And yet we find it recorded, that the Habit and Ensigns of the Order were sent by special Ambassadors to all three, 34 Hen. VI. two Years before: But perhaps this ought to be understood of their being but then design’d, and ordered to be sent, and on second Thoughts might be stopped, or if sent, by some accident might have miscarried; otherwise it seems needless to have sent other Letters to give notice of their Election two Years after: But to clear this matter, we after find a second mention of sending the Habit and Ensigns to the King of Poland, 37 Hen. VI. by which it is demonstrable, that the first Embassy took no Effect.
It does not appear that King Hen. VIII. or any of his Successors, ever made use of that Liberty granted by the aforesaid Article of his Statutes, for deferring the significatory Letters of Election beyond the time appointed by the Statutes of Institution, as we find by the many Instances of that kind. Francis the first King of France was elected October 21. 19 Hen. VIII. and was installed the 25 January following; so that ’tis plain, the Letters of Notice must needs have been dispatched within the limited Time. James V. of Scotland, who was elected 20 Jan. 26 Hen. VIII. had notice of Election immediately sent him; and Hen. II. of France, having been elected 24 April, 5 Edw. VI. had Letters of Signification sent him in May following; and so in all Examples since. And when King Charles II. elected any Stranger whilst he was Abroad, Letters of Signification were sent them immediately after.
Of notice given of an Election, before sending the Habit.
§ 2. Here it is to be observed, with how much caution, more than the former, the Statutes of King Henry VIII. Ordain, to send Letters that signify Election, and the Book of Statutes only at first; but not the Garter and Mantle, till the elect Stranger, having had time to consult the Statutes, certifies his acceptance of the Order; and then, and not before, it is Decreed to send a solemn Embassy with the whole Habit, George, and Collar: And consonant to this, the Practice hath sometimes been. As in the case of Henry II. King of France, 5 Edw. VI. Emanuel, Duke of Savoy, 1 and 2 Phil. and Mar. and in that of Frederick, Duke of Wirtembergh, to whom Queen Elizabeth sent Letters soon after his Election, and he returned Thanks, and Acceptation, by his two Ambassadors, who received Promise of sending the whole Habit soon after; however, the same were not sent during her Life.
Notice of Election sent with the Habit.
§ 3. When the Sovereign hath been well assured of the elect Stranger’s acceptance, the same Embassy (as anciently before adding this Clause,) dispatched both Ceremonies. The Sovereign’s Letter signifying Election, being first presented, together with the Book of Statutes, and an acceptance declared, then within few Days, the whole Habit of the Order was solemnly delivered.
And thus it was directed soon after the Election of James V. King of Scots, to the Lord William Howard, sent on that Embassy; and in like manner, at the Election of Christian IV. King of Denmark, 1 Jac. I. to the Earl of Rutland sent on that Embassy. As also to Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and Henry, Prince of Orange, within two Months, their Elections following on April 24. 3 Car. I. and the date of the Commission for delivering the Order being on June 24. following.
The manner and order of the delivery of these Letters, signifying Election, when the Habit is sent, is thus.
“First, The Ambassador and Officer of Arms having notice given them of the first Audience, present themselves to the Stranger Prince, in the accustomed manner of Ambassadors; and delivering the Sovereign’s Letters Missive, with all due Reverence, the Ambassador, after some short general Compliment from the Sovereign, signifying that his Master, and the Honourable Society of the Garter, in respect of his renowned Prowess, Valour, Virtues, &c. and to establish and encrease the Amity that is between them, hath elected him into the most Noble Order of St. George; and that Sovereigns do never elect any Stranger, but such as they highly Honour; and therefore earnestly desires it may be accepted as a true Testimony thereof: To which end the Sovereign hath sent him over, and his Herald there present, to perform the due Ceremonies.”
But this Commission of Legation hath sometimes been obstructed by the multitude of Affairs lying on the Sovereign’s Hands, particularly in the Time of Car. I. when engaged in that unnatural Civil War; so that when they sent their Letters of Signification, it was thought fit to Commissionate their Agent, or Resident at the Prince’s Court, and Garter Principal King of Arms, to deliver part; but the two chief and most peculiar Ensigns of the Order, viz. the Garter and George, deferring the solemn Embassy till a more convenient Season. The first Precedent of which kind, was 10 Jac. I. when Sir Ralph Winwood, and William Seagar, Esq; Garter, were Commissioned to deliver only, for the present, the Garter and George, to Maurice, Prince of Orange, five Days after his Election; and so to Charles, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, 9 Car. I. and to William, Prince of Orange, and the Duke de Espernon, the same Reign. And so likewise during the unhappy Exile of King Charles II. it was usual, for want of more conveniency, to present the elect Knight, in confirmation of his Election, whether he were Stranger, or Subject, with the Garter, George, Ribband; and sometimes a St. George’s Cross, radicated within a Garter, to be fixed on the left Shoulder of their Cloaks, or upper Garments. But these things after returned into their proper Channel, as we may see in several cases since, of which we need not instance more, than that of the present Sovereign, and his Royal Highness the Prince: The former at a Chapter of the most Noble Order, held at Kensington, 18 June, 1701. 13 Will. III. was elected, and on the 21 June, the Sovereign, by Commission under the Great Seal of the Order, constituted the Earl of Macclesfield, and Gregory King, Esq; Lancaster Herald, (then Deputy Garter King of Arms,) to carry the Habit and Ensigns, and to invest his then Electoral Highness therewith. The next Day after their arrival, at a private Audience, his Electoral Highness received the Garter and George, with the usual Formalities; and two Days after, viz. 24 August, was solemnly invested with the whole Habit of the Order. On 13 March following, 1702-3. he was installed at Windsor by his Proxy Charles, Lord Mohun, with the accustomed Ceremonies. The same Order was observed at the Election of his Royal Highness the Prince, 4 April, 5 Queen Anne; when the Lord Halifax, and John Vanbruge, Esq; Clarenceux King of Arms, (in the room of Sir Henry St. John, Knight Garter,) were Commission’d to carry the Habit and Ensigns. They had their first Audience, on this occasion, of the Prince, the 31 May, who afterwards received the Garter and lesser George, and on 2 June following, was invested with the whole Habit and Ensigns of the Order.