OFFICERS of the ORDER; from the Statutes, p. 35.

THERE fhall be feven officers of this Order; a Dean, a Genealogift, a King of Arms, a Regifter, a Secretary, Gentleman-Usher, and a Messenger.

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The Dean fhall be the Dean of the Church of Weftminfter for the time being, who in all Ceremonies hall be invefted with the like mantle and enfign that the Companions are to wear; and in the proceffions fhall be covered; he fhall folemnife divine fervice, receive the offerings, adminifter the oaths, and give the admonitions; and alfo declare in the chapters the occafion of calling them, and have right to give his suffrage and vote in all matters therein tranfacted; and may bear his own coat-arms, empaling thofe of the Church of Westminster, furrounded with the circle and motto of the Order..

The Genealogift, whom our Great Mafter is to nominate and conftitute, to continue during his good behaviour, fhall examine and enter the pedigrees of the refpective perfons now elected, and of fuch who fhall hereafter be elected into this Order, and of their Efquires Governors, and of the young Efquires, with their feveral coat-arms, and fairly to enter the fame into books, to remain to pofterity for the memorial of their families; for which he fhall receive fuch reward, as fhall be determined by the Great Mafter, with regard to the length of the pedigrees, the authentic proofs thereof, and the pains taken therein in all ce

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remonies of this Order he fhall be habited in a mantle like to that of the Prebendaries, and fhall wear under it a furcoat like to the Efquires Governors; and on his breast, hanging to a golden chain about his neck, an efcutcheon of Gold, enamelled, on a field Azure, three imperial crowns of gold, having in the center between the three crowns the cyphers or letters G.

The King of Arms, whom our Great Master is also to nominate, and who fhall be created by our Great Mafter with the Ceremonies accustomed in the cafes of creations of other Kings of Arms, to continue in the faid office during his good behaviour, fhall be denominated Bath, in latin, Rex Armorum Honoratiffimi Ordinis Militaris de Balneo: and fhall fedulously attend the fervice of this Order: he fhall, in all the ceremo nies of this Order, bé habited in a mantle like to that of the Prebendaries, and under it a furcoat like to the Efquires Governors: he fhall wear on his breaft, hanging to a golden chain about his neck, an efcutcheon of gold, enamelled, with the arms of the Order, empaling the arms of the Sovereign, crowned with an Imperial Crown, and fhall carry the white rod of this Order, which fhall have on the two greater fquares of the banner the arms of the Order, impaling those of the Sovereign; and on the leffer fquares the arms of the Order, the whole furmounted with an imperial crown and at all future coronations he fhall precede the Companions of this Order, and fhall carry and wear his Crown as our other Kings of Arms are obliged to do; which chain, efcutcheon, rod, and crown, shall be of the like materials, value and weight, with those borne and ufed by our Garter Principal King

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of Arms, and of the like fashion, excepting only the variations herein before specified: befides the duties required of him in the former articles of thefe Statutes, he fhall diligently perform whatever the Sovereign, or Great Mafter, fhall farther command.

The Regifter, who fhall also be nominated and conftituted by the Great Mafter, to continue during his good behaviour, fhall, with the greatest fidelity, enter all tranfactions whatfoever within the Order, and the decrees and proceedings in every chapter, with the va liant exploits and atchievements of the companions: in all ceremonies of this Order he fhall wear the like mantle and furcoat with the King of Arms; and on his breast, hanging to a golden chain, an efcutcheon enamelled, on a field Azure, three imperial crowns Or, having in the center the reprefentation of a book bound Gules, the leaves thereof or.

The Secretary, to be likewife appointed by the Great Mafter, to continue during his good behaviour, fhall prepare draughts of all inftruments to be paffed under the feal of the Order, and engrofs them: and in all ceremonies of this Order he fhall wear the like mantle and furcoat as the Regifter; and on his breaft, hanging to a golden chain, an efcutcheon enamelled, on a field Azure, three imperial crowns Or, having in the center two pens placed Saltier wife.

We likewife authorise the Great Mafter to conftitute and appoint a Gentleman-Uber of the Scarlet Rod, furmounted with three imperial crowns, who fhall continue in fuch office during his good behaviour; and in all ceremonies of this Order fhall wear the fame robe and furcoat with Bath King of Arms, and at a golden chain

chain about his neck, an Efcutcheon Azure, three imperial crowns Or, hanging upon his breast: he shall have the cuftody of the door of the chapter-room, and of our chapel founded by King Henry the Seventh, during the ceremonies relating to this Order. Befides, the duties enjoined in the former articles of thefe Statutes, it fhall appertain to him to touch with his rod any Companion that shall be convicted of any crime, contrary to the tenor of the ftatutes; and, in case of a degradation, to pluck down the Efcutcheon of fuch Knight, and to spurn it out of the chapel: and he shall also diligently execute whatever the Sovereign, or Great Mafter, fhall farther enjoin him, relating to the interests of this Order.

The Genealogift, Bath King of Arms, the Regifter, Secretary, and the Gentleman-Ufher of the Scarlet Rod, who attend within our royal palace for the service of this Order, fhall continually remain under the protection of the Sovereign, and are hereby declared to be fervants of the Sovereign's household, and fhall enjoy all privileges and exemptions belonging, by right or custom, to the Efquires of the Sovereign, or to the Gentlemen of his privy chamber: and we hereby direct that their robes and enfigns fhall be prepared at the charge of the Sovereign, and be iffued upon the warrants of the Great Mafter.

And to the end that all fummons, difpenfations, letters, and all other inftruments, may be safely and expeditiously conveyed to the Companions, the Great Master is likewise empowered to constitute and appoint a Meffenger for this fervice, who fhall likewife collect the quarterly payments herein after mentioned, from

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the Companions, the Genealogift, King of Arms, Res gifter, Secretary, and Usher of the Order: he fhall wear the fame furcoat and badge with the Efquires of the Order; and on his breaft, hanging to a golden chain, one imperial crown of gold; he fhall alfo diligently execute whatever the Sovereign, or Great Mafter, shall farther enjoin him, relating to the interefts of this Order.

All these officers, at their admiffion, fhall take their oaths, which fhall be adminiftered unto them by the Great Mafter, that they fhall yield obedience to the Sovereign, and alfo to the Great Mafter of this most Honourable Order of the Bath, in fuch things as apper`tain to the Order; that they shall not disclose the secrets of the Order, and that they fhall be faithfull in the executions of their feveral offices.

On the 14th of January, 1725, his Majefty was further pleased, by fign manual, to erect, make, conftitute and ordain, the then Bath King of Arms, Gloucefter King of Arms, and principal Herald of the parts of Wales; and to direct that letters patent fhould accordingly be made out, and pafs the great feal, granting to him the faid office of Gloucester; and that claufes fhould be inserted in such grant, empowering the faid Gloucester to grant arms and crefts to perfons refiding within the dominions of Wales, either jointly with Garter, or by himself, with the confent, and at the pleasure of the Earl Marshal or his deputy for the time being; and that for the future the office of Gloucester fhould be infeparably annexed, united, and perpetually confolidated VOL. I.

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