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HISTORY OF THE

seated, may, perhaps, be considered those of a Thistle; but, with this possibleexception, that Emblem appears, for the first time, upon the Great Seal, onthat of Queen Mary, whose Arms, as will be more particularly noticed, aresurrounded by a Collar partly composed of Thistles.

There is almost conclusive evidence that no Collar, either of Knighthood,or even of the Royal Livery, existed in Scotland, until the latter part of thereign of King James the Fifth. No decoration of the kind, except of a GoldenThistle, which was evidently a mere Badge, and not the Ensign of Knighthood,is mentioned in the Inventory of King James the Third’s effects in 1488, thoughthe Collars of the Orders of the Elephant and Saint Michael are noticed; 1and it is nearly certain, that none was instituted in August 1504, because aneye-witness of the marriage of King James the Fourth with the Princess Mar-garet, at Edinburgh, in that month, has left a particular account of thedresses of the King, the Queen, and the Scottish Nobility; 2 3 * 5 and though hedescribes the Jewels, Chains, and other ornaments, in the most minute manner,states that the Collar of the Garter was worn by the Earl of Surrey and SirRichard Pole, who escorted the Queen to Scotland; that the King had the

1 Among the Jewels of King James the Third, at his decease in 1488, were,

“ A Collar of gold maid with Elephantis and a grete hingar at it. Item Sanct Michaell of goldwith a perle on his spere. Item a Collar of Cokkilschellis contenand xxim schellis of gold.” TheQueen Consort is said to have had, besides other Chains of various sorts, “ a Chenye of gold madein fassone of Frere Knottis contenand fourtie four Knottis,” and “ a Collar of gold fassonit like Roisisanamelit.”

2 Printed in Leland’s Collectanea, vol. IV. pp. 293, 295, 297, 298.

3 The Portraits of the previous Sovereigns in “ Johnstone’s Inscriptiones Historicae RegumScotorum,” printed in 1602, in which work some of those Princes are represented with a Collar ofThistles and the Badge of Saint Andrew, are of very doubtful authenticity.

* Engraved in Anderson’s “ Selectus Diplomatum et Numismatum Scotiae Thesaurus.” Thispiece is not in the Collection in the British Museum. For an enlarged copy of the Royal Effigy, seethe Vignette in p. 3.

5 “ Inventure of the Clething, Abilyamentis, and uthir graith of the richt excellent and mychtiPrince King James the Fyft, King of Scotland, maid the xxv day of the moneth of Marche the yeir ofGod mdxxxix, then being in His Hienes Wardrobbis.”—Pp. 30—54. Among the numerous curiousarticles mentioned, are:

“ In primis ane gowne of purpour satyne, reschit all oure with silvier, lynit with martrikis sabill,all through furnist with buttonis of the fassoun of the Thrissill, gold.”

“ Jowellis. Item ane Crowne of gold, sett with perle and precious stanis.

Item in primis, of diamentis tuenty.

Item of fyne orient perle thre scoir and aucht, wantand ane floure delice of gold.

Item ane Septour with ane grete bereall and ane perle in the heid of it.

Item twa Swordis of Honour with twa beltis, the auld belt wantand foure stuthis.