The Flags of the World: Their History, Blazonry, and AssociationsHulme, F. Edward (Frederick Edward)
History
The Flags of the World: Their History, Blazonry, and Associations
Hulme, F. Edward (Frederick Edward)
Flags
Henry V., at Agincourt, in like manner displayed at his headquarters on the
field not only his own arms, but, in place of special honour and
prominence, the banners of the Trinity, of St. George, and of St. Edward.
These banners of religious significance were often borne from the
monasteries to the field of battle, while monks and priests in attendance
on them invoked the aid of Heaven during the strife. In an old statement of
accounts, still existing, we read that Edward I. made a payment of 8½d. a
day to a priest of Beverley for carrying throughout one of his campaigns a
banner bearing the figure of St. John. St. Wilfred's banner from Ripon,
together with this banner of St. John from Beverley, were brought on to the
field at Northallerton; the flag of St. Denis was carried in the armies of
St. Louis and of Philip le Bel, and the banner of St. Cuthbert of Durham
was borrowed by the Earl of Surrey in his expedition against Scotland in
the reign of Henry VIII. This banner had the valuable reputation of
securing victory to those who fought under it. It was suspended from a
horizontal bar below a spear head, and was a yard or so in breadth and a
little more than this in depth; the bottom edge had five deep indentations.
The banner was of red velvet sumptuously enriched with gold embroidery, and
in the centre was a piece of white velvet, half a yard square, having a
cross of red velvet upon it. This central portion covered and protected a
relic of the saint. The victory of Neville's Cross, October 17th, 1346, was
held to be largely {6} due to the presence of this sacred banner, and the
triumph at Flodden was also ascribed to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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