But in some other Places, the Time when this Matter was transacted is restricted to a precise Time, or some particular Part of Evening Prayer, as Anno 26 and 27 Eliz. whilst the Choire sung the Service, and the like Anno 14 Jac. I. but 4 Car. I. while the Anthem was sung after the second Lesson, but more frequently after the first Lesson, as in the 2 and 9 Car. I. while the Anthem was singing, or whilst they were hymning the Anthem of the blessed Virgin called the Magnificat, and which is all one with that, Anno 14 Car. I. viz. assoon as the first Lesson was read, or at the first Lesson, which is remembred to be the usual Part of the Service, in which the nomination ought to begin.
§. 10. The manner of the Order the Knight-Companions Votes ought to be collected when the Scrutiny is taken in the Choire, when the Register informs us, upon the Celebration of St. Georges’s Feast at Greenwich, 28 Hen. VIII. as entred into the Black Book; “That he used his Diligence in going to and fro from one Side to the other, to demand and redemand the Suffrages from the Knights-Companions, according to the Variety and Disposition of their Stalls,” which same Methods in eisdem terminis the Chancellor observed, Anno 24 Eliz. and without question was generally performed at other Seasons, for the annals describe it to be perform’d de more 5 Eliz. or juxta Ordines Constitutionis Anno 26 Eliz.
That the Officer who collects the Scrutiny, is obliged to begin at the youngest Knight-Companion, and so proceed upward towards the Eldest, is evident from the Order mentioned to be in Vogue, An. 2 and 20 Eliz. as also 15 Car. I. But to give a more particular Account of this Ceremony, as it stood temp. Car. I. and doubtless long before, tho’ not Recorded in Scriptis, is as follows.
First, The Officer arose and went into the Middle of the Choire; directly over against his own Seat, he made two Reverences, first towards the high Altar, and next to the Sovereign, then he proceeded up to the Choire near the hault pace against the Stall of the junior Knight-Companion, and there made like Reverence; this done he went up to the Stall of the said junior Knight, and with a singular Reverence to him, only demanded whom he pleased to nominate, which having taken, (making to him a second Reverence,) he descended into the Choire, and thence passed to the next senior Knight on the other Side, (unless by reason of the vacancy of the Stall he Sits on the same Side with the junior) and having received his nomination from the second Knight-Companion, he again crossed the Choire to the Third, and in like manner he ascended according to the Seniority of the Knights-Companions present, (always crossing the Choire where there was occasion) until he arrived at the senior Knight-Companion; and having thus received all their Nominations, he returned into the Middle of the Choire, and after accustomed Reverences, took his Seat.
This Method in collecting the Votes as to the general, and in the Choire, ought likewise to be observed when they are taken from the Knights-Companions in Chapter, they being ranked in due order on either Side of the Table, according to the Seniority of their Elections and situations of Stalls in the Choire; the Officer beginning with the junior and thence gradually ascending to the senior Knight.
And that we may rightly apprehend after what form every Knight-Companion Ranketh the Names of those Persons he proposeth, and how each Classis is distinguished and divided, the following Scrutiny will manifest which was taken off, May, Anno 13 Hen. VI. upon the Vacancy of one Stall hapning by the death of Sir Henry Tanke Clux a German, and the first Scrutiny found Marshalled among the Annals of this most noble Order.
NOMINABANT.
In the first Column each Knight-Companion hath his own Name perfixt to those Persons for whom he condescends his Vote, to the intent it may appear by whom the Knights candidates are nominated, and these are Ranked in three several Divisions.
The first contains, The Degrees of Earls, Marquesses, Dukes, Princes, Kings and Emperors; yet at a Scrutiny taken Anno 24 Hen. VI. in a Chapter held at Brainford, Albro Vasquez d’almadea, (who immediately following, is Stiled Comes Averentiæ) is by a mistake Ranked; but in the second Division among the Barons, and twice among the Knights Votes of the Marquess of Suffolk, and Earl of Shrewsbury, but this Error perhaps owes its original for want of due knowledge, either of the Law in the Statutes or his Degree, the latter of which is the most feasible to conjecture; for being a Stranger, his Title might not be so generally divulged, nor is it taken notice of in the Scrutiny itself, tho’ in the annals immediately after it was rectified.