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'John, Earl Martha!, William, Earl of Suffolk, John, LordClifford, Sir Lewis Robertfacfi, and Sir Beer TanfiClux. ' fjfHumphry, Duke of Gloucefler, Deputy to K. Hen. Vi 1>*1trod in the fame Steps, and did weigh, by the Itndfc Rules O- 1of Fortitude and Prudence, the gallant and noble A&ions l :and Delerts of John^ Lord Talbot, before the Ele&ion W ijiand gave in an Approbation worthy of his own Judgment C *and that Candidate’s Merit. And for this Reafon it’s ex-preffed in the Annals of the Order, that fuch nohle and he.roick Qualifications fhould have the favour of Electionpreferrab'ie to others, as is evident in the Matter of Choice pfof Sir Nicholas Carew, in the 28th of Hen. VIII. That hewas a very fit Perfon, upon the Eminency of his ExtraBionand Fame, and the many noble and xgorthy Actions he had ^performed ; fo as that all ‘ prefent did, without any delay,tinammoujly approve of his Eleition, And after this Tenure "vj,.run the Commendation of Henry, Earl of Cumberland, athis Election, vi%. The many famous and loyal Atchlevements e£ * < ' 1performed by him, both at feveral other times, and then P 1 !®*more efpecially, when the Tumult of Rebellion began to breal{ I 1 ®forth in thofe Borders where he had his Habitation. itPnW

The 2d Point to treat on is, That no one is qualified 'p? !Eetfor Election, unlefs he be a Knight ; or as it is expreffed '.s before-in one of the Examplars in the Hatton Library, Vnlefs ^girded with the unftained Girdle of Knighthood ; fo Angular .f*cr Vi!a regard the Law of the Order hath to this particular Qua- rmsiolificacion above the reft : And Ieaft Chance or Inadverten- '* ltd bcy might let flip a Perfon not Knighted into the Scrutiny, 1 m of!were the Words inferred ut minimum, that he be at Ieaft '.tJffla Knight before he be elected, when the Sovereign comes whoto make his Choice. It is evident from the 2d Articlein the Statutes, that it hath long fince received this Con- *»(*,'Itmdtion, as appears by an eminent Inftance. In the17th of Hen. VII T. The Feaft of St, George being cele- 53^brated at Greenwich, and the Sovereign being prefent, ha-ving eledted the Lord Root, afterwards Earl of Rtltland,into the Society of this molt noble Order ; and being ad-vertifed on the Morrow after Sr. Geode’s Day, while theMafs of Requiem was celebrating, That he had not before

received the Dignity of K n ‘ghcijood, according to the Statutes,which poAtively enjoin, That whofoever is eietted into totsS ciety, fhould be in Degree at leaf at Kjiight; that is, a&U-ally Knighted before-hand. And tho’ the Lord Roes was, y ^