10

HISTORY OF THE

[EDWARD III.

1349, were seen by Ashmole, they escaped the diligence of Anstis, 5 but duringthe researches to which the present work has led, they have fortunately beenagain brought to light, and afford much curious information.

The Wardrobe Accounts between the years 1341 and 1344 do not containthe slightest allusion to the Order; nor to any article of dress or furniture onwhich Garters, or the Motto, were embroidered; and so conclusive is thissilence, that it is difficult to believe that the Fraternity had then been established.There is, however, evidence which of itself proves, that the Companions couldnot have been chosen until after July 1346. It is indisputable that thePrince of Wales was one of the original Founders, and that, before he becamea Companion, he must have been Knighted. In July 1346, Edward the Thirdinvaded France, and was accompanied by the Black Prince, who had justcompleted his sixteenth year. They landed at La Hogue, near Barfleur, in Nor-mandy, on the 12th of that month ; 6 and as the King then conferred Knighthoodupon the Prince of Wales, 7 8 it must be inferred that he had not previouslyreceived that honour. It is, moreover, said that the Earl of Salisbury and Sir

5 Vide vol. I. p. 102.—The Accounts between December 1345, and September 1348, are those ofthe King’s Taylor, (by whom all articles likely to afford information about the Order would be fur-nished) and occur in the Wardrobe Accounts from September 1348, to January 1349, from whichextracts will be found in p. 12—15, postea.

6 See a Letter from the King to the Archbishop of York dated at Caen, 30th July, and in the 20thyear of his reign, 1346, wherein he says : “ Par ceo qe nous savoms bien qe vous orretz volunters bonesnouvelles de nous, vous fesons assavoir qe nous arrivams a la Hoge prest Barfluz le xij jour de Juyll,darreyn passe ovesqe toutz nos gentz, seyns et saufs, loetz en soit Dieux, et illeoqes demurasmes sur ledescippere de nos gentz et chivaux, et le vitaler de noz gentz tank le Marsdi procheyn ensuant.”—Cotton MS. Claudius, D. vii. printed in the Retrospective Review, N. S. vol. i. p. 119.

7 On the 8th of September 1346, a Letter was written by the Peers who were with the King atthe siege of Calais, to the Peers then assembled in Parliament, which commences in these words:“ Salutz et trescheres amistes. Nous vous fesons savoir, et vous tesmoignons de certein, qe nostreSeignur le Roi, a son arrivaill a la Hoge en Normandye, fist son eisne filz, le Prince de Gales, Chivaler .et par celle cause il doit avoir leide de son Roiaulme, que appartient en tieu cas.”—Rot. Pari. vol. ii.p. 163, and Foedera, N. E. vol. iii. p. 90.

8 “ An vintisme de son regne assembla le Roi plusours des grantz de son roialme,” &c. “ Tanqe ilsviendrent a Hogges en Normandie et illeoques arma le Roi le xij jour de Juyl, et Edward son eisne fitzPrince de Gales ove lui et touts les autres grantz,” &c.—“ Et illeoques fist il le dit Edward Chivaler etplusours autres fitz de grantz d’Engleterre et autres a grant noumbre.” Chronica Angliee ab Hardica-nuto ad 20 Annum R. Edw. III.—Cotton MS. Tiberius, A. vi. f. 19. Dugdale states on the authorityof a MS. in the Bodleian Library, that the Earl of Salisbury and Sir Roger Mortimer were Knighted atLa Hogue at the same time with the Prince.—Baronage, I. 147, 646. The same statement occurs in theFragment of a Chronicle, which ends in the reign of Henry the Fourth, printed by Leland: “ Anno D.1346. Edwardus Rex in Normannia filium suum Edwardum, filium D 1 . Gul. de Monteacuto, filium D".Rogeri de Mortuomari, ac multos alios de Angi, nobiles insigniis militaribus decoravit.” —Collectanea,i. 307.