King GEORGE III. His Royal Highness Prince William Henry, second brother to the King, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. Died in 1805. John, Earl of Bute. Died in 1792. His Serene Highness Adolphus Frederick III. Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz. Died in 1794. George Dunk, Earl of Halifax. Died 1772. His Royal Highness George Augustus, Prince of Wales, 7. His Serene Highness Charles, Hereditary Prince (now reigning Duke) of Brunswick Wolffenbattle, George, Earl of Albemarle. Died in 1772. His Royal Highness Prince Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland and Strathern, third brother to the King. Died in 1790. George, Duke of Marlborough, l. His Royal Highness Prince Frederick, Bishop of Osnaburg, second son to the King, now Duke of York and Albany, 7. Granville Leveson, Earl Gower, Marquis of Stafford. Died 1803. Augustus Henry, Duke of Grafton, Sir Frederick North, Lord North, afterwards Earl of Guilford. Died in 1792. Henry, Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire. Died in 1779. William Henry, Earl of Rochford. Died in 1781. Thomas, Viscount Weymouth, afterwards Marquis of Bath. Died 1796. 1782 Apr. His Royal Highness Prince William Henry, third son to the King, Duke of Clarence, Charles, Duke of Richmond, Lenox, and Aubigny, l. William, Earl of Shelburne, afterwards Marquis of Oct. Charles, Duke of Rutland. Died in 1787. June June 2. 1786. A Chapter of the Noble Order of the Garter was held at St James's. The Chancellor of the Order read a new statute, signed by his Majesty as Sovereign of the Order, and countersigned by the Chancellor; by which it is ordained, That the order shall in future consist of the sons of the Sovereign, and twenty-five Knights, exclusive of the sons of his Majesty, or his successors, who have been elected, or shall be elected, Knights of the same Noble Order. At the above Chapter, the following were elected Knights of the Order, viz. 1786 1788 Apr. -90 Dec. 15. His Royal Highness Prince Edward, fourth son to His Royal Highness Prince Ernest Augustus, fifth Henry, Duke of Beaufort. Died in 1803. George Nugent Temple, Marquis of Buckingham. John Frederick, Duke of Dorset. Died in 1799. His Serene Highness Ernest, Duke of Saxe Gotha. -93 June 14. James, Marquis of Salisbury. July -94 May. -97 June. 1800 -03 John, Earl of Westmoreland. Henry, Duke of Buccleuch. Prince William, now Duke of Gloucester. Richard, Earl Howe. Died in 1799. John Jeffries, Earl Camden. George John, Earl Spencer. John, Duke of Roxburgh. Died in 1804. Henry Charles, Duke of Beaufort. John James, Marquis of Abercorn. George Augustus, Earl of Pembroke and Montgo mery. George, Earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham. Philip, Earl of Chesterfield. George, Earl of Dartmouth. John, Duke of Bedford, An Historical Account of the ORDER of the THISTLE, or St. ANDREW. THIS Order was founded in 1540 by King James V. who being ho noured with the Order of the Garter from his uncle King Henry VIII. with the Golden Fleece from the Emperor, and the Order of St Mi chael from France, resolved to be in royal mode, and so made this Order for himself and twelve Knights, in imitation of Christ and his twelve Apostles. Then celebrating all the festivals of these orders, he set up their arms and badges over the gate of his palace of Linlithgow, joining St Andrew with them. Some Scotch writers, ever fond of antiquity, not satisfied with the novelty of this institution, affect to call it most ancient as to its derivation. But for this they have no better warrant than the dream of King Hungus the Pict, to whom St Andrew making a midnight visit, promised him a sure victory over his foes the Northumbrians; and the next day St Andrew's cross appearing in the air, he made his words good, and the Northumbrians were defeated. On this story, as they say, King Achaius, about the year 800, framed the Order of Saint Andrew, 700 years before King James V. revived it. But after so many ages, it is remarkable that no foreign testimonies or authors are produced, no contemporary vouchers to confirm, or even so much as mention it; so that this part, relating to its great antiquity, must be given up as a fable. Immediately after King James V. had founded and established this Order, he died in 1542, which put an end to the design for that time; for it being about the time of the Reformation, when religious disputes ran to a great height, it was deemed impious to imitate, in an Order of Knighthood, Christ and his Apostles; nor was this honourable Order thought of, till King James VII. of Scotland, and II. of England, renewed it, by making eight Knights, on the 27th of May 1687. But the glorious Revolution happening next year, no more Knights were added till December 1703, when her Majesty Queen Anne Anne was most graciously pleased to fill up the vacant stalls, agreeable to the original statutes of the Order, to which she added some new rules. In 1714, King George I. was pleased to confirm the statutes of Queen Anne, and several more, particularly that of making rays of glory to surround the figure of St Andrew, which hangs at the collar; and as elections and instalments were both wanting, his Majesty ordered that chapters of election should thenceforth be held in the Royal presence; and the great wardrobe to provide suitable mantles, and other vestments, for the Knights and Officers of the Order. The ensigns are, the image of St Andrew in a purple robe, irradiated as before observed, and vested in cloth of gold, with the white cross of martyrdom on his breast, and is pendant to the collar of said Order, as worn by the Knights on their feast day, (being the 30th of November), and other great occasions. The collar is made of gold, with thistles and sprigs of rue linked together, enamelled green, being the two ancient symbols of the Scots and Picts; the one not to be handled without being hurt, and the other an antidote against infection. Hence the motto, Nemo me im pune lacesset. The arms of the Knights companions are encircled with the motto. The common badges worn by the Knights are, a cross surmounted by a star of four silver points, and over them a green circle, and lettered with gold, containing the motto; and in the center is a Thistle proper, the whole being embroidered on the left breast; and with the collar, always worn with the other ensign, which is a green ribband spread over the left shoulder, and brought under the left arm, pendant to which is the image of St Andrew, with an oval of gold, enamelled green, with the same motto'; but sometimes they wear a thistle crowned, encircled after the same manner. King James appointed the Knights to wear the image of St Andrew, pendant to a blue ribband; which continued so till Queen Anne changed it for that of the green, as it is now worn. The Officers of the Order are, Dean, William Laurence Brown, D.D. Lyon King at Arms, Campbell Hook, esq. Secretary, George Dempster, esq. Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod, Robert Quarme, esq. |