The history of the most noble Order of the Garter: Wherein is set forth an account of the town, castle, chappel, and college of Windsor; ... To which is prefix'd, a discourse of knighthood in general, ... Collected by Elias Ashmole, ... The whole illustrated with proper sculptures.

CAP. V.

WE come now to treat of the most Noble and Il∣lustrious Order of the Garter; which, if we consi∣der either its Antiquity, or the Nobleness of the Personages, that have been enroll'd, it excels and outvies all other Institutions of Honour in the whole World. It owes its Original, as is confessed on all Hands, to Edward III. King of England and France; yet as to the Occasion, there are several Opinions which we shall rectifie. The vulgar and more general is, that the Garter of Joan, Countess of Salisbury, dropping casually off as she danced in a solemn Ball, King Edward stoop∣ing took it up from the Ground, whereupon some of his Nobles smiling, as at an amorous Action, and he observing their sportive Humour, turned it off with a Reply in French, Honi soit qui mal y pense; but withal added, in disdain of their Laughter, That shortly th••y should see that Garter advanced to so high an Honour and Re∣nown as to account themselves happy to wear it.

BUT upon Examination of this Tradition, let others judge what Credit it bears to establish its Belief; for Sir John Froissart, the only Writer of the Age that treats

of this Institution, assigns no such Original, nor for 200 Years after is there any thing to the Purpose in our other Historians, till Polydore Virgil took occasion to say something of it; but had it been Fact, some French Historian or other, would not have neglected to register it at a convenient Time with a Scoff and Ridicule, since that Nation was so ready to deride King Henry V's Design of invading them with a Return of Tennis Balls.

IN the Original Statutes of this Order, there is not the least Conjecture to countenance the Conceit of such a Feminine Institution, no not so much as laying an Obligation on the Knights-Companions to defend the Quarrels of Ladies (as some Orders then in being en∣joyned;) nor doth the Author of that Tract entitled In∣stitutio clarissimi Ordinis Militaris a praenobili subligaculo nun∣cupati, prefaced to the Black Book of the Garter, let fall the manifest Passage to ground it on.

As to what Polydore says, he is not so confident to ascertain the Person whose Garter it was; but cautiously declining that, says, it was either the Queen's, or the King's Mistress's; and if it were the latter, yet doth he o∣mit her Name and Title, both which (on what Authority we find not) are supplied by modern Historians, who call her Joan Countess of Salisbury, the same elsewhere cele∣brated by the Name of the Fair Maid of Kent, (whom Edward the Black Prince, afterward married) whereas no Historian ever gave the least Inuendo that King Edward III. ever courted her as a Mistress. Selden points at her when he calls the Lady, from whom the Garter slipp'd, Countess of Kent and Salisbury: But about the Time when this Order was founded she in truth was dignified with neither Honour; for altho' she was Daughter to Tho. of Woodstock, Earl of Kent, and had been sometime the re∣puted Wife of William Mountague, second Earl of Salisbury, yet then she cou'd not properly be accounted Countess of Salisbury. She was actually Wife to Sir Thomas Hol∣land, (one of the First Founders of the Order.) Nor was she yet (tho' afterwards) Countess of K••nt, because her Brother John Earl of Kent, at the Institution of this Order, survived, and died not till 26 Edw. III.

THAT there was a Countess of Salisbury with whom King Edward III. became greatly enamour'd, Froissart re∣ports after this manner, That this King having relieved a Castle of that Earl's in the North, wherein his Countess had been besieged by the Scots (the Earl himself being at that time Prisoner in France;) upon sight of her extraordinary Beauty he fell in love with her; but she so virtuously demeaned her self, during his Abode there, that he declined further Solicita∣tion. However, some time after, the King out of De∣sire to see her, proclaim'd solemn Justs in London, whi∣ther this Countess and other Ladies being invited, came up. This Castle it seems was Wark upon Tweed in Nor∣thumberland, which King Edward had formerly bestowed on her Husband, for his good Service past, when he first espoused her, being then but a Knight.

ALTHO' it should be admitted that this Countess of Salisbury was the King's Mistress, yet must it be re∣mark'd, That she was Wife to William Mountague, Kt. created Earl of Salisbury, Anno 11 Edw. III. Mother to William the before-mention'd second Earl, that her Christian Name was Catherine, not Alice, as Froissart, not Joan, as others call her, Daughter to William Lord Granston, and that she expired 28 Edw. III. But that the whole may appear, what indeed it is, a meer Fable, we shall insert the Judgment of Dr. Heylin, who took great Pains in this Particular. This, says he, I take to be a vain and idle Romance, derogatory both to the Founder and the Order first published by Pol. Virgil, a Stranger to the Affairs of England, and by him taken upon no better ground than Fama Vulgi, the Tradition of the common People, too tri∣fling a Foundation to so great a Building.

OF the same Contexture with the former is another Tradition in Andrew du Chesne, That the Queen departing from the King to her own Apartments, and he following soon after, chanced to espy a Blue Garter lying on the Ground (sup∣posed to have slipp'd from her Leg) whilst some of his Atten∣dants carelesly passed by it, as disdaining to stoop at such a Trifle; but he knowing the Owner, commanded it to be gi∣ven him; at the Receipt of which he said, You make but small account of this Garter; but within few Months, I'll cause the b••st of you all to reverence it alike. Some suppose that the Motto was the Queen's Answer, when the King asked

her, What Men would conjecture of her, upon her losing her Garter in such a manner?

BOTH Relations are far distant from Fact; never∣theless it has thus far'd with other Orders of Sove∣reign Foundation, and an amorous, instead of an ho∣nourable Account, has been falsly render'd of their Institution; as for Instance, The Order of the Annun∣ciade, and that of The Golden Fleece.

THERE is a third Opinion grounded on a Relation made of King Rich. I. who, whilst his Forces were employ'd against Cyprus and Acon, and extremely tir'd and harrass'd with the Siege, he, by the Assistance and Mediation of St. George (as imagin'd) was inspir'd with fresh Courage, and bethought himself of a new Device, which was to tie about the Legs of a Number of Knights, a Leathern Thong Garter, for such had he then at hand, whereby they being emulated to future Glory, with Assurance of Reward if they prov'd victo∣rious, they might be excited to behave themselves in∣trepidly and well, much after the Examples of the old Romans, among whom were distributed various Crowns for several Causes, to adorn the Soldiers: But if King Richard I. did make use of this Device in the Holy Land, as a Signal or Mark of Distinction of a Party, upon some warlike Exploit, yet that he took Occasion to create a distinct Order of Knighthood thereupon, there is not sufficient warrant to believe; (for it is only put down in the Preface of the Black Book, but not in any Part of the Annals of the Order; nor can it plead higher Antiquity than the Reign of King Hen. VIII. when written.) All the Advantage that can be made of it, is, to heighten the Reputation of that Saint among the English, by which Means the Garter came to be dedicated to him, and not that it contributed to its Institution.

§ 2. THE true Motive was therefore, neither the Ladies Garter, or King Richard's Leathern Thong, that it owes it Original to: But King Edward, being a Person of consummate Vertue, gave himself up to military Affairs; and being engag'd in War for reco∣vering his Right to France, made use of the best Martialists

of the Age, did thereupon first design (in∣duc'd by its ancient Fame) the Restoration of King Arthur's Round Table, to invite hither the Gallant Spi∣rits from abroad, and endear them to himself; and ad∣judging no Place more requisite than Windsor, upon New-Year's-Day, A. D. 1344. he issu'd out Letters of Protection for the safe going and return of Foreign Knights, to try their Valour at the Solemn Justs to be held there on Monday after the Feast of St. Hilary fol∣lowing (which happen'd Jan. 19.) And these Letters of Safe-Conduct continu'd in force until the Octaves of the Purification of our blessed Virgin ensuing, being the 18th Year of his Reign. At the Time appointed, he provided a great Supper to begin the Solemnity, and then ordain'd this Festival to be annually at Whit∣sontide; and immediately after these first Exercises were over, for a future and better Accommodation, he im∣press'd Workmen and Carriages for erecting a particu∣lar Building in the Castle, and therein plac'd a Table of Two Hundred Foot Diameter, where the Knights should have their Entertainment of Diet, at his Ex∣pence of 100 l. per Week; to which Building he gave the Name of The Round Table. And as at these great Conventions the Days were spent in all Kinds of no∣ble Feats of Arms, Justs and Turnaments, so were a great Part of the Nights consum'd in publick Balls and dancing with the Ladies that attended the Queen thither; and perhaps it was hence conjectur'd, that at some of these Balls the Queen's Garter, or the Garter of Catherine, Countess of Salisbury, might slip off, and the King's taking it up occasion Smiles in the By∣standers; and afterwards, when the King had modell'd his intended Order, a Garter offering it self for its chief Ensign, might add to the Conjecture; but that it was the principal Cause, is a groundless Imagination. And tho' King Edward advanc'd the Honour of the Garter, as to denominate the Order, yet was it not to enhance Reputation to, or perpetuate an effeminate Occasion, but to adorn Martial Prowess, with Ho∣nours, Rewards and Splendor; to increase Vertue and Valour in the Hearts of his Nobility, that so true Worth, after long and hazardous Exploits, should not

enviously be depriv'd of that Glory which it hath in∣trinsically deserv'd, and that active and hardy Youths might not want a Spur in their Progression in the Paths of Vertue, which is to be esteem'd glorious and eternal.

IT is further observable, that the French King, Phi∣lip de Valoys, in Emulation of this Seminary at Windsor, set up a Round Table at his Court, and invited Knights and valiant Men of Arms out of Italy and Almaine thi∣ther, left they should repair to our King Edward III. which meeting with Success, prov'd a Countermine to his main Design; who perceiving that his Hospitality towards strange Knights, upon Account of reviving King Arthur's Round Table was too general, nor did suf∣ficiently ingratiate them to his Person, but being un∣constrain'd and at Liberty, did after their Departure take what Side they pleas'd in the ensuing Wars, he at length resolv'd upon a Projection more particu••ar and select, and such as might oblige those whom he thought fit to make his Associates, in a lasting Bond of Friendship and Honour: And having issu'd forth his own Garter for the Signal of a Battle, that was crown'd with Success, (which is conceiv'd to be the Battle of Cressy, fought about Three Years after his erecting the Round Table;) upon so remarkable a Victory, he thence took Occasion to institute this Order, and gave the Garter Preheminence among the Ensigns of it, whence that select Number, whom he incorporated into a Fra∣ternity, are styl'd Equites Aureae Periscelidis, and vulgarly Knights of the Garter. By this Symbol he design'd to bind the Knights and Fellows of it mutually unto one anothe••, and all of them joyntly to himself, as Sove∣reign of the Order; nor was his Expectation frustra∣ted, for it did not serve only as a vehement Spur and Incentive to Honour and martial Vertue, but also as a golden Bond of Unity and internal Society; and for ••his Consideration Cambden aptly calls it a Badge of ••nity and Concord.

BY the Symbols of this Garter the Knights are re∣minded, with all Religiousness, Sincerity, Friendliness, Faithfulness and Dexterity, not to leave the Pursuit of whatsoever they take in hand, nor to enterprize any

Thing contrary to the Statutes of the Order; neither to frustrate the Rights of Peace and Friendship, nor vilify the Law of Arms, or proceed in any Thing far∣ther than Faith and Compact, or the Bond of Friend∣ship will admit. Moreover, in the binding of the Leg with this enobled Ensign, there was given this Caveat and Exhortation, that the Knights should not pusilla∣nimously (by running away from Battle) betray the Valour and Renown which is ingrafted in Constancy and Magnanimity. Nay, so exactly did the Founder contrive the whole Habit into the Signification of the Garter, that he ordain'd his and the Knights-Compa∣nions Robes and Ornaments to be all alike, both for Materials and Fashion, intimating thereby, That they ought to conserve brotherly Affection among them∣selves. The great Collar of the Order was made of equal Weight, and like Number of Knots and Links, in Token of the like Bond of Faith, Peace and Amity inviolably to be observ'd and retain'd amongst them: In fine, all Things were so design'd, that every one might plainly perceive how much these Things tended to the Maintenance of Amity and Concord.

IN further reference to the establishing this Order, the aforesaid King calling together the Earls, Barons, and principal Knights of his Kingdom, Freely, says Froissart, and obligingly declar'd his Mind to them concerning this Affair: To which all of them being well inclin'd, en∣tertain'd the Motion with equal Joy and Applause, deeming it would prove a very great Advancement to Piety, Nobility and Vertue, and likewise an excellent Expedient for the uni∣ting not only his Subjects one with another, but all Foreigners conjunctively with them, in the Bonds of Amity and Peace. And 'tis very improbable the prudent Founder should summon his Nobles to consult about the Grandeur of an Order, that had taken its Rise from so slight an Occasion as the dropping of a Garter from a Lady's Leg. Now, to draw the Tye of Friendship more close, the King caused those who were (or should be) of the Order, to be call'd Fellows, Associates, Colleagues, Brethren, and Knights-Companions, and the Order it self a Society, Fellowship, College of Knights, and Knight-Companionship; and their Habits to be all alike, to represent how they

ought to be united in all Chances and various Turn•• of Fortune; Co-partners both in Peace and War, assi∣stant to one another in all serious and dangerous Ex∣ploits; and thro' the whole Course of their Lives to shew Fidelity and Friendliness one towards another. There are other Reasons assign'd, much to the same Effect, That the Order was instituted to fortifie the Con∣fidence of the King, the Kingdom and Martial Vertue; that is to say, to strengthen the Faith of the Subjects towards them, and for their greater Security, and because the Garter carries with it a Bond or Tye of Fellowship, and is a Symbol of Amity between Princes, being Companions of the same Order.

IN the last Place, if we look upon the Statutes of its Institution, we shall find the Injunctions wholly Mili∣tary, and so are the Words of Admonition pronounc'd at the putting on the Ensigns of the Order: And the Ground of the Institution (in the Preamble to King Henry VIII's Exemplar) is said to be for the Honour of God and Exaltation of the Catholick Faith, joyn'd both with Piety and Charity, in establishing a College of religious Men to pray for the Prosperity of the Sovereign of the Order and the Knights-Companions, and to perform other holy Duties; as also or∣daining a Maintenance for a Company of Alms-Knights, who have not otherwise wherewith to support themselves; but not one Word relating to the Engagement on behalf of the feminine Sex.

AND whereas King Edw. III. had laid Claim by his Title to the Kingdom of France, and in Right thereof assum'd its Arms, he from the Colour of them, 'tis said, caus'd the Garter to be made Blue, and the Circum∣scription Gold: And it may, without straining, be in∣ferr'd from the Motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense, that he retorted Shame and Defiance upon him that should dare to think amiss of so just an Enterprize, as he had undertaken for recovering of his lawful Right to that Crown; and that the Magnanimity and Bravery of those Knights, whom he had elected into this Or∣der, was such as would impower and enable them to maintain the Quarrel against all who thought ill of it. Consonant to this is the Conjecture of Harpsfield, that this Apophthegm was design'd to put the Knights-Companions

in mind, Not to admit any Thing in their Actions, or among their Thoughts, derogatory to themselves and their Honour.

THAT Age did exceedingly abound with Impresses, Motto's and Devices, and particularly King Edw. III. was so excessively given up to them, that his Apparel, Plate, Bed, Houshold-Furniture, Shields, and even the Harness of his Horses, and the like, were not without them, many of which now to descant upon would be a fruitless Attempt, seeing the Occasion of the Inven∣tion, and the Circumstances are lost, that should illu∣strate them; and others, by reason of their Brevity, seem'd insignificant, in regard something was design∣edly omitted, and left to be understood, which cannot now be rightly supply'd, so as to arrive at the Mind of the Inventor. Of this Number may be this Motto, It is as it is, which was embroider'd upon a Doublet of that King; tho' there are others which seem more easy to be decypher'd; as that daring Motto wrought upon his Surcoat and Shield provided to be used at a Tur∣nament,

Hay, Hay, the Wythe Swan; By God's Soul I am the Man.

§ 3. THE time when the Order was instituted, Hi∣storians differ widely about; Selden, Cowper, and others, from Froissart (who wrote temp. Rich. II.) would have it in the 18th of King Edw. III. But since Frois∣sart errs, in making the Number of Knights-Compa∣nions no fewer than Forty, which is a grand Mistake, Why might not he trip in Point of Time, and con∣found the Year of its Erection, with that wherein the Founder renew'd the Order of The Round Table, Wind∣sor being the Place for both. For should we admit, that during some Part of the Solemnity held in this King's 18th Year, when the Accident of the Lady's Garter slipping off happen'd, what other Inference can be made, but that he had only an Intention to put in Execution somewhat afterwards? Not that an Order was actually ••rected at that Time: Besides, the Jollity of the Season, the Greatness of the Concourse, and

the Splendidness of the Festivity, it was too busy a Time to suffer much Consultation tending thereunto; or at least to mould and model a Design so compleat and substantial, as it appears to have been even at first. If we joyn Fabian, he is plain, that tho' the King de∣sign'd the Institution at the End of the Festival, (which he places between Candlemas and Lent, in the 19th, and not 18th Year of that King) Yet was it not then, saith he, but afterwards establish'd by him. Never∣theless, Mr. Selden elsewhere observes, it had its Ori∣ginal in the 24th Year of the said King. And our in∣dustrious Stow (with whom Lily, Speed, and Segar agree) tells us, That the first Feast of the Order was celebrated A. D. 1350. which exactly agrees to the 24th of Ed∣ward III. But Polydore Virgil places it after the 25th of Edward III. We must therefore have recourse to some other Proofs for elucidating this Point, since this Chro∣nological Aera of the true Time of its Institution hath wonderfully slipp'd the Pens of all Writers.

ADMITTING then that the erecting this Order was first thought of by King Edward, at some of those grand Assemblies of The Round Table, held after the French King had set up the like; yet was it not ma∣ture, or brought to any Perfection, till after his glorious Victories and Triumphs over the French and Scots in the Battles of Cressy and Nevil's Cross, (in the last of which the Scotch King, David, was taken Prisoner) and until King Edward had Calais surrendred to him, as will appear very conspicuous.

AMONG the Rolls of the Great Wardrobe, is one containing the Account of all the King's Liveries, from Michaelmas Anno 21, to the 31st of Jan. 23 Edw. III. In the same are divers Things mention'd to be adorn'd with Garters, which were provided against the first grand Feast of St. G orge; and among the rest, the Royal Robes, viz. his Mantle, Surcoat and Hood; likewise a Bed of Blue Taffaty was bedeck'd with Gar∣ters, containing the Motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense. There were made for the Sovereign Three Harnesses, whereof Two were of White Velvet, wrought over with Garters de blu & d••asp••i per totum compedmein cum Woodhouses; and the Third de Velve••to Ynde cont. Lapp••kin

quisseux & caligas, wrought over likewise with Garters. Had the Roll been divided into Years, or had distinguishing Marks of Time upon it, we might have been guided with more Certainty as to the true Year of the Institution. However, we may thence conclude it was not founded in the 18th of Edw. III. because that the Sovereign's Robes were not made until the 22d Year of his Reign at soonest; perhaps not till the Beginning of the 23d. But to put the Matter beyond dispute, the Founder's Statutes fix the Time of Institution to his 23d Year; so do the Sta∣tutes of King Henry V. and the Preface to the Black Book, Leland, Mills and Dr. Heylin. To conclude, when he had fix'd upon the Day and Place for ••elebrating the first grand Feast of this Order, he sent his Heralds into Germany, France, Scotland, Burgundy, Hainault, Flanders and Brabant, to invite all Knights and Esquires, (with Assurance of Safe-Conduct and Liberty for Fifteen Days, both before and after the grand Solemnity) to shew their military Prowess and other publick Exer∣cises there to be perform'd, proper to the Place and Occasion; agreeable to which Invitation, sundry Knights and Gallant Men came over to signalize their Valour; and what made the Solemnity more glorious, King Edward's Queen was there present, attended with Three Hundred of the fairest Ladies, in all imaginable Splendor and Gaity.

§ 4. THE Patrons of the Order were several, under whose Protection (according to the Custom of the Age) King Edw. III. put himself and all the Knights-Compa∣nions, that the Affairs of the Order might be defended, preserved and govern'd.

THE first and chiefest which he elected, was the Holy Trinity, which in a more especial Manner was in∣vocated to the Aid and Assistance of this Order.

Secondly, King ••dward III. intitled peculiarly the blessed Virgin Mary, accounted then the general Media∣trix and Protectress of all Men; unto whom Kin•• Ed∣ward IV. was so strictly devoted, that he thought some additional Ceremonies requisite to her farther Honour, and thereupon ordain'd•• that on her Five Solemnities

the Knights Companions should annually (as accu∣stom'd on the Feast of St. George) wear the Habit of the Order as long as Divine Service was celebrating, (unless they had sufficient Cause of excuse) bearing on the right Shoulders of their Robes a golden Figure of the Virgin Mary; and that they should go in the same Manner and Habit upon all Sundays throughout the Year; and lastly, that on the same Days for ever they should say Five Pater Nosters, with as many Ave Maria's.

Thirdly, St. George of Cappadocia, a most choice Cham∣pion of Christ and famous Martyr, was also elected one of the Patrons to this Order by King Edward III. not so much as he was a Professor of the Christian Faith, or for that he was an armed Soldier or Knight of Christ, but so much the more because in those Wars, which were waged by the Christians against the Infi∣dels, he by several Appearances manifested his Pre∣sence as a most certain Encourager and Assistant to the Christians; the Relations whereof may be seen in Dr. Heylin's History, who hath laboriously and judiciously maintain'd the History of this Saint, against those that will not allow him a Place in Heaven, or a Being in the Church. In like manner the learned Selden hath avouch'd him to be the special Patron, Protector, De∣fender, and Advocate of this Realm of England; and has made it plainly appear in what Veneration he hath been honour'd abroad, especially among the Eastern Nations. To whose corroborating Testimonies we shall add, That this Title of Patron to our Nation, as given to St. George by the Founder of this Order, in a Patent granted to the Dean and Canons of the Chapel of St. Stephen at Westmins••er, and St. George at Windsor, which dischargeth them from Payment of Tythes; as also by King Henry VIII. in the Preamb••e of his St••∣tutes. And tho' in general he is sty••'d the Principal Patron of the Affairs of Christendom, and a tutelar Guar∣dian of military Men, yet among all Christians the English did excel; and in this Nation the Founder of this Order, in making choice of such an approv'd 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Captain and Patron, in particular Resp••ct o•• whom the Knights had the Title of 〈…〉〈…〉 St. George's Knights, and the Order it self came to 〈◊〉〈◊〉

call'd the Ordo Divi Sancti Georgii, The Order of St. George.

IT is remarkable, that Du Chesn•• a noted French Hi∣storian, acknowledges it was by the special Invocation of St. George that King Edward III. gain'd the Battle of Cressy, which afterwards bringing to his Remembrance, He founded, says he, a Chapel within the Castle of Wind∣sor. But if we may ascend a step higher, and give credit to Harding, it's recorded King Arthur paid St. George particular Honours, for he advanc'd his Picture in one of his Banners, which was about Two Hundred Years after his Martyrdom, and very early for a Coun∣try so remote from Cappadocia to have him in Reverence and Esteem.

Lastly, The Founder added a fourth Patron, whose Name himself bore, viz. St. Edward the Confessor, his Predecessor, King of Eng••and; and we find he was wont to be invocated by this Founder, as well as St. George, in any great Difficulties and Streights. Wal∣singham gives an Instance at the Skirmish of Calais, A. D. 1349. when King Edward, in great Anger and Grief, drew out his Sword, and most passionately cry'd out, Ha St. Edward, Ha St. George; which his Soldiers hear••ng, ran presently to him, and rushing violently upon the Enemy, put many of them to the Sword. These Four Patrons we find recorded together in the Preamble of the Foundation of Windsor College by King Edward III. tho' in the Preamble to his Statutes of the Order, and to King Henry V's Statutes, St. Edward the Confessor is omitted; nevertheless he is enumerated with the rest in the Preamble to King H••nry VIII's.

§ 5. As to the Honour and Reputation of this Noble Order, either in Comparison with others, or in Refe∣rence to it self, it challenges the Precedency of Anti∣quity, before the eldest Rank of Honour of that Kind any where establish'd.

Second••y, The Statutes of the Foundation were so ex∣quisitely and judiciously devised and compacted, upon such solid Foundations of Honour and Nobleness, that they afterwards became a Precedent to other Orders; and gave the Plan to those Two of The Golden Fl••ece and

of Monsieur St. Michael, as is manifest by comparing their Statutes.

Thirdly, It is no small Honour that accrues to this Order, that the Number of these Knights-Companions were never encreas'd, but as they were Twenty Six with the Sovereign, so they now thus continue, ut Pretium faciat raritas; for the infringing this Article hath split several other military Orders into Contempt and Ruin, as nothing more tarnishing, or throwing a fully on the Worth of Glory and Honour, than when render'd so vulgar, and indifferently disposed without Distinction and Merit, as is exemplify'd in The Order of the Star, and the now declining Order of St. Mi∣chael.

Fourthly, It has receiv'd more additional Lustre by being honour'd with the Companionship of divers Em∣perors, Kings and Sovereign Princes, who esteem••d it the Summit of their Glory, and the highest Trophy of additional Honour, to be enroll'd in the Number. In∣somuch that some of them with Impatience courted the Election. For we find recorded in the Register, A. D. 1672. Eight Emperors of Germany, Three Kings of Spain, Five French Kings, Two Kings of Scotland, Five Kings of Denmark, Five Kings of Portugal, Two Kings of Sweden, One King of Poland, One King of Arragon, Two Kings of Naples, besides divers Dukes and other free Princes; as One Duke of Guelderland, One Duke of Holland, Two Dukes of Burgundy, Two Dukes of Bruns∣wick, One Duke of Milan, Two Dukes of Urbin, One Duke of Ferrara, One Duke of Savoy, Two Dukes of Holstein, One Duke of Saxony, and One Duke of Wertem∣berg, Seven Count Palatines of the Rhin••, Four Princes of Orange, and One Marquis of Brandenburg.

Fifthly, It entitles those Knights and Noblemen, whose Vertue hath rais'd them to this Pitch of Greatness, to be Companions and Associates with Emperors and Kings, a Prerogative of an high Nature, and a suffici∣ent Recompence for the greatest Merit. We shall close up all with the high Elogy bestow'd on it by the learned Selden, That it exceeds in Majesty, Honour and Fame, all Chivalrous Orders of the World.