38. The Order of the Ermin in Naples
Owes its Institution to Ferdinand I. King of Naples, at the Expiration of the War which he was engag’d in with John of Lorain, Duke of Calabria, 1463. being induc’d thereto by the Treason and Confederacy of his Brother-in-law Marinus Marcianus, Duke of Sessa, who design’d to murder him, and transfer the Kingdom to the Duke of Calabria: But the Plot being defeated, instead of bringing him to Justice, he not only pardon’d him, but instituted this Chevalry, admitting therein all the Noblemen of Title and Figure in the Kingdom, and generously appointed him one of the first Knights. The Collar was of Gold, intermix’d with Mud or Dirt, to which depended an Ermin and this Motto, Malo mori quam fœdari, alluding to the clean Nature of the Animal.
39. The Order of St. Michael in Naples,
Had its Original from the same King Ferdinand, in honour of St. Michael the Arch-Angel, Patron of Apulia. The Habit of the Knights was a long White Mantle embroider’d with Ermins, and the Collar of Gold compos’d of the Letter O, to which hung in an Oval the Epigraph Decorum. By the Habit it seems to be the preceding Order, if that was dedicated to St. Michael.
40. The Order of St. Michael in France.
Lewis XI. King of that Realm, considering how his Affairs were entangled, to re-unite the Affections of his Nobility to himself, instituted these Knights, 1469. giving them their Denomination from St. Michael the Arch-Angel, the titular Angel and Protector of France, in Reverence of whom their ancient Kings were wont to solemnize this Feast-day with great Magnificence, and keep an open Court. Their Number at first were to be Thirty Six, whereof the King and his Successors were Chief: But it afterwards proceeded to Three Hundred. The Collar is compos’d of Escallop-Shells of Gold, joyn’d one with another and double-banded, fasten’d on small Chains of Gold, at the End of which is annex’d an Oval of the same; and therein, on an Hillock, is the Figure of St. Michael combating and trampling down the Dragon. The Motto, Immensi tremor Oceani. The Habit was a Mantle of White Damask hanging down to the Ground, furr’d with Ermin, having its Cope embroider’d with Gold, and the Border of the Robe interwoven with Escallops of Gold; the Chaperon or Hood, with its long Tippet, was made of Crimson Velvet; but afterwards King Henry II. order’d this Mantle to be Cloth of Silver, embroider’d with Three Crescents of Silver, interwoven with Trophies, Quivers and Turkish Bows, semied and canton’d with Tongues and Flames of Fire; the Chaperons of Crimson Velvet should have the same Embroidery. Their Grand Festival was to be celebrated on Michaelmas-day, at the Church of Mount Michael in Normandy; but after wards transferr’d to Bois de Vincennes near Paris. There is an Herald of Arms to attend this Order, called Monsieur St. Michael. Upon the instituting The Order of the Holy Ghost, not only Care was taken to preserve this of St. Michael, and to rectify it, but the Knights had the Privilege allow’d them, that if they thought fit they were made capable of receiving that of The Holy Ghost, which no Stranger or Native could be enroll’d in that had taken upon him any other Order. The Collar of St. Michael may be worn with that of The Holy Ghost, and it is now frequently us’d. The Evening before any receive The Order of the Holy Ghost, he is admitted into The Order of St. Michael.
41. The Order of the Elephant in Denmark.
King Christian I. being at Rome upon a religious Account, Pope Sixtus IV. among other Honours, invested him with this Order, in Memory of the Passion of our Saviour; and withal ordain’d the Supreme or Chief in his Successors, Kings of Denmark.
This King founded the magnificent Chapel of the Three Kings in the Cathedral Church of Roschilt, (Four Leagues from Copenhagen) where the Knights were to assemble upon the Death of any of their Fraternity. He admitted thereunto divers Kings, Princes and Noblemen. Its chief Ensign was the Figure of an Elephant, on whose side (within a Rundle) was a Crown of Thorns, with Three Nails all bloody, in Memory of the Passion. The Knights were oblig’d to Acts of Piety, Alms-Deeds, and certain Ceremonies, especially upon those Days on which they wore the Ensigns. King John valu’d it so highly, that he wore them on every solemn Festival. He advanc’d it to that Pitch of Grandeur, that our King Henry VIII. and James V. King of Scotland, accepted it.
Hertholm, a learned Dane, in a particular Treatise of this Elephantine Order, says, The Badge was meerly Military, anciently given as a Memorial and Incitement to the Danish Princes, who took upon them the Defence of Christianity against the Moors and Africans.