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Thing contrary to the Statutes of the Order; neitherto fruflrate the Rights of Peace and Friendfhip, norvilify the Law of Arms, or proceed in any Thing far-ther than Faith and Compaa:, or the Bond of Friend-ship will a’dmit. Moreover, in the binding of the Legwith this enobied Enfign, there was given this Caveatand Exhortation, that the Knights Should not pufilla-nimpufly ( by running away from Battle) betray theValour and Renown which is ingrafted in Conilancyand Magnanimity. Nay, fo exactly did the Foundercontrive the whole Habit into the Signification of theGarter, that he ordain’d his and the Knights-Compa-nions Robes and Ornaments to be all alike, both forMaterials and Fafhion, intimating thereby, That theyought to conferve brotherly Affection among them-felves. The great Collar of the Order was made ofequal Weight, and like Number of Knots and Links,in Token of the like Bond of Faith, Peace and Amityinviolably to be obferv’d and retain’d amongft them :In fine, all Things were fo defign’d, that every onemight plainly perceive how much thefe Things tendedto the Maintenance of Amity and Concord.
In further reference to the eftablifhing this Order,the aforefaid King calling together the Earls, Barons,and principal Knights of his Kingdom, Freely, faysFroiffart , and obligingly declar’d his Mind to them concerningthis Affair : To which all of them being well inclin’d, en->tertain’d the Motion with equal Joy and Applaufe, deemingit would prove a very great Advancement to Piety, Nobilityand Vertue, and likewife an excellent Expedient for the uni-ting not only his Subjects one -with another, but all ForeignersconjunEively-/with them, in the Bonds of Amity and Peace.And ’tis very improbable the prudent Founder Ihouldfummon his Nobles to confult about the Grandeur ofan Order, that had taken its Rife from fo flight anOccafion as the dropping of a Garter from a Lady’s Leg.Now, to draw the Tye of Friendfhip more clofe, theKing caufed thofe who were ( or fhould be ) of theOrder, to be call’d Fellows, AJfoctates, Colleagues, Brethren ,and Knights-Companions, and the Order i f felf a Society,Fellowfb’p, College of Knights, and Knight-Companionfhip jand their Habits to be all alike, to reprefent how they
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