14

HISTORY OF THE

[EDWARD III.

were not selected for the Order, especially Sir Thomas Bradeston, whose Armsthe King honoured by wearing on his own person, Sir Robert Mauley, andSir Stephen Cosyngton.

Whatever may have been the actual state of the Order of the Garter at thebeginning of the year 134S, there is strong, and almost conclusive evidence thatit was complete, and that it consisted of at least Twenty-Four Companions,before August in that year.

On the 22nd of August 1348, King Edward the Third issued LettersPatent, reciting that from motives of piety, and to the honour of AlmightyGod, and of his mother, the Glorious Virgin Mary, and of Saint George theMartyr, and Saint Edward the Confessor, he had erected at his own expensea Chapel of befitting splendour, in the Castle of Windsor, (wherein he wasbaptized), and which had been commenced by his progenitors to the honourof Saint Edward the Confessor, for eight secular Canons; and that hethought proper to add to the said eight Canons, a Warden to preside overthem, fifteen other Canons, and twenty-four Poor Knights, helpless or indi-

For making a harness for the King’s body, of the Arms of Sir Thomas de Bradeston, powderedwith roses, and other work in silk, for the King’s Jousts at Lichfield.

For making twelve Garters of blue, embroidered with gold and silk, each having the Motto,Phoni soil q. rnal s sense; and for making other equipments for the King’s Jousts at Eltham, in thesame year.

For making five hoods of long white cloth, for the King, worked with blue men dancing,buttoned before with buttons of great pearl; whereof he gave one to the Earl of Lancaster, one toSir Hugh de Courtenay, one to Sir John Grey, and another to Sir John de Lisle(all of whom wereoriginal Founders of the Order).

For making three harnesses for the King, two of which were of white velvet, worked with blueGarters, and diapered throughout the field with wild men; and a third harness of Indian velvet,w'orked with Garters.

For making three jupons, given by the King to Sir Guy de Bryan, Robert de Mauley, and“ Dns de Walkington.”

For making a harness for Sir David, King of Scotland, of blue velvet, with one pale of red velvet,within which was a white rose, for the King’s Jousts at Windsor.

For making divers equipments for the body of the King and his Companions, “ Pro corpore Regiset suorum,” for the Jousts at Canterbury, in the King’s 22nd year [1348], where the King gave eightharnesses of Indian sendal, made and impressed with the Arms of Sir Stephen de Cosyngton, Knight,to the Prince, the Earl of Lancaster, the Earl of Suffolk, John de Grey, John de Beauchamp,Robert Mauley, John Chandos, and Sir Roger de Beauchamp; (of whom the Prince, the Earl ofLancaster, Sir John Grey, Sir John Beauchamp, and Sir John Chandos, were among the first Com-panions of the Order.)

Other articles were likewise furnished, for making 8 tunics and 8 hoods for the Knights, and12 gowns for Ladies on entering the city of Canterbury, for the Jousts abovementioned.

For the King’s plays at Otford, at Christmas, 22 Edw. III. [1348] there were delivered out of the