Thus King Charles I. Anno 6 Regni sui, designing to invest James Marquess of Hamilton with this Order, conferr’d the Honour of Knighthood upon him immediately before his Nomination: And the Annals in that Place put this commentary Remark thereupon, Because by the Statutes it is provided, that none should be elected into the Order that have not been dignify’d with the Title of Knight.
Yet the Ceremony of Knighting the Person designed to be elected, was not so strictly regarded, but sometimes this Branch of the Statute was either wholly passed, or else confounded with the second Article throughout the several Bodies of the Statutes, which prohibits the Choice or Election of any Person into the Society, as this doth the Proposal or Nomination. And thereupon perhaps it was conceiv’d, that altho’ the Nomination, Election, and sometimes Delivery of the Ensigns of the Order was first dispatch’d and past, yet it was sufficient if the Honour of Knighthood was conferr’d afterwards; as in the Cases of William Earl of Derby and Thomas Lord Burleigh, Anno 43. Eliz. where the Register observes, That as soon as their Election was over, and they Usher’d into the Chapter, the Earl of Derby, (who it seems had not been Knighted before) was dubbed Knight with a drawn Sword, according to Custom, after which they had the Garter and George put on by the Sovereign her self.
In like manner, Ulrick Duke of Holstein, and Henry Earl of Northampton, immediately after their Election, (the last Day of St. George’s Feast, Ann. 3. Jac. I.) and before they receiv’d the Ensigns of the Order, had the Dignity of Knighthood conferr’d on them by the Sovereign; and in like manner the Earl of Sussex, Ann. 3 C. I. which the Red-Book of the Order recites, That as soon as it was understood that the Earl had not receiv’d the Order of Knighthood before, the Sovereign immediately drawing his Sword, Knighted him; which was not done till after his Election and Investiture with both the George and Garter.
Thus did the Ceremony of Knighthood succeed the Election of Charles Prince of Wales, the 21st of May, Ann. 14 Car. I. for after he had been elected, and invested with the Ensigns of the Order by the two Senior Knights (the Earls of Pembroke and Montgomery, and of Arundel and Surry) were intreated by the rest of the Knights-Companions, to present his Highness to the Sovereign in the Name of all the rest, to be initiated a Knight-Batchelor. He was conducted by the said Earls (his Supporters) into the Presence-Chamber in Windsor-Castle, where before the Chair of State, he most Solemnly receiv’d the Order of Knighthood from his Father King Charles I.
To Honour which Knighthood, and the Memory thereof, Four of the chief Nobility then present were Knighted, viz. the Earls of Essex, St. Alban’s and Elgin, and Viscount Grandison, being conducted from the Great Chamber to the Sovereign’s State, each between two Batchelor-Knights.
Afterwards the Law in this Point began again to be more rightly understood; and by that Time James Duke of York came to be elected (which was the 20th of April, 18 Car. I. at the Feast of St. George celebrated at York) the Sovereign appointed, and accordingly conferr’d Knighthood upon him the Day before, which he receiv’d upon his Knees, being conducted into the Presence-Chamber between two of the Nobility, who were also Knights, the Marquess of Hertford and Viscount Grandison. In Honour and Commemoration whereof, Four other Noblemen receiv’d the Honour of Knighthood at that time, the Earl of Carnarvan, the Lords George D’Aubignie, John Stewart, and Bernard Stewart, each supported by two Knights.
And thus Prince Edward Count Palatine of the Rhine, and George Duke of Buckingham, being designed by King Charles II. to be admitted into this Noble Order, were both first Knighted at St. Germains in France, 1649. and afterwards had the Ensigns of the Order sent unto them, by the Hands of Sir Edward Walker, Kt. Garter, who, in right of his Office, invested them therewith.
Yet in the Case of Prince Rupert, who was elected with James Duke of York, Ann. 18. Car. I. His want of Knighthood became no impediment, because he was a Prince in another Country, viz. Count Palatine of the Rhine, and Duke of Bavaria, and might therefore justly challenge a Privilege to come within the Rule of foreign Princes.
But the Sovereign, to arrive as near to the Intention and Observance of the Statute as he could, (where there was a possibility to do it, and the Honour would be well accepted by the Prince) thought it requisite by Commission under the Great Seal of England, to impower Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surry, and George Lord Goring, both being then in Holland, or either of them, to Knight the said Prince before putting on the Garter (seeing it could not possibly be done before his Election) which was intended to be sent by him by the Hands of Sir John Burrough, Garter. But Death intervening, the Sovereign’s Intention was frustrated; altho’ the Prince, upon his coming afterwards into England, receiv’d both the Garter and the George from the Sovereign himself at Nottingham nevertheless without Knighthood, which to excuse, it may well be alledg’d, that the Sovereign might not recollect this Part of the Ceremony, it being a Time of so great Turmoil and Fatigue, occasion’d by the then setting up of his Standard.
However, upon the 17th of January, 1644. when a Decree past in Chapter then assembl’d at Oxford, That both the Duke of York and the Prince, should enjoy all Emoluments and Privileges of the Order, tho’ they were not as yet Install’d (which Ceremony was to be compleated assoon as Windsor was out of the Power of the Rebels.) The Prince, before he receiv’d his Oath, was conducted by the Earl of Berk-shire and Duke of Richmond and Lenox, unto the Sovereign, and had conferr’d on him the Honour of Knighthood, there being at the same Time two of the Nobility Knighted in Memorial of that Solemnity, the Lord Henry Seymour, Second Son to the Marquess of Hertford, and the Lord Capell, conducted each between two Knights.