XX

HISTORY OF THE

[APPENDIX.

kept, and whither the said King Achaius went in solemn Procession, to give thanks to Almighty Godfor his miraculous assistance, in the glorious victory obtained by him against Athelstan King of theSaxons. His Majesty having likewise nominated and appointed four other Noblemen of the said King-dom, not here, to be Knights Brethren of the said Order; to wit, the Earl of Perth, Lord High Chan-cellor of the said Kingdom, the Lord Marquess of Atholl, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Duke ofGordon, and the Earl of Arran, who are to be received thereinto by Commissioners appointed by HisMajesty for that effect. The nomination of four Knights more, to complete the full number of thatOrder, consisting of the Sovereign and Twelve Knights Brethren, in allusion to Our Saviour and theTwelve Apostles, being delayed until the Sovereign shall think fit to declare the same. His Majestywas also graciously pleased to give his Commission to Sir Andrew Forrester, to be His Secretary of thesaid Order, the rest of the Officers thereof being speedily to be named by the Sovereign.

“ This account of the Revival and Restoration of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of theThistle was by the Sovereign thereof, His Sacred Majesty, appointed to be published in the Gazette.Attested at Windsor, this 6th day of June 1687.—A. Forrester, Sec.”

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE LONDON GAZETTE OF THE APPOINTMENTS TO

THE ORDER IN FEBRUARY 1704.

“ St. James’s, February 7.—Her Majesty having been graciously pleased, the 31st day of Januarylast, to sign a Patent to be passed under the Great Seal of Scotland, for Reviving and Restoring therethe Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle: in pursuance of which Patent, his GraceJohn Duke of Argyll was received into that Order, the 4th instant, by Her Majesty the Sovereignthereof; as were this day, John Duke of Atholl, William Marquess of Annandale, James Earl ofDalkeith, George Earl of Orkney, and James Earl of Seafield. Her Majesty has dispensed, duringher Royal pleasure, with the Ceremonies and Solemnities of their Instalment, as well as that of all therest of the Knights Brethren. Her Majesty was also pleased to give a Commission to David Nairn,Esq. to be Secretary of the said Order, and to confer upon him the Order of Knighthood. The rest ofthe Officers are speedily to be named by the Sovereign.”

COPY OF THE LETTERS (MUTATIS MUTANDIS) ADDRESSED BY THE SECRETARY TO THE DUKESOF HAMILTON AND GORDON, DATED 17TH FEBRUARY 1703-4.

“ May it please your Grace,—I am commanded by Her Majesty to acquaint your Grace, as one ofthe Knights Brethren of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, that She has beengraciously pleased to sign a Warrant for passing a Patent under the Great Seal of Scotland, forReviving and Restoring the said Order, but with some alteration of the Ribband, Medal, and Collars,and in the Habits and Ornaments, from what it was when last Revived, all which Her Majesty doubtsnot but your Grace will observe according to the Statutes, an exact extract of which I have herewithsent for your Grace’s better information, together with a pattern of the Ribband in which the Jewel orMedal of the Order is to be worn. I have herewith also sent to your Grace a Medal, such as HerMajesty, the undoubted Sovereign, has given to the six Brethren lately admitted into the said