ing ended, his majesty's pleasure was declared and registered for appointing his grace the Lord Archbishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of Ireland, to be prelate of the faid moft illuftrious order.

A proceffion was then made from St. Patrick's Hall to the prefence-chamber, where the lord lieutenant received the compliments of the knights of the order, and of a numerous affembly of the nobility and gentry, who teftified their fatisfaction in this diftinguished mark of the royal favour to this kingdom.-St. Patrick's Hall was elegantly fitted up for the occafion, and the galleries belonging to it were crowded with ladies of the first rank and fashion; and the whole ceremony was conducted with the utmoft propriety, and with the most splendid magnificence.

INSTALLATION of the KNIGHTS.

March 17. Being the feftival of St. Patrick, tutelar faint of Ireland, and the day appointed for the inftallation of the newly created knights of the Shamrock, at fix in the morning the volunteer corps of the county and city of Dublin paraded at the Royal Exchange, and balloted for the guards which were to be ftationed in the cathedral: after which they proceeded to Dawfon-street, to receive inftructions from the right hon. the lord mayor, appointed commanding officer of the day, and from thence marched to the cathedral, the avenue to which, from the middle of Brideftreet, was ftrongly lined, and were there joined by the troops in gar

rifon, who alfo lined the remain. ing streets to the caftle. Guards of horse and foot were ftationed at the different avenues leading into the streets through which the proceffion moved, which prevented carriages pafling, and the populace from being too preffing, and by which judicious arrangement the proceffion met with not the leaft obftruction. The cavalcade left the caftle between ten and eleven o'clock, in the following order: a large detachment of dragoons, ftate trumpets, battle-axe guards, fword of state, sovereign's efquires, archbishop of Armagh prelate of the order, the lord lieutenant as grand master, Lord Mufkerry as proxy for his royal highness Prince Edward, the Duke of Leinfter, the Earls of Clanrickarde, Weftmeath, Inchiquin, Shannon, Clanbraffil, Mornington, Arran, Courtown, Charlemont, and Bective. The Earl of Ely, the remaining knight, being out of the kingdom, his inveftiture and installation could not take place. Each knight had three efquires, who attended him in his carriage, In going to the church the knights were in their furcoat only, with their caps in their hands; but in their proceffion back, after they were inftalled, they were dreffed in the full mantle, habit, and collar of the order.-The dreffes of the whole were very rich and magnificent. The proceffion returned to the caftle a little after two o'clock, and the knights appeared at the windows to gratify the spec

tators.

The inftallation of the knights was conducted with the greatest propriety and regularity--not a

try. The perfonal animofities that arofe from civil diffenfions, have been fo heightened by the blood that has been fhed in the conteft, that the parties can never be reconciled.

That the officers of his majesty's provincial forces have facrificed not only their property, but many of them very lucrative profeffions, and all their expectations from their rank and connections in civil fociety.

That numbers of them entered very young into the king's fervice, and have grown up in the army; and having no other profeffion, and no family expectations, or homes to go to, their friends being all involved in the common ruin, they look forward to the day of their being difbanded with extreme folicitude.

That many of them have wives, who, born to the fairest expectations, and tenderly brought up, have been unaccustomed to want; and children about them, for whofe education and future happiness they feel the moft anxious

concern.

That many who have ferved his majefty in his provincial troops, in fubordinate capacities, during this war, have been refpectable yeomen; of good connections, and poffeffed of confiderable property, which from principles of loyalty, and a fenfe of duty, they quitted, and in the courfe of this conteft have fhewn a degree of patience, fortitude, and bravery, almoft without example.

That there are still remaining in the provincial line a great number of men, who from wounds,

and from diforders contracted in fervice, are rendered totally unable to provide for their future fubfiftence; they therefore look up to that government, in whofe fervice they have fuffered, with all the anxiety of men who have no other hope left; many of them have helpless families who have feen better days.

That the widows and orphans of the provincial officers and foldiers, who have loft their lives in the king's fervice, are many of them reduced to extreme poverty and diftrefs, and have no profpect of relief but from the juftice and humanity of the British government.

Thefe, Sir, are the difficulties and the apprehenfions under which his majesty's provincial troops now labour; and to your excellency they look up for affiftance.

Relying on the gracious promife of their fovereign to fupport and protect them, and placing the fulleft confidence in your excellency's benevolent interpofition, and favourable representation of their faithful fervices, they are induced to afk

That grants of lands may be made to them in fome of his majefty's American provinces, and that they may be affifted in making fettlements, in order that they and their children may enjoy the benefits of the British government.

That fome permanent provi fion may be made for fuch of the non-commiffioned officers, and private foldiers, as have been difabled, from wounds, and from diforders contracted in his ma jefty's fervice, and for the widows

[R] 4

and

of carriages and of fpectators, and the streets being lined with the regiments on Dublin duty, his excellency, preceded by his own carriages, containing his houfehold, the efquires of the fovereign, and the peer who bears the fword of ftate, and attended by a fquadron of cavalry, fet forward from the caftle, and followed by the knights companions, each in a coach attended by their efquires; and no other carriage, fave thofe of the knights, were allowed to move in this proceffion.

At the door of the cathedral of St. Patrick his excellency was met by the officers of the church and of the order, who attended him to the robeing-room. His excellency alone being in the full mantle, habit, and collar of the order, the other knights in the furcoat only, and with their caps and feathers in their hands; their man les, collars and fwords having been previously fent to the chapter-room.

As foon as his excellency notified his pleasure, the proceffion was made to the choir in the following manner, viz.

Singing men.
Prebends.
Meffengers.
Kettle drums.
Trumpets.
Purfuivants.

Pages.
Gentlemen at large.

Gentlemen of the bed-chamber.
Gentlemen of horse, chamberlain,
and gentleman ufher.
Steward and comptroller.
Efquires.
Heralds.

Knights.
Ulfter, regier, and usher.

Peers fons.
Train bearer.

Colonel of battle-axes.
Battle-axe guards.

Camp

Aid de

Upon entering the choir the trumpets, pursuivants, and other officers attending the proceffion, proceeded to their proper places, as well as his excellency's fuite. The efquires, three a-breaft, made their reverence to the altar when they came oppofite to the ftall of their knight, and then wheeled off to their refpective places; the knights entered two and two, and after the fame reverences proceeded to their ftalls, where they remained ftanding till his excellency was feated, when they bowed all together, and feated them felves. The choir then performed the coronation anthem; after which the uther, king of arms, heralds, and purfuivants, attended with the three efquires of the fenior knight, went out with the ufual reverences for the infignia of the order, with which they returned in the following manner, viz.

The principal efquire bearing the banner furled. The two other efquires bearing the mantle and the fword. Ulfter carrying the great collar of the order upon a blue velvet cushion.

When they had proceeded to the center of the choir, they remained there while the four great officers of the order proceeded to

the

the stall of the faid fenior knight, after the ufual reverences to the fovereign's stall the knight then defcended into the middle of the choir, where he was invested with the fword, the mantle, and the collar, by the chancellor and regifter, after reading the admonitions prefcribed, viz.

Upon putting on the fword; "Take this fword to the increafe of your honour; and in token and fign of the moft illuftrious order, which you have received, wherewith you being defended may be bold strongly to fight in the defence of thofe rights and ordinances to which you be engaged, and to the juft and neceffary defence of those who be oppreffed and needy."

Upon putting on the mantle; "Receive this robe and livery of this moft illuftrious order, in augmentation of thine honour, and wear it with the firm and fteady refolution, that by your character, conduct, and demeanour, you may approve yourself a true fervant of the almighty God; and a worthy brother and knight companion of this moft illuftrious order."

Upon putting on the collar; "Sir, the loving company of the order of St. Patrick hath received you their brother, lover, and fellow, and in token and knowledge of this, they give you and prefent you this badge, the which God will that you receive and wear from henceforth to his praife and pleafure, and to the exaltation and honour of the faid illuftrious order, and yourself."

They conducted him to his fiall, with the usual reverences to the fovereign; and he feated himfelf

with his cap upon his head; immediately after which the efquire unfurled the banner, and the knights ftanding up uncovered, Ulfter repeated his ftyle in Engligh, and a proceffion was made to the altar, of the register and officers of arms, attended by the efquires with the banner, which was delivered to Ulfter, who prefented it to the register, who placed it within the rails of the altar. After which, with the ufual reverences, the efquires proceeded to their places, and the officers of arms proceeded with the efquires of the fecond knight in like manner as before. And when thefe ceremonies were finifhed, the choir performed the Te Deum; after which a proceffion was made in like manner as before to the chapter-room, and from thence to the caftle, where the knights repofed themfelves till dinner was ferved; when a proceffion was again made from the prefence-chamber to St. Patrick'shall, where the knights took their feats covered, viz. the grand mafter in the center, the prince's chair on his left hand, the prelate and the chancellor at the two ends of the fovereign's table, and the knights on each fide; and the efquires remained standing till after grace was faid, when they retired to the feats prepared for them.

Towards the end of the first courfe, when his excellency food up uncovered, the knights rofe uncovered, and the king of arms proclaimed by the found of trumpet, that the grand matter and knights companions of the most illuftrious order of St. Patrick drank the fovereign's health. The fecond