These took their Denomination from an Hospital in Palestine, dedicated to St. Cosmus and St. Damianus, Martyrs; where Acts of Charity were exercised towards Sick Strangers. Their Profession obliged them to other Works of Mercy, viz. to redeem Captives, and bury their Dead. They followed the Rule of St. Basil, which was confirmed to them by Pope John XXII. There Badge was a Red Cross, in the middle whereof, within a Circle, was the aforesaid Two Saints. When they retir’d into Europe they changed into a Red Cross, and St. Augustin’s Rule.
11. Knights of St. Catherine at Mount Sinai.
This Order was instituted, A. D. 1063. under the Patronage of St. Catherine, whose Body was there deposited in the Church of the Monastery erected and dedicated to her Name. Their first Institution was to guard the said Sepulchre, to secure Travellers, defend the Grecian Pilgrims, and to relieve them with Hospitality. Their Habit was White, and they lived under the Rule of St. Basil the Great, vowing conjugal Chastity, and Obedience to the Abbot of this Monastery, who was their Superior. But when the Turks obtained these Countries, these Knights were ill treated and driven away, and the Order almost abolished; nevertheless some Shadow remains for such as travel to visit the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, do now and then pass to this Monastery at Mount Sinai, where in imitation of the Padre Guardian of Jerusalem, the principal Monk in this Covent makes them Knights of St. Catherine over her Tomb, with the like Questions and Formulary as used at the Holy Sepulchre. These Knights now wear upon the left side of their White Habit the Cross of Jerusalem, and Instrument of St. Catherine’s Martyrdom; but according to others, the middle of the Wheel is pierced with a Sword.
12. Knights of St. Anthony in Æthiopia.
After the Death of St. Anthony the Hermite, who dy’d about the Year 357. many of his Disciples remaining near Æthiopia, follow’d his Example and Manner of Life, and their Successors liv’d in great Austerity and Solitariness in the Desart (therefore call’d Anchorites) till the Year 370. when ’tis said John, Emperor of Æthiopia, erected them into a Religious Order of Knighthood, under the Title and Protection of St. Anthony, Patron of his Empire, and bestow’d upon them great Privileges; and being thus instituted, they receiv’d St. Basil’s Rule, and cohabited in Monasteries. Their Habit is black, with a blue Cross Tau. Their chief Seat is in the Isle of Meroe; but in other Parts of Æthiopia they have great Numbers of Convents, and no less than 2000000 of annual Revenue. The eldest Sons of Nobles and Gentlemen cannot be admitted, but the second Sons may; and if a Man (except a Physician) have three Sons, he is bound to assign one of them to be of this Order. Their Vow is to observe conjugal Chastity; to die in Defence of the Christian Faith; to guard the Empire; to obey their Laws and their Superiors; and to go to War when and wheresoever commanded: Moreover, they take an Oath not to fight in Wars between Christians, nor receive Holy Orders, or marry without License. They are of two Sorts: One employ’d in the Wars, the other who being Old are exempted from Military Services, and retire themselves under the Title and Profession of Monks, to the Abbies where they first took their Habit; before which they must serve three Years against the Arabian Pyrates about the Red Sea, three Years against the Turks, and three against the Moors upon the Borders of Borneo. When they come to be admitted into their Abbey, they are introduced in their Military Habit, of which being disrob’d, the Religious one is put on, viz. a black Gown reaching down to the Ground, lined with blue, having a blue Cross fix’d to the Breast, and over that a black Cowle; they are afterwards led to the Church, and there make their Profession. Philip VII. Son to the Founder, enlarg’d their Lands and Privileges, and added a Border of Gold to the Badge of the blue Cross, as observed at this Day.
In Italy, France and Spain, there are a Sort of Monks that have the Title of Knights of St. Anthony, which observe the Rule of St. Augustin, and they wear a plain Cross like that in Æthiopia; but the Principals of these wear a double St. Anthony’s Cross of blue Satin, the one above the other. Their chief Seat is at Vienne in Dauphine, of which Place the General of the Order bears the Title of Abbot, the Monastery being erected into an Abbey 1297. in Honour of St. Anthony, whose Body was translated thither from Constantinople; and all other Places built in Honour of his Name, were made subject to him A. D. 1523. Morœus calls them The Hospitallers of St. Anthony, and says they begun in France A. D. 1121. from Gaston a Nobleman of Vienna. But Baronius and others say, Gaston and Gerin instituted it earlier, making the Letter Thau their Ensign or Badge.
13. The Constantinian Angelick Knights of St. George
in Greece, but now in Italy.
Marquez, a Spanish Writer, makes this one of the first Military Orders in Christendom, and derives a formal Institution, Rules and Laws from Constantine the Great, which appears little better than Fabulous, therefore we shall omit his Account.
The Great Masters have their chief Seat and Convent at Brianno near Venice, and is Hereditary in the Family of Angelus Flavius Comnenus. Among the rest of their Prerogatives, the Masters are Commensales Pontificum, i. e. may sit at the Table with the Pope, who defends them as Benefactors to the Church, and Founders of the Lateran Cathedral at Rome. As Subjects to no Prince, they have Power of coyning Money: They give Titles of Counts and Princes to their own Fraternity, and take upon them the restoring to Honours, of legitimating Bastards, making Doctors, Poets Laureats and Publick Notaries. This Order is under the Protection of the Virgin Mary and Patronage of St. George; and they profess Obedience and conjugal Chastity; they wear a white Habit, on the left Side whereof is sowed a red or crimson Velvet Cross, Flory; in the middle is the Labarum
