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herein* was made ufe of by King Henry VIII. Ann. z6.%eom fat, who upon the Death of the Lord Mont joy, veryfpeedily affembl’d a Chapter at Whitehall, where nomore than frve Knights-Companions being prelent, theAbfence of the reft were excus’d by fpecial Grace andFavour, and the InjunBion of the Statute (as the Annalsfubjoin) concerning the Number of Nominators, were by thefame Clemency difpenc’d with, becaufe of the Exigencyofthe Time and Place, and immediately upon taking aScrutiny, James V. King of Scotland was defied intothe Fellowlhip of this illuftrious Order, but fromthat Time tQ tne Rebellion, there occurs not any thingof this Nature ; but the Wickednefs ef thofe Days creatednew Exigencies and Projections, which occafion’d, orrather inforc’d the Sovereign, King Charles I, moil un-willingly to awaken and roufe up this dormant Preroga-tive, which he put in Execution at a Chapter purpofelyaflembl’d for the Election of Thomas Earl of Strafford ,held at the City of Y'orlg the 12 th of September, 16 Car. I.whereat that Time and Place he difpenc’d with theDefect of Number of Six Knights-Companions, havingthen with him Four only, fome of the reft being engag’din his Service againft the Scots.

Afterwards when feveral of the Knights-Compa-nions fo much adhered to the Long Parliament, that allSummons were ineffectual to draw them to their At-tendance upon their Sovereign, tho’ but to celebrate theGrand Feftival of their Patron (much lefs to the com-pleating Chapters of Eleftion ) to which they wereobliged by the Oath taken at their Inftallment, the So-vereign was eonftrain’d to extend further his SupremeAuthority; and thereupon at the Feaft of St. George , ce-lebrated at York , the 18th, 19th and 20th of April, Ann.18. Regnifui, in a Chapter held on the Eve ofthe laidFeaft by himfelf and but four other Knights Companions,It Was Order’d, That Letters of Difpenfation Jhould he drawn-up for the infuffeient Number (as wanting Six Knights)to hold a Chapter of EleBton, and for Authorising the Knightsthen prefent to deliver in their Votes according to Cuflom in otherScrutinies, that fo the Sovereign might proceed to the EleBiondftgo'd. By vertue of which Difpenlation, the Duke0.4 of