Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/651

300 respect and importance. In 1652, many of the previous severe provisions in the statutes were abolished, while others were, by some means or other, evaded. It was, on the other hand, required that the candidates should in future prove their noble descent through four generations, on both parental sides. The Order having thus gradually assumed a worldly, or rather courtly character, though under a religious guise, finally degenerated into a mere decoration of military merit.

The costume consists of a white mantle, upon the left side of which is fastened a cross of red cloth, in the form of a sword, with lilies carved on the hilt (Plate 87, Jab. I. No. 1), and of a shield (No. 2) worn round the neck by a treble chain of gold. Without the costume, the decoration is suspended at the button-hole by a red ribbon.

The escutcheon of the Order is the same cross on a gold field, and with a gold shell upon it.

The flag was yellow, and adorned with the same cross and shell, in addition to the four golden shells at the angles.

Since 1312, the Order had been increased by an institution for ladies, through the bounty of Pelago Perez and his wife Maria Mendez, who instituted seven canonesses for each of the seven convents, the inmates of which were divided into professed and lay sisters, dressing in black, and wearing the same decoration as the male Knights. Their duty was, to give shelter and food to all the pilgrims journeying to St. Jago de Campostella. They were formerly allowed to marry or leave the institution; but since 1480, they have been forced to make the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Those in the two convents of Barcelona and Santos (Portugal), however, retained their original more liberal constitution.