It has been customary from within a few years of the foundation of the Order in 1348 for the Knights-Companions to encircle their personal arms with the Garter.
In a wardrobe account of King Edward III, from 14th February 1349-50 to 30th September 1351, payments are entered for the making 'of two pencells of sindon de Triple, each having in the midst a Garter of blue sindon with a shield within the same Garter of the King's arms quartered, and beaten throughout the field with eagles of gold'; but representations of such a usage are hard to find. A good early example is afforded by the monumental brass at Trotton in Sussex of Thomas lord Camoys (ob. 1419) (fig. [154]).
Fig. 154. Shield of arms (a chief and three roundels on the chief) encircled by the Garter, from the brass of Thomas lord Camoys (ob. 1419).
In illustration of the care above referred to of distinguishing the Garter motto from any other, two concrete examples may be cited: one on the brass at Constance of Robert Hallam bishop of Salisbury (ob. 1416), where the King's arms are encircled by the Garter, and the bishop's own arms by an open scroll with a scripture (fig. [155]); the other on the west porch of the cathedral church of Norwich, where the arms of King Henry VI have the Garter about them, and the arms of the builder of the porch, bishop William Alnwick (1426-36), are surrounded by a scroll with his motto.
Fig. 155. Shields encircled by the Garter and a scroll, from the brass of Bishop Hallam (ob. 1416) at Constance.
This distinction was carefully borne in mind when the insignia of British Orders, other than that of the Garter, were devised, and in every case their mottoes are displayed on plain and not buckled bands. In the Albert Medal for Bravery, however, the encircling motto has been most improperly placed on a buckled band like the Garter, and the people who supply 'heraldic stationery' are notorious offenders in the same direction.