The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

After what Model the first Seal was compos’d, we have no exact Relation. Polydore Virgil tells us, That when the Founder of the Order had fixed Choice of St. George for its Patron, he represented him Armed, and Mounted on an Horse, bearing a Silver Shield, and thereon a Red Cross, but whether St. George thus designed, was on the first Seal, or only a Scutcheon of his Arms, as in latter times, is uncertain. But his Author observes that the Founder Habited his Soldiers in white Jackets or Coats, and on their Breasts and Backs sowed Red Crosses, parallel to the Arms assigned to St. George, as well as to the Kingdom of England, put under his Patronage, which Arms the Sovereigns of the Order, have ever since exhibited in their Standards. But besides this Common Seal King Hen. V. in the 9th Year of his Reign, Instituted a privy Signet, in case the Sovereign should be called out of this Kingdom upon weighty Affairs. The intent thereof was to affix it to all Acts passed by the Sovereign beyond Sea, to distinguish them from those of his Deputies in England. King Hen. VIII’s Statutes, Ordain the making both of a Common Seal and Signet, and direct that the Arms of the Order should be Engraven upon each of them. The Common Seal used in his Reign was a Garter, within it a Shield having the Cross of St. George, impaling the National Arms, the said Shield encompassed with two Branches hanging from the Regal Crown, which debruses part of the Garter; the Signet being designed after the same manner, but less: Temp. Jac. I. it suffered no other alteration, but only in the National Arms, by admitting the Quarterings of Scotland and Ireland, and new-fashioning the Crown, omitting the suspension of the Shield.

There was a Seal made at the beginning of the Reign of King Cha. I. which being esteemed too little for the Grandure and Honour of the Sovereigns Commissions, if was afterwards Decreed in Chapter, held 18th of April. 13. Car. I. That a new one should be made of a larger Size, with the accustomed Arms and Motto, and the care thereof commited to Sir Thomas Rowe, Chancellor; which Command he Executed with all due care and regard, as is manifestly evident by the nobleness of the design: One Representation being St. George, in Armour, adorned with a waveing Mantle, his Bever open, his Helmet plumed, holding a Shield of his Arms in his left Hand, and striking with a Sword in his right, his Body mounted on a bold Horse, Trampling over a Dragon, which Assails the Champion, the whole Figure is well contracted, and the Sun, a Rock, the Bones of devoured Men, and a Mountain in Lointon, in it is Circumscribed, Magnum sigillum Nobilis Ordinis Garterij; having the enrichments of festons between every Word placed pentagonally: The other Representation, is the Royal Garter imperially Crowned, enclosing a Shield of the Arms of St. George, impaling the Sovereign’s Arms, the same Bordered with Fret-work, and other Ornaments in Cartouche. In the same decree, direction was given also for a new Signet, the former being thought too big for Letters, and this was an Oval shaped so from its Impression, which was the Garter Crowned, wherein was St. George, and the Sovereigns Arms impaled.

It was at the same Chapter further decreed; “That all Legations to deliver this Order to Foreign Princes, all other Acts, bearing the Stile of Commissions, all Patents of Offices and Fees, all Grants or Licences sent out of the Kingdom, should be Sealed with this Seal, which should be henceforward called the Great Seal of the Order; so also the Book of Statutes, sent to Elect Knights or Foreign Princes, being fixed to a Label of Blue Silk, and held according to antient Custom; and that all Letters concerning the Order, whether of signification of Election, or Lieutenancy, or Summons upon prorogation, or other Directions from the Sovereign, should only be Sealed with the Signet: Moreover, these Seals were appointed to be thenceforth Born before the Sovereign in all Publick Assemblies, during the Celebration of St. George’s Feast, or in other its Solemnities by the Chancellor of the Order, in a Purse of blue Velvet,” and Command given to Sir Thomas Rowe, to provid one accordingly; on the foreside of which Purse was richly Embroidred (by a Gold-Smith) with Venice Gold and Silver, Gold and Silver Purls and Plates, and variety of Naples Silks, the Arms of St. George impaling the Sovereign, surrounded with a Garter Crowned, having a very fair Running Work, or Compartment round about it, the charge of which amounted to 13 l. 16 s. 10 d.

By the Statutes of Institution, it was ordained, That in case the Knights-Companions, to whose care the Sovereign did commit the Seal of the Order, should upon lawful Occasions, be absent from Court, it behoves him to leave it behind him, with some other Knight-Companion to present, to the Sovereign, to the intent it might be always in readiness; but if the Sovereign be out of His Kingdom, then the disposal of it, was commited to the Deputies, and the Signet of the Order should have a Warrant for all such Acts and Decrees as should be confirmed there.

The distance from Court was by the Constitutions, restricted to 10 Miles, and by the Statutes of King Hen. VIII. to 20. upon consideration whereof we find Sir Thomas Rowe Chancellor, having some occasions, Anno 13 Car. I. to be absent above 20 Miles, tendred the Seals to the Sovereign, who was pleased to dispence with the Statutes, and permitted him to keep them nevertheless.

§ 3. The Registers Oath, Mantle, Badge, Privileges and Pension, fall next under our consideration; he was one of the three, Constituted at the Institution of the Order, under the Title of Registrator and Registrarius, and so is called in the Statutes of King Hen. V. elsewhere in the Books of the Order, Scriba and Actuarius. What were the first Registers, names we cannot discover, till the Reign of King Hen. V. But it may be presumed, they were Canons of Windsor; because this Office was at first assigned to one of that College; besides the Registers from the Reign of King Henry V. to the beginning of King Henry VIIIth Reign, were also Canons of this College, among whom was John Coningham, (and the first found called so) as the Fragments of a Glass Inscription in Clare Church near Windsor, where he was Rector, attests. The first Dean of Windsor, Constituted Register of the Order was John Vesey, Anno 8. Hen. VIII. many of whose Successors in this Deanry, have since been admitted; nevertheless, as they were Canons not Deans of Windsor, and tis not improbable the Deans were Elected to this Office, as being enabled to support the Reputation of the Registership, with the Revenue of his Deanry, better than any of the Canons, with the addition of the Pension. But at a Chapter held at Whitehall, the 22d of April, 11 Car. I. The Sovereign thought it convenient that the Office of Dean and Register should concenter in one and the same Person, as formerly, and therefore commanded this his Pleasuer to be Enrolled among the Annals of the Order, that so it might pass in the future Times, from Example into Rule.

By the Constitutions of the Office, a secular Person is made capable of it, no less than an Ecclesiastick, how be it, He is to be a Man of singular integrity, eminent quality, a Knight, and signalized for Experience and Learning; but if an Ecclesiastick, then must he be a Person of consummate Erudition, a professor of Divinity or Law, either Canon, or Civil, and a Dignitarian in some Cathedral Church, or else a Canon at Windsor.

The substance of his Oath in the Statute of the Institutions was, That he should enter upon the Registry, with all Fidelity, the Scrutinies, Elections, Penalties, Reconciliations, and all other Acts relating to the Order, to which was added, that he shall faithfully Discharge his Duty in all things. But in King Hen. VIIIth Days, the Oath enjoyned him, differs nothing from that of the Prelates and Chancellors.

At his Admission, he takes this Oath Kneeling, while the Prelate used to pronounce the Words as Anno 1 Mar. 5. and 6. Ph. and Mar. but in his absence, as Anno 3 Eliz. the Chancellor administred it. Anno 4. Car. I. the Prelate, Chancellor, and Register, took their Oaths at one time, and then it was thus Ordered; first the Register took it Kneeling between the Sovereign’s Knees, the Black Rod holding the Evangelists, and the Garter read the Words out of the black Book; this done, the Register read the Words of the Prelates Oath, when he was Sworn; and in the last place, did the like to the Chancellor; after this manner did Garter read the Words to the Registers, admitted 11 Car. I. and 12 Car. II. We cannot trace the Habit this Officer had assigned him at the Erection of the Order; but it afterwards appears, that his Allowance was the same with the Chancellors, consisting of 5 Yards of Woollen Cloth, and 3 Timber of Minever gross, equalent to what those Knights-Companions had allotted, who were under the degree of an Earl: The Habit he is pourtrayed in, at a proceeding of King Hen. VIIIth Reign, shews it to be Ecclesiastical, a black Gown, a Surplice over that, reaching to his Ancles, and thereon a Mantle of Furs; but the Constitutions of his Office restricted him to none, wherein there seems a defect, since they have assignd Habits to the Garter, and black Rod. Notwithstanding by a Draught of the Officers in their ancient Dress, it is plainly demonstrable to be a Mantle, somewhat of a Russel colour, Faced with a Pane of blue, whereon is Embroidred a Flower-de-luce Crowned Gold, then another Pane red, thereon a Lyon Passant gardant Crowned Gold, and so they are alternately placed to the bottom; to this Mantle belong Cordons of Silk, blue and yellow.

Since that time, not only the Registers, but also Garters and Black Rods, Robes, underwent some Alterations; for by a Decree in Chapter, called at St. James, Jun. 1. 4 and 5. Ph. and Mar. these Officers were assigned Mantles of crimson Satin, Lined with Taffaty, and a Scutcheon of St. George’s Arms, Embroidred on the left Shoulder, but not encircled with a Garter, having the same Buttons and Tassels as were appointed to the Prelate and Chancellor; the proportion of Satin assigned to each Mantle, was 14 Yards, and as many Yards of white Taffaty.