Book though the names of special Officers are seldom set down in Chapter Acts were by virtue of this Grant continued therein and executed the Office nor doth it appear by the Records of the Order that any other person had been invested therein besides the Bishops of Salisbury until an 7. E. 6. that Sir William Cecil then Principal Secretary of State was made Chancellor concerning which more by and by If recourse be had to the Constitutions peculiarly relating to the Officers of the Order it will appear That this Office is very noble and honorable of great trust and care requiring a person of much Honor and Reputation to exercise and manage it In which regard it is therein provided that no man should be advanced to this Dignity unless he be a Prelate of the Church viz. Archbishop or Bishop or of some other such like eminent preferment therein Or if a Lay-man then to be a Knight of known Extraction expert learned and of untainted Reputation By this Clause a Lay-man no less than a Clergy-man was made capable of this Office nevertheless it amounted not to a devesting the Bishop then living or excluding any of his Successors unless it had pleased the Soveraign after making that Constitution to have passed by the Bishop of Salisbury and bestowed it elsewhere which he did not for Edmund Audeley the then Bishop some time after the establishing these Constitutions and his immediate Successor Cardinal Campeius till he went to Rome if not more of them enjoined and executed the same But upon Reformation of the Order by King Edwâ—rd the Sixth his Statutes wholly leave out the Ecclesiasticks and appoint that the Chancellors Office should be executed by a Knight qualified as before And thereupon Sir William Cecil was constituted Chanâ—ellor whose Patent bears date the 12. of April anno 7. E. 6. And here first entred a secular person though he enjoyed the Office but a while for the 27. of Septâ—mâ—er following Sir William Petres was admitted thereinto since which time until now the Chancellorship hath continued in the execution of persons of that rank and quality Notwithstanding which in a Charter granted to the Bishop of Salisbury the first of Dec an 4. Eliz. confirming the Charters of Queen Mary King Henry the Eighth and King Henry the Seventh as also in another by the late Soveraign King Charles the First 6. Mar. an reg sui 4. the forementioned Letters Patent made to Bishop Beauchamp by King â—dward the Fourth are therein recited totidem verbis and confirmed as a tacite Reservation of the right and title of the Bishop of Salisbury whensoever the favour of the Soveraign should grow propitious to that See It doth not appear that any of the Bishops of Salisbury after the Reign of King Edward the Sixth concerned themselves for recovering the Execution of this Office to their See until the sixth year of King Iames that Henry Cotton then Bishop upon the death of Sir Edward Dyer sometime Chancellor set forth by Petition to the then Soveraign That this Office belonged to him and his Successors Bishops of Salisbury and therefore humbly prayed Restitution thereof to the Church of Salisbury But before the Soveraign would determine any thing hereupon he was pleased to call the two Chief Justices and Chief Baron to advise with who were of opinion saith the Blue Book That this Office wâ—s not compleatly or sufficiently annexed to the Bishoprick of Salisbury by King Edward the Fourth But Sir Edward Cooke one of those Judges Reports the point upon which it was void to be the incertainty of the Grant for that a new Office was erected and not defined what Iurisdiction or Authority the Officer should have And yet we find elsewhere this third reason given That the Grant was in the Soveraign's disposition because the Patent was granted without Fee With one or more of these opinions the Soveraign's judgment being swayed He forthwith nominated Sir Iohn Herbert one of his Privy Council to the Chancellorship and so this Affair slept until anno 12. Car. 1. When Iohn Davenant Bishop of Salisbury Sir Francis Crane Chancellor being lately dead with all due humiliation remonstrated to the Soveraign That the Office of Chancellor was perpetually annexed to his See by the foresaid Letters of King Edward the Fourth and though in following times it had been bestowed upon Lay-men yet he humbly desired his right might be restored Whereupon at a Chapter of the Order held in the Chapterhouse within the Castle of Windesor the 5. of December in the year aforesaid the Soveraign proposed to the Knights-Companions present That though he had of his especial Grace made Election of Sir Thomas Rowe Knight for his Chancellor at that time yet having understood a Claim made by the Bishoprick of Salisbury that the place was annexed to that See He commanded the Lords-Companions of the Order to take the pretence of right into their considerations To which proposition of his Majesty the Lords humbly answered That they thought it was not their part to search for the Title of any but that if the Bishop of Salisbury did produce his Evidence and the proofs thereof he might present it in Chapter to his Majesty to be considered Upon this encouragement the Bishop prepared a Petition which was presentâ—d and read in Chapter held at the Feast of St. George celebrated at Windesor the 18. of April ensuing and here inserted To the King 's most Excellent Majesty Soveraign of the most Noble Order of the Garter The humble Petition of John Bishop of Sarum your Majesties Chaplain in Ordinary Sheweth THat whereas your Majesties most noble Progenitor King Edward the Fourth did by Letters Patent erect and establish one Office of Chancellor of the most Noble Order of the Garter and did then also grant a Charter unto Richard Beauchamp Bishop of Salisbury and his Successors for ever that they should execute that Office in consideration that the Chappel of St. George in your Majesties Castle of Windesor was within the Diocess of Sarum and for other considerations in the said Charter specified Which Office was enjoyed by the said Richard Beauchamp and divers of his Successors in the See of Sarum according to the Charter which Charter hath also been confirmed under the great Seal of England by some other Kings and Queens since the Reign of King Edward the Fourth And was lastly most graciously confirmed by your Royal Majesty in the fourth year of your happy Reign But to the great prejudice and dishonour of the See of Sarum the use and exercise of the said Office hath been for many years discontinued from the Bishops of your Majesties said Church May it therefore please your most Excellent Majesty out of your accustomed goodness to the Church graciously to consider of your Petitioners Claim and Charter and if your Majesty shall so think fit to vouchsafe your Petitioner a hearing or
through France to Bourdeux and there he arrived about Christmas in which Voyage though the French durst not fight him and all the way avoided the hazard of a Battel yet through the scarcity of Victuals many dyed not to mention the loss of 30000 Horse About the beginning of the following Summer at the Pope's instance a Truce was made by this Duke and the Duke of Anjou to continue till the last of August wherein it was agreed that in the beginning of September there should meet in Picardy on the English part the Duke of Lancaster and other Commissioners to treat of Peace with the Duke of Anjou and others on the French part where also the Popes Legate should appear as Mediatour and in pursuance thereof the Duke of Lancaster took Shipping the 8. of Iuly an 48 E. 3. after whose departure all Poictou and Aquitaine fell from their Allegiance except Bourdeux and Bajon In this year the Earl of Cambridge and the Duke of Bretagne were constituted the Kings Lieutenants in France after which Commands were sent forth to arrest Ships for their passage thither to be at Dertmouth and Plimouth with all speed But notwithstanding these preparations yet they went not till the following Spring having then in their retinue many of the English Nobility and for whose good success publick Prayers were appointed to be made In this Expedition the Duke recovered many of his Towns but being included in the Truce made by the Duke of Lancaster he was thereby obliged to lay down his Arms. For upon the mediation of the Bishops of Roan and Carpentras the Pope's Nuncios there had been a Treaty set on Foot at Bruges in Flanders this Year managed chiefly by Iohn Duke of Lancaster who with Simon Bishop of London William Earl of Salisbury Sir Iohn Cobham Sir Franke de Hale Sir Arnold Savage Mr. Iohn de Shepeye and Mr. Simon de Molton were commissionated to carry on that Affair on King Edwards part and by Philip Duke of Burgundy on the behalf of his Brother Charles the French King which though it brought not forth a compleat Peace yet in effect it put an end to the present War for it produced a Truce to hold for a year viz. to the last of Iune an 50 E. 3. to give notice of which to the English Subjects a Proclamation was set forth And a quarter of a year before its expiration at another meeting at the same place this Truce was inlarged to the first of April an 51 E. 3. and thereupon another Proclamation issued to make it known But it appears that the French were gotten to Sea sometime before the expiration of this latter Truce and had done much hurt upon the Sea-Coasts Of this design of theirs the King had timely intelligence and therefore he endeavoured to enlarge the Truce to which end he empowred Iohn Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn de Cobham of Kent Iohn Monteacute Bannerets and Iohn Shepeye Doctor of the Laws to Treat with the Earl of Salebruch Monsieur Chatillon and Philebert le Spoit where the Pope's Legats were also present as Mediators But nothing was done thereupon only the Legate proposed a Marriage between Richard Prince of Wales and the Lady Mary Daughter to the French King which begot a private meeting shortly after at Montrevile by the Sea and there Sir Richard Dangle Sir Richard Stan and Sir Geoffry Chaucer Commissioners for King Edward with the Lord Coucy and other Commissioners for the French King spent the time chiefly to found one anothers intentions and so departed without any other effect saving that of Proroguing the Truce to May day following The 26 of April another Commission was made for the same purpose to Adam Bishop of St. Davids Iohn Bishop of Hereford William Earl of Salisbury Robert de Ashton the Kings Chamberlain Guichard Dangle Banneret Aubrey de Vere Hugh de Segrave Knights Walter Skirlow Dean of St. Martins le Grand and the foresaid Iohn Shepeye which gave them power to treat and compose all differences Wars and contentions They thereupon came to Calais and the Lord Coucy and Sir William Dormer Chancellor of France came to Montrevile but by reason of the suspicion the Commissioners had of each other they could not agree of an indifferent place to meet at and so the time limitted by the Truce spinning on absolutely expired And in this posture the Affairs relating to France stood to wit in open hostility till the Death of King Edward Thus we see that from the breach of the Treaty and Entry upon King Edwards Territories to the time of his Death he all along steered against the Tide of adverse Fortune and what with Invasions Revolts and disastrous accidents though no pitch'd Battel was fought nothing of his great Conquests remained to him but only Calais and the small Territory adjoining But of the strange unsuccessfulness of these subsequent years there might be three main causes First the loss of so many stout and well disciplin'd Souldiers as upon their disbanding after the Peace made near Chartres joyned themselves to the Companions and marcht into Spain Italy and Germany to which number may be added those who perished in the Princes expedition into Spain of whom scarce the fifth man returned a sort of people so inur'd to War and such as had gained so great experience therein that the very Common Souldiers among them were men of good conduct The French King knew well enough how much King Edwards power was weakned through the want of those men and that as to such as might be raised a-new few of them having been trained up in the former Wars he thought he might the better deal with them in regard that many of his own disbanded Souldiers were still within his Kingdom and lay ready at his service A second cause might be that the King declining in years and the Prince of Wales growing daily worse and worse of a lingering sickness without hope of Recovery the French King took the more heart and began now not to fear either them or their Fortunes which before had proved so terrible to France And therefore he supposed if he could make a shift but to keep his Forces on Foot against their declining power he might deal well enough with those who should succeed them none of King Edwards other Sons having given such proof of their success in martial affairs as to be feared by him and much less was any such thing to be expected when an Infant King was likely to succeed Lastly His supplies of Money from his Subjects who before had freely enough opened their Purses to carry on the War began to fail him For being tyred out with the prosecution of it they complained of Poverty and thence it came that the Forces raised to recover what was lost were inconsiderable in comparison of the former Royal Armies levied
of whom this Henry was one himself being then at Botheuill in Scotland so busied in the War that he could not be at the meeting appointed to treat on his behalf with certain Prelates and others whom he had commanded to meet at London on Wednesday after Newyears day following upon the defence and safety of the Kingdom repulsion of the Enemies and other things relating to the State of the King and Kingdom as also seriously and fully to acquaint them with the King's intensions to ordain and do all things referring thereunto and to his honor as if he were there personally present The following year he was created Earl of Derby and invested by girding him with the Sword his Father yet living by the Charter of his Creation did the King grant to him and his Heirs an Annuity of Honor of 20 l. out of the Farm of the County of Derby and to the end he might better maintain the State of an Earl he also granted him an annual Pension of 1000 Marks during his Fathers life out of the Customs in London St. Butolphs and Kingston upon Hull until the King should provide for him 1000 Marks per annum in Lands or Rents and in case the issues of the said Customs fell short of that annual sum then was it provided that it should be made up out of the Exchequer and for more surety out of the Custody of his Wards The third of October following the King granted to him the Manor of Wyghton and Hundred of Northgreneho with their appurtenances in the County of Norfolk as also the Mannor of Laghton in Morthynges with its appurtenances in the County of York which Ralph Earl of Eu had lately held and were then seised into the Kings hands to hold also during the life of his Father at the annual value of 72 l. 7. s. 6 d. q. at which rate they were extended in part of satisfaction of the said annual Pension of 1000 Marks But the Letters Patents of the 18. of March were resigned up to be cancelled the 24. of October an 13. E. 3. and the King thereupon by other Letters Patent dated the 20. of September preceding granted him during his said Fathers life all the Issues of the small Customs in London for the payment of 891 Marks 5 s. 9 d. ½ q. above the extent of the Mannors and Hundred aforesaid both which sums made up the foresaid annual Pension of 1000 Marks and in case the small Customs fell short of 891 Marks 5 s. 9 d. ½ q. then what they wanted was to be paid him out of the great Customs of the said City but if they exceeded that sum then the surplusage to be paid into the Exchequer which Lands and Pension out of the small Customs reverting to the King upon the death of this Earls Father were then granted to the Queen for the support and maintenance of her Children until the King should otherwise provide for them In the 11. year of King Edward the Third the King having sent over the Bishop of Lincolne and others into Flanders to make Alliances for him with Flemings the French King had laid a Garrison in the Isle of Cagaunt with design to take these Commissioners in their return home but they having notice thereof and the friendship and assistance of Iacques Dartuel took their way to Dort in Holland and so escaped that snare And the King resolving to clear that Island of this Garrison designed for this Service the Earl of Derby who raised part of his men in Staffordshire a Country where he was exceedingly beloved in which his Father had then great Possessions that after his death descended to him and of which for the better conservation of the Peace there the King made him high Sheriff during lifâ— These men levied by the King 's Writ he was commanded to have in readiness with hâ—â—self at London on the Feast of St. Margaret the Virgin next ensuing At the arrival of the English in the Haven they found the Town of Cagaunt well garrison'd and therein divers stout Commanders chosen by the Earl of Flanders for its defence well arm'd and ready to forbid their Landing so that with great difficulty and some loss they got ashore and here our Earl pressing on and fighting for his passage was struck down to the ground but relieved by the Lord Manny In fine the Town on Sunday before the Feast of St. Martin was taken by the English and above 3000 Flemmings slain after which they plundered and burnt it and brought their Prisoners to their Ships among whom was Sir Guy the Bastard of Flanders who after made Fealty to the King and sided with him in the War The 16. of February an 13. E. 3. he was put in Commission with others to array men in the County of Leicester against the Invasion of Enemies and the 3. of Iuly after made one of the 8 Commissioners to treat with Philip de Valois upon all Controversies between the King and him and also one of the 5 Commissioners constituted the second of Ianuary following to treat with the said Philip as also with the Cardinals of St. Praxide and St. Mary in Aquiro upon the same Affair The 6. of March an 14. E. 3. he had Commission given him to raise men in the Counties of Derby Leicester Staffordshire and Lancashire to pass over Sea with the King or himself at the Kings next Voyage beyond Sea This Earl attended the King in his first Expedition into France and had Command in the Battel ready pitcht to fight the French neer Vyronfoss as also at the Battel of Sluce an 14. E. 3. and the 10. of August the same year command issued to Robert de Morley Admiral of the Fleet from the Thames towards the North to send forth 10 Ships to Orewell to take in his Troops of Horse that were to pass over into Flanders after him In the following year He and Henry de Percy Ralph de Nevil and Robert de Dalton had Commission given them to treat with the Bishops Earls and all other persons as well Ecclesiastick as Secular in the Northern parts touching the defence of the Kingdom against the Scots and to sollicite them who had Lands in those parts to dwell there or otherwise to assign other persons there to remain in their stead He was again made the Kings Lieutenant in the North parts of England and in Scotland as also General of the Army sent against the Scots who had invaded England having power given him to defend the Marches to march into Scotland to create Stewards Constables Marshals and other Officers necessary for the Government of the Army and three days after had a Commission given him and power to treat and agree with the Scots about a Cessation of Arms to admit such of them as were willing to the Kings Peace to receive their Fealty to grant them
but that year he went over with Iohn Duke of Lancaster in his Voyage into France against whom the Duke of Burgoigne was sent with so great an Army that the English were but as a handful to them and having pitched his Tents near Calais within a Mile of the English Army after 19. days stay he dislodged and went to St. Omars not with much honor as some observe After whose departure the Duke of Lancaster returned to Calais and having refreshed his Army for three days and marched thence to St. Omars and the County of St. Paul then passed the River Some and entred the Countries of Ve xin and Ewe within the Archbishoprick of Roan thence to Deepe and Harflew with design to burn the French Fleet which lay there but the Earl of St. Paul was entred the Town before and so secured the Haven Whereupon he returned through Ponthieu where before Abeville Sir Hugh de Chastelon Master of the Crossbows in France was taken who with the Earl of St. Paul had before entred Ponthieu and took it from the King of England and having wasted the Country with Fire and Sword as they past along to Calais staid there a while and then took shipping for England where he arrived about the Feast of St. Martin the Bishop in Winter This Earl attended the King when he took his Voyage to relieve Thouars an 46. E. 3. who directing his course towards Rochel was not able to land by reason of contrary Winds and Tempests but forced to return after nine weeks being tossed upon the Sea The year following he with William Nevil and Sir Philip Courtney was sent to Sea upon a rumour that Ievan Prince of Wales Son of Prince Aymon was upon the English Coast with 6000 men designing to land The Earl had 40 Sail of Ships besides Barges and 2000 men of Arms besides Archers and departing from Cornwall sailed to Bretagne and coming to St. Malo burnt seven great Spanish Ships in that Haven Thence they sailed to Brest and there relieved the Garrison where Sir Robert Knolls was besieged by the Constable Sir Bertrand de Guesclin with men and provisions which having done they took shipping with design to keep the Frontiers of Bretagne and Normandy about which time the King had recruited them with 1000 men of Arms and 2000 Archers Hereupon he again went to Brest with a resolution to fight the French that lay before it but before he got thither the Constable had withdrawn most of his men to other Sieges upon a Composition made with the Garrison to surrender in case they were not relieved within 40 days for performance of which they had taken Hostages Upon the Earls arrival he sent to the Constable either to fight or to return the Hostages but he refused both so the Earl having Victualled the Castle departed to Sea and kept the Marches and Frontiers as before In the 50. year of King Edward's Reign he was constituted Admiral of his Fleet from the River Thames towards the Western parts And the following year a Commission issued to him and some others to Array all able men from 16 to 60 years of Age in the County of Dorset to be ready on occasion to withstand an Invasion and defend the Kingdom there being apprehensions that the French would land The first year of King Richard the Second the French being on the Sea this Earl was assigned to secure the Sea Coasts in the Counties of Southampton and Dorset to which purpose Command was sent to the Knights and Gentry of those Counties to be assistant to him It appears also that he was this year employed in Sea service and an 2. R. 2. constituted Governour of Calais An. 8. R. 2. he with divers others of the Nobility had Summons to appear at New-Castle upon Tyne the 14. of Iuly with Horse and Arms thence to march against the Scots The custody of the Isle of Wight and Castle of Carbroke with the whole Demesne thereunto belonging was granted to him during his life with all the profits liberties and advantages as the King enjoyed them without rendring any thing therefore only that he should maintain the Castle and undergo all Charges of the Isle and Castle as the Governors thereof usually had done He designe dto marry Ioane Daughter to Edmund Plantagenet Earl of Kent and gained a Contract from her but Sir Thomas Holland in his Petition to Pope Clement the Sixth alledging a precontract from her with him upon which carnal copulation followed and being after in Foreign parts this Earl contracted with her again and unjustly withheld her from him thereupon the Pope gave judgment against the Earl who complying therewith married another noble Lady namely Elizabeth eldest Daughter and after one of the three Co-heirs of Iohn Lord Mohun another of the Founders of this most Noble Order who outlived her Lord and had her Dower assigned an 21. R. 2. By this Lady he had William his only Son and Heir unfortunately slain at Windesor an 6. R. 2. by his own hand in a Tilting a place fatal also to his Father who at the Justs held there an 18. E. 3. was so sorely bruised that he dyed soon after so that Iohn Mountacute his Cousin and Heir Son and Heir of his Brother Iohn succeeded him in his Earldom This Earl dyed the 3. of Iune an 20. R. 2. having survived all the first Founders of this most Noble Order 8. Roger Mortimer Earl of March HE was the Son of Edmund Mortimer Son and Heir of Roger Mortimer first Earl of March and Elizabeth his Wife Daughter of Bartholomew de Badlesmere Baron of Leeds who after her Husbands death was married to William Bohun Earl of Northampton born towards the latter end of the first years Reign of King Edward the Third In the Voyage which this King made into France in the 20. year of his Reign he attended him being yet under age but before he went the King admitted Sir Peter de Grandison and William de Newenham Clerk to be his Guardians and to prosecute and defend his Suits in any of the King's Courts Upon his Petition in Parliament an 28. E. 3. he obtained a revocation of the Judgment against his Grandfather attainted of and executed for Treason an 4. E. 3. and thereupon was restored in Blood and to the Earldom of March and to all his said Grandfathers Lands Honors and Possessions The next year he was made Custos of the Castle of Dover and the Cinque-Ports for life and afterwards went beyond Sea in the Kings Service in the Voyage which Iohn of Gaunt made into France upon the French Kings drawing down an Army towards Calais And in the Kings Expedition into France an 33. E. 3. upon which a Peace ensued he attended him with 500 men at Arms and 1000 Archers He married Philippa Daughter of
of Richard Duke of Gloucester confirm'd and deliver'd to the Dean and Chapter the Mannors of Bentfieldbury in the County of Essex Knapton in the County of Norfolk and Chellesworth in the County of Suffolk who thereupon granted among other things that they and their Successors should cause yearly for ever a Mass to be daily celebrated in this Chappel for the good estate of the said Duke and of Anne his Dutchess while they lived and their souls when dead as also for the souls of their Parents and Benefactors Sir Thomas St. Leger Knight sometime Husband to Anne Dutchess of Exeter Sister to King Edward the Fourth founded a Chantry of two Priests who in the middle Chappel situate on the North side of the Church were ordain'd to pray for the healthful estate of King Edward the Fourth and his Queen and Cicely Dutchess of York the Kings Mother while they lived and for their souls when dead as also for the Soul of Richard Duke of York the good estate of the said Sir Thomas and Richard Bishop of Salisbury then living and after their decease for their souls and the soul of Anne Dutchess of Exeter The Foundation of this Chantry and the Covenants between Sir Thomas St. Leger and the Dean and Colledge are dated the 20. of April anno 22. E. 4. By the last Will of King Edward the Fourth a Chantry was ordained to be founded of two Priests to serve at his Tomb to whom was appointed an exhibition of twenty Marks yearly apiece They were called King Edward's Chantry Priests The Chantry of Thomas Passche one of the Canons of this Chappel was founded for a Priest to pray daily for his Soul and the Soul of William Hermer another of the Canons there as also for the good estate of Master Iohn Arundel and Master Iohn Seymer Canons and of Master Thomas Brotherton and their Souls after they should depart this life There was another Chantry Priest assigned to pray for the Souls of the said Passche and Hermer and of Iohn Plumer Verger of the Chappel and Agatha his Wife which devotion was appointed to be perform'd at the Altar on the North side of the new Church and the setlement thereof bears date the 18. of March anno 9. Hen. 7. The first of March anno 12. H. 7. Margaret Countess of Richmond obtained license from the King that she or her Executors might found a Chantry of four Chaplains to pray for her Soul the Souls of her Parents and Ancestors and all faithful Souls departed This Celebration was to be performed in a place neer the East part of the new work of the Chappel And the 18. of Iuly anno 13. H. 7. the Dean and Canons granted that the Countess or her Executors should erect such a Chantry in the Chappel as is before mentioned The Chantry of William Lord Hastings founded of one Priest to pray for his Soul the Souls of the Lady Katherine his Widow and of Edward Lord Hastings his Son and Mary his Wife after their death The Chappel wherein this Service was celebrated is that on the North side of the Choire about the middle thereof where the Body of this Lord lies interred The Ordination is dated the 21. of February anno 18. H. 7. On the North side of St. Georges Chappel stands a little house built for the habitation of this Chantry Priest having over the Door cut in stone the Lord Hastings's Arms surrounded with a Garter Charles Somerset Lord Herbert created afterwards Earl of Worcester was buried in the South Chappel dedicated to the Virgin Mary at the West end of the Church where he ordain'd a secular Priest to say Mass every day and to pray for the Souls of him and his first Wife Elizabeth the Daughter and Heir of William Herbert Earl of Huntingdon Lord Herbert of Gower who also lies there interred Adjoining to the House built for the Lord Hastings's Chantry Priest is another like Building erected for this Chantry Priest and over the Door thereof now to be seen is the Founders Arms within a Garter cut also upon stone The Foundation of this Chantry is dated the 30. of Iuly anno 21. H. 7. To these we shall add the pious Foundation of the House called the New Commons erected over against the North Door of the Body of St. George's Chappel by Iames Denton one of the Canons of the Colledge sometimes Dean of Lichfield anno 11. H. 8. for the lodging and dieting such of the Chantry Priests Choristers and stipendary Priests who had no certain place within the Colledge where to hold Commons in but were constrained daily to eat their Meals in sundry houses of the Town this House he furnished with proper Utensils for such a use the whole charge amounting to 489 l. 7 s. 1 d. and for all which the Choristers were desired by him in the Statutes he ordained for their Rule and Government to say certain Prayers when they entred into the Chappel and after his death to pray for his and the Souls of all the faithful departed In this Chappel of St. George there were heretofore several Anniversaries or Obits held and celebrated some of them as they are entred down in an Account of Owen Oglethorp Treasurer of the Colledge for the year commencing the first of October anno 38. H. 8. and ending the last of September anno 1. E. 6. inclusive we will here remember October November 2. Sir Thomas Sentleger Knight 3. William Bewster Canon 6. Iohn Wygrym Canon 5. Iohn Plomer Verger 8. William Edyngton Bishop of Winchest 10. Iohn Brydbroke Canon 9. King Edward the Fourth 13. Thomas Pashe Canon 16. Rich. Beauchamp Bishop of Salisbury 20. Robert Vere Earl of Oxford 22. William Cock Canon 27. Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick  29. Iohn Chapman Vicar Prospect of the Cancellor Screen from the West PROSPECT OF THE CANCELL from the East PROSPECT OF THE CHOIRE from the West PROSPECT OF THE CHOIRE from the East December January 3. Ralph Wyndesor 3. Katherine Queen of England 14. Iohn Howden Canon 8. King Edward the Fourth 30. Richard Duke of York 10. Anne Devereux 31. Tho. Beauford Duke of Exeter 11. Iohn Chambre Canon  12. Anne Dutchess of Exeter  14. Geoffry Aston February March 4. Richard Raunds Canon 1. Richard Smith 21. William Mugge Custos 4. Knights of the Garter 28. Roger Lupton Canon 5. Walter Devereux  10. Richard Welles Canon  19. King Henry the Fourth  24. Henry Duke of Lancaster April May. 3. William Butler Canon 11. King Henry the Seventh 5. Geoffry Wren Canon 21. King Henry the Sixth 6. King Edward the Fourth  19. Robert Ravendale Canon  20. Anne Dutchess of Exeter  21. Iohn Bean and his Wife  June July 2. Iohn Stokes Canon 9. King Edward the Fourth 7. Anne Queen of England 12. Anne Dutchess of Exeter 8. Edward the Black Prince 13. William Harmer Canon 11. William
the chief and most considerable particulars and sufficiently manifest that the usage and practice down to the Reign of King Henry the Eighth was pursuant to the ancient Law of the Order But we are here to note that notwithstanding each Knight was by the before mentioned Article appointed to succeed his immediate Predecessor in the Stall void by his death yet doth there follow an Exception as to the Stall belonging to the Prince of Wales This Stall is the first on the left hand at the entrance into the Choire of St. George's Chappel at Windesor and wherein Edward the Black Prince was Installed from this Stall doth the whole range of Stalls on the same side take their denomination and to which the Prince of Wales assoon as he is Elected into the Order hath a due Title But though this Stall de jure belongs to the Prince of Wales nevertheless heretofore when the Soveraign had no Heir then was it for the present disposed of otherwise a defect in the full number of Knights-Companions would have ensued to some other Knight who received the honor of Installation therein The first that obtained that honor besides Princes of Wales was Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster it being conferr'd on him by Decree of the Soveraign and Knights-Companions Richard the Second having no issue neither then nor afterwards and thereupon removed thither from the seventh Stall on the same side wherein he had been installed at his first admission into the Order But the first Knight-Companion that hapned to be installed in it was Sir Philip lâ— Vache a little before remembred and a very great honor it was for one of his rank But it fell to him by the then Law of the Order being elected into the room of the said Duke of Lancaster who dyed possest thereof Howbeit shortly after such was the change of times King Henry the Fourth coming to the Crown and his eldest Son being created Prince of Wales laid then claim to this Stall by virtue of the foresaid Statute and had it surrendred to him Nevertheless that the former possessor might suffer as little deminution in the honor of his Session as might be he was removed no lower than to the Stall which King Henry the Fourth lately held when Earl of Derby viz. the third on the Soveraign's side and had now relinquished for the Soveraign's royal Stall Upon the death of King Henry the Fourth and removal of King Henry the Fifth from the Princes Stall whereby a vacancy therein ensued to the Soveraign's Seat Sir Iohn Dabrichcourt Elected an 1. H. 5. was Installed therein and he an 5. of the same King dying possest thereof of which a notable testimony remains by the continuance of his Plate in that Stall to this day and the Soveraign yet unmarried the Emperor Sigismond became the next Successor to Sir Iohn Dabrichcourt both into the Society of the Order and the Princes Stall He dying Albert Duke of Austria afterwards Emperor there being hitherto no Prince born was Elected in his room an 16. H. 6. but this Emperor was never Installed and thereupon during his life neer 20. years after his Election the Princes Stall was not otherwise disposed of but remained vacant and so is it noted in several Pages of the Black Book But some few years before King Henry the Sixth dyed he had a Son born to wit in the 32. year of his Reign in which regard though the Emperor Frederick was Elected into the Order an 35. H. 6. upon the death of Albert yet was the said Stall reserved for the Prince but he never possest it and the Emperor an 37. H. 6. Installed by Proxy in the Duke of Somersets Stall then lately deceased being the eighth on the Princes side In King Edward the Fourth's Reign we find the right in this Stall returned again to Edward Prince of Wales his eldest Son and in King Henry the Seventh's Reign to Prince Arthur but upon his death Maximilian Son of Frederick King of the Romans and after Emperor sat therein So also did the Emperor Charles the Fifth his Grandchild in regard that as yet there was no Son born to the Soveraign But Prince Edward being born while this Stall was possest by Charles the Fifth it hapned also that the King of Scots dyed which caused King Henry the Eight to reserve his Stall the third on the Soveraign's side for the Prince albeit he never had possession of it nor was ever Elected into the Order though we find him once registred in a Scruteny And King Henry the Eighth dying Prince Edward became both by inheritance and succession Soveraign of this most Noble Order by virtue of the first Article of the Statutes not needing any Ceremony to make him so From this time to the eighth year of King Iames there was no Prince of Wales which King finding the Princes Stall void at his entrance upon the English Throne did in a Chapter held the 3. of Iuly an 1. Iac. Regis advance the French King Henry the Fourth from the second Stall on the Soveraign's side into it and appointed Prince Henry to be Installed in that Kings void seat where he remained till an 3. Iacobi that Christierne the Fourth King of Denmark came to be Installed by his Proxy to make way for whom the Prince though his Senior both by Election and Installation was removed yet lower viz. to the second Stall on the Princes side and the said King Installed in the Seat which Prince Henry had to that time possest And yet an 9. Iac. R. upon the death of the foresaid French King not the Prince as was his right since now he was created Prince of Wales but the said King of Denmark was translated to the Princes vacant Stall hereupon Prince Henry was returned again to the second Stall on the Soveraign's side which he enjoyed while he lived and upon his death Prince Charles was removed into it an 11. Iac. R. and there rested all King Iames his Reign In like manner when the present Soveraign came to be Installed the then Soveraign finding him prevented for assuming the Princes Stall the foresaid King of Denmark yet living assigned to him the second Stall on the Soveraign's side wherein himself sat while Prince of Wales and where hitherto the present Soveraign's Plate remains fixt as a memorial of his Installation therein Albeit as hath been before cleered that the Knights-Companions at their Election or Installation succeeded the immediate defunct Knight in his Stall yet do we also observe that somtimes after Installation as an especial mark of favour and indulgence the Soveraign hath been pleased though but seldom and rarely to advance a Knight-Companion to a higher Stall when it became vacant then that wherein he was at first Installed And though there be no such liberty given by the Law of the Order nevertheless in the first Precedent very
21. Oct. an 18. H. 8. and to make room for his Instalment in the second Stall on the Soveraign's side which hitherto had been possessed by the Duke of Richmond both the said Duke and Marquess of Dorset were removed lower the Duke into the said Marques's Stall and the Marquess into the Earl of Northumberlaâ—ds then lately void by death And this was now so done that the Soveraign might express what honor he could to a King between whom and him there had lately past so great endearments All the rest of the Stalls may be observed to stand ranked as they did the year before and the void Stall on the Soveraign's side to be here supplied by the Installation of the Earl of Oxford Elected in the same Chapter with the French King In the 20.21 and 22. years of King Henry the Eighth the Stalls received no alteration and but little an 23. of the same King when the death of the Marquess Dorset occasioned advancing the Duke of Suffolk into his void Stall and placing the Earl of Arundel in the Dukes Whereupon the Earl of Northumberland Elected in the room of the Marquess Dorset was Installed in that which the Earl of Arundel relinquished and in this order they continued the 24. and 25. years of this King Nor was there any removal made an 26. H. 8. for albeit the Earls of Beaumont and Newblâ—nke French Noblemen were elected in a Chapter held at Callire the 27. of Oct. an 24. H. 8. yet at their Installation they were placed in the two Stalls then void by the death of two of the Knights-Companions viz. the first in the Stall of the Lord Dudley and the other in that of Sir Henry Guilford But the alterations became yet more considerable and extended almost to a general Translation which were made in the Stalls an 27. H. 8. upon the admission of Iames the Fifth King of Scotland one Stall being then void by the death of the Lord Montjoy for there remained unchanged only these five viz. the Earl of Rutland and Earl of Beaumont but called only Lord Beaumont in the Warrant for Translation on the Soveraign's side and the Emperor the King of Bohemia and Duke of Suffolk on the Princess side Nevertheless this so great an alteration was not made but upon consultation in Chapter held at Greenwich on St. George's day in the aforesaid year where the Soveraign with the assent of the rest of the Knights-Companions present thought it expedient that forasmuch as the said King of Scots was newly admitted into the Society of the Order and that there ought to be assigned a Stall answerable to his greatness that the Stalls of the Knights-Companions should be translated so as the said King should be placed next to the King of the Romans and the rest to be ranked according to the Soveraign's pleasure and thereupon it was given in charge to Garter to see the same accordingly performed The setlement of the Stalls at this time as it was sub-signed by the Soveraign coming to our hands we have exactly transcribed hither The Kings Highness appointment for the Stall of the King of Scots An. R. sui 27.23 April 1535. 1. The Soveraign 1. The Emperor 2. The French King 2. The King of the Romans 3. The King of Scotland 3. The Duke of Richmond 4. The Duke of Norfolk 4. The Duke of Suffolk 5. The Marquess of Exceter 5. The Earl of Shrewsbury 6. The Earl of Arundel 6. The Earl of Essex 7. The Earl of Northumberland 7. The Earl of Westmerland 8. The Earl of Wiltshire 8. The Earl of Sussex 9. The Earl of Rutland 9. The Earl of Oxenford 10. The Lord Beaumond 10. The Viscount Lysle 11. The Lord Burgaveny 11. The Earl of Newblanke 12. The Lord Ferrars 12. The Lord Darcy 13. The Lord Sandys 13. Sir William Fitz William  Henry R. In this Scheme we find the King of Scots placed in the Duke of Richmond's Stall who with the Duke of Norfolk the Earls of Shrewsbury Arundel Essex Northumberland Westmerland and Sussex were all removed into the next Stall below that which each of them sat in before whether it were on the Soveraign's or Princes side The Marquess of Exeter to the next below his own on the Soveraign's side Viscount Lisle from the seventh to the tenth Stall on the Prince's side the Lord Abergaveny from the eighth on the Prince's side to the eleventh on the Soveraign's side the Lord Ferrars from the ninth on the Prince's side to the twelfth on the Soveraign's side the Lord Darcy from the tenth on the Prince's side to the twelfth on the same and the Lord Sandys from the twelfth on the Prince's side to the thirteenth on the Soveraign's And as these before mentioned Knights Companions were removed lower so the Earls of Oxford Wilts and Newblanke were honored with higher Stalls than they before possest for the first of them was advanced from the eleventh Stall on the Soveraign's side to the ninth on the Prince's the second from the eleventh on the Prince's side to the eighth on the Soveraign's and the third from the thirteenth of the Prince's to the eleventh on the same side So that in this last example though many of the Knights-Companions were removed lower yet it may be observed that the English Nobility were now ranked according to their Degrees first Dukes next a Marquess then Earls next Viscounts afterwards Barons and last of all Knights Some few removals were made in the following years of this King but none of so great note as this last mentioned and therefore we need not enlarge our Instances Nor were there any considerable translations in the Reigns of King Edward the Sixth or Queen Mary But immediately after Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown by consent of the Knights-Companions in Chapter held the 12. of Ianuary an 1. Eliz. the Atchievments of Philip King of Spain late Soveraign of the Order were removed to the Stall of the Emperor Ferdinand void by his being advanced into the Princes Stall for which Garter had then command given him And when the French King Charles the Ninth was Elected into this Order to wit on the morrow after St. George's day an 6. Eliz. it occasioned the Soveraign then to alter some Stalls to leave one vacant for him and the better to observe this alteration which was considerable we shall first shew how they stood ranked on the Eve of the said Feast Elizabeth R.  1. The Soveraign 1. The Emperor Ferdinand 2. The King of Spain 2. The Duke of Savoy 3. The Constable of France 3. The Duke of Holstein 4. The Earl of Arundel 4. The Marquess of Winchester 5. The Earl of Derby 5. The Earl of Penbroke 6. The Duke of Norfolk 6. The Lord Clynton 7. Void 7. The Marquess of Northampton 8. Void 8. Void 9. The Lord Effingham 9. The Earl of Sussex 10. The Earl of Shrewsbury 10. The Lord Hastings 11. The Viscount
of Orange from the third on the Soveraign's to the second on the Prince's an 10. Car. 1. upon the death of the King of Sweden In those instances of Removals lower after Installation we shall first remember That an 6. Eliz. when the French King Charles the Ninth was Elected the superior Stalls were already fill'd with Strangers and there was no way left to make room for him to the Stall designed him by the Soveraign but by removal of some of those Knights Strangers lower and thereupon for the present Emanuel Duke of Savoy was removed one Stall lower viz. to the third on the Soveraign's side Anne Duke of Montmorency to the third on the Prince's side and the Duke of Holstein to the fourth on the same side But the said French King was not Installed until the 16. of Ianuary an 8. Eliz. and before that it was concluded to remove the King of Spain to the Duke of Savoy's Stall voided as before and to Instal the French King in the King of Spain's void Stall which was accordingly done so that on this occasion there were four Strangers and five Knights Subjects before remembred removed lower to make way for the French King The 20. of April an 2. Iac. Reg. the Duke of Wirtemberg was installed in the third Stall on the Prince's side and on St. George's Eve in the following year advanced a Stall higher viz. to the third on the Soveraign's side The 16. of May ensuing Vlrick Duke of Holst had assigned him that Stall from whence the Duke of Wirtemberg was advanced and installed therein But against the Installation of Christierne the Fourth King of Denmark which hapned to be the 9. of September in the same year the Duke of Wirtemberg was removed back to the Seat wherein he was Installed and the Duke of Holst advanced into his void Stall All which will appear more clear from the appointment of Stalls on these occasions which follow A Remove of Banners and Plates at the Installation of Frederick Duke of Wirtemberg Anno. Iac. Reg. 2. Iames R. Â 1. The Soveraign 1. The French King 2. The Prince 2. Void 3. Earl of Nottingham 3. Duke of Wirtemberg 4. Earl of Ormond 4. Earl of Dorset 5. Earl of Shrewsbury 5. Earl of Cumberland 6. Earl of Northumberland 6. Earl of Worcester 7. Lord Sheffield 7. Earl of Suffolk 8. Earl of Devonshire 8. Sir Henry Lea 9. Earl of Sussex 9. Lord Scrope 10. Earl of Darby 10. Lord Burghley 11. Duke of Lenox 11. Earl of Southampton 12. Earl of Marr. 12. Earl of Penbroke 13. Void 13. Void The order of Stalls at St. George's Feast an Iac. Regis 3. Iames R. Â 1. The Soveraign 1. The French King 2. The Prince 2. Void 3. Duke of Wirtemberg 3. Earl of Nottingham 4. Earl of Ormond 4. Earl of Dorset 5. Earl of Shrewsbury 5. Earl of Cumberland 6. Earl of Northumberland 6. Earl of Worcester 7. Lord Sheffield 7. Earl of Suffolk 8. Earl of Devonshire 8. Sir Henry Lea. 9. Earl of Sussex 9. Lord Scrope 10. Earl of Darby 10. Lord Burleigh 11. Duke of Lenox 11. Earl of Southampton 12. Earl of Marr. 12. Earl of Penbroke 13. Void 13. Void A Remove of Banners and Plates at the Installation of Vlrick Duke of Holst the 16. of May an Iac. R. 3. Iames R. Â 1. The Soveraign 1. The French King 2. The Prince 2. Void 3. Duke of Wirtemberg 3. Duke of Holst 4. Earl of Nottingham 4. Earl of Ormond 5. Earl of Dorset 5. Earl of Shrewsbury 6. Earl of Cumberland 6. Earl of Northumberland 7. Earl of Worcester 7. Lord Sheffeild 8. Earl of Suffolk 8. Earl of Devonshire 9. Sir Henry Lea. 9. Earl of Sussex 10. Lord Scroope 10. Earl of Derby 11. Earl of Exceter 11. Duke of Lenox 12. Earl of Southampton 12. Earl of Marr. 13. Earl of Penbroke 13. Earl of Northampton A Remove of Banners and Plates at the Installation of Christierne the Fourth King of Denmark the 8. of Sept. an Iac. Reg. 3. Iames R. Â 1. The Soveraign 1. The French King 2. The King of Denmark 2. The Prinoe 3. Duke of Holst 3. Duke of Wirtemberg 4. Earl of Nottingham 4. Earl of Ormond 5. Earl of Dorset 5. Earl of Shrewsbury 6. Earl of Cumberland 6. Earl of Northumberland 7. Earl of Worcester 7. Lord Sheffeild 8. Earl of Suffolk 8. Earl of Devonshire 9. Sir Henry Lea. 9. Earl of Sussex 10. Lord Scrope 10. Earl of Derby 11. Earl of Exceter 11. Duke of Lenox 12. Earl of Southampton 12. Earl of Marr. 13. Earl of Penbroke 13. Earl of Northampton Here in this last Scheme we see Prince Henry was removed from the second on the Soveraign's to the second on the Prince's side to make room for the King of Denmark And though the Duke of Chevereux An. 3. Car. 1. upon the death of the Duke of Brunswick was advanced from the third Stall on the Soveraign's side into the Duke of Brunswick's void Stall namely the second on the Prince's side nevertheless the year following upon the admittance of Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden he was removed two Stalls lower and at that time the Prince Elector Palatine one But let us return from the Removal and Translation of a Knight-Subject after he had been installed to the Assignment of his Stall at the time of Installation it self and in the last place note That on the 24. of April an 6. Eliz. instead of the ancient Law which appointed each Elect-Knight to succeed in the Stall of his Predecessor and the latter which permitted a Translation at pleasure a new one was introduced being framed as was conceived upon a more equal ground than the former and to avoid as much as might be the danger of emulation which was this That all Knights who for the future were admitted into the Society of the Order should take and be installed in the lowest Stall according to the course and seniority of their Election except only stranger Kings and Princes Whereupon it came to pass that when a Knight-Subject Elect was to be Installed he taking the lowest Stall all the Knights-Companions between him and the vacant Stall were removed higher to the end such vacancy might be supplied or if two or more were to be Installed at one time they took the lowest Stalls according to the seniority of their Election the senior Knight-Elect being placed higher than the junior And albeit this manner and order in Removals is now become a thing of course and the method easie yet may it not be done or the Atchievements Banners or Plates removed unless the Soveraign Sign a Warrant as formerly wherein they are orderly ranked to justifie Garter for so doing which will be the more easily understood by the insertion of a Scheme or two The order of Stalls as they stood at the Feast of St. George an 29. Eliz. Elizabeth R. Â 1. The
account of these sacred Offrings and Gifts should be made and preserved in the Chapter-house at Windesor The Book designed for this purpose is now with his Majesty being a large thin Folio in Vellom wearing this Title Σ Î¥ ΠΘ Ε Ω Memoriae Veritati Virtuti Sacrum Altare liberae Capellae Regiae Sancti Georgii Martyris infra Castrum Regale Windesoriense Amplissimis donariis Deo Opt. Max. per Augustissâ—mum Supremum Honoratissimos Commilitones Nobilissimi Ordinis à Periscelide dicatis recentèr adauctum Describit humilimus Ordinis illius Servus Scriba C. Wren Decanus Windesoriensis An. Dom. 1637. It contains the Orders made in Chapter the 24. of November 1625. the 24. of Septemb. 1628. the 6. of Octob. 1630. with the Commissionary Letters which thereupon issued and the Order of the 13. of February following together with the Names of all the Knights-Companions present at each Chapter After these follow the Arms and Quarâ—erings very fairly limn'd in Metal and Colour within a Garter over each a Coronet sutable to the dignity of the person and underneath are entred the Stiles of all the Knights-Companions who were of the Order an 1625. or admitted after to the time of making the Book as also the sum which each Knight paid to the Register But as to any account of Plate provided upon the Soveraign and succeeding Knights-Companions Contributions there is none though probably intended to fill up the many blank leaves that followed The first that presented his Offring was Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey Earl Marshal of England therein giving the rest a noble example by a delivery of his 20 l. into the hands of the Dean of Windesor So that a competent sum being afterwards collected and the money decreed by King Henry the Eighth to pious uses instead of celebrating the Obits of deceased Knights added thereunto by Order of Chapter all was wholly employed towards Plate for the foresaid Altar To hasten the payment of these Contributions the Dean and Canons deputed William Ryley then Blue Mantle Pursuivant afterward Lancaster Herald at Arms to collect the Moneys to be raised both upon the Order of the 6. of October an 6. Car. 1. and also upon the Obits and for his pains therein he was allowed 2 s. in the Pound But notwithstanding all his diligence and sollicitation it appeared to the Chapter held at Windesor the 6. of November an 9. Car. 1. that there were several of the Knights-Companions and the Executors of others yet in arrear and to the end the same might be speedily collected there was set in the said Chapter a penalty in the nature of a nomine poenae of twenty shillings a Month to be levied upon those who should longer delay the payment thereof And now at length a considerable sum having been collected the work began to be set on foot and the Workman made choice of was one Christian Van Vianan of Vtrect a man excellently skill'd in chasing of Plate and to give him due praise in this undertaking he discovered a rare ingenuity and happy fancy as the skilful did judge while the Plate was in being and the designs of each piece yet to be seen among the present Soveraign's rare collection of Draughts and Sketches can sufficiently manifest The agreement with him made by the forementioned Earl Marshal Sir Francis Windebanke and Sir Francis Crane then Chancellor of this most Noble Order was at 12. s. the Ounce Whereupon 24. Apr. an 10. Car. 1. the Soveraign gave command under the Signet of the Order to pay unto him 600 l. by way of impress towards making the Plate after the receipt of which he forthwith disposed himself to the work And before the Month of Iune 1637 he had finished and made ready for the use of the Altar nine pieces of Plate which the 3. of Iuly following were delivered into the Chapter-house at Windesor Sir Thomas Rowe then Chancellor Doctor Stokes Lieutenant for the Dean Doctor Some Doctor Elly and Doctor Collens then Canons of the said Colledge being present the particulars whereof with their weight here follows  ounce d. weight Two little Candlesticks chased and gilt for Wax Candles 92 06 Two Chalices with four Patens 113 1 Two great Candlesticks neat for Tapers 553 15 Two little Basons 251 15 One great Bason 210 00  1220 17  l. s. The value at 12 s. the Ounce came to 732 10 Besides nine Cases 9 10  742 00 Of which he received by way of impress 600 00 The rest being 142 00 was paid unto him by Doctor Stokes the foresaid 3. of Iuly   But notwithstanding all the foresaid care taken by the then Soveraign to promote the work and a subsequent Order passed in Chapter the 18. of April an 13. Car. 1. commanding the Chancellor to signifie the Soveraign's commands for due payment of the Obits and other sums due according to the Statutes yet were some of the Knights so visibly backward in their payments That at a Chapter held the 14. of Iune following when the first parcel of Plate before mentioned was finished an account being given by the Chancellor to the Soveraign and Knights-Companions of 784 l. received upon the two Orders aforesaid and that 774 l. thereof had been disbursed there appeared to be 389 l. not undemanded but unpaid and which the Dean of Windesor could not receive some of the Knights-Companions deferring and others refusing c. although there had not wanted diligence both in taking several journies and giving many sollicitous attendances at London This Affair being thus represented to the Soveraign and Knights-Companions present in Chapter their names being also read over who were in arrear it was thereupon Ordered That the Chancellor should write in the Soveraign's name a peremptory Letter to every Knight-Companion so behind in payment to command present satisfaction and signifie in case of omission the Soveraign's displeasure which very much hastned the bringing in of the Arrears a Copy of which Letter here follows My Lord I Am commanded to put your Lordship in mind of two Statutes of the most Noble Order of the Garter whereof you are a Knight and Companion the first being one of the Foundation that every Earl should pay 50 s. to the Treasury in Windesor for pious uses upon the death of any Knight and Brother of the Order and that the money being unpaid one whole year should be increased one third part as a Fine or mulct the other made in a Chapter the sixteenth year of King James of blessed memory and confirmed by three several Acts of the first fourth and sixth years of his Majesty now happily reigning That as well all the Knights of the Order then living as all that should be chosen and admitted then after should give and paâ— 20 l. to the use and ornament of the Altar and Chappel of Saint George in
command of King Edward the Fourth signified by Letters sent to his Deputy and the Knights-Companions were by Garter taken down and carried out of the Choire into the Vestry and in their place were set up the new Atchievements of King Edward the Fourth and this was done at the Feast of St. George held at Windesor an 1. E. 4. and long before the Death of King Henry the Sixth which when it hapned he was first buried at Chertsey Abbey in Surrey and by King Richard the Thirds Command Reinterred on the Southside of the High Altar in St. Georges Chappel at Windesor and therefore this cannot sute with King Henry the Eighths Case whose Atchievements were not taken down at all But when the Soveraigns of this most Noble Order are not interred at Windesor then are their Atchievements offered up at the next ensuing Feast according to the usual manner as were those of Queen Elizabeth which the Blew Book notes to be done at Morning Prayer the 11. of Iuly an 1. Iac. R. The Banner being offered by the Earl of Nottingham Lord Admiral then the Soveraign's Lieutenant and the Lord Buckhurst Lord Treasurer the Sword by the Earls of Shrewsbury and Cumberland and the Helm and Crest by the Earls of Northumberland and Worcester and also of King Iames her Successor an 1 Car. 1. both these Soveraigns being buried at Westminster As to the time for performing this Ceremony it was ordained to be on the Morrow after the Feast when the Mass was sung for the soul of the Knights-Companions and of all the Faithful deceased and before the Offering of Money Thus was it ordered even in the first precedent we have of this solemn Ceremony and so was it duly and constantly performed in succeeding times till that of the Reformation at which the Mass of Requiem being abolished this Solemnity was nevertheless performed in the Morning Service on the Morrow immediately after the Offertory But after Queen Elizabeth had removed the Feasts of St. George from Windesor and left those of Installation only to be held there that Solemnity was commonly dispatcht in one day and the Atchievements of the defunct Knights offered before they went out of the Choire as in the 16. year of her Reign at the Installation of the Earls of Derby and Penbroke when assoon as the Morning Service was ended in which the Ceremony of Installation was performed the Commissioners appointed for that Solemnity came down from their Stalls and offered the Atchievments of the Earl of Derby Lord William Howard of Effingham and Lord Chandos And this was the first time we observe this Ceremony to have been translated from the Morrow after the Feast of St. George to any other time and the ancient rule as to the time being thus broken was never after restored but generally thence forward the Offring of the defunct Knights Atchievments was performed the very same Morning wherein the Elect-Knights were Installed For the Installation being fully compleated towards the end of the second Service viz. at the time of the Offertory the Atchievments were offered after which succeeded the Offring of Money And yet once when the Solemnity of Installation was celebrated at Evening Prayer being that of Frederick the Second King of Denmark and Iohn Casimire Prince Palatine of the Rhyne the 13. of Ianuary an 25. Eliz. immediately after their Proctors had taken possession of their Stalls and an Anthem been sung the Atchievments of Maximilian the Emperor Emanuel Duke of Savoy Francis Duke of Montmorency Henry Earl of Arundel and Walter Earl of Essex were with wonted honor as the Statutes of the Order required severally Offered but not without the sad and sorrowful view of all the standers by Sometime before the day was thus changed an intermixture of both the Offerings together viz. of Money and Atchievments began to be introduced when after the Offertory was read the Soveraign's Lieutenant descended from his Stall and proceeded to the Altar and there Offered both Gold and Silver for the Soveraign and so returned to his Seat after which the Offering of the defunct Knights Atchievements began and that Ceremony being ended the Soveraign's Lieutenant proceeded again to the Altar and there offered Money for himself and lastly all the rest of the Knights-Companions present offered Money in order Thus we find these Ceremonies managed an 5. Eliz. at the Offering of the Atchievements of the Lord Grey and an 6. Eliz. when the Atchievements of the Earls of Westmerland and Rutland and the Lord Paget were offered the Earl of Arundel being the Soveraign's Lieutenant at both these Feasts But not long after this course was altered in part and the Lieutenant Offered not for the Soveraign till after such time as the Atchievements of the defunct had been compleatly offered And albeit the day was thus changed for performance of this Ceremony yet was not the Ceremony it self begun till after the Installation was finished that Solemnity having at all times the precedency until an 9. Iac. R. when he observing a kind of incongruity in the order of the Ceremony namely to Install a new Knight and who being thus installed frequently became one of those Knights that offered part of the defunct Knights Atchievments as may be seen in divers and sundry Examples before his Predecessor had been fully discharged of his Stall gave order for Offering the Atchievments of Sir Henry Lea the Lord Scroop Viscount Bindon and the Earl of Dunbar first and before the Instalment of the Elect Knights Charles Duke of York Tho. Earl of Arundel and Robert Viscount Rochester which was accordingly performed as also at the Installation of Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhyne and Henry Prince of Orange an 10. Iac. R. And two years after at the Installation of the Earl of Rutland Sir George Villars afterwards created Duke of â—uckingham and Viscount Lisle the Lord Admiral going out of the Choire to fetch in the said Earl of Rutland to his Installation according to the old manner before the Offering of the Atchievments and as had been done the year before the Soveraign remanded him and again ordered That the Atchievments of the Earl of Shrewsbury should be first Offered before any of the Elect Knights should be Installed Not long after it was thought convenient to perform this Ceremony on the Eve of the Feast presently after the first Vespers begun and next to proceed on with the Installation of the Elect Knight whereby as much as possible the Stalls of the Knights-Companions might be supplyed and consequently the places among them filled up in all the rest of the Solemnities of the Feast Thus was it ordered at the Installation of Marquess Hamilton an 21. Iac. R. when the Atchievments of the Earl of Exceter were Offered In like manner the following year were the Atchievments of the Duke of Lenox first
of Chartain and of Drouais And then all the County of Montsort to be surrendred to King Edward within a Month after Or otherwise Hostages In Berry and Bourbonoys The Fortresses of Brisansoys of St. Torete le Priague also Chabries Espunell Beamein Briance Masbres the Abbey of Diverlaks Thos Bruyll Ameron Vierson Mausey Bourseront the Roche Tnay Blotueres Villers Montempny Beauuoirs Beau Ien Voderon In Tourrayne Lisle Bouchart the Roche of Fowsey Piry Milieres Roulet Piergu Veres de Desrubay the Pleyssers Dinone Langere Osem Palnau and all other Fortresses in the party of Auvergne of Bourbonoys d' Amascon of Lyon of Berry and of Touraine And within a Month after the French King was to deliver up the Country of Angoulesmois or Hostages In Normandy Anjou and Mayne The Fortresses de Donefront in Passais Neuim Mirebel upon the Loyre the Toures de Villers Saintwast the Brois Demaine Conde upon Noire and another Fortress thereby called Messe Tynchebray Annillers the new Boure the Ferte freswel the Roche Doryvall the Morle Racul the Tower of St. Christopher Villerais Husron Honnesfleth Trisenay the Vicount of Plessoys Buret la Rouche dire le Port Ioulein la Flesche Willie Viez Passavant Roussailes And within one Month the French King was to surrender Santes and the County of Santoigne or Hostages And all the Fortresses in Pierregort Coursin and Agenoys For the surrender of all which the King made forth Commissions to several persons bearing date as aforesaid at Calais The two Kings then also made a League for them their Heirs and Successors of perpetual friendship and alliance to become faithful friends to assist each other against all persons whatsoever except the Pope and the Emperor and moreover made a solemn Renunciation to all Wars against each other their Heirs and Successors Realms and Subjects to both which League and Renunciation their eldest and other Sons signed and divers of the Nobility on both sides were sworn A Proclamation then also issued from King Edward directed to Thomas Holland Earl of Kent and all other Captains of Towns c. held for the King in France to give notice to all places within their Command of this Peace and final accord made as aforesaid All things relating to this Peace being thus concluded and the French Hostages arrived at Calais King Edward entertained King Iohn at a great Supper in the Castle where the Kings Sons the Duke of Lancaster and other of the chief Nobility of England served the Kings bare-headed and when Supper was ended both Kings took leave of each other The next morning King Iohn and his Attendants went a foot on pilgrimage to our Lady of Bouloigne the Prince of Wales and his Brothers accompanied him thither where in the Church of our Lady they all made their Offerings and thence went to the Abby and having taken leave of King Iohn they returned to Calais the next day Soon after King Edward the Prince and French Hostages took shipping for England where they arrived on the Eve of the Feast of All-Saints The Peace thus setled endured all the life of King Iohn who took all possible care to have it entirely preserved and himself ever after kept good correspondence with King Edward to whom he gave all evidence of affection and love insomuch that about the end of the year 1363. he came into England only upon a visit to King Edward After his landing he rode first to Eltham and there dined with the King 24. Ian. 37. E. 3. and thence that afternoon to the Savoy in the Strand where he lodged and was entertained with all possible kindness but about the beginning of March following he fell sick and dyed the 8. of April an 38. E. 3. for whose death the King appointed solemn obsequies in divers places and conducted his Body out of England with a Royal magnificence About these times the Reputation of the King grew so great that several foreign Kings and Princes came hither to his Court either to visit him or congratulate his Victories or to obtain his assistance and relief and these were the foresaid King Iohn Peter King of Cyprus and David King of Scots an 37. E. 3. as also Wuldemer King of Denmark and Albert Duke of Bavaria his Letters of safe Conduct being dated the 6. of Dec. and to continue in force till Mid-summer after But Charles King Iohns Son and Successor who had sworn to and sealed the Treaty at Chartres was soon perswaded to violate the Peace though with great artifice he dissembled his intentions for some time For though he readily gave ear to the Complaints of some of the discontented Nobility of Gascoigne who quitting their Homage to the Prince fled to Paris and complained to him as their Supreme Lord of the Fouage imposed on that Country by the Prince pretending that King Iohn had not power to release them of their Homage to the Crown of France or deliver over their Country to the King of England Yet he forbore laying hold on this occasion at least for one year after their complaint But then all of a sudden King Edward not suspecting any fraud but thinking himself sufficiently secured by the Treaty of Peace made at Britagne the French King sent him a defiance and by the time it was thought to be delivered Guy Earl of St. Paul one of the French Hostages who had slipt out of the Kingdom without taking leave as had also the Duke of Anjou and some others of them and Sir Hugh de Castilion entred Ponthieu with an Army and were received into Abeville afterwards took St. Valery and Crotoy and immediately all Ponthieu revolted Hereupon the King assembled a Parliament at Westminster and about the end of May the Lords and Commons declared That whereas the French King had broke the foresaid Peace in not delivering the Countries nor paying the monies agreed on there and had usurped the Resort and Superiority which ought to appertain to the King of England and his Heirs in the Lands surrendred to him by the foresaid agreement by summoning the Prince and some of the Nobility of the Kings Allies to answer certain Appeals at Paris and surprised and taken divers Castles c. in Ponthieu and Gascoigne and was setting forth a Fleet to invade England contrary to his Oath and the form of the Peace therefore with their whole consent it was agreed That the King should resume the name of King of England and France as he had done before the Peace and for the future so call himself in his Letters and under his Seals Hereupon on Monday being St. Barnaby's day there were several new Seals provided in one of which was inscribed Edwardus Rex Angliae Franciae c. and in another Edwardus Rex Franciae Angliae c. Shortly after he sent an Army under the Command of the Earls of Cambridge and Penbroke into Aquitain who landing
He and divers other Knights of the Court were sent to Dover to wait upon Iohn King of France who coming over to Visit King Edward landed there the 4. of Ianuary and was conducted by them to Caenterbury where having offered a rich Jewel at the Shrine of Thomas Becket he after rode to Eltham to the King and thence to the Savoy where he was honorably entertained Half a year before this we find the King appointed the Treasurer of his Chamber to give him 200 l. upon the Debt due to him from the King for the Count de Vendedour his Prisoner He had two Wives the first was Cecily Daughter and Heir to Richard Weyland by whom he had divers Lands in the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge Huntingdon Essex and Hertford by her he had Elizabeth his Daughter and Heir married to Edward le Despenser His second Wife was Margaret Sister to Sir Bartholomew Badlismere whom he lest a Widow but she afterwards married William de Burcester and dyed about the 18. year of King Richard the Second The 5. of April an 43. E. 3. he dyed leaving Elizabeth his Daughter and Heir then about 24 years of age 11. Sir Iohn Beauchamp HE was a younger Son to Guy Earl of Warwick by Alice his Wife and Brother to Thomas Earl of Warwick one of the Founders of this most Noble Order of the Garter He attended King Edward the Third into Flanders in the 12. year of his Reign and was in the Battel pitcht between Vyronfosse and Flamengery an 13. E. 3. So also the following year in the Naval fight at Sluce Aâ— 15. E. 3. I find him stiled Banneret towards the support of which Dignity he had a considerable Pension given him He attended the King in his Voyage into France an 20. E. 3. and at the Battel of Cressy carried the Kings Standard Royal. The following year he continued with the King at the Siege of Calais till it was taken And an 22. E. 3. he was constituted Captain of that Town The next year made Admiral of the Kings Fleet from the River of Thames Westward And having his Commission again renewed for the custody of Calais to commence the first of April an 25. E. 3. he marched out of the Town with a Party of 200 Archers and 300 Men at Arms and forraged the Country for 10 miles round where meeting with 2000 Men at Arms commanded by the Lord Bealren encountred them and slew the said Lord. But fresh Supplies coming in to the assistance of the French they overpowr'd the English and took this noble Knight Prisoner who was exchanged within a short time after This year the Constableship of the Tower of London being resigned to him by Iohn Darcy who had a former Grant of it for life the King confirmed the resignation to him and for the Custody thereof allowed him 100 l. per annum He was again constituted Captain of Calais an 29. E. 3. and of the Castle of Guynes the Forts of Merk Colne Eye and Sandgate as also Admiral from the River Thames Westward An. 31. E. 3. he had his Commission again renewed for Custody of Calais Guynes and those before mentioned Forts Two years after he attended the King in his Voyage Royal into France and upon the death of Roger Earl of March was constituted Constable of Dover-Castle and the Cinque-Ports the Kings Letters Patent bearing Teste primo Martii apud Goillioun in Burgundia This year he was made Constable of the Tower of London and also Admiral of the Seas for the South North and West Coast of England He was a man of eminent esteem with the King and by his services deserved so well that he confer'd on him both considerable Pensions and several gifts and from an 24. E. 3. so long as he lived received Summons to Parliament The first donation we have met with was an 10. E. 3. when the King bestowed on him the Marriage of Margaret the Relict of Iohn de Bohun Earl of Hereford An. 19. E. 3. the King granted him a Pension of 30 l. per annum out of his Exchequer towards his expences in his service over and above 20 l. per annum formerly given him till he should have Lands setled on him to that yearly value The following year the King gave him the Mannor of Oddingle which Thomas de Haukeston held for life after whose death it was to remain to this Sir Iohn and his Heirs for ever An. 22. E. 3. he had the custody of the Lands of Allan la Zouche granted him till his Heir came to â—ull age without rendring any thing theretofore The King had also given him out of the Exchequer a Pension of 180 l. per annum to support his Degree of Banneret beside 20 l. per annum out of the Customs until he should have 200 l. per annum in Lands or Rents provided of that yearly value for his life And upon his resignation of several Letters Paâ—ent of Pensions amounting to 280 l. per annum he had the same annual sum granted to him out of the Customs of London and St. Botolphsâ—or â—or his life also The next year the King granted to him the Bailyweek of Cors in Gloucestershire till the full age of the Heir of Edward le Dispenser Knight Cousin and Heir of Hugh le Dispenser then deceased And lastly there being an Arrear of 50 l. at Michaelmas before he dyed of the said 280 l. per annum formerly granted to him out of the Customâ— as aforesaid a Writ issued to the Collectors of the Customs of St. Botolphs to pay the same to Iohn the Son of Giles Beauchamp his Executor He lived a Batchellor and dyed the 2. of Dec. an 34. E. 3. and was buried on the South side of the Body of the Cathedral of St. Paul London a Sculp of whose Monument is yet preserved in the History of St. Pauls by William Dugdale Esq now Norroy King of Arms which vulgarly but falsely was called Duke Humfry's Tomb. 12 Sir Iohn Mohun HE was Son to Iohn Mohun and Sibyll the Daughter of Iohn de Segrave which Iohn his Father dyed before his Grandfather in Scotland an 4. E. 3. and lies buried at York Shortly after his Grandfather Iohn Lord Mohun died at which time he was about 10 years old the custody of all his said Grandfathers Lands he being by Inquisition found to be his Cousin and Heir as also of his Marriage was granted to Henry Burghersh Bishop of Lincolne till he came of full age the 28. of May an 18. E. 3. he did homage to the King whereupon he had Livery of the said Lands In the 16. year of King Edward the Third he went over in the Kings Service into Bretagne with Sir Bartholomew de Burghersh as
deserved He married Ioane the Daughter and Heir of Oliver de Ingham and Relict of Roger le Strange and dyed on Wednesday next before the Feast of St. Nicholas an 38. E. 3. leaving his Son Miles then about 20 years of age The Custody of his Lands was granted to the Queen who granted it to Bryan Stapleton Knight Iohn de Boys and Roger de Boys till his said Son came of age which Grant the King confirmed the same day by his Letters Patent He and his Wife were both buried at the House of Ingham founded by his Mothers Ancestors 18. Sir Thomas Wale HE was the Son of Sir Thomas Wale and Lucy his Wife which Lucy held the Mannor of Wedon-Pinkney in the County of Northampton with its appurtenances in her Demesne as of Fee of the King in Capite as of the Fee Pinkney by the service of one Knights Fee and long before her death she setled the said Mannor on this Sir Thomas and his Heirs as appears by the Inquisition taken after her death wherein the said Sir Thomas is found to be her next Heir and then about 40 years of age He attended the King into Flanders an 12. E. 3. and had command under William de Bohun Earl of Northampton in the Expedition which the King made into Bretagne an 16. E. 3. so also beyond Sea in the Kings service with Richard Earl of Arundel an 18. E. 3. We find not that he had any issue by his Wife Nichola who out-lived him but that his three Sisters were his Heirs namely Margaret the Wife of Malorre Alice of Thomas Chamberlain and Iulian. He dyed in Gascoigne on Tuesday next after the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel an 26. E. 3. being a Knight of great vertue and worthiness so that of all the Stalls of the first Founders his first became void into which succeeded Reginald Lord Cobham of Sterborough 19. Sir Hugh Wrottesley SIR Hugh Wrottesley was Son to Sir William Wrottesley of Wrottesley in the County of Stafford Knight It appears that an 8. E. 3. he designed a Voyage to the Holy-Land and to that end had obtained the Kings Letters for appointing Peter de Hoe and Thomas de Chency his Attornies during his absence to prosecute his Suits in any Court of England An. 12. E. 3. he went in the Kings Service into Flanders when the King went over thither to confer with his Allies And at the Siege of Calais he had the Kings Licence to inclose his Wood at Wrottesley and make a Park Two years after for his good service he granted to him the Custody of the Lands and Tenements which were William de Pilateâ—hall deceased till his Heirs came of age with the marriages of them without rendring any thing theretofore An. 24. E. 3. the King granted him a Pension of 40 l. per annum out of his Exchequer for his life upon the surrender of which Letters Patent he granted him 40 l. per annum to be thus received viz. 16 l. 4 s. 4 d. out of the Farm of the Villages of Mere and Clent 11 l. 10 s. out of the Farm of the Village of Swinford 11 l. out of the Farm of the Village of Kinefare and Tetenhale and 1 l. 6 s. 8 d. out of the Farm of the Foresters Fee of Tedesley to hold for life or till he had 40 l. per annum in Lands or Rents setled on him for life yet to be answerable for the overplus being 1 s. 8 d. These last Letters Patent were confirmed to him by King Richard the Second in the first year of his Reign He married Mabill the Daughter of Sir Philip ap Rees and Ioane his Wife by whom he had issue Iohn whose heir male in a direct line is Sir Walter Wrottesley of Wrottesley in the County of Stafford Baronet now living He also had to his second Wife Isabel Daughter of Iohn Arderne of Aldeford Aderlegh and Edds. And dyed the Monday after the Feast of St. Vincent an 4. R. 2. 20. Sir Nele Loring AT the Naval Fight before Sluce his Valour was so remarkable that it gained him the Honor of Knighthood to which the King immediately added a Donation of 20 l. per annum to him and his Heirs males for the better support of that Dignity till Lands of the like annual value were provided for him and them These Letters Patent bear Teste at Sluce 26. of Iune in the 14. year of the Kings Reign over England and his first of France In the Kings Expedition into Bretagne he attended him thither and an 18. E. 3. went beyond Sea in his Service In the beginning of the following year he and Michael Northburgh Canon of Liâ—hfeild and Hereford were sent to the Pope's Court with the Kings Letter dated 23. Feb. an 19. E. 3. to obtain a Dispensation for the marriage of the Prince of Wales with the Daughter of the Duke of Brabant At his return he went with Henry de Lancaster Earl of Derby into Gascoigne where he stayed the following year After which coming over into England he within a short time returned to his Commands in Gascoigne An. 29. E. 3. he attended the Prince of Wales in his Expedition into Gascoigne and being specially assigned to attend his person in the Battel at Poictiers he performed his duty so well that he received both acknowledgments and rewards from the Prince for that days service He was afterwards appointed by King Edward to be one of his Commissioners for receiving the possession of all Countries Cities Forts c. that by the Treaty of Peace near Chartres were to be delivered to him When the Prince of Wales was created Prince of Guyenne he attended him thither again and there continued four years whence returning into England he stayed not long but went back again and remained there three years After which coming into England and being again sent into Aquitaine Writs were directed to Robert de Ashton Admiral towards the West for the passage of him and Sir Iohn de la Haye their Soldiers and Retinue and this year he was one of those Knights of the Prince's Retinue sent to meet Sir Robert Knolls at his coming out of Bretagne whom they met at Quercy and assisted at the Sieges of Durmel and Domme both which though they thought fit to break up yet marching further into the Country they took Gauaches Freins Rochmador and Ville Franche upon the marches of Tholouze He was an active man and did King Edward great services which induced him to confer many favours on him in recompence thereof as first he granted him a Pension of 5 l. a year during his life to be paid him by the Abbess of Burnham out of the 15 l. per annum she was
the King of France and entred Bretagne this Sir Iohn with some few Forces left Aquitaine and came to the assistance of Iohn Earl of Montford who received him with great joy having so great an opinion of his Valour and Conduct that he conceived no misfortune could fall upon him while he stayed with him By his advice and valour as all acknowledged the French were defeated Sir Bertrand de Guesclin taken Prisoner by an English Esquire under Sir Iohn's Standard Charles de Bloys there slain and the Enemy pursued 8 Leagues even to the Gates of Rennes This Battel was fought on Michaelmas day an 38. E. 3. where were taken two Earls 27 Lords and 1500 men at Arms. The news of the Victory being brought to the King then at Dover by a Pursuivant of Arms who had been in the Battel the King for his good service created him a Herald by the name of Windesor there was also an Herald who had the addition of Chandos given him in honor of this noble Knight whom he employed in Aquitaine upon several occasions This good success begat a Treaty which setled the Earl of Montfort in the Dukedom of Bretagne by the King of France to whom he did Homage as the Dukes before had done In the Prince's Voyage to Spain he had command in the Van led by the Duke of Lancaster and immediately before the joining of the Battel this noble Knight was created Banneret which honor was not only well bestowed but by his valiant carriage in the Fight as well deserved for he and his men hapning to encounter Sir Bertrand de Guesclin who had been ransomed from his former imprisonmeâ—â— at 100000 Franks and the Marshal Sir Arnold Dandrehen they took them both Prisoners and defeated their Battel After his return out of Spain he obtained leave to reside at St. Saviour le Viscount but when the French invaded Gascoigne the Prince sent for him back and employed him in the conduct of that War wherein he behaved himself most valiantly and in a word recovered and kept Aquitaine the particulars of whose famous actions from hence to his death may be seen in Sir Iohn Froissard out of whom we are loth to cloy our Reader with too much of transcription and shall therefore only note that in this time he was made Constable of Poictou and Marshal of Aquitaine He had the Barony of St. Saviours le Viscount of Domvers and Dongeville and the Lands and Tenements of St. Mary de Monte de Farsellis and de Romelly and all the Lands which were formerly Sir Godfry de Harecourts in Normandy given him and his heirs for ever by King Edward to whom the said Sir Godfry had sold them to be possessed after his death which being not comprised in the Treaty of Peace near Chartres the Homage for them became due to the King of France but there having passed so great Testimonies of affection and respect between King Edward and King Iohn the latter at the request of King Edward before he went from Calais sealed to Sir Iohn Chandos a confirmation of King Edward's grant to possess them as his inheritance for ever Whereupon command was sent to Sir Thomas Holland then Captain and Custos thereof forthwith to deliver the Castles Baronies and all the Lands and Tenements to the said Iohn And hereupon he was sometimes stiled Baro Sancti Salvatoris le Viscount and at other Vicecomes Sancti Salvatoris in Normania The last martial action of this most famous Knight and which proved fatal to him was near to St. Salvin an Abbey in Poictou which having been betrayed to the French by a Monk who hated the Abbot he endeavoured to recover it the last of December in the night an 44. E. 3. but missing of his design and intending to return to Poictou he encountred a party of the French at Lusach-bridge where the way being slippery he fell down and as he was rising one Iaques de St. Martyn an Esquire struck him under his Eye into the brain with a Glave for having lost the sight of that Eye five years before as he was hunting a Hart neer Bordeaux he saw not the blow come The French knew him by his Surcoat of Arms and endeavoured to get his body but his Uncle Edward Clyfford bestrid him and defended it and other relief coming in the French men were taken Prisoners He was thence carried to Mortymer Fortress where he lay a day and night speechless and then died and lies there buried His death was exceedingly lamented by all and when the French King heard of it he was very much troubled saying there was now no Knight left alive that was able to make Peace between the Kings and Kingdoms of France and England so much was he feared so highly esteemed and so generally beloved He was never married but we find he had three Sisters Elizabeth who died 9. R. 2. Alionora the Wife of Roger Colinge and Margaret 22. Sir Iames Audeley THis noble Knight was Son and Heir of Nicholas Lord Audeley and of Iane Sister and Heir of William the Son of William Martyn and was born an 7. E. 2. He was no sooner come of age but he entred upon Martial Employments wherein for several years he became engaged in the Wars against the Scots and there did the King so great service that in recompence thereof and the great charge he had been at in supporting himself in those Wars he forgave him the sum of 10000 Marks which he was engaged to pay Roger Mortimer Earl of March by whose attainder it became forfeited to the King An. 16. E. 3. he was made Custos of the Town of Berwick upon Twede during pleasure and by other Letters Patent of the same date constituted the Kings Iustice of the said Town and of all other the Kings Lands in the parts of Scotland to execute all things appertaining to that Office according to the Law and Custom of Scotland Not long after he was engaged to go beyond Sea in the Kings Service with Nicholas Audeley Earl of Gloucester and thereupon the Kings Letters of Protection were obtained for him to hold till Easter following The 20. of December after the Kings special Letter was directed to him to provide 20. Men at Arms and 20. Archers to be sent to Portsmouth by the first of March ensuing and thence to pass in the Kings Service with the Earls of Arundel and Huntingdon An. 18. E. 3. he went into Gascoigne with the Earl of Derby in his Expedition thither The following year he received Command personally to attend the King and to serve him with his Retinue for defence of this Kingdom against the French at the Kings charge And when the King made his Royal Voyage into France an 20. E. 3. he attended him thither He was sent over from the
yere within xv days after Ester by reason whereof We have according to the Statutes of the noble Order of the Garter differred the solennenifacion of the same unto the xxiiii day of May next coming on wyche day we have appointed the said Fest to be kept and also deputed you to be our Lieutenant at the same We therefore woll and desire you to prepare and dispose your self soo to bée accordingly Yeven under our Signet at our Vniversitie of Cambridge the xxv day of April NUM CLX A Letter of Notice to a Knight-Companion to be present at the Grand Feast held by Prorogation Ex Collect. praef W. le N. Cl. Mary R. RIght trusty c. And having deferred the keeping of the Feast of the Glorious Martyr St. George Patron of our most Noble Order of the Garter until the coming of our most dear Cousin the Prince of Spain To the intent the said Feast might be also honoured with the Installation of our said dearest Cousin We let you wit that we have now resolved to hold and celebrate the same Feast within our Casâ—le of Windsor upon Sunday the 5. of August next ensuing Requiring you therefore to put your self in order to make your repair thither for that purpose before the same day so as you may be present at the Celebration of that Feast and all the accustomed Ceremonies thereof Wherefore we pray you not to fail Yeven under the Seal of our Order c. NUM CLXI A Letter from the Chancellor giving a Knight-Companion notice of the Prorogation of the Grand Feast Ex Lib. Collect. W. le N. Cl. fol. 46. Right Honorable WHereas his Majesty Soveraign of the most Noble Order of the Garter for sundry causes but especially for the late Death of the high and mighty King his most dear and most entirely beloved Father which bringeth unto him cause of grief infinitely more then of triumph hath not thought meet to keep the Feast of St. George for this year on the days accustomed for the same that is to say on the 22.23 24. days of this month of April His Majesty therefore under the Seal of the said Order remaining in my Custody hath prorogued the keeping of the said Feast for this year unto the 16.17 18. days of August next Commanding all the Knights and Companions of the said Noble Order and Officers of the same then to attend his person wherein his Majesties Pleasure it is my due to make known to your Lordship which being by these performed I most humbly rest Your Lordships most ready to do you service George More 7. April 1625. To the right Honorable the Earl of Arundel and Surry Earl Marshal of England Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and of his Majesties most Honorable Privy Council NUM CLXII Another Rowes Iournal pag. 5. May it please your Lordship THe King's Majesty Soveraign of the most Noble Order of the Garter having formerly prorogued the Celebration of the Feast of Saint George for this year from the usual days upon which it should have been solemnized unto the 8.9 10. of July following and by reason of the Contagion spread in many parts of his Kingdom from those days to the 26.27 28. of September and then also upon special consideration unto the 13.14 15. of December by Several Commissions under the Seal of his Order now remaining in my Custody His Majesty for divers and important Causes and to avoid the danger of the concourse of much people during the Infection finding it not convenient to celebrate the Feast at that designed time hath adjourned the Prorogation thereof by a new Commission to me delivered unto the 17.18 19. days of April next And thereby given Commandment to all the Knights and Companions and Officers of his Order that they should attend his Royal person upon these last appointed days Wherefore in discharge of my duty I do signifie unto your Lordship his Majesties pleasure praying your Lordship that you will be pleased to take knowledge herein of the Soveraign's Order humbly resting Your Lordships In all due Observance and Obedience Tho. Rowe Cranford 12. Dec. 1636. To the Right Honorable Iames Marquess Hamilton Knight and Companion of the most Noble Order of the Garter and my most Honored Lord. NUM CLXIII Another to the Register of the Order Ibidem pag. 3. Reverend Sir THE King's Majesty Soveraign of the most Noble Order of the Garter having formerly prorogued the Celebration of the Feast of St. George for this presents Year from the usual days upon which it should have been solemnized by several Commissions under the Seal of his Order now remaining in my Custody and finding it inconvenient for divers important causes specially by reason of the Contagion spread in divers places of his Kingdom to hold the Feast at any of those designed times His Majesty hath pleased by a new Commission to me delivered to prorogue the last Prorogation unto the 17.18 19. of April next And thereby given Commandment to all the Knights and Companions and to the Officers of his Order that they should attend his Royal person upon those last appointed days Wherefore in discharge of the duty of my place I do signifie unto you his Majesties pleasure desiring that you will take knowledge herein of his Royal Order Your affectionate Friend to do you service Tho. Rowe Cranford 12. Dec. 1636. To the Reverend and my Worthy Friend Doctor Wrenn Dean of Windsor and Register of the most Honorable Order of the Garter One Duplicate of this was sent to Sir Iohn Boroughs Knight Garter another to Iames Maxwell Esq Black-Rod NUM CLXIV Letters of Dispensation for attending at the Grand Feast Ex Collect. A. V. W. By the Queen RIght trusty and right well-beloved Cousin and Counsellor We greet you well and forasmuch as you are as well Governor of our Town of Barwick as also Warden of our East Marshes for and anyenst Scotland and may not conveniently be spared from thence for certain Affairs there by you to be done whereby you cannot make your repair hither to celebrate with us the Feast of St. George and have thought good upon that respect to excuse your absence from the said Feast and do by these presents dispence with you for the same And therefore these our Letters shall be your sufficient discharge in that behalf Yeven under the Signet of our said Order at our Palace of Westminster the day of April in the seventh year of our Reign 1565. NUM CLXV Another Ex eod Collect. By the Queen RIght trusty and right well-beloved Cousin We greet you well and forasmuch as you are President of our Council established in the City of York and by reason of your charge and attendance there for our service you cannot conveniently be present with us to solemnize the Feast of our most Noble Order of the Garter the Even of Vigil of St. George next ensuing We let you understand that
Countries fell into the hands of the Turks the Knights of this Order were ill entreated and driven away and the Order it self almost abolished Nevertheless some shadow thereof does still continue for such as travel to visit the Holy Sepulchre at Ierusalem do now and then likewise pass to this Monastery at Mount Sinai where in imitation of the Padre Guardian of Ierusalem the principal of the Monks of this Convent makes them Knights of the Order of St. Katharine the Ceremony being performed upon her Sepulchre or Tomb and the same Questions and Formulary are here used as are accustomed at the Holy Sepulchre in Ierusalem These Knights do now wear upon the left side of their White Habit the Cross of Ierusalem and Instrument of St. Katharines Martyrdom which I have caused to be engraven after the form of that Badge bestowed upon Andr. Favin by Mesiere Claude Daubray a Knight both of the Holy Sepulchre and of St. Katharine but according to others the middle of the Wheel is pierced with a Sword The Order of Knights of St. Anthony in Aethiopia 12. Shortly after the death of St. Anthony the Hermite which fell out about the years of our Lord 357. or 358. many of his Disciples remaining in Thebais a Country bordering upon Aethiopia followed the Example Rule and manner of life which he had left them and both they and their Successors lived for some time in great austerity and solitariness in the Desart and therefore called Anchorites until they were at length reduced to a more convenient and rational life by submitting to the monastical Rule of St. Basil and cohabiting in Monasteries but still under the Title and Habit of St. Anthony It is said that about the year of our Lord 370. Iohn Emperor of Aethiopia commonly called Prester Iohn erected these Monks into a Religious Order of Knighthood under the Title and Protection of St. Anthony Patron of his Empire and bestowed upon them great Revenues and many Priviledges And being thus instituted Knights they received the aforesaid Rule of St. Basil and submitted to his Constitutions The Habit of the Order is Black and the Cross Blue much like the form of the Latine Letter T but not like either the Samaritan or Hebrew Letter Tau which some say is like a Cross for the fashion and shape of either hath no likeness or similitude to a Cross at all as hath been observed by the Learned Ioseph Scaliger The chief Seat of this Order is in the Isle of Meroe where the Abbots both spiritual and temporal have their residence but in other parts of Aethiopia they have a very great number of Convents and Monasteries and not less than two Millions of annual Revenue The eldest Sons of Noblemen and Gentlemen cannot be admitted into this Order but the second Sons may and if a man have three Sons he is bound to assign one of them to be of the Order from which Law none are exempt but Physicians The effect of the Vow and Profession which these Knights make is to observe conjugal chastity to dye in defence of the Christian Faith to guard the Confines of the Empire to yield obedience to their natural Laws and their Superiors and to go to War whensoever and wheresoever they are commanded Moreover they take an Oath before the spiritual Abbot not to fight in Wars between Christians nor to receive any holy Orders or to marry without express License first obtained There are in this Order two sorts of Knights the one employed in the Wars the other being old are exempted from Military services and retire themselves under the Title and Profession of Monks to the Abbies where first they took their Habit. Of these there can be no more but five and twenty in one Abbey albeit while they remain Military Knights they have no certain number out of whom the most ancient in the Habit is chosen Abbot by the voices of his Fellows and called the Spiritual Abbot The Novices are taken in about sixteen or seventeen years of age and imployed nine years in the Wars to wit three years in the Garrisons about the Red Sea against the Arabian Pirats other three years in the Isle of Meroe against the incursions of the Turks and the last three years upon the Borders of Borno a neighbour Kingdom of the Moors These nine years being compleated they obtain Letters from their last Captain testifying the fulfilling those years in the Wars with honor and worthiness wherewith the great Abbot being made acquainted he directs his Letters to the Abbot where they are to receive their Habit to give them admittance accordingly But in case the Certificate of life and services be not sufficient which seldom happens their admission is prolonged to a further time When they come to be admitted into their Abbey they are introduced in their military Habit of which being disrobed and the religious Habit put on to wit a Black Gown reaching down to the ground lined with Blue described to be a Garment made with many Plaits in the neck and large sleeves such as the Basilians wear having a Blue Cross fixed to the Breast and over that a Black Cowle they then are led to the Church and before the Altar make their Profession Philip the Seventh of that Name Son to the Founder very much encreased their Lands and Priviledges and gave command that the Badge of the Blue Cross should be bordered with Gold which is observed at this day Such as are inquisitive after a further Account of this Order in Aethiopia may receive it from the afore-cited Author Ios. Micheli Marquez who is very large and particular upon this Subject In Italy France and Spain there are a sort of Monks that from some have the Title of Knights of St. Anthony these were commanded to observe the Rule of St. Augustine by Pope Boniface the Eighth and appointed to wear a plain Blue Cross like that in Aethiopia the Principals of these according to Favin wear a double St. Anthonies Cross of Blue Satin the one above the other but the rest of them only a single Cross. Their chief Seat is at Vienna in Daulphine of which place the General of the Order beareth the Title of Abbot the Monastery there having been erected into an Abbey by the said Pope Boniface anno 1297. in honor of St. Anthony whose body is reported to have been translated thither from Constantinople and all other places built in honor of his name were made subject to this Abbot by Pope Clement the Seventh anno 1523. Aub. Miraeus takes notice of this Order calling it the Order of Hospitalars of St. Anthony and to have taken beginning in France in the year 1121. from one Gaston a Nobleman of Vienna But Baronius saith it was in the year 1095. that this Gaston with his Son Gerin taking eight
Clement the Eighth in the fifth year of the Reign of this King Iames as is manifest from several authentick testimonies collected and alledged by Alphonsus Remon in his History of this Order The end of its Institution and the Profession and Obligation of the Knights was in effect the same with that vowed by King Iames in his Captivity to wit to gather Alms and to go in person to redeem Christian Slaves who either by Piracy the chance of War or other sad accident had fallen into the hands of the Moors This work prospered so well that Pedro Nolasco being first sent into the Kingdom of Valentia to make redemption of Captives redeemed four hundred within the space of six years after the Foundation of the Order This Pedro Nolasco was by the Founder constituted the first General or Head of the Order but as concerning the person that gave the Habit to him there are these three opinions First That it was by the hands of King Iames the Founder Secondly That Rerengario Pallovasino Bishop of Barcelona gave it Thirdly That he received it from Raymond de Penafort all which our Author sets down but there determines nothing only seems inclinable to the first opinion as most rational because the King was Founder and was so called by the blessed Virgin in the Vision and for that the Order it self was at first composed meerly of Laymen and wholly military and so declared by the Popes Boniface the Eighth and Clement the Fifth Besides their Laws are in favour of those that are of this opinion and exclude out of this Act judicially Kingly all Ecclesiastical ones and by the same reason the Bishop for saith the Canon of their Law A Priest ought not to make Knights But afterwards in another place he absolutely concludes that the King himself gave the Habit to Nolasco from the evidence he exhibits out of a Letter which King Don Pedro the Fourth sent to Pope Innocent the Sixth Such a like Habit as was given to Nolasco was also prescribed to the first Knights viz. a Coat and Scapular of a common sort of coarse White Cloth Their Coat was garnished with Cordons and Ribbons wherewith they fastned it about their necks and from the upper end thereof issued a Cap that covered half their head The Monks wore their Coats and Scapulars reaching down to their feet but those of the Knights were much shorter and the form of their Coat or rather Mantle and Cap was the same as they now wear When the Government of the Order became both spiritual and temporal as well the Knights as Monks were commanded by order of Chapter to keep the manner and form of their Habit apart according to the intention of the first appointment In the time and upon request of Gulielmo de Bas the second General of this Order King Iames the Founder by his Diploma dated at Saragosa the 15. of Iuly anno 1251. granted unto him and all the Fraternity of the Order That they should wear upon their Scapulars an Escotcheon of Aragon viz. Or four Pales Gules and above that the White Cross of the Church of Barcelona in a Red Field which two Coats being joined together per Fess in one shield were so born for sometime but afterwards came to be encompassed with a Border The Knights wore their Escotcheon of Arms sixt on their Scapulars but the Monks on their Mantles and both before upon their Breasts The Founder by his Diploma dated at Valentia the 14. of March anno Dom. 1254. granted particular Priviledges to the Order which he confirmed by another royal Instrument dated at Lirida the third of March anno 1275. Besides these Royal Grants this Order received approbation from the Papal See namely from Pope Gregory the Ninth in the eighth year of his Papacy on the day of St. Anthony the Abbot who prescribed to the Master and Fraternity the Rule of St. Augustine It was afterwards confirmed by Alexander the Fourth as appears by a Bull of his wherein he granted them several Indulgences and dated at Naples the 10. of April in the first year of his Papacy These Knights professed conjugal Chastity and Obedience to their Superiors In time this Order also which was at first solely under the Government of Knights came to be as well Spiritual as Temporal and at length fell into the power of the Monks and Priests For the Knights and Priests falling at variance about the election of a General of their Order upon the death of Arnoldo Rosiniol their seventh General who died anno 1317. the Knights having chosen Berengario Hostales and the Priests Raimundo Alberto they appealed to the Pope Iohn the 22. then holding the Chair who it seems the 17. of November in the year aforesaid declared That the Order seeming inclinable to be governed after the manner of Monks he thought it convenient for them to have a Master General which should be a Priest and that for the future no Lay-man should be elected General and so determined the controversie on the behalf of the Priests This Judgment gave the Knights so great discontent that one of them being Kinsman to the Governor of the new erected Order of Montesa offered to bring over to that Society all the Knights of Merced being then threescore in number which being accepted of he did so and from henceforth they became incorporated with the Knights of Montesa So that ever since the whole Fraternity have been only Priests and no Lay or Military person among them and therefore Andr. Mendo reckons this Order among those that are extinct The Master General is also a Priest and hath his residence at Barcelona by the Decrees of Popes Clement the Fifth and Iohn the 22. Raymond de Penasort the Founder's Confessor called also Raymond of Barcelona because it was the place of his Birth who had a powerful hand in the Institution of this Order and devised the Statutes lived neer to the age of an hundred years he was canonized for a Saint and the 7. of Ianuary appointed for his Anniversary by the Bull of Pope Clement the Eighth On the 12. of Iuly anno 1664. the approbation of the Colledge passed for making the 29. of Ianuary the Anniversary of Petro Nolasco Confessor the other great assister and first General of the Order The Office appointed for that day may be seen in the Missale Romamum printed lately at Paris in the large Volume This way of Canonizing holy men by the Popes is said to have been first used by Leo the Third anno Dom. 803. who then solemnly Canonized Suibert Bishop of Werden To conclude the charitable and pious work for which this Order was erected hath been carried on from the time of its Institution and managed by the Fraternity thereof with all religious care and faithfulness very great sums of Money being
in so great renown that many worthy Knights came from all parts to his Court as to a Seminary of military Discipline to give evidence of their valour in the exercise of Arms. This gave him occasion to select out of these and his own Subjects a certain number some say 24. of the most valiant Knights whom himself being chief he united into a Fellowship or Order and to avoid controversie about priority of place when they met together at meat he caused a Round Table to be made whereat none could be thought to sit higher or lower than another and thence they were called Knights of the Round Table At the upper end of the great Hall in Winchester Castle I remember to have seen a large Round Table hang against the wall called King Arthurs Round Table and affirmed by the Inhabitants who had taken up the report upon vulgar Tradition to have been as ancient as that Kings time but it carried no very great show of antiquity to a judicious eye however it seemed to have been set up either in the room of one more ancient or else by some who were perswaded there was once such an Order of Knights which had been denominated thence This old Monument was broken to pieces being before half ruined through age by the Parliaments Soldiers in the beginning of the late unhappy War because looked upon as a relique of Superstition as were those little gilded Coffers with Inscriptions that did preserve the bones of some of the Saxon Kings and Bishops deposited by Bishop Fox in the top of the Walls on both sides the upper part of the Quire of the Cathedral Church of that City though guilty of nothing but the crime of reverend Antiquity Into this noble Society of Knights were admitted not only Britains but also Strangers of other Nations who out of a desire of glory came over hither to make proof of their sufficiency in the exercise of Arms with the British Knights and the general qualifications for Election were that they should be persons of Nobility and Dignity renowned for Virtue and Valour and admirably well skill'd in the knowledge and use of Arms. The place where the Founder first Instituted this Order saith Sir Iohn Froisard was at Windsor and those other of note where he and his Knights usually assembled were Carleon in Monmouthshire Winchester and Camelot in Somersetshire and the time of the year for their meeting was Whitsontide The Articles of their profession are set down by Sir William Segar which are in number twelve and if any be desirous to read the Names of the first twenty four Knights he shall not only have them from Monsieur Boisseau in his Promptuaire Armorial but of 129 more of this Order elected in seven following Chapters nay more then that the formal blazon of all their Arms but these particulars may be justly ranked with what is fabulous in King Arthurs story We read not of any Badge peculiarly assigned to these Knights though Ios. Micheli in allusion to their Title takes upon him to give the Figure of a Round Table furnished with Cloth Bread Salt Knives Bottle and Bowl but we have not authority enough to follow him However it gives us occasion here to acquaint our Reader that King Arthur himself is reported to bear a Shield called Pridwen whereon was painted the Image of the blessed Virgin his Sword and Launce also were not without their names for the one it seems was called Caliburn the other Irone or Rone It is not remembred by any that this Order survived its Founder but rather that it extinguished at his death for it is related that most of those Knights whom he had drawn from several Countries and advanced to a Companionship with himself bore him company in death and perished in that fatal Battel of Kamblan or Cambula now Camelsford in Cornwal where though he killed Mordred his Enemy upon the place yet being sorely wounded he survived him but a short time and dyed in the year of our Lord 542. It may add some reputation to King Arthurs Round Table if we here note that the like Round Table grew into great estimation and request shortly after the Norman Conquest and continued long with us being ordinarily set up at the grand martial Exercises called Hastiludes Tilts or Turneaments permitted by King Stephen and much encouraged by King Richard the First for the delight of men inclined to military actions and increase of their skill in the management of Arms and for the same end and purpose as King Arthur made use of it no less than in memorial and remembrance that he had erected an Order of Knighthood denominated therefrom those times being throughly perswaded of the truth of that story Besides it is recorded that Roger Mortimer Earl of March held the celebration of the Round Table consisting of an hundred Knights and as many Ladies with Tilting and Turneaments at Kenelworth Castle in Warwick-shire anno 7. E. 1. and that King Edward the Third having designed to restore the Honor of the Round Table held a Juste at Windsor in the 18. year of his Reign but there is an old Manuscript Chronicle that hath these words King Edward in his nineteenth year first began his Round Table and ordain'd the day annually to be kept there at Whitsontide and this meeting in truth occasioned the Foundation of the most noble Order of the Garter as shall be noted by and by But it was thought fit sometimes and upon divers accounts to forbid these kind of Assemblies upon very great penalties as in particular anno 16. H. 3. at Shrewsbury when the King went to meet Llewalyn Prince of Wales called in the Record Prince of Aberfraw and Snowden and afterwards at Walden in the 36. year of the said Kings Reign and at many other times The Order of the Oak in Navarre 2. The Kingdom of Navarre being opprest by the Moors the Inhabitants were forced to seek deliverance by Arms to which end though they had raised a great Army yet were they destitute of an experienced Commander at length Don Garcia Ximenes of the blood of the Gothes who had formerly retired from the world to a solitary and religious life was perswaded to relinquish the same and take upon him the Command of the Army As he was marching out of the City to encounter the Moors in the year of our Lord 722. there appeared to him from the top of an Oak the sign of the Holy Cross adored by an infinite number of Angels Proceeding on he gave battel to the Moors and having gained a remarkable Victory the people elected him their King and upon this occasion he became the first King of that Country Some few days after in thankfulness to God for this great Victory he instituted this Order investing therewith even all the Nobles of his Kingdom whom he
the Senate sees fitting and for asmuch as the Senate is a representation of the whole Common-wealth and that the Creations of these Knights are confirmed by publick Decrees it is taken that the Knights of their creating are of greater Dignity than those made by the Duke When the Creation is in a full Colledge whether it be by the Senate or the Duke only the Collar and Medal is bestowed at the publick Charge but when by the Duke privately then upon his particular expence These Knights wear the Honor among other Titles of Dignity as I have seen it inscribed about the Effigies of Sir Daniel Heinsius thus DANIEL HEINSIVS D. MARCI EQVES ILLVSTR. HOLLANDIAE ORDINVM HISTORICVS POLITICVS ET HISTORIARVM PROFESSOR BIBLIOTHECARIVS ACADEMIAE ET SECRETARIVS And among those other Titles given to that famous Mathematician and Astrologer Sir Andrew Argoll that of his Knighthood by this Title is also thus inserted ANDREAS ARGOLVS D. MARCI EQVES ET IN CELEBERRIMO LYCEO PATAVINO PROFESSOR MATHEMATICVS The Order of Seraphins in Sweden 20. In the year of our Lord 1334. Magnus the Fourth King of Sweden in imitation of other Christian Princes who had established Military Orders instituted this of the Seraphins or Seraphick Knights otherwise surnamed of Iesus in memory of the Siege laid to the Metropolitan City of Vpsala The Collar of this Order was composed of Seraphins and Patriarchal Crosses the former of Gold enamelled Red the later also of Gold but without any enamel At the end thereof hung the Image of Christ in an Oval Favin saith it was this Cipher IHS composed of three Letters and signifying the name of Iesus and in point four Nails But elsewhere 't is said to be the Figure of the blessed Virgin Mary and to make the thing yet more uncertain another tells us it was a Patriarchal Cross that hung thereat The Order of the Sword and Military Belt in Sweden 21. We find mention made of another Order of Knights in Sweden called of the Sword and Military Belt whose Collar consisted of Swords and Belts conjoyn'd the Symbols of Justice and Love the Swords somewhat bending towards the point and so joined point to point round into a Circle But by whom or when this Order was instituted we are not yet informed The Order of the Knot in Naples 22. When Lewis King of Hungary design'd a War against Ioane Queen of Naples he undertook an Expedition into Italy not so much to deprive her of her Kingdom as to revenge the death of his Brother Andrew whom as 't is reported Queen Ioane his Wife had commanded to be strangled After many troubles and three years of War they came to an accord the first of April anno 1351. and the 26. of May following with the consent of Pope Clement the Sixth the Queen and Lewis Prince of Tarentum were crowned King and Queen of that Realm and that same day in memory of such a happy Peace and to take away all suspitions and enmities the Prince instituted this Order of Knights into which entred threescore and ten of the illustrious Lords in blood of Naples and some other Strangers The Habit he appointed was White and for the Orders chief Ensign he gave a Knot the Embleme of Love and Friendship intermixt with Gold and as the like Institutions in that Kingdom commonly ended with the death of their Founders so this Order expired in a short time The Order of Knights of the Annunciade in Savoy 23. Ame the Sixth of that name Earl of Savoy surnamed Conte le Verde instituted this Order under the Title of the Collar in the year of our Lord 1362. in honor of the 15 Divine Mysteries of the Rosary Andrew Favin on a mistaken ground calls it the Order of the Snares of Love in regard as he alledgeth the Founder had received of his Lady the favour of a Bracelet made of the Tresses of her hair knit or plaited in Love-knots and that the four Letters afterward interlaced by the Founder within such like Love-knots should signifie Frappés Entrés Rompés Tout But Francis Capre Councellor and Secretary of State to the present Duke of Savoy who hath given an account of the Institution together with the several restaurations of this Order from the Records thereof preserved in the Charter-house in Pierre Chastle appointed at the time of the Foundation for the Seat of the Order confutes this error of Favin and with him several others who have unwarily swallowed down the same mistake Mennenius and Miraeus take not the least notice of its denomination from the Collar but call it the Order of the Annunciation in Savoy But it is cleer enough from the Founders last Will and Testament bearing date the 27. of February anno 1383. and from what Capre and Guichenon alledge as also from the Statutes of Ame the Eighth that at the time of the Foundation it was called the Order of the Collar under which name it continued till the time of Charles the Third surnamed le Bon Duke of Savoy when and not before it had bestowed on it the Title of the Annunciation from the Picture of the History of the blessed Virgin Mary by him first made appendant to the Collar in the year 1518. The Founder appointed the number of his Knights reckoning himself the Chief and Sovereign for one to be fifteen among whom we find Sir Richard Musard an English Gentleman recorded agreeable to the number of the before mentioned Divine Mysteries but in the additional Statutes made by Ame the Eighth first Duke of Savoy anno 1434. and by Duke Emanuel Philibert 1568. there is a permission given to augment their number by adding five to the former fifteen but the Soveraigns have not always been confin'd to this number Besides the Institution of this Order the Founder erected and founded the Chartreuse of Pierre Chastle in Bugey wherein were entertained 15 Priests and they obliged to celebrate every day 15 Masses to the honor of the 15 Joys of the blessed Virgin to the Souls health of him his Predecessors and all who had been were or should hereafter be Knights of this Order So that the resemblance of this Institution with the foundation of this religious house is some argument that the Order as well as the House were founded upon a religious and pious not amorous or wanton account At Pierre Chastle were the Ceremonies observed and the Chapters held by the Sovereign and Knights until the time that Charles Emanuel First of that name Duke of Savoy exchanged it and some other places for the Marquisate of Saluces upon the Treaty of Peace concluded at Lyons 17. Ian. 1607. and then the Anniversary of the Feast and celebrations of the Order being fixt to the Feast-day of the Annunciation of our Lady were translated from hence first to the Church of St. Dominick at
that Saint This King appointed a White Habit for the Knights and prescribed laudable Constitutions to the Order but because he setled no Revenue thereupon the splendor thereof ceased at his death nevertheless he obtained the end for which it was instituted Knights of St. Anthony in Hainolt 27. Albert of Bavaria Earl of Hainolt Holland and Zeland designing an Expedition against the Turks and Moors instituted this Order in the year of our Lord 1382. The Ensign thereof was a golden Collar wrought after the fashion of an Hermits Girdle at which hung a walking Staff and a little golden Bell. The Order of the Porcupine in France 28. Monsieur Lewis of France Duke of Orleans instituted this Order in the year 1393. to honor the Baptism of his eldest Son Charles by Valentina his Wife Daughter to Iohn Galeas Duke of Millan and made choice of the Porcupine for his Devise with this Epigraph Cominus Eminus not only out of the high hopes he conceived of this Child but also to intimate something of revenge against Iohn Duke of Burgundy his mortal Enemy no less than self-defence against all his designs and assaults of which this Animal is a proper Emblem Paradine Mennenius and Micheli make Charles the Son of this Monsieur Lewis the Founder anno Dom. 1430. in imitation or emulation of Philip Duke of Burgundy Founder of the Order of the Golden Fleece but Favin strengthens his foresaid relation from the authority of one Hennotin de Cleriaux an Herald who attended the forementioned Christning in his Heralds Coat and set down an account of the Institution by Monsieur Lewis together with the names of the Princes Lords and Gentlemen on whom he then bestowed his new erected Order their number being 25 including the Founder The Habit assigned to the Knights were Surcoats of Violet Velvet and over them Mantles of Watchet Velvet lined with Carnation Satin The Collar was formed of Gold Chains at the end whereof hung a Porcupine of Gold upon a little enamelled hillock of Grass and Flowers which Creature was also embroidered on the Knights Belts The Order of the Lilly in Aragon 29. According to Hieronymus Zurita this Order was instituted by Ferdinand King of Aragon called the Infant of Antiquera in the year of our Lord 1403. and dedicated to the honor of the blessed Virgin The Collar was composed of Bough-Pots fill'd with White Lillies interlaced with Gryphons and as Hieronymus Romanus reports was vulgarly called La Orden de la Terraca o de las Azucenas ò Iarra de S. Maria which is as much as to say The Order of Lillies or the Vessel of St. Mary Favin gives it under the Title of the Looking-glass of the blessed Virgin Mary in Castile instituted as he saith in honor and memory of a Victory which this King Ferdinand had obtained in that Kingdom against the Moors anno 1410. to wit seven years after the time assigned by Zurita for the foundation The Founder transplanted this Order with him into Aragon 1413. when he received the Crown of that Kingdom and where it continued under the Sons of this King but no longer The Order of the Dragon overthrown in Hungary 30. The Emperor Sigismond surnamed the Glorious for the many Battels he gained over the barbarous Nations in defence of the Christian Religion having greatly laboured the peace of the Churches of Hungary and Bohemia and by his Travels into England France and Spain to invite those Princes to join with him in that his Enterprise brought the same to pass by the Council of Constance out of extream joy at the accomplishment thereof instituted this Order in the year of our Lord 1418. for defence of the Christian Religion and to crush all Hereticks and Schismaticks that should arise which Order in short time became of high esteem not only throughout Hungary but Germany also The Knights wore daily for their Ensign of Honor a Green Cross story on solemn days a Scarlet Cloak and on the Mantlet of Green Silk a double Chain of Gold Micheli saith a Green Ribbon at the end of which hung a Dragon dead with broken Wings in the posture of being overcome the Symbol of Heresie vanquished and the whole enamelled with variety of Colours proper But this Order continued not long for it almost expired with the Founder Peter Beloy President of Tholouse affirms he had seen a Diploma dated anno 1413. purporting that Basilius Colalba Marquess of Ancona was admitted into this Order in these very words Te quem manu propria militiae cingulo societatis nostrae Draconicae ac Stolae seu amprisiae charissimi fratris nostri Regis Aragoniae insignivimus c. Equites Tufini in Bohemia 13. We find but a bare mention thereof made by Mennenius and that it was erected in the Kingdom of Bohemia or else both in Bohemia and Austria but he doth not in the least inform us either of the cause of its Institution the Badge of the Order or to what the Title refers The two first of these particulars Ios. Micheli supplies but as to the third we cannot give so perfect an account as we would yet we remember to have read somewhere that this Order had its name from Toca a Cap or Coif The Arch-Dukes of Austria saith he were Founders of this Order which they instituted to ingage their Subjects in the defence of the Christian Religion and expulsion of the Turks and those they called Hereticks out of their Dominions for having about 200 years maintained a War with vast and excessive charge by erecting this Order and bestowing upon the Knights thereof all that they gained in War towards their supportation they very much eaâ—â—d themselves in their Military Expences and indeed this proved so great an encouragement to them that in a few years performing service wheresoever their Chiefs commanded them to ingage they cleared their Provinces almost of both Turks and Schismaticks The Ensign of this Order was a plain Green Cross and the Habit of the Knights Red. This and the following Order saith the same Author were under the Rule of St. Basil and profest conjugal Chastity and Obedience but we see not from what ground he alledges this for if so then ought we to have placed it among the Religious rather than Military Orders these being absolute notes and marks thereof But inasmuch as we elsewhere find that Albert the Emperor adorned Moyses Didacus de Valera in Spain a Knight of known and approved courage with the Ensigns of his three Orders viz. of the Dragon as he was King of Hungary of the Tusin as King of Bohemia and with the Collar de la Disciplinas as Duke of Austria it is hence manifest they were all compleat Military Orders of which this Emperor was Soveraign or Chief for no man can be admitted into
of the Collar of the Garter and vulgarly called Collars of SS to note down a few things concerning them having first given a more exact account as to their antiquity than yet hath been made publick among us Georgius Wicelius informs us that he found a Book remaining in the Library at Fulda where in the life of the two Brothers Simplicius and Faustinus both Senators and suffered Martyrdom under Dioclesian is a description of the Society of Saint Simplicius consisting of persons noble in their own Families and so coming to describe the Collar used as the Note and Badge of their Society he says thus It was the custom of those persons to wear about their necks Silver Collars composed of double SS which noted the name of Saint Simplicius between these double SS the Collar contained 12 small plates of Silver in which were engraved the 12 Articles of the Crede together with a single Tresoyle The Image of Saint Simplicius hung at the Collar and from it 7 Plates representing the 7 gifts of the Holy Ghost As to the manner of their suffering it is thus set down in an old Legend They were commanded to undergo the sentence of death their Bodies to be bound together by the neck to a Stone and sent to the Bridge over the Tiber in Rome and thence thrown into the River All which was executed upon them the 287. year after the Incarnation of our Saviour And 't is probable that to these Collars the passage in Walsingbam cited by Mr. Selden to this purpose should refer where speaking of the Earl of Kent's coming to Sunning neer Reading in Berkshire where Richard the Second's Queen then lay to comfort her with the assurance that her Husband was then at liberty to the end he might gain credit to his relation forthwith pluckt off the Collars from some there present that wore them leting them know they ought not to wear a Badge so particularly relative to Henry the Fourth In the ancient creation of an Esquire in England part of the Ceremony was that the King put about his neck a Silver Collar of SS as an Ensign of that Dignity and our learned Selden contemns not the authority of that old Ballad The Canner of Camworth to prove the making of Esquires in King Edward the Fourth's Reign by bestowing such Collars But that the Golden Collar was the undoubted Badge of a Knight may be instanced in a multitude of Examples deduced from the Monuments of persons of that Degree in the Reigns of Henry the Sixth Edward the Fourth Henry the Seventh Henry the Eighth and since and so justly and legally appropriate thereto that in the Act of Parliament made for reformation of Apparel there is a Proviso entred That Knights notwithstanding might publickly wear a Gold Collar of SS though since it hath grown out of fashion Andrew Favin tells us that our King Henry the Fifth Instituted an Order surnamed Knights of the SS on the day of the Martyrs St. Crispine and Crispianus of which Institution though he found nothing mentioned in our English Histories yet out of the Chronicle of I. Iuvenal des Vrsins where it treats of the Battel of Agin-Court he collected this following relation The King of England exhorted his men and commanded that if any of them had trespassed against another they should be reconciled and confess to the Priests that were in their company otherwise no good could happen to them in their undertakings He further exhorted them to be civil in their march and to do their duty well and thus agreed with them That all those of their company who were not Gentlemen he would make them so and give them Warrants for it and have them thence forward enjoy such Priviledges as the Gentlemen of England had and to the end they should be particularly known from other he gave them leave to wear a Collar powdered with the letter S. Among the variety of Collars of SS now in use with us there are these following differences in Figure and Fashion The Lord Mayor of London's Collar is Gold having a knot like one of those which tye the Garters together in the great Collar of the Order inserted between two SS and they again placed between two Roses viz. a White Rose within a Red and in the middle before the Breast is a large Portcullis whereat hangs a most rich Jewel set with fair and large Diamonds The Collars of the Lords Chief Iustices of both the Benches and the Chief Baron of the Exchequer are in memory of the before mentioned Saint Simplicius a Senator and consequently a Gown-man formed of the Letter S and a Knot alternately having a Rose set in that part of it which falls out to be in the middle of their Breasts and another on their Backs the five Flowers of these Roses are made of five large Pearls Those Collars which appertain to the Kings and Heralds of Arms so likewise to the Serjeants at Arms having been bestowed by former Kings and renewed to them by his present Majesty to be worn upon all days of solemn attendance for his honor are also composed of SS linked together in the middle of the Breast is a Rose and another in the middle of the Back at each of which hang three small drops of Silver But the SS in the Collars worn by the Kings of Arms are made somewhat bigger than the others and in that part lying on either shoulder â— a Portcullis taken in between the SS which are wanting in the rest The general difference between the Collars appropriate to the Degrees before named is this All such persons as are honored with Knighthood have allowed them Collars of Silver gilt but to Esquires those of Silver only and therefore he that is created an Herald is also in part of that Ceremony made an Esquire by putting on a Collar of SS of Silver about his neck and so is a Serjeant at Arms. The Kings of England have sometimes heretofore drawn a Collar of SS about their Arms in like manner as we have shewed how the Garter doth surround them and we have seen impression of King Henry the Eight's Privy Signet whereon his Royal Arms crowned are incircled with a Collar of SS to the lower end of which is affixed two Portcullisses SECT IX The lesser George WE do not find among the Records of the Order that the Image of St. George was at any time worn by the Soveraign or Knights-Companions before the Breast or under the right Arm as now used until the 13. year of King Henry the Eighth But then that Soveraign past a Decree in Chapter held at Greenwich the morrow after St. George's day with consent of the Knights-Companions present to this effect That every Knight of the Order should wear loosely before his Breast the Image of St. George in a Gold Chain or otherwise in a Ribband the same to be thence forward placed within
fore-mentioned Embassy into Germany Sir Iames Palmer Knight one of the Gentlemen-Ushers of the Privy Chamber was deputed by the Soveraign to the execution of the Chancellorship during his absence having the Purse with the Seals delivered unto him by the Soveraign the 4. of May 14. Car. 1. He first entred upon this Employment at the Installation of the present Soveraign being sworn by the Register of the Order the 22. of the said Moneth durante deputatione beneplacito Regis which Clause was likewise added in the Deputy Chancellors Oath an 12. Car. 2. After Sir Rowe's return into England being sick and not able to officiate at the Feast of St. George held at Whitehall the first of March an 16. Car. 1. Sir Iames Palmer was again deputed Chancellor to supply his place in that particular Ceremony As also a third time when the Feast was kept at York the 18. of April an 18. Car. 1. and thence-forward he continued Deputy-Chancellor unto the death of Sir Thomas Rowe of which the Soveraign having notice given him at Oxford in November an 1644. was graciously pleased to reserve the gift of this Office till Sir Palmer's return to Court out of Wales where he was employed in his Service and then gave him permission to wear the Badge and Ribband about his neck till a Chapter of the Order should be called to compleat his admittance in token of his due acknowledgment for so high a favour he humbly upon his knees gave the Soveraign thanks and received the honor of kissing his hand In the vacancy of the Registership an 2. H. 8. Thomas Ruthall Bishop of Durham supplied it and an 18. 19. Eliz. Doctor Day Dean of Windesor executed the Office and attended at the Feasts of St. George as Deputy Register Doctor George Carew then Register having license by his Patent to exercise it by himself or Deputy with allowance of the Queen or Soveraign of the Order in case of sickness or other impediment â— After his death Dean Day was commanded still to execute the Office during its vacancy being 14 years which he did until advanced to the Bishoprick of Winchester an 38. Eliz. upon which Doctor Robert Bennet who succeeded him in his Deanry was the same year admitted Register Afterwards towards the later end of Doctor Beaumont's time he being much broken with age and sickness Doctor Iohn King the junior Canon supplied the place The Office of Garter hath likewise been supplied by Deputy for in those Embassies with the Ensigns or whole Habit of the Order to Forreign Princes where special occasions detained Garter at home some of the Kings or Heralds of Arms have been sent upon those Employments nevertheless upon Garter's recommendation of them to the Soveraign of which several instances shall be hereafter inserted So also in case of vacancy for we find that Clarenceux King of Arms executed this Office after Sir Dethick's death in Ianuary an 27. Eliz. being then sent in the Embassy with the Earl of Derby to carry the Habit of the Order to the French King Henry the Third As also in reference to the preparations made for his Installation the 15. of April following and service performed thereat and at the Feast of St. George ensuing And lastly the Constitutions of the Office of Black Rod admit of a Deputy to bear the Rod before the Soveraign which is to be understood where a lawful occasion hinders his personal service And Sir Peter Young chief Gentleman Usher executed this Office at the Feast of St. George held at Windesor an 6. Car. 1. Iames Maxwell Esq Black Rod being then in France upon the Soveraign's service He being also sent by the King into Scotland Peter Newton Esquire was appointed to wait in his place at the Feast held at Windesor the 8.9 and 10. of October anno 15. Car. 1. CHAP. IX THE Election of a Knight INTO THE Order SECT I. Of Summons to the Election THE Statutes of Institution Ordained That whensoever any of the Knights-Companions happened to depart this life the Soveraign or his Deputy after certain notice had thereof should forthwith by his Letters Summon all the Knights-Companions then within the Realm who were able to come to meet him within six weeks after such notice in what convenient place soever be pleased to assign for the Electing a new Companion into the Society Thus did the Law of this most Noble Order in case of Death and to avoid long Vacancies at first provide wherewith we observe the practice of elder times did punctually concur and among other Testimonies they are not the least which may be collected from the ancient Letters of Summons issued out upon this occasion For assoon as Garter in discharge of his Oath and pursuance of the duty of his place had made Certificate to the Soveraign of a Knight-Companion's decease or otherwise to the Register of the Order care was taken thereupon to fill up the vacant Stall within the time limited by this Article of the Statutes or shortly after in order whereunto Letters of Summons were sent to the Knights-Companions to appear at the Election which hath induced us to exhibit two of these ancient Letters in the Appendix The first contains several particulars no less pursuant to the Statutes than worthy observation and especially these 1. First the day whereon the defunct Knights-Companion died is therein set down and is a note useful in Story 2. Direction is given for celebrating Masses according to the tenor of the Statutes of which more shall be spoken in its due place 3. Intimation that a Stall is become void by the Knights decease 4. The Law of the Order vouched which appoints an Election of another Knight within six weeks after Certificate made of the death of the former to avoid as much as might be an interval in succession by a speedy filling up the number of Knight-Companions 5. The Soveraign's power asserted where he sees cause to prorogue the Election 6. An Injunction to attend personally at the Election under a penalty exprest in the Statutes of which more hereafter 7. The Day Place and Hour for appearance is with certainty appointed and set down to the end the Knights-Companions might so accommodate themselves as to be present at the time prefixed 8. The end of coming is mentioned with full disposition and preparation to perform what the Statutes in this case required 9. Lastly direction is there given to the Knight summoned that in case any accident obstructed his Journey or hinder'd him from coming to the Chapter he should certifie the reason of his default against the day and time of his appearance of the sufficiency whereof the Soveraign was to be sole Judge And generally of these heads and to this purpose were the Letters of Summons in succeeding times framed The before mentioned branch of the Statutes of
could not be celebrated in any part of the year following the aforesaid 29. of April because the Grand Feast it self was then already past In like manner King Henry the Seventh in the 20. year of his Reign went on St. George's day in solemn Procession and very great State to the forementioned Cathedral yet notwithstanding on the 4. of May following the Grand Feast was observed at Windesor by the Earl of Arundel deputed by the Soveraign and four other of the Knights-Companions appointed for his Assistants Again an 8. H. 8. the Soveraign being at Eltham on St. George's day it was in a Chapter there held Decreed That the accustomed celebration of the Feast of St. George should be observed at Windesor upon Sunday next after Trinity Sunday being the 25. of May ensuing and the Marquess Dorset was then also appointed Lieutenant to the Soveraign for holding thereof and the Earl of Essex in whose room the Lord Poynings was afterwards substituted with the Lords La Ware Mountegle and Lovell his Assistants And from this time it became annually customary especially all the subsequent years of King Henry the Eighth's Reign Queen Mary's and unto the 9. of Queen Elizabeth to keep the day of St. George wheresoever the Soveraign at that time abode which for the most part was at Greenewich or Whitehall on which day as also on the Eve and morning after the day the usual Solemnities were observed and a noble Feast provided as hath been said But as to the celebration of the Grand Festival it self that was in one of the Chapters held during the foresaid celebrations and most commonly on St. George's day adjourned unto some further time and then solemnized at Windesor by Prorogation not by the Soveraigns themselves but by their Lieutenants and their Assistants especially deputed and appointed for that purpose But to proceed with the causes of Prorogation which were either for some considerable reasons or upon emergent occasions An. 1. Mariae the Soveraign celebrating the day of St. George at her Mannor of St. Iames's Philip then Prince of Spain and Henry Earl of Sussex were on the morrow after elected into the Order whereupon it was also decreed That the inauguration of these two Knights-Elect should be prorogued until the Prince came over into England which hapning upon the 21. day of Iuly following the Grand Feast together with that of the Elect-Knights Installations were appointed to be celebrated together to which purpose a Letter was afterwards sent unto the Knights-Companions for their repair thither against the 5. of August then next following Again an 3. 4. Ph. Mar. at a Chapter held at Westminster upon the 22. of April the Feast of St. George together with the Installation of three Knights at that time Elected was appointed to be held at Windesor on the 9. day of May following and by a Chapter summoned at the same place the 3. of May before the appointed day for keeping the Feast the same was prorogued unto the 5. of December following because of the manifold and urgent affairs of the King and Queen But before that designed time another Chapter was held at Saint Iames's upon the last day of October in the 4. and 5. years of their Reigns wherein it was again prorogued unto the first Sunday after Twelfth-day viz. the 9. of Ianuary then following if by that time the King who it seems was gone out of Flanders should return into England but there appearing afterwards no hopes of his coming over against that prefixed time another Chapter was summoned and held at Greenewich the 5. of Ianuary wherein it was Decreed urgent Affairs requiring that the said Feast should be further prorogued unto the 20. of February next coming and then the Lieutenant and Assistants appointed to the first Prorogation should celebrate this solemn Feast at Windesor in manner as it was Decreed the 22. of April preceding Nevertheless the sixth day of February after in another Chapter the Soveraign and Knights-Companions Decreed to prorogue the last mentioned Prorogation unto St. George's day then next following Because both in respect of the meeting of the Parliament and other Affairs of great importance as also by reason of the War that was begun the said Feast could not conveniently be before observed In like manner an 2. Eliz. upon the 24. of April it was Decreed that on Sunday the 5. of May the Feast of St. George should be observed with the accustomed celebrations but that morning in a Chapter held at Whitehall for very high and important causes was it prorogued until Sunday the 12. day of May immediately following on which day it was solemnized at Windesor Again King Iames having designed his Journey into Scotland to begin the 20 of March an 14. regni sui he assembles a Chapter at Whitehall the second day of that Month and therein by reason that for the cause aforesaid Saint George's Feast for the year ensuing could not conveniently be kept on the accustomed day and place decreed to celebrate the same at Windesor the 13. day of September next following where it was accordingly observed So also for causes of another but sadder nature an 17. Iac. R. viz. Queen Anne's death and the Soveraign's dangerous sickness which had brought him also neer to the gates of death was the Grand Feast prorogued from St. George's day to the 26. of May in the same year and then celebrated at Greenewich And an 1. Car. 1. the Soveraign not thinking sit for several causes at that time to keep the Grand Feast prorogued it from the 22.23 and 24. days of April unto the 16.17 and 18. of August following thence again until the 4.5 and 6. of October and lastly to the 23. 24. and 25. of November in the same year and then observed it at Windesor Sometimes this Feast hath been put off out of a respect unto the day whereon it fell as an 22. Iac. R. St. George's day then hapning upon a Friday the Soveraign therefore prorogued it until the 26. 27. and 28. days of April at which time it was celebrated at Windesor And the authority unto which regard was had in this place was that Clause in the 8. Article of King Henry the Eighth's Statutes wherein the keeping of St. George's Feast was prohibited if it fell upon any Fish or Fasting days So also an 22. Car. 2. it falling upon a Saturday was prorogued to the 27. 28. and 29. days of April following And albeit in times past this Feast hath been for the most part upon Prorogations observed upon a Sunday yet of late in veneration to this day it hath been likewise prohibited as an 2. Car. 1. St. George's day falling upon a Sunday thereupon the Solemnity was put off until Wednesday
and sometimes Officers of Arms. And though at the Grand Feast held by Prorogation on Sunday the 14. of September in the said 15. year of King Iames it is noted that the Prince being then the Soveraign's Lieutenant proceeded to Morning Service on the Feast day with the Alms-Knights Heralds Prebends and Officers of the Order before him from which manner of expression it may perchance be supposed that the Heralds went at that time next after the Alms-Knights and before the Prehends nevertheless elsewhere we find them on the Eve of the foresaid Feast ranked in this following order The Alms-Knights The Prebends The Officers of Arms. The Knights of the Order c. And doubtless they proceeded in the same order to the Chappel on the next morning notwithstanding what is before said to the contrary those expressions being interwoven with the general account given of the Ceremonies of the whole Festival and more subject to mistake where the Relation of the Proceeding is carried on in a continued Discourse than where ranked as is before exhibited in particular lines and in the order and form of a Proceeding Besides we no where meet with any Order or Decree nulling the foresaid determination made an 1. Iac. R. which placeth the Prebends before the Heralds Finally to give an end to the disputes in this point we find that upon the Eve of the Feast held at Windesor the 23.24 and 25. of November an 1. Car. 1. the Prebends proceeded next before the Pursuivants and the Pursuivants immediately before the Heralds and Provincial Kings that is to say all the Officers of Arms except Garter whose place is elsewhere proceeded in one entire Body together which order we find to be the same in all Proceedings after that we have met with and was so observed at the Grand Feast held at Windesor an 13. Car. 2. and ever since But to proceed All the before mentioned Attendants wait in their several stations till the hour of Tierce when the Soveraign having the Knights-Companions and Officers of the Order before him and his Train carried up passeth towards the Presence Chambers notice of whose coming being given the Band of Pensioners make the accustomed Guard and Passage along the Presence-Chamber the seniors standing towards the Lobby door within which Guard on either side do the Officers of Arms place themselves Upon the same warning the Yeomen of the Guard clear a like passage from the Presence-Chamber door along the Guard-Chamber unto its outward door for the Proceeding to pass through At the Soveraign's approach one of the Gentlemen-Vshers attending with the Sword of State the point resting upon the ground delivereth it to such one of the Nobility not being a Knight of the Order whom the Soveraign as an honorary favour hath before nominated to bear it from thence before him in all the Proceedings of the Feast during which action the Knights-Companions proceed forward and being entred the Presence-Chamber flank on each side the State with some small distance between them and there make a stand The Soveraign being also entred passeth to the step before the State the Nobleman who beareth the Sword and the five Officers of the Order retiring a little on his right hand and then turning himself towards the Knights-Companions standeth there a while until they have made their Reverences unto him which being performed he re-saluteth the Knights-Companions by putting off his Cap. This done the Soveraign putteth his Cap on again whereupon every of the Knights-Companions put on theirs and immediately rank themselves according to their due place on both sides the State For the right understanding whereof we are in the fifth place to note that the order and method wherein the Knights-Companions are ranked if they be all present is two and two together the junior formost on the left hand for that is his place in all Proceedings But where any of them be absent the Rule is different from that appropriate to the before mentioned Degrees for although it be recorded that upon the Eve of the Grand Feast held at Windesor an 7. H. 5. The Knights-Companions went together in order into the Chapter-house and Choire Yet this being exprest but in general terms how it ought to be understood will more fully appear from the particular directions given for the order of the Knights-Companions proceedings in King Henry the Eighth's Statutes where the Law directs each Knight-Companion to proceed alone at such time as his Fellow who possesseth the Stall opposite unto him is absent but the order of such Proceeding will by a Scheme be made more evident The Proceeding of the Knights-Companions present on the Eve of St. George to the Closet at Whitehall an 3. Eliz. The Lord Hunsdon The Lord Robert Dudley The Lord Loughborow Void The Viscount Mountague The Earl of Shrewsbury The Earl of Sussex Void The Marquess of Northampton The Lord Clynton Void The Lord Howard of Effingham The Earl of Westmerland Void The Duke of Norfolk The Earl of Penbroke In this Proceeding there are four Knights-Companions who proceeded alone first the Lord Hunsdon then being the junior Knight because the Lord Grey his Fellow on the right hand was in this Proceeding absent and consequently his Stall became Void Secondly the Earl of Westmerland in regard the Earl of Rutland his left hand Companion was then also warting Thirdly the Marquess of Northampton whose right hand Fellow the Lord Pagit was likewise absent and lastly the Earl of Penbroke because the Stall opposite unto him was then void by the death of the Earl of Huntington And to avoid all questions and disputes touching precedency of the Knights-Companions among themselves at Feast Installations Chapters or other occasional meetings relating to the Affairs of the Order and to setle an indisputable rule for them to observe it was in the 16. year of the said King Henry the Eighth Decreed in affirmation and explanation of the foresaid Article of the Statutes that Each Knight-Companion should take place in Procession Station or sitting at the Table thenceforward as he had his Seat or Stall in the Choire and not according to the degree of his birth or condition unless the Soveraign were pleased that any should be made choice of according to the Nobility of his Family to sit at the end of his own Table and perform any other thing by the by And this is the Law which setled the precedency among the Knights-Companions Sixthly the manner of Proceeding among the Officers of the Order differeth from all before spoken of for being five in number the three inferiour Officers when they are all present march in breast and of later times in this following order The Register in the middle Garter on his right hand and the Vsher of the Black-Rod on his left But we find the form and course of Proceeding among these three Officers hath anciently been observed otherwise and therein we
living as the dead For the Living that in Peace and War they might manage all their Affairs with piety prudence and good success For the Dead that having obtained remission they might reign together in eternal bliss And not knowing what dangers might surround them the living thought themselves obliged the more servently to assist them with their Prayers supposing it uncertain whether they were in glory or torment That by pious Prayers they might endeavour to turn Gods vengeance due for the many sins committed in this life into clemency inasmuch as continual supplication was indeed very prevalent and might reach the ears of the Almighty That this kind of commemoration moved the greatest Princes to be so expensive in sumptuous Structures for the assembling such as should continually pray therein as also inferiour persons according to their abilities to promote their own and others salvation And that the Princes reflecting on the uncertainty of their own lives and considering that many were in their Services cut off amidst the hazards of War and how doubtful such a departure was endeavoured to assist them in the next World since they could no longer do it in this which if by any thing was to be performed by Prayer Out of these perswasions that this was availaable they had their recourse thereto and so began to institute persons and places for the making of Prayers to that end With what hath been delivered concerning the motive of this Office for the dead it may be also observed that the Founder of the Order admitted into its Institution the commemoration of the departed Souls of the Knights-Companions and thereupon it came to be ordained That assoon as the Soveraign should have true and certain intelligence brought him of the Death of any of the Knights-Companions he should cause to be celebrated for the Soul of a Defunct Knight a thousand Masses And that all the rest of the Knights-Companions might upon like notice contribute to the relief of the Soul of their deceased Fellow and Companion the Proportions were in like manner stated in the same Article of the Statutes thus A Stranger King 800. Masses The Prince 700. Masses Every Duke 600. Masses Each Earl 300. Masses Every Baron 200. Masses And a Knight Batchellour 100. Masses Afterwards when the Titles of Marquess and Viscount were introduced among us the proportion of Masses imposed upon the former was 450. as being a Degree of Dignity between those of a Duke and an Earl on the latter 250. And the numbers of all these Masses were rated proportionable to the Fees enjoined to be paid for setting up the Knights-Companions Atchievements over their Stalls Now to prevent the neglect in performance of this duty incumbent upon the Soveraign and surviving Knights-Companions by this Article of the Statutes it was thought fit to set down for penalty a compleat doubling of the number of those Masses to which at first they were enjoined according to their qualities and Degrees if they were not celebrated within three Months after notice given of the deceased Knights Death as aforesaid And if the neglect extended to half a year together they were obliged to quadruple their number and so from time to time until the years end But if after all this they should not within the whole year perform what they were so enjoined the Statute further bound them to double the Masses from year to year after the foresaid manner But to provide against any omission of the Soveraigns part it was added to the Registers Duty an 31 H. 8. to put the Soveraign in mind of giving Order herein if at any time it should happen to be forgotten by him to the end he might forthwith take care to have the Masses celebrated according to the said Injunction And because it was at length thought convenient to withdraw this burthen from Stranger Kings and Princes that branch of the Statute relating to them was made null and in a Chapter held at Windesor the 8. of May an 13 H. 6. the same was by the Soveraign placed upon himself and his Successours Soveraigns of this most Noble Order But because all the surviving Knights-Companions might the better perform this Injunction and cause the full number of Masses to be celebrated care was taken by the Soveraign to send Letters to every one of them at first as well to Knights-Strangers as Subjects immediately after the decease of any Knight to signify the time of his Death and put them in mind of the Injunction which the Statutes laid upon them Of which Letters some Precedents may be seen in the Appendix The difference between those Letters sent to the Knights-Companions beyond Sea and these at home was only this that in these directed to the latter in regard of their nearness to the Court and consequently in greater readiness to appear at an Election The Letters contained a summons also to come to the Election of a new Knight on such a day as the Soveraign had therein appointed And it seems it was the custom for those Religious Houses whether the Soveraign sent directions to celebrate either part or all the Masses due to each deceased Knight to make a formal return in writing under their Common Seal of what they had done therein which Certificates were also by the Register reported in Chapter to the Soveraign or his Lieutenant For an 18 H. 8. we find him acquaint the Soveraigns Lieutenant with several such Certificates signifying the Celebration of 1000. Masses upon the Soveraigns account for each of these Knights defunct namely the Earls of Arundel Shrewsbury Essex and Rutland the Viscount Fitz-walter and Lord Abergaveny and at other times siting the Chapter there wâ—re brought in such like authentick Letters certifying the celebration of the Masses for the Souls of other defunct Knights This course of celebrating these Masses for defunct Knights was constantly observed and so continued until the 32 d. year of King Henry the Eighth at which time upon a motion made concerning those suffrages for the Dead in a Chapter held in his Palace at Westminster on the 24 th of May in the aforesaid year this Decree passed That every one of the Knights-Companions in lieu of the said Masses should for the future after the Death of any of their Brethren according to the rates of their Degrees hereafter mentioned and immediately upon demand made for the same by the Register and Dean of Windesor or one of them pay the several sums of money here specified  l. s. d. The Soveraign 08 06 08. A Stranger King 06 08 04. The Prince 05 16 08. A Duke 05 00 00. A Marquess 03 16 00. An Earl 02 10 00. A Viscount 01 01 08. A Baron 01 13 04. A Batchellor Knight 00 16 08. The monies collected upon this Account called Obit monies were by the aforesaid Decree appointed to be distributed and imployed in Alms Deeds
of which sort as they are there mentioned are the reparation of High-ways the relief of the Poor and other things of like nature as the Soveraign should from time to time limit and appoint And of the receipt of these sums and their disbursements it was also decreed That the Dean and Register or either of them should yearly in Chapter present his Account to the Soveraign under the penalty of Ten pounds to be imployed for such like use for every such default And that Knight-Companion whose portion did appear to be then unpaid should by way of penalty or fine add unto his former duty another third part of the same and so for every year that he should be behind to pay a third part more than he was at first enjoyned to pay according to the rate before set down This charitable distribution in a Chapter held at Greenwich the 24. of April an 5. E. 6. was enlarged to the relief and succour of the Poor where most need was in the Town of Windesor and other Towns Villages and Places at and by the discretion of the Dean of Windesor he advising with some honest men who could best give an account of such as were truly poor and indigent To the bringing in of these Collections the Soveraigns have sometimes vouchsafed to cast their eyes and an 1. 2. Ph. Mar. by an Order in Chapter a Scedule was appointed to be made of all the monies due and in arrear upon the decease of Knights-Companions to the end they might be imployed to publick and pious uses But though the foresaid Decree was confirmed by King Edward the Sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth yet for many years had the Collection of these Obit monies been neglected even till the 9. of King Charles the First and then the noble Earl of Portland inflamed with zeal for the restoring of so pious a work did in full Chapter held at Windesor on the 5. of Nov. in the aforesaid year put the Soveraign in mind of the Decrees anciently made in this case Whereupon it was ordained by the Soveraign with the consent of all the Knights-Companions present That the said Constitution so honorable and charitable in it self and to which they were all sworn at their entrance into the Order should be revived and put in practice and for ever hereafter observed under the penalty contained in the Statutes both towards the Knights that were to pay the same and towards the Dean of Windesor who was to collect it And further That the same should begin for the five Knights whose Atchievements were at that Feast offered that is to say for the King of Sweden the Prince Elector Palatine the Earls of Northumberland Banbury and Rutland And concerning Stranger Princes it pleased the Soveraign to express himself That as by the Statutes they are left to perform these payments by themselves if they would so if the same were not done by them that them and thenceforwards the same should be paid by the Soveraign himself The Soveraign whose total for these five deceased Knights amounted to 129 l. 3 s. 4 d. caused the same to be paid to Doctor Christopher Wren the then Register of the Order so did the Earls of Arundel and Surry Salisbury Dorset Holland Berks Portland and Lindsey the Total of each of theirs amounting to 12 l. 10. s. But from the rest as the said Register himself complained in his Letters to Sir Tho. Rowe the then Chancellor of the Order all his endeavours could not obtain their proportions Afterwards all the Sums of money to be collected by vertue of this Decree together with the Knights-Companions duties at their first entrance into this Order were imployed towards the providing Plate for the Altar within St. George's Chappel in Windesor Castle of which we have already treated SECT II. Of fixing on the Stalls Plates of their Arms and Stiles THE next thing provided for by the Statutes of Institution was the deceased Knights Honor in commemoration whereof among other things conducing thereunto it was ordained That when any one of the first Founders should dye there should be made in metal a Scutcheon of his Arms with his Helm or Crest and fastned at the back of his Stall for a mark of Honor to him that bore them And in like manner that their Successors should have a like Scutcheon fixed on the backs of their Stalls and to difference them from those of the first Founders they were appointed to be made in bigness less than theirs and to be placed somewhat underneath them But this Article relates only to the Knights-Companions not to the Soveraigns of this most Noble Order nor do we find that any of them had Plates of their Arms and Stiles set upon the back of their Stalls in manner as is before prescribed to the rest of the Knights-Companions King Henry the Eighth in his Body of Statutes alters this Article in three particulars first as to the time of setting up their Plates he appoints it to be not after their death but within a year after the Installation of every Knight-Companion Secondly as to the nature of the Metal that it may be such as the Knight shall please himself And lastly as to the size though he also restrains the Knights Subjects to a lesser than those of the first Founders yet gives he liberty to Knights Strangers to use their Plates and fashions at pleasure As to the first of these we find not but that it hath been duly observed But the last the size of the Plates as will appear upon sight hath been little regarded For the very Plates of those Knights who were installed soon after the confirmation of these Statutes and thence downwards are bigger than those of the first Founders As to the other relating to the Metal they are off it is to be acknowledged that the succeeding Knights-Companions did prudently follow the example of their Predecessors who appointed their Plates to be of Copper and thereby unexpectedly defeated the design of Avarice and Rapine Of which we have an instance in the Duke of Wirtemberg's Plate for that being of Silver and large withal gave so great a temptation that in the late Wars it was forced from the back of the Stall whereto it was fixed with some difficulty sure since they could not get it thence without carrying away some part of the Wainscot along with it But if the Metal of these Plates were of small value the workmanship about them was extraordinary especially of late the Plate it self being gilt over and the colours of the Armory and Supporters richly enamelled all which though it added much lustre to the Shield yet did it nothing contribute to the advantage of the Thief In tract of time many of these noble and remarkable Memorials were by sacrilegious hands torn off and imbezelled which the late Soveraign of
for his own and the Princes expeditions During the Minority of this King there were several Matches proposed for him though none took but the last and first his Father designed to marry him to the Lady Margaret Daughter of William Earl of Hanow Holland Zeland and Lord of Frisia who being in the third degree of Consanguinity a Letter was dispatched to the Pope dated the 10. of December in the 12. year of his Fathers Reign for obtaining his Dispensation because of their nearness of blood Secondly with the Lady Sibilla Daughter to Robert Earl of Hanow and Zeland Lord of Frisia as appears from a like Letter to the Pope dated the 2. of November in the following year Thirdly with the Daughter of Iames King of Arragon for which affair were commissionated Alexander Archbishop of Dublin Edmund Earl of Kent King Edward the Second's Brother and William de Weston Canon of Lincoln Doctor of Laws the Commission bore Teste the 30. of March an 17. E. 2. It appears by the Kings Letters of the 16. of February following that her name was Iolant and King Iames her Father stiled Rex Aragoniae Valenciae Corsâ—ae Comes Barch Sanctae Rom. Ecclesiae Vexillarius Admirallus Capitaneus Generalis to whom the King then also sent Sir Edmund Bacon Sir Robert Thorpe Mr. Iohn Heldesley Canon of Chester to proceed further in this matter Fourthly with the Lady Alonar Sister to Alphonsus King of Spain to which purpose Iohn Stoner William de Berne Lord of Lescune William de Weston Canon of Lincolne and Peter de Galicano Canon of Roan were impowered by a Commission dated the 6. of April an 18. E. 2. as also to treat and conclude a marriage between the said King Alphonsus and Elianor King Edward's Sister Besides these the King of Portugal sent Ambassadors over hither to propose a marriage between this Prince and his Daughter to whom the King by Letter dated the 15. of April an 19. E. 2. directed thus Magnifico Principi Domino Alfonso Dei gratiâ Portugaliae Algarbiae Regi illustri amico suo charissimo acquainting him with the Treaty of marriage begun between his Son and the King of Spain's Sister and that because of neerness of blood he had dispatcht a Letter to the Pope for his Dispensation that he had received no account as then of the issue of that Affair that his Son was gone into France to do Homage for the Dukedom of Aquitaine during all which it was not fit for him to begin any new Treaty but if that succeeded not he would then confer with his Ambassador in this particular But last of all in the following year the Queen and Duke having left France went to the Earl of Henault's Court where a Contract past between him and one of the Earls Daughters and not long after his Coronation the marriage was consummate in reference to which R. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield was constituted the King's Ambassador to contract either espousals or marriage in the King's Name with Philippa that Earls Daughter who forthwith took his Journey to Valenciens and the Popes Dispensation being gained she was there married to King Edward by Proxie By this Lady he was Father to 7 Sons all except two that dyed young men of great renown in that Age namely Edward Prince of Wales and Guyenne signally famous all over Europe and commonly called the Black Prince William of Hatfield Lyonell of Antwerp Duke of Clarence and Earl of Vlster Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and Aquitaine King of Castile and Leon Edmund of Langley Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York William of Windesor and Thomas of Woodstock Earl of Buckingham and Duke of Gloucester His Daughters were five Isabell Wife to Ingelram de Coucy Earl of Bedford Ioan married by Proxie to Peter eldest Son to Alphonsus King of Castile and Leon but died in her journey thither Blanch died young Mary Wife to Iohn Montford Duke of Britagne and Margaret Wife to Iohn de Hastings Earl of Penbroke Besides these he had a natural Son named Nicholas who was Abbot of Westminster and lies buried in Westminster before the Altar of St. Blase His Queen fell sick at Windesor Castle and there dyed before him viz. on the day of the Assumption of our blessed Lady an 43. E. 3. whose Exequies and Interment he caused to be solemnized with great magnificence He himself dyed the 21. of June at his Mannor of Shene in Surrey after he had reigned 50 years 4 Months and 28 days and lies interred on the South side of St. Edward's Chappel in Westminster Abbey under a stately Monument having thereon his Portraicture at full length SECT III. Some account of the first 25 Knights-Companions 1. Edward Prince of Wales THis Noble and Valiant Prince was born at Woodstock the 15. of Iune An. Dom. 1330. at ten a Clock in the Morning in the Scheme of whose Nativity found among the Collections of that famous Mathematician Mr. Thomas Allen of Gloucester-Hall in Oxford the 9. degree of Virgo ascends the 3. of Gemini culminates and the Planets are thus posited gr ♄ in 16 ♌ ♃ in 12 ♠♂ in 11 ♉ ☉ in 1 ♋ ♀ in 19 ♊ ☿ in 18 ♊ ♃ in 10 ♊ â— in 22 ♋ â— in 22 ♑ â™ in 19 ♌ So welcome to his Father was the News of his Birth that he granted to Tho. Priour who brought it 40 Marks per annum out of his Exchequer for life until he should setle on him Lands to that annual value Afterwards he gave to Ioane de Oxenford this Prince's Nurse 10 l. per annum out of his Exchequer during her life until he or his Heirs should setle that yearly value in Lands or Rents upon her And the next day a yearly Pension of 10 Marks out of his Exchequer also for life on Matilda Plumpton Bersatrix or Rocker to this young Prince till Lands of that value were in like manner provided for her Before he was three years old the King intended to make some considerable provision for him though he had before made him an annual allowance for the expences of his House and several Gifts did by his Charter dated 18. May in the 7. year of his Reign grant to him by the Title of Edward his most dear and eldest Son the County of Chester the Castles of Chester Beston Rothelan and Flynt and all his Lands there as also the Cantred and Land of Englefield with their appurtenances to him and his Heirs Kings of England together with all Knights Fees Advowsons Liberties Royalties and all other things belonging to the said Country Castles Lands and Cantreds aswell in England as in Wales and the Marches thereof as fully and under the same conditions as himself received them before he was King And thence forward he had the Title of Earl of Chester added to his
to Richard Earl of Arundel Admiral of the West-parts to arrest 13. stout Ships each of 80. Tun Burthen at least to bring them to Bristol before the Octaves of Easter for the passage of this Lord his men at Arms and Archers into that Country After a years enjoyment of this great Office he became desirous to resign it and to that purpose made an address to the King who sent directions to the Earl of Derby to confer with him about his continuance in it to which if he could not be perswaded to consent then he gave the Earl power to take his resignation and substitute some other fit person in his room to hold it during the Kings pleasure This Spring Iohn de Valois Duke of Normandy laid Siege to Aiguillon of which Town this Lord was Governor and then within it and though the Earl of Derby relieved him yet had the Duke so strongly intrenched himself that he could not raise the Siege so that it was continued by the Duke to the Decollation of St. Iohn Baptist in August at which time being called away to assist King Philip his Father against King Edward who had entred France with a puissant Army he raised his Siege Upon which the Lord Stafford sallying out of the Town fell upon his Rear cut off a great part of it and having joined his to the Kings Forces he had given him a Command in the Van of the Army under the Prince at the Battel of Cressy And after the Victory was sent with Sir Reignold Cobham and 3. Heralds to view the slain who made report of 11. great Princes 80. Bannerets 1200. Knights and above 30000. Common Souldiers When Calais was surrender'd he was one of those appointed to take possession of it for the King and had many fair Houses given him in that Town to place Inhabitants in Shortly after the rendition the Cardinals of Naples and Cleremont mediated a Peace between both Kings whereupon this Lord with Reignold de Cobham Io. Darcy and Robert de Bourghcher were nominated by the King to treat of a Peace or Truce between them their Subjects Allies and Adherents And for his good Services done to the King in France He gave him a Pension of 600. Marks for life out of the Customs of London and St. Butolphs The King also bestowed on him as a gift 573 l. towards his expences in his service beyond Sea He was with the King in the Encounter with Sir Geoffry Charney at Calais And went into Goscoigne with the Earl of Lancaster and other Lords to stop the Progress of the Duke of Normandy made there with his Army And growing more and more in the Kings favour by his meritorious Services he advanced him to the Dignity of an Earl and for the better support of that Honor and towards the defraying of his charge in attending the King with certain men at Arms both in Peace and War he granted him a Pension of 1000. Marks per Annum during life out of his Customs in London till he could settle on him the said annual sum in Lands or Rents The next day he was constituted the Kings Lieutenant and Captain in the Dukedom of Aquitaine and parts adjacent and the 3 d. of April following the King gave him power to appoint a Seneschal of Gascoigne and a Constable of Bordeaux and these to be such persons as he should think fit to enjoy those Offices during the Kings pleasure The next year the King empower'd him by a Commission to treat and agree with all persons of what Kingdom Nation or Degree soever upon a firm friendship and mutual assistance between the King and them and to retain them against all men to agree with them upon Fees Wages and rewards to receive security from them and give the like to them and what he did herein the King obliged himself and his Heirs to observe and perform Being ready to take another Journey into Gascoigne a Writ issued to Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick Admiral towards the West to arrest all Ships of 50. Tuns and upwards for this Earls passage thither and to bring them to Sandwich by Quindena Trinitatis following and upon his Entry into that Country he defeated the French that sallied out of the Fortress of Gagent and among them was taken seven Knights of the Star An. 29. E. 3. he went over with the King to Calais at the latter end of Summer and marched along with him in pursuit of King Iohn as far as Heyden And an 33. E. 3. he attended him in his Voyage into France which terminated with the Peace agreed on at Bretigny near Chartres Two years after he was designed for Ireland in the Company of several other persons of Quality upon the Kings Service But after this Voyage being much broken with Age and wasted with Sickness he became uncapable of publick Employments This Noble Lord Married Margaret Daughter and Heir of Hugh de Audeley Earl of Gloucester and Margaret his Wife who died the 7. of September an 21. E. 3. and by whom he had Issue Ralph his eldest Son who married Maud Daughter of Henry de Lancaster Earl of Derby but died about 21. E. 3. Hugh who succeeded him in his Earldom and Sir Richard Stafford Knight Beatrix the Wife of Maurice fitz Maurice Earl of Desmond Ioan of Iohn Charleton Lord Powes and Margaret of Iohn Stafford Patron of the Church of Bromhall in Staffordshire He died the last of August an 46. E. 3. and lies buried at Turnbridge in Kent 7. William Montacute Earl of Salisbury THis Earl was Son unto William Montacute first Earl of Salisbury of that Family and Katherine one of the Coheirs of William Lord Grantson He was born the Morrow after Midsummer day an 2. E. 3. for at the Death of his Father found to be the 30. of Ianuary an 18. E. 3. he was 15. years old the Midsummer before The 24. of May an 20. E. 3. the Wardship of his body was committed to Iohn de Somerton and Thomas Waryn until Christmass following and then renued till Whitsontide and thence till Michaelmas ensuing and being within Age he attended the King in that memorable expedition into France an 20. E. 3. So also did his younger Brother Iohn He was in the Sea Fight against the Spaniards near Winchelsey an 24. E. 3. and going into Gascoigne in the retinue of the Prince of Wales an 29. E. 3. he obtained Letters directed to the Seneschal there with Command that he should not be sued or molested for any of his own or Ancestors debts during the space of two years An. 33. E. 3. he attended the King in his Royal expedition into France and from that time to the 43. of Edward the Third we find little mention of his Martial employments
Chancellor Treasurer the Earls of Arundel and Huntingdon Sir Bartholomew Burghersh Mr. Nicholas Northburgh Clark of the Privy Seal William Basset and other the Kings Justices and being not able to deny the premises he put himself upon the Kings favour and was thereupon committed to the Custody of Iohn de Long Marshal of the Kings Bench. We have met with little else concerning this Knight save that he went over into Bretagne with his said Brother Thomas an 29. E. 3. and had been Governor of Gernsey Iarsey Sark and Aurney We also find that a Fine was acknowledged at Westminster on the morrow after the Purification of our Lady an 33. E. 3. between him and the said Otho Querent and Robert de Holland the elder Knight and Robert de Holland the younger Deforcients of the Mannor of Yokeshale and the Advowson of the Church there to the use of the said Otho for life and after his death to return to the said Sir Robert the elder and Robert the younger and the Heirs of the said Sir Robert But he lived not to enjoy the benefit of it long for he dyed in Normandy the 3. day of September following being seized also for life of the Mannors of Kersey in Suffolk Taleworth in Surrey and Chesterfield in Derbyshire and these of the gift of his Brother Thomas and the Lady Ioane his Wife as also of the Mannor of Dalbery in the said County of Derby for life by the Grant of Robert de Holland 24. Sir Henry Eam ALL we have met with relating to this noble Knight is only what the following Instrument made to him by the Prince of Wales of an Annuity of 100 marks and confirmed by the King doth inform us of whereby it appears that he was a Native of Brabant and received the Honor of Knighthood from the said Prince's hands Rex omnibus ad quos c. Salutem Inspeximus Literas Patentes dilecti fidelis nostri Edwardi Principis Walliae Ducis Cornubiae Comitis Cestriae filii nostri Charissimi in haec verba Edward eisné filz au Noble Roy d' Engleterre de France Prince de Gales Duc de Cornwaill Counte de Cestre A tous ceux qui cestes Lettres verront on orront Saluz Sachez que come nostre trescher bien ame Monsit Henri Eam au temps qil avoit pris de noz meins l' Ordre de Chivaler se ofâ—rist premist de sa fraunche volunté destre entendant à noz services à terme de sa vie qeu temps qe noâ—s luy ferrions sufficialment garnir d'aler ovesqe nous queu part que nous vourrions auessi bien pur la pees come pur la guerre destre armes od nous à noz volontez countre toute gent forpris le Ducs de Brabant son Seigneur lige en la defense de ses terres propres Nous acceptantz celles offre premesse voillantz pour son dit service avoir qil soit le plus tennz à nous servir devant nul antre tiel regard faire à luy dont il se purra le mieltz contenir à l'avenance de son estat lui avons doné un annuele rent de Cent marez à terme de sa vie à receiure de nostre Manoir de Bradenash en Counte de Deveneshire chesâ—un an à les termes de Pasques de Seint Michel per oueles porcions per les meyns des gardeins de mesmes le Manoir qi pur les temps serront les offre premesse dussusditz en toutz pointz tenuz gardez volons que à qule heure à quant des foitz son dit paiement soit aderrier en partie ou en tout à nul terme assigné il lise au dit Monsir Henri destreindre en le dit Manoir les destresses tenir tanqil soit pleinement paiez de quanqe lui serra à derriere come dessus est dit En Tesmoignance de quel chose nous avons fait faire cestes noz Lettres overtez Donné souz nostre Seal à Westm. le xviij jour de Jeneuer l'an du Regne nostre trescher Seigneur Piere le Roy d' Engleterre vintisme primer de France octisme Nos autem concessionem praedictam ratem habentes gratam eam pro nobis haeredibus nostris quantum in nobis est praefato Henrico ad totam vitam suam tenere praesentium concedimus confirmamus sicut Literae praedictae rationabilitèr testantur In cujus c. Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium xxviij die Iunii Per ipsum Regem 25 Sir Sanchet Dabrichcourt SIR Iohn Froissard takes notice that Queen Isabel Wife to King Edward the Second being driven out of France was courteously entertained at the Castle of Amberticourt in Henault by a Knight of that name whose then it was and that thereupon the Queen and the Prince brought him his Lady and Children over with them where they all received advancement in the Court of England 'T is very probable then that this Sir Sanchet might be Son to that Knight and yet Ralph Brooke York Herald makes him to be the Son of Eustace Dabrichcourt and Elizabeth Daughter of the Duke of Iuliers the Relict of the Iohn Plantagenet Earl of Kent But this is a great mistake and overseen by Augustine Vincent Windesor Herald in his correction of Brooke For it is clear that after the death of that Earl his Widow vowed chastity in the Monastery of Waverly where she continued some years and that on Michaelmas day an Dom. 1360. which was above 11. years after the Institution of this Order of the Garter she was clandestinely married to Eustace de Abrichescourt by one Iohn de Ireland and therefore he could not be Son of these two persons whose marriage was so long after the Institution of that Order whereof he was one of the first Founders We find mention of a gift which King Edward the Third made to this Knight of all the Chattels belonging to Iohn Wardedien who had fled for killing of Robert Poteman but nothing else 26 Sir Walter Paveley THis Sir Walter was Son and Heir of Walter Paveley and Maud Daughter and Heir of Stephen Burghersh His said Father died an 1. E. 3. at which time he was about 8 years old He was also Cousin and next Heir to Henry Burghersh Bishop of Lincolne He went into Bretagne in the Kings Service with Sir Bartholomew Burghersh senior an 16. E. 3. so also the following year and again an 19. E. 3. The 20. of King Edward the Third he went with him in the Expedition the King made into France and therefore had his Lands in Northamptonshire and Wiltshire discharged from finding men at Arms c. to serve the King in that Expedition And the next year it seems he had command abroad under Sir