The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

The Motto of King Charles II. was set with Diamonds upon Blue Velvet, and the Borders wrought with fine Gold Wire; the Diamonds which framed the Letters of the Motto, were Rose Diamonds, much of a Size or Proportion; but those which framed the Stops, Table-Diamonds; the Total which set each Letter, compos’d the Stops, Ilot Holes, and adorn’d the Buckle; the Table was Two Hundred and Fifty; the Hinge of the Buckle was pure Gold, and on it the Sovereign’s Picture to the Breast, curiously cut in Flat-stitch, crown’d with a Laurel and the military Garb of the first Roman Emperors; the Table or Pendant was Gold, and on the back-side thereof engrav’d St. George on Horse-back encountring the Dragon.

This noble Ensign, the Garter, was at the Erection of the Order appointed to be wore on the left Leg, a little beneath the Knee, which Usage still presides: And the placing it thus, on the Sepulchral Portraictures of Knights-Companions, was an early Custom; for on the Alabaster Monument of Sir William Fitz-warin, who was interr’d in the North-side of the Chancel at Wantage in Com. Berks, 35 Edw. III. he lies there with his Surcoat of Arms upon his Breast, and the Representation of a Garter (but without Motto) carv’d upon his left Leg. In the same Posture lies Sir Richard Pembridge, elected a Knight-Companion, temp. Edw. III. and is portraicted on his Monument in the South-side of the Cathedral of Hereford, below the Pulpit, and encompass’d with a Rail of Iron-Spikes.

The next Monument whereon the Garter was depicted, was that erected for Sir Simon Burley, (beheaded A. D. 1388.) and rear’d in the North-Wall near the Choir of St. Paul’s, London. Thence-forward the Practice became more frequent, and then the Motto began to be cut thereon; insomuch that it is now the constant and just Practice to do it, whensoever the Knights-Companions are exhibited in Effigies.

And altho’ this Ensign was first design’d in Ornament to the left Leg, yet it was not confin’d so solely thereto, but was anciently us’d to incircle the Escutcheon of St. George’s Arms, worn by the Sovereign and Knights-Companions on their Mantles, who within a small space after us’d it to surround their own proper Coat of Arms, which their Successors have retain’d as their peculiar Privilege, permitting it to none but to their principal Officer, the Prelate of the Order.

The first Example that occurs, is the before-mention’d of Sir Francis Burley, where, on the Front, towards the Head, is his own Arms empaling his first Wife’s, set within a Garter, (wanting the Impress;) but another having the same Empalement, (plac’d below the Feet) is surrounded with a Collar of SS. of the same Form with that about his Neck.

The Monument also of Joan, Wife of Ralph Nevil, Earl of Westmoreland, on the South-side of the Choir, in the Cathedral of Lincoln, bears the Arms of Nevil, empaling those of Joan, his Wife, (who dy’d A. D. 1410.) Incircled within a Garter, and fix’d on this Lady’s Monument, Daughter to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, is there such a Collar of SS. placed about a Square; but the Paint being faded, was render’d unintelligible.

Another antique Instance is that Escutcheon, Sable, Three Ostrich Feathers Argent, surrounded with the Garter, affix’d in the Glass-Windows of Greenwich-Church in Kent, by Humfrey, Duke of Glocester, and Supported with a Greyhound and an Antelope. It is reported, these Three Feathers were the Ensign of King Henry IV. which were conferr’d by John of Gaunt, his Father, who bore them for his Device, and placed in a Field Sable, as here, but the Pens were powder’d with Ermin, for a difference from the Black Prince’s Feather, which were Argent, as the King’s Pen was Or, and the Duke of Somerset’s Compony Argent and Azure.

The Arms of Sir Lewis Robessart, Lord Bourchier, Knight-Companion, temp. Hen. V. we find encompass’d with a Garter on each side his Monument, in Westminster-Abbey.

At the Interment of Richard Duke of York, Father to King Edw. IV. at every Corner of the Majesty-Escutcheon (set over the Image of the Defunct) was an Escutcheon of the Arms of France and England quarterly, and Four Angels Gold, holding the same within a Garter. And so some of the Funeral Escutcheons of John Viscount Wells, (who dy’d 14 Hen. VII.) were surrounded with the Garter, as others bearing his Lady’s Arms.

At the Interment of Thomas Duke of Norfolk, in Thetford-Abbey, (who dy’d 16 Hen. VIII.) there was provided a Shield of his Arms within a Garter, and a Coronet affix’d over it; a Target also of the Arms of George, Earl of Shrewsbury, within a Garter, was born at his Funural, Anno 33 Hen. VIII.