"In the year 1727, an impostor, of the name of Robert Harman, pretending
to be a herald, was prosecuted for the offence by the College of Arms, at
the quarter-sessions for the county of Suffolk, held at Beccles, and being
convicted of the offence, was sentenced to be placed in the pillory in
several market-towns on public market-days, and afterwards to be
imprisoned and pay a fine, which sentence was accordingly executed,
proving that the impudent and designing were not to encroach upon the
rights of the College with impunity."[277]
When war with Spain was proclaimed in the thirteenth year of George II,
the proclamation was made in the metropolis by the officers of arms,
according to antient usage. They also attended at the trial of the three
Scottish rebel lords in Westminster-Hall, in 1746. Fourteen standards
taken from the adherents of the Pretender were publicly burnt at
Edinburgh, by the common hangman. "The prince's own standard was carried
by the executioner, each of the others by _chimney-sweepers_ (!) The
former was first committed to the flames, with three flourishes of the
trumpets, amidst repeated acclamations of a vast concourse of people. The
same was done with each of the other colours separately; the _heralds_
always proclaiming the names of the 'rebel traitors to whom they
belonged.'"[278]
"After the battle of Dettingen, fought in 1743, his Majesty revived the
order of Knights-Bannerets, the last of whom had been Sir John Smith,
created a banneret by Charles I at the battle of Edgehill, the first in
the fatal civil war. The form of treating them formerly was, the
candidate presented his standard or pennon to the sovereign or his
general, who cutting off the skirt or tail of it made it square, when it
was returned: hence they are sometimes called knights of the square
banner. They precede all knights, not of the Garter or Bath, of England,
and even baronets, being reputed next to the nobility after those
preceding orders."[279] They have the privilege of using supporters to
their arms; but, as the honour is not hereditary, their descendants cannot
claim it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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