in the centre of which is an orb and cross as in the royal crown; the prince's coronet, however, differs in not having the second arch, as may be seen on referring to the woodcut page 499.

In addition to the coronet, the Prince of Wales' plume is an ornament peculiar to himself. It consists of an ancient coronet encircling three ostrich feathers,

"Feathers soft, and feathers rare,

Such as suits a Prince to wear ;"

underneath these is a scroll with the words ich dien (I serve), as may be seen in the woodcut at page 499. The Prince's plume is said to have been assumed first by Edward the Black Prince after the battle of Cressy, where he slew John, King of Bohemia, and from the head of that Monarch, who was in the ranks of the French king, he took the plume and motto which have since been used by the Princes of Wales. The collar, &c., of the Garter, of course form one of the decorations belonging to every Prince of Wales, for that illustrious personage is always a constituent portion of the Order.

OTHER PRINCES OF THE BLOOD ROYAL. The sons, brothers, and uncles of the Sovereign, use a coronet peculiar to themselves, which is usually described as the coronet of a royal duke, but it has no relation to the rank in the peerage which these relatives of the Sovereign might hold, and although they are usually dukes, yet the coronet would equally belong to them if they were only marquises. It consists

of a circle of gold bordered with ermine, and having alternately four fleur-de-lis, and as many crosses patée. It differs from the Prince of Wales' coronet, in having no arch. Of course in the printed view of it at page 499, only half the number of crosses and fleurs-de-lis are apparent, but this is the necessary consequence of the shape of every coronet. This distinguishing ensign of the Princes of the Blood Royal, is enjoyed under a grant of Charles II. conferred in the thirteenth year of his reign.

THE PRINCESSES OF ENGLAND use a coronet of a somewhat different cast, consisting of a circle of gold ornamented with crosses patée, fleurs-de-lis, and strawberry leaves alternately, while the princes' coronet has only the two former alternately placed.

DUKES. The robes worn by dukes at the coronation ceremony, consist of a crimson velvet mantle and surcoat lined with white taffeta, the former being doubled from the neck to the elbow with ermine, having four rows of spots on each shoulder. The parliamentary robe of a duke is of scarlet cloth, lined with white taffeta, and having four guards of ermine at equal distances, each guard being surmounted by gold lace, and the robe itself tied up to the left shoulder by a white riband; his cap is of crimson velvet lined with ermine, and surmounted by a gold tassel; this dress is only worn at the opening or termination of a session of par

liament by the Sovereign in person. The coronet of a duke is of gold set round with eight large strawberry leaves, of the same metal, at equal distances, as shown at page 501. Only five of these strawberry leaves are, however, delineated in coats of arms, carriage-panels, &c.

The coronation robe of a duchess is of crimson velvet, the cape being furred with minever, having four rows of ermine; the mantle is edged with minever pure, which is five inches broad, and the train is two yards on the ground. Her coronet is identical with that of her husband.

MARQUISES. The parliamentary and coronation costume of a marquis differs but slightly from that of a duke. Instead of four guards of ermine on each side of his mantle, the marquis has four on the right, and only three on the left. The coronet of a marquis consists of a circle of gold, bordered with ermine, and surrounded with four strawberry leaves, having as many pearls, placed alternately on pyra midal points: of the latter of course only two are visible in the woodcut at page 501, in consequence of the circular shape of the coronet.

The coronation robe or mantle of a marchiones is of crimson velvet, the cape furred with minevej pure, having three rows and a half of ermine; the edging is four inches in breadth, and the train is t yard and three quarters on the ground. Her corone does not differ from that of a marquis.

EARLS. The coronation robes of an earl are, as usual, of crimson velvet, and differ in no other respect

from those of a duke or marquis, than in having but three guards of ermine and gold lace on each side. His parliamentary robes are of scarlet cloth, lined with white taffeta and doubled, with three guards of ermine at equal distances, each guard being surmounted by gold lace. The whole is tied up to the left shoulder, with a white riband. The coronet of an earl is a circle of gold, the edge of which is raised into eight pyramidal points, each having on the top a pearl, and being placed alternately with strawberry leaves as in the illustration at page 501.

At a coronation the robe or mantle of a countess differs from that of a marchioness in having three instead of three and a half rows of ermine; the edging is three inches in breadth; and the train is a yard and a half on the ground. Her coronet is similar to that of an earl.

VISCOUNTS. The robes worn by a viscount at a coronation resemble those of all other peers, except in having the mantle doubled from the neck to the elbow with two rows and a half of ermine. His parliamentary robes also only differ from those of others, in the mantle having two doublings and a half of plain white fur. His coronet is a circle of gold bordered with ermine, and having an unlimited umber of pearls, set immediately on it without the

intervention of raised points. The border usually holds sixteen, of which seven appear in the side view, page 501.

The coronation robe of a viscountess differs from that of a countess only in the cape having two rows and a half of ermine, in the edging of the mantle 'being two inches broad of minever pure, and in the train being only a yard and a quarter on the ground, Her coronet is identical with that of a viscount.

BARONS. The coronation robes of a baron have but two rows of white fur on the mantle, and his parliamentary robes are diminished in the same proportion. The coronet of a baron is a circle of gold with six pearls at equal distances, of which four are usually shown, as at page 501. Previous to the reign of Charles II. barons wore simple golden circle.

nothing but the

Two bars or rows of ermine on the mantle, two inch edging, and a three feet train, characterize the robes of a baroness, as distinguished from other peeresses. Her coronet is the same as that of a baron.

PEERS' ELDEST SONS. The coronet which the eldest sons of peers use is identical with that borne by the ranks in the peerage next to their respective fathers. Thus dukes' eldest sons use a marquis's coronet, marquises' an earl's, and earls'