IT is further observable, that the _French_ King, _Philip de Valoys_, in Emulation of this Seminary at _Windsor_, set up a _Round Table_ at his Court, and invited Knights and valiant Men of Arms out of _Italy_ and _Almaine_ thither, lest they should repair to our King _Edward_ III. which meeting with Success, prov’d a Countermine to his main Design; who perceiving that his Hospitality towards strange Knights, upon Account of reviving King _Arthur_’s _Round Table_ was too general, nor did sufficiently ingratiate them to his Person, but being unconstrain’d and at Liberty, did after their Departure take what Side they pleas’d in the ensuing Wars, he at length resolv’d upon a Projection more particular and select, and such as might oblige those whom he thought fit to make his Associates, in a lasting Bond of Friendship and Honour: And having issu’d forth his own Garter for the Signal of a Battle, that was crown’d with Success, (which is conceiv’d to be the Battle of _Cressy_, fought about Three Years after his erecting the _Round Table_;) upon so remarkable a Victory, he thence took Occasion to institute this Order, and gave the Garter Preheminence among the Ensigns of it, whence that select Number, whom he incorporated into a Fraternity, are styl’d _Equites Aureæ Periscelidis_, and vulgarly _Knights of the Garter_. By this Symbol he design’d to bind the Knights and Fellows of it mutually unto one another, and all of them joyntly to himself, as Sovereign of the Order; nor was his Expectation frustrated, for it did not serve only as a vehement Spur and Incentive to Honour and martial Vertue, but also as a golden Bond of Unity and internal Society; and for this Consideration _Cambden_ aptly calls it a Badge of Unity and Concord.
BY the Symbols of this Garter the Knights are reminded, with all Religiousness, Sincerity, Friendliness, Faithfulness and Dexterity, not to leave the Pursuit of whatsoever they take in hand, nor to enterprize any Thing contrary to the Statutes of the Order; neither to frustrate the Rights of Peace and Friendship, nor vilify the Law of Arms, or proceed in any Thing farther than Faith and Compact, or the Bond of Friendship will admit. Moreover, in the binding of the Leg with this enobled Ensign, there was given this Caveat and Exhortation, that the Knights should not pusillanimously (by running away from Battle) betray the Valour and Renown which is ingrafted in Constancy and Magnanimity. Nay, so exactly did the Founder contrive the whole Habit into the Signification of the Garter, that he ordain’d his and the Knights-Companions Robes and Ornaments to be all alike, both for Materials and Fashion, intimating thereby, That they ought to conserve brotherly Affection among themselves. The great Collar of the Order was made of equal Weight, and like Number of Knots and Links, in Token of the like Bond of Faith, Peace and Amity inviolably to be observ’d and retain’d amongst them: In fine, all Things were so design’d, that every one might plainly perceive how much these Things tended to the Maintenance of Amity and Concord.