This yeare about Midsummer, there were solemne iusts proclaimed by the lord Robet Morley, which were holden in Smithféeld, where for challengers came foorth one apparelled like to the pope, bringing with him twelue other in garments like to cardinals, which tooke vpon them to answer all commers, for thrée courses. On the defendants side, ran the prince of Wales, with manie earls, barons, knights and esquires innumerable, so that those iusts continued thrée daies togither, to the great pleasure of the beholders. ¶ This yeare, king Edward ordeined a certeine new coine of gold, which he named the floren, that is, the penie of six shillings eight pence, the halfe penie of the value of thrée shillings foure pence, and the farthing of the value of twentie pence. This coine was ordeined for his wars in France, the gold whereof was not so fine as the noble, which in the fourtéenth yeare of his reigne he had caused for to be coined. This yeare, the king caused a great number of artificers and labourers to be taken vp, whome he set in hand to build a chamber in the castell of Windsore, which was called the round table, the floore whereof, from the center or middle point, vnto the compasse throughout, the one halfe was (as Walsingham writeth) an hundred foot, and so the diameter or compasse round about, was two hundred foot. The expenses of this worke amounted by the wéeke, first vnto an hundred pounds, but afterward by reason of the wars that followed, the charges was diminished vnto two and twentie pounds the wéeke (as Thomas Walsingham writeth in his larger booke, intituled, the historie of England) or (as some copies haue) vnto 9 pounds. This yéere also, W. Montacute earle of Salisburie conquered the Ile of Man, out of the hands of the Scots, which Ile the king gaue vnto the said earle, and caused him to be intituled, and crowned king of Man. ¶ This Ile (as Robert Southwell noteth) was woone by the Scots, about the second yeare of Edward the second his reigne, who in the yeare before, to wit, anno Christi 1307, had giuen the same Ile vnto Péers de Gaueston, whom he had also made earle of Cornewall.
Iusts & tornies holden at Windsore.
The order of the garter founded.
Moreouer, about the beginning of this eightéenth yeare of his reigne, king Edward held a solemne feast at his castell of Windsore, where betwixt Candlemasse and Lent, were atchiued manie martiall feasts, and iusts, tornaments, and diuerse other the like warlike pastimes, at the which were present manie strangers of other lands, and in the end thereof, he deuised the order of the garter, and after established it, as it is at this daie. There are six and twentie companions or confrers of this felowship of that order, being called knights of the blew garter, & as one dieth or is depriued, an other is admitted into his place. The K. of England is euer chéefe of this order. They weare a blew robe or mantell, & a garter about their left leg, richlie wrought with gold and pretious stones, hauing this inscription in French vpon it, Honi soit qui mal y pense, Shame come to him that euill thinketh. This order is dedicated to S. George, as chéefe patrone of men of warre, and therefore euerie yeare doo the knights of this order kéepe solemne his feast, with manie noble ceremonies at the castell of Windsore, where king Edward founded a colledge of canons, or rather augmenting the same, ordeined therein a deane with twelue canons secular, eight peticanons, and thirtéene vicars, thirtéene clearks, and thirtéene choristers.
The knights haue certeine lawes and rules apperteining to their order, amongst the which this is chéeflie to be obserued (as Polydor also noteth) that they shall aid and defend one another, and neuer turne their backes or runne awaie out of the field in time of battell, where he is present with his souereigne lord, his lieutenant or deputie, or other capteine, hauing the kings power roiall and authoritie, and whereas his banners, standards, or pennons are spred. The residue of the lawes and rules apperteining vnto this noble order, I doo here purposelie omit, for that the same in [1] an other place more conuenient is expressed, so far as may be thought expedient. But now touching these six and twentie noble men & knights, which were first chosen and admitted into the same order, by the first founder thereof, this king Edward the third, their names are as followeth.
[1] Looke in the description of Britaine.
In Angl. prælijs sub Edwardo 3.
First the said noble prince king Edward the third, the prince of Wales duke of Cornewall and earle of Chester his eldest sonne, Henrie duke of Lancaster, the earle of Warwike, the capitall de Beuch aliàs Buz or Beufe, Rafe earle of Stafford, William Montacute earle of Salisburie, Roger lord Mortimer, Iohn lord Lisle, Bartholomew lord Burwasch or Berghesech, the lord Iohn Beauchampe, the lord de Mahun, Hugh lord Courtnie, Thomas lord Holand, Iohn lord Graie, Richard lord Fitz Simon, sir Miles Stapleton, sir Thomas Walle, sir Hugh Wrottesley, sir Néele Loring, sir Iohn Chandos, Iames lord Audelie, sir Otes Holand, sir Henrie Eme, sir Sanchet Dabrichcourt, sir Walter Panell. ¶ Christopher Okland speaking of the first institution of this honorable order, dooth saie, that after foure daies were expired in the said exercises of chiualrie, the king besides the rich garter which he bestowed vpon them that tried maisteries, did also giue them a pretious collar of S S. but whether this collar had his first institution then with the garter he saith nothing, belike it was an ornament of greater antiquitie. Oklands words are these as followeth;
---- —— concertatoribus ampla
Præmia dat princeps, baccatas induit illis
Crura periscelides, quas vnio mistus Eous
Commendat, flammis interlucente pyropo.
Præterea ex auro puro, quòd odorifer Indus
Miserat, inserta donabat iaspide gemma,
Si formam spectes duplicato ex sygmate torques.
The occasion that mooued K. Edward to institute the order of the garter.