The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

Now who wou’d suppose, that after so Noble an Intention of the Sovereign, and his earnest Solicitude to issue forth a second Commission, his hearty recommending and exciting their Deligence for a speedy Dispatch, and lastly, his expecting an Account of their Transactions the next Feast, these honourable Persons, Companions of the Order, should need a Spur to accomplish so laudable a Design; but it was so.

For altho’ the Commission was opened at White-hall the 30th of May following, in the Presence of the Earls of Pembroke and Montgomery, Salisbury, Holland, Marquiss of Hamilton, and Duke of Lenox, Commissioners; yet Sir Thomas Row Chancellor, in his Letter to Dr. Christopher Wren, dated the 4th of June, 1637. sadly complained, That it was much as he could do to draw together Five of the Knights-Companions, to open and read the Commission, and this quasi in transitu, was in Confusion and Hurry, and all that was transacted was to appoint another Convention at Court in Midsummer Week then next ensuing, and charge the Chancellor to prepare Matter (for Propositions and Observations upon the Statutes) fit for their Consultations against that Appointment, according to the Tenor of the Commission. And in another Place writes, That he found such Difficulty to procure Meetings, and as certain non Chalance in every one, as if it were but a ceremonious Affair, and so few hearty in it, that he feared he and the Officers should wait to little Purpose: And so indeed it fell out; for albeit he attended in Midsummer Week, according to their Direction, yet there was nothing dispatch’d, save only the adjourning of their Meeting to London.

Some little Progress was afterwards made in this Affair at White-hall the 8th of February following, where Three of them were present, viz. the Earls of Berkshire, Lindsey, and Northumberland, who order’d the Chancellor, Register, and Garter, to prepare an Abbreviation of the Statutes, and reduce every thing of one Head into an Act, to keep up to Method, and avoid Confusion.

The 1st of February after, another Assembly of Seven of the Knights-Commissioners was held at White-hall, in whose Presence a few Points were debated; but little or nothing concluded.

§ 4. As concerning the Annals of the Order, or the Books wherein the several Resolutions and Decrees occasionally made in Chapters, and wherein other historical and ceremonial Matters relating to it are recorded, it will not be amiss to give some Account of them in this Place.

The first, in Order of time, is an old Paper Book written in French, call’d Registrum Chartaceum, hitherto fortunately preserv’d in the Paper Office at White-hall, which probably was begun by John Coningham; for we find him, 1414. (a little before the Annals commenced) made Canon of Windsor, and Register of the Order, and in regard the same Hand-Writing is carry’d on from the Beginning of the Book down to 16 Hen. VI. inclusive, where follows an Hiatus till Anno 23 Hen. VI. that the Annals began to be set down with another Hand; and that he shortly after died in 1445. Henceforward these Annals are entred with promiscuous Hands, which may be presumed the proper Hand-Writings of the Registers of this Noble Order, as they succeeded each other in the Office.

After we find Richard Sidnor mention’d in the Register Anno 16 Hen. VIII. (who subscribed his Name at the foot of every Leaf) the Annals were pen’d in one Hand until Anno 26 Hen. VIII. that Robert Aldrydge, D. D. and one of the Canons of Windsor succeeded him; and then ’tis evident the Writing also was changed to an old set Roman Hand, which ran on to the End of 29 Hen. VIII. in which Year he was advanced to the Bishoprick of Carlisle; and this Book breaks off in the 31st of his Reign.

Besides this there is another Book that goes by the Name of the Black Book, wherein the Annals of the Order are transcribed in Latin, concerning which there pass’d a Decree, Anno 3 Hen. VII. that it should be fairly copy’d out, and afterwards that the Sovereign should be put in Remembrance of it; but neither of these Decrees was put in execution, nor was this confirm’d till towards the End of the Reign of King Henry VIII. This Book differs very little from the Registrum Chartaceum, for therein is nothing enrolled relating to the Order (except one of the Exemplars of the Founders Statutes, and a Catalogue of the first Twenty-five Knights-Companions) before the 4th Year of King Henry V. the Annals of the Order, until that time, being entirely lost. It hath the same Hiatus or Intervals from 16 to 23 Hen. VI. from 7 to 10 of Edw. 4. from 4 to 7 Hen. VII. and from 10 to 14 Hen. 7. It also runs parallel therewith for the most part, and that it was compil’d by Dr. Aldrydge, whilst he continu’d Register, is collected from some Passages in the Preface of all the Sovereigns, ending with King Henry VIII. The Transcription of this Book was finish’d Anno 13 Hen. VIII. for so far is written, as also the Appendix, with one and the same Hand; (in a middle-siz’d Text) but Anno 32 Hen. VIII. another Hand appears, which, with some Variation, is continu’d to the End of 5 Edw. VI. where this Book breaks off.

The Register of the Order was oblig’d to provide Two Books, and therein to enter the Ordinances, Statutes, and Acts of this Noble Corporation, one to be lodg’d at the Chapter House at Windsor, and call’d, Index Windesoriensis, and the other being a Duplicate of the former, to remain in his own Custody, ready to expose to the View of the Sovereign, whensoever he should demand it; this latter was called Aulæ Registrum.

As to the general Directions for Compiling these Books, and the Particulars they are to consist of, we are inform’d from the said Statutes and Constitutions; for besides the Entry of all the Scrutinies taken in Chapter and Elections made thereupon, it is his Office to record the Penalties inflicted on Knights-Companions, and the Reconciliation of all Delinquents with other Acts, and their Causes appertaining to the Order, all which are decreed to be recited before the Sovereign and Knights-Companions at the Beginning of the Chapter yearly, if Occasion be, to correct and reduce into Method. Moreover he is to record all the Policies in War, Exploits, Transactions, and memorable Atchievements, both of the Sovereign and Knights-Companions, according as he can best attain the Knowledge of them, by his own diligent Search, or the Assistance of Mr. Garter, which having consign’d to Writing from Year to Year, is to be perused at the next Chapter by the Knights-Companions, for their Approbation and Correction; and being reiterated the second time in the Chapter, he is to see that they be fairly engrossed in the said Book, for a perpetual Remembrance.