The adoption of Badges of this peculiar character is exactly in keeping with the sentiment which prompted men of exalted rank and eminent distinction to appear in public, on occasions of high festivity, bearing the arms of some friend, kinsman, or ally, instead of their own. A mark of especial favour and of peculiar distinction would be conferred, when a Sovereign or a Prince thus would display upon his own person the armory of some honoured subject or comrade. EDWARD III. delighted thus to honour the most distinguished cavaliers of his chivalrous Court. For example, in or about the year 1347, royal Hastiludes were celebrated at Lichfield with great splendour, the jousters consisting of the KING and seventeen Knights, and the Earl of LANCASTER and thirteen Knights. A conspicuous part was taken in these festivities by the King’s daughter ISABELLE, afterwards Countess of BEDFORD, and by six Ladies of high rank, with twenty-one other Ladies, who all wore blue dresses and white hoods of the same materials as well as the same colours as the robes of the Knights, together with various masks or vizors. On this occasion, the KING himself over his armour wore a surcoat with the Arms of Sir THOMAS DE BRADESTONE. These Arms in a Roll of EDWARD III. are blazoned as--_Arg., on a canton gu. a rose or_ (see _Archæologia_, xxxi., pp. 40 and 118). On another occasion, during Hastiludes at Canterbury, EDWARD III. “is said to have given eight harnesses, worked with the arms of Sir STEPHEN DE COSYNTON (_az., three roses arg._), to the PRINCE OF WALES, the Earl of LANCASTER, and six other Knights.” In the same spirit, RICHARD DE BEAUCHAMP, Earl of WARWICK, at a great festival of arms held at Calais under his presidency, on the first day entered the lists decorated with the arms of his ancestor the Lord TONEY: on the second day, he wore the arms of Hanslap: and, on the third day, “he appeared as the Earl of WARWICK, quartering Beauchamp, Guy, Hanslap, and Toney, on his trappings; his vizor open, and the chaplet on his helm enriched with pearls and precious stones.” In such times, Badges of curious device and occult signification could not fail to enjoy a popularity, not the less decided because of the restricted use and exclusive character of the Badges themselves. [Illustration: No. 390.--Secretum of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick; A.D. 1296.] [Illustration: No. 391.--Seal of Sir Walter de Hungerford, K.G.; A.D. 1425.]