The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

1.

As to the first part of this Section, the celebrating Masses for defunct Knights-Companions, I think it very little material here; that Ceremony altering with the Form of Religion, became wholly disused, 32 Hen. VIII. at which time, in a Chapter then held at Westminster, the following Decree was made.

That everyone of the Knights-Companions, in lieu of the said Masses, should, for the future, after the Death of any of their Brethren, according to the Rates of their Degrees hereafter mentioned, and immediately upon Demand of the Register, and Dean of Windsor, or one of them, pay the several Sums following.

The Monies so collected, (called Obiit Monies) were by the said Decree appointed to be distributed in Alms-Deeds, as the Reparation of High Ways, the Relief of the Poor, &c. The receipt and disbursements of these Sums were committed to the care of the Dean and Register.

Mr. Ashmole, has made this addition in his Library, which it will not be out of our way to observe, for the information of those who may be desirous to know how the Point then stood; that not withstanding the aforesaid Order in Chapter, made the 24th of May, Anno 32 Hen. VIII. for changing the Number of Masses usually Sung for defunct Knights, into a pecuniary Rate, according their degrees; the Prayers for Souls departed, both by private Persons, as also by the Clergy, in Masses and Exequies; nay farther, to give Alms to others, and to pray for them, was continued by the Church of England several Years beyond that space; for in a Book, entituled the Institution of a Christian Man, &c. made by the Clergy of England, as appears by the Subscriptions of the Archbishops, Bishops, and others of the Clergy to the Preface; dedicated by them to King Henry VIII. and printed by Thomas Bartelet, the King’s Printer, Anno 1537. cum Privilegio, the Article of Purgatory is there set down.

But to proceed. This charitable distribution, in a Chapter held at Greenwich, 5 Edw. VI. was enlarged to the relief of the Poor in the Town of Windsor, and other Towns, Villages, and Places, at the discretion of the Dean of Windsor. And though the said Decree was confirmed by King Edward VI. Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, yet for many Years, the Collection of these Obiit Monies was neglected; till in 9 Car. I. the Earl of Portland, out of his great Generosity, as well as his Zeal for restoring so pious a Work, reiterated to the Sovereign the ancient Decrees made in this Case. Whereupon it passed in Chapter, that the same should be revived, and for ever continued; and that the same should begin for the five Knights, whose Atchievements were offered at that Feast, viz. the King of Sweden, the Elector Palatine, the Earls of Northumberland, Banbury, and Rutland. And as to Stranger Princes, it pleased the Sovereign to express himself, That as by the Statutes they are left to perform these Payments by themselves, if they wou’d; so, if it were not done by them, that both then, and for the future, the same should be paid by the Sovereign himself.

Afterwards, all the Sums of Money, to be collected by Virtue of this Decree, together with the Knights-Companions Duties, at their first Entrance in the Order, were employed toward providing Plate for the Altar, within St. George’s Chappel, which is already treated of.

Of fixing on the Stalls Plates of their Arms and Stiles.

§ 2. The next thing provided for by the Statutes of Institution, was the deceased Knight’s Honour; in regard of which, it was ordained, That when any one of the first Founders should die, there should be in Metal an Escutcheon of his Arms, with his Helm, or Crest, fastened at the back of his Stall, for a Mark of Honour to him that bore them. And in like manner, that their Successors should have a like Escutcheon fixed on the back of their Stalls; and to difference them from those of the first Founders, they were appointed to be made somewhat less, and to be placed a little underneath them. But this Article relates only to the Knights-Companions, not to the Sovereigns of the Order; nor do we find that any of them had Plates of their Arms and Stiles set upon the back of their Stalls, in manner as is before prescribed to the rest of the Knights-Companions.

King Henry VIII. in his Body of Statutes, alters this Article in three particulars; first, as to the setting up their Plates, which he appoints not to be after their Deaths, but within, after the Installation of every Knight-Companion; secondly, as to the nature of the Metal, that it may be such as the Knight shall please himself: And lastly, as to the size, though he also restrains the Knights-Subjects to a lesser than those of the first Founders; yet he gives liberty to the Knights-Strangers to use their Plates and Fashions at Pleasure. As to the first of these, it has been pretty duly observed; and indeed the second, of making them of Copper; but the last, viz. the size, has been very little regarded; for the very Plates of those Knights who were soon after installed, and thence downwards, are larger than those of the first Founders.

In tract of time, many of these Memorials were, by sacrilegious Hands, taken away, which King Charles I. taking notice of, and desirous to put a stop to a Mischief not in his Power to prevent, and to preserve the Remembrance of the precedent Knights-Companions; commanded the Dean of Windsor to describe the Stiles of those that remained in a Book, which he accordingly did, and deposited the same in the College: But what became of this Book, could not be afterwards discovered; so that the most that could be done, was to draw the Arms, and Copy out the Stiles, engraven on the Plates then remaining; from whence the following Observations may be made.

First, That for many Years after the Institution of the Order, the Plate whereon the Shield was engraved, bore no other Inscription, than the deceased Knight’s Name, set at the Foot thereof, under the Escutcheon of his Arms. Afterwards, the chief Title of Honour began to be added, though now and then, in the first and elder times, both were omitted, as also their Crests. But about the beginning of King Henry VIII’s Reign, not only the Knight’s chief Title, but all other his Titles and Dignities, whether Honorary, or Officiary, were drawn together in one Inscription, concluding with that of Knight of this most Noble Order; and which, about the same time, the Knights-Companions used to insert, in all their publick and private Instruments of Writing; a Custom observed by the Knights of other Sovereigns Orders Abroad.

At first the Knights-Companions gave their Paternal Coats of Arms, singly and without any Quarterings; but toward the beginning of Hen. V. they began to add their Quarterings, as appears from the Escutcheons of Hugh, Lord Burnel, who died 9 Hen. V. Sir Lewis Robessart, and others. Yet was not the same generally used, but left to the Pleasure of the Knights-Companions.

But of later times, this very thing was thought of such concern, that where a Knight has been elected, who wanted Quarterings, the Sovereign has been pleased to grant him another Coat of Arms, to quarter with his Paternal Coat; that his Banner, which ought to hang over his Stall, might not seem too naked.

Soon after King Henry VIII’s Accession, the Knights compassed their Shields with the Royal Garter, and thereon (such as were Noblemen) placed the Coronet belonging to their Dignity. As to Supporters, we observe two Places to which they are added; the one of John Beaufort, the first Duke of Somerset of that Name, elected 20 Hen. VI. the other of Anthony Widvile, Earl Rivers, elected 5 Edw. IV. and besides these, till the Reign of King Henry VIII. there is not another Example: But then it grew into common usage, as also the ingraving their peculiar Motto’s, or Devices upon the Plates.

The Offering of Atchievements.

§ 3. A third Honour paid to the defunct Knight, is a most solemn Offering up his Atchievements at the High Altar; namely, the Banner of his Arms, his Sword, Helmet, and Crest, with its Mantlings; all which had been set up over his Stall at his Installation. The Ceremony of Offering these Ensigns does not appear to have been regulated at the Institution of the Order, but rather added as an additional Honour, by King Henry V. and the manner thereof set down in the fourteenth Article of his Body of Statutes.

This Solemnity is local to the Chappel of St. George, within the Castle of Windsor, and not to be performed till the Sovereign has notice of the Knight-Companion’s Death.

In 1 Edw. VI. at the Feast then held at Windsor, there arose a Question, whether the Atchievements of King Henry VIII. which yet hung over the Sovereign’s Stall, should be taken down and offered at the Mass of Requiem ensuing, or not? in regard his Banner, Sword, Helm, and Crest, with Mantles, had been offered up before, at his Interment within that Chappel. In conclusion of which it was determined, That the said Atchievements shou’d not again be offered, but remain over the Sovereign’s Stall, for his Son King Edward VI. But when the Sovereigns of this most Noble Order are not interred at Windsor, then their Atchievements are offered up the next ensuing Feast; as were those of Queen Elizabeth, which the Blue-Book notes to be done at Morning Prayer.

As to the time for performing this Ceremony, it was ordained to be on the Morrow after the Feast, when the Mass was Sung for the Souls of the Knights-Companions, &c. and so was duly observed till the time of the Reformation, when the Mass of Requiem being abolished, it was nevertheless at the Morning Service, on the Morrow immediately after the Offertory: But after Queen Elizabeth had removed the Feast of St. George from Windsor, this Solemnity was frequently dispatched in one Day, before they went out of the Choir; and the ancient Rule, as to the time, being thus broke, was never after restored, but generally performed the very same Morning wherein the elect Knights were installed: And though the Day was thus changed, yet the Ceremony it self was not performed till after the Installation was finished, that Solemnity having always the Precedency, till 9 Jac. I. when he observing how incongruous it seemed, to instal a new Knight before his Predecessor had been fully discharged of his Stall, gave Order for Offering the Atchievements of Sir Henry Lea, the Lord Scroop, and others, before the Instalment of the elect Knights.

Not long after, it was thought convenient to perform this Ceremony on the Eve of the Feast, presently after the first Vespers began; and next to proceed with the Installations; whereby, as much as possible, the Stalls of the Knights-Companions might be supplied, in all the rest of the Solemnities of the Feast. But if at any time, any of the new elect Knights were introduced into the Choir, before the Offering of the Atchievements began, they were appointed to stand there under the Stalls designed for them till that Ceremony was finished.

Thus it continued from the said 9 Jac. I. till the 15 Car. II. when it was performed at the time anciently accustomed for it; the Prince of Denmark, and the Duke of Monmouth, being both installed before the first Vespers began, and the Atchievements of the defunct Knights not offered till the Morrow after the Feast Day.

As to the Manner and Order of this Ceremony, among other Institutions of King Henry V. it is appointed, That as often as, through the vacancy of any Stall, the Swords, Helms, with the rest of the defunct Knights, ought to be offered, the Sword of the deceased Knight shall be first offered, being carried up to the High Altar by two of the Knights-Companions, and afterwards the Helm, with the Crest and Mantlings, by two other Knights-Companions; and this Offering is to be made for them, in the Order they were installed, not as they died.

But of the Offering of a defunct Knight’s Banner, we find no express mention till 18 Hen. VII. at which time the Banner of the Lord Brook was offered: But afterwards the direction for Offering their Ensign and Banner was taken into King Henry VIII’s Body of Statutes. And since the same were introduced, according to the foregoing Precedent, it was to be offered first, and so hath been generally observed.

By the appointment of the Statutes of Henry V. the Sovereign is to nominate and assign the Knights-Companions, who are severally to perform this Ceremony; and so is the direction in Henry VIII’s Statutes: But since the beginning of Queen Elizabeth’s Reign, the Knights have generally proceeded to this Offering, according to their Seniority; and when the Course ended, then the Seniors began again. There are likewise many Examples where the Sovereign’s Lieutenant has joined in the Ceremony to assist the other Knights: Nor is a Proxy, or Deputy, to be admitted to perform any part of the Ceremony, though in the Offering of Money he ought.

We shall next proceed to the Duties of the Prelate of the Order, the Prebends, and Officers of Arms, as their Services severally, or jointly, relate to the performance of this Ceremony. First then, the Prelate, and two Prebends, ought to proceed up to the Altar, immediately before Garter summons down the Knights-Companions to the Offering; and there stand ready to receive the Atchievements, as they are severally offered up.

It is next the Duty of the Provincial Kings, and Heralds, to conduct the Knights-Companions, when they proceed up to the Altar, bearing any part of the defunct Knight’s Atchievements. The whole Ceremony is briefly thus.

First Garter rises from his Seat, and proceeds into the middle of the Choir, where, after his usual Obeysances, he summons the Knights-Companions to descend, who come down and place themselves before their Stalls: Whereupon Clarenceux and Norroy (or in the absence of either, the Senior Herald, or of both, of the two eldest Heralds,) pass down from the Steps of the Altar into the Body of the Choir; in the interim Garter takes the Banner of the eldest defunct Knight, and presents it, half rolled up, to the two Senior Knights-Companions; the two Provincial Kings by this time approaching them, make their double Reverences, and after to the other Knights-Companions, and then stand a little aside; while the two Senior Knights, having taken the Banner between them, make their double Reverence, and pass up to the Altar, (preceeded by the Kings) bearing it with the lower end of the Staff foremost, and at the first Haut-Pas make another double Reverence. The Provincial Kings being arrived at the uppermost Haut-Pas, after an humble Obeysance, divide themselves to make way for the Knights to Offer, who forthwith raise the Point of the Banner upwards, and after a single Reverence toward the Altar, present it upon their Knees, to the Prelate of the Order, who delivers it to two Canons, and they deposite it upon Cushions laid before the Altar. This done, the two Provincial Kings conduct the Knights back into the Choir, who, with the usual Reverences, retire to their Stations, under (not to) their Stalls, and the Provincial Kings to their, on either side the Altar.

Next the two Senior Heralds pass down into the Choir, as the Provincial Kings did, whilst Garter, taking up the Sword, presents it to the two next Senior Knights, who proceed to the Altar with the two Heralds before them, in the same Order as before, bearing the Sword between them, and offer the same with the Pommel or Hilt upwards, and then retire as before.

In the next place, the two next Senior Heralds go down as before, and the Helm and Crest is offered in the like manner: But the Pursuivants at Arms do no part of this Duty.

Heretofore we find that Garter has not only begun this Solemnity, by presenting the Banner, but has also conducted the two Senior Knights to the Altar, as he did 5 Eliz. by the Banner of the Lord Grey; and at some other times. It was likewise the usage heretofore for the Prelate to deliver the offered Atchievements, to some of the Heralds, to be deposited near the Altar.

There is nothing on this farther observable, than what relates to the Atchievement it self, which, as they became by this Ceremony part of the Goods of the Chappel, and included within the Words of the Statutes of the College, whereby the Sovereign granted to the Dean and Canons all Oblations, they could not be sold or alienated, and were therefore deposited by them in the Chapter-House: But the Helms and Swords, because they were at first forged for the Service of War, of an extraordinary large size, have been frequently redeemed, that they might serve again to the same uses. And likewise, because it belongs to Garter to provide Atchievements for new installed Knights, he usually hath compounded with the Dean and Canons for the defunct Knight’s Atchievements.

Of depositing the deceased Knights Mantles in the Chapter-House.

$ 4. In 9 Eliz. there passed a Decree, That the Knights-Companions should be bound by their Oaths, to take care, by their last Will, that after their Decease, all their Ornaments, which they had receiv’d, should be restored, the Robes to the College, and the Jewels to the King that gave them. Sir Christopher Hatton complied with the Decree, and sent his Mantle accordingly; but that of Sir Henry Lea, being left to the disposal of others, and not sent to the College, happened at length to come into the Hands of Brokers, and was openly exposed to Sale in Long-lane, to the great dishonour of the Order.

This Decree was in after times but slackly observed, and therefore in a Chapter held at Windsor, 4 Car. I. the Knights were admonished, That when the Sovereign should vouchsafe to bestow the Mantle of the Order, the Knight should take care at his Death, to have it sent to the Chappel at Windsor, according to the Statutes. But this taking little Effect, the Sovereign thought fit to restore vigorously the Law in this particular, by a Decree in Chapter, 13 Car. I. which obliged all Knights-Companions, receiving the Ensigns of the Order from the Sovereign, to take care, according to the tenor of their Oaths, that these, together with the Book of Statutes, should be restored in the Hands of the Sovereign, after their Deaths; and a Command was therewithal given, That certain Books, Mantles, and Surcoats, then lying at White-Hall, shou’d be delivered to the Register of the Order, to be laid up at Windsor, in honourable Memory of those to whom they belonged.

In Observation of these Decrees, where the Habit and Ensigns of the Order were either wholly, or in part, bestowed by the Sovereign, Order was taken, at the Decease of such Knights-Companions, to send for them in again. As at a Chapter held 15 Car. I. the Garter and George of the Lord Treasurer Weston being sent back, were presented to the Sovereign; and after delivered to the Dean and Chapter of Windsor, to be preserved: And in the same Chapter it was ordered, that the Earl of Kelly’s Robes and Ornaments of the Order, should be sent for by the Chancellor.

These former Decrees were yet thought needful to be confirm’d by King Charles II. so that in a Chapter held 1669. at White-Hall, it was Decreed, That the Mantle of each Knight-Companion, with the Book of Statutes, should be sent to Windsor, immediately after their Deaths; and that the Chancellor of the Order should be obliged, by Letters to their Heirs and Executors, to put them in mind of sending them thither. But it is to be understood, that where the Mantle has been provided at the Knight’s own Charge, there is no obligation for returning them.

Thus I have run through all the Particulars, relating to the Institutions, Laws, and Ceremonies, of this most Noble Order; I shall in the last Place proceed to give a List of all those who have enjoyed this singular Mark of Honour from its first Foundation. The Motives which excited the Royal Founder to set on Foot the said Order, are already particularly treated of; who having established Rules and Statutes for the Government, and regulation thereof, he next resolved to elect, from among the Flower of his own Wars, twenty five of the most celebrated Knights, who, together with himself, should make up the Number of Twenty six; for of so many does the Order by his Appointment consist: And indeed that Age plentifully furnished him with Men of the most brave and celebrated Characters, and of signal Reputation in Arms, raised by the eminent Wars of those times, and justly distinguished by their own heroick Actions.

The first that he elected into this Noble Order, was Edward, his eldest Son, who already in part deserved, and afterwards justly obtained the Title of a Brave and Martial Prince, of whom our Histories speak so largely. The rest of his accomplished Collegues, were these that follow, and are thus placed in their Stalls.