of Acrense from siege and remouing all feare both of danger and tyranny he brought great ioy and libertie to the Rhodians Therefore he caused himselfe to be named the first in the catelogue of Knights constituting foureteene moe all which he dignified with the same chaine of gold The names of them that he knighted were these The said Earle Vert. Amé Earle of Geneua Antonie Lord of Belauieu Hugh Challon Lord of Arlay Amé of Geneua Iohn of Vienne admiral of France William of Grandzon William of Chalamon Rowland Veyssy of Burbon Stephen the bastard son of Baume Iasper of Monmeur Barlus of Foras Thennard of Menthon Amé Bonnard Richard Musard an Englishman Non inferiora secutus Following no meane things Margaret Queene of Nauarre vsed a most solemne signe namely the marigold whose colour resembleth so neere the colour of the sonne as almost nothing more For what way so euer the sunne goeth it followeth it it opeâ—eth and shutteth it selfe at the rising and falling of the sunne according to his ascending or descending This godly Queene chose this kind of simbole that she might euidently expresse how that she referred all her cogitations affections vowes words deedes to almightie God onely wise and euerlasting as one that meditated vpon heauenly things with all her heart Antè ferit quam flamma micet The flint is sent before to yeeld fire Philip duke of Burgundie vsed this ensigâ—â— of a flint stone striking fire which signifie the difficultie of warres amongst Kings anâ— Princes whereby it commeth to passe ofteâ— times that the one is consumed ouerthrown and vanquished of the other whereupon foâ—loweth calamitie great losses and a heape dangers on euerie side Pretium non vile laborum He reaped no small reward of his labors In the yeare after the birth of Christ 1429. Paul Aemil. the companie of the order of the knights of the Garter began by the same Philip duke of Burgundy hauing purchased a most maiesticall name by the donation of the golden fleece After this he chose foure and twentie noble men of tried fidelitie to be of the number of this honorable societie adorning them with a chaine of gold wherein was the flint stone burning thoroughout the whole chain and the golden fleece hanging before the breast imitating herein as may be supposed the marinal expedition of Iason into Colchos by diligent obseruation as it were of his vertue and godlines whereof he was said to be so desirous that he deserued the name of good and the praise of an excellent wit the order wherof his Epitaph which also sheweth the inuention of the golden fleece doth declare in these words I to thintent the church might be both safe and sure likewise From tyrants rage inuented haue the goodly golden fleese There were admitted into the number or societie of these knights next after the Duke himselfe William of Vienna Lord of saint George Renatus Pottius Lord of Roch. Lord Remblai Lord of Montague Roland Huquerquius Antonie Virgius Earle of Dammartine Dauid Brimeus Lord of Lignie Hugo Launoy Lord of Santes Iohn Earle of Cominie Antonie Thoulongeon marshall of Burgundie Peter Luxenburg Earle of Conuersan Iohn Trimoille Lord of Ionuelle Iohn Luxenburg Lord of Beaureuoir Gilbert Launoy Lord of Villeruall Iohn Villiers Lord of Isleadam Antonic Lord of Croy and Renty Florimundus Brimeus Lord of Massincourt Robert Lord of Mamines Iames Brimeu Lord of Grignie Baldwin Launey Lord of Molembaesius Peter Baufremontanus Lord of Chargny Philip Lord of Teruant Iohn Crequius Iohn Croy Lord of Tours on Marne Flammescit vterque Both of them do burne Two Lawrell boughes rubbed hard togither if we shal credite what Plinie hath recorded yeeld fire forth by long and continuall chaâ—â—ing Manie are of opinion also that the bone of a Lion do the same So likewise most certaine it is that no little danger falleth our when mightie men meete togither that the old prouerbe may be verified which saith Dura duris non quadrare in plowing or tilling of the ground hard things agree not togither The description of this sinibole or figure appertaineth to the crosse of saint Andrew as they terme it and the house of Burgundie were wont to vse the same in their martiall ensignes when they marched forward and were now come to encounter with their enimies albeit in euery point they admitted not the like signification Sara à chi tocca Whom it happeneth vnto The ire of a Prince is ful of present danger as a man may learne by the example of an earthen pot being now burning on the fire which if it should chance to fall it is vnpossible but that it should do some great harme to the standers by This portraiture or figure did Iohn duke of Burbon vse as by obseruation we may see in most places of his countrey of Burbon of Elentheropola or of a village that the frenchmen inhabited called Beauiolois Nil pennased vsus The fethers are of no force but vse If you marke well the monstrous bird called an Ostrich S. Georg. you see how with great preparation and ostentation of her feathers she endeuours to take a great flight and yet for al that is not an inch higher from the ground when shee hath done all that shee can The verie like propertie the hypocrites haue which outwardly make a gay glistering shew of a zealous holines of religion but let them once lay away their dissembling and then search them thorowly and you shall finde them euen stone cold within all the oftentation that they made outwardly to be lies Humentia siccis Moist things and drie agree not togither The Ensigne that Galeaz vicechanceler the second Duke of Millan was wont to vse may be verified of those which according to the prouerbe are said to carrie fire in the one hand and water in the other It was a burning firebrand or a staffe hardned in the fire with two vessels ful of water aboue and beneath It may haue also an other signification if we more deepely waigh it namely that the passions of a mans minde are by Gods goodnesse extinguished by the direction of reason Moreouer by it the same dukes magnanimitie is signified for he in a foughten combat most renowmedly vanquished a Dutch Lord that at that time bore no smal countenance who was the first man that vsed the same embleme or picture and chalenged this his Ensigne to himselfe for a monument of victorie and for a token of triumph that he got ouer his enimie who then was put to the worst Sola viteit in illo She onely liued in him The goddesse called Diana Pictaniensis a noble woman of verie great godlines and the most famous Dutchesse of the citie of Valentia conceiued a verie constant hope touching the resurrection of the dead which commeth by death in our remouing into an other life who also by consideration of the saints in heauen oftentimes comforted her selfe Therefore it is most like that by this picture
dedicate by Virgill the sonne of Pollio to Iulius Caesar concerning the commet which appeared after his death Behold the starre of Dioneus Caesar the star wherin the corns reioice their fils And whereby eke the Grapes do take their die on shadie hils Donec totum impleat orbem Till he replenish the whole world The increase of the moone in the daies of the most famous king Henry the second king of France was most strange and prodigious In the holy scriptures the moone many times doth signifie the Church wherto may be added the consent of Paulus Aemilius in the histonie of Pope Calixtus the second whose name before was Guido the sonne of William Earle of the Heduans or Burgundians who the day before his pontificall creation saw in a vision a Starre carried by a childe from the side of the Moone Furthermore the Moone is alwaies subâ—ect to alteration 〈◊〉 both increaseth and decreaseth at certcine houres and times In like maner may wee see the Church of God militant and neuer continuing in one and the same state but one while mainteined and defended of Christian Princes an other-while tyrannized put to flight and sent in funder with factions of heretiques whereby it commeth to passe that it is neuer free from vexation and trouble in this life Wherto notwithstanding the Maiestie of God the King himselfe and his sonne Iesus Christ haue promised certeine helpe and defence vntill it being gathered vnder one God one King and one law the most louing vnitie immensitie of the whole flocke acknowledging one onely pastor may appeare Immensi tremor Oceani The trembling feare of the Ocean Sea Lodouicus the eleuenth King of France when he was about to institute the order of Saint Michaell as they call it in the yeare of our Lord 1469. for a Cognizance or Simbole he ensigned them with a golden chaine lineked togither with cockle-stones and double knots with circles of gold in the midst whereof was a knob or mushrome as it were a promontorie with the golden image of Saint Michael hanging downe vppon their brestes Which last he did being prouoked thereto by the example of king Charles the seuenth his father who vsed the same image for his ensign in wars taking the beginning of his manguration at Rothomage Which custome was begun afterwardes confirmed amongst many kings through a notable miracle or vision as they superstitiously dreame of S. Michael appearing in the battell by the bridge of the citie of Orleance who expulsed droue away the English men and set the Citie free from their siege The chaine therefore is a type or figure of this order a signe of vertue concord and of a perpetuall league or couenant of amitie and friendship to be continued amongst them also a cognizance or badge of those that deserued well and of the victorie obteined By the gold he would haue to be vnderstood magnanimitie prowesse and honours By the cockles their mutuall equalitie or common condition of fortune imitating herein the order of the Romane Senators who vsed to weare cockles vpon their sleeues by the tying of them togither with a double knot he would represent the indissoluble couenant made betwixt him and the rest and that with no friuolous signification Last of all by the image he would shuld be declared the victorie and triumph which Michaell had ouer the diuell whom he ouercame The reason of which signe doth greatly appertaine as well to the regiment and maiestie of a kingdome as also to strike feare and terrour into the enemy And how many he thought good to be admitted into the societie of this order he himselfe declared to wit 36. as it were patrones of the kingdome amongst whome he would be counted the first or chiefest And therefore the same time that he ordeined this order to be celebrate he named fifteene lordes whom for honours sake and prerogatiue of their names it is not conuenient to omit with silence The first therefore were these Charles Duke of Guienne Iohn Duke of Burbon and Auergne Lewis of Luxenburg Earle of Saint Paul and Constable of France Andrew Lauallius lord of Loheac Marshall of France Iohn Earle Sanserre lord of Bueile Lewis Beaumont lord of Forest and Plessis Lewis Destouteuille lord of Torcy Lewis Lauall lord of Chastillon Lewis bastard of Burbon Earle Rosillon Admirall of France Anthonie Chaban Earle of Dammartin chief Steward to the King Iohn bastard of Armignia Earle of Comingies Marshall of France gouernour of Dolphine George Trimoille lord of Craon Gilbert Chaban lord of Curton Seneshall of Câ—â—cone Charles lord of Crussol Seneschal of Poicton Taneguius of Castell gouernor of the prouinces of Rossillon and Sardinia Vltus aâ—o 〈◊〉 He hath reuenged his 〈…〉 quarrell by the example of Tâ—o Lewis the 12. King of France as Duke of Orleance by discent and earle of Blofie gaue the Porcupine in his ensigne with which simbole togither with the image of a Wolfe the auncient Citie of Blofie was wont to blaze their ensignes This is to be seene grauen in many stones and walls Plinie Which beast nature hath so studiously furnished with weapons that she may resist al those that withstand her especially dogges against whom she throweth her prickes like violent arrowes The interpretation of which portraiture the stately houses of a certaine noble citizen in that citie doe declare at the entrance whereof vnder the Porcupine these verses are found ingrauen in stone These Dartes are peace to humble men but warre to proud indeed For why both life and death also from our woundes do proceed Non sine causa Not without cause The iust and vpright ad ministration of iustice with the due punishment of the wicked is a thing so necessarie to kingdomes people and Countries that if they should bee taken away the companies and societies of men would soone fall to decaie and bee destroyed Wherefore Rulers and Magistrates may righthe chalenge the sworde to themselues with publike and priuate honours as warranted by the word of God that they may bee not onclie a helpe and a comfort to the godlie and meeke but also a feare and terrour to the wicked Therefore is the moste wholesome dectrine of the Apostle Saint Paule to bee imbraced Rom. 13. Wilt not thouâ— saith hee feare the powers Doe well then and thou shalt haue praise thereby for hee is the minister of God for thy good But iâ— thou doest euill feare for hee carrieth not the sworde for naught for hee is the minister of God to reuenge in wrath to him that doth euill Therefore bee ye subiect of necessitie not onelie for feare of anger but also for conscience sake For this cause therefore doe ye paâ—e tribuâ—e they are the nâ—inisters of God sâ—â—uing for that purpose Giue therefore to all men that which is due tribute to whom tribute belongeth feare to whom feare apperteineth and honour to whom honour belongeth Plus oultre Hee conceiueth hope to proceed further Charles the fift
marked whereby they were saued in the midst of the wicked who by the commandement of God were all sodenly destroyed Moreouer Tau signifieth a fal perfection and therefore it is the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet as both ending and perfecting the same Whereof also they make a great mistery especially whereas our redeemer Christ being nayled to the crosse before hee gaue vp the Ghost burst forth into these words Consummatumest it is ended or finished thereby declaring the type of all Prophesies and holie scriptures that is euen the verie same houre that he was fastned to the tree shewing that the accomplishment of this letter was performed Which letter although it surely tend vnto a figure yet described by the manifest character it farre plainer sheweth the figure of the crosse than otherwise And therefore both the Greekes and Latines to this day do write it in forme of a crosse This letter therefore is a most proper and true badge or cognizance of all those that being mustered do warre in the Church of Christ to the worldes end Manet insontem grauis exitus Great calamitie or affliction abideth the godly in this life Orus Apollo writeth Or. Apâ— that the Aegyptians counted the figure of two lines one against the other that is of one perpendicular vnder a diametrall in signification of the life to come amongst the hieroglyphicall notes or characters neither could they render any other reason hereof then that it seemed to theÌ„ to be a certaine signe of some diuine misterie And therefore they imprinted it vpon the brest of Serapis their Idoll in that temple which vnder Theodosius the Emperour was vtterly ouerthrowne and laide louell with the ground In which Temple were to be seene euery where the hieroglyphicall letters representing the forme of a crosse Suidas Isidorus as Suidas witnesseth Isidorus affirmerh they vsed to note those in their Ephemerides orregisters which either had escaped out of battell aliue or which had died there with this letter θ. noting the slaine as it were with a dart thrust thorow them the liuing with this marke or letter T. Moreouer Asc Pedian saith Asc Pedian that the lottes which were vsed in iudgementes were marked with three Characters those that were condemned to death with θ. those that were absolued with T. and those that were more exactly to be examined with Δ. Orus Finally euen in the Church of God some haue too superstitiously dreamed this letter to be a sacred and healthfull signe and this phantasticall dreame hath growne vp and continued these many ages And therefore some haue imagined Moyses whilest he praied to the Lord in the Mountaine â—xod 17. his bodie vpon the ground prostrated and his armes spread abroad in forme of a crosse and lifting vp his handes in a misticall type the Israelites ouercame when he fainted the Israelites were put to the worst Secum feret omnia mortis He carieth with him the signes of death The brasen Serpent erected by Moses the conductor of the Israelites in the wildernes which being looked vpon healed those that were stoong with firy Serpents 〈◊〉 21. and destined to death did prefigurate and foreshew our saluation and redemption in Christ Hic ratio tentandi aditus This is the way to enter into glorie The Key whereof the Prophet Esaias maketh mention Esai 22. in thâ—se wordes And I will giue vnto him the Key of the house of Dauid he shall open and no man shall shuâ— and he shall shut and no man shall open did signifie in like maner the power and authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ in his Church Pignora cara sui The pledges of her remembrance Concerning the Crosse of our Sauiouâ— Christ the redeemer of the worlde and thâ— mysterie of his bodie and blood the Propheâ— Ieremy vnder the person of the wicked nation of the Iewes forespoke Ier. 11. saying Mittamus lignum in panem eius Let vs make wooâ— his meate Animis illabere nostris How the wicked spirit entereth into our mindes The wicked spirit at his first beginning is pleasant and plausible but at the last he maketh man astonished and altogither forgetful of himselfe Contrariwise the holie spirit albeit at his verie first entrance he somewhat terrifieth and shaketh the mind yet notwithstanding he maketh it calme quiet secure replenishing it with true and inward pleasure Which thing to haue hapned to the apostles vpon the day of Penticost the Actes do wiâ—nesse the holie Ghost comming downe 〈◊〉 likenes of firy tongues and lightning vppâ— them Fortuna mutata fidem nouanit When Fortune frowneth faith is chaunged When Childericus fourth King of France for his infamous life should giue ouer his Kingdome Gâ—imcus a man entirely beloued of him aduertised him to goe into Thuringâ—a whilest he staide to perfect the peace breaking a peece of gold in the midst gaue vnto him the one part thereof to the intent thaâ— the same being sent againe as he had promised when oportunitie serued and being ioyned to the other with equall coniuncture might confirme the certeintie of the thinâ— done to Childericus of his returne Whicâ— thing came to passe for no sooner had Guimeus desisted froÌ„ his enterprise of peacema king than Gillion a citizen of Rome waâ— thrust from the possession of the kingdome 〈◊〉 France which he affirmed apperteined 〈◊〉 him Childericus being restored to his formâ—â— estate againe Nutrisco extinguo I nourish and I extinguish The Salamander lying in the fire was the badge or Cognizance of Frances king of France Which worme Plinie writeth Plinie is of such a cold nature that she quencheth the fire like I se Others write that she liueth is norished in the fire I remember that I my selfe haue seene the picture of this King in a small forme ingrauen in brasse vpon whose backe part was placed an effigie of a firie Salamander with this inscription Nutrisco il buono spengo il reo that is I nourish the vertuous and destroy the wicked The same haue I seeme also in diuers places vpon walles and namely aâ— Fontem Bellaqueum most liuely polished and adorned in cloth of Tapestrie Arrase and the like with these verses The cruell Beare the Eagle swift and Snake that bites by day O Salamander to thy flame giue place without delay Monstrant Regibus astra viam The heuens declare to men the way to follow The order of starred Knights was publikely instituted by King Iohn in the Church at Saint Ouen in France about the yeare of our Loâ—d God 1351. which Knightes we are this signe of the Starre on their gownes hats or other place where it might easily be seene in Theaters and Stages And truly it is to be thought that this honorable cognizance had his beginning of the commemoration of that wonderfull starre which conducted the wise men from the East to the place where Christ was borne Whither also those verses may be referred otherwise