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as the order of the Annunciade in Savoy, and of the Golden Fleece in Burgundy.

There is a third opinion which feems to approach nearest to the truth: King Richard the Firft, firnamed Cœur de Lion, whilft his forces were employed in the reduction of Acon, being extremely harraffed with the fiege, bethought himself of a device to infpire his principal officers with freth courage. Superftition fays it was done by the affiftance and mediation of Saint George. He tied a leathern garter, the beft at that time to be procured, around his own leg, and thofe of a confiderable number of Knights, thereby intending to dif tinguish them for their courage, and to raise a spirit of emulation among them: it had the defired effect, but was only a temporary inftitution.

When therefore King Edward determined to establish a lafting union among the most deferving of his Knights, it is not impro

bable

bable that he recollected this contrivance of his valiant predeceffor, and approving of the method, continued it in a more grand and ceremonious manner. By this fymbol he defigned to bind the Knights and Fellows of it mutually to each other, and all of them jointly to himself as Sovereign of the order: at the fame time intending that it fhould ferve as an incentive to honour and martial virtue. To draw the bonds of amity more clofe, the King caused those who were of the order to be called Fellows, Affociates, Brethren, or Knight-Companions; whilst to represent how they should be united in all the various turns of fortune, he caused them to be habited exactly alike: and as he laid claim to the kingdom of France, he inferred by the motto *, "Honi

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foit qui mal y pense," that he retorted defiance

* That age abounded with mottoes and devices; King Edward in particular was fo exceffively addicted to them, that his apparel, plate, beds, houfhold furniture, fhields, and even the harness of his horfes were not with

out

defiance on him who fhould dare to think amifs of fo juft an enterprize.

Hiftorians differ greatly about the time this order was instituted: it is probable the order of the Round Table was renewed fome years before that of the Garter was eftablished from concurrent circumftances it appears to have been about the year 1349, the twenty-third of Edward's reign, and Windfor, where King Arthur had first celebrated his inftitution,

was fixed on by When he had ap

him for the ceremony. pointed the day and place, and made the neceffary preparations for keeping the first grand feftival of his new order, he fent his Heralds into the neighbouring kingdoms to invite all Knights to fhew their military

out them. The following motto which was wrought on his furcoat and fhield worn at a tournament, will ferve as a fpecimen of them, and fhew how unintelligible and infignificant they now appear.

Hay, hay, the Whyte Swan,
By God's foul I am the man.

prowefs,

Agreeable

prowefs, and to perform other public exercifes proper to the occafion. to this invitation, many gallant Cavaliers came over to fignalize their valour; and what greatly added to the splendour of the folemnity was, the prefence of Queen Philippa, attended by three hundred of the faireft Ladies, bedecked with all imaginable gaiety.

St. George of Cappadocia, that gallant Chriftian champion and martyr, was chofen by King Edward as one of the patrons of this order, he having been always esteemed the fpecial guardian and protector of England; from whence this order came to be ftiled the order of St. George. The founder alfo added another patron, whose name he bore himself, namely Edward the Confeffor; and we find he was wont to invoke both these Saints in any great difficulties and ftreights. At the fkirmish near Calais, lately recited, being hard preffed, he paffionately cried out at every blow, Ha, St. Edward!

. I

Edward! Ha, St. George! which his fol diers hearing, they ran to his aid, and enabled him to put the French to flight.

The ftatutes of this inftitution were fo judiciously devised, and compacted upon fuch a folid foundation of honour and dignity, that they afterwards became a precêdent to other orders. It is also much in its favour that the number of the KnightsCompanions have never been encreased; for as they were originally twenty-fix with the Sovereign, fo they ftill continue; whilft the infringement of this reftriction has brought feveral other military orders into contempt and ruin. No order of Knighthood was ever graced with the companionship of fo many fovereign Princes; Emperors having efteemed it the fummit of their glory, and the highest trophy of honour, to be enrolled in the number: it entitles thofe Knights and Noblemen whofe virtue has raised them to this eminence, to be companions and affociates with Kings;

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