§ 5. Having finish’d our Discourse concerning the Robes of the Order, we shall speak of the Robes and Hoods assign’d to the Queen, Knights-Companions Wives, and other great Ladies, by the Donation of the Sovereigns, set off and embellished with Minute Garters, and lin’d with Rich Furs, which Robes they were adorn’d with during the Solemnity of the Feast of St. George, a Custom almost as ancient as its Institution. The first Mention we find recorded of the Feminine Habit occurs, Anno 7. R. II. when the Queen, the Sovereign’s Mother, the Dutchess of Lancaster, the Countesses of Cambridge, Buckingham, Pembroke, Oxford, and Salisbury, the Ladies Philippa and Catherine, Daughters to the Duke of Lancaster, and the Lady Mohun had such kind of Robes and Hoods provided for them. They were made of Cloth, Violet in Grain, like as the Sovereign and Knights-Companions that Year, the Robes lin’d with Fur, but the Hoods with Scarlet, and both embroidered over with little Garters, and the Proportion of Cloth, Furs, and Garters, were stated according to their several Ranks and Degrees; for the Queen had Eight Ells, and Half an Ell of Scarlet for the Lining of her Hood. The Sovereign’s Mother had allow’d her one whole Piece, and a double Proportion of Scarlet; but from the large Quantity it is conceiv’d she had Two Robes and Hoods made at this time: Besides, the particular Number are but Eleven Persons, and cannot else reach the Total of the Robes that were made up and expressly set down to be Twelve. The Dutchess of Lancaster had the Allowance of Half a Piece, and Half an Ell of Scarlet; the Countess of Cambridge Seven Ells of Cloth and Half an Ell of Scarlet, and the rest of the Ladies the same Proportion of Cloth with the Knights-Companions, i. e. each Five Ells a-piece, and Half an Ell of Scarlet. According to their Cloth was also their Proportion of Minever; the Queen’s Allowance was Two Furs, each containing Three Hundred Bellies of pure Minever; the Sovereign’s Mother had twice that Proportion, the Dutchess of Lancaster, and Countess of Cambridge had the same Allowance as the Queen; but all the rest of the Ladies had only one Fur of Two Hundred Bellies. Besides the embroidered Garters to deck out the Twenty-four Surcoats of the Sovereign and Knights-Companions, and the Twelve Robes for the Queen, and other Ladies, amounted to the Number of 2900.
Against the Feast of St. George, Anno. 11. R. II. there were prepared Fifteen Robes and Hoods for the Queen and other Ladies, of the same Livery and suit with the Sovereign and Knights-Companions, viz. White long Cloth, and Blue Cloth for the Lining of their Hoods, bearing the same Proportion in all Things as the former, Anno 13. Rich. II. the Ladies Robes and Hoods were Sanguine Cloth, and the Lining of their Hoods Cloth in Grain. And in the 19th Rich. II. they were Blue Cloth, and long Cloth in Grain for Lining their Hoods. In both these Years we find the Dutchess of Aquitaine had double the Proportion of Cloth allow’d her (as had also the Dutchess of York) viz. Fourteen Ells, (the Queen having then but the former Allowance of Eight Ells) and yet her Proportion of Lining, both for the Robe and Hood, was no more than allow’d the Queen.
But Anno 1 Henry V. the same Quantities of Cloth, Minevers, and Garters, were the same to Ladies of all Degrees, and that was to each Five Ells of White Woollen Cloth, only the Queen-Mother had Eight Ells of White Cloth and Eight Ells of Black Cloth, a Fee containing Two Hundred Bellies of Minever, and an Hundred embroidered Garters, and 12 Henry VI. the Master of the great Wardrobe was commanded to make ready the like Livery, both for Colour of Cloth, number of Ells, Bellies of Minever, and Garters, for the Countess of Suffolk, against the approaching Feast of St. George.
A plainer Narrative is made of these Liveries, Anno 16 Edw. IV. when at the Feast of St. George at Windesor, the Queen, the Lady Elizabeth, the King’s Daughter, and Dutchess of Suffolk, the King’s Sister, had for their Livery Murrey Gowns embroidered with Garters.
Besides these Robes worn by the Ladies at the Festivals of the Order, there seems to be some Imitation of wearing a Garter also on their Left Arms, as the Knights did on their Left Leg, as it is observ’d on the Countess of Tankervile’s Monument, where she is so pourtray’d.
After a long Disuse of these Robes, Anno 14 Car. I. there was an endeavour to restore it; for the Deputy Chancellor sollicited the Sovereign in Chapter, That the Ladies of the Knights-Companions might be granted the Privilege to wear a Garter of the Order about their Arms, and an upper Robe at Festival Times, according to ancient Usage, upon which Motion the Sovereign gave Order that the Queen’s Pleasure should be known herein, and the Affair left to the Ladies particular Request, and the Year ensuing, upon the Deputy Chancellor’s Report at another Chapter at Windesor, it was then left to a Chapter to be called by the Knights-Companions, to preponderate of every Circumstance, how it were fittest to be effected for the Honour and Lustre of the Order; which was appointed to be held at London about All-hollantide next; But the unhappy War breaking out, this Matter entirely broke off.
§ 6. There remains now the Collar and George, brought in by King Henry VIII. And first, of Collars in general, which is an Ornament not of late, but ancient Invention, and the wonderful Consent of most Nations plead for it: Sacred Writ sets down the Collar of Gold for one of the Ornaments Pharaoh conferr’d upon Joseph. The Images of Isis and Osiris were represented with such like Collars, in a manner, extending to their Shoulders, as Kircher informs us. Their Workmanship seems wonderfully curious, being intersected with various Lines, and divided with Tablets and precious Stones. The Collar was of an illustrious Original among the Romans, and gave Denomination to the Family of Torquati, descended from L. Manlius, whom the Soldiers surnam’d Torquatus, because he fought with a Champion of the Gauls, Anno V. C. 392. and, having foil’d him in fight, cut off his Head, and then pluck’d off his Collar, bloody as it was, and put it about his own Neck. In further Memory of which Action were found several Roman Coins referring to L. Torquatus, Consul with L. Cotta, Anno V. C. 688. And it’s remarkable that when one of another Tribe was adopted into this Family, he did also assume this Badge of Honour, as in the Coin of D. Junius Silanus, tho’ the Fashion of the Work somewhat differ’d from the former.
In pristine Times none but Kings and Princes wore Collars, and therefore their Use seems of Dignity and Power, as is evident from Daniel, where the Assyrian Kings used this Ornament. Afterwards Men famous for Wisdom and Council, had them as a distinguishing Badge, as in the Example of Joseph, and from the Proclamation of Belshazzar King of Babylon, who proposed it as a Præmium to him that could interpret the Hand-Writing upon the Wall. And Men famous for Military Atchievements had it conferr’d upon them, in Recompence of their Merits; thus Collars were of the Number of the Dona & Præmia Militaria among the Romans, and the Honour of receiving them thought worthy to be consign’d to Posterity in Marble Inscriptions. From them the later Emperors receiv’d it, and we read of investing a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre with a Collar at his Creation; where, as soon as the Ceremony of his Ordination is over, the Padre Guardian Kisses the new Made Knight, and puts about his Neck (according to the mode of the Ancients) a Golden Collar, with a Cross hanging at it.
Most aptly therefore have the Sovereigns of Military Orders annex’d this Ornament of the Collar to their Habit, and conferr’d it on the Fellows and Companions, many of whom have meritoriously deserv’d it for their great Wisdom and valorous Exploits, and for this reason it was instituted in additional Glory to the Ensigns of the Garter, compos’d in a peculiar manner, in Relation to the Name and Title; to the wearing of which the Sovereign oblig’d both himself and Knights-Companions, and his and their Successors.
This Collar was ordain’d to be of Gold Thirty Ounces Troy weight, but not to exceed it; howbeit that Collar sent to Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, weigh’d Thirty-four Ounces and a Quarter, and that of King Charles I. 35 Ounces and an Half; which, after his Sufferings, fell into the Hands of Thomas Harrison, one of Oliver’s Major-Generals, and was by him delivered to the Trustees for Sale of the King’s Goods: They, 1649. sent it to the Mint, with divers of the Regalia, to set the Stamp on work for the first Gold that the upstart Common-wealth coin’d.