other Workes of Charitie, as the Kyng’s Majestie from tyme to tyme shall lymite and appoynte, the severall Somes of Money ensuyng. Furst, The Soverayne, eight Pounds six Shillings and eight Pence; a King of another Realme, six Pounds thirteen Shillings and four Pence; the Prince, five Pounds sixteen Shillings and eight Pence; a Duke, five Pounds; a Marquess, three Pounds fifteen Shillings; an Erle, fifty Shillings; a Visconte, forty one Shillings and eight Pence; a Baron, thirty three Shillings and four Pence; a Bacheler Knyghte, sixteen Shillings and eight Pence. Of all which Somes thus to be receyved, the said Dean and Regester, or eyther of them, shall yerely, at the Chapter, present his Accompte to the Kyng’s Majestie, with his true and juste declaracion of disbursyng agayne, and defraying of the same. In that Cause the Partie whose Porcyon shall apere to be unpayde, shall in the Name of a Payne add unto his former Dutye another thirde parte of the same, and so for every Yere that he shall be behynde, to pay a thirde parte more than he shuld pay if he shuld satisfye his Ordinary, accordyng to the rate before expressed; and if the Dean or Register, or any of them, shall not at every suche Chapter present the Certificate of the Receipts and Payments in fourme aforesaid, whereby the same may apere to the Soverayne and Companyons of the Order then present, or at the leest he in whome the defawlt shall rest, shall in the Name of a Payne contente and paye immediately, to be employed abowte like purpose as afore, the Some of ten Pounds for every such defaulte.

XX. _Item_, It is agreed, That if any of the said Companye die, that the Soverayne or his Deputie, after that they shall have certification of his Deth, shall be bounde for to send and gyve knowlege by ther Letters to all the Felowship of the said Order, beyng within _Englande_, for to come and be with the said Soverayne or his Deputie, in what place soever it be, where it shall please hym to assigne, convenyently within six Wekys after the certification of the Deth or Decease of the said Knyghte; the which allsoo assembled, or at the lest six, with the Soverayne or his Deputie abovesaid, every of them that there shall be present come to the Election, shall name nine of the worthiest and sufficient Knyghtes withoute Reproffe that he shall knowe, Subjectes to the said Sovereyne, or others, so be that they holde no contrary Partie or be agaynst hym; that is to witt, three Dukes, three Marquess, Erles, or of greater Astate, three Barons, or Banerettis, and three Bachelers; the which denominations the cheiff Prelate of the said Order shall wryte; that is to witt, the Byshop of _Wynchester_ for the tyme beyng, or in his absence the Chaunceler, or the Dean, or Register, or the mooste auncient Residencer of the said College in their absence, and the denominacion soo done by all, or six at the leest, by hym that have Written shall be shewed to the said Soverayne or to his Deputie, that then shall Chose of them that be named he that shall have the moost Voyces, and also he that the Soverayne shall exteme to be moost Honorable to the sayde Order, and moost profitable to his Crowne and to his Realme. And if there be any Knyght of the said Order that doth fayle for to come to the said Election, if he be not lett by a juste Cause, and that the said cause of his Excuse shewed under his Seal of Armes, be founde by the Soverayne or his Deputie to be juste and reasonable, then his Excuse to be accepted and allowed; and that if his Cause be not juste, and that he come not to the Seremonies above-named, it is agreed that he shall Paye to the Warden of the College for to synge for hym that is departed, twenty Shillings Sterling; and at his nexte comyng to the Chapter, he shall not be before the Soverayne or his Deputie and the Company; and shall knele upon the Grounde in the myddes of the Chapter, untyll the tyme that he be reconciled by the Soverayne or his Deputie and the said Companye.