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Observations introductory to an historical essay, upon the knighthood of the Bath
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Aflbciation of a certain Number of a&ual Knights *fubjected under a Sovereign, or Great Maßer , Unitedby particular Laws and Statutes, peculiar to that So-ciety, not only diftinguifhed by particular Habits, En-figns, Badges, or Symbols, which ulualiy give Deno-mination to that Order ; but having a Power, as Va-cancies happen in their College, lucceflively, of no-minating, or eletling proper Perlons to liicceed, withAuthority to ademble, and hold Chapters ; accordingto this State of an Order, it is not ealy to be con-ceived, how any learned Man could ever infer, fromthe forecited Teftimony of Froijjart , that the Knightsof the Bath had their Commencement at this Time,as Knights ftri&ly and regularly of a Military Or-der.

But not to inlift upon the ambiguous Significationof Woids, or to enter upon a Ipecifick Enquiry here,whether the Knighthood of the Bathy was properly anOrder of Knighthood at this Time, or in any fbrmerTirne^ this is certain, from the Authority of unque-ftionable Records; that, long before this Time, Pro-vilions were made for the Batbsy and Coverings of theBaths, prepared at the Creation of Knights.

There is a 1 Record ftill remaining, which fpecifiesthe very Materials delivered from the Wardrobe forthele Knights, made at the Coronation of Henry IV,

t Append. Numb- 36.

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