the happy Estate of the Order. If any Knight Companion, or other
Person, should bestow Ten Pounds _per Annum_, in order to be Partaker
of the Prayers appointed for the Benefactors of the College, his Name
was to be inscribed amongst them, and he also prayed for. Which
Article, tho’ King _Hen._ V. confirmed, yet with this Restriction, it
should not be admitted without the Consent of the Sovereign, or the
Knights-Companions of the Order. 4 _Edw._ VI. some one of them were
enjoyned to commemorate the Benefactors in a Discourse upon the
_Tuesday_ next after the third _Sunday_ in _Lent_, and on the first
_Tusedays_ in _June_, _September_ and _December_, and not only to set
forth the Munificence of the Founder, and of King _Hen._ VIII. but of
all others, so as to excite their Auditors to an Emulation, in the
Increase of Religion, and setting forth of God’s Glory.
THE civil Obligations of these Canons are to attend the Sovereign (or
his Deputy) and the Knights Companions at their grand Feast, and at the
Feasts of the Installation, or when the Sovereign or Knights Companions
shall come to the Chapel of St. _George_ upon a Religious Account. On
those solemn Days, over their Ecclessastical Habit they wear a Murrey
Mantle, (at this Day a Taffaty Robe, in Fashion like the three inferior
Officers of the Order) with the Arms of St. _George_ arched within a
Rundle on the Right Shoulder.
PETTY CANONS.
Those now call’d Petty Canons in the Patent of Foundation went
undistinguish’d with the _Canones Majores_: only in the Bull of Pope
_Clement_ VI. to the Archbishop of _Canterbury_ and Bishop of _Winton_,
for instituting the College, they are called _Presbyteri_; and by the
said Bishop in the very Words of his Statutes, _Presbyteri seu
Vicarii_, by which last Name they are styl’d at the first Erection of
the Garter. Their Number was originally Thirteen, only King _Henry_ the
VIIIth’s _English_ Statutes mention Eight petty Canons, besides
Thirteen Vicars, (but the _Latin_ takes Notice only of Thirteen
Priests, some called _Canonici Minores_, others _Vicarii_.) _Ann._ 1.
_Edw._ VI. Twelve Priests were appointed, and named Petty Canons, that
is, Four to be added to the Eight mention’d in the Statute of King
_Henry_ VIII. Yet in Queen _Elizabeth_’s Ordinances for the continual
Charge, the Petty Canons thereby provided for are Thirteen, agreeable
to the ancient Number of Vicars; but at this Day they are reduced to
Seven, and one of them Subchanter.
The Vicars at their Admission are bound to be Priests, at least
Deacons, and at the next Ordination they must commence Priests. Their
Statutes oblige them to continual Residence; and if absent from Matins
or from the grand Mass, they are amerced 2 _d._ and for every Canonical
Hour, the Mass of the Virgin _Mary_, or for the Defunct, a Penny: All
which Forfeitures were to be deducted out of their Sallary, and divided
among those Vicars that duly attend these Duties. But the Statutes 1
_Edw._ VI. state the Forfeit of Absence from Matins to be one
Half-penny, and the like from Procession, Communion or Even-Song, to be
paid to the Poor’s Box. And not only they, but all other Ministers of
the Chapel, if they leave the College above Twenty Days, without
Reasons sufficiently approved of by the Residentiary Canons; or any of
the Society that lead a vicious or scandalous Life, after the Fact
manifestly proved before the _Custos_, are to be expelled; but an
Absence less than Twenty Days, without Leave granted, is punishable at
Discretion.
Each Vicar enjoy’d at first an annual Pension of 8 _l._ paid after this
Manner, _viz._ every Kalendar Month 8 _s._ for their Diet, and at the
Expiration of every Quarter Day the Surplus was consign’d for other
Necessaries they stood in need of. King _Ed._ IV. encreased their
Pensions to Twenty Marks a-piece; to which Queen _Elizabeth_ (they
being then called Petty Canons) advanced 13 _s._ and 4 _d._ _per Annum_
to each out of the Lands confirm’d on the College by King _Ed._ VI. and
now their yearly Sallaries are encreas’d to Thirty Pounds. Out of these
Petty Canons is elected a Subchanter, (and commonly the same Person is
the Dean’s Vicar) who has the Cure of Souls, marries and buries, _&c._
CLERKS.
For the Service of the Choir at the Foundation were allotted Four
Clerks, one whereof was to be instituted a Deacon, and another a
Sub-deacon before their Admission, and these two were design’d (upon
Vacancy) to the Vicars Places. But for the other Two, Institution into
lesser Orders, in which they were to continue, were sufficient. Each of
the Two first sort had Eight Marks _per Ann._ and the other Two but
Six. King _Ed._ IV. encreas’d their Number to Thirteen, and allow’d
them 10 _l._ _per Ann._ They are mention’d to be Thirteen in _Hen._
VIII’s Statutes. 1 _Ed._ VI. they were encreas’d to Fifteen; but here
appointed to be Laymen, wearing Surplices in the Choir, each having the
same Allowance. 4 _Ed._ VI. a Model was proposed to augment the Number
of these Fifteen Clerks to Twenty. But in the Reign of Queen
_Elizabeth_ they were again reduced to Thirteen, as at this present
they remain, (one of them as Organist hath a double Clerk’s Place, and
consequently reckon’d for Two) and an Augmentation to each of 2 _l._ 13
_s._ 4 _d._ three Farthings yearly; which being at first opposed by the
Dean and Prebends, they at length (5 _Eliz._) consented to allow them
40 _s._ _per Ann._ a-piece, not out of the new Lands, but out of other
Payments which the Dean and Chapter should otherwise receive; and 1662.
they encreased their annual Pensions to 23 _l._ a-piece. They are
obliged to be present in the Choir at Divine Service as well as the
Petty Canons, and under the same Forfeitures; nor may they or the Petty
Canons go out of Town above Three at once, lest the Choir should be
left unprovided.
CHOIRISTERS.
For the Service of the Choir were appointed Six Choiristers, and they
to be of the Clerical Order at their Admission; to each of which was
allow’d Five Marks _per Ann._ And as the Deacon and Sub-deacon were
plac’d in the College only in Addition to the Vicars, and design’d to
succeed them in their Vacancies; so also were there Six secular
Children, endued with clear tuneable Voices, to succeed the
Choiristers, when they perceiv’d a Roughness or Alteration in their
Voices. King _Ed._ IV. encreas’d the Number of Choiristers to Thirteen,
and allow’d them annually Six Marks a-piece, and which was again
confirm’d by King _H._ VIII’s Statutes. Yet the Injunction of 1 _Ed._
VI. reduced them to Ten; but Queen _Elizabeth_ establish’d the former
Number, and gave in Augmentation among them all of 3 _l._ 11 _s._ 8
_d._ They are now reduced to Eight, and their present Exhibition is 12
_s._ _per_ Month.
§. 5. The Alms Knights we shall treat of in a threefold Estate: 1.
Under the Foundation; 2. When disjointed thence by Act of Parliament;
and, 3. As established anew by Queen _Elizabeth_.
1. THEN, King _Edward_ III. out of the great Regard he had to military
Honour, and those who had bravely behav’d themselves in his Wars, yet
after chanced to fall in decay, made a Provision for their Relief and
comfortable Subsistence in old Age, by providing for them in this his
Foundation, and making a Coalition in one joint Body with the Custos
and Canons; these he call’d _Milites Pauperes_, and we Poor or
Alms-Knights. The stated Number at first were Twenty Four, equal to the
Custos and Canons at the first Erection. But shortly after, upon his
instituting the Order of the _Garter_, Two more were added (as there
was to the first Canons) to make the compleat Number of the
Knights-Companions of that Order, which were Twenty Six, as we find
stated at the Ordination of the College by the Bishop of _Winchester_,
the Pope’s Delegate.
THE Intention of the Founder was for those that were real Objects of
Charity, as he describes them, _viz._ poor Knights, infirm in Body,
indigent and decay’d, or as the Statutes of the _Garter_ qualifies
them, such as thro’ adverse Turns of Fortune were reduced to that
Extremity that they had not wherewithal to sustain themselves, to live
so genteelly as was suitable for a Military Condition, which for
greater Caution was reiterated in the Statutes of King _Hen._ V. King
_Hen._ VIII. and in the Orders of Queen _Elizabeth_; for it was
express’d, in case any Estate of 20 _l._ _per Annum_ devolved on them,
such Knights were to be discharged the College, and they were to
proceed to a new Election.
AT the first each Knight-Companion of the Order presented his
Alms-Knight, but ever after their Election was to be at the Disposal of
the Sovereign. Their Habit was a Red Mantle, with the Escutcheon of St.
_George_, without any Garter to surround it. Their Exhibition, after
their first Election was 12 _d._ a-piece every Day they were at Service
in the Chapel, or resident in the College, besides 40 _s._ _per Annum_
for other Contingencies, it being the stated Allowance appointed to
each of the Canons Residents.
ABOUT the Beginning of King _Hen._ VI’s Reign, their _quotidian_
Distributions and Annual 40 _s._ had been unpaid upon the Account of
some Dissentions risen between them and the Dean and Canons; but upon
Complaint of _John_ Bishop of _York_, Lord Chancellor of _England_, and
Visitor of the College, 10 _Hen._ VI. they were redressed, and their
Arrears of both discharged, without any Deduction, and likewise
obtained this Clause, That if the Treasurer of the College became
negligent in future Payments, he should lose his own _Quotidians_, from
the Time of his voluntary Omission, and the same to be divided among
the Alms-Knights. Their Duty was to pray for the Sovereign and the
Knights Companions, to be every Day present at High Mass, the Masses of
the Virgin _Mary_, at Vespers and Compline, and in default to be
mulcted their 12 _d._ _toties quoties_, which was to be converted to
the Use of the other Alms-Knights, then residing in the Castle of
_Windsor_; notwithstanding which Decree, the Dean did afterwards break
in upon them, and disposed of these Forfeitures at his Pleasure, till 2
_Rich._ II. _Adam_, Bishop of St. _David_’s, then Chancellor of
_England_, and Visitor of the College, redress’d it, and another
Complaint of like Nature being made of the Deans disposing of Donations
and other Liberalities of the Knights Companions in wrong of the
Alms-Knights, this Chancellor decreed an equal Distribution between the
Alms-Knights and Canons, till the King and Council should otherwise
determine.
These and other Differences between the Dean and Canons and Alms
Knights, grew up to that height, that they became irreconcileable,
insomuch as in the Act of Parliament, 22 _Edw._ IV. for incorporating
of the Custos and Canons, by the Name of Dean and Canons, the
Alms-Knights were not only omitted; but this Clause inserted, _That the
Dean and Canons, and their Successors, should for ever more be utterly
quit and discharged from all manner of Exhibition or Charge of or for
any of the said Knights_. And this under the Cover, That the King has
greatly augmented the Number of the Ministers of the Chapel, that the
Revenue was insufficient to maintain both them and the Alms-Knights;
but in the Dean and Canons Answer to the Knights Petition to repeal
this Act, the Cause is alledged, For that some of these Knights used
their utmost Endeavours before this Act, to incorporate themselves, and
to be exempt from the Obedience and Rule of the Dean and Canons.
AFTER this Act, which struck off their Quotidian Portions and Fees
assigned by King _Edward_’s Foundation, how the Alms Knights subsisted
we find not; but so soon as King _Hen._ VII. came to the Crown, they
petitioned the King and Parliament for Repeal of the Act, 22 _Edw._ IV.
and alledged it was obtained without their Knowledge, or being called
thereunto, which Plea availed not at all; but on the contrary, the Dean
and Canons, some Years after, got an Exemplification thereof under the
great Seal, dated _Feb._ 4. 18 _Hen._ VII.
AND it is very evident from King _Hen._ VIII’s Letter to the College,
that what they did in this Nature after this Act commenced, was merely
upon Courtesie; for he returns them Thanks for a Pension of Twenty
Marks conferred upon _Peter Narbone_, whom he had recommended to an
Alms-Knights Place, and Promises to burthen them no more with Requests
of this sort, but that he would settle Lands for their Maintenance. So
great was their Caution, _Narbone_ was by Covenants indented between
him and the Dean and Canons, to relinquish his Pension upon that King’s
settling Lands on the College, for the Provision of such Knights. In
the Interval between the Disunion of the College and Alms-Knights, to
their Establishment by Queen _Elizabeth_, their Habit and Badge
continued the same, and was so confirmed by _Hen._ VIII’s Statutes. It
may be collected by his last Will, there was an Intention to draw the
_Garter_ about the Escutcheon of St. _George_, which Projection came to
nothing, and expired. In this Interval it is observ’d that several
Persons of considerable Rank and Distinction became Alms-Knights; some
of which were rendred great Objects of Charity; among which Number was
Sir _Robert Champlayne_, a valiant Knight, an Honour to our Nation, for
his renowned and martial Services abroad. He was of King _Henry_ VI’s
Party in the Civil Wars against King _Edw._ IV. Immediately after whose
coming to the Crown he left _England_, and travelled into _Hungary_,
(with an Equipage of Three Servants and Four Horses) where in the
Assistance of _Mathous Corvinius_ King of _Hungary_ against the
_Turks_, he behaved himself very gallantly; but prosperous Fortune not
always attending him with Success, he receiv’d many Wounds; and at
length was taken Prisoner, lost all, and forced to pay 1500 Ducats for
his Ransom; for the Attestation of which he had the Great Seals of the
King of _Hungary_, the Archbishop of _Crete_, Legate _de Latere_ in
_Hungary_, the Emperor of _Germany_, the King of _Sicily_, the Count
_Palatine_ of the _Rhine_, and the Duke of _Burgundy_; and lastly, a
Declaration thereof under the Privy Seal of King _Edw._ IV. And being
reduced to so low an Ebb of Fortune, he was, thro’ _Hen._ VII’s Favour,
admitted an Alms-Knight.
But some obtained Admittance, probably out of Devotion, rather than
Poverty, as _Thomas Hulme_, _Clarenceux_ King of Arms, _Temp. Edw._ IV.
_Lodowick Carly_, the King’s Physician, and _John Mewtes_, Secretary of
the _French_ Tongue, both _Temp. Hen._ VII. and _Bartholomew Westby_
made second Baron of the _Exchequer_, 1 _Hen._ VIII.
IT is evident King _Hen._ VIII. designed a Re-establishment of half the
ancient Number of Alms-Knights, _viz._ Thirteen; for which purpose he
appointed by his Will 600 _l._ _per Annum_, in Mannors, Lands, and
Spiritual Promotions, settled upon the Dean and Canons, and their
Successors for ever, upon the Proviso’s that they should find Two
Priests to say Mass at his Tomb, to commemorate yearly Four Obits for
him, and at every Obit distribute 12 _l._ in Alms, likewise to pay 12
_d._ a Week to those Thirteen Alms-Knights, who were to have once a
Year a long Gown of White Cloth, and a Mantle of Red, besides Five
Marks annually, to such one among them as should be constituted their
Governor, and so much for a Sermon every _Sunday_ throughout the Year.
In Performance of which Will, King _Edw._ VI. in the first Year of his
Reign, did confer several Lands upon the College; but 600 _l._ _per
Annum_ of these Rents were by the Dean and Canons paid back, to be
employed on erecting of Houses for the Alms-Knights, intended to be
settled by King _Hen._ VIII. This Work began not till the 3d and 4th of
_Philip_ and _Mary_, and was finished the 5th and 6th of their Reign,
the Charge amounting to 2747 _l._ 7 _s._ 6 _d._ These Houses are
situate on the South side of the Lower Ward of the Castle, and contain
Thirteen Rooms, besides an Hall, a Kitchin, and a Pastry; the Stone was
brought from _Reading_, the Timber from the Forest, and the Lead, and
Apparels for the Chimnies, from _Suffolk Place_ in _Southwark_. At a
Chapter of the _Garter_, held the 1st of _June_, the 4th and 5th of
_Philip_ and _Mary_, the Houses being then near finished, a Debate
arose about placing some Alms-Knights therein, if possible, by
_Michaelmas_ following, whereupon the Marquiss of _Winton_,
Lord-Treasurer, had Orders to assign Lands for their Maintenance; and
towards the compleating of this the Queen had nominated Nine of the
Thirteen designed; but falling sick in _August_, a stop was put to the
Affair, till Queen _Elizabeth_ coming to the Crown confirmed her
Sister’s Grants to the Nine nominated Knights, and made up the Number
full Thirteen, ordained by King _Henry_ VIII. under which Establishment
they still remain; for afterwards, _viz._ _Aug._ 30. in the first Year
of her Reign, minding the Continuance of King _Edward_’s Foundation,
the Intent of her Progenitors, and Advancement of the Order of the
_Garter_, and King _Henry_ VIII’s Will, for the Support of Thirteen
poor Men decayed in Wars, to be called Thirteen Knights of _Windsor_;
and having erected certain Orders for their better Regulation, and
declar’d how and in what manner the 600 _l._ given by her Father should
be employ’d for the Maintenance of these Knights and their Successors,
she lastly declared, That the Dean and Canons should for ever cause
these Rules and Orders to be observed.
_Impr._ That there be Thirteen Poor Knights, all Gentlemen, one whereof
to be Governour, that have spent their Time in the Wars, or other
Service of the Realm, having little or nothing to live upon, to be
elected by the Sovereign and Successors.
2. _It._ The Governour and Knights must be unmarried, yet that the
Crown may dispence withal; and upon their marrying are to lose their
Place.
3. _It._ None deformed, and convicted of Heresie, Felony, or any
notable Crime, is to be admitted of the Thirteen, and after admittance,
so convicted, to be expelled.
4. _It._ Each Knight to have yearly, for their Liveries, a Red Gown of
Four Yards, and a Mantle of Blue or Purple of Five Yards, at 6 _s._ and
8 _d._ _per_ Yard.
5. _It._ An Escutcheon of St. _George_ embroidered without the
_Garter_, to be upon the Left Shoulder of the Mantle.
6. _It._ The Charges of the Cloth, Lining, Making, and Embroidering, to
be paid by the Dean and Chapter, out of the Revenue of the Foundation.
7. _It._ That the Knights attend, Morning and Afternoon, Divine
Service, within the College, in their ordinary Apparel, without a
reasonable Let to be allowed by the Governour.
8. _It._ That they keep their Lodgings appointed, and Table in a common
Hall appointed, and to have their Provisions by a common Purse, except
for a reasonable Cause any be licensed to the contrary by the Dean, and
that License not to endure above Twenty Days in a Year, excepting only
for Sickness.
9. _It._ They are not to haunt the Town, nor Publick Houses, nor call
any Woman into their Lodgings, without reasonable Cause and License of
the Dean.
10. _It._ Twelve of them to be obedient to him appointed to be
Governour, and all Thirteen to the Dean and Chapter, in the Observation
of these Statutes.
11. _It._ The Thirteen Knights to have Places within the Church, where
the Dean and Canons shall think best to hear the Divine Service
together.
12. _It._ To be present at the quarterly Service, for the Memory of the
Patrons and Founder of the College, and especially of King _Hen._ VIII.
and Queen _Elizabeth_, and have each of them, at that Time, 20 _d._ and
the Governour 2 _s._ The said Service to be the _Sundays_ next before
the Quarter-days, the _Annunciation_, St. _John Baptist_, _Michaelmas_,
and _Christmas_.
13. _It._ Any of the Twelve Knights disobeying the Governour, in any of
these Statutes, to incur the Forfeiture the Dean and Chapter shall put
on him, the Governour to report the Offence, which if more heinous, the
Dean and Chapter are to give a Warning, and register the same, and
after a second Warning Expulsion is to follow; the like Punishment to
the Governour, disobeying the Dean and Chapter in the Observation of
these Statutes.
14. _It._ The Penalties of the Punished to be imployed by the Dean and
Chapter at their Discretion, upon any of the Ministers or Choristers of
the Church.
15. _It._ Upon the King or Queen’s coming to or going from _Windsor_,
the Thirteen Knights are to stand before their Doors in their Apparel,
and do Obedience.
16. _It._ At the keeping of the Feast of St. _George_, they are to
stand likewise in their Apparel before their Doors, at the coming and
going out of the Lieutenant, and of other the Knights-Companions.
17. _It._ At every Feast of St. _George_ they shall sit together in
their Apparel at one Table, and have Allowance of Meat and Drink at the
Royal Charges.
18. _It._ They are daily in their Prayers to pray for the Sovereign and
the Knights-Companions.
19. _It._ They are always to lie in their Lodging, and upon lying out
of them and the College, without License from the Dean, to forfeit 12
_d._
20. _It._ If Lands or Revenues of 20 _l._ _per Annum_ fall to any of
the poor Knights, he is to be removed, and another put into his Place.
21. _It._ They are every Day (excepting Cause of Sickness) to be
present at Divine Service in the College, as aforesaid, and receive a
daily Distribution of 12 _d._ _per_ Day, to be paid them monthly, if it
may be, or at least in such sort as the other Ministers of the Chapel
be paid; and he that shall absent himself one Day, without leave from
the Dean, shall lose his Distribution of 12 _d._
22. _It._ The Governour is to keep a Book, and register, the Absenters,
and other Defaulters of the Statutes, whereof he shall deliver one to
the Dean, and another to the Steward, or him that payeth the poor
Knights, who by Order of the Dean is to make proper Defalcations at the
Time of paying them.
23. _It._ The Dean once a Year is to appoint a Day and Hour, at which
the poor Knights are to be warned to be present, to hear these Statutes
read, and any Knight absenting after that Warning, and without License,
is to forfeit 6 _s._ 8 _d._
24. _It._ Any elected poor Knight, before he take any Commodity of his
Room, shall take a corporal Oath before the Dean, to be faithful and
true to the Crown, and that for the time of their tarrying there to
truly observe the Statutes and Ordinances upon the Penalties contain’d
in the said Statutes.
THE 25th Article is a Dispensation for those poor Knights chosen before
these Statutes, who were not certainly known Gentlemen, yet Men well
reported for Honesty, and meet to be relieved; but with an Intent that
none hereafter be admitted, unless a Gentleman born, agreeable to the
first Order.
The annual Allowance of each, upon this new Establishment, is 18 _l._ 5
_s._ to be paid by the Dean of _Windsor_, (but their Governour has 3
_l._ 6 _s._ and 8 _d._ more) besides their Gown and Mantle mentioned in
their Statutes. King _James_ I. doubled this Pension, and made it
payable out of the Exchequer quarterly.