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cannot be difcufs’d, without putting off the Celebration ofVefpers, beyond the Canonical Hour ; it hath been ufualto adjourn the Debates till the next Morning, as was doneAnno 14 Car. I.
TranfaElions in the Chapter held before the Vefpers.
5 5. When the Chapter held before the Vefpers is open'ed, and no Adjournment given thereto, all things arethen to be provided for* which concern the Honour andDignity of this moft Noble Order.
The matters of courfe are ; firft, Swearing, and admit-ting Officers; fecondly, Debating about the Kysigbts-Com-pinions then abfent, and either difpenfing with, or in-flicting Penalties on them ; and thirdly, Conftitucing orappointing an Officer, to carry on the State and Solem-nity of the Feaft in the Sovereign’s abfence. But otherParticulars that are occafional, cannot fo well be broughtwithin Rule, as being wholly accidental.
As to the firft, the Officers of rhe Order, foon after theChapter is open’d, take their relpedtive Oaths, in Orderto perform the Duty of their feveral Places, during theSeffion of the Chapter, and thenceforward, as is evidentfrom feveral Examples, bur one may fuffice, from a Chapterheld at Windfor , Anno 4 Car. I. whereat Dr. Neal, Blfhopof tVsnchefter, was Sworn Prelate ; Sir Francis Crane,Chancellor 5 and Dr. Matheve Wren, Blfhop of Ely, Re-gifter.
It hath fometimes happened, that fome of the Officersof this Order have been Sworn at other Times, as atChapters next enfuing their Nomination and Choice, where-in the Adminiftration of the Oath is one of the firft thingsdone.
Touching the fecond particular debated in Chapter, vi^.the difpenfing with, or pumfhing abfent Knights ; it is tobe confidered, that the Statutes of the Order enjoin allthe Kjiights-Companions to be prefenc at the Celebrationof the Grand F aft: that is, thofe that are within theKogdom, orelfewhere; although the Service of St. George ,according to the Rites of the Church, be not cekbrated,is on the Service of the Day whe eon that ot Sr. Geo:gebas fallen, vis. Good-Friday : But with this Limitation,
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