banneral

[BANNER.] A flag or standard. Keats: Specimen of an Induction. "Beneath the shade of stately banneral ." băn'-nered, a. [Eng. banner; -ed.] Furnished or equipped with banners. "By times from silken couch she rose, While yet the banner'd hosts repose." Scott: Lay of the Last Minstrel, v. 10. băn'-ner-ět, * băn-ner-ětte, * băn'-erětte ( Eng .), * băn'-rĕute (0. Scotch ), s. [In Fr. banneret, banderet; Low Lat. banneret us.] [BANNER.] 1. An abbreviation for Knight-Banneret; a member of an ancient order of knighthood which had the privilege of leading their retainers to battle under their own flag. They ranked as the next order below the Knights of the Garter, only a few official dignitaries intervening. This was not, however, unle they were created by the king on the field of battle, else they ranked after baronets. The order is now extinct, the last banneret created having been at the battle of Edge hill, in 1642, for his gallantry in rescuing the standard of Charles I. "A gentleman told Henry, that Sir Richard Croftes, made banneret at Stoke, was a wise man; the king answered, he doubted not that, but marvelled how a fool could know."-Camden. 2. A small banner or streamer. yet the scarfs, and the bannerets about thee did manifoldly di uade me from believing thee a ve el of too great a burthen."-Shakesp.: All's Well that Ends Well , i1. 3. 3. A title given to the highest officer in some of the Swi Republics.