degradation.] SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE.

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to observe, that great respect is shown to the remains of such of its Members asdie in the Ionian States, or at Malta. Their obsequies are usually attended byall their brother Knights and Officers of the Order, 6 unless the deceased, or hisrelations, expressly desired that the Funeral should be strictly private.

designations anti Begratiations.

There has not been any instance of a Knight of Saint Michael and SaintGeorge declaring his wish to withdraw from the Order; and, happily, nothinghas ever occurred to render a Degradation necessary. The Statutes of 1818and 1826, did not even provide for such a contingency; but some proceedingsin the Order of the Bath, 7 having shown the propriety of an express regula-tion on the subject, in the constitution of all Orders of Knighthood, and therebeing just and serious objections to an ex post facto ordinance of a penal nature,the following clause was introduced into the present Statutes:

“ If any Knight Grand Cross, Knight Commander, or ‘ Cavaliere’ (or Com-panion) of this Most Distinguished Order, be convicted of Treason, Cowardice,Felony, or of any grave misdemeanor, derogatory to his Honour as a Knightand a Gentleman, or if he be accused of any such offence, and does not, after areasonable time, surrender himself to be tried for the same, he shall forthwith beDegraded from the Order, by an Ordinance signed by the Sovereign and sealedwith the Seal of the Order, when his Name in the Register shall be erased. Itis' hereby declared that the Sovereign shall always be the sole Judge of theconduct or behaviour which shall produce Expulsion from the Order; and itshall at all times be competent for the Sovereign to restore to the Order anyperson who may have been expelled, when circumstances render it just andexpedient so to do.” 8

6 See the Ceremonials in the Appendix.

7 Vide the History of the Order of the Bath, pp. 212—215. 8 Art. IX. p. 50, antea.