an inestimable prerogative, and a recompence for the greatest merit. The ordi nances and obligations of this inftitution tend not only to fortify the minds of its Knights with courage and perfeverance, but to promote the gentler virtues; and in thefe the first companions felected by the royal inftitutor abounded in an eminent degree. On the whole, every regulation must convince pofterity of the goodness of the heart and dignity of the fentiments of its founder, Edward the Third.

The Prince of Wales was the first of these illuftrious Companions; nor has fucceeding ages ever produced a Knight, so fraught by nature with thofe virtues and accomplishments required to grace the inftitution.

The habit and enfigns of this order are too well known to need a minute defcription the garter, the mantle, the furcoat, and the collar, contribute to make it the moft

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moft fuperb and becoming drefs that can be devifed. The materials of which they were first composed, except the mantle, are at present unknown; but of those wrought in later ages particular accounts have been given.

The garter fent to Emanuel Duke of Savoy, in the reign of Philip and Mary, was fet with letters of goldfmith's work, the buckle and pendant of the fame, and on the pendant a ruby with a pearl hanging at the end. That made for the Emperor Maximilian, by order of Queen Elizabeth, was richly wrought with letters of gold, set off and garnifhed with ftones; the buckle and pendant weighing three ounces, were richly fet with rubies and diamonds. The French King, Henry the Fourth, had one of purple velvet embroidered with letters of gold, and decked with diamonds and rubies. But the garter fent to Guftavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, by Charles the First, outvied all others conferred by former Sove

reigns;

reigns; each letter of the motto being compofed of small diamonds, and for every stop a diamond, within a range of the same on the fides of the garter; which, including thofe on and about the buckle, amounted to four hundred and eleven.

The form of the mantle is fimilar to the ancient pallium or toga of the Greeks and Romans. Thofe prepared by command of the founder against the first feast of this order appear to have been of fine woollen cloth; and it is not improbable, that this material was chofen by him rather than any thing richer, to give a preference to the manufactory of his own country; how long these continued to be worn is uncertain ; but the first time we difcover them to be made of velvet, is about the

the reign of Henry the Sixth,

beginning of

The colour

of them was originally blue, or as it was fometimes termed of celeftial colour ; in the reign of Queen Elizabeth it was changed to purple; but they were reftored to their former

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former hue by à particular order of King Charles the First, at the inftallation of his Son the Prince of Wales. The left fhoulder of each of these mantles have, from the inftitution, been adorned with a large fair garter containing the motto of the order: within this garter are the arms of St, George, viz. argent a crofs gules, which heretofore was wrought in fattin with gold, filver, and filk; but in defcending times greater expence and magnificence became the practice of the order, for it was embroi dered upon velvet with damafk, gold, and feveral forts of twifts; the letters of the motto and borders of the garter being compofed of fair oriental pearl. The garter fixed upon the mantle of King Charles the Second was encircled with large oriental pearls; as were not only the letters of the motto, but the crofs within.

The furcoat or kirtle, the third enfign of the order, anfwers to the tunica of the Romans, and was worn like that next under

the

the toga it was girt close to the body with a girdle, and fo fitted, that the hem of it reached a little below the knee. It was by this part of the dress of the Roman citizens, that the three degrees among them were dif tinguished; for the Senators tunicks were embroidered or purfled over with broad purple ftuds, thofe of the Knights with narrow ones, and thofe worn by the Plebeians were plain. The colour of this vefture was anciently changed every year; commonly into blue, fcarlet, fanguine in grain, or white; but in the thirty-fourth year of King Edward's reign he altered it to black, and was followed by the Companions of the order. The motive that induced him to fix on this fable colour, was supposed to be a kind of humiliation on account of the peftilence, which then began again to fpread its malignancy with as much fury as it had raged eleven years before. This garment, at the time of instituting the order, and for a long time after, was powdered all over with little garters,