The Manual of Heraldry Part 19

Ex. Argent, a sword proper couped, hilted or.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HONOUR POINT]

HONOUR POINT. That part of the s.h.i.+eld between the precise middle chief and the fess point. In the annexed example the large dot in the centre shows the fess point; the point within the letter D, the _honour point_. See p. 6. [CHAP. II.]

HORNED. This term is used to denote that the horn of a unicorn is of a different tincture from his body.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Horned]

Ex. Azure, three unicorns' heads proper, erased, horned or.

HUMETTY. A term used to denote an ordinary, parts of which are couped or cut off, so that it does not touch the edges of the s.h.i.+eld.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Humetty]

Ex. Argent, a fess humetty gules, between three mullets sable.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HURTS]

HURTS. Blue roundlets: the colour is expressed in the name; therefore the tincture is not otherwise named in emblazoning a coat of arms.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Spearhead imbued.]

IMBUED. Weapons spotted with blood are said to be imbued. The example shows a spearhead imbued.

IMPALED. Two coats of arms, conjoined paleways, in one s.h.i.+eld.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Impaled]

Ex. Argent, a fess gules, impaled with argent, a bend azure. See p.

38. [CHAP. VI.]

INCRESCENT. The new moon, with her horns turned towards the dexter side of the s.h.i.+eld.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Increscent]

Ex. Azure, a moon increscent argent.

INDENTED. A serrated figure, much smaller than the dancette.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Indented]

Ex. Or, a chief gules, indented.

INESCUTCHEON. The name given to small escutcheons forming a bearing of a coat of arms.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Inescutcheon]

Ex. Argent, three inescutcheons gules.

INVECTED. A line formed with small semicircles, with the points turned inward. Any ordinary drawn with this line is called invected.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Invected]

Ex. Argent, a bend gules, invected between two hurts.

ISSUANT, or ISSUING. Rays or other charges proceeding from any part of the escutcheon. See RAY.

KNIGHT. A t.i.tle of honour conferred upon a subject for eminent services performed in war. In the course of time, knights that had gained riches and high t.i.tles formed societies under the control and direction of their monarchs in every part of Europe. The limits of this work will only permit us to notice the orders of knighthood introduced into England.

The KNIGHTS-BACHELORS were the earliest order of knighthood in England. The t.i.tle was conferred for services in war. It was merely personal, and, like the knighthood conferred upon individuals at the present time, did not descend to their posterity.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Knights-Banneret]

KNIGHTS-BANNERET. This ancient and honourable order has become extinct. It obtained the t.i.tle of banneret from the knights having the right of having a square banner borne before them on the field of battle, and at jousts and tournaments. Sir W. Segar gives the following account of the creation of a knight-banneret:--"It is a military order, and can only be conferred upon persons that have performed some heroic act in the field. When this action is known to the king, or general of the army, he commands the attendance of the gallant warrior, who is led, between two knights, into the presence of the king or general with his pennon of arms in his hand, and there the heralds proclaim his merit, and declare him fit to become a knight-banneret, and thenceforth to display a banner in the field.

Then the king or general causes the point of the pennon to be cut off to make it square; it is then placed at the top of his lance, and the new-made knight returns to his tent, the trumpets sounding before him." Knights-banneret were certainly created in the reign of Edward I., but how long before that time it is impossible to tell.

KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER. This is considered the most honourable order of knighthood in Europe: it was founded by Edward III. in 1349; the fraternity consists of twenty-six knights, to which are added the princes of the blood royal. The king of England is the sovereign of the order; their officers are a prelate, chancellor, registrar, and king-at-arms.

The college of the order is in Windsor Castle, with the chapel of St.

George and the chapter-house. These buildings were erected by the royal founder expressly for the accommodation of the knights of the garter.

The garter is considered the princ.i.p.al ensign of this order: it is worn on the left leg below the knee; it is formed of blue velvet, edged with gold: on the velvet is embroidered the motto of the order, HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE.

The collar is of gold, weighing thirty ounces troy weight, and contains twenty-six garters enamelled proper, in each a rose gules between; the garters are connected by knots. The George is attached to this collar: it represents St. George (the patron Saint of the order) attacking the dragon; it is of gold enamelled, and may be enriched with jewels at the pleasure of the possessor.

THE KNIGHTS OF ST. PATRICK. This ill.u.s.trious Irish order was founded by George III., 1783. It consists of the sovereign, a grand master, the princes of the blood royal, and thirteen knights. The lord-lieutenant for the time being is grand master. The device on the jewel of this order is argent, a cross saltier gules surmounted with a trefoil vert, charged with three imperial crowns or, the whole inclosed in a circle of gold, bearing the motto QUIS SEPARABIT.

MDCCLx.x.xIII. An engraving of this jewel will be found on the sinister side of the t.i.tle-page.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE THISTLE. The most ancient order of the Thistle was founded by James V. of Scotland, 1540, and revived by James II., king of Great Britain, 1687, incorporated by Queen Anne, whose statutes were confirmed by George I. The order consists of the sovereign and twelve brethren or knights. Their motto is the national motto, NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET; their badge or jewel, St. Andrew, supporting a cross, surrounded with rays of gold, an engraving of which will be found on the dexter side of the t.i.tle-page.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Knight and Baronet]

KNIGHT AND BARONET. A degree of honour next to a baron, created by King James I. to induce the English gentry to settle in the province of Ulster. The t.i.tle is knight and baronet; it is hereditary: the arms are distinguished by an augmentation of a human hand gules, generally borne on an escutcheon in the centre of the s.h.i.+eld.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Knight and Baronet of Nova Scotia]

KNIGHT AND BARONET OF NOVA SCOTIA. A new creation during the reign of George I. to induce capitalists to settle in that part of North America. The t.i.tle is hereditary: the arms are argent, St. Andrew's Cross gules surtout, an escutcheon or, with a lion rampant gules within a double tressure of the same, surmounted by a king's crown as a crest.

KNIGHTS OF THE BATH. An ancient and honourable military order of knighthood. The date of its origin is too remote to be traced with certainty: by some authors it is said to have been inst.i.tuted in Normandy before the Conquest; it was re-established in England by Henry IV., and revived by George I. The chapel of this order is Henry VII.'s chapel in Westminster Abbey: the Dean of Westminster for the time being is always dean of the order of the Bath. The number of the knights is according to the pleasure of the sovereign. At the close of the late war the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV., remodelled this order of knighthood; and to enable himself to bestow marks of honour upon the naval and military officers that had distinguished themselves on the ocean and in the field, he divided the order into three cla.s.ses: first, all the n.o.blemen that were Knights of the Bath were henceforth to be called Knights Grand Crosses of the Bath, which was also the t.i.tle of the commanders of fleets and armies that were rewarded by being admitted into the highest cla.s.s of this n.o.ble order.

The second cla.s.s are called Knights Commanders of the Bath; a great number of naval and military officers above the rank of captains in the navy and majors in the army are admitted into this cla.s.s.

The third cla.s.s is styled Companions of the Order of the Bath, and is open to officers of inferior rank.

The Knights Grand Crosses of the Bath attach the initials K.G.C.B. to their names and t.i.tles.

The Knights Commanders use the initials K.C.B.