218

HISTORY OF THE

[PRECEDENCY.

one of them be entitled to a higher Precedency, in which case he might takethe place belonging to him in right of his Peerage, Office, or Birth, a provisioninconsistent with the principle of all Capitular, or other Assemblies of Knights.It will elsewhere be shewn that, though probably not so intended, Knights GrandCross of the Bath appear to have Precedency of Knights of St. Patrick, if notalso of Knights of the Thistle. 3

The Knights Commanders of the Bath take Precedence of all KnightsBachelors, and the Companions take place of all Esquires, under the Ordi-nance published in the London Gazette of the 2nd of January 1815; that is, theSenior Companion of the Bath immediately follows the Junior Knight Bachelor;but the Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. Georgeintervene between the Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders of theBath; and the Knights Commanders of St. Michael and St. George follow nextafter the Knights Commanders of the Bath, and before all Knights Bachelors. 3

&rmortal Btarincttons.

The Knights Companions were permitted by the twelfth Article of the Statutes,to place their Arms within a red Circle, containing the Motto, Tria Junctain Uno, in gold letters, 4 from which a representation of the Badge of theOrder is suspended. Though not authorized by the Statutes, nor by theusage on their Stall Plates, the Knights have long been accustomed to placethe Collar, as well as the Circle, round their Arms. On the Stall Plate of theDuke of Montagu, in 1725, as well as on that of Prince Frederick (afterwardsDuke of York), in 1772, the Collar and Badge were, however, introduced,instead of the Circle and Motto of the Order, probably to avoid two Circles,the Arms both of the Duke of Montagu and of His Royal Highness beingsurrounded with the Garter. By a special Statute dated on the 2nd of June1725, it was declared that, for their greater distinction and honour, the KnightsCompanions should bear Supporters to their Arms, and Garter Principal King

3 See more on the subject of the relative Precedency of Knights and Knights of British Orders inthe Introduction.

4 Statutes, Art. XII. p. 57, antea.