their merit.

wifdom and for military atchievements as a distinguishing badge, and in recompence for Most aptly therefore have the Sovereigns of military orders annexed this ornament of the collar to their habit, and conferred it on the Fellows and Companions, most of whom are supposed to have meritoriously deserved it, for their great wisdom and military exploits; and for this reafon it was instituted as an additional glory to the enfigns of the garter: it is composed of gold, coupled together by feveral pieces of links in fashion of garters, with a vermillion rose between, and the image of St, George hung thereat.

The collar of S S's worn as a badge of lower and inferior honour, was made ufe of originally by a focicty of noble perfonages, in remembrance of Simplicius and Fauftinus, Senators of Rome, who fuffered martyrdom for the fake of Christianity in the reign of Dioclefian. It is thus described in an ancient manfçript; 66 It was 6

"the

“the custom of those persons to wear about "their necks filver collars compofed of "double S's, which denote the name of "St. Simplicius; the collar confifted of "twelve fmall plates of filver, on which were engraven the twelve articles of the "creed, together with a fingle trefoil: the

66

image of St. Simplicius hung at the col"lar, and from it feven plates representing "the feven gifts of the Holy Ghost.

As

to the manner of their martyrdom, they were bound together by the neck to a "stone, and thrown over the bridge into "the Tyber."

In the ancient creation of an Efquire, part of the ceremony was the King's putting about his neck one of these filver collars; a golden one was the undoubted badge of a Knight. Among the variety of thefe collars worn are the following: That belonging to the Lord Mayor of the city of London, which is compofed of gold, having a knot like one of those which tie the garters together in

the

the great collar of the order of St. George,' inferted between two S's; these again are fituated between two rofes, rofes, and in the middle of it before the breaft is a large portcullis, whereat hangs a jewel fet with diamonds. The collars of the Lord Chief Juftices of both the Benches, and the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, formed of the letter S and of knots, are in memory of the faid St. Simplicius, who, being a Senator, was confequently a difpenfer of the laws.

The most ancient ceremony ufed on conferring of Knighthood was by putting the belt which fupported the fword loose over the shoulders, or girding it close about the wafte. In the time of the Saxons fome religious formalities were added, fuch as watching, fafting, bathing, and confecrating the fword; inferring from the obfervance of these rights, that decency of habit was as well expected from them as integrity of life and purity of manners. The like religious ceremony was formerly observed

!

obferved in other kingdoms: the person to be knighted was bathed in the evening, and laid in bed; then clothed in rich robes, and led to the church to perform his vigils: that being over and mass heard, his fpurs were put on, and his sword girt about him, then drawn out and put into his right hand; whereupon the oath was forthwith administered to him; which taken, he that bestowed the dignity gave him a blow or ftroke on the neck, faying, "God affift 66 you in the performance of your promife." The oath or vow the Knights at this time made, was in general to relieve and protect the widow and the fatherlefs, the oppreffed and miferable, and to defend the Church of God. Thefe ceremonious methods have been abolished for fome ages; and even in the century we treat of, were performed in a more expeditious manner. Before the joining of a battle it was ufual for the Prince or General in the field, on fight of the adverse army, to give those whom he thought fit to advance to that honour (they

humbly

humbly kneeling before him) a gentle ftroke with the flat part of a naked fword on their fhoulders, without any other ceremony, except pronouncing, Rife, Sir Knight, &c." This mode is ftill continued, and termed dubbing, the old English word for creating a Knight; from "doopen," to dip; bathing, as before obferved, being part of the procedure.

The admonitions originally given at the installation of a Knight of the Garter were as follow; fome variation has been fince made to accommodate them to the alteration of the national religion. Whilft the cere mony of inveftiture with the mantle is performing, the words are thefe: "Take this "mantle of heavenly colours, in fign and "token of the most honourable order you "have received, and to the increase of your “honour, figned and marked as you fee, "with a red efcutcheon of our Lord's "crofs, to the intent that you, being always "defended by the virtue and strength 46 thereof,