Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/623

288 breast with a similar but silver cross, with the motto: 'In sanguine foedus' (The covenant in blood) (No. 1).

On solemn occasions, the Knights appear in their costume, consisting of a purple coloured mantle, figured with golden lihes, and lined with pearl coloured taffetas; of a coat, waistcoat, and breeches of drap d'argent (cloth of silver), with white lining and golden buttons; of a black hat, adorned with a red feather, of white stockings spotted with gold, and, finally, of black shoes.

The badge of the Order is on such occasions worn on a collar, composed of mitres, crooks, lilies and the letter 'C' (Now),

The principal duties of the Knights consist in the defence of the Catholic religion, and in inviolable loyalty to the King of the Two Sicilies.

The Knights are either real Knights (Cavalieri di Grustizia), who must count four noble generations, or honorary Knights, (Cavalieri di grazia).

ORDER OF ST. FERDINAND, AND OF MERIT.

In 1799, when the united forces of England, Russia, Austria and Turkey, had succeeded in wresting Italy from the hands of the French, Cardinal Ruffo, at the head of the armed Neapolitans, brought back, triumphant to Naples, King Ferdinand 1V. who had fled to Sicily, and, in commemoration of the happy event, the restored monarch founded, on the lst April, 1800, this Order: 'Ordine di San Ferdinando e del Merito.'

After the re-occupation of Italy by the French, in 1806, this, in common with the other Orders of the kingdom, was abolished in Naples, but, like that of St, Januarius, it found refuge in