(See LABARUM, p. 281.) Thus Dr. Meyrick. The dragon, which served for an ensign to barbarous Nations, was adopted by the Romans, probably from the mixture of auxiliaries with the legions. At first, the dragon as the general ensign of the Barbarians, was used as a trophy by the Romans after Trajan's conquest of the Dacians. The dragons were embroidered in cotton, or silk and purple. The head was of metal, and they were fastened on the tops of spears, gilt and tasseled, opening the mouth wide, which made their long tails, painted with different colours, float in the wind3. They are seen on the Trajan Column and the Arch of Titus, and are engraved 4. The Draconarii, or Ensigns, who carried them, were distinguished by a gold collar 5. From the Romans, says Du Cange, it came to the Western Empire, and was long, in England, the chief standard of our Kings, and of the Dukes of Normandy. Matthew Paris notes its being borne in wars which portended destruction to the enemy. It was pitched near the royal tent, on the right of the other standards, where the guard was kept7. Stowe adds, that the dragon standard was never used but when it was an absolute intention to fight; and a golden dragon was fixed, that the weary and wounded might repair thither, as to a castle, or place of the greatest security. Thus far for the Dragon standard. To return, Vegetius mentions Pinnæ, perhaps aigrettes of feathers of dif ferent colours, intended for signals, or rallying points 9. Animals, fixed upon plinths with holes through them, are often found. They were ensigns intended to be placed upon the ends of spears. Count Caylus has published several; among others, two leopards, male and female 10. Ensigns upon Colonial Coins, if accompanied with the name of a legion, but not otherwise, show that the Colony was founded by the veterans of that legion. There were also standards called Pila or Tufa, consisting of bucklers, heaped one above the other 11. Of the Imperial Standard, the Eagle, see p. 730. The ancient Franks bore the tiger, wolf, &c. but soon adopted the Eagle from the Romans. In the second race they used the cross, images of saints, &c. The fleur de lis was the distinctive attribute of the King 12: Ossian 13 mentions the Standard of the King and Chiefs of Clans, and says that it (the King's) was blue, studded with gold. This is not improbable, for the Anglo-Saxon ensign was very grand. It had on it the white horse, as the Danish was distinguished by the raven. They were, however, differently formed from the modern, being parallelograms, fringed, and borne, sometimes at least, upon a stand with four wheels 14. A standard upon a car was, we have already seen, usual with the ancient Persians. Dr. Meyrick 15 admits that it was of Asiatick origin, first adopted by the Italians, and introduced here in the reign of Stephen. That of Stephen is fixed by the middle upon a staff, topped by a cross pattée, has a cross pattée itself on one wing, and three small branches shooting out from each flag 16. It appears from Drayton 17, that the main standard of Henry V. at the battle of Agincourt, was borne upon a car; and the reason 3 Enc. Am 5 Enc. Introd. liv. * Dr. Meyrick, pl. iii. fig. 8. p. xvii. has engraved a Dacian standard, representing the serpent, an object of pagan worship, and terminating in what appears to have been a bell. mian. x. 12. Tertull. Apol. c. 16. Sidon. v. 40. n. 409. 4 Mongez. Rec. d'Antiquit. pl. 97. • Prudent. Teg σTEQ. i. 64. 7 M. Paris, 853. Dec. Scriptor. 2426, 2493. Pennant's Whiteford, 220. Warton's Sir Tho. Pope, 233 et. al. 8 Annals, 173, 202, ed. Howes. 9 Rec. d'Antiq. 39. 10 Rec. iii, pl. 64. 11 Enc. 12 Costumes des anciens peuples, iii. 11. 13 Fingal, b. iv. 14 Strutt's Horda, i. p. 30, pl. 20. f. 4, &c. 15 i. 51. 16 Decem Scriptores, 339, 340. 17 Battle of Agin court. which he assigns is, that it was too heavy to be carried otherwise. Dr. Meyrick adds, that it preceded the royal presence. Edward I. had the arms of England, St. George, St. Edmond, and St. Edward, on his standards 2. Of a banner placed in a bush for a standard, see p. 661. The flag or banner in the hands of princes, upon seals, denotes sovereign power, and was assumed by many Lords in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries 3. Rudborne 4, by the way, as do others, pretends that the standard sent by the Pope to William the Conqueror was the three lions (leopardes), which is contrary to other accounts. These make the third added long afterwards. See FLAG, p. 266. Knight, with the Arms of Ferrers, see p. 788. This figure shows the ailettes on the shoulders, and in other respects much resembles William de Zouch, of Mortimer, who died 1335. See Archæologia, xiv. pl. xxxvii. fig.i. Ir is utterly impossible to convey precise ideas of dress without a multitude of cuts; but some general rules shall here be given, which need little or no illustration from figures. EGYPTIAN monuments, in the early ages, wear caps, or heads and beards shorn close; the inferior classes seem to have gone nearly naked, and all the different orders of the community alike to have worn little and thin clothing. The lower extremities of the body appear to have been covered the most. Many male figures display no other garments than a short apron or piece of stuff fastened round the waist by a belt, and ascending half way down the thighs; and in numerous representations of both sexes the whole upper part of the body appears entirely bare, or only adorned with a profusion of necklaces, belts, armlets, and bracelets; while the aforesaid apron, wrapped round the loins, descends like a petticoat down to the ancles. The complete tunick, reaching all the way from the neck to the feet, seems to have been reserved for the higher orders, and even this is so tight, that not a crease is to be seen. In later times the GrecoEgyptian habits acquired fullness, and occur with folds and plaits. Kings are known by long staves, or sceptres; Priests by wands topped with birds' heads, &c. Plate of Costumes *, figs. 1, 2, 3.) (See the The elegance and taste of Mr. Hope's Costumes of the Ancients, Dr. Meyrick's Aboriginal British, and Strutt's English Habits, need only be compared with foreign works on similar subjects to show their superiority. 2 Hope, i. 1-7. * EXPLANATION OF PLATE OF EGYPTIAN, ASIATIC, GRECIAN, AND ROMAN COSTUME.-Figs. 1, 2. Egyp tian Dresses from Statues in the Capitol. Fig. 3. Egyptian Priest, from Denon's Egypt. Fig. 4. Parthian, with his Bow and Javelin. Fig. 5. Amazon, in war, from one of Mr. Hope's vases. She is represented fighting with a griffin. The round disks on the belt perhaps represent coins, like those with which to this day the inhabitants of the borders of the Black Sea stud their leather belts. Fig. 6. Amazon, in peace, from a fic |