_Whereas it has pleased the Divine Providence to erect this Sovereign Duchy of +Prussia+ into a Kingdom, and to set up for our King the most High and most Potent Prince +Frederic I.+ our gracious Sovereign; we have thought fit to give notice thereof to the People of this Kingdom, that they may say as we do, “Long live +Frederic+, our most Merciful and most Gracious King! Long live +Sophia-Charlotte+, our most Gracious Queen.”_ The King to render the Ceremony of his Coronation still more august, instituted the Day before[2] the Order of the _Black Eagle_, the Badges of which are an Orange Ribband with a Cross hanging to it enamell’d with Blue, in form of the Cross of _Malta_: In a Star of Silver which is embroider’d upon the Coat, there is a black Eagle which gripes in one Claw a Crown, and in the other a Scepter; and round the ’Scutcheon are these words, _SUUM CUIQUE_, (i. e. to every one his own.) The principal Statutes of this Order are, 1. That the Number of the Knights shall not exceed thirty, exclusive of the Princes of the Royal Family, and Sovereign Princes. 2. That the Knights shall prove their Nobility by sixteen Descents. 3. That they shall promise to be just, chaste, and to protect and support Widows and Orphans, according to their motto, _Suum cuique_. Tho’ it was contrary to custom, to install the Knights before the Coronation, the King was not so scrupulous as to conform to it, foreseeing that the Ceremony of his Coronation receiv’d a new Lustre from this Foundation. Nevertheless the Knights and Officers of the Order had then no other Badges but the Ribband and Star embroider’d on their Clothes; and ’twas not till two Years after that the King gave to the new Knights, for days of Ceremony, a Dress consisting of a Vest of Cloth of Gold, with another over it of Sky-blue Velvet, reaching down to the Mid-leg, with a Lining of Straw-color, and ty’d under the Cravat with yellow Ribbands, the Tassels of which hang down to the Knees. Their Sash is of Straw-color’d Velvet, embroider’d with Gold. Their Mantle is also of Straw-color’d Velvet, lin’d with Gold-Mohair, and over it is a Collar of Gold enamell’d with blue, forming these two Letters _F. R._ to signify _Fredericus Rex_: This is call’d the Grand Collar of the Order. The Knights wear black Velvet Caps on their Heads, with white Plumes of Feathers. The King’s Habit differs not from that of the Knights; but the Habits of the Grand Master of the Ceremonies, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, differ in that they only wear over their common Clothes full Gowns of Straw-color’d Velvet, with an Orange-color’d Lining, and upon them the Cross of the Order, fasten’d only by an Orange-color’d Ribband that hangs to their Neck.