1815 .]

ORDER OF THE GUELPHS.

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‘ urgently called upon, by the imperishable fame which our Hanoverian troops‘ have acquired in the Battle near Waterloo, in Flanders, on the 18th of June in‘ the present year, to mark for ever this year, so glorious for Hanover, by its‘ Institution. Having, in reference to so important an object, taken upon Our-‘ selves, in the name of His Majesty the King, the Grand Mastership of this‘ Order; and again by these presents publicly declaring Ourselves to be the£ Chief, Sovereign, and Grand Master thereof, and Our pleasure to be by all‘ persons so considered; We have caused the following Statutes and Ordinances‘ to be prepared: and, having maturely deliberated thereon, and, by virtue of‘ Our plenary power as Grand Master, graciously approved thereof, We com-£ mand that the same shall be, in all transactions of the Order, taken as an un-‘ alterable guide, and preserved in all time coming amongst the archives of Our‘ said Order.

‘ Our gracious Will and Pleasure, therefore, is,

I. ‘ That this new Order of Knighthood shall be deemed to be Founded on‘ and from the 12th day of August, in the year 1815, and be called “ The‘ Order of the Guelphs and We have selected that day for the Institution,

‘ in order to commemorate, at the same time, several important events.

II. ‘ That, for the greater splendour of this Order, the Grand Mastership£ thereof shall for ever be annexed to the Crown of Hanover, and not, on any£ consideration, be separated or disunited from the possession of the same by£ Us or Our Successors: and We reserve to Ourselves the power of causing£ Our Person, as Grand Master, to be represented, at solemnities of the Order£ to be held at Hanover, by a Grand Cross of the same, duly empowered by£ Us for that purpose.

III. £ That Our Cabinet Minister of the Kingdom of Hanover, resident, for£ the time being, at this Court, shall be Chancellor of this Order; and, for the£ transaction of the affairs of the Order at Hanover, We appoint the Senior£ Privy Councillor of Our Cabinet there to be the Vice Chancellor of the Order,

£ and the Private Secretary of Our Hanoverian Chancery in London to be the£ Secretary of the Order.

IV. £ That the Members of the Order shall consist of Three Classes ; that is£ to say, Grand Crosses, Commanders, and Knights; and that Medals shall also£ be provided for such Non-commissioned Officers and Privates as shall have‘ distinguished themselves by valour or prudence in the Field.

V. £ That the number of Grand Crosses, Commanders, and Knights, shall