Jupon. A short, sleeveless surcoat, worn over armour from about 1340 to about 1405. It is often charged with armorial insignia, and thus is a true “coat of arms.”
Key. When represented in early blazon, Keys have always elegant forms. No. 268 is from Peterborough Cathedral, and No. 269 from Exeter.
King-of-Arms. See Herald.
Knighthood, Orders of: Knights. See [Chapter XVI.]
Knot. An intertwined cord, borne as a badge. The varieties of this device are—The Bourchier, [No. 219]; the Bowen, [No. 220]; the Harington (the same as a Frette), [No. 148]; the Heneage, [No. 264]; the Lacy, [No. 274]; the Stafford, [No. 304]; and the Wake and Ormond, [No. 313]. Cords were sometimes intertwined about other figures and devices, and so formed what may be regarded as Compound Badges, which significantly declared the union of two houses: thus, the knot of Edward Lord Hastings unites the Hungerford sickle with the Peverel garbe: No. 270; and the Dacre knot is entwined about the Dacre escallop and the famous “ragged staff” of Beauchamp and Neville: [No. 235].
| Labels.— No. 271. | No. 272. | No. 273. |
Label, or File. A narrow ribbon placed across the field of a shield near the chief, and having three, five, or sometimes other numbers of points depending from it, its object being to mark Cadency. In the early Labels the number of the points was arbitrary, the usual numbers being five and three; and, subsequently, three points were almost universally used; the object always was to render the Label conspicuous. In blazon a Label is supposed to have three points; but, if more, the number is to be specified; thus, No. 271 is simply “a Label,” but No. 272 is “a Label of five points.” Labels appear early in the thirteenth century, and in the next century they are in constant use. Various charges may be placed on the “points” of Labels to extend their capacity for “differencing.” Since the time of Edward the Black Prince the Label of the Prince of Wales has been plain silver. The Label is almost exclusively (now without any exception) used in Royal Cadency; but, in modern Heraldry, in the case of all other persons it is the peculiar mark of the eldest son. The Label is also found as a charge. It has become a usage in the degenerate days of Heraldry to represent the Label as in No. 273, instead of the earlier and far preferable forms of Nos. 271, 272.
