Kt. then Gartef King of Arms. The Englifh Verfionannex’d here to this Treatife, is what hath fince beendeliver’d (inftead of the former Statutes) to all fuc-ceeding Knights-Companions, according to the Injun-£lion ; but of late Times appointed to he fent to Fo-reign Princes and other eledl Knights abroad, fealedwith the Great Seal of the Order, affix’d to a Label efBlue Silk and Gold.

<J 3. There have been leveral Endeavours fince theReign of King Henry VIII. for reforming the Statutes.As nrft, King Edward VI. who as Sovereign, by theOrders themfelves, had an undoubted Prerogative fethim to alter and reform many Things which feem’dinconfiftent with the Religion he eftablilh’d. Towhich Purpofe, at a Chapter at Greenwich, held April 23.in the Third Hear of his Reign, the Lord St. 'John, theEarl of Arundel, and Sir William Paget, were to peruleand make them agreeable to the King’s other Proceed-ings, by the Affiftance and Advice of the Proteflor, theDuke of Somtrfet, and other Companions. This wasfollow’d by a iubfequent Order pals’d in the Chapterat Greenwich the Year after, that the Statutes fhould bereform’d and corrected as they thought expedient iAnd for the better Accomplifhment of their Defign, atthe next Feaft, April 24. 5 Ediv. VI. another Ordercommenc’d, impowering the Duke of Somerset, the Mar-quels of Northampton, the Earls of Warwick^, Arundel,Bedford and Wilts, to perufe and amend the Statutesand other Books of the Order, which were brought tofome tolerable Degree of Perfection ; for thereupon anew Body was collected ( in general very much alter-ing the Laws of the Order) and publifh’d March 1 7 .Anno 7 Edw. VI. But this King within Four Monthsafter expiring, Queen Mary, his Sifter and Succeflor,the very firft Thing fhe tranfafted was to abrogate andmake them void ; wherefore we need not mentionthem, as never in ufe and unrevived. For the Execu-tion of which Purpofe, fhe conven’d a Chapter at St.James’s, the 27 th of September following 5 and it wasthen decreed, that the laid Laws and Ordinances, asinconvenient, impertinent, and tending to Novelty,

L Ihould