ENSIGNS.]

ORDER OF THE GUELPHS.

17

THE COLLAR,

which is of gold, is formed of the Hanoverian Crown, of Lions passant guardant(as in the Arms both of England and of Brunswick) and of the Cyphers G. R.,in alternate succession, and so arranged that the Cross is pendent from a Crown,between two Lions.

THE CROSS or BADGE,

which is entirely of gold, has between each division a Lion passant guardant.In the centre, gules, is a Horse, argent, courant over rugged ground, vert,(being the Arms of Hanover,) surrounded by a light blue circle containingthe Motto, nec aspera terrent, in gold letters. Outside of this circle, onthe Cross of the Military Knights, is a wreath of laurel, and on that of theCivil Knights, a wreath of oak, in the proper colours. On the reverse of thecentre is the British Crown, over the Cypher, G. R. in gold, on a red ground,within a gold circle containing the date of the Institution of the Order,mdcccxv, in letters of burnished gold. The Cross is surmounted by theHanoverian Crown, and, on the Badges of the Military Knights, there are twoSwords in saltire, immediately under the Crown.

The Crosses of the various Classes differ only in size. Those of the Knights

Grand Cross being three inches, the Knights Commanders’ If inch, and the

Knights’ If inch, in length and width. By the Knights Grand Cross the Cross

is worn either to the Collar from the neck, or to the Ribband, formerly on the

right, but now r on the left side. The Knights Commanders wear their Cross

suspended from the neck, not, as formerly, hanging low on the breast, but

close to the cravat. The Knights, though specially directed by the Statutes

to wear their Cross pendent from the button-hole, formerly wore it to a swivel,

and attached the Ribband by a buckle to the left breast of their coat; but the

present Sovereign has commanded them to wear it to the button-hole, without

either swivel or buckle, which is the usual, and seems to be the proper mode of

wearing the Third Class of an Order.

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