I. In the year of Our Lord One thousand nine hundred and eleven and with the approval of His Grace Randall Davidson 96th Archbishop of Canterbury and the approbation of His Majesty King Edward VII the Memorial of Merit of King Charles the Martyr was instituted to commemorate the martyrdom of His Majesty King Charles the I, and to perpetuate the ideals for which the King stood in fearlessly upholding the tenets of the Catholic Faith.
II. The Memorial is to be offered as a token of regard and honour to members of the Church of England and the churches in communion therewith who have served the church in some especial way and by witnessing to the Catholic nature of the Anglican Church. Thus it provides within the Anglican Church an order of merit for good and loyal work. Its Companions are limited to forty-nine persons, such number representing the life-span of the Martyr-King.
III. Associate Companionship is conferred upon those who are faithful members of a catholic Church not in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury whom the Chancellor and Registrar deem suitable for the conferral. Like Companions of the Memorial, Associate Companions are limited to forty-nine persons.
IV. The Memorial is governed by a Chancellor and a Registrar who are in full sympathy with the Catholic and Apostolic position of the Anglican Church. The Chancellor and the Registrar hold office for life, the Registrar possessing the right of succession to the Chancellorship. Other Officers may be appointed by the unanimous decision of the Chancellor and the Registrar. These officers may include a Warden and a Chaplain. The officers of the Memorial constitute the Chapter.
V. The Chancellor and the Registrar perform the executive functions of the Memorial. The Warden shall perform those duties that appertain to the office of a treasurer and shall carefully record details of the finances of the Memorial. The Chaplain shall be responsible for all ecclesiastical functions of the Memorial.
VI. The badge of the Memorial is described: on an oval shield Gules fimbriated Or the cipher of King Charles I Or surmounted by his royal crown Or all between three crosses pattée two and one Or and the text MARTYRED AND GLORIOUS in letters Or all within a bordure Vert fimbriated Or and the text THE MEMORIAL OF MERIT OF KING CHARLES THE MARTYR 1911 in letters Or. Every Companion is entitled to use the designatory letters MMCM after their name to indicate their Companionship in the Memorial.
VII. The honour of membership shall be bestowed by unanimous decision of the Chancellor and Registrar upon such persons as are qualified under Statue II hereof, and who by their life and example have served the Church and are primarily faithful Catholics and earnest Christians.
VIII. When any person is nominated as a Companion of the Memorial, the conferral shall be made by a Warrant issued under the hand of the Registrar and bearing the Memorial’s seal. At the time of conferral the name of the recipient is to be matriculated to the Roll of Honour by the Registrar.
IX. Membership in the Memorial is for life. However, any offending person may be suspended from or deprived of the privileges of Companionship if just and necessary cause be shown, after due investigation, and by unanimous decision of the Chancellor and Registrar.
X. The insignia of the Memorial may be purchased through the Registrar, these becoming the private property of the member concerned.
XI. From time to time, the Memorial may meet in Congregation when a Votive Mass of King Charles the Martyr will be celebrated, and other business be transacted as may be requisite.
XII. The twenty-ninth day of January being the Eve of the Martyrdom of King Charles I, shall henceforth be taken and deemed to be the anniversary of the institution of the Memorial. This day shall be observed by the Memorial in some appropriate manner.
XIII. Full powers are reserved to the Chancellor and Registrar to interpret, amend, withdraw, or dispense with any of the foregoing Statutes or any part thereof, subject to the final ruling of the Chancellor in any particular case.
The Memorial of Merit of King Charles the Martyr 