The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

Of the OATH.

The Oath the Chancellor takes at his Admission which we find to be the same with the Prelates, and in the like humble Posture upon the Knee, and usually Administred by the Register of the Order. As to his Robe, it was at first the same with the Prelates, both for Cloth and Colour, but his proportion of Cloth far less, having allowed him but 5 Yards, when the Prelate had 24, nor but 3 Timber of Minever gross, where the Prelate had 19, beside a large quantity of other Furs; nor was the Colour confined to one kind, until the constitutions of this Office appointed it to be Crimson, as was the Prelates, for no doubt it was before annually changed, as his was to the Colour of the Knights-Companions Surcoats; however by the Picture of the ancient Habits of the Officers, it is conspicuous, it was debared the Royal Badges, wherewith the Prelates Rose was Embroidred; when the Colour of the Prelates Robe was changed to Murray, the Chancellors had the same Alteration and was Trim’d alike in all other particulars. The proportion allowed to Sir Thomas Smith for his Livery, Anno 14. Eliz. was 18 Yards of Murray Velvet, 12 Yards of Sarcenet for the Lining, one Garter wrought with Pearls of Damask Gold for the Shoulder, one Lace (or Cordon) with Buttons, and Tassels of blue Silk and Venice Gold, and the same Materials and Quantities were afterwards distributed out of the Sovereigns great Wardrobe, to the succeeding Chancellors.

But Anno 13. Car. I. The Prelate and Chancellor endeavouring a Reformation in this Habit, the Dye both of the Prelates and this Officers Robe was changed into Purple.

Besides this Robe, the Chancellor of the Order hath an honourable Badge of Distinction assigned him to wear, first granted to Sir William Peters and his Successors, the 9th of October, 1 and 2 Ph. and Mar. viz. a golden Rose enclosed within a Garter, which he and his Successors, Chancellors of the Order, have ever since worn daily about their Necks; at first it was Pendant in a Gold-Chain, but since in a Purple Ribband. It seems something of this Design had been in Agitation a little before, so soon as the Chancellorship became vested in a Layman; for King Edward VI’s Statutes did Ordain, That the Chancellor should wear about his Neck a Cross of the Order, with a red Rose, in a white, of Gold, all compassed within a Garland of red and white Roses.

And because it was suggested to King Charles I. That there were different Accounts and Uncertainties contained in some Books concerning the Wearing of this Badge, He, by Warrant dated at Oxford the 16th of December in the 21st Year of his Reign, 1645. ordained Sir James Palmer Kt. and Bart. Chancellor of the said Order, (and his Successors) should wear about his Neck at all times in Honour of his said Place, (that thereby he may be known to be of that Office and Dignity, as hath been accustomed) a Medal or Jewel of Gold enamelled with a red Rose, (within a Garter of Blue enamel, with this Sentence inscribed, Hony soit qui mal y pense) or such an one as we or the rest of the Knights-Companions of the said Most Noble Order of the Garter do or shall from time to time hereafter wear in our Collars of the said Order in particular Reference to us or them. And in the Reverse thereof, he shall bear the Escutcheon of St. George enamelled within a Garter also in reference to the Order it self, which he only shall wear hanging by a light purple Ribband, or in a gold Chain, as hath been accustomed.

Among the Officers of the Order, the Chancellor is seated next beneath the Prelate, and in all Proceedings and Sessions, goeth, and sitteth, on his left Hand: And as it was ordered by the Constitutions of the Officers, That if the Chancellor hapned to be a Layman, he should be also a Knight, and have other personal Endowments. So did King Charles I. conceive it requisite to confer some further Mark of Distinction upon this Officer, in relation to Place and Precedence without the Order; to which effect, there passed a Decree in a Chapter assembled by the Sovereign at Whitehall, the 23d of April, 1623. present, the Earls of Mulgrave, Montgomery, Rutland, Carlisle, Holland, Suffolk, Pembroke, Arundel and Surrey, Salisbury, Dorset, Bark-shire and Northampton, That Sir Francis Crane, the present Chancellor, and all others that should succeed him in that Place hereafter, shall, in right of that Place, in all Assemblies, and upon all Occasions, be ranked and placed immediately after Knights-Privy-Councellors, and before the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Persons holding both Places, being in Pari gradu, and consequently before all others, whom the said Chancellor is to precede, &c.

And to the intent the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Place may be certainly known, May the 20th, 21 Jac. I. it was thus established, That the Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the Privy-Councellors, the Master of the Courts of Wards and Liveries, the Chancellor and Under Treasurer of the Exchequer, Chancellor of the Dutchy, the Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench, the Master of the Rolls, the Chief Justice of the Court of Common-Pleas, the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and all other Judges and Barons of the Degree of the Coif, should have Place and Precedency in all Places, and upon all Occasions before the younger Sons of Viscounts and Barons, and before all Baronets, &c.

The aforesaid Constitutions provide the Chancellor of the Order an Habitation within the Castle of Windsor, as well as the Prelate, which is the South-West Tower in the lower Ward of the Castle, call’d the Chancellor’s Tower. The Possession thereof had been for some time in the Power of others; and therefore by a Chapter convened at White-hall, Nov. 5th, 5 Car. I. it was restored unto Sir Francis Crane, then Chancellor of the Order, and after his Decease, to descend to his Successors. These Constitutions also ordained him the like Liveries at the Table and Court of the Sovereign, as were allowed to the Prelate.

At the first Erection of this Office, the Chancellor had no Pension awarded him, until the Constitutions in reference to the Officers were Established. At that time there was conferr’d on him a Pension of 100l. per Annum, in consideration of his Employment, or else an allowance proportionate in Fees, Offices or other Promotions, over and above his Lodgings in the Castle, and Liveries at Court. But as to Fees and Perquisites, there are none to be Claimed by this Officer; and for that Reason, he not only possesses the said Pension, but all his disbursements allowed him, even to Paper, Wax, and Wafers; and indeed those who enjoyed the Office esteem’d it as a degradation of their Post, to receive either fee, or gratuity for any affair Transacted within the Order; and Sir Thomas Rowe, sometime Chancellor, affirmed That his Office was an Office of Honour, and not of Fees, and that he had always excepted against Fees, for the disbursement of the Sovereign’s Money: Tho’ he acknowledged some had bestowed on his Clerk a small gratuity, for the bare Ingrossing of an Alms Knights Patent, but nothing farther.

And because the Custody of the Seals of the Order, appertains to this Officer; it will be here the fittest Place to mention something of them. By the Statutes of Edw. III. they were to have a Common Seal. This is confirmed by the Statutes of King Hen. V. and since named the Great Seal of the Order. The use of this is not only to Seal the Original Statutes, appointed to remain perpetually within the Treasury of Windsor College, as also those Copies of which each Knight-Companion is obliged to conserve one, but likewise all Letters of Licence to any of the Knights-Companions desirous of winning Honour abroad, and all Mandates and Certificates, relating to the Order.