KNIGHTHOOD. 
807 
Order of the Garter, and to Anfhs’s Regifter of the fame 
Order ; where they will find all their inquiries fatisfafto- 
rily anfwered. However, we mull; prefent our readers 
with the names of the firft knights elected by Edward III. 
i. The King, Sovereign of 
the Order. 
3. Henry of Lancafter. 
5. Piers Capitow de la Bouche. 
7. William Montacute, Earl 
of Salilbury. 
9. Sir John Lille. 
11. Sir John Beauchamp. 
13. Sir Hugh Courtney. 
15. Sir John Grey de Codnore 
17. Sir Miles Stapleton. 
19. Sir Hugh Wrottelley. 
21. Sir John Chandos. 
23. Sir Ot'ho Holland. 
25. SirSanchet Dabrichcourt 
2. Edward Prince of Wales. 
4. Thomas Beauchamp,Earl 
of Warwick. 
6. Ralph Earl of Stafford. 
8. Robert Mortimer, Earl 
of March. 
10. Sir Barth. Burgherfh. 
12. Sir John Mohun. 
14. Sir Thomas Holland. 
16. SirRichardFitz Symon. 
18. Sir Thomas Wale. 
20. Sir Nele Loring. 
22. Sir James Audeiey. 
24. Sir Henry Earn. 
26. Sir Walter Paveley. 
As it will be interefting to our readers to fee how thefe 
names were l'pelt originally, we will prefent them here 
with the proemium of the ftatutes of this inoft noble order. 
“ Ad honorem omnipotentis Dei, Sanflse Marire Virgi- 
nis gloriofae, et Sandti Georgii Martyris, Dominus noiter 
lupremus Edwardus Tertius, Rex Angliae, anno regni fui 
poft conqueftum xxiii. ordinavit, ftabilivit, et fundavit, 
quandam Socictatem live Ordinem Militaran, infra caltrum 
fiuum de Wyndeforc, in hunc modum. Primo feipfum 
Ifatuit didtae Societatis five Ordinis Superiorcm ; filium 
fuum feniorem Principal1 Wallies ; Ducem Lancajiriee ; Comi- 
■ tern Warrici ; Capilaneum de Buche ; Comitem Staffordiee ; Comi- 
tem Sarum ; Dominum de Mortimer ; Dominion Johannem Lijle ; 
Dominion Bartkolomeum Burgherjk, filium ; Dominion Johannem 
de Beauchamp ; Dominum de Mohun ; Dominum Hugonem de 
Courtenay, Dominum Thomam de Hollander, Dominion Johannem 
de Grey ; Dominum Richardum de Fitz Symond-, Dominum Mi- 
.lonemde Siapelton ; Dominum Thomam Wale-, Dominum Hvgo- 
nem de WirteJlay ; Dominum Neletatum Loryng ; Dominum Jo¬ 
hannem Chandos ; Dominum Jacobum Daudele ; Dominum Oto- 
nan de Hollande ; Dominum Henricum de Em ; Dominum San - 
chetum Dabrichecourt ; et Dcminum Walterum Pauclay ; con- 
cordatum elf, &c.” 
5. The Conjlitutions of the Order. The order confifts of 
the fovereign and twenty-five companions,called Knights 
of the Garter ; and, for their better regulation and govern¬ 
ance, a body of llatutes was compiled and ordained by the 
founder 5 fince which two other bodies of additional re¬ 
gulations have been added ; one by king Henry V. the 
other by Henry VIII. Thefe ftatutes are framed in the 
chapter of the knights, headed by the fovereign ; and, as 
they poffefs the right of adding or reforming any part of 
them, the knights retain to this moment the title of 
founders of the order. The principal officers of the or¬ 
der are five in number. 
The Prelate, vvhofe office is annexed to the fee of Win- 
chefter, is an officer of honour only, as he has neither pen- 
fion nor fees allowed him. His office is as ancient as the 
inftitution of the order; and the then bilhop of Winchel- 
ter, William de Edyngton, was the firlt prelate. This pre¬ 
ference had the efteft of placing him anciently above all 
bifliops, and next to the archbifhop of York. But, by an 
att of parliament anno 31 Hen. VIII. it was regulated 
that the bilhop of Durham lhould fit immediately after 
the archbilhop, and then the bilhop of Winchelter, as pre¬ 
late of the molt noble Order of the Garter, next to him. 
The prelate is obliged to take an oath, kneeling before 
the fovereign or his lieutenant, which confifts of the fol¬ 
lowing particulars: “To be prefent in all chapters where- 
unto he is fummoned ; to report all things truly, with¬ 
out favour or fear; to take the ferutiny faithfully, and 
prefent it to the fovereign ; to keep fecret, and not to dif- 
clofe, the counfels of the order j to promote and main¬ 
tain the honour thereof; to withftand and reveal what is 
defigned to the contrary.” One of the privileges of the 
prelate is, that he may marlhal his arms within the garter; 
he has befides an apartment allowed him in the cattle of 
Windfor. At a chapter held the firlt year of king James II. 
the prelate had a badge alligned to him, confuting of St. 
George killing the dragon in gold enamelled, encompafted 
with the garter, and over it an epifcopal mitre. 
The Chancellor, whofe office is annexed to the fee of Sa¬ 
lilbury, is the keeper of the common feal of the order; 
and takes the fame oath as the prelate ; he bears a badge, 
which confifts of a role gold enclofed within a garter, 
which the chancellor wears daily pendent from a garter- 
blue ribbon tied behind the neck. 
The Regijler. This office has been annexed to the deanry 
of Windiorever fince the eighth year of king Henry VIII, 
His oath is now the fame as that taken by the two prece¬ 
ding officers; but he had no badge alligned to him before 
the reign of James II. who, in a chapter held the 18th of 
January, in the firft year of his reign, ordained that the 
badge of the regifter lhould confift of two filver pens in 
faltire, and encompafted with the garter. 
Garter. King Henry V. as fovereign of the order, cre¬ 
ated this office, with the advice and content of the knights 
companions; and, for the greater dignity of the order, he 
was pleafed to command that he lhould be the principal 
officer within the office of arms, and chief of all the fer- 
vants of arms. The firft who enjoyed the office was fir 
William Brugges, and was called in the inftitution of his 
office Jartier Rcy, d'Armes des Anglois. The lubftance of his 
oath, which he takes humbly kneeling before the fove¬ 
reign, is as follows : “To yield obedience to the fovereign 
and knights companions ; to keep lilence, and not to dif- 
clofe the fecret of the order ; to make fignification of the 
death of each knight companion ; to execute faithfully 
all things committed to his care; to inquire diligently af¬ 
ter all noble abts of the knights companions, and certify 
them to the regifter ; to be faithful in the exercife of hi* 
office.” His badge is of gold enamelled, and comprehends, 
within the garter, the arms of St. George, viz. argent, a 
crofs gules; impaling the royal arms. See Plate I. There 
is a tower in the lower ward of Windfor-caftle which was 
anciently allowed to him for his apartment, but which is 
fio decayed and ruined, that nothing but the name (for 
it is Hill called Garter Tower) remains from its ancient 
dignity. Garter has fees alligned to the performance of his 
office, which he receives at every inftallation. 
Black-rod. This officer was inftituted by the founder of 
the order, and ought to be a gentleman of blood ; and, if 
not a knight at his entrance into office, lie ought to be 
knighted. His oath is “ truly and faithfully to oblerve 
and keep all the points of the ftatute of the order as to 
him belong and appertain.” His name originates from 
the colour of the rod which he carries before the fove¬ 
reign, or his deputy, at the feaft of St. George, and other 
folemnities and chapters of the order. His badge confifts 
of one of the knots which tie the roles of the collar toge¬ 
ther, encompafted with the garter. A houfe was alligned 
to this officer in the middle wnrd of the caftle at Windfor. 
The ancient fee of this office was i2d. per diem, a Hulling 
a-day. 
As we have obferved before, the order confifts of the, 
fovereign and twenty-five knights .companions; but, by 
order of king George III. it was eftablifhed the order 
“ lhould confift of the fovereign and twenty-five knights 
companions, together with fuch lineal defeendants of the 
late fovereign king George II. as lhall have been elebteri, 
and may hereafter be elected, into the fame ; ahyays ex¬ 
cepting the Prince of Wales, who is a conftituent part of 
the original inftitution.” 
6. Habits and Enjigns of the Order. Thefe confift in the 
followdng articles : the garter, mantle, furcoat, hood, and 
collar. Moft of them, if not all, have been occafionally 
varied, in regard either to their forms, material, or colours. 
The 
