proofe of which and that we may behold what excellent Peeres and Princes of our owne and other Nations have in all times successively beene chosen into this most noble Order wee have adjoyn'd a Catalogue of all Saint GEORGE'S Knights from the first institution of it till the present Which Catalogue I have here layed downe according as I finde it in the Catalogue of Honour published by Milles of Canterbury adding unto him such as have beene admitted since that publication Hereafter if this worke may ever have a second birth and that I have ability to nde or meanes to search into the publike Registers of this Order I shall annex to every of them the time of their Creation as wee have done in all of them since the first of Queene ELIZABETH THE FIRST FOVNDERS as they call them of the Garter EDVVARD the III. Of ENGLAND and FRANCE c. being the Chiefe or Soveraigne of it EDVVARD the III. King of England HENRY Duke of Lancaster PETER Capit. de la Bouche WILLIAN MONTACVTE Earle of Salisburie IOHN Lord Lisle IOHN BEAVCHMP Knight HVGH COVRTNEY Knight IOHN GREY of Codnor Knight MILES STAPLETON Knight HVGH WORTHESLEY Knight IOHN CHANDOS Knight Banneret OTHO HOLLAND Knight SANCHIO DAMPREDICOVRT Knight EDVVARD Prince of Wales THOMAS BEAVCHAMP Earle of Warwicke RAPH Earle of Stafford ROGER MORTIMER Earle of March BARTHOLM de Burgherst Knight IOHN Lord Mohun of Dunstere THOMAS HOLLAND Knight RICHARD FITZ-SIMON Knight THOMAS WALE Knight NEELE LORENGE Knight IAMES AVDLEY Knight HENRY ESME Knight WALTER PAVELY Knight Which Founders being dead these following were in the time of the said Edward the third elected in their places according as their stalls became vacant by the death of any of the others viz. RICHARD of Burdeaux Prince of Wales and after King of England of that name the second LIONELL Duke of Clarence IOHN of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster EDMOND of Langley Duke of Yorke IOHN Duke of Brittaine and Earle of Richmond HVMFREY de Bohun Earle of Hereford WIâ—LIAM de Bohun Earle of Northampton IOHN HASTINGS Earle of Pembrooke THOMAS BEAVCHAMP Earle of Warwicke RICHARD FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell ROBERT VFFORD Earle of Suffolke HVGH Earle of Stafford GVISCARD of Engolesine Earle of Huntingdon INGELRAM of Coucy Earle of Bedford EDVVARD Lord Despencer WILLIAM Lord Latimer REYNOLD Lord Cobham of Sterborough IOHN Lord Nevill of Raby RAPH Lord Basset of Drayton Sir WALâ— MANNY Banneret Sir THOMAS VFFORD Sir THOMAS FELTON Sir FRANCIS VAN HALL Sir ALAN BOXHVLL Sir RICH. PEMBRVGE Sir THOMAS VTREIGHT Sir THOM. BANISTER Sir RICH. LA VACHE Sir GVY of Brienne RICHARD the II. KING OF ENGLAND and Soveraigne of the Garter Elected in his Time into the Order these that follow THOMAS of Woodstocke Earle of Buckingham and Duke of Gloucester HENRY of Lancaster Earle of Darbie and Duke of Hereford WIL. Duke of Gelderland WIL. Earle of Holland Hainault c. THO. HOLLAND Duke of Surrey IOHN HOLLAND Duke of Exeter THO. MOVVERAY Duke of Norfolke EDVVARD Duke of Aumerle MICHAEL DE LA POLE Earle of Suffolke WIL. SCROPE Earle of Wiltes WILLIAM BEAVCHAMP Lord Aburgevenny IOHN Lord Beaumont WIL. Lord Willoughby RICHARD Lord Grey Sir NICHOLAS SARNESFEILD Sir PHILIP DE LA VACHE Sir ROBERT KNOLLES Sir GVY of Brienne Sir SIMON BVRLEY Sir IOHN D'EVREVX Sir BRIAN STAPLETON Sir RIGH BVRLEY Sir IOHN COVRTNEY Sir IOHN BVRLEY Sir IOHN BOVRCHIER Sir THO. GRANDISON Sir LEVVIS CLIFFORD Sir ROBERT DVMSTAVILL Sir ROBERT of Namurs HENRY the IIII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter made Choice of HENRY Prince of Wales THOMAS of Lancaster Duke of Clarence IOHN Duke of Bedford HVMFREY Duke of Gloucester ROBERT Count Palatine and Duke of Bavaria THO. BEAVFORT Duke of Exeter IOHN BEAVFORT Earle of Somerset THO. FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell EDM. Earle of Stafford EM HOLLAND Earle of Kent RAPH NEVILL Earle of Westmerland GILBERT Lord Talbot GILBERT Lord Roos THO. Lord Morley EDVVARD Lord Powys IOH. Lord Lovell Edvv. Lord Burnell IOH. CORNVVALL Lord Fanhope Sir WIL. ARVNDELL Sir IOH. STANLEY Sir ROE VMFREVILL Sir THOM. RAMPSTON Sir THOM. ERPINGHAM Sir IOH. SVLBIE Sir SANCHIO of Trane HENRY the V. of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter graced with the Order SIGISMVND King of Hungarie and Bohemia Emperour Elect. IOHN King of Portugall CHRISTIERNE King of Danemarke PHILIP Duke of Burgundie IOHN HOLLAND Duke of Exeter WILL. DE LA POLE Duke of Suffolke IOH. MOVVERAY Duke of Norfolke THOM. MONTACVTE Earle of Salisbury RICH. VERE Earle of Oxon. RICH. BEAVCHAMP Earle of Warwicke THOM. Lord Camoys IOHN Lord Clifford ROBERT Lord Willoughby WILLIAM Lord Bardolfe HENRY Lord Fitz-Hugh LEVVIS ROBSART Lord Bourchier HVGH STAFFORD Lord Bourchier WALTER Lord Hungerford Sir SYMON FELBRIDGE Sir IOH. GREY of Eyton Sir IOH. DABRIDGECOVRT Sir IOH. ROBSART Sir TRANK VAN CLVX of Germany Sir WILLIAM HARRINGTON Sir IOHN BLOVNT HENRY the VI. of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter assumed into it ALBERT of Austria King of Bohemia Hungarie and Emperour of Germanie FREDERICK Duke of Austria and Emperour EDVVARD King of Poland ALPHONSO King of Arragon and Naples CASIMIRE King of Portugall EDVVARD Prince of Wales PET. Duke of Conimbria and HENRY Duke of Visontium both Sonnes to the King of Portugall The Duke of Brunswicke RICH. Duke of Yorke IOH. BEAVFORT Duke of Somerset EDM. BRAVFORT Duke of Somerset IASPER of Hatfeild Duke of Bedford IOHN MOVVBRAY Duke of Norfolke HVMPH STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham GASTON DE FOIX Earle of Longueville IOHN DE FOIX Earle of Kendall ALVARES D'ALMADA Earle of Averence IOHN FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell RICH. NEVILL Earle of Salisbury RICH. NEVILL Earle of Warwicke IOH. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury IOH. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury Sonne to the former IAMES BVTLER Earle of Wiltes WILL. NEVILL Earle of Kent RICHARD WIDDEVILL Earle Ryvers HEN. Viscount Bourchier Earle of Essex IOHN Viscount Beaumont IOHN Lord Dudley THO. Lord Scales IOHN Lord Grey of Ruthin RAPH Lord Butler of Sudeley LIONELL Lord Welles IOH. Lord Bourchier of Berners THOMAS Lord Stanley WILL. Lord Bonvill IOH. Lord Wenlocke IOH. Lord Beauchamp of Powys THOMAS Lord Hoo. Sir IOHN RATCLIFFE Sir IOHN FASTOLFE Sir THOMAS KYRIELL Sir EDVVARD HALL EDVVARD the IIII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter made Knights thereof FERDINAND King of Naples IOHN King of Portugall EDVVARD Prince of Wales CHARLES Duke of Burgundie FR. SFORZA Duke of Millaine FREDERICKE Duke of Vrbine HERCVLES Duke of Ferrara RICH. Duke of Yorke the Kings Sonne RICH. Duke of Gloucester IOHN MOVVBRAY Duke of Norfolke IOHN Lord Howard made afterwards Duke of Norfolke IOHN DE LA POLE Duke of Suffolke HENRY STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham IOHN NEVILL Marquise Montacute THOMAS GREY Marquise Dorset IAMES Earle of Douglas in Scotland WILL. FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell THOM. Lord Maltravers ANTH. WOODVILL Earle Ryvers WILL. Lord Herbert Earle of
Pembrooke IOHN STAFFORD Earle of Wiltes HEN. PERCY Earle of Northumberland IOHN TIPTOFT Earle of Worcester GALLIARD Lord Duras IOHN Lord Scrope of Bolton WALT. D'EVREVX Lord Ferrers WALT. BLOVNT Lord Montjoy WILL. Lord Hastings Sir IOHN ASTLEY Sir WILL. CHAMBERLAINE Sir WILL. PARRE Sir ROB. HARICOVRT Sir THOMAS MONTGOMERY RICHARD OF GLOVCESTER of that Name the third c. and Soveraigne of the Garter admitted these viz. THO. HOVVARD Duke of Norfolke THO. Lord Stanley afterwards Earle of Darby FRANCIS Viscount Lovell Sir IGHN COGNIERS Sir RICH. RADCLIFFE Sir THOM. BVRGH Sir RICH. TVNSTALL HENRY the VII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter admitted to this honour MAXIMILIAN Archduke of Austria and after Emperour IOHN King of Portugall IOHN King of Danemarke PHILIP of Austria King of Castile ALPHONSO Duke of Calabria and after King of Naples ARTHVR Prince of Wales HENRY Duke of Yorke and Prince of Wales after his Brother VEALDO Duke of Vrbine EDVV. STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham THOM. GREY Marquise Dorset IOAN VERE Earle of Oxon. HEN. PERCY Earle of Northumberland GEO. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury HEN. BOVRCHIER Earle of Essex RICH. GREY Earle of Kent EDVVARD COVRTNEY Earle of Devon HEN. Lord Stafford Earle of Wiltes EDM. DE LA POLE Earle of Suffolke CH. SOMERSET Earle of Worcester GERALD Earle of Kildare IOHN Viscount Welles GEO. STANLEY Lord Strange WILL. STANLEY the Lord Chamberlaine IOHN Lord Dynham ROB. WILLOVGHBY Lord Brooke Sir GILES D'AVBENY Sir EDVV. POYNINGS Sir EDVV. WIDDEVILE Sir GILBERT TALBOT Sir IOHN CHEYNIE Sir RICHARD GVILFORD Sir THOM. LOVELL Sir THOM. BRANDON Sir REGINALD BRAY. Sir RHESE AP THOMAS Sir IOHN SAVAGE Sir RICH. POOLE HENRY the VIII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter Chose in his Reigne CHARLES the fifth Emperour of Germany and King of Spaine FERDINAND Archduke of Austria and King of the Romanes FRANCIS the first King of France EMANVEIL King of Portugall IAMES the fifth King of Scotland HENRY FITZ-ROY Duke of Richmond and Somerset IVLIAN DE MEDICES EDVVARD SEYMOVR Earle of Hartford and after Duke of Somerset THOM. HOVVARD Duke of Norfolke CH. BRANDON Duke of Suffolke IOHN DVDLEY Viscount L'isle afterwards Duke of Norhumberland ANNAS Duke of Montmorancie HENRY COVRTNEY Marquise of Exeter WILL. PARRE Marquise of Northampton WILLIAM PAVVLET Lord St. Iohn of Basing after Marquise of Winchester HENRY HOVVARD Earle of Surrey THO. BVLLEN Earle of Wiltes WIL. FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell IOHN VERE Earle of Oxon. HENRY PERCY Earle of Northumberland RAPH NEVILL Earle of Westmerland FR. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury PHIL. DE CHABOT Earle of Newblanch Admirall of France THOM. MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland ROB. RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex HENRY CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland WILL. FITZ-WILLIAMS Earle of South-hampton THOM. Lord Cromwell Earle of Essex IOH. Lord Russell Earle of Bedford THOMAS Lord Wriothesley after Earle of Southampton ARTHVR PLANTAGENET base sonne of Edw. 4. Viscount L'isle WALT. D'EVREVX Viscount Hereford EDVV. HOVVARD Lord Admirall GEO. NEVILL Lord Abergevenny THOM. Wâ—st Lord de la Ware THOM. Lord Dacres of Gillesland THOM. Lord Darcy of the North. EDVVARD SVTTON Lord Dudley WIL. BLOVNT Lord Montjoy EDVV. STANLEY Lord Monteagle WIL. Lord Sands HENRY Lord Marney THO. Lord Audley of Walden Chancellour of England Sir IOHN GAGE Sir HENRY GVILFORD Sir NICH. CAREVV Sir ANTHONY BROVVNE Sir THOM. CHEYNIE Sir RICHARD WINGFEILD Sir ANTH. WINGFEILD Sir ANTH. St. LEGER Lord Deputie of Ireland Sir IOH. WALLOP EVVARD the VI. of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter ascribed into the Order HENRY the second King of France HENRY GREY Duke of Suffolke HENRY NEVILL Earle of Westm. FR. HASTINGS Earle of Huntingdon WILL. HERBERT Earle of Pembrooke EDVV. STANLEY Earle of Darby THO. WEST Lord de la Ware GEO. BROOKE Lord Cobbam EDVVARD Lord Clinton Admirall THOMAS Lord Seymor of Sudeley WILL. Lord Paget of Beaudesert THOM. Lord Darcy of Chiche Sir ANDREVV SVTTON alias Dudley MARY QVEENE OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter assumed into the voide places PHILIP of Austria King of Spaine the Queenes Husband EMANVEL Duke of Sâ—voy HENRY RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex ANTH. BROVVNE Viscount Montacute WILL. Lord HOVVARD of Effingham WILL. Lord Grey of Wilton EDVV. Lord Hastings of Loughborow ELIZABETH QVEENE OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter supplied the Vacant places of the Order with 1559. FREDERICK Duke of Wittenberge THOM. HOVVARD Duke of Norfolke 1559. ROB. DVDLEY Lord Denbigh and Earle of Leicester HENRY MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland WIL. PARRE Earle of Essex and Marq. of Northampton 1560. ADOLPHVS Duke of Holsatia 1561. GEORGE TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury HENRY CARIE Lord Hunsdon 1563. AMEROSE DVDLEY Lord L'isle and Earle of Warwicke THOM. PERCY Earle of Northumberland 1564. CHARIES the Ninth King of France FRANCIS Lord Russell Earle of Bedford 1568. MAXIMILIAN King of Hungary and Bohemia Emperour 1570. FRANCIS HASTINGS Earle of Huntingdon WIL. SOMERSET Earle of Worcester 1572. FRANCIS Duke of Montmorency WALTER Viscount Hereford and Earle of Essex ARTHVR Lord Grey of Wilton EDM. BRVGES Lord Chandos FREDERICK King of Denmarke 1574. HENRY STANLEY Earle of Darby HENRY HERBERT Earle of Pembrooke 1575. CHARLES Lord Howard of Effingham and Admirall of England afterwards Earle of Nottingham 1579. IOHN CASIMIRE Count Palatine of the Rhene and Duke of Bavaria 1584. HENRY the Third King of France EDVV. MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland WIL. CECILL Lord Burghley WIL. BROOKE Lord Cobham HENRY Lord Scrope of Bolton 1486. HENRY RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex 1588. ROBERT DEVREVX Earle of Essex Sir HENEY SIDNEY Lord President of the Marches Sir CHRISTOPHER HATTON Lord Chancellour 1592. GILBERT TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury GEORGE CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland 1593. HENRY PERCY Earle of Northumberland EDVVARD SOMERSET Earle of Worcester THOMAS Lord Burgh EDMOND Lord Sheffeild Sir FRANCIS KNOLLES Treasurer of the Houshold 1596. HENRY the fourth King of France and Navarre 1597. FREDERICKE Duke of Wittemberge THGM SACKVILL Lord Buckhurst afterwards Earle of Dorset THOM. Lord Howard of Walden afterwards Earle of Suffolke GEORGE CARY Lord Hunsdon CH. BIOVNT Lord Montjoy after Earle of Devon Sir HENRY LEA Keeper of the Armorie 1599. ROB. RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex HENRY BROOKE Lord Cobham 1601. WILL. STANLEY Earle of Darby THOM. CECILL Lord Burghley after Earle of Exeter IAMES the first KING OF GREAT BRITAINE and Soveraigne of the Garter adorned that Noble Order with these Worthies viz. 1603. CHHRISTIERNE the fourth King of Denmarke HENRY Prince of Wales LEVVLS Duke of Lennox and afterwards of Richmond HEN. WRIOTHESLEY Earle of South-hampton IOHN ERESKIN Earle of Marre WILL. HERBERT Earle of Pembrooke 1605. VLRICK Duke of Holst HEN. HOVVARD Earle of Northampton 1606. ROB. CECILL Earle of Salisbury THOM. HOVVARD Viscount Bindon 1608. GEORGE HVME Earle of Dunbarre PHILIP HERBERT Earle of Montgomery 1611. CHARLES the Kings second Sonne after the death of his Brother Henry Prince of Wales THOM. HOVVARD
imperfect but thus to be conceiv'd Brittaine to thee divinest Bede we owe Who did alone all parts of learning knowe 3 The witnesse being such his testimony will be taken with lesse scruple the rather because there is not any thing of his which hath beene justly question'd but his English Historie as having in it more of the myracles so common in the peoples mouthes than may be well allowed of But even that peece also modestè circumspecto iudicio is censured sparingly and with great temper His testimonies of St GEORGE are two the one of them in his Martyrologie the other in his Ephimerides First in his Martyrologie on the 23. of Aprill or in the Latine Computation on the 9. of the Calends of May we reade it thus Natale S. Georgij Martyris qui sub Daciano Rege Persarum potentissimo qui dominabatur super 70. reges multis miraculis claruit plurimosque convertit ad fidem Christi simul Alexandram uxorem ipsius Daciani usque ad Martyrium confortavit Ipse verò novissime decollatus martyrium complevit quamvis gesta passionis eius inter Apocryphas connumerentur Scripturas Id est The Passion of St. GEORGE the Martyr who under DACIANUS the most mighty King of Persia Lord of no lesse than seaventy tributarie Princes was famous for his miracles and for converting many to the faith of CHRIST of which the Empresse Alexandra the wife of Dacianus continued constant in it even unto the death This GEORGE at last beheaded received the Crowne of Martyrdome although the Storie of his Passion be reckoned as Apocryphall And in his Ephimerides on the same ninth of the May-Calends thus Nona docet Fortunatúmque Achillea iunctos Hac etiam invicto mundum qui sanguine temnis Infinit a refers Georgi sancta Trophaea This ninth day doth of Fortunatus tell And of Achilles joyn'd together well And of thee George who didst the world neglect And holy trophees in thy bloud erect 4 The first of these two testimonies as it affirmes the Death and sufferings of St. GEORGE so are there in it some things which require a favourable Reader and others which deserve to bee rejected altogether Of the last ranke there is the fable of the Empresse ALEXANDRA of which wee have already spoken in the first part and second Chapter an old remnant doubtlesse of the Arian Legend exploded by Gelasius That of her Husband Dacianus if it encounter with a favourable reader without offence may bee admitted although perhaps derived out of the same originall Derived I say out of the same originall perhaps because I finde it in Baronius Annotations on the Roman Martyrologie that the Arian Legends made their George to suffer under Dacianus King of Persia onely the difference is and that not much that there the tributary Kings are five in number more than heere in venerable Bede This Doctor Reynolds useth as a closing argument to proove our Saint to bee the Arian GEORGE of Alexandria and this our selves alledg'd in the behalfe of Calvin to shew what cause hee had to make St. GEORGE a Counterfeit or Larva The processe was that there was never at or about that time a King of Persia of that name and greatnesse of Command and that this Dacianus is in other of our Authors made to bee President or Proconsul under DIOCLETIAN therefore in likelihood our Authors not agreeing and no such King as hee in nature the whole Story of St. George is false and forged This is the maine of all that may be sayd against us touching Dacianus and this I say a favourable Reader may admit without offence For proofe of which wee must looke backe a little on the condition of the Roman Empire at the time of Saint Georges sufferings The East parts of it govern'd as before I said by Diocletian and the West by Maximinian These two the better to direct and manage the affaires of State had tooke unto themselves two Caesars whereof the one was named Galerius Maximinianus assumed by Diocletian and under him Lieutenant Generall or Lord President of the Easterne Countries Now this Galerius Caesar was by birth a Dacian and afterwards Successour unto Diocletian in all those parts that hee commanded That hee was borne in Dacia is affirm'd by St. Hieromes Latine copie of Eusebâ—us Chronicon where thus wee reade it Galerius in Dacia haud longe à Sardica natus that hee was borne in Dacia not farre from Sardica That he succeeded Diocletian in the greatnesse and extent of his Command after that he and Maximinian had surrendred up the Empire is a thing so plaine in Story that no man conversant in the Historians of those times but exactly knowes it Hereupon we inferre that probably this Dacianus mention'd in the Story was that Galerius Maximinianus who afterwards was Emperour and had the Easterne parts all of them of that Empire under his subjection And this we doe the rather fancy to be probable because denominations taken from the birth-place of their Princes were not accounted novelties among the Romans For Adrianus wâ—e well know assumed that name from Adria a Towne of Italie where he was borne And not to seeke for more examples we finde that Diocletian borne in a Towne of Dalmatia called Dioclea added this termination to the place of his Nativitie that so his name might bee more plausible among the Romans whose governance he had then undertaken Adde hereunto that this Galerius was alwayes a most bitter enemy of the Church of CHRIST which he had persecuted fromâ— his youth and then perhaps he may more easily be beleeved to be this DACIANUS 5 But heere it may be question'd how Dacianus admitting that he were the same with Galerius the Dacian can be supposed to be a King of Persia considering that the Persians had at that time a Prince of their owne royall stocke known by the name of Narses who dyed about the yeere 307. To this we answere that Venerable Beda spake according to the manner of the times in which he liv'd wherein the Persians having subdued the Roman forces were and had so beene long before the absolute maisters of almost all those Countries which Galerius once commanded Which being so the East parts of the Roman Empire vnder the command of the Kings of Persia and in particular the Holy-Land where Lydda is being in their Dominions those Countries did in common speech passe by the name of Persia. Iust as at this day we call those severall parts of the Turkish Empire once members of the Assyrian Greeke and Roman Monarchies by the common name of Turkie or as we call all Easterne Churches the Greeke-Church because they have communion at this time with the Patriarch of Constantinople So Bellarmine doth call the Cardinall Bessarion a Grecian borne at Trabezond Bessarion natione Graecus patria Trapezuntius c. as hee there hath it whereas the Towne of Trabezond is farre inough from Greece
be amisse to note that notwithstanding all the opposition made against him both heere among our selves and abroad with others St. George doth still retaine his place in our common Calendars Not in those onely made for the state of every yeare where commonly he shines in Festivall red letters as doe no other of the Saints but those whose Feasts are by the Church observed as Holy but also in the Calendar prefixed before the publike Liturgie of our most blessed Church of England where he is specially honoured with the name of Saint as is not any of the rest excepting those which saw our Saviour in the flesh Excellent evidence that as the state of England is much devoted to Saint GEORGE'S honour so he doth still preserve his place and reputation in the opinion of the Church An argument to me so powerfull and prevailing that in Morbonium the meere word or bare conjecture of every one of what especiall fame soever which guided by his private spirit shall resolve the contrary 8 I said the state of England is much devoted to Saint GEORGE'S honour and if we looke upon the Institution of the most noble Order of the Garter wee shall see cause inough to say it An Order of that excellencie that the mightiest Princes of Christendome have reputed it among their greatest honours to bee chosen and admitted to it the names and dignities of whom we shall see presently in our Catalogue of this Order A founder it had of a most accomplish'd vertue the Thunderbolt of Warre as some call Antiochus and in the times of Peace nothing inferiour to any of the Law-makers of the best ages so much celebrated Briefly wee may affirme of him as the Historian of Augustus the fittest paralell that I can finde for him amongst famous Princes Homo omnibus omnium gentium viris magnitudine sua inducturus caliginem This most excellent Prince the glorie of his times and a chiefe ornament of Europe having exceedingly prevail'd both against the French and Scottish Kings discomfited their Armies and taken one of them in person ordained this most noble Order and societie of Knights so to adorne their valour manifested in the Warres with honour the reward of vertue Their number 26. no more Vt pretium faciat raritas lest being else communicated unto many it might at last become despicable nor ever have our Kings exceeded in the number but still confined themselves unto the first intention of the Founder COVVELL in his Interpreter printed at Cambridge Anno 1607. relates the Institution of it thus EDVVARD the third after he had obtain'd many great victories King IOHN of France King IAMES of Scotland being both Prisoners in the Tower of London at one time and King HENRY of Castile the Bastard being expulsed and DON PEDRO restored by the Prince of Wales did on no weighty occasion first erect this Order Anno 1350. Of the occasion afterwards obâ—erving for the present how ill his Historie agrees with his Chronologie For true it is that this most noble Order was instituted on the 23. of this King which falls out rightly with the yeare 350. But then King IOHN of France was but newly entred on his Kingdome and the expulsion of King HENRY was the last act almost of that tryumphant Prince of Wales Don Pedro not comming into England till the thirty ninth of King Edward As much is he mistaken also in the name of the King of Scotland who was then Prisoner in the Tower which was not Iames but David there being no Iames King of that Country in more than fiftie yeares after For the occasion of it it is received generally that it tooke beginning from a Garter of the Queene or rather of Ioane Countesse of Salisburie a Ladie of incomparable beauty which fell from her as she danced and the King tooke up from the ground For when a number of Nobles and Gentlemen standing by laughed thereat he made answere againe that shortly it should come to passe that Garter should be in high honour and estimation adding withall these words in French Hony Soit qui maly pense Id est Shame bee to him that evill thinks which after was the Motto or Impresse of the Garter Which were it so saith Master Camden it need not seeme to be a base originall thereof considering as one saith nobilitas sub amore iacet He addes withall that some report how from his owne Garter given forth as a signall of a battaile which sped so fortunately hee call'd them Knights of the Garter But whatsoever the occasion of it was likely it is that it tooke this name from the blew Garter which the Fellowes of it weare on their left Leg carrying the foresaid impresse wrought with golden Letters and enchased with precious Stones and fastned with a buckle of Gold as with the Bond of most inward societie in token of unitie and Concord that so there might be a Communion as it were of vertues and good will amongst them Doctor Cowell reports in his Interpreter that he hath seene an ancient monument wherein it doth appeare that this most noble Order is a Colledge or Corporation having a Common seale consisting of the Kings of England as Soveraignes thereof or chiefe Guardians of it 25. Knights fellowes as they call them or Companions of the Garter 14. Canons resident beeing secular Preists 13. Vicars or Chorall Preists and 26. of the inferiour sort of gentrie militarie men call'd commonly Poore Knights of Windsore whereof indeed there are but twelve There belongs also unto this Heroicke Order the Prelate of the Garter which is the Lord Byshop of Winton for the time being a Chancellour a Register thereof which alwayes is the Deane of Windsore an Vsher which is one of the Vshers of the Kings Chamber called Black-rod and last of all a chiefe Herald even the most principall of all GARTER first King of Armes instituted by that victorious Prince King Henry the fifth to attend chiefly on this Order and doe them service at their Funerals 9 The Kings of England are as I said before the Soveraignes of this noble Order and either doe in person or by their lawfull Deputie by them nominated and appointed elect the fellowes of the Order and solemnize the Festivals and hold the Chapters To them it also appertaines to have the declaration reformation and disposition of the Lawes and Statutes of the said most noble Order Which Lawes and Statutes were first instituted and devised by the victorious Prince King Edward of that name the third after revised and ratified by many the succeeding Kings And on the Reformation of Religion much altered by King Edward of that name the sixt About this time saith Sir Iohn Hayward in his Historie of that Prince the Order was almost wholly altered as by the Statutes thereof then made it doth appeare A thing not to bee wondred at For even the Lawes of the most setled States and Kingdomes have beene
often changed and varied according to occasion and the Princes pleasure Vnto them also to the Soveraignes I meane or to their Deputies it appertaines to choose and nominate into the Order whom they esteeme to bee most worthy of that honour and like to bee the greatest ornament unto it Yet so that sixe at least of the said fellowes doe conveene at the Election and concurre in it the residue of them being all warned to bee there present and such as faile of their attendance without just cause such as the Soveraigne shall approve to bee amerced In their elections two things there are which they especially observe First that the partie nominated bee a Gentleman of name and armes for three descents both by the Fathers side and by the Mothers For which cause when the Garter was reproachfully taken from the Lord William Paget by Dudley of Northumberland to give to Iohn his eldest sonne the Earle of Warwicke he used this colour to disguise that foule dishonour that the said Lord as the first raiser of his house was said to bee no gentleman of blood neither by Father nor by Mother as Sir Iohn Hayward tells the storie The second thing to be observed is that the partie nominated bee without spot or foule reproach as viz. not convict of Heresie nor attaint of treason nor by his Prodigalitie and riot decayed in his estate by meanes whereof hee is not able to conserve the honour of his Order nor such a one that ever fled in the day of battaile his Soveraigne Lord or his Lieutenant being in the Feild In all which cases a Knight elected and installed may also if it please the Soveraigne be degraded The partie chosen by the Prince if he bee a stranger is certified thereof soone after by Letters from the Soveraigne and many times the Statutes of that Order have beene sent unto him to consider of them whether or no he will accept of this election But this a matter meerely formall For commonly our Kings are first well assured of the parties good affection to them before they choose him and as for forreigne Princes it is a true note of Master Camdens that the most mighty of them have reputed it their chiefest honour to be chosen and admitted into this Companie as we have said before and shall see anon in the ensuing Catalogue If he accept it as no question but hee will then doth the Soveraigne forthwith send unto him by his Ambassadour and the chiefe Herald commonly the whole habit of the Order with the Garter and the Collar wherewith they doe invest him And on the other side the Prince or stranger so invested within convenient time send their sufficient Deputie with a mantle of blew Velvet to be installed in their roome at St. GEORGE'S Church at Windsore But if the partie chosen be a Subject of the Kingdome the Garter is delivered to him presently upon his election to signifie that he is chose into the Order Afterwards in the Chapter-house upon the reading of his Commission before the Soveraigne or his Deputie he is invested with his Robe and with his Hood Then followes the Installment performed with many grave and magnificent Ceremonies which done he doth receive the Collar of the Order These at their installations have alwayes an oath administred that to their power during the time they shall be fellowes of the Order they shall defend the honor quarrels rights and lordships of the Soveraigne and that they shall endeavor to preserve the honor of the said Order and all the statutes of it they shal well observe without fraud or Covin Which oath is by the natives of the kindome taken absolutely and in termes but many times by strangers relatively and by halfes in reference to some former Order So So when King Henry the third of France was by the Earle of Darby invested with the Garter Anno 1585 he tooke his oath to keepe the Statutes of the Order in all points Quae legibus Ordinis S. Spiritus S. Michaelis non adversantur wherein they were not opposite unto the Order of St. Michael the Holy Ghost to which he had bin sworn before Vpon which reason also Frederick King of Denmarke though he did joyfully accept the habit of the Order refused to take the oath at all because he had beene sworne before at his installation in the Order of Saint Michael to the King of France Being thus solemnely installed and seated in the place belonging to them in the Chappell their next care is to fasten an Escocheon of their Armes and hachments in a plate of mettall upon the backe of their said stalls which they remove according as themselves in Order are advanced higher And in that Order doe they also change the places of their banners swords and Helmets which are continually set over their said stalls during their being of the Order This onely is the difference that at the death of any of the Knights of this most noble Order their Plate of Armes is left for ever to that stall where last they sate to preserve their memory whereas the Banner Sword and Helmet are all taken downe and offered with all due solemnities the Offering made by such of the surviving Knights as by the Soveraigne shall be destinated to that service I said before that they remove their Plates and Hachments according as themselves in order are advanced higher in this Order they take place according to the antiquitie of their Creation and not according to their dignities titles and estates so that sometimes a Knight Bachelour hath place before an Earle or Baron as not long since wee had example in Sir Harry Lea Knight keeper of the Armorie Onely in honour unto strangers which bee Dukes or Sonnes and Brethren unto forreine Kings and Princes it is permitted that they take their roomes and places according to their qualitie Hitherto have we spoken of the Election of Saint GEORGES Knights and their admission to the Order A litle would be said now of the meanes and wayes whereby their roomes are voyded and their places destitute and they are three for either they are voyde by Death or by Degradation or by Cession and surrendrie The second of the three for here we will not speake of Death is Degradation a peece of Iustice more to bee commended where it may not than where it may bee spared The cases wherein Degradation is allowed of I have shewne already but the examples are but fewe William Lord Paget which was so scornfully degraded by Northumberland was by Qu. Mary with great honour restored againe unto his Order And Sir Iohn Fastolfe which for his valiantnesse had beene elected of the Order was by the Duke of Bedford under whom hee served and unto whom he was great Master of the Household devested in great anger of his GEORGE and GARTER because hee had departed from a battaile which the English lost without stroke stricken But