An account of the ceremony of investing his Electoral Highness of Brandenburgh with the Order of the Garter Perform'd at Berlin on the 6th of June, 1690. By James Johnston, Esq: His Majesties envoy extraordinary to his Electoral Highness, and principal commissioner. And Gregory King, Esq; the other commissioner for this investiture. With the speeches made at this solemnity by the said Mr. Johnston, and Monsieur Fulks, minister of state to his Electoral Highness.

Monsieur FULCKS, Minister of State, His Speech.

SIR,

HIS most Serene Highness, the E∣lector of Brandenburg, our Gracious Prince, receives the Honour his Royal Majesty of Great Britain has been pleased to confer on him, in sending him the Badges of the most Noble Or∣der of the Garter, with all due Respect and E∣steem. For whether its Antiquity be regarded, it being Three Hundred

Thirty Nine Years since its first beginning, or the glorious Founder of it, Edward the Third, to∣gether with his Royal Qualities, especially his unheard of Courage, and the Happiness that attended him; or whe∣ther the Splendor and Excellency of those that have been honour'd with the most Noble Order be consider'd; a∣mongst whom are rec∣kon'd several great Mo∣narchs, and what is won∣derful, Eight Emperors, Five and Forty Kings, Sixty Electors and Prin∣ces, vested with Sove∣raign Power, besides a great many other Hero's renowned both by their Birth and Actions; or whether the design of

the Institution be look∣ed on, which was the de∣fence of Justice, the re∣lieving the oppressed, and the encouragement of true Vertue, 'twill be found, that it gives place to no Order in the world, but on the con∣trary does far excel them all. The Excellen∣cy whereof is visible, by those two things that are absolutely required in every true Knight, which are, not to have been tainted of any Baseness, or of any Cow∣ardize. But the Dignity of this Order has been so fully shewn by His Majesties Envoy, that 'twould be superfluous to add anything to what he has said. Indeed in the ancient Histories of the

Greeks and Romans, ma∣ny Examples may be found, where Kingdoms and Provinces have been given away to others by the Possessors thereof; but Desert and Right were not always the Causes of such Donati∣ons: They were oftner made by blind Chance or Favour, or else Rea∣sons of State were the occasions of them. But that Honour which is founded only on Me∣rits, and which proceeds from a true and solid consideration of Worth only, is to be prefer∣red above Scepters and Crowns. And the con∣ferring of this Noble Order must be thus looked upon, since it is done by a King who

does nothing but with an exact knowledge and mature deliberation. For altho his Electoral High∣ness could not but have always thought it an Honour to have been of this Order, yet he looks upon it as greater still in this, That the Dignity is conferred upon him by his present Majesty of Great Britain. The Diamonds and Gold which shine on the Badges thereof, receive yet a greater lustre from so glorious a Hand, which the Divine Provi∣dence has made choice of to render this Age fa∣mous even for Miracles, to be a terror and cha∣stisement to Tyrants, to deliver the oppressed, raise up those that were

fallen, restore those that are driven out, to stablish Tottering Crowns, and which having already freed Two Kingdoms, will in all probability glo∣riously recover a Third in a short time. Things that come from such an august hand can∣not but be of excel∣lent Vertue and Effect. His incomparable Va∣lour and Courage, and the blessing of Heaven, have had this great effect, that the most Famous Nations in the World, have put Four Crowns on his Head, and on that of his Royal Consort, adorned likewise with all the same Vertues and Perfections. Which

Crowns, instead of ad∣ding any Ornament to the Persons that are possessed of them, be∣come more illustrious from the heads of those that wear them. His Electoral Highness was the first of any For∣reign Prince that has received this Noble Token of Favour from His Royal Majesty. From whence his High∣ness cannot but ac∣knowledge, That tho His Royal Majesty, and his Electoral High∣ness, were before near∣ly Related, His Roy∣al Majesty has thought fit to make still a clo∣ser Union. 'Tis not to be question'd, but that it proceeds from the Secret Providence

of God; That as this Order was instituted by Edward the Third, especially against the French, who then, as at present, began to strive for the Universal Monarchy, so now is conferr'd by William the Third, on Frederick the Third, at a time when they Two first of all displayed their Colours for the Freedom of Europe, and with U∣nited Forces, opposed Themselves to that monstrous and dread ful Enemy, rendring the Thing more Omi∣nous, by the Badge which this Order makes use of, Hony soit qui mali pense. Let him perish shamefully who dares rashly despise

this inseparable Alli∣ance. To this, with∣out doubt, His Royal Majesty had regard, when He sent the Sword to His Electo∣ral Highness, which otherwise relates not to the Badges of the Order, and was never before conferred on any Knight; and with which he would have him girt with so great Solemnity, that he might make use of it in his Wars, for the asserting the Freedom of Europe. His Ele∣ctoral Highness cer∣tainly designs to do that which His Majesty intended by conferring this Honour on him, and will always think himself so strictly u∣nited

to His Majesty, that no Force nor Ar∣tifice shall ever be able to break the Union: But he will esteem whatever For∣tune, whether bad or good, that attends his Majesty, to be the same as if it happen'd to his Highness, ma∣king no other diffe∣rence betwixt his Maje∣sties Concerns and his own, than to give those of his Majesty the first place. More∣over, his Electoral Highness will never render himself unwor∣thy the Honour confer∣red, or forget the Sta∣tutes of the Order. And because his Electoral Highness is now be∣come one of the Mem∣bers

of the Order, insti∣tuted amongst the Eng∣lish Nation, his High∣ness will always endea∣vour to promote their Interest and Glory. Lastly, His Highness thanks the Commissio∣ners, in that they have been pleased to under∣take the conferring this Noble Present on him, and thanks his Royal Majesty for having chosen them for this Solemnity, to whom his Electoral Highness will on all occasions shew all Favour and Esteem.

SErenissimus Princeps, Elector Branden∣burgicus, Dominus No∣ster Clementissimus, debi∣to cum respectu at{que} aesti∣matione acceptat honorem, quo Regia Majestas Mag∣nae Britanniae condecorare ipsum voluit transmissis insignibus toto Orbe cele∣bratissimi Ordinis Equitum Divi Georgii Aureae Pe∣riscetidis. Sive enim respi∣ciamus Antiquitatem incly∣tissimi Ordinis, qui jam tre∣centos

triginta novem an∣nos à primis suis incunabu∣lis numerat; seu gloriam Fundatoris, Edvardi ter∣tii, cum omnibus eo fasti∣gio dignis Virtutibus, tùm imprimis inusitatâ fortitu¦dine ac felicitate clarissim: Regis; sive Splendorem ac praestantiam eorum, queis istius Ordinis honos obligit, inter quos multi sublimes Monarchae, & quod jam∣jam non sine admiratione audiyimus, Octo Imperato∣res Romani, quadraginta quin{que} Reges, Sexaginta Electores, & ut plurimùm Supremo Imperio gauden∣tes Principes, praeter pluri∣mos alios non minus Splen∣dore Natalium, quàm re∣rum gestarum gloria cele∣berrimos Heroes numeran∣tur; sive etiam scopum institute qui praecipuè ad

defensionem Justitiae, sub∣levationem oppressorum, & cultum verae at{que} infuca∣tae Virtutis tendit; mani∣festò deprehendetur, isthune nulli alteri ejus generis Or∣dini toto Orbe concedere, multis autem rebus alios longé antecellere. Cujus praestantiae infallibile docu∣mentum perspicitur in du∣obus palmariis genuini E∣quitis requisitis, ut nimi∣rum is nunquam proditio∣nis cujuspiam, aut quod turpi fugâ tergum hosti obverterit, insimulari po∣tuerit: Sed quae ad dig∣nitatem hujus Ordinis spe∣ctant, ea jam à Domino Legato ita luculenter ac so∣lidè deducta sunt, ut su∣perfluum fuerit eidem ali∣quid superaddere velle. Equidem in Antiquâ Hi∣storia Graecorum com∣primis

& Romanorum multa licet videre Exem∣pla, Regnorum ac insig∣nium Provinciarum à Possessoribus in alios col∣latorum: Sed tantorum munerum causa non sem∣per meritum aut jus repe∣ritur: Saepèista caeca for∣tuna, aut enormi favori debentur, aut quia Rei∣publicae rationes ista per alios potius possideri suase∣runt. Ast qui solo Vir∣tutis merito nititur, & ex verâ solidâ{que} praestantiae aestimatione promanet ho∣nos ipsis Sceptris Coronis{que} longè praestabilior haben∣dus. At{que} eodem modulo quoq, collatio inclyti hujus Ordinis mensuranda est, imprimis cum ea proficis∣catur à Rege, cui nil nisi praeviâ exacta cogni∣tione & maturo judicio

suscipitur. Quanquam e∣nim Serenitas sua Electo∣ralis semper sibi deco∣rum habitura fuerat il∣lustrissimo huic Ordini ad∣scribi. Quòd tamen id à Regiâ Majestate Mag∣nae Britanniae, quae nunc rerum potitur, fiat, id multis modis gaudium, quo ipsius mens ex eâ per∣funditur, adauget. Quin ipsi Adamantes & Au∣rum, queis insignia Or∣dinis radiant, multò vi∣vidiorem Splendorem mu∣tuantur à manu tam glo∣riosi collatoris, quam Ma∣num Divina Providentia elegit ad Seculum hoc Miraculis insigniendum, quae Tyrannis Terrorem incutit, eorumque inso∣lentiam castigat & solo affligit, quae Oppressos liberat, & è ruinis

sublevat, spoliatos restitu it, titubantes Coronas stabi∣lit, immo quae adhuc calet ab admiranda liberatione duorum Regnorum, cui & de tertio propediem trophaeum statuendum Au∣guramur. Quae à tam Augustâ manu dantur singulari Virtute & ef∣fectu vacua esse non pos∣sunt velut quae incompa∣rabili suâ fortitudine a∣nimi{que} constantiâ, ac coe∣titùs prosperato successu effecit, ut celeberrima to∣to orbe Natio quatuor Co∣ronas ipsius & serenissimae Consortis Reginae, omnium Virtutum ac gratiarum Matris, capiti exornando porrexerit: Quibus Coro∣nis tamen divinum Lumen quo caput istud circum∣sunditur, plus splendoris affert quam ab iisdem

Accipit. Quo & illud Accedit, quòd serenitas sua Electoralis inter exter∣ros Principes prima sit, quam Regia sua Majestas illustri hocce astimationis ac benevolentiae suae signo muneravit. Ex quo & eadem agnoscit, quòd licet jam antea Regia sua Ma∣jestas & serenitas sua Electoralis sanctissimo san∣guinis & propinquae cog∣nationis vinculo divinitùs sint combinatae, Regia ta∣men Majestas isthanc ne∣cessitudinem isthoc ordinis ligamine arctius adhuc ad stringere praeclarum dux∣erit. Nec dubitare fas est, quin & istud ex oc∣cultâ operatione Divinae providentiae promanârit, ut cùm hic Ordo primùm ab Edvardo tertio institu∣tus fuerit, & quidem

praecipuè contra Gallos, qui jam tum insolentiam & dominandi libidinem, quâ nunc totum feré Or∣bem subversum eunt, parturiebant, idem nunc à Guilielmo tertio in Fri∣dericum tertium confera∣tur, & eo quidem tem∣pore, quo hi duo primi signum ad excutiendum, quod Europae cervicibus imminebat, jugum sustu∣lerunt, ac junctis animis viribus{que} immani ac tru∣culento isti hosti sese obje∣cerunt, auspicatissimis vi∣ctoriarum monumentis symboli, quô hic or do uti∣tur, Omen firmaturi, Hony soit qui mal y pense, dedecore obrutus pereat, qui insolubilem hanc conjunctionem con∣temnere, aut temerare Aurus fuerit. Quò e∣tiam,

sine dubio, pro solitâ sibi Sapientiâ, respexit Regia Sacra Majestas, cùm Serenitati suae Electorali Gladium, qui aliàs cum Ordinis insignibus transmitti non solet. Ad insignia Ordi∣nis haud spectat, & antea nemini Equitum oblatus fuit, offerri, eodem{que} illam in tantâ Solennitate accingi jusse∣rit; ut nimirum eodem in Belli & Periculorum Societate, ad asserendam Europae Libertatem à jugo Gallico uteretur. Sanè Serenitas sua E∣lectoralis Regiae Suae Majestatis scopum, ad quem delato hocce Ho∣nore collimat, ex as∣se implebit. Eadem ita arctè Regiae suae Majestati sese obstrictam

judicabit, ut nulla vis aut fraus ad eam di∣vellendam valitura sit: Quaecun{que} Regiae Suae Majestati, prosperè aut secùs evenerint, sibi quo{que} accidisse judicabit. Deni{que} Regiae suae Majestatis & proprias rationes non alio discrimine habebit, quam quòdistis cura prior{que} locus deferendus sit. De caete∣ro, Serenitas sua Ele∣ctoralis delato hocce Ho∣nore nunquam sese in∣dignum reddet, ac Sta∣tuta Ordinis Memori semper mente tenebit. Et quia Serenitas sua Electoralis nunc inter Membra Ordinis recep∣ta est, ab inclytâ Nati∣one Anglicana insti∣tuti, hujus Gloria & Emolumentum eidem semper quam maxime

cordi erunt. Ad Ex∣tremum Serenitas sua Electoralis Dominis Le∣gatis Gratias agit, quod Officium tam egregii & acceptissimi Muneris of∣ferendi in se suscipere voluerunt: Eidem gra∣tissimum est à suâ Re∣gia Majestate istos po∣tissimùm huic Functioni obeundae delectos, quos & quâ Aestimatione & Affectu Sua Serenitas Electoralis prosequatur, nulla occasione demon∣strare omittet.