Order Of Charles Xiii. Of Sweden.

been the chief , and with which , in fine , we have invariably preserved such excellent relations , as will assure on the part of its members , now our subjects , both to us and to our successors to the Swedish throne , the fulfilment of all those duties which religion , fidelity , and attachment to the throne can demand of men .

In order , then , to confer on this body a proof of our good will , we will and ordain that its principal dignitaries , in snch numbers as we shall determine , shall , in the future , receive the most conspicuous mark of our confidence , which

shall be to them the distinctive sign of the highest dignity , and we make it known by these presents that those who shall receive it shall for tho future be known as a body of Knights , under the name of Charles XIII ., of which we ourselves shall be the Grand Master .

As in establishing this Order our purpose is not only to excite our subjects to the practice of beneficence , and to perpetuate the remembrance of its devotion to our person of that society when subject to our direction , but also to furnish proofs of our royal esteem towards those whom for

so long a period we have embraced and looked upon Tinder the name of brothers ; we have selected for the institution of this Order the day when our beloved son and successor , the Prince Charles John , hath taken upon himself , in conjunction with us , the general governance of the Society aforesaid .

We leave by these presents to him and to his successors to the throne of Sweden the care of maintaining and handing down this Institution in Sweden , in accordance with the following ordinances , which we have signed with our own band , and which we have confirmed with the seal of our Roval Order of St . Seraphim .

Given at Stockholm , in the Chapter held on the 27 th day of May , in the year of our Lord 1811 , and in the second of our reign . ( Signed ) CHARLES . ( Countersigned ) CHARLES MOERKER .

STATUTES OF THE ORDER OF CHARLES XIII . Art . I . We have selected and do hereby select among the first dignitaries of the Society Ave desire to distinguish and reward , in accordance with our Manifesto cf the 27 th May ,

with some ostensible proof of our royal munificence , the number which we determine hereinafter , in order to establish an Order of Knights , which shall bear the name of Charles XIII ., whereof we shall be the Grand Master . The

King of the Swedes , Goths , and Vandals , and his successors , shall be the Grand Masters of this Order , which shall enjoy for ever their high protection . The heir to the throne shall have the general direction thereof .

II . The King shall never permit the abolition or extinction of the Order , but he shall encourage always the beneficent virtues , which should be practised by its members , and shall bear in mind those actions which have distinguished them during our administration .

III . There can only be admitted into the order of Charles XIII . twenty-seven Civil Knights and three Ecclesiastical ; in all , thirty members . The King shall fill up this

number or not at his pleasure , but he shall never exceed it . The hereditary Prince , and the princes of the blood royal , whom the King shall appoint Knights , shall not be included in this number .

IV . No one shall be admitted a Knight before he has completed his thirty-sixth year , the princes of the blood royal alone excepted , the King reserving to himself the right to bestow upon them the Cross of the Order when it pleases him .

V . This Order shall comprise one grade only , and all the Knights fchall enjoy equal rights and prerogatives . VI . Every Knight shall be held to be a member of the Order until death , whatever other Order , Swedish or foreign , he may possess , now or hereafter .

VII . No Knight of our Order shall be permitted to ask for , or accept , without permission of the Sovereign , the Order of any other Sovereign or power . He who contravenes these present regulations shall lose the Order of Charles XIII ., and be deemed unworthy of wearin ° - it .

VIII Whosoever , by word or action , shall seek to damage our Order , or question the choice of the Kinoand Grand . Master , shall , ipso facto , be adjudged unworth y to receive it , and shall , in addition , be punished according to the law , 5

Order Of Charles Xiii. Of Sweden.

IX . The Knights of the Order of Charles XIII . shall form a special Chaptei ' , which shall not be conjoined with the Chapter General , the which will only assemble in presence of the King , for the purpose of deliberating about questions proposed by him .

X . Save the Chapter General , no other tribunal shall have power to declare that a Knight has been guilty of anything derogatory to this Order . XL The twenty-eighth January , the anniversary of our fete , shall be the only day set apart for tho election of Knights .

XII . The institution and the ordinances of this Order , which the King hath published and signed in the Chapter General , shall be taken conjointly with its acts . The reception , as well as the death of any member , shall bo published

in the Chapter General next following the announcement of one or other event ; meanwhile , no Knight shall be admitted into the Chapter General , unless he has the ri ght of entry as Commander of one of the Royal Orders .

XIII . If the King is desirous of appointing certain Knights , he shall convoke , in his cabinet , tho chief dignitaries of the Order , and shall communicate to them the

names of him or them he has chosen . Whenever a Knight is nominated , he shall not wear the cross till he has been duly appointed by the King , and this ceremonial shall not be fulfilled till two months after his nomination .

XIV . If the King is desirous of raising a Knight , he shall do so in the apartments of the Palace , whither all the members of the Order shall have been summoned . The Knights of St . Seraphim shall be invited by the Chancellor to be present , as at all other receptions of Knights .

XV . When the Knight designate is introduced , the Chancellor of the Order shall read the letters patent of the King so designating him . It is conceived in the terms following : — " We , , by the Grace of God , King of the Swedes , Goths , and Vandals , & c , & c , & c . make known

that having taken into our gracious consideration the zeal and beneficent acts by which our clear ancl well beloved N or M hath striven , and yet strives to furnish' proofs of his attachment to the public weal , having regard also to the fidelity with which he has discharged the duties of a loyal

subject and good citizen , we have determined to receive the said N or M , in testimony of our satisfaction , as a Knight of our Order of Charles XIII ., as a recompense for his good will , and with a view to encourage him in its continuance For these reasons it is we nominate and

receive , by virtue of these present letters patent , N or M , as Knight of our Order of Charles XIIL , of which we are Grand Master . We bestow upon him accordingly , with every outward visible sign of honour and

confidence , all tho prerogatives , privileges , ancl powers attached , or which may be attached in future to our Order . We take him under our royal protection , so that all discomforts he may experience by reason of his promotion shall be regarded as an offence against our person , and the authors

of snch annoyances he punished according to the rigour of the laws . In the hope that every one shall conform to our will in respect of these presents , and in order to make them authentic , we have signed with our own hand , and have affixed thereto the royal seal of our Order of St . Seraphim . Given at Stockholm , in the Chapter of the Order , & c .

XVI . Thereupon the Chancellor of the Order shall call upon the newly nominated Knight to take the oath and shall express himself as follows : — "ChevalierN or M , nominated

to the Order of Charles XIIL , advance in order to take your oath of allegiance . " The new Knight shall then approach , kneel down , and pronounce the following oath as dictated by the Chancellor of the Order : —

" I , N or M , do hereby vow to God and on his Holy Gospel , that while fulfilling inviolably all my obligations hereunto before contracted , I will with my whole life and fortune guard the pure doctrines of the Gospel , that I will be faithful and true to the King and his government ,

contribute to the well being of the State , resist oppression , maintain peace ancl equity , promote union and obedience to the laws ; in short , that 1 will conform , . is far as in rne lies , to the statutes of the Order , and whatsoever shall be prescribed to me . So help me God . "

XVII . When the oath is taken , the Knight shall advance ancl place himself upon a stool before the King , who will club him Knight , by giving three strokes of his sword on the left shoulder , and saying : — " We , , b y the Grace