The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

by Elias Ashmole

Afterwards, by the Precedent of the Garter, there was another Proportion limited, the Prince, a Duke, a Marquis, an Earl, had each of them Five Timber of pure Minever allowed to a Surcoat; but the Viscount, Baron, Baronet and Batchelor-Knights but Three Timber apiece. In time these Furs were disused, and the Surcoats came to be lined with white Sarcenet, to which, temp. Eliz. white Taffaty succeeded, and that still continues.

What became of the old Surcoats, since the Knights-Companions had new ones every Year, the Black Book of the Order informs us, That on the Eve of the Feast of St. George, the Knights wore to Vespers, the Sovereigns Livery or Surcoats, used by them the preceding Year, which after that Night they threw off, (for the new Surcoats were worn on the Feast-Day); but the Ensigns and Ornaments of this Kind were disposed of to the Use of the Colledge.

The Hood and Cap comes in the next Place to be spoken of, which Hood in King Henry VIII’s Statutes, and the Black Book of the Order is called Humerale; but in the Rolls of the Great Wardrobe, Capucium. In the French it is Chaperon, a Word used in the Statute, Anno 1. Richard II. C. 7. and also retained in the Old English Copy of Henry VIII’s Statutes made of his Reign, and annexed to this Treatise. They were anciently wore for Defence of the Head against the Inclemencies of Weather, but of later Times Caps and Hats have supplied their place. How they sat upon the Head, may be observed in the Portraitures of the first Founders; as also with some Variety of Fashion in succeeding Ages: Yet is not the Hood quite thrown by, since ’tis still kept reclining upon the Back, almost like a Pilgrim’s Hat.

This Hood was ordained, and is yet retained as part of the Habit of this most Noble Order. And tho’ neither it nor the Surcoat is mentioned in the Statutes of Institution, or in either its Exemplars, nor doth King Henry V. lay any Stress upon it, yet it is of equal Antiquity with the rest, as appears from the Rolls of the great Wardrobe, and Henry VIII’s Statutes have made remarkable Observation of it, for the Mantle, Surcoat, Hood, and Collar are called the Habit of the Order: And in the Black Book, Anno 22. Henry VII. at the Investiture of Philip King of Castile, the Mantle, Kirtle, Hood and Collar are expresly called Whole Habit.

It was heretofore, and now is generally made of the same Materials as the Surcoat, and was anciently trimmed and set off with a small Proportion of Garters lined with Cloth of a different Colour, and such as would best strike the Sight; but now with Taffaty, as is the Lining of the Surcoat.

As to the Cap, which was instituted to succeed the Hood; it hath been, and yet is, fashioned of black Velvet lin’d with Taffaty; but the Figure hath several Times varied; for Temp. Henry VIII. it was flat, in Queen Elizabeth’s Reign it was a little raised in the Head; but in King James’s Time they were much more high-crown’d. This Cap hath been usually adorn’d with Plumes of White Feathers, and Spriggs, and bound about with a Band set thick with Diamonds; so was the Cap for the Installation of King Charles II. and sometimes the Brims have been tack’d up with a large and costly Jewel.

This Custom of wearing Caps and Feathers at the Grand Solemnities of the Order, had, for some Time, about the Beginning of King James I. Reign, been omitted, and thereupon, in a Chapter held the 13th of April, Anno 10. Jac. I. this commendable Custom was re-establish’d.

To these may be added the Cross of the Order encompass’d with a Garter, which by the Sovereign was ordain’d the 27th of April, 2 Car. I. to be worn upon the Left Side of the Cloaks, Coats, and riding Cassocks of the Sovereigns and Knights-Companions, of the Prelate and Chancellor at all Times, when they were not adorn’d with their Robes, and in all Places and Assemblies (but not embellish’d with Pearls and Stones) that the wearing thereof might be a sufficient Indication to the World, of that Height of Honour they arriv’d to from the said most Noble Order, instituted for Persons of the greatest Merit and Worth.

And it was not long after e’er the Glory or Star, as it was usually call’d, having certain Beams of Silver, that shot out in Form of a Cross, was introduc’d and annex’d to it, in Imitation (as thought) of the French, who after the same manner wore the chief Ensign of the Order of the Holy Ghost, being the Representation of a Dove irradiated with such like Beams.

And whereas some Painters affirm the Symbol of the Holy Ghost to be thus adorn’d congruous enough, yet censure it improper for a Garter, let them consider that King Edw. IV. erected his White Rose with the like Glory, whereof both the Stone Work and Wood Work of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, manifestly illustrate, whose Antiquity makes a Precedent for it long before the Institution of the Order of the Holy Ghost; but this King assum’d this Device upon appearance of three Suns, which suddenly united together into one immediately, before his successful Victory at Mortimer’s-Cross, a happy Æra he thought himself oblig’d to perpetuate. And they mistake who suppose it to be the Garter that is thus irradiated, whereas it is something else more worthy of the Glory, for from it, not the Garter, do the Rays diffuse, viz. the inclos’d Cross of the Order, celebrated as glorious, since it darted its bright Beams from Heaven, when it appear’d to Constantine the Great; as the same is represented on a Silver Medal: On the one Side whereof was a Bust in profile, or side Face of King Charles I. and on the Reverse, this Badge of the Order, within a Garter, inscrib’d, Honi, &c. a Cross irradiated, dispersing its Beams in a Rhombular Form of Eight Angles, beyond the Orbit or bounding Lines of the said Garter, having for Circumscription, Prisci decus Ordinis Auctum, 1629.