NfxT to thefe, we are to mention Knights of theBath, which is a Degree that hath the Inveftiture andTitle of Knight, with an additional Denomination,derived from Part of the Ceremony of his Creation.It is the general receiv’d Opinion, that our K. Hen. 4.firft inftituted thefe Knights, which is juftify’d by SirJohn Froifard , who fays he created 46 of them at hisCoronation, chufing them from fuch, as were eitherhis Favorites, or had pretentions to it from their per-fonal Merits, or Services.

But if the Ceremonies and Circumftances of theirCreation be well confider’d, it may be inferr’d, that herather reftor’d the ancient way of making Knights,thanInftituted them 3 and confequently that the Knightsof the Bath, are really no other than Knights-Batchelors $that is, fuch as are created with thole Ceremonies,wherewith Knigkts-Batchelors were formerly created byEcclefiaftickss But fome of them having been laid alide,were then brought again into Ufe, and made peculiarto this Degree, and lince continued to them upon fomefolemn and great Occafion.

At the firft View they look like a diftinfl Order ofKnighthood 3 but cannot be lo accounted, becaufe theyhave no Statutes aftlgned them, nor are in Cafe of Va-cancy, fupply’d, (the Eflentials of diftinft Orders) nordo they wear their Robes beyond the Time of that Oc-Calion upon which they Were created 3 as chiefly, theCoronation of a King or Queen, the Creation of a Princeof Wales, Duke of Yorkj and the like 3 whereas alfotheir Number is uncertain, and always at the Pleafureof the King.

Favine calls them Knights of the Crown, becaufe, todiftinguilh them from Efquires, they wore upon theirLeft Shoulder an Elcutcheon of Black Silk embroider’dwith three Crowns of Gold 3 but therein he miftakes,for they never ufed only a Silk Lace, and the Jewel theywore was made of Gold, containing three Crowns, withthis Motto Tria junBatn ima, hanging down under theleft Arm at a Carnation Ribbon worn crofs the Body.

This leads us to the Degree of Baronets, who feernallied to Knighthood, by having granted them the Ad-dition of Sir to be let before their Names: But thisgives them not the Dignity of Knighthood 5 nor canKn^ properly be ftyled Knights, until they be actually

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