That power of compelling those who refused to take upon themselves the order of knighthood, or rather of distraining them till they received knighthood, or compounded with the king by way of fine, which originally was a means of enforcing the performance of a duty to the crown and to the public, by persons holding a' certain positioh and having a certain stake in the country, was perverted into a process for extorting money from those who wouldliave been exempt at common law, which regulated the amount of a knight's fee by the sufficiency of the land to support a knight, and not by its fluctuating nominal value in a debased currency. This oppressive, if not dishonest proceeding, which was occasionally resorted to in the reigns of Edward VI. and Elizabeth, was reduced into a system by the rash advisers of Charles I., and was adopted by that unfortunate prince as one of the modes by which money might be raised without resorting to a parliament for assistance. The undisguised manner in which this ancient prerogative was thus abused, led to its total abolition. By 16 and 17 Car. I., c.20, it is enacted, that none shall be compelled, by writ or otherwise, to take upon him the order of knighthood, and that all proceedings con cerning the same shall bo void.
Persons have been required to take upon themselves the order of knighthood as a qualification for the performance of honourable services at coronations, in respect of the hinds which they held by grand serjeanty.
Knighthood in England is now conferred by the king (or queen when the throne is filled by a female) by simple verbal declaration attended with a slight form, without any patent or other written instrument.
Sometimes, but rarely, knighthood is conferred on persons who do not come into the presence of royalty. This is occasionally done to governors of colonies, and other persons in prominent stations abroad. The lord lieutenaurof Ireland has a delegated authority of conferring this honour, which is very sparingly exercised.
Knighthood gives to the party precedence over esquires and other untitled gentlemen. " Sir" is prefixed to the baptismal name of knights and baronets, and their wives havo the legal designation of "Dame " which is ordinarily converted into "Lady." Knighthood is, however, not hereditary, but merely personal. • A rank correspondent to our rank of knighthood has been found in all Christian countries. Some regard it as a kind of continuation of the equestrian order among the Romans. But it is safer to regard it as originating in Christian tunes; and the 11th and 12th centuries have been named as the period to which the order of knighthood as now existing may be traced. In such an inquiry there are two diffi
culties : first, to state with sufficient precision what is the thing to be proved ; and, secondly, to obtain evidence of the commencement of an institution which probably grew, almost insensibly, out of a state of society common to the whole of civilised Europe.
It was a military institution, but there appears to have been some thing of a religious character belonging to it, and tho order of knight hood, like the orders of the clergy, could be conferred only by persons who were themselves members of the order.
In early times some knights undertook the protection of pilgrims ; others were vowed to the defence or recovery of the Holy Sepulchre. Some, knights-errant, roved about "seeking adventures,"—a phrase no confined to books of romance, of which there are many on this subject but found in serious and authentic documents.
But Wailes these who are simply knights, there are knights who are usendors of particular ceders or classes, Thew enter. are found in most of the kingdoms of modern Europe, and halo had geoerally for their founder a sovereign prince. Such are the order of the Golden Fleece, instituted by Philip, duke of Burgundy ; the order of the Holy Ghost, Instituted by henry the Third of France; the order of St. Michael, instituted by Louis the Eleventh of France. Of the foreign tinier., which are very numerous, tho most recent account will be found in a work entitled ' A Concise Account of the Several Orders of Knighthood, and other marks of honourable dis tinction,' by Nicholas Carlisle, Eve, 1839. Foreign orders cannot be worn by British subjects without the special consent of the sovereign. Each of Gene orders has its peculiar badge, ribbons, and other decora tions of the person. The British orders are the Garter and the Bath, (which are treated of under the heads of (Imam; 1?NIGRTS of rile, and (tarn, Ksionts or rite), the Thistle, and St. Patrick.
The onler of the Thistle was Instituted in 1510, by James V. of Sotslasitl ; but it fell into decay, till in the reign of Queen Anne, 1703, it was reviral. The number of knight/ was limited to thirteen, but in 1827 the number was Increased to sixteen, all of whom are nobility of Sootland.
The order, of St Patrick was instituted In 1783. The knights were fifteen, increased in 1833 to twenty-two, who are peers of Ireland.
There are also knights of the Guelphie order,'and knights of the Ionian enter of Saint Michael and Saint George. Omliale mentions an African order of the Palm and Alligator, instituted by the kings of Soudan.