Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/354

 258 SEPULCHRAL SLABS. I may add, too, that the whole of the ilhistrations accom- panying this memoir have been reduced by the camera lucida from the original rubbings. EDWARD CHARLTON. ILLUSTRATIONS OF MEDIEVAL MANNERS, CHIVALRY, AND COSTUME, FROM ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. CEREMONIAL OF CREATION OF KNIGHTS. ORDER OF THE BATH. Amongst the interesting contents of the volume of collec- tions, from which, by the liberal permission of the Lord Hastings, we have already derived some curious illustrations of ancient manners, the following document is preserved. It is needless to repeat the description of the highly valuable MS. offered to our readers in a previous volume*. The ordi- nance, now selected from the Astley Book, appears to have been written at the same time as those already given, namely, about the time of Henry VI. A ceremonial of creation of Knights of the Bath, from early times of the institution of the order, has been repeatedly printed ; both the original French text and the English version are to be found in various works on Chivalry. The copy of this curious formu- lary, however, which has been preserved in the MS. at Melton Constable, supplies a text of that version, apparently of earlier date than the transcript already published, from which it varies in many material particulars. The two versions, in- deed, although substantially similar, are by no means iden- tical ; and we hope, in giving publicity to the following an- cient text of so remarkable an evidence connected with the history of Chivalry, that our readers Avill not deem excuse required for an apparent repetition, which at first sight might be considered superfluous. now KNYGHTIS OF THE BATHE SHULDE BE MADE. " First, the kynge oure sovereyne lorde writith oute lettris un to certeync squyers of his rewmc, and desuynge them for to ■ See the Notice on .Toasts and Tournaments, from documents in the Astley MS Archieoi. Journal, vol. iv. j). '220.