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Prerogative, to Prorogue Election! ad libitum, yet out 0 fRefpedt, and Honour to the Ky>‘ghts-Companions, theirApprobation hath been fometimes expreft.
§ 18 . When any Knight-Companion hath received a faSummons, to appear ac a Chapter of Election, and doth f itfiwilfully refufe, or withdraw himfelf, he was to be mul& ‘fh ta Mark for his Difobedience, which King Henry VHI’ S ifStatutes inlarged to twenty Shillings, payable to the Dean j!°\and College of Handfor, to pray -for defundt Souls. And f ‘at his next appearance in Chapter, he was to remain 3 f!kneeling in the midft of them, before the Sovereign, or ;Deputy, till he was reftor’d to their Favour ; Yet upon a •!juft Caufe fignified to the. Sovereign fome time before,under the Seal of his Arms, he was excufed, if it was P ^found juft and feafible ; if not, it was rejected, and he re-mained Punifhable. ' '
And for greater Caution, this Claufe was formerly in- .-.Wferted, in the Letters of Summons ; where, after the Time il'k® 1 ®and Place for Election was certified, and command givento obferve both, the Letter concludes thus , et fe efire ny "fafoues nous Signifies foub\, c§c. and if it cannot be accom- fjoos nplifhed, that is, if the Knight-Companion could not meetat the time afligned, to perform what the Statutes oblige, Momhe Ihould then fignify to the Sovereign, under his Seal, the Wecaufe of his Impediment ; fo that he might perceive by his an, piExcufr, whether it was worthy of Acceptance, or he in IroidFault or not. <eind 1
iKoble
’in
CAP- X.
T/^ Inveftiture of a Knight-Subjed with
the Garter and George.
o
■lO.-tR
?Sat ;
I F the Knight chanpe to be at ll’indfr, that is newly i- ^
Elected, or where r oever the Chapter is held, after .i^,.
the Sovereign hath fignified his Pleafurc in the Ele- Wcrion of the Perion, the Garter is immediately difpatched :out pf the Chapter, to give him the Intelligence; as is appa- ,
rent <!
S