Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/483

212 default seven pfennige daily amongst the poor. They were, however, to prepare themselves by fast and prayer for the solemn celebration of the festival of the Virgin, and pay four groschen to the Canons on every quarter day, in return for which the latter were to read mass on the same days for the departed souls of the members, whose names were read over aloud on that occasion.

The badge which the members were bound to wear daily by fine of eight pfennige for the poor, consisted of a neck chain of thirteen links, joined together by rings, and each of which represented (a martyr-instrument), two saws and a red heart between them, the figure of the Blessed Virgin, with the infant Jesus in the moon, surrounded by rays in oval form appended to that chain, and of a swan with expanded wings placed in a towel tied in the form of a bow, the two ends of which were adorned with small golden chains and fastened under the figure of the Virgin.

The statutes explain the symbolic insignia as follows: the chain with the bleeding heart between, signifies contrition, true repentance, confession, penance, and chastisement. The towel is the symbol of unspotted purity and innocence; the small golden chains or fringes point to good works. The free unconquered swan, 'called Frank,' reminds us that the founders of the Order had, at the period, ruled as free and noble Francs; while the Madonna with the Child constitute the principal symbols, and the moon and sun-beams are the heralds of their glory.

At the death of a member, the chain was returned to the St. Maria Church, where a funeral procession took place.

After the lapse of three years, new statutes were published in consequence, as it appears, of complaints made, by the monks about the scanty and insufficient income derived