Lately Publijhed by the fame Author, TH E Regifter of the Mofl Noble Order of the Garter, from its Cover in Black VeU vety ufually called the Black Book ; having Notes pla ced at the Bottom of the Page, with an Introdudion. In Two Volumes, Folio, with feveral Copper Plates. Printed for James Woodman, Bookfeller, in Rujfel-Street, Cogent-Garden, 17x5. Errata. T>AGE 37. Line 17. read 1399. IntroduElion. * Page 74. Number in/tead read Creation. LXXIX, of Coronation, -Ap pendix- OBSERVATIONS Introdudory to an iftorical Eflay, UPON THE KNIGHTHOOD O F THE BATH. By John Anstis Efq; Garter Principal King of Arms. LONDON: Printed for James Wo o d m a n, in Rujfel-Street, Convent-Garden, and Sold by J. R o b e r t s in Warwick-Lane, 17x5. C i 3 OBSERVATIONS Introductory to an iftorical Effay, UPON THE Knighthood of the BAT H. ON Occafion of a late Report, that a new Creation of Knights of the Bath, is intended, Queftions have been propofed to me from feveral Perfbns, both in private Con version, and by Letters, as well concerning the Origin, the Antiquity, the Dignity of their Degree, as concerning the ancient and folemn Rites of confer ring it j for the Satisfaction of fuch Perfons, and in Anfwer to their refpe&ive Demands, who have been pleafed to confult me upon this Head, as fuppofing the Nature of my Office hath obliged me to make fbtne more curious and particular Refearches into the B different C a I different Ranks and Diftinctions of Men in civil Life, which I have here made fome curfbry Obfervations, Idea may be fufficient, at prefent, to give a general of this State of Knighthood, 'till I find a proper Opportunity for methodizing the Collections, which may be applied, towards compiling a regular, and more complete Hiftory, upon the Subject. I. In Anfwer to the firfl Inquiry, concerning the Origin of this Degree, it may be obferved, that the End of all Inftitutions in refpect to Titles, or Offices of Honour, is to encourage and promote Vertue ; That being the great Support and Security of civil Government, All wife and well regulated States, in the World, have ever been careful to reward flich Per fons, who have diftinguifhed themfelves by any ver- tuous Qualities, or Achievements, with certain publick honorary Badges of Diftinction. And as Vertue tends, in all Instances, and in every different Branch of it, to promote the publick Good, fo diffe rent Orders, or Rules of a vertuous Conduct, have been afligned to Men, by Means of which, they might, in their feveral Stations, be rendered, at once, more ufeful, and ornamental to Society. The more fpecifick Rule to that Degree of Knight hood, which I am now confidering, and wherein the proper Character of it, as contradiflinguifhed from other Orders, doth confifl, is comprehended in the Reafons C 3 ] Reafons of its Inftitution, which I am going to recite, be It may queflioned, indeed, whether there is any Rule extant, in any Order, that may not be reduced to one, or other of the excellent Ends, for which this Degree, in particular, of the Bath was indicated j Ends Co great, lb good, fb pious, and comprehensive, that they do not feem capable of receiving any Addi tional Improvement : For what can be {aid to am plify, or illuftrate the Defign of an Inftitution, after we are told, It "is for the Exaltation of the Holy Cf Christian Religion 5 the Support of the Rights of our Sovereigns j the Defence of their Realms j the (f Advancement ofJuftice 5 the Protection ofVirgins, Op- Widows, and Orphans ; the Relief of the tc prefled ; and for demonstrating the Affection a our " Monarchs towards the Eftate of Chevakie -, to the (( End, both their Subjects, and Foreigners may be ce rewarded for heroick military Actions, and towards iC Examples." exciting other Perfbns to imitate fuch So that in refpect to the Origin of this Degree, in ge neral, we may conclude, it to be founded, upon re- religious, upon moral, and political Considerations. IT. In Reference to the Antiquity of Knight hood of the Bath, I Shall cite the Authority of a'Jtm du Ttlkt, who fiippofeth it to have been practiced hy a Recueil dcs Roys de Trance, feurs couronne, & maifon p- 431. B z the C4] l the the ancient Franks, with that of Mr. Camden to Same Effect, who writes, that He obferved nothing than that it more ancient concerning this Dignity, Franks ; Thefe were was in Ufe among the old the Inhabitants of lower Germany, with whom, it is highly probable, the Saxons, who invaded England, had the Same common Defcent ; and who, with other Cu stoms, upon their Settlement here, introduced the fame Method of Knighthood ; Du Tillet farther remarks, thefe ancient Franks, when they conferred Knighthood, obferved many Solemn Rites , Before they perform ed Vigils, they bathed, to Signify that Such, who were admitted to this Degree, Should be of a pure Mind, and of honefl Intentions \ Be willing to conflict with any Dangers, or Difficulties, in the Caufe of Virtue ; take Care both in their Words, and Acti ons, to follow the Maxims of Prudence ; and on all Occafions, religioufly obferve the Rules of Fidelity, and Honour. Which Rites and Conditions, accord ing to hisTeftimony, Still continued to be practifed in England; and from the Practice of them, Gentlemen were here denominated Knights of the Bath. If it Should be then admitted, that the Title is of no greater Antiquity, in this Kingdom, than from the Reign ofHen. IVj or, that we have not any authentick Monument, before his Time, which Specifies a Degree & Britannia p. 124. Ordines AnglU. Of [$] of Knighthood, under that exprefs Appellation ; yet this ought not to be considered, as any Argument, againft the Antiquity of the Thing itfelf : For if the Ceremony of Bathing was formerly ufed, as it will prefently appear to have been, in creating Knights, though our Hiftorians have omitted, on the Occa sion, to mention that Ceremony ; yet all the real Ends of the Inftitution were equally anfwered, and the Ho nour of it, as effectually conferred, as if Bathing had been exprefsly mentioned by Such Historians ; it be ing ufual with the belt historical Writers, under Some general Character, or Action, to imply, or fuppofe Things, with which Such Character, or Action, was known to be constantly attended. For Inftance, the Inauguration, or Coronation of the King, doth fuppofe, that all the other facred concomintant Rites of that Solemnity, were then fully and regularly per formed, though they may not be diflinctly enume rated ^ The Rule holds, with Refpect to all inferior Adminiftrations, whether in religious or civil Life,. The Honours of the Peerage, for Example, to which any Perfbn hath been advanced, were ever prefumed to be effectually conveyed, and the principal Ritesj appropriated to the Conveyance of it, to be always. performed, notwithftanding fpecifick Mention was was not made by Hiftorians, concerning the Perform ance of every feparate Rite, in particular, then con stantly ufed upon Such Inveflitures. It L ] It may be farther affigned, as a Reafon, why Knights of the Bath had not that Appellation more ?arly attributed to them by Hiftorians, that it was the iifiial Cuftom, even in Records, and legal Courfes of Procedure, to denominate all Knights by that Addition Solely, without defending to Specify the Order, or Degree of Knighthood, whereby they were respectively distinguished, as I have particularly obferved c in Reference to Knights ofthe Garter ; who for feveral Reigns, fucceflively, after that moft noble Inftitution, were not yet filled Knights of the Garter, in Patents from the Crown, or Instruments refpecting their own private Affairs. But no one will therefore pretend to infer, in Contradiction to unquestionable Facts, that there were no Knights of the Garter antecedent to the USage of that Title. Though the Denomination then was not ufed, yet if certain Ceremonies, peculiarly appropriated to this De gree, are mentioned by any former Hiftorians or Re cords 5 Ceremonies, which had no relation to any other known Degree of Knighthood, we may juftly conclude, this determinate Degree of Knight hood is thereby to be understood ; as, particularly, from the Robes of Ruflet, or brown Colour, the crimfbn or fcarlet Robe, the Vigils, the Bed, the Bed-ticking, the Matrace, the Canvas, the Sheets, the Oblation of c Introdutt. to the Regifter of the Garter, p. 5. the the Sword upon the Altar, <&c. For Since it doth not appear, that the Crown, at the Times referred to, did give Furniture, or Habiliments of this Kind, to Knights-Batchelors made by the Stroke of the Sword, or Bannerets, fimply as fuch, or that diey performed any of thefe Ceremonies ; it undeniably folIows,that Knights, to whom the like Furniture or Habiliments were given, and who actually went through all thefe Forms, are to be confidered, as of a different Rule or Degree, both. from Knights-Batchelors, and Knights-Bannerets. Thus in a publick Creation of Knights, which was made by Edward the Firfl, Matthew of Wejlminjlev re ports the Several known Ceremonies and the Vigils ufed on that occafion, without any recital of the Ce e remony of Bathing in particular ; yet in the Record or Account of the Wardrobe, particularly referring to that Creation, there is an Article, wherein a diftinct Charge is exhibited for Expences folely belonging to the Bath, to the Covering of it, and of the Bed, &c. And there is the fame Reafbn to conclude, that ar other Creations, the fame Rites of Bathing were uSed -y though it was not neceflary to mention them, where the Reafon of the Fact, and common Ufage fuppofed to Form: every thing done according But, in exhibit ing a Bill of Expences, it is ufual, and neceSIary in Cir- deed, on Some Accounts, to deScend to particular e Apr-endix, Numb, xii, xiii.