་་

The Kings of England, invited by the Deliciousness of the Place, very often retire hither; and here was born the Conqueror of France, the glorious King Edward III. who built the Caffle new from the Ground, and thoroughly fortified it with Trenches, and Towers of fquare Stone, and having foon after fubdued in Battle John King of France, and David King of Scotland, he detained them both Prisoners here at the fame Time. This Caftle befides being the Royal Palace, and having fome magnificent Tombs of the Kings of England, is famous for the Ceremonies belonging to the Knights of the Garter; this Order was inftituted by Edward III. the fame who triumphed fo illuftriously over King John of France. The Knights of the Garter are ftrictly chofen for their military Virtues, and Antiquity of Family: They are bound by folemn Oath and Vow to mutual and perpetual Friendship among themfelves, and to the not avoiding any Danger whatever, or even Death itself, to fupport by their joint Endeavours the Honour of the Society: They are ftiled, Companions of the Garter, from their wearing below the left Knee a purple Garter, infcribed in Letters of Gold, with HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, i. e. Evil to him that Evil thinks: This they wear upon the left Leg, in Memory of one which happening to untie, was let fall by a great Lady, paffionately beloved by Edward, while fhe was dancing, and was immediately fnatched up by the King; who, to do Honour to the Lady, not out of any trifling Galantry, but with a most serious and honourable Purpose, dedicated

dedicated it to the Legs of the moft diftinguished Nobility. The Ceremonies of this Society are celebrated every Year at Windfor on St. George's Day, the tutelar Saint of the Order, the King prefiding; and the Custom is, that the Knights Companions fhould hang up their Helmet and Shield, with their Arms blazoned on it, in fome confpicuous Part of the Church.

There are three principal and very large Courts in Windfor Caftle, which give great Pleasure to the Beholders: The firft is enclofed with moft elegant Buildings of white Stone flat roofed, and covered with Lead; here the Knights of the Garter are lodged; in the Middle is a detached Houfe, remarkable for its high Tower, which the Governor inhabits. In this is the public Kitchen, well furnished with proper Utenfils, befides a spacious Dining Room, where all the poor Knights eat at the fame Table; for into this Society of the Garter the King and Sovereign elects, at his own Choice, certain Perfons who must be Gentlemen of three Defcents, and fuch as for their Age and the Straitnefs of their Fortunes, are fitter for faying their Prayers, than for the Service of War; to each of them is affigned a Penfion of eighteen Pounds per annum and Cloaths; the chief Inftitution of fo magnificent a Foundation is, that they should fay their daily Prayers to God for the King's Safety, and the happy Administration of the Kingdom, to which Purpose they attend the Service, meeting twice every Day at Chapel. The left Side of this Court is ornamented by a moft magnificent Chapel

Chapel of one hundred and thirty-four Paces in Length, and fixteen in Breadth; in this are eighteen Seats fitted up in the Time of Edward III. for an equal Number of Knights: This venerable Building is decorated with the noble Monuments of Edward IV. Henry VI. and VIII. and of his Wife Queen Jane. It receives from Royal Liberality the annual Income of two thoufand Pounds, and that ftill much encreased by the Munificence of Edward III. and Henry VII. The greatest Princes in Christendom have taken it for the higheft Honour to be admitted into the Order of the Garter; and fince its firft Inftitution, about twenty Kings, befides those of England, who are the Sovereigns of it, not to mention Dukes and Perfons of the greatest Figure, have been of it. It confifts of twenty-fix Companions.

In the inward Choir of the Chapel are hung up fixteen Coats of Arms, Swords and Banners, among which, are thofe of Charles V. and Rodolphus II. Emperors; of Philip of Spain; Henry III. of France; Frederick II. of Denmark, &c. of Cafimir Count Palatine of the Rhine; and other Chriftian Princes, who have been chofen into this Order.

In the back Choir, or additional Chapel, are fhewn Preparations made by Cardinal Wolfey, who was afterwards capitally punished, for his own Tomb; confifting of eight large Brazen Columns placed

This was a ftrange Blunder to be made fo near the Time, about fo remarkable a Perfon, unless he concluded that whoever difpleafed Henry VIII. was of courfe put to Death.

VOL. II.

U

round

round it, and nearer the Tomby four others in the Shape of Candlesticks, the Tombloitfelf sis of white and black Marble; all which are referved, according to Report for the Funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Expences already made for that Purpose are estimated at upwards of 60,000 4 In the fame Chapel is the Surcoat of Edward III. and the Tomb of Edward Fines Earl of Lincoln, Baron Clinton and Say, Knight of the most neble Order of the Garter, and formerly Lord High Admiral of England.

put ebauf The fecond Court of Windfor Caftle ftands upon higher Ground, and is enclosed with Walls of grea great Strength, and beautified with fine Buildings, and a Tower; it was an antient Castle, of which old Annals fpeak in this Manner; King Edward, A. D. 1359, began a new Building in that Part of the Caftle of Windfor where he was born, for which Reafon he took Care it fhould be decorated with larger and finer Edifices than the reft; in this Part were kept Prifoners John King of France, and David King of Scots, over whom Edward triumphed at one and the fame Time: It was by their Advice, ftruck with the Advantage of its Situation, and with the Sums paid for their Ranfom, that by Degrees this Caftle' ftretched to fuch Magnificence, as to appear no longer a Fortress, but a Town of proper Extent, and inexpugnable to any human Force; this particular Part of the Caftle was built at the fole Expence of the King of Scotland, except one Tower,

9

† This is a Mistake; it was the Surcoat of Edward IV. enriched with Rubies, and was preserved here till the civil War,

t

which from its having been erected by the Bishop of >Winchester, Prelate of the Order is called WinDobester Tower there are a hundred Steps to it, fo ingeniously contrived, that Horses cant easily afcend bthemeit is sanghundred and fifty Places in Circuit; within it are preferved all Manner of Arms neceffary for the Defence of the Place. browh1 to † 180 idginÀ ̧vel was mirilƆ notatı, daid to had 2119The third Court is much the largest of any, built at the Expence of the captive King of France; as it ftands higher, so it greatly excels the two former in Splendor and Elegance; it has one hundred and fortyeight Paces in Length, and ninety-feven in Breadth; in the Middle of it is a Fountain of very clear Water, brought under Ground at an exceffive Expence from the Distance of four Miles: towards the Eaft are magnificent Apartments deftined for the Royal Houfhold; towards the Weft is a Tennis-court for the Amusement of the Court; on the North Side are the Royal Apartments, confifting of magnificent Chambers, Halls, and t Bathing-rooms, and a private Chapel, the Roof of which is embellished with golden Roles and Fleurs de lis; in this too is that very large Banquetting-room, feventy-eight Paces long, and thirty wide, in which the Knights of the Garter annually celebrate the Memory of their tutelar Saint, St. George, with a folemn and most pompous Service, 95107 asud yas (2 oldsagsqzoni bas „Jung2.. lol edt 18 gad, ery, gifal,sp to s¶ slubun *This is confounded with the round Tower. It is not clear what ar what the Author means by hypocauftis; I have No one edi to stren tranflated it bathing-rooms; it might mean only Chambers with

A

J