§ 10. When the Habit or part of it ought to be worn is the next thing we shall speak of.

THE more solemn Days and Occasions which require a fuller conformity, and the wearing the whole Habit, i. e. the Garter, Mantle, Surcoat, Hood, Collar, Great George, and Cap, ar• first, The High Festival of the Order, commonly called St. George's Feast, whether it be solemnized on the 22d, 23d or 24th of April, annually, or any other Days within the Year by Prorogation, as is apparent by all the Bodies of the Statutes.

FOR, First it is ordained, That the Knights-Compa∣nions should be Arrayed in the whole Habit on the Eve of St. George, before the Sovereign proceeded to the Chapter to hear Divine Service, and being so Robed, should attend on the Sovereign to the Chapter-House, thence to the Chapel, and return with him back in the same manner, until after Supper, as well those that minded to Sup, as those that should not Sup; nor might they disrobe, until the Sovereign or his Deputy had put off his, or declar'd it seasonable for his or their doing so.

BY the same Statute they were enjoined to wear the whole Habit on the Feast of St. George, both at their Progression in the Morning to the Chapter-House or Chapel, at their return to Dinner from thence to the Second Vespers, and back to Supper, as also till Supper was over, and until the Sovereign or his Lieutenant took leave of the rest of the Knights-Companions.

Page  185Secondly, IT is manifest from King Henry VIII's Sta∣tutes, That the Eve, the Day of St. George, and Mor∣row following, were to be observed with solemn Ser∣vice, and holding of Chapters wheresoever the Sove∣reign was resident; tho' the Grand Feast were Prorogued to a longer Duration; and when by reason of such Pro∣rogation, they should convene in any Place besides Windsor to attend the Sovereign for the Solemnization of St. George's Day, they then must Adorn themselves with the whole Habit from beginning of the first Ves∣pers, until the last Evening Service of the same Day.

Thirdly, ON such other Days of the Year whereon the Grand Feast is held by Prorogation, and during such Part of the Eve and Day of the Feast, as is before ap∣pointed when it is held on its proper Day.

Fourthly, BY absent Knights, whensoever the Grand Feast of St. George should be celebrated, and whereso∣ever they should happen at that time to reside, (if at Liberty, and not under restraint) to keep it in like manner as if then present with the Sovereign, or his Deputy in the Place where he should Celebrate the Feast. The time of wearing the whole Habit in this Point extends but to the End of the second Vespers, as in the second Instance above.

Fifthly, THE Knights-Companions are to wear the entire Habit at the Feasts of Installation when they assist at that Ceremony; where, if it commence in the Evening, they are not to disrobe themselves till after Supper; and being the next Morning habited as be∣fore, then to proceed to the Chapter-House or Cha∣pel, and not to devest themselves till Dinner is ended.

THE less solemn Occasions are those, which require the wearing the Mantle or Collar of the Order only.

AND they are first, upon the Morrow after the Grand Feast-Day, when the Sovereign and Knights-Companions proceed to the Chapel, and make their Offering; then it sufficeth, that they barely put on the Mantle, which, Service being Finished, they were wont to leave it at the Chapter-House-Door as they retired out of the Chapel.

Secondly, AS often as Chapters are called, and in what Place soever assembled, either for Elections, or other Causes, as it shall please the Sovereign to nominate: Page  186 And as often as it is requisite for the Sovereign, or any of the Knights-Companions to enter into the Chapel of St. George at Windsor; and in reference hereunto, is the Article 15 E. 3. was that their Mantles should remain in the Vestry at Windsor, that upon any sudden emergency, they might be in readiness: for in the Inventory of the Chapel taken 8 R. 2. we find remaining at that time in the Vestry, a Mantle appertaining to the Sove∣reign, another to John Duke of Britain, a third to John Holland Earl of Huntington, another to Edmund Langley Earl of Cambridge, and one to Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent, all of them then surviving• And by a Decree past at the Grand Feast 1 H. 6. the Mantle of the young Sovereign was appointed to be left at Windsor, as the Statutes required; and this Article was confirmed by King Henry VIII. by Virtue whereof, the Mantles of the Emperor Charles V. and Anna Duke of Montmorency, were left in the Custody of the Dean and Canons of Windsor. And heretofore in the Bill of drawing up Matters neces∣sary for the Installation of a Knight-Companion, there were usually two Mantles set down; one expressed to be left in the College, and the other for all other Occa∣sions that might intervene.

THESE Mantles thus ordered to be reposed in the College upon emergent Occasions, were anciently com∣mitted to the Custody of the Black-Rod, as granted by Letters Patent with the Office 1 H. 5. And after the Death of the Owners, devolved to the Dean and Canons of Windsor, either for the publick Use of the Knights-Companions when they casually came to Windsor, or else sold sometimes to the Heirs of the Deceased, or others who succeeded in the Order, as that of Charles V. was to the Earl of Bedford, and that of the Constable of France lent to the Earl of Warwick, Ann. 7 Eliz. which appears from the Accounts of the Chanter of the College, temp. H. 4. H. 5. H. 8. Q. Eliz. and Jac. 1. who in all times answered the full Benefit thereof to the College, as being a certain Perquisite to the Dean and Canons, which they accordingly had and enjoyed.

AND yet we find some of the College made over∣bold with the Robe of Sigismond the Emperour, and sold it while he surviv'd. But the Archbishop of York, who, Page  187 as Chancellor of England, visited the College, 1431. secured the Money from being distributed among those that sold it, and reserved the Dividend to the Dean and Chapter that should chance to be living at that Emperour's Expiration; and commanded for the Future under Pain of Excommunication, That no Dean and Canon should imbezil or aliene any Knights-Com∣panion's Mantle while he was alive, but the same should be decently and faithfully kept and preserved. But we are informed, that this Statute was altered, Ann. 9 Eliz. and one drawn up to this effect, That the Knights-Com∣panions should be bound by Oath to take care by their Wills, that after their Decease, all the Ornaments which they had received should be restored, the Robes to the College, and the Jewels to the Sovereign that gave them.

IN the last Place, the Times of wearing the Collar of the Order, with the Great George appendant, which is not only enjoined to be worn (as part of the Habit) at the grand Feasts and Feasts of Installation, but also at other times when not any of the rest of the Habit is ordered (saving the Garter) is to be worn, as in spe∣cial, at the principal and solemn Feasts of the Year, and o∣ther Feast-Days: To which a particular Order in Chap∣ter, Ann. 4 Eliz. thus directs,

• The Holy-days and Sundays within the twelve Days.
• St. Matthias Day.
• Holydays in Easter-Week.
• St. Mark's Day.
• St. Philip and Jacob's Day.
• Holy-days in Whitsun-Week.
• St. Peter's Day.
• St. James's Day.
• St. Bartholomew.
• St. Matthew.
• St. Luke.
• St. Simon and Jude.
• St. Andrew.
• St. Thomas.

BESIDES these, the Sovereigns and Knights-Compa∣nions have been accustomed to wear this Ensign upon the Anniversary of the Sovereign's Coronation, of the Gun•Powder Treason, and, of later Times, on the Sove∣reign's Birth-day: So formerly upon some occasional Ceremonies not relative to the Order; as when a Knight-Companion hath been created into Titles of Dignity and Honour, he had the Collar of the Garter added to his Page  188 Investiture, as appears in the Case of Henry Stafford, cre∣ated Earl of Wiltshire, Ann. 1 Hen. 8. And at a Chapter held May 22d. 1622. That such Knights-Companions as should afterwards assist at the Funeral of any Knight-Companion, should wear the Collar apert at the said Funeral. And it was so observed by the Dukes of Or∣mond and Richmond, the Earls of Manchester and Sandwich, at the Obsequies of George Monk Duke of Albemarle.

Howbeit, the Custom is otherwise as to wearing the Garter, the principal Ensign of the Order; for tho' it be injoyned to be wore at the grand Festivals, &c. yet it does not imply that it might be left off: For indeed it ought daily to be worn both by the Sovereign and Knights Companions. And therefore was it decreed even in its Institution, That if any Knight-Companion should in publick be found without one buckled about his Leg, upon Challenge he should be mulct a Noble to the Dean and College of Windsor. By King Henry VIII. the Fine was raised a Mark, payable as before to any of the five Officers of the Order• or to the Dean; besides which Fine, the Knight lies liable to a Check. But to alleviate the Strictness, and obviating other Inconveni∣encies, King Henry V. admitted of a Qualification; and in case of riding with Boots, ordained, That it might suffice if the Knight-Companion wore some Ribband or Silk-Lace to represent the Garter; tho' in this very Article there is a Proviso, That no Knight-Companion should enter into Chapter, without his Garter buckled about the Leg.

In short, King Henry VIII. ordained, That the Gold-Chain whereat the lesser George (in that Age) hung, should be worn all other days in the Year, except the Principal and Solemn Feasts, whereon the great Collar was ordained to be worn, and except in time of War, Sickness, or long Voyage, in any of which Cases, a Silk-Lace or Ribband, with the Image of St. George thereat, was sufficient; and the blue Ribband having since suc∣ceeded in Place of the Cold Chain, the Injunction of this Statute extends to it in all particulars.