76

HISTORY OF THE

[THE GRAN D MASTER.

Sovereign shall whenever it seemeth meet unto Him, by summons under the

Seal of the Order, direct a Chapter to be holden at such place within this

*

Realm of Ireland as He shall appoint.” Conformably to this Statute, noChapter has ever been held without express authority from the Sovereign, whoseLetter or Warrant to the Lord Lieutenant states the object for which it is toassemble and the business to be transacted therein. 3 Extensive as the powersof the Grand Master undoubtedly are, they have nevertheless been exceededwhen he has created an Officer of the Order, as in the appointment of aPrelate; 4 or issued a Warrant of Dispensation from the Statutes, as in theremarkable instance of the Investiture of Prince Edward; 5 or a Warrantappointing a Commissioner to Invest a Knight-Elect, as in the case ofthe Marquess of Sligo; 6 and it is obvious that the Grand Master has noauthority whatever beyond the realm of Ireland. This appears to have beenafterwards fully understood, for every Instrument since 1810 (except the Ordi-nance of the 12th of February 1814, providing for the custody and repairs ofthe Insignia) has been signed by the Sovereign. The Union of the Kingdomswould appear to have effected some change in the nature of the Order itself;and its Members, together with the Knights Bachelors and Baronets of Ireland,ought, therefore, like the Peers, to have had rank and precedency expresslyassigned to them among the corresponding Degrees of Great Britain by theAct of Union.

An extraordinary anomaly exists respecting the Grand Master of the Orderof Saint Patrick. He is not a Companion of the Fraternity over which, inthe absence of the Sovereign, he presides; and there is only one instance (that ofEarl Talbot in August 1821) of the Grand Master having been a Knight of theOrder. To be the head and chief of a capitular Body without being a Memberof it, seems a contradiction of terms, and is presumed to be without examplein any Knightly Order in Europe; and the circumstance has led to still greaterinconsistencies.

By the Ordinance annexed to the Statutes, “ touching the Badges, Devices,and Habits,” the Sovereign ordained, “ that Our Lieutenant General andGeneral Governor of Our Realm of Ireland shall wear at all Chapters andInstallations at which We Ourselves cannot be present, the same Habits and

3 See a copy of one of those Warrants, in p. 66, antea. 4 Vide p. 24, antea.

5 Vide p. 23, antea. 6 Vide p. 33, antea.