"Les lances bessent, o sont li gonfanon."—Rom. de Garin.
"Baisse la lance ou li gonfanon pent."—Rom. d'Aubery.
"Moult si siest bien au col la lance au gonfanon."
Rom. de Duguesclin.
The Pennon, as we have before seen, (p. [95],) was the flag of those knights who had not attained to the dignity of banneret. It appears to have terminated in a point or points, but its exact form at this period has not been ascertained. It probably differed in nothing but its size from the lance-flags seen in the Bayeux tapestry and on the seals and other monuments of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Wace, however, in the following passage, seems to use the word in a more general sense; for it is the Vicomte du Cotentin, lieutenant of the duke of Normandy, of whom he is speaking:—
"Les li fist un penun porter,
U lur gent pussent recuvrer."—Rom. de Rou, l. 7839.
If these various flags were found sufficient to keep together the troops of an ordinary expedition; in large armaments such as those of the Crusades, the want of some more general distinction must soon have been felt. Hoveden therefore tells us, under the year 1188, that the leaders against the Saracens, "for the purpose of recognising their various nations, adopted distinguishing signs for themselves and their people. For the king of France and his people wore red crosses; the king of England and his people, white crosses; while Philip, earl of Flanders, and his followers, wore green crosses." The existence of a mode of recognition among troops at this period is confirmed by the passage of Wace in which he names the "cognoissances" of the Norman host and their allies:—
"E tuit orent fet cognoissances,
Ke Normant altre conéust,
Et k'entreposture n'éust.
Ke Normant altre ne férist,
Ne Franceiz altre n'océist."—Line 12,816.
The particular nature of the sign of recognition intended by the chronicler, it is in vain now to inquire. The note of M. Pluquet on the passage gives "Signes de convention."
The Lance-flag is found throughout the period now under notice. Many examples occur in the Bayeux tapestry, and in the royal and baronial seals of the time. The usual device upon it is a cross, a square, a number of rounds, or stripes of different colours; or the streamer is of a single tint. It is dentated in two or more cuts, and sometimes fringed at the edge. See our engraved examples.
The Musical Instruments used in war were the horn, the trumpet, and a variety of the latter called the graisle. Wace mentions all these in his account of the battle of Hastings:—
"Dez ke li dous ost[235] s'entrevirent,
Grant noise è grant temulte firent.
Mult oïssiez graisles soner,
E boisines è cors corner."—Line 13,135.