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.