KNIGHTHOOD is a degree of honour of very high anti- | quity; and, although not a hereditary title, was at first composed of men of the highest rank and the largest possessions, such having most to lose, and the least temptation to plunder. The association was at length strengthened by a solemn vow, and received the sanction of a religious ceremony; which caused it to be regarded with a kind of reverence, even by those against whom it was formed; and the admission into the order was deemed the highest honour, a distinction which princes themselves were proud to receive. Many extraordinary qualifications were required in a candidate, and many new ceremonies were added at his creation. After having fasted from sun-rise, confessed himself, and received the sacrament, he was dressed in white tunic, and placed by himself at a side-table, where he was neither to speak, smile, nor eat; whilst the knights and ladies, who were to perform the principal parts of the ceremony, were eating, drinking, and making merry, at the great table. At night, his armour was conveyed to the church, where the ceremony was performed; and here, having watched till the morning, he advanced with his sword hanging about his neck, and received the benediction of the priest. He then kneeled down before the lady or patroness, who was to put on his armour, who, being assisted by persons of the first rank, buckled on his spurs, put a helmet on his head, and accoutred him with a coat of mail, a cuirass, bracelets, cuisses, and gauntlets. Being thus armed cap-a-pie, the knights who dubbed him, struck him three times over the shoulder with the flat side of his sword, in the name of God, St. Michael, and St. George. He was then obliged to watch all night in his armour, with his sword girded, and his lance in his hand. From this time, the knight devoted himself to the redress of those wrongs, which "patient merit of the unworthy takes:" to secure merchants from

the rapacious cruelty of banditti; and women from ravishers, to whose power they were, by the particular confusion of the times, continually exposed.

Chivalry never flourished so much as during the time of the Crusades. From those holy wars it followed that new fraternities of knighthood were invented, and gave rise to a number of orders connected with the object of the expedition. Sometimes a party of knights united for a purpose, which required common exertions; and, when the object was achieved, remained bound by the recollection of common dangers, and the evident advantages of co-operation: and the sovereign knew no better way to reward them, than by confirming their society, and granting them laws, privileges, and a common badge of distinction. To guard the holy sepulchre or the tomb of some favourite saint, afforded the employment and the name of many of those societies: and others originated with the prince, to commemorate a victory, or to secure the co-operation of a number of knights for some particular duty. Thus the order of Templars began with the union among themselves of some knights, the more effectually to further the cause in hand, and who were rewarded for their services with habitations near Solomon's Temple, from which they took their name. Again, the order of St. Catharine was, at first, but a party of knights bound together by the common resolution of defending the tomb of the saint, from whom they took their name. Some of those societies were purely military; and some, partly military and partly religious; such was the order of the Knights of Malta, which began in the monastry and hospital established in Jerusalem, for the advantage of pilgrims visiting the holy shrine.

Those to which the holy wars gave rise, were common to all the nations of Christendom, who were united by the same cause; but those which were instituted afterwards,

by different sovereigns, in celebration of the marriage or accession of a prince, were intended more particularly for the encouragement of their own subjects; although foreigners were occasionally admitted, and especially kings complimented each other by an interchange of the honours of knighthood: thus, Henry II. sent his son to be knighted by Malcolm, King of Scotland; and Edward I. sent his, to the King of Castile. So prevalent was this custom, that there is scarce a prince in Europe, that has not thought fit to institute an order of knighthood. In this country, the permission of the king is necessary to publicly bearing a foreign order; and no English order can be granted but by the king; except the lord lieutenant of Ireland, who, in this respect, exercises the privilege of royalty.

That the spirit of chivalry sometimes rose to an extravagant height, and had often a pernicious tendency, must however be allowed. In Spain, under the influence of a romantic gallantry, it gave birth to a series of wild adventures; for the ardour of redressing wrongs seized many knights so powerfully, that, attended by esquires, they wandered about in search of objects, whose misfortunes and misery required their assistance and succour. And, as ladies more particularly engaged their attention, the relief of unfortunate damsels was the achievement they most courted. This was the rise of knight-errants, whose adventures produced so many romantic novels; but the love of the marvellous came to interfere; fancy was indulged in her wildest exaggerations; and poetry gave her charms to the most monstrous fictions, and to scenes the most unnatural and gigantic; until they were deservedly ridiculed in the character of Don Quixote, &c. In the train of Norman ambition, it extinguished the liberties of England, and deluged Italy with blood; and, at the call of superstition, and as the engine of papal power, it desolated Asia under the banner of the cross. But these ought not to be considered as arguments against an institution laudable in itself, and necessary at the time of its foundation; and those who pretend to despise it, the advocates of ancient barbarism, and of ancient rusticity, ought to remember, that chivalry not only taught mankind to carry the civilities of peace into the operations of war, and to mingle politeness with the use of the sword; but roused the soul from its lethargy; invigorated the human character, even while it softened it; and produced exploits which antiquity cannot parallel. Nor ought they to forget, that it gave variety, elegance, and pleasure, to the intercourse of life, by making women a more essential part of society; and is therefore entitled to our gratitude. Having said so much on chivalry, and also entered at some length, on its influences, &c. in the latter part of the first section in the History of Heraldry, to which the reader is referred, we shall now proceed to give a historical account of the several orders of knighthood, in strict alphabetical arrangement, collected from the best and latest authorities; together with a correct description of their Habits, Collars, Badges, Mottos, &c.

but Alphonso, the ninth King of Leon, after taking the city, made Martin Fernandez de Quintana, Grand Master of Calatrava, Governor of it; and, in a few years afterwards, the order of Calatrava gave the city and castle over to the order of St. Julian, then under the Grand Master, Nunno Fernandez, on condition that the same should be held and remain under the subjection of the Grand Master of Calatrava, and his successors.

Alcantara being thus made the chief seat of the order of St. Julian, the knights laid aside the old device of the pear-tree, by which they were distinguished, as well as by the appellation by which they were known, assuming the name of Knights of the Order of Alcantara. They remained subject to the order of Calatrava until the year 1411, when their Grand Master, Don Sanchez de Terreiro, being authorised by Pope Lucius II. threw off all obedience to the superior order, and became independent. After this, the order continued in great estimation, under the Grand Master, elected by the knights, and acquired vast possessions, until 1495, when Don Juan D'Estuniga, who was then Grand Master, being made a cardinal and an archbishop, resigned his office, which Pope Alexander VI. conferred on King Ferdinand of Arragon, and his Queen Isabella of Castile, annexing it unalienably to the Spanish crown for ever. Since that period, the kings of Spain have enjoyed the revenues of the Grand Master, and of the Commanderies, belonging to this order, of which they are called perpetual administrators. It still continues in very high estimation, and is seldom conferred but on persons of the most illustrious and ancient families. The badge of the order is a gold cross flory, enamelled green, and is worn pendent to a broad ribbon on the breast. See Pl. 1, fig. 1. The knights wear a mantle of red silk, on the left side of which there is, embroidered in silver, a star of five points: but this mantle is never worn, except on their great festival at Easter, or other days of extraordinary ceremony. ALEXANDER ST. See ST. ALEXANDER. ALLIANCE OF SWEDEN, an order instituted in 1527, by Gustavus, King of Sweden, on his marriage with the daughter of the Elector of Brandenburg, but of which nothing more is known.

ACRE, ST. JOHN OF. See ST. JOHN OF ACRE. ALCANTARA, a military order in Spain, deriving its origin from the order of St. Julian, or of the Pear-Tree, which was instituted at Pereiro, in the year 1156, under the protection of Ferdinand II. King of Leon, and ratified as a religious order by Pope Alexander III. in the year 1177. From that time, until the city of Alcantara was taken from the Moors, this order of knighthood continued to be known by the name of the order of St. Julian;

on

AMARANTA OF SWEDEN. This order was instituted in 1645, by Christina, Queen of Sweden, daughter of Gustavus Adolphus the Great, in honour of a lady of that name, equally celebrated for beauty and virtue; but the order did not survive the foundress. The ensign of this order was a jewel of gold composed of two A's joined together, adorned with diamonds on both sides, and set within a wreath of laurel-leaves, banded with white, and bearing the motto, Dolce nulla memoria; which was worn, either pendent to a gold chain, or a crimson or blue ribbon, at pleasure. See Pl. 1, fig. 2. ANCIENT NOBELESSE. See LION OF LEMBOURG, ANDREW, ST. See ST. ANDREW. ANNE, ST. See ST. ANNE. ANNUNCIATION, in Savoy, an order instituted in 1355, by Amadeus VI. Count of Savoy, in memory of Amadeus I. who, by his famous defence of the island of Rhodes against the Turks, gained immortal renown, and achieved the arms since borne by the Dukes of Savoy; gu. a cross It was first denominated the Order of the Collar, but Charles III. surnamed the Good, changed its designation to that of Annunciation, and directed that the

ar.

mystery of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin should be represented within a circle of gold, formed of true lovers' knots, pendent to the collar, which was to be of gold, weighing 200 gold crowns, composed of the letters F. E. R. T. intermixed with true lovers' knots, separated by fifteen roses of gold, five of them enamelled white, five red, and five party white and red, and edged with two thorns or. See Pl. 1, fig. 3; to the end of the centre rose is pendent by three gold chains, the badge, which is oval, encircled by true lovers' knots, the whole enamelled white; and on the oval is represented the salutation, as related by St. Luke, in proper colours. The letters F. E. K. T. have been variously interpreted ; some say they are the initials of the words, Frappez, Entrez, Rampez, Tout, and hold, that Amadeus chose those words for his motto, when he instituted the order. Others explain them by the words, Fortitude, Ejus, Rhodum, Tenuit; in memory of the glorious action of Amadeus the Great, when he compelled the Saracens to raise the siege of Rhodes, in 1310: but Guicheron, in his History of the Royal House of Savoy, mentions a coin of Lewis of Savoy, Baron of Vaud, who died in 1301, upon which is the same motto, FERT, without points or separation of the letters. The knights, who must be of noble family and of the Roman Catholic religion, wear, in common, the badge pendent to three small chains of gold round the neck. The reigning King of Sardinia is Sovereign of the Order.

ANTHONY, ST. See ST. ANTHONY.

ARGONAUTS OF ST. NICHOLAS. See ST. NICHOLAS. Avis, an order of Portugal, instituted by Alphonso Henriquez, King of Portugal, in 1142, as a reward for services at the siege of Lisbon, under Don Ferdinand Rodriguez de Monteyro, who was appointed Grand Master. They were at first called Nouvelle Milice, or the New Military; but in 1166, having taken Evora by surprise, the king conferred on them the government of that town, and commanded that they should thenceforward be called Knights of Evora. On the taking of Avis from the Moors, in 1181, it was granted to them, on condition that they should build a fort, and reside there: to which place they transplanted themselves, and from that time took the appellation of Freres d' Avis In 1204, Pope Innocent III. confirmed this order, and it continued iudependent until 1213, when it became under subjection to the order of Calatrava, then under the Grand Master Don Roderigo Garzes de Assa, and it remained in vassalage until the time of its seventh Grand Master, Don John of Portugal, who, on deposing his brother and seizing the crown, threw off its subjection to the order of Calatrava. The badge of the order is, a cross flory enamelled vert, betw, each angle a fleur-de-lis or; it is worn pendent to a green ribbon round the neck. See Pl. 1, fig. 4. The same badge is embroidered on the left shoulder of the robe of state, which is of white satin.

In the year 1385, the Grand Mastership of this order was attached to the crown of Portugal; and in 1789, the then Queen divided the order into three classes, viz. six grand crosses, forty-nine commanders, leaving the number of knights unlimited. To the first and second class were likewise assigned a silver star of eight points, with the cross upon the centre, encircled by a fillet; on the top of which is a heart inflamed, which distinguishes the

BACHELORS. This, although the lowest order of knighthood, is, nevertheless, the most ancient. It was formerly accounted the highest military diguity and the foundation of all other honours. Henry III. is said to have styled them Knights Bachelors, because the title is not hereditary, descending to the posterity, but dies with the person. on whom it is conferred; and Mat. Paris informs us, that such knights were then known by a gold ring on their thumbs, a chain of gold about their necks, and gilt spurs. They formerly held a certain proportion of land, by what was termed knights' service, and for which they were obliged to serve the king in his wars, at their own expense, for the space of forty days. The value of a knight's fee (about which there have been various opinions) seems to have varied from twenty pounds to forty pounds per

.annum.

A Knight Bachelor, in old records, is indifferently styled Knight, Miles, Chevalier, Miles simplex, and from the privilege of adorning their armour and horses with gold, and wearing golden spurs, given to them at their creation, were termed Equites Aurati, Golden Knights. There were anciently two sorts of knighthood, or, what was then termed, courtly knighthood and sacred knighthood; the first performed by the king, or one commissioned by him, by feasts, and the giving of robes, arms, spurs, &c. and sometimes horse and armour; the other by sacred ceremonies, by bishops and abbots, who conferred the dignity of knighthood by solemn confession of sin, a vigil or watch in the church, receiving the sacrament, and offering the sword upon the altar, which was redeemed with a certain sum, and then, with many prayers, termed benedictiones ensis, (prayers of the sword) begirt upon the knight. But the multitude of knights thus made, soon brought about its prohibition, and the privilege of conferring knighthood solely vested in the

crown.

The ceremony of simple knighthood was performed by the person kneeling before the king, who, with a stroke of the naked sword over the right shoulder, pronouncing the words, Sois chevalier, au nom Dieu; Rise up knight, in the name of God; followed by Avancez chevalier; but the command to rise is now given in English, with the addition of the christian and surname of the person thus knighted.

This title of honour, which was formerly military, has latterly been conferred indiscriminately upon persous in civil occupations, under various circumstances; which not only perverted its original institution, but lessened its reputation in England, although it is still accounted a respectable degree of honour here, as well as in foreign countries.

Clergymen, or any in the order of priesthood, are debarred the honour of knighthood of the sword or spurs, until they have laid aside their spiritual cures, although anciently they were allowed to partake of this dignity.

A knight should have the title of Sir prefixed to his christian and surname, with the addition of knight; and. if a knight is ennobled by advancement to higher dignities, he should still retain the name of knight.

It is a rank of universal honour, and an acknowledged title in every kingdom or state, although higher degrees of hereditary dignity are considered merely local. For

fore them in their funerals, the former being hung at the staff of the standard, if the defunct had been knighted in the field.

All civil knights were formerly termed Miles et Milites, Knight or Knights of the Carpet, or Knights of the Green Cloth, to distinguish them from knights who were dubbed such for military service in the field or otherwise : but there is now no distinguishing mark to denote either, the ceremony and title are alike in both cases, and to which equal merit may be implied.

In the age of chivalry, all knights of whatsoever degree, or creation soever, were, according to their power, to excel in the following accomplishments: they were to be faithful, religious, just in engagements, valiant in enterprizes, obedient to superiors, expert in military affairs, watchful and temperate, charitable to the poor, free from debauchery, no boasters, ready to help and defend ladies, especially widows and orphans, and to be ever in readiness, with horse and arms, to attend the commands of their sovereign in all wars, civil and foreign.

The ancient degradation of a knight, was a ceremony inflicted for the neglect of those duties, which was considered a crime of equal magnitude as to make war against the sovereign himself, and for that, or any other act of disloyalty and dishonour, the knight was apprehended, and, when armed cap-a-pie, placed upon a high scaffold in the church, and after the singing of some funeral psalm or dirge, as for the dead, the helmet was taken off, and then by degrees the whole armour, the heralds pronouncing, "This is the helmet, &c. of a disloyal miscreant," with many other ignoble ceremonies; he was then attached to a rope, and thrown from the elevation by twelve knights; and when brought before the altar, laid grovelling on the ground, the priest read over him a psalm of curses. But the more modern way of degradation was not so severe; every thing but his horse became forfeited; his spurs being cut from his heels, and being deprived of his sword, the herald then reversed his coat armour, to complete his degradation.

BAND, or SCARF. This Spanish order was instituted by Alphonsa XI. King of Spain, in 1330, at Burgos, the capital of Old Castile, who, having many enemies, created this order of knightood for his better defence, making himself Master a little before his coronation. The knights were invested with a red ribbon, of the breadth of three inches, crossing the left shoulder, the badge from whence this order of kuighthood derived its appellation. They were under no monastical restraint, like many of the orders, and none but younger sons of gentlemen of small fortunes were admitted into it: but they were under the necessity of proving that they had been in attendance upon the court for the term of ten years, or that they had fought three times, at least, against the Moors.

The number of knights was limited to twenty, and the statutes of the order were as follow:

1. That the knight of the band stand obliged to speak to the king for the defence of his country and good of the commonwealth.

2. That he must speak to the king nothing but pure truth, without lying or flattery, and must reveal whatsoever he hath heard, either against his person or the

state.

3. A knight once convicted of lying, shall walk a month's space, without wearing a sword.

6. He must be provided with arms and a horse well accoutred, under pain of forfeiting the title of his knighthood.

7. And on the same peril he standeth, if he be seen mounted on his horse without his band and sword.

8. He is not to make any complaint of wounds received by him in war, neither is he to vaunt of his valour or manhood.

9. He is not to make any account if he be mocked, scorned, or railed on by any body; but to have all his carriage discreet and grave, and wholly measured by the level of honesty.

10. He is not to use any gaming at cards or dice, and must not pledge or engage his habits, arms, or horse.

11. He must be courteous towards ladies and gentlewomen, to whom he shall perform honour and service to his uttermost power.

12. If any quarrel happen between him and another knight of the band, he standeth bound to commit it to the arbitrament of other knights of the band, such as shall be appointed thereto.

13. Any knight that usurpeth to wear the band, without having received it from the king's hand, shall stand engaged to defend himself against two knights of the order of the band; and if it so happen that he have the victory, he may lawfully keep aud maintain it: but if he be vanquished, he shall be banished from the court.

14. Every strange knight that winneth the prize in justs, tourneys, or other actions of arms, against the knights of the baud, shall be received and admitted into the order.

15. Any kuight of the band that setteth hand to his sword against another knight of the same order, shall be banished the court for two months' space, and during the term of two months after, he shall wear but a half band; but if he wound his companion, he shall remain imprisoned half a year, and is to be banished the court for another half year.

16. The king only is to be judge for the knights of the band.

17. All the knights of the band stand obliged to accompany the king at all times, when he shall go to war.

18. The knights of the said order shall wear the band when they march in war against the Moors only; but if their services shall be required any where else, then they shall abstain from wearing it.

19. All knights of the band are to meet together three several times of the year, that they may speak to the king for those things which necessarily concern the order, when it is appointed by the king. That they shall all be well mounted and armed; and these assemblies or meetings are to be in the months of April, September, and at Christmas.

20. They are to exercise justs, joco de canna, and pikes; also to manage their horses on such days as are ordained for them.

21. No knight shall remain in the court without serv