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the firft Year of her Reign ; that in cafe any Perfims r 0convifled, were pardoned by the - Sovereign, and reflated

Blood ; every fuch Gentleman in Name, Arms, and Bloodand defcendcd as aforefud, being otherwife qualified ac-cording to the ancient Statutes of the Order, fhould be thence .forth accounted Eligible, and might be Chofen a Companion,This Decree, it’s prefumed, owes its Original, upon theoccafion of reftoring in Blood William Marquifs of Nor-thampton, and the Lord Robert Dudley, after Earl of Lti-cefter, who had been attainted of High Treafon in thefirft of Q_. Mary : And we find that in the next Feaft ofSt. George, they recovered their Privileges of Honour, andwere preferred in Nomination, and on the laft Day of theFeaft, were Elected into this moft illuftrious Society.

Though the Marquefs of Northampton had been for-merly Elected in the 35 H, 3 . and was teftored in Blood,as I Laid before ; it’s very remarkable, that it was thoughtfit to defcend to a new Nomination and Election, as ap-pears from the Decree it felf, as it was performed uponthe third of June Anno primo Eli?.

The laft Point of Reproach, is, where a IQiight Com-panion hath fled from Battle ; in which the Sovereign, orhis Lieutenant, or other Captain, (having the King’s Au-thority) were prefent ; when Banners were difplayed,and both Sides proceed to Fight. Now for a Perfon tobehave himfelf cowardly in the Fight, abandon his Co-lours, leave his Prince, Friends, and Companions, inhazard of Life, are undoubtedly Concerns of a veryhigh and reproachful Nature, and draw down Dilhonouruprn the Order, the Sovereign, and Knights Comparions,

and a 'diffident indication of a pufilanimous Mind ; that

prefers to drag an infamous Life, and makes his Honoura Sacrifice to a reproachful Safety ; for the Refolution ofa right Martial Spirit, ought either to return decked withVictory, or. die upon the Bed of Honour.

By the Laws of King Edward the Confeffor, the Soldierthat runs from his Colours , either in Land or Sea Service,his Life and Eftate were made liable to anfwer the Of -fence ; and nur A6ts of Parliaments have made it F elonj,wrhour Kenefit of Clergy-, for as much as luch defertionendangers the Eftate ofthe Kjng, Nobility, and Common-wealth.

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