21. It. They are every Day (excepting Cause of Sickness) to be present at Divine Service in the College, as aforesaid, and receive a daily Distribution of 12 d. per Day, to be paid them monthly, if it may be, or at least in such sort as the other Ministers of the Chapel be paid; and he that shall absent himself one Day, without leave from the Dean, shall lose his Distribution of 12 d.
22. It. The Governour is to keep a Book, and register, the Absenters, and other Defaulters of the Statutes, whereof he shall deliver one to the Dean, and another to the Steward, or him that payeth the poor Knights, who by Order of the Dean is to make proper Defalcations at the Time of paying them.
23. It. The Dean once a Year is to appoint a Day and Hour, at which the poor Knights are to be warned to be present, to hear these Statutes read, and any Knight absenting after that Warning, and without License, is to forfeit 6 s. 8 d.
24. It. Any elected poor Knight, before he take any Commodity of his Room, shall take a corporal Oath before the Dean, to be faithful and true to the Crown, and that for the time of their tarrying there to truly observe the Statutes and Ordinances upon the Penalties contain’d in the said Statutes.
The 25th Article is a Dispensation for those poor Knights chosen before these Statutes, who were not certainly known Gentlemen, yet Men well reported for Honesty, and meet to be relieved; but with an Intent that none hereafter be admitted, unless a Gentleman born, agreeable to the first Order.
The annual Allowance of each, upon this new Establishment, is 18 l. 5 s. to be paid by the Dean of Windsor, (but their Governour has 3 l. 6 s. and 8 d. more) besides their Gown and Mantle mentioned in their Statutes. King James I. doubled this Pension, and made it payable out of the Exchequer quarterly.
To these Thirteen Alms-Knights, temp. Car. I. Five more were added, Two of the Foundation of Sir Peter la Maire, Knight, and Three of Sir Francis Crane, Knight, Chancellor of the Garter; for Sir Peter, by his last Will, dated Jan. 8. 1631. bequeath’d 1500 l. to charitable Uses, to be dispos’d as Sir Francis (who had marry’d his Sister) should think fit, within Four Years after his Death; whereupon Sir Francis, determining to erect certain Houses in Windsor-Castle, for the dwelling of Five Alms-Knights, design’d the said 1500 l. towards that Use, and what was deficient made up at his own Cost, charging his Brother Executor, Sir Richard Crane, by his Will, dated Aug. 27. 1635. to see the Pile which he had began, finish’d. Sir Francis also bequeath’d 200 l. per Annum to be settled in Lands, by his Executors, for the perpetual Maintenance of Five Alms-Knights, after the rate of 40 l. per Annum to every one of them; but his Executor growing slack in the Performance, the Work being rather expos’d to Ruin, than forwarded by him; upon Complaints made to the Sovereign and Knights-Companions in Chapter, Orders were issu’d out to quicken him, and a peremptory Letter, dated Mar. 7. 1639. to go on with the Work faithfully; which Commands he evading, and bad Times coming on, the Building was totally neglected. Sir Richard Crane afterward dying, by his Will, dated Sept. 20. 1645. he appointed that his Mannor of Carbrooke in Norfolk, should stand bound for ever for Payment of the said 200 l. per Annum; whereupon, by Inquisition taken at Windsor, Mar. 4. 1652. (by Virtue of a Commission upon the Statute Anno 43 Eliz. for charitable Uses) the Mannors of Woodrising and Wesfield, &c. in Norfolk, were found liable to satisfie for building and finishing the said Five Houses, and payment of the 200 l. yearly; and further, that the Arrears thereof, from Sir Francis Crane’s Death, came at that time to 3200 l. some Contest ensu’d in Chancery; nevertheless the 200 l. per Annum was, July 19. 1655. decreed to be paid out of all the Lands which were Sir Richard’s, and the building of the Houses out of his personal Estate. At Two Years Expiration arose that fair Pile of Building, between the Chancellor’s and Garter’s Towers, against the West Wall, in the lower Ward of the Castle, which was begun again and finish’d the next Year; the Expences amounting to 1700 l. But for a final End of this Suit, it was decreed, Jan. 27. 1659. the Mannor of Carbrooke should stand charg’d with 200 l. per Annum, payable half-yearly at Michaelmas and Lady-day, or within Thirty Days after, for the Maintenance of Five Alms-Knights, together with 30 l. yearly for Repairs, payable also then; which annual Sum of 230 l. Anno 12 Car. II. in a Chapter held at Whitehall, Jan. 14. the King decreed the Chancellor of the Order, for the Time being, should receive and dispose thereof thus: 200 l. per Annum among the Five new Alms-Knights quarterly, at the Four usual Feasts of the Year, and to employ the residue upon Repair of the new Buildings erected for their Lodgings; which Powers were inserted in the Patent for his Office, bearing date the 20th of the same Month. And it was moreover decreed, that these Five Knights should be subject to the same Rules and Government of the Thirteen of Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation, and made equal Partakers of the same Privileges, and wear the like Habits.
King Charles I. taking into Consideration the Donation of Sir Francis Crane, which made the Alms-Knights Eighteen, (tho’ they were not yet settled) intended to make up Twenty Six, as they were at the Institution of the Order; to compleat which Design, a Chapter was held at Whitehall, Apr. 18. 1637. for the Knights-Companions to consider the best Way how the same might be effected, and report their Opinions; but nothing was done thereupon, and this Affair waits a more propitious Opportunity.
§ 6. The other Ministers of the College and Chapel of St. George, call’d Ministers in the Foundation Patent, are the superior Officers, viz. The Chantor, Steward and Treasurer.
The Chantor is elected from among the Canons, whose Office is chiefly to govern those that sing in the Choir, and such as are employ’d about Divine Service. Before the Reformation he appointed who should begin the Antiphones, celebrate Masses, and read the Lessons, Epistles and Gospels. To his Care was committed all the Books, Crosses, Chalices, Vestments, and all the Sacred Ornaments of the Chapel. He receives the Offerings there made, and Accounts for them; for all which Services an annual Pension of 5 l. is allow’d him.