33. Orde de la Scama, in Castile,
Was instituted by John II. King of that Realm, about the Year, 1420. to excite his Nobility to fight against the Moors, which produced so good Effect, that in a short time the Moors were shamefully overthrown. That King granted them Privileges, gave them their Statutes and Rules; but upon his Death the Splendor hereof was greatly eclips’d. Their Ensign was a Cross composed of the Scales of Fishes. They were obliged to defend Castile against the Moors, to dye in Defence of the Faith, and when the King went to War they marched before him. Their Ensign was a Cross composed of the Scales of Fishes, the Spanish Scama bearing the same Signification as the Latin Squama.
34. The Order of the Golden Fleece,
Had its Original from Philip II. Duke of Burgundy, Sirnam’d the Good, the 10th of Jan. 1429. at his Marriage with Elizabeth, Daughter of Portugal, in the City of Bruges in Flanders, to perpetuate the Memory of his great Revenues raised by Wools with the Low-Countries. Some say in Commemoration of Gideon, who with Three Hundred Men vanquished a numerous Army of the Midianites; or of Jacob’s Fleece, viz. the Party-coloured and streaked Fleece, after the Example of Jason and his Argonauts, whose Expedition to Colchos he intended to make his Patern by a Voyage into Syria against the Turks. He founded it to the Glory of the Almighty Creator, and Redeemer, in Reverence of the Virgin Mary, and St. Andrew the Apostle, who was Patron thereof, and whose Festival was celebrated on that Day, but afterwards translated to the 1st of May, by reason of the shortness of the Days, and the Fatigue aged Knights would find to convene in an intemperate Season. The Knights at first were Twenty Four, beside the Duke, chief and supream, who reserved the Nomination of Six more at the next Chapter; but Charles V. encreased them, 1516. to Fifty. Duke Charles and Maximilian, Sons to the Founder, annex’d many Privileges to them, which were confirmed, 1556. For their Habit Three different Mantles were ordain’d them at the grand Solemnity; the first Day, of Scarlet Cloth, richly embroidered about the Lower End, with Flints struck into Sparks of Fire and Fleeces, with Chaperons of the same; and the same Day, after Dinner, to proceed to Vespers in Mantles of Black, and of the Colour of Chaperons; the Day following they were to hear Mass habited as themselves thought fit; but Duke Charles aforesaid prescribed them Mantles of White Damask for that Day’s Ceremony, and changed their Cloth Mantles into Velvet. The great Collar is composed of double Fusils, placed Back to Back, Two and Two together, in form of the Letter B, representing it both Ways, to signify Bourgoigne. And these Fusils are interwoven with Flint-stones (in reference to the Arms of the ancient Kings of Bourgoigne) seeming to strike Fire, and Sparkles of Fire between them, the Device of the Founder, at the End whereof hung the Resemblance of a Golden Fleece, enamelled proper. To the Flint Paradine ascribes the Motto, Ante ferit quam Flamma micet; and to the Fleece, Pretium non vile laboris. The Jewel is commonly worn in a double Chainet or Males of Gold, linked together at convenient Distance, between which runs a small Red Ribbon, or otherwise it is worn in a Red Ribbon alone. The Emperors of Germany descended from Philip Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy and Count of Flanders, were the Sovereigns of it, till Charles V. gave the Guardianship of it to the Kings of Spain, which he perform’d on the 25th of October, 1556. conferring it on his Son King Philip at Bruxelles, when he took the Collar from his Neck, and with his own Hands put it over his Son’s Shoulders in the Presence of divers of the Knights, with this Form, Accipe, fili mi, quem e collo meo detraho, tibi præcipuum Aurei velleris torquem, quem Philippus Dux Burgundiæ cognomine bonus Atavus noster, monumentum Fidei Sacræ Romanæ Ecclesiæ, esse voluit & hujusce Institutionis ac Legum ejus, fac semper memineris: Since which the Honour of being Chief of this Order remains at this Day in that Crown.
35. The Order of St. George at Genoa,
Was given by Frederick III. Emperor of Germany, in honour of St. George the titular Saint and Patron of Genoa. The Ensign is a plain Cross Gules, and worn by the Knights at a Chain of Gold about their Neck. The Dukes of Genoa are Chiefs thereof; and in regard their Dignity lasts but two Years, the Order is much impair’d thro the Inconstancy and Alteration of the Times.
36. The Order of the Croissant, or Half-Moon in France,
Was erected in the City of Anjou, 1464. or according to the Saincte Marthes, A. D. 1448. by Rene of the House of Anjou, King of Jerusalem and Sicily, &c. Duke of Anjou, &c. The Intent thereof was the Honour of God, Support of the Church, and Exaltation of Knighthood; over which he declared himself and his Successors, Dukes of Anjou and Kings of Sicily, Chiefs. He also chose St. Maurice, Knight and Martyr, for Patron, and held the first Ceremonies in the Church of Angiers dedicated to his Name. The Symbol which the Knights wore on the right Side of their Mantle, was a Golden Crescent, whereon in Red Enamel was this Word L’oz, signifying L’oz en Croissant, whereby they were spur’d forwards to search after the Increase of Valour and Reputation. At this Crescent was fasten’d as many small Pieces of Gold, fashion’d like Columns, and enamell’d with Red, as the Knights had been engag’d in Battels and Sieges; for none could be adopted into this Order, unless he had well trod the Paths of Honour. The Knights were Thirty Six, others say Fifty, in Number. For their Habit they wore Mantles of Red or Crimson Velvet, and a Mantlet of White, with the Lining and Surcoat of the same.
37. The Order of the Ermin in Britanny,
Was erected by Francis I. Duke of Bretagne, to perpetuate the Memory of his Grand-father John the Conqueror, or else in Imitation of other Orders in France; and thereupon he new built his Castle of Ermin. The Number of these Knights were Twenty Five. Their Habits were Mantles of White Damask lin’d with Carnation, and the Mantlet of the same. The great Collar was of Gold, compos’d of Ears of Corn in Saltire, bound above and beneath with Two Circles of Gold, imitating the Crown of Ceres, denoting the Care of Husbandry, and was sometimes called The Order of the Ears of Corn. At the End of this Collar hung the Mus Ponticus, or Ermin, passing over a Turf of Grass diaper’d with Flowers, at the Edge whereof was imboss’d this Epigraph in French, Amaire, the Device of his said Grand-father, by which he made known his Courage; and rather than fail in the least Punctilio of his Word, he would undergo any Misfortune. This Order ended when the Dukedom of Bretagne became annex’d to the Crown of France, by the Marriage of Anne, Dutchess of Bretagne, to Charles VIII. and Lewis XII. both French Kings.