THE Articles and Clauses added to the former Statutes, in this last Body, are these:
{ 1. That the Interpretation of the { Statutes, _&c._ belongeth to the Sovereign. { { 2. The Three Points of Reproach declar’d, { and what is meant by a Gentleman { of Blood. { { 4. Of the Prerogative of the Feast. { { 5. How the Feast is to be observed by { absent Knights. { { 6. Attendance on the Sovereign, if { he be not at the Feast. { { 7. That the Sovereign’s Deputy may { correct Things in Chapter. { { 12. The offering up of Atchievements, { and a Taper arm’d with an Escutcheon. { { 13. Canons to sit in the lower Stalls, { when any Knights are present. { { 14. That Six Knights make a Chapter. { To Article { 20. The Manner of Installation set { down. { { 21. Clause for a Foreign Knight’s { Deputy to be conducted from the Chapter-House { to the Stall; and for making { an Election void, if the Knight send not { his Proxy within Seven Months. { { 23. For advancing and translating of { Stalls. { { 25. Plates not to be larger than the { first Founders, except Strangers. { { 27. The Time Three Months prefix’d { for the Executor of a deceas’d Knight-Companion { to send back the Copy of the { Orders deliver’d to him at his Admission, { which might be also sent to one of the { principal Officers of the Order. { { 38. Concerning the Collar of the { Order.
THIS Body of Statutes was compil’d in _Latin_, and is recorded in the _Black Book_ of the Order. It was translated into _French_ and _English_ by Sir _Thomas Wriothesley_, Kt. then Garter King of Arms. The _English_ Version annex’d here to this Treatise, is what hath since been deliver’d (instead of the former Statutes) to all succeeding Knights-Companions, according to the Injunction; but of late Times appointed to be sent to Foreign Princes and other elect Knights abroad, sealed with the Great Seal of the Order, affix’d to a Label of Blue Silk and Gold.
§ 3. THERE have been several Endeavours since the Reign of King _Henry_ VIII. for reforming the Statutes. As first, King _Edward_ VI. who as Sovereign, by the Orders themselves, had an undoubted Prerogative set him to alter and reform many Things which seem’d inconsistent with the Religion he establish’d. To which Purpose, at a Chapter at _Greenwich_, held _April_ 23. in the Third Year of his Reign, the Lord _St. John_, the Earl of _Arundel_, and Sir _William Paget_, were to peruse and make them agreeable to the King’s other Proceedings, by the Assistance and Advice of the Protector, the Duke of _Somerset_, and other Companions. This was follow’d by a subsequent Order pass’d in the Chapter at _Greenwich_ the Year after, that the Statutes should be reform’d and corrected as they thought expedient: And for the better Accomplishment of their Design, at the next Feast, _April_ 24. 5 _Edw._ VI. another Order commenc’d, impowering the Duke of _Somerset_, the Marquess of _Northampton_, the Earls of _Warwick_, _Arundel_, _Bedford_ and _Wilts_, to peruse and amend the Statutes and other Books of the Order, which were brought to some tolerable Degree of Perfection; for thereupon a new Body was collected (in general very much altering the Laws of the Order) and publish’d _March_ 17. _Anno_ 7 _Edw._ VI. But this King within Four Months after expiring, Queen _Mary_, his Sister and Successor, the very first Thing she transacted was to abrogate and make them void; wherefore we need not mention them, as never in use and unrevived. For the Execution of which Purpose, she conven’d a Chapter at St. _James_’s, the 27th of _September_ following; and it was then decreed, that the said Laws and Ordinances, as inconvenient, impertinent, and tending to Novelty, should be disannulled, and no Account to be made of them for the future; and for the quicker Execution, Sir _William Petre_ (that Day admitted Chancellor) had Orders to see them speedily expung’d out of the Book of Statutes, and forthwith defac’d, lest any Memory of them should remain to Posterity; and only those of her Father, _Hen._ VIII. and his Royal Predecessors, should be retain’d.