reygn the eighth year, made interpretacion and declaracion of the obfcurities, doubtis, and ambiguities of the faid eftatutis, ordinances, interpretacions, declaracions, reformacions, with their addicions aforesaid, after the trew intencion of them, fhall be from henceforth obferved, kept, and enfued by the Soverayne, and the Knyghtes Confreres and Companyons of the faid noble ordre in manner and fourme following.

In the fecond ftatute is accorded, That none fhall be elected and chofen for to be Fellow or Companyon of the said moost noble ordre, except that he be a Gentilman of blood, and that he be a Knyghte, and without reproche. And that the Knyghtes of the faid noble ordre, from henceforth, fhall not name any perfon in their election to be Felow or Companyon of the faid noble order, in whom thei fhall thynke or extiem in their confcience to have potte of reproche. And as towchyng the declaracion of a Gentleman of blode, it is declared and determined

determined that he fhall be defcended of three decentis of nobleffe, that is to fay, of name and of arms, both of his father's fide, and alfo of his mother's fide. And as towchyng or concernyng any manner of reproche, for as moche as there be divers and many fundry poyntis of reproche, there fhall be here declared but three poyntis of them oonly, as it is declared in manner and fourme folowyng.

The first poynt of reproche ys, That if any Knyght (as God defende) be convaynqued or attaynted, of errour agaynft the Criften Faith Catholique, or had for any fuche offence fuffered any payne or punicion publique. The second poynt of reproche ys, That if any Knyght (as God defende) had been arrayned, convicted, or attaynted of high treafon. The third poynt of reproche ys, That if any Knyght departe or flee away from batayle or journie, beyng with his Soverayne Lord, his Lieutenant or Deputie, or other Capetayne, having the Kyng's

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Kyng's power royal and auctoritie : and whereas banners eftandatz, or pennons have bene difplaied, and that thei preceded to fight, he that then reniously and cowardly flieth or departeth away from thens, ought to be esteemed and judged to have reproche, and never worthi to be elected Knyght of the companie as (God forbidde) do commytte any fuche reproche; that then he fhall be departed and difgraded of the faid order, at the next chaptier enfuyng, if it foo fhall please the Soverayne and Companie.

The joy and triumph which reigned in the court of England on account of this inftitution, which concluded with military fports and tournaments, was fuddenly changed into forrow and mourning by a terrible and deftructive peftilence, which invaded that kingdom as well as the reft of Europe, and is fuppofed to have carried off about one-fourth of the inhabitants in every country where it prevailed. In the firft fix months of this year, fifty-feven

thoufand

thousand perfons are faid to have died of it in London and Norwich; the church-yards were not found fufficient for the burial of the dead. This dreadful distemper fpread into Wales and Ireland, and proved chiefly fatal to the common people: none of the better fort died of the infection, except three or four of the Nobility, and Jane, King Edward's fecond daughter, who was seized with it at Bourdeaux in her way to Caftile, where she was to have been married to the Infant Don Pedro, fon of Alphonfo, Sovereign of that kingdom. When the contagion among the human fpecies abated, the fheep and cattle perished in vast numbers; and no bird or beaft of prey would touch their carcaffes, fo that they lay putrefying on the furface of the ground, and by their intolerable ftench contributed to increase the

pernicious quality of the air. The corn was loft for want of hands to reap and gather it; and hence enfued a dreadful dearth of all kind of provisions. The Scots, tempted by the profpect of an eafy prey

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in

this

·

this feafon of death and defolation, made an irruption into the northern counties, and, together with a large booty, carried back the contagion to their own country, where it raged with uncommon violence: a just reward for so flagrant a breach of the laws of prudence and humanity. This dreadful calamity, rather than the pacific difpofitions of the contending Princes, ferved to maintain and prolong the truce between Françe and England.

In the beginning of the following fummer, fome variance happening between the fleets of England and Spain, the Spaniards, fecretly encouraged by the French, infested the British feas with fifty large fhips of war taking and destroying a great number of veffels. King Edward enraged at these difhonourable proceedings, for the nations were not at war with each other, fitted out a confiderable fleet to oppofe them; taking with him his Son the Prince of Wales, now in his twentieth year, with many No

blemen