or even death itself, to support, by their joint endeavours, the honour of the Society: they are stiled, Companions of the Garter, from their wearing below the left knee a purple garter, inscribed in letters of gold, with HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, i. e. Evil to him that evil thinks. This they wear upon the left leg, in memory of one which happening to untie, was let fall by a great lady, paffionately beloved by Edward, while she was dancing, and was immediately snatched up by the king; who, to do honour to the lady, not out of any trifling galantry, but with a moft ferious and honourable purpose, dedicated it to the legs of the moft diftinguished nobility. The ceremonies of this Society are celebrated every year at Windsor on St. George's day, the tutelar Saint of the Order, the king prefiding; and the custom is, that the Knights Companions fhould hang up their helmet and shield, with their arms blazoned on it, in fome confpicuous part of the church. There are three principal and very large courts in Windsor Castle, which give great pleasure to the beholders: the first is enclosed with most elegant buildings of white ftone, flat roofed, and covered with lead; here the Knights of the Garter are lodged; in the middle is a detached house, remarkable for its high tower, which the governor inhabits. In this is the public kitchen, well furnished with proper utenfils, befides a fpacious dining-room, where all the poor Knights eat at the fame table, for E into this Society of the Garter, the king and fovereign elects, at his own choice, certain persons, who must be gentlemen of three defcents, and fuch as, for their age and the straitness of their fortunes, are fitter for faying their prayers than for the service of war; to each of them is affigned a penfion of eighteen pounds per annum and clothes: the chief inftitution of so magnificent a foundation is, that they should fay their daily prayers to God for the king's safety, and the happy administration of the kingdom, to which purpose they attend the service, meeting twice every day at chapel. The left fide of this court is ornamented by a moft magnificent chapel of one hundred and thirty-four paces in length, and fixteen in breadth; in this are eighteen feats fitted up in the time of Edward III. for an equal number of Knights this venerable building is decorated with the noble monuments of Edward IV., Henry VI., and VIII., and of his wife queen Jane. It receives from royal liberality the annual income of two thousand pounds, and that still much increased by the munificence of Edward III. and Henry VII. The greatest princes in Christendom have taken it for the highest honour to be admitted into the Order of the Garter; and fince its firft inftitution about twenty kings, besides those of England, who are the fovereigns of it, not to mention dukes and perfons of the greatest figure, have been of it. It consists of twenty-fix Companions. In the inward choir of the chapel are hung up Adam THOMAS WOLSEY. Bp of Lincoln 15.13. Abp. of York 15.14... Cardinal 15.15. Lord Chancellor 15.16.06 1530... at. 59... fixteen coats of arms, swords, and banners; among which are thofe of Charles V. and Rodolphus II., Emperors; of Philip of Spain; Henry III. of France; Frederic II. of Denmark, &c.; of Casimir Count Palatine of the Rhine; and other Chriftian princes who have been chosen into this Order. In the back choir, or additional chapel, are fhewn preparations made by Cardinal Wolfey, who was afterwards capitally punished *, for his own tomb; confifting of eight large brazen columns placed round it, and nearer the tomb four others in the fhape of candlesticks; the tomb itself is of white and black marble; all which are reserved, according to report, for the funeral of queen Elizabeth; the expences already made for that purpose are estimated at upwards of 60,000l. In the fame chapel is the furcoat + of Edward III., and the tomb of Edward Fines Earl of Lincoln, Baron Clinton and Say, Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, and formerly Lord High Admiral of England. The fecond Court of Windfor Caftle ftands upon higher ground, and is enclosed with walls of great * This was a strange blunder to be made fo near the time, about fo remarkable a perfon, unless he concluded that whoever displeased Henry VIII. was of course put to death. + This is a mistake; it was the furcoat of Edward IV. enriched with rubies, and was preserved here till the civil war. |