The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

Charles Rex,

“Our most dear and entirely beloved Son, having, to our great Comfort, seen and considered the ripeness of your Youth, and conceived joyful and pregnant Hopes of your manly Virtue, in which we are assured you will increase, to your own Honour, both in Prowess, Wisdom, Justice, and all Princely Endowments; and that the Emulation of Chevalry will, in your tender Years, provoke and encourage you, to pursue the Glory of Heroick Actions, befitting your Royal Birth, and our Care and Education. We with the Companions of our most Noble Order of the Garter, assembled in Chapter, holden this present Day, at our Castle of Windsor; have Elected and Chosen you one of the Companions of our Order. In Signification whereof, we have sent unto you, by our Trusty and Well-Beloved Servant, Sir John Burrough Knight-Garter, and our principal King of Arms, these our Royal Letters, requiring you to make your speedy repair unto us, to receive the Ensigns of our most Noble Order, and to be ready for your Installation, upon the 21st Day of this present Month. Given under the Signet of our Order, at our Castle of Windsor, the 20th of May, in the 14th Year of our Reign, 1638.”

To our dearly beloved Son Prince Charles.

This is the only Instance we have met with, where a Letter was sent to an Elect Knight, and he at the same time present at Court; but when an Election is confirmed, and the Person remote from the Court, then the general Tenure of the Letter is, both to signify his Election, and Summon him to his Investure, with the Garter and George, as was performed by the Earl of Derby, and Sir Edward Strafford, to King Henry of France.

But where the Sovereign is pleased to mention particular Services, to recommend the Election of a Knight, the Preamble of the Letter is worded accordingly; and as this is a Case not very frequent, it will not be amiss to exemplify it in the Choice of Sir John Falstoff, where the Letter runs thus—We considering the virtuous Fidelity you have shown, and the honourable Exploits you have done, in the Service of our thrice renowned Father, and that in our Service also, you (as many others) have given Proof of that Honour, and these Deserts, wherewith God hath endowed you, always suffering, as is the part of a good Subject, the Pains and Toils of War, for the vindicating and maintaining of our just Right, Claim, and Title, have Chosen you one of our Companions of our Order.

When the Letter barely signifies Election, that is, when the Sovereign does not design a present investure with the Garter and George, but defers it till he takes Possession of his Stall, the Day of his Installation is inferred towards the end of the Letter; and upon his appearance at Windsor, so soon as he appears in the Chapter-House, the Garter is first buckled about his left Leg, then follows his Investure with the rest of the Ornaments of the Order, and lastly his Installation. And this was the Case of Henry Earl of Northumberland, Anno 29 Henry VIII. whose Investure of the Garter was deferr’d till his appearance at Windsor, and then the whole Ceremony was performed at once.

§ 2. If the elect Knight be at hand, where the Chapter is convened, and the Garter hath been sent to make known to him the Honour, and Conduct him into the Chapter-House, to receive the Garter and George, before they break up, Intimation being given of his approach, the Sovereign sends out two of the Knights-Companions to meet him, who, after a mutual Salute, Conduct him between them, to the Presence of the Sovereign, Garter going before them. Thus was Ubrick Duke of Holstein, Anno 3 Jac. I. introduced into the Chapter, between Prince Henry, and the Earl of Dorset, and Christian Duke of Brunswick Anno 22 Jac. I. between William Earl of Pembrook and Philip Earl of Montgomery, to receive the Garter and George. The 6th of November, Anno 14 Charles II. Christian Prince of Denmark being elected at a Chapter held at White-Hall, and then absent, the Garter King was dispatched next Day by the Sovereign, to inform him, and to desire his Presence the next Day, that he might receive his Investure; which accordingly was done, being conducted between the Earls of Lindsey and Manchester into the Chapter, Garter preceding them, and after three Obeysances, they brought him up to the Sovereign. Among Knights-Subjects, we find the Lord Burley, and the Lord Grey, were conducted to the Sovereign by the Lord Clynton, and the Earl of Bedford, Anno 14 Elizabeth, cum multis aliis. Anno 4 Jac. I. Robert Earl of Salisbury proceeded up to the Sovereign’s Throne, between the Earls of Nottingham and Dorset. In the Reign of King Charles I. the Earl of Northampton was conducted to receive the Garter in the Chapter-House at Windsor, between the Earls of Pembrook and Montgomery. And when King Charles II. appeared, upon his Letter of Summons, at the Chapter held in the withdrawing Chamber in Windsor Castle, to receive his Investure, two of the Senior Knights, viz. Philip Earl of Pembrook and Montgomery, and Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surry, were sent out to Conduct him in, who brought him between them unto the Sovereign, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod going before.

The Duke of Monmouth being elected at a Chapter held in the withdrawing Room at White-Hall, the 28th of March, Anno 15 Charles II. Garter was immediately sent to him in the Sovereign’s Bed-Chamber, who being met at the Door by the Earls of Lindsey and Manchester, both the Garter and the Black Rod passed to the lower End of the Room before the Duke and the two Knights-Companions, whence they proceeded up to the Sovereign with three Reverences. At the Election of James Duke of Cambridge, in the same Room at White-Hall, (December 3. Anno 18 Charles II.) Garter was also sent forth into the Bed-Chamber, to acquaint him that the Earl of Manchester, and the Duke of Monmouth, were appointed by the Sovereign and Chapter to bring him in thither; that done, the aforesaid Knights-Companions arose and went to the Duke, whom meeting at the Bed-Chamber Door, they took their compass about the rest of the Knights-Companions, (then standing) and brought him between them, from the lower End of the Room, close before the Sovereign, the Garter and Black Rod proceeding.

§ 3. The Knight elect being thus introduced to the Sovereign, bows with all Reverence, and formerly a short gratulatory Speech was the vogue, that set forth his acknowledgment of his Sovereign’s Royal Favour, and the grateful Respect he bore to the Knights-Companions for his Election.

Anno 28. Hen. VIII. we find Sir Nicholas Crew, after he had been conducted into the Chapter-House at Windsor, to receive his Investiture, thus to address himself: giving infinite Thanks both to the Sovereign and whole Society, for that they had vouchsafed to receive him into the Honour of this most illustrious Order, being a Person in his own Esteem most unworthy thereof: In the next Place professed, That whereas he was preferred in this Choice before many others, much more deserving than himself, it was not to be attributed to his Merits, or any Thing by him performed, but meerly to the Sovereign’s Bounty, and the Favour of the Knights-Companions towards him.