the Standard of Thomas Tyrell, of Gipping, copied from the original in a MS. volume of Standards of Knights and Nobility, temp. Hen. VIII., in the College of Arms. *

It is unnecessary to describe a standard to archæologists, but as there is an almost universal popular ignorance of what a standard is, I venture to describe it here for the sake of others into whose hands this Journal may chance to fall, trusting that my antiquarian readers will pardon the digression.†

Firstly, then, a standard is invariably of the shape indicated in the engraving, but it differs in length according to the rank of the bearer. Every standard must have the cross of S. George in chief, that is next the staff. It is usually crossed diagonally by two or three motto bends, in which is inscribed the cri de guerre, war cry, or motto; but occasionally the cri de guerre or motto runs lengthwise across the upper part of the standard, and sometimes the motto bends are omitted. The crest is placed in the first division, next the cross of S. George, and the remaining divisions are usually filled with repetitions of the family badge, or with charges taken from the coat of arms. But the coat of arms is never emblazoned upon a standard. The field of the standard seems to depend, as a rule, upon the tinctures of the arms; but probably the field was sometimes of the liveries of the house, when those liveries differed, as in some instances they did, from the colours of the family escocheon; for the Percy standard was tawny.§

The etching is a reduced fac simile, half the size of the original drawing. Vide Excerpta Historica" for a descriptive account of the standards in this volume which, inter alia, contains ten standards borne by knights and nobility in Essex.

+ For example, that which is popularly known, and invariably called by the newspaper press, the "Royal Standard" or the "Standard of England," is not a Standard, but the "Royal Banner of Arms."

The prime origin of the motto was undoubtedly the cri de guerre. The more recent "mot," or sentiment came in with the custom of devices. It is plain that it could never have been borne beneath the shield as at present displayed. Its proper place was upon the standard. Some few families retain their ancient battle-cry

with a more recent motto.

§ In early times the standard was so large that it could not be borne in battle, but travelled upon wheels, and was set in the centre of the field where it formed the rallying point for the army. In later times the size was reduced and regulated. In the reign of Henry VIII. the prescribed length of the standard, according to rank, was as follows. The King's Standard, set before the Pavilion or Tent, not borne, 11 yards; borne, 8 or 9 yards. A Duke's standard, borne, 7 yards; an Earl's 6 yards; a Banneret's 4 yards; a Knight's 4 yards. (Harl. MS. 2358.) MS.

The standard of Thomas Tyrell, of Gipping, is charged as usual with the cross of S. George; the crest a boar's head erect, out of his mouth a peacock's tail; six repetitions of the Tyrell Badge in the form of three bows of riband forming an interlaced and endless knot, and the motto inscribed in the bends in old French, Tout pour le mieulx.

I have now to demonstrate that the Tyrell badge, instead of three bows of riband forming an interlaced and endless knot, was originally three Long Bows fretted or interlaced.

In a former paper I have adverted to the miserable and pitiable destruction of Heron Hall, of which every_historical memorial seems to have perished in its fall. From the Powell MSS. (Addl. MSS. 17460-1 B.M.) I extract the following interesting memorial relating to the Tyrell Badge :--*

"Dunton. Proceeding we came to another large farm house; in one of the rooms we found an ancient wainscoting of oak with several shields of the arms of Tyrell, and the badge of the three bows; in the window, a shield lozengy, were the escallops of Coggeshale, and another badge of that eminent family likewise, &c., &c. They were removed from Heron House.

"Note. My cousin, the Rev. Harry Powell, Rector of Horndon, told me (1828) that he had lately visited this place and house, and informed me that not a single panel or piece of carved wood remained there, nor could he learn what was become of them."

We might have been uncertain from this description,

Lansd. 255, f. 431, contains the following statement: King's standard, not borne, 11 yards; borne, 8 or 9 yards: Duke's 7 yards; Marquess's 6 yards; Earl's 6 yards; Viscount's 5 yards; Banneret's 4 yards; Knight's 4 yards; all to be borne. Standards were appointed for Knights, and were not borne by persons of lower rank. The Guydon, which resembled the Standard, but was only from 2 to 3 yards long, was allowed to Esquires. Banners were restricted to Bannerets and others of higher rank.

*For the reference to this notice of the Tyrell Badge in the Powell collection, I am indebted to our associate, Mr. Thomas C. Archer. In July, 1860, I noted in the east window of the chancel of Dunton Church, the arms of Tyrell impaling Borgatt or Burgate, denoting the match of Sir Edward Tyrell with Maud or Anne Burgate in the middle of the 14th century; a coat barry erm. and gu. impaling de Coggeshall; another originally bendy of eight, impaling ar. a cross gu. quarter-pierced az. The whole, I think, must be referred to the time of Edw. III. They may have been brought from Heron, or else belonged to a former window in the chancel. In some obscure nook in Church or hall the fretted bows may yet, perchance, be found.

with only the Tyrell standard to refer to, what kind of bows these were; but Mr. Powell has fortunately preserved a drawing representing an escocheon charged with three long bows fretted in triangle.*

It seems to me beyond doubt that the Badge was suggested by the assonance between Tyrell and the French Tirailler and Tirailleur, in exact conformity with the usual allusive, punning mode of deriving these distinctions. Next unite the ends of the long bows and the figure of the interlaced and unending knot is formed, which, in my opinion, is not an intentional variation, but an accidental transformation and corruption of the original badge. With the exception of the Lord Braybrooke, who carries among his heraldic additamenta the badges of the rose and portcullis, I believe there is no other family extant in the county (speaking under correction) entitled to carry this ancient species of heraldic decoration, a Badge or Cognizance. The standard of the House of Tyrell has been oft displayed in centuries gone by in many a well-fought field, and beneath its ancient crest and cognizance many a stalwart Essex and Suffolk yeoman has rallied and charged to the Tyrell war cries-" Sans Dieu rein!" "Tout pour le mieux!"-while their leaders, true to the latest motto of their House, have ever proved themselves "SANS CRAINTE."+

*Strictly, the badge should not be borne upon an escocheon; but in architectural decorations badges, and other emblems which are not armorial, are commonly set in shields.

+ Sir William Petre, father of John, first Baron Petre, had, however, special licence to assume a Badge or Cognizance under the following circumstances: In 36 Hen. VIII., the King declaring his intention of invading the French dominions for the recovery of his right to the Crown of France, he appointed Sir William Petre (one of the principal Secretaries of State) one of the Council to be aiding and assisting to Queen Catherine, his consort, in the administration during his absence: and, being so aggrandized, he, in 37 Hen. VIII., obtained special licence to retain twenty men, besides his own menial servants, and to give them liveries, badges, or cognizances. (Jacob's "Peerage," Vol. II., p. 408.) I have never met, however, with a badge assigned to, or borne by, this family.

The mottoes of the Houses of Heron, Gipping and Boreham