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His Royal Highness GEORGE AUGUSTUS
Prince of Wales, &c. And Knight of the
most Noble Order of the Garter.
M. Vdr. Gucht Scul.
THE
HISTORY
Of the most NOBLE
Order of the GARTER:
And the several ORDERS of Knighthood extant in EUROPE.
I. The Antiquity of the Town, Castle,Chapel, and College of Windsor; withtheir several Officers: The Foundationof the ORDER by King EDWARD III.The Statutes and Annals at large, asthey have been altered and amended.
II. The HABITS, ENSIGNS, and OFFICERSof the ORDER. The Ceremoniesof Election, Investiture, and Instalment ofKnights: The manner of their Feasts; andthe Duties and Fees payable on these Occasions.Some Account of the Founders, withan exact List of all that have been installedsince the Institution, and their several Coatsof Arms emblazon’d.
Written at the Command of King Charles II.By ELIAS ASHMOLE, Esq; Windsor Herald.Now compared with the Author’s Corrections in his Libraryat Oxford, faithfully digested, and continued down to thepresent Time.
LONDON: Printed for A. Bell in Cornhill, E. Curll,J. Pemberton, and A. Collins in Fleet-street; W. Taylorand J. Baker in Pater-Noster-Row, 1715.
TO HIS
ROYAL HIGHNESS
GEORGE-AUGUST,
Prince of WALES, &c.
KNIGHT and COMPANION of theMOST NOBLE ORDER of theGARTER.
PARDON me, MightyPrince, that in theCrowd of Your Joyfuland Devoted Britons,one of an obscure Famepresumes to lay his HumbleOffering at Your Feet.
IT is the History of theMOST NOBLE ORDER of theGARTER; which, from itsfirst Institution, has beenconstantly worn by Personsof the highest Birth, andmost illustrious Merit.
IF the Stile and Manner,in which it is treated, wereproportionable to the Dignityof the Subject, therewould need no Apologyfor this Dedication. Forto whom, next to the GreatSovereign of the Garter, whosetrue Heir You are, in allmanner of Virtue and Honour,could this Treatise have recoursefor Protection, butto Your Royal Highness,who are the Premier Knightof this Most Noble Order, andthe standing Grace and Ornamentof it.
BUT far above all particularViews, are the unspeakableBlessings derived to