1. = GONFALON. In the middle ages, chiefly applied to the small flag or pennon suspended immediately beneath the steel head of a knight's lance. Also figuratively.
a 1300 Cursor Mundi (The Cursur o the world) A Northumbrian poem of the 14th century in four versions 21732 On cros godd boght ur saul liues, þar-on he gaf him-seluen ranscun, And of him-seluen mad gunphanun. 13.. K. Alis. 1963 There was mony gonfanoun, Of gold, sendel, and siclatoun. 13.. Sir Tristrem (c. 1320) 173 He bad his knißtes .. Com .. Wiþ hors and wepenes fele And rered goinfaynoun. c 1400 Romaunt of the Rose (The lines 1-1705 CHAUCER about 1366, Lines 1706-end ANONYMOUS circa 1400) 2018, I bere of Love the gonfanoun, Of Curtesye the banere. 1489 WILLIAM CAXTON The book of fayttes of armes and of chyualrye, tr. 1489 1.XV.45 The chyef capytaynes of the oostia had gonfanons with certeyn deuyses. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]
2. A lance from which a gonfanon is suspended.
1481 WILLIAM CAXTON Godfrey cxcviii. 280. And with the
gonfanon that he bare lusted ayenst hym in suche wyse that he bare hym
thurgh the bodys and slewe hym.
Hence Gonfanoner [ = Old French gunfanunier],
the bearer of a gonfanon.
c 1450 Merlin of the early history of king
Arthur a prose romance. 211 The kynge Boors so
smote Sarmedon, the gonfanoner, that he kutte of the arme with all the
sheilde, and the banner fill to the erthe.
Standard
[DMH: Only the definitions related to flag and banners are included here.]
substantive Also 14th-16th C. standarde, 14th-15th C. stondard, 14th-16th C. standerde, 14th-17th C. standerd, (6th C. standred), 14th-17th, 18th C. rare standart, 15th-16th C. standert (15th C. estandert, 16th C. standertt), stondart(e (15th C. stondert), 16th C. stander, 17th C. Scotch stender. See also ESTANDARD. [aphetic adopted from Old French estandard, -art, -estendard, -art (modern French étendard) = mediæval Latin standardum, -us, standarium, etc., Provençal estandard, -art, Spanish, Portugese estandarte, Italian stendardo; according to most scholars formed on com. Romanic estend-ere (Latin extend-ere to stretch out: see EXTEND v.) + -ARD; [...]
I. A military or naval ensign.
A flag, sculptured figure, or other conspicuous object, raised on a pole to indicate the rallying-point of an army (or fleet), or of one of its component portions; the distinctive ensign of a king, great noble, or commander, or of a nation or city.
Standard-general: the principal standard of an army. Obsolete.
In English the word appears first with reference to the 'Battle of the Standard' in 1138. A contemporary writer, Richard of Hexham, relating the story of the battle, describes the 'standard' there used as a mast of a ship, with flags at the top, mounted in the middle of a machine which was brought into the field. He quotes a Latin couplet written on the occasion, which says that the standard was so called from 'stand', because 'it was there that valour took its stand to conquer or die'.
1154 Old English chronicle [Anglo-Saxon Chronicle] (Laud MS.) an. 1138, Him [understood to be king David of Scotland] com to gænes Willelm eorl of Albamar .. mid fæu men & .. flemden þe king æt te Standard. 1297 ROBERT OF GLOUCESTER Metrical chronicle (Rolls) 6175 Edmond di***te is stondard ware he ssolde him sulue abide. 13.. King Alisaunder2377 (Laud MS.), To ymagu hij turneden pas þer þe kynges standarde was. 1338 ROBERT BRUNNE Langtoft's Chronicles (1275) 115 Þise men lift ther standard, that stoute was & grim Ageyn Dauid wanderlard, & disconfite him. c. 1425 ? JOHN LYDGATE Assembly of Gods 825 All these seuyn capteynes had standardes of pryce. 1483 Catholicon Anglicum 359 A Sstanderd or A bekyn, statela. before 1548 EDWARD HALL. Chronicle, Henry V, 64 b, Banners, standers and penons of the kynges armes. 1588 ROBERT PARKE translation Mendoza's (J. Gonzales de) Histoire of the great and mightie kingdome of China 165 A watch towre .. who had discouered our shippe, and knew the standard or flagge to bee the kings. 1594 WILLIAM SHAKESPERE The tragedy of Richard the third. v.iii.263 Then in the name of God and all these rights, Aduance your Standards, draw your willing Swords. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]b. In many phrases used with pregnant sense, the standard being taken as typifying the army or its leaders; eg. to raise one's standard, take up arms; under the standard of serving in the army of; so to join the standard of; and the like.
circa 1500 Melusine (compiled and translated by J. D'Arras) xxiv. 164 Your vassall & seruaunt shal I euer be vonder the standart of your gouernance. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]
figuratively 1532 SIR THOMAS MORE The confutacyon of Tyndales answere II. 103 Some that were heretyques in dede, and wolde .. auaunce theyr owne heresyes forwarde vnder the name and standard of his [Origen's] famouse authoryte. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]In a more restricted sense, a military or naval flag of some particular kind.
Ordinarily, the standard is understood to be distinguished from a banner by being long and tapering instead of square, and from a pennon by its greater breadth. [...]
1375 JOHN BARBOUR The Bruce xi. 465 Thai saw so fele browdyn baneris, Standartis, pennownys apon speris. 1471 WILLIAM CAXTON translated The recuyell of the historyes of Troye (Sommer) 199 And than made dysplaye banyers, standardes & penons. 1523 JOHN BOURCHIER BERNERS, 2nd Baron The firste volum (etc) of syr John Froissart, of the cronycles of Englande, Fraunce (etc.). I. xviii. 22 Euery man mounted, and the baners and standers folowed this new made knyght. a 1548 EDWARD HALL. Chronicle, Henry VII 53 b, Barges garnished with standardes, stremers and penons. a 1577 SIR THOMAS SMITH The common-wealth of England and manor of government thereof I. xviii. (1589) 33 Knights bannerets are made in the field, with the ceremonie of cutting off the poynt of his standert, and making it as it were a baner. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]b. In certain occasional uses. Standard of trade: a merchant ensign. Standard of truce: a flag of truce hoisted on a pole. Obsolete
1449 The Paston Letters I. 85 Then they lonchyd a bote, and sette up a stondert of truesse. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]
- = STANDARD-BEARER.
13.. King Alisaunder 1995 Sendith Ymagu, youre standard, And Archilaus in the furst ward! circa 1400 The romance of the Sowdone of Babylone 2717 'Go forth' quod the stondart, 'thou getist noon here'. 1481 WILLIAM CAXTON Godeffroy of Boloyne xcix. 150 Theyr estandart had ben longe seke by thoccasion of his hurte. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]A body of troops kept in reserve in the earlier part of an engagement. Obsolete
1297 ROBERT OF GLOUCESTER Metrical chronicle (Rolls) 8252 Þes tueye adde þe meste ost, þat as standard was þere Vor to helpe hor felawes, wanne hii weri were.A company of cavalry. Obsolete
1580 CLAUDIUS HOLLYBAND The treasurie of the French tong. Vne Cornette de chevalliers, a cornet or standard of horsemen. [DMH: post-1600 entries not included]Head-quarters. Obsolete
1481 WILLIAM CAXTON Myrr, II. xviii. 106 There (in helle) deth holdeth his standard whiche sendeth out thurgh all the world for to fetche them that ben his.