every knight bachelor one hundred masses, to be celebrated for the good of the soul departed; which neglected for a quarter of a year after notice of such death, the masses are to be doubled; upon half a year's neglect, again doubled; and so from time to time in like form till the end of the year, and then the year's to be doubled." The rest contain minute directions: and among others, that no knight-companion is to quit the kingdom without licence from the sovereign. Henry V. and Henry VIII. added to those statutes; and the compilation of the latter princes is recorded in the Black Book, a copy of which was appointed to be given to every succeeding knight. From this we may extract the statute explaining the qualification of a knight, that he shall be "without reproach."

"And as touchyng or concernyng any manner of reproche, forasmoche as there be divers and many sundry poyntis of reproche, there shall be here declared but three poyntis of them oonly, as it is declared in manner and fourme folowyng.

"The first poynt of reproach is, that if any knyght (as God defende) be convaynqued or attaynted of errour against the Christen faith Catholique, or had for any suche offence suffred any payne or punicion publique.

"The second poynt of reproche is, that if any knyghte (as God defende) had been arrayned, convicted, or attaynted of high treason.

"The third poynt of reproche is, that if any knyght depart or flee away from battayle or tournie,

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beyng with his soverayne lord, his lieutenant or deputie, or other capetayne, having the king's power royal and auctoritie; and whereas banners, estandatz or pennons, have been displaied, and thei preceded to fight, he that then reniously and cowardly flieth or departeth away from them, ought to be esteemed and judged to have reproche, and never worthi to be elected knyght of the said company, (as God forbid,) do commyte any suche reproche; that then he shall be departed and disgraded of the said order, at the next chaptier ensuyng, if it soo shall please the soveand the company." rayne

CHAPTER VIII.

HABITS AND ENSIGNS OF THE ORDER OF THE GARTER.

THE GARTER.THE MANTLE.-THE SURCOAT.-THE HOOD.-THE COLLAR.-THe george. -THE LESSER GEORGE.-PROCESSION OF THE KNIGHTS ELECT TO WINDSOR. THE OFFERING.-INVESTITURE WITH THE ROBE.-GIRDING WITH THE SWORD.-THE OATH.-INVESTITURE WITH THE OTHER INSIGNIA.GRAND FESTIVAL OF THE ORDER.-CEREMONY OF THE DEGRADATION OF A KNIGHT-COMPANION.

THE habit and ensigns of the order of the garter are in six parts; the four first, viz., the garter, mantle, surcoat, and hood, assigned to the knights' companies by the founder; and the two last, the George and collar, by Henry VIII. The materials of the original garter are not known, but those sent to sovereign princes by Philip and Mary, and later sove

reigns, was richly wrought with gold and precious stones. That of Gustavus Adolphus contained four hundred and eleven diamonds, the motto being traced in small diamonds; such likewise was the case with the garter worn by Charles I., at his execution. This latter, subsequently to the tragedy, was sold to Ireton, lord mayor of London; but after the restoration, recovered by the crown by a process at law.

The mantle was originally of woollen cloth; and probably continued so till the reign of Henry VI., when velvet first appears. The colour was originally blue, but seems to have been changed at the fancy of different sovereigns.

The surcoat was a tunic, fastened round the body with a girdle, and reaching a little below the knee.

The hood, intended at first to defend the head and shoulders from the weather, was still retained, hanging upon the back, after a cap or hat came to be worn. The hood was of the same stuff as the surcoat; the hat of black velvet, adorned with white feathers. "This custom of wearing caps and feathers," says Ashmole, "at the grand solemnities of the order, had for some time been omitted; and, therefore, in a chapter held the 13th of April, anno 10 Jac. I., this commendable custom was re-established." To these may be added the cross and star.

The collar was ordered to contain thirty ounces of gold, troy weight, neither more nor less; but a slight difference was made in the case of some of the later sovereigns. It is expressly prohibited by the laws of

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the order that the collar should be ornamented with precious stones. Not so the George, a figure hanging from the middle of the collar, representing Saint George in his conflict with the dragon, which is allowed to be adorned in as costly a manner as the owner chooses. The lesser George was a model of the saint, worn on the breast within the ennobled garter, to distinguish the knights-companions from other gentlemen, who wore gold chains, the ordinary ensigns of knighthood. This George was suspended round the neck by a blue ribbon. We have now to describe, as briefly as may be, from the verbose Ashmole, the ceremonies of installation.

The knights elect proceeded from London to their installation at Windsor, in a solemn and stately cavalcade, which was performed on horseback, with the greatest grandeur, whether we refer to the number of their honourable friends, who, on gallant coursers, rode along with them, or the multitude of their own attendants, well mounted, the magnificence of whose apparel, jewels, gold chains, rich embroideries, and plumes of feathers, of their lord's colours, dazzled the eyes of the spectators.

Corresponding to this pompous show was the feast, which contained in it all manner of stateliness and plenty, as well of provision, as other incidents that might increase its glory, in which the elect knights, who kept it at their own expense, strove not only to outvie their predecessors, but to excel one another; so that all ambassadors and strangers esteemed it one

of the goodliest and noblest sights that was to be seen in Christendom.

But to make the splendour of the cavalcade no less conspicuous to the city of London, than to the town and castle of Windsor, the knights elect took up their lodgings, sometimes in the Strand, sometimes in Salisbury Court, in Holborn, or within the city; and took care to pass through some great thoroughfares, that the people might the better see the show.

King James I., observing the excesses the elect knights ran into upon this occasion, and willing to check the growing inconveniences, at the installation of Francis, Earl of Rutland, Sir George Villars, knight (afterwards Duke of Buckingham), and the Viscount Lisle, anno 14 of his reign, forbade livery coats, for saving charge and avoiding emulation; and shortly after, in a chapter at Whitehall, anno 16, with the consent of the knights-companions then assembled, in order to put some restraint upon the number of attendants, he decreed that each of the knights-companions should have fifty persons to attend him to the annual solemnities of the order, and no more.

The offering of the knights-commissioners, coming to the castle on the eve of the installation, is founded upon an article of Edward III., which runs to this effect that if any of the knights-companions, being upon a journey, should accidentally pass by Windsor Castle, he is to turn in thither, in honour of the place, and prepare himself to enter into the chapel