( 49 )

Turks roving in the Mediterranean. There are three'it* Sorts of this Order, x. Knights Gentlemen, Laicks.

’hi 2. Knights Gentlemen, Priefts and benefic’d. 3. Knights

llijj,: chaplains} or Servants of Arms. All of thefe wear on the

ofi. l e ft Side of their Mantles their Badge, which is a hie w

V Crofs fioree Ature, border’d with Silver, having 4 Mullets,

W or Stars, at the End of each Flower, to fignine the Four

1 tin Evangelifls j in the Middle is a Circle (extended round

lain'j underneath the Arms of the Crofs) fet with 12 Rays

) Tj, for the 12 Apoftles, infcrib’d, In hoc Jigno vincam 5 and

Ml within it (taking up the Center of the Crofs) is a Cy-

pher of M. S. i. e. SanBa Maria, crown’d with Chapletsioj t of Flowers, and Stars of Gold fet over the Chaplet.

4 6 . Knights of the Annunciade, and St. Michaelthe Archangel in Mantua, or of the Chrifiianro- Militia m Moravia,

mt

Her By thefe Names they have been promifcuoufly cal-™ led. It was inftituted 1618. by Charles Gontaga, Duke

left of Mantua and Nevers , in Conjunction with Adolph,

i jr y Count of Altham his Brother, and John Baptiji Petrignan

aiflt Sfortia. To give it the greater Luftre, they divided

jVjc the World among them5 Charles took the North and

"rofi Weft Parts, Adolph the Eaftern, and the other had the

CM . South, where they were perfonally to found Convents

lt 0 f and inveft Knights. Duke Charles began his Inftitution

of this Order under the Rule of St. Francis, in Olmutz.the Metropolis of Moravia, the Year aforefaid, and de-, e j dicated it to the blefled Virgin and St. Michael ; Butwhat Progrefs the others made in their pious Refolu-tions, Hiftory is filent. It has been likewife ftyl’d,jj r . Conceptionis Ordo C 7 - Militis Virginis annunciate. Anno 1612.

I j n . feveral illuftrious Princes of divers Countries entered

u themfelves into that Order at Vienna. It was approv’d

l £l s, by Pope Paul V. and confirm’d by Pope Paul VIII. 1624,

til! TheDefign of its Inftitution was, to eftablifh Peace and

ItV C° nc ord among Chriftian Princes and their Subjects;

fj; *? re ^ ea ^ e Captives, and deliver the Opprefied out of

the Hands of the Infidels..

tui!' p On1 fome unhappy Difference among the illuftrious, J Founders, in a fhort time it moulder’d away and became

E ineffe-