By the King.
¶ A Proclamation for registring of Knights.
WHereas We haue taken knowledge of many & great inconueniences, daily arising for want of an exact Roll kept in the Office of Armes, of such as haue receiued from Vs the Order of Knighthood, whereby some haue presumed to challenge that dignitie, vpon whom the same was neuer confered, and amongst them that were indeede knighted, often questions arise for precedencie, which cannot be decided for whant of a Record kept therof: For redresse whereof We directed Our Letters, dated the fifteenth day of Day last, to Our right trustie and right welbeloued Cousin and Counseller, Thomas Earle of Arundel and Surrey, Our Earle Marshal of England, That, according as appertaineth to that his Office, hee should take ordertherein. Neuerthelesse, by reason of the slacknesse and negligence of such as haue beene by Vs aduanced vnto that degree, in not giuing notice thereof to the said Earle Marshall or his Deputie, Our said Letters haue not taken effect according to Our intent.
Wee doe therefore hereby publish and declare Our Royall pleasure, and doe straitly charge and command, That all such persons, as sithence the said fifteenth day of May last past haue receiued that dignity, shall within three moneths after the publishing of this Our Proclamation, and all others that shall hereafter receiue the like dignitie from Vs, or any Our Lieutenants, shall within one moneth after they haue receiued the same, within this Our Realme of England, or within one moneth next after their comming into this Realme, if they receiue the same out of the Realme, bring, or cause to be brought, a sufficient Certificate thereof, and of the time thereof, to Our Earle Marshall of England for the time being, or to such other person or persons as hee shall appoint, to the ende the same may bee registed in a Roll, to bee therefore kept in the Office of Armes, vpon paine that euery person neglecting to bring such Certificate, shall lose the benefit of his due Precedencie, and in all Commissions, imployments, and places, shall be ranked after such as, vpon like Certificate brought, shall be registred before them. And Wee doe like wise signifie and declare Our pleasure to be, That all such as, at any time before the sayd fifteenth day of May last past, did receiue the said Order of knighthood at Our hands, shall at any time hereafter bring such Certificate, as aforesaid, and shall haue the same registred, as aforesaid, for clearing all controuersies and questions that may arise touching their Precedencie.
Giuen at Our Court at Windsor the fiue and twentieth day of April, in the one and twentieth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.
God saue the King.
¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and Iohn Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie. M.DC.XXIII.