The History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter — Edition Insights

_Centuriæ tres Equitum_, three Centuries of Knights, out of the chiefest Families, whom he appointed to be his Life-guard, and called them _Celeres_, from their Activity and Dispatch in Martial Affairs.

_Tarquinius Priscus_ made an Addition to these Centuries; the like did _Servius Tullius_, who ordained, that those who should succeed in that Body, should be elected _ex censu_, _viz._ from a considerable and certain Valuation of their Estates, who had the greatest Cense, and were of the most Noble Families, says _Dyonys. Halicarn._ And soon after, the Equestrian Class began to be formed and constituted one of the three Orders of the Commonwealth, which were thus rank’d, according to _Livy_: _Senatus, Ordo Equestris & Plebs_; which in the _Roman_ Literal Notes is set down after this Manner: CON. SEN. E. ORD. P. Q. R. And forasmuch as this Degree is placed between the _Patricians_, or Senators, and the _Plebeians_, it answers exactly the State of our Knights between the Nobility and Commonalty: And from this Order, to the Height of Nobility which resided in the Senators, was the Way prepared; _Junius Brutus_ being the first who was raised to a Senator from the Equestrian Order.

IT was a Constitution, as old as _Tiberius_’s Reign, that none should be admitted, unless Free-born, or a Gentleman for three Generations; and, indeed, for a long Time none were elected Knights but the best Sort of Gentlemen, and Persons of Extraction, as was the illustrious _Mœcenas_.

_Atavis regibus ortus eques_, Mart.

who aspired no higher, not out of any Incapacity of attaining greater Honours, but that he desired them not, says _Paterculus_: Yet at length, thro’ Corruption of Times, Plebeians and Freedmen being too frequently received into this Degree (too near a Parallel among the Knights of this Age) occasion’d their Power to grow less and less, ’till it shrunk to nothing; so that the Places and Offices of Judges which they before had executed, became conferrable upon the _Publicans_. And when _Cicero_ was Consul, _anno ab urbe conditi_ 690, the Equestrian Order stood in need of Re-establishment, whereupon they were then incorporated into that Commonwealth in the third Degree, all Acts passing _in the Name of the Senate, the People of_ Rome, _and the Equestrian Order_.

They often enjoy’d Abroad the Government of several Provinces, whereof _Egypt_ had this peculiar to itself, that none of the Senators were admitted, but only those of the Equestrian Order, whose Decrees _Augustus_ commanded to be had in like Regard, as if the Magistrates of _Rome_, or Kings, Consuls, or Prætors, had pronounced them.

As a Mark of Eminence, they had the Titles of _Splendidi_ and _Illustres_ bestowed upon them, and sometimes have been called _most sacred_ Knights.

AND besides other Privileges, they had Seats with the Senators in the _Circus Maximus_; and by the _Roscian_ Law, sat next them in the Theatres: They had likewise a College called _Collegium Equitum_; and Temples were dedicated to the Goddess _Fortune_, under the Title of _Equestri Fortunæ_.

HAVING shewn the Dignity and Honours of the Equestrian Order among the _Romans_, we shall now touch upon the Degrees of Knighthood which have been Personal, and may be comprehended under the Modern Title of _Equites Aurati_, or _Milites Simplices_, (as distinguish’d from the several Orders of Chivalry, instituted in Christendom.) In the Circumstance of whose Creation we confess, nothing in the _Roman Ordo Equestris_ hath place, tho’ that might be the Ground and Original of the Dignity, and one common End in both, namely, the Pursuit of Military Exploits, and Service in the Wars.

§. 4. OF the Degrees of Knighthood. We shall first of the _Monozons_, i. e. Knights begirt with the Military Girdle, a Custom devolved to the _Germans_ and _Gauls_ from ancient Times, and from them to After-Ages.

SIR _Henry Spelman_ notes, _That the late Emperors conferred the Dignity of Knighthood with the Military Girdle instead of all other Arms, because that Part more eminent amongst them girdeth, supporteth, and adorneth the rest_; whence _Selden_ calls this Girding the most essential part of the Ceremony. Nor do we find among the various Ceremonies of _Knighthood_ any that have continued so constant in Practice as the endowing with Girdle and Sword, Ornaments proper to the Dignity and Marks of _Honour_ and _Vertue_, with which the Statues and Portraitures of _Knights_, on their Grave-stones have been adorned.