92

ORDER OF SAINT PATRICK.

[GENERAL REMARKS.

Wellesley, resigned the Order on being elected into that of the Garter. Onlyone Peer of England, who was not also a Peer of Ireland, has ever receivedthe Order, namely, Earl Talbot; but he was at that time Lord-Lieutenantof Ireland, and consequently Grand Master, and he was the only GrandMaster who has been elected a Knight.

Though so short a period has elapsed since the Order was Founded, itsStatutes require to be entirely revised. Their defects consist principally inbeing too close an imitation of those parts of the Statutes of the Garter and Bath,which are not adapted to the present state of Society ; and instead of having abody of Additional Ordinances of greater extent than the original Statutes, allthe operative provisions should be embodied in one Code. The most remark-able fact relating to the constitution of the Order is, however, that the LettersPatent of Foundation are not known to exist; and it is extremely doubtfulwhether they ever passed the Great Seal, either of England or Ireland . 7

Many of the inconsistencies of the present Statutes have been pointed out ; 8and remarks will be found on the striking anomalies, that the Grand Mastershould not be a Knight of the Order ; 9 that the Badge of that Office should beworn by several Noblemen who though once, are no longer its Grand Master , 1and the Ensign or Star by those who are not, and never were Knights Com-panions ; 1 that no provision should be made for Degradation or Expulsion ; 2that unlike all other Orders, neither the Festival of its tutelar Saint, nor anyother Day, should be celebrated as the Anniversary of the Order; and thatno Place or Precedency is assigned to the Knights of Saint Patrick in GreatBritain . 3

7 Vide p. 8, antea.

1 Vide pp. 58, 77, antea.

8 Vide pp. 58, 68, 71, 77, 81, antea.2 Vide p. 71, antea.

9 Vide p. 76, antea.3 Vide pp. 71, 72.