16

HISTORY OF THE

[temp. HENRY VI.

It appears, however, that it was not until about this period, that the title ofKnights of the Bath was used, the first instance that has been discovered,being in the Inventory of the effects of King Henry the Fifth, made soon afterhis decease, wherein divers pieces of ray tarterin, for “ Knights of the Bath,”are mentioned j 1 but the designation was not generally adopted until some yearsafter.

King Henry the Sixth received the honour of Knighthood from his uncle,the Duke of Bedford, at Leicester, on Whitsunday 1426, being then in hisfourth year; and the young Monarch immediately Knighted the Duke of York,the Earls of Oxford, Westmorland, and Devon, many sons of the Nobility, andsome other persons of inferior rank, 2 all of whom are supposed to have receivedthe dignity, after vigils and Bathing. At the Coronation, on the 6th of No-vember 1429, thirty-two Knights of the Bath are said to have been made, 3but their names are not recorded. In the Wardrobe Accounts of that year, thedelivery of Robes to the Knights of the Bath is, however, noticed, among whomwere eight Esquires of Savoy; 4 and sixty-one gold Collars were distributedamong Knights and Esquires on that occasion.

A remarkable allusion to Knights of the Bath, occurs in the grant of theoffice of Barber of the Royal Household, in July 1447, with all profits andadvantages belonging to the same, together “ with the fees of Knights of theBath, 5 when they shall be made or created Knights, viz. from every Knighttwenty-four ells of linen cloth, which was to be placed about the Bathing vessel,with a taper, or carpet of red worsted; and twenty shillings for shaving him;

1 “ Item divers remenantz de tarterin ray ordeignez par les Chevaliers de Bath pris xxs.”—Rot.Pari. 1 Hen. VI. vol. IV. p. 228.

2 Feed era, vol. X. p. 356.—Anstis, Appendix, No. xlii. and the contemporary Chronicle in theAdditional MS. No. 1776, in the British Museum.

3 Fabian’s Chronicle, p. 419. Stow’s Chronicle, ed. Howes, p. 371, where the number of Knightsis said to be thirty-six ; and MS. marked “ W. Y.” in the College of Arms, cited by Anstis, Appendix,No. xliii. The “Chronicle of London,” p. 118, says that thirty-five Knights were created at KingHenry the Sixth’s Coronation.

4 Wardrobe Accounts from 28th September, 8 Hen. VI. 1429, to 28th September, 10 Hen. VI.1430, in the Office of the Queen’s Remembrancer of the Exchequer. One of these Esquires wasprobably the Sir Nicholas Menthon mentioned in a W r arrant to the Treasurer and Chamberlains ofthe Exchequer, to pay to John Merston, Keeper of the King’s jewels £9 16.s. 3c?. due to him for agold Cup and a Collar of gold given to Nicholas Menthon, Knight with the Duke of Savoy, and alsofor sixty-one Collars given to divers Knights and Esquires after the King’s Coronation, dated 16thDecember, 8 Hen. VI. 1429.— Foedera X. 437.

s “ cum feodis Militum de Balneo.”