THE PRELATE.]

ORDER OF SAINT PATRICK.

79

©fficcrs of tfje ©rtier.

The Order of Saint Patrick has seven Officers, namely, a Prelate, Chan-cellor, Registrar, Secretary, Genealogist, Usher, and King of Arms,of whom the first three are sometimes called the “ Great or Grand Officers.”All the Officers are to “ be received and sworn to be of the Council of the saidOrder, and shall have such charges and privileges as are expressly declaredin the Ordinances of the Sovereign, and shall wear for a Cognizance about theirnecks such Badge as shall be assigned to them by the Sovereign.” 1

By the Statute of the 25th of August 1837 it is provided, that “ theOfficers shall have and enjoy such charges and privileges as are expresslydeclared in the Ordinances of the Sovereign, and shall wear respectively theMantles and Badges appointed by the former Statutes of Our said Order; andthe persons who may hereafter be admitted as Officers of Our said MostIllustrious Order, shall at their admission into their respective Offices (in lieuof the oath or oaths 2 heretofore taken by the Officers), severally make andsubscribe a Declaration, that they will, during the time they shall hold theirrespective Offices, faithfully discharge the duties thereof, and diligently andduly observe and execute all the commands of the Sovereign, in as far as totheir respective Offices appertains.” 3

THE PRELATE.

It would appear that it was not intended that there should have been aPrelate of the Order. He is not mentioned in the Royal Warrant of Founda-tion, nor in the original Statutes; but the Office was created by virtue of a

1 Art. XVII. p. 15, antea.

2 A Copy of the Oaths formerly taken by the Officers of the Order will be found in the Appendix.

3 Vide p. 57, antea.