ANNO 1347-8 J

ORDER OF THE GARTER.

11

Roger Mortimer, and perhaps some others of the original Founders, wereKnighted on the same occasion. 8

The years 1346 and 1347 were marked by three events of great historicalinterest, the battle of Cressy, the battle of Nevill’s Cross, near Durham, in whichDavid King of Scotland was taken prisoner, and the surrender of Calais ; andit is nearly certain that no proceedings took place respecting the Order betweenJuly 1346 and October 1347, because the King and the Prince of Wales wereactively engaged during the whole of that period, in the wars of France. 9

On the 12th of October 1347, the King and the Prince of Wales returnedto England, 9 when those triumphs were celebrated by Jousts and Tournaments;and there are strong grounds for believing that the Order of the Garter wasfinally established at the Tournament at Eltham, before the close of that year.

Jousts were held, with great magnificence, at Bury, Eltham, and Windsor, * 1between October 1347, and the end of January 1348; and shortly after, atCanterbury and Lichfield; the King having kept his Christmas at Guildford.Among the preparations for those Festivities, (some of which seem to have been

9 A document in the Foedera, N. E. vol. iii. p. 139, shews that Edward was out of the Kingdomfrom the 12th of July, A 0 . 20, 1346, when he disembarked at La Hogue, until he landed at Sandwichon the 12th of October 1347. He arrived in London on the 14th of October.

1 On the 8th of March, 22 Edw. III. 1348, ten pounds were paid to the servants of the King’s house-hold, in reward of the great labour which they had lately undergone at the Jousts lately held atWindsor.—Issue Roll of the Exchequer, from Michaelmas term, 21 Edw. III. 1348, to 8th of Marchfollowing. The testes of the King’s public acts between October 1347 and the end of April 1348,do not show when he was at Bury, Eltham, or Canterbury; but he may have been, and probablywas there towards the end of December 1347. The Jousts at Windsor appear to have taken place inJanuary 1348.

At London or Westminster, Oc-tober 14th to 31st, 1347.

Langley, 1st November.

Westminster, 6th to 15th.

Langley, 16th, 17th.

Westminster, 18th, 20th.

Westminster, 4th Dec.

Evere (i. e. Iver, co. Bucks), 7th.

Windsor, 12th Dec. 1347.

As the King was at Windsor on the 26th of April, he may then have celebrated the first Feast of theOrder, having perhaps been prevented from doing so on the proper day. In 1348 the Feast of St.George fell within three days of Easter Day. On the 13th of February, 1349, the keeper of the King’sgreat horses was paid 100 shillings for taking certain horses to the Jousts at Reading.—Issue Roll ofthe Exchequer, from 2nd October, 22 Edw. III. 1348, to 8th of March following.

Evere, 10th, 15th, 20th. Dec. 1347.Chertsey, 21st, 22nd.

Guildford, 22nd to 28th.

Windsor 1st, 3rd, 8th January,1348.

Westminster 15th, 28th, 30thJanuary; 6th,8th, 13th, 20th,23rd, 26th February 1348.

Westminster, April 1st to 20th,1348.

Mortlake, 20th to 24th.Westminster, 24th.

Windsor, 26th.

Westminster, 28th.

Lichfield, 1st and 6th May.