The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

APPENDIX.
The Statutes of Institution of the most Noble Order of the
Garter, as they were reform’d and explain’d by King Henry VIII.

Whereas the moost famous, moost happiest, and victorious Prynce Edwarde, the thirde of that Name, his Noble Progenitour sometyme Kyng of England and of Fraunce, and Lord of Irland, &c. To th’ onnoure of Almighti God, and of the Blessed and Immaculate Virgyn Marie, and the Blessed Martir Sainte George, Patron of the right Noble Roialme of England; and of Saynt Edwarde, Kyng and Confessour; To the exaltation of the holy Faith Catholique, ordeyned, established, created, and founded within the Castel of Wyndesore, a Company of twenty six Noble and Worthi Knyghtes, for to be of the said moost Noble Ordre of Saynt George, named the Gartier, and for the honourable continuance, augmentation, and interteyning of the same.

The seid moost victorious Kyng did devyse and institute divers honorable Estatuts, and laudable Ordinances, for to be observed and kept by the Cobrethren and Confreres, Knyghtes and Compaynons of the said moost Noble Ordre; amonge the which Estatutis been certeyne doubtis and ambiguities, which to be more playnly declared, interpreted and extended, it is thought right necessary and expedient, and that certeyne other new Ordinances and Articles be to the said Statutes added and adjoyned. Wherefore the said moost excellent and victorious Prynce Henry VIII. Kyng of England and of Fraunce, Defensor of the Faith, and Lord of Irland, and Soverayne of the said moost Noble Order; and for the right singular Love, good Zeal, ardent and intier Affection that his Royall Majestie hath and bearith to the said moost Noble Order, and to the Estate of Chivalrie and Knyghthood, and for the honorable contynuance and encreasing the same. And also at the humble requeste and instante desire of the Knyghts and Companyons of the said Noble Order, and by their Advyse, Councell and Assent, the twenty third Day of April, in the Year of Grace MDXXII. and of his moost Noble Reign the eighth Year, made interpretacion and declaracion of the Obscurities, Doubtis, and Ambiguities, of the said Estatutes, Ordinances, Interpretacions, Declaracions, Reformacions, with their additions aforesaid, after the trew intencion of them, shall be from henceforth observed, kept and ensued by the Soverayne, and the Knyghtes Confreres and Companyons of the said Noble Order, in manner and fourme following.

I. Firste, It is ordened and accorded, That the Kyng and his Heires and Successors, Kyngs of England, shall be for evermore Soveraynes of the saide moost Noble Order and amiable Companye of Saynt George, named the Gartier, to the which Soverayn, and to his Heires and Successours, shall apperteine the Declaracion, Solucion, Determinacion, Interpretacion, Reformacion, and disposition of all Causes, concernyng and towchyng any thing of Obscuritie or Dowbte conteyned in the Statutes of the said moost Noble Order.

II. Item, It is accorded, That none shall be elected and chosen for to be Fellow or Companyon of the said moost Noble Order, except that he be a Gentilman of Blood, and that he be a Knyghte, and without reproche. And that the Knyghtes of the said Noble Order, from hensforth, shall not Name any Person in their Election to be Felow or Companyon of the said Noble Order, in whom thei shall thynke or extiem in their Conscience to have Spotte of Reproche. And as towchyng the Declaracion of a Gentilman of Blode, it is declared and determined that he shall be descended of three decentis of Noblesse, that is to say, of Name and of Arms, both of his Father’s side, and also of his Mother’s side. And as towchyng or concernyng any manner of reproche, forasmoche as there be divers and many sundry Poyntis of reproche, there shall be here declared but three Poyntes of them oonly, as it is declared in manner and fourme folowyng.

A List of all the present Knights-Companions of the most Noble Order of the Garter; as their Places occur in their Stalls in the Royal Chappel of St. George, within the College of Windsor: Shewing the respective Times of their Installations.

The Sovereign’s Side						The Prince’s Side
3.		1. The Sovereign, George, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland; installed March 13. 1702-3. 2Queen Anne.		2. George-August, Prince of Wales, &c. installed December 22d, 1706. 5 Queen Anne.		4.
5. Charles Fitzroy, Duke of Cleveland and Southampton, &c. installed April the first, 1673. 25 Charles II.				6. John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, &c. installed May 28th, 1674. 26 Charles II.
7. Charles Lenox, Duke of Richmond, &c. installed April 20th, 1681. 33 Charles II.				8. Charles Seymour, Duke of Somerset, &c. installed April 8th, 1684. 36 Charles II.
9. George Fitzroy, Duke of Northumberland, &c. installed April 8th, 1684. 36 Charles II.				10. James Butler, Duke of Ormond, &c. installed April 5th, 1689. 1 William and Mary.
11. Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, &c. installed June 5th, 1694. 6 William and Mary.				12. Thomas Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, &c. installed May 14th, 1700. 12 William III.
13. Arnold Joost Van Keppel, Earl of Albemarle, &c. installed May 14th, 1700. 12 William III.				14. John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, &c. installed March 13th, 1702-3. 2 Queen Anne.
15. Meinhardt Schonbergh, Duke of Schonbergh; installed September 2d, 1703. 2 Queen Anne.				16. William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, &c. installed December 22d, 1710. 9 Queen Anne.
17. John Campbel, Duke of Argyle, &c. installed December 22nd, 1710. 9 Queen Anne.				18. Henry de Grey, Duke of Kent, &c. installed August 4th, 1713. 12 Queen Anne.
19. John Poulett, Earl Poulett, &c. installed August 4th, 1713. 12 Queen Anne.				20. Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, and Earl Mortimer, &c. installed August 4th, 1713. 12 Queen Anne.
21. Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, &c. installed August 4th, 1713. 12 Queen Anne.				22. Charles Mordant, Earl of Peterborough and Monmouth, &c. installed August 4th, 1713. 12 Queen Anne.
23. Charles Poulet, Duke of Bolton, &c. installed December 9th, 1714. 1 King George.				24. John Maners, Duke of Rutland, &c. installed December 9th, 1714. 1 King George.
25. Lionel-Cranfield Sackvil, Earl of Dorset and Middlesex; installed December 9th, 1714. 1 King George.				26. Charles Montague, Earl of Halifax, &c. installed December 9th, 1714. 1 King George.

The first Poynt of Reproche ys, That if any Knyght (as God defende) be convaynqued or attaynted of Errour against the Cristen Faith Catholique, or had for any suche Offence suffred any Payne or Punicion publique.

The second Poynt of Reproche is, That if any Knyght (as God defende) had been arrayned, convicted, or attainted of High Treason.

The third Poynt of Reproche is, That if any Knyght departe or flee away from Batayle or Journei, beyng with his Soverayne Lord, his Lieutenant or Deputie, or other Capetayne having the Kyng’s Power Royal and Auctoritie; and whereas Banners Estandatz, or Pennons, have bene displaied, and that thei preceded to Fight, he that then reniously and cowardly flieth or departeth away from thens, ought to be esteemed and judged to have reproche, and never worthi to be elected Knyght of the said Company, (as God forbidde) do commytte any such reproche; that then he shall be departed and disgraded of the said Order, at the next Chaptier ensuyng, if it soo shall please the Soverayne and the Company.