Social KNIGHTHOOD, is that which is not fixed nor confirmed by any formal institution, nor regulated by any lasting statutes; of which kind there have many orders been erected on occasion of factions, of tilts and tournaments, masquerades, and the like.
The abbot Bernardo Justiniani, at the beginning of his History of Knighthood, gives us a complete catalogue of the several orders: according to this computation, they are in number 92. Favin has given us two volumes of them under the title of Theatre d'Honneur & de Chevalerie. Menenius has published Delizie Equestrium Ordinum, and Andr. Mendo has written De Ordinibus Militaribus. Beloi has traced their original; and Geliot, in his Armorial Index, has given us their institutions. To these may be added, Father Meneffrier de la Chevalerie Ancienne & Moderne. Michieli's Tresor Militaire, Caramuel's Theologia Regolare, Mireus's Origines Equestrium sive Militarium Ordinum: but above all, Justiniani's Historie Chronologiche dell'Ordine de gl'Ordine Militari, e di tutte le Religione Cavaliere; the edition which is fullest is that of Venice in 1692, in two vols. fol.