ANNO 1783.]

ORDER OF SAINT PATRICK.

7

‘ of Saint Patrick, of which Order We ourselves, Our Heirs, and Successors,£ shall perpetually be Sovereigns, and of which Our Lord Lieutenant General‘ and General Governor of Ireland, or Our Lord Deputy, or Deputies of Our‘ said Kingdom, or Our Lords Justices or other Chief Governor or Governors£ of Our said Kingdom for the time being shall officiate as Grand Masters.‘ And it is Our further will and pleasure, that the said Society or Brotherhood‘ of the Knights of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, shall have a‘ common Seal, and shall have a Chancellor, Register, Secretary, Genealogist,£ Usher, King of Arms, Heralds, Pursuivants, and such other Officers as We‘ from time to time shall think fit to appoint, under Our Sign Manual, and that‘ they shall observe all such constitutions, ordinances, customs and ceremonies,‘ as shall be enjoined them under Our Sign Manual. And it is further Our will* and pleasure, that the said Knights being Commoners, shall have Rank and‘ Precedency in all places immediately after Barons’ eldest sons, and that the£ wives of the said Knights Companions shall, in like manner, have Rank and£ Precedency immediately after the wives of Barons’ eldest sons, and before all£ other inferior ranks. And it is Our further will and pleasure, that upon any£ vacancy happening in the said Society or Brotherhood by death or resignation£ of any of the Knights, a successor shall be elected by the other Knights in£ manner as shall be directed by the constitutions and ordinances to be esta-£ blished under Our Sign Manual as before mentioned. And in the said Letters£ Patent you are to cause to be inserted all such clauses as shall be necessary£ to make the same most full, valid, and effectual. And for so doing this shall£ be as well unto you, as unto all other Our Officers and Ministers concerned£ herein, a sufficient Warrant. And so we bid you heartily farewell.

£ Given at our Court of St. James’s, the fifth day of February£ 1783, in the 23rd year of our reign.

By his Majesty’s Command,

Thomas Townshend.

£ To Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin and Coun-£ cillor, George Earl Temple, Our Lieutenant-General£ and General Governor of Our Kingdom of Ireland, or£ to our Lieutenant Deputy, Justices, or other Chief Go-£ vernor or Governors of Our said Kingdom for the time£ being.