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Of Difyenfations for pot attending the Grand Ft aft.

$ a. Ic having been complained of by the Chancellorof the Order, and taken notice of by the Sovereign andKnights-Companions, in a Chapter held at the Celebrationof the Grand Feaft, 13 Car. I. at Waite-Hall ;

‘ That of late Years, divers Knights-Companions had ne-glected, both their attendance bn (he Sovereign at'the Feaftof St. George, or to fend under their Seals of Arms, thtirprobable Excufes, and Petitions for Licence and Dijpenfa.(ion, contrary to the mofi ancient Statutes, and their Duty.

It was therefore, among many other things, Decreed,That for the future, every ’Knight of the "Order Jhould bebound to attend on the ufual Days, or fuch as jhould be aftfigned by Prorogation ; But in -cafe of Sick rets, or otherimportant Bufinefs to retard them, they (hou’d, undertheir Seals of Arms to the Chancellor, fignify the reafonsforrequiring a Difpenlation for their abfence, twenty Days atleaft before the ufual, or aligned time, to be prefentedby him to the Sovereign ■ and on negledl of lo doing, ex-cept in fudden Accidents,-ihould not be exculed, but in-cur the penally of the Statutes.

■ And it is evident, that this way of enjoining the Kyiights-Companicns to fend the reafon that prevented their Atten-dance, under their Seals, has been very ancient; for theBlackyBoek. records an Order in Chapter, held at a GeneralFeaft, t Hen. VI. to this very ptirpofe ; and enjoined far- ;ther, That when fuch abfer.t [flights were prejint at thenext Feaft, they jhould be obliged to give the reafon why theyftoould not incur the Penalty of their former abfence, fince theStatutes enjoin it. ; "

In purfuance of the beferementioned Decree, Sir Tho-mas [{owe, then Chancellor, added to thole his Letters,dated 1 8 May, 1637. and directed to the Knights-Com-panions, under the Seal of th c Order, this following Poft-fcript. ' '

: According to two ABs made in Chapter, in the Prefencetf the Sovereign, 18 April, 1637, concerning' the negleB ofthe Knights-Companions, in their Attendance upon his Me*fejly at the F ft of St. George, and a Command exprefly re-ceiv’d to Jigtofy fo msch to your Lordlhip ; 1 have the true

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