GARTER, order of the, a military order of knighthood, the most noble and ancient of any lay order in the world, instituted by King Edward III. This order consists of twenty-six knights-Companions, gene rally princes andpeers, whereof the King of England is the sovereign, or chief. They are a college or corporation, having a great and little seal.
Their officers are, a Prelate, Chan cellor, register, king at arms, and usher of the black rod. They have also a dean, with twelve canons, and petty ca nons, vergers, and twenty-six pension ers, or poor knights. The Prelate is the head. This office is vested in the Bishop of Winchester, and has ever been so. Next to the Prelate is the Chancellor, which office is vested in the Bishop of Salisbury, who keeps the seals, &e. The next is the register, who by his oath is to enter upon the registry, the scrutinies, elections, penalties, and other acts of the order, with all fidelity. The fourth officer is garter, and king at arms, being two distinct offices united in one person. Garter carries the rod and scep tre at the feast of St. George, the protec tor of this order, when the Sovereign is present. He notifies the elections of new knights, attends the solemnity of their installations, carries the garter to the foreign princes, &c. He is the prin cipal officer within the college of arms, and chief of the heralds.
All these officers, except the prelate, have fees and pensions. The college of the order is seated in the castle of Wind sor, with the chapel of St. George, and the chapter-house erected by the founder for that purpose. The habit and ensigns of the order are, a garter, mantle, cap, George, and collar. The four first were assigned the knights companions by the founder ; and the George and collar by Henry VIII. The garter challenges pre eminence over all the other parts of the dress, by reason that from it the noble order is denominated: that it is the first part of the habit presented to foreign princes, and absent knights, who, and all other knights elect, are therewith first adorned ; and it is of so great honour and grandeur, that, by the bare investiture with this noble ensign, the knights are esteemed companions of the greatest military order in the world. It is worn on the left leg between the knee and calf, and is enamelled with this mot to, HONI SOIT ant MAL Y TENSE ; 2. e.
"shame to him that thinks evil hereof?' The meaning of whichis, that King Ed ward, having laid claim to the kingdom of France, retorted shame and defiance upon him that should dare to think amiss of the just enterprize he had undertaken, for his recovering his lawful right to that crown, and that the bravery of those knights whom he had elected into this order was such, as would enable him to maintain the quarrel against those that thought ill of it.
The mantle is the chief of those vest ments made use of upon all solemn occa sions. The colour of the mantle is by the statutes appointed to be blue. The length of the train of the mantle only distinguishes the Sovereign from the knights companions. To the collar of the mantle is fixed a pair of long strings, anciently woven with blue silk only, but now twisted round, and made of Venice gold and silk, of the colour of the robe, with knobs, or buttons, and tassels at the end. The left shoulder of the mantle has from the institution been adorned with a large garter, with the device HONI SOIT, &c. within this is the cross of the order, which was ordained to be worn at all times by king Charles I. At length the star was introduced, being a sort of cross irradiated with beams of silver.
The collar is appointed to be compos ed of pieces of gold in fashion of garters, the ground enamelled blue, and the mot to gold.
The manner of electing a knight cum panion into this most noble order, and the ceremonies of investiture, are as fol low : when the Sovereign designs to elect a companion of the garter, the Chancellor belonging to this order draws up the letters, which, passing both under the Sovereign's sign manual and signet of the order, are sent to the person by garter principal 'king at arms, and are in this manner, or to the same effect. " We, with the companions of our most noble order of the garter, assembled in chap ter, holden this present day at our castle at Windsor, considering the virtuous fidelity you have shown, and the honour able exploits you have done in our ser vice, by vindicating and maintaining our right, &c. have elected and chosen you one of the companions of our order. Therefore, we require you to make your speedy repair unto us, to receive the ensigns thereof, and be ready for your in stallation upon the—day of this pre sent month, &c.