Patroni Ordinis.
Peculiares hic infigniffimus Ordo Patronos habet, Trinitatem, cjuæ, P. i\.revera Creatrix, Gubernatrix, 8c Protedbrix eft Omnium, fed hujus Or-dinis Invocationi nihilominus fingulariflime præfixa • in qua Crucifixumquoque feorfiim fibi delegit, ut quem præcipue coleret, invocaret, paffimin Imaginibus ac Vexillis exhiberet : ficut unus maximus fidei Sator, &Chriftianifmi Propugnator Confiantims fîius, ex Helena Coyli Regis Angliafilia, jam ante fecerat, qui dum perfidam ubique tyrannidem peflundaret,Crucem Armis & Vexillis affixit : quo Signo, quos debuit, vicit ac perdo-muit. Hinc unice pofcendum auxilium, ut unde conferendum. At benenovit hæc erudita femper & cordata Societas, quod alii præterea fint, perquos etiam tanto facilius impetrari conferriqj potuerit, fi quod poffint.
St ipfi rogati dignanter apponere velint ; neque Deo vel Adorationi di-vina: quicquam ibi derogari, fed & honoris addi quamplurimum : Si perquos velit, quod folus ipfe proflabit, quæratur, flagitetur & fufpireturAdminiculum. Quapropter Mariam quoq^ Virginem & beatiffimam Dei ge-netricem hic Ordo defumpfit, quæ quamquam communis eft omnium In-terpellatrix, atque omnibus ex more propofita Defenstrix, & huic ta-men Ordini peculiariter afcita. In quo fiium invidhffimum imitanturArthurum, qui fecundum Deum, Mariam hanc in primis Votis habu-it, & eam in Clafficis, bellico tumultu nlediifqj Fragoribus invocariconftituit \ Imagunculam autem ejus in Clypeis, Armis, & Signis ho-norifice depingi. Poft quem Edoardus tertius erga eam fingulariter af-
fèdlus,
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The peculiar Patrons of this moß illußrious Order, are the Trinity, ’which, inTruth, is the Creator, Govemour, and ProteBor of all, hut more particularlychofe hy this Order, as the OhjeB of their Invocation $ out of which Trinity,they have made a more efpecial Choice of the fécond Perfon, Chriß crucified ;that he whom they chiefly worfiipped, and invoked at all Times, mighthave his Image reprefented in their Streamers and Banners : As hereto -fore did Conftantine, that great Propagator and Maintainor of the chri -fiian Faith, that Conftantine who owed his Birth to Helena Daughter to Cole,
King of this Land of England ; who when he undertook the Extirpation of perfi-dious Tyranny and Opprefjion, fixed the Sign of the Crofs on his Arms and Banners $hy the Influence of which Sign, he conquered and defiroyed all his Oppofers. Henceonly Aid is to he expeBed, as being the only Place from whence it could come.
But this Learned, and Brave Society, knew very well that there were others like*wife , thro whofe Means Help might he readier asked and obtained, who if wor*thily and properly petitioned and applied to, would he pleafed to afford Afffiance ac-cording to their Power. Nor does this derogate from God, or the divine Worßip,
hut adds greater Honour to it -, when we beg, look for, and obtain Aid and Aß-*fiance, which muß come originally from God alone, by the Interceßon of thofewith whom he is pleafed. Wherefore this Order hath taken alfo to it felf, the VirginMary the bleffed Mother of God, who, thd ße is the common Mediatre fs for all,and commonly look'd upon, as the ProteBrefs of all, is neverthelefs more peculiarlyaccounted a Patrone fs by this Order. In which they imitate the invincible Ar-
thur, who next to God himfelf, made hisfirfi Applications to the holy Mary, andordered her to be alway called upon in Alarms, Uproars, and in the midfi ofEngage-
L mentio