White Hoods (or Chaperons Blancs); the insurgents of Ghent, led by Jean Lyons, noted for their fight at Minnewater to prevent the digging of a canal which they fancied would be injurious to trade.
Saw the fight at Minnewater, saw the “White Hoods” moving west.
Longfellow, The Belfry of Bruges.
White Horse (Lords of The), the old Saxon chiefs, whose standard was a white horse.
And tampered with the lords of the White Horse.
Tennyson, Guinevere.
White Horse of the Peppers, a sprat to catch a mackerel. After the battle of the Boyne, the estates of many of the Jacobites were confiscated, and given to the adherents of William III. Amongst others, the estate of the Peppers was forfeited, and the Orangeman to whom it was awarded went to take possession. “Where was it, and what was its extent?” These were all-important questions; and the Orangeman was led up and down, hither and thither, for several days, under pretence of showing him the land. He had to join the army by a certain day, but was led so far afield that he agreed to forego his claim if supplied with means of reaching his regiment within the given time. Accordingly, the “white horse,” the pride of the family, and the fastest animal in the land, was placed at his disposal, the king’s grant was revoked, and the estate remained in the possession of the original owner.--S. Lover, Stories and Legends of Ireland (1832-34).
White Horse of Wantage (Berkshire), cut in the chalk hills. The horse is 374 feet long, and may be seen at the distance of fifteen miles. It commemorates a great victory obtained by Alfred, over the Danes, called the battle of Æscesdun (Ashdown), during the reign of his brother Ethelred in 871. (See Red Horse.)
In this battle all the flower of the barbarian youth was there slain, so that neither before nor since was ever such a destruction known since the Saxons first gained Britain by their arms.--Ethelwerd, Chronicle, ii. A. 871. (See also Asser, Life of Alfred, year 871.)
White King, the title of the emperor of Muscovy, from the white robes which these kings were accustomed to use.