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tion made by fome of the Efnights-Companions prefent inChapter.

The Cuftom of fending Letters has been Very ancient:The Lord Poms’ s Letter, under his Hand and Seal, (cer-tifying his Indifpofition of Body,)’ was produc’d in Chap-ter, Anno 8 Hen. V. And the following Year the Dukesof Torh, Norfolk, and Buckingham, with the Earls of Salif-bury, Shrewsbury, and Pembroof, Vifcount Bourchier, theLord BJvers, and Sir John Palftajf ; being all abfent fromSt. George’s Peafi, they declared the reafon of their abfenceby their Mejfengers. There are many Precedents of thiskind, and of Letters fent from the Sovereign, directed tohis Lieutenant, to accept of Kjiights-Companions Excufes,whofe abfence he had beforehand difpenc’d with j we ob-ferve thofe Difpenfations excus'd not the fending theirown particular Excufes; for it is evident they were alfoexpedited, and that fuch allowance of abfence was notAbfolute, the Claufe running thus : That you ['the Sove-reign’s Deputy 3 allow thefe Excufes fo far as are confonant'to reafon. And in all other Letters of the fame nature, aClaufe to this Effedfc hath been inferted : That as the So-vereign thought good to advertife his Deputy, that for certainCaufes he had difpencd with their Attendance for thattime ; fo he will'd him to accept their reafonable Excufes inthat behalf accordingly.

Secondly, The abfent Kjaights-Companions have hadtheir Excufes frequently made by Word of Mouth, ei-ther of the Sovereign, or fome other of the Kjiights-Ccm-panions, prefent in the Chapter, This Favour is done ei-ther by the Sovereign himfelf, if prefent ; or by his Orderto the Lieutenant, in his abfence.

There have been many Examples of what hath beendone in this Cafe, and alfo when the Sovereign hath notbeen prefent in Chapter, but hath beforehand verballygiven his Deputy or Lieutenant direction to excufe theabfence of feverai Knights-Companions.

It will be neceffary to obferve what Effedt the Ex-cules have ufually produc’d $ whereinto we find the juftand reaionable favourably admitted, fome fufpended,and divers difallowed. Thole eafily allow’d were, firft,Sicknefs j (for thofe of the Kjiights-Companions who havebeen either Sick, far fpent with Age, or intent on publickAffairs, have been readily allow’d,) Secondly, The not

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