Inflitutio Ordinis .

deatj uti Virtutum ac benefàdorum paritate parem quandoque dignita-tem adequi contendant. Hinc mertiflimorum ejus Ordinis Equitumillec peculiaria quidem Ornamenta, Trabea, Torques, & Subfibulum,Wyndefori & diligenter (ut decet) aflervata, & tam illic quam alibi protemporis Exigentia ex ornatiflimorum Virorum Corporibus oftentata. Adeum dico finem ifta tendunt, ut approbata Seniorum Magnanimitas iuameritilfima Gloria non careat, & nobilitata Juventus inflammaretur ad imi-tandum : nempe quibus cum talia Majorum Infignia contuentur, vehe-mentiflime jamjam animus ad Virtutem accenditur. Neque figura Icili-cet tantam in (èfè vim habet : Sed Memoria Rerum geftarum eam flam-mam egregiis Viris in pedore gignit. Quae nec ante (edatur, quam fuapraeclara fada, famam illorum atq; Gloriam adaequaverint. Fiunt etiam obCauflim Chnftianis revera fingularem : ut animarum inquam (aiuti con-(iilatur omnium profèdo defimdorum, (ed praelèrtim hujus Ordinis Equi-tum eledorum. Quos ab initio concreandi, certe hæc ip(a Caufa videtur, nevidelicet (quod diximus) vera Nobilitas poft longos largosq; labores honore,quem meruerat, invidiose deftituta gemeret, utqj junior & ferocior aetasfacula non careret in opera Virtutis, quæ clara aeternaq; habetur. Sed &praecipua (non dubium) ifta fiiit, ut defundos vivi mutuo juvarent :Suo diligenter impendio piis precatoribus inftitutis, qui Dei vindidam,quam per longa hujus Vitae facinora verendum plane ut commerue-rant, ipfi vertere ftuderent in Clementiam. Multum enim valet afli-

dua

ceflors and Predece (fors ßould fopleafe the Minds of the fpirited Touth, as eameßlyto endeavour by the fame Virtues, by the fame great and good Deeds to attainat laß to the fame Honour. Hence the peculiar Ornaments of the moß de-ferring Knights of this Order, the Robe of State, the gold Chains and Garter arediligently, as they ought to he, preferred at Windfor, and there, and in otherPlaces, alfo as the Exigency of Time requires fienn on the Bodies of illußrious Men.Thefe Things tend all to this End, that the approved Magnanimity of their Se-niors ßould not riant its due Glory, and the ennobled Touth might be encouragedto imitate them : And that nhen they beheld the honourable Enflgns of their An-ceßors, their Minds might be vehemently enßamed nith Virtue. Nor has the Ap-pearance of thefe Things fo great an Influence on them only, but even the Memoryof paß Aidions begets a Flame in the Breafls of brave Men, nhich cannot be ex-tinguifled ’till by their orm glorious Exploits, they fiali equal, and come up to theFame and Glory of thofe nho nere before them. Thefe Things are done for a pe-culiar Reafon by Chrißians, to nit that there may be a Provifion for the Salva-tion of the Souls of all nho are departed this Life, but more particularly for thofeof the Knights of this Order. The Caufe of creating nhich Order at firflfeems tohe this, that (as ne faid before ) true Nobility after long and many Laboursmight not complain of its being deprived, thro ’ Envy,of the Honour it had deferved :And that the fprightlier and lefs governable Touth, might not be nithout a brightExample in virtuous Performances, nhich are renonmed, glorious, and laßing. Butthe chief Reafon no doubt nos, that the Living might mutually aßiß the Dead : Thatpious Preachers being inflituted at their Coß, might fludy to divert the Wrath ofGod (nhich ’tis to be feared they have deferved by their many Crimes committed in