proofe of which and that we may behold what excellent Peeres and Princes of our owne and other Nations have in all times successively beene chosen into this most noble Order wee have adjoyn'd a Catalogue of all Saint GEORGE'S Knights from the first institution of it till the present Which Catalogue I have here layed downe according as I finde it in the Catalogue of Honour published by Milles of Canterbury adding unto him such as have beene admitted since that publication Hereafter if this worke may ever have a second birth and that I have ability to nde or meanes to search into the publike Registers of this Order I shall annex to every of them the time of their Creation as wee have done in all of them since the first of Queene ELIZABETH THE FIRST FOVNDERS as they call them of the Garter EDVVARD the III. Of ENGLAND and FRANCE c. being the Chiefe or Soveraigne of it EDVVARD the III. King of England HENRY Duke of Lancaster PETER Capit. de la Bouche WILLIAN MONTACVTE Earle of Salisburie IOHN Lord Lisle IOHN BEAVCHMP Knight HVGH COVRTNEY Knight IOHN GREY of Codnor Knight MILES STAPLETON Knight HVGH WORTHESLEY Knight IOHN CHANDOS Knight Banneret OTHO HOLLAND Knight SANCHIO DAMPREDICOVRT Knight EDVVARD Prince of Wales THOMAS BEAVCHAMP Earle of Warwicke RAPH Earle of Stafford ROGER MORTIMER Earle of March BARTHOLM de Burgherst Knight IOHN Lord Mohun of Dunstere THOMAS HOLLAND Knight RICHARD FITZ-SIMON Knight THOMAS WALE Knight NEELE LORENGE Knight IAMES AVDLEY Knight HENRY ESME Knight WALTER PAVELY Knight Which Founders being dead these following were in the time of the said Edward the third elected in their places according as their stalls became vacant by the death of any of the others viz. RICHARD of Burdeaux Prince of Wales and after King of England of that name the second LIONELL Duke of Clarence IOHN of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster EDMOND of Langley Duke of Yorke IOHN Duke of Brittaine and Earle of Richmond HVMFREY de Bohun Earle of Hereford WIâ—LIAM de Bohun Earle of Northampton IOHN HASTINGS Earle of Pembrooke THOMAS BEAVCHAMP Earle of Warwicke RICHARD FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell ROBERT VFFORD Earle of Suffolke HVGH Earle of Stafford GVISCARD of Engolesine Earle of Huntingdon INGELRAM of Coucy Earle of Bedford EDVVARD Lord Despencer WILLIAM Lord Latimer REYNOLD Lord Cobham of Sterborough IOHN Lord Nevill of Raby RAPH Lord Basset of Drayton Sir WALâ— MANNY Banneret Sir THOMAS VFFORD Sir THOMAS FELTON Sir FRANCIS VAN HALL Sir ALAN BOXHVLL Sir RICH. PEMBRVGE Sir THOMAS VTREIGHT Sir THOM. BANISTER Sir RICH. LA VACHE Sir GVY of Brienne RICHARD the II. KING OF ENGLAND and Soveraigne of the Garter Elected in his Time into the Order these that follow THOMAS of Woodstocke Earle of Buckingham and Duke of Gloucester HENRY of Lancaster Earle of Darbie and Duke of Hereford WIL. Duke of Gelderland WIL. Earle of Holland Hainault c. THO. HOLLAND Duke of Surrey IOHN HOLLAND Duke of Exeter THO. MOVVERAY Duke of Norfolke EDVVARD Duke of Aumerle MICHAEL DE LA POLE Earle of Suffolke WIL. SCROPE Earle of Wiltes WILLIAM BEAVCHAMP Lord Aburgevenny IOHN Lord Beaumont WIL. Lord Willoughby RICHARD Lord Grey Sir NICHOLAS SARNESFEILD Sir PHILIP DE LA VACHE Sir ROBERT KNOLLES Sir GVY of Brienne Sir SIMON BVRLEY Sir IOHN D'EVREVX Sir BRIAN STAPLETON Sir RIGH BVRLEY Sir IOHN COVRTNEY Sir IOHN BVRLEY Sir IOHN BOVRCHIER Sir THO. GRANDISON Sir LEVVIS CLIFFORD Sir ROBERT DVMSTAVILL Sir ROBERT of Namurs HENRY the IIII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter made Choice of HENRY Prince of Wales THOMAS of Lancaster Duke of Clarence IOHN Duke of Bedford HVMFREY Duke of Gloucester ROBERT Count Palatine and Duke of Bavaria THO. BEAVFORT Duke of Exeter IOHN BEAVFORT Earle of Somerset THO. FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell EDM. Earle of Stafford EM HOLLAND Earle of Kent RAPH NEVILL Earle of Westmerland GILBERT Lord Talbot GILBERT Lord Roos THO. Lord Morley EDVVARD Lord Powys IOH. Lord Lovell Edvv. Lord Burnell IOH. CORNVVALL Lord Fanhope Sir WIL. ARVNDELL Sir IOH. STANLEY Sir ROE VMFREVILL Sir THOM. RAMPSTON Sir THOM. ERPINGHAM Sir IOH. SVLBIE Sir SANCHIO of Trane HENRY the V. of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter graced with the Order SIGISMVND King of Hungarie and Bohemia Emperour Elect. IOHN King of Portugall CHRISTIERNE King of Danemarke PHILIP Duke of Burgundie IOHN HOLLAND Duke of Exeter WILL. DE LA POLE Duke of Suffolke IOH. MOVVERAY Duke of Norfolke THOM. MONTACVTE Earle of Salisbury RICH. VERE Earle of Oxon. RICH. BEAVCHAMP Earle of Warwicke THOM. Lord Camoys IOHN Lord Clifford ROBERT Lord Willoughby WILLIAM Lord Bardolfe HENRY Lord Fitz-Hugh LEVVIS ROBSART Lord Bourchier HVGH STAFFORD Lord Bourchier WALTER Lord Hungerford Sir SYMON FELBRIDGE Sir IOH. GREY of Eyton Sir IOH. DABRIDGECOVRT Sir IOH. ROBSART Sir TRANK VAN CLVX of Germany Sir WILLIAM HARRINGTON Sir IOHN BLOVNT HENRY the VI. of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter assumed into it ALBERT of Austria King of Bohemia Hungarie and Emperour of Germanie FREDERICK Duke of Austria and Emperour EDVVARD King of Poland ALPHONSO King of Arragon and Naples CASIMIRE King of Portugall EDVVARD Prince of Wales PET. Duke of Conimbria and HENRY Duke of Visontium both Sonnes to the King of Portugall The Duke of Brunswicke RICH. Duke of Yorke IOH. BEAVFORT Duke of Somerset EDM. BRAVFORT Duke of Somerset IASPER of Hatfeild Duke of Bedford IOHN MOVVBRAY Duke of Norfolke HVMPH STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham GASTON DE FOIX Earle of Longueville IOHN DE FOIX Earle of Kendall ALVARES D'ALMADA Earle of Averence IOHN FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell RICH. NEVILL Earle of Salisbury RICH. NEVILL Earle of Warwicke IOH. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury IOH. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury Sonne to the former IAMES BVTLER Earle of Wiltes WILL. NEVILL Earle of Kent RICHARD WIDDEVILL Earle Ryvers HEN. Viscount Bourchier Earle of Essex IOHN Viscount Beaumont IOHN Lord Dudley THO. Lord Scales IOHN Lord Grey of Ruthin RAPH Lord Butler of Sudeley LIONELL Lord Welles IOH. Lord Bourchier of Berners THOMAS Lord Stanley WILL. Lord Bonvill IOH. Lord Wenlocke IOH. Lord Beauchamp of Powys THOMAS Lord Hoo. Sir IOHN RATCLIFFE Sir IOHN FASTOLFE Sir THOMAS KYRIELL Sir EDVVARD HALL EDVVARD the IIII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter made Knights thereof FERDINAND King of Naples IOHN King of Portugall EDVVARD Prince of Wales CHARLES Duke of Burgundie FR. SFORZA Duke of Millaine FREDERICKE Duke of Vrbine HERCVLES Duke of Ferrara RICH. Duke of Yorke the Kings Sonne RICH. Duke of Gloucester IOHN MOVVBRAY Duke of Norfolke IOHN Lord Howard made afterwards Duke of Norfolke IOHN DE LA POLE Duke of Suffolke HENRY STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham IOHN NEVILL Marquise Montacute THOMAS GREY Marquise Dorset IAMES Earle of Douglas in Scotland WILL. FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell THOM. Lord Maltravers ANTH. WOODVILL Earle Ryvers WILL. Lord Herbert Earle of
often changed and varied according to occasion and the Princes pleasure Vnto them also to the Soveraignes I meane or to their Deputies it appertaines to choose and nominate into the Order whom they esteeme to bee most worthy of that honour and like to bee the greatest ornament unto it Yet so that sixe at least of the said fellowes doe conveene at the Election and concurre in it the residue of them being all warned to bee there present and such as faile of their attendance without just cause such as the Soveraigne shall approve to bee amerced In their elections two things there are which they especially observe First that the partie nominated bee a Gentleman of name and armes for three descents both by the Fathers side and by the Mothers For which cause when the Garter was reproachfully taken from the Lord William Paget by Dudley of Northumberland to give to Iohn his eldest sonne the Earle of Warwicke he used this colour to disguise that foule dishonour that the said Lord as the first raiser of his house was said to bee no gentleman of blood neither by Father nor by Mother as Sir Iohn Hayward tells the storie The second thing to be observed is that the partie nominated bee without spot or foule reproach as viz. not convict of Heresie nor attaint of treason nor by his Prodigalitie and riot decayed in his estate by meanes whereof hee is not able to conserve the honour of his Order nor such a one that ever fled in the day of battaile his Soveraigne Lord or his Lieutenant being in the Feild In all which cases a Knight elected and installed may also if it please the Soveraigne be degraded The partie chosen by the Prince if he bee a stranger is certified thereof soone after by Letters from the Soveraigne and many times the Statutes of that Order have beene sent unto him to consider of them whether or no he will accept of this election But this a matter meerely formall For commonly our Kings are first well assured of the parties good affection to them before they choose him and as for forreigne Princes it is a true note of Master Camdens that the most mighty of them have reputed it their chiefest honour to be chosen and admitted into this Companie as we have said before and shall see anon in the ensuing Catalogue If he accept it as no question but hee will then doth the Soveraigne forthwith send unto him by his Ambassadour and the chiefe Herald commonly the whole habit of the Order with the Garter and the Collar wherewith they doe invest him And on the other side the Prince or stranger so invested within convenient time send their sufficient Deputie with a mantle of blew Velvet to be installed in their roome at St. GEORGE'S Church at Windsore But if the partie chosen be a Subject of the Kingdome the Garter is delivered to him presently upon his election to signifie that he is chose into the Order Afterwards in the Chapter-house upon the reading of his Commission before the Soveraigne or his Deputie he is invested with his Robe and with his Hood Then followes the Installment performed with many grave and magnificent Ceremonies which done he doth receive the Collar of the Order These at their installations have alwayes an oath administred that to their power during the time they shall be fellowes of the Order they shall defend the honor quarrels rights and lordships of the Soveraigne and that they shall endeavor to preserve the honor of the said Order and all the statutes of it they shal well observe without fraud or Covin Which oath is by the natives of the kindome taken absolutely and in termes but many times by strangers relatively and by halfes in reference to some former Order So So when King Henry the third of France was by the Earle of Darby invested with the Garter Anno 1585 he tooke his oath to keepe the Statutes of the Order in all points Quae legibus Ordinis S. Spiritus S. Michaelis non adversantur wherein they were not opposite unto the Order of St. Michael the Holy Ghost to which he had bin sworn before Vpon which reason also Frederick King of Denmarke though he did joyfully accept the habit of the Order refused to take the oath at all because he had beene sworne before at his installation in the Order of Saint Michael to the King of France Being thus solemnely installed and seated in the place belonging to them in the Chappell their next care is to fasten an Escocheon of their Armes and hachments in a plate of mettall upon the backe of their said stalls which they remove according as themselves in Order are advanced higher And in that Order doe they also change the places of their banners swords and Helmets which are continually set over their said stalls during their being of the Order This onely is the difference that at the death of any of the Knights of this most noble Order their Plate of Armes is left for ever to that stall where last they sate to preserve their memory whereas the Banner Sword and Helmet are all taken downe and offered with all due solemnities the Offering made by such of the surviving Knights as by the Soveraigne shall be destinated to that service I said before that they remove their Plates and Hachments according as themselves in order are advanced higher in this Order they take place according to the antiquitie of their Creation and not according to their dignities titles and estates so that sometimes a Knight Bachelour hath place before an Earle or Baron as not long since wee had example in Sir Harry Lea Knight keeper of the Armorie Onely in honour unto strangers which bee Dukes or Sonnes and Brethren unto forreine Kings and Princes it is permitted that they take their roomes and places according to their qualitie Hitherto have we spoken of the Election of Saint GEORGES Knights and their admission to the Order A litle would be said now of the meanes and wayes whereby their roomes are voyded and their places destitute and they are three for either they are voyde by Death or by Degradation or by Cession and surrendrie The second of the three for here we will not speake of Death is Degradation a peece of Iustice more to bee commended where it may not than where it may bee spared The cases wherein Degradation is allowed of I have shewne already but the examples are but fewe William Lord Paget which was so scornfully degraded by Northumberland was by Qu. Mary with great honour restored againe unto his Order And Sir Iohn Fastolfe which for his valiantnesse had beene elected of the Order was by the Duke of Bedford under whom hee served and unto whom he was great Master of the Household devested in great anger of his GEORGE and GARTER because hee had departed from a battaile which the English lost without stroke stricken But
Pembrooke IOHN STAFFORD Earle of Wiltes HEN. PERCY Earle of Northumberland IOHN TIPTOFT Earle of Worcester GALLIARD Lord Duras IOHN Lord Scrope of Bolton WALT. D'EVREVX Lord Ferrers WALT. BLOVNT Lord Montjoy WILL. Lord Hastings Sir IOHN ASTLEY Sir WILL. CHAMBERLAINE Sir WILL. PARRE Sir ROB. HARICOVRT Sir THOMAS MONTGOMERY RICHARD OF GLOVCESTER of that Name the third c. and Soveraigne of the Garter admitted these viz. THO. HOVVARD Duke of Norfolke THO. Lord Stanley afterwards Earle of Darby FRANCIS Viscount Lovell Sir IGHN COGNIERS Sir RICH. RADCLIFFE Sir THOM. BVRGH Sir RICH. TVNSTALL HENRY the VII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter admitted to this honour MAXIMILIAN Archduke of Austria and after Emperour IOHN King of Portugall IOHN King of Danemarke PHILIP of Austria King of Castile ALPHONSO Duke of Calabria and after King of Naples ARTHVR Prince of Wales HENRY Duke of Yorke and Prince of Wales after his Brother VEALDO Duke of Vrbine EDVV. STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham THOM. GREY Marquise Dorset IOAN VERE Earle of Oxon. HEN. PERCY Earle of Northumberland GEO. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury HEN. BOVRCHIER Earle of Essex RICH. GREY Earle of Kent EDVVARD COVRTNEY Earle of Devon HEN. Lord Stafford Earle of Wiltes EDM. DE LA POLE Earle of Suffolke CH. SOMERSET Earle of Worcester GERALD Earle of Kildare IOHN Viscount Welles GEO. STANLEY Lord Strange WILL. STANLEY the Lord Chamberlaine IOHN Lord Dynham ROB. WILLOVGHBY Lord Brooke Sir GILES D'AVBENY Sir EDVV. POYNINGS Sir EDVV. WIDDEVILE Sir GILBERT TALBOT Sir IOHN CHEYNIE Sir RICHARD GVILFORD Sir THOM. LOVELL Sir THOM. BRANDON Sir REGINALD BRAY. Sir RHESE AP THOMAS Sir IOHN SAVAGE Sir RICH. POOLE HENRY the VIII of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter Chose in his Reigne CHARLES the fifth Emperour of Germany and King of Spaine FERDINAND Archduke of Austria and King of the Romanes FRANCIS the first King of France EMANVEIL King of Portugall IAMES the fifth King of Scotland HENRY FITZ-ROY Duke of Richmond and Somerset IVLIAN DE MEDICES EDVVARD SEYMOVR Earle of Hartford and after Duke of Somerset THOM. HOVVARD Duke of Norfolke CH. BRANDON Duke of Suffolke IOHN DVDLEY Viscount L'isle afterwards Duke of Norhumberland ANNAS Duke of Montmorancie HENRY COVRTNEY Marquise of Exeter WILL. PARRE Marquise of Northampton WILLIAM PAVVLET Lord St. Iohn of Basing after Marquise of Winchester HENRY HOVVARD Earle of Surrey THO. BVLLEN Earle of Wiltes WIL. FITZ-ALAN Earle of Arundell IOHN VERE Earle of Oxon. HENRY PERCY Earle of Northumberland RAPH NEVILL Earle of Westmerland FR. TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury PHIL. DE CHABOT Earle of Newblanch Admirall of France THOM. MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland ROB. RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex HENRY CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland WILL. FITZ-WILLIAMS Earle of South-hampton THOM. Lord Cromwell Earle of Essex IOH. Lord Russell Earle of Bedford THOMAS Lord Wriothesley after Earle of Southampton ARTHVR PLANTAGENET base sonne of Edw. 4. Viscount L'isle WALT. D'EVREVX Viscount Hereford EDVV. HOVVARD Lord Admirall GEO. NEVILL Lord Abergevenny THOM. Wâ—st Lord de la Ware THOM. Lord Dacres of Gillesland THOM. Lord Darcy of the North. EDVVARD SVTTON Lord Dudley WIL. BLOVNT Lord Montjoy EDVV. STANLEY Lord Monteagle WIL. Lord Sands HENRY Lord Marney THO. Lord Audley of Walden Chancellour of England Sir IOHN GAGE Sir HENRY GVILFORD Sir NICH. CAREVV Sir ANTHONY BROVVNE Sir THOM. CHEYNIE Sir RICHARD WINGFEILD Sir ANTH. WINGFEILD Sir ANTH. St. LEGER Lord Deputie of Ireland Sir IOH. WALLOP EVVARD the VI. of that Name KING OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter ascribed into the Order HENRY the second King of France HENRY GREY Duke of Suffolke HENRY NEVILL Earle of Westm. FR. HASTINGS Earle of Huntingdon WILL. HERBERT Earle of Pembrooke EDVV. STANLEY Earle of Darby THO. WEST Lord de la Ware GEO. BROOKE Lord Cobbam EDVVARD Lord Clinton Admirall THOMAS Lord Seymor of Sudeley WILL. Lord Paget of Beaudesert THOM. Lord Darcy of Chiche Sir ANDREVV SVTTON alias Dudley MARY QVEENE OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter assumed into the voide places PHILIP of Austria King of Spaine the Queenes Husband EMANVEL Duke of Sâ—voy HENRY RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex ANTH. BROVVNE Viscount Montacute WILL. Lord HOVVARD of Effingham WILL. Lord Grey of Wilton EDVV. Lord Hastings of Loughborow ELIZABETH QVEENE OF ENGLAND c. and Soveraigne of the Garter supplied the Vacant places of the Order with 1559. FREDERICK Duke of Wittenberge THOM. HOVVARD Duke of Norfolke 1559. ROB. DVDLEY Lord Denbigh and Earle of Leicester HENRY MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland WIL. PARRE Earle of Essex and Marq. of Northampton 1560. ADOLPHVS Duke of Holsatia 1561. GEORGE TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury HENRY CARIE Lord Hunsdon 1563. AMEROSE DVDLEY Lord L'isle and Earle of Warwicke THOM. PERCY Earle of Northumberland 1564. CHARIES the Ninth King of France FRANCIS Lord Russell Earle of Bedford 1568. MAXIMILIAN King of Hungary and Bohemia Emperour 1570. FRANCIS HASTINGS Earle of Huntingdon WIL. SOMERSET Earle of Worcester 1572. FRANCIS Duke of Montmorency WALTER Viscount Hereford and Earle of Essex ARTHVR Lord Grey of Wilton EDM. BRVGES Lord Chandos FREDERICK King of Denmarke 1574. HENRY STANLEY Earle of Darby HENRY HERBERT Earle of Pembrooke 1575. CHARLES Lord Howard of Effingham and Admirall of England afterwards Earle of Nottingham 1579. IOHN CASIMIRE Count Palatine of the Rhene and Duke of Bavaria 1584. HENRY the Third King of France EDVV. MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland WIL. CECILL Lord Burghley WIL. BROOKE Lord Cobham HENRY Lord Scrope of Bolton 1486. HENRY RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex 1588. ROBERT DEVREVX Earle of Essex Sir HENEY SIDNEY Lord President of the Marches Sir CHRISTOPHER HATTON Lord Chancellour 1592. GILBERT TALBOT Earle of Shrewsbury GEORGE CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland 1593. HENRY PERCY Earle of Northumberland EDVVARD SOMERSET Earle of Worcester THOMAS Lord Burgh EDMOND Lord Sheffeild Sir FRANCIS KNOLLES Treasurer of the Houshold 1596. HENRY the fourth King of France and Navarre 1597. FREDERICKE Duke of Wittemberge THGM SACKVILL Lord Buckhurst afterwards Earle of Dorset THOM. Lord Howard of Walden afterwards Earle of Suffolke GEORGE CARY Lord Hunsdon CH. BIOVNT Lord Montjoy after Earle of Devon Sir HENRY LEA Keeper of the Armorie 1599. ROB. RATCLIFFE Earle of Sussex HENRY BROOKE Lord Cobham 1601. WILL. STANLEY Earle of Darby THOM. CECILL Lord Burghley after Earle of Exeter IAMES the first KING OF GREAT BRITAINE and Soveraigne of the Garter adorned that Noble Order with these Worthies viz. 1603. CHHRISTIERNE the fourth King of Denmarke HENRY Prince of Wales LEVVLS Duke of Lennox and afterwards of Richmond HEN. WRIOTHESLEY Earle of South-hampton IOHN ERESKIN Earle of Marre WILL. HERBERT Earle of Pembrooke 1605. VLRICK Duke of Holst HEN. HOVVARD Earle of Northampton 1606. ROB. CECILL Earle of Salisbury THOM. HOVVARD Viscount Bindon 1608. GEORGE HVME Earle of Dunbarre PHILIP HERBERT Earle of Montgomery 1611. CHARLES the Kings second Sonne after the death of his Brother Henry Prince of Wales THOM. HOVVARD
Order of the Dragon so call'd because his Knights did beare for their Devise a Dragon falling headlong pour tesmoigner que par son moyen le Schisme et l' heresie dragons devorans de la religion avoyent ' esté vaincus et supplantez And this saith he that made the booke entituled Les estats du Monde translated since by Grimston to testifie that by his meanes the Dragons of Heresie and Schisme which otherwise no doubt had destroyed religion and devoured the Church were vanquished and suppressed Much like to this in the Device is the French Order dedicated to Saint Michael instituted by King Lewis the 11. not long after Anno viz. 1469. Vnto the coller of which Order there is fastened the picture of St. Michael the Archangell combatting with the Dragon of the infernall Deepes aureaque imagine S. Michaelis draconem infernalē prosternentis pectus insigniente So saith Hospinian But this in reference rather to the encounter of St. Michael with the Dragon in the Apocalypse 7 With these the portraiture of Constantine above-mentioned and the two militarie Orders of St. Michael and the Dragon St. George as he is commonly expressed in picture holdeth good proportion and correspondence His picture as in the present times we use to draw it but ab initio non fuit sic it was not thus from the beginning For I have read it in the life of Theodorus Syceotes commonly call'd Archimandrita or Chiefe-Abbot borne in the time of the Emperour Iustinian that then St. George was onely pictured as a faire yong man richly arrayed and of an haire somewhat inclining unto yellow For so Elpidia doth describe him in the relation of her dreame to this her Grandchild Theodorus if at the least we may take this or any thing upon Surius word who fathereth this discourse upon one George a Priest the Scholler of this Ahbot Videbam fili mi dulcissime these are old Grandams words adolescentem valde formosum splendidis vestimentis ornatum aureaque fulgentem coma illi similem quem pro S. Georgio in eius historia cernimus Thus was hee pictured anciently But in the middle times hee was presented to the common view more like a man at armes mounted upon a lusty Courser a young maide kneeling by him and a fierce Dragon thrust through with a Speare gasping for life just as we see him painted but there is no mention of the young maide on our common Signe-posts A picture which in the darker and more ignorant times was thought to represent that storie which was then publish'd in the Legend which since it hath bin otherwise resolv'd by the learned of both parties that it did only represent some mysterie or allegorie hath not a litle exercis'd their wits and fancies Perkins will have it as before we noted to bee in former times a representation of our Saviour who vanquished the Divell for the deliverance of his Church in which conceit of his many Divines have closed in with him which wee then noted also out of Charles Stephanus Baronius doth conceive it to be the picture of some state or Country petitioning according to the custome of those times the ayde and helping-hand of so great a Saint against the violence of the Divell In virgino n. illa typus exprimitur more maiorum provinciae vel civitatis alicuius quae adversus diaboli vires tanti martyris imploret auxilium Villavincentius and Hyperius have applyed it to the civill Magistrate whose principall endeavours ought to aime at this that they defend the Church from the covetous tyrannie of the Oppressour the old Serpent Dr. Reynolds as hee preferres this last conceit before that of Baronius so doth he seeme to prize his owne both before this or any other With him the meaning of the embleme or picture Emblematicall must be this that all true Christians whom the Apostle calls Gods husbandrie might learne hereby how much it doth concerne them to make warre against the Dragon and to destroy him with the sword of the Spirit Vt sciant omnes Christiani quos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei appellat Apostolus 1. Cor. 3. militandum sibi adversus draconem Apocal. 12. eumque Dei gladio confodiendum So he in his praelections on the Apocrypho and the same words almost repeated in his booke de Rom. Idololatria For my part I rather choose for why in such variety may not I also assume the liberty of conjecture to make it at the least in part historicall as being thus contriv'd of purpose in those times and by those men which most affectionately were devoted to our Martyr to publish to posterity how bravely he refell'd the Divell how constantly hee persevered in the profession of his faith the whole Church praying with him and kneeling like the Virgin by him in that holy action that GOD would give him strength subdue that enemy the Dragon 8 How long the picture of St. George hath beene commended to us in this Knightly forme I cannot easily determine onely I will be bold to say that it is not very moderne or of small standing in the Church as may bee gathered out of the History of Nicephorus Gregoras This Author was by birth of Greece and wrote the History of that declining Empire beginning at the yeare 1200 and ending it anno 1344. about which time it is conceiv'd that he was gathered to his fathers In the 8. booke he wrote eleven in all there is a memorable storie of St. George's Horse which for the rarenesse of it and that it is so proper to the cause in hand it shall not grieve me to relate nor any Reader to peruse Primo quadragessimae Sabbato cum postridie orthodoxorum Imperatorum Patriarcharum proclamanda esset memoria tum quoque Theodorus Logotheta generalis à vespera ad nocturna sacrailla de more accessit Media verò sub nocte me astante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 audiente quidam ab Imperatore adest novum illi nuncium apportans c. On the first Saturday in Lent the Commemoration of such godly Emperours and Patriarchs as had departed in the Faith being the morrow after to be solemnized it pleas'd the Lord high Chancellour Theodorus for so on the authority of Meursius in his Graeco-Barbara I thinke good to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say it pleas'd him to be present with us according to the custome at those night-watches About the time of midnight I stāding neere him and harkning to divine Service a Messenger in all the hast came to him frō Andro the Elder then our Emperour telling this strange newes and desiring his opinion But now saith he when as the Soldiers of the Guard Milites Imperatorij were going to their rest there was a fearfull neighing heard so upon the suddaine that it made all of us amazed the rather because there were not any Horses then about the Court all of them carried
1130 Gulielm Malmesburiens 1141 Gualt Ep. Augustae Vindelicorum vulgo Auspurg 1180 Gulielm Tyrius 1250 Vincentius Belvacensis 1273 Radulphus Imp. Germ. 1282 Iacobus de Voragine 1305 Nicephorus Callistus 1330 Niceph. Gregoras 1344 Edwardus 3. R. Angl. Thomas de Walsingham 1354 Ioh. Contacuzenus Imp. Const. Idemque nob Histor. 1390 Froissard Autor Fasciculi temp Anselmus Frat. Francisc. 1410 Iustinianus Patr. Ven. 1411 Sigismundus Imp. Germ. 1445 Antoninus Florentinus 1448 Fredericus Imp. Germ. 1472 Bapt. Platina 1484 Coccius Sabellicus 1488 Maximilianus 1. Imp 1490 Hermannus Schedell autor Chronicorum 1494 Phil. Bergomensis 1499 Bapt. Mantuanus 1506 Raphael Volaterranus Ludovicus Patritius 1550 Seb. Munsterus Polydorus Virgilius Hist. Magdeburgica 1571 Michael ab Ysselt 1593 Comus Ep. Alexand. Suffragan unto the Patriarke Hospinian All these besides the publike Martyrologies both Greeke and Roman besides also the publike Liturgies of those Churches the learned men all of them of the Romish partie and many of the Churches of the Reformation whose names would fill a Catalogue If among these we have not one of credit neither Author in his relation nor Prince nor Prelate in their actions hard is our hap and let the adversaries have the honour But what one ranke of these have said and what the rest have done in St. Georges honour we shall now see in their severall places CHAP. III. 1 The state of learning in the Church divided into two naturall dayes 2 The time and learning of Venerable Beda 3 His testimonies of St. George 4 of Dacianus King of Persia and who he was 5 Persia in some Authors taken for the Easterne Countries 6 A reconcilement of the other doubts touching this Dacianus 7 The Martyrologies of Vsuardus Rabanus Maurus and Notgerus 8 St. George how said to have converted many people 9 The witnesse of Vincentius Iacobus and Antoninus Florent 10 Nicephorus Callistus and his evidence 11 The suffrage of Sabellicus Schedell Bergomensis and Volaterran 12 Of the Magdeburgians and some other Protestant Divines 13 A recollection and application of the whole proofes 1 THere is an old tradition that the world should last 6000. yeares and no longer two of them before the Law two under it and two after Which though it hath not beene exactly true of the two first and that the third is doubtfull yet the conceit is tollerable and for as much of it as is past somewhat neere the computation and account of time recited in it We will be therefore bold to take for granted that the Christian Chuâ—ch is of two thousand yeares continuance which granted or supposed we will resemble it or the state of learning rather in it unto two naturall dayes each of a thousand yeares apeece and this the rather because the Lord hath said that in his sight a thousand yeares are but as one day The first of these we take to have begun even at the first rising of the Sunne of Righteousnesse and for the morning of it allow the first three Centuries even till the time of CONSTANTINE The noonetide watch thereof we make to be of three Centuries ensuing of which and especially the first the Magdeburgians give this censure Habuit haec aetas si quae unquam alia plurimos praestantes illustres doctores And certainly there never shined more glorious lights in the house of GOD than in those ages the Sun of learning being then in the very height and Zenith of it Long it continued not in that full glorie till it declined into an evening to which we doe allot the two next ages when as the beames thereof grew low and the light obscurer And now at last we are benighted even covered over with a Cymerian darknesse of ignorance a darknesse no lesse grosse and palpable than that of Egypt Bellarmine call's it Seculum infelix in quo Scriptores illustres nulli nulla Concilia A most unhappy age wherein were neither famous Writers nor frequent Councels Sabellicus as rightly mirum est quanta omnium bonarum artium oblivio per id tempus mortalium animos obrepserit a prodigie it was to see how generall forgetfulnesse of all good literature had at this time invaded and possessed the mindes of men Which night continued till the yeare 1050. those writers which we meet with from the yeare 850. untill then as they were few so were they but as a few smaller Starres in the darkest midnight This night once past the dawning of the second day at last appeared and we extend the morning of it even to the first beginning of the last Centurie in which there was at first a strugling between light and darknesse but afterwards the light of learning got the better and by degrees made way to usher in the second noone-tide Which second noone-tide we begin about the yeare 1500 and hitherto it hath continued the light of learning never shining with more perfect glorie than at the present How long it will continue thus is above our knowledge but as it is we may almost affirme with Ramus Maiorem doctorum hominum operum proventum seculo uno vidimus quà m totis antea quatuordecem maiores nostri viderant One age hath brought us forth more worthy workes and famous Writers than all that went before us 2 If it be asked to what use serves this observation we answere that it is to this First that it may appeare that never any age hath beene so voyd of learned or barren of good men that is not able to produce some testimony of good credit in the behalfe of GEORGE the Martyr Next that in all times we expect not eyther an equall number of witnesses or equall parts in such as are produced to give in evidence but that wee looke for them and judge of them according to their times and ages Already wee are past the noonetide of the first of these two dayes in which referring other of our witnesses to their proper places we have made use of Ambrose onely and Pope GELASIUS In the next place and time we meet with Venerable Beda who died about the yeare 734. A man that saw as cleerely as any whomsoever that liv'd in any part of the whole evening and one who for the excellencie of his endowments and pietie obtain'd that adjunct Camden entituleth him the singular glorie and ornament of England and Malmesburie affirmes more fully that he was one more fit to bee admired than praised who being borne in the extreamest corner of the world did yet enlighten all of it with the beames of his learning Vir erat saith he quem mirari faciliùs quà m dignè praedicare possis qui in extremo natus orbis angulo doctrinae corusco terras omnes perstrinxerat Whom lest wee should suspect as partiall in his praises we have a German Poet thus speaking unto Brittaine Quid tibi divinumque Bedam doctissimus olim Dum varias unus bene qui cognoverat artes Debemus The sence
be amisse to note that notwithstanding all the opposition made against him both heere among our selves and abroad with others St. George doth still retaine his place in our common Calendars Not in those onely made for the state of every yeare where commonly he shines in Festivall red letters as doe no other of the Saints but those whose Feasts are by the Church observed as Holy but also in the Calendar prefixed before the publike Liturgie of our most blessed Church of England where he is specially honoured with the name of Saint as is not any of the rest excepting those which saw our Saviour in the flesh Excellent evidence that as the state of England is much devoted to Saint GEORGE'S honour so he doth still preserve his place and reputation in the opinion of the Church An argument to me so powerfull and prevailing that in Morbonium the meere word or bare conjecture of every one of what especiall fame soever which guided by his private spirit shall resolve the contrary 8 I said the state of England is much devoted to Saint GEORGE'S honour and if we looke upon the Institution of the most noble Order of the Garter wee shall see cause inough to say it An Order of that excellencie that the mightiest Princes of Christendome have reputed it among their greatest honours to bee chosen and admitted to it the names and dignities of whom we shall see presently in our Catalogue of this Order A founder it had of a most accomplish'd vertue the Thunderbolt of Warre as some call Antiochus and in the times of Peace nothing inferiour to any of the Law-makers of the best ages so much celebrated Briefly wee may affirme of him as the Historian of Augustus the fittest paralell that I can finde for him amongst famous Princes Homo omnibus omnium gentium viris magnitudine sua inducturus caliginem This most excellent Prince the glorie of his times and a chiefe ornament of Europe having exceedingly prevail'd both against the French and Scottish Kings discomfited their Armies and taken one of them in person ordained this most noble Order and societie of Knights so to adorne their valour manifested in the Warres with honour the reward of vertue Their number 26. no more Vt pretium faciat raritas lest being else communicated unto many it might at last become despicable nor ever have our Kings exceeded in the number but still confined themselves unto the first intention of the Founder COVVELL in his Interpreter printed at Cambridge Anno 1607. relates the Institution of it thus EDVVARD the third after he had obtain'd many great victories King IOHN of France King IAMES of Scotland being both Prisoners in the Tower of London at one time and King HENRY of Castile the Bastard being expulsed and DON PEDRO restored by the Prince of Wales did on no weighty occasion first erect this Order Anno 1350. Of the occasion afterwards obâ—erving for the present how ill his Historie agrees with his Chronologie For true it is that this most noble Order was instituted on the 23. of this King which falls out rightly with the yeare 350. But then King IOHN of France was but newly entred on his Kingdome and the expulsion of King HENRY was the last act almost of that tryumphant Prince of Wales Don Pedro not comming into England till the thirty ninth of King Edward As much is he mistaken also in the name of the King of Scotland who was then Prisoner in the Tower which was not Iames but David there being no Iames King of that Country in more than fiftie yeares after For the occasion of it it is received generally that it tooke beginning from a Garter of the Queene or rather of Ioane Countesse of Salisburie a Ladie of incomparable beauty which fell from her as she danced and the King tooke up from the ground For when a number of Nobles and Gentlemen standing by laughed thereat he made answere againe that shortly it should come to passe that Garter should be in high honour and estimation adding withall these words in French Hony Soit qui maly pense Id est Shame bee to him that evill thinks which after was the Motto or Impresse of the Garter Which were it so saith Master Camden it need not seeme to be a base originall thereof considering as one saith nobilitas sub amore iacet He addes withall that some report how from his owne Garter given forth as a signall of a battaile which sped so fortunately hee call'd them Knights of the Garter But whatsoever the occasion of it was likely it is that it tooke this name from the blew Garter which the Fellowes of it weare on their left Leg carrying the foresaid impresse wrought with golden Letters and enchased with precious Stones and fastned with a buckle of Gold as with the Bond of most inward societie in token of unitie and Concord that so there might be a Communion as it were of vertues and good will amongst them Doctor Cowell reports in his Interpreter that he hath seene an ancient monument wherein it doth appeare that this most noble Order is a Colledge or Corporation having a Common seale consisting of the Kings of England as Soveraignes thereof or chiefe Guardians of it 25. Knights fellowes as they call them or Companions of the Garter 14. Canons resident beeing secular Preists 13. Vicars or Chorall Preists and 26. of the inferiour sort of gentrie militarie men call'd commonly Poore Knights of Windsore whereof indeed there are but twelve There belongs also unto this Heroicke Order the Prelate of the Garter which is the Lord Byshop of Winton for the time being a Chancellour a Register thereof which alwayes is the Deane of Windsore an Vsher which is one of the Vshers of the Kings Chamber called Black-rod and last of all a chiefe Herald even the most principall of all GARTER first King of Armes instituted by that victorious Prince King Henry the fifth to attend chiefly on this Order and doe them service at their Funerals 9 The Kings of England are as I said before the Soveraignes of this noble Order and either doe in person or by their lawfull Deputie by them nominated and appointed elect the fellowes of the Order and solemnize the Festivals and hold the Chapters To them it also appertaines to have the declaration reformation and disposition of the Lawes and Statutes of the said most noble Order Which Lawes and Statutes were first instituted and devised by the victorious Prince King Edward of that name the third after revised and ratified by many the succeeding Kings And on the Reformation of Religion much altered by King Edward of that name the sixt About this time saith Sir Iohn Hayward in his Historie of that Prince the Order was almost wholly altered as by the Statutes thereof then made it doth appeare A thing not to bee wondred at For even the Lawes of the most setled States and Kingdomes have beene
Earle of Arundell ROB. CARRE Earle of Somerset 1612. FREDERICK Prince Elector Palatine MAVRICE VAN NASSAVV Prince of Orange 1615. THOMAS ERESKIN Viscount Fenton and after Earle of Kellie WILLIAM Lord Knolles after Earle of Banburie 1616. FRANCIS MANNOVRS Earle of Rutland GEORGE VILLIERS Earle Marquise and after Duke of Buckingham ROBERT SIDNEY Viscount L'isle after Earle of Leicester 1623. IAMES Marquise Hamilton 1624. ESME STEVVARD Duke of Lennox and Earle of March CHRISTIAN Duke of Brunswicke CHARLES Of that Name the First KING OF GREAT BRITTAINE FRANCE and IRELAND Soveraigne of the most Noble Order of S t. GEORGE called commonly the Garter adorned therewith 1625. de Lorreine Duke of Chevereuze WILLIAM CECILL Earle of Salisbury IAMES HAY Earle of Carlile EDVVARD SACKVILL Earle of Dorset HENRY RICH Earle of Holland THOMAS HOVVARD Earle of Berkshire 1627. GVSTAVUS ADOLPHVS King of Swethland HENRY Van Nassaw Prince of Orange 1628. THEOPHILVS HOVVARD Earle of Suffolke 1629. WIL. COMPTON Earle of Northampton 1630. RICHARD Lord Weston Lord high Treasurer ROBERT BERTY Earle of Lindsey WILLIAM CECILL Earle of Exeter THE FELLOVVES of that most Noble Order of St. GEORGE call'd commonly the Garter according as they now are this present May Anno 1630. CHARLES King of England CHRISTIERNE King of Denmarke ADOLPHVS King of Swethland FREDERICK King of Bohemia HENRY Prince of Orange Duke of Cheureuze HENRY Earle of Northumberland EDMOND Earle of Moulgrave WILLIAM Earle of Darby IOHN Earle of Marre PHIL. Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery THOM. Earle of Arundell and Surrey ROBERT Earle of Somerset THOMAS Earle of Kelly WILLIAM Earle of Banbury FRANCIS Earle of Rutland WILLIAM Earle of Salisbury IAMES Earle of Carlile EDVVARD Earle of Dorset HENRY Earle of Holland THOMAS Earle of Berkshire THEOPHILVS Earle of Suffolke WILLIAM Earle of Northampton RICHARD Lord Weston of Neyland ROBERT Earle of Lindsey WILLIAM Earle of Exeter Iamque opus exegi Thus have I as I hope made good that which at first I undertooke so to assert the Historie of this most blessed Saint and Martyr that neither we become ashamed of Saint GEORGE nor he of us In which though sometimes upon just and necessary causes I have tooke liberty to digresse a litle yet in the generall I have conform'd my selfe to the rule of Plinie and kept my selfe unto my title In the first part wee have removed those imputations which were cast upon this Storie by the practises of Heretickes and follies of the Legendaries We have given also satisfaction to those doubts and arguments which in these latter ages have beene made against Saint George and that so throughly and point per point as the saâ—ing is that I perswade my selfe there is not anything unsatisfied which may give occasion to reply If any man too passionately affected to mens names and persons shall waiâ—e the cause in hand to take upon him the defence of those whose judgements herein are rejected such I must first enforme that I respect and reverence those famous Writers which have thought the contrary as much as any that I have those excellent copies of themselves which they have left behind them in as high esteeme as any hee that most adores them Onely I must conceive my selfe to bee a Free-man oblig'd to no mans judgement nor sworne to any mans opinion of what eminent ranke soever but left at liberty to search the way of truth and trace the foote-steps of antiquitie from which I would not gladly swerve Which protestation first premised I will bee bold to use Saint Hieromes words unto his Reader Quaeso Lector ut memor tribunalis Domini c. nec mihi nec Adversarijs meis faveas neve personas loquentium sed causam consideres The second Part of this discourse containes the formall justification of Saint GEORGE'S Historie considered in it selfe so farre forth as it hath beene commended to us in the best Authors In that we have confirmed it first by the testimony of such Writers of good qualitie which have unanimously concurr'd in it and those both of the Greeke Church and of the Latine both Protestants and Papists In the next place we had recourse unto the practice of the Church Catholicke which hath abundantly express'd her good opinion of him in giving him such speciall place in her publike Martyrologies and in her ordinarie Service in taking such a tender care of his precious Reliques and consecrating by his name so many goodly and magnificent Temples To this wee have adjoyn'd the publike honours done unto him by the greatest Princes and Republicks in the Christian world Not onely in erecting Monasteries to his name and memory and instituting Orders of Religious persons to his honour but as the times then were in making him the tutelarie Saint of their Men of Warre the speciall Patron of their estates and military Orders also and not so onely but the Guardian of the distressed affaires of Christianitie In the last place wee haue particularly related the honours done unto him heere in England as generally in calling Churches by his name in making him the Patron of this most noble Kingdome in leaving him his place in our publike Calendars and forcing the wilde Irish to call upon him in their battailes so more especially in dedicating to him that most Heroicke Order of Saint GEORGE called commonly the Garter Such honours and of such high esteeme as might have beene of force to make an English-man suspend his censure of him and to forbeare to second any quarrels raised against him had not Saint AVSTIN truely noted this to bee a quality of Errour that whatsoever likes not us wee would not gladly should bee pleasing unto any others Hoc est error is proprium saith hee ut quod cuique displicet id quoqne existimet oportere displicere alijs What hath beene done by mee in the contexture and composition of the whole I leave to bee determined by all learned and Religious men who shall happe to reade it to whose judicious censure next under his most sacred Majestie and this most excellent Church whereof I am I willingly submit my selfe and my performance For my part I resolve of it with the Author of the Macchabees with whose submission of himselfe I conclude this Treatise Ego quoque in his faciam finem sermonis Et si quidem benè ut Historiae competit hoc ipse velim sin autem minus dignè concedendum est mihi If I have done well and as is fitting the Storie it is that which I desired but if slenderly and meanely it is that which I could attaine unto And heere shall be an end FINIS LONDON Printed by B.A. and T. F. for Henry Seile at the Tygers-head in St. Pauls Church-yard 1631. Lib. 11. Cap 4. Epigr. l. 5.10 Ethicâ— l. 1. c. 4. â—th lib. 1. Cap. 6 Tat. de Mor. Germ. V. Chap. 3 §. 6. De Script Eccles. In Chronol L. 4. ad Pag. 131 Pag. 251. b. De Tradend discipl