INTRODUCTION.

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so from thenceforth, on the death of every Captain, for evermore. 9

This Association was formed at the same time that KingEdward revived the Round Table at Windsor; and his motivesfor encouraging those hastiludes or jousts are stated in thepreceding record. The other document alluded to was datedon the 18th of January 1345. After reciting the formergrant to the Knights of Lincolnshire, it contains a stipulation(and which would seem to have been its only object), that ifever the King should have an assembly of Knights withinthe Realm, “ on account of the Round Table or Jousts,” orof any other feats of arms, on the day appointed for the hasti-ludes at Lincoln, then in such case the Jousts should not beheld there in that year, but that the Captain of those Knightsshould appoint another day for that purpose within one monthof the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, next ensuing. 10

It is obvious from this grant that the King intended thatthe Feast of the Round Table should be frequently, if notannually celebrated; and the care which was taken to preventthe Associated Knights of Lincolnshire from being engagedelsewhere, justifies the inference that if Edward had previouslyinstituted so distinguished a Fraternity as that of the Garter,it would have been expressly mentioned in that instrument; andthat a similar stipulation would have occurred in it for securingthe attendance of such Knights as belonged to the Order, at theannual Feast of Saint George, and more especially that of the

9 Rot. Patent, 18 Edw. III. p. 1, m. 44. A copy of the original will be found in theAdditional Notes.

Rot. Patent, 18 Edw. III. p. 2, m. 4. See the copy in the Additional Notes.

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