obliged to defend the Christian Faith and acknowledge Obedience to his Successors Kings of Navarre He ordained the Habit of the Order to be White and the Ensign thereof a plain Red Cross set on the top of a green Oak which gave the Title after the same manner as it appeared to him but time hath darkned this Order not only in its heroick actions but laudable Foundation since we find no further memorial of it The Order of the Gennet in France 3. To preserve the memory of that famous Battel fought neer Tours anno Christi 726. or as Mennenius margins it about the year 738. where 385000 Sarâ—cens and Moors together with their General Abdiramo fell by the conquering Sword of Charles Martel and to reward those who had behaved themselves valiantly in that action the said Charles instituted an Order of Knighthood under the Title of the Gennet The great number of rich Gennet Furs anciently esteemed among them the most excellent though since the Ermine hath gained a better value as also of the Creatures themselves alive taken among the Spoils of that Victory giving him occasion to bestow that name upon his new erected Order But others not improperly impute the reason of this appellation to a kind of neat shap'd Horses of which not unlikely a great part of the Founders Cavalry might consist The Knights saith Favin were sixteen whose Collars were made of three Chains of Gold interwoven or linked with Red Roses at the end of which Collar hung a Gennet of Gold Black and Red sitting on a flowry bank all enamell'd with variety of Colour and Art And in further honor of this Institution the Founder not only renewed the â—se of Gold Rings so peculiar of old to the Equestrian Order among the Romans but caused them and all other Ornaments of this Order to be engraven and wrought with the Effigies of a Gennet This is accounted by Favin the first Order of Knighthood among the French which is to be understood of a distinct Order acknowledged by a particular and peculiar Title and continued in glory until the institution of the Order of the Star some say but till the Reign of St. Lewis after which time it was laid aside But though Favin be thus particular as to the Institution of this Order and the occasion thereof the exact number of Knights and especially in assigning a Collar with the Ensign hanging at it sutable to the mode of later times yet some other of his Countrymen wanting the assurance and authority of ancient Writers to back them are not confident enough to perswade the world that there was ever any such The Order of the Crown Royal among the Frizons 4. The erection of this Order is referred to Charles the Great Son of King Pepin in the year of Christ 802. which more fully appears in his pragmatical Sanction then dated at the Lateran Palace in Rome and instituted out of a design to honor and reward those among the Frizons who had behaved themselves valiantly in his Armies against the Sesnes or ancient Saxons or as others say against the Lombards in subduing that Kingdom and to stir up and encourage others to emulate their virtue This Order was so called from the Ensign appointed to the same namely an Imperial Crown embroidered with Gold which the Knights used to wear upon the breasts of their Habit and to perpetuate this Militia he ordained that the Governor of that Country whom they then called Potestat should confer the same upon such as had followed the Armies of France as well in Italy as Germany for five years together at their own expence by which means the Emperor was served at a less charge The Knights were invested with the Military Belt and a box on the Ear of which we have spoken in the first Chapter The Order of the Dog and Cock in France 5. The Institution of this Order of the Dog and Cock is generally attributed to the Family of Montmorency in France and it is more particularly affirmed by Robertus Caenalis to have been erected by the first Christian of that Family called Protochristianus Archibaro which causeth us to bring in this Order here neer to the Age he lived in but to say truth as to the Institution it self or to the time thereof there is not any more certain or more satisfactory account than that anciently this Family carried a Dog the Embleme of fidelity and sincerity upon their Helmet for a Crest and that Peter Montmorency was a Knight of the Order of the Cock which Bird was called by the Ancients the Bird of Mars But some make two distinct Orders of this and after that of the Dog they say another Order viz. of the Cock was also Instituted whose Collar had the Comb of a Cock pendent thereat the Motto being Vigiles howbeit afterwards both these Orders came to be united and hereupon the Ensign was then the Effigies both of a Dog and Cock joined together Moraeus relates that Burchard Montmorency appeared at the Court of Philip the First King of France attended with many Knights and all of them like himself adorned with Collars of Gold composed of Stag-heads whereat hung the Figure of a Dog whence we may presume that it had some relation to the more ancient Order of which this was the Badge or Ensign The Order of the Thistle in Scotland 6. Iohn Lesley Bishop of Ross reports that a bright Cross appeared from Heaven in fashion of that whereon St. Andrew suffered Martyrdom to Hungus King of the Picts but Favin saith to the Scots whom Achaius King of Scotland sent to his assistance the night preceding the Battel with Athelstan King of England or rather of Denmark to whom King Alured had given the Kingdom of Northumberland over whom Hungus prevailing bore the Figure of that Cross at all times after in his Ensigns and Banners and from this time and occasion hath the like bearing thereof been religiously observed by all succeeding Kings of Scotland Hence also it is believed saith Mennenius that the Equestrian Order of St. Andrew vulgarly called of the Thistle took beginning To this agrees the relation which I received from Sir Charles Areskin now Lyon King of Arms in Scotland through the favour of the Right Honorable the Earl of Lauderdail who adds that after this Victory obtained which was as he saith anno 819. but according to George Buchanan Achains dyed 9 years before King Hungius and Achaius Confederates against Athelstan went in solemn Procession bare-footed to the Kirk of St. Andrew to thank God and his Apostle for their Victory promising that they and their Posterity in time coming would ever use in their Ensigns the Cross of St. Andrew whensoever they undertook any warlike Expedition which custom not only remained among the Picts but is still among the Scots to this
Charles R. CHarles the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To all Our loving Subjects of what degree condition or quality soever within Our Kingdoms and Dominions Greeting Whereas it hath been manifested unto Vs that Our trusty and well-beloved Elias Ashmole Esq Windesor Herald at Arms hath for fifteen years past applyed himself to the search and study of things relating to the Honor of Our most Noble Order of the Garter and hath at his great charge and expence of time now compleated a Book Entituled The Institution Laws and Ceremonies of the said most Noble Order collected and digested into one Body and adorned with variety of Sculpture whose pains therein as it is greatly to Our satisfaction so can We no less for his past industry and future incouragement in his further progress of these Studies but express Our good liking and approbation thereof Know ye therefore That it is Our Royal Pleasure and We do by these presents upon the humble request of the said Elias Ashmole not only give him leave and license to Print the said Book but strictly charge prohibit and forbid all our Subjects to reprint within this Our Kingdom the said Book in any Volume or any part thereof or any Abridgment of the Laws or Ceremonies therein contained or to copy or counterfeit any the Sculptures or Ingravements belonging thereunto or to import buy vend utter or distribute any Copies or Exemplaries of the same reprinted beyond the Seas within the term of fifteen years next ensuing the publishing thereof without the consent and approbation of the said Elias Ashmole his Heirs Executors or Assigns as they and every of them so offending will answer the contrary at their utmost perils Whereof aswell the Wardens and Company of Stationers of our City of London the Farmers Commissioners and Officers of Our Customs as all other Our Officers and Ministers whom it may concern are to take particular notice that due obedience be given to this Our Royal Command herein declared Given under Our Signet and Sign Manual at Our Court at Whitehall the 31. day of March in the 22. Year of Our Reign 1670. By his Majesty's Command Arlington The most High most Excellent and most Mighty Monarch Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of Greate Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and Soveraigne of the most Noble Order of the Garter 〈◊〉 Sherwin sculpsit THE INSTITUTION Laws Ceremonies Of the most NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER Collected and digested into one Body BY ELIAS ASHMOLE of the Middle-Temple Esq WINDESOR Herald at Arms. A Work furnished with variety of matter relating to HONOR and NOBLESSE LONDON Printed by I. Macock for Nathanael Brooke at the Angel in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange MDCLXXII AUGUSTISSIMO POTENTISSIMOQUE MONARCHAE CAROLO II D. G. MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGI FIDEI DEFENSORI ET SUPREMO NOBILISSIMI MILITARIS ORDINIS GARTERII HOS ORDINIS COMMENTARIOS HUMILLIME D. D. ELIAS ASHMOLE FECIALIS WINDESOR PREFACE IT is not to be attributed only to Custom but sometimes it 's necessary in order to the Readers greater convenience that Books are commonly recommended to their perusal by somewhat prefatory as Epistles c. the use of them being chiefly to render an account of what they contain and by a short Antipast to represent to them what they are likely to find in the Entertainment of the whole Work This consideration hath obliged me to a compliance with others and to acquaint my Reader what occasioned my engaging upon this Subject and what I have done therein As I ever had a great veneration for the most Noble Order of the Garter so must it needs be imagined that I was accordingly much concerned in the late unhappy times to see the honor of it trampled on and it self sunk into a very low esteem among us That reâ—lection put me upon thoughts not only of doing something that might inform the world of the Nobleness of its Institution and the Glory which in process of time it acquired both at home and abroad but also of drawing up in the nature of a Formulary both the Legal and Ceremonial part thereof for the better conduct of such as might be therein afterwards concerned in case the Eclipse it then waded under in our Horizon should prove of so long continuance as that many occurrences worthy of knowledge might come to be in a manner forgotten Vpon the first communication of my design to the late Reverend Doctor Christopher Wren Register of the said Order it received not only his full approbation but also his ready assistance in the use of the Annals thereof then in his custody From those and other authentick Manuscripts and Autographs particularly relating to the Order and a painful and chargeable search of our publick Records I had collected the greatest part of my Materials before the happy Restauration of his now Majesty the present Soveraign of this most Noble Order who being afterwards acquainted with what I had done was most graciously pleased to countenance it and encourage me in the prosecution thereof The Work in general contains an Historical account of the Laws and Ceremonies of the said most Noble Order but more particularly its Institution the manner and order observed in Elections Investitures and Installations of Knights the Holding of Chapters Celebration of Festivals the Formality of Proceedings the Magnificence of Embassies sent with the Habit to Stranger Kings and Princes in sum all other things relative to the Order In the illustration whereof I have inserted where they properly occur'd the most eminent and considerable Cases which have required and received discuâ—sion in Chapters the determinations thereupon becoming Rules and Laws Whence it may be observed that the Foundation and Superstructures of the Order were laid and raised upon the exactest Rules of Honor. And to supply the failer and defects of the Annals I have been forced to make use of Memorials and Relations yet such as were taken notice of and committed to writing either by some of the Officers of the Order or those of Arms during the times of their attendance on the Service of the Order and consequently of sufficient authority for me to relye on To usher in those I have given a Prospect of Knighthood in General of the several Orders of Knighthood as also of the Antiquity of the Castle and Colledge of Windesor and closed all with the Honors Martial Employments and famous Actions the Matches and Issues of the Founder and first Knights-Companions as also a perfect Catalogue of their Successors to this very present All which are adorned with variety of Sculptures properly relating to the several parts of the Work But the following Synopsis of its whole Contexture and the Heads of the Chapters will excuse a further enlargement here I shall with submiâ—sion add That this noble Subject having not been at some times
of Martial Feats and other Publick Exercises there to be held proper to the place and occasion According to which Invitation there came over at the appointed time sundry Knights and other brave Martialisis out of desire to signalize their valour and what made the Solemnity more glorious King Edward's Queen attended with three hundred of the fairest Ladies adorned with all imaginable gallantry were there likewise present SECT IV. Of the Patrons of the Order KIng Edward the Third upon his Instituting this Princely Colledge of a select number of Knights did according to the custom and opinion of that Age make choice of several Patrons to this his most noble Order under whose protection Himself and all the Knights-Companions together with the Affairs of the Order might be defended conserved and governed The first and chiefest Patron that he elected for this end was the holy Trinity which though indeed it be the Creator and Governor of all things yet nevertheless was in a more especial manner invocated to the aid and assistance of this Order Nor was it in those times accounted any derogation to God or his divine worship but rather on the contrary a great addition thereunto that what he is alone the giver of should be desired and implored by their means through whom he is well pleased to be sought unto Upon which consideration this religious and pious King being singularly affected to the blessed Virgin Mary though she was accounted the general Mediatrix and Protectress to all men and upon all occasions yet did he more peculiarly intitle her to the Patronage of this most noble Order And no less was King Edward the Fourth in a special manner devoted towards the same blessed Virgin insomuch as he thought it necessary that some additional Ceremonies within the Order should be observed by Himself and the Knights-Companions to her peculiar honor and thereupon Ordained That on her five Solemnities the Knights-Companions should annually as was wont and accustomed at the yearly Feast of St. George wear the peculiar Habit of the Order as long as Divine Service was celebrating unless they had sufficient cause of excuse bearing on the right shoulder of their Robes a golden figure of the Virgin Mary and further that they should go in the same manner and Habit upon all the Sundays throughout the year and lastly that on the same days for ever they should say five Pater Nosters with as many Ave Maria's Thirdly Saint George of Cappadocia a most choice Champion of Christ and famous Martyr was also chosen one of the Patrons to this Order and that not so much because in his life he was a Candidate of the Christian Faith a real Professor and a sincere Defendor thereof or for that he was an armed Soldier or Knight of Christ but much more because in those Wars which were waged by Christians against the Infidels he by several appearances shewed his presence as a most certain encourager and assistant to the Christians the relations of some of which Visions may be seen at large elsewhere There is no need we should in this Work engage at all in asserting the History of Saint George against those who will neither allow him either a place in Heaven or a being in the Church since that is both learnedly and judiciously maintained to our hand out of the venerable Records of Antiquity and Church-History by the elaborate endeavours of the late reverend Divine Dr. Peter Heylin in a particular Tract The like pains we are eased of in avouching and assuring him to be the special Patron Protector Defendor and Advocate of this Realm of England and manifesting in what veneration he hath been held abroad especially among the Eastern Churches by the Pen of our most learned Selden To whose testimonies we shall only add that this Title of Patron to our Nation is given to St. George by the Founder of this most noble Order in a Patent granted to the Deans and Canons of the Chappels of St. Stephen at Westminster and St. George at Windesor which dischargeth them from payment of Tenths for the Churches appropriate to those Chappels that were or should be given by the Clergie to Him and his Successors As also by King Henry the Eighth in the Preamble of his Statutes Nay further that he was likewise called our Nations Patron in relation to the Spiritual Militia of this Kingdom And though in general he is stiled the Principal Patron of the Affairs of Christendom and a Tutelar Guardian of military men yet among all Christians the English did the best and in England the Founder of this most noble Order in making particular choice of such a Captain and Patron under whose conduct to fight to wit a Captain so approved and tryed by such high testimonies as he had given In particular relation to whom the Knights-Companions had bestowed on them the title of Equites Georgiani St. George's Knights and the Order it self came to be stiled Ordo divi Sancti Georgii the Order of St. George It is worthy of observation that du Chesne a French Writer acknowledges it was by the special Invocation of St. George that King Edward the Third gained the battel of Crescy which afterward calling to mind he founded saith he to his honor a Chappel within the Castle of Windesor But if we may go higher and credit our Harding it seems King Arthur paid St. George particular honors for he advanced his Picture in one of his Banners and this was about 200 years after his Martyrdom and very early for a Country so remote from Capadocia to have him in so great estimation Lastly The Founder added to these a fourth Patron whose Name himself bore namely Saint Edward the Confessor sometime King of England and his Predecessor by which choice the Patronage of the Order belongs also to him And we find he was wont to be invocated by this noble Founder as well as Saint George at such time as he found himself in any great streight of which a memorable instance is recorded by Thomas Walsingham who reports that at a Skirmish neer Calice anno Dom. 1349. King Edward in great heat of anger and grief drew out his Sword and most passionately cried out Ha Saint Edward Ha Saint George which his Soldiers hearing ran presently unto him and rushing violently upon the Enemy put many of them to the Sword But in further declaration of electing all these for Patrons to the Order we find them ranked together in the Preamble of the Charter of Foundation of Windesor Colledge granted by King Edward the Third though in the Preamble to his Statutes of the Order and to King Henry the Fifth's Statutes Saint Edward the Confessor is omitted nevertheless in the Preamble to Henry the Eighth's Statutes he is there remembred with the rest SECT V. The Honor and Reputation thereof BEfore we leave this Chapter we
the said Chancellor is to precede And to the end publick notice may be taken hereof and the respects known that is due to that place His Majesty hath commanded an Entry thereof to be made in the Register of the Order And is pleased that the Earl Marshal of England shall likewise cause the same to be entred in the Office of Arms. And to the end the place belonging to the Chancellor of the Exchequer may be certainly known we have thought fit to transcribe hither so much of the Decree and Establishment of King Iames made the 20. of May in the 10. year of his Reign as will evidence the same And his Majesty doth likewise by these presents for Himself his Heirs and Successors Ordain That the Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter the the Privy Councellors of his Majesty His Heirs and Successors the Master of the Courts of Wards and Liveries the Chancellor and Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Dutchy the Chief Justice of the Court commonly called the Kings Bench the Master of the Rolls the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas the Chief Baron of the Exchequer and all other the Judges and Barons of the Degree of the Coife of the said Courts now and for the time being shall by reason of such their honorable Order and employment of State and Iustice have place and precedency in all places and upon all occasions before the Younger Sons of Viscounts and Barons and before all Baronets c. The foresaid Constitutions appoint the Chancellor of the Order an Habitation within the Castle of Windesor like as hath the Prelate and that is the South-west Tower in the Lower-Ward of the Castleâ—hence â—hence called the Chancellors-Tower It appears the possession thereof had been for some time in the hands of others and therefore in a Chapter held at Whitehall the 5. of November an 5. Car. 1. It was decreed to be restored unto Sir Francis Crane then Chancellor of the Order and after his decease to descend to his Successors in right of this Office These Constitutions also Ordained That this Officer should have the like Diet and Liveries in the Soveraign's Court as were allowed to the Prelate At the erection of this Office the Chancellor had no Pension allowed him towards defraying his charge in the Execution thereof nor until the Constitutions relating to the Officers were established but thereby is setled on him a Pension of 100 l. per annum in consideration of his Employment or else an allowance proportionable in Fees Offices or other Promotions over and beside his Lodgings in the Castle and Liveries at Court But as to Fees or Perquisites there are none due to this Officer and for that reason he hath not only the foresaid Pension but all his disbursements touching the Affairs of the Order allowed him even to Paper Wax and Wafers and indeed those persons who formerly enjoyed this Office have thought it much below them to accept either of Fee or Gratuity for any thing done within the Order and so that truly noble person Sir Thomas Rowe sometime the worthy Chancellor of this Order out of an extraordinary sence of Honor affirmed in a Letter to Doctor Christopher Wren Register upon the tender but his refusal of some Gratuity That his Office was an Office of Honor and not of Fees and that he had alwâ—ys excepted against Fees for the disbursements of the Soveraign's Money Though he acknowledged some had given his Clerk a small Gratuity for the bare Ingrossing of an Alms-Knights Patent but nothing further And because the Custody of the Seals of the Order belong to this Officer before we leave this Section it will be here the fittest place to say something concerning them It appears by the Statutes of Institution to have been then agreed That there should belong to this most Noble Order a Common Seal This is confirmed by the Statutes of King Henry the Fifth and since called the Great Seal of the Order The use of this Seal is declared to be to seal not only the Original Statutes appointed to remain perpetually within the Treasury of Windesor Colledge as also those Copies of which each Knight-Companion is obliged to have one in his keeping but likewise all Letters of Licence to any of the Knights-Companions desirous to purchase Honor abroad and all Mandates and Certificates relating to the Order After what manner this first Seal was designed or what was engraven thereon we yet could never find Polidore Virgile tells us That when the Founder of the Order had made choice of St. George for its Patron he represented him armed mounted on a Horse bearing a Silver Shield and thereon a Red Cross. But whether St. George thus designed was engraved on the first Seal or only a Scutcheon of his Arms as in after times is not certain But this Author notes that the Founder clothed his Soldiers in White Iackets or Coats and on their Breasts and Backs sowed Red Crosses parallel to the Arms anciently assigned to St. George as also to the Kingdom of England placed under his Patronage which Arms the Soveraigns of this Order have ever since advanced in their Standards both by Land and Sea But besides this Common Seal King Henry the Fifth in the 9. year of his Reigâ— Instituted a Privy Signet in case weighty Affairs should occasion the Soveraign to go out of this Kingdom The use whereof was to set to all Acts made by the Soveraign beyond Sea to difference them from those of his Deputies here in England King Henry the Eighth's Statutes ordain the making both of a Common-Seal and Signet and direct that the Arms of the Order should be engraved upon each of them The Common-Seal used in his Reign we have seen and represented in the inserted Plate under the Number I the Signet being designed after the same manner but less The use of this Seal was continued as appears from several Commissions of Lieutenancy that have come to our hands until the Reign of King Iames and then altered to that Draught placed under number II There was a like Seal made at the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the First which being judged too little for the honor of the Soveraign's Commissions it was afterwards Decreed in Chapter held the 18. of April an 13. Car. 1. That a new one should be made of a larger size with the accustomed Arms and Motto and the care thereof left to Sir Thomas Rowe the then Chancellor and it appears he executed this Command with all due consideration by the nobleness of the design exhibited under the Number III In the same Decree direction was given for making a new Signet the former being thought too big for Letters this also was effected by the said Chancellor and represented under the number IV It was at the same Chapter further Decreed
was born at 40 minutes after five in the morning of the said day the 6. Degree of the Sign Scorpio Ascending and the 18. Degree of Leo Culminating The places of the Planets as there posited followeth gr ♄ in 5 ♑ ♃ in 27 ♉ ♂ in 21 ♠☉ in 28 ♠♀ 18 ♠☿ in 8 ♠◠in 8 ♉ ♠in 26 ♉ The Thursday after his birth he was Christned in the Chappel then of St. Edward in Windesor Castle by A. Priest Cardinal by the Title of Sancta Prisca and his Godfathers were Richard Bishop of Poictiers Iohn Bishop of Bath and Wells William Bishop of Worcester Lewis Earl of Eureux the Queens Brother Iohn de Britannia Earl of Richmond Aymer de Valence Earl of Penbroke and Hugh le Despenser Within a few days after the King his Father granted him the County of Chester except the Mannors of Mekklesfield and Shotwyke to hold to him and his Heirs Kings of England for ever And likewise the County of Flint and Cantred of Englefield with the Castles of Flint and Rothelan to hold as before except the Mannor of Overton the Lands of Mailor Seysnoke and the Castle and Mannor of Holt after which he was thus stiled by the King Edwardus Comes Cestriae filius noster Charissimus So pleasing to his Father 〈◊〉 the birth of this Prince that the 16. of December following he gave to Iohn Launge Valet to the Queen and to Isabel his Wife and the longer liver of them for bringing to him so desirable News 24 l. per annum to be paid out of the Farm of London But leaving his Infancy we will now proceed to his youth and the occurrences that attended his riper years King Edward his Father having been often summoned to the Court of France to do homage for the Dukedom of Aquitaine and other his Lands held in that Kingdom and still delaying till the French King had seized thereon it was at length concluded that he should give to this Prince that Dukedom who then should do the Homage and enjoy the Lands Hereupon preparation was made for his passing into France and a little before at Langedon Abbey near Dover the King on the 2. of September in the 19. year of his Reign first gave to him his Heirs and Successors Kings of England jure haereditario imperpetuum the Counties of Ponthieu and Monstroile and on the 10. of the same month at Dover granted to him the Dukedom of Aquitaine and all the Lands he had or ought to hold in the Kingdom of France Habendum as before two days after this new Duke took shipping at Dover thence passed into France and made his Homage in which Journey it was likewise thought fit that the Queen should accompany him in regard her Lands in that Kingdom had also been seized on Shortly after his return into England he was unanimously chosen Custos of the Kingdom in his Fathers absence then fled into Wales with Hugh le Despencer the Son Robert-Baldock and others by divers of the Bishops Nobility Barons and Knights de assensu totius Comitatûs dicti Regni ibidem existentis and at Martley the Great Seal sent from the King was delivered to him Not long after his Father ressigned his Crown upon which great preparations were made for this young Prince's Coronation which was solemnly performed at Westminster by William Archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday after the Conversion of St. Paul being the 1. of Feb. an 1327. His first Martial Attempt but unsuccessful for more then what appertains to his Wars we shall not here discourse off was the raising an Army to march against the Scots For Robert Bruce King of Scotland having sent him a defiance about Easter next following his Coronation shortly after invaded England notwithstanding the Truce between the said King Robert and King Edward the Second was yet on foot and an agreement for further Treaty of Peace to be held in the Marches on Sunday next before Ascension day then next comming The Kings Army was appointed to Rendevouz at Newcastle upon Tyne on Munday next before the Ascension of our Lord though Sir Iohn Froissard saith it was at York upon Ascension day whence about three weeks after Trinity Sunday he marched towards the Enemy but the Scots having exceedingly wasted the Northern parts and declined to fight slipt from him at Stanhop Park in the Bishoprick of Durham and withdrew towards their own Country nor could the King engage them though he endeavoured it for 24. days together I confess the first Actions of Princes are looked upon by all Eyes and not seldom with many Observators taken as the Radix whence to calculate their future either Successes or Miscarriages If at these undertakings a full Age entitle them to the sole management of Affairs we are inclined to think a judicious Eye may partly discern the strength of their Fortune But while they reside within Tutorage and their designs are carried on under the conduct of others the Event of things will manifest a dependency upon the strength or weakness of the Genius of those persons who are the chief managers of their Concerns And this was fully made good in this Prince whose Martial undertakings were very unsuccessful specially while the Government of the Kingdom was committed to others and sometimes afterwards when he was tyed up and hampered by his Allies in Flanders but he no sooner arrived at full Age but his Affairs shewed themselves as if disposed by his own Genius and the first remarkable experiment was verified even upon the Scots themselves from whom before he had received some affronts and indignities For having sent Ambassadors to the Custos and chief Nobility of Scotland He demanded the Homage of David Brus their King and these were probably Ralph Lord Basset of Drayton and William de Denum for it appears they were employed thither the 14. of Decemb. an 6 E. 3. touching the Affairs of the King and Kingdom and the doing of Homage denyed He forthwith raised an Army in assistance of Iohn Balioll Son of Iohn Balioll sometime King of Scotland against David Brus the then King which being appointed to meet at Newcastle upon Tine on Trinity Sunday an 7 E. 3. King Edward entred Scotland and wasted the Country as far as Scone for six months together Insomuch that the Scots were forced to fly to their Fastnesses in the Forest of Gedworth where they abode for many years and as the King returned he encountred an Army of theirs at Hallidown Hill which he defeated and killed about 32000. common Souldiers 7. Earls 90. Knights and Bannerets and 400. Esquires In memory of this great Victory hapning on the Eve of St. Margaret the Virgin being the 13. of Iuly he repaired the Church and Convent of Nuns near the place where the Battel was fought upon that occasion destroyed and burnt and caused
an Altar to be therein erected and dedicated to that Virgin He further granted to those Nuns and their Successors 20 l. per annum out of the Issues of the Town and County of Berwick until Lands to that value should be conferred upon them to the end that annually on the Eve and day of St. Margaret for ever they should commemorate the goodness of God for his so prosperous success On the Morrow after this great Victory the King had the Town and Castle of Berwick surrendred to him and on the 19. of Iune in the following year did Edward Baliol King of Scots make Homage and Fealty to him at Newcastle as to his Superior and Chief Lord of the Realm of Scotland who then granted to the King and annexed to the Crown of England for ever the Counties next adjoining to England namely Berwick Roxbourgh Peples and Dunfres the Towns of Hadington and Gedworth with the Castle and Fortress of Silkirke Etherick and Gedworth By the assistance which King Edward afforded to Edward Baliol he gained the most part of Scotland nevertheless divers Castles refused to surrender which occasioned the King to make another expedition thither and about Allballontide he arrived at Newcastle upon Tyne and thence marched into Scotland towards the end of November and at Christmass entred Ethrick Forest but the Scots were fled whereupon having prosecuted his design as far as he thought good he returned into England The next year he raised new Forces and himself from Carlisle and Edward King of Scots from Berwick both entred Scotland on the 12. of Iuly burning and wasting the Country on both sides beyond the Scottish Sea This Expedition brought the Earl of Atholl and divers of the Scotch Nobility to a Submission upon which the King came back into the Northern parts where he wintered and kept his Christmass at Newcastle About Twelfth-tide he was provided to pass again into Scotland when Ambassadors from the Pope and King of France found him at Berwick ready to enter that Kingdom and by their earnest sollicitation about Candlemas obtained of both Kings a Truce till Midlent following but no Peace ensuing Edward King of Scotland and divers of the English Nobility at Whitsontide entred Scotland again and finding St. Iohns Town slighted by the Scots they fortified it Shortly after this King Edward followed them thither and thence passed with his Army unto Elgen in Murrey and Innerness In his return he took Aberdeen and burnt divers Towns and destroyed the Country About which time the Earl of Cornwal entred Scotland also and destroyed the Western parts and met the King his Brother at St. Iohns Town where the King stayed not long but marched to Striveling built the Fortress called the Pile and returned home About the Feast of St. Luke he marcht again with a fresh Army into Scotland and repaired Bothuill-Castle and returned into England before Christmas leaving Edward King of Scots at St. Iohns Town setled in the Government of that Kingdom The Affairs of Scotland being thus quieted for some years gave King Edward the leisure to look towards France which Kingdom afterwards became the Scene of all his Martial Glory For Robert d' Artois Earl of Beaumont in France being discontented at the Sentence wherein Philip King of France had given the Earldom of Artois from him to Maud Countess of Burgundy let fall some dangerous words and they being laid hold on forced him to fly into England where he was kindly received by King Edward who after he had been here sometime afforded him the use of the Castles of Guilford Wallingford and Somerton whensoever he pleased to retire thither for his recreation and afterwards assigned him 800 l. per annum for his support the one moiety to be received out of the Revenues of certain Priories Alien seised into the Kings hands and the other moiety out of his Exchequer Soon after his coming over he advised the King to set on foot his claim to the Crown of Franceâ— whereto the King was willing enough to hearken and to be perswaded by him but the Affair being of so great concern his Council advised him to take the opinion of his Father-in-Law the Earl of Henault before he attempted any thing therein Hereupon a Comet with long and terrible streams ushering in this grand Affair he employed thither with all privacy Henry Burghersh Bishop of Lincolne with two Banerets and two Doctors to gain him to his party with all other persons of note as they should find inclinable to assist the King who laying before the Earl King Edward's pretensions to the Crown of France he not only approved of his design but advised the King to contract other Alliances and gain to his party some of his neighbouring Princes thereabouts The PORTRAICTVRES of King EDWARD the 3. with the first 2â— KNIGHTS COMPANIOS in the HABIT of the ORDER and SVRCOATS of their ARMES In April following a like Commission was issued to Henry Bishop of Lincolne William Earl of Salisbury and William Earl of Huntingdon and they immediately dispatcht into Flanders where they found business so well prepared by the Commissioners before named that by the 24. of May ensuing they had fully engaged divers of the Nobility and others in Henault Geldres and the Marquisate of Iuliers to appear in the Kings assistance against the French and withall setled the proportion of Men and Arms each of them were to furnish the King with in that Service together with the stipends and wages to be paid them in lieu thereof This done the said Bishop went to Gaunt and there won so much upon the humour of Iaques Dartuell that he gained him also to the Kings party Within a few days after Renaut the Second Earl of Guildres and Zuitphen who had married Leonora the Kings Sister and William Marquess of Iuliers Husband to Ioane Sister to Queen Philippa entred into the Association and next Rupert Count Palatine of the Rhyne Duke of Bavaria signed an Agreement at Frankeford whereby he obliged himself to assist the King for the recovery and maintenance of his Inheritance against all persons whatsoever except Lewis the Emperor his Uncle which several Contracts made by the foresaid Ambassadors with these Princes were confirmed by the King under the Great Seal of England the 26. of August following Between this Emperor and the King and their Heirs past also an Union and Confederacy which obliged them to use all their power particularly against Philip de Valois who carried himself as King of France and his Successors in that Kingdom for the recovery and defence of their Honors Inheritances and Possessions The 13. of Iuly was Iohn Duke of Loraine Brabant and Lemburgh retained for the King and with the assent of the Emperor was the Confederation made with Lewis his eldest Son there stiled Marquess of Brandenburgh Count Palatine of the Rhyne Duke of Bavaria
and Arch-Chamberlain to the Emperor With these the King retained for his intended Expedition into France several other Noblemen of those Countries as namely Adolph Earl of Monte who having made Fealty and Homage to the King he in reward thereof setled on him a Pension for life of 1200 Florens of Gold per annum out of his Exchequer Everhard eldest Son to Thideric Earl of Lymborg Adolph Earl of Marlia Robert de Touburgh Lord of Warnich Theodorick Earl of Lossen and Heuseberg and Lord of Blatikenburgh and Theodorick de Montjoy Lord of Valkenborgh besides divers valiant Knights and Commanders of eminent note But Philip de Valois was so alarm'd at the report of these Alliances that he used all endeavours to interrupt the foresaid Ambassadors in their passage home both by placing a Garrison in the Isle of Cogaunt and setting out several men of War to Sea Of which the King having intelligene directed his Writ to Iohn de Ros Admiral of the Fleet from the River of Thames Northward to fit up a Convoy of 40 stout Ships well mann'd to be at Dort in Holland on Monday after Midsommer-day to secure their return where they lay ready for their coming And whereas these Ambassadors in making these Alliances and Retainers upon the Kings account had obliged themselves to pay sundry great sums of money the King indempulfied them their Heirs and Executors of all those sums and other things whereto they were so engaged This great Affair of strengthening the King with Alliances and Friends in Germany and Flanders was again set on foot and to that purpose another Commission was issued to the said Bishop of Lincoln and Earl of Salisbury to whom was added Robert de Vfford Earl of Suffolk and Iohn Darcy Steward of the Kings Houshould with power to any three of them to treat thereupon with Lewis the Emperor Another Commission of the same date was made out to them and to Richard de Winkele Iohn de Offord Paul de Monteflorum Iohn de Montgomery and Iohn Wauwyn impowering them to treat with and retain all persons aswell Nobles as others for the Kings Service And as the King did endeavour by these means to gain assistance for the recovery of his right to the Crown of France so did he not neglect all methods of Peace among which he thought fit to constitute the foresaid Bishop of Lincolne the Earls of Salisbury and Suffolk and Iohn Darcy his Agents to treat cum magnifico Principe Domino Philippo Rege Franciae illustri or his Deputies touching his right to the said Crown to wit whether it ought to remain to him or King Edward And by another Commission they were impowered to treat upon all Controversies and Demands whatsoever relating to the Dukedom of Aquitaine or other parts beyond Sea and also of a happy and perpetual peace The same day he constituted Iohn Duke of Brabant and Loraine his Lieutenant Captain and Vicar General in the Kingdom of France where it is worthy note that the King in this Commission challenging the Crown of France as devolved to him by right of succession and consequently become his lawful Inheritance did assume the Title of that Kingdom and stiled himself Edwardus Dei gratiâ Rex Angliae Franciae Dominus Hiberniae Dux Aquitaniae And by another Commission bearing even date made of these Officiary Dignities to the said Duke he put France in the first place thus Edwardus Dei gratiâ Rex Franciae Angliae c. but it was not long e're he voluntarily laid this Title of France aside nor did he solemnly assume it again till the 14. year of his Reign over England By several other Commissions of the same date wherein the Titles of England and France were so transposed did the King constitute into the same Dignities William Marquess of Iuliers William Earl of Henault his Father-in-Law and William Bohun Earl of Northampton and by another then dated and directed to the Archbishops Bishops Dukes Marquesses Earls Barons and all other persons in the Kingdom of France having therein the Titles of England and France transposed as before they are commanded to receive the said Duke as if it were the King in his own person as also the Marquesses and Earls And further the said Marquesses and the Earls were by other Commissions severally constituted the Kings special Ambassadors to make known his said Title to all whom it should concern to challenge and prosecute his right to require every unjust detainor to render to the King whatsoever he so withheld from him to displace and punish such as they should think meet and lastly to do and execute all other things which should be most necessary for the recovery and preservation of his right The King of France had in the beginning of this year sent Forces into Gascoigne and seised upon many of the Kings Castles and Fortresses upon notice hereof the King gave command to arrest 20 Ships in the Port of Southampton and thereabouts and to press men to be ready at Portsmouth to set forward for Gascoigne on Whitson-Eve following for he had raised a great Army to send thither It may not here be forgotten what is recorded of Reymond Cornely Lord of Abertha a Gascoigner who made an offer to the King of France to fight in defence of Edward's right to those Countries for which he sent him very great and particular thanks But withall made several applications by his Ambassadors to the Court of France for restitution of what had been seized on and prevention of a War His Offers were these 1. To marry his eldest Son the Duke of Cornwall to the King of France's Daughter without Dowry 2. The marriage of his Sister the Countess of Geldres to his Son with a great sum of money 3. The marriage of his Brother the Earl of Cornwall with any of the Blood Royal. 4. To make restitution for any dammage he tendered him as much money as he could in reason demand 5. He also proferr'd to take a Voyage to the Holy Land with the King of France if he would restore his Lands to him 6. To go the Voyage if he would restore but half or some of those Lands 7. To take the Voyage with him if he would make restitution after his return or lastly 8. To take the Voyage singly himself so that at his return he would restore him his right These Overtures with many others which the King or his Council could think off were offered to the King of France in order to a Peace with this general proposal beside That if any one could think of any other way tending thereunto he would be ready to accept thereof But all in vain for on the contrary King Philip excited and maintained the Scots against him and his Navy also did great mischiefs at Sea Whereupon the Pope perceiving that the War was likely to proceed sent
into England P. Priest Cardinal of St. Praxid and B. Deacon Cardinal of St. Mary in Aquiro to use their best endeavours to compose the differences now growing high between the two Kings Upon whose mediation with King Edward though Peace could not be obtained yet that things relating to Peace might the better be effected a Truce was agreed on to the Morrow after Candlemas day an 12. E. 3. and thence prorogued to the first of March and lastly a further enlargement of it to Midsummer following in case the King of France should consent to it and give Security that it should be observed but he it seems refusing the King was advised to revoke this later cessation which he did the 6. of May and to take a Journey into Flanders personally to confer with his Allies in pursuance of his design against France and thereupon he took shipping at the Port of Orewell the 16. of Iuly and went to Antwerp But before he went upon the Cardinals further importunity a Commission issued to I. Archbishop of Canterbury R. Bishop of Durham R. de Vfford Earl of Suffolk Sir Geoffry le Scrop Knight and Mr. Iohn Vfford Archdeacon of Ely with power to treat and agree touching all things in difference between them in reference to a full and final Peace And by another Commission bearing the same date the Duke of Brabant Earl of Hanow and Gueldres the Marquess of Iuliers and Sir William Dunort Lord of Oustrehout Knight are added to them These Commissions were double and of two several Stiles in the one the King calls Philip de Valoys Consanguineus noster Franciae only and in the other Excellentissimus Princeps Dominus Philippus Rex Franciae illustris Consanguineus noster charissimus At Antwerp the confederate Princes gave the King a meeting and here he expresly revoked all the powers he had given the forementioned Commissioners to treat with Philip de Valois as King of France At length it was resolved that the Duke of Iuliers should be sent Ambassador from the King to the Emperor which Embassy obtained a promise to the King of the Vicar-generalship of the Empire whereupon about the beginning of September he took a Journey to Colen where the Emperor publickly defied the King of France and constituted King Edward his Vicar-General who at his return into Flanders entred upon the execution of that Office In the 13. year of this Kings Reign at the instance of the foresaid Cardinals Iohn Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Bishop of Durham Henry Bishop of Lincolne the Earls of Derby Salisbury and Suffolk and some others were impowered to treat with Philip de Valois or his Deputies upon the Dignities Honors Lands and Rights belonging to King Edward and all other controversies whatsoever The Deputies on the other part were the Archbishop of Rouen the Bishops of Langres and Beauvais and the place for treaty Arras but nothing of Peace being thereby effected the King prepared effectually for War having some time before made an alliance with Albert and Otho Dukes of Austria Stiria and Karinthia and received Homage as King of France from Reiginald Duke of Gueldres and Earl of Zutphen for which he afterwards granted him 1000 l. sterling per Annum for his life He likewise made alliances with other Princes who were to furnish him with men to be imployed in his intended expedition into France as also with Lewis the Emperour after which he sent a Letter from Antwerp to the Pope asserting his claim to the Crown of France which is to be seen in Walsingham's History of England All things for War being now in readiness the King with the assistance of his Allies first besieged Cambray an Imperial City and then in the hands of the French but it being too well fortified and provided to be suddenly taken he raised his Siege and passed into France first sending his defiance to Philip de Valois then at Paris by the Bishop of Lincoln Sir Walter Many was the first who after the defiance made entred France with 40. Horse burnt Mortaigne took the Castle of Thyne garrisoned it and returned to the King at Mechlin The King having passed the River Skell entred France upon St. Matthews Day and burnt the Country before him And not long after at the request of the Duke of Brabant to admit of a Treaty of Peace the King at Markoyne grants the said Duke power in his name to give safe conduct to such persons as he should think fit to meet at any place within two or three Leagues from his Camp to treat of Peace the same to continue till Friday following and all that day but nothing was effected The Saturday before St. Lukes Day the King with his Army passed the River Oyze and marching forward till he came between Vyronfoss and Flamengery the two Armies drew near each other where the Day of Battel was agreed on to be the Friday after But in the interim a Letter of advice was brought to the French King from Robert King of Sicily a famous Astrologer to disswade him from fighting since he had by his Science found that if he fought with the King of England he should be vanquished and loose the day This Letter so prevailed with the King of France that though he had the greater power and that both Armies stood ranged for Battel yet was there not a blow struck on the appointed Day The Munday following intelligence was brought to the King that the French were dispersed and returning homewards whereupon he withdrew his Army and marched back into Brabant At his return to Antwerp he issued out another Commission to Iohn Archbishop of Canterbury R. Bishop of Durham H. Bishop of Lincoln W. Earl of Salisbury Sir Bartholomew Burghersh and Sir Geoffry le Scrop Knights and Iohn de Offord Archdeacon of Ely to treat of Peace with Philip de Valois or with Commissioners from him and a month after this Commission was renued upon adding Robert de Vfford Earl of Suffolk to the before-named Commissioners Here also the King was advised to ingage the Flemmings to his further Assistance who were willing enough for by the means of Iaques D'artuell he had gained a great influence upon them but considering they stood ingaged in the Pope's Chamber in two Millions of Florens not to make War against the King of France they proposed that the King would quarter the Arms of France with those of England and call himself King of France as he ought of right to do and then they would take him to be the rightful King of France and receive from him a discharge of that Obligation and afford him their assistance To this proposal the King agreed and solemnly assumed both the Arms of the Kingdom and Title of King of France He also caused his Great Seal to be changed and brought it with him at his return to
England landing at Orewell the 21. of Febr. at 9. a Clock in the Morning and the first of March delivered it to Sir Iohn de St. Paul in a Chamber called the Cage Chamber at Westminster The old Great Seal was then delivered up to him by the said Sir Iohn which he gave to William de Kildesby to be kept in his Wardrobe But that the New Seal might be made more publick he caused Impressions thereof and of his Privy Seal to be made and sent to all the Sheriffs in England to be published in the several Counties in regard he intended at the meeting of the Parliament on the Wednesday next after Midlent Sunday to acquaint them with the cause wherefore he had added to his Stile the title of King of France That day being come he under his New Great Seal as King of France vacated all Papal Processes made at the instance of the French King against the Inhabitants of Flanders and granted to the Earl of Flanders his Heirs and Successors for ever the Towns of Lysle Doway Bethune and Orchies with the County of Artois and City of Tournay and to their Inhabitants divers Priviledges And by another Instrument of the same date under the said Seal with the consent of the Parliament he granted that the staple of Wools should be setled at Bruges A little before his return into England he wrote a Letter from Gaunt which bore Teste the 8. of Febr. in the first year of his Reign over France and 14. over England to the Prelates Peers and Commons of France thereby signifying that Charles late King of France his Mothers Brother being dead that Kingdom was fallen to him by manifest Law and that Philip de Valois Son to the Uncle of the said King had by force intruded into it in his Minority and yet detained it Lest therefore he should seem to neglect his own right he thought good to own the Title of France and take on him the defence and Government thereof and having offered the said Philip divers friendly conditions of Peace to which he refused all condiscention he was therefore necessitated to defend himself and recover his right by force of Arms and therefore all such Subjects as would submit to him as true King of France by Easter then next ensuing should be received into his grace and protection Having dispatcht his Affairs with the Parliament which had given him a great Supply to go on with this War and wherein an Act passed that he might with the assent of his Allies condescend to any reasonable terms of Peace And having created the Marquess of Iuliers Earl of Cambridge and given him 1000 l. per annum until he were provided for of so much Land of Inheritance He got in readiness an Army to go beyond Sea and prepared his Navy to transport it and on the 22. of Iune horâ diei quasi primâ set sail from Orewell The French King had laid 120. great Ships beside Genoeses Normans and Picards Manned with 40000. Men to intercept his passage But after a fierce and bloody fight on Midsummer Eve the King got the Victory before Sluce destroying most of the Enemy and taking the greatest part of their Fleet and on Midsummer day landed at Sluce and went forthwith to Gaunt Of this Signal Victory an account by Letter was sent from the King to the Bishops and Prelates by the Earl of Arundel and Sir William Trussell Not long after the King held a Council with his Allies at Villenort where it was resolved that the King should besiege Tournay before which he brought 120000. Men. Thence he sent a Letter sealed with his Great Seal to Philip de Valois signifying that he had fairly requested him to render him his lawful right to the Crown of France but perceiving he meant to persist in detaining it without returning him any answer He was therefore entred Flanders as Soveraign Lord thereof to pass through that Country for recovery of his Inheritance so detained yet to avoid the effusion of Christian blood and determine the right he challenged him to fight body to body or else 100. chosen Souldiers on each side or if both were refused then to pitch upon a day for both Armies to fight neer Tournay But the French King returned no answer to this Letter The Siege continued eleven weeks wanting three days in which time by the mediation and effectual endeavour of Iane de Valois the French Kings Sister a Treaty was set on foot Iohn King of Bohemia Adolph Bishop of Leige Reynel Duke of Loraine Am Earl of Savoy and Iohn Earl of Arminiack being Commissioners for the French King the Dukes of Brabant and Gueldres the Marquess of Iuliers and Iohn of Henault Lord Beaumont for King Edward who on the 25. of September agreed upon a Truce between both Kings to endure till Midsummer following of which publication was made in England the 6. of October and thus both Armies retired But this was much against the Kings Will though not against those of his Allies who were very desirous to return home The Siege being raised the King went to Gaunt and thence returned into England where he arrived at the Tower Wharf on the Feast of St. Andrew about Midnight At this Treaty before Tournay it was among other things agreed that another Treaty should be held at Arras within that year whither both Kings and the Pope should send Commissioners but that meeting produced only another year to be added to the Truce The Kings Commissioners were the Bishops of Lincolne and Durham the Earl of Warwick Sir Robert d' Artois Sir Iohn Henault and Sir Henry of Flanders This year produced some other Overtures for the amicable composure of all Controversies and concluding a Peace between the two Kings to which purpose a Commission issued to R. Bishop of Durham Hugh Earl of Gloucester William Fitz Warren Nicholas de Flisco and William Trussell Another Commission issued to Iohn Duke of Brabant Reignold Duke of Gueldres and Zuthphen William Marquess of Iuliers and Earl of Cambridge and William Earl of Hanaw and Iohn de Hanaw Lord Beaumont to treat and agree with Philip de Valois upon a Truce to the Feast of the decollation of St. Iohn Baptist then coming on which it seems became so far hopeful as to produce a prorogation till the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and thence till Midsummer in the following year Another Commission was made forth to William Earl of Huntingdon Bernard Dominus de le Brett Bartolomew de Burglersh Iohn de Offord Archdeacon of Ely and Michael de Flisco to treat with the 〈◊〉 Philip de Valois aswell touching the Kingdom and Crown of France as divers other questions and controversies between them and to compose the differences by a full Peace or otherwise a Truce and one of these Commissions was
Preachers with Hugh de Geneve Knight Seigneur d'Auton the Duke of Normandy dispatcht them to King Edward to propose a Treaty of Peace who required things so great they could not be yielded to Howbeit they still followed the King to Chartres where a meeting for Commissioners on both sides was consented to and they brought demands to such moderation that with the Duke of Lancasters effectual perswasion the King was content to accept of Peace But what inclined the King to hearken thereto as Froissard tells the story was this That while the Commissioners on both sides were upon Treaty and the King wholly untractable there fell in the Kings Army so great a Tempest of Thunder Lightning Rain Hail and Stones of such bigness that kill'd both Men and Horses at which time the King beholding the Church of our Lady of Chartres vowed devoutly to condescend to Peace This prodigious storm hapned on Easter Munday which falling that year on the 14. of April neer a Month before the conclusion of the Treaty was from its dismal effects called Black Munday which name it retains to this day The Treaty was managed between Edward Prince of Wales and Charles Regent of France their Proctors and Agents in the name of both Kings these two Princes and all the Subjects of France Those deputed on the English part were Sir Reginald de Cobham Sir Bartholomew Burghersh Sir Francis Hale Bannerets Sir Miles Stapleton Sir Richard la Vache and Sir Neel Loring Knights and others of the Council of the King of England Those other on the French side were the Ellect of Beauues his Chancellor Charles Lord Momorency Monsieur Iohn le Meingre Marshal of France Monsieur Aynart de la Tour Lord of Vivoy Monsieur Ralph de Ravenal Monsieur Simon de Bucy Knights Monsieur Stephen de Paris and Peter de la Charite his Councillors with many others of his Council deputed by King Iohn and Himself At first a Truce was agreed on the 7. of May An. Dom. 1360. in the 34. year of King Edward over England to continue till Michaelmas following and thence till Michaelmas an 35 E. 3. which upon the return of the King into England was by Writs bearing Teste the 24. of the same Month commanded to be published throughout all the Sea-Ports in England and by a like Writ notice was given to the Duke of Lancaster to proclaim it in Gascoigne And the next day viz. 8. of May were the Articles referring to a final Peace agreed to on the behalf of both Kings This was that Famous Treaty of Renunciation of both Kings so much spoken of by Writers to which their eldest Sons were parties in regard the King of France renounced the Soveraignty of several Territories to King Edward and he in like manner renounced his Title to France and some other Places all which we shall here briefly mention First it was agreed that King Edward with what he held in Aquitaine and Gascoigne should hold perpetually to him and his Heirs in the same manner as the King of France or his Son or any of his Ancestors held the same to wit that in Soveraignty in Soveraignty and that in Demain in Demain the City Castle and County of Poytiers with the Fees of Thoâ—ars and Land of Belleville the Cities and Castles of Xaintes Agen Pierregort Lymoges Caours Tarbe Angolesme and Rodeis and the Land and Countries of Poytou Xaintonge on this and the furthest side of the River of Charente with the Town and Fortress of Rochell Agenoys Pierreguis Lymosyn Caorsyn Tarbe Bigorre Gaure Angolesmoys Rovergue the Counties of Pierregort Bigorre Gaure and Angolesmoys And that such Earls or Lords as had Lands within the forementioned places should do their Homages and Services to him That King Edward should have in Demain all that any of his Predecessors anciently held in the Town of Monstrereul on the Sea As also all the County of Ponthieu with some few exceptions the Town and Castles of Calais the Towns Castles and Lordships of Merk Sangate Coloigne Hames Wale and Oye with their appurtenances as likewise all the places lying within the Jurisdictions and bounds following that is to say from Calais to the border of the River before Gravelinges and so by the same River round about Langle and by the River that runneth beyond the Poil and by the same River that falleth into the great Lake of Guynes to Freton and thence by the valley about Calculy Hill inclosing that Hill and so to the Sea with Sangate and all the appurtenances that the King should have the County of Guynes with all the Lands Towns Fortresses Places Men Homages Lordships Woods Forests and Rights thereunto belonging in as ample manner as the then late Earl of Guynes or his Predecessors held the same and likewise all the Isles adjoining to the Lands aforesaid and all other Isles he then held That the King of France and his eldest Son the Regent should before Michaelmas 1361. give and deliver to the King of England his Heirs and Successors all the Honors Obediences Homages Liegeances Subjections Fees Services Recognizances Rights and all manner of Jurisdictions high and low Resorts and Saveguards Advowsons and Patronages of Churches and all Lordships and Soveraignties with all the right they had and belonging to them by any Cause Right Title or Colour or to the Crown of France in the said Cities Counties Castles Towns Lands Countries Isles and Places and of their appurtenances and appendencies without holding any thing to them their Heirs or Successors or Crown of France And also to give notice to all Archbishops Bishops and Prelates and all Earls and other Noblemen and Citizens by Letters-Patent in all the said places to yield obedience to the King of England his Heirs and Successors in the same manner as they had obeyed the Kings and Crown of France and thereby also to quit and absolve them of all their Homages Fealties Oaths Obligations Subjections and Promises made to the Kings and Crown of France And that the King of England his Heirs and Successors should have and hold all the forementioned Cities Counties Castles Lands Places and Persons perpetually and freely in their Lordship Soveraignty Obedience and Subjection as the Kings of France had or did hold them in times past and all the Countries with their appurtenances in all Freedoms and Liberties perpetually as Lords and Soveraigns and as Neighbors to the King and Kingdom of France without any acknowledgment of Soveraign or making any Obedience Homage Resort or Subjection Service or Recognisance in time to come to the Kings or Crowns of France of the Places or Persons aforenamed or any of them The Renunciation on the King of England's part was as to the Name and Right to the Crown and Kingdom of France to the Homage Soveraignty and Demain of the Dutchies of Normandy and Thouraine of the Earldoms of Anjou and Maine to the Soveraignty and
pardon and restore their Lands The 3. of April in the following year he and 6 other whereof he was to be one were commissionated to treat with David Brus and other Scotchmen his Adherents upon a final Peace or Truce as also upon all debates and differences whatsoever between the King and them and amicably to compose them And the same day he had power likewise given him to grant to Adam Bishop of Brechin to Patrick Earl of March Sir William de Douglas and Sir Thomas de Caruato Knights and William Bullock and other Scotch Men as he should see cause the the King 's special Letters of safe Conduct and Protection for so long time as this Earl thought fit to come into England with as many Horse as he should appoint to treat either of a Truce or Peace with this Earl and others deputed thereto by the King Having in this expedition undertaken upon certain conditions the Custody of the Marches of Scotland the King gave him in reward the 1000. Marks which Io. de Wesenham stood engaged to pay the King for Wooll He went over with the King in his Voyage into Bretagne having under his Command 5. Bannerets 50. Knights 144. Esquires and 200. Archers on Horseback The daily Wages allowed him for himself was 8 s. for each Banneret 4 s. each Knight 2 s. each Esquire 1 s. and each Archer 6 d. At the Siege of Vannes he was constituted one of the Kings Commissioners the other being the Earls of Northampton and Salisbury the Lord Stafford Burghershe Cantelowe Cobham Manneys and Berkley and Mr. Iohn Vfford Archdeacon of Ely where a Truce was concluded for three years The 24. of March an 18. E. 3. The King by his Letters Patent constituted this Noble Earl and Richard Earl of Arundel his Lieutenants in the Dukedom of Aquitaine and the Countries adjoining to govern and defend those Territories to demand and receive the possession of the Castles Places and Rights unjustly detained from him to recover and retain the same by force of Arms if need should be and to receive such as should return to their Obedience to the grace and favour of the King as also the Homage and Fidelity from whomsoever in those parts due and generally to do all things for defence and recovery of the Kings Rights and good Government of those Countries and his Subjects with Command to the Archbishops c. to yield Obedience to them And whereas the King upon false suggestions had been deceived in many of his Grants and Donations in that Dukedom He by other Letters Patents of the same date gave him power to seize into his hands all the Castles Lands Liberties and Profits formerly granted by him and those that should appear to have been obtained upon untrue suggestions to retain without Restitution but upon true to restore entirely A like Commission was given them which extended to the grants made by his Father King Edward the Second upon like pretences as well as by himself They also had a General Commission to treat and conclude with all persons of whatsoever state or condition Kingdom or Nation for the setling of Alliances and mutual Assistance between the King and them to retain men for the Kings Service and to agree about Fees Wages and Rewards to be paid unto them By other Commissions of the same date these two Earls had power to treat and conclude with Alphonsus King of Castile there stiled Alphonsus Rex Castiliae Legionis Toleti Galiciae Siviliae Cordubiae Murciae Gyennii Algarbiae Comes Molmae or his Deputies upon all differences arising between their Subjects especially Mariners and amicably to compose them as also of a perpetual League of Friendship between them c. their Subjects and to afford each other their mutual assistance with Power to make Substitutes in their stead The said Earls had like Commissions with the same Power to treat with the King of Portugal therein stiled Alphonsus Rex Portugaliae Algarbiae And with the King of Aragon stiled therein Petrus Rex Aragoniae Valenciae Majorcae Sardinii Corsicae Comes Barthon Sir Iohn Froissard tells us that some of the Gascoigne Lords came hither about this time to acquaint the King with the weak condition of that Country and City of Bordeaux and to desire relief and that in this Earls company went also the Earls of Penbroke and Oxford the Lord Stafford Sir Walter Manney the Lord Frank de la Hall and divers others of note being about 500 Knights and Esquires and 2000 Archers and having landed at Bayon the 6. of Iune 1344. went thence to Bordeaux His first attempt was upon the Town of Bergerac which surrendred to him and next Longo Castle and le Lake Mandurant he took by assault so also the Castle of Mountgyse Punache and the Castle de la Lewe Forsathe and Pondayre he won with little opposition and the great Town of Laylloyes after three days the chief Town appertaining to the Earl of Laylle who lived as King in those parts of Gascoigne was delivered to him after some dispute After this success he marched to Bonu this he assaulted and took he also took the Castle of Auberoche and the Town of Libourne yielded themselves to him Auberoche being presently after besieged by 12000 French this Earl on St. Laurence Eve assaulted the Enemy in their Tents with 300 Spears and 600 Archers and took the Earl of Laylle and 8 other Earls and Viscounts and 200 Knights and so many Esquires and other Soldiers that each Englishman had 2 or 3 Prisoners many of whom they let go upon their paroll to return to Bergerac or to Bordeaux on a certain day and others they carried with them to Bourdeaux and by this valiant Exploit having relieved the Castle he afterwards disposed of his Army into Winter Quarters and returned into England Upon these great successes the King made him his sole Lieutenant and Captain in the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the parts adjacent with power to do and execute all things that belonged to that Command and gave command to all Archbishops Earls Barons Viscounts Castellans and other persons throughout that Dukedom and adjacent Countries to yield obedience to him as the Kings Lieutenant Five days before the King gave him Commission with power to treat and conclude with all persons of whatsoever state or condition Kingdom or Nation for setling firm alliances and mutual assistance between the King and them as also to retain men for the King's Service and to agree about their Fees Wages and other Rewards The 11 of Iune following Command was sent to the Sheriff of London that forasmuch as the Earl had shipt most of his Horse at Southampton and was ready to depart to make proclamation that all the men at Arms Archers and others who were to go with him should march to Southampton with all possible
elsewhere in the Kingdom of France and therein power was given him to treat and agree with any of the Kings Adversaries or their Adherents or other persons whatsoever And after by a particular Commission he and William Bishop of Norwich the Earls of Suffolk and Huntington and others were impowred to Treat and agree with the Earl of Flanders and his Allies touching any difference between the King and them and it seems their Endeavours took so good effect that an Agreement was made with that Earl the 10. of December following whereupon he was sent to Denemere and there received the said Earls Fealty and Homage As to his transactions relating to France He with the Bishop of Norwich the Earl of Suffolk and Sir Walter Many agreed to the Prorogation of the Truce from the 18. of November to the first of September following Upon the Death of his Father which fell out an 19. E. 3. he succeeded him in the Titles of the Earldoms of Lancaster and Leicester and for that a great part of the Lands sometimes the Earl of Lincolns were come to his possession the King Created him also Earl of Lincoln He had by his Charter of Creation granted unto him the Creation annuity of 20 l. to be paid him by the Sheriff of Lincolnshire for the time being in lieu of the third penny of that County for ever as Thomas late Earl of Lincoln his Uncle had to enjoy whilst he lived About 8. days after the King renued his Commission for being his Captain and Lieutenant in Aquitain and the parts adjacent with all Powers requisite for the better Government of those Dominions whether he shortly after pass'd And by other Letters Patent he constituted him his Captain and Lieutenant in Poicters with full power to exercise all things which appertained to that Command But for further increase of Honor the King Created him Duke of Lancaster and granted that during life he should have within that Country his Chancellor and Iustice as well to the Pleas of the Crown as other Pleas whatsoever to be held according to Law and the Executions of them and likewise all other Liberties and Royal Jurisdiction to a County Palatine appertaining as freely and wholly as the Earl of Chester was known to enjoy in the County of Chester the tenths and fifteenths and all other payments granted by the Clergy or Canons and pardons for life and members to the King excepted The 8. of March ensuing he was constituted Admiral of the Fleet from the mouth of the River Thames Westward and two days after the King Assigned him several Lieutenants namely Reginald de Ferers on the River Thames and Medway Robert Ledred Serjeant at Arms within the Cinque-Ports Philip de Wetton and Walter de Harewell Serjeants at Arms in the Port of Seford and in every part and place thence by the Sea-Coast to Fowy Richard Lengles in the Port of Fowy and thence to Bristol and there and in the Port of Chepstow and River of Severn and Ralph de Lullebrock in all places and Ports from Chepstow to Chester and there and in all Parts and Maritine places in Wales Upon a Rumor that the French had provided an Army and Navy to invade England among the Maritine Counties on the South of England Hants Wilts Somerset and Dorset were committed to this Duke to secure and to resist the Enemy So also was the Maritine parts of Lancashire And because the King had occasion to raise men for Land Service he gave him Commission to array 300. Archers within that Dutchy before the Quindena of the Holy Trinity then next following to be ready to march in the Kings Service The Scots also designing to invade England the following year this Duke had Commission to array all able men in Lancashire between the Age of 1â— and 60 to march against them in case they should presume to enter the Kingdom The like Commission was given him the 26. of February an 29. â— 3. The 14. of September an 29. E. 3. this noble Duke was constituted Lieutenant for the King and Iohn Duke of Bretagne then under age And by other Letters Patent of the same date Command was given to Sir Thomas Holland the Kings late Lieutenant to deliver up to him all the Castles Forts Cities Towns and other Places Lands Tenements and Rents in the said Dukedom under his custody with all the Corn Victuals Money and Issues of the said Dukedom as also all Victuals Engines Arms and other Ammunition in the said Castles c. which belonged to the King in Bretagne The 8. of August an 30. E. 6. he was by the Kings Letters Patent constituted Lieutenant and Captain in the Dukedom of Bretagne and parts adjacent for the good Government thereof both for the King and the said Iohn de Montford Duke of Bretagne then under age and in the King's custody from Michaelmas following for one year Froissard saith this Duke was in Normandy and with him the Lord Philip of Navarre and the Lord Godfrey of Harecourt carrying on the War in that Country under the Title of the King of Navar at such time as the Prince was foraging of Berry and used all endeavour to have joined his Forces with the Prince at Poicters but the passages being so well kept on the River Loire he could not pass and having heard that the Prince had got the Victory there he returned into England In this Voyage being 4000 strong they marched to Lisieux to Orbeâ— to Ponteau and relieved that Castle besieged above two Months but the Enemy hearing of the approach of the English raised their Siege in such hast that they left behind them their Ensigns and Artillery This Duke then marched to Breteuil which he relieved next to Verneuil in Perche took both Castle and Town and burnt a great part of it Upon the information of which the French King raised a mighty Army with design to fight him but he withdrawing to Laigle and the King being come within two Leagues of it found the Forest so thick and hazardous that he thought it not safe to pass further and in his return took from the Navarrois the Castles of Tilliers and Breteuil and so marched forward towards the Prince then harrasing Berry About the middle of May an 31. E. 3. he took the Field in Bretagne with 1000 men at Arms and 500 Archers and laid Siege to Rennes which though well defended was at length surrendred and the 25. of Iuly his Commission of Lieutenancy both for the King and Duke of Bretagne was renued for another year to commence at Michaelmas following but the 8. of August before the expiration thereof Sir Robert Herle and Iohn de Buckenham Clerk were appointed to succeed him being jointly and severally constituted Captains and Lieutenants both to the King and Duke for the following year from Michaelmas then next ensuing
At that time Tho. Douvedale was the Dukes Lieutenant in that Dukedom to whom command was given dated the 5. of August preceding to deliver up all things in his custody there and belonging to the King to such as the King had appointed to receive them in like manner as they were formerly delivered up to the Earl by Sir Thomas Holland late Captain there In the Expedition made by the King into France in the 33. year of his Reign this Duke was sent before to Calais with 400 Spears and 2000 Archers where being arrived he took with him those Lords of the Empire and other Commanders who there waited the Kings coming to Calais and marched to St. Omars Cambray and other places wasting all the Country as he passed until he heard of the arrival of the King and then returned to Calais This Voyage with the King into France was the last Martial Employment this Great Duke undertook and as he had manifested to the World the wisdom and valour of a great Commander and succeeded happily in Martial Affairs so was he no Enemy to Peace but as ready to lay hold of it on fair and honorable terms as he was forward to draw his Sword in defence of the Kings honor and right And this was most evident at the Treaty of Bretagne neer Chartres where though the King was very unwilling to accept of a Peace upon terms offered by the French yet moved by the perswasive Arguments of this worthy Duke he condescended thereunto It was also upon his motion both to the King and King Iohn of France that the Truce made at Rennes between Charles de Bloys and the Earl of Montfort which was to expire the first of May was enlarged to Midsummer following in hopes of a final Peace to be by that time made between them He married Isabel Daughter of Henry Lord Beaumont Cousin-german to Queen Isabel Wife to King Edward the Second and by her had two Daughters and Heirs Mand his eldest Daughter was Wife first to Ralph Son of Ralph Earl of Stafford and next to William Duke of Bavaria Earl of Henault Holand and Zeland Lord of Frisland stiled also Earl of Leicester and Blanch the youngest to Iohn of Gaunt created Duke of Lancaster an 36. E. 3. His Will was made in his Castle at Leicester the 15. of March 1360. in which he is stiled Duke of Lancaster Earl of Derby Lincolne and Leicester Steward of England Lord of Bergerac and Beaufort and by which he appoints his Body to be interred in the Collegiate Church of our Lady at Leicester where his Father was buried He dyed within few days after viz. on Tuesday next before Easter an 35. E. 3. and was buried at Leicester according to the appointment of his Will 4. Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick THis noble Earl was eldest Son to Guy Earl of Warwick and Alice Sister and Heir of Robert Toney He was born in Warwick Castle and had to his Godfathers Thomas Earl of Lancaster Henry his Brother and Thomas de Warington Prior of Kenilworth On New-years day in the second year of King Edward the Third he was made Knight though then within age and the 20. of February following having made his Homage had Livery of his Fathers Lands In the fifth year of the same King the Government of the Isles of Gernsey Sark and Aureney was conferred on him About two years after he attended King Edward the Third in that famous and successful Expedition against the Scots and in Christmas Holy-days an 8. E. 3. he and the Earl of Oxford were sent with Edward King of Scots to secure Carlisle and defend the West Marches of England who with some Forces raised in Lancashire Westmerland and Cumberland entred Scotland about Twelvetide wasted Gallaway and returned to Carlisle He attended the King again into Scotland an 9. E. 3. when King Edward by Carlisle and Edward King of Scots from Berwick entred again that Kingdom after which he was one of those Noblemen to whose trust the King committed the Guardianship of the Marches The following year he and other of the Nobility of England entred Scotland about Whitsontide and passed as far as St. Iohns Town which they fortified and in this Kingdom he remained all the year About the beginning of Sept. an 11. E. 3. he again entred Scotland with an Army by Berwick whilst the Lords Wake and Clifford entred by Carlisle and within two days both their Forces united whereupon they wasted Tividale Moseteidale and Nidesdale whilst Anthony Lord Lucy wasted Gallaway but not being able to prosecute their Voyage by reason of the great Rains they returned within twelve days to Carlisle and so much to the satisfaction of the King did he behave himself in this Expedition that the 19. of March following he made Letters obligatory to him for 500 Marks as a gift to be paid him at Michaelmas following When the King undertook his first Expedition into France an 13. E. 3. by the way of Flanders he likewise attended him thither and had Command of a Wing in the field pitch'd between Vyronsos and Flamengery in which among others were the Earl of Penbroke the Lords Berkley and Moulton He went over with the King into Flanders when by the way that memorable Naval fight hapned before Sluce where the King obtained a signal Victory against the French and was one of the Commissioners nominated at the Treaty agreed on at the Siege of Tournay to be sent to Arras in order to a further Treaty where after 15 days debate nothing was agreed on but the Surrender of the County of Poictou seized on by the French King the preceding year and a prolongation of the Truce for two years An. 16. E. 3. he was one of the Commissioners nominated to treat with the Kings Allies in Brabant and Flanders about his designed Expedition into France in which he after attended the King with 80 men at Arms 1 Banneret 18 Knights 60 Esquires and 100 Archers on Horse-back for whose passage a Writ issued to Iohn de Montgomery Admiral of the Fleet Westward to provide Ships At Nantes in Bretagne to which the King had laid Siege he behaved himself so gallantly upon a Sally made by the Town that they were forced to retreat with great loss Not long after his return into England he marcht into Scotland with Henry of Lancaster Earl of Derby to raise the Siege laid against Louhmaban Castle whereof the Earl of Northampton was Governor and when he came back was imployed with the said Earl of Derby and some others to the Pope to treat about King Edwards right to the Crown of France which produced nothing but an enlargement of the Truce The following year he was constituted Marshall of England during pleasure In that great Expedition
well-beloved Servant Sir Gilbert Dethick Knight Garter King of Arms Our said Order of the Garter the same to use as to this Election of you appertaineth wishing that God may increase you in virtue and honour as amply as any other that hath been Elected and placed in the same Yeoven under the Signet of our said Order at our Honor at Greenwich the 5. of May in the 26. year of our Reign To our right Trusty and Well-beloved the Lord Cobham Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports Knight and Companion of our most Noble Order of the Garter NUM XX. A Letter signifying Election when the present Soveraign was beyond the Seas Ex Collect. E. W. G. Charles R. CHARLES the Second by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. and Soveraign of the most Noble Order of the Garter To our right trusty and entirely beloved Cousin and Councellor James Marquess of Ormond our Lieutenant in the Kingdom of Ireland Greeting Whereas our Royal Progenitors the Kings of England have in all times since the institution of the most Noble Order of St. George called the Garter by our most noble and victorious Auncester King Edward the Third elected and chosen into the Fellowship thereof such Princes and other eminent persons as well Strangers as of their own Subjects as have for nobility and greatness of their births accompanied with heroick virtues especially in martial actions been thought worthy of the same We therefore considering that since the late horrid Rebellion in that our Kingdom many of the Companions thereof are dead and that some others contrary to their honor and Oaths have deserted their allegiance and are no more worthy to be esteemed Companions of so noble an Order and finding how necessary it is for ouâ— service and the honor of the said Order to elect others in their places vacant who for their birth courage and fidelity may be fit to be admitted thereunto Know you therefore that we duly weighing the eminence of your birth and Family and above all the great and most extraordinary services done by you for many years past and still continued in the condition of our Lieutenant in that our Kingdom together with your singular courage and fidelity have thought it fit by our power as Soveraign of the said Order dispencing with the usual Ceremonies to elect and chuse you our said right trusty and entirely beloved Cousin James Marquess of Ormond to be Fellow and Companion of the said most Noble Order of the Garter and do herewith send unto you the George and Ribband part of the Ensigns thereof by our trusty and well-beloved Servant Henry Seymour Esq one of our Bed-Chamber in regard Sir Edward Walker Knight Garter Principal King of Arms the proper Officer is otherways employed in our service the which we do hereby will and authorise you to wear And because it is not possible at present to have all other Ceremonies and Additions incident to the same fully perfected We do further will and authorize you to wear and use the Garter or Ribband on your left Leg the Glory or Star of Silver with St. George's Cross embroidered within a Garter upon your Cloak and upper Garments as likewise the Great Collar of the Order upon such days as are accustomed to use the Garter about your arms and to style your self Knight and Companion of the said most Noble Order of the Garter in as ample manner as if you had been installed in our Castle of Windesor where when it shall please God to restore us to the possession thereof you shall formally be invested receive the habit and all other the above recited Ornaments of the said most Noble Order And We no way doubt but as you have hitherto with singular courage fidelity and ability served us so you will still continue to do the same as becomes a Knight and Companion of so Noble an Order Given at the Castle of St. Germans en laye this eighteenth day of September in the first Year of our Reign NUM XXI A Letter signifying Election sent to Sir Iohn Falstolf Registrum Chart. fol. 14. De par le Roy Souverain de l'Ordre de la Iartier NOstre ame feal nous vous saluons Et come apres le trespassement de nostre treschier feal Cousin le Conte de Westmerlande dont dieux ait l'ame que estoit un de noz Compaignons de l'Ordre de la Jartier Nous eussions ordonné que noveielle election fust fait pur avoire un autre Compaignon en son lieu come la manere si est que le contenu dez estatuz du dit Ordre le porte vons signifions que a la darrain feste de Seint George en nostre Chapitre du dit Ordre tenuz a Wyndesore le xxii jour d' Avryll darrain passé veille de la dite feste nostre Compaignie du dit Ordre esteauniz adonques au dit Chapitre Considerant tant lez hous leaux honourables services que avez de piecà faiz en service de nostre tres redounté Seigneur Pier que dieux assoille que faitez continuelement en nostre come pluseurs autres desertes d'onnour que dieux a souffert estre en vous en tollerant tousjours comme bon feal subjet lez paines travaulx de guerre pour nostre bon droit juste querelle susteiner vous a eslâ—u un de noz Compaignons du dit Ordre en lieu de nostre dit Cosin esperant que dieux vous donne tousjours grace valeur de faire toudis de bien en mâ—ulx vostre devoire pourquoy a la delivrance de cestez nouz avons chargie par noz lettres noz treschiers feaulx Cosins lez Countez de Salisbirs de Warwyke de Soulfolk qui sâ—nt noz Compaignons du dit Ordre ou l'un d'eulx de qui vous serrez plus pres quil vous monstrent delivrent lez estatuz du dit Ordre Et yceulx par vouz receux preugnent vostre serement en tel cas acoustume a faire que bien lealment tendres ferez si avaunte que Dieux vous donnera puissance tout le contenu es diz estatuz en vous baillant l'ordre de la Jartier La quelle chose faite volonz que vouz ordonnez en tout haste resonnablement possible vostre Heaulme Espee un honourable Chivalier sanz reproche en lieu de vous pour prendre vostre estalle come voz veirez que les ditz estatuz du dit Ordre le requirent Et en cas que le dit Ordre ne vondrez acceptier pour aucun cause a vouz semblant raisonable le nous certifiez dedeinz deux mois apres la doubte de cestez en ceo nais point de faute Donné a Leicestre soubz le Seall du dit Ordre
Lord he hath at this day the Title of Prince of Maltae and Goza and had that of Illustrious first given him by Ferdinand the Second Emperor of Germany Among sundry great priviledges wherewith he is invested he hath power to Seal in Lead as doth the Pope and Duke of Venice He acknowledges the Pope for his Head and the King of Spain for his Patron Under this Great Master there are many of the Knights in several Kingdoms and Provinces called Priors some of whom have also the addition of Great With us in England he was stiled Prior Hospitalis Sancti Iohannis Ierusalem in Anglia and by that Title was he summoned to the Parliament as a Baron of this Kingdom At length he became ranked the first Baron and had place and precedency accordingly above all the Barons of Parliament There is a Memorandum of making his Oath of Fealty to the King which I find thus recorded Memorandum quod Frater Johannes de Radyngton Prior Hospitalis Sancti Iohannis Ierusalem in Anglia vicesimo tertio die Septembris anno praesenti apud Mansum Fratrum Praedicatorum London fecit fidelitatem suam Domino Regi debitam coram Consilio dicti Domini Regis ibidem tunc existente sub hac forma Jeo sera foial foie loialtie portera a nostre Seigneur le Roi Richard a ses heirs Rois D'engleterre de vie de membre de terrien honour a vivre morir contre toutz gentz diligiament seray entendant as busoignes nostre Seigneur le Roy solonc mon sen poair le conseil nostre Seigneur le Roy celera a lui a ses maundementz en quantque a moy attient sera obeisant si Dieu moi eide ses Seintz Protestando quod hoc non cederet in praejudicium Hospitalis praedicti temporibus futuris This Order grew in time to such greatness in Possessions and Lands that in the Reign of King Henry the Third they had in Christendom no fewer than nineteen thousand Mannors When Saladine had taken Ierusalem after it had been possest eighty nine years by the Christians these Knights retreated to the City of Acres called Ptolomais and that being also taken they seised upon the Island of Rhodes and gained the chief City there 18. Calend. Sept. in the year of our Lord 1308. which Pope n Clement the Fifth confirmed to them and thereupon they began to be called Knights of Rhodes At Rhodes they remained 214. years even until anno 1522. when Solyman the Great took the Island by force and made his publick entry thereinto on Christmas-day after which they betook themselves to the Island of Malta which with Tripoli and Goza were granted to them in Fee by the Emperor Charles the Fifth the 23. of March anno 1530. under the tender of one Falcon to the Viceroy of Sicily upon the 25. day of April yearly and on condition to acknowledge the King of Spain and Sicily for their Protectors This Donation was confirmed by Pope Clement the Seventh on the 9. of May in the same year In which Isle they yet continue the Bulwark and Fortress of Europe chiefly to shelter Sicily and guard the Coasts of Italy and from this settlement of theirs in this place they have been ever since called Knights of Malta The Order of Knights Templars 3. About the years 1117. 1118. 1119. or 1120. this Order took beginning Baldwin the Second then reigning in Ierusalem and Gelasius the Second possessing the Roman Chair when nine Gentlemen urged by zealous devotion passed the Seas to the Holy Land the chief of which though the rest are forgotten were Hugo de Paganes and Godfrey de Saint Omer two Knights of Noble Extraction The King because these Knights at first had no habitation assigned to them part of his own Palace neer the South-gate adjoining to the Temple of Solomon in Ierusalem and gave them leave to build a small House of residence within the inclosure thereof and hereupon they became called Brothers of the Militia of the Temple or more ordinarily in one word Knights Templars And as they began to increase in number which they did not till after nine years from their Institution so their first undertaking and profession to which they were enjoined by the Patriarch of Ierusalem was chiefly to guard the most dangerous High-ways about Ierusalem whereupon they became safe conductors to Pilgrims and Travellers who came to visit the holy places in that City both in coming thither and returning thence against the violence and robberies of the Saracens which charitable service made them acceptable to all and for which they obtained of the Patriarch and Bishops remission of their sins But they were yet so poor that for the first nine years they liv'd upon the Alms of others and wore such Clothes as good men for Charities sake bestowed on them They also rode two on one Horse in memory of which primitive poverty there was engraved on the Seal of their Order the Figure of two of their Knights riding upon one Horse which is exactly represented in Math. Paris At the Council held at Troyes in Champaigne anno 1127. they had certain Rules assigned to them drawn up by St. Bernard Abbot of Clairuaux a French Gentleman Lord of Fontaines a Village and Castle distant about half a mile from Dion by the appointment of Pope Honorius the Second and Stephen Patriarch of Ierusalem in the presence of which Patriarch they made their Vows of Obedience Poverty and Chastity and to live under the rule of Canons Regular of St. Augustine They were also enjoined to wear a White Habit to which but not till the time of Eugenius the Third they assumed the Red Cross and of the same form that the Knights Hospitallers of St. Iohn of Ierusalem wore though Favin saith it was a Patriarchal Cross and sewed it â—n the left shoulder of their Mantles to distinguish them from the Knights of other Orders in the Holy Land And thus as by their â—hite Habit their innocency was notified so by the Red Cross their resolution to spend their blood in defence of the Christian Faith These Knights with those other of the Holy Sepulâ—hre Hospitallers and Teuâ—onicks were the principal Columns which supported the Kingdom of Ierusalem for a long time and therefore their valiant encounters with the Infidels and forwardness to sacrifice their lives for the honor of God and defence of the Holy Land ought to be had in everlasting remembrance But when Riches increast and their Revenues were augmented they grew proud and withdrew themselves from the obedience of the Patriarch of Ierusalem to join with the Pope So that at last upon Friday after the Feast-day of St. Denys in the year of our Lord 1307. all the
day And both these Kings after their solemn Procession presently instituted an Order naming it the Order of St. Andrew But Andr. Favin reporteth the occasion to be otherwise to wit that Achaius King of Scotland having made that famous League offensive and defensive with Charlemain King of France towards all and against all other Princes to preserve the memory of which alliance to posterity the Scotch Lyon assumed before by King Fergus became then enclosed with a Tresure of Flowers de Lis he found himself thereby so strong and mighty that he took for device the Thistle and the Rue which he composed into a Collar of his Order and for his Motto Pour ma defence giving intimation thereby that he feared not the powers of Foreign Princes seeing he leaned on the succour and alliance of the French And though hence may be inferr'd that these two Plants were the united Symbols but of one Order of Knighthood yet doth Mennenius divide them into two making one whose chief Badge was the Thistle whence the Knights were so stiled and the Motto Nemo me impune lacessit and another vulgarly called Sertum Rutae or the Garland of Rue whose Collar was composed of two Branches or Sprigs thereof or else many of its leaves Nevertheless that at both these Collars hung one and the same Jewel to wit the Figure of St. Andrew Patron of that Kingdom bearing before him the Cross of his Martyrdom But there are some saith the same Author who refer the Institution of the Order of the Thistle to later times albeit the Thistle from the Reign of Aâ—haius had been acknowledged for the Badge and Symbol of the Kingdom of Scotland in like manner as the Rose was of England the Lilly of France the Pomegranate of Spain c. to wit in the Reign of Charles the Seventh of France when as the League of amity was renewed between those two Kingdoms and especially for the succour and aid which France then received from Scotland it being in a time of so extraordinary distress and last of all others place the Foundation yet later viz. in the year of our Lord 1500. I have done with what can be said as to the Foundation of this Order and the time thereof and shall now pass on to some other particulars relating to the Order it self The chief and principal Ensign of this Order is a Gold Collar composed of Thistles interlink'd with anulets of Gold and pendant thereunto the Image of St. Andrew with his Cross and this Epigraph Nemo me impune lacessit the Figure whereof may be seen in a Picture of Iames the Fifth King of Scotland now hanging in his Majesty's Gallery at Whitehall on several great Seals of that Kingdom on some Coyns and Medals and lastly among the representations of the Military Ensigns placed at the beginning of this Chapter The time of this Societies meeting was heretofore very religiously observed and celebrated upon the Feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle annually in the Church of the Town dedicated to his name and in testimony of the high esteem and reverence they bore unto him as their titular Saint and Patron During the solemnity of the Feast the Knights of this Order were habited in rich and costly Apparel and wore their Parliament Robes having fixt on their left shoulders an azure Rundle on which was embroidered St. Andrews Cross environed in Center with a Crown composed of Flowers de Lis Or. For the ordinary and common Ensign the Knights used a Green Ribbon whereat hung a Thistle of Gold crowned with an Imperial Crown within a Circle of Gold containing also the foresaid Epigraph but for more satisfaction we have caused the Figures of these two to be here exactly represented from the draughts of them sent me from the before-mentioned Sir Charles Areskin As to the number of the Knights there is nothing remembred by any Author we have seen but herein I was supplyed by the Right Honorable the Earl of Lauderdale who assured me he had met with among his readings from good authority a memorial that this Order consisted of 13 Knights in allusion to the number of our blessed Saviour and his twelve Apostles The Order of Knights of our Lady of the Star in France 7. The Institution of this Order is by Andrew Favin derived from Robert King of France surnamed the Devout who to manifest his particular devotion to the blessed Virgin Mary and in her honor gave Being thereunto in the Month of August Anno Domini 1022. The Knights were in number thirty comprehending the King of France the Chief or Soveraign they had appointed for their Habit Mantles of White Damask their Mantlets and Lining were of light Carnation Damask their Surcoats of the same and on their Mantles as also on their Surcoats to wit upon the left side of the breast was embroidered a Star wrought in pure Gold with five rays or pointed beams The great Collar saith he was formed of three round Chains of Gold much like that of the Order of the Gennet and united at little distances with enamelled Roses interchangeably White and Red at the end whereof hung the Figure of a Star The Ceremonies of the Order began on the day of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary Patroness thereof in the year before-mentioned In the Reign of Philip de Valois this Order began to be intermitted by reason of the Wars nevertheless it was restored by King Iohn his Son the eighth of September anno 1356. But albeit Favin hath thus formally set down the Institution of this Order and assign'd it to King Robert adding moreover Habit Collar and other specious circumstances thereunto yet the Sancte Marthe's his Countrymen are not perswaded of the truth thereof but ingeniously acknowledge that there is not any thing of it mentioned by their ancient Writers and coming to speak of the Order in particular they refer its first Institution not renovation so do Mennenius Ios. Micheli and others to King Iohn Son of Philip de Valois in the Month of October anno 1352. in commemoration of that Star which directed the Wisemen who came from far to adore the Saviour of the World at his Nativity the Figure whereof crowned King Iohn caused to be embroidered on the Mantle or upper Garment of the Order as also this Motto Monstrant Regibus Astra viam The Seat of this Order thus instituted by King Iohn and where the first Ceremonies were kept was in the noble and ancient House of St. Owen called de Clichy neer St. Denys in France and by an ancient deed of Exchange of Lands situate in the Earldom of Alançon in lieu of the House of St. Owen made by King Iohn to the Countess of Alançon and dated at St. Cler de Gomets the 6. day of Iune 1356. is the King called