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Englijh, Sr. Georgs s Eve ; all which fignify one and thefame thing, and are but various Names given to theEvening of the Day foregoing either that of Sr. George,or that whereon the Grand Feaft is appointed to be heldby Prorogation.
Thus we fee that the Founder began his Solemnityupon the Eve of the Feaft Day ; which doubtlefs was inconformity to the Cuftom of the Church, who made theVigils and Eves parr of the enfuing Feftivals, and asUlhers to the Grand Solemnities.
As the Eve was appointed by the Founder for theCommencement of the Anniverfary of the Grand Feaft,fo to make the time more certain, the Statutes exprefs theexadf Hour of meeting for beginning the Solemnities,to be at the Hour of Tierce, which in many other Placesis called, Horn Tertiarum. But this teemed not fufficienrto exprefs clear enough the meaning of a Law, where s'Penalty was enjoined, and therefore at a Chapter held atWindjor , 17 Edvt. IV. a fcruple arifing among the Kpights-Companions, concerning the Words Horn Tertianim, whe-ther they were intended to mean three in the Afternoon,or at the Hour of the Church, generally ufed afterPrime Noon before ; and fixed ic co theiatter.
The Epgiftrum Chartaceum Records the fame Expla-nation of the Words; and to let us fee that’twas imme-diately put in Practice, it is there entered with the Namesof thofe Knights-Compemicais prefent with the Sovereign,both in the Morning and Evening of the fame Day.
Another Inftance of which there is, 3 Hat. VII. onthe Eve of the Grand Feaft, held by Prorogation atWindfor, where the Sovereign, in regard of the arrival offeveral Ambaffadors, pur off the ufual Chapter all Nocn ;whence it is evident, that the Cuftom at this time waslikewife to begin the Solemnity in the Morning.
But norwithftanding the faid Decree of King Edtt. IV.we find it Anno 11 Hen VIIL to be meant and intendedfor three in the Afternoon. And when King Henry VIII,came to Model the Statutes of the Order, in two feveralArticles, he declares and expounds the Horn Tertia, (which,the Englifh Verfion of thofe Statutes renders the Hour ofTierce,) to be the Flora Tertia poft Mereditm, three in theAfternoon ; and in another Article of the lame S'atutes,Bora Tertiarum, id eft, Her a Tertiarum p"ft Merc diem ;
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