ESQUIRES.]

ORDER OF THE BATH.

253

performing their duties upon the creation of any Knight or Knights of the Bath,attested by the Great Master under the Seal of the Order.” 1

“ The more effectually to carry into execution the provision that theEsquires should be Gentlemen of Blood and Coat Arms,” the Sovereign waspleased to issue a Royal Warrant, dated on the 12th of February 1803, com-manding that Bath King of Arms should not affix “ any Escutcheon of Arms,or other Memorial of such Esquires, until certificates of their qualifications shallhave been issued, under the hands of Our Garter Principal King of Arms, andof Clarenceux or Norroy Kings of Arms, for the time being, in their provincesrespectively.” 2

A doubt having arisen whether an exemption from serving the Office ofSheriff was among the “ Privileges and Exemptions” granted to the Esquires bythe Statutes, the Sovereign on the 4th of May 1803, “ thought fit to declare HisRoyal will and pleasure thereupon ; and determined, declared, and ordained, thatthe rights, liberties, privileges, exemptions, and advantages, so granted in the saidFifteenth Article, or in any other Article of the said Statutes, shall not, in future*exempt nor be deemed or construed to exempt, any person whatsoever, whofrom and after the date of these presents shall be nominated or appointed to actas an Esquire Governor, or young Esquire, to any Knight of Our said Order,from serving the Office of Sheriff within Our Realm.” 3

Previous to the Installation that took place on the 19th of May 1803, thefollowing notification appeared in the London Gazette: 4

“ To the Knights Companions, Knights-Elect, Esquires Governors, andYoung Esquires, of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath:

“ Whereas, by the Statutes of the said Order, certain rights, liberties, pri-vileges, exemptions, and advantages, are granted to the said Knights andEsquires; and it is thereby amongst other things enacted and ordained, ‘ Thatthe eldest son of every of these Esquires shall have and use the Addition andTitle of Esquire, in all Acts, Proceedings, and Pleadings: provided that allthese Esquires to be entitled to these privileges, shall have Certificates of theirQualifications before their respective admissions, and likewise an exemplificationof their actually performing the duties upon the creation of any Knight, orKnights of the Bath, attested by the Great Master under the Seal of the Order. '

' Vide p. 59, antea.

3 Vide p. 102, antea.

2 Vide pp. 101, 102, antea.

4 No. 15584; i. e. from the 14th to 17th May 1803.