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Decorations: George

In former times the GARTERS of the sovereign's order of knighthood were usually enriched with jewels. This is confirmed by the will of the Lord Treasurer Dorset, made in 1607. He distributed his insignia of the Garter among several friends who were knights of the order. The collar was not jewelled, but the image of St. George at the end of it was enriched with precious stones at the pleasure of the knight. The Duke of Buccleugh possesses a "George" pendant of the seventeenth century, enamelled, and richly jewelled with rose diamonds. The Duke of Richmond and Lord de L'Isle and Dudley have also splendid badges of the same order.

Ashmole, in his "History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter," remarks: "Nor ought the collar to be adorned or enriched with precious stones (as the George may be), such being prohibited by the law of the order." The Garter sent to Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, had the George enriched with, eighty-four large fine diamonds.

Among the splendid jewels in the Castle of Rosenberg, in Denmark, are some badges of the "Armed Hand," a mailed arm in green enamel, enriched with diamonds, a decoration of great beauty, and one which Christian IV. gave only to his special favourites.