Part 9

§ 4. THE first Custos was _John de la Chambre_, constituted Nov. 14. 22 _Edw._ III. to whom succeeded _William Mugg_, on the 18th of June following: Which _Mugg_ is the first, if the Institution of the College bears Date by Papal, and not Kingly Authority. After him were others that were call’d by the same Title; till the last Year of King _Henry_ IV. when _Thomas Kingston_ was presented by the Name of Dean; and his Successor, _John Arundel_, observing divers Endowments granted to the College alternately, by the Name of Custos, Dean and Custos, or lastly of Dean only; and doubting this Variation of Titles in Time might bring Inconveniences upon the Foundation, petition’d the Parliament, 8 _Hen._ VI. whereupon the King, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal, granted that the said _John_ should be _Custos sive Decanus_ for Life, and his Successors _Custodes sive Decani_, Wardens or Deans of the Free Chapel of St. _George_, within the Castle of _Windsor_; and that the Custos, or Dean and Canons thereof, and their Successors, by that Appellation, should have and hold, to them and their Successors for ever, all Lands, Tenements, _&c._ Liberties, _&c._ devolv’d upon the College at any Time before: So that here was a kind of new Incorporation, by the Title of Custos, or Deans and Canons only; at least this was a great Step to compleat the Privilege they after enjoy’d, when thro’ the Interest of _Richard Beauchamp_, Bishop of _Salisbury_, then also Dean of _Windsor_, and Chancellor of the Order, King _Edw._ IV. by Letters Patent dated _Dec._ 6. in the 19th Year of his Reign, model’d them by the Name of Dean and Canons of the Free Chapel of St. _George_ within the Castle of _Windsor_, one Body corporate in Thing and Name, with a perpetual Succession, and capable in Law to purchase, receive and take Lands, _&c._ in Fee and Perpetuity; to have a common Seal, and might plead and be impleaded by that Name; and for better Security, the Letters Patent of Incorporation were, within Three Years after, pass’d into an Act of Parliament now in force.

THE Authority of the Custos or Dean consists in being President over the rest of the College; to govern, direct and order them their Goods and Estates. He has all manner of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over them, with a Reservation of Power of Appeal to the Chancellor of _England_, who is Visitor of that College.

WHEN any Persons lead Lives inordinate, he with the Chapter (in Cases where no particular Penalty is appointed) may reprehend or correct at Discretion; and in Matters of Discord, shall within Eight Days reconcile the contending Parties, or do Justice. After thrice Admonition, may expel from the College all Sowers of Discord, Backbiters and Whisperers, that are below the Degree of a Canon. And that there be no defect of Government, when the Dean has Occasion to be absent above Eight Days, he shall appoint One of the Canon Residents for his Deputy, in whose absence he has the Title of Lieutenant, and on all Occasions to exercise his Office; for the Statutes allow him Sixty Days in a Year for Non-residence; which space the Royal Visitation, 1552. enlarg’d to One Hundred and Ten Days; and the Lord Chancellor _Hyde_ granted him Liberty of Six Weeks absence. But in the Vacancy of the Custos, the Chapter has all his Power conferr’d on them; which Chapter ought, within Two Days after the Vacancy made known, elect one of the Resident Canons, under the Title of President, to govern the College until they be provided of another Custos.

CANONS.

THE Canons, by the Letters Patent of the first Erection, were appointed to be Twenty Four, including the Custos; but upon the Institution of the College by the Bishop of _Winton_, there was ordain’d, as afore-noted, One Custos, Twelve Secular Canons, and Thirteen Priests or Vicars, in all Twenty Six, compleatly the Number of _The Knights of the Garter_: And for a fuller Distinction between these Canons Secular and the Priests, the first Twelve are, in a Bull of Pope _Innocent_ VIII. nam’d _Majores Canonici_, the others _Minores_, or Petty-Canons. To these Twelve Seculars were assign’d so many Prebendships in the Chapel of St. _George_ (as also Stalls in the Choir and Place in the Chapter) together with that held by the Custos, whence they are frequently styl’d Prebends, and have a sacerdotal Power; for if they are not in full Orders before they are instal’d, they must, within a Year after they have enjoy’d their Prebendship, be ordain’d a Priest, or quit the Benefice.

BY the Bull of Pope _Clement_ VI. the Right of presenting the Canons, Priests, Clerks, Alms-Knights and other Ministers, were reserv’d to the Founder and his Successors; yet we find the first Canons were presented to the Custos, by the Founders of _The Order of the Garter_ _viz._ the Twenty Five first Knights Companions, every one presenting singularly; yet this was but with the Sovereign’s Permission, _Pro hac vice_; and that none of them should be entitled to it hereafter but the Sovereign alone. And because it might the more effectually be observ’d, the Custos was oblig’d upon every Canon’s Death, to signify the same to the Sovereign, that he might pitch on One to succeed; which being nominated, he is approved, instituted, and instal’d, by the Custos or Dean, to whom he swears Canonical Obedience, and Observance of the Statutes.

THE principal Duty of these Canons (and of all the other Ministers of the College) is continually to attend upon the Service of God in the Chapel of St. _George_; and the Statutes run upon each Day’s Omission of a Canon Resident, to be mulcted his _quotidian_ Distribution 12 _d._ And tho’ we find no License of Non-Residence granted them by their Founder, yet there is mention of Canons Resident and Non-Resident, for whom great Defalcations are appointed to be made, to prevent such Neglects, because the residentiary Canons bear not only the Burden of that Duty belonging to the Chapel, but the Expence of Hospitality and other Works of Charity, occasion’d from their residing at _Windsor_.

_Richard Beauchamp_, Bishop of _Salisbury_, obtain’d Power from _Sextus_ IV. to make new Statutes, and dispens’d with the old Ones; and in 1478. he gave to the Dean and every Canon Fourteen Days of Non-Residence in every Term, to wit, Fifty Six Days in the Year. By the Visitation, 1552. they obtain’d a Dispensation for Eighty Days; and the Lord Chancellor _Hatton_ yet gave them a further Permission to Two Hundred and Two Days, which the Lord Chancellor _Hyde_ confirm’d; so that there remains One Hundred and Sixty Three Days in the Year, in which the Canons ought to be resident with Hospitality, to be consonant to their Statutes.

THE Canons are particularly oblig’d to pray for the Sovereign, and for the happy Estate of the Order. If any Knight Companion, or other Person, should bestow Ten Pounds _per Annum_, in order to be Partaker of the Prayers appointed for the Benefactors of the College, his Name was to be inscribed amongst them, and he also prayed for. Which Article, tho’ King _Hen._ V. confirmed, yet with this Restriction, it should not be admitted without the Consent of the Sovereign, or the Knights-Companions of the Order. 4 _Edw._ VI. some one of them were enjoyned to commemorate the Benefactors in a Discourse upon the _Tuesday_ next after the third _Sunday_ in _Lent_, and on the first _Tusedays_ in _June_, _September_ and _December_, and not only to set forth the Munificence of the Founder, and of King _Hen._ VIII. but of all others, so as to excite their Auditors to an Emulation, in the Increase of Religion, and setting forth of God’s Glory.

THE civil Obligations of these Canons are to attend the Sovereign (or his Deputy) and the Knights Companions at their grand Feast, and at the Feasts of the Installation, or when the Sovereign or Knights Companions shall come to the Chapel of St. _George_ upon a Religious Account. On those solemn Days, over their Ecclessastical Habit they wear a Murrey Mantle, (at this Day a Taffaty Robe, in Fashion like the three inferior Officers of the Order) with the Arms of St. _George_ arched within a Rundle on the Right Shoulder.

PETTY CANONS.

Those now call’d Petty Canons in the Patent of Foundation went undistinguish’d with the _Canones Majores_: only in the Bull of Pope _Clement_ VI. to the Archbishop of _Canterbury_ and Bishop of _Winton_, for instituting the College, they are called _Presbyteri_; and by the said Bishop in the very Words of his Statutes, _Presbyteri seu Vicarii_, by which last Name they are styl’d at the first Erection of the Garter. Their Number was originally Thirteen, only King _Henry_ the VIIIth’s _English_ Statutes mention Eight petty Canons, besides Thirteen Vicars, (but the _Latin_ takes Notice only of Thirteen Priests, some called _Canonici Minores_, others _Vicarii_.) _Ann._ 1. _Edw._ VI. Twelve Priests were appointed, and named Petty Canons, that is, Four to be added to the Eight mention’d in the Statute of King _Henry_ VIII. Yet in Queen _Elizabeth_’s Ordinances for the continual Charge, the Petty Canons thereby provided for are Thirteen, agreeable to the ancient Number of Vicars; but at this Day they are reduced to Seven, and one of them Subchanter.

The Vicars at their Admission are bound to be Priests, at least Deacons, and at the next Ordination they must commence Priests. Their Statutes oblige them to continual Residence; and if absent from Matins or from the grand Mass, they are amerced 2 _d._ and for every Canonical Hour, the Mass of the Virgin _Mary_, or for the Defunct, a Penny: All which Forfeitures were to be deducted out of their Sallary, and divided among those Vicars that duly attend these Duties. But the Statutes 1 _Edw._ VI. state the Forfeit of Absence from Matins to be one Half-penny, and the like from Procession, Communion or Even-Song, to be paid to the Poor’s Box. And not only they, but all other Ministers of the Chapel, if they leave the College above Twenty Days, without Reasons sufficiently approved of by the Residentiary Canons; or any of the Society that lead a vicious or scandalous Life, after the Fact manifestly proved before the _Custos_, are to be expelled; but an Absence less than Twenty Days, without Leave granted, is punishable at Discretion.

Each Vicar enjoy’d at first an annual Pension of 8 _l._ paid after this Manner, _viz._ every Kalendar Month 8 _s._ for their Diet, and at the Expiration of every Quarter Day the Surplus was consign’d for other Necessaries they stood in need of. King _Ed._ IV. encreased their Pensions to Twenty Marks a-piece; to which Queen _Elizabeth_ (they being then called Petty Canons) advanced 13 _s._ and 4 _d._ _per Annum_ to each out of the Lands confirm’d on the College by King _Ed._ VI. and now their yearly Sallaries are encreas’d to Thirty Pounds. Out of these Petty Canons is elected a Subchanter, (and commonly the same Person is the Dean’s Vicar) who has the Cure of Souls, marries and buries, _&c._

CLERKS.

For the Service of the Choir at the Foundation were allotted Four Clerks, one whereof was to be instituted a Deacon, and another a Sub-deacon before their Admission, and these two were design’d (upon Vacancy) to the Vicars Places. But for the other Two, Institution into lesser Orders, in which they were to continue, were sufficient. Each of the Two first sort had Eight Marks _per Ann._ and the other Two but Six. King _Ed._ IV. encreas’d their Number to Thirteen, and allow’d them 10 _l._ _per Ann._ They are mention’d to be Thirteen in _Hen._ VIII’s Statutes. 1 _Ed._ VI. they were encreas’d to Fifteen; but here appointed to be Laymen, wearing Surplices in the Choir, each having the same Allowance. 4 _Ed._ VI. a Model was proposed to augment the Number of these Fifteen Clerks to Twenty. But in the Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_ they were again reduced to Thirteen, as at this present they remain, (one of them as Organist hath a double Clerk’s Place, and consequently reckon’d for Two) and an Augmentation to each of 2 _l._ 13 _s._ 4 _d._ three Farthings yearly; which being at first opposed by the Dean and Prebends, they at length (5 _Eliz._) consented to allow them 40 _s._ _per Ann._ a-piece, not out of the new Lands, but out of other Payments which the Dean and Chapter should otherwise receive; and 1662. they encreased their annual Pensions to 23 _l._ a-piece. They are obliged to be present in the Choir at Divine Service as well as the Petty Canons, and under the same Forfeitures; nor may they or the Petty Canons go out of Town above Three at once, lest the Choir should be left unprovided.

CHOIRISTERS.

For the Service of the Choir were appointed Six Choiristers, and they to be of the Clerical Order at their Admission; to each of which was allow’d Five Marks _per Ann._ And as the Deacon and Sub-deacon were plac’d in the College only in Addition to the Vicars, and design’d to succeed them in their Vacancies; so also were there Six secular Children, endued with clear tuneable Voices, to succeed the Choiristers, when they perceiv’d a Roughness or Alteration in their Voices. King _Ed._ IV. encreas’d the Number of Choiristers to Thirteen, and allow’d them annually Six Marks a-piece, and which was again confirm’d by King _H._ VIII’s Statutes. Yet the Injunction of 1 _Ed._ VI. reduced them to Ten; but Queen _Elizabeth_ establish’d the former Number, and gave in Augmentation among them all of 3 _l._ 11 _s._ 8 _d._ They are now reduced to Eight, and their present Exhibition is 12 _s._ _per_ Month.

§. 5. The Alms Knights we shall treat of in a threefold Estate: 1. Under the Foundation; 2. When disjointed thence by Act of Parliament; and, 3. As established anew by Queen _Elizabeth_.

1. THEN, King _Edward_ III. out of the great Regard he had to military Honour, and those who had bravely behav’d themselves in his Wars, yet after chanced to fall in decay, made a Provision for their Relief and comfortable Subsistence in old Age, by providing for them in this his Foundation, and making a Coalition in one joint Body with the Custos and Canons; these he call’d _Milites Pauperes_, and we Poor or Alms-Knights. The stated Number at first were Twenty Four, equal to the Custos and Canons at the first Erection. But shortly after, upon his instituting the Order of the _Garter_, Two more were added (as there was to the first Canons) to make the compleat Number of the Knights-Companions of that Order, which were Twenty Six, as we find stated at the Ordination of the College by the Bishop of _Winchester_, the Pope’s Delegate.

THE Intention of the Founder was for those that were real Objects of Charity, as he describes them, _viz._ poor Knights, infirm in Body, indigent and decay’d, or as the Statutes of the _Garter_ qualifies them, such as thro’ adverse Turns of Fortune were reduced to that Extremity that they had not wherewithal to sustain themselves, to live so genteelly as was suitable for a Military Condition, which for greater Caution was reiterated in the Statutes of King _Hen._ V. King _Hen._ VIII. and in the Orders of Queen _Elizabeth_; for it was express’d, in case any Estate of 20 _l._ _per Annum_ devolved on them, such Knights were to be discharged the College, and they were to proceed to a new Election.

AT the first each Knight-Companion of the Order presented his Alms-Knight, but ever after their Election was to be at the Disposal of the Sovereign. Their Habit was a Red Mantle, with the Escutcheon of St. _George_, without any Garter to surround it. Their Exhibition, after their first Election was 12 _d._ a-piece every Day they were at Service in the Chapel, or resident in the College, besides 40 _s._ _per Annum_ for other Contingencies, it being the stated Allowance appointed to each of the Canons Residents.

ABOUT the Beginning of King _Hen._ VI’s Reign, their _quotidian_ Distributions and Annual 40 _s._ had been unpaid upon the Account of some Dissentions risen between them and the Dean and Canons; but upon Complaint of _John_ Bishop of _York_, Lord Chancellor of _England_, and Visitor of the College, 10 _Hen._ VI. they were redressed, and their Arrears of both discharged, without any Deduction, and likewise obtained this Clause, That if the Treasurer of the College became negligent in future Payments, he should lose his own _Quotidians_, from the Time of his voluntary Omission, and the same to be divided among the Alms-Knights. Their Duty was to pray for the Sovereign and the Knights Companions, to be every Day present at High Mass, the Masses of the Virgin _Mary_, at Vespers and Compline, and in default to be mulcted their 12 _d._ _toties quoties_, which was to be converted to the Use of the other Alms-Knights, then residing in the Castle of _Windsor_; notwithstanding which Decree, the Dean did afterwards break in upon them, and disposed of these Forfeitures at his Pleasure, till 2 _Rich._ II. _Adam_, Bishop of St. _David_’s, then Chancellor of _England_, and Visitor of the College, redress’d it, and another Complaint of like Nature being made of the Deans disposing of Donations and other Liberalities of the Knights Companions in wrong of the Alms-Knights, this Chancellor decreed an equal Distribution between the Alms-Knights and Canons, till the King and Council should otherwise determine.

These and other Differences between the Dean and Canons and Alms Knights, grew up to that height, that they became irreconcileable, insomuch as in the Act of Parliament, 22 _Edw._ IV. for incorporating of the Custos and Canons, by the Name of Dean and Canons, the Alms-Knights were not only omitted; but this Clause inserted, _That the Dean and Canons, and their Successors, should for ever more be utterly quit and discharged from all manner of Exhibition or Charge of or for any of the said Knights_. And this under the Cover, That the King has greatly augmented the Number of the Ministers of the Chapel, that the Revenue was insufficient to maintain both them and the Alms-Knights; but in the Dean and Canons Answer to the Knights Petition to repeal this Act, the Cause is alledged, For that some of these Knights used their utmost Endeavours before this Act, to incorporate themselves, and to be exempt from the Obedience and Rule of the Dean and Canons.

AFTER this Act, which struck off their Quotidian Portions and Fees assigned by King _Edward_’s Foundation, how the Alms Knights subsisted we find not; but so soon as King _Hen._ VII. came to the Crown, they petitioned the King and Parliament for Repeal of the Act, 22 _Edw._ IV. and alledged it was obtained without their Knowledge, or being called thereunto, which Plea availed not at all; but on the contrary, the Dean and Canons, some Years after, got an Exemplification thereof under the great Seal, dated _Feb._ 4. 18 _Hen._ VII.

AND it is very evident from King _Hen._ VIII’s Letter to the College, that what they did in this Nature after this Act commenced, was merely upon Courtesie; for he returns them Thanks for a Pension of Twenty Marks conferred upon _Peter Narbone_, whom he had recommended to an Alms-Knights Place, and Promises to burthen them no more with Requests of this sort, but that he would settle Lands for their Maintenance. So great was their Caution, _Narbone_ was by Covenants indented between him and the Dean and Canons, to relinquish his Pension upon that King’s settling Lands on the College, for the Provision of such Knights. In the Interval between the Disunion of the College and Alms-Knights, to their Establishment by Queen _Elizabeth_, their Habit and Badge continued the same, and was so confirmed by _Hen._ VIII’s Statutes. It may be collected by his last Will, there was an Intention to draw the _Garter_ about the Escutcheon of St. _George_, which Projection came to nothing, and expired. In this Interval it is observ’d that several Persons of considerable Rank and Distinction became Alms-Knights; some of which were rendred great Objects of Charity; among which Number was Sir _Robert Champlayne_, a valiant Knight, an Honour to our Nation, for his renowned and martial Services abroad. He was of King _Henry_ VI’s Party in the Civil Wars against King _Edw._ IV. Immediately after whose coming to the Crown he left _England_, and travelled into _Hungary_, (with an Equipage of Three Servants and Four Horses) where in the Assistance of _Mathous Corvinius_ King of _Hungary_ against the _Turks_, he behaved himself very gallantly; but prosperous Fortune not always attending him with Success, he receiv’d many Wounds; and at length was taken Prisoner, lost all, and forced to pay 1500 Ducats for his Ransom; for the Attestation of which he had the Great Seals of the King of _Hungary_, the Archbishop of _Crete_, Legate _de Latere_ in _Hungary_, the Emperor of _Germany_, the King of _Sicily_, the Count _Palatine_ of the _Rhine_, and the Duke of _Burgundy_; and lastly, a Declaration thereof under the Privy Seal of King _Edw._ IV. And being reduced to so low an Ebb of Fortune, he was, thro’ _Hen._ VII’s Favour, admitted an Alms-Knight.

But some obtained Admittance, probably out of Devotion, rather than Poverty, as _Thomas Hulme_, _Clarenceux_ King of Arms, _Temp. Edw._ IV. _Lodowick Carly_, the King’s Physician, and _John Mewtes_, Secretary of the _French_ Tongue, both _Temp. Hen._ VII. and _Bartholomew Westby_ made second Baron of the _Exchequer_, 1 _Hen._ VIII.