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at the Time of Ills Eledticn a Baron of this Realm, whichis a higher degree of Honour than a Kjdght 3 The So-veretgrrrgft^r M fs re-affembled the Ksiights-Companior.s,and annuo- I the Election, and commanded the Garterand Getrft.. ■■ lately conferred, o be taken off, and in thelamePlau tubbed him a Knight ; and then lie was Ele-cted again, with an unanimous Confenr, and to declaredby the Sovereign's own Mouth ; and was reftored to hisEnfigns and Ornaments, by the Dukes of Nofioll 3 and Suf-Agreeable to this, it's recorded in the lied Book, of theOrder; that none of the Englifh, Scotch, or Wefts Nation,tow confiderable foever otherwife, in the Prerogative ofWood or Virtue, can be Elected into this tnoji honourableSociety ; but that he ought to be firft ennobled and renderedcapable, by this firft degree of fQiightly Honour.
But this Law does not bind Foreign Princes ; for by aDecree at White-Hall, in 13 Charles I. thefe Words, titminimum, are explained to relate to all Subjects, of whatDegree foever, within the Sovereign’s Dominions; butForeign Princes ought not to be Knighted, as the Bads andfirft Degree of. Chivalry. The Statutes of Inftitution, as tothofe before-mentioned, not only enjoyn them to beKnights, but to be free of all Infamy and Reproach, InHenry V’s. Statutes, it (lands ,Chivalier fans reproche, whichAnfwcrs in the Latin, Eques ineprehenfus 3 and the Argu-ment ufed by the Duke of Bedford, for promoting theEledlion of Sic John Padcllff, was, that he had conti-nued and exercifed the Armies, the fpace of twenty eightYears, without approach. King Henry VIII. determinedtnis Word Reproach into three Species; firft, when a Knightbath been convicted of Herefy, againft the Catholick Faith ;® r h‘ffered any publicity Punifhment for fuels Offence : HereHerefy is reckoned among thofe defeats, that deprive Menof Honour ; becaufe it bends its Force againft the Catho-Church, which not only renders a Man ? in the bal-ance of Honour, of no Weight and Efteem, but more thanail other Sins, makes him Infamous. And therefore wheny Jongue, Pen, or Actions, a Man endeavours to trampleunder Foot, the facred Law, he fcandaiizeth Government,Jl >d feduceth others.
.he fecond Point is, when any Knight hath been ar «n^r’ conv * 8 e d, and attainted of Treafoa ; howeverJaCh^aheth qualified this Point by a Decree, made inS3 ' die