time of every memorable transaction, as, A. M. Anno Mundi, in the year of the world. A. D. Anno Domini, in the year of our Lord. A. C. Ante Christum, before Christ; and sometimes B. C. is put for before Christ. A. Æ. C. Anno Æra. Christiana, in the year of the Christian æra. A. U. C. Anno Urbis Condita, in the Year of the building of the city of Rome; or A. ab. U. C. in the Year of the building of the city; and so of the other epochas.

CHAPTER XIII.

HERALDRY.

INTRODUCTION.

307. THE Science of heraldry consists in blazoning and marshalling arms. The word blazoning is borrowed from the French emblazoner; and signifies displaying or explaining the several emblems and colours of an achievement in proper terms.

The blazoning of the arms of gentlemen, esquires, knights, and baronets, is derived from metals and colours; those of barons, viscounts, earls, marquisses, and dukes, from precious stones; and those of princes, kings, and emperors, from the planets.

Marshalling is the orderly disposition of several coats of arms, belonging originally to different families, within one shield or escocheon, together with all the proper armorial ensigns, ornaments, and decorations. We will in this chapter first notice the four great orders of British knighthood; secondly, we will explain the various heraldic terms.

SECTION I.

BRITISH ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD, ARE,

1. Order of the Garter.

308. THIS order is military, and was instituted by Edward III. in 1344, under the title of the Sove

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reign, and Knights-companions of the most noble order of the Garter. Some alterations were made in 1557, and 1788.

It consists of twenty-six knights or companions, generally peers or princes; of whom the king of England is sovereign or chief. They are a corporation, having a great and little seal; and their chief officers are, a prelate, chancellor, register, king-at-arms, and usher. They have also a dean, twelve canons, petty canons, vergers, and twenty-six pensioners, or poor knights. The order is under the patronage of St. George of Cappadocia, the tutelar saint of this kingdom. Their college is held in Windsor Castle, within the chapel of St. George, and the chapter-house, erected by the founder for that purpose.

Various are the accounts of the origin of this order. The popular tradition is, that it was erected in honour of a garter which fell from the knee of the Countess of Salisbury, and which Edward picked up and presented to her with these words, Honi soit qui mal y pense. This idea is derided by the antiquarians, Camden and Fern, who choose rather to find its birth-place the victory of Cressy.

The habit and ensigns of the order consists of a surcoat, garter, mantle, hood, george, cap, and feathers.

2. The Order of the Thistle.

309. This order, instituted by Achaius, king of Scotland, in 787, was restored by James V. 1540, revived by king James II. in 1687, and re-established by queen Anne, in 1703. It is therefore far more ancient than the order of the Garter.

It consists of the sovereign and twelve brethren or knights, making in the whole thirteen, and four officers. The star is worn on the left side of the coat or cloak, and consists of a St. Andrew's cross, of silver embroidery, with rays going out between the points of the cross; on the middle a thistle of gold and green upon a field of green, and round the thistle and field a circle of gold, having on it the following motto, in green letters: NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT, (no man provokes me with impunity.) The badge or jewel worn pendant to a green riband over the left shoulder, and tied under the arm, consists of the image of St. Andrew, with the cross before, enamelled and chased on rays of gold, the cross and feet resting upon a ground of enamelled green; and on the back enamelled on a green ground, a thistle gold and

green, the flower reddish, with the above motto round it. The collar is composed of thistles, and sprigs of rue interspersed, and from the centre is suspended the image of St. Andrew, the whole being of gold enamelled.

3. The Order of the Bath.

310. Instituted in England at the coronation of Henry IV. 1339, and revived by George I. was made a statutable order in 1725. The number of the knights is at the sovereign pleasure.

The badge or ensign of this order is a rose, thistle, and shumrock, issuing from a sceptre between three imperial crowns, surrounded with this motto, TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO, signifying the three theological virtues, faith, hope, and charity. The whole is of pure gold, chased and pierced, and is worn by the knight elect, pendant from a red riband across the right shoulder. The collar is of gold, composed of nine imperial crowns, eight roses, thistles, and shamrocks issuing from a sceptre, enamelled in their proper colours, and linked together with seventeen gold knots, enamelled white. The star consists of three imperial crowns of gold, surrounded by the motto upon a circle of red, with silver rays issuing from the centre, forming a star, and is embroidered on the left side of the upper garment. No knight elect can wear either the collar or star before his installation, without leave from the sovereign.

4. The Order of St. Patrick.

311. This order was instituted by George III. in 1783. It consists of the sovereign, a grand master, a prince of the blood royal, and thirteen knights, making in the whole sixteen, and seven officers. The lord lieutenant for the time being is the grand master.

The star is charged with three imperial crowns of gold, within a circle of gold, with the motto, QUIS SEPARABIT, MDCCLXXXIII. the whole surrounded with eight rays of silver, and is embroidered on the left side of the coat or cloak. The collar is of pure gold, composed of six harps and five roses, alternately joined together by five knots. In the centre before is a crown, from which is suspended the badge or jewel of the order, of gold enamelled, which (the rays excepted) is similar to the star.

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SECTION II.

TITLES OF HONOUR, AND HERALDIC TERMS ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED.

312. Titles were not common among the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the reign of Constantine the title of illustrious was never given except to those distinguished in arms or letters: but in process of time it became hereditary in the families of princes, and every son of a prince was illustrious.

The title of highness was formerly given only to kings. The kings of England, before the reign of Henry VIII. were addressed by the title of your grace. Since that period they had the title of king of Great Britain, France, and Ireland; but since the union with Ireland, the title is simply, king of the British Isles: the king of France had the title of king of France and Navarre; the king of Spain had a whole page of titles to express the several kingdoms and territories he is master of; the king of Sweden entitled himself king of the Swedes and Goths, the king of Denmark, king of Denmark; the king of Sardinia among his titles took that of king of Cyprus and Jerusalem.

The duke of Lorraine the title of king of Jerusalem and Sicily.

The popc that of Holiness; a cardinal prince of the blood, royal highness, or most serene highness; other cardinal princes, must eminent highness; archbishop, grace and most reverend ; a bishop, right reverend: abbots and priests, reverend.

An Emperor has the title of imperial majesty, kings that of majesty the king of France is his Christian, the king of Spain his catholic mujesty; and the king of England is defender of the faith.

The emperor of Turkey is grand Seignior, the prince of Wales, royal highness; an ambassador is his excellency. But a Chinese sovereign is son of heaven.

An Abatement is a casual mark annexed to a coat of armour, to announce some dishonourable act of the bearer.

An Achievement is composed of the shield or escocheon, the mantle, helmet, and crest.

A Hatchment is the arms of a person deceased, painted and affixed to his residence.

Hatchments are differently formed, according to the condition of the deceased.

Thus, a Bachelor has his arms single or quartered, but

never impaled; the hatchment bears a crest, and the ground without the escocheon black.

A Single Woman has her arms placed in a lozenge, single or quartered, with the ground black, and a shell instead of a crest. Ensigned on the hearse with a knot of ribands.

Married Man has wife's arms impaled with his own, with the ground black on his side of the hatchment, and white on hers, to distinguish the dead from the living.

A Wife, her arms as before on the ground on her side, black, and white on her husbands; has a shell instead of a crest. A Widower, has his arms impaled with those of his wife, ground all black with a crest.

A Widow has her arms impaled with her husbands, within a lozenge shield; has ground all black, with a shell instead of a crest.

When the deceased is the last of a family, instead of a crest or shell, a death's head is used, thus significantly denoting the universal empire of the king of terrors. The little shields placed on the foreheads of horses drawing hearses are called chaperones.

Arms, are all those figures and characters with which the field of the escocheon is charged, and they express the degree, merit, and quality of the original bearers,

Augmentations, given as particular marks of honour, are additional charges borne on an escocheon.

Baron is derived from the Latin baro, which was used in the pure age of that language for vir, a valiant man; whence those placed next the king in battle, were called baronés, as being the bravest men in the army; and as princes frequently rewarded the bravery and fidelity of those about them, the word was used for any noble person who held a fee imme. diately from the king.

Baron' is more particularly used in England for a lord, or peer of the lowest class; or a degree of nobility next below that of a viscount, and above that of a knight, or baronet. Barons are lords of parliament, and peers of the realm, and enjoy all the privileges thereof. The coronet of a baron has only four pearls.

Baronet is a dignity, or degree of honour next below a baron, and above a knight: a baronet has precedency of all knights, except those of the Garter.