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Collar at his Creation; where, as foon as the Ceremonybf his Ordination is over, the Padre Guardian Kiffesthenew Made Knight, and puts about his Neck (accordingto the mode of the Ancients) a Golden Collar, with aCrofs hanging at it.
Most aptly therefore have the Sovereigns of MilitaryOrders annex'd this Ornament of the Collar to theirHabit, and conferr’d it on the Fellows and Companions,many of whom have meritorioufly deferv’d it for theirgreat Wifdom and valorous Exploits, and for this rea-fon it was inllituted in additional Glory to the Enfignsof the Garter, compos’d in a peculiar manner, in Rela-tion to the Name and Title 3 to the wearing of whichthe Sovereign oblig’d both himfelf and Knights-Com-panions, and his and their Succeffors.
This Collar was ordain’d to be of Gold ThirtyOunces Troy weight, but not to exceed it; howbeit thatCollar fent to Gujlavus Jdolphus, King of Swedm,weigh’d Thirty-four Ounces and a Quarter, and that ofKing Charles I. 3 5 Ounces and an Half 3 which, afterhis Sufferings, fell info the Hands of Thomas Harnfon,one of Oliver’s Major-Generals, and was by him deli-vered to the Truftees for Sale of the King’s Goods:They, 1649. fent it to the Mint, with divers of theRegalia, to fet the Stamp on work for the firft Goldthat the upftart Com non-wealth coin’d.
It was appointed by King Henry VIII’s Statutes, thatthis Collar fhould be compos’d of Pieces of Goldin Fafhion of Garters, the Ground enamelled Blue,and the Letters of the Motto Gold 3 in the midft ofeach Garter, Two Rofes plac’d, the innermoft enamel-led Red, and the outermoft White, contrarily in thenext Garter, the innermoft Rofe enamelled White,and the outermoft Red, and fo alternately 3 but oflater Times thefe Rofes are wholly Red.
The Number of thefe Garters are fo many as be theordain’d Number of the Sovereign and Knights-Com-panions 3 at the Inftitution they were Twenty-fix, be-ing fatten’d together with as many Knots of Gold, andthis Mode hitherto has continu’d invariable 3 norought the Collar to be adorn’d or enrich’d with pre-cious Stones, (as the George may be) fuch being prohi-bited by the Law of the Order. An
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