The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

Touching the Fees due to the College of Windsor.

§ 1.

Such was the Piety and Bounty of our Ancestors, that they thought no Work well perform’d, without being attended with some charitable Donation, especially if it had relation to the Church, whereto they generally bore a venerable Esteem. Hence was it at the Installation of the Order ordain’d: That every Knight-Companion should, at his entrance, bestow a certain Sum of Money, according to his Quality and Degree. That is to say,

These Summs were appointed towards the Relief of the Cannons of Windsor, the Alms-Knights, and augmentation of the Alms-Deeds, there appointed perpetually to be done. To the end, That every one entring into this Military Order, might thereby more worthily obtain the Name, Title, and Privilege, of one of the Founders of the Order; it being supposed a worthy and just thing, that whosoever obtained this Privilege, should add some small increment to this Foundation.

Not long after establishing the Statutes, the Titles of Marquiss and Viscount becoming special Dignities, it was Decreed, Anno 22 Hen. VI. that a Marquiss should contribute 8 l. 6 s. 8 d. and a Viscount 5 l. 16 s. 8 d. which was confirmed by King Henry VIIIth’s Statutes.

And though in all the Bodies of the Statutes, the Sovereign of the Order is charg’d with Payment of Fees to the College, yet is it to be understood only of those Sovereigns, who were not (before the assumption of their Stall,) elected into this Order.

Upon a Decree, Anno 22 Car. II. the Installation Fee to all the Officers of the Order were settled: Those made payable to the Dean and Canons are,

These Fees ought to be paid at the time of the Knight’s Installation, by the Hands of some one of their Servants, so soon as the Ceremonies are ended; the Statutes expressly prohibiting the setting up of their Atchievements till Payment be made.

The Alms-Knights, by Queen Elizabeth’s Establishment, receiv’d Installation Fees apart from those paid to the College, which by the aforesaid Establishment of Fees, Anno 22 Car. II. are made equal to those payable to the Dean and Canons; and by the said Decree, the Choir of Windsor, under which not only the Vicars, but the Vergers, Choristers, and Bell-Ringers, are comprehended, receive the following Fees.

Fees due to the Register, Garter, Black-Rod, and Officers of Arms.

§ 11. In the Rank of those Officers to whom Installation fees are due, stands first the Register, who, as appears by the Black-Book, is to have of every Knight-Companion 13 s. 4 d. and a Robe.

But there being a concealment of this Fee, it was represented to King Charles I. who ordered the Register to be paid in Lieu of the Robe, as follows;