ORDER OF THE BATH.

221

at ^rms of tfje ©rtier.

King George the First being “ resolved to advance the honour andsplendour of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath,” issued hiscommands on the 20th of April 1727, that “ in case of any danger of invasionfrom Foreign Enemies, or a Rebellion at Home,” every Knight Companion,whenever he may be summoned by the Great Master under the Seal of theOrder, in the Sovereign’s name, shall maintain at his own expense, FourMen at Arms, for any number of days the Sovereign may think proper, notexceeding forty-two days in any one year, allowing to each Man at Armstwo shillings a day for himself and horse, who are to serve in any part of theRealm, but not out of Great Britain. The Great Master, who is always to beCaptain and Commander-in-Chief of the said Men at Arms, is to furnishfour Trumpeters; and he is to appoint, under the Seal of the Order, EightOfficers, namely, One Captain-Lieutenant, One Lieutenant, One Sub-Lieutenant,One Ensign, One Guidon, and Three Quarter-Masters. The uniform andequipments of this Corps, which would then have amounted to one hundred andFifty, and now, from the increased number of Knights Companions, or KnightsGrand Cross, to upwards of four hundred men, are fully described in theStatute. 1 The Arms of the Order are to be embroidered on the right sleeve oftheir scarlet Coats, and in the corners of the housings of their horses. TheirStandard has been already noticed.

This Corps has never been embodied; but as the Statute still remains inforce, it is operative upon all the present Knights Grand Cross, few of whomare probably aware of the heavy burthen to which they became liable onaccepting the Distinction.

1 Vide pp. 76—78, antea.