Barbed. Pointed, as an arrow. The term is also applied to the small green leaves between the petals of heraldic roses. (See Rose.)
Barbel. A Fish borne as an allusive device by the family of De Barre: [No. 162].
Barded. Having horse-trappings.
Bardings. Horse-trappings, often enriched with armorial blazonry. On the Great Seal of Edward I. the Bardings of the King’s charger for the first time appear adorned with the Royal arms. On both sides of the horse, the head is supposed to be to the dexter. An example is represented in the Seal of Alexander de Balliol, in [Chapter XIV.]
Barnacles, Breys. An instrument used in breaking horses. A rebus of Sir Reginald Bray, architect of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, and repeatedly represented there: No. 216.
| No. 216.— Breys. | No. 217.— Circlet of a Baron’s Coronet. |
Baron. The lowest rank in the British Peerage. A Baron is “Right Honourable,” and is styled “My Lord.” His coronet, first granted by Charles II., has on a golden circlet six large pearls, of which four appear in representations, as in No. 217. An Irish Baron has no coronet. All a Baron’s children are “Honourable.”
Baron. A purely heraldic term signifying a husband, a wife in Heraldry being femme.
Baroness. A lady in whom a Barony is vested by inheritance in her own right; also, the wife of a Baron. In either case she is “Right Honourable”; is styled “My Lady,” and her coronet is the same as that of a Baron.
Baronet. An hereditary rank, lower than the peerage, instituted in 1612 by James I., who fixed the precedence of Baronets before all Knights, those of the Order of the Garter alone excepted. As originally created, all Baronets were “of Ulster,” or “of Nova Scotia”; afterwards all new creations were “of Great Britain”; now all are “of the United Kingdom.” The “Badge of Ulster,” generally borne as an augmentation upon a canton or small inescutcheon, is—Arg., a sinister hand, couped at the wrist and appaumée, gu.,—No. 215. The arms of Nova Scotia, which may be (but seldom are) similarly borne on a canton or inescutcheon, are—Arg., on a saltire az., the Royal arms of Scotland. (See [No. 138].) By letters patent of James I., the wives of Baronets have the titles of “Lady, Madam, or Dame,” at their pleasure prefixed to their names.