The Shield charged with three Ostrich Feathers, No. 401, was borne by

Prince JOHN OF GHENT; and it appears on the splendid Great Seal of

HENRY IV., between the Shields of the Duchy of CORNWALL and the Earldom

of CHESTER. HUMPHREY, Duke of GLOUCESTER, is also recorded to have borne

this same Feather Shield.

In the Vaulting of the ceiling over the steps leading to the Hall at

Christchurch, Oxford, the Ostrich Plume Badge is carved within a Garter

of the Order: and, again, the Badge is represented after the same

manner, environed with the Garter, in the beautiful binding of a copy of

the Bible which is reputed to have been used by CHARLES I. in his last

moments.

The Ostrich Feathers are repeatedly mentioned in early documents; and

they are shown to have been constantly used for various decorative

purposes, always evidently with an heraldic motive and feeling, by the

same Royal personages who blazoned them on their Seals, and displayed

them elsewhere as their armorial insignia. A well-known example of a

diaper of White Ostrich Feathers on a field per pale argent and vert, is

preserved in the stained glass now in the great north window of the

transept of Canterbury Cathedral.

CHAPTER XVI

SUPPORTERS

"Standing by the Shield

In silence." --IDYLLS OF THE KING.

A SUPPORTER is a figure, sometimes of an angel, frequently of a human

being, but more generally of some animal, bird, or imaginary creature,

so placed in connection with a Shield of Arms as to appear to be

protecting and supporting it. In English Heraldry a single Supporter is

of comparatively rare occurrence, but a number of examples are to be

found in the Heraldry of Scotland. In early examples, when two

Supporters appear, they are in most cases alike: but, more recently

(except in the Heraldry of France), the two figures are generally quite

distinct the one from the other, the earlier usage of having the two

Supporters alike being less frequent. The modern prevailing practice in

England is happily exemplified in the well-known instance of the present

Royal Supporters, the Lion and the Unicorn.

Supporters are considered to have been introduced into the Heraldry of

England during the reign of EDWARD III.; but they may with greater

accuracy be assigned to the middle of the fifteenth century, than to the

second half of the fourteenth. As armorial insignia of a very high rank,

Supporters are granted in England only by the express command of the

Sovereign, except to Peers and Knights Grand Cross and Knights Grand

Commanders. In Scotland, where they occur more frequently than in the

Heraldry of the South of the Tweed, the "Lord Lyon" has power to grant

Supporters. Originally by the Scottish Heralds these accessories of

Shields were entitled "Bearers."

Supporters are now granted, on payment of fees, to all Peers of the

Realm to descend to the holders of a specified Peerage, and to Knights

of the Garter, Thistle, and St. Patrick, and to Knights Grand Cross and

Knights Grand Commanders of all other orders of knighthood to be borne

for life. Most Nova Scotia Baronets and Chiefs of Scottish Clans have

supporters registered with their arms.

Supporters probably owe their origin rather to several concurrent

circumstances, than to any one particular circumstance. The mere fact of

a Knight carrying his own armorial Shield, or his Esquire bearing it

beside him, might suggest the general idea of some _supporting_ figure

in connection with a representation of that Shield. The act of carrying

a Banner of Arms, in like manner, might suggest a representation of a

"Supporter" for a Shield of Arms. To early Seals, however, Heraldry is

in an especial degree indebted for the development of the idea of

Supporters, and for bringing it into a definite form. Again, the

prevalent use of Badges in the fourteenth century, and in the fifteenth

also, would necessarily exercise a powerful influence in the same

direction; and would lead Heralds to associate with Shields of Arms

certain other figures which, while in themselves distinct and

independent, were closely allied with certain Shields of Arms. The

prototypes of true Supporters, indeed, as they appear on Seals, are

Badges. In fact, it is often difficult to determine whether specified

figures on the Seals of a certain period are heraldic supporters or

merely representations of Badges.

An Effigy represented upon a Seal, as in No. 405, the Seal of

DEVORGUILLA CRAWFORD, about A.D. 1290, from LAING'S Volume: or in Nos.

316, 317, would be even more than a suggestion of a Supporter. The same

may be said, when some figure, almost certainly a Badge, was introduced

into the composition of a Seal, holding or supporting a Shield by its

guige, as in No. 203; or when a Shield, or two or more Shields, were

charged upon some figure, as in No. 204: both of these examples, indeed,

might be regarded as illustrations of the origin or first adoption of

single Supporters.

[Illustration: No. 405.--Seal of Devorguilla Crawford, about 1290.]

The introduction of angelic figures, which might have the appearance of

acting as "Guardian Angels," in their care of Shields of Arms, was in

accordance with the feeling of the early days of English Heraldry; and,

while it took a part in leading the way to the systematic use of regular

Supporters, it served to show the high esteem and honour in which

armorial insignia were held by our ancestors of those ages. In No. 159 I

have already shown an example of a sculptured Shield thus supported by

Angels, from St. Albans. In the same noble church there are other

examples of the same character in stained glass. Angel Supporters, the

figures treated in various ways, occur in very many Gothic edifices;

particularly, sculptured as corbels, bosses or pateræ, or introduced in

panels, and employed for the decoration of open timber roofs, as in

Westminster Hall. They appear also on Seals; as on the Seal of HENRY OF

LANCASTER, about A.D. 1350, which has the figure of an Angel above the

Shield, and a lion on each side of it.

[Illustration: No. 406.--Part of Seal of Margaret, Lady Hungerford.]

The representation of armorial Banners upon Seals would lead to at least

the occasional introduction of some figure to hold, or _support_, the

Banner; and here, again, we discern the presence of some of the

immediate predecessors of "Supporters," properly so called. In the

Seals, Nos. 391, 392, the Banners are not supported, and yet they are

indirectly suggestive of giving support to the Shield which is

marshalled with them in the same composition. Another Hungerford Seal,

that of MARGARET BOTREAUX, widow of the second Baron HUNGERFORD (who

died in 1477), in the centre of the composition has a kneeling figure of

the noble lady, and on each side a banner of arms is held (_supported_)

erect, so that the two banners form a kind of canopy over her head, by a

lion and a gryphon. In No. 406 I give a part only of this elaborate

Seal, sufficient to show how its general composition bears upon the

adoption of Supporters. The Monument in Westminster Abbey of Sir LUDOVIC

ROBSART, K.G., Lord BOURCHIER, Standard-Bearer to HENRY V. at Agincourt,

has two banners sculptured in the stone work of the canopy, which are

placed precisely in the same manner as the banners in No. 406; and, like

them, they are held by Badges acting as Supporters. Two well-known seals

of the PERCIES are charged with banners, and in each case the

banner-staff is held by a single Supporter: one of these figures is a

man-at-arms, A.D. 1386; the other is a lion, A.D. 1446. At the same

period, two lions appear on another Percy Seal. Another, of the same

date, has the shield supported by an armed man, without any banner, but

having a lance with a long pennon charged with the Crescent badge of

PERCY, No. 412, p. 247. Other Percy Seals, again, of the fourteenth

century, on either side of the Shield have two lions or two birds.

Numerous examples of great interest illustrate the early introduction of

Badges into the composition of Seals, as accessories of Shields. A Seal

of Prince JOHN OF GHENT, which has two falcons and padlocks, is one of

the most beautiful and suggestive works of its class: in this Seal the

two birds are addorsed, and consequently they also have their backs

turned towards the central achievement. This position of the figures on

early Seals is not uncommon; but it is an illustration that the use of

Badges in the form from which they developed into supporters was an

artistic necessity, arising from the form of the spaces to be occupied

by the figures upon the Seal. Another most characteristic example of

that marshalling of Badges upon Seals, which certainly led the way to

true Supporters, is the Seal of Sir MAURICE DE BERKELEY, A.D. 1430, upon

which _a mermaid_--the Berkeley badge--is blazoned on each side of the

Shield. The two figures are drawn with much skill and elegance. The

Shield itself quarters _Berkeley_ within a bordure, and a differenced

coat of _Bottetourt_: it hangs from a large helm, which, in its turn, is

ensigned by as large a _mitre_--the singular Crest of the Berkeleys. The

two figures, generally animals, which fill up the spaces to the dexter

and sinister of the central achievement on Seals, in the fifteenth

century are almost invariably drawn of a comparatively large size; and,

for the most part, they really act as _Supporters to the Crested Helm_,

being themselves _supported by the Shield_. The composition of the Seal

of EDMUND DE MORTIMER, Earl of MARCH, A.D. 1400, though now mutilated,

exhibits in a most satisfactory manner this very effective arrangement,

from which true Supporters to a Shield of Arms might obviously be

derived. In this Seal, No. 407, the Shield quarters _Mortimer_, No. 131,

and--_or, a cross gu._, for _Ulster_. The Seal of WM. DE WYNDESOR, No.

382, illustrates with no less happy effect the occasional use of birds

instead of beasts, as Supporting Badges. Other examples exist in great

numbers, and in abundant variety: the two that I add from Mr. Laing's

Volume, Nos. 408 and 409, are in every respect most characteristic; they

are severally the Seals of ROBERT GRAHAM, of Kinpont, and of Sir WILLIAM

LINDSAY, of the Byres.

[Illustration: No. 407.--Seal of Earl Edmund de Mortimer; A.D. 1400.]

It is scarcely necessary for me to point out to students that Supporters

always have a decided heraldic significance. In supporting a Shield of

Arms, they discharge an heraldic duty: but, in themselves, Supporters

are armorial symbols of a high rank; and, with peculiar emphasis, they

record descent, inheritance, and alliance, and they blazon illustrious

deeds.

[Illustration: No. 408.--Seal of Robert Graham, of Kinpont,

A.D. 1433.]

[Illustration: No. 409.--Seal of Sir Wm. Lindsay, of the Byres,

A.D. 1390.]

Supporters should always be represented in an erect position. In

whatever direction also they actually may be looking, they always ought

to appear to fulfil their own proper office of giving vigilant and

deferential _support to the Shield_. It would be well, in our blazoning

of supported Achievements, not only for us to regard a becoming position

and attitude for Supporters to be matters determined by positive

heraldic law, but also that some satisfactory arrangement should be made

and recognised for general adoption, by which an equally becoming

_support_ would be provided for "Supporters." An unsatisfactory custom

has been either to place the Supporters, whatever they may be, upon some

very slight renaissance scroll work that is neither graceful nor

consistent, or, to constrain the Motto scroll to provide a foundation or

standing-place for them. In the latter case, an energetic lion, or a

massive elephant, and, in a certain class of achievements of

comparatively recent date, a mounted trooper, or a stalwart man-of-war's

man, probably with a twenty-four pounder at his feet, are made to stand

on _the edge of the ribbon_ that is inscribed with the Motto. Mr. Laing

has enabled me to give an excellent example of Supporters--two lions

standing upon a motto-scroll or ribbon--in No. 410, the Seal of JOHN

DRUMMOND, created Earl of MELFORT and Viscount FORTH in the year 1686:

the Shield is _Scotland, within a bordure componée_; the Supporters are

gorged with collars charged with thistles; and the Crest is the Crest of

Scotland issuing from a celestial Crown. As says the Motto of Sir

WILLIAM MAHON, "_Moniti, meliora sequamur_"--now that we have been told

of it, let us produce something better than this support for our

Supporters. Happily the best heraldic artists of the moment seem very

generally to have reverted to the older and more preferable form.

[Illustration: No. 410.--Seal of John Drummond, Earl of Melfort,

A.D. 1686.]

The Heralds of France still restrict the term "Supporters"--"_Les

Supports_"--to animals; whilst to human beings, to figures of angels,

and to mythological personages or other figures in human form, when

supporting a Shield, they apply the term "_Les Tenants_." When trees or

other inanimate objects are placed beside any armorial shield, and so

discharge the duty of Supporters in French achievements, they are

distinguished as "_Les Soutiens_." An old French writer on Heraldry,

PALLIOT, however, says that in his time (A.D. 1660), _Tenant_ is used in

the singular number, and denotes any kind of _single Supporter_, while

_Supports_ is used when there are _two_.

In the French Heraldry of the present time, a single Tenant or Support

is of rare occurrence; and when two Tenants or Supports appear in

blazon, they are generally, though not always, alike.

CHAPTER XVII

FLAGS

_The Pennon-- The Banner-- The Standard-- The Royal Standard-- The

Union Jack-- Ensigns-- Military Standards and Colours-- Blazoning--

Hoisting and Displaying Flags._

"Many a beautiful Pennon fixed to a lance,

And many a Banner displayed."

--SIEGE OF CARLAVEROCK, A.D. 1300.

"Prosper our Colours!"

--SHAKESPEARE, _Henry VI._, _Part 3_.

Admirably adapted for all purposes of heraldic display, rich in glowing

colours, and peculiarly graceful in their free movement in the wind,

FLAGS are inseparably associated with spirit-stirring memories, and in

all ages and with every people they enjoy an enthusiastic popularity

peculiar to themselves.

In the Middle Ages, in England, three distinct classes of heraldic Flags

appear to have been in general use, each class having a distinct and

well-defined signification.

1. First, the PENNON, small in size, of elongated form, and either

pointed or swallow-tailed at the extremity, is charged with the Badge or

some other armorial ensign of the owner, and by him displayed upon his

own lance, as his personal ensign. The Pennon of Sir JOHN D'ABERNOUN,

No. 286, fringed and pointed, A.D. 1277, bears his arms--_Az., a chevron

or_: and No. 411, another example of the pointed form of Pennon, is from

the Painted Chamber, Westminster, about A.D. 1275. No. 412, a long

swallow-tailed Pennon, charged with the Percy crescent Badge, is from

the Seal of HENRY DE PERCI, first Earl of NORTHUMBERLAND. Before the

true heraldic era, _Lance-Flags_ with various decorative devices, but

without any blazonry having a definite signification, were in use: See

Nos. 5, 6. The _Pennoncelle_ was a modification of the Pennon.

[Illustration: No. 411.--Pennon, from the Painted Chamber.]

[Illustration: No. 412.--Pennon of Percy; A.D. 1400.]

2. Second, the BANNER, square or oblong in form, and of a larger size

than the Pennon, bears the entire Coat of Arms of the owner blazoned

over its whole surface, precisely as the same composition is blazoned

upon a Shield: No. 162. The Banner has been described as the ensign of

the Sovereign, or of a Prince, a Noble, or a Knight who had been

advanced to the higher rank or degree of a "Banneret"; but it would seem

almost certain that the display of Arms upon a Banner was never confined

to a Banneret. Two Banners are represented in each of the Hungerford

Seals, Nos. 391, 392. A small group of oblong Banners, with two pointed

Pennons, is represented in No. 413, from the Painted Chamber.

[Illustration: No. 413.--Oblong Banners and Pointed Pennons,

from the Painted Chamber.]

In the olden time, when a Knight had distinguished himself by

conspicuous gallantry, it was the custom to mark his meritorious conduct

by prompt advancement on the very field of battle. In such a case, the

point or points of the good Knight's Pennon were rent off, and thus the

small Flag was reduced to the _square_ form of the Banner, by which

thenceforth he was to be distinguished. FROISSART, in his own graphic

manner, has described the ceremonial which attended the first display of

the Banner of a newly-created Banneret on the field of battle. Sir JOHN

CHANDOS, one of the Knights Founders of the Garter, appeared with his

maiden Banner on the field, on the morning of the battle of Naveret, in

Castile, April 3rd, 1367:--"He brought his banner in his hands," says

the chronicler, "rolled up" (rolled round the staff), "and said to the

PRINCE OF WALES"--it was the BLACK PRINCE,--"'My Lord, behold, here is

my Banner: I deliver it to you in this way,"--still rolled round the

staff, that is--"'that it may please you to display it, and that this

day I may raise it; for, thank God, I have land and heritage sufficient

to support the rank as it ought to be!' Then the Prince and the

King"--Don PETRO, King of Castile--"took the Banner, which was of silver

with a sharp pile gules, between their hands by the staff, and displayed

it, and returned it to him, the Prince saying--'Sir John, behold your

Banner; may God grant you may do your duty!' Then Sir JOHN CHANDOS bore

his Banner (displayed) to his own Company, and said--'Gentlemen, see

here my Banner and yours; preserve it as your own!'" We see that, like

another hero of a later period, the BLACK PRINCE held the

maxim--"England expects every man to do his duty."

[Illustration: No. 414.--Seal of Earl John Holland,

Admiral of England, &c., A.D. 1436.]

Quarterings, Marks of Cadency, and Differences (but not impalements) are

blazoned on Banners under the very same conditions that they appear on

Shields of Arms. For example, the Banners, as well as the Shield, on the

seal of Sir Robert de Hungerford, No. 392, are Differenced with a label

for Cadency, and thus are distinguished from the corresponding Banners

and Shield on the Seal of Sir Robert's father, No. 391.

Crests, Badges, Supporters, and other external accessories and ornaments

of Armorial Shields have no place on Banners, a Banner representing a

Shield, and being charged as a Shield. In the seventeenth century,

however, English Banners sometimes were charged with Achievements of

Arms, including all the accessories and ornaments of Shields.

In early times Banners appear in use at sea, as well as on land; and the

same Banners were used both on shore and afloat. The _sails_ of our

early shipping, also, are constantly represented as covered with

armorial blazonry, and they thus were enabled to act as Ship-Flags. Many

curious and interesting representations of the strange, unwieldy,

unship-shape looking craft that were the ancestors of the British Navy,

are introduced with their _heraldic sails_ and their Banners into the

compositions of Seals. A fine example of its order is the Seal of JOHN

HOLLAND, Earl of HUNTINGDON, A.D. 1436, "Admiral of England, Ireland,

and Aquitaine," No. 414. The ship is really a noble-looking vessel, with

her solitary sail blazoned with the Lord Admiral's Arms--_England,

within a bordure of France_,--the same arms that were borne by Prince

JOHN OF ELTHAM, No. 24. In this example the crew are not represented:

but in other Seals of early shipping figures are commonly introduced,

and almost always they are drawn of ludicrously disproportionate size.

This ship does not display any Banner from a banner-staff, but has a

nautical Pennon of ample size flying at the mast-head: when Banners are

displayed on board ships upon early Seals, they are generally narrow in

proportion to their height, a form of Banner adopted on land as well as

at sea, in consequence of the greater inconvenience attending the

display of broad or really square Banners. At a later period, however,

Ship-Flags of very large size came into favour.

3. The STANDARD, the third variety of early heraldic Flags, which first

appears about the middle of the fourteenth century, and was in general

use by personages of high rank in the two following centuries, appears

to have been adopted for the special purpose of displaying the Badge.

The Badge was worn on his livery by a servant as retainer, and

consequently the Standard by which he mustered in camp was of the livery

colours, and bore the Badge, with both of which the retainer was

familiar.

[Illustration: No. 415.--Standard of Sir Henry de Stafford, K.G.:

about A.D. 1475.]

This Flag is of ample proportions, and great length; but its size varies

with the owner's rank. Next to the Staff was usually to be found the

_red cross on a silver field_ of ST. GEORGE. The rest of the field is

generally divided per fesse into two tinctures, in most cases the livery

colours of the owner, or the prevailing tinctures of his Coat of Arms,

which in such cases may almost be assumed to have been his livery. With

some principal figure or device occupying a prominent position, various

Badges are displayed over the whole field, a Motto, which is placed

bend-wise, having divided the Standard into compartments. The edges are

fringed throughout, and the extremity is sometimes swallow-tailed, and

sometimes rounded.

The Standard of Sir HENRY DE STAFFORD, K.G., second son of HENRY, second

Duke of BUCKINGHAM (executed in 1483), is represented in No. 415, from a

drawing in the Heralds' College. It is charged, first, with _a cross of

St. George_: then, on a _field per fesse sable and gules_ (the colours

of the Duke's livery), _the White Swan_ of the De Bohuns, with the

_silver Stafford-knot_ (No. 304), differenced with _a Crescent gules_

for Cadency; the Motto is HVMBLE : ET: LOYAL; and the fringe, of the

same colours as the field, is _componée sa. and gu._ In other examples a

greater variety of Badges is introduced. The student will not fail to

take notice of the systematic display of the ensign of St. George in

these Standards, as the national armorial device of England. The use and

heraldic display of these standards had practically lapsed, but the

College of Arms has now reverted to its ancient practice of recording

them in cases of the grant or confirmation of a Badge.

[Illustration: No. 416.--The Royal Standard, or Banner.]

The ROYAL STANDARD (to give it its popular name) is not really a

Standard at all, but is the King's Banner of his arms. It stands at the

head of our English Flags of the present day, and bears the full

blazonry of the Royal Arms of His Majesty THE KING, as they are

marshalled on the Royal Shield: No. 416. It is personal to the King, and

its use by other people is not permitted. This splendid Flag, so truly

heraldic in its character, and charged with Coat-Armour and not with

Badges, ought to be styled the ROYAL BANNER. The same Standard is duly

differenced with their own Marks of Cadency and their Shields of

Pretence for the different members of the Royal Family. For use at sea,

whilst the PRINCE OF WALES has his own Flag or Banner of his arms, all

other members of the Royal Family use a flag showing the Royal Arms

within a bordure ermine. QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ALEXANDRA fly flags of

their impaled arms.

The UNION JACK, which is regarded as the national British Flag, as we

now display it, is the second of its race. Strictly speaking, it is as

much the property of the Sovereign as the Royal Banner, but objection to

its use and display is not officially made. The _First Union Jack_, No.

417, was produced in obedience to a Royal Proclamation of JAMES I. in

the year 1606. Its object was to provide a single National Flag for both

England and Scotland as a single kingdom, which might put an end to

certain serious disputes concerning the precedence of their respective

Banners of St. George and St. Andrew, Nos. 418, 419, between the natives

of England and Scotland--of "South and North Britain." This "Union" Flag

combined the blazonry of the two rival ensigns, not marshalling them by

quartering after the early heraldic usage, but by reviving a still

earlier process, and by blending the cross and the saltire of Nos. 418

and 419 in a single composition. This was effected, accordingly, by

charging the Cross of St. George, with a narrow border or "fimbriation"

of white to represent its white field, _upon_ the Banner of St. Andrew,

the result being the Flag shown in No. 417. On the final "Union" between

England and Scotland in 1707, this device was formally declared to be

the "Ensign armorial of the United Kingdom of Great Britain."

[Illustration: No. 418.--St. George.]

[Illustration: No. 417.--The First Union Jack.]

[Illustration: No. 419.--St. Andrew.]

[Illustration: No. 420.--The Second Union Jack.]

[Illustration: No. 421.--St. Patrick.]

Upon the first day of January, 1801, the _Second Union Jack_, the "Union

Jack" of to-day, No. 420, superseded the Flag of King JAMES and Queen

ANNE. The "Union" with Ireland rendered a change necessary in the Union

Jack, in order to incorporate with its blazonry the Banner of ST.

PATRICK, No. 421, _arg., a saltire gu._ There seems good reason to

believe that the so-called Cross of St. Patrick had little, if indeed

any, separate or prior existence. The process that had been adopted

before was again brought into action, but now a single compound device

had to be formed by the combination of a cross and two saltires, Nos.

418, 419, and 421. As before, in this new Flag the blue field of ST.

ANDREW forms the field: then the two Saltires, the one white and the

other red, are formed into a single compound Saltire counter-changed of

the two tinctures alternating, the white having precedence; a narrow

edging of white is next added to each red side of this new figure, to

represent the white field of St. Patrick, as the narrow edging of white

about the red cross represented the white field of ST. GEORGE in No.

418; and, finally, the red cross of St. George fimbriated with white, as

in the First Jack, is charged over all. Such is the Second Union Jack,

No. 420. In this compound device it will be observed that the _broad

diagonal white_ members represent the _silver saltire_ of St. Andrew,

No. 419: that the _red diagonal_ members represent the _saltire gules_

of St. Patrick, No. 421, and that the _narrow diagonal white_ lines are

added in order to place this _saltire gules on a field argent_: that the

_diagonal red and the broad diagonal white members_ represent the two

Saltires of St. Andrew and St. Patrick in combination: and that the

_fimbriated red cross_ in the front of the goodly alliance declares the

presence of the symbol of St. George.

Sir HARRIS NICHOLAS has suggested that this flag may have acquired its

name of "Jack" ("Union" is obvious enough) from the original author of

the First Union Flag, King JAMES, who, in the Heralds' French language,

would be styled _Jacques_: and so the Flag would be called "Jacques'

Union," which would easily settle down into "Jack's Union," and finally

would as easily become "Union Jack." The Second Union Flag is always to

be hoisted as it is represented in No. 420, the diagonal white having

precedence in the first canton. To reverse the proper display of the

Flag implies distress or danger; or such a procedure (very often, as I

am aware, unconsciously adopted, through ignorance of the real meaning

of the Flag itself) subjects the Union Jack to degradation.

[Illustration: No. 422.--The Red Ensign.]

By a recent warrant Lords Lieutenant fly the Union Jack charged with a

sword fesseways.

The ENSIGNS now in use are:--

1. The _Red Ensign_, a plain red Flag cantoning a Union Jack--having a

Jack in the dexter chief angle next to the point of suspension: No. 422.

This Ensign shares with the Union Jack the honour of being the "Ensign

of England"--the Ensign, that is, of the British Empire. When displayed

at sea, it now distinguishes all vessels that do not belong to the Royal

Navy: but, before the year 1864, it was the distinguishing ensign of the

"red squadron of the Navy," and of the "Admirals of the Red"--the

Admirals of the highest rank.

2. The _White_ or _St. George's Ensign_ is the old banner of St. George,

No. 418, with a Jack cantoned in the first quarter. It now is the Ensign

of the Royal Navy: but, before 1864, it distinguished the "white

squadron" of the Navy, and the Admirals--second in rank--of that

Squadron.

3. The _Blue Ensign_ differs from the Red only in the field being plain

blue instead of red. It now is the Ensign of the Naval Reserve: before

1864 it was the Ensign of "Admirals of the Blue," third in rank, and of

their Squadron of the Royal Navy.

A Red Ensign is often charged with a Crown, or with some appropriate

device, to denote some particular department of the public service.

With the Ensigns may be grouped the _Flag of the Admiralty_, which

displays a yellow anchor and cable set fesse-wise on a red field.

The Ensigns are always to be hoisted so as to have the Jack next to the

point of suspension, as in No. 422.

MILITARY FLAGS. 1. _Cavalry Standards_, being lineal descendants of the

knightly Banners of mediæval chivalry, are small square Flags, the

colour of the field the same as the regimental facings; and each

Standard bears the Number, Motto, and specific Title of its own

Regiment, with whatever heraldic Badge or Device may be associated with

it. Upon these Standards also are blazoned the regimental

"_Honours_"--such words as WATERLOO, ALMA, LUCKNOW, and others, which

briefly and with most emphatic significance declare the services of the

corps. The Household Cavalry, the Life Guards and Blues, have all their

Standards of Crimson, and they are blazoned with the Royal Insignia and

their own "Honours" and Devices.

2. _Infantry Colours._ In the first instance, each Regiment of Infantry

had one "Colour": subsequently, two others were added: and, finally, in

the reign of Queen Anne, it was decided that every Infantry Regiment or

Battalion of the Line (the Rifles of the Line excepted, who have no

"Colours") should have its own "Pair of Colours." Of this "Pair," one is

the "_King's Colour_"--a Union Jack charged with some regimental

Devices: the other, the "_Regimental Colour_" is of the tincture of the

facings, on which the "Honours" and "Devices" of the Regiment are

charged, and in the dexter chief angle a small Jack is cantoned: in

fact, the "Regimental Colour" is the same as the Red or Blue Ensign (No.

422), the Colour of the field varying with the regimental facings, and

the field itself being charged with the various Devices.

In their Colours, the Guards reverse the arrangement that obtains with

the Regiments of the Line. With them, the _Kings Colour_ is always

crimson, with or without a Jack, but charged with the Royal Cypher and

the regimental Devices: the _Regimental Colour_ of the Guards is the

Union Jack.

3. The _Royal Artillery_ have no Colours or Standards.

Military Flags are not now used in actual warfare by British troops.

I conclude this Chapter, which treats briefly of the Heraldry of the

most important English Flags, with four still more brief general

remarks:--

1. First: by all English people who are disposed to exclaim, making

SHAKESPEARE'S words their own, "_Prosper our Colours!_" it ought to be

understood that their National Flags are endowed with heraldic, that is,

with historical significance, recorded after an heraldic fashion.

2. Second: this significance of their Flags ought also to be understood,

that it may be appreciated, by all true English people.

3. Third: our Flags ought always to be made and represented correctly.

And 4. Lastly: our Flags, and all other Flags also, ought always to be

hoisted and displayed rightly and properly.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE ROYAL HERALDRY OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND

_Shields of Arms of the Reigning Sovereigns of England; of Scotland;

of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland-- Crests--

Supporters-- Mottoes-- Crowns-- Banners-- Armorial Insignia of the

late Prince Consort; of the Prince and Princess of Wales; of the other

Princes and Princesses._

"On his Banner were three Leopards, courant, of fine gold, set on

red: fierce were they, haughty and cruel, to signify that, like them,

the KING is dreadful to his enemies; for his bite is slight to none

who inflame his anger: and yet, towards such as seek his friendship

or submit to his power his kindness is soon rekindled."

--ROLL OF CARLAVEROCK.

"With Scotland's Arms, Device and Crest

Embroidered round and round."

--MARMION.

How the "three Leopards courant" of the shrewd chronicler of Carlaverock

are identical with the "three Lions passant guardant" of the Royal

Shield of England I have already shown (see page 84). To the Norman

Sovereigns of England, WILLIAM I., WILLIAM II., HENRY I., and STEPHEN

(A.D. 1066-1154), the same Shield of Arms has been assigned--_Gu., two

lions pass. guard., in pale, or_, No. 22. It must be distinctly

understood, however, that there exists no certain authority for these

Arms.

In like manner, STEPHEN is also _said_ to have borne on a red Shield

three golden _Sagittaries_, or Centaurs, with bows and arrows. And,

again, HENRY II. is _considered_ to have added a third lion to the two

on the Shield of his father, a _single golden lion passant guardant on

red_ being (also considered to be) the armorial ensign of the province

of Aquitaine, acquired by HENRY in right of his Consort, ALIANORE.

As early as the reign of HENRY III., a Shield of Arms, No. 23, was

assigned to the Anglo-Saxon Kings: another Shield, No. 2, was assigned

to EDWARD THE CONFESSOR: and a third Shield, No. 3, to another sainted

Anglo-Saxon Prince, EDMUND.

[Illustration: No. 22.--Royal Arms, supposed to have been borne

before A.D. 1189.]

[Illustration: No. 187.--Royal Arms, from A.D. 1189 to 1340.]

From the appearance of the Second Great Seal of RICHARD I., about A.D.

1195, all uncertainty concerning the Royal Arms of England is at an end,

and they are borne as follows by the successive English Sovereigns:--

RICHARD I.: JOHN: HENRY III.: EDWARD I.: EDWARD II.: and EDWARD III.,

till the thirteenth year of his reign, A.D. 1340:--_Gu., three lions

passant guardant in pale or_,--No. 187.

EDWARD III., from the thirteenth year of his reign, when he claimed to

be King of France as well as of England, and so styled himself:

RICHARD II.: and HENRY IV., till about the fifth year of his

reign:--_France Ancient and England quarterly_,--No. 252.

RICHARD II. sometimes bore the Arms of the CONFESSOR, No. 2, with his

own, on a separate shield, as at Westminster Hall; and sometimes he

impaled the Confessor's Arms with his own quartered Shield, the arms of

the Confessor having the precedence.

[Illustration: No. 252.--Royal Arms from A.D. 1340 to about 1405.]

[Illustration: No. 253.--Royal Arms from about A.D. 1405 to 1603.]

HENRY IV. from about 1405: HENRY V.: HENRY VI.: EDWARD IV.: EDWARD V.:

RICHARD III.: HENRY VII.: HENRY VIII.: EDWARD VI.: MARY: and ELIZABETH,

to A.D. 1603:--_France Modern and England Quarterly_, No. 253.

The Royal Shield of SCOTLAND, No. 138, first appears upon the Seal of

ALEXANDER II. about A.D. 1235; and, as Mr. Seton well observes, the

origin of its bearings "is veiled by the mists of Antiquity." The same

Shield, without any modification or change, was borne by all the

Sovereigns of Scotland.

[Illustration: No. 138.--Royal Arms of Scotland.]

JAMES I.: CHARLES I.: CHARLES II.: JAMES II.: WILLIAM III. and MARY: and

ANNE, till May 1, 1707: _Quarterly_: 1 _and_ 4, _Grand Quarters, France

Modern and England_ (No. 253): 2, _Grand Quarter, Scotland_ (No. 138):

3, _Grand Quarter--Az., a harp or, stringed arg., for Ireland_: No. 423.

[Illustration: No. 423.--Royal Arms of the Stuart Sovereigns.]

[Illustration: No. 425.--Diagram of Shield of William III. and Mary.]

[Illustration: No. 424.--Arms of Nassau.]

[Illustration: No. 426.--Diagram of Shield of William III. alone.]

WILLIAM III., as an elected Sovereign, charged his paternal shield of

NASSAU, No. 424--_Az., billettée, a lion rampt. or_,--in pretence upon

the Royal Shield: also, during the life of his Consort, till Dec. 28,

1694, he bore the _Stuart_ shield with _Nassau_ in pretence on the

dexter half of his Shield, and thus impaled in the sinister half of his

Shield the same Stuart arms, as in the Diagram, No. 425, to denote their

joint Sovereignty: the Shield represented in this Diagram, No. 425,

bears the whole of No. 423 on its dexter half, with No. 424 in pretence;

and on its sinister half it also bears the whole of No. 423. When he

reigned alone, WILLIAM III. bore his own dexter half of the impaled

Shield alone, as in the Diagram, No. 426: the Shield represented in this

Diagram being the dexter half of No. 425.

Queen ANNE, from May 1, 1707, till 1714, bore the Royal Arms marshalled

as in the Diagram, No. 427:--1 and 2, _England_ impaling _Scotland_; 3,

_France Modern_ (No. 253); 4, _Ireland_ (the Harp, as in the third

quarter of No. 423).

[Illustration: No. 427.--Diagram of the Second Royal Shield

of Queen Anne.]

[Illustration: No. 428.--Arms of Hanover.]

[Illustration: No. 429.--Diagram of the Royal Shield

from A.D. 1714 to 1801.]

The Arms of HANOVER, on the accession of GEORGE I., August 1, 1714, were

added to the Shield of the United Kingdom. This was accomplished by

removing the charges (_England and Scotland impaled_) from the fourth

quarter of the Shield, No. 427, and charging that quarter with the arms

of _Hanover_ as they appear on the Shield, No. 428:--_Per pale and per

chevron_, 1, _Gu., two lions passant guardant or_, for _Brunswick_: 2,

_Or, Semée of hearts, a lion rampt. az._, for _Lunenburgh_: 3, _Gu.,

a horse courant arg._, for _Westphalia_: 4, _Over all, on an

inescutcheon gules, the golden crown of Charlemagne_. This marshalling

is shown in the Diagram, No. 429, which represents a Shield bearing,--1

and 2, _England_ impaling _Scotland_; 3, _France Modern_; 4, _Ireland_;

5, _Hanover_ (as in No. 428, without the Crown).

On January 1, 1801, the Fleurs de Lys of France were removed from the

Royal Shield of Great Britain, which then was marshalled as in the

diagram, No. 430, _quarterly_, 1 _and_ 4, _England_; 2, _Scotland_; 3,

_Ireland_; 5, _Hanover_--the shield of Hanover being ensigned with the

_Electoral Bonnet_, No. 240, till 1816, but, after Hanover became a

kingdom, with a _Royal Crown_ in place of the Electoral Bonnet from 1816

till 1837, as it appears in No. 428.

[Illustration: No. 430.--Diagram of the Royal Shield

from A.D. 1801 to 1837.]

GEORGE I.: GEORGE II.: GEORGE III., till Jan. 1, 1801:--The arms

indicated in the diagram, No. 429.

GEORGE III., till 1816:--The arms indicated in the diagram, No. 430, the

inescutcheon ensigned with an electoral bonnet.

GEORGE III., after 1816: GEORGE IV.: WILLIAM IV.:--The same arms as No.

430, but the inescutcheon ensigned with a Royal Crown.

QUEEN VICTORIA, KING EDWARD VII., and KING GEORGE V.:--The same as No.

430, but without the inescutcheon, the four quarters being marshalled as

on the Royal Standard, No. 416.

ROYAL CRESTS.

For ENGLAND:--_A golden lion statant guardant, imperially crowned_;

assumed by EDWARD III., and by him borne on his Helm standing upon a Cap

of Estate; retained from his time, and now borne standing on an Imperial

Crown. No. 431.

[Illustration: No. 431.--Royal Crest of England.]

For SCOTLAND:--First Crest. _A lion statant guardant gu._, assumed by

ROBERT II., about A.D. 1385; retained, and with some modifications used

by his successors, till about A.D. 1550. Second Crest. _On an Imperial

Crown, a lion sejant affronté erect gu.; imperially crowned, holding in

the dexter paw a sword, and in the sinister paw a sceptre, both erect

and ppr._; with the motto--IN: DEFENSE; assumed by JAMES V.; borne by

MARY, and shown in her signet-ring, No. 432, about 1564; retained, and

now in use.

ROYAL SUPPORTERS.

For ENGLAND. Of uncertain authority before HENRY VI., who bore _two

white antelopes_: also, _a lion and a panther_, or _antelope_.

EDWARD IV.:--_A lion or_, or _argent, and a bull sable_: or, _two lions

argent_: or, _a lion and a hart argent_.

RICHARD III.:--_A lion or and a boar arg._: or, _two boars arg._

HENRY VII.:--_A dragon gu., and a greyhound arg._: or, _two greyhounds

arg._: or, _a lion or and a dragon gu._

HENRY VIII.:--_A lion or and a dragon gu._: or, _a dragon gu., and

either a bull sable, a greyhound argent, or a cock arg._

EDWARD VI.:--_A lion or, and a dragon gu._

MARY and ELIZABETH:--_A lion or, and a greyhound arg._, or _a dragon

gu._

For SCOTLAND.--First Supporters:--_Two lions rampt. guard._; first seen

on a Seal of JAMES I., A.D. 1429. Second Supporters: _Two silver

unicorns, crowned with imperial and gorged with open crowns and chained

or_; assumed by JAMES IV., and retained in use. On the signet of Queen

MARY STUART, No. 432: for this beautiful cut once more I am indebted to

Mr. Laing.

For the UNITED KINGDOM. Dexter Supporter: _A lion rampt. guard., royally

crowned, or_. Sinister Supporter: _A unicorn rampt. arg., armed, crined

and gorged with a coronet composed of crosses pattée and fleurs de lis,

and chained or_. Assumed by JAMES I. of Great Britain: retained, and

still in use.

[Illustration: No. 432.--The Signet of Queen Mary Stuart,

considerably enlarged.]

ROYAL MOTTOES.

The ancient English war-cry--DIEU . ET . MON . DROIT!--"_God and my

Right!_" assumed as a regular Motto by HENRY VI., has been retained in

use since his time.

Queens ELIZABETH and ANNE also used--SEMPER . EADEM--"_Always the

Same_." JAMES I. used--BEATI . PACIFICI--"_Blessed are the

Peace-makers_."

Mottoes of Scotland: NEMO . ME . IMPUNE . LACESSIT--"_No man with

impunity attacks me_:" and, above the Crest--IN . DEFENSE. The former is

really the Motto of the Order of the Thistle.

THE CROWN

Till the time of HENRY IV., the Crown, the symbol of the Sovereignty of

England, was a golden circlet richly jewelled, and heightened with

conventional _strawberry-leaves_: fine examples are represented in the

effigies of HENRY III., JOHN, and EDWARD II.

HENRY IV., as shown by his splendid effigy at Canterbury, introduced

_fleurs de lys_, alternating with the leaves.

From the time of HENRY V., the circlet has been heightened by _crosses

pattées_ and _fleurs de lys_ alternating, four of each, and without any

leaves. HENRY V. also first _arched the circlet with jewelled bands_,

which at their intersection he surmounted with a _mound and cross_.

[Illustration: No. 234.--Crown of H.M., The King.]

The arched Crown of HENRY V. has four half-arches,--that is, it is

arched over twice: HENRY VI. and CHARLES I. arched their crown three

times: all the other Sovereigns have had two complete arches only, and

the Crown still retains these two arches intersecting at right angles,

as in No. 234. At different periods, while the design of the Crown has

remained unchanged, the contour of the arches, and the artistic

treatment of the ornamentation have undergone various modifications.

The ROYAL BANNERS, or STANDARDS, are charged with the bearings of the

Royal Shield of Arms for the time being.

The Armorial Insignia of H.R.H. the late PRINCE CONSORT. The SHIELD

was--_Quarterly_, 1 _and_ 4,--_The Royal Arms of the late Queen_, as in

No. 416, but differenced with _a silver label of three points charged on

the central point with a cross of St. George_: 2 _and_ 3,--_Saxony_, No.

225. This Shield was encircled with the Garter of the Order, and

ensigned with the Prince's own Coronet, shown in No. 441.

The CREST was the _Royal Crest of England_, No. 431, the lion having the

same _label_ that differences the Shield adjusted about his neck as a

collar, and being crowned with the coronet, _vide_ No. 441, in place of

the Imperial Crown.

The SUPPORTERS were those of the Royal Arms, _the golden lion and silver

unicorn_, both of them differenced with the same _label_, and the lion

crowned with the same coronet.

The Motto.--TREU . UND . FEST--"True and Faithful." To the dexter of

this Achievement, the complete Royal Achievement of QUEEN VICTORIA.

The Arms of KING EDWARD VII. were and those of KING GEORGE V. are

practically the same as those of QUEEN VICTORIA. As PRINCES OF WALES,

these Arms were differenced by a plain _label_ of three points argent,

and an inescutcheon of SAXONY was superimposed. In each case upon

accession to the throne, the inescutcheon of Saxony was removed, and

consequently there has been no change whatsoever in the Royal Arms,

those of KING EDWARD and KING GEORGE being the same as those of QUEEN

VICTORIA, save, of course, the necessary change in the Royal

Cyphers--the full blazon of the Royal Arms for the present reign

being:--

ARMS.-- _Quarterly_, 1 _and_ 4, _gules, three lions passant guardant in

pale or_ (ENGLAND); 2, _or, a lion rampant within a double tressure

flory and counterflory gules_ (SCOTLAND); 3, _azure, a harp or, stringed

argent_ (IRELAND).

HELMET--_of gold, affronté and with grylles_.

MANTLING, _cloth of gold lined with ermine_.

CRESTS _upon the Imperial Crown, a lion statant guardant, crowned or_

(ENGLAND).

_Upon the Crown of Scotland, a lion sejant erect affronté gules; crowned

or, holding in the dexter paw a sword, and in the sinister a sceptre,

both proper_ (SCOTLAND).

On a Wreath, _or and azure, a tower triple-towered of the first, from

the portal a hart springing argent, attired and unguled gold_ (IRELAND).

SUPPORTERS (dexter), _a lion guardant or, crowned as the crest_;

(sinister), _a unicorn argent, armed, crined and unguled or, gorged with

a coronet composed of crosses patée and fleurs de lis, a chain affixed

thereto, passing between the forelegs and reflexed over the back of the

last_.

BADGES.--

1. _The Red and White Rose, united and crowned_ (ENGLAND).

2. _The Thistle, crowned_ (SCOTLAND).

3. _A Harp or, stringed argent, crowned_ (IRELAND).

4. _A Trefoil slipped vert, crowned_ (IRELAND).

5. _The Rose, Thistle and Shamrock united on one stem and crowned_

(UNITED KINGDOM).

6. _A Shield, crowned and bearing the device of the Union Jack_

(UNITED KINGDOM).

7. _Upon a mount vert, a dragon passant with wings elevated gules_

(WALES). _N.B._--This badge is not crowned.

MOTTO.--DIEU . ET . MON . DROIT in the compartment below the Shield,

with the Union, Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle engrafted on the same stem.

The Shield is encircled by the Garter of that Order.

The Arms of H.M. QUEEN ALEXANDRA, early in the reign of KING EDWARD,

were declared by Royal Warrant. Within the Garter are impaled (dexter)

the Arms of KING EDWARD VII. and (sinister) the undifferenced Arms of

DENMARK as under:--

The ROYAL ARMS OF DENMARK. The Shield divided into four quarters by the

national _white cross_, having a _border of red_ to represent the red

field of the Danish Ensign. First Quarter:--DENMARK--_Or, semée of

hearts gu., three lions pass. guard. in pale az._ Second

Quarter:--SLESWICK--_Or, two lions pass. in pale az._ Third

Quarter:--_Per fesse, in chief_, SWEDEN--_Az., three crowns or; in

base_, ICELAND--_Gu., a stock-fish arg., crowned or; impaling_, for

FAROE ISLANDS--_Az., a buck pass. arg._; and, for GREENLAND--a _polar

bear rampt. arg._ Fourth Quarter:--_Per fesse, in chief_, for

JUTLAND--_Or, ten hearts, four, three, two, one, gu., and in chief a

lion pass. az.; in base_, for VANDALIA--_Gu., a wyvern, its tail nowed

and wings expanded, or_.

On an Inescutcheon, quarterly: First, for HOLSTEIN--_Gu., an

inescutcheon per fesse arg. and of the first, in every point thereof a

nail in triangle, between as many holly-leaves, all ppr._ Second, for

STORMERK--_Gu., a swan arg., gorged with a coronet or_. Third, for

DITZMERS--_Az., an armed knight ppr., brandishing his sword, his charger

arg._ Fourth, for LAUENBURGH--_Gu., a horse's head couped arg._

Over all, in pretence upon a second Inescutcheon, OLDENBURGH--_Or, two

bars gu._; impaling--_Az., a cross patée fitchée or_, for DALMENHURST.

The above-mentioned warrant for Her Majesty declares the arms to be

surmounted by the Royal Crown, and supported (dexter) by a lion

guardant, and imperially crowned or, and (sinister) by a savage wreathed

about the temples and loins with oak and supporting in his exterior hand

a club all proper.

The Arms of H.M. QUEEN MARY, as declared by Royal Warrant, are:--Within

the Garter ensigned with the Royal Crown the Arms of the United Kingdom

of Great Britain and Ireland impaling quarterly (for Cambridge) the

Royal Arms as borne by GEORGE III. differenced by a label of three

points arg., the centre point charged with the St. George's Cross, and

each of the other points with two hearts in pale gu., 2nd and 3rd (for

Teck) or, three stags' attires fesseways in pale, the point of each

attire to the sinister sa., impaling or, three lions passant in pale

sa., langued gu., the dexter fore paws of the last, over all an

inescutcheon paly bendy sinister sa. and or. _Supporters_ (dexter)

a lion guardant or, crowned with the Royal Crown ppr.; (sinister) a stag

ppr.

H.R.H. the PRINCE OF WALES bears a Shield--_Quarterly_, 1 _and_ 4,

ENGLAND; 2, SCOTLAND; 3, IRELAND, differenced by a plain _label of three

points argent_. In pretence over these Arms he bears an Inescutcheon of

the Arms of WALES, viz. quarterly or and gu., four lions passant

guardant counter-changed, the Inescutcheon surmounted by the Coronet of

the Heir-Apparent. His Crest is the Crest of England, and his Supporters

are also the same, but the Crest and each of the Supporters are

differenced by a similar _label_, and for the Imperial Crown in the

Crest and dexter supporter the coronet of the Prince of WALES is

substituted. The Badges of the Prince of WALES are two:--viz. 1, _A

plume of three ostrich feathers arg., quilled or, enfiled by a coronet

composed of crosses patée and fleurs de lys_, with the MOTTO, "ICH

DIEN": 2, _on a mount vert, a dragon passant with wings elevated gu.,

differenced with a label of three points arg._ Below the SHIELD the

MOTTO "ICH DIEN" is repeated, and the Shield is surrounded by the

Garter.

The other PRINCES and PRINCESSES, younger children of the late QUEEN

VICTORIA, all bore the Royal Arms of the Sovereign, the Princes on

_Shields_, the Princesses on _Lozenges_. All their Royal Highnesses bore

the Royal _Supporters_; all have a Shield of _Saxony_, in pretence on

their own Shield or Lozenge; all ensign their Shield or Lozenge with

their own Coronet, No. 290; and the Princes bear the Royal _Crest_. In

every case, the dexter Supporter is crowned and the sinister Supporter

is gorged, and the Crest stands upon and is ensigned with the same

Coronet which appears above the Shield as their particular coronet of

rank: all the Shields, Lozenges, Crests, and Supporters, are differenced

with a _silver label of three points, the labels being differenced_ as

follows:--

H.R.H. the late Duke of EDINBURGH, &c.:--_On the central point a red

cross; on each of the other two points a red anchor_ (when the Duke

succeeded to the throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a radical change in

his Arms was made). H.R.H. the Duke of CONNAUGHT:--_Red cross, and two

blue fleurs de lys_. H.R.H. the late Duke of ALBANY:--_Red cross, and

two red hearts_. H.I.M. the late GERMAN EMPRESS, PRINCESS ROYAL OF

ENGLAND, on the central point of her _label_ had a _red rose_, and on

each of the other two points a _red cross_. H.R.H. the late Princess

ALICE OF HESSE had on her _label_ a _red rose_, between two _ermine

spots_. H.R.H. the Princess HELENA, Princess CHRISTIAN, has on her

_label_ a _red cross_ between two _red roses_. H.R.H. the Princess

LOUISE (Duchess of ARGYLL):--_Red rose, and two red cantons_. H.R.H. the

Princess BEATRICE:--_Red heart, and two red roses_.

The Warrants for the three daughters of King EDWARD were issued in the

lifetime of Queen VICTORIA when they were grandchildren of the

Sovereign, and no change has since been made. Consequently the _labels_

are of _five points_ instead of _three_. The Charges upon the label of

H.R.H. the Duchess of FIFE (Princess ROYAL OF ENGLAND) are: _Three red

crosses, and two thistles slipped alternately_. H.R.H. Princess VICTORIA

has a _label_ of _five points argent_, charged with _three roses_ and

_two crosses gules_; and H.M. the Queen of NORWAY a similar _label_,

charged with _three hearts_ and _two crosses gules_.

The _label_ of H.R.H. the first Duke of CAMBRIDGE was silver, of three

points, and the points differenced with _a red cross_ in the centre, and

on each of the two side points _two red hearts in pale_. The second and

late Duke bore the same _label_ as his father, and below it a second

_label_ of three points _gules_. The _label_ of H.R.H. the first Duke of

CUMBERLAND (son of KING GEORGE III.) was of silver, and of _three

points_ charged with a _fleur de lys_ between _two crosses gules_. The

second Duke bore an additional _label_ of _three points gules_, the

_centre point_ charged with the _white horse of Hanover_. These Dukes

bore the Royal Arms as used in the reign of GEORGE III. and not as

altered for Queen VICTORIA, differencing the accessories as well as the

Shield with their _labels_.

In 1904 a warrant was issued for H.R.H. Prince ARTHUR OF CONNAUGHT. The

label was of five points charged with three red crosses and two blue

fleurs de lys alternately. The coronet assigned to him was of crosses

patée and strawberry leaves alternately.

An interesting warrant was issued for the Princess VICTORIA EUGENIE OF

BATTENBERG, now Queen of SPAIN, in view of her then approaching

marriage. This assigned to her the arms of her father within a bordure

of England, and each of the supporters had a banner of the Royal Arms of

the United Kingdom placed in his paws.

Even more interesting was the warrant issued in 1913 to H.H. Princess

ALEXANDRA, Duchess of FIFE. This assigned to her upon a lozenge the

Royal Arms, differenced by the same label as that of her mother the

Princess Royal, and upon an inescutcheon the quarterly coat of Duff, the

inescutcheon being surmounted by the coronet of a Duchess of the United

Kingdom, and the lozenge itself being surmounted by the coronet of a

Princess of the rank of Highness. The dexter supporter is the Royal Lion

of England crowned with the last-mentioned coronet and charged with the

label as in the arms. The sinister supporter is a savage taken from the

supporters of the late Duke of Fife.

CHAPTER XIX

ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD AND INSIGNIA OF HONOUR

_Feudal Knighthood-- Orders of Knighthood: Knights of St. John;

Knights Templars; The Order of the Garter; of the Thistle; of St.

Patrick; of the Bath; of St. Michael and St. George; of The Star of

India-- Order of Merit-- Royal Victorian Order-- Imperial Service

Order-- The Victoria Cross-- The Albert Medal-- Naval and Military

Medals-- Foreign Insignia bestowed on British Subjects._

"The same King would make an Order of KNIGHTS of himself

and his Sons, and of the bravest of his land."

--FROISSART.

"I will say as I have said,--

Thou art a noble KNIGHT."

--LORD OF THE ISLES.

KNIGHTHOOD, as that term is generally understood in its comprehensive

acceptation, has been well defined to be "a distinction of rank amongst

freemen, depending not upon birth or property, but simply upon the

admission of the person so distinguished, by the girding of a sword or

other similar solemnity, into an order of men having by law or usage

certain social or political privileges," and also a certain appropriate

title. It is evident, therefore, from this definition that Knighthood

implies the existence of these two conditions: the one, that the man to

be admitted to the rank of Knighthood should possess such qualifications

as may entitle him to that distinction; and the other, that Knighthood

should be conferred by a personage endowed with a competent power and

authority.

In feudal times the qualifications for Knighthood were military exploits

of a distinguished character, and eminent services, of whatever kind,

rendered to the King and the realm: also, the holding a certain property

in land (in the time of EDWARD I., land then of the yearly value of £20,

or upwards), whether directly from the King, or under some Noble, by the

feudal tenure of personal military service to be rendered under certain

established conditions; but it has been disputed whether there was any

necessary connection between Knighthood, as such, and the Knight Service

of Feudal Tenure. During the first two centuries after the Conquest,

Knighthood was conferred by the great Barons and by the Spiritual Peers,

as well as by the King himself, or by his appointed representative: but,

after the accession of HENRY III., the prevailing rule appears to have

been that in England no persons should be created Knights except by the

King, or the Prince Royal acting for his Father, or by the King's

General-in-Chief, or other personal representative.

The knightly rank, as it gave an increase of dignity, implied also the

maintenance of a becoming state, and the discharge of certain civil

duties: and, more particularly, all Knights were required to make such a

provision for rendering military service as was held to be consistent

with their position and their property; and it was expected from them

that they should take a dignified part in the chivalrous exercises and

celebrations of their times. It followed, that feudal Knighthood was a

distinction which, if not conferred for the sake of honour, became

obligatory; and fines, accordingly, were imposed upon men qualified for

Knighthood who, notwithstanding, were found not to be Knights. In the

course of time, as the rigour of the feudal system abated, the numbers

of the military tenants of small tenures greatly increased: and, since

many of these persons had no inclination for the profession of arms,

they gladly accepted the alternative of paying a fine, which enabled

them to evade an honour unsuited as well to their means as to their

personal tastes and their peaceful avocations. A fruitful source of

revenue thus was secured for the Crown, while the military character of

Knighthood was maintained, and at the same time a new and important

class of the community gradually became established.

The Knights of Norman England, who at first were soldiers of the highest

order, derived their designation from their warlike predecessors of

Anglo-Saxon times, the word "_cniht_," in the late Anglo-Saxon tongue,

signifying a military attendant. When they had established themselves in

the position and in the possession of the lands of the Anglo-Saxons, the

Anglo-Norman Knights retained their own original title. The Latin

equivalent for that title of "Knight" is "_Miles_," and the

Norman-French is "_Chevalier_."

These Knights may be grouped in two classes. The first class contains

all persons who had been admitted into the comprehensive Order of

Chivalry--who were Knights by reason of their common Knighthood. The

second class is formed of Knights who, in addition to their Knightly

rank, were members of some special and distinct Fraternity,

Companionship, or Order of Knighthood. Every Society of this kind has

always possessed Laws, Institutions, Titles, and Insignia peculiar to

itself.

The peculiar character and object of the Crusades led to the formation

of two Orders of _Priest-Knights_--Orders not belonging to any

particular nation, but numbering amongst their members men of all

nations. These are the Orders of the KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM,

or HOSPITALLERS, and of the KNIGHTS TEMPLARS.

The HOSPITALLERS, instituted about A.D. 1092, were introduced into

England about 1100. In the year 1310 they were established at Rhodes,

and in 1530 at Malta, under their forty-third Grand Master, PHILIPPE DE

VILLIERS DE L'ISLE-ADAM. Their device is a _silver cross of eight

points_, No. 107, charged upon a _black field_, or worn upon a black

surcoat or mantle. The Order was finally suppressed in England in 1559.

The TEMPLARS, instituted about A.D. 1118, were introduced into England

about 1140. In the year 1309 they were suppressed, and in 1312 their

Order was finally abolished. They wore _a Cross_ of the same form as No.

107, but of a _red colour upon a white field_. This red cross they

charged upon a white banner: and they bore another banner, No. 13, of

_black and white_, entitled "_Beau Seant_." The same words, "_Beau

Seant!_" were their war-cry. The Badges of the Templars were the _Agnus

Dei_--the Holy Lamb, holding a red-cross banner; and a device

representing two Knights mounted on a single horse, intended to denote

the original poverty of the Order.[8]

[Footnote 8: The Arms of the Inner Temple of the present day

are--_Azure, a pegasus_ (or winged horse) _argent_, or sometimes

_or_. This Coat is derived from the early Badge, _the two horsemen_

having been mistaken in later times for _wings_. The Arms of the

Middle Temple are--_Argent, on a cross gules_, the Agnus Dei.]

[Illustration: No. 433.--Insignia of the Order of the Garter.]

THE ORDER OF THE GARTER, a military Fraternity under the special

patronage of "ST. GEORGE, the good Knight," was instituted at Windsor by

King EDWARD III. in, or about, the year 1350--very probably in the

summer of 1348, but the exact time is not positively known. It may

safely be assumed, that the occasion which led to the institution of

this most noble and renowned Order, was a Tournament or Hastilude of

unusual importance held at his Castle of Windsor by EDWARD III. at the

most brilliant period of his reign: and it is highly probable that the

Order suggested itself to the mind of the King, as a natural result of

his own chivalrous revival of a knightly "Round Table," such as

flourished in the days of King Arthur. How much of historical fact there

may be in the popular legend, which professes to derive from a certain

romantic incident the Title certainly borne by King EDWARD'S Order from

the time of its original institution, it is not possible to determine:

but the legend itself is not in any way inconsistent with the spirit of

those times; nor would the Knights Founders of the Garter regard their

Order as the less honourable, because its Title might remind them of the

happy gallantry, with which the casual misadventure of a noble Lady had

been turned to so good an account by a most princely Monarch. The

Statutes of the Order have been continually modified and altered, and

the original military character of the Institution has long ceased to

exist: still, no changes in the Order of the Garter have affected the

pre-eminence of its dignity and reputation. Illustrious now as ever, and

foremost in rank and honour in our own country, the GARTER is second to

no knightly Order in the world.

The MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER consists of the SOVEREIGN and

Twenty-five KNIGHTS COMPANIONS, of whom the PRINCE OF WALES always is

one. By a Statute of the year 1805, the Order includes such lineal

descendants of GEORGE III. as may be elected: and still more recent

statutes have provided for the admission of foreign Sovereigns, and also

of certain "Extra Knights," who are elected "Companions" as vacancies

occur.

The OFFICERS of the Order are--The _Prelate_, the Bishop of Winchester:

the _Chancellor_, the Bishop of Oxford: the _Registrar_, the Dean of

Windsor: the _Herald_, Garter King of Arms: and, the _Usher of the Black

Rod_.

Knights of the Garter place the initials "K.G." after their names; and

these letters take precedence of all other titles, those of Royalty

alone excepted.

The Stalls of the Knights are in the choir of St. George's Chapel,

Windsor Castle, where their Garter-plates are fixed, and their Banners

are displayed.

The INSIGNIA of the Order of the Garter are--The _Garter_ itself, of a

light blue originally, now of a dark blue, with border, buckle, and

pendant of gold. On it, in golden letters, the

_Motto_--HONI . SOIT . QVI . MAL . Y . PENSE--"Dishonour to him who

thinks ill of it;" and not, as it is commonly rendered, "Evil to him

that evil thinks."

The Badge of the Order is circular, and formed of a buckled Garter

enclosing a Shield of St. George, the whole blazoned in the proper

tinctures: it is worn on the left shoulder of the blue velvet Mantle.

When irradiated with eight rays of silver or diamonds, a device

resembling the Badge in every respect, except that the cross of St.

George is enclosed within the Garter without being charged on a Shield,

forms the _Star_ of the Order.

The _Collar_, of gold enamelled, is formed of twelve buckled Garters,

each encircling a Tudor Rose, and as many knots of intertwined cords.

Attached to this Collar is the _George_--a mounted figure of the Saint

in the act of trampling down the dragon and piercing him with his lance.

The Collar and George were added to the Insignia by HENRY VII.

[Illustration: No. 434.--The Lesser George, of the Garter.]

The _Lesser George_, or _Jewel_, added by HENRY VIII., has the same

device placed on an enamelled field, and forming a jewel generally oval

in form; it is encircled by a buckled Garter of the Order, and

represented in No. 434. It was this Lesser George that CHARLES I.,

immediately before he suffered, delivered to Archbishop JUXON, with the

word, "Remember." As a matter of course, the figure of ST. GEORGE ought

always to be represented as a Knight, armed and equipped as one of the

Christian chivalry of the Middle Ages--not as a pagan horseman of

antiquity, and more particularly not in the guise of such a nude

champion as appears on some of our modern coins. The Lesser George,

often incorrectly called the Badge, at first was sometimes worn from a

gold chain, and sometimes from a _black Ribbon_. The Colour of the

ribbon was changed to _sky blue_ by Queen ELIZABETH; and it has since

been again changed to the _dark blue_ of the broad Ribbon now worn. This

_Ribbon_ of the Order crosses the figure of the wearer, passing over the

left shoulder, and the Lesser George hangs from it under the right arm.

Since the time of CHARLES II. it has been customary for the nearest

representatives of a deceased K.G. to return his Insignia to the

Sovereign.

Each Officer of the Order, except the Usher, has his own proper Badge.

[Illustration: No. 450.--Insignia of the Order of the Thistle.]

The ORDER OF THE THISTLE, OF SCOTLAND, styled "Most Noble and Most

Ancient," and indicated by the Initials "K.T.," was originally

instituted long before the accession of a Scottish Sovereign to the

Crown of England; but it is now governed by statutes framed by JAMES II.

of Great Britain, ANNE, and GEORGE IV.

The Order consists of the SOVEREIGN and sixteen KNIGHTS. Its OFFICERS

are--The _Dean_; _the Lord Lyon King of Arms_; and the _Gentleman Usher

of the Green Rod_.

The INSIGNIA are--The _Badge_ of gold enamelled, being a figure of St.

Andrew standing upon a mount holding his silver Saltire and surrounded

by rays in the form of a glory. This Badge is worn from the _Collar_ of

the Order, formed of sixteen Thistles alternating with as many bunches

of rue-sprigs; or, from a broad _dark green Ribbon_, which crosses the

left shoulder. There are fine examples of these Insignia sculptured upon

the Monument of MARY, Queen of Scots, in Westminster Abbey. The jewel is

shown in No. 435.

[Illustration: No. 435.--Jewel of the Thistle.]

[Illustration: No. 436.--Badge of St. Patrick.]

The _Star_ of this Order, of silver or diamonds, is in the form of a St.

Andrew's Saltire, having its four limbs alternating with the four points

of a lozenge: in the centre, surrounded by the Motto (NEMO ME IMPUNE

LACESSIT), is a Thistle proper.

The Most Illustrious Order of ST. PATRICK, OF IRELAND, indicated by the

Initials, "K.P.", and instituted in 1783 by GEORGE III., consists of the

SOVEREIGN, the GRAND MASTER, and twenty-two KNIGHTS. The OFFICERS are

the Grand Master, the _Chancellor_, the _Secretary_, _Ulster King of

Arms_ and _Registrar_, two _Heralds_, and one _Pursuivant_, the

_Genealogist_, and the _Usher of the Black Rod_.

[Illustration: No. 451.--Insignia of the Order of St. Patrick.]

The INSIGNIA are--The _Badge_ or _Jewel_, of gold enamelled, and oval in

form. It has a Shamrock (or Trefoil slipped) having on each leaf a Royal

Crown, charged on the Saltire of St. Patrick, the field being surrounded

by the _Motto_--QVIS . SEPARABIT . ("Who will sever?") MDCCLXXXIII., on

a blue band, which in its turn is encircled with a wreath of Shamrocks

on gold. This Badge, No. 436, is worn from the _Collar_, composed of

Roses and Harps, alternating with each other and with knotted cords,

a Crown surmounting a Harp being in the centre; or, the Badge is worn

from a broad _sky-blue Ribbon_, crossing the right shoulder.

The _Star_ resembles the Badge, except that its centre is circular

instead of oval; and that it has eight rays of silver or diamonds, in

place of the wreath of Shamrocks.

The Most Honourable ORDER OF THE BATH is an early Institution which,

after having long been in abeyance, has been revived and remodelled, and

has received fresh statutes in the years 1725, 1815, 1847, and 1859.

[Illustration: No. 452.--Collar and Military Badge.

Insignia of the Order of the Bath.]

The Order, now numbering about a thousand members, consists of several

distinct Groups or Classes, which include, with the SOVEREIGN, the Royal

Princes, and some few distinguished Foreigners, Officers of our own Navy

and Army, and also Diplomatic and Civil Servants of the Crown.

The Three "Classes" of the Order alike include members of the Three

Services, and each class is divided into two divisions, viz. Military

and Civil.

The "First Class," of KNIGHTS GRAND CROSS OF THE BATH--G.C.B.--has 55

Military and 27 Civil Knights.

The "Second Class" numbers (with power to increase these numbers) 145

Military and 108 Civil KNIGHTS COMMANDERS OF THE BATH--K.C.B.

The "Third Class," not of Knights, but of COMPANIONS OF THE

BATH--C.B.--has 705 Military and 298 Civil Members, who take rank

between Knights and Esquires.

The MILITARY INSIGNIA are--The BADGE, a complicated combination of

devices, characteristic of the debased period which produced it. It is

represented in No. 437.

[Illustration: No. 437.--Badge of the Bath (Military Division).]

The Cross is white; the circle with the Motto, red; and the small scroll

in base, blue; all the rest being enamelled "proper." This Badge is worn

by the G.C.B. attached to a _Collar_, formed of nine Crowns and eight

clusters of the Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock issuing from a Sceptre,

alternating with seventeen Knots enamelled argent: or, this Badge is

suspended by the G.C.B. from a broad _red Ribbon_, crossing the left

shoulder. By the K.C.B. the Badge is worn from a narrower red Ribbon

about the neck, or a still narrower at the button-hole. Also, by the

C.B. it is attached to a narrow red Ribbon at the button-hole.

[Illustration: No. 453.--Star of Knight Grand Cross (Civil).]

[Illustration: No. 454.--Star of Knight Commander (Military).]

The _Star_ of the G.C.B. is similar to the Badge without The Cross and

the lions, surrounded by silver rays having a lozenge-shaped outline.

The _Star_ of the K.C.B., which is in the form of a Maltese Cross, omits

the Cross of the Badge. The C.B. have no Star.

The Diplomatic and Civil INSIGNIA are--The _Badge_, No. 438, worn with

the same distinctions as the Naval and Military Badge; but the C.B.

Badge is of smaller size than the Badges of the two higher Classes.

[Illustration: No. 438.--Badge of the Bath (Civil Division).]

The _Star_ of the G.C.B. has eight silver rays encircling their Badge in

a circular form. The Star of the K.C.B. is the same as that of the Naval

and Military K.C.B., omitting the laurel-wreath and the small scroll and

motto.

The _Motto_ of the Order--TRIA . JUNCTA . IN . UNO--"Three united in

one," refers to the Union of the three Realms of England, Scotland, and

Ireland, in the Order.

The _Stalls_ of the Knights of the Bath, before the Order was divided

into classes, and those of their Esquires, are in Henry the Seventh's

Chapel, Westminster Abbey; but no installation has taken place since

1815, when the Order was reorganised, and no new plates or banners have

been set up.

[Illustration: No. 455.--Order of Merit.]

THE ORDER OF MERIT (O.M.) instituted in the year 1902, although it gives

to its members neither style nor precedence, ranks next to the Order of

the Bath, and is divided into two classes, Military and Civil. The only

Insignia are the Badge and the Ribbon parti-coloured of _red_ and

_blue_. The Badge is _a cross pateé of four arms_, the outline of the

cross being circular. The cross is of _blue enamel_ and superimposed

thereupon a smaller cross of the same design of _red_. The centre is

_blue_, bearing the words, "FOR MERIT," in gold letters within a laurel

wreath. The cross is surmounted by the Royal Crown. The reverse of the

Badge shows the Royal and Imperial Cypher. To the Badge _two swords

saltirewise_ in the angles of the cross are added in the case of members

of the Military Division.

[Illustration: No. 456.--Collar and Insignia of the Exalted Order

of the Star of India.]

The Most Exalted ORDER OF THE STAR OF INDIA, instituted by Queen

Victoria in 1861, to render especial honour to high merit and loyalty in

the Indian Empire, was enlarged on the 24th of May 1866, and ordained to

consist of the SOVEREIGN, a GRAND MASTER, and 291 Ordinary COMPANIONS or

MEMBERS; together with such extra and Honorary Members as the Sovereign

at any time may be pleased to appoint.

The VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA for the time being is always

the GRAND MASTER. The Ordinary Members are divided into Three

Classes:--The "First Class" comprises 36 KNIGHTS GRAND COMMANDERS:

G.C.S.I. In the "Second Class" there are 85 KNIGHTS COMMANDERS: K.S.I.

And, the "Third Class" numbers 170 COMPANIONS: C.S.I.

[Illustration: No. 439.--Badge of the Star of India.]

The INSIGNIA are--The _Badge_, No. 439, formed of diamonds, having the

Motto on a field of light blue enamel, and the bust of the late Queen

executed as an onyx cameo. This Badge is attached by a mullet to the

_Collar_, composed of heraldic roses and lotus flowers alternating with

palm-branches, a crown being in the Centre: or, the Badge is worn from a

_Ribbon of pale blue with white borders_ crossing the left shoulder. The

_Star_, of diamonds, has a mullet upon an irradiated field in its

centre, within the _Motto_--HEAVEN'S . LIGHT . OUR . GUIDE, the whole

being environed with wavy rays having a circular outline.

The Most Distinguished ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE, originally

instituted in 1818 for use in Malta and the Ionian Islands, has been

extended and enlarged in 1868, 1877, and 1902, and now is awarded for

Colonial and for Foreign Services. It consists of 100 KNIGHTS GRAND

CROSS (G.C.M.G.), 300 KNIGHTS COMMANDERS (K.C.M.G.), and 600 COMPANIONS

(C.M.G.), in addition to Honorary Members. The numbers are not adhered

to. The _Star_ is of seven long rays, smaller rays intervening. This is

charged with the Cross of St. George, and in the centre is a

representation of St. Michael encountering Satan within a blue circle,

bearing the Motto of the Order, "AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI."

[Illustration: No. 457.--Star and Collar of the Order of St. Michael

and St. George.]

The _Collar_ is composed alternately of lions of England, Maltese

Crosses, and Cyphers, S. M. and S. G. In the centre is the Crown

_over two winged lions passant guardant, each holding a book and

seven arrows_.

The _Badge_ is a gold cross of fourteen points of white enamel, and has

in the centre, within the Motto of the Order (on the one side), St.

Michael encountering Satan (and on the other side), St. George and the

Dragon. The Badge is surmounted by the Crown.

[Illustration: No. 458.--Eminent Order of the Indian Empire.]

The Most Eminent ORDER OF THE INDIAN EMPIRE, instituted in 1878 and

subsequently enlarged, is the second Indian Order, and consists of three

classes, KNIGHTS GRAND COMMANDERS (G.C.I.E.), KNIGHTS COMMANDERS

(K.C.I.E.), and COMPANIONS (C.I.E.).

The _Star_ is of five rays of silver, alternated with as many rays of

gold. In the centre, within a purple circle, inscribed with the Motto,

"IMPERATRICIS AUSPICIIS," and surmounted by the Crown, is an effigy of

Queen VICTORIA.

The _Collar_ is composed of elephants, lotus-flowers, peacocks in their

pride, and Indian roses, all connected by gold chains.

The _Badge_ is a red enamelled rose, in the centre of which is the

effigy within the Motto as on the Star.

[Illustration: No. 459.--The Badge.]

[Illustration: No. 460.--G.C.V.O. Star.]

[Illustration: No. 461.--K.C.V.O. Star.]

[Illustration: No. 462.--G.C.V.O. Badge.]

[Illustration: No. 463.--K.C.V.O. Badge.]

The ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER was instituted in 1896 as the personal Order

of the British Sovereign, and is divided into five classes--KNIGHTS

GRAND CROSS (G.C.V.O.), KNIGHTS COMMANDERS (K.C.V.O.), COMMANDERS

(C.V.O.), and Members of the Fourth and Fifth Classes (both M.V.O.).

The _Star_ is of eight points, and of chipped silver, having in the

centre a representation of the Badge.

The BADGE is a white Maltese Cross. It has an oval enamelled centre of

crimson with the monogram V. R. I., within a blue enamelled circle,

carrying the Motto of the Order "VICTORIA," the circle surmounted by

the Crown. There is no collar for the order, but the King occasionally

bestows, as an extreme mark of favour, "The Royal Victorian Chain,"

a decoration not governed by express Statute.

[Illustration: No. 464.--Distinguished Service Order.]

[Illustration: No. 465.--Imperial Service Order.]

The DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER is a Military Decoration instituted in

1886, but which does not carry the style of Knighthood. The _Badge_ is a

gold cross enamelled white and of a circular outline. In the centre (on

the one side) is the Crown on a red enamel ground within a wreath of

laurel, (and on the other side) the Royal Cypher takes the place of the

Crown.

The IMPERIAL SERVICE ORDER, a purely Civil Decoration instituted in

1902, is confined to the Administrative Services of the Empire. The

_Badge_ is an eight-rayed star bearing (on one side) the Royal Cypher

and (on the other side) "For faithful service," surrounded by a wreath

of laurel and surmounted by the Crown.

[Illustration: No. 440.--The Victoria Cross.]

The VICTORIA CROSS, of bronze, was instituted by her late Majesty Queen

VICTORIA in 1856, to render honour to "conspicuous bravery" in actual

conflict, by sea or land. This Cross, No. 440, is worn on the left

breast, attached to a _blue_ ribbon for the Navy, and to a _red_ ribbon

for the Army. A Bar is attached to the ribbon for every additional such

act of bravery as would have won the Cross.

[Illustration: No. 441.--The Albert Medal.]

The ALBERT MEDAL, No. 441, which was instituted also by Queen VICTORIA,

dates from March 13, 1866, and is to distinguish those who save, or who

at the peril of their own lives endeavour to save, life or perform other

meritorious acts of bravery. The Coronet is that of H.R.H. the late

PRINCE CONSORT; and the Monogram consists of the Initials V. A., with an

anchor. This Medal is executed in Silver and Bronze for two classes of

recipients. The anchor in the Badge is omitted when awarded for land

services.

Other Decorations are "The Royal Order of Victoria and Albert" (of four

classes) and the Imperial Order of the Crown of India (of one class),

both confined to ladies, the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal, the Volunteer

Officers' Decoration, the Territorial Decoration, the Edward Medal, the

King's Police Medal, the Royal Red Cross, and the Order of Mercy; whilst

the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England receives

official recognition.

CHAPTER XX

PRECEDENCE. GENEALOGIES

"Orders and Degrees

Jar not with Liberty, but well consist."

--_Paradise Lost_, Book V.

"The use of Arms was closely connected with the Study of Genealogy."

--DALLAWAY, _Science of Heraldry_ (A.D. 1793).

When JAMES I. succeeded to the Crown of England while he was actually

the King regnant of Scotland, and accordingly became Sovereign of the

two Realms, he found it necessary to produce a "Union Flag" for the

whole of Great Britain, in consequence of the serious disputes for

Precedence that arose between the natives of South and North Britain.

Before the time of the peace-loving son of Mary Stuart, a Sovereign of

another mould, HENRY VIII., had felt the necessity of framing and

establishing some definite system of Precedence amongst the various

degrees, orders, and ranks of his subjects: and, in 1539, a statute to

that effect was enacted. Other statutes afterwards were added; and, from

time to time, Royal Letters Patent on the same subject have been issued;

and thus the Precedence now recognised and in use amongst us has been

established.

The General Scale of Precedence follows, but there are Special scales

for use in (_a_) Scotland, (_b_) Ireland, (_c_) India, (_d_) Canada,

(_e_) Colonies, (_f_) Army and Navy, (_g_) Diplomatic Service.

THE GENERAL ORDER OF PRECEDENCE.

The SOVEREIGN.

The Prince of Wales.

The Younger Sons of the Sovereign.

The Grandsons of the Sovereign.

The Brothers of the Sovereign.

The Uncles of the Sovereign.

The Nephews of the Sovereign.

The Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Lord Chancellor.

The Archbishop of York.

The Premier.

The Lord High Treasurer.

The Lord President of the Council.

The Lord Privy Seal.

The following GREAT OFFICERS OF STATE _precede all Peers of their own

Degree_--that is, if Dukes, they precede all other Dukes; if Earls, all

other Earls; &c.:--

The Lord Great Chamberlain.

The Lord High Constable.

The Earl Marshal.

The Lord High Admiral.

The Lord Steward of the Royal Household.

The Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household.

The Master of the Horse.

The Peers of each Degree take Precedence in their own Degree, according

to their Patents of Creation.

Dukes

(_a_) of England,

(_b_) of Scotland,

(_c_) of Great Britain,

(_d_) of Ireland,

(_e_) of the United Kingdom and, if created since the Union,

of Ireland.

Marquesses (_vide_ Dukes).

Eldest Sons of Dukes.

Earls (_vide_ Dukes).

Eldest Sons of Marquesses.

Younger Sons of Dukes.

Viscounts (_vide_ Dukes).

Eldest Sons of Earls.

Younger Sons of Marquesses.

Bishops of (_a_) London, (_b_) Durham, and (_c_) Winchester.

Bishops, according to Seniority of Consecration.

Barons (_vide_ Dukes).

The Speaker of the House of Commons.

Commissioners of Great Seal.

The (_a_) Treasurer and the (_b_) Comptroller of the Royal Household.

Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.

The Secretaries of State, when not Peers.

Eldest Sons of Viscounts.

Younger Sons of Earls.

Eldest Sons of Barons.

Knights of the Garter, Thistle, and St. Patrick, not being Peers.

Privy Councillors.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The Lord Chief Justice.

The Master of the Rolls.

Lord Justices of Appeal and Pres. of Probate Court.

Judges of High Court.

Younger Sons of Viscounts.

Younger Sons of Barons.

Sons of Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (Life Peers).

Baronets.

Knights Grand Cross of the Bath.

Knights Grand Commanders of the Star of India.

Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George.

Knights Grand Commanders of Indian Empire.

Knights Grand Cross of Victorian Order.

Knights Commanders of the various Orders

(in the same order of progression).

Knights Bachelors.

Commanders of Victorian Order.

County Court Judges.

Serjeants-at-Law.

Masters in Lunacy.

Companions of the various Orders.

Members of Fourth Class of Victorian Order.

Companions of Distinguished Service Order.

Eldest Sons of the Younger Sons of Peers.

Eldest Sons of Baronets.

Eldest Sons of Knights.

Members of Fifth Class of Victorian Order.

Baronets' Younger Sons.

Knights' Younger Sons.

Esquires:--Including

the Eldest Sons of the Sons of Viscounts and Barons,

the eldest Sons of all the younger Sons of Peers,

and their eldest Sons in perpetual Succession:

the younger Sons of Baronets:

the Sons of Knights,

the eldest Son of the eldest Son of a Knight

in perpetual Succession:

persons holding the King's Commission,

or who may be styled "Esquire" by the King in any Official Document.

Gentlemen.

THE PRECEDENCE OF WOMEN

is determined, before marriage, by the Rank and Dignity, but not by the

Office, of their Father.

All the unmarried Sisters in any family have the same Degree, which is

the Degree that their eldest Brother holds (or would hold) amongst men.

Thus:--Of the Sons of an Earl the _eldest_ alone has an honorary Title

of Nobility and is styled "My Lord," while _all_ the Daughters of an

Earl have a similar honorary Title, and are styled "My Lady."

By Marriage Women share the Dignities and Precedence of their Husbands:

but, the strictly Official Dignity of a Husband is not imparted to a

wife (except in India), in the case of the Archbishops and Bishops or

holders of other offices.

The Dignities which Ladies have by Birth or by right of Inheritance, are

not imparted by Marriage to their Husbands: nor does Marriage with an

inferior in Dignity in any way affect the Precedence that a Lady may

enjoy by Birth, Inheritance, or Creation--both her own Precedence and

that of her Husband remain as before their Marriage, unless the Husband

be a Peer.

In the ROYAL FAMILY the following Precedence takes effect:--

The Queen.

The Queen Dowager.

The Princess of Wales.

The Daughters of the Sovereign.

The Wives of the Younger Sons of the Sovereign.

The Granddaughters of the Sovereign.

The Wives of the Grandsons of the Sovereign.

The Sovereign's Sisters.

Wives of the Sovereign's Brothers.

The Sovereign's Aunts.

Wives of the Sovereign's Uncles.

The Sovereign's Nieces.

Wives of the Sovereign's Nephews (Brothers' and Sisters' Daughters).

Granddaughters of the Sovereign not bearing the style

of Royal Highness.

To whatever Precedence she may be entitled by Birth, the Wife of a Peer

always takes her rank, and therefore takes her actual Precedence, from

her Husband.

The Widow of a Peer, so long as she remains a Widow, retains the rank

she enjoyed whilst married: but, should she contract a second Marriage,

her Precedence then is determined either by the rank of her second

Husband, or by the rank that was her own by Birth and which she enjoyed

before her first Marriage.

The Wife of the Eldest Son of any degree precedes all her Husband's

Sisters, and also all other Ladies having the same degree of rank with

them. Thus:--the Wife of the Eldest Son of an Earl takes Precedence of

_all_ Daughters of Earls. In actual practice, however, by a principle of

Precedence that is accepted and adopted in all families of the same

degree amongst themselves, the Sisters in every case have their place

immediately after the Wife of their own Eldest Brother.

GENEALOGIES.

GENEALOGIES, the Records of the Descents and Alliances of Families, are

necessarily associated with the Armorial Ensigns borne by those

Families, and by the several Members and Branches of them. Still, it

does not apparently follow, in the same manner, as a matter of

necessity, that the study and investigation of Genealogies should be

interesting and even attractive, because interest and attractiveness are

inseparable from Heraldry. And yet, I do not hesitate to claim for

genealogical researches the favourable regard of students of Armory, on

the very ground of the interest which they are certain to feel in such

researches; and also in confident reliance on that inherent power of

attraction, inseparable from the subject itself, that will not fail both

to win their favourable regard, and to lead them on from one inquiry to

another.

The very act of tracing up some eminent and illustrious personage, from

generation to generation of his forefathers, noting down the alliances

that have interwoven one thread of a brilliant line with others not less

lustrous; or, the reverse of this process, the following the lineage of

some worthy of the olden time onward down the stream, observing both the

tributaries that flow into the main channel and the streamlets that

issue from it--all this, when once it has been systematically

undertaken, leads the student through the most picturesque regions of

historical romance.

The popular idea of Genealogy may be, that it consists in placing in a

formal order of arrangement a series of dry names, connected with dates

that (if it be possible) are even more dry. It is not uncommon to

dispose of many things precisely in the same way, when an opinion is

formed without even the slightest attempt to judge of a question by its

true merits--it is so easy to decline the trouble and to avoid the

effort attendant on inquiry and investigation, and so pleasant to become

the possessor of an "opinion" and "views," without any outlay in

acquiring them. A Map has no value in the estimation of those who ignore

Geography: the claims of Archæology are disregarded by all who are

content to remain in ignorance even of what it implies: and History

itself becomes and continues to be a dead letter, so long as an

acquaintance is formed only with the exterior of its volumes. And, in

like manner, Genealogy appears under a very different aspect to those

who know it only by name, and to lovers of Biography and History who are

familiar with its lucid and yet ever suggestive guidance. Without

written Genealogies, who can clearly understand the political and

historical position of the rival Princes of the red and white Roses; or

of HENRY VII. and the "last of the Plantagenets"; or of Queens ELIZABETH

TUDOR, MARY STUART, and JANE GREY? Or who, without similar aid, will

follow out the fortunes of the Houses of BEAUCHAMP and NEVILLE and

DUDLEY, and connect them with the existing noble lord of Warwick Castle;

or, when reading of the DE CLARES, the BOHUNS, or the PERCIES, will see

at a glance the connection between "STRONGBOW" and the "red Earl

GILBERT," or will understand the significance of the white swan Badge of

the STAFFORDS, or will read at sight the quartered Shield of the Duke of

NORTHUMBERLAND, of to-day, and will discern the line that connects the

living Earl PERCY with the "HOTSPUR" whose fame was two centuries old

when SHAKESPEARE wrote of him? And further, who, that is unable to

accomplish such things as these, can appreciate History, can enjoy it

and apply its lessons aright?

In arranging a Genealogy the utmost conciseness is essential, all

details being left for full description elsewhere. All the members of

the same family are placed side by side, on the same level, in their

order of seniority; and all are connected by lines with one another and

with their parents. Successive generations also, throughout all the

branches of any family, or in allied families, have their places on the

same levels; and the connecting and distinguishing lines are continued

throughout. Examples of Genealogies treated in the most scientific and

yet simple manner, easy to be understood, and perfect as models for

students, may be obtained in any Part of the _Herald and Genealogist_,

formerly edited by the late Mr. J. G. NICHOLS, F.S.A., Parliament

Street, Westminster. I refer to this excellent Periodical, because it is

not possible for me here in the space at my disposal to set forth a

really useful example of a Genealogy: and, I must add, because it is

most desirable that students of Heraldry should form such an

acquaintance with Mr. Nichols, as may be acquired through his works.

_Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica_, now edited by Mr. W. B.

BANNERMAN, is another Periodical, which ought to be in the hands of all

Genealogists.

In Genealogies, this mark = denotes alliance by marriage, and it is

placed between the names of a husband and wife: and the lines that

proceed from this mark, thus,

=

|

________/ \________

/ \

point out their issue. The initials S. P. (of the Latin words _Sine

Prole_, "without issue") show where a line or a branch ceases. Other

abbreviations and signs in general use will suggest their own

signification.

As I began this Chapter with quotations, so with a quotation I conclude

it. "There are some persons," writes Mr. LOWER, in his "Curiosities of

Heraldry" (p. 292), "who cannot discriminate between the taste for

pedigree" (or genealogy) "and the pride of ancestry. Now these two

feelings, though they often combine in one individual, have no necessary

connection with each other. Man is said to be a hunting animal. Some

hunt foxes; others for fame or fortune. Others hunt in the intellectual

field; some for the arcana of Nature and of mind; some for the roots of

words, or the origin of things. I am fond of hunting out a pedigree."

And, gentle reader, when you have joined the chase genealogical,

I promise you, so also will you be.

CHAPTER XXI

_The College of Arms-- The Lyon Office of Scotland-- Grants of Arms--

Tax on "Armorial Bearings," and on "Arms Found"_

"They were conspicuous for judgment, experience, learning, and

elegance; they gained honour wherever they were employed."

--NOBLE, _History of the College of Arms_.

"What is your Crest and Motto?--Send name and county to ----'s

Heraldic Office. For plain Sketch, 3s. 6d. In heraldic colours, 6s."

--_Morning Newspapers._

I. The HERALDS OF ENGLAND, who before had been attached to the Household

either of the Sovereign or of some Personage of exalted rank, were

incorporated as a Fraternity by RICHARD III., a Prince whose historical

reputation is by no means in harmony with that early act of his reign,

which has done such good service to English History--the Foundation and

Establishment of the COLLEGE OF ARMS, or, as it is commonly called, the

HERALDS' COLLEGE.

The Letters Patent, issued for this purpose by RICHARD III., bear date

March the 2nd, 1483, the first year of his reign. Very important

privileges and immunities, with high powers and authority, were granted

to the incorporated Heralds: and the "right fair and stately house,"

called "Pulteney's Inn," situate in the metropolitan parish of All

Saints, was assigned to them as their permanent official residence. The

Charter granted to the Heralds by the last Plantagenet Sovereign was

confirmed by his successors.

The buildings of the College were destroyed by the great fire of 1666;

but all the records and documents fortunately escaped, having been

removed to Whitehall; and the edifice was subsequently rebuilt, chiefly

at the cost of the Heralds themselves, where it now stands between St.

Paul's Cathedral and the Thames. There, in the College of Arms, are

still carefully preserved all that the early Heralds recorded and

transmitted to our times. There, not the least valuable of the contents

of the College, an unique Library is in the keeping of Guardians, who

understand its true uses, as they appreciate its preciousness. And there

also the Headquarters of English Heraldry are as duly established, as

those of the British Army are at the Horse Guards in Whitehall.

The great change that has come upon London since the Heralds rebuilt

their official home, has already caused some structural alteration in

the building, and has resulted in the College of Arms now appearing out

of place in its original position in the City. Other changes, which

follow in such rapid succession in that busy neighbourhood, render it by

no means improbable that the site of their College may be required for

some great "City improvement"; and so the Heralds may be constrained to

establish themselves in the more congenial regions of the metropolitan

"far west." This, as I am disposed to consider, is one of those

consummations that are devoutly to be desired.

The times have been in which Heraldry could not number amongst its true

friends the official Heralds of the College of Arms: but, happily,

a very different, and in many most important respects a thoroughly

satisfactory condition of things now obtains at the College. So far as

the Heralds are concerned, as a body of learned, accomplished, and

courteous gentlemen, Heraldry now is admirably represented amongst us,

and faithfully supported. What still is deficient in the existing

constitution of the College of Arms, as a National Institution, is

adaptation to existing circumstances, sentiments, and requirements. It

is but a truism to assert that, as a National Institution, the College

of Arms does not fill its proper position: and, to all who are familiar

with the facts of the case, it is equally obvious that this is simply

because the College does not vindicate its indisputable title to that

position which really is its own.

Heraldry is decidedly popular. This popularity also is assuming a more

practical, and at the same time a more enduring form, through gradually

becoming the result of a correct appreciation of the true character of

Heraldry, and of its intrinsic value. At a time in which people are

beginning to feel and to admit that they _ought to know_ something about

Heraldry, the College of Arms _ought to take the lead_ in making

Heraldry still better understood, still more justly appreciated, still

more popular. The time, also, is indeed come in which it is the bounden

duty of the College of Arms to impress upon the community at large, that

_the sole source and fountain-head of authority in all matters armorial,

under the Sovereign, centres in itself_. This is to be accomplished by

the same process, and only by the same process, by which the College of

Arms may win for itself thorough popularity and universal confidence. If

the College requires fresh or increased powers, application to that

effect should be made to the Legislature. The Heraldry of Scotland has

been dealt with by Parliament: and it would be equally easy to obtain

such a statute as would enable English Heraldry to do justice to itself,

while fulfilling its own proper duties.

Without abating or compromising in the slightest degree its own dignity

or the dignity of Heraldry, the College of Arms requires to be

transmuted from an exclusive into a popular Institution. It requires,

not indeed to have its object and aim and system of action changed, but

to have them expanded, and expanded so widely as to comprehend all the

heraldic requirements of the age. This is a subject of too urgent

importance not to be noticed here; but still, it is not possible to do

more than to notice it in very general terms.

Upon one specific point, however, a few plain words may be spoken

without hesitation, and may be left by themselves without comment. The

Fees and Charges of all kinds for granting, matriculating, confirming,

and recording the rightful possession of armorial Insignia must be

arranged upon a perfectly fresh system, with such provisions and

modifications as may adapt them to every variety of circumstance and of

requirement. This is a question which can be regarded only from one

point of view by every true lover of Heraldry, and consequently by every

true friend of the College of Arms.

II. The National Heraldic body in Scotland, entitled the LYON OFFICE, is

under the presidency of the _Lyon King of Arms_. The Chief of the

Scottish official Heralds from May 1796 to a recent period had been a

Peer of that realm; and the duties of the office, accordingly, had been

discharged for seventy years by a _Lyon Depute_. But, on the death of

the Earl of KINNOUL, in February 1866, it was determined to remodel in

some respects the arrangements of the Lyon Office; and Mr. GEORGE

BURNETT, who had long been "Lyon Depute," was appointed by Her Majesty

to be "Lyon King." He has been succeeded by Sir J. BALFOUR PAUL. The

Arms of the Lyon Office I have already given, No. 266.

The action of the Scottish Lyon King of Arms, and of the Institution

over which he presides, after having degenerated from the worthy

standard of earlier days, has revived under far happier conditions, and

with prospects that are eminently gratifying. It may be fairly expected,

indeed, that the most salutary results will be produced by the very

decided "tendency" that for some time has existed, "to cultivate the

rules and principles of that earlier age, to which"--writes Mr.

Seton--"we are indebted for a system of Scottish Heraldry, whose purity

certainly has not been surpassed in any other corner of Christendom."

These words occur in a highly interesting memoir of the Lyon Office, in

the fourth chapter of the work entitled "The Law and Practice of

Heraldry in Scotland," an able and admirable volume, published in 1863

in Edinburgh, which shows the growing popularity of a true Heraldry

north of the Tweed, and proves that in the author, Mr. Seton, Scottish

Heraldry possesses an advocate no less powerful than zealous and

judicious.

III. Arms and Armorial Insignia are granted _only_ through the College

of Arms in England, and through the Lyon Office in Scotland, in both

realms with the direct sanction of the Crown expressed in England by the

Earl Marshal. In Ireland all Grants are made by Ulster King of Arms with

the same sanction.

It is to be observed and kept in remembrance that the _sole right_ to

Arms is a Grant from the College or the Crown, or Inheritance by lineal

descent from an ancestor to whom a Grant was made or in whom a right to

bear Arms has been officially recognised and registered by the Crown.

All "Grants" and "Confirmations of Arms" (Confirmations, that is, of the

Claims of certain individuals to bear certain Arms, by some uncertain

right and title duly set forth and approved and thereafter legalised by

the Crown) are formally and regularly recorded, with a full blazon of

the insignia, at the College or Offices of Arms.

It is very greatly to be desired that, in addition to this time-honoured

usage of the Heralds in making these records, some simple plan could be

adopted for the periodical registration at the College of Arms of all

armorial insignia that are borne by right. Almost equally desirable,

also, it would be to make a corresponding registration, as far as might

be possible, of whatever insignia are borne _without_ any right. The

contents of both registers would form unquestionably useful publications

of a periodical character. In connection with any such project as I have

just suggested, it appears to me that good service might be rendered to

the cause of true Heraldry amongst us, if _Badges and Mottoes_ (without

any other insignia whatever) were formally granted by the College, under

certain conditions, and at the cost of a small Fee.[9]

[Footnote 9: I leave this sentence as it has hitherto stood in the

book. Badges are now granted and recorded, but a prior right to arms

is required. --A. C. F.-D. 1908.]

In new Grants of Arms, as in so many formal documents, something of the

early form of Expression, with some traces of its piquant quaintness,

are still retained. Very quaint indeed, and very extravagant also, is

the style that was generally adopted by the Heralds of the sixteenth and

seventeenth centuries, and yet characteristic of both the men and their

times. As an example of one of these old documents, an example of no

common interest in itself, I now give the Grant of Arms to JOHN

SHAKESPERE, the Poet's father, in the year 1596. Two draft copies of the

original Grant are preserved in the College of Arms; the following

transcript is printed from the later of the two copies, the earlier

having been used to supply any word or passage that now is wanting in

the other. The insertions thus obtained are printed in brackets.

[Transcriber's Note:

All brackets except footnote references are in the original. Letters

in braces { } ("curly brackets") were printed as superscripts.]

GRANT OF ARMS TO JOHN SHAKESPERE, A.D. 1596.

To all and singuler Noble and Gentelmen of what estate [or] degree

bearing arms to whom these presentes shall come, William Dethick

alias Garter principall King of Armes sendethe greetinges. Know

yee that, whereas by the authoritie and auncyent pryveleges

perteyning to my office from the Quenes most excellent Ma{te} and

by her highnesse most noble and victorious progenitors, I am to

take generall notice and record and to make declaration and

testemonie for all causes of arms and matters of Gentrie thoroughe

out all her Majestes Kingdoms, Domynions, Principalites, Isles,

and Provinces, To th' end that, as manie gentelmen, by theyre

auncyent names of families, kyndredes and descentes, have and

enjoye certeyne enseignes and cotes of arms, So it is verie

expedient in all ages that some men for theyr valeant factes,

magnanimite, vertu, dignites, and desertes, may use and beare

suche tokens of honour and worthinesse, whereby theyre name and

good fame may be the better knowen and divulged, and theyre

children and posterite in all vertu (to the service of theyre

Prynce and Contrie) encouraged. Wherefore being solicited and by

credible report informed that John Shakespeare of Stratford uppon

Avon in the counte of Warwik, whose parentes and late

antecessors[10] were for theyre faithefull and va[leant service

advaunced and rewarded by the most prudent] prince King Henry the

Seventh of [famous memorie, sythence which tyme they have

continewed at] those partes, being of good reputacion [and credit;

and that the] said John hathe maryed [Mary, daughter and one of

the heyrs of Robert Arden, of Wilmcote, in the said] counte,

esquire.[11] In consideration whereof, and for the encouragement

of his posterite, to whom such Blazon [or Atchevement] by the

auncyent custome of the lawes of armes maie descend, I the said

Garter King of Armes have assigned, graunted and by these

presentes confirmed this shield or cote of arms, viz. Gould, on a

bend sables a speare of the first, steeled argent; and for his

crest or cognizance a falcon, his winges displayed, argent,

standing on a wrethe of his coullors, supporting a speare gould,

steeled as aforesaid, sett upon a helmett with mantelles and

tasselles as hath ben accustomed and dothe more playnely appeare

depicted on this margent. Signefieng hereby, and by the authorite

of my office aforesaid ratifieng, that it shalbe lawfull for the

sayd John Shakespeare gent. and for his cheldren, yssue and

posterite (at all tymes and places convenient) to bear and make

demonstracion of the said Blazon or Atchevement uppon theyre

Shieldes, Targets, Escucheons, Cotes of arms, Pennons, Guydons,

Ringes, Edefices, Buyldinges, Utensiles, Lyveries, Tombes or

Monumentes, or otherwise, for all lawfull warrlyke factes or

civile use and exercises, according to the lawes of armes, without

let or interruption of any other person or persons for use or

bearing the same. In witnesse and perpetuall remembrance hereof I

have hereunto subscribed my name, and fastened the seale of my

office endorzed with the signett of my armes, At the Office of

Armes, London, the xx. daye of October, the xxxviij. yeare of the

reigne of our Soveraigne Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God Quene

of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faythe, etc.

1596.

[Footnote 10: Above the word _antecessors_ is written

_Grandfather_.]

[Footnote 11: _Gent._ was first written, and it is altered to

_esquire_.]

Like other documents of its class, in this Grant the language is framed

after certain regular forms; so that it is to be read without that exact

observance of particular expressions, which is rightly bestowed upon

legal and historical records. The interest inseparable from this Grant

is enhanced in no slight degree by the strong probability that John

Shakespere made his application to the College of Arms by the advice and

in consequence of the request of his son. Had the worthy Garter been

able to divine the "dignities and desertes" of the son, he might

possibly have employed formal language of a still more complimentary

character, when drawing up a Grant of Arms for the father.

A much more curious specimen of the heraldic style and form of

expression (and also of the spelling) of the earlier days of the Queen

ELIZABETH era, is a Grant of Augmentation and Crest, by LAWRENCE DALTON,

Norroy King of Arms, to JOHN BENNETT, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Gentleman,

A.D. 1560. The Preamble to this Grant, which is printed in full in

_Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica_ (p. 48), is thus written:--

To All and Singuler as well nobles and gentles as kings herauldes

and officers of Armes as others w{ch} thes presentes shall see

Reade or heare Lawrence Dalton Esquire Al's Norrey Kinge of Armes

of thest and west p'tyes of Englande fro the Ryver of trent

northwarde Sendythe Due and humble comendacons and greatinge

fforasmuche as awncyentlye fro the begynnynge and not w{th}owt

great Delyberacon Equitie and Reason hyt hathe byn by the moste

noble and famous princes Constytutyd and ordeynyd that men of

wysdom knoledge vertue and of noble lyefe and Coorage haue byn

notoryowslye commendyd to the Woorlde w{th} Sonndrye monumentes

and Remembrances w{th} tokens of honnor for A testamonye of

theyre good Desertes As Amonge the Romayns y{e} Erecc'on of

Statues and Images w{th} tytles and Appellac'ons of honnour And

of more latre Dayes w{th} the moste p'te of nac'ons bearinge of

Signes and tokens in Shyldes callyd Armes w{ch} be the

Demonstrac'ons and Evidences of noblenes vertue and woorthynes

that to eu'ry man accordinge to theyre Desertes be Dyu'slye

Dystrybutyd Wherby such signes and tokens of the woorthye and

cooragyous might appeare before the cowarde vnwoorthye and

Ignorant Even so yt ys yet obs'vyd that suche w{ch} have merytyd

or donne com'endable s'vice to theyre prince or countrye or by

theyre woorthye and Lawdable lyefe Do Daylye encrease in vertue

wysdom and knowledge shulde not be forgoten and so put in oblyvyon

but rewardyd w{th} som token of honnor for the same the Rather to

move and styrre other to the Imytac'on of lyke noblenes vertue and

woorthynes ffor w{ch} purpose hyt was not therefor w{th}owt

great provydence ordeynyd and yet ys that there Shulde be officers

and herauldes of Armes to whose office hyt shulde be appropryate

to kepe in Regestre tharmes pedegrees and Descentes of nobles and

gentles w{th} theyre woorthye and valyant actes and to have power

and awethorytye to allowe and Ratefye vnto the woorthye Som

awgmentac'on token or Remembrance of noblenes for theyre seyde

woorthynes And now beinge Desyryd--

And so forth, worthy Mr. Norroy having forgotten such "signes and

tokens" as stops, while carefully showing what style and form it is

_not_ desirable for us to adopt, however excellent may be his system of

building up honourable insignia upon a foundation of nobleness, virtue,

and worthiness.

I add one other early document of another kind, which is an excellent

model for present use by the Heralds of our own days, the orthography

having by them been duly corrected.

EXAMPLE OF A CONFIRMATION OR RECORD OF ARMS:-- Theis are the

anncient Armes and Creast, belonging to the name and famely of

LEECHFORDE in the County of Surrey, descended from the LEECHFORDS

in Buckinghamsheire. Which at the request of S{R} RICHARD

LEECHFORDE of Shelwood in the County of Surrey Knight, I WILL'M

SEGAR Garter, Principall King of Armes have blasoned, and sett

forth in coullors, according as they are here depicted in the

margent. Viz." (here follows a written blazon).... "Testifying

hereby the saide armoryes to belong vnto the saide S{R} RICHARD

LEECHFORD and to his yssue, to vse, beare, and shewe forth at all

tymes, and in all places, at their free lib'ty and pleasure. In

Witnes wherof....

&c. &c., with Seal and Signature, and the Date 3rd of JAMES I.

I presume that an argument in support of the abolition of all Taxation

of "Armorial Bearings," on the plea of the utter absurdity of a tax upon

an honourable distinction, would be met with the reply that "Armorial

Bearings" are taxed purely as "luxuries," and without the slightest

reference to their intrinsic character. If the validity of this plea

must be admitted, still this tax might be levied with what may be styled

a becoming heraldic discrimination.

For example:--Arms distinguished by "Augmentations of Honour" might be

altogether exempted; a higher rate might be fixed in the case of Arms

that are ensigned with Coronets, and that display Supporters. Arms borne

by unquestionable right, and which are duly recorded at the College,

might be rated at a comparatively low charge, certainly not to exceed

five shillings a year. On the other hand, all Arms or armorial insignia

borne with a very questionable right, or without even the pretence of

any right whatever, might be subjected to the ordinary tax for "Armorial

Bearings" of their class multiplied (according to circumstances) by

four, six, or ten.

The tax estimated by the aid of the multiplication-table, that has just

been suggested, would extend, under a special schedule possessing a high

multiplying power, to any self-constituted "Establishment" or "Office,"

which, powerless to "grant" Arms, undertakes--in consideration of a very

trifling fee--to "find," and either to "sketch" or to "colour" them.

Exceedingly simple is the process, by means of which this undertaking is

accomplished. It consists in consulting a printed Armory; and, when the

desired "Arms" have been "found" in its well-stored columns, they then

at once are assigned to the applicant, in conformity with the

comprehensive and beautifully simple theory, that all persons having the

same surname and who also live (or were born) in the same county are

equally entitled to bear the same Arms. Probably it does not occur to

the patrons of advertising Heraldry-dealers, that upon precisely the

same principle every person who has the same "name and county" with any

officer who may be "found" in the Navy or the Army List, might assert a

right to whatever rank and title such an officer may enjoy by virtue of

his commission.

The almost universal desire to possess some kind of armorial insignia,

implies a corresponding recognition of the necessity to obtain them from

some Institution or Personage, supposed to be competent and authorised

both to determine what they should be, and to impart a right to accept

and to assume and bear them. It rests with the Heralds of the College of

Arms to take the initiative in a course of action, which would direct

all aspirants for heraldic distinctions, as a matter of course, to their

own doors. The Heralds, who really are Heralds, and who alone are real

Heralds, may rely on the support of Public Opinion. If a fictitious

Heraldry is not only prevalent, but in some sense actually in the

ascendant, it is not because the counterfeit is preferred to the

genuine, but because it is unconsciously mistaken for it. In very many

instances, indeed, a determination to obtain "Arms" is coupled with an

ignorance of Heraldry so complete, as to ignore the existence of any

such thing as a Heraldry that is fictitious.

A popular College of Arms, without any serious difficulty, might

establish its own authority with all classes of the community; and, at

the same time, it would not fail to impress upon the public mind the

very decided difference that exists between the heraldic and the

non-heraldic acceptation of the expression--"_an escutcheon of

pretence_." Much real good would certainly result from the rude shock

that would be given to many a complacent display of armorial insignia,

by showing the proud blazonry to be _abated_ with the baton sinister of

heraldic untruth and unwarrantable assumption. And better still it would

be to show to all who possess, or who desire to possess and to bear

"Arms," that the "Pride of Heraldry" is a worthy and a noble pride,

because it is the Pride of Truth and Right.

CHAPTER XXII

_MISCELLANEOUS:-- Coins-- Seals-- Heraldry in Architecture; in

Monuments; in Illuminations; in Encaustic Tiles-- Heraldic Personal

Ornaments, and various Heraldic Decorations-- Conclusion._

"The Spandrels over the Wall-arcading are exquisitely beautiful...

Those in the western arm contained Shields of a large number of the

great men of the day ... the few which remain are nobly executed."

--GLEANINGS FROM WESTMINSTER ABBEY, by G. G. Scott, R.A.:

2nd Edition, p. 33.

I. The HERALDRY OF THE COINAGE, in addition to the Shields of Arms of

successive Sovereigns, exemplifies the changes that have taken place in

the form and adornment of the Crown, and it also is rich in various

Badges and Devices having an historical significance.

In Coins the Royal Shield is sometimes quartered by a cross charged upon

it, as in the silver penny of EDWARD VI. A mediæval ship, having a sail

covered with heraldic blazonry, appears on the _Noble_--a coin worthy of

its name. A figure of the King in armour (not particularly well

proportioned to the size of the vessel), his sword in one hand, and his

Shield of arms in the other, is also represented in these fine examples

of mediæval numismatic art. A ship without any sail, but in its stead

charged with the Royal Shield heightened by a Cross, forms the reverse

of another excellent coin, the _Angel_, the obverse bearing a figure of

ST. MICHAEL with his lance thrusting down the dragon. The Angel of

EDWARD IV. on either side of the Cross has the initial E and the white

rose of York; and the legend is-- PER : CRVCEM : TVA : SALVA : NOS :

XTE : REDEMPT : ("By thy Cross save us, O Redeemer Christ!"). A Crowned

Rose, with a Royal Cypher, is another favourite device; as in the

Shilling of Henry VIII., with the legend-- POSVI : DEV : ADIVTOREM :

MEVM : ("I have placed God (before me as) my helper").

Such are a few examples of the early Heraldry of English Coins. More

recently, and particularly in our own Coinage, Heraldry and Art have

declined together, so that feeble designs, but too commonly executed

with lamentable consistency, are associated with heraldic inaccuracies

which continue uncorrected to this day--witness the _tressure of

Scotland_ often incorrectly blazoned on the Royal Shield; and poor

BRITANNIA, in her old position, sitting forlorn on the copper and bronze

coinage, as if conscious of being constrained to display on her oval

Shield an obsolete blazonry, that placed the reign of Queen VICTORIA in

the eighteenth century![12]

[Footnote 12: The specimens of the existing Coinage of Europe,

displayed at the Universal Exposition, at Paris, showed that if the

art of the English Mint is now at a low ebb, the prevailing standard

of numismatic art is not a single degree higher, the coins of France

alone being in many respects an honourable exception to the general

rule.]

II. To what has been already said on the value of heraldic SEALS I

desire here to add a few words, in the hope of inducing all students of

Heraldry to study them with the most diligent care.

Casts of fine impressions are not difficult to obtain. Almost every

accessible fine Seal has been copied by Mr. Ready, of the British

Museum, who supplies admirable casts at a very moderate cost. The

Scottish Seals of the late Mr. H. Laing, of Edinburgh, were purchased on

his decease by the authorities of the British Museum. The most

satisfactory casts are made in gutta-percha, which may be gilt by simply

rubbing a gold powder with a soft brush upon them, after slightly

warming their surfaces. Moulds for reproducing casts or impressions may

be made in gutta-percha; and from these moulds casts, also in

gutta-percha, may be obtained. The process is very simple: the

gutta-percha, softened by immersion in hot water, is pressed upon an

impression in relief, until a perfect intaglio is formed. When this

mould is cold and hard, it will stamp an impression upon gutta-percha

softened in the same manner.

[Illustration: No. 442.--Seal of Lord Bardolf.]

I add to the examples of fine heraldic Seals that I have already given,

the richly traceried Seal bearing the armorial Shield of JOHN, Lord

BARDOLF, of Wormegay in Norfolk, about A.D. 1350; No. 442. This most

beautiful Seal, which in the original in diameter is only one and

one-sixth inches, has been somewhat enlarged in the engraving, in order

to show the design more plainly. The arms of BARDOLF are--_Az., three

cinquefoils or_.

The liberality and kindness of Mr. Laing enable me to associate with the

Seal of Lord BARDOLF a small group of additional examples of Scottish

Seals: two of them are good illustrations as well of English as of

Scottish Heraldry, and they exemplify the usage of introducing Gothic

traceries into the composition of Seals with Shields of Arms: in both

these examples, however, the leading outlines only of the traceries

remain, and the rich cusping (which is so perfect in the Seal of Lord

BARDOLF) is lost. No. 443, the Seal of WILLIAM MURE, A.D. 1397, has a

Shield bearing--_Arg., on a fesse az. three mullets of the field_. No.

444, the Seal of THOMAS MONYPENY, A.D. 1415, has the Shield _couchée_

charged with _Az., a chevron between three crosses crosslets fitchée

issuing from as many crescents arg._: the Crest, on a helm, is a bird,

probably a popinjay or parrot. The Seal of RICHARD STUART, No. 445,

probably about 1350, may be compared with No. 414, p. 249: in the

smaller and earlier example, the solitary individual who represents the

crew may be assumed to be Richard Stuart himself; his vessel displays

two banners which are evidently affected by contrary currents of air,

and a pennon.

[Illustration: No. 443.--Seal of William Mure.]

[Illustration: No. 444.--Seal of Thomas Monypeny.]

[Illustration: No. 445.--Seal of Richard Stuart.]

[Illustration: No. 447.--Counter Seal of Earl Thomas de Beauchamp,

A.D. 1344]

The noble Seal, No. 446 (_see_ Frontispiece), engraved from a most

perfect impression recently discovered appended to a document in the

guardianship of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, represents its

illustrious owner, THOMAS DE BEAUCHAMP, K.G., third Earl of WARWICK, in

armour, with his shield and jupon charged with the armorial insignia of

Beauchamp (_gu., a fesse between six crosses crosslets or_), and with

the same insignia repeated upon the bardings of the charger upon which

the Earl is mounted. The engraving of the Seal itself appears on the

Frontispiece to this Volume: and the Counter-Seal, one of the most

beautiful and most perfect examples in existence of the early

seal-engraver's art, is here represented in No. 447. The Shield

displayed on this Counter-Seal is charged only with the Arms of the

NEWBURGHS (_chequée or and az., a chevron erm._), from whom the Earldom

of Warwick passed by inheritance to the House of Beauchamp. The

inscription is commenced on the Seal, No. 446, and continued on the

Counter-Seal, No. 447, and is as follows:-- S : THOE : COMITIS :

WARRWYCHIE : ANNO : REGNI : REGIS : E : T'CII : POST : CÕQVEST[Vm] :

ANGLIE : SEPTIO : DECIO : ET : REGNI : SVI : FRANCIE : QVARTO--

"The Seal of Thomas, Earl of Warwick, in the seventeenth year of the

reign of King Edward III. (of that name) after the Conquest of England,

and the fourth of his reign over France." Thus, the date of the

execution of this fine Seal is the year 1344. The Earl himself died

in 1369.

A second Beauchamp Seal is also represented in the Frontispiece. This is

the Seal of RICHARD DE BEAUCHAMP, K.G., fifth Earl of WARWICK, who died

in the year 1439. The Heraldry in this example is particularly

interesting. The Shield, charged with _Newburgh_ and _Beauchamp_

quarterly, is couchée from the helm of the Earl which is ensigned with

his coronet and crest; and on either side is _a bear with a ragged

staff_, the famous Badges of the BEAUCHAMPS: No. 448 (_see_

Frontispiece). The Inscription is-- SIGILL : RIC : DE : BELLO : CAMPO :

COMIT : WARWICH-- "The Seal of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick"

(see pages 223 and 224).

III. In GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE Heraldry is always a consistent, beautiful,

and most effective accessory. Indeed, so thoroughly is the spirit of

Heraldry in harmony with the great Architecture which grew up in the

Middle Ages, that Heraldry must be considered rather as an element of

its nature than as an allied Art. Gothic Architecture is essentially

heraldic; and hence, as well as from its elastic nature and its equally

consistent and happy applicability to every use and requirement, it is

peculiarly appropriate as our own national style.

From the earliest years of its existence as a definite Science, Heraldry

is found to be most intimately associated with the Gothic Architecture

of England: and happy it was for the early Heralds, that in their days

the English Gothic was at work in the full strength of its first

maturity. And this alliance was never interrupted, or permitted to

decline from its original cordiality. As long as the Gothic flourished,

Heraldry held its own place in Architecture. And in the finest works

that exist amongst us, relics of the grand Gothic Ages of English

Architecture, Heraldry is ever present to adorn them with its graphic

records. In the spandrels of arcades, in panels, upon bosses in

vaulting, in stained glass, in encaustic floor-tiles, and indeed in

almost every position in which such ornamentation could be admissible,

the early Herald is found to have been the fellow-worker with the early

Gothic architect. Gothic Architecture, accordingly, has preserved for us

very noble collections and specimens of the most valuable illustrations

of our national Heraldry. Canterbury and York Cathedrals, and the Abbey

Churches of Westminster and St. Alban's, with the Chapel of King's

College, Cambridge, are especially rich in heraldic treasures: and

Westminster Hall and the northern Castles of Alnwick and Warkworth may

be specified as noble examples of secular Architecture, which retain

their heraldic enrichments.

IV. Gothic MONUMENTS, and in common with them their successors of the

Renaissance era, abound in every variety of armorial blazonry. And fine

examples of heraldic Monuments are no less abundant, than are the

Shields and other insignia that appear on particular memorials. The

principles which directed the selection of Shields to be introduced into

the composition of early Monuments are worthy of careful consideration:

and the same remark is no less applicable in the case of Architecture.

I must be content to specify a very small group of heraldic Monuments of

especial interest and value. In Westminster Abbey: the Monuments of

Queens ALIANORE of Castile, PHILIPPA of Hainault, ELIZABETH TUDOR, and

MARY STUART; the Monuments of King EDWARD III. and King HENRY VII.; and

those of ALIANORE DE BOHUN, Duchess of GLOUCESTER, the Countess of

LENNOX, the Countess of DERBY, the two DE VALENCES, Earls of Pembroke,

EDMUND, Earl of Lancaster, Lord BOURCHIER, and Sir GILES DAUBENEY, K.G.

In Canterbury Cathedral: the Monuments of the BLACK PRINCE, and of

HENRY IV. and JOANNA of Navarre. In Salisbury Cathedral: the Monument of

Earl WILLIAM LONGESPÉE. In St. Alban's Abbey Church: the Monuments of

HUMPHREY, Duke of GLOUCESTER, and of the Abbots WHEATHAMSTEDE and

RAMRYGE. Also, other fine Monuments in the Churches at Elsyng in

Norfolk, Ewelme and Northleigh in Oxfordshire, King's Langley in

Hertfordshire, and Cobham in Kent; in Beverley Minster, and in the

Beauchamp Chapel at Warwick.

V. In the ILLUMINATIONS of the Middle Ages Heraldry has a place of

honour: and in the revival of that early Art, which is held in such high

estimation at the present day, Heraldry ought to occupy a position of

corresponding prominence. This implies in the Illuminators of to-day

some knowledge of Heraldry, and at least some degree of familiarity with

good early examples. I venture to suggest, therefore, to students of

Illumination the study both of the Herald's Art and his Science, as no

unimportant part of their preparation for the practice of the Art of

Illumination on the principle of the sagacious maxim of a great modern

painter, quoted by Mr. RUSKIN in his "Seven Lamps of

Architecture"--"Know what you have to do, and _then_ do it."

VI. In the ornamentation of early ENCAUSTIC or INLAID PAVEMENT TILES,

Shields of Arms and various heraldic devices frequently occur: and in

many examples the Shields of Arms are arranged with much skill and in

excellent taste, to form decorative compositions in combination with

foliage and traceries. Numerous heraldic Tiles of a very interesting

character remain in the Cathedrals of Worcester, Gloucester, and Exeter;

and in the Churches of Great Malvern, King's Langley, the Abbey Church

of St. Alban, and many others. The student will observe that the devices

upon these Tiles are frequently _reversed_, evidently the result of the

neglect to reverse the designs upon the original dies or stamps.

VII. Heraldic blazonry was highly esteemed in the Middle Ages as a

becoming decoration for PERSONAL COSTUME. The Knights wore their _Coats

of Arms_, and they carried and used their _Shields of Arms_, and their

armorial insignia were displayed upon their weapons and upon the various

accessories of their personal equipment. The Ladies adapted this usage

to their own Costume, and they also wore _Mantles and Dresses of Arms_;

and many of their personal ornaments were strictly heraldic. Without

even suggesting now to our Ladies any revival of heraldic costume,

properly so called--such as dresses, mantles, or shawls emblazoned with

the bearings of armorial shields--I certainly do desire to see Heraldry

exercising a powerful influence in all designs for personal ornaments,

the works of the goldsmith and the jeweller more especially. Badges also

may supply the motive for designing many patterns that are to adorn

fabrics used for costume: and, in like manner also, the designs woven

into carpets, curtains, and various other fabrics may be derived with

the greatest advantage from the same source. The loom is employed in

blazoning heraldic insignia in white damask: why should it not work,

under judicious and cautious guidance, in silk and velvet, in satin and

every woollen fabric?[13]

[Footnote 13: I have lately seen a design for the embroidery of a

dress for a young lady of the Clan CAMPBELL; its characteristic

features are the Scottish Thistle and the Myrtle, the latter the

Badge of the Campbells. I may express my approval of the motive of

this design: others, as I have reason to believe, have approved the

treatment of it.]

It must be understood, however, that heraldic ornaments and devices,

unless they be of such a character that they are universally applicable,

must have a reference to the wearer, or they degenerate at once into

heraldic parodies. Personal ornaments, costume, furniture, if heraldic,

must display devices that have a significance as well as a beauty: such

costume and ornaments must be, not "becoming" only to the wearer, but

(in the heraldic acceptation of that term) "belonging" also. And so in

every instance.