78

HISTORY OF THE

[THE GRAND MASTER.

Elect (even though he may have been Invested with the Ribband and Badge,)is not permitted to wear until he has been Installed, is borne by several personswho have never been appointed Knights of the Order.

The obvious remedv for these inconsistencies would at the same time remove

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the anomaly just alluded to, respecting the Office of Grand Master. It issubmitted that it is expedient that each Lord Lieutenant should be elected aKnight of Saint Patrick before he is invested as Grand Master, and thaton ceasing to hold that Office he should rank among the other Knights,according to the date of his election; and the constituent number of Twenty-Two Knights Companions might be declared to be exclusive of such persons asshould be afterwards elected in consequence of their having held, or being aboutto hold, the Office of Grand Master. The increase which this regulation wouldproduce in the number of Knights would not be great; and that inconveniencewould only be nominal, because all the Noblemen who would then becomeMembers, do now wear the Badge and Star, while the objection would be morethan counterbalanced by the removal of two striking incongruities.

The Badge of the Grand Master is the same as that of the Knights, sur-mounted by a Harp of gold crowned with an Imperial Crown , 9 which issuspended from the neck to a sky-blue Ribband, whenever the Collar is notworn. In all Chapters and other solemn Assemblies the Grand Master wearsthe same Robes as the Sovereign, and on Collar or Feast Days, the Collar ofthe Order. The Grand Master is not Installed, nor are his Achievements,Banner, or Plate placed in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.

As the Sovereign’s representative, he occupies the Sovereign’s Stall; and atInstallations appoints three Esquires to attend him, like a Knight Companion-Elect.

9 See the Plate.